Disney News

Category: Movies & TV

  • Game of Thrones Creators Tapped To Create New Series of Star Wars Films

    Game of Thrones Creators Tapped To Create New Series of Star Wars Films

    Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss set to write and produce a new “Star Wars” series of films, Disney announced on Tuesday. The creative duo is going from Winterfell to a galaxy far, far away.

    With Star Wars: Episode IX set to cap the trilogy of trilogies and Game of Thrones approaches its 2019 conclusion, the timing is right for both parties. While no one has ruled out future films continuing the main Star Wars storyline in the future, it’s clear that Disney and Lucasfilm plan on taking the franchise into a multitude of new territories.

    These new films will be separate from both the episodic Skywalker saga and the recently-announced trilogy being developed by Rian Johnson, writer-director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

    “David and Dan are some of the best storytellers working today,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “Their command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push Star Wars in ways I find incredibly exciting.”

    “In the summer of 1977 we traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and we’ve been dreaming of it ever since,” Benioff and Weiss said in a joint statement. “We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.”

    Disney acquired Lucasfilm for more than $4 billion in 2012. From that moment the studio has been exploring every avenue to expand the famous far way galaxy to get the largest return on their investment. They immediately delved into a new trilogy that brings together familiar characters with new ones. The studio also started standalone spinoff films such as Rogue One and the upcoming Solo, a peek at Han Solo’s younger days.

    Lucasfilm and Disney did not give release dates for the new films but joked that there “have (thankfully) been no sightings of White Walkers around Lucasfilm.”

  • ‘Once Upon A Time’ Cancelled After Seven Seasons

    ‘Once Upon A Time’ Cancelled After Seven Seasons

    All Magic comes with a price dearie…  And it appears ABC isn’t willing to foot that bill for the once popular fairytale drama any longer. It seems that the magic has run out for ABC’s Once Upon A Time and the series will end its run after seven seasons.

    ABC has confirmed the shows cancellation and that the final episode will air this May. “Once Upon a Time has been an amazing journey for all of us at ABC Studios and for fans around the world,” said Patrick Moran, president of ABC Studios. “We’re so proud and appreciative of the hard work and creative talent that Eddy Kitsis, Adam Horowitz and their cast and crew brought to this show for seven magical seasons.”

    After many of the shows leading characters exited at the end of season six, ratings for the series dropped to an average of 2.5 million total viewers and a 0.5 rating per episode.  The change to a Friday night time slot didn’t help either.

    Once Upon a Time premiered in fall 2011 and it was an instant hit. It attracted fans from all over the world and much more than just Disney fans.  The show featured classic Disney fairytale characters reimagined in dramatic fashion. The original cast starred Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Robert Carlyle and Jared Gilmore.

    At the end of season six, two of the most popular main characters, Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin, departed as regulars on the show. Without Emma Swan and Mary Margaret (a.k.a. Snow White) the series went in a new direction, essentially rebooting itself. Storybrooke was left behind and the seventh season picked up in Seattle where a brand new curse basically started the same plot all over again.

    “Seven years ago, we set out to create a show about hope, where even in the darkest of times, a happy ending would always be possible,” said Once creators/executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. ” But we never imagined the happy ending that was actually in store for all of us — years and years of adventure, romance, magic and hope. We’re so grateful to our brilliant collaborators – the cast, crew, and writers — as well as our partners at the studio and network for making this journey possible. But most of all, we want to thank the fans. Their fierce loyalty and devotion was the real magic behind Once Upon A Time. We hope they join us for these last few hours as we journey to the Enchanted Forrest for one more adventure.”

    The show is currently in its mid-season break and after more than 150 episodes it will return for the second half of its final season on March 2.

  • Breaking: Full Han Solo Trailer Debuts On Good Morning America

    Breaking: Full Han Solo Trailer Debuts On Good Morning America

    After last nights sneak peek teaser for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” airing during Super Bowl LII, fans have been eagerly awaiting the full trailer.  This morning their patience paid off and the full Solo trailer was shown on Good Morning America on ABC.

    Check out the full trailer below:

    In the two-minute trailer — we first meet Han Solo, the “Star Wars” icon — long before he met Luke and Leia or became a hesitant hero fighting the Empire.

    “I’ve been running scams on the street since I was 10,” Alden Ehrenreich, who plays the young Solo, says in the clip. “I was kicked out of the flight academy for having a mind of my own.”

    The film follows the young Han Solo and Chewbacca’s adventures before joining the Rebellion, including their encounters with Lando Calrissian.

