S Poddar
Right at the very core of Disney’s Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim, California, it was electric: 15,000 feverish fans itching for that moment when trailers would be unveiled for some of the studio’s most highly anticipated films and TV shows. The event paid homage to Disney’s legacy but also dove into their future ambitions by giving audiences just a taste of what is to come from this entertainment giant.
One of the real highlights was the new footage from Mufasa: The Lion King. This prequel and sequel to 2019’s The Lion King, which reimagined the 1994 classic with stunning “photorealistic animation,” works through Mufasa’s early life. Directed by Barry Jenkins, known for the Oscar-winning work on Moonlight, this film reveals the origin story of Simba’s father. Aaron Pierre voices the young Mufasa, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. is the voice for Taka, Mufasa’s half-brother, who will grow to be the notorious villain known as Scar.
Another long-awaited trailer fans saw during the proceedings was for Snow White, Disney’s live-action remake. The new film brings renewed life to the 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the one that began it all for Disney. This time around, it stars Rachel Zegler, who more recently blew the world away in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, as Snow White, with Gal Gadot, who is known well for playing Wonder Woman, set to play the Evil Queen. It’s being directed by Marc Webb, responsible for earlier films such as The Amazing Spider-Man and 500 Days of Summer. The screenplay is by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, so it will be really new and an exciting take on the beloved fairy tale.
Another big reveal from the event comes in the form of Moana 2. Dwayne Johnson introduced it with much fanfare, returning to his role as shapeshifting demigod Maui. Auliʻi Cravalho returns as Moana, the adventurous daughter of a Polynesian chief who continues her journey of self-discovery and leadership. The David Derrick Jr.-helmed trailer gave fans a glimpse at more of the beautiful animation and action-intensive quests that helped make the first Moana such a worldwide hit. With brand-new adventures and much-loved returning characters, Disney looks to keep their streak alive with this sequel.
It wasn’t all movie-related fare, however, as Disney also gave a sneak peek at new television series that will further flesh out its ever-growing cinematic universe. Marvel fans finally got their first look at Agatha All Along, a spin-off series from the Disney+ series WandaVision. It stars Kathryn Hahn, reprising her role as the mysterious witch Agatha Harkness. She will be joined by Joe Locke of Heartstopper renown, who will star as Agatha’s “familiar,” a character that helps her escape from the humdrum life in a New Jersey small town in which she is trapped.
It also saw the arrival of the new series Skeleton Crew, the latest addition to the Star Wars universe. It follows a group of four children who get lost in space after stumbling upon a mysterious spaceship. The series stars Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a character sensitive to the Force. Set in the post-Return of Jedi era, at the same time as The Mandalorian, Skeleton Crew offers a mix of adventure and heart in seeing the young heroes encounter the dangers of the galaxy to find their way home.
Disney is continuously adding to its ever-growing library of films and TV shows, and the new releases are sure to engross audiences of all age groups. On their own merit, the launched trailers do explain a great deal about the magic and action in store for audiences during the next few months, firmly entrenching the brand Disney at the top in the entertainment industry.
