Magic Camp is a live-action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures.[1] It was released on August 14, 2020 on Disney+.
On May 26, 2023, the film was removed from Disney+,[2] but as of September 2025, is currently available for free viewing on YouTube.
Synopsis
Theo is a young boy who had lost his father and copes by performing card tricks for himself. His mother, Zoe, reveals that he has been accepted into the Institute of Magic, a summer camp headed by the eccentric Roy Preston and he gladly attends, believing that his father had signed him before he passed. Meanwhile, Andy Tuckerman is a down-on-his-luck taxi driver and former magician who claims that he was betrayed by Kristina Darkwood, his former partner who now heads a solo act on the Las Vegas strip. Preston approaches Andy with the prospect of teaching at the camp so that he can regain his love of magic. Andy later discovers that Darkwood is teaching for the summer as well, bringing up his old grudge.
Preston reveals that the students will be split into different cabins and play for the Top Hat, which will be awarded to the winning cabin, and the Golden Wand which will be awarded to one student by the end of the summer. Andy gets assigned to lead the Hearts Cabin which consists of Theo as well as other students such as Nathan, a boy with numerous allergies; Ruth, a girl obsessed with rabbits; Judd, the son of a famous magician who does not display any of the same talent; and Vera, an anti-social girl. Darkwood leads the Diamonds Cabin which has the previous Golden Wand winner Vic who bullies the new attendees, but also has Janelle, a kind girl who takes a liking to Theo. Andy soon learns that Preston purposely put him with the new students to train them.
Andy attempts to get out of teaching, especially since none of the kids are any good, but soon realizes that many of them have hidden talents. Aside from Theo's card tricks, he learns that Nathan can perform quick mathematical functions in his head and that Judd is better at creating costumes. Ruth discovers that she has an affinity for birds over bunnies while Vera begins to enjoy being with the other kids. Andy discovers that Theo suffers from stage fright and gets him to loosen up. He also reveals that his falling out with Darkwood came when she signed for a television deal behind his back and that her career took off while he fell into obscurity.
While disapproving a trick, Vic supposedly burns Theo's cards. Theo is distraught as the cards were given to him by his father, but Andy and the rest of the kids bond with him and Janelle has a heart to heart talk with him. Later, the Diamonds sign off on all the equipment, leaving the Hearts with no props. Andy takes the team into town to use whatever they can find to train; showing off their acts in public. Darkwood tells Andy that she reprimanded her team for their acts and reveals that she was trying to sign both of them for the television deal as she felt that she could not do it on her own, but that he was angry and refused to speak with her about it. She tells him that she signed a matinee show for him the next day and he accepts, though this would mean having to miss on training his kids for the show that night.
The next day, Preston tells the kids that Andy is in Vegas performing and that he will take over training until he returns. After performing his show, Andy is offered the chance to perform the night show, leaving him conflicted. The kids' families arrive and they learn that Andy had taken the night show. Theo is nervous, but Preston gives him encouragement by revealing that his mother had signed him to the Magic Institute, having previously believed that she did not understand him. The kids perform with Andy having actually denied the Vegas show and has been watching them in secret. Theo finally overcomes his fears and performs a card trick detailing how he has his mother and brother to thank for his time at camp. The show is a success with the Hearts winning the Top Hat and Janelle winning the Golden Wand.
Afterwards, Preston hired Andy to be the talent administrator at the camp after him bailing on the Vegas show got him banned. He offers Darkwood to come teach at the camp and she agrees on the condition that he perform at her Vegas show on occasion. Vic apologizes to Theo by giving him his unharmed cards back, Judd comes out to his father about being into costumes which he proudly accepts, Ruth finally gets to play with a bunny while forming a close friendship with Vera, and Janelle and Theo share a kiss. The film ends with a new Institute of Magic acceptance video headed by Andy.
Cast
- Adam DeVine as Andy Tuckerman, a counselor to the magic camp of his youth hoping to reignite his career.
- Jeffrey Tambor as Roy Preston, the mentor and owner of the magic camp.
- Gillian Jacobs as Christina Darkwood, Andy's former partner
- Nathaniel McIntyre as Theo Moses, a 12-year-old boy who attends the Magic Camp as he copes with his father's death.
- Cole Sand as Nathan Jenkins, the best friend of Theo and is prone to allergies.
- Isabella Cramp as Ruth Brusselbach, who loves rabbits but was afraid to touch one.
- Josie Totah as Judd Kessler, the son of Kornelius "Korny" Kessler who rather designs costumes for magicians.
- Izabella Alvarez as Vera Costa, an emo girl who liked being alone, but then became more social and friendly.
- Hayden Crawford as Vic d'Antonio, Theo's camp bully and last year's Golden Wand winner.
- Bianca Grava as Janelle Santos, a rich girl who has a talent for escaping and Theo's camp crush.
- Aldis Hodge as Devin Moses, Theo's late father.
- Rochelle Aytes as Zoe Moses, Theo's widowed mother.
- Krystal Joy Brown as Lena
- Desmond Chiam as Xerxes
- Lonnie Chavis as Cameron Moses, Theo's little brother.
- Justin Willman as Guy in Taxi
- Verona Blue as Girl in Taxi
- Michael Hitchcock as Kornelius "Korny" Kessler, a famous magician and Judd's father.
- Michael Anastasia as Hamilton
- Ego Nwodim as Volunteer
- Willie Garson as Casino Manager
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 38% based on 8 reviews with an average rating of 5.1/10.[3]
Video
Trivia
- This is the third Disney+ Original that was filmed as a theatrical release, the first two being Noelle and Artemis Fowl.
- Magic Camp is the first Disney live-action film to be rated PG for some mild rude humor by the MPA, since 2011's The Muppets.
- This movie was filmed before Josie Totah's transition into female. Her character is still identified as male and is credited as J.J. Totah. To date, this is the last project where Totah plays a male role, as all of her subsequent acting roles are female.
- Due to being finished and given a rating before the name change for the MPA, this film marked the last time the 1967 MPAA logo would appear in the end credits for a Disney film (and also a Disney+ original film) with the exception of 2023's Chang Can Dunk (which also used the 1967 MPAA logo).
- This is the shortest advertised Disney+ original film in history, due to its trailer being released just a few days before its official release.
- Despite the film itself being filmed (and presented) in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the official trailer has the clips cropped to a 2.00:1 aspect ratio.
References
- ↑ "Magic Camp Begins Production with Jeffrey Tambor", ComingSoon.net (January 10, 2017). Retrieved on January 11, 2017.
- ↑ https://deadline.com/2023/05/disney-remove-series-streaming-disney-plus-hulu-big-shot-willow-y-dollface-turner-hooch-pistol-1235372512/ Disney Removes Dozens Of Series From Disney+ & Hulu, Including 'Big Shot', 'Willow', 'Y' & 'Dollface'
- ↑ "Magic Camp (2020)".