    The full trailer also shows a few other characters for the first time including; Donald Glover’s young Lando Calrissian and Emilia Clarke’s Qi’Ra.

    “I might be the only person who knows what you really are,” Clarke’s character tells Solo, the clip hinting that they might be friends or have had some kind of previous relationship.

    Solo: A Star Wars Story opens May 25, 2018. Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan and directed by Ron Howard, it stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany.

  • Solo: A Star Wars Story Teaser Trailer Caught During The Super Bowl

    Solo: A Star Wars Story Teaser Trailer Caught During The Super Bowl

    Finally, after much speculation over when the trailer for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” would be released, we finally get to see it! The questions can finally be put to rest as it debuted tonight during Super Bowl LII.

    Take a look below and see what all the hype has been about:

    The film follows the young Han Solo and Chewbacca’s adventures before joining the Rebellion, including their encounters with Lando Calrissian.

    Solo: A Star Wars Story opens May 25, 2018. Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan and directed by Ron Howard, it stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany.

    It’s just a Teaser to hold us over.  The full trailer is expected to air Monday morning on Good Morning America on ABC. Let us know what you think about the trailer in the comments below.

  • Emily Blunt Is On Board For Disney’s Jungle Cruise Movie

    Emily Blunt Is On Board For Disney’s Jungle Cruise Movie

    Disney’s Jungle Cruise Movie is pulling in more stars to fill its cast.  Emily Blunt is reportedly set to co-star in the upcoming film next to Dwayne Johnson.

    The film is a live-action adaptation of Disneyland’s iconic theme park ride. The ride takes guests on a guided tour through Africa’s Nile and Congo rivers to South America’s Amazon.

    Blunt is becoming a Disney regular. Previously she starred in Disney’s Into the Woods and currently she is starring in Mary Poppins Returns, the follow-up film to the 1964 classic, Mary Poppins.

    Johnson was extremely excited about the casting and took to his Instagram account to congratulate her.

    Disney has had success with movies based on attractions with Pirates of the Caribbean as a prime example. Disney is hoping to add to that success rather than see it turn out like the Haunted Mansion movie or dare we mention The Country Bears.

    Oscar nominee Michael Green wrote the most recent draft of the script. He rewrote a screenplay by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.

    John Davis and John Fox will produce via Davis Entertainment, Beau Flynn will produce via his FlynnPictureCo. banner, and Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia are producing through Seven Bucks Productions.

    The film is currently slated to go into production in May.

     

     

  • Dark Horse Releasing Original Comics Featuring Disney’s “Frozen”

    Dark Horse Releasing Original Comics Featuring Disney’s “Frozen”

    Dark Horse Comics announced Monday that they will be  teaming up with Disney and creating a new three-issue miniseries to release this August titled Disney Frozen. Founded in 1986, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic publisher in the United States.

    Disney-Dark-Horse-Frozen-Comic

    Disney Zootopia Comics and Disney DuckTales: Treasure Trove writer Joe Caramagna and artists from the Kawaii Creative Studio both return to bring some fan-favorite Disney characters to the world of comics.

    Disney Frozen #1 finds Queen Elsa and Princess Anna trying to get to the bottom of things when the peace of their beloved kingdom is disrupted. There’s a wild animal loose in the village, destruction in the forest, and unrest brewing in a nearby kingdom. Luckily, Elsa and Anna will have the help of Olaf, Kristoff . . . and a mysterious, adventurous young woman to restore peace in their kingdom.

    “We are incredibly excited to collaborate with Disney on this great project,” Mike Richardson, Dark Horse president and founder, said in a press release. “Frozen has legions of fans, many of whom are here at Dark Horse. I’ve personally enjoyed repeated viewings with my granddaughter, and I look forward to sharing this new series with her.”

    The first issue of Disney Frozen is scheduled for a summer 2018 release. Dark Horse and Disney will announce additional comics in the coming months.

  • First Ant-Man and the Wasp Trailer Just Released By Marvel

    First Ant-Man and the Wasp Trailer Just Released By Marvel

    The first trailer for Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and the Wasp” has landed and we’ve got your first official look right here, True Believers! Check out the official trailer below and make sure to check out the film in theaters July 6!

    From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes “Ant Man and the Wasp,” a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink. In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside the Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from the past.

  • The Last Jedi Blasts Into The Top 10 Highest Grossing Films All Time

    The Last Jedi Blasts Into The Top 10 Highest Grossing Films All Time

    Although Star Wars: The Last Jedi was met with mixed reviews and probably won’t come close to the box office earnings of The Force Awakens, it is still a huge financial success for Disney. The most recent installment to the Star Wars saga is now one of the top 10 highest grossing films of all time.

