Thanks to its charismatic characters in Hades and Megara, and the overall impressive musical score, the 1997 animated movie Hercules deserves a stellar place in Disney’s list of all-time greats. Telling a different story of the mythical demigod Hercules on his adventure from zero to hero, the film captivates and inspires us all as kids to be a real-life legend.
And, to follow the recent wave of Disney live-action emergence, Hercules is reportedly one of the next projects in line for an adaptation, alongside Moana and The Princess and the Frog. The hype around the movie gets even bigger than ever, as popstar Ariana Grande is rumored to play Megara in the remake.
The latest update about the movie cast will get Disney fans jubilant, as it’s rumored that the songstress is being eyed by the House of Mouse as a candidate to play Meg, along with one other actor as Hercules. Let’s find out more about the rumor below.
#1. Ariana Grande and Taron Egerton are rumored to play Megara and Hercules.
Source: Getty Images
According to Daniel Ritchman, a reliable scooper who’s also known as Daniel RPK, Disney is selecting Ariana Grande and Taron Egerton to play the two main characters in the movie, Megara and Hercules.
Grande is one of the most well-known artists in the US, with widespread hits such as Problem or Thank U, Next. The singer’s also known for her acting chops at a young age, being a breakout star for Nickelodeon with the series Victorious. She resumed her acting career recently, filming the Broadway musical movie Wicked before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Source: 20th Century Studios
Taron Egerton, on the other hand, attends the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and then perform in stage plays in his early days. The Welsh is best known for his breakout role as the spy recruit Eggsy in Kingsman: The Secret Service and its sequel The Golden Circle. He also earned a Golden Globe Award for best actor, playing Elton John in the 2019 musical Rocketman.
#2. Are they a good fit for the Disney couple?
Source: Getty Images
With Egerton’s talent and versatility in acting, the actor would have no problem playing the Greek demigod in the live-action remake. On the other hand, Ariana Grande has been linked with the role of Megara ever since the project’s announcement back in 2020. With the upcoming remake being a musical, the songstress’s exceptional vocal range will be a great fit for Meg’s charm and sassiness.
#3. About the live-action Hercules movie.
Source: Disney
The live-action project for Hercules has been kickstarted since 2020, with the Russo brothers, who are best known for their MCU movies including Avengers: Endgame, at the helm. The screenplay is written by Dave Callaham, and Guy Ritchie, who’s responsible for Aladdin, another Disney live-action project in 2019, is the director.
Source: Disney
So far, no further casting information is revealed, but besides Ariana Grande and Egerton rumors, Danny DeVito is expected to reprise the role of Philoctetes as well. The actor also expressed his desire to play the satyr in the live-action movie last August, so there’s a high chance that we’ll get to see DeVito in a Disney movie again in the future.
#4. The remake will be a musical movie.
Source: Disney
Different from the other Disney remake titles so far, which largely stay faithful to the animated original, live-action Hercules will be a musical movie, and is said to be heavily influenced by TikTok. According to Joe Russo, Tiktok’s influence will help “push the boundaries a little bit on how you execute a modern musical” and make the experience more immersive for the audience.
Do you think Ariana Grande and Taron Egerton will be the perfect cast for Megara and Hercules? Let us know your thoughts in the comment.