Star Wars. Nothing but Star Wars. That's what today's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle is all about as Anthony and I share our thoughts about J.J. Abram's epic Episode VII. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens destroyed just about every opening weekend box office record and is expected to challenge Titanic and Avatar as the all time box office champ. Is $2 billion in worldwide ticket sales reachable? We think so. Isn't it crazy that anything short of that will make the movie a financial disappointment?
Money aside, we think The Force Awakens is a stellar return to form for the Star Wars franchise. We love the newcomers to the cast (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver) and were thrilled to welcome back some old friends (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill). We were impressed with a story that paid homage to the original trilogy while setting in motion some exciting new story arcs. We can't wait to see what happens next--in about 18 months when Episode VIII opens {sigh}.
I could tell you more about our respective takes on the film and what we think is still to come, but it's way more fun if you give the show a listen. I'll say this again. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Lots of them.
Enjoy! May the Force be with you!
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
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We can finally say it. Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens this week. Wow!
It's been a little over a year since the first teaser trailer dropped and we all went bonkers watching the Millennium Falcon go loop-de-loop into those TIE Fighters. Now, we are poised just days from the movie's wide release and the anticipation is staggering. Will J.J. Abrams deliver the film Star Wars fans have been clamoring for? Our wildest hopes and dreams say, "He better."
In today's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle, Tim and Anthony take their final preview look at The Force Awakens and try to get a handle on all the madness. They also discuss a few other items.
- Everyone's favorite chimney sweep, Dick Van Dyke, turned 90 on Sunday and was feted all weekend long by flash mobs in Los Angeles and park guests at Disneyland. It was quite the jolly holiday for ole' Bert.
- Tim finally had the pleasure to see in person Disney and Dalí: Architects of the Imagination, the special exhibition at the Walt Disney Family Museum that celebrates the unique friendship and artistic collaboration between these two men. The exhibition runs through January 3, 2016, so if you're in the San Francisco area, we highly recommend visiting.
Enjoy!
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We're less than two weeks away from the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in theaters. The most surprising thing, though, is we're a week away from the film's star-studded world premiere and we have no idea where it's going to be held. Just add it to the ever-growing list of tightly-held Star Wars secrets we've come to expect from J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm. We're guessing they'll tell us eventually. Maybe.
Here's what else we've got going on this week Inside The Mouse Castle:
- The search for who'll play young Han Solo in a new Star Wars spin-off film is underway. No less than 2,500 actors will be considered to play the role originated by Harrison Ford. Lucasfilm has time. The origin story about the scruffy-looking nerfherder isn't scheduled to start shooting until 2017.
- Star Wars invaded Disney's Hollywood Studios again as the Star Wars Launch Bay, Star Wars: Path of the Jedi and Star Tours: The Adventure Continues all made their debuts at the Florida park. But, is there as much excitement for these attractions as there was for their Anaheim counterparts?
- Star Wars Rebels is getting a third season on Disney XD. This is a series that has grown on me, with interesting character arcs and some great throwbacks to the old Star Wars: The Clone Wars series.
- Pixar's Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur dominated the nominations at the Annie Awards. It's a good thing too. Dinosaur needs all the help it can get. It took a nosedive at the box office over the weekend and could end up being Pixar's lowest grossing film ever.
- We're really excited about the new Photographs from the Walt Disney Archives website. There you can order fine art prints of historical photos of Walt and his many creations. Prices start at $59 for unframed 11 x 14 images and increase from there based on size and framing options.
- Are you single and ready to mingle with a fellow Disney fan? A new dating site, MouseMingle.com has launched and, well, it's a dating site. For Disney fans. Anthony will be happy to meet you there.
Enjoy!
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Pixar's The Good Dinosaur opened in theaters over the weekend and, depending on who you talked to, was a big success or a bigger disappointment. It had strong box office numbers for a Thanksgiving weekend release, but ranked far down the list among the first weekends of every other Pixar film. Tim saw it on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has its flaws--most notably an alarming lack of originality--but it's beautiful to look at and has a huge amount of heart and emotion. Thumbs up. Go see it.
That said, The Good Dinosaur probably won't be regarded as one of Pixar's more memorable films. Toy Story, Wall-E and Up it ain't With that in mind, Tim and Anthony offer their two cents on the least memorable Pixar movies of all time in this week's edition of Inside The Mouse Castle.
They also tackle a few other items:
- Bromance, betrayal and one badass superhero three-way. Ladies and gentlemen, the first trailer for Captain America; Civil War.
- Oh yeah, there's also a new trailer for Disney Infinity's Star Wars: The Force Awakens play set. Tim wants it.
- China is cracking down on a hotel chain that has been blatantly using the Disney name without permission. Apparently, plunking down $4 billion to build a resort in Shanghai buys you a considerable amount of trademark protection.
- You can now buy Haunted Mansion Funko Pop! characters based on the Hitchhiking Ghosts and the Hatbox Ghost, but only at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Tim wants them.
Enjoy!
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After an unexpected week away from the show, Tim and Anthony are back with their take on Season of the Force at Disneyland. Is the Star Wars overlay of Tomorrowland worth your attention? Spoiler Alert: Hyperspace Mountain is about as good as you could hope for. And because they're easily distracted, they also talk about Adele, Pirates of the Caribbean overlays, Strange Magic, Mouse Castle charities and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. They're pretty much all over the place. Again.
They do manage to stay on topic, sort of, for this stuff:
- J.J. Abrams made it official: Star Wars: The Force Awakens is done. Completed. Finito. No more tinkering. Nada. Can we see it now?
- The Force Awakens has blown past $50 million in advance ticket sales before its December 18 release. This begs the question, will we ever again be as excited about a new Star Wars movie as we are right now?
