After The Mitchells vs. the Machines release, Netflix is determined to bolster its family animation entertainment pocket with another animated feature titled Wish Dragon. A magical adventure, very much like rival Disney’s Aladdin. Only it replaces the wish-granting blue genie from an ancient lamp with a pink dragon from a mystical teapot and progresses in a very Aladdin-esque fashion. However, it is the modern-day spin that is refreshing and enticing enough. That and the switch to friendship from love that seems like a welcome change.
It tells the story of Din (Jimmy Wong) who stumbles across a teapot that contains a wish-granting dragon named Long (John Cho). And it is their coming together that the first trailer teases. It gets interesting because Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend and Long manages to do that but not without leading him on an “adventure a thousand years in the making.”
Named Long (played by John Cho!) who gets a taste of the real world in modern day Shanghai! In this picture, he's got Din's mom (played by @ConstanceWu right next to him) and you might even see a special cameo voice by @philipwang in the gang too ;) pic.twitter.com/0w7mfNDmr5
— Jimmy Wong (@jfwong) May 13, 2021
The official synopsis further hints at the same and reads, “In Sony Pictures Animation’s Wish Dragon, Din, a working-class college student with big dreams but small means, and Long, a cynical but all-powerful dragon capable of granting wishes, set off on a hilarious adventure through modern day Shanghai in pursuit of Din’s long-lost childhood friend, Lina. Their journey forces them to answer some of life’s biggest questions – because when you can wish for anything, you have to decide what really matters.
Wish Dragon is written and directed by Chris Appelhans. Actor and martial artist Jackie Chan serves as a producer and is also Long’s voice in the film’s Mandarin version. Chan is joined by Aron Warner of the Shrek film series and its spinoff Puss in Boots fame and Chris Bremble.
Apart from Jimmy Wong and John Cho, the voice-cast also stars Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy O. Yang, Aaron Yoo, Bobby Lee, and Ronnie Chieng.
Wish Dragon is all set to premiere on Netflix on June 11.
