Chris Pine officially kicked off his reign yesterday as King Magnifico in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new musical-comedy Wish.
Pine (Into the Woods, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) lends his voice to the ruler of Rosas, a magical kingdom where wishes really do come true. He joins Academy Award®-winning actress Ariana DeBose, who voices the protagonist, a young woman named Asha in the film.
“As the most powerful person in the kingdom, King Magnifico needed to be played by someone who could give all the charm, cleverness and charisma to this magnanimous character, and Chris is beautifully bringing all of that and then some,” said Jennifer Lee, Wish executive producer and one of the writers for the film.
Tony Chambers, executive vice president and head of theatrical distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, revealed the casting coup moments ago at CinemaCon 2023, highlighting that Wish continues Disney Animation’s tradition of bringing epic tales to the big screen for families to experience together over the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond. The film also helps mark the culmination of Disney100, a yearlong celebration honoring the legacy of Walt Disney while continuing to push the boundaries of storytelling and innovation for the next 100 years.
As mentioned, Wish introduces Asha, a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Also featuring the voice of Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen 2) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon), produced by Peter Del Vecho (Frozen, Frozen 2) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (Encanto). Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen 2) executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore (Night Sky, Manhunt) are writers on the project. The film also comprises original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger.
Wish opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023.
