By Jocelyn Buhlman
Last night during the 90th Oscars® ceremony, we were invited to step in time to the Mary Poppins Returns Facebook page for the dazzling debut of the very first teaser trailer for this new film. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the teaser yet, featuring Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins and Lin-Manuel Miranda as the lamplighter Jack, enjoy your first look at this delightful new story now.
Happy Frozen Friday, Broadway fans! After last week’s debut of Elsa’s Act Two solo “Monster,” we were already snow excited to hear all the new songs from the new Broadway Musical Frozen, and “What Do You Know About Love?”—a stunning new duet between Patti Murin (Anna) and Jelani Alladin (Kristoff)—has us falling in love right alongside them. Penned by Oscar® winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, “What Do You Know About Love?” and “Monster” are two of four songs that will be debuted leading up to the production’s March 22 opening. Watch “What Do You Know About Love?” now, or check it out on FrozenTheMusical.com and wherever music is streamed and sold.
By Courtney Potter
With dozens of Oscars® to his name, Walt Disney’s presence in the film industry is undeniable. Even today, actors and actresses can still trace a path from their own careers back to Walt himself. In preparation for the 90th Academy Awards®, D23 took a look at all of the 2018 nominees for Actor and Actress in a Leading Role and calculated their “Six Degrees of Walt Disney”—read on for more, and make sure to catch these nominees during the sure-to-be-spectacular event on Sunday, March 4, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT… only on ABC!
By Jim Frye
Ever since George Lucas established Industrial Light & Magic to create the ahead-of-their-time special effects for the very first Star Wars film back in 1975, innovative visual effects have been a hallmark of these movies. Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the latest tale in the mythic Skywalker saga, continues this tradition, having received four Oscar® nominations, including one for visual effects, recognizing the work of Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Chris Corbould, and Neal Scanlan.
Ben Morris, visual effects supervisor for The Last Jedi, has earned a reputation as a boundary-pushing innovator on films such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Gravity, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Gladiator and The Golden Compass, for which he was recognized with an Academy Award®. His work for writer-director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi keeps that streak going, giving us stunningly beautiful vistas, jaw-dropping digital characters, and show-stealing moments that audiences talk about long after the house lights come up.
“We work on the visual problems and challenges that can’t be accomplished practically,” says Morris, on a call from London. “We work on explosions or pyrotechnics that can’t be staged by the practical special effects team. We also work on large-scale digital environments with the production design, and we create creatures that aren’t conducive to being created with practical makeup or animatronic characters.”
Those characters include the fathiers (space horses), which were a significant challenge because of the integration of actors riding on them as they smash up the casino. Morris and his team also made digital porgs that look exactly the same as the animatronic porgs. And the crystal foxes, known as vulptex, on the planet of Crait were completely computer-generated.
But there’s one character who is particularly satisfying to Morris. “I’m incredibly proud of Snoke,” he says. “We executed him with an entirely different look than the first movie. Rian didn’t want it to have a ghostly, gelatinous white zombie/hologram look.”
Johnson was concerned that The Last Jedi’s Snoke—the one we meet in person instead of The Force Awaken’s hologram—could not realistically be achieved with computer effects. He considered, instead, using an actor in makeup. “I said, ‘No, no, no, we actually can and should do this in CG,” says Morris. “So we worked very closely with Rian and his initial concern was completely assuaged at the end. He just kept pushing our camera closer and closer to the character and he got more and more excited by what he looked like. The fact that Andy’s [Serkis] performance was so strong only added to that effect.” Andy Serkis played the character of Snoke using motion-capture technology.
Another impressive sequence was the battle on Crait, the mineral planet. Morris and his team actually traveled to the largest salt plains on earth—the Salar de Uynui in Bolivia—to shoot plates to help ground the sequence in reality and steer and drive the CG of the sequence. “From the very early concepts we knew it was going to be a beautiful white plain that would be destroyed and mashed up and gouged by the speeders,” says Morris. “We had to create these crazy red rooster tails and make them look like crystals flying. There were huge amounts of physical simulations going on there for all the pyrotechnics and ships crashing and walkers dragging things. So it was a big number, but as Rian always said, he wanted it to look like it almost ended in a bloodbath, where all the white salt had been blown off to show the red crystalline substance beneath.”
And the list goes on: Holdo’s hyperspace; the Lightsaber duel in the throne room; the explosions in the mega hanger—Star Wars: The Last Jedi is filled with shot after shot of beautiful, realistic visual effects that transport viewers into the film, and into another galaxy. Morris concludes, “These effects were on a scale that we’ve never dealt with before, and I think they’re an incredible success.”
