See Photos from “D23 Members Celebrate The Parent Trap with a Party at Camp Inch”
Cliffhangers, Twists, and Big Changes: ABC Season Finale Preview
The season finales of our favorite ABC shows are always a little bittersweet: they’re so exciting and action-packed, but we don’t get to watch new episodes until the fall! To make sure you don’t miss a beat, here’s a preview of some of the big moments you can expect in ABC’s season finales.
Once Upon A Time (May 10):
Thanks to a 120-minute finale we get “two chapters,” if you will, of this fairy-tale fan favorite. Now that Gold has The Author in his grasp, look for a topsy-turvy world where the villains are heroes and the heroes… Well, the heroes are in some deep pixie dust, and it doesn’t look like anyone (except for maybe Gold) will actually get a happy ending. It’s up to Henry to save his family and his friends before the ink dries on anyone’s “revised” story. And the end culminates with a twist so shocking, viewers will think Elsa coming out of the portal last year was just another day in Storybrooke.
Castle (May 11):
Early in Season 7, fans learned that an 11-year-old Castle witnessed, well, something in Hollander’s Woods. We don’t know what Castle saw, but we know that it was a defining event that set him on the course to becoming a mystery writer. In Castle’s season finale, a death in the woods forces Castle to revisit this secret from his childhood. His investigation turns into an obsession, which puts Castle at the center of a mystery that has gone unsolved for decades. We’re hoping that we’ll only have to wait until the end of the episode to have our questions answered.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (May 12):
What could be better than one hour of Marvel goodness? How about two hours? The bad news is that with the episode titled, “S.O.S.,” that pretty much implies a lot of not-so-marvelous (sorry, we had to) things are going to go down. S.H.I.E.L.D. puts everything on the line to survive a war that blurs the lines between friend and foe. Look for Coulson and the team to make some shocking sacrifices that are game-changers for everyone.
The Middle (May 13):
If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that life with the Hecks is always, well, hectic. Changes are on the horizon for everyone, with Axl encountering girl drama, Sue’s graduation on the brink of ruin, and Brick presented with an unexpected opportunity. Let’s just hope everything turns out better than the Mother’s Day fiasco from this week’s episode.
The Goldbergs (May 13):
When we last left the family, Erica had her heart set on admission to Juilliard, and Barry was finally getting on Lainey’s father’s good side. But the end of the school year brings new challenges, with Beverly and Murray unsure of how to react to Erica leaving the nest for a few weeks. Plus, Barry has a new scheme to get closer to Lainey—and it involves being the school mascot.
Nashville (May 13):
As Juliette remains intensely focused on finishing her new album, Avery makes a decision that will change their lives forever. And just when Rayna and Deacon finally looked like they were going to be able to make beautiful music together this year, Deacon’s life now hangs in the balance with Rayna and the girls at his side for whatever the future may bring.
A Toy (Designer’s) Story
Ever since the first sets of Vinylmation were released in 2008, they have been popular collector items for Disney fans of all ages. The 3-inch figures in the famous mold of Mickey Mouse have been created with themes that range from Mickey and his friends to Muppets, and much more.
A recent release features designs inspired by the first season of the popular Emmy Award®-winning Mickey Mouse shorts, and were created by a character designer on the show, Tara Billinger, a self-professed toy lover and huge Disney fan.
“I go to Disneyland at least once every other week,” Billinger confessed.
She’s also an active part of the online community that dedicates itself to discussing, critiquing, and simply just enjoying Disney toys. As an avid collector, Billinger finds herself shopping and interacting with fellow toy lovers on websites from all over the globe.
“A lot of people love the Mickey Mouse shorts, so I had a feeling that they would love these figures,” she said. “I tried my best to make them appealing, so fans would be like, ‘Oh, that one is from that episode and that one is from that episode.’ When I went to Disneyland to pick up a couple boxes [of the figures], the Cast Member at the counter told me there were so many people buying these. I was so excited to hear how popular they were.”
