The Mandalorian‘s second season will feature Rosario Dawson as a live-action Ahsoka Tano!
The “Briarpatch” star has been cast in the guest starring role of Ahsoka Tano, Variety has confirmed.
Tano is Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice and one of the central characters in the popular animated “Star Wars” series. This will mark the character’s first live-action appearance, after being voiced by Ashley Eckstein on all seven seasons of “Clone Wars,” the final season of which is currently airing on Disney Plus.
Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” is slated to drop on Disney Plus this Fall, after showrunner and creator Jon Favreau confirmed that a second season was on the way late last year. Favreau also previously revealed that Carl Weathers, who plays Greef Carga in the series, is set to direct an episode of its sophomore season.
The series is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, following the travails of Mando (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. Season 1 ended with Mando flying off in search of Baby Yoda’s home planet. Precisely how Dawson’s Tano fits into the equation will be interesting to see, especially given all the events that take place between the end of the Clone Wars and the fall of the Empire.
“The Mandalorian” is the first “Star Wars” series to air on Disney Plus, and the Mouse House also has two others series from a Galaxy far, far away in the works, namely a Cassian Andor series starring Diego Luna reprising his role from “Rogue One,” and an Obi-Wan Kenobi series with Ewan McGregor reprising the iconic role.
The series is executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson. Karen Gilchrist serves as co-executive producer. Directors on season 1 included Filoni, Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow, who has been tapped to direct the Obi-Wan series as well.
Disney’s latest Pixar feature “Onward” will be arriving to the at-home market earlier than expected due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Walt Disney Studios announced today that Disney and Pixar’s Onward will be available to buy digitally and on Movies Anywhere beginning today at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST and on Disney+ on April 3 in the U.S.
The film premiered in theaters on March 6 and earned rave reviews from audiences, including a 95% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes. With cinemas currently impacted by closures due to the global health crisis, Disney will offer the film ahead of schedule to purchase on digital platforms in the U.S. beginning today at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST for $19.99.
“While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, Onward) and Kori Rae (Producer, Onward).
In Onward, teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, embarking on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior—aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer)—and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.
A 34-year-old man has died in California after testing positive of coronavirus just days ago, and 2 weeks after visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida
In a Facebook post, family members of Jeffrey Ghazarian, said he died Thursday morning at a Pasadena hospital after being hospitalized for several days, according to TMZ.
His family stated he had a history of asthma and frequent bronchitis as a child. He also had beat testicular cancer back in 2016, which made him a higher risk for contracting coronavirus.
According to TMZ, his sister stated, “He suffered a lot and put up a good fight. We will miss our Jeff every day but we are thankful for all the fun happy memories of the times we had together.”
According to his family, Ghazarian flew from Los Angeles to Orlando on March 2 for a work conference. During his time in Orlando, he went to Disney World and Universal theme parks with friends.
TMZ reported that Ghazarian began to develop a cough on March 7 and the next day he coughed up blood.
He returned to Los Angeles International Airport on March 9 and immediately went to the emergency room, where he also had a high fever.
TMZ reports that medical personnel performed a chest x-ray and confirmed that Ghazarian had pneumonia. He was reportedly tested for COVID-19 before he was sent home with antibiotics and fluids and was instructed to self-quarantine while he awaited the results.
He found out he tested positive for coronavirus on March 13, TMZ reported. The next day he was taken to the hospital by ambulance and quickly transferred to the ICU. At which point, doctors discovered that his lungs were 60-70 percent blocked with pneumonia.
Doctors chose to sedate and intubate him in hopes that using a ventilator would help his lungs heal.
Edy’s is partnering up with Disney’s Pixar to release four new ice cream flavors that celebrate Pixar’s classic animated hits “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles” and “Monsters, Inc.”
The limited-edition flavors can be found at participating stores (such as Publix and Meijer) now, but they won’t be around forever, so don’t miss your chance to enjoy these yummy additions to the Edy’s family.
First, there is Coral Reef Orange and Cream, which pays homage to “Finding Nemo.” The light orange and vanilla sherbet include the sweet addition of little chocolate fishes.
Then, there’s Cookies and Scream, a yummy cookies n’ cream combo that is a nod to “Monsters, Inc.” It’s made with light vanilla ice cream, chocolate cookie pieces, a fudge swirl and little Mike and Sully chocolate pieces.
And then there’s Jack-Jack Cookie Crumble, which is a combo of light chocolate and vanilla ice cream mixed with chocolate cookie pieces and little chocolate masks (to mimic the superhero masks worn by the characters in “The Incredibles”).
Last but not least is Edy’s new Chocolate Peanut Butter Toy Chest. Made with light chocolate ice cream and a peanut butter swirl, the dessert is made even more decadent thanks to chocolate “Toy Story” pieces that are filled with peanut butter.