We couldn’t agree more.
When Star Wars: The Last Jedi comes home, scene breakdowns that take you inside these and more incredible sequences are among the bonus features. The film is available on Digital (in HD and 4K Ultra HD) and via Movies Anywhere on March 13, and on Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and On-Demand on March 27.
By Beth Deitchman
Attention movie fans and Disney fans, alike! We’re just days away from the 90th Oscars®, which will be broadcast live on ABC this Sunday, March 4. You have mere days to finish watching all of the nominated films—conveniently, Disney•Pixar’s Coco became available on Blu-ray™ and Digital just this week for you to enjoy all over again. Time is running out for you to plan your Academy Awards®-appropriate attire—who are you wearing?
When it comes to the Oscar broadcast, however, you need not worry or fret. We’ve put together a handy guide of all the info you need to make the most of your Oscar Sunday.
The Oscars® fun kicks off long before the broadcast begins!
Begin your Oscar Sunday with Countdown to the Oscars, Live!, an unprecedented three-hour special, live from the red carpet, airing on ABC on March 4 (1–4 p.m. ET/10 a.m.–1 p.m. PT). The special includes a first look inside the new Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum, and Whoopi Goldberg’s interview with Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger—who is also the museum’s campaign chair. Whoopi is not just an Oscar winner but the first “LEGOT,” having received the Disney Legends Award, in addition to her Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar, and Tony® Awards. Hosted by Good Morning America weekend anchor and The View co-host Paula Faris and ABC News Correspondent Chris Connelly, Countdown to the Oscars, Live! Is your ultimate guide to Hollywood’s biggest night.
At 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From The Red Carpet provides exclusive insider access to all of the excitement of the red carpet. Fans will hear from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—nominees, presenters and performers alike—and see what (and who) they’re wearing.
The 90-minute special, which is produced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC News Live Events Group, is the only official red-carpet event—and from 7–8 ET (4–5 PT), ABC will be the only telecast broadcasting live exclusively from the red carpet. Hosting from the center of the action are Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, star of ABC’s The Goldbergs Wendi McLendon-Covey, The View co-host Sara Haines, Vanity Fair executive West Coast editor Krista Smith and IMDb special correspondent Dave Karger.
You can keep up with all of the Oscar buzz, wherever you are, with The Oscars: All Access.
An event as spectacular as Oscar Sunday brings with it more magical moments than can fit on a single platform. Also beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, The Oscars: All Access is the official second-screen celebration of The Oscars. From red-carpet interviews that you can watch while you’re en route to your Oscar-viewing party to live backstage coverage throughout the awards telecast, The Oscars: All Access is the one place to go for an inside look at Hollywood’s biggest night. Go to The Academy’s show page on Facebook Watch, The ABC Television Network Facebook page, Oscar.com, and ABCNews.com, to stream The Oscars: All Access live on Oscar Sunday.
Descendants star Sofia Carson (who will also be seen in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists on Freeform) and entertainment and sports commentators Chris Connelly, Ben Lyons, and Adnan Virk will be joined by actor Wesam Keesh (ABC’s upcoming legal drama For The People) as your hosts for the evening.
With an earlier start time for The Oscars, Jimmy Kimmel takes the stage at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
This year’s telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT—a half-hour earlier than previous years. The Oscars airs live on ABC, and will also be broadcast simultaneously in more than 225 countries and territories around the world.
Jimmy Kimmel hosts from the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, California, and Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd return as producers.
Stars from your favorite Disney films and series will be presenting this year.
Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman, is an Oscar presenter, along with Disney Legend Mark Hamill (of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga); Laura Dern (Vice Admiral Holdo) and Kelly-Marie Tran (Rose Tico), both from the Oscar-nominated Star Wars: The Last Jedi; Tom Holland (Spider-Man in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War); Zendaya (who has starred in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover, and who appears in this year’s Oscar-nominated film The Greatest Showman), and multi-award-winning multi-hyphenate Lin-Manuel Miranda (songwriter for Moana, voice of Gizmoduck on DuckTales and the visionary behind Broadway’s Hamilton)—to name just a few.
Stay tuned for must-see performances of this year’s Oscar-nominated songs.
