Wish Trailer: Disney Celebrates 100 Years With A New Animated Musical
Something about Chris Pine playing dashing, musically-inclined characters who tend to be a little too big for their britches just works like magic, doesn't it? It did in "Into the Woods" and "Dungeons & Dragon: Honor Among Thieves," and it looks like it will again in the actor's reunion with Disney on the animated musical comedy film "Wish." But "Wish" is more than just another feather in the House of Mouse's cap — it's the movie that will commemorate 100 years since the studio launched its animation division in 1923, back when it was a humble operation known as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.
"Wish" takes place in the magical kingdom of Rosas, a place where wishes can literally come true partly thanks to its ruler, Pine's King Magnifico, "the sole keeper of hundreds of wishes entrusted to him by people from all over the world" (per the character's official description). Of course, Magnifico isn't the film's actual lead. That honor goes to Asha (Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose), a spirited 17-year-old who pleads to the stars when she realizes Rosas is in great peril and she's the only one who knows it ... only for a star named, uh, Star to come crashing down from the sky to assist her. Alan Tudyk helps round out the "Wish" cast as the voice of a goat named Valentino — because, as we all know, it's now illegal for Disney to produce an animated movie without Tudyk voicing someone, preferably a panicky animal.
For more, watch the "Wish" trailer (then repeat that three times fast!) below.
When you Wish upon a trailer
Disney has been gradually pulling back the curtain on "Wish" for months, starting with a presentation at last year's D23 Expo that showcased the painterly watercolor-inspired aesthetic of the movie's computer animation. Then, at this week's CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the studio presented some finished footage from the film, which /Film's Ben Pearson (who's covering the event in-person) described as a mix of "Frozen" and "Encanto" stylistically. Ben also noted that the songs and music were particularly reminiscent of "Frozen," but with a pinch of "Moana" and "Encanto" maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda's brand of "faster lyrics and syncopated rhythm" tossed in for good measure.
As the film that marks a century of Disney animation, it seems only right that "Wish" should encompass both where the studio once was (the whole concept of wishing upon a star has been fundamental to their animated fairy tales since "Pinocchio") and where they are now, in terms of the stylings and themes of their post-modern fairy tale slate. That idea is further reflected in the movie's creative team, which sees "Frozen" and "Frozen II" helmer Chris Buck calling the shots with first-time director Fawn Veerasunthorn (who served as a storyboard or story artist on "Frozen," "Zootopia," and "Raya and the Last Dragon") from a script by Disney Animation's Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee. Here's to hopefully kicking off the next 100 years on a strong note!
"Wish" opens in theaters on November 22, 2023.