In a promotional still from Disney’s Pinocchio, the little wooden puppet is on the left, holding hands with and looking up at Geppetto (off-screen), on the right. Pinocchio is wearing a yellow felt hat with a blue stripe and a red feather, and a white collared shirt and dark vest.

Start Wishing with New Pinocchio Trailer—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Like a Bolt Out of the Blue: Check Out the Magical New Pinocchio Trailer

We’re tantalizingly close to Disney+ Day on September 8—and to celebrate its impending fun, Disney+ just released a new trailer for its highly anticipated live-action reimagining of Pinocchio. Check it out, below.

Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and treats as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Oscar nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the seagull, a new character; and Luke Evans is the Coachman. The film also features Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana and Jaquita Ta’Le as her marionette Sabina; Giuseppe Battiston as Stromboli; and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick.

And don’t forget: There’s so much to look forward to on Disney+ Day… Check out our rundown for what to expect, and make sure to mark those calendars—and pop enough popcorn to last you into the night! You’ll need it!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®

We’re big into celebrating World Princess Week ’round these parts, so we’re planning on continuing the festivities well into the weekend; won’t you join us? There’s all sorts of princess-related animated fun to be had on Disney+, including Cinderella, Raya and the Last Dragon, The Princess and the Frog, and so much more. Find your favorite spot on the couch, your preferred streaming device, and settle in…

A Walt Disney Imagineer, wearing a blue T-shirt and holding a small tool, is seen working on part of the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction, coming soon to EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort.

First Looks at Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana at EPCOT

Speaking of World Princess Week, the good folks over at Disney Parks Blog just shared a first look at one of the incredible new attractions coming soon to EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort: Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana!

For the young and young at heart, Journey of Water—located within EPCOT’s World Nature neighborhood—will allow guests to explore and engage with water as it travels from the sky to the ocean and back again.

Walt Disney Imagineering partnered with artists and cultural consultants from Walt Disney Animation Studios to bring this experience to life and capture the splendor of the natural water cycle. The attraction is also inspired by Moana’s determination to protect her environment and her bond with water. Shapes and characters from Moana will be carved into the rocks and waterways throughout the attraction.

Stay tuned for more information as more exciting developments on both Journey of Water and EPCOT’s transformation are revealed…

D23 Expo [LIVE] Livestream Schedule Announced

Well, friends, we here at D23 are as busy as ever, prepping for D23 Expo 2022—and we’re particularly excited to be livestreaming more Expo content than ever before! To that end, we just announced our livestream schedule… and it is pretty darn fantastic, if you ask us. Take a gander at what you can expect, and join us all weekend long for more fun than you can shake a lightsaber at.

In a promotional still, the cast of Disney Branded Television’s The Villains of Valley View, all wearing contemporary clothing, is standing in what looks to be an “indoor set” version of a suburban backyard. There is a clothing line with some “villainous”-looking clothing hanging on it to their right, and two cast members are sitting on lawn chairs; the rest are standing.

Second Season of The Villains of Valley View is Coming Soon

Earlier this week, our pals at Disney Branded Television announced the second season renewal of their hilarious comedy The Villains of Valley View, which follows a family of supervillains forced to hide their powers and adopt “normalcy” in suburbia. With 10 episodes of Season 1 currently available to watch on Disney Channel and Disney+, production on Season 2 will begin this fall in Los Angeles.

When teenage supervillain Havoc (Isabella Pappas) stands up to the head of the League of Villains, her family is forced to change their identities and relocate to a sleepy Texas suburb. With the help of her effervescent new neighbor Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen), Havoc—going incognito as Amy—must somehow hide her superpowers and quell her villainous nature in favor of something she and the rest of her family have fought against all their lives: being normal.

In addition to Pappas and Muller-Janssen, returning for season two are series regulars Lucy Davis as Eva/Surge, James Patrick Stuart as Vic/Kraniac, Malachi Barton as Colby/Flashform, and Reed Horstmann as Jake/Chaos.

The Villains of Valley View was created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore, who also serve as executive producers and showrunners. Look for new episodes from Season 1 to start airing on Fridays beginning October 7 on Disney Channel!

New Trailer Celebrates Avatar’s Return to Theaters Next Month

James Cameron’s Avatar broke box-office records worldwide—and now, with its first sequel coming to theaters later this year, audience can get prepared by revisiting Pandora on the big screen in a whole new way.

Beginning September 23, Avatar will return to theaters in 4K High Dynamic Range. (Knowing Cameron’s proclivities toward state-of-the-art technology, you know that means the movie will look incredible!)

Written and directed by Academy Award® winner Cameron, Avatar stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sigourney Weaver. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, the film won three—for Cinematography, Production Design, and Visual Effects.

Avatar: The Way of Water, the first Avatar follow-up, splashes its way into your local cineplex beginning December 16.

Stars A-Plenty Sign On for Normal Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter

He’s created some of the most iconic TV shows of the 20th (and 21st) century, and he’s still going strong… so some celebrations are definitely in order! And Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, and Octavia Spencer are now set to appear in honor of iconic television pioneer Norman Lear in ABC’s upcoming special, Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter—airing Thursday, September 22, at 9 p.m. EDT, and available the next day on Hulu.

Honoring the life and legacy of  remarkable storyteller, activist, and philanthropist Lear, the one-night-only celebration will feature intimate conversations, special performances, and surprise reunions that pay homage to the man behind some of television’s greatest stories in celebration of his 100th birthday.

“I’ve always believed music and laughter have added time to my life,” Lear recently said. “I’ve seen a lot throughout my 100 years, but I would’ve never imagined America having a front-row seat to my birthday celebration.” Additional talent and performances will be announced at a later date.

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter is produced by Done+Dusted, and executive produced by David Jammy, Brent Miller, Garrett English, Raj Kapoor, and Eric Cook. James Merryman is set to direct.

ICYMI: 5 Pieces of Important Intel from the Andor Cast and Crew

D23 was lucky enough to hear from the folks behind Lucasfilm’s Andor—set to debut on September 21—and we hand-picked five critical pieces of information you have to know before you join the rebellion (from the comfort of your home, or wherever you like to stream, of course). Hear from star Diego Luna, showrunner Tony Gilroy, and more.