The Princess and the Frog
A 2009 animated film returning Disney to traditional animation.
Set in 1920s New Orleans, *The Princess and the Frog* is a 2009 American animated musical fantasy comedy from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The plot follows Tiana, a hardworking waitress who dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing Prince Naveen—who has been turned into a frog by the evil voodoo witch doctor Dr. Facilier—Tiana herself becomes a frog, and the two must find a way to become human again. The story is a modern take on the Brothers Grimm folk tale "The Frog Prince," partly inspired by E. D. Baker's 2002 novel *The Frog Princess*. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, who previously co-directed *The Little Mermaid*, *Aladdin*, *Hercules*, and *Treasure Planet* (Clements was not a director on *The Great Mouse Detective*), the film was written by Clements, Musker, and Rob Edwards. Its voice cast includes Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Cody, John Goodman, Keith David, Peter Bartlett, Jenifer Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, and Terrence Howard.
Production began in July 2006 under the working title *The Frog Princess*. This film marked Disney's first traditionally animated feature since *Home on the Range* (2004), representing a brief return to hand-drawn animation. The studio also revived the Broadway musical-style format common during the Disney Renaissance, with a score and songs composed and conducted by Randy Newman, known for his work on Pixar's *Toy Story* franchise. Premiering at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building in Burbank on November 15, 2009, the film had a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on November 25, followed by a wide release on December 11. Critics largely praised the return to traditional animation, though some criticized its depiction of Louisiana Voodoo and alleged historical inaccuracies regarding the Jim Crow-era South. While it underperformed by Disney's standards, *The Princess and the Frog* grossed $271 million and earned three Oscar nominations: Best Animated Feature and two for Best Original Song.
Quick Facts
- Director
- John Musker / Ron Clements
- Screenplay
- Ron Clements / John Musker / Rob Edwards
- Story
- Ron Clements / John Musker / Greg Erb / Jason Oremland
- Based On
- The Frog Princess · E. D. Baker / "The Frog Prince" · Brothers Grimm
- Producer
- Peter Del Vecho
- Starring
- Anika Noni Rose / Bruno Campos / Keith David / Michael-Leon Wooley / Jennifer Cody / Jim Cummings / Peter Bartlett / Jenifer Lewis / Oprah Winfrey / Terrence Howard / John Goodman
- Production Companies
- Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Released
- 15 November 2009 · Walt Disney Studios lot · 2009 · 11 · 25 · United States
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Music
- Randy Newman
- Editing
- Jeff Draheim
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Princess and the Frog began production in July 2006 under the working title The Frog Princess. It was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, who had previously co-directed The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), Hercules (1997), and Treasure Planet (2002) (Clements was not a director on The Great Mouse Detective). The film stars the voices of Anika Noni Rose as Tiana, Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Keith David as Dr. Facilier, and others. Set in New Orleans during the 1920s, the story follows Tiana, a hardworking waitress who dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing Prince Naveen, who has been turned into a frog by the evil voodoo witch doctor Facilier, Tiana becomes a frog as well, and the two must find a way to turn human again.
Reader's Guide
The Princess and the Frog premiered at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank on November 15, 2009, and opened in limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on November 25, followed by a wide release on December 11. The film received largely positive reviews from critics, who praised the return to traditional hand-drawn animation style, though it was criticized for its depiction of Louisiana Voodoo and alleged historical negationism of its depiction of the Southern United States during the Jim Crow era. Although it underperformed by Disney's standards, it grossed $271 million and received three Oscar nominations: Best Animated Feature and two for Best Original Song. The film marked Disney's return to a Broadway musical-style format frequently used during the Disney Renaissance.
Did You Know?
- The film was the first traditionally animated Disney film since Home on the Range (2004).
- The character Louis is named after jazz artist Louis Armstrong.
- The film's score and songs were composed and conducted by Randy Newman.
- The character Dr. Facilier was modeled off of Baron Samedi and/or Ghede Nibo.
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