Disney's live-action remake of Snow White continues to make headlines, with a few recent rumours going so far as to claim lead star Rachel Zegler has been fired and the movie itself scrapped. We can assure you that's not the case, and while the project is still very much dividing opinions, it is heading our way next year.
While Zegler has been forced to contend with racist abuse, her previous remarks about the original animated classic have become a sticking point for many Disney fans, as has the decision to ditch the Seven Dwarfs and other classic elements of the story like Prince Florian.
However, The DisInsider (via SFFGazette.com) is reporting that the movie has "scored pretty well" at test screenings, with those who attended saying both Zegler and Evil Queen actress Gal Gadot are "wonderful."
In other live-action Disney news, the Hercules remake being developed by the Russo Brothers and Aladdin director Guy Ritchie is said to be eyeing Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther) and Taron Egerton (Kingsman) to play the Demi-God. It's unclear whether Ariana Grande is still in the running for Meg, though.
Elsewhere, the title character in Moana has reportedly been cast after Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced the animated version, played a key role in helping the studio pick her replacement.
Bambi is going to be made in the same vein as The Jungle Book and The Lion King, while filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresandillo has reportedly left A Sword in the Stone.
Aristocats is also on the way, while Carlos Lopez Estrada is still attached to Robin Hood (the script was penned by Lady and the Tramp's Kari Granlund). The site explains that, "The film will use a hybrid of live-action and CGI, as the characters will be anthropomorphic like the animated film before it. The film will also be a musical, which is different from the original."
The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen, and Tarzan movies are all in various stages of development but any recent casting rumours are supposedly untrue.
Here's one particularly exciting tidbit, though; it sounds like something is going on with Atlantis: The Lost Empire, though it's currently unclear what it might be. The animated movie has a devoted fan following so an epic live-action movie has the potential to be amazing.
While Disney has been a little hit-and-miss with its live-action offerings, the next few years sound incredibly exciting and we're hoping at least most of these become a reality...hopefully without the sort of sweeping changes which have seen Snow White come under fire. We'll have to wait and see, though.
And for those of you wondering, here's the source for that gorgeous banner image above: