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

By Andie Hagemann

Strike up the band for these five fantastic titles coming to your TV (and assorted streaming devices) this weekend! On Friday, Raven pulls out all the stops for an important client on a brand-new episode of Raven’s Home, airing on Disney Channel, followed by the arrival of Drumline on Disney+ that same day. Prepare for a battle royal when Maleficent: Mistress of Evil airs Saturday on Freeform as part of the network’s “31 Nights of Halloween” event. And on Sunday night, don’t miss all new episodes of Celebrity Jeopardy and The Rookie, both airing on ABC.

From left to right, actor Emmy Liu-Wang stands behind a black desk and wears a white lab coat and goggles. On the desk are beakers with bright liquids. Actors Issac Ryan Brown and Felix Avitia stand at the edge of the desk. Brown wears a white, red, and blye sweater with a black T-shirt. Avitia wears a teal button-down shirt with pineapples wearing sunglasses. They look at a reporter covered in suds.

Raven’s Home—Friday, October 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel 

Raven (Raven-Symoné) receives the opportunity of lifetime to design a wedding gown for a very important client. With her reputation on the line, she’s pulling out all the stops to make the client’s dream dress happen. Meanwhile, Booker (Issac Ryan Brown) has a vision that Ivy (Emmy Liu Wang) is hindering her mom’s campaign.

From left to right, actors Leonard Roberts and Nick Cannon point one drum stick in each other’s face while their drums and bodies face one another. Roberts wears a gray, half-zipped, ribbed sweater, and black pants. Cannon wears a navy tracksuit with gray stripes down the arm, torso, and leg. Behind them are tables or recording equipment and abstract artwork painted on white walls.

Drumline—Friday, October 7, on Disney+ 

Devon Miles (Nick Cannon), a talented street drummer from Harlem, sets his sights on the high-stakes world of show-style marching bands. After enrolling in Atlanta A&T University, he quickly bumps heads with the new leader of the drum section and realizes that it takes more than talent to be the best. The film also stars Zoe Saldaña, Orlando Jones, Leonard Roberts, and Shay Roundtree.

Actor Angelina Jolie portrays Maleficent with a long, black sleeveless gown and black, horned headpiece. Attached to her body are enormous bird-like wings with two sharp horns on each side. Behind her are large, red smoke clouds in the sky.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil—Saturday, October 8, at 11:25 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform 

Upon the engagement of Aurora (Elle Fanning) and Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson), Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) travels to a grand old castle to meet Aurora’s future in-laws. The two families butt heads and Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) hatches a devious plan to destroy the land’s fairies. To thwart the plan, Maleficent teams up with a group of outcasts to battle the queen and her army. Sam Riley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, and Imelda Staunton also star in the film.

Actor Constance Wu smiles and stands at a large podium with a glass top. She wears a white, cropped T-shirt and tan pants with a black pattern. She holds a buzzer in her right hand. Behind her is a bright blue backdrop.

Celebrity Jeopardy—Sunday, October 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC 

Hosted by Mayim Bialik, three more celebrities square off for bragging rights and donations for their selected charities. Fresh Off the Boat’s Constance Wu, The Mindy Project’s Ike Barinholtz, and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose test their wits while battling for a spot in the semifinal round.

Actor Nathan Fillion smirks and sits in a wooden chair next to a long wooden desk. He wears a black cop uniform with two white chevrons embroidered on his right sleeve. His left arm rests on the top of the desk and his right arm rests on his right thigh. At the front of the room is an American flag along with a large wooden podium and a large chalkboard hanging on the wall. Two male officers stand on each side of the podium and look at Fillion.

The Rookie—Sunday, October 9, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC 

The student becomes the teacher in this week’s new episode. Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) is assigned his first rookie, Officer Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez). However, her unconventional approach to police work poses an unusual challenge for him.

Blending Fact with Fiction in 20th Century Studios’ Amsterdam

By Andie Hagemann

The idea for Amsterdam, from 20th Century Studios and New Regency, sprouted from humble beginnings over five years’ worth of diner chats between director and writer David O. Russell and actor and executive producer Christian Bale.

“A lot of eggs; a lot of coffee,” admits Bale.

Both men wanted to create original characters that they would want to hang out with and had never seen actors John David Washington or Margot Robbie-nor Bale himself-portray before.

