King Magnifico

Last updated
King Magnifico
Wish character
King Magnifico.png
First appearance Wish (2023)
Created by Jennifer Lee
Chris Buck
Fawn Veerasunthorn
Allison Moore
Voiced by Chris Pine
In-universe information
TitleKing Magnifico of Rosas
WeaponMagic staff
SpouseQueen Amaya
HomeKingdom of Rosas

King Magnifico is a fictional character and the antagonist of the animated film Wish (2023) produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The concept was created by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. Lee then wrote the screenplay with Allison Moore. Magnifico is voiced by Chris Pine. He is a sorcerer who uses magic to control the wishes of his subjects. Beginning as a seemingly charming and benevolent king of the fictional kingdom of Rosas, Magnifico is revealed to be vain, controlling and tyrannical after his motives are questioned by Asha (Ariana DeBose), the film's heroine.

Contents

Lee conceived the film as a 100-year anniversary celebration of the studio with the aim to make a homage to classic Disney villains. It originated in conversations between Lee and Buck while they were working together on Frozen II . Magnifico was designed to be a relatable character whose desire for power causes his descent into madness over the course of the film. The filmmakers wanted him to be a layered character rather than being an evil villain from the outset. The darkening nature of his character and his transition into villainy is expressed in the song "This Is the Thanks I Get?!".

The character received a mixed critical response. Some critics hailed Magnifico as a return to classic Disney villains, with praise for Pine's vocals. Conversely, the character received criticism for having few defining traits, while other critics disliked his lack of character development and backstory.

Development

Concept and creation

In 2018, Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer and writer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, conceived the idea of producing a film for the studio's 100th anniversary while working with Chris Buck on Frozen II (2019). Buck was interested and collated stills from every Disney film. Realising that there are many examples of Disney characters that wish on a star, they decided to use this as the theme of the film. Lee worked with Allison Moore to write the screenplay. She said that in addition to celebrating the history of the studio, the writers wanted to create an original fairytale as a "nod to the future". [1] Producers Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones discussed classic Disney elements including creating a classic villain. They knew that the film would be a musical from the early stages of development. As they were creating a fairytale, the animators referenced early animated films, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) by using a painted, storybook visual style of animation. [2] Earlier drafts for the film originally had King Magnifico sharing the role of main antagonist with his wife Queen Amaya, who in a typical Disney Villain tradition, would have owned an evil pet, a cat named Charo. This depiction of Magnifico and Amaya was described by art director of characters Bill Schwab as a "powerful crime family couple" like Tony and Carmela Soprano from the HBO television series The Sopranos (1999-2007). [3]

Characterisation

According to Lee, the initial idea for King Magnifico began with creating a homage to classic Disney villains but the writers wrestled with how to define that. [4] The studio had spent a decade exploring other types of antagonists and so she had never had the chance to develop a classic villain. [5] Lee said that it was particularly challenging to create Magnifico as a unique character. It was also necessary to create a villain that the audience could understand rather than just being inherently evil. [4] The writers wanted to ensure that from the first frame of the film the audience is able to follow Magnifico's journey and relate to him, rather than present him as a fully formed villain from the beginning. [6] In addition, it was difficult for the writers to understand where to stop making him relatable to avoid creating a character similar to a protagonist. She felt that having the ability to understand the character's philosophy, even if it is disagreeable, makes him more exciting. [7] Co-director Fawn Veerasunthorn said that throughout the entire film, the team aimed to make the audience feel conflicted about whether to love or hate the character. Buck wanted to convey the idea that Magnifico is admired but also evil, so they decided to give him an interesting backstory to add more complexity to his character. [8]

