Wish

[Musical Master]

You know after listening to the snippet a couple times, the song of Chris Pine is growing on me.

I initally felt thrown off that it was more upbeat than I expected as I was wondering if it would be more like "Poor Unfortunate Souls", "Be Prepared," or "Friends On The Other Side." But, after remembering that classic Disney villain songs like "Gaston" had a more celebratory/party-like feel to it and other villain songs like "Mine, Mine, Mine" from "Pocahontas" and "Mother Knows Best" from "Tangled" had a more upbeat and/or grandiose feel to it, along with hearing people say the song was like "You're Welcome" from Moana (which was the best and most-liked and most-recited song of the movie) if Maui was the villain, I feel confident in saying this might be the best song in the movie that could be worthy of a challenge against "I'm Just Ken" for the Oscar for Best Original Song.

And I say that knowing the visuals show he'll have some form of agitation and frustration as he continues his song.

Also, I don't get the criticism that it feels like "Wish" is what happens when Disney hires pop stars to write songs rather than Broadway writers. I mean yes, Julia Michaels is a popstar, but Benjamin Rice, her partner on all the film's songs, is a Broadway writer.

I mean where was this criticism when Elton John and Tim Rice, both a pop superstar and Broadway songwriter, did the songs for The Lion King? It kinda seems unfair.

I mean, at the very least, we're getting something different in terms of the approach the songs and I feel like it should kind of be different so we don't get stuck in the past and in the words of Walt Disney, a lesson that was also the theme of "Meet the Robinsons" (a movie we should really look back on more fondly and for good reason these days), Keep Moving Forward.

I'll say this, I get where Sotiris is coming from with it sounding like something from High School Musical, because Chris Pine kinda sounds more Zac Effron-like than how he sang in "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Theives" or "Into the Woods."

But I still thought the song was pretty catchy.

Heck, maybe it will end up being the breakout song of the movie since Wish co-writer Jennifer Lee teased it as "the anthem parents have been waiting for."

This!

[reee9948]

While's Maginfico's main song is very modernized, I'm hoping his duet with Asha is more Broadway like.

[Marce82]

Really disliked the Chris Pine song. Why does it feel like the songs have zero structure?

My main gripe: he mentions "genetics".... so I guess they are not even trying to pretend this is "long ago" any more. It's just contemporary people in old-timey costume. Noted.

[D82]

"This Is The Thanks I Get?!" has been officially released and there's a new sneak peek at the song scheduled for later today.

Is there anywhere we can see the whole art book?

Here's a flip-through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSbdHO_NsYE

[Sotiris]

Well, the fact that people forget their dreams is the worst part, though according to the filmmakers, Magnifico also does that with good intentions, since he wants to avoid them the pain of possibly not getting their wishes granted, as that's something he experienced. And people give their wishes to him freely. They know what they're doing, and that only one person gets their wish each month, so they don't really feel like victims to me. That's why I said I felt the film didn't really have stakes.

Great point. And why is everyone so willing to give up their dream for the slim odds of it being granted? I get doing that for really difficult or outlandish dreams, but for smaller, realistic ones like a desired career and whatnot, surely they could have at least tried to achieve them themselves first before gambling it away. Are the kingdom's inhabitants that lazy and impatient? If they are willing to give up on their dreams so easily, maybe they weren't that important to them to begin with. I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time seeing how the kingdom's subjects are being victimized by Magnifico.

[ElMaximo13]

"This Is The Thanks I Get?!" has been officially released and there's a new sneak peek at the song scheduled for later today.

Is there anywhere we can see the whole art book?

Here's a flip-through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSbdHO_NsYE

Thanks so much!

[Mooky]

The song is growing on me, it's catchy and fun. It's still not what I'd imagine a villain song to sound like, but some of the wordplay is pretty neat.

