Composer Howard Ashman’s body of work will be celebrated at ASCAP’s Musical Theatre Fest.
The conversation, titled “Part of Our World: Celebrating the Life & Lyrics of Howard Ashman,” will feature interviews and performances from “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and more selections across the composer’s career.
Now in its second year, the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from May 14 to 21.
The festival will focus on music from film and TV animation, featuring award-winning composers and top executives from film and TV animation studios, geared to aspiring musical theatre writers.
Glenn Slater, Heitor Pereira (“Despicable Me”), Future Vega (“Fast & Furious Spy Racers”) and Raye Zaragoza (“Spirit Rangers”) are some of the ASCAP composers scheduled to appear.
Panel discussions with studio executives include Alexandra Nickson, Vivian Buff, Joe D’Ambrosia and Jay Stutler. Conversations will focus...
The conversation, titled “Part of Our World: Celebrating the Life & Lyrics of Howard Ashman,” will feature interviews and performances from “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and more selections across the composer’s career.
Now in its second year, the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from May 14 to 21.
The festival will focus on music from film and TV animation, featuring award-winning composers and top executives from film and TV animation studios, geared to aspiring musical theatre writers.
Glenn Slater, Heitor Pereira (“Despicable Me”), Future Vega (“Fast & Furious Spy Racers”) and Raye Zaragoza (“Spirit Rangers”) are some of the ASCAP composers scheduled to appear.
Panel discussions with studio executives include Alexandra Nickson, Vivian Buff, Joe D’Ambrosia and Jay Stutler. Conversations will focus...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Harvard’s South Asian Person of The Year, Avantika Vandanapu, has been in the news lately and, surprisingly, not on a positive note. The Mean Girls star has been facing major backlash after rumor mills churned out news of her screen testing for the role of Rapunzel opposite Milo Manheim in the Disney live-action remake of the movie Tangled. We witnessed a similar uproar in 2023 over the casting of Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid live-action remake and, more recently, Rachel Ziegler’s casting in the Snow White live-action. Vandanapu is being subject to racist trolling in her Instagram comments section,
The post Enough Already, Avantika Does Not Deserve the ‘Rapunzel’ Backlash first appeared on TVovermind.
The post Enough Already, Avantika Does Not Deserve the ‘Rapunzel’ Backlash first appeared on TVovermind.
- 4/15/2024
- by Safwan Azeem
- TVovermind.com
What's the best Disney villain song? I love Scar's devious rallying call "Be Prepared" from "The Lion King." For the feminine villains, "Mother Knows Best" from "Tangled" (sung by Tony winner Donna Murphy as Gothel) is deliciously theatrical.
Ultimately, still, the crown can't go anywhere but to "Hellfire" from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," as Claude Frollo (the late Tony Jay) sings before a searing fireplace about his lust for Romani "witch" Esmeralda (Demi Moore). Jay's mellifluous baritone was like no other — the actor's voice was so powerful it lifted the song with its echoes.
Now, the "Hunchback" soundtrack is nothing to sneer at, but "Hellfire" is on another level of daring ambition. "Out There" (by Tom Hulce as Quasimodo) is the "yearning song" seen in many a Disney movie, a la "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid" or "Belle's Reprise" from "Beauty and the Beast." Esmeralda's...
Ultimately, still, the crown can't go anywhere but to "Hellfire" from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," as Claude Frollo (the late Tony Jay) sings before a searing fireplace about his lust for Romani "witch" Esmeralda (Demi Moore). Jay's mellifluous baritone was like no other — the actor's voice was so powerful it lifted the song with its echoes.
Now, the "Hunchback" soundtrack is nothing to sneer at, but "Hellfire" is on another level of daring ambition. "Out There" (by Tom Hulce as Quasimodo) is the "yearning song" seen in many a Disney movie, a la "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid" or "Belle's Reprise" from "Beauty and the Beast." Esmeralda's...
- 4/15/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
A potential Tangled live-action remake is rumored to be in the works at Disney, but controversy has shrouded the casting process for Rapunzel.
According to The DisInsider, Disney is rumored to be developing a live-action Rapunzel movie, but it is unclear whether it will connect to the Tangled franchise.
The Tangled franchise encompasses the 2010 animated film, subsequent short films, a TV film, and a TV series titled Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, all expanding upon the original storyline and characters.
Read full article on The Direct.
According to The DisInsider, Disney is rumored to be developing a live-action Rapunzel movie, but it is unclear whether it will connect to the Tangled franchise.
The Tangled franchise encompasses the 2010 animated film, subsequent short films, a TV film, and a TV series titled Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, all expanding upon the original storyline and characters.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 4/9/2024
- by David Thompson
- The Direct
It's a testament to Disney's branding that mainstream audiences don't necessarily know who directed or starred in some of their better-known movies. Although many have seen the studio's 1950 animated feature "Cinderella," most audiences wouldn't be able to tell you that Ilene Woods played the title character, or that Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi directed the film. Disney's "Aladdin" changed that with the casting of Robin Williams as the Genie. And the trend of hiring known screen celebrities, often not voice actors, to sell an animated feature to a broad audience went to a whole other level in the wake of DreamWorks' "Shrek." The advent of the internet also helped certain actresses become known among Disney fans. Nowadays, many adults know the names of the actresses who played characters like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Ariel the Mermaid.
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It's been a few months since Netflix has given us any updates on "Damsel," the upcoming fantasy thriller starring Millie Bobby Brown, but today we've finally been gifted a new look at the film and, of course, that dragon. The first trailer kept things mum, with Mbb staying completely silent throughout, emphasizing the action, spectacle, and gorgeous costuming. Netflix first presented the film with the tagline "This is Not a fairy tale," and today's new trailer looks like "Damsel" will be subverting all the typical tropes we associate with tales of princesses and larger-than-life beasts. Here's the official synopsis from Netflix:
"A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive."
Ah, yes. The ol' "tossing...
"A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive."
Ah, yes. The ol' "tossing...
- 2/13/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Mandy Moore‘s son Gus could care less about her being in Tangled!
The 39-yea-old Dr. Death actress and singer starred in the Disney musical as Rapunzel, and recently, she and her two-year-old posed with the character during a trip to Disneyland.
“Gus isn’t interested in Tangled and really couldn’t care less that mom and Rapunzel are ‘close friends,’” she wrote on Instagram, along with a photo of them with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
After their trip, she expanded on his lack of interest in her princess character, and revealed what Disney movie he does love.
Find out what she shared inside…
“My son has not seen a ton of movies, but he does love Cars, so that was the highlight of the day,” she told Et. “He knows two Mickey Mouses, but Rapunzel was just blank. He had no idea. I’ve asked him to watch Tangled and he has no interest.
The 39-yea-old Dr. Death actress and singer starred in the Disney musical as Rapunzel, and recently, she and her two-year-old posed with the character during a trip to Disneyland.
