How Leslie Jones Reimagined ABC’s Supermarket Sweep

By Zach Johnson

You can’t put a price on nostalgia.

The revival of the beloved game show Supermarket Sweep returns to ABC with exciting enhancements on Sunday, October 18, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Hosted and produced by Emmy® Award-nominated comedian Leslie Jones, the series is being billed as “fresher than the produce aisle and faster than the self-checkout”—“and the steaks have never been higher.”

That’s an understatement. The energetic series follows three teams of two as they battle it out using their shopping skills and knowledge of the aisles to win big cash prizes—and the team with the highest cart total gets to play for $100,000! Back in the day, “They gave away, like, five grand,” says co-executive producer and head writer Lenny Marcus. “I think if you look at the inflation between now and ’92, maybe they gave away… what? Fifty grand?”

Although the series will still feel familiar to fans who watched its runs in the ’60s, ’90s, and ’00s, Jones brings a bigger, bolder flavor to Supermarket Sweep. “This show has a host that was not hired as a host,” explains executive producer Alycia Rossiter. “This show has a human being who grew up loving this show and wanting to remake it. Instead of hiring talent to do the work of the host, Leslie found out who owned the intellectual property that is Supermarket Sweep and went to them and said, ‘Hey, I want to make this show. I want to produce it with you. I want to host it.’ What is different here is Leslie Jones. It’s her love of the old show shining through for 2020—and she brings a lot of personality.” Although they both love David Ruprecht, who hosted the show from 1990–95 and 2000–03, “He took a backseat,” Rossiter says. “Leslie said, ‘I’m going to drive this thing. I love it. I loved it before I became affiliated with it, and I am going to drive this thing. And for an hour, you are going to watch me share my favorite show growing up with you.’ It’s been fun to watch. Look: It hasn’t been easy, figuring out all of the twists and turns of how to take something old and make it new, and we are still getting there. And every day, it’s cooler.”

Jones is the first to point out there was “nothing wrong” with the original series’ format or gameplay. “But,” she says, “I wanted to update it: bring some new music to it, bring some color to it, bring some jolts to it, bring activity to it.” Echoing Rossiter, Jones adds, “I had that feeling of wanting to make people feel what I felt when I used to watch the old show.”

Although the first season is already wrapped, Jones already has big ideas for its future. Among them is a celebrity edition involving Jennifer Lopez, Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, Will Smith, Kenan Thompson and other boldfaced names. “Can you see Sherri Shepherd trying to run through the aisles? Or how do you think Rihanna would run through the grocery store? She’d probably be real gorgeous. She’d have to do it in heels, right?” Her dream team, though, would feature Beyoncé and Jack Black: “This show’s gotta happen!”

Supermarket Sweep

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

By Zach Johnson

As the temperatures begin to drop, this weekend calls for staying inside and watching endless television—and luckily, The Walt Disney Company has you covered! Not only is ABC airing a new season of Shark Tank, but the network is also premiering the revival of Supermarket Sweep. On the streaming side, Disney+ is dropping a new episode of One Day at Disney, while Hulu is debuting the full season of its new original series Helstrom. And don’t forget to watch Nat Geo WILD for the first half of Photo Ark, a new two-part special.

Shark Tank

Shark Tank—Friday, October 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
The critically acclaimed, Emmy® Award-winning unscripted series returns from a brand-new set! Filmed at The Venetian® and Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, the 12th season premiere will feature Sharks Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, and Daymond John, plus guest Shark Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS and co-founder of Madefor. A father-son duo from Ohio will help the Sharks get creative while sharing their solution for storing paint efficiently; two tech-savvy entrepreneurs from Massachusetts will put the pedal to the metal when they show off their portable electric vehicle charger; a husband and wife from New Jersey think they can smell success as they pitch their product designed to keep garments safe from bacteria and odor; and an entrepreneur from Oregon will try to convince the Sharks he’s brought blankets into the 21st century. With their inventive pitches, will any of them convince the Sharks to invest in their budding business?

One Day at Disney

One Day at Disney—Friday, October 16, on Disney+
As part of Disney’s Imagineering team, Alfredo Ayala helps bring Audio-Animatronics® figures to life. From controlling how they can emote to creating state-of-the-art synthetic skin simulations technology, Ayala utilizes cutting-edge technology, like machine learning and optimization, to bring dynamic character experiences to theme parks around the world.

Helstrom

Helstrom—Friday, October 16, on Hulu
Every family has its demons. As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, this Hulu original series follows Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon) as they track down the worst of humanity—each with their own attitude and skillset. Created by Paul Zbyszewski, based on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Hellstrom, Helstrom also stars June Carryl as Dr. Louise Hastings, Ariana Guerra as Gabriella Rosetti, Elizabeth Marvel as Victoria Helstrom, Alain Uy as Chris Yen, and Robert Wisdom as Caretaker. All 10 episodes will debut on the streaming service simultaneously.

Photo Ark

Photo Ark—Saturday, October 17, at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT on Nat Geo WILD
In the first half of the special (the second will air October 24), tag along with National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore on his quest to photograph every species living in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, using powerful photography to inspire people to save species at risk. He’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goal—even if it means following an armadillo into a bathroom! Deep in the Amazon rainforest, Sartore will dive underwater to photograph the largest resident of South America: the Amazonian manatee. Then, he’ll trek to the Colorado Rockies to document the American pika, a small relative of the hare.

