Walt Disney Pictures – We Are Movie Geeks

TRON: ARES – Review

Did you think there’s no room at the multiplex for SF/fantasy tent poles during the “ultra-serious” end of the year awards season? Well, the “mouse house” thinks moviegoers still have a taste for at least a couple of big franchise flicks. We’re only two months away from a third trek to Pandora in AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, but they’re releasing another follow-up, which now cements another trilogy, though this series started long before James Cameron’s blockbusters. Can it possibly be 43 years since that initial entry (which was a modest hit during that great “geek” movie Summer of 1982)? And it’s now been fifteen years since the middle flick (or the first “sequel”). Disney thinks it’s time to boot up the ole’ “mainframe” and take another plunge into the digital dimension with TRON: ARES.

The opening moments transport us into the original with an “archival” video interview with Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the founder of the tech “dominator” ENCOM. From there, we plunge through “cyber-history” as various TV news people get us “up to speed”. Sam took over from his pop, Kevin, and the company changed hands again as the Kim sisters took ENCOM into the modern age. But the upstart Dillinger Systems is “nipping at their heels” as Ed Dillinger’s grandson Julian (Evan Peters) ruthlessly “steers the ship”. The “talking heads” then segue to a glowing data-filled metropolis where a digital knight in black and red armor named Ares (Jared Leto) destroys all the warriors that challenge him. Soon, he’s joined by his “second-in-command” Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) as they gather their squad. Cut to the “real world” as Julian makes a big presentation to a group of potential “buyers” at his company’s HQ. Two massive mobile cannons become large-scale digital printers as they build a solid living Ares and his “battle vehicles”. After a demonstration of Ares’ abilities, Julian touts him as the perfect soldier. As the ‘clients” leave, his mother Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson) reminds him that these “products” will only function outside the mainframe for 29 minutes before they disintegrate into dust. Julian insists he’ll find a way to fix that. Meanwhile, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) has already found it. In a remote “off the grid” mountain in Alaska, she has located her late sister Tess’ “tent/research lab”. After countless hours combing through the outdated software and notebooks, Eve retrieves Kevin Flynn’s “Permanence Code,” which will give all digital creations stability indefinitely. But through Ares and his troops, Julian hacks into the ENCOM database and learns of Eve’s discovery. When she returns to the West Coast, he sends Ares and Athena after her. But as the duo dissolves, Eve is zapped into their cyber-home world. Can Eve, with the aid of a more enlightened Ares, keep the code away from Julian? And can she somehow return to this dimension?

Leto commands the often hyperbolic storyline as a modern cyber-punk Pinocchio with a dash of the friendlier Terminator and a splash of Star Trek’s Data. Yes, he’s a fearsome fighter, but a “glitch” in his system causes him to question his creator. So, is he sentient or has he acquired a touch of humanity, even empathy? In our world, Leto’s Ares is a wide-eyed newcomer who relishes every rush of discovery, while in the mainframe, he’s the ultimate digital bodyguard. And who wouldn’t want to protect the ethereal Lee as Eve? She radiates an intelligence muted with a consuming grief as she still misses her “lil’ sis” while fiercely clinging to Flynn’s legacy. And yes, we get to see Bridges as the “master” of his cyber-kingdom. Bridges plays him as an ultra-cool guru exuding gravitas just like classic movie “wizard” like Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brings some much needed warmth to the often cold tech. And bringing the villainy is Peters as the snarling tech bro Julian (if he had a ‘stash he’d be twirling it). Sure, he’s over the top, but the sense of fun Peters is having is most infectious. Ditto for the ferocious and very intimidating (and somewhat sultry) Turner-Smith, whose Athena is almost a spurned lover to Ares as he embraces that outer world. She defies you to look away during her intense pursuit. It’s always a pleasure to see Anderson in a SF project, though she’s relegated to wringing her hands over Julian’s antics as she tries to be the “good angel” on his shoulder (which he ignores). And there’s some sporadic comic relief by Hasan Minhaj as head of ENCOM PR (and cheerleader) and Arturo Castro as Eve’s over-excited and needy aide, Seth.

