Tag: movies

  • ‘Toy Story 4’ Debuts Emotional Full Length Trailer

    ‘Toy Story 4’ Debuts Emotional Full Length Trailer

    It’s finally here! After a few tiny teases from Pixar, we have our first full-length “Toy Story 4” trailer and as expected, it’s leaving us totally misty-eyed.

    The “Toy Story 4” trailer debuted Tuesday on ABC’s Good Morning America. Take a look below:

    Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.

    Directed by Josh Cooley (“Riley’s First Date?”) and produced by Jonas Rivera (“Inside Out,” “Up”) and Mark Nielsen (associate producer “Inside Out”),

    Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” ventures to U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019.

  • Disney Rehires James Gunn to Direct ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’

    Disney Rehires James Gunn to Direct ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’

    After firing James Gunn back in July, Disney has reinstated Gunn as director of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

    Gunn was fired following the resurfacing of offensive tweets that made light of child sex abuse. The director apologized for the sentiments, which were resurfaced by conservative talking head Mike Cernovich, but was quickly axed by family-friendly Disney over the graphic and immature nature of his comments.

    When Gunn was fired, he issued a statement apologizing for his previous tweets.

    “My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative,” his July 2018 statement read. “I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.”

    The firing was controversial, with “Guardians of the Galaxy” stars, including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper and Dave Bautista, signing an open letter asking for the filmmaker to be rehired. Bautista, in particular, had been outspoken in his support of Gunn.

    Marvel Studios put “Guardians 3” on hold, though Marvel head Kevin Feige and others involved have maintained they intended to make the film happen. “Guardians 3” never had a release date, but Gunn previously said it would open in 2020.

    After firing Gunn, speculation began about who would replace the filmmaker. The search didn’t go far and according to Deadline there never really was one. Disney had gone back to Gunn and made a deal.

    Bringing the director back wouldn’t be a complete breeze as Gunn had already signed on to Warner Bros. and DC to write and direct “The Suicide Squad.” To make the whole thing easier Marvel Studios agreed to commence production onGuardians of the Galaxy 3″ after Gunn completes “Suicide Squad 2.”

  • New Full Length Live-Action Aladdin Trailer Will Give You Chills

    New Full Length Live-Action Aladdin Trailer Will Give You Chills

    The first full trailer of Disney’s live-action adaptation of the animated classic “Aladdin” is finally here.

    Back in early February, we got a first peak at the film with a teaser-trailer and it was met with mixed reviews. We’ll this full length trailer definitely shows us a whole new world and it looks absolutely amazing!

    The new trailer aired earlier today on “Good Morning America” as Walt Disney Studios prepares to release the next installment of its live-action collection. Take a look at the much anticipated first full-length trailer of “Aladdin” for yourself below and don’t you dare close your eyes!

    The clip opens with the titular thief (Mena Massoud) engaging in some parkour-esque stunts as he evades his pursuers. Later, after he falls for Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), we get glimpses of Bollywood-style musical numbers. Looming over it all is Will Smith as the Genie, who puts a Fresh Prince-like spin on “Friend Like Me,” a showstopper indelibly performed by Robin Williams in the original.

    Smith is seen for the first time in the Genie’s human mode — without a blue face — and the promo also features Abu the monkey playing a trumpet, a magic carpet shaking maracas, and Scott and Massoud crooning the Oscar-winning song “A Whole New World.” A new poster was revealed today as well.

    A thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, “Aladdin” is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future.

    Directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his singular flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah, “Aladdin” is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s “Aladdin.”

    The film stars Will Smith as the Genie; Mena Massoud as Aladdin; Naomi Scott as Jasmine; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar; Navid Negahban as the Sultan; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia and Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders.

    The original animated film grossed more than $502 million at the global box office when it premiered in 1992, which led to successful stage productions on Broadway and abroad as well as a North American touring company.

    Disney’s live-action adaption of “Aladdin” opens in U.S. theaters nationwide on May 24.

  • CONFIRMED: Kevin Hart Will NOT be Voicing Mushu in Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Remake

    CONFIRMED: Kevin Hart Will NOT be Voicing Mushu in Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Remake

    We recently reported on the rumors surrounding the possibility of Kevin Hart voicing the role of Mushu in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Mulan. We can now confirm this is not accurate and the rumors are false.

    The rumor quickly gained steam last week spreading across multiple online outlets. The rumor, first reported by The DisInsider, claimed that Disney was looking to get Kevin Hart to voice the character. The website said according to “multiple sources” that Hart was the House of Mouse’s top choice to star as Mulan’s sassy sidekick.

    We had a chance to speak to folks at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and according to press team member Melissa Mckeon, this is simply not true. “This is 100% inaccurate information,” according to Mckeon. “Kevin Hart will not be playing Mushu.”