Supermarket Sweep

Supermarket Sweep—Sunday, October 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
ABC is bringing back the classic TV game show, this time hosted and executive produced Leslie Jones. The fast-paced and energetic series will follow three teams of two as they duke it out, using their grocery shopping skills and knowledge of the aisles to win major cash prizes! The first episode will feature six pairings: Lois Arbogast and Julia Warren; Chelsie Carlton and Jaleah Wilder; Ryan Pearcy and Drew Horton; Morgan Brown and Frankie Chapman; Kelsey Hsing and Patrick Castillo; and Sarah Lerma and Chris Lerma.

Prove You’re A Ghostly Genius by Acing This Disney Ghost Trivia Quiz

By the D23 Team

During the Halloween season, Disney fans love watching and rewatching some of their favorite ghoulishly delightful films—but how well do you actually know these scary good classics? We’ve rounded up frightfully fun batch of trivia about characters from “regions beyond” to put your ghostly genius to the test. Do you feel a chill? It could be the spirits gathering—or, perhaps, you’re just anticipating a terrifying challenge!

In The Haunted Mansion film, the actress who voices Madame Leota also voices which Pixar character?

Correct! Wrong!

In the film Blackbeard’s Ghost, who did Blackbeard say condemned him to an afterlife in limbo until he performs a good deed?

Correct! Wrong!

In the TV movie Tower of Terror, on what fateful night did lightning strike the elevator of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, trapping its riders as ghosts in the hotel?

Correct! Wrong!

For Lonesome Ghosts, what new invention did the Animation Deparment at The Walt Disney Studios create?

Correct! Wrong!

What does the Headless Horseman throw at the fleeing Ichabod Crane in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” segment of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad?

Correct! Wrong!

Which of these ingredients was needed for the spell to stop Kalabar in the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown?

Correct! Wrong!

In Hocus Pocus, for how many years has Thackery Binx’s spirit been trapped as a cat?

Correct! Wrong!

In Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, what part of Zero the ghost dog is decorated with a jack-o’-lantern?

Correct! Wrong!

Which ghost from The Muppet Christmas Carol performs the song “It Feels Like Christmas”?

Correct! Wrong!

In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, who does Captain Salazar blame for his cursed ghostly existence?

Correct! Wrong!

DuckTales Gets Dangerous with Darkwing Duck Episode

By Jim Frye

Just like other Disney fans from the ’90s, every time we hear the name DuckTales, a certain “Woo-oo” goes off in our heads. It’s inescapable, part of the legacy of the show that was a staple of Disney Afternoon, along with Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, and the “terror that flaps in the night,” Darkwing Duck! Well, buckle up, adventure lovers, and get ready for a ride on the Ratcatcher as everyone’s favorite feathered super hero is back in a super-sized DuckTales episode called “Let’s Get Dangerous.” Woo-oo indeed!

For the very special two-part episode, Drake Mallard, aka Darkwing Duck, and Gosalyn, become part of the DuckTales storyline, complete with a secret lair, Ratcatcher motorcycle, and masks and capes aplenty. Fans have been eager to see the return of Darkwing for some time, and the McDuck family’s trip to St. Canard, Darkwing’s home turf, provided the perfect opportunity for that to happen.

Ducktales

Executive Producer Matt Youngberg and Co-Executive Producer/Story Editor Francisco Angones are excited to bring Darkwing into the third season of DuckTales series, especially considering the overall theme of the season. “Season 3 of DuckTales is all about legacy,” says Angones. “And part of the legacy of the original DuckTales are those Disney Afternoon shows—Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck. It’s not an accident that in Season 3 we’re seeing all these Disney Afternoon characters showing up. It’s part of a larger meta-story of something we wanted to say about the original DuckTales and the legacy of the Disney Afternoon.”

Back in the ’90s, the original DuckTales and Darkwing Duck series shared separate “universes,” with the only real connection being the character of Launchpad, who appeared in both. The challenge for Youngberg and Angones was to figure out how to merge the two universes into a cohesive storyline for the current series. To do that, they figured out an ingenious plan that payed homage to the “meta” roots of Darkwing himself. “We’ve been seeding a lot of things with Darkwing for a while,” says Youngberg. “There was a lot of stuff early on where the fans of Darkwing were very curious what we were going to do because we were making it a show-within-a-show, which makes it a lot different from the original Darkwing Duck mythos.”

Darkwing Duck

In the current world of DuckTales, Drake Mallard appeared in Season 2 as a fan of the actor playing the character of Darkwing Duck, Jim Starling, on an old TV show that both he and Launchpad watched. “It was just a cheap, old super hero show, kind of in the vein of the Adam West Batman series,” says Youngberg. “So that’s the connection into our universe. In Season 2 we had an episode where they tried to do a reboot of Darkwing Duck and they hired Drake.” Eventually, with encouragement from Launchpad, Drake takes on the persona of his on-screen character, becoming Darkwing Duck for real.

