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When you think \u201cDisney musical,\u201d what comes to mind? You probably think of colorful animated set pieces, charming animal sidekicks and lilting princess ballads. You probably don\u2019t think of anything live-action \u2014 something Disney is clearly trying to change. In the past decade, Disney has released eight live-action adaptations of their beloved animated musicals. All of these adaptations are obvious cash grabs, but some succeed in standing independently, while others are nothing more than hollow imitations of their source material.<\/p>\n
In this messy landscape of live-action adaptation, it\u2019s hard to determine which films are worth your time. In this article, we guide you through all eight theatrically released Disney musical adaptations, ranking them according to both their musical and cinematographic merit. The highest ranked films are those that complicate or expand upon their source material, while the lowest ranked fail to even meet baseline Disney standards. This article serves as a thorough analysis of the live-action adaptation trend, assessing the genre\u2019s origins and discerning its place within the greater Disney canon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
8. \u201cThe Lion King\u201d (2019)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n During its inception in the early \u201990s, Disney did not have high hopes for \u201cThe Lion King.\u201d The original animated film was simply too different. Instead of pulling from the Brothers Grimm,<\/a> the film\u2019s screenwriters crafted a Shakespearian<\/a> plot which featured an all-animal cast instead of\u00a0princesses. Elton John replaced famous Disney composers Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, breaking Broadway tradition to take on a rock sensation. Yet despite these uncertainties, not only was the original film a hit, \u201cThe Lion King\u201d was adapted into the highest grossing Broadway musical of all time.\u00a0<\/p>\n