“Gus isn’t interested in Tangled and really couldn’t care less that mom and Rapunzel are ‘close friends,’” she wrote on Instagram, along with a photo of them with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
After their trip, she expanded on his lack of interest in her princess character, and revealed what Disney movie he does love.
Find out what she shared inside…
“My son has not seen a ton of movies, but he does love Cars, so that was the highlight of the day,” she told Et. “He knows two Mickey Mouses, but Rapunzel was just blank. He had no idea. I’ve asked him to watch Tangled and he has no interest.
- 12/18/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Somehow, it has been almost 25 years since Aardman Animations released its first full-length stop-motion animated film, "Chicken Run." The then-fledgling DreamWorks Skg released the film in the summer of 2000, before the studio's fortunes would shift with the "Shrek" franchise the following year. For Aardman, though they netted an A-List celebrity in the form of Mel Gibson, "Chicken Run" was both thrilling and also somewhat modest. Riffing on World War II-era entertainment, "Chicken Run" was an exciting adventure about a group of chickens who band together to escape their cruel owners and a fine example of how animation could do more than just what was being offered by Disney and Pixar. Now, decades later, Aardman isn't the only stop-motion animation house working today, and DreamWorks' biggest days appear to be behind them. So for a sequel, subtitled "Dawn of the Nugget," Aardman is now pairing with Netflix for another lighthearted, fast-paced...
- 12/13/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
Embracing the Heart of Family Dynamics with This Is Us When you sit down to watch ‘This Is Us’, you’re not just watching a show; you’re embarking on a journey through the intricacies of a multi-generational family. It’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket of emotions, where memories from a character’s childhood shine a light on their adult lives, shaping their relationships and paths. The series is crafted by Dan Fogelman, who brings the same richness to the narrative that he did in ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ and ‘Tangled’. The rest of the series then builds on the characters and...
- 12/6/2023
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
With this year being the 100 year anniversary of The Walt Disney Company and the release of their latest animated title, Wish, we wanted to know what animated Disney film has been your favorite over the years? We stuck to films specifically released by Disney, so no Pixar titles are included. What struck me while compiling the list is the progression of their films. From the innocence of their early work to what many consider their heyday in the early 90’s to the emergence of the CGI era. For many of us, Disney films defined our youth, but which is the one that has remained with you all these years? As always, if you don’t see your favorite listed, please click “Other” and let us know what it is in the comments section as well as any fond memories you have of these timeless classics.
What is your favorite Disney Animated Film?...
What is your favorite Disney Animated Film?...
- 11/26/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
In Stuart Baird's 2002 film "Star Trek: Nemesis," Tom Hardy plays Shinzon, a human clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), grown in a lab by the dastardly spies in the Romulan Empire. When their clone plot didn't quite turn out the way that they wanted, the Romulans disavowed Shinzon's existence and sent him as a young boy to be enslaved in a Reman mine. The Remans were a cousin species of the Romulans that had been enslaved for many generations. Shinzon would grow up among the goblin-looking Remans, sharing their plight. Perhaps possessed of Picard's knack for leadership, Shizon would eventually lead a Reman uprising against the Romulans. "Nemesis" was the first time Trekkies ever caught a glimpse of the Remans. Shinzon's massive warship, the Scimitar, would be staffed entirely by Reman officers.
Most notably, Shinzon's unnamed right-hand man, a Reman Voiceroy, would be played by Ron Perlman, an...
Most notably, Shinzon's unnamed right-hand man, a Reman Voiceroy, would be played by Ron Perlman, an...
- 11/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the latest from Disney Animation, Wish, we witness history. The film tells the story of a girl who wishes on a star and opens up a heap of trouble for the villainous ruler Magnifico. While the reviews have been mixed, I immensely enjoyed the story, the music, and the heart of this magical animated tale. Perhaps I needed some magic in my life, but this one was a treat. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veersaunthorn and starring Chris Pine, Ariana DeBose, Alan Tudyk, and Victor Garber, Wish put a smile on my face, and it was a terrific way to escape into a flick.
I attended the film’s premiere the same night the SAG strike reached an agreement. Initially, I planned on participating in the interviews without the cast (due to the strike). Happily, with that news, we had a couple of new interviews to cover, including Chris Pine and Ariana DeBose.
I attended the film’s premiere the same night the SAG strike reached an agreement. Initially, I planned on participating in the interviews without the cast (due to the strike). Happily, with that news, we had a couple of new interviews to cover, including Chris Pine and Ariana DeBose.
- 11/25/2023
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Spoiler Alert: This story discusses major plot points for “Wish,” currently playing in theaters.
Disney’s animated feature “Wish” features over 100 nods.
As the animation studio celebrates its centennial year, “Wish” pays homage to classic Disney films from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” to “Peter Pan,” “Sleeping Beauty” and more. Speaking with Variety, director Chris Buck explained they are “Disney nods” rather than easter eggs.
“We wanted to get the story to work first,” Buck says. “Once we had that, and we started going into production, we could start layering in all the nods.”
It wasn’t just fellow director Fawn Veerasunthorn and writer and Disney Animation chief creative officer Jennifer Lee helping to incorporate them. According to Buck, “every artist and every department was saying, ‘What if we tried this?'”
While some are more obvious than others, Buck teases, “There are so many that are truly hidden,...
Disney’s animated feature “Wish” features over 100 nods.
As the animation studio celebrates its centennial year, “Wish” pays homage to classic Disney films from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” to “Peter Pan,” “Sleeping Beauty” and more. Speaking with Variety, director Chris Buck explained they are “Disney nods” rather than easter eggs.
“We wanted to get the story to work first,” Buck says. “Once we had that, and we started going into production, we could start layering in all the nods.”
It wasn’t just fellow director Fawn Veerasunthorn and writer and Disney Animation chief creative officer Jennifer Lee helping to incorporate them. According to Buck, “every artist and every department was saying, ‘What if we tried this?'”
While some are more obvious than others, Buck teases, “There are so many that are truly hidden,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay and Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Spoilers for "Wish" follow.
The villains from Walt Disney Animation's feature films have traditionally been so striking and scary that the company has thought to separate them into their own brand. The brand tends to focus on Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) from 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson) from 1961's "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," Ursula the Sea Witch (Pat Caroll) from 1989's "The Little Mermaid," the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne) from 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Captain Hook (Hans Conreid) from 1953's "Peter Pan," Hades (James Woods) from 1997's "Hercules," and Dr. Facilier (Keith David) from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog."
Occasionally, one might find Gaston (Richard White) from 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" in the mix or Chernabog from 1940's "Fantasia." These characters are all memorable for their scary designs, their misguided lust for power or destruction, their resentment, their hatred of the world,...