“The original Darkwing Duck was a very meta show,” says Angones. “There was a lot of fourth-wall breaking and looking at the camera and playing with the tropes. There’s something about the character of Darkwing that really brings out the meta in us.”

Darkwing Duck

When you break it down, DuckTales and Darkwing Duck are both about family. DuckTales has the uncle and his nephews, and Darkwing Duck concerns a father and his adopted daughter. But also, both shows are built around the idea of “found family,” especially as it relates to the character of Launchpad. “Launchpad is a part of the DuckTales family, and as he’s growing as a character, he’s embraced this idea of Adventure family,” says Youngberg. “So as he’s getting to know this new part of his world [Darkwing Duck]; it’s not two separate families, he’s just expanding his family.”

“He’s starting his own family, of a sort,” adds Angones, “and that speaks to the nature of the found-family nature of our show, particularly the found-family nature of the original Darkwing. But also, Gosalyn was a character that was really important to fans growing up, and it’s a character that’s hopefully going to be important to our viewers and fans now. To have a father figure out there who’s just trying his best, it feels like that’s relatable. It’s about a family coming together and fighting against the world. Hopefully that’s what people will respond to. I think you could boil it down to adventure, comedy and heart—and family is the greatest adventure of all.”

See the epic and heartwarming return of Darkwing Duck October 19 on DuckTales on Disney XD. Things are looking a bit dangerous!

D’scovered – Dining with Dwarfs

By Becky Cline, Director, Walt Disney Archives

One of my favorite pastimes is collecting vintage recipes. So, this week I just had to share a fun little cookbook from the former Walt Disney Studios Library, now preserved in the Walt Disney Archives ephemera collection. It is called Walt Disney’s Snow White Dairy Recipes, was published in 1956, and features adorable Disney character art along with recipes from the American Dairy Association.

Now, I’m not at all sure that you want to taste test “Doc’s Shrimp Dip” or even “Sneezy’s Cottage Cheese Dip,” but let me tell you, “Dopey’s Butter Dips” do look yummy, and “Snow White’s Mint Frosted Chocolate Cookies” are next on my home baking schedule!

So, here you go… “Fun For the Whole Family!”

Trick or Treat Yourself to These 5 Halloween Episodes on Disney+

By Zach Johnson

Orange you excited for Halloween?

This October, Disney+ is celebrating its first ever “Disney+ Hallowstream” with a spooktacular collection of some of the most popular Halloween-themed episodes and specials. And since Disney+ is the ultimate streaming destination for family frights and wicked delights, we’ve hand-picked some favorites you can stream right now (and all month long):

Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 The Series: “Obake Yashiki”
This season one standout takes place on Halloween night. Hiro (voice of Ryan Potter) scores an invitation to tour a haunted house, where the team gets sprayed with a mysterious mist. Later, as the Big Hero 6 fight Noodle Burger Boy (voice of Lucas Neff), Hiro gets distracted by the sight of his late brother, Tadashi (voice of Daniel Henney), who is seemingly alive and well. The siblings are reunited in the haunted house, and Hiro can’t believe his eyes. Suddenly, it dawns on him that Tadashi is actually an illusion created by Obake (voice of Andrew Scott) and the mist had manifested each team member’s biggest fear. All the while, Noodle Burger Boy gets one step closer to finishing his evil master plan.

Girl Meets World

Girl Meets World: “Girl Meets World of Terror 2”
The fangtastic season two episode begins with Riley (Rowan Blanchard) and Maya (Sabrina Carpenter) meeting the ghost of the bay window (guest star Brittany Ross), a flapper from the 1920s. Riley lives in the same room where the ghost once planned her own capers and hatched her own schemes with her own best friend. “I promised I would never leave until someone else finally realized how wonderful it was to sit in this window and laugh, and cry, and dance,” the ghost tells Riley and Maya, who later visit a haunted house in Central Park. There, they befriend Austin & Ally’s Austin (Ross Lynch) and Ally (Laura Marano)… just before the ghost of the bay window visits them to deliver a warning!

Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana: “Torn Between Two Hannahs”
In this season one classic, Miley (Miley Cyrus) is spooked when she finds out her look-alike cousin, Luann (also Cyrus), is coming to visit. Miley refers to her as the “devil’s little helper,” an “evil genius,” and the “princess of darkness”… but when Luann arrives, she is surprisingly friendly and sweet. Miley remains skeptical, but agrees to make amends and take Luann to a Hollywood Halloween party with her best friend, Lilly (Emily Osment)—as their respective alter egos, Hannah and Lola, of course. But just before Hannah and Lola leave for the party, it’s revealed that Luann is masquerading as Hannah—and Miley has been locked in the closet. At the party, Luann desperately tries to embarrass her cousin. Once Miley escapes, she races to the party, worried Luann will spill her secret. But their resemblance is uncanny, making it extra hard for Miley’s friends to determine who’s who.

Raven's Home

Raven’s Home: “Switch-or-Treat”
In this unboolievably funny season two episode, Booker (Issac Ryan Brown) and Raven (Raven-Symoné) unintentionally switch bodies on Halloween, thanks to their psychic powers. Things only get more out of hand when Aunt Maureen (guest star Debbie Allen) comes to warn them—a few minutes too late!—and inadvertently switches bodies with Miles (Faly Rakotohavana). Can they successfully imitate each other until they switch back?

