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    Disney Plus Streaming Platform To Feature Obi-Wan, Lizzy McGuire, Marvel Fare

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments3045 Views
    Mickey Mouse waves to members of the media at the Disney Legends press line during the 2019 D23 Expo, Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

    By Lynn Elber, Television Writer

    ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --

    Ewan McGregor is reprising his "Star Wars" role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a new series, one of the many splashy projects that Disney is banking on to make its new streaming platform competitive.

    The as-yet untitled Disney Plus show drew big cheers when it was announced Friday at the D23 Expo fan event, as did a "Lizzie McGuire" reboot with original star Hilary Duff playing a grown-up version of the title character.

    The audience of about 6,000 at a convention center adjacent to Disneyland also voiced enthusiasm for another "Star Wars"-related series, "The Mandalorian," which its producers said is set in an unexplored time for the space saga and features new characters.

    Disney Plus had a receptive crowd, with expo attendees lining up to buy discounted subscriptions before the showcase. But it laid out a two-hour banquet of show trailers and stars to further whet fans' appetite, starting with a performance by cast members of the new "High School Musical" series and appearances by McGregor, Duff, Kristen Bell, Anna Kendrick and others.

    "It's been four years of saying, 'I don't know'" when he was asked about the long-discussed Obi-Wan project, McGregor said. "Now I can say, 'Yes, we're going to do it.'"

    Among the movies set for the streaming service launching Nov. 12: the holiday comedy "Noelle," starring Kendrick, Bill Hader and Billy Eichner, and a live-action remake of 1955's animated film "Lady and the Tramp," with Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux voicing the canine couple. Yvette Nicole Brown, who hosted the Disney Plus showcase, also stars.

    Disney is reaching into its library for the streaming service with classic projects and updates on them, like "Lady and the Tramp." But it's also relying on brands that were acquired by Disney, including Marvel, Pixar, Fox's entertainment businesses, and "Star Wars" home Lucasfilm, making it a formidable newcomer.

    "Ms. Marvel," ''Moon Knight" and "She-Hulk," derived from Marvel comics, are being developed as live-action series for Disney Plus, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced. Also coming is "What If…?" an animated series that imagines alternate Marvel universe realities, such as Peggy Carter as Captain America.

    "Monsters At Work" is a series inspired by the Pixar movie "Monsters, Inc." with a new cast of monsters and starring Ben Feldman and Aisha Tyler in its voice cast.

    Among the other programs for Disney Plus, which is launching with a $7 monthly price tag (pricing to vary outside the United States):

    • "Diary of a Female President," a comedy series about a Cuban-American girl's middle-school experience and her path to becoming the U.S. president. Tess Romero plays Elena, with Gina Rodriguez producing and guest-starring as the adult version.
    • "The World According to Jeff Goldblum," a National Geographic series in which the actor explores such things as sneakers, ice cream and synchronized swimming.
    • "Encore!" from executive producer Bell, which gives former castmates of high school musicals the chance to perform together again and revisit their teenage insecurities.
    • "Forky Asks a Question," with Tony Hale reprising his role from "Toy Story 4" in new Pixar animated shorts about the inquisitive toy.
    Category:News
    Tags:D23 ExpoDisney PlusLady and the TrampLizzie McGuireThe Mandalorian



    Is “Glicked” The New “Barbenheimer”? “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Hit Theater Screens

    Thursday, November 21, 2024

    "Barbenheimer" was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn't stopped people from trying to make "Glicked" — or even "Babyratu" — happen.

    The counterprogramming of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.

    And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, "Saw Patrol" ).

    This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation "Wicked" opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic "Gladiator II." Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: "Wickiator," "Wadiator," "Gladwick" and even the eyebrow raising "Gladicked" have all been suggested.

    "'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more," actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of "Gladiator II" this week. "I think we should all band around 'Glicked.' It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it."

    As with "Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, "Glicked" also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging... Read More

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