70 Songs Enter 90th Academy Awards' "Original Song" Race

70 ORIGINAL SONGS VIE FOR 2017 OSCAR®

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 70 songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures released in 2017 are in contention for nominations in the Original Song category for the 90th Academy Awards®.

The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:

“U.N.I (You And I)” from “And the Winner Isn’t”
“Love And Lies” from “Band Aid”
“If I Dare” from “Battle of the Sexes”
“Evermore” from “Beauty and the Beast”
“How Does A Moment Last Forever” from “Beauty and the Beast”
“Now Or Never” from “Bloodline: Now or Never”
“She” from “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”
“Your Hand I Will Never Let It Go” from “The Book of Henry”
“Buddy’s Business” from “Brawl in Cell Block 99”
“The Crown Sleeps” from “The Breadwinner”
“World Gone Mad” from “Bright”
“Mystery Of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name”
“Visions Of Gideon” from “Call Me by Your Name”
“Captain Underpants Theme Song” from “Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie”
“Ride” from “Cars 3”
“Run That Race” from “Cars 3”
“Tell Me How Long” from “Chasing Coral”
“Broken Wings” from “City of Ghosts”
“Remember Me” from “Coco”
“Prayers For This World” from “Cries from Syria”
“There’s Something Special” from “Despicable Me 3”
“It Ain’t Fair” from “Detroit”
“A Little Change In The Weather” from “Downsizing”
“Stars In My Eyes (Theme From Drawing Home)” from “Drawing Home”
“All In My Head” from “Elizabeth Blue”
“Dying For Ya” from “Elizabeth Blue”
“Green” from “Elizabeth Blue”
“Can’t Hold Out On Love” from “Father Figures”
“Home” from “Ferdinand”
“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from “Fifty Shades Darker”
“You Shouldn’t Look At Me That Way” from “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”
“This Is How You Walk On” from “Gifted”
“Summer Storm” from “The Glass Castle”
“The Pure And The Damned” from “Good Time”
“This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman”
“The Hero” from “The Hero”
“How Shall A Sparrow Fly” from “Hostiles”
“Just Getting Started” from “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast”
“Truth To Power” from “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power”
“Next Stop, The Stars” from “Kepler’s Dream”
“The Devil & The Huntsman” from “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”
“Have You Ever Wondered” from “Lake of Fire”
“I’ll Be Gone” from “Lake of Fire”
“We’ll Party All Night” from “Lake of Fire”
“Friends Are Family” from “The Lego Batman Movie”
“Found My Place” from “The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Stand Up For Something” from “Marshall”
“Rain” from “Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
“Myron/Byron” from “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)”
“Longing For Summer” from “Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“Mighty River” from “Mudbound”
“Never Forget” from “Murder on the Orient Express”
“Hold The Light” from “Only the Brave”
“PBNJ” from “Patti Cake$”
“Tuff Love (Finale)” from “Patti Cake$”
“Lost Souls” from “The Pirates of Somalia”
“How A Heart Unbreaks” from “Pitch Perfect 3”
“The Promise” from “The Promise”
“Kaadanayum Kaalchilambe” from “Pulimurugan”
“Maanathe Maarikurumbe” from “Pulimurugan”
“Stubborn Angel” from “Same Kind of Different as Me”
“Dancing Through The Wreckage” from “Served Like a Girl”
“Keep Your Eyes On Me” from “The Shack”
“On The Music Goes” from “Slipaway”
“The Star” from “The Star”
“Jump” from “Step”
“Tickling Giants” from “Tickling Giants”
“Fly Away” from “Trafficked”
“Speak To Me” from “Voice from the Stone”
“Walk On Faith” from “Year by the Sea”

During the nominations process, all voting members of the Music Branch will receive a Reminder List of works submitted in the category and a compilation of the song clips. Members will be asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements in the category. The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award. A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Down to 10 for Visual Effects Nominations at 90th Academy Awards

10 CONTENDERS REMAIN IN VFX OSCAR® RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 90th Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

“Alien: Covenant”
“Blade Runner 2049”
“Dunkirk”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
“Kong: Skull Island”
“Okja”
“The Shape of Water”
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”
“War for the Planet of the Apes”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist.  All members of the Visual Effects Branch will now be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 6, 2018.  Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar® consideration.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/ 3:30 p.m. PT.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Nine Foreign Language Films Vie for 5 90th Academy Award Nominations

9 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS ADVANCE IN OSCAR RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that nine features will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 90th Academy Awards ®.  Ninety-two films had originally been considered in the category.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Chile, “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director;

Germany, “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director;

Hungary, “On Body and Soul,” Ildikó Enyedi, director;

Israel, “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director;

Lebanon, “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director;

Russia, “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;

Senegal, “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director;

South Africa, “The Wound,” John Trengove, director;

Sweden, “The Square,” Ruben Östlund, director.

Foreign Language Film nominations for 2017 are determined in two phases.

The Phase I committee, consisting of Los Angeles-based Academy members, screened the original submissions in the category between mid-October and December 11, 2017.  The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

Academy members eligible to participate in the Nominations round of voting in New York, London, Los Angeles and, for the first time, the San Francisco Bay Area, will screen the nine shortlisted films in theaters over a three-day period from Friday, January 12, through Sunday, January 14, with three films screening each day.  Additionally, international members (who live outside of the U.K.) will be invited to opt-in to stream the nine shortlisted films on the Academy’s member site.  Members must see all nine films before casting their ballots.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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15 Documentary Features Advance in 90th Academy Award Race

15 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ADVANCE IN 2017 OSCAR® RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 90th Academy Awards®. One hundred seventy films were originally submitted in the category.