“We started with a doctor-and we started to learn from history, the unusual circumstances of this doctor [Burt Berendsen, portrayed by Bale] and his two best friends,” Russell says. “We wanted to have three friends who were ‘fixers’ and could handle any situation, who went through something epic together; something that would be fun to follow and inspiring to follow, and also shine a light on some history that many people don’t know about.”

Over those five years, Russell and Bale welcomed others, including Robbie, to collaborate on the project at the diner. “It was fun to meet several times a week. As a writer, being [mostly] alone for 30 years of writing, it’s nice to be able to go talk to a friend or colleague or collaborator to grow it together,” adds Russell.

Robbie portrays Valerie Voze, a nurse and member of the trio-and much like her character, Robbie is a part of a trio of pals herself, whom she met coincidentally in Belgium years ago. “I think for all of us and all of our characters, you do end up infusing parts of yourself in there,” she explains. “I think that comes across in a very authentic way on camera. There are things drawn from history-maybe your own personal history or something bizarre that David said, and everyone rolled with in the moment, and it ends up on screen.”

In a still from the film Amsterdam, actor Christian Bale wears a brown suit with an olive bowtie and light pink button-down dress shirt. He leans in and smiles with his mouth closed. Actor Margot Robbie wears an orange ascot tied around her neck with a black overcoat; she's standing and looking at Bale. Actor John David Washington is looking at a person in front of him, off screen; he wears a black suit with an orange vest, red tie, and light pink colored button-down shirt.

As depicted in the film, Valerie creates art made from shrapnel-a hobby Robbie embraced herself during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had a really long time to prep Valerie, maybe a little too long,” she says with a laugh. “I started making a lot of art, ‘Valerie’-kind of art, during lockdown-and it was getting very weird. I think at one point my husband walked in-I had bits of metal and fake blood as well as my Super 8 [camera] out, and a mask on, all this crazy stuff-and he said, ‘I think you’re taking this character too far; you need to calm down.’ I fell in love with her.”

However, her efforts weren’t in vain, as some of her Super 8 footage actually ended up in the film. “[Valerie] is based on the art of Meret Oppenheim, Hannah Hoch, even Georgia O’Keeffe, who broke all new ground-and [Margot] made [this footage] in her house,” Russell adds. “Chivo [Emmanuel Lubezki], the cinematographer and I, along with Linder Sterling-who made some of the art with Judy Becker, our production designer-said, ‘Wow, this is as good as it gets.’ And it’s in the movie.”

Washington, who portrays Harold Woodman, a lawyer, also delved into the research while filming. “I got obsessed with the Harlem Renaissance, Charles Houston-I read his book-and getting all this information about double victory, and what it was like for African Americans to fight for this country and what kind of freedoms that they had. They had more freedoms there in a lot of ways than they did in their own country,” he explains. “So different things, like that Amsterdam newspaper was started by Black men in Harlem-it’s things like that, which it may or may not make the film, but it’s something that is a touchstone.”

While the trio of best friends find themselves at the center of a coup d’état, Russell says the film, as with his previous works-The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and Joy-is about “outsiders who find reasons to love life in spite of whatever it is they’re facing.”

Russell adds, “That’s what the notion of Amsterdam is: what do you love about life and each other that you live for?”

Amsterdam also stars Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro. Look for it to open exclusively in theaters Friday, October 7.

 

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!

As a member of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, you know your magic! This week we’re putting your Disney Parks knowledge to the test to see if you are the ultimate Disney fan.

What year did Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party debut at Walt Disney World Resort?

Correct! Wrong!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a specially ticketed event, debuted at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World as a one-night-only party on October 31, 1995. It has since expanded to multiple evenings, where guests can go trick-or-treating in the park and enjoy exclusive Halloween entertainment.

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!
You are the ultimate Disney fan!
Looks like you are a Disney expert! Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Challenge. We’ll see you next week for your chance to uphold your title as the ultimate Disney fan!
Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!
Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Challenge! These questions are tricky, so don’t stop swimming yet. We’ll see you next week for your chance to earn the title of the ultimate Disney fan!

