Apple Original Films' Spellbound is packed with star power from Nicole Kidman to Javier Bardem

I Love Lucy the sequel? Apple Original Films knows star power when it casts pitting the iconic Nicole Kidman and her Being the Ricardos co-star Javier Bardem together in the upcoming Spellbound animated musical. The announcement is huge and the entire cast come with major Hollywood credentials.

Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation revealed today that Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos,” “Roar") and Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos,” “Dune”) have joined the cast of the star-studded animated musical feature, “Spellbound.” Kidman will be voicing the role of ‘Ellsmere,’ the kind and just, yet hyper-precise Queen of Lumbria; and Bardem will voice ‘Solon,' the boastful yet big-hearted King of Lumbria. Together, they are the parents of 'Princess Ellian’ (voice by Rachel Zegler), who they join on her daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever.

Also joining the cast is multi-award winner John Lithgow (“Sharper,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Bombshell”), who will provide the voice for 'Minister Bolinar,’ and Jenifer Lewis (“The Princess and the Frog,” “Black-ish,” “I Love That For You") who will provide the voice for 'Minister Nazara Prone,' both royal advisors to Princess Ellian. Ellian seeks out The Oracles of the Sun and Moon, voiced by Nathan Lane (“The Lion King,” “The Producers,” “The Birdcage”) and Emmy Award winner André De Shields (“tick, tick…BOOM!,” “Hadestown,” “Extreme Measures”), to break the spell on her parents and the kingdom. Throughout her journey, Ellian meets several characters who help her, including ‘Callan,’ a young nomad, voiced by Jordan Fisher (Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between,” “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You").

“Spellbound” is directed by Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton. The original score and songs for the film hail from Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, with song lyrics by Glenn Slater. Chris Montan serves as executive music producer. John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Lipman are producing for Skydance Animation.

“Spellbound” joins an expanding lineup of the Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation projects, alongside upcoming titles such as the highly anticipated feature “Luck,” and the animated series “Wondla.” The studio’s inaugural Apple Original short film, “Blush,” had its world premiere as part of the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival’s animated shorts program and is now streaming globally on Apple TV+. Later this year, Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation will also premiere their first animated feature “Luck" on Apple TV+ on August 5, 2022.

Still debating on getting Apple TV+? Look no further than the numbers and award-winning content it serves up on a regular basis.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with over 245 wins and more than 963 award nominations and counting, including this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.