Disney

New Star Wars Experiences Debuting In December

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Right in time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it’s announced all-new Star Wars Experiences will debut December 1st at Disney Hollywood Studios. Below you can check out info and a teaser.

The Star Wars Experience includes (via Disney blog):

• Star Wars Launch Bay will take guests into the Star Wars saga and the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with special exhibits and peeks behind-the-scenes, special merchandise and opportunities to encounter Chewbacca and Darth Vader.

• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue will be home to a brand new adventure inspired by the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. During the opening months, we’ll make sure that everyone who rides Star Tours will experience the new adventure. After that, it will be up to the will of the Force. Here’s a sneak peek of where the Starspeeder 1000 will be taking us (see below).

• Star Wars: Path of the Jedi will feature scenes from the complete Star Wars saga, also giving anyone new to the Star Wars galaxy an opportunity to get acquainted with the films.

• Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, which will open in early December. This reimagined Jedi Training experience will take younglings to the secret site of an ancient Jedi temple where they will face Darth Vader along with the Seventh Sister – a new villain from the Disney XD series “Star Wars Rebels.”

You heard about it first during the 2015 D23 EXPO, and now we’re excited to share more details. Very soon, guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have the opportunity to experience Star Wars in the park in an all-new way – every day! New experiences will open December 1, bringing that galaxy far, far away, a little bit closer.

Comic Book News

Spider-Man Coming To Disneyland Park

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Disney has announced that when the reimagined Super Hero HQ opens this fall at Disneyland park, Spider-Man will make his debut as part of a heroic new character greeting location, where you can snap a photo or grab an autograph.

Super Hero HQ is the West Coast home base of some of the greatest heroes in the universe. It’s the place to go, not only to meet some of those heroes, but to discover the super hero in yourself. You can tour Treasures of Asgard and cross the Bifrost to come face-to-face with the mighty Avenger, Thor. Virtually suit up as Iron Man and check out the Hall of Armor at Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries, play some of the latest games in the Game Center and pick up some Super Hero gear to take with you on your journey home.

Super Hero HQ opens November 16th in the Tomorrowland Expo Center at Disneyland parl in Anaheim, California.

(via Disney)

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Movie News

Marvel Battlegrounds Playset Trailer – Disney Infinity 3.0

Check out the trailer above for Marvel Battlegrounds Playset for Disney Infinity 3.0.

Evil forces scheme for world conquest as they pit Marvel’s greatest Super Heroes against each other! It’s an all out brawl in Marvel Battlegrounds! Battle up to 3 opponents in the arena with 4-person local multiplayer. Customize your game with up to six Round Marvel Power Discs per match. Select Super Heroes and Villains from your ENTIRE collection of Marvel characters in Disney Infinity.

Movie News Star Wars

Rumor: Original Star Wars Trilogy Re-Release Coming From Disney & Fox

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If good friend to George Lucas John Landis’ words are anything to go by, Disney and Fox will be re-releasing the original movie versions of Star Wars, which means, yes, Han shot first.

As many Star Wars fans are aware of (and annoyed about), George Lucas re-mastered the original trilogy to enhance digital effects and change scenes.

The original version of the trilogy can only be found on old VHS tapes and laser disk, but that may change if Landis’ words hold true.

Empire Magazine tweeted out that Landis (Animal House, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Spies Like Us) stated Disney is going to finally re-release the original Star Wars trilogy.

At a Q&A tonight John Landis dropped that Disney are finally going to re-release the theatrical cuts of the original Star Wars trilogy.

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) September 19, 2015

Apparently George mentioned it when last they spoke. Somebody put Yub Nub on. Let the celebrations commence!

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) September 19, 2015

Now there seems to be some question regarding the truth to Landis’ comments as it’s known Fox Studios owns the distribution rights to the first 1977 Star Wars: A New Hope film; however, we can point to the fact that Landis is friends with Lucas as being evidence enough, and also the following tidibt.

In a report by the Wall Street Journal, it’s mentioned Disney and Fox have come to a deal with Tencent Holdings to release the six Star Wars movies online in China. Obviously this isn’t direct proof, but at the least it does show Star Wars is getting re-released (albeit not in its original form), and we can also beg the question if Disney does want an original re-release, why wouldn’t Fox hop on board as obviously they would benefit as well?

Disney aquired the rights to the five Star Wars films when it purchased LucasFilm for $4 billion back in 2012 from George Lucas. and has also recently licensed out their five Star Wars movies to Netflix in Latin America, with Fox not yet committing. Disney is also rumored to be releasing Star Wars in the U.S. on Netflix, but sources have stated Disney is withholding from doing so because the online and VOD versions have been lucarative.

In releasing Star Wars on Netflix for Latin America and China, the WSJ report mentions Disney is attempting to build brand recognition in preparation for Star Wars: The Force Awakens; it’s possible an original re-release some time down the road could be a part of that plan as well.

Movie News Star Wars

Force Friday Amazon, Disney & Walmart & Toys R Us Plans Announced

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Force Friday Preview

We earlier extensively reported on Target’s Force Friday plans for Star Wars: The Force Awakens merchandise, now StarWars.com has revealed plans for Amazon, Disney Store, Disney Parks and Walmart. In addition, Toys R Us details have become known.

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Amazon.com: Amazon.com is celebrating Force Friday by offering customers access to a variety of new Star Wars products, as well as deals on select Star Wars items. Customers can visit Amazon’s Star Wars Store to find a wide selection of new toys and games, including Amazon exclusives, deals, and much more.

Amazon will also be hosting a giveaway of the Star Wars Legendary Jedi Master Yoda, Collector Box Edition on Facebook. For more details, visit https://www.facebook.com/AmazonToysandGames!

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Disney Store: Disney Store locations in New York City in Times Square, Chicago on Michigan Avenue, and San Francisco on Stockton Street will participate in Force Friday midnight madness! Doors will open at 12:01 a.m. local time on September 4, giving fans the first opportunity to see and purchase toys, collectibles, books, apparel, and more from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In addition, the first 1,000 guests will receive a free Star Wars: The Force Awakens D23 commemorative fan poster.

