Although generally successful at the box office, see 2025’s Lilo & Stitch live action adaptation recently surpassing one billion dollars in global revenue, Disney’s foray into remakes of their animated classics over the past decade have often been met with criticism. While there have been a few attempts at creativity with live action films featuring classic villains retelling their sides of the story such as Maleficent and Cruella, the majority are remakes. Fans and critics alike have labeled Disney’s live action remakes thinly veiled cash grabs that could be replaced by original ideas. To make matters worse, these remakes are clumsily stuffed with poorly modernized themes, chief amongst them feminist empowerment as a remedy for the unrealistic standards set by Disney princesses for generations. The recent flop of Snow White’s live action remake starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot has reportedly led Disney to put other projects such as Tangled on hold indefinitely. Live action films already in development at Disney, most notably Moana, will still be released, and with success, may reinvigorate Disney’s live action production slate. Until then, 2015’s Cinderella still stands as Disney’s best live action remake; it’s worth revisiting ten years later.

Lily James, originally of Downton Abbey fame at the time, stars as Ella, later dubbed “Cinder-Ella” by her step sisters for falling asleep next to the furnace after a long night’s work. James truly is a princess brought to life- soft skin, soft voice, soft curly hair; she is inexplicably lovely. Ella seems to float on air and dreams, just as Walt Disney intended. While being every bit the gentle, radiant, and captivating girl destined for the love of a prince, James also brings an unbreakable edge to Cinderella that was lacking in the original 1950 animated film. Disney’s original iteration of Cinderella has no real personality besides beauty, housekeeping, and an affinity for speaking to animals. This Cinderella sports a corset and a self reliant attitude. The changes are subtle, her problems are still mostly solved by marrying Prince Charming, but this time it seems like there was a plausible equal partnership after the wedding. The goodness of her heart is so powerful it not only wins a prince, it guides the ruling of their kingdom.

Enter Prince Charming; this time he is actually given a name, Kit, and is played by Richard Madden, who was fresh off his dethronement as the King in the North on Game of Thrones. Instead of simply sharing a dance with a beautiful maiden at the ball and then sending his servants on a wild goose chase around the kingdom with a glass slipper, Kit and Ella meet serendipitously in the woods. Their horses circle one another as they spar over the hunting of a wild stag, which Ella, in her unflinching goodness, believes should be left to safely run free. And thus the stage is set for a romance between a young monarch dreaming of new traditions for his kingdom and a young woman determined to rise above her circumstances with courage and kindness.

The modern adaptation of Cinderella also places more obstacles on the road to happily ever after. As usual, the evil stepmother, played expertly by Cate Blanchett, plots to keep Ella and the Prince apart. Despite being a jaded and cruel woman, Blanchett still manages to bring a pathos to Lady Tremaine never seen before in the character. Unlike their mother, Ella’s stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella, are purely shallow and catty. While Lady Tremaine and her daughters do everything they can to keep Ella from experiencing any shred of joy, the kingdom’s Grand Duke, played by Stellan Skarsgard, plots to trap the Prince in a loveless marriage for his own political and financial gain. The two wicked schemers join forces to conspire against Kit and Ella and secure their own interests, a new storyline that feels like a logical extension of the original film. 

In the face of evil dukes and stepmothers, courage and kindness can only go so far. Ella has a magical helping hand from her fairy godmother of course, played by the ever quirky Helena Bonham Carter, who also lends her voice to the narration of the film. Bonham Carter is larger than life, quite literally, as she prances around in a silver ball gown wider than Cinderella’s own signature, show stopping blue ball gown. Because this adaptation is not a musical like its predecessor, there is no jubilant rendition of “Bippity Boppity Boo,” but thanks to Bonham Carter’s fun antics as she prepares Ella for the ball, the song is hardly missed. 

Viewers have Fairy Godmother and costume designer Sandy Powell to thank for Ella’s magnificent ball gown. Covered in glitter, shining with gossamer, and accented with delicate butterflies, the dress is simply stunning. The only thing bluer than Ella’s gown are Richard Madden’s eyes as he lovingly dances with his future Princess at the lavish ball. Production designer Dante Ferretti and Powell work beautifully together to create a film so visually stunning that it rivals the likes of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette or Stephen Frears’ Dangerous Liaisons. Although computer generated images are used to enhance and add some magic here and there, this is easily Disney’s most sophisticated visual feast ranked against other live action remakes, which have grown to more heavily rely on CGI in recent years. 

From its pitch perfect casting, to Kenneth Branagh’s direction, and rich combination of design and cinematography, this adaptation is wonderful. Today, ten years after its release, and sixty five years after the release of its animated predecessor, Cinderella still manages to feel magical. That sense of magic and beauty feels lost in more recent live action remakes. Audiences are hard to please, especially when they are longtime fans of existing IP. However, some of Disney’s recent blunders feel avoidable with a little critical thinking, such as casting outspoken pro-Palestine supporter Rachel Zegler and former Miss Israel and Israeli Defense Force member Gal Gadot opposite one another in Snow White, and encouraging Nani to give up guardianship of Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, both released in 2025. Disney can find a way to honor and update its source material for future live action remakes without overstepping or relying too heavily on the original film’s formula. Cinderella is proof.