By Courtney Potter
First Look at Disney Channel’s New Animated Series Hailey’s On It!
Disney Branded Television announced this week that its original animated comedy-adventure series Hailey’s On It! will premiere Thursday, June 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, on Disney Channel and Disney XD, and stream next day on Disney+. In addition, Disney Branded Television shared the show’s fun new trailer, below:
Auli’i Cravalho (known for her star-making turn in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana) stars as Hailey, a risk-averse but resourceful teenager on a mission to complete every item on her long list of challenging—and sometimes impractical—tasks to save the world.
Featured alongside Cravalho are Manny Jacinto as Scott, Hailey’s best friend, and Gary Anthony Williams as Beta, an artificially intelligent operating system from the future.
From creators and executive producers Devin Bunje and Nick Stanton, Hailey’s On It! is set in Oceanside, California, and follows Hailey as she is pushed outside her comfort zone to discover the greatness that lies within. Whether she’s tackling every ride at the county fair, performing in a musical, reuniting a singing duo, or facing her ever-growing and complicated feelings toward her best friend, Hailey is always encountering new challenges―and more opportunities to conquer her fears…
Disney Branded Television also announced the rest of the series’ voice cast. Joining the series in recurring roles are Cooper Andrews as Hailey’s dad, Kai; Julie Bowen as Hailey’s mom, Patricia; Josh Brener as Hailey’s academic rival, A.C.; Sarah Chalke as a high-energy scientist from the future, The Professor; Nik Dodani as Hailey’s classmate, Thad; Judy Alice Lee as Scott’s younger sister, Becker; Amanda Leighton as the most popular girl in school, Kristine; Joy Osmanski as Scott’s mom, Sunny; and Nico Santos as Hailey’s classmate, Jonathan.
The star-studded guest cast includes Brian Jordan Alvarez, Blake Anderson, Mick Foley, Jo Koy, Jack McBrayer, Bebe Neuwirth, Chris Parnell, Tim Robinson, Natasha Rothwell, Brandon Mychal Smith, Martin Starr, and Al Yankovic aka Weird Al.
Hailey’s On It! is set to feature music from a cross-section of popular genres, from K-Pop and musical theater to pop-rock and EDM. A digital soundtrack with six original tunes will be released Friday, June 9, on Walt Disney Records. Emmy Award®-nominated Matthew Tishler and Emmy-nominated Andrew Underberg are the series’ songwriters and composers.
But that’s not all: Coinciding with the series premiere, DisneyNOW will launch themed updates in two games—Bubble Burst and Color Splash. Additionally, several Theme Song Takeover, Broken Karaoke, and Chibi Tiny Tales shorts featuring characters from the series will begin rolling out in July on Disney Channel, Disney Channel YouTube, and DisneyNOW. So, stay tuned!
Disney’s The Lion King Featured in The Last Last Late Late Show with James Corden Carpool Karaoke Special
“Circle of Life,” indeed! James Corden and Tom Cruise recently took the stage as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively, in a memorable musical performance of Disney’s The Lion King, which aired Thursday on The Last Last Late Late Show with James Corden Carpool Karaoke Special. The primetime special celebrated the final night of Corden’s late-night series.
Filmed at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, the special also saw Corden and Cruise take on an animal character in the show’s iconic “Circle of Life” opening number.
The Lion King continues to celebrate 25 years on Broadway and—while two Broadway juggernauts have previously reached this milestone—this show marks several historic firsts. Never before has a show in its 25th year been playing in so many productions around the world simultaneously and placed in the Top 5 grossing Broadway shows this long—nearly 1,300 consecutive weeks and counting; additionally, 115,000 people currently enjoy the show in eight productions on three continents every week! There have been 27 productions over its lifetime, seen by a staggering 112 million people.
The Lion King North American tour, which has played nearly 10,000 performances during 240 engagements in 92 cities to more than 23 million theatergoers, celebrated its 21st anniversary on Thursday, April 27. The record-breaking tour is currently playing a three-week return engagement at The Stranahan Theater in Toledo through Sunday, May 7.
To see Corden and Cruise’s The Lion King segment in its entirety, click here.
ICYMI: The Universe of Powered-Up Animal Pals in the MCU
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 just over the horizon—and with it, the further adventures of Cosmo the adorable canine cosmonaut—we here at D23 have put together a guide to the expansive multiverse of creatures that are the pals and/or pets to our most beloved heroes and villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Take a gander at these furry (or scaley, or sometimes very small) friends!
See the First Trailer for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Wish
On ABC’s Good Morning America, Walt Disney Animation Studios just debuted the trailer for Wish, opening exclusively in theaters this fall!
The trailer introduces 17-year-old Asha (voiced by Academy Award® winner Ariana DeBose); the powerful King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine); Asha’s pet goat, Valentino (voiced by Alan Tudyk); and Star, a celestial ball of boundless energy that Asha’s wish calls down from the sky. It also features a snippet of the song “This Wish,” performed by DeBose—one of several tunes written by Grammy® Award-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice for the film.
