D23 is the center of the Disney universe

ANAHEIM, California — There are fans, and then there are Disney fans. As we learned at this year’s D23, a convention just for Disney, this biannual get-together is an ever-expanding nova of cosplayers, collectible hunters and those jonesing for  cutting-edge reveals on Frozen II, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker and Marvel Phase Four.

And celebrity sightings? The D23 Convention Hall turns into a cavalcade of Disney Legends — this year it was Robert Downey Jr., former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera, Jon Favreau and James Earl Jones, among others getting their handprints and signatures enshrined at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank — plus surprise onstage appearances by Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Angelina Jolie, Ewan McGregor, Anna Kendrick, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tina Fey, Jaime Foxx, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Kristen Bell, Pedro Pascal, Dick Van Dyke and many others. Way beyond cool. (Read more in upcoming Disney studio releases article.)

And now, with Disney set to launch its own entertainment streaming service (Disney Plus on Nov. 12), there’s a “Sorcerer’s Apprentice”-level flood of news series and movie titles coming all at once. You’d need a host of Mickeys with an army of walking buckets and mops to gather it all in.

Every two years, Anaheim becomes ground zero for hundreds of thousands of Disney fans for one weekend as D23 (the “D” stands for Disney, the “23” for 1923, when Walt Disney founded the company) takes over the central convention floor with programs dedicated to Disney panel discussions, Marvel signings, fan moments, upcoming park innovations and throngs of people in a galaxy of costumes encompassing princesses and princes, villains, cartoon characters, Muppets and superheroes (Fat Thor was particularly popular this year).

After “Disney Legends,” fans heard the big news about Disney+, the streaming service that will include the entire Disney archive of movies, cartoons and features, plus Pixar, Marvel offerings (eventually the home base for all MCU), Lucasfilm (all the Star Wars canon plus way more) as well as 20th Century Fox picks. (See more on Disney Plus in feature article.)

Day 2 at D23 featured a mind-blowing run-through of upcoming studio releases, from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Disney Studios (more on that in sidebars). There were Marvel surprises (Wow! Kit Harrington now filming in London for Marvel’s upcoming The Eternals), a jaw-dropping poster for the ninth Star Wars entry Rise of Skywalker (featuring Rey and Kylo Ren squaring off with lightsabers against an ominous Palpatine sky. Whoo-hoo!), as well as a movie trailer that has got people scraping up what’s left of their blown minds from laptop screens.

In addition to the overwhelming sizzle reels and fantastic array of Disney releases, for this fifth staging of D23, we saw a bigger focus on two areas:

1) A migration outward, to upcoming park expansions, which began to shift into overdrive with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening at Disneyland last May 31 (14 acres of pure immersive Star Wars fun for fans) as well as a Disney World version in Florida on Aug. 29, and a sneak peek at the upcoming Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride (coming January 2020) to complement the popular Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride. Other reveals — all in Florida — include a planned Cirque Du Soleil attraction based on Disney characters, a vast Epcot Experience makeover/transformation next year, a new Star Wars-themed Galactic Starcruiser two-day hotel experience (travel in space!!!!), and (for Disneyland and Disneyland Paris) an Avengers Campus that bring fans closer to Marvel’s Stark and Pym technologies; plus Disney cruise experiences in the Bahamas, lakeside Disney retreats in Florida and much more.


2) A migration inward, or towards home screens, with Disney+, which the company is in an excellent position to steer and oversee. Not only does Disney have vast studio resources to spin off endless new content from blue chip properties (Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar), as we learned from panel discussions with Disney’s creative heads Kevin Feige (Marvel president), Kathleen Kennedy (Lucasfilm president) and Disney Studios chief creative officer Alan Horn, the TV series format offers limitless freedom in storytelling that had before been slowed down by the Hollywood tentpole movie release cycle. Thus, a flood of new, very intriguing content coming your way.

The D23 Convention Hall — packed with 7,000 people for the Day 2 Disney Studios rollout — has become the most anticipated event for fans, who always expect big reveals. Those who’ve attended the earliest D23 conventions recall that, back then, only a sliver of that big, blue-draped hall was filled with fans; now it’s always packed to capacity, the Twitter-verse burbling with tidbits at hyperspace levels (a bit more freedom with phones and social media posting this time, which was good).

So, with all that, it’s safe to say that it’s good to be Disney these days. And millions of D23 fans definitely would agree.

source: philstar.com

Disney joins online distribution biz with acquisition of large YouTube network

LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co has agreed to buy Maker Studios, one of YouTube's largest networks, for $500 million, a deal that makes Disney a major online video distributor and should help draw more teens into the Disney entertainment empire.

The price tag could rise to $950 million if Maker hits certain performance milestones, Disney said, confirming what a source told Reuters earlier on Monday.

