Sunset Showcase Gets Fresh Paint Ahead of 'Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After' Debut at Hollywood Studios

14 days ago in "Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After"

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Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After construction - May 8, 2025

Posted: Thursday May 8, 2025 10:20am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

In preparation for the debut of Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After on May 27, Disney has begun repainting the exterior of the Sunset Showcase theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The refresh comes as part of a broader transformation of the venue to support the upcoming villains-themed live show.

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After construction - May 8, 2025

Crews are currently working on updating the facade of the building, which previously housed Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy.

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After construction - May 8, 2025

The repainting is the latest visible step in the lead-up to the show’s debut. In recent weeks, Disney has installed scrims around the courtyard, shared concept art and the attraction poster, released behind-the-scenes videos, and offered a first listen to an original song from the show’s soundtrack.

Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After Poster

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will transport guests into the realm of the Magic Mirror, where villains like Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent will make their case for being the most misunderstood. The live stage production will feature original music, elaborate staging, and an audience-driven finale.

Villains Show concept art

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Minthorne17 minutes ago

The most misunderstood villain is Disney Imagineering.

LittleBuford28 minutes ago

You’re asked at the very end of the show to applaud for the most “misunderstood” villain. Remove that one element and it becomes just like any other show, performed identically every time. What will determine its rewatchability is how good it is (which is a separate matter from whether it’s the same each time or not).

Bocabear53 minutes ago

cringeworthy. The performers do a great job with the material... the set is nice....

Disgruntled Walt57 minutes ago

Except that this is supposed to be a competition show...and there's only three choices. And they always say the exact same things. The only differences introduced is based on how much applause each one gets, and once you've seen all three scenarios, you've seen it all. It's not really built for re-watching.

LittleBuford1 hour ago

That’s what I was referring to as the execution. I don’t see how you can criticise these elements while maintaining that the execution “is about as good as it could be”.

ToTBellHop1 hour ago

Cruella does a fabulous job twirling around and all, but at least in video, I’m left feeling Better in person, perhaps? They need Starlight and they need it now.

StringBeanDream1 hour ago

Yeah, let's celebrate and encourage people losing their jobs!

FerretAfros1 hour ago

On the contrary, I think the execution is about as good as it could be. The set is impressive, the costumes are elaborate, and the cast are giving it their all. It’s the concept that’s lousy. The characters have no reason to exist in the same universe. They have no reason to sing these songs we’ve all heard before. There’s no reason for the pep rally-style popularity contest. There’s no reason to not have better connective tissue, like a plot, background performers, or musical theme woven throughout. There is no dramatic arc, no stakes, and nothing for the audience to care about. It’s all superficial with no substance. On the technical side, it’s a nicely assembled little production. On the conceptual side, it was doomed before it ever got off the ground.

LittleBuford2 hours ago

The show doesn’t look great, but this seems an odd thing to object to given that most Disney shows are the same every time they’re performed.

Disgruntled Walt2 hours ago

Ok, it's clear people disagree with me about whether or not my own niece or nephews would understand the show. Let's drop that and get back to discussing this show for what it is: awful. We're encouraged to come back again because it might not turn out the same way...but aren't there only three possibilities? And everything is pre-scripted (except for maybe a few seconds of dialogue each? at least in the Capt. Hook clip I saw), so it's not like we're getting to watch these actors riff on the villains' personalities. We also have to watch the Hades vs Jafar thing every time, and listen to the Magic Mirror's voice. There are so many reasons to close this sooner rather than later. If it lasts all the way until Villains Land opens in 2032, we're in big trouble.

HairyLegPirate2 hours ago

Honestly same. Little bummed from the only three performers thing, but this looks like a fun time and very much in my wheelhouse.

Agent H2 hours ago

I’m fully expecting to enjoy this a lot when it opens. I have not watched the recent videos.

flynnibus2 hours ago

Wow, just watched the full video... Would have zero interest in sitting through this. I mean, if you take away the backdrop... is this any better than a castle stage show? I'd say not. Just having 3-4 different villians come out and do a segment solo and disconnected feels so empty. It's something that I think you'd want as street level entertainment... more like the jack sparrow/pirates thing they used to do in Adventure land. Not a theater show. When you strip away the stage.. which seems massive when you just throw one performer walking around for little purpose.. I mean... even the deck party on the cruise ships is better than this. Swing and a miss Disney... swing and a miss...