Live Action 'Hercules' Finds its Director in Guy Ritchie

Hercules, the latest of the classic animated Disney movies to receive a live-action remake, has found its director. Guy Ritchie will be helming the upcoming feature that The Russo Brothers’ AGBO will be producing for Disney. A first draft of the film is being written by Dave Callaham and AGBO is looking to hire more writers for this project.

Ritchie’s take on Hercules will not be his first foray into a live-action Disney movie. In 2019, he directed and co-wrote Aladdin (2019) with Will Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott as Genie, Aladdin, and Jasmine, respectively. Ritchie’s vision brought home $1.051 billion from the box office and a sequel is in the works with Massoud and Scott returning. While Ritchie is not yet involved in the Aladdin (2019) sequel, Disney has made their interest for his return well known.

The original Hercules movie premiered in 1995 as part of what’s known as the Disney Renaissance era. This was a ten year period from 1989 to 1999 that marked the company’s return to musical adaptations of classic stories. The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Mulan are other films that are part of the Disney Renaissance. This period of time was a box office boom for Disney and the films they released then are still some of the most beloved animated films of all time.

Hercules is a loose adaptation of the Greek myth of Heracles. According to Greek mythology, Heracles (Hercules is the Roman name) is the son of Zeus. In the film adaptation, Hades (James Woods) seeks to overthrow Zeus (Rip Torn) and Mount Olympus, but the Fates (Amanda Plummer, Carole Shelley and Paddi Edwards) tell Hades that he will lose the war if Hercules (Tate Donovan) fights. To ensure Hercules won’t be a liability to his conquests, Hades tasks his henchmen to turn Hercules into a mortal.

In the development of the original animated movie, the directors, John Musker and Ron Clements, approached the film as a superhero movie. In that regard, it’s not surprising that The Russo Brothers and Ritchie are both involved in the remake. The Russo Brothers most famously have had a huge hand in shaping the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They directed four films for the MCU including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but began in sitcom work like Arrested Development and Community. The original Hercules has a delightful balance of action/adventure and comedy, so The Russo Brothers’ filmography is a perfect fit.

Ritchie is no stranger to action/adventure either. He burst into Hollywood with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Ritchie’s style is very distinct. He uses a blend of quick cuts and slow motion for his fight scenes and creates uncertainty with nonlinear storytelling. His most recent film is the upcoming spy film Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Ritchie’s adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 2015 was considered a commercial disappointment, but many critics believe it deserves a second look.

Aside from Ritchie and Callaham, no further announcements have been made for cast or creative roles.