The first step in any sequel is ensuring the stars are on board. In the case of Disenchanted, Amy Adams was a driving force. “It just was such a joy,” according to producer Barry Josephson. “Amy really was our starting point, wanting to play Giselle again.”
When director Adam Shankman was hired, he immediately knew the direction he should take with the Enchanted sequel. “I was like, ‘You know Giselle’s the stepmother. She’s Morgan’s stepmother.'” The rich Disney history of stepmothers gave the film the perfect starting point. “That’s low-hanging fruit,” he concedes, but he knew it was the perfect way to continue the story now that Giselle has a teenager and a new baby at home.
Beyond leaning into the evil stepmother trope, Shankman also took inspiration from Amy Adams herself. “The whole thing starts with Amy and Giselle.” A longtime friend of Adams, Shankman has always wanted to work with her. “We’re both musical nerds and Disney nerds, and I suddenly thought, ‘I want to
make a movie not with Amy, but for Amy as well.”
You can stream Disenchanted now on Disney+.
About Disenchanted
Years after her happily ever after, Giselle, Robert and Morgan move to a new community and Andalasia and the real world are thrown off-balance.