The all-new musical-comedy welcomes audiences to Rosas, a fantastical land located off the Iberian Peninsula. “Our heroine, Asha, lives in Rosas, known as the kingdom of wishes,” says Chris Buck, who directs the film with Fawn Veerasunthorn. “People come from everywhere to give their wishes to a magical king who promises to grant their deepest desires—someday. Only he can decide which wishes will come true and when.”
Adds Veerasunthorn, “We have been inspired by so many iconic films over Disney Animation’s 100 years, especially stories where we explore the power of someone with a wish, combined with the conviction to make that wish come true. Being able to honor that legacy with this incredible story and these amazing characters has been a joy for our entire team.”
In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Wish sparkles onto the big screen beginning Wednesday, November 22!
5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®
Well, as we celebrate this last weekend of April, we’re also heading into a fortuitous month—for it features the final installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Before Vol. 3 launches in U.S. theaters on Friday, May 5, why not reacquaint yourself with Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot, and the rest of that ragtag bunch of heroes by streaming these Guardians titles on Disney+?
Disney+ Reveals World’s Best First Look and Premiere Date
Disney+ recently announced World’s Best, Disney’s all-new hip-hop musical comedy adventure, will debut exclusively on the streaming service this June! In addition to the premiere date, the streamer also shared a sneak-peek image from the Disney+ Original Movie, seen above…
In World’s Best, 12-year-old mathematics genius Prem Patel (Manny Magnus), in the midst of navigating the tumultuous hardships of adolescence, discovers his recently deceased father was a famous rapper, and immediately sets out to pursue a career for himself as a rap superstar. While his actions may appear reckless (and the quickest way for him to lose everything), Prem—empowered by imaginative hip-hop-music-fueled fantasies where he performs with his father (Utkarsh Ambudkar)—is determined to find out if hip-hop truly is in his DNA. As his father always used to say, “The world’s best never rest.”
Joining Ambudkar and Magnus in the film are Punam Patel, Jake Choi, Max Malas, Piper Wallace, Kayla Njeri, Dorian Giordano, Kathryn Greenwood, Christopher Jackson, and Doug E. Fresh. Producing the film is Thomas Kail, who directed the Broadway smash Hamilton—a show that not only World’s Best co-star Jackson has a history with (he was Tony® Award nominated for his role as George Washington), but Ambudkar also participated in, as the originator of the role of Aaron Burr in the musical’s developmental readings. Additionally, Kail and Ambudkar collaborated as director and performer, respectively, in the improvisational hip-hop comedy musical group Freestyle Love Supreme.
“We are all really excited to be bringing this film to Disney+,” says Ambudkar. “It’s got dope music and great comedy, and it brings up some important themes in a really accessible way. It’s emotional, it’s full of love and amazing energy and is a film the entire family can watch together. Plus, it presents for the first time a South Asian family at the core of a Disney movie—something I never had growing up—and was something I really wanted to give young people today.”
World’s Best is written by Jamie King and Ambudkar, with original songs by Ambudkar and Charlie Wilder. Look for it on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 23!
Disney Cruise Line Unveils Dazzling Delicious Delights for 25th Anniversary
Disney Cruise Line’s Silver Anniversary at Sea is bringing with it some shimmering new treats… In celebration of the fleet’s 25th anniversary, our friends at the Disney Parks Blog recently shared a preview of the snacks setting sail from May through September.
So, what can cruise guests expect to feast on? The 25th Disney Cruise Line Cupcake features a vanilla sponge cake topped with vanilla frosting, 25th chocolate décor, and shimmering sprinkles, available via amenities on the ship. At the sweet shops on board each of the ships, the Mickey Chocolate Sphere showcases a chocolate Mickey Mouse sphere adorned with the 25th emblem. Plus, it’s filled with a variety of candy pieces! Captain Minnie is also joining in on the anniversary festivities with the Vanilla Crisped Rice Treat offered at all Cove Café locations; this vanilla-flavored crisped rice treat puts Minnie at the helm with special décor for both her and the anniversary.
Additionally, at both Cabana’s and Marceline’s Market locations, two of the desserts will be getting a Silver Anniversary at Sea upgrade: both the 3 Layer Carrot Cake with lemon frosting and the Disney Cruise Line Anniversary Chocolate Marquise will add 25th chocolate décor. And signature desserts across the entire fleet will be getting a tasty enhancement, adding a special 25th chocolate piece to their already stunning presentation. At Palo, the classic Chocolate Soufflé with double chocolate sauce and vanilla bean gelato will also have a chocolate anniversary piece.
For more info on what 25th Anniversary treats to try during your next Disney Cruise Line sojourn, click here!