Well, there’s no questioning the beauty and dazzling visuals that bring this update to neon-soaked life. Director Joachim Ronning keeps the camera moving in a million or so different directions to immerse us in this fantasy light show (that makes great use of the music from Nine Inch Nails). It’s a shame that a bit more time couldn’t have been used to bring greater depth to the plot and the principals. It’s a given that Ares will turn on his creator (it’s hammered home by home video footage of teenage Eve holding Shelly’s Frankenstein novel). And Ronning makes excellent use of the IMAX format (the ads tout it as being shot in it), but the big finale showdown on the city streets feels like a rehash of giant monster/robot battles (though seeing a police car sheared in two by the “light cycles” and their “razor trail” is pretty cool). Lots of creativity went into all the nifty gadgets, but the human element and connection feel like an afterthought. Ah, but those fans of the 1982 and 2010 flicks will get their arcade-style thrills, but casual viewers may wonder why another dive into the concept after seeing TRON: ARES.

2 Out of 4

TRON: ARES is now playing in theaters everywhere

THUNDERBOLTS* – Review

(L-R) Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Red Guardian/Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) in Marvel Studios’ THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL.

May has finally arrived which means it’s time for those flowers to start popping up, after those torrential April showers. Well, that’s what most folks think of this month, but for movie fans, it heralds the start of the Summer cinema season. And as with most Mays since 2008, the first big flick out at the multiplex is from Marvel Studios. Now they did have a film open just about three months ago, but it was really an appetizer for a big sprawling “multi-hero” epic. Hold up, they’re not getting the “band back together” as in an assembling of Avengers. And the really major team, the “first family,” is still a couple of months away. So, rather than the “A team,” this is more of the “B team”, or for you baseball fans, the minor league “farm” squad. We have seen them all before, and a couple of the characters are true “scene stealers”. So, can these “second-stringers” work together as the THUNDERBOLTS*? Hang on, true believers!

The story begins with one of those “supporting players”, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who is finishing a mission in Malaysia, but just seems to be “going through the motions” (can a former Black Widow have an existential crisis). Afterward, back in the states, she pays a long-overdue visit to her papa Alexei (David Harbour), the former Red Guardian, who now drives a limo, but wants to be “back in the game” freelancing like Yelena. On her way out, she checks in with her employer and requests a more high-profile, “in front of the camera” gig. Her boss agrees to it after the completion of her next job. Turns out Yelena’s boss has a lot on her plate. We then go to Washington, DC, for the impeachment hearing of the CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Seems she’s also the “consultant” for a shadowy tech company OXE Group. A newly elected senator is also in the chamber, James “Bucky” Barnes (Sebastian Stan). After the hearing, Valentina instructs her assistant Mel (Geraldine Viswanthan) to make sure her forces converge on a defunct OXE lab site to destroy evidence of past shady experiments. And that’s where Yelena shows up, but she’s not the only one. Soon, the dusty research facility is a battle arena between her, US Agent AKA John Walker (Wyatt Russell), the first intended replacement for Captain America, the density-altering villainess Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), who last fought the ANT MAN AND THE WASP. and another former Widow, the mimic assassin Taskmaster (Oleg Kurylenko). Oh, and there’s an unknown there, too. Scrambling in the shadows is the timid, confused young man who goes by “Bob” (Lewis Pullman). Finally, the quartet realizes that they’ve been “set up” by Valentina. So just how will Bucky AKA the Winter Soldier” come into play, along with the Red Guardian? And is there more to Bob than meets the eye? Perhaps these hopeless heroes will be destroyed before they can ever join forces against a common enemy. So who could that be?

So who’s the MVP of this ragtag bunch? I’d say that it’s the always compelling Ms. Pugh as the forlorn ball of energy, Yelina. She positively crackled when paired with her sister Natasha in the BLACK WIDOW solo flick (almost ditto with Kate Bishop in the Disney+ “Hawkeye” streaming show), but that fiery twinkle in her eyes has dulled. Pugh is fierce in the action scenes and funny and heartbreaking as she confronts her losses and her “sins of the past”. She also shows her nurturing side as the protector of Bob, played with a twitchy, mysterious edge by the terrific Pullman. He keeps us anxious as Bob keeps his secrets as we wait for his truth to be revealed. The big comedic scene stealer may again be Harbour as the loud, gregarious Red Guardian, a man trying to recapture all of his former glory, but falling very short as he almost explodes out of his worn-out, dingy uniform. Louis_Dreyfus is also funny as Valentina, which is no great shock, but she surprises us with her devious deceit and manipulations, giving us a very interesting villainess. Plus, she’s the “boss from Hell” with Viswanthan as the abused aide who finally sees Val’s true colors and tries to thwart her schemes. Many fans will be surprised that Stan’s Bucky isn’t really at the forefront of the story, as he uses his spy skills in DC and eventually gets back into super-warrior mode. More interesting is Russell as the bitter, arrogant, and abrasive US Agent, a man who thinks that leadership is a prize due to him alone. Luckily, John-Kamen is there to put him back on his heels with her scathing retorts and withering gaze.