The villains from Walt Disney Animation's feature films have traditionally been so striking and scary that the company has thought to separate them into their own brand. The brand tends to focus on Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) from 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson) from 1961's "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," Ursula the Sea Witch (Pat Caroll) from 1989's "The Little Mermaid," the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne) from 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Captain Hook (Hans Conreid) from 1953's "Peter Pan," Hades (James Woods) from 1997's "Hercules," and Dr. Facilier (Keith David) from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog."
Occasionally, one might find Gaston (Richard White) from 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" in the mix or Chernabog from 1940's "Fantasia." These characters are all memorable for their scary designs, their misguided lust for power or destruction, their resentment, their hatred of the world,...
- 11/22/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Plot: When a young woman discovers that the wishes of her community are being destroyed by an egomaniac ruler, she must try and create a little magic herself to bring joy to everyone.
Review: “When You Wish Upon A Star” is a song that has become a staple for even the slightest inclusion of Disney in their lives. It’s impossible not to be able to recognize the iconic tune featured in the animated classic Pinocchio. Initially performed by Cliff Edwards, the music has become a signature for everything Disney. And with the current 100-year celebration, Walt Disney Animation is bringing audiences their latest big-screen musical adventure, the appropriately titled Wish. The Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn-directed feature is a joyful, sweet, and engaging tale; although wishes may not come true for all audiences, it sure did for the audience I saw it with.
Wish tells the story of the magical town of Ramas.
Review: “When You Wish Upon A Star” is a song that has become a staple for even the slightest inclusion of Disney in their lives. It’s impossible not to be able to recognize the iconic tune featured in the animated classic Pinocchio. Initially performed by Cliff Edwards, the music has become a signature for everything Disney. And with the current 100-year celebration, Walt Disney Animation is bringing audiences their latest big-screen musical adventure, the appropriately titled Wish. The Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn-directed feature is a joyful, sweet, and engaging tale; although wishes may not come true for all audiences, it sure did for the audience I saw it with.
Wish tells the story of the magical town of Ramas.
- 11/21/2023
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Have we finally reached peak blockbuster running time? In the last year alone, the space has been flooded with kidney-testing lengths — “Killers of the Flower Moon” (206 minutes and no intermissions allowed!), “Avatar: The Way of Water” (192 minutes), “Oppenheimer” (180 minutes), “John Wick: Chapter 4” and “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” (both 169 minutes), and “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1” (163 minutes) — but there are some signs that this particular worm has turned.
The most significant example is this week’s release of “The Marvels” (Disney), which is the shortest film in MCU history at “only” 105 minutes. “Avengers: Endgame,” MCU’s biggest hit, clocked in at 181 minutes. The four most recent MCU franchise entries were 126 minutes or fewer, with “Thor: Love and Thunder” under two hours. In all, eight MCU films were less than two hours, which makes the difference a matter of degree.
“The Marvels” director Nia DaCosta, whose two previous features were...
The most significant example is this week’s release of “The Marvels” (Disney), which is the shortest film in MCU history at “only” 105 minutes. “Avengers: Endgame,” MCU’s biggest hit, clocked in at 181 minutes. The four most recent MCU franchise entries were 126 minutes or fewer, with “Thor: Love and Thunder” under two hours. In all, eight MCU films were less than two hours, which makes the difference a matter of degree.
“The Marvels” director Nia DaCosta, whose two previous features were...
- 11/9/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann and Dana Harris-Bridson
- Indiewire
It’s been virtually 100 years to the day since Walt Disney’s animated mouse took the wheel of a steamship and steered himself into immortality. But for anyone who grew up watching Disney movies that might seem surprisingly recent. Since near its very inception, Walt Disney Animation Studios has evoked a timeless sensibility which seems eternal and everlasting. With likely your parents and grandparents growing up on Disney movies, the studio’s brand of hand-drawn magic has always been there in the background of living memory. But every magic has its dark side… and the shadows cast by the House of Mouse have always been faintly more sinister than parents remember until they put a little one in front of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Fantasia. You show a child Chernabog for the first time, and I’ll show you a week of nightmares.
Going back to the days of Walt,...
Going back to the days of Walt,...
- 11/4/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
After 100 years of making animated film musicals about talking animals, princesses, classic literary characters, superheroes, and even space pirates, there's not a whole lot of ground that Disney has never covered before. With the upcoming "Wish," however, the House of Mouse will ring in its centennial by focusing on the very idea of wishes. It's a motif that's appeared time and time again in the studio's work, yet it's rarely interrogated. What even is a "wish," really? Who decides which wishes come true and which ones do not? And if wishes can change the course of one's life, what does that even mean for those whose greatest wishes are never granted? It's a real existential conundrum, the further you go down this rabbit hole.
No doubt, you'll be shocked to learn that Disney hasn't fashioned "Wish" as an Ingmar Bergman-esque rumination on these questions and what they say about the human condition.
No doubt, you'll be shocked to learn that Disney hasn't fashioned "Wish" as an Ingmar Bergman-esque rumination on these questions and what they say about the human condition.
- 10/27/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Chris Pine for WishScreenshot: Disney/YouTube
Somehow it makes perfect sense for Chris Pine to play a charming Disney villain, seeing as how his look and general vibe is a charming Disney prince come to life. His character in the House of Mouse’s new animated movie Wish (premiering November...
Somehow it makes perfect sense for Chris Pine to play a charming Disney villain, seeing as how his look and general vibe is a charming Disney prince come to life. His character in the House of Mouse’s new animated movie Wish (premiering November...
- 10/25/2023
- by Mary Kate Carr
- avclub.com
Disney’s rich history of animated classics is undoubtedly a treasure trove, one they’ve revisited time and again, tapping into nostalgia with their live-action remakes. However, recent rumors suggest a shift in their approach, as they might be diving into a more contemporary set of films.
A New Era of Remakes
The word on the street is that Disney is in the early developmental stages of live-action remakes for some of its modern classics such as “Frozen,” “Princess and the Frog,” “Tangled,” and “Tarzan.” These reports come primarily from The DisInsider, hinting at these newer titles joining Disney’s ever-growing list of live-action adaptations.
Related: The Lion King Movies In Order (How to Watch the Film Series)
Historically, the studio has leaned on older films, ones ripe with nostalgia. Classics like “Cinderella,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin” are perfect examples. These films, having marinated in cultural memory for decades,...
A New Era of Remakes
The word on the street is that Disney is in the early developmental stages of live-action remakes for some of its modern classics such as “Frozen,” “Princess and the Frog,” “Tangled,” and “Tarzan.” These reports come primarily from The DisInsider, hinting at these newer titles joining Disney’s ever-growing list of live-action adaptations.
