New Scooby-Doo Movie, "Scoob!," Hits On Demand Fri., May 15th

Warner Bros. to Make the Full-Length Animated Feature “SCOOB!” Available for Both Premium Video On Demand and Premium Digital Ownership May 15, 2020

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In response to the unprecedented demand for high-quality family entertainment in the home, Warner Bros. will make its upcoming animated feature film “SCOOB!” available for both Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) and for premium digital ownership in the U.S. and Canada on May 15, 2020 providing first-run content while theaters remain closed due to the current global health crisis. The announcement was made today by Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, Warner Bros.

    “While we’re all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we’re navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content”

“While we’re all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we’re navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content,” said Sarnoff. “We know fans are eager to see ‘SCOOB!’ and we’re delighted we can deliver this feel-good movie for families to enjoy while they’re home together.”

“SCOOB!” will be available for a 48-hour rental via Premium Video On Demand for $19.99 or premium digital ownership for $24.99 beginning on Friday, May 15 (prices listed U.S. SRP). The title will be available on participating digital platforms.

The first full-length animated Scooby-Doo adventure for the big screen, “SCOOB!” reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this global “dogpocalypse,” the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.

Starring in “SCOOB!” are Will Forte (“Booksmart,” TV’s “The Last Man on Earth”) as Scooby-Doo’s best friend, Shaggy; two-time Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter,” “The Departed”) as Blue Falcon; Jason Isaacs (the “Harry Potter” films, TV’s “The OA”) as the infamous Dick Dastardly; Gina Rodriguez (“Deepwater Horizon,” TV’s “Jane the Virgin”) as Velma; Zac Efron (“The Greatest Showman,” “Hairspray”) as Fred; Amanda Seyfried (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Mean Girls”) as Daphne; Kiersey Clemons (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” TV’s “Angie Tribeca”) as Falcon Fury pilot Dee Dee Skyes; Ken Jeong (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Hangover” trilogy) as the Falcon Force’s Dynomutt; Tracy Morgan (“What Men Want,” TV’s “30 Rock”) as Captain Caveman; and Frank Welker (TV’s Scooby-Doo; the “Transformers” franchise) as Scooby-Doo.

“SCOOB!” is directed by Tony Cervone, Annie Award nominee for the feature “Space Jam” and two-time Emmy nominee for his work on “Duck Dodgers.”

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Skydance Media Forms "Skydance Animation Madrid"

Skydance Media Acquires Animation Unit of Madrid-Based Ilion Studios

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skydance Media, the diversified global media company founded by David Ellison in 2010, announced it has acquired the animation unit of Madrid-based Ilion Studios, a world leader in state-of-the-art animation production, to form Skydance Animation Madrid. This strategic acquisition combines the creative capital of Skydance with Ilion’s best-in-class talent, ensuring Skydance Animation’s full oversight of all production aspects guaranteeing quality control throughout the life cycle of every project.

    “This is a phenomenal growth opportunity for our team in Spain and we’re proud to be an integral part of Skydance’s exciting future.”

With a combined workforce of almost 500 employees across two continents, Skydance Animation now has the expanded creative capability, scale and leverage to deliver on its goal of becoming an industry-leading producer of high-end animated films and television series for audiences around the world.

Led by animation visionary John Lasseter and industry veteran Holly Edwards, Skydance Animation has rapidly grown to support a robust development and expanded production slate. Since its inception, Skydance Animation’s roster of creatives has grown to include an array of award-winning talent, including Vicky Jenson, director of the first ever Academy Award-winner for Best Animated Feature, Shrek; Peggy Holmes; Nathan Greno; Kiel Murray; Lauren Hynek; Elizabeth Martin and Tony Award-nominee and Writers Guild of America West’s Animation Writers Caucus lifetime achievement honoree Linda Woolverton.

“The world is going through an unprecedented and uncertain time. Today’s acquisition marks the culmination of many months of work to build one studio across two continents, with the goal of creating the highest-quality animation, led by best-in-class talent from around the world,” said David Ellison, chief executive officer of Skydance Media. “The addition of Skydance Animation Madrid to our portfolio of businesses underlines my passion and commitment to bringing iconic animated stories and characters to life from some of the most talented artists and voices in the industry.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Skydance Animation and to further collaborate with Skydance founder David Ellison and elite talent like John Lasseter and Holly Edwards,” said Ignacio Pérez Dolset, founder, president and chief creative officer of Ilion. “This is a phenomenal growth opportunity for our team in Spain and we’re proud to be an integral part of Skydance’s exciting future.”

Skydance Animation’s upcoming feature slate includes:

    Luck
        Directed by Peggy Holmes (The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning) and written by Kiel Murray (Cars, Cars 3) and Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (the Kung Fu Panda series).
        When the unluckiest girl alive stumbles upon the never-before-seen world of good and bad luck, she must join together with magical creatures to uncover a force more powerful than even luck itself.

    Spellbound (working title)
        Directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek, Shark Tale) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (Mulan [2020]) and Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King).
        A musical fantasy set in a world of magic where a young girl sets out to break the spell that has split her kingdom in two.

    Pookoo (working title/currently in development)
        Written and directed by Nathan Greno (Tangled) and produced by Jennifer Magee-Cook (The Princess and the Frog).

In addition, Skydance Animation has a slate of soon-to-be-announced high-end television series in various stages of development.

Ilion Animation Studios creates state-of-the-art computer animated feature films of the highest level, combining cutting-edge technology with top artistic quality. Ilion’s animation unit has become a model studio on a global basis, capable of attracting talented individuals who create best-in-class animation production.

Latham & Watkins LLP (Los Angeles and Madrid) acted as legal adviser to Skydance Media and Loyra Abogados (Madrid) provided counsel to Ilion in this transaction.

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Chance the Rapper to Host Kids' Choice Awards 2020; Complete Nomination List

Chance the Rapper to Host Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020, Live on Sunday, March 22, at 7:30 P.M. (ET/PT)

Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Chris Evans, Ariana Grande, Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X and More Announced as KCA Nominees

Special Nickelodeon SlimeFest VIP Ticket Includes Admission to Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 on Sunday, March 22, On Sale Now at NickSlimeFest.com

Share It: @Nickelodeon #KCA

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Grammy® Award-winning superstar Chance the Rapper is set to host Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020, the biggest and slimiest awards show where kids are in control, broadcasting live Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The news, which also included this year’s nominees, was announced today by Annie LeBlanc and her sister Hayley LeBlanc, stars of Nickelodeon’s digital competition show Annie vs. Hayley, during a Kids’ Choice Awards nomination event across Nick’s YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter handles and channels.

    “I’m honored to host this year’s Kids’ Choice Awards. I watched Nickelodeon growing up and now I get to slime some of my favorite people on stage. This is going to be a party that you won’t want to miss!”

With surprises at every turn, Chance the Rapper will bring his charisma and upbeat energy to the Kids’ Choice Awards, an epic celebration of kids’ favorite stars across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more. Viewers everywhere will be able to experience the show on all Nickelodeon screens and platforms, as Nick offers a front-row seat to slime, stunts and celebrities. Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 will be simulcast live across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons and the Nick Jr. channel.

Said Chance the Rapper, “I’m honored to host this year’s Kids’ Choice Awards. I watched Nickelodeon growing up and now I get to slime some of my favorite people on stage. This is going to be a party that you won’t want to miss!”

