Good news for anyone who wants to be a cat, there seems to be a live-action adaptation of the Disney animated film, The Aristocatsaccording to Deadline. The original film was released in 1970, at the start of Disney’s so-called Dark Ages, which ran roughly from 1968 to 1987. While not one of Disney’s most iconic films, the Aristocats did well on release. Additionally, the film’s status as a staple of home video in the 1990s won it a devoted new following over several generations.
The Aristocrats tells the story of a group of pampered Parisian felines owned by a kind heiress who intends to make her cats the sole heirs of her domain. When his jealous butler gets wind of his plan, however, he hatches a plan to kidnap the cats, hoping to put his own paws to his fortune. Abandoned in the countryside, the city cat mom and her three cuddly kittens team up with a soft-spoken tom to find their way home before it’s too late.
It’s unclear whether the live-action film will have a theatrical or streaming release. A detail published in the Deadline exclusive, however, hinted at the method of adaptation the film will take. According to the report, the new movie will have a similar style to the the Lady and the Tramp adaptation which was released on Disney+ in 2019. No further announcements in terms of casting or plot details have yet been announced.
The new film will be written by Will Gluck and Keith Bounin. Gluck will also produce through Olive Bridge Entertainment. Both writers have had previous experience with animated or partially animated films, with Keith Bunin working on the 2020 Disney film Forwardand Will Gluck having worked on the Peter Rabbit films, which incorporated both live-action and animation elements.
The new adaptation is one of many films in Disney canon that in recent years have been reworked or reimagined. From the above the Lady and the Tramp to classics like The beauty and the Beast, Disney is eager to remind viewers of their classic films and re-engage them with updated narratives. This venture into their “dark age” catalog seems to mark a new era in Disney’s eternal rotation of remakes and reimaginings. Who knows what’s next? May be Billy Joel will return to serenade us with his street know-how in a redux of Olivier & Company.
If you want to watch the original The Aristocatsyou can stream it exclusively on Disney+.
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