Disney News

Category: Disney

  • New ‘Toy Story 4’ Forky Plush Hits Shelves Again After Recall

    New ‘Toy Story 4’ Forky Plush Hits Shelves Again After Recall

    Forky Fans will be happy to hear that, as promised, the new and improved Forky Plush with embroidered eyes have made their way back on the shelves in Disney parks.

    Back in early July, Disney voluntarily recalled over 80,000 Forky Plush dolls from Pixar’s Toy Story 4 after claims of a dangerous chocking hazard with the dolls famous glued on googly eyes.

    Fans of the newly favorited character were sad to see him pulled off the shelves and the website. The Disney company also encouraged anyone who had purchased the 11″ plush to return the doll for a full refund.

    Forky is priced at $19.99 and can now go home and enjoy being a toy.

  • Applications Now Open for 2020 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

    Applications Now Open for 2020 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

    High school students can apply now for the 2020 Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence magazine.

    This annual life-changing mentoring program will take place March 12-15, 2020, at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The application window is open now through Oct. 31, 2019.

    With celebrity speakers, out-of-the-classroom learning and countless emotional moments, the program helps 100 select students, ages 13-19, from across the United States jump-start their life goals and pursue their dreams.

    Disney Dreamers Academy turns the entire magical setting of Walt Disney World into a vibrant classroom. Students participate in a series of sessions and workshops designed to help them imagine bright futures, make exciting discoveries and learn how to put their goals into action. Disney Dreamers engage in a wide variety of experiences at Walt Disney World while working side by side with celebrities, community and industry leaders and Disney cast members.

    For more than a decade, Disney Dreamers Academy has inspired young people from across the country by fueling their dreams and showing them a world of possibilities as they prepare for the future. Each year, students participate in hands-on, immersive career seminars in a wide range of disciplines found at Walt Disney World. Students learn how to improve their communication skills, discover what it means to be a leader and acquire networking strategies, among other skills. They are also inspired by celebrity speakers and other special guests who share their stories and provide insights on how to achieve their life goals.

    Disney Dreamers Academy is focused on challenging young people to relentlessly pursue their dreams through the “Be 100” campaign. This aspirational initiative is inspired by the powerful impact Disney Dreamers Academy has made on graduates, who have gone on to become doctors, nurses, engineers, pilots, journalists and more. Some have started their own public relations firms, while others have worked with national political leaders.

    Applicants must answer essay questions about their personal journeys and dreams for the future. Students are selected based on a combination of attributes, including strong character, positive attitude and determination to achieve their dreams. A parent or guardian accompanies each student on the trip.

    This four-day, all-expenses-paid experience at Walt Disney World will continue to help change the lives of young people in 2020. For more information or to apply, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com

  • Macaulay Culkin Reacts to ‘Home Alone’ Reboot Coming to Disney+

    Macaulay Culkin Reacts to ‘Home Alone’ Reboot Coming to Disney+

    Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the studio was “re-imagining” the 1990s classic Christmas movie Home Alone for its new streaming service, Disney+ and now Macaulay Culkin has taken to the internet to give his thoughts on the reboot.

    The child star, now 38, shared a photo on Twitter on Wednesday, one day after Disney announced plans to reboot the franchise. The pic pays homage to the infamous scene from the film, in which Kevin gorges himself on junk food while his entire family is in Paris for the holiday.

    “This is what an updated Home Alone would actually look like,” the actor captioned a photo of himself, as you can see in the post below, followed by a reply saying “Hey Disney, call me!”

    Culkin’s pic got major love from fans, some of whom urged the now-grown Culkin to play Kevin’s absent-minded dad in the reboot.

    Culkin was just 10 when the first film in the “Home Alone” franchise was released and turned him into a world-famous child star.

  • Queen Latifah and Shaggy Cast in Little Mermaid Live Event on ABC

    Queen Latifah and Shaggy Cast in Little Mermaid Live Event on ABC

    Before Disney films its live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” ABC is diving in with a live production adaptation of the animated classic that is filled with a star studded cast.