Leading into the award show, Nickelodeon SlimeFest, a two-day family-friendly music festival, will make its west coast debut on Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The event features performances by Nickelodeon star and YouTube sensation JoJo Siwa, breakout pop group Why Don’t We, Grammy® Award-nominated multiplatinum artist French Montana, viral chart-topper Blanco Brown and singer/ventriloquist Darci Lynne. This year’s Nickelodeon SlimeFest will feature a Sunday-only VIP ticket that includes access to a special performance viewing area, plus admission to Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020. All Sunday attendees will also have the opportunity to watch a livestream of Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 on the festival screens.

Leading the pack with the most Kids’ Choice Awards nominations are: Avengers: Endgame, with 11 nominations; Taylor Swift, with five nominations; and Frozen 2, Henry Danger and Lil Nas X, with four nominations each. First-time nominees include: John Cena, DaBaby, Tiffany Haddish, Tom Holland, Brie Larson, Lizzo and Megan Thee Stallion. With another nomination this year, Will Smith becomes the most nominated celebrity in Kids’ Choice Awards history, with a total of 29.

Beginning today, fans can cast votes on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, www.KidsChoiceAwards.com, and on the Screens Up app on supported iPad, iPhone and Android devices in the U.S. International fans can cast votes through the Nick Play app in regions where it is available. Fans will also be able to cast their votes through social media on Twitter.

Chance the Rapper is no stranger to Nickelodeon, having made a surprise appearance at last year’s Nickelodeon SlimeFest in his hometown of Chicago and taking home a coveted Kids’ Choice Awards orange blimp for “Favorite Collaboration” (“No Brainer” by DJ Khaled, featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Quavo) in 2019. He was also nominated for “Favorite Song” (“I’m the One” by DJ Khaled, featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Quavo and Lil Wayne) in 2018.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 is sponsored by Barbie®, Goldfish® Flavor Blasted® crackers, The LEGO® Group, Lysol® Laundry Sanitizer, milk it!, and Olive Garden®.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 nominees are:

TELEVISION:

FAVORITE KIDS TV SHOW
A Series of Unfortunate Events
All That
BUNK’D
Henry Danger
Power Rangers Beast Morphers
Raven’s Home

FAVORITE FAMILY TV SHOW
Fuller House
Modern Family
Stranger Things
The Big Bang Theory
The Flash
Young Sheldon

FAVORITE REALITY SHOW
America’s Got Talent
American Ninja Warrior
America’s Funniest Home Videos
MasterChef Junior
The Masked Singer
The Voice

FAVORITE TV HOST
Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen’s Game of Games)
John Cena (Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader)
Nick Cannon (The Masked Singer)
Ryan Seacrest (American Idol)
Terry Crews (America’s Got Talent)
Tiffany Haddish (Kids Say the Darndest Things)

FAVORITE ANIMATED SERIES
ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teen Titans Go!
The Amazing World of Gumball
The Loud House
The Simpsons

FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR
Candace Cameron Bure (D.J. Tanner-Fuller, Fuller House)
Ella Anderson (Piper Hart, Henry Danger)
Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, Stranger Things)
Peyton List (Emma Ross, BUNK’D)
Raven-Symoné (Raven Baxter, Raven’s Home)
Riele Downs (Charlotte Page, Henry Danger)

FAVORITE MALE TV STAR
Abraham Rodriguez (Nate Silva / Gold Ranger, Power Rangers Beast Morphers)
Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair, Stranger Things)
Jace Norman (Henry Hart / Kid Danger, Henry Danger)
Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory)
Joshua Bassett (Ricky, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Karan Brar (Ravi Ross, BUNK’D)

FILM:

FAVORITE MOVIE
Aladdin
Avengers: Endgame
Captain Marvel
Jumanji: The Next Level
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie (Maleficent, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil)
Brie Larson (Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel; Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame)
Dove Cameron (Mal, Descendants 3)
Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Avengers: Endgame)
Taylor Swift (Bombalurina, Cats)
Zendaya (MJ, Spider-Man: Far From Home)

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America, Avengers: Endgame)
Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Avengers: Endgame; Agent H, Men In Black: International)
Dwayne Johnson (Hobbs, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw; Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Jumanji: The Next Level)
Kevin Hart (Franklin ‘Mouse’ Finbar, Jumanji: The Next Level)
Tom Holland (Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Far From Home)
Will Smith (Genie, Aladdin)

FAVORITE SUPERHERO
Brie Larson (Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel; Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame)
Chris Evans (Captain America, Avengers: Endgame)
Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Avengers: Endgame)
Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Avengers: Endgame)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Avengers: Endgame)
Tom Holland (Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Far From Home; Spider-Man, Avengers: Endgame)

FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIE
Frozen 2
The Angry Birds Movie 2
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
The Lion King
The Secret Life of Pets 2
Toy Story 4

FAVORITE FEMALE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE
Beyoncé (Nala, The Lion King)
Idina Menzel (Elsa, Frozen 2)
Kristen Bell (Anna, Frozen 2)
Tiffany Haddish (Daisy, The Secret Life of Pets 2; Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part)

FAVORITE MALE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE
Chris Pratt (Emmet Brickowski / Rex Dangervest, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part)
Josh Gad (Olaf, Frozen 2)
Kevin Hart (Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets 2)
Tom Hanks (Woody, Toy Story 4)

MUSIC:

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Katy Perry
Selena Gomez
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
Marshmello
Post Malone
Shawn Mendes

FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP
BTS
Fall Out Boy
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco
The Chainsmokers

FAVORITE SONG
“7 rings”- Ariana Grande
“bad guy”- Billie Eilish
“Memories”- Maroon 5
“Old Town Road”- Lil Nas X
“Sucker”- Jonas Brothers
“You Need To Calm Down”- Taylor Swift

FAVORITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
“10,000 Hours”- Justin Bieber & Dan + Shay
“I Don’t Care”- Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
“ME!”- Taylor Swift, featuring Brendon Urie
“Old Town Road (Remix)”- Lil Nas X, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
“Señorita”- Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
“Sunflower”- Post Malone & Swae Lee

FAVORITE BREAKOUT NEW ARTIST
City Girls
DaBaby
Lewis Capaldi
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Megan Thee Stallion

FAVORITE GLOBAL MUSIC STAR
BTS (Asia)
Dua Lipa (UK)
J Balvin (Latin America)
Rosalía (Europe)
Sho Madjozi (Africa)
Taylor Swift (North America)
Tones and I (Australia)

OTHER CATEGORIES:

FAVORITE MALE SOCIAL STAR
Coyote Peterson
David Dobrik
Dolan Twins
Dude Perfect
MrBeast
Ryan’s World

FAVORITE FEMALE SOCIAL STAR
Annie LeBlanc
Emma Chamberlain
Lilly Singh
Liza Koshy
Miranda Sings
Merrell Twins

FAVORITE GAMER
DanTDM
GamerGirl
Ninja
PrestonPlayz
SSSniperWolf

FAVORITE VIDEO GAME
Fortnite
Mario Kart Tour
Minecraft
Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate

FAVORITE SOCIAL MUSIC STAR
Asher Angel
Blanco Brown
Johnny Orlando
JoJo Siwa
Mackenzie Ziegler
Max and Harvey

FAVORITE FEMALE SPORTS STAR
Alex Morgan
Lindsey Vonn
Megan Rapinoe
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Simone Biles

FAVORITE MALE SPORTS STAR
Cristiano Ronaldo
LeBron James
Patrick Mahomes
Shaun White
Stephen Curry
Tom Brady

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 is produced by Nickelodeon Productions. Michael Dempsey & Jay Schmalholz serve as Executive Producers. Production of Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 for Nickelodeon is overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content.

Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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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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Nominations for the 2020 / 92nd Academy Awards Announced

92ND OSCARS® NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Actor-producer John Cho and producer-actress-writer Issa Rae announced the 92nd Oscars® nominations Monday, January 13, 2020, live from the David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, opening later this year, via a global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the Academy’s digital platforms, an international satellite feed and broadcast media.

Cho and Rae announced the nominees in 8 categories at 5:18 a.m. PT, and the remaining 16 categories at 5:30 a.m. PT. For a complete list of nominees, visit the official Oscars website, www.oscar.com.

Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 24 categories beginning Thursday, January 30 through Tuesday, February 4, 2020.

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 ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. "Oscars: Live on the Red Carpet" will air 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.

Nominations for the 2020 / 92nd Academy Awards:

Best motion picture of the year

•     "Ford v Ferrari" Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and James Mangold, Producers
•     "The Irishman" Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers
•     "Jojo Rabbit" Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi, Producers
•     "Joker" Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers
•     "Little Women" Amy Pascal, Producer
•     "Marriage Story" Noah Baumbach and David Heyman, Producers
•     "1917" Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren and Callum McDougall, Producers
•     "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh and Quentin Tarantino, Producers
•     "Parasite" Kwak Sin Ae and Bong Joon Ho, Producers

Performance by an actor in a leading role
    Antonio Banderas in "Pain and Glory"
    Leonardo DiCaprio in "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood"
    Adam Driver in "Marriage Story"
    Joaquin Phoenix in "Joker"
    Jonathan Pryce in "The Two Popes"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
    Tom Hanks in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"
    Anthony Hopkins in "The Two Popes"
    Al Pacino in "The Irishman"
    Joe Pesci in "The Irishman"
    Brad Pitt in "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood"

Performance by an actress in a leading role
    Cynthia Erivo in "Harriet"
    Scarlett Johansson in "Marriage Story"
    Saoirse Ronan in "Little Women"
    Charlize Theron in "Bombshell"
    Renée Zellweger in "Judy"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
    Kathy Bates in "Richard Jewell"
    Laura Dern in "Marriage Story"
    Scarlett Johansson in "Jojo Rabbit"
    Florence Pugh in "Little Women"
    Margot Robbie in "Bombshell"

Best animated feature film of the year
    "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" Dean DeBlois, Bradford Lewis and Bonnie Arnold
    "I Lost My Body" Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice
    "Klaus" Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Román
    "Missing Link" Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner and Travis Knight
    "Toy Story 4" Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera

Achievement in cinematography
    "The Irishman" Rodrigo Prieto
    "Joker" Lawrence Sher
    "The Lighthouse" Jarin Blaschke
    "1917" Roger Deakins
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Robert Richardson

Achievement in costume design
    "The Irishman" Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson
    "Jojo Rabbit" Mayes C. Rubeo
    "Joker" Mark Bridges
    "Little Women" Jacqueline Durran
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Arianne Phillips

Achievement in directing
    "The Irishman" Martin Scorsese
    "Joker" Todd Phillips
    "1917" Sam Mendes
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Quentin Tarantino
    "Parasite" Bong Joon Ho

Best documentary feature
    "American Factory" Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert
    "The Cave" Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid Dyekjær
    "The Edge of Democracy" Petra Costa, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris and Tiago Pavan
    "For Sama" Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts
    "Honeyland" Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska and Atanas Georgiev

Best documentary short subject
    "In the Absence" Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam
    "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)" Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
    "Life Overtakes Me" John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson
    "St. Louis Superman" Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan
    "Walk Run Cha-Cha" Laura Nix and Colette Sandstedt

Achievement in film editing
    "Ford v Ferrari" Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland
    "The Irishman" Thelma Schoonmaker
    "Jojo Rabbit" Tom Eagles
    "Joker" Jeff Groth
    "Parasite" Yang Jinmo

Best international feature film of the year
    "Corpus Christi" Poland
    "Honeyland" North Macedonia
    "Les Misérables" France
    "Pain and Glory" Spain
    "Parasite" South Korea

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
    "Bombshell" Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker
    "Joker" Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou
    "Judy" Jeremy Woodhead
    "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten and David White
    "1917" Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis and Rebecca Cole

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
    "Joker" Hildur Guðnadóttir
    "Little Women" Alexandre Desplat
    "Marriage Story" Randy Newman
    "1917" Thomas Newman
    "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

•     "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" from "Toy Story 4" Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
•     "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from "Rocketman" Music by Elton John; Lyric by Bernie Taupin
•     "I'm Standing With You" from "Breakthrough" Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
•     "Into The Unknown" from "Frozen II" Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
•     "Stand Up" from "Harriet" Music and Lyric by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo

Achievement in production design
    "The Irishman" Production Design: Bob Shaw; Set Decoration: Regina Graves
    "Jojo Rabbit" Production Design: Ra Vincent; Set Decoration: Nora Sopková
    "1917" Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Production Design: Barbara Ling; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
    "Parasite" Production Design: Lee Ha Jun; Set Decoration: Cho Won Woo

Best animated short film
    "Dcera (Daughter)" Daria Kashcheeva
    "Hair Love" Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
    "Kitbull" Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson
    "Memorable" Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre
    "Sister" Siqi Song

Best live action short film
    "Brotherhood" Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon
    "Nefta Football Club" Yves Piat and Damien Megherbi
    "The Neighbors' Window" Marshall Curry
    "Saria" Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre
    "A Sister" Delphine Girard

Achievement in sound editing
    "Ford v Ferrari" Donald Sylvester
    "Joker" Alan Robert Murray
    "1917" Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Wylie Stateman
    "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" Matthew Wood and David Acord

Achievement in sound mixing
    "Ad Astra" Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
    "Ford v Ferrari" Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow
    "Joker" Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland
    "1917" Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler and Mark Ulano

Achievement in visual effects
    "Avengers: Endgame" Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Dan Sudick
    "The Irishman" Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser and Stephane Grabli
    "The Lion King" Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman
    "1917" Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy
    "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy

Adapted screenplay
    "The Irishman" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian
    "Jojo Rabbit" Screenplay by Taika Waititi
    "Joker" Written by Todd Phillips & Scott Silver
    "Little Women" Written for the screen by Greta Gerwig
    "The Two Popes" Written by Anthony McCarten

Original screenplay
    "Knives Out" Written by Rian Johnson
    "Marriage Story" Written by Noah Baumbach
    "1917" Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
    "Once upon a Time...in Hollywood" Written by Quentin Tarantino
    "Parasite" Screenplay by Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won; Story by Bong Joon Ho

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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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"Frozen 2" Crosses the Billion-Dollar Mark

"Frozen 2 Surpasses $1 Billion at Global Box Office

This weekend, Frozen 2 crossed the $1 billion threshold at the global box office and has become the third Walt Disney Animation Studios film to reach this incredible milestone.

The film opened on November 22, 2019 and set a global debut record for an animated film with a $358.4 million opening weekend. Frozen 2 held the top spot at the box office domestically and around the world for its first three weekends.

Domestically, Frozen 2 set a record for an animated opening outside of summer with $130.2 million and for the Thanksgiving period with $125 million in its second weekend.

Walt Disney Animation Studios released a featurette that celebrates the global impact Frozen 2 is on YouTube.

