The Elle Fanning-voiced animated musical soaring on Netflix

Instead of focusing on a niche, Netflix is always determined to cater to audiences of various tastes and ages. If you have an action extravaganza and a rom-com ruling the roost, then be sure there will be at least three animated ventures storming the top ten charts any given week on the streaming platform.

This time, it’s the ever-effervescent Elle Fanning lending her voice to an animated musical that’s making waves among (what we assume) the younger audience on the platform. Nestled at the tenth spot, Leap! (also called Ballerina) has made it to the top of Netflix in 17 countries across the Americas.

From battling fantasy retellings like Maleficent to navigating the treacherous waters of period satire like The Great, Fanning’s versatility knows no bounds. And in 2016, she lent her voice to the animated film Leap! Fanning began her voice acting when she was merely a child. In 2004, Fanning voiced Mei in the English version of Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro, alongside her sister Dakota Fanning, who voiced Satsuki, Mei’s older sister.

Set in 19th-century France, the story follows Félicie Milliner, a young orphan girl with big dreams of becoming a ballerina. With the help of her best friend Victor, Félicie sets on a journey to Paris, where she auditions for the prestigious Opera Ballet School. As she faces obstacles and challenges along the way, Félicie must summon all her courage and determination to achieve her dreams.

Directed by Eric Summer and Éric Warin, Leap! features Fanning, Kate McKinnon, Mel Brooks, Maddie Ziegler, and Carly Rae Jepsen. Despite its charming premise and talented voice cast, Leap! received mixed reviews upon its initial release.

Critics panned its 3D animation as it lacked any charm, and the story was criticised for being somewhat flat and predictable. Although the film lacks originality, it offers a feel-good experience that has clearly resonated with its young audience.

You can watch Leap! on Netflix for your young ones or stream the countless other kid-friendly feature films and animated gems available on the platform.