"Enchanted" is a 2007 American movie that combines live-action scenes, traditional animation, and computer-generated imagery. It is a musical fantasy romantic comedy directed by Kevin Lima and written by Bill Kelly. The film was produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Josephson Entertainment, and Right Coast Productions. It features actors Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, and Susan Sarandon, with Julie Andrews providing the narration. The story follows Giselle, a classic Disney princess character who is sent from her animated world to the real-world setting of New York City, where she meets and falls in love with a divorce lawyer.

The movie pays tribute to and humorously imitates Disney's earlier animated films. It uses a mix of live-action, traditional animation, and CGI to reference past Disney works. This film marked the return of traditional animation to a Disney movie after the company shifted fully to computer animation in 2004. Composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who previously worked on Disney films, created the songs and score for "Enchanted." The animated parts were made by James Baxter Animation in Pasadena, and the live-action scenes were filmed in New York City.

"Enchanted" had its first showing at the London Film Festival on October 20, 2007, and was released widely in the United States on November 21. The film received positive reviews, helped establish Amy Adams as a leading actress, and earned $340.5 million worldwide. It won three Saturn Awards: Best Fantasy Film, Best Actress for Adams, and Best Music for Menken. The movie also received two Golden Globe nominations and three Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song. This was the first Walt Disney Pictures film distributed under the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures banner after the company stopped using the Buena Vista brand.

A sequel called "Disenchanted" was released on Disney+ on November 18, 2022.

Plot

In the animated fairy tale kingdom of Andalasia, Queen Narissa is dishonest and mean. She wants to stay in power, but her stepson, Prince Edward, could end her rule if he marries. Queen Narissa asks her servant, Nathaniel, to help Edward search for trolls so Edward will not look for his true love.

A young woman named Giselle lives in a forest and hopes to meet a prince and have a happy ending. Prince Edward hears Giselle singing and goes to find her. Nathaniel frees a captured troll to hurt Giselle, but Edward saves her. Giselle and Edward fall in love and plan to marry the next day.

Queen Narissa changes her appearance to look like an old woman. She meets Giselle on her way to the wedding and pushes her into a well. Giselle is magically moved to New York City’s Times Square. She feels scared and confused by the city. Meanwhile, Robert Philip, a lawyer, plans to propose to his girlfriend, Nancy. Robert and his six-year-old daughter, Morgan, see Giselle while riding in a taxi. Robert lets Giselle stay in his apartment after Morgan insists she is a princess.

Edward sets out to save Giselle with her chipmunk friend, Pip. They jump into the well, are magically moved to Times Square, and find Giselle. However, Pip cannot speak in the real world. Queen Narissa tells Nathaniel to stop Edward and gives him three poisoned apples. She says anyone who eats an apple will fall into a deep sleep and die at midnight.

Nancy arrives to take Morgan to school and sees Giselle. She thinks Robert is unfaithful and leaves. Robert is angry at Giselle at first but spends the day with her to help her learn about the city. Giselle asks Robert about his relationship with Nancy and helps them make up by sending flowers and an invitation to a costume ball at the Woolworth Building. Nathaniel tries to give Giselle a poisoned apple twice, but both times he fails.

Edward finds Giselle at Robert’s apartment. He wants to take her home to Andalasia and marry her, but Giselle suggests they go on a date first. She promises to return to Andalasia after the ball that night, which Robert and Nancy also attend. Nathaniel tells Queen Narissa he failed to poison Giselle. Queen Narissa decides to go to the real world and kill Giselle herself.

At the ball, Robert and Giselle dance. Nancy and Edward watch and notice the connection between Robert and Giselle, as well as between Nancy and Edward. Giselle and Edward prepare to leave, but Giselle feels guilty for leaving Robert. Before midnight, Queen Narissa, as an old woman, offers the last poisoned apple to Giselle, claiming it will erase her memories of Robert. Giselle eats it and falls into a deep sleep.

