Awards Buzz Golden Globe Nomination Reactions: Film Categories
December 10, 2024
Awards Buzz Golden Globe Nomination Reactions: TV Categories
December 10, 2024
SPELLBOUND - Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters. Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled). A Netflix Film from Skydance Animation, Spellbound boasts an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess. Spellbound is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda and produced by John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation. Cr: Skydance Animation/Netflix © 2024
When thinking of your favorite Disney film song, there’s a great chance that Alan Menken was behind it. He was so prolific during the late ’80s that in many ways, that “Disney Sound” was most likely that “Menken Sound.” He lends his expertise to his first Netflix project, Spellbound (2024).
Joining Menken is Glenn Slater who did the bulk of song-writing. Slater and Menken worked together on Tangled (2010) and though Slater moved on to some Disney and family friendly fare, it was his turn at Sausage Party: Foodtopia (2024) that made him a perfect fit for Spellbound. Though the series is based off the raunchy Seth Rogen film, Sausage Party (2016), it has a surprising amount of heart and a sense of modernity that speaks to today’s time.
Spellbound is the tale of Ellian (Rachel Zegler), the princess of Lumbria who tries hard to just be a kid, even though her life is falling apart around her. Her parents Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) and King Solon (Javier Bardem) have been turned into monsters and Ellian doesn’t have a clue how to fix it. With the help of her trusted advisors, Bolinar (John Lithgow) and Nazara (Jennifer Lewis), Ellian discovers that adulting is a lot harder than she ever thought.
It’s a murderer’s row of talent as the cast is additionally bolstered by Tituss Burgess as Sunny and Nathan Lane as Luno. The two play the Sun and Moon oracles respectively, and add their musical theater prowess to every scene they’re in. One way to view Spellbound is as a film about a child with disabled parents. Though it’s not something that can be fixed, the film goes a long way to be the voice for thousands of children in that exact situation who many not have felt heard before. And the music and composition only add to the feeling of acceptance that runs through the film.
Awards Buzz had a chance to speak with Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and we spoke about everything from intertwining Burgess’s Broadway being with Lane’s more vaudevillian roots to creating musical themes to make the characters audibly recognizable. I talked to Menken about using his family as inspiration and to Slater about the freedom he was given to write with more maturity while still making everything family friendly. Both men excitedly told me what made Spellbound different and spoke passionately about how music was used to further and tell the story. Both knew they had to be a part of it! Check out our interview below!
Spellbound is playing now on Netflix.
