5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

August 12, 2021August 11, 2021

By Zach Johnson

Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky? It’s going to be a FUN-lucky night on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW when Spin, Descendants: The Royal Wedding, and Disney’s Magic Bake-Off debut. Join us that day in celebrating the 79th anniversary of the release of Bambi by streaming the film on Disney+. Finally, on Sunday, Hulu adds The Hate U Give to its library.

Spin—Friday, August 13, at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW
In this Disney Channel Original Movie, Indian American teen Rhea (Avantika) discovers a passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the rich textures of her South Asian culture and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends Molly (Anna Catchart), Watson (Jahbril Cook), and Ginger (Kerri Medders), as well as her after-school coding club, her family’s Indian restaurant, and her tight-knit, multi-generational family. Everything changes when she meets aspiring DJ Max (Michael Bishop) and her long lost passion for music is reignited. Rhea discovers she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music—and now, she must summon the courage to follow her true inner talent.

Descendants: The Royal Wedding—Friday, August 13, at 9:40 p.m. ET on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW
Happily-ever-after is about to begin for Auradon’s beloved power couple Mal (voice of Dove Cameron) and King Ben (voice of Mitchell Hope) as they prepare to say “I do” at an epic celebration with their friends and family. Unfortunately, Hades (voice of Cheyenne Jackson) threatens to ruin their big day. Debuting a brand-new song, the animated special features the voices of Sofia Carson as Evie, Booboo Stewart as Jay, Sarah Jeffery as Audrey, Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother, China Anne McClain as Uma, Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad, Anna Cathcart as Dizzy, Dan Payne as Beast, and Bobby Moynihan as Dude the Dog.

Disney’s Magic Bake-Off—Friday, August 13, at 10:10 p.m. ET on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW
This new one-hour series follows three teams of two kid bakers as they race against the clock to design a Disney-inspired cake. Co-hosts Dara Reneé and Issac Ryan Brown, along with Disneyland resort pastry chef Graciela Gomez, guide the baking teams through fun challenges and unexpected twists designed to take their baking abilities, techniques, and creativity to new culinary heights. Only one team will be named Disney Baking Champion!

Bambi—Friday, August 13, on Disney+
With its awe-inspiring animation, this timeless classic is beloved by generations. In a life-changing adventure, Bambi and his friends, Thumper and Flower, explore the dangers and wonders of the woods—and ultimately, he fulfills his destiny as Great Prince of the Forest.

The Hate U Give—Sunday, August 15, on Hulu
Based on Angie Thomas’ best-selling novel of the same name and directed by George Tillman Jr., the drama centers on Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), who lives in two worlds: the poor, Black neighborhood she resides in and the mostly white prep school she attends. The uneasy balance is shattered when she witnesses a white policeman (Drew Starkey) fatally shoot her best friend, Khalil Harris (Algee Smith). Amid community outrage and national news coverage, 16-year-old Starr must find her voice and stand up for what’s right.

Disney+ Reveals Cast and Premiere Date for Home Sweet Home Alone

August 12, 2021August 12, 2021

By Zach Johnson

Did Christmas come early?! Earlier this morning, Disney+ announced that 20th Century Studios’ Home Sweet Home Alone, an all-new adventure comedy from the beloved holiday film franchise, will debut November 12, 2021, exclusively on the streaming service.

Max Mercer is a mischievous and resourceful young boy who has been left behind while his family is in Japan for the holidays. So, when a married couple attempting to retrieve a priceless heirloom sets their sights on the Mercer family’s home, it is up to Max to protect it from the trespassers… and he will do whatever it takes to keep them out. Hilarious hijinks of epic proportions ensue, but despite the absolute chaos, Max comes to realize that there really is no place like home sweet home.

Home Sweet Home Alone stars Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), Archie Yates (Jojo Rabbit), Aisling Bea (Living with Yourself), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Tim Simons (Veep), Pete Holmes (The Secret Life of Pets 2), Devin Ratray (Home Alone), Ally Maki (Toy Story 4), and Chris Parnell (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues), and is directed by Dan Mazer (Dirty Grandpa).

The Home Sweet Home Alone screenplay is by Mikey Day & Streeter Seidell (Saturday Night Live), from a story by Day & Seidell and John Hughes (Home Alone), based on a screenplay by Hughes. Hutch Parker (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) and Dan Wilson (Patriots Day) serve as producers, with Jeremiah Samuels (Stuber) serving as executive producer.

Pondering the Possibilities of Marvel Studios’ What If…?

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

By Zach Johnson

To put it simply, What If…? is “a love letter to the MCU.”

So says Brad Winderbaum, who serves as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige, Bryan Andrews, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and head writer AC Bradley. With Marvel Studios’ first animated series now streaming exclusively on Disney+, Winderbaum talked to D23: The Official Disney Fan Club about the adventures that await our favorite characters. What If…? flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in surprising ways. Not only is it a “love letter to the MCU,” as Winderbaum says, but the series “points to the multiverse—and to the possibilities of our universe moving forward.”

More than a dozen actors from the MCU—including Hayley Atwell, Chadwick Boseman, Dominic Cooper, Josh Brolin, Michael Douglas, Karen Gillan, Jeff Goldblum, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Djimon Hounsou, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael B. Jordan, Natalie Portman, Jeremy Renner, Michael Rooker, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Sebastian Stan, Stanley Tucci, and Taika Waititi—lend their voice talents to the series, which is already in production on its second season. Emmy®, Golden Globe®, and Tony Award winner Jeffrey Wright narrates the series as The Watcher, who oversees these vast new realities. “He’s a godlike, omnipotent figure who is larger than life,” Winderbaum says. “The challenge with a character like that is: How do you make him human? How do you make him relatable? He is mysterious, but he’s also kind of dangerous. You want to know more, and you’re hanging on his every word as he invites you into all these stories.”

