Hercules Fans Demand Danny DeVito Reprise His Role as Phil in Disney’s Live-Action Remake

Fans of the 1997 animated Hercules are calling for star Danny DeVito to reprise his role as Phil in Disney’s recently revealed live-action remake produced by Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo. DeVito voiced Satyr Philoctetes, a prolific but disillusioned trainer of heroes who helped mold super-strong teenager Hercules (voice of Josh Keaton) into a superstar warrior (voice of Tate Donovan). The animated original film from Walt Disney animation veteran directors Ron Clements and John Musker, directors of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, also starred Susan Egan as the cynical Meg and James Woods as hot-headed Underworld ruler Hades.

James Earl Jones, who voiced Mufasa in the 1994 animated The Lion King, reprised that role for last summer’s computer generated re-imagining that starred Donald Glover and Beyoncé. Hercules fans are now hoping DeVito follows Jones as the next returning cast member from the animated original to reprise their role in the modern remake.

Disney’s latest animated to live-action re-imagining is backed by the Russo brothers’ production company AGBO and will be penned by Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984 and Marvel Studios’ upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

Iron Man director Jon Favreau — who also created live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian for the Disney+ streaming service — is rumored to be eyed as director for Hercules after rebooting The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Those remakes roared to $966 million and $1.65 billion at the global box office, respectively.

DeVito recently starred in the Tim Burton-directed Dumbo, the live-action redo of Disney’s 1941 animated classic, and family-friendly blockbuster Jumanji: The Next Level.

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