Wish

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

Well, at least now we have confirmation. So I'm guessing Tiana will look like Far From the Tree.

No, Farerb. Tiana will not look like Far From The Tree. They could just be being coy. The people I talked to said they knew people who were working on Tiana were making it hand-drawn. I believe that they’re just being coy with the information and are saying that “for now” to hold off on revealing Tiana will be hand-drawn until a big event of some kind. What event, I’m not sure, but I believe there will be some sort of big showmanship like thing to lean into Tiana being hand-drawn animated in a celebration announcement kinda way soon.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

Apparently, The Wrap is reporting WIsh cost $200 million to make: https://www.thewrap.com/flash-elemental ... -pixar-dc/.

You gotta be kidding me.

Man, I really hope this film is the second and only other hit for Disney this year as I want their rough 100th Anniversary to end on a high, positive note.

[Farerb]

I don't think this movie will do better than The Little Mermaid. However, I do think it'll do better than Elemental.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

I don't think this movie will do better than The Little Mermaid. However, I do think it'll do better than Elemental.

No, Farerb. It will do better than The Little Mermaid if and when the movie gets more marketing, when the movie gets more critical acclaim as it is said to be great, and because of the holiday season legs the movie will have and a 3-4 month theatrical window before it hits Disney+.

[Prince Kido]

The names of Asha's mother and grandfather are in fact Sakina and Sabino (she calls her granpa Saba).
Asha's dad is dead during her childhood from a sickness.
Before the clips were shown to us, some backgrounds concept-arts, mostly from Lisa Keene, were shown in comparison of influences from Sleeping Beauty's Eyvind Earle backgrounds and Cinemascope ratio and Snow White's Gustav Tenggren artworks : very beautiful and love Asha's family house (as well as the clip where Asha and a family have dinner and a conversation).
A final pose of Asha, then the same art of Valentino from D23, Asha's concept art from D23 with her mother and grandfather. After that, an animated test of the Teens, the group of friends who share similarities with the seven dwarves : they walk from both sides of the screen to reunite in the middle, forming a group and expose her personality in the way they move and walk, including Dahlia who has a disability (she has a cane) and Dahlia has a final pose shown with Asha as her best friend.
Also, final poses of King Magnifico and Queen Amaya, his wife (white skinned I would say, nice face, same colors and patters for her dress and outfits from her husband).
For all the rest, I think there are enough feedbacks and articles that describe what we saw but if you have specific questions, don't hesitate.
Overall, the audience enjoy the presentation. A few think it's maybe too classical and that there's not enough action (yet).
Personally, I enjoyed a lot what we saw as a Disney fan.
It's very beautiful on the final rendered shots.
Can't wait to see how everything will turn out at the end.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

I hope Wish getting three overseas press presentations is a good sign that Disney will put more marketing and P&A in this movie to make it a hit.

[Farerb]

Thanks, Prince Kido, so Saba is just a short for Sabino and Asha isn't Jewish??

[Disney's Divinity]

There's no guarantees in life, so it could perform poorly, D23, and I'm sure there are many that are hoping that it will, for a litany of reasons. I still see Wish doing around Moana-level (600-650 million area) since it's a princess film, a musical, being pimped for the 100th anniversary, has a star like Ariana DeBose, has the same look as Spider-Verse that may be becoming the new 'in' thing--as the next step in animation advancement goes--the way plain (and, imo, unremarkable) 3D was for the last two decades before it. It would be very nice if it surprised and did as well as Frozen or Zootopia, only I'm less likely to believe that will happen in the current anti-Disney climate as evidenced on these boards and elsewhere that's being driven by forces outside of the film-making business.

*SPOILERS* I liked Lee's description of Magnifico and Asha being aligned to begin with and watching the break. Thank God for a big opening number and a villain song again, thank God! I don't mind knowing more about Magnifico's background, as long as he stays evil and (ideally) dies at the end. I don't mind backstories for villains, as long as they remain villains--it's fun knowing how they "fell from grace." Hopefully they will have a Jewish princess one day (as in the character in the film is either openly or coded Jewish, since Elsa is already voiced by a Jewish VA even if the character is not). Maybe with Lea Michele as the lead. I can see the anime influences in the star now, that must be why it's so cute. Lee's comparison between Asha and Walt was actually very sweet. Interesting that Amaya is Magnifico's wife--perhaps he did something to her (being his first change into a villain). Overall, the plot kind of reminds me of the Hogwarts Legacy game actually, where the villain's initial motivation was to "remove pain" that develops into an ego-stroking exercise about their growing power. The whole thing with Magnifico's book possibly being a holder of the wishes he's stolen perhaps--maybe it's sort of supposed to be a visual relation to the "storybooks" that open films like Pinocchio, SW, Cinderella, SB, TSitS, Enchanted, etc.? In other words, it'll close the film like one of those books do after Magnifico is defeated and its returned to normal?

I wonder why they referred to TP as Treasure Planet: A New Universe? Was that its original title before being changed at some point or something?

[Warm Regards]

For King Magnifico they might be doing something that happened in Miraculous Ladybug of all things. I think that's how he can be described as both a threatening force but a deep character.

For those that are into speculation (spoilers for Ladybug):

In Miraculous Ladybug, the main villain is Hawk Moth. His human persona, Gabriel, is the father of one of the heros. Gabriel does not know his son Adrien is a superhero; and his son does not know his father is evil. Adrien's mom/Gabriel's wife is in a coma/dead to the real world.

Gabriel's villain story as Hawk Moth is essentially stealing the magic devices from Ladybug and Cat Noir - if he does that he plans to make a wish to bring his wife back to life.

I think in Wish maybe King Magnifico lost his wife Queen Amaya somehow (death? she left him?), and is either hoarding all the wishes to bring her back because if he makes his own wish he'll forget about her. That, or he is hoarding wishes out of pettiness.

[Mooky]

^^ I really like that theory, for some reason it gives me Mr. Freeze / Nora Fries vibes. I wouldn't mind something like that -- a despicable villain but with a tragic backstory that gets no real redemption in the end. Another thing I thought, what if the queen is actually the true villain and King Magnifico is just the front? What if she is the one pulling all the strings?

[Disney's Divinity]

I also thought Mr. Freeze. Personally, I would love if Amaya was a villain behind the villain sort of thing--I've loved the name Amaya from the start, it definitely sounds like a great villainess name. Plus, the whole villain-behind-the-villain thing would be another idea from Kingdom Hearts, and they have picked up a few already. Tying into all the dream / wish stuff, I could sort of imagine a plot where a villainess perhaps could use a king's wish for the villainess to love him and then use it somehow to control him like a puppet.

I would still be satisfied if Magnifico is the only villain though. Although I wonder, wasn't there something said in the past about some kind of darkness incarnate being the villain? Perhaps the book acting strange is part of it? Perhaps he is possessed by the book or his powers are tied to it, similar to how the Horned King relies on the Cauldron or Facilier relies on the shadows that eventually destroy them in the end?

[D82]

The names of Asha's mother and grandfather are in fact Sakina and Sabino (she calls her granpa Saba).

Thanks for clearing that up and for the other info, Prince Kido! Yes, I guess Saba is short for Sabino then, Farerb. Sakina, apparently, is a name of Arabic origin.

(Speculation/spoilers from here on) It's curious King Magnifico has a wife. There aren't many Disney villains who are married. She must have some purpose in the story. You might be right Magnifico becoming evil could have something to do with her, Warm Regards. The fact that his initial intention is "to spare the pain of those who dream too big and wish for what he judges to be unattainable" makes me think he has or had an impossible dream too and doesn't want others to go through the same. Did Queen Amaya look evil to you like his husband, Prince Kido, or did she seem kind? I have a couple more questions. Did they reveal what Asha's grandfather wished for? And what did you think of the new song, the one about Star?

