5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

By Andie Hagemann

This week don’t miss the spectacular new content coming to your TV and assorted streaming devices. On Wednesday, watch all episodes of Rennervations on Disney+, followed by an all-new episode of ABC’s Not Dead Yet and the Season 2 premiere of Freeform’s Single Drunk Female. A new episode of Station 19 debuts Thursday on ABC, and on Friday, two episodes of Saturdays air on Disney Channel.

In a scene from Rennervations, actor Jeremy Renner stands in front of a chalk board during a presentation.

Rennervations—Wednesday, April 12, on Disney+
Jeremy Renner is ready to make some Renner-vations! The actor and Marvel Studios Super Hero, alongside his team of expert builders, use their skills to reimagine decommissioned vehicles and rebuild them into mind-blowing creations that serve communities around the world, proving every build has a purpose. The four-part Disney+ Original series follows Renner around the world, from his hometown of Reno, Nevada, and Chicago, Illinois, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Rajasthan, India. In each location, he teams up with a celebrity friend (Anthony Mackie, Vanessa Hudgens, Anil Kapoor, and Sebastián Yatra), all of whom share his enthusiasm and join him to deliver the finished vehicles to each organization. All episodes are available to stream at launch.

In a scene from Not Dead Yet, actors Angela E. Gibbs, Rick Glassman, and Gina Rodriguez look at a crystal orb.

Not Dead Yet—Wednesday, April 12, at 9:31 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Cricket (Angela E. Gibbs) decides she is finally ready to spread Monty’s ashes and enlists help from Nell (Gina Rodriguez). Elsewhere, Sam (Hannah Simone) and Lexi (Lauren Ash) support Dennis (Josh Banday) as he chooses an egg donor. The new episode, which also stars Rick Glassman, is available to stream the next day on Hulu.

In a scene from Single Drunk Female, actor Sofia Black-D’Elia holds a small succulent plant with a sign that reads “Get Well Soon.”

Single Drunk Female—Wednesday, April 12, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform
The hit series—intended only for mature audiences—returns for Season 2 with not just one, but two episodes! For the first time in forever, Sam (Sofia Black-D’Elia) thinks she has a life worth celebrating and throws herself a birthday party. Meanwhile, Brit (Sasha Compere) tries to convince everyone that she and Joel (Charlie Hall) have the “perfect divorce.” Then, in the second episode, Sam’s newfound self-confidence is shaken when she discovers her new boss is someone from her past. Elsewhere, Olivia (Rebecca Henderson) makes a life-changing decision and Felicia (Lily Mae Harrington) fails to properly congratulate her boyfriend on his new promotion. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.

In a scene from Station 19, actors Grey Damon and Jaina Lee Ortiz cook in the station’s kitchen.

Station 19—Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Emotions boil over at the station as the team disagrees with Theo’s (Carlos Miranda) leadership style. Meanwhile, Carina (Stefania Spampinato) enlists Ben (Jason George) and Maya (Danielle Savre) to help her with a patient in an uncomfortable position. Elsewhere, Natasha (Merle Dandridge) and Sullivan (Boris Kodjoe) hit a roadblock in their relationship. Stream the episode the next day on Hulu.

In a promotional image for Saturdays, actors Peyton Basnight, Danielle Jalade, and Daria Johns stand side by side.

Saturdays—Friday, April 14, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
Two all-new episodes skate onto your TV this Friday! Ari (Peyton Basnight) hosts her first sleepover with her new best friends. However, the soiree is a flop when it falls the same night as Paris (Danielle Jalade) and Simone’s (Daria Johns) Chocolate Club. In the second episode, Paris rallies everyone to throw a block party, and in the process, the girls go to great lengths for a signature on the petition by visiting the scariest house on the block. The series also stars Omar Gooding, Tim Johnson Jr., Jermaine Harris, Missy Fierro, and Mirabelle Little.

How Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things Celebrates the “Beautiful Mess” in All of Us

By Zach Johnson

Based on Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling collection, the Hulu Original Tiny Beautiful Things—premiering Friday, April 7, with all episodes—follows Clare (Kathryn Hahn), a floundering writer who becomes an advice columnist while her own life is falling apart.

When audiences meet Clare, her marriage is on thin ice, her teenage daughter (Tanzyn Crawford) is icing her out, and her once-promising writing career is non-existent. So, imagine Clare’s surprise when an old writing pal asks her to take over as the advice columnist Dear Sugar. Strayed was just as surprised when real-life columnist Steve Almond offered her the very same gig years ago, when she was feeling much like Clare. “I wrote him a little fan letter saying, ‘I think this is great, but I wish you’d write it more,’” Strayed recalls. “He [later] got in touch with me and said, ‘I’m writing the column, but you’re Sugar. Will you take it over? The thing is, it doesn’t pay anything.  Nobody reads it, and it’s anonymous, so you will get no credit for your work.’ That pretty much described my writing career up until about then! And so, I said yes—and it became one of the most important yeses of my life. The beautiful thing about being paid nothing for your writing is that you can do whatever you want to do. And that’s what I did. I wrote the Dear Sugar column with all my intelligence, love, and humanity.”

Because Strayed’s columns had already been adapted into a book, a play, and a podcast, showrunner and executive producer Liz Tigelaar wanted to take a different approach for the series by treating it like “a nonlinear memoir.” In the early days, Tigelaar recalls, “I started to think, ‘What would it look like if Cheryl had never hiked the Pacific Crest Trail [which inspired her best-selling book, Wild]? What would it look like if Cheryl had never become the writer she always wanted to be—that her mother hoped and believed she could be? So, that started the foundation for building Clare.”

Clare, played by Kathryn Hahn, looks at her daughter, Rae, played by Tanzyn Crawford, who is covering her eyes. They are both lying on a blanket, outside, at night.

