got this from wikipedia...
The Frog Princess is an
animated film currently in development by
Walt Disney Feature Animation. It will be the first traditionally animated (2-D) feature film in
Disney's animated features canon since
2004's
Home on the Range. It will be directed by
Ron Clements and
John Musker, with music composed by
Randy Newman.
Sources have revealed that the film will be an American fairy tale musical set in
New Orleans during the
1920s Jazz Age, and the leading character, Maddy, will be the first black Disney princess.
[1]
Although the film's entry in
IMDb states its release year being
2008, it is highly unlikely as it hasn't been officially
greenlit yet. Furthermore, Disney has been working on other animated films for some time, including
Rapunzel which is slated for release in
2009.
Disney had once announced that
Home on the Range would be the studio's last 2-D entry to their animated features canon, but after the company's acquisition of
Pixar in early
2006, it was reported that
Ed Catmull and
John Lasseter, new leaders of the animation department, were interested in going back to 2-D.
[2] The news about
The Frog Princess was broken by Rhett Wickham in a column for LaughingPlace.com, revealing that the film was in development, and that
Ron Clements and
John Musker, directors of successful 2D Disney films
Aladdin and
The Little Mermaid, would be writing and directing.
[3] About a month later, at the
Comic-Con, Disney animator
Eric Goldberg confirmed the news and also mentioned that Oscar-winning composer
Alan Menken would be in charge of the music.
[4] [5]
The film promises to return to the
Broadway-style musical in the likes of the successful Disney animated films such as Walt's classics, and Disney's musical rennisance of the late
'80s and all of the
'90s.
[6] Wickham also reported that John Lasseter had personally asked Ron Clements and John Musker to direct and write the film, and had let them choose what form of animation (hand-drawn or CGI) they wanted the film to be in. As of June 2006, no artistic staff had been hired for visual development or storyboarding yet, but the script was expected to be finished by Autumn 2006. New and updated software will be used in the digital processing of the film, as the old
CAPS system from Disney is now outdated.
[7]
On
November 13,
2006, it was revealed that
Randy Newman, who was responsible for the music of many
Pixar films, would be in charge of the music in the film instead of
Alan Menken and his new lyricist
Glenn Slater, due to John Lasseter not wanting the public to feel Disney being repetitive, as Menken is also working on another Disney fairy tale film,
Enchanted. This reportedly upset a lot of Walt Disney Feature Animation employees.
[8]
On
December 1,
2006, a detailed casting call was announced for the film at the
Manhattan Theatre Source forum.
[1] The casting call states the film as being an American fairy tale musical set in
New Orleans during the
1920s Jazz Age, and provides a detailed list of the film's major characters, including the leading character, Maddy, who will be the first
African American Disney princess. It was reported that
Alicia Keys,
Jennifer Hudson, and
Anika Noni Rose are all being considered for the title role.
A list of the film's major characters, as revealed in its casting call:
- Maddy - A 19-year-old chambermaid.
- Charlotte La Bouff - A 18-year-old spoiled, southern Debutante and Diva.
- Dr. Duvalier - An African American Voodoo magician/fortune teller. The villain of the movie.
- Mama Odie - An elderly, 200-year-old Voodoo priestess/fairy god-mother.
- Ray - A lovesick Cajun firefly.
- Louis - A Jazz singer alligator.
- Prince Harry - A gregarious, fun-loving European Prince, in his early twenties.
- Lawrence - Prince Harry's pompous valet.
- Big Daddy La Bouff - Wealthy, Southern plantation landowner and father of Charlotte La Bouff.
- Eudora - Maddy's mother. In her fifties. Used to be Charlotte's nurse maid.
- George - The La Bouff family's cook.
- Arila - Maddy's sister.