Tara’s passion for toy design and creation extends into her personal life as well, making her own toys that she displays and sells at conventions across the country. One look at her desk, blanketed with toys and collectibles (mostly Disney), and there’s no mistaking what makes her happy in life.
After spending some time in Southern California at a young age, Tara mostly grew up in Utah, where she dreamed of becoming an animator. The road to get to where she is wasn’t easy and was peppered with naysayers, but she was ready to make her dream come true despite the obstacles in her way.
“I grew up with a single mom and couldn’t afford college,” she explained. “I just saved all the money I did have and decided to come out [to L.A.] to see if I could find a job [in animation], and if nothing happened then I’d move back.”
Shortly after arriving, Tara got a job in Development with Disney Television Animation, where she found herself stationed near another Disney fanatic, Paul Rudish, the executive producer and supervising director of the Mickey Mouse shorts. The two would happily talk about their love of all things Disney, and formed a bond that would eventually land Tara an opportunity of a lifetime working on the show.
“I get to draw the characters in cool poses all day long,” she said beaming. “I’m a big animation nut and I love the classic characters, and I’m obsessed with the history. I’m so grateful to be a part of the show.”
It’s not often that people have the opportunity to be employed working on three of their greatest passions in life, but for Tara, she could not have dreamed of a more exciting job, where Disney, animation, and toys take center stage every day.
While only some of her Vinylmation designs have been released, rest assured, she’s created designs for every season of the show, and did extensive research to ensure they are high-quality figures that all Disney toy fans will enjoy. After all, she might be the biggest one there is.
Fan-Favorite Events to Take Center Stage at D23 EXPO 2015’s “Hall D23”
Where do all the worlds of Disney come together under one roof, taking you behind the scenes with The Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts?
The answer, of course, is D23 EXPO 2015—taking place August 14–16—and today D23 is happy to announce the lineup of the Expo’s most highly anticipated presentations. The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, will kick off the Expo on Friday, August 14. Later that same day, The Walt Disney Studios will give fans a sneak peek at all the latest from Disney Animation and Pixar. On Saturday morning, The Walt Disney Studios will preview the coming slate of live-action films from Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Then, on Saturday afternoon, fans will get a preview of what’s in store at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts during a presentation hosted by Parks Chairman Bob Chapek.
To showcase these Expo favorites, Disney is creating “Hall D23,” a new 7,500-seat venue located in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center, so that more guests than ever can see the presentations live and in person.
The Schedule of Hall D23 Events and Presentations includes the following (times and additional announcements forthcoming; all events subject to change):
The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony will take place Friday, August 14. The ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, will once again honor those who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy. The creativity and innovation of these visionaries and artists have earned them a place among such names as Dame Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Annette Funicello, Sir Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Walters, and Robin Williams. At D23 EXPO 2013, Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell, Dick Clark, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Glen Keane, and Ed Wynn were inducted.
In two separate Hall D23 sessions, The Walt Disney Studios will unveil an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at its upcoming film slate. At Friday’s session, fans will go in-depth with the talented filmmakers at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios to get a sneak peek at films such as Zootopia and Finding Dory. On Saturday, live-action titles such as Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book and films from Marvel and Lucasfilm, along with some very special guests, take center stage.
On the afternoon of Saturday, August 15, join Bob Chapek, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, for a behind-the-scenes peek at the magical experiences and entertainment coming to Disney parks and resorts around the world.
Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Until June 30, 2015, tickets are $67 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children 3–12. Tickets for D23 Members are $58 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $188 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.
Insider Access to Inside Out
Feeling a little angry and sad that you can’t see Inside Out until its release on June 19? Never fear, we’ve got a way for you to see the movie three days early that will have you jumping for joy!
Fathom Events and Disney are working together to present a special screening of “Insider Access to Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out” in hundreds of select U.S. movie theaters on Tuesday, June 16, live at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT and tape-delayed to 7 p.m. MT/PT/AK/HI. This one-night event will include a screening of the full-length feature Inside Out, plus the new Lava short, three days before the film’s official release on June 19. Audiences will also be treated to 15 minutes of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Pixar Animation Studios and a Q&A with director Pete Docter, producer Jonas Rivera, and the voice of Joy, Amy Poehler, live via satellite from their Australian tour.