The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Mitten Media, Motto Pictures, Kartemquin Educational Films and WGBH/FRONTLINE

“Chasing Coral,” Exposure Labs in partnership with The Ocean Agency & View Into the Blue in association with Argent Pictures & The Kendeda Fund

“City of Ghosts,” Our Time Projects in association with Jigsaw Productions

“Ex Libris – The New York Public Library,” Zipporah Films

“Faces Places,” Ciné Tamaris

“Human Flow,” Participant Media and AC Films

“Icarus,” Netflix Documentary in association with Impact Partners, Diamond Docs, Chicago Media Project and Alex Productions

“An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” Paramount Pictures and Participant Media

“Jane,” National Geographic Studios in association with Public Road Productions

“LA 92,” Lightbox

“Last Men in Aleppo,” Larm Film and Aleppo Media Center

“Long Strange Trip,” Double E Pictures, AOMA Sunshine Films and Sikelia

“One of Us,” Loki Films

“Strong Island,” Yanceville Films and Louverture Films

“Unrest,” Shella Films and Little by Little Films

The Academy’s Documentary Branch determined the shortlist in a preliminary round of voting. Documentary Branch members will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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10 Documentary Shorts Compete for 90th Academy Award Nominations

10 DOCUMENTARY SHORTS ON 2017 OSCARS SHORTLIST

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 90th Academy Awards® has been narrowed to 10 films, of which 5 will earn Oscar® nominations.

Voters from the Academy’s Documentary Branch viewed this year’s 77 eligible entries and submitted their ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers for tabulation.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“Alone,” The New York Times
“Edith+Eddie,” Heart is Red and Kartemquin Films
“Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Stiefel & Co.
“Heroin(e),” A Netflix Original Documentary in association with The Center for Investigative Reporting, A Requisite Media Production
“Kayayo – The Living Shopping Baskets,” Integral Film
“Knife Skills,” TFL Films
“116 Cameras,” Birdling Films
“Ram Dass, Going Home,” Further Pictures
“Ten Meter Tower,” Plattform Produktion
“Traffic Stop,” Q-Ball Productions

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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10 Animated Short Films Vie for 5 Spots at the 90th Academy Awards

10 ANIMATED SHORTS ADVANCE IN 2017 OSCAR® RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 90th Academy Awards®. Sixty-three pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“Cradle,” Devon Manney, director (University of Southern California)

“Dear Basketball,” Glen Keane, director, and Kobe Bryant, writer (Glen Keane Productions)

“Fox and the Whale,” Robin Joseph, director (Robin Joseph)

“Garden Party,” Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon, directors (MOPA)

“In a Heartbeat,” Esteban Bravo and Beth David, directors (Ringling College of Art and Design)

“Life Smartphone,” Chenglin Xie, director (China Central Academy of Fine Arts)

“Lost Property Office,” Daniel Agdag, director, and Liz Kearney, producer (8th in Line)

“Lou,” Dave Mullins, director, and Dana Murray, producer (Pixar Animation Studios)

“Negative Space,” Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, directors (Ikki Films)

“Revolting Rhymes,” Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer, directors (Magic Light Pictures)

Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco in January. Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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90th Academy Awards is Courted by 170 Documentary Feature Films

170 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES SUBMITTED FOR 2017 OSCAR® RACE

One hundred seventy features have been submitted for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 90th Academy Awards®.

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”
“Aida’s Secrets”
“Al Di Qua”
“All the Rage”
“All These Sleepless Nights”
“AlphaGo”
“The American Media and the Second Assassination of President John F. Kennedy”
“And the Winner Isn’t”
“Angels Within”
“Architects of Denial”
“Arthur Miller: Writer”
“Atomic Homefront”
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography”
“Bang! The Bert Berns Story”
“Bending the Arc”
“Big Sonia”
“Bill Nye: Science Guy”
“Birthright: A War Story”
“Bobbi Jene”
“Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”
“Born in China”
“Born to Lead: The Sal Aunese Story”
“Boston”
“Brimstone & Glory”
“Bronx Gothic”
“Burden”
“California Typewriter”
“Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Story”
“Casting JonBenet”
“Chasing Coral”
“Chasing Trane”
“Chavela”
“Citizen Jane: Battle for the City”
“City of Ghosts”
“Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives”
“Cries from Syria”
“Cruel & Unusual”
“Cuba and the Cameraman”
“Dawson City: Frozen Time”
“Dealt”
“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson”
“Destination Unknown”
“Dina”
“Dolores”
“Dream Big: Engineering Our World”
“A Dying King: The Shah of Iran”
“Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)”
“Earth: One Amazing Day”
“11/8/16”
“Elian”
“Embargo”
“Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars”
“Escapes”
“Everybody Knows... Elizabeth Murray”
“Ex Libris - The New York Public Library”
“Extraordinary Ordinary People”
“Faces Places”
“The Farthest”
“The Final Year”
“Finding Oscar”
“500 Years”
“Food Evolution”
“For Ahkeem”
“The Force”
“The Freedom to Marry”
“From the Ashes”
“Gaga: Five Foot Two”
“A German Life”
“Get Me Roger Stone”
“Gilbert”
“God Knows Where I Am”
“Good Fortune”
“A Gray State”
“Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All”
“Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story”
“Hearing Is Believing”
“Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS”
“Human Flow”
“I Am Another You”
“I Am Evidence”
“I Am Jane Doe”
“I Called Him Morgan”
“Icarus”
“If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast”
“The Incomparable Rose Hartman”
“An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power”
“Intent to Destroy”
“Jane”
“Jeremiah Tower The Last Magnificent”
“Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton”
“Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold”
“Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower”
“Karl Marx City”
“Kedi”
“Keep Quiet”
“Kiki”
“LA 92”
“The Last Dalai Lama?”
“The Last Laugh”
“Last Men in Aleppo”
“Legion of Brothers”
“Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982 - 1992”
“Let’s Play Two”
“Letters from Baghdad”
“Long Strange Trip”
“Look & See”
“Machines”
“Man in Red Bandana”
“Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance”
“Motherland”
“Mully”
“My Scientology Movie”
“Naples ’44”
“Neary’s - The Dream at the End of the Rainbow”
“Night School”
“No Greater Love”
“No Stone Unturned”
“Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press”
“Nowhere to Hide”
“Obit”
“Oklahoma City”
“One of Us”
“The Paris Opera”
“The Pathological Optimist”
“Prosperity”
“The Pulitzer at 100”
“Quest”
“Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman”
“The Rape of Recy Taylor”
“The Reagan Show”
“Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan”
“Risk”
“A River Below”
“Rocky Ros Muc”
“Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World”
“Santoalla”
“School Life”
“Score: A Film Music Documentary”
“Served Like a Girl”
“The Settlers”
“78/52”
“Shadowman”
“Shot! The Psycho Spiritual Mantra of Rock”
“Sidemen: Long Road to Glory”
“The Skyjacker’s Tale”
“Sled Dogs”
“Soufra”
“Spettacolo”
“Step”
“Stopping Traffic: The Movement to End Sex-Trafficking”
“Strong Island”
“Surviving Peace”
“Swim Team”
“Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton”
“Take My Nose... Please!”
“They Call Us Monsters”
“32 Pills: My Sister’s Suicide”
“This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous”
“Tickling Giants”
“Trophy”
“Twenty Two”
“Unrest”
“Vince Giordano - There’s a Future in the Past”
“Voyeur”
“Wait for Your Laugh”
“Wasted! The Story of Food Waste”
“Water & Power: A California Heist”
“Whitney. “Can I Be Me””
“Whose Streets?”
“The Work”

