As a movie enthusiast who has spent countless hours in the dimly lit halls of cinemas and endless nights binge-watching films, I must say that Kelly Macdonald’s words about Brave resonate deeply with me. Having grown up with the likes of Snow White, Cinderella, and Ariel, it was a breath of fresh air to see Merida, a strong, brave, and fiercely independent princess from Pixar, join the Disney Princess lineup.
Kelly Macdonald, who played the lead in the 2012 film ‘Brave’, shows no signs of participating in a live-action adaptation of the Pixar movie or any potential sequels. In ‘Brave’, Princess Merida, portrayed by Macdonald, is caught up in a series of events that turn her mother into a bear and compel her to reverse the curse before it’s permanent while restoring peace to the kingdom. This groundbreaking film, which brought home the Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe for Best Animated Film, grossed an impressive $539 million worldwide. Merida, the first Disney Princess from Pixar rather than Walt Disney Animation, has since become a symbol of pop culture.
During a chat with Screen Rant concerning her latest movie, The Radleys, actress Kelly Macdonald reflected on Brave, which was released 12 years ago. Given the surge in popularity of Disney’s live-action remakes, Macdonald has decided against reprising her role as Merida due to her current age, as Merida is 16 in the film while Macdonald is now 48. However, Macdonald doesn’t dismiss the possibility of an animated Brave sequel, although she hasn’t given it much thought yet. Macdonald expressed:
Well, I wouldn’t consider watching a live-action reboot as I’ve grown quite old. However, being part of the original Disney Princess cast was truly an extraordinary experience, and it’s quite unique, which is pretty neat. If my younger self had known about that, I can’t help but wonder what she would have thought. As for sequels or anything else related, that hadn’t crossed my mind yet.
Since the 2012 film featuring Macdonald as Merida premiered in cinemas, she has reprised her role on a few occasions. Her first appearance was in 2015 when she lent her voice to the character for the Disney Jr. series called Sofia the First. Later, in 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet, Macdonald reprised the role of Merida, sharing screen time with all the other Disney princesses. In this movie, Merida not only spoke with a thick Scottish accent but also used dialogue that the other princesses couldn’t understand. She humorously mentioned that she was “from a different studio.
Merida’s Future at Disney & Pixar
Disney has produced live-action adaptations of numerous beloved animated films such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. However, they have not yet ventured into making live-action versions of their Pixar titles. In fact, Disney’s chief creative officer, Pete Doctor, has stated that live-action remakes are not on the table for Pixar films. Regarding fan speculation about a live-action Ratatouille with actor Josh O’Connor as Linguini, Doctor has made it clear that such a project is not being considered at this time.
I must confess, it’s a bit unsettling for me to say this, but I have reservations about the idea. I prefer crafting films that are distinctively original. The thought of remaking it doesn’t hold much appeal for me on a personal level.
It’s worth noting that Disney has previously brought Merida to life in a live-action format. In 2015, Amy Manson played Merida on ABC’s series “Once Upon a Time” during its fifth season. This storyline unfolded a decade after the movie events, but it should be noted that this show is not considered canon with the films. The series introduced that Fergus, her father, was slain by King Arthur and that Merida formed alliances with Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” and Mulan. To date, this is the only live-action portrayal of Merida beyond Disney theme parks.
Despite the anticipated sequels of Pixar’s hits like “Inside Out 2,” “Toy Story 5,” and “Incredibles 3,” a follow-up to “Brave” may not be in the cards, given its success at the box office and awards but less enduring popularity compared to films like “Finding Nemo” or “Cars.” Similar to other Pixar movies such as “A Bug’s Life,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL-E,” and “Up,” “Brave” tells a complete story that thrives on its own, making a sequel unnecessary.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-08 22:31