Disney Branded Television readies “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” bringing back Cinderella and the Queen of Hearts

Disney Branded Television has begun to spotlight the cast and creative team behind “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” the fifth entry in Disney’s long-running youth franchise that blends fairy-tale characters with original villain-centric heirs. The studio said Brandy will return as Cinderella and Rita Ora will reprise the Queen of Hearts role in the new Disney Channel Original Movie, which is currently in production and is scheduled to arrive in 2026 on Disney Channel and Disney+.

The announcement confirms additional legacy casting. Paolo Montalban returns as King Charming, and Melanie Paxson returns as the Fairy Godmother, with Disney noting that Paxson is the only actor to appear across all five “Descendants” films. Disney also published a complete cast list featuring a mix of new faces and character heirs drawn from Wonderland, Fairy tales, and other franchise worlds.

Among the new characters introduced for “Wicked Wonderland” are Kylie Cantrall as Red, the Queen of Hearts’ daughter; Malia Baker as Chloe, Cinderella’s daughter; and Liamani Segura as Pink, Red’s sister. The studio also named Brendon Tremblay as Max, Maddox Hatter’s son; Alexandro Byrd as Luis, Luisa Madrigal’s son; and Kiara Romero as Hazel Hook, Captain Hook’s daughter.

The cast list extends the franchise’s “heirs” approach to other familiar corners of Disney lore. Disney said Joel Oulette plays Robbie, Robin Hood’s son, and Zavien Garret plays Felix, Dr. Facilier’s son. For comedic mischief in Never-ending terms, Ryan McEwen and Dayton Paradis will appear as the Squirmy and Squeaky Smee Twins, while Leonardo Nam plays Maddox, the Mad’s Hatter son.

In Disney’s synopsis, the story continues from the time-bending events of “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” released in 2024. The studio said “Wicked Wonderland” will examine what “happily ever after” really means for Red and Chloe after their time-traveling adventures in the prior movie. The sequel is set primarily in present-day Wonderland and will be driven by the “warning at the end” of the earlier installment, Disney said, emphasizing consequences that follow changes to the fabric of time.

Disney also detailed its behind-the-camera creative team. Kimmy Gatewood is directing the movie, with the script credited to co-executive producer Tamara Chestna and Dan Frey and Ru Sommer. Suzanne Todd and Gary Marsh return as executive producers, and Gatewood is also serving as co-producer.

The studio said Emmy Award-winning choreographer Emilio Dosal will bring new music-and-dance sequences to the production. In the “Descendants” franchise, these set pieces are a recurring brand element, and Disney’s emphasis on choreography indicates that the sequel is aiming to preserve the musical format that has helped the series stand out in Disney Channel programming.

Disney’s announcement framed the release as part of a broader franchise slate that already spans multiple formats. The company said “Descendants: The Rise of Red” is one of several recent entries and that, in addition to the earlier films, the animated spinoff series “Descendants: Wicked World,” the animated special “Descendants: The Royal Wedding,” and multiple “Descendants”-inspired music videos are currently streaming on Disney+. Disney also noted that the upcoming movie will build on the franchise’s 10-year run that began on Disney Channel in July 2015.

Beyond the film itself, Disney pointed to the franchise’s recent audience impact and merchandising momentum. It said the first three “Descendants” films ranked as the most-watched cable movie of their year, and it highlighted performance claims for “The Rise of Red,” including that it debuted on Disney+ as the most-watched original movie among Kids and Girls 6-11 in 2024 and generated more than 10 billion social impressions, with additional claims tied to Halloween costume popularity. The company also cited “gold-certified” soundtracks, multiple Billboard No. 1s, and a book catalog reaching “57+ books,” along with a “Descendants/ZOMBIES: Worlds Collide” tour scheduled to hit 43 arenas across North America this summer.

Still, not everything is set in stone in public details. Disney’s announcement, while specific about key cast and creative credits, did not disclose character arcs beyond the time-consequences premise, nor did it provide information on runtime, distribution windows beyond the 2026 release label, or the release schedule for accompanying music or marketing campaigns. For now, the most concrete indicates for audiences are the return of major franchise roles, the sequencing of new heir introductions, and the promise of continued choreography-led musical moments. Investors and media watchers may look next for marketing milestones, casting reveals tied to the evolving Wonderland storyline, and any performance guidance once Disney shares more about the movie’s rollout plans across Disney Channel and Disney+.