Frozen 2 received two Golden Globe® nominations: The film is among the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film, and the song “Into the Unknown,” written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and performed in the movie by Idina Menzel, is nominated for Best Original Song—Motion Picture. Frozen 2 has also received two Critics’ Choice Award nominations and eight Annie Award nominations.

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"Frozen 2" Sets Global Box Office Record

"Frozen 2" Has the Biggest Global Animated Debut of All Time

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen 2 had a record-breaking opening weekend, earning $358.4 million globally. This gives the film the No. 1 day-and-date global animated debut of all time.

Domestically, Frozen 2 set a November animated record with $130.2 million, the biggest opening ever for Walt Disney Animation Studios, as well as for any animated film outside of summer. Frozen 2’s domestic tally makes it the third-highest animated debut of all time in the U.S. and significantly surpasses the 2013 debut of the first Frozen, which earned $93 million domestic over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Around the globe, Frozen 2 was No. 1 everywhere it opened for an estimated total of $228.2 million from 37 material markets, led by China, where it earned $53 million. The film had the third-highest industry opening ever in Korea, the highest opening weekend ever for an animated title in France and the UK (three-day), the third-highest opening weekend ever for an animated title in China and the highest opening weekend ever for a Disney Animation/Pixar title in Japan, China, Spain and Germany.

In addition to shattering box office records, Frozen 2 has also melted moviegoers’ hearts. The film has an A- CinemaScore and a 94% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes.

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32 Animated Films Compete For Five Spots in 2019 / 92nd Oscar Race

32 ANIMATED FEATURES SUBMITTED FOR 2019 OSCAR RACE

Thirty-two features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards®.

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Abominable”
“The Addams Family”
“The Angry Birds Movie 2”
“Another Day of Life”
“Away”
“Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles”
“Children of the Sea”
“Dilili in Paris”
“Frozen II”
“Funan”
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s ‘Primal’ – Tales of Savagery”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
“I Lost My Body”
“Klaus”
“The Last Fiction”
“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”
“Marona’s Fantastic Tale”
“Missing Link”
“Ne Zha”
“Okko’s Inn”
“Pachamama”
“Promare”
“Rezo”
“The Secret Life of Pets 2”
“Spies in Disguise”
“The Swallows of Kabul”
“This Magnificent Cake!”
“The Tower”
“Toy Story 4”
“Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris”
“Weathering with You”
“White Snake”

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles seven-day qualifying run.  Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the nominations voting process.  To determine the five nominees, members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are automatically eligible to vote in the category.  Academy members outside of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are invited to opt-in to participate and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture.

Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.

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.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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2019 Austin Film Festival Announces Competition Winners

Austin Film Festival Announces Winners From the Film and Script Competitions

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The 26th Annual Austin Film Festival was held October 24-31, 2019.

AFF announces the Audience Award winners:

Marquee Feature: Last Week at Ed’s, directed by Meg & Lawrence Kasdan
Narrative Feature: The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, written and directed by David Midell
Documentary Feature: Cowboys, directed by John Langmore & Bud Force
Dark Matters Feature: Noise, written and directed by Jérémy Laval
Comedy Vanguard Feature: The Planters, written and directed by Alexandra Kotcheff & Hannah Leder
Texas Independent Feature: When We Last Spoke, written by Joanne Hock & Rick Eldridge, directed by Joanne Hock
Narrative Short: The President and the Crossing Keeper, written by Jean-Marc Peyrefitte & Marc Syrigas, directed by Jean-Marc Peyrefitte
Documentary Short: Dead Woman’s Pass, directed by Lali Houghton
Animated Short: The Fox and the Bird, written by Christophe Pagnon & Vincent Gessler, directed by Sam & Fred Guillaume
Narrative Student Short: Holy Jail, written and directed by Maria Lavelle
Produced Digital Series Presented by Stage 13: Brothers from the Suburbs, created by Patrick Wimp

Click here for the Film Jury Award winners.

The Script Competition Jury Award winners are:

Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: Scandalous! by Matthew Fantaci
Comedy Screenplay Award presented by Sony Pictures Animation: Rearranged by Zarna Garg and Greg Fortier
Sci-Fi Screenplay Award: Service Animals by Christopher Corte
Enderby Entertainment Award: Service Animals by Christopher Corte
Horror Screenplay Award: Delirium by Alex D Reid
AMC Drama Teleplay Pilot Award: Ghostrunner by Jonathan Flicker
Comedy Pilot Award: Good Lord by Tillery Johnson
Short Screenplay Award: You are My Fish and I Will Keep You Alive by Em Frederick
Scripted Digital Series Award presented by Stage 13: Incoming by David Singer
Drama Teleplay Spec Award: The Crown: Heir Apparent by Lygia Gordon
Comedy Teleplay Spec Award: Atlanta: Ghetto Submarine by Kyra Rogers
Playwriting Award: After the Fall by Miki Kim
Fiction Podcast Award: Old Forks Inn by Rose Judson


ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL:
AFF is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theatre and new media. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. For more information visit www.austinfilmfestival.com.

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IMDb TV to Stream "Corner Gas Animated" Beginning Oct. 15th

IMDb Original Series Corner Gas Animated to Premiere on IMDb TV in the U.S. on October 15, 2019

IMDb TV becomes exclusive U.S. home of CTV’s smash-hit Corner Gas franchise

Corner Gas Animated is based on Corner Gas, Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time

Viewers can now stream the smash hit live-action comedy Corner Gas (107 episodes), Corner Gas: The Movie and Corner Gas Animated (24 episodes) for free on IMDb TV

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN) — IMDb TV, a free streaming service offering thousands of premium movies and TV shows for everyday TV viewing, today announced that Corner Gas Animated will debut on IMDb TV as an IMDb Original series. Based on Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time, the award-winning Corner Gas Animated series brings the beloved characters of Corner Gas to life in a new, reimagined way. Beginning October 15, 2019, 24 episodes of Corner Gas Animated Season 1 and 2 will be available for the first time in the U.S. on the IMDb TV app on Fire TV, the Prime Video app, IMDb.com and the IMDb mobile apps.

    “Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained”

From CTV, Canada's #1 television brand, Corner Gas Animated is joined exclusively in the U.S. on IMDb TV by Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time, Corner Gas, including 107 episodes of the International Emmy Award nominated, six-season sitcom and the 90-minute feature film, Corner Gas: The Movie. The live-action franchise features dozens of notable guest stars, including two Canadian Prime Ministers.

“Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained,” said Mark Eamer, Vice President of IMDb TV. “Corner Gas fans can now enjoy the entire Corner Gas franchise for free in one place as it finds its new exclusive home on IMDb TV in the U.S.”

Created, starring and executive produced by award-winning showrunner and stand-up comedian Brent Butt, the Corner Gas franchise centers around the colorful characters of Dog River – a fictional rural town forty miles from nowhere and way beyond normal. The ensemble cast stars Brent Butt as Brent Leroy, owner of a roadside service station, with Gabrielle Miller as Lacey Burrows, Fred Ewanuick as Hank Yarbo, Eric Peterson as Oscar Leroy, Lorne Cardinal as Sgt. Davis Quinton, Tara Spencer-Nairn as Constable Karen Pelly, Nancy Robertson as Wanda Dollard, and Corrine Koslo who replaces the late Janet Wright as Emma Leroy.

The new IMDb Original series Corner Gas Animated features an all-star lineup of cameos, including actor Michael J. Fox, comedian Russell Peters, singer/songwriters Jann Arden and Sarah McLachlan, astronaut Chris Hadfield and Epic Meal Time’s Harley Morenstein.

