The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is an upcoming American fantasy drama film directed by Lasse Hallström and  Joe Johnston and written by Ashleigh Powell and Tom McCarthy. It is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker, about a young girl who finds a Nutcracker doll among the family's gifts and is charged by her parents to take special care of it. The film stars Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy, Eugenio Derbez, Matthew Macfadyen, Richard E. Grant, Misty Copeland, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman.

The film was announced in March 2016 with Hallström directing a script by Powell. Much of the cast signed on that summer, and filming began in October at Pinewood Studios, lasting through January 2017. In December 2017, it was announced Joe Johnston would direct a month of reshoots written by McCarthy, with both men eventually receiving co-credits for directing and screenplay, respectively.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is scheduled to be released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 2, 2018, in Real D 3D and Dolby Cinema.

Cast

 * Keira Knightley as Sugar Plum Fairy
 * Mackenzie Foy as Clara
 * Eugenio Derbez as Flower Realm King
 * Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Stahlbaum
 * Richard E. Grant as Snow Realm King
 * Misty Copeland as The Ballerina
 * Helen Mirren as Mother Ginger
 * Morgan Freeman as Drosselmeyer
 * Jayden Fowora-Knight as Philip, the Nutcracker
 * Miranda Hart as Dew Drop Fairy
 * Jack Whitehall as Harlequin
 * Ellie Bamber as Louise
 * Lil Buck as The Mouse King

Production
The project was first announced on March 4, 2016, which stated that Walt Disney Pictures was developing The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, with Lasse Hallström set to direct, continuing its model of developing classic fairy tales. The project is based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann, with Ashleigh Powell on board to write the script. In July 2016, Mackenzie Foy, Misty Copeland, and Morgan Freeman joined the cast. In August 2016, Keira Knightley and Helen Mirren joined the cast. In September 2016, Ellie Bamber joined the cast. In October 2016, Miranda Hart joined the cast. In March 2017, Eugenio Derbez confirmed that he had been cast in the film. Later, it was revealed that Jack Whitehall had joined the cast.

Filming began in October 2016 in South Kensington and Pinewood Studios in England, and wrapped in late January 2017. In December 2017, it was reported that Joe Johnston would helm 32 days of reshoots, scripted by Tom McCarthy, due to Hallström being unavailable. Hallström would still oversee post-production. It was later revealed that Hallström and Johnston had voluntarily decided to receive a joint directorial credit for the film.

Release
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is set to be released on November 2, 2018 in 2D and Real D 3D by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, replacing the original date set for Disney's live adaptation of Mulan. The teaser trailer was released on December 19, 2017. Another trailer was released August 8, 2018. Two days later, on August 10, 2018, a sneak peek of the film aired on Disney Channel during a new episode of Andi Mack. There was also a trailer that first came out in theatres with showings of Incredibles 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Christopher Robin before going online on September 4 of that year.

Box office projections
In the United States and Canada, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms will be released alongside Nobody's Fool and Bohemian Rhapsody, and is projected to gross $23–26 million in its opening weekend.