Brandy returns to her role as Cinderella in a new Descendants movie for Disney+. A modernization of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1957 musical, Walt Disney Television's Cinderella was the first adaption to feature a Black woman in the role of the fairytale princess. Airing on ABC in 1997, Cinderella saw Filipino actor Paolo Montalbán as the Prince, opposite Brandy as Cinderella. The late pop legend Whitney Houston also starred as the Fairy Godmother, and Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen. Drawing in 60 million viewers when it aired, Cinderella's cast recently reunited at a 25-year anniversary special on ABC, celebrating the film's groundbreaking diversity and lasting legacy in Hollywood.
Now, IndieWire reveals that Brandy will return as Cinderella in a new Descendants film for Disney+. Based on a script by Dan Frey and Russell Sommer, the movie is currently using the working title The Pocketwatch, and will also feature pop star Rita Ora as The Queen of Hearts. Set to be directed by Jennifer Phang, the cast announcement includes Morgan Dudley and Ruby Rose Turner, playing the younger version of Cinderella and the Queen of Hearts. In addition, Malia Baker was announced to star as Cinderella’s daughter, Chloe.
How Cinderella Could Play Into The Descendants Universe
The Descendants franchise follows the children of both Disney heroes and villains as they attempt to live alongside each other in the kingdom of Auradon. Directed by High School Musical's Kenny Ortega, the original three Descendants movies aired on the Disney Channel between 2015 and 2019. Disney+ previously announced a revival of the franchise with The Pocketwatch, bringing back China Anne McClain as the daughter of Ursula, Uma, and casting franchise newcomer Kylie Cantrall as the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, Red.
The Pocketwatch will follow Chloe and Red as they journey back in time, attempting to stop a coup by using a mystical pocketwatch in the possession of the Mad Hatter's son. Based on the initial plot, there are two possibilities for the central characters. It could be that Red will cross over from the dark side early on, following in the footsteps of the Descendants franchise's previous protagonists. Although Red's mother, known for cutting off the heads of her enemies, is evil, it seems Red will seek to redeem her fate, as she is working with Chloe. It could also be that Red is forced to team up with Chloe as a way of fostering further peace between the residents of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost, which notably formed a bridge between each other at the end of Descendants 3.
For this new Descendants, it seems more likely that that Chloe and Red strike up a surprising friendship early on, or perhaps they are friends against their mothers' wishes. However, with castings for both a younger version of Cinderella and a younger version of the Queen of Hearts announced, this implies the pair have a complicated history with each other. This is where Brandy's Cinderella comes in; it seems likely she'll provide some key information about her past with the Queen of Hearts and can play a pivotal role in the girls' journey. While Cinderella stayed on the path of the righteous, a backstory could be given for the two's friendship, showing why each went on different path. Either way, it will be exciting to see Brandy back as Cinderella 25 years after her movie first premiered.
Source: IndieWire