Dancing with the Stars’ “Disney+ Night” Songs and Dance Styles Revealed

By Zach Johnson

Dancing with the Stars returns to Disney+ next week with a show-stopping episode, where 13 remaining couples will immerse themselves in the magic of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and more for an unforgettable “Disney+ Night” of dazzling performances! The Mirrorball competition will stream live on Monday, October 10, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. (Episode replays on Disney+ will become available within the hour after the livestream.)

The pro dancers and troupe will kick off the first-ever “Disney+ Night” with a performance of “Colombia, Mi Encanto” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Oscar®-winning film Encanto. The evening will also include a bonus performance of “That’s How You Know” from Enchanted, featuring pro dancers Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov. “Try Everything” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia will be highlighted in a troupe number in celebration of Disney’s upcoming 100th anniversary.

Shangela wears a gold fringe dress with a thigh-high slit. Her right arm is extended in the air, and she is holding onto Gleb Savchenko, who is to her left, with her left arm. Savchenko’s legs are spread wide, and his left arm is extended. He is wearing a partially unbuttoned white dress shirt, black pants, and an undone bow tie.

The couples (along with their dance styles and songs) are the following:

  • Joseph Baena and pro Daniella Karagach will perform a Charleston to “A Star Is Born” from Hercules
  • Selma Blair and pro Sasha Farber will perform a Quickstep to “The Muppet Show Theme” from The Muppet Show
  • Wayne Brady and pro Witney Carson will perform a Jazz routine to “Wait for It” from Hamilton
  • Sam Champion and pro Cheryl Burke will perform a Paso Doble to “The Greatest Show” from The Greatest Showman
  • Charli D’Amelio and pro Mark Ballas will perform a Jazz routine to “‘The Simpsons’ Main Title Theme” from The Simpsons
  • Heidi D’Amelio and pro Artem Chigvintsev will perform a Viennese Waltz to “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins
  • Jessie James Decker and pro Alan Bersten will perform a Jive to “One Way or Another” from Hocus Pocus 2
  • Trevor Donovan and pro Emma Slater will perform a Samba to “Life Is a Highway” from Cars
  • Daniel Durant and pro Britt Stewart will perform a Quickstep to “Finally Free” from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
  • Vinny Guadagnino and pro Koko Iwasaki will perform a Samba to “Il Gatto E La Volpe” from Luca
  • Shangela and pro Gleb Savchenko will perform a Charleston to “Dig a Little Deeper” from The Princess and the Frog
  • Jordin Sparks and pro Brandon Armstrong will perform a Jazz routine to “Remember Me” from Coco
  • Gabby Windey and pro Val Chmerkovskiy will perform a Quickstep to “Mr. Blue Sky” from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas hold a classic tango pose as they glide across the dance floor. D’Amelio is wearing a midriff-baring, bedazzled black top, a flowing floral skirt, and black and white dance shoes. She has a yellow and blue flower in her hair. Ballas is wearing a black dress shirt, black pants, and black and white dance shoes.

What will judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough say about the couple’s “Disney+ Night” performances? Tune in Monday to find out—and to see what fun hosts Tyra Banks and Alfonso Ribeiro have in store for everyone in the ballroom (and at home)! Fans will be able to vote during the livestream of the show in the U.S. and Canada by visiting disneyplus.com/vote. U.S. fans can also vote via SMS/text (message and data rates may apply). This season, live online voting is available in Canada. With each ensuing episode, live viewer votes will be combined with the judges’ scores to determine which couples may be in jeopardy of elimination.

Celebrate Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month with These Rising Stars

By Tori Hunt

Disney would be nothing without the wonderful talent that graces our screens. For Hispanic Latinx Heritage month, we want to celebrate a few of the many rising stars within the community that have already left their mark on Disney!

Scarlett Estevez is wearing a green turtleneck and black jeans. She is lying amongst red and white striped presents with her arms crossed. She has long dark brown hair.

Sarah Nicole Robles
Robles has made quite the impact in the world of animation, becoming the voices of Luz in The Owl House on Disney+ and Señora Ozma from the hit film Encanto. She has also worked on the Baymax! series on Disney+ as well as Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. You could say that everything she touches turns to gold!

Frankie Quinones is wearing a gray and black striped polo with four buttons. He is bald with a little facial hair. He stands against a green wall with art.

