Disney and Sony Pictures Entertainment Sign Content Agreement

Disney and Sony Pictures Entertainment Announce Unprecedented Post-Pay 1 Content Licensing Agreement

Deal Includes U.S. Rights to New Theatrical Releases from 2022-2026 Following Their Pay 1 TV Window and Library Titles from Sony Pictures for Disney’s Streaming Services and Linear Networks

Agreement Provides Disney with a Robust Collection of Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters Films in Post-Pay 1 TV Windows

BURBANK, Calif. – The Walt Disney Company (DIS) and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) today announced a multi-year content licensing agreement for U.S. streaming and TV rights to Sony Pictures’ new theatrical releases across Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution’s vast portfolio of platforms including its streaming services Disney+ and Hulu, as well as linear entertainment networks including ABC, Disney Channels, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. The deal covers theatrical releases from 2022-2026 and begins for each film following its Pay 1 TV window. The agreement builds upon the companies’ prior arrangement which saw SPE movies licensed to FX in the post-Pay 1 TV window.

The deal also grants rights to a significant number of SPE’s iconic library titles, ranging from the “Jumanji” and “Hotel Transylvania” franchises to Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters films, including Spider-Man. This gives Disney enormous programming potential across its platforms and makes them key destinations for a robust collection of Spider-Man films. Notably, the agreement provides Hulu access to a significant number of library titles beginning as early as this June.

“This landmark multi-year, platform agnostic agreement guarantees the team at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution a tremendous amount of flexibility and breadth of programming possibilities to leverage Sony’s rich slate of award-winning action and family films across our direct-to-consumer services and linear channels,” said Chuck Saftler, head of Business Operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks, and Acquisitions in DMED’s Networks division, who played a key role in the negotiations. “This is a win for fans, who will benefit from the ability to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a multitude of viewing platforms and experiences.”

“This groundbreaking agreement reconfirms the unique and enduring value of our movies to film lovers and the platforms and networks that serve them,” said Keith Le Goy, president, Worldwide Distribution and Networks, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “We are thrilled to team up with Disney on delivering our titles to their viewers and subscribers. This agreement cements a key piece of our film distribution strategy, which is to maximize the value of each of our films, by making them available to consumers across all windows with a wide range of key partners.”

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.


ABOUT DISNEY MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT DISTRIBUTION:
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) manages The Walt Disney Company’s vast content commercialization and distribution ecosystem that delivers the Company’s unparalleled storytelling to audiences worldwide. This entails P&L management and operation of the Company’s portfolio of streaming services including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and the international general entertainment offering, Star; its linear television channels and the ABC-owned stations; theatrical film distribution; content licensing and distribution, including Disney Music Group; global advertising sales; and the technology that powers these groups. Using a wealth of consumer insights from across the Company, DMED makes content investment and distribution decisions to maximize audience engagement and commercial impact across platforms, collaborating with creative leaders in Disney’s Studios, General Entertainment, and Sports organizations.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 18th to 24th, 2021 - Update #24

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

AWARDS - From Deadline:   Back around April 11th, the winners at the 21st Annual Black Reel Awards were announced.  "Judas and the Black Messiah" won the "Outstanding Film" award.  Regina King's "One Night in Miami" wins the most awards, picking up five trophies.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:    CBS has renewed "NCIS: Los Angeles" for a 13th season.  It has give a straight-to-series order for "NCIS: Hawaii," which will be the first series in the franchise to have a female lead. The original "NCIS," was renewed for a 19th season.

OSCARS - From Esquire:  On the eve of the 93rd Academy Awards, writer Tom Nicholson ranks the previous 92 "Best Picture" Oscar winners.  No, "Crash" is not #92; it's #84.  "Cimarron" is #92. "Moonlight" is #1.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Star Vin Diesel and director F. Gary Gray will team-up for STXfilms action-comedy, "Muscle."  The film's story is being kept secret for the time being.

ANIMATION/LGBTQ - From YahooEntertainment:   Pixar is seeking "authentic" young performer to voice its first transgender character

AWARDS - From THR:  "Nomadland" wins "Best Feature" at the 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards. This article includes a complete winners list.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Broadway and film super-producer, Scott Rudin, is now saying that he will step back from his film and streaming projects in the wake of the scandalous revelations about his abusive behavior towards those he works with and those who work for him.  Rudin previously announced that he would step back from his Broadway projects.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix is nearing a deal on "Shout It Out Loud," a biographical film about the iconic rock band, KISS.  Apparently, the hopes are that it would do for KISS what the Oscar-winning "Bohemian Rhapsody" did for the rock band, Queen. 

From Deadline:  Actress Hillary Duff is set to headline "How I Met Your Father," a spinoff of the long-running CBS comedy series, "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-14).

BLACK HISTORY - From Variety:   Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, and Kevin Hart are among the Black Hollywood figures behind a two-part Apple Original Films documentary about African-American achievement in Hollywood and about what it takes for Black actors to be successful in the film industry.

DISNEY - From Variety:   Disney and Sony Pictures have signed a massive licensing deal that will bring Sony films to multiple Disney streaming and broadcast and cable TV platforms.  The previously announced Netflix/Sony deals gives Netflix exclusive rights to Sony films in the post-theatrical "Pay 1" window.  The Disney/Sony deal gives Disney all subsequent TV windows.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline:  The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the Golden Globes, has expelled former 8-time president, South African-born Phil Berk, from the organization.  Berk recently sent an email to fellow members disparaging "Black Lives Matter" and one of its founders.

From Deadline:  Phil Berk, former 8-time president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which hands out the Golden Globes), sent out an email to fellow HFPA members blasting the "Black Lives Matter" movement and co-founder Patrisse Cullors.  Fellow members push back at Berk, an 88-year-old South African.

BLM - From YahooNews:   Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on all counts against him in the killing of African-American victim, George Floyd, nearly one year after kneeling on Floyd’s neck in an incident that sparked global protests against police brutality.  Chavin, a white man, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd on May 25, 2020.

ANIMATION - From Variety:   Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers (a current Oscar nominee for Disney/Pixar's "Soul"), and Justin K. Thompson have been tapped by Sony Pictures Animation to direct the sequel to the Oscar-winning animated feature “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/16 to 4/18/2021 weekend box office is "Godzilla vs. Kong" with an estimated take of 7.7 million dollars.

STREAMING - From EW:  Amazon is spending "upwards of 464 million dollars" to produce the first season of its "Lord of the Rings" TV series!

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The American Society of Cinematographers announced its 35th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards winners.  "Mank" won the "Theatrical Release" trophy.

From Deadline:  At the 2021 / 48th annual Annie Awards, Disney/Pixar's "Soul" wins "Best Feature" and "Wolfwalkers" wins "Best Indie Feature."  The two films were the big winners at the ceremony, with "Soul" winning seven awards and "Wolfwalkers" winning five.

From Deadline:   At the 2021 / 57th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards, Amazon Studios drama, "Sound of Metal," and Disney/Pixar’s "Soul" won out in top categories.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Film and television producer, Charles "Chuck" Fries, has died at the age of 92, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  Fried was a prolific producer of films and of television series and movies.  He produced such films as "Cat People" (a 1982 remake) and "Troop Beverly Hills" (1989).  Fries is also considered a very important person in the development of the TV movie, especially "issue-oriented" films such as "Bitter Harvest" (1981) and "Small Sacrifices" (1989).

From YahooEntertainment:   Gregory Jacobs, the rapper and record producer best known as "Shock G" and "Humpty Hump," has died at the age of 57, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  As Shock G, Jacobs led the rap group, "Digital Underground," which had a hit in 1990's "The Humpty Dance."  Shock G also produced two tracks and provided background vocals on 2Pac/Tupac Shakur's debut album, "2Pacalypse Now" (1991).

From YahooEntertainment:   Scottish pop singer, Les McKeown, has died at the age of 65, Tuesday, April 20, 2021.  McKeown was the lead singer of the Scottish pop rock band, the "Bay City Rollers," during the group's most successful period, the mid-1970s, including singing lead on the "Billboard Hot 100" #1 single, "Saturday Night" (1975).

