Will Disney’s Wish Make Their Dreams of Having a Blockbuster Come True?

Will wishing upon a star be a successful venture for Disney? Or will Disney’s dream of being a blockbuster-producing powerhouse come true? Or is this another flop destined to fizzle out? Most importantly, is this movie worth seeing? In this Disney Wish Christian Movie Review, I give you the information you need before viewing this movie with your children.

It seems as of late that Disney can’t get their footing. Many Christians believe that is because they have lost their way. The phrase, “Go Woke. Go Broke,” is said almost gleefully from the mouths of Disney haters. 

If you have ever visited this site, you know we are committed Christians. Jesus is Lord of our house, and while we have loved Disney movies and the parks, first and foremost is our dedication to our Lord and Savior.

Disney Wish Christian Movie Review

Studio Synopsis:

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Wish is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

My Synopsis:

Wish takes us on a musical journey to a Mediterranean kingdom where you are safe from harm. However, on your 18th birthday, you have to give up your wish for safekeeping with the understanding that you will forget that wish. 

King Magnifico keeps all the wishes safe, and benevolently grants wishes throughout the year. However, when a young girl named Asha applies to apprentice with the King, she hopes her grandfather’s wish is finally granted. 

When she finds out that some wishes will never be granted and the King is not as kind as she had once thought, she decides to give the wishes back to the residents. Along the way, she gets some help from a magical star. Will she be successful in restoring hope to the residents of Rosas?

Disney Wish Christian Movie Review What Parents Want to Know

Language:

One character is full of pessimism and says things like, “We’ll be here for you when you fail,” and other negative comments.

Additionally, there are a couple of times the goat says “butt.” For example, when a chicken laid an egg, it was asked, “Did you see what just came out of that one’s butt?”

Violence:

There is little violence in Wish. One person blows flour in another’s face.

The wishes are held in “crystal ball-like” globes and you can see the wish inside when you look into it. When wishes are “destroyed,” the person physically grabs their chest. One person commented that it felt like grief. However, another person grabbed her chest as if she was having a heart attack.

Additionally, King Magnifico uses his magic to hold people in “green magical” vines that twist throughout the kingdom. When he gets angry, his entire demeanor changes; for example, his eyes glow green.

Spiritual Content:

Magic is used throughout the film. The king is a sorcerer who uses a forbidden book to grow his powers. 

A magic quill pen writes on its own. It appears to be writing a Mickey Head.

Asha wishes upon a star, and the star comes down to guide her. Furthermore, we all are connected to the stars in a cosmically mumbo jumbo kind of way.

Furthermore, there is repeated talk about the stars guiding us. One line in a song says, “Have you ever wondered why you look up in the sky for answers?” The answers are devoid of God and end up being humanistic.

Other Content:

One of the central themes is that people come to the island for safety and are willing to give up their wishes to keep them safe. But giving them up also means they forget them without regret.

A young girl wants to kiss the King and pretends to kiss his statue from a distance, similar to someone “holding the Epcot ball.” She also talks about how handsome the King is.

Additionally, the King talks about being handsome and admires himself in mirrors. When looking in a mirror, he says, “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who is the handsomest of all?”

Furthermore, there is a discussion of Asha’s father, who died when she was twelve.

Deception & Stealing:

King Magnifico acts benevolently but is not kind. He hides his true nature from the people of Rosas. Furthermore, he lies to the citizens and tells them that Asha has stolen people’s wishes.

In fact, later Asha does try to “steal” everyone’s wishes. She claims she’s returning their wishes. However, they have freely given them to the King. 

Teachable Moments in Disney Wish:

One of the greatest teachable moments in this film is that the citizens of Rosas willingly gave up their wishes to King Magnifico. They come to the island for safety and, in exchange, give up their wishes. 

I am reminded of the United States citizens who give up freedoms for the illusion of safety such as when the Patriot Act was enacted. In an attempt to feel safe, people willingly gave up freedoms for a feeling of safety.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Christian Review of Disney Wish Movie: My Viewing Recommendations

When Wish opened with a giant fairy tale book similar to classic films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Enchanted, I was hopeful.

However, when a song asked, “Have you ever wondered why you look up in the sky for answers?” I wrote, Because God made the stars!

The song goes on to state, “You’re a star,” and “We are our own origin story.” It felt like King Magnifico represents God, and if we can just get rid of a god who doesn’t grant wishes, we can control our destiny.

And Disney wonders why they have lost their footing. My wish is that they find their way and return to Walt’s vision of having family-friendly entertainment. While your children won’t turn into God-hating humanists by watching this movie, the storyline, songs, and movie-making quality are just not magnificent.

