Disney salutes the Sherman brothers with short film featuring a new verse to ‘It’s a Small World (After All)’

The Walt Disney Company pays tribute to two of its most acclaimed composers, brothers Robert and Richard Sherman, in a moving short film from adam&eveDDB. “The Last Verse,” which will premiere during ABC’s two-hour documentary “The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20” on Wednesday night, debuts a new verse to the iconic 1964 song “It’s a Small World (After All)” that Richard Sherman wrote before his passing in May at age 95. He had written the original verses with his late brother Robert in the 1960s and many other classics in some of Disney’s most renowned films. In the film, clips from different decades depict the magnitude and impact of the song throughout Disney’s history. Scenes depict the “It’s a Small World” old mill boat ride at Disney theme parks, bands singing their own renditions of the song in the ’80s and ’90s, children performing the music for parents and at school and more. The touching film, directed by Henry-Alex Rubin, demonstrates the impact the Shermans had during their decades-long musical collaboration with Disney, including composing songs and scores for classics such as “Mary Poppins” (1964), “The Jungle Book” (1976), “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) and many others. Also read: A boy and an octopus are unlikely friends in Disney’s charming short film for the holidays According to Disney, Richard Sherman shared the new verse of “It’s a Small World (After All)” with CEO Bob Iger in the summer of 2023 as his final gift to the studio. "As the legendary creators of some of the most cherished music of the past century, the Sherman brothers will be remembered for their profound impact on our global culture,” Iger said in a statement. “Hearing Richard Sherman recite the final verse to ‘It’s a Small World’ before he died will be a moment I will carry with me forever. This beautiful short film is our tribute to their immeasurable musical contributions, their memory, and to the countless memories they helped create for generations of people around the world.” “It's a Small World (After All)” was originally written for an attraction of the same name that was created for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Walt Disney himself personally oversaw the creation of the attraction for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). After two seasons, the attraction's success led it to move to Disneyland Park, where it opened in May 1966. Since then, the attraction and the song have been included in five Disney Parks around the world. The short film will be available to stream on Disney+ beginning Nov. 28 and will also run on YouTube and social media. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Disney salutes the Sherman brothers with short film featuring a new verse to ‘It’s a Small World (After All)’

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