Disney's Disenchanted director Adam Shankman shared a new behind-the-scenes look at the film's musical numbers. The highly-anticipated sequel is a follow-up to the hit 2007 film Enchanted starring Amy Adams as Princess Giselle. On the day of her wedding to Prince Edward (James Marsden), Giselle accidentally leaves the animated fairy tale kingdom of Andalasia for the live-action world of New York City. The movie charmed audiences with whimsical music that earned three Best Original Song nominations at the Oscars.
Over a decade after the film was released, fans had all but given up on a second installment. Then Disney delighted audiences during their 2020 Investor's Day call by confirming a sequel was in development. Aptly titled Disenchanted, the story is set ten years after Giselle's happily ever after with Robert (Patrick Dempsey), where she questions her happiness. Adams and fellow original cast members Marsden, Dempsey, and Idina Menzel are back for the flick. And so are the enchanting musical numbers.
As Disenchanted films throughout the summer, director Adam Shankman has been teasing the world with updates. The Rock of Ages Executive Producer recently shared a sneak peek inside the rehearsal room for the movie's musical numbers. Alongside a group shot of masked-up dancers inside the dance studio, Shankman explained that the best part of his job is employing 75 dancers.
The director soars high above in the fun snap as dancers lift him into the air. Upon further inspection, it seems many of the dancers are wearing large rehearsal skirts, which could point to the fact that there will be some epic fairy tale number. A collection of celebrity friends, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Heather Morris, Cheyenne Jackson, and Jenna Dewan, filled the comments section with excitement, as did Disney fans.
Disenchanted has been shooting in Ireland and will continue to throughout the summer. The mouse projects a 2022 premiere on Disney+, likely with a Premier Access debut initially to reap the most benefits as they did with Cruella and Mulan. Unlike those films and the rest of the Disney+ original cannon, Enchanted 2 is teed up to be the streamer's first full-out musical movie.
If the songs are half as catchy as the Enchanted, Disney can simultaneously expect lots of success on the music charts. Fans are already hoping for an evil ballad from Disenchanted's new baddie Malvina Monroe, played by Maya Rudolph. Broadway icon and Frozen favorite Idina Menzel is also set to have a solo number, an effort to correct one of the biggest misses of the first film: not utilizing her powerhouse pipes. Leading lady Adams will be singing again, too, and with Disney legends Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz teaming up to write, expectations are high.
Source: Adam Shankman