Walt Disney World will close all of its hotels in Florida due to growing concern over the new coronavirus, the company announced early Monday.
In a tweet, the company said the hotels would not close until 5 p.m. on Friday to give guests time to arrange other accommodations.
The company also said all Disney stores nationwide will close on Tuesday, including in Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, and Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California. To help contain the spread of the disease, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens closed on Sunday night for at least two weeks. Take a look at the tweet below:
The move was announced as cases of COVID-19 increased to more than 130 cases in Florida on Sunday. On Friday, officials had said there were more than 60 cases and by Saturday, about 100. Three people have died from the novel coronavirus in Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday evening announced that a drive-thru testing facility would soon open at a hospital in South Florida’s Broward County, the hardest-hit county from the coronavirus, as the state seeks to boost testing capacity.
DeSantis said Florida should brace for even more infections and he again urged residents — particularly younger people on spring break — to exercise caution and refrain from gathering in crowds.
Disney Parks has an ongoing commitment to reducing food waste, and during the temporary closure of Disneyland and Disney World will be donating excess food inventory to Second Harvest Food Bank.
While closely following food safety guidelines, excess inventory of dairy, fruit, vegetables, packaged goods and banquet meals is being donated to Second Harvest Food Bank, whose mission is to end hunger.
Since 2014, the Disneyland Resort has operated a food donation program through which prepared, unserved food from select locations is regularly donated to support those in need within the local community. This program is in addition to the food scraps diversion program, which also supports our environmental efforts in reducing food waste.
Last year, the Disneyland Resort donated over 20,000 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County through the food donation program, and Disney VoluntEARS regularly volunteer there, supporting the mission of ending hunger.
Launched in 1991, Disney Harvest collects excess and unserved food from locations throughout Walt Disney World, delivering it to feeding programs across Central Florida.
What you might not know…the Disney Harvest Program at Walt Disney World Resort collects and distributes more than 823,000 pounds of prepared, unserved food annually and supports Second Harvest’s work serving more than 40 Orlando-area nonprofits. In the last year alone, these donations provided one million meals to people in need.
Thursday, Disney World announced it is closing its four theme parks starting Sunday night due to the spread of the coronavirus and they have now decided to extend Annual Passes to make up for the missed time.
The theme park closure will last until the end of March, Disney officials said, leaving many passholders wondering how that would affect their passes.
Disney officials said on its website, “Walt Disney World annual passes will be extended by the number of days the parks are closed, March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020,” as you can see below:
For Disney guests that purchased Disney After Hours, Disney Villains After Hours and Disney Early Morning Magic between the closure dates will receive a refund, officials said. You can find more information on thie roffical website here.
Disney World will close on Sunday, March 15, and stay closed through the end of the month.
Disney Cruise Line will also suspend all new departures beginning on Saturday through the end of the month.
Throughout its nearly 50-year history, Walt Disney World has closed briefly a handful of times from looming hurricanes and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The hotels at Walt Disney World will remain open, as well as retail and dining complexes until further notices.
Those who work domestically for Walt Disney Company who are able to work from home are being asked to do so, including those at The Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Direct-to-Consumer, and Parks, Experiences and Products, officials said.
“In an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of our theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Paris Resort, beginning at the close of business on Sunday, March 15, through the end of the month,” the Walt Disney Company said in a release.
In the same release, the Walt Disney Company also announce that Disneyland Paris will close on Sunday, as well.
Disney is closing Disneyland, its flagship theme park in Anaheim, California, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The closure of Disneyland follows the company shuttering some of its parks overseas because of the virus. Disney’s theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong, for example, were closed earlier this year due to the outbreak.
It’s only the fourth time in history that Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., has fully suspended operations. The other instances were Sept. 11 attacks, the morning after JFK’s assassination and the Northridge earthquake.
It’s unclear if Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., will remain open.
Disney said in a statement, “While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Disneyland Resort, after carefully reviewing the guidelines of the Governor of California’s executive order and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, beginning the morning of March 14 through the end of the month. The Hotels of Disneyland Resort will remain open until Monday, March 16 to give guests the ability to make necessary travel arrangements; Downtown Disney will remain open. We will monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and guidance of federal and state officials and health agencies. Disney will continue to pay cast members during this time.”
Disney has just announced that Avengers Campus—an entirely new land dedicated to discovering, recruiting and training the next generation of heroes—will open July 18, 2020 at the Disneyland Resort!
And that’s only the beginning… today they are also unveiling their new attraction’s name, exciting casting news, rich details about the land itself and brand-new artist concept renderings.