Frankie Quinones
Quinones is no stranger to the screen, but he is new to the Disney family, starring on Hulu’s The Fool. Playing the hilarious role of Luis, Quinones portrays an ex-gang member attempting to turn his life around in a rehabilitation program called Hugs Not Thugs. He also can be seen in Hulu’s What We Do in the Shadows as Miguel.

Chris Estrada looks into the distance as he wears a dark brown button-up shirt over a white t-shirt.

Chris Estrada
Alongside Quinones, Estrada also stars in Hulu’s This Fool, as Julio. Julio works to keep everyone on track—sometimes even forgetting to help himself. Estrada not only acts on the comedy show but also writes and produces several episodes, making his mark in the industry as a force to be reckoned with.

Sarah Nicole Robles is wearing a light-colored sweater and large over-the-ear headphones. She has curly black hair and grins at the camera inside of the recording studio.

Scarlett Estevez
Estevez is quickly becoming Disney Channel royalty, starring in the hit series Bunk’d and now as Ultra Violet inUltra Violet & Black Scorpion. Her Bunk’d character, Gwen Flores, has also been seen on two episodes of Raven’s Home. Safe to say, fans love her and her quirky characters!

Frankie A. Rodriguez stands against a wood-paneled wall with his right hand resting underneath his chin. He is wearing a purple, white, and blue floral patterned top and clear-frame eyeglasses.

Frankie A. Rodriguez
Rodriguez is best known for his role as Carlos in all three seasons of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. Not only is Rodriguez an incredible performer, but he also paves the way for LGBTQ+ visibility on screen, making him an inspiration to viewers. You can also find him in Hulu’s reboot of Will and Grace as Christopher.

How ABC’s Alaska Daily Exposes Ugly Truths in the Northern Lights

By Andie Hagemann

Alaska is known as “The Last Frontier,” and in ABC’s new drama series Alaska Daily, it’s also considered a last chance.

Two-time Academy Award®-winning actress Hilary Swank stars as Eileen Fitzgerald, a veteran journalist who is on a journey of professional and personal redemption. After the dynamo’s fall from grace, she escapes New York City in favor of Anchorage, Alaska—in the unlikeliest of career moves—to join a daily metro newspaper where she investigates an oft overlooked crisis: missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Upon reading Kyle Hopkins’ reporting on the subject matter in the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica, Alaska Daily creator and executive producer Tom McCarthy was convinced to set the series in Anchorage and examine the important topic on mainstream TV. “It hasn’t received nearly enough attention,” says McCarthy. “Maybe with the show, we could make something that was not only compelling, but raised some interesting questions and started the conversation with the ‘Lower 48’—as the Alaskans like to refer to us—on this topic.”

Adds Swank, “After reading the pilot, Tom told me about this article, ‘Lawless,’ and I was all consumed; it is material that matters. [Alaska Daily] seemed like a great opportunity to be able to really dig deep into those stories, characters, and all the journalists and their backgrounds.”

Actor Hilary Swank leans back as she sits in a chair. She holds a brown reusable coffee cup in her left hand and rests her right hand on her right thigh. She wears a black, button-down dress shirt and black pants. The chair is placed near a large wooden desk which is covered with papers and an open laptop. Across the desk is actor Jeff Perry, who sits with his hands folded on top of the desk. He wears a black, button-down dress shirt.

In addition to Swank, Alaska Daily also stars Jeff Perry as Stanley Cornik, Matt Malloy as Bob Young, Meredith Holzman as Claire Muncy, Grace Dove as Rosalind “Roz” Friendly, Pablo Castelblanco as Gabriel Tovar, Ami Park as Yuna Park, and Craig Frank as Austin Teague.

When creating the series, McCarthy looked to the Anchorage Daily News for inspiration, visiting the newsroom several times. Those visits inspired him to create a fictional newsroom and characters that were as diverse and representative of the region they’re covering.

“I have a tremendous respect for David Hulen, the editor, and the entire staff there,” says McCarthy. “They’re top‑rate people and reporters, so we draw on that when we can. [Their] newsroom did have a lot of fantastic women reporters—actually, most of them. I thought that was interesting, so I included that our show.”