“The Watcher is the audience,” Winderbaum continues. “This is a being who really, truly loves these characters. He can’t intervene, but just because he’s not an active participant, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love these characters like we, the fans, love these characters.”

What If…? has a distinct illustrative style. The aesthetic was developed by storyboard artist Bryan Andrews in collaboration with Ryan Meinerding, the Head of Visual Development at Marvel Studios. “Both Bryan and Ryan were orbiting the style of J.C. Leyendecker, who was an American illustrator from about 100 years ago,” Winderbaum explains. “It’s a very difficult style to achieve. It’s very painterly. The light spreads in a very unique way. We worked with that style, while also creating our own technique, because it requires a 3D technique to achieve that 2D look.” Winderbaum jokingly refers to it as a “Leynerding style,” as it “has influences from J.C. Leyendecker but is very much Ryan Meinerding. With the incredible background work of our production designer, it creates a very rich, photographic feel in a 2D, comic-like world.”

To say that each episode of What If…? will be filled with references to the MCU is a “huge understatement,” Winderbaum adds. “If you like finding Easter eggs, there are a lot hiding in this. Just the fact that we get to revisit all these places we know from the movies, it’s almost as if we’re entering a memory in some cases. There is a lot of fun stuff to discover!”

Go even further behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ new series What If…? in the summer 2021 issue of Disney twenty-three, offered exclusively to D23 Gold and Gold Family Members as a benefit of their membership. For more information, click here.

Meet the Characters of the Disney Channel Original Movie Spin

August 11, 2021August 9, 2021

By Zach Johnson

This Friday at 8 p.m. ET, the new Disney Channel Original Movie Spin will introduce audiences to Rhea (Avantika), a relatable Indian American teen whose journey of self-discovery empowers her to find her true love: creating and producing beat-driven music infused with the rich textures of her South Asian culture. Rhea’s busy life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, Molly (Anna Cathcart), Watson (Jahbril Cook), and Ginger (Kerri Medders), and her tight-knit, multigenerational family: dad Arvind (Abhay Deol), brother Rohan (Aryan Simhadri), and grandma Asha (Meera Syal)—not to mention her after-school coding club and her job at her family’s Indian restaurant. But everything changes when she meets Max (Michael Bishop), a new student who is also an aspiring DJ.

“I love that we get to see this multi-generational family,” director Manjari Makijany tells D23. “I love their dynamic; it feels contemporary and modern.” As for Rhea’s friends, Makijany says, “We had a lot of expression workshops with the characters. We gave each one a backstory, and it informed what the actors brought to the table in a meaningful way.”

Before Spin premieres, the cast helped us get better acquainted with their characters:

Rhea (Avantika)
While Rhea is “a really big dreamer,” according to Avantika, she is also a “really big” doer. “Rhea is a really ambitious person,” she says. “She is so determined, and she wants to do so many things.” Between coding, deejaying, and waitressing, she’s created “a really chaotic life.” As she learns how to “balance everything perfectly,” Rhea discovers a new sense of self. Says Avantika, “Hopefully she can give people the confidence to navigate their own obstacles—and overcome whatever’s going on their lives—in order to find their passions.”

Max (Michael Bishop)
A charming new Jefferson High student, aspiring DJ Max catches Rhea’s eye from the get-go. Their blossoming friendship is driven by their love of music and creating and mixing electronic dance music. “At his heart, Max is a good guy,” says Bishop. “He’s really passionate about deejaying; he just loves creating music. And I think anyone who is so invested in doing something or creating something, there’s an obvious attraction to that. I think it also helps that he has a charming British accent! That definitely adds to the attraction. But he’s just so fun, and I think anyone who’s fun has a bit of charm in them.”

Molly (Anna Cathcart), Watson (Jahbril Cook), and Ginger (Kerri Medders)
A loyal member of Jefferson High’s coding club, Molly is Rhea’s supportive and quirky best friend. She’s especially close with Watson—so much so that Cathcart and Cook gave them a ship name: Wolly. “We were together in all of our scenes, side-by-side,” says Cathcart. “I feel very lucky that my scene partner for everything was someone I became close friends with in real life.” Stylish and outgoing, Watson is also member of his school’s coding club and a loyal friend. When Rhea’s jam-packed schedule makes her feel as if she’s spinning out of control, she can count Molly and Watson to remind her of what’s truly important in life. “You don’t have to be one thing,” says Cook. “You can have really eclectic interests and make it work.” The effortlessly cool Ginger, meanwhile, is a social media influencer. She loves her followers and is fiercely protective of her best friends. “We wanted to make her really grounded, because we didn’t want to be strictly about social media and the pressures behind it,” says Medders. “Ginger doesn’t ever like to be called ‘an influencer.’ She will always say, ‘I’m a content creator.’ What’s so cool about Ginger is that she’s passionate about her friends and passionate about what she does, and she shares that with the world.”

Arvind (Abhay Deol)
A widower of eight years, Arvind has devoted himself to his kids, Rhea and Rohan, and to the family restaurant, Spirit of India. “The sweetest thing about him is that he still hasn’t gotten over the loss of his wife, which is why his mother-in-law, Asha, keeps trying to push him towards moving on,” says Deol. “He pretends like he has, but he hasn’t.” Because Rhea is a dutiful daughter, he presumes she “wants to be just like him.” In reality, he says, Arvind doesn’t see that Rohan “is the one who wants to be a chef.” Understandably, Deol adds, Arvind “has become more focused on his family and his career in order to deal with the loss of his wife. That’s become a world of distraction, to not face the truth that he needs to move on. But moving on isn’t easy. I think a lot of adults will find that relatable about him.”

