New Movie By George Lucas, Strange Magic, Will Hit Theaters In January

Personally I’m just happy it’s not a Frozen sequel as was previously rumored, but all this other news about the movie is great, too! A new story full of goblins and fairies! CGI from Industrial Light and Magic! Kristen Chenoweth and Alan Cumming in the cast! Yes please.

Officially announced today by Lucasfilm LTD. and Walt Disney Studios, Strange Magic will be a “a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the press release notes. “Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion.”

If Jukebox musicals aren’t your bag and you’re starting to rethink this whole “being happy for George Lucas” thing, then take heart: Moulin Rouge‘s music director, Marius de Vries, is on board to direct and compose all the scores for the upcoming film. The vocal cast has a pretty exciting list of names attached as well, including Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Sam Palladio, Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina, Elijah Kelley, Bob Einstein and Peter Stormare.

While the story was conceived by Lucas the screenplay was written by David Berenbaum (Elf), Irene Mecchi (Brave and The Lion King), and sound producer Gary Rydstorm, the latter of whom will also direct. George Lucas will also executive produce alongside Mark S. Miller (Mars Attacks!), and all the animation will be done by Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic, which created the animation for the Academy Award-winning Rango in 2011.

Obviously this whole project could be a huge hit or miss, but it’s still refreshing to see something coming out of Lucasfilm that isn’t Star Wars. Sadly we’ll have to wait until the movie is released on January 23th next year (yes, in two months) to know if it’s worth wasting all this optimism. In the meantime, look at those lil goblin and fairy cuties! I’m willing to give them a shot, are you?

(via ComingSoon.net)

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