A Prince Charming movie is in development at Disney with a director and screenwriters attached. Prince Charming is an archetypical character who is present in many fairy tales, but in terms of Disney princess movies he is most often linked to 1950’s Cinderella. While their original animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs featured an unnamed prince who had similar characteristics, Cinderella was the first canonical Disney princess title to use the name Prince Charming, with subsequent princes usually receiving first names including Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty.
Per Deadline, Paddington and Wonka director Paul King is now attached to a Prince Charming movie that is in the works at Disney. This project is said to not tie into Cinderella. Plot details are currently unknown about the script, which will be penned by King, Jon Croker (The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, additional material on Paddington 2 and American Animals), and King’s frequent collaborator Simon Farnaby (Wonka, Paddington 2).
What The Prince Charming Announcement Means
There Are Still Many Unknowns About The Movie
If the Prince Charming movie is not connected to 1950’s Cinderella, it remains to be seen what version of the character appears in the movie. Prince Charming has been interpreted in many different ways over the years, including as a conniving villain in Shrek 2 and an enchanted amnesia patient in ABC’s Once Upon a Time. However, it seems probable that the movie could either be an origin story for the stock character or present a different perspective on a classic, non-Cinderella Disney tale, focusing on the Prince’s side of the story.
Prince Charming was voiced by Rupert Everett in Shrek 2 and played by Josh Dallas in Once Upon a Time.
So far, it is also unknown exactly what format the Prince Charming movie will take. However, given Paul King’s pedigree, it seems likely to be a live-action musical like 2023’s Wonka. That movie, which starred Timothée Chalamet as a younger version of the enigmatic chocolate maker from 1971’s Roald Dahl adaptation Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, was a smash hit, grossing $632 million against a $125 million budget and earning a Certified Fresh 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Thus, it seems likely that King and his co-screenwriters would try to replicate its success.
Our Take On The Prince Charming Movie
Paul King Is Making A Big Swing
Prince Charming sees Paul King taking a risk after following his two Paddington movies with Wonka. He already left behind one franchise, with the upcoming Paddington in Peru being helmed by Dougal Wilson in his stead. However, taking on this project could potentially prevent or delay the possible Wonka 2, which he has previously expressed interest in taking on, telling Total Film that “I’d like to spend more time in this world.” It remains to be seen if he can find critical and commercial success with bringing a third untested property to the screen.
Source: Deadline & Total Film