Wizards of Waverly Place

Wizards of Waverly Place: “Halloween”
In this spirited season three episode, Justin (David Henrie) picks yet another lame theme for the Russo family’s annual haunted house. But before he can begin decorating, his plans to create a “worst case scenario scare house” are foiled by the Waverly Place Merchants Association, which threatens to close it down unless the Russos add more frights than delights. So, Alex (Selena Gomez) travels with Harper (Jennifer Stone) to the wizard world to find three “not-too-scary” ghosts. Unfortunately, the ghost trio is a little too friendly, so Alex and Harper return to the wizard world to find Mantooth (guest star Sean Whalen), who used to haunt a young Justin. But will he prove too scary for this year’s haunted house?

The Simpsons

Planning faboolous watch party? Select your favorite snack and choose from dozens of Halloween-themed episodes and specials to stream on Disney+, including the following:

  • N.T. Farm: “Mutant Farm”
  • Austin & Ally: “Costumes & Courage”
  • Austin & Ally: “Horror Stories & Halloween Scares”
  • Austin & Ally: “Scary Spirits & Spooky Stories”
  • Big City Greens: “Blood Moon Part 1” / “Blood Moon Part 2”
  • Big Hero 6 The Series: “Obake Yashiki”
  • Bizaardvark: “Halloweenvark”
  • Boy Meets World: “And Then There Was Shawn”
  • Boy Meets World: “Boys II Mensa”
  • Boy Meets World: “The Witches of Pennbrook”
  • Boy Meets World: “Who’s Afraid of Cory Wolf?”
  • Crash & Bernstein: “Health-o-ween”
  • Doc McStuffins: “Boo-Hoo to You!” / “It’s Glow Time”
  • Doc McStuffins: “Hallie Halloween” / “Don’t Fence Me In”
  • Doc McStuffins: “Mirror, Mirror on My Penguin” / “Hide and Eek!”
  • DuckTales: “Terror of the Terra-firmians!”
  • Even Stevens: “A Very Scary Story”
  • Fancy Nancy: “Nancy’s Costume Clash” / “Nancy’s Ghostly Halloween”
  • Girl Meets World: “Girl Meets World of Terror”
  • Good Luck Charlie: “Scary Had a Little Lamb”
  • Gravity Falls: “Summerween”
  • Handy Manny: “Halloween” / “Squeeze’s Magic Show”
  • Henry Hugglemonster: “Halloween Scramble” / “Scouts Night Out”
  • Henry Hugglemonster: “Huggleween Moon”
  • I Didn’t Do It: “Bite Club”
  • I Didn’t Do It: “Next of Pumpkin”
  • Imagination Movers: “A Monster Problem”
  • Imagination Movers: “Haunted Halloween”
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates: “Escape from Ghost Island” / “The Island of Doctor Undergear”
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates: “Night of the Golden Pumpkin” / “Trick or Treasure!”
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates: “Phantoms of Never-Nether Land” / “Magical Mayhem”
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates: “Pirate Ghost Story” / “Queen Izzybella”
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates: “Tricks, Treats and Treasure!” / “Season of the Sea Witch”
  • Jessie: “The Whining”
  • Jonas: “The Tale of the Haunted Firehouse”
  • C. Undercover: “All Howls Eve”
  • Kim Possible: “October 31st”
  • Lab Rats: “Night of the Living Virus”
  • The Lion Guard: “Beware the Zimwi”
  • Little Einsteins: “A Little Einsteins Halloween”
  • Lizzie McGuire: “Night of the Day of the Dead”
  • Mickey and the Roadster Racers: “Goof Mansion” / “A Doozy Night of Mystery”
  • Mickey and the Roadster Racers: “The Haunted Hot Rod” / “Pete’s Ghostly Gala”
  • Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: “Mickey’s Treat”
  • Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: “Mickey’s Monster Musical Part 1 (Part 1 of 2)”
  • Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: “Mickey’s Monster Musical Part 2 (Part 2 of 2)”
  • Miles from Tomorrowland: “Ghost Moon” / “Stormy Night in a Dark Nebula”
  • Muppet Babies: “Happy Hallowocka!” / “The Teeth-Chattering Tale of the Haunted Pancakes”
  • Once Upon a Time: “Beauty”
  • Phil of the Future: “Halloween”
  • Phineas and Ferb: “Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy of Terror (Part 1 and 2)”
  • Prop Culture: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
  • The Proud Family: “A Hero for Halloween”
  • Puppy Dog Pals: “Return to the Pumpkin Patch” / “Haunted Howl-oween”
  • Shake It Up: “Haunt It Up”
  • Sherriff Callie’s Wild West: “The Great Hallow”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror II”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror III”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror IV”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror V”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror VI”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror VII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror VIII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror IX”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror X”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XI”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XIII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XIV”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XV”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XVI”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XVII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XVIII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XIX”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XX”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXI”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXIII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXIV”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXV”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXVI”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXVII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXVIII”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXIX”
  • The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXX”
  • The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: “Ghost of 613”
  • Sonny with a Chance: “A So Random Halloween Special”
  • Star vs. The Forces of Evil: “Hungry Larry” / “Spider with a Top Hat”
  • Stuck in the Middle: “Stuck in a Merry Scary”
  • Tangled: The Series: “The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth”
  • That’s So Raven: “Don’t Have a Cow”
  • Ultimate Spider-Man: “Halloween Night at the Museum”
  • Vampirina: “Hauntleyween” / “Frankenflower”
  • X-Men: The Animated Series: “Bloodlines”