Lee said that Wish centers around the concept of the corrupting influence of power. King Magnifico begins as a benevolent ruler who is driven to build something aspirational after experiencing the trauma of his own wish destroyed in childhood. His transition to evil is the result of his own choices and when he is challenged by Asha he begins to show the flaws in his character. She said that these challenges reveal the nature of his character, "It's not your greatest moments, it's your toughest moments and the choices you make". [9] According to Lee, Magnifico tried to avoid feeling the pain of his childhood by trying to be in control of everything. She hoped that on multiple viewings of the film, the audience would see more about his motivations and choices. She said that each time he is challenged he could choose a different path and this makes him a "fun villain". [7] Lee felt that it was important to have the protagonist and the villain completely aligned in their philosophies at the start of the film but then explore how disagreement leads them to make very different choices. [4] Veerasunthorn said that both Asha and Magnifico understand that the wishes are special, but they have very different approaches to protecting them. Unlike Asha, Magnifico fails to see that the beauty of the wish is not just in the moment it is granted, but in the way that it motivates the wisher to move forward on their journey. This difference is ultimately the breaking point between Magnifico and Asha. [1]

Magnifico's two songs were designed to be very different to show the different sides of his character. While "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" was designed to convey him as a powerful villain, the duet "At All Costs" was written to show how he and Asha were aligned with each other. [10] Songwriter Julia Michaels said that she wanted to write a really beautiful song that could be played at a wedding as the film does not feature a love song. She wrote the song to express the heroine's and the villain's emotional alignment and show how both characters see the beauty in the wishes but have very different approaches: "one from a very selfless standpoint and one from a selfish standpoint". [11] For "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" Michaels purposefully created a song that diverged from the dark tone of earlier Disney villain songs because she felt that Magnifico had the feel of "next door neighbour Dad" being charming and charismatic but becoming increasingly narcissistic. She decided to begin the song with a fun and upbeat tone to avoid revealing him as a villain from the start, but then made the song increasingly darker until he finally emerges "fully in his narcissistic, ominous, villainous power". [12]

Design

"Magnifico flips a lot of tropes. In terms of design, he should be the most impossibly handsome Disney villain that anyone has ever seen."

Bill Schwab, art director of characters [3]

According to The Art of Wish, King Magnifico is the only Disney villain, except for Prince Hans in Frozen (2013), to be designed in off-white clothing instead of black or dark colours. Schwab said that he was designed to convey an imposing physical presence and elegant figure. His features were created with a triangular form to accentuate his handsomeness and perfect hair. The animators drew inspiration from actors, athletes and public figures for Magnifico's appearance and his design went through numerous changes during the design process. Various experiments around the character's appearance included decisions over whether he would have a beard, if he would have brown or white hair and how to decorate his robe. His final design reflects the formal architecture of his kingdom. The designers used vertical, elongated shapes inspired by medieval architecture found in buildings and sculpture such as cathedrals. His costume was inspired by medieval and nineteenth century illustrations. In addition, his robe was decorated with stars, while his jacket features the elements of fire, water, earth and air and also the zodiac signs. [3]

Designing Magnifico's castle was challenging due to it not being the home of the film's hero but villain, with Buck feeling that the abode looming high above the kingdom's houses and directing all eyes to the monarch shows Magnifico's power over the city and narcissism. Art director of environments David Womersley loved using its architecture to display Magnifico's power, with its stone walls and towers being as much a statement of authority and protection much like how medieval castles sought to assert royalty's powers, leading the crew to develop a "Magnifico style" consisting of aggressive shapes of triangles and angles while inspiring themselves on Torre del Oro in Seville, Spain; the castle's backstory was that the castle was built long before Magnifico was born, yet he superimposed himself upon taking over Rosas much like historical rulers. Magnifico's book of forbidden magic, whose design was made ancient when it was decided that Magnifico discovered his ancient secret lair while renovating his study and came up very late in production due to the lair being a late idea, is an homage to the book of spells owned by the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs while the dragon motif that encircles its gem at the cover was an homage to Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). [3]

Voice

Chris Pine is the voice of King Magnifico in Wish. Chris Pine (43043463084) (cropped).jpg
Chris Pine is the voice of King Magnifico in Wish.

