Descendants is an American media franchise centered on a series of Disney Channel musical fantasy films. The franchise was created by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott, with the first three films directed by Kenny Ortega, the fourth directed by Jennifer Phang, and the fifth directed by Kimmy Gatewood.
The Descendants franchise is set in a universe that continues the narratives of Disney's animated classic films. The series stars Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson, and Booboo Stewart, and each film follows the lives of the teenage children of four Disney Villains who reside on the Isle of the Lost. They are invited to the kingdom of Auradon by the teenage son of Queen Belle and King Beast. The first film premiered as a Disney Channel Original Movie in July 31, 2015. Due to its success, a sequel was produced and premiered across six Disney-owned networks in July 21, 2017. The third film debuted on Disney Channel in August 2, 2019. A spin-off film to the previous three, Descendants: The Rise of Red, starring Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker, was released on Disney+ on July 12, 2024, which was followed by a sequel, Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, released in July 16, 2026.
The film series also led to the creation of several television series, short films, television specials, novels, and comic books.
Development Origin Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon came up with the idea for the Descendants franchise after being approached by a former assistant, who had become a development executive at Disney Channel. They were asked to create a story centered on the teenage children of Disney's iconic villains, which led to the development of the Descendants series. Parriott and McGibbon developed the concept for Descendants by proposing that four children of iconic Disney villains attend school in the idealized fairyland of Auradon, rather than in a school solely for villains' children. They selected the featured characters based on their favorite Disney films, focusing on human villains, and decided to include two male and two female teens. This approach also led to creative exploration of how these notorious villains, such as Maleficent and the Evil Queen, might parent their offspring.
Production Descendants 2 was announced on August 15, 2015, at the D23 Expo. The film premiered on July 21, 2017, and was simulcast on six channels: ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies.
Descendants 3 was announced on February 16, 2018. The film premiered on August 2, 2019 on Disney Channel.
In September 2021, Deadline Hollywood reported that two more Descendants films were being developed by Disney.
On May 10, 2022, a new sequel, initially announced under the title of Descendants: The Pocketwatch, was greenlit for Disney+, with Jennifer Phang attached to direct. On March 21, 2023, the official title for the film was announced as Descendants: The Rise of Red. The film was released on July 12, 2024 on Disney+, and is set to premiere on August 9, 2024 on Disney Channel. The film, serving as a spin-off of the previous three films, centers on Red, the teenage daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, the daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, teaming up and traveling back in time to prevent a catastrophic event.
On February 2025 were announced the first cast members for the fifth film, in May of the same year the film's official title being announced as Descendants: Wicked Wonderland.
On August 7, 2026, Disney Channel greenlit Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story, a new film focused on the Disney sidekicks' descendants.
Film series Film U.S. release date Director Writer(s) Composer(s) Producer(s) Main series Descendants Kenny Ortega Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott David Lawrence Wendy Japhet and Kenny Ortega Descendants 2 Wendy Japhet, Josann McGibbon, Sara Parriott and Kenny Ortega Descendants 3 Descendants: The Rise of Red Jennifer Phang Dan Frey and Ru Sommer Torin Borrowdale Suzanne Todd and Gary Marsh Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Kimmy Gatewood Tamara Chestna, Dan Frey and Ru Sommer Spin-off Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story Jude Weng Tamara Chestna, Eydie Faye and Emma Fletcher Mark Ordesky, Jane Fleming, Gary Marsh, and Tamara Chestna
Main series Descendants (2015)
In the United States of Auradon, Belle and Beast rule as king and queen, twenty years after they married, united the settings of many Disney animated films, and banished all villains to the Isle of the Lost, a slum surrounded by a magic-suppressing barrier. Beast plans to abdicate in favor of his and Belle's son, Ben, who announces a program to invite four children from the Isle of the Lost (dubbed as "Villains' Kids" or "VKs") to live in Auradon, away from the influence of their villainous parents: Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil; Jay, son of Jafar; Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen; and their gang's leader Mal, daughter of Maleficent. Maleficent orders them to steal the Fairy Godmother's magic wand and deactivate the barrier, so Maleficent can conquer Auradon. The four VKs find themselves fitting in and enjoying a normal childhood, and Mal begins a relationship with Ben, supplanting Audrey, daughter of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. When the barrier is inadvertently dispelled, Maleficent attacks Ben's coronation and transforms into a dragon. With Ben encouraging her to make her own choice, Mal decides to be good. She and her friends rebuke Maleficent, turning her into a small lizard, from which state she can recover if she fills her heart with love. The people of Auradon celebrate.
Descendants 2 (2017)
Mal struggles with her new celebrity life as Ben's girlfriend, secretly using magic to maintain a lifestyle she feels is a façade. Mal decides that she does not belong in Auradon; she returns to the Isle, where gang leadership has fallen to her old rival, pirate captain Uma (Ursula's daughter), and her first and second mates, Harry (Captain Hook's son) and Gil (Gaston's son), respectively. Evie, Jay, and Carlos agree to help Ben find Mal, but Mal rejects Ben, believing it to be best for him and Auradon that she stays on the Isle. Uma captures Ben and demands the Fairy Godmother's wand in exchange for his life. Uma resents not being chosen to live in Auradon; Ben respects her as a leader and invites her to Auradon, but she vows to make her own way there instead. Using a 3D-printed decoy wand, Mal's group rescues Ben. At the shipboard royal cotillion, Uma appears as Ben's date and he announces he will destroy the barrier; Mal realizes Uma has cast a spell on Ben. When Mal discovers Ben commissioned a portrait that depicts her as she was before she changed herself with magic, she accepts the act of love and kisses Ben, breaking the spell. Uma and Mal battle, transforming into an octopus and a dragon, respectively. Ben tries to negotiate with Uma, but she leaves, unreconciled. Evie asks to bring more children from the Isle to Auradon and Ben agrees.