    “Moana” star Auli’i Cravalho will play the lead role. Queen Latifah will play the villainous Ursula and Shaggy will play the crab, Sebastian. More castings will be announced at a later date.

    The announcement was made by Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. This special tribute to the original animated classic and its timeless music will take viewers on a magical adventure under the sea as live musical performances by a star-studded cast will be interwoven into the broadcast of the original feature film. This never-before-seen hybrid format will feature beautifully intricate sets and costumes, with music from the original animated film and the Tony Award-winning Broadway stage version, originally composed by eight-time Oscar-winning composer, Alan Menken. Howard Ashman’s iconic film lyrics will also be showcased, while lyricist for the Broadway adaptation, Glenn Slater, will contribute to the star-studded spectacular.

    “The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Little Mermaid Live!” is produced by Done+Dusted. Executive producers include Done+Dusted’s Hamish Hamilton, who will also direct, Katy Mullan, David Jammy, Raj Kapoor and Ian Stewart. Also executive producing is Richard Kraft, producer and director of the acclaimed Hollywood Bowl productions of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

    The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! will premiere on ABC on November 5.

  • Nintendo Announces Disney-Themed Switch to be Released in Japan

    Nintendo Announces Disney-Themed Switch to be Released in Japan

    Disney and Nintendo have partnered up to release a new Switch bundle for Japan inspired by the popular Disney Tsum-Tsum franchise.

    A new game called Tsum-Tsum Festival is coming out on October 10th and includes Switch-exclusive minigames as well as the ability to play a regular mobile-style game of Tsum-Tsum by holding the Switch vertically.

    The Switch hardware bundle features a patterned dock with Tsum-Tsum characters and the logo, while the included pink and purple Joy-Cons are similarly decorated. The Switch itself is the updated, longer-lasting model and has pink characters on the back. Also, the home button has ears.

    The Tsum-Tsum Festival bundle will be released in Japan on October 10th and will sell for 36,080 yen ($333). No word on a release elsewhere.

  • Disney Creates New Fashion Line to Match Your Dog

    Disney Creates New Fashion Line to Match Your Dog

    Disney has unleashed a matching human and dog clothing collection that will have you and your pooch representing Disney together in style.

    You and your fur friend make the perfect team and now you can dress in coordinating style with Disney’s Spirit Jerseys for adults and dogs.

    The ‘Oh My Disney’ Dog collection is every pet owner’s dream, featuring matching jumpers, jackets and jeans themed around pups from your favorite Disney movies as you can see in the post below:

    The pieces all feature fan-favorite Disney dogs, such as Max from The Little Mermaid, the pups from 101 Dalmatians and the canine lovebirds from Lady and the Tramp.

    One item is a set of matching baby blue spirit jerseys meant for humans and pups, with a nod to Up’s lovable Dug.

    On the back of the human-sized shirt is the quote from Dug, “I just met you and I love you.” Meanwhile, the pup-sized jersey has “Squad” stitched across the back with a group of Disney dogs. According to the Shop Disney site, the items cost $59.95 and $24.95, respectively.

    You and your pampered pooch can even eat and drink from matching dog bowls and cups.

  • Russi Taylor, the Official Voice of Minnie Mouse, Dies at 75

    Russi Taylor, the Official Voice of Minnie Mouse, Dies at 75

    Russi Taylor, the official voice of Minnie Mouse, passed away yesterday at the age of 75 in Glendale, California.

    Taylor was a Disney legend and she brought to life an illustrious cast of beloved characters during a career that spanned nearly four decades, but she is best known as the official voice of Minnie Mouse.

    She first assumed the role more than 30 years ago and has given voice to Minnie in hundreds of Disney projects—from television, to theme park experiences, animated shorts, and theatrical films—no performance was too tough for Russi’s accomplished take on the divine Miss Minnie Mouse.

    “Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor,” said Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “For more than 30 years, Minnie and Russi worked together to entertain millions around the world—a partnership that made Minnie a global icon and Russi a Disney Legend beloved by fans everywhere. We’re so grateful for Russi’s talent as well as the tremendous spirit and great joy she brought to everything she did. It was a privilege to have known her and an honor to have worked with her, and we take comfort in the knowledge that her work will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come. Russi will be sorely missed and our hearts go out to her family and friends, along with our deepest condolences.”