Chris Pine was announced as the voice actor for King Magnifico at CinemaCon on 26 April 2023. [13] [14] Lancaster Jones said that casting Magnifico was difficult and involved trying to match a picture of the character to the right voice. When the team first tested Pine’s voice to the character's image, they immediately knew he was ideal. Lancaster Jones described him as "a very charming person" who has the ability to "bring the scary into the character". He also praised Pine for his singing voice. [2] Lee said that Pine was the perfect choice for expressing the character's charm, intelligence and charisma. [15]

Having previously appeared in earlier films produced by Walt Disney Pictures, including The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) and Into the Woods (2014), Pine had already demonstrated his singing and was given the opportunity to sing two songs in Wish, one of which is a duet with Ariana DeBose. [10] Despite being a duet between the two characters, DeBose and Pine recorded their vocals for "At All Costs" separately. [11] Pine admitted that the singing aspect of the role made him nervous as it was not part of his background. He cited his vocals in Into The Woods and working with Stephen Sondheim for being a nervous singer but said that he enjoyed the challenge. [16] He was particularly nervous of performing the song opposite DeBose, who praised his vocals. [17] Pine said that he found recording the songs to be "really hard" but it brought out his competitive side by wanting to take on a challenge. [18]

Pine said that Magnifico was a fun character to voice because he begins as a charming king who is adored by the people but descends into madness and ends up squealing at the end of the film. During the recording process he tried different ways of expressing the villainous aspects of the character and had to push himself physically to bring out those characteristics. [19] He said that rather than taking inspiration from earlier Disney villains he liked the layered characterisation of Magnifico and thought the film's message should be "never trust vacant charm". [20] In terms of Magnifico's characterisation, Pine felt that Magnifico wanted power throughout the entire film. He framed him as an "absolute narcissist" and opined that Magnifico believes himself to be the hero and he likes Amaya because she tells him how “handsome and cool” he is. He said that rather than trying to create a villain to the standard of Scar or Maleficent, he portrayed the villain in his own way. [21]

Appearances

Wish

A sorcerer named King Magnifico, alongside his wife Queen Amaya, rules over Rosas, a kingdom in the Mediterranean Sea that they founded many years before. Upon reaching their 18th birthday, the residents of Rosas give their greatest wish to him for safe keeping, while losing all memory of their wish. Once a month, Magnifico holds a ceremony in which a resident has the opportunity to be granted their wish. A seventeen-year-old girl named Asha aspires to be Magnifico's apprentice and attends an interview, hoping that she can influence him into granting the wish of Sabino, her grandfather who is aged 100 years. At the meeting with Magnifico, she asks for the wish to be granted but he refuses, telling her the wish is too vague and dangerous. Realising that he will never grant most of the wishes, she questions his motives. In anger, he sits her on the stage at the wish ceremony and tricks her into believing that Sabino's wish will be granted. After granting the wish to another resident, he rejects her application as apprentice and declares never to grant her grandfather's or mother's wishes. Looking up at the night sky, Asha hopes for a better future by wishing on a star, which descends from the sky. Through its magic, the star gives voices to the forest animals, including Valentino, Asha's pet goat and Asha names the magical being Star. Sensing the presence of the star, Magnifico feels threatened and is tempted to use forbidden dark magic to strengthen his power. While Magnifico is distracted, Asha breaks into his study and retrieves her grandfather's wish, but Magnifico arrives at her home and crushes her mother's wish, which makes him feel more powerful. After Asha and her family escape by boat to a nearby island, Magnifico publicly declares Asha to be a traitor and uses the book of forbidden magic to create a staff imbued with the power of three other wishes making him even more powerful, but this leads Amaya to discover her husband's true colors. Asha enlists the help of her friends and distracts Magnifico while they infiltrate his tower with the intention of freeing the wishes. They open up the roof but Magnifico contains all of the wishes and Star with his magic, eventually trapping Star in his staff and becoming increasingly more powerful. Using his magic, he restrains all of the people of Rosas, but Asha motivates the residents of Rosas to collectively wish for an end to Magnifico's reign. The residents stand up against Magnifico, which overpowers his magic and traps him inside the mirror on his staff, leaving Amaya to be the ruler of Rosas as Magnifico is taken to the dungeon.