Avengers Campus invites you to team up with the Avengers and their allies in a fully immersive land at Disney California Adventure park. Avengers Campus is comprised of several heroic locations—each hosted by a different Super Hero or their ally—to share their unique powers, technology and knowledge with recruits. Take a look below at all the details:
Sling webs with Spider-Man
The first key location, the Worldwide Engineering Brigade—also known as WEB—is home to the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature a favorite neighborhood her: Spider-Man. This new family-friendly attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, invites guests to put their web-slinging skills to the test.
The innovative technology adapted specifically for this attraction includes a seamless blend of 3D and new interface, which allows guests to go on a mission and experience what it’s like to have super powers and sling webs alongside Spider-Man.
WEB is all about how bright young innovators like Peter Parker are inventing new technologies that let all of us become Super Heroes. Being able to authentically represent Peter’s character was a critical element to our story, and thanks to our Studio partners, I’m excited to share that Tom Holland will reprise his role as part of this attraction experience. It was an honor to get to work with Tom, and I can’t wait for guests to experience the amazing talent, humor, and heart he’s bringing to this attraction when it opens this summer.
“Suit up” with the latest gear, including Spider-Bots from WEB
The WEB Suppliers store is where you will find the latest WEB inventions, including interactive Spider-Bots much like the ones you will see in the new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Each Spider-Bot has a remote control, and all eight articulated legs move forward and backward. Best of all, you can tap into your inner WEB inventor by customizing your Spider-Bot with tactical upgrades to harness the powers and styles of favorite Super Heroes, including Black Panther, Iron Man and Black Widow, as well as Ant-Man and The Wasp.
Other must-have items at WEB Suppliers include a specially-designed backpack to carry Spider-Bots when they are not in action, Spider-Man light goggles, a take-home spider web kit and Funko Pop! vinyl figurines of Spider-Man and Iron Man.
Nearby, the Campus Supply Pod is the place to power up with official Avengers Campus gear, including performance fleece hoodies and tees, headwear, drinkware and other Super Hero supplies.
Enjoy tiny treats and big bites
When it’s time to take a break from the heroics, three new dining spots at Avengers Campus will offer dishes that are rich in both flavor and storytelling.
Pym Test Kitchen is a food innovation science lab where the food and drinks tell a story. Just as Ant-Man and The Wasp use “Pym Particles” to grow and shrink just about anything, Pym Technologies applies this innovative science to the creation of shareable bites, inventive-sized entrees and sweet treats. You will be able to taste-test such items as the Impossible™ plant-based large and micro meatballs with pasta, or the “Pym-ini,” a panini served by the slice or as a long, multi-portion sandwich.
Adjacent to the Pym Test Kitchen, an oversized beer can overhead signals that grown-up beverage tastings are available at Pym Tasting Lab. Adults can order a craft beer, ranging from a blood orange hefeweizen to an amber lager or try one of the Pym Research Staff’s Pym Particle-infused cocktail experiments.
Next, the Avengers have invited the crew of their favorite “shawarma joint” in New York, the Shawarma Palace, to open a second location at the Campus. Enjoy favorite shawarma-inspired snacks at this food cart, which is decked out with memorabilia since the Shawarma Palace owners are huge Avenger fans. Lastly, Taneleer Tivan did not limit his collection to lovable misfits; he is also curating a weird and wonderful menu of intergalactic eats at the Terran Treats food cart near Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy
Speaking of, we will continue to celebrate Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, the fan-favorite attraction that opened in 2017, as one of the anchor attractions of Avengers Campus. This rockin’ adventure blasts you straight into the “Guardians of the Galaxy” story, alongside characters from the blockbuster films and comics. As you help Rocket bust his pals out of the Collector’s Fortress, you will experience raucous mayhem, music inspired by the soundtracks from the movies and thrilling free-fall drop sequences!
Encounter a formidable villain in a land full of heroes
Last but certainly not least, throughout Avengers Campus, Super Heroes will come to life in ways that are more exciting than ever. You may have heroic encounters with Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, Thor and even villains like Loki. We’re excited to also share that Ant-Man and The Wasp will be making their first appearances in the park, and Iron Man himself will be debuting his new armor in Avengers Campus: the Mark 80.
You may even have the chance to witness Spider-Man swinging into action high above Avengers Campus with gravity-defying, acrobatic feats never seen before in a Disney theme park.
At a nearby ancient sanctum, Doctor Strange will train recruits in the mystic arts by bringing this ancient sanctum to life with powerful spells. At night, the area glows even more vividly with majestic colors and lights, pulsating with mystic energy.
Finally, every hero needs a formidable villain to fight… the villainous Taskmaster, who will have a role in the upcoming film “Black Widow,” will be seen for the first time at a Disney park at Avengers Campus. Taskmaster’s abilities include photographic reflexes. Taskmaster can replicate Super Hero moves, making this new villain a balanced foe for the Campus heroes.