On Thursday, September 3, the Disney Store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago will play host to one of 14 live toy unboxing events happening around the world to reveal new toys. Starting at 8:30 a.m. CT, HobbyKidsTV, a family-friendly YouTube channel part of the Maker Studios network, will be broadcasting live from inside the Store, unveiling new products from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, available exclusively at Disney Store and DisneyStore.com.

In ALL Disney Store locations throughout North America, doors will open for business on Force Friday with Star Wars-themed opening ceremonies, offering a galactic twist on the traditional “Unlocking Imagination” ritual. Other activities taking place at Disney Store locations (excluding Disney Store Outlets) on Force Friday include:

• A free commemorative Star Wars: The Force Awakens pin for the first 100 guests who make a purchase on Force Friday

• Numerous Star Wars events taking place, including:

• R2-D2 craft activity

• Ways of the Force

• Star Wars Story Time

• Art of Drawing: R2-D2

• Free Topps vintage trading card giveaway upon completion of an in-store event and while supplies last

• Epic Star Wars theming that pays homage to both the dark side and the light

On DisneyStore.com, fans can enjoy special Limited Edition product, as well as free shipping on all Star Wars items from September 4 – 6.

Additional details about Disney Store’s activities surrounding Force Friday are available at www.DisneyStore.com/ForceFriday!

Disney Parks: At the World of Disney store in Disneyland Resort’s Downtown Disney District and Once Upon a Toy in Walt Disney World Resort’s Downtown Disney Marketplace, fans can join a special ticketed event starting at midnight! Attendees will have first access to Star Wars: The Force Awakens products and parks-exclusive merchandise, including a Force Friday logo messenger bag. Tickets for the Force Friday event are $50 per person and are limited to availability. Make a reservation now at www.DisneyParksMerchandise.com!

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Walmart: Participating Walmart stores will also be opening their doors at midnight on September 4. New products from Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be available, along with some bargains that even Jabba would love:

• Walmart will be the only place to find Topps’ Galactic Connexions, a trading disc game featuring the Star Wars characters

• Customers that visit Walmart stores on September 4 will receive a free two-pack of Galactic Connexions discs, including a rare blue star field disc that will only be available in packs given away on Force Friday

• Available exclusively at Walmart: Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars Kanan Jarrus Figure

• Customers that preorder Star Wars Battlefront in Walmart stores will receive a $5 credit to use on Vudu

To find Force Friday events happening in your neighborhood, visit walmart.com/starwars!

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Toys R Us: Toys R Us will be kicking off Force Friday by opening all Toys “R” Us stores at midnight. Be among the first to access all-new toys, get an exclusive FREE poster & more! Head to for more: http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=33810026.

The Star Wars YouTube Channel is also hosting a live global unboxing event for Force Friday.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer:

TV Trailers

Watch: Guardians of the Galaxy Gamora Origins Preview

This Saturday sees Disney XD airing the Guardians of the Galaxy animated shorts.

A few have already been posted online including Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Drax.

Now Marvel has released a preview for the Gamora origin, which can be watched above.

Watch a sneak preview of new animated shorts for “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy,” premiering this Saturday night on Disney XD!

Guardians of the Galaxy premiers September 26th on Disney XD at 9:30pm ET starring the voice talents of Will Friedle as Star-Lord, Trevor Devall as Rocket Raccoon, Vanessa Marshall as Gamora, David Sobolov as Drax, Kevin Michael Richardson as Groot and James Arnold Taylor as both Yondu and Cosmo.

The Guardians of the Galaxy animated series follows the newly-formed team who finds a strange artifact keyed only to the DNA of Peter Quill. Upon opening it, Quill unleashes a treasure map leading to a powerful weapon known as the Cosmic Seed which is capable of giving birth to the next universe. It’s up to the Guardians to find, protect and ultimately destroy the Cosmic Seed in order to keep it out of the hands of those who would abuse its power, from galactic big boss Thanos, to the conniving brothers the Collector and the Grandmaster, to a resurrected Ronan, to the ultimate trickster, Loki, in order to save the universe.

Movie News

Star Wars Twilight of the Republic Disney Infinity 3.0 Trailer

The Star Wars Twilight of the Republic Play Set is included in the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack.

Check out the trailer above.

This Play Set lets players embark on intergalactic adventures with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his trusty Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano to uncover secret plots, defeat villains and bring peace back to the galaxy. Featuring an original story set in the Episodes I-III timeline, players will travel through four iconic locations, use the Force and Lightsabers in epic battles, and master their combat skills.

“Disney Infinity 3.0” becomes available August 30th.

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Info:

You’ve re-created the epic battles on the ground and among the stars. You’ve engaged in mock lightsaber duels with your siblings and friends. You’ve even hummed the epic anthems of the saga while walking into school or work. Now, create and build your own adventures within the Disney universe — and travel to galaxies far, far away with your favorite characters.

Make the Disney worlds of your dreams fully operational when you welcome new characters from a galaxy far, far away to your ever-growing collection of Disney Infinity characters, stories and worlds. With Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition, Star Wars travels at light speed to your PlayStation 3 to deliver action-packed adventures, thrilling gameplay and more in 3.0 Toy Box and Play Set modes. Featuring a copy of the game, a Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition base, Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Boba Fett Star Wars figures, a Star Wars Twilight of the Republic and Star Wars Rise Against the Empire Play Set pieces and three Web code cards, this Star Wars Saga Starter Pack helps you take off on your Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition adventure. Join forces with characters from previous editions of Disney Infinity, including those from Marvel, Disney and Disney Pixar franchises. You love the movies, now get ready to start an original adventure that’s of your own creation.

Movie News

Darth Vader Star Wars PS4 Bundles Revealed (Video)

This past weekend’s D23 Expo saw Disney reveal a special limited-edition Darth Vader-inspired Star Wars Playstation 4 bundle that comes with either Star Wars: Battlefront or Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars.

