Descendants 2 (2017 film)

Descendants 2 is a Disney Channel Original Movie and the sequel to the 2015 film Descendants. It has been written by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott, who also serve as executive producers on the project. The film was directed by Kenny Ortega, who also served as executive producer and choreographer. It premiered on July 21, 2017.

Synopsis
The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit Descendants, as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney's most famous villains — Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay (also known as Villain Kids, or VKs) — try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook's son Harry and Gaston's son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Plot
Mal struggles with her new celebrity life as the girlfriend of King Ben, putting a spell on her hair making it blonde, and uncomfortably maintains a princess-like personality. She confides her issues in her friends Evie, Carlos, and Jay, but they are content with their new lives in Auradon and do not wish to return to the Isle of the Lost. Evie scolds Mal for relying on her mother's spell book to solve her issues. Carlos, wishing to ask Jane to the upcoming Cotillion dance, turns to Mal for help with honesty. Mal gives him a sweet that will make him speak the truth, but his dog, Dude, eats it, magically speaking the blunt truth in English.

Ben eventually discovers Mal's reliance on magic during a date, and she comes clean about her insecurities, causing a falling-out. Mal returns to the Isle, now ruled by her former rival Uma, Ursula's daughter, along with Harry and Gil, the sons of Captain Hook and Gaston. Mal visits hairstylist Dizzy Tremaine, Drizella's daughter, who restores her signature purple hair, remarking that she felt that Mal's blonde hair was unnatural. Harry discovers Mal's return and informs Uma.

Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos learn of Mal's departure and sneak onto the Isle to find her, but Gil recognizes them. Ben confronts Mal, who rejects his feelings for what she thought was both his sake and Auradon's. Ben leaves dejected, only to be captured by Uma. Mal and Uma arm wrestle for Ben and Fairy Godmother's wand, which Uma wins. Uma then orders Mal and her friends to retrieve the Fairy Godmother's wand or Ben dies. Carlos and Jay return to Auradon Prep, where they create a replica of the wand using a 3D printer. They are caught by Lonnie, Mulan's daughter, who blackmails them into letting her come, having previously been rejected from Jay's sports team based on her gender.

Uma speaks with Ben, bitter that she and the others were not chosen to go to Auradon. Ben takes this into account and invites her to Auradon, but Uma instead plots to make her own way there. Mal's group return, handing over the fake wand in exchange for Ben, but Uma realizes the forgery. The group flee back to Auradon, but Mal and Ben's relationship is still rocky. The villains' children come to terms that they cannot run from their pasts and agree to be honest with themselves and each other. Carlos confesses to Jane but struggles a little bit, while Jay appoints Lonnie as the captain of his team.

Aboard a ship during the Cotillion, Ben stuns everyone by appearing with Uma, who he declares as his true love and announces he will destroy the barrier on the Isle. Jane unveils a stained glass display Ben commissioned to show his affection for Mal, who realizes he loved her for who she was all along. Suspecting Uma has given him a love potion, Mal confesses her love for Ben and kisses him, breaking the spell. Enraged, Uma leaps into the water using Ursula's magic seashell to transform into an octopus, and Mal fights back as a dragon. Ben intervenes, quelling the battle, and Uma returns the ring that Ben had originally given her when he had declared her as his true love. She leaves, despite his offer still standing.

Mal and Ben reunite, with Mal surrendering her spell book to the Fairy Godmother. Evie requests that Dizzy be allowed to attend Auradon Prep, and when Dizzy is offered, she excitedly accepts. In a mid-credits scene, Uma addresses the audience, promising that the story is not over, just like the ending of the first movie.

The Descendants

 * Dove Cameron as Mal, daughter of Maleficent
 * Mitchell Hope as King Ben, son of King Beast and Queen Belle
 * Sofia Carson as Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen
 * Booboo Stewart as Jay, son of Jafar
 * Cameron Boyce as Carlos De Vil, son of Cruella De Vil
 * China Anne McClain as Uma, daughter of Ursula
 * Thomas Doherty as Harry Hook, son of Captain Hook
 * Dylan Playfair as Gil, son of Gaston
 * Anna Cathcart as Dizzy Tremaine, daughter of Drizella Tremaine
 * Brenna D'Amico as Jane, daughter of Fairy Godmother
 * Dianne Doan as Lonnie, daughter of Fa Mulan and Li Shang
 * Jedidiah Goodacre as Prince Chad Charming, son of Cinderella and Prince Charming
 * Zachary Gibson as Doug, son of Dopey

Heroes

 * Keegan Connor Tracy as Queen Belle, mother of Ben
 * Dan Payne as King Beast, father of Ben
 * Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother, mother of Jane
 * Jan Bos as Lumiere, servant and ally to Belle and Beast

Villains

 * Whoopi Goldberg as Ursula, Mother of Uma (voice only)
 * Linda Ko as Lady Tremaine, Grandmother of Dizzy Tremaine

Development
At the 2015 D23 Expo, Disney announced that a Descendants sequel film had been ordered. An official announcement was made on Disney Channel's Facebook page on October 15, 2015. Deadline Hollywood reported that Parriott and McGibbon would return as screenwriters and executive producers for the sequel and that the cast from the first film was expected to return.

According to China Anne McClain, the post-credits scene featuring Uma saying to the public that "You didn’t think this was the end of the story?" was not included in the original script that she read. However, it was eventually decided to include it in order to foreshadow a possible further sequel, like in the case of the original film.

Casting
On June 10, 2016, China Anne McClain, who was already voicing Freddie on the Descendants spinoff series Descendants: Wicked World, was announced to be playing Ursula's daughter, Uma, in Descendants 2. In July 2016 it was revealed that Thomas Doherty would play the role of Harry, the son of Captain Hook. In August 2016, Sarah Jeffery who portrays Audrey revealed that she would not be returning, while Brenna D'Amico revealed that she would be returning in Descendants 3, as were Dianne Doan, Jedidiah Goodacre, and Zachary Gibson. On July 19, 2017, it was announced on The View that Whoopi Goldberg would be providing the voice for Ursula, the Sea Witch and Uma's mother.

Filming
Filming began on September 8, 2016, and, like Descendants, mostly took place in Vancouver and Victoria, Canada.

Release and Broadcast
Descendants 2 made its debut on Disney Channel in Canada on July 21, 2017, at the same time as the United States. In the United States, the film premiered simultaneously across six-Disney owned networks: Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, ABC, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. On Disney Channel, the film premiered alongside the world premiere of Raven's Home, which premiered immediately after. In the UK, the film premiered on Disney Channel and Disney XD on October 20, 2017. In South Africa, the film premiered on October 6, 2017. In India, the film premiered on December 23, 2018 on Disney International HD.

Soundtrack
TBA

Sequel
Main article: Descendants 3

On February 16, 2018, Disney Channel announced that a sequel, Descendants 3, is scheduled to premiere mid-2019. It premiered on August 2, 2019.

Novel
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 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.