Queen Narissa tries to escape with Giselle’s body, but Edward stops her. Nathaniel reveals Queen Narissa’s plan and apologizes for helping her. Robert realizes only a true love’s kiss can break the apple’s curse. Edward’s kiss fails, and the clock begins to chime. Queen Narissa says Giselle will die at midnight. Edward realizes Robert should kiss Giselle, but Robert hesitates until Nancy gives him permission.

Robert kisses Giselle just before midnight, waking her up. Queen Narissa turns into a dragon and takes Robert hostage. Giselle uses Edward’s sword to chase her to the top of a building to save Robert. Pip helps Giselle, causing Queen Narissa to fall and die. Robert almost falls, but Giselle saves him, and they kiss again.

Edward and Nancy fall in love and marry in Andalasia. Nathaniel stays in New York, and Pip returns to Andalasia, where he can speak again. Both write books about their experiences in the real world. Giselle starts a fashion business that becomes very successful and lives happily with Robert and Morgan.

Cast

• Amy Adams as Giselle: A princess-to-be who sings and dances and nearly achieves her dream of meeting her prince. From the magical land of Andalasia, Giselle shares traits with early Disney Princesses. She is described as "about 80% like Snow White, with some qualities from Cinderella and Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, but her lively personality comes from Ariel from The Little Mermaid." She is always hopeful and believes in love, yet she is also independent and loyal to her beliefs. Throughout the film, she grows more mature (even stopping her habit of singing constantly) but keeps her love for singing, kindness, innocence, and optimism.

• Patrick Dempsey as Robert Philip: A skeptical lawyer in New York City who does not believe in true love or fairy tales after his wife left him and their daughter. He falls in love with Giselle after her journey to New York City, and her joyful attitude gradually influences him during the film.

• James Marsden as Prince Edward: A brave, kind, and good-hearted prince in Andalasia and the stepson of Queen Narissa. He is confused by the world of New York City and is described as "very pure, very simple-minded, and naive, but innocently self-centered."

• Susan Sarandon as Queen Narissa: Edward’s evil stepmother, a sorceress, and a powerful woman who hates Giselle because she is an obstacle to her plans. Queen Narissa’s behavior, appearance, and abilities were inspired by classic Disney villains like the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

• Timothy Spall as Nathaniel: A servant of Queen Narissa who is controlled by his admiration for her and his lack of self-confidence. He first follows Narissa’s orders but later realizes her true nature and turns against her. He enjoys wearing disguises.

• Idina Menzel as Nancy Tremaine: A fashion designer and Robert’s girlfriend. After Giselle falls in love with Robert, Nancy becomes interested in Edward and leaves with him. Her name is inspired by Lady Tremaine, the stepmother from Cinderella.

• Rachel Covey as Morgan Philip: Robert’s 6-year-old daughter. Even though her father does not believe in fairy tales, she believes in them and thinks magic exists.

Giselle’s chipmunk friend Pip is voiced by Jeff Bennett in Andalasia, where he can speak clearly. In the real world, Enchanted director Kevin Lima voices Pip, who communicates through squeaks and actions. Pip’s personality was inspired by Disney sidekicks like Mushu from Mulan and Timon from The Lion King. Other characters in Andalasia include Emma Rose Lima (Kevin Lima’s daughter) as the bluebird and fawn, Teala Dunn as a bunny, and Fred Tatasciore as a troll. Julie Andrews provides the film’s narration.

Paige O’Hara (who previously voiced Belle in Beauty and the Beast) and Judy Kuhn (who sang for Pocahontas in the 1995 animated film) appear as a soap opera character named Angela and a pregnant woman Edward meets, respectively. John Rothman and Jodi Benson (who voiced Ariel in The Little Mermaid) portray Robert’s boss Carl and secretary Sam, while Tonya Pinkins and Isiah Whitlock Jr. portray Phoebe and Ethan Banks, a couple whose divorce Robert is mediating. Marlon Saunders and Jon McLaughlin sing the songs "That’s How You Know" and "So Close," respectively.

