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"Dexter's Laboratory" was the first in an incredible wave of original animated shows from Cartoon Network. "Cow and Chicken," "Johnny Bravo," "I Am Weasel," "The Powerpuff Girls," "Ed, Edd, n Eddy,", "Courage the Cowardly Dog," and "Dexter's Laboratory" were collectively known as Cartoon Cartoons, and they turned Cartoon Network into a popular destination for animated entertainment that landed with kids and adults alike. However, Genndy Tartakovsky is one of only two creators from this run of shows who is still making groundbreaking animation today. The other is "The Powerpuff Girls" creator Craig McCracken, who just so happened to cut his teeth working alongside Tartakovsky through much of the first couple seasons of "Dexter's Laboratory." Perhaps that's why it's so wonderful to this day.

"Dexter's Laboratory" smartly' borrows and mixes elements from the best classic cartoons. There's the slapstick comedy elements that come from "Looney Tunes,...

I must admit that I missed Dexter’s Laboratory when it originally aired on the Cartoon Network from 1996-2003. Friends raved about its charm and humor and the brilliance of animator Genndy Tartakovsky. So, the arrival of Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series is welcome. On sale today from Warner Home Entertainment, the set includes all 78 episodes plus the special Dexter’s Laboratory: Ego Trip.

According to the press release, the show is about half-Einstein, half-third grader Dexter. This boy genius creates the most amazing inventions in the top-secret and highly advanced laboratory attached to his room. But his genius can’t stop his space-brained sister Dee Dee from messing up and his work and pushing his buttons. Or his annoying rival Mandark Astronomonov from constantly trying to one-up him. Can Dexter use his intelligence to solve his problems? Time to fight fire with…Science!

Well, who doesn’t love science?

What...

Throughout its history, Disney has produced some of the most iconic, influential, and critically acclaimed animated movies in cinema history, carving its name into the eternal pedestal of pop culture. While some Disney animated films can be long, the longest animated film of all time is Studio Mappa's In This Corner of the World, whose extended version has a 168-minute runtime.

Disney movies are significantly shorter in comparison Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first Disney film, is around 83 minutes long. Given young viewers' limited attention spans and most Disney animated films catered to children, it doesn't make sense for animated movies to be longer than two hours anyway. However, many Disney animated films can be considered 'long,' and only one Disney production surpasses this implicit time limit.

Updated on June 4, 2024, by David Giatras: Disney is considered a legend in the animation world and has shown no signs of slowing down.

Disney's Wish was not the biggest hit in theaters, coming up short of its box office expectations upon release in 2023. However, the film is rebounding on Disney+, pulling in some very high viewership on the streaming platform.

Per Variety, Wish drew 13.2 million viewers within five days upon releasing on April 3 on Disney+. This is the No. 3 most-viewed streaming platform premiere for a release from Walt Disney Animation Studios. It follows Encanto's December 2021 premiere, following its theatrical release in November 2021, along with Frozen 2's debut on Disney+ in March 2020, which came after the film's theatrical release in November 2019. However, that's not counting animated movies from other Disney studios, with Pixar's Elemental previously debuting with 26.4 million views in five days - the biggest movie premiere on Disney+ for 2023.

Related Giancarlo Esposito Addresses the Future of The Mandalorian on Disney+ Hollywood icon and Star Wars: The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito...

Disney revealed on Monday that its musical animated feature Wish, starring Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) and Chris Pine (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) garnered 13.2 million views globally in its first five days streaming on Disney+.

This amounts to the third biggest premiere on the service, behind those of Encanto and Frozen 2, with a view being defined as total stream time divided by runtime.

Earlier this year securing a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature, Wish takes place in the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha (DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico (Chris Pine) — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars,...

Wish Movie Ott Release Date (Photo Credit – IMDb)

In November 2023, Disney’s animated musical fantasy film Wish was released in theatres. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, the film received mixed reviews, but mostly negative. It was a Thanksgiving treat for the audience which was released alongside Napoleon and Saltburn. The voice cast includes big names like Chris Pine, Ariana DeBose and many others.

The development of the musical fantasy began in 2018. The film’s title was announced during the 2022 D23 Expo Presentation. There’s a big news for those who missed watching the movie on the big screen. The animated film is all set to release on Disney+. In this article, we have mentioned the main cast, the plot and other crucial details about the musical fantasy.

Wish Movie Cast & Crew

The voice actors include Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Harvey Guillen,...

Disney announced on Monday that its Golden Globe-nominated animated feature Wish, starring Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, will begin streaming on Disney+ on April 3rd.

