Apple Original Film by Skydance Animation, Spellbound, has added Tituss Burgess to its voice cast. The studio has also released an exclusive image ahead of its work-in-progress presentation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The musical fairytale is set to be released on Apple TV+ in 2024 and centers around Princess Ellian, voiced by Rachel Ziegler, who must manage her kingdom alone after a terrible spell turns her parents into monsters. The film features an original score and songs by veteran composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater.
Burgess, a six-time Emmy nominee, is known for his voice work on Apple TV+’s animated series Central Park as Cole Tillerman and Kelleth Vanbeaceler. He has also joined the cast of Apple’s Schmigadoon as the narrator for season 2. The Spellbound voice cast also includes John Lithgow, Jennifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem.
Director Vicky Jenson, known for her work on Shrek, will present the Annecy program alongside head of story Brian Pimenthal. Jenson describes Spellbound as “a story about a family for everyone in the family” and adds that while she has experience telling modern fairytale stories, this film is a fairytale take on a modern story. Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin, and Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay, while John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bruce Anderson are producing for Skydance Animation.