From CNN:  Former Vice-President of the United States, Walter "Fritz" Mondale, has died at the age of 93, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Mondale served as VP under President Jimmy Carter from Jan. 20, 1977 to Jan. 20, 1981.  Mondale was also a United States Senator for the state of Minnesota from 1964 to 1976.  He unsuccessfully ran for President, but lost to incumbent President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

From Variety:  Songwriter, composer, playwright, and record producer, Jim Steinman, has died at the age of 73, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Steinman's most famous work is recording artist Meat Loaf's 1977 debut album, "Bat Out of Hell."  Steinman composed all the songs on the album which became one of the bestselling albums of all time.  Steinman also wrote and/or produced songs for Air Supply, Barry Manilow, and Celine Dion, to name a few.

Eight Disney Releases Earn a Combined 17 Wins at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards

Congratulations to Disney’s 2021 NAACP Image Awards Winners

The Walt Disney Company received 17 NAACP Image Awards for 2021, including eight for ABC, which marked the most for any network or distributor this year. The awards were announced during a special live broadcast of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Anthony Anderson, star of ABC’s black-ish, on Saturday, March 27, 2021 and as part of a weeklong NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience that began Monday, March 22, 2021. As he kicked off the live event, Anderson said, “Tonight, we celebrate all that is amazing, outstanding and beautiful about our Blackness… Black people, we are amazing, limitless and remarkable.”

The NAACP Image Awards honor the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also recognize individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. This year’s nominees “have provided moments of levity, brought our communities together and lifted our spirits through culture when we needed it the most,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said when the nominations were announced in February.

ABC’s black-ish, which is currently in its seventh season on ABC, earned five NAACP Image Awards—more than any other show—including Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Anderson and two awards for Marsai Martin, who was named Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series).

Disney General Entertainment Content also received NAACP Image awards for ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud and Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, which earned two apiece; Viola Davis, star of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder, was named Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series; and FX’s The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” was honored as Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special).

In accepting her award, Davis thanked series creator Peter Nowalk, executive producer Shonda Rhimes and “the beautiful cast of How to Get Away with Murder,” which concluded in 2020 after a successful six-season run on ABC. “It was the joy and journey of my life to go on this ride with you,” Davis said and she credited Nowalk for “redefining what it means to be a leading lady, what it means to be a woman, what it means to be Black on network television.”

Four NAACP Image Awards went to Disney and Pixar’s Soul, which is streaming on Disney+, including Outstanding Animated Motion Picture and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance—Motion Picture. The film’s music was honored with two awards for Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album and Outstanding Jazz Album—Instrumental. “Being able to tell a universal tale that explores the meaning of life through the prism of a Black man’s experiences was a special and incredible honor for all of us,” said Kemp Powers, co-director of Soul. “And though the details of all of our stories are very specific, the struggle to find meaning in our lives is universal.”

ESPN’s The Last Dance, which chronicled Michael Jordan and the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls, was named Outstanding Documentary (Television). Additionally, Hulu Originals’ Little Fires Everywhere received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, which went to Attica Locke for her episode, “The Spider Web.”

Here is the full list of winners from across The Walt Disney Company:

black-ish (ABC)—5 awards

    Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Anderson
    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Deon Cole
    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Marsai Martin
    Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series): Marsai Martin
    Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Anya Adams, “Hair Day”

Soul (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+ / Walt Disney Records)—4 awards

    Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
    Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance—Motion Picture: Jamie Foxx
    Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall
    Outstanding Jazz Album—Instrumental: Music From and Inspired By Soul; Jon Batiste

Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)—2 awards

    Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
    Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special)—Individual or Ensemble: Steve Harvey

Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)—2 awards

    Outstanding Animated Series
    Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television): Laya DeLeon Hayes

How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)—1 award

    Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Viola Davis

The Last Dance (ESPN / Netflix)—1 award

    Outstanding Documentary (Television)

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)—1 award

    Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Attica Locke,“The Spider Web”

The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” (FX)—1 award

    Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

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Seven Disney Releases Earn a Combined 15 Nominations at the 93rd Oscars

The Walt Disney Company Earns 15 Academy Award Nominations

Nominations for the 93rd Oscars® were recently announced, and films from across The Walt Disney Company combined to earn 15 Academy Award® nominations for 2021.

Searchlight Pictures’ critically acclaimed Nomadland received six nominations, including Best Motion Picture. The film’s star, Frances McDormand, is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Chloé Zhao received nods for Best Achievement in Directing, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Achievement in Editing. With Nomadland, Searchlight Pictures has now garnered 19 Best Picture Oscar Nominations and a grand total of 164 Academy Award nominations. The studio has won 40 Academy Awards since 1994, including four Best Picture winners since 2009: Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman and The Shape of Water.

Disney+ received its first Oscar nominations since launching in 2019. The service is home to a variety of nominated content including Onward, Soul, and the animated short Burrow, all from Disney and Pixar; Disney’s Mulan and Disney’s The One and Only Ivan. Soul and Onward are both nominated for Best Animated Feature, and Soul received two additional nominations this morning for Best Original Score and Best Sound. Disney’s Mulan received nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects; Disney’s The One and Only Ivan is nominated for Best Visual Effects; and Disney and Pixar’s Burrow is among this year’s nominees for Best Animated Short Film.

The Hulu Original film The United States vs. Billie Holiday garnered a nomination for its star, Andra Day, who is among the nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Hulu is also the exclusive streaming home to Searchlight Pictures’ Nomadland.

Here is the complete list of nominations from across The Walt Disney Company:

Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures): 6 Nominations

Best Motion Picture—Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Dan Janvey, Mollye Asher, Chloé Zhao

Best Actress in a Leading Role—Frances McDormand

Best Achievement in Directing—Chloé Zhao

Best Adapted Screenplay—Chloé Zhao

Best Achievement in Editing—Chloé Zhao

Best Achievement in Cinematography—Joshua James Richards

Soul (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+ / Disney Music Group): 3 Nominations

Best Animated Feature

Best Original Score—Jon Batiste, Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor

Best Achievement in Sound

Mulan (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 2 Nominations

Best Costume Design

Best Visual Effects

Onward (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures): 1 Nomination

Best Animated Feature

The One and Only Ivan (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 1 Nomination

Best Visual Effects

Burrow (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 1 Nomination

Best Animated Short Film

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu): 1 Nomination

Best Actress in a Leading Role—Andra Day

Soul director Pete Docter, producer Dana Murray and co-director Kemp Powers said, “Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor, we are truly humbled. Soul represents several years of research, intense work, self-doubt and also a good deal of fun. Our journey on the film was similar to that of Joe Gardner’s—well, except the part where he falls down a manhole. As we struggled with story clarity and tried out who-knows-how-many different endings, we began to realize how important it was to savor what may have felt like minor moments along the way: the satisfaction of jotting down a preliminary sketch on a scrap of paper; hearing the first chords from the earliest music demos; laughing with the crew. Though we might not have known it at the time, moments like these helped inspire us and fed back into the film in innumerable ways. Though we are living through challenging times, being recognized by the Academy gives us hope that the joy we found and put into our film was shared by audiences, and nothing could be more meaningful than that.”

The talented musicians who created the score for Soul—Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste—had this reaction to their Oscar nominations: “We are astounded and incredibly grateful to be considered for the Academy Award for Best Original Score on behalf of Soul. This was a profoundly rewarding creative collaboration filled with so much love, light and lineage. The warm reception of the film continues to humble us. We will be celebrating this tremendous honor in anticipation of the ceremony to come.”

Onward director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae shared, “Thank you to the Academy for honoring our film. We share this nomination with the entire cast and the crew at Pixar who were essential in bringing the magic and wonder of Ian and Barley’s journey to life. Onward was a very personal story, exploring the idea of what one would do if they had more time with a loved one they’d lost. It’s incredibly meaningful to see how this has resonated with audiences, and we couldn’t be more thankful to the Academy for their recognition.”

