Production on Disney's Raya and The Last Dragon has been continuing remotely since the pandemic hit back in March, and EW has now unveiled the first still from the animated adventure. Although a promo image did the rounds late last year, this is the first fully rendered CG image of the movie.
The pic features the heroine of the title alongside her trusty steed, Tuk Tuk. "As an evil force threatens the fictional kingdom of Kumandra, the two must leave their Heart Lands home and track down the last dragon to help stop the villainous Druun."
It's also been announced that Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Monsterland) will provide the voice of Raya, replacing Cassie Steele. The previously cast Awkwafina, meanwhile, will play Sisu, "a dragon in human form who needs Raya’s help to reclaim her power and become her true dragon self."
This makes Tran the first Southeast Asian actress to lead a Disney movie.
“She is someone who is technically a princess but I think that what's really cool about this project, about this character, specifically is that everyone's trying to flip the narrative on what it means to be a princess,” Tran says of her character. “Raya is totally a warrior. When she was a kid, she was excited to get her sword. And she grows up to be a really badass, gritty warrior and can really take care of herself.”
Raya and the Last Dragon is directed by Don Hall (Big Hero 6) and Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting), with a script co-written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim. The movie is set to hit theaters on March 12, 2021.
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