It is a well established trend in the world of cinema today to remake classic cartoons into live action films, and Disney is at the forefront of this revolution. With the 2017 'Beauty and the Beast' remake, starring Emma Watson as the classic Disney princess, the upcoming 'Aladdin' release, and the plans for a new 'Mulan' and 'Little Mermaid', the trend does not seem to be slowing down. The topic of remakes is a controversial one to say the least; while some fans of the Disney world are enchanted by their favourite animations being brought to life, many others are critical of this potentially unimaginative style of film.
We recently had the opportunity to speak to Dean DeBlois, the creator of beloved animation films including 'Lilo and Stitch' and 'How to Train Your Dragon', and he had a lot to say on the matter. In light of the new plans to remake the beloved family classic, 'Lilo and Stitch' DeBlois was quick to express his disinterest in the trend: "It's a trend that apparently is successful, financially. It doesn't interest me at all [...] When I hear that Disney is remaking its library of animated films, it seems to suggest that the animated films are inferior. That bothers me as somebody who loves animation." Many diehard Disney fans might be in agreement here, questioning whether this fashion for remakes undermines our favourite childhood movies.
Deblois also commented on the laziness of this type of cinema, describing the 'Beauty and the Beast' remake as a "shot for shot recreation". He did not hold back on his dislike for the genre, saying that while he doesn't "condemn the artistry of the films", he feels that as a genre it is "too easy" and "just an effort to make more money".
With regards to 'Lilo & Stitch' Deblois admitted that it has been "such a personal film" for him, recalling the time he spent with Chris Sanders "crafting this little quirky story". Despite expressing some sadness at letting other people dive into his original animation, Deblois did not appear to be concerned for the legacy of his film: "over time it's become a classic and people love the characters so to have another team of film makers come in and they're going to reinvent it and make it better? Good luck!".
'How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World'
While it looks like we shouldn't be hoping for a live action recreation of 'How to Train Your Dragon' any time soon, Deblois did comment on his upcoming film with regards to the controversial new character of the Light Fury dragon, who has been criticized for being an overly feminised for the sake of having a dragon love interest. He admitted that "a lot of people were fearful that we were just going to play her as cute and girly", however, he claims that she is a "powerful and interesting character on her own".
"There is always going to be a debate, especially when you introduce a boyfriend or girlfriend. It seems so typical. But I think in this case, for Toothless, she is more than just a mate. She represents the change that Hiccup has to make; there is a life beyond the one that he has provided for Toothless."
You can decide for yourselves what you think of the new Light Fury dragon when the film comes to cinemas in early 2019.
