The Magic Goes GLOBAL with D23 Events Coming to Europe This April!

By the D23 Team

C'est magique! To celebrate Disney100—an anniversary of global proportions—D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is headed to Europe for a trio of events that D23 Members won’t want to miss!

First, look out for D23 at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 in London from April 7–10! We’ll be covering the event all weekend, bringing you all the intergalactic fun! We’ll also be hosting a D23 Member-exclusive screening on Saturday, April 8, so look out for more details soon.

Next, we’ll be crossing the English Channel for a one-of-a-kind D23 Gold Member event at Disneyland Paris, to celebrate the grand finale of their 30th anniversary celebration! On Wednesday, April 12, and Thursday, April 13, D23 Gold Members will be invited to celebrate at Disneyland Paris with exclusive tours led by Walt Disney Imagineering, specialty dining opportunities, behind-the-scenes looks at the parks, a peek at the latest entertainment, and even more exciting experiences celebrating 30 Magical Years of this exceptional resort!

Then, later in April, D23 Members will be invited to experience all the excitement of the celebration of the century in Germany with a special preview of Disney100: The Exhibition during its European premiere at Kleine Olympiahalle in Munich! Disney100: The Exhibition invites guests to step into their favorite stories using innovation and immersive technology throughout ten galleries in the 15,000-square-foot exhibit. The Walt Disney Archives opens its vault of treasures, showcasing hundreds of extraordinary objects, including Disney’s “Crown Jewels”—more than 250 rarely-seen original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other memorabilia. Stay tuned for more details on our member-exclusive opening celebration of this incredible exhibit!

We can’t wait to celebrate 100 years of Disney with all of our fellow Disney fans in Europe and beyond! See ya real soon!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

By Andie Hagemann

From a unique group of singers to an emotional coming-of-age story, this week is chock-full of brand-new content. On Wednesday, binge all 10 episodes of The Low Tone Club on Disney+, followed by a new episode of grown-ish airing on Freeform. Say farewell to Meredith Grey in the winter premiere of Grey’s Anatomy premiering Thursday on ABC. On Friday, watch the broadcast debut of The Mandalorian on ABC, Freeform, and FX, along with the streamer debut of Onyx Collective’s Bruiser on Hulu.

In a scene from an episode of The Low Tone Club, singer and actor Carlos Vives plays a guitar and wears black glasses, a black T-shirt, a tan jacket, and denim jeans. Students stand behind him with musical instruments.

The Low Tone Club—Wednesday, February 22, on Disney+
Starring Colombian singer Carlos Vives, the Latin American original series follows the story of Amaranto Molina (Vives), an unconventional music teacher at a music school that only encourages students who do well by commercial-success standards. Every year Principal Eduardo Kramer (Julián Arango) chooses five students, nicknamed The High Tones, to be part of the school’s prestigious Teen Band. Molina, on the other hand, is put in charge of The Low Tones, a group of students whose talents do not meet the school’s standards. With his disruptive methods, this eccentric teacher and The Low Tones will embark on a journey that will help heal wounds and inspire each one of them to express their unique talents. Along the way, the students learn more about Mr. Molina and discover their teacher’s mysterious past. All 10 episodes will be available to stream at launch.

In a scene from an episode of Freeform’s grown-ish, actor Trevor Jackson as Aaron sits on a black leather couch and wears a gray T-shirt and denim jeans.

grown-ish—Wednesday, February 22, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform
Now that midterms are over, the crew is eager to alleviate their stress, and in doing so opt for an unconventional method. Elsewhere, the Cal U faculty pressure Aaron (Trevor Jackson) to partake in karaoke night; despite his initial hesitation to join the festivities, he learns some surprising things about himself. The series also stars Marcus Scribner, Yara Shahidi, Diggy Simmons, Daniella Perkins, Justine Skye, Tara Raani, and Cory Patt. This episode is intended for mature audiences.

In a scene from an episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, actor and Disney Legend Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey stands center and is surrounded by doctors holding glasses of champagne. She wears a tan trench coat and a black T-shirt.

Grey’s Anatomy—Thursday, February 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
In the season’s winter premiere, the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial prepare a farewell surprise for Meredith (Disney Legend Ellen Pompeo) on her last day. Meanwhile, Nick (Scott Speedman) confronts Meredith about the future of their relationship. Elsewhere, the interns compete to scrub in on a groundbreaking procedure, and Richard (James Pickens Jr.) asks Teddy (Kim Raver) an important question. The series also stars Chandra Wilson, Kevin McKidd, Caterina Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, Kelly McCreary, Jake Borelli, Chris Carmack, Anthony Hill, Alexis Floyd, Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, Midori Francis, and Niko Terho.

In a scene from an episode of The Mandalorian, actor Pedro Pascal as the Mandalorian walks through a market and wears a metal helmet and matching metal armor that completely covers his body.

