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Theme: Animation in Live-Action


This topic refers to films based on properties that previously existed in animated form. Beginning with The Flintstones (1994), there has been a Hollywood tradition for remaking animated tv series in live-action.

In recent years, Disney has begun remaking most of its back catalogue in live-action. Also popular are various versions of anime films and tv series remade in live-action.

For films blending animation and live-action see Toon Films.


101 Dalmatians (1996)

22 November 20013 August 2023

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Disney Remake/Dognapping Villainness

Director: Stephen Herek
Actors: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Hugh Laurie, …
Category: Fantasy

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000)

2 July 20005 February 2020

Rating: ★★

Characters From a Cartoon Series Enter the Real World

Director: Des McAnuff
Actors: Robert De Niro, Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, Randy Quaid, …
Category: Fantasy

Aeon Flux (2005)

25 February 200611 June 2022

Rating: ★★

Dystopian Future/TV Series Remake

Director: Karyn Kusama
Actors: Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, Sophie Okonedo, Jonny Lee Miller, …
Category: Science Fiction

Aladdin (2019)

17 August 20193 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Disney Remake/Arabian Nights

Director: Guy Ritchie
Actors: Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Marwan Kenzari, …
Category: Fantasy

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

19 January 20084 March 2020

Rating: 0­

Singing Chipmunks

Director: Tim Hill
Actors: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Justin Long, …
Category: Fantasy

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)

20 January 20125 December 2024

Rating: ½

Singing Chipmunks

Director: Mike Mitchell
Actors: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Andy Buckley, …
Category: Fantasy

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)

4 April 201627 June 2025

Rating: ★

Singing Chipmunks

Director: Walt Becker
Actors: Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Bella Thorne, Eddie Steeples, …
Category: Fantasy

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)

1 October 20103 August 2019

Rating: 0­

Singing Chipmunks

Director: Betty Thomas
Actors: Zachary Levi, David Cross, Jason Lee, Wendie Malick, …
Category: Fantasy

Attack on Titan (2015)

29 November 201518 September 2024

Rating: ★★★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation/Invasion by Giants

Director: Shinji Higuchi
Actors: Haruma Miura, Kiko Mizuara, Kanata Hongo, Satomi Ishihara, …
Category: Fantasy

Attack on Titan II: End of the World (2015)

9 January 201716 March 2023

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation/Invasion by Giants

Director: Shinji Higuchi
Actors: Haruma Miura, Kiko Mizuara, Kanata Hongo, Hiroki Hasegawa, …
Category: Fantasy

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

27 May 20175 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Fairy-Tale/Disney Live-Action Remake

Director: Bill Condon
Actors: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, …
Category: Fantasy

Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

3 April 20102 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Vampire Battles Demons/Action

Director: Chris Nahon
Actors: Gianna Jun, Allison Miller, Liam Cunningham, J.J. Feild, …
Category: Horror

BumbleBee (2018)

6 April 20198 November 2024

Rating: ★★★

Transformers Spinoff

Director: Travis Knight
Actors: Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Ledenborg Jr, John Cena, Jason Drucker, …
Category: Science Fiction

Casshern (2004)

19 April 200731 August 2020

Rating: ★★★

Future Superhero/Anime Remade in Live-Action

Director: Kazuaki Kiriya
Actors: Yusuke Iseya, Akira Terao, Kumiko Aso, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, …
Category: Science Fiction

Charlotte’s Web (2006)

11 February 200726 November 2021

Rating: ★★

Talking Barnyard Animals

Director: Gary Winick
Actors: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Kevin Anderson, Essie Davis, …
Category: Fantasy

Cinderella (2015)

14 March 20155 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Fairytale Adaptation

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Actors: Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, Holliday Grainger, …
Category: Fantasy

Dragonball: Evolution (2009)

14 April 200916 December 2024

Rating: ½

Anime in Live-Action/Martial Arts Superheroes

Director: James Wong
Actors: Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Chow Yun Fat, Jamie Chung, …
Category: Fantasy

Dudley Do-Right (1999)

5 May 200728 September 2020

Rating: 0­

Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Hugh Wilson
Actors: Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alfred Molina, Eric Idle, …
Category: Fantasy

Dumbo (2019)

29 June 20195 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Flying Elephant/Disney Live-Action Remake

Director: Tim Burton
Actors: Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito, Nico Parker, Finley Hobbins, …
Category: Fantasy

Fat Albert (2004)

15 August 201712 November 2020

Rating: ★

Cartoon Characters Enter the Real World

Director: Joel Zwick
Actors: Kenan Thompson, Kyla Pratt, Dania Ramirez, Bill Cosby
Category: Fantasy