All five of the nominees for best Original Song will be performed live during the Oscar telecast, by a talented lineup of artists:
Disney releases have received 10 nominations in nine categories.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for all of Disney’s 2018 nominees, which include Disney•Pixar’s Coco, nominated for best Animated Feature Film and best Original Song; Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast, also nominated in two categories (Costume Design and Production Design); and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which was recognized in four categories: Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects, and Original Score.
By Jocelyn Buhlman
Today, Disney announced a worldwide celebration like no other, honoring 90 years of Mickey Mouse. Ever since Mickey charmed us all in his big-screen debut in Steamboat Willie on November 18, 1928, the leader of the club has been Disney’s global ambassador, bringing joy and laughter to fans around the world. What better way to honor the mouse that started it all than with festivities that will continue into 2018 and beyond?
The party kicks off on March 7 with “The Happiest Show on Earth”—a runway fashion event featuring a Mickey-inspired collection designed by couture brand Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon. The show will also serve as Opening Ceremony’s Spring 2018 runway show, and the special “mouse-terpieces” will close out fashion week celebrations around the world. You can join in on this festive fashion extravaganza, as select items from the Mickey collaboration will be immediately available for sale following the runway show at shopDisney.com, OpeningCeremony.com, and Opening Ceremony stores, while remaining ready-to-wear looks will hit stores in November. Of course, no fashion show is complete without Minnie Mouse! The icon—who shares this milestone anniversary with Mickey and who recently received her official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—will also be celebrated at the fashion show.
Disney’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony will serve as the launch of “Mickey the True Original”—a global celebration of Mickey’s heritage, personality, and status as a pop-culture icon. Mickey Mouse is going to be very much in style, thanks to fashion collaborations with other true original brands, as well as special content and events that embrace Mickey’s impact on the past, present, and future.
The fun doesn’t stop there! Mickey’s celebration continues throughout 2018 and beyond, including special celebrations put on by we here at D23: The Official Disney Fan Club:
But we’re not the only ones celebrating Mickey! All across Disney, Mickey will be honored in 2018 and beyond:
Want to be part of the celebration? Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #Mickey90.
By Courtney Potter
Wreck-It Ralph is back for more shenanigans, and a huge expansion is coming for our Disney Parks friends “across the pond”… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!
Lovable Ralph is getting ready to wreck his way into our hearts once again in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2… and now, we have an all-new teaser trailer detailing a bit of what we can expect this Thanksgiving! Check it out, above.
The much-anticipated sequel leaves Litwak’s video arcade behind and ventures into the uncharted, expansive, and thrilling world of the Internet—which may or may not survive Ralph’s wrecking! Video game “bad” guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope must rely on the citizens of the Internet—the netizens—to help navigate their way, including a website entrepreneur named Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site “BuzzzTube.” Directed by Rich Moore (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph) and Phil Johnston (co-writer, Wreck-It Ralph; Cedar Rapids; co-writer, Zootopia), and produced by Clark Spencer (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, Bolt), Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-Ralph 2 smashes into theaters on November 21.
| D23 and Walt Disney Archives March 8, 2018 Be a Warrior During a Complimentary Advance Screening of A Wrinkle in Time March 24, 2018 Celebrate the Opening Weekend of Frozen on Broadway in New York City November 16-18, 2018 Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse Parks February 28–May 28, 2018 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 2–April 12, 2018 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival April 13, 2018 Pixar Fest begins at the Disneyland Resort April 26, 2018 Disney•Pixar Toy Story Land opens at Shanghai Disneyland May 27, 2018 Star Wars: Galactic Nights Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios June 23, 2018 Pixar Pier opens at Disney California Adventure June 30, 2018 Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios 2019 Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World |
Studios March 9, 2018 Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time opens in U.S. theaters May 4, 2018 Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War opens in U.S. theaters May 25, 2018 Solo: A Star Wars Story opens in U.S. theaters June 15, 2018 Incredibles 2 opens in U.S. theaters July 6, 2018 Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp opens in U.S. theaters opens in U.S. theaters August 3, 2018 Disney’s Christopher Robin opens in U.S. theaters November 2, 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in U.S. theaters December 19, 2018 Mary Poppins Returns opens in U.S. theaters Television March 4, 2018 The Oscars air live on ABC (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) March 11, 2018 American Idol premieres on ABC (8–10 p.m. ET) March 23, 2018 Muppet Babies premieres on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW (10 a.m. ET) |
Big news for our Disney Parks friends from “across the pond”: Just this week, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced plans for a massive multi-year expansion for Disneyland Paris—including three new areas based on Marvel, Frozen, and Star Wars. Read all about it right here!