Rohan (Aryan Simhadri)
Ambitious and innovative, Rohan is a restaurateur in the making. “Rohan loves creating these fusions, very similarly to how Rhea does with her music,” Simhadri says. Rohan’s plans include adding Tik Tacos to the menu and renovating the restaurant—if only his father will take his ideas seriously. Unfortunately for Rohan, the Tik Tacos were a prop, so he didn’t get to try them outside and decide for himself. “They smelled so good,” he recalls. “It had either paneer or chicken in it, and I think there was mint chutney in it as well. I definitely remember there being a lot of green—and some lettuce! That’s what I mainly remember.”

Asha (Meera Syal)
Since her daughter Mira’s passing, the gregarious Asha has become the emotional compass for her tightknit family, always ready to offer her sage advice. She is Rhea’s biggest fan and a Bollywood dance enthusiast who enjoys performing impromptu numbers at Spirit of India.

Disney on Vinyl – An Uproarious Record for Bears and Cubs Alike!

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives

Howdy, folks! Welcome to the one and only original Country Bear Jamboree… soundtrack! Audiences have been clapping along to the rip-roaring attraction for almost half a century. Debuting as an opening day attraction in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, the Country Bear Jamboree made its way over to Disneyland in 1972 and Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. This show is more than the technical marvels of 18 Audio-Animatronics^® bears singing and swinging on stage, as it really comes down to the foot-stomping music and unique personalities of each character.

country bear vinyl — Walt and Lillian Disney at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games.

Long before this musical bear-venture was the fan-favorite it is today, the overall idea of what would inspire the Country Bear Jamboree started back in 1960 at the Olympic Winter Games. Walt Disney produced the pageantry for the games in Squaw Valley, California, which included the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies and all the entertainment in between. As the Chairman of Pageantry for the games, Walt Disney was given an Olympic Torch designed by Imagineer John Hench, which the Walt Disney Archives has preserved to this day. The wintertime experience in the peaks of Squaw Valley stuck with Walt and it helped spark an idea for a rustic and immersive guest experience.

Following the Olympic Winter Games in the 1960s, Walt Disney dreamed up an ambitious idea for a ski resort in the Mineral King area located in California’s Sequoia National Forest. Walt Disney Productions (today known as The Walt Disney Company) would then challenge itself to create, design, and operate the facilities while keeping the preservation of the area’s natural alpine beauty in mind. The unrealized resort would be a skier’s paradise complete with dining, lodging, and a conference center. An entertainment complex was included in the facility as an “Alpine Village” with a familiar concept of singing bears who had come straight out of the sequoias to entertain the resort’s guests. While the Mineral King resort never came to fruition, a good idea is never thrown away by Disney’s Imagineers.

The idea of lovable bears crooning country sonnets and plucking fiddles was a novel entertainment conceit that seemed to resonate with potential guests. Imagineer and Disney Legend Marc Davis conceptualized bears as tuba players, circus act bands, and “one-bear bands,” and from all those knee-slapping comedic gags and the jolly country-and-western cast of character designs, the centralized idea of what we know as the Country Bear Jamboree came to be. Imagineer and Disney Legend Xavier “X” Atencio conceived a country-themed script based on the popularity of country music in Florida at the time and developed the lyrics for the opening song, “Bear Band Serenade.” Additionally, animator and story artist Al Bertino rounded out the crew to help with timing and story pacing. Davis and Bertino worked together to discover and curate the rollicking country tunes that would fit within the show. Composer-conductor and Disney Legend George Bruns, who wrote the classic songs for Robin Hood (1973), Babes in Toyland (1961), and Zorro (TV, 1957–1959), conducted the Country Bear Jamboree soundtrack. An interesting nod to his musical career was the bear-friendly modified version of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” which he had originally created for the three-part Davy Crockett television series that premiered on the Disneyland TV show, which was also later edited into the successful feature Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955).

The talented voices behind the Country Bear Jamboree entertainers were a wide-ranging crew of critters. The master of ceremonies, Henry, and Max the stag were voiced by Pete Renaday, who also performed a plethora of Disney characters, from the captain on the Sailing Ship Columbia at Disneyland to Captain Nemo in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1971–1994) and Abraham Lincoln in The Hall of Presidents (1993–2008) at the Magic Kingdom. Another familiar, burly voice comes from Buff the buffalo, played to delightful effect by Disney Legend Thurl Ravenscroft, whose familiar basso animates a singing bust in the Haunted Mansion and Fritz the parrot in Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Other notable voices were playback singer Bill Lee, who was also a member of the Mello Men, as Melvin the moose and Sammy the raccoon, actor Bill Cole as Wendell, and country singer Cheryl Poole as Trixie. A country music family band, The Stonemans, filled in various roles for the Country Bear Jamboree as Liver-Lips McGrowl, Ernest the Dude, and dimpled darling of the Dakotas, Teddi Barra. The Stoneman Family included Donna, Patsy, Roni, Van, and Jim Stoneman, and they performed as a sleuth of bears from Liver-Lips, Terrence, Ernest, and Teddi Barra. The Sun Bonnets from the Sunshine State are featured via the musical talents of singer Jackie Ward as Bunny, vocalist Loulie Jean Norman as Bubbles, and songster Peggy Clark as Beulah. The over-the-top, show-stopping bear Big Al finds his voice in legendary American country music singer Tex Ritter. Big Al’s notorious rendition of “Blood on the Saddle” comes from Ritter’s 1946 recording of the song. The souvenir record album contains the show in its entirety along with traditional instrumental songs like “Wabash Cannonball” and “Red River Valley.”

