Disney’s remakes have divided audiences as of late, but the studio is not to be deterred, as it is reportedly moving ahead with a live-action Tiana project.Colman Domingo is in talks to co-write an original live-action movie inspired by Disney’s The Princess and the Frog (2009), according to Deadline.Credit: DisneyThe two-time Academy Award nominee is expected to work alongside playwright and director Robert O’Hara. However, the project remains in its earliest stages, with deals yet to be finalized.Unlike Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Little Mermaid (2023), or Moana (2026), this is not a direct remake of the animated film. Instead, the project is reportedly being developed as a spin-off that expands Tiana’s world. Its approach has been compared to that of Gaston, another live-action Disney WIP centered on a character from Beauty and the Beast (although apparently not starring Luke Evans, who portrayed the character in 2017).This means that, rather than asking a new actor to recreate Anika Noni Rose’s performance beat for beat, Disney can revisit Tiana and New Orleans while telling an original story.Credit: DisneyDomingo has extensive experience as a playwright and producer, while O’Hara is established as both a writer and director. Their involvement suggests Disney may be looking for something more distinctive than another scene-for-scene remake.The Princess and the Frog follows Tiana (Rose), a New Orleans waitress saving to open her own restaurant. After kissing the cursed Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), she also becomes a frog, sending the pair across the Louisiana bayou in search of a cure.Released in 2009, the movie was one of Disney Animation’s final traditionally animated theatrical features. It earned $267 million worldwide against a reported $105 million budget and received three Academy Award nominations.The film was praised for its animation, music, and the introduction of Disney’s first Black princess. Tiana’s ambition also separated her from earlier Disney heroines, with her restaurant dream driving the story before romance entered the picture.Credit: DisneyIts reception was not universally positive. Some viewers criticized Disney for turning its first Black princess into a frog for much of her film, while others questioned its portrayal of Louisiana Voodoo and the softened depiction of race in 1920s New Orleans.Even so, Tiana developed a devoted following. Her popularity has become increasingly visible as Disney has expanded The Princess and the Frog beyond the original movie.Disney Gives Tiana Another Chance After Recent FailuresDisney initially planned to continue Tiana’s story through an animated Disney+ series. Announced in 2020, the project was expected to pick up after the events of the movie.Those plans were scrapped in 2025 as Disney Animation pulled back from producing long-form streaming projects. A separate short-form special was announced in its place, although Disney has offered few public updates since then.The parks have moved much faster. Tiana’s Palace opened at Disneyland in 2023, while Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaced Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World and Disneyland in 2024. The attraction continues the movie’s story rather than recreating it. Now a successful restaurateur, Tiana prepares to host a Mardi Gras celebration and searches the bayou for musicians, giving her a life beyond the film’s ending.Credit: DisneyWhile the attraction sparked controversy among the Disney fandom, it remains a popular choice at both parks.The timing of this new live-action project is notable. Moana opened earlier this month with $43 million domestically and $95 million worldwide – a weak start for a production reported to have cost approximately $250 million.Critics accused the remake of following the 2016 animated film too closely, leaving audiences with little reason to revisit a story that was already readily available on Disney+.Its opening arrived just over a year after Snow White (2025), another expensive princess remake that struggled to justify its changes. The film finished with approximately $206 million worldwide against a reported production budget of roughly $269 million.Credit: DisneyBoth films highlight the tough spot Disney has attempted (and occasionally succeeded) in navigating over the years. Recreate an animated favorite too faithfully, and the new version can feel unnecessary. Change too much, and audiences may reject the film for abandoning what they loved.It remains to be seen exactly what approach Disney is taking with its only other confirmed live-action princess remake, Tangled. However, newly released images show both Rapunzel and Flynn Rider wearing near-identical costumes to the OG animation.Tiana may offer Disney a third option. A spin-off can retain the character, setting, and New Orleans atmosphere associated with The Princess and the Frog without inviting constant comparisons with the original. It can also give Tiana more human screen time, addressing one of the animated film’s most persistent criticisms.The project is still far from guaranteed. Domingo and O’Hara are only in talks; no cast has been announced, and Disney has not revealed a release date.However, after the cancellation of Tiana’s Disney+ series and the disappointing launches of Snow White and Moana, an original story may be Disney’s safest route back to its princess catalog.What do you think of Disney’s new Tiana project?The post It’s Official: Disney is Doing a Live-Action ‘Princess and the Frog,’ Despite ‘Moana’ Flop appeared first on Inside the Magic.