Production

The original script for Enchanted, written by Bill Kelly, was purchased by Disney's Touchstone Pictures and Sonnenfeld/Josephson Productions for $450,000 in September 1997. The script took three years to write but was considered unsuitable for Walt Disney Pictures because it was described as a "racier R-rated movie," similar to adult-themed comedies from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and American Pie. In the first draft, Giselle was mistakenly thought to be a stripper when she arrives in New York City. Kelly was frustrated when the screenplay was rewritten multiple times, first by Rita Hsiao and later by Todd Alcott. The film was originally planned to release in 2002 with Rob Marshall as director, but he left due to "creative differences" with the producers. In 2001, Jon Turteltaub was set to direct but left soon after, later working on the National Treasure franchise with Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer. Adam Shankman became the director in 2003, and Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle were hired by Disney to rewrite the script again. At the time, Disney considered offering the role of Giselle to Kate Hudson or Reese Witherspoon, but the project did not move forward.

On May 25, 2005, Variety reported that Kevin Lima, who had previously directed Tarzan and 102 Dalmatians, was hired as director, and Bill Kelly returned to rewrite the script. Lima worked with Kelly to combine the main story of Enchanted with a tribute to Disney's history. He created detailed storyboards for the entire film, which required an entire floor of the production building to display. After showing the storyboards to Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, the project received approval and a budget of $85 million. Lima designed the world of Andalasia and storyboarded the movie before selecting actors. After casting was completed, he oversaw the final design of the film to ensure animated characters looked like their real-life counterparts.

Amy Adams was cast as Giselle on November 14, 2005. Although the studio wanted a well-known actress, director Kevin Lima insisted on casting someone less famous. Out of about 300 actresses who auditioned, Adams stood out because she resembled a Disney princess and fully committed to the character. Patrick Dempsey was cast as Robert after Disney approved Adams' casting but wanted more famous actors. Dempsey, known for his role in Grey's Anatomy, was described by Lima as "a modern-day Prince Charming." James Marsden was cast as Prince Edward on December 6, 2005. At the time, Marsden was auditioning for Robert but chose Edward because he found the role "more fun." Susan Sarandon was cast as Queen Narissa and was interested in the project before Lima became director. Her scenes took only two weeks to film because her screen time was short. Idina Menzel was cast as Nancy, and she noted that the role did not require singing, which she saw as a compliment to her acting skills.

Enchanted is the first Disney film to mix live-action and traditional animation since Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Unlike Roger Rabbit, the animated characters do not interact with live-action characters in the same way, but there are scenes where live-action and 2D animated characters share the screen, such as a live-action Nathaniel speaking with a cel-drawn Narissa in a cooking pot. The film uses two aspect ratios: it begins in 2.35:1 for the Walt Disney Pictures logo and storybook, then switches to 1.85:1 for the first animated sequence. It returns to 2.35:1 for live-action scenes and stays in that format for the rest of the film. When the movie aired on TV, the beginning (excluding the logo and credits) was shown in 4:3 format, while the live-action parts were shown in 16:9. The fullscreen version uses 4:3 throughout, while the open matte version keeps 1.85:1 for the animated sequence and switches to 1.85:1 for live-action. Lima directed both live-action and animation, which were produced simultaneously. The animation took about a year to complete, while live-action scenes were filmed in New York City over 72 days.

Of the film's 107-minute runtime, about 13 minutes of animation appear at the beginning. Lima aimed to include as many Disney classic images as possible in the first 10 minutes, which were created using traditional animation (not computer-generated 3D) as a tribute to older Disney films like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This was the first Disney film to use traditional animation in a theatrical release in the U.S. since Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005). The film also included references to other older Disney movies, such as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, and Swiss Family Robinson. Because many Disney traditional animation artists had been laid off in the late 1990s, the animation was produced by an independent company, James Baxter Animation, based in Pasadena.

