Starting with the release of the live-action Alice in Wonderland in 2012, Disney has continued to announce many upcoming live-action remakes. So far, we’ve seen Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and Beauty and the Beast, all of which have been a huge success amongst both critics and fans. The next movies that have been announced are Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan. Those four films have already been cast and they’ve included huge stars such as Beyonce to play Nala and Will Smith to play the Genie. Even though so many movies have already been brought to life, there’s still plenty more that are in production by Disney. Incredibly popular films like The Little Mermaid and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are currently in the works, with no cast yet to be announced. Of course, that leaves plenty of time for us hardcore fans to speculate, obsess, and pick which actors we think will fit each role best.
When it comes to fan-casting, there’s no right or wrong answer. You could dream up actors that are no long with us, such as Aubrey Hepburn, to play Snow White. Fan-casts give us the ability to imagine a whole new world where our favorite actors can play the Disney characters we love the most. Many of the fan-casts that I’ve listed are extremely popular, with many fans supporting the idea. Some of them are from films that are currently being produced, and may or may not have a cast yet. Then there’s two or three of them that are my very own personal wishes, that I’ve decided to throw in just in case. Who knows, maybe Disney will listen to me (fingers crossed). Now, let’s get started! First up:
Lady Gaga As Edna Mode
Lady Gaga is just like Edna Mode: She’s weird, heavily into fashion, and actually quite short. Maybe not as short as Edna Mode, but coming in at 5'1, all Gaga needs is a black bob wig and she’d be Mode-Ready.
I’m not quite sure Edna Mode would approve of Gaga’s previous fashion choices though, considering she’s been seen wearing capes before (Yikes!). But since Gaga’s been recently getting into acting, with her latest success being A Star Is Born, there’s no one better to portray Edna Mode.
Anya-Taylor Joy As Rapunzel
Rapunzel is one of those characters who everyone loves to fan-cast, although while I was searching for fan-casts of her online, they all seemed to be outdated. If Tangled were to be made into a live-action film, Disney would get a new and upcoming star to play her. Which is why I decided to pick Anya-Taylor Joy.
Anya is one of Hollywood’s newest rising stars and basically everyone is loving her right now. Even if you haven’t seen a movie of hers, I’m sure you know her. But for future reference: Anya has most popularly starred in Split and The Witch.
Dakota Fanning As Elsa
Speaking of uncanny resemblances, Dakota Fanning is another actress who looks exactly like a Disney character. Not only does she look a lot like Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, Fanning is also the appropriate age to play her. Fanning has been acting since she was just a little girl and she’s still working on plenty of films now. Her next film will be Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. She’s a star that just won’t quit it and we hope she never does!
Elle Fanning As Anna
Anna and Elsa look almost identical, so it would only make sense for the live-action adaptation to have nearly identical actresses. Which is why if Dakota Fanning plays Elsa, then her younger sister Elle would be perfect for the role of Anna.
Just like Dakota, Elle is also approximately the right age to portray Anna. When she has her hair dyed, she’s even more perfect for the role. Elle Fanning has previously played Aurora in Disney’s Maleficent, but that shouldn’t be a problem since Chris Evans managed to play both The Human Torch and Captain America. If he can play two different characters in Marvel, then Elle can play two different Disney princesses.
Eddie Murphy As Frozone
Just look at that smile! Eddie Murphy is without question meant for the role of Frozone. He’s funny and an incredible actor. If the Incredibles were to ever have a live-action adaptation, they’d definitely need an all-star cast to do justice for the classic films.
Who better to play the man who loves his super-suit than Eddie Murphy? Frozone was originally voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, but Murphy has the looks and personality that’d make him perfect for the role.
Letitia Wright As Tiana
Letitia Wright is Black Panther’s new breakout star. Wright actually played Princess Shuri in the film, so she’s already experienced in acting like royalty. You know what they say: once a princess, always a princess.
Wright not only resembles Tiana, but she’s got the charm to pull her off too. She’s funny, talented, and if you’ve seen Black Panther, you’d know she’s clearly up to date with memes too. Let’s face it, Letitia Wright deserves to be a princess in every movie she stars in (and maybe even in real life too).
Priyanka Chopra As Jasmine
Priyanka Chopra wouldn’t be an ethnically-accurate portrayal of Princess Jasmine, which is why I can’t fully support the casting, but you can’t deny she does resemble the character a lot. To be fair, Naomi Scott, the actress who’s playing Jasmine in the upcoming adaptation of Aladdin is half white and Indian, which also isn’t accurate.
Chopra is actually from India, while Jasmine is completely Arabian. It would have been nice if Disney could actually cast an Arabian actress for the role.
Helena Bonham Carter As Mother Gothel
Helena Bonham Carter’s resemblance to Mother Gothel is insane. Honestly, it’s as if the character artists used Carter’s photos as a reference picture to animate Gothel. Her curly long dark hair, pale skin, and larger eyes make her nearly identical to the Disney villain.
Helena even has plenty of experience playing evil characters, especially from her role as Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter. If Disney ever makes a live-action Tangled and doesn’t cast her, I’ll actually be devastated.
Kylie Bunbury As Kida
Kylie Bunbury has slowly made her way into the spotlight. Her career mainly resides on television, but she did star in the film Game Night alongside Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman. She’s previously starred in the series Under the Dome, Twisted, and will soon be appearing on Central Park Five.
