Two years ago, I had the unique honor of sitting in a theater in Burbank with Director/Choreographer Kenny Ortega to watch Disney’s DESCENDANTS before its official premiere, and before it became a phenomenon. From the moment the kids first walked out singing “Rotten to the Core,” I new Descendants would be huge, and now the crew is back! As announced earlier this week, Descendants 2 premieres FRIDAY, JULY 21 (8:00 p.m. ET/PT) on five networks – Disney Channel, ABC, Freeform, Disney XD and Lifetime! Check out the trailer below, along with the new music video, “Ways to Be Wicked!”
“Ways to Be Wicked” is the high-energy pop rock anthem performed by our Villain Kids (aka the VKs) – Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart – which opens the movie “Descendants 2.” The song is produced by Sam Hollander and Josh Edmondson who wrote the song with Grant Michaels and Charity Daw. “Ways to Be Wicked” is the FIRST music number released from the movie.
About “Descendants 2” In “Descendants 2,” the story deepens as the Villain Kids (AKA “VKs”) – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay – continue to try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royal becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.
Starring are Dove Cameron (“Liv and Maddie”), Cameron Boyce (“Jessie”), Sofia Carson (Hollywood Records recording artist, “Adventures in Babysitting”), Booboo Stewart (“X-Men Days of Future Past”), and Mitchell Hope reprising the roles of Mal, Carlos, Evie, Jay and King Ben, respectively. Starring as the new villains are China Anne McClain (“A.N.T. Farm”) as Uma, the daughter of Ursula; Thomas Doherty (“The Lodge”) as Harry, son of Captain Hook; Dylan Playfair (“Some Assembly Required”) as Gil, son of Gaston; and Anna Cathcart (“Odd Squad”) as Dizzy, daughter of Cinderella’s evil stepsister Drizella and granddaughter of wicked stepmother Lady Tremaine. Also reprising their roles in this sequel are Brenna D’Amico as Jane, the daughter of Fairy Godmother; Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother; Dianne Doan as Lonnie, the daughter of Mulan; Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad, the son of Cinderella; Zachary Gibson as Doug, the son of Dopey; Keegan Connor Tracy as Belle and Dan Payne as Beast.
Emmy Award-winning director Kenny Ortega (“Descendants,” “High School Musical” movies) is the director, executive producer and choreographer of “Descendants 2.” “Descendants” executive producer Wendy Japhet (“An Education”, “The Italian Job”) also serves as executive producer for the sequel. Writers Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon (“The Starter Wife,” “Runaway Bride”), who won a 2016 Writers Guild Award for “Descendants,” wrote “Descendants 2” and also serve as executive producers. Kara Saun (“Descendants,” “Project Runway”) is the costume designer. The production designer is Mark Hofeling (“Descendants,” “Teen Beach Movie,” “High School Musical”). Tony Testa (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “This Is It”) is the choreographer with Ortega and Shawn Williamson (“Adventures in Babysitting”) is producer.
“Descendants 2” will premiere in an unprecedented, far-reaching programming event featuring a simultaneous premiere across five networks within the Disney|ABC Television Group including Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime on FRIDAY, JULY 21 (8:00 p.m. EDT).
