Disney to develop Sadé, a live-action fairy-tale film centered on an African princess

Disney is developing a live-action fairytale film centered on an African princess. Titled Sadé, the film will be produced by Dope director Rick Famuyiwa.

The Disney Logo. Image from Facebook

According to Deadline, the studio bought a pitch from Ola Shokunbi and Lindsey Reed Palmer, who will co-write the screenplay the film. Sadé is about a young African girl named Sadé who, when her kingdom is threatened by a mysterious evil force, accepts her newly discovered magical powers to protect her people, with the help of the kingdom's prince. The narrative revolves around how she begins her adventure to save her kingdom and what experiences she gains in the process.

A director has yet to be named. Tendo Nagenda and Zoe Kent are overseeing the project for the studio.

Sadé will mark Disney's first fairytale to have an African female character leading a film. Disney's 2009 animated film, The Princess and the Frog had an African princess, a first at the time. Actress Anika Noni Rose played the role of a black waitress who works in New Orleans. Set in 1912, the film earned $265 million worldwide, reports Variety.

After kissing a frog, Tiana is transformed to a frog due to a voodoo spell by an evil sorcerer. The charts her journey back to her original human form.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)