There’s currently no live-action adaptation of Atlantis in the works, but if there ever is, I sure hope she’s on the radar for it. From what I’ve seen of her, she’s a fantastic actress that deserves to make her way into more big-time films.
Zendaya As Ariel
Ever since Zendaya has been rumored to play Ariel, the thought has not left my head. Zendaya is one of the biggest stars right now, she started out on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up and has managed to move on up to huge films, such as Spider-Man: Homecoming. She’s even going to appear in the sequel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, as Peter Parker’s new love interest.
Zendaya doesn’t look much like the original Ariel, but give her a red wig or some hair dye, and I think she could be perfect for the part. It would also be nice to see her return to her Disney roots for a change.
Millie Bobby Brown As Wendy Darling
Millie is one of the most popular child stars at the moment. She’s currently one of the main characters of one of Netflix’s most popular shows, Stranger Things, and she’s already cast in plenty of big films. She’s only 14, but she’s incredibly successful and her fame doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
If there would be anyone to play Wendy in a new adaptation of Peter Pan, Millie would be the girl. Even better news: she’s actually English like the original Wendy, so she wouldn’t have to put on a fake accent.
Grant Gustin As Milo
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is one of the heaviest fan-casted Disney films, though it may not be as popularized as others. So many fans say Andrew Garfield should take on the role of Milo, but I digress. Although Garfield is an amazing actor, Milo should be played by someone younger, such as Grant Gustin.
Seriously, look at Gustin in that photo. Honestly, it looks like a still from a live-action Atlantis film, but it’s not. It’s actually a still from Gustin’s CW series The Flash.
Queen Latifah As Ursula
Queen Latifah as Ursula is one of the most popular fan-casts on the web. It’s so popular, she even did a photoshoot as the character for Disney Dream Portraits. Latifah is a phenomenal and hilarious actress, it would be fantastic to see her dive under the sea and take on a completely different character.
She already has the talent for the role, now all that’s missing is the contract. Disney, what are you waiting for?
Jonah Hill As Syndrome
This is a fan-cast that can’t be unseen. It’s almost like Jonah Hill is already Syndrome, especially with his red hair. Believe it or not, out of all of the roles Hill has played, he’s never actually played a super-villain.
That shouldn’t stop him though, considering he’d be completely amazing as Syndrome. He’s proved himself to be a versatile actor over the years, going from primarily comedy films to now drama movies too. Could the superhero genre be next for him?
Noah Schnapp As Peter Pan
Considering Millie is my dream-cast for Wendy, of course, her Stranger Things co-star Noah Schnapp is who I’d choose to play Peter. Not only is he co-star, but he also happens to be her rumored boyfriend - but that’s beside the point. Despite Schnapp barely appearing in season 1 of Stranger Things, he proved himself to actually be an incredible actor in season 2. He has a huge range of emotions and his acting abilities are so good that watching him cry made me want to cry too.
Even though there have already been way too many Peter Pan adaptations, if they ever decided to make another, I really hope they choose him.
Cierra Ramirez As Audrey Ramirez
If you ever watched The Fosters on Freeform, then there’s a good chance Cierra’s character Mariana was your favorite character (She was definitely mine!). After the series finale, she voice acted for two Marvel Rising TV films. She’s also set to star in the spin-off to The Fosters, which is titled Good Trouble.
Cierra must be meant to play Audrey from Atlantis: The Lost Empire, considering they look so much alike and even share a last name! Coincidence? I think not.
Aziz Ansari As Kuzco
From Parks and Recreation to stand-up comedy, Aziz Ansari is one of the funniest guys on TV. It’s honestly really hard to think of actors that would be able to embody Emperor Kuzco, but I have no doubt that Ansari is one of the few that are capable.
If you’ve watched Parks and Rec, you’d know he has both the personality and the voice to portray this character. In fact, his character Tom was actually a lot like a modern-day Kuzco, as you can see in the image above. I can already hear him crying out “LLAMA FACE!”
Dwayne Johnson As Kronk
Before you read the title, I’m sure you already knew who this man is. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson needs no introduction. You’ve seen him in movies before, you still see him in movies today.
The Rock is an incredibly diverse actor that has played so many different roles. As of lately, he’s often taken up the role as the big, muscular, lovable goofball. Which is exactly the same way you could describe Kronk from Emperors New Groove. From his appearance all the way to his acting skills, Dwayne Johnson would truly bring Kronk to life unlike any other.
Rihanna As Cruella De Vil
Considering her incredible style, talent, and entrepreneurship, Rihanna is who Cruella De Vil wishes she could be. She initially started off her career as a musician, but now she’s branched out into the makeup industry and film. The last film she starred in was Ocean’s 8, alongside Sandra Bullock and Anne Hathaway.
Unfortunately, we probably won’t be seeing Rihanna play Cruella any time soon. Disney already has a film in the works, with Emma Stone set to take on the Dalmatian fur coat.
Avan Jogia As Aladdin
During the casting process for Aladdin, Disney reported that they were having trouble finding ethnically accurate actors - which led the internet to provide some help (because it’s really not that hard). Many fans really wanted Avan Jogia, the former Nickelodeon star, to portray Aladdin. Apparently, Jogia even auditioned for the role.
Instead, the part was granted to Mena Massoud. But if you’re interested in seeing Jogia on the screen, you can catch him in the upcoming series Now Apocalypse and the sequel to Zombieland.
