Tiana is going back to the bayou! Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush has confirmed that a brand new The Princess and the Frog special is in the works for Disney+, and it will feature the original cast along with new songs.
What Jared Bush Said About the Special
Bush revealed the news while speaking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. He explained that the project is set in the world of The Princess and the Frog and is already in active production, summing it up as “New songs. Original cast. It is pretty spectacular.”
When asked for more details, Bush said the project will feel more like a television special than a series. It won’t be a collection of shorts, but a full story with plenty of songs woven in. Disney hasn’t announced a release date yet, though Bush said it will be out “soon” and added that the studio has other projects in a similar style, calling them a great way to revisit worlds fans want to see again.
Which Original Cast Members Could Return?
Bush didn’t say exactly which cast members are coming back, but the 2009 film featured an incredible voice cast. Anika Noni Rose voiced Tiana, Disney’s first African American princess, and was named a Disney Legend in 2011 for the role. She was joined by Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Keith David as Dr. Facilier, Jennifer Cody as Charlotte, Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis, Jim Cummings as Ray, Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie and Oprah Winfrey as Tiana’s mother, Eudora.
Rose has continued voicing Tiana over the years, including in Disney+’s LEGO Disney Princess specials, so fans are hoping to hear her sing as Tiana once again.
A Long Road Back to the Bayou
This news is especially exciting because fans have been waiting a long time for more Tiana. Disney+ originally announced Tiana, an animated musical series continuing her story, back in 2021, but after years of delays the series was shelved. Anika Noni Rose even spoke out about the Princess and the Frog series cancellation. Now it looks like Tiana’s next adventure has found a new home as a full special.
Tiana in the Parks
While we wait, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Tiana. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is open at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, and earlier this year Walt Disney Imagineering teamed up with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis on Tiana’s Joyful Celebration exhibit, the first ever museum exhibit dedicated to the princess. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Lari on your next ride through the bayou!
Are you excited to see Tiana back in a new musical special? Which song from the original film is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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