The Mandalorian—Friday, February 24, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, Freeform, and FX
Ahead of the debut of Season 3 on Disney+, the series premiere of The Mandalorian makes its broadcast debut across ABC, Freeform, and FX. In “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian,” the series begins in the lawless aftermath of the collapse of the Galactic Empire. An armored bounty hunter known only as the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) takes on a well-paying, yet cryptic assignment. Seasons 1 and 2 of the series are available to stream on Disney+. The third season launches Wednesday, March 1.

In the feature film Bruiser, actor Jalyn Hall as Darious leans on a wooden bench and wears a light blue T-shirt.

Bruiser—Friday, February 24, on Hulu
Onyx Collective’s critically acclaimed first narrative film—intended for mature audiences only—debuts on the streaming service on Friday. Directed by Miles Warren, the film explores the effects of toxic masculinity and follows 14-year-old Darious (Jalyn Hall) as he explores the boundaries of his manhood through interactions with his strict but loving father, Malcolm (Shamier Anderson), and Porter (Trevante Rhodes), a charismatic drifter. However, when Darious learns Porter’s true identity, he is thrust into conflict between the two men.

Behind the Scenes of National Geographic’s Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship

By Jessica Benda

As 144,000 tons of steel evolved into an astounding, ocean-bound castle, a tight-knit crew set out to answer the question on everyone’s mind: How?

National Geographic’s Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship whittled 13 months of filming into 66 minutes, crafting a story of how this beautiful behemoth came to be. The Disney Wish now sails to the Bahamas as the youngest ship in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet, a floating playground of innovative entertainment, Marvel- and Frozen-inspired dining experiences, and the first-ever Disney attraction at sea. In the documentary, which debuts on Disney+ on Friday, February 17, viewers can glimpse the people who made it. The film premiered December 24 on National Geographic but has not been available via streaming until now.

“For us, it’s a story, and the stories are these people that are so passionate, so creative, so innovative, and so motivated to make these experiences special,” said Chad Cohen, the documentary’s director, writer, and producer.

Cohen helmed the project alongside Bethany Jones, producer and writer, in partnership with Disney Yellow Shoes. Cohen and Jones started filming in June 2021, when they first traveled to the Meyer shipyard in Germany not long after construction kicked off in April. Roughly 90 percent of the film’s footage is from the crew’s cameras, enhanced by the shipyard’s timelapses and Disney Cruise Line’s aerial shots.

Like its subject, the documentary isn’t stationary. It takes viewers from Hollywood sets to Walt Disney World Resort, from the German shipyard to the intimate confines of Imagineer Laura Cabo’s garage. While the shipyard was an obvious choice, where crews visited six times during filming, others took a more personal turn.

In a brief but poignant sequence, viewers are swept off to Walt Disney World Resort, where Walt Disney Imagineers Danny and Sachi Handke experience  “it’s a small world,” with their young daughter. Danny, senior creative director, and Sachi, project coordinator, remark how their daughter is their inspiration, and they try to see the world through her eyes.

Cohen pinpointed smaller, human moments like that as essential to the big picture. “It’s really easy to just have people building [and] sailing the ship, but what you remember are those people working in crazy situations, late nights, early mornings to bring this passion of theirs to life,” Cohen said. “You want to care about them, you want to get to know them, and you want them to succeed.

Nearly 15,000 people contributed to the construction of the Disney Wish, but the National Geographic crew was much smaller. A shoot would usually include five to six people. During the voyage from Germany to Florida, a larger team of nine—Cohen and Jones included—piled into the Disney Wish to capture the final efforts.

While the Disney Wish was picture-perfect on the outside, finalizing the interior was an 11-day dash during the Atlantic crossing. Performers rehearsed on-stage as another team finished the set. Deeper in the ship, cast and crew hauled furniture as Disney executives did some vacuuming, Jones recalled. An immense project was backed by an even stronger display of teamwork.

Cohen and Jones leaned into the project’s many moving parts to create a compelling narrative, and the documentary’s care in exploring the crew’s personal lives only heightens its impact.

“You’re seeing these people that you care about,” Cohen explained. “You met them in their garage, you met them with their daughter, and now you’re seeing the race to finish this thing and you’re cheering for them. You want them to finish.”

When they did, the Disney Wish abounded with little details that National Geographic sought to capture. Whether it was the two-year design process for choosing a ceiling’s colors or a carpet that took a whole night to lay out, the filming crew had their hands full trying to document it all.

“There’s just so many layers of details that you have to sift through,” Jones said. “It’s like Easter eggs all throughout the ship.”

When the Disney Wish docked at Port Canaveral, Florida, a chapter finally closed. Emotions ran high for both the Imagineers and Disney Cruise Line cast and crew, as well as the National Geographic team that had followed them throughout the journey.

Cohen remembers a tearful moment the night before the maiden voyage, when it struck midnight in the Grand Hall. In true Cinderella fashion, a choreographed light show twinkled on the stories-high ceiling as gentle music played.

