Walt Disney Studios releases the Stargirl movie trailer teasing a feature film based on Jerry Spinelli’s 2000 novel of the same name. The upcoming Disney+ feature adaptation was directed by Julia Hart and stars 16-year-old American musician Grace VanderWaal in her film debut. In 2016, VanderWaal won America's Got Talent season 11.
Stargirl follows the experience of Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere), a student at Mica High School in Arizona. When the mysterious yet endearing Susan "Stargirl" Caraway (VanderWaal) shows up, Leo forms a crush and learns to become more comfortable in his own skin. The two outsiders share a special bond, and the perils of high school force them to confront some difficult truths about the present and future. Stargirl costars Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), Karan Brar (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Darby Stanchfield (Scandal), and Maximiliano Hernández (Avengers: Endgame). The original Stargirl novel was followed by the 2007 sequel Love, Stargirl. The Disney+ adaptation was written by Hart, Kristin Hahn, and Jordan Horowitz.
The new Walt Disney Studios trailer for Stargirl begins with the moment when Leo first spots Stargirl, but immediately transitions to his backstory. Leo recalls his difficult childhood, and how he learned to “disappear” at Mica High School. The tone livens up when VanderWaal’s colorful Stargirl appears, and performs a stripped-down ukulele cover of The Beach Boys’ “Be True to Your School.” As the new girl makes her presence known in Mica, Leo’s mentor Archie (Esposito) urges him to pursue a friendship. Check out the trailer for Stargirl below.
Stargirl marks the fifth feature film for Disney+, and could become the streaming service’s next breakout hit. In November 2019, the launch film Lady and the Tramp was mostly well received, while Noelle has been criticized for its overt product placement. In December 2019, Disney+ premiered Togo, a drama about the 1925 dog sled competition known as the “Great Race of Mercy." The film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and features four-time Oscar-nominee Willem Dafoe in the starring role. Disney+ will soon premiere the comedy Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
The Stargirl trailer teases a breakthrough performance from VanderWaal, a musician who is still relatively unknown in pop culture. Her 2017 debut album Just the Beginning earned her a loyal fanbase, along with the November 2019 release of the EP Letters Vol.1. Now, with a lead role in Stargirl, VanderWaal will become more recognizable upon being introduced to millions of Disney+ subscribers, especially if her performance hits the mark. And given the director Hart's success this past year with Fast Color, an indie hit starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stargirl will have an extra bit of momentum throughout 2020.
Source: Walt Disney Studios