“The Musical Journey of Aladdin” is a Wish Come True

August 24, 2019

By Beth Deitchman

Tonight, the D23 Expo Arena was seemingly transformed into a veritable Cave of Wonders, as Scott Weinger and Disney Legend Linda Larkin—voices of Aladdin and Jasmine in the 1992 animated classic—led Disney fans on “The Musical Journey of Aladdin.”

The one-of-a-kind event brought a host of Aladdins to the stage, as Weinger was joined by Brad Kane, who lent his spectacular singing voice to the title role. Clinton Greenspan, who performs the role nightly on Aladdin’s national tour—and who will take on the role on Broadway in just two weeks also joined the presentation—along with a very special surprise guest: Mena Massoud, who played the street rat in the live-action Aladdin that opened in theaters earlier this year.

Weinger and Kane have been with Aladdin the longest, and both reminisced about their auditions, singing “Proud of Your Boy,” a song that ultimately was cut from the film, but has become a powerful part of Aladdin on Broadway. Weinger joked that he “still has a chip on my shoulder” about not having the opportunity to do his own singing in the movie, and he shared a video of a “singing lesson” he recently had with Disney Legend Alan Menken, who guided him through a rendition of “Proud of Your Boy.” (We think he might just be a diamond in the rough.)

Among the other treasures from tonight’s presentation were behind-the-scenes clips from the original recording sessions, of Brad Kane learning a musical phrase from Menken, and of Linda Larkin bringing Jasmine to life. “When I see that girl, I see someone who didn’t know what this was all going to be,” Larkin said.

The musical highlights of the presentation included a stunning performance of “To Be Free” by Deedee Magno Hall, who played Jasmine in the first-ever stage production of Aladdin in Aladdin—A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure; and a show-stopping rendition of “Speechless” from the live-action Aladdin by Lillias White, best known to Disney fans as the voice of the head Muse in Hercules.

Summoned by a magic lamp, Mena Massoud appeared on the D23 Expo Arena stage to share stories about filming the live-action blockbuster. He also brought some special treats for the Disney fans in attendance, in the form of a never-before-seen sequence, “Desert Moon,” which features Massoud and Naomi Scott singing together, even as they were “worlds apart,” according to Massoud, as he was in Jordan while Scott filmed her part in London. He also brought a hilarious blooper reel with him.

Via video message, Will Smith introduced “the genie behind the genie,” choreographer Jamal Sims. With a little help from his assistant, Nicky Anderson—and a troupe of dancers clad in vibrant track suits—Sims gave us a sense of how a lavish dancer number like “Friend Like Me” is put together… before it turns into a massive dance number filmed over the course of more than a week.

Of course, the best was saved for last, as Grammy® winning singer Regina Belle took the stage to discuss “A Whole New World,” revealing that when she recorded the song back in 1992, she had bronchitis and a 102-degree fever—a testament to her incredible talent. She was joined by Broadway performer Norm Lewis for a powerful rendition of the song’s signature anthem to close the show.

The panel was one of those amazing events that only happen at the D23 Expo, but you can see at least some of these unbelievable sights and experience the same indescribable feelings for yourself by bringing Disney’s Aladdin home on Digital this Tuesday on Blu-ray on September 10.

D23 Expo’s Spirited Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Celebration

August 24, 2019

By Jim Frye

Shhhh. In the quiet of night and under a pale-white moon, if you listen closely outside the gates of the grand, stately mansion in New Orleans Square on the banks of Disneyland’s Rivers of America, you might just hear some “goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween” throwing a party. Of course, they’re always throwing a party inside Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion—a swinging wake, to be exact—but things are getting really spirited this year in honor of the 50th anniversary of the much-loved attraction. To celebrate, D23 Expo materialized a roster of guests (from the world of the living!) to relive and remember some of their best memories from these 50 years of Happy Haunts!

Kevin Lively, story editor for Imagineering, hosted the event, along with a panel of guests including Daniel Joseph, a senior special effects and illusion designer for Walt Disney Imagineering (an “Illusioneer”); and Kelsey McCullough, granddaughter of Disney Legend X Atencio. Fans were also treated to appearances by Sally Slater—the longtime tightrope-walking resident of the Mansion—and Uncle Deadly, the suave, sinister-appearing Muppet who loves all things macabre.

The event started with a video montage of Imagineers explaining their love for the Haunted Mansion and what sparked them to the idea of wanting to be Imagineers. Another video featured two Jungle Cruise captains taking us on a comical tour of the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise-style—which means full of corny jokes and cringe-worthy puns. Loved it!

Joseph discussed the at-the-time revolutionary special effects that helped make Haunted Mansion such a hit. “For me, the Haunted Mansion was a really big deal,” Daniel said. “I made haunted houses in my basement as a kid. I loved magic and the history of magic. I was 8. My parents just stayed out of the basement.”

One of the highlights of the panel was hearing Kelsey McCullough share memories of her “Papa,” X Atencio. “Growing up, Haunted Mansion had a soft spot in my heart,” she said. “It was mandatory to always ride Papa’s rides—Haunted Mansion and Pirates. Those rides had so much of his personality in them—charming, witty, and full of irreverent humor. His house was a mini Disneyland. The stories became a part of him. He had a Haunted Mansion tombstone in the backyard planted behind the diving board. And he drank rum and tonic every day—the Pirate drink.”

The panel finished with a real treat! McCullough, along with special guests Sally Slater and Uncle Deadly, read through X Atencio’s never-before-released July 19, 1968, draft of the Haunted Mansion script. Although changes and revisions turned it into what it has become today, it was almost like stepping back in time to hear what Atencio originally penned. Almost like listening to “ghosts of the past.” 50 years in the past, to be exact.

It was the perfect ending to the panel. Here’s hoping that we’ll have “grim, grinning ghosts” socializing and creating memories and welcoming foolish mortals for years to come.

5 Questions Answered About One Day at Disney

August 24, 2019August 28, 2019

By Bruce C. Steele, author of One Day at Disney

What’s it like to be one of just 76 people—from more than 200,000 cast members worldwide—selected to represent The Walt Disney Company?

“I didn’t really understand what I was getting myself into,” said Lucasfilm’s Este Meza as part of the One Day at Disney panel Saturday at D23 Expo. “It wasn’t until I got here that I realized this is a really, really big deal.”

For the panel, six of The Walt Disney Company’s star cast members came together to talk about being included in the One Day at Disney book and video project. The panel was moderated by two of One Day’s guiding forces: Jeffrey Epstein, director, Corporate Communications, and Wendy Lefkon, director, Disney Editions.

Lefkon said she had been working on the project for five years, “with a lot of stops and a lot of starts.” But along the way she had support from the top: The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, she said, “spearheaded this whole thing for us, and we couldn’t ask for anyone more supportive.” Iger was eager to highlight the stories of individual Disney cast members, she added.

