Ncuti Gatwa has joined the voice cast of Bad Fairies, an original animated musical being produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation with Locksmith Animation for a 2027 theatrical release. The film, led by Cynthia Erivo, follows a rule-breaking gang of fairies who shake up their magical world; it is set in contemporary London.
The project is directed by Megan Nicole Dong, with a screenplay by Deborah Frances-White. Locksmith lists Carolyn Soper as producer, Zoë Tomalin as writer, and Sim Evan-Jones as editor, while DNEG Animation is serving as the animation partner. The studio previously set Tony-winning Six creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss to write the songs, with Florence + The Machine’s Isabella Summers attached as composer and song producer.
Distribution timing has shifted during development. Trade reporting this autumn placed the release on May 21, 2027, after earlier materials cited late July. The updated date positions the film in the early summer corridor for family and musical titles.
Gatwa’s casting extends a busy period for the actor, who fronts Doctor Who and has accumulated high-profile screen credits across film and television. Erivo’s participation comes as she continues a run of major musical work on screen and stage. Character details for Gatwa have not been disclosed, and no additional casting was confirmed by the companies beyond Erivo’s lead role, but industry outlets expect an ensemble of notable voices given the creative team involved.
Bad Fairies is among the first films to move under the Warner Bros.–Locksmith pipeline announced in recent years. Locksmith describes the feature as a “subversive” musical comedy anchored in London, signaling a tone that blends contemporary humor with classic fairytale iconography. With songwriters from a recent Broadway hit and a director whose background spans music-forward animation, the film aligns with the studio’s push for distinctive, auteur-driven animated projects while pursuing broad theatrical play.
