Disney’sDisenchantedhas just received its first trailer. The highly-anticipated sequel to Amy Adams’Enchantedlooks like it’s going to raise the stakes for its magical fish-out-of-water story, proving that even “happily ever after” doesn’t mean the troubles are over.
Adams is back as Giselle, a formerly animated princess-to-be who found herself transported to live-action New York in the first film. Now, 15 years after her originalDisneyadventure, she and her husband Robert (Patrick Dempsey) are moving to the suburbs, but things aren’t as picture-perfect as they look. A nefarious community leader (played by Maya Rudolph) appears to inspire some insecurity in Giselle, prompting issues to arise. Perhaps she’ssome kind of evil fairy godmother? Before long, more problems bubble to the surface, and a botched wish from Giselle puts her family and her homeland in peril.
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The trailer, released byWalt Disney Studios, sets the stage for fans who remember the beloved originalEnchanted. In a bit of a reverse from its predecessor,Disenchantedseems to start in the “real” world before bringing in the fantastical elements. But it retains a lot of what people loved, with plenty of returning faces. Aside from the 2 leads, Idina Menzel and James Marsden show up prominently throughout the trailer as their respective characters from the previous film. Morgan, Robert’s daughter and now Giselle’s stepdaughter is now played by Gabriella Baldacchino instead of Rachel Covey, who previously had the role.
The aesthetics of the trailer really stand out, as Giselle’s wish transforms the real world into a fairy tale setting filled with magic, princesses, and some pretty striking visual similarities toDisney films likeCinderellaandTangled. As things progress, things get even more out of hand, with regal outfits, changing buildings, and the traditional talking animals. Sharp-eyed viewers will even notice the return of that 2D animation seen inEnchanted, which certainly makes sense since Giselle living in the real world doesn’t mean that her cartoon home of Andalasia ceased to exist. However, her wish for a perfect life with Robert may end up putting that very world in jeopardy.
2007’sEnchantedwas a surprise hit, offering an interesting meta look at thetraditional Disney princess tale. Interestingly enough,Disenchantedwill offer a far less common second look at such a story. It’s not exactly rare to take a clichéd idea and flip it around for a clever new story, but those takes tend to be more of a one-off. So as a sequel where audiences get to not only see what happens after “happily ever after,” but also see the continuation of what would have usually been a throwaway gag,Disenchantedhas potential as a pretty fresh premise.
Maybe seeing a sequel toEnchantedcould give hope to other films that were previously thought to be one-offs. Sure, there areplenty of arguably unnecessary sequels out there. But on the other hand, it’s more stuff to watch.
Disenchantedwill premiere on November 24th, 2022, (Thanksgiving for American viewers) on Disney Plus.