Reception

King Magnifico received a mixed reception from critics. Witney Seibold of SlashFilm described Magnifico as "Disney's first true villain in years", noting that the studio had moved from depicting outwardly evil villains to sympathetic or circumstantial villains, which she considered less powerful. She argued that he has no redeeming features, being selfish, greedy and vain and "kind of a sociopath". Seibold also considered the character to be a representation of corrupt leaders, due to him seemingly starting out with good intentions but eventually being corrupted by power. [22] Brian Truitt writing for USA Today compared Magnifico to the Magic Mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and felt that his vanity and habit of admiring his own reflection was a callback to the film. [23] Kate Stables of GamesRadar+ appreciated Magnifico for being "a proper villain" and likened him to Maleficent for "whipping fluo-green 'Forbidden Magic' around his subjects in a storm of power-crazed narcissism". [24] Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times compared him to Jafar from Aladdin (1992), describing him as "the ultimate example of the alluring, preening villain". [25] Ray Greene writing for The A.V. Club drew comparisons between Magnifico and The Walt Disney Company by saying that its growth strategy was similar to Magnifico's for absorbing the dreams of others. [26] Kristen Lopez of The Wrap described Magnifico as an "amazing" villain and enjoyed his villain song, highlighting the passionate vocals of Pine. [27] David Crow of Den of Geek described Magnifico as the first Disney villain to be given a character arc and praised the "reliably charismatic cadence" of Pine. [28]

Kalhan Rosenblatt of NBC News commented that Magnifico seemed like a classic Disney villain, being extremely vain and displaying his power in "a ghoulish shade of green", but highlighted that when his song "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" was released ahead of the film's debut, it received some criticism from fans who felt that there was something missing from the character. [29] The Mary Sue 's Rachel Leishman defended Pine's rendition of the song after it received a backlash on social media, describing it as a "fairly harmless villain song". [30] Lovia Gyarkye writing for The Hollywood Reporter found Pine's performance to be entertaining but considered that the character's motivations were not clearly defined, resulting in an abrupt and unconvincing transition to villainy. [31] Petrana Radulovic writing for Polygon thought that Magnifico had all the traits of a classic Disney villain, having a big ego and a villain song but felt that each one had already been done before by a previous Disney villain, while Magnifico had no defining traits of his own. She opined that his characterisation was not developed to make him a plausible character and that he should have been more nuanced rather than relying on corruption from forbidden dark magic as the reason for his villainy. [32] Radulovic also felt that Magnifico was the culmination of the studio begrudgingly trying to satisfy the audience with a traditional villain. [33]

Aleena Malik of Screen Rant thought that Magnifico was a one-dimensional villain and felt that his characterisation could have been given more depth with a more detailed backstory to help explain his motives. [34] Laura Rutkowski writing for the Radio Times echoed this by saying that the film's biggest problem is that the audience cannot know if Magnifico is redeemable because the film does not explore enough of his backstory. [35] Donald Clarke of The Irish Times felt that Magnifico is more of an "unsympathetic technocrat than a proper Disney villain" and did not understand the film's message. [36] IGN 's Carlos Aguilar enjoyed his characterisation as an "irredeemable bad guy" but found "This is the Thanks I Get?!" underwhelming and generic. He felt that Magnifico was just a mashup of earlier villains like Hans and Dr. Facilier. [37] Jenny Nulf of The Austin Chronicle opined that Wish has a "villain problem", stating that Magnifico is a "dull" villain and seems to have no motive for his transition to evil. She commented that "Disney is afraid of making a villain that’s truly terrifying and despicable now". [38] Justin Clarke of Slant thought that the film's overarching message about how men in power dehumanise and control the wishes of the lower classes was undermined by the film's "talking animals" and "butt jokes". [39]

Pine received some positive comments for voicing the character. In a Variety review of the film, Owen Gleiberman described Pine's vocals as "punchy" and said that the performance makes the audience root against him. [40] Ross Bonaime of Collider considered Pine's voice work to be one of the film's strengths and said that his villain song would be dull without the charm in Pine's performance. [41] Kate Erbland of IndieWire was impressed by Pine's singing, describing anything he sang as "memorable" and also said that he obviously enjoys conveying the character's insanity. [42] Phil de Semlyen writing for Time Out praised the fun in Pine's Magnifico and said that he is "like Saruman with a better grooming regimen". [43]

