Raya and the Last Dragon

[unprincess]

I like leaks too.

I`m glad you do We`re a kindred spirit

It`s remarkable that Sisu gets her own doll, as none of the previous old sidekicks has really had their own dolls. At least it would never happen if Mattel was the distributor, so I guess Hasbro must have a different policy about it. The side characters in Frozen II got their own dolls (Matthias, Agnarr and Iduna), but at least they weren`t as old characters, as Sisu (at least it made sense that Ryder and Honeymaren got their own dolls, since they were as marketable as Anna and Elsa). Remember that Maui in Moana had his own doll. But at least he was a major character, after all.

is Sisu even supposed to be an old lady? She has bluish white hair, but she really doesn't look old in the way Grandma Tala, Yelana or the other elderly female Disney characters do. Also that doll really doesn't look like her much, it looks like they tried to make her prettier and less impish...meh.

As for the Frozen 2 dolls, both Disney and Hasbro made a Matthias doll, a middle aged black man... do you know how freakishly RARE it is to see that in a doll line aimed at girls? I wonder if it was stipulated in the licensing contract that they had to make him. Its true that he must have had a much larger role in the film before they started trimming scenes and editing that whole mess of a picture.

[D82]

Another day, another leak. Here's the Raya doll from the same collection:


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGvhitFBGb0/


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGxQliWF-iU/

[Disney's Divinity]

Are you the one who wrote "badass box art" on that picture, D82? Because I agree with that assessment. She looks awesome there.

[D82]

Are you the one who wrote "badass box art" on that picture, D82?

No! I couldn't find the original source of the images, only these two with these words/watermarks on them. The text on the other picture is actually worse (at least in Spanish). I agree that Raya looks great there.

By the way, the Japanese poster gave us a better look at what I suppose is the Dragon Gem:

If that's so, Disney artists took the decision to change its design drastically I assume that maybe what was showed last year at D23 was potentially a preliminary model.
Before that, it was globally spherical carved in flat surfaces all around. Not shaped in what seems to be a triangle.
Actually you can see the Dragon Gem in that one art of Sisu as a Dragon shared a year ago (it's on the right side next to her.)
Also (small detail) the light emerging from the stone while awaken was green in the clip, not blue despite what one can see from Sisu art.

Well, I've noticed the gem seems spherical the two times it appears in the teaser (assuming that's actually the Dragon Gem), so maybe its design hasn't changed that much after all. But if it's still spherical, then I wonder what Raya has in her hands in the Japanese poster. By the way, what do you mean by "while awaken", does the stone have two modes?

It`s remarkable that Sisu gets her own doll, as none of the previous old sidekicks has really had their own dolls. At least it would never happen if Mattel was the distributor, so I guess Hasbro must have a different policy about it. The side characters in Frozen II got their own dolls (Matthias, Agnarr and Iduna), but at least they weren`t as old characters, as Sisu (at least it made sense that Ryder and Honeymaren got their own dolls, since they were as marketable as Anna and Elsa). Remember that Maui in Moana had his own doll. But at least he was a major character, after all.

Well, from what we've heard, Sisu will also be a major character in the film much like Maui, so in my opinion, it makes sense she has her own doll, even though you're right that she's probably not as marketable as other characters.

I see in a lot of places that people assume that Cassie Steele was let go by the studio, but how do we know that she didn't decide to leave possibility after the movie changed direction?

I think it's more likely it was the studio who decided to replace her, mainly because she's not that famous and this seems too big an opportunity for her to reject it. But I agree that people shouldn't make the assumption it's the studio if there's no confirmation of that.

I hope I'm right about the storyline, too. I like the idea of the dragon bringing back the rain and life, and with actual consequences like a growing desert and people who've been turned to stone (and perhaps a betrayal by the girl from one of the lesser tribes)--the stakes will be more present than they were with the darkness caused by Te Fiti's missing heart in Moana. I really only remember Moana's nightmare being a part that made me feel the pressure on her. A lot of it felt like a very distant coming threat, sort of like climate change--something that'll take 10 years or more before the full effects start to hit. I just hope the Druun have impressive designs.