“Everyone spontaneously laid down on the floor and looked up and experienced this moment when it came to life,” Cohen recalled, his own crew filming the scene. “And for them, they saw it was the end. Our crew was emotional as well, having been through it with them. All this work, and then they let it go knowing that the Disney Wish will be enjoyed by guests for years to come.”

Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship debuts on Disney+ on Friday, February 17.

Meet the Characters of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

By Jessica Benda

This Friday, Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne embark on a breathless adventure into the fantastical Quantum Realm, surrounded by family and foes alike. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania will premiere in theaters on Friday, February 17, officially launching Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In the third Ant-Man installment, Scott’s daughter Cassie shares her family’s passion for science and technology, but her curiosity lands them a one-way ticket to the Quantum Realm. With Scott and Cassie heading one direction and Hope and her parents, Janet and Hank, pulled in another, director Peyton Reed places family dynamics under an evocative, subatomic new lens.

Before delving into the mystifying Quantum Realm, brush up on the characters that will take you there.

A headshot of Scott Lang, who wears his red Ant-Man suit but no helmet. His hair is black and eyes green. He looks concerned.

Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)
In a vast understatement, Scott Lang has been busy since we first met him in 2015’s Ant-Man. He lived a normal life until he committed a well-intentioned crime, then joined the Avengers, travelled down to the Quantum Realm, and then saved the universe. You know, typical post-jail activities. Now, he’s riding high in San Francisco, promoting his new memoir Look Out for the Little Guy and making new memories with his family.

“One of the things that’s been fun about playing this part is that there’s nothing extraordinary about Scott,” Rudd said. “He doesn’t possess any real super abilities—he’s not a God of Thunder, he’s not big and green and strong, he can’t fly. He’s just an intuitive, smart guy. To play the part of a regular guy who didn’t really want this but is forced to be heroic is fun.”

A headshot of Hope Van Dyne clad in her yellow suit. She has short black hair styled in a pixie cut, staring with an unreadable expression off-screen.

Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly)
The Pym Van Dyne Foundation is led by none other than the brilliant Hope Van Dyne, who is utilizing the Pym Particle in new and innovative ways to advance humanitarian efforts. Her biggest life change was the return of her mother, Janet, who spent three decades lost to the Quantum Realm. In the newest installment, Hope wrestles with not knowing the secrets that Janet keeps about her time away. Nevertheless, Hope is thrilled at the trajectory of her new life.

“She’s repaired her relationship with her father, she has returned her mother from the Quantum Realm, she’s fallen madly in love with Scott Lang—they’re a dynamic duo, a Super Hero pair,” Lilly said. “And on top of that, she’s quasi-adopted his daughter, Cassie, and she’s revitalizing Pym Tech—using it to better the world.”

Kang the Conqueror leans with his hands against a gold metallic device, staring down in thought. He wears a green jacket and brown belt with close-cropped dark hair.

Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors)
Reed calls Kang the Conqueror the “most powerful being in the multiverse,” and for good reason. Known as He Who Remains in the Disney+ series Loki, this dangerous variant of Kang wields time as his weapon.

“Kang is able to experience past, present and future at the same time,” Reed said. “What does that look like? He conserves his energy. There’s not a wasted gesture or word, and if Kang says something, he means it.”

Cassie and Scott stand together as they look off into the distance. The purple sky and red-brown rocks of the Quantum Realm are behind them. Scott wears his red and black Ant-Man suit while Cassie sports a gray T-shirt and jeans. Her brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail.

Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton)
Now 18, Cassie’s love of science is rivaled only by her love of improving the world, though often they go hand-in-hand. Like Scott, she’s headstrong, independent, loyal, and fights hard for her beliefs. However, as she matures, she must navigate an ever-evolving relationship with her dad as he grapples with the fact that she’s not a little girl anymore.

“I really wanted to explore that relationship between Scott and Cassie,” Reed said. “How does Scott relate to her now that she’s an adult? Cassie is an idealist—she wants to do good in the world, but she’s still trying to figure out what that means for her. She’s trying to find her voice as a young woman. She can be quite critical of her dad, so we had fun with some of the generational divide between father and daughter in this movie.”

Janet stands on what looks to be a dark ridge, with the electric blue, black, and purple sky of the Quantum Realm behind her. She looks solemnly to her right. She’s clad in robes, gloves, and boots, and her blond hair brushes just past her shoulders.

Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfieffer)
After three decades trapped in the Quantum Realm, Janet is just relieved to be with her family once more. In a film focused on familial relationships, Janet and Hope bring a mother-daughter dynamic with unearthly tensions (literally). Janet holds her secrets close, but returning to the place she just escaped from brings them to the surface.

“Janet has unfinished business in her past, which has ramifications for the family,” Pfeiffer said. “This is an opportunity for them to finally get to know Janet and, like it or not, she is back in her element and needs to make amends for things that she thought were in her past.”

Hank Pym points a handheld futuristic weapon at something off-screen. He wears a brown coat with goggles around his neck. His white hair is brushed back.