As such, much of Clare’s story is inspired by Strayed’s own. “The seminal experiences in Clare’s past were so important that they did, in some ways, have to match my life,” Strayed says. “From the beginning, we knew Clare isn’t going to be Cheryl, but many of her most important experiences—beautiful and ugly, painful and true—had to be mine. She had to have a mother who died young of cancer like I did. She had to have had gotten married scandalously young like I did. She had to have grown up poor and working class in the world environment like I did. Those are the things that made me, and those are the things that made Clare. Those pieces really did come from my life.”

Hahn found it easy to relate to Clare, calling herself far from perfect. “I don’t know a person on the planet that I particularly trust who says they have their [life] together. I think it’s an evolving process, being a human being,” she says. “We are constantly trying to figure it out. That’s the beauty of all these roles I’ve been lucky enough to play. It’s that journey we’re all on. This is the sweet spot for me. The place I love to be as an actor is in between that catch in your throat: ‘Is it going to be a laugh or a sob?’”

Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Clare in flashbacks, says getting to develop the character with Hahn was a dream collaboration. “I was lucky to be on set and see Kathryn embody Clare,” she shares. “It was like a cheat, seeing this incredible talent [at work].”

Young Clare, played by Sarah Pigeon, holds her baby daughter in one arm and a piece of paper in the other. Behind them are several unopened moving boxes.

Tigelaar says Hahn and Pigeon “so bravely inhabited” their shared role, especially after working with Kim Gillingham, who founded Creative Dreamwork as a way for artists to practice creating with the unconscious. “Kim said something in our first workshop that stuck with me the whole time; it still makes me want to cry. She said, ‘This show is not about perfection. This is not about you being perfect or playing these roles perfectly. Bring your mess. Bring your broken hearts.’ And that just embedded in me. This isn’t a portrayal of perfect people.... You can feel two completely opposing things at once equally and hold them. And I think that’s what the show is about. It really is both/and.”

That ethos is evident in the way Clare connects with her readers, her family, and herself. “Whenever we’d be on set, debating a scene at the last minute, we’d be like, ‘Wait, what is this about? Is it this or is it this?’” Tigelaar recalls. “[Ultimately,] we’d be like, ‘No, it’s both. It’s everything all at once. I think there’s a difference between being messed up and being a mess. We brought our own messiness, and that’s what everybody drew from. To me, that’s what made it so deep, and brave, and powerful.”

Star Wars Celebration Europe Can’t-Miss Panels and How to Stream Them

By the D23 Team

Star Wars Celebration Europe begins this Friday, April 7, and promises to be packed with enough fun to fill a galaxy far, far away—well, at least as far as London, anyway. If you’re interested in keeping up with all the Star Wars action, you can stream the event on StarWars.com or at YouTube.com/StarWars. Streams begin at 12:30 p.m. GMT / 5:30 a.m. PT on Friday, April 7; 12 p.m. GMT / 5:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, April 8; and 10:45 a.m. GMT / 3:45 a.m. PT on subsequent days. Whether you’re in London or Tatooine, check out the list below for some of the excitement to come.

Friday, April 7

Crash Course Into the Old Republic
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. GMT
Location: Fan Stage
Thousands of years before the Skywalker name was known throughout the Galaxy, there were the incredibly powerful Rakata, a massive Sith Empire, Mandalorian fleets pushing the Republic to the brink, ancient superweapons, and the redemption of one of the most infamous figures in Star Wars: Revan. Join panelists for a crash course in nearly 25,000 years of history and a chance to pick their brains. Stick around for discussions from both Old Republic lore experts and cosplayers of the Old Republic!

Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Star Wars Celebration returns, launching with a must-see showcase that will kick the weekend’s festivities into hyperdrive. Lucasfilm’s current crop of live-action filmmakers will be joined by special guests to discuss the many current and upcoming Star Wars adventures, including The Mandalorian, Andor, and more!

Star Wars Mindful Matters with Ashley Eckstein
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Star Wars Kids Stage
Need a break from the busy show floor? Overwhelmed by all the jaw-dropping Star Wars news? Join Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, at the Kids Stage as she leads a handful of Star Wars-themed mindfulness lessons.

The Making of Andor Season One
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
Executive Producers Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna and their team of creatives recount the making of the epic first season of Star Wars: Andor.

Saturday, April 8

Ahsoka
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Join Executive Producers Dave Filoni, Disney Legend Jon Favreau, and special guests for a look at the upcoming Disney+ series, Ahsoka.

Bringing Worlds to Life: The Concept Art of ILM
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Twin Suns Stage
Join host Clayton Sandell alongside Doug Chiang and Industrial Light & Magic Supervising Art Director Jason Horley as they take you behind the scenes to explore what goes into bringing a director’s vision to the silver screen. From the ILM Department’s work on the original trilogy to the Star Wars prequels, and to the latest films in the franchise and beyond, you’ll learn how iconic movie moments are made.

Star Wars: The High Republic
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Centuries before the Skywalker saga there was The High Republic! Join luminous authors for an in-depth conversation about epic new tales spanning books, comics, audio, and beyond. Including all-new announcements and reveals from Star Wars: The High Republic Phase II, and a sneak peek of what’s to come in Phase III! Guests include authors Cavan Scoot, Charles Soule, Claudia Gray, Daniel José Older, George Mann, and Lydia Kang.

40 Years of Return of the Jedi
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Forty years ago, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was the highly anticipated sequel that Star Wars fans had been waiting years to see, and the last Star Wars theatrical adventure to be released for the foreseeable future. Counted as a favorite episode by many, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’s story, characters, settings and score still resonate with fans today, and its 40th anniversary offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate this time-honored classic. Join special guest host and Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen as she chats with Star Wars legends of the past, present, and future about the influence of this beloved chapter in the galaxy far, far away.

