The Emperor's New Groove (Live-Action Film)

The Emperor's New Groove is an upcoming 2020 American musical fantasy adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie and Jon Favreau, from the screenplay co-written with John August, written by Justin Marks, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 2000 animated film. The film stars Jeremy Jordan, Christopher Swindle, John Cena, Meg Ryans, Nasim Pedrad and Chris Brown.

Plot
Kuzco and his father; The unnamed King (David Hasselhoff) rule over the kingdom of Inca Empire, which is filled with music, fun, laughter and treated royalty. The citizens, including Kuzco's childhood friends; young Pacha and Chicha, are shown relaxing in a huge village of Machu Picchu in Peru, and Kuzco showed his "treasured" father the design of a enormous summer home, Kuzcotopia, much to his father's acceptance. Suddenly, an unexpected illness approach to the King's body and he slowly dies much after spending time with Kuzco. Devastated by the king's death, Kuzco, slowly wearing his father's crown, now becomes the new emperor of Inca Empire, with his spoiled and selfish attitude, and was brought up by his head advisor; Yzma (Meg Ryans).

One day, he summons Pacha (Christopher Swindle), now became the head-leader of the village of Peru, to inform him that he is building Kuzcotopia, on the site of Pacha's house. Pacha attempts to protest, and is dismissed. He also callously fires his ancient, power-hungry advisor Yzma for attempting to run the kingdom while he is preoccupied, infuriating her. She, along with her easily-distracted assistant; Kronk (John Cena) then attempt to poison Kuzco so that she can take full and permanent control of the empire.

Yzma invites Kuzco to a "farewell" dinner and he drinks the poison, which supposedly kills him. However, he is still alive and suddenly, his ears become those of a llama. Soon, his neck stretches, his hands turn into hooves, and his face turns into a snout. Yzma orders Kronk to knock the transformed Kuzco unconscious and discovers that the supposed "poison" was actually a potion that turned him into a llama. Yzma orders Kronk to dispose of him, but conscience-stricken Kronk loses the sack holding Kuzco.

Kuzco, after waking up, ends up in Pacha's village, accuses Pacha of kidnapping him and demands that Pacha help him return back to the palace. Pacha refuses unless Kuzco builds his summer home somewhere else, and Kuzco refuses and attempts to find his own way back home, despite Pacha's warnings about the jungle. He ends up surrounded by a pack of jaguars, only to be saved by Pacha. Meanwhile, Yzma assumes command of the nation, but when Kronk reveals he never killed Kuzco, the two head out and begin to search the local villages for him.

Kuzco feigns agreement with Pacha's demand, and Pacha leads him back toward the palace. On their way across a bridge Pacha falls through a weak plank. Kuzco refuses to help him as he says that he was going to put Pacha in prison for life but this was better. Pacha then yells at Kuzco saying that they shook hands on it. Kuzco replies to him that he needs hands to do that and that Kuzco has no hands. Kuzco then falls through a plank like Pacha did and he and Pacha, still feeling annoyed by Kuzco's ego and not finding out why he became spoiled, start fighting. The bridge shortly snaps and falls. Kuzco and Pacha fall down the cliff and end up stuck at the bottom.

Working together, they climb up the cliff to reach the rope to pull themselves up the cliff. While climbing, Pacha grabs the rope, but it is stuck on a branch which scorpions then fall off onto Kuzco and he gets scared and falls. Pacha swiftly grabs Kuzco and Kuzco's face gets stuck in a hole. The scorpions then climb up onto Pacha's back. Pacha gets scared and smacks his back onto the wall.

This wakes up some bats in the wall with Kuzco that then attack Kuzco and launch him off. Kuzco, scared runs up the wall with Pacha and they land back on the cliff. After laughing about it, the cliff side Pacha is on begins to fall, and Kuzco saves him by grabbing onto Pacha's poncho and launching him back.

Pacha finds out that Kuzco is starting to change his ways no matter how much Kuzco denies it. Pacha then says they should start going as it's a four-day walk to the palace without a bridge. Kuzco then questions Pacha about this and Pacha says that he shook hands on it and he will still take Kuzco back. Meanwhile Yzma and Kronk are in the jungle looking for Kuzco, and after getting chased by bees, Yzma meets Bucky and screams at him. Bucky gets scared and runs to Kronk and they start talking.

Yzma is mad only until Kronk translates that Bucky said a talking llama gave him trouble. After asking him for Yzma, Kronk finds out where Kuzco went, and he and Yzma head off. Meanwhile, Kuzco and Pacha are walking, with lowing their blood sugars, until they found a roadside diner, and decide to eat there with Kuzco dressed as Pacha's bride since llamas are not allowed in. After Kuzco goes to talk to the chef about the food, Pacha begins to eat until Yzma and Kronk arrive shortly after and he overhears Yzma discussing their plans to kill Kuzco, and he, after an unexpected talk with Kronk behind, goes to Kuzco and attempts to warn him. Throughout the visit, neither party knows that the other is there.