Celebrating Disney Dollars: Currency with Character
Although Disney “currency” has been available since the early 1930s––back when children could use “Mickey Mouse Cones” bills to get ice cream cones at local “Mickey Mouse Clubs”––none has been as popular as Disney Dollars, the official currency of Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney Dollars currency was one of several creative projects spearheaded by Disney Legend Jack Lindquist, who was then developing unique marketing and entertainment concepts for Disney theme parks. “We figured that we’re bigger than a lot of small countries, why don’t we have our own currency?” Jack said. With that, The Walt Disney Company became one of the first private organizations to print its own money and have it accepted in theme parks like the U.S. Dollar.
The unique currency was first available at Disneyland on May 5, 1987, when four Anaheim motorcycle police officers ceremoniously escorted an armored truck to the park main entrance. Scrooge McDuck––Secretary of the Treasury, whose signature can be found on each bill––unloaded sacks of dollars at the ticket booths with news cameras on hand to capture all the action. Guest Dale Castillo was the first person to purchase the happiest currency on earth.
The original $1 Disney Dollar bill, featuring Mickey Mouse.
Disney Dollars became so popular that they were introduced at Walt Disney World five months later, on October 2. Originally, $1 and $5 denominations (featuring Mickey and Goofy, respectively) were offered. The $10 bill, featuring Minnie Mouse, was added in 1989, with a $50 bill featuring Mickey offered in 2005 for the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.
And here’s a fun fact: Disney Dollars were the first currency to be four-color printed in the U.S.! It took more than 203 man-hours and hundreds of employees to engrave and create the original $1 and $5 notes.
Throughout the years, more than a dozen characters and unique designs have been featured on the bills, which are just as fun to collect as they are to use! Here is a collection of the bill designs from over the years:
The original $5 bill featuring Goofy, introduced in 1987.
The 1997 series $10 bill, featuring Simba and commemorating the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World.
The 2000 series $10 bill marked Donald Duck’s first appearance on the currency.
The 2001 $10 bill, part of a series of Disney Dollars celebrating the opening of Disney California Adventure.
The 2002 series $10 bill, featuring Tinker Bell and commemorating the 100 Years of Magic celebration.
The 2005 series’ all-new $50 bill featured Mickey Mouse in honor of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.
Chicken Little was featured on the $1 bill in 2005 in conjunction with his feature film debut.
The 2007 series featured Disney Princesses, such as Princess Aurora.
That same year, a Pirates of the Caribbean series of $1 bills led up to the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
The 2008 series of Disney Dollars celebrated Mickey’s 80th anniversary.
Jump For Joy Inside Out Premiere Sweepstakes
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| Enter for the chance to win two tickets to the red carpet premiere of Inside Out in Hollywood (accommodations and/or transportation between winner’s home and the premiere not included)! | Sweepstakes has ended. | Winner will be notified via email within 48 hours after the end of the sweepstakes. Click here for complete legal rules. |
Inside Out is all about getting in touch with your emotions: Fear, Anger, Sadness, and Disgust, but if you win this sweepstakes, you’ll be feeling only one—Joy!
You can enter for the chance to win tickets for yourself and a guest to attend the premiere of Inside Out in Hollywood on June 8 (accommodations and/or transportation between winner’s home and the premiere not included). You’ll get to walk the red carpet, be one of the first to see the film, and maybe even see some movie stars!
Do you ever look at people and wonder what is going on inside their heads? Disney•Pixar’s original new film Inside Out ventures inside the mind to find out. Directed by Academy Award® winner Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc., Up), produced by Jonas Rivera (Up), and featuring an original score by Michael Giacchino (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up), Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out opens in theaters on June 19, 2015.
