Disney’s Princesses are returning to the big screen

Some of Disney’s most popular princesses are leaving their castles and returning to movie theaters this fall. It’s all part of Disney’s “Dream Big, Princess” campaign.

As summer starts to wind down, Disney and AMC Theaters are partnering to send kids back to school feeling stronger than ever.

This fall, select theaters are participating in Disney’s “Dream Big, Princess” marathon, bringing some iconic Disney princesses back to the big screen.

Five films will return to theaters: Beauty and the Beast (the original animation), Mulan, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Brave. Each film will screen twice per day, for a week, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., beginning on Sept. 15.

With so many action and superhero movies releasing, driven by incredible special effects and 3D technology, this princess marathon will provide a different visual treat.

Classic Animation

Beauty and the Beast and Mulan were both part of the Disney renaissance, an era when the filmmakers focused heavily on making the stories as visually stunning as possible.

In 2009, Disney returned to 2D, hand-drawn animation with The Princess and the Frog. Along with a return to the old, the film also marked a huge milestone; Tiana was Disney’s first African-American princess.

ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 14: Actor Anika Noni Rose (Tiana/THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG) of RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios John Lasseter took part today in the Walt Disney Studios animation presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 will be released in U.S. theaters on November 21, 2018. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

Anika Noni Rose, the voice behind Tiana, took both of these facts very seriously. During the “Power of the Princess” panel at D23 Expo this year, the actress recalled her first time seeing Princess Tiana, fully animated and in color. Rose noted that she never expected Tiana to look so similar to her real self, and admitted that she started to cry while backstage in Paris.

Now, with developments in technology, these classic films will be more vibrant than ever. Moviegoers will experience the empowering stories all over again, likely catching new visual details.

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Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre will add a sixth princess to the marathon, presenting a special encore screening of Moana.