Are the reimagined reboots living up to the originals? Lilo & Stitch is doing well at the box office, but the future of Disney’s live-action remake strategy is still up in the air. To shed light on how UK audiences are responding to these reboots, streaming guide JustWatch conducted a deep dive into the popularity and user ratings of Disney’s animated originals versus their live-action counterparts.
As Disney continue their trend of releasing live-action remakes of beloved animated films, including the latest adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, streaming guide JustWatch conducted an in-depth analysis to measure how these reboots are resonating with British audiences.
The findings tell a clear story: while the remakes generate substantial viewer interest and engagement, the original animated classics consistently earn higher user ratings on JustWatch. On average, they receive over 60% higher ratings among UK audiences.
“It’s always going to be a big challenge when you try to compete with expectations and the nostalgia of films that experienced wild success,” said Mike Pearce, JustWatch analyst.
“We do see that some remakes have performed better than others, but the originals still remain the favourite.”
Viewer Ratings versus Popularity: Who Wins the Fan Vote?
Note: User ratings are based on aggregated data from JustWatch UK and other review platforms.
What UK Audiences Are Clicking On
1. The Little Mermaid (2023)
Popularity: 84 🍿| User Rating: 66% ⭐
2. Snow White (2025)
Popularity: 57 🍿| User Rating: 31% ⭐
3. Aladdin (2019)
Popularity: 51 🍿| User Rating: 86% ⭐
4. Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Popularity: 38 🍿| User Rating: 88% ⭐
5. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Popularity: 21 🍿| User Rating: 96% ⭐
6. Little Mermaid (1989)
Popularity: 18 🍿| User Rating: 95% ⭐
7. Mulan (1998)
Popularity: 13 🍿| User Rating: 97% ⭐
8. Mulan (2020)
Popularity: 12 🍿| User Rating: 74% ⭐
9. Aladdin (1992)
Popularity: 12 🍿| User Rating: 97% ⭐
10. Cinderella (2015)
Popularity: 10 🍿| User Rating: 88% ⭐
11. Snow White (1937)
Popularity: 3 🍿| User Rating: 91% ⭐
12. Cinderella (1950)
Popularity: 0 🍿| User Rating: 92% ⭐
*Popularity score based on click outs, title interactions, watchlist saves in 2025.
Despite high click outs for newer releases, titles like Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Little Mermaid (1989) consistently receive higher user ratings across streaming platforms and review aggregators.
Curious but Critical: The UK’s Love for Disney’s Originals
The main takeaways
- Remakes spark searches, not loyalty: Newer versions like Snow White (2025) and The Little Mermaid (2023) lead in click outs and discovery, but user sentiment often leans nostalgic.
- High ratings for hand-drawn heritage: Across major review platforms, the original animations boast notably higher average ratings than their modern CGI counterparts.
- Remakes that come closest to the originals: Beauty and the Beast (2017), Cinderella (2015), and Aladdin (2019) stand out for earning the strongest audience approval among the modern reboots.
- Viewers are evaluating, not necessarily embracing: The data suggests that UK users are eager to check out remakes, but are more likely to champion the originals after viewing.
- Cinderella’s quiet reign: Despite low interaction scores, Cinderella (1950) holds one of the highest user approval ratings among the full Disney canon.
This analysis underscores a broader trend: while new interpretations bring fresh energy and modern storytelling, they rarely eclipse the emotional resonance and cultural impact of the originals that defined a generation.
