Prince Charming: Everything we know about this new Disney live-action film
Disney has reportedly acquired the script for a movie about Prince Charming. The new movie, if made, would follow such successful live-action fairy tales by the studio as 'Alice in Wonderland,' 'Maleficent,' and 'Cinderella.'
'Cinderella' stars Lily James (l.) and Richard Madden (r.).
Jonathan Olley/Disney/AP
A new Disney live-action film may center on a charming prince 鈥� or someone related to him, anyway.聽
Disney has reportedly acquired a script for a film about Prince Charming. The move follows live-action movies by the studios that are based on some of its classic tales, including 鈥淐inderella,鈥� which was released this past March and is already one of the highest-grossing movies of 2015, and the successful 2014 film 鈥淢aleficent鈥� as well as the forthcoming live-action versions of 鈥淏eauty and the Beast,鈥� 鈥淒umbo,鈥� and a new take on the 鈥淧eter Pan鈥� character Tinkerbell.
This 鈥淐harming鈥� movie is rumored to center not on the famous prince but on a brother who struggles to get anything right.聽
However, since more on the plot isn鈥檛 public knowledge, movie fans don鈥檛 even know in what fictional universe this story will be set, because there are multiple Disney princes who went nameless in the studio鈥檚 early history. The royal suitor in 鈥淪now White and the Seven Dwarfs鈥� never got a name, nor did the male character who romanced the protagonist in 鈥淐inderella.鈥� The prince in 1959鈥檚 鈥淪leeping Beauty鈥� got a major upgrade merely by having his name spoken onscreen 鈥� it's Philip.
The contrast between the early, vaguely defined character of Snow White鈥檚 prince and such romantic heroes as Aladdin is noticeable. Early Disney male leads like Cinderella鈥檚 prince had little more to do than fight the villain at the end and deliver lines like 鈥淲ait, you can鈥檛 go now!鈥� Female characters like Snow White aren鈥檛 the deepest, either, but at least you know what to call them.
By contrast, male leads like the Beast in 1991鈥檚 鈥淏eauty and the Beast鈥� and the 1992 movie 鈥淎laddin鈥� are conflicted characters 鈥� the Beast is working to overcome his temper and initial selfishness, while Aladdin must learn that he鈥檚 still a worthwhile person without being rich.
Of course, this 鈥渕isfit brother鈥� summary, if true, brings to mind another recent Disney hero: Flynn Rider of the 2011 movie 鈥淭angled.鈥� Flynn (also known as Eugene, his real name) was another interesting character, who hid his insecurity and good heart with wisecracks and who must learn to be less conceited and concerned with wealth. Disney could do worse than to emulate him. Few could forget Flynn鈥檚 name.