Related: The Lion King Movies In Order (How to Watch the Film Series)
Historically, the studio has leaned on older films, ones ripe with nostalgia. Classics like “Cinderella,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin” are perfect examples. These films, having marinated in cultural memory for decades,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
David Ellison’s fledgling Skydance Animation — run by head of animation John Lasseter and president Holly Edwards — has moved its movie slate from Apple Studios to Netflix. The multi-year streaming deal commences with next year’s musical fantasy “Spellbound,” directed by Vicky Jenson (“Shrek” and “Shark Tale”), featuring the voice talent of Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem, and boasting a score from Alan Menkin and original songs with lyricist Glen Slater. It’s about a princess who tries to reverse a spell that transformed her parents into monsters.
Set for release in 2025 is “Pookoo,” a buddy comedy about two enemies — a woodland creature and a majestic bird — that magically trade places. It’s helmed by former Disney director Nathan Greno (“Tangled”), with original music composed by Siddhartha Khosla.
Also in the works are two prestigious features that are a result of Lasseter’s strong relationships with directors Brad Bird...
Set for release in 2025 is “Pookoo,” a buddy comedy about two enemies — a woodland creature and a majestic bird — that magically trade places. It’s helmed by former Disney director Nathan Greno (“Tangled”), with original music composed by Siddhartha Khosla.
Also in the works are two prestigious features that are a result of Lasseter’s strong relationships with directors Brad Bird...
- 10/18/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
’Spellbound’, Pookoo’ first titles in upcoming slate.
Skydance Animation has signed a multi-year exclusive agreement with Netflix to develop and produce animated films to be released directly on Netflix.
The deal kicks off with Spellbound (pictured) in 2024 followed by Pookoo a year later and expands on the prior relationship between the streamer and Skydance Media.
Wednesday’s announcement comes as Skydance Animation’s multi-year deal with Apple ends as the latter shifts its focus to other types of film. Spellbound had been set to debut on Apple TV+ but will now launch on Netflix.
Skydance Media and Apple continue to...
Skydance Animation has signed a multi-year exclusive agreement with Netflix to develop and produce animated films to be released directly on Netflix.
The deal kicks off with Spellbound (pictured) in 2024 followed by Pookoo a year later and expands on the prior relationship between the streamer and Skydance Media.
Wednesday’s announcement comes as Skydance Animation’s multi-year deal with Apple ends as the latter shifts its focus to other types of film. Spellbound had been set to debut on Apple TV+ but will now launch on Netflix.
Skydance Media and Apple continue to...
- 10/18/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
In a shocking move, Skydance Animation has inked a multiyear agreement with Netflix to develop and produce animation features that will be released directly on Netflix. According to the release, the deal also brings Skydance’s full existing animated feature slate exclusively to Netflix.
The move comes only two years after a wide-ranging partnership between Skydance Animation and Apple TV+ was announced, following Apple’s acquisition of Skydance Animation’s “Luck.” That deal was meant to include both television and features. (The Netflix release doesn’t mention television series.)
“Spellbound,” a high-concept musical fantasy from director Vicky Jenson, will be the first film released under the pact, in 2024. The movie features a score by composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater and an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess. The movie was previewed at this...
The move comes only two years after a wide-ranging partnership between Skydance Animation and Apple TV+ was announced, following Apple’s acquisition of Skydance Animation’s “Luck.” That deal was meant to include both television and features. (The Netflix release doesn’t mention television series.)
“Spellbound,” a high-concept musical fantasy from director Vicky Jenson, will be the first film released under the pact, in 2024. The movie features a score by composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater and an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess. The movie was previewed at this...
- 10/18/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Skydance Animation has signed a multiyear pact with Netflix to develop and produce animated movies for the streamer. First up for release under the deal is Spellbound, a title that was previously set up at Apple, where Skydance Animation signed a pact in 2021. Now, the animation arm of the David Ellison-run studio has found a new streaming home at a time when Netflix is restructuring its animation efforts.
Apple and the John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation have parted ways, with the latter bringing its full existing animation slate to Netflix. In addition to Spellbound, which voice stars Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem and features music from Alan Menkin, Netflix will release the once Apple-bound Pookoo from Tangled director Nathan Greno. Spellbound is due out in 2024, with Pookoo hitting the service a year later.
The Skydance and Netflix slate also includes Ray Gunn, directed by Pixar alum Brad Bird,...
Apple and the John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation have parted ways, with the latter bringing its full existing animation slate to Netflix. In addition to Spellbound, which voice stars Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem and features music from Alan Menkin, Netflix will release the once Apple-bound Pookoo from Tangled director Nathan Greno. Spellbound is due out in 2024, with Pookoo hitting the service a year later.
The Skydance and Netflix slate also includes Ray Gunn, directed by Pixar alum Brad Bird,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If hand-drawn animation ever needed a jump start at Disney, now’s the time. Maybe “Once Upon a Studio,” the hybrid short where 2D takes center stage in a multi-character crossover, will provide the first baby step. But even if it’s only a momentary 100th-anniversary legacy booster, it’s a cause for celebration as 543 newly animated characters (mostly hand-drawn) leap out of their photographs in the live-action Roy E. Disney Animation building to roam the halls and gather outside for a group photo.
The short premieres October 15 during ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.” It will not play in front of “Wish” but will have an Oscar-qualifying run at the El Capitan in Hollywood. One of the great treats is watching Mickey stop and pay tribute to Walt’s portrait underscored by 94-year-old legendary composer Richard Sherman play “Feed the Birds” from “Mary...
The short premieres October 15 during ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.” It will not play in front of “Wish” but will have an Oscar-qualifying run at the El Capitan in Hollywood. One of the great treats is watching Mickey stop and pay tribute to Walt’s portrait underscored by 94-year-old legendary composer Richard Sherman play “Feed the Birds” from “Mary...
- 10/15/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
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Disney fans and physical media collectors, rejoice! This November will see the release of a gargantuan 100-film Blu-ray collection called the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection. The catch? It’ll cost you $1,499.96.
The boxed set officially releases on Nov. 14, but preorders are currently available exclusively at Walmart’s website.
Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection $1,499.96 Buy Now
The collection is packaged as a three-volume set, featuring animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar. But unlike other behemoth boxed sets, this one isn’t filled with lame direct-to video snoozers but beloved titles that includes classics and recent favorites. For example, the long-running list includes all the “Toy Story” movies, both of “The Incredibles,” “The Black Cauldron,” “Frankenweenie” and “Robin Hood.” It even includes films as recent as this...
Disney fans and physical media collectors, rejoice! This November will see the release of a gargantuan 100-film Blu-ray collection called the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection. The catch? It’ll cost you $1,499.96.
The boxed set officially releases on Nov. 14, but preorders are currently available exclusively at Walmart’s website.
Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection $1,499.96 Buy Now
The collection is packaged as a three-volume set, featuring animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar. But unlike other behemoth boxed sets, this one isn’t filled with lame direct-to video snoozers but beloved titles that includes classics and recent favorites. For example, the long-running list includes all the “Toy Story” movies, both of “The Incredibles,” “The Black Cauldron,” “Frankenweenie” and “Robin Hood.” It even includes films as recent as this...
- 9/21/2023
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
As part of Disney’s 100 year anniversary celebrations it has opened its vault doors and revealed the enchanting real world places that inspired Disney’s magical world. For the first time a list of 30 landmarks across Europe, Middle East and Africa that have inspired its movies, parks and fan’s hearts over the last century has been unveiled. It has been released in the run-up to Disney 100 The Exhibition which is being held at London’s Excel from 13th October.
From Big Ben in London to the colourful province of Cinque Terre in Italy and even to the Masai Mara, Kenya, the list of landmarks covers 13 countries and showcases the spots that have inspired some of Disney’s most famous stories. We all recognise Notre Dame Cathedral, France as featured in is name sake The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) and of course St Paul’s Cathedral, London as featured in...
From Big Ben in London to the colourful province of Cinque Terre in Italy and even to the Masai Mara, Kenya, the list of landmarks covers 13 countries and showcases the spots that have inspired some of Disney’s most famous stories. We all recognise Notre Dame Cathedral, France as featured in is name sake The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) and of course St Paul’s Cathedral, London as featured in...
- 9/18/2023
- by Fiona Francia
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
This year's Thanksgiving weekend will be packed with new releases, but they just might be chaotic enough to coexist. Historically, the holiday has been one of the high points of the slower fall months at the box office, particularly for family movies. The current record-holder for a Thanksgiving opening is "Frozen," which grossed $67.3 million Friday-to-Sunday and $95.3 million over the full five-day holiday weekend. With the exception of "Creed II," all the other movies in the top 10 are also family films aimed at a younger audience, including "Tangled," "Moana," and "Toy Story 2."
That bodes well for "Trolls Band Together" and "Wish," two of six new wide releases hitting theaters around Thanksgiving 2023, but what about the rest? The grim world of Panem is set to return in dystopian sci-fi "The Hunger Games: The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes." Michael Fassbender will try to coach the American Samoa soccer team into successfully scoring...
That bodes well for "Trolls Band Together" and "Wish," two of six new wide releases hitting theaters around Thanksgiving 2023, but what about the rest? The grim world of Panem is set to return in dystopian sci-fi "The Hunger Games: The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes." Michael Fassbender will try to coach the American Samoa soccer team into successfully scoring...
- 9/17/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Tata Takes Bite Of Apple In India
Indian channels aggregator, Tata Play Binge, is soon to incorporate Apple TV+, a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Apple TV+ in India. The move means that series such as “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking,” “Silo,” “Hijack,” “Foundation,” “Tehran,” “Servant,” “Platonic,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” “Bad Sisters,” “Slow Horses” and “Prehistoric Planet,” and Apple Original Films including “Coda” and “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” “Ghosted,” and the recently premiered “The Beanie Bubble” will be available on the platform. The launch is being heralded in an ad campaign fronted by Bollywood superstars Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif.
Apple Original films set to make their debut on Apple TV+ soon include Martin Scorsese‘s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone; spy thriller “Argylle,” with Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena,...
Indian channels aggregator, Tata Play Binge, is soon to incorporate Apple TV+, a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Apple TV+ in India. The move means that series such as “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking,” “Silo,” “Hijack,” “Foundation,” “Tehran,” “Servant,” “Platonic,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” “Bad Sisters,” “Slow Horses” and “Prehistoric Planet,” and Apple Original Films including “Coda” and “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” “Ghosted,” and the recently premiered “The Beanie Bubble” will be available on the platform. The launch is being heralded in an ad campaign fronted by Bollywood superstars Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif.
Apple Original films set to make their debut on Apple TV+ soon include Martin Scorsese‘s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone; spy thriller “Argylle,” with Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re a Disney fan who wants each and every animated movie they’ve ever made in one place, then you’re in luck. The Walt Disney Company announced the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, which features 100 animated movies from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar on Blu-ray. Everything from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Elemental is included, encompassing nearly one hundred years of storytelling.
Related Disney and Pixar’s Elemental comes to Disney+ on September 13th
The Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection is a self-standing, three-volume set that will be available for pre-order on September 19th, but only on Walmart.com. There will be a limited amount of sets available, so each will include a numbered certificate of authenticity. The set will also feature digital codes for each title, along with a collectible lithograph from Disney Animation’s all-new musical comedy Wish, and a collectible...
Related Disney and Pixar’s Elemental comes to Disney+ on September 13th
The Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection is a self-standing, three-volume set that will be available for pre-order on September 19th, but only on Walmart.com. There will be a limited amount of sets available, so each will include a numbered certificate of authenticity. The set will also feature digital codes for each title, along with a collectible lithograph from Disney Animation’s all-new musical comedy Wish, and a collectible...
- 9/11/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a hefty new Blu-ray box set containing 100 of its best animated films.
Officially titled the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, the box set comes with three volumes that open up to feature the original theatrical artwork for each film. Additionally, the package offers digital codes to all 100 movies, a certificate of authenticity, a lithograph from the upcoming feature Wish, and a collectible set of crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with “Disney 100.”
Drawing films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and the now-closed DisneyToon Studios, the collection offers a pretty comprehensive timeline of the company, founded in 1923. The box set features early classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, 1990s renaissance films like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Toy Story, and more modern offerings — many of which got the direct-to-Disney+ treatment thanks to Covid — including Soul,...
Officially titled the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, the box set comes with three volumes that open up to feature the original theatrical artwork for each film. Additionally, the package offers digital codes to all 100 movies, a certificate of authenticity, a lithograph from the upcoming feature Wish, and a collectible set of crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with “Disney 100.”
Drawing films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and the now-closed DisneyToon Studios, the collection offers a pretty comprehensive timeline of the company, founded in 1923. The box set features early classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, 1990s renaissance films like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Toy Story, and more modern offerings — many of which got the direct-to-Disney+ treatment thanks to Covid — including Soul,...
- 9/11/2023
- by Carys Anderson
- Consequence - Film News
Disney just announced the release of the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, featuring 100 animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. It’s packaged together as a three-volume set that unfolds into your own storybook.
The set is festooned with original poster designs and comes with digital codes for every movie, alongside a lithograph from Disney’s upcoming feature “Wish,” a certificate of authenticity and crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with the “Disney 100” logo. The limited-edition collection will be available on Nov. 14, with pre-orders beginning on Walmart.com on Sept. 18. It has a retail price of $1,500.
