Solve a Mystery in an All-New Grid—TRON: Identity Launches Today!

Something has been taken… are you the one to illuminate the truth?

TRON: Identity releases today on PC and Nintendo Switch, and the mystery has only just begun.

Play as Query, a detective program called in to solve a crime and uncover secrets that could impact the mysterious Grid he calls home. The choices you make matter; forge partnerships, uncover clues, and determine your perilous path as you make your way through branching storylines and twisty outcomes.

To navigate through this puzzling mystery, you’ll need to, well, solve puzzles! Defrag the identity discs of those you encounter to unlock lost memories, with puzzle mini-games increasing in complexity as you progress through the storyline.

TRON: Identity provides hours of content and re-playability as you explore several different outcomes to your choices, with each play-through offering more to discover. Change your approach, encounter new scenarios, and impact the fate of the server. It’s up to you.

This novel adventure has much in store for fans of Disney’s TRON. The game is set in an all-new Grid that was left alone to evolve without User intervention, and the legacy of Flynn is everywhere. The large, new cast of TRON characters you’ll interact with—like Prinz, the devotee of the Users design, or Proxy, the renegade rival—have shaped their world around the stories of “The Founders.” Encounter lightcycles; vibe to a striking game soundtrack inspired by the world of TRON; and definitely avoid ending up on the wrong side of an identity disc!

Play TRON: Identity today, available on Nintendo Switch and PC.

Decoding the Grid: A Conversation with TRON: Identity Producer Heidy Vargas

By Reena Bassil

The time is nearly here! Step into the Grid and embark on a mysterious journey with TRON: Identity, the latest visual novel puzzle adventure game from Disney Games and Bithell Games. Disney Games Producer Heidy Vargas has defragged many Identity Discs in her day, but her true passion is creating immersive game worlds for players to get lost in. We sat down with Vargas to discuss her work on TRON: Identity, as well as her impressive career journey at The Walt Disney Company. Check out what she had to say below! 

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club:  We understand you’ve played a key role in the development of TRON: Identity. What can you tell us about that game?
Heidy Vargas (HV): TRON: Identity is an exciting visual novel puzzle adventure set within a mysterious new Grid. Fans can expect an immersive visual novel with branching storylines and action-based decisions that can impact your path and the world around you. You will defrag Identity Discs by solving entertaining puzzles, and each puzzle will help recover memories that get you closer and closer to solving the mystery.

D23: What made your work on TRON: Identity special to you?
HV: I’ve always found diversity and inclusion to be an important part of my everyday life. When working on TRON: Identity, it was key for the Disney Games team and Bithell Games to present this new Grid as a reflection of the real world that also represents our players with diverse and unique characters. My hope is that players will see a Program character that resembles themselves.

D23: TRON: Identity follows a different storyline than the franchise it is based on. Can you touch on the decision to create something new?
HV: Our team is always looking for new and exciting ways to extend the iconic storylines that our fans know and love. TRON: Identity allows fans to immerse themselves even deeper within the world of TRON and interact with original characters and stories – stories that they themselves shape through their own decisions.

Mike Bithell and Heidy Vargas riding on TRON: Lightcycle / Run, both on the lightcycle-style attraction vehicles and wearing excited expressions.

D23: What similarities and differences will fans see in comparing the game to the TRON: Legacy-inspired TRON: Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort?
HV: TRON: Identity builds on the established visual cues and iconography from the TRON: Legacy film. A few things will feel familiar, but you’ll also find something that isn’t found in the existing films or the attraction… our new Grid features trees.

D23: Disney and Bithell Games worked together to create TRON: Identity and clearly focused on unique and great storytelling. What was it like working with Bithell Games?
HV: Working with Bithell Games has been an extremely collaborative process. They are experts in all things TRON and they weren’t afraid to take this well-established franchise and create an entirely new world. The team was extremely confident in their ability to create a new gaming genre unique for this Disney franchise.

D23: How did you start working with Disney?
HV: I began my career with Disney a few weeks after graduating from UCLA. Through the Disney Professional Internship program, I was able to learn very quickly on the job and gain exposure to other divisions within Disney. I was able to transition to a full-time role, but I quickly found myself volunteering for playtest sessions with the Games Team. I really didn’t expect I would be here now!

A screenshot from TRON: Identity, featuring the player character walking towards a building, which is labelled “Imposing Building.” The character has its back to the viewer, so that we only see their coat (featuring glowing “TRON” lines) and their Identity Disc. The entire image is tinted an electric blue color often associated with the franchise. Below the screenshot is a text box, which contains the text, “ It’s a cold night in the city. Nothing new there. You pull your coat tighter. Feel the heat of its glow, a small comfort agains the brittle rain.”

D23: What example do you want to set for future generations of game developers?
HV: I hope to be a positive and encouraging presence for newcomers in the industry. Having worked with interns in the past, I always aim to share information and knowledge and create space for everyone. It’s important for those of us in the business to encourage unique voices and foster an environment that encourages diversity.