NOTE: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes begins at 10 a.m. PT on 5/6/15 and ends at 10 a.m. PT on 5/15/15. Open to residents of the 50 U.S. including D.C., ages 18 and older. Only one entry allowed per person. There is only one prize available to be won. Winner must be able to attend the premiere, taking place on June 8, 2015. Prize does not include accommodations or transportation between winner’s home and the premiere. Click here for official rules, including full entry requirements and prize limitations.
Star Wars Comes to Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition—Plus More in News Briefs for May 5, 2015
The Force is Strong with Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition
With the new movie starting to peek over the horizon like Tatooine’s two suns, it’s a seriously good time to be a Star Wars fan… and that now goes for players of über-popular Disney Infinity, the best-selling hybrid toy/video game from Disney Interactive. The Star Wars universe will be joining its Disney, Disney•Pixar, and Marvel brethren this fall when Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition debuts!
The Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack promises to deliver kids (and adults!) tons of new content and more variety of gameplay than ever offered from Disney Infinity before. New items include three brand-new Star Wars Play Sets—one anchored in the timeline of Episodes I–III, the second during the original trilogy, and the third (available this winter) based on the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Additional new sets will include characters from the upcoming Disney•Pixar film Inside Out, as well as a Marvel Play Set “starring” Hulkbuster Iron Man, Ultron, and other super hero favorites. Fans can also enjoy an enhanced Toy Box with two new multiplayer Toy Box Expansion Games: Toy Box Speedway (a fun kart-racing adventure) and Toy Box Takeover (with more action than you can shake a stick at). And more figures of fan-favorite characters from across Disney will be introduced, including Mickey and Minnie, Sam Flynn and Quorra from Tron: Legacy, Mulan, and Frozen fave Olaf… among many others.
Look for Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition to start hitting store shelves this fall, and click here to learn more.
Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:
| D23 and Walt Disney Archives Fall 2014-2015 D23 Member Nights at Newsies—On Tour May 9 The Parent Trap Party at Camp Inch May 29 VIP Studio Tour with Disney Legend Dave Smith June 6 Mickey’s of Glendale Orlando Shopping Event June 6 Let’s Get Together with The Parent Trap in Florida June 20 D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives August 14-16 D23 Expo 2015 returns to Anaheim, California Studios May 22 Tomorrowland opens in theaters. June 19 Inside Out opens in theaters (along with the short Lava). July 17 Ant Man opens in theaters. December 18 Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters. |
Parks March 4–May 17 22nd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. May 15–June 14 Star Wars Weekends Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. May 22–23 24-hour event kicking off Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration at Disneyland Resort May 22–23 24-hour event kicking off “Coolest Summer Ever” at Walt Disney World Resort September 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27; October 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31; and November 1Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park November 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29; and December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Park TV May 9 Doctor Who Debuts on Disney XD (9 p.m. ET/PT) |
Fight for Tomorrow with Casey and Athena
The debut of Tomorrowland, Disney’s much-anticipated mystery adventure from the mad scientists behind Lost and The Incredibles, is only a few weeks away! To whet your visionary whistles, check out these new featurettes that are all about Casey (Britt Robertson) and Athena (Raffey Cassidy)—two young women on whose shoulders rests the very survival of humanity. Talk about pressure, right?
The film follows a jaded scientist and an optimistic teenager as they embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space…
Join the fight for the future when Tomorrowland hits theaters on May 22!
Go Inside Out This Summer at Epcot
Weve all wondered about it… what do the voices in your head actually look like? Are they weird? Cute? Creepy? Beards or no beards? Jaunty hats? Disney•Pixar aims to answer all these questions (and many more) when Inside Out comes to theaters on June 19! The newest animated film from Monsters, Inc. and Up director Pete Docter goes deep inside the mind of 11-year-old Riley and introduces us to the Emotions that guide her: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. Based in Headquarters, the five Emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (voiced by Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler)—whose mission is to make sure Riley stays happy.
