Encantadia (2016)

***Encantadia***is a Filipino fantasy television series broadcasted by GMA Network. It is dubbed as the modern *requel* (retelling-sequel) to the 2005 fantasy series **Encantadia**. The show is set to air on July 18, 2016 until May 19, 2017 on the network's GMA Telebabad block replacing *Poor Señorita* and was replaced by *Mulawin vs Ravena**.* It also to be aired worldwide via GMA Pinoy TV. It is the fourth and latest installment of the Encantadia franchise.

The new *Sang'gres*, keepers of the four gems, were revealed on April 4, 2016. Kylie Padilla will play the role of Amihan, Alena will be portrayed by Gabbi Garcia, Sanya Lopez is Danaya while Glaiza de Castro takes on the role of Pirena. Dingdong Dantes who originally portrayed as King Ybrahim/Ybarro returns in the requel to take on the role as Amihan's father, Raquim while Sunshine Dizon who originally portrayed Pirena also returns to take on a big role as Adhara the niece of Demetria (Mine-a's Grandmother), Diana Zubiri who originally portrayed Danaya will take on the role as LilaSari and Alfred Vargas who originally portrayed Aquil and Amarro in Book 2 reprises his role as Amarro.

## Connection to Mulawin

Although the Mulawin Series has a different universe from Encantadia Requel, it was connected from the original Encantadia Series. But the series includes two characters that are Mulawin such as Pagaspas which was portrayed by Actor Miguel Tanfelix whom also portrayed Pagaspas in the original Encantadia and Mulawin Series and Lakan which is an alternate version of Bagwis and was portrayed by Pambansang Bae, Alden Richards. It also mentioned other Mulawins such as Dakila and Maya.

The series also includes Pugad Lawin, the kingdom of the Mulawins which was located on Encantadia. It is known to be the different version of Avila which was located on the mortal world.

Later in Mulawin vs Ravena, Encantadia characters like Pirena and Lira appeared in the series.

## Production

On November 5, 2015, Atty. Felipe Gozon, the chairman and CEO of GMA Network Inc. finally announced, during a GMA Network Press Confrence, the most awaited remake of the hit 2005 fantasy series *Encantadia* as part of the network's program line-up for 2016. On January 6, 2016 director Mark A. Reyes posted on his Instagram account that he will return as the director of the ground-breaking *telefantasya*.

It was revealed the following month that Primetime Queen and Dingdong Dantes' wife, Marian Rivera will play the role of *Ynang Reyna*Mine-a, the Queen of Lireo who is originally played by Dawn Zulueta. It will serve as the comeback series of Rivera after giving birth to her daughter Maria Letizia. Klea Pineda and Migo Adecer will also join the cast as part of their prize when they were named as the Ultimate Male and Female Survivors of *StarStruck VI*.

On April 4, 2016, the four new *Sang'gres* of *Encantadia* were revealed live on *24 Oras* (GMA's News Program). Amihan, the keeper of the Air gem, originally played by Iza Calzado, will be portrayed by Kylie Padilla. Gabbi Garcia takes on the role of Alena, the keeper of the Water gem, who was originally played by Karylle. Newcomer Sanya Lopez is Danaya, the youngest of the sisters and the keeper of the Earth gem, played by Diana Zubiri in the original series. Glaiza de Castro will be the keeper of the gem of Fire, Pirena, originally played by Sunshine Dizon. Other cast members also appeared after the announcement, but their specific characters were not yet identified.

## Development

The characters in Encantadia has been updated from the original series as well as the maps, Adamya, Lireo, Sapiro and Hathoria and gains their own symbol. The Sapiryans are designed to resemble a ninja while the Hathors are resembling masked assassins. In character designs, Minea's warrior form is similar to Lira's warrior form in the original series and the costume designs of the four new Sang'gres' warrior forms had made a drastic change to their original appearance and Raquim's appearance in the requel had made him identical to King Ybrahim's appearance in Etheria and Encantadia: Pag Ibig Hanggang Wakas due to their similar crown and appearance. The four gems however had minor changes which it resembles a sphere in the original series as it changes into a different shape. The fire gem is now in a tear drop shape, the wind gem is now in a crystal shape, the water gem is now in a sphere shape and the earth gem is now in an oblong shape.

The series then unfolds to reveal that a small shard flew away when the Mother Gem was divided, a fifth white gem known as the Soul Gem was included with the four elemental gems.

In the first teaser of the requel, the Sang'gres are seen in their princess forms as Glaiza De Castro, Kylie Padilla and Sanya Lopez are earlier seen in the *Chika Minute* segment in *24 Oras* where they try on their character's primary gowns for the series.

Adhara's appearance in the requel is identical to Pirena in the original series when she became the temporary Queen of Lireo as well as showing the same antagonistic side as her original character and same ambition.

## Airing

According to Direk Mark Reyes, *Encantadia* was supposed to run until December 2016. It has been extended to February 2017. But the end of the series, is set to air on May 19, 2017, it's block will be replaced by Mulawin VS Ravena.

