By Courtney Potter
Disney Channel Shares Hamster & Gretel Trailer and Premiere Date
Our pals at Disney Channel just announced the premiere date—and shared the official trailer—for the upcoming animated Super Hero comedy Hamster & Gretel from Disney Branded Television… and it looks mighty adorable!
Hamster & Gretel introduces Kevin (voiced by Michael Cimino) and his younger sister Gretel (voiced by newcomer Meli Povenmire), who are about to be given superpowers by space aliens. But something goes awry—and it’s Gretel and her pet hamster (named, naturally, Hamster) who suddenly have new abilities! Now, protective older brother Kevin must figure out how to work with both Gretel and her pet to protect their city from mysterious dangers.
Starring alongside Cimino and Povenmire in the series are Beck Bennett as Hamster; Joey King as Gretel’s tech-savvy cousin, Fred; Matt Jones as the siblings’ easygoing father, Dave; and Carolina Ravassa as the siblings’ charismatic mother, Carolina. Joining the voice cast as recurring characters are Priah Ferguson as Gretel’s best friend, Bailey; Liza Koshy as news reporter Veronica Hill; Alyson Stoner and Brock Powell as the evil sibling duo Lauren and Lyle, aka The Destructress and FistPuncher, respectively; and viral rap sensation Akintoye as Kevin’s confident buddy, Anthony. Guest stars include Jenny Lorenzo as Carolina’s mother, Abuelita; legendary Latin pop star Karina La Voz as the tear-jerking La Cebolla; YouTube star Thomas Sanders as frat guy horse-man Neighslayer; TikTok star Casey Hamilton as Gretel’s mild-mannered substitute teacher, Mr. Chabner; and Adam Rose as evil jingle writer The Earworm.
Created by Dan Povenmire, Hamster & Gretel is produced by Disney Television Animation and is inspired by Povenmire’s real-life relationship with his significantly younger sister. Look for the series to launch on Friday, August 12, at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT* on Disney Channel! (*Due to special programming, start time is subject to change.)
5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®
At last! The further adventures of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) are finally here, what with Thor: Love & Thunder finally rocketing into theaters on July 8… so prepare yourself for all the hilarious hijinks by checking out a whole weekend’s worth of Thor-related content on Disney+, including Thor: Ragnarok and (break out the tissues) Avengers: Endgame.
First Look at Disney+ Documentary Series Light & Magic
Their full story hasn’t been told—until now. Just this week, Disney+ premiered the trailer for Lucasfilm and Imagine Documentaries’ Light & Magic, a sure-to-be-incredibly-cool and totally immersive series that chronicles the unexplored history of world-renowned Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the special visual effects, animation, and virtual production division of Lucasfilm.
Granted unparalleled access, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan takes viewers on an adventure behind the curtain of Industrial Light & Magic. Learn about the pioneers of modern filmmaking as they go on a journey to bring Disney Legend George Lucas’ vision to life—and, ultimately, inspire the entire industry of visual effects.
All six episodes of Light & Magic will debut on Wednesday, July 27, exclusively on Disney+.
Disney and ABC to Present Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration
It’s a tale as old as time, and it’ll be presented in a whole new way! In honor of the 30th anniversary of the beloved Disney animated classic and its Academy Award® nomination for Best Picture, The Wonderful World of Disney and ABC earlier this week announced their upcoming Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration event. This two-hour animated and live-action blended special will pay tribute to Walt Disney Animation’s original Beauty and the Beast and its legacy by showcasing the fan-favorite movie, along with memorable new performances—taking viewers on a magical adventure through the eyes of Belle. Jon M. Chu will executive produce, and Hamish Hamilton will direct.
Live, never-before-seen musical performances—not to mention brand-new sets and breathtaking costumes—will be inspired by the classic story, and performances will be seamlessly woven through the original feature film… all designed to pay homage while also adding to the iconic story for viewers at home. (Casting will be announced at a later date.) Songs from the original animated classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios.
“Beauty and the Beast was always a game-changing cinematic experience for me,” Chu recently said. “When the animated movie came out, I watched it multiple times in the first weekend. It showed me the outer limits of what animated artists and storytellers could achieve, so the fact that I get to executive produce a tribute to all the creatives that made this masterpiece… is a dream I didn’t even think was possible.”
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration will air Thursday, December 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, and will be available the next day on Disney+.
Every Disney Moment from the 2022 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™
Just before the Fourth of July holiday, the 2022 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ was held in New Orleans—and The Walt Disney Company was the exclusive entertainment sponsor. From the announcements of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the Disney Storytellers Fund at Howard University, to special panels featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, there was an embarrassment of Disney riches!
New Trailer for 20th Century Studios’ Amsterdam
Acclaimed writer and director David O. Russell is back—and he’s offering up a fascinating and richly intricate tale… one that brilliantly weaves historical fact with fiction for a timely, cinematic experience.
20th Century Studios’ and New Regency’s original crime epic Amsterdam is about three close friends who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history. The film boasts a truly all-star cast: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, and Zoe Saldaña, with Rami Malek and Robert De Niro.
Look for the film to open exclusively in theaters November 4. Mark those calendars!
ICYMI: Good Trouble’s Joanna Johnson Answers Burning Questions About Season 4
The fourth season of Freeform’s Good Trouble took a bit of a break—during which we had a dramatically delightful time contemplating what would be in store for our fave residents of The Coterie once they returned. Well, with the season resuming tonight, D23 asked the show’s the co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner for some inside scoop to help get us further prepared… and boy, did she deliver! See what Joanna Johnson had to say by clicking here.
