We’ve heard of luck dragons and we’ve heard of genies, but they’ve got nothing on a Wish Dragon. What’s a Wish Dragon you ask? Well, that is what Netflix wants to show us in their upcoming animated movie from the mind of writer/director Chris Appelhans and producers Aron Warner, Chris Bremble, and Jackie Chan. Yes, that’s right, Jackie Chan serves as one of the producers of this magical film that shines a light on Chinese culture while giving us what looks like a thoroughly fun adventure.
Taking obvious inspiration from Disney’s Aladdin, Wish Dragon tells the story of a fuzzy pink and purple dragon with wish-granting abilities that lives inside of a teapot. When young Din, a delivery person and college student, accidentally stumbles across this teapot, the magical dragon named Long commits itself to turning three of Din’s wishes into reality, with that biggest wish being Din reconnecting with his childhood best friend, Lina.
If you read that and rolled your eyes at how it blatantly it seems like it might be riffing off of Aladdin, then you wouldn’t be the only one. Netflix has released a trailer for the film though which showcases that despite some similarities, it’s a film that does indeed tread its own path:
I must say I really appreciate the heart behind this film. Even if there is very little originality about the overall story, there is a lot to like about the lead character of Din (voiced by Jimmy Wong) and his simple desire to reconnect to a friend, while our Wish Dragon Long (voiced by John Cho) is full of funny quips. The modern-day setting certainly helps draw you in, as we can all relate to the struggles faced by Din here. Let’s hope that the final movie ends up being as magical as the trailer.
Netflix is definitely getting better with their animated films and is making a concerted effort to up the quality of their films and it certainly shows here. Wish Dragon is set to debut on June 11 and also stars the voice talents of Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Constance Wu, and Will Yun Lee.
Last Updated: May 13, 2021
