Disney announces Lucasfilm’s Strange Magic

Disney is gearing up to release a new Lucasfilm animated feature, titled Strange Magic.

For anyone familiar with the studio’s usual repertoire and film output, the film – set for release on January 23, 2015 – is somewhat of a departure from the Star Wars cannon.

The feature is based on a story by George Lucas and was in production when Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4billion.

Variety reports that the film will released through the Touchstone Pictures banner, used by Disney to distribute DreamWorks Pictures’ films.

Directed by Gary Rydstrom, Strange Magic is billed as a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring popular songs from the last six decades as it tells the tale of a cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps.

Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Sam Palladio and Alfred Mlina among others will provide the voices for the characters.