8 Disney Theme Park Rides That Were Turned Into Films
You must be this tall to watch these Disney ride films.
We all know of our favourite films that have been given the theme park treatment. Franchises such as Star Wars and Harry Potter have built entire lands dedicated to their brand complete with rides, restaurants and every other immersive experience that can be imagined.
But what about those properties that did it in reverse? Starting off as a theme park attraction and being adapted into a feature length film is an entirely different ballgame.
Over the years, Disney in particular has attempted numerous times to take their beloved attractions and throw it on the big screen, to varying degrees of success. It is certainly a bold move but it has proved worth it on several occasions, others less so. Some of Disney's rides have a plethora of history and source material to draw from, but it hasn't always been an easy ride for these films (pun-intended).
From Box Office bombs to critically adored, here's a look at 8 Disney theme park rides that were turned into films, from the absolute worst to the very best.
8. Jungle Cruise
The upcoming Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson-helmed adventure film was originally scheduled for a July 2020 release date, but has been delayed an entire year due to the effects of the global pandemic. Jungle Cruise is based on the Disney attraction of the same name, a riverboat adventure which takes guests on a relaxing sail down rivers filled with animatronic animals, with a quick-witted Disney castmember as their guide.
Obviously, given the film's delay, it cannot yet be ranked on its success but it certainly has all the promise to be a fun adaptation of the classic Disney attraction. The film boasts an all-star cast of Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Jack Whitehall and Paul Giamatti just to name a few. The director, Jaume Collet-Serra is fairly new to the family genre, having made films such as The Shallows, Orphan and The Commuter in the past.
If the film proves to be a success, it could lead to more confidence in adapting other attractions of theirs into live-action films. The film is currently scheduled to be released July 30th 2021.