Spellbound (2024 Film)
The project, initially titled Split, was announced in July 2017, shortly after Skydance Animation was formed in March 2017, with Paramount Pictures scheduling distribution for 2019. The film subsequently underwent changes, such as release dates, with Jenson later announced as the director, and the film's title changed to The Unbreakable Spell, before eventually getting to its current title. The film was acquired by Apple TV+ in December 2020, before Netflix took over the rights in October 2023. Much of the main voice cast signed on in June 2022, following Zegler's casting in April 2022. Production was done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spellbound is scheduled for release on November 22, 2024 on Netflix.
Premise
The story is set in a world of magic known as Lumbria where a young girl, Ellian, must break the spell that has split her kingdom in two.
Voice cast
- Rachel Zegler as Princess Ellian
- Nicole Kidman as Queen Ellsmere
- Javier Bardem as King Solon
- John Lithgow as Minister Bolinar
- Jenifer Lewis as Minister Nazara Prone
- Nathan Lane as The Oracle of the Sun
- André De Shields as The Oracle of the Moon
- Jordan Fisher as Callan
Additionally, Tituss Burgess has been cast in an undisclosed role.
Production
Development
In March 2017, Skydance Media formed a multi-year partnership with Madrid-based animation studio Ilion Animation Studios, forming an animation division called Skydance Animation. In July, it announced Split, and it was revealed by Skydance Media CEO David Ellison that Linda Woolverton was writing the film. It would be distributed by Paramount Pictures as part of their deal with Skydance Media and was given a release date for sometime in 2019. Following John Lasseter's hiring as CCO of Skydance Animation, then-chief of Paramount Animation Mireille Soria announced that Paramount Animation would end its informal work with Skydance.
In April 2020, composer Alan Menken announced that he was working on the project with Lasseter, which was renamed to The Unbreakable Spell before it became Spellbound. The film would be directed by Vicky Jenson, from a screenplay by Woolverton and the writing team of Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin, with songs by Menken and longtime collaborator Glenn Slater. In July 2020, it was announced that Spellbound was still going to be released by Paramount Pictures without Paramount Animation until Apple TV+ acquired the distribution rights to it in December 2020 as part of a larger pact with Skydance Animation. Apple Original Films would replace Paramount as a production company. However, in October 2023, Skydance Animation ended its deal with Apple, and later signed a multi-year deal with Netflix, which would take over distribution of the studio's future films in production, including Spellbound. In February 2024, Julia Miranda was revealed to have joined the writing staff. In June 2024, Woolverton was confirmed to be a producer on the film.
Casting
In April 2022, Rachel Zegler was cast as the lead character. In June, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis, André De Shields, and Jordan Fisher were added to the cast. In June 2023, Tituss Burgess joined the cast.
Animation
Animation has been provided by Skydance Animation Madrid with portions of production done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marketing
In March 2022, it was reported that Skydance Animation made a multi-year deal with Spin Master Entertainment to make toys based on the film.
Release
In March 2017, it was reported that the original release was intended to be in 2019. On July 20, 2020, Paramount Pictures dated the film for November 11, 2022. On December 16, 2020, Apple TV+ entered talks to take over the distribution rights to the film, retaining its November 11 date. However, the film ended up missing its release date for unknown reasons.
A work-in-progress presentation of the film was shown at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June by Jenson and head of story Brian Pimental. Shortly after, the film was announced for a 2024 release. That October, Netflix took over the film's distribution rights from Apple, as part of a new multi-year deal with Skydance Animation, while retaining its 2024 release. In June 2024, Netflix announced that the film will premiere on November 22, 2024.