Hailee Steinfeld covers The Cars’ “Magic” for Disney’s Hexed

The Hawkeye star’s take on the 1984 hit drops Friday, Oct. 23, a month before Disney Animation’s witch movie hits theaters.

Disney’s Hexed has its first single, and it’s a throwback.

Hailee Steinfeld, who voices Billie in the movie, is releasing a cover of “Magic” by The Cars. It hits Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music on Friday, Oct. 23, Laughing Place reported.

A Hexed playlist on Spotify launches the same day. It includes Steinfeld’s “Magic” plus several songs that show up in the movie.

When does the Hexed soundtrack come out?

The full soundtrack arrives Nov. 20, five days before the movie opens.

It pairs Steinfeld’s “Magic” with an original score by Kris Bowers. He’s the composer behind The Wild Robot and Disney’s 2023 Haunted Mansion movie, so he knows a thing or two about spooky and sweet at the same time.

What is “Magic” by The Cars?

It’s a 1984 pop-rock hit from the band’s album Heartbeat City. Ric Ocasek wrote it and sang lead.

“Magic” was the album’s second single. It reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

The music video is the fun part. It’s set at a pool party where Ocasek appears to walk on water while the guests stare. When they try to follow him, they fall right in.

The trick was a plexiglass platform hidden under the water. It collapsed on the first take and had to be reinforced before Ocasek could make his walk. Not exactly magic, but close.

The Cars made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, and Ocasek died in 2019. For a lot of parents in the theater, hearing “Magic” in a Disney movie is going to hit a little different.

What is Disney’s Hexed about?

Hexed follows Billie, an impulsive teen who finds out she has magical powers. Once they’re unleashed, she gets pulled out of the suburbs and into Hexe, a huge witch realm.

She has to team up with her much more careful mom, Alice, voiced by Rashida Jones. Together they dig into family secrets that could change the witch world for good.

The voice cast also includes Tracey Ullman, Stephen Fry, Walton Goggins and Jodie Foster.

Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand direct, with Josie Trinidad as co-director. Roy Conli and Yvett Merino produce.

The movie also opens with a hand-drawn 2D prologue, a rare move for Walt Disney Animation Studios these days.

When does Hexed come out?

Hexed opens in theaters on Wednesday, Nov. 25, right before Thanksgiving. Tickets are on sale now.

That puts it in Disney Animation’s favorite holiday slot. Frozen, Moana and Encanto all opened the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Has Hailee Steinfeld sung in movies before?

Plenty of times. Steinfeld sang as Emily in Pitch Perfect 2 and Pitch Perfect 3, and she’s had solo hits including “Love Myself,” “Starving” and “Let Me Go.”

She’s also no stranger to Disney. She played Kate Bishop in Marvel’s Hawkeye on Disney+ and voices Gwen Stacy in the Spider-Verse movies. More recently, she was in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners.

So a cover song for an animated witch movie is right in her wheelhouse.

Why did Disney pick an ’80s song for Hexed?

Disney hasn’t said. But ’80s needle drops have become a go-to move for family movies that want parents singing along, too.

It also fits the story. Hexed is about a teen discovering powers she didn’t know she had, and “Magic” is a song about falling under a spell.

If the Spotify playlist is any hint, “Magic” won’t be the only familiar song in the movie. We’ll find out what else made the cut on Friday.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• Laughing Place, Luke Manning (Oct. 20, 2026), the single, playlist, soundtrack date, cast and release date

• Wikipedia (accessed Oct. 20, 2026), the chart history and music video for “Magic”

• IGN on YouTube (2026), the Hexed trailer

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