An original musical comedy co-written by Disney Animation chief Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, Wish takes us to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha (DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico (Chris Pine) — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

Lee’s co-director on the Academy Award-winning Frozen, Chris Buck, directed alongside Fawn Veerasunthorn, with the latter making her directorial debut. With Alan Tudyk playing Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film also features the voices of Angelique Cabral,...

Walt Disney Animation Studios announced Monday that the musical feature “Wish,” which made more than $250 at the global box office, will premiere on the Disney+ streaming service in April.

The film takes place in the fictional town of Rosas wherein the charming King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine) is able to grant people’s wishes. But when local girl Asha (Ariana DeBose) discovers what Magnifico really does with the wishes, it’s up to her and a fallen star to stop him and save the town.

“Wish” is directed by Oscar-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones. Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore wrote the script. Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice provided the film’s original song with a score by composer Dave Metzger.

During an interview with TheWrap back in January, co-director Buck said it was a challenge...

Wish is a Disney animated movie centered on Asha, a young woman who teams up with a cosmic force to confront the ruler of her city, King Magnifico. The movie features a star-studded cast, including Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, and Jennifer Kumiyama, and incorporates classic and new animation styles. Harvey Guillén reflects on his role in Wish and teases what fans can expect from his character in the final season of What We Do In The Shadows.

Wish follows Asha, an ambitious and compassionate young woman, who is a tour guide in her home, the city of Rosas. Asha dreams of working for the beloved King Magnifico, but when the ruler shows her the darkness beneath the surface, she begins to doubt his intentions for those she loves and the city as a whole. Asha will fight, along with the magical Star, her friends and family, to save the wishes of Rosas,...

If you wish upon a star, Disney’s latest animated film, Wish, will come to Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD platforms sooner than you think. A heartfelt celebration of the magic of Disney and a joyful new entry to the studio’s animated film legacy, Walt Disney Animation Studios‘ Wish becomes available to view at home through digital retailers on January 23. Participating platforms include Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu, with 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD versions landing on shelves on March 12.

Here’s the official synopsis for Wish:

In this animated musical-comedy, Asha (Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist in the kingdom of Rosas, makes a powerful wish that’s answered by Star, a ball of boundless energy. Soon, Asha and Star must face a formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas—to save her community and prove that when one brave human connects with the magic of the stars,...

Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer Jennifer Lee had not yet written the script for “Wish” when Grammy nominated songwriter Julia Michaels wrote the demo for “This Wish” in 2020. But that demo, Lee says, “defined the whole movie; it became our North Star.”

Celebrating 100 years of storytelling at Disney, “Wish” pays homage to the celestial entity so many have wished upon. Ariana DeBose voices Asha, its main protagonist and heroine, a 17-year-old who lives in the magical kingdom of Rosas, ruled by Disney’s newest villain, King Magnifico, voiced by Chris Pine. Rosas is built on people’s wishes and hopes. When Asha makes a wish one night, she accidentally summons Star, an energetic character from the sky. An adventurous journey capturing hope, joy and the power of dreams follows.

Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn direct, while Lee, Allison Moore and Buck penned the screenplay; Michaels and songwriting partner Benjamin Rice...

Disney's Wish celebrates the studio's 100th anniversary, incorporating nods to past films and the motif of wishing on a star. The film features a strong supporting cast and a soundtrack full of new songs penned by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice. Composer Dave Metzger, who has worked on other Disney films, incorporates elements from Disney's history into the score, creating a cinematic experience that pays homage to the past.

Disney’s Wish celebrates the 100th anniversary of the iconic studio with nods to prior films and a celebration of Disney’s oft-used motif of wishing on a star. The film was directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn and written by Buck along with Jenifer Lee and Allison Moore. It stars Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as the sorcerer Magnifico, but also boasts a strong supporting cast which includes Alan Tudyk as the scene-stealing goat Valentino.

As with other Disney films,...

"Wish" finished third at the box office in its opening week, earning only $31.7 million after its premiere on November 22, 2023. The film fell significantly short of box office projections, making only $19.5 million during its opening weekend instead of the expected $35 million. Negative reviews and Disney's struggling box office performance post-covid-19 contributed to "Wish's" lackluster numbers.

Disney's Wish did not live up to its opening projections over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and the film studio's latest project is shaping up to be a box office bomb if its numbers do not improve. The 2023 animated musical fantasy movie comes from the minds behind Frozen — Chris Buck co-directed the film with Fawn Veerasunthorn, and Jennifer Lee co-wrote the screenplay with Allison Moore. Many believed the movie would perform well during its opening weekend in theaters, especially since it premiered during a holiday week. Instead, Wish was a massive disappointment.

