We got a sneak(er) peek at the new Disney+ original movieSneakerella, which will be streaming on May 13. Disney+ and Walt Disney Records released the video of the new song “Kicks,” the film’s opening sequence, via Youtube. This new twist on Cinderella tells the story of El (Chosen Jacobs), a kid who dreams to design his own line of sneakers. When he meets Kira King (Lexi Underwood), the daughter of sneaker tycoon Darius King, El finally gains the confidence to pursue his dreams, despite the naysayers.
The opening sequence shows El (Jacobs) dancing through the streets of New York City, surrounded by gleeful back-up dancers who share his love of sneakers. In a stand-out moment, it appears El can fly, and he starts dancing on air, before cutting to a shot of El playing with shoes on glass, revealing the magical sequence to only be in his head. The song was written byAntonina Armato,Tim James Price,Thomas Armato SturgesandAdam Schmalholz, and produced by Armato and Price. The sequence was choreographed byEbony WilliamsandEmilio Dosal.
Sneakerellawill premiere on Disney+ on May 13th, directed and co-executive produced byElisabeth Allen Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum has directed multiple children’s focused content for television and film, including the successfulRamona and Beezusadaptation in 2010.Mindy SternandGeorge Gore IIwrote the story behindSneakerella,with a screenplay by Stern, Gore,David Light&Joseph Raso, andTamara Chestna. As it comes from Disney Branded Television,Sneakerellais technically a TV movie, following in the footsteps of many Disney Channel Original films such asHigh School MusicalandTeen Beach Movie. Joining Jacobs and Underwood in the cast areJohn Salley,Devyn Nekoda,Juan Chioran,Bryan Terrell Clark,Kolton Stewart,Robyn Alomar,Yvonne Senat Jones, andHayward Leach.
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Sneakerellawill feature 8 new original songs from a variety of genres. Disney promises a fun mix of music from acclaimed songwriters who have worked on such projects asHigh School Musical: The Musical: The SeriesandStraight Outta Compton. Composer and music producerElvin Rosswill serve as composer onSneakerella. The digital soundtrack will release on May 13, the same day as the film, while the physical soundtrack will be available on June 24.
Although remaking Cinderella with your own spin isn’t exactly new (seeCinderella2021 orA Cinderella Story),Sneakerellais certainly a unique take on the well-known fairy tale. The vibrant color, exciting choreography, and fun track of “Kicks” will grab your attention, and Jacobs proves his star power in this sequence alone. You can watch the opening sequence fromSneakerellabelow and watch the film on Disney+ starting May 13.