Regarding Magnifico, I also wonder if they'll explain how he got his powers. The fact that he tells his wife he's under threat when he sees the luminous halo in the sky caused by Star's appearance makes me think he has some previous experience with magical stars or at least knows something about them. When the teaser trailer was released I noticed he has a star symbol on the back of his cape and in his belt. There's also one on the floor of the place where he stores the spheres that contain people's wishes. Perhaps his powers come from a star too.

The whole thing with Magnifico's book possibly being a holder of the wishes he's stolen perhaps--maybe it's sort of supposed to be a visual relation to the "storybooks" that open films like Pinocchio, SW, Cinderella, SB, TSitS, Enchanted, etc.? In other words, it'll close the film like one of those books do after Magnifico is defeated and its returned to normal?

I hope the magical book is not there to explain why in Disney storybook openings the books open by themselves.

I wonder why they referred to TP as Treasure Planet: A New Universe? Was that its original title before being changed at some point or something?

That must be the Italian title. The article was in Italian, I used an online translator to translate it. I corrected a couple of titles that were different, but I forgot that one.

Although I wonder, wasn't there something said in the past about some kind of darkness incarnate being the villain? Perhaps the book acting strange is part of it? Perhaps he is possessed by the book or his powers are tied to it, similar to how the Horned King relies on the Cauldron or Facilier relies on the shadows that eventually destroy them in the end?

Yes, a darkness was mentioned in the first synopsis we got from D23:

Wish centers on Asha, a 17-year-old who sees a darkness in her kingdom that no one else does, so in a moment of desperation, she makes a passioned plea to the stars. The answer to Asha’s wish is an actual star that falls from the sky to help on her journey.

Yeah, there's definitely something suspicious about the book. That could also be the source of his powers.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

There's no guarantees in life, so it could perform poorly, D23, and I'm sure there are many that are hoping that it will, for a litany of reasons. I still see Wish doing around Moana-level (600-650 million area) since it's a princess film, a musical, being pimped for the 100th anniversary, has a star like Ariana DeBose, has the same look as Spider-Verse that may be becoming the new 'in' thing--as the next step in animation advancement goes--the way plain (and, imo, unremarkable) 3D was for the last two decades before it. It would be very nice if it surprised and did as well as Frozen or Zootopia, only I'm less likely to believe that will happen in the current anti-Disney climate as evidenced on these boards and elsewhere that's being driven by forces outside of the film-making business.

I hope for your sake you’re right, Disney's Divinity. While they still have 5 months (22 weeks) left and enough time to do it, I fear they’ll forget or run out unless we altogether as one put more public pressure on Disney to market Wish with 2 more trailers (the second one sometime this summer with Indy 5, Barbie, Haunted Mansion, and/or TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and the third, final trailer with Paw Patrol: The Mighty Move, The Marvels, and/or Trolls 3), tons more TV spots, a special looo at the film a whole “Disney” 100 days out from release, an IMAX release alongside its already confirmed Dolby Cinema release to highlight the film’s CinemaScope aspect ratio that La La Land and Sleeping Beauty had), and more presence of Wish at conventions like CineEurope, the Essence convention, San Diego Comic-Con, Destination D23, and New York Comic-Con. You may be right that it might do Moana/Big Hero 6 numbers worldwide, but they’re running out of time to get that done. And we need to make them change that and get it done now.

[D82]

Jennifer Lee has also presented the film in Spain. Here are some new details:

• The creative director of Walt Disney Animation has explained that some of the settings of the Kingdom of Rosas have been influenced by the Alhambra of Granada, the Mosque of Cordoba or the Real Alcazar of Seville.

• Jennifer Lee has emphasized the commitment to the "creative side" of the projects, and explained that Star, which initially had a human form that did not work, was changed, which shows that sometimes you have to change your approach.

• She explained that there are currently 14 projects, including feature films and productions for Disney+, in different stages.

