Disney's Enchanted was a major hit when it arrived in theaters in 2007, providing a fish out of water story that utilized both animation and live-action sequences. The movie was well received critically, made a ton of money at the box office, and was even nominated for a few Oscars for its original music. An Enchanted seemed like a no brainer, so fans and cinephiles alike were surprising to see ten years already pass without much word on its still developing sequel. The sequel, titled Disenchanted, is apparently still in the works at Disney, and director Adam Shankman recently provided an explanation for its long gestation period.
It's been in development for a long time, but remember, in the midst of it, there was a big regime change, and a lot of stuff around the studio, figuring out what was important to Disney and how many movies they were going to make a year. There were some big movies that they were right to make, right out of the gate. Their track record is impenetrable. Making a movie over there is very exciting because they do not feel the need to put anything into production until they feel like they have it completely right.
It looks like all the major changes happening at the House of Mouse may have contributed to the long development process of Disenchanted. But Adam Shankman has assured the public that the project is still all speed ahead, and that the story is still being crafted at the studio. But the question remains: when the hell is the sequel going to start production?
Narratively, there were quite a few interesting dynamics to play with following the events of Enchanted. Giselle (Amy Adams) and Nancy (Idina Menzel) have essentially switched places, with the latter joining Edward in Andalasia. This will finally allow Menzel to sing in the sequel, as she wasn't given the opportunity in the first movie. Giselle is no doubt still continuing to adjust to life in the real world, as well as her new role as a mother to Robert's daughter Morgan. Adam Shankman also ensured that he's been in touch with the cast, so hopefully the likes of Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Spall, and Susan Sarandon may return as well.
In his conversation with Collider, Adam Shankman also gave a few updates about Disenchanted. Perhaps the most exciting is that there will be many more musical numbers the second time around, no doubt partly to feature the talents of both Amy Adams and Idina Menzel.
As planned right now, there's more singing and dancing than there was in the first one, and it's all original music, with Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz coming back to do it.
This should be extra exciting for fans of Enchanted, as the musical numbers were a major highlight of the original film. Since that's what also got Enchanted the most critical acclaim, it stands to reason that Disney would want to expand what they're so good at.
CinemaBlend will update you on Disenchanted as more details come out. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