Wish tells the story...

Wish celebrates Disney's legacy by blending traditional storytelling and animation with modern sentiments and diverse characters. Ariana DeBose voices Asha, a strong-willed protagonist with magical powers, perfectly showcasing her unique and accomplished talent. The star-studded cast includes Chris Pine as the selfish tyrant King Magnifico, Alan Tudyk as the charming goat Valentino, and Angelique Cabral as the kind Queen Amaya, adding depth to the film's characters.

Celebrating 100 years of Disney, Wish looks to celebrate the company's legacy by blending traditional storytelling and animation with modern sentiments and tweaks to the classic visual style. The result is a unique animation style and a cast reflective of Disney's commitment to exploring diversity and inclusion through all their projects.

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, from a screenplay by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, Wish follows a 7-year-old girl named Asha, who makes a passionate plea to the stars after foreseeing a tragedy fall upon her kingdom.

The opening numbers for Napoleon have come in at the top end of expectations.

Worldwide box office Nov 24-26 Rank Film (distributor)3-day (world)Cume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1. Napoleon (Sony) $66.7m $78.8m $46.3m $46.3m 57 2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes (Lionsgate) $55m $197.2m $26.2m $98.9m 88 3. Wish (Disney) $36.8m $49m $17.3m $17.3m 28 4. Across The Furious Sea (various) $24.5m $24.6m $24.5m $24.6m 1 5. Trolls Band Together (Universal) $20.6m $145.8m $3.1m $81.3m 68 6. The Marvels (Disney) $14.3m $187m $7.9m $110.2m 53 7. 12:12 The Day (Seoul Spring) (various) $11.8m $12m $11.8m $12m 1 8. Thanksgiving (Sony) $8.6m $29m $1.5m $4.9m 17 9. Five...

Frozen and Frozen 2 co-director Jennifer Lee has shed some new light on Frozen 3 along with the early plans at Disney to make Frozen 4.

During a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Disney CEO Bob Iger teased that there "might be a Frozen 4 in the works." The news came as a surprise, given how Frozen 3 is not even expected to arrive in theaters sooner than late 2025. Lee, who's also Disney Animation's Chief Creative Officer, participated in an interview with Disney to speak about the new film Wish. She also commented on Frozen 3, teasing how "deeply excited" everyone is about the threequel. Lee also explained why there are already talks for a fourth film, suggesting that it's because Frozen 3 might be "so epic" that it may need to be broken up into two separate films.

Frozen 4 and Other Disney Sequels Are a Big Risk

When asked if there's anything she can share about Frozen 3, Lee said,...

Unfulfilled potential is a powerful theme for a story. Making Disney’s choice to explore what might happen if an entire kingdom of subjects surrendered their chance to fulfil their destinies by entrusting their deepest wish – and every memory of it – to their king an intriguing premise. Is it better to live with the hope that one day your wish may come true or to hold that dream close to your heart and let it guide your life’s path?

We’ll never know. Because, sadly, the House of Mouse’s hundredth-anniversary offering fails to interrogate its own themes, choosing to bimble about looking pretty (it is Very pretty), ticking off generic highs and lows in the place of real plot points and making knowing nods to animated features past instead. Leaving us to gloomily ponder what might have been.

Asha (Ariana DeBose) is a tour guide in her beloved Mediterranean home Rosas.

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on Wbgr-fm on November 22nd, 2023, reviewing “Wish,” the latest original film from Walt Disney Studios. In theaters on November 22nd, 2023.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

The film involves the kingdom of Rosas, ruled by King Magnifico (voice of Chris Pine). Magnifico is also a sorcerer, and he figured out a way to grant all wishes to the citizens of Rosas. But to maintain his power, he hoards the wishes and grants only a couple each year. Enter 17-year-old Asha (Adriana DeBose) who is hoping to become the King’s apprentice and get a wish for her 100 year old grandfather (Victor Garber). When a suspicious King rejects her, Asha learns dark things about his lust for power … so she focuses her hope by wishing on a star … which is alive and comes down from the sky to help her.

”Wish,” is in theaters on November 22nd.