But if waiting ’til June 19 doesn’t float your boat (or the one belonging to those voices inside your own noggin)—and you’re heading down to Walt Disney World this summer—you can catch a sneak peek of Inside Out at the Imagination Pavilion inside Epcot starting May 30. The preview will feature some very cool in-theater special effects, and will also include an exclusive introduction from the filmmakers themselves…
For more Inside Out fun, make sure to check out the new “Emotion Garden” displayed as part of the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, now through May 17.
Helmets Help Make a “Change” with Charity Auction
“Bid or bid not, there is no ‘try.’” Star Wars: Force For Change, a charitable initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm, has announced its latest campaign: teaming with eBay Giving Works to auction off a selection of plaster Stormtrooper helmet replicas, awesomely decorated by artists from around the globe. The 10-day auction kicked off on Monday, “May the 4th,” and bidders have the chance to compete for these one-of-a-kind helmets at a starting price of just $5.04.
Lucasfilm donated the helmets to U.S. Fund for UNICEF—which will receive 100 percent of the final auction sales price for each helmet. They’ll direct the funds to support UNICEF Kid Power, an innovative new program that uses the world’s first Wearable-For-Good bracelet to get kids active and provide lifesaving food packets to children in need the world over.
For more information, visit StarWars.com.
Frozen Meets Science Fun with New Frozen: Early Science Apps
Do your little ones love Frozen? Want to help them get ahead on all things science, in a totally fun way? On April 30, Disney Publishing Worldwide announced Frozen: Early Science—a series of apps based on early science principles, featuring favorite characters and stories from the award-winning animated hit Frozen.
The new series of apps is the latest offering from Disney Imagicademy, the company’s technology-driven learning initiative for families with children ages 3–8. The Frozen: Early Science apps are designed to reward observation, experimentation, and deduction—skills that experts agree are the “building blocks” of the scientific process. The Disney Imagicademy Frozen: Early Science apps provide children with five fun experiences that feature fundamental tools and concepts grounded in an early-sciences curriculum, including “Cooking Creations” and “Reindeer Care” (Phases of Matter and Life Science), “Growing Garden” (Botany), “Ice Structures” (Engineering Design), and “Forest Wilderness” (Ecosystems and Zoology).
If your kids can’t wait to learn from Anna and Elsa, don’t worry: The first Frozen: Early Science app is available now on the App Store, and three more Frozen: Early Science apps will launch by early summer!
Everyone’s Favorite Porcine Diva Receives Major Award
Miss Piggy… star of stage and screen… beloved around the globe… It’s hard to believe she hasn’t won every award ever, y’know? Luckily, the Brooklyn Museum is helping to remedy that by bestowing upon Miss Piggy the prestigious Sackler Center First Award on Thursday, June 4!
The Sackler Center First Awards honor women who are first in their fields—and they’ve chosen the glamorous, felt-covered actor, writer, and veritable “icon” for her more-than-40 years blazing feminist trails with determination and humor, and for her groundbreaking role inspiring generations all over the world. Previous award recipients include luminaries like former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, director Julie Taymor, and writer Toni Morrison.
The evening will feature a 20-minute video presentation chronicling Piggy’s career from her not-so-humble beginnings on The Muppet Show to her current iconic status, and fellow feminist hero Gloria Steinem will interview Piggy live on stage… but that’s not all: Kermit the Frog is scheduled to be in attendance, supporting his life-long love. “Moi is thrilled—but frankly, not surprised to be receiving this Sackler Center First Award,” Miss Piggy says. “It is truly wonderful to be celebrated and share this honor with fellow legends, role models, and pioneers of female fabulosity. We rock!”
Tokyo Disney Resort: More Fun in Store
“Chūmoku,” Disney fans! (That’s “attention” in Japanese.) Earlier this week, Oriental Land Company announced several new themes that are in development at Tokyo Disney Resort. The eighth port currently in development at Tokyo DisneySea Park will feature elements inspired by Scandinavia, and a portion of that area will be themed to Disney’s blockbuster Frozen. Two themed areas are also in development at Tokyo Disneyland’s Fantasyland: one inspired by Beauty and the Beast, and the other themed to Alice in Wonderland.