Lima wanted the animation to feel nostalgic but also unique. Baxter's team used Art Nouveau as inspiration. Giselle, the animated character, was designed to resemble Amy Adams and classic Disney princesses but not as a caricature. She was portrayed as a "forest girl" with flowing hair and clothes. Prince Edward was designed to closely match James Marsden's appearance, as princes in similar films are often too generic. Many prototypes were made for Queen Narissa to ensure her face and costumes matched Susan Sarandon's live-action portrayal.

To keep consistency between live-action and animation, costume designer Mona May was brought in early to align costumes in both worlds. Lima also filmed live-action footage of Amy Adams as Giselle

Release

The film was released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in 3,730 theaters across the United States. It was also released globally by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International to more than 50 countries worldwide. The movie became the top-selling film in several countries, including the United Kingdom and Italy. It was the first film released under the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures name after the previous company, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, stopped using its name.

Disney originally planned to include Giselle in the Disney Princess collection. This was shown at a 2007 Toy Fair, where a Giselle doll was displayed with packaging that labeled her as a Disney Princess. However, Disney decided not to add Giselle to the collection because it would require paying for the lifelong rights to use Amy Adams’ image. Although Giselle is not officially part of the Disney Princess line, merchandise featuring Giselle was sold in stores, with Amy Adams’ animated image appearing on all products. Giselle participated in the 2007 Hollywood Holly-Day Parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios and also appeared in the 2007 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade in the Magic Kingdom with the official Disney Princesses.

A video game based on the film was released for Nintendo DS and mobile phones. Another game, Enchanted: Once Upon Andalasia, was released for Game Boy Advance and tells a story that happens before the film, focusing on Giselle and Pip saving Andalasia from a magical spell.

The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment in the United States on March 18, 2008. It was the top-selling DVD in the United States during its first week of release, slightly outperforming the DVD sales of I Am Legend. However, I Am Legend sold nearly four times as many Blu-ray Disc copies as Enchanted. Overall, Enchanted was the eighth best-selling film on home video, with 5.3 million units sold and $86.3 million in revenue. Customers could receive $9 in rebates by purchasing a Cinnabon Cereal box and two packs of Rayovac batteries. The DVD was released in the United Kingdom and Europe on April 7, 2008, in Australia on May 21, 2008, and in 50 other international countries in 2008.

Both the Blu-ray Disc and DVD versions included bonus features such as "Fantasy Comes to Life," a three-part behind-the-scenes feature covering the songs "Happy Working Song," "That's How You Know," and "A Blast at the Ball." Other bonus content included six deleted scenes with introductions by director Kevin Lima, bloopers, "Pip's Predicament: A Pop-Up Adventure," a short storybook-style animation, and a music video for "Ever Ever After" by Carrie Underwood. The Blu-ray Disc also included a trivia game titled "The D Files," which provided access to special videos for high scorers. In the United States, some DVDs sold at Target stores included a bonus DVD with a 30-minute making-of documentary titled Becoming Enchanted: A New Classic Comes True. This bonus DVD was also available with certain DVDs sold at HMV stores in the United Kingdom.

On November 12, 2021, the film was added to Disney+ as part of Disney+ Day. On October 26, 2022, the film was upgraded to 4K resolution on Disney+.

Reception

Enchanted earned $8 million on its first day in the United States and was the top movie. It was also the top movie on Thanksgiving Day, earning $6.7 million, which brought its total for two days to $14.6 million. The film earned $14.4 million the next day, raising its total to $29.0 million and placing it ahead of other movies. During the Friday-Sunday period, Enchanted earned $34.4 million in 3,730 theaters, with an average of $9,472 per theater. Over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday, it earned $49.1 million in 3,730 theaters, with an average of $13,153 per theater. Its earnings exceeded predictions by $7 million. Enchanted was the second-highest Thanksgiving opening after Toy Story 2, which earned $80.1 million over five days in 1999. Enchanted is the first film to be the top movie on Thanksgiving in the 21st century.

