Stop and Smell the Roses, The Bachelor Is Back!

By D23 Team

Calling all of Bachelor Nation, it’s time to finally answer the question: What does Colton have to lose? The new year marks a new beginning for The Bachelor and Colton Underwood, who embarks on the journey of a lifetime to find his perfect match this Monday, January 7, with a live, three-hour premiere airing on ABC (8–11 p.m. EST).

This season, 30 bachelorettes will look to capture the Bachelor’s heart as the 23rd edition of the hit series begins, and over the course of the season, fans can look forward to celebrity appearances by super Bachelor fan couples Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman and Terry and Rebecca Crews, as well as guest spots from actor-comedian Billy Eichner and comic actor Fred Willard.

The Bachelor

The game that captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation is back with all-new game play! Fans can now visit ABC.com/BFL, the ABC App and the ESPN Fantasy App to play The Official Bachelor Fantasy League, which allows players to compete with family, friends, and the rest of #BachelorNation by building a weekly lineup of Bachelorettes based on weekly categories ranging from who gets a rose to who kisses Colton. The Bachelor Fantasy League sweepstakes is open to legal U.S. residents, 18 or older. No purchase is necessary to play. See official rules at ABC.com/BFL for full details and set your lineup today!

Chris Harrison, who returns as host, chats with Colton ahead of his journey. They discuss the backlash he received after he was announced as the new Bachelor, his feelings about becoming a husband, and the daunting prospect of getting to know 30 smart, beautiful women—all at the same time.

The Bachelor

Of course, the Bachelor isn’t the only one who is anxious. Each of these eager, accomplished women wants to make a lasting first impression on the man who may become her future husband. Once the Bachelor enters the mansion, all bets are off and the race to find love is on. The limo exits and introductions are only the beginning of a night Colton isn’t likely to forget. From being swept away by a very assertive woman, to being surprised at how much chemistry he feels with some of the women, to a couple of kisses, it’s the beginning of an epic journey.

By the end of the evening, 23 bachelorettes will remain to embark on wild romantic adventures with Colton around the world—including fabulous locales that include Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Portugal, and even Colton’s hometown of Denver, Colorado—as they vie to become the love of his life.

This season will also feature special appearances from familiar famous faces, who also happen to be Bachelor fans. Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman—a blissfully wedded couple themselves—offer unconventional advice and unusual performance tips to a group of the women who must share their personal stories with Colton about their “firsts.” Actor/comedian Billy Eichner presides over a fierce summer camp-type competition as some of the bachelorettes relive their childhoods. Terry and Rebecca Crews put a group of powerful and passionate women through the “Bachelor Strongest Woman” competition, while Chris Harrison and Fred Willard provide the play-by-play. Music fans can also keep an ear out for performances by up-and-coming country star Tenille Arts and country superstar Brett Young later in the season.

The Bachelor

Before the first rose, meet the 30 women who hope to capture Colton’s heart:
Alex B., 29, a dog rescuer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Alex D., 23, a sloth from Boston, Massachusetts
Angelique, 28, a marketing salesperson from Hamilton, New Jersey
Annie, 23, a financial associate from New York, New York
Bri, 24, a model from Los Angeles, California
Caelynn, 23, Miss North Carolina 2018 from Charlotte, North Carolina
Caitlin, 25, a realtor from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cassie, 23, a speech pathologist from Huntington Beach, California
Catherine, 26, a DJ from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Courtney, 23, a caterer from Atlanta, Georgia
Demi, 23, an interior designer from Red Oak, Texas
Devin, 23, a broadcast journalist from Medford, Oregon
Elyse, 31, a makeup artist from Soldotna, Alaska
Erika, 25, a recruiter from Encinitas, California
Erin, 28, Cinderella from Plano, Texas
Hannah B., 23, Miss Alabama 2018 from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Hannah G., 23, a content creator from Birmingham, Alabama
Heather, 22, never been kissed from Carlsbad, California
Adrianne “Jane,” 26, a social worker from West Hollywood, California
Katie, 26, a medical sales representative from Sherman Oaks, California
Kirpa, 26, a dental hygienist from Whittier, California
Laura, 26, an accountant from Dallas, Texas
Nicole, 25, a social media coordinator from Miami, Florida
Nina, 30, a sales account manager from Raleigh, North Carolina
Onyeka, 24, an IT risk consultant from Dallas, Texas
Revian, 24, an esthetician from Santa Monica, California
Sydney, 27, an NBA dancer from New York, New York
Tahzjuan, 25, a business development associate from Castle Pines, Colorado
Tayshia, 28, a phlebotomist from Corona Del Mar, California
Tracy, 31, a wardrobe stylist from Los Angeles, California

As Colton’s journey continues across the globe, relationships have a chance to flourish and more surprises await the unsuspecting Bachelor behind every petal. Will he open his heart and find the woman of his dreams who will love him back? We, for one, will be tuning in this Monday night to find out.

