5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

By Andie Hagemann

Adventure is out there… on your television (or favorite streaming device) this weekend! Go for the gold on Friday by watching the fan-favorite movie Cool Runnings; that same day, see the National Geographic documentary Russia’s Wild Tiger, which explores the stunning big cat’s fight for survival. The highly anticipated third season of Big City Greens is here, and Saturday’s premiere episode has two hilarious stories that won’t disappoint. Then, grab your valentine and watch the romantic comedy The Proposal airing Saturday night. And prior to (or in lieu of) Sunday’s gridiron action, catch the high-flying animated adventure Up.

Cool Runnings—Friday, February 11, on Disney+
As world-class athletes compete in the 2022 Winter Games, keep the Olympic fever alive with a viewing of this hit comedy loosely based on the true story of an unlikely troupe of competitors. Jamaican sprinter Derice Bannock’s (Leon Robinson) gold-medal dreams are dashed after a costly stumble disqualifies him from the 1988 Summer Olympics… but he isn’t giving up just yet. Derice sets his sights on the Winter Olympics with a completely different sport: bobsledding. After teaming up with his best friend and two fellow disqualified sprinters, the four-man team enlists the help of disgraced American bobsledder Irving Blitzer (John Candy) as they chase redemption.

Russia’s Wild Tiger—Friday, February 11, on Disney+
It’s Year of the Tiger, and this fascinating documentary from National Geographic centers on the iconic big cats as the species attempts to combat extinction. Follow the life of a young tiger, who was born in a conservation area, as he leaves his mother and searches for a territory in Russia’s Far East. However, his journey is soon met with conflict when he strays into human settlements. Viewers will be transported to the places where the fate of Siberian tiger will be decided: vast forests, remote villages, and cities at the edge of the wilderness.

Big City Greens—Saturday, February 12, at 9 a.m. ET, on Disney Channel
The third season of the animated hit is finally here, and big changes are in store for the Greens.  The season premiere has hard-working father Bill (voiced by Bob Joles) embracing a “Live, Laugh, Love” mindset, but will the family follow his lead? Then, Gloria (voiced by Anna Akana) struggles to maintain her café’s perfect rating—and not “girl boss” too close to the sun.

The Proposal—Saturday, February 12, at 3:45 p.m. ET, on Freeform
Facing deportation to her native Canada, successful book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) says she’s engaged to her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to throw off immigration authorities. Hilarious hijinks ensues when Andrew agrees to the sham engagement, but on his terms—like flying to Alaska to meet his family, including eccentric grandma Annie (Disney Legend Betty White). Can Margaret and Andrew pull off the ruse without a hitch?

Up—Sunday, February 13, at 4 p.m. ET, on Disney Channel
With his longtime home threatened by skyscrapers and gentrification, retired balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen (voice of Ed Asner) embarks on one last chance at adventure. But Carl isn’t hopping on a flight or cruise ship; instead, he opts to tie thousands of balloons to his house and float to his dream locale, Paradise Falls. However, his trip takes as unexpected turn as he discovers that 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer Russell (voice of Jordan Nagai) is on his front porch… high in the sky! The unlikely duo set sail on adventure and meet new friends along the way in this heartwarming animated classic from Disney and Pixar.

Go Inside Death on the Nile with Kenneth Branagh

By Courtney Potter

Passion and jealousy. Mystery and murder. And enough twists and turns to keep you guessing ’til the very end! Based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel, 20th Century Studios’ Death on the Nile follows renowned Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) as his Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer after a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short. Branagh—the eight-time Academy Award® nominee who also directs—first brought his take on Poirot, and on Christie’s work, to audiences in 2017’s worldwide hit Murder on the Orient Express; this time, Branagh’s film tells a sweeping tale of love and betrayal set against Giza’s fabled pyramids.

Recently, D23 was lucky enough to sit down with Branagh for a colorful, engaging chat about bringing Death on the Nile to life…

D23: What is it about the character of Hercule Poirot—and Agatha Christie as an author and storyteller—that made you want to return to that world and direct this film?
Kenneth Branagh (KB): Well, [Christie] remains deceptively simple. I think it’s such a gift for writers to have the directness that she does. And yet always, always, she surprises you… In this case, Death on the Nile is a very personal-feeling story, it seems to me. Certainly as suggested by her grandson, Mathew Prichard, who grew up with her and was an advisor [on the film], along with James Prichard, her great-grandson [and CEO of] Agatha Christie Limited—they both felt that she, as she indicates in the introduction, really felt the humanity of this story; an understanding of what happens when people are driven by love, sometimes beautifully and giddily, but sometimes dangerously. So she takes that very familiar, recognizable human issue, gift, whatever you might call—love—and she reinvents it…