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process. A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December.

Films submitted in the Documentary Feature category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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ABC Television Network Brings the 2017-18 Season to D23 Expo 2017

The ABC Television Network Spotlights the Creative Forces and Stars from Some of Its Most Exciting Shows at D23 Expo 2017, with Exclusive Q&As and Meet & Greets/Photo Ops

Once Upon a Time Panel Features Series Creators/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and star Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook)

Celebrate ABC’s Summer Fun & Games as Modern Family’s Nolan Gould Hosts a Live Game of Celebrity Family Feud Featuring Some of Your Favorite ABC Comedy Kids from American Housewife, black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Modern Family, and Speechless

Meet and Take Selfies with Cast Members of American Housewife, black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, General Hospital, and Once Upon a Time

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Be among the first to learn the secrets of what’s ahead on ABC’s hit series Once Upon a Time; join Modern Family’s Nolan Gould as he hosts an ABC Summer Fun & Games panel featuring some of your favorite ABC Comedy kids playing a live, real-time game of Celebrity Family Feud; and meet some of your favorite ABC stars in-person during special meet & greet/photo op sessions at D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, July 14–16, 2017 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Panels and Presentations:

ABC Summer Fun & Games
Saturday, July 15, 10 a.m., D23 Expo Arena
Join us as ABC Summer Fun & Games comes to D23 Expo. Modern Family’s Nolan Gould hosts a game of Celebrity Family Feud with some of your favorite ABC Comedy kids, including Daniel DiMaggio & Logan Pepper from American Housewife; Miles Brown and Marsai Martin from black-ish; Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen from Fresh Off the Boat; Aubrey Anderson-Emmons from Modern Family; and Kyla Kenedy and Mason Cook from Speechless. Immediately following the game, the stars will take questions from the audience.

Once Upon a Time
Saturday, July 15, 3:15 p.m., D23 Expo Arena
After six seasons, the residents of the Enchanted Forest enter season seven facing their greatest challenge yet as the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, and Rumplestiltskin join forces with a grown-up Henry Mills and his daughter Lucy on an epic quest to bring hope to their world and ours. Along the way, fairy-tale characters—both new and old—search for true love, find adventure, and take sides in the ongoing struggle of good against evil as classic tales are once again twisted and reimagined. Join co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis (Lost) and Adam Horowitz (Lost), along with series star Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook), as they discuss what’s in store for our returning favorites, as well as the new additions to the Once Upon a Time universe. The panel will be moderated by D23’s Jeffrey Epstein.

On the Show Floor at TALENT CENTRAL

Meet & Greets/Photo Ops
Meet and have your picture taken with some of your favorite ABC stars at Talent Central, located on the show floor. Following is the appearance schedule (subject to change):

Friday, July 14
4–5 p.m.
General Hospital stars Michelle Stafford and Chloe Lanier

Saturday, July 15
1–2 p.m.
black-ish stars Miles Brown and Marsai Martin

1:30–2:30 p.m.
Fresh Off the Boat stars Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler, and Ian Chen

2:30–3:30 p.m.
American Housewife stars Daniel DiMaggio and Logan Pepper

5:15–6:15 p.m.
Once Upon a Time star Colin O’Donoghue and co-creators/executive producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz

Tickets for D23 Expo 2017 are available for $81 for one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $72 for a one-day adult admission and $53 for children 3–9. Multi-day tickets are also available. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2017, visit D23Expo.com.


About D23 Expo 2017
D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which will take place July 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2017 news, visit D23expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23Expo.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold and General Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

About ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with current hits including groundbreaking dramas Designated Survivor, Quantico, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Once Upon a Time. The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy®-winning Modern Family and trailblazing comedy favorites black-ish, American Housewife, Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, The Middle and Speechless; hit game shows $100,000 Pyramid, Celebrity Family Feud, Match Game, and To Tell the Truth; reality phenomenon Shark Tank, the iconic Bachelor franchise, long-running hits Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos, and the return of American Idol; General Hospital, which has aired for over more than 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk show The Chew; and late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. The network also boasts some of television’s most prestigious awards shows, including The Oscars®, The CMA Awards, The American Music Awards, and The Billboard Music Awards.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sting Among Performers at 89th Academy Awards

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, AULI'I CRAVALHO, STING, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND JOHN LEGEND TO PERFORM THIS YEAR’S NOMINATED SONGS AT THE OSCARS

Oscar® nominees Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sting, Justin Timberlake and 2014 Oscar winner John Legend will perform at the 89th Oscars® ceremony, show producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd announced today. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on Sunday, February 26, 2017 on the ABC Television Network.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these world-class artists to the Oscars. These performances will not only celebrate the five extraordinary nominated original songs, but also the integral part music plays in movies,” De Luca and Todd said.

