Raven Queen (franchise)

Raven Queen franchise consists of four musical fantasyadventure-comedy films directed by Kenny Ortega and created by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott. The franchise's world is placed in a universe that serves as a continuation after the Disney Animated Classics series. Starring Meg Donnelly, Sadie Sink, Ariana Grande and Jayden Bartels each film chronicles the lives of the teenage children of four Disney-villains on the Isle of the Lost, and their move to Auradon at the request of the teenage son of Queen Belle and King Beast. The first film was released as a Home on Demand and Peacock in July 2020 and Theaters Reopening begins August 2020. Following its success, a sequel was put into production and premiered theaters in July 2023. In July 2025 a prequel was production and premiered on theaters. In June 2027, the third film premiered on Theaters. Each film was accompanied by original music, and film soundtrack; the first soundtrack peaked at number one in the United States, while the second soundtrack peaked at number six, and the third peaked at number seven.

Raven Queen (2020)
Raven Queen premiered on July 10, 2020 on Home on Demand and Peacock, Also on August 2020 on Theaters Reopening. Prior to its premiere, it was viewed more than one million times on the Peacock app.

In the United States of Auradon, Belle and Beast rule as king and queen, twenty years after they married, united the settings of many Disney animated films, and banished all villains to the Isle of the Lost, a slum surrounded by a magic-suppressing barrier. Beast plans to abdicate in favor of his and Belle's son, Dexter, who announces a program to invite four children from the Isle of the Lost to live in Auradon, away from the influence of their villainous parents: Kitty, daughter of Cheshire Cat; Cerise Hood, daughter of Red; Madeline Hatter, daughter of Mad Hatter; and their gang's leader Raven Queen, daughter of Evil Queen. Evil Queen orders them to steal the Fairy Godmother's magic wand and deactivate the barrier, so Maleficent can conquer Auradon. But the four find themselves fitting in and enjoying a normal childhood, and Raven begins a relationship with Dexter, supplanting Audrey, daughter of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. When the barrier is inadvertently dispelled, Evil Queen attacks Dexter's coronation and transforms into a dragon. With Dexter encouraging her to make her own choice, Raven decides to be good. She and her friends rebuke Evil Queen, turning her into a small lizard, from which state she can recover if she fills her heart with love. The people of Auradon celebrate.

Raven Queen 2 (2023)
Raven Queen 2 was announced on July 23, 2021, at the San Diego Comic Con. The film premiered on July 5, 2023, and was simulcast on Theaters. Introduced New Characters: Holly and Poppy O'Hair, Lizzie Hearts, Alistair Wonderland, Bunny Blanc, Darling Charming, Duchess Swan, Faybelle Thorn, Ginger Breadhouse, Melody Piper, Rosabella Beauty, Dizzy Tremaine, Uma, Harry Hooks, and Gus

Raven struggles with her new celebrity life as King Dexter's girlfriend, secretly using magic to maintain a lifestyle she feels is a façade. Raven decides she does not belong in Auradon; she returns to the Isle, where gang leadership has fallen to her old rival, pirate captain Uma (Ursula's daughter), and her first and second mates, respectively, Harry (Captain Hook's son) and Gil (Gaston's son). Holly, Poppy, Darling, Lizzie, Duchess Maddie, Cerise, and Kitty agree to help Dexter find her, but Raven rejects Dexter, believing it best for him and Auradon. Uma captures Dexter and demands the Fairy Godmother's wand in exchange for his life. Uma resents not being chosen to live in Auradon; Dexter respects her as a leader and invites her to Auradon, but she vows to make her own way there instead. Using a 3D-printed decoy wand, Raven's group rescues Dexter. At the shipboard Royal Cotillion, Uma appears as Dexter's date and he announces he will destroy the barrier; Raven realizes Uma has cast a spell on Dexter. When Raven discovers Dexter commissioned a portrait that depicts her as she was before she changed herself with magic, she accepts the emotion of love and kisses Dexter, breaking the spell. Uma and Raven battle, transforming into an octopus and a dragon, respectively. Dexter tries to negotiate with Uma, but she leaves, unreconciled. Evie asks to bring more children from the Isle to Auradon and Ben agrees.

