As part of Deadline’s new “Read the Screenplay” series, the script to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon has been made available to read online.
What’s Happening:
- In Raya and the Last Dragon, the kingdom of Kumandra splits apart when the gem protecting the realm from the Druun breaks into five pieces.
- Screenwriters Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim infused a plethora of Asian influences into Raya and the Last Dragon. For example, Malaysian warrior Tun Fatimah inspired Raya herself.
- However, as action packed as Raya’s quest is, the filmmakers imbued the story with the themes of unity and trust.
- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all the animators and voice artists were required to stay home, leading to the film being partially created remotely.
- From March 2020 until its release in March 2021, 900 Disney artists and technicians worked remotely on the film, while voice actors recorded their lines over Zoom. It only took two weeks to equip everyone’s homes, but it did involve new software and troubleshooting everyone’s internet connections.
- You can read the full script for Raya and the Last Dragon at this link.
About Raya and the Last Dragon:
- Raya lives in the Heart realm with her father, Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim). Years after the broken gem allowed the Druun to return, Raya seeks the help of Sisu (Awkwafina), the last dragon who can help restore peace (and restore Benja, who has turned to stone). They have to travel to each region of Kumandra – Fang, Spine, Talon and Tail – to collect the missing pieces of the gem, while warriors from other realms are after the same thing.
Raya and the Last Dragon is now available to stream on Disney+.
Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now