“Raya and the Last Dragon,” the upcoming action-adventure from Walt Disney Animation Studios, features set pieces and genre thrills that feel wholly unique among their 59-film animated catalog. Starring Kelly Marie Tran as the titular warrior, “Raya” is set in the mythical world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons once lived together in harmony. Sadly, that harmony was short-lived when the Druun, sinister monsters, threatened the land, and the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. 500 years later, Raya must find the last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina) to defeat the Druun for good.
“Raya” sees Disney veteran Don Hall team up with indie breakout Carlos López-Estrada to co-direct the project. Hall’s previous work in the House of Mouse included “Big Hero 6” and “Moana,” for which he won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature for the former. Meanwhile, Estrada is best known for directing the critically acclaimed and criminally underseen “Blindspotting,” and for his extensive work in music videos. “Raya” co-writer Qui Nguyen (who wrote the screenplay alongside Adele Lim) is an artistic director for the Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company, and an accomplished playwright, with some of his work including “Vietgone,” “Living Dead in Denmark,” and “She Kills Monsters“. Nguyen has also had a successful career in television, working on AMC‘s “Dispatches from Nowhere” and “The Society.”
As mentioned during the Early Press Day panels, “Raya” is through and through an action movie. It was important for the team to take bold creative swings ensuring the film stood out from Disney’s other animated films but also felt like part of the family. “That was a thing we were really looking for,” said Estrada. “How can we present this film that feels like something you may have seen before, an epic adventure, [but with] our own little spin, and how can it feel and sound? Every time it felt like we were doing something traditionally, we would just try to give it a little bit of a twist, which is what makes the movie feel so different.”
Hall emphasized that, while the action of “Raya” is important, what was paramount was not sacrificing the story in its favor. “Every [action] scene carried narrative,” said Hall, “we tried to [give] each a different profile, flavor, tempo, and even musical structure. They all are different and all are trying to accomplish different things story-wise. Some are more comedic, some not at all, and everything in between.”
There were some rumors floating around about the potential R-rated violence in the action scenes of “Raya,” but the group was quick to clarify. “We sort of said that in jest,” said Hall, “a couple of our [storyboard] artists really indulged themselves, but we knew we were gonna back off on certain things like blood. There is a particular sword fight that is crazy intense. I don’t think we held back in terms of visceral impact, [and] I think that comes because you care about the characters.” Nguyen added, “Just as a credit [to Disney], some of the themes and ideas do feel adult and do feel heightened and real, and honestly, we never got [pushback] because everything is so grounded in story and feels very deliberate and necessary.”
It’s true that “Raya” invests you in its world and characters, and it only amplifies the impact of the film’s action sequences. “The world we’re exploring is under an existential threat and [our characters] are hurting,” said Hall. “For the story to work we had to honor that. [There are] moments of levity or lightness, but a broken world was part of this story, and we tried not to hold back on that.”
Additionally, we inquired with Estrada about the rumor that he was developing Disney’s live-action remake of “Robin Hood,” and while he kept those cards close to his chest, he dropped a different set of hints as to not only his future with the animation juggernaut but also that of his “Raya” co-workers. “I don’t know if I’m even supposed to talk about [‘Robin Hood’], because that was a slightly leaked thing that is not officially confirmed,” said Estrada. “What I can say is that Don, Qui, and I, separately, are working on our next Disney animation project. We’re very excited because we’re part of the Story Trust at Disney. Don is really helping me out in the project that I’m developing, and hopefully, I’ll be a small tiny little voice that gives some thoughts in his. I think Qui and I entered the Disney family in a really exciting time, and the fact that we’re all working on new movies is also very exciting, and hopefully, we can talk to you about them soon.”
What these other projects may or may not be aside, “Raya and the Last Dragon” looks to be a stellar addition to Disney’s animated legacy. During our conversation, we also discuss “Raya’s” filmmaking influences such as Danny Boyle, Edgar Wright, and Taika Waititi, the film’s timely themes, and much more.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” will be released theatrically and simultaneously on Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5th, 2021. Check out our full interview with Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, and Qui Nguyen below.
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