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Live-action remakes of animated movies have become increasingly popular over the last decade, oftentimes becoming some of the biggest box-office hits in the industry. Just last year, Lilo & Stitch was remade into a live-action movie after the original animated movie’s 2002 release, and the new version became one of the top five highest-grossing movies of the year. Other companies have done the same, such as Universal and Dreamworks remaking How to Train Your Dragon in live-action behind Hudson Thames and Gerard Butler last year; it outgrossed its animated predecessor by over $100 million at the box office.
This year will continue that trend on Disney’s side with the live-action Moana, bringing back Dwayne Johnson’s Maui alongside Catherine Maga’ala’s young Polynesian princess (daughter of the chief). Next year, How to Train Your Dragon 2 will continue that trend, bringing back the core cast from the first movie and adding Cate Blanchett to reprise her animated role as Valka. Now, another live-action remake is confirmed to be in development, retelling a story first made popular over three decades ago.
A new press release confirmed that Amazon MGM Studios has a live-action remake of the 1992 movie FernGully in development. Marielle Heller is set to direct the film, based on a script she wrote. This film’s producers include Stacey Sher (through Shiny Penny), Susan Ursitti-Sheinberg, Jon Sheinberg, Matt Feige (through Sheinberg Feige Organization), Marielle Heller, and Leah Holer (Defiant By Nature). Moonli Sigha will be an executive producer.
Jon Sheinberg offered a quote to celebrate the movie’s development, saying, “Our goal isn’t simply to make a new film. It’s to honor a timeless classic and extend its powerful themes and musical legacy across every platform.” As of writing, no cast members have been confirmed yet for this live-action reboot.
The original movie centers on a fairy named Crysta, who lives in an Australian rainforest called FernGully and has never seen a human in her life. She believes they are extinct before a logging company comes near the rainforest, and she accidentally shrinks one of them, Zak Young, down to her size. Seeing the damage his company is doing to the forest, he teams up with Crysta to stop both the loggers and an evil entity named Hexxus, who feeds off pollution.
The 1992 film featured a host of incredible voice actors from the era, including the late Robin Williams as Batty Koda, Christian Slate as Pips, and the famous duo Cheech and Chong (Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong) as Stump and Root. Emmy and Grammy winner Tim Curry delivered a standout performance as the film’s villain, Hexxus, becoming an instant fan favorite.
While casting and a release timeframe are still being kept under wraps, bringing this story to life will be a massive undertaking for Amazon MGM Studios. However, considering the company’s recent work with formerly animated properties (such as the new Masters of the Universe movie), the sky is the limit for what this film can bring.
