Disney has just announced that Colin Trevorrow will no longer be directing “Star Wars: Episode IX”.
This comes as not much of a surprise after Lucasfilm recently fired Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from the “Han Solo” movie over creative differences. Lucasfilm also had issues with Gareth Edwards’ direction of “Rogue One” resulting in re-shoots that did not include Edwards’ participation. A few years ago, Josh Trank was also fired as director of the “Boba Fett” spin off movie.
Lucasfilm is very protective of the Star Wars franchise and I can’t blame them with being overly concerned with Treverrow’s participation. This is the final chapter of the current Star Wars trilogy and you dont want it in the hands of someone with questionable experience. Treverrow did have blockbuster success due to his direction of “Jurassic World” but prior to that, he was virtually unknown and his latest movie, “The Book Of Henry” was a critical and box office flop.
From The Wrap:
Colin Trevorrow is stepping down as the director of “Star Wars: Episode IX,” Disney announced on Tuesday.
“Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on ‘Star Wars: Episode IX,’” Disney said in a statement. “Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.”
Trevorrow was announced to direct “Episode IX” in 2015, set for release in 2019. The film will conclude the third trilogy of “Star Wars” movies that began with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” last year. Rian Johnson is directing “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
Trevorrow directed the 2015 box office hit “Jurassic World” and has a writing credit on its upcoming sequel, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” His recent film, “The Book of Henry,” was a critical and commercial flop.
Check out this Selfie of “Aladdin” Cast Members: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott and Marwan Kenzari
Casting for “Aladdin,” the live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic, is complete and production is currently underway at Longcross Studios outside London.
The “Aladdin” cast includes: Two-time Oscar® nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “Men in Black”) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (“Power Rangers”) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express”) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (“Homeland”) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (“Saturday Night Live”) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (“Into the Woods”) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (“Homeland”) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.
“Aladdin” is directed by Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) from a screenplay by John August (“Dark Shadows,” “Big Fish”) based on the 1992 animated film “Aladdin” and stories from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The producer is Dan Lin (“The LEGO Movie”) with Golden Globe® winner Marc Platt (“La La Land”), Jonathan Eirich (“Deathnote“) and Kevin De La Noy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) serving as executive producers. Eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”) provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Oscar®-winning lyricists Howard Ashman (“Little Shop of Horrors”) and Tim Rice (“The Lion King”) as well as two new songs written by Menken and Oscar® and Tony Award®-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”).
The 2017 NFL season has officially begun and Marvel kicked things off during last night’s game with the release of a new trailer for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok.
In the latest spot for Marvel’s big holiday movie we see Thor attempting to assemble the ‘Revengers,’ a super team of his own comprised of himself, Loki, Valkyrie, and of course, Hulk.
Thor: Ragnarok tells the story of an imprisoned Thor who must make it back home to Asgard and prevent the destruction of his home world, all without the aid of his iconic hammer. On the way Thor is reacquainted with his old friend Hulk, who he is joined by after a head-on gladiatorial battle.
Tickets for this highly anticipated film are now on sale wherever tickets are sold and you can see Thor: Ragnarok in theaters on November 3.
Fans won’t have to wait too much longer to bring home Cars 3, as it is scheduled to release digitally on October 24, and physically on November 7 for Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 4K Ultra HD, and DVD.
The home release of Cars 3 will be loaded with tons of extras for fans to indulge in like an all-new mini-movie called “Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool,” five deleted scenes, the animated short “Lou,” director commentary, and much more.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams is returning to direct and co-write Star Wars: Episode IX.
The announcement comes just one week after news hit that Colin Treverrow would no longer be at the helm of the Star Wars sequel trilogy finale.
Abrams will be co-writing Episode IX with Chris Terrio, who served as a writer on Argo, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the upcoming Justice League.
“With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy in regards to the announcement.
Star Wars: Episode IX is currently slated for a May 24, 2019 release, though that date may change with the shakeup in production.
Disney has shared a new trailer and poster for the upcoming Pixar film Coco.
The trailer shows us the deepest look yet of the characters and world of Coco. Take a look below.
The poster prominently contrasts the equally vibrant and stunning worlds of both the living and the dead.
Coco tells the story of Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) as he finds himself in the visually stunning Land of the Dead, alongside his new friend Hector (Gael García Bernal) on a journey to prove his musical talent and share his dream of becoming a musician like his biggest inspiration, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt).
