According to producers Joe and Anthony Russo, Disney’s “Hercules” will give a “modern touch” to the Olympic fairy tale, while retaining some important elements of the classic 1997 cartoon.
In a conversation with GamesRadar+ at a recent press event, the Russo brothers discussed their intentions related to the creation of a film adaptation of Hercules. Joe explained that they approach the fairy tale from a “more modern” point of view, but they still plan to honor the original story and raise some of the humor from the Disney animated film in such a way as to raise it from zero to the level of the hero’s laughter.
“He will certainly pay homage to the original in a more modern interpretation,” Joe said, referring to the daunting task they took on. “What Anthony and I like about the original is how funny and subversive it is. I think we’re trying to convey that sense of humor in the remake.”
This isn’t the first time the Russo brothers have teased their plans to reimagine a live version of Hercules. They had previously set expectations for the film, warning fans that it would not be a “literal translation” of the animated hit as they seek to tell a “different story” with some new elements in the mix, while also drawing inspiration from the original film.
Joe and Anthony were joined in the project by Guy Ritchie, who took his place on the podium as the director of the new Hercules film. He previously directed Disney’s live-action adaptation of Aladdin, which grossed over $1 billion at the box office when it was released in 2019, and became the seventh highest-grossing film in the world that year.
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First released in 1997, “Hercules” was one of the last works of the so-called Disney Revival, where Tate Donovan carried the torch in the role of the main character playing muscles at Prometheus Academy. Danny DeVito also played Phil, a surly satyr teaching aspiring heroes, and James Woods as Hades, the fire-haired, fast-talking god of the Underworld.
The upgraded version of “Hercules” is the latest in a string of film adaptations from Disney, joining such films as “Beauty and the Beast”, “Cinderella” and “Mulan”, which have been released in recent years. The studio is also hard at work on the feature film “The Little Mermaid” starring Holly Bailey as Ariel and a remake of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from 1937, where Rachel Zegler plays the most beautiful of all.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
