Zack Walkter

There's nothing more nostalgia-evoking than an old Disney movie. But what would they look like if they were released today? Tom Ward, a UK-based illustrator, imagines what classic Disney movies would look like if they were set in 2017. Speaking about his project, Ward said, "I always appreciate visuals that feel familiar but say something new." He went on: "Disney characters are so iconic that I thought transporting them to our modern world could help us see it through new eyes, giving me an opportunity to communicate some issues I feel strongly about." Ward set about planning the illustrations by questioning what each iconic character would be doing in today's world. The resulting images are consequently a lot darker in tone than the more innocent cartoons you'll remember from childhood. 1. Mastro Geppetto and Pinocchio take a selfie: This is pretty self-explanatory. The selfie is probably one of the biggest phenomena to come out of this decade. It’s interesting though that Pinocchio is able to use his nose as a selfie stick, indicating he’s been lying quite a bit. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWZtAiCDOu5/?taken-bytomwardstudio 2. Gaston and LeFou: This is a nod to the new ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in which LeFou has romantic feelings towards Gaston. This photo is a progressive reimagining of the classic film and is probably the only image that isn’t disturbing in the collection. # https://www.instagram.com/p/BWYlrOPD8Xl/?taken-bytomwardstudio 3. Genie and Aladdin play video games as Jasmine vacuums: This picture depicts Aladdin not paying Jasmine any mind playing FIFA with his friend. It appears that Jasmine isn’t too happy having to do chores alone. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWOAxsRDTRu/?taken-bytomwardstudio 4. Robinhood aiming an arrow at Hunters: This reimagining could potentially be turning the hunter-animal relationship on its head. The animal is now the hunter and the Hunters are the hunted. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWLSp47DRTN/?taken-bytomwardstudio They touch on modern issues such as pollution, the mistreatment of circus animals, gender politics and fox hunting. Ward says his favorite picture is his take on Arthur from The Sword in the Stone. The illustrator likes the simplicity of the message that Arthur is "too engrossed in his phone to realize his true potential in life." Sounds like millennial stereotyping to us, but we'll give him a pass. 5. Ariel and Scuttle affected by pollution: This picture is one of the more difficult ones to stomach. It’s a poignant depiction of the state of world pollution. Ariel’s double tail is a stark example of the environmental impact our actions have on the planet. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWLA5ztj_u3/?taken-bytomwardstudio 6. Tigger (‘Winnie the Pooh’), Simba (‘The Lion King’), Shere Khan (‘The Jungle Book’) exploited as circus animals: This photo is exceedingly sad knowing the lively personalities of the characters and seeing them held captive and enslaved for profit. Glad the circus is finally changing. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWQK_xpjlna/?taken-bytomwardstudio 7. Arthur's busy on his cell phone: Like kids today, Arthur is too distracted now to pull the sword out of the stone, and in order to become King, he has to do so. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWNRexbDfuU/?taken-bytomwardstudio 8. Mowgli trying to break Baloo free: It appears that Baloo has been captured and chained and his friend Mowgli is trying to break him free of his chains. The reason for his captivity is unclear in the photo. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWOLp74DXAs/?taken-bytomwardstudio 9. Peter Pan locked out: This new age of 24/7 surveillance and heightened security measures means it just wouldn’t be possible for Peter Pan to fly into a child’s window, changing the whole story! https://www.instagram.com/p/BWLpVL2DFUo/?taken-bytomwardstudio 10. Dumbo burning elephant tusks: The ivory trade has been killing off the elephant population and in this illustration, Dumbo seems to be taking a stand against poachers. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWQuLXfD15c/?taken-bytomwardstudio 11. Cinderella and Prince Charming: This picture illustrates the sad state of relationships of today, where people are more focused on their phones than they are on their partners. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWYU_KKDgsG/?taken-bytomwardstudio 12. Alice in Wonderland eating healthy: Unlike her labeled food to grow bigger or shrink are usually unhealthy than her choice here, where Alice has a healthier option but seems all too unhappy about it, much like most of us who are trying to diet! https://www.instagram.com/p/BWLARffDdkZ/?taken-bytomwardstudio You can follow more of Ward's work on his Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages. Credits: mashable and Providr If you LIKE this sweet story, SHARE this story on Facebook with your friends. Related: Disney Princesses Then And Now Favorite Classic Disney Character?