Disney News, Announcements, and Trailers from New York Comic Con

By Jim Frye

It was a big weekend for consumers of pop culture and fan-favorite entertainment, as New York Comic Con went fully virtual this year in an event called the NYCC Metaverse. Participants were able to choose from a variety of panels across the October 8 – 11 event, ranging from movies and streaming series to new TV shows and publishing projects. And Disney did not disappoint, with cast and creators from a variety of TV shows, writers from comic books, and authors from stories from a galaxy far, far away making a big splash all weekend. Here are some of the announcements, videos, and sneak peeks from Disney over the weekend.

Cast of Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. Reveals First Look at Hulu’s New Animated Series 
Fans received their first look at Hulu’s upcoming Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. series, starring Patton Oswalt as the titular villain. Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. centers on an egomaniacal supervillain with a really big head and a really little body, who struggles to maintain control of his evil organization and his demanding family. In the series, the megalomaniacal supervillain has long pursued his dream of one day conquering the world. But after years of setbacks and failures fighting the Earth’s mightiest heroes, M.O.D.O.K. has run his evil organization, A.I.M., into the ground. Ousted as A.I.M.’s leader, while also dealing with his crumbling marriage and family life, M.O.D.O.K. is set to confront his greatest challenge yet: a midlife crisis!

The NYCC Metaverse panel included Oswalt, along with voice actors Ben Schwartz who plays M.O.D.O.K.’s son Lou, Melissa Fumero who plays M.O.D.O.K.’s daughter Melissa, Aimee Garcia who plays M.O.D.O.K.’s wife, Jodie, and co-creator Jordan Blum. During the panel, the M.O.D.O.K. team announced a contest where fans could win a chance to appear in the show.

Big Hero 6 The Series
During Disney XD’s Big Hero 6 The Series panel, fans were treated to two sneak-peek video clips of upcoming episodes. In the first clip, Hiro goes to Karmi’s book signing, but a villain interrupts the event and prevents any sparks from happening between the two! This new episode premieres October 12 on Disney XD!

The second clip showcases a musical number that will be featured in the November 11 episode.

Stars Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung, Brooks Wheelan, Khary Payton, and Lucas Neff and executive producers Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley, and Nick Filippi were all on hand during the panel, moderated by Jeffrey R. Epstein, co-host of the D23 Inside Disney podcast.

MARVEL | X of Swords
During Marvel’s X of Swords panel, host Angélique Roché described the upcoming X of Swords storyline this way: “Guaranteed to bring you unbelievable revelations, memorable new characters, and events of this tale are going to have a lasting impact on the future of the X-Men, forever changing the fate of the franchise’s most prominent characters.” She was joined by the comic book series’ creators, including Marvel Editor Jordan D. White, Tini Howard, Gerry Duggan, Benjamin Percy, and Vita Ayala!

Animaniacs! on Hulu
During New York Comic-Con, Hulu released a clip from the returning animated series, co-produced by Amblin TV and Warner Bros. Animation. It was a throwback to the original Jurassic Park, featuring animated versions of Sam Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant, Laura Dern’s Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm, and even Steven Spielberg, who is returning as executive producer of the series. The series premieres on Hulu on November 20.

Conversation and Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hulu’s New Horror Series Monsterland
Cast members Jonathan Tucker, Taylor Schilling, Kelly Marie Tran, and Mike Colter and creator/showrunner Mary Laws delved into the creative process of Monsterland and shared a look at what happened behind the scenes during the making of the series. All eight episodes of Monsterland premiered Friday, October 2, on Hulu.

Polygon Discovers the Secrets of Star Wars: The High Republic
A new series of books called Star Wars: The High Republic tells the stories of the heroes centuries before the Skywalker saga. Yoda and a council of new Jedi deal with an event known as The Great Disaster. Moderated by Polygon’s comics editor, Susana Polo, the panel featured writers Claudia Gray, Charles Soule, Justina Ireland, Daniel José Older, and Cavan Scott, along with Lucasfilm Publishing executive editor Jennifer Heddle and creative director Michael Siglain. The discussion eventually focused on the weapon of a Jedi—lightsabers. Each author was able to design different lightsabers for the characters they wrote. Fans can watch the panel here

What We Do in the Shadows – Live Panel Discussion with Cast and Producers
Series stars Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, and members of the creative team dropped hints for what to expect in Season 3 of the FX series. There will be at least 3-4 new magical creatures this season, one of which will be Hellhounds. In hilarious fashion, the vampires take off on a long road trip—with all the attendant mayhem you might expect. And throughout the season, expect to see Nandor looking for love. At the end of the panel, viewers were shown a commercial for Jackie Daytona’s bar (Lazlo’s) from season 2. Seasons 1 and 2 are now available on FX on Hulu. You can watch the entire panel here

The Ghost and Molly McGee
The cast—Ashly Burch (Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet) and Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)—along with Creator and Executive Producers Bill Motz and Bob Roth and Executive Producer Steve Loter revealed this cool video clip of the opening theme song, written by Motz, Roth, Allie Feder (Frozen 2), and Mike Kramer (Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures). The Ghost and Molly McGee is scheduled to come to Disney Channel in 2021.