Raven Queen 3 (2027)
Disney Channel ordered the third film of the franchise on February 16, 2018. The film premiered on August 2, 2019. The movie received 4.6 million viewers on its premiere night.

In the film, Ben proposes to Mal, making her the future queen of Auradon. However, threats from Uma, Mal's father Hades and Ben's ex-girlfriend Audrey has Mal trying to stop evil once and for all. While Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are recruiting a new generation of villain kids, Hades is trying to breach through the barrier, then Audrey steals the crown and the scepter and becomes the evil version of herself. The VKs return to the Isle of the Lost on a mission to retrieve Hades' ember and later, Uma, Harry and Gil teams up with Mal and the others to stop Audrey from destroying Auradon.

Prequel spin-off
Before the film's premiere air date, Disney Channel announced a live action mini series leading up to the event. Every day leading up to the release of the film, a new episode of Descendants: School of Secrets would be released revealing more secrets about the students at Auradon Prep. Each episode of the series is under 5 minutes long, with 23 episodes in total.

Animated spin-off
Right after the film finished airing on Disney Channel, it was announced that a CGI-animated short spinoff entitled Descendants: Wicked World would be released on September 18, 2015. Furthermore, former Phineas and Ferb storyboard artist Aliki Theofilopoulos Grafft announced on Twitter that she was directing the series, with Jenni Cook as producer, and that the original cast would be reprising their roles.

Under the Sea: A Descendants Short Story
On August 10, 2018, a short film, Under The Sea: A Descendants Short Story was announced and was released on September 28, 2018. The story revolves around Mal, played by Dove Cameron, who discovers a glowing orb in a forest, she then meets Dizzy, played by Anna Cathcart who is possessed by Uma's necklace.

Disney's Descendants: The Musical
On February 6, 2020, Music Theatre International released the rights to a junior production of the film series entitled Disney's Descendants: The Musical. The plot mostly follows the first film but uses elements from Descendants 2. However, it uses music from all three films and two songs from Descendants: Wicked World. It features a book and additional lyrics are written Nick Blaemire, additional music by Madeline Smith, and new orchestrations by Matthew Tishler.

The Isle of the Lost series
This book series details events that take place during the three movies.

The Isle of the Lost
A prequel novel called The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz, has the villains' descendants banding together to retrieve the Dragon's Eye. The book was released on May 5, 2015. The book has spent over 14 weeks as a Children's Middle Grade New York Times Best Seller.

Besides detailing about the children of Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella De Vil, and the Evil Queen, it also talks about some of the known locations of the Isle of the Lost like Dragon Hall (the only school on the Isle of the Lost), Goblin Wharf (which is operated by goblins who would like amnesty for their involvement with Maleficent), Bargain Castle (which sells enchanted robes and bargain hats while the top floor is where Maleficent lives), Jafar's Junk Shop (which is owned by Jafar as mentioned in the film), Castle Far Away (where the Evil Queen lives), Hell Hall (where Cruella de Vil lives), and the Isle of the Doomed (which is hidden next to the Isle of the Lost). The sorcerer Yen Sid from Fantasia is positioned here by King Beast to work at Dragon Hall to help the students with formerly magical parents adapt to more modern methods since the Isle of the Lost's barrier negates all magic.

Other villains mentioned or hinted to be on the Isle of the Lost are Captain Hook from Peter Pan (who is mentioned to own "Hook's Inlet and Shack" and is the father of Harriet, CJ, and Harry Hook), Ursula from The Little Mermaid (who owns "Ursula's Fish and Chips" while the Strait of Ursula that's named after her is what separates the Isle of the Lost from Charmington as well as her being the mother of Uma and the other Sea Witches), Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog (who was the founder of Dragon Hall and the father of Freddie and Celia Facilier), Mother Gothel from Tangled (who is mentioned to be a teacher at Dragon Hall teaching "Selfishness 101" and is the mother of Ginny Gothel), Lady Tremaine and her two daughters Drizella and Anastasia from Cinderella (Lady Tremaine is the grandmother of Anastasia's son Anthony and Drizella's daughter Dizzy and a teacher at Dragon Hall teaching "Evil Schemes and Nasty Plots" while her cat Lucifer is the school mascot), Clayton from Tarzan (who is the father of Clay Clayton), Madame Mim from The Sword in the Stone (who has Mad Maddy as one of her granddaughters), Governor John Ratcliffe from Pocahontas, Gaston from Beauty and the Beast (who is the father of Gaston Jr, Gaston III, and Gil as well as the owner of "Gaston Duels Without Rules"), Shan Yu from Mulan, Shere Khan from The Jungle Book (who owns "Shere Khan Pawns"), Scar and his hyena cronies from The Lion King, the Coachman from Pinocchio (who operates a taxicab pulled by normal donkeys after spending a year rounding up the boys he had turned into donkeys), the Horned King from The Black Cauldron (who is mentioned to own "Cauldron Repair"), Professor Padraic Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective, Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove (who is the mother of Yzla and Zevon), and Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (who is mentioned to own "Frollo's Creperie" and is the father of Claudine Frollo). The Isle of the Lost novel also mentioned an original character who was the former Royal Astronomer of Agrabah and an ally of Jafar who is the father of Reza.