From left to right, actor Hilary Swank sits at a white table with her hands folded. She wears a white, button-down dress shirt with a black vest on top. On the table in front of her is a glass of water, black cell phone, and notebook. Actor Grace Dove sits with her right on resting on the table. She wears a denim jacket, an olive T-shirt, and a necklace with a turquoise pendant. On the table in front of her are a notebook and glass of water.

Immediately after arriving in Anchorage, Eileen sinks her teeth into her first story for The Daily Alaskan. However, the complexities of the case prompt Stanley to pair up Eileen and Roz to investigate the story together as a duo—much to Eileen’s chagrin. “They both go at it very differently, and their strengths complement one another,” says Swank. “But in the beginning, they definitely butt heads. It takes both of their strengths to get the job done. As the show goes on, we’ll have a better understanding why Stanley teamed them up.”

Dove shares, “For [my character Roz], who is an Alaskan native, there’s a lot of distrust [when Eileen arrives] because we have been dealing with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Two‑Spirit situation for a long time—this is not new. We see a lot of people come in and bring up these stories for the attention, but not actually put in the work to support Indigenous peoples.”

For Dove, who grew up in British Columbia near the Highway of Tears, Alaska Daily brings to light an issue that isn’t limited to Indigenous persons residing in Alaska. “We have been facing this for a very long time, so to see this go on to network television, it’s incredible,” Dove says. “I think that a lot of people are going to be curious, open, and see it from a different lens.”

Alaska Daily premieres Thursday, October 6, at 10:01 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and will become available to stream the following day on Hulu. New episodes will debut weekly on Thursdays.

Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation®

Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume explores the craftsmanship and artistry required to produce costuming elements that represent nearly six decades of film and television production at The Walt Disney Company. Having debuted at the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, this traveling exhibition incorporates more than 60 costumes from over 30 films worn by the likes of Disney Legend Julie Andrews, Bette Davis, Glenn Close, and Angelina Jolie.

Showcasing the work of over 20 different designers, the exhibit aims to provide visitors a rarely seen, up-close look at some of Disney’s most memorable costumes, shining a spotlight on not only the incredible garments, but the artisans who helped bring them to cinematic life. Much has been said and written about the significant work of the artists, animators, performers, composers, designers, and Imagineers who have brought forth the sorcery of Disney to generations around the world, but Disney costume designers have not had their work examined—or appraised and appreciated—with the same focus, nor has their art been as celebrated as their creative contemporaries. This exhibition allows guests to hear from the designers themselves, getting added insight into how costumes go from concept to reality.

The 6,000-square-foot traveling exhibit is on display at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation® in Dearborn, Michigan, through January 1, 2023.

Disney100: The Exhibition

At D23 Expo, it was announced that Disney100: The Exhibition will open on February 18, 2023, at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Chicago, Illinois, and Kansas City, Missouri, set as the next two stops on the North American tour. The international unit of the exhibit will open on April 18 in Munich, Germany, with more cities to be announced in the coming months. The stunning key artwork for the exhibit was also revealed, which invites guests to step into their favorite stories using innovative and immersive technology throughout ten galleries in the 15,000-square-foot exhibit. The Walt Disney Archives is opening its vault of treasures, showcasing more than 250 of its “Crown Jewels,” rarely seen original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other memorabilia. Disney has curated special behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creation of the company’s most popular characters, films, shows, and attractions—from Disneyland to Walt Disney World and beyond. The ten magnificent and imaginatively themed galleries, all featuring moving stories, unique interactive installations, and exciting background information, will take visitors on a journey through 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, celebrating the classics from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World, as well as the latest members of the Disney family—Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.

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5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

By Andie Hagemann

From an origin story about a devious Disney villain to a spooky new special from Marvel Studios, this week is jam-packed will content sure to get you in the Halloween spirit. On Monday, Dancing with the Stars pays tribute to a film icon—live on Disney+. Freeform’s “31 Nights of Halloween” continues with a special presentation of Maleficent on Tuesday. A blast from the past appears in this week’s episode of The Conners, airing Wednesday on ABC. Meanwhile, hijinks abound in Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge, which airs Thursday. Plus, don’t miss the debut of Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night, premiering Friday on Disney+.