Prestige TV director Jake Scheier (who also helmed the features PAPER TOWN and ROBOT & FRANK) keeps the multi-character adventure moving at a fairly brisk pace. He manages to balance the big action sequences with intimate emotional exchanges, bringing great depth to these “sideline supers”. Yes, we get the usual MCU carnage on the city streets, but the biggest battles are fought inside the minds of the core teammates. Childhood traumas are built up into a desperate showdown for NYC in the film’s surprisingly dramatic and sometimes touching tender finale. And just to set our heads spinning, screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Caio stun us with some big “turnarounds” sprinkled with lots of keen media satires (love the end credit headline montage prior to the usual bonus scenes, which are pretty big). And it’s all enhanced by the music score from the band Son Lux. This wrap-up of MCU’s “Phase Five” is a tightly-woven dramedy that satisfies while getting us invested in the franchise’s future. It’s a super team tale that doesn’t match the scope of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, but provides an involving look at the psyche of these “upstarts”. And the superb cast led by Pugh and Pullman really brings an electric charge to these THUNDERBOLTS*. Nuff’ said (till July)!

3 out of 4

THUNDERBOLTS* is now playing in theatres everywhere

HAUNTED MANSION – Review

And the Summer of product adaptations and remakes continues! Last weekend BARBIE just about blew the doors off the box office and the multiplex in a virtual tsunami of pink perfection. Hey, if a toy can revive the ticket sale doldrums, why not a flick based on a ride from the Disney theme parks? After all, those Caribbean Pirates spurred quite a profitable “tentpole” for the studio. But then there were costly flops like TOMORROWLAND and who remembers THE COUNTRY BEARS (maybe they just needed that “nose candy”). Well, this concept was exploited nearly twenty years ago, so this is also, technically, a remake (without any of the main human characters from the first time). Perhaps the modest success of the other remake a few months ago, THE LITTLE MERMAID, is lifting the “ahem” spirits of the mouse house. So, even though Halloween is months away, are filmgoers in the mood for some scares and laughs in a return stay at the HAUNTED MANSION?

This time out, the story starts with a flashback as we’re on hand for a “meet cute” between research scientist Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) and Alyssa (Charity Jordan) at a New Orleans house party. Then the tale returns to the present day as a now single, and boozy Ben makes a meager living by guiding Big Easy visitors on paranormal tours of the town. Meanwhile, way out of town, a single mother, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), and her skittish, awkward pre-teen son Travis (Chase Dillon) have taken possession of a big dusty old mansion, hoping to transform it into a quaint “bed and breakfast”. Ah, but it seems that the current undead occupants will have none of that. The duo races to a nearby motel, but the ghosts are “attached” (like gum on the bottom of a shoe). Back in the city, Ben is approached by a local priest named Kent (Owen Wilson). He’s heard that Ben had invented a special camera that captures spectral images when he worked at a big tech lab. With the promise of quick cash, Ben agrees to visit the place. After dismissing their claims, the spirits convince him. To “cleanse” the place, Ben will need “back-up. He and Kent assemble a “dream time”, enlisting a local psychic, Harriet (Tiffany Hadish), and a loopy college historian. Professor Davis (Danny DeVito). But can their combined talents thwart the supernatural forces tormenting the mother and her son?

Unlike the 2003 edition, which seemed to be fashioned as a “star vehicle” for the now (at the time) “family-friendly” Eddie Murphy, the studio has “spread the wealth’ to give us an all-star cast, even tossing in a couple of Oscar-winners (one very recent). Stanfield has opted to try some lighter fare, and he tries to get us invested in the now burnt-out Ben. He puts in an effort, but his story arc is too downbeat. It seems the writers wanted to spark a romance with Dawson’s Gabby, but the dynamic genre staple is giving less to do and spends most of the story looking for his son while fleeing the whispy creeps. Wilson is always entertaining as a motor-mouthed hustler, though the motivations for Keith aren’t too clear. Ditto for the ever-entrancing DeVito who is a cannonball of history trivia bouncing from room to room in panic over meeting his “research subjects”. Haddish conveys a haughty regal demeanor as Harriet when she’s not throwing in a bit of sassy shade as she calculates her cut of this “job”. Oh, the awarded actors include a confined (we mostly just see her face) Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota, the guide in the globe, connecting her to “this side”. And the other pal of Oscar, well I don’t want to spoil it, but as the “hatbox Ghost”, you can barely recognize this “joker” (hint).