“When we started producing the original sitcom Corner Gas, we didn't expect it to become a breakout hit with millions of viewers, multiple awards, spin out movie and animated series, and run for over a decade," said Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer and star Brent Butt. "Sharing the Corner Gas franchise with our U.S. fan base is a dream come true."

“Americans asked us to bring Corner Gas Animated to the U.S.," said Executive Producer Virginia Thompson. “We promised it was coming. Now it’s here! The all-new animated series, along with the live-action sitcom and movie will be available all in one place. A big thank you to IMDb TV for being our brand champion in the U.S.”

Corner Gas Animated joins the IMDb Originals line-up alongside short-form series, including the animated, scripted series You’re Not a Monster, which will begin streaming later this month, as well as The IMDb Show, IMDbrief and Casting Calls. These IMDb Originals complement IMDb TV’s extensive collection of premium movies and TV shows across a range of genres, including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more. Fans of the hit show The Middle can enjoy all nine seasons exclusively on IMDb TV, along with other popular series, like Midsomer Murders and Columbo. Movie buffs will also enjoy must-watch titles, including Academy Award-winning film La La Land, Academy Award-nominated film Drive, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and more.

To learn more about IMDb TV, visit www.imdb.com/tv and follow @IMDbTV.

View video: Corner Gas Animated trailer and Corner Gas live action trailer.


About IMDb TV
IMDb TV is a free streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows available anytime. It’s everyday TV for everyone, and here’s why fans love it.

•     Content You Want to Watch: IMDb TV brings new titles to the service every month, providing viewers with endless options to be entertained and informed. With a wide selection of genres including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more, IMDb has must see movies and TV shows for all entertainment fans.
•     Free: IMDb TV is free. Period.
•     Less Is More: IMDb TV has half the ads of linear TV.
•     It’s. So. Easy. IMDb TV is available in the U.S. on the IMDb website and as a free Channel within the Prime Video and IMDb apps across hundreds of devices. To use IMDb TV on Fire TV, customers can find the icon in the “Your Apps & Channels” row, making it easy to find free movies and TV shows. Using the Alexa Voice Remote or paired Echo device, simply say “Alexa, go to IMDb TV.”

About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 television brand. CTV provides unparalleled entertainment programming across two broadcast television networks; a powerful suite of specialty channels including CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel; and digital platforms CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Movies, and the CTV app. CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 18 years in a row and features a wide range of sports and information programming, including CTV News, Canada’s highest-rated national and local newscasts. CTV comes from Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising.

In Canada, the Corner Gas franchise is exclusively available on Bell Media platforms including CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Comedy Channel, the CTV app, and Bell Media's SVOD service, Crave.

About the Corner Gas Franchise
With an illustrious 15-year history, Corner Gas is Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time. A Canadian cultural phenomenon, the brand spawned two chart-topping books, sold-out comedy tours, a successful line of merchandise, a top-selling series of DVDs, a Christmas special and song and a thriving tourist industry in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, where the live-action sitcom and movie were filmed on location.

On January 22, 2004, Corner Gas, the live-action sitcom, premiered on Canadian broadcaster CTV and was an immediate runaway hit. During the majority of its six-season run, Corner Gas was the #1 primetime sitcom (Canadian or American) in Canada, maintaining an impressive average audience of 1.4 million viewers over its 107-episode run. The series finale made television history when a record-breaking 3.02 million viewers tuned in on April 13, 2009. It remains the largest audience on record for a Canadian scripted television series.

During the 2007-2009 television seasons, the series was carried by WGN America airing in the U.S. and over two dozen countries world-wide.

The series received an International Emmy nomination and won seven Gemini Awards including Best Comedy and Best Comedy Ensemble, nine Canadian Comedy Awards, four Writers Guild of Canada Awards, three Directors Guild of Canada Awards and 12 Leos.

In December 2014 the 90-minute feature film Corner Gas: The Movie was released theatrically in over 100 cinemas across Canada. The film sold-out theatres during its eight-day event-based theatrical run, attracted more than 7 million Canadian TV viewers and issued a best-selling DVD. Corner Gas: The Movie won the 2016 Golden Screen Award for the most-watched scripted program of the year.

In April 2018, Corner Gas Animated debuted on CTV Comedy Channel, the commissioning Canadian broadcaster (formerly known as The Comedy Network). It was the most-watched series premiere in the history of channel. In July 2019, Season 2 launched on CTV Comedy Channel to record breaking numbers. It won the 2019 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing, Animation and a 2019 Leo Award for Best Animation in a Program or Series.

In December 2018, Corner Gas, the 107-episode live-action sitcom and Corner Gas: The Movie, the 90-minute movie launched on Amazon Prime Video, through Prime Video Direct, in the U.S. and over 60 countries worldwide, quickly becoming a fan favorite on the service.

Brent Butt of Sparrow Media, David Storey of Aslan Entertainment and Virginia Thompson of Vérité Films are executive producers and distributors of the Corner Gas franchise in association with commissioning broadcasters CTV and CTV Comedy Channel (formerly The Comedy Network).

Corner Gas Animated merchandise is available at amazon.com/cornergas.

About Prairie Pants Distribution
Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. is owned and operated by Brent Butt (Sparrow Media), David Storey (Aslan Entertainment) and Virginia Thompson (Vérité Films). It is the distributor of Corner Gas Animated and Corner Gas: The Movie, and the sales agent, on behalf of distributor Bell Media, of the 107-episode live-action sitcom Corner Gas. For more information about the distribution of the Corner Gas franchise, go to veritefilms.ca.

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VIZ Media's "Seis Manos" Announces Netflix Date

SEIS MANOS DEBUTS WORLDWIDE ON NETFLIX OCTOBER 3rd

VIZ Media’s First Original Anime Series Delivers Intense Action, Original Storytelling And A Star-Studded Cast

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC, Netflix, Inc. and Powerhouse Animation Studios announced that the anime series SEIS MANOS will launch globally on Netflix on Thursday, October 3rd, 2019.

All eight episodes will premiere with English and Spanish audio and multiple subtitled language options. SEIS MANOS is VIZ Media’s first original animated property and was developed and produced with Powerhouse Animation Studios (Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA).

Set in Mexico in the 1970’s, SEIS MANOS centers on three orphaned martial arts warriors who join forces with a DEA agent and a Mexican Federale to battle for justice after their beloved mentor is murdered in their tiny border town.

SEIS MANOS features a notable voice cast highlighted by Aislinn Derbez (La Casa  de las Flores) as Isabela, Mike Colter (Luke Cage) as Brister, Jonny Cruz (Overwatch) as Jesus, Angelica Vale (Jane The Virgin) as Garcia, Vic Chao (Mortal Kombat X) as Chiu, and Danny Trejo (Machete) as El Balde.

“SEIS MANOS offers the very best in storytelling and action, with an incredible voice cast and a unique Latin American storyline rarely seen in animation,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer, VIZ Media. “We’re thrilled to partner with Netflix and Powerhouse to share this incredible new series with fans.”

The series is a co-production between Viz Media and Powerhouse, and will stream worldwide exclusively on Netflix. SEIS MANOS was co-created by Powerhouse Animation Studios CEO Brad Graeber (Supervising Producer, Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA) and writer Alvaro Rodriguez (Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series). Noted screenwriter Daniel Dominguez (Oishi High School Battle, Captain Underpants) is an additional writer on the series, which is directed by Willis Bulliner (Agents of Mayhem).