With all these incredible vocalists and the popularity of the attraction itself, a record album was an ideal way for the Country Bear Jamboree fan to take the “cele-bear-tion” home with them. The album included an 11-page booklet describing each character’s background and personality. The booklet revealed the many nicknames of the bears like Terrence, the “Vibrating Wreck from Nashville Tech.” The record album also expanded the lore of the Country Bear Jamboree with tidbits like Big Al being “born in a cave” near the Princess Theater in Pocatello, Idaho—which was the mythological birthplace of Esther Blodgett/ Vicki Lester (Judy Garland) in A Star Is Born (1954) who was “born in a trunk”—and the “5 Bear Rugs” band playing music together since the first grade.

Fans can still experience this E-Ticket attraction at both the Walt Disney World Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort, and excitingly, Tokyo Disneyland runs a seasonal version of the show named the Jingle Bell Jamboree that is not to be missed. Still, revisiting this original album is the perfect way to transport yourself to Grizzly Hall as the lights dim to sing along to the high-spirited ditties, allowing us all to clap our hands to some real ol’ country rhythm. As Henry says, “Thanks for bearing with us to the bear end” of this article and we hope you are inspired to take a listen to the nice slice of Americana that the Country Bear Jamboree record album offers.

Love Country Bears on vinyl? Get an exclusive record—Walt Disney Word: Then and Now—featuring the classic track “Bear Band Serenade,” as part of the 2021 D23 Gold Member Collector Set, exclusively available to D23 Gold Members!

Why Dara Reneé and Issac Ryan Brown Are Sweet on Disney’s Magic Bake-Off

August 10, 2021August 9, 2021

By Zach Johnson

Do you have what it bakes?

This Friday, following the premieres of Spin and Descendants: The Royal Wedding, Disney Channel and Tastemade will present the first episode of Disney’s Magic Bake-Off, a one-hour competition series that combines the wonder of baking with the ingenuity of young pastry chefs as they create the most extraordinary cakes—inspired by the magic of Disney!

We recently chatted with co-hosts Dara Reneé and Issac Ryan Brown, who previewed what’s in store this season—and revealed why the competition is no cake walk for the young bakers, who must race against the clock to design a mouthwatering masterpiece. In each episode, Reneé and Brown, along with Disneyland resort pastry chef Graciela Gomez, guide three teams of two through fun challenges and unexpected twists designed to elevate the contestants’ baking abilities, techniques, and creativity to new culinary heights. The winning team will be named the Disney Baking Champion, and the recipe will be a featured Tastemade video available on Disney Channel and on Tastemade’s social media.

Each episode also features a “Magic Bake Break,” in which Reneé, Brown, and Gomez encourage the young pastry chefs to get out of their heads and onto their feet for a moment of levity. “The ‘Magic Bake Break’ is my favorite part of the show,” says Brown. “That’s the part I take pride most in when we film. Every week, depending on the theme—whether it’s Halloween, or Toy Story, or Disney Princesses—we’ll switch it up accordingly.”

While working on the main challenge, each team also has to complete a mini challenge, inspired by a Tastemade video. “It’s insane how fast they get it,” said Reneé. “You see them working on a topsy-turvy cake while also doing a challenge that Tastemade has provided.”

Time and again, the co-hosts were amazed and inspired by the bakers’ creative genius. “You’ll see cakes inspired by things like Star Wars, Frozen and The Lion King,” said Reneé. “There are so many wonderful interpretations of the themes. These young bakers left me in awe!” She added that the holiday-themed cakes were her favorite all season, “because I really love the spirit of giving, the snow, cold weather, and being with family and friends.”

Brown, meanwhile, singled out a Big City Greens-themed challenge that featured special appearances by the series’ creators, Chris and Shane Houghton. “Cricket Green stopped by as well,” he said. “The ‘Magic Bake Break’ was really fun. We did a city vs. country battle. I was in some weird chicken costume or something. I couldn’t even see! It was really funny.”

This season will feature additional appearances from characters, including the Star Wars droid R2-D2 (“I was starstruck, said Reneé), as well as famed bakers like Jocelyn Adams, Rachel Fong, and Mia Starr. “We have a lot of different social media baking influencers on,” said Brown. “They actually know about baking, which is great because it balances us out!” The teams are comprised of amateur bakers, and the co-hosts—admitted amateur bakers—are happy to not be competing themselves. “Perhaps we could compete with each other,” Brown said of Reneé. “But that’s a big maybe considering I hardly bake.” Laughing, Reneé adds, “I love to bake. Is it good? I’m not so sure… But I think Issac would win if we ever did a competition.”

Following the series debut, new episodes of Disney’s Magic Bake-Off will be available Friday evenings at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW.

Exclusive Q&A with Free Guy Director Shawn Levy

August 10, 2021August 4, 2021

By Zach Johnson

It’s a new world.

20th Century Studios’ epic adventure comedy Free Guy releases in theaters this Friday, August 13. Directed by the prolific Shawn Levy, from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn and a story by Lieberman, it stars Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Taika Waititi. The film centers on Guy (Reynolds), a bank teller who exudes positivity and cheerful optimism. Like his best friend, Buddy (Howery), Guy has a zest for life… but all that changes after he discovers that he is actually a background player in the ultra-violent, open-world video game Free City! Distributed by Soonami Studios, run by the greedy mogul Antwan (Waititi), Free City is a wildly popular game in which chaos and devastation reign supreme. Players live an unabashed existence within the game and level-up by committing unprovoked acts of hostility and vandalism.

So… not exactly the best place for a guy like Guy.

