The Quest, a fantasy-themed competition series set in a world known as Everealm, premieres on Disney Plus May 11. Featuring both scripted and unscripted parts, there are eight episodes. Eight teens compete.
“For thousands of years, Everealm has been a land of unrivaled beauty and powerful magic,” goes the show description. “Now, the realm is threatened by a powerful evil Sorceress. As a last hope, the noble Fates summon eight strangers known as Paladins from a world beyond to work together to fulfill an ancient prophecy and vanquish the Sorceress. The Paladins must unlock the hero within through a series of challenges that push their limits to restore balance to Everealm. If they fail, all will be lost. Heroes will rise. Kingdoms will fall.”
The show comes from the teams behind The Lord of the Rings, The Amazing Race and Queer Eye.
The teen contestants must save a kingdom by vanquishing the evil sorceress. “These heroes are immersed in a fantasy world come to life, complete with a castle, royals, ethereal fates, all forms of mystical creatures and a sorceress intent on destruction and power,” according to Disney Plus.
“We’re doing something magical that has never been done at this level. We’re taking real people and putting them in a fully realized fantasy story, conceived and built by incredible artisans in every department,” say Jane Fleming and Mark Ordesky, executive producers, Court Five. “It’s an immersive, real-life hero’s journey for these eight normal teenagers, who transform before your very eyes. It’s an exciting new form of storytelling.”
The Quest is produced by Court Five, New Media Collective and Scout Production Inc. From Court Five, Fleming and Ordesky are executive producers. From New Media Collective, Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri and Mark Dziak executive produce. From Scout Production Inc., Rob Eric, Michael Williams and David Collins are executive producers.
“What makes The Quest so unique is that it’s a true hybrid of scripted and reality,” said Doganieri and van Munster. “It’s a groundbreaking new genre where we place real teenagers in a reality competition and bring them into a fully realized fantasy world that is built on a scripted mythology of intrigue and adventure played out alongside actors for a completely immersive experience.”
The Scout Productions team spoke of an intense focus “on the aesthetic of the show, from production design through costume design, making sure that everything felt authentic,” said Williams and Eric. ■
