Fab News: March Has Come In, and I’m not Lyin!

Spring is almost ready to…er, spring, and we’ll be springing forward on our clocks and getting that extra hour of sleep around the end of the month, California is finally experiencing extended winter weather with bouts of June busting up all over, and there are four-leaf clovers and pink bunnies everywhere, meaning beer and candy, and almost nothing whatsoever to do with their original holidays. In celebration of this, I’m posting things from friends this time. Happy happy and pass the Kylo Ren stickers for my Easter Eggs:

To celebrate the ancient Roman festival of Sequels, maybe. The egg? Which came first, the prequels or the Original Trilogy?

Be Bob Gurr’s Guest!

A Glimpse Behind the Curtain with~ Bob Gurr

Some Fun Facts and Extras from Thor: Ragnarok

11 Comic Book Easter Eggs from the Thor: Ragnarok Commentary Track with Taika Waititi

1. The initial Hela costume is loosely based on the comic design and transitions into the iconic version when she returns to Asgard. Her weapons were based on Gorr the God Butcher’s weapons from the “God of Thunder” comic storyline.
   
2. Sakaar’s design was taken from Jack Kirby’s artwork. Taika was a fan as a kid and incorporated many shapes and colors from classic comics.
3. The obedience discs are power inhibitors lifted from the “Planet Hulk” comic storyline.
4. The designs of many background characters in Sakaar were also lifted directly from Jack Kirby comics.
   
5. Traditionally, the Grandmaster in the comics is blue-skinned, but they thought people might tie it back to Jeff Goldblum’s character from “Earth Girls Are Easy.”
   
6. The characters of Korg and Miek are from the “Planet Hulk” comic storyline. Taika based Korg’s voice on the Polynesian bouncers in New Zealand, many of whom are extremely polite and don’t want to hurt anyone. (Same for Hawaii – Fab)
   
7. The large wolf, Fenris, is a great ally of Hela’s in the comics.
8. The mural on the back wall of The Grandmaster’s suite is actual Jack Kirby artwork.
9. After years of fans asking for it, Thor finally got his helmet in the Sakaarian battle arena.
   
10. Odin’s spear, Gungnir, appears in the background of the throne room on Asgard.
11. Hulk’s Sakaarian wardrobe casual wear is lifted from various Hulk comics.
    

Australia/New Zealand Easter Eggs from the Thor: Ragnarok Commentary Track with Taika Waititi

• The horns on Surtur’s helmet were crafted out of an ancient Australian boomerang that the crew received as a gift while filming in Australia.
  
• The Grandmaster’s henchwoman, Topaz, is played by Rachel House. She has starred in many of Taika Waititi’s projects, including Eagle vs. Shark, Boy, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

  

  

• Taika Waititi is a big fan of sketch comedy actor Steven Oliver from Australia’s “Black Comedy” television series and contacted him to be “Cousin Carlo” in a scene with Jeff Goldblum.
• The scene where Valkyrie opens a bottle with her blade is an homage to the Beth Heke character in Once Were Warriors.
  
• Chris Hemsworth loved Taika Waititi so much he shaved an “N” and a “Z” in the sides of his head for “New Zealand.” (according to Taika, at least)
  
• Interns from a local Aboriginal community created much of the Hulk parade masks & banner props on Sakaar. Several of the interns ended up getting jobs with the art department.
• During Hela’s fight sequence against the army of Asgard, she is doubled by the famous New Zealand stuntwoman, Zoe Bell.
  
• The colors for The Grandmaster’s ship, The Commodore, were inspired by the Aboriginal flag, while Valkyrie’s ship colors were modeled on the Maori flag. Many of the spaceships in the film were also named after cars from the Australia/New Zealand car company, Holden – Statesman, Commodore, Escort, Kingswood, Torana, etc.

Get more of this good stuff in the Home Video of Thor:Ragnarok on Digital, 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, MoviesAnywhere, and More! Amazon helps Fab News here. 

Disney is Celebrating Mickey’s 90th in a Really Big Way!

• This fall, ABC will air a star-studded celebration of Mickey in honor of his
  birthday, with special guests, musical performances and more.
• Disney Channel will debut season five of the Mickey Mouse animated shorts,
  taking the series total to more than 90 shorts, including a special seven-minute
  extended-length birthday episode that will air later this year.
• Walt Disney Parks and Resorts around the world will celebrate Mickey’s 90th on
  November 18, marking the day with commemorative merchandise, photo
  locations and more.

• Beginning in late 2018 and into 2019 the World’s Biggest Mouse Party, saluting
  Mickey and Minnie, will take place at Disney Parks worldwide.
• Disney On Ice will salute Mickey as the “True Original” host of Disney On
  Ice since its inception in 1981 by creating Mickey’s 90th pre-shows for
  productions touring the United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin
  America.

  

• Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Special Celebration, a new production
  showcasing Mickey Mouse’s memories throughout the years, will launch in Japan
  in July 2018 and continue touring throughout the Asia-Pacific region until August
  2019.
• In France, 38 design and art schools will take part in “Mickey Is Art,” a unique
  contest in which students will craft works of Mickey, inspired by their favorite
  artistic movement. The winning designs will be displayed this summer in 12
  major train stations in France and for sale this September at Galerie Glénat in
  Paris.
  
• Disney Store will continue to celebrate milestone moments for Mickey Mouse with
  the Mickey Mouse Memories Collection (launched Jan. 2018), a monthly, limited-
  release series of 12 collectible plush, mugs and cloisonné pins inspired by
  Mickey’s most memorable movie roles.
• Disney Publishing Worldwide will introduce more than 30 titles globally as part of
  Mickey’s 90th, including books, arts & crafts and comics.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will be celebrating Mickey too!

• D23 and the Walt Disney Archives, in partnership with Walt Disney Animation
  Studios, have commissioned legendary Disney animator Mark Henn to paint
  Mickey’s official 90th birthday portrait. Henn follows in the footsteps of artists
  such as Disney Legend John Hench, who crafted five of Mickey’s official
  portraits. Henn animated Mickey for Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) and is
  currently at work on Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (2018). The new
  portrait will debut on the cover of the fall issue of Disney twenty-three, a quarterly
  publication from D23.
• This November, D23 will present Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse, a
  two-day event at Walt Disney World Resort featuring panels, presentations and
  fun-filled entertainment.
•  This year’s annual D23 Gold Member gift is an exclusive box set of 23 special
  Mickey Mouse mementos—authentic reproductions of such treasured keepsakes
  as pages from the script of Steamboat Willie and a miniature animation cel from
  Parade of the Award Nominees (1932).

See you next time!

Speaking of birthdays, I’ve got to start planning for my daughter Alice’s. Can you believe she’s going to be 24 years old? How did that happen? We’re practically the same age, now!

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