Tim Rice Returns to Animation with ‘The Land of Sometimes’

06-03-26

A brand new musical adventure is arriving on screen this month, and its first song has already landed. ‘The Land of Sometimes’, the lead single from the upcoming animated feature of the same name, is now available and is already spinning on MatineeMusicals.

Written by legendary lyricist Tim Rice alongside Pete Hobbs, the soaring title track is performed by an impressive trio of voices. Ewan McGregor leads the recording, joined by Matilda star Alisha Weir and Andrei Shen. The result is an uplifting introduction to the film’s magical world and a welcome return for one of musical theatre’s most celebrated writers.

For Rice, the project marks his first venture into animated features in twenty five years. The EGOT-winning lyricist, whose work includes The Lion King, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, says the project rekindled a long-standing love of the medium.

“I’ve enjoyed working on songs for ‘The Land of Sometimes’, especially with Peter Hobbs’s music, not to mention the star line-up of vocalists,” Rice said. “Since I first encountered ‘Tom and Jerry’, I’ve always been an animation fan and it’s fun to be back in that world, often more real than the one we inhabit, certainly more agreeable.”

The single arrives ahead of the full soundtrack release on 20 March, which will feature additional songs written by Rice and Hobbs and performed by the film’s star-studded cast. Among the names contributing to the album are Helena Bonham Carter and Jessica Henwick, alongside an original score by Olivier Award-winning composer Terry Davies.

The film itself boasts an impressive voice cast including Asa Butterfield, Helena Bonham Carter, Ewan McGregor, Terry Jones, Mel Brooks, Jessica Henwick, Alisha Weir and Andrei Shen.

The Land of Sometimes follows twins Alfie and Elise whose lives are turned upside down when they encounter a mysterious Wish Collector and are transported to a magical world filled with unusual creatures and unexpected discoveries. As their journey unfolds, the siblings uncover a deeper truth about family and the power of connection.

The creative team behind the film promise a story inspired by some of fantasy’s most beloved classics. Echoes of Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz run through the film’s design and storytelling, blending nostalgic adventure with contemporary animation.

Directed by Leon Joosen and produced by Tony Nottage, the film arrives in UK cinemas on 20 March, the same day the full soundtrack is released.

For musical theatre fans, the real excitement lies in hearing Tim Rice return to the kind of storytelling that has defined so many beloved film scores. If the title track is anything to go by, The Land of Sometimes could become the latest addition to the long tradition of memorable animated musical themes.

‘The Land of Sometimes’ is now playing on Matinee Musicals.

Get more information from the official site HERE