Skip To Content

News

Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis & More Board Animated Pic ‘Spellbound’ From Apple & Skydance Animation

June 21, 2022

The animated film Spellbound led by West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler has expanded its voice cast, with the Being the Ricardos duo of Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem signing on for roles, along with John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon), Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building), Jenifer Lewis (I Love That for You), André De Shields (tick, tick… BOOM!) and Jordan Fisher (Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen).

The upcoming musical from Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation will have Kidman voicing Ellsmere, the kind and just, yet hyper-precise Queen of Lumbria, with Bardem as Lumbria’s boastful yet big-hearted King, Solon. Together, they are the parents of Princess Ellian (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. Lithgow and Lewis will voice Princess Ellian’s royal advisors, Minister Bolinar and Minister Nazara Prone, with Lane and De Shields as The Oracles of the Sun and Moon that Ellian seeks out to break the spell on her parents and the kingdom. Additional characters aiding Ellian throughout her journey include the young nomad Callan, voiced by Fisher.

Spellbound joins an expanding lineup of projects from Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation, on the heels of their first animated feature Luck—debuting on Apple TV+ on August 5—and the animated series Wondla. Vicky Jenson (Shrek) is directing from a script by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton, with John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Lipman producing for Skydance Animation. Academy Award winner Alan Menken is providing the film’s original score and songs, with song lyrics by Glenn Slater. Chris Montan is serving as executive music producer.

Kidman is an Oscar winner who recently starred opposite Javier Bardem in Aaron Sorkin’s drama Being the Ricardos, landing her fifth nomination from the Academy for her turn as Lucille Ball. The actress was most recently seen in Robert Eggers’ Viking revenge pic The Northman, and on the Apple TV+ anthology series Roar, which she also exec produces. Upcoming projects include Aquaman and the Last Kingdom, the Amazon series Expats, the thriller Holland, Michigan from Fresh helmer Mimi Cave and an untitled rom-com for Netflix with Joey King and Zac Efron.

Bardem is an Oscar winner who landed his fourth nom for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos, also recently appearing in Dune and Fernando León de Aranoa’s comedy The Good Boss. Upcoming projects include Columbia Pictures’ adaptation of the children’s book Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Rob Marshall’s The Little Mermaid and Dune: Part Two.

Lithgow is a six-time Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee who can currently be seen on FX’s series The Old Man, led by Jeff Bridges. He’ll also soon be seen in the drama Sharper from Apple and A24, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Alejandro Monteverde’s Untitled Cabrini Film and the Edward Berger thriller Conclave.

Lane is a six-time Emmy nominee who has recently been seen on such series as The Gilded Age, Only Murders in the Building, Penny Dreadful: City of Angelsand Modern Family. Other upcoming projects include modern horror master Ari Aster’s Disappointment Blvd. with Joaquin Phoenix and Larry Charles’ comedy F***ing Identical Twins with Bowen Yang, Megan Mullally and more.

Lewis is a five-time NAACP Image Award nominee who voiced Mama Odie in Disney’s animated film The Princess and The Frog, and can currently be seen on Showtime’s comedy series I Love That for You with Vanessa Bayer and Molly Shannon. Other recent credits include Black-ish, Rugrats, Grown-ish, Central Park, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Tuca & Berta and Big Hero 6: The Series.

De Shields is an Emmy winner who has been seen on such series as Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, Katy Keene and Sex and the City, among others. Notable film credits include tick, tick… BOOM!, The Good Heart and Extreme Measures.

Fisher is an actor and musician who played the lead in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. He’s most recently been seen playing Bart Allen aka Impulse on The CW’s The Flash. Other notable credits include To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and the upcoming Netflix romance Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between.

Kidman is represented by CAA, Media Talent Group and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Bardem by WME; Lithgow by UTA, Anonymous Content and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Lewis by WME; Lane by ICM Partners and Anonymous Content; De Shields by Vox, Inc.; and Fisher by LBI Entertainment and A3 Artists Agency.

Previous
Next