One Day at Disney showcases the talented people who bring to life Disney’s storytelling and guest experiences. The project is a collaboration between Disney Publishing Worldwide and Disney+, Disney’s new streaming service, and includes a 224-page coffee table book, a documentary feature, both arriving December 3, and a 50-episode series of documentary shorts.

In addition to Meza, Lucasfilm’s senior events manager, the D23 Expo panel included ABC7 helicopter reporter Chris Cristi, Walt Disney Imagineering construction manager Kristina Dewberry, legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg, Golden Oak Ranch senior manager Steve Sligh, and long-running Radio Disney Network talent Candice Valdez. All shared their experiences opening up their workspaces to the One Day at Disney team.

In explaining how the project came together and what it was like to participate, the panel answered some intriguing questions:

How were the participants selected? Epstein and Lefkon brainstormed for “weeks and weeks,” Epstein said, discussing what jobs to focus on and learning about jobs they didn’t previously know existed in the Company. Because the project was photo-centric, “One of our parameters was finding people doing things that look really interesting as well as sound really interesting,” Lefkon said. Eventually the team set up 76 photo shoots in 21 cities across three continents to take place in one 24-hour period.

Dewberry noted other priorities, as well. “It shows how really important diversity and inclusion are to the Company to include a female construction manager,” she said.

How was the “one day” picked? Epstein said the team focused on a date after Christmas, so the images would not be anchored to a particular holiday. Considering dates in February, the team learned about a press junket scheduled on February 21 for the film Captain Marvel, thus allowing One Day to include Brie Larson as a participant. “We actually used the junket day for Captain Marvel as our anchor day,” Epstein said.

What was the photo shoot day like? For Dewberry, being followed around by a photo crew while supervising construction work on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland was “kind of cool,” in part because the photos would honor not just her but the “crazy symphony of amazingness,” that constituted the Star Wars project. She got to stand in for “all the hundreds of people who were there making this magical place.”

For Cristi, in the ABC7 news helicopter, flying over a rare Los Angeles snow, everything went smoothly—until the airborne news team noticed smoke that appeared to be coming from Golden Oak Ranch, the Disney filming location in Santa Clarita where Sligh is general manager.

After sounding the alarm and heading in to cover what might have been a breaking news story, Cristi learned from Sligh that the smoke was just part of a film project that was shooting at the ranch. No story, no disaster.

Maybe it was the snow that put people on edge, Sligh suggested. “It never snows at Santa Clarita except when there’s a One Day at Disney shoot.”

Why is the project important? Goldberg sees One Day at Disney as both an example of The Walt Disney Company’s team spirit and also a celebration of it. “We’re bringing smiles to a lot of people and a lot of that comes from the spirit of collaboration,” he said.

Cristi added, “As exciting as my job is—and we have some of the best jobs in the world on this stage—it doesn’t happen by itself.” Representing the dozens of ABC7 cast members who help him get the news to viewers, from the pilot to the transmission technicians on the ground, “is very, very humbling,” he said.

It also provides Disney fans a long-awaited glimpse behind the scenes. People “light up when they hear you work for Disney,” Valdez said, and everyone wants to know what it’s like to work there.

What’s missing? One day is not all days, panelists agreed. “Every day is different for me, and I love that,” Dewberry said. “I get to work with amazing teams on really cool things, and no day is the same.”

Also not shown: All the fascinating job participants held earlier in their careers, from Goldberg’s work as the lead animator on Genie in the original Aladdin to Chris Cristi’s summer job when he was in college in Florida. “I actually started my career with Disney at Walt Disney World,” he said. “I worked as a Monorail pilot for a whole summer. And at that point in my career, I thought that was the most exciting job in the world.”

The One Day at Disney book is available for pre-order at D23 Expo and will be open to all fans to order on August 25 at Disney.com. The Disney+ series begins December 3 with the feature-length documentary.

12 Fantastic Live-Action and Animated Films Showcased at D23 Expo 2019

August 24, 2019

By Beth Deitchman

“You’re not just fans, you’re family. And there are 7,000 of you in this audience today. It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great films—and we love the D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first,” said Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios, as he kicked off an unforgettable morning in Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2019.

Horn was joined by creative leaders from across The Walt Disney Studios to take fans inside Disney’s upcoming slate. From Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen 2, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to The Eternals, Onward, and Jungle Cruise—to name just a handful of the films spotlighted today—there is so much movie magic coming to a big screen near you in the coming months and years. Here are the films we can’t wait to see:

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Horn welcomed Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy—whom he described as “our Yoda”—and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams to the Hall D23 stage to celebrate the end of a saga that began 40 years ago. They were soon joined by nine stars from the film—returning cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, and Billy Dee Williams, and newcomers to the galaxy far, far away, Naomi Ackie and Keri Russell.

“We have genuinely become a family over these last few years. We’re done making these movies, and it’s crazy to think in a few short months The Rise of Skywalker will be in theaters. We had the best time,” said Rey herself, Daisy Ridley.

Neither Ackie nor Russell could reveal much about the tremendously anticipated film. “The main thing is my son actually thinks I’m cool now,” Russell shared, and she did reveal this description of her character, Zorri: “She’s very cool and a little bit shady.”

Returning to the Millennium Falcon for one last adventure, actor Billy Dee Williams told fans, “Lando has never left me, and being here all these years, these 40 years, is a very special experience for me.”

Anthony Daniels, who plays our favorite protocol droid shared, “It’s kind of hard for me to understand that this story is ending—but what an ending!”

“The character of Leia is the heart of the story,” said Abrams, who came on to the film after the passing of Disney Legend Carrie Fisher. Fans will see Leia in The Rise of Skywalker through new footage that had been shot for Episode VII that has never been seen before, and Abrams shared a surprising story that made Fisher’s involvement in the new film seem inevitable. The director recalls reading the dedication of the final book Fisher wrote, The Princess Diarist, in which the actress and talented writer thanked Abrams for “putting up with her” twice. In fact, he had only worked with Fisher once… until now. Today fans got to see a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Wars storytelling—with an exclusive sneak peek at what will no doubt be an amazing conclusion to the Skywalker saga (along with a brand-new poster). Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in U.S. theaters on December 20, 2019.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige then strode on to the Expo stage where he was greeted warmly by his fellow D23 Members. “My kids are here for the first time, trying to figure out what Dad does for a living. And what Dad does for a living is come to D23 and bring cool stuff.”

Black Panther 2
Ryan Coogler—director and co-writer of the only Marvel Studios film to be nominated for an Oscar® for Best Picture—joined Feige to reveal that a sequel to Black Panther is officially in the works. Scanning a treatment, Feige and Coogler agreed that it was too early to share a title… or the opening scene… or a description of the film’s villain. But what could they share? A release date! Mark May 6, 2022 on your calendar.

