Disney+

[GeneChing]

Time to start a Disney+ thread.


I'm thinking this will all migrate to Disney+ next - Daredevil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil), Defenders (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69774-The-Defenders), the whole lot (maybe - hopefully - NOT Danny Rand :o )


https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/1140x640/public/2018/11/daredevil.jpg?itok=l9-LWm_u&timestamp=1543595354

Opinion
THE DAREDEVIL-VERSE LOOKS TO BE THE UNFORTUNATE CASUALTY OF DISNEY’S LARGER STREAMING AMBITIONS (https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-daredevil-verse-looks-to-be-the-unfortunate-casualty-of-disneys-larger-streaming)
Contributed by Trent Moore
@trentlmoore
Nov 30, 2018

First, we said goodbye to Iron Fist. Then a few weeks later, Luke Cage left the mean streets of Harlem. Now, the OG Marvel Netflix series is officially gone, as Netflix has announced there are no plans for a fourth season of hallway fights on Daredevil. As Disney prepares to launch its own full-scale streaming service, Disney+, the studio’s six former flagship series on Netflix look to be caught in the middle — and they’re quickly dropping like flies.

It’s easy to forget that just a few years ago, these were some of the buzziest comic projects to ever hit the small screen. Marvel and Netflix announced plans for the ambitious Marvel's The Defenders co-production in late 2013, with Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones on tap alongside the crossover miniseries. Five years later, and only The Punisher (a Daredevil spinoff) and Jessica Jones are still standing. Both of the remaining series have one season in the can and are still awaiting premiere dates, but judging by the massacre we’ve seen up to this point, those will likely be the final seasons we see of those heroes, too (if we see them at all).

It’s a shame, as every one of these shows pushed the boundaries for what you could do in the comic book genre. Luke Cage told a grounded story about what it’s like to be black in America, from the perspective of a bulletproof hero; Daredevil was the story of a damaged man trying to reconcile his faith with his mission; and Iron Fist found its footing in its second season, and actually gifted Colleen Wing with the glowing punch of power. If Netflix eventually pulls the plug on Jessica Jones, too, it’ll take away one of the few headlining female heroes on both the big and small screens.

Netflix and Marvel used these street-level heroes to tell smaller-scale stories that stood in stark contrast to the world-ending stakes we’d seen up to that point in films such as Iron Man and Thor. These folks weren’t fighting to save the world — they were fighting to save their neighborhoods. And those fights? They had consequences. Daredevil nursed bruises the morning after, while Jessica Jones often nursed a hangover.

If the Avengers were saving the world, the Defenders were actually living in it. People noticed, too, as pretty much every series (the atrocious first season of Iron Fist notwithstanding) typically received solid reviews and critical acclaim.

Despite all that, the landscape has changed considerably since Marvel and Netflix joined hands on stage to announce what was (at the time) one of the most ambitious undertakings in TV history.

https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/1100xauto/public/syfywire_cover_media/2018/09/jessica-jones-iron-fist-daredevil-and-luke-cage-in-the-defenders.jpeg?itok=B5P4fpdg&timestamp=1538062427
Credit: Netflix

Disney has spent the past few years laying the foundation for its own streaming service that is set to leverage its massive content and IP library to directly compete with Netflix — which makes any deal between the two companies a whole lot more awkward than it was just a few years prior. Given the option of keeping everything in-house (most notably the profits), or sharing it with another service, the answer is obvious for Disney. It’s the reason all those superhero movies will be leaving Netflix for Disney+ once it launches, and why Disney is ramping up its own slate of original series — including everything from Star Wars to Pixar shows — to anchor Disney+.

Disney+ will also feature more than a few Marvel Studios originals, which looks to be where things started to come apart for Daredevil and his fellow heroes.

With Disney looking to differentiate its own streaming service from what has come before, the House of Mouse is going way bigger than street-level heroes. Shows based on film characters such as Loki, Scarlet Witch, and the Winter Soldier and Falcon are all in development, which makes it pretty clear the offerings of Disney+ are meant to be on the same level as the MCU flicks that dominate the box office. Strategically, it’s a smart move for Disney; Disney+ is supposed to be something bigger and better than what fans have seen before. It’s also great for fans, as they'll get bigger stories in a new way. That’s not a bad thing, inherently.

But it also seems to be skipping past what has come before, including all the great things fans loved about the Daredevil-verse. Disney may want to go movie-level with its new shows, but that seems to be coming at the price of the street-level stories fans still want to see, too.

https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/1100xauto/public/daredevil_netflix.jpg?itok=M3v8pyHV&timestamp=1543595584

Could Disney bring Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist over to Disney+ with new seasons and new shows or TV movies? It’s certainly possible, though early reports note it’s not all that likely — at least not now. Disney is, understandably, trying to look forward as it launches a new service. To complicate things, Netflix has the rights to those original seasons, so any potential revival on Disney+ would not feature the back catalog of episodes unless the two streaming services come to an agreement. And with Disney looking to consolidate everything under one roof, splitting focus would defeat the purpose. Everything we’ve seen implies Disney wants new shows, new projects, new buzz.

Marvel is going big with Disney+, but perhaps at the cost of the small stories fans have fallen in love with.

It doesn’t mean Marvel won’t still use those characters somewhere eventually, though. Who knows? There could be a new Marvel show at Disney+ down the line bringing some of those characters back, or even some super-cameos in the upcoming two seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Not to mention Marvel shows such as Runaways at Hulu (which Disney owns a stake in) and Cloak and Dagger at Freeform (which Disney owns) could also get in on the action.

There are plenty of options, but at least for now, these characters and shows don’t seem to be a major piece of Disney’s puzzle.

[GeneChing]

NOVEMBER 30, 2018 11:53am PT by Borys Kit
'Star Wars': Nick Nolte Joins Pedro Pascal in 'The Mandalorian' (Exclusive) (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/nick-nolte-joins-pedro-pascal-star-wars-series-mandalorian-1164696)

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/scale_crop_768_433/2018/10/nick_nolte.jpg
Michael Tran/FilmMagic
Nick Nolte

The 'Thin Red Line' actor joins a cast that also includes Gina Carano.
Veteran actor Nick Nolte has joined the cast of The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars series that will launch on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+.

The known cast includes Pedro Pascal and Gina Carano. The project, which is already in production, is heavy on visual effects, costumes and makeup, which will allow actors to come and go as well as, in some cases, be cast later in the production process than usual.

Jon Favreau wrote the series and is executive producing along with Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson and Dave Filoni. Filoni will also direct episodes, as will Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow.

Character details are stuffed deep in the Sarlacc pit, but the company’s synopsis is thus: "After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic."

Nolte’s many film credits include 48 Hrs., Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Mulholland Falls, The Thin Red Line, Warrior and Gangster Squad, while his TV credits include Rich Man, Poor Man; Luck and Gracepoint. He most recently starred on the short-lived Epix series Graves.

Nolte is repped by CAA.

THREADS
The Mandalorian (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71066-Star-Wars-The-Mandalorian-Live-Action-series)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Actually, two years isn't that long for Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney), especially considering the rest of the line-up they've got queued. 2020 may be just about right.


DECEMBER 12, 2018 1:45PM PT
Don’t Expect ‘The Defenders’ on Disney Streaming Service Any Time Soon (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/defenders-disney-streaming-daredevil-iron-fist-luke-cage-jessica-jones-1203087219/)
By JOE OTTERSON
Joe Otterson
TV Reporter
@JoeOtterson

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/netflix-marvels-the-defenders.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1
CREDIT: NETFLIX
Fans of the Marvel Television series recently canceled by Netflix who hope to see the shows revived on Disney+ may be out of luck.

Sources tell Variety that the deal for the original four Marvel shows includes a clause that prevents the characters from appearing in any non-Netflix series or film for at least two years after cancellation. That means that “Daredevil,” “Luke Cage,” and “Iron Fist” — which were all canceled this year at Netflix — could not come to the Disney streaming service until 2020 at the earliest.

The chances of the shows returning either on their own or as a new installment of “The Defenders” is definitely a long shot, given the time frame. And even if they did go to Disney+ as soon as possible, they would be doing so without “Jessica Jones,” which is set to air its third season on Netflix sometime in 2019. If that show is canceled, which now seems likely but is by no means a guarantee, it could not go elsewhere until 2021.

Marvel and Netflix declined to comment.

Then there is “The Punisher,” a Marvel-Netflix show that was not part of the deal that spawned “The Defenders.” “The Punisher” stars Jon Bernthal, who first played the gun-toting vigilante in “Daredevil” Season 2 before the character was spun off into his own show. It was revealed on Wednesday that the second season of “The Punisher” will debut in January. Given that “The Punisher” did not fall under the original deal, the show’s fate beyond Season 2 is unknown at this time.

Fans of the Marvel shows were shocked when Netflix began canceling them, particularly “Daredevil,” which drew strong critical praise for its third season. The streaming giant and the comic book-based entertainment studio had signed the deal to produce the four shows back in November 2013, with “Daredevil” being the first to premiere in April 2015.

The deal called for the development of four original live-action series, which would then culminate in the miniseries event “The Defenders,” which ended up airing in 2017. However, Disney announced its plans for Disney+ in 2017, with the intent being to make it a hub for everything under the Disney umbrella, which includes Marvel.

The soon-to-be-streaming giant has already lined up several original shows, including limited series centered on the Marvel Cinematic Universe characters Loki, Scarlet Witch, and Falcon and the Winter Solider. Disney+ will also be home to the live-action “Star Wars” shows “The Mandalorian” starring Pedro Pascal and a Cassian Andor series, with Diego Luna reprising his role from “Rogue One.”



I'm thinking this will all migrate to Disney+ next - Daredevil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil), Defenders (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69774-The-Defenders), the whole lot (maybe - hopefully - NOT Danny Rand :o ) Called that wrong...:o

[GeneChing]

Disney's Top Dealmaker Kevin Mayer Talks Fox Plans and that New Streaming Service (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kevin-mayer-disneys-fox-acquisition-new-streaming-service-1169862)
6:15 AM PST 12/18/2018 by Natalie Jarvey

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2018/12/kevinmayer_thr0095-h_2018_thr.jpg
Photographed by Gizelle Hernandez

The chairman of Walt Disney direct-to-consumer and international offers  an inside look at the $71.3 billion deal with the Murdochs, Hulu’s future and why launching Disney+ is "an excitement more than it is a nervousness."
There was a moment at the end of 2017, while Disney was in the thick of negotiations for its industry-rattling deal to acquire most of the assets of 21st Century Fox, when then-chief strategy officer Kevin Mayer realized that he needed to get on a plane.

Mayer and general counsel Alan Braverman had already commandeered a conference room on the Disney lot in Burbank as they tried to hammer out an agreement with Rupert Murdoch's dealmakers. But Mayer knew it was time to take the negotiations to a new level. "I told Bob [Iger], 'I'm flying to New York tonight and I'm not leaving until this deal's done,' " he reflects from his office in early December, almost exactly one year later. "For 10 days, it was late nights and early mornings and over the weekends. I missed the Star Wars premiere and so did my team."

It paid off Dec. 14 when Disney announced that it would purchase Fox's film and TV studios, FX and National Geographic channels, regional sports networks (which Disney has since agreed to sell), Star India and stakes in Hulu and Sky (which Fox said in September it would sell to Comcast) in a $52.4 billion deal. Though the effects of the transaction immediately began to ripple through Hollywood, it would take another seven months and a counterbid by Comcast — boosting the deal's value to $71.3 billion — before Disney officially won Fox.

While the transaction still awaits a handful of regulatory approvals abroad, Mayer's attention has already been diverted. In March, the onetime Clear Channel Interactive CEO was promoted to run Disney's newly created direct-to-consumer and international division that houses ESPN+, the upcoming Disney+ streaming service and a soon-to-be majority stake in Hulu, effectively putting him in charge of the 95-year-old company's future and fueling speculation that he could succeed Iger when the CEO steps down in 2021. Charting a new path for Disney and taking on Netflix won't be easy (or cheap) for Mayer, 56, and the team he's assembled, including former studio marketing chief Ricky Strauss, who has been tasked with building up a library of new original shows (The Mandalorian) and movies (Lady and the Tramp) to complement a library of Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel titles. But the $165 billion media conglomerate can't rely on movie ticket sales and TV subscribers forever. Notes Mayer, "Having a better relationship with our consumer puts us in control of our own destiny."

Did you have a moment in negotiations when you thought the Fox deal wouldn't happen?

It was always clear that the transaction made a great deal of strategic sense. With that in the back of your mind, you always think you can overcome most of the day-to-day travails of doing a deal like this. There were a couple of times where it looked like there was a problem. We overcame it.

Talks paused early on over price point, correct?

It was the biggest [deal] we've ever done. We did have a moment or two when there was a disconnect in terms of value, but that's to be expected. We didn't pay a price we thought was unfair at any point.

How did Comcast's counterbid impact the ultimate deal?

Well, it wasn't great. I'm not going to lie. We were concerned that since Fox is a public company and they have to entertain offers until a deal is voted on by shareholders, Comcast would come back in, and sure enough, they did. Although we paid a lot more than we had initially negotiated for, it was still a very good deal.

What will the impact of the Disney-Fox deal be on the entertainment industry?

We are going to offer really compelling services to consumers. We are going to let them choose what they want to buy and what they don't want to buy. That's starting to have a ripple effect on the industry. We're not trying to beat anyone or triumph over anyone. We're just trying to serve our consumers better.

null
READ MORE
Disney-Fox Merger: Combined Box Office Strategy Begins
Consumers on average pay for between three and four streaming services. How will you make sure Disney+ is one of them?

We have to take our content and make it as exclusive as we can to our service. We have to make the app and the technology pretty seamless. You can find our content under our key brands, which is a real differentiator for us.

What did you learn from the launch of ESPN+ that you'll apply to Disney+?

It validates our strategy. If you put high-quality content in front of people that want it and you have the technology that works and you market it the right way, you can succeed. I think that enhances our expectations for the rest of our launches.

What's the right mix of original and licensed programming on Disney+?

Many of our core brands are going to be in that service. Some of this content will have an initial window, like a theatrically released film, some will be on television first, some will be original for the service. It will skew naturally from an hours perspective, because of how much we've invested over the years, toward product that's non-original, but we're making a lot of original content.

Would you consider reviving the Marvel shows that Netflix canceled?

They are very high-quality shows. We haven't yet discussed that, but I would say that's a possibility.

Would you have renewed the Friends deal with Netflix if you had been in WarnerMedia's position?

I'm sure [WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey] had his reasons, but when we were faced with a similar decision, to take [our programming] off in preparation to put it on our own service, that was right for us. We will continue to do that. Ultimately our direct-to-consumer service is going to be the only place you can find that content.