Clone Wars – 15 Year Anniversary Panel
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns Stage]
Join Dave Filoni, Athena Portillo, Matthew Wood, Dee Bradley Baker, Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, and James Arnold Taylor for a look back at the beginning of Lucasfilm Animation and how Star Wars: The Clone Wars came to be.

D23 Presents: Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Screening in London
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • Screenings at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. GMT
This event is SOLD OUT.
We have a very good feeling about this! D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is excited to join the festivities of Star WarsCelebration Europe 2023 with an exclusive screening of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on April 8 in London!

Sunday, April 9

Villains of the Sequel Trilogy [Streaming to Galaxy Stage]
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to the Galaxy Stage]
This panel is a pre-ticketed event; there will be limited standby available.
The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many panels some consider to be… can’t-miss! Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she sits down with Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke), and Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma) as they discuss their villainous roles in the final chapters of the Skywalker Saga.

A Look Back at Obi-Wan Kenobi
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Take a look back at the hit limited series with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Indira Varma, Vivien Lyra Blair, and executive producer/director Deborah Chow.

Star Wars Mindful Matters with Ashley Eckstein
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Star Wars Kids Stage
Need a break from the busy show floor? Overwhelmed by all the jaw-dropping Star Wars news? Join Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, at the Kids Stage as she leads a handful of Star Wars-themed mindfulness lessons.

Disney Parks: Where Star Wars Comes to Life
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Join some of the creative minds from Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm for a special look at how Disney brings Star Wars to life in its parks and beyond. Discover more about immersive experiences from a galaxy far, far away, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and more. Disney and Star Wars fans alike will be treated to the insights only these creators can provide.

Star Wars Animation Game Night
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Star Wars Animation Game Night is a competition of galactic proportions starring voice actors from your favorite animated Star Wars series. Watch as Ashley Eckstein, Dee Bradley Baker, James Arnold Taylor, Matthew Wood, and Matt Lanter compete in feats of knowledge, skill, and luck to prove who is the ULTIMATE Star Wars fan.

Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away…
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Twin Suns Stage
From adult-aged novels to nonfiction, from kids comics to audiobook epics, Lucasfilm Publishing explores the stories from a galaxy far, far away. Featuring all-new announcements, exciting details and reveals for new and upcoming titles from the time of the High Republic to the time of the First Order, this panel is not to be missed! Guests include authors Adam Christopher, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to the Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she invites Star Wars: The Bad Batch executive producer and supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jennifer Corbett, executive producer Athena Portillo, actors Dee Bradley Baker (the Bad Batch) and Michelle Ang (Omega) to discuss highlights from the second season of the acclaimed series!

Star Wars: Visions Volume 2
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Join host Amy Ratcliffe, Star Wars: Visions executive producers, and filmmakers from Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, D’ART Shtajio, El Guiri, La Cachette, Lucasfilm, Punk Robot, Studio Mir, Triggerfish, and 88 Pictures for an exclusive first look at Star Wars: Visions Volume 2.

Doug Chiang: Designing Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: The Mandalorian Production Designer and Lucasfilm’s Vice President and Executive Creative Director Doug Chiang will present an in-depth talk about designing the characters, spaceships, and worlds for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3. He will share the challenges they faced in revisiting iconic Star Wars characters like Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.

Closing Ceremony
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Live on the Celebration, Galaxy, Twin Suns, & Star Wars Celebration LIVE! Stages]

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®

By Andie Hagemann

From galactic adventures to royal engagements—and everything in between—don’t miss the spectacular content coming to your TV (and assorted streaming devices) this weekend. On Saturday, watch the network premiere of Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe on Disney Channel, followed by the series finale of The Owl House on Disney Channel and Disney XD. Then, on Sunday, don’t miss X-Men: The Last Stand, airing on FXM, a special presentation of Cruella on Freeform, and the Raven’s Home Season 6 premiere on Disney Channel.

In a scene from Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe, Perry, an animated, teal platypus, wears an orange space suit and floats in space.

Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe—Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
We know what you’ll do today: watch the network premiere of this hilarious animated movie! Phineas (voiced by Vincent Martella) and Ferb (voiced by David Errigo Jr.) set out on a journey across the galaxy to rescue Candace (voiced by Ashley Tisdale) after she’s abducted by aliens. But Candace discovers the far-off planet is a utopia, free of her pesky little brothers. The voice cast also includes Dee Bradley Baker, Alyson Stone, Dan Pvenmire, Ali Wong, and Wayne Brady.

In a scene from an episode of The Owl House, three characters look up at a purple spotlight.

The Owl House—Saturday, April 8, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and Disney XD
The bewitching series finale is here! The fate of everything on the Boiling Isles now rests on the shoulders of a human, a cursed witch, and a determined but tiny little King. The voice cast includes Sarah-Nicole Robles, Issac Ryan Brown, Alex Hirsch, Wendie Malick, Michaela Dietz, Jorge Diaz, Tati Gabrielle, Elizabeth Grullon, and Cissy Jones. Binge the entire series on Disney+.

In a scene from Cruella, actor Emma Stone portrays Cruella de Vil and wears an all-leather outfit and sits in a newspaper newsroom. 

X-Men: The Last Stand—Sunday, April 9, at 4:45 p.m. ET/PT on FXM
When a cure is created which apparently can turn any mutant into a “normal” human being, outrage overtakes the mutant community. Magneto (Ian McKellen), who still believes a war is on the horizon, uses the resurrected Jean Grey (Famke Janssen)—now Phoenix, the most powerful mutant of all—against the X-Men. While Logan (Hugh Jackman) recruits members of Charles Xavier’s (Patrick Stewart) original team and confronts an emerging relationship with Storm (Halle Berry), Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) come into their own as the X-Men’s future. The action-packed film also stars Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Elliot Page and is available to stream on Disney+.