Rather than going with an “effects” filmmaker, or an Animator (like Rob Minkoff who helmed the first one), the studio has handed the reins (after “flirting” with Guillermo del Toro) to social satirist Justin Simien (DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, the feature and series), who scores with a couple of nifty spook-filled set pieces, even evoking moments from classic paranormal tales. Unfortunately, even with these comic vets, many of the jokes fall flat. dragging down the pace making the end result a very long wait between the clever nods to the enduring ride (my favorite in the Florida locale). Despite the talented screenwriter behind the 2016 GHOSTBUSTERS all-women reboot (which I will continue to defend), it only inspires a few chuckles as it slowly marches to the big otherworldly “throw-down”. It may be due to some odd choices, especially in the early first meeting between Ben and Gabby, witching from wonky profile close-ups to a truly awkward “hand-held” ending. Plus it’s set in modern times, so why does Gabby dress like an early 60s office clerk while her son could be playing one of Andy Hardy’s school buddies? It just takes us out of the story, True, the scary stuff is toned down for the ‘wee ones, but they may be fast asleep long before many of them appear. I enjoy old creeky houses, but not creeky storytelling which is the real downfall of this HAUNTED MANSION.

2 Out of 4

HAUNTED MANSION is now playing in theatres everywhere

JUNGLE CRUISE – Review

Alrighty, who’s ready for some theme park fun and thrills? What, you say you don’t want to wait in the long lines in the hot, hot sun way too close to possibly infected throngs of people? Oh, and don’t get me started on those inflated parking fees (after traffic jams) and concession prices! Well, how about your favorite ride coming to you.? Well, not exactly, but close by, say the nearby multiplex cinema. That’s part of the thinking behind this weekend’s big, big movie release. Oh, and starting a new franchise (of course). That’s why the “mouse house” has their gloved fingers (and tails crossed). Could they have another PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, or could it go the way of the COUNTRY BEARS (y’know from the Jamboree)? It all depends on how many moviegoers hop aboard this big ole’ JUNGLE CRUISE.

Before we leave port, we’re treated to a mythic prologue all about the “Tears of the Moon”, magical leaves from an also magical tree hidden somewhere on the banks of the Amazon River. It’s said that those ‘tears’ can cure any disease, heal any injury, and ensure immortality. Centuries ago a band of conquistadors led by Aguirre (Edgar Ramirez) invaded the village of the lost tribe that guarded that tree. After fatally stabbing the chief, a curse is placed on Aguirre and his band. They’re swallowed up by the forest, trapped forever in suspended animation. Somehow an arrowhead, essential to the fabled map of the tree’s location, is found and sent to the British Explorers’ Society in 1916. That’s where researcher MacGregor Houghton (Jack Whitehall) pleads with the assembled members to borrow the piece to seek the tree. But he’s just a distraction. His “head-strong ” sister Lily (Emily Blunt) makes her way to the storage area to grab the arrowhead. Turns out she’s just a few steps ahead of a nefarious German prince, Joachim (Jesse Plemons), who has bribed the club’s staff to grab the piece for his country. He shakes his fists as Lily makes a daring escape and heads to South American with her brother in tow. Ah, but once there, she needs to hire river transportation. Luckily she soon meets Frank Wolff (Dwyane Johnson), who’s barely getting by as a cruise guide for tourists, part of a fleet owned by the greedy Nilo (Paul Giamatti). And in lieu of money owed, he’s taken the engine from Frank’s boat. But thanks to Lily’s lock-picking skills, Frank gets said engine back and accepts her generous offer to take them to find the tree, Unfortunately, Joachim is also down there and he’s commanding a submarine. Can Frank help the Houghton siblings locate those magical leaves before he does? And then things get really complicated when Aguirre and his now supernatural soldiers awaken. How will our heroes survive?