Wish is a magical movie that celebrates the centennial anniversary of Walt Disney Animation Studios and includes references to Disney's legacy, such as the iconic wishing star. The movie explores the concept of wishes and emphasizes the importance of not giving up on one's dreams or entrusting them to someone else. It highlights the relatable real-life concept of people forgetting or giving up on their wishes. The film features talented actors, including Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, who bring their characters to life. Chris Pine's portrayal of Magnifico stands out as he balances the charm of a trustworthy character with the reveal of his true villainous nature.

Wish follows a clever young woman named Asha, a proud resident of the magical country of Rosas. When Asha discovers a horrible secret about the beloved King Magnifico, she makes a wish on a star in the hopes of figuring out what to do.

Wish is a powerful and imaginative film that combines a classic Disney watercolor look with contemporary 3D animation styles. Alan Tudyk brings depth and unpredictability to the character of Valentino, the talking animal sidekick, through his improvisation skills. Chris Pine's character undergoes a captivating transformation from a charismatic king to a full-formed villain, supported by Julia Michaels' compelling song. Stay for the post-credit scene, a favorite Disney Easter egg that pays homage to the legacy.

In Wish, Asha discovers a dark secret about King Magnifico, the magical ruler of her homeland, Rosas. Desperate for a clue as to how she can help her people, she looks to the stars for help. When Asha makes a wish that is shockingly answered by the cosmos, she teams up with the star that came down to answer her wish. This unlikely duo, along with Asha's pet goat, try to save the wishes...

Wish is set in the magical world of Rosas, where Asha discovers a dark secret about King Magnifico. She teams up with a star and her talking pet goat to expose his lies and help her people. The movie celebrates Walt Disney Animation Studios' 100 years with an original story and includes 100 references to past Disney projects. The cast includes Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, and more. Jennifer Lee, the writer and Cco of Walt Disney Animation Studios, discusses the concept of forgetting wishes and how it symbolizes the distractions of life. She also reveals the complex origin story of Magnifico, the film's villain.

Wish is set in a magical place called Rosas with King Magnifico, who collects and grants wishes. However, Asha, a quick-witted and brave young resident of Rosas, learns a dark secret about her king. Determined to fight back and help her people, Asha makes a wish to the stars.

To celebrate its well-earned 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Animation Studios (hereinafter "Disney Studios") turned over its latest animation effort, Wish, to one of their veteran, in-house A-teams, Frozen co-director Chris Buck and co-writer Jennifer Lee. Together with first-timer Fawn Veerasunthorn sharing co-directing duties with Buck, screenwriter Allison Moore doing the same with Lee on scripting duties (plus an assortment of credited and uncredited writers), and the best animation Disney’s money can buy, Wish delivers handsome, eye-catching visuals, hummable songs two or three steps above mediocre (all ably performed by the voice cast), and the now obligatory self-empowerment narrative to mostly positive, if occasionally middling, muddled, results. Liberally interweaving classic references, including Disney’s...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

If there's a constant, all-encompassing rule to the universe, it's that absolutely nothing is built to last. If all matter is doomed to the inescapable fate of entropy, and every living thing eventually dies, then what hope do such lovely intangibles as love, desire, and dreams have?

Well, to quote that ersatz Disney prince, Vision, "a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts." Love, dreams, and wishes are beautiful almost because of the fact that they can't always come true; it's the hope, the having of these wishes, that makes life worth living more than merely the attainment of them. Walt Disney and the studio that still bears his name have been a proponent of this principle for Disney (the man's) entire life and Disney (the studio's) existence to date. And now that the studio has reached the milestone of sticking around for 100 years, it's only natural that they'd wish to...

Wish is a magical adventure that celebrates Disney's 100-year legacy of animation, featuring a talented cast and a captivating story of a teenage girl and her journey to save her kingdom. Chris Pine portrays the charming and powerful villain, Magnifico, whose descent into madness and villainy is a joy to watch and listen to, especially in his big villain song. Pine skillfully infuses Magnifico with likability while still showcasing his villainous tendencies, creating a character that can be both loved and hated by the audience. Recording Magnifico's song was a challenging yet rewarding experience for Pine.

Wish follows Asha, a teenage girl living in the kingdom of Rosas, which is ruled by the powerful King Magnifico. Although the entire kingdom looks up to him, Asha discovers a dangerous secret about Magnifico and looks to the stars for help. When they answer, much to her surprise, with a magical star coming to her assistance,...

Wish is a star-studded Disney movie that celebrates 100 years of Walt Disney animation with an original story about Asha's quest to stop King Magnifico's plans and save her kingdom. Ariana DeBose, one of the movie's stars, talks about how she honored the tradition of Disney heroines while making the character of Asha her own, infusing her performance with hints of other famous Disney heroines. DeBose also discusses Asha's role as an activist in the movie and the powerful music, expressing her excitement to be part of the landmark hundred-year-anniversary Disney animated movie.