D23: There has been much more emphasis on inclusion in the workplace – tell us what inclusion means to you and what advice you have for allies to keep the conversation going.
HV: Inclusion helps cultivate a culture that welcomes people to be themselves, acknowledging our differences and how these differences can contribute and improve our work and organization. I joined our DE&I teams very early on, and it’s been amazing to see how many of our peers have prioritized and dedicated their time to continuing the conversation. There is so much room for improvement in terms of inclusion in the workplace because it is an ever-evolving conversation. My advice, think of yourself as a leader no matter what level you’re at, it’s important to lead by example. Practice inclusivity with confidence and others will feel inclined to do so too.

D23: Tell us about the importance of seeing diverse representation in games.
HV: As a Latina it was always a challenge to find characters that looked like me, and I was given little opportunity to customize my player avatar to look like anyone that resembled me. I grew up with such a love of games like the Sims because of the ability to customize my world and create my own stories. Because of this I knew I wanted to be a voice for more representation in the projects I contribute to.

D23: What other projects do you have in the works?
HV: I’m the lead Producer on Disney Emoji Blitz, which is celebrating its 7th birthday this year and is constantly adding new Disney and Pixar emojis and features. There are a few other projects in the works that I can’t mention yet, but of course, TRON: Identity is the start of Bithell Games’ collaboration with Disney on TRON-dedicated games. Players can expect more TRON titles to come in the future, but for now we are excited to bring you TRON: Identity on April 11!

4 Out-Of-This-World Moments from Star Wars Celebration Europe

By Jocelyn Buhlman

This past weekend, Star Wars fans from around the world gathered in London, England, for a convention of intergalactic proportions: Star Wars Celebration Europe, an annual fan experience celebrating all things from a galaxy far, far away. This year’s event was full of immersive exhibits, screenings, exclusive merchandise, celebrity guests, and so much more—including panels packed with exciting announcements and can’t-miss moments! With so much happening in the Star Wars galaxy, we decided to round up some of our favorite parts of the weekend so you won’t miss a minute of the action from this year’s epic event.

Logos for The Acolyte, Ahoska, Skeleton Crew, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyall surround a bigger, silver logo for Lucasfilm LTD. All the logos sit on the black and green branding for Star Wars Celebration.

So Many New Trailers!

The Lucasfilm Studio Showcase is traditionally full of first looks and new trailers, and this year’s panel was no exception! The final trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, releasing June 30, 2023, showed off even more of the action and adventure in store for our favorite explorer. See for yourself:

Possibly one of the most anticipated trailer drops from the panel was a first look at Ahsoka, and during the showcase it was revealed that the series will premiere in August 2023! Take a look at the trailer—and mark your calendar, because August is just a lightspeed jump away…

Those weren’t all the trailers revealed during the weekend; fans of Star Wars Visions rejoiced as a first look was dropped for Volume 2 of the series, which will feature nine new shorts from nine global animation studios:

For any younglings out there, this trailer is for you! The first trailer for Young Jedi Adventures, coming to Disney+ and Disney Junior on May 4th, was revealed over the weekend as well:

Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lars Mikkelson, and Diana Lee Inosanto onstage during the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 at ExCeL London on April 08, 2023, in London, England.

Thrawn RETURNS—Plus More Casting News

 A new trailer wasn’t the only Ahsoka intel we got from Star Wars Celebration Europe—a galaxy’s worth of stars was revealed for the series, including Lars Mikkelson as the menacing Gran Admiral Thrawn! Also joining the cast are Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Inosanto, and David Tennant.

Plus, the full cast of Star Wars Visions Volume 2 was revealed, including notable voice talent such as Cynthia Erivo, Daveed Diggs, Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose, Anjelica Huston, Daniel Dae Kim, and Denis Murin. You can check out the full cast list for each episode here.

Even MORE Star Wars at Disney Parks!

During the Walt Disney Imagineering panel, Imagineers Ann Morrow Johnson and Asa Kalama—along with Matt Martin from Lucasfilm—revealed that Star Tours – The Adventures Continue will be blasting off with new stories and new characters starting in 2024 at Disneyland Park in California, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, and Disneyland Paris in France. Plus, intergalactic pop heads can jam out no matter where they go, with a just-released new playlist from DJ R3X. To celebrate May the 4th, a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiserplaylist will drop on streaming platforms, including songs from icon and superstar Gaya. Previously, only guests of the Halcyon starcruiser could hear this purple popstar perform—so we’re in for a real treat with this release!

Kathleen Kennedy, James Mangold, Dave Filoni, Daisy Ridley, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy onstage at the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Behind them are an array of Star Wars aliens and droids.

Three New Star Wars Movies Announced!

As if there wasn’t already enough excitement from Star Wars Celebration Europe, the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase also made a MAJOR reveal that we’re totally hype(rspace)d about! THREE new Star Wars films are in our future, to be directed by James Mangold, Dave Filoni and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Mangold’s film will be set during the dawn of the Jedi, telling the story of early Force users, while Fionli’s film pulls together threads from recent Disney+ series. Obaid-Chinoy’s film comes with another surprise: Daisy Ridley joined Obaid-Chinoy to reveal that she’ll be returning as Rey to tell a story set 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, centered around “rebuilding the Jedi Order and the powers the rise to tear it down.” Well, we know our moviegoing plans for the next few years!

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!