Descendants: The Rise of Red
Descendants: The Rise of Red | |
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Written by |
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Directed by | Jennifer Phang |
Starring | Kylie Cantrall Malia Baker Brandy Norwood Dara Reneé Ruby Rose Turner Morgan Dudley Melanie Paxson Joshua Colley Julee Cerda Leonardo Nam Paolo Montalban Jeremy Swift China Anne McClain Rita Ora |
Composer | Torin Borrowdale |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers | |
Producer | Wendy S. Williams |
Cinematography | Declan Quinn |
Editor | Katie Ennis |
Running time | 94 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Disney+ |
Release | July 12, 2024 |
Descendants: The Rise of Red is a musical fantasy film directed by Jennifer Phang from a screenplay by Dan Frey and Ru Sommer. Produced by Disney Channel, the film is the fourth in the Descendants franchise, being a spin-off of the previous three films and a follow-up from Descendants: The Royal Wedding. The film was released on July 12, 2024 on Disney+, and is scheduled to debut on Disney Channel on August 9, 2024.[1][2][3]
Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker star in the roles of Red (daughter of Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland) and Chloe Charming (daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming from Cinderella), respectively. China Anne McClain and Melanie Paxton reprise their roles of Uma and Fairy Godmother, respectively, from previous Descendants films. Cinderella and King Charming are played by Brandy and Paolo Montalban, who previously played versions of the characters in the 1997 television adaptation of Cinderella.
With 6.7 million views in its first three days of streaming, the film broke a record in its debut on Disney+ as Disney Branded Television's most-viewed Disney Channel Original Movie premiere ever on the streamer.[4]
Plot
This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (July 2024) |
Following the events of Descendants 3, Uma is now the headmistress of Auradon Prep. Her first act is to open the border between Auradon and Wonderland by inviting Red, the rebellious daughter of the tyrannical Queen of Hearts, to join the academy.
Red and her mother travel to Auradon, where the Queen and Cinderella reunite for the first time since their days at Merlin Academy, the original name of Auradon Prep. The meeting quickly turns hostile as the Queen recalls a traumatic prank she endured during their time at school. During the opening ceremony, as Uma welcomes everyone, the Queen unexpectedly launches a coup and takes the other attendees hostage. When Cinderella refuses to bow to the Queen, Red reluctantly condemns her to death by beheading, delighting her mother but angering the crowd. Feeling guilty, Red tries to use Maddox's watch to go back and prevent the coup, but Chloe attacks her, accidentally activating the watch and sending both girls to the past, when Auradon Prep was still called Merlin Academy. Believing they were sent for a reason, Red and Chloe begrudgingly agree to work together for the sake of their mothers.
Posing as exchange students, the girls enroll at the Academy and meet Ella and Bridget, the teenage personas of Cinderella and the Queen of Hearts, trying to change the "present".
Cast
- Kylie Cantrall as Red, daughter of Queen of Hearts
- Malia Baker as Chloe Charming, daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming and sister of Chad Charming
- China Anne McClain as Uma, daughter of Ursula
- Dara Reneé as Uliana, younger sister of Ursula and aunt of Uma
- Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts, Red's mother
- Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget, the young Queen of Hearts
- Brandy as Cinderella, Chad and Chloe's mother
- Morgan Dudley as Ella, the young Cinderella
- Joshua Colley as young Hook
- Peder Lindell as Morgie, son of Morgana le Fay
- Paolo Montalban as King Charming, Chad and Chloe's father
- Tristan Padil as teen Prince Charming
- Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother
- Grace Narducci as Fay, young Fairy Godmother
- Levin Valayil as Aladdin
- Kabir Bery as teen Aladdin
- Shazia Pascal as Jasmine
- Aiza Azaar as young Jasmine
- Jeremy Swift as Merlin
- Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter, the son of the Mad Hatter
- Alex Boniello as Jack of Diamonds, captain of the Queen of Hearts' Red Army[5]
- Sam Morelos as Meadow, a student at Merlin Academy[6]
- Mars as young Maleficent
- Anthony Pyatt as young Hades
- Julee Cerda as Evil Stepmother, aka Lady Tremaine.
Dove Cameron, Mitchell Hope, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart and Cameron Boyce (posthumously) also appear in portraits taken from previous installments as Mal, Ben, Evie, Jay and Carlos respectively.