Death on the Nile

As for Poirot, there’s this character trait [seen in Murder on the Orient Express] that somehow suggests that he has given up on love. He’s instead devoted himself to his gift for detection and somehow denying himself that human quality—because it doesn’t go with being the objective seeker of truth. Well, this story, in its DNA, demands that all the characters reveal their feelings, attitudes, disposition towards love—including, and perhaps especially, Hercule Poirot. So to see him, across the story of the movie, unravel a little and [be] put back together perhaps in a slightly different way, was a real reason to revisit.

D23: Do you have any standout memories from the making of the film?
KB: I think that it was fantastic to have eight leading female characters. That was just great, to feel the power in the story of that. And with the men too, they all seemed to plug in—through costumes and things—to a kind of innate glamour… I certainly felt that—a sense of real transportation into a different time. We shot the film, relatively, in story order. For instance, we [go] to a nightclub in the 1930s, where all of this sort of glamour could be expressed in clothes and in dancing. And it was very much an atmosphere; the texture in the look, the lights, the materials being used in the clothes, the music of Sister Rosetta Tharpe—an amazing blues and gospel singer whose music infuses this story… Of all the films I’ve done, this felt like the one that was immediately, immersively transportive.

D23: To that end, we’d love to know—how did you manage to bring 1930s Egypt to life?
KB: We went all over the world to try and work out how we might best produce a sense of Egypt in 1937. Of course, that included going to all the real places, including the temples at Abu Simbel, which is a wonder of the ancient world. So we went, but we made other decisions. Some of our Egyptian work is in the movie… but in order not to rob visitors who were actually visiting the site of the chance to enjoy the temple in the way that they should be allowed to, and to give us maximum possibility for taking the time to get everything right, we came back and we built Abu Simbel just outside London. We built it at full-size! In fact, my brother rang me one evening from his mobile phone; he was on the freeway near our studios. He said, “What the bloody hell’s going on? I think I’ve just seen… Did I just see the temple of Abu Simbel just above the M25?!” I said, “That’s right! When you see it in the movie, it’ll look like it’s really in Egypt!”

Death on the Nile

D23: You’ve directed several other films in and around the worlds of Disney—2011’s Thor, 2015’s Cinderella, 2020’s Artemis Fowl… how do you feel Death on the Nile fits into that particular creative thread for you?
KB: Well, the Disney pictures are all on a fairly massive scale—I would say that. And one of the amazing and privileged positions you enjoy in being at Disney is that they look to try and realize things at their best. If scale is required, then they’re unafraid of taking that on… If you want to really ignite people’s imaginations, you’re going to have to do it on a scale that demands the kind of resources that Disney is almost unique in being able to provide. Not just the resources for making the film, but then the resources to take the film to the world.

In my Disney pictures, I think you’d say that we live in a world of the “big image,” [which is] part of the experience of enjoying movies. They’re definitely invitations to other worlds—including the other worlds of Poirot’s travels, and burrowing [into] Poirot’s imagination… The Disney way is to try and unleash the imagination of the filmmaker and of the viewer. So I’ve been very happy to seize that invitation.

D23: What do you hope audiences take away from this adaptation of Death on the Nile?
KB: I hope [they enjoy] a satisfying, volatile mystery. We changed some of the plot points from the original novel—with the blessing of the Agatha Christie Limited group. So we will surprise you. I promise we will surprise you, if you’ve read the novel or if you’ve seen other adaptations. This will be different, that’s for sure… And I also hope that the emotional dimension of Agatha Christie’s story is something that plays out with psychological realism. I think that’s a treat that we have, because of the ensemble of actors. They play the humanity of the piece with great passion and great drive. And if you’ve ever been in love, you’ll get caught up in this. So I wish the audience that kind of visceral experience for the heart. And I hope that their head gets wonderfully engaged in the puzzle.

Death on the Nile

D23: Anything else you’d like D23 to know about the film?
KB: I think the expansiveness of Disney movies, you’ll find with Death on the Nile. I think that invitation to truly experience the story is going to be here, in the film… These pictures, I think by good fortune, found a pretty extraordinary home in the Disney family. And I’m hoping that those central members of the Disney family, the D23 family, will find that the appearance of these Poirot films in this world is natural—and exciting!

