Earlier this week, Disney treated members of the Toronto film scene to a sneak peek of its upcoming feature animation Wish. Director Fawn Veerasunthorn and producer Peter Del Vecho (Oscar winner for Frozen) presented roughly 20 minutes of the film and provided insights about the hard work entailed in putting together an animated feature.
The film stars Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) as Asha, a young woman who learns a dark secret about the wishes made by her fellow citizens in the Iberian kingdom of Rosas. Wish also features Alan Tudyk as Valentino, Asha’s pyjama clad pet goat, who is sure to become an audience favourite, as he joins Asha on a journey to discover what happens when you wish upon a star. New songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice fuel the soundtrack, including the track “This Wish,” which was one of two original songs presented during the sneak peek.
Wish marks Disney’s centennial and while we can’t reveal details about what we saw, the film provides an Easter egg hunt for moviegoers to look back at 100 years of animation. It also brings the Magic Kingdom into the present with an improved eye for representation and inclusion, which Veerasunthorn and Del Vacho discussed during the Q&A that followed the screening as the filmmakers shared a desire to let more audiences see themselves in the story.
Veerasunthorn, who makes her feature debut with Wish after working as head of story on Raya and the Last Dragon and an artist on films such as Frozen, Moana, and Zootopia, drew upon her experience of making her dreams come true after being inspired by Disney classics as a child. (Veerasunthorn directs Wish alongside Frozen‘s Chris Buck.) She provided insights about finding inspiration in beloved films like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella to create a magic kingdom that referenced the past while harnessing tools of the present to create a whole new world. Featuring striking 2.55:1 aspect ratio, the Cinemascope plane last used in Sleeping Beauty, Wish demands the big screen experience. – Pat Mullen
That Shelf’s Jason Gorber sat down with Fawn Veerasunthorn and Peter Del Vecho following the presentation to learn more about Wish. Watch their interview below.