Hosts Tyra Banks and Alfonso Ribeiro during an episode of Dancing with the Stars. Banks wears a long, gold, shimmery gown and holds a black microphone. Ribeiro wears a purple jacket and matching pants with black shoes; he also holds the microphone.

Dancing with the Stars—Monday, October 3, at 8 p.m. PT/5 p.m. PT on Disney+

It’s “Bond Night” in the ballroom! In celebration of the 60th anniversary of James Bond on the silver screen, the 14 remaining couples will perform dances to iconic songs from the film franchise. Also, the pros will open the show with special performance to “Live and Let Die” by Paul McCartney & Wings. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite duo at disneyplus.com/vote.

Actor Angelina Jolie portrays Maleficent in the live-action film. She wears a black headpiece with horns, along with a black dress and cape. She leans over a wooden baby crib with gold bedding.

Maleficent—Tuesday, October 4, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform

Young Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) resides in an idyllic forest kingdom, but when an invading army threatens the land, she becomes its fiercest protector. After a betrayal hardens her once pure heart, Maleficent plots her revenge—engaging in an epic battle with invading king’s successor before cursing his newborn daughter, Aurora. However, she soon realizes Aurora (Elle Fanning) is the key to peace in the kingdom.

In a still from ABC’s The Conners, Laurie Metcalf and Alicia Goranson stand behind a counter at a restaurant. Metcalf wears a navy, hooded sweatshirt with the Chicago Bears logo across the front; Goranson wears a long-sleeved white shirt with a floral pattern. A white coffee cup sits on the counter, and a small orange frame with a white piece of paper and red cups filled with napkins and utensils are in front of Metcalf.

The Conners—Wednesday, October 5, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC

When an enticing job opportunity presents itself across town, Mark (Ames McNamara) is anxious to get his driver’s license. Darlene (Sara Gilbert) attempts to teach him to drive, but her nerves prompt him ask Ben (Jay R. Ferguson) for help. Meanwhile, Harris (Emma Kenney) meets a new guy online, whom Becky (Alicia Goranson) recognizes from her past.

In a still from Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge, actor Kimberley J. Brown wears a long black cloak with embroidered yellow stars. She looks up as actor Debbie Reynolds stands to her left; Reynolds wears a red velvet cloak with gold stitching.

Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge—Thursday, October 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform

Aggie (Debbie Reynolds) sweeps Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) and Sophie (Emily Roeske) off to Halloweentown to investigate a series of strange occurrences that seem to have stripped the community of its magic. They soon discover an angry warlock has pilfered Aggie’s spell book—hoping to turn every human into whatever costume they are wearing at midnight on Halloween!

In a still from Werewolf by Night, actor Gael García Bernal portrays Jack Russell; he wears all-black clothing and sits in a chair. Behind him is a person dressed in white with a fur stole around their shoulders.

Werewolf by Night—Friday, October 7, on Disney+

Directed by Michael Giacchino, this chilling special delves into uncharted territory of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On a dark night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster. The special stars Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell, Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone, and Harriet Sansom Harris as Verusa.

We’ve Just Begun to Dream!

By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives

The 21st century began on October 1, 1982, at Walt Disney World Resort. Just as Magic Kingdom Park, and all of Walt Disney World Resort, had beforehand, EPCOT Center (now known as EPCOT) opened its gates on October 1. Card Walker, future Disney Legend and then company CEO and Chairman of the Board, best explained the reasoning for this opening phase in his dedication speech for the Universe of Energy on October 4, 1982: “Since we opened October 1, that’s our slowest day, our slowest week and month of the year. Of course, we do that by design. It was the same day that we opened Walt Disney World in 1971. The reason is we like to work out all the kinks in our inventions, all the new and innovative rides and systems that have never been tried anywhere else in the world before.” Uniquely, EPCOT Center celebrated with a month of dedications with each pavilion and attraction host its own special unveiling celebrations leading up to the EPCOT Center Grand Opening and Dedication Ceremony on October 24, 1982.

A close-up photograph of the entertainment performers at the EPCOT Center dedication on October 1, 1982.

October 1 was not only the first day that EPCOT Center was officially open, but it also doubled as the dedication day for Spaceship Earth. Guests were greeted with dancers, trumpeters, and singers to the song written for the occasion “We’ve Just Begun to Dream” that later played at many of the dedications throughout the month. To kick-off each of these dedications, Genie Field, the 1982 Walt Disney World Ambassador, was on hand to introduce either Card Walker or Donn Tatum, who were the senior leadership team helping to guide the project, bringing EPCOT Center to life. On October 1, Card Walker started the event by welcoming everyone to EPCOT Center, including Governor Bob Graham, who gave a speech about turning the dream of EPCOT into reality. Card took the time to recognize the magnitude of the entire EPCOT Center project and stated in his speech that, “EPCOT Center represents the culmination of more than 25 million hours of effort by talented artists, designers, engineers, and technicians with hundreds of advisors and thousands of construction workers. All propelled by the power and the force of an idea of one wonderful man, Walt Disney. EPCOT Center celebrates human achievements and innovation born from imagination, it is a showplace dedicated to entertain, we hope, with a purpose. Our goals for EPCOT Center are quite clear, we want to first entertain, then inform and inspire all who come here, and above all to instill in our guests a new sense of belief and pride in mankind’s ability to shape a world that offers real hope to people everywhere in the world.”

A wide view of the dedication festivities at the EPCOT Center dedication on October 1, 1982.

As the symbol of the entire project, Spaceship Earth was the first of the pavilions and showplaces to be dedicated. One of the largest geodesic spheres in the world, Spaceship Earth emulates our globe and the attraction itself is a spectacular time machine through our planet’s communication and collective knowledge. Card Walker highlighted the pavilion by saying, “EPCOT Center is a celebration of mankind’s ingenuity and innovation and it is clear that communications provide the basis and foundation for all progress. Communications has played a vital role in mankind’s survival and that role will increase in importance, in this very exciting information age that’s going on right now.” The ceremony ended with a reprise of “We’ve Just Begun to Dream” amidst a flurry of EPCOT Center cast members joining with balloons in hand to release them at the finale along with a flight of doves. It is hard to believe that this was just day one of the celebrations with a whole month of festivities to follow!

The finale of the World of Motion dedication on October 5, 1982.

The celebrations continued around the entire theme park. Card Walker dedicated the Universe of Energy on October 4, and the World of Motion on October 5, along with representative sponsors, who expressed their excitement about being involved with this revolutionary project. Not limiting their vision only to what lies ahead, the original Future World pavilions made sure to demonstrate where we were, where we are now, and what the possibilities are for the future. The focus of the entire EPCOT Center project was to interweave entertainment, history, and technology together, and the Universe of Energy was no exception, with Card affirming during the dedication ceremony that “It houses new dimensions in entertainment and the conveying of information where a unique traveling theater is literally propelled by the power of sunshine from a network of solar cells that you can see there from the rooftop.”

The World of Motion also echoed the goals of Future World with its historical and sometimes zany narration of transportation leading up to the most innovative concepts in transportation at that time. In his dedication speech for the World of Motion, Card remarked that this showplace “illustrates how mankind’s progress through the ages is always been directly related to his freedom of mobility… While it is impressive in size and scope, and for the new dimensions it presents an entertainment with purpose, no structure that could be built would be large enough to adequately symbolize the impact of the automobile on our American society.” The Universe of Energy and the World of Motion dedication wrapped up after a word from the sponsors and a choreographed dance to “We’ve Just Begun to Dream” with cast members adorned with their futuristic white and silver costumes.

Card Walker speaking at the EPCOT Computer Central dedication on October 18, 1982.

EPCOT Computer Central was dedicated on October 18 as a part of CommuniCore. Short for Community Core, it exhibited the newest technologies like contributing to a computer poll, designing a computerized Utopian community, and guiding a space shuttle back to Earth. EPCOT Computer Central specifically focused on the vitalness and creative power of computers, and Card backed that up in his dedication speech, where he observed that “The computer systems you will see here, in fact, help run a major portion of not only just EPCOT Center, but of all of Walt Disney World.” Other exhibits that were featured in CommuniCore were Energy Exchange, Electronic Forum, FutureCom, and TravelPort, with each one representing our collective footsteps into the future and what was just around the corner.

