Disney Cancels Remake of 1973 Animated Classic

2 weeks ago 13

Image via Walt Disney Pictures

Published Mar 9, 2026, 1:41 PM EDT

A cinematic obsessive with the filmic palate of a starving raccoon, Rob London will watch pretty much anything once. With a mind like a steel trap, he's an endless fount of movie and TV trivia, borne from a misspent youth of watching monster movies on TV, perusing the sun-faded goods at the local video rental shop, and staining his fingers with ink from the Video Movie Guide. Areas of interest include science fiction, film noir, horror flicks, '70s disaster pictures, Bond movies, '90s action, giant robots, dinosaurs, super heroes, and the exuberantly schlocky output of Cannon Films. He also enjoys both Star Trek and Star Wars when they're good, and maybe even more when they're bad. As a Canadian, he also has a vested interest in Canadian movies and TV shows, especially the cheesier ones dubbed "Canuxploitation."

An expert on Marvel Comics, he has also written for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and is a member of the Marvel Research Team. He can frequently be found pontificating on comic-book continuity or bemoaning the misfortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs on his Twitter account.

The once-steady stream of live-action Disney remakes of its animated classics has gradually slowed in recent years, especially after the high-profile failure of 2025's Snow White. And despite the subsequent success of the live-action Lilo and Stitch, some remakes that were once in the works have since fallen by the wayside. We now know that one such remake won't be romping through Sherwood Forest any time soon.

Director Carlos López Estrada recently revealed in a Reddit AMA that the remake of the 1973 animated cult classic Robin Hood, which he was announced to be directing back in 2020, is no more. Said Estrada, when asked about the film's status, "its dead sadly. i say sadly because i actually thought there was something really special (and original!) there. Some truly extraordinary music we had figured out for it." Estrada, who previously directed the animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon for the studio, was hopeful that some aspect of the film might yet see the light of day, however: "i keep datydreaming [sic] about doing it independently with different characters."

What Is 'Robin Hood' About?

A reimagining of legendary outlaw Robin Hood and his Merry Men as anthropomorphic animals, Robin Hood holds the distinction of being the first Disney animated feature to be developed after the 1966 death of company founder Walt Disney. Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) is a sly fox, as is Maid Marian (Monica Evans), while Little John (Phil Harris) is a bear, Alan-a-Dale (Roger Miller) is a rooster, and Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) is a badger; his foe King John (Peter Ustinov) is a cowardly lion, served by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Pat Buttram), a wolf, and Sir Hiss (Terry-Thomas), a snake. Upon its release, the film was a success at the box office, but critical reviews were mixed. Its detractors focused on its inferiority to previous Disney animated films, and its frequent use of recycled animation and character models from older productions.

The only upcoming Disney live-action remake to actually have entered production is Moana; a remake of the 2016 animated hit with Dwayne Johnson set to reprise his role as arrogant demigod Maui, it will be released on Jul 10, 2026. A remake of Tangled is also in the works, with Teagan Croft, Milo Manheim, and Kathryn Hahn in talks to star.

Disney's live-action remake of 1973's Robin Hood is no longer in development. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.