Hank Pym (Michael Douglas)
After handing the reins of the Pym Van Dyne Foundation to Hope, Hank is spending time with his family, including his honorary granddaughter, Cassie. Most of all, he’s making up for lost time with Janet.

“Their relationship extends to their marriage and their careers,” Douglas said. “Not many people are able to pull that off. It’s certainly an equitable relationship—they each have their strengths and weaknesses.”

A headshot of Jentorra, who has black lips and gold markings on her face. Her dark hair is pulled back and topped with an ornate warrior headdress, and she appears to be in battle-wear.

Jentorra (Katy O’Brian)
The unrelenting warrior Jentorra is among the first Quantum Realm residents that moviegoers will meet, and she sets the bar high. Jentorra leads the Freedom Fighters, a group of displaced inhabitants in the Quantum Realm, and is waging a losing battle against Kang the Conqueror. As a Quantum Realm native, Jentorra is well-accustomed to the biomes and the beings that live in them.

“You’ll get to explore a lot of the different colonies and the different groups of people that we have here—broccoli man is my personal favorite,” O’Brian said. “We have characters that float, we have blobs, we have mind-readers—all kinds of zany creatures and humanoids and mysterious things.”

Lord Krylar (Bill Murray)
Lord Krylar is the governor of Axia, a cushy community within the Quantum Realm, and he loves the high status that comes with it. Krylar lives a life of exotic cocktails and top-notch transportation, but Janet’s return hints at an unknown history between them. “We liked the idea of kind of giving Hank and Janet this tension with Krylar,” Reed said. “That felt fun to us.”

M.O.D.O.K. (Corey Stoll)
M.O.D.O.K. stands for Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing, which should be fairly self-explanatory. M.O.D.O.K. is Kang’s ferocious right-hand man (though he’s more of a giant floating head stuffed into a tiny body, as Reed describes), using force and fear to solidify Kang’s hold on the Quantum Realm. “Of course, M.O.D.O.K. really has no choice, but he drank the Kool-Aid and is totally on board with Kang’s plan and being his literal killing machine,” Reed said.

An upper body shot of Quaz, who looks solemnly downward. He has close-cropped dark hair and a close-cut beard. He wears a red scarf and blue and tan outerwear.

Quaz (William Jackson Harper)
At Jentorra’s side, Quaz spurs on the fight to escape Kang’s grip on the Quantum Realm. Quaz is bioluminescent with a cerebrum that glows when his power is activated, so he knows who’s doubting him the moment it happens.

Everything New You Can Stream on Disney+ in March 2023

By Zach Johnson

Disney+ is marching into a new month with an exciting new slate!

March kicks off with the premiere of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he continues his journey with Grogu. Speaking of a series from a galaxy far, far away, stream a new episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch every Wednesday leading up to the Season 2 finale on March 29.

On Wednesday, March 8, stream the new series MPower, which salutes the Marvel women who have brought iconic heroes to life, both on- and off-screen. Two days later, stream the new movie Chang Can Dunk, which follows Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American high school student in the marching band who bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads the 5-foot-8 Chang on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk in order to impress his crush, Kristy, and finally gain the attention and respect of his peers. Before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he’ll need to rethink everything he knows about himself, his friendships, and his family.

Livestream the NHL Big City Greens Classic on Tuesday, March 14, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Disney+ and ESPN+; the first-ever live, animated NHL game telecast between the Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers will also be broadcast on Disney XD and Disney Channel. The alternate presentation of the game will feature real-time volumetric animation of players and teams modeled after Big City Greens characters.

In a scene from Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts, Robin Roberts sits in a gray chair with her back to the camera and speaks to a group of women. To her left is Sheryl Lee Ralph; to Ralph’s left is Marsai Martin; and to Martin’s left is Brooke Shields.

On Wednesday, March 15, stream Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts Season 2 in its entirety. Disney Legend Robin Roberts hosts intimate conversations with multiple generations of Hollywood’s most inspiring women. Listen to never-before-heard stories of how each woman learned grace, found fulfillment, conquered certainty, and embraced community. Guests in Season 2 include Yaya DaCosta, Chloe Kim, Hayley Kiyoko, Loni Love, Marsai Martin, Chrissy Metz, Kelly Osbourne, Kyla Pratt, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Brooke Shields, Dionne Warwick, and Rita Wilson. Two days later, Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman will premiere. U2’s Bono and the Edge return to Dublin with Dave Letterman, reflecting on their journey as musicians and friends. The Disney+ Original special features never-before-seen footage and interviews detailing their songwriting process and the inspiration behind their music.

Closing out the month on Friday, March 31, is the return of Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. When Walter (Alex Aiono) returns from the World Surf Tour, he’s not the same boyfriend Lahela (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) said goodbye to months before—nor is she the same girl. That becomes clear when she meets a bad boy on a dirt bike, Nico (Milo Manheim.) She’s faced with a decision: fight for what she knows is true or give new love a chance. It’s all complicated by the pressures of being a teenage doctor. Luckily, she has her family, co-workers, and best friend (Emma Meisel) to support her along the way.