Wish celebrates 100 years of Walt Disney animation with an original story that follows Asha. When she learns a dark and terrible truth about her kingdom's leader, King Magnifico, Asha strives to find a way to help her people by making a wish upon a star. When the cosmos unexpectedly answer her call, she, her pet goat Valentino,...

Occasionally, a flick comes at the right time. And for me, as we head into the holiday season, Wish was one of them (read our review). It may not be technically the best of the current Disney releases, but something about its story and music spoke to this viewer. The film features terrific performances from its stars, including Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, and Victor Garber. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, from a script by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, Wish comes from the inspiration of 100 years of Disney animation. From classic cameos to the lovely tunes from Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, Wish was a delight.

Last week, we had the thrill of attending an in-person junket for the film. With the strike ending, Hollywood was again ready to get their voice out there. And after attending a preview event for Wish, it was nice to...

Plot: When a young woman discovers that the wishes of her community are being destroyed by an egomaniac ruler, she must try and create a little magic herself to bring joy to everyone.

Review: “When You Wish Upon A Star” is a song that has become a staple for even the slightest inclusion of Disney in their lives. It’s impossible not to be able to recognize the iconic tune featured in the animated classic Pinocchio. Initially performed by Cliff Edwards, the music has become a signature for everything Disney. And with the current 100-year celebration, Walt Disney Animation is bringing audiences their latest big-screen musical adventure, the appropriately titled Wish. The Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn-directed feature is a joyful, sweet, and engaging tale; although wishes may not come true for all audiences, it sure did for the audience I saw it with.

Wish tells the story of the magical town of Ramas.

As the world's leading animation studio, Disney films tend to be major events. Since the release of Princess and the Frog in 2009, the studio has seen a new age in their animated films which have found critical and box office successes similar to the days of the Disney Renaissance. Films like Frozen, Wreck-it-Ralph, and Zootopia have all been massive hits and gone on to become Disney classics. However, 2023 is different.

It marks the studio's 100th anniversary after being founded in October 1923. To mark the occasion, Disney presents fans with the wonderful film Wish, which explores the story of the star that so many Disney characters have wished upon. Wish will be the studio's 62nd animated feature. The film is directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn and written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore. The movie is, unsurprisingly, one of the most anticipated animated films this year, and while there...

This year marks Disney’s 100th anniversary as an animation studio, and they’ve decided to celebrate the occasion by taking several of their classic characters and throw them all together into the same film for one magical story. That, at least, is what Wish is supposed to be—if you squint hard enough. The film plays incredibly coy with its portrayal of its classical Disney archetypes and tropes, choosing to take recognizable characters and their trademark traits and transpose them onto ancillary characters with only seconds of screen time.

What Zack Snyder did to DC Comics is what Wish does to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and that’s extremely odd for a studio so surgically effective at fracking its own nostalgia to new audiences. That wouldn’t be such a knock against Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn’s film had it turned out to have a life and vibrancy all its own.

Wish is a new animated film from Disney that serves as both a celebration of the studio's legacy and a new original story, though the latter is not as successful. The movie pays tribute to Disney's history through countless Easter eggs and inventive animation that resembles watercolor paintings. Ariana DeBose delivers a standout performance as Asha, showcasing her strong vocals and embodying the hopeful and determined nature of her character. The film's soundtrack features potential hit songs but may not have lasting impact.

Over the course of its 100 years as a studio, Disney has perfected its typical formula of impressive animation, imaginative stories, and addictive soundtracks. In recent years, the studio has come under closer scrutiny for its overreliance on known properties and a turn towards live-action over animation, but that hasn't stopped Disney from producing a movie at least partially geared towards celebrating its enduring legacy. Wish, the new...

The all-new musical-comedy welcomes audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudykas Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn (“Raya and the Last Dragon”), and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones (“Encanto”). Jennifer Lee executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore are writers on the project. With original songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice,...

A brave young woman who comes into her own via mild danger and zippy musical numbers: check. Talking animals: check. An adorable sidekick of indeterminate origin: check. A menacing evildoer who traffics mostly in scary green magic: check. A world populated almost exclusively by sweet citizens who continuously break into song: check. Dead parent: check check check! For its latest original animated outing, Disney sticks to the usual trappings with a few twists here and there, most of them appealing to moviegoing families desperate for a new film to entertain kiddos to over the holidays.

