Live Action HERCULES Remake Will Be More 'Experimental' According to Disney Producer Joe Russo

Joe Russo, the producer behind Disney's upcoming live action remake of Hercules, has revealed some details about the film.

According to Russo, the remake will take a "more experimental" approach than usual for Disney properties.

"I think they're excited to see what we can all bring to it in a way that isn't just a reinterpretation of the animated film," Russo told Variety.

Guy Ritchie, director of the billion-dollar grossing live action remake of Aladdin, will direct a screenplay by David Callaham.

The film, a musical, will include the Alan Menken songs from the original film, as well as new ones penned exclusively for the remake. The producer promises that the unconventional approach to the filmmaking will extend to the musical numbers which could be influenced by the rise of TikTok.

Russo told Variety, "There are questions about how you translate it as a musical...Audiences today have been trained by TikTok, right? What is their expectation of what that musical looks like and feels like? That can be a lot of fun and help us push the boundaries a little bit on how you execute a modern musical."

In addition to Aladdin, Guy Richie's film credits include the Sherlock Holmes series starring Robert Downey Jr., Snatch, The Gentleman, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and more. Ritchie is also attached to direct the upcoming live action sequel Aladdin 2.

The animated feature Hercules was released on June 27, 1997. The film began development in 1992 and was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who had previously directed The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.

The plot follows Hercules, a son of the gods who, after being snatched as a baby by Hades, is forced to live among mortals as a half-man, half-god. Hercules, now a teenager, has to perform a RITE OF PASSAGE on Earth to prove himself worthy of living on Mount Olympus among the gods.

The film's features a score by Alan Menken, with classic Disney songs including 'Go the Distance,' 'Zero to Hero,' and 'I Won't Say I'm in Love.' The cast includes stage favorites including Susan Egan as Megara, Lillias White, LaChanze/">LaChanze, and Roz Ryan as three of the Muses, and Roger Bart as the singing voice of Hercules.