COVID-19 Updates from the Kingdoms

We've been locked in our towers for weeks now with no word from Mother Gothel on when we can go back outside. This is a hard time for everyone, including fairy tale princesses. If you've been too stressed to keep up with the ever-changing schedules for upcoming princess movies and events, don't worry. I've got you covered. As we all know, the Disney Parks are now closed indefinitely around the world. However, Disney cast members are being placed on furlough so they can still have a job after these uncertain times. Movie productions have been delayed as well. The live-action Mulan, which was supposed to come out in theaters on March 27th, is now set for theatrical release on July 24, 2020. Another upcoming princess remake, The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey, has also halted production indefinitely. The project was supposed to start shooting earlier this month in London. There are photos circulating of a boat set in Pinewood Studios that has been temporarily abandoned for the lockdown, possibly from the movie's iconic "Kiss the Girl" scene.


Just because we can't go to the theater doesn't mean we can't enjoy princess stories from the comfort of our own home. Disney has released several movies early on their Disney+ streaming service in light of the pandemic, including Frozen 2 and Pixar's Onward. Some people were hoping that the new Mulan would also premiere on the streaming service after the delay, but the new July 24th theatrical release date tells us otherwise. However, you can still go on some new adventures with Mulan right now from your smartphone. She is the newest princess on the Disney Princess Majestic Quest app. Little is known about the original princess content that was set to come to Disney+ this year such as Secret Society of Second-Born Royals and Godmothered. Some good news is that the third and final season of Tangled: The Series is still set for release on April 23rd, allowing those who missed it to binge the entire show on the streaming platform. The last season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power launches on Netflix on May 15th, giving us more to look forward to in the coming months.

YouTubers have started a new trend of filming videos from home. The talented singers from the Broadway Princess Party can't do live shows right now, so instead, they made this hilarious parody of "Go the Distance" from Disney's Hercules called "Keep Your Distance." The new music video features on-point quarantine footage such as Susan Egan taking her daughter's temperature while wearing thick rubber gloves and standing as far away as she can and Laura Osnes cuddling the most enormous value pack of toilet paper I have ever seen. It's wonderful that these girls have such a great sense of humor about the cancellation of their ongoing tour. Princess YouTuber Sarah Ingle recently recorded a 1950s-style PSA called "How to Stay Home Like Rapunzel" in which she cosplays as her favorite princess and humorously performs the chores referenced in Rapunzel's iconic song "When Will My Life Begin?"


Social media is more active than ever right now with live video streams, group chats, and online events. Author A.G. Marshall recently started a series of posts in her Fairytale Courtyard group on Facebook for people to vote for which Disney character they would rather quarantine with. You can choose between two of your favorite princesses, villains, cats, or dwarfs. Author Lucy Tempest recently started her own Facebook group for fans of her books as well. A popular social app right now is Netflix Party, a third-party browser plugin that you can use to sync up your Netflix stream with your friends and chat with them about what you're watching in a sidebar in real-time. This seems like an ideal option for a virtual princess marathon. There are lots of other free shows available online to stream and discuss with your friends right now as well, such as some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's older musicals and the lovely Little Mermaid ballet I reviewed last week.

Finally, I'd like to pay tribute to a tragic loss the entertainment world suffered due to complications from the coronavirus. Adam Schlesinger was the musical genius behind many of my favorite songs from the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which served as a deconstruction of the romantic comedy and fairy tale genres. Adam was hospitalized on a ventilator when he contracted the illness and passed away on April 1st. I've seen him perform live several times, and his loss is a huge tragedy to anyone who loves music. I'm sorry to have to end on such a sad note. Stay indoors, wash your hands, and continue to follow social distancing guidelines. Together, we will get through this.
I have always dreamed of being a writer and creating the next great fairy tale princess heroine. Princesses inspire us to be our best selves. While you're here, feel free to follow my page on Facebook, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and check out my books. I'm also on Instagram and Twitter.

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