Moviefone Editorial

Tag: Disney Plus

  • ‘Love, Simon’ May Be Adapted to TV Series for Disney+

    ‘Love, Simon’ May Be Adapted to TV Series for Disney+

    Love, Simon
    20th Century Fox

    The label behind “Love, Simon” may not have survived Disney’s acquisition of Fox, but there’s still interest in the story. A TV series adaptation for the new streaming service Disney+ is reportedly a possibility.

    The idea is being explored, according to Variety. Details are scarce and Disney has yet to comment, so it remains to be seen what the project would look like. A source did tell Variety, though, that it could involve the film’s writers, Issac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who are also “This Is Us” co-showrunners.

    The 2018 film focused on Simon (Nick Robinson), a closeted gay high school student from Georgia whose life changes when he falls for an anonymous classmate online. It is based on Becky Albertalli’s 2015 young adult novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.” There also happens to be a sequel called “Leah on the Offbeat,” which could, in theory, also serve as source material for the potential TV series.

    So far, there are several series based on existing properties headed to Disney+. These include a “Monsters, Inc.” sequel series, a “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” prequel, a Marvel series centered on the Vision and Scarlet Witch, and more. Like the others, a “Love, Simon” series could also be a big draw.

    [via: Variety]

  • The ‘Monsters, Inc.’ Cast to Reunite for Disney+ Sequel Series

    The ‘Monsters, Inc.’ Cast to Reunite for Disney+ Sequel Series

    Pixar

    “Monsters, Inc.” is back in business, with a new animated series featuring almost the entire original voice cast of the beloved Pixar flick in development for Disney’s upcoming streaming service.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show, “Monsters at Work,” will be a sequel series set after the events of the original 2001 film, which starred Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski and John Goodman as James P. Sullivan, better known as Sulley. Other returning stars include John Ratzenberger (Yeti), Jennifer Tilly (Celia), and Bob Peterson (Roz).

    The newcomers to the cast are equally as exciting. They include: Ben Feldman (“Superstore”), Kelly Marie Tran (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), Henry Winkler (“Barry”), Lucas Neff (“Raising Hope”), Alanna Ubach (“Coco”), Stephen Stanton (“Star Wars Resistance”), and Aisha Tyler (“Archer”).

    Here’s the breakdown for “Monsters at Work,” and who’s who among the cast, per THR’s report:

    ‘Monsters at Work’ picks up six months after the original movie with the power plant at its center now harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis. The series follows Tylor Tuskmon (Feldman), an eager and talented mechanic on the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team who dreams of working on the Laugh Floor alongside Mike and Sulley.

    Tran will voice Val Little, Tylor’s lifelong friend and confidante; Winkler will give life to Fritz, the scatterbrained boss; Neff will voice Duncan, an opportunistic plumber; Ubach is Cutter, the officious rule follower; Stanton is Smitty and Needleman, the bumbling custodial team; and Tyler voices Tylor’s mom, Millie Tuskmon.

    We’re especially excited to see Tyler among the cast, since she’s excellent on long-running FX animated spy spoof series “Archer.” The language on this show will probably be a bit cleaner than Lana’s, though.

    “Monsters at Work” is set to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2020. An exact launch date for that service is currently unknown, but it’s expected to arrive at the end of this year. Additional details are expected to be revealed during a Disney investor presentation this week.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • A TV Show About Disney Villains in the Works for Disney+ Streaming Service

    A TV Show About Disney Villains in the Works for Disney+ Streaming Service

    Disney

    The villains finally get to have their time in the spotlight.

    A television series focused on classic Disney villains is in the works for the upcoming streaming service Disney+.

    Called “Book of Enchantment,” the show is adapted from a popular book series by Serena Valentino centered on villains including the Beast, Ursula, the Wicked Queen, and the witch from Snow White.

    Michael Seitzman (“Quantico,” “Code Black”) will write the script for the drama, which has reportedly been in the works for months.

    The project is described by Deadline as “an epic universe that weaves classic Disney tales told in a brand new way.”

    Disney villains have been fully-fleshed characters in other shows before, notably ABC’s “Once Upon a Time.”

    This is just the latest of many series put into development by Disney+, in a bid for the corporation to compete with the likes of Netflix. The nascent streaming service already has several “Star Wars” series in production, as well as a couple of Marvel shows. There are also re-imaginings of “High School Musical” and “High Fidelity.”

