Political Moves, Magical Unveilings
Political Spotlight on Vijay's Delhi Meetings as Disney Reveals "Hexed" Holiday Trailer
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Key Points
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In a press release, director Fawn Veerasunthorn described Billie as someone who has “felt miscast in her own life,” saying “A wonderfully strange phenomenon is happening all around Billie, something she can't explain.”
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Director Jason Hand added thematic context in comments tied to the trailer and story pitch: “Hexe is a place where Billie begins to feel seen for the first time in her life… [and] uncovers long-held secrets about her family.”
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The Yahoo preview notes the trailer’s structure and setup in more detail: a “two-minute trailer begins with Steinfeld's character, Billie, navigating the horrors of high school,” and it says she discovers her powers while seeking refuge in a bathroom.
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Beyond the main voice cast mentioned in the summary, ABC11 identifies additional roles and credits: Rashida Jones voices Billie’s mom, and the film is directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand (co-directed by Josie Trinidad) and produced by Roy Conli and Yvett Merino.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay made a high-profile return to Delhi on June 10, just one month into office, meeting President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan before sitting down with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi the following day, according to Times of India. The back-to-back meetings carry outsized political weight: Vijay's first Delhi trip in late May ended without a Gandhi meeting, sparking widespread speculation about tensions between TVK and its Congress coalition partners, NDTV reported.
On the entertainment side, Walt Disney Animation Studios dropped its first trailer and poster for Hexed on June 16, giving families their earliest look at the studio's 65th feature — a coming-of-age witch fantasy set to hit theaters on November 25, Cartoon Brew reported. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld as Billie, a misfit teenager who stumbles into a hidden magical realm called Hexe.
Vijay Plays Both Sides in Delhi Balancing Act
Vijay's TVK party won 108 of 234 seats in the May 2026 Tamil Nadu election, ending nearly six decades of DMK and AIADMK dominance, according to NDTV. That victory left him dependent on Congress, CPI, and VCK support to govern — making the Gandhi family meeting on June 11 far more than a courtesy call. Rahul Gandhi reportedly discussed the "future role of TVK in the national opposition," with two Congress MLAs already sitting in Vijay's cabinet.
Political analysts read the full Delhi schedule as a deliberate "Third Way" play, Times of India noted. By meeting the BJP-led Centre's top constitutional figures first, then Congress leadership the next day, Vijay kept every major political channel open at once. The state government is also seeking GST compensation dues and funding for the Chennai Metro Rail — practical stakes that made these meetings about money as much as messaging.
The May 'Snub' That Made June's Meetings Matter
Vijay's first Delhi visit on May 27–28 went smoothly on paper: he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. But a scheduled meeting with the Gandhi family was "postponed," India Today reported, instantly sparking rumors that Congress had cold-shouldered Tamil Nadu's new chief minister. The story refused to go away for the next two weeks.
The June 11 sit-down at 10 Janpath effectively put that narrative to rest — at least for now. Pro-coalition outlets framed the meeting as "strengthening of Centre-state coordination," while some local analysts remained skeptical, telling India Today that Vijay's high-visibility style is more "theatrical" than substantive. Either way, the optics of being seen with the Gandhis reset the political clock.
Disney Bets a Thanksgiving Slot on Billie and Hexe
The two-minute Hexed trailer opens with Steinfeld's Billie "navigating the horrors of high school," according to Yahoo. She discovers her powers in a school bathroom, gets expelled after a magical mishap, and is pulled into Hexe — a hidden world of witches, talking objects, and family secrets. Tracey Ullman voices Ms. Quill, an enchanted feather pen, while Stephen Fry plays Elias Quire, a magical journal, AWN reported.
Director Fawn Veerasunthorn described Billie as someone who has "felt miscast in her own life," adding that "a wonderfully strange phenomenon is happening all around Billie, something she can't explain." Co-director Jason Hand said Hexe is a place where Billie "begins to feel seen for the first time in her life" and "uncovers long-held secrets about her family." Rashida Jones voices Billie's mom, with the film produced by Roy Conli and Yvett Merino, ABC11 confirmed.
Disney Needs a Hit After Wish Lost $131 Million
The November 25 Thanksgiving release date is not an accident. Disney has historically reserved that slot for blockbusters — Moana and Zootopia both opened to massive numbers there. The studio is under real pressure: its 2023 film Wish grossed $255 million worldwide but still lost roughly $131 million after its $200 million production and $100 million marketing budget, Cartoon Brew reported. Disney's actual share of box office revenue from Wish was just $106 million.
Hexed is Disney Animation's first original, non-sequel film in three years, and the studio is pitching it as a deliberate departure from the post-princess era. Industry observers flagged to Gizmodo that the film's protagonist was originally written as male before being changed to a teenage girl, raising questions about whether Disney is leaning on a "proven" formula rather than swinging for something truly new. Early trailer buzz, at least, has been warm.
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