After several large-scale successes of classics such asCinderellaandThe Lion King, Disney’s train of live-action remakes is about to continue forwardwithThe Hunchback of Notre Dame, coming in 2024. This will be a remake of the classic 1996 animated movie of the same name and only a few details have been released so far. While Idris Elba spoke about doing aHunchbackremake for Netflix, this has fizzled out. The remake would be the first big rendition since the 1996 television movieThe Hunchbackstarring Salma Hayek as Esmeralda.
The movie looks to be the first-ever live-action musical adaptation of the story, which does mean it does something different as compared to the other Disney remakes, which have simply been the live version of what has already been done. It seems likely that Josh Gad will beplaying Quasimodowhile being a producer on the film. The cast is still being decided for this movie but what of the tone and the vibe of the movie? What angle are they going to take with this one? Should it be reminiscent of the original or a bold new take? Let’s discuss.
Leaning Into the Sunset Colors
For those not aware, the novel was first penned in 1831 and features a much darker storyline than the Disney animated version paints. No singing gargoyles for one, and a far more tragic ending as another. IfLes Misérableswas written during a good period of Victor Hugo’s life,Hunchbackwas written during a particularly miserable few years of his existence.
Related:The Underlying Horror of The Brave Little Toaster
Somehow though, Disney decided that it would be a great idea to adapt a story about a sex-obsessed archbishop lusting over a sixteen-year-old Romani woman into an animated film and not think too hard about some of theadult themesthat slipped in. This can make one wonder if the vibrant color scheme of the animated version helped to balance everything out or if the movie might feature a more adult take on the classic that embraces the adult themes and morally grey characters.
Being a live-action musicalwith Alan Menkenagain composing, however, the real play here might be to keep the colorful scheme and grandiosity of the Notre Dame cathedral. The animated version had the color palette of a sunset with pinks, reds, and soft blues. It would be cool to see this brought to life with real sunsets and cloudy skies on the streets of France. Something bright and colorful to bring to life the love that Hugo’s novel has for that period of French history. It’s a beautiful setting and aims to be a happy backdrop to an otherwise sad story which is captured well in the animated version. The story is already there for this approach as you have very clear-cut protagonists and villains in this iteration, and it ends up being a pretty safe musical number that everyone can enjoy.
Or Creating a Moody Atmosphere
As an alternate take for the live-action film, it may benefit the movie to have a moody, rainy atmosphere that compliments the grim nature of the original story. A dark and gothic shade to reflect the architecture that plays such a pivotal role in the story.The Lion King(2019) went for a harsh nature documentary feel and discarded the wild colors of the original by comparison, so this may be a plausible choice.
Think of a dark and mysterious Paris, lit only by the moonlight setting a somber tone for the movie. It may also play nicely if they do decide to incorporate some of the darker elements of the story, such as Phoebus being a self-interested jerk or the tragic subplot involving the real ancestry of Esmeralda. The movie could also feature a hideous Quasimodo who never does get accepted by the citizens of France. The realistic approach may prove very popular asThe Lion Kingis getting a prequelbased around Mufasa, which is definitely a mark of success for the style.
Related:James Cameron Says He Will ‘Mourn’ the Movies He Cannot Make Due to Telling Avatar’s Story
This movie needs to feel epic above all. When Esmeralda walks by the grand Notre Dame cathedral, the viewer needs to get the feeling of being an ant looking up at a giant. If there is a theme in the books' descriptions, it might be, grandiose. Hugo took about ten pages to describe just how magnificent the cathedral was in an effort to save it from the indifference of his day. In many ways, the cathedral gets more character than the characters themselves so getting the scale of it is critical here.
Will Disney Break Their Mold?
In the past, Disney has largely stuck to hitting the very same beats as their classic animated films withThe Lion Kinghaving all the same characters andBeauty and the Beastdoing the bare minimum by giving some backstory on the prince. This movie, however, is a chance to do things completely differently from the established mold. Here’s a chance to really do the epic novel justice and bring to life a grim tale with no real happy endings for anyone. No one survives this book wholly intact. Everyone just becomes more miserable by the end of the novel and there’s only the slimmest of silver linings written in on the final few pages of an engrossing drama.
Therein lies the beauty though of a great and tragic story that chronicles not only characters who do not improve, but Victor Hugo’s real-life struggles with Catholicism that influenced the writing process. A bleak tale that inspired a renewal of love for French values that were being lost at the time, tied all together as a grand movie that makes moves audiences in an unforgettably somber story wholly unexpected coming from someone like Disney. It’ll probably never happen like that, but it’s nice to dream.
