The battle between heroes and villains is back in the fifth part of the hit Disney film grandchildren privilege.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, Which premieres Thursday, revisits the world of Wonderland from Lewis Carroll’s classic books and sees the return of fan-favorite characters from the fourth installment, including Red (Kylie Cantrall), daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), and Chloe (Malia Baker), daughter of Cinderella (Brandy). It also introduces several new characters, such as Pink (Liamani Segura), Red’s younger sister, and Chessy the Cat (voiced by Awkwafina), the offspring of — you guessed it — the Cheshire Cat.
Greenlighting a fifth film in the franchise was pretty much a no-brainer. Each of the first three films ranked as the most-watched cable film of the year in which it debuted. descendants: rise of red, The fourth film premiered on Disney+ as the most-watched original film among kids and girls ages 6-11. Last year, the Descendants/Zombies Worlds Collide Tour played to sold-out crowds at more than 40 arenas across North America, and it’s hard to go out on Halloween without bumping into a kid dressed as a character from one of the movies.
Charlie Andrews, executive vice president of live events at Disney Kids & Family, has some thoughts on why the franchise continues to resonate with young viewers more than a decade after it premiered.
“the grandchildren “The fandom is really on another level,” he says, “and I feel very lucky to be a part of these films. “The franchise connects with our audiences in a tremendous way because of the iconic characters, friendships, magic and – of course – the amazing music at the heart of every film. Every time you watch… grandchildren In the film, you want to get up, dance and sing along to the songs that helped define generations. Beyond the fun and imagination that each film offers, we explore identity in a powerful way that will resonate with any child. Each viewer goes through their own coming-of-age journey, to find Hong Kong [Hero Kid] And unscrew [Villain Kid] Within themselves, and they really see it reflected on screen.
In case you don’t know about movies, grandchildren It mixes characters from other Disney franchises, focusing on the descendants of iconic heroes and villains, often showing how they struggle with the labels placed on them and strive to gain acceptance from their parents as well as those who grew up on the other side of the story in the battle of good versus evil. Launched in 2015 with grandchildrenwhich starred Dove Cameron (as Mal, Maleficent’s daughter), Sofia Carson (Evie, the Evil Queen’s daughter), Booboo Stewart (Jay, Jafar’s son) and the late Cameron Boyce (Carlos, Cruella de Vil’s son). The first three films followed that basic set before the fourth installment centered around the world of Wonderland (although Alice is not part of this story).
5 grandchildren The film picks up where the fourth film left off, after Red and Chloe go back in time to stop the prank that turned the Queen of Hearts evil: now, she’s kind, Cinderella is safe, and things seem perfect for Red and Chloe. However, they soon learn that changing the past has created a new villain: Maddox the Hatter (Leonardo Nam), the Mad Hatter’s son.
Kimmy Gatewood (Chaos dolls), who directed Wicked WonderlandShe says she’s seen firsthand the impact the movies have on young viewers: her 11-year-old daughter is a fan.
“It opened her world to imagination, musical theater, singing and dancing,” Gatewood says of the first time her daughter saw the film. grandchildren. “This movie is obviously dedicated to her and to all the kids who are trying to figure out who they are and learn that they don’t have to be defined by their parents. We’ve expanded the cast a little bit, and I hope all the kids out there get to see a version of themselves or someone they know in this movie.”
For executive producer Susan Todd, Wonderland was familiar territory: as well as executive producing Rising redTodd was a producer on Disney feature films Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice through the looking glass (2016).
“Coming[l[forRising red]the mission was, can we restart grandchildren With some new characters?” she recalls. “I’ve already made two other Wonderland films for Disney, which is a space I’m thrilled to work in.”
Todd points out the long-lasting appeal of Carroll’s stories in popular culture, from fashion to music videos and more.
“Even though I have already done two films set in space, there is still a lot more to come [to explore]” she says, noting how the fourth and fifth films combined tell a larger story. “I like to have a through line; You see the consequences of the actions in the previous film. It’s not an entirely new story; It’s as if this happened and now this is what happened as a result.
In fact, the films reveal valuable lessons for young viewers about taking responsibility for your actions, breaking away from societal expectations, and learning to accept others. Wicked in Wonderland “It also focuses on friendships and emphasizes that ‘friendships are worth fighting for,’” says Gatewood. “It also shows that you can be the hero of your own story.”
Todd says that the characters’ struggle with moral questions about who they are and whether their parents’ actions define them was part of the appeal grandchildren Before joining as executive producer (Gary Marsh, former president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television, also served as executive producer on the film).
“That was probably the most interesting thing to me about taking over grandchildren Is this idea of identity: Am I good? Am I bad? If my father is bad, am I bad forever? If my mother is good, but I did something wrong, am I forgiven? I think it’s something everyone experiences at some point in their lives.
