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CinemaCon 2026: Disney Presentation
(L to R) Denis Leary, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Ray Romano, Tim Allen, Queen Latifah, Tom Hanks, Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga’aia, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Chris Evans, Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios, Anthony Russo and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.

Preview:
- Walt Disney Studios made its presentation to the 2026 CinemaCon crowd.
- Among the movies promoted were ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ and ‘The Dog Stars’.
- And, of course, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.
Once the all-conquering ruler of the box office, Disney has seen its fortunes take a tumble in the last couple of years, with the likes of Marvel and Pixar movies suffering issues at the box office.

Still, the Mouse House still has quite the line up, with the likes of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as big hope points.
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Pixar, meanwhile, has a new ‘Toy Story’ offering, and ‘Star Wars’ is back on the big screen. Plus ‘Moana’ is getting the live-action treatment. Let’s see what the company chooses to spotlight…

Before the lights went down, attendees were given a ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ popcorn bag and a ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’-branded diet coke.

Related Article: First ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Tease Sees Chris Evans’ Back as Steve Rogers

The typical studio sizzle reel kicked things off, with plenty of Disney highlights and wrapping with riffs on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ –– the countdown clock that has been part of the promos so far counting down to zero and the caption “Disney will return to CinemaCon.”

There is, of course, a little boasting to de done about last year’s success stories, including a joke about renaming ‘Zootopia 2’ to “Zootopia $1.9 billion”.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’?

(L to R) Matt Kalavsky, SVP, Domestic Distribution, The Walt Disney Company and Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

With the comedy sequel just a couple of weeks away from release, there wasn’t too much on it, just a quick video message from Anne Hathaway: “20 years later, we are back!” She also thanked theater owners for their support.

But did also cue up some new footage from the movie. Three words: Miranda. Priestly. Zingers.
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‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu’

Jon Favreau speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

Surely one of the biggest titles (outside of the MCU) to be showcased here is the return of ‘Star Wars’ to the big screen.

Writer/director Jon Favreau arrived on stage to remark how the opening shot of the original ‘Star Wars’ changed the path of his life, and how there will be plenty of IMAX footage in the new movie. Not to mention a fresh score from composer Ludwig Göransson.

(L to R) Droid Mercenary Guard, Sister Hutt, Brother Hutt and Droid Mercenary Guard in Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.

Favreau announced the final trailer for the movie (which you can see above) and also showed the opening sequence, which includes an AT-AT in the snow before we watch Mando (Pedro Pascal) get his next bounty hunting gig.

If you’re wondering whether ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ got a mention, the answer is yes –– but only in picture form, and nothing we haven’t seen before.

(L to R) The Mandalorian and Grogu in Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.
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‘Toy Story 5’

(L to R) Tom Hanks and Tim Allen speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

We went from the galaxy far, far away to the Pixar universe, via some ‘Toy Story 5’ footage. This time around, Woody (who has been off helping rescue other toys) and Buzz, along with their friends, must confront a new toy in Bonnie’s life –– a tech gadget called Lily Pad (voiced by Greta Lee).

Tim Allen (Buzz) and Tom Hanks (Woody) strode on stage to talk about their latest animated effort. The pair exchanged light banter, made fun of working off of a teleprompter and gave plenty of love to the Pixar team. They also introduced a new clip from the movie, featuring their characters reuniting.
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‘Moana’

(L to R) Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

Next up is Disney’s ongoing effort to convert all of their animated output to live-action movies. ‘Moana’, which was a huge success in cartoon form back in 2016, is back with a mostly new cast, though retained Dwayne Johnson as Maui.

He was on stage to discuss the film and gush about how much Maui means to him and how his performance was inspired by his grandfather. Johnson was joined by Catherine Laga’aia, who plays Moana, and she revealed that she’d done her very first interview for the movie today.

And, as is standard, we got some new footage from the movie.
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‘The Dog Stars’

(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Dog Stars’. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Next up from the House of Mouse, an original – Ridley Scott‘s latest, ‘The Dog Stars’ Sir Rid himself appeared (on screen) to introduce the post-apocalyptic story, which stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin.