“We are incredibly honored to receive this nomination and be celebrated alongside such an inspiring collection of shorts—it means the world to us and the entire Burrow crew. Burrow is a short that encourages people not be afraid to open themselves up to others—and to be recognized in a year when maybe a lot of people have been feeling isolated, really means the world to us,” said Burrow director Madeline Sharafian and producer Michael Capbarat. “A sincere thank you to the Academy for this recognition.”

Mulan’s nominees for Best Visual Effects—Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram—said, “The VFX team of Mulan is so thrilled and deeply honored to be recognized by our branch! Thanks to our VFX producer Di Giorgiutti, our production family and our actual families! Thanks to our SFX team and all of the VFX companies (Weta, Imageworks, Framestore, Image Engine and Crafty Apes) for their stellar work and friendship. A special thanks to the amazing team at Disney including producer Jason Reed and our wonderful executive Mimi Steele, our fearless director Niki Caro and incredibly supportive DP Mandy Walker and amazing production designer and costume designer Grant Major and Bina Daigeler for giving us such rich textures to work with. It was fun bringing this world to life and I hope people will get a chance to see the work again.”

The film’s costume designer, Bina Daigeler, said, “I am over the moon and so thrilled to be nominated. It’s such a great honor and thank you to the Academy for my nomination. I am so happy to see my name alongside my amazing costume designer colleagues. Mulan was such a great and important experience. I am full of gratitude to get this recognition, especially during this rough time, and am sharing my happiness with my friends around the world.

“This nomination is a testament to the passion and talent of the visual effects artists at MPC Film,” said The One and Only Ivan’s Production VFX Supervisor Nick Davis. “We are honored to receive an Oscar nomination for the visual effects of The One and Only Ivan. I’d also like to thank our friends at Disney and our director, Thea Sharrock.”

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Disney Announces New Film Release Schedule for "Black Widow" and More

Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Announces Updates to Summer Film Release Schedule

Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution announced new release details for a number of titles on Walt Disney Studios’ upcoming slate of films. The announcement updates rollout details for the forthcoming Disney live-action Cruella, Marvel Studios’ Black Widow and Disney and Pixar’s Luca, and also includes revised premiere dates for several other titles.

“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences. By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.

Following the successful release of Raya and the Last Dragon, the highly anticipated live-action film Cruella and Marvel Studios’ long-awaited Black Widow will launch simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in most Disney+ markets on Friday, May 28, 2021 and on Friday, July 9, 2021 respectively.

Similar to the launch of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-nominated Soul that delighted Disney+ subscribers during the holidays, Disney and Pixar’s Luca will stream directly in homes worldwide exclusively on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 18, 2021, as a special offering to kick off the summer season. In international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, the film will be released theatrically, with premiere dates to be announced.

Theatrical release dates also shifted for several additional upcoming films. New release dates include:

•     Free Guy on August 13, 2021
•     Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on September 3, 2021
•     The King’s Man on December 22, 2021
•     Deep Water on January 14, 2022
•     Death on the Nile on February 11, 2022

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Women Make History with Walt Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon"

Press release:

Making History While Making "Raya and the Last Dragon"

The warrior at the center of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest film, Raya and the Last Dragon, is brave and resilient; Sisu, the titular dragon of legend, is also a bold hero in her own right, filled with optimism, hope and a disarming sense of humor. These strong women have been brought to life in the film—which debuted in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access Friday, March 5, 2021—by a talented team of writers, artists and technologists anchored by women leaders who are pretty inspiring themselves. Produced by Osnat Shurer, Raya and the Last Dragon was developed under the leadership of Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee; with co-writer Adele Lim, head of story Fawn Veerasunthorn and co-head of animation Amy Smeed among the women leading the creative charge. Additionally, the film boasts an all-female technical leadership team led by technical supervisor, Kelsey Hurley, and associate technical supervisors, Gabriela Hernandez and Shweta Viswanathan.

The creative, technology and production leads on Raya and the Last Dragon were the best in their areas, Shurer states, and she believes that diversity in leadership “behind the camera” at Disney Animation is essential. She praises the studio’s efforts to increase representation on its films, noting, “The more people of different genders, backgrounds and ethnicities are in the room, the more of ourselves we’ll see on the screen, which is incredibly exciting. There is so much we can learn from each other, which in turn serves to deepen our empathy for one another, and our ability to all work together, embracing our unique contributions, to make a better world. What could be a more timely message?”

The technical leadership team oversees all technology needs for the film, ensuring the artists have the tools and technical resources they need to achieve the directors’ vision. “Our job is a bit behind- the-scenes but just as important,” Hernandez says. “It feels nice when that comes across in the artists’ gratitude when working together.”

“As technical supervisor, it’s my job to ensure we have everything we need from a technical standpoint to create the film. This ranges from making sure we have the tool sets needed, to making sure we have enough render capacity and disk space,” Hurley explains. Along with Hernandez and Viswanathan, the women lead a team of technical directors (TDs) who provide troubleshooting support for artists as well as develop new tools for them.

Raya and the Last Dragon takes viewers to the fantasy world of Kumandra—whose five lands are all filled with their own distinct cultures and creatures. “Each has a unique look and feel, and one of the challenges we faced was representing how large this world really is,” Hurley explains. “Raya brings together all the technologies we’ve created over the last 10 years together. Using Hyperion (our in-house renderer) that we first saw on Big Hero 6, fur simulation made for Zootopia, water tools from Moana and an upgraded volumetric system and environment toolset from Frozen 2, we are able to showcase a large world with a diverse set of characters and landscapes.”

While the technologists were able to draw from previous films to inspire innovations on screen in Raya and the Last Dragon, there was no reference for the shift they had to orchestrate when the pandemic forced production to continue remotely. “The entire team had to hit the ground running. We’re fortunate that our studio already enabled us to work from home to promote work-life balance. The main problem that needed to be solved was with regards to scale—we never had the entire studio need to log on at the same time before,” Hurley recalls. “Within just two weeks, we went from needing to have a rotation for when artists could work, to enabling the entire studio to log on all at once. The technology team at Disney did quick, amazing work which let the movie continue without missing a beat.”

Hurley describes being part of an all-female technology leadership team as “an incredible experience. Not long ago our TD department only had a few women, and now we’re at about equal gender representation in the department and in leadership,” she says. Viswanathan concurs, sharing, “I feel fortunate to have joined Disney, and honestly to have started working at a time where there isn’t a lot of emphasis on my gender, and my success and advancement is purely based on my merit.”

As Hurley, Hernandez and Viswanathan have grown in their tech careers, they praise the studio for fostering an environment that’s collaborative and rich with opportunities to learn from their fellow employees. “There are still some days where I wake up and I am just so stunned to work here alongside folks who made the movies I grew up on, folks whose works we studied in CG courses at university,” Viswanathan shares. “And now, nearly a decade later, I feel so blessed to be able to be here and make my own mark here. The studio truly is so collaborative, nothing is about the ‘I,’ but rather how ‘we’ can all work together to bring the movie to the world.”

Hernandez is grateful to her fellow technology leads for their mentorship and partnership in making Raya, and tried to pay that forward on her own team. “It was my first time being a supervisor, and Kelsey and Shweta always had my back. They trusted me, gave me the space to find my voice and style, and were there if I ever needed them. We grew together,” she says, adding, “I hope the team feels the same. It was very important to me and was one of my goals to give the TDs the best opportunities to grow and shine, too.”

“It’s inspiring working with all the artists and technologists in the studio,” Hurley says. “As someone with a computer science background, I love seeing our work translate to making a movie.” The technologist says she always had an interest in art and computers, but only discovered while she was in college that it was possible to pursue a career that combined the two seemingly disparate fields. “While I love art, I’m not a strong artist, so when I found out that this job acts as a bridge between art and technology, I felt like it was the perfect fit,” she notes.

Hernandez also discovered computer science in college. “That’s when I realized that I love problem solving and creative environments. Being a TD at Disney is perfect for that. Every day there’s a new problem to solve,” she recalls. “Growing up as a Dominican girl from The Bronx and watching Disney movies, I never imagined I would be working at Walt Disney Animation Studios.”

