The Princess and the Frog: New Disney TV Special in the works
Previously, there had also been talk of a live-action adaptation
Disney is working on a new adventure set in the world of "The Princess and the Frog." The 2009 original is set to be continued in the form of an animated TV special. At the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, confirmed to Collider that the project is in the works. Specifically, he said:
"Well, there is something we've actually been working on. It is a special set in the world of 'The Princess and the Frog'. We are really moving on that right now. So, that's actually in active production. That will be out to people soon. New songs. Original cast. It is pretty spectacular."
However, no details about the story have been revealed yet. We'll also have to wait for a specific release date on Disney+. Bush also hasn't revealed which voice actors from the original cast will be returning. The original cast included Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Cody, Jim Cummings, Peter Bartlett, Jenifer Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, and John Goodman.
What is the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog about?
The original animated film is set in New Orleans in the 1920s. The protagonist, Tiana, works as a waitress and dreams of owning her own restaurant. When she kisses an enchanted prince, she, too, turns into a frog. From then on, the two try to break the curse. The Disney film was partly inspired by Elizabeth Dawson Baker's novel "The Frog Princess." The book, published in 2002 by E. D. Baker, is itself a variation on the classic fairy tale "The Frog Prince."
John Musker and Ron Clements directed "The Princess and the Frog". Together with Rob Edwards, they also wrote the screenplay. The animated film grossed $267 million at the global box office. At the 2010 Academy Awards, "The Princess and the Frog" was nominated for three awards: two in the "Best Original Song" category and one in the "Best Animated Feature Film" category. In the end, however, the animated movie went home empty-handed. The song "The Weary Kind" from the musical drama "Crazy Heart" won Best Original Song and the Pixar film "Up" was named Best Animated Feature of the Year.
Tiana put on hold, but live-action adaptation planned
The newly announced TV special for "The Princess and the Frog" isn't the first attempt to revive the franchise. Previously, a Disney+ series titled "Tiana" was planned, in which voice actress Anika Noni Rose was set to reprise her role as the titular protagonist. However, the project was shelved in March of last year. Fans are likely all the more delighted that an animated special is now set to happen after all.
But that's not all. As KinoCheck reported a few months ago, Disney is also planning a live-action adaptation of "The Princess and the Frog." The live-action film, however, is not intended to be a remake of the original story. Instead, it's being described as a spin-off centered on Tiana. Colman Domingo is in talks to write the screenplay. The "Euphoria" star is best known as an actor. He was most recently seen on the big screen in the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" as the father of the titular singer. Further details about this new take on "The Princess and the Frog" have yet to be revealed.