For director Fawn Veerasunthorn, the upcoming Disney animated fantasy film “Hexed” is a mother-daughter love story that comes with a set of obstacles.
She told Reuters the film is about a mother and daughter rekindling their relationship after years of strain.
“It's a rift that happened, and we hope they will come back together. So, we look at it throughout that lens,” the storyboard artist known for her work on “Frozen” and “Moana,” added.
“Hexed,” which arrives in theaters on Nov 25, is directed by Veerasunthorn, Jason Hand and Josie Trinidad. It follows a teenage girl named Billie Doe, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, who discovers she has magical powers that lead her into the supernatural realm of Hexe, the world of witches.
Other voice cast members include Rashida Jones as Alice Doe, Billie's cautious mother, Walton Goggins as Beef Roger Crummchuck, a three-eyed green cat, and Jodie Foster as the villainous queen of witches.
While the filmmakers drew on existing witch lore for inspiration, they created much of the world of Hexe from scratch.
“Instead of basing it on existing property, we're like, let's make it our own,” Veerasunthorn said, adding that the movie has an original approach to how characters cast spells.
That emphasis on originality extended beyond the movie’s mythology. Producer Yvett Merino said it was important for the film to establish itself as a brand-new intellectual property.
“We want Billie to stand out. Alice to stand out. We want the world of Hexe to stand out,” she said.
“It's tough in that sense because we're trying to introduce someone, and we're trying to get this film noticed,” she added.
Still, Merino said she is confident audiences will connect with Billie and her journey as both a young witch discovering her powers and a girl reconnecting with her mom.