In a scene from X-Men: The Last Stand, actors Halle Berry as Storm, Patrick Stewart as Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto, and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine stand in a residential neighborhood.

Cruella—Sunday, April 9, at 5:40 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform
Emma Stone stars in the live-action feature film, which explores the rebellious early days of one of cinema’s most notorious—and notoriously fashionable—villains, Cruella de Vil (Stone). Set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, the movie follows a young grifter named Estella and reveals the series of events that cause her to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous and revenge-bent Cruella. The rockin’ film also stars Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, and Mark Strong and is available to stream on Disney+.

In a scene from an episode of Raven’s Home, actor Mykal-Michelle Harris plays Alice and wears a red and gold gown and a crown and holds a doll that wears a matching outfit.

Raven’s Home—Sunday, April 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
Season 6 begins with Raven (Raven-Symoné), Booker (Issac Ryan Brown), and Alice (Mykal-Michelle Harris) venturing across the pond to visit Victor (Rondell Sheridan) in London. After Alice is mistaken for a member of the royal family, the group becomes entangled in hilarious mix-up of majestic proportions. Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, the Chill Grill’s new advertisement invites a crowd neither Neil (Felix Avitia) and Lazlo (Ernie Grunwald) predicted.

See the Mickey Mouse “Leader of the Club” Milestone Statue at Disney Parks!

By Sarah Sterling

D23 Gold Members are looking forward to the arrival of their Mickey Mouse “Leader of the Club” Milestone Statue*, but if you want to see this year’s Collector Set in person NOW, you’re in luck! You can find beautiful vitrine displays across Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort featuring the “platinum pop star” tribute statue, the new Gold Membership card designs, and official certificate that come in this year’s set! (If you’re not a D23 Gold Member yet, there’s still time to sign up today and receive this amazing gift.)

If you want to get a sneak peek, here are all the places you can see the Milestone Statue at Disneyland and Walt Disney World:

Disneyland Resort

  • Disneyana on Main Street, U.S.A—Disneyland Park

If you frequent Disneyland Resort, you won’t need to go far to find our D23 Collector Set display. Once you enter Disneyland Park, visit Disneyana on the right-hand side of Main Street, U.S.A.’s Town Square and you’ll find a vitrine full of D23 Gold Member goodies amongst the beautiful art and collectibles available for purchase!

Walt Disney World Resort

  • Island Mercantile—Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

There are many locations at Walt Disney World where you can spot the D23 2023 Collector Set, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Upon entering the park, visit Island Mercantile right in front of the Tree of Life and check it out...

You don’t just have to visit our theme parks to see the D23 Collector Set on display—there are also multiple locations across Disney Springs where you can see the Mickey Mouse “Leader of the Club” Statue up close! Be sure to see this beauty while shopping at World of Disney, located in the Marketplace section of Disney Springs.

But guess what? These are merely a few of the places you can see our D23 Collector Set in person! Whether you’re in the Parks, shopping in Disney Springs, or staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, here are allthe locations where you can visit our vitrine displays:

Disneyland Resort:

  • Disneyana at Disneyland Park
  • Off the Page at Disney California Adventure Park

Walt Disney World Resort:

  • Island Mercantile—Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
  • Box Office Gifts at Magic Kingdom Park
  • Art of Disney at EPCOT
  • Celebrity 5 & 10 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney Springs:

  • World of Disney
  • Art of Disney
  • Marketplace Co-Op

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels:

  • Buena Vista Gifts at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • BouTiki at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

The 2023 D23 Collector Set comes with every D23 Gold Membership! Sign up to be a D23 Gold Member today and make this piece of history part of your collection.

JOIN TODAY

*The 2023 D23 Gold Member Collector Set, consisting of the D23 membership card (“Card”), certificate (“Certificate”), and Mickey Mouse “Leader of the Club" Milestone Statue (“Statue”), will be available starting January 1, 2023, for new or renewing D23 Gold Members joining or renewing on either a D23 Gold Membership Individual Plan or D23 Gold Membership Duo Plan (sent to the Primary Member). For new Members, the Card and Certificate will ship 2-4 weeks following enrollment, and the Statue will begin shipping by Spring 2023. For current D23 Gold Members, the Card, Certificate, and Statue will ship after their D23 Gold Membership renewal in 2023, provided that the shipment of the Statue will begin by Spring 2023 or following the D23 Gold Member’s renewal date, whichever is later. Limit one (1) D23 Gold Member Collector Set per membership plan.

5 Things to Know About Disney and Pixar’s Elemental

By Bruce C. Steele

It’s time to start planning your journey to Element City, a place unlike any you’ve ever seen before and the setting for Disney and Pixar’s new animated feature, Elemental, opening June 16, only in theaters.

The thriving, colorful metropolis is home to interconnected communities of people made of the four elements of classical lore: water, fire, air, and earth. It’s also home to the recently arrived fire couple, Bernie and Cinder (voiced by Ronnie Del Carmen and Shila Ommi, respectively), and their Element City-born daughter, Ember (voiced by Leah Lewis). Bernie runs a bodega-like shop specializing in imports from Fireland and other fire-friendly products, and Ember is his eager apprentice—although her hot temper sometimes get in her way.

“I love Ember. I wish I was Ember,” says the film’s director, Peter Sohn, who also conceived the story’s setting. “I wish I had the strength that she has.”

Ember needs that strength to try to rescue the fire shop from closure, and she latches onto an unlikely source of assistance: water guy Wade (voiced by Mamoudou Athie), who one day splashes into her life. Their journey together—their gradual connection—is at the heart of the movie.

It’s a lot to absorb, so we’re here to give you the spark you need to find your way in this wonderous new land. Following are five key things to know in advance of seeing Elemental, as illuminated by Sohn and producer Denise Ream in a recent online press conference.