When asked what words of encouragement she has for women who are thinking of pursuing a similar path in animation technology, Hernandez urges, “Don’t be afraid to speak up and take up space. Believe in yourself. We, too, deserve a seat at the table.”

Viswanathan acknowledges the importance of a programming background—essential in building the tools that allow the artists to create—but also stresses, “Be curious and open-minded, and don’t be afraid to ask questions, because that’s a great way to learn. Having mentoring or tutoring experience also goes a long way, since a lot of our day is people-facing; having good soft skills is a huge plus.”

“Be confident in yourself and find your voice,” Hurley stresses. “Those are the two things that have changed my life and let me go out for different opportunities, even when they scared me.”

Shurer, who joined Disney Animation in 2012 and who previous produced the Oscar®-nominated Moana, underscores the importance of perseverance, especially when things are difficult. Her advice to women who are just starting out in animation is, “If you encounter setbacks along the way, take a moment to feel what you feel, and then get back into it,” she says. “Your story, our stories, are valuable and important and need to be told, and your voice in shaping these stories is essential.”

Disney Animation has a long history of stories featuring women in aspirational roles, Shurer points out, and it excites her to see an ever-growing number of equally strong women working behind the scenes at the studio. She shares, “As we move forward, our studio—led creatively by Jenn Lee, a woman who is a creative force in her own right, joined by women in leadership at every level—continues to lead the way towards greater inclusion on the screen and behind the camera. How cool is that?!”

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#28DaysofBlack Review: "A WRINKLE IN TIME" is Wonderfully Weird

 

[I imagine that The Walt Disney Company had to make “A Wrinkle in Time” an accounting write-off.  The film under-performed at the box office, which is a shame.  It is one of the most original science fiction and fantasy films of the 21st century.  I also honestly believe that this film is such a unique vision because it was directed by an African-American woman, Ava DuVernay.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 of 2021 (No. 1756) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG for thematic elements and some peril
DIRECTOR:  Ava DuVernay
WRITERS:  Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell (based on the novel by Madeleine L'Engle)
PRODUCERS:  Catherine Hand and Jim Whitaker
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Tobias Schliessler (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Spencer Averick
COMPOSER:  Ramin Djawadi

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring:  Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Deric McCabe, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Pena, Andre Holland, Rowan Blanchard, and David Oyelowo

A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 science fiction and fantasy-adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay.  The film is based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962, A Wrinkle in Time, the first book in her “Time Quintet” series.  A Wrinkle in Time the movie follows a young girl, her brother, and a school friend as they set off on a quest across the universe to find the girl's missing father.

A Wrinkle in Time introduces 13-year-old Meg Murry (Storm Reid).  She continues to struggle to adjust at school four years after the disappearance of her father, Alex Murry (Chris Pine), a renowned astrophysicist.  Meg and her gifted younger brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), have also been in trouble with their school's Principal Jenkins (Andre Holland).  Even their mother, Dr. Kate Murry (Gugu Mbatah-Raw), struggles in the wake of the disappearance of her husband.  However, Meg has made a new friend, her classmate, Calvin O'Keefe (Levi Miller).

Then, the Murrys and Calvin start to get unusual visitors.  They call themselves “the Misses.”  They are Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), a trio of astral beings who claim that the “tesseract,” a method of space travel that Alex Murry was studying, is real.  These astral travelers reveal that they have come to help find Alex, who has transported himself across the universe.  They need Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin's help, and they need them to be “warriors.”  However, Meg doubts her own abilities and really doesn't like herself all that much, and that will make her vulnerable to the powerful enemy that awaits them, “The IT.”

The cinematography by Tobias A. Schliessler, the costume design by Paco Delgado, and the production design by Naomi Shohan come together to create one of the most visually beautiful science fiction films that I have seen in a decade.  The film editing by Spencer Averick and the gorgeous score by Ramin Djawadi make that beauty move and feel vibrant, creating a film like no other.

Beyond the high production values, director Ava DuVernay has fashioned a big-hearted film that is one of the most ambitious science fiction and fantasy films in recent memory.  I have never read Madeleine L'Engle's now legendary novel, so I assume that screenwriters Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell (and any other writers that contributed to the final product) condensed the character drama in order to focus on Meg Murry.  However, DuVernay and the writers, through Meg, tell a story in which love and imagination and determination and fortitude can send humans on a voyage that traverses not only our galaxy, but also the universe.

Young actress Storm Reid as Meg Murry is poignant and engaging as the young hero who must learn to both love and accept herself and to believe in herself.  Her teen (or 'tween) struggles seem honest and genuine.  In a movie full of offbeat performances of odd characters, Reid makes Meg seem solid and the driving force of this narrative.

Young Deric McCabe seems supernaturally self-assured as Charles Lawrence Murry, making the young brother an important counterpart to Meg.  Levi Miller is a pleasant addition as Calvin O'Keefe whose main role is to believe in Meg even when she doesn't believe in herself, but the story also gives Calvin his own poignant journey.

I get why adults, especially film critics, had mixed feelings about the film.  I think young viewers will get it, and this film adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time is important because Ava DuVernay, once again, reinvents what a black female can be on screen in a Hollywood film.  A Wrinkle in Time may be a fantasy film dressed in the many multi-colored robes of science fiction, but this film introduces new kinds of warriors in service of the universe.  And one of those new colors is a young black girl, and that makes A Wrinkle in Time an exceptional film for this time.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, February 22, 2021


2019  Black Reel Awards”  3 nominations: “Outstanding Cinematography” (Tobias A. Schliessler), “Outstanding Costume Design” (Paco Delgado), and “Outstanding Production Design” (Naomi Shohan)


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Disney and Lucasfilm Announce "Mando Mondays," Staring October 26th

Disney and Lucasfilm Announce “Mando Mondays” – A New Global Product Reveal Program in Celebration of “The Mandalorian”

New Season Starts Streaming October 30 on Disney+

Discover a Bounty of All-New Star Wars Products, Books, Comics and Digital Content Inspired by the Hit Lucasfilm Series

Pre-Orders on Select Items Have Begun

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fans of the Disney+ original series “The Mandalorian” just received a new reason to look forward to Mondays. Disney and Lucasfilm today announced Mando Mondays, an all-new global consumer products, games and publishing program, kicking off on October 26, 2020, that will debut goods inspired by the series.

After premiering last fall and quickly taking the world by storm, “The Mandalorian” – which took home seven awards last week during the 2020 Primetime Emmy® Awards – will return for its highly anticipated second season Friday, October 30, 2020, streaming only on Disney+. The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through the dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.

After fans experience the latest episode every Friday on Disney+, they can visit MandoMondays.com each Monday to see what new toys, collectibles, apparel, books, comics, digital content and more will be unveiled. Mando Mondays will run for nine weeks, culminating on December 21, 2020.

“When ‘The Mandalorian’ debuted last year on Disney+, the show became an instant phenomenon, with fans of all ages expressing excitement for products related to its iconic characters – particularly the Child,” said Kareem Daniel, president, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. “This fall, as the world continues to watch the narrative unfold, we will further bring this unique Star Wars story to life through a must-have selection of toys, books, comics, digital content, and more.”

To celebrate this announcement, select pre-orders for the first wave of Mando Mondays products will kick off today at 1:00 p.m. PDT / 4:00 p.m. EDT across top retailers globally, including shopDisney.com. Products available for pre-order today include the Hasbro Black Series Credit Collection, new Funko Pop! bobbleheads, the LEGO® Star Wars The Child construction set and much more, all viewable now at MandoMondays.com.

The countdown starts now! For more details, visit MandoMondays.com and follow the conversation on social using #MandoMondays.

About Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing:
Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP) brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s brands and franchises—including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more—into the daily lives of families and fans around the world through products and experiences across more than 100 retail categories from toys and t-shirts to apps, books, video games, and more. A division of the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment, CPGP’s global operations include: the world’s largest licensing business, one of the biggest children’s publishing brands, a leading licensor of interactive games across platforms, Disney store locations globally, and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.:
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment. In addition to its feature film and series production, the company's offerings include cutting-edge visual effects and audio post-production, digital animation, immersive storytelling, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

About Disney+:
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2020 The LEGO Group. 

