A new Disney+ original movie World’s Best, is heading to Disney’s streaming service on June 23, 2023. The hip-hop musical comedy adventure comes from the director of Hamilton. Co-written, co-executive produced and starring Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts, Free Guy), who co-wrote the film’s original songs, World’s Best was directed by radiation oncologist turned filmmaker Roshan Sethi (7 Days). Manny Magnus, Punam Patel, Jake Choi, Max Malas, Piper Wallace, Kayla Njeri, Dorian Giordano, Kathryn Greenwood, Christopher Jackson and Doug E. Fresh are also part of the cast. The film was written by Jamie King & Ambudkar, with original songs by Ambudkar and Charlie Wilder.
A first-look photo has been released ahead of the film’s arrival on Disney+.
Ambudkar says, “We are all really excited to be bringing this film to Disney+. It’s got dope music and great comedy, and it brings up some important themes in a really accessible way. It’s emotional, it’s full of love and amazing energy and is a film the entire family can watch together. Plus, it presents for the first time a South Asian family at the core of a Disney movie–something I never had growing up–and was something I really wanted to give young people today.”
World’s Best Official Description
In “World’s Best,” 12-year-old mathematics genius Prem Patel (Magnus), in the midst of navigating the tumultuous hardships of adolescence, discovers his recently deceased father was a famous rapper and immediately sets out to pursue a career for himself as a rap superstar. While his actions may appear reckless and the quickest way for him to lose everything, Prem, empowered by imaginative hip-hop music-fueled fantasies where he performs with his father (Ambudkar), is determined to find out if hip-hop truly is in his DNA. As his father always used to say, “the world’s best never rest.”
About Utkarsh Ambudkar
Ambudkar’s additional film credits include “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” “Blindspotting” and “Pitch Perfect.” A rapper and creative force from a young age, Ambudkar was an original member of The Beatards, a NYC-based underground hip-hop group that performed alongside acts like Santigold, Azealia Banks, G-Easy, Public Enemy, Questlove and more. His work with the Beatards eventually helped Ambudkar land “Pitch Perfect.” Originating the role of Aaron Burr in the developmental readings of “Hamilton,” Ambudkar later reunited with Lin-Manuel Miranda as part of the improvisational rap group Freestyle Love Supreme, which garnered a special Tony® Award in 2021. “Vanity,” Ambudkar’s debut album as a solo artist, dropped in 2019 and was quickly followed by “Petty.” In 2020, he released “The Misfits EP” and single “Self Respect.”
What do you think of what you are seeing of World’s Best? Are you excited about this Disney+ Original Movie? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!