The live action remakes just keep on coming! Following the massive financial success of Disney’s most recent reboots, the studio is planning on cranking out plenty more over the coming years. According to our sources – the same ones who told us that Black Mask will be gay in Birds of Prey, and that Robert Pattinson will be playing Batman, both of which were later confirmed – one of these projects will reportedly be The Great Mouse Detective. The mice will still be animated, apparently, while everything else will be live action, much like The Lion King and the upcoming planned Chip ‘n’ Dale feature.
For those unfamiliar, this popular cartoon mystery film was released in 1986 to widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Based on the children’s book series Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus, the feature closely emulates Sherlock Holmes and other detective fiction. The main character is a heroic mouse named Basil who lives in Victorian London and is trying to solve a potentially deadly mystery.
While fans from later generations may not be familiar with the movie, its impact on Disney’s animation department cannot be understated. Those at the top were convinced that the group was no longer a viable enterprise following the disappointing financial performance of The Black Cauldron in 1985 (a film that’s now ironically enough getting a live action remake of its own).
The Great Mouse Detective over performed at the box office a year later though and convinced the new senior management of the company that the animators could still produce groundbreaking material that audiences wanted to see. This then set the stage for the Disney Renaissance, which allowed the studio to become the unshakeable powerhouse that it is today.
Details are still largely unknown about this remake as of right now, but it’s likely that big names will be brought onboard to anchor the cast. The original Great Mouse Detective worked so well not just because of its stellar plot, but also because of the hilarious voice acting from Barrie Ingham, Vincent Price and more. With any luck, Disney will be able to rope in another talented group of individuals and make this project just as successful as the original.
