Disney’s line of live-action remakes hasn’t been met with a universally positive critical reception, but their box office figures have been undeniable. Naturally then, there are more in the pipeline, and we’ve now got a new casting scoop regarding one of those that’s next in line – a live-action remake of animated classic (OK, probably not quite classic) Hercules.
Though their first choice for the role is True Blood star Alexander Skarsgard – as we’ve previously reported – should he have other commitments, we’ve been told by our sources that Ryan Gosling is a potential alternative. And given that these are the same sources who informed us that the Mouse House was working on live-action remakes of Bambi and Robin Hood long before they were announced, we’ve no reason to doubt them.
Of course, Gosling certainly has the look for the hero, and with a Hollywood-assisted fitness regime, he’ll have the physique, too. If schlubby comics Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt can do it, there’s no doubting that the Drive star can as well. That being said, Gosling and Skarsgard are just names on a shortlist, which means they’re only two options out of several, so the role might end up going to someone else in the end. For right now, however, they’re both being considered.
I’ve mentioned the box office totals behind the remakes, and it’s worth going through them in full. Odd mishaps aside (Dumbo and Alice Through the Looking Glass both failed to find an audience), the numbers are seriously eye-watering. Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King all crossed 7 figures – the latter becoming the seventh highest grossing film of all time – and The Jungle Book also came damn close to doing so. This all begs the question, though: Why, why, why, are you paying to see them?
Why are you parting with your hard-earned cash to watch soulless rehashes of timeless source material that only serve to finance the appalling lifestyles of fat cat execs running an entertainment-industrial complex? Honestly, I’m stumped.
Thoughts below are most welcome. We need answers, because it won’t end with Hercules, that’s for sure.
