Following in the footsteps of classic villain songs like “Poor Unfortunate Souls” (1989’s “Little Mermaid”), “Be Prepared” (1994’s “The Lion King”) and “Mother Knows Best” (2010’s “Tangled”), Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Music Group today released “This Is The Thanks I Get?!,” performed by Chris Pine as the nefarious King Magnifico, from Disney’s upcoming musical comedy, “Wish.” The song is the second of five songs being revealed as part of a weekly “Wish Wednesdays” music campaign ahead of the film’s launch in U.S. theaters on November 22.

Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy®-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice penned seven original songs for the film, including “This Is The Thanks I Get?!”—now available on SiriusXM’s Disney Hits Channel 302, YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and all digital service providers.

In the movie, people come from all around the world to give their wishes to Magnifico, a charming and confident King who promises to grant their deepest desires—someday. But the King isn’t entirely altruistic; he alone decides whose wish will be granted, and he relishes the control. “He’s charismatic; he’s handsome—and he knows it—but I think he truly believes their wishes are safest in his hands,” said screenwriter/executive producer Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios. “So when Asha exposes the flaw in his philosophy, he feels underappreciated and threatened.”

Cue “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” “We just had a blast with it,” said director Chris Buck. “The visuals are terrific—he’s the King and he feels like nobody respects him. It’s been a while since we’ve had a good villain song, so Julia and Ben just went for it.”

Director Fawn Veerasunthorn said “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” is a good example of how a song can help shape the character. “We’d provide a rough version of the script [to Julia and Ben] and they’d go away for a while and come back with a song. Their songs inspired us. For ‘This Is The Thanks I Get?!’ we knew we wanted Magnifico to be charming and, of course, evil. He’s also funny! In the song, he cracks jokes—he’s narcissistic. But it’s all tongue-in-cheek and he’s still somehow completely likable, which is great for a villain.”

The Wish Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from Walt Disney Records will be available November 17 on all streaming platforms. Fans can pre-order the CD here and the vinyl here.

AMAZON JOINS U.S. WISH TOGETHER CAMPAIGN

Amazon has joined the “Wish Together” initiative, which celebrates Disney’s decades-long relationship with Make-A-Wish® and invites Disney fans of all ages to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. To support, Amazon is planning to donate $1 million worth of Disney toys, games, and activity kits to Make-A-Wish to enhance future Disney wishes. By collaborating with Make-A-Wish to create a special Wish List at Amazon.com/Disney, Amazon is also making it easier for customers to help make wishes come true this holiday season. Items customers purchase from the list will be donated directly to Make-A-Wish for wish granting. Visit Disney.com/WishTogether to learn more.

ABOUT WISH

Advance tickets for “Wish” are on sale now, wherever tickets are sold. With a nod to Walt Disney’s musical legacy as the company marks 100 years, Walt Disney Animation Studios “Wish” welcomes audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudykas Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (“Raya and the Last Dragon”), and produced by Peter Del Vecho(“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones (“Encanto”). Jennifer Lee (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore (“Night Sky,” “Manhunt”) are writers on the project.

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS REVEALS NEW VILLAIN SONG, “THIS IS THE THANKS I GET?!”—PERFORMED BY CHRIS PINE—FROM “WISH”