Cast and Creator of Hulu’s Helstrom
Hulu’s new Marvel series Helstrom screened the first 10 minutes of its first episode, featuring Dr. Hastings (June Carryl) and Daimon (Tom Austen). On hand for the panel were showrunner Paul Zbyszewski and cast Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Ariana Guerra, Carryl and Alain Uy. All 10 episodes of Helstrom premiere Friday, October 16, on Hulu.

ABC’s Lost Anniversary Fan Q&A with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse
No big announcements here, just nostalgia, as the showrunners of the hit TV series came together for this special one-time event, moderated by Josh Horowitz, and answered fan questions submitted using the #lostinthemetaverse hashtag. “We will answer all of the questions,” said Lindelof, “except for one, which is the outrigger, and that we will take to our graves.” He’s referring to an unresolved mystery from season 5—who was in the outrigger chasing the Lost survivors? Asked about future stories in the Lost franchise, Lindelof said, “I think that stories can be told by anyone. Anyone can take control of the story and make it their own vision. And that would be quite exciting.”

Christmas Comes Early with Freeform’s “Kickoff to Christmas” in November 2020

By Zach Johnson

It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year! Stay inside and curl up with your favorite movies to get you in a cozy mood with Freeform’s “Kickoff to Christmas” programming event, starting on Sunday, November 1. Joining this year’s lineup are fan-favorite films Christopher Robin, Black Nativity, and It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. This year’s event will also feature beloved classics Frozen, Home Alone, Love Actually, and many more!

“Kickoff to Christmas” will also feature an “incredible” night of Disney and Pixar’s The Incredibles, followed by the Freeform premiere of Incredibles 2. Freeform will also air double features of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, followed by the premiere of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, plus the network debuts of both Minions and Despicable Me 3.

Below is a complete list of movies airing during the “Kickoff to Christmas” event (ET/PT):

Frozen

Sunday, November 1
7:30 a.m.—E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
10:05 a.m.—Jingle All the Way 2
12:05 p.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
2:10 p.m.—The Game Plan
4:50 p.m.—Matilda
6:55 p.m.—Frozen
9:25 p.m.—Coco
11:55 p.m.—Christmas with the Kranks

Monday, November 2
12 p.m.—Christmas with the Kranks
2:05 p.m.—Matilda
4:10 p.m.—The Hunger Games
7:25 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Tuesday, November 3
11 a.m.—The Hunger Games
2 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
5:30 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
8 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
12 a.m.—Stealing Christmas

Wednesday, November 4
10:30 a.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
1 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
4 p.m.—The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)
6:30 p.m.—Frozen
9 p.m.—Shrek
12 a.m.—Jingle All the Way 2

Thursday, November 5
10:30 a.m.—The Simpsons
5 p.m.—Shrek
7 p.m.—Hercules
9 p.m.—Inside Out
12 a.m.—Early Man

The Santa Clause

Friday, November 6
10:30 a.m.—Boxtrolls
12:30 p.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
2:30 p.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
4:30 p.m.—The Santa Clause
6:30 p.m.—The Santa Clause 2
9 p.m.—The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
12 a.m.—The Simpsons

Saturday, November 7
7 a.m.—Boxtrolls
9 a.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
11 a.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
1:05 p.m.—Prancer Returns
3:10 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Freeform Premiere)
5:15 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (Freeform Premiere)
7:20 p.m.—Minions (Freeform Premiere)
9:25 p.m.—Despicable Me 3 (Freeform Premiere)
11:30 p.m.—Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

A Wrinkle In Time

Sunday, November 8
7 a.m.—The Mistle-tones
9 a.m.—Prancer Returns
11 a.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
1:05 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
3:10 p.m.—Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
4:50 p.m.—Minions
6:55 p.m.—Despicable Me 3
9 p.m.—Zootopia
11:30 p.m.—A Wrinkle in Time (2018) (Freeform Premiere)

Monday, November 9
12 p.m.—Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
2 p.m.—The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)
4:30 p.m.—Alice in Wonderland (2010)
7 p.m.—Tarzan
9 p.m.—Shrek
12 a.m.—Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

Tuesday, November 10
11:30 a.m.—E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
2:05 p.m.—The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
4:10 p.m.—Chicken Little
6:15 p.m.—Shrek
8:20 p.m.—Wonder
12 a.m.—A Cinderella Story

The Preacher's Wife

Wednesday, November 11
10:30 a.m.—The Preacher’s Wife
1 p.m.—Wonder
3:30 p.m.—A Cinderella Story
5:30 p.m.—The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
8 p.m.—The Simpsons
12 a.m.—A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits

Thursday, November 12
1:30 p.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
3:30 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
5:30 p.m.—Mary Poppins (1964)
8:30 p.m.—Christopher Robin (2018) (Freeform Premiere)
12 a.m.—Turkey Drop

