Disney Drops Trailer For First Animated Collab With Another Studio In A Century
Video screenshot via Walt Disney Animation Studios
Disney has released the trailer for Iwájú, a new miniseries that marks its first animated collaboration with an external studio in 100 years. Teaming up with Kugali Media, a company that’s all about bringing African stories to the forefront, the House of Mouse is set to drop this series on Disney+ come February 28, 2024.
With six episodes on the lineup, Iwájú takes us to a future Lagos, Nigeria, and dives into a story that’s as much about friendship as it is about uncovering the secrets of their world.
The plot centers on Tola and Kole, two friends from different sides of the tracks, or in this case, the city. Tola’s got the world at her feet, living in luxury, while Kole’s a tech genius who’s mostly self-taught. Together, they’re about to find out that their city has more layers than they thought.
Iwájú, which translates to “the future” in Yoruba, promises to mix the old with the new, showing off a side of African culture that's rarely seen in mainstream animation.
Lending their voices to the series are Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, and a few more talents that bring the characters of Iwájú to life. Directed by Ziki Nelson and penned by Adeola and Halima Hudson, the series is Kugali’s bid to tell African stories on a global stage, something it’s been keen on from the start.
The making of the series is a bit of a globe-trotter itself, with animation work split between Cinesite’s studios in Montreal and London, and Disney Animation’s spot in Vancouver. The storyboard and pre-production got brewing at Disney’s Burbank studio, turning this into a truly international effort. It’s a small world, after all.
Image via Disney+
Image via Disney+
Image via Disney+