Yes, if that's what actually happens in the film then the stakes will be quite high. I'm very curious about the Druun. I wonder if they'll be human or some kind of monsters.

[blackcauldron85]

My first thought when seeing the Raya doll was that I hope she comes with her hat and/or a comb/brush because her hair is kind of messy, no? She probably doesn't care much about her appearance when she's on adventures in the film, but I'm surprised her hair is like that. Sisu doll's hair looks fine for her character!

[Clindor]

By the way, what do you mean by "while awaken", does the stone have two modes?

Quite possibly yes. In this one clip featuring the stone at D23, it starts spreading green light all around the Asian jungle when young Raya (obviously little girl) and her father (both unseen on screen) ask to see the powers of the gem!
Then the light begins spreading beyond the screen and inside the D23 Hall thanks to laser projections!.. it was beautiful <3
Before that, it was all dark, discreetly levitating above a pond right in the middle of the jungle (no temple).

Then once again, take what people shared about D23 Expo with a grain of salt, because decisions made by the artistic teams till last year could been modified since.
I actually suspect that what Disney showed were partly preliminary works that won't be used for the final result.
(Although a little bit from one of the clips does appears very furtively in last Wesnesday trailer..)

[DisneyFan09]

Another day, another leak. Here's the Raya doll from the same collection:


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGvhitFBGb0/


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGxQliWF-iU/

Wow! Raya looks cute Pardon my shallow comment, but I`m smitten, hahahahaha

[disneyprincess11]

It's so funny. They call Raya "a lone warrior," yet it's revealed from the EW article that she is a "princess" (daughter of the chief) and you can see a glimpse of her "royal duties" when you see the other tribes. I wonder if in the D23 cut last year, Raya was in fact a random warrior girl and then Jennifer Lee made her into a "princess," to make the lineup more diverse.

[Farerb]

It's so funny. They call Raya "a lone warrior," yet it's revealed from the EW article that she is a "princess" (daughter of the chief) and you can see a glimpse of her "royal duties" when you see the other tribes. I wonder if in the D23 cut last year, Raya was in fact a random warrior girl and then Jennifer Lee made her into a "princess," to make the lineup more diverse.

I don't really think they care about titles in order to put someone in the franchise, but I do recall that the article was the first time it said that she was a princess/daughter of the chief, so the lone warrior might have been the idea at the start.

It seems to me that the bigger change though is the tone, I feel like Raya might have had a much more serious tone and maybe they thought it might alienate kids and turned it into a comedic action, it wouldn't surprise me because Jennifer Lee did think that there should be more Olaf scenes in Frozen II after test screenings.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I like the way Sisu looks so far, but she does look slightly androgynous in my opinion.

[unprincess]

My first thought when seeing the Raya doll was that I hope she comes with her hat and/or a comb/brush because her hair is kind of messy, no? She probably doesn't care much about her appearance when she's on adventures in the film, but I'm surprised her hair is like that. Sisu doll's hair looks fine for her character!

no its just a typical cheap Hasbro doll, probably using a cheaper synthetic hair fiber, and notice the top/shirt made of molded plastic instead of fabric. Plastic molded clothes=garbage. Of course I'll still buy some of the dolls like the dope Disney doll collector I am.

[D82]

By the way, what do you mean by "while awaken", does the stone have two modes?

Quite possibly yes. In this one clip featuring the stone at D23, it starts spreading green light all around the Asian jungle when young Raya (obviously little girl) and her father (both unseen on screen) ask to see the powers of the gem!
Then the light begins spreading beyond the screen and inside the D23 Hall thanks to laser projections!.. it was beautiful <3
Before that, it was all dark, discreetly levitating above a pond right in the middle of the jungle (no temple).

Then once again, take what people shared about D23 Expo with a grain of salt, because decisions made by the artistic teams till last year could been modified since.
I actually suspect that what Disney showed were partly preliminary works that won't be used for the final result.
(Although a little bit from one of the clips does appears very furtively in last Wesnesday trailer..)

Oh, wow, I hadn't heard about any of that before. Thanks for describing it! The stone having like a life of its own is interesting and what a cool idea to use laser projections at that point of the presentation! Yes, of course, it's very likely that that early footage won't be in the final film, but maybe some of those ideas/story elements will still appear in in it somehow. Can I ask what bit from the footage shown at D23 appeared briefly in the trailer?

