It’s the era of remakes and live-action adaptations, for better or worse. Whether it’s Disney or another reputable studio, live-action remakes have been a hit-or-miss situation. Nearly a dozen timeless classics have been brought to the big screens starring big names in the entertainment industry The Lion King And Beauty and the Beast has The Little Mermaid. For now, it seems Disney shows no signs of stopping bringing its iconic stories to life.

So when the Russo brothers announced in April 2024 that a live-action remake of the 1997 film Hercules the films were still being made, this ignited the fandom once again. Based on the myth of the Greek demigod Hercules, rumors surrounding the project outweigh the facts. Even so, there’s still a lot to explain about the mysterious remake.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on January 20, 2025: As Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White inches closer to release, all eyes are turning to one of the most anticipated upcoming reboots, the Russo Brothers’ Hercules. The film is still a long way from hitting theaters, but audiences are eager to see the Avengers directors’ version of the classic Disney film. This list has been updated to include new information about the upcoming live-action remake and to adhere to CBR’s current formatting guidelines.

Is a Live-Action Hercules Remake Still in the Works?

Hercules is still under construction, but at the beginning of development

It’s exciting to see Disney’s most iconic and beloved stories being adapted for the big screen. The return of The Lion King via a different medium and configuration, an induced nostalgia that lasted until The Little Mermaid release. While live-action adaptations are a gamble, they’re also risky because they can give rise to iconic roles that fans will forever remember as “perfect.” Just like Henry Cavill is a perfect fit for fictional characters like Superman, the right story and the right actors can make a remake soar. The latest entry in Disney’s live-action adventure is its 1997 animated film about a demigod and his adventures to become a hero.

Related

Everything We Know About Disney’s Live-Action Hunchback of Notre Dame Remake

Many fans have their hearts set on a live-action remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but updates haven’t been particularly promising.

Rumors started circulating in 2022 when Joe Russo shared with Variety that a live-action adaptation of Hercules The film was in the works with Guy Ritchie as a possible candidate to direct the project. Unfortunately, whatever details followed the announcement were quite vague and inconclusive until recently. To the delight of fans, the Avengers: Endgame The directors revealed in an interview that the project was indeed in development and that the Russos were “currently waiting for a script.” The brothers also lightly touched on what audiences can expect from the upcoming film, namely “experimentation.” The last two Avengers the films prove the Russos’ powerful vision for turning anything into a colossal legend.

That’s why fans can expect Hercules the adaptation is not a scene-for-scene adaptation of the original story and that it could be something completely unorthodox. Since January 2025, live-action Hercules the film is still in preparationeven though the film has not yet entered production. The Russo brothers are still involved in the project, although they will not direct the next film. Nonetheless, as the film moves closer to the production stage, some rumors and scoops suggest what audiences should expect from the film when it finally hits theaters.

When will the live-action Hercules movie be released?

It may be a long time before Hercules hits theaters

Right now, Disney is full of live-action remakes, with releases planned through 2026. Confirmed projects include Moana And snow Whitethe latter of which is only a few weeks away from its theatrical release. Also in preparation Lilo and Stitch, TangledAnd The Hunchback of Notre Dame. So, it might be a while before fans hear anything solid about Hercules’ release. Of course, it all depends on how quickly production moves, which means securing a fully-fledged script, director and cast. Speaking of the director’s chair, when news of live-action spread like wildfire in 2022, a famous English director was immediately hired after his success with that of Aladdin live-action remake in 2019. Guy Ritchie is best known for his non-linear storytelling and for giving a colorful twist to his characters.

Ritchie has recently been busy with The Ministry of Anti-Gentleman Warbut it seems that he is even busier for Hercules. According to sources from The DisInsider showGuy Ritchie was rumored to be no longer attached to the project as of January 2024. The news was not the result of anything controversial; rather it was believed that Ritchie had simply become “too busy” to direct the upcoming live-action remake. Unfortunately, with the driver’s seat empty and no valid writing on paper, the project could still be floating and still need time to anchor itself. In January 2025, there is still no one to direct live-action. Hercules film, although the Russo brothers are apparently still attached as producers.