Maker, founded in 2009, is one of the largest video production networks on Google Inc's YouTube. Its producers target the younger millennial generation, known for its high appetite for online video.

"This gives a presence online to reach the millennial group that is increasingly getting its video online," said Kevin Mayer, Disney executive vice president for corporate strategy. "And it gives us a lot of data to help promote our other businesses to them."

The deal will be "mildly dilutive" to earnings per share through fiscal 2017, Mayer said. Disney's fiscal year closes at the end of September.

Maker helps produce and distribute videos to more than 380 million subscribers worldwide across more than 55,000 channels. Its videos now collectively garner some 5.5 billion views every month, according to the source.

The company, whose backers include Time Warner Investments, Upfront Ventures and Greycroft Partners, is partners with PewDiePie, the online persona of 24 year-old video gamer Felix Kjellberg. Kjellberg has more than 25 million subscribers and is YouTube's single most-subscribed star.

"Short-form online video is growing at an astonishing pace and with Maker Studios, Disney will now be at the center of this dynamic industry," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.

The deal is expected to close in Disney's third fiscal quarter.

source: interaksyon.com

Disney launches cloud movie service for mobile, online viewing

LOS ANGELES | Walt Disney Co has launched Disney Movies Anywhere, a service for consumers to buy and watch Disney, Pixar and Marvel films online and store them in the cloud, in the latest bid by a Hollywood studio to encourage digital movie purchases.

Disney, like other Hollywood studios, is trying to boost digital sales after consumers moved away in recent years from buying DVDs, cutting a lucrative source of revenue.

The media company said in a statement it launched the new service on Tuesday, coinciding with the digital release of Disney’s blockbuster animated movie “Frozen.”

The service allows consumers to buy digital movies from a library of more than 400 titles through Apple Inc’s iTunes store and the Disney Movies Anywhere website and app.

The purchased movies can be watched on a laptop or desktop computer, or on Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, Disney said. Consumers can also view the films through the Apple TV box.

The service is built on Disney’s proprietary digital rights locker KeyChest, rather than UltraViolet, a cloud storage service used by other major Hollywood studios.

“The beauty of this technology is that it enables us to work with iTunes and future provider partners to ensure movie lovers have streamlined access to all of their favorite Disney titles no matter what device they are on,” said Jamie Voris, Disney Studios’ chief technology officer.

Disney said it is in talks with other retailers about offering the service outside of iTunes.

source: interaksyon.com

3D fairy tale ‘Frozen’ overtakes ‘Catching Fire’ at North American box office

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK | Walt Disney Co’s animated princess fairy tale “Frozen” heated up movie box office charts in the United States and Canada, displacing dystopian thriller “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” as the top-earning film.

“Frozen” sold $31.6 million worth of tickets from Friday through Sunday during its second weekend in theaters to top domestic movie charts, while “Catching Fire” earned $27 million, according to studio estimates from Rentrak.

The weekend’s only new nationwide release, crime thriller “Out of the Furnace,” took a distant third place with $5.3 million.

Global sales for “Frozen,” a solid holiday season hit, climbed to $190 million through Sunday, Disney said. The 3D movie, inspired by “The Snow Queen” fairytale, features the voice of Kristen Bell as a Scandinavian princess intent on finding her sister, the Queen, who has the power to freeze anything with a touch and accidentally sets off a long winter that is destroying their kingdom.

“Catching Fire,” the second of the “Hunger Games” films based on novels by Suzanne Collins, brought its global total to a massive $673.4 million, according to distributor Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence as heroine Katniss Everdeen, a skilled archer who provides hope for an oppressed society on the edge of rebellion.

Lions Gate noted that the U.S. weather in recent days, with several winter storm systems in play, likely had an impact on box office results.

Third-place film “Out of the Furnace” stars Christian Bale and Casey Affleck as brothers in a working-class Pennsylvania steel town. When one of the brothers disappears, the other sets out to find him and enact revenge.

“Out of the Furnace” was distributed by privately held Relativity Media and cost $22 million to make. Critics were split on the film. As of Saturday, the movie scored a 51 percent positive rating among reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

In a statement, Relativity called the “a daring story from a renowned director and an award-winning cast,” adding “While we had hoped it would perform better this weekend, we are all proud of this movie.”

Rounding out the charts, Marvel superhero sequel “Thor: The Dark World,” which stars Chris Hemsworth as the god of thunder, earned $4.7 million. “Delivery Man,” featuring Vince Vaughn as a sperm donor who fathers more than 500 children, finished fifth, grossing $3.8 million. Disney distributed “Thor” and “Delivery Man.”