It’s the charismatic Molotovgirl (Comer) who helps Guy navigate the game—and also face the fact that the only life he’s ever known isn’t real. Meanwhile, Molotovgirl, whose name in the real world is Millie, is navigating her own battle with Soonami Studios, as she believes Antwan stole the codes from a game she and her friend, Keys (Keery), sold the company. As Guy begins to take on a more active role as a good person, he becomes a champion for both the players and the other NPCs (non-playable characters) and the hero of his own story—one he is rewriting himself. As Guy’s popularity grows, Antwan, realizing the threat he poses to the future of Free City and its sequel, Free City: Carnage, instructs programmer Keys and coder Mouser (Ambudkar) to remove Guy from the game—forever.

Before Free Guy releases in theaters, enjoy our exclusive Q&A with Levy:

D23: When Ryan brought the script to you, what made you want to direct and produce it?
Shawn Levy (SL): I had actually read the script for Free Guy a couple years earlier, long before Ryan sent it to me in the summer of 2018. I liked the script, but what got me truly hooked was Ryan’s vision for the movie: He wanted to make a feel-good action comedy against a videogame backdrop, not merely a videogame movie. Ryan and I had known each other for several years at that point, had always wanted to collaborate, and when we started discussing what Free Guy could be, we got very engaged, very clear on our aspiration for the movie. We wanted to take a script about a background character in a video game and turn it into a movie about all of us and our desire to live more empowered, impactful lives. Saying yes to any movie is a huge commitment, but the shared vision with Ryan of what Free Guy could be was galvanizing, exciting, and led me to an easy “yes.”

D23: How did the idea for Free Guy originate?
SL: This was an original spec screenplay—which means that Matt Lieberman wrote it for free, with no certainty that it would ever get sold or made. The studio bought his script and a few years later, it landed in Ryan’s and my laps. It always had a huge central idea: What if a guy suddenly realized he was a background character inside a video game? Ryan and I took that idea and ran with the themes and relatable aspects of it and developed it into the movie that Free Guy has become.

D23: Free Guy isn’t based on existing IP. Was that freeing, intimidating, or a combination of both?
SL: We live in a world of sequels and franchises and brand awareness. I get it. Those things make a movie less of an uncertain proposition for studios and for audiences. That said, I was captivated by the opportunity to create something new. With both Night at the Museum and Stranger Things, I’ve had the good fortune of launching a few original franchises in my career, and while it’s always scary creating something new, it’s also deeply liberating. And when it connects with audiences in a broad and passionate way, it’s incredibly gratifying.

D23: Because Free City is a fictional world, you got to write the rules. What are the key things we need to know about it?
SL: Well for starters, I can tell you that it was a blast creating not just a movie but an original video game within a movie! That video game—it’s called Free City—is an open world shooter where players get to wreak mayhem and accrue points and level up based on how lawless and badly they behave. Carjackings, bank robberies, you name it: Free City is home to nihilistic chaos and fun. Does it highlight the best of humanity? Absolutely not! Like some video games, it taps into our more base instincts, and in the midst of the mayhem that is Free City, we find these NPCs who are at the mercy of the players (always identified by the sunglasses they wear while NPCs cannot) and their varied misbehavior.

D23: What does Ryan bring to the role of Guy?
SL: I honestly don’t know where to start on the Ryan Reynolds topic. I’ll start with the onscreen Ryan: He is an unrivaled comedic genius, an actor who is stunningly quick-witted and in the moment, and who has found and mastered the singularity of his comedic tone and voice. He’s also imbued with an innate warmth and humanity that comes across onscreen, regardless of how sarcastic or arch his tone may be. As this character of Guy, Ryan really tapped into what I refer to as his “Canadian side”—his kindness, his idealistic innocence, and overwhelming civility. The thing about Ryan Reynolds, though—and what people don’t quite know—is that his value off-screen is just as impressive as on-. As a writer and producer—as a creative partner—Ryan is an absolute beast. The degree to which he contributed to the development of this script, the deepening of its characters, the shape of its edit—I can’t say enough about how proactive and value-adding a partner Ryan was to me throughout this filmmaking process. I’ve honestly never had a collaborator as devoted and additive as Ryan was on Free Guy.

D23: Throughout the course of the movie, Guy becomes more and more popular in the game. What makes him—a seemingly unremarkable character with no special abilities—special?
SL: Guy become popular—in fact he becomes a phenom, both within the game and in the real world—because he decides to do something no one does in Free City: He becomes the good guy. In a world of bad-guys, Guy commits to being and doing good. In so doing, Guy levels up in a way and at a speed people haven’t seen before, and he also makes others start to question the way they play Free City—and the way they live. Guy goes from background character to hero, and it inspires everyone who witnesses it.

D23: What can you tell us about Jodie, Joe, Lil Rel, Utkarsh, Taika and the characters they play? How much improv did all the actors get to do?
SL: It would take up too much space to rave about each of our co-stars individually. What I will say is that this supporting cast is beyond compare. These actors brought so much innate talent to their roles, and such great instincts for how to deepen their characters and bring them to life onscreen. Sure, we shot the script, but we also spent a healthy portion of each day improvising and finding moments and jokes that were never scripted. My attitude has always been this: you don’t buy a Ferrari and keep it under 20mph. Similarly, you don’t hire a genius like Jodie or Taika or Rel or Utkarsh or Joe and merely have them say the scripted words; I want their ideas, I want the benefit of their exceptional instincts. Our movie is so much the better for it.

D23: The movie isn’t just set in Free City; it’s also set in the real world. How did you distinguish the two worlds tonally and visually? In what ways (if any) do they complement each other?
SL: We shot Free City with a specific large format camera, with wide spherical lenses and a heightened, saturated color palette. Free City is generally photographed with wide, clean frames, minimal camera shake, minimal foreground. Conversely, the “real world” scenes are shot on a different camera and lens package altogether, in muted, de-saturated and cooler tones, mostly handheld, on longer lenses and through layers of foreground and depth.

