“Spellbound” Casting adds Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem

“Spellbound” Casting adds Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem

June 21st, 2022

Jerry Beck

Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation revealed today that Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem have joined the cast of the star-studded animated musical feature, Spellbound. Kidman will be voicing the role of ‘Ellsmere,’ the kind and just, yet hyper-precise Queen of Lumbria; and Bardem will voice ‘Solon,’ the boastful yet big-hearted King of Lumbria. Together, they are the parents of ‘Princess Ellian’ (voice by Rachel Zegler), who they join on her daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever.

“Spellbound” is directed by Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton. The original score and songs for the film hail from Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, with song lyrics by Glenn Slater. Chris Montan serves as executive music producer. John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Lipman are producing for Skydance Animation.

Also joining the cast is multi-award winner John Lithgow (“Sharper,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Bombshell”), who will provide the voice for ‘Minister Bolinar,’ and Jenifer Lewis (“The Princess and the Frog,” “Black-ish,” “I Love That For You”) who will provide the voice for ‘Minister Nazara Prone,’ both royal advisors to Princess Ellian. Ellian seeks out The Oracles of the Sun and Moon, voiced by Nathan Lane (“The Lion King,” “The Producers,” “The Birdcage”) and Emmy Award winner André De Shields (“tick, tick…BOOM!,” “Hadestown,” “Extreme Measures”), to break the spell on her parents and the kingdom. Throughout her journey, Ellian meets several characters who help her, including ‘Callan,’ a young nomad, voiced by Jordan Fisher (Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between,” “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”).

“Spellbound” joins an expanding lineup of the Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation projects, alongside upcoming titles such as the highly anticipated feature “Luck,” and the animated series “Wondla.” The studio’s inaugural Apple Original short film, “Blush,” had its world premiere as part of the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival’s animated shorts program and is now streaming globally on Apple TV+. Later this year, Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation will also premiere their first animated feature “Luck” on Apple TV+ on August 5, 2022.

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.