Despite claims that Disney’s plate is so full, it couldn’t commit toTron 3, that’s not stopping the studio from announcing more live-action movies based on their classic animated films. This week’s target isFantasia, with theNight on Bald Mountainsegment getting the feature-length treatment. The movie is in development, and has Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless penning a screenplay based on the 1940s musical.
Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless will also executive produce the movie.Night on Bald Mountaincenters on a dark, winged creature who raises spirits from the dead that dance, fly and enjoy a night of pure mayhem. The haints fade away, though, as the sun begins to rise on them.Fantasiaconsisted of 8 animated segments set to classical music. The original Night on Bald Mountain is accompanied by music from Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky, who created the piece in 1867. Leopold Stokowski arranged the music for the movie, introducing it to a much wider audience, and making it iconic today.
Night on Bald Mountainis being compared to Disney’s live-action take onSleeping BeautyvillainMaleficent, starringAngelina Jolieas the iconic, misunderstood dark fairy. That film created big business for the studio, pulling in an estimated $758.4 million worldwide. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless were seen as the perfect duo to tackle this fairy tale, after penningDracula Untoldand the upcomingThe Last Witch Hunter, which arrives in October.
Disney is currently plundering it’s animation catalogue for live-action remakes. The trend fully blossomed when 2010’sAlice in Wonderlandproved to be a gigantic hit for the studio. Last year’sMaleficentand this year’sCinderellahave already proven to be worthy contenders at the box office. And more are on the way, including the sequelAlice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass, which hits theaters next year, along withThe Jungle Book.Dumbo, andTink, based on Peter Pan’s Tinker Bell, are also on the horizon. And it should be noted thatFantasiahas gotten the live-action treatment before, with Disney’s 2010 flopThe Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It reimagined the Mickey Mouse segment withJay Baruchelstepping in for the iconic cartoon character andNicolas Cageplaying his wizard master. Let’s all hope that Night on Bald Mountain manages to be a little better than that movie.
