‘Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story’ Adds 6 to Cast, Including Darren Criss as Jiminy Cricket and Sherry Cola as Yzma From ‘Emperor’s New Groove’
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The Disney Channel and Disney+ film 'Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story' has expanded its cast with six experienced performers taking on roles as descendants of beloved Disney characters. Darren Criss plays Jiminy Cricket, Sherry Cola portrays Yzma, Broadway's James Monroe Iglehart voices Genie, whilst Hugo Ateo, Sean Yves Lessard, and Dan Bakkedahl round out the ensemble with additional character assignments.
The project reimagines the Descendants concept around an academy where offspring of famous sidekicks train to become heroes' companions and must save their realm from threats. Directed by Jude Weng and written by a three-person team, the film capitalises on the franchise's consistent audience engagement since its 2015 launch, building on momentum from the recently released fifth installment in July. The production is part of Disney Kids & Family's expanding Descendants universe, which now includes animated and prequel spinoff series alongside the theatrical films.
- Disney announced six new cast additions to 'Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story,' including Darren Criss, Sherry Cola, and James Monroe Iglehart in iconic character roles
- The film reimagines the Descendants universe around a training academy where descendants of famous sidekicks must protect the fairy-tale realm without their parents
- The project extends the franchise's reach following its sustained success since 2015, now encompassing multiple films, animated spinoffs, and series
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Disney's Descendants films imagine a world where the children of classic Disney heroes and villains attend school together, blending characters from different animated films into one shared universe. Since the first film launched in 2015, the franchise has grown into a major hit for Disney Channel and Disney+, spawning several sequels, spin-off series and a large ensemble cast of young performers.
'Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story' is a new instalment that shifts focus away from villains' offspring and instead follows the descendants of Disney's famous sidekick characters, such as Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio, Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove and Genie from Aladdin. In the story, these young descendants attend an academy where they train to become companions and helpers to future heroes, and must work together to protect their world from danger.
The film's casting news matters because it signals how Disney is expanding the Descendants brand further, bringing in established actors and Broadway performers to play beloved characters' offspring, and building on the franchise's continued popularity following its most recent theatrical release.
More coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — Darren Criss, Sherry Cola Join Disney’s ‘Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story’
- Deadline — ‘Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story’ Adds Darren Criss, Sherry Cola, James Monroe Iglehart & More As Iconic Disney Characters
- Billboard — Darren Criss Cast in ‘Descendants’ Spin-Off ‘Hidden Heroes’ as This Disney Icon