Disney Releases First Image of ‘The Princess and the Frog’

Walt Disney Pictures has revealed this first photo of princess Tiana in the studio’s traditionally-animated The Princess and the Frog, coming to theaters in 2009. The movie is written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and features the music of Randy Newman.A musical set in the legendary birthplace of jazz — New Orleans — “The Princess and the Frog” will introduce the newest Disney princess, Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), a young African-American girl living amid the charming elegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter.As Disney describes it, “From the heart of Louisiana’s mystical bayous and the banks of the mighty Mississippi comes an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery with a soulful singing crocodile, voodoo spells and Cajun charm at every turn.”

This flick is a pretty big deal as the studio has headed back to traditional animation for the film, but more importantly, because star Tiana will be the first African-American princess and leading lady from the studio that has brought us the likes of Aurora, Snow White, Jasmine, and Mulan.