The Eternals
“We’ve pulled back the cosmic curtain on the MCU in ways you can’t imagine,” Feige said, before he brought the cast of Marvel Studios’ The Eternals to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. In addition to revealing concept art images of each character, Feige announced three additional cast members: the humankind-loving Sersi, to be played by Gemma Chan; aloof loner Druig, to be played by Barry Keoghan; and non-Eternal Dane Whitman, who, Feige confirmed, will be played by Kit Harington. Chloé Zhao directs the film, which opens in U.S. theaters on November 6, 2020.

Black Widow
We’re thrilled that our next big-screen foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe—and the launch of Phase Four—marks the return of Scarlett Johansson to the role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who plays Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena, appeared in a special greeting, just for fans in Hall D23. As if that weren’t enough, Feige shared an exclusive look at the new film… taking fans to Budapest for a truly unique family reunion.

Jungle Cruise
Taking the stage to present Disney’s upcoming live-action releases, Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, told fans, “We have gone deep into the jungles to find the inspiration for one of our next big adventures—in fact, we’ve gone all the way to the back side of water.”

One of the biggest movie stars of the moment made the biggest entrance of the morning, as Dwayne Johnson sailed into Hall D23 on a Jungle Cruise boat. “We wanted to make a movie that was big, that was epic, that had romance, big comedy, big action, but—most importantly—it’s got me,” Johnson said, and he surprised fans with a “trailer” for Jungle Cruise showing off his character, riverboat captain Frank Wolff.

Of course, Johnson has a talented and very beloved co-star in the Jungle Cruise, and Emily Blunt, who plays Dr. Lily Houghton—motored onto the Expo stage via classic car, to present her own “trailer” with her character front and center. Bailey laughingly informed both stars that neither trailer was official—we’ll have to stay tuned for a new look at the film.

“We are keenly aware of the responsibility we have for such a beloved property, and that property is Jungle Cruise, the ride,” Johnson assured fans, acknowledging how beloved the attraction has been for generations. Johnson and Blunt promised fans they’re in store for “the adventure of a lifetime.” Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Disney’s Jungle Cruise hits U.S. theaters on July 24, 2020.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Get ready for “wicked fun,” when Maleficent: Mistress of Evil arrives in U.S. theaters on October 18, 2019. Angelina Jolie, who stars in the title role, shared that she loved the character she first embodied in the 2014 film and responded to the themes that, despite the dramatic differences between Aurora and Maleficent, they can still be a family. In the new film, Maleficent, portrayed by Jolie, and her goddaughter Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and new dark forces at play. “We really pose the question and fight for the belief that what is different makes you stronger,” Jolie shared today. “And what is family and what defines family is what you believe in and how you love and what you stand for—it’s not just blood, and it’s not because you’re the same.”

Jolie and Bailey were joined by Fanning; Michelle Pfeiffer, who plays Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith; and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars as Connal, a leader of the dark fey who becomes Maleficent’s ally. Fanning filmed the first Maleficent when she was 14, and now the actress, like Aurora, has grown. “Now I’m 21. I feel exactly like Aurora,” Fanning said. “I have grown as a young woman, and getting to revisit her at this special time in her life and experiencing the things that I myself am experiencing now is really extremely special. The cast unveiled an exclusive clip from the film, which is directed by Joachim Rønning, who co-helmed 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Mulan
In Disney’s Mulan, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

“What drew me to this project was Mulan herself. Her journey from village girl to male soldier to warrior to hero, I think represents all of us. And the story is as relevant and inspiring today as it was when it was first written over 1,500 years ago,” said Niki Caro, director of Mulan. Caro shared several minutes of footage from the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic film—which features explosive action sequences, breathtaking costumes, and so much more. The film opens on March 27, 2020.

Cruella
Alas, Cruella star Emma Stone was not spotted in Anaheim, California, today, but she sent a special greeting from the film’s London-based set, where production has just gotten underway. Bailey offered a first look at Stone as Cruella, sharing an image of the actress in full costume with Cruella’s signature black-and-white-hair. Emma Thompson also stars in the movie—along with some four-legged canine co-stars, one of whom joined Stone for her special message to Disney fans. Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, The Finest Hours) brings a fresh, 1970s, punk-rock approach to Cruella, which opens on May 28, 2021.

Moving “onward” to Pixar Animation Studios, Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter made his first Expo appearance since taking the helm of the Emeryville-based studio—a studio he joined in 1990. “We are the luckiest people on earth up at Pixar. We get to do what we love—we love animation—we get to make very personal films, and to have them so well-accepted by the world is just amazing,” Docter said. Two original films are coming from Pixar in 2020, and Docter said, “Sequel or original, the most important thing for us at Pixar is making films that speak to everyone.”

Soul
Docter is director of Soul, a film that journeys from the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities. According to Docter, the film asks the ultimate questions: Why am I here? Where did I come from? What am I here for? The film’s producer, Dana Murray, co-director/writer Kemp Powers, and writer Mike Jones joined Docter on stage to share a sneak peek of the film. They revealed that globally renowned musician Jon Batiste is writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar® winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network), from Nine Inch Nails, will compose an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds.

The filmmakers also introduced Disney fans to the voice cast of the intriguing—not to mention stunning—new film. Jamie Foxx stars as Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz; while Tina Fey is 22, a soul-in-training who has an unexpected encounter with Joe when he accidentally finds his way to the “The You Seminar”—where, the filmmakers revealed, she has spent a very, very long time. Together, they embark upon finding a way to get Joe back to Earth, making him think again about what it truly means to have soul. Rounding out the cast—and joining Foxx and Fey today—are Ahmir Questlove Thompson as Curly; Phylicia Rashad as Libba; and Daveed Diggs as Paul. Disney and Pixar’s Soul opens in U.S. theaters on June 19, 2020.

Onward
Director Dan Scanlon shared that the new film Onward is based on his personal experience growing up. “My brother and I lost our father at a young age, and I’ve always wondered who my dad was and how I was like him. Those questions became a roadmap for this film,” he explained. The film stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot. Barley is super-confident… Ian is less so. The brothers embark on an extraordinary twist, with Barley’s beloved van “Guinevere” serving as “a mighty steed,” as they set out to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world.

Holland and Pratt took the Hall D23 stage to thunderous applause. “The last time we were here we were like ‘space buddies,’ fighting on Titan, and now we’re ‘elf buddies’ fighting in L.A.,” Holland joked.

Emmy® winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus (who previously voiced Princess Atta in the Pixar film a bug’s life) voices their mom. “It was really fun to play an elf mom of these two bozos here,” Louis-Dreyfus laughed, before introducing an eight-minute clip from the film. The audience also received an exclusive poster for the film, which opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020.