Next weekend, theaters are expected to be busy with fans turning out for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second of three movies based on the fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Last year’s blockbuster “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” earned $1 billion at theaters worldwide.

source: interaksyon.com

Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco honored at Walt Disney World; guest on 'Late Show with David Letterman'

Baltimore Ravens quarterback and Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco was honored at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Monday.

Flacco was the guest of honor in an afternoon parade at the Magic Kingdom that featured Mickey Mouse wearing a football costume, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

On Sunday night, Flacco became the latest athlete to utter the phrase, “I’m going to Disney World” after winning the Super Bowl.

Flacco was also a guest on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" on Monday night.

On the show, Flacco was asked if he had spoken to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti about a new contract.




"Well, you know, actually, I only talked to him a little bit before this game, but before the New England game, you know, he just came up to me and said, 'Listen, this is our time, and go get 'em. We have all the faith in you, and this is going to be your team for a long time,'" Flacco said.

Flacco told Letterman he turned down an extension offer from the team last year.

"Well ... when I wasn't signing what they wanted me to sign, (Bisciotti) said, 'Listen, when the time comes, I mean, you come and beat on my desk,' and I said, 'All right, I'll take you up on that,' and I think the time has come."

Flacco was sharp in the postseason, throwing 11 touchdowns with no interceptions. He threw three touchdowns and passed for 287 yards in his MVP-winning performance as the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31.

source: aol.sportingnews.com

New ‘Star Wars’ movies – dream come true or cosmic yawn?

LOS ANGELES – For years, it seemed like another “Star Wars” movie was just a dream, stillborn in a galaxy far, far away.

But down on Earth, the Walt Disney movie studio had different ideas, announcing on Tuesday that it planned not one but at least three new “Star Wars” movies, starting in three years’ time.

Disney’s $4 billion acquisition of George Lucas’ Lucasfilm and the multibillion-dollar “Star Wars” franchise surprised investors and caused mixed reactions among movie fans, many of whom had little appetite for more Luke Skywalkers and Jedis.

“The series had stagnated creatively. This could go well…Or not,” said Facebook user Chris Goodson.

Another user, Peter Campbell, voiced his disbelief, asking, “Is this for real? Oh please, enough with the Star Wars movies.”

Lucas, whose imagination gave pop culture Princess Leia and her crazy cinnamon-bun hairstyle, the anti-hero Darth Vader and the catch phrase “May The Force Be With You,” has insisted for years that he would make no more than the three original films and three prequels.

Lucas has often expressed frustration with criticism from many avid “Star Wars” fans who have taken issue with his director’s cuts of the films.

“Why would I make any more,” Lucas told the New York Times in a January interview about the “Star Wars” movies, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

But seven years after the last picture, “Revenge of the Sith,” Disney said on Tuesday it saw room for “Star Wars Episode 7″ in 2015, with Episodes 8 and 9 to follow at two or three year intervals.

Some fans welcomed the prospect of new films. On the Facebook “Star Wars” page, user David Schmoyer said “it brings dreaming back to the place where many of us began to dream.”

Others were less happy. User Andreas Pedersen called it “the worst April Fools’ joke ever,” while another fan, Brandan Sullivan, said “this might be the death of Star Wars.”

“People don’t seem to be recognizing that taking Star Wars out of George Lucas’ hands is the best possible thing for the franchise,” Jesse Taylor counter-argued on Twitter.

In addition to new films, characters like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi may find a home on the Disney XD cable TV channel, targeted at young boys.

Furthermore, Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told reporters on a conference call that there was “ample opportunity” to extend the franchise in Disney’s global theme parks, cementing the place of R2-D2 and Han Solo alongside Mickey Mouse and the Little Mermaid.

“Cool for another Star Wars but not sure I like Disney backing it,” commented Janel Halstead on Facebook.

The “Star Wars” franchise has earned some $4.4 billion at the global box office since the first film was released in 1977, making it the third most successful movie property after “Harry Potter” and the “James Bond” series.

Like the boy wizard and the suave British secret agent, “Star Wars” has also spawned an empire of books, games and toys so large that it is often dubbed the “Expanded Universe.”

It has also inspired a mini-industry dedicated to examining philosophical, spiritual and mythical themes, with many observers seeing Luke Skywalker as an embodiment of Jesus Christ and some seeing Yoda as inspired by a Mormon prophet.

Lucas, 68, said in a video posted on the StarWars.com website on Tuesday that he had story treatments for Episodes 7, 8 and 9 that he would hand over to producer Kathleen Kennedy to develop in partnership with Disney.

In the same video, Kennedy said Disney was the “best company possible to take Star Wars into the future,” and assured Lucas that she would adhere to his creations.

“The main thing is to protect these characters to make sure they continue to live in the way you created them,” Kennedy said.

source: interaksyon.com