'Cinderella' Movie Release Date, Latest News: Disney Hopes for New Happy Ending at Box Office

Disney will once again test the waters with its re-imagination of the enduring tale of Cinderella to a generation of moviegoers raised on the standards of "Frozen" and "Maleficent."

A traditional fairy tale may not seem relevant anymore to Disney fans who now love movies with anti-princesses themes, but the company is still hoping a live-action "Cinderella" would get her happy ending in the box office when it premieres on March 13.

"We are taking advantage of animated classics and using modern technologies and fantastic filmmakers to bring these live-action stories to global audiences. It's a new approach," Disney's Marketing Chief Ricky Strauss said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Putting Cinderella on equal footing with her prince charming, "Cinderella" director Kenneth Branagh will attempt to silence doubters the way Tim Burton did with "Alice in Wonderland" in March 2010.

That Tim Burton Disney movie grossed a staggering $1.02 billion, which marked a defining moment for the animation studio to make live-action films based on stories synonymous with Disney legacy.

Even though "Cinderella" lacks a sort of twist that made "Frozen" a feminist favorite, Disney expects its latest live action fairy tale to debut with $60-million sales in North America based on pre-release tracking.

In fact, Disney thinks it could do more since Angelina Jolie's "Maleficent" debuted to $69.4 million last summer on its way to $758.4 million worldwide.

"The superhero genre is inexhaustible, so why not get into the same business with fairy tales? The trick will be to make this side of the business as dynamic and exciting as superheroes," said Rentrak analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Disney studio chief Alan Horn cited the achievements of "Into the Woods," which has grossed $172.6 million globally since Dec. 25, and "Oz the Great and Powerful," which earned $493.3 million in 2013.

Starring Lily James of "Downton Abbey" opposite Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother, "Cinderella" aims to attract girls and their moms to help reach its box office targets.

It could portend a retelling of a wave of other Disney princesses – new films on Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Mulan are in development.