Disney has released the first trailer for the upcoming limited series, “Iwájú”, which has been created by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African Comic Book Entertainment Company Kugali.

Set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, the exciting coming-of-age story follows Tola (voice of Simisola Gbadamosi), a young girl from a wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole (voice of Siji Soetan), a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. Kugali filmmakers—including director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku—take viewers on a unique journey into the world of “Iwájú,” bursting with unique visual elements and technological advancements inspired by the spirit of Lagos.
 

Check out the new trailer below:

Produced by Disney Animation’s Christina Chen with a screenplay by Adeola and Halima Hudson, “Iwájú” also features the voices of Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch and Weruche Opia.

Disney has also announced that the soundtrack to the series will also be released digitally on March 1st 2024.

The series’ authentic African-influenced music is by renowned Nigerian composer Ré Olunuga, whose credits include music for the 2022 Disney+ original movie “Rise” and the BBC film “Girl.” Ré Olunuga, said in a statement regarding the release:

“I rarely bring my own emotions into writing a score. I tend to inhabit the emotions of the characters or subjects and then translate them into music. In this case, it couldn’t be avoided. In addition to Tola’s adventurous spirit, Kole’s ingenuity and the many other fun and beautiful emotional threads explored in ‘Iwájú’—the score is steeped in my own very deep love for Lagos and its multiplicitous layers. It also includes many treats and winks for anyone familiar with or curious about the film music lexicon of Nollywood. Being invited by Ziki and the amazing teams at Disney and Kugali to help tell this beautiful coming-of-age story that explores themes of family, friendship and ingenuity has been an amazing adventure in itself.”

It was also revealed that a mobile game inspired by the animated series. “Disney Iwájú: Rising Chef” will also be released on the same day on iOS and Android.   The new game will take players into the world of “Iwájú” and allow them to explore authentic African delicacies through this fast-paced and accessible cooking game that celebrates the culture and cuisine of Nigeria. Developed by Maliyo Games in collaboration with Disney and Kugali, “Iwájú: Rising Chef” will allow players to advance their culinary skills, become the best chef in Lagos, and take over the fanciest restaurant in town.

It’s also interesting to see how the wording of the new series has been changed to now be a “limited series”, indicating that we are now unlikely to see any more episodes of this series moving forward unless it does very well.  

The entire series will arrive on Disney+ on February 28th, 2024.  

Are you looking forward to watching “Iwájú”? Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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