10 Ways to Celebrate 10 Years of D23

By Jocelyn Buhlman

On March 10 of this year, we’ll be celebrating a very special day: Our tenth anniversary! Since 2009, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has been the place for fans to celebrate every magical aspect of the worlds of Disney, and this year we’re sprinkling some extra pixie dust on the fun. Check out the list below for 10 ways you can join in our celebration:

10 Years of D23

1. D23 Expo 2019
What better way to celebrate our milestone anniversary then at the ultimate Disney Fan Event? We can’t wait to bring the worlds of Disney together this year at D23 Expo 2019 and celebrate all the magic of The Walt Disney Company under one roof. Are you ready to join the celebration? Stay tuned for more exciting updates and announcements about what to expect at D23 Expo.

10 Years of D23

2. 10 Fan-Tastic Milestones Pin Set
We recently announced this year’s Gold Member Gift: The 10 Fan-Tastic Milestones Pin Set, an exclusive-to-D23 pin set celebrating 10 major Disney anniversaries in honor of ten years of D23. This special pin set will be sent to all D23 Gold and Gold Family members who join or renew this year. You can read more about this gift, designed by Disney artist Ricky De Los Angeles, here.

10 Years of D23

3. Magical Screening Series
D23 isn’t the only part of Disney celebrating a special milestone in 2019. All year long, we’re screening classic Disney movies celebrating anniversaries—from 10 years of Up to 60 years of Sleeping Beauty, you can join us all year as we celebrate the anniversaries of some of our favorite films at Walt Disney World Resort and The Walt Disney Studios.

10 Years of D23

4. Expanded Studio Tours
We’re celebrating our anniversary with a gift for you—an expanded selection of tours of the Walt Disney Studios, hosted exclusively by D23. Kicking off during our anniversary month in March, join us monthly for tours open to General, Gold, and Gold Family members. If that wasn’t enough Disney magic for you, stay tuned for future updates on our D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: A Day on the Studio Lot, which will take place this Spring and Fall and feature amazing one-of-a-kind experiences we can’t wait to share with you!

5. The Return of Your Favorite Events
It’s hard to pick the best of all the events we’ve held in our past 10 years, but we have some favorites that will be returning as part of our tenth anniversary celebration. In June, we will be returning to Walt Disney’s birthplace and visit his restored family home in Chicago! Plus, keep your calendar open for our signature events such as Sip & Stroll, Mickey’s of Glendale shopping, and a tour of The Walt Disney Family Museum. End the year with Light Up the Season at the Walt Disney Studios, where the famed Studio lot turns into a winter wonderland to kick off the holiday season. Find out more about our 2019 events here.

10 Years of D23

6. Lunch with Disney Legends Across the United States
This exclusive dining experience with Disney luminaries expands this year across the country, including New York City for a special lunch with Linda Larkin—the speaking voice of Jasmine in Aladdin—this April. More details on who and what locations will be part of this fan-favorite event series will be revealed throughout the year, so stay tuned for more exclusive luncheons with a Disney magic maker.

10 Years of D23

7. Celebrate 80 Years of Marvel Comics at San Diego Comic-Con
One of the anniversaries we are celebrating along with our own this year is especially super—80 years of Marvel Comics! Join us at San Diego Comic-Con for a celebration of Marvel Comics’ amazing legacy, all with your fellow D23 Members.  Stay tuned for future updates on what to expect from this very special member mixer.

8. Year-Long Fanniversary Celebration
In 2018, we held a month-long anniversary celebration for two spooky classics, Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, for our annual Fanniversary celebration, but this year our celebration of Disney favorites is bigger than ever. All year long we will be announcing special events, member discounts, and more in honor of our own Fanniversary. Which Disney favorites will we be celebrating? Check checking back on D23.com for future announcements!

9. Join the Celebration on Social Media
What better way to celebrate 10 years of the official Disney Fan Club than with other Disney fans? Join in the fun by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. We’ll be posting special announcements, sharable images, exclusive sneak peeks and more, so don’t miss a moment of the fun.

10 Years of D23

10. Stay tuned for future surprises!
The party’s only just begun for our 10-year anniversary celebration! We’ll be announcing more ways to celebrate throughout the year, from special events, new discounts, and more. Plus, D23 Gold and Gold Family members can look forward to four issues of Disney twenty-three full of exclusive Disney magic. There are surprises and delights awaiting you throughout 2019, so get excited. Our celebration of 10 years of The Official Disney Fan Club isn’t complete without the most important thing—the fans.

6 Hidden Mickeys in Mary Poppins Returns

By Jocelyn Buhlman

If you’ve already watched Mary Poppins Returns, you saw that this delightful return to Cherry Tree Lane is full of Easter eggs and homages to the original film, from enchanting cameos to hidden tunes within the music itself! However, you might not realize that there’s another bit of Disney magic to be found in the film, and it’s a tribute to the Happiest Place on Earth.

As a nod to Disneyland, director Rob Marshall and production designer John Myhre hid some outlines of the distinct ears and head of Mickey Mouse in the set of the park where the Banks children first encounter Mary Poppins herself.

The Mickeys are hidden throughout the set and may not always be visible while you’re watching the film… but lucky for you, we have a special look at six of the hidden Mickeys!

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Mary Poppins Returns hidden Mickeys

Take a Jolly Holiday with Mary Poppins Returns All Around the World

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Everyone’s favorite practically perfect nanny flew into theaters (and our hearts) last week. The cast and creative minds behind Mary Poppins Returns tripped a little light fantastic across the world in celebration of the film, and we’ve put together a collection of some of our favorite moments from their travels.

Europe: The cast and crew of Mary Poppins Returns gathered at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the film’s European premiere on December 12.

Mary Poppins Returns premieres
The Mary Poppins Returns cast and crew: (Back row, L-R) Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Chris O’Dowd, Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rob Marshall, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Jeremy Swift, Jim Norton, (Front row, L-R) Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Pixie Davies, Tarik Frimpong
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
A practically perfect song and dance performance inspired by the film
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
(L-R) Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Emily Blunt, and Colin Firth share a moment on the blue carpet.
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Joel Dawson stops to sign autographs for fans
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Pixie Davies and Emily Blunt greet each other on the blue carpet
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Emily Blunt greets Colin Firth with a hug

Paris: The night before the European premiere, December 11, the cast and crew gathered together in Paris for a special gala screening of the film

Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda pose against a stunning Cherry Tree Lane backdrop
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
John Deluca, Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and director Rob Marshall share a moment
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
The gala was decorated with Mary Poppins’ favorite accessory: umbrellas!

LOS ANGELES: On November 29, the cast and crew of Mary Poppins Returns stepped out in style in Hollywood for the world premiere of the film

Mary Poppins Returns premieres
The cast and crew of Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bob Iger, and Dick Van Dyke pose for a photo on the red carpet
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Emily Blunt and Dick Van Dyke are delighted to greet each other at the premiere
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Lin-Manuel Miranda stops for a selfie with pal “Weird Al” Yankovic
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Emily Mortimer and Emily Blunt stop to chat
Mary Poppins Returns premieres
Karen Dotrice and Lin-Manuel Miranda pose for a picture

Every Magical Disney Moment from 2018

By the D23 Team

Mary Poppins

Cinematic Sensations
We tessered, broke a Kessel Run record, went on another adventure beneath the trees of the Hundred Acre Wood, and tripped more than a few lights fantastic. All of that just in one year! There’s no doubt that 2018 has been one for the books starting off the year in a novel way by bring Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time from pages to screen. But, that wasn’t the only world we got to see for the first time. We traveled beyond our wintery imaginations into the four different lands of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with Clara as our guide. Not to mention, we jumped to light speed and explored a galaxy far, far away with our favorite scoundrel and his favorite co-pilot in Solo: A Star Wars Story. But, they weren’t the only old friends we revisited. We also met back up with Winnie the Pooh and the entire gang in Christopher Robin, the Parr family for another super-powered adventure in Incredibles 2, went viral with Ralph Breaks the Internet, and saw our favorite gravity-defying nanny land for another heartwarming, musical tale in Mary Poppins Returns.

Black Panther

A Super Powered Year
What a SUPER year for Marvel Studios. In February, we said “Wakanda forever!” with the spectacular Black Panther, which reigned supreme in the box office (and in our hearts!). Just when you thought Marvel movies couldn’t be bigger, in April we celebrated 10 years of Marvel movies culminating into one epic story— Avengers: Infinity War. We’re STILL getting emotional about that ending!

Ant-Man and the Wasp was there to cheer us up in July (we have to say that end credits scene was highly ANT-icipated), rounding out a year of spectacular Marvel films!

Coco

We’ll Never Forget These Wins
While 2018 was a big year for movies, it was also a big year for a 2017 film. It only took a trip to the Land of the Dead for us to fall head over heels in love with Miguel and his familia in Coco. And  the Academy agreed. We would be hard pressed ever to forget Coco’s big night at the Oscars, taking home Best Animated Feature and Original Song for “Remember Me.”

D23 Events
An exciting year of D23 events began with international magic, as we celebrated with our fans in Japan for D23 Expo Japan 2018. Between adorable merchandise, exciting announcements, and unforgettable appearances, Disney fans had an experience they’ll never forget. Check out a highlight from D23 Expo Japan 2018 below:

With such a great start, we knew this year would be one for the books—from celebrating our Disney favorites, such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 20th anniversary to the debut of Frozen on Broadway, and even hearing from the creators of some of our favorite Disney Saturday morning cartoons. We brought back some of our classic events, such as when D23 Members returned to Walt’s hometown of Marceline for a charming, historical visit. Plus, our annual Fanniversary celebration this year was a bewitching double celebration, with screenings across the country of two spooktacular classics: Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

2018 was a year of firsts for us as well! We traveled to Emeryville, California, for a very special tour of Pixar Animation Studios, where we watched sneak previews of upcoming Pixar projects! We also channeled our inner nerd and hosted two panels at San Diego Comic-Con—our very first time hosting panels at that convention! There we celebrated Mickey’s 90th anniversary at “Celebrating 90 Years of Mickey Mouse with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club,” diving into his amazing past and taking a look to his future with a special unveiling of his birthday portrait!

We also got spooky with our “25 Tears of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” panel, which featured members of the talented production crew and special guest host Neil Gaiman!

Finally, our year came to a close with our biggest event of 2018—Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse. This event at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World was a two-day extravaganza fit for Mickey’s 90th! We got to hear the latest Disney Parks announcements, learned the weird and wacky history behind Mickey, and even got to party in our PJs with Mickey and his pals! It was a celebration we’ll never forget.

Celebrating the True Original
We may have ended 2018 with a huge party for Mickey, but the celebration of his 90th anniversary lasted all year long! From spectacular on ABC to a brand-new opportunity to, we honored Mickey’s amazing legacy in style. Did you visit the Mickey: The True Original Exhibition? Or pick up some special merch made just for this milestone? No matter what way you celebrated, all Disney fans came together to honor the mouse who started it all.

Amazing New Fun at Disney Parks Around the World
This year was huge for fans of some small starts—the world of Toy Story came to life at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Shanghai Disney Resort with the opening of Toy Story Land, an amazingly detailed new world celebrating Disney•Pixar’s classic tale of childhood toys. But the Pixar fun didn’t stop there! Over the summer, we celebrated Pixar Fest at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure before having fun in the sun at Pixar Pier. D23 Members even got the chance to check out the pier first, including a special ride on the Incredicoaster!

Over in Tokyo Disneyland, celebration was in full swing for the park’s 35th anniversary. The attraction it’s a small world reopened with special appearances from some of our favorite Disney characters, plus a brand-new nighttime spectacular, Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland, dazzled guests with state-of-the-art projection.

What was your favorite Disney moment from 2018? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

9 Disney Experiences We Can’t Wait for in 2019

By Karina Schink

Mickey Mouse isn’t the only one celebrating a big one this year! The Walt Disney Company also marked its 95th anniversary in 2018. Back in 1923, Walt Disney signed his first contract for the Alice Comedies, and Walt Disney Productions was formed.

Since then, not only has that small company transformed into what we now know as The Walt Disney Company, but it hasn’t stopped moving forward.

In honor of this achievement (and because 2019 is almost upon us), here are nine things we are looking forward to in the company’s 95th year.

Kingdom Hearts 3

Kingdom Hearts III (January 29)
Sora is back and soaring to a console near you, joined with Disney and Pixar characters in the new Kingdom Hearts III. At D23 Expo Japan last year, we got a sneak preview of the game (the first of many!) and saw that the frights and delights of the game would deepen as we join Sora on a trip into a Monsters, Inc.-inspired world. As we’ve continued to count down the days until we could have our controllers in our hands, ready to play, more and more information has come our way. We know that Hiro, Baymax, and the entire team of Big Hero 6 will join in the fun as we glide into San Fransokyo, and hopefully there are more announcements to come! We’re so excited to see Sora’s story of the power of friendship unfold when the game is released on January 29.

Descendants 3

Disney Channel Original Movies

 Kim Possible (February 15, 8 p.m. ET/PT)
Booyah! There’s no point even asking what the sitch is, because we all know that Kim Possible and her nonstop(ish) partner Ron are heading back to our TVs in a new live-action Disney Channel Original Movie in February! Earlier this year, Disney Channel revealed who would be bringing to life some of our favorite 2-D heroes into new, fully fleshed-out forms. Newcomer Sadie Stanley will star as the leading lady herself, and Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs) will be by her side as the lovable Ron Stoppable. That’s all we know so far, so here’s a little preview from Disney Channel that gives us an inside look at the most exciting sitch of all.

 Descendants 3 (Summer)
They’re baaaack… It’s the “trequel” we’ve all been waiting for! Our favorite second-generation Disney villains are back with Descendants 3 coming in the summer of 2019. We’ve only been able to catch a quick glimpse at what the future holds for this evilly-rag and devilishly-tag team of Villain Kids. It may not be a lot, but it’s certainly enough to keep our eyes locked and ready for any updates that come our way.

Captain Marvel

Marvel Movies

 Captain Marvel (March 8)
Marvel Studios’ next film goes higher, further, faster. We certainly don’t need to remind you that our first glimpse of Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers has officially landed. Marvel Studios released the trailer for the upcoming Captain Marvel earlier this year, and to be honest, we’ve been watching it on repeat. Captain Marvel herself—one of the most powerful Super Heros in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—officially lands in U.S. theaters on March 8.

Avengers: Endgame (April 26)
The dust hasn’t quite settled yet since all of our favorite Super Heroes assembled in theaters for Avengers: Infinity War, and to be honest, we’re still reeling from all the action. But, we’re ready to brush off our suits and shine our shields, because the Avengers are coming back on April 26 in Avengers: Endgame.

Dumbo

New Reimaginings

 Dumbo (March 29)
The beloved pint-sized elephant is soaring back into our hearts with Tim Burton’s take on the classic tale of Dumbo. The film stars Danny DeVito as circus owner Max Medici, and Disney veteran Colin Farrell as Holt Farrier. The new film is scheduled to fly into theaters on March 29, and everything else is irr-elephant, as far as we’re concerned!

Aladdin (May 24)
Make way! Clear way in the ol’ bazaar! Prince Ali, fabulous he, is making his way, magic carpet in tow, back to Agrabah in the live-action Aladdin, bringing a whole new world to theaters on May 24. We’re planning to stay one jump ahead of the breadline as news rides in about this highly anticipated film.

The Lion King (July 19)
Even though Timon may disagree, we know you can’t always put your behind in your past, so we’re going to keep looking out over Pride Rock as the date for The Lion King draws closer and closer. Directed by Jon Favreau, this newly imagined take on the animated classic stars Donald Glover as the just-can’t-wait-to-be king, Simba, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala. So, everybody make sure to look left, to look right, because everywhere we looik, The Lion King is sure to be standing in the spotlight when the film makes a royal entrance in theaters on July 19.

Toy Story 4 (June 21)
A new chapter from the toy box is coming next June! Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang are back and ready for another larger-than-life (toy-sized) tale! Following the magical debut of Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World earlier this year, we’re certainly feeling all of the buzz picking up, and we can’t wait to see what adventure is next in store for our pint-sized friends.

D23 Expo

D23

D23 Expo (August 23–25)
It’s almost that time again! The ultimate Disney fan event is back and better than ever! D23 Expo returns to Anaheim in August 2019. News and updates about the event are constantly coming in, so make sure you’re checking our site to stay up to date on all the magical happenings. And, next year is a big one for D23, as we are celebrating our 10th anniversary on March 10!

Frozen 2 (November 22)
While most of the information about this follow-up to the 2013 blockbuster Frozen is still on ice, we know that Anna and Elsa are back for Frozen 2, which flurries to theaters on November 22. The Oscar®-winning team of directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck and producer Peter Del Vecho are returning to direct the second installment of the sisterly saga, and while we’re anxious to see the next chapter of Arendelle’s queen and princess, the wait never bothered us anyway.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars

 Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Summer 2019 at Disneyland and fall 2019 at Walt Disney World)
There are so many reasons we wish we could jump to lightspeed, but the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is definitely at the top of the list. Opening at Disneyland in summer and at Walt Disney World in the fall, the new addition to the parks is bringing everything to please jedi, wookiees, sith, and droids alike. This year has been a force to be reckoned with, with out-of-this-world announcements and glimpses at what this galaxy, very, very near to us will hold. We’ve discovered Oga’s Cantina, as and we’re thrilled with the news that the Millennium Falcon will be landing, just in time for us to be able to take it for a spin.

 Star Wars: Episode IX (December 20)
We’re returning to a galaxy far, far away, and it’s not soon enough! Star Wars: Episode IX is blasting into theaters next December 20, and we’re soaking up every detail we can get until then! So far, we know that the Star Wars legacy lives on, as the late Carrie Fisher will appear in the next installment, using previously unreleased footage. Lucasfilm also announced that Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams will return to the screen to reprise their iconic roles. And, of course, with returning cast members Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd on board, new favorite heroes and villains will be back, as well. While not even doing the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs is fast enough for us, we’re going to keep using the force in an attempt to summon new updates!

Download These Special Holiday Wallpapers Designed by Disney Artists Now

By Karina Schink

We’re on the cusp of Christmas and already deep into all the magic it brings. And, the season just keeps getting merrier! Two artists from The Walt Disney Company got to work to make your days festive and bright and save all of your devices from being just alright. Download your favorite and deck your devices with these enchanting wallpapers.

Casey Jones — Principal Character Artist, Disney Creative Group

Disney artists holiday artwork
Standalone Artwork: here.
Desktop: 1920×10801680×10501600×12001440×9001400×10501280×8001024×768
Mobile: 1180×1920
Tablet: 2048×2732
Social: FacebookTwitter

Ricky De Los Angeles — Character Artist, Disney Consumer Products

Disney artists holiday artwork
Standalone Artwork: here.
Desktop: 1920×10801680×10501600×12001440×9001400×10501280×8001024×768
Mobile: 1180×1920
Tablet: 2048×2732
Social: FacebookTwitter

7 Lessons We Learned from Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas

By Megan Deppe

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, which turns 20 this year, shows us that Christmas is a wonderful time to step back and remember what’s truly important. We took another look at this cherished holiday “tale as old as time” and were reminded once again what Christmas is all about.

1. Christmas is about the people you love.
Of course, Chip’s obsession over getting the perfect tree leads the gang into a bit of a disaster. The Enchanted Christmas reminds us that the holidays are not about the holiday trimmings. If you don’t have the perfect tree or accidentally burn the cookies, don’t worry about it—as long as you’re with the people you love, it’s still Christmas.

batb christmas

2. Teamwork gets the job done.
Despite their frequent friction, we all know Lumiere and Cogsworth are a great team. The Enchanted Christmas gives them a cute little song to emphasize their teamwork, “A Cut Above the Rest”, to prove that if they work together, they can do basically anything. Two heads are better than one!

3. Remember to have fun.
Beauty and the Beast showed us Cogsworth’s comedic chops with his iconic line, “If it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it!” Enchanted Christmas also gives Cogsworth another chance to have some pun, er, fun with words. One of the best lines of the film is easily his scolding the dinnerware with, “Don’t whine, glasses.”

batb christmas

4. The more the merrier.
Forte’s entire existence revolves around the fact that in his organ form, he feels useful to his master, Beast. He would do anything to keep it that way, even if that means keeping Beast and Belle from falling in love. Maybe if Forte branched out a little bit, he wouldn’t have turned into a creepy villain organ with glowing green eyes.

5. Stories are the best kind of magic.
Belle has always been an avid reader, and that’s also true in this film. Her song, “Stories,” pulls viewers into a world of “mermaids, kings, and sunken treasure,” reminding us that we can take inspiration and draw strength from the stories we read and travel to worlds that might otherwise have been beyond us.

6. Don’t mix bells with holly.
Take Angelique’s word for it: that’s an amateur move. Also, be careful to find the right balance of holly and mistletoe; there is such a thing as too much. But take pride in your decorations—it’s part of the fun of Christmas!

batb christmas

7. Celebrate the magic of the season.
Christmas is a time for hope and for believing in magic. Sometimes when everything seems to be going wrong, it’s easy to forget that, or to focus on the bad times like Beast does. But take a page from Belle’s book and stay hopeful, because believing in the magic of Christmas will help guide you and make the world a better place.

Did You Know? 10 Wizard Facts About Walt Disney’s The Sword in the Stone

By Jim Fanning

Timeless in its humor, music, and classic Disney animation, The Sword in the Stone ascended the throne in 1963 as Walt Disney’s 18th full-length animated feature. A scrawny 12-year-old boy nicknamed Wart, who is in actuality the future King Arthur, sets ancient England on its ear when the mystical but lovably muddled Merlin—“the incomparable wizard,” as Walt called him—uses wit and wisdom, as well as wizardry, to teach the boy who would be king life lessons that will ultimately lead him extract a mighty sword from an enchanted stone. A sparkling holiday gift for fans of Disney animation, The Sword in the Stone was released on Christmas Day, 1963. Let’s crown our celebration of 55 years of animated enchantment with these royally magical facts.

Bill Peet starboarding The Sword in the Stone

1. A Legend is Sung of When England Was Young
“Our story,” said Walt Disney, ”takes place at a time when England was ruled by might alone. But Merlin can see into the future—in fact, he’s been there—and he knows that a time must come when brains will triumph over brawn. So he sets out to educate the future king in his own peculiar way.” The film is based on T.H. White’s widely read novel The Once and Future King, first published in 1938. Legendary story artist Bill Peet introduced the book to Walt, who obtained the screen rights in 1939. Various attempts were made to develop the story over the years—in 1944 Walt announced that the film was soon to go into production, and story board drawings were created as early as 1949—but two decades would pass before work on the film officially began. Peet knew adapting the complex book would be a challenge. “Getting a more direct story line called for a lot of sifting and sorting,” he revealed. “Walt questioned the first version of my screenplay, pointing out that it should have had more substance. So I made an all-out effort by enlarging on the more dramatic aspects of the story.” Peet remained true to the sophisticated wit of the original, resulting in a humorously told tale contrasting the fifth century with today’s “modern muddle.”

Walt Disney and The Sword in the Stone

2. Walt Was an Inspiration for Merlin
In adapting the literary work, Peet incorporated Walt Disney—his own personal “wizard”—into the character of Merlin. “Walt the wizard never knew that I patterned Merlin the magician after him when I wrote the script,” Peet later recalled. “In his book, T.H. White describes the wizard as a crusty old curmudgeon, argumentative and temperamental, playful at times, and extremely intelligent. Walt was not a curmudgeon and he had no beard, but he was a grandfather and much more of a character. In my drawings of Merlin, I even borrowed Walt’s nose.”

Milt Kahl working on The Sword in the Stone

3. Milt Kahl, Master of Magic in Motion
Given the richness of the personalities, The Sword in the Stone was one of master animator Milt Kahl’s favorite projects. “I liked the characters in The Sword in the Stone very much,” said Kahl. “We made Merlin kind of a doddering magician. I thought that’s where he had his charm because he was so bumbling.” Fellow members of Disney’s elite Nine Old Men animation team Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston wrote that Kahl’s “Sir Ector and Sir Kay were the best humans ever done at the studio, as they were done without benefit of live action or the support of reference material.” For the wacky but wicked Madam Mim, Kahl added touches and bits of business that made working on this wild, witchy character a truly enjoyable experience. When The Sword in the Stone director and fellow Nine Old Man Woolie Reitherman saw Kahl’s first rough drawings of Merlin and Mim, he remarked to the animator that they could be displayed in a museum. His response was vintage Kahl: “Aw, you’re full of it!”

4. The Voice of the Wizard
Voicing the role of absentminded Merlin was versatile performer Karl Swenson. Skilled at creating vocal characterizations from his extensive career as an actor during the golden age of radio, Swenson was also in more than 100 television show episodes, and is most well-known for his recurring role as Lars Henson on Little House on the Prairie. The actor returned to the Disney Studios to appear with Ron Howard and Vera Miles in The Wild Country (1971).

5. The Wizard, the Owl, and the Rabbit
Junius Matthews performs the crotchety voice of the educated but irritable owl Archimedes. In addition to many appearances on the Broadway stage and television, this multitalented actor performed hundreds of varied vocal roles on radio. Karl Swenson recommended Matthews to Walt, pointing out the versatile actor had provided the voice of a potato on a radio program. However, he was originally cast as the voice of Merlin, but then switched roles with Swenson and became the voice of Merlin’s owl. Following The Sword in the Stone, Walt cast Matthews as the voice of Rabbit in the Winnie The Pooh featurettes.

The Sword in the Stone

6. Laughing it Up with Archimedes
In animating Archimedes, supervising animator Ollie Johnston brought to life one of his all-time favorite scenes of his own animation—the scene of Archimedes convulsed with laughter when Merlin crashes his model airplane. Johnston and Frank Thomas later wrote that Junius Matthews “sustained this infectious laugh for over 20 seconds without at any time letting it feel forced or insincere. By the final scene, both the actor and the owl were completely exhausted, and Archimedes only could point feebly at Merlin and finally slide to the floor where he rolled and gasped for air. Merlin, who had bickered with Archimedes throughout the picture, could think of no way to retaliate other than to puff on his pipe and look very irritated.”

The Sword in the Stone

7. A Magical Menagerie
Animals play an important part in the film’s mostly human world, for as Walt explained, “With his wizard’s magic, Merlin changes the boy into a fish, then a bird, and [a squirrel]… always very small creatures so that his survival will depend on brains and not brawn.” Transforming into animals is at the center of one of Disney’s most brilliantly animated sequences. “Storyman Bill Peet gave us the wizard’s duel,” reported Thompson and Johnston, “a perfect use of animation, maintaining personalities through a surprising change in forms and exciting action.” In this fast-paced skirmish of wizardly wits, Merlin and the underhanded Mim try to outwit each other by transforming themselves into a series of unexpected animals. The animators created 15 different visual personae for the battling magicians, with each creature maintaining the personality, visual characteristics, and even color scheme of either Merlin or Mim.

The Sword in the Stone

8. Three Voices, One Wart
The voice of the story’s young hero was Rickie Sorensen—a talented teenager who appeared in many classic TV series of the time, including Hazel and The Danny Thomas Show. When the young actor’s voice changed over the three-year production time of the film, director Reitherman drafted his own sons Richard and Robert to complete the vocal role of Wart.

The Sword in the Stone

9. Boy Meets Girl Squirrel
In one of the most unusual sequences in Disney animation, Merlin changes himself and Wart into squirrels where a lovely little girl squirrel falls for Wart, unaware that in reality he’s a human. The sequence was originally to focus on the squirrels trying to avoid the hungry wolf who is seen at different points in the film. But the performance of the actress providing the chattering voice of the female squirrel changed Frank Thomas’s entire concept for the scene. Thanks to her charming vocalization, Thomas transformed the sequence into a bittersweet encounter for animator, characters, and audience. When Walt saw Frank’s animation he suggested that a Granny Squirrel be added to pursue Merlin. Thomas was so fond of the squirrel sequence, it was screened at his memorial service after he passed away in 2004.

The Sword in the Stone soundtrack

10. Sword, Sorcery, and Sherman Songs
The Sword in the Stone was the first animated feature to include songs by Disney’s newly signed songwriters, Richard and Robert Sherman. “We enjoyed it immensely,” said Robert Sherman of conjuring up six songs for the magical motion picture, “because with animated films the songs seem so much more important to the entire story line of the film.” For example, “A Most Befuddling Thing” is Merlin’s way of explaining the mysterious force of love in the squirrel sequence. “Higitus Figitus” is one of a long list of Disney songs demonstrating Walt’s love of coined words, in this case Merlin’s magic sayings. “We didn’t want to say ‘Abracadabra,’ we just wanted to do different words,” explained Richard Sherman, “and so the conversation was he’s British, and we have to have sort of a British-sounding magic, and also it’s sort of Latin, because he’s very into Latin and Greek.” The Shermans’ songs helped composer George Bruns receive a 1964 Best Score Oscar® nomination for his inspired Sword in the Stone musical score.