The team at Daps Magic shared an early look at an upcoming Disney+ special that recreates three popular Disney musical sequences through American Sign Language.
‘Songs in Sign Language’ Project Previews New Moana, Frozen, Encanto Animations
Next week, Disney+ will debut a new short-form special titled “Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language” on April 27 in honor of National Deaf History Month.
The collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Deaf West Theatre reimagines three animated musical performances in American Sign Language. The project, titled Songs in Sign Language, reanimates “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen 2, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto, and “Beyond” from Moana 2.
Fellow Disney Blog, Daps Magic, participated in a media event at Walt Disney Animation Studios to meet the creative team behind the project.
The new animations rework the three songs’ original animated sequences in their respective films to integrate ASL gestures from the characters performing the music.
Daps Magic was able to share a short preview from each of the three reanimated sequences, showcasing a sample of the highly-detailed work that went into adjusting the character movement, cinematography, and other visual elements to properly convey the full scope of emotion through new animation.
Rather than placing an interpreter separately on screen, the artists worked to incorporate signing, facial expression, eye contact, and head movement into the characters’ performances so the language would feel fully embedded in the storytelling.
The team also highlighted the nuanced creative decisions involved in adapting the songs for ASL. One example involves We Don’t Talk About Bruno, where the team chose not to sign a specific lyric (the line “I grew a gut”) so the visual gag could land naturally through animation instead.
The joke is just one example of the team’s effort to strike a balance between art and the three films’ original emotional and comedic intentions.
At the preview event, members of the creative team shared their personal connections and family ties to the ASL community, discussing an optimistic outlook for the future of Disney storytelling thanks to this effort. This collaborative project may demonstrate how Disney storytelling can be better translated in more accessible, impactful ways.
You can learn more about the authentic, personal stories behind the team at Deaf West Theatre in our earlier coverage.
For the original story from this early preview event, including video interviews with the creative team, check out the full report from Daps Magic.
The Songs in Sign Language special is set to arrive on Disney+ on April 27, 2026.
Are you or a family member part of the Deaf community? What are your thoughts on Disney’s accessibility efforts – are there areas where you find there’s still room for improvement? Share your experiences with us on social media.
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