Disney Animation has unceremoniously announced sweeping changes to Raya and the Last Dragon, the 59th film produced by the studio. Originally, Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins were set to direct but they've been replaced by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada. Briggs is now listed as a co-director with Wellins no longer attached to the project. Additionally, John Rippa has been added as a second co-director.
On the talent side, Cassie Steele (Degrassi: The Next Generation), who was set to voice the titular Raya has been replaced by Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi).
And the changes don't stop there as the film has apparently been re-written by Qui Nguyen after Adele Lim was previously listed as the sole screenwriter.
A report by Entertainment Weekly implies that these changes were implemented due to the new normal of the work-from-home, COVID-19 world but a few outlets are also reporting that production on the project was chaotic before COVID-19 hit and that Disney was not happy with how things were progressing.
Still, sweeping changes are nothing new when it comes to animated films. Both Toy Story 2 and Zootopia were essentially remade from scratch just months out from release. Then again, there's also the disaster that was The Good Dinosaur, a film that Pixar would like everyone to forget exists.
Raya and the Last Dragon is currently set for release on March 12, 2021.
As an evil force threatens the fictional kingdom of Kumandra, Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) and her trusty steed Tuk Tuk must leave their Heart Lands home and track down Sisu (Awkwafina), the last dragon to help stop the villainous Druun. However, Sisu is stuck in human form and needs Raya’s help to reclaim her power and become her true dragon self.