Disney's live-action Hercules remake will be 'inspired by TikTok'

3 November 2022, 14:36 | Updated: 3 November 2022, 16:05

By Katie Louise Smith

"Audiences today have been trained by TikTok, right? What is their expectation of what that musical looks like and feels like?"

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Disney's underrated banger Hercules is set to be one of the next animated movies to receive the live-action treatment. The Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man) will be producing the film and Guy Ritchie (who recently directed live-action Aladdin) will be directing.

Fans have incredibly high expectations for the adaption, particularly when it comes to casting the right actors for the roles. (Especially the Muses...) Back in July, Joe Russo teased excited fans that the remake will "pay homage to the original with a more modern spin on it," and aimed to recapture the spirit of the 1997 classic.

But the latest update on the project hasn't gone over well with fans. In a new interview with Variety, Joe and Anthony Russo have said that Hercules will be a "modern musical" inspired by... TikTok.

Hercules live-action film will take inspiration from TikTok. Picture: Disney via Alamy

Noting how some of the recent Disney live-action have been criticised for playing it safe by following the source material too closely, Joe Russo explained that Hercules will take more of an "experimental" approach.

"[It's] a little bit more experimental in tone, a little bit more experimental in execution," he said. "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 confirmed that Hercules will be a musical much like the Disney animated version, and it will share the original's unconventional approach – with a slight twist, inspired by TikTok.

"There are questions about how you translate it as a musical," Russo continued. "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."

The Russo brothers will produce Guy Ritchie's Hercules live-action movie for Disney. Picture: Disney via Alamy

Now, you're probably asking the exact same question as we are: What the hell does that mean?

Will it take inspiration from the viral Unofficial Bridgerton Musical? The crowd-sourced Ratatouille musical that went viral on the platform? Or are they talking about the vibe, humour and tone in general? Your guess is as good as ours...