See 20th Century Studios’ Death on the Nile in U.S. theaters beginning Friday, February 11.

Disney+ Announces Obi-Wan Kenobi Debut Date

By Zach Johnson

Did you feel a disturbance in the Force? If so, it’s likely because Disney+ just announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi, the highly anticipated new limited series from Lucasfilm, will debut exclusively on the streaming service on May 25! It will feature Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master and Hayden Christensen returning in the role of Darth Vader. In addition to announcing a premiere date, Disney+ also shared a new poster for the series.

The story of Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after the dramatic events of the film Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005), where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Christensen), who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. Joining McGregor and Christensen onscreen will be Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.

Stay tuned to D23.com for the latest updates… and until then, may the Force be with you!

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Celebrates with More Magic than Ever

By Victoria Hunt

As if having a Disney wedding could be any more magical, Disney Fairy Tale Weddings is adding more pixie dust to your special day than ever before.

The committee of expert event planners has embarked on a mission to make 2022 the most whimsical year yet for weddings, making the most of a new collection of princess-inspired dresses, never-before seen venues and customizable menus.

Soon-to-be newlyweds now have the option to have a Parisian-style ceremony set at the steps to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure within the France Pavilion at EPCOT, dabbled with exquisite French décor to transport you instantly to the European villa of your dreams.

This is the newest addition among many locations at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris and Aulani Resort, in Hawai’i, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line, where you can say your vows on the open sea.

And what would be a fairy tale wedding without the perfect, dreamy dress? Disney Weddings along with Allure Bridals has unveiled a line of dresses inspired by the Disney Princesses themselves. In celebration of Snow White’s 85th anniversary, designers have introduced a gorgeous A-line dress daintily covered with flower accents and soft sequins, perfect for an outdoor ceremony.

For a more sophisticated look, designers paid homage to Princess Jasmine, whose first appearance in Aladdin was 30 years ago this year. The dress is covered with nearly 14,000 intricate beads and an on-trend modern cape with sleeves.

For the bride looking for something unique, Allure Bridals is offering the opportunity to win a special-edition, one-of-a-kind dress in honor of Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The luxurious gown has 3,000 crystals and 15,000 beads. Contest details will be announced soon.

Imagine getting married in the world’s most romantic city, Paris. Love birds getting married at Disneyland Paris can now arrive like true Disney royalty in a new coach that seems to have come to life straight from Cinderella. The handcrafted coach is decked out in 13,000 Swaroski crystals and more than 2,000 gold leaves. Talk about making an entrance!

Curious to see how these royal weddings come to life and to meet the lucky couples who have enjoyed them already? You can stream two seasons of the series Disney Fairy Tale Weddings now on Disney+.

For more information on how you could celebrate your special day with Disney, visit disneyweddings.com.

 

Enchanted Rose Pastries Recipe

Fall under the spell of these enchanted rose pastries! Your sweetheart—or your Pal-entine—is sure to enjoy this delicious dessert. Make a whole evening out of it by watching Beauty and the Beast on Disney+!

Ingredients

  • 2 large red apples
  • 1 package frozen puff pastry sheets
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 lemon
  • A pinch of flour

Directions

  1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets as directed (about 30 mins at room temperature). Prepare a muffin tin by spraying with a non-stick spray.
  2. Cut the lemon in half, and add the juice from half to a microwave-safe bowl. Fill the bowl about halfway with water.
  3. Cut each apple in half and remove the core. Slice each apple half into thin slice, about a half centimeter thick. Place the slices in the bowl of water and lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
  4. Once the apples are fully sliced, microwave in the water for 2-5 minutes, until softened and able to bend without breaking. Strain the apple slices and set aside.
  5. Unfold the thawed pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-inch-wide strips.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon until well combined.
  7. Using a butter knife or pastry brush, smooth a thin layer of butter on top of each pastry strip. Spread a spoonful of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top in an even layer.
  8. Begin placing the softened apple slices along the top edge of the pastry, overlapping each slice slightly. Once the entire top edge is covered in apple slices, fold the bottom of the pastry sheet up over the bottom of the slices.
  9. Starting at one end, begin rolling the apple-filled pastry. Once done, you should have a beautiful rose shape!
  10. Place each rose in its own indent in the muffin tin, then place in the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 375° F, then bake the pastries for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Gently remove each pastry before allowing to cool, so as to prevent sticking.
  11. Serve warm and enjoy!

