MOVIE NEWS –  The latest Disney project is the live-action reboot of Gargoyles. But unfortunately, the new series is an example of a disappointing Hollywood trend…

The Disney announcement that they are rebooting Gargoyles is exciting news for fans of the 1990s animated series. However, this live-action remake is actually a perfect example of one of Hollywood’s longest and most disappointing trends. Gargoyles started as an animated TV series in 1994 and ran for three seasons until 1997. The series follows a group of Scottish gargoyles who reawaken in New York City and become its nightly protectors.

Although Gargoyles is not one of Disney’s best-known productions, it was praised for its complex characterizations and story and is now considered a cult classic.

Since Gargoyles already has a solid fan base, the success of Disney’s Gargoyles remake should not be in doubt. In fact, the Gargoyles film adaptation has been anticipated for years. However, certain aspects of the new project are already worrying. Gargoyles is a franchise that has many expectations. It’s more than just a 1990s animated series. The series had a dark tone and a more complex storytelling method that set it apart from other Disney projects at the time. Therefore, the Gargoyles reboot has huge shoes to fill, and unfortunately, it’s already arguably taking a step in the wrong direction.

The Disney Gargoyles reboot will be live-action, not an animated sequel

The main problem with Disney’s Gargoyles reboot is that it’s live-action, not animated like the original series. According to recent news from Disney, the series is currently being developed by Atomic Monster, the production company led by The Conjuring director James Wan. Also on board as executive producer, writer, and showrunner is Gary Dauberman, known from the movie Annabelle. Despite the big and exciting names, the question of Gargoyles remains.

The original series even thrived as an animated series, yet Disney decided, as is their domain these days, to bring this beloved property to live-action.

It really shouldn’t be that surprising that Disney is making Gargoyles a live-action film. Disney’s live-action remake strategy has been in place for years. As part of this, the company meticulously goes through the catalogue of classic animated movies and produces live-action reboots. While some have succeeded, others have failed miserably. However, just because they can make a live-action version doesn’t mean they should. This ultimately depends on two factors. First, Gargoyles became famous as an animated film. According to many, it should stay that way. Second, Hollywood as a whole doesn’t value animation nearly enough, and an animated Gargoyles reboot could boost the genre’s prestige.

The Gargoyles animated series never got a proper ending

Aside from the live-action vs. animated debate, there’s another compelling reason why the Gargoyles reboot should be animated: the original Gargoyles never got a proper ending. Despite garnering a huge fan base, Gargoyles Season 3 was not a critical or commercial success. Hence, the series was quietly cancelled. It could never provide any real closure to the characters, leaving many viewers disappointed.

Ultimately, what would be better than a Gargoyles reboot, live-action or not, would be an animated Gargoyles sequel that picks up where the original series left off.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be in Disney’s plans. Based on their announcement, it looks like the Gargoyles reboot will be a full live-action reboot. This means that the story starts from the beginning. It will likely take new and different paths than the original series. Ultimately, this means that audiences still won’t get the ending of the original Gargoyles. However, if the reboot is thriving and remains so, it can hopefully run for three seasons or more. This could preserve the legacy of Gargoyles while also completing what the 1990s series couldn’t.

Hollywood continues to favour live-action content over animated films

After all, Disney’s decision to make a live-action reboot of Gargoyles over an animated one reflects the old Hollywood tradition of favouring live-action content over animated content. To this day, many people think that animated films are only for children. Even though there are plenty of animated series and movies that do well with adult audiences. Gargoyles is an example of this. Although it started as an animated series, it still has a strong adult fan base.

All in all, it’s a disappointing conviction, which means that really strong and entertaining animated content is being ignored in favour of more live-action series.

Disney’s Gargoyles reboot is just another entry in that long line. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Gargoyles remake will be bad. Moreover, this project definitely has some good points, namely for horror movie producers. Hopefully, the reboot of Gargoyles will be able to restore the charm of the original series, or even better, even in live-action form.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter