DisneyToon Studios may be making its last Disney Fairies film (at least for now), but that hasn’t stopped the studio from pulling out all the stops in terms of casting.
According to an exclusive press release, Disney has announced the addition of Rosario Dawson to the cast of Legend of the NeverBeast.
In the film she provides the voice of Nyx, a Scout Fairy charged with protecting the land of Pixie Hollow and the fairies who reside there. Characterized as a true professional who takes her job very seriously (a little too seriously at times), allowing facts and logic to guide her every move.
The Scout Fairies themselves are a patrol group led by Nyx and are described in the press release as “a group of fearless fairies who protect the residents of Pixie Hollow. They are agile and athletic with a keen ability to spot trouble before it gets out of control.”
Disney also debuted their first trailer for the film, which can be viewed below:
Rosario Dawson joins a cast that includes Mae Whitman (Tinker Bell), Megan Hilty (Rosetta), Lucy Liu (Silvermist), Raven Symone (Iridessa), Anjelica Huston (Queen Clarion), and Once Upon a Time‘s Ginnifer Goodwin, who replaces Angela Bartys in the role of Fawn.
Once more, we have the synopsis, which describes the films as follows:
“Disneytoon Studios returns to Pixie Hollow with the heartwarming adventure “Legend of the NeverBeast.” The new story explores an ancient myth of a fabled creature whose distant roar sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell’s good friend Fawn, an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this animal—massive and strange with glowing green eyes—is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink and the girls to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast before time runs out.”
While Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios have lined up future films, DisneyToon still stands on shaky ground. Much has been made about their decimated work force (Steve Huelett of The Animation Guild blog described the offices at DisneyToon as containing “Lots of empty cubicles”) and no word has been brought up about a Planes 3.
Also, while the Disney Fairies films have seen limited theatrical releases (The Pirate Fairy even had a short run at the El Capitan theatre), the direct-to-DVD home market has always been their bread and butter for theses films. Now that market is on a decline and future films in the Disney Fairies line have been shelved. Needless to say, it’s a little too late in the game to give a Disney Fairies film a full-on theatrical release.
At this rate, who knows what will happen to DisneyToon after Legend of the NeverBeast. I think the message is pretty clear at this point: something has to change, or they’re done.
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast comes to DVD and Blu-Ray on March 3, 2015.
What do you think? Any thoughts on the addition of Rosario Dawson?
