By The D23 Team
Audiences have never forgotten Megara (better known as Meg)—the hilarious maverick in Disney’s Hercules who, after some captivating trials and tribulations, discovers true love with her “wonder boy” and restored god Herc. By the end of that 1997 animated hit, all seemed right with the world… that is, until Hercules’ father, Zeus, makes a surprising confession to Meg: She can’t actually be with Hercules because she’s mortal. Obviously, this is devastating news—but what if Herc’s mother, Hera, has a solution? Is Meg worthy of her own spot on Mt. Olympus?
That’s the entertaining idea behind Go the Distance, the latest book in Disney Publishing Worldwide’s bestselling Twisted Tales series that aims once again to answer the series’ essential question: “What if?” Written by Jen Calonita (the author behind the previous Twisted Tales editions Mirror, Mirror and Conceal, Don’t Feel), Go the Distance—on sale Tuesday, April 6—looks deeper than ever before into the story of Hercules’ fan-favorite heroine.
Take an exclusive gander at the colorful cover of the new tome, above! (And make sure to check out the November 2020 issue of Disney twenty-three for an in-depth look at Twisted Tales and a few exclusive pages from Go the Distance.) But that’s not all: Calonita recently took time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions about Go the Distance for D23… read on to see what creating a whole new story for a treasured Disney character is really like.
D23: The concept of this Twisted Tale is: What if Meg had to become a Greek god? Can you tell us more about what readers can expect?
Jen Calonita: Drama! The Greek gods are full of mystery and they love their quests. Meg is going to go on a doozy of a quest for them that will require her to face an ex-love and one or two people she hoped to never cross paths with again. I had so much fun with this Twisted Tale. I dove into Greek mythology and wove a tale for Meg that I hope readers will really enjoy.
D23: We get to meet Meg’s ex-boyfriend in this reimagined tale… the ex that Meg saved by selling her soul to Hades. Can you tell us a little bit about him?
Calonita: Aaah… the ex! Well, I can’t say too much about him, but I can tell you he broke Meg’s heart in a million pieces. Even though she’s happily with “Wonder Boy,” having to face her ex again and have a hard conversation is not going to be pleasant. But if anyone can handle it, it’s Meg.
Q: What is your favorite thing about getting to reimagine these beloved stories in the Twisted Tales series?
Calonita: I love pulling back the curtain on characters and moments the movies touched on and having the chance to really explore their stories further. With Meg, it was fun to pick up at the end of the movie and see what comes next.
D23: What kind of challenges will Meg face in this story? Will we get to see a lot of the villainous (and hilarious) Hades?
Calonita: I can’t imagine a story set in this world and us not getting the chance to see Hades! He truly is such a fun villain to bring to life on the page. He’s got his own demons (so to speak) to deal with this time and it’s always fun to see him tango with Meg. She truly has his number.
D23: Who was your favorite character to write in this novel?
Calonita: They’re all so much fun, but I’d have to say Phil! I just kept running lines in my head in Danny DeVito’s voice and that always helped me figure out if I was on the right track.
Look for Go the Distance from Disney’s Twisted Tales series this April… and visit this link to pre-order!
