Sweep into May with ABC—Plus More in News Briefs

By D23 Team

ABC Will “Sweep” Us Away with a Marvelous May

Can you believe that summer is already on the horizon? In a little over a month’s time, we’ll be facing the season wrap-ups of some of our favorite ABC television shows… but thankfully, there’s so much to look forward to, we can’t be sad (just yet!).

Make sure to mark those calendars for the season finales of primetime favorites, including:

• Once Upon a Time (Sunday, May 15, from 7–9 p.m. ET)—Special two-hour event!
• Quantico (Sunday, May 15, from 10–11 p.m. ET)—It’s graduation day for the NATS of Quantico—while in the future, Alex and her team find themselves head-to-head with the terrorist.
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Tuesday, May 17, from 9–11 p.m. ET)—It’s a showdown a season in the making as S.H.I.E.L.D. takes on Hive in this two-hour season finale. With Hive’s master plan finally revealed, the team must spring into action. Who will live and who will die?
• Modern Family (Wednesday, May 18, from 9–9:31 p.m. ET)—Claire can’t seem to find the right time to fire one of her employees, while back at home Phil thinks he caught Luke with a girl in his bed, and no one seems to notice that Alex has moved back home for the summer.
• black-ish (Wednesday, May 18, from 9:31–10 p.m. ET)—Dre dreams himself into an episode of the classic TV series from the 1970s…
• Grey’s Anatomy (Thursday, May 19, from 8–9 p.m. ET)—Will Callie and Arizona have finally agreed on what’s best for Sofia?
• Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday, May 24, from 9–11 p.m.)—See who’s given this season’s coveted Mirrorball trophy during the second half of DWTS’ two-night season finale event.

So much good TV, so little time! Thank heaven for DVRs…

Climbing to Zoo Heights!

Fans around the world have been positively hopping to the nearest movie theater to enjoy Zootopia, the newest feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. On April 5, the film surpassed the $800 million mark at the global box office, making it the third-highest-grossing Walt Disney Animation Studios film of all time. Zootopia is now also the fifth biggest ever among animated films based on original intellectual property.

The Little Mermaid—See “Under the Sea” Performed Under the Stars

If you’re planning to be near Hollywood on Saturday, June 4—and when you hear this news, you might want to be!—you’re in store for a treat. It was announced today that Disney’s animated classic, The Little Mermaid, will be given new life in a special live performance at the Hollywood Bowl. Grammy®-nominated artist Sara Bareilles (“Brave”) will voice Ariel for the evening, with Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect) lending her voice to Ursula. Rounding out the cast, who will be singing the songs live, accompanied by a full orchestra, are Darren Criss (Glee) as Prince Eric, John Stamos (Grandfathered) as Chef Louis, Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as Sebastian, Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess) as King Triton and Joshua Colley (Broadway’s A Bronx Tale: The Musical) as Flounder. The evening will open with eight-time Oscar®-winning composer Alan Menken performing a medley of his beloved Disney hits—including songs from Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Tangled, and more—and the festivities even include fireworks. Tickets go on sale at ticketmaster.com this Saturday, April 9, at 10 a.m. Sara Bareilles might as well have been speaking for all of us when she said in a statement, “I suppose this is the part where I say ‘dreams do come true.’”

Meet Disney’s The BFG in a Magical New Trailer

We’re already ridiculously excited to see legendary director Steven Spielberg’s first film for Disney, The BFG—based on the spellbinding Roald Dahl story and starring Oscar® winner Mark Rylance—and this brand-new trailer has us even more enchanted!

We finally meet the Big Friendly Giant (Rylance) himself, as he and adorable orphan Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) begin their adventures in Giant Country. Also starring Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), and Bill Hader (Inside Out), Disney’s The BFG will bound into theaters nationwide on July 1.

Show Your Force with New Star Wars: Force for Change Campaign

The Digital HD and Blu-ray® release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens isn’t the only big news coming out of the Star Wars universe this week… Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill just announced a new campaign (sponsored by CrowdRise) in support of Star Wars: Force for Change, an initiative that inspires people to make a positive impact on the world. Starting April 5, Star Wars: Force for Change will match the donations of Star Wars fans to four select charities up to $1,000,000!

To date, Star Wars: Force for Change has raised more than $10,000,000 with the help of the awesome Star Wars community. This year’s month-long campaign leads up to “Star Wars Day” (on May the 4th, natch)—and the select charities include the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in support of UNICEF Kid Power, American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Make-A-Wish®.

Check out the announcement video—featuring some galactic hilarity from Luke Skywalker himself—above… and then head over to CrowdRise.com/ForceForChange for more information!

P!nk Takes a Trip with Alice Through the Looking Glass

Fans of pop superstar P!nk, your three-year wait for a new single is almost over! On April 15, the Grammy® winner will release “Just Like Fire”—a song written especially for the upcoming Disney film Alice Through the Looking Glass—on music-related digital platforms worldwide! The single will appear in the film and on the motion picture soundtrack from Walt Disney Records, which also features a score from four-time Academy Award® nominee Danny Elfman.

Directed by James Bobin (Muppets Most Wanted), Alice Through the Looking Glass follows our golden-haired heroine (Mia Wasikowska) as she returns to Underland and is swept into helping the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) find his “muchness” while keeping Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen) at bay. Also starring Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, and Michael Sheen, the film opens in theaters on May 27.

Finding Dory: Characters and Full Voice Cast Announced

“Just keep swimming!” Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory recently revealed its full roster of aquatic characters—as well as the voice talent tasked with helping bring each personality to life. Besides previously known stars Ellen DeGeneres (Dory) and Albert Brooks (Marlin), the animated adventure will feature Modern Family’s Ed O’Neill and Ty Burrell as Hank the octopus and Bailey the beluga whale (respectively); comedy legends Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy as Dory’s very own parents, Jenny and Charlie; and Golden Globe® winner Idris Elba and nominee Dominic West as the voices of Fluke and Rudder, a pair of lazy sea lions.

Directed by Andrew Stanton (who helmed Oscar® winners Finding Nemo and WALL•E), Finding Dory revisits everyone’s favorite blue tang as she embarks on a life-altering quest to find her family. Ride the waves with Dory and friends when the film swims into theaters on June 17.

Mowgli Meets Baloo in New The Jungle Book Clip

Ready for a quick onslaught of adorable? Curious as to what Bill Murray looks like as a large, furry, appropriately droll bear? Then check out this brand-new clip from Disney’s The Jungle Book, in which Mowgli (Neel Sethi) meets Baloo (Murray), a critter who managed to save the young man-cub’s life… and evidently, there’s some payback involved.

Watch the further adventures of Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, King Louie, and scores of other incredible creatures when The Jungle Book roars into your local cineplex next week!