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Disney live-action remakes have been at the center of a lot of criticism in the recent past. From the Mouse House coming under fire for more “woke” casting to its lack of creativity for only remaking movies that they’ve already released in the past rather than new originals, many have been unhappy with Disney live-actions.
A still from The Little Mermaid live-action remake featuring Halle Bailey as Princess Ariel / Credit: Disney
But on the other hand, many of Disney’s live-action remakes have been doing very well. They’ve reimagined decades-old productions for a contemporary audience, and many, like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast, collected over $1 billion at the box office.
A recent New York Times article reveals that perhaps this is the very direction Disney will continue to take for its future movies, courtesy of one man: Sean Bailey.
Walt Disney Pictures: TRON: Legacy with director Joe Kosinski, producers Sean Bailey and Steven Lisberger, and cast members Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen, and Bruce Boxleitner / Credit: Ronald Woan, Flickr
Who is Sean Bailey?
Mr. Bailey has been president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production for 13 years. He’s been the mastermind behind many of Disney’s films, including ones already named, Peter Pan and Wendy, and future productions like Snow White which is set to release next year.
“We want to reflect the world as it exists,” Mr. Bailey shared with The New York Times.
Josh Gad and Luke Evans in ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ which starred Emma Watson / Credit: Disney
Mr. Bailey has been behind a lot of the inclusivity and diversity we’ve seen in Disney movies recently. He has almost exclusively focused on female-led stories and highlighted younger actresses of color and female directors. Think like Ava DuVernay (A Wrinkle in Time), Julia Hart (Stargirl), and Mira Nair (Queen of Katwe).
Actress and gender equity activist Geena Davis commented, “I think what he is doing is vastly important. It’s not just about inspiring little girls. It’s about normalizing for men and boys, making it perfectly normal to see a girl doing interesting and important things and taking up space.”
There are many Disney movies in the pipeline, including the highly anticipated Haunted Mansion starring Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, and Tiffany Haddish, which is releasing this summer, that Sean Bailey is behind. Whatever fans’ feelings may be about the direction of the Walt Disney Company and its movies, it seems that this is where the Mouse House is headed for the foreseeable future.