WarnerMedia said it will explore selling its stake in Hulu, and Comcast could do the same. Is it your goal to own 100 percent of that business?

We're open-minded to outcomes here. Maybe that would happen someday. We're not in any active discussions right now.

How does Hulu fit into your international plans?

We would like to have an international trilogy of services where it makes sense. We want a sports service like we have here; we want a general entertainment service, which would be Hulu, in different places around the world where we don't have that; and we want to have Disney around the world. An international rollout of Hulu would be something that we'd be very interested in, and we're talking to Hulu about that now.

There was a time when it seemed likely that Disney would buy Vice. What happens to that investment following the recent $157 million write-down?

We like Vice a lot. Nancy Dubuc, who we have a lot of faith in, ran A+E as a joint venture between us and Hearst for a long time. They make great content. What they're doing with news on HBO is really spectacular. It is a difficult space. As we know, it has been hard for everyone, and they are not exempt from that. But they are working very hard and have great creative instincts, a good business model. I think they are going to do great.

Now that the Fox deal is nearly closed, what keeps you up at night?

The deal closing keeps me up at night, but it is almost done and closed. I'm eager to execute. I'm eager to get these services out in the public's hands. That is an excitement more than it is a nervousness.


A version of this story first appeared in the Dec. 18 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

THREADS
DareDevil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

‘The Punisher’ & ‘Jessica Jones’ Canceled By Netflix; Latter’s 3rd Season Still To Air (https://deadline.com/2019/02/the-punisher-jessica-jones-canceled-netflix-marvel-krysten-ritter-jon-bernthal-1202535835/)
by Dominic Patten
February 18, 2019 8:26am

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/the-punisher-jessica-jones.jpg?w=446&h=299&crop=1
JEPH LOEB
Marvel

(UPDATED with Marvel Statement) EXCLUSIVE: Exactly a month after the launch of its second season on Netflix, Marvel’s The Punisher has had to bite the bullet as has Jessica Jones.

As the only two series from the TV arm of the comic giant still left on the streamer, there will be no Season 3 of the Jon Bernthal led vigilante series, I’ve learned. The completed third season of the Krysten Ritter starring Jessica Jones will still appear on the streamer but will be put on ice for good after that.

This marks the end of the multi-series, big bucks and big ambitions relationship between Marvel and Netflix that started in 2013 with the announcement of four series and a The Defenders limited series.

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/newnetflixlogo.jpg?w=150&h=150

“Marvel’s The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix,” Netflix confirmed today to Deadline. “Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come,” the streamer added.

“In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” Netflix also made official this President’s Day. “We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognized by the Peabody Awards among many others”.

“We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning.”

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/marvel-logo.jpg?w=200&h=133

The Jeph Loeb-led Marvel TV issued their own words of celebration and farewell after Deadline exclusively broke the news of the duel cancelation – with a kicker shout out to Daredevil, the first of the Marvel series to air on Netflix on April 10, 2015.

It had never been done before. Four separate television series, each with different super-talented showrunners, writers, directors, cast and crew, coming out months apart and then …they would meet in a single event series all set in the heart of New York City. We called them The Defenders.

And together we were thrilled by stories of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and even the Punisher joined in! They said it couldn’t be done.But Marvel assembled amazing teams to write, produce, direct, edit, and score 13 seasons and 161 one-hour episodes. Take a moment and go online and look at the dazzling list of actors, writers, directors, and musicians who graced us with the very best of their craft.

We loved each and every minute of it.

And we did it all for you — the fans — who cheered for us around the world and made all the hard work worth it.

On behalf of everyone at Marvel Television, we couldn’t be more proud or more grateful to our audience. Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that,” the company added.

As Matthew Murdock’s Dad once said, ‘The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it’s how he gets back up. To be continued…!

Though the decision not to bring Punisher back for more has been rumored for weeks, Netflix and Marvel waited until after the January 18 debuting 13-episode Season 2 had been on the streamer for several weeks before making the cancellation official. The end of Jones comes as more of a shocker – though I hear the end of the upcoming third and final season will serve as a savory series finale.

The news of the end of Punisher and Jessica Jones follows the revelation that Walking Dead alum Bernthal is set to join New Line’s The Sopranos prequel feature, which currently has the working title of The Many Saints of Newark. In part it was because of new roles and new work like The Sopranos pic, the streamer didn’t want to have the creators and cast for either show hanging on waiting for renewals that clearly weren’t in the cards

Bernthal took to social media this morning to offer a cryptic farewell of sorts:



jonnybernthal
Verified (https://www.instagram.com/p/BuB1v9eFnKy/?utm_source=ig_embed)
•

212,609 others
jonnybernthal
To all who have served. All who know loss. All who love and understand Frank and his pain. It has been an honor to walk in his boots. I’m endlessly grateful to the comic fans and the men and women of the Armed Services and law enforcement community who Frank means so much to. Thank you to the USMC and all the wonderful soldiers who trained me. Go Hard. Be safe.

After Iron Fist, Luke Cage and Daredevil were all given the chop late last year by the streamer, the unplugging of further seasons of the blood and bullet strewn Frank Castle saga should really come as no surprise. With new and old Marvel content a big component of the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, the final stage of the disentangling of the once burgeoning relationship between the House of Mouse and Netflix has now become more a matter of when and how not if.

Additionally, the Loeb-run Marvel TV inked a four-series and one special deal with the soon-to-be Disney dominated Hulu on February 11 that will surely become the new focus of the comic giant’s small screen division.

As a part of the Marvel and Netflix collaboration that came together six years ago, Jessica Jones the TV series was the second series in the arrangement to launch on the streamer after Daredevil.

Starring Breaking Bad alum Ritter in the title role of the emotionally shattered and hard living super powered P.I., Jones Season 1 debuted on November 15, 2015, with the second season launching on March 8, 2018. A third run of the critically acclaimed show about the Defenders member was ordered by Netflix back on April 12 last year

First introduced in the Netflix universe with the March 18, 2016 launching second season of Daredevil, the Punisher is a ruthless and mercilessly fatal hunter of criminals who has long challenged, to be polite, the Marvel moral code since he appeared in the comics in early 1974.

After WME repped Bernthal was announced in 2015 for the role in the Man Without Fear series, the character was given his own spinoff show. in 2016. Season 1 of The Punisher debuted on November 2017. Though a New York Comic Con panel for the firearms filled show was wiped off the schedule after the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas on October 2, 2017, a second season pickup was made public just weeks later.

Now, despite the last upcoming run of the final season of Jessica Jones later this year, the Marvel days at Netflix are deader than someone who rubbed Frank Castle the wrong way – and that’s dead.

THREADS
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70483-The-Punisher
Jessica Jones (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70688-Jessica-Jones)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Disney Closes $71.3 Billion Fox Deal, Creating Global Content Powerhouse (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-closes-fox-deal-creating-global-content-powerhouse-1174498)
9:02 PM PDT 3/19/2019 by Georg Szalai , Paul Bond

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/12/img_7afa492e7838-1.jpeg
Credit: The Walt Disney Company
Walt Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger and mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Wall Street and other experts have lauded the strategic benefits for Disney, but also highlighted the cost of launching a streaming service later this year, which will be a drag on earnings.
The Walt Disney Co. has closed its $71.3 billion acquisition of large parts of 21st Century Fox, expanding its global reach and content portfolio ahead of the planned launch of its own video streaming service.

With the mega-deal, Disney, led by chairman and CEO Bob Iger, is adding the Fox film and TV studio, the FX networks, National Geographic, Indian TV giant Star India and Fox's 30 percent stake in streaming service Hulu to its portfolio. The additional Hulu portion takes Disney's stake in the streamer to 60 percent (with Comcast owning 30 percent, and AT&T's Warner Media 10 percent).

Using fiscal-year 2017 data, Disney said in a regulatory filing that the new assets could quickly add about $19.3 billion in annual revenue and $1.6 billion in net income. In that fiscal year, Disney reported $55.1 billion in revenue and $9.4 billion in net income.

Disney has promised $2 billion in cost savings from the Fox takeover, with some in the industry expecting between 4,000-10,000 layoffs.

After getting a green light for the deal from shareholders, the U.S. Department of Justice, European regulators and Chinese regulators, the globe-spanning deal recently received final approvals from Brazil and Mexico.

Disney must still sell 22 regional sports networks in the U.S. and its sports networks in Brazil and Mexico as part of regulatory approvals in those markets. In Europe, the company agreed to sell its stakes in such networks as Lifetime and History.

Disney had in December 2017 struck a deal with Fox, controlled by the Murdoch family, for $52.4 billion. Comcast in June 2018 unveiled a $65.0 billion offer for the Fox assets before Disney shot back with a sweetened $71.3 billion offer that led Comcast to end its pursuit of Fox.

The U.S. cable giant then focused on a showdown with Fox about ownership of European pay TV giant Sky, which was covered by Disney's offer for Fox. The latter had offered to boost its 39 percent stake in Sky to 100 percent, but Comcast trumped that bid, leading to a rare auction. Comcast won that with a $39 billion offer for Sky that closed late last year after Fox, backed by Disney, agreed to sell its 39 percent Sky stake just like other shareholders had also accepted Comcast's takeover offer.

Wall Street and other experts have said that the Fox deal has strategic benefits for Disney and will boost its content and global power, but that the changed asset mix it brings along with the cost of launching the Disney+ streaming service later this year will be a drag on earnings over the near-term.

BTIG's Richard Greenfield in a recent note even argued that "Disney’s streaming creates a financial black hole in an earnings-per-share valued company."

Most on Wall Street are looking to an April 11 Disney investor day to get more insight into the Disney+ plans and how they will affect financials. "We don't expect to learn much specific on April 11 either," Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger said in a recent report. "Our best hope is for a) launch retail price of Disney+ in the U.S.; and b) some indication of magnitude of investment. Our stretch wish is some indication of cadence of international rollout."

He said he and other analysts will update their financials models for Disney based on management commentary on that day. "From that, we will all hone our (widely disparate) models of subs, revenue, earnings and free cash flow impact and associated valuation," Juenger said.

A recent study from research firm Ampere Analysis suggested that Comcast, after its recent $39 billion acquisition of European pay TV giant Sky, and Walt Disney, after its Fox deal, will dominate global content spending, putting some distance between themselves and Netflix. The two giants will spend $2 in every $10 on content on a worldwide basis, or 20 percent, compared with 37 percent in the U.S. Disney's content spending will amount to an 11 percent share worldwide and 23 percent in the U.S., while Comcast will account for 9 and 14 percent, respectively, according to Ampere.

Meanwhile, analysts have been bullish or neutral on the outlook for the new Fox Corporation, which, now that the sale has been completed, will focus on U.S. news and sports more so than entertainment programming. The new Fox, led by Lachlan Murdoch as CEO and chairman and Rupert Murdoch as co-chairman, includes the Fox broadcast network, TV stations, the Fox News group and the Fox Sports assets.

"The new Fox will begin as the only media company solely focused on the domestic market; focused on what Americans love best — sports, news and entertainment, built and delivered for a U.S. audience," Rupert Murdoch had said last year.

Buckingham Research Group analyst Matthew Harrigan recently maintained his "buy" rating and raised his price target on the stock of Fox to $54 after previously lauding "generally good numbers for the businesses to be contributed to new Fox." He concluded that the new Fox's "earnings component appears healthy."

On Tuesday, new Fox's first day of trading as the slimmed-down version of its former self, the stock closed at $49.69. Disney said late Tuesday that each share of 21st Century Fox will be exchanged for $51.57 or .4517 shares of TWDC Holdco 613 Corp., which, for now, is the holding company of Disney and Fox.

Wonder what the tax on that transaction was... :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

APRIL 09, 2019 6:15am PT by Lesley Goldberg, Aaron Couch
Disney+: A Comprehensive Guide to All Its Programming (So Far) (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/disney-a-comprehensive-guide-all-programming-far-1200290)

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/scale_crop_768_433/2019/04/tom_hiddleston_as_loki_headshot_of_zoe_kravitz_and _diego_luna_as_cassian_andor-photofest-getty-split-h_2019__0.jpg
Photofest; Getty Images; Photofest

Still to be determined: when the direct-to-consumer Netflix rival platform will launch and how much it will cost.
Disney will officially enter the streaming wars in the fall when it launches its direct-to-consumer platform, Disney+, in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The platform, in the works since August 2017 when it was announced during an earnings call by Disney CEO Bob Iger, saw the media behemoth begin to pull its films from Netflix in a bid to use fare like Marvel features to incentivize potential subscribers to the service.

Make no mistake, Disney+ is the company's biggest bet yet. The service — designed as a competitor to Netflix — will be a home to Disney's massive animated feature library as well as assets from Lucasfilm (Star Wars), Pixarand Marvel, including new scripted offerings from the latter two companies.

Disney+ will be a separate service from its majority stake in Hulu and sports-themed ESPN+. While viewers will have to pay for each of the three services, they will all exist on the same platform — meaning subscribers can use the same password and credit card for the each and all.

As Disney continues to reveal plans for the streaming service, here's a guide to keep track of who's running the show and all of the original series earmarked for Disney+.

THE TOP DECISION MAKERS

Kevin Mayer serves as chairman of the Disney direct-to-consumer and international. He was given oversight of the platform in March 2018 after serving as Disney's chief strategy officer. He reports to Iger.

Ricky Strauss serves as president of content and marketing at Disney+. He's charged with developing the platform's strategic content vision and has greenlight power for TV and movies. He previously served as president of film marketing for Disney. He reports to Mayer.

Joe Earley is executive vp marketing and operations. The former Fox TV Group chief operating officer will lead content and brand marketing for Disney+. He will also working with its customer acquisition marketing group and oversee operations related to programming from Disney content groups including Walt Disney Studios, Disney-ABC TV Group and Pixar Animation, Marvel and Lucasfilm as well as third-party entities. He reports to Strauss.

Agnes Chu is senior vp content. She oversees programming for the streaming service and previously worked in story and franchise development at Walt Disney Imagineering and as a vp in the office of CEO Iger. She reports to Strauss.

The larger plan is to include content from Disney assets like Marvel and Lucasfilm — and potentially newly acquired Fox assets like FX and National Geographic — on the Disney+ platform. Those will join a rapidly growing roster of scripted originals, below.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian | Expected to premiere in 2019, the drama takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi and before the villainous First Order rose to replace the Empire. Favreau has described it as following "the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic." The series has booked a number of high-profile directors, including Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow and Star Wars: The Clone Saga's Dave Filoni. Favreau executive produces with Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson and Filoni. Pedro Pascal leads a cast that includes Gina Carano, Nick Nolte, Giancarlo Esposito and Werner Herzog, among others.

