With corporate sibling Pixar at work on two new original movies, Disney Feature Animation also unveiled a completely new project, one that draws on Southeast Asian influences to spin a fresh tale. Directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, producer Osnat Shurer and writer Adele Lim introduced the first look at Raya And The Last Dragon.
Crazy Rich Asians' Awkwafina will lead the voice cast alongside Cassie Steele. The film is set in the fantastical kingdom of Kumandra, home to an ancient civilization that venerated dragons for their power and their wisdom. The land's people are made up of five clans, but they're under threat since dragons are long gone and a dark, sinister force has invaded. So Raya (Steele) is on a mission to find the last dragon, a creature she believes has the power to save her world. What she finds is the quirky dragon Sisu, a white, pink and teal dragon (Awkwafina) who also appears in human form.
The footage from the film was frankly jaw-dropping, showing even more realistic backgrounds and foliage than movies such as Moana and with charming character dynamics including a boy who is presumably Raya's little brother narrating the sequence and adding dramatic flute music.
Raya And The Last Dragon is due out in November 2020.