The Roots drummer has secured the job as director for the upcoming Mouse House revival of the classic story about pampered cat Duchess and her three kittens.
- March 29, 2023
AceShowbiz - Questlove is helming Disney's upcoming "The Aristocats" remake. The Roots drummer - whose real name is Ahmir Thompson - will sit behind the lens for the new film, which will be a mix of live action and CGI, as he continues with his filmmaking career.
Deadline reports Questlove will oversee music for the movie as well as serving as executive producer, while "Peter Rabbit" director Will Gluck and "Onward" writer Keith Bunin are adapting the screenplay.
The original 1970 animated feature focused on pampered cat Duchess and her three kittens Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse. The four felines live in Paris and are set to inherit a massive future from their owner, Madame Adelaide Bonfamille.
However, when her jealous butler Edgar hears about the plans, he kidnaps the kitties and tries to get them out of the picture. They end up teaming with smooth talking alley cat Thomas O'Malley and a memorable cast of characters as they embark on a long journey home.
Along the way, the movie features classic songs like "The Aristocats", "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat", "Thomas O'Malley Cat", and "Scales and Arpeggios".
The planned remake is the latest in a long line of Disney classics getting the live action treatment. "The Little Mermaid" and "Lilo and Stitch" are currently in the pipeline while previous successes include "The Lion King", "Pinocchio", "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin", "Dumbo", "Mulan", and "Lady and the Tramp".
Questlove turned his attention to filmmaking with "Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)", which tells the untold story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Debuting at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, the movie landed the grand jury prize before being honoured with the Academy Award for best documentary.