Star Wars: Rogue One prequel | Diego Luna will reprise his role as rebel spy Cassian Andor for the live-action series, which is set during the early days of the Rebellion and ahead of the events of Rogue One.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars | The animated series has been revived for its seventh overall season on Disney+ with a 12-episode order. Clone Wars — set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith in the Star Wars timeline — ran for five seasons on Cartoon Network. It featured characters from the movie franchise, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, and introduced new ones to the canon, including clone trooper Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano, a Jedi padawan. A few episodes for a potential sixth season were already in the works and completed and released as a special "Lost Missions."

High Fidelity | A reboot of the 2000 film take on Nick Hornby's novel, the 10-episode dramedy is described as a reimagining of the movie and book but told from a female point of view. Zoe Kravitz (Big Little Lies) takes on the role originally played by John Cusack in the film and will play the ultimate music van and record store owner who is obsessed with pop culture and top-five lists. The daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, the latter played Cusack's ex-girlfriend Marie DeSalle in the original film. Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka created the High Fidelity TV series and will exec produce alongside Zoe Kravitz and Midnight Radio's Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg.

High School Musical: The Musical | The 10-episode foray is based on the Emmy-winning franchise and will be shot as a docu-style series and follow a group of students at East High who stage a performance of High School Musical for their winter theater production, only to realize that as much drama happens offstage as onstage. Every episode will feature a new rendition of a song from High School Musical as well as an original song. Tim Federle (Ferdinand) and Oliver Goldstick (Pretty Little Liars), with the latter on board as showrunner. HSM exec producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush also exec produce the series. Relative newcomer Joshua Bassett stars.

Monsters, Inc. | An animated series based on the Pixar franchise will also be among the Disney+ offerings. Sources say the series will take place a few months after the events of the first film.

Marvel's Loki TV series | Tom Hiddleston is expected to reprise his role as fan-favorite MCU character Loki in the live-action series that will follow the trickster and shape-shifter as he pops up throughout human history as an unlikely influencer on historical events. Michael Waldron will write the pilot, serve as series creator and exec produce.

Marvel's Vision and Secret Witch | Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen are expected to reprise their big-screen characters as Vision and Secret Witch in the series. Jac Schaeffer, one of the writers behind Captain Marvel, will run point on the series that will focus on the two integral members of the Avengers. She will pen the pilot and exec produce the series.

Marvel's Winter Soldier/Falcon team-up | Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan are expected to reprise their roles as Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in the miniseries, which has Malcolm Spellman (Empire) set to pen the script.

Diary of a Female President | The live-action comedy is the first Disney+ series to hail from an outside studio (CBS TV Studios). Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez will exec produce the 10-episode series that is told from the narration of her diary and follows a Cuban-American 12-year-old girl as she the ups and downs of middle school and her journey to becoming the future president of the United States. Ilana Pea (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) created the original concept and will serve as writer and executive producer. Robin Shorr (The Carmichael Show) will serve as showrunner and exec produce alongside Rodriguez and her CBS TV Studios-based I Can and I Will banner topper Emily Gipson.

Book of Enchantment | Adapted from author Serena Valentino's book series, the drama will spotlight Disney villains like the Beast, Ursula and the witch from Snow White. Michael Seitzman (Quantico) will pen the script and exec produce the ABC Signature Studios entry that marks a flip of the script of ABC's beloved fairy tale drama Once Upon a Time.

Ink & Paint | The eight-episode docuseries will be based on Mindy Johnson's book Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation.

Other series, including a potential What-If Marvel animated entry, a take on Escape to Witch Mountain and a potential Muppets series have also been rumored.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

FEATURE FILMS

Lady & the Tramp I Disney has had major successes with live-action remakes of animated classics such The Jungle Book and Beautify and the Beast, and will be moving that formula to streaming with its adaptation of the 1955 love story about two dogs from different sides of the tracks. Tessa Thompson voice stars Lady and Justin Theroux is voicing the Tramp. Kiersey Clemons, Thomas Mann and Janelle Monae also star in the film from The Lego Ninjago director Charlie Bean.

Noelle I Anna Kendrick stars as Santa Claus' daughter Noelle in the Christmas story with a female-centric twist. Bill Hader also stars, in the film. Did You Hear About the Morgans? filmmaker Marc Lawrence wrote the script and is directing. Noelle has no release date but originally was going to be released theatrically on Nov. 1 before being earmarked for Disney+

Timmy Failure I The adaptation of the children's book series by Stephan Pastis centers on the 11-year old boy who believes he is the best detective in town. He runs the detective agency, Total Failure Inc. with his partner, a 1,200-pound (and imaginary) polar bear. Spotlight filmmaker Tom McCarthy is directing the project, with Jim Whitaker producing. Ophelia Lovibond, Chloe Coleman and Craig Robinson star.

Stargirl I The film is based on the 2000 YA book from Jerry Spinelli and centers on a homeschooled teenage girl who enrolls in an Arizona high school. Her non-conformity alters the ecosystem of the student body and captures the heart of star-struck boy. After the student body turns on the girl, the boy tells her to go against her nature and try to fit in. Julia Hart directs from a script by Kristin Hahn. Grace VanderWaal, Graham Verchere, Maximiliano Hernandez and Giancarlo Esposito star.

Togo I The action-adventure film stars Willem Dafoe and centers on a famous and dangerous sled-dog relay. Invincible director Ericson Core is at the helm of the project. Tom Flynn wrote the script for Togo, which is being produced by Kim Zubick.

Bookmark this page as THR will continue to update it as Disney+ continues to make content deals.

How much? Oh never mind - just take my money.

[GeneChing]

Disney+ Won't Have Song Of The South; Dumbo's Crow Scene Will Be Cut (https://screenrant.com/disney-plus-song-south-dumbo-crow-scene-cut/)
BY MIKE JONES – ON APR 20, 2019 IN MOVIE NEWS

https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Song-of-the-South.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=798&h=407&dpr=1.5

Disney+ won’t include Song of the South, and Dumbo’s crow scene will be cut. As the race to create the most in-demand subscription streaming service continues to heat up, Disney has quickly become a prominent source of interest for many. The Mouse House has been making some pretty big moves as of late, and their new streaming service (which launches this fall) isn’t immune to those changes.

Disney is currently busy with their acquisition of Fox, paying a whopping $71.3 billion for the privilege and reeling in a lengthy list of titles, franchises, and still in-development projects that may or may not now see the light of day. With the details of that acquisition still being sorted out, Disney then went and bought out AT&T/Warner from the previous four-way joint ownership of Hulu, making them and NBCUniversal its sole owners. The move now makes Disney the major stakeholder in Hulu, taking a 60 percent share of the popular streaming platform. And, as if all this weren’t enough, Disney has been offering glimpses of what potential subscribers can expect from their upcoming family-friendly streaming service.

The latest bit of news to be revealed about Disney+ comes to us courtesy of Boardwalk Times and deals specifically with the new service’s content. Though Disney+ will offer subscribers access to their extensive list of titles, one title Disney fans won’t be seeing on offer is the 1946 Oscar-winning film Song of the South. Disney+ will also cut the Jim Crow scene from the original version of Dumbo.

https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Jim-Crow.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=738&dpr=1.5

Song of the South, which takes place just after the American Civil War, has long been unavailable on home video due to its insensitive manner of dealing with America’s slave-owning past and the insinuation that life on a plantation was enjoyable for those forced to be there. The snappy, upbeat "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1947, despite its at-odds nature when played alongside inaccurate depictions of plantation life. Though the film introduced the characters of Br’er Rabbit, Fox, and Bear to the Disney family, who later became part of the beloved Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland and Disney World, it remains a relic of a bygone era. As far as Dumbo goes, the Jim Crow scene has already been cut from Tim Burton’s live-action remake. The original animated film sees the crows help Dumbo learn to fly, but due to their manner and name (Jim Crow refers to America’s period of segregation laws beginning in the mid 1960s), Disney has dropped it.

Some might bristle at Disney’s decision to erase aspects of its history and will instead cite the WB approach (via: @CLXcool) of warning viewers beforehand that what they are about to watch is from another era, but Disney is making the smart choice here. With its recent increase in content, plus its own already monstrous selection, Disney has plenty to offer without having to provide programming that has no relevance in 2019. Some might argue that to remove aspects of or deny these productions is to sanitize history, but the fact of the matter is that history can be found in a myriad of other, much more reputable sources. Family programming should first and foremost always be open and friendly to all.

I wonder if Disney+ will have the Star Wars Xmas special...:rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

Multiple Fox Films Getting Axed at Disney (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/multiple-fox-films-getting-axed-at-disney-1204252)
8:22 AM PDT 4/24/2019 by Tatiana Siegel , Borys Kit

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2019/04/alan-h_2019.jpg
Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Getty Images/iStockphoto

Disney studio chief Alan Horn has jettisoned a number of Fox projects from his development and preproduction slate.

After scrapping Fox 2000, Alan Horn is culling projects that were in development before the $71.3 billion deal closed: "They are looking at everything."
Call it spring cleaning, Burbank-style.

Since Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox assets closed March 20, film studio chief Alan Horn has jettisoned a number of Fox projects from his development and preproduction slate, including the $170 million tentpole Mouse Guard, the Tom Hanks starrer News of the World (to Universal) and an adaptation of Angie Thomas' best-seller On the Come Up (to Paramount).

Also poised for curbside pickup, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, is Ted Melfi's mental-hospital-set dramedy Fruit Loops, which has Woody Harrelson starring. (The project is still officially in the Disney fold, but likely will be put into turnaround.)

Three of the four films came from Elizabeth Gabler's now-shuttered Fox 2000 division (Mouse Guard being the exception). Insiders say Disney is simply culling the enormous influx of projects. Mouse Guard, which was poised for a May start date, was said to be too expensive for a nonfranchise film.

As for why On the Come Up didn’t make the cut, a source says Thomas’ last project, The Hate U Give, lost $30 million to $40 million despite a modest $23 million budget and a marketing spend believed to be about $30 million.

Meanwhile, a number of movies greenlit in late December and early January by Fox film president Emma Watts, who made the transition to Disney, are moving forward. Those include the Matthew Vaughn-directed Kingsman prequel The Great Game, the low-budget witchcraft pic Fear Street and Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.

Likely shooting in the fall is Free Guy — a Shawn Levy-Ryan Reynolds collaboration — and Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. One Fox film that won't be questioned is Avatar 2, which finished shooting last Thursday.

But even some of those green lights are being met with scrutiny. One source says Horn is questioning the apparent plan to have young characters smoking onscreen in West Side Story. "With Fox, we can make movies that right now I say no to. ... We always have to think about the smoking policy. The audience for a Disney movie may not know what they are going to see, but they know what they aren't going to see," the exec said in a recent interview with THR. "There are certain things we just can't include because we'll get letters."

Despite Mouse Guard now being shopped to other studios, Watts' group is not being asked to make lower-priced movies, says a source. Rather, she is being tasked with making larger all-audience PG-13 and R-rated films. Look for the domestic terrorism thriller The Ballad of Richard Jewell — about the security guard at the center of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing — to be among the first Fox green lights, possibly with Clint Eastwood directing.

"We are now just only beginning to see how all this consolidation will change how movies get greenlit and made," says a producer involved with a Fox-developed movie. "They are looking at everything."

THREADS
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
James Cameron's: Avatar (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56205-James-Cameron-s-Avatar)
Kingsman 3 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71218-Kingsman-3)

[GeneChing]

Obi-Wan Kenobi TV Series Finds Director (Exclusive) (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/obi-wan-kenobi-tv-series-finds-director-deborah-chow-1243984)
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 1:46PM by Borys Kit

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/768x433/2019/09/star_wars-_episode_ii_-_attack_of_the_clones__and_inset_of_director_debor ah_chow_-_getty-h_2019.jpg
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Inset: Deborah Chow) | Twentieth Century Fox/Photofest; Rachel Luna/Getty

Deborah Chow has helmed several episodes of the 'Star Wars' spinoff series 'The Mandalorian' ahead of its Disney+ bow Nov. 12.

This is the director Obi-Wan has been looking for. Deborah Chow, who directed episodes of the upcoming Star Wars TV series The Mandalorian, is returning to the far-away galaxy and will helm the series featuring the popular character Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Ewan McGregor is returning as the Jedi Master for the series Lucasfilm is making for Disney+, the stand-alone $7 streaming service that the company is set to launch Nov. 12.

Chow has proved herself in the elevated genre space in cable series. In addition to two episodes of The Mandalorian, she has directed and worked on shows such as American Gods, Better Call Saul, Lost in Space, Jessica Jones, Reign and Mr. Robot. Chow is repped by WME and Schreck Rose.

"We really wanted to select a director who is able to explore both the quiet determination and rich mystique of Obi-Wan in a way that folds seamlessly into the Star Wars saga," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said Friday in a statement. "Based on her phenomenal work developing our characters in The Mandalorian, I’m absolutely confident Deborah is the right director to tell this story."

The Disney+ series, to be written by Hossein Amini, centers on Kenobi, one of the central figures in the Star Wars mythos. In the original 1977 movie, he is a desert-dwelling, war-weary hermit who later proves to be a wise and powerful warrior. Kenobi briefly mentors a young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine before being cut down by Darth Vader, his former pupil.

In the George Lucas-directed prequels, Kenobi fought alongside the young Jedi who would eventually become Vader and betray him and the Jedi Order. The live-action character was last seen in 2005's Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, back on the desert planet Tatooine.

McGregor’s Kenobi series is the third live-action series on the Disney+ docket. The Mandalorian is central to the launch of the streaming service, which is also developing a Rogue One prequel amongst its Star Wars offering. The latter is an as-yet untitled series featuring Rebel Alliance officer Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna reprising the role.

A Kenobi stand-alone project had been set up as a feature, with Stephen Daldry directing, in 2017. But Disney switched gears on its plans for the Star Wars franchise after the relatively underwhelming box office response to the Han Solo spinoff Solo, which grossed $392 million worldwide that year.

Sept. 27, 2:42 p.m. Updated with Kennedy's statement and Amini's writing credits after Lucasfilm officially confirmed THR's reporting.


