A new edition in Disney’s wildly successful Descendants franchise has been given the go light. The first film in the series, Descendants, was released in 2015 and was followed by two sequels aimed at Disney’s tween market. The film incorporates original song and dance pieces and focused on the sons and daughters of famous Disney princesses and villains. The main plot follows Mal, played by Dove Cameron, the daughter of Maleficent, as she strives to put her evil ways aside in order to capture the heart of Prince Ben, played by Mitchell Hope, the son of Belle and the Beast. With short films, a book series, and animated one-off stories like last year’s Descendants: The Royal Wedding, the film franchise has created its own universe.
While the franchise’s popularity has never been higher, fans have been clamouring for a new canonical film to be added to the canon. The reason for the delay was the untimely death of one of the key cast members, Cameron Boyce, who played Carlos, Cruella De Vil’s son, soon before the publication of Descendants 3 in 2019. However, Disney stated in September 2021 that two brand-new films were in the works. One of those planned projects has now received formal narrative and character details from Disney.
From Worst to Best, Every Disney Descendants Trilogy Film
According to a Disney+ press release, the fourth film will be named Descendants: The Pocketwatch. As new characters Red, daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, daughter of Cinderella, link up to travel back in time using the White Rabbit’s magical pocketwatch to prevent a terrible occurrence in Auradon, the plot will be greatly inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Jennifer Phang (The Flight Attendant, Foundation) will take over as franchise director, replacing Kenny Ortega (of Hocus Pocus fame). Below is a quote from Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television:
Production is likely to begin in the fall, with a 2023 release date in mind. Although no casting information has been announced, the tale is expected to expand on the world and characters that have already been established, so some familiar faces are likely to return. In addition to some Disney classic songs that fans will recognise, the film will contain seven totally new songs.
The popularity of the franchise is owed in great part to the outstanding adult ensemble that joins the youthful actors. Maleficent is played by Kristen Chenoweth, and the Evil Queen is played by Kathy Najimy, and Belle is played by Keegan Connor Tracy. Descendants’ intergenerational appeal has contributed to the franchise’s longevity, as these well-known characters from Disney classics evoke nostalgia in the target demographic’s parents. It will be fascinating to see how the creators pay respect to more of Disney’s most recognisable characters with the inclusion of classic songs.