Auli'i Cravalho will join Miranda to perform his Oscar-nominated song, “How Far I’ll Go,” written for “Moana.” An actor, playwright and composer, Miranda is best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals “Hamilton” and “In the Heights.” For his work, he has been recognized with a Primetime Emmy Award®, three Tony Awards®, two Grammy Awards® and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (“Hamilton”). This marks Miranda’s debut on the Oscars stage. Sixteen-year-old Cravalho made her film debut voicing the title character in “Moana.”

Seventeen-time Grammy winner Sting will perform “The Empty Chair” from “Jim: The James Foley Story,” the Oscar nominated song he co-wrote with three-time Oscar nominee J. Ralph. In addition to this current nomination, Sting has been nominated in this category on three previous occasions; “You Will Be My Ain True Love” from “Cold Mountain” (2003), “Until” from “Kate & Leopold” (2001) and “My Funny Friend And Me” from “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000), which he shared with David Hartley. A 2014 Kennedy Center Honoree, Sting has sold over 100 million records.

Timberlake will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Can’t Stop The Feeling” from the movie “Trolls.” He shares music and lyric credits with Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster. Timberlake is a multi-platinum recording artist and actor whose numerous awards include nine Grammy Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards. His acting credits include the Oscar-winning film “The Social Network” (2010) and Oscar-nominated “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013).

Legend will perform both “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” and “City of Stars,” from “La La Land,” music by Justin Hurwitz; lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. A singer-songwriter, musician and actor, Legend won an Oscar for the original song “Glory” from “Selma” (2014), an honor he shared with artist Common. Legend’s many accolades also include 10 Grammy Awards and 28 nominations.

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. Additionally, “The Oscars: All Access” live stream from the red carpet and backstage will begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Oscar.com.

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Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson Among Presents at 89th Oscars Telecast

HALLE BERRY, JAMIE DORNAN, CHRIS EVANS, GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, SCARLETT JOHANSSON, DAKOTA JOHNSON, KATE MCKINNON, SHIRLEY MACLAINE, HAILEE STEINFELD WILL BE PRESENTERS ON OSCARS® STAGE

Producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd today announced the second slate of presenters for the 89th Oscars® telecast.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on Sunday, February 26, 2017 on the ABC Television Network.

"These actors are why we love to go to the movies," said De Luca and Todd.  "From blockbusters to art house films, these artists deliver every time and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the 89th Oscars stage."

The presenters, including past Oscar® winners and nominees, are Halle Berry, Jamie Dornan, Chris Evans, Gael García Bernal, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Dakota Johnson, Shirley MacLaine, Kate McKinnon and Hailee Steinfeld.

Berry won an Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role for "Monster’s Ball" (2001).  Her feature credits also include "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014), "Cloud Atlas" (2012), "Frankie & Alice" (2010), "X-Men The Last Stand" (2006), "X2" (2003), "Die Another Day" (2002) and "X-Men" (2000).  She will next appear in "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" and "Kings."

Dornan’s film credits include "Fifty Shades Darker" (2017), "Fifty Shades of Grey" (2015) and the Oscar-winning film "Marie Antoinette" (2006).  Additionally, he has appeared in "Anthropoid" (2016) and "The Siege of Jadotville" (2016).  His upcoming films include "Fifty Shades Freed," "Robin Hood" and "Untogether."

Evans is known for "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) and the Oscar-nominated features "Captain America: The Winter Solider" (2014) and "Marvel’s The Avengers" (2012).  His film credits also include "The Iceman" (2013), "Puncture" (2011), "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010) and "Fantastic Four" (2005).  Evans will next appear in "Gifted," "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Jekyll."

García Bernal’s credits include the Oscar-winning films "Babel" (2006) and "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) as well as the Oscar-nominated films "Y Tu Mamá También" (2001) and "Amores Perros" (2000).  Additionally, he has appeared in "Neruda" (2016), "Desierto" (2016) and "Bad Education" (2004).  His upcoming films include "Z" and the animated feature "Coco."

Jackson earned an Oscar nomination for Actor in a Supporting Role for "Pulp Fiction" (1994).  Notably, he also appeared in the Oscar-winning films "The Hateful Eight" (2015), "Django Unchained" (2012) and "Inglourious Basterds" (2009).  Jackson will next appear in "Kong: Skull Island," "The Hitman’s Bodyguard," "Avengers: Infinity War," "The Incredibles 2" and "Inversion."

Johansson appeared in the Oscar-winning features "Her" (2013), "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (2008) and "Lost in Translation" (2003) as well as the Oscar-nominated films "Iron Man 2" (2010), "Match Point" (2005) and "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (2003).  Her credits also include "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) and "Lucy" (2014).  Johansson will next be seen in "Ghost in the Shell," "Rock That Body" and "Avengers: Infinity War."

Johnson’s credits include "Fifty Shades Darker" (2017), "Fifty Shades of Gray" (2015) and the Oscar-winning feature "The Social Network" (2010).  Her other credits include "How to Be Single" (2016), "A Bigger Splash" (2015) and "Black Mass" (2015).  Johnson will next appear in "Fifty Shades Freed" and "Suspiria."

MacLaine won an Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role for "Terms of Endearment" (1983).  Additionally, she garnered nominations for her leading roles in "The Turning Point" (1977), "Irma La Douce" (1963), "The Apartment" (1960) and "Some Came Running" (1958).  She also received a Documentary Feature nomination for "The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir" (1975).  Her notable credits also include "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (2013), "Bernie" (2012), "The Evening Star" (1996), "Postcards from the Edge" (1990) and "Steel Magnolias" (1989).  MacLaine will next appear in "The Last Word."