BORYS KIT
@borys_kit


THREADS
Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series for Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71519-Star-Wars-Obi-Wan-Kenobi-TV-series-for-Disney)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[@PLUGO]

Disney released a three-hour trailer of the TV series and movies they will have available on Disney+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0FRDaHnITI&feature=youtu.be

The actual runtime on the trailer comes in at 3 hours, 17 minutes and 53 seconds. The mega-sized video begins with clips of 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and ends with The Mandalorian,

[GeneChing]

Iron Fist Being Rebooted On Disney Plus With New Cast (https://wegotthiscovered.com/tv/iron-fist-rebooted-disney-new-cast/)
By Christian Bone 3 days ago

According to recent reports, the odds are looking good for more of Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage in the MCU, following the cancellation of the characters’ Netflix shows. The same can’t be said for Iron Fist, though. The protector of K’un-Lun was always generally considered to be the least popular of the Defenders and it seems Marvel doesn’t want to continue the franchise as is. Instead, a reboot could be on the way.

We Got This Covered has heard from our sources – the same ones who told us the Inhumans were being rebooted in Ms. Marvel and that Marvel was considering recasting Hawkeye, both of which have since been confirmed – that Iron Fist will get a relaunch of some sort on Disney Plus. This would be a Marvel Studios project rather than a Marvel Television one, which means that Kevin Feige will have creative control. Apparently, Feige “hated” the Netflix series so he wants to start from scratch with the character. Specifically, Finn Jones will definitely not return as Danny Rand. Instead, an Asian actor is likely to be found to replace him.

https://wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Iron-Fist-season-2-020.jpg

Creating a new Iron Fist on Disney Plus would then allow for the hero to crossover with other corners of the MCU. In particular, he could appear in a future Shang-Chi movie, as we’ve previously reported. It’s unclear whether the new Danny will show up in a movie or his TV series first, but we’re told that Marvel definitely wants to redo the character and have him team up with Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi at some point.

If the studio was to recast any of the other Defenders, there’d probably be a huge outcry, but most fans will probably be on board with the decision if and when this comes to pass. With no offense intended to Jones though, who did the best with the material he was given. Sure, it might create some continuity hiccups – how can Netflix’s Iron Fist be non-canon if the other heroes are? – but it’d worth it if it improves on what’s come before.

THREADS
Iron Fist (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49086-Iron-Fist)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Disney+ Hit by Technical Issues on Launch Day (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-hit-by-technical-issues-launch-day-1254094)
4:43 AM PST 11/12/2019 by Georg Szalai , Ryan Parker

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2019/11/image_from_ios_1.jpg

The company issued a statement, which said in part that demand "exceeded our high expectations."
The Walt Disney Co.’s Disney+ streaming service appeared to be hit by technical difficulties on its launch day, Tuesday.

Twitter users mentioned problems accessing the service or some of its features around 7 a.m. New York time, and Downdetector.com showed 6,900 reports of problems with the service around 7:30 a.m. ET and slightly more than 7,000 later before problem reports dropped off. People mentioned problems signing up, logging in and streaming.

Downdetector.com's map view showed problems in the U.S., parts of Canada and the Netherlands.

Some U.S. users were allowed to purchase Disney+ on their computer, but once paid for, the streaming service would not load on smart TVs or on the PlayStation app.

An error icon would appear each time, showing Mickey Mouse and his dog, Pluto, in space outfits. It would then force users to exit the service.

Once the service did load properly, some titles, such as under the Star Wars category, were unavailable; that error page was just a blank blue screen that said, "Sorry something went wrong. Please try again later."

For shows and films that did not trigger an error message, some load times exceeded 30 seconds.

Would-be users vented their frustrations via social media.

Around 7 a.m. P.T., Disney released the following statement: "The consumer demand for Disney+ has exceeded our high expectations. We are working to quickly resolve the current user issue. We appreciate your patience."

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for additional information.

Earlier Tuesday, the company had said that Disney+ has launched, as planned, in the U.S., Canada and The Netherlands with nearly 500 films and 7,500 TV episodes.

Disney+ is set to launch in Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico on Nov. 19. Disney also previously said that on March 31, 2020, Disney+ will launch in markets across Western Europe, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and "a number of other countries in the region."

7 a.m.: Updated with a statement from Disney.
Two of my buddies are subscribed and both complained of issues on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/) last night.

[GeneChing]

DECEMBER 10, 2019 4:00PM PT
Marvel to Shutter Television Division (https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/marvel-television-jeph-loeb-1203432211/)
By JOE OTTERSON
TV Reporter
@https://twitter.com/joeotterson

Marvel’s television division is officially winding down.

Variety has learned that Marvel Television will no longer be developing any new series beyond the shows that are currently in production. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, Marvel will eliminate a number of positions in the near future as a result of the cessation of development at the division. Karim Zreik, senior vice president of current programming and production and members of his team will now join the Marvel Studios group. Zreik will lead the current projects in production. Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb will remain with the division during the transition.

The move to close up shop on Marvel Television was not altogether unexpected, as Variety reported in September that there was a growing perception in the industry that Loeb’s division was on its way out given that Marvel movies boss Kevin Feige was set to produce a number of big budget live-action shows for Disney Plus featuring character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Feige had been promoted to chief creative officer of Marvel and has taken over the Disney-owned company’s storytelling across mediums, including publishing, film, TV, and animation. It was widely believed at that time that Loeb would exit the company within the next few months.

The only Marvel Television live-action show currently in the works is “Helstrom” at Hulu. Hulu had previously ordered a live-action “Ghost Rider” series starring Gabriel Luna as well, but that project was scrapped in September.

Marvel also has four animated shows at Hulu: “Howard the Duck,” “Hit Monkey,” “Tigra & Dazzler,” and “M.O.D.O.K.” All four shows are expected to debut separately before crossing over with “The Offenders” event series. However, news broke last week that the showrunner and writing staff of “Tigra & Dazzler” had departed the show over creative differences. The search for a new showrunner is ongoing.

Fellow Marvel-Hulu series “The Runaways” will end with its upcoming third season, while “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” will end after seven seasons on ABC this spring. All of Marvel Television’s other live-action shows have been canceled in the past year.

Feige’s division — part of the Walt Disney Studios feature-film operation — is currently working on shows centered on characters like Hawkeye, Falcon and Winter Soldier, as well as Loki, and Vision and Scarlet Witch, with shows based on She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight also in the works.

According to sources, multiple Marvel Television and Home & Family Entertainment executives at the vice president level and above outside of Zreik’s team will be replaced as a result of the move. In addition, sources say that Brian Crosby, creative director of Marvel Themed Entertainment, will no longer be working on Marvel projects as part of the Disney parks division, though he will remain with the company.

Also exiting the company is family entertainment chief Cort Lane. A Marvel veteran in charge of television animation, Lane has deep relationships with counterparts in Disney’s corporate-franchises, parks and consumer-products arms, as well as with licensees such as Hasbro and Lego. He is believed to be staying on through January as part of the transition, as Marvel gears up for its first major TV entry in the preschool space, “Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends.”



THREADS
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65907-Marvel-s-Agents-of-S-H-I-E-L-D)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

So obvious...even the dot on the 'i'. :rolleyes:


China designers see Disney double in Dalian tourism logo competition winner (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3042647/china-designers-see-disney-double-dalian-tourism-logo)
Days after publishing winning design, city’s tourism bureau launches investigation into possible plagiarism
One graphic design news site said the winning design appeared to have copied the letters straight from the Disney logo
Zhuang Pinghui in Beijing
Published: 8:00am, 19 Dec, 2019

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/d8/images/methode/2019/12/19/3dd15544-2177-11ea-acfb-1fd6c5cf20a4_image_hires_102205.JPG?itok=Bm53N9Dq&v=1576722133
The competition for a new logo for China’s popular tourism destination of Dalian has led to accusations of plagiarism for the winning design. Photo: Simon Song

The winner of a logo competition aimed at promoting tourism in the northern Chinese city of Dalian, Liaoning province, has been accused of ripping off Disney’s distinctive font.
The city’s Bureau of Culture and Tourism published the winning design of its “Dalian has quality gifts” competition on December 11 but specialists were soon picking it apart, accusing the winner of using a combination of other designs, including the lettering – loosely based on founder Walt Disney’s signature – of the global entertainment company’s logo.
The bureau said on Tuesday it was aware of the plagiarism accusation and was conducting an investigation.

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2019/12/19/5ce6153e-2175-11ea-acfb-1fd6c5cf20a4_1320x770_102205.jpg
A design website in China has questioned similarities between the winning Dalian logo (left) and the Disney brand. Photo: Handout

“The investigation is currently under way and the results will be announced as soon as possible,” the statement said, adding that competition entrants were required to guarantee the intellectual property rights of their works.
“Works violating others’ intellectual property rights, once verified, will be disqualified from the competition and their rewards will be recovered,” the statement said, referring to the 30,000 yuan (US$4,300) prize money.
The winning design, by Su Zhanying from Dalian Yinji Tourism Culture Development Company, features a lighthouse above stylised blue water, accompanied by the word “Dalian” in Pinyin and Chinese characters.
In its announcement of the winner, Dalian city government said the design, called City Logo of Dalian, combined “the Chinese and English fonts with the city’s visual symbols and names into one” and reflected “the characteristics of the city … in a few simple strokes”.
Logonews.cn, a Chinese website dedicated to logo designs, questioned the originality of the winning work on Monday in a posting on microblogging platform Weibo.
“At first glance I felt the logo was all right, except the image was too complicated with too many colours, but then I found something very similar when I checked the font … Isn’t it the same font of the Disney logo?”
The Logonews.cn post went on to say that a comparison with the Disney logo found the winning design appeared to have copied the letters from the Disney logo and “even the graphic part is suspected of taking other references” – pointing to the similarity of the circle around the lighthouse to the line traced by a star in the animated version of the Disney logo.
“With so much copying, how dare the designer sign his name?” the posting ended.
The controversy deepened on Tuesday when calligrapher Ye Genyou took to Weibo to say that the Chinese characters used in the Dalian city logo were from his own Xing style and the designer was not authorised to use them.
Other internet users soon found similarities with other existing designs, claiming the lighthouse image looked only slightly different from one designed by a Philippines online artist known as “blueii” called The Brisbane Pathway. The stylised blue water was also said to be very similar to the city logo of Lianshui county in Jiangsu province.

THREADS
Chinese Counterfeits, Fakes & Knock-Offs (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57980-Chinese-Counterfeits-Fakes-amp-Knock-Offs)
Disney (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

I follow Ray's gram and missed this. I hope it's because he got hacked. This sounds fake.


'Star Wars' Darth Maul Series Possibly Cancelled After Ray Park's Shocking Instagram Post (https://apple.news/ATb85fDxuR6KTEakZf5xmTw)
Nobelle Borines

There is little doubt that Star Wars fans are currently hyped up after it was revealed that Lucasfilm are developing more live-action shows that will air on Disney+. After all, one of the shows is said to be a follow-up to Solo: A Star Wars Story that would focus on Darth Maul and his criminal network known as Crimson Dawn.

https://c.apple.news/AgEkODk1ZDFiM2QtZTdmZS00Mjc5LWI2OGYtOWIyMzBlN2YyZD k2ADE3
Disney might not push through with a 'Star Wars' series after the Darth Maul actor's controversy! (Photo: Pat Loika/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 )

But, is it possible that the studios have changed their mind about the project after Darth Maul actor went viral on social media? There are speculations that the Maul series could be cancelled due to the Phantom Menace star's shocking Instagram post.

Last week, it was revealed during Comic-Con@Home that Disney and Lucasfilm are developing several new shows that will air on Disney+. One of the shows mentioned was a Solo: A Star Wars Story spin-off that would follow Darth Maul as well as the other gangs involved with Crimson Dawn.

Needless to say, the news had people excited about the idea that Maul will be portrayed by Ray Park, who had initially played the former Sith Lord in The Phantom Menace as well as Solo. Unfortunately, the good news would soon be followed by a truly shocking update.

Just a day after the Darth Maul series was teased, fans were surprised when Ray Park suddenly started trending on Twitter. This led to speculations that the actor had shared an exciting update about the show.

However, it was revealed that Park had actually posted an NSFW video on Instagram that showed the stuntman being "serviced" by his wife. Although the video has since been taken down, it didn't take long before people started sharing screenshots and commenting about the actor's startling actions.

For now, it is unclear why Ray Park had shared the video on Instagram. Although some believe that the actor's account was hacked, others claim it was Park himself who had posted the video as a form of revenge on his wife who was allegedly cheating on him.

Park has yet to release a statement about the incident and this has led to speculations that he will not be brought back to play Maul in the upcoming Star Wars series.

Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to make an official announcement about the upcoming Star Wars shows. However, some already believe that the studios might decide to cast a different actor for the role of Darth Maul after Ray Park's scandal. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

threads
Darth-Maul-TV-series (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71592-Darth-Maul-TV-series)
July-August-2016 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69484-July-August-2016)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Another covid heartbreaker...



Aug 4, 2020 2:00pm PT
With ‘Mulan,’ Disney Tests Out Entirely New Early VOD Model (https://variety.com/2020/film/news/mulan-disney-plus-premiere-1234711185/)
By Adam B. Vary, Rebecca Rubin
Mulan
Courtesy of Disney

In another major blow to movie theaters, Disney announced “Mulan” will forgo its planned theatrical release. Instead, the live-action remake is premiering on Disney Plus on Sept. 4 for a premium rental price.

The company believes that the release of the action epic will help drive subscribers while serving as a valuable test case to determine how much of their hard-earned cash customers are willing to part with in order to watch a movie that was originally intended to debut exclusively in cinemas.

Unlike the rest of the content available on Disney Plus, “Mulan” won’t be available directly to subscribers. Consumers in the U.S. and other territories will have to pay $29.99 to rent the movie on top of the streaming service’s monthly subscription fee of $6.99. In markets where Disney Plus isn’t available, “Mulan” will play in cinemas.

For now, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek says “Mulan’s” big move isn’t reflective of a new business model for the company — even though it kind of is.

“We’re looking at ‘Mulan’ as a one-off as opposed to saying there’s some new business windowing model that we’re looking at,” Chapek said Tuesday on the company’s earnings call.

Disney may be signaling to exhibitors that it’s not turning its back on cinemas and that it will respect their ability to have exclusive access to the studio’s content, but Chapek wouldn’t be so interested in testing the waters if the possibility didn’t exist that the studio would dive back into streaming with some other oft-delayed theatrical release. There’s plenty to pick from on that score. Disney has shelved a number of buzzy titles since the pandemic shuttered theaters. Tellingly, Chapek said that Disney wants to “learn from it and see the actual number of transactions.” If those numbers are good, will “Mulan” still be a one-off?

It’s also notable that the form of premium VOD that Disney is testing is very different and potentially more lucrative than others deployed by studios. “Mulan” will cost roughly $10 more than Universal charged for “Trolls World Tour” and it’s sticking the price of a subscription on top of that bill. It remains to be seen if that will be too rich for consumers at a time when unemployment is reaching Great Depression-era levels and benefits may be cut. It certainly makes “Mulan” the priciest VOD release since the failed attempt to offer 2011’s “Tower Heist” to cable subscribers for $60 three weeks after it opened. Universal, the studio behind the Ben Stiller-Eddie Murphy comedy, abandoned those plans in the wake of exhibitor upheaval.