Fist of the North Star (1995)

9 March 200315 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Post-Holocaust Martial Arts/Manga Adaptation

Director: Tony Randel
Actors: Costas Mandylor, Gary Daniels, Malcolm McDowell, Chris Penn, …
Category: Fantasy, Science Fiction

The Flintstones (1994)

1 February 200015 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Prehistoric Comedy/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Brian Levant
Actors: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, Elizabeth Perkins, …
Category: Fantasy

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)

23 April 200031 March 2024

Rating: ★

Prehistoric Comedy/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Brian Levant
Actors: Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston, Jane Krakowski, …
Category: Fantasy

Fullmetal Alchemist (2017)

10 March 201816 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Anime in Live-Action/Magician Heroes

Director: Fumihiko Sori
Actors: Ryosuke Yamada, Tsubasa Honda, Dean Fujioka, Ryuta Sato, …
Category: Fantasy

Fullmetal Alchemist: Final Transmutation (2022)

16 December 202416 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Anime in Live-Action/Magician Heroes

Director: Fumihiko Sori
Actors: Ryosuke Yamada, Senyo Uchino, Keisuke Watanabe, Tsubasa Honda, …
Category: Fantasy

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar (2022)

16 December 202416 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Anime in Live-Action/Magician Heroes

Director: Fumihiko Sori
Actors: Ryosuke Yamada, Tsubasa Honda, Mackenyu Arata, Keisuke Watanabe, …
Category: Fantasy

George of the Jungle (1997)

19 January 20082 April 2021

Rating: ★★★

Cartoon in Live-Action/Jungle Hero Parody

Director: Sam Weisman
Actors: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, John Cleese, …
Category: Fantasy

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

13 May 201718 September 2024

Rating: ★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation/Cyberpunk Future

Director: Rupert Sanders
Actors: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Beat Takashi Kitano, Michael Carmen Pitt, …
Category: Science Fiction

Gintama (2017)

31 May 20229 December 2022

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation

Director: Yuichi Fukuda
Actors: Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, Kanna Hashimoto, Hirofumi Arai, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Guyver (1991)

14 June 20031 April 2021

Rating: ★★

Power-Suit Superhero

Director: Screaming Mad George, Steve Wang
Actors: Mark Hamill, Vivian Wu, Jeffrey Combs, Jack Armstrong, …
Category: Science Fiction

Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018)

2 December 201926 March 2020

Rating: ★★

Anime in Live-Action/Future Anti-Terrorist Squad

Director: Kim Jee-woon
Category: Science Fiction

Inspector Gadget (1999)

27 July 19992 October 2021

Rating: ★★½

Cyborg Cop/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: David Kellogg
Actors: Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, Joely Fisher, Dabney Coleman, …
Category: Science Fiction

Inspector Gadget 2 (2003)

1 January 20091 July 2021

Rating: 0­

Cyborg Cop/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Alex Zamm
Actors: French Stewart, Elaine Hendrix, Caitlin Wachs, D.L. Hughley, …
Category: Science Fiction

Jem and the Holograms (2015)

29 January 201611 January 2025

Rating: ★

Girl Pop Band/Animation in Live-Action

Director: Jon M. Chu
Actors: Aubrey Peeples, Juliette Lewis, Stefanie Scott, Aurora Perrineau, …
Category: Science Fiction

Josie and the Pussycats (2001)

15 April 200121 December 2021

Rating: ★★

Girl Rock Group’s Adventures/Cartoon in Live Action

Director: Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan
Actors: Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Alan Cumming, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Jungle Book (1994)

19 July 200025 July 2024

Rating: ★★★

Jungle Hero

Director: Stephen Sommers
Actors: Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes, Sam Neill, John Cleese, …
Category: Fantasy

The Jungle Book (2016)

23 April 20165 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Jungle Boy

Director: Jon Favreau
Actors: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, …
Category: Fantasy

Kite (2014)

25 January 201616 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation/Teenage Girl Vigilante

Director: Ralph Ziman
Actors: India Eisley, Samuel L. Jackson, Callan McAuliffe, Deon Lotz, …
Category: Science Fiction

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

23 November 20195 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Disney Animation in Live-Action/Talking Animals

Director: Charlie Bean
Actors: Thomas Mann, Kiersey Clemons, Yvette Nicole Brown, Adrian Martinez, …
Category: Fantasy

The Last Airbender (2010)

3 July 201013 July 2024

Rating: ★★★

Epic Fantasy Adventure

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Actors: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, …
Category: Fantasy

The Lion King (2019)

