Disney Channel’s revisiting the world of the kids of famous Disney villains with another chapter in the Descendants saga, Descendants 3. The announcement was made in a video featuring “Mal” (daughter of Maleficent) in which she reveals her father will be a new Descendants 3 villain.
Disney Channel confirmed the returning cast members will include Dove Cameron as Mal, Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Sofia Carson as Evie, Booboo Stewart as Jay, Mitchell Hope as King Ben, and China Anne McClain as Uma. (New cast members will be announced later.) Director Kenny Ortega (Descendants, the High School Musical films) is back on board as director, executive producer, and choreographer.
The behind the scenes team for Descendants 3 includes writers Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon (The Starter Wife, Descendants, Descendants 2). Parriott and McGibbon also serve as executive producers. Kara Saun (Descendants, Descendants 2, Project Runway) returns as the costume designer, Mark Hofeling is back as production designer, and Descendants 2‘s Shawn Williamson is a producer.
Filming is expected to get underway in Vancouver this summer, with Disney Channel aiming for a 2019 premiere date.
“By adding a modern twist to Disney’s most treasured heritage properties, the world of Descendants has become an instant classic. We’re thrilled that the creative team that conceived and launched this global phenomenon is back to dive deeper into these characters and the imaginative world from which they come,” stated Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide.
According to Disney, Descendants 2 was watched by more than 71.5 million people. The Disney Channel reports music videos from both Descendants and Descendants 2 have been viewed an astounding 2 billion times, and the soundtrack to Descendants 2 hit the #1 spot on iTunes. It also made it into the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.
A Look Back at 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.