Disney’s decision to mix things up with “Mulan” comes just days after AMC Theatres and Universal stunned investors when they announced that they had reached an agreement that would enable some movies to debut their film on home entertainment platforms within 17 days of their theatrical debut. The two companies hailed the move as an important evolution in film distribution, but other chains such as Regal and Cinemark were cool to the new model. Disney, among all of its major studio brethren, has historically been one of the staunchest allies of the theatrical experience. The announcement may have goosed its stock, but it was a drag on the shares of the major exhibitors.

The decision to put “Mulan” on premium video-on-demand further emphasizes the studio’s increased reliance on Disney Plus at a time when most of their business — from theme parks and cruises to movie theaters and retail stores — have been crippled by the pandemic. Research, Chapek says, suggests that bringing a high-profile release like “Mulan” to homes “will act as a fairly large stimulus to sign up for Disney Plus.”

Chapek added that it gives them a chance to recapture “some of our original investment” on “Mulan.” The movie cost $200 million to produce and many millions more to market and promote on a global scale. That means it will rely on ticket sales — and lots of ’em — if it hopes to turn a profit. Unlike Universal’s “Trolls World Tour,” Warner Bros.’ “Scoob” and other movies that were put on premium video-on-demand platforms in lieu of a traditional release, Disney won’t have to split in the riches from digital rentals since they own the streaming platform.

Originally scheduled to open on March 27, “Mulan” was meant to be one of Disney’s major theatrical releases for the year. The studio mounted a lavish red carpet premiere at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 9. But just three days later, the cascade of industry closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced Disney to postpone “Mulan’s” release. It was delayed multiple times before Disney indefinitely removed it from the release calendar last week.

It’s yet another stark indication of studios’ dwindling faith that movie theaters will be able to safely reopen in the near future, especially at the scale necessary to support mega-budgeted tentpole movies. Just before “Mulan” was pulled from Disney’s schedule, Warner Bros. removed “Tenet” from its release calendar. The sci-fi epic from Christopher Nolan is now expected to launch internationally starting on Aug. 26 before making its way to select U.S. cities on Sept. 3.

The lack of a theatrical release for “Mulan” is another setback for exhibitors, who had hoped patrons of all ages would turned out to watch the fearless Chinese warrior back on the big screen. “Tenet,” another title that movie theater owners are counting on to revive moviegoing after prolonged shutdowns, is geared toward slightly older crowds.

With sweeping battle scenes and lavishly appointed sets and costumes, Disney shelled out millions upon millions to make “Mulan” a must-see in theaters. In fact, when Disney delayed “Mulan” for the third time in June, co-chairman and chief creative officer Alan Horn and co-chairman Alan Bergman highlighted the necessity to see the film on the silver screen.

“Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that’s where we believe it belongs — on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together,” said Horn and Bergman in a statement at the time.

Based on the legend of the female Chinese warrior who disguises herself as a man to spare her infirm father from conscription into a war, “Mulan” features a breakout performance in the title role from Chinese actor Liu Yifei, and awards worthy performances from Tzi Ma (as Mulan’s father) and Gong Li (as a mysterious and complex villain). Along with “Crazy Rich Asians,” it is one of the only large-scale releases from a major Hollywood studio to feature an entirely Asian cast.

“Mulan” was always meant to be a global theatrical player, especially in China. But even though Chinese theaters have started to reopen, box office sales have been sluggish without any new content to feature.

threads
Mulan-(2020) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68640-Mulan-(2020))
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
covid (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)

[GeneChing]

MOVIES
U.K. Exhibitors "Bewildered" by Disney Decision Not to Bring 'Mulan' to Cinemas (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/uk-exhibitors-bewildered-by-disney-not-bringing-mulan-cinemas-1306032)
4:20 AM PDT 8/5/2020 by Alex Ritman

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2020/03/pho-14030_r2-h_2020_0.jpg
Courtesy of Disney
'Mulan'

Disney's shock move to scrap the theatrical release in certain markets, including the U.S. and U.K., has gone down badly with the U.K.'s already-beleaguered exhibition industry.

Exhibitors in the U.K. have reacted badly to Disney's shock decision to scrap Mulan's several-times-postponed theatrical release and take it straight to its Disney+ platform in certain markets.

The controversial new release strategy was revealed on Tuesday, with the live-action family adventure — expected to be one of the first major blockbusters to be come out as exhibitors emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown — now set to be offered to Disney+ customers in the U.S., U.K. and other select markets for the premium price of $29.99 beginning Sept. 4, forgoing cinemas in many territories altogether.

In a letter sent to British cinemas on Wednesday and seen by The Hollywood Reporter, Disney apologized for the decision, which it said was one that was "not taken lightly."

"Given that COVID-19 has disrupted large parts of the content pipeline and markets are in vastly different situations right now, and after delaying the global theatrical debut multiple times, we are subsequently taking a tailored approach to this release," it said.

However, the move to bypass cinemas altogether and not even give Mulan a day-and-date release has rattled the U.K.'s already beleaguered exhibitor industry, which had been counting on both Disney's blockbuster and Warner Bros.' Tenet — now due to launch overseas Aug. 26 — to draw back customers.

"The decision not to give cinemas a chance to play the film (even if day and date with Disney +) is frankly bewildering and something we’ve of course gone back to them on," said Phil Clapp, chief executive of the U.K. Cinema Association, in a letter set to its members and seen by THR.

In a later statement, Clapp said the move would seem a "step backwards rather than forwards" by much of the industry.

"With cinemas across the U.K. now continuing to re-open and welcome back their customers, the decision by Walt Disney Studios yesterday to put Mulan on their Disney+ service and not into cinemas will be seen by many as hugely disappointing and mistimed," he added.

"A trip to the cinema to see one of the event family films of the year would have been hugely popular, successful and a welcome escape for many after months of restrictions on out of home entertainment. It would also have provided a much needed boost for both audiences and cinemas who need a supply of new films after Christopher Nolan’s Tenet hits cinemas at the end of August."

Kevin Markwick, who owns the independent Picture House cinema in Uckfield, was more descriptive in his response, joking that he'd be homeless by the time Disney decided to return to exhibitors.

"Thanks Disney chums, we'll be here warm & waiting for you when you plan to return, having existed on thin air and love & cuddles and happy thoughts. Just give us a buzz when you are ready. I'll be sleeping in a doorway outside the bank soaked in my own wee," he tweeted. He later added: "One other thing special Disney cuddle bums, if sectors of the industry are so sure that VOD and cinemas can live together, why not let us have a bash at showing Mulan at the same time?"

Another U.K. exhibition executive said the decision was perhaps taken because Disney didn’t want to "risk cinemas refusing to play the film" if it were to be released day-and-date on Disney+. "If Disney think they don’t need cinemas anymore that’s pretty much game over for us all."


ALEX RITMAN
alex.ritman@thr.com
@alexritman

threads
Mulan-(2020) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68640-Mulan-(2020))
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
covid (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)

[GeneChing]

Mulan Releases To All Disney+ Subscribers For Free in December [UPDATED] (https://screenrant.com/mulan-movie-disney-plus-free-streaming-release-december/)
Mulan will become available to all Disney+ subscribers in December, just three months after its theatrical and Premier Access streaming release.
BY XAVIER ILYAS
4 DAYS AGO

https://static3.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Mulan.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=960&h=500&dpr=1.5

UPDATE: Disney+ has since removed the December date from its Mulan pre-order page. Our original story continues below.

Disney's Mulan will become available to all Disney+ subscribers in December. The film, a live-action remake of Disney's 1998 animated classic of the same name, has had a continuously shifting release date. Like every big theatrical release in 2020, Mulan faced delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The film had its premiere on March 9, 2020, and was originally set to have its wide release on March 27. However, with social distancing guidelines in place and the closure of movie theaters around the world, the film was delayed. First to July 2020 and then again to August, before Disney removed it from their release schedule altogether.

Disney then announced Mulan would be available for purchase on Disney+ starting on September 4, 2020. The film would also release theatrically in markets where cinemas are allowed to operate and where Disney+ isn't available. The film will cost a relatively steep $30 on the streaming platform, but it would be a permanent purchase, not a rental. There was widespread speculation on when the film would be available for free on Disney+. Based on the release of films like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Frozen II, it was safe assumption that Disney+ wouldn't see a free version of Mulan on the streaming platform until mid-2021, but that does not appear to be the case.

According to the pre-order page for the movie, Mulan will release for all Disney+ subscribers on December 4, 2020. This news marks the fastest that a major film has gone from its theatrical release to being streamed (for free) on Disney+, with only three months between the two. You can see a screenshot of Mulan's Disney+ page, below:

While the announcement of Mulan's direct-to-Disney+ release has been good for Disney stock, the reception from both fans and theater-owners has been mixed. With movie theaters already being one of the hardest hit businesses during the pandemic, theater owners have been particularly upset by Disney's release plans for Mulan. Fans have also expressed their disappointment, citing how similar Disney blockbusters like Black Widow will still have a typical theatrical release (Disney has stated that they intend Mulan's Disney+ release to be a one-off, although who knows what will happen if it is a success), arguing that locking Mulan behind a paywall is a determent to the film and its intended audience. Given that Mulan will be the first Disney-branded film will an all Asian cast, making the film less accessible at open seems like a step backward for representation in Hollywood.

Disney's decision to release a major film on its streaming service so soon after its theatrical window is unprecedented. Depending on how successful the film is at bringing in new Disney+ subscribers, this decision could pose huge implications for the future of cinemas and release structures. Given how close its non-Premiere Access release will be to its theatrical one, there is a pretty good chance that this will negatively affect Mulan's theatrical sales. There are many arguments for why Mulan wouldn't work on Disney+, but given how unprecedented this whole situation is, no one can really predict how successful the film will or won't be. Given how many theaters around the world can't operate at full capacity, and major cities in the U.S. like New York and Los Angeles still aren't allowing theaters to open, distributors have to find new ways to deliver their films to consumers. It is unknown whether or not we will eventually return to a typical release structure, but the success or failure of Mulan on Disney+ will certainly be a important factor for future cinema releases.

Threads
Mulan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68640-Mulan-(2020))
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Alas...Akki...


Twitter Users Push for Disney to Kill Transphobic, Dangerous Film (https://www.out.com/film/2020/11/05/disney-laxmii-bollywood-transphobia-transphobic-backlash-controversy)
https://www.out.com/sites/default/files/laxmii_750_x_422.png
YouTube
The Bollywood project is full of inaccurate tropes and is slated for release next week.

BY MEY RUDE
NOVEMBER 05 2020 2:50 PM EST

The upcoming Bollywood release Laxmii is raising eyebrows, and not for it’s choreography, songs, or acting. The movie, which premieres on Disney+ Hotstar (a streaming Indian subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and in theaters internationally on November 9, represents an unfortunate return to tired and harmful transgender tropes that we had hoped were done with.

The film is a Hindi remake of the 2011 Tamil film Kanchana. Director Raghava Lawrence has been at the helm for both movies. Starring Akshay Kumar, the movie is about a transgender ghost taking revenge on a family and possessing the star character.

Obviously, just the premise is transphobic. The only trans character in the movie isn’t a person, just an evil, vengeful spirit. In addition, she’s being played by Kumar, a male actor. The movie is billed as a “horror/comedy,” and the preview does a lot with getting laughs from situations where Kumar’s character puts on a saree or acts in feminine ways, making the ghost's gender the punchline of the joke.

The film goes further, though. One of the most harmful tropes the film employs is that men start to crossdress, or “become trans,” when they’re possessed by an evil spirit. We don’t yet know the ending of Laxmii, but in the original, the evil trans spirit is defeated when the main character goes to a dargah (a shrine) to be exorcised.

Just like in America, where gay and trans people are brought to conversion therapy to try to “pray away,” or punish away, their queerness, many parents in India take their children to holy people to exorcise the spirits out of them. In fact, earlier this year a proposed law in Indonesia encouraged just that. This movie only reinforces the idea that that can work.

Twitter user IndraJeet_G started a social media campaign begging Disney to not release the film. "Trans-negativity in films directly results in violence against trans persons. Don't release Laxmii. #DisneyStopTransphobia," they tweeted on Tuesday, encouraging others to retweet and spread the message. They also created images that offer easy things you can do to try and convince Disney to not release the film.

When the original movie came out, the title, “Kanchana” became a popular slur for trans people in Tamil.

“People started teasing any person who was femininie and trans persons as ‘Kanchana’ in a transphobic manner, as this was the very clear image they saw,” Kanmani Ray, a Tamil trans woman and law student, told Huffington Post. Now, trans people are worried “Laxmii” might be used similarly.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw0gE8QA1W0&feature=emb_logo

While filmmakers have pledged to donate money to the trans community in India, many say it’s not enough. The film didn’t hire any trans actors, writers, or consultants, and portrays many harmful tropes and beliefs about trans people that will likely do more real life harm than a small donation will do good.

Threads
Laxmii (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71915-Laxmii)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

I could've sworn I've posted on this here already but a search turned up nothing.


Leslye Headland’s Female-Led ‘Star Wars’ Series Will Be a Martial Arts Thriller (https://www.slashfilm.com/leslye-headland-star-wars-series-details/)
Posted on Friday, November 6th, 2020 by Hoai-Tran Bui

https://d13ezvd6yrslxm.cloudfront.net/wp/wp-content/images/starwars-logo-filled.jpg

Back in April, it was reported that Leslye Headland, the filmmaker behind movies like Bachelorette and Sleeping With Other People and one of the brains behind Netflix’s mind-bending series Russian Doll, was set to write and act as showrunner on a female-centric Star Wars series for Disney+. What could that show look like? Will it feature familiar or entirely new characters? Details are scarce for now, but a new report suggests that the female-led Leslye Headland Star Wars series will at least feature a lot of martial arts.

Buried in a new report from Deadline were some new details about the female-centric Star Wars series written and showrun by Russian Doll mastermind Headland. The series is “believed to be a female-driven action thriller with martial arts elements and set in an alternate timeline from the usual Star Wars universe.”

This is the first we’ve learned that Headand’s Star Wars series will be a martial arts thriller, which will certainly set it apart from the space western/wandering ronin adventures of The Mandalorian. We’ve never had a Star Wars project that has focused heavily on hand-to-hand action and fight sequences, and this would give Headland’s series a unique concept.