The Hollywood Reporter just announced that a Obi-Wan Kenobi movie is in the works at Disney and Lucasfilm. This will be the third Star Wars spinoff movie and join the likes of “Rogue One” and “Han Solo”.
From The Hollywood Reporter:
Stephen Daldry is Star Wars’ newest hope.
The Oscar-nominated director behind Billy Elliot and The Hours is in early talks to direct a Star Wars stand-alone movie centering on Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Sources say talks are at the earliest of stages and that the project has no script. If a deal makes, Daldry would oversee the development and writing with Lucasfilm brass. It’s not known at this stage if Ewan McGregor will reprise his role.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi stand-alone is one of several projects being developed by Lucasfilm and Disney that fall outside the trilogies telling the saga of the Skywalker family. A Han Solo movie is now in the final stages of shooting under new director Ron Howard and Lucasfilm is also looking at movies featuring Yoda and bounty hunter Boba Fett, among others.
The Disney Parks Blog has announced that Disney Parks will be the place to be as “Star Wars: Force Friday II” kicks off on September 1st to celebrate the release of the newest Star Wars merchandise from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”.
From Disney Parks Blog:
New Star Wars themed merchandise and more will land in our galaxy at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts on September 1, 2017 at 12:01 a.m. (Midnight).*
The Force Friday II event is your opportunity to be among the first to purchase new Star Wars and Star Wars: The Last Jedi themed merchandise, including unique products found only at Disney Parks.
Please see details below if you are planning to attend this free event in California or Florida.
Disneyland Resort – World of Disney Store, Downtown Disney District
Pre-registration for the Force Friday II event is required for guests attending the event in Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort.
Registration will be accepted only on DisneyParksMerchandise.com beginning August 24 at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific) / 2:00 p.m. (Eastern).
Once registered, guests will receive additional instructions via email. Doors open at 12:01 a.m. on September 1.
Walt Disney World Resort – World of Disney, Disney Springs
For guests attending the event at Disney Springs, registration for Force Friday II will take place outside the World of Disney store entrance across from Basin on August 31 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Guests will be given a numbered wristband on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once a wristband is received, guests are invited to return to World of Disney by 11:30 p.m. where they will be lined up in sequential order. Doors open at 12:01 a.m. on September 1.
Please park in the Lime Parking Garage at Disney Springs for shopping convenience.
Set your hyperspace coordinates for this merchandise event in preparation of the highly anticipated film release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on December 16.
Calling on Girls to Channel Their Superpowers of STEM for Good and Get a Chance to Win a Trip to the Premiere of Marvel Studios’ THOR: RAGNAROK and a Mentorship presented by Disney, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories and Synchrony Bank
Disney,Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories, Synchrony Bank, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Broadcom MASTERS and Society for Science & the Public are pleased to present the nationwide MARVEL STUDIOS’ THOR: RAGNAROK SUPERPOWER OF STEM CHALLENGE in conjunction with the November 3, 2017 theatrical release of Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.
In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!
Marvel Studios is, once again, encouraging young girls to explore the superpower of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with the MARVEL STUDIOS’ THOR: RAGNAROK SUPERPOWER OF STEM CHALLENGE.
This program, supported by American Association for the Advancement of Science, Broadcom MASTERS, and Society for Science & the Public, seeks to inspire young girls to use the superpower of STEM to help their family, community or the world be safer, healthier or happier. MARVEL STUDIOS’ THOR: RAGNAROK SUPERPOWER OF STEM CHALLENGE invites girls nationwide, ages 15 -18 in grades 10 – 12 living in the 50 United States and D.C., to use the superpower of STEM to create an original Do-It-Yourself project that can be replicated by others.
Five finalists will be selected to come to Los Angeles and present their projects, in person, to a panel of experts and to attend the Red Carpet Premiere of Marvel Studios’ THOR: RAGNAROK. Each finalistwill receive: Two round-trip tickets to Southern California for the finalist and her parent or guardian, including scheduled meals, ground transportation to and from organized activities, hotel accommodations, from October 8 through October 11, 2017; the opportunity to be on the red carpet at the Premiere of Marvel Studios’ THOR: RAGNAROK, $500 deposited into a high-yield savings account from Synchrony Bank; a tour of the Walt Disney Studiosin Burbank, California; and more.