Click here to see more of our dessert recipes.

A Ming-Na Wen Fan’s Guide to Disney+

By Jocelyn Buhlman

If you’re a Disney fan, you’re definitely familiar with Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen’s work. Her debut was an iconic one—voicing Mulan in the 1998 film of the same name. If you’re a Marvel fan, you’ve heard her voice in animated stories of Super Heroes and villains. Are you a Star Wars fan? (Fun fact—so is Ming-Na Wen!) You might have seen her in The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett as the mercenary Fennec Shand… What we’re getting at here is that no matter where you go in the worlds of Disney, you can probably find Ming-Na Wen there, bringing another fascinating character to life.

With the finale of The Book of Boba Fett debuting today on Disney+, fans of Wen’s work can binge the entire series at once—but why stop there? Make it a Ming-Na Wen marathon with all of these Disney films and series where she lends her legendary talent.

Mulan

It all started with a brave woman who took her father’s place in the Imperial Army. Wen gave Mulan her speaking voice in this beloved film, which recounts the story of one of China’s greatest heroines.

Mulan II

Wen returned to voice the iconic heroine in Mulan II, which follows the newly engaged Mulan on a mission to protect three princesses.

Phineas and Ferb

Most episodes of Phineas and Ferb showcase the hijinks of the titular brothers, along with their sister Candace’s failed attempts to foil them. But sometimes—in a few episodes, at least—we also get to hear Ming-Na Wen! Wen voices Dr. Hirano, the mother of Candace’s best friend, Stacy. You can hear her in episodes such as “Robot Rodeo” and “I Scream, You Scream.”

Milo Murphy’s Law

Time to receive some classified information: Wen voices the Bureau of Time Travel agent Savannah on the silly series Milo Murphy’s Law. Rated “Time Traveler First Class,” she journeys through time with her partner Brick, taking on missions with their special abilities.

Guardians of the Galaxy (series)

What do the episodes “Happy Together,” “Gotta Get Outta This Place,” “Long Distance Runaround” and “You Don’t Own Me” all have in common? You can hear Ming-Na Wen voice a Marvel character! Phyla-Vell is a Kree Accuser tasked with the ultimate challenge: arrest the Guardians of the Galaxy!

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors and Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron

The Marvel Rising animated shorts unite young Marvel heroes like Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl and Ironheart in new adventures—but for every team of heroes, there needs to be a villain. Enter Hala, a Kree accuser voiced by Wen, who is determined to gain power by any means. The only way to stop this cosmically strong villainess is if the young Marvel heroes rise together to face the challenge!

Mulan

The live-action adaptation of the iconic heroine’s story features Wen as the well-deserved “Esteemed Guest” in a cameo appearance, nodding to her original role as the speaking voice of Mulan in the animated film.

The Mandalorian

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Ming-Na Wen brought to life the deadly mercenary Fennec Shand. Debuting in “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger” in The Mandalorian season one, her character’s fate is left ambiguous at the end of the episode, when she lies abandoned on Tatooine with the shadow of a mysterious figure looming over her…

We find out in season two that the shadow belonged to no other than Boba Fett! The two bounty hunters team up, eventually agreeing to help Mando in his mission to rescue Grogu. At the end of season two, we discover that Shand and Fett returned to Tatooine to claim the throne that once belonged to Jabba the Hutt.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch

In a slightly longer time ago—28 years longer, to be exact—the events of Star Wars: The Bad Batch give us a peek at a younger Fennec Shand, voiced by Wen. Here, Fennec is working as a bounty hunter in pursuit of Omega, an unmodified female clone who has the genetic template of Jango Fett. Shand makes multiple attempts at capturing Omega in the episodes “Cornered” and “Bounty Lost.”

The Book of Boba Fett

If you haven’t been watching The Book of Boba Fett, now is the perfect time for a binge! The series, which shared its final episode today, follows Fett and Shand on Tatooine after their takeover of Jabba’s empire. Can the duo reinvent themselves on the desert planet? Well… You better start that binge watch now to find out!

Hulu’s Love, Victor Announces Third and Final Season

By Zach Johnson

This Love story is coming to a close.

Ahead of its presentation at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour, Hulu announced the third season of Love, Victor will be its last. All eight episodes will debut on Wednesday, June 15. This season will find Victor (Michael Cimino) going on a journey of self-discovery—not only deciding who he wants to be with, but more broadly, who he wants to be. With their post-high-school-plans looming, Victor and his friends will face a new set of problems they must work through to make the best decisions for their futures.

