Disney's live-action 'Hercules' will be inspired by TikTok — producer
The Greek hero Hercules may have been born in a time where sophisticated technologies are nonexistent, but it looks like he'll have a few modern inspirations in Disney's upcoming remake of their classic film.
The animation giant previously announced that they are developing a live-action adaptation of their 1997 animated movie Hercules under the production of filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, who are best known for directing several Marvel movies including Infinity War and Endgame.
Discussing their Hercules project in an interview with Variety, Joe recognized the criticisms that past Disney live-action remakes have garnered from fans of their source material, particularly about how they merely copy the original film's story without offering something new.
Because of this, Joe said that their idea of Hercules will be "a little bit more experimental in tone, a little bit more experimental in execution."
He added, "I think they’re excited to see what we can all bring to it in a way that isn’t just a reinterpretation of the animated film."
In case you haven't seen the original animated flick, it imagines the legendary hero of ancient mythology as a demigod who becomes an outcast in society because of the super strength he inherited from his father Zeus. Determined to earn back his godhood by becoming a "true hero", he then rises to popularity by defeating countless monsters.
As with many Disney works, the film incorporates several musical numbers in its story. Joe said that their live-action adaptation will still adopt the musical element, but that there will be some unconventional approaches to it.
"There are questions about how you translate it as a musical. Audiences today have been trained by TikTok, right? What is their expectation of what that musical looks like and feels like? That can be a lot of fun and help us push the boundaries a little bit on how you execute a modern musical," Joe said.
The Russo brothers previously hinted that they will put a "modern spin" to the remake way back in July, but that they will still honor the classic.
"It will certainly pay homage to the original with a more modern spin on it. What Anthony and I love about the original is how funny and subversive it is. I think we try to embrace that sense of humor in the remake," Joe said as he spoke with GamesRadar+.