Johnson has his charm at full speed as he gleefully spews out a multitude of “groaner’ “dad-jokes” (mostly lifted from the spiel of the guides on the original Disney theme park ride attraction) and makes Frank more than a “hulked-out” Charlie Allnutt (from the now 70-year-old classic THE AFRICAN QUEEN. Though it’s tough to imagine any foe being a physical challenge, his main obstacles are his employers. Of the two, there’s a playful teasing schoolyard banter with Blunt’s Lily who mixes Rose Sayer (from…y’know) and Lara Croft (and maybe a pinch of Poppins). She’s a feisty force for female empowerment, only occasionally in need of rescue, though often a “damsel-in-distress”. Actually, her brother MacGregor, as played by Whitehall, is the panicky “dude-in-distress”, seeming to be in a constant threat of fainting, when he’s not “overpacking” for the excursion. Whitehall’s mainly a comic foil/sidekick, which makes his impassionated mid-film confession seem out of place in this frothy bit of fluff. Still, he’s more endearing than the villainous buffoons that two of our most talented character actors are burdened with. Plemons, so wonderful in GAME NIGHT, preens and prances as the Teutonic twit Joachim, a stereotype more at home in countless WW II two-reelers. Not far behind in the “mugging contest’ is Giamatti, complete with cane, gleaming gold-tooth, and Italian accent (which seems to come and go with the tide) as the always apoplectic Nilo, yet another ineffectual boss (much as in recent misfire GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE) in his long resume. Nilo’s shaking his fist, as his property is destroyed around him, much as James Finlayson did as the nemesis of Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy. It’s no test for Mr. Giamatti’s considerable talents. The real “bad guy’ menace is provided by Ramirez and company, though their faces are a pallette for lots of flashy CGI gimmickry.

A veteran of several modestly-budgeted Liam Neeson thrillers, director Jaume Collet-Serra goes from the “farm team’ to the “big show” as the “traffic cop” is this frenetic by-product of franchise-frenzy. He’s not given much of a chance to explore the characters before another big action “set piece’ must commence, checked off from the script’s lengthy list of distractions (five writers churned this out). It’s a clunky, noisy mess that tries too hard to mimic vastly superior flicks. I remarked to my screening guest that this was “regurgitated” (maybe “rancid” is more like it) RAIDERS (as in OF THE LOST ARK), while he replied that a better comparison would be to the 1999 take on THE MUMMY (so Raiders twice removed). I remarked that it’s similar to comparing a new sci-fi fantasy to THE ICE PIRATES. And speaking of them, the gnarly, near-unstoppable baddies owe much to the oceanic menaces of the CARIBBEAN series, with one oozing honey and bees, as another shoots slithery CGI snakes out of every orifice. Oh, and the visual effects often seem “slap dashed as a weird glow envelopes the leads as they emote in front of a generated backdrop (almost as bad as those thick black lines in the olden days of rear-projection). And then there’s that cheetah, who would’ve looked phony in any version of Dr. Doolittle. Of course, we’ve got to see some “product placement” as a Perrier sign nearly pops off the screen during the big London stunt shot. The gifted James Newton Howard provides a bombastic score that should have John Williams consulting his legal team. His music gets extra “cutesy” as Frank and Lily taunt each other with the nicknames “Pants” and “Skippy” (this is witty banter). And then much of the suspense erodes away by a deranged “reveal twist” before the big third act (though the flick, like many action epics, has four endings too many). For the most part, the behind-the-scenes artists do a decent job of recreating the 1910’s (now who then would wear a purple velvet jacket like the oafish Joachim), but it’s all in a disparate mishmash of genres and vastly superior older flicks. If this hits, could “It’s a Small World” starring Johnson’s JUMANJI co-stars Kevin Hart and Danny DeVito be in the “pipeline”? “Shudder”. Please no, since this JUNGLE CRUISE has left me quite “green around the gills”. Pass me the quinine, quick!

One-Half Out of 4

JUNGLE CRUISE opens in theatres everywhere and can be streamed via Premier Access on Disney+.

New George Lucas Video – STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 Coming To A Galaxy Near You In 2015

Get ready for STAR WARS 7 in 2015 and episodes 8 and 9 after that! Will the Force be strong with Princess Leia’s and Han Solo’s children? What will become of Master Jedi Luke Skywalker?

Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas..

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise.

Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

ROBERT A. IGER’s, CHAIRMAN and CEO, The Walt Disney Company remarks regarding Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm LTD.:

As we just announced, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm and its world class portfolio of creative content – including the legendary Star Wars franchise – along with all of its operating businesses, including Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound.

George Lucas is a visionary, an innovator and an epic storyteller – and he’s built a company at the intersection of entertainment and technology to bring some of the world’s most unforgettable characters and stories to screens across the galaxy. He’s entertained, inspired, and defined filmmaking for almost four decades and we’re incredibly honored that he has entrusted the future of that legacy to Disney.

