Disney+ Delays Upcoming Movie
The release of Sneakerella, a new Disney+ movie that finished production last year, has reportedly been delayed until next year. The movie is another retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale, this time set in the world of sneaker design. It star Chosen Jacobs and Lexi Underwood, who was recently seen in Little Fires Everywhere, star in the new movie directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum.
On Sunday, Dejaview Stream reported Sneakerella was delayed, citing a Twitter user and a publicity contact for Sneakerella. The representative confirmed that Sneakerella was not being moved to the Disney Channel, despite a Disney Music press release referring to it as a Disney Channel Original Movie. An official novelization of the film was also delayed from November to May 2022, then pushed up to February 2022. Sneakerella will still premiere on Disney+, but was still produced by Disney Channel like Secret Society of Second-Born Royals and Phineas and Ferb: Candace Against the Universe.
One possible reason for the delay could be Amazon Prime Video's release of Cinderella, starring pop star Camila Cabello. Like Sneakerella, it is also a modernized take on the fairy tale. Disney+ is also home to other Cinderella adaptations, including the 1950 animated classic, Brandy's 1997 TV movie, and Ever After. (Oddly enough, Disney's own 2015 live action adaptation of Cinderella is not available on Disney+ at the moment.)
Sneakerella stars Jacobs as El, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens who works in a store once owned by his late mother. He keeps his talents a secret from his two stepbrothers and his life changes when he meets Kira (Underwood), the daughter of sneaker tycoon Darius King (John Salley). The two bond over their love of sneakers and El's dreams come true with the help of a Fairy Godmother. Yvonne Senat Jones, Devyn Nekoda, Juan Chioran, Robyn Alomar, Bryan Terrell Clark, Kolton Stewart, and Hayward Leach also star.
The movie was written by Tamara Chestna, George Gore II, and Mindy Stern. Jane Startz and Rachel Watanabe-Batton are executive producers. Rosenbaum, who also directed Romana and Beezus and Aquamarine, is also an executive producer on the project.