Jennifer Lee is no stranger to D23 Expo, but today marked her first Hall D23 appearance as Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer. Lee shared that, as a child, “Disney spoke to me like nothing else. I felt transported. I felt somehow understood and definitely like anything was possible, so Disney gave me the courage to tell the stories that were in my head.” Those stories led Lee to Walt Disney Animation Studios, where she said, “For nearly a decade, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the most incredible artists and technicians in the world. And like me, they came to Disney because they were inspired and they wanted to help create the animated films of the future: adventures in completely original, fantastical worlds; stories from around the globe; and the next generation of musicals.”

Raya and the Last Dragon
Lee was joined by directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins (Big Hero 6, Frozen), producer Osnat Shurer (Moana), and writer Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians) to introduce the fantasy-action-adventure Raya and the Last Dragon. The film tells the story of Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra, who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. Lin, a lifelong Disney fan who was born and raised in Southeast Asia, said, “Disney was a magical, transporting presence in my life.” She grew up watching Disney animated films, but noted, “When my cousins and I were not watching Disney movies—on VHS—we lived for Hong Kong action movies, where young girls could still put the beatdown on bad guys. So this movie is a combination of both those genres which I love—which all of us love.”

The Hall D23 audience met two newly announced members of the voice cast: Awkwafina, who will voice Sisu, the Last Dragon; and Cassie Steele, who voices the lead character. Raya meets Sisu when she is in human form, when she is “not the dragon hero Raya is looking for,” Steele points out. Fans were treated to an exclusive, three-minute piece from the dazzling film, which explores themes of community and hope and is inspired by the beautiful and diverse cultures of Southeast Asia. Raya and the Last Dragon opens in U.S. theaters on November 25, 2020.

Frozen 2
Jennifer Lee welcomed to the stage fellow Frozen 2 director Chris Buck, whom she referred to as her “mentor.” The two previously partnered to direct Frozen and admitted that there were burning questions that they still wanted to answer for fans, such as: Why does Elsa have powers? Why was Anna born the way that she was? They also wondered about Elsa and Anna’s parents. Where were they really going when their ship went down? Together, with Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, they realized they still had more story to tell. And according to Buck, together, Frozen and Frozen 2 form one complete story.

Though Lee and Buck wouldn’t reveal the mysteries of the past, they did reveal two new characters we’ll meet in Frozen 2, and introduced the actors who will play them. Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) will play Queen Iduna (and fans were treated to clip in which she sings a beautiful lullaby to young Anna and Elsa); and Sterling K. Brown will voice Lieutenant Mattias, who leads a group of soldiers who have been trapped in an enchanted forest for more than 30 years. “I came to D23 Expo because I heard they show parts of the film here!” said Brown, who saw his character for the first time today along with Expo attendees—and he was all of us when he leapt for joy. The filmmakers also treated fans to a sequence from the movie that showcased Elsa’s yearning for answers about the past, culminating in another song, “Into the Unknown.”

The film’s stars, Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad, appeared on the Hall D23 stage to cap a spectacular morning with a performance of the new song “Some Things Never Change” from the film, which opens on November 22, 2019—making for a finale that was truly worth melting for.

Marvel’s Moon Girl to Launch on Disney Channel

August 24, 2019August 24, 2019

By Bruce Steele

Disney Channel will soon have a new smartest character when Marvel’s Moon Girl lands on the network. Executive producer Laurence Fishburne announced the new original animated series Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Saturday at the Disney Television Animation panel at D23 Expo 2019.

The show is based on the hit Marvel comic books, first published in 2016. “When I read the books, I fell in love with them,” said Fishburne, who is part of the executive producer team with his and Helen Sugland’s Cinema Gypsy Productions (ABC’s black-ish), Marvel Animation & Family Entertainment, and Steve Loter (of Disney’s Kim Possible).

“We’re really excited about it,” Fishburne said. “We’ve been working on it for a long time.” The show doesn’t yet have a debut date, but it’s “coming soon to the Disney Channel,” he said, adding, “or as I like to say, ‘soon-ish.’”

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur follows the adventures of 13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette and her sidekick, Devil Dinosaur, a 10-ton Tyrannosaurus Rex she accidentally transported to modern New York City, where Lunella lives on the Lower East Side.

The announcement was big news at a panel already featuring the world’s smartest amphibian, Kermit the Frog, who for the first time got to mingle with some up-and-coming frog stars from Disney Channel’s new hit series Amphibia.

“For years I’ve just been your typical singing, dancing, talking frog,” Kermit said, “so it was great to be asked to do something different.”

Kermit introduced the creators and voice casts for both Amphibia and another popular Disney Channel animated series Big City Greens. “That’s a show with ‘green’ in the title. Why wasn’t I cast on that show?” Kermit asked.

Big City Greens was represented on the panel by Chris Houghton, who created the show with his brother Shane and also voices the main character, Cricket Green. Shane Houghton and four voice actors were also on hand. Amphibia brought four cast members as well as creator Matt Braly and story editor Jack Ferraiolo.

The creative teams teased new storylines for each show’s second season and led the audience in drawing exercises to create characters from the shows.

Braly shared exclusive concept art for Season 2 of Amphibia, depicting the Plantar frog family in their slug-drawn cart heading for a rocky new landscape surrounding an active volcano. The frogs and their human guest—Anne, the show’s main character, who has been magically transported into this world of talking frogs—will be “hitting the road,” Ferraiolo said, “as they try to find a way to find Anne’s friends and get her back home.”

“Getting transported into a world of frogs sounds right up my lily pad,” quipped Kermit.

The second season of Big City Greens, which begins in September, will include the show’s first Christmas episode. “It’s a half-hour special that is also a musical with six new songs,” Chris Houghton said. “I’m very happy and proud of it, and I can’t wait for you guys to see it.”

In general, he added, during Season Two, “things get really weird and fun.” A number of notable guest stars can be expected to visit with the Green family—a farming clan who have moved to Big City to live with their caustic Gramma—but, “I can’t say any celebrity names,” he said.

To briefly unite the two Disney Television Animation shows, Shane Houghton wrote a short script in which the Green family wanders into Amphibia and everyone wants to eat everyone else. The laugh-filled mini-play gave all the voice actors a chance to shine in character.

“I’ve never had all four voice cast members together,” Braly said of the Amphibia team, “so this panel is very special to me.”

The panel also featured a preview of a new series of Disney Television Animation shorts titled Random Rings, in which characters from Disney Channel shows telephone unsuspecting real people, whose conversations then become hilarious short cartoons. The Big City Greens-inspired first episode, which showed at the panel and is now available on YouTube, is titled “Cricket Calls a Karate School.” Additional episodes will follow soon.

In addition to the Houghtons, Big City Greens was represented on the panel by veteran actor Bob Joles, who plays dad Bill Green; Marieve Herington, who voices Cricket’s slightly spacey sister, Tilly; and Artemis Pebdani, who plays Gramma, giving the young actress “a chance for my old lady inner child to come out,” she said.

