Fairytales have a generational impact, and few people know the power of reinterpreting classic stories through a modern lens like Vicky Jenson. As the director of Shrek, she applied a contemporary sensibility to timeless characters, and now she’s back with a brand-new animated spectacle with Skydance Animation’s Spellbound. Featuring original music by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and Glenn Slater (Tangled) and from executive producer John Lasseter (Toy Story), Skydance Animation’s second animated feature comes with a lot of clout. This past June, I got to chat with Vicky Jenson at Annecy Festival about the film, her earliest interest in a career in animation, and working with Spellbound’s legendary voice cast and creative team.
Alex: Spellbound is an original fairy tale, which is quite rare these days. What was it like trying to craft a completely new story for today’s generation?
Vicky Jenson: Without giving too much away, it took a lot of work to create something original. The best fairy tales mark milestones in people’s lives, transcending time and culture. They reveal universal truths about being human, and that’s what we worked on here. It’s something that feels untapped but also deeply meaningful. And, of course, it’s hugely entertaining!
Alex: Can you touch on some of the themes we can expect?
Vicky Jenson: Well, one big theme is the value of what makes a family—what truly holds a family together. While that’s a theme many might find familiar, the way it plays out here is unique. But I don’t want to give away too much just yet!
Alex: Now, you famously worked on Shrek, which took a very modern and comedic approach to fairy tales. Spellbound seems to lean in the opposite direction. How does it compare?
Vicky Jenson: With Shrek, we flipped fairy tales on their head and gave them a modern twist. With Spellbound, it’s the reverse—it’s a fairy tale take on something more modern. It has a fairy tale feel, with familiar elements like castles, a princess, and a king and queen, but what we do with those elements is very different. I wouldn’t say it’s more serious—it’s a deep story, but it’s set in an epic, colorful, and fun world.
Alex: Fairy tales and musicals often go hand in hand. I’m a huge Alan Menken fan, and getting him on board must have been amazing. What was the musical process like for this film?
Vicky Jenson: We brought Alan Menken in very early, alongside Chris Montan and Glenn Slater. They worked with us to align the music with the story’s meaning. In musicals, the songs have to move the story forward and develop the characters, so their input was invaluable. It was an incredible experience working with them that way.
Alex: Did the music influence the casting, or was it the other way around?
Vicky Jenson: The music came first—story and music always lead. Casting came later. That said, there was one song we worked on later in production that became tailored to John Lithgow. He really can sing!
Alex: Speaking of John Lithgow, this is a bit of a reunion for you two after Shrek. Did that make the recording sessions easier?
Vicky Jenson: Not necessarily easier—John is just such a genuine person. He’s present, committed, and comes in with great questions. He really dives into understanding his character and their journey. That approach made it easy to work with him, both on Shrek and now.
Alex: Nicole Kidman is another standout in the cast. Is she using her natural Australian accent, or something different?
Vicky Jenson: It’s more of a “British lite” accent since she’s playing a queen. We wanted her to feel comfortable in the role, and she did an amazing job dropping into the character over the years it took to make this film.
Alex: Worldbuilding is such a big part of animation. How did you make the world of Spellbound visually distinct?
Vicky Jenson: This movie is visually different from what we’ve seen in the classic fairytales. Those are classic castles, very Englo. Because this movie is animated in Spain, the earliest concept originated with artists in Spain. It was important to me that we lift from that culture and then build fantaasy on top of that. We leaned heavily into early Spanish influences, from Moorish architecture to intricate tile work and costume design. The visual style is inspired by ancient Spanish art and culture, but we built a layer of fantasy on top of it. For example, the castle design has elements of Spanish tile work, and the costumes, like Ellian’s formal dress, have that distinctive Spanish silhouette with wide skirts. Our costume designer, Isis Mussenden, helped us put a unique twist on everything.
Alex: This project has been in development for a while. When did you get involved?
Vicky Jenson: I started with Linda Woolverton’s first script. It was incredibly epic – there were worlds at war, kings and queens falling in love, getting married, having a child, and then the movie starts. It was a lot to tackle in one film. When John Lasseter came on board, we focused on the heart of the story and built out from there.
Alex: Are there any nods to John Lasseter-isms, like A113 or John Ratzenberger, in the film?
Vicky Jenson: No A113, as I’m not a CalArts alum, but we do have John Ratzenberger. He has a small role as one of the monster handlers. It’s a fun little cameo—listen closely, and you’ll hear him.
Alex: Spellbound launches on Netflix during the holiday season. What are your hopes for the audience's response?
Vicky Jenson: I hope it brings families together. There’s something for parents, kids, and everyone in between. I also hope the music stays with people. Alan’s songs are so catchy, and even my husband, who doesn’t usually like musicals, loves them.
Alex: Shrek made the unlikely leap to the stage. With Alan Menken’s music, it seems like Spellbound has Broadway potential. Do you see it making that leap?
Vicky Jenson: Absolutely. With Alan’s music and Glenn’s lyrics, it would make an amazing stage production. Plus, we’d have the opportunity to write a few more songs, which I think the story deserves.
Alex: What inspired you to get into animation?
Vicky Jenson: Watching Bambi and Pinocchio. The background paintings were stunning and inspired me to become a painter. That led to animation and eventually directing. I started as a background painter, learned storyboarding, and then directing.
Alex: With your artistic background, were you involved in the visual style of Spellbound?
Vicky Jenson: Absolutely. I worked closely with our character designer, Guillermo Ramírez, a very young guy who designed virtually all of our characters and creatures. He had a great team, but it was the look that he found for our characters, he and I working together, that really kept everything consistent. I was also very involved with environment design, drawing on my background as a production designer. The color palette was particularly important to me, inspired by artists like Mary Blair. While our movie isn’t as stylized as what you’d think of as Mary Blair-inspired, the pallettes are there, like the Forest of Eternal Darkness, the way the colors pop inside this dark place was very inspired by her work in animation.
Alex: Animation has come a long way since Shrek. Did anything surprise you about this project?
Vicky Jenson: There have been big advances, like faster effects and new systems for things like feathers on our griffins. That said, animation still relies on great animators. There’s no “make it funny” button – you need real artistry to bring these characters to life.
Alex: Thank you so much for your time. I can’t wait to see Spellbound!
Spellbound premieres Friday, November 22nd, on Netflix and on the big screen in select theaters.