    The film cracked the top 10 and is now sits as the ninth highest grossing film of all time. It passed Frozen which now holds the 10 spot and it pushed Beauty and the Beast out completely, dropping it to 11th. It’s not likely, but it’s possible it could still gain a spot or two before it’s all said and done. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 sits at number eight with $1.34 billion.

    With Disney now owning 7 of the Top 10 highest grossing films of all time — everytime a Star Wars, Marvel or Disney movie starts breaking records — they are basically just rearranging the top 10 with their own movies and will eventually just end up controlling a majority of the top 20 highest grossers. One small sad bit of news that comes with all this is that Toy Story 3 has now been pushed out of that top 20.

    The film has now officially crossed the $1.31 billion mark at the global box office, which includes $700 million from the overseas market. The film is nearing the end of its box office run after 49 days in theaters. The film has brought in more than $600 billion domestically and brought in $4.2 million this weekend. The Last Jedi is also the sixth-biggest grosser ever in North America.

    It’s not all about breaking records, but the film has already set several. Disney-Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi brought in more than $220 Million during its opening weekend making it the second biggest opening day total behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($247M).

    Those numbers make it the fourth film in domestic box office history to cross the $200 million threshold in its opening weekend.  It is also had the second highest opening day total bringing in $104 million. It’s the second highest opening day for a film in U.S. history and once again second only to The Force Awakens.

    The film fell 35% from The Force Awakens in the U.S. and globally even more, down around $750 million from The Force Awakens. But when a film with a $225 million production budget brings in $1.3 billion in global sales, Disney isn’t losing any sleep.

  • VIDEO: Ellen Comes Face To Face With Her Disney World Animatronic

    VIDEO: Ellen Comes Face To Face With Her Disney World Animatronic

    Ellen’s Energy Adventure at Epcot closed last August and when Ellen DeGeneres found out, she made a plea on “The Ellen Show” for the return of her Audio-Animatronic double.

    Well for her 60th Birthday Ellen received some Disney magic as she was reunited with remains of the former attractions Ellen Audio-Animatronic.

    Wrapped in a large box, a figure dressed like her animatronic, was rolled out as part of the shows birthday festivities. It came with a note that called this a “heart-warming reunion with all that remains.”

    When the box was opened it revealed a figure with a red T-shirt and blue shirt and brown pants. The head she found a bit disturbing and at one point she said the figure “could star in a horror movie.”

    Still a bit awestruck Ellen continued.

    “Is this real? This is … me? This is not real. This is the robot they used for Ellen’s Energy Adventure? … That is so offensive.”

    The audience erupted with laughter and as she questioned the likeness, a voice from off-screen said the pants and T-shirt were real. They were donated by a private collector who picked them up after the attraction closed.

    What Ellen may not have known was that the audio-animatronic figure was destroyed by Walt Disney Imagineering and used for parts. She has actually been missing from the attraction for several years. There are reports that it was removed due to some technical difficulties, but it may not have ever made it back to the attraction as Disney has had a plan in the works to create a new attraction for some time.

    Ellen’s Energy Adventure is being replaced at Epcot by the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy” rollercoaster.

  • Former Disney Star Charged With Multiple Armed Robberies

    Former Disney Star Charged With Multiple Armed Robberies

    In connection with a string of armed robberies, former Disney star, Adam Hicks, was arrested and on Wednesday.

    The 25 year-old is accused of robbing several people on the street on Wednesday morning. According to the Burbank Police Department in California he committed three robberies over a two-hour period with the help of his girlfriend. His girlfriend is also in police custody.

    According to reports, Hicks and his girlfriend went up to several people and put a gun in their face, demanding money. Two of the victims were women in their 70s and another was a 52-year-old man.

    Police were able to locate the car used during the robberies and detained a female said to be connected to one of the suspects.  Some of the stolen property was recovered by police at the scene. Hicks was found and arrested at his home after a SWAT team showed up to serve a search warrant.

    Hicks starred as Luther on the Disney XD show from 2009 to 2012. He also appeared in Hulu’s “Freakish,” in 2016-2017, and the 2015 film “The Boy Next Door.”

    Hicks is set to appear in the movie “Shifting Gears,” due out in March, and is currently starring in the show “Freakish” on Hulu.

    Jail records show that Hicks was also arrested in both July and September of 2017. The arrest happened about 2 p.m and he is due to appear in court on Friday. According to court records he is being held in jail on $350,000 bail.