Disney+ is officially taking fans down the rabbit hole.
The streamer on Tuesday announced a new installment in the Descendants franchise, tentatively titled The Pocketwatch, which will feature seven new songs.
New characters include Red, the “whip-smart and rebellious teenage daughter” of Alice in Wonderland‘s Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, the “perfectionist and athletic daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming.”
According to the official logline, “in order to prevent an impending coup in Auradon — one that looms during the celebration of a new royal baby — Red must join forces with Chloe to travel in back in time, via the White Rabbit’s pocket watch, to stop an event that would lead to grave consequences.”
(Excuse us, but what’s this about a royal baby? Are King Ben [Mitchell Hope] and Queen Mal [Dove Cameron] expecting already?)
Jennifer Phang will direct The Pocketwatch which is written by Dan Frey and Russell Sommer. Production is expected to begin this fall.
“With a captivating script and Jennifer Phang’s directorial vision, we’re setting a new high bar of creativity and imagination, with a movie that ups the ante on story, song and dance to entertain young viewers, their families, and the global fan base that grew up with the aspirational story of Descendants,” Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television, said in a statement. “We join them in anticipation as we prepare to deliver a great new entertainment experience to Disney+.”
Adds Phang, “The Pocketwatch presents a delightful canvas with fantastical world building. Musicals sparked my imagination when I was a kid and are a huge part of what drew me to filmmaking. I think that’s because they have a way of conveying these lovely, nuanced ideas through song and expressive movement. I’m also always inspired by the diversity of families that exist all around the world. So I really jumped at the chance to craft a supercharged musical experience and explore some new, invigorating themes inside an expansive Disney universe.”
A Wonderland-centric adventure was originally teased at the end of Descendants: The Royal Wedding (2021). When Mal alluded to “another story” beginning somewhere else, the camera panned over to a pile of white roses — painted red, naturally — and took us down the rabbit hole before fading to black.
Descendants fans, are you excited to visit Wonderland for the first time? And are we on the same page about this supposed “royal baby”? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.
This content was originally published here.