McKinnon’s feature credits include "Ghostbusters" (2016), "Masterminds" (2016), "Office Christmas Party" (2016) and the animated features "The Angry Birds Movie" (2016) and "Finding Dory" (2016).  In addition, she has appeared in "Sisters" (2015) and "Ted 2" (2015).  McKinnon will appear next in "Rock That Body."

Steinfeld received an Oscar nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role for "True Grit" (2010).  Her recent credits include "The Edge of Seventeen" (2016), "Ten Thousand Saints" (2015), "Barely Lethal" (2015), "Pitch Perfect 2" (2015), "Begin Again" (2014), "The Homesman" (2014) and "Ender’s Game" (2013).  Steinfeld will next appear in "Pitch Perfect 3."

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Acting Oscar Winners at 88 Academy Awards to Present at 89th Academy Awards

OSCAR® WINNERS LEONARDO DICAPRIO, BRIE LARSON, MARK RYLANCE AND ALICIA VIKANDER RETURN TO THE OSCARS® STAGE

Academy Award® winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson, Mark Rylance and Alicia Vikander will present at the 89th Oscars, show producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd announced today.  All return to the Oscars stage after winning last year in their respective acting categories.  Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on Sunday, February 26, 2017 on the ABC Television Network.

DiCaprio won last year for Actor in a Leading Role for “The Revenant.”  He was previously nominated for his performances in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), for which he also received a Best Picture nomination, “Blood Diamond” (2006), “The Aviator” (2004) and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” (1993).  His film credits also include “The Great Gatsby” (2013), “Django Unchained” (2012) and “J. Edgar” (2011).

‪Larson‬‬‬’s performance in “Room” earned her an Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role.  She has also appeared in “‪Trainwreck‬‬‬‬” (2015) and “‪Short Term 12‬‬‬‬” (2013).  Her upcoming films include “Captain Marvel,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “The Glass Castle” and "Unicorn Store.”

Rylance won for Actor in a Supporting Role for “Bridge of Spies.”  His other film credits include “The BFG” (2016) and the upcoming features “Dunkirk” and “Ready Player One.”  A prolific stage actor, he earned Tony Awards for his performances in “Twelfth Night,” “Jerusalem” and “Boeing-Boeing.”

Vikander won for Actress in a Supporting Role for “The Danish Girl.”  Her recent film credits include “The Light between Oceans” (2016), “Jason Bourne” (2016), “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (2015) and “Ex Machina” (2015).  Her upcoming films include “Euphoria,” “Submergence” and “Tomb Raider.”

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Jimmy Kimmel to Host 89th Academy Awards

JIMMY KIMMEL TALKS OSCARS HOST GIG ON “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!”

Late-night talk show host, producer and comedian Jimmy Kimmel confirmed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he will host the 89th Oscars® to be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. This is Kimmel’s first time hosting the global telecast.

“Mike and Jennifer have an excellent plan and their enthusiasm is infectious,” said Kimmel. “I am honored to have been chosen to host the 89th and final Oscars.”

“Jimmy’s ability to connect with people is what makes him a singular choice for this job,” said producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd. “His frank observations, relatable persona, wry humor and love of all kinds of film make him a natural fit for the Oscars stage.”

“Jimmy has the qualities of all the great hosts,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “He knows who he is, he knows the audience and he knows how to captain a ship with many moving parts. We're thrilled he has agreed to host our show.”

“The Oscars are in great hands with Jimmy,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “He is razor sharp, funny, and unpredictable, and has proven himself a master of live event television, which is perfect for our audience around the world.”

Channing Dungey, President ABC Entertainment said, “Jimmy is the perfect choice for us. He is deeply rooted in the Hollywood community and gifted at connecting with an audience as the consummate emcee. We expect the evening will be filled with great fun while honoring the best in the movie business.”

Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of the Emmy®-winning “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” ABC’s longest running late-night talk show. Now in its 14th season, “JKL” has earned six Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Variety Series Talk category, the Writing for a Variety Series category, and the Variety, Music or Comedy Series category.

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Marvel's Agent Carter, Hayley Atwell, Heads to 2016 Baltimore Comic-Con

Hayley Atwell, Star of Marvel's Agent Carter, Comes to Baltimore Comic-Con

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Come to the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 2-4, 2016 at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con is thrilled to announce our next guest, the star of Marvel's Agent Carter, Hayley Atwell. She will be in attendance Sunday, September 4th, 2016 only. Tickets for the show and Ms. Atwell are available now

Hayley Atwell starred as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger, acting as Steve Rogers' benefactor and potential love interest before his plunge into the ice. She reprised the role in Marvel's Agent Carter for two seasons. The show saw her star in the role of the feisty Agent Peggy Carter, the first series picking up a year after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, and followed Peggy Carter's blossoming career as a secret agent. She also starred as Peggy in the Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter (the predecessor to the series), in flashbacks in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant Man.

Atwell will be seen later this year leading a stellar cast in ABC's new drama series Conviction as a brilliant young attorney who happens to be the daughter of a former US President, blackmailed to head up LA's new Conviction Integrity Unit. Created by Liz Friedlander, the series will also feature Emily Kinney, Fode Bangoura and Merrin Dungey alongside Atwell as its star.

Hayley was most recently seen in the Kenneth Branagh-directed Cinderella, in which she starred alongside Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, and Lily James. The film, which released in March 2015, was a live-action retelling of the classic fairy tale. She was seen as the lead female role in the John Ridley-directed Jimi Hendrix biopic Jimi: All Is By My Side, alongside Imogen Poots and Andre 3000.