It's so funny. They call Raya "a lone warrior," yet it's revealed from the EW article that she is a "princess" (daughter of the chief) and you can see a glimpse of her "royal duties" when you see the other tribes. I wonder if in the D23 cut last year, Raya was in fact a random warrior girl and then Jennifer Lee made her into a "princess," to make the lineup more diverse.

I've wondered about that too. If that was already part of the story when the film was presented at D23, wouldn't they have mentioned it?

It seems to me that the bigger change though is the tone, I feel like Raya might have had a much more serious tone and maybe they thought it might alienate kids and turned it into a comedic action, it wouldn't surprise me because Jennifer Lee did think that there should be more Olaf scenes in Frozen II after test screenings.

I don't know, I think the footage shown at D23 was probably more epic because it was aimed at adult Disney fans and the press, while the trailer needs to attract a wider audience, and especially kids. Also, with Awkwafina as part of the cast, I think the story already had a comedic side by then. The EW article disneyprincess11 mentioned seemed to indicate the thing that underwent the biggest transformation was Raya herself, which makes sense considering her role even had to be recast. This is what Jennifer Lee said in that article regarding the new directors:

“As filmmakers, Don and Carlos bring a combination of animation know-how and emotional storytelling to Raya and the Last Dragon, bringing our fantasy adventure to surprising, original, and dynamic heights,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee says in a statement to EW. “They both saw the potential for this film and had a strong vision for the story, especially for our lead character, played by the wonderfully talented Kelly Marie Tran. And no small feat, directors Don and Carlos, writers Qui and Adele, and the entire crew of 400 Disney Animation artists are making this film together, while separated and working from home.”

But that's just my opinion, maybe you're right. We'll have to wait and see.

[blackcauldron85]

My first thought when seeing the Raya doll was that I hope she comes with her hat and/or a comb/brush because her hair is kind of messy, no? She probably doesn't care much about her appearance when she's on adventures in the film, but I'm surprised her hair is like that. Sisu doll's hair looks fine for her character!

no its just a typical cheap Hasbro doll, probably using a cheaper synthetic hair fiber, and notice the top/shirt made of molded plastic instead of fabric. Plastic molded clothes=garbage. Of course I'll still buy some of the dolls like the dope Disney doll collector I am.

I figured it was more like a ribbon material; I didn't realize it was molded plastic. That's kind of lame.

[D82]

Has this synopsis been posted before? Maybe I've forgotten about it, but I don't remember having heard that Sisu was left on Earth on purpose in case the Druun returned:

Walt Disney Animation Studios' fantasy-action-adventure, Raya and the Last Dragon, introduces Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the last dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. Awkwafina lends her voice to Sisu, the last dragon, who was left on Kumandra in case dark forces return to the world, and Kelly Marie Tran voices the lead character, Raya.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Golden-Book ... ref=sr_1_1

[Disney's Divinity]

No, I don't think that's been posted before. So does this mean that the dragons didn't "die" exactly, but simply carried the dark forces elsewhere when the dark forces were eradicated the first time? Hmm. Perhaps the dragons return at the end--that would explain the earlier title, "Dragon Empire."

[Redadoodles]

Another day, another leak. Here's the Raya doll from the same collection:


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGvhitFBGb0/


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGxQliWF-iU/

Wow! Raya looks cute Pardon my shallow comment, but I`m smitten, hahahahaha

Sorry but I don't like it at ALL. It looks like one of those cheap Disney knock offs. Ugh I wish Mattel could get back the rights to the Disney dolls.

[DisneyFan09]

Sorry but I don't like it at ALL. It looks like one of those cheap Disney knock offs. Ugh I wish Mattel could get back the rights to the Disney dolls.

Don`t worry pal, you`re allowed to disagree with me And we`re all allowed to have our different tastes. And sure, I honestly prefer when Mattel was in charge. But for a Hasbro property, she looks fine enough.