Related Research Articles

<i>Aladdin</i> (1992 Disney film) American animated musical fantasy film

Aladdin is a 1992 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the Arabic folktale "Aladdin" from One Thousand and One Nights. The film was produced and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements from a screenplay they co-wrote with the writing team of Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Featuring the voices of Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried and Douglas Seale, the film follows the titular Aladdin, an Arabian street urchin who finds a magic lamp containing a genie. With the genie's help, Aladdin disguises as a wealthy prince and tries to impress the Sultan of Agrabah to win the heart of his free-spirited daughter, Princess Jasmine, as the Sultan's evil vizier, Jafar, plots to steal the magic lamp.

<i>Lilo & Stitch</i> 2002 film by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois

Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated science fiction comedy drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois and produced by Clark Spencer, based on an original story created by Sanders. It stars Daveigh Chase and Sanders as the voices of the title characters, with the voices of Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, Zoe Caldwell, and Kevin Michael Richardson in supporting roles. It was the second of three Disney animated feature films produced primarily at the Florida animation studio in Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida.

<i>Pinocchio</i> (1940 film) American animated musical fantasy film

Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Loosely based on Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, it is the studio's second animated feature film, as well as the third animated film overall produced by an American film studio, after Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fleischer Studios' Gulliver's Travels (1939). With the voices of Cliff Edwards, Dickie Jones, Christian Rub, Walter Catlett, Charles Judels, Evelyn Venable, and Frankie Darro, the film follows a wooden puppet, Pinocchio, who is created by an old woodcarver, Geppetto, and brought to life by a blue fairy. Wishing to become a real boy, Pinocchio must prove himself to be "brave, truthful, and unselfish." Along his journey, Pinocchio encounters several characters representing the temptations and consequences of wrongdoing, as a cricket named Jiminy, who takes the role of Pinocchio's conscience, attempts to guide him in matters of right and wrong.

Jafar (<i>Aladdin</i>) Disney character

Jafar is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992). He is voiced by Jonathan Freeman, who also portrayed the character in the Broadway musical adaptation. Jafar also appears in the 1994 sequel to Aladdin, but he is not in the 1996 third film or the television series, although he does return in the latter's crossover Hercules and the Arabian Night.

<i>Sleeping Beauty</i> (1959 film) Animated Disney film

Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution. Based on Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale, the production was supervised by Clyde Geronimi, and was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, and Les Clark. Featuring the voices of Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy, Barbara Jo Allen, Taylor Holmes, and Bill Thompson, the film follows Princess Aurora, who was cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent to die from pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. She is saved by three good fairies, who alter Aurora's curse so that she falls into a deep sleep and will be awakened by true love's kiss.

Ursula (<i>The Little Mermaid</i>) Fictional character from Disneys 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid

Ursula is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film The Little Mermaid (1989). Voiced by actress Pat Carroll, Ursula is a villainous Cecaelian sea witch who offers her youngest niece, mermaid princess Ariel, a temporary opportunity to become human so that she may earn the love of Prince Eric within three days. However, Ursula, in fact, is determined to sabotage Ariel's chances in order to usurp her older brother King Triton's position as ruler of the oceans.

<i>The Princess and the Frog</i> 2009 Disney animated film

The Princess and the Frog is a 2009 American animated musical romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is inspired in part by the 2002 novel The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker, which in turn is based on the German folk tale "The Frog Prince" as collected by the Brothers Grimm. The film was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and produced by Peter Del Vecho, from a screenplay that Clements and Musker co-wrote with Rob Edwards. The directors also co-wrote the story with the writing team of Greg Erb and Jason Oremland. The film stars the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Cody, John Goodman, Keith David, Peter Bartlett, Jenifer Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, and Terrence Howard. Set in New Orleans during the 1920s, the film tells the story of a hardworking waitress named Tiana who dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing prince Naveen, who has been turned into a frog by the evil voodoo witch doctor Facilier, Tiana becomes a frog as well and the two must find a way to turn human again before it is too late.