Throughout the month, Disney+ will add new episodes of hit shows such as Eureka! and Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, as well as complete seasons of classic and new series such as Doogie Howser, M.D. and Restaurants at the End of the World.

All the titles coming to Disney+ in March are listed below:

In a scene from The Mandalorian, Grogu sits in The Mandalorian’s lap as he pilots a ship. Because they are traveling at light speed, the ship is awash in blue light.

Wednesday, March 1
Eureka! (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
Going Fur Gold (Season 1)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 211: “Metamorphosis”)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Season 3 Premiere) (Episode: “Chapter 17”)

Friday, March 3
Dino Death Match
The Next Mega Tsunami

Wednesday, March 8
Africa’s Deadliest (Seasons 2–5)
Chibiverse (Season 1)
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Season 1, 5 Episodes)
MPower (Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
Spidey and his Amazing Friends (Season 2, 4 Episodes)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 212: “The Outpost”)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 18”)

Friday, March 10
Chang Can Dunk (Premiere)

Tuesday, March 14
Disney NHL Big City Greens Classic (Livestream)

Wednesday, March 15
Doogie Howser, M.D. (Seasons 1–4)
Engineering Connections (Seasons 1–2)
Firebuds (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
Kiff (Season 1, 6 Episodes)
Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts (Season 2 Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 213: “Pabu”)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 19”)

Friday, March 17
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman (Premiere)
Hippo vs. Croc

In a scene from Restaurants at the End of the World, Kristen Kish cooks eggs in an outdoor kitchen. She is using one hand to turn the eggs with a spatula and using the other hand to steady the pot. She is wearing a denim apron over a chambray shirt.

Wednesday, March 22
How to Win at Everything (Season 1)
Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
Restaurants at the End of the World (Season 1)
Superstructures: Engineering Marvels (Season 1)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 214: “Tipping Point”)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 20”)

Friday, March 24
Witness Disaster

In a promotional photo for Secrets of Sulphur Springs, Preston Oliver, Elle Graham, and Kyliegh Curran are seated on an old wooden staircase. No one is smiling.

Saturday, March 25
Saturdays (Season 1, 6 Episodes)
Secrets of Sulphur Springs (Season 3)

Wednesday, March 29
Crimes Against Nature (Season 2)
Mickey Mouse Funhouse (Season 2, 4 Episodes)
Incredibly Small World (Season 1)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 215: “The Summit”) (Episode 216: “Plan 99” – Season 2 Finale)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 21”)

In a promotional photo for Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., Matthew Sato, Milo Manheim, Emma Meisel, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, and Alex Aiono pose on surf boards and palm leaves. They are all wearing beachy outfits and are smiling for the camera.

Friday, March 31
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. (Season 2 Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
Prom Pact
Worst Weather Ever?

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

By Andie Hagemann

From scintillating secrets to high-stakes chess, this weekend is jam-packed with all-new content! Camp Kikiwaka embarks on a treasure hunt in a new episode of BUNK’D: Learning the Ropes, airing Friday on Disney Channel. On Saturday, watch new episodes of Hamster & Gretel and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, both launching back-to-back on Disney Channel. The quest to find music’s next superstar begins Sunday night with the season premiere of American Idol on ABC, followed by the series debut of The Company You Keep, also on ABC.

In a scene from an episode of BUNK’D: Learning the Ropes, actor Mallory James Mahoney talks to actor Luke Busey and leads a black and white cow with a leather leash. Mahoney wears a blue sweater and brown printed pants. Busey wears a brown beanie, a yellow zippered jacket, and a brown T-shirt with teal, blue, green, and peach horizontal stripes.

BUNK’D: Learning the Ropes—Friday, February 17, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
This week, an elusive treasure hunt captivates the campers and counselors alike—and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win. In fact, Destiny (Mallory James Mahoney), Bill (Alfred Lewis), and Parker (Trevor Tordjman) even go as far as stalling a livestock auction just to search for clues! Elsewhere at Camp Kikwaka, Jake (Luke Busey) works on a heartfelt gift for his moms, and Noah (Israel Johnson) practices stunts.

In a scene from an episode of Hamster & Gretel, Gretel, an animated young girl, and an adult woman sit in a round-shaped vehicle with large pointy spikes.

Hamster & Gretel—Saturday, February 18, at 9:30 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
The unlikely supercharged duo gets into two hilarious—and very different—predicaments in this brand-new episode. In the first installment, Gretel (voiced by Meli Povenmire) and Kevin (voiced by Michael Cimino) sneak into a wrestling match, and Carolina’s sister comes to visit. And later, Carolina (voiced by Carolina Ravassa) and Gretel attend Strawberry Fest, which unexpectedly takes Carolina by surprise.

In a scene from an episode of Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Lunella Lafayette, an animated young girl, skates in the center of a roller rink. She wears a helmet with pink-lensed goggles, a yellow romper, blue tights, and black roller skates. Two kids also skate on each side of her.