Disney has had a great relationship with George that goes back a long way – with Star Wars theme attractions in our parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo. This acquisition builds on that foundation and combines two of the strongest family entertainment brands in the world. It makes sense, not just because of our brand compatibility and previous success together, but because Disney respects and understands – better than just about anyone else – the importance of iconic characters and what it takes to protect and leverage them effectively to drive growth and create value.

Lucasfilm fits perfectly with Disney’s strategic priorities. It is a sustainable source of branded, high quality creative content with tremendous global appeal that will benefit all of Disney’s business units and is incredibly well suited for new business models, including digital platforms. Adding the Lucasfilm IP to our existing Disney, Pixar and Marvel IP clearly enhances our ability to serve consumers, strengthening our competitive position — and we are confident we can earn a return on invested capital well in excess of our cost of capital.

Star Wars in particular is a strong global brand, and one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with hundreds of millions of fans around the globe. Its universe of more than 17,000 characters inhabiting several thousand planets spanning 20,000 years offers infinite inspiration and opportunities – and we’re already moving forward with plans to continue the epic Star Wars saga.

The last Star Wars movie release was 2005’s Revenge of the Sith – and we believe there’s substantial pent up demand. In 2015, we’re planning to release Star Wars Episode 7 – the first feature film under the “Disney-Lucasfilm” brand. That will be followed by Episodes 8 and 9 – and our long term plan is to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years. We’re very happy that George Lucas will be creative consultant on our new Star Wars films and that Kathleen Kennedy, the current Co-Chair of Lucasfilm, will executive produce. George handpicked Kathy earlier this year to lead Lucasfilm into the future. She’ll join Disney as President of Lucasfilm, reporting into Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn and integrating and building the Star Wars franchise across our company.

Our successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel prove Disney’s unique ability to grow brands and expand high-quality creative content to its fullest franchise potential and maximum value.

We’ve leveraged Pixar’s terrific characters and stories into franchises across our company – from feature films to consumer products online games, major attractions in our theme parks, and more.

The 2006 Pixar acquisition delivered more than great Pixar content — it also delivered the means to energize and revitalize the creative engine at Walt Disney Animation – which was crucial to our long term success. Animation is the heart and soul of Disney and our successful creative resurgence will be on full display this weekend when Wreck-It-Ralph opens in theaters across the country.

Our acquisition of Marvel three years later combined Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and an integrated business structure that maximizes the value of creative content across multiple platforms and territories. Our first two Marvel films – Thor andCaptain America grossed a total of more than $800 million at the box office. This year, Marvel’s The Avengers grossed more than $1.5 billion to become the world’s third highest grossing movie of all time – and an important and lucrative franchise for us.

We’re looking forward to a robust slate of new Marvel movies – starting with Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World next year, followed by Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014. And, as we announced previously, Joss Whedon is writing and directing Avengers 2 and developing a Marvel-based series for ABC.

Pixar and Marvel both fit our criteria for strategic acquisitions – they add great IP that benefits multiple Disney businesses for years to come, and continue to create value well in excess of their purchase price. The acquisition of Lucasfilm is in keeping with this proven strategy for success and we expect it to create similar opportunity for Disney to drive long-term value for our shareholders.

We’re clearly excited about this move forward. We believe we can do great things with these amazing assets….we have a proven track record of maximizing the value of our strategic acquisitions…. and we’re poised to do the same with this one.

Six New Images From Disney’s THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN

Walt Disney Pictures is pleased to share with you the first photos from director Peter Hedges’ THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN. The comedy-drama, starring Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, and CJ Adams, is due in theaters next year on August 15, 2012.

In case you missed it, here’s another look at the trailer

Academy Award® nominated director/writer Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?) brings enchantment to the screen with THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, an inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim – and their small town of Stanleyville – learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.

The cast also includes Ron Livingston, Dianne Wiest, Odeya Rush, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, M. Emmet Walsh, Lois Smith and Common.

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN will be in theaters August 15, 2012

“Like” THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OddLifeMovie
Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyPictures
Official site: http://www.disney.com/oddlife

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN Trailer & Poster Debuts

Check out the first trailer and poster (via Yahoo! Movies) for Walt Disney Pictures’ THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN. When young Timothy suddenly comes into the lives of Cindy and Jim Green, they learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.

The film stars Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams, Ron Livingston, Dianne Wiest, Odeya Rush, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, M. Emmet Walsh, Lois Smith and Common.

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN will be in theaters August 15, 2012. “Like” the film on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OddLifeMovie Visit the film’s official site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/the-odd-life-of-timothy-green/

JOHN CARTER Trailer Is Here

Have a look at the first trailer for director Andrew Stanton’s JOHN CARTER , the action-adventure based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ first novel, “A Princess of Mars.”

