Fawn Veerasunthorn: Last News

Disney distribution boss Tony Chambers said Wednesday during the studio’s CinemaCon presentation that Dungeons and Dragons and Star Trek star Chris Pine will voice King Magnifico in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new musical comedy Wish.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Chris Pine has been cast in “Wish,” Walt Disney’s upcoming animated musical. He joins an ensemble that includes Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and Alan Tudyk. News that the “Star Trek” star will add his dulcet tones to the family film came at CinemaCon. Pine most recently appeared in “Don’t Worry Darling” and “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” His credits include “Jack Ryan,” “Into the Woods,” “Hell or High Water” and “Wonder Woman.” “Wish” is written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. The film revolves around an intriguing, slightly meta question: How did the wishing star, which so many Disney characters wished upon, come into the cosmos. The film unfolds in the magical kingdom of Rosas and introduces Asha, an optimist with a sharp wit who deeply cares about her community. When Asha turns to the sky in a moment of need and makes a wish, her plea is answered by a little ball of energy called Star. Together, they team up to save Asha’s community.

Michaela Zee editor Domee Shi and six of Variety’s animation honorees gathered at this year’s Variety 10 Animators to Watch event, presented by Nickelodeon, on Thursday night. The in-person awards ceremony and cocktail reception took place at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif., where fellow creatives and representatives in the animation space celebrated this year’s class of rising storytellers. The honorees in attendance included Fawn Veerasunthorn, Arthur Fong, Shea Fontana, Sergio Valdivia, Natasha Kline and Juston Gordon-Montgomery. Pixar Animation Studios filmmaker Shi received the 2022 Creative Impact in Animation award.

William Earl Variety and Nickelodeon are joining forces again for this year’s 10 Animators to Watch event in Los Angeles. The in-person cocktail party and awards ceremony on Oct. 6 will celebrate rising creators in the animation space who are leaving their mark on the industry. This year’s class of trailblazing storytellers includes: Fawn Veerasunthorn, director, “Wish” (Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2023); Karissa Valencia, creator and showrunner, “Spirit Rangers”; Juston Gordon-Montgomery, creator, “Invincible Fight Girl”; Christian Linke and Alex Yee, creators, “Arcane”; Neeraja Raj, creator, “Meow or Never”; Shea Fontana, co-EP, “Monster High”; Arthur Fong, art director, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”; Sergio Valdivia, stop-motion animator, “Pinocchio”; Natasha Kline, creator, “Primos”; and Joe Bennett, director, writer, animator, “Scavengers Reign.”

There’s a new toon musical coming to town. Disney revealed Wish, about how the iconic Wishing Star came to be, at D23 today.

Ariana DeBose is set to voice star in the upcoming animated Disney film Wish, a story inspired by the iconic wishing star from the Disney logo.