Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Borget
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet animated prequel has positive messages, peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Swan Princess: A Fairytale Is Born
What's the Story?
In THE SWAN PRINCESS: A FAIRYTALE IS BORN, the story takes viewers back in time to before Uberta was a queen and shows her journey from humble life with her husband Maximillian to suddenly becoming royalty. As the adventure unfolds, Uberta (voiced by Catherine Lavin) begins her time as queen being unsure of herself in her new role. As she faces tragedy and triumph, she experiences personal growth. Ultimately, she embraces her position as queen and as a mother raising the future king. Once the story reaches the birth of Prince Derek (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) and Princess Odette (voiced by Nina Herzog), it flashes forward in time to their planned coronation. Queen Uberta plans to pass her scepter on to Odette and Derek so she can pursue her newfound dreams, but her rival Queen Wixom wants to ruin the special occasion. Will everyone live happily ever after?
Is It Any Good?
This addition to the Swan Princess franchise gives a unique look back at the story long before Odette and Derek were born. The Swan Princess: A Fairytale Is Born is fairly easy to follow, offering clues to the number of years between time jumps. It's not as action-packed as previous movies and focuses more on the journey of Queen Odette before she had Prince Derek instead of a villain with violent tendencies. In fact, the main villain, a rival queen named Wilxom, has a minor role and tends to be a more comedic adversary than someone scary or evil.
Fans of the Swan Princess movies will likely enjoy getting the backstory of Princess Odette's mother and Prince Derek's father. Though the violence is kept to a minimum, there is still some peril as the story sheds light on the passing of those characters who were never around in the other films. Those unfamiliar with the Swan Princess should still be able to follow along. Don't think this is a finale of any sort, though. The movie ends with a looming cliffhanger and a bold "to be continued" note.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about self-confidence. Queen Uberta felt awkward and not ready to be a queen. Have you ever felt like you weren't ready for something? What did you do to try to overcome those feelings?
Have you seen any other Swan Princess movies? How does this one compare? How does having a backstory help you understand some of the characters better?
King Maximillian teaches a valuable lesson about giving people another chance. How do you determine when to give someone another chance, or when trust is broken beyond repair?
During the dog show competition, a purebred dog slows down to let the mutts win. How was that an act of good sportsmanship?
How do the characters show empathy and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 23, 2023
- Cast : Yuri Lowenthal , Nina Herzog
- Director : Richard Rich
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Fairy Tales )
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
- Run time : 86 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mild thematic elements
- Last updated : February 25, 2026
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