While Deadline’s use of the word “alternate” is questionable, the outlet likely means a different time setting from the timeframe of The Mandalorian, which takes place five years after the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi. This was a detail that was already revealed in the initial report, sending the internet into a flurry of speculation over who the series could feature, and when it could take place. Popular speculation was that Headland’s Star Wars series would be led by fan-favorite character Ahsoka Tano, who makes her live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2 played by Rosario Dawson (as exclusively revealed by /Film). Another popular theory was that comic book character Doctor Aphra – who’s been described as the Indiana Jones of the Star Wars universe and would fit well with the “martial arts” angle of the series – could make her live-action debut.

But with Lucasfilm ramping up the buzz for its Star Wars: The High Republic initiative, there might also be a possibility that Headland’s series will cover that rich era set 200 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga.

One of the refreshing elements of The Mandalorian is how it expands on a previously unexplored corner of the universe, unrelated to the events of the main saga films. It will be exciting to see how Headland’s Star Wars series gives us even more fresh insight into the wide expanse of that galaxy far, far away.

Threads
Star Wars: Female-driven martial arts series project (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71918-Star-Wars-Female-driven-martial-arts-series-project)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Nov 29, 2020,11:16am EST
Netflix’s Hold On ‘Daredevil’ Rights Has Expired, So Fans Push Disney For Revival (https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2020/11/29/netflixs-hold-on-daredevil-rights-has-expired-so-fans-push-disney-for-revival/?sh=3699975056fd)
Paul Tassi
Senior Contributor
https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d4d6e84ec8b3e00086d1d05/960x0.jpg?fit=scale
Daredevil NETFLIX
One of the strangest things that took place in the streaming world was the slow, brutal murder of the Netflix corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which spanned five heroes and six shows, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Punisher and the amalgam series, The Defenders.

The reason being was that Netflix was cutting out most shows it did not fully have the rights to, and expensive shows like Daredevil and company were prime targets, even if they were well received and often, widely watched. And Disney didn’t care to fight for them to keep going on Netflix, given that they were about to launch Disney Plus and had their own slate of MCU shows on the way.

But now, apparently as part of the terms of the original deal, two years after the death of Daredevil, the rights now revert back to Disney and Marvel themselves from Netflix. What this means is not exactly clear, but fans believe it means that it’s now a legal option for Disney to “save” Daredevil and bring back the show for a fourth season on Disney Plus with the original cast and storylines intact. And they’ve launched a #SaveDaredevil campaign to try and make that happen.

Not to be a raincloud here, but even if that is exactly what it could mean, legally, it is very hard see this actually coming to pass.

The Daredevil universe ran for over ten seasons across all the shows and I think Marvel is content to say that’s probably “good enough.” They seem to be making a hard pivot to using Disney Plus as a vehicle for not just MCU-adjacent properties, but bringing in the actual movie actors for series like Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision and Loki. And then they are trying to form entirely new hit series like She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight, which are further down the road. In short, their plate is pretty full and it’s hard to see them bringing in Daredevil among all that as Netflix’s leftovers.

https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5dcc0911e0af7b0006b138f8/960x0.jpg?fit=scale
Falcon and the Winter Soldier CREDIT: TCD/PROD.DB / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

There’s also the idea that Daredevil and shows like The Punisher or Jessica Jones are too R-rated for Disney Plus in the first place. That’s where I can see the idea of Disney offloading new seasons of those shows to Hulu, where more violent fare is okay, but again, even that’s a stretch.

Daredevil is…pretty fully dismantled at this point. The actors have mostly moved on to other projects (Kingpin, Vincent D’Onofrio, may have the biggest role right now with a part in Netflix’s smash hit Ratched). Even the props and costumes from the series have gone to auction.

I do agree that Daredevil in particular was killed too soon, especially after it’s fantastic third season which was one of the best bits of superhero TV to ever exist. But the logistics of Disney bringing it back, or any of these shows, is just not that likely no matter how many petitions fans sign. Not to say we will never see Daredevil or Punisher in the MCU again, but Disney has a whole new era planned out already that does not seem to include them, and even the era after that is likely going to focus on a reboot of the X-Men away from FOX.

I wish Daredevil fans the best of luck with this campaign, but just…don’t get your hopes up.

threads
Daredevil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil)
Disney+ (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Still not subscribed to Disney+. With this lineup, I wouldn't watch anything else...

Dec 10, 2020 2:36pm PT
‘Star Wars’ and Marvel’s Futures Now Flow Through Disney Plus (https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/disney-plus-star-wars-marvel-pixar-series-1234850947/)

By Adam B. Vary

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahsoka-Tano-Loki-and-Ms-Marvel.jpg
Courtesy of Disney
Presaging a massive expansion of Disney Plus programming, Disney announced on Thursday that Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios will be delivering at least 22 series to the streaming service starting in 2021, with even more series coming from Disney Animation and Pixar Animation. For over two hours during the company’s Investor Day presentation, the heads of each of the company’s creative divisions unspooled an almost overwhelming torrent of new content that heavily emphasized its year-old streaming service.

Feature films released in theaters were only mentioned sporadically; linear television barely got lip service. The overwhelming effect confirmed what industry observers have surmised for months: Bolstered by the rapid subscriber growth that blasted expectations, Disney’s core business is now Disney Plus — and it will continue to be even as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

The sense of scale of the Disney Plus offerings was hinted at early by Kareem Daniel, Disney’s new distribution chief, who opened the presentation by nothing that 10 “Star Wars” series, 10 Marvel series, and 15 Disney and Pixar Animation series will debut on Disney Plus. While Daniel did not specific a time frame, the creative portion of the presentation, introduced by executive chairman Bob Iger, suggested a time horizon stretching into 2023.

Easily the biggest surprise was Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announcing a slate of 10 “Star Wars” series for Disney Plus, the most aggressive creative expansion of the franchise since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. To date, Disney has released five “Star Wars” feature films in theaters and just one series, “The Mandalorian,” on Disney Plus; by 2023, when the next feature “Star Wars” film opens in movie theaters — “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron,” from director Patty Jenkins — that ratio will have not only flipped, but just about toppled the scales.

Among the Disney Plus offerings announced by Kennedy:

• “Andor,” a “Rogue One” prequel series focusing on Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor that’s currently in production and will debut in 2022.

• “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” starring Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprising their roles from the prequel movie trilogy, which will go into production in March 2021.

• “The Rangers of the New Republic” and “Ahsoka,” direct spin-offs of “The Mandalorian” from Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. The latter will star Rosario Dawson in the title role she originated on “The Mandalorian,” and all three shows will intersect in “a climactic story event.”

• “Lando,” a new spin-off series from “Dear White People” creator Justin Simien following classic “Star Wars” rogue Lando Calrissian. The character was played by Donald Glover in 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” but it’s unclear if Glover will return for the series.

• “The Acolyte,” a female-centric series, billed as a “mystery-thriller” set in the final days of the High Republic era, from Leslye Headland (“Russian Doll”).

• “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” the animated follow up to the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

• “Star Wars: Visions,” an anthology collection of short films set in the “Star Wars” universe from 10 different Japanese animation creators, which will debut in 2021.

• “A Droid Story,” an animated series from Lucasfilm Animation and Lucasfilm’s visual effects team that sets R2-D2 and C-3PO on a new adventure.

Marvel Studios, by contrast, had already announced eight titles for Disney Plus, almost all of which are in some stage of development or production. “WandaVision” will premiere on Jan. 15; “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will debut on March 9; “Loki” will debut in May; the animated speculative series “What If…?” will debut in the summer; the live-action series “Ms. Marvel,” currently in production, will debut later in 2021; and “Hawkeye,” with Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld will debut in late 2021. For 2022, “She-Hulk,” with Tatiana Maslany, and “Moon Knight” (cast unannounced) are in the pipeline as well.

And that would have been enough! But Feige also announced four new titles for Disney Plus:

• “Secret Invasion” starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, which Feige billed as “the biggest crossover comic event of the last 20 years,” which is saying something from the man who produced “Avengers: Endgame.”

• “Ironheart,” an “Iron Man” spin-off series focusing on inventor Riri Williams, as played by Dominique Thorne (“If Beale Street Could Talk”).

• “Armor Wars,” based on the 1980s comic book series about what happens when Tony Stark’s technology falls into the wrong hands, starring Don Cheadle as War Machine.

• “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,” which writer-director James Gunn will shoot while making “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

Feige did briefly discuss Marvel Studios’ feature slate, noting, for example, that “Ms. Marvel” star Iman Vellani will appear in “Captain Marvel 2,” and announcing that “Spider-Man: Far From Home” director Jon Watts will direct a new “Fantastic 4” movie. But while Feige debuted several first looks at Marvel’s Disney Plus slate, he only mentioned his feature films in passing — even though both “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Eternals” have both finished production and will also debut in 2021. His focus was all Disney Plus.

Walt Disney Studios chief Sean Bailey also announced a few new animated feature titles for Disney Plus, including an animated “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movie; a new “Ice Age” movie, “The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild”; an animated “Night at the Museum” film; and a live-action/animated hybrid feature “Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescure Rangers” starring John Mulaney and Andy Samberg — all of them premiering on Disney Plus. And several of the studio’s live action offerings — including “Three Men and a Baby” with Zac Efron, “Cheaper by the Dozen” with Gabrielle Union; “Peter Pan & Wendy” with Jude Law and Yara Shahidi; “Sister Act 3” with Whoopi Goldberg; and “Pinocchio” with Tom Hanks — are all also debuting exclusively on Disney Plus.

The one minor exception to the Disney Plus main street parade was the presentations by Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation. Both Disney Animation head Jennifer Lee and Pixar head Pete Docter also announced a series of new animated series for Disney Plus — many, but not all, spin-offs from established feature film titles. Unlike their (mostly) live-action corporate cousins, however, both Lee and Docter spent as much time showcasing their upcoming feature slates. Considering that the Walt Disney Company began with animation, perhaps it’s fitting that at least those divisions are still eagerly in line, waiting to get back into theaters.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB9DIxdB198

threads
The-Bad-Batch (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71995-The-Bad-Batch)
Disney (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Obe Fitness and Disney Collaborate on Martial Arts Infused Workouts Inspired by “Raya and the Last Dragon” (https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2021/03/03/obe-fitness-and-disney-collaborate-on-martial-arts-infused-workouts-inspired-by-raya-and-the-last-dragon/)
by Laughing Place Disney Newsdesk | Mar 3, 2021 12:31 PM Pacific Time
Tags: Disney Plus, Movies, Obe Fitness, Raya and the Last Dragon
Obe Fitness has partnered with Disney to bring some martial arts-infused workouts to subscribers, inspired by scenes in the upcoming Raya and the Last Dragon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YWMYSdTZi8

What’s Happening:

Ready to channel your inner warrior? Walt Disney Animation Studios' newest epic, Raya and the Last Dragon, is a hero’s journey to remember with #girlpower, inspiration, and life lessons to spare. And yes, there are fitness lessons as well.

The movie’s action sequences—in which the main character, Raya, is fighting to save humanity—are inspired by a number of martial arts traditions: Arnis, from the Philippines, Pencak Silat, from Indonesia and Malaysia, Muay Thai, from Thailand, and “a little bit of Vietnamese wrestling,” according to Qui Nguyen, Raya and the Last Dragon co-writer who is also credited with additional fight reference choreography.

Obe Fitness, a live and on-demand fitness class program, will be holding special Raya and the Last Dragon themed workout classes, taught by three of their instructors. The appeal of Raya’s quest is universal, and Obé instructors Dorian, Walter, and Spencer will be celebrating Raya and the Last Dragon, explaining what they’ll be teaching in early March. (The first class will launch on March 3rd, and the last will be on March 7th.)

https://803277.smushcdn.com/1580116/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/obe-fitness-and-disney-collaborate-on-martial-arts-infused-workouts-inspired-by-raya-and-the-last-dragon.png?lossy=0&strip=0&webp=1

You can experience some Raya and the Last Dragon-themed fun (and intensity) in these dusted-with-Disney-magic classes. Do NOT miss it:
March 3rd with Spencer
7pm EST: Kumandran Magic Sculpt
7:30pm: Kumandran Magic Dance Cardio
March 6th with Walter
11am: Battle Squad Family Friendly Strength
11:30am: Battle Squad Family Friendly Dance HIIT
March 7th with Dorian
9am: Heart of Raya Strength
9:30am: Heart of Raya HIIT
Raya and the Last Dragon makes its debut theatrically (where available) on Friday, March 5th, as well as on Disney+ as part of their upcharge Premiere Access program.

Threads
Raya-and-the-Last-Dragon (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71903-Raya-and-the-Last-Dragon)
Disney (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

I hear so much about 'cancel culture' but frankly, if Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/) fired me for supporting Falun Gong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?25214-FALUN-GONG-Falun-Dafa), which would potentially harm TC sales, I'd wouldn't say I'd been 'cancelled'. That would be a dumb ass mistake on my part.

We have had issues with Falun Gong.


Disney Just Cancelled A Gina Carano Episode That Was Already Filmed (https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/gina-carano-disney.html)
By DOUG NORRIE | 1 DAY AGO

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gina-carano-2.jpg
Gina Carano isn’t done getting canceled by Disney yet. Though she’s been fully removed from the Star Wars universe and won’t be coming back anytime soon, the studio is still working to remove her from work she already put in. Think of this as additional canceling, making sure they can move on from the actress without having to face any additional backlash going forward. That’s because apparently Disney also scrapped an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls that featured the actress.

According to early info for the series, Gina Carano was set to appear on episode six of Running Wild with Bear Grylls and it had already been filmed. The actress and host had both previously shared their excitement on social media about the episode. Carano tweeted that they spent time in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy and apparently things had gone rather smoothly. This was back in early January.

But those plans have been scrubbed by at least Disney who has no plans to air the Gina Carano show. Running Wild with Bear Grylls is a Discovery Channel property though Disney+ does stream the series on the platform as well. But after their high-profile split with the actress, the company has no apparent desire to reopen anything close to ties with her going forward. They have decided to remove that episode from this season’s lineup. So it wasn’t just getting canceled Carano from Star Wars, they don’t want her appearing anymore on the platform on other projects either.

Running Wild with Bear Grylls is a popular Discovery Channel show that has the titular host bringing on different celebrities to participate in a variety of survival and extreme activities. Over the years a number of high-profile folks have jumped on board like Zac Efron, Kate Winslet, Ben Stiller, and Channing Tatum. Plus, there’s been quite a bit of Disney/ Marvel crossover as well with Brie Larson and David Bautista coming on and Anthony Mackie set to make an appearance this coming season. Gina Carano was one of those folks planned as well too in what would have likely been a cool episode considering the actress’s athletic background.

