Disney News

Category: Television

  • ‘Roseanne’ Canceled By ABC After Star’s Racist Tweets

    ‘Roseanne’ Canceled By ABC After Star’s Racist Tweets

    “Roseanne,” ABC’s hit revival sitcom, was canceled today just hours after the show’s star Roseanne Barr’s posted a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett.

    Barr’s post early Tuesday morning, which has since been deleted, said that Jarrett, who is African-American, was a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes” — “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” She has since apologized.

    Barr’s comparison of Jarrett, a longtime Obama family confidant, to an ape and claiming that she has a connection to the organization Muslim Brotherhood drew immediate backlash on social media. You can see the deleted tweet below.

    roseanne-barr-tweet

    The tweet also immediately brought criticism from “Roseanne” star Sara Gilbert. It also prompted Wanda Sykes, a consulting producer, to quit the show in the lead up to the cancellation.

    “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” said Channing Dungey, the president of ABC Entertainment, in a statement.

    In a tweet, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of Disney, said there was “only one thing to do.”


    Iger called Jarrett before publicly announcing that the show was canceled. Barr deleted the initial tweet and apologized hours after the original comment.

    In her apology, Barr called the tweet a “bad joke about her politics and her looks.” She also said she was “leaving Twitter,” but didn’t specify if that meant deleting her account.

  • Jon Favreau To Write Live Action ‘Star Wars’ Series For Disney

    Jon Favreau To Write Live Action ‘Star Wars’ Series For Disney

    The live action Star Wars series is still moving forward and Disney has just tapped Iron Man director Jon Favreau as writer and executive producer. The live action series was confirmed by Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Bob Iger on a quarterly earnings call with investors last November and will debut on Disney’s digital streaming service.

    The director of iron man and the jungle book will helm the series for disney’s new direct-to-consumer platform.

    In early March, Lucasfilm announced that Emmy-nominated producer and actor Jon Favreau has signed on to executive produce and write a live-action Star Wars series for Disney’s new direct-to-consumer platform. Favreau is no stranger to the Star Wars galaxy having played roles in both the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story.

    “I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe. This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base.”

    Favreau is thrilled to be returning to the Star Wars galaxy: “If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn’t have believed you. I can’t wait to embark upon this exciting adventure.”

    Disney’s collaborations with Favreau extend back a decade, when he helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe as director of Iron Man and Iron Man 2 and as an executive producer of the Iron Man and Avengers films for Marvel Studios. For Disney, he directed and produced the massively successful The Jungle Book, which won an Academy Award for its groundbreaking visual effects. He is currently in production on Disney’s highly anticipated reimagining of The Lion King, set for release in 2019.

    The untitled Star Wars live-action series does not yet have a release date.

  • American Idol Returns To Airwaves This Sunday, March 11th

    American Idol Returns To Airwaves This Sunday, March 11th

    This…  Is American Idol! The iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music-competition genre, will return to airwaves on This Sunday, March 11th at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, at its new home on the ABC Television Network. Ryan Seacrest will return as host along with a panel of new judges.

    The nationwide search for the next superstar kicked off in August, as the Idol Bus traveled from Portland, Oregon, to Orlando, Florida in its pursuit for talent, covering 23 cities across the country. Auditioning was made easier than ever as hopefuls also had the opportunity to submit audition videos online, as well as via select social media platforms using an official tag, #TheNextIdol, cultivating over 300,000 posts. Also, for the first time in American Idol history, hopefuls had the opportunity to audition through a livestream platform.

    Back in August thousands descended upon Disney Springs to audition to become the next American Idol. Former Idol-winners Jordin Sparks, Kris Allen and Ruben Studdard were on hand to greet lucky audition participants during the kickoff celebration and we have been anticipating the start of the show ever since.

    American Idol ABC

    Helping to determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest will return as host of the beloved series.

    American Idol judge Katy Perry recently visited Walt Disney World Resort in between her concerts during Witness: The Tour, and gave us a little preview on how amazing this season will be. Check out the video below:

    We can’t wait to see how some of the Disney Springs auditioners do with Katy and her fellow judges.

    Follow American Idol’s Facebook and #AmericanIdol on Instagram and Twitter to be a part of the journey.

  • Disney Officially Announces “Descendants 3” And Releases Teaser Trailer

    Disney Officially Announces “Descendants 3” And Releases Teaser Trailer

    If you’re a fan of the Disney Channel Descendants series then you will be excited to know that Disney just announced that Descendants 3 will be released Summer of 2019!

    The news came during a programming event for Disney Channel’s Zombies and fans of the show could not be more excited.

    There are new characters and cast members. During the announcement given by Dove Cameron, who plays Mal, she alluded to a new villain entering the story who just might be Mal’s father. Take a look at the epic teaser below:

    “By adding a modern twist to Disney’s most treasured heritage properties, the world of ‘Descendants’ has become an instant classic. We’re thrilled that the creative team that conceived and launched this global phenomenon is back to dive deeper into these characters and the imaginative world from which they come,” said Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, in a statement.