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur—Saturday, February 18, at 10 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
This weekend, not just one but two brand-new episodes roll onto our screens. The first episode follows Lunella Lafayette (voiced by Diamond White) as she takes on the immense responsibility of running the rink for a night. To aid Lunella, Casey (voiced by Libe Barer) concocts a get-rich-quick scheme. However, the plan threatens Moon Girl’s reputation and her family’s business. Airing at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT, the second episode centers around Lunella’s obsession with winning after she loses a game of chess against a supercomputer. Asia Kate Dillon guest stars as the voice of LOS-307 and Craig Robinson guest stars as the voice of Principal Nelson.

In a scene from an episode of American Idol, judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan sit at a large blue and silver desk that reads “American Idol” on the front. Richie wears a black T-shirt and an olive jacket. Perry wears a silver sequin dress. Bryan wears a black T-shirt and a black jacket.

American Idol—Sunday, February 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
The iconic series returns this week for Season 6 on the network. The quest to find America’s next singing sensation kicks off with superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie venturing to New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Nashville for contestants’ auditions. Emmy® Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest returns to host the weekly competition series. New episodes are available to stream the following day on Hulu.

In a scene from an episode of The Company You Keep, actors Catherine Haena Kim as Emma and Milo Ventimiglia as Charlie sit next to each other at a bar top. Kim wears a white blouse. Ventimiglia wears a black, button-down shirt.

The Company You Keep—Sunday, February 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
All is fair in love… and lies. This steamy new series—intended only for mature audiences—centers around con-man Charlie (Milo Ventimiglia) and undercover CIA officer Emma (Catherine Haena Kim), who unknowingly spark an unlikely romance. While Charlie attempts to exit the “family business” for good, Emma’s closing in on the vengeful criminal who holds Charlie’s family debts in hand—forcing them to reckon with the lies they’ve told so they can save themselves and their families from disastrous consequences. The series also stars William Fichtner, Tim Chiou, Freda Foh Shen, James Saito, Sarah Wayne Callies, Felisha Terrell, and Polly Draper, and is based on the Korean Broadcasting System series My Fellow Citizens.

Introducing The Company You Keep’s Undercover Lovers

By Zach Johnson

ABC’s new series promises all is fair in love and lies.

In The Company You Keep, based on the Korean Broadcasting System series My Fellow Citizens, a night of passion leads to love between con man Charlie (executive producer Milo Ventimiglia) and undercover CIA officer Emma (Catherine Haena Kim). “These two are on a collision course,” Ventimiglia says. “Professionally, they are two sides of a coin who have compartmentalized lives; she is a CIA officer who, for national security, really can’t discuss her job. And he is a criminal who, for personal security, doesn’t want to land in jail. So, when you have that—but you also have this undeniable connection and love and foundation—there’s [an added layer of] complication. The honesty, which takes a while to ultimately get, hopefully will put them closer together.”

Kim adds, “We all know what it’s like to fall in love. We know it’s exciting and it’s terrifying: ‘Can I trust you? Can I trust you with my heart? What’s real? What’s not?’”

According to executive producers and co-showrunners Julia Cohen and Phil Klemmer, the series’ premise is rife with storytelling opportunities. “I was compelled by the idea of two professional liars who see one another’s truths. And what is love if not seeing somebody’s truth?” Cohen asks. “What breaks the pattern for our two professional liars is their relationship and the fact that they ultimately see the real Charlie and the real Emma.” However, Klemmer cautions, “Not all lies are made equally; we all know about white lies and necessary lies.” In fact, Klemmer argues, “Lies make the world go ’round, in a way. When it comes to dating somebody and presenting your best self, perhaps you’re lying, or perhaps you’re presenting the version of yourself that you want to be.”

So, who are the real Charlie and Emma? The simple (although perhaps frustrating) answer is… it’s complicated. “Seemingly, they’re so different, but they happen to meet at the exact same moment in their lives,” Kim says. “It’s that moment when you look over at somebody and you think, ‘Oh, it’s you. It’s going to be you.’ And then, it’s on.”

Ventimiglia says his role as Charlie allowed him to “stretch into something new creatively,” and he enjoys getting to discover that opposite Kim. “This series explores real intimacy. Sure, there’s the physical [aspect], and you’ve got two people who are just kind of thrown together and drawn together and pulled together like magnets,” the actor says. “But really, what makes that stick is that emotional vulnerability, that intellectual vulnerability. It’s the willingness to open that raw nerve and show it to somebody else and be like, ‘Hey, can I trust you?’ And I think that’s definitely something we explore quite a bit within the parameters of who these characters are.”

All the while, Charlie and Emma will be forced to reckon with the lies they’ve told so they can save themselves and their families from disastrous consequences. Ultimately, The Company You Keep is an “escapist” fantasy, Cohen says. “I am a romantic at heart,” she explains. “There is an epic romance at its core—a very sexy one at that!”

The Company You Keep—produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios—debuts Sunday, February 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and streams next day on Hulu.

