8 Live-Action Adaptations That Are Actually Quite Good
They are rare, but they do exist.
Right now, when audiences hear about an upcoming live-action adaptation, they automatically assume it will be bad. After the fiasco of The Cats movie and a whole slew of questionable Netflix series based on famous anime, people are wary of any other attempt.
But the upcoming live adaptation of the iconic musical Wicked is changing people's minds with just a few trailers. And Wicked isn't the only time the live-action version has treated the original with enough love and respect to turn it into something great. Here are 8 other live-action movies you might want to check out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
While the latest attempt to bring our turtle heroes back to the big screen wasn't a huge success, the '90s version will live on in everyone's hearts forever.
The live-action version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which began as a comic book and then became an animated series, was a huge box office success and featured some very advanced CGI effects for its time.
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
Though critics weren't thrilled with the film, audiences felt differently, giving it a 94% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The big red dog Clifford may have seemed awkward in the tiny New York apartment, but that only added to the charming origin story of the famous character and got more laughs from the amused audience.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)
The key to the Pikachu movie's success was the combination of the familiar character and the completely new journey it sent him on. Those familiar with the cartoon could relax knowing that no one was coming to claim his legacy, and those who hadn't seen the show but found Pikachu adorable didn't feel completely lost in the theater.
Hopefully the sequel, which is now on its way, will be just as fun!
Transformers ( 2007)
Yes, we all know what happened to the franchise the longer it went on. But that doesn't take away from the greatness of the original movie, which was an undeniable success. Directed by Michael Bay, the movie hit all the right notes for the younger audience that grew up with the Transformers toys, as well as the older fans of good action blockbusters.
Scooby-Doo (2002)
While the movie is controversial today, many people tend to believe that it perfectly captured the campiness of the original cartoon. Besides, the numbers speak for themselves, and the Scooby-Doo movie has destroyed the box office with $275.7 million.
If you allow yourself to look past the silly CGI that doesn't hold up today and compare the movie to an actual show, you'll see that the spirit is indeed there.
Casper (1995)
This adaptation does justice to Casper as a slightly scary, but light-hearted and funny ghost. But the most interesting thing about it is the technical details and the heavy CGI work. This made Casper the Friendly Ghost one of the first fully animated characters playing among real human actors.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
No matter what you think of the movie, it's hard to deny its success. To this day, the story of the Grinch is one of the most popular Christmas tales, and many households prefer the live-action version portrayed by Jim Carrey to the animated character.
Not only was Carrey the perfect choice for the role, but his performance was enhanced by the efforts of the costume and makeup department, making How the Grinch Stole Christmas the highest grossing film of 2000.
Speed Racer (2008)
Many people consider the Wachowskis' film a borderline masterpiece, far removed from its original source. However, the movie is based on the manga series of the same name, which later became a TV series. With great visuals, an intriguing story, and an obvious respect for the source material, Speed Racer is an adaptation that every comic or manga series deserves.