Related

Disney’s Next Live-Action Remake Moves Forward With Thor: Love and Thunder Writer

The upcoming live-action remake of a Disney animated film has been revealed.

Unfortunately, the Russo brothers’ busy schedule could lead to Hercules be delayed for a few more years. It was recently announced that Anthony and Joe Russo would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct the next two films. Avengers movies, Avengers: Apocalypse And Avengers: Secret Wars. These two films will be released back-to-back, wrapping up the MCU’s multiverse saga in 2027 and 2028. Although the Russos may be able to offload the bulk of the work on Hercules For whoever ends up directing the project, their busy schedule at Marvel could lead them to delay Disney’s live-action remake in favor of finishing their work on the superhero franchise. As such, the live action Hercules is likely still several years away from hitting theaters, with viewers not seeing it until the 2030s.

Who will star in Disney’s Live-Action Hercules?

Disney fans have already chosen their “dream cast”

While the Russo brothers are still awaiting a script, casting speculation is still limited to the fandom’s fantasies and passion for finding the right faces for the film. It’s a growing trend, aside from posting intriguing fan theories, that die-hard fans have their pick of which celebrities would best match the impersonations of their favorite animated characters. Many fan castings have made their way onto the internet and present certain choices that may or may not lead to actual casting announcements in the future. Many fans suggested star Noah Centineo To all the boys I’ve loved before series, play as the titular demigod. Alongside Hercules, the beloved Meg could be played by the talented Jodie Comer, whose murderous looks and sass would adorn Hades’ strong-headed henchwoman. As for the God of the Underworld’s faithful sidekicks, Pain and Panic, fans thought no one would be better than Nick Frost and the loving Simon Pegg.

Fans also thought Keke Palmer, Amber Riley, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, and Janelle Mona would be perfect for the five muses, especially if it’s a musical. Overall, viewers are pretty clear on their choice and excited about the next one Hercules remake. Of course, no one would be more perfect than the original voice actor himself to play the role of the beloved satyr who trained heroes. Veteran and beloved actor Danny DeVito voiced the original character, and surprisingly, when asked WIRED YouTube channel in 2023 about reprising his role in the live-action, the actor was more than eager to reprise the role. While the fandom would like nothing more than the right celebrities to play the roles of their favorite characters, it all comes down to what the studio thinks.

Related

Disney’s best live-action remake is the one everyone is overlooking

The 2016 version of Pete’s Dragon does everything that Disney’s other live-action remakes have unfortunately failed to do, and it deserves more love.

For example, in May 2024, rumors circulated that Dune: Part 2 And Elvis Superstar Austin Butler was eyed for the role of the muscular demigod while popstar-turned-rising actress Dua Lipa was booked for the role of Megara. No other high-profile names have come forward for other roles aside from Danny DeVito, who is both a popular choice with audiences and the studio for the iconic role of Phil. It might also come as a surprise to many that pop sensation Ariana Grande, who recently made a starring appearance as Glinda in Wickedwould be considered for the lead role. However, in a recent interview, Grande suggested he Victorious co-star Elizabeth Gillies as Megara. Another unconfirmed rumor revealed that King Actor Taron Egerton was also a frontrunner in the casting race. However, this is still a period of relative uncertainty for the project which continues to take shape. All fans have now are rumors and fan castings.

Will the remake stay true to the original story?

The Live-Action Hercules Movie Could Be Very Different

Like most Disney films at the time, Hercules is also a musical that puts a twist on the Greek God’s tales of courage and heroism. The 1997 animated film follows the story of a demigod named Hercules. Zeus’ evil brother Hades planned to kill Hercules so that he could not pose a threat to his grand plan, as prophesied. However, his plans were incomplete and instead of killing him, Hades only ended up depriving baby Hercules of his godhood and immortality, but his super strength remained intact. Growing up, Hercules felt like an outcast due to his inability to control his immense power, and that’s when the advice came to him. He finds his father, the king of the gods who entrusts him with the mission of becoming the “true hero” in order to be able to reclaim his status and return to Mount Olympus. Given Disney’s formal approach to remakes, it’s possible that, with a few exceptions, Hercules could also be a scene-by-scene live-action version of the animated film.