The lyrics lead me to believe everyone in the kingdom is super stupid if they can't see through the King's performative actions or question them (giving the clothes off Benito's back or volunteering Henry), and the Queen being the stupidest one of all by the sheer logic of being married to him and witnessing his personality first-hand. Blindly giving away their wishes on the off-chance they'll someday be fulfilled. This got me thinking, how does it even work? If everyone in the kingdom has a wish, and they're being fulfilled at a rate of once a month (please correct me if I'm wrong, I seem to remember reading there's a monthly wish-granting ceremony; the song says 14, so let's take that as a definite annual number), if Magnifico has been doing this since he was, say, 25 and would continue doing this until he's 75, that would only be 700 wishes in his lifetime, some of them by people who would have died long time before and would never get to see their wish granted. I assume that's where Asha comes in, as Magnifico's successor, but why bother looking for a successor so early in his "career" and without proper vetting? He also seems like the type who wouldn't like to share spotlight, so why doesn't he just wish to live forever and grants his own wish? Also, who was granting wishes before Magnifico because the setup makes it appear this is the Kingdom's whole shtick, it's been going on for ages, and that's why people have been coming to Rosas?

This is what I dislike about Disney's original stories, the plots always end up raising more questions than answers. It's like asking a 5-year old to come up with their own fairytale and listen to them add more and more outrageous plot points.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

More lyrics and footage revealed in "This Is The Thanks I Get": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHt7Otgx9-Y.

[Musical Master]

Official lyric video to "This Is The Thanks I Get?!": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFmrzhuVOts

[PatrickvD]

This is the thanks I get is very messy wow. It’s giving chaotic I just can’t wait to be king.

But Chris Pine’s voice acting and singing is on point. It helps that’s he’s a very charismatic performer in general.

[megustajake]

The song is growing on me, it's catchy and fun. It's still not what I'd imagine a villain song to sound like, but some of the wordplay is pretty neat.

The lyrics lead me to believe everyone in the kingdom is super stupid if they can't see through the King's performative actions or question them (giving the clothes off Benito's back or volunteering Henry), and the Queen being the stupidest one of all by the sheer logic of being married to him and witnessing his personality first-hand. Blindly giving away their wishes on the off-chance they'll someday be fulfilled. This got me thinking, how does it even work? If everyone in the kingdom has a wish, and they're being fulfilled at a rate of once a month (please correct me if I'm wrong, I seem to remember reading there's a monthly wish-granting ceremony; the song says 14, so let's take that as a definite annual number), if Magnifico has been doing this since he was, say, 25 and would continue doing this until he's 75, that would only be 700 wishes in his lifetime, some of them by people who would have died long time before and would never get to see their wish granted. I assume that's where Asha comes in, as Magnifico's successor, but why bother looking for a successor so early in his "career" and without proper vetting? He also seems like the type who wouldn't like to share spotlight, so why doesn't he just wish to live forever and grants his own wish? Also, who was granting wishes before Magnifico because the setup makes it appear this is the Kingdom's whole shtick, it's been going on for ages, and that's why people have been coming to Rosas?

This is what I dislike about Disney's original stories, the plots always end up raising more questions than answers. It's like asking a 5-year old to come up with their own fairytale and listen to them add more and more outrageous plot points.

I read the first few chapters of the junior novelization at the bookstore: it does take some mental gymnastics to fully understand its logic. Even if you're willing to buy in, I'm afraid rules later in the story will contradict earlier ones as has been the case in Disney's more recent original films.

I kind of understand what they're trying to say: I think a lot of people give up their dreams in order to get ahead in their industries. They work for someone in a position of power, thinking they'll help them get ahead, only to realize their employer has been gatekeeping the very thing they want to do. Asha asks Magnifico: if you don't plan on granting their wish, why can't you return it to them? And Magnifico tells Asha it's 1) too dangerous and 2) too heartbreaking to live with an unfulfilled dream. The idea is that he's relieving them of a desire that will probably never be manifested. So, my guess is the moral of the story is that it's better to strive for something in life, even if that wish doesn't come true, then just give up on it.

The idea seems a little too vague to be truly effective. I had the same problem with "Encanto", and still can't think about it too hard or the entire thing falls apart. I enjoyed "Encanto" for what it was, and suspect to feel the same way about "Wish", but I do agree their stories have been too loose lately. The best Disney movies explore and define one theme, not a litany of ideas.

[Almofadinhas]

Description of Asha from the Art book:

https://twitter.com/_princebambi/status ... edVuQ&s=19

Bless the art book acknowledging that the Iberian Peninsula ≠ Spain.

Also, who was granting wishes before Magnifico because the setup makes it appear this is the Kingdom's whole shtick, it's been going on for ages, and that's why people have been coming to Rosas?