Rounding out the cast of Love, Victor are Rachel Hilson as Mia, Anthony Turpel as Felix, Bebe Wood as Lake, Mason Gooding as Andrew, George Sear as Benji, Isabella Ferreira as Pilar, Mateo Fernandez as Adrian, James Martinez as Armando, Ana Ortiz as Isabel, Anthony Keyvan as Rhaim, and Ava Capri as Lucy.

The series, which debuted in 2020, is an offshoot of the 2018 film Love, Simon, which is based on the acclaimed YA novel by Becky Albertalli, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who wrote the film Love, Simon, serve as the series’ executive producers alongside Brian Tanen, Rick Wiener, Kenny Schwartz, Jason Ensler, Isaac Klausner, Marty Bowen, Adam Fishbach, Wyck Godfrey, Pouya Shahbazian, and Adam Londy. Love, Victor is produced by 20th Television, a division of Disney Television Studios.

The first two seasons of Love, Victor are now streaming on Hulu.

Behind the Scenes of The Book of Boba Fett with Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen

By Zach Johnson

You might call The Book of Boba Fett a real page turner.

After being teased in The Mandalorian’s surprise end-credit sequence in late 2020, the highly anticipated original series debuted on December 29, 2021, at last putting the fan-favorite character Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) front and center. Ironically, it’s a position the bounty hunter isn’t totally comfortable with—at least not compared with his former employer, Jabba the Hutt. With the mercenary Fennec Shand (Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen) by his side, Boba Fett returned to the sands of Tatooine to stake his claim on the territory previously ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.

But as viewers have seen across the first six chapters—the seventh, the season finale, streams Wednesday, February 9—Boba Fett and Fennec have different leadership styles. “Fennec has less patience,” explains Wen, whose character debuted in 2019 in The Mandalorian. “Boba Fett has gone through an incredible experience, living with the Tuskens, learning their ways and being part of a real family, and she is someone who is used to being a loner, getting things done and not questioning her choices. There are some stumbling blocks while they’re trying to learn diplomacy. Boba and Fennec respect each other very much, so there’s a lot of give and take, and he reins her in—sort of like on set in real life!”

Morrison adds, “It’s a wonderful relationship. It grows through the series as well.” For example, one thing Boba has taught Fennec over time is that “sometimes the gung-ho [approach] is not going to work,” he says. “Sometimes it takes a little bit more… finesse.”

The Book of Boba Fett

Indeed. But it’s difficult to enjoy the trappings of being the Daimyo of Tatooine when you’re constantly being undermined. Boba promised to establish order, which riled up everyone from water-monger Lortha Peel (Stephen Root) to Jabba the Hutt’s cousins, aka The Twins. But he’s also made some allies, including the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan (Carey Jones) and a cyborg street gang led by Drash (Sophie Thatcher).

Speaking of the gang, aka The Mods, Morrison says they add “a lot of color and a lot of youthfulness” to the series. Beyond that, they represent a new order—one in which Boba gives everyone a fair shake. Rather than becoming enemies, he offered the youths a job opportunity. “If you can’t beat these people, sometimes it’s good to join them—or get them to join you,” Morrison says. The Mods aren’t the only ones to join their side, of course, as Fennec drafted one of their old friends, The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), to help them in an upcoming war.

Tense as things can get onscreen, it’s nothing but laughs behind the scenes. “We had some long days on the set sometimes, and I’d be looking at my mate, going, ‘Not bad for an old man and an old lady, eh?’” Morrison says with a chuckle. “We’d have a good laugh and pick each other up and say, ‘Come on. We gotta represent!’”

Wen, who in 2020 wrapped a seven-season arc as Melinda May on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., was up for the challenge. “I like representing older, strong females,” the actress says. “I do have a certain set of skills, whether it’s martial arts or kickboxing or stunt fighting. But it used to be that when a woman reached 40, they’d get put out to pasture. I’m far beyond that now, and it’s great that I can still continue to do this. I feel very privileged and honored, and I’m living out my dream of being in a Star Wars project—I’m going to kick butt for as long as I can!”

The Walt Disney Company Earns 23 Oscar® Nominations

By Zach Johnson

It should come as no surprise that we here at D23: The Official Disney Fan Club consider the number 23 especially lucky! Nominations for the 94th Oscars® were announced this morning, with films from across The Walt Disney Company combining to earn-you guessed it!-23 Academy Award® nominations.