However, the Russo brothers hinted that the film would not be a typical Disney musicalbut rather a modern experience. They even curiously suggested that they would take notes on the popularity of the social media app Tiktok, although it’s unclear exactly what they meant by that comment. The Russos’ comments suggest that fans could get a heavily modernized and unconventional version of the original story, similar to how Mulan changed his story or how Beauty and the Beast I even added songs to other characters. It’s safe to say that Hercules The remake has a long way to go, especially when it comes to casting choices, as there are heated debates over Disney’s recent decisions regarding the casting of classic characters. Ultimately, this film could breathe new life into Disney’s current disappointing live-action structure. Vice versa, Hercules could suffer the same fate as Mulanwhich fans widely consider to be one of Disney’s worst live-action remakes, as it mostly ignored the original film in favor of a completely different story. It goes without saying, Hercules may not be for all fans of the original animated film.

Related

Everything We Know About the Live-Action Moana Remake

Moana is finally getting the live-action treatment, and even though there’s no trailer, fans should know that there’s still plenty hidden beneath the waves.

Disney’s Broadway cast performed Zero to Hero at D23

D23 performance comes with exciting news

Although there may not be much news on the live action HerculesThe Broadway version of the story of Hercules is still popular. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Disney on Broadway, and to celebrate, the Disney Theatrical Group performed a medley of songs from Disney Broadway shows, including Hercules“From Zero to Hero.” With the show came several Hercules-related ads.

In the summer of 2025, a Hercules the musical will premiere in London’s West End. Shortly thereafter, in November 2025, the Disney cruise ship Destiny will inaugurate a Hercules stage show. It will likely be a while before any updates are released on the live action. Hercules movie. In the meantime, fans can look forward to upcoming West End and Disney Destiny productions. Plus, it can’t hurt to go back and rewatch the 1997 animated film.

The Live-Action Hercules Can Be Told From Hades’ Point of View

The Hercules Movie Could Take Inspiration From Another Live-Action Disney Franchise

A recent rumor about the next Hercules the live-action reboot suggests that it won’t be a direct remake of the original film at all. Some sources claim that the film will be titled Hades and will describe the events of the film from the point of view of the god of the underworld. Naturally, Hades is the main antagonist of the original film, which makes this rumor all the more intriguing as audiences wonder what his perspective would add to the classic Disney project.

2:23

Related

5 Live-Action Hercules That Predated the Russo Brothers’ Disney Remake

Disney’s Hercules is getting a live-action remake from Russo Brothers, but the hero has been depicted in live-action before.

If true, live action Hercules (Or Hades) the film would be inspired by that of Disney Evil franchise, which turned the table Sleeping Beautythe story in favor of its villain. Evil and its sequel revolved around the titular villainess, played by Angelina Jolie, revealing her tragic backstory which explained her actions in Sleeping Beauty. Disney took a similar approach with Cruelwhich described the tragic story of Cruella de Ville before her appearance in 101 Dalmatians​​. Following the movement, Hades could be the start of a new trend in Disney live-action remakes that don’t aim to directly copy the original films, but rather add a new perspective that changes the way audiences perceive the animated originals.

Hercules

Hercules is a 1997 animated film from Walt Disney Pictures that reimagines the classic myth of Hercules. Voiced by Tate Donovan, the young hero must prove himself worthy of immortality by defeating the villainous Hades, voiced by James Woods, who plans to overthrow Zeus. At his side are Megara, a damsel with a complex past, and the faithful trainer, Phil. The film blends Greek mythology with a vibrant musical score to create a captivating adventure.

Director

John Musker, Ron Clements

Release date

June 13, 1997

Runtime

93 minutes