ONCE UPON A BLOG: OUAT Season 7 trailer & a Variety of Sneak Peeks from SDCC

San Diego Comic Con is now over and lots of news for upcoming TV series and movies was, as always, released to the delight of fans. OUAT was no exception and SDCC saw the official release of the trailer for this newly-re-vamped version of OUAT, as well as giving folks a sneak peek (first few minutes it looks like) of the first episode.

Official season 7 trailer:

Sneak peek from the beginning of the first episode of season 7, titled 'Hyperion Heights':

If you'd like to know more there are videos on YouTube of the various OUAT panels in which both the creators and the cast for season 7 were interviewed and presenting, so you can find out more details that way if you're keen.

In the meantime, what's important for fairy tale folk to know is this: you may have noticed (or been made aware by the difficult-to-avoid news of it online), that Season 7 has a new and different Cinderella, but you may not know what that really means. Creators Horowitz and Kitsis are quick to point out this doesn't overwrite the original Cinderella of OUAT. (They say she's happily living in Storybrooke holding her very successful Mommy & Me classes).

A grown-up Henry (season 7 new main character) meets a different Cinderella

What they're underlining is that Henry has discovered that there are different versions of the same tale in 'many different universes' (read, cultures), so a POC Cinderella isn't a rewrite, but an expansion, (though she does seem stuck with the European trappings of the white Cinderella). But it's still a good addition - POC have been underrepresented in the classic canon of tales. (OUAT's black Rapunzel was a wonderful standout and we wish we'd seen more of her.) Essentially we have a 'multiverse of fairy tales' now.

We like this premise - of learning of variations on the well known tales. How much of the associated cultural diversity (apart from POC casting) makes it into the show is yet to be seen of course, but it's a move in the right direction at least. There will also be an effort to increase the diversity of LGBT characters this season; something which they began with some well known tale characters but it seems the emphasis will be closer to the show's core this time. (You can read more about the plans HERE.)

Some of the new regulars in OUAT's season 7 (Drizella, Alice, Tiana & Lady Tremaine)

Fans are reacting in polar opposites for the most part. While about half are just very sad most of the pillars of OUAT will no longer be seen regularly (most of the actors have contracts for limited appearances - usually one episode), some are also not happy that the emphasis is on 'a new Cinderella'. The other half have not only embraced the POC inclusion but are hoping to see that 'variations on the tales in different universes' expansion, explore diversity, so are optimistic.

It's certainly different from what we were expecting for the 'revisioning' of OUAT, but it's a welcome one, with a lot of possibilities. Although the tone will clearly be different, there will also be many callbacks to the first era of OUAT and it looks like the mythology of the show will stay intact too, so that should please fans who plan to continue watching. Either way, we can expect more fairy tale character mix-ups and revisionings in the usual OUAT style so likely we will be posting on the series for a while to come.

Season 7 begins this Fall, October 6, 2017...

By the way: the new title poster revealed at SDCC (and shown at the head of the post) holds some Easter eggs (hidden images) which some smart folks noticed and have shared. Most aren't spoilery but in case you don't want to know the sort of stories that are coming, we recommend you stop reading.

Now.

You sure you want to see?

OK - here they are: