Long-Awaited Disney Sequel To Shoot In Ireland

Disney are no strangers to Irish shores, and it looks as though they’ll be back very soon for filming of the sequel to 2007’s Enchanted.

Enchanted tells the story of Giselle (played by Amy Adams), a princess accidentally transported from the animated world of Andalasia to the real-world New York City, where she falls in love with Robert, a divorce lawyer played by Patrick Dempsey.

Rumours have popped up ever since the film’s release of a sequel, but the follow-up – titled Disenchanted – was finally officially announced in December. The film is set to begin shooting this spring and it appears that Ireland is the destination of choice for filming.

Both Production Weekly and The Disinsider are reporting that Ireland has been chosen as the location for filming – with the Disinsider speculating it could be down to the visual similarities between Andalasia and the fields of rural Ireland.

The rumours are backed up by a recent casting call that was sent out by an Irish dancing instructor on behalf of Disney. The call says that shooting for the film will begin this spring, though this may end up being forced back by COVID-19 restrictions. Disney are looking for dancers to play characters between the ages of 18 and 60, with all ethnicities, shapes and sizes welcome.

Disney have experience shooting in Ireland, after several sequences for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were shot in Kerry and Donegal – including prolonged periods of shooting on the UNESCO World Heritage site of Skellig Michael off the coast of the Kingdom.

The original Enchanted film was a major box-office success, taking in $340mn worldwide. Critical reaction was also hugely positive, with the film boasting a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz – who were nominated three times for Best Original Song at the Oscars for the original film – have been confirmed to return as songwriters for the sequel. Stars Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey have both officially signed on to return for Disenchanted, with supporting actor James Marsden also expected to return. The film will release exclusively on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+.