Disney Plus‘ The Quest pits eight real-life teenagers against one another in a reality competition that looks straight out of a fantasy movie. This is fitting, considering that it comes from the producers of The Amazing Race and Lord of the Rings, which helps to convincingly transport these young competitors into a world of magic and mystery.
The new series was revealed during the Disney Plus panel at the Realscreen Summit in New Orleans. Per the trailer, real teenagers enter the world of Everealm and become Paladins, encountering fantasy elements one would expect to find in the genre including a cloaked figure, a map of the land, mysterious creatures, horseback riding, swords, and sorcery. The teens will then have to partake in out-of-this-realm challenges to become the one true hero of this tale.
The high production value for the series is easily identifiable with scenes that call to mind both LOTR and the Harry Potter franchise. It’s being touted as a “fully immersive fantasy world” with seamless technology that utilizes a mix of visual and practical effects to ensure authenticity. A group of actors join the contestants as scripted characters who interact with them, offering them clues and challenges along the way.
The series is actually being filmed at a castle outside Vienna, Austria, but the real draw will be the teenagers themselves. The pure enjoyment and awe from them as they work out how to win each game in this unbelievable world is at the heart of the hybrid competition series. As with any great fantasy story, it’s the attempt to uncover great mysteries while team dynamics come to light that will keep audiences invested.
The Quest is upping the ante for reality competition shows, but this isn’t the first time the series has been produced. The ABC network reality competition originally aired in 2014, but with adults rather than teens. It was critically acclaimed, but only lasted one season. Now, it will live again in a new form on Disney Plus.
In the original series, Everealm consisted of 12 kingdoms that were plagued by a dark force known as Verlox. Heroes were summoned by three Fates and received a piece of the Sunspear to defend Everealm, and the one true hero was the one who ultimately defeated Verlox.
With the undeniable production value, world-building, interactive elements, and well-established producers behind it, it’s possible that this new series could change the reality competition game going forward.
You can decide for yourself when The Quest premieres on Disney Plus May 11.
Published: Apr 5, 2022 09:06 am