Hayley's work in film is extensive. Hayley's Bess Foster was the object of Ralph Fiennes' Duke of Devonshire's affections in 2008's The Duchess. The same year, audiences saw Hayley in Brideshead Revisited alongside Emma Thompson, Matthew Goode, and Ben Whishaw. She also collaborated with Whishaw in Love/Hate, a short film which was awarded runner up in the 2009 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. Her other film credits include the noir thriller feature I, Anna, and Nick Love's film adaptation of the popular 70s TV series The Sweeney, in which Hayley played the female lead alongside Ray Winstone and Damian Lewis.

On television, Hayley won critical acclaim for her performance in the BBC's The Line of Beauty, an adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning novel. She appeared in the ITV remake of the 1960s cult classic The Prisoner,where she played Lucy alongside Ian McKellen and Ruth Wilson. Hayley received a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Performance by an Actress category for her outstanding performance in the Channel 4's Pillars of the Earth based on Ken Follett's novel. Her other television credits include Any Human Heart, Mansfield Park, Ruby in the Smoke, and Fear of Fanny, Restless, Play House presents: The Man, and Life of Crime.

Hayley is also well-known as an accomplished stage actress. In September 2011, Hayley completed a run of The Faith Machine at the Royal Court Theatre. For the National Theatre, she played in Major Barbara and in Man of Mode. Hayley's outstanding performance in the role of Catherine in A View from the Bridge earned her rave reviews and a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 2009 Olivier Awards. Hayley has most recently been seen starring in Alexi Kaye Campbell's Olivier Award-winning play The Pride.

"Fans will be knocking down our front doors now," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Everyone knows and loves Hayley. She is a huge star in our circles and out, she's a big part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and have you seen her lip-sync battles?? Step back!"

TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/

GUARANTEED PARKING
To make parking easy and stress-free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow attendees driving to the show to purchase guaranteed parking near the Baltimore Comic-Con. Click here to book your guaranteed parking spot, or if you need help or have questions, call 800-232-6415.

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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Marvel Movie Stars to Appear at 2016 Wizard World Philadelphia

Marvel Stars Unite in Philadelphia! Evans, Hemsworth, Hiddleston among Wizard World Guests, June 4-5

Only 2016 Appearance for Hiddleston As Marvel Universe Standouts Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Sebastian Stan, Frank Grillo Also To Appear At Pennsylvania Convention Center

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marvel blockbuster films such as Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Avengers and Thor and hit TV programs such as "Agent Carter" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." have attracted millions of fans, with megastars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston among the main attractions. Now, those three plus popular supporting actors Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Sebastian Stan and Frank Grillo will gather for the first time at Wizard World Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5, 2016 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, it was announced today by Wizard World (OTCBB:WIZD), producer of the largest comic con and pop culture convention series.

All are scheduled to appear on both days, except Hiddleston, who will attend on Saturday only. All will greet fans, sign autographs, pose for photo ops (solo and in several different themed combinations) and conduct interactive Q&A panels.

"This will be the greatest collection of Marvel stars in one convention setting," said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. "As if it weren't enough to have Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth return to the Tour, the addition of Tom Hiddleston in his only appearance all year is a huge coup for fans. When you combine that with Michael J. Fox, David Duchovny, Stephen Amell and Norman Reedus, among the many others already attending, this will be one show fans won't want to miss."

A wide variety of VIP admission packages for individual and groups of the Marvel stars are now available. Fans can visit wizd.me/PhiladelphiaMarvel for options.

Evans, who has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors for both big budget and independent features, can next be seen in Captain America: Civil War, the third installment of Marvel’s Captain America franchise. In each film, Evans, who attended his first Wizard World event in New Orleans in January, reprises his role as the famed Marvel Comics character, “Steve Rogers,” who transforms into Captain America after volunteering for a top secret research project in hopes of defending America’s ideals. Both films grossed over $713 million each at box offices worldwide.

Hemsworth, a big hit at last weekend's Wizard World Cleveland show, was first introduced to U.S. audiences in Star Trek in 2009. Three years later, Hemsworth also starred in Universal’s big revisionist fairy tale Snow White And The Huntsman opposite Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart and in the horror feature The Cabin in the Woods. As prolific as 2012 was for the Melbourne, Australia, native, 2015 was even bigger, with four feature films including The Avengers: Age of Ultron, In the Heart of the Sea, Vacation and Blackhat. He also will play the lead in the sequel The Huntsman Winter's War and a key role in the reboot of Ghostbusters, both scheduled for release this year.

Hiddleston, who played "Loki" in Thor: The Dark World, The Avengers and Thor, will also be featured in the lead role this month's I Saw the Light, about the life of country-western singer Hank Williams. The London-born star has top billing in the series "The Night Manager" and had a co-starring role in last year's hit film Crimson Peak.

The Marvel stars join an already standout Wizard World Philadelphia celebrity field which includes David Duchovny ("The X-Files"), the Back to the Future trio of Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson and "The Walking Dead" standout Norman Reedus, with many more to be announced.

Wizard World comic con and gaming events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Philadelphia show hours are Thursday, June 2, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, June 3, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, June 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

For more on the 2016 Wizard World Philadelphia, visit http://wizd.me/PhiladelphiaPR.


About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store (www.shopwizardworld.com), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The Wizard World 2016 schedule is available at: http://wizardworld.com/searchby/city/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve certain risks and uncertainties. The actual results or outcomes of Wizard World, Inc. may differ materially from those anticipated. Although Wizard World, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any such assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, Wizard World, Inc. can provide no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements contained in this letter will prove to be accurate.

In light of the significant uncertainties and risks inherent in the forward-looking statements included in this letter, such information should not be regarded as a representation by Wizard World, Inc. that its objectives or plans will be achieved. Included in these uncertainties and risks are, among other things, fluctuations in operating results, general economic conditions, uncertainty regarding the results of certain legal proceedings and competition. Forward-looking statements consist of statements other than a recitation of historical fact and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "intend," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "estimate" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Because they are forward-looking, such statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties. These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Wizard World, Inc.'s most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading entitled "Risk Factors." Wizard World, Inc. does not undertake an obligation to update publicly any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. 

