Wish

[Disney's Divinity]

The time spent on a story or how many versions they went through before they settled on a story is such a pointless talking point I've often seen used against Wish and Frozen II among others, since it's something that was also true for Tangled, Aladdin, B&tB, TLM, etc. The only thing that matters in the end is the finished product and whether it works for the viewer or not. I don't think Wish is bad at all--in fact I think a lot of the overblown criticism is coming from a place of trying to prop up PIXAR/Elemental more than anything else*--but it is bland and hard to get excited over. A shame because there was potential here with DeBose involved, Star being so cute, Magnifico's and Rosas' design, etc. I blame it on the lack of guts at Disney these days; they're so terrified of making anybody angry that they backpedal from a lot of good ideas, it's a shame.

* On that note, I suppose this film is at least the more memorable of the two considering it's still being talked about. Elemental's thread died a quick death in comparison.

[Sotiris]

Many Disney movies went through complicated production processes and had whole storylines and characters thrown out of the window to make space for new iterations. And I'm more than happy with, say, Aladdin or Brother Bear we got and never wished to see the original versions because I trusted the filmmakers that they couldn't get them to work, and that the end results ended up being the best versions of those particular stories. Not so much with Wish because pretty much everything I've seen and read makes the original storyline so much better and enticing, and even fan theories are more pleasing than what we got.

Honestly, I feel that way more about Tangled and Frozen than I do with Wish. Mostly because even if the filmmakers had gone with earlier, scrapped ideas like a human Star or an evil Amaya, the fundamental problems with the conceit, the plot, the characterizations, and the world-building in Wish would still have been present. It would have made the film a little better, sure, but the difference would not have been significant enough for the film to work, in my estimation. And there still wouldn't have been romance in the film. There was never an intent, at any point, for human Star to serve as Asha's love interest. That was an idea the fandom latched on to because they miss romance in Disney films and because At All Costs sounds like a love song. But, the reason it sounds like a love song is not because it was originally written for human Star and Asha, but because the songwriter really wanted to shoehorn a love song into the film.

The song “At All Costs,” sung by Asha and King Magnifico, was important to Lee. The song navigates the importance of the wishes to each of them, and the two are emotionally aligned here. Lee pushed for a song expressing this. “You had to understand what it felt like to hold someone’s wish in your hand. How do we viscerally understand that when you’re with them, you feel like you’re holding someone’s raison d’être?” she says. “You can’t do this in any other way but song.

Since there was no love song in the film, Michaels wanted to write a song that as a standalone sounded like a love song that could be played at weddings. Yet in the context of the film, it’s about the heroine and villain. Says Michaels, “How cool would it be if we wrote a song that if you listened to on its own, it sounds like a love song, it could be something you could play at your wedding, or be a lullaby to your kids, just something really beautiful, but when you watch the film, it’s the heroine and it’s the villain.” She continues, “You realize they’re coming about this both from various points, one from a very selfless standpoint and one from a selfish standpoint.”

Source: https://variety.com/2023/artisans/award ... 235820323/

[DisneyJedi]

It's so bizarre to me. Many Disney movies went through complicated production processes and had whole storylines and characters thrown out of the window to make space for new iterations. And I'm more than happy with, say, Aladdin or Brother Bear we got and never wished to see the original versions because I trusted the filmmakers that they couldn't get them to work, and that the end results ended up being the best versions of those particular stories. Not so much with Wish because pretty much everything I've seen and read makes the original storyline so much better and enticing, and even fan theories are more pleasing than what we got. It also doesn't help to see concept art brought to life in these fan-made videos; some truly wonderful imagery that is lacking from the final movie. Thank you both for posting those links.

We almost got a different version of Brother Bear? How much different was it?

[The Disneynerd]

And I'm more than happy with, say Aladdin or Brother Bear we got and never wished to see the original versions because I trusted the filmmakers that they couldn't get them to work, and that the end results ended up being the best versions of those particular stories

Youre very welcome and I agree with the Aladdin one, and I would throw in BatB, while the original Opening 10 minutes look interesting, it lacks the charm and welcoming atmosphere of the final one, it looked kinda too gloomy

even if the filmmakers had gone with earlier, scrapped ideas like a human Star or an evil Amaya, the fundamental problems with the conceit, the plot, the characterizations, and the world-building in Wish would still have been present.

Thank you!!!! Thats what I also always thought! Because at the end, the stakes would have been the same, only that Star would have dialouge (when he wasnt mute like Tink). But this Human Star Concept is undoubtfully more interesting regardless

I think its really funny how they said in the Artbook and Making of Doc that they liked the Idea of "Starboy" but it felt too repetitive to them like Peter Pan or Genie, and the End Result is nothing BUT repetitive or predictable

Honestly, I feel that way more about Tangled and Frozen than I do with Wish.