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The Walt Disney Company Announces Strategic Reorganization

The Walt Disney Company Announces Strategic Reorganization of Its Media and Entertainment Businesses

New Structure Designed to Further Accelerate the Company’s Direct-to-Consumer Strategy, in light of the Rapid Success of Disney+

Company’s Creative Engines Will Focus on Producing Content for DTC as well as Legacy Platforms, while Newly Centralized Distribution Group Will Oversee Commercialization and Distribution of All Content Globally

Alan F. Horn and Alan Bergman, Peter Rice, and James Pitaro Will Lead the Company’s Three Content Creation Groups

Kareem Daniel Named Chairman, Media and Entertainment Distribution, Which Will Include the Company’s Streaming Services, Led by Rebecca Campbell

Disney Sets December 10 as Date for Virtual Investor Day

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In light of the tremendous success achieved to date in the Company’s direct-to-consumer business and to further accelerate its DTC strategy, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced a strategic reorganization of its media and entertainment businesses. Under the new structure, Disney’s world-class creative engines will focus on developing and producing original content for the Company’s streaming services, as well as for legacy platforms, while distribution and commercialization activities will be centralized into a single, global Media and Entertainment Distribution organization. The new Media and Entertainment Distribution group will be responsible for all monetization of content—both distribution and ad sales—and will oversee operations of the Company’s streaming services. It will also have sole P&L accountability for Disney’s media and entertainment businesses.

    “Kareem is an exceptionally talented, innovative and forward-looking leader, with a strong track record for developing and implementing successful global content distribution and commercialization strategies”

The creation of content will be managed in three distinct groups—Studios, General Entertainment, and Sports—headed by current leaders Alan F. Horn and Alan Bergman, Peter Rice, and James Pitaro. The Media and Entertainment Distribution group will be headed by Kareem Daniel, formerly President, Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. All five leaders will report directly to Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will continue to operate under its existing structure, led by Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, who continues to report to Mr. Chapek. Rebecca Campbell will serve as Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer. Bob Iger, in his role as Executive Chairman, will continue to direct the Company’s creative endeavors.

“Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our Company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value,” Mr. Chapek said. “Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it. Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best—making world-class, franchise-based content—while our newly centralized global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and the coming Star international streaming service.”

Under the new structure, the Company’s three content groups will be responsible and accountable for producing and delivering content for theatrical, linear and streaming, with the primary focus being the Company’s streaming services:

    STUDIOS: Messrs. Horn and Bergman will serve as Chairmen, Studios Content, which will focus on creating branded theatrical and episodic content based on the Company’s powerhouse franchises for theatrical exhibition, Disney+ and the Company’s other streaming services. The group will include the content engines of The Walt Disney Studios, including Disney live action and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures.
    GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT: Mr. Rice will serve as Chairman, General Entertainment Content, which will focus on creating general entertainment episodic and original long-form content for the Company’s streaming platforms and its cable and broadcast networks. The group will include the content engines of 20th Television, ABC Signature and Touchstone Television; ABC News; Disney Channels; Freeform; FX; and National Geographic.
    SPORTS: Mr. Pitaro will serve as Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, which will focus on ESPN’s live sports programming, as well as sports news and original and non-scripted sports-related content, for the cable channels, ESPN+, and ABC.

The Media and Entertainment Distribution group, led by Mr. Daniel, will be responsible for the P&L management and all distribution, operations, sales, advertising, data and technology functions worldwide for all of the Company’s content engines, and it will also manage operations of the Company’s streaming services and domestic television networks. The group will work in close collaboration with the content creation teams on programming and marketing.

A 14-year Disney veteran, Mr. Daniel has held leadership positions across a variety of businesses, including consumer products, games and interactive experiences, publishing, studio distribution, and Walt Disney Imagineering. He has a deep understanding of the Company’s brands and franchises and vast experience extending original IP into experiential storytelling across business segments. Prior to leading Consumer Products, Games and Publishing, Mr. Daniel served as President of Walt Disney Imagineering Operations, Product Creation, Publishing and Games, where he was responsible for helping to transform IP from the various content partners into evergreen franchise properties at Disney’s parks and resorts, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disneyland, and Pixar Pier and the upcoming Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park.

Mr. Daniel also served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, and prior to that, as Vice President of Distribution Strategy at Walt Disney Studios, where he worked closely with the leadership in developing the Company’s film content distribution strategy across multiple platforms and played a key role in the commercialization of the Studio’s films.

“Kareem is an exceptionally talented, innovative and forward-looking leader, with a strong track record for developing and implementing successful global content distribution and commercialization strategies,” said Mr. Chapek. “As we now look to rapidly grow our direct-to-consumer business, a key focus will be delivering and monetizing our great content in the most optimal way possible, and I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Kareem. His wealth of experience will enable him to effectively bring together the Company’s distribution, advertising, marketing and sales functions, thereby creating a distribution powerhouse that will serve all of Disney’s media and entertainment businesses.”

“I’m honored to be able to lead this new organization during such a pivotal and exciting time for our Company, and I’m grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunity,” said Mr. Daniel. “It’s a tremendous privilege to work with the talented and dedicated teams that will comprise this group, and I look forward to a close collaboration with the outstanding and incredibly successful team of creative content leaders at the Company, as together we build on the success we’ve already achieved in our DTC and legacy distribution business.”

With the reorganization, the Direct-to-Consumer and International business will no longer be managed on a combined basis. In Ms. Campbell’s role leading international operations, she will be responsible for coordinating and integrating activities across the various business units in each market to best represent the Company’s overall interests, and will report to Mr. Chapek. In her role leading direct-to-consumer operations for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, she will report to Mr. Daniel.

The new structure is effective immediately, and the Company expects to transition to financial reporting under this structure in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

The Company will hold a virtual Investor Day on December 10, 2020 where it will present further details of its direct-to-consumer strategies.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements and information in this communication may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements such as business structuring plans and the business impacts thereof, business positioning, future growth or value and other statements that are not historical in nature. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, including restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments, asset acquisitions or dispositions, integration initiatives and timing of synergy realization, new or expanded business lines or cessation of certain operations) or other business decisions, as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including:

    changes in domestic and global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences;
    adverse weather conditions or natural disasters;
    health concerns;
    international, regulatory, political, or military developments;
    technological developments; and
    labor markets and activities;

each such risk includes the current and future impacts of, and is amplified by, COVID-19 and related mitigation efforts.

Such developments may further affect entertainment, travel and leisure businesses generally and may, among other things, affect (or further affect, as applicable):

    the performance of the Company’s theatrical and home entertainment releases;
    the advertising market for broadcast and cable television programming;
    demand for our products and services;
    construction;
    expenses of providing medical and pension benefits;
    income tax expense;
    performance of some or all company businesses either directly or through their impact on those who distribute our products; and
    achievement of anticipated benefits of the TFCF transaction.

Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28, 2019 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis,” Item 1, “Business,” and subsequent reports, including, among others, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Forms 8-K.

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Disney+ Surpasses 50 Million Subscriber Mark

Disney+ Paid Subscriber Count Surpasses 50 Million Milestone

Launched Five Months Ago, the Service Is Now Available in More Than a Dozen Countries Around the World

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing to delight consumers around the world, Disney+ has now achieved another new milestone, with 50 million paid subscribers globally within five months after its U.S. launch.

    “We’re truly humbled that Disney+ is resonating with millions around the globe, and believe this bodes well for our continued expansion throughout Western Europe and into Japan and all of Latin America later this year”

“We’re truly humbled that Disney+ is resonating with millions around the globe, and believe this bodes well for our continued expansion throughout Western Europe and into Japan and all of Latin America later this year,” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International. “Great storytelling inspires and uplifts, and we are in the fortunate position of being able to deliver a vast array of great entertainment rooted in joy and optimism on Disney+.”

In the past two weeks, Disney+ rolled out in eight Western European counties including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. Additionally, Disney+ became available last week in India, where it is offered in conjunction with the existing Hotstar service, and already accounts for approximately eight million of Disney+’s 50 million paid subscribers.


