You’ve heard of the Mannequin Challenge, haven’t you? Just like the Harlem Shake and even the Ice Bucket Challenge before it, the viral trend tasks people with completing a simple challenge in front of a camera, spawning a domino effect that often hooks in big-name celebrities across nine kinds of social platforms. The results vary from hilarious to downright bizarre – such is the nature of the Internet itself – and today the cast and crew of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time have got in on the fun to announce the film’s official release date: April 6, 2018.
Embedded above, in a style typical of the Mannequin Challenge, you’ll see the camera track over, under and around the static crew – director Ava DuVernay included – before landing on the young Storm Reid, the rising star who will take point as Meg Murry. Bound for an interstellar journey to locate her wayward father, A Wrinkle in Time is the long-awaited adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s cherished fantasy novel, and though we won’t know for sure whether it’s been worth the wait until DuVernay’s sci-fi yarn lights up theaters in 2018, the cast Disney has assembled is exciting in and of itself.
Alongside Reid are Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey – on board as Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, respectively – Chris Pine as that missing father. Capping off the stellar ensemble are Zach Galifianakis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Andre Holland, Levi Miller (Pan), Bellamy Young (Scandal), Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World) and newcomer Deric McCabe.
A Wrinkle in Time will hope to ignite a newfound YA franchise at Disney when Ava DuVernay’s spacefaring adventure whizzes into theaters on April 6, 2018.