    Russi found her real-life Mickey in the mid-1980s in the form of Wayne Allwine, who had voiced Mickey Mouse since 1977. The pair fell deeply in love and married in 1991, remaining as inseparable as their animated counterparts until Wayne’s passing in 2009.  “I really want whoever comes after us to be aware of the history and the tradition, and to love the characters as much as we do,” she said of herself and Wayne.

  • ‘The Lion King’ Reigns Over the Global Box Office

    ‘The Lion King’ Reigns Over the Global Box Office

    With a mighty domestic debut of $191.8 million, The Lion King roared to a worldwide debut of $446.1 million, the ninth highest global debut of all time.

    Along with an international opening weekend of $254.3 million plus $97.5 million in China, where the film opened July 12, The Lion King’s global cumulative box office is $543.6 million over 10 days. The film is already the No. 7 film of the year globally.

    The Lion King’s domestic debut—the No. 8 opening of all time—marks a record for July and for a PG-rated film. It’s the biggest debut ever for a Walt Disney Studios release outside of Marvel and Lucasfilm, surpassing Incredibles 2 ($182.7 million) and Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million). Earning a fantastic A CinemaScore, The Lion King is the fifth Disney Live Action reimagining to gross more than $100 million in its debut, alongside Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million), Alice in Wonderland ($116.1 million), The Jungle Book ($103.3 million) and Aladdin ($116.8 million four-day holiday).

    The international cume to date is $351.8 million. The Lion King opened at No. 1 across all international markets and was within the top five industry opening weekends of all time in several markets, including Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and the entire Latin America region. The Lion King is still to open in Hong Kong, Japan and Italy.

  • CONFIRMED: Disney Has No Plans to Launch Airline in the US

    CONFIRMED: Disney Has No Plans to Launch Airline in the US

    Rumors that Disney plans to launch a domestic airline in the U.S. recently surfaced online and The Walt Disney company has confirmed that the reports are false.

    We reached out to The Walt Disney Company about the possibility of a new Disney Airline and a Disney spokesperson stated there are no plans to do so.

    “There is no truth to this rumor,” Stephanie Christine Corzett, Director of External Communications and Media Relations, told us in a statement.

    Several media news sites picked up the rumor after a Disney fan site reported that the company has plans to acquire small regional airlines in 2021 to launch its own domestic airline.

    The Disney fan site reported, “Disney songs will be played over the airplane’s speakers as you board. There are also discussions that characters will also be making appearances before the cabin doors are closed to send you on your way. Buzz Lightyear, will have a heavy presence as your ‘captain speaking’.”

    The original post appears to be deleted from the the Disney fan site, but still several large media outlets are reporting on the rumor.

  • ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Becomes the Highest-Grossing Film Ever Passing ‘Avatar’

    ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Becomes the Highest-Grossing Film Ever Passing ‘Avatar’

    After 13 weeks in theaters, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame has overtaken the global box office record that has been held by Avatar for the past 10 years.

    Avengers: Endgame shattered records when it opened on April 26 with $1.2236 billion globally, including $357.1 million and $866.5 million internationally. It crossed the $1 billion mark in just five days and the $2 billion mark in 11. The film has grossed $2.79 billion passing Avatar which sits at $2.78 billion.

    “A huge congratulations to the Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios teams, and thank you to the fans around the world who lifted Avengers: Endgame to these historic heights,” said Alan Horn, Co-Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Studios, of the historic achievement.

    To date it is still the No. 2 domestic release of all time, taking in $854 million in the U.S. box office, behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens which has accumulated $936 million. It’s the No. 1 release of all time in 25 territories, and the No. 3 highest grossing film of all time in China with $629 million.

    “Of course, even with the passage of a decade, the impact of James Cameron’s Avatar remains as powerful as ever, and the astonishing achievements of both of these films are ongoing proof of the power of movies to move people and bring them together in a shared experience. The talented filmmakers behind these worlds have much more in store, and we look forward to the future of both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Pandora,” said Horn.