Amidst a long list of Disney animated classics set to be re-imagined into live-action family films, the House of Mouse has recently set LEGO NINJAGO director Charlie Bean to helm the live-action/GC hybrid remake of LADY AND THE TRAMP.
Brigham Taylor, who participated in the making of Jon Favreau's THE JUNGLE BOOK, will produce the project, which is now slated to premiere as a part of Disney's digital streaming service launching in 2019. While some will undoubtedly allow that last detail to pass them by, Disney moving LADY AND THE TRAMP to their planned streaming service is actually something to bark about. If nothing else, it speaks to how dedicated the studio is in planning the launch of big-time content for the service. I mean really, can you imagine a scenario where Disney passes up the chance to rake in theater dollars by the millions for one of their beloved properties? Well, here we are now, standing on the precipice of change, as Mickey Mouse readies his gloved, white hands to push many of us Disney loyalists over the edge. As Goofy would often say "Ya-ha-hooey!"
If you need a refresher, Disney's LADY AND THE TRAMP was released in 1955, and told of a love story between a pampered Cocker Spaniel named Lady and a streetwise mongrel named Tramp. In the film, Lady finds herself out on the street after her owners have a baby and is then saved from an angry pack by Tramp, who attempts to show her a life that's footloose and collar-free. Before long, the unlikely pair fall snout-over-tail for one another, and a unique story of East-meets-West is born.
In the past, Bean has contributed to such projects as DEXTER's LABORATORY, SAMURAI JACK, Disney XD's TRON: UPRISING, and of course, THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE. With Disney's LADY AND THE TRAMP, this will be Bean's first time in the live-action arena.
So this is a smart move for Disney, eh? I can already feel the studio easing their hand into my wallet, hoping to snag a piece of my streaming subscription funds. In all honesty, I've been planning to plunk-down for the service since day one, though the promise of there being four to six movies a year coming to the streamer is making the monetary sacrifice far less painful. For real, if subscribing means that I get a first-crack at film and TV offerings from Disney while in the comfort of my own home, you can sign me right up.
What do you think of this move to host LADY AND THE TRAMP on Disney's digital steaming service? Does it encourage you to subscribe when the project launches in 2019? Do you still need more information as to what you can expect? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.