Disney Brings Back Hand-Drawn With a Long-Awaited Bit of Color

· Joanthan Poritsky

It has not gone unnoticed that Disney princesses have shared a skin tone for about 5 decades: white. There are exceptions to this rule, such as Jasmine and Pocahantas. Still, the animators at the Mouse House are looking to fill a noticeable gap in their royal equality this winter with The Princess and the Frog, the first film to feature a black princess.

There isn’t much to say as all we have to go on so far is this teaser trailer released yesterday. The internet is already aflame with arguments over the white prince. “Why no strong black man?” the internet is asking. Well, I’ll reserve judgement for the actual film. In the meantime, let’s take a look at this trailer.

Otherwise ho-hum, this preview really banks on the whole “first black princess” thing. After a quick restrospective of Disney’s most beloved (read: boffo) 2-dimensional films, an outline of the newest princess, Tiana, is drawn onto a blank parchment and then POW! fills in with color. While the presence of an African-American princess is groundbreaking in the Disney canon, I’m personally more excited to see an animated New Orleans French Quarter. I’m not positive, but this may be the most modern princess story Disney has attempted, set in America no less. Watch the trailer below and leave your thoughts in the comments.