What You Should Know About Disney’s Live-Action ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ Remake

Disney’s Renaissance Era, spanning from 1989 to 1999, produced some of the studio’s most memorable animated films, including the 1996 musical epic ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, the film features the voice talents of Tom Hulce, Tony Jay, Kevin Kline, and Demi Moore, along with iconic songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Despite its artistic achievements and lasting impact, Quasimodo’s tale has yet to receive the live-action treatment that many other Disney classics have enjoyed.

Disney has shifted its focus to other projects, such as a live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ set for 2025 and a ‘Moana’ sequel featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Discussions about a live-action  ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ began as early as 2019, with Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang attached to write the script.

Image Courtesy: Medium 

This new version was expected to blend the darker elements of Victor Hugo’s original novel with Disney’s characteristic lightheartedness. However, progress on the project remains uncertain.

The live-action adaptation was set to reunite the original Oscar-winning team of Menken and Schwartz, who are renowned for their work on Disney classics like ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Initially, the announcement generated excitement, but recent updates have been sparse. 

Alan Menken has expressed concerns about adapting the film’s mature themes, such as the intense ‘Hellfire’ song, which complicates its development. Similarly, producer Roy Conli has noted the lack of recent updates and expressed his admiration for the original score.

Image Courtesy: Disney Movies

Josh Gad and Mandeville Films have been advocating for the project, with Gad praising the script and expressing hope for its eventual realization. Despite Disney’s trend of live-action reboots, which often face criticism for lacking originality, films like ‘Christopher Robin’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ demonstrate that reimagining classics can be successful. 

The future of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ remains unclear, but fans are hopeful that Disney will eventually bring this beloved story to life once more.

–Farheen Ali