D23 Announces This Years Nine Legends

This year's D23 expo coming to the Anaheim Convention Center July 14-16 & they've announced the nine recipients of the 30th annual Disney Legends Awards. Since the first award was given to Fred MacMurray this honor has been bestowed on 276 Disney Legends including this year's. At 10 a.m. on Friday, July 14th Disney CEO Bob Iger will host what he calls, "a celebration of talent, a recognition of achievement, and an expression of gratitude to the men and women whose work has significantly contributed to Disney's enduring reputation for creative excellence." These Legends have too many achievements to list, so in order to keep it's short I'm only going to list their achievements in the Disney realm. And now the 30th anniversary D23 Legends:

Carrie Fisher: best known as Princess Leia to everyone she also has Disney appearances that include Scream 3 (2000) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) for Dimension Films.
Clyde "Gerry" Geronimi: he joined the Disney Studio in 1931 and contributed to the animation of more than 50 of the studio shorts, The Three Caballeros, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, directed segments of the Mickey Mouse Club, contributed to Disney's Wonderful World of Color, and on top of all of that he was the supervising director for Sleeping Beauty.
Manuel Gonzalez: joined Disney in 1936 and two years later he took over penciling duties on the Sunday Mickey Mouse comic strip for the next 40 years he would bring Mickey Mouse to more than a hundred and twenty newspapers around the world. he also received from Walt Disney himself in 1966 a Mousecar award.
Mark Hamill: Luke Skywalker has even has more Disney in him then just Star Wars with appearances in ABC's General Hospital and MTM's The Texas Wheelers. He's also contributed to his voice to Disney's Miles from Tomorrowland and Milo Murphy's Law.
Wayne Jackson: started as a Walt Disney Imagineer in October of 1965 he was a technician and machinist assigned to rebuild the shows from the 1964-65 New York World's Fair that would eventually be placed into Disneyland. He was a pioneer in audio-animatronic technology going on to give us Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. He went on to install attractions and show systems at Walt Disney World Resort Tokyo Disney Resort and even Disneyland Paris.
Stan Lee: this one I almost didn't write anything because it's Stan Lee. What do you put into words that can cover Stan "The Man" Lee? Stan Lee co-created pretty much the whole Marvel Universe. So basically, thank him for Marvel Studios.
Garry Marshall: is responsible for The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Joanie Loves Chachi, Angie, and Blansky's Beauties for ABC. In addition to all this he also directed 18 films including multiple films for Disney like Princess Diaries and Pretty Woman. Not only this he was also an actor appearing in multiple films including Disney's Race to Witch Mountain and Hocus Pocus.
Julie Taymor: is the multi award-winning creator of The Lion King on Broadway. Debuting in 1997 and becoming the most successful stage musical of all time.
Oprah Winfrey: I could have left this one blank as well. Just for the fact that if you don't know who Oprah Winfrey as I don't know where you've been for the past 25 years. She's produced and starred in Beloved for Disney's Touchstone Pictures. She produced and starred in ABC's The Women of Brewster Place following that producing Tuesdays with Morrie, Before Women had Wings, and Their Eyes Were Watching God under the Oprah Winfrey Presents Banner. In The Princess and the Frog she voiced you Eudora and she will co-star as Mrs. Which in the upcoming film A Wrinkle in Time for Disney as well.

Jun 18, 2019

Michelle Rejwan Now Senior VP Live Action Development And Production For Lucasfilm

Hollywood Reporter reports Michelle Rejwan is now the Senior VP of Live Action Development & Production. She will oversee new feature films as well Disney+ series while still producing with president Kathleen Kennedy. That seems like a hefty responsibility to drop on someone who's previous credits at Lucasfilm are producing The Force Awakens & The Rise of Skywalker. Kennedy really sees something in her though, having “seen first-hand her skills collaborating with writers and directors, and I've been incredibly impressed with her creative skills and her ability to manage the complexity surrounding these massive projects.” Can she be the Feige of Star Wars? Time will tell. After the hate Kennedy got from the last installment, which I loved by the way, one could think this is just to give her a scapegoat if things don't go as well over the next few projects. Curious to see how much influence this winds up having as a whole. What do y'all think? Trust in Kennedy? Or do you think maybe a more vetted choice would have been better? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

May 21, 2019

Disney Reveals Name of Tokyo DisneySea's 8th Port

After breaking ground in what is to become Tokyo DisneySea's 8th port, we now have its official name. Fantasy Springs will be the title, but that's not all Dismey released on the subject. They also released some beautiful day & night concept art depicting the look of the new lands. Oriental land is investing 250 Billion Yen on this project that will feature lands themed to Frozen, Tangled, & Peter Pan. Frozen's land of post film Arendelle will feature an attraction that tells the story of Elsa and her beloved sister, Anna. Sounding like the familiar Epcot ride, suests will board boats and experience the sisters’ heartfelt journey, enjoying songs from the film, and encountering surprising thrills. There will also be a restaurant set inside the beautiful Arendelle Castle. Tangled's land will naturally feature Rapunzel’s tower rising above the forest. It will also include an boat attraction where guests will board gondolas for a romantic boat tour of Rapunzel’s “Best Day Ever” as she journeys with Flynn to the lantern festival. Flickering lanterns illuminate the attraction’s climactic scene while Rapunzel and Flynn sing an iconic song from the film. The pand will also feature a restaurant, inspired by the hideout of the band of thugs who appeared in the film in the "I've Got A Dream" sequence. Neverland will also be home to two attractions and a restaurant. Featuring landmarks including verdant mountains, Captain Hook’s pirate ship and Skull Rock. One attraction will fly over the jungles of Neverland into a battle with Captain Hook and his crew of pirates to rescue Wendy’s younger brother, John, who has been kidnapped by Captain Hook and his pirates. You'll board boats and follow the Lost Boys down a river until Tinker Bell sprinkles the boats with pixie dust, & you take off flying through Neverland on an adventure that featuring iconic music and dynamic 3D imagery of the characters from the film. The second attraction immerses us in the oversized world of Pixie Hollow, while the restaurant is inspired by the Lost Boys and their hideout. There will also be a new Disney Hllyel in the park. Themed to Disney fantasy, it will rise above and around the magical springs that serve as the core of the new themed port’s story. Offering 475 deluxe-type and luxury-type guest rooms, this park facing hotel will also feature a merchandise shop that helps share the story of the magical springs. One day I'll make it out here to see all the amazingly beautiful things TokyoSea has to offer. Luckily, I have one more reason to postpone that adventure until this amazing new addition is done.