Production
On August 18, 2021, following the release of the animated special Descendants: The Royal Wedding, Lauren Kisilevsky, Disney Branded Television's Senior Vice President of Original Movies, responded to questions regarding the special's cliffhanger by saying that "[t]he tease is a tease", and was added due to the Descendants films ending with hints at additional stories, and also said that "Disney Channel would see where [they] get with the franchise".[7]
On September 21, 2021, a fourth Descendants film was confirmed to be in development as part of an overall deal between Disney and former Disney Branded Television president Gary Marsh's production company.[8] By May 2022, the film was greenlight by Disney+ as a spin-off under the working title of The Pocketwatch. Jennifer Phang was hired as director and co-executive producer, with Dan Frey and Russell Sommer writing the screenplay and Marsh executive-producing.[9]
On March 21, 2023, the official title for the film was announced as Descendants: The Rise of Red.[10][11]
Filming
Filming for Descendants: The Rise of Red began in early January 2023 under its working title The Pocketwatch.[9] Mark Hofeling return from the original trilogy as production designer.[9] Phang said she wants the choreography during action sequences to still be able to tell an emotional story. For Wonderland's design, Phang used Alice in Wonderland (1951) as a reference while also drawing inspiration from her previous filmmaking experience.[12] Filming took place in Atlanta beginning at the end of January 2023 with plans to run through mid-March.[13][14]
Casting
The featured cast announced at the 2022 D23 Expo included China Anne McClain, who is returning to portray Uma, with Kylie Cantrall (as Red) and Dara Reneé (as Uliana) joining the cast of the film.[15] In November 2022, casting announcement revealed that Brandy Norwood was returning as Cinderella after playing the role in the 1997 film Cinderella and Melanie Paxson returned to the franchise as the Fairy Godmother. New cast members to the franchise were Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts as well as Malia Baker, Ruby Rose Turner, Morgan Dudley, and Joshua Colley.[16] After filming had begun, Jeremy Swift and Leonardo Nam were announced as cast additions in February 2023.[14] In March 2023, was announced that Paolo Montalban was cast as King Charming, who like Norwood, played a version of the character in the 1997 film Cinderella.[17] It was also announced in March 2023 that Alex Boniello was cast as the Jack of Diamonds.[5]
Visual effects
According to Phang, visual effects was used to "enhance" the locations featured in the film.[12]
Soundtrack
Descendants: The Rise of Red is set to feature 7 songs both original and from animated Disney films.[9] The first single "What's My Name (Red Version)" was released on April 26, 2024, along with the pre-order of the soundtrack. The soundtrack was released on July 12, 2024, to coincide with the film's release.[18] The second single "Red" was released on June 21, 2024.[19]
Prequel book
The novel Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland, fifth book in the series The Isle of the Lost, was published on May 7, 2024, serving as a prequel to the events of the film.[20]
Release
Descendants: The Rise of Red was released on Disney+ on July 12, 2024, followed by the upcoming Disney Channel premiere on August 9, 2024.[21]
References
- ^ Gibson, Kelsie (March 5, 2024). "China Anne McClain Says Returning for New Descendants Film Was Very 'Healing' — See the First Look (Exclusive)". People Magazine. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Auradon Prep's Newest Principal ... UMA! ⚓️ | Descendants: The Rise of Red | @DisneyDescendants on YouTube
- ^ Hailu, Selome (April 2, 2024). "Descendants: The Rise of Red Teaser Introduces the Queen of Hearts' Rebellious Daughter and Reveals Summer Premiere Date". Variety. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Campione, Katie (July 16, 2024). "'Descendants: The Rise Of Red' Breaks Record With 3-Day Viewership On Disney+". Deadline.
- ^ a b Lynette, Rice (March 24, 2023). "Descendants: The Rise of Red At Disney+ Casts Alex Boniello As Jack Of Diamonds". Deadline.
- ^ "Meet the Characters of Descendants: The Rise of Red". d23.com. July 9, 2024.
- ^ ''Descendants'': Disney Channel SVP Addresses ''Royal Wedding'' Cliffhanger
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 21, 2021). "Gary Marsh Exiting As Head Of Disney Branded TV To Launch Disney-Backed Company With 'Peter Pan' & 'Witch Mountain' Offshoots, More 'Descendants'". Deadline.
- ^ a b c d Petski, Denise (May 10, 2022). "Descendants Sequel The Pocketwatch Movie Greenlighted By Disney+; Jennifer Phang To Direct". Deadline. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "Descendants 4 Gets an Official Title Descendants: The Rise of Red". Laughing Place. March 22, 2023.
- ^ Descendants [@descendants] (March 21, 2023). "You heard it here first — the next #DisneyDescendants movie is titled Descendants: The Rise of Red ❤" (Tweet). Retrieved April 13, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "Jennifer Phang Interview: The Flight Attendant & Disney's The Pocketwatch". ScreenRant. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
- ^ Rajput, Priyanca (January 4, 2023). "Disney's Descendants 4: The Pocketwatch to film in Atlanta, Georgia". KFTV.com.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 2, 2023). "Descendants Sequel The Pocketwatch Disney+ Movie Adds Jeremy Swift & Leonardo Nam To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ "Disney Branded Television Presents Upcoming Slate of Films and Series at D23 Expo 2022" (Press release). Disney Branded Television. September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ Petski, Denise (November 21, 2022). "Brandy & Rita Ora Among 7 Cast In Descendants Sequel The Pocketwatch At Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Swift, Andy (March 22, 2023). "Descendants: The Rise of Red Adds Paolo Montalban, Staging Cinderella Reunion With Brandy Norwood". TVLine.
- ^ "China Anne McClain & Kylie Cantrall Perform "What's My Name (Red Version)" From Descendants: The Rise Of Red Soundtrack In New Music Video". Disney Plus Press. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ Atkinson, Katie (June 21, 2024). "Queen of Hearts' Daughter Caught 'Red'-Handed in Fiery New Music Video From Descendants: The Rise of Red". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ^ Descendants [@descendants] (August 28, 2023). "COVER REVEAL ALERT! Fall down the rabbit hole with a brand-new prequel adventure in the best-selling Descendants book series by Melissa de la Cruz, out May 7, 2024" (Tweet). Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Swift, Andy (April 2, 2024). "Descendants: The Rise of Red Sets Disney+ Release Date; New Characters Revealed in Teaser Trailer". TVLine. Retrieved April 2, 2024.