1. The story and characters were inspired, in part, by Sohn’s childhood in the Korean immigrant community in the Bronx in New York City.

“My parents came from another county,” shares Sohn, a Bronx native. “The shop they started, and a couple other shops that my father had started, were all in immigrant neighborhoods, so that’s all that I had known [while growing up].” For the film, he continues, “I was trying to capture that idea of people from other places who have gathered to create a life for themselves. That was the emotional hook for me, that my parents had come here from another place to make a better life for us.”

It was not an experience unique to Sohn, of course. “That personal experience resonated with a lot of people—our co-workers and colleagues,” Ream adds. “So many people at Pixar are first- and second-generation immigrants. We ended up having a lot of those people work on the movie, and that added texture and authenticity.”

In a scene from the Pixar Animation Studios feature Elemental, Ember, a female fire person, and Wade, a male water person, arrive in the grandstand of a sports arena in Element City. Ember looks worried, while Wade has a silly smile.

2. The pairing of fire and water people as the main characters was, you might say, elemental.

“When I was first drawing these ideas out, it was just stream of consciousness—just drawing and connecting to different ideas,” Sohn explains. At one point, he says, “I was trying to figure out, ‘What would be really hard for fire?’ And then I drew a bunch of fire characters over water in a boat. Then from there, it was like, ‘Oh, what if there was a water person?’ When I drew a fire person next to a water person, there was an immediate tension of like, ‘Oh, that water person could put that fire character out.’ You couldn’t get the same tension between an earth character and an air character. Fire and water were just a very visual punch of opposites, but then also a conflict.”

Designing the final characters to embody that idea was less simple, Ream adds. Take Ember, for example: “From a design perspective, it [needed to be] very clear that this is not a person on fire. They were made of fire.” The same could be said of Wade, who has the fluidity of water in his every move.

3. Shaping the characters and story tapped into some very personal experiences.

Wade, whom Sohn likes to describe as a “go-with-the-flow guy,” is prone to tears at unexpected moments. “When you drew a water person, having them leak water and sweat or cry was just a funny visual,” he says. “In trying to find Wade as the story was evolving early on, there was something about it that I tied to [the fact that] I am a totally emotional guy. I’m a crier. I was just pulling from my own life.”

Some incidents in the film reflect not just Sohn’s life but those of others on the creative team. “We really [encouraged] our crew members to bring their personal stories into this,” the director says. An early sequence in which Bernie and Cinder, with baby Ember, are searching for an apartment, only to have many doors shut in their faces, “came from a real experience of this French story artist named Bolhem Bouchiba, who boarded this moment for us,” Sohn recalls.

In a scene from the Pixar Animation Studios feature Elemental, Ember, a female fire person, and Wade, a male water person, stand in front of a desk that has common office objects on it. The person behind the desk is out of frame. Ember and Wade are both smiling, and behind them is an assortment of plants.

4. The portrayal of Element City was inspired by many earlier live-action films.

The metropolis is chock-full of details viewers may need multiple viewings to appreciate, from the particular products in Bernie’s shop, to the signs and architecture that characterize the buildings in different neighborhoods, to the water-based mass transit system that poses a particular challenge for fire people. For inspiration on inventing an entire big city and making it appear, for the most part, lush and attractive, the Pixar creative team turned to the great filmmakers of the past.

“I really believe in this creation concept called ‘immaculate reality,’” Sohn explains. “It was a phrase that I heard from [Disney Legend] George Lucas on the making of Star Wars. They were designing things knowing that they had a [fictional] history. The audience would never get to know that history, but because of that, it would make the world feel more real.”

The Elemental team also looked at “how some of our favorite cities were shot” in classic films, Sohn continues. “For example, the way that Roman Holiday was shot to showcase moments of Rome… [and how for] Amelie they made this postcards version of Paris.” They were also inspired by how the late cinematographer Gordon Willis shot New York City for many classic films of the 1970s and 1980s. His work, Sohn says, “showcased the city as this person, and it was that sort of mentality that we were trying to find.”

5. The film’s rich backstory and sweeping visuals are in service of a simple theme.

“This was such a personal journey,” Sohn says, “about wanting to thank our parents for the sacrifices that they’ve made… [and to] connect to something that feels real and truthful and deep within ourselves—from kids to adults, families, and everybody.”

Ream adds that they are always “telling stories that come from a personal place at the studio.” And in this case, the location of that personal place is the fantastical Element City—which everyone will be able to visit at theaters starting on June 16.

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!

As a member of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, you know your magic! This week we’re putting your Oswald the Lucky Rabbit knowledge to the test to see if you are the ultimate Disney fan.

How many Oswald the Lucky Rabbit silent cartoons were made by Walt Disney?

Correct! Wrong!

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!
You are the ultimate Disney fan!
Looks like you are a Disney expert! Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Challenge. We’ll see you next week for your chance to uphold your title as the ultimate Disney fan!
Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!
Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Challenge! These questions are tricky, so don’t stop swimming yet. We’ll see you next week for your chance to earn the title of the ultimate Disney fan!

5 Things You Didn’t Know About TRON Lightcycle / Run

By Alison Stateman

TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise® welcomed guests to the Grid when the attraction officially opened on April 4 at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Inspired by the groundbreaking movie TRON (1982) and its sequel TRON: Legacy (2010), the attraction is among the fastest roller coasters in any Disney Park—reaching a top speed just shy of 60 miles per hour.

So, before you take part in a high-stakes race as a member of heroic Team Blue against villainous Team Orange aboard a Lightcycle, here are a few scintillating facts that may surprise you.

1. The story behind TRON Lightcycle / Run takes place after the events of TRON: Legacy.
The attraction picks up where moviegoers last saw Sam Flynn, son of computer genius Kevin Flynn, and Quorra, the Isomorphic Algorithm he rescued and brought back with him to the real world. The couple are now creating permanent gateways to promote and support increased interaction between Programs and Users, also known as humans.