19 October 201926 February 2025

Rating: ★

Disney Live-Action Remake/Talking Animals

Director: Jon Favreau
Actors: Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beyoncé Knowles, James Earl Jones, …
Category: Fantasy

The Little Mermaid (2023)

5 August 202324 May 2025

Rating: ★★

Disney Live-Action Remake

Director: Rob Marshall
Actors: Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Jonah Hauer-King, …
Category: Fantasy

Maleficent (2014)

31 May 20145 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Prequel to Disney’s Sleeping Beauty

Director: Robert Stromberg
Actors: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Imelda Staunton, …
Category: Fantasy

Max Steel (2016)

29 January 201712 December 2023

Rating: ★

Film Based on Toy Franchise/Superhero Film

Director: Stewart Hendler
Actors: Ben Winchell, Josh Brener, Maria Bello, Ana Villafane, …
Category: Science Fiction

Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

28 February 20256 April 2025

Rating: ★½

Disney Live-Action Prequel/Talking Animals

Director: Barry Jenkins
Actors: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lagida, …
Category: Fantasy

Mulan (2020)

19 September 20203 August 2023

Rating: ★★

Disney Live-Action Remake

Director: Niki Caro
Actors: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, Jason Scott Lee, …
Category: Fantasy

Peter Pan and Wendy (2023)

5 May 202324 May 2025

Rating: ★★½

Disney Remake/Children’s Adventures in a Magic Land

Director: David Lowery
Actors: Ever Anderson, Alexander Molony, Jude Law, Yara Shahidi, …
Category: Fantasy

Pete’s Dragon (2016)

27 August 20165 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Boy and Invisible Dragon/Disney Remake

Director: David Lowery
Actors: Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Wes Bentley, …
Category: Fantasy

Pinocchio (2022)

16 September 202224 May 2025

Rating: ★★

Living Puppet Boy/Disney Remake

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Actors: Tom Hanks, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Benjamin Evans Ainsworth, Keegan-Michael Key, …
Category: Fantasy

Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

19 April 20045 August 2021

Rating: ★★

Ghostbusting Team/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Raja Gosnell
Actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Freddie Prinze Jr, …
Category: Fantasy

Scooby-Doo (2002)

15 July 200222 November 2024

Rating: ★

Ghostbusting Team/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Raja Gosnell
Actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr, Linda Cardellini, …
Category: Fantasy

The Smurfs 2 (2013)

11 August 201318 March 2025

Rating: ½

Cute Blue-Skinned Creatures

Director: Raja Gosnell
Actors: Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Jayma Mays, …
Category: Fantasy

The Smurfs (2011)

10 August 201122 July 2019

Rating: ★★

Cute Blue-Skinned Creatures

Director: Raja Gosnell
Actors: Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, …
Category: Fantasy

Snow White (2025)

24 May 2025

Rating: ★★

Disney Live-Action Remake

Director: Marc Webb
Actors: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnap, Andrew Barth Feldman, …
Category: Fantasy

Space Battleship Yamato (2010)

7 September 201120 March 2025

Rating: ★★★

Anime TV Series in Live-Action/Space Opera

Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Category: Science Fiction

Speed Racer (2008)

4 December 200929 December 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Cartoon in Live-Action/Racing Driver Hero

Director: The Wachowskis, Lana/Larry Wachowski, Lilly/Andy Wachowski
Actors: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers (2007)

3 July 200722 July 2023

Rating: ★★★

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Rachael Taylor, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

28 June 201422 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Jack Reynor, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

30 June 201125 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

30 June 200922 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

22 July 20238 November 2024

Rating: ★½

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Actors: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Tobe Nwigwe, Dean Scott Vasquez, …
Category: Science Fiction

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

23 September 201722 July 2023

Rating: ★½

Live-Action Transformer Robots

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Josh Duhamel, …
Category: Science Fiction

Underdog (2007)

23 September 200715 May 2025

Rating: ★

Canine Superhero/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Frederik Du Chau
Actors: Peter Dinklage, Patrick Warburton, Taylor Momsen, John Slattery, …
Category: Science Fiction

YatterMan (2009)

19 May 201129 March 2023

Rating: ★★★

Anime TV Series in Live-Action/Gonzo Giant Robot Heroics

Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Sho Sakurai, Kyoko Fukada, Saki Fukuda, Sadao Abe, …
Category: Science Fiction

Yogi Bear (2010)

13 December 201023 November 2019

Rating: ★

Talking Bear/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Eric Brevig
Actors: Dan Aykroyd, Anna Faris, T.J. Miller, Justin Timberlake, …
Category: Fantasy

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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