In a week that’s already seen more discussion about Gina Rodriguez starring as Carmen Sandiego and the first trailer for Edward James Olmos’ new FX series, there’s even more on the horizon. Disney Channel’s Latina princess, Elena of Avalor, is set to be visited by a host of new characters, all voiced by actors we love. The network has just announced that an upcoming primetime movie starring Elena will include the voices of Rodriguez, Olmos and Rita Moreno.
Elena of Avalor: Song of the Sirenas follows the title character (voiced by Aimee Carrero) as she travels to Nueva Vista and encounters “a group of mermaid-like sea creatures called sirenas.” Rodriguez and Prince Royce will play twins, as the Princess and Prince of the sirenas, respectively, while Olmos and Moreno play their parents. The special will also include actress Rosario Dawson as the head of the sirena royal guard while Javier Muñoz, of Broadway’s Hamilton, plays Elena’s cousin, Duke Cristóbal.
The series that combines Disney princess chic with Latin American folklore has been a huge hit for Disney. Recurring guest stars for the series have been impressive with the likes of Constance Marie, Lou Diamond Phillips, Moreno’s One Day at a Time co-star Justina Machado, and Rodriguez’s Jane the Virgin colleagues Jaime Camil and Diane Guerrero. Along with the special, a series of short cartoons will further examine the life of the sirenas. Books and dolls based on the new characters will arrive later this year.
Who else is psyched to live in a world where we’ll see Gina Rodriguez’s parents played by Edward James Olmos and Rita Moreno? Elena of Avalor is a beautifully animated Emmy-nominated series that seems to attract more high-profile performers than other Disney shows. This new primetime special should hopefully draw not just the show’s regular fans, but also those who just want to hear the voices of their favorite performers.
Elena of Avalor: Song of the Sirenas debuts on Disney Junior and the DisneyNOW app on September 21 at 7 p.m.