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Disney’s Descendants is adding a new chapter to its cinematic universe.
On Friday (Aug. 7), Disney Channel and Disney+ launched the announcement of Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story , a new music-packed film that expands on the renowned movie franchise by shifting the spotlight to a new generation of characters: the descendants of Disney’s iconic sidekicks.
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In contrast to the other Descendants movies, which focused on the children of legendary Disney heroes and villains, Hidden Heroes will follow a group of aspiring sidekicks training at the secretive Sidekick Academy. According to the official synopsis, the recruits must rely on their newly learned skills to protect the fairytale world after a villainous pair threatens the academy. Most importantly, they must be able to do so without the help of heroes or their parents.
Leading the cast are Dior Goodjohn as Jennie, the daughter of Genie from Aladdin ; Momona Tamada as Zara, the daughter of Yzma, and Jacob Rodriguez as Kronk Jr., the son of Kronk, both from The Emperor’s New Groove ; Eva Fossaceca Smedley as Meri, the daughter of Merryweather from Sleeping Beauty ; and Harry Jones as Loud, the son of Lumière from Beauty and the Beast , along with Rhys Dawkins, Connor Wong and Kyra Wong as the Potts siblings.
“One of the things that has always made Descendants so special is the way it invites audiences to experience familiar Disney stories through an entirely new perspective,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family, said in a statement. “With Hidden Heroes , we’re finally putting the sidekicks center stage, because they’ve always been an essential part of Disney’s greatest adventures. It’s a fun, surprising new chapter that expands the Descendants universe with all the music, dance and heart fans love and expect from the franchise.”
The announcement comes just weeks after Descendants: Wicked Wonderland became the No. 1 movie on Disney+ globally during its first 10 days of release. The film’s soundtrack also debuted at No. 1 on Billboard ‘s Kid Albums chart and No. 2 on the Soundtracks chart, where it remains two weeks later. Songs like “Perfect Princess,” “Dancing With the Enemy” and “Mad-Wicked Wonderland” helped the soundtrack surpass 50 million global streams.
The franchise’s popularity extends beyond the screen too: Disney’s Worlds Collide concert tour is set to return this fall with a 60-date North American, U.K. and European run featuring stars from the beloved Descendants , ZOMBIES and Camp Rock films.
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