[Disney's Divinity]

I’m not sure if this applies to the DisneyFan09 comment that was posted, but it’s possible they were referring to the clipart of Raya on the back of the box and not the doll itself? That’s the first time we’ve seen that image of Raya. Most of us probably didn’t care about the doll. Not sure if that’s the case for DisneyFan09 or not? Just wanted to ask for clarification.

[Redadoodles]

Her design is fine even though it reminds me of Mulan/Moana but I guess that's just the vibe of the film.

However, I don't like the doll at all.
I mean Hasbro is a company that has the resources to produce good products and they rarely deliver when it comes to the Disney Princess franchise. I think the only decent dolls from them are The Naomi Scott/Jasmine dolls who do have pretty faces (even though the head was way too big for the body).

When Mattel released the dolls for The Nutcracker back in 2018, I had hope that they would eventually get back the rights but apparently it was only for that film.

[D82]

No, I don't think that's been posted before. So does this mean that the dragons didn't "die" exactly, but simply carried the dark forces elsewhere when the dark forces were eradicated the first time? Hmm. Perhaps the dragons return at the end--that would explain the earlier title, "Dragon Empire."

In another synopsis it says they sacrificed themselves to save Kumandra, but I guess a sacrifice could also be what you said, so maybe it's possible they appear again at the end.

And now that you mention Dragon Empire, I read some posts from the beginning of this thread the other day and the description of the characters from that earlier version of the story made me think that maybe the protagonist's 900 year old mentor was an earlier version of Sisu which was later turned into a female character.

By the way, that detail from the synopsis I shared may not have been posted here before, but I've searched for it and it turns out it had already been revealed at D23. Another thing I thought we had first learned from the EW article, but had actually been revealed back then is that Raya's father dies, which Clindor told us.

While I was searching, I also found some more info about the band of misfits that joins Raya in her adventure and some other details from the D23 presentation I personally hadn't heard before:

The movie takes place in the fictional Kumandra, “a reimagined earth inhabited by an ancient civilization that venerated the mythical dragons for their power and their wisdom,” Shurer described. “It’s inspired by Southeast Asia, both in its themes of community and hope, and in its design.” Kumandra’s five distinct clans form the Land of the Dragon, but dragons are long gone and Kumandra has since been invaded by a “dark, sinister force.”

Raya is the hero, a lone warrior on a quest to save her world, determined to find the last dragon who she believes has the power to save Kumandra. “In addition to being able to swing that sword like a 5-star badass, there is a winning charm about her,” said an exuberant Lim.

Source: https://ew.com/movies/2019/08/24/raya-l ... na-disney/

Set in Kumandra, a fantasy world with five lands and a sea shaped like a dragon, the film follows Raya (Steele), a lone warrior on a quest to find the last dragon, whom she believes can save Kumandra from a so-far unrevealed evil force.

Source: https://www.thewrap.com/awkwafina-to-st ... co-writer/

On the Expo stage, Awkwafina and Steele arrived to elaborate a little on their new Disney heroes Sisu and Raya (the former of whom Awkwafina called “splendiferous”). “Raya is ready to meet a magical water being who breathes fog through her nose, flies by riding the raindrops, and has a gem that channels this amazing huge power,” says Steele. But there is a catch to Sisu: “When Raya first meets [her], she’s in human form and needs Raya’s help to reclaim her power to become her true dragon self.”

Along their journey, Raya and Sisu encounter a band of misfits from each of Kumandra’s five clans, ultimately becoming a family and honoring, as Lim says, the film’s grand theme: “At its heart, our movie is about the transformative power of community and having hope even in the face of overwhelming darkness.”

Source: https://ew.com/movies/2019/08/24/raya-l ... na-disney/

The film stars Cassie Steele as Raya and Awkwafina takes on the role of the dragon, named Sisu. When talking about her character, Awkwafina says, “She’s not like any other dragon that you’ve seen before; she’s a water dragon.” You can see an image of that dragon character below. There is a catch to Sisu though, Steele explains that “when Raya first meets Sisu, she’s in human form and needs Raya’s help to reclaim her power to become her true dragon self. Basically, Sisu is not the hero dragon Raya was expecting, but thankfully they have help. Raya and Sisu are joined by a band of misfits from different clans, who become a family.”

Source: https://geektyrant.com/news/disney-anno ... mated-film