Me too. Those were almost COMPLETELY different movies, with different themes and plots and characters, Frozens variety of versions is probably the most interesting, although Rapunzel Unbraided, while I LOVE sincere straight forward fairytales like in the  Renaissance Era, it would have been something fresh, and as this wouldnt have been their "official" adaptation of Rapunzel, just a fairytale setting with the Rapunzel characters facing a different problem, they always would have had the opportunity to officially adapt the source material a few decades afterwards, like the Mickey Beanstalk -> Gigantic situation. Rawr

I would Literally pay 100 dollars to see more Production Insights of RU, Keanes Rapunzel, and 2000s Snow Queen, even if its just Script Snippits or a few Concept Arts (especially Lisa Keenes)

We almost got a different version of Brother Bear? How much different was it?

The thing i remember is that Koda was originally a big grown up fuzzy Bear, and the original storyline was based on the tale of "King Lair" following Lion Kings success

But theres clearer information about it here https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Brother_Bear

[Sotiris]

Wish has been nominated for Top Soundtrack at the Billboard Music Awards. Update: It lost in the category.

Top Soundtrack

Hazbin Hotel
Trolls: Band Together
Twisters
Wish
Wonka

Source: https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/ ... 235837820/

[Farerb]

Is this supposed to be a joke??

[Sotiris]

It's just more proof that awards mean nothing anymore.

[Pokenonbinary]

Is this supposed to be a joke??

All the nominated ones are not good either, not just Wish

I love Wonka but the songs were extremly mediocre

[Disney's Divinity]

I didn't mind the music in Wish or the Trolls film, but Wonka was better than those. Don't know the other two filmd.

[UmbrellaFish]

I don’t follow music very closely— are the Billboard Awards very respected? I don’t hate the soundtrack of Wish, but I think it’s pretty weak.

[Thumper_93]

I only like the main song. It's not a bad song after all but the rest of the soundtrak is really bad

[Sotiris]

Wish will be part of the updated "World of Color" at Disneyland.


Source: https://x.com/DisneyParks/status/1864720223103799506

[Pokenonbinary]

Wish will be part of the updated "World of Color" at Disneyland.


Source: https://x.com/DisneyParks/status/1864720223103799506

This implies that Disney will completely not forget the existence of Wish?

(The movie was bad but as a Spaniard I need to continue the world of the Kingdom Of Rosas)

[DisneyJedi]

Very interesting how, despite the film being regarded by the majority as “bottom of the barrel” and being a box office dud, Disney doesn’t see Wish as a total and complete embarrassment of a movie in every way possible, unlike their attitude towards Song of the South.

[Pokenonbinary]

Very interesting how, despite the film being regarded by the majority as “bottom of the barrel” and being a box office dud, Disney doesn’t see Wish as a total and complete embarrassment of a movie in every way possible, unlike their attitude towards Song of the South.

I guess that the movie has been making decent numbers in streaming (I assume) so they don't see the movie as a massive loss

And also its weird to compare it to Song Of The South, that movie doesn't exists to them for the obvious racist reasons, not for Box office.

Anyways I hope they make a TV show in 2D for the IP to try to save the IP

[Thumper_93]

In Japan Asha is part of the “Reach for the stars” show ad it was beautiful. Her song is not bad at all and it goes great with a Disneyland show that talks about follow your Dreams.

[DisneyJedi]

Very interesting how, despite the film being regarded by the majority as “bottom of the barrel” and being a box office dud, Disney doesn’t see Wish as a total and complete embarrassment of a movie in every way possible, unlike their attitude towards Song of the South.

I guess that the movie has been making decent numbers in streaming (I assume) so they don't see the movie as a massive loss

And also its weird to compare it to Song Of The South, that movie doesn't exists to them for the obvious racist reasons, not for Box office.

Anyways I hope they make a TV show in 2D for the IP to try to save the IP

I mean, I was going to say The Black Cauldron instead, but even that gets attention very occasionally. Even if the attention isn’t directly from Disney.

Of course, in the case of, let’s say Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, Bolt and Wreck-It Ralph, they all but nearly got swept under the rug a month after their releases.

[Kyle]

Does Wreck-It Ralph deserve to go in that group? It did get a sequel afterall.

[Pokenonbinary]

I think Wreck It Ralph is fairy used in the Disney IP, I don't get the idea of the characters being ignored, it's simply not as popular as the princesses

[DisneyFan09]

Very interesting how, despite the film being regarded by the majority as “bottom of the barrel” and being a box office dud, Disney doesn’t see Wish as a total and complete embarrassment of a movie in every way possible, unlike their attitude towards Song of the South.

You know what? It`s very interesting, indeed. Despite how the studio had high hopes for Wish and despite how it was lukewarmly received, it`s really remarkable how Disney haven`t swept it completely under the rug. It`s still been promoted, unlike Strange World, which Disney have completely neglected. When I was at Disney 100th Exhibition in June again, Asha was featured on some of the promotional clips. And when I was in the Disney store in London, there was a lot of merchandise of the movie. And even some of the songs were played. But a reason for not dismissing Wish could`ve been because of how it`s steeped in Disney`s trademark Princess components. And how Disney are considering Asha to be in their Princess franchise.