The PS Blog revealed the Limited Edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle will include a custom 500GB limited edition PS4 system and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller inspired by Darth Vader. The fully customized PS4 features an image of Darth Vader, as well as a repeated Star Wars logo across the top of the system. The Darth Vader edition DUALSHOCK 4 is inspired by Darth Vader’s chest panel and features the repeated Star Wars logo on its touchpad.

The bundle also includes Star Wars Battlefront Deluxe Edition, as well as a digital voucher to download four classic Star Wars titles – Super Star Wars, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter and Star Wars Bounty Hunter – playable for the first time on PS4, and sporting enhanced graphics and Trophy support.

And, to celebrate the launch of Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, a Limited Edition Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars PS4 Bundle will be available exclusively at Wal-mart on November 17th.

The package will include the Darth Vader-inspired 500GB PS4 system and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller, as well as the Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars Edition PlayStation Exclusive Hardware Bundle Kit. The kit includes a physical copy of Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, the Disney Infinity Base, the Rise Against the Empire Play Set Pack (featuring Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa figures, as well the Rise Against the Empire Play Set piece), and the Boba Fett figure, exclusive to PlayStation through this holiday. The Limited Edition Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars PS4 Bundle will also include a digital voucher for the four classic Star Wars games mentioned above.

In addition to these two limited edition bundles, also being offered is a standard-edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle which includes a PS4 system and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller in Jet Black, as well as Star Wars Battlefront and a digital voucher for the four classic Star Wars games.

Pre-orders should be available soon; the bundles will be available November 17th.

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Movie News

Hulkbuster & Ultron Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Trailer

Check out footage of Hulkbuster Iron Man and Ultron in action for the Disney Infinity 3.0 video game that was revealed at this weekend’s D23 Expo.

Disney Infinty 3.0 becomes available on August 30th with the Star Wars starter pack; Hulkbuster Iron Man and Ultron figures will be available in November.

Info:

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars Coming To Disney Theme Parks

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In addition to the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens poster, Rogue One announcement and art, and Colin Trevorrow directing Episode IX, Disney has announced Star Wars is coming to their theme parks, which also came with the following concept art.

Via StarWars.com:

Today at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single-themed land expansions ever at 14-acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “Through each new attraction and new land we create, we push the boundaries of what is possible. And as you can imagine, with Star Wars, we are taking that to a whole new level, with a whole galaxy to explore.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions, including the ability to take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, theMillennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission, and an epic Star Warsadventure that puts guests in the middle of a climactic battle.

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Marvel Movie News Star Wars

Bruce Boxleitner Done With Tron; Doesn’t Want Reboots

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The third Tron movie was all set to start production this Fall, but then Disney abruptly cancelled the movie.

It’s not exactly known why Disney chose to cancel Tron 3, but it’s been said Disney may have gotten cold feet because of the poor reception to Tomorrowland, and that Disney wants to concentrate on their animated movies and big tentpole films.

Now Bruce Boxleitner, who starred in the two Tron movies as well as voiced his character in the Tron: Uprising animated series and the Tron 2.0 video game, has stated he is done with the franchise.

SlashFilm caught up with the actor at the recent Television Critics Association press event and asked if Disney decided to greenlight a third Tron, would he be back.

“I don’t really care anymore,” Boxleitner replied. “I’m done with it. I’ve moved on. I hate to say that but it’s been too up and down for me. I would rather not just keep going.”

Likewise, Boxleitner continued with mentioned he doesn’t want to be involved in reboots.

“I don’t want to repeat my career anymore,” he said. “That’d be like, ‘Let’s reboot Scarecrow and Mrs. King.’ No, I’m not interested. Or Babylon 5.”

Boxleitner continues with mention he thinks Disney doesn’t want to do science-fiction and wants to focus on movies such as Star Wars and Marvel.

“Obviously there’s something politically within but I know that they were in preproduction heavily. I know that the options for Olivia [Wilde] and Garrett [Hedlund] were picked up. That was all public knowledge, [reported in] The Hollywood Reporter. I’ve got a feeling they’re going to play it safe with their old [formula]. I mean, Tim Burton’s doing Dumbo. They’re going to make live-action out of their old animated classics. Apparently, that was successful. They also have Star Wars. Let’s not neglect that, and Marvel. Maybe they just felt they had enough of that sci-fi. We were the only real science fiction. Star Wars is fantasy, sword and sorcery fantasy with a spaceship. Marvel is superhero comics. Star Wars, yes, is science fiction. There’s fantasy elements as well, but Marvel is not. It’s comic books. It’s really not sci-fi. It’s not thinking science fiction. Maybe they decided they don’t want to do science fiction.”

TV Trailers

Watch: Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series Promo

Check out the first Guardians of the Galaxy animated series promo above.

The series premiers September 26th on Disney XD at 9:30pmET starring the voice talents of Will Friedle as Star-Lord, Trevor Devall as Rocket Raccoon, Vanessa Marshall as Gamora, David Sobolov as Drax, Kevin Michael Richardson as Groot and James Arnold Taylor as both Yondu and Cosmo.

Movie Trailers

Watch: The Good Dinosaur Trailer

Check out a new trailer for Disney Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur.

The Good Dinosaur has a November 25, 2015 release directed by Peter Sohn starring the voice talents of Judy Greer, Neil Patrick Harris, Bill Hader, Frances McDormand, John Lithgow, Lucas Neff, Estelle Yves and Adam Stedman.

Synopsis:

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where anApatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

Movie News Star Wars

Captain America: Civil War & Star Wars Coming To Disney’s D23 Expo

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Disney has released their schedule for the upcoming D23 Expo, which includes both Star Wars and Marvel.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Captain America: Civil War will be part of the Worlds, Galaxies and Universes panel on Saturday, August 15th.

Disney kept Marvel out of Comic-Con, so it’s being speculated the first Captain America: Civil War trailer may be released at the D23 Expo.

Regarding a new Star Wars trailer, Abrams did say a new trailer would be coming out in the Fall, but more than likely new footage of some kind will be released at the D23 as well.

The D23 Expo takes place August 14-16 in Anaheim, California.

Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Upcoming Films, Hosted by John Lasseter

Friday, August 14, 3 p.m.—Hall D23

After meeting the Emotions inside the mind of an 11-year-old, taking a trip to San Fransokyo, where a boy genius and his robot save the world, and falling in love with a queen with icy powers who wants to “let it go,” come see where Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios plan to take you next. In what has become a D23 EXPO must-see, host John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, presents this in-depth look at the animation studios’ slate. Filmmakers will unveil never-before-seen footage from Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory and Disney Animation’s Zootopia and Moana. The event will include surprise announcements, musical performances, and appearances by the films’ star voice talent.

Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios
Saturday, August 15, 10:30 a.m.—Hall D23

Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm are home to some of the planet’s best storytellers, immersing audiences fully in the world of each film from beginning to end and beyond. In this exclusive Hall D23 presentation, join Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn for a tour of upcoming live-action projects from these legendary film studios. A bevy of special guests will be on hand to offer a look at an unparalleled slate that includes Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Jungle Book, Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, Star Wars: The Force Awakens—and much, much more.

Frozen FANdemonium: A Musical Celebration!
Sunday, August 16, 3 p.m.—Hall D23

Join host Chris Montan, president, Walt Disney Music, and the Oscar®-winning songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez as they take you on a once-in-a-lifetime musical journey through the world of Frozen. This one-day-only performance features your favorite friends from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film—including Anna and Elsa––with sing-along experiences and fascinating stories behind some of your favorite Frozen songs.

CALENDAR OF KEY EVENTS:

In Conversation with the Filmmakers and the Emotions Behind Inside Out
Friday, August 14, 11:30 a.m.—Stage 28

Get the inside story on the making of Pixar’s latest summer release, Inside Out. Hear from Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.) and producer Jonas Rivera (Up) as they reminisce and share their personal stories of creating a world that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen.

Welcome to Zootopia!
Saturday, August 15, 1:30 p.m.—Stage 28

Welcome to Zootopia, a magnificent mammal metropolis, and home to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ next feature, the comedy-adventure Zootopia. Join directors Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), producer Clark Spencer (Wreck-It Ralph, Bolt), and artists from the incredible production team as they introduce rookie rabbit-officer Judy Hopps, con-artist fox Nick Wilde and a host of dynamic animal characters, sharing footage and behind-the-scenes stories with D23 EXPO-goers.

Pixar Secrets Revealed! Hear the Stories They Didn’t Want You to Know!
Saturday, August 15, 3 p.m.—Stage 28

Ever wonder where your favorite Pixar stories began? Hear the stories you don’t know about the classic films that you love. Pixar senior development executive Mary Coleman hosts this experience, welcoming the storytellers behind some of Pixar’s most successful films, including Darla K. Anderson (A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Brave), Ronnie del Carmen (Up, Inside Out), and Dan Scanlon (Cars,Toy Story 3, Monsters University), as they talk about the twists and turns of crafting a narrative and share some of the crazy story ideas that didn’t make the final cut.

Toy Story: 20 Years Later, the Original Crew Looks Back
Saturday, August 15, 4:30 p.m.—Stage 23

From flipbooks to feature films, animation has taken audiences to fantastical new worlds, far beyond the limits of any real-world setting. Pixar Animation Studios has been at the forefront of this evolution, blurring the line between art and technology and bringing beloved characters to life with heart and humor. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of 1995’s Toy Story, the first computer-animated feature film, join members of the original crew, including filmmakers John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Galyn Susman, Ralph Eggleston, Sharon Calahan, Eben Ostby, Bob Pauley, and Bill Reeves as they share their stories and the challenges they faced along the way.

Aladdin—The Making of a Classic
Saturday, August 15, 6 p.m.—Stage 28

Join Walt Disney Animation Studios filmmakers, including legendary directors John Musker and Ron Clements, animators Eric Goldberg (Genie), and Mark Henn (Jasmine), as well as Jasmine herself, Linda Larkin, and the two actors who gave life to the character Aladdin: Scott Weinger and Brad Kane, as they unveil the stories behind one of the great Disney classics, Aladdin, a film that led to a “whole new world” for animation.

The Shorts of Walt Disney Animation Studios: from Paperman to Prep & Landing, Feast to Frozen Fever
Sunday, August 16, 11:30 a.m.—Stage 28

When Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded the Disney Brothers Studio in 1923, their first medium for storytelling was the animated short. More than 90 years later, Walt Disney Animation Studios continues this tradition, making groundbreaking and award-winning shorts includingFeast, Paperman and this year’s hit Frozen Fever. Join the filmmakers behind these shorts and so many others, including Get A Horse!, John Henry, Lorenzo, and The Ballad of Nessie for a conversation about this truly animated art form.

The Tunes Behind the Toons: Screening/Q&A
Sunday, August 16, 6 p.m.—Stage 28

D23 EXPO invites you to a special screening and Q&A panel for The Tunes Behind the Toons, a short form documentary that celebrates the power of music in animation. From the silent film days when organists played live accompaniments, to the music within today’s animated features, this documentary traces the origins of cartoon music and its pioneers. Featuring interviews with Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Patrick Doyle, Mark Watters, Bruce Broughton, Richard Sherman, and many others. Producer/director Dave Bossert will lead a star-studded Q&A following the presentation.

ON THE EXPO SHOW FLOOR:

The Walt Disney Studios—Show Floor Exhibition

Step into the worlds of The Walt Disney Studios in this wide-ranging showcase of exciting projects from Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm. Among the many highlights:

For the first time at D23 EXPO, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios have created a joint experience no Disney fan should miss. With live demonstrations, presentations, and autograph signings with top filmmakers from each studio, plus free giveaways and interactive displays featuring the films Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Zootopia, Finding Dory, and Moana, this is a can’t-miss attraction for animation fans.

Explore costumes, props and photo ops from the Studios’ live-action films, including Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

Disney Movies Anywhere Tweet Suite

Take pics and share them in the Disney Movies Anywhere Tweet Suite. It’s also the perfect opportunity to learn more about Disney Movies Anywhere, Disney’s digital movie app that lets you watch your Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars movie collection across your favorite devices, anywhere you go.