- One person who doesn't seem to be as thrilled about Episode VII as the rest of us is...surprise!...George Lucas. He's made some curious comments recently about the latest installment of the film franchise he started. Butt-hurt, table for one.
- Want to go to the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in L.A. or London? It could happen. Just pry open your wallet and be generous about it. www.omaze.com/experiences/starwarspremiere
- We are sad to learn that Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls, is pulling the plug on the animated series when its second season comes to a close. We are seriously going to miss Dipper, Mabel, Grunkle Stan and all the other denizens of the Mystery Shack.
- To make up for the loss of revenue from the Fantasmic! dining packages at Disneyland when the show goes on hiatus in January, the park will begin offering dining packages for the Paint the Night parade. More details coming soon.
- In an effort to make Disney's Animal Kingdom more than a half-day park, a new Rivers of Light nighttime show will debut at the park next spring. It will incorporate many of the lighting, water and projection effects we've come to know and (mostly) love in Fantasmic! and World of Color to create a distinctly mystical, nature-themed show.
- Captain EO will end its run at Epcot on December 6. And while no official announcement has been made at Disneyland, we think it's unlikely to return there as well.
Enjoy!
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So, after wrapping up this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle, I thought I'd wait until I got to Anaheim to write up my show notes. You know, just take it easy, soak in all the Disneyland ambiance, get ready for runDisney's Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon this weekend and OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE THE PICTURES FROM SEASON OF THE FORCE?!?!?!
The interactive showcase of all things Star Wars includes the Launch Bay, which takes up an entire floor of the former Innoventions building. Guests will find a treasure trove of film prop replicas, costumes, ship models, droids, artwork and "other notable items." There will also be character meet-and-greets representing both the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force.
Next door, Space Mountain is getting a Star Wars overlay, transforming it into Hyperspace Mountain where you'll find yourself thrust into the midst of an X-Wing Starfighter battle.
In Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, inside the Tomorrowland Theater, you can catch an assemblage of clips from Star Wars movies past and present. Yes, that means you'll get a glimpse of The Force Awakens.
Meanwhile, Star Tours is getting a new destination from The Force Awakens.
Finally, the Tomorrowland Terrace and the Pizza Port will feature some new Star Wars-inspired menu items, and beginning December 8, the Jedi Training Academy will get an update, Trials of the Temple, a "reimagined battle experience (that) takes younglings to the secret site of an ancient Jedi temple, where they discover if they have the makings of a true Jedi."
Most everything in Season of the Force is set to open on Monday, November 16, but we're kind of hoping for a soft opening this weekend. Please, Disneyland? Pretty please?
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, Tim and Anthony did a show this week. It's all about Star Wars (of course), Anthony's recent visit to Disneyland, #ForceForDaniel, the new trailers for Finding Dory and Alice Through the Looking Glass, Robin Williams, the Muppets and the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend. Whatever.
Enjoy!
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Harrison Ford told Jimmy Kimmel last week that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is "really, really good." He praised his young costars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac and added, "J.J. (Abrams) has made an incredible movie. You will not be disappointed at all. I promise you,"
On this week's ITMC, Tim and Anthony failed to mention that Ford was also wearing a hot dog costume at the time of the interview (it was Kimmel's Halloween show). We're not sure why this is relevant, but it must have something to do with why we haven't seen Luke Skywalker in the movie poster or trailer. But, we digress.
Harrison Ford likes The Force Awakens. That's all that matters.
And on a side note, we're pretty sure the first trailer for Captain America: Civil War will screen in theaters prior to Star Wars. Like you needed another reason to hit the cinema on December 18.
Here's what else we're Forcing you to listen to today Inside The Mouse Castle:
- Asian actress Pom Klementieff is rumored to have joined the cast of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. At the time we recorded the show, we weren't sure what her role would be. Now we believe she'll play Mantis, who's kind of a badass telepathic martial artist in Marvel canon. If true, Mantis will be quite the match-up next to Gamora and her messed-up sister Nebula.
- Disney announced the principal voice cast for Zootopia. We already knew about Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin as the leads Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. Now we know that Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Bonnie Hunt, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk and Tommy Chong are also lending their talents to the Byron Howard/Rich Moore-directed film. And yet, despite that deep roster, we're still not excited about Zootopia, which opens on March 4, 2016.
- We're also not too excited about Alice Through the Looking Glass, the follow-up to Tim Burton's bloated, joyless--but immensely profitable--Alice in Wonderland. Brief video teases for the upcoming film, which opens next Memorial Day weekend, have been popping up online. Meh. The one glimmer of hope that might make us care about the film is that it's being directed by James Bobin of The Muppets and Flight of the Conchords fame.
- Is Hocus Pocus 2 finally going to be a thing? Maybe. Maybe not. Producer David Kirschner has hinted that the long-rumored sequel to the 1993 comedy could eventually land on the Disney Channel. No word if Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy would be back as the Sanderson sisters, but all three have teased in the past that they'd be interested.
- Disney Infinity is giving fans of Pixar's The Good Dinosaur a peek at some of the film's characters three week's before the movie opens. The caveboy Spot made his debut this week as a playable character in the video game. His dinosaur buddy Arlo and their three T-rex cohorts are also available as ride-able Power Disc characters.
- It's a good month to be a Disney collector with deep pockets. Auction house Bonhams and Van Eaton Galleries are both conducting auctions of rare (and yes, pretty expensive) Disney memorabilia. Don't worry, there's stuff you might be able to afford too. I'll have more about these two exciting events in this Friday's episode of The Mouse Castle Lounge.
- If you're Scarlett Johansson, you can visit Walt Disney World and ride the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror with your husband just like any normal person. You can also have your souvenir photo conveniently deleted much to the chagrin of your surprised ride buddies. Good thing there are persistent resort guests and TMZ to bring the pic to the light of day. It's actually a really cute photo.