Source: https://www.europapress.es/catalunya/no ... 54524.html

• There are currently 500 people working on two of the company's projects.

• Lee explained at length the creation of characters and the world in which they live, the so-called Kingdom of Rosas, a place on the Mediterranean coast whose buildings have been inspired by the cultures of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, by the mosque of Cordoba and the Alhambra of Granada. It is in this Edenic place that the story of Asha, a young girl who only wishes to see her grandfather's wish come true, unfolds. He turns 100 when the film begins, a nod to Disney's centennial.

Source: https://www.elperiodico.com/es/ocio-y-c ... o-88934805

[D82]

Another footage description from the Italian presentation provides some new details. I've highlighted the most important ones in bold (mild spoilers ahead):

Jennifer Lee's presentation opens with a video focusing on that Wish Star that so many of the characters in the Disney classics have invoked. And it is this that Wish focuses on, an entity that is no longer passive but is the focus of the entire narrative and Asha's story.

Asha (Ariana DeBose the original language voice actress) is the protagonist of the film, set in the Kingdom of Rosas, the "land of wishes." The ruler of Rosas, Magnifico (Chris Pine), is in fact a wizard who can guard the wishes of his people. Each inhabitant can decide to get rid of his or her wish, in the expectation that one day Magnifico will perhaps decide to fulfill it. In this way, Magnificent frees them from those dreams that the inhabitants are unlikely to be able to realize, due to the difficulties of life.

We first saw one of the opening sequences of the film, albeit still in the early stages of production and thus far from the final result. In the footage shown by Jennifer Lee, the turning point of the entire film is presented. Asha has an interview with Magnifico for the most important role in the entire kingdom, that of the king's apprentice.

Magnifico, at this stage, comes across as friendly and perfectly aligned with Asha. When the king shows her the dreams of the entire population, they both understand, in fact, that they are contemplating something extraordinary. Asha realizes that dreams are not just ideas, but are part of a person.

"There is no greater power in the universe than someone with a true desire in his heart." A truth that both Asha and Magnifico, two people who have experienced great suffering in their lives, find themselves sharing. However, as Lee pointed out, everyone makes choices that slowly lead them to deviate from certain ideals in order to do what they believe is right.

The turning point of the film occurs at the moment when Asha asks Magnifico to grant her grandfather's wish, which has been pending for years and years now. The ruler refuses, however, because he considers the desire to "create something to inspire new generations" too dangerous.

Next we saw two musical sequences, one involving animals (including the adorable Valentino), but most importantly the one that kicks off the whole affair. A magnificent scene, thanks in particular to one of the songs by young Julia Michaels, who wrote all the original songs for the film's soundtrack. Musically (but not only), Wish promises to be among the best Disney classics of recent years.

Source: https://www.hynerd.it/wish-prime-immagi ... co-disney/

Jennifer Lee also reveals some more new things in an interview with the Italian version of The Hollywood Reporter, like for example, that Chris Pine was cast before Ariana DeBose or that Asha sings in all of the songs but one.

So what is your wish for the future of Wish?

It is our way of paying homage to Disney's 100th anniversary. We want it to be a fun and joyful work. We love to go big, we love the epic. And, in particular, our characters. We have a real villain again, although his personality is more complex than it seems. We have Asha, who has to forge her own destiny. We have this new animated technique, which is just the beginning for us. The short films of the last few years have all been training grounds to always get as close as possible to Wish's trait. Plus, from this film on, the goal is to introduce audiences to as many new filmmakers as possible, each with their own stories. That's what I love about Wish. That they open bridges of communication. Like those between veterans and new generations. Think of Julia Michales, songwriter and creator of Wish's seven original songs. She was only 20 years old when she sang backing vocals for us in Frozen, and she is the link between the past and the introduction to a new future through her music.

Dubbing the leads will be Ariana DeBose (Asha), Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story in 2022, and Chris Pine (King Magnificent), whom we have already heard sing in Into the Woods. What did they bring about them in Wish?

