From the co-director of Shrek and the creator of Toy Story comes SPELLBOUND, a magical new animated adventure starring Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, with Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman.
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters.
Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled).
A Netflix Film from Skydance Animation, Spellbound boasts an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess.
Spellbound is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda and produced by John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation.
DIRECTOR: Vicky Jenson
WRITTEN BY: Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda
PRODUCERS: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation
PROD. COMPANY: Skydance Animation
SCORE BY: Alan Menken
SONGS BY: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater
CAST: Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane with Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman
FROM THE DIRECTOR, VICKY JENSON:
Mythology and fairytales have always been part of my life and upbringing. My father, the son of immigrant Romanian parents, was an aspiring writer and my mother, raised in Costa Rica by literary parents, taught us to love the arts and old family ghost stories. Storytelling runs deep in our families!
So, when I was pitched the basic story of Spellbound, I recognised immediately the unusual yet universal heart that was already beating inside the concept. The original story, while powerful, wore it all on its sleeve, but it was when we found our allegory that the story started to sing. And as the old theatre saying goes: “When feelings are too big to express in words, one sings!” It was then that composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater joined the team and gave the movie its soul.
Spellbound is about what it is that really makes a family. Like any timeless myth or lasting fairytale, I believe the meaning reaches even further than the specifics of this family’s dynamic. It speaks to kids and their parents and the kinds of alienation that can happen between them as well as the steps we have to take toward each other, how we can weather it together, to come through to the other side with better understanding.
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