Get ready to see more of the world than ever before with Disney Cruise Line (DCL), starting in summer 2019! Just over a year from now, DCL will set sail on new itineraries and to seven new ports in Europe, including a first-ever round-trip cruise from Rome and first-time visits to destinations in Europe. Plus, adventures will continue for DCL fans with sailings to Alaska, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas—including new cruise lengths aboard the Disney Fantasy.
When in Rome, do as DCL would do during their first-time visits to this unbelievably historic city—which will bookend the experience in a single cruise. On June 14, 2019, the Disney Magic will sail an eight-night cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome); ports of call include Salerno (Positano, Amalfi, Pompeii) and La Spezia (Florence, Pisa), Italy; Villefranche (Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice) and Marseilles, France; and Barcelona, Spain. Elsewhere on the continent, DCL will call on seven new ports in Europe for the first time in 2019, including Gothenburg and Nynashamn (Stockholm), Sweden; Toulon (Provence) and Brest, France; Cartagena, Spain; Fredericia, Denmark; and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Bookings open to the public on March 8, 2018! For more information on all of the above (and on DCL in general), visit DisneyCruiseLine.com.
The Avengers are assembling for a few very good causes… Disney just announced Marvel: The Universe Unites, a truly epic campaign in support of children’s charities including Make-A-Wish®, Starlight Children’s Foundation, and Give Kids The World. Throughout this week-long event, stars of Marvel Studios’ hugely anticipated film Avengers: Infinity War will team up for a series of hero acts and social media challenges to raise funds and awareness for charities that support kids and families impacted by serious illness.
As part of Marvel Studios: Hero Acts, a charitable initiative launched in 2016, some members of the cast of Avengers: Infinity War will receive a special toy care package filled with cool new products, celebrating their Marvel character, to be donated to children’s hospitals. And their mission? To take a creative photo or video to reveal the new toys to fans and post it to their Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter channels using the hashtag #HeroActs. So that’s how you, the fans, come in—when the stars’ collective posts hit 1 million likes, they’ll unlock a $250,000 donation to Starlight Children’s Foundation® from Marvel!
But that’s not all: Hasbro will donate $1 million in cash and products to Give Kids the World; Funko will make a $1 million toy donation to Starlight; and if you purchase something Marvel from shopDisney.com or at Disney stores across the U.S. this weekend (March 3 and 4), they’ll donate 10 percent of those sales (up to $50,000) to Make-a-Wish…
“Being a Marvel Super Hero gives us a powerful platform to directly influence positive change,” says Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther. “Giving back to kids is the most impactful role you can play. Marvel: The Universe Unites and #HeroActs is just a fun way to support a noble cause while entertaining kids and fans around the globe.”
Speaking of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther… Shuri, the Princess of Wakanda (portrayed by Letitia Wright) is a veritable genius when it comes to super-cool advanced tech. Could the next Shuri be living in your neighborhood? The Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) youth STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs hope to find out—and to that end, in celebration of Black Panther’s record-breaking success, The Walt Disney Company is donating $1 million to BGCA’s STEM projects.
The organization will use this one-time grant to further develop its existing national STEM curriculum, and establish new STEM Centers of Innovation in 12 different areas across the country. The curriculum and new centers will serve and inspire kids and teens in communities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Harlem, Memphis, Oakland, and Washington, D.C.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Centers of Innovation provide youth with hands-on, advanced technologies that stimulate creative approaches to STEM exploration, including 3-D printers, robotics, and high-definition video production and conferencing equipment. Plus, a fully dedicated STEM expert will offer individual and group support, using real-world applications to help Club members develop their STEM skills and critical thinking. Says Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, “Thanks to Disney’s support, we can expand our outreach and allow more youth to find their passions and discover STEM careers.”
There’s a new animated series on the horizon, inspired by the popular comic books by Dave Stevens (which also informed the fan-favorite 1991 Disney film) and ready to bring high-flying adventure to young kids and their families! Disney Junior just started production on The Rocketeer, and it’s set to debut in 2019; read more about the series here at D23.com.
Here’s a bit more Disney Junior news: The adorable pint-sized versions of your favorite Muppets are almost ready to hit the airwaves!
The channel’s reimagined Muppet Babies will premiere Friday, March 23, with two back-to-back episodes on Disney Channel (10 a.m. EDT) and in the DisneyNOW app. Based on the original Emmy® Award-winning series, the all-new CG-animated Muppet Babies chronicles the hilarious playroom antics of the young Kermit the Frog, Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, and a brand-new Muppet Baby named Summer Penguin. The series will also feature guest appearances by fan-favorite Muppets including Statler and Waldorf, Bunsen and Beaker, Rowlf the Dog, Rizzo the rat, and even Dr. Teeth.