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2016 / 88th Academy Awards Nominations; Complete All-White List

The Academy Awards is an American film accolade.  It is best known as the “Oscars,” and is an annual awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements primarily in the American film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette that is officially called the “Academy Award of Merit,” but has become commonly known by its nickname, the “Oscar.”   The awards were first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  The Academy Awards are overseen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

The 88th Oscars nominations were announced on Thursday, January 14, 2016 from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.  Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2015 will be presented on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center.  The ceremony will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will be hosted by Chris Rock.

2016 / 88th Academy Award nominations:

Best Picture
The Big Short - Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers

Bridge of Spies - Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers

Brooklyn - Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers

Mad Max: Fury Road - Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers

The Martian - Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers

The Revenant - Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers

Room - Ed Guiney, Producer

Spotlight - Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Directing
The Big Short, Adam McKay
Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller
The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Room, Lenny Abrahamson
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Film Editing
The Big Short - Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road - Margaret Sixel
The Revenant - Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight - Tom McArdle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Foreign Language Film
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)

Original Score
Bridge of Spies - Thomas Newman
Carol - Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight - Ennio Morricone
Sicario - Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - John Williams

Production Design
Bridge of Spies
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich

The Danish Girl
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish

Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

The Martian
Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak

The Revenant
Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy

Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Mad Max: Fury Road
Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams

The Martian
Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner

The Revenant
Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould

Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short - Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Brooklyn - Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Carol - Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
The Martian - Screenplay by Drew Goddard
Room - Screenplay by Emma Donoghue

Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies - Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Ex Machina - Written by Alex Garland
Inside Out - Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight - Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
Straight Outta Compton - Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa - Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran

Boy and the World - Alê Abreu

Inside Out - Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Shaun the Sheep Movie - Mark Burton and Richard Starzak

When Marnie Was There - Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Cinematography
Carol - Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight - Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road - John Seale
The Revenant - Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario - Roger Deakins

Costume Design
Carol - Sandy Powell
Cinderella - Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl - Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road - Jenny Beavan
The Revenant - Jacqueline West

Documentary Feature
Amy- Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Cartel Land - Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
The Look of Silence - Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
What Happened, Miss Simone? - Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom - Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor

Documentary Short Subject
Body Team 12 - David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Chau, Bbeyond the Lines - Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah - Adam Benzine
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness - Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Last Day of Freedom - Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman

Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road - Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared - Love Larson and Eva von Bahr

The Revenant - Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini

Original Song
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio

“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty

“Simple Song #3” from Youth
Music and Lyric by David Lang

“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga

“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Animated Short Film
Bear Story - Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
Prologue - Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
Sanjay’s Super Team - Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
We Can’t Live without Cosmos - Konstantin Bronzit
World of Tomorrow - Don Hertzfeldt

Live Action Short Film
Ave Maria - Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
Day One - Henry Hughes
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut) - Patrick Vollrath
Shok - Jamie Donoughue
Stutterer - Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road - Mark Mangini and David White
The Martian - Oliver Tarney
The Revenant - Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
Sicario - Alan Robert Murray
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Matthew Wood and David Acord

Sound Mixing
Bridge of Spies - Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
Mad Max: Fury Road - Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
The Martian - Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
The Revenant - Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson

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Second Wave of 2016 Oscar Presenters Announced

THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES SECOND SLATE OF PRESENTERS FOR 88TH OSCARS®

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today the second slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016 on ABC. 

The presenters, including Oscar winners and nominees, are:

Steve Carell
Priyanka Chopra
Quincy Jones
Byung-hun Lee
Jared Leto
Julianne Moore
Olivia Munn
Margot Robbie
Jason Segel
Andy Serkis
J.K. Simmons
Kerry Washington
Reese Witherspoon

These artists have enriched the international moviegoing experience with a range of memorable work from the comic to the profound,” Hudlin and Hill said. “In the process, they have won over millions of fans, and we count ourselves among them.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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First Slate of Presenters Announced for 2016 Oscars Ceremony

THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES FIRST SLATE OF PRESENTERS AND PERFORMERS FOR 88TH OSCARS

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today the first slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar® Sunday, February 28, on ABC. 

The presenters and performers, including past Oscar winners and nominees, are:

     Benicio Del Toro
     Tina Fey
     Whoopi Goldberg
     Ryan Gosling
     Kevin Hart
     Lady Gaga
     Sam Smith
     Charlize Theron
     Jacob Tremblay
     The Weeknd
     Pharrell Williams

“Each of these artists brings a wonderfully distinctive element to the Oscars stage,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Together they represent the many thrilling ways stories can be shared about the human experience, and we’re honored they will be part of the celebration.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide

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Chris Rock to Host 88th Academy Awards Ceremony in Feb. 2016

Chris Rock Returns To Host The Oscars®

Multi-hyphenate artist and filmmaker Chris Rock will return to host the Oscars® for a second time, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today.  The 88th Academy Awards® will be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016, on the ABC Television Network.  Rock previously hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005.

“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all.  He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”

“I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It's great to be back.”

“We share David and Reggie’s excitement in welcoming Chris, whose comedic voice has really defined a generation,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “He is certain to bring his amazing array of talents to this year’s show.”

“Chris may be best known as a stand-up comic, but we think of him as a creative innovator in many other ways. He is unafraid in his artistry,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back to the Oscars.”

"Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” said Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group.

With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO.  In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.”

Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director.  His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty.  His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.”  In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play.  In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood.  He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993.