    Descendants 3 will begin production in Vancouver, Canada this summer for next year’s debut. Reprising their roles are: Dove Cameron as Mal, Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Sofia Carson as Evie, Booboo Stewart as Jay, Mitchell Hope as King Ben and China Anne McClain as Uma. Also known as our fave VKs. Additional casting for Descendants 3 will be announced at a later date.

    Writers and producers Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon, who won a 2016 Writers Guild Award for “Descendants,” will also return.

    Director Kenny Ortega who directed the first two films will also return to the franchise. He will also be an executive producer and serve as choreographer. Ortega directed all three installments of “High School Musical,” another popular Disney Channel film series and choreographed those as well.

    Until then, just keep be chillin’ like a villain. And counting the days until Descendants 3.

     

     

     

     

  • Disney Streaming Service Will Not Include R-Rated Content

    Disney Streaming Service Will Not Include R-Rated Content

    Disney’s upcoming streaming service is moving full steam ahead and more details are starting to emerge about what types of content the service will offer. Last August Disney announced plans to debut its own streaming service in 2019 with content like Star Wars and Marvel movies, Disney studio and Pixar films.

    The programming for the over-the-top content service will be consistent with the Disney brand and there will be no R-rated films, according to a recent report from Deadline. So Marvel’s series currently on Netflix will stay where they are for now, and any R-rated content will reportedly go to Hulu instead of the Disney streaming service.

    As we previously reported, Disney-ABC TV will providing original content for the service that would include feature-length films regular series and he also touted a “High School Musical” reboot, with the original producers on board.

    Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Bob Iger already confirmed a live action Star Wars Series and a TV series based on the 2001 Pixar film Monsters Inc. were in the plans for the future streaming service, at a quarterly earnings call with investors.

    Disney is also reportedly prioritizing new movies, including Lady and the Tramp, The Paper Magician, Stargirl and Togo. Other projects in development are 3 Men and a Baby, Sword and the Stone, and Timmy Failure, according to the report.

    Also be heading to the streaming service will be Magic Camp and Noelle, two movies currently in post-production. The shows may cost $25 million to $35 million for 10 episodes, though a more ambitious series could go up to $100 million, the report said.

    There has been no mention of a price point as of yet and the Disney plans to start with a domestic service only, and then expand overseas.

     

  • Steve Harvey Taking His Daytime Talk Show “STEVE” To Walt Disney World

    Steve Harvey Taking His Daytime Talk Show “STEVE” To Walt Disney World

    Steve Harvey’s daytime series “STEVE” was picked up for a second season and now it’s is traveling to Walt Disney World Resort for an all-new week of exciting shows set to air March 19 – 23.

    The week will feature celebrity families and couples including The Bella Twins, Eric Christian Olsen and Sarah Wright Olsen, Tracey Edmonds and Deion Sanders, Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker as well as celebrities Josh Henderson, Terry Crews and more.

    True to “STEVE” form, these special episodes will be filled with exciting games, prizes and giveaways. Viewers will learn about an incredible summer in store for Walt Disney World guests, which includes the opening of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

    One deserving couple will even get the wedding of a lifetime after their hometown wedding landed the bride in the hospital. Throughout the week, the couple’s family and friends will help celebrate with all things Disney to make the couple’s dreams come true.

    Steve will also proudly honor students from the 2018 Class of Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine. Disney Dreamers Academy is an annual empowerment program featuring 100 select high school students from across the country who are looking to dream big and learn how to put dreams into action. The academy aims to prepare students for the future by developing networking and interviewing skills and showcasing a variety of career opportunities.

    “STEVE” will tape March 9 -11 before a live studio audience from Epcot at Walt Disney World. This is the first time the show has visited Walt Disney World and the first time the show has taped from a remote location since its premiere this past fall.

  • “Kim Possible” Is Getting a Live-Action Movie

    “Kim Possible” Is Getting a Live-Action Movie

    So for those of you wondering “What’s the sitch” with Kim Possible, you be excited to learn that Disney Channel is making a live-action version of award-winning Disney Channel animated series.

    Disney announced Wednesday that casting has begun for the movie which is being penned by Kim Possible creators Mark McCorkle and Robert Schooley.

    For those who don’t know, Kim Possible is a cheerleader and she saves the world, even on school nights. With her sidekick, Ron Stoppable and his naked mole rat Rufus they go through normal teenage life while saving the world.

    The original series which ran for 87 episodes was launched in 2002.  In 2003 it was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding animated program and it also inspired two animated Disney Channel movies.

    “Mark and Bob created an enduring character and kids all over the world found a friend in her, an average girl who just happens to spend her off-school hours thwarting evil villains,” said Adam Bonnett, executive VP of original programming at Disney Channels Worldwide, in a statement. “Although Kim Possible ‘can do anything,’ kids and tweens found that this animated redhead was just like them. As we embark on the fun challenge of making Kim and Ron fully dimensional, I’m thrilled to be working again with Mark and Bob and to welcome the addition of a dynamic creative team—Josh, Zanne, Adam and Zach—into a world where anything is indeed possible.”

    It’s executive produced by McCorkle, Schooley, and Zanne Devine, and co-directed and co-produced by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky.

    This comes as Disney’s film studio continues to find success with live-action adaptations of beloved animated classics, including last year’s Beauty and the Beast and the upcoming Mulan.

  • ‘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.

  • 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.