Disney is so much more than Marvel and Lucasfilm. Their live-action inspirational sports story has a soft spot in this writer’s heart. Sure, we can read about them or do some light reasearch on wikipedia, but nothing beats the tenacity of the subject overcoming great odds. So the studio is diving back into that with “Young Woman and the Sea. The film stars Daisy Ridley as the real-life Trudy Ederle. And for their CinemaCon presentation, Disney has released the first trailer.
Daisy Ridley as Trudy Ederle in Disney’s live-action YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
While Disney’s previous inspirational sports and films like “Togo,” “Rise,” and “Chang Can Duck” were relegated to the studio’s streaming services, “Young Woman and the Sea” did not suffer that fate. And based on the way it looks, the film looks like it was made to be seen on the big screen. Not only is the film a physically demanding one, it also represents what one woman was able to accomplish in a male dominated sport.
And the “Young Woman and the Sea” trailer hones in on Ederle’s determination and training, while also focusing on the gender inequality that existed during that time. Considering how the film is set during the 1920s, there will be a lot of misogynistic views on how women are inferior to men. So expect to see men wanting to see Ederle fail.
Additionally, Ederle may not have had the same access to trainers or even training facilities. But that doesn’t mean the accomplished athlete was on her own. She had the support of her older sister and supportive trainer.
Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England. “Young Woman and the Sea,” which also stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, and Glenn Fleshler, is directed by Joachim Rønning and written by Jeff Nathanson, based on the book “Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World” by Glenn Stout. The producers are Jerry Bruckheimer, Chad Oman, and Jeff Nathanson, with John G. Scotti, Daisy Ridley, and Joachim Rønning serving as executive producers.
“Young Woman and the Sea” will open in select theaters May 31, 2024.