We've been singing its praises ever since it debuted in December, and now West Side Story has received seven nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Directing, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design. With Nightmare Alley, Searchlight Pictures has now received 20 Best Picture nominations and a grand total of 172 Academy Award nominations. In addition to Best Picture, the film received nominations for Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design. Disney's Onyx Collective secured its first Oscar nomination with Summer of Soul Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), in partnership with Searchlight Pictures and Hulu. In addition, Jessica Chastain was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Searchlight Pictures' The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The film also garnered a nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Pixar Animation Studios' Luca earned a Best Animated Feature nomination, as did Walt Disney Animation Studios' Raya and the Last Dragon. The latter studio's film Encanto received three nominations, for Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song.

Seven of the nominated films are available to stream now on Disney+ and Hulu.

Here is the complete list of nominations from across The Walt Disney Company:

West Side Story

West Side Story (20th Century Studios) - 7 Nominations

  • Best Picture - Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger (Producers)
  • Best Directing - Steven Spielberg
  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Ariana DeBose
  • Best Costume Design - Paul Tazewell
  • Best Sound - Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson, and Shawn Murphy
  • Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski
  • Best Production Design - Adam Stockhausen (Production Design), Rena DeAngelo (Set Decoration)

"I am filled with gratitude, especially for Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macasko and everyone at Amblin and 20th Century Studios," Tazewell said. "Being invited into the circle of exemplary talents with whom Steven surrounds himself has been utterly life-changing, and I will forever cherish my West Side Story experience with humility and great joy. Thank you to the Academy for this beautiful honor. What a bright and shining moment!"

Said DeBose, "My morning walk along the river was extra special today. I am absolutely overjoyed by this morning's news. To be recognized alongside such incredible women for their inspiring performances is surreal enough, but to share this celebration with Steven, Kristie, and the entire team that made our beautiful movie is a dream come true. I'm so thankful to the Academy for this acknowledgement and am beyond grateful to Steven, Kristie, and everyone at Amblin and Disney. What a moment."

Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures) (Streaming on Hulu) - 4 Nominations

  • Best Picture - Guillermo Del Toro, J. Miles Dale, and Bradley Cooper (Producers)
  • Best Costume Design - Luis Sequeira
  • Best Cinematography - Dan Laustsen
  • Best Production Design - Tamara Deverell (Production Design), Shane Vieau (Set Decoration) 

"We want to thank the Academy for this tremendous recognition of so many artists' hard work," del Toro, Dale and Cooper said. "To see Nightmare Alley nominated for Best Picture alongside so many terrific, artistic, unforgettable films is a testament to the entire cast and crew on the production. It took nearly four years to bring this project together, and to see the commitment, creativity and determination of the artisans come to life with nominations for Tamara and Shane for their immersive and inventive production design; Luis for his spectacular and sumptuous costume design; and Dan for his incomparable cinematography is truly gratifying. We thank Searchlight for never giving up on this film and want to express our appreciation to the wonderful cast for making Nightmare a dream come true."

Watch Nightmare Alley on Hulu

Encanto

Encanto (Walt Disney Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) (Streaming on Disney+) - 3 Nominations

  • Best Animated Feature Film - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino, and Clark Spencer
  • Best Original Song - "Dos Oruguitas," Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
  • Best Original Score - Germaine Franco

"We are incredibly grateful to the Academy for this nomination and so honored to be recognized with our fellow nominees in such a strong year for animation," Howard, Bush, Merino and Spencer said of their Best Animated Feature nomination. "Huge thank you to our cast, our crew and our musical partners, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco, for making miracles and bringing the world of Encanto to life."

Miranda added that he was "grateful beyond belief to the music branch and to the Academy for recognizing our work on Encanto. Germaine is such a singular talent and I'm so proud to work alongside her. And 'Dos Oruguitas' is a very special song to both our movie and my family. Thank you so much."

Watch Encanto on Disney+

Cruella

Cruella (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) (Streaming on Disney+) - 2 Nominations

  • Best Costume Design - Jenny Beavan
  • Best Makeup and Hairstyling - Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne, and Julia Vernon 

"I'm totally thrilled as this is the ultimate accolade for my crew!" Beavan said.

"Thank you to the Academy for recognizing our work," Stacey added. "I'm not sure this will ever sink in, but after I stop jumping around the room and calm my mum down, I will call the rest of the amazing team and thank them for their work. I have so many people to be grateful for, but Emily Jean Stone, you are the reason this happened so thank you the most. This is a great day!" 