For information on anime, manga and other titles published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.


About Netflix
Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with over 117 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 140 million hours of TV shows and movies per  day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular SHONEN JUMP brand and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shogakukan Inc., Shueisha Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at viz.com.

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"The Addams Family" Soundtrack to Feature New Music from Top Recording Artists

MGM’S ANIMATED COMEDY ‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’ WILL FEATURE ORIGINAL MUSIC FROM CHRISTINA AGUILERA, MIGOS, KAROL G, ROCK MAFIA & SNOOP DOGG

The Addams Family Will Be Released in Theaters on October 11, 2019

LOS ANGELES – Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) announced its upcoming animated comedy, The Addams Family, will feature original songs from global music superstars Christina Aguilera, Migos, Karol G, Rock Mafia and Snoop Dogg, among others. Based on the famous New Yorker creations of Charles Addams, the kookiest family on the block is back on the big screen with an all-star voice cast led by Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler, Allison Janney, Elsie Fisher and Snoop Dogg playing IT. Directed by Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2, Monsters vs. Aliens) and Greg Tiernan (Thomas & Friends, Day of the Diesels), The Addams Family will be released in theaters on October 11, 2019.

“Christina Aguilera, Migos, Karol G, Rock Mafia and Snoop Dogg are all powerhouse talents. We could not have asked for a better lineup of global superstars to help audiences embrace the weird and celebrate the absurd with two brand-new songs that perfectly compliment this fresh fun take on MGM’s beloved franchise, just in time for Halloween,” said MGM’s Motion Picture Group President, Jonathan Glickman.

The first Addams Family track to be released "My Family," is performed by Migos, Karol G, Rock Mafia and Snoop Dogg and will drop this Friday, September 13,2019. The song was written by Antonina Armato, Quavious Keyate Marshall, Carolina Giraldo, Danny Parra, Tim James, Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. and Vic Mizzy and was produced by Rock Mafia. The track is being released by MGM Records and distributed by 12 Tone Music. "Haunted Heart," performed by Christina Aguilera, was written by Antonina Armato, Aguilera and Tim James and was also produced by Rock Mafia. “Haunted Heart” will be released later this month by RCA Records ahead of the film’s debut. Both songs will be available for streaming and \or download at all major music retail digital platforms.


About Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco and digital distributors.  In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms and interactive ventures and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

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Disney+ Streaming Service Announces New Titles and Upcoming Series and Films

Disney+ Announces Six New Titles, Showcases Upcoming Slate of Original Series and Films at D23 Expo 2019

Fans inside Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2019 in Anaheim, California, were the first to learn of six new series in development for Disney+ and discover key details about the highly-anticipated streaming service. The star-studded event featured in-person and video appearances from the stars of Disney+’s slate of originals from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, and included sneak peeks, trailer premieres and exclusive news about the service and its upcoming projects.

“With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo,” said Kevin Mayer, chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. “Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”

Today’s presentation was hosted by one of the stars of the Disney+ original film Lady and the Tramp, Yvette Nicole Brown, and featured some of the creative minds behind Disney+’s content slate including Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions; Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios; Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm; and Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channel Worldwide.

With the streaming service set to debut on November 12, 2019, many of the stars, filmmakers and creatives behind Disney+’s original movies and shows that will be available at launch were in Hall D23 today for the first public preview of the eagerly anticipated content. Six new trailers were seen for the first time today at D23 Expo 2019, along with a first look at an animated shorts series from Pixar:

The Mandalorian

As Lucasfilm ventures into Star Wars episodic live action for the first time in history, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told Disney fans, “It’s both exhilarating and liberating to be able to tell stories that expand beyond two hours, and the quality of our episodic series for Disney+ will be identical to our feature films.” Brand-new Disney Legend Jon Favreau and his fellow executive producer Dave Filoni were joined by series stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito—as well as Taika Waititi, who brings the droid IG-11 to life—to premiere the teaser trailer for the first-ever Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian.  Additionally, earlier today, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger also announced that new Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen will join the cast of the series. Set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, the series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

Ahead of a screening of the first episode of the 10-episode scripted series at D23 Expo 2019, the cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series performed the multi-platinum hit song “We’re All In This Together” to kick off the Disney+ presentation in Hall D23. The series, set at the real-life East High, where the original movie was filmed, follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.

Lady and the Tramp

The canine stars of the film—Rose (“Lady”) and Monty (“Tramp”)—helped premiere the first trailer from the original film. In the timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.

Noelle

Stars Anna Kendrick and Billy Eichner unveiled a trailer for the film that will premiere on Disney+ on November 12. In the upcoming holiday comedy, Kris Kringle’s daughter is full of Christmas spirit and holiday fun, but wishes she could do something “important” like her beloved brother Nick, who will take over from their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle suggests he take a break and get away… but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

Goldblum, the series’ star and host, offered a sneak peek into the upcoming series from National Geographic… where nothing is ever as it seems.

Encore!

From executive producer Kristen Bell, Encore! brings together former castmates of high school musicals for a reunion like you’ve never seen before, as they re-create their original performance years after they last performed it.

Forky Asks a Question

The 10-short series from Pixar Animation Studios is centered around craft project-turned-toy Forky from Toy Story 4, who ponders questions about how the world works, such as: What is love?… What is time?… And even, what is cheese? Actor Tony Hale, who voices the title role, premiered the first short in the series, “Money,” today in Hall D23.

And looking beyond the November launch date, six new titles were announced for Disney+:

• An untitled Obi-Wan Kenobi series in development from Lucasfilm will star Ewan McGregor, who made a surprise appearance on the Hall D23 stage to announce his return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

• Marvel Studios is developing three new live-action series from Marvel comics. Kevin Feige announced that Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk are coming to the streaming service. “The opportunities that Disney+ is bringing to the MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe] to grow and to evolve and to expand are tremendous,” Feige said.

• An all-new Lizzie McGuire series will once again feature Hilary Duff in the role that she made famous. Terri Minsky, who created the original Lizzie McGuire, returns for the new series.

• Muppets Now will star Kermit the Frog, along with Miss Piggy and the Muppets gang, who bring their own special blend of mayhem and laughter to Disney+ in the unscripted short-form series.

Post-launch, an exciting and robust lineup of content is planned for Disney+, and stars of the upcoming projects shared new details about films and shows that will launch in the coming months, including:

• Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

In a first look, fans met the quirky Timmy Failure, who operates his own detective agency in Portland—with the help of his 1,500-pound polar bear, as well as a very unique, deadpan sense of humor. Launching in early 2020, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is directed by award-winning filmmaker Tom McCarthy from a screenplay by McCarthy & Stephan Pastis, and based on the best-selling book series by Pastis.

• Togo (Launching in early December)

The untold true story  is an exhilarating and uplifting adventure set in the winter of 1925 across the treacherous terrain of the Alaskan tundra. Togo stars four-time Oscar® nominee Willem Dafoe, along with Julianne Nicholson, Christopher Heyerdahl, Richard Dormer, Michael Greyeyes, Michael McElhatton and Michael Gaston. Ericson Core directs from a screenplay by Tom Flynn. Kim Zubick is the producer.

• Diary of a Female President (Premiering in January)

Gina Rodriguez executive produces (and is a recurring guest star) on the half-hour single camera series that follows a 12-year-old Cuban-American girl’s journey through the trials of middle school, which set her on the path to ultimately become president of the United States. Tess Romero stars as Elena.

