These 3 Disney movie songs, animated with sign language, are headed to Disney+

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New animated sequences of songs from “Encanto,” “Frozen 2” and “Moana 2” are headed to Disney+.

Disney Animation is releasing “Songs in Sign Language” on April 27th. This collection features three musical numbers from recent Disney films performed in American Sign Language, and it’s being released to celebrate National Deaf History Month.

The new animated series “Songs in Sign Language,” directed by Disney animation expert Hyrum Osmond, will present signed performances of popular Disney songs. These include “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto,” “The Next Right Thing” from “Frozen 2,” and “Beyond” from “Moana 2.” Heather Blodget and Christina Chen produced the series, working closely with the Deaf West Theatre company in Los Angeles to create the signed versions.

According to Osmond, the team mostly created brand new animation. They also made many changes to ensure the final product stayed true to the original vision.

Television

The Cartoon Network show ‘Craig of the Creek’ partnered with Southern California Black Deaf Advocates to create a groundbreaking moment for Black Deaf representation in media.

For “Songs in Sign Language,” DJ Kurs, the artistic director of Deaf West Theatre, collaborated with choreographer Catalene Sacchetti and eight Deaf West performers to create signed interpretations of the musical numbers. Their priority was to convey the feeling and meaning of each song, rather than simply signing a word-for-word translation of the lyrics.

Kurs explained that his team was thrilled to work together and include American Sign Language naturally within Disney’s stories.

According to Kurs, Disney stories connect children all over the world. Bringing sign language into these stories was an incredible chance to reach a huge audience, and the project was deeply moving. Having always admired Disney Animation, it was special to see the art form adapt to include their language. Kurs hopes this will inspire Deaf children and pave the way for more inclusive storytelling in the future.

The director, Osmond, who oversaw a team of over 20 animators, explained that animation was ideal for highlighting sign language, which he considers a remarkably beautiful form of communication. Having a deaf father himself, he also viewed the project as a way to build connections with the Deaf community.

Osmond shared that because he didn’t learn sign language as a child, it was hard to truly connect with his father. He believes these new, signed versions of classic Disney songs will help break down communication barriers and create a meaningful connection with Deaf audiences, and he’s thankful Disney supported this important project.

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2026-03-05 05:01