Kylie Minogue, Jonathan Groff and Catherine Tate Join Cynthia Erivo in Animated Musical Bad Fairies

Most casting news arrives in a press release. Cynthia Erivo delivered hers from a stage. During her one night only concert, Let Me Sing to You, at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday, October 15, 2026, Erivo revealed that Kylie Minogue, Jonathan Groff and Catherine Tate have joined her in Bad Fairies, the original animated musical comedy from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation.

The news was confirmed the same night in an announcement from the studios and reported by Variety, Deadline, TheWrap and Radio Times. It gives the film one of the most musical voice casts in recent animation, and a strong British accent to match its London setting.

A Reveal Built Into the Concert

According to Variety, the second half of the Hollywood Bowl show opened with an orchestral piece built on "Hard to Believe," the song sung by Erivo's character, Jayne Staplegun. Erivo then introduced the audience to Jayne, one of a group of what the studio calls "delightfully defiant, rule-breaking fairies."

Radio Times reports that Erivo brought Groff and Tate out on stage before pointing out Minogue, who was seated in the audience, as the final surprise. For a film about music and mischief, it was a fitting way to share the news.

Bill Damaschke, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, explained the choice in a statement quoted by Variety. "'Bad Fairies' is about characters who break the rules to do some good, and Cynthia brings that spirit to everything she does, so there was no better way to share this news than from the Hollywood Bowl stage in her voice," he said.

Who Plays Whom

The new additions each take on a key role. Minogue voices Clowder, the Cat Witch. Groff voices Robin Goodfellow, a name with deep roots in English folklore. Tate voices the Fairy Gothmother, a playful twist on a familiar fairy tale figure.

They join a cast that already includes Serrana Su-Ling Bliss as Fei Chang, comedian James Acaster as Stickers, voice actor Dee Bradley Baker as Groundbeef and Ncuti Gatwa as Butterwort. Radio Times points out a fun link for television fans: Tate is known for playing companion Donna Noble in Doctor Who, and Groff appeared in the series as the bounty hunter Rogue in 2024.

Minogue sounded delighted in her statement. "I'm so excited to be part of 'Bad Fairies,' alongside the incredible Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Groff and such a brilliant cast of voices," she said, as quoted by Variety and Deadline. "And getting to play both a cat and a witch? It's a little bit magical, a little bit mischievous and a whole lot of fun."

What the Directors Say

Director Megan Nicole Dong told Variety that "Clowder needed to be impossibly glamorous and hilariously chaotic in the same breath, and Kylie was always the dream." Co-director Olivier Staphylas praised the other two newcomers. "Jonathan finds the comedy and the heart in a character at exactly the same time, which is everything Robin Goodfellow needs, and there is no one funnier than Catherine to play our Fairy Gothmother," he said.

A Musical Team With Stage Pedigree

The songs behind Bad Fairies may be its biggest draw. Variety and Deadline report that Tony Award winners Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the duo behind Six: The Musical, are writing the original songs. Isabella "Machine" Summers of Florence and the Machine is composing the score, and Ian Eisendrath, music producer on KPop Demon Hunters, serves as executive music producer.

The screenplay is by Deborah Frances-White, and Carolyn Soper produces. Variety adds that production is underway in London, with DNEG Animation as digital partner.

A Hidden World Beneath London

Bad Fairies is set in contemporary London. Deadline describes it as following "a delightfully subversive gang of fairies as they shake up their magical world," while Radio Times places that world in a secret realm hidden beneath the modern city.

Natalie Fischer, CEO of Locksmith Animation, said the project is exactly the kind of story the studio exists to tell. "Cynthia Erivo's extraordinary voice has been the soul of this film since she came on board, and we're thrilled to have Kylie, Jonathan and Catherine bring their enormous talents to these characters," she said in the statement reported by Variety. "We can't wait for audiences to meet them next May."

Locksmith, which has a first look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, is also in production on The Lunar Chronicles, a trilogy based on Marissa Meyer's novels, according to the studio announcement.

When to See It

Bad Fairies is headed to theaters in May 2027. Deadline and the studio announcement list a release date of May 21, 2027, while Variety reports May 27, so watch for final local listings as the date approaches. With a pop superstar, two Broadway favorites and a Six songwriting team on board, this is one animated musical worth keeping on your radar. Which casting choice excites you most? Tell us in the comments and follow Hollywood Magazine for more film and casting news.