And guess what else? The series’ soundtrack, featuring the theme song performed by Tony Award®-winner Renée Elise Goldsberry (Broadway’s Hamilton) and additional songs from the series, has just been released digitally by Walt Disney Records. If you’re a huge Muppet fan (like ourselves), it might be a great add to your music collection…
Disney Theatricals’ Frozen is now in previews at the St. James Theatre in New York City, with its official opening night on March 22. Feel like getting into a monstrous-ly good Frozen mood right this minute? Check out a fabulous video of one of the show’s new songs, “Monster,” sung Elsa herself (B’way vet Caissie Levy), and written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez… watch it here.
Our pals over at the Disney Parks Blog recently chronicled a very cool event that happened at the Disneyland Resort: The stars of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time—Storm Reid, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey—surprised fans during an exclusive preview of the film at Disney California Adventure’s Sunset Showcase Theatre, and then headed over to Disneyland park to pose with fans for a photo in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle!
See how the surprise played out in the video, above—and make sure to catch Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Ava DuVernay, when it hits a theater near you on March 9.
By: Jocelyn Buhlman
Have you ever caught yourself swinging a pen or pencil around while making lightsaber noises quietly to yourself? Do you secretly slip into a Wookiee impression just to see if you can channel your inner Chewbacca? Are you making the noises to yourself right now as you read this article?
Star Wars would not be the same without its iconic sound effects, which is why Star Wars: The Last Jedi was nominated for an Oscar® for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. From the chirps of a Porg to the screech of a TIE fighter, the Jedi Masters of sound behind Star Wars films create noises that bring out the fan in us all. We’ve rounded up our favorite sound effects from each Star Wars movie to celebrate The Last Jedi’s sound-sational Oscar nominations. Get ready to read (and listen!) on, and let us know on Facebook and Twitter which sound effect is your favorite.
Battle Droid( Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace)
“Roger, roger!” These droids might not be strategic enough to outwit a Jedi, but their job isn’t to be smart—it’s to overwhelm members of the Republic through sheer numbers. Their quirky personality is exemplified in their call of affirmation.
Slave I Seismic Charges (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones)
Slave I is the infamous ship of the Fett family, although a variety of space pirates and bounty hunters have tried to retain custody of the weapon-packed craft. No one knows the ins and outs of the laser cannons, projectile launchers, and the like better than Jango Fett. The most recognizable sound from his weapons would probably come from deadly seismic charges, the iconic “boom” ringing out as each cuts a wave of destruction across its target.
Darth Vader’s Breathing (Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)
Darth Vader’s famous breathing is one of the most oft-imitated sounds from the franchise. While one may try to imitate the noise by cupping a hand over his or her mouth or by talking into a fan, sound designer Ben Burtt actually made the now-iconic breathing sound effects by placing a microphone into a regulator on a scuba breathing apparatus.
Chewbacca’s growl (Solo: A Star Wars Story)
We may not know exactly how Chewie will sound in the latest installment of Star Wars stories, but we can’t wait to find out how this Wookiee will wail. Chewbacca’s famous growl is actually an amalgamation of a variety of animal sounds, such as bears, badgers, and walruses.
Klaxon Siren (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Do you ever start panicking and hear a familiar siren in your head? If you’ve watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story one too many times (although, is there such a thing?), you may find yourself preparing for an attack from the Empire.
Tusken Raider Yell (Star Wars: A New Hope)
If you hear this sound, watch out! Tusken Raiders attack with very little provocation, and if you hear their famous yell, you know many will be nearby brandishing their gaderffii. From a safe distance, however (such as watching a Star Wars film on your TV, perhaps), you can enjoy hearing this braying howl without the threat of attack.
TIE Fighter (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)
If you’re part of the Rebel Alliance, the ominous screech of a TIE fighter passing overhead is enough to send chills down your spine. If you’re a Star Wars fan watching at home, you might instead be tempted to try and imitate the screech yourself. It turns out the effect is actually part organic in nature—Burtt originally created the sound as a combination of an elephant call and a car driving on wet pavement.