Friday, November 13
1:30 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
3:30 p.m.—The Goonies
6 p.m.—The Parent Trap (1998)
9 p.m.—The Secret Life of Pets (Freeform Premiere)
12 a.m.—The Simpsons

A Christmas Carol

Saturday, November 14
7 a.m.—The Goonies
9:35 a.m.—The Simpsons
12:35 p.m.—Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)
2:40 p.m.—Lilo & Stitch
4:40 p.m.—The Secret Life of Pets
6:45 p.m.—Home Alone
9:15 p.m.—Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
11:55 p.m.—The Perfect Holiday

Sunday, November 15
7 a.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
9:05 a.m.—Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve
11:10 a.m.—The Perfect Holiday
1:15 p.m.—The Hunger Games
4:30 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
8:05 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
10:45 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

The Mistle-tones

Monday, November 16
11:30 a.m.—The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
3 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
5:30 p.m.—The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
8:30 p.m.—Pitch Perfect
12 a.m.—The Mistle-tones

Tuesday, November 17
10:30 a.m.—Holiday in Handcuffs
12:30 p.m.—The Preacher’s Wife
3 p.m.—The Intern
5:30 p.m.—Pitch Perfect
8 p.m.—Love Actually
12 a.m.—The Perfect Holiday

Wednesday, November 18
11:30 a.m.—The Perfect Holiday
1:30 p.m.—The Intern
4 p.m.—Love Actually
7 p.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
9 p.m.—Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)
12 a.m.—A Cinderella Story

The Muppets

Thursday, November 19
12 p.m.—Turkey Drop
2 p.m.—A Cinderella Story
4 p.m.—The Princess Bride
6:30 p.m.—Matilda
8:30 p.m.—Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
12 a.m.—It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (Freeform Premiere)

Friday, November 20
10:30 a.m.—Prancer Returns
12:35 p.m.—Matilda
2:40 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
4:45 p.m.—Hercules
6:50 p.m.—Minions
8:55 p.m.—Despicable Me 3
12 a.m.—The Simpsons

Saturday, November 21
7 a.m.—Prancer Returns
9:10 a.m.—Bon Voyage Charlie Brown
10:45 a.m.—The Simpsons
12:15 p.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
2:20 p.m.—Bolt
4:30 p.m.—Minions
6:40 p.m.—Despicable Me 3
8:45 p.m.—Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
11:25 p.m.—Shrek
1:30 a.m.—Scared Shrekless

Black Nativity

Sunday, November 22
7 a.m.—Bon Voyage Charlie Brown
8:30 a.m.—The Simpsons
10 a.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
12 p.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
2 p.m.—Shrek
4:05 p.m.—Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
6:45 p.m.—Home Alone
9:15 p.m.—Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
11:55 p.m.—Black Nativity (Freeform Premiere)

Monday, November 23
11 a.m.—E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
1:40 p.m.—The Princess Bride
4:10 p.m.—The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
6:50 p.m.—Inside Out
8:55 p.m.—The Secret Life of Pets
12 a.m.—The Simpsons

Tuesday, November 24
11 a.m.—Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic
12 p.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
2 p.m.—The Goonies
4:30 p.m.—The Game Plan
7 p.m.—The Secret Life of Pets
9 p.m.—Shrek
12 a.m.—Prancer Returns

Turkey Drop

Wednesday, November 25
10:30 a.m.—Prancer Returns
12:30 p.m.—The Goonies
3 p.m.—Christmas with the Kranks
5 p.m.—Penguins of Madagascar (Freeform Premiere)
7 p.m.—Shrek
9 p.m.—Tangled
12 a.m.—Turkey Drop

Thursday, November 26
7 a.m.—Christmas with the Kranks
10:30 a.m.—Bon Voyage Charlie Brown
12 p.m.—Penguins of Madagascar
2 p.m.—Pocahontas
4 p.m.—The Princess and the Frog
6 p.m.—Home Alone
8:30 p.m.—Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12 a.m.—Matilda

Friday, November 27
10:30 a.m.—Matilda
12:30 p.m.—Jingle All the Way 2
2:30 p.m.—The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
4:30 p.m.—Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
6 p.m.—Ratatouille
8:30 p.m.—Zootopia
12 a.m.—The Simpsons

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Saturday, November 28
7 a.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
9 a.m.—Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
11:05 a.m.—The Simpsons
11:35 a.m.—Deck the Halls (2006)
1:40 p.m.—The Parent Trap (1998)
4:50 p.m.—Cinderella (2015)
7:20 p.m.—Moana
9:50 p.m.—Beauty and the Beast (1991)
11:55 p.m.—The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (Freeform Premiere)

Sunday, November 29
7 a.m.—The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
9:10 a.m.—Christmas with the Kranks
11:20 a.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
1:25 p.m.—Matilda
3:30 p.m.—Cinderella (2015)
6 p.m.—The Incredibles
8:40 p.m.—Incredibles 2 (Freeform Premiere)
11:20 p.m.—The Goonies

Monday, November 30
7 a.m.—Christmas with the Kranks
10:30 a.m.—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
12:30 p.m.—A Cinderella Story
2:35 p.m.—The Goonies
5:10 p.m.—Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
6:50 p.m.—Up
8:55 p.m.—Wreck-It Ralph
12 a.m.—Snow