Descendants 3 (2019)
While Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are recruiting a new generation of villain kids, Hades is trying to breach through the barrier, being stopped by Mal. Later, Ben proposes to Mal, making her the future queen of Auradon. Then Audrey steals Maleficent's scepter and the queen's crown and becomes an evil version of herself. The VKs return to the Isle of the Lost on a mission to retrieve Hades' ember and later, Uma, Harry and Gil team up with Mal and the others to stop Audrey from destroying Auradon.
Descendants: The Rise of Red (2024)
Red, daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, daughter of Cinderella, must travel back in time to prevent Red's mother from seizing control of Auradon and becoming a villain. The Queen of Hearts coerces Red into punishing Cinderella as part of her revenge for a prank played on her during her student days at Auradon, then known as Merlin Academy. Red and Chloe's mission focuses on stopping Uliana from pranking Bridget, the younger version of the Queen of Hearts, which would lead her to become an evil queen. Their successful intervention preserves the present, transforming the Queen of Hearts into a loving figure. The film concludes with a cliffhanger, as Uma's voiceover delivers closing lines amidst a scene of general merriment and dancing.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland (2026)
After the release of The Rise of Red, the film's executive producer Suzanne Todd confirmed that Disney is "definitely working on and thinking about a follow-up movie," and that due to the end of The Rise of Red with a warning about the unforeseen consequences of time travel, in the sequel "there will be future good and evil turns for sure."
In February 2025 the first cast members were announced, with several characters from The Rise of Red returning and new ones joining, with the film scheduled for release in summer 2026. In March 2025, more new cast members were announced. In May 2025, the film's official title was announced as Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, along with the announcement of most of the adult cast from The Rise of Red reprising their roles.
Spin-off Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story (2027) In 2026 was announced Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story, a film focused on the descendants of Disney characters' sidekicks, who at the Sidekick Academy are challenged to join the elite ranks of partners to heroes, but when a villainous duo comes to the academy, a group of fresh recruits must band together to save the realm.
Cast members
Characters Main series Spin-off Descendants Descendants 2 Descendants 3 Descendants Descendants Hidden Heroes 2015 2017 2019 2024 2026 2027 Mal Dove Cameron Carlos de Vil Cameron Boyce Jay Booboo Stewart Evie Sofia Carson Ben Mitchell Hope Fairy Godmother / Fay Melanie Paxson Melanie PaxsonGrace Narducci Melanie Paxson Jane Brenna D'Amico Audrey Sarah Jeffery Sarah Jeffery Doug Zachary Gibson Chad Charming Jedidiah Goodacre Lonnie Dianne Doan King Beast Dan Payne Queen Belle Keegan Connor Tracy Cruella de Vil Wendy Raquel Robinson Jafar Maz Jobrani Evil Queen Kathy Najimy Maleficent Kristin Chenoweth Mars Dude Paisley PaisleyBobby Moynihan Queen Leah Judith Maxie Judith Maxie Snow White Stephanie Bennett Harry Hook Thomas Doherty Gil Dylan Playfair Dizzy Tremaine Anna Cathcart Uma China Anne McClain Lumière Jan Bos Sean Yves Lessard Celia Facilier Jadah Marie Hades Cheyenne Jackson Anthony Pyatt Lady Tremaine Linda Ko Julee Cerda Squeaky Smee Christian Convery Ryan McEwen Squirmy Smee Luke Roessler Dayton Paradis Dr. Facilier Jamal Sims Mr. Smee Faustino Di Bauda Red Kylie Cantrall Kylie CantrallEmilia Gomez Chloe Charming Malia Baker Uliana Dara Reneé Queen of Hearts / Bridget Rita OraRuby Rose Turner Rita OraRuby Rose Turner Queen Cinderella / Ella colspan="2" Brandy NorwoodMorgan Dudley Brandy NorwoodMorgan Dudley Hook Joshua Colley Maddox Hatter Leonardo Nam King Charming / Prince Charming colspan="2" Paolo MontalbanTristan Padil Paolo Montalban Principal Merlin Jeremy Swift Morgie Peder Lindell Aladdin colspan="2" Levin ValayilKabir Bery Jasmine colspan="2" Shazia PascalAiza Azaar Pink Liamani SeguraBrielle Celis Max Hatter Brendon TremblayAvery Onyx Hargrave Luis Madrigal Alexandro Byrd Hazel Hook Kiara Romero Robbie Hood Joel Oulette Felix Facilier Zavien Garrett Chessy Cheshire Awkwafina Kronk Jr. Jacob Rodriguez Jennie Dior Goodjohn Zara Momona Tamada Meri Eva Fossaceca Smedley Lou Harry Jones Scratch Potts Connor Wong Nic Potts Kyra Wong Jiminy Cricket Darren Criss Yzma Sherry Cola Genie James Monroe Iglehart Kronk Hugo Ateo Yen Sid Dan Bakkedahl
Reception As of August 2024, the original Descendants trilogy—Descendants, Descendants 2, and Descendants 3 —has accumulated over 781 million hours of viewing in the United States, where each film was also the most-watched television movie of the year among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 during its premiere year in 2015, 2017, and 2019, respectively.
Descendants (2015)