Kuzco, convinced Yzma is loyal, berates Pacha, refusing to change his mind and returns to Yzma, only to overhear Yzma and Kronk discussing that they are seeking to kill him, and that the kingdom doesn't miss him. Kuzco realizes Pacha was telling the truth, but Pacha has angrily left. After a repentant Kuzco spends the night alone in the jungle, the two then reunite after Kuzco hears a time of his father's favorite song, sang by Pacha in a small path of grass while talking to the other llamas, apologizes to Pacha for not listening to him and forgive each other. After becoming friends again Kuzco and Pacha race back to Pacha's house to get some supplies.

While going up, two old men tell Pacha that his "relatives" came by, but it turns out to be Yzma and Kronk. Pacha warns his wife; Chicha in private. Pacha's wife and kids; Tipo, Chaca and Yupi then launch Yzma down the hill. who ends up looking like a pinata. Yzma then sees Kuzco and Pacha, chuckling at Yzma as a pinata behind, running off. She then tells Kronk, and shortly, he and Yzma race back to the palace after Kuzco and Pacha. Yzma and Kronk chase them until the pursuers get hit by lightning and fall into a chasm.

Kuzco and Pacha arrive at Yzma's laboratory only to find that their pursuers somehow got there first (by a method which, humorously, not even they know), making Kuzco find out that Yzma had poisoned his father years ago, much to Pacha's shock and apologizes to Kuzco. Yzma then passes Kronk a knife to finish the duo off. Kronk becomes stricken with doubt as his angel and devil appear on his shoulders and converses with them, to the confusion of everyone else. Kronk changes sides after a vicious tongue-lashing from Yzma, and attempted to drop a chandelier on her, but her thin body enables her to escape harm. In retaliation, she drops him down a trap door. Yzma summons the palace guards, forcing Kuzco and Pacha to grab all of the transformation potions they can and flee.

After trying several formulas that convert Kuzco to other animals, and then back to a llama, they escape the guards (but not Yzma) and find they are down to only two vials left. Yzma lunges onto Kuzco, but accidentally lands on one of the two, turning herself into a tiny lavender kitten. A struggle ensues, and Pacha dangles from a ledge after losing balance. Kuzco has then grown a conscience and saves the peasant. Yzma still almost manages to obtain the antidote, but is thwarted by the sudden reappearance of Kronk, who had discovered the trap door window, smacking Yzma with it and Pacha grabs the antidote, much to his and Kuzco's prides.

Kuzco finally becomes human again, apologizing to all the citizens of Inca for not telling the truth years ago and sets out to redeem himself, building a much smaller summer cabin on the hill next to Pacha's home. Meanwhile, outdoorsman Kronk, who is now Kuzco and Pacha's new friend, becomes a scout leader, with kitten-Yzma forced to be a member of the troop, to Kronk's pride.

Casts

 * Jeremy Jordan as Kuzco, the selfish emperor of the Inca Empire. He initially is narcissistic, arrogant and cruel, and pays no heed to the needs of others long after his father died years ago. However, after being transformed into a llama and bonding with Pacha, he slowly becomes a kinder person and learn his lesson.
 * Neel Sethi as Young Kuzco
 * David Hasselhoff as Kuzco's Father, the ruler and an emperor of the Inca Empire, who had died in a storm after saving his young son.
 * Mageina Tovah as Kuzco's Mother, the queen of the Inca Empire, who had died after giving birth to Kuzco in the beginning of the film.
 * Meg Ryans as Yzma, Kuzco's ex-advisor who claims that she "practically raised him". Her appearance is described as "scary beyond all reason" and "living proof that dinosaurs once roamed the earth." She is also incredibly vain, arrogant, manipulative, diabolical, and self-serving.
 * Scarlett Johansson as Yzma, in her young suitor in the beginning of the film.
 * John Cena as Kronk, Yzma's dimwitted and muscular henchman. Despite working for her, he is very kind and good-natured. Kronk is a talented chef and has the ability to communicate with squirrels. His moral dilemmas manifest themselves in the form of an angel and devil that appear on his shoulders.
 * Chris Brown as the Theme Song Guy, Kuzco's personal theme song conductor, who is wearing a white disco uniform and black glasses.
 * Christopher Swindle as Pacha, a kind, caring village leader who apparently foils Kuzco. Despite Kuzco's ego, Pacha befriends and trusts him, and believes that he is capable of being a kinder person, and he is also Kuzco's childhood friend.
 * Emjay Anthony as Teenage Pacha
 * Nasim Pedrad as Chicha, Pacha's wife, who already gives birth to her third child named "Yupi" in the film.
 * Mary Gibbs as Young Chicha
 * Max Charles as Tipo, Pacha and Chicha's young, rambunctious son.
 * Ariel Winter as Chaca, Pacha and Chicha's second young, rambunctious daughter and Tipo's older sister.
 * Jill Talley as Matta, the waitress of at Mudka's Meat Hut.
 * Christopher Walken as Rudy, a kindly old man who meets and befriends Kuzco.