Finally, if you are looking for a great movie, check out my review of Journey to Bethlehem.

About the Movie:

Rating: PG for Violence and Scariness

Release Date: November 22, 2023

Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Genre: Animated Musical

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Director: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthom

Screenplay by: Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore

Produced by: Peter Del Vecho, Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones

Edited by: Jeff Draheim

Music by: Dave Metzger (score), Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice (songs)

Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Cast of Wish:

Asha voiced by Ariana DeBose (Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story)

King Magnifico voiced by Chris Pine

Queen Amaya voiced by Angelique Cabral

Valentino (the goat) voiced by Alan Tudyk

Sleepy voiced by Evan Peters

Dahlia voiced by Jennifer Kumiyama

Sabino voiced by Victor Garber 

Gabo voiced by Harvey Guillén

Sakina voiced by Natasha Rothwell

Dario voiced by Jon Rudnitsky

Bazeema voiced by Della Saba

Safi voiced by Ramy Youssef

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can I watch Disney Wish?

Disney Wish was released into theaters on November 22, 2023. It is expected that Wish will be streaming on Disney+ in the future.

Is there an end-credit scene for Wish?

Yes. At the end of Disney Wish there is a very short scene. However, during the credits, they display different Disney characters shaped out of stars.

Is there LGBTQ+ representation in Wish?

One popular Disney website, Inside the Magic, has stated that “Disney Introduces First Non-Binary Character in Wish.” However, the non-binary character is an anthropomorphic star, and Insidethemagic.net also states that Disney has not said that the star is non-binary.

Additionally, the actress that voices Asha, Ariana DeBose, is queer.

Will Disney Wish stream on Disney+? 

Currently, it is not known when Disney Wish will be streaming on Disney+, but you can generally expect movies to come to the streaming service in first quarter 2024.

Will Disney Wish be streaming on Peacock?

Since Wish is a Disney production, it will not be streaming on Peacock.

How much did it cost to produce Disney Wish?

Disney Wish had a budget of $200 million. 

The pre-opening day, Tuesday, November 21, 2023, saw $2.3 million in ticket sales.

Is Asha a Princess?

There is no indication that Asha is the newest Disney Princess. She does not appear to be related to royalty. 17-year-old Asha resides in the Kingdom of Rosas. There is no mention of royal blood.

However, that doesn’t mean the Walt Disney Company doesn’t have future plans for Asha – anything can happen.

What nods to other Disney movies are in Wish?

Wish is being released in theaters during Disney’s 100th Anniversary called Disney 100. Disney is celebrating 100 years of storytelling, magic, and memories. It is said that there are over 100 Easter Eggs (Disney references to other movies) in this animated film. Here are just a few of them.

1. Mickey Mouse – It all started with a mouse. There are two big nods to Mickey. First, the magic quill pen begins to write a Mickey Head, and at the end of the film, the fireworks over the castle make a Mickey head.
2. The Fairy Tale Book at the beginning of the movie is a nod to many movies, including Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs.
3. Asha has seven friends that look remarkably like the dwarfs. One sneezes all the time.
4. Asha is dressed as a fairy godmother when she is trying to lure Sorcerer King Magnifico away from the castle. She is even carrying a magic wand. (Cinderella)
5. King Magnifico is a magic Sorcerer looking for an apprentice with a nod to The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
6. When you wish upon a star (Pinocchio)
7. A bunny and deer become talking animals, and the bunny thumps his foot just like Thumper (Bambi).
8. King Magnifico grants a wish for a girl who wants to be a seamstress. (Sleeping Beauty)
9. One person’s wish is to fly and later she is introduced to Peter.(Peter Pan)
10. Are the singing chickens a nod to the Muppet’s singing chickens?
11. There are mushrooms in the forest (Alice in Wonderland)
12. A reference is also made to Mary Poppins.

What other references did you find to Disney movies in Wish?

What Ethnicity is Asha in Wish?

Asha is the first Afro-Hispanic heroine in a Disney film.

What do critics think of Wish?

​After opening day, Wish has a critic score on Rotten Tomatoes of 46%. However, the audience score of 100+ is at 84%. Be aware that this score is generally bloggers who have received free tickets for a  movie showing. (This site pays for 98% of their tickets.)

Furthermore, as a Disney musical, this film does not live up to classic films such as Beauty and the Beast or the music in The Greatest Showman. While there are original songs, the music is lackluster and not at all what is anticipated or expected from the House of Mouse.