A Caverna Encantada

The plot tells the story of Anna, a 7-year-old beautiful girl, daughter of doctor and missionary Paulo. Her father receives a call for a dangerous mission and, unfortunately, Anna will not be able to accompany him. Paulo leaves his daughter Anna at a boarding school in the interior of São Paulo, where the girl will live with very different children. The father promises to return on his daughter's birthday, but mysteriously, he does not return. Anna decides to investigate the reasons behind her father's disappearance and ends up discovering some interesting things about her past.^[5][6]

Puppet

Special appearances

In September 2023, it was reported that SBT intended to readapt the work Meu Pé de Laranja Lima, which would be the fourth version of the aforementioned book.^[12] In addition to the Brazilian text, another work that had entered the broadcaster's radar was the Argentine soap opera Patito feo, which would gain a remake in 2020 to replace As Aventuras de Poliana, but was suspended due to the broadcaster's budget cuts, which were not going through a good financial moment when it began production in the second half of 2019, with the situation being aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic the following year.^[13] The plot also had similarities to the aforementioned title and was poorly regarded internally due to the scandal caused by actor Juan Darthés, who was arrested for sexual abuse in 2019 after complaints from former castmates.^[14]

However, the channel ended up internally discarding the remake of Meu Pé de Laranja Lima and then studied creating a remake of El diario de Daniela, a Mexican soap opera shown in the years 2000 and 2007.^[15] The plot was even confirmed by journalist Leão Lobo on December 23, 2023.^[16] However, SBT decided to readapt the book The Secret Garden.^[17]

In addition to the title of the book itself, the following provisional names were used: Pequenos Gigantes, Enfrentando Gigantes, Anna e os Gigantes e Anna e os Pequenos Gigantes.^[18][19] On March 11, 2024, SBT made the title A Caverna Encantada official.^[20]

The first teaser aired on May 26 during the commercial break of Domingo Legal.^[21]

The first names announced for the soap opera were Carla Diaz, Joaquim Lopes and Regina Duarte.^[22] However, only the first two auditioned for the work, while the third had her hiring discarded by the broadcaster, despite the same having made some attempts through invitations, but without success.^[23][24]

Carla Diaz competed for the role of the adult protagonist alongside Anajú Dorigon, but the main role ended up going to Isabela Souza, who was confirmed in the cast along with Miguel Coelho.^[25][26]

To play the child protagonist, SBT bet on newcomer Mel Summers.^[27] The general cast was officialized on March 11, 2024, which also confirmed veterans Rosi Campos and Luíza Tomé, marking Rosi's return to the broadcaster after 34 years of her role in Brasileiras e Brasileiros, while Tomé made her debut on the channel.^[4] Other veterans confirmed in the plot were Clarice Niskier, whose last work in soap operas was in Carinha de Anjo, Phil Miler, who had been absent from the genre since Os Ricos Também Choram (pt), Arthur Kohl who returned to SBT after having participated in the special Mansão Bem Assombrada (pt) and Magali Biff who returned to the channel after having made special appearances in Patrulha Salvadora and A Garota da Moto.^[20]

In addition to Mel Summers and a good part of the children's cast, the singers Giulia Nassa and Théo Werneck also made their debut in soap operas, after both had experience in such productions, acting in series and television programs.^[20]

Filming began on April 1, 2024. Some external scenes were filmed at the Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park in the city of Januária, in Minas Gerais. In addition, the São Francisco River and the city of Itacarambi also served as a setting for the plot.^[28]

The soap opera inaugurates a new format in SBT's plots, being based on television series, already explored previously in the second adaptation of Chiquititas, but being divided into four seasons with 55 chapters, representing a season of the year in each phase of mourning of the protagonist Anna. The difference is that there are no breaks during the broadcast of the plot.^[29] Contrary to the initial prediction, the first season ended after 80 chapters. At the beginning of episode 80 (November 15, 2024) the character Moleza informs that winter has arrived at the school and changes are presented in the opening; however, officially, SBT announced that the new season began in chapter 81, on November 18, 2024.^[30]

The plot is also being made available on Disney+, but adopting a different strategy from its predecessor when it was available on Prime Video, posting the chapter right after it is broadcast on TV.^[3]

Between August 5 and 7, 2024, the soap opera had its chapters rerun from the previous week in the 18:30 (BR) pm to 19:45 (BR) pm time slot, but only shown in some locations that do not show local programming.^[31] However, due to low ratings, the rerun was taken off the air on the 8th, being replaced by Tá na Hora (pt) after it returned to occupy the time slot.^[32]