Everyone knows that disney has a huge catalog of movies, and among them is a very popular group of princess movies. Still, among these productions, there is one film in particular that stands out from the crowd for a number of reasons: enchanted, the 2007 musical fantasy rom-com. Directed by Kevin Lima and starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, and James Marsden, this film is both an homage and parody of classic Disney films. sent to the real world, which is completely alien to her.
enchanted was a blockbuster and claimed a special place in the hearts of the audience. And maybe that’s why in 2010, plans for a sequel with more of Giselle and Robert’s adventures began to be discussed, even though the production was moved several times (via Screen Rant). 12 years later, rumors became reality and Disillusioned, the highly anticipated sequel, has finally been released on Disney+. This time, Adam Shankman was in charge of directing and the leads reprized their roles, except Rachel Covey, who was replaced by Gabriella Baldacchino. Also joining the cast included Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, and Oscar Nunez. Like enchanted, the sequel features many musical numbers and a plethora of references to Disney’s most popular princess films. Let’s take a look at some of these kinks.
Sophia the first
Disillusioned takes place eight years after the events of the original film which ended with Giselle, Robert and Morgan living happily ever after. In this sequel, there is a new addition to the family: Sofia, Giselle and Robert’s baby daughter. The child’s name is a nod to a Disney character that is extremely popular with the little ones: Princess Sofia, the main character in Sophia the first. Although she is best known for the TV series, this character was first introduced in a movie called Sofia the First: Once upon a time there was a princesswhich premiered on Disney Junior in 2012.
Aladdin
There are two strong references to it Aladdin in Disillusioned, and they both got Giselle involved. When she discovers that her wish turns her into a villain, she heads into town to find Morgan and ask for help. However, her mean personality is determined to take control of her, making it very difficult for Giselle to achieve her goal. On the way, she stops at the market and talks to the vendors, just like Jasmine did in Agrabah. In fact, the outfit she wears to go unnoticed also resembles Jasmine’s in the 1992 movie. Towards the end of the movie, Giselle uses the magic wand to become the queen of the town, but her wish is half fulfilled : Although she now holds the crown, no one recognizes her as a figure of power. The same happened with Jafar in it Aladdinsince once he became the master of the mind, he used two of his wishes to become the sultan and the world’s most powerful wizard.
Frozen
Perhaps the most obvious nod to Frozen in Disillusioned is the involvement of Idina Menzel, the actress and singer who plays Elsa. Her character Nancy sings “Love Power,” a song that alludes to the power of memories, the thing that ultimately saves the magic of both Andalasia and Monroeville, just as it happens in Frozen 2. This song also says “let it grow, let it glow”, a clear nod to the hit “Let It Go”. Furthermore, Morgan’s room in the new house is very similar in style Frozen‘s castle.
Confused
After Giselle wished her life to be a fairy tale, Monroeville was transformed into Monrolasia and its inhabitants into characters in a fairy tale. In her new reality, Giselle transforms into a mean stepmother who loves to mistreat Morgan, who now lives trapped in a tower at the top of the house. The outside of the tower looks a lot like Rapunzel’s Confused. To escape from there, Morgan also climbs out the window, but she uses a rope of sheets instead of her own hair. Furthermore, the dress she wears while visiting Andalasia also bears some similarities to the princess’s iconic outfit.
The little Mermaid
Morgan’s character is clearly inspired by all those Disney princesses who yearned for more than what they knew, like Ariel, Belle and Rapunzel. That’s why many of her outfits and poses resonate so well with audiences. During her performance of “Perfect” it is clear to see that Morgan is not completely comfortable with her surroundings, just like Ariel in The little Mermaid. But on top of that, Morgan pays homage to the timeless scene where Ariel sings “Part of Your World” as she leans against a rock with a wave crashing right behind her.
Beauty and the Beast
There are many references to this 1991 movie, especially when Giselle makes her wish. To begin with, she discovers that all inanimate objects in the house have been brought to life: from the cutlery to the household appliances, via the broom and the dustbin, in a clear nod to Beauty and the Beast. During the song “Fairytale Life (After the Spell)”, the ensemble sings “Be our guest”, referring to one of Disney’s most popular songs. In addition, Morgan takes inspiration from Belle’s story, outfit and theme song in her solo track “Perfect”.
Sleeping Beauty
Disillusioned has a clear nod to Sleeping Beauty: fairies. When Giselle and her family first arrive at their new home in Monroeville, they discover there’s still plenty to do in the area and quickly become overwhelmed. But three strangers gardening approach the family to brighten their day. These characters clearly refer to Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, Aurora’s good fairies. Their clothing bears these fairies’ signature colors, especially when Monroeville becomes Monrolasia. All three take care of Sofia as the good fairies took care of Aurora.
Snowwhite and the Seven Dwarfs
Giselle shares a lot of traits with Snow White, including her ability to talk to animals. However, there is another character who also shares many characteristics with a character from the 1937 film: Queen Malvina. Not only does her outfit look very similar to the Evil Queen’s, but she even has her own Magic Mirror! However, the main difference between both queens is that Malvina does not want to be the most beautiful of them all, but rather the most powerful.
Cinderella
Cinderella is the princess movie most often referred to Disillusioned. While in the original film Giselle was the one who, on some level, played the role of Cinderella, in this film it is Morgan, who suffers the torment of her wicked stepmother and is forced to sneak out to attend the ball. . Not only that, but she also suffers from the shredding of the dress she wanted to wear to the event and in Andalasia undergoes a major costume transformation just like the 1950s princess. In addition, Tyson, her crush, shows up at the event in an outfit very similar to Prince Charming’s. Giselle, for her part, shares many things with Lady Tremaine, Cinderella’s evil stepmother. She even has a fat cat that looks like Lucifer! These are not the only references to Cinderella: Malvina’s henchmen resemble Anastasia and Drizella, not to mention the importance of the midnight hour to the effectiveness of spells and curses in both films.