Disney is reinventing another classic tale and this time their original spin looks more impressive than ever before: at the 2015 D23 expo, Disney announced Gigantic , a re-telling of Jack and the Beanstalk, and it seems destined to take over your heart. The animated movie won't be released until 2018, but the project is already generating major buzz. You see, Gigantic has a secret weapon in Frozen composers Robert Lopez and Kirsten Anderson-Lopez. Like Frozen, Gigantic will feature several musical numbers, and according MTV News, the debut of the first song from the movie, "Little Man," was met with the kind of enthusiasm expected from a song written and performed by the team that gave the world "Let it Go."
The music is just one aspect of what sounds like a totally charming animated movie. Disney revealed the movie is set in Spain during the age of discovery. The adventurous Jack discovers a world in the sky full of giants and one of those giants happens to be an 11-year-old named Inma. Jack and Inma go on a journey to get Inma back to her people, but in true Disney fashion, things go awry, friendships are made, and a new classic is most likely born.
Excited yet? If you're not, then never fear. I have four more reasons why you should be psyched for Gigantic.
1. Disney Has A Good Track Record With Jack And The Beanstalk
Disney has adapted Jack and the Beanstalk once before in Mickey and the Beanstalk, a short included in the animated feature Fun and Fancy Free. Anyone who grew up watching Mickey Mouse cartoons will remember the short was funny, a tiny bit scary (Donald Duck goes after his beloved cow with an ax because he's starving), and encapsulated everything there is to love about the classic tale. With Gigantic, Disney is pushing the story further adding new twists, while still keeping the fantastical elements intact. There's every reason to hope Gigantic will surpass the excellent Mickey and the Beanstalk and redefine the way children look at the original tale.
Inma Could Be A Stereotype-Shattering Heroine
I am already in love with Inma. The fact that Disney chose to make a heroine who is literally larger than life fills me with more joy than I can even say. Inma's personality is supposed to be as big as she is, and in my heart of hearts, I'm hoping Inma will make any little kid who feels like they don't quite fit in, either because they're taller, they weigh more, or they just laugh more than the other kids, feel like they have a human Disney character they can see a bit of themselves in.
It's A Musical With Music From The Frozen Songwriters
Just imagine a world with more classics like "Let It Go" in it. Tell me that's not a better place. Thanks to the music, Gigantic could be a successor to Frozen in many ways. Knowing the story will be told as much through song as it is through dialogue is just one more reason to look forward to seeing Gigantic on the big screen.
It's Creating An Entire Giant World
Inma isn't just one lonely giant living alone in the sky. She is part of a full and vibrant world that's ripe for exploring. Seeing Inma and Jack journey through the world of the giants will open up an entire new realm in Disney lore. Not only does the expansive environment immediately lend itself to sequels, it also already has my imagination working overtime. Disney is getting creative with Gigantic, and all you have to do is look at the past to know when Disney gets truly creative, everyone wins.
Gigantic is still a long ways off, but I'm already daydreaming about meeting Inma and setting off for an adventure through the giant world. Good job, Disney — now I'll be in a perpetual state of excitement for the next three years.
Images: Giphy (4)