Watch Cruella on Disney+

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Searchlight Pictures) – 2 Nominations

  • Best Actress in a Leading Role – Jessica Chastain
  • Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh

Free Guy

Free Guy (20th Century Studios) (Coming Soon to Disney+) - 1 Nomination

  • Best Visual Effects - Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalazitzidis, and Dan Sudick 

"There's no better feeling than being recognized for a film so dear to my heart," said Gillberg, VFX Supervisor. "I'm so proud of Free Guy and all the hard work that brought us to this point. Congratulations to my fellow nominees, and Go Blue Shirt Guy!"

Grill, VFX Supervisor, Scanline, added, "Waking up to a stream of congratulations texts was overwhelming and joyous! But talking to my fellow Free Guy nominees Swen Gillberg and Nikos Kalaitzidis is one of those moments you can only hope for."

"It's an honor to be recognized by the Academy, and I'm extremely proud of the remarkable work everyone at Digital Domain created for Free Guy-it was an incredible experience," said Kalaitzidis, VFX Supervisor, Digital Domain. "I'd like to thank Swen Gillberg and director Shawn Levy for bringing me on the team, and I'd also like to congratulate my fellow Academy nominees including Bryan Grill, Kelly Port, Scott Edelstein, Joe Farell and Paul Lambert. It's been a pleasure to have worked with so many amazingly talented people for the last 25+ years!"

Luca

Luca (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) (Streaming on Disney+) - 1 Nomination

  • Best Animated Feature Film - Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren

"We are incredibly honored and grateful to the Academy for this nomination," Casarosa and Warren said. "Lucabegan as a personal story inspired by a life-changing friendship and nostalgia for summers spent on the Italian Riviera-and we were delighted that the universal message of accepting those in any way different from us resonated with audiences around the world. We would like to thank everyone at Pixar who helped bring this story to life. Grazie mille!" 

Watch Luca on Disney+

Raya and the Last Dragon

Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) (Streaming on Disney+) - 1 Nomination

  • Best Animated Feature Film - Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer, and Peter Del Vecho

"On behalf of the amazing cast and crew of Raya and the Last Dragon, we'd like to express our sheer joy and deep appreciation to the Academy for nominating our film," said Hall, López Estrada, Shurer, and Del Vecho. "We'd also like to congratulate our fellow nominees. We're honored to be in your company."

Watch Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings (Marvel Studios) (Streaming on Disney+) - 1 Nomination

  • Best Visual Effects - Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker, and Dan Oliver

"I'm so proud of all the work in the film; it's a real collaboration between so many departments, and for the VFX to be recognized in this way is fantastic," said Townsend, VFX Supervisor. "So many artists, producers, coordinators, support staff, spread across the world, many working from home during these crazy times, helped create some beautiful imagery. It's incredible to be nominated."

"I'd like to say a huge thank you to the team at Marvel, especially Chris Townsend, whose passion and love for this film pushed the visual storytelling to such a beautiful and mythical place," added Walker, VFX Supervisor, Weta. "Thank you to [director and writer] Destin Daniel Cretin for trusting us and allowing us to collaborate with him on this incredible journey.  The biggest of thank yous to our incredible team at Weta who worked on this project. They are the best at what they do, and they bring joy to my life every single day. Their passion and enthusiasm are the life blood of the production and without them I wouldn't be here. I couldn't be prouder of them all. And lastly, a huge thank you to all the other vendors who worked on this film. Their work is outstanding, and it was a pleasure to work alongside and collaborate with them. It was an incredible joint effort with the best in the business and the end result is something we are all incredibly proud of."

"It was an amazing experience working with our Australian production crew in my home town of Sydney and honored to be part of such a beautiful film," said Farrell, Additional VFX Supervisor. "I am thrilled we have been recognized by our peers in the Visual Effects community."

"Working on Shang-Chi with many talented crew across all departments was a real honor," added Oliver, SFX Supervisor. "Also a great honor to be recognized by our peers for the work we did on Shang-Chi."

Watch Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings on Disney+

Summer of Soul

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures / Onyx Collective) (Streaming on Hulu and Disney+)

  • Best Documentary Feature - Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and David Dinerstein

"It is a huge honor to receive this nomination," said Thompson. "The Harlem Cultural Festival was both a testament to Black genius and Black joy at a formative time in our country's history, and a cautionary tale about the way that history, especially Black history, can be erased. Being entrusted with the responsibility of keeping that past visible has been one of the great honors of my life. I am beyond gratified to be nominated alongside these four other incredible filmmakers. Congratulations to the entire filmmaking team and everyone at Searchlight, Onyx and Hulu."

