Reports have revealed Disney’s plans for an upcoming live-action fairy tale about an African Princess. Pitched by Lindsey Reed Palmer and Ola Shokunbi, (who will also be writers for the movie), Sadé will be an original story following a magical princess. As far as anybody can tell, Reed Palmer and Shokunbi are newcomers to the industry. Their pitch must have really been something to make a leap such as this.
Sadé has yet to find a director, but Rick Famuyiwa (known for his indie hit Dope in 2015) will be producing the movie and Tendo Nagenda and Zoe Kent are overseeing the project.
According to Deadline, the plot will be as follows: “It centers on a young African girl named Sadé who, when her kingdom is threatened by a mysterious evil force, accepts her newly discovered magical warrior powers to protect herself and her people. With the help of the kingdom’s prince, Sadé embarks on an adventure that will allow her to embrace what makes her special and save the kingdom.”
Historically, Disney’s lead roles have been prominently white, but in recent years they have been pushing for more inclusion. Sadé will break new ground for Disney as she will be their first African fairy tale and another promising step towards inclusion within mainstream media.
> Charlotte Lenihan
Sadé: Disney's Upcoming African Princess Fairy Tale
