Raya and the Last Dragon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raya and the Last Dragon |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Music by | James Newton Howard |
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| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 3, 2021 (Netherlands) March 5, 2021 (United States) |
| Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million+ |
| Money made | $93 million |
Raya and the Last Dragon is a computer-animated fantasy action-adventure film. It was made by Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2021. This movie is the 59th film from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
The film was directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada. The music was composed by James Newton Howard. Many Asian American actors lent their voices to the characters. These include Kelly Marie Tran as Raya and Awkwafina as Sisu, the dragon.
Raya and the Last Dragon came out in theaters in the United States on March 5, 2021. It was shown in different formats like 2D, 3D, and IMAX. The movie was also available at the same time on Disney+ with Premier Access. This was because many movie theaters were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film earned $93 million around the world. It was one of the top-grossing films of 2021. Critics generally liked the movie. They praised its animation, the voice acting, and its important messages.
Contents
Story of Raya and the Last Dragon
Long ago, the land of Kumandra was a happy place. But then, evil spirits called the Druun appeared. They turned people and dragons into stone. Sisu, the last dragon, used her magic to create a special gem. This gem banished the Druun and brought the people back. However, the dragons remained as stone.
After this, the people of Kumandra fought over the gem. This caused them to split into five tribes. Each tribe was named after a part of a giant dragon-shaped river. These tribes were Fang, Heart, Spine, Talon, and Tail.
Raya's Journey Begins
Five hundred years later, Chief Benja of the Heart tribe trains his daughter, Raya. Her job is to guard the dragon gem. Chief Benja wants to unite the tribes again. He holds a big feast for everyone. At the feast, Raya becomes friends with Namaari. Namaari is the daughter of Chief Virana of the Fang tribe.
Namaari gives Raya a dragon pendant as a gift. Raya trusts Namaari and shows her where the gem is hidden. But Namaari betrays Raya and tries to steal the gem. This leads to a fight. The other tribes arrive and start fighting over the gem too. The gem breaks into pieces, and the Druun return.
Each tribe takes a piece of the gem. The Druun turn the people of Heart Land to stone. Raya's father, Chief Benja, is wounded. He tells Raya there is still hope if the gem pieces have their light. He pushes Raya off a bridge to save her. He then turns to stone himself.
Finding Sisu and New Friends
For six years, Raya travels across the land. She searches for Sisu to help find the missing gem pieces. Raya finally finds Sisu in a shipwreck. Sisu admits she didn't create the gem. Her siblings did, and she only used it. Sisu also learns that touching the gem pieces gives her her siblings' powers.
Raya and Sisu find the second gem piece in a ruined Tail temple. This piece gives Sisu shapeshifting powers. They meet Namaari again, who tries to get back a map Raya stole. Raya and Sisu escape on a boat. The boat belongs to Boun, a young boy who lost his family to the Druun. Raya doesn't fully trust Boun yet. Sisu explains that the Druun are weak against water.
Gathering the Team
Next, they go to Talon to get the third gem piece. Raya meets a baby con artist named Noi and her monkey-like friends, the Ongis. Noi was adopted by the Ongis after her family turned to stone. Raya recruits Noi and the Ongis after a chase.
Sisu goes into the marketplace. Talon's chieftess tries to trick Sisu to get the other gem pieces. Raya rescues Sisu and gets the third piece. This piece allows Sisu to create fog, helping them escape. The group then travels to Spine. There, they meet Tong, a strong but kind warrior. He is the only survivor of his village.
Namaari arrives, and Raya fights her off. Sisu saves Raya and looks into Namaari's heart. The group then leaves for Fang. Tong joins the group and gives them Spine’s gem piece. This gives Sisu power over rain.
The Final Challenge
As they get closer to Fang, Sisu suggests trusting Namaari. She thinks they should ally with her instead of stealing the last piece. Raya refuses. Sisu takes Raya back to the ruins of Heart Land. She tells Raya how her siblings' trust helped her save Kumandra. Raya agrees to try trusting Namaari.
Raya gives Namaari the dragon pendant as a peace offering. Raya and Sisu meet Namaari in private. But Namaari is torn between her duty to Fang and helping them. She threatens them with a crossbow. Sisu tries to calm Namaari. Raya, still not trusting Namaari, hits the crossbow with her sword. The bolt fires and hits Sisu, killing her. The river begins to dry up as the last dragon dies.
Fang is quickly taken over by the Druun. Raya goes to confront Namaari. She finds Namaari mourning her mother, who has turned to stone. They fight. Raya's friends use the gem pieces to save the people of Fang. Raya almost kills Namaari but stops. She realizes Sisu died because Raya couldn't trust others.
Trust and Unity
Raya and Namaari rush to help the group. As the Druun get closer, Raya remembers Sisu's story about trust. Raya urges everyone to put the gem back together. But her friends are angry at Namaari for Sisu's death. To show her faith, Raya gives Namaari her gem piece first. She then lets the Druun turn her to stone.
The others follow Raya's example. Namaari puts the gem together just before she also turns to stone. With the gem reassembled and everyone trusting each other, the dragons' magic becomes powerful. It banishes the Druun and frees everyone from their stone curse.
Raya and her friends celebrate. The dragons return and revive Sisu. Everyone reunites with their families, including Raya and her father. The dragons and the tribes gather at Heart Land. They celebrate and finally reunite as Kumandra.
Voice Actors and Characters
- Kelly Marie Tran as Raya: A brave warrior princess from the Heart Land. She trains to guard the Dragon Gem. Raya goes on a journey to find the last dragon and bring peace back to Kumandra.
- Awkwafina as Sisu: The last dragon. She is funny and sometimes unsure of herself, but also very brave, kind, and wise.
- Izaac Wang as Boun: A charming 10-year-old who owns a boat restaurant called the "Shrimporium" in the Tail Land.
- Gemma Chan as Namaari: The warrior princess of the Fang Land and Raya's rival. Young Namaari is voiced by Jona Xiao.
- Daniel Dae Kim as Chief Benja: The chief of Kumandra's Heart Land and Raya's father.
- Benedict Wong as Tong: A strong but kind giant warrior from the Spine Land.
- Sandra Oh as Virana: Namaari's mother and the chieftess of the Fang Land.
- Thalia Tran as Little Noi: A baby con artist from the Talon Land. She was adopted by three monkey-like creatures called Ongis.
- Lucille Soong as Dang Hu: The chieftess of the Talon Land.
- Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk: Raya's best friend and loyal animal companion. He is a mix of an armadillo and a pill bug.
Movie Music
James Newton Howard created the music for Raya and the Last Dragon. He has also composed music for other Disney animated films. These include Dinosaur, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet. The movie's music album was released on February 26, 2021.
Jhené Aiko wrote and sang a song called "Lead the Way" for the end credits. On March 2, 2021, Disney Studios Philippines announced something special. Filipina singer KZ Tandingan sang Disney’s first-ever Filipino-language song. It is called "Gabay," which means "guide" in English. This song is the Filipino version of "Lead the Way."
KZ Tandingan said she was proud to sing in her own language. She felt a strong connection to Raya. Raya is the first Disney Princess inspired by Southeast Asia. She also said the song reminds us that we are strong when we trust each other and work together.
Future Stories
Kelly Marie Tran, who voices Raya, hopes for more stories with Raya and Namaari. She said she would "absolutely be interested" in playing Raya again.
Images for kids
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Angkor Wat served as the inspiration for the palace of Fang.
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A topknot or manbun as worn by King Jayavarman VII. Many characters such as Chief Benja wear this hair style.
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See also
In Spanish: Raya y el último dragón para niños