A fan of the Barsoom series of books since childhood, Academy Award®–winning director/writer Andrew Stanton’s explains what inspired him to bring “John Carter” to the big screen in his first foray into live action: “I stumbled across these books at the perfect age, I was about ten, and I just fell in love with the concept of a human finding himself on Mars, among amazing creatures in a strange new world. A stranger in a strange land. It was a very romantic aspect of adventure and science fiction. I always thought it would be cool to see this realized on the big screen.

“‘John Carter’ is a big epic adventure with romance and action and political intrigue,” continues Stanton. “Because the subject matter was written so long ago, it was also a bit of an origin of those kinds of stories—a comic book before there were comic books, an adventure story before that became a genre of its own.”

It’s obvious from the trailer that Stanton is excited to deliver both that untold story and never‐been‐seen cinematic world—and to deliver that same sense of excitement that first captivated him as a boy. “My goal is to want to believe it,” he says. “To believe it’s really out there. That same feeling you get from any good fantasy book…What would it be like..?”

Synopsis:

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes JOHN CARTER, a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). JOHN CARTER is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, with Thomas Hayden Church and Willem Dafoe.

From Walt Disney Pictures, JOHN CARTER Arrives 3.9.12

Check out the film’s official website: http://disney.go.com/johncarter/

“Like” the film on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JohnCarterMovie and Follow it on Twitter: http://twitter.com/johncarter

Check out these concept art stills from the film.

JOHN CARTER Fun Facts:

Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago and is best known for writing and creating Tarzan – still one of the most successful and iconic fictional creations of all time.
Academy Award®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton directed and co-wrote the screenplay for “WALL-E,” which earned the Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award® for Best Animated Feature of 2008. He was Oscar® nominated for the screenplay. He made his directorial debut with “Finding Nemo,” garnering an Academy Awardnomination for Best Original Screenplay and winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of 2003. He was one of the four screenwriters to receive an Oscar nomination in 1996 for his contribution to “Toy Story,” and went on to receive credit as a screenwriter on subsequent Pixar films “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E”.
The award-winning below-the-line team includes Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Oscar®- nominated for both “Dark Knight” and “The Prestige,” and Costume Designer Mayes Rubeo, whose work is showcased in “Avatar” and “Apocalypto.”
Michael Chabon, who won the Pulitzer Prize in Literature for his novel “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” is a co-writer on the screenplay.
Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino has received numerous accolades for his work on previous Disney-Pixar films “Up” (Oscar® winner, Best Original Score; BAFTA winner, Best Music; Golden Globe® winner, Best Original Score for a Motion Picture; GRAMMY® Award winner, Best Score Soundtrack Album), “Ratatouille” (GRAMMY Award winner, Best Score Soundtrack Album; Annie Award winner, Best Music in an Animated Feature Production; Oscarnomination, Best Original Score) and “The Incredibles” (Annie Award winner, Best Music in an Animated Feature Production; GRAMMY nomination, Best Score Soundtrack Album).

THE MUPPETS Dance Video & New Stills Of Chris Cooper And Wanda Sykes

“THE MUPPETS” RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG – With banjo-strumming Kermit at the center of the action, the Muppets – (l to r: Scooter, Swedish Chef, Fozzie Bear, Kermit, Miss Piggy {of course!}, Sam Eagle, Beauregard and Link Hogthrob) – are ready to play the music, light the lights and get things started in THE MUPPETS. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DanceOn, the YouTube partnership channel exclusive to dance videos, released their on-set look at this fall’s highly anticipated Disney film, THE MUPPETS. Five-time MTV Video Music Award winning choreographer Michael Rooney delves into the four dance numbers in the film, which feature leading actors Jason Segal, Amy Adams and Chris Cooper…plus Michael’s future dance plans with Miss Piggy!

Synopsis:

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.

With secret, signature, celebrity cameos, THE MUPPETS hits the big screen November. 23, 2011.

Become a fan on Facebook: http://facebook.com/Muppets. Follow the film on Twitter http://twitter.com/MuppetsStudio. Website: http://disney.com/muppets

Check out the latest stills from the film.

