Raya and the Last Dragon writers Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim recently gave some insight into the upcoming film and its Southeast Asian influences.
When asked about said influences during a press event that CBR attended, Lim first mentioned that Raya and the Last Dragon doesn't feature appearances from any specific Southeast Asian mythological characters. "But in Southeast Asia, there's a great tradition of female leaders, military leaders and warriors. And leaders of their realms. And also, the stories of Nagas and dragons, particularly with water," Lim said.
Lim went on to point out specific examples of mythical figures from which she drew influence. "In Malaysia, we have the warrior Tun Fatimah, and we have stories of Naga Tasik Chini, which is the dragon of Chini Lake," she said. "So it's sort of within a lot of cultures in Southeast Asia. And so we knew it was one of those threads that would really resonate within the film."
"In Vietnamese culture, there's this really famous story of the Trung sisters. They're like these famous Vietnamese warriors that I definitely thought of," Nguyen added before mentioning that both writers' parents were major influences on the film's script. "Without a doubt, I think Adele and I drew inspiration for families from our parents. Specifically for me, from my mom. I know what she had to go through when she came to this country."
"And just to have that kind of fighting spirit," Nguyen went on to say. "And also, just the kind of energy that our people have that you don't always get to display on screen. It was important for us to show the real spirit of Southeast Asia out there."
Disney's upcoming animated action/adventure feature will tell the story of a young warrior named Raya. With her giant pet pill bug, Tuk Tuk, Raya will go on a journey to find the last dragon in order to save the world. Raya and the Last Dragon's story and location draw heavily from Southeast Asian landscapes and cultures. Specific cultures that directly influenced Raya and the Last Dragon include Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and many more.
Originally planned to release in the United States on Nov. 25, Raya and the Last Dragon was postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It is now set to release simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premiere Access in early March. Additionally, Disney recently revealed that the Premier Access price for Raya and the Last Dragon will be $29.99.
Directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada from a script by Paul Briggs and John Ripa, Raya and the Last Dragon stars Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang, Thalia Tran, Alan Tudyk, Lucille Soong, Patti Harrison and Ross Butler. The film arrives in theaters and on Disney+ Premiere Access March 5.