Gaston (<i>Beauty and the Beast</i>) Beauty and the Beast character

Gaston is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Voiced by American actor and singer Richard White, Gaston is an arrogant and ruthless hunter whose unrequited feelings for the intellectual Belle drive him to murder his adversary, the Beast, once he realizes she cares for him instead. Gaston serves as a foil personality to the Beast, who was once as vain as Gaston prior to his transformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evil Queen (Disney)</span> Fictional character by Disney

The Evil Queen, also known as the Wicked Queen, Queen Grimhilde, or just the Queen, is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Productions' first animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and remains a villain character in their extended Snow White franchise. She is based on the Evil Queen character from the 1812 German fairy tale "Snow White".

<i>Aladdin</i> (2011 musical) Broadway musical

Aladdin is a stage musical based on Disney's 1992 animated feature film of the same name with a book by Chad Beguelin, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin. It resurrects three songs written by Menken and Ashman for the film but not used, and adds four songs written by Menken and Beguelin.

Olaf (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character from the Frozen franchise

Olaf is a fictional character in Disney's Frozen franchise. He first appeared in the Walt Disney Animation Studios animated film Frozen (2013). At the beginning of the film, Olaf is an inanimate snowman created by Elsa and Anna in their childhood. He then reappears in the film as an anthropomorphic snowman created by Elsa's ice powers, and helps Anna and Kristoff in their journey to find Elsa. He later appears in other related Frozen media, including the sequel Frozen II (2019), and serves as the central character in the featurette Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017), the short film Once Upon a Snowman (2020), and the series of shorts Olaf Presents (2021). He is voiced by Josh Gad in most of his appearances.

Prince Hans of the Southern Isles is a fictional character from Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Frozen. He is voiced by American actor Santino Fontana. Hans is a prince who takes the role of suitor for Princess Anna of Arendelle. Handsome and charming, he quickly proposes marriage to Anna after bumping into her on the day of her sister Elsa's coronation and she immediately accepts.

Kristoff (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character from the Frozen franchise

Kristoff is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen franchise. He appears in the animated features Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019), and the animated short films Frozen Fever (2015), Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) and Once Upon a Snowman (2020). He was created by co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and is voiced primarily by Jonathan Groff.

<i>Disenchanted</i> (film) 2022 film directed by Adam Shankman

Disenchanted is a 2022 American live-action animated musical fantasy comedy film directed by Adam Shankman and written by Brigitte Hales, based on a story conceived by Richard LaGravenese and the writing team of J. David Stem and David N. Weiss. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Josephson Entertainment, and Right Coast Productions, it is the sequel to the 2007 film Enchanted.

<i>Aladdin</i> (2019 film) 2019 film by Guy Ritchie

Aladdin is a 2019 American musical fantasy film directed by Guy Ritchie from a screenplay he co-wrote with John August. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Rideback, it is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin, itself based on "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp", a French addition to the Middle Eastern folktale collection One Thousand and One Nights. The film stars Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott with Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, and Billy Magnussen in supporting roles. The plot follows Aladdin, a street urchin, as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine, befriends a wish-granting genie, and battles the wicked sorcerer Jafar.

Maui (<i>Moana</i>) Fictional character from Disneys Moana

Maui is a fictional character that appears in the 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studios animated film Moana. He was created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker and is voiced by American actor Dwayne Johnson. Maui is loosely based on the mythological figure Māui in Polynesian mythology. He is characterised as a demigod, trickster and shapeshifter and is distinguishable by his bulky tattooed body, thick, flowing hair and magical fish hook that allows him to shapeshift into various creatures. Maui's tattoos recount his deeds and feature an animated miniature version of himself that pokes fun at his overinflated ego. The character is due to return in the sequel film Moana 2. As of February 2024, Moana 2 was scheduled to premier in November 2024. Johnson will also portray Maui in the live-action remake of Moana, which is scheduled for release in 2026.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruno Madrigal</span> Fictional character from Encanto

Bruno Madrigal is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Encanto (2021). He was created by directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush and is voiced by Colombian-American actor John Leguizamo. Bruno is the ostracised uncle of Mirabel Madrigal and has the ability to see the future. Much of the character's design, including his green ruana, was inspired by traditional Colombian culture.