It’s set after the world’s population has been ravaged by a pandemic, and follows Elordi’s Hig, who lives a lonesome existence in a Colorado airplane hangar with his dog and a dour gunman (Brolin) he has befriended. When a mysterious transmission comes through on the radio while he’s flying his old Cessna, it sparks a hunt for the provenance of the sound.

Scott brought the audience first new trailer for the movie, which you can find above, and an early scene.

(L to R) Jasper and Jacob Elordi as Hig in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Dog Stars’. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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‘Whalefall’

We’re clearly in the “originals” section (okay, both ‘The Dog Stars’ and this are adapted from novels), as ‘Whalefall’ was next.

The movie follows a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places. Oh, and like Ridley Scott’s movie, this also features Josh Brolin.

‘Whalefall’ comes from director Brian Duffield, who previously brought us ‘No One Will Save You’. And the first look at the movie finds the main character, played by Austin Abrams, getting drawn into the mouth of the whale.
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After a quick look at ‘Wild Horse Nine’ (the latest film from ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Martin McDonagh –– and no jokes about having to have seen the first eight ‘Wild Horses’, please), we moved on to…

‘Hexed’

Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

The latest from Disney’s own animation studio sees what happens when an awkward teenage girl and her Type-A mom discover that what makes her unusual might be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic upside down.

There was a quick look at footage from the movie, which features the voices of Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones.
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Still on the animation front, Pixar’s 2027 feline-focused effort ‘Gatto’ got a quick shoutout before the studio rolled on to…

‘Ice Age: Boiling Point’

(L to R) Queen Latifah, Denis Leary and Ray Romano speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

Some of the voice cast, including Ray Romano (Manny), Denis Leary (Diego), and Queen Latifah (Ellie) took the stage to introduce the first look at the sixth (count ’em) main movie in the franchise.

We got a look at footage from the beginning of the movie, which features an adorable baby Scratch (the squirrel, in case you forgot).
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Time for the big finale!

‘Avengers: Doomsday’

(L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

Of course Marvel was going to wrap things up with what Disney is hoping will be one of, if not the biggest film of the year. No pressure, then…

Marvel boss Kevin Feige arrived on stage to discuss ‘Doomsday’ and introduce something called ‘Infinity Vision’ which will enhance the viewing experience (read more about that here). He also mentioned that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ will be back in theaters ahead of the new movie.

Chris Evans speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

Feige was joined by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who talked about how Doctor Doom (played in the new movie, of course, by Robert Downey Jr.) is the best Marvel villain because he’s always three steps ahead.

And then it was the turn of the man himself (RDJ, not Doom), on stage to announce he wants to give away all the spoilers, but isn’t permitted (and anyway, that’s Tom Holland‘s job).

(L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

A first proper trailer for ‘Doomsday’ played (lots of X-Men) action, and Chris Evans appeared on stage to admit he was only going to return to the MCU for a good reason (no jokes about dump trucks full of money, please). There was a mock argument between RDJ and Evans about their characters.

The trailer played a second time, and let’s just say this… there was screaming in the audience.
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And with that, Disney’s out! Which also marks the end of the studio presentations. Hope you enjoyed our coverage!

(L to R) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Ray Romano and Denis Leary attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.
April 16, 2026
‘Toy Story 5’ Adds Conan O’Brien to Cast
Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy; Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:
- Conan O’Brien has landed a voice role in ‘Toy Story 5.’
- He’ll bring the character of Smarty Pants to life.
- The new movie will see our heroes challenged by new technology.
The ‘Toy Story’ movies have never exactly been short on star power, starting at the top with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen playing iconic duo Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

For the fifth entry –– yes, Pixar, while still putting out original movies is still also happy to lean on its veteran franchises when the right idea strikes –– some new blood has been recruited.
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Well, we say new… It’s perhaps a little tough to use that designator since Conan O’Brien (for it is he) has been working since the 1980s and has made a career largely as a comedy writer but also as a TV host for late night and a variety of other projects, including returning to host next year’s Academy Awards after a successful first time this past March.