Say Aloha to John Lasseter’s Film-Themed Hawaiian Shirts

Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter takes Disney and Pixar animation to heart—literally. For nearly every film—from Finding Nemo and Wreck-It Ralph to Frozen and Inside Out, Lasseter has commissioned an exclusive movie-themed Hawaiian shirt. And those who know the Oscar®-winning storyteller know that he loves his Hawaiian shirts—and dons one for almost every occasion. Animation fans will see their favorite film characters “materialize” before their eyes in this colorful collection, which will be exhibited on the show floor.

An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg

D23 hosts the first public exhibition anywhere of “An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg.” Celebrate Goldberg, whose artistry at Walt Disney Animation Studios began with his groundbreaking work on Genie in Aladdin, and continues to this day on projects such as the upcoming Moana and the 2014 Oscar®-nominated Mickey Mouse short Get A Horse! The exhibition features a collection of more than 100 of Goldberg’s caricatured creations of Disney characters, drawn in a style reminiscent of art seen on the famed walls of Sardi’s Restaurant and The Brown Derby. This incredible collection of art is from the newly released book An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg Draws the Disney Characters, and will be available for purchase in the Walt Disney Publishing pop-up shop on the EXPO show floor.

Frozen Album Signing

With the purchase of Frozen: The Songs or Frozen Picture Disc at the Disney Music Emporium, guests will be issued a wristband to secure a space for an album signing with Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Tom MacDougall (Co-Producer, Frozen Soundtrack) on Saturday, August 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Movie News Star Wars

Amy Schumer Upsets Star Wars Fans Causing Disney To Respond

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The latest issue of GQ Magazine features comic actress Amy Schumer depicted in various sexual poses with Star Wars characters.

Schumer, who wrote and is currently starring in Trainwreck, is shown with C3PO’s finger in her mouth on the cover of the magazine as well as inside with a lightsaber in her mouth and naked in bed with R2-D2 and C3PO.

Fans have taken to Twitter to voice their dissent, which has caused Disney to officially respond.

“I can’t believe Disney and Star Wars are allowing GQ Magazine to do this DISTASTEFUL Star Wars spread. Shame on all of you,” one Star Wars fans tweeted.

It turns out, Disney LucasFilm didn’t approve of the photo shoot.

“Lucasfilm and Disney did not authorize, participate in or condone the inappropriate use of our characters in this manner,” the official Star Wars Twitter account replied.

Apparently, GQ was able to do the Amy Schumer Star Wars photo shoot without permission because it’s considered a parody, which is allowed by copyright law.

See all the photos from @AmySchumer‘s out-of-this-world GQ cover shoot http://t.co/mYunLvlDAU pic.twitter.com/eq0KvcCwaR

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) July 15, 2015

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Marvel Movie News Star Wars

Disney’s Bob Iger Not Worried About Competition Because “We’re Marvel”

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Disney’s Bob Iger is pretty confident in the Marvel brand.

The CEO recently told journalists that he isn’t too worried about competition from other comic book movies noting: “We’re Marvel.”

“We’re Marvel,” Iger stated at a media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, reports Variety. “We’ve done a great job of building the Marvel brand, which we think when it’s on a movie really makes a difference. We’re seeing signs of that.”

Iger continued with mention that he’s confidet in Ant-Man and Doctor Strange because of Marvel as well.

“We like the Marvel slate that we have coming up,” Iger added. “We think they’re unique in many ways and have no concerns [about competition] whatsoever.”

The report also mentions Iger wouldn’t go into details about their upcoming Star Wars plans, which is speculated to include a “Star Wars Land,” but did confirm theme park exhibits are in the works.

“We’re going to increase the presence of Star Wars in our parks,” Iger said.

Iger also wouldn’t offer much about Star Wars: The Force Awakens other than confirming the film will have a precense at this week’s Comic-Con.

TV Trailers

New Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series Poster & Premiere Date Announced

Test Footage

Disney XD had debuted a new poster for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy animated series as well as announcing the premiere date and sneak peeks.

The firt episode will debut on Saturday, September 27th, but a sneak peek of the first episode will be released on September 5th at 9pm.

In addition, Disney has announced ten 10-minute character shorts:

• Aug. 1: Star Lord, Part 1 (8:58 pm) and Part 2 (10:28 pm)

• Aug. 8: Groot, Part 1 (8:58 pm) and Part 2 (9:58 pm)

• Aug. 15: Rocket Raccoon, Part 1 (8:58 pm) and Part 2 (9:58 pm)

•Aug. 22: Drax, Part 1 (8:58 pm) and Part 2 (9:58 pm)

• Aug. 29: Gamora, Part 1 (8:58 pm) and Part 2 (9:58 pm)

The Guardians of the Galaxy animated series features the voice talents of: Will Friedle as Star-Lord, Kevin Michael as Groot, Vanessa Marshall as voice Gamora, David Sobolov as Drax and Trevor Devall as Rocket Raccoon.

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Movie News

Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars Trailer

Star Wars comes to Disney Infinity 3.0.

Check out the trailer revealed at E3 above.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition now welcomes Star Wars to the ever-growing collection of Marvel, Disney and Disney Pixar characters, stories and worlds. Together new heroes can join forces with characters from previous editions and embark on adventures as big as your imagination in the 3.0 Toy Box! Disney Infinity encourages you to play your way, whether you explore open-world creation in the Toy Box or story-driven gameplay inside Play Sets! Venture into the 3.0 Toy Box, where you can create your own universe and mix, match and mash up all Disney Infinity characters in one place. You can also jump into Play Sets where you can play inside the worlds of your favorite characters and relive distinct experiences, varied gameplay, environments and characters.

Disney Infinity 3.0 will be available later this year.

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Movie Trailers Star Wars

Watch: Star Wars Virtual Reality Announced

Check out the promo video above for the virtual reality company formed by Disney LucasFilm with ILM Experience Lab.

Various demos are presented included footage of Star Wars as well as Jurassic Park.