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ to Feature Classic Droid From ‘A New Hope’

    ‘The Mandalorian’ to Feature Classic Droid From ‘A New Hope’

    New Hope droids
    Lucasfilm

    The upcoming “Star Wars” live-action series “The Mandalorian” is tapping into some original trilogy magic.

    Executive producer Jon Favreau has been teasing fans with pictures of props and other items from the set of the Disney+ series. Now, he’s revealed that a callback to “A New Hope” in the form of the classic droid R5-D4.

    As you may recall, R5-D4 appeared near the beginning of the movie when the Jawas on Tattooine were selling droids to Owen Skywalker. He selected R5-D4 — which his nephew called “Red” — but then the droid malfunctioned, so they chose R2-D2 instead. And “Star Wars” history was made.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BtM4dbqhJIe/?utm_source=ig_embed

    “The Mandalorian,” which stars Pedro Pascal as the titular gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, is set after the events of “Return of the Jedi.” So could this be the very same R5-D4?

    If so, his canon backstory makes the droid all the more interesting. In the story anthology “A Certain Point of View,” author Rae Carson wrote “The Red One” from R5’s point of view. Turns out he malfunctions on purpose so that R2 can go with the Skywalkers. This droid is a hero!

    Perhaps he was repaired and shipped off to new owners. Or perhaps this is a different model, and the callback is meant to just be a fun Easter egg for fans.

  • Disney+ ‘Vision and Scarlet Witch’ Series Taps Showrunner With MCU Ties: Report

    Disney+ ‘Vision and Scarlet Witch’ Series Taps Showrunner With MCU Ties: Report

    Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    Marvel’s “The Vision and Scarlet Witch” seems to be in good hands.

    The series for the forthcoming Disney streaming service, Disney+, has filled a key role with an MCU vet. Jac Schaeffer, who co-wrote “Captain Marvel,” is set to serve as showrunner and executive producer, as well as write the pilot, sources tell THR.

    Schaeffer is therefore poised to work with Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen, as they are expected to play the title characters. Both have appeared in many Marvel films over the years; Olsen made her MCU debut as Scarlet Witch in 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” while Bettany voiced J.A.R.V.I.S. in the Iron Man films before first appearing onscreen as the Vision in 2015’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

    Schaeffer’s ties to the MCU extend beyond just “Captain Marvel” and “The Vision and Scarlet Witch.” She also wrote the “Black Widow” screenplay. The much-anticipated film stars Scarlet Johansson and is schedule to kick off production later in 2019.

    “The Vision and Scarlet Witch” is one of several series centering on big-screen characters that are in the works for Disney+. At least three of the shows stems from the MCU. There will be one following Loki (Tom Hiddleston), while another centers on Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Outside of Marvel, there will be a series about Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” If these shows prove successful, we can only imagine there will be more.

    Disney+ is expected to launch in late 2019.

    [via: THR]

  • ‘Lady and the Tramp’ Remake Uses Real Dogs, Is ‘More Dramatic’ Than Original

    ‘Lady and the Tramp’ Remake Uses Real Dogs, Is ‘More Dramatic’ Than Original

    Disney

    Disney has been working overtime in recent months to mine its library for animated films to convert into live-action features, with numerous films added to the remake queue seemingly every time we turn around. One of the more curious selections is “Lady and the Tramp,” a delightful flick that nevertheless seemed like an odd choice for a makeover. But according to one of the new film’s stars, it will definitely be a departure from other recent Mouse House remakes.

    In an interview with Collider, actor Thomas Mann dished about the project, and revealed an exciting detail: The production used real dogs as stand-ins for the film’s iconic canine characters, as opposed to the CGI creatures that populate other Disney remakes, like “The Jungle Book” and “The Lion King.”

    According to Mann, that aspect is “the main draw” for him when it comes to the appeal of the remake. As the actor put it to Collider, “Who doesn’t want to see two real dogs kiss over a plate of spaghetti?” Solid point.

    Mann, who plays one of the film’s human characters, said that the set felt a little bit chaotic with so many dogs running around — sometimes in the middle of shooting a scene — but that it was also “a lot of fun” and “so cute.” We can only imagine.

    As for how the film will differ from its predecessor, Mann assured fans that the star-studded flick was still the same story that they know and love, just a more “enhanced version of the world that you saw before,” where “the human characters are a little more flushed out.”

    He added:

    It’s a little more dramatic, too. I wouldn’t say that it’s a full-on drama or anything, but it’s a little more grown up, in its own way, and a little more sophisticated. It looks beautiful, in the few things that I’ve seen, from the way it was shot. The production design, alone, is pretty immaculate.