<i>Wish</i> (film) 2023 animated film

Wish is a 2023 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn from a screenplay written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, based on a story conceived by Lee, Buck, Veerasunthorn, and Moore, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones, with Lee and Don Hall serving as executive producers. The art style combines computer animation with the look of traditional animation. The film stars the voices of Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Harvey Guillén, Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef, and Jon Rudnitsky. The story follows a 17-year-old girl named Asha (DeBose), who makes a passionate plea to the stars in a moment of need. She meets a living, magic fallen star, and together they face the kingdom of Rosas' devious ruler, the sorcerer Magnifico (Pine).

<i>Wish</i> (soundtrack) 2023 soundtrack album by various artists

Wish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2023 Disney animated musical fantasy film Wish. Released by Walt Disney Records on November 17, 2023, the album featured seven original songs with music and lyrics by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe providing additional songwriting and composing one of the songs. An extended version of the soundtrack featuring instrumentals and demo recordings of the songs, and cues from the film score composed by Dave Metzger, released five days later, that coincided the film's theatrical release. Five singles—"This Wish", "This Is the Thanks I Get?!", "Welcome to Rosas", "I'm A Star" and "Knowing What I Know Now"—preceded the soundtrack.

Asha (<i>Wish</i>) Fictional character from Wish

Asha is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated film Wish (2023) produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. She is voiced by American actress Ariana DeBose. Her origins lie in a conversation between Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, while working together on Frozen II. The screenplay was written by Lee and Allison Moore. Asha is an ordinary 17-year-old girl who lives in Rosas, a kingdom ruled by King Magnifico, a powerful sorcerer. After initially applying to become his apprentice, she begins to question his control of his subjects' wishes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Disney's 'Wish' celebrates 100 years with 100-plus callbacks. Inside some of the best". Los Angeles Times. 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  2. 1 2 Radish, Christina (2023-09-27). "'Wish' Producers on Chris Pine's King Magnifico and the Return of the Villain Song". Collider. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rebello, Stephen (23 November 2023). The Art of Wish. Chronicle Books.
  4. 1 2 3 Sarto, Dan (2022-11-23). "Jennifer Lee Talks Walt Disney Animation Studios' 'Wish'". Animation World Network.
  5. ↑ Edwards, Molly (2023-11-22). "Chris Pine and the Wish filmmakers talk that big Disney villain comeback". gamesradar. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  6. ↑ Motamayor, Rafael (2023-06-25). "Walt Disney Animation Head Jennifer Lee On Setting Up The Next Generation Of Artists [Exclusive Interview]". SlashFilm. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  7. 1 2 Tyrrell, Caitlin (2023-11-22). "Wish Interview: Jennifer Lee On The Movie's North Star & Magnifico's Motivation". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  8. ↑ Tyrrell, Caitlin (2023-09-28). "Wish Directors Wanted A Disney Villain As Badly As The Fans In The New Movie". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  9. ↑ El-Mahmoud, Sarah (2023-11-26). "Wish Writer Jennifer Lee Discusses The Scene That Gives Her 'A Chill Every Time,' And It's Actually My Favorite Moment In The Movie". Cinemablend. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  10. 1 2 El-Mahmoud, Sarah (2023-10-06). "Wish Filmmakers Talk Chris Pine 'Geeking Out' About His Disney Villain Role, And How Many Songs He Gets To Sing". Cinemablend. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  11. 1 2 Tangcay, Jazz (2023-12-04). "Julia Michaels Wrote the Theme Song for 'Wish' Before the Script Even Existed". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  12. ↑ "Wish songwriter Julia Michaels reveals how villain song This Is The Thanks I Get? came to be". uk.movies.yahoo.com. 2023-11-24. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  13. ↑ Bankhurst, Adam (2023-04-26). "Wish Adds Chris Pine as King Magnifico as Disney Reveals New Footage at CinemaCon 2023". IGN. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  14. ↑ Leishman, Rachel (2023-04-26). "The Best Chris Is Voicing a Disney King!". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  15. ↑ Lang, Brent (2023-04-26). "Chris Pine to Play Ruler of Magical Kingdom in Walt Disney Animation's 'Wish'". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  16. ↑ "'Wish' star Chris Pine on his singing return after 'Into the Woods'". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  17. ↑ Thomas, Carly (2023-11-16). "Chris Pine Says He Was Nervous to Sing Opposite Ariana DeBose in 'Wish'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  18. ↑ Klein, Brennan (2023-12-09). "How Chris Pine Perfected His Disney Villain Song In New Movie Wish". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  19. ↑ Tyrrell, Caitlin (2023-11-22). "Wish Interview: Chris Pine On Magnifico's Villainous Arc & His Surprising Likability". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  20. ↑ "Chris Pine Says He Was Nervous to Sing With Ariana DeBose for 'Wish'". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  21. ↑ Radish, Christina (2023-11-22). "Chris Pine Is Living for His Villain Era in Disney's 'Wish'". Collider. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  22. ↑ Seibold, Witney (2023-11-22). "Why People Are Calling Wish's King Magnifico Disney's First True Villain In Years". SlashFilm. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  23. ↑ Brian, Truitt. "Spoilers! The best Disney references in 'Wish' (including that tender end-credits scene)". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  24. ↑ Stables, Kate (2023-11-17). "Wish review: "Disney's 100th anniversary fairy tale sure is pretty but lacks heart"". gamesradar. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  25. ↑ Walsh, Katie (2023-11-22). "Review: Disney's 'Wish' feels cobbled together from 100 years of better movies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  26. ↑ Greene, Ray (2023-11-22). "Wish review: This kingdom really needs some magic". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  27. ↑ Lopez, Kristen (2023-11-17). "'Wish' Review: Disney Goes Back to Basics With Animated Musical". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  28. ↑ Crow, David (2023-11-17). "Wish Review: A Celebration of 100 Years of Disney". Den of Geek. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  29. ↑ Rosenblatt, Kalhan (2023-11-24). "With 'Wish' release, some Disney fans say they're nostalgic for classic villains". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  30. ↑ Leishman, Rachel (2023-11-07). "Why Is Everyone Being So Mean About Chris Pine's Song in 'Wish'?". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  31. ↑ Gyarkye, Lovia (2023-11-17). "'Wish' Review: Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine Voice a Disappointing Tale of Two Disneys". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  32. ↑ Radulovic, Petrana (2024-04-10). "Even Chris Pine in full Disney villain mode can't give Wish's bad guy what he needs". Polygon. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  33. ↑ Radulovic, Petrana (2023-11-17). "Wish is a pale imitation of the better Disney movies that came before it". Polygon. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  34. ↑ Malik, Aleena (2023-12-05). "Wish's Villain Would Have Worked With 1 Specific Change". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  35. ↑ Rutkowski, Laura. "Wish review: Magical and nostalgic, but not an instant Disney classic". Radio Times. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  36. ↑ Clarke, Donald. "Wish review: Cracking songs but a so-so story in a film that finds Disney frozen in time". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  37. ↑ Aguilar, Carlos (2023-11-18). "Wish Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  38. ↑ Nulf, Jenny. "Movie Review: Wish". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  39. ↑ Clark, Justin (2023-11-20). "'Wish' Review: A Star Is Not Born". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  40. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (2023-11-17). "'Wish' Review: The New Disney Animated Musical Wishes Upon a Star — and a Brand". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  41. ↑ Bonaime, Ross (2023-11-20). "'Wish' Review: Disney Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary With a Shell of Their Best Films". Collider. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  42. ↑ Erbland, Kate (2023-11-17). "'Wish' Review: Disney Adds Modern Sparkle to a Classic, with a Mild Touch of Hallucinogens". IndieWire. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  43. ↑ Semlyen, Phil de (2023-11-24). "Wish review: Disney's 100th birthday shindig is catchy but disposable". Time Out Worldwide. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.