For ‘Toy Story 5,’ O’Brien will voice the role of a new character called Smarty Pants, who we can imagine will be a witty but probably troublesome type for our regulars to run up against.

Disney announced O’Brien’s casting as part of the Consumer Products section of its Licensing Expo presentation on Monday. And the performer talked about landing the role on Instagram, joking that he’d hoped to play either Buzz or Woody, but is now convinced that Smarty Pants is the best role he could have won:

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Andrew Stanton, the Pixar veteran who has been behind several of the studio’s biggest hits, is back to write and direct this new outing.

Related Article: Ernie Hudson to Take Over as the Voice of Combat Carl for ‘Toy Story 5’

What’s the story of ‘Toy Story 5’?

(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’

In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.

Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.

Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).

Stanton revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.

The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.

And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.

This is what he told Collider:

“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”

Here’s what what he told news channel WIVB 4:

“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”

Who else is working on ‘Toy Story 5’?

Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.

Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.

We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.

Beyond Allen and more recently Ernie Hudson (who inherits the role of Combat Carl from Carl Weathers), there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will naturally return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.

We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.

And there are reports of Anna Faris in an undisclosed role.

When will ‘Toy Story 5’ be in theaters?

Disney and Pixar’s latest entry in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise will be on screens on June 19th, 2026.

‘Toy Story 5’. Photo: Disney.

List of Movies in the ‘Toy Story’ Franchise:
- ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story of Terror!‘ (2014)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Toy Story’ Movies On Amazon
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May 22, 2025
‘Ghostbusters’ Ernie Hudson joins ‘Toy Story 5’
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.

Preview:
- Ernie Hudson will be the voice of Combat Carl in ‘Toy Story 5.’
- Carl Weathers previously played the role.
- The new ‘Toy Story’ is due out next year.
While ‘Elio’ is the next Pixar project to hit the big screen (June 20th, in case you were wondering), there is naturally a lot of attention on the company’s next dive into franchise territory, and one of its biggest hitters returning to theaters with ‘Toy Story 5’ due next year.
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With Woody, Buzz and the gang back for more adventure, word arrives via TMZ of all places that there has been some necessary recasting among the voice ranks for the new movie.

Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+

Following the sad death last year of Carl Weathers, the role of Combat Carl –– which Weathers performed in the 2013 TV special ‘Toy Story of Terror!’ and the most recent big screen outing, ‘Toy Story 4,’ genre stalwart Ernie Hudson will instead report for duty to provide the voice for the military man.

It’s not the first piece of re-casting in the ‘Toy Story’ world, since Blake Clark took over the role of Slinky Dog from the late Jim Varney a few years ago.

Related Article: Ernie Hudson Talks ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ and the Franchise’s Legacy

What’s the story of ‘Toy Story 5’?

(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’

In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.

Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.

Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).

Director Andrew Stanton, returning to the franchise for the first time in years, revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.

The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.

And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.

This is what he told Collider:

“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”

Here’s what he told news channel WIVB 4:

“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”

Who else is working on ‘Toy Story 5’?

(L-R) Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from ‘Toy Story 3.’ ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.

We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.

Beyond Allen and now Hudson, there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.

We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.

Where else have we seen Ernie Hudson?

(L to R) Winston (Ernie Hudson) and Peter (Bill Murray) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hudson needs little introduction, though among his more famous genre credits are the likes of ‘Ghostbusters’ [1984], ‘The Crow’ [1994], ‘Miss Congeniality,’ ‘Congo,’ ‘The Hand that Rocks the Cradle,’ and ‘The Jazz Singer.’

On the small screen, he’s been seen in shows including the more recent take on ‘Quantum Leap,’ ‘Grace and Frankie’ and voiced a character in ‘Transformers Prime.’

When will ‘Toy Story 5’ be in theaters?

Disney and Pixar’s latest entry in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise will be on screens on June 19th, 2026.

‘Toy Story 5’. Photo: Disney.