    Thus far, Mushu has not appeared in any official information about the live-action film yet and it is still unclear if the character has any voice at all or if he even makes any appearance in the film.

    “Mulan” is directed by Niki Caro (Whale RiderMcFarland USA) from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Jurassic WorldIn the Heart of the Sea) and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem The Ballad of Mulan. The producers are Jason T. Reed (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Chris Bender (A History of Violence) and Jake Weiner (Criminal) with Barrie M. Osborne (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Bill Kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonMonster Hunt) and Tim Coddington (Crazy Rich Asians) serving as executive producers.

    Disney’s Mulan is set to hit theaters on March 27, 2020.

  • Disney’s Vault Program Ending as Entire Library is Added to Disney+ Streaming Service Catalog

    Disney’s Vault Program Ending as Entire Library is Added to Disney+ Streaming Service Catalog

    Disney’s streaming service, called Disney+, is scheduled to launch later this year. On Thursday, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger revealed that the new service will eventually house the entire Disney Studios Library effectively ending the company’s long standing ‘Vault’ Program.

    Iger told shareholders that Disney+ “at some point fairly soon after launch” will carry films that “traditionally have been kept in a ‘vault’ and brought out basically every few years.”

    Disney’s catalog of films dates back to the 1920s, and includes iconic films such as “Snow White” and “Bambi” alongside modern classics like “Frozen” and “Wreck-it Ralph”. Traditionally however, Disney has only made individual titles available on home video for limited periods of time.

    The “Disney Vault” has been a marketing and sales strategy for years. After a film’s initial release run, Disney would return the film to the vault for a long period of time. That meant that customers who didn’t buy a physical copy of the movie immediately would be out of luck until Disney brought it out of the vault as a new edition or a special release run.

    In addition to archived titles, Disney has announced a number of big projects in development exclusively for its streaming service. Those include a “Star Wars” series called “The Mandalorian“, which is set during the rise of the Resistance; an untitled Marvel series revolving around Loki that will involve Tom Hiddleston; another “Star Wars” series called “Cassian Andor” that follows the titular hero in “Rogue One” played by Diego Luna; and yet more projects that span everything from “High School Musical” to a series based on Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.

    A content hub of its very own also means that Disney will be pulling all of its titles from other streaming services, with “Captain Marvel” being the first MCU movie to stream exclusively on Disney+.

  • ‘Maleficent 2’ Gets a Title, a New Release Date and a New Poster

    ‘Maleficent 2’ Gets a Title, a New Release Date and a New Poster

    Today, Disney announced the upcoming follow-up sequel to 2014’s “Maleficent” has a new title, a new poster and a new release date.

    “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”, as it’s now titled, will hit theaters on Oct. 18, 2019. The fantasy adventure is moving its release date up by seven months. It had previously been slated to debut on May 29, 2020.

    The new date pits “Maleficent 2” against an untitled film from horror-maker Blumhouse. It will also have to contend with the second weekends of “The Adams Family,” the adaptation of Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch,” “Zombieland 2,” and “Gemini Man,” a futuristic thriller that unites Will Smith and Ang Lee. Take a look at the amazing new poster released today as well:

    Angelina Jolie reprises her role as the villainous enchantress Maleficent. The cast also includes Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville, who appeared in the first installment, as well as franchise newcomers Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein, Harris Dickinson, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Joachim Rønning (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”) directs from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, and Noah Harpster.

    The first “Maleficent” was a box office smash when it opened in 2014. It grossed $758.5 million globally on a $180 million budget.

  • Kevin Hart Could Be Playing Mushu in Disney’s Live-Action Mulan Remake

    Kevin Hart Could Be Playing Mushu in Disney’s Live-Action Mulan Remake

    Disney’s live-action remake of “Mulan” is set to be released next year and according to some recent rumors the company may still be doing some casting. New reports have surfaced that Disney is considering Kevin Hart to give Mulan’s sidekick dragon Mushu a voice.

    According to The DisInsider, the live-action “Mulan” film has wrapped production, but as the film goes into the editing process, Disney is still looking for a voice for Mushu with Hart being their top choice.

    In the original 1998 “Mulan” animated film, Mushu is a small, kind of scrawny red Chinese dragon who may be the comic relief in the film, but also serves as Mulan’s closest companion. Eddie Murphy provided Mushu’s voice in the film, though Mark Moseley took over voicing duties for the 2004 direct-to-video sequel, Mulan II.

    Thus far, Mushu has not appeared in any official information about the live-action film — including the full synopsis which you can see below that was revealed last August.

    Mulan is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order to fight Northern Invaders attacking China. The eldest daughter of an honored warrior, Hua Mulan is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. When the Emperor issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, she steps in to take the place of her ailing father as Hua Jun, becoming one of China’s greatest warriors ever.