ABOUT DISNEY+
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this communication may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements such as the expected performance of our goods and services, anticipated availability or timing of our goods or services and other statements that are not statements of historical fact. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as “will,” “believes” and similar expressions. These statements are made based on views and assumptions as of the time made and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update these statements.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, including strategic or restructuring initiatives (including capital investments, asset acquisitions or dispositions) or other business decisions (including regarding direct-to-consumer launch timing, platform or content), as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including:

    changes in domestic and global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences;
    adverse weather conditions or natural disasters;
    health concerns;
    international, regulatory, political, or military developments (including government requests to delay direct-to-consumer launch in certain jurisdictions);
    technological developments; and
    labor markets and activities;

each such risk includes the impacts of COVID-19 and related mitigation efforts.

Such developments may further affect entertainment, travel and leisure businesses generally and may, among other things, further affect:

    the performance of the Company’s theatrical and home entertainment releases;
    the advertising market for broadcast and cable television programming;
    demand for our products and services;
    construction;
    expenses of providing medical and pension benefits;
    income tax expense;
    performance of some or all company businesses either directly or through their impact on those who distribute our products; and
    achievement of anticipated benefits of the TFCF transaction.

Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28, 2019 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis,” Item 1, “Business,” and subsequent reports, including, among others, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Forms 8-K.

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Review: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Running time:  141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action
DIRECTOR:  J.J. Abrams
WRITERS:  Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams; from a story by Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams and Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly (based on characters created by George Lucas)
PRODUCERS:  Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dan Mindel
EDITORS:  Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube
COMPOSER:  John Williams

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE/DRAMA

Starring:  Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDiarmid, Naomi Ackie, Kelly Marie Tran, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Domhnall Gleeson, Billie Lourd, Dominic Monaghan, Warwick Davis, Denis Lawson, and Joonas Suotamo with Carrie Fisher (archive footage)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a 2019 science fiction, fantasy, and action film directed by J.J. Abrams.  It is the ninth movie in the Star Wars film franchise's “Skywalker Saga,” which began with the 1977 Oscar-winning film, Star Wars, created by George Lucas.  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is also a direct sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  In The Rise of Skywalker, the surviving Resistance fighters battles the First Order as the last of the Jedi faces the most powerful of the Dark Side.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker begins one year after the “Battle of Crait” (as seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi).  Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is now “Supreme Leader” of the First Order, and he is vexed by mysterious broadcasts that carry the voice of someone claiming to be “the Emperor.”  Determined to find this “phantom Emperor,” Kylo uses a Sith device called the “Wayfinder,” which leads him to a secret part of the galaxy and the planet, “Exegol.”

There, Kylo discovers a physically impaired Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Emperor of the late Galactic Empire, long thought to be dead.  Palpatine reveals that he has been manipulating things behind the scenes, including luring Kylo to the Dark Side.  He wants Kylo to find Rey (Daisy Ridley) and to bring her to him.

Meanwhile, on the world the “Resistance” calls its home, Rey continues her Jedi training under the tutelage of General Leia Organa (archive footage of the late Carrie Fisher).  Thanks to a mole/spy in the First Order, the Resistance has learned of Kylo Ren's discovery.  Now, Rey, Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), BB-8, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) leave on a mission to find a second Wayfinder, the one for which the late Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had once searched, one that will lead them to Exegol.

Rey, Finn, and Poe will need the help of old heroes, like Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), and new friends, like Jannah (Naomi Ackie), if they are going to stop the forces of the Dark Side.  Kylo and Palpatine are plotting something called “the Final Order,” which includes a secret armada of the most powerful “Star Destroyers” ever assembled.

Hopefully, I can keep this review from running on too long.  The reviews for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, both formal and commentary from social media, are decidedly mixed.  Some think The Rise of Skywalker is the worst Star Wars movie ever.  Others have called it mediocre or average.  Some don't like one half of it and like the other half.  Some think it is the best Star Wars movie (1) in the sequel trilogy, (2) since the original trilogy (3) or the best Star Wars movie ever.

I think Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the best Star Wars film since the end of the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983.  I like everything about The Rise of Skywalker.  The directing, the writing, the CGI and the science and technology, the cinematography, editing, film score, costume design, art direction and set decoration, and, of course the acting.

Co-writer-director J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio give us a satisfying resolution to the story arcs of both Rey and Kylo Ren.  Finn and Poe Dameron finally get quality screen time that allows the audience to see the best of their characters.  A number of actors who have appeared in Star Wars films over the last four decades-plus lend their voices to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.  Lando Calrissian finally returns, with Billy Dee Williams making a star turn in each of his scenes.  Their are wonderful new characters (Keri Russell's Zorri Bliss) and the delightful return of familiar characters.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker also offers the revival of old plots, and the film contains numerous references to important moments in previous films (including the execution of a feat of power displayed by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back).  Even the last shot of the movie references an important moment in the original Star Wars film.

I love Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker without reservation...  Well, maybe I think the movie is not long enough, because I could have watched another hour of it.  It is like a dark, but fantastic fairy tale, full of symbolism and magic.  So, you, dear reader, can take my sky-high recommendation with many proverbial grains of salt.  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is my favorite movie of the year.  It is a fine end to the “Skywalker Saga”... or it is a satisfying goodbye until we see Rey, Finn, Poe, and our favorite Star Wars characters next time.

10 of 10

2020  Academy Awards, USA:  3 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Score” (John Williams), “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, Dominic Tuohy, and Roger Guyett), and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Matthew Wood and David Acord)

2020 BAFTA Awards 2020:  3 nominations: “Original Music” (John Williams), “Best Sound” (David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, and Matthew Wood) and “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, and Dominic Tuohy)

Friday, December 20, 2019

Edited Tuesday, March 17, 2020


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Disney Celebrates Four Oscar Wins at 92nd Academy Awards

‘Toy Story 4’ is Best Animated Feature at 92nd Oscars®

Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4 was named best Animated Feature Film at the 92nd Oscars. This is the second time the Toy Story franchise has received the award, following Toy Story 3’s win in 2011.

Producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen accepted the award alongside director Josh Cooley, who said, “We want to thank the movie-going audience so much, especially those who grew up with Toy Story. We hope that your adventures with Woody and Buzz made growing up a little bit easier.”

In all, Disney releases received four Oscars during the live telecast from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Taika Waititi received the Oscar for best Adapted Screenplay for Fox Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit. Waititi, who, with this win, became the first person of indigenous descent to win an Academy Award®, dedicated his award to “all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance, and write stories.”

Ford v Ferrari, from 20th Century Fox, was recognized in two categories. The Oscar for best Sound Editing went to Donald Sylvester, and Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland (below, L-R) share the honor for best Film Editing.

During the ceremony, Idina Menzel, the voice of Elsa, and Norwegian singer Aurora were joined by Elsas from around the globe for a stirring performance of Frozen 2’s Oscar-nominated song “Into the Unknown.” In addition, Randy Newman performed Toy Story 4’s “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” and Chrissy Metz performed Breakthrough’s “I’m Standing With You,” both also nominated for Academy Awards.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Oscar winners. To view the entire list, visit Oscar.com.

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"Star Wars" Episode IX Rises Above Billion-Dollar Mark in Worldwide Box Office

‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Crosses $1 Billion Worldwide

The ninth episode in the Skywalker Saga has risen to an impressive box office milestone, as on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker surpassed the $1 billion threshold at the global box office in its 28th day of release. Its $1.001 billion global cumulative total is comprised of $481.3 million domestic and $519.7 million international. This film is now the fifth Star Wars film to reach this milestone, as well as Disney’s seventh billion-dollar release of 2019.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opened on December 18 internationally and December 20 domestically to a $376.2 million global debut. Its $177.4 million domestic opening was the 12th biggest of all time, while internationally the film debuted with $198.8 million and was the No. 1 western film in nearly all markets.