We got to work with Chris Pine back in the days of A Wrinkle in Time (2018), and when we started talking about the villain in the film, we thought he should have his charisma. King Magnificent is an intelligent man who can move with confidence and has the pulse of the commander. Chris was the ideal choice. There are motivations behind King Magnificent's actions, and he is able to give him three-dimensionality. It was important for us to know we had him on our side. Then Ariana DeBose came along. I've had my eye on her since Hamilton, and her contribution was not only the wonderful voice with which she performs the songs, which she sings all but one, but she mostly conveyed the warmth necessary for Asha's character.

She has remained a humble performer despite the great success she has quickly achieved. Just like Asha, she risks the pressure of not feeling up to the task. But she is not afraid to have fun, not to take herself too seriously. In that, too, I see a lot of her in the protagonist. I always say that when I start working with the cast I write better, because I can really feel them, in every way. Talking to Ariana, for me, had become like talking to Asha. It helped me to find her even more, to make her more genuine.

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.it/celebr ... ger/22832/

And judging by her words in another article from Annecy, it seems all the Easter eggs will be similar to Asha's friends being inspired by the seven dwarfs, so I think we can rule out cameos from Disney characters from past films.

The producer explains: "We were inspired by all the films where the heroes dream to the stars, including Cinderella, which is my favorite, and Pinocchio, which is Chris Buck's favorite, even though we wanted to create a new and original story. As for the Teens, they too have their own personality. We stayed away from direct references because we wanted to immerse the viewer in the story, but at the same time different elements appeared on their own, moments reminiscent of previous films. It all happened organically.

Among all the characters is Daliah, a young girl from the group of seven youngsters who is seen with a cane - the first disabled character in the Disney universe. Jennifer Lee: "Daliah is one of the heroine's best friends. Disney is a place where everyone has a place. Everyone should have a chance to see themselves on screen. I myself have found myself in many blonde heroines. Disney is building a kingdom in which the whole world can find itself. It's fantastic."

Source: https://www.cloneweb.net/preview-wish-a ... ne-etoile/

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm glad they changed their minds about Star having a human form. I'm imagining a Genie-esque character, not a character I'm sure they could pull off today. Yeah, I imagine they think the cameos in the preceding short are enough. I'm fine with the inspirations being more in story or scene references (like the scene supposedly similar to the argument between Mulan and her father at the table).

[The Disneynerd]

Asha and Magnifico, two people who have experienced great suffering in their lives

So you guys are probably right with the theory that King Magnificos wife died and that being his villain origin story

She explained that there are currently 14 projects, including feature films and productions for Disney+, in different stages.

She talks about WDAS projects only, right? If so, WOW thats alot, sounds great!

And judging by her words in another article from Annecy, it seems all the Easter eggs will be similar to Asha's friends being inspired by the seven dwarfs, so I think we can rule out cameos from Disney characters from past films.

Phew that gives me a relief!

I'm glad they changed their minds about Star having a human form

I wonder if the star would have been similar to the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio

[Farerb]

Asha and Magnifico, two people who have experienced great suffering in their lives

So you guys are probably right with the theory that King Magnificos wife died and that being his villain origin story

Reminds me of that villain from Big Hero 6.

[Warm Regards]

So you guys are probably right with the theory that King Magnificos wife died and that being his villain origin story

Reminds me of that villain from Big Hero 6.

Also a character from the first Spider-Verse!

[Disney's Divinity]

14 projects, hmm. Let's see--Frozen III, Zootopia 2, Wish, Moana series, Tiana. I wonder if she's counting shorts like Once Upon a Studio individually, too? I suppose more material for the Olaf spoof series and Zootopia+ could possibly be coming, although I'm not sure if she'd refer to them as a new project or not the same way? I wouldn't be surprised at all if Encanto has a sequel on the way either.

I wish a Raya sequel could happen, too, even if it was Disney+-only, but I know that's unlikely.