These new enhancements are part of the resort’s 10-year, 500 billion yen expansion plan, and is a result of the shared vision and amazing partnership between Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Oriental Land Company that’s been cultivated over the last few years. More info on all the great new experiences coming to Tokyo Disney Resort as it becomes available…
Star Wars: The Force Awakens—What We Know So Far
Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you. Star Wars fans have been using this pun for years—as far back as 1979!—to celebrate their love and passion for the saga from a galaxy far, far away. A riff on the popular phrase, “May the force be with you,” May the 4th has grown into a worldwide, grassroots tradition each year, with fans online and offline proclaiming it “Star Wars Day.” Plus, for the first time ever, you can spend the day watching every Star Wars movie thus far on Digital HD.
So what better day than today to discuss the things we know so far about the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, perhaps the most anticipated film in a decade? J.J. Abrams, director of the film, which opens December 18, is known for creating great characters, spectacle, and intense action, but he’s also the king of secrets. Which means, of course, getting information about the new film has been about as easy as breaking into Fort Knox! But from what we have been able to pull together from news reports—and from the awesome Star Wars Celebration this past month in Anaheim—here is what we know so far:
The film is set 30 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi, and many of our favorite characters from the original trilogy are back! Mark Hamill returns as Luke, Carrie Fisher as Leia, Harrison Ford as Han, Peter Mayhew as Chewie, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, and Kenny Baker as R2-D2.
Of course, there’s a cast of newcomers this time, too. They include Daisy Ridley as Rey, a scavenger on the desolate planet of Jakku; Oscar Isaac as Poe, the fighter pilot (Isaac says Poe is “the best friggin’ pilot in the galaxy.”); and John Boyega as Finn, who may or may not be a stormtrooper (although the trailer showed footage of him dressed in stormtrooper armor).
Then there’s the music—it wouldn’t be Star Wars without legendary Oscar®-winning composer John Williams, who provided the musical score for all six previous Star Wars films, along with such classics as Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and the original Superman. Williams is back to score The Force Awakens and contribute new music for the trilogy. And, for the first time ever, he’ll record the score in Los Angeles, as opposed to London’s Abbey Road, where he recorded the first six. As fans know, the iconic Star Wars music is so woven into the fabric of the film, that just the first few notes of the opening fanfare is enough to make us light up our plastic lightsabers in salute. His return is great news, indeed!
As for the look of the film, J.J. Abrams wanted to use many more practical sets and props, which meant building large-scale spaceships and sets. There will be CGI, of course, but just like the first film, J.J. says he wants audiences to believe that people actually are in this universe, and it’s real. Speaking of which, the new droid in this film, BB-8, is an actual, real thing. J.J. felt it was better for the actors to actually see BB-8 on set rather than just imagine his digital image. When BB-8 rolled across the stage at Star Wars Celebration, fans went nuts.
They also went nuts for the second trailer, which showed the hulking remains of a downed Star Destroyer, attacking TIE Fighters, and a lightsaber being passed from generation to generation—which is only fitting, considering The Force Awakens is, in a sense, the passing of the lightsaber from one generation to the next. It makes a person feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“Chewie…we’re home.”
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Happy Star Wars Day!
Sometimes our love of all things Star Wars means long afternoons on the couch watching a marathon of all six films (and, of course, a little Star Wars Rebels). But at Star Wars Celebration last month, Star Wars: Force for Change and UNICEF proved that being a fan can get you up and moving. Watch the video to see how ducking under asteroids and dodging TIE fighters can help feed kids in need around the world!
Star Wars: Force for Change and UNICEF will be announcing other ways Star Wars fans can get involved throughout the year, leading up to the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December. To start, fans can visit StarWars.com/ForceforChange and unicefkidpower.org, to make a donation and receive updates on activities and ways to join us and become a #ForceforChange.