Introducing Asha and Star, brought to life by Ariana DeBose in Disney’s film Wish. This adventure is overflowing with over 100 Easter eggs, allusions, and nods to classic Disney films.
This is an exceptional number, even for a studio that embraces self-referential movie moments and is likely the most seen in a major release since Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One.” According to Wish’s filmmakers, the references are both general and specific, with some harder to spot than others.
The film embraces classic Disney tropes as Asha interviews to become the apprentice to sorcerer King Magnifico, making wishes upon a star to gain her own powers, including talking to animals and reveals Magnifico to be an evil royal. Producer Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones even created a spreadsheet to track all the references, with at least 100 entries.
Asha leads a rebellion against the wish-suppressing ruler of their otherwise utopian Kingdom of Rojas and encounters numerous connections to classic Disney films along the way. The references range from obvious nods to more subtle salutes to various Disney stories.
The filmmakers collectively state, “Let’s not take ourselves too seriously. Let’s have fun,” as they reveal the inclusion of timeless Disney characters such as Asha as Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse as the anthropomorphic Star.
Ariana DeBose, who portrays Asha, confesses, “The hidden gems are so great in Wish. I’ve spotted many of them. I don’t know that I’ve gotten all 100 or over 100 hidden gems or nods, however, you leverage them.”
Her findings of hidden references include appearances of Alice in Wonderland, Pocahontas, Sleeping Beauty, The Fox and the Hound, Bambi, and Atlantis, adding an air of excitement as fans try to uncover all the relevant Easter eggs.
Overall, Wish is a treasure trove of Disney references and tributes with the filmmakers paying homage to the legacy of the Walt Disney Company by including a variety of callbacks to classic Disney films.