D23: How much does CGI factor into this movie?
SL: There are a lot of digital effects in Free Guy. The opportunities for spectacle, graphics, and visual flair are baked into the movie’s very concept. It would be crazy to do a movie half-set inside a videogame and not explore the surreal and heightened visual possibilities. And I’d also add that the quality of VFX done in Free Guy is astounding. But I’m even quicker to point out that Free Guy doesn’t rely on visual effects; the strength of the movie, in fact, is the character story, the themes of personal empowerment, and the vast majority of the of scenes that are real-world, practical effects and performance-based. I’ve directed a lot of heavy VFX material, and I have learned that when the VFX become foreground and spot-lit, the audience disengages; I know I do. I try very hard to use spectacular VFX in support of my storytelling, a storytelling that is always humanist, aspirational, and grounded in reality. All that being said though: there are sequences and visual effects in Free Guy unlike any you’ve seen.

D23: What Easter eggs or gamer cameos you can tease?
SL: Oh boy. Well, let me start by saying there’s a ton I can’t tease! The ones I can include cameos by some of the top gamers in the world. The ones I can’t include several huge movie stars who we’ve somehow kept secret for a year now, and I cannot wait for our audience to discover them popping up in Free Guy. I’ll also whisper that in addition to the onscreen cameos that abound in Free Guy, keep your ears peeled for the many (huge) stars who do guest appearances in certain cameo voice surprises…

D23: What do you hope Disney fans get out of a movie like Free Guy?
SL: I need to start by saying I’m a Disney guy. Which is a weird statement, given that this is my first Disney movie. What I mean, though, is that over the course of my career—and Free Guy is my 12th movie—I have always tried to make movies that are audience-satisfying experiences. I try to make my movies warm, fun, uncynical, optimistic, and ultimately connective and hopeful. These are the traits that I’ve always associated with Disney, and Free Guy is very much consistent with these traits. Don’t let the videogame premise fool you: This is a movie about people. It’s about how many of us feel like we are living in the background, mere passengers in a world we didn’t make and often feel we can’t affect. But we can. And Free Guy is about finding your voice, becoming empowered; it is about stepping out of the unseen margins and having agency and impact in a world we’d like to see made better. In this way, it’s deeply relatable and speaks to the hope we all have and harbor. Free Guy is entertaining, wildly funny, and fun—and it’s also sneaky-poignant as it speaks to these basic human yearnings and aspirations. I don’t make my movies for me; I make them for you, for the audience, and it’s my hunch that with Free Guy, we’ve made a picture you will truly enjoy.

New and Returning Cast Announced for The Lion King and Aladdin on Broadway

August 10, 2021August 9, 2021

By Zach Johnson

The curtain is almost up!

Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, today announced casting for The Lion King and Aladdin, returning to Broadway this fall. Both companies will welcome back nearly all of the cast members who were performing when Broadway shut down last March, along with exciting fresh faces, including new actors in the starring roles of Simba in The Lion King and Aladdin and Jasmine in Aladdin. The Lion King will resume performances on Tuesday, September 14, at the Minskoff Theatre, and Aladdin will open a week later on Tuesday, September 28, at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Returning to the Broadway cast of the The Lion King are Stephen Carlile as Scar, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, Cameron Pow as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Fred Berman as Timon, Adrienne Walker as Nala, James Brown-Orleans as Banzai, Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi, and Robb Sapp as Ed. New to the cast is Brandon A. McCall in the role of Simba. McCall makes his Broadway debut in the role, having previously starred in the North American tour. Additionally, newcomers Vince Ermita and Corey J. will alternate as Young Simba, while Alayna Martus and Sydney Elise Russell will alternate as Young Nala.

Top Row (L-R): Vince Emrita, Corey J.
Bottom Row (-R), Alayna Martus, Sydney Elise Russell

The Broadway company of The Lion King also features Lawrence Keith Alexander, Cameron Amandus, Leanne Antonio, Andrew Arrington, India Bolds Browne, Lindiwe Dlamini, Zinhle Dube, Bongi Duma, Angelica Edwards, Jim Ferris, Rosie Lani Feldman, Daniel Gaymon, Pia Hamilton, Daniel Harder, Michael Alexander Henry, Michael Hollick, Pearl Khwezi, Lindsey Jackson, Lisa Lewis, Mduduzi Madela, Jaysin McCollum, Ray Mercer, S’bu Ngema, Nhlanhla Ngobeni, Nteliseng Nkhela, Jacqueline René, Kaylin Seckel, Kellen Stencil, Housso Semon, Derrick Spear, Michael Stiggers Jr., Jamie J. Thompson, Bravita Threatt, Natalie Turner, Donna Michelle Vaughan, Nicholas Ward, and Stephen Scott Wormley.

Top Row (L-R): Michael Maliakel, Shoba Narayan
Bottom Row (-R), Zach Bencal, Frank Viveros

New to the Broadway company of Aladdin are Michael Maliakel and Shoba Narayan as Aladdin and Jasmine. Maliakel makes his Broadway debut, having recently toured the country in the 25th anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera. Narayan’s previous Broadway credits include Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Nessarose in Wicked, as well as Eliza in the North American tour of Hamilton. Aladdin welcomes Zach Bencal as Babkak and Frank Viveros as a Genie/Sultan/Babkak standby, who both join the Broadway cast after performing those roles in the North American tour.