The Land pavilion focused on the future of agriculture, allowing guests to see up-to-the-minute agricultural techniques like hydroponics, intercropping, and aquaculture. The dedication ceremony on October 6 was a thrilling spectacle of country-themed music, captivating dancers, lively banjo players, and a harmonious group of singers. Card captured the feeling of the pavilion best in his dedication speech, where he observed, “Six acres under one roof that symbolizes our precious national treasure. The purpose of this pavilion is to demonstrate, in an entertaining way, how intelligent and constructive use of the land for agriculture will enable mankind to continue the centuries of progress that is our generation’s heritage.”

The entertainment for The American Adventure dedication on October 11, 1982.

As a permanent community of nations, World Showcase recreated architectural landmarks inspired by their real-world equivalents and brought the culture and diversity of each country’s pavilion to life. The countries represented at the opening of EPCOT Center were Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the United States (The American Adventure), Italy, Germany, China, and Mexico, with each country receiving its own dedication across the month. Donn Tatum, future Disney Legend and senior executive, kicked off the World Showcase dedications with the China pavilion on October 3, which included many representatives from China in attendance. The Wonders of China film was an exciting partnership with the country of China, and Donn remarked that “We felt it was so important to have as part of the World Showcase when we opened a representation of that magnificent and diverse country, that we went ahead, and through extra effort, were able to accomplish it.” The next country to be dedicated would be The American Adventure on October 11 as a focal centerpiece for World Showcase at EPCOT Center. As the Georgian mansion stood as the dazzling backdrop, the dedication ceremony included an assortment of patriotic songs and dance with a balloon release and fireworks to welcome the new pavilion. On October 13, Canada would join in the festivities, complete with a musical group of Canadian Mounties, Canadian representatives, magnificent singers and dancers, and even a Siberian Husky.

The next country in line for the dedication ceremony was Italy on October 14, which also had a grand celebration of Italian music and dance along with a dove release and fireworks. During Italy’s dedication, Donn reinforced the feeling of a harmonious community in EPCOT Center by stating, “Within this EPCOT Center community, it has been our hope and our vision that in presenting the various nations of the world, we would be able to expose to the millions of people who will come here— the cultures, the traditions, the heritages, the ambitions, and the viewpoints, and the history of these various countries so as to promote hopefully in the world a better understanding among peoples.” The next day on October 15, fairy tale inspired Germany was dedicated with polka music, alphorn players, and yodelers. The United Kingdom was next in line for dedication on October 19, which included bagpipe players, a full orchestra with trumpeters, and live singers dressed in historical outfits. Both Japan and France were dedicated on October 20 and featured unique performances for both countries. Japan’s dedication was held during the day and was presented with a traditional Shinto ceremony and prayer for the pavilion. Meanwhile, France’s dedication was in the evening with a song and dance show set to an array of customary French music and fireworks.

The formal grand opening was held from October 22 through October 24, with an official Future World dedication on October 22, World Showcase on October 23, and the entirety of EPCOT Center on October 24. On October 23, EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration aired on television and was hosted by Danny Kaye along with other sensational guests, including Drew Barrymore, Roy Clark, Marie Osmond, Eric Sevareid, Alan Shepard, the West Point Glee Club, and the All-American Marching Band. The program followed Danny Kaye in his grand tour of the brand-new EPCOT Center coupled with Kaye learning how the the overall project came to be from the announcement through construction.

Dreamfinder and Figment bring interviewed during the EPCOT Center Grand Opening and Dedication Ceremony.

On Sunday, October 24, 1982, the EPCOT Center Grand Opening and Dedication Ceremony commenced at 11 a.m. The West Point Glee Club and the All-American Marching Band performed again along with a precision flyover by the Florida Air National Guard. In addition to these entertaining moments, the International Ceremony of Waters was held as an illustrative moment of friendship and understanding among the countries where a symbolic blending of water from across the globe was poured into the fountain behind Spaceship Earth. With the can-do spirit, The Walt Disney Company (then called Walt Disney Productions) had accomplished what they had set out to do and achieved Walt Disney’s vision of an international community, imaginative attractions, and innovative technologies.

During this momentous event, Card Walker revealed the dedication plaque—which might sound a bit familiar from his October 1 opening dedication speech—and read it aloud to the audience: “To all who come to this place of joy, hope and friendship, welcome. EPCOT Center is inspired by Walt Disney’s creative genius. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise, and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all. May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.”