Skydance Animation has begun a new multi-year deal with Netflix where there full slate of animated films, those already made and currently in development, will be exclusively in the streamer. This means Skydance’s upcoming Spellbound starring West Side Story and Snow White actress Rachel Zelger has been moved from Apple and will premiere on Netflix.
Spellbound comes from Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with music by Disney legend Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. The film follows Zelger’s Princess Ellian on a quest to save her family and kingdom after a wicked spell transformed her parents into monsters.
Alongside Zelger, the voice cast includes Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon), Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Nathan Lane (The Producers) and Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).
The film was written by Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton with John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson producing.
Skydance’s new deal comes as their contract with Apple ended and rather than continue at Apple, they decided to move to Netflix since many of their live-action films like The Adam Project, The Old Guard and the recently released Spy Kids: Armageddon, along with several of their successful TV series such as Grace & Frankie, have been produced for Netflix.
Spellbound will be released on Netflix in 2024 followed by Skydance’s next animated feature Pookoo in 2025.
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious princess who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents, the King and Queen of Lumbria, into monsters.
Spellbound features the voices of Rachel Zegler (West Side Story), Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon), Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Nathan Lane (The Producers) and Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
Originally published October 20, 2023. Updated October 19, 2023.
