Disney CEO Bob Iger Extends Contract Through 2019

WDWNT on March 27, 2017

On Thursday, the Walt Disney Company announced the extension of current CEO Bob Iger’s contract to July 2, 2019.  The complex nature of finding a suitable replacement has proven challenging in the years since Mr. Iger first announced his desire to retire.   Since it is a “robust process of identifying a successor and ensuring a smooth transition” the Board of Directors felt keeping the steady approach Mr. Iger has provided would best serve the Company.

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Robert A. Iger

In the release, the Independent of Lead Director of the Disney Board Orin C. Smith highlighted Mr. Iger’s success’s over his first 11 years as CEO.  Among those achievements are the 448% growth in shareholder returns while simultaneously increasing the market capitol of the company from $46 billion to $177 billion.

Mr. Iger expressed his gratitude in saying “leading this Company is a tremendous privilege, and I am honored to have been asked to continue serving as CEO” adding “even with the incredible success the Company has achieved, I am confident that Disney’s best days are still ahead”.

As part of his agreement, Mr. Iger will receive a $5 million dollar bonus for staying on.  In addition to the bonus, Mr. Iger will remain a consultant for the company for 3 years following his retirement.  Back in 2011, Mr. Iger announced his intentions to step down in 2015.  The departures of CFO Jay Rasulo and COO Tom Staggs left no clear successor within the company.  This latest extension marks the 3rd time that Mr. Iger’s contract has been extended since his initial announcement.

With Pandora: World of Avatar set to open this spring and both Toy Story and Star Wars Lands set to open by 2019, it makes sense that Mr. Iger would want to stay on for those openings as the acquisition of both Pixar and Lucasfilm have been huge success under the Iger tenure.

PIXAR’s New Short “Lou” Will Open for Cars 3

WDWNT on February 6, 2017

Audiences across the world have learned that Pixar’s latest short, Lou, will be the lead for Cars 3 which debuts in theaters June 16th.  Lou is the debut film for director Dave Mullins whose animating credits include Finding Nemo, Up, and the Cars franchise.
Lou keeping an ever watchful eye out

Photo: Disney/Pixar

Drawing emotions from his childhood, Mullins crafted the six-minute short to reflect on a time from his own life.  Growing up, he moved frequently leaving him without a sense of belonging at various points.  That trait of feeling on the outside is something both main characters deal with in the film. Produced by Dana Murray, Lou tackles the everyday subject of bullying by reaching back into the well for a tried and true delivery system: toys.

Lou centers around a watchful toy monster whose convictions seem to align with a teacher or watchful protector.  After watching the children interact on the playground and witnessing one child in particular torment his fellow classmates; the title character takes it upon himself to help not only return the items JJ has taken for himself but also to teach him a lesson or two along the way.

The film is dedicated to Mullins’ father who passed away during the film’s early development.  Several nods to his father appear in the film including a skateboard and football that live with Lou in his box.

Lou will be the 17th Pixar short to premier before a theatrical release.  Cars 3 is the first of two Pixar films to be released in 2017.  Coco is set to hit theaters on November 22, 2017 and is directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina.  This year marks just the second time Pixar will release two feature films in one year.  The first came when Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur both debuted in 2015.

New Live-Action “Cinderella” Trailer Released

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

The Walt Disney Studios has released a new trailer for the spectacular new live-action film Cinderella.

Cinderella Poster

A live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, Cinderella brings to life the timeless images from Disney’s 1950 animated masterpiece as fully-realized characters in a visually-dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation.

Cinderella opens in theaters March 13, 2015.

Have a look at the new trailer:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erecP_j6aKE]

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new Stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family.

 

Soon, she is forced to become their servant, disrespected, covered in ashes and spitefully renamed Cinderella. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her, and she continues to remain positive, determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.”

 

When Ella meets a dashing stranger in the woods, unaware that he is really the Prince (Richard Madden) and not merely Kit, an apprentice at the palace, she believes she has finally found a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the King (Derek Jacobi) summons all maidens in the kingdom to attend a royal ball at the palace, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit. Alas, her Stepmother forbids her to attend and callously destroys her dress.

 

Meanwhile, the calculating Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård) devises a plan to thwart the Prince’s hopes of reuniting with Ella and enlists the support of the devious Stepmother. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand. Soon, a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin, a few mice and a magic wand, changes Cinderella’s life forever.

Cinderella opens in theaters March 13, 2015.

VIDEO: Trailer for PIXAR “Inside Out” Available

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has released a new trailer for the upcoming Disney/Pixar animated feature Inside Out. Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter has taken audiences to unique and imaginative places. In Inside Out,  he will take us to the most extraordinary location of all—inside the mind.