    If Disney is really considering putting Hart in the role, it’s a move that could be met with some backlash. Back in December, Hart stepped down as the host for the 2019 Academy Awards following old tweets in which he made derogatory remarks about the LGBTQ+ community came to light. Hart apologized for the tweets, but still stepped down from the hosting duties.

    “Mulan” is directed by Niki Caro (Whale RiderMcFarland USA) from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Jurassic WorldIn the Heart of the Sea) and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem The Ballad of Mulan. The producers are Jason T. Reed (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Chris Bender (A History of Violence) and Jake Weiner (Criminal) with Barrie M. Osborne (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Bill Kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonMonster Hunt) and Tim Coddington (Crazy Rich Asians) serving as executive producers.

    Disney’s Mulan is set to hit theaters on March 27, 2020.

  • First Look: Disney Releases First ‘Frozen 2’ Teaser-Trailer

    First Look: Disney Releases First ‘Frozen 2’ Teaser-Trailer

    Today, Disney dropped the first teaser-trailer for “Frozen 2” and it looks amazing!

    Co-director Jennifer Lee teased that the characters are “going to go far out of Arendelle” in the sequel for a “bigger, more epic” journey.

    The teaser for the highly anticipated follow up to Disney’s 2013 hit gives us a peek at what all your favorite Arendelle characters have been up to for these last six years. Take a look at the trailer below:

    The teaser starts off with Elsa watching the rise and fall of the waves as a storm brews overhead. She then musters her courage and manages to run across the water by making a path of snowflakes and ice. However, she quickly falls into the surf.

    The original “Frozen” movie became a massive hit when it opened in 2013, earning over $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office, along with two Oscars. It’s still the highest-grossing animated film ever, as well as the 13th biggest movie of all time.

    “Frozen 2,” hits theaters Nov. 22.

  • New ‘Aladdin’ Trailer Reveals First Look at Will Smith’s Blue Genie

    New ‘Aladdin’ Trailer Reveals First Look at Will Smith’s Blue Genie

    We’ve said it before, but this time the genie is definitely out of the bottle. The latest look at Disney’s live-action “Aladdin” is here and it finally reveals Will Smith in his full blue Genie form for the first time.

    Twenty-seven years after the animated “Aladdin” became a classic, Disney dropped the new trailer during the Grammys on Sunday night.

    Take a look below at the trailer to see what you think of Will Smith in the role.

    In addition to Smith’s Genie, who towers over Mena Massoud’s Aladdin in his bulked-up blue form, we get looks at the villainous Jafar (playing by Marwen Kenzari), Naomi Scott’s Princess Jasmine, and the sprawling city of Agrabah.

    Smith takes on Robin Williams’ former role as the Genie, promising in an Entertainment Weekly first look last December to bring a “hip hop flavor” to the part. “Sherlock Holmes” director Guy Ritchie takes the helm.

    The original, animated “Aladdin” premiered in 1992 and famously starred the late Robin Williams in a virtuoso vocal performance as the Genie that earned him a Golden Globe. The movie has grossed $504 million worldwide.  

    “Aladdin” hits theaters May 24, 2019.

  • PETA Wants Pixar to Change Bo Peep in ‘Toy Story 4’

    PETA Wants Pixar to Change Bo Peep in ‘Toy Story 4’

    Bo Peep is set to return in “Toy Story 4“, complete with a new look, but animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is already calling for changes to her character.

    Pixar released a new Bo Peep character poster and trailer earlier this week. Peep hasn’t been seen since “Toy Story 2” and fans were excited to see her return to the franchise with an updated look, but PETA has concerns.

    Her new look comes with a more empowered attitude, but the new promos show she will still be carrying her shepherd’s crook. In a press release, PETA said it sent a letter to director Josh Cooley encouraging him “to complete the character’s transformation by retiring her crook — a tool historically used to hook lambs by the legs and neck in the wool industry.”

    “A ‘badass’ Bo Peep would likely bop the shearers, not the sheep,” writes PETA Manager of Animals in Film and Television Lauren Thomasson. “[A] symbol of domination over any animal is a thing of the past and not something that belongs in Toy Story 4. Won’t you please consider removing Bo Peep’s crook from the final animation?”

    Not much is known about Bo Peep in “Toy Story 4,” considering her long break from the public eye. The first glance simply revealed the character’s new costume, and the return of her teal colored crook. While this will likely be her main weapon and tool for surviving in the world, PETA is hoping that it would be removed, due to the message it sends to audiences.

    Josh Cooley helmed the next installment of the franchise after John Lasseter stepped down from the project and the script was penned by Stephany Folsom after, actress Rashida Jones left due to “creative and philosophical differences” in November 2017.

    Disney-Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” hits theaters June 21, 2019.