Why Disney Is Remaking This Classic

In an effort to lure consumers to its upcoming Disney+ streaming service, Disney announced Tuesday it will be rebooting four popular franchises it acquired when it purchased 21st Century Fox's entertainment properties. Specifically, Disney CEO Bob Iger said during a company call about third-quarter earnings, Home Alone, Night at the Museum, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Cheaper by the Dozen will be remade and available on the streaming service, which launches Nov. 12. Other than saying they'll be "reimagined" for "a new generation," Iger gave no details about the form they might take or when they might be released. Disney+ will cost $6.99 per month and will be the only place to stream Marvel, Star Wars, Disney Animation, and Pixar properties, CNN reports.

Disney had previously announced a live-action/CG remake of its own Lady and the Tramp for Disney+, and Deadline reports that by the end of its first year, the service will have more than 400 movies and 7,500 TV episodes. Most films owned by Disney will no longer be available on Netflix after Disney+ launches. "We're also focused on leveraging Fox's vast library of great titles to further enrich the content mix on our DTC platforms [Disney+ and Hulu]," Iger said during the call. "We see great long-term value in the broad collection of theatrical IP we acquired from Fox." NBC News notes that reaction on Twitter was mixed, with many dreading Disney's reimagining of the beloved Home Alone. Others simply wondered how exactly the movie will work in the current era: "Prayers up for the writers who have to solve the cell phone problem in a rebooted Home Alone," tweeted Franklin Leonard. (Another fan favorite is soon leaving Netflix.)