The Grammy-winning musician is making his feature film directorial debut (Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Musician and Oscar-winning documentary maker Questlove is set to helm a ‘live action/hybrid reimagining’ of Disney animated classic The Aristocats.
The founding member of band The Roots, whose real name is Amir Thompson, will be making his feature film directorial debut with his remake of the 1970 original for Walt Disney Studios.
The drummer and producer, 52, will also be executive producing and, perhaps unsurprisingly, overseeing music for the film.
It also has a screenplay penned by Will Gluck and Keith Bunin, according to Deadline.
Questlove called the news ‘a life-changing announcement about my directing future’ when he shared the new to Twitter on Monday night.
He added on Instagram: ‘They chose I to chase the cat…
Questlove won an Oscar in 2022 for his documentary Summer of Soul (Picture: Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
The Aristocats was released in 1970, and featured one of Disney’s most iconic songs ever (Picture: Disney/LMPC via Getty Images)
‘I basically have 2 life goals: 1. Don’t dismiss my dreams & 2. Get out of my own way.’
The Aristocats is particularly fondly known for its swinging, scat-featuring score, which includes songs Everybody Wants to Be a Cat and its jaunty main-title tune, sung by French screen legend Maurice Chevalier.
The film follows four felines – Duchess and her mischievous kittens Marie, Berlioz and Toulouse – who live a life of luxury in Paris with their retired owner, who learn they will inherit her entire fortune upon her death.
When her greedy, scheming butler kidnaps them, dumping them in the country, they must find their way home with the help of smooth-talking street cat Thomas O’Malley, who takes them for an adventure along the way.
The new Aristocats film has been teased as a live-action hybrid reimagining (Picture: Disney)
Six-time Grammy winner Questlove scooped the best documentary Oscar last year for Summer of Soul, which took a look at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.
It also won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered.
The Aristocats is just one of many Disney live-action remakes currently in the works.
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Rachel Zegler is to star as Snow White in one of Disney’s other upcoming remakes from their classic film catalogue (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
One of the most highly anticipated is The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, which is set to swim into cinemas on May 26.
Another princess is also getting the modernisation treatment as Rachel Zegler stars as Snow White in Disney’s remake of their first-ever full-length film, originally released in 1937.
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Snow White is scheduled for a 2024 release, while another animated classic’s remake, that of Hercules, has attached director Guy Ritchie, but is yet to go into production.
Jude Law is also making his debut as iconic villain Captain Hook in Peter Pan & Wendy, which comes to streaming service Disney Plus on April 28.
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The new adaptation’s announcement comes 53 years after the original film’s release.