Nobody was right? He's the Kingdom's founder. So the whole wish grating deal has to have been happening for only a few decades, depending on how young he was when he founded Rosas. Unless it's revealed Magnifico is actually way older than he looks and is keeping himself younger with magic. Or maybe the wish granting has been happening for longer but Rosas was only founded recently thanks to the power he got through the wish granting. Since one of the earliest scenes is Asha giving a tour of the kingdom so hopefully we'll get some answers there on the history of both Rosas and Magnifico.

Ok watching the new footage for the song I really like it! It's so catchy and the visuals we get are really nice! Magnifico is really shaping up to be a fun villain for me.
But whoa wait a minute, people live in Rosas for free? Hey Asha hold up, maybe let's hear this guy out

[D82]

Another featurette about Magnifico.

And here are the Chinese trailer (with features a couple of new shots) and poster:


Source: https://weibo.com/1642553272/NpsiB65WZ

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

Another featurette about Magnifico.

Glad that featurette had a quick shot of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, as I am convinced his song inspired “This Is The Thanks I Get.”

[Sotiris]

This section of the Real3D poster would have made a nice poster in itself. I like the scenery and Asha's pose there. I think Asha looks better there than in the Japanese or American posters where she reaches out to Star.

[reee9948]

Why does every other trailer beside the American one sell the movie better? Disney's marketing team need to learn from Japan and China.

[MoonMarc21]

Listened to "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" a few times in order to be familiar and get used to the tune of the song since like many other people, I was expecting it to sound more villainous and dark, but you know what, it's growing on me. I like this new take on a "Villain Song", more upbeat but clearly shows how narcissistic he is in the lyrics. If you compare this song with "This Wish" in it's tune, they're very different with Asha's song being sincere and slow while King Magnifico's is a bit cynical and fast-paced. It's cool that it complements their personalities and shows their true character which is what I like in musicals. Just from the footage released for this song, I'm really going to like the visuals and expressions King Magnifico will be making, even outside of the song, so deliciously evil! Also, during his 3rd verse of the song, it reminds me of the Onceler's song in the movie The Lorax, "How Bad Can I Be?", with how his tone shifts and the semi-rapping in it.

[Musical Master]

Listened to "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" a few times in order to be familiar and get used to the tune of the song since like many other people, I was expecting it to sound more villainous and dark, but you know what, it's growing on me. I like this new take on a "Villain Song", more upbeat but clearly shows how narcissistic he is in the lyrics. If you compare this song with "This Wish" in it's tune, they're very different with Asha's song being sincere and slow while King Magnifico's is a bit cynical and fast-paced. It's cool that it complements their personalities and shows their true character which is what I like in musicals. Just from the footage released for this song, I'm really going to like the visuals and expressions King Magnifico will be making, even outside of the song, so deliciously evil!

Actually, now that you say that; the idea of Asha and King Magnifico having different sounds to their songs is actually pretty smart. Asha is slower, sincere and grand in its orchestrations while King Magnifico is more cynical and modern sounding, only with his "I swore I'd never do this" section being the more classical, haunting exception. The stark contrast between the two characters and songs, was possibly the idea that Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice had in mind when they were writing those two songs.

Plus, in my opinion "This Is The Thanks I Get?!" is a much better villain song than "Mine, Mine, Mine", "Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo" and "Mother Knows Best".

[MoonMarc21]

The stark contrast between the two characters and songs, was possibly the idea that Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice had in mind when they were writing those two songs.

I was gonna say the same thing! But instead of Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, I was thinking of Jennifer Lee since she really likes the theme of duality in the movies she writes, most notably in Frozen with Anna and Elsa's different personalities and their relationship with each other.

Also, when I checked the credits of "This Wish" on Spotify, it gave credit to another singer and songwriter alongside Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice which is JP Saxe, the ex-boyfriend of Julia Michaels. Just wanted to share that because it sounds interesting.

[DisneyFan09]

Another featurette about Magnifico.

And here are the Chinese trailer (with features a couple of new shots) and poster:


Source: https://weibo.com/1642553272/NpsiB65WZ

I like that poster and the shots of Magnifico in that trailer. And yes, it`s easy to see the resemblance between Pine and Magnifico (and yes, I admit, I like Pine for obvious reasons )

This section of the Real3D poster would have made a nice poster in itself. I like the scenery and Asha's pose there. I think Asha looks better there than in the Japanese or American posters where she reaches out to Star.

Agreed. It`s a pity that it`s not clear. But perhaps it will become a poster?