One grand-prize winner will be selected from the five finalists to attend an immersive three-day mentorship in New York City with Disney Imagineering to build her STEM story, creating a professional-level video teaching other young people how to recreate her Challenge–winning project. The winner will also have the opportunity to demonstrate her Superpower of STEM project live to the nation with a brief appearance on Good Morning America. (The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Good Morning America / ABC News.)The video created during her mentorship will be made available to students, teachers and families worldwide on the American Association for the Advancement of Science education resource website ScienceNetLinks.com.
Complete contest information will be available from August 23, 2017, through September 23, 2017. Entries will be acceptedbeginning on August 23, 2017 at 4:00AM PT through 6:00PM PT on August 23, 2017. Forapplication forms, eligibility requirements, officialcontest rules and more information about MARVEL STUDIOS’ THOR: RAGNAROK SUPERPOWER OF STEM CHALLENGE, please visit www.marvelstudiosstemchallenge.com.
Aboutthe Contest
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends at 6:00PM PT on September 23, 2017. Open only to girls between the ages of 15 and 18, in grades 10 – 12, as of August 23, 2017, who are legal residents and physically living in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Limit 1 entry per person. Winners must be able to travel on or about October 8, 2017 through October 11, 2017. See Official Rules at www.marvelstudiosstemchallenge.com for full eligibility and entry requirements, prize description, conditions, and limitations. Void where prohibited. The official contest sponsor is Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Star Wars Fans Invited to “Find the Force” As Unprecedented Augmented Reality Event Sweeps the Globe for Force Friday II
Fans to reveal a new The Last Jedi character via social media
New product line for Star Wars: The Last Jedi launches globally at 12:01 AM September 1
More than 20,000 retail locations worldwide will become home to
augmented reality Star Wars characters from September 1-3
Following the global phenomenon of Force Friday in 2015, Disney and Lucasfilm today announced Find the Force, a global augmented reality (AR) event rolling out on Force Friday II (September 1) to commemorate the worldwide launch of new products inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The pop-up AR treasure hunt aims to unite fans around the world in the battle against the dark side in a unique three-day event at over 20,000 retail locations across 30 countries. As fans turn up to take home new The Last Jedi products, they will have the opportunity to activate a unique augmented reality experience featuring Star Wars characters, including fan-favorites and new surprise additions from the film.
“Force Friday II is a major milestone in the countdown to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Star Wars has always championed new technology, and we are excited that augmented reality will allow fans to experience the universe in a whole new way,” says Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm.
From September 1-3, retailers around the world will invite fans to Find the Force by taking part in an AR treasure hunt. Here’s how it works: first, download the Star Wars App, which is your one-stop-shop for all things Star Wars (those who already have the app will need to download the latest version). Then, visit any one of 20,000 participating retail locations to find a graphic that contains the Find the Force logo. When you scan the graphic using the Star Wars App, you’ll reveal a character, who through augmented reality, will appear in the room with you. You can then take photos, record videos, and share the experience on social media. Come back each day to reveal new characters (15 in total across the program’s three-day run). Click here for more information: www.starwars.com/findtheforce.
“Force Friday II puts fans right at the center of the action using augmented reality to bring our characters to life like never before. The technology theme continues in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi product line, which is our most innovative yet – we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store.” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.
Fans can download the latest version of the Star Wars App (v. 2.3 or higher) beginning Aug. 24 for an early look at the new Porg characters in AR before the AR treasure hunt goes live at retail.
By sharing photos or videos featuring the in-store AR characters on Twitter or Instagram using #FindtheForce and #Sweepstakes throughout Force Friday II weekend, fans in select global markets can participate in a sweepstakes for the chance to win the ultimate fan experience: tickets to the Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiere in December.
No Purchase Necessary. Enter sweepstakes between August 31, 2017 at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”)/3:00 p.m. British Summer Time (“BST”) and September 4, 2017 at 2:59 a.m. PT/10:59 a.m. BST. Open to legal residents in 50 U.S. + D.C., Canada (excluding Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France, South Korea and Chile who are 18+ or the age of majority in their place of residence, whichever is older. Limit 15 entries per person. There is 1 Grand Prize available to be won (ARV: US $4,500). Grand Prize winner must travel to Los Angeles, California USA on or about December 12, 2017. Visit starwars.com/findtheforce. for Official Rules including details on how to enter, additional eligibility requirements, prize descriptions and limitations. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty. Limited, Level 5, Chapel Street, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia.