Info:

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and parent company Lucasfilm, Ltd. announce the formation of ILM Experience Lab (ILMxLAB), a new division that will draw upon the talents of Lucasfilm, ILM and Skywalker Sound. ILMxLAB combines compelling storytelling, technological innovation and world-class production to create immersive entertainment experiences. For several years, the company has been investing in real-time graphics – building a foundation that allows ILMxLAB to deliver interactive imagery at a fidelity never seen before. As this new dimension in storytelling unfolds, ILMxLAB will develop virtual reality, augmented reality, real-time cinema, theme park entertainment and narrative-based experiences for future platforms.

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Movie Trailers

Watch: Zootopia Trailer

Check out the trailer above for Zootopia, the next animated movie from Disney.

Zootopia has a March 4, 2016 release featuring the voice talents of Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin.

Synopsis:

Like nothing you’ve seen be-fur… Zootopia. The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde, to solve the mystery. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia,” a comedy-adventure directed by Byron Howard (“Tangled,” “Bolt”) and Rich Moore (“Wreck-It Ralph,” “The Simpsons”) and co-directed by Jared Bush (“Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero”), opens in theaters on March 4, 2016.

Movie Trailers

Watch: Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur Trailer

Check out the trailer above for the latest Disney Pixar animated movie The Good Dinosaur.

Synopsis:

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

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TV News

Avengers: Ultron Revolution & Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6 Announced For Disney XD

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The animated Avengers and Spider-Man series on Disney XD will continue as Marvel has announced Avengers: Ultron Revolution and Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6.

Both of the new seasons are currently in production and slated to premiere in 2016 on Marvel on Disney XD.

In season three of Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution, the Avengers are not only shocked by the return of a vengeful Ultron, but they also encounter new threats like Baron Zemo, the Masters of Evil, the Inhumans, and the futuristic Kang the Conqueror. It’s only with the help of heroes like Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man and Ms. Marvel that they have a chance of surviving an all-out Marvel super hero Civil War.

In season four of Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6, a confident Spider-Man feels like the ultimate hero after fighting alongside The Avengers and leading a team of heroes at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. However, when the wall-crawler discovers that his greatest enemies – Doctor Octopus, Hydra and the all-new Sinister 6 – are working together to destroy him and S.H.I.E.L.D., he teams up with a special new team of Spiders including Miles Morales, Agent Venom, Iron Spider and the mysterious new Scarlet Spider. Spider-Man and his new friends will need to use all of their power to overcome their greatest challenge yet.

“We’re delighted that Disney XD is partnering with the world-class Marvel team to bring our viewers new installments featuring the Avengers and Spider-Man, some of the world’s most iconic and engaging comic book characters,” said Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President, Programming and General Manager, Disney XD, at Marvel.com. “In these new animated seasons we are looking forward to even higher stakes, bigger threats and the trademark quality storytelling that Marvel is famous for.”

“These series have been the heart and soul of Marvel Animation for several seasons and, thanks to Marc and his top-notch crew at Disney XD, we’re thrilled to bring our fans more episodes of what they’ve been clamoring for,” said Stephen Wacker, Vice President, Current Series, Marvel Animation Studios. “It’s a testament to the hard work and creative effort of our production and writing teams that Marvel’s animation slate continues to roll onwards and upwards.”

The “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution” voice cast includes Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes”) as Iron Man, Fred Tatasciore (“Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness”) as Hulk, Roger Craig Smith (“Wreck-It Ralph”) as Captain America, Travis Willingham (“Shelf Life”) as Thor, Troy Baker (“Ultimate Spider-Man”) as Hawkeye, Laura Bailey (“The Super Hero Squad Show”) as Black Widow and Bumper Robinson (“The Game”) as Falcon. Jeff Allen serves as Supervising Director and Eugene Son and Dani Wolff serve as Co-Story Editors on the series.

“Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6” stars Drake Bell (“Drake & Josh”) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chi McBride (“Hawaii Five-0”) as Nick Fury, Steven Weber (“Wings”) as Norman Osborn, Greg Cipes (“Teen Titans,” “Ben 10”) as Danny Rand, Ogie Banks (“Fatherhood”) as Luke Cage, Misty Lee (“Batman: Arkham City”) as Aunt May, and recurring guest star Stan Lee (“Spider-Man”) as Stan the Janitor. Alex Soto serves as Supervising Director while Kevin Burke and Doc Wyatt serve as Co-Story Editors.

Alan Fine (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Iron Man,” “Thor”), Dan Buckley (“Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.”), Joe Quesada (“Marvel’s Daredevil”), and Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) will serve as executive producers on “Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6” and “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution,” while Stan Lee (“Spider-Man”), Eric Radomski (“Spawn”), Cort Lane (“The Super Hero Squad Show”) and Stephen Wacker (“Marvel’s Avengers Assemble”) will serve as co-executive producers for both series.

Marvel Star Wars TV News

Star Wars & Marvel TV Channels Possibly On The Way

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Possibly joining the Disney channels, ESPN and ABC could be Star Wars and Marvel.

SlashFilm reports at a recent investors call, Disney CEO Bob Iger mentioned the possibility of Star Wars and Marvel channels.

“We have said that with these channels and these brands — ESPN, ABC, Disney, maybe even down the road something related to Star Wars and Marvel — we do have an ability as a company to take product, specifically filmed entertainment, television, movies, directly to consumers,” Iger offered.

It’s noted Iger didn’t elaborate on the Star Wars or Marvel channels, but it’s not too hard to guess what they may feature.

Obviously a Star Wars or Marvel channel would feature all the past movies and animated series, with the possibility futher down the line of having original shows and series. It’s even possible one day that the Star Wars or Marvel Disney channels would exclusively feature the branded series – say, instead of Netflix.

As of right now, it’s basically just talk, but the potential is definitely out there. An added bonus if they do create original content for the Star Wars and Marvel channels would be the use of more obscure characters.

Movie News

Spider-Man Sony Hacked Documents Now Online

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The leaked e-mails and documents as a result of the recent Sony hack are now online.

WikiLeaks published all the hacked documents, which includes information on Spider-Man and Marvel.

