Sunday night’s [Nov. 18] premiere of Disney Junior’s animated special Sofia The First: Once Upon A Princess brought in 5.2 million total viewers to Disney Channel. The animated movie was the top cable telecast of 2012 among kids 2-5 (1.5 million/9.1 rating) and girls 2-5 (954,000/12.2 rating). The show attracted more than 3.0 million Kids 2-11 and more than 1.4 million Adults 18-49.
The special ranked as the #1 cable TV telecast in 5 years in Kids 2-5 (since 11/12/2007, Spongebob Atlantis Pantis) and in over 10 years in Girls 2-5 (since 5/6/2002, Oswald). The show is also Disney Channel’s #1 telecast in the network’s history among Girls 2-5, its #2 telecast among Kids 2-5 and its #1 preschool telecast ever in Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49.
A January premiere date for the series Sofia the First will be announced shortly. The movie and series will roll out internationally through mid-2013 on Disney Channels and Disney Junior channels. The series continues Sofia’s journey of becoming the best she can be, with relatable situational stories, set in a magical world of castles, wizards and flying horses, designed to provide kids 2-7 fundamental lessons about developing social skills.
Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess” introduces Sofia, an average girl whose life suddenly transforms when her mother marries the king of Enchancia and she becomes a princess. Sofia soon discovers that looking like a princess isn’t all that difficult, but displaying honesty, loyalty, courage, independence, compassion and grace is what makes one truly royal. Ariel Winter, Sara Ramirez, Wayne Brady, Tim Gunn, Russi Taylor, Tress MacNeille and Jennifer Hale are part of the voice cast. Craig Gerber developed the movie and serves as co-executive producer and story editor. Jamie Mitchell is executive producer and director of the show.
A few weeks ago, the project sparked some controversy because of complaints by some Hispanic groups over the Caucasian look of the title character. However the show’s producers noted that Sophia is a mixed-heritage princess in a fairy-tale world.
“Her mother is originally from an enchanted kingdom inspired by Spain (Galdiz) and her birth father hailed from an enchanted kingdom inspired by Scandinavia. Sofia was born and raised in Enchancia, which is a make-believe ‘melting pot’ kingdom patterned on the British Isles. Sofia considers herself a normal Enchancian girl like any other. Her mixed heritage and blended family are a reflection of what many children today experience.”
Disney Channel will present encore telecasts of the special all week (Tuesday, November 20 at 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, November 21 at 8:00 a.m., Thursday, November 22 at 7:00 a.m., Friday, November 23 at 6:00 a.m., Saturday, November 24 at 8:00 a.m. and Sunday, November 25 at 7:00 a.m.). Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess will also be presented on Thursday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. on Disney Junior.