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"2020 Grammy Nominees" LP Now in Stores

Recording Academy® and Warner Records Reveal The 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees Album Track Listing Featuring 21 Songs That Defined the Year in Music

The 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees Album Hits Stores and Digital Retailers Jan. 17 and Is Available for Pre-order Now At 2020GRAMMYAlbum.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Recording Academy®'s GRAMMY Recordings® and Warner Records have revealed the powerful track listing for the 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees album. Set for release on Jan. 17, 2020 in stores and via digital retailers, the latest installment of the best-selling series — now in its 26th year — features a diverse collection of the year's most impactful GRAMMY-nominated music. A portion of album proceeds will benefit the year-round work of the GRAMMY Museum® and MusiCares® — two charitable organizations founded by the Recording Academy that focus on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need.

    “We're thrilled to band together with Warner Records to release a powerful, unifying blend of music that contributed to the world's soundtrack to 2019”

"We're thrilled to band together with Warner Records to release a powerful, unifying blend of music that contributed to the world's soundtrack to 2019," said Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "The album puts forth the tremendous opportunity to support to the GRAMMY Museum and MusiCares, and we can't wait to share this remarkable compilation with music fans worldwide!"

"All of us at Warner Records are proud to join forces with the Recording Academy for the 2020 GRAMMY Nominees album," said Tom Corson, co-chairman & COO, Warner Records. "The groundbreaking and diverse range of artists and songs featured on this latest collection are further testament to the incredible year we've had in music."

Music fans can log on to 2020GRAMMYAlbum.com to pre-order the album and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards® on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Music's Biggest Night® will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

*No purchase necessary to enter or win. Visit 2020GRAMMYalbum.com or cbs.com/GRAMMYs for details and eligibility requirements.

"2020 GRAMMY Nominees" Album Track List:

1.        
BILLIE EILISH
"bad guy"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Vocal Album

2.        
ARIANA GRANDE
"7 rings"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Vocal Album

3.        
LIL NAS X FEAT. BILLY RAY CYRUS
"Old Town Road (Remix)"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

4.
LIZZO
"Truth Hurts"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

5.        
KHALID
"Talk"
Record Of The Year

6.        
H.E.R.
"Hard Place"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

7.        
SHAWN MENDES & CAMILA CABELLO
"Señorita"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

8.        
ARIANA GRANDE & SOCIAL HOUSE
"boyfriend"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

9.        
ED SHEERAN & JUSTIN BIEBER
"I Don't Care"
Best Pop Vocal Album

10.        
POST MALONE & SWAE LEE
"Sunflower"
Record Of The Year
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

11.
TAYLOR SWIFT
"Lover"
Best Pop Vocal Album

12.        
JONAS BROTHERS
"Sucker"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

13.        
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
"Harmony Hall"
Album Of The Year

14.        
BON IVER
"Hey, Ma"
Record Of the Year
Album Of the Year

15.        
BEYONCÉ
"SPIRIT" (From Disney's The Lion King)
Best Pop Vocal Album

16.        
LANA DEL REY
"Norman F***ing Rockwell"
Album Of The Year
       
17.        
LITTLE BIG TOWN
"The Daughters"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

18.        
DAN + SHAY
"Speechless"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

19.        
MAREN MORRIS FEAT. BRANDI CARLILE
"Common"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

20.        
BROTHERS OSBORNE
"I Don't Remember Me (Before You)"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

21.        
BROOKS & DUNN WITH LUKE COMBS
"Brand New Man"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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Walt Disney Company Celebrates Its 2020 Oscar Nominations

The Walt Disney Company’s Films Receive 23 Oscar® Nominations

Nominations for the 92nd Oscars® were announced this morning and releases from The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio of brands earned a combined 23 nods in 15 categories. Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Jojo Rabbit received six nominations, including Best Picture and best Actress in a Supporting Role for Scarlett Johansson; and 20th Century Fox’s Ford v Ferrari is nominated in four categories, including Best Picture. The three nods for Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker include a nomination for John Williams for his original score. Pixar’s Toy Story 4 is among this year’s nominees for best Animated Feature Film.

Here is the complete list of The Walt Disney Company’s 2020 Academy Award® nominees:

Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari—Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and James Mangold, Producers
Jojo Rabbit—Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi, Producers

Actress in a Supporting Role
Scarlett Johansson—Jojo Rabbit

Costume Design
Jojo Rabbit—Mayes C. Rubeo

Animated Feature Film
Toy Story 4—Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera

Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari—Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland
Jojo Rabbit—Tom Eagles

Original Score
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—John Williams

Animated Short Film
Kitbull—Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson

Sound Editing
Ford v Ferrari—Donald Sylvester
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Matthew Wood and David Acord

Sound Mixing
Ad Astra—Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
Ford v Ferrari—Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow

Documentary (Feature)
The Cave—Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid Dyekjær

Makeup and Hairstyling
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil—Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten and David White

Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4—Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough—Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2—Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Production Design
Jojo Rabbit—Production Design: Ra Vincent, Set Decoration: Nora Sopková

Visual Effects
Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame—Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Dan Sudick
The Lion King—Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy

Adapted Screenplay
Jojo Rabbit—Screenplay by Taika Waititi

“Thank you to the Academy for their recognition of our film Ford v Ferrari,” said producer James Mangold. “Jenno [Topping], Peter [Chernin] and I are thrilled to be nominated among such moving and unique films—and also grateful to our brilliant team of artists who brought our remarkable characters, and their adventures on and off the track, to life.”

Pixar’s Josh Cooley, director of Toy Story 4, and producers, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera, shared their reaction to the film’s nominations for best Animated Feature and Original Song: “Working on Toy Story 4 has been an incredible journey and a tremendous honor. We love these characters so much—they are like family to us. Our goal was to tell a story that explored the idea that our purpose is a moving target. It’s humbling how that message resonated with audiences around the world. We hope people have found it not only to be entertaining, but thoughtful as well.

“Of course it’s also a film about toys, which hopefully helps imbue the experience with humor and fun, as well as emotional depth. But for us, and our entire crew, when we receive an honor like today’s two nominations, it’s clear our purpose is to strive to tell great stories. Thank you Academy for this recognition—to infinity and beyond!”

Disney Legend Randy Newman, who penned the song “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” said, “I’m very happy. I loved working with Josh Cooley on Toy Story 4. I’m proud of this song. I like it as well as any song I’ve written for a movie. I hope it wins.”

Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Academy Award®-winning songwriters for Frozen, had this to say about their nomination for Frozen 2’s “Into the Unknown,” recognized in the best Original Song category: “For us, ‘Into the Unknown’ is more than a song—it’s a culmination of a decade-long collaboration with the incredible artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios, led by our partners and friends Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. We have been so lucky to work hand-in-hand almost daily for five years helping to craft the story and songs for Frozen 2. To be honored by the Academy once more means the world to us.”

Creature Effects Supervisor Neal Scanlan is nominated alongside Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy for the visual effects in Star Wars:The Rise of Skywalker, the Skywalker Saga’s epic conclusion. “Unbelievable, I feel incredibly lucky and honored to be nominated,” he said. “For the entire team, it is confirmation that all of their commitment and hard work has been noticed and acknowledged at the highest level. The Rise of Skywalker is the last film in the trilogy and with that comes some sadness, however this nomination is a perfect way to finish.”

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, 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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"Frozen II" Becomes All-Time Highest Grossing Animated Film

"Frozen 2" is the Biggest Animated Release of All Time

Frozen 2 has become the highest-grossing animated film ever with a global cumulative box office gross of $1.326 billion, comprised of $450.4 million domestic and $875.8 million international. This weekend, the Walt Disney Animation Studios film broke the record previously set by its predecessor, Frozen, which earned $1.281 billion in its 2013 release. With Incredibles 2’s $1.243 billion worldwide, The Walt Disney Studios has now released the top three animated films of all time.

The film shattered records in its November debut, earning $358.4 million globally in its opening weekend and marking the No. 1 day-and-date global animated debut of all time. Frozen 2’s $130.2 million domestic opening was the biggest ever for Walt Disney Animation Studios, and around the globe, the film was No. 1 everywhere it opened. It recently set records in its Scandinavian debut over Christmas, including the highest opening weekend of all time in Denmark and Norway.