The WikiLeaks site has a search engine which allows users to input keywords, with “Spider-Man” returning more than 1000 results (inputting “Marvel” yields a similar number).

Leaked e-mails also reveal communications between Pascal and Disney billionaire and Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter.

E-mails reveal that Pascal and Perlmutter had a friendly relationship as e-mails are regularly sent back and forth between the two ranging from Pascal congratulating Marvel for a movie’s success, to Perlmutter and Pascal talking about Kevin Feige, to Perlmutter offering Pascal a Happy Jewish New Year and a happy birthday.

Further e-mails reveal some sort of problem with Drew Goodard as litigation is cited. E-mails from Head Of Marvel TV Jeph Loeb state something about litigation, Drew Goddard, Sony and Netflix – with Perlmutter replying to Pascal they should be “very concerned,” which was dated April 15, 2014. Subsequent e-mails read Marvel worked everything out, with Pascal excited for the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Goddard writing Sinister Six. Perlmutter regularly replies Marvel and Disney will help in any way and often calls Spider-Man, Marvel’s “baby.”

An e-mail sent from the CEO of Sony, Michael Lynton, reads he thought putting Spider-Man in Captain America 3 served no benefit to Marvel: “Putting Spider-Man in Captain America 3 with Chris Evans and with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man doesn’t provide much benefit to Marvel, but it definitely provides a significant amount of benefit to Sony and to Spider-Man.”

An e-mail offers a tidbit about Sinister Six in that Spider-Man is set to appear. Andrew Garfield had questions about his pay as he wondered if it would be the equivalent of an “Amazing Spider-Man 3,” as well as if it would fulfill his three movie contract obligation. Sony’s Doug Belgrad told Garfield’s reps Sinister Six was a “standalone” with Spider-Man only set to “appear.” In addition, a Sony e-mail reads they are not paying Garfield “the same money.”

Another e-mail from Perlmutter to Lynton reads Perlmutter apparently is against solo female movies and cites Electra, Catwoman and Supergirl as being “disasters.”

An e-mail from an executive at Marvel, John Turitzin, concerns Fox’s Deadpool movie as an article at Variety is cited to state Kevin Feige is producing. Turitzin’s e-mail to Bob Cohen of Fox Studios tells Fox that isn’t the case and to correct their information. The e-mail says Marvel doesn’t want people to think there is a chance of a Marvel / Fox crossover with the “falsehood” of Feige being involved on Deadpool (dated October 2014).

Regarding Spider-Man returning to Marvel, e-mails from Lynton to Perlmutter feature a list of articles on various sites, dated October 2014, about the character’s return. Perlmutter states some of the mainstream press is asking about Spider-Man returning to Marvel – with Perlmutter questioning “how can this be?” – and states it could be a problem. Lynton responds it has been brought to his attention, but he has no idea where it’s coming from, and that it can be ignored.

Other leaked Spider-Man documents include information on the Amazing Spider-Man films media budget, TV spots, Amazing Spider-Man 2 Superbowl trailer, marketing strategy (where a memo mentions they think AS2 will do better than the first), and lots more.

Bear in mind the e-mails were date 2014, so obviously things could have changed regarding some of the contents and subjects (and obviously have such as Spider-Man now a part of Marvel).

Movie News

Dwayne Johnson Voicing Lead In Disney’s Moana

Dwayne Johnson has taken to Instagram to announce he has been cast as the male lead, Maui, in Disney’s next animated musical, Moana.

Johnson posted the following including mention he will be singing, with WWE fans of the actor already familiar with The Rock’s musical talents.

Moana has a November 23, 2016 release date and sees a young woman using her navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island. Joining her on the adventure is her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui.

At DISNEY STUDIOS signing contracts to play the male lead in their next big classic animated musical, #MOANA. Just had an amazing 2hr presentation and it’s easy to see why they’re the greatest story tellers in the world. Im excited. And in the background my homies Fred & Wasabi from #BigHERO6 are jumpin‘ for joy joy cause they heard I’m gonna sing in the movie. #WeTrulyKnowWhereWereGoing #WhenWeUnderstandWhereWereFrom #NeverForgetHome #MOANA

A photo posted by therock (@therock) on Apr 1, 2015 at 11:11am PDT

Movie News

Disney Gives Live-Action Beauty and the Beast A Release Date

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Following the success of Maleficient and this weekend’s Cinderella, Disney has announced a release date for the live-action Beauty and the Beast film.

Beauty and the Beast will open March 17, 2017 starring Harry Potter‘s Emma Watson as Belle, and Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as the Beast.

Luke Evans will play the role of Gaston, Emma Thompson has been cast as Mrs. Potts, and Kevin Kline is playing Belle’s father, Maurice.

Filming will begin this May in London at Shepperton Studios.

Bill Condon (Twilight) is directing, with a script by Stephen Chbosky; David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing; Alan Menken is scoring score the movie, which will feature new recordings of the original songs in addition to several new songs written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice.

Disney’s Cinderella grossed over $132 million globally in its first weekend debut including almost $68 million in the U.S.

Star Wars TV News

Disney XD To Remake Original Star Wars In LEGO

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The Force must be strong with LEGO as Disney XD has announced they are remaking the original Star Wars trilogies into a LEGO series.

THR reports Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales will retell the Star Wars saga chronologically.

The limited series will consist of five 22-minute episodes that will air later this year.

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales isn’t going to be an exact copy of the George Lucas trilogies as the series will be retold through the eyes of C-3PO and R2-D2 in a brand new story.

Here is the description:

Set after the Rebel Alliance victory on Endor seen at the end of Return of the Jedi, the droids are regaling the assembled of their adventures that led them to their present situation. An accidental kidnapping leads to a new adventure that progresses to the re-telling of the saga in the chronological order, starting from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

TV News

New Ducktales Coming to Disney XD

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Life is about to become a hurricane again as Disney has ordered a new Ducktales series.

The new Ducktales series will premiere on Disney XD in 2017, which follows 30 years after the Emmy-award winning series first debuted back in 1987 and ran for three season.