WORLD’S WEIRDEST PITCH MEETING – Kermit the Frog is joined by Gary (JASON SEGEL), Mary (AMY ADAMS) and a multitudinous mass of Muppets as they try to convince a TV exec to put their save-the-theater telethon on the air in THE MUPPETS. Ph: Patrick Wymore ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“THE MUPPETS” BAD GUYS INC – Tex Richman (CHRIS COOPER) is advised by his sinister second-in-command UNCLE DEADLY and his less-helpful-than-you-might-wish assistant BOBO THE BEAR in THE MUPPETS. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

“THE MUPPETS” BRUSH WITH DESTINY – Gary (JASON SEGEL) and new Muppet WALTER get spiffy before their big trip to Hollywood where they hope to find their future, and once again make the world safe for Muppets in THE MUPPETS. Ph: Patrick Wymore ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“THE MUPPETS” MOI IN PARIS! – Miss Piggy in the City of Lights! Tres perfectemente! As the plus-size editor of Vogue Paris, Piggy takes trendsetting to the next level. But will her reign as diva of haute couture keep her from reuniting with Kermit & Co in THE MUPPETS. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

“THE MUPPETS” YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN GREEN – KERMIT THE FROG appeals to the law, played by WANDA SYKES, as he tries to get the Muppet gang together and save the Muppet Theater in THE MUPPETS. Also starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“THE MUPPETS” THE SHOW MUST GO ON! – KERMIT THE FROG wins the hearts and help of Mary (AMY ADAMS) and Gary (JASON SEGEL) backstage at The Muppet Theater…as they pull together with Miss Piggy and all the Muppets to save the day in THE MUPPETS. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“THE MUPPETS” UP AND AWAY – Kermit, Fozzie Bear, are joined by Gary (JASON SEGEL) and Mary (AMY ADAMS) and new Muppet, Walter, as they search for their old friend The Great Gonzo, who is now—believe it or not—a plumbing magnate. Will their plans go down the drain? Find out in THE MUPPETS. Photograph by: Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Fun Facts:

Funnyman Jason Segel (TV’s “How I Met Your Mother,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) stars in, co-writes and executive produces “The Muppets.”
“The Muppets” is directed by James Bobin, who was a director/writer/EP for HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords.”
Kermit received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002. His song “The Rainbow Connection” was nominated for an Academy Award®.
Bret McKenzie, who starred in, wrote for and served as composer for HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords,” is the music supervisor for “The Muppets,” as well as the writer/producer on some of the songs, which include big Muppet-style opening and closing numbers.
It’s been 11 years since the Muppets’ last big-screen feature film.

About DanceOn

DanceOn is the premier dance video entertainment network designed for dancers and non-dancers alike, featuring news, entertainment and community programming in the dance category.

Through the creation of multi-platform, mainstream dance content, DanceOn strives to
– Create Career Opportunities for Members of the Dance Community
– Produce Promotional Vehicles for Dance Artists, Music Artists, and Filmmakers
– Expose a Wide Demographic to Premium Dance Entertainment
– Engage a Global Community in the Act of Self Expression through Dance
Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/JustDanceNews

About Michael Rooney

Michael Rooney is one of the most innovative choreographers of our time. Always on the cutting edge Michael continues to take the project at hand and twirl it into the best of the best. Michael approaches each job like a tailor does, designing the choreography to suit the project. “Each job I have done in the past has been different. Ad agencies are always looking for the latest trend and that’s what I give them.” Michael is a contemporary visionary with the creative genius to transcend time moving from one era to another with ease and perfection giving each project he choreographs it’s own award-winning style. Always acknowledged for his own style, he continues to be a warrior in the path of his own vision. He is synonymous with Bob Fosse when it comes to sticking to his creative guns. Not wanting to re-create past works of other choreographers, but laying down solid tracks that directors in the future will call genius! http://la.blocagency.com/talent/choreography/michael-rooney

THE MUPPETS – Being Green Teaser Trailer

Hi ho! Kermit the Frog here! I sure hope you enjoy this “Being Green” trailer…and our other parody trailers—“Green With Envy” “Fuzzy Pack”. Now, after much ado—and Miss Piggy’s insistence that she get final cut—we’re finally ready for the world premiere of the official trailer for our upcoming movie, “The Muppets”. You can watch it everywhere on Monday June 20th at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure not to miss it!

– Amphibiously yours, Kermit The Frog

Synopsis:

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.

With secret, signature, celebrity cameos, THE MUPPETS hits the big screen November. 23, 2011

Visit the film’s official site: Disney.com/Muppets, become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/Muppetsor https://www.facebook.com/GreenWithEnvyMovie and follow the film on Twitter:Twitter.com/MuppetsStudio and use the hashtag #greenwithenvy

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: