Fab News: Grab Your Popcorn . . . Disney Movie Time

Hi! Did you miss me? I missed you! I recently had some medical stuff, but was told I’ll be fully recovered in about 4 months. After that, I’ll see you at Disneyland!

As you can imagine, I’ve had a lot of time to watch movies (and Tidying Up on Netflix. Seriously, Marie Kondo is the best!) Here are some upcoming movies from Disney et al that Give Me Joy. (Any links to Amazon below might net me a few pennies from their affiliate program)

Triple the Fandom Fun

This just in – on October 4, 2019, Triple Force Friday and Frozen Fan Fest will introduce new Star Wars and Frozen 2 – inspired products to fans around the world.

Star Wars Triple-Force Friday will celebrate:

• The highly anticipated, final installment of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode IX
• The first-ever Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian, set to debut exclusively on the upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
• The latest title from EA and Respawn – Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – a brand-new action-adventure game releasing Holiday 2019

Ooooh, the Mandalorian! Right? There will be 12:01AM product launches and in-store special events.

Frozen Fan Fest:

“Frozen Fan Fest will include product reveals, musical moments, in-store events and much more, introducing an unprecedented assortment of Frozen 2 product and offering fans the opportunity to join the Frozen characters as they set out on a new and epic journey beyond Arendelle. These special fan experiences will continue until the premiere date, with product continuing to rollout after the film’s release. The Frozen 2 product assortment spans categories including toys, apparel, fashion accessories, housewares, books and much, much more!”

You’ll know more when I know more!

Maleficent 2 Teaser Photo:

Can’t wait for the teaser trailer.

You’ll have to wait for the trIXie trailer

Speaking of teaser trailers, were you surprised to NOT see the teaser trailer for Episode IX during the Super Bowl? Well, given that a) ratings are down for the Super Bowl and b) LucasFilm really wants to give fans who have stuck through the Fandom Wars a reward, the teaser will be revealed at this year’s Star Wars Celebration. Are any of you going? I wish we could warp forward to that date!

And who is Matt Smith playing? And Richard E. Grant, since he’s (tragically) not playing Thrawn? trIXie opens with a completely different title on Dec. 20.

Captain Marvel Marches in on March 8

She’s our savior from another world…or is she?

I am so excited to see this…and if you saw the end-credits sequence for Avengers: Infinity War I think you might have an inkling as to why. Plus, Avengers meets Top Gun – did you notice this character’s name? By the way, this is my favorite poster:

Captain Marvel will be released in the ScreenX format in several theaters, giving viewers a three-walled view into the picture:

“Captain Marvel” will be the third movie from Marvel to be converted into ScreenX, and the latest collaboration between The Walt Disney Studios and CJ 4DPLEX, following the globally successful ScreenX release of “Black Panther” and “Ant-Man and The Wasp.”

I haven’t seen any ScreenX films. Have you? What do you think of it?

Also, Carol Danvers (that’s Captain Marvel to us) graces the cover of the Spring 2019 issue of Twenty-Three Magazine from D23!

Tim Burton’s Dumbo

I have to admit, this is the one film out of this set that I’m not very excited about. How do you top perfection? I hope to be happily surprised.

Apparently, the story from the original happens in the first half of the film, with the second half about a high-level carny trying to cash in on Dumbo’s success. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Burton’s vision of a circus is more Water for Elephants and less Ringling Brothers:

I’d like to see Colin Farrell in something where Treat Williams plays his dad.

Will kids like it? Not sure, but Disney did send along a Family Press Kit with some activity pages. Click to download PDFs for printing:

April brings a March of the Penguins

On the other hand, an animal film I’m figuratively dying to see is DisneyNature’s Penguins. I love the DisneyNature films. They remind me of Walt’s Disney True-Life Adventures and I really wish they got more love from Disney fans.

Avengers: Endgame

I’ve heard so many differing “spoilers” about this film. It’s a time-traveling caper. It’s Tony Stark’s swan song. He dies. He doesn’t die. Captain Marvel shows up. The Teaser Trailer just made things worse for me. It will be interesting to see how they fix what Thanos wrought. Those upcoming films with characters we presently know to be dead aren’t going to make themselves, you know.

And how will they continue the tradition of Stan Lee cameos now that he’s gone to permanently join The Watchers? We’ll find out on April 26! (April 25 at Fan viewings; I’m sure they’ll have them!)

Yes, Genie is BLUE

Disney’s live-action of Aladdin has been the stuff of wild controversy. We know, and even the stage version creators knew that you cannot replace Robin Williams’ Genie. I know, they tried on the animated series and it wasn’t great. (Though I love Dan Castenella) 

So, you know what? I’m trying to not look at this as a remake, but rather, another version. Look how amazing Mena Massoud looks here.

So what was the hubbub, bub? Disney released a photo of Aladdin and Genie deep in conversation, but the photo hadn’t been digitally colored yet (read: Genie wasn’t blue). He was always intended to be blue from the start; they just felt that digital coloring would be better than slathering Will Smith with blue paint. I don’t know, that kind of sounds fun. Awful to wash off, though, right?

If you want the original, go to Amazon.com

Toy Story 4

June will be bustin’ out all over with ACTION BO-PEEP!

See, she was never a porcelain lamp ornament. Nope! She was an action figure! At New York Toy Fair earlier this week, they even have a motion-sensor Action Staff. Not kidding.

There’s also a LEGO set called Buzz & Woody’s Carnival Mania! Apparently part of the film takes place in a … carnival … Midway.

It even has a cannon and targets.  It would be so meta if they changed one of the toy boxes on Midway Mania to the Carnival Mania! box. Just saying.

Chronicle Books, who brought us The Color of Pixar and They Drew as They Wanted, will be releasing the Art of Toy Story 4 with the film’s release.

The Lion King

July 19 is the release date for Disney’s new animated version of The Lion King. I’ll fight anyone who says it’s “live action”!*

It’s very realistic animation, but I’ve yet to see them wrangling trained hyenas.

*I won’t.

Artemis Fowl

On August 9, the 50th anniversary of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion iirc, the screen adaptation of one of my daughter’s favorite childhood books, Artemis Fowl, hits screens.

I wasn’t really excited about this project (even with Dame Judi’s cool ears) until I heard that Kenneth Branagh was directing. Ever since Henry V, I’ve been a huge fan. I mean, Thor! Right!?!

Branagh FTW.

A Newer, Darker Frozen

Has anybody not seen the new Frozen 2 trailer? Here.

Dark, ennit? Where the buildup to the first Frozen was all Olaf, all the time, this time they’re shutting up us Olaf-haters (sorry Colin) right up front with all of this drama and melodramatic music and fear and I really, really like it!

Mulan

Chinese audiences don’t go for musicals, so this version of Mulan will apparently not have any songs in it, which is a shame. I really liked those songs!

Thanks to Disney for the info.

What films are you looking forward to in the coming year?  Let me know in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

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