Video: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater Share What Makes SPELLBOUND Unique

When people think of Alan Menken, any one of his famed musical projects could first come to mind. With his many animated musicals for Disney and large canon of works for the stage, each project holds a unique place in his repertoire. And Spellbound, his latest collaboration with lyricist Glenn Slater, is no exception.

"This material is actually different from all of the other animated movies I've worked on," Menken shared in a recent interview with BroadwayWorld. "This defies formula." 

The new film, now available on Netflix, takes place in the magical world of Lumbria. The story follows Ellian, the young daughter of Lumbria's rulers. Only, there's one problem: her parents have turned into monsters. Throughout the movie, Ellian embarks on a quest in an attempt to reverse the mysterious spell that have left her parents in their unfortunate state.

"[The movie] looks like a fairy tale and it feels like a fairy tale and it's as fun as a fairy tale. But it's really about a fairly complex family dynamic," said Slater.

To create the musical language of Lumbria, the lyricist says he and Menken "took some bits and pieces from lots of different musical traditions: a little bit of Spanish, a little bit of Latin, a little bit of Bollywood, and kind of mixed it together." Watch the interview to find out more about how the collaborators brought this magical story to life.

The voice cast of Spellbound includes Rachel Zegler, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, Nicole Kidman, and Olga Merediz. The movie is directed by Vicky Jenson from a story by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda.