By Courtney Potter
ABC announces its 2018–19 prime-time season, and Frozen on Broadway gets its cast recording and a national tour… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!
Get Your Remotes Ready: ABC Announces 2018–19 Prime-time Season!
It’s May, which means graduations and weddings and warmer temperatures—and also an end to the current television season… but there’s good news, TV fans: On the flip side, the new TV season is just over the horizon. And our pals over at ABC just made their big 2018–19 primetime announcement; it’s chock full of returning favorites, new stories and characters, a few familiar faces making their TV comebacks, and more comedy and drama than ever before!
From The Rookie (starring Nathan Fillion as a middle-aged newbie in the Los Angeles Police Department) to the new 1970s-set comedy The Kids Are Alright… from the return of faves like Roseanne and black-ish to a brand-new talk show from Alec Baldwin… make sure those DVRs are set to ABC come fall. Read more about ABC’s upcoming prime-time season right here at D23.com.
Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:
| D23 and Walt Disney Archives May 19, 2018 Exclusive Meet & Greet with Ashley Eckstein May 25, 2018 D23’s Return to Marceline June 9, 2018 D23’s Mickey’s of Glendale Shopping Experience in Florida June 14, 2018 Enjoy Complimentary Tickets to a Special Screening of Disney•Pixar’s Incredibles 2 June 23, 2018 D23’s Magical Screening Series: Robin Hood on the Lot June 29, 2018 Lunch with Disney Legend: Burny Mattinson June 30, 2018 D23’s Magical Screening Series: Robin Hood at Walt Disney World November 16-18, 2018 Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse August 23-25, 2019 D23 Expo 2019 Parks February 28–May 28, 2018 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival May 25, 2018 Incredible Summer Begins at Walt Disney World Resort May 27, 2018 Star Wars: Galactic Nights Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios June 23, 2018 Pixar Pier opens at Disney California Adventure June 30, 2018 Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios August 17, 24, 28, 31 September 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30 October 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park August 30-November 12, 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2019 Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World |
Studios May 25, 2018 Solo: A Star Wars Story opens in U.S. theaters June 15, 2018 Incredibles 2 opens in U.S. theaters July 6, 2018 Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp opens in U.S. theaters opens in U.S. theaters August 3, 2018 Disney’s Christopher Robin opens in U.S. theaters November 2, 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in U.S. theaters December 19, 2018 Mary Poppins Returns opens in U.S. theaters Television June 9, 2018 Big Hero 6 The Series Premieres on Disney Channel (9 a.m. ET/PT) |
Broadway’s Frozen—New Cast Recording and Big Upcoming Tour
There’s a blizzard of news from the world of Disney Theatricals’ Frozen, and it’s got us bundling up and breaking out some celebratory cocoa. The record-breaking Broadway smash just released their official cast recording; find out more, and see a clip featuring Caissie Levy singing Elsa’s signature “Let It Go,” here. Plus, Disney Theatrical has announced a huge national Frozen tour, officially opening in Los Angeles, to kick off in 2019—read all about it here. Anyone else feel like a warm hug right about now?
Freeform Announces Slate for 2018–19 Season
Along with ABC’s big prime-time announcements this week, Freeform got in on the action with some revelations of their own… Joining successful series like Siren, grown-ish, and The Bold Type for the 2018–19 season are brand-new shows including Besties—a half-hour comedy from co-creators Kenya Barris (black-ish, grown-ish) and Ranada Shepard that explores friendship, identity, race, and class as two lifelong best friends use each other to get through some of the toughest challenges that they’ll ever face… as well as Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, a spin-off from PLL creator I. Marlene King that follows a group of three college friends as they struggle with the stress of being overachievers.
As we head towards the end of 2018, look for some fresh holiday-related Freeform programming, including the Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Extravaganza (celebrating the fan-favorite Halloween staple starring Bette Midler) and Decorating Disney: Halloween—a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into transforming the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts for their spooky shenanigans. But that’s not all: Tyra Banks will revisit an iconic role from early in her career with Life Size 2, an original holiday film that has the doll-come-to-life helping a young woman learn to live and love again.
Keep your eyes peeled for more information about Freeform’s new series and specials in the coming months!
Woo-oo! All the News from Disney Channel GO! Fan Fest
Disney Channel held its very first GO! Fan Fest on Saturday, May 14, at the Disneyland Resort—and D23 was there! We got the inside scoop from a veritable cavalcade of stars, including David Tennant, Ben Schwartz, and Danny Pudi from DuckTales; Peyton List and Mallory Mahoney from BUNK’D; and Lilan Bowden from Andi Mack. Read all about it right here (and make sure to watch the clip of the awesome DuckTales live table read, featuring most of the cast—all together on stage for the very first time!).
Mandarin Beauty and the Beast Opening June 14
Shanghai Disney Resort will soon get its very own “tale as old as time,” when the brand-new Mandarin production of the hit Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast opens June 14 at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre in Disneytown!
More than 80 actors and crew members were selected, after a six-month search, to bring the show to life—including an ensemble of world-class performers that includes both well-known and undiscovered Chinese talent… as well as a few folks from around the globe. And audiences who caught the resort’s previous hit musical, The Lion King, will see several familiar faces.
This spectacular new production features award-winning music composed by Disney Legend Alan Menken, who met the cast in Shanghai earlier this year. The original Broadway creative team is also in Shanghai working with the local cast and crew to bring this beloved story to the stage. For those readers who may be planning an epic Shanghai sojourn, tickets go on sale to the public on May 24.
New Photography Book Celebrates Mickey Mouse
A cadre of celebrities and cultural icons—including Disney Legend Mark Hamill, Marvel’s Agent Carter star Hayley Atwell, and actress Liv Tyler—have come together to pay tribute to Mickey Mouse’s 90th, with stylish portraits by photographer RANKIN… and it’s all in support of the UK charity Together for Short Lives. Take a gander at some of the pics, and find out how you too can help this important cause, here at D23.com.
Adventures by Disney Announces Incredible 2019 Vacations
Sure, we’re just heading into Summer 2018—but that doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about vacations for next year. Thankfully, Adventures by Disney (ABD) recently announced their vacation options for 2019, and they’re as exhilarating as you’d expect!
ABD is offering more destinations than ever before, with more than 50 trips to six continents. Plus, their very first Japan vacation (an epic 11-day, 10-night itinerary with experiences in Kyoto, Takayama, Odawara, and Tokyo) is now on sale; it’s a collaboration between ABD and the Japan National Tourism Organization, and it’s sure to be ridiculously special.
For a quick look at what you can expect from ABD in 2019, check out the new video, above. And make sure to visit AdventuresbyDisney.com for more information.