A train of Lightcyles traverse the indoor portion of the illuminated track at night.

2. TRON Lightcycle / Run is the second Disney Parks coaster inspired by the groundbreaking film.
The first coaster dedicated to the sci-fi classic, TRON Lightcycle Power Run,debuted with the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016, following a nearly decade-long development process. “The beauty of this attraction is yes, there is a sister attraction that exists,” Chris Beatty, Portfolio Creative Director for Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), shared. “So, we always like to say that’s the first portal into the Grid in Shanghai, and the second one is here in Orlando.”

3. The past and future intersect at TRON Lightcycle / Run.
The Walt Disney World WDI team was guided by the work done by Imagineers behind the Shanghai attraction, but there were changes needed to bring the attraction to Florida. Chief among them was the fact that the Walt Disney World Railroad—the painstakingly resorted vintage steam train attraction dating back to the park’s opening in 1971—cut through the site. In order to accommodate the Opening Day attraction, the building site had to be raised about 10 feet so the train could run under and then through TRON Lightcyle / Run. Jerold Kaplan, Executive Ride Project Engineer, WDI, shared “Most of the changes were made to things that are blind to the guest. Subtle changes to the structure that help our maintenance crews keep the reliability up to where we want it.”

4. A whole new score.
The attraction’s location in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom Park required the WDI team to create additional music to help differentiate it from neighboring Space Mountain. Fun fact: The team enlisted composer Joseph Trapanese, who worked with Daft Punk on the Grammy®-nominated TRON: Legacy soundtrack as well as the music for the TRON attraction in Shanghai, to create the new soundtrack.

Guests aboard their Lightcycle train smile excitedly as they experience racing on the Grid.

5. This race is a team sport.
In the TRON films, riders compete as individuals on their own Lightcyle, but for the attraction it’s a team sport. This was done to avoid long wait times for guests. Fourteen guests ride on each train of Lightcycles which are paired side-by-side. Three transfer-accessible vehicles enable guests with disabilities to board and enjoy the attraction as well. Lockers are available for guests to stow larger items before boarding, with compartments available on board to secure smaller items, such as phones and glasses.

Disney D23 Rewind—Week of April 3

By Courtney Potter

The promotional poster for Suga: Road to D-Day, coming soon to Disney+, features BTS star SUGA wearing a bright-green jacket as he stares up towards the sky. He’s set against a darker-green background, as well as the words “SUGA: Road to D-Day” in light gray.

BTS Star SUGA to Release New Documentary Suga: Road To D-Day on Disney+

After collaborating with some of the world’s biggest artists—including Coldplay, Steve Aoki, The Chainsmokers, and Halsey—BTS star SUGA is heading out on a musical journey… travelling the world to work on his solo album, in SUGA: Road to D-DAY, coming April 21 on Disney+.

The upcoming documentary will follow SUGA as he journeys around the globe from Seoul to Tokyo, Las Vegas, and beyond in search of musical inspiration for his upcoming album D-DAY. Throughout the film, viewers will see the star at his most vulnerable, as he discusses his writer’s block with other musicians, and delves deep into his most traumatic memories to pen lyrics for several of his latest songs. SUGA: Road to D-DAY also includes exclusive live clips of songs to be featured on the album.

With the documentary slated for an April 21 release, fans can also visit Disney+ (or Hotstar) for lots of other K-Pop fun—including BTS: PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE – LA, an exclusive cinematic 4K concert film featuring BTS’ live performance at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021; j-hope IN THE BOX, a behind-the-scenes documentary showcasing the creation of BTS star j-hope’s first solo album; and IN THE SOOP: Friendcation, an original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, Itaewon Class’ Park Seojun, Parasite star Choi Wooshick, Soundtrack #1’s Park Hyungsik, and Peakboy, as the five friends venture off on a surprise trip and enjoy a host of activities together.

ILMxLAB Debuts Physical Edition of Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition

Apropos of Star Wars Celebration Europe happening as we speak (type?), news from ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm’s award-winning immersive storytelling studio: The physical edition of the incredible virtual reality game Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition has just hit shelves!

Exclusively for PlayStation®VR2 (PS VR2), and released in collaboration with publisher Perp Games, the physical edition offers fans and collectors an additional way to own the experience for themselves…

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition is a sweeping adventure with multiple styles of gameplay and difficulty settings for both seasoned gamers and new players. It follows a droid repair technician who gets swept up into a grand adventure after crash landing on the planet Batuu—the same setting as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the immersive land featured in U.S. Disney Parks.

The Enhanced Edition has been rebuilt to capitalize on the hardware capabilities, including eye tracking and foveated rendering, headset feedback, adaptive triggers, haptic feedback with PS VR2 Sense controllers, and dynamic 3D audio. Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge was originally released on Meta Quest, with Part I debuting in November 2020 and Part II in September 2021.

During their adventure, players will meet fan-favorite characters including R2-D2, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), Jedi Master Yoda (Frank Oz), Dok-Ondar (Cory Rouse), and Hondo Ohnaka (Jim Cummings). They will also meet new characters developed for the experience like the boisterous barkeep Seezelslak (Bobby Moynihan), treasure hunter Lens Kamo (Karla Crome), Guavian Death Gang leader Tara Rashin (Debra Wilson), and First Order commanding officer Lt. Gauge (Daman Mills).

While at Seezelslak’s Cantina, the Azumel bartender will transport players to other places and times in the Star Wars galaxy through his legendary Tales. Through him, they will live out the story of the Padawan-turned-Jedi Ady Sun’Zee (Ellie Araiza) in “Temple of Darkness” and “The Sacred Garden.” In “The Bounty of Boggs Triff,” players will take on a peculiar bounty while playing as the class four assassin droid IG-88 (Rhys Darby).