Return to the Isle of the Lost
Another Descendants novel titled Return to the Isle of the Lost was released on May 24, 2016. While Ben is running Auradon while his parents are on a cruise, Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie receive threatening messages to return to the Isle of the Lost at the time when it ends up in worse shape ever since Maleficent's defeat and the fact that Cruella de Vil, the Evil Queen, and Jafar have gone missing.

During this time, it was confirmed that the Crocodile from Peter Pan (who has various children swimming around "Hook's Inlet and Shack"), Edgar Balthazar from The Aristocats (who is mentioned to have a son named Eddie), Hades from Hercules (who is mentioned to have a son named Hadie, and is also revealed to be the father of Mal), and the Ringmaster from Dumbo (who is mentioned to have a daughter named Hermie Bing) are also imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost. It also introduces Hercules's son Herkie, Pinocchio's son Pin, Grumpy's son Gordon, Tiger Lily's daughter Tiger Peony, and King Arthur's son Artie in the book.

Also as Freddie, Jordan, and Ally appear in the book, the story takes place during Descendants: Wicked World.

Rise of the Isle of the Lost
A prequel novel called Rise of the Isle of the Lost was released on May 23, 2017. The novel details Uma's rise to power and her earlier history with Mal. The main plot details Uma planning to get the migrating trident of King Triton in order to help bring down the barrier surrounding the Isle of the Lost.

In addition to the mentioning of Genie, Grumpy, and Merriwether being teachers at Auradon Prep, a third school called the Serpent Preparatory School for the Education of Miscreants is located on the Isle of the Lost which Uma, Harry Hook, and Gil attended. Serpent Prep is a rival of Dragon Hall.

The book also introduced Yen Sid's Auradon intern Sophie, Ariel's niece Arabella, and Mulan and Shang's son Li'l Shang who is Lonnie's brother. There was a mentioning that the Stabbington brothers from Tangled are also on the Isle of the Lost where they have children called the Stabbington Cousins. Other information listed here that was later referenced in the film was Audrey and Chad breaking up, the introduction of R.O.A.R., Mal keeping Maleficent's lizard form as a pet, and Evie having her magic mirror placed in the museum.

Escape from the Isle of the Lost
The fourth book in the series was published on June 4, 2019. Hades' minions Pain and Panic are confirmed to be on the Isle of the Lost.

School of Secrets
School of Secrets is a series of novels that serve as a continuation of the Descendants film. The first book, CJ's Treasure Chase, was released on August 30, 2016 and centers on Captain Hook's daughter, CJ Hook. The second book, Freddie's Shadow Cards, was released on November 1, 2016, and centers on Freddie, the daughter of Dr. Facilier. The third book, Ally's Mad Mystery, was released on February 28, 2017 and focuses on Ally, the daughter of Alice in Wonderland. The fourth novel, Lonnie's Warrior Sword, was released on August 25, 2017, and will focus on Lonnie, the daughter of Mulan and Li Shang, while the fifth book, Carlos's Scavenger Hunt, was released on November 14, 2017.

Junior novelization
A junior novelization of the film Descendants, adapted by Rico Green, was published on July 14, 2015.

Other books
Other books have been released, including Mal's Diary, Mal's Spell Book, a poster book, and a Guide to Auradon Prep.