The returning cast of Aladdin features four original company members in principal roles: Michael James Scott as Genie, Tony Award® nominee Jonathan Freeman as Jafar, Don Darryl Rivera as Iago, and Dennis Stowe as the Jafar/Sultan standby. Also returning to the company are Milo Alosi as Kassim, Brad Weinstock as Omar, JC Montgomery as Sultan, and Juwan Crawley as a Genie/Sultan standby. Aladdin also features Tia Altinay, Mary Antonini, Netanel Bellaishe, Michael Callahan, Mike Cannon, Matthew deGuzman, Jacob Dickey, Mark DiConzo, Olivia Donalson, Josh Drake, Samantha Farrow, Jacob Gutierrez, Heather Makalani, Stanley Martin, Paul Heesang Miller, April Holloway, Amber Owens, Jamie Kasey Patterson, Bobby Pestka, Ariel Reid, Tyler Roberts, Jaz Sealey, Charles South, Angelo Soriano, and Katie Terza.

(L-R): Caroline Innerbichler, Caroline Bowman

Additionally, Disney Theatrical Productions announced casting for its two blockbuster North American touring productions. Frozen will resume performances Friday, September 10, in Buffalo, New York, at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, and The Lion King will resume performances Friday, October 1, in Cleveland, Ohio, at Playhouse Square. Both of the tours will follow all of the CDC, local, state, and city health and safety guidelines, as well as all union protocols.

Returning to the cast of the Frozen North American tour are Caroline Bowman as Elsa, Caroline Innerbichler as Anna, Austin Colby as Hans, F. Michael Haynie as Olaf, Mason Reeves as Kristoff, and Collin Baja and Evan Strand alternating as Sven. Joining them are new tour principal cast members Robert Creighton as Weselton, a role he originated in the Broadway production of Frozen; Natalia Artigas as Young Elsa; Olivia Jones as Young Anna; and real-life sisters Natalie Grace Chan and Victoria Hope Chan as Young Elsa and Young Anna, respectively. The cast of the Frozen North American also features Caelan Creaser, Jeremy Davis, Colby Dezelick, Michael Everett, Berklea Going, Michael Allan Haggerty, Tyler Jimenez, Hannah Jewel Kohn, Marina Kondo, Dustin Layton, Nika Lindsay, Tatyana Lubov, Adrianna Rose Lyons, Michael Milkanin, Kyle Lamar Mitchell, Jessie Peltier, Naomi Rodgers, Brian Steven Shaw, Daniel Switzer, Zach Trimmer, Brit West, and Natalie Wisdom.

Returning to the cast of The Lion King North American tour are Spencer Plachy as Scar, Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa, Nick Cordileone as Timon, Jürgen Hooper as Zazu, Ben Lipitz as Pumbaa, Kayla Cyphers as Nala, Keith Bennett as Banzai, Martina Sykes as Shenzi, Robbie Swift as Ed, Charlie Kahler as Young Simba, and Kalandra Rhodes as Young Nala. Joining them are new tour principal cast members Gugwana Dlamini as Rafiki, who since 2002 has played the role in multiple worldwide productions of The Lion King; Darian Sanders, who returns in the role of Simba; Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Young Simba (alternating with Charlie Kahler); and Nia Mulder as Young Nala (alternating with Kalandra Rhodes).

The cast also features Derek Adams, Kayla Rose Aimable, Sandy Alvarez, William John Austin, Eric Bean, Jr., TyNia René Brandon, Sasha Caicedo, Sean Aaron Carmon, Kyle Robert Carter, Thembelihle Cele, Adrianne Chu, Daniela Cobb, Lyric Danae, Paige Fraser, Tony Freeman, Mukelisiwe Goba, Jamal Lee Harris, Alia Kache, Gabisile Manana, Christopher L. McKenzie, Jr., Marq Moss, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Aaron Nelson, Sihle Ngema, Sicelo Ntshangase, Sayiga Eugene Peabody, Kevin Petite, Yael Pineda-Hall, Nathan Andrew Riley, Maurica Roland, Christopher Sams, Jennifer Theriot, Courtney Thomas, and Shacura Wade.

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

August 9, 2021

By Zach Johnson

This Wednesday, the producers of ABC News’ No. 1 rated 20/20 and Truth and Lies series unveil the all-new television event of the summer: Superstar. That same day, Disney Presents Goofy in How to Stay at Home and What If…? both premiere on Disney+. The following day, Hulu premieres the inspirational and powerful documentary Homeroom. Finally, on Friday, 20th Century Studios’ Aquamarine joins the expansive Disney+ library.

Superstar: Whitney Houston—Wednesday, August 11, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC
This brand-new series from ABC News travels deep inside the lives of icons who have shaped American culture and features interviews with family and friends who reveal the meteoric highs and the devastating costs of fame. The series premiere profiles Whitney Houston and showcases never-before-seen private videos that depict her in a new light. It also includes new interviews with those who knew her: Michael Bearden, Brandy, Savion Glover, Chaka Khan, Darlene Love, BeBe Winans, and Narada Michael Walden—supplemented by interviews with Houston and Bobby Brown from the ABC News archives.

Disney Presents Goofy in How to Stay at Home—Wednesday, August 11, on Disney+
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ trio of all-new, hand-drawn animated shorts from acclaimed animator Eric Goldberg and Emmy®-winning producer Dorothy McKim star Goofy—the clumsy, charismatic, and lovable Disney “everyman” character who has entertained audiences since his screen debut in 1932—demonstrating how to make the best of challenging situations. Disney Legend Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy since 1987, provides the character’s vocals, with versatile actor Corey Burton serving as the narrator.

Marvel’s What If…—Wednesday, August 11, on Disney+
Marvel Studios’ animated anthology series flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Creating a multiverse of infinite possibilities, the series is narrated by Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher, who joins more than 50 fan-favorite characters from across the MCU. The series premiere alone features the voices of Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Toby Jones as Arnim Zola, Neal McDonough as Dum Dum Dugan, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, and Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine, among others.