Players will encounter and work with familiar characters like Mubo (Matthew Wood), the owner of Black Spire Outpost’s Droid Depot, who will set them up with equipment and items throughout their journey.

The game is available at major American retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart. Copies can also be ordered directly from the Perp Games Store, and a list of global retailers can be found here. Fans interested in the digital version of the experience can purchase it from PlayStation™Store.

ICYMI: 5 Things to Know About Disney and Pixar’s Elemental

With Disney and Pixar’s Elemental heading to theaters in just a few months, it’s time to start getting familiar with Element City and its truly unique citizens… Hear directly from director (pun intended) Peter Sohn right here at D23.com about the inspiration behind the characters; which live-action films fueled the look and feel of Elemental; and more.

Disney Cruise Line’s DisneyBand+ to Preview This Summer

If you’re planning to take a Disney Cruise Line summer vacation, here’s something extra fun (on top of all the amazing fun!) to look forward to: They’ll soon be debuting DisneyBand+, the same wearable technology as the MagicBand+ offered in U.S. Disney Parks.

Our friends at the Disney Parks Blog recently announced that the DisneyBand+ will preview this summer on select Disney Wish sailings before its official release, just in time for Disney Cruise Line’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

With three designs to choose from, DisneyBand+ combines the convenience of hands-free technology with extra magic moments. Just a tap of the wrist will unlock your stateroom door; charge food or souvenirs to your credit card; or link onboard photos to your account. Children can also use their bands in lieu of the Oceaneer Club Band to access kids’ clubs, including the onboard Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Scuttle’s Cove at Castaway Cay.

The DisneyBand+ is waterproof and rechargeable, so it’s perfect for future Disney vacations—including more Disney cruises and trips to Disney Parks. Visit DisneyCruiseLine.com for more info, and as further details are revealed.

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®

It’s a spring holiday weekend, and there’s lots to watch from around the worlds of Disney… the network premiere of Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe, the series finale of The Owl House, and the Raven’s Home Season 6 premiere, all on Disney Channel; a special presentation of Cruella on Freeform; and more where that came from.

New Trailer for Hulu Original Drama Series Saint X 

Hulu has shared the official trailer for Original drama series Saint X. Based on Alexis Schaitkin’s novel of the same name, the series premieres Wednesday, April 26, with three episodes and will debut a new episode weekly thereafter.

Saint X, which is told via multiple timelines, upends the girl-gone-missing genre as it explores how a young woman’s mysterious death during an idyllic Caribbean vacation creates a traumatic ripple effect that eventually pulls her surviving sister into a dangerous pursuit of the truth.

The eight-episode series stars Alycia Debnam-Carey, Josh Bonzie, West Duchovny, Jayden Elijah, Bre Francis, Kenlee Anaya Townsend, Betsy Brandt, and Michael Park.

Get Ready to Rock: The Muppets Mayhem Debuts May 10!

We’ve got a feeling this’ll crash Disney+… in the best way possible! The Muppets Mayhem unleashes an all-new batch of chaos beginning Wednesday, May 10, when all episodes debut on the streaming service. See the new teaser trailer for the series—if you haven’t caught it already, or even if you have (it deserves manyviewings)—below:

The Disney+ Original series follows The Electric Mayhem Band—Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone, and Lips on trumpet—on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of driven young music executive Nora (Lilly Singh), the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current day music scene…

The Muppets Mayhem also stars Tahj Mowry as Moog and Saara Chaudry as Hannah, with recurring guest star Anders Holm as JJ, and features Bill Barretta as Dr. Teeth, Dave Goelz as Zoot, Eric Jacobson as Animal, Peter Linz as Lips, David Rudman as Janice, and Matt Vogel as Floyd.

Based on characters created by Disney Legend Jim Henson, the series was developed and written by executive producers Adam F. Goldberg, Barretta, and co-executive producer Jeff Yorkes. And keep those ears peel for some sure-to-be-amazing original music by executive music producer and Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry!

In a still from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones—wearing his signature fedora—leans out of a doorway on a ship that’s sailing on the ocean. He’s looking at something off-camera to the left.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to Premiere at Cannes Film Festival

Yes, it’s true: Indiana Jones will return to the Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere of Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on Thursday, May 18. The highly anticipated final installment of the beloved franchise, starring Harrison Ford as the legendary hero archaeologist and directed by James Mangold, will screen out of competition.

“In 1995, I was honored to come to Cannes with my first film as part of Directors’ Fortnight,” Mangold recently said. “Twenty-eight years later, I am proud to return with a slightly larger spectacle. My legendary collaborators and I are very excited to share a brand-new and final Indiana Jones adventure with you!”

Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen.

The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and Disney Legend George Lucas serving as executive producers. John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, has once again composed the score.

Look for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in theaters beginning Friday, June 30!

Marvel Studios Reveals New Secret Invasion Trailer and Premiere Date

Baseball fans were among the first to view it, but in case you, dear reader, haven’t had the chance yet… we’re here to help: The latest trailer for Marvel Studios’ espionage thriller Secret Invasion—seen above—debuted during ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast last weekend. The live-action, original series premieres on Wednesday, June 21, exclusively on Disney+.

In Secret Invasion, set in the present-day Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies—including Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and the Skrull Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), who has made a life for himself on Earth—and together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.

Secret Invasion also stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Charlayne Woodard, Killian Scott, Samuel Adewunmi, Dermot Mulroney, Christopher McDonald, and Katie Finneran, with Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, and Don Cheadle.

Don’t Miss These Reasons to Get Excited for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Fan-favorite video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is getting a sequel, and we’re less than a month away from its release! Read up on what to expect—including some easier location-switching, an evolved cinematic style, and the fact that you can pet boglings (!!)—from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor right here at D23.com.