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Have a look at the new trailer:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRUAzGQ3nSY]

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions:

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Joy (Amy Poehler)

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Fear (Bill Hader)

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Anger (Lewis Black)

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Disgust (Mindy Kaling)

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and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).

The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

Inside Out debuts in theaters June 19, 2015.

New One-Sheet For “Into The Woods” Released

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

A new one-sheet for Disney’s upcoming feature film Into The Woods has been released.

Into The Woods one-sheet

Into The Woods is a modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)—all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife (James Corden & Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep) who has put a curse on them.

Rob Marshall, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Academy Award®-winning musical Chicago and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directs the film, which is based on the Tony®-winning original musical by James Lapine, who also penned the screenplay, and legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who provides the music and lyrics.

Into The Woods will be released in theaters Dec. 25, 2014.

"Alice in Wonderland" Sequel Begins Production

WDWNT on August 7, 2014

Disney’s Alice In Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass begins principal photography this week, featuring an award-winning production team and all-star ensemble cast, including Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.

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The all-star ensemble cast includes:

  • Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the Mad Hatter—Hatter Tarrant Hightopp.
  • Anne Hathaway portrays the White Queen—Mirana.
  • Mia Wasikowska once again appears as Alice Kingsleigh, who’s on a quest to help the Mad Hatter.
  • Helena Bonham Carter  returns as the Red Queen—Iracebeth.
  • Rhys Ifans fills the shoes of Zanik Hightopp, the Mad Hatter’s father.
  • Matt Lucas returns to the revelry in a dual role as Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
  • Ed Speleers portrays James Harcourt in the film.
  • And Sacha Baron Cohen was called on to bring Time to the big screen.

Alice In Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass also boasts an extraordinary voice cast.

  • Stephen Fry is back as the voice of the Cheshire Cat.
  • Toby Jones provides the voice of Wilkins.
  • Alan Rickman returns as the voice of the Blue Caterpillar.
  • Michael Sheen once again serves as the voice of the White Rabbit.
  • Timothy Spall returns to voice Bayard.
  • Paul Whitehouse is back as the March Hare.
  • Barbara Windsor provides the voice of Dormouse again.

James Bobin will direct the film, which revisits Lewis Carroll’s beloved stories with an all-new new tale that travels back to Underland—and back in Time. Shooting on location and at Shepperton Studios in England, the film is slated for release on May 27, 2016.

Walt Disney Studios

 

 

Walken, Esposito Join Voice Cast of Disney’s “Jungle Book”

WDWNT on August 7, 2014

The Walt Disney Studios today announced that two more actors are on board as voice talent for Disney’s The Jungle Book, a combination of live-action and animation, directed by Jon Favreau.

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Giancarlo Esposito & Christopher Walken

Academy Award winner Christopher Walken will take on the role of King Louie, the ruler of a troop of monkeys and apes, while Giancarlo Esposito will voice Akela, the leader of the wolf pack.

Walken and Esposito join Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Golden Globe winner Idris Elba as Shere Khan, and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa. The Jungle Book also marks the debut of newcomer Neel Sethi as Mowgli, who will be the only actor to physically appear on screen.

The Jungle Book will be released in 3D and arrives in theaters on October 9, 2015.

VIDEO: Teaser Trailer For MARVEL & Disney Feature Animation’s “Big Hero 6” Released

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

The Walt Disney Studios has released a teaser trailer for the upcoming animated action/comedy/adventure film Big Hero 6, which releases on November 7, 2014.

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Take a look at the teaser trailer here:

Big Hero 6 is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.

Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action, Big Hero 6 is directed by Don Hall . The film will be released in theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

VIDEO: New “Maleficent” Featurette and Clip Now Available

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

The Walt Disney Studios has released a new featurette and clip for the upcoming live-action film Maleficent, which releases May 30, 2014.

Maleficent 1

See the Light & Dark featurette below:

View the Finger Prick clip here:

Maleficent,stars Angelina Jolie and tells the untold back story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic Sleeping Beauty that drove her to curse the baby, Aurora, only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the land.

Maleficent releases on May 30, 2014.

VIDEO: Teaser Trailer and Poster Released for Live-Action “Cinderella”

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

A teaser trailer and poster for the live-action version of Disney’s Cinderella was released today by the Walt Disney Studios, teasing fans for the film’s March 13, 2015 release.

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The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. When Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family.

Check out the new trailer here:

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Cinderella is a live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, and brings to life the timeless images from Disney’s 1950 animated masterpiece as fully-realized characters in a dazzling spectacle for a new generation.

Cinderella will be released through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on March 13, 2015.