It’s unclear if Discovery plans on airing the episode on their own streaming service, though early looks at the episode guide make it appear they are moving away from the Gina Carano as well. Originally she’d been slated for that sixth episode but now that’s going to be Danny Trejo instead.

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/gina-carano-2-2048x1152.jpg

Gina Carano, of course, was all the talk of cancel culture within the last few months because of her much-publicized ouster from the Star Wars franchise on Disney+. There she played Cara Dune on the wildly popular The Mandalorian series through the first two seasons. And apparently, her role was set to expand in a major way with Rangers of the New Republic. But all of that came to an end when she tweeted a comparison between the plight of Jewish people in the Holocaust to the treatment of modern-day Republicans. That culminated months-long speculation about her future with Star Wars and Disney because of other controversial statements. She was removed from her role.

Though she picked up a new gig with The Daily Wire, apparently the canceling of Gina Carano by Disney isn’t over yet. She won’t be making her survival appearance on the platform and that’s just a further sign there’s no intention of ever bringing her back.

threads
Gina-Carano (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55819-Gina-Carano)
Disney (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

retitling this thread to add 'Wakanda Forever'


'Black Panther' TV Series: Danai Gurira to Reprise Role as Okoye on Disney+ (https://collider.com/black-panther-tv-show-cast-danai-gurira-okoye/)
BY JEFF SNEIDER
PUBLISHED 18 HOURS AGO

The untitled series hails from producer Ryan Coogler and will take place in the kingdom of Wakanda.

https://static1.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Danai-Gurira-Black-Panther.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=750&h=375&dpr=1.5
Get ready to see a whole lot more of Danai Gurira in the MCU, as the actress has closed a deal to reprise her role as Okoye in the upcoming Black Panther spinoff series coming to Disney+ as well as Ryan Coogler's upcoming sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The hot casting news was first tipped by the Hollywood Reporter in a list of top entertainment attorneys, though Collider has since confirmed it with sources close to the project. Representatives for Disney and Marvel had no comment.

The untitled Black Panther TV series, which will be set in the kingdom of Wakanda, hails from Coogler's Proximity Media banner. Plot details remain under wraps, but the ancient high-tech society provides fertile ground for a scripted series, and though it's unclear who will be joining Gurira on the show, Okyoe's involvement is a great start.

“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation. With Black Panther, Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a watershed cultural moment. We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship and look forward to telling more great stories with Ryan and his team," Disney's Bob Iger said in a recent statement when Coogler's Disney deal was announced.

Coogler is currently hard at work on the Black Panther sequel, which will not recast the title character in the wake of the tragic, untimely death of star Chadwick Boseman. That Marvel movie is currently set to hit theaters on July 8, 2022, and Proximity is eager to expand the story on the small screen. Coogler's collaborators include his wife, Zinzi Coogler, as well as Sev Ohanian, Archie Davis, Peter Nicks and composer Ludwig Göransson.

Gurira played Michonne on The Walking Dead before joining the Marvel universe, and she returned as Okoye in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. She's also attached to play Shirley Chisholm in an upcoming biopic. The actress, who has worked with directors ranging from Tom McCarthy to Wes Craven, is represented by UTA, Suskin Management and per the THR link above, attorney Jamie Mandelbaum. Thanks for the assist, counselor!

threads
Black-Panther-Wakanda-Forever (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71012-Black-Panther-Wakanda-Forever)
Disney (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VYb3B1ETlk

threads
Disney (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
Hawkeye (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72143-Hawkeye)

[GeneChing]

My head just exploded...


2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition Launched In China (https://gmauthority.com/blog/2022/01/2022-chevy-menlo-ev-mickey-kung-fu-edition-launched-in-china/)

BY DEIVIS CENTENO— JAN 5, 2022

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-001-front-three-quarter-720x340.jpg

Strengthening the strategic collaboration it established a couple of years ago with Disney in China, General Motors has just launched a new version of the Chevy Menlo EV in the Asian country. The automaker introduced the 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition, the latest themed variant of Chevrolet‘s electric crossover designed in conjunction with the entertainment giant for the Chinese market.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-002-front-three-quarter.jpg

The 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition went on sale at the end of December in China – the only country in the world where this electric vehicle is marketed. This new limited-production version of the crossover is focused on young families looking for a vehicle with a more amusing personality. In addition, customers who purchase the Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu will get exclusive Disney-sponsored benefits.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-003-front-end.jpg

The 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition is the third limited-edition themed model released by Chevrolet and Disney in the Chinese market over the past twelve months, following the Menlo EV Mickey Magic Edition and Menlo EV Mickey Space Edition that were introduced last year. The new edition is based on the Mickey Kung Fu saga, where Disney’s most popular animated character practices martial arts of Chinese origin.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-004-side-profile.jpg

The new 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition comes with a white body, a black painted roof with thousands of patterned Mickey Kung Fu silhouettes as well as orange accenting on both the exterior and interior. At the same time, it features Mickey’s D-pillar martial arts “Mi” badge and a distinctive self-luminescent wheel hub cover with the Mickey icon.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-005-rear-window.jpghttps://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Exterior-006-Mickey-icon-wheel.jpg

Inside, the 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition has a dark cabin with contrast orange trim, along with ambient lighting that illuminates parts of both the dash and doors. The steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara with a center position line and orange stitching, while the state-of-the-art infotainment system features a custom interface with themed icons.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Chevrolet-Menlo-EV-Mickey-Kung-Fu-Edition-China-Interior-002-cockpit-center-stack-central-module-instruments-panel.jpg

The 2022 Chevy Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition is now on sale at the Chevrolet dealership network in China. In addition to the extended driving range of 518 km or 322 miles introduced with the new model year, customers who purchase the Menlo EV Mickey Kung Fu Edition will receive an exclusive gift box, concierge service and special privileges at Shanghai Disneyland. Pricing is set at 179,900 CNY, about $28,300 USD at the current exchange rate.

Threads
Kung Fu Stock Cars (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?43327-Kung-Fu-Stock-Cars)
Chinese Theme Parks (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?62642-Chinese-Theme-Parks)
Disney+ (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

****, the photo links don't share... click the link to see

[GeneChing]

Jan 13, 2022 12:30pm PT
‘Real Steel’ Series in Early Development at Disney Plus (https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/real-steel-series-disney-plus-1235148275/)

By Joe Otterson

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Real-Steel-e1641496021900.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1&resize=681%2C383
©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection
A “Real Steel” series adaptation is in the early stages of development at Disney Plus, Variety has learned.

The potential series would be based on the 2011 film of the same name, which was itself based on the short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson.

The film took place in the not too distant future in which human boxers have been replaced by giant fighting robots. Hugh Jackman starred as a former boxer who, along with his estranged son, fixes up an old robot they find in a junkyard and turns it into a champion.

As the project is still in the very early stages, no writer is yet attached. That means it is not yet clear if the show would adhere to the events of the original film or take a different direction altogether with new characters.

Shawn Levy, who directed the “Real Steel” film, will executive produce the series via 21 Laps. Robert Zemeckis and Jack Rapke of Compari Entertainment also executive produce, as does Jacqueline Levine, and Susan Montford and Don Murphy of Angry Films. The Disney Branded Television series will be produced by 20th Television.

Along with Jackman, the “Real Steel” film starred Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Olga Fonda, Karl Yune, and several more. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film went on to gross just shy of $300 million worldwide against a reported budget of $110 million. It also received an Academy Award nomination for best visual effects.

Should the “Real Steel” series move forward, it would be the latest attempt by Disney Plus to mine existing IP under the media giant’s umbrella as a new streaming series. In addition to the successful Marvel and “Star Wars” series that have already aired on Disney Plus, the streamer also has shows like “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and upcoming fare like “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “National Treasure,” and “Willow.”

threads
Real-Steel (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?61907-Real-Steel)
Disney+ (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

‘Shang-Chi’s Michelle Yeoh & Destin Daniel Cretton Reunite For Disney+ Series ‘American Born Chinese’; Chin Han, Yeo Yann Yann & Daniel Wu Also Star (https://deadline.com/2022/02/shang-chi-michelle-yeoh-destin-daniel-cretton-american-born-chinese-disney-plus-series-chin-han-yeo-yann-yann-daniel-wu-also-star-1234927624/)

By Mike Fleming Jr
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Film
@DeadlineMike

February 7, 2022 7:30am

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Michelle-Yeoh-featured.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Michelle Yeoh
EXCLUSIVE: After teaming in the Disney/Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh is set to top an international cast for the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Disney+ fantastical series American Born Chinese. She will star alongside Ben Wang (MacGyver), Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once and as a child he starred in Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), former Taekwondo champion Jim Liu and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Ben-Wang.jpg?w=214
Ben Wang
Sean Velasco-Dodge
https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Yeo-Yann-Yann.jpg?w=229
Yeo Yann Yann
Chen You Wei
Produced by 20th Television for Disney Branded Television, American Born Chinese will begin production this month in Los Angeles. The genre-hopping action comedy is adapted from Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel by Emmy-winning writer-producer Kelvin Yu (Bob’s Burgers, Central Park) who is EP and showrunner. Cretton directs and is also EP alongside Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan, Erin O’Malley, Asher Goldstein and Gene Luen Yang.

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Chin-Han.jpg?w=206
Chin Han
Reto Sterchi
https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Daniel-Wu.jpg?w=215
Daniel Wu
Wing Shya
Yeoh, whose film work includes Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II and James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar sequels, with TV credits including Star Trek: Discovery and the upcoming The Witcher: Blood Origin, here will play Guanyin. She is an unassuming auntie who helps her nephew Wei-Chen navigate the challenges of American high school while maintaining her secret identity as the all-powerful Buddhist bodhisattva of Compassion. The series focuses on Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin unwittingly is entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. The action-packed coming-of-age adventure explores identity, culture and family.

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Ke-Huy-Quan.jpg?w=213
Ke Huy Quan
Paul Wong
https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jimmy-Liu.jpg?w=214
Jimmy Liu
Josh Monkey
Wang plays Jin Wang, the American teen whose parents immigrated from Taiwan and who is struggling to carve out exactly who he’s supposed to be, socially and culturally. Yann Yann plays Jin’s mom, Christine Wang, a strong-willed, opinionated woman with a sly wit, who loves her family deeply. Han plays Jin’s father Simon, a hard-working, devoted father and husband who is bumping up against the “bamboo ceiling” at his job.

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Sydney-Taylor.jpg?w=215
Sydney Taylor
Amy Casson
Wu plays Sun Wukong “The Monkey King,” the legendary, all-powerful god of the Chinese epic Journey to the West, who enters our world in search of his son. Quan plays Freddy Wong, a fictional character from a popular mid-1990s sitcom. Liu plays Jin’s confident friend Wei-Chen, a teen who has just arrived in the United States, whose sweet demeanor belies the deeper mystery of his true identity. And Taylor plays Amelia, a friendly “all-American” girl who is Jin’s classmate and crush.

Yeoh’s deal was made by David Unger of Artist International Group.



threads
American Born Chinese (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72260-American-Born-Chinese)
Disney+ (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Disney+'s American Born Chinese Is Turning Into an Everything Everywhere All at Once Reunion (https://gizmodo.com/american-born-chinese-disney-casts-stephanie-hsu-miche-1848906903)
The upcoming show about teenagers embroiled in battles between mythic Chinese gods adds Stephanie Hsu to its lineup.
By Linda Codega
Yesterday 5:00PM
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_fit,f_auto,g_center,pg_1,q_60,w_965/d8db831bea4bdf8412441427c70825b1.jpg
Stephanie Hsu as Jobu Tupaki in Everything Everywhere All at Once
Hail to Hsu.Photo: Allyson Riggs/Courtesy of A24
Amid an absolutely stacked cast, Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Nora from Queens) has been cast as a guest star in the new Disney+ series American Born Chinese. According to Variety, “Hsu will appear as Shiji Niangniang, the Goddess of Stones, who works in a modern day jewelry shop along with her magical dog.”

American Born Chinese is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang that depicts the intersection of Chinese mythology and family through the enmeshing of three storylines. Kelvin Yu is poised to write, produce, and act as the showrunner for the show, which already reads as being much more action-oriented than the original graphic novel, which told a grounded, careful storyline amid magic and identity. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) directs and executive produces.

In the Disney+ show, the series will follow Jin Wang (Ben Wang), who is struggling to balance his high school social life and the pressures he feels at home. When Jin runs into Chinese exchange student Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, “their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. Identity, culture and family are themes throughout,” according to Variety.

Also in the cast is Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, both of whom starred alongside Hsu in the Daniels’ multiverse film, Everything Everywhere All at Once. Revealed in a Disney press release, Yeoh (who was also in Cretton’s Shang-Chi) will play Guanyin, an unassuming auntie, who helps her nephew Wei-Chen navigate the challenges of American high school while maintaining her secret identity as the all-powerful Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion. Quan plays as Freddy Wong, a fictional character from a popular mid-1990s sitcom. Also in the cast is Daniel Wu as the Monkey King, Sun Wukong—the legendary, all-powerful god of the Chinese epic Journey to the West, who enters our world in search of his son. There’s no word yet on when American Born Chinese might be premiering, but it’s high on our list of must-watch series when it does.

threads
American-Born-Chinese (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72260-American-Born-Chinese)
Everything-Everywhere-All-At-Once (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72284-Everything-Everywhere-All-At-Once)
Disney (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

May 19, 2022 1:00pm PT
‘Daredevil’ Disney+ Series in the Works With Matt Corman, Chris Ord Set to Write (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/daredevil-disney-plus-series-matt-corman-chris-ord-1235272299/)

By Joe Otterson

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/daredevil-season-3-e1539888008263.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1&resize=681%2C383
David Lee/Netflix

A new “Daredevil” series is moving forward at Disney+, with Variety having exclusively learned from sources that Matt Corman and Chris Ord are attached to write and executive produce.

Rumors have persisted for some time that a Disney+ series about the Man Without Fear was in the works, especially considering that two of the stars of the Netflix “Daredevil” series — Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio — have appeared in recent Marvel projects. Cox once again played Matt Murdock, the secret identity of Daredevil, in the film “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” while D’Onofrio reprised the role of Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, in the Disney+ series “Hawkeye.”

It now appears that the project is picking up steam with the hiring of Corman and Ord, although Marvel has yet to announce anything regarding the show formally.

Reps for Corman and Ord declined to comment. Marvel Studios reps do not comment on projects in development.

Corman and Ord most famously co-created the USA Network series “Covert Affairs” starring Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham. The show aired for five seasons on the basic cabler between 2010 and 2014. They most recently worked as executive producers and co-showrunners on the NBC drama shows “The Enemy Within” and “The Brave” as well as The CW series “Containment.”

