There is something unique and touching about the classic tales we’ve been listening to since a very young age, from folktales like Aladdin to princesses and fairy legends such as Rapunzel. Disney has effortlessly delivered several characters and stories that have an emotional attachment to many young kids even today. One such famous story that every girl relates to is Cinderella.
Being a princess is a dream of every little girl, and Cinderella is one of my favorites. The simple yet effective story of her struggles mixed with her fairy godmother and her magic together form a classic Disney fairytale.
However, the classic tale required a remake for the modern girls of the new generation. So, Leigh Dunlap created an American film series that captures the essence of the original story and is still a new version as per the recent times. However, since many versions are created, the question arises often whether they should stop making Cinderella remakes.
Credit: A Cinderella Story
The Modern Fairytale
Cinderella is one such story that needs no narration. It is an old classic about a girl suffering the wrath of her stepmother while searching for her Prince. The modern remake keeps the basic plot alive but adds a more recent storyline.
The girl in this movie, Samantha Montgomery or Sam, works at her stepmother’s diner to save money to go to Princeton, her dream school. Her pen pal, the Nomad, also has the same dream, which brings them closer. Unaware of Nomad being Austin Ames, the most popular guy in school, she decides to meet him at the Halloween ball.
However, her evil stepmother, Fiona, refuses her to take the night off. Fortunately, her manager Rhonda helps her get a mask and a dress as beautiful as Cinderella’s. Soon, she meets her Prince and finds out his truth which alarms her, and she leaves hurriedly to reach the diner before Fiona.
While leaving, she accidentally drops her cell phone. Austin uses the phone to search for his missing princess. The stepsisters try their best to divert Austin; however, a happy ending is what fairytales are all about.
Different Cinderella Stories
After the first remake of Cinderella, five more movies in the ‘A Cinderella Story’ series were released direct-to-video. These were:
Another Cinderella Story
Credit: Another Cinderella Story
This is the first sequel in the series starring Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley, which aired in 2008. It is based on a dance theme revolving around the basic plot.
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
The next sequel came out in 2011. It stars Lucy Hale and Freddie Stroma. This was a music-based movie where the two met at a performing arts school.
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits
In 2016, the one starring Sofia Carson and Thomas Law came out. This was a contemporary musical version of the movie created on the Cinderella plot.
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish
Credit: Netflix
A holiday-themed movie was also made based on the Cinderella story. Starring Laura Marano and Gregg Sulkin, this came out in 2019.
A Cinderella Story: Starstruck
The final sequel in the series came out in 2021, starring Bailee Madison and Michael Evans Behling. It is based on a small-town farm girl who dreams of becoming a performer.
Although the movies came out in series, they were unrelated, having different lead actors. The industry saw many other sequels and Cinderella stories, including the latest male version, Sneakerella, or the Amazon version of Cinderella, starring Camila Cabello. The former is a new rendition, centering a boy who desires to be a sneaker designer. He falls for the daughter of the sneaker king. It is a different version as it switched gender roles.
To Conclude
The Cinderella Story did not receive much appreciation from the polls. The audience was not quite crazed about the concept of a remake. The original is always the best and sticks with the viewers more than any modern remake. Various reviews stated that the movie was lame, simple story-telling, and nothing exciting could be found.
Even though the ratings were not so high, many young girls still go crazy over the idea of fairytale love stories and happy endings. No doubt the original stand apart from these, but the remakes are still worth watching if you are also a fan of classic tales.