In its second weekend, Enchanted remained the top movie, earning $16.4 million in 3,730 theaters, with an average of $4,397 per theater. It dropped to second place in its third weekend, earning $10.7 million in 3,520 theaters, with an average of $3,042 per theater. In its fourth weekend, it finished fourth, earning $5.5 million in 3,066 theaters, with an average of $1,804 per theater. Enchanted earned $127.8 million in the United States and Canada and $340.5 million worldwide. It was the 15th highest-grossing film worldwide in 2007.

Enchanted received positive reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film had an approval rate of 93% based on 193 reviews, with an average score of 7.3/10. The site’s critical consensus stated: "A smart re-imagining of fairy tale tropes that's sure to delight children and adults, Enchanted features witty dialogue, sharp animation, and a star turn by Amy Adams." Metacritic gave it a rating of 75 out of 100 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film as the ninth best reviewed film in wide release in 2007 and named it the best family film of that year. Audiences gave it an "A-" grade on a scale from A to F.

Reviewers praised the film’s approach to a classic Disney story, its comedy and musical numbers, and the performance of Amy Adams. Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars out of four, calling it a "heart-winning musical comedy." Critics from Variety and LA Weekly noted the film’s appeal to all ages. LA Weekly described it as "the sort of buoyant, all-ages entertainment that Hollywood has been laboring to revive," while Variety commented on its broad appeal. Enchanted was named Best Family Film of 2007 by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Carrie Rickey of The Philadelphia Inquirer ranked it the 4th best film of 2007.

Rolling Stone, Premiere, USA Today, and The Boston Globe each gave the film three out of four stars. The Baltimore Sun gave it a B grade. Reviewers noted that while the story was predictable, the film’s musical numbers and Disney’s playful take on its animated movies outweighed concerns about the plot or target audience. The Baltimore Sun said the film’s "piquant idea and enough good jokes" helped overcome its uneven quality. USA Today praised the "perfect casting" that made the film "magical."

Amy Adams received praise for her singing and acting. Critics compared her performance to her Academy Award-nominated role in Junebug and said her work helped make her a movie star. Richard Roeper and Michael Phillips of At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper highlighted her impact, saying "Amy Adams is this movie." However, both critics noted that the final scene with a computer-generated dragon slowed the film’s pace.

Empire said the film was aimed at children but praised the cast as its best feature, giving it three out of five stars. TIME gave it a C−, saying it "cannibalizes Walt's vault for jokes" and "fails to find a happy ending that doesn't feel two-dimensional." The Guardian gave it two out of five stars, criticizing its "deeply humourless sentimentality" and calling Adams’ performance the "only decent thing" in the film.

Disney references

According to director Kevin Lima, the movie Enchanted includes "thousands" of references to past and future Disney works. These references are both a humorous imitation of Disney films and a tribute to classic Disney stories. It took Walt Disney Studios nearly eight years to approve the film's production because the studio was concerned about the movie's tone. As Lima worked with writer Bill Kelly to add Disney references to the story, the effort became a strong focus. Lima used names from past Disney films for characters and other elements to increase the number of references.

Disney animators sometimes include characters from other Disney films in background scenes, such as Donald Duck appearing in The Little Mermaid. However, they usually avoid mixing characters from different Disney films to protect the unique identities of each story. In Enchanted, characters from older Disney films, like Thumper and Flower from Bambi, appear openly in the 2D animation scenes. The film also includes Disney references through camera techniques, set designs, costumes, music, and dialogue. Examples include the use of poisoned apples from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the concept of "True Love's Kiss" from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Dick Cook, the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, stated that one goal of Enchanted was to start a new series of films featuring the character Giselle and to bring attention back to older Disney stories.

Sequel

A follow-up movie called Disenchanted was released on Disney+ on November 18, 2022. Adam Shankman directed the film. The original actors, Adams, Dempsey, Menzel, and Marsden, play the same characters again. Gabriella Baldacchino takes over as Morgan, a role previously played by Covey, who appears briefly in the movie. New characters are added, played by Maya Rudolph, Jayma Mays, and Yvette Nicole Brown. Critics had different opinions about the film.