Disney has ordered a new film set in the Descendants universe, this time centring on the children of the sidekicks who spent decades standing behind the heroes. Titled Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story, the movie is greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+, with production set to begin the week following the announcement on 7 August 2026. (The Hollywood Reporter)

The story follows descendants of legendary sidekicks at a secret training facility called Sidekick Academy, where they must band together to save the fairytale realm from a villainous duo. It is described as a music-and-dance-fuelled film — a format the Descendants franchise has leaned on since the first movie premiered on Disney Channel in 2015.

The cast pulls characters from across Disney's animated catalogue. Dior Goodjohn plays Jennie, daughter of Genie from Aladdin. Momona Tamada stars as Zara, daughter of Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove, with Jacob Rodriguez as Kronk Jr., son of Kronk. Eva Fossaceca Smedley plays Meri, daughter of Merryweather from Sleeping Beauty. Harry Jones appears as Lou, son of Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. Rhys Dawkins, Connor Wong and Kyra Wong round out the principal cast as the Potts Siblings, descendants of Mrs. Potts.

Jude Weng, whose credits include Only Murders in the Building, directs. The screenplay comes from Tamara Chestna, Eydie Faye and Emma Fletcher. Executive producers are Mark Ordesky, Jane Fleming, Gary Marsh and Chestna. Choreography is handled by Louise Hradsky and Jeffrey Mortensen.

The announcement arrives on the heels of Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, the franchise's fifth film, which ranked as the No. 1 movie on Disney+ globally based on views from 17–27 July. Its soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Soundtracks chart, reaching 50.8 million streams worldwide. The franchise has a track record of dominant viewership: each of the first three Descendants films was the most-watched cable movie of its respective year, and 2024's Descendants: The Rise of Red debuted on Disney+ as the most-watched original movie among Kids and Girls aged 6–11.

Beyond the screen, the franchise has toured live. The Descendants/ZOMBIES Worlds Collide concert special played to sold-out crowds in more than 40 arenas across North America last summer. A second leg returns with 60 shows across North America, the U.K. and Europe, launching 25 September.

Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family, said the film "puts the sidekicks centre stage" and expands the Descendants universe with the music, dance and heart fans expect from the franchise. The film is produced by Disney Kids & Family, the division Davis leads.

For the franchise's audience, the appeal is straightforward: a new set of characters tied to familiar Disney names, a fresh academy setting, and the song-and-dance format that has defined Descendants since the beginning. No release date has been announced.