They are repped by Verve, Entertainment 360, and Goodman Genow.

Fans have been clamoring for more Daredevil ever since the Netflix series was canceled in 2018 after three seasons. They were in for a long wait, however, as Variety reported in 2018 that the deal with Netflix included a clause that prevented any characters from the Marvel-Netflix shows from appearing in any non-Netflix projects for two years after cancellation.

The move came as Disney looked to bring its Marvel heroes under one umbrella, with multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe shows having since debuted on Disney+. “Moon Knight” starring Oscar Isaac was the last such show to premiere, with a trailer for the “She-Hulk” series starring Tatiana Maslany dropping earlier this week.

Disney (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
DareDevil (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil)

[GeneChing]

EXCLUSIVE
The Acolyte: How Star Wars Is About to Venture Back in Time (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/05/the-acolyte-star-wars-series)
Showrunner Leslye Headland previews the upcoming Disney+ series set in the galaxy’s High Republic era.

BY ANTHONY BREZNICAN

MAY 24, 2022

A concept image from the publishing project based in the High Republic.COURTESY OF LUCASFILM.

The Acolyte will expand upon an aspect of Star Wars that was always slightly mind-bending, even if it’s become under-appreciated over the years. The events in the galaxy far, far away were never presented as some advanced version of our future. Instead, the very first words of the saga place it “a long time ago.”

Within that Star Wars chronology, The Acolyte is about to venture even further back in time.

The show, which is still in the preproduction phase, takes place about 100 years before any of the screen stories fans have already watched. That sets the story at the tail end of an era known as the High Republic, which was an age of wealth and innovation for the galaxy, with white-clad Jedi inspiring awe and the dark side of the Force seemingly erased from existence.

It was a golden age—or maybe just a gilded one. That’s the way showrunner Leslye Headland made it sound as she previewed the upcoming Disney+ series for Vanity Fair’s cover story, Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised.

Headland, best known for her work producing and directing for the shows Russian Doll and Single Drunk Female, and the movies Bachelorette and Sleeping With Other People, is drawing extensively from what’s known as the Expanded Universe, or “the E.U.,” which is the plethora of books, games, and comics that are now considered unofficial “legends” instead of narrative canon. When The Acolyte debuts, lovers of those stories may be relieved to see aspects of them become real once again.

“She is a gigantic Star Wars fan,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “What’s wonderful about Leslye is she knows it all. I mean, she’s read a gazillion books inside the E.U. There are little bits and pieces that she’s drawing from that no one has explored yet in the onscreen storytelling.”

The High Republic era of Star Wars has not previously been depicted in TV or movies, but it has been extensively chronicled in Lucasfilm publishing—especially in a recent series of books and comics set during the peak of this prosperous age. The Darkest Minds and The Hate U Give star Amandla Stenberg is reportedly set to play the lead role, although no official casting announcement has been made.

It’s still too early for Headland to fully reveal what the title means—and maybe it has multiple points of significance. But she strongly hints that it points toward an adherent to the dark side of the Force. “Acolyte” is commonly used to refer to a follower, especially a deeply devoted one. A true believer. But its primary definition is someone who assists a religious leader in the performance of a ritual. In Star Wars lore, practitioners of the dark side always worked in pairs—a master, and an apprentice.

“In the prequels, Mace Windu says: ‘There’s no way that the Sith could have reemerged without us knowing about it.’ And Yoda says, ‘Hard to see, the dark side is,’” Headland points out. “He acknowledges that this is a part of the Force that has been dormant, or at least hidden from them, for so long. What I immediately wondered about this particular period was: Who is practicing it?”

The Acolyte is still distant on the horizon, with no release date specified, but here’s what Headland had to say about her plans for it:
https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/628cf37e0c4ca7ef8889fbe3/master/w_1600,c_limit/462155526
PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 25: Director/writer Leslye Headland of "Sleeping with Other People" poses for a portrait at the Village at the Lift Presented by McDonald's McCafe during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)LARRY BUSACCA

Vanity Fair: How do you explain the High Republic to a Star Wars fan who may not yet be familiar with the stories the books have been telling?

The way I would explain the High Republic, and specifically where my show takes place, is that I'm about 100 years before The Phantom Menace. So, a lot of those characters haven't even been born yet. My question in watching The Phantom Menace was always like, "Well, how did things get to this point?" Do you know what I mean? How did we get to where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? What went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment? So that's what I would say. That's how I would describe it to my friends, especially my non-Star Wars friends.

One hundred years in our own world is a huge leap. There are unthinkable changes in the span of century. Is that true of the Star Wars world, too? Obviously there are starships, there are lightsabers, but is it a different era technologically in the High Republic?

Absolutely. I mean, I love the fact that George Lucas, when he originally made Episodes 4 through 6 [a.k.a. the original trilogy], you can see that he wants everything to feel like it has this particular type of decay. This is a lived-in sci-fi fantasy world, not a sleek, well-put-together aesthetic. He was really going for something that I think was a bit revolutionary at the time.

When he tasked himself with making the prequels, the way that he decided to address technology and all of those types of things was to make it a much sleeker, better-looking, almost more advanced time. That's what's kind of weird about Star Wars. The further you go back, the better things are. “A long time ago” actually becomes more futuristic. So while we are creating this type of world, we're trying to carry George's concept that the further you go back, the more exciting and new and sleek and interesting things look.


"How did we get to where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? "

The way you're describing it reminds me of the Roman era, a time where that empire was very powerful and fairly technologically advanced. Then that region of the world falls into a period of barbarism, and the Dark Ages follow. Is that similar to what you're talking about here? Is the High Republic an era of education and advancement and glory, while the Star Wars movies and shows that we know best are from a time of collapse and decay?

Yes. We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age Of Enlightenment. There doesn't necessarily need to be an uprising among people in the expanded regions or in the inner worlds, because everybody's doing so well. For what I'm exploring, another good analogy might be post World War I in the United States, where we very much got into this isolationist concept of: we're not helping anybody. We want to protect this particular vibe that we have going. [Laughs.] ‘Vibe’ is definitely not the word they use.

So the leaders of this galactic era would rather ignore conflict or suffering than resolve it?

The High Republic is so golden in so many ways. The Jedi uniforms are gold and white and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about. The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes. So of course my question is like, ‘Well, what else is going on?’ You can't just end up with George’s Phantom Menace situation if everything is going well.

It has to be going well at the expense of what? What is not being attended to? What are we turning a blind eye to that could lead to the rise of somebody like Palpatine about a century later? Yes, it's one bad guy, but it's one bad guy that completely undermines the entire system of government. A lot of other things must have been going on beneath the surface.

And we know the Jedi completely miss this.

[They’re] constantly talking about balance. If the light side is proliferating everywhere, what's going on with the dark side? How is it manifesting itself? What is it doing to survive? Because it very clearly does later on in the world.
continued next post

[GeneChing]

"The Jedi uniforms are gold and white and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about.

I've heard you describe The Acolyte as a mystery. So is that the mystery, what's below the surface of this glossy world?

Yes—are things what they seem to be? Are things as good as everybody's saying they are? That's the big question of any society that has these big booming periods. There is some form of counterculture or some form of underground, whether good or bad, you know what I mean?

What are some of your cinematic influences for the show?

Jon Favreau said that when you're working in this world, you want to go back to what George was inspired by. There were Westerns and then of course, Akira Kurosawa samurai films, and the fact that he originally offered Obi-Wan Kenobi to Toshiro Mifune …

So I actually went more toward martial arts films, and storylines that are a little bit more personal and less global and galactic. Those warriors were on missions that were deeply personal, with people feeling wronged and having to make it right. Wuxia Films and martial arts films from King Hu and the Shaw Brothers, like Come Drink With Me and Touch Of Zen. They're monks that are also martial arts heroes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idWClPBd1W4

What can you share about how The Acolyte originated?

I was pitching with Kathy Kennedy and we were developing this with [Lucasfilm development execs] Michelle Rejwan, and Rayne Roberts, who was like my main gal on this project. She was the person that literally found me and shepherded this idea all the way up to the top. We were really getting into it, and what's so exciting about those [influencing] stories is that you don't always know exactly who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. You're not quite sure whether you can trust the heroine in this case as a result of that.

Honestly, my pitch to Kathy was the first time that everybody in the room was a woman. I've done many of those types of pitches and I was like, ‘This is trippy that my big [intellectual property] meeting is all ladies.’ That was pretty cool.

Since this is the first screen story told from the High Republic era, what was their ambition for it? Were they looking to break free of the well-explored Star Wars universe?

The truth is that I, as a major mega fan, came to them with this idea. And I said, 'I think the best place to put this is in an era you guys have not quite explored yet.' They were very enthusiastic. It wasn't that they didn't want to explore that [existing] world, but I think that they already were because The Mandalorian and a lot of the other television projects were really relying on legacy characters.

I was coming at it as a fan who was much more into the RPG [role-playing games] that the Extended Universe feeds on. I came hard at that in the '90s, and then got introduced to [the animated series] The Clone Wars. I knew the timeline really well. And I was like, "I think if you want to explore Star Wars from the perspective of the bad guys, the best time to do it is when the bad guys are wildly outnumbered. When they actually are essentially the underdogs, for lack of a better term." So this would be that era.

Kathy Kennedy and I talked about how Star Wars publishing can serve as a kind of storytelling test kitchen. They’ve been putting out a lot of books about the High Republic in recent years. Was that a factor in the creation of the show?

[Publishing] had just launched Phase One for the High Republic, and I think it was just kind of kismet. "Actually we could do that. That is something that we're now prepared for..." The deep, deep fans are actually much more like, ‘Okay, I’ve got it. I know what this is. I know what place I'm in.’ I was pitching something so specific that would only really work in this time period. And [Lucasfilm] was like, ‘This is actually a time period we're interested in pursuing.’

There's always a lot of pressure around Star Wars. What are the stakes of this show from a franchise standpoint?

I feel a lot of pressure, but I also feel—weirdly—enormous amounts of freedom because I don't feel like I'm dealing with legacy characters, which is a lot scarier... I mean, you could not pay me enough money to try to be in the Luke Skywalker timeline. I'm like, "No, thank you!" [Laughs.] It's just too intense. There's too much iconography and intensity with those particular characters.

Whereas, I think I'm telling a story that's more about a timeline we don't know much about. Let's hang out here for a little bit and check out what Star Wars looks like when the good guys are actually in charge. What happens? We know what it eventually leads to, so let's explore. What are the holes that we can poke into what happened?

Can you talk to me about the necessity to grow beyond the Skywalker era?

I mean, it's such a good question. And I think there are probably people that would disagree with you. There would be people who say, ‘That is Star Wars. Star Wars is the Skywalker saga.’ For someone like myself who was introduced to Star Wars not just through the films, but also through role playing games, I'm also like, ‘You don't understand what type of escapism this afforded me as a young kid—a kid that did not fit in, that had many, many behavioral problems.’ I was able to escape into that world with my friends, to pretend that I was part of that world. It was not like, ‘And now you have to do a scene from the original movie.’

You could imagine your own scenarios.

My first stabs at writing were writing essentially what you might call Star Wars fan fiction, meaning I would be inspired by [Timothy Zahn’s 1991 Star Wars novel] Heir to the Empire. I'd be inspired by a particular [gaming] session with my friends and then I would go and I'd write. ‘What if my character was also in a different scenario, and what would she do there?’

That to me is the magic of Star Wars. It's not just the characters. It's not just that particular monomyth. That is part of it. That is part of the longevity. But it feels like a world so much more so than a story. But I also don't want to say that and make it sound like it isn't one of the best stories that our culture has ever produced.


"I feel a lot of pressure, but I also feel—weirdly—enormous amounts of freedom because I don't feel like I'm dealing with legacy characters, which is a lot scarier."

Star Wars is set in a society in which there is great spiritual advancement and also great technological advancement. And in between, people are trying to maintain their humanity while being drawn by these two poles.

It is unusual to point to pieces of pop culture that have representations of extreme spirituality. The concept of God is such a heavy concept. The concept of religion is such a really oppressive one, especially for people like myself and many, many others. So what you just made me realize is that part of the lasting effect is that Star Wars is a spiritual story.

Even Tolkien is not as spiritual as the Force is, or as Yoda is. I remember as a child being raised in a Catholic home … When Yoda says, ‘Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter,’ even as a kid I understood that so much more than I understood catechisms and sacraments and all of those other things. I got that immediately: That I have a spirit in addition to having a body. For George to have done that, it's almost an impossible thing.

Is that part of The Acolyte too?

That would be my big hope in getting to play in this world, to continue to search through a spiritual story that changes someone's identity or destiny. That to me is the heart of it.

This interview has been edited for context and clarity.

The Acolyte (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72323-The-Acolyte)
Disney+ (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)

[GeneChing]

Dec 5, 2022 2:25pm PT
‘Daredevil’ Disney+ Series Adds Sandrine Holt, Margarita Levieva to Cast (https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/daredevil-disney-plus-series-cast-margarita-levieva-sandrine-holt-1235450729/)

By Joe Otterson

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Collage-Maker-05-Dec-2022-05.13-PM.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt
Getty

“Daredevil: Born Again” at Disney+ is building out its cast, Variety has confirmed with sources.

Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt have both been cast in the Marvel Studios series. They join previously announced leads Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as well as cast member Michael Gandolfini. Cox and D’Onofrio are reprising the roles of Daredevil and Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk respectively, whom they played in the original “Daredevil” series at Netflix. All other character details are being kept under wraps.

Marvel Studios does not comment on projects in development.

Holt most recently appeared in multiple episodes of “American Gigolo” at Showtime and “Better Call Saul” for AMC. She is also known for her work in shows like Netflix’s “House of Cards,” “The Expanse” at Amazon, and “Homeland,” also at Showtime. She is repped by APA, Silver Lining Entertainment and Offer Weber Dern.

Levieva previously appeared in all three seasons of the HBO series “The Deuce.” She has also starred in shows like “Revenge” at ABC and films like “Adventureland” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.” She is repped by Paradigm, Silver Lining Entertainment, Subtitle Entertainment, and Offer Weber Dern.

Variety exclusively reported that Matt Corman and Chris Ord are set to serve as writers and executive producers on “Daredevil: Born Again.” The show is slated to debut in 2024.

Fans have been clamoring for more Daredevil ever since the Netflix series was canceled in 2018 after three seasons. They were in for a long wait, however, as Variety reported in 2018 that the deal with Netflix included a clause that prevented any characters from the Marvel-Netflix shows from appearing in any non-Netflix projects for two years after cancellation.


Disney (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney)
DareDevil (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil)

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtytYWhg2mc

https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71104-Disney
The Acolyte (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72735-The-Acolyte)