‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ – Meet The Biggest New Cast Yet

Disney’s teen musical franchise is officially back, and this time it’s sending fans down the rabbit hole for real. ‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ has arrived as the fifth installment in the beloved ‘Descendants‘ saga, and the new cast additions are already generating serious buzz among longtime fans of the franchise.

The film picks up right where ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ left off, following Red and Chloe as they deal with the fallout of their time traveling adventure. The synopsis explains that with the Queen of Hearts now nice and Cinderella safe, everything seemed perfect for Red and Chloe, but changing the past ended up creating an entirely new villain in Maddox Hatter.

Meet the New Cast Joining Wonderland

The headline addition to the cast is easily the villain of the piece. Leonardo Nam steps into the role of Maddox Hatter, described as a ruthless villain hunting to uncover a magical pocket watch’s whereabouts as he attempts to bend the fate of Wonderland to his will.

Alongside him, a whole new generation of legacy characters make their debut. New additions to the cast include Liamani Segura as Pink, Brendon Tremblay as Max Hatter, Alexandro Byrd as Luis Madrigal, Kiara Romero as Hazel Hook, Joel Oulette as Robbie Hood, Zavien Garrett as Felix Facilier, Ryan McEwen as Squirmy Smee and Dayton Paradis as Squeaky Smee. That’s a lengthy roster of offspring belonging to some of Wonderland and Disney lore’s most recognizable names, and it signals just how expansive this new chapter is meant to be.

Comedian and actress Awkwafina also joins the film, voicing the role of Chessy the Cat, and according to the Hollywood Reporter, Chessy the Cat is the offspring of the Cheshire Cat. It’s a fun bit of casting that immediately gives the film a recognizable comedic voice to play off the younger cast members.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time some of these young stars have shared a set. This marks the second Disney project together for Kylie Cantrall, who plays Red, and Liamani Segura, who plays Pink, following their time together on Season 4 of ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’. That kind of prior chemistry could end up being a real asset for the sibling dynamic the film is building between Red and Pink.

Returning Faces Bring Familiar Wonderland Energy

Of course, ‘Wicked Wonderland’ wouldn’t feel complete without its established stars coming back for another round. Kylie Cantrall reprises her role as Red, Malia Baker returns as Chloe, Brandy comes back as Cinderella and Rita Ora once again plays the Queen of Hearts.

The supporting cast from previous films is sticking around too. Melanie Paxson returns as Fairy Godmother and Paolo Montalban reprises his role as King Charming, keeping that connective tissue intact for fans who’ve followed the series since its earlier chapters.

There’s also a fun bit of recasting worth noting for eagle eyed viewers. Dayton Paradis and Ryan McEwen now play Squeaky and Squirmy Smee, the twin sons of Mr. Smee, roles previously played by Christian Convery and Luke Roessler back in ‘Descendants 3’. Fittingly, the two actors playing the identical twin brothers are not actually related in real life.

Behind the camera, the film is in the hands of a filmmaker with a clear personal connection to the material. Kimmy Gatewood, who directed ‘Wicked Wonderland,’ has spoken about how she has personally seen the impact these movies have on young viewers, noting that her own daughter is a fan of the franchise. She described the films as ones that open up a child’s imagination through musical theater, singing and dancing.

What the Wonderland Adventure Is Actually About

So what exactly are Red and Chloe walking into this time. When Maddox captures the Queen of Hearts, Red and Chloe are forced to team up with Red’s new sister Pink, Luisa Madrigal’s son Luis, Captain Hook’s daughter Hazel, and Maddox’s own son Max in order to save her and rescue Wonderland. It’s a setup that leans heavily into the found family formula the ‘Descendants’ films have built their identity around, just with a whole new cast of legacy kids at the center.

The IMDb synopsis frames the central conflict a bit differently but with the same stakes in mind. When Wonderland plays host to the Kingdom Cup Games, Red and Chloe Charming must fight to save everyone from an unexpected villain, giving the film a competitive backdrop to build its action and musical sequences around.

There’s also a thematic throughline the director wants younger viewers to walk away with. Gatewood has said one of the big lessons of the film is that there are consequences to your actions, and that the movie is meant for kids who are trying to figure out who they are without being defined by their parents, a message that fits neatly with the legacy character concept the franchise has always leaned on.

Release Details Fans Should Know

For anyone wondering when they can actually watch all this Wonderland chaos unfold, the rollout has already been set in motion. ‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ premiered Thursday, July 16 on Disney Channel, with the film arriving on Disney+ the following day, and the original soundtrack releasing on July 17.

The film also had a bit of a journey before landing on its final name. During pre-production, the movie carried the provisional title ‘Descendants 5’ and later the working title ‘Descendants: For The Win’ before settling on ‘Wicked Wonderland’.

There was even a nostalgic moment tied to the premiere itself. Booboo Stewart, who played Jay in the original ‘Descendants’ trilogy, made a guest appearance at the film’s premiere on July 15, bridging the gap between the franchise’s earlier era and its newest generation of stars.

With this many new legacy characters introduced in a single film, and Maddox Hatter shaping up as one of the franchise’s more unpredictable villains yet, ‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ is clearly setting the stage for where this world goes next. Which new legacy character are you most excited to see get their own spinoff story down the line?