## Crossover with Mulawin vs. Ravena

It was announced on both 24 oras and the social media accounts of *Encantadia*, *Mulawin vs. Ravena* and GMA that Pirena and Lira will appear in *Mulawin vs. Ravena* and the casting is from the 2016 series (Glaiza de Castro reprising the role of Pirena and Mikee Quintos as Lira) since Sunshine Dizon (Pirena 2005) is busy with *Ika-6 na Utos* and Jennylyn Mercado (Lira 2005) is busy with *My Love From the Star* respectively.

Lira and Pirena taping.
## Cast

* **Glaiza de Castro** as Hara **Pirena**
* **Kylie Padilla** as **Sang'gre** **Amihan**
* **Gabbi Garcia** as Hara**Alena/Akesha**
* **Sanya Lopez** as **Sang'gre** **Danaya**
* **Mikee Quintos** as **Lira/Milagros**
* **Kate Valdez** as **Mira/Fake Lira**

* **Marian Rivera**as **Ynang Reyna Mine-a**
* **Dingdong Dantes**as **Prinsipe Raquim**
* **Rocco Nacino** as **Mashna (Duri-e) Aquil**
* **Ruru Madrid** as **Ybarro**/**Rehav (Prinsipe) Ybrahim/Rama (Haring) Ybrahim**
* **John Arcilla** as **Hagorn**
* **Migo Adecer** as **teen Anthony**
* **Klea Pineda** as **Muyak**
* **Rochelle Pangilinan** as **Agane**/**Hera Andora**
* **Pancho Magno** as **Hitano/Berdano**
* **Vaness del Moral** as **Gurna**
* **Christian Bautista** as **Apitong**
* **Carlo Gonzales** as **Muros**
* **Buboy Villar** as **Wantuk**
* **John Feir** as **Jigs**
* **Solenn Heussaff** as **Cassiopea**/**Avria**('s temporary vessel)**/Cassiopea's sister**
* **Noel Urbano** as **(Voice of) Imaw**
* **Ana Feleo** as **Ades**
* **Leandro Baldemor** as **Dado**
* **Ryan Eigenmann** as **Berto**
* **Angelu de Leon** as **Amanda**
* **Sunshine Dizon** as **Adhara**
* **Max Collins** as **Amihan**
* **James Teng** as **Pakô**
* **Rafa Siguion-Reyna** as **Enuo**
* **Julianne Lee** as **Alira Naswen**
* **Neil Ryan Sese** as **Asval**
* **Nar Cabico** as **Banjo**
* **Roi Vinzon** as **Haring Arvak**
* **Jestoni Alarcon** as **Haring Armeo**
* **Janice Hung** as **Mine-a (in-disguise/*Nilalang*)**/**Bathalumang Ether**
* **Conan Stevens** as **Vish'ka**
* **Kyle Manalo**as **Louie**
* **Lindsay de Vera** as **Dina**
* **Edwin Reyes**as **Dagtum**
* **Joanna Marie Katanyag**as **Choleng**
* **Andre Paras** as **Wahid**
* **Alden Richards** as **Lakan**
* **Ken Alfonso**as **Gamil** (Lirean Soldier/Pirena's Partner/Mira's Father)
* **Miguel Tanfelix**as **Pagaspas (Alternate Reality)**
* **Betong Sumaya**as **Rael**
* **Ervic Vijandre**as **Icarus**
* **Yuan Francisco** as **Young Paopao**
* **Rodjun Cruz**as **Kambal Diwa ng Brilyante ng Diwa**
* **Maureen Larrazabal** as **Hafte Lanzu**
* **Avery Paraiso** as **Kahlil**
* **Diana Zubiri** as **LilaSari**
* **Janine Gutierrez** as **Agua**
* **Wynwyn Marquez** as **Helgad**
* **Alfred Vargas** as **Amarro**
* **Jake Vargas** as **Gilas**
* **Inah De Belen** as **Deshna**/**Luna**
* **Arny Ross** as **Silvia**
* **Cheska Iñigo** as **Mayca**
* **Mara Alberto** as **Kaizan**
* **Jaycee Parker** as **Asnara**
* **Joross Gamboa** as **Rehav (Prinsipe) Manik**
* **Marx Topacio** as **Azulan**
* **Arra San Agustin** as **Ariana**
* **Eula Valdez** as **Hara (Reyna) Avria**
* **Phytos Ramirez** as **Grown-up Paopao**
* **Lance Serrano** as **Memfes**
* **Ian De Leon** as **Bathalang Keros**
* **Andy Smith** as **Adult Anthony**
* **Valeen Montenegro** as **Bathalumang Haliya**
* **Jinri Park** as **Hera Juvila**
* **Sheree Vidal Bautista** as **Hera Odessa**
* **Zoren Legaspi** as **Exiled Emre**