Also among the acting talent on the panel was Disney Legend Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy for more than 30 years, who portrays Hop Pop Plantar, dad of the frog family on Amphibia. Also participating were teen actor Justin Felbinger, who plays Hop Pop’s son, Sprig; Amanda Leighton, who’s Sprig’s little sister, Polly, a prim purple tadpole with a fetching yellow bow; and series star Brenda Song, who plays human Anne Boonchuy, a Thai-American teen trapped on the magical frog island.

Asked about the inspiration for Amphibia, Ferraiolo said simply, “Nature Is horrifying. We really wanted to get inspiration from what you would find in a swamp.”

7 Cool Moments From The Simpsons! Panel at D23 Expo 2019

August 24, 2019November 8, 2019

By Jim Frye

Bart Simpson finally has his Mickey ears! The long-running Simpsons TV series joined the Disney family this year, so it was a natural fit for the first family of TV animation to show up at D23 Expo 2019.

Creator Matt Groening, executive producer Al Jean, supervising director Mike B. Anderson, writer Matt Selman, and stars Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith took the stage, shared exclusive clips, and answered fan questions.

1. Matt Groening’s father—who was a cartoonist named Homer, believe it or not—discouraged young Matt from ever going into animation. “Our family vacation trip was to go to Disneyland,” Matt said. “I remember that I really wanted my dad to work for Disney. He gave me this advice about working in animation: ‘Don’t do it, but if you do, get other people to do the hard work.’”

2. One of the most popular staples of the beloved series is the opening credit sequence, which finds the family arriving on the couch each week in a different madcap manner. What fans may not know, however, is that Groening got the inspiration for that sequence from something we all know and love. “It’s from the beginning of the Mickey Mouse Club in the ’50s,” he said. “Each week ended with Donald banging on a gong, and the gong gag changed from episode to episode. I thought to myself, ‘If I ever get my own show, I’ll do my own Donald gag like that.’”

3. Disney jokes—or should we say, jokes aimed lightheartedly at Disney—have always been part of The Simpsons, and during the D23 Expo panel, they didn’t shy away from those jokes, but rather, offered a montage of some of the best. It included Homer eating one of the fish in an “Under the Sea” The Little Mermaid sequence and a Snow White parody where one of the Seven Dwarfs says, “Well, at least we don’t work for Disney!” The montage also featured the Simpsons’ characters poking fun at The Jungle Book, Fantasia, and Mary Poppins (poor Mary had an unfortunate accident with a passenger jet flying overhead!). But it’s all in good humor. The creators and voice cast were thrilled to be part of the Disney family—and especially the new Disney+ streaming service, which will feature episodes of The Simpsons.

4. Yeardley Smith says that Lisa Simpson changed her life: “I’ve loved my character,” she said. “Getting to know someone for your entire life, she lives inside of me, and when this show ends it will be like someone I love has moved away and is never coming back. She’s just extraordinary… one of the best, most complex, interesting characters ever written for the small or big screen.”

5. One of the things that Groening loved about Mickey Mouse was his simple, elegant design. “He’s a great icon. He has two ears, but when he turns his head in silhouette, he still has two ears,” said Matt. “I tried to design the Simpson characters like that, so they’d be identifiable in silhouette. They’re all kinda unique, and I love it.”

6. This year’s Halloween-themed “Treehouse of Horror” episode—an annual tradition for the series—will get a little extra heft this year. Selman says he’s super excited because this year Halloween takes a bite out of Thanksgiving. “We have a fantastic treehouse this year,” he said. “It’s episode 666… considering that the real world is so scary sometimes, some of the frights and thrills spill over into Thanksgiving. So this year, we’ll have a Thanksgiving of Horror!” He then treated fans in the D23 Arena to an advance screening of one of the segments for this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” episode, themed to the popular Stranger Things series, where Milhouse gets trapped in the Upside Down. His only hope? Lisa, of course, who shaves her head (aka Eleven) and tries her best to save him from monsters and other terrors!

7. The voice of Minnie Mouse, Disney Legend Russi Taylor—who recently passed away—also voiced several characters on The Simpsons. She voiced the characters Martin Prince, Üter, Terri, and Sherri. Longtime fans will also remember her as the original DuckTales protagonists Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Webby, Gonzo on The Muppet Babies and more. “Russie, cheers to you,” said Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson. “Heaven is a bit more giggly.” In tribute to Taylor, Groening gave away a Minnie Mouse drawing to one lucky fan.

Want more Disney+ news? Click here to stay up-to-date with what’s streaming!

Streaming Soon! Every Exciting Announcement, First Look, and Surprise Revealed at D23 Expo 2019 for Disney+

August 23, 2019November 8, 2019

By Beth Deitchman

Ewan McGregor is returning to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi… Hilary Duff is reprising the role she made famous, Lizzie McGuire… Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy are coming to a short-form series… and the slate of live-action series from Marvel Studios continues to grow! Believe it or not, these are just a few of the awe-inspiring announcements and memorable moments from today’s Disney+ presentation in Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2019.

Today marked Disney+’s first presentation at D23 Expo, and talk about a spectacular debut! The cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series got our hearts beating a little faster when, joined by a drum corps, they performed the HSM classic “We’re All in This Together” to start today’s presentation. Yvette Nicole Brown, one of the stars of the upcoming Disney+ original film Lady and the Tramp (and a lifelong Disney fan), was our host for the afternoon. “November 12 can’t get here soon enough for me,” Brown said, making it clear that she’s as excited about the launch of Disney+ as we are.

Kevin Mayer, chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment, kicked off the festivities. “With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo,” said Mayer. “Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company, and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”

Today stars, filmmakers, and creatives previewed some of the incredible content that will stream on Disney+ when it launches on November 12. Here’s a roundup of all of the magic from today’s presentation:

NEW TRAILERS

The Mandalorian
“Dave Filoni was nice enough to bring me over to Star Wars Celebration. I had never been there before, and now it’s my chance to bring him to his first D23,” said brand-new Disney Legend Jon Favreau, who was joined by fellow executive producer Filoni on the Hall D23 stage to introduce The Mandalorian. “Because here—we’ve got Star Wars fans, right? And we’ve also got Marvel fans, too. And most of all… we’ve got Disney fans!”

Favreau and Filoni also revealed how they came to work together on the first-ever Star Wars live-action series. Years ago, both were working at the Skywalker Ranch—Filoni on Clone Wars and Favreau on what Filoni jokingly referred to as “a tiny movie about an obscure comic book called Iron Man.” When Favreau requested a sneak peek at the then-top-secret Star Wars animated series, Filoni was happy to oblige… if he could also enjoy a first look at Iron Man. The rest, as they say, is about to become streaming history.