Known internationally for his groundbreaking stand-up comedy, Rock has won four Emmy® Awards for his comedy series and specials, including “Chris Rock – Kill the Messenger,” “The Chris Rock Show” and “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain,” and has achieved record audience numbers around the world.  He also has earned three Grammy® Awards for his comedy albums Never Scared, Bigger and Blacker and Roll with the New.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Reginald Hudlin and David Hill Named Producers of 2016 Oscars Telecast

DAVID HILL AND REGINALD HUDLIN TAPPED TO PRODUCE 88TH OSCARS®

Emmy®-winning live television producer David Hill and Oscar®-nominated producer-director Reginald Hudlin will produce the 88th Oscars telecast, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced.  It will be their first involvement with the Academy Awards®, which will air live on the ABC Television Network on Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016.

“We’re delighted to have this talented team on board,” said Boone Isaacs. “David is a true innovator with a dynamic personality.  His vast experience as a live events producer, coupled with Reggie’s energy, creativity and talent as a filmmaker, is sure to make this year’s Oscar telecast a memorable one.”

"What a great and exciting honor!  The quest is to honor the year in film, honor the art, and above all, make it fun," said Hill.

“I’m looking forward to working with the Academy again,” said Hudlin.  “I love every kind of film and this year’s awards will be a celebration of the total range of cinema.”

“We’re excited to work with David and Reggie,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “With their enthusiasm and breadth of experience, they will bring a fresh perspective to the Oscar show.”

An executive with the Fox group of companies for more than 25 years, Hill most recently served as the senior executive vice president of 21st Century Fox, overseeing programming, digital initiatives, and other opportunities on five continents. He was previously the chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Media Group, during which time he spearheaded the integration of new technologies and multiplatform programming services across the U.S.  Hill began his career with parent company News Corporation in Great Britain, where he helped launch Sky Television, introduced the multilingual sports channel Eurosport, and created the hugely popular subscription channel Sky Sports.  While he has contributed to hundreds of Emmy nominations and awards for the network, Hill received an individual Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Special as an executive producer of the 2011 World Series broadcast.  He also served as an executive producer on the last two seasons of “American Idol.”  He recently left Fox to start his own production company, Hilly, focusing on live and reality television.

A writer, director, producer and executive, Hudlin received a 2012 Best Picture Oscar nomination as a producer of "Django Unchained."  Hudlin’s film credits include “Boomerang,” “The Great White Hype” and the award-winning comedy “House Party,” which he also wrote.  He executive produced the hit television series “The Boondocks” and “The Black Panther”; and has directed for “Modern Family,” “Murder in The First,” “New Girl” and “The Office.”  Last year, Hudlin produced the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards ceremony and has been the executive producer of the NAACP Image Awards since 2012.  Hudlin was the first President of Entertainment for BET Networks from 2005 to 2009, where he oversaw programming and developed some of the network's highest rated shows during his tenure.  He is a partner in Milestone Media, a multi-ethnic comic book company distributed by DC Comics, as well as New Nation Networks, a premium content provider in partnership with Google.  Hudlin is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild.  He serves on the executive board of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and Wasatch.   

The Oscars ranks as television’s #1 entertainment telecast and consistently has drawn an average audience of more than 40 million viewers for the past 10 years.  The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of April 19th to 25th, 2015 - Update #20

NEWS:

From TheVulture:  There will be an eighth film in the "Fast & Furious" franchise.

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From SlashFilm:  Denzel Washington's The Equalizer is getting a sequel.

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From YahooMovies:  First photos from Point Break remake.

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From io9:  New "Star Trek" movie may be titled, "Star Trek Beyond."

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From TheWrap:  Emma Stone and Steve Carell will play Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in a movie about their (in)famous tennis match.

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From Variety:  Meryl Streep has funded a screenwriting lab for women writers over 40.

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From Variety:  For the third weekend in a row, Furious 7, wins the weekend box office.  The seventh entry in the "Fast & Furious" franchise earned an estimated $29.1 million to top the April 17th to 19th, 2015 weekend.

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From TheWrap:  John Ridley won an Oscar for writing 12 Years a Slave and is the creator of the acclaimed ABC series, "American Crime."  Now, he's developing an unnamed Marvel Comics series for ABC.

From TVGuide:  So what is John Ridley working on for Marvel?  Here's some speculation.
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COMICS:

From THR:  Jared Leto's Joker revealed - with tattoos and metal.

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From CinemaBlend:  Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the hot dudes behind the 21 Jump Street movies and The LEGO Movie, are working on an animated Spider-Man film - reported CinemaCon.

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From CinemaBlend:  The search for the next Spider-Man is reportedly down to 5 actors.

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From YahooMovies:  Joss Whedon praises Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" screenplay.

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From BleedingCool:   Sony email links may have spurred on Spider-Man's inclusion in "Captain America 3."


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From NerdReactor:  New Fantastic Four trailer, now with more Doctor Doom.

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From NerdReactor:  No post-credits seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron... hmm.

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From YahooTV:  Stan Lee throws some shade at DC Comics movies.

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From YouTube:  "Batman v. Superman" trailer.


STAR WARS:

From CheatSheet:  How to get your Star Wars fix before "The Force Awakens."

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From Variety:  The plot of "Star Wars: Rogue One" will apparently focus on a plot to steal the secrets of the Death Star.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  20th Century Fox debuts in the new Fantastic Four trailer.


OBITS:

From YahooTV:  The actor Sawyer Sweeten has died.  Sawyer and his twin brother, Sullivan, starred on "Everybody Loves Raymond."  Sawyer played one of the twin brothers, Geoffrey Barone.  Sullivan played Michael.  They were Ray Barone's twin boys.  Sullivan died of a suspected suicide on Thursday, April 23, 2015.

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From the HollywoodReporter:  The actor Ben Powers died April 6, 2015.  Powers, who was 64, played Keith Anderson, the husband of Thelma, on "Good Times," during the show's final season.

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From Variety:  The actor,  Jonathan Crombie, died at the age of 48 on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.  He was known for his role on the Canadian "Anne of Green Gables" miniseries, which was first broadcast in the United States in 1986.