Lightsaber (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
How must Luke have felt when he finished constructing his new, green-bladed lightsaber and heard it ignite for the first time? Sound Designer Burtt might know. The famous ignition sound was one of the first effects he ever created for the films, inspired by the hum of an old projector motor at the USC Cinema Department. The whirr of the worn-down machine soon evolved into the famous sound that countless kids (and adults) wielding plastic sabers of their own have tried to imitate.
BB-8 (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Even though we don’t understand what he’s saying, there’s just something so relatable about the charming beeps and boops of this orange BB unit. To help give the droid some of his unique personality, actors Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz actually provided “voice consultant” services for The Force Awakens, speaking voice lines for the droid initially until his final, lovable beeps and boops were created. You can watch the actors in action in this short featurette from the official Star Wars Twitter.
Porgs (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
These little avian aliens stole our hearts at the very first chirp—but in real life, these adorable little creatures are a combination of three bird calls: chicken, dove, and turkey. To learn more about how the Porgs found their voices, check out our feature on the sounds of the creatures of The Last Jedi.
While these are just a sampling of our favorite sounds from the world of Star Wars, there are so many more sound effects that prove why these films frequently find themselves nominated for their out-of-this-world sounds. To learn about even more classic Star Wars sounds, be sure to check out StarWars.com’s feature on the movies’ most famous sounds.
By Jocelyn Buhlman
The world of Disneyland Paris is about get a whole lot bigger. Today Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced plans for a 2 billion euro, multi-year expansion for Disneyland Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais de l’Elysée in Paris. The new development will include a transformation of magical proportions to the Walt Disney Studios Park, adding three new areas that are based on Marvel, Frozen, and Star Wars, along with multiple new attractions and live entertainment experiences.
This fantastical expansion is one of Disneyland Paris’ most ambitious development projects since the park opened in 1992, and emphasizes Disney’s commitment to Disneyland Paris’ long-term success as Disney’s brand beacon in Europe.
“We’re very excited about the future of Disneyland Paris and continue to invest in its long-term success,” Iger said. “The resort is already the leading tourist destination in Europe, and the transformative expansion we announced today will add even more of our beloved characters and unparalleled storytelling to create new lands, attractions, and entertainment that further elevate the guest experience and drive new opportunities for tourism in this dynamic region.”
The new areas will infuse some of Disney’s most popular stories and characters into this unique destination, building upon the success of the resort’s 25th Anniversary celebration and continuing to enhance the guest experience for millions of Europeans. In addition to the three new areas, the expansion will also include a new lake, which will be the focal point for new, enchanting entertainment experiences and will act as the connecting point for each of the new park areas.
Disneyland Paris Resort has been at work expanding their magic for a while. From a spectacular 25th Anniversary celebration in the spring of 2017 to the award-winning new entertainment shows, the park has committed to making Disneyland Paris a special experience for guests visiting from all over the world. Just this month, Disneyland Paris announced plans for a new Marvel-themed attraction that will be coming to the Walt Disney Studios as part of the new Marvel area development. In 2020, the resort will open Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, a reimagining of Disney’s Hotel New York that will showcase the inspiring worlds of Iron Man, The Avengers, and Spider-Man, among others. And a super summer is just ahead with the Marvel Summer of Super Heroes seasonal event taking place at Disneyland Paris, where guests can meet their favorite heroes and experience new live entertainment.
By Beth Deitchman
We’re flying high with the announcement that Disney Junior has begun production on The Rocketeer, a new animated adventure series inspired by Dave Stevens’ popular comic books. Geared toward young kids and their families, The Rocketeer is slated to blast on to a TV screen near you in 2019. Stevens’ beloved superhero previously inspired a feature film of the same name, which was released in 1991 and remains a fan favorite.
The upcoming series will introduce a new Rocketeer: Kit, a young girl who receives a surprise package on her birthday revealing that she’s next in line to become the Rocketeer—a legendary superhero who has the ability to fly with the help of a rocket-powered jet pack. Kit’s gadget-minded best friend, Tesh, and her airplane mechanic uncle, Ambrose, are alongside Kit as she soars to new heights, using her cool new gear (and a secret identity) to help her save the day.
“We are very excited to introduce The Rocketeer to our young Disney Junior audience,” said Joe D’Ambrosia, senior vice president, Original Programming, Disney Junior. “The vast storytelling found in the original comic books provides the perfect opportunity to create an exciting new adventure series told from a young girl superhero perspective that the whole family can enjoy together.”
Nicole Dubuc (Transformers: Rescue Bots) serves as executive producer for The Rocketeer, which will feature two 11-minute stories and an original song in each episode. Wild Canary produces, along with Disney Junior.