The producers were joined in Hall D23 by series stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, and Giancarlo Esposito—as well as Taika Waititi, who brings the droid IG-11 to life—to premiere the teaser trailer for the first-ever Star Wars live-action series. Earlier today, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger also announced that new Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen will join the cast of the series. Set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, The Mandalorian follows the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. You can see the incredible trailer for yourself below, and binge the series on Disney+ beginning November 12.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Disney Channel President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh previewed some of the amazing new content coming to Disney+ from Disney Channel—including all 127 episodes of Phineas and Ferb, along with a new animated movie starring our two heroes and their sister, Candace. The 10-episode scripted series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, set at the real-life East High, where the original movie was filmed, follows a group of students as they count down to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical. D23 Expo attendees were the first to see a brand-new trailer for the series, which stars Joshua Bassett, Oliva Rodrigo, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Julia Lester, Larry Saperstein, Dara Reneé, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Kate Reinders, and Mark St. Cyr. You can see the start of something new in the High School Musical franchise right now:

Lady and the Tramp
The canine stars of the film—Rose (“Lady”) and Monty (“Tramp”)—joined Yvette Nicole Brown for a pawsitively unforgettable moment from the presentation that included the premiere of the first trailer from the original film. In the timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home. Take a gander at the first trailer, below, and you’ll fall in love with the precious pups—as Yvette Nicole Brown did. Brown revealed that one of Rose’s doubles, Harley, found a fur-ever home with her.

Noelle
The holidays kicked off early, as stars Anna Kendrick and Billy Eichner unveiled a trailer for the film that will premiere on Disney+ on November 12. Anna Kendrick told Disney fans, “I’ve always wanted to be in a Christmas movie. My family and I have movies that we watch every year. We watch The Muppet Christmas Carol—we know all the words—and the idea that I have the opportunity to be in a movie that could be something that families watch together this Christmas, and it becomes part of their tradition and they have favorite scenes and they can’t wait to put it on is just so amazing and I was so happy to have the opportunity.”

In the upcoming holiday comedy, Kris Kringle’s daughter is full of Christmas spirit and holiday fun, but wishes she could do something “important” like her beloved brother Nick, who will take over from their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle suggests he take a break and get away… but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum
The mind of actor Jeff Goldblum has to be a pretty fascinating place to visit—and we’ll get to do just that in this new series from National Geographic. Today Goldblum, the series’ star and host, previewed a first trailer for The World According to Jeff Goldblum… where nothing is ever as it seems.

Encore!
Self-described “musical theater junkie” Kristen Bell debuted a trailer for Encore!, the series that brings together former castmates of high school musicals for the most entertaining high school reunion we can possibly imagine, as we watch them re-create their original performance years after they last performed it. “For me, musical theater in high school was the time that I discovered who I was. I wouldn’t be standing here today if it weren’t for my musical theater club,” Bell shared.

Encore! will celebrate real people. “Extraordinary talent is not the point. Professional talent is not the point,” said Bell. “We are taking former high school musical theater casts and reuniting them—anywhere from millennials to baby boomers—getting them back on stage for their encore performance.” Check out the trailer, below.

Forky Asks a Question
Tony Hale, who voiced craft project-turned-toy Forky in Toy Story 4, returns in this sporktacular new shorts series from Pixar Animation Studios. He debuted the first of 10 episodes coming to Disney+, “Money,” and we’re looking forward to discovering, alongside Forky, the answers to such complicated questions about how the world works, such as: What is love? What is time? And, most crucially, what is cheese?

NEW TITLES

Disney fans come to Hall D23 eager for surprises, and Disney+ most certainly delivered, revealing six new titles that we can’t wait to stream.

In a Force-filled moment that literally brought the fans in Hall D23 to their feet, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy welcomed Ewan McGregor to the stage to announce his return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a new untitled series from Lucasfilm.

Marvel Studios President (and proud D23 Member!) Kevin Feige announced three new live-action series that originate from Marvel comics, which are currently in development for Disney+. “The opportunities that Disney+ is bringing to the MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe] to grow and to evolve and to expand are tremendous,” Feige said. Stay tuned for more details about Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk.

Hilary Duff made a surprise appearance to reveal that she is reprising her iconic role of Lizzie McGuire in an all-new series from Terri Minsky, who created the original show. “It is so great to be home,” Duff enthused, before revealing details about the upcoming series. “The good news is, just like me and everybody who loved Lizzie and grew up with her, Lizzie’s also grown up. She’s older, she’s wiser—and she has a much bigger shoe budget, which is super exciting. She has her dream job, she has kind of the perfect life right now. She’s working as an apprentice to a fancy New York City decorator. She has her dream guy who owns a cool SoHo restaurant. She has her dream apartment in Brooklyn, and she’s getting ready to celebrate her 30th birthday.” Her life sounds pretty ideal… but, Duff reassured fans, “She’s still dealing with that 13-year-old no-holds-barred animated Lizzie that’s constantly babbling in her adult Lizzie head.”

And in news that makes you say, “Hi-Ho,” the Muppets are coming to Disney+. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the gang will appear in their first-ever unscripted short-form series, MuppetsNow. In a special teaser, Kermit revealed that the show will be full of “unspecified fun things”—but that’s all that Joe from Legal would allow our favorite frog to say… at least for now.

FIRST LOOKS

Some of the incredible talent from other upcoming Disney+ titles shared new details about films and shows that will also launch on the service in the very near future.

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
In a first look, fans met the quirky Timmy Failure, who operates his own detective agency in Portland—with the help of his 1,500-pound polar bear (not to mention a deadpan sense of humor). Launching in early 2020, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is directed by award-winning filmmaker Tom McCarthy from a screenplay by McCarthy & Stephan Pastis, and based on the best-selling book series by Pastis.

Togo (Launching in early December)
The untold true story is an exhilarating and uplifting adventure set in the winter of 1925 across the treacherous terrain of the Alaskan tundra. Togo stars four-time Oscar® nominee Willem Dafoe, along with Julianne Nicholson, Christopher Heyerdahl, Richard Dormer, Michael Greyeyes, Michael McElhatton, and Michael Gaston. Ericson Core directs from a screenplay by Tom Flynn. Kim Zubick is the producer.

Diary of a Female President (Premiering in January)
Gina Rodriguez executive produces (and is a recurring guest star) on the half-hour single camera that follows a 12-year-old Cuban-American girl’s journey through the trials of middle school, which sets her on the path to ultimately become president of the United States. Tess Romero stars as Elena. Rodriguez told Expo guests, “I’m excited to bring hope, positivity, and joy and a family comedy to your houses, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Stargirl (Launching in early 2020)
Series stars Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere introduced the coming-of-age film based on the critically acclaimed New York Times best-selling young adult novel of the same name by Jerry Spinelli. Julia Hart directs from a screenplay by Kristin Hahn and Julia Hart & Jordan Horowitz; Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Lee Stollman, and Kristin Hahn are producers. Karan Brar, Maximiliano Hernandez, Darby Stanchfield, and Giancarlo Esposito also star.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (Launching in 2020)
Following the events of Marvel Studios’ Avenger: Endgame, Falcon and the Winter Soldier (played by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, respectively) team up. During today’s presentation, Kevin Feige revealed that Emily VanCamp will reprise her role as Sharon Carter, and introduced Wyatt Russell, who will portray John Walker—a Marvel Comics character—for the first time on screen. Kari Skogland directs and Malcom Spellman serves as head writer.