What’s fascinating about the set is that it includes a wide array of classic Walt Disney Animation Studios features, along with beloved Pixar favorites and a smattering of films (many of them direct-to-video sequels to earlier masterworks) created by the since-shuttered DisneyToon Studios. That includes “Tinker Bell,” “Return to Neverland,” “The...
The set is festooned with original poster designs and comes with digital codes for every movie, alongside a lithograph from Disney’s upcoming feature “Wish,” a certificate of authenticity and crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with the “Disney 100” logo. The limited-edition collection will be available on Nov. 14, with pre-orders beginning on Walmart.com on Sept. 18. It has a retail price of $1,500.
What’s fascinating about the set is that it includes a wide array of classic Walt Disney Animation Studios features, along with beloved Pixar favorites and a smattering of films (many of them direct-to-video sequels to earlier masterworks) created by the since-shuttered DisneyToon Studios. That includes “Tinker Bell,” “Return to Neverland,” “The...
- 9/10/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
In our Q&a feature series Tell Me Más, we ask some of our favorite Latine artists to answer the questions only their BFFs know about them, revealing everything from their most recent read to the songs that get them hyped. This month, we sit down with Mexican pop star Danna Paola.
Danna Paola may have gained fame as a child star, but her development as a woman in the music industry is a work in process for this Mexican artist. While being a singer is something that she has been doing her whole life, this new era for Paola is all about self-discovery. Danna was chosen to play Amy Granados, the lead in the successful children's series "Amy, la niña de la mochila azul," which premiered in 2004. She also voiced Rapunzel for the Latin American Spanish-language dubbing of the Disney film "Tangled" and worked in Netflix's hit Spanish teen drama series "Elite,...
Danna Paola may have gained fame as a child star, but her development as a woman in the music industry is a work in process for this Mexican artist. While being a singer is something that she has been doing her whole life, this new era for Paola is all about self-discovery. Danna was chosen to play Amy Granados, the lead in the successful children's series "Amy, la niña de la mochila azul," which premiered in 2004. She also voiced Rapunzel for the Latin American Spanish-language dubbing of the Disney film "Tangled" and worked in Netflix's hit Spanish teen drama series "Elite,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Kimmy Dole
- Popsugar.com
Industry insider Daniel Richtman is firing up the old rumor mill this Monday by saying Disney is looking for Elvis filmmaker Baz Luhrmann to helm its live-action adaptation of Tangled. While there has yet to be an official word from Disney about Luhrmann boarding the project, rumblings about a live-action adaptation of Tangled have circulated for weeks. In addition to Luhrmann potentially eyeing the director’s chair, Richtman says Florence Pugh is up to play the lead with sentient locks.
It’s worth noting that even though Richtman’s prediction track record is impressive, industry vet Jeff Sneider says Richtman’s been ill-informed about details related to Disney‘s live-action version of Tangled. While I could see Luhrmann directing, I find it hard to believe Pugh would star as Rapunzel. What do you think?
In Disney’s 2010 animated masterpiece, the magically long-haired Rapunzel spends her entire life in a tower.
It’s worth noting that even though Richtman’s prediction track record is impressive, industry vet Jeff Sneider says Richtman’s been ill-informed about details related to Disney‘s live-action version of Tangled. While I could see Luhrmann directing, I find it hard to believe Pugh would star as Rapunzel. What do you think?
In Disney’s 2010 animated masterpiece, the magically long-haired Rapunzel spends her entire life in a tower.
- 8/28/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Zachary Levi is clearing up a recent “offhand remark” he made over Hollywood strike restrictions that’s “being taken out of context.”
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi addressed his Comic Con Manchester appearance in a statement per Deadline. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.
Read More: Zachary Levi Doesn’t Blame Dwayne Johnson For Axed ‘Black Adam’ Cameo That Could Have Bolstered ‘Shazam 2’ Box Office
“But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike,...
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi addressed his Comic Con Manchester appearance in a statement per Deadline. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.
Read More: Zachary Levi Doesn’t Blame Dwayne Johnson For Axed ‘Black Adam’ Cameo That Could Have Bolstered ‘Shazam 2’ Box Office
“But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike,...
- 8/6/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Zachary Levi is clarifying his stance on the SAG-AFTRA strike after his appearance at Comic-Con went viral.
The “Shazam!” actor called the rules surrounding what actors can and cannot discuss amid the strike as “so dumb” while onstage at New York Comic-Con. Now, Levi has issued a statement to IndieWire to voice his support for the ongoing strike.
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi said. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.”
He continued, “But we...
The “Shazam!” actor called the rules surrounding what actors can and cannot discuss amid the strike as “so dumb” while onstage at New York Comic-Con. Now, Levi has issued a statement to IndieWire to voice his support for the ongoing strike.
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi said. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.”
He continued, “But we...
- 8/5/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Zachary Levi is clarifying his viral comments about the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The Shazam! star’s jokes from a fan event went viral after he called the guild’s restrictions on promoting studio content “so dumb.”
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi said in a statement Friday. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.”
Levi added: “But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike. Fans that spend their money and energy traveling far distances to talk...
The Shazam! star’s jokes from a fan event went viral after he called the guild’s restrictions on promoting studio content “so dumb.”
“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi said in a statement Friday. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.”
Levi added: “But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike. Fans that spend their money and energy traveling far distances to talk...
- 8/4/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Movies offer an excellent excuse to ruminate on your deepest fears, and they’re certainly cheaper than therapy. So if you’re struggling with some deep mommy issues, why not cue up a matriarchal tale of terror and sort through some of that trauma in style?
Auteurs have been hashing out their issues with their mothers on the big screen for decades, to varying degrees of success. Consider mother-centric horror as its own subgenre, and you’ll notice there’s a tendency among filmmakers to take more than one stab at the thorny subject matter. Alfred Hitchcock used the real crimes of serial killer Ed Gein and added a profoundly morbid murder of a mother at a motel to brilliantly realize Norma and Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) for his exquisite “Psycho” in 1960, of course. But he’d whipped up something just as insidiously spectacular with Leopoldine Konstantin for his earlier...
Auteurs have been hashing out their issues with their mothers on the big screen for decades, to varying degrees of success. Consider mother-centric horror as its own subgenre, and you’ll notice there’s a tendency among filmmakers to take more than one stab at the thorny subject matter. Alfred Hitchcock used the real crimes of serial killer Ed Gein and added a profoundly morbid murder of a mother at a motel to brilliantly realize Norma and Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) for his exquisite “Psycho” in 1960, of course. But he’d whipped up something just as insidiously spectacular with Leopoldine Konstantin for his earlier...
- 8/2/2023
- by Alison Foreman, Wilson Chapman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
When Is Insidious 6 Coming? Well, the Insidious franchise has reached its fifth installment with Insidious: The Red Door, concluding the current storyline involving the Lambert family.