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 Black Panther knowledge to the test to see if you are the ultimate Disney fan.

What does T’Challa’s nanotech Black Panther suit store and redistribute?

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!

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Mind of Artist Nikkolas Smith and His Super New Target Collection

By the D23 Team

Nikkolas Smith has swung across the worlds of Marvel like Spider-Man swings across buildings… You’ve seen his handywork everywhere: Avenger’s Campus at Disney California Adventure Park; products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; even artwork at Shanghai Disneyland!

Now, Smith is starting a new Marvel adventure with the help of Target, taking his artwork off the canvas and onto a cool clothing collection that Marvel fans of all ages will love. The Nikkolas Smith: Marvel Artist Collection is now available exclusively at the retailer—and as you admire his designs, you may wonder how he finds his creative inspiration, or how he developed his style. D23 is here to save the day! We sat down with Smith to talk all things art and Marvel… and about what is means to be an “ARTivist” inspiring change in the world.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club: How did the collection with Target come about?
Nikkolas Smith (NS): At the end of 2021, I received an email with an invitation to reimagine a few of my favorite Marvel Super Heroes for a collection with a major retailer. I still didn’t know who the retailer would be, and over the next couple of weeks I created illustrations with my spin on Marvel’s Black Panther, Storm, and Miles Morales. From there, the artwork was developed into a clothing line for men, women, and children; Funko POP! collectibles; blankets; and even puzzles. Target has been a dream come true for me to collaborate with. Seeing the fully stocked Marvel Artist Series displays in Target stores with my face on them—featuring dozens of different pieces of merchandise that I helped bring to life—and seeing kids wearing my illustrations, it’s an incredible feeling!

Nikkolas Smith, with an excited expression, holds up a red t-shirt with his art of Marvel’s Black Panther on it.

D23: What inspires your distinct artistic style?
NS: Humanity itself is a beautiful, messy collage of unfinished stories, and that in itself is a big source of inspiration for my painterly, sketchy, semi-abstract, often unfinished art style. There are rarely any straight, clean lines. The same is true in nature, and metaphorically in our lives as well.

D23: You have been described as an “ARTivist”—can you expand on what that means to you?
NS: As an “ARTivist,” I want to make art that is not only visually appealing and stops people in their tracks, but also takes it a step forward. “ARTivism” can call out the broken bones of the world: things like injustice, war, global warming, racism, and so much more. It can open people’s eyes to an important issue they may not have known about and inspire them to make positive change related to that issue. I truly believe that everyone is creative, and that we all have the ability to create art that is meaningful and world-changing.

D23: You’ve worked on some notable films such as Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Can you tell us a little about that experience?
NS: Being a concept illustrator on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a dream come true. I worked on Hannah Beachler’s team, creating concept art for various interior and exterior scenes in the film, while also envisioning how certain characters would be interacting in those environments. It was an unforgettable learning experience.

D23: What’s your favorite Disney memory?
NS: There are so many, but a really monumental one was during my fourth year of architecture school at Hampton University—being flown to California to present my ImagiNations project to Walt Disney Imagineers, who would one day become my coworkers.

D23: How did you get started as an Imagineer?
NS: While in my Master of Architecture program at Hampton University, I entered the ImagiNations competition and had the opportunity to present designs to Imagineers in 2007. Thanks to that program, I won a six-month internship after graduating—and that turned into an 11-year career designing theme parks all over the world.

D23: What else can you tell us about your time as an Imagineer? Do you have a favorite project you worked on?
NS: My years as an Imagineer were spent as an architect—3D modeling and creating construction documents for various buildings, castles, and attractions. I worked on Disney Parks all over, from New Fantasyland in Orlando, to Shanghai Disneyland, to Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort. I don’t know if I can pick a favorite—but traveling to Shanghai to help design Adventure Isle was definitely a memory of a lifetime!

D23: Which Marvel character is your favorite artistic subject?
NS: I would have to say Spider-Man! More specifically, Miles Morales. I love to illustrate the “Spidey-eyes” and find interesting ways to visualize his Spidey senses. For the painterly Artist Series piece, I created for Miles, his Spidey sense takes the form of the curls of his hair, shooting out in their own unique ways.

7 Things to Know About Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

By Zach Johnson

Kicking off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fast-paced, high-stakes adventure Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania features all the heart and humor of the previous films, while taking audiences to a secret universe—a place located outside time and space. Before it opens in theaters Friday, February 17, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club joined stars Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne/ Wasp), Jonathan Majors (Kang the Conqueror), Kathryn Newton (Cassie Lang), Michelle Pfeiffer (Janet Van Dyne/ Wasp), and Michael Douglas (Dr. Hank Pym), as well as director Peyton Reed and producers Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, at a virtual press conference for a macro and micro look at Marvel Studios’ newest movie.

Before you see the film, D23 presents seven things you need to know...

