EXCLUSIVE: Sydney Agudong (Lilo & Stitch, Ripple), Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), Meg Donnelly (Zombies, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Jordan Fisher (Hadestown, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You) and Peyton List (School Spirits, Cobra Kai, Heathers: The Musical) are turning up for the new animated musical movie, Brave Knight, which Lookbook Entertainment is bringing to buyers at the Cannes market.
The feature written and directed by Zachary Derek follows three unlikely heroes in the medieval kingdom of Northumbria who must unite to stop a royal conspiracy. When a mysterious illness befalls the king, Prince Tristan is lured into a dangerous quest, while his younger brother William — neurodivergent and non-verbal — uncovers the plot at home. Teaming with a magical stable girl Alora and her fearless ally Constance, William helps expose a coup and ultimately proves that compassion, not force, is the kingdom’s greatest strength.
Donnelly and List are also in talks to executive produce.
The pic is produced by Juan Pablo Reinoso for Lookbook Entertainment alongside Derek, Kirsten Guenther and Sharon Kenny. The film features original songs and score by composers/lyricists Sharon Kenny and Kirsten Guenther, who are also collaborating on an upcoming stage musical produced by Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door/The Carlson Company. Brave Knight is also being developed in parallel as a stage musical.
“We set out to tell a story that feels both classic and deeply contemporary,” said Derek. “Brave Knight is about empathy, feeling seen, and the idea that strength can come from seeing the world differently. This is a story to show all kids — neurodivergent and neurotypical — that they have magic inside them.”