Gatewood agrees, noting that the characters struggle not only with the influence of their parents’ actions and behavior but also with the ordinary things that normal children worry about. For example, Gatewood says, “Louis Madrigal says in the movie, ‘I do what people want me to do, and I act the way people want me to act.'” That’s something a lot of kids feel, like, “I have to be the smart one, I have to be the strong one, I have to be this, that, and the other, but it’s so hard to live up to these impossible standards. And the fact that these characters show their weaknesses is one of the reasons kids keep watching movies.”
Gatewood and Todd give high praise to their two young stars — Cantrall and Baker — who helped mentor the more seasoned actors, some of whom had never been on set before. Wicked Wonderland.
“Some of them were literally asking how do you find your mark when you walk into a scene,” Todd says. “They were very newcomers, and they were able to watch Kylie and Malia step up in this way to be accountable. Not in a ‘I know something you don’t know,’ but ‘I’ll share what I’ve learned’ way.”
As for Brandi and Ora, Todd likens their friendship to that of Laverne and Shirley while on set. The duo spent a lot of time together Wicked Wonderland From what they did in Rising redas the plot finds them trapped in very close quarters at one point. “They were like best friends, just hysterical, teasing each other, teasing everyone,” Todd says. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been locked in a closet with your best friend for days on end, but I think they had a lot of fun. And I’m happy to say we didn’t have to drag them back. They were happy to be back.”
Plus returning characters Wonderland The evil one It offers many others. Along with Pink and Chessy, viewers will meet Luis (Alexandru Bird), the son of Luisa Madrigal from Encanto; Hazel (Chiara Romero), Captain Hook’s daughter; and Maddox’s son Max (Brendon Tremblay). With so many heroes and villains in its library, it’s clear that Disney has a wealth of characters from which to draw, but the goal is to be more strategic about which characters you’ll choose. grandchildren.
“The question is always: What does this character open up thematically?” Andrews shares. “Luis, as Luisa Madrigal’s son, allows us to explore the theme of the legacy of power from a completely different angle than anything in the film. grandchildren The world so far – he’s not wrestling with villainy, he’s wrestling with living up to family expectations in a different way. Chessy gave us a built-in tone: mischievous, mysterious, untrustworthy, yet charming, perfect for Wonderland logic. We’re very selective about the new characters we draw on to make sure they carry real narrative weight.
Gatewood agrees that Chessy was a logical addition from the Wonderland canon.
“She’s a mischief maker, and we wanted a character who could guide us through this new timeline, but also maybe not the most reliable narrator,” she says. “Awkwafina is just a professional, and she’s so funny, and she brings this very crafty character to life in a real way. You don’t know whether to trust her or not, and she’s also someone who finds that little morsel that drives you crazy.”
For fans of Disney and Wonderland tales, the film features plenty of Easter eggs and fun details that you need to keep your eyes peeled for. Gatewood shares that she and her team invented a “zebra” — half zebra, half giraffe — for the film, and included little details like butterflies and bread that reference Carroll’s original story. A scene featuring a larger-than-life chessboard was filmed in the same castle in Vancouver where the first film was filmed. “Details matter,” says Gatewood. “I hope fans feel the tender love and care that went into every detail. This team of crew and creators, many of whom were not only fans, but had children that age, so you can really feel it in the little details, like the hair and the costumes. And hopefully, in your 17th hour with your child, you’ll find some extra details.”
Of course, a large portion of grandchildren Movies are music. the Wicked Wonderland The original soundtrack will be available on July 17 via Walt Disney Records. The original soundtracks for the first four films have amassed 12.7 billion streams and counting. “Perfect Princess,” the first single from Wicked Wonderlandhas already garnered 14.6 million streams globally since its release on June 12 as of Monday, before the film was even released. The Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour returns this year with stars from… grandchildrenalong with Zombies and Camp Rock FRanches. (Plus, there’s a product line — including Mattel’s line of dolls, fashions, apparel, and books — coming soon.)
“Like we were reminded last summer during the Worlds Collide Tour that this franchise is beloved for its fun and distinctive musical numbers — and Wicked Wonderland “He will be no exception,” says Andrews. “Steve Vincent, who oversees music across all our franchises, is constantly evolving the sound to meet kids where they are. These songs become a way for our audiences to engage with their favorite characters and movie moments every day, whether they’re revisiting a favorite track or dancing with friends. It’s been great to see how “Perfect Princess” from this movie is really resonating so strongly with our audience.
So, given the success of the films, is there a possibility that there could be a sixth film? Andrews hints that there may be more to come, but you’ll have to stay tuned for anything definitive: “We love seeing how passionate the fans are about grandchildren universe. Right now, we’re focused on celebrating this final chapter, but we’re always thinking about what’s next and how to super-serve this insanely loyal fanbase and audience.
In other words, you probably haven’t seen the last of Wonderland yet.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland It will debut Thursday on Disney Channel and the next day on Disney+. The script was written by co-executive producer Tamara Chestna with Dan Frye and Ro Sommer. Gatewood also served as co-executive producer. Emilio Dosal was the choreographer.
