DESCENDANTS

Now for the casting, 'Descendants' did something unique for two of its roles, and that was casting better-known actors. This isn't something unheard of for the Disney Channel, but most of the time, the adults are predominantly made of actors who have recurring spots on network television. The biggest actors they had gotten were Charles Shaughnessy, who played Mr Sheffield on 'The Nanny' for 2000s 'Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire' and Debbie Reynolds in 'Halloweentown', who wasn't doing much acting at the time. However, 'Descendants' had Broadway icon Kristin Chenoweth as Maleficent and reunited Ortega with 'Hocus Pocus' star Kathy Najimy. Not the biggest names, but for the Disney Channel to bag them in 2015 was huge for the network, and helped make this feel more like event TV, like the network was in the late 2000s, as well as catching the attention of every gay man. For the titular VKs (Villain Kids), the network would do what it does best and pull from its own shows. Mal, Maleficent's daughter, was played by Dove Cameron from 'Liv and Maddie' and Carlos, Cruella De Vil's son, was portrayed by Cameron Boyce from 'Jessie'. You then had Sofia Carson as Evie, the Evil Queen's daughter, who was an up-and-comer on the network and Jay, Jafar's son, was played by Booboo Stewart who, even though he was in 'Twilight', is not related to Kristen Stewart like I once thought, he was the only one that was coming in from outside the network.

The film would debut to 6.6 million viewers, the highest for an original film since 2013's 'Teen Beach Movie', again proving how much musicals thrive on Disney Channel. But the success story really came in the years that followed. Baked into the promotion for the film, the first TV series based on the franchise was released. In the lead-up, 23 5-minute episodes were released forming 'Descendants: School of Secrets', right after the film premiered, the first animated series aired 'Descendants: Wicked World', ending when the second film premiered in 2017. The second film would gain 8.92 million views, tied with 'Camp Rock' for the third-most-watched Disney Channel Original Movie. The franchise also had several short films advertised as prequels to the next instalment, but were mainly just music videos of cover songs (the 'Genie in a Bottle' one is a bop)! In 2019, the final film of the original trilogy premiered to 4.6 million views, which was the highest for the network since the second film. 2019 also saw the premiere of Disney+, and if the increasingly lower and lower ratings for the Disney Channel weren't anything to go by, this was the writing on the wall for the network. While the channel still exists in the United States and a few other countries, it has shut down in many, including Australia.

The franchise continues to this day on Disney+ with a sequel/spin-off featuring an all-new crew of VKs debuting in 2024 with 'Descendants: The Rise of Red'. While you may just know it as from the 'Call us JAladdin' meme, the film was a fine expansion of the world, which most importantly, had bops. The streaming service has become home to most DCOMs now called Disney Original Movies, and 'The Rise of Red' became the most watched live action Disney+ film since 'Hocus Pocus 2'. Within its first three days on the platform, it gained 6.7 million views. This new wave of 'Descendants' films is set to continue next year.

But the franchise did rejuvenate merchandise sales, having some of the biggest presence a Disney Channel film has had since its 'Hannah Montana' and 'High School Musical' days. Novels, doll lines, you name it, the VKs were slapped on it. Being released in 2015, of course, it also had a huge presence on the World Wide Web, as well as mobile games. I don't think in terms of merchandise, it hit internationally the way those other Disney Channel films did. It wasn't until this year that I saw Big W stocking 'Descendants: The Rise of Red' and 'Zombies 4' dolls, but in the U.S. the brand had a huge presence in stores. Most recently, the franchise expanded to the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour, which has just started in the U.S., and it's nice to see that the Disney Channel concert isn't completely forgotten.

It would be hard to even talk about 'Descendants' without bringing up the loss of Cameron Boyce. Boyce was described by people who knew him as incredibly kind, caring and talented, a warm soul with immense talent, and that he was passionate about his craft. If you watch any clip from anything he was in, it's truly such a joy to watch, and clear he was truly an incredible performer. For those who don't know, at the age of 20, a month before 'Descendants 3' was released, Boyce passed away due to an epileptic seizure. He was truly gone too soon, and we are so lucky to have these films showcasing his impeccable talent and legacy.

I see 'Descendants' as the last big ooh-rah for the Disney Channel. It may have been born in corporate synergy, but it turned into so much more. It's this generation's 'High School Musical', and I don't mean that lightly. It produced stars of the main four, and reintroduced Kenny Ortega to a new generation. It didn't have to be as good as it turned out to be, and so it encapsulates everything we love about the Disney Channel: young talent at the start of their career, musical bops and endless love and passion, put into something targeted for kids. I often look back at the films I grew up with and why they stuck with me, and that's because the people behind the camera weren't making something just to occupy my mind for a few hours, but to inspire and teach me valuable lessons. Kenny Ortega is such a genius at his craft, as is illustrated by his work in the 'High School Musical' and the 'Descendants' trilogy. He has real integrity and passion behind his films, and that's why they stand the test of time.

Because were Rotten, Rotten to the Core!