    Mann definitely has us convinced. The film is expected to debut on Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, sometime next year.

    For more from the actor, check out the full interview at Collider.

  • Disney Reveals Full ‘Mandalorian’ Cast, Including Giancarlo Esposito, Werner Herzog

    Disney Reveals Full ‘Mandalorian’ Cast, Including Giancarlo Esposito, Werner Herzog

    AMC

    The upcoming live-action “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” has officially unveiled its full cast. And while several names should already sound familiar, the ensemble also includes some impressive — and frankly, a bit odd — surprises.

    Lucasfilm revealed the lineup on Wednesday, confirming that Pedro Pascal (“Game of Thrones,” “Narcos”) would be playing the titular character, a lone gunfighter on the outer reaches of the galaxy. Other previously announced stars that have been confirmed include Hollywood legend Nick Nolte, and former MMA fighter Gina Carano (“Deadpool”).

    The rest of the cast features Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), Emily Swallow (“Supernatural”), Carl Weathers (“Predator”), Omid Abtahi (“American Gods”), and Werner Herzog (“Grizzly Man”). That latter selection may be a bit head-scratching to those who only know Herzog from his directorial work, though the filmmaker has acted in several film and TV projects over the years. (Remember him as the oddball owner of the creepy house April and Andy buy in the final season of “Parks and Recreation”?) We’re definitely curious to see how he fits into the ensemble of this series.

    “We’re having a great time working with this incredibly talented group and excited for everyone to see what we’re up to,” said writer and executive producer Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “The Jungle Book”) in a statement.

    “The Mandalorian” is set in between the events of “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens.” Episodes will be directed by Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels”), Deborah Chow (“Jessica Jones”), Rick Famuyiwa (“Dope”), Bryce Dallas Howard (“Solemates”), and Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”).

    The series is in production now. Expect “The Mandalorian” to debut on Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, sometime in late 2019.

    [via: StarWars.com]

  • ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Mandalorian’ Adds Former MMA Star Gina Carano

    ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Mandalorian’ Adds Former MMA Star Gina Carano

    Gina Carano in Deadpool
    20th Century Fox

    MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano is coming swinging into the Star Wars universe.

    Carano has landed a part in the upcoming live-action Star Wars series “The Mandalorian,” THR reports. She’ll joins Pedro Pascal, a “Game of Thrones” vet whose casting was announced earlier in the week. So far, details about the characters they’ll play have not been revealed.

    Whatever role Carano plays, it’s probably safe to assume it’ll be physical. She has appeared in multiple action flicks to date, including the likes of “Fast & Furious 6” and “Deadpool.” We just can’t see her talents going to waste in “The Mandalorian” — not when it’ll bring galactic adventures.

    The series reportedly centers on yet another warrior in the Star Wars universe and takes place sometime after the fall of the Empire but before the First Order gained power. That places it between the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” and “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens.” The synopsis describes 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 project comes from quite the creative team. It’s written by Jon Favreau, who executive produces alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Dave Filoni. Episodes will be directed by Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Taika Waititi, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow.

    “The Mandalorian” is one of multiple live-action Star Wars series scheduled to premiere on Disney’s streaming service Disney+ after its 2019 launch. The show’s release date hasn’t yet been announced.

    [via: THR]

  • ‘Rogue One’ Star Diego Luna to Reprise Role for New ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff Series

    ‘Rogue One’ Star Diego Luna to Reprise Role for New ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff Series

    Diego Luna in Rogue One
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    Like our universe, the Star Wars one is always expanding.

    Disney is set to launch the streaming service Disney+ in 2019, and CEO Bob Iger just announced that it will also bring a new live-action Star Wars series. The show in question is a “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” prequel, and it will star Diego Luna as Cassian Andor.

    With the rebel spy Andor at the center of the series, it will chronicle his adventures leading up to what we saw play out in “Rogue One.” That means we’ll be seeing the early stages of the Rebellion, which should be interesting. Lucasfilm describes the show as a “rousing spy thriller.”

    Luna is looking forward to reprising his role when the series enters production in 2019. “We have a fantastic adventure ahead of us, and this new exciting format will give us the chance to explore this character more deeply,” he said, per StarWars.com.

    So far, no release date for the series has been announced. It will be one of multiple new shows premiering on Disney+ that are offshoots of blockbuster film franchises. Others include another Star Wars show, an animated series based on “Monsters, Inc.,” and a Marvel series centering on Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

    [via: StarWars.com; Deadline]