Monsters At Work
The new series from Disney Television Animation takes fans back to Monstropolis, where they’ll meet a new cast of monsters—including Tylor (played by Ben Feldman) and Millie (played by Aisha Tyler)—in the series inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Oscar®-winning feature film Monsters, Inc. Monsters at Work will feature special appearances from the film’s beloved buddies, Mike and Sulley, who will again be voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman. Today, Feldman and Tyler shared a special look at their characters with fans, and revealed that the series takes place immediately after Monstropolis makes the switch to laugh power, as Tylor—a Monsters U. alum who graduated “scarum cum laude”—has to find his way through this new world of laughter.

WandaVision (Premiering in 2021)
As Vision and Wanda Maximoff, Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen play two super-powered beings trying to live ideal suburban lives… until they begin to suspect that things are not as they seem in this series that Feige describes as “half classic sitcom and half epic MCU adventure.” Bettany and Olsen made a surprise appearance at D23 Expo 2019, joined by Kat Dennings and Randall Park, who will reprise their roles from Thor and Ant-Man and The Wasp. They’ll also be joined by Kathryn Hahn (who will play a new character in the series).

“As the scripts keep rolling in, it’s so funny and it just ends up being this huge epic… The writing is so extraordinary,” Bettany said. Matt Shakman serves as director, with Jac Schaeffer on board as head writer.

Loki (Debuting in 2021)
Tom Hiddleston returns to play the fan-favorite villain Loki in a series set after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Kate Herron directs this eagerly anticipated series centered on the god of mischief, with Michael Waldron as head writer. In a video greeting to D23 Expo guests, Hiddleston promised, “It’s your boundless enthusiasm and your support that mean that Loki still has more story left to tell, and it will never stop surprising and delighting me that you think he’s cool. This journey isn’t over yet—in fact, it’s only just begun.”

What If…? (Premiering in 2021)
Marvel Studios’ upcoming animated series spotlights different heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and imagines what happens if the events in the films had turned out differently—how a single choice can branch out into infinite realities. Haley Atwell, who will voice Peggy Carter in What If…?, joined director Bryan Andrews and head writer Ashley Bradley today in Hall D23. “It feels like the gift that keeps on giving,” said Atwell regarding the opportunity to give life to the character in this new way, and she credits the fans for their love for Peggy. “They brought her back,” she shared.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Premiering in February 2020)
The Emmy® Award-winning animated series will return with 12 all-new episodes and will mark the return of classic characters Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and fan-favorites Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex.

A Second Lucasfilm Live-Action Series
Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk will reprise their roles of Cassian Andor and K-2SO, respectively, from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in this, the second live-action series from Lucasfilm for Disney+. The series, currently in development, follows Andor’s adventures as a rebel spy during the formative years of the Rebellion, before the events of A New Hope. “We’re going to look younger,” laughed Luna, noting that the show is a prequel to Rogue One. “We’re going to look gorgeous,” Tudyk added good-naturedly.

Throughout D23 Expo 2019, guests have the opportunity to see Disney+ in action and experience the app, complete with features and functionality confirmed for the global launch dates in November. Disney+ is available for a monthly price of $6.99 USD or an annual rate of $69.99 USD. Visit DisneyPlus.com to learn more about the service, and stay tuned to D23.com for all the Disney+ news that’s still to come.

Want more Disney+ news? Click here to stay up-to-date with what’s streaming!

Go Wildcats! Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Comes to D23 Expo 2019

August 23, 2019August 23, 2019

By Courtney Potter

To paraphrase a certain Disney Channel Original Movie, we’re all in this D23 Expo together! And if you were lucky enough to be in the audience for Friday evening’s Disney+ screening of (and panel for) High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, that phrase takes on even more meaning. Those in attendance were among the very first to see the premiere episode of the Disney+ series—which debuts to the public when the streaming service launches on November 12!

The event was kicked off by none other than original High School Musical (HSM) star—and Dancing with the Stars Season 17 runner-up—Corbin Bleu, who welcomed the excited assembled crowd to hear about this fresh interpretation of the hugely popular HSM franchise. “I got the chance to see the first episode,” Bleu said, “and I was watching with bated breath, of course. But then I breathed a sigh of relief because you guys are gonna love this. The cast is awesome; they’re the real deal!” Bleu then introduced the series’ creator and executive producer Tim Federle: “We are so excited to be here to launch High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” he confessed. “This is a 10-episode scripted series that I like to think of as a love letter to the original fans. There are many of you out there! And it’s also an irreverent new musical for a new generation… Because the entire series is all about finding your tribe. That’s the most important thing to me. And that’s one of the reasons why I think this is the perfect audience to see the very first episode—because if you’re at D23 Expo, you know the power of sitting next to a stranger whose name you might not know, but you guys already share something. You’re a tribe. You’re a family.”

With that, the crowd was treated to the first episode the series. We don’t want to spoil anything—but it was hilarious, heartfelt, and filled with the same kind of catchy tunes and amazing choreography you’ve come to expect from the world of High School Musical.

Following the screening, Bleu and Federle brought the entire cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to the stage: Joshua Bassett (Ricky), Olivia Rodrigo (Nini), Sofia Wylie (Gina), Matt Cornett (E.J.), Dara Renee (Kourtney), Julia Lester (Ashlyn), Frankie Rodriguez (Carlos), Larry Saperstein (Big Red), Kate Reinders (drama teacher Miss Jenn), and Mark St. Cyr (STEM teacher Mr. Mazzara).

“One of my favorite parts about the series is that people who have grown up watching the movies, like me, can really resonate with it—but people who have never seen the films before can also find themselves in the characters,” explained Rodrigo. “That’s one of my favorite things about the story, so I’m really happy it came out that way.” Added Rodriguez, “I always did feel different in high school. I was the only ‘theater nerd’ at my high school—and so to find all of these people, it was like, ‘Oh, we’re all weird and quirky, and that’s what makes us special!” Bleu followed to offer an appropriate, “Aww”-inspiring anecdote: “Right before we came up here, all of [the cast] were standing in a circle backstage, and they just had their moment together—and then they all did the Wildcat Chant! You can really see that the bonds have already formed.”

