Disney shared news about its upcoming animated feature Wish at CinemaCon this afternoon. The studio is thrilled to announce Chris Pine (Into the Woods, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) is joining the cast as King Magnifico for the all-new musical comedy. Coming to theaters on November 22, 2023, Wish features Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, The Prom) as the voice of a young woman named Asha. Pine voices the ruler of Rosas, a magical kingdom where wishes come true.
“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.
Disney shared an image of Pine’s character, King Magnifico, alongside today’s announcement. In the photo, King Magnifico presents himself in all his silver fox glory. With a warm smile, fancy clothes, and posh palace pillars, King Magnifico looks proud of his Kingdom of Rosas.
In addition to giving families another reason to visit theaters this holiday season, Wish 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.
According to Disney’s official press release for Wish:
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. With original songs by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus a score by composer Dave Metzger, Wish opens only in theatres on November 22, 2023.