Disney's first full trailer for the upcoming animated film Raya and the Last Dragon gives audiences a more in-depth look at the movie's heroine and her world. Much of the film was created during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will be the second movie released on Disney+ with Premier Access, following Mulan.
Raya and the Last Dragon is an epic fantasy story that takes place in the fictional land of Kumandra, which draws heavily from a variety of Southeast Asian cultures. Humans and dragons used to live in harmony in Kumandra, but when a horde of monsters known as the Druun attacked, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Many years later, the lands of Kumandra - Heart, Talon, Fang, Spine, and Tail - have fallen into disarray, and the Druun are reassembling. It's up to warrior princess Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) to find the last dragon and save the day.
Promising a message of unity and epic adventure, Raya and the Last Dragon is one of the many films whose release has been derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with its release only months away, it's time to get acquainted with Disney's newest princess. From the release date to the film's cast, here is everything we know about Raya and the Last Dragon.
Raya and the Last Dragon Release Date and Streaming
Raya and the Last Dragon premieres in theaters and on Disney+ on March 5, 2021. Like Disney's 2020 remake of Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon will cost viewers the $29.99 Premier Access fee. It is likely that the film will drop on Disney+ for no extra cost in the months after its initial release, as Mulan did, but no date has been set for that yet.
Raya and the Last Dragon Cast and Characters
Raya and the Last Dragon boasts an all-star cast. Kelly Marie Tran, known for her role as Rose Tico in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, plays Raya, the film's lead: Raya is a princess and warrior who has trained to become a Guardian of the Dragon Gem. Awkwafina (The Farewell, Crazy Rich Asians) voices Sisu, a water dragon and the last of her kind.
Other members of the cast include Gemma Chan as Raya's rival, Namaari; Sandra Oh as Virana, leader of the people of Fang and Namaari's mother; Daniel Dae Kim as Raya's father; Benedict Wong as Tong, a giant and one of Raya's companions; Izaac Wang as Boun, a child entrepreneur; Thalia Tran as Little Noi, a 'con-baby'; and Alan Tudyk as Raya's animal sidekick Tuk Tuk. The cast is full of talented actors, but many have pointed out that, while the movie is inspired by Southeast Asia, most of the voice cast is East Asian, raising questions of representation in animation.
Raya and the Last Dragon Story Details
The story of Raya and the Last Dragon appears to unfold on two scales: there's is the fantastic battle between the dragons and the Druun, which requires Raya to find Sisu, but there is also the matter of reconciling the differences between the five lands of Kumandra. These plots will surely influence each other in order to deliver a wider message of trust and connection.
Based on the trailer, Raya trains under her father her whole life in order to find the last dragon. As an adult, she teams up with Tong, Boun, and Little Noi to find the last dragon and defeat the Druun, all while fighting with Namaari, who seeks the dragon for her own people. The trailer teases Disney's most action-focused animated film yet, complete with epic fights and gorgeous visuals. After the disappointment of 2020's Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon has the potential to be the next great film in the Disney princess canon.