New Trailer for National Geographic’s Limited Series A Small Light

This week, National Geographic released the trailer from the upcoming eight-part limited series A Small Light. The powerful series will have a multinetwork launch on Monday, May 1, at 9 p.m. ET/PT with a two-episode simulcast across National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, and Lifetime. Then, on Saturday, May 6, Freeform will encore the premiere episodes at 8 p.m. ET/PT. For the full series run, two episodes will debut every Monday thereafter at 9 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic; stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu; and be available on the Nat Geo TV and ABC apps.

Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree, and opinionated—at a time when opinions got you killed―when her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII. Without hesitation, Miep agreed. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband Jan (Joe Cole)—with several other everyday heroes—watched over the Frank, van Pels, and Pfeffer families hiding in the secret annex.

The cast of A Small Light includes Amira Casar as matriarch Edith Frank, with Billie Boullet and Ashley Brooke playing Edith and Otto’s daughters, Anne and Margot. Andy Nyman plays Hermann van Pels, Caroline Catz plays Auguste van Pels, Rudi Goodman plays Peter van Pels, and Noah Taylor plays Dr. Fritz Pfeffer, all of whom hid in the annex with the Frank family. Eleanor Tomlinson plays Tess, Miep’s best friend. Miep’s co-workers are played by Sally Messham as Bep Voskuijl, Ian McElhinney as Johannes Kleiman, and Nicholas Burns as Victor Kugler. Liza Sadovy plays Mrs. Stoppelman, Laurie Kynaston plays Casmir, and Sebastian Armesto plays Max Stoppelman.

How The Crossover Blends Poetry with Basketball

By Andie Hagemann

Based on the best-selling novel in verse by Kwame Alexander, the new Disney+ Original series The Crossover introduces Josh “Filthy” (Jalyn Hall) and Jordan “J.B.” Bell (Amir O’Neil)—twin middle school basketball phenoms who eat, sleep, and breathe basketball.

Filthy is a laser-focused athlete, determined to be the next LeBron James, while J.B. is content to dutifully go along for the ride. But as J.B.’s interest in basketball wanes, the brothers’ tight-knit bond is put in jeopardy.

Through his lyrical poetry, an adult version of Filthy (voiced by Daveed Diggs) narrates the story of their coming-of-age, on and off the court, as their father, Chuck (Derek Luke), adjusts to life after professional basketball and their mother, Dr. Crystal Bell (Sabrina Revelle), finally pursues lifelong dreams of her own. As the brothers navigate life’s growing pains, they make the startling discovery that there might be more to life than basketball.

“The Crossover is about resilience,” Alexander says. “It’s about these kids being told ‘no’ after having been told ‘yes’ all their life.”

Alexander, who serves as co-showrunner and executive producer, wrote the novel in verse 12 years ago. However, it took nearly six years and 22 rejections before a publisher recognized his book’s potential impact with young people. “My journey with this book is really a metaphor for this television series and where we are trying to go,” he says. “I heard nos everywhere, and in my head, I said, ‘This is a good book, Kwame; you’ve got to believe in it; you’ve got to say yes to yourself.’”

Based on the best-selling novel in verse by Kwame Alexander, the new Disney+ Original series The Crossover introduces Josh “Filthy” (Jalyn Hall) and Jordan “J.B.” Bell (Amir O’Neil)—twin middle school basketball phenoms who eat, sleep, and breathe basketball.

Adapting The Crossover for the screen challenged co-showrunners and executive producers Damani Johnson and Kimberly A. Harrison to channel their “inner Kwame” and seamlessly weave Alexander’s poetry into the series. “It was a learning experience for all of us,” Harrison recalls. “There’s a special rhythm to The Crossover that comes straight from the poetry. It’s the special sauce for the show.”

Because poetry is a big component of the story, the series’ creatives knew the voice of adult Filthy would require both gravitas and a sense of playfulness. So, when it was time to cast the role, there was only one man who met the criteria: Diggs. “Daveed has one of the best voices that you’ll ever hear, and one of the best cadences,” Johnson says. “Every time you hear his voice, it brings a smile to your face. We would make him do extra takes sometimes just so we could hear him say it one more time.”

The Crossover also highlights the resilience of the Bell family’s matriarch, Crystal, who balances being a school principal, wife, and mother, all with grace and strength. Alexander, Johnson, and Harrison wanted the series to reflect their own upbringing and show a “loving family” that audiences aren’t used to seeing onscreen.

In a scene from an episode of The Crossover, actors Derek Luke and Sabrina Revelle stand side by side inside a residential home. Luke wears a black tracksuit with three white stripes down the arms of the jacket and the side of the pants. Revelle wears a denim dress.

“Generally, the women in our cultures and in our communities are strong,” says Alexander. “There’s this poem, ‘The full potential of a nation cannot be realized unless the full potential of its women is realized / Only fools limit their women.’”

Adds Harrison, “I also think being able to see all the different types of hats that Crystal wears and how she’s able to put out these fires or be in the stands to root on J.B. and Filthy  gives the audience the kids’ perspective to see what parents go through in a day.”

When Harrison screened the series early for her kids, they too recognized the many hats she wears daily in addition to being their mom. “They said, ‘Mom, you do the same type of thing that kind of Crystal does. I didn’t realize that you went from work to the basketball game,’” she recalls.

The Crossover also stars Deja Monique Cruz as Maya, the Bell brothers’ best friend, who is not so secretly in love with Filthy; Trevor Raine Bush as Vondie, the brothers’ teammate and best friend; and Skyla I’Lece as Alexis, a childhood friend who recently returned to town and catches the eye of both Bell brothers. Phylicia Rashad guest stars as the boys’ grandmother and Chuck’s mom, Barbara, who is a fountain of love and wisdom.

All episodes stream exclusively on Disney+ beginning Wednesday, April 5.