Co-directed by veteran Chris Buck (“Frozen”) and first-time director Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish” feels superficially familiar but contains some canny contemporary trappings that hint at a new direction for Disney. Co-written by Buck, Jennifer Lee (Disney Animation’s chief creative officer and “Frozen” maestro), and Allison Moore, “Wish” bumps up some classic elements (self-determination! caring for others!

There’s a character in Disney’s self-mythologizing movie Wish whose life dream is to inspire the next generation. He lives in Rosas, the fictional kingdom ruled by the self-taught sorcerer Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine). For reasons that remain murky, the wizard hoards his constituents’ wishes in his castle tower. When residents of Rosas turn 18, they relinquish their greatest dream in hopes that one day their benevolent dictator will fulfill it. Magnifico, like all authoritarian leaders, insists that it’s a small price to pay for their safety and eternal peace of mind.

The whole premise is very Disney, and Wish plays out as one would expect. Magnifico meets his match in Asha (Ariana DeBose), a 17-year-old girl who dares to question the order of things. Their encounter represents the generational crossroads that Disney finds itself at during its centennial. In him, a symbol of authority and empire. In her,...

Disney has created an entire legacy on the concept of wishing on a star, but what happens if that star was an adorable, autonomous being? That’s just the start of Disney’s centennial feature, “Wish,” an animated musical that simultaneously pays homage to the Walt Disney Company while forging a new path of storytelling meant to sustain another hundred years.

But the idea of making a film to represent 100 years of storytelling is a tall feat, and it’s the biggest barrier to “Wish.” For all the film’s adoration of the Disney Company, and it’s back to basic approach of celebrating a great villain, Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore’s screenplay often feels underwritten, with characters who are delightful but lacking that wee bit of verisimilitude to make them jump off the page. Make no mistake, “Wish” is a darling film with fantastic music and amazing voice performances,...

Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the Los Angeles premiere of Walt Disney Animation’s latest film “Wish” on Wednesday night was set to be a star-free affair — well, save for the literal star on which the movie is based.

But just before 5 p.m., the union announced that, after 118 days, the strike would come to an end as of 12:01 a.m. Pt on Thursday.

Of course, that meant the animated movie’s cast — including Oscar winner Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine — weren’t allowed to make a quick change into their red carpet finest and hustle over to the El Capitan Theatre for a screening set to begin at 7 p.m., but the mood was jubilant nonetheless.

With the film serving as a celebration of Disney’s 100th anniversary, the studio pulled out all the stops for the pre-premiere party on Hollywood Blvd., launching a “Wish” drone show in...

Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Music Group today released the new song “Welcome to Rosas,” performed by Ariana DeBose and the talented cast of Wish. Now available on SiriusXM’s Disney Hits Channel 302, YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and all digital service providers, “Welcome to Rosas” is the third of five songs being revealed as part of a weekly “Wish Wednesdays” music campaign ahead of the film’s launch in U.S. theaters on November 22. Check out the video for the song above!

Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy®-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice penned seven original songs for the film. “I would describe the songs as fun, emotional and heartfelt,” said Michaels. “We had to cover a lot of ground for Wish lyrically, so a lot of the songs are rhythmically whimsical and intentional.” This “is the first song you hear from the movie,...

After 100 years of making animated film musicals about talking animals, princesses, classic literary characters, superheroes, and even space pirates, there's not a whole lot of ground that Disney has never covered before. With the upcoming "Wish," however, the House of Mouse will ring in its centennial by focusing on the very idea of wishes. It's a motif that's appeared time and time again in the studio's work, yet it's rarely interrogated. What even is a "wish," really? Who decides which wishes come true and which ones do not? And if wishes can change the course of one's life, what does that even mean for those whose greatest wishes are never granted? It's a real existential conundrum, the further you go down this rabbit hole.

No doubt, you'll be shocked to learn that Disney hasn't fashioned "Wish" as an Ingmar Bergman-esque rumination on these questions and what they say about the human condition.

Walt Disney Animation‘s Wish is making dreams come true for the House of Mouse after the animated feature’s recent trailer spread like wildfire online. With more than 66.5 million views across online platforms, Disney’s Wish trailer is the most-viewed preview for one of the studio’s animated films since 2019’s Frozen II. Discussions around the film praise the project’s original story, uplifting music, peculiar characters, the sinister villain, and a dazzling kingdom populated with charming locals.

Inspired by the fanciful act of wishing on stars, Wish introduces Asha (Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

Joining DeBose as primary cast...