D23 Expo: Disney Reveals Wish, New Animated Film To Celebrate 100 Year Anniversary
Disney’s legacy will always be in animation and stories about making wishes come true. So it only makes sense that the studio goes back to its roots by blending watercolor animation with the current CG animation in Wish. While at the D23 Expo, director Chris Buck (Frozen) and Fawn Veersunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon) revealed a first in-progess look at Wish, which takes a look at the idea of wishes and the origins of a wishing star.
Though the film is still in production, it already has an impressive collection of talented cast and crew. While Buck and Veersuthorn serve as directors, Grammy-winning songwriter Julia Michaels pens the new songs. She is behind hits sung by the likes of Dua Lipa, Pink, and many more. And these songs will be sung by none other than Academy Award and Tony-award winning Ariana Debois. As an extra special bonus, guests were treated to hearing Debois sing more for us, which really showed Bebois’ range as a singer.
Wish sees Debois play as Asha, our protagonist who lives in the Kingdom of Rosas, or the Kingdom of Wishes. Asha is described as driven, incredibly smart and an optimist with a sharp wit who cares endlessly about her community. While Asha is also a leader in the making, she doesn’t know it yet.
“Asha learns that it’s not enough just to have a dream in your heart. Sometimes the bigger the wish, the harder the journey,” Buck said. “In Asha’s case, her journey puts her up against one of the most formidable photos in Disney history. And Asha sees the darkness in the kingdom that nobody else does and must find a way to help the people she loves. So in a moment of desperation, Asha makes an impassioned plea to the stars wishing with all her heart for guidance and help. And the power of her wish cost down an actual stuff from the sky.”
This literal wishing star will act as a supportive character to Asha. According to Veersuthorn, “it is also magical and has powers that will beneficial and that includes the character played by someone we’re very fond of at Disney animation or a man who has been in every single of ours over a decade. Disney Animation’s good luck charm out and today.”
It was then that the two brought out Alan Tudyk, who has voiced characters from King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph to Tuk-Tuk in Raya and the Last Dragon, and many more. While he’s characters ranged from humans with actual voices to beasts who squak or grunt, we will get to hear Tudyk as Valentino, a pajama-wearing goat who wishes he had to power to communicate. And so the wishing star grants his wish. And instead of bleating, he can speak.
Wish is expected to hit theaters in 2023.