Homeroom—Thursday, August 12, on Hulu
A Sundance Film Festival Official Selection, Homeroom is director Pete Nicks’ final chapter in a trilogy of films, following The Waiting Room (2012) and The Force (2017), each of which examines the relationship between health care, criminal justice, and education in Oakland, California, over the past decade. Produced by Ryan Coogler, Homeland documents Oakland High School’s class of 2020 during an unprecedented—and uncertain—period.

Aquamarine—Friday, August 13, on Disney+
Teens Hailey (Joanna “JoJo” Levesque) and Claire (Emma Roberts) discover mermaids really do exist after a violent storm washes one ashore. Named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton), the mermaid says she wants to prove to her father that real love exists, so she enlists her new friends’ help to win the heart of Raymond (Jake McDorman), the handsome lifeguard.

5 Reasons Why Free Guy Will Make You “Scream with Joy”

August 9, 2021August 9, 2021

By Zach Johnson

In 20th Century Studios’ Free Guy, a bank teller discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game and decides to become the hero of his own story… one he rewrites himself. Before the film opens in theaters Friday, we joined director Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Reynolds, Jodi Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Taika Waititi at a virtual press conference to learn more about the epic adventure-comedy.

“Making this movie was pretty joyous and fun,” said Levy. “We’re just really excited to finally get to share a movie that hopefully has that same fun, that same delight and that same warmth that was on set. Hopefully it’s translated to the screen. Getting these early reactions has really affirmed that it’s all coming through to audiences the way we’d hoped.”

What else do you need to know about this “fastball of joy?” Read on…

1. The world building will please gamers and non-gamers alike.
Free City is a wildly popular game where chaos reigns. Players live a brazen existence, leveling up by committing unprovoked acts of violence. To ensure the game’s authenticity, Levy consulted experts in the gaming industry. “This movie was about threading the needle between wanting to represent the gaming world correctly and accurately,” the director said. “For that, I spoke with a lot of game publishers, coders, and game designers, and I played and watched a lot of games in preproduction. Getting that right was really important. But it was also important to make a movie that required no gaming fluency. Trying to tick both boxes was always part of the goal and something we worked really hard to achieve.”

2. The cast is as close offscreen as their characters are onscreen.
Guy (Reynolds) and Buddy (Howery) are best friends who share a zest for life. Offscreen, Howery felt the same way about Reynolds—before they actually met. “Ryan Reynolds has been my friend in my head for a very long time,” he said with a laugh. “And to this day, I still don’t think he believes me. I’m a legit fan. When he started winning [awards] for Deadpool, I was calling people, like, ‘I told y’all! I told you Ryan Reynolds was a superstar!’” Likewise, Reynolds said he “was a huge fan” of Howery, and they clicked “from the moment we met.” Still, Howery admitted to being starstruck around Reynolds on their first day of filming. “It was surreal,” he said. “It was, like, ‘I’m gonna take this moment. I don’t know if he’s going to be my friend after this—but during this movie, we’re about to be best friends!’”

3. Like the film itself, the soundtrack is a sweet, sweet fantasy, baby.
Perhaps no song better encapsulates the exuberance of Free Guy than Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”—which is why the No. 1 hit is used so often throughout the film. “Ryan is kind of the maestro of the odd, random—but inspired—song idea,” says Levy. “He is obsessive about it, and early on when we were working on the script, Ryan was like, ‘You know what I think should be the anthem of this entire movie and marketing campaign?’ And he suggested this song by Mariah. Little did we know that by the third act of the movie, we’d have a cover of that song by our very own Jodi Comer.” In the earliest draft of the script, Reynolds revealed, Outfield’s “Your Love” was slated to be the musical throughline. “It’s a great song, but it ended up not fitting right,” he explained. “But then Mariah Carey’s ‘Fantasy’ came like a lightning bolt, and that was like an engine for so much of the movie.” The film’s eclectic soundtrack, out August 11 from Hollywood Records, features four original score tracks by Emmy®-nominated composer Christophe Beck, and songs from Fred Astaire, Mama Cass, Digital Underground, Joey Scarbury, Frankie Valli, and others.

4. Gamers are literally everywhere—along with some other fun cameos.
Some of the video gaming world’s most influential figures, including Imane “Pokimane” Anys, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Lannan “LazarBeam” Eacott, Seán William “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin, and Daniel “DanTDM” Middleton—make cameo appearances in Free Guy. But those five names don’t even begin to scratch the surface. “Well, it turns out Ryan Reynolds has a lot of really famous friends, and he got a lot of them to be in this movie,” teased Ambudkar, who plays Mouser. “I can’t give any of it away, but if I wasn’t in the movie, I would be so stoked. For all of the people out there like me, I see you—and we’re being seen by this film.” Ambudkar, who is the biggest gamer of the group, said the surprise cameos and hidden Easter Eggs will make fans “jump out of your seat and scream with joy.”

5. The cast is open to returning for a sequel.
Antwan (Waititi), the greedy mogul behind Free City, is working overtime to churn out a sequel to the hit video game. Naturally, there is speculation that a sequel to Free Guy is also in the works. “We all hope we get to do this again, either in the form of a sequel or something else,” said Reynolds. “We’re lucky. A couple people here, I’ve had the very fortunate opportunity to work with multiple times.” Veering into spoiler territory, Levy referenced one of Waitit’s many ad-libs in the movie, saying, “If we make Free Guy 2, it will be titled Albuquerque Boiled Turkey. When you see this movie, you’ll understand that joke.”