Will Packer will produce the 94th Oscars, marking his first involvement with the show. Glenn Weiss will direct the ceremony for the seventh time. The 94th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood and be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/PT (and in more than 200 territories worldwide).

Watch Summer of Soul on Disney+

5 Things to Know About Alice’s Wonderland Bakery

By Andie Hagemann

Don’t be late for a very important date with the brand-new animated series Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, premiering Wednesday, February 9, at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Junior and Disney Channel. The first 6 episodes will also be available on Disney+ same day. Alice (voiced by newcomer Libby Rue) and her pals are whipping up magical delicious treats for all of Wonderland in this fanciful show geared toward kids aged 2 to 7 and their families.

Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, inspired by the animated classic Alice in Wonderland, centers on the great-granddaughter of the 1951 film’s heroine and a promising young baker at the Wonderland Bakery; audiences will also be reintroduced to iconic characters such as the Cheshire Cat (voiced by Max Mittelman), and meet new and reimagined characters—including the Queen of Hearts (voiced by Eden Espinosa) and Princess of Hearts (voiced by Abigail Estrella).

Before savoring this sweet series, here are five things you need to know about Alice’s Wonderland Bakery:

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
Food is an integral part of Alice in Wonderland, as the heroine eats and drinks her way through her magical journey. For executive producer Chelsea Beyl and co-executive producer and art director Frank Montagna, it was only fitting to include food and baking in Young Alice’s story too. “I think so many kids love baking, and I hope the show inspires them to try something new or express themselves creatively through a batch of cupcakes, cake, or decorating—because food is so creative,” Beyl tells D23. The treats at the Wonderland Bakery use real-world ingredients such as eggs and milk to connect with the show’s young viewers, and a touch of whimsy to give recipes a Wonderland twist. “One dessert I love is when Hattie [Alice’s madcap pal, voiced by CJ Uy] makes the ‘Try Again Tart,’ because it’s a cute example of when kids make something and put their own twist on it, and he later has to remake it for the Queen. It’s a fun lesson on how he bakes the Hatter way,” says Montagna.

You’ve Got a Friend in Me
Alice is joined in the Wonderland Bakery by best friends Hattie; Fergie (voiced by Jack Stanton), a white rabbit; and Rosa, the Princess of Hearts… along with her magical cookbook, Cookie, and some enchanted appliances. The group uses teamwork, creativity, and friendship to create delectable creations for all their pals. Alice, Fergie, Hattie, and Rosa are descendants of the iconic characters and created for a modern audience; to that end, the creative team was inspired to bring a global feel to the series—seen in the set design, the food, the music, and the casting. “We always wanted the cast to be diverse, and when we were thinking about Hattie or Rosa, the Queen, we tried to clue into different cultures; it just seemed natural,” says Montagna, who landed on a Japanese-inspired design for Hattie and a Cuban influence for the Queen (and Princess) of Hearts.

Dance (and Bake) to the Music
Alice’s Wonderland Bakery features toe-tapping songs sure to get fans movin’ and groovin’ in the kitchen. With music being a major part of storytelling, the show’s creators turned to the pros to ensure the fun songs go off on the right note: “We got a lot of talent from Broadway, especially for the flowers [characters], who have a big singing presence in Wonderland,” says Beyl.

Inspired by Disney Parks… and Beyond
In the early days of production, the crew took a field trip to the central bakery at Disneyland Park to view which tools Alice would need to make her bakery unique—and may of the items the creative team chose (including a giant mixer similar to Disneyland’s industrial one) also passed muster with Beyl’s pastry-chef sister. Alice’s bakery itself is reminiscent of the eye-popping treats she’s creating, with a color palette full of candy-coated pastels.

Wonderland’s Whimsical Guests
Make sure to keep those (rabbit) ears open: The first season of Alice’s Wonderland Bakery features hilarious guest voices including former Saturday Night Live comedians Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan (Tweedle Do and Tweedle Don’t) and Ana Gasteyer (Kiki); Craig Ferguson (Doorknob); Donald Faison (Harry the March Hare); friend of D23 Yvette Nicole Brown (Mama Rabbit); and many more!

Don’t miss Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, debuting February 9—with new episodes premiering on Thursday, February 10, and Friday, February 11, as well—on Disney Junior and Disney Channel and the first 6 episodes available on Disney+.