Enjoy!
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Okay, we're not quite done with this yet. Because our timing was off a bit last week, Tim and Anthony are taking the opportunity today to really break down the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Join us as we attempt to answer the burning question, "Where is Luke Skywalker and what did J.J. Abrams do with him?"
We also talk about how the explosion of online ticket sales for The Force Awakens crashed sites like Fandango.comand MovieTickets.com in an onslaught that was eight times higher than any previous movie pre-sale.
Seriously, this stuff is crazy.
Here's what else is going on this week Inside The Mouse Castle:
- The new trailer for Marvel's Jessica Jones looks dark, ominous, violent...and absolutely amazing. The series starring Krysten Ritter and David Tennant launches on Netflix November 20.
- DisneyLife will launch in the U.K. next month. It will offer classic Disney films, television series and even books in a media streaming service that sounds like a cross between Netflix, Disney Movies Anywhere and iTunes.
- Bob Iger has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. It's good to be king.
- Disney is developing a new theatrical movie based on the Tower of Terror theme park attraction. We kind of hope it's better than the 1997 made-for-TV flick starring Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst.
Enjoy!
So, yeah, the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Heard anything about it?
When Tim and Anthony recorded this week's show, they'd heard a little bit about the trailer, but it hadn't been released yet. Never ones to be deterred by a lack of information, they pressed forward with the show anyway, talking about a trailer they hadn't seen yet and analyzing the new Force Awakens movie poster they did see.
The Force is strong in this week's Inside The Mouse Castle. Here's what else is going on:
- Disney Infinity will have a Star Wars: The Force Awakens play set that will launch on December 18 to coincide with the film's release. You know Tim couldn't resist sneaking that one in.
- Benicio del Toro (Guardians of the Galaxy) is expected to play the villain in Star Wars VIII: Insert Subtitle Here. We think it's a rule now that if you do a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, you have to do a Star Wars film.
- Spider-Man will start making appearances at Super Hero HQ, inside the old Innoventions building at Disneyland, beginning November 16. This makes our spider sense tingle.
- Was Steven Spielberg serious when he said he'd make a fifth Indiana Jones movie with Harrison Ford? We don't think so, but it's fun to think about.
- Mark Ruffalo will play Bruce Banner/Hulk in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. The rumor is the movie will bring in elements from Marvel Comics' Planet Hulk story line.
- In an online Q&A, James Gunn shared a few details about Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. He confirmed Nebula (Karen Gillan) will play an expanded role in the movie. Meanwhile, Groot will remain Baby Groot, much to the chagrin of Drax (Dave Bautista). Gunn is also hopeful Stan Lee will be back for another cameo appearance.
- Walt Disney's Fantasia will be back on the big screen for a limited engagement in November to mark the film's 75th anniversary. Tim and Anthony would like Miley Cyrus and Nicolas Cage to see it with them. They'll explains. For details, visit www.Fantasia75.com.
- Bob Iger has been inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Apparently, Disney-themed toys have really caught on.
- It was inevitable. There will be a Descendants 2 on the Disney Channel. To quote Darth Vader: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"
Enjoy!
We've got plenty of movie news for you this week Inside The Mouse Castle. Marvel announced Ant-Man, closing in on $500 million at the box office worldwide, will get a summer tent pole sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp, in 2018. That move will bump Black Panther to a February 2018 release. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel will move from a primo holiday season release in 2018 to a less showy March 2019 premiere. It's clear Marvel is hedging its bets on untested characters while giving the now-proven Ant-Man a second shot at the summer spotlight.
Over at Pixar, our hopes for a sooner-than-later Incredibles sequel have been dashed. Incredibles 2, written and directed by Brad Bird, won't see daylight until summer 2019. Toy Story 4, the sequel no one expected, will hit theaters in June 2018. That moves the sequel no one wants, Cars 3, to summer 2017. After next month's The Good Dinosaur, the lone non-sequel in the mix, the Lee Unkrich-directed Coco, is slated for November 2017.
Here's what else Tim and Anthony are checking out this week:
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens will have its world premiere in Los Angeles on December 14 ahead of its wide release in the U.S. on December 18. Surprise, surprise, that's all we know for now. No specific venue has been announced yet.
- Fourteen year-old native Hawaiian Auli'i Cravalho will voice the title character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' Moana, opening in U.S. theaters November 23, 2016. She's cute. We like her. And we can't wait to see the John Musker/Ron Clements-directed Polynesian adventure.
- Disney is working on a live-action flick based on Cruella de Vil. Didn't Glenn Close do this already? Twice?
- Pixar's Inside Out arrives on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on Tuesday. It'll hit Blu-ray on November 3. The movie is awesome, but the appeal of catching it on video is to see Riley's First Date?, the super-funny short cartoon about how Riley's parents react when a <gasp!> boy shows up at the door.
- Rest in peace, Kevin Corcoran. The former child star and Disney Legend passed away last week at the age of 66. He made multiple TV appearances on the original Mickey Mouse Club as the annoying, but fun-loving character Moochie. He also appeared in numerous Disney films including Old Yeller, The Swiss Family Robinson and Toby Tyler. Corcoran gave up acting as a child and went on to have a successful career as a producer/director in television and film.
- Guests were stranded more than two hours Saturday when a Monorail train broke down at Walt Disney World between the Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary Resort. All passengers were eventually rescued and no injuries were reported.
- Next March, Disney Infinity will launch Marvel Battlegrounds, a play set where up to four super heroes can do battle with each other against a backdrop of villainous exploitation by Loki and Ultron.
Enjoy!
Hey, did you hear? Disneyland Annual Passport prices went up.
The news was breaking over the weekend just as Tim and Anthony were about to record this week's show. While they didn't have all the info when they fired up the mikes, they certainly got the gist of things. One thousand dollar top level Annual Passports. That's pretty much all anyone needs to know.
Do you think the new prices are worth it? Or is outrage more your style? Tim and Anthony offer their takes in this week's edition of Inside The Mouse Castle.
- Then there's that Rivers of America thing at Disneyland. Seems a chunk of the river and the north part of Tom Sawyer Island are going to get chopped off to make room for the new Star Wars Land expansion. That also means a rerouting of the Disneyland Railroad. MiceChat posted a rough sketch of what they believe will be the new layout. Disneyland has confirmed that RoA will change, but they haven't confirmed exactly how much yet.
- The Children's Hospital of Orange County partners with Disneyland this weekend for the 25th annual CHOC Walk in the Park. Want to help support the health and well-being of children? Visit www.chocwalk.org.
- The Walt Disney Family Museum will honor songwriter and Disney Legend Richard Sherman at a fundraising gala on November 3rd. Sherman will be the first recipient of the Diane Disney Miller Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Sneak previews of Pixar's The Good Dinosaur will begin screening at Disney California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios on October 16th. The film opens in the U.S. on November 25th.
Enjoy!
The Season of the Force is coming to Disneyland November 16th and we have all the details in this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle.
As excitement builds for Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December and the January groundbreaking of Star Wars Land, the Star Wars Launch Bay will open in the old Innoventions building in Tomorrowland. There will be plenty to preview of the upcoming Star Wars films and eventually, we assume, the park expansion. Also in the Launch Bay will be the obligatory Star Wars character meet-and-greets. Next door, a new Space Mountain overlay, Hyperspace Mountain, will rocket guests through an X-wing Figher battle. Star Tours will get an upgrade as well, adding new show elements based on The Force Awakens.
The Force is strong with today's show. Here's what else we have:
- The Star Wars Land expansion at Disneyland means extended ride closures during construction. Everything on the Rivers of America including the Mark Twain, Columbia and Tom Sawyer will be shut down for more than a year beginning January 11, 2016. Likewise Fantasmic! and the Disneyland Railroad. While much of the Internet is speculating on what the new train and river configurations will be when the dust settles and Star Wars emerges, Tim and Anthony offer their short-term take on what no train, no Big Thunder Trail and no Fantasmic! will do to crowd control. We don't think it will be pretty.
- Disneyland is extending its Diamond Celebration until September 2016, which means the resort will turn 61 while it's still turning 60.
- Websites that offer dining reservation services at Disney resorts (usually for a fee) are coming under fire by Disney. Disney Dining Buddy is the first site to suspend activity after receiving a "request" by the Mouse to stop.
- The Indiana Jones-referential Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar has opened at Walt Disney World's Disney Springs (no longer Downtown Disney). We want to go there.
- Garrett Hedlund (Sam Flynn in Tron: Legacy) says a Tron 3 film may not be dead on the grid after all. Maybe.
- Duffy the Disney Bear is bidding farewell to Epcot. This pleases us. Outside of Japan, he never was a thing.
Enjoy!
Anthony is back from a week at Disneyland, where he checked out all the Halloween Time activities. There was fall finery everywhere and pumpkin spice-flavored everything, but, we're mostly excited by the perfect pic Anthony took of the goat on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Of course, Halloween festivities are barely underway and we're already talking about Christmas. We've got a preview of all the stuff to expect--and what will be missing--from this year's holiday events at Disneyland.
Here's what else we have slated for this episode of Inside The Mouse Castle. It's enough to make your head spin.
- Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, POTC 4) will direct a new Mary Poppins movie for Disney. Before you lose your minds for them daring to touch this untouchable classic, keep in mind this will not be a remake of the original. It won't exactly be a sequel either. P.L. Travers wrote eight Mary Poppins books. The new movie will likely be adapted from stories we haven't seen on the screen before. If you really want something to be excited about, Emily Blunt (Into the Woods) is the rumored front-runner for the role of the practically perfect nanny. We can't think of a better choice.
- Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) has confirmed he'll direct a remake of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We aren't certain if it's going to be for Disney or not, but we're intrigued nevertheless.
- There's a new trailer for next year's live-action remake of The Jungle Book. Despite some interesting casting choices (Bill Murray as Baloo, Christopher Walken as King Louie), we're not terribly excited yet for this CG-heavy adventure.
- Star Wars is coming to Netflix. Maybe. Kind of. Probably not where you are. Whatever.
- Here's some travel advice for your next Walt Disney World visit: don't joke about building a meth lab in your hotel room. Kthanksbye.
Enjoy!
After technical difficulties and busy travel schedules squashed last week's show, Tim and Anthony are back for another go-round Inside The Mouse Castle.
We start off with Tim's review of Walt Disney, the new American Experience documentary airing this week on PBS. It's an earnest, if somewhat biased, depiction of Walt's life that plays up the darker elements of his personality and career. Fans will appreciate the rare photographs and archival footage, while Disney history buffs will question how the film presents Walt's relationship with his father, his actions during the 1941 studio strike and the assorted psychobabble spouted by some of the "experts" who try to crawl inside Walt's head.
Here's what else we have in this week's episode:
- A live action Frozen stage show will replace the long-running Disney's Aladdin--A Musical Spectacular production in the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure...and the Internet loses its mind.
- We now know for certain that Disneyland and Walt Disney World will break ground on their Star Wars-Land expansions next year. That means the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, the popular holiday light show at Disney's Hollywood Studios will blink out after this year.
- Director Brad Bird has let it be known that work on Incredibles 2 is moving along briskly, so well that it will likely be released before the other Pixar sequel, Cars 3. That still means it probably won't be out until 2018, but any news about The Incredibles is good news.
- Disney Infinity 3.0 will be available on Apple TV after the streaming service undergoes an extensive update in October.
- Some participants in this month's Disneyland Half-Marathon complained of incorrect corral assignments, suggesting there are proof-of-time security issues with RunDisney and TrackShack.
- There will no longer be chanting allowed at Walt Disney World. Unofficially, of course.
The Force is strong with us Inside The Mouse Castle this week. Just about every story Tim and Anthony bandy about has some connection to Star Wars. This wasn't by design. It's just how the news stream happens sometimes. We like it.
Tim starts with his first impressions of Disney Infinity 3.0 and the Star Wars play set that comes with it: Twilight of the Republic. With the help of Tim's grandkids, they gave it a good run over the weekend. The kids loved it. Tim liked the look of TOTR--and certainly felt the Star Wars characters are welcome--but he couldn't help but feel this was just more of the same from Disney Infinity. Quest, destroy bad guys, rinse, repeat.
Here's what else we've got on today's show. It's more fun than shooting womp rats in Beggar's Canyon:
- How many box office records will Star Wars: The Force Awakens break after it opens on December 18th? We're pretty sure its opening weekend number are going to be through the roof. Industry analysts are predicting a $615 million opening--the biggest ever. It's certain to be bolstered by a huge presence on IMAX screens around the world.
- To make way for Star Wars Land at Disneyland, Big Thunder Ranch will close its gates on January 11, 2016. The ranch's petting zoo will close on January 10th.
- Disneyland has a Star Wars Half Marathon event in January. Next April, Walt Disney World will get one as well. Star Wars Half Marathon - The Dark Side will be held April 14-17, 2016. The event will include half-marathon, 10K and 5K races. Registration at runDisney.com starts September 22nd.
- On Sunday, Tim is running his first half-marathon ever--at Disneyland, of course. The Disneyland Half-Marathon Weekend starts this Thursday. Will you be there? Look for Tim in his usual Mouse Castle garb.
- Ready for a global unboxing of Star Wars toys on YouTube? Yeah, we're not sure what to make of it either. But visit the Star Wars YouTube channel this Thursday for a preview of merchandise from Star Wars: The Force Awakens--much of which will start appearing in stores September 4th, dubbed "Force Friday." (Note: On ITMC, we got our dates confused. The worldwide online unboxing begins on September 3rd. The products will launch on September 4th).
- Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen is reported to be in talks to join the cast of Marvel's Doctor Strange. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor already on board, this is going to be one star-studded MCU installment.
Enjoy!
Pirates of the Caribbean with the lights on, a Haunted Mansion scolding, hard root beer and coconut-flavored vodka.
And yeah, Tim and Anthony talk about some Disney news too.
Inside The Mouse Castle this week, we revisit a few more items from the D23 Expo and Anthony's trip to Disneyland with his parents. We also imbibe a few tasty beverages as has become our habit since we started recording the show late at night. Don't judge.
Here's what else is going on:
- The long-rumored Jungle Cruise movie, at one time expected to star Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, is back on track, this time with Dwayne Johnson on board.
- John Lasseter played Jungle Cruise skipper for real last Tuesday, taking guests on a trip through the exotic waterways. And, wouldn't you know? Josh Gad was there to document it.
- Disney's live-action Cinderella comes out on Blu-ray and Digital HD on September 15th. In the spirit of the little cinder girl's upbeat philosophy, fans are encouraged to "have courage and be kind" at www.CinderellaKindness.com.
- Also available on video beginning October 13th is Brad Bird's Tomorrowland, starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson and Hugh Laurie. Tim was disappointed the first time he saw it, but not so much that he won't give it a second look.
- Japan's largest airline, ANA, is launching a fleet of Star Wars-themed airplanes (okay, four) featuring droids R2-D2 and BB-8. They'll start transporting passengers, both domestic and international, this fall.
- A federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Disney, DreamWorks and several other animation studios accusing them of collusion and wage fixing. This follows on the heels of a similar suit that was thrown out in April for falling outside the statute of limitations.
- Graffiti artist Banksy is taking a satirical shot at Disney parks with his new exhibition "Dismaland." This "bemusement park" takes up space at an old public pool in Weston-super-Mare in southwest England. Its centerpiece is a rotting, decrepit castle surrounded by a warped mermaid statue and a crashed police van. The exhibition is, of course, staffed by surly greeters and security guards. Over 50 artists from 17 countries have contributed to the project, which takes swipes, both good-natured and cynical, at not just theme parks, but at immigration laws and 21st-century activism. The exhibition will be open through September 17, 2015.
Enjoy!
We doubt there's a better way to recap last weekend's D23 Expo then doing it with friends over cocktails at the Anabella Hotel.
Bonus points for having Anthony's parents join us.
Even more points for Tim being able to face off about Disney Infinity in-person with Anthony's dad.
It was a good night.
Exhausted, exhilarated and just a bit tipsy, Team Mouse Castle does its best to analyze the highs and lows of Disney's mega fan event. So, pull up a chair, pour a drink and join us, won't you?
- Plans for "Star Wars Land" (or whatever they decide to call it) at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios were the biggest news to come out of Expo. We were all thrilled to see the first concept images, but couldn't D23 have saved them for the Parks and Resorts presentation Saturday afternoon instead of springing them at the Walt Disney Studios show earlier that morning?
- Pandora: The World of Avatar will probably look fantastic when it opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but does anybody really care?
- Animation: Based on what we've seen so far, our thumbs are way up for John Musker and Ron Clements' Moana and Pixar's once-troubled The Good Dinosaur. We liked our first look at Finding Dory, but the jury is still out on the Jack and the Beanstalk epic Gigantic, the Day of the Dead tale Coco and, yes, Toy Story 4 (although the Woody's-search-for-Bo-Peep story line has us intrigued). Try as we might, though, we still can't muster any excitement for Disney's March 2016 release Zootopia.
- Rogue One will be the first Star Wars film that won't be part of a trilogy. The standalone flick will tell the story of how the Rebels stole the plans to the Death Star prior to Episode IV. It will star Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker and Alan Tudyk. Principal shooting has already begun under the direction of Gareth Edwards. The film will open in the U.S. on December 16, 2016.
- Colin Trevorrow will direct Star Wars: Episode IX. Not a bad gig after helming Jurassic World.
- Tim took pleasure in regaling Anthony's dad, Mike, with the latest on Disney Infinity 3.0. It hits stores in the U.S. on August 30th.
Enjoy!
In this week's Inside The Mouse Castle, Tim and Anthony let their imaginations run wild, speculating on what big announcements will come out of this year's D23 Expo. They're already wrong on one idea. At the time they recorded the show, J.J. Abrams hadn't yet announced there would be no new Star Wars footage at the Expo.
Whatever. It happens.
The three-day Disney fan event opens this Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center. Tim will be there, taking in as much of the show as he can, but mostly standing in line a lot. And unlike many of the Mouse faithful, he won't be camping out overnight to be first in line for anything.
What secrets do you think will be revealed this weekend? Will attendees get what they want from the show? Will there be details about Disneyland's anticipated expansion and Disney's Hollywood Studios' renovation and rebranding? Will "Star Wars" fans get a full-blown trailer for "The Force Awakens"? What else can we expect from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Animation? Does anyone really care about Avatar Land?
Give a listen to our half-assed opinions and feel free to share yours with us. We'll see you in Anaheim Friday!
Enjoy!
For D23 Expo schedule and ticket information, visit D23Expo.com. We also highly recommend downloading the D23 Expo mobile app for iOS and Android.
Disney's Descendants was a huge hit on the Disney Channel last Friday, attracting over six million viewers. But, was it any good?
Tim voted no, but then he's not in the movie's age 9-14 demographic.
Still, it's hard to like a film with a dumbed-down story that turns the most evil of Disney's animated villains into buffoons and then adds a rap sequence to "Be Our Guest."
No. Just, no.
Unlike Descendants, very little is painful about this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle. There are even a few things Tim and Anthony like:
- Is Star Wars coming to Netflix? All the signs point to yes. We're hearing as many as three new series from Lucasfilm could be in development for the online entertainment service.
- Rumors abound about who will make up the supporting cast of Marvel's Spider-Man movie in 2017. It could just be wishful thinking, but we'll play along for now. Robert Downey, Jr. returning as Tony Stark, Hugh Laurie as J. Jonah Jameson, Forest Whitaker as Robbie Robertson, Billy Zane as the Vulture, Jason Biggs as Scorpion, Miranda Cosgrove as Betty Brant. We're on board for all of them if the rumors are true.
- Josh Gad has wrapped up shooting on Disney's live-action version of Beauty and the Beast. He's playing LeFou, sidekick to Luke Evans' Gaston. We're going to miss Gad's social media dispatches from the set.
- What's the deal with Bob the Musical and why are so many big names attached to the project? The Hollywood Reporter says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay) is working on the script for Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist). Meanwhile, Oscar-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie ("Man or Muppet") will pen the songs for the film about a man who can hear the inner music in everyone's heart. Oh, and did we mention Tom Cruise might star in it too?
- Animation fans, especially fans of the great Hayao Miyazaki, are going to love the new Blu-ray box set from Disney and Studio Ghibli. The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki will include all 11 of the master's animated classics including Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and The Wind Rises. It will be available only on Amazon.com and will be released on November 17th.
- In 1966, Walt Disney donated the Midget Autopia attraction at Disneyland to his boyhood home of Marceline, MO, the only time a Disney attraction was ever moved to a non-Disney location. The Midget Autopia stopped operating in the late 1970s, but now the Walt Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fully restore the cars and track. You can help by visiting www.bringbackautopia.com.
- Going to the D23 Expo this month? Download the app that will help you navigate the crowds and presentations at the epic Disney fan event. Get it for free now on Apple iOS and Android.
- We don't know a lot about what will replace Luigi's Flying Tires at Disney California Adventure, but now we have a name for it: Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters.
Enjoy!
In this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle, Anthony has an existential crisis. We're attributing it to a cataclysmic combination of Neil deGrasse Tyson, sleep deprivation, Ant-Man shrinking down to a molecular level and the wretched "Be Our Guest" number from Disney's Descendants (debuting this Friday on the Disney Channel).
With Anthony curled up in a fetal position, he and Tim delve deeply into these thought-provoking topics guaranteed to make you feel insignificant against the infinite backdrop of space:
- For the first time, the D23 Expo will split their traditional motion picture fan presentation into two separate events, one for animation and one for live action. We're hoping for big announcements (or at least some new trailers) for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain America: Civil War and Finding Dory.
- Tim finally saw Ant-Man and thoroughly enjoyed it. He left the theater totally perplexed, though. Why don't people stay all the way to the end of a Marvel movie to see the post credit-scenes? Have they not learned? The last scene in Ant-Man (and yes, it comes at the very end) is not to be missed. It does an epic job setting up (and raising a few questions about) Captain America: Civil War.
- Annnd.....The Sword in the Stone is the latest Disney animated classic to go into development as a live-action film. We recap all we know about the full slate of upcoming Disney retreads.
- There's a new trailer for Pixar's The Good Dinosaur. Despite our earlier concerns about production delays, recasting and a new director, we're encouraged by what we see. But, with all the (justified) attention Inside Out has received, will people take to a second Pixar film in the same year?
- Avengers: Age of Ultron will be available on digital download September 8th. Want it in a disc in a box? That's available on October 2nd.
- Michael Jackson as Jar Jar Binks? It almost happened. Well, Michael thought it would anyway.
Enjoy!
Tim is back from a fun-filled weekend in Anaheim where he not only wished Disneyland Happy Birthday on Friday, but he also attended a benefit for the Walt Disney Birthplace where the guest of honor was none other than Bert the Chimney Sweep himself, Dick Van Dyke. Dick performed with his a capella group, the Vantastix.
Disneyland was unsurprisingly crowded for Friday's official Diamond Celebration, but it was totally worth it to get an "I was there" button and join thousands of guests to sing "Feed the Birds" and "Happy Birthday" with Richard Sherman and Ashley Brown. Michael Colglazier, hosted the rededication ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. And while the Disneyland president hit all the proper notes as far as thanking guests, cast members and assorted Disney Legends, his delivery left a bit to be desired. Let's just say he's not personality plus delivering an overly-rehearsed, pre-written speech. He needed to inject a lot more excitement and spontaneity into the festivities. Thank goodness for Sherman, Brown and the welcome cast of costumed Disney characters.
Tim and Anthony polished their presentation skills for this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle. Here's what else is going on:
- Bob Iger revealed some of what guests can expect when Shanghai Disney Resort opens in China next year.
- Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland will be held on 17 different nights between September 11th and November 1st this year. Tickets to the late-night event will go on sale for annual passholders, DVC members and Disney Visa cardholders beginning July 22nd. The rest of the world can have at them on July 29th.
- Marvel's Ant-Man opened at number one at the box office over the weekend, taking in $58 million in the U.S. Neither Tim nor Anthony have seen it yet. They offer their deepest apologies. What did you think of it?
- Tilda Swinton has been cast as "The Ancient One" in Marvel's upcoming Doctor Strange. Apparently the white, middle-aged woman will play an elderly, Asian man.
- Annnnnd......Aladdin is the latest winner in the Disney animation-to-live-action-movie lottery. A prequel is in the works on how the genie ended up in his bottle and got that horrible crick in his neck.
- We approve of the newly-named Disney Legends who will be honored at this year's D23 Expo: Andreas Deja, Susan Lucci, Danny Elfman, Julie Reihm Casaletto, George Bodenheimer, Eyvind Earle, Carson Van Osten and George Lucas. They will all be officially inducted on August 14th at the D23 Expo.
- Disney and Lucasfilm are not amused that GQ appropriated (without permission) a handful of Star Wars characters to join comedian Amy Schumer in a racy photo spread. We're not sure what annoyed them more, Schumer in bed with R2D2 and C3PO or Schumer drinking with the droids and Chewbacca at a biker bar. Regardless, we think all the pics are pretty freakin' funny.
Enjoy!
BTW, this show marks the one-year anniversary of Inside The Mouse Castle. Hooray!
Sadly, Anthony won't be joining us for the festivities, so let's try not to have too much fun in his absence.
Disneyland's Diamond Celebration will be a somewhat low-key event (especially for those of us who remember the 50th). Contrary to earlier rumors, Disneyland and DCA will not be open 24 hours like they were Memorial Day weekend. Disneyland will be open 8:00 a.m. to midnight, DCA from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. As far as special events during the day, Disneyland Resort president Michael Colglazier will preside over a rededication ceremony in Town Square. The event will be streamed live on big screens set up throughout Disneyland, DCA and Downtown Disney. There will also be special late-night performances of World of Color and Paint the Night. Guests are also encouraged to dress in 1950s-style garb just like it was on Disneyland's opening day.
- Harrison Ford made a surprise appearance at Comic-Con last week. He joined J.J. Abrams and the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on stage in Hall H to the delight of the packed audience. It was his first public appearance since March when he crashed landed a vintage airplane on a golf course in Southern California.
- Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the directing duo that helmed The Lego Movie, will direct a standalone Star Wars film that tells the backstory of Han Solo. Lawrence Kasdan is working on the script and the film is expected to be released on May 25, 2018.
- Ant-Man is getting mostly favorable reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this post). The latest tale in the Marvel Cinematic Universe stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly and Corey Stoll. It opens in U.S. theaters this Friday.
- John C. Reilly has confirmed that there will be a Wreck-It Ralph 2 and he will again be voicing the title character. Expect there to be a bigger Nintendo tie-in like we talked about previously Inside The Mouse Castle.
- Marisa Tomei will play Peter Parker's guardian Aunt May in the upcoming MCU Spider-Man films. Is it wrong to be hot for Aunt May?
- Who says princesses get all the attention? Disney is developing a film centered around the life of Prince Charming. Personally, we think Prince should play the prince.
- Disney Infinity 3.0 will hit stores (finally) on August 30, 2015. It will have Star Wars in it. That's all you need to know. Order it. Now.
- By a 3-2 vote, the Anaheim City Council passed an ordinance extending a gate-tax ban for the Disneyland Resort an additional 30 years. Anthony continues to be bored by this type of news.
- Bill Cosby and the Confederate Flag can no longer be found at Walt Disney World. Tim and Anthony make inappropriate jokes about it.
In this week's episode on Inside The Mouse Castle, we pay tribute to the late Blaine Gibson, the animator, sculptor and Disney Legend who passed away Sunday at the age of 97.
Blaine began his career at Disney in 1939 as an in-betweener and assistant animator. His feature animation credits include Fantasia, Bambi, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians.
He considered himself an animator first, but he also had a gift for sculpting. Aware of Blaine's talent, Walt Disney assigned the artist to WED Enterprises (later Walt Disney Imagineering) to create character forms that would transform into Audio-Animatronics. Blaine made significant design contributions to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Arguably, his most impressive accomplishment in Imagineering was overseeing the design of every president up to George W. Bush in the Magic Kingdom's Hall of Presidents.
Even though Blaine retired in 1983, he continued to consult on projects with Disney. The "Partners" statue that depicts Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse standing hand-in-hand at Disney theme parks remains one of Blaine's lasting creations.
All of us at The Mouse Castle send our condolences to Blaine Gibson's friends and family. Rest in peace.
Also in this week's episode:
- Pixar's Inside Out and Universal's Jurassic World ended the July of 4th weekend box office battle in a virtual tie for first place. They were aided by poor debuts from Terminator: Genisys and Magic Mike XXL.
- Inside Out's solid performance helped Disney's stable of 2015 film releases (including Avengers: Age of Ultron and Cinderella) pass $3 billion in international box office. It's the sixth year in a row that Disney has passed the $3 billion mark.
- Marvel's high-tech entertainment roadshow, The Marvel Experience, is closing up shop after finishing its stint in Philadelphia over the weekend. Upcoming appearances in Chicago, New York and St. Louis this summer have been cancelled and tickets are being refunded. Complaints about technical issues, overpriced tickets and poor crowd management have been rampant on Yelp and other social media sites for months.
- Ant-Man premiered in Hollywood last week. Tim is looking forward to seeing MCU's latest entry when it debuts on July 17th. Anthony has concerns after being unimpressed by the film's sneak preview at Disney California Adventure.
- It's not just selfie sticks that have gone away at Walt Disney World. Poop candy has exited Animal Kingdom and DisneyQuest is closing at Downtown Disney to make way for the NBA Experience.
- In business news (Anthony's least favorite kind of news), Christine McCarthy has been named the new Disney CFO, replacing the departing Jay Rasulo. Also, Disney Interactive and Disney Consumer Products, once independent divisions, will now operate under the same umbrella.
- There are two new exhibitions getting ready to open at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Disney and Dali: Architects of the Imagination will open on July 10th and will feature an audio tour narrated by Sigourney Weaver. Tomorrowland: Walt's Vision for Today opens on July 22nd and will be curated by filmmaker Brad Bird.
Enjoy!
Last week, Anthony visited Disneyland, rode the Lilly Belle, previewed Ant-Man, and finally saw Paint the Night, but who cares? Because all we want to do is talk about selfie sticks.
The sometimes useful, mostly annoying camera accessories will be banned from all Disney theme parks--including DisneyQuest and the water parks at Walt Disney World--effective June 30th.
And while Anthony and Tim ponder how to take pictures of themselves with their short arms, they also focus on these fascinating stories:
- Disneyland could be investing $1 billion in the Anaheim resort in return for the City of Anaheim extending an existing tax exemption on park ticket sales. This seems kind of a purposeless trade since Disney will probably spend that much on expected expansion projects in Tomorrowland and Hollywood Land anyway.Annual passholders have gotten a sneak preview already, but the general public will finally get a look at the newly refurbed Peter Pan's Flight at Disneyland starting July 1st.
- We know for certain Captain EO is making another nostalgic return to Epcot on July 19th, but could Michael Jackson's space hero also be coming to Disney Infinity 3.0? We're hearing rumors.
- Like a little Disney magic with you text messaging? You've got to get the new Disney GIF app for iOS. It's a super fun keyboard extension and it's free. Get it here.
- Is there a creative partnership pending on the horizon between Disney and gaming giant Nintendo? Once again, we're hearing rumors.
- In August, Pixar will have a bigger presence than in the past at the D23 Expo. For the first time, the animation studio will have an exhibit on the show floor. We're especially looking forward to the display of John Lasseter's custom Hawaiian shirts based on most of the Pixar films. Order your Expo tickets now before prices go up.
- It's been a busy week for Disney in the land of lawsuits. They settled out of court with filmmaker Kelly Wilson over similarities between her animated film The Snowman and the first teaser trailer for Frozen. Then, a disgruntled former member of Club 33 filed suit saying he was wrongly ousted from the club. Disney is claiming he repeatedly violated membership rules.
Enjoy!
After weeks of wild speculation, Marvel and Sony finally announced Tom Holland will be the new Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Jon Watts will direct the next standalone film for the web slinger. We expect that Holland will also appear as Spidey in next year's Captain America: Civil War.
In other movie news, Inside Out couldn't beat Jurassic World at the box office over the weekend, but that didn't stop it from scoring the second biggest opening in Pixar history. Tim gives his review of the Pete Docter-directed film while he and Anthony get in touch with their emotions in this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle.
- Maleficent made over $750 million worldwide last year. So, umm, yeah, there's going to be a sequel. Linda Woolverton is currently penning the script. No confirmation yet whether Angelina Jolie is on board, but come on, why wouldn't she be?
- Zuri's Sweet Shop has opened at Disney's Animal Kingdom and it's serving poop candy. That's really all you need to know.
- Also at Animal Kingdom, Starbucks has opened up shop. Meanwhile, down the road at the soon-to-be demolished Walt Disney World Speedway, we've learned that the space is destined to become a parking lot.
- Our condolences to the family and friends of JoAnn Dean Killingsworth, who passed away Saturday at the age of 91. The long-time actress and ice skater was an original Disneyland employee in 1955 and the park's first Snow White.
- Historian Didier Ghez is a good friend of The Mouse Castle and we're very excited about his upcoming book, They Drew as They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age
. It's the first in a series of books Didier is writing about the great concept artists of the Walt Disney Studios. It will be out on September 8th.
- Disney and musical artist Deadmau5 have settled their legal differences over Deadmau5's performance headgear, which bears a striking resemblance to a certain cartoon mouse. The terms of the settlement have not been released (and probably won't be), but the two sides are now playing nice.
Enjoy!