Frozen Fan Fest Returns with the First-Ever Frozen Virtual Playdate

By Zach Johnson

One year after the global phenomenon of Disney’s Frozen 2 and its retail event took fans by storm, Frozen Fan Fest returns with exclusive content, digital adventures and new toys, apparel, games, books, and more inspired by the internationally acclaimed films from Walt Disney Animation Studios. This year, the highlight of Frozen Fan Fest will be an engaging Virtual Playdate hosted by Ayesha Curry that will air on October 18. The digital event will be available for one day only, offering families the ultimate Frozen 2 experience from the comfort of home. With a robust schedule of new and curated content, immersive activities, and more, fans will also get an exclusive first look at the trailer for Once Upon a Snowman, a Walt Disney Animation Studios short, before its starts streaming October 23 on Disney+.

“I’m thrilled to join in on all of the Frozen Fan Fest fun as the host of the first-ever Frozen Virtual Playdate,” said Curry. “We are big fans of Frozen 2 in our home, and I love that the film celebrates the importance of family, which is something that’s deeply important to me. I’m overjoyed to be a part of an event that offers families a fun a way to spend quality time together, all while enjoying the magic of Arendelle in their homes.”

The Frozen Virtual Playdate lineup boasts activities that will appeal to Frozen fans of all ages, from a sing-a-long and a choreographed dance lesson to an American Sign Language tutorial of “Show Yourself” and the unique opportunity to learn how to draw Olaf with Trent Correy and Dan Abraham, the directors of Once Upon a Snowman. Additional segments will feature new apparel, fashion accessories, bedding, toys, costumes, and more from Hasbro, Jakks Pacific, H&M, Hanna Andersson, Party City, Franco Manufacturing, shopDisney.com, and the LEGO Group. Guest appearances will include social influencers and Frozen fans, as well as stars from Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical North American Tour, Radio Disney’s Cameron McLeod, and actor Jason Maybaum (from Disney Channel’s Raven’s Home).

“Since audiences were first introduced to the kingdom of Arendelle seven years ago, Frozen has become universally beloved,” said Kareem Daniel, president, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. “As fans around the world continue to seek out ways to step into this iconic story, we are thrilled to expand this experience—meeting consumers where they are by bringing new products and digital content to life for families at home.”

Frozen Fan Fest kicks off today, October 12, in EMEA with a “Frozen Fashion Week,” a series of short fashion shows that spotlight all-new footwear and apparel, culminating in a full fashion show on October 18. Complete with imaginative vignettes and never-before-seen styles that lean into key elements of the story and its characters, portions of the fashion show will air as a part of the Frozen Virtual Playdate on October 18. Beginning today, fans can visit www.disney.com/FrozenFanFest for a full schedule of events, downloadable activities, and more. The Frozen Virtual Playdate will start at 9 a.m. PT on October 18 and be available for one day only. More information can be found by following #FrozenFanFest.

Hamster & Gretel—a New Animated Series from Dan Povenmire—Coming to Disney Channel

By Beth Deitchman

Dan Povenmire, co-creator and executive producer of the blockbuster Emmy® Award-winning animated series Phineas and Ferb, is up to some new Disney sibling shenanigans… with a very super twist. Disney Channel has just announced it has greenlit Hamster & Gretel, an animated sibling superhero comedy that’s inspired by Povenmire’s relationship with his younger sister.

Hamster & Gretel is centered on Kevin and his younger sister, Gretel, who unexpectedly encounter space aliens who inform the siblings they’ve been chosen to receive super powers… but something goes awry and it’s Gretel and her pet hamster (named Hamster, of course) who find themselves with these new abilities. Older brother Kevin’s protective instincts take over as he tries to help Gretel and Hamster protect their city from strange and mysterious dangers. Expect lots of music and more than a little mayhem in the upcoming series.

“My sister is 10 years younger than me, and I had never seen our kind of sibling age gap portrayed in a cartoon, so I thought it would be an interesting dynamic to explore,” Povenmire said. “The show focuses on how their relationship shifts due to her new super powers and how they both navigate through it. Of course, it is also about cartoon villains, aliens, a talking hamster with super powers, and a lot of comedy.”

Hamster & Gretel follows closely on the heels of this summer’s original movie Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe (which is now available on Disney+), and both mark the continuation of Povenmire’s 15-year affiliation with Disney Television Animation. In addition to five-time Emmy winner Phineas and Ferb—which earned Povenmire 10 Emmy nominations—he also co-created and executive produced Disney’s beloved series Milo Murphy’s Law. During his incredible 25-year career in animation as a director, storyboard artist, and writer, Povenmire has amassed an impressive list of credits that also includes Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons, Rocko’s Modern Life, and Hey Arnold!

In making the announcement today, Meredith Roberts, senior vice president/general manager, Television Animation, Disney Channels, said, “An incredibly gifted storyteller, Dan has been an esteemed member of the Disney family for many years, consistently showcasing his knack for creating universally appealing shows that resonate with both kids and families. His signature blend of heart, humor, and music are a perfect fit for Disney, and we’re delighted that he will continue our winning partnership with us once again on Hamster & Gretel.”