1. Family is the throughline of all three Ant-Man films.
“It is a generational story about a family of heroes, and Scott Lang—who is not a billionaire or super scientist—getting sucked into this world, and Hope Van Dyne, who is the legacy daughter of two Super Heroes,” Reed explained. And although Scott “wants to be a hero,” Reed said, “work-life balance” is important to him; he wants to bond with his daughter. “In Quantumania, one of the things we’ve done is broaden that story and start talking about the secrets the family members keep from each other, the things they don’t tell each other,” he said. “At the beginning of the movie, very quickly we find out that maybe Janet hasn’t told the family about her 30 years in the Quantum Realm; maybe Hope and Hank haven’t told Scott about what they’re working on with Cassie down in the basement; maybe Cassie hasn’t told her dad about time she might’ve spent in jail. So, everyone’s keeping secrets from Scott at the beginning of the movie—and then, suddenly, they’re thrust into the Quantum Realm, and they have to work out these family dynamics while being in this bizarro, whacked-out world.”

In a scene from Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Dr. Hank Pym (left), Hope vVan Dyne/Wasp (center), and Janet Van Dyne/Wasp (right) walk in a single-file line through the Quantum Realm. They are disguising themselves in earth-tone outfits

2. The Quantum Realm is a place of danger, intrigue, and mystery.
“The first Ant-Man movie was mainly about meeting the characters and the origin story, of course, but at the very end of that movie, we got a taste of [the Quantum Realm],” Feige said. “It is a place that is on the subatomic level where space and time act differently, and that allowed us to time travel, at Scott Lang’s suggestion, in [Avengers: Endgame]. It also allowed us to have this entire manic quantum-ness in this film, where we go to a point where only Janet had ever seen before... There is an entire universe below the surface where we meet all sorts of fun, crazy characters.

3. Scott is still an everyman—even after he helped the Avengers defeat Thanos.
“What I like most about him is that he is a regular guy who still has reservations about all of this,” Rudd said. “I like the fact that he is a part of a group with some pretty impressive people—Super Heroes!—and he’s the first guy to say, ‘What am I doing here? This makes no sense at all.’” Being a dad “is his main focus,” Rudd added. “He always had a love-hate relationship with [being Ant-Man], but now I feel as if he’s accepted it. He’s happy that all of that seems to be in the rearview mirror, and now he gets to have a normal life... but it doesn’t last, obviously, as long he thought it would.”

4. Hope may shrink as The Wasp, but she’s growing rapidly in her everyday life.
Lilly described her character as “a very cold, detached, very isolated woman” in the first film, released in 2015: “She had a lot of broken relationships in her life.” Over the course of three films, she’s played “this incredible arc” in which Hope has “repaired her relationship with her father, reunited with her long-lost mother, fallen madly in love with Scott, and become a stepmom to Cassie. Her life is full of relationships and full of love.” That evolution is evident through the work she’s now doing as leader of the Pym Van Dyne Foundation, which utilizes the revolutionary Pym Particle in new, innovative ways to advance humanitarian efforts. “She’s thriving and taking that love and spreading it around by trying to do right in the world and fix issues that are massive, like global warming and housing crises,” Lilly added. “And she’s doing it with success.”

In a scene from Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Cassie Lang (left) and Scott Lang/Ant-Man (right) stand and look to their right. Cassie has tucked a gray T-shirt into skinny jeans and accessorized with a belt. Her brown hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. Scott is wearing a black and red suit; his helmet is off. They are in the Quantum Realm, which includes red rocks, a purple sky, and electric lights in the sky.

5. Kathryn has been a fan of the MCU since its very inception.
Newton recalled how seeing Iron Man in theaters 15 years ago inspired her to become part of the Marvel Studios magic. “I really wanted to be part of this, because it made me dream,” she said. “I went with my dad to the theaters, and I wanted to be a Super Hero. I [actually] wanted to be the biggest Marvel Super Hero of all time, so it’s ironic that Cassie Lang grows 40 feet! I’m proof that dreams come true—because mine did!”

6. Janet and Hank have a lot to tell each other.
“After finally being rescued from the Quantum Realm and reuniting with her lovely husband, Hank, and her daughter, Hope, [Janet] is just savoring this time together,” Pfeiffer said. As Reed mentioned, Janet remains “secretive” about the 30 years she spent away from her family. Eventually, Janet is forced to come clean to Hank and Hope—and do it “in a place where she had hoped she would never see again,” Pfeiffer said, adding, “I think there are a lot of surprises for the family—for some more than others. Maybe some choices were questionable, but they’re a very forgiving family.”

7. Kang (and his many variants) are just getting started...
“Who is Kang? I think that is a question we will all be answering for a very long time,” Majors said with a laugh. “I think the quick answer to that is Kang is a time-traveling Super Villain who is also a nexus being, which leads to this idea of variants. There are multiple versions of Kang. They occupy different universes—[aka] multi-verses—and they have different intentions.” As for the Kang who faces the Lang/Van Dyne/Pym family in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania? He’s stuck in the Quantum Realm. “He has some issues with some variants,” Majors added. “And he’s not happy about it.”