After coming up with live-action remakes of Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King – and finally the sequel to Frozen – Disney has certainly outdone themselves in 2019. And with the bar set extra high for 2020, we’re not gonna be disappointed either, because there are at least 7 new Disney films coming out in Singapore over this year.
From live action remakes, to book-based films, as well as a couple of original stories built from scratch, here are the Disney films you don’t want to miss out on in 2020 – all arranged in chronological order.
P.S. check out our article on Frozen 2 themed items here.
Image credit: Disney
We all know this tale of girl power – where a young Chinese girl disguises herself as a boy, and represents her family to join the army in the war against the Huns, in place of her frail old father. *cue “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You”* ♩ ♪ ♫
Image credit: Disney
In the original animated movie by Disney in 1998, Mulan falls in love with Li Shang, the head of the army – while still crossdressed in her full suit of armour. However, in this first-ever live-action remake, it appears that Shang will not be part of the story, so it’ll be interesting to see how the whole plot plays out without the love element.
If anything, the focus on Mulan’s self-discovery and fighting spirit – rather than any lovey-dovey shenanigans – is something modern Disney fans who are dissatisfied with the typical damsel in distress trope will cheer over.
Image credit: Disney
From the creators of tear-jerker Toy Story 4 is Onward, an animated film about two elf brothers voiced by Avengers co-stars Chris Pratt and Tom Holland. The pair go on a quest to seek some last shreds of magic in a suburban world – in an attempt to bring back their father who died when they were young, just for a day.
They first succeed in bringing back just their father’s legs with a magic staff, and quickly scramble to find a way to make the rest of his body materialise before their time is up.
Image credit: Disney
Those in their 20s would remember poring over Artemis Fowl back in the day – an 8-book fantasy series by Eoin Colfer, centred around a 12-year-old antihero criminal genius.
Now, the first two books are getting their own film adaptation, and will follow the child protagonist as he searches for his father who has suddenly vanished without a trace.
Image credit: Disney
In Soul, a New York City music teacher nearly gets to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a jazz performer, but unfortunately ends up in an accident. As a result, his soul gets separated from his body and is teleported to the “You Seminar” – a place where souls-in-training need to find passions before they can get transferred to newborns and enter the human world.
Image credit: Disney
As he helps them find their way, the concept of a soul and the meaning of life is explored. Definitely a feel-good film that will make you do some of your own soul-searching.
Image credit: Disney
If the name Jungle Cruise sounds familiar, that’s ‘cause it’s inspired by the eponymous Disneyland ride that takes you through a river on a boat.
While the theme park ride may be a slow-moving one, you can bet that the live-action movie will be way more thrilling, as you follow riverboat captain Frank (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and scientist Lily (Emily Blunt) on their adventure through the wild.
As Lily searches for a special cure from a magical tree, the pair must fight off advances from jungle animals, as well as villainous humans trying to get in their way.
Image credit: Patricia Castelao
The One and Only Ivan was originally an award-winning novel, inspired by a true story of a gorilla in unnatural captivity.
This CGI live-action adaptation of the book starts off with Ivan the gorilla living in a cage at a shopping mall, along with an elephant and stray dog voiced by Angelina Jolie and Danny DeVito respectively. After an abused baby elephant gets added to the troupe, Ivan and friends team up with the mall janitor’s daughter to help better their situation.
Image credit: Disney
Set in a fictional ancient Southeast Asian kingdom called Kumandra which has fallen to darkness, Raya and the Last Dragon is scripted by Adele Lim – one of the screenwriters behind Crazy Rich Asians.
In this animated fantasy, the female protagonist Raya goes in search of the last dragon on Earth, which she believes can help save the world and restore it to its previous glory. Midway through, she bumps into Sisu (Awkwafina), an old woman who’s actually the human form of the last water dragon. Raya must then use a special gem to help Sisu regain her dragon form in order to turn things around.
Image credit: Marvel
Although produced by Marvel Studios, the highly-anticipated Black Widow is being distributed by Disney, so it’s still worthy of a spot in this list. After all, it’s a must-watch that Marvel fans have been eagerly awaiting for years.
Starring none other than Scarlett Johannson, the 24th Marvel Cinematic Universe film will put the spotlight on this fiery female, and tell the backstory of how she went from being a spy and assassin to a superhero.
About darn time, since there have already been solo films on other MCU heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor!
Frozen 2 might have gained a load of hype, but there’s even more Disney magic to look forward to throughout 2020. With adventure, fantasy, and some fighting all included, it’s an exciting and varied mix that’s both family-friendly and suitable for lighthearted movie dates.
Check out our list of cheapest movie ticket prices and promotions in Singapore to catch these upcoming movies with the best deals available!
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