The new Ducktales will feature Scrooge McDuck, his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, and Donald Duck.

The new series is described as (via Deadline):

Follows Scrooge McDuck, his curious and mischief-making grandnephews — Huey, Dewey and Louie — and the optimistic yet temperamental Donald Duck as they embark on high-flying adventures worldwide. Other beloved characters slated to be in the new stories are: Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), Mrs. Beakley and Webbigail Vanderquack.

“DuckTales has a special place in Disney’s TV animation history, it drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks’ comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults,” said Marc Buhaj, SVP, Programming and General Manager, Disney XD. “Our new series will bring that same energy and adventurous spirit to a new generation.”

TV News

Kevin Michael Richardson To Voice Groot In Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series

Disney has announced that Kevin Michael Richardson will be the voice of Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy animated series.

You can watch video above of Richardson making the announcement.

Kevin Michael Richardson is known for voicing characters in Family Guy, The Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans Go!, Ben 10 and lots more.

It probably should be noted that contrary to attempts made by the series’ executives, both James Gunn and the Guardians of the Galaxy movie have nothing to do with the series.

Watch the Guardians of the Galaxy animated test footage:

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Movie News Reviews

Movie Review: Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

The Art of Video Games

A Film Review of: Wreck-It Ralph

By: Lawrence Napoli

I believe that the video game is the leading entertainment art form of today. Purists that represent older art forms had best accept this trend (if not outright truth) and get over the sour grapes of the ever increasing popularity that games and gaming represent. Simply put, video games place the viewer on an unprecedented plane of interaction with the art itself. Only now, in the year 2012, do we find games finally exiting their infant steps of childish frivolity and counter-culture fascination. Contemporary games can and have pushed the envelope in spinning tales of drama, suspense, action and adventure that rival some of the best moving pictures of the past. Yet, video games weren’t birthed from the love parents of Hollywood and the computer with this level of acumen. Wreck-It Ralph is a throwback reminder that games were clearly not about social commentary in the beginning, but the fact that this film exists is proof of gaming’s expansive influence and a mile-marker for the ground this medium has gained over the years.

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8-Bit graphics are well represented in Ralph.

However, to suggest that Wreck-It Ralph is some kind of necessary viewing for being the definitive alliance between games and film would be a gross overstatement. This movie is a fun little narrative that attempts to bring the extended family of video game characters together in an entertaining, child friendly and somewhat thought provoking way that has an important (and incredibly cliché) moral to it all. The story was conceived by screenwriters Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee (with additional contributions by John C. Reilly) which is interesting considering none of them have any professional experience with any aspect of gaming, but clearly a decent proficiency with comedy amongst them. Ralph is a Donkey Kong inspired villain who is simply fed up with the thankless job of being “the bad guy” for his particular videogame. Ralph’s no dummy. He sees his counter-part, Fix-It Felix, soaking up the praise and admiration for doing his hero’s duty and in hopes of changing his stars, Ralph goes on his own quest to improve his status. The most charming aspect of this film is all the other iconic videogame characters that make cameos throughout which could only have been made possible with (once again) Mickey Mouse’s bottomless pockets paying out to various licenses like Nintendo and Capcom. It would have been nice to see even more crossover with these other characters, but that would have diverted the importance of Ralph’s journey. Overall, the script isn’t exactly Shakespeare, but it sends a good message to young people about how to treat your neighbor and discovering a positive sense of self worth, while not boring adults to tears and being quite amusing to gamers.

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In no way is this rivalry meant to channel DK vs. Mario.

The CG animation style of Wreck-It Ralph may be reminiscent of a Pixar Studios production, but this film is straight out of Walt Disney’s regular Animation Studios. You won’t see Monster’s Inc. attention to the 3D rendering. You won’t see the graphic depth of any Toy Story film. But, you will see some sharp, vibrant renditions of some of the most iconic characters in video games and it sure is an absolute joy seeing them all come together on the big screen. They do some really interesting things with perspective in this film: for instance, the perspective of people in the “real” world playing these games vs. the characters inside each arcade box trying to play out their respective parts like a theatrical production for their audience of players. How the camera shifts through the screen produces an excellent effect for getting the audience to suspend their disbelief in regards to the fiction of video game characters being “alive” inside their games.

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Perhaps the best scene in the movie, but everyone’s already seen it in every trailer.

Another area where Wreck-It Ralph diverts from the Pixar formula is in the voice-over department; specifically how A-List names aren’t exactly rounding out the roster. Sure, John C. Reilly is a comic genius and other people really love what Jane Lynch does on Glee, but I don’t particularly care for anything Sarah Silverman does and how many people know that guy from 30 Rock and Will Ferrell comedies is an actor by the name of Jack McBrayer? I don’t mean to diminish the performance of any member of the cast, but I couldn’t quite justify shelling out the greenbacks for all of these names strictly for name recognition. The exceptions have to be Reilly and Lynch because their voices embody strict character types for Ralph and Calhoun respectively that represent the exact characters both actors became popular depicting for live action in the first place. I truly felt the vocal performances for every other character were acceptable, but not particularly remarkable which was especially disappointing for the proper video game characters represented in this film.

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Jane Lynch takes no prisoners as Calhoun.

Wreck-It Ralphis clearly a “videogame” movie designed for kids and its very successful opening weekend at just under $50 million dollars is a step in the right direction. But did all of you know that this film’s budget was a whopping $165 million bucks!? The actual production comes off as professional and clean, but also seems on somewhat of a shoestring because the fact remains that all of these software companies weren’t handing over their IP likenesses for peanuts. Licensing must have been the lion’s share of this production and I completely understand that, but this film doesn’t feel like a $200 million type of blockbuster. As such, I seriously doubt that Wreck-It Ralph will turn into a franchise, but will be viewed like a litmus test for how to combine IP licenses for adaptation purposes. This movie was a cool experiment fueled by nostalgia and laughs and held together by simplicity and relatability. Only gamers will get ALL of the Easter egg references throughout, but it is more than charming enough to hold the audience’s interest both young and old.

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