Finishing with questions from fans, the audience saw some dance demonstrations—both a “difficult” move that Rodrigo explained took hours to perfect, as well as some “favorite” moves from Wylie; learned that most of the cast would want to live permanently in the world of High School Musical 2 (“It’s like a summer vacation for life!,” admitted Saperstein); and found out that the cast (and the show’s creator) has very diverse taste in breakfast cereals.

Don’t miss this adorably talented cast in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series when it premieres on Disney+ November 12!

The Final Mission of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

August 23, 2019

By Jim Frye

ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and D23 Expo have a bit of history together: The very first episode of season one of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. screened at D23 Expo 2013, and today the first episode of the seventh and final season screened for fans—a whole year ahead of when it will air. It seemed only fitting, and executive producer and head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb, said as much: “This is really, really a special event. We showed the pilot to a whole bunch of you,” he said to the fans in the D23 Arena, “and somehow after that we made 136 more episodes. It’s really an incredible achievement and we couldn’t have done it without you.”

After six thrilling seasons of saving the world (and beyond!), Marvel Television’s flagship series is preparing to head into the home stretch, blazing into its final adventures in summer 2020. S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, has long been a mainstay of Marvel Comics, but gained wide notoriety with the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It all started with that iconic moment in the end credits of the very first Iron Man movie when Samuel L. Jackson stepped out from the shadows and introduced himself to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark: “Nick Fury. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Thus began the adventures of this pseudo-governmental organization dedicated to protecting mankind. Or, as the show’s Grant Ward, played by Brett Dalton, once said, “We’re the line between the world and the much weirder world. We protect people from news they aren’t ready to hear. And when we can’t do that, we keep them safe.”

Aside from Nick Fury, the best-known S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is Phil Colson, played by Clark Gregg, who took the stage today to cheers and applause befitting his fan-favorite status. Joining Gregg and Loeb onstage were Jeff Ward, who plays Deke Shaw, as well as executive producers Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, and Jeff Bell.

“Once upon a time, I worked on a little indie film called The Avengers,” joked Gregg. “But then this mischief-making person stuck me with a pointy thing and ended my Marvel career.” After that, some fans started an online “Coulson lives” movement that caught the eye of Marvel execs—along with Joss Whedon. “Ironically, my favorite memory was getting a call from this guy (pointing at Loeb) and Whedon saying, ‘We think you may not be so dead.’”

And that’s how Gregg’s Agent Coulson character came to lead Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—and how he became such an important touchstone for fans. As today’s audience members asked questions, one fan broke down in tears talking about her affection for the character of Coulson… and how he represented “the everyman” character who stands among the super-powered heroes. Gregg hugged her, then returned to the stage and said this: “It’s been such a big part of my life for 11 and a half years now. Because there was a need for someone who wasn’t super except for his heart.”

Long live Coulson!

You’ll Never Believe These Incredible Costumes from D23 Expo’s Mousequerade Presented by Raw Threads!

August 23, 2019September 1, 2019

By Courtney Potter

It all starts with a vision. Then, perhaps, a sketch. The designer (and probably more than a few kindhearted helpers) sews and stitches and hot-glues for days on end until their creation springs to colorful, magical life. And all that astonishing work comes down to this—D23 Expo 2019’s legendary Mousequerade competition, presented by Raw Threads! Covering an astounding spectrum of festive fandom, the Mousequerade features five Disney-inspired categories—and the winner of each category goes on to compete for bona fide Expo glory: the Best in Show title and $2,300 in cash.

Returning as host for the 2019 Mousequerade is Disney’s Jim Babcock—and he’s joined by two other D23 Expo favorites as judges: actress Yvette Nicole Brown (star of Disney+’s upcoming live action Lady and the Tramp), and Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars Rebels and the creator of the Her Universe clothing line. New this year, and rounding out the three-person judging panel, is Jennifer Leonard—owner and designer of clothing line Raw Threads.

Entrants who participated were judged on quality and craftsmanship; overall concept and design; and showmanship and stage presence. Every single costume was incredible. As Brown told the assembled crowd, “They all deserve a trophy!” But there can only be one grand-prize winner… Take a look at some of the most amazing creations from each category, and who took home the title of “Best in Show” (and a cool $2,300), below!

“Once Upon a Costume”: Disney Make-Believe & Fantasy

Caitlin Beards’ costume creation was Pepita, the “Alebrije” (protector) from Coco—who in the living world appears as a cat, but takes on a colorful winged look in the spirit world.

Steve Gonzales brought almost the entirety of Disney and Pixar’s Up to life. Fun fact: As he explained to host Babcock, he actually received all his merit badges in real life!

The category’s winner, Allen Weiserman, brought Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast incredibly to life—down to his gilded shoes, wax-like candle hands, and authentic French accent.

“Worlds of Adventure”: Adventurous Looks from the World of Disney

It’s the “Circle of Life,” and it’s right on the Mousequerade stage! Yes, Rafiki from Disney’s iconic animated hit The Lion King visited D23 Expo 2019 in the form of contest participant Julieanna Licon.

Davidson Sim brought a fan-favorite attraction at Shanghai Disneyland Park (soon to be seen at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort) to glowing life on stage: the Tron Lightcycle Power Run.

Tahirah Khadija Agbamuche was this category’s big winner… taking the stage as a super-screen accurate Shuri from Black Panther!

“Heroes and Villains”: Fashionable Versions of Good vs. Evil

K.C. Potter and friend appeared as a ridiculously detailed “Honest John” (real name: John Worthington Foulfellow) and the Blue Fairy from 1940’s Pinocchio.

… but the eventual winner was Nyssa Sara Lee as The Little Mermaid’s colorful villain Ursula! The crowd went wild when she lifted up her spider-like tentacle web!

“Inspired by Disney”: Bringing the Unique Creativity of Disney to Life

Grace Du Val’s creation, dubbed “Kitty!!!” was a totally couture and super-chic mashup of all things Monsters, Inc.! We especially loved her sunglasses and dramatic Sully-themed coat.

The winner? Tina Elliott with a truly remarkable creation: a walking, wearable version of the Haunted Mansion she dubbed “the Grim Grinning Gown.” Complete with “doom buggies” circling her skirt!

“Cast of Characters”: Disney Character Groups (Two or More Participants)

Emily and Nathan Mebust proved that we “have chosen wisely” with their entry: the deity Mara and “Fluffy” (that’s the fan pet name for the attraction’s well-known snake) from Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure attraction.

The “Cast of Characters” category winner was Katherine Regnier (and her lovely group) with a “Mad Princess Party”… in which a cadre of Disney Princesses suddenly became spinning teacups, à la the iconic attraction at Disney parks!

“Best in Show” Grand Prize Winner

And the winner of the big $2,300 grand prize? Tina Elliott with her “Grim Grinning Gown”!

Congratulations to all of this year’s Mousequerade participants! So much Disney-inspired creativity on one stage…

Check out the full gallery of costumes below!