‘The Nutcracker And The Four Realms’: First Look At Keira Knightley As The Sugar Plum Fairy

Merry Christmas! And just in time for the holidays, Disney is releasing the first look at next year’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and it kinda looks like Cinderella meets Mirror Mirror. I guess that’s what they’re going for.

You may recall The Nutcracker played a part in Disney’s animated classic Fantasia, so this counts as yet another of their live-action remakes and will probably gross $1B.  But at least it means you won’t have to sit through another performance of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, either in person or on TV. The images reveal star Mackenzie Foy as Clara, who is whisked away to a magical new world where she encounters, among others, Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Clara must retrieve a magical key that unlocks a special gift from her godfather Drossmeyer, played by Morgan Freeman. She must venture into Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, Land of Sweets and the dangerous Fourth Realm ruled by Mother Ginger, played by Helen Mirren. World class dancer Misty Copeland is lead ballerina for all of the dance sequences.

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens November 2nd 2018. [EW]