• Stargirl (Launching in early 2020)

Series stars Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere introduced the coming-of-age film based on the critically acclaimed New York Times best-selling young adult novel of the same name by Jerry Spinelli. Julia Hart directs from a screenplay by Kristin Hahn and Julia Hart & Jordan Horowitz; Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Lee Stollman and Kristin Hahn are producers. Karan Brar, Maximiliano Hernandez, Darby Stanchfield and Giancarlo Esposito also star.

• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (Launching in 2020)

Following the events of Marvel Studios’ Avenger: Endgame, Falcon and the Winter Soldier (played by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, respectively) team up. During today’s presentation, Kevin Feige revealed that Emily VanCamp will reprise her role as Sharon Carter, and introduced Wyatt Russell, who will portray John Walker—a Marvel Comics character—for the first time on screen. The series is directed by Kari Skogland and Malcom Spellmen serves as head writer.

• Monsters At Work

The new series from Disney Television Animation takes fans back to Monstropolis and follows a new cast of monsters—including Tylor (played by Ben Feldman) and Millie (played by Aisha Tyler)—in the series inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Oscar®-winning feature film Monsters, Inc. Monsters At Work will feature special appearances from the film’s beloved buddies, Mike and Sulley, who will again be voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman. Today, Feldman and Tyler shared a special look at their characters with fans at D23 Expo 2019.

• WandaVision (Premiering in 2021)

As Vision and Wanda Maximoff, Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen play two super-powered beings trying to live ideal suburban lives… until they begin to suspect that things are not as they seem. Kat Dennings and Randall Park will reprise their roles from Thor and Ant-Man and The Wasp, and they’ll be joined by Kathryn Hahn (who will play a new character in the series). Matt Shakman serves as director, with Jac Schaeffer on board as head writer.

• Loki (Debuting in 2021)

Tom Hiddleston returns to play the fan-favorite villain Loki in a series set after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Kate Herron directs the new series centered around the god of mischief, with Michael Waldron as head writer.

• What If…? (Premiering in 2021)

The animated series from Marvel Studios’ focuses on different heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and imagines what happens if the events in the films had different outcomes. Haley Atwell, who will voice Peggy Carter in What If…? joined director Bryan Andrews and head writer Ashley Bradley today in Hall D23.

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Premiering in February 2020)

The Emmy® award-winning animated series will return with 12 all-new episodes and will mark the return of classic characters Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and  fan-favorites Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex.

• A second Lucasfilm live-action eries

Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) and Alan Tudyk (K-2SO) reprise their roles from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in this, the second live-action series from Lucasfilm for Disney+. The series, currently in development, follows Andor’s adventures as a rebel spy during the formative years of the Rebellion, before the events of A New Hope.
Guests at D23 Expo 2019 had the opportunity throughout the three-day event to experience the Disney+ app, complete with features and functionality confirmed for the global launch dates in November.

For a monthly price of $6.99 USD or an annual rate of $69.99 USD, Disney+ offers viewers of all ages a compelling price-to-value proposition, with a consumer-friendly experience that’s easy-to-navigate with personalized recommendations, high-quality and commercial-free viewing, up to four concurrent streams and unlimited downloads with no up-charges.

The Disney+ app experience, available to consumers on November 12, will feature:

•     Unlimited Downloads: Subscribers have access to unlimited downloads of shows and movies on the Disney+ app to watch offline later on up to 10 mobile or tablet devices, with no constraints on the number of times a title can be downloaded per year. Once downloaded, subscribers can watch on the go and without an internet connection. The number of titles stored at one time on a device is dependent upon the available storage space on a subscriber’s device.
•     High-Quality Viewing: Subscribers will enjoy an ultra-high-definition viewing experience with up to 4K Ultra HD video playback in Dolby Vision ultra-vivid imaging, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio on supported devices for available programming.
•     Commercial-free Viewing: Subscribers can access unlimited viewing of Disney+ content without having to watch a single commercial.
•     Profile Customizations: Subscribers can set up to seven different profiles and choose an avatar tailored to their favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Star Wars characters, with over 200 avatars available.
•     Concurrent Streaming: Disney+ allows subscribers to concurrently stream video content on up to four registered devices with no up-charges.
•     Multiple Languages: At launch, Disney+ will offer support for English, Spanish, French and Dutch languages, including both user interface as well as audio support and/or subtitles for library content, with additional languages available for Disney+ Originals.
•     Accessibility: The app offers support for closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance to help subscribers with disabilities discover and enjoy their favorite stories.

See video associated with this press release at this link.

For more information, visit DisneyPlus.com.

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"Toy Story 4" Plays Past One Billion Dollars

‘Toy Story 4’ Crosses $1 Billion at Global Box Office

Yesterday, Pixar’s Toy Story 4 became The Walt Disney Studios’ fifth billion dollar release for 2019. Through August 14, the film has earned an estimated $1.0017 billion worldwide.

Toy Story 4—which is now the No. 8 biggest animated movie of all time—joins Incredibles 2, Finding Dory and Toy Story 3 to become the fourth Pixar film and second Toy Story film to reach the $1 billion milestone.

With an A CinemaScore and an exceptional 97% Fresh critics score on RottenTomatoes, Toy Story 4 made its domestic debut June 20 with $120.9 million, one of the biggest openings ever for an animated film. It has earned $421.8 million domestically to date to stand as the No. 5 animated film ever.

Internationally, Toy Story 4 has earned $579.9 million with debuts still to come in Germany and across Scandinavia. It’s the No. 2 animated release of all time in the UK with $75 million. In Japan, Toy Story 4 continues to perform very strongly with a current cumulative gross of $77 million. In Mexico, Toy Story 4 is the biggest industry film in admissions with a cumulative gross of $72 million.

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Disney Chanel and Disney Junior Stars to Appear at D23 Expo 2019

Disney Channel and Disney Junior Stars to Meet Fans Every Day At Disney's D23 Expo 2019 in Anaheim, August 23–25, 2019

Kermit the Frog Joins Q&A Session with Creators and Voices Behind Disney Television Animation’s Hit Series Amphibia and Big City Greens

Meet-and-Greets with Stars from DuckTales, Big Hero 6 The Series, ZOMBIES, Raven's Home, Sydney to the Max, Coop & Cami Ask the World, BUNK'D, and Just Roll With It

Plus Photo Opportunities with Popular Disney Junior Characters Fancy Nancy and Vampirina

Limited-Edition T-Shirts Featuring Classic Disney Channel Favorites Available for Purchase Exclusively for D23 Expo Attendees

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kids, tweens, and families can meet their favorite Disney Channel and Disney Junior stars during three fun-filled days at D23 Expo 2019, the ultimate Disney fan event, taking place FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 – SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. With special appearances scheduled daily, fans are invited to stop by the Walt Disney Television booth on the Expo show floor to meet and take pictures with some of their favorite stars from hit Disney Channel series and movies.

Popular Disney Junior characters Fancy Nancy and Vampirina will also be on hand to greet young fans over all three days. In addition, the schedule features a Q&A session, including a special appearance by the world's most famous amphibian, Kermit the Frog, as he joins the creators and voices behind Disney Television Animation’s hit series Amphibia and Big City Greens, taking place at Stage 28 on Saturday, August 24.

A limited-edition collection of T-shirts from classic Disney Channel favorites, including High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and Camp Rock, among others, will be available for purchase exclusively to D23 Expo attendees in the Walt Disney Television booth.

On FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, fans can meet the young stars of Raven’s Home and the cast of Disney Channel’s newest series Just Roll With It.

On SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, fans are invited to hop over to Stage 28 where Amphibia stars Disney Legend Bill Farmer, Amanda Leighton, and Justin Felbinger and series creator/executive producer Matt Braly will join Big City Greens cast members Marieve Herington and Bob Joles, and creators/executive producers Chris and Shane Houghton for a lively Q&A session featuring the one-and-only Kermit the Frog. Cast members from Disney's Emmy® Award-nominated DuckTales and hit Disney Channel series Sydney to the Max and Coop & Cami Ask the World will be on hand to meet fans and take pictures in the Walt Disney Television booth.

On SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, fans can meet the stars of Disney’s Emmy® Award-nominated Big Hero 6 The Series, based on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning feature film, as well as cast members from the Disney Channel Original Movie ZOMBIES and fan-favorite Disney Channel series BUNK'D.

Following is the full schedule* of stars making special appearances in the Walt Disney Television booth throughout the weekend:

Friday, August 23
      
9 a.m. - Fancy Nancy character appearance
       
10 a.m. - Vampirina character appearance
       
12 p.m. - Just Roll With It stars Suzi Barrett, Tobie Windham, Ramon Reed, and Kaylin Hayman
       
3 p.m. - Raven's Home stars Navia Robinson, Issac Ryan Brown, Jason Maybaum, and Sky Katz

Saturday, August 24
       
9 a.m. - Vampirina character appearance
       
10 a.m. - Fancy Nancy character appearance
       
11 a.m. - Sydney to the Max stars Ruth Righi, Ava Kolker, Jackson Dollinger, and Christian J. Simon
       
12 p.m. - Coop & Cami Ask the World stars Dakota Lotus, Ruby Rose Turner, Olivia Sanabia, Albert Tsai, Paxton Booth, and Rebecca Metz
       
5 p.m. - DuckTales stars Bobby Moynihan and Toks Olagundoye

Sunday, August 25
       
9 a.m. - Big Hero 6 The Series stars Genesis Rodriguez and Brooks Whelan
       
10 a.m. - ZOMBIES stars Meg Donnelly, Kylee Russell, and Carla Jeffery
       
1 p.m. - BUNK'D stars Miranda May, Mallory James Mahoney, Raphael Alejandro, Will Buie Jr., Shelby Simmons, Scarlett Estevez, and Israel Johnson
       
3 p.m. - Vampirina character appearance
       
4 p.m. - Fancy Nancy character appearance

*Schedule subject to change.

Single-day tickets for Friday and Sunday of D23 Expo 2019 are available for $89 for one-day adult admission and $69 for children 3–9. Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $77 for a one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Single-day Saturday tickets and three-day passes are sold out. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2019, visit D23Expo.com.


About D23 Expo 2019
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 provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2019 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, 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 Membership ($99.99), Gold Family Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Russi Taylor, Disney Voice Actress, Has Died

Disney Legend Russi Taylor Dies at 75

Acclaimed voice actor and Disney Legend, Russi Taylor, passed away in Glendale, California, on Friday, July 26, 2019. She was 75.

Through countless effervescent performances, Russi always showed an incredible talent for entertaining and improvisation. While she brought to life an illustrious cast of beloved characters during a career that spanned nearly four decades, Russi is best known as the official voice of Minnie Mouse. She first assumed the role more than 30 years ago and has given voice to Minnie in hundreds of Disney projects—from television, to theme park experiences, animated shorts, and theatrical films—no performance was too tough for Russi’s accomplished take on the divine Miss Minnie Mouse.

“Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor,” said Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “For more than 30 years, Minnie and Russi worked together to entertain millions around the world—a partnership that made Minnie a global icon and Russi a Disney Legend beloved by fans everywhere. We’re so grateful for Russi’s talent as well as the tremendous spirit and great joy she brought to everything she did. It was a privilege to have known her and an honor to have worked with her, and we take comfort in the knowledge that her work will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come. Russi will be sorely missed and our hearts go out to her family and friends, along with our deepest condolences.”

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 4, 1944, Russi had a desire to work for Disney since childhood. “When I was a little girl, I was with my mom and my brother, and it was late at night at Disneyland. We had just come off the Mark Twain Riverboat and were getting some popcorn. I looked over and saw Walt sitting on a bench, so we introduced ourselves and shared our popcorn with him. At one point during our chat, he asked me what I wanted to do when I grow up, and I said, ‘I want to work for you!’ So he said, ‘Okay!’—and now I do!”

There were some very big yellow heels to fill when she beat out 200 other hopefuls during a 1986 audition to win the coveted role of Minnie Mouse. She would go on to voice Minnie in the films Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Runaway Brain, Get a Horse!, and Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, as well as several television series, including Mickey MouseWorks, House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, and the award-winning Mickey Mouse shorts series for Disney Channel from Disney Television Animation that debuted in 2013.

Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide said, “Russi was every bit as sweet, effusive, stylish, and fun-loving as the Minnie Mouse character she voiced. Throughout her illustrious career, and certainly for the dozens of characters she played for us on Disney Junior and Disney Channel, she approached her work with meticulous and loving care, ensuring that every character she created was embraced and adored by generations of viewers. She was a wonderful person and a friend to everyone at Disney Television Animation, and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones.”

“Russi was as close as family; as wonderful, funny, and sweet as Minnie Mouse, and as talented yet humble as you would expect,” said Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy and a longtime friend of Russi. “I will deeply and dearly miss her.”

“You have to bring yourself to a character,” Russi once observed. “But because of this particular character, she actually enhances who I am, she really does. In a sense Minnie makes me better than I was before ’cause there’s a lot to live up to.”

Russi found her real-life Mickey in the mid-1980s in the form of Wayne Allwine, who had voiced Mickey Mouse since 1977. The pair fell deeply in love and married in 1991, remaining as inseparable as their animated counterparts until Wayne’s passing in 2009.  “I really want whoever comes after us to be aware of the history and the tradition, and to love the characters as much as we do,” she said of herself and Wayne.

“Russi Taylor embodied the character of Minnie Mouse,” remembers Rick Dempsey, Senior Vice President, Disney Character Voices. “She truly was one of the kindest, most gracious, upbeat, and loving people I have ever had the privilege to work with and to count as a friend. Anytime anyone met Russi, their day would always get just a little bit brighter. Not only was she amazingly talented and gifted, but she had a true desire to make the world a better place with the gifts she was blessed with. The world has a lost a real treasure. She will truly be missed, but her voice will live on.”

Russi’s other Disney voices have included Nurse Mouse in The Rescuers Down Under, as well as Donald’s mischievous nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and their friend Webbigail Vanderquack in the original "DuckTales" animated series. She also lent her voice to roles on other classic TV animated series like TaleSpin, The Little Mermaid, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, and Kim Possible; as well as modern favorites that include Sofia the First, The Lion Guard, and Tangled: The Series.

Among the most famous roles on Russi’s impressive extended resume of credits are Strawberry Shortcake, Baby Gonzo (of Muppet Babies fame), Pebbles Flintstone, Duchess the Cat in the film Babe, and Ferny Toro in Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks. She also provided the voice of Martin Prince and the twins, Sherri and Terri, on more than 100 episodes of The Simpsons, as well as the blockbuster feature The Simpsons Movie.

“I never wanted to be famous,” she once said. “The characters I do are famous, and that’s fine for me.”

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