Nicole KidmanandJavier Bardemare the latest voice talents announced for the hotly anticipated Apple Original animated feature,Spellbound. As the tech giant continues to establish its new media empire,Spellboundwill offer a riff on the traditional Disney formula, modernized for contemporary audiences.
Apple is clearly throwing a lot of weight behind the film, with the intention perhaps to launch the brand into the lucrative family film market. Kidman and Bardem will join a star-studded supporting cast that includesNathan Lane,John Lithgow, and Andre De Shields.
Rachel Zeglerhas also beenannounced for the project’s starring role of Princess Ellian. The young actress is hot property in Hollywood, coming off the back of her breakout role in Steven Spielberg’sWest Side Story. Zegler is also set to make her DCEU debut inShazam! Fury of the Godsand has fittingly been cast as Snow White in the upcoming live-action remake,Snow White.
Kidman has been cast as Queen of the fantasy world of Lumbria, Ellsmere while Bardem will play her counterpart, King Solon. Together they will aid Princess Ellian in her quest to save their land after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to leave the kingdom struck by division and darkness.
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem Reunite
Spellboundwill see Kidman and Bardem reunite for the first time since Aaron Sorkin’sBeing the Ricardos. The film proved a huge critical hit earning a number of Academy Award nominations including Best Actor for Bardem and Best Actress for Kidman.
Whilst the duo came up short on the night, they did receive significant praise for their chemistry on screen, and Kidman was at least recognized with a Golden Globe and an AACTA International Award for her performance as theI Love LucystarLucille Ball. Having both names attached in such a short space after the awards season will surely do wonders in generating buzz forSpellbound.
Spellboundis being produced in conjunction with the recently founded Skydance Animation, a subsidiary of Skydance Media, spearheaded by former Pixar bigwigJohn Lasseter. It will be only the second release to come out of the new studio followingLuck, which will also debut exclusively on Apple TV+ from August 5th this year.
The film will be helmed by notable animation director Vicky Jenson, best known for directing the originalShrekandShark Tale. Jensen has also worked in several behind-the-scenes roles on other animated projects, including the successful tv series’The FlintstonesandThe Smurfs.
Prominent composer Alan Menken will be producing the film’s soundtrack, one of only a handful of people to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony. Menken produced acclaimed accompaniments to a number of Disney films includingThe Little Mermaid,Aladdin,Beauty and the Beast, andPocahontas.
With so much talent behind the project accompanying the stellar voice cast, it’s hard to imagineSpellboundwon’t be a major selling point for Apple TV+ when it launches later this year. The film is slated to release on November 11th.