Although news about Insidious 6 may not be imminent, there are significant plans in motion for the future of the series.
Director James Wan experienced tremendous success with the release of Insidious in 2011, introducing audiences to the haunting experiences of the Lambert family, led by Josh and Renai, portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, respectively.
The ongoing presence of spirits tormenting the family, particularly their son Dalton, played by Ty Simpkins, captivated viewers.
While the third and fourth films explored different narratives outside of the Lambert family, Insidious 5 returned to the familiar setting.
Throughout the entire franchise, two crucial elements have served as the connecting threads: the demonologist and paranormal investigator Elise Rainier, portrayed by Lin Shaye, and the eerie spiritual realm known as the Further.
Although news about Insidious 6 may not be imminent, there are significant plans in motion for the future of the series.
Director James Wan experienced tremendous success with the release of Insidious in 2011, introducing audiences to the haunting experiences of the Lambert family, led by Josh and Renai, portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, respectively.
The ongoing presence of spirits tormenting the family, particularly their son Dalton, played by Ty Simpkins, captivated viewers.
While the third and fourth films explored different narratives outside of the Lambert family, Insidious 5 returned to the familiar setting.
Throughout the entire franchise, two crucial elements have served as the connecting threads: the demonologist and paranormal investigator Elise Rainier, portrayed by Lin Shaye, and the eerie spiritual realm known as the Further.
- 7/28/2023
- by Om Prakash Kaushal
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Squint very hard and you might be able to divine an allegory about the Russian attack on Ukraine – but you can also enjoy it for the nice designs and throat singing
This Ukrainian animated feature offers a bricolage of tropes from a wide range of children’s stories; mostly these derive from other movies but there’s a strong, proper folk-story spine in there too. Forest sprite protagonist Mavka (voiced in the English version by Laurie Hymes) is a fetchingly designed ingenue with green hair, disproportionally large doe eyes and magical healing skills, who lives in a part of the forest where humans no longer go, thanks to an old treaty between them and the forest spirits. But wealthy villainess Kalina wants to acquire an elixir from a magic tree in the forest that keeps her from ageing, so she sends a guileless young musician hunk named Lucas in to...
This Ukrainian animated feature offers a bricolage of tropes from a wide range of children’s stories; mostly these derive from other movies but there’s a strong, proper folk-story spine in there too. Forest sprite protagonist Mavka (voiced in the English version by Laurie Hymes) is a fetchingly designed ingenue with green hair, disproportionally large doe eyes and magical healing skills, who lives in a part of the forest where humans no longer go, thanks to an old treaty between them and the forest spirits. But wealthy villainess Kalina wants to acquire an elixir from a magic tree in the forest that keeps her from ageing, so she sends a guileless young musician hunk named Lucas in to...
- 7/24/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Amplify Pictures, the independent television studio behind HBO’s Emmy-winning “100 Foot Wave,” has made a pair of hires. It has tapped Rachel Eggebeen as its chief content officer and Colin King Miller as its chief operating officer. The veteran executives will take founding partnership roles alongside Amplify Pictures CEO Joe Lewis.
“It’s a time of expansion,” Lewis told Variety in an interview. “We’re growing our team and becoming more global.”
At the same time, Amplify has sold a minority stake to Great Mountain Partners. It is understood that the deal values Amplify at $50 million. The funding will be used to back more production of original series of both the unscripted and scripted variety. Great Mountain Partners previous investments include the Oscar-winning film studio A24, branded content producer Rise Studios and the Vuelta Group, a European film studio.
“Amplify Pictures is one of those opportunities where the combination...
“It’s a time of expansion,” Lewis told Variety in an interview. “We’re growing our team and becoming more global.”
At the same time, Amplify has sold a minority stake to Great Mountain Partners. It is understood that the deal values Amplify at $50 million. The funding will be used to back more production of original series of both the unscripted and scripted variety. Great Mountain Partners previous investments include the Oscar-winning film studio A24, branded content producer Rise Studios and the Vuelta Group, a European film studio.
“Amplify Pictures is one of those opportunities where the combination...
- 7/6/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
As part of the final full day of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Disney debuted a whopping 20 minutes of its upcoming animated feature “Wish.” Meant as a celebration of Walt Disney Animation Studio’s legacy, with nods to its illustrious past, it also marks a bold step forward visually for the studio, incorporating a painterly art style that sets it apart from virtually every other computer-animated movie in the library.
Originally announced at D23 Expo in 2022, back then what exactly “Wish” was remained fuzzy. During that presentation, it was mentioned that the movie would make nods to the company’s past but that it would be an original musical fairy tale, full of characters both dashing and devilish. Also that it would serve as a kind of origin story for the wishing star that has been featured in so many Disney classics. It was intriguing and confounding in equal measure.
Originally announced at D23 Expo in 2022, back then what exactly “Wish” was remained fuzzy. During that presentation, it was mentioned that the movie would make nods to the company’s past but that it would be an original musical fairy tale, full of characters both dashing and devilish. Also that it would serve as a kind of origin story for the wishing star that has been featured in so many Disney classics. It was intriguing and confounding in equal measure.
- 6/16/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
There is a lot riding on Vicky Jenson’s upcoming musical animation Spellbound about a princess on a mission to reverse a spell that has transformed her beloved king and queen parents into rampaging monsters.
The film is the second animated feature for Skydance Animation after Luck, which followed its short Blush, and its most ambitious production to date as it attempts to grow into a company rivaling its head of animation John Lasseter’s former homes of Pixar and Disney.
The work also marks Jenson’s first major animation feature in two decades, after Shark Tale (2004) and Oscar-winning Shrek (2001).
Jenson and the film’s Head of Story Brian Pimental hit the Annecy International Film Festival on Tuesday to give a Work in Progress presentation.
“We’re really excited to finally bring you a peak into Spellbound. Skydance Animation is a pretty cool place to work. One of the reasons...
The film is the second animated feature for Skydance Animation after Luck, which followed its short Blush, and its most ambitious production to date as it attempts to grow into a company rivaling its head of animation John Lasseter’s former homes of Pixar and Disney.
The work also marks Jenson’s first major animation feature in two decades, after Shark Tale (2004) and Oscar-winning Shrek (2001).
Jenson and the film’s Head of Story Brian Pimental hit the Annecy International Film Festival on Tuesday to give a Work in Progress presentation.
“We’re really excited to finally bring you a peak into Spellbound. Skydance Animation is a pretty cool place to work. One of the reasons...
- 6/14/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The last few years of Pixar have been rather dispiriting. I don't mean this in terms of quality. Far from it. "Soul," "Turning Red," and "Luca" have ranged from good to great, continuing to show a studio brimming with imagination as newer voices come into the mix. When I say they have been dispiriting, I mean it from a business sense, as under the Bob Chapek regime of Disney the company was relegated to a being a content farm for Disney+. Every year, a Pixar movie was an event, and because nothing can become an event on a streaming service, Pixar's specialness has wasted away. Their first film back in theaters was "Lightyear" and it was a financial disaster. They have "Elemental" releasing this June, and the early box office tracking for it isn't promising.
