Raya and the Last Dragon Introduces Disney’s First Southeast Asian Princess. Advocates Say Hollywood Representation Shouldn’t Stop There Time 3/6/2021
The arrival of
Raya and the Last Dragon, Disney’s latest animated movie, brings cause for celebration among many in Asian and Asian-American communities. The film is a landmark moment for Southeast Asian representation in Hollywood: Raya is Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess, and is voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, the first Southeast Asian actor to lead an animated feature from the studio. Set in the fantasy land of Kumandra, which Disney has said is inspired by the cultures of Southeast Asia, the story follows the quest of the eponymous heroine as she searches for the fabled dragon Sisu in order to restore a broken world. The film which is available on Disney+ with Premier Access and in select theaters on March 5 was co-written by Vietnamese-American screenwriter Qui Nguyen and Malaysian-American screenwriter Adele Li
The Flawed Fantasy World of Raya and the Last Dragon Shirley Li
Fantasy worlds that mirror real-life cultures have a long history in storytelling. Middle-earth, the Four Lands, Narnia, Westeros, Earthsea: These are fictional places populated by imaginary creatures and characters, but with politics, faiths, and cultural dynamics that resemble our own. They give their creators license to world-build with allegories for contemporary issues, but without worrying too much about fidelity to reality. For Disney’s animated films, such fantasy lands Wonderland, Neverland, even Atlantis are part of the studio s cinematic legacy. But when depicting non-Western cultures, Disney has sometimes flattened the various cultures of a region into one stereotype-heavy location. Agrabah, in the animated
Sisu
Raya and the Last Dragon features one of the best vocal performances in recent memory as Awkwafina breathes life into Sisu, and we recently caught up with the filmmakers to get more insight on her casting.
KingPatel |
3/5/2021
Robin Williams as the Genie in
Aladdin is a vocal performance for the ages and one that is likely never to be topped, but after watchingÂ
Raya and the Last Dragon, Awkwafina comes pretty damn close to matching the late actor s energy and enthusiasm in an instantly iconic role that s sure to resonate with fans of all ages for generations to come.Â
‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ Slaying Opening Weekend At Box Office, Fueled By Authentic Asian Promotional Partners Deadline 3/5/2021
EXCLUSIVE: Today, Disney rolls out
Raya and the Last Dragon, what is arguably its first domestic theatrical hybrid release; second worldwide if you count
Mulan. The animated movie which is booked at 2,045 theaters, sans roughly 250 Cinemark locations, but including the newly reopened New York City market, is on its way to grossing a notable $3M today and between
$9M-$10M domestic this weekend per industry estimates and that’s with an availability on Disney+ for the extra price of $30.
So, when it came to building a roster of promotional partners, Disney’s SVP of Global Marketing Partnerships & Promotions, Lylle Breier, and her team, took into account the title’s home audiences and growing theatrical moviegoers during the pandemic.
Raya and the Last Dragon cast and crew on Southeast Asian influence and characters nerdreactor.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nerdreactor.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.