Frozen 2 has earned eight Annie Award nominations, including Best Feature, as well as two Golden Globe® and two Critics Choice Award nominations.

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"Star Wars: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER" (Episode IX) - A Negromancer Link-O-Rama - Update #63

Support Leroy on Patreon:

REVIEW - From Patreon:  My review of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

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NEWS:

From Variety:  "The Rise of Skywalker" has the second-best Christmas Day box office ever, grossing 32 million dollars.  The best Christmas Day box office record is held by "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" with 49 million dollar.

From ComicBook:  All the cameos in "The Rise of Skywalker" you might have missed.

From IndieWire:  John Boyega says his character "Finn" was never going to tell "Rey" (played by Daisy Ridley) that he loves her.

From Yahoo:  What was Finn going to tell Rey?  J.J. tells us.

From Variety:  "The Rise of Skywalker" wins its opening weekend at the box office with an estimated gross of $175.5 million.

From YahooNews:  "The Rise of Skywalker" grosses $40 million in the U.S. and Canada during Thursday night preview showings.

From YahooMovies:  Late in "The Rise of Skywalker," two women kiss, marking the first on-screen lesbian kiss in "Star Wars" films.  Of course, some people are bothered... because they wanted Finn and Poe to kiss.

From Variety:  Catch some exclusive behind-the-scenes "The Return of Skywalker" video at Amazon.

From Deadline:  With the help of Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger helped facilitate a dying Star Wars fan's wish to see "The Rise of Skywalker."  The film was shown, via laptop, to a patient at Rowan's Hospice in Hampshire, England, this week.

From YahooGMA:   John Boyega a.k.a. "Finn" admits that it was his copy of "The Rise of Skywalker" script that ended up on eBay.

From Esquire:  Billy Dee Williams Explains What Lando Has Been Up to Since Return of the Jedi

From YahooMoviesUK:  The writers of "The Rise of Skywalker" took notes from "Star Wars" creator, George Lucas.

From Esquire:  The enduring intergalactic cool of Billy Dee Williams.

From ComicBook:  See the "Sith Troopers" in this photographic image in "Empire" magazines.

From TheWrap:  A real script for "The Rise of Skywalker" ended up on eBay after an actor left it under his bed where a cleaner found it.  Lucasfilm and Disney bought it.

From EW:  The magazine interviews "The Rise of Skywalker" director J.J. Abrams.

From YahooMoviesUK:  "The Rise of Skywalker" international poster debuts.

From YahooPeople:   J.J. Abrams says that the trailers of "The Rise of Skywalker" have only scratched the surface of the actual movie.

From Newsarama:  Disney/Lucasfilm has released 12 new characters posters from "The Rise of Skywalker."

From RollingStone:   Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, talks about "The Rise of Skywalker" and the future of "Star Wars."

From CBR:  Colin Trevorrow ("Jurassic World") was originally going to direct "Star Wars IX," until he was fired.  However, he will reportedly get a "story by" credit on "The Rise of Skywalker."

From ScreenRant:  Before Carrie Fisher died, Princess Leia was going to the "the Last Jedi" in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From EW:  The site offers: "What we know about Emperor Palpatine — and how he could impact Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Newsarama:  It is apparently official.  The final trailer for "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" will debut during halftime of ESPN's "Monday Night Football" on Monday, Oct. 21st.

From StarWarsNewsNet:  There is a news that the next trailer for "The Rise of Skywalker" will debut Monday, Oct. 21st during the halftime show of "Monday Night Football" on ESPN.  The game will feature the reigning Super Bowl champions New England Patriots at the New York Jets.

From TheWrap:  "The Wrap" says that it's weird that we don't know what "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is about.

From Newsarama:  A preview of "Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance" from Marvel Comics on Oct. 9th.

From Inverse:   New "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" marketing may reveal spoilers.

New YahooMoviesUK:  New art about the "Knights of Ren" revealed.

From Newsarama:  StarWars.com introduces a new character for "The Rise of Skywalker," the tiny alien, "Babu Frik."

From Newsarama:  Disney announces the companies with which it will team up to promote "The Rise of Skywalker."

From EW:  At D23 Expo, Lucasfilm revealed a new poster for "The Rise of Skywalker."  New footage from the film was also revealed, but will still have to wait for the release of a full trailer.

From Inverse:  Apparently, the upcoming book, "Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi" reveals that only a "select few" Jedi know the secret of becoming a "Force Ghost."  Could this info have an effect on "The Rise of Skywalker."

From Esquire:  There is a new leak from "The Return of Skywalker" that appears to confirm Rey's origin.

From io9:   In a video for Wired, Daisy Ridley ("Rey") promises "one of the most epic" lightsaber battles in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From CBR:  "Jurassic World" director Colin Trevorrow was once slated to direct Star Wars Episode IX before he was fired.  In a recent interview, actress Daisy Ridley ("Rey") said Trevorrow's plans for the film were very different from what director J.J. Abrams presents in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From StarWars:  "The Rise of Skywalker" will introduce a new stormtrooper, "the Sith Trooper."  Sith Trooper merchandise will be available at next weeks San Diego Comic Con 2019.

From USAToday:  Daisy Ridley promises emotional ending to "Star Wars."

From YahooEntertainment:  Mark Hamill says that he is done with "Star Wars" after "The Rise of Skywalker," in which he will be a "Force ghost."

From VanityFair:  A New "Vanity Fair" article offers a wealth of set photos and images from "The Rise of Skywalker."

From Newsarama:  In a new "Vanity Fair" article, J.J. Abrams talks about going "renegade" in making "The Rise of Skywalker."

From IndieWire:  One of the international titles for "The Rise of Skywalker," specifically Hungarian could provide a hidden clue about the film.

From MakingStarWars:  Rumors say that Harrison Ford might return as Han Solo in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From IndieWire:  J.J Abrams talks about how George Lucas helped with the script for "The Rise of Skywalker."

From YahooMovies:  Apparently the appearance of actor Ian McDiarmid at Star Wars Celebration this weekend in Chicago confirms the return of "Emperor Palpatine" in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From Variety:  Star Wars IX has a title, "The Rise of Skywalker," and a teaser trailer.

From Newsarama:  "The Rise of Skywalker" image gallery.

From Variety:  Here is a first look at Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian in "The Rise of Skywalker."

From MakingStarWars: Star Wars: Episode IX retail poster and character sheets leak revealing names, ships, and more!

From Newsarama:  A possible leak of a poster for Episode IX?

From MakingStarWars:  Disney shareholders meeting yields more Episode IX rumors, including that attendees were shown clips from the film.

From Twitter:  J.J. Abrams announced that "Episode IX" has wrapped photography.

From MovieWeb:  Maybe only director J.J. Abrams knows the title of Episode IX.

From MakingStarWars:  What is the size of Lando Calrissian's role?

From io9:  A Reddit user who claims to be an extra on Episode IX claims that actress Naomi Ackie is playing Lando Calrissian's daughter, "Veranada (Vera) Calrissian.

From BleedingCool:  Anthony Daniels / C-3PO reveals via Twitter than today (Monday, Jan. 28th, 2019) was his last day filming on Episode IX.

From SlashFilm:  In the latest episode of /Film's "Star Wars Bits," they start the year with rumors, including a rumored titled for "Episode IX."  How does "Son of Darkness" sound?

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  First teaser trailer (April 12, 2019).

From YouTube:  "The Rise of Skywalker" footage shown at Disney D23 Expo 2019

From YouTube:  "The Rise of Skywalker" final official trailer - released Monday, October 21, 2019.

From Newsarama:  "The Rise of Skywalker" 30-second teaser, released Tuesday, November 19, 2019.

From EW:  The Knights of Ren assemble in new 30-second footage, released Sunday, November 24, 2019.

From IndieWire:  This 30-second spot emphasizes the conflict between Rey and Kylo Ren with John Williams' "Duel of the Fates" (from the score for "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace) playing in the background.

From ComicBook:   In this clip, General Leia Organa holds a lightsaber - Saturday, November 30, 2019.