For over 20 years, Pixar dominated the box office. Even as the Hollywood film landscape became...
For over 20 years, Pixar dominated the box office. Even as the Hollywood film landscape became...
- 6/4/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
When Bob Iger took over Walt Disney again, one of his first moves was to reassure Wall Street that more sequels and remakes were coming. Disney has a lot in its vault, and remaking animated classics as live-action movies is widely seen as a safe strategy, with built-in audiences for familiar fare.
That strategy is coming into question, though, as weak international box office numbers for “The Little Mermaid” trickle in. The live-action remake of the 1989 film grossed $95 million in its Friday-Sunday North American debut, but just $68 million overseas. For comparison, star power fueled the 2019 “Aladdin” remake with Will Smith and 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast” with Emma Watson, both of which earned more than $1 billion, mostly overseas.
What ties Disney’s recent remakes together is that they’re primarily based on movies from what’s called its “Renaissance” period — a range from the late 1980s to late 1990s when...
That strategy is coming into question, though, as weak international box office numbers for “The Little Mermaid” trickle in. The live-action remake of the 1989 film grossed $95 million in its Friday-Sunday North American debut, but just $68 million overseas. For comparison, star power fueled the 2019 “Aladdin” remake with Will Smith and 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast” with Emma Watson, both of which earned more than $1 billion, mostly overseas.
What ties Disney’s recent remakes together is that they’re primarily based on movies from what’s called its “Renaissance” period — a range from the late 1980s to late 1990s when...
- 6/1/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King in The Little MermaidImage: Disney
A few weeks ago, I wrote a news story about Alan Menken’s reveal that songs from The Little Mermaid had been edited and updated to be more reflective of modern morality, particularly in relation to consent. Without having heard the new lyrics,...
A few weeks ago, I wrote a news story about Alan Menken’s reveal that songs from The Little Mermaid had been edited and updated to be more reflective of modern morality, particularly in relation to consent. Without having heard the new lyrics,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Mary Kate Carr
- avclub.com
In 2008, Zachary Levi donated a T-shirt to an auction for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.
Zachary Levi’s generosity and support has made an incredible impact for Operation Smile. His efforts have helped raise funds for more than 1,000 surgeries, giving children worldwide new hope.
Zac is the star of NBC’s hit TV show Chuck, as well as the new animated Disney film, Tangled. He also appeared in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and worked alongside Sara Rue and Sherri Shepherd in ABC’s Less Than Perfect. Zac began his acting career in regional theatre, starring in plays such as Big River and Godspell.
Charities & foundations supported
Zachary Levi has supported the following charities:
Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaChildren's Hospital Los AngelesClothes Off Our BackFeeding AmericaMotion Picture and Television Fund FoundationOperation SmilePadres Contra el CancerRacing for KidsStand Up To CancerThe Art of ElysiumTuberous Sclerosis AllianceYoung Storytellers Foundation Read more about...
Zachary Levi’s generosity and support has made an incredible impact for Operation Smile. His efforts have helped raise funds for more than 1,000 surgeries, giving children worldwide new hope.
Zac is the star of NBC’s hit TV show Chuck, as well as the new animated Disney film, Tangled. He also appeared in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and worked alongside Sara Rue and Sherri Shepherd in ABC’s Less Than Perfect. Zac began his acting career in regional theatre, starring in plays such as Big River and Godspell.
Charities & foundations supported
Zachary Levi has supported the following charities:
Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaChildren's Hospital Los AngelesClothes Off Our BackFeeding AmericaMotion Picture and Television Fund FoundationOperation SmilePadres Contra el CancerRacing for KidsStand Up To CancerThe Art of ElysiumTuberous Sclerosis AllianceYoung Storytellers Foundation Read more about...
- 5/24/2023
- Look to the Stars
Auliʻi Cravalho will not be reprising her titular role in Disney’s upcoming Moana live-action film, which will again see Dwayne Johnson take on the role of demigod Maui.
Cravalho took to social media on Friday to announce that she would not be returning to the role in the film but is excited to find the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to lead the remake.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career,” she said. “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital the casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
She continued, “So, as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass...
Cravalho took to social media on Friday to announce that she would not be returning to the role in the film but is excited to find the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to lead the remake.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career,” she said. “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital the casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
She continued, “So, as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass...
- 5/19/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The recently announced live-action remake of “Moana” is still in development, but Auli’i Cravalho won’t be returning, a least not in front of the camera. The actress took to Instagram to pass the proverbial torch to whoever will be playing the title role for the next go-around.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14,” stated Cravalho in an upbeat and affirmative statement, “it wonderfully changed my life and started my career.” The 22-year-old continued, stating “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital that casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
“I can’t wait to find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures and communities that help inspire her story,...
“When I was cast as Moana at 14,” stated Cravalho in an upbeat and affirmative statement, “it wonderfully changed my life and started my career.” The 22-year-old continued, stating “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital that casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
“I can’t wait to find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures and communities that help inspire her story,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Zachary Levi will star in the Christmas film “Teddy’s Christmas” as the voice of the main character Teddy. The film about a Teddy Bear and a little girl will have its U.S. theatrical release in time for this year’s holiday season, following its release in several European countries.
Levi is best known for his portrayal of the superhero Shazam in “Shazam!” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” and for his voice actor role in Disney’s “Tangled.”
“Teddy’s Christmas” will be released by Capelight Pictures and Blue Fox Entertainment in the U.S.
Zachary Levi
Sales agency Sola Media already sold the film to more than 100 countries including Italy (Lucky Red), France (Kmbo), Germany (Capelight), Switzerland (Elite Film Ag), Spain (Flins & Piniculas), Hungary (Ads), Romania (Idea Film), Poland (Vivarto), Middle East (Krisco) and Baltics (Gpi). Sola will be screening the feature on May 18 in Cannes Market.
Levi is best known for his portrayal of the superhero Shazam in “Shazam!” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” and for his voice actor role in Disney’s “Tangled.”
“Teddy’s Christmas” will be released by Capelight Pictures and Blue Fox Entertainment in the U.S.
Zachary Levi
Sales agency Sola Media already sold the film to more than 100 countries including Italy (Lucky Red), France (Kmbo), Germany (Capelight), Switzerland (Elite Film Ag), Spain (Flins & Piniculas), Hungary (Ads), Romania (Idea Film), Poland (Vivarto), Middle East (Krisco) and Baltics (Gpi). Sola will be screening the feature on May 18 in Cannes Market.
- 5/18/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
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