DEADLINE

Cinderella star Brandy and Rita Ora (Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight) have joined the cast of The Pocketwatch (working title), a music- and dance-filled original movie sequel to the megahit Descendants franchise.

Brandy will return to the role of Cinderella, which she first played in Walt Disney Television’s iconic 1997 version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Ora will portray the villainous Queen of Hearts.

They join previously announced cast members China Anne McClain, Kylie Cantrall and Dara Reneé.

Also joining the cast are Malia Baker (The Babysitter’s Club), Ruby Rose Turner (Disney’s Coop and Cami Ask the World), Morgan Dudley (Jagged Little Pill on Broadway) and Joshua Colley (Senior Year). Additionally, Melanie Paxson (Dealbreakers) will reprise her role as Fairy Godmother from the previous Descendants movies.

The Descendants movies unfurled an imaginative mythology of two new lands, idyllic Auradon and the ragtag Isle of the Lost, home to the teenage progeny of Disney’s most iconic characters and notably, its most notorious villains. Per Disney, The Pocketwatch returns to these lands and also takes audiences through the rabbit hole to the hostile unincorporated territory of Wonderland, a magical, mysterious place made famous in Alice in Wonderland.

Written by Dan Frey and Russell Sommer (Magic: The Gathering), the new story finds polar opposites Red and Chloe crossing paths at a momentous celebration in Auradon when unexpected chaos breaks out. In order to prevent an impending coup, they must join forces to travel back in time, via a magical pocket watch created by the Mad Hatter’s son, to stop an event that would lead to grave consequences.

Cast breakdown below:

Brandy plays Cinderella, the classic Disney character, who is elegant, warm, good-hearted and diplomatic.

Ora portrays the withholding, tyrannical “Queen of Hearts,” who rules over the kingdom of Wonderland with an iron fist.

Cantrall is Red, the rebellious 16-year-old daughter of the Queen of Hearts. Red knows she’ll never get the Queen’s approval, so she finds ways to provoke her mother and stir up trouble.

Baker plays Chloe, the cheerful 16-year-old daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, who is book smart and athletic, but her privilege makes her somewhat naive about the real world.

McClain returns as Uma, daughter of the infamous sea-witch Ursula, a role she previously played in Descendants 2 and 3. Strong and fierce, Uma always fights for what she thinks is right.

Reneé is Ulyana, the younger sister of Ursula. She’s a teen sea-witch and mean-girl bully with eight wicked tentacles and a crew of lackeys.

Turner portrays Bridget/Young Queen of Hearts,” who is sweet-natured, bubbly, generous, and the complete opposite of her grown-up self.

Dudley is Ella/Young Cinderella, who is blunt, pragmatic and has a bit of a chip on her shoulder about being forced to work for her wicked stepmother.

Colley plays Hook, one of Ulyana’s sycophants, a rich kid with a hoop earring and a shiny hook where his left hand should be. His arrogance is only surpassed by his vanity.

Paxson returns as Fairy Godmother, the wise and kind headmistress of Auradon Prep.

Written by Dan Frey and Russell Sommer (Magic: The Gathering), the new story finds polar opposites Red and Chloe crossing paths at a momentous celebration in Auradon when unexpected chaos breaks out. In order to prevent an impending coup, they must join forces to travel back in time, via a magical pocket watch created by the Mad Hatter’s son, to stop an event that would lead to grave consequences.

Jennifer Phang (Advantageous, Half-Life, Foundation, The Flight Attendant) is the director and co-executive producer. Returning to the franchise is production designer Mark Hofeling (Descendants, Zombies, High School Musical). Suzanne Todd (Noelle) and Gary Marsh are executive producers and the casting directors are Alexis Frank Koczara and Christine Smith Shevchenko (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers).