Disney's Wish explores the origin of the wishing star through a kingdom of secrets.
In short: In the kingdom of Rosas, citizens surrender their deepest desires to a sorcerer king who promises to grant them. When 17-year-old Asha discovers the king’s true, selfish intentions, she makes a desperate plea to the stars, triggering a magical journey that reveals the origin of Disney's iconic wishing star.
Released in 2023 to mark Disney's centennial, Wish serves as an origin story for the legendary wishing star found in many of the studio's films. The narrative centers on Asha, a teenager living in Rosas, a Mediterranean island kingdom ruled by King Magnifico. Magnifico, a sorcerer, maintains order by collecting his subjects' wishes, which he stores as memories to be protected. However, he only grants one wish per month, and Asha eventually realizes he has no intention of returning the ungranted desires to their owners, using them instead to consolidate his own power.
The film’s visual identity was a deliberate attempt to bridge the past and present. Directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, alongside their team, blended traditional 2D watercolor aesthetics with modern computer animation. This hybrid approach was chosen because the filmmakers felt that relying solely on 2D animation imposed too many limitations on characterization and camera movement. The score, composed by Dave Metzger, further emphasizes this connection to Disney history by incorporating the first five notes of the classic song "When You Wish Upon a Star" into the film's underscore.
Despite high expectations and a marketing campaign that included a record-breaking trailer, the film faced significant commercial challenges. With a production budget between $175 million and $200 million, it grossed roughly $255 million worldwide. Analysts categorized the film as a box-office bomb, estimating a $131 million loss for the studio after accounting for home entertainment and streaming revenue. While it received mixed reviews, the film remains notable for its attempt to synthesize a century of studio themes into a single narrative, ultimately exploring the idea that true power comes from collective hope rather than the control of individual dreams.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Wish (film)
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