List of Movies in the ‘Toy Story’ Franchise:
- ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story of Terror!‘ (2014)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Toy Story’ Movies On Amazon
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April 22, 2025
‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2 Interview: Producer Jason Winer
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Premiering on Disney+ November 8th is the second season of ‘The Santa Clauses,’ which is a continuation of ‘The Santa Clause’ movies and once again stars Tim Allen (‘Toy Story’).

Tim Allen in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/James Clark.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with executive producer and director Jason Winer about his work on the second season of ‘The Santa Clauses,’ where the new season begins, expanding on the Santa Claus mythology, Scott Calvin’s quest to find a replacement, the sets, new characters, returning favorites, Christmas themed amusement parks, working with multiple directors, and the chance of a third season.

‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2 Executive Producer and Director Jason Winer.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about where we’ll find the characters when the new season begins?

Jason Winer: Well, if the audience recalls, Betty mentions in the first season the darkest time in North Pole history, and that was the reign of the Mad Santa. When the second season begins, events have transpired to bring the Mad Santa back to life. He was never actually dead. He was frozen inside of a nutcracker as part of a spell to incapacitate him. So, with Mad Santa back in the mix, our lovable Claus family is in trouble, as is Christmas itself. I think the second season is funnier than the first. We wanted a more formidable villain for the second season, and we have found that in the Mad Santa, played by Eric Stonestreet.

MF: Can you talk about expanding on the Santa Clause mythology?

JW: Well, just to be clear, the idea that Santa is a mantle that can be passed and not just to a singular person is the central idea of the franchise established by the movies back in the ‘90s. That was what was so kind of cool and innovative. When Santa slips off Scott Calvin’s roof and essentially passes his jacket along to him, we are suggesting in that action that Santa is this mantle passed on from Santa to Santa. So that central idea is so rich because it suggests a whole history of Santa’s that have reigned over the North Pole. It suggests the idea that Santa can retire and pick a successor, and how is that successor chosen? Having fun with both the history of the role of Santa and the idea of passing it along is essentially the heart of the series.

Related Article: Tim Allen and Elizabeth Allen-Dick Talk Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’

(L to R) Tim Allen and Austin Kane in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/James Clark.

MF: In the first season, Scott Calvin was not successful trying to find a Santa Claus replacement. How is that working out in season 2?

JW: Well, Scott’s son Cal and a lot of people say, “Hey, at the end of the third movie, Mrs. Claus had a baby, and they called that baby Buddy. Why is his name Cal?” Well, we’ve said it a couple times in the show for careful listeners. His name is Buddy Calvin Claus, and they call him Cal for short. So, for those thinking that we’ve made an error in the chronology or the mythology of the show, we have not. It’s a nickname. But Cal is a guy who loves the real world, and that was established in the first season. He has a lot of curiosities about what college and relationships might be like in the real world. He meets a girl in the first season and is obsessed with her even more in the second. So, all these reasons make him a questionable choice to be the next Santa because he’s not sure he wants to stay at the North Pole, though he wants to please his dad. He’s also a bit of a klutz, which makes him not a great Santa choice. He’s deathly afraid of heights, which also makes him a very difficult choice to become the next Santa, which is why the legendary figures from the movies are back, worried about Scott Calvin choosing his son as the next Santa.

MF: Can you talk about your use of green screen versus practical sets this season?

JW: We have a tremendous amount of fun designing this world. The residence of the North Pole, which by the way is based on the residence of the White House, that’s the design of it. The long central hallway, the two grand rooms at either end with semicircular windows, that’s all based on the residence of the White House, which was a question we asked ourselves season one. Like where else does the family, a whole family live upstairs from where they work? The White House was a grand notion for our inspiration. But that said, that is a practical set, the hallway, the living room, the bedroom at Santa’s office and Betty’s office. When we go to the workshop, the size of the workshop is like two football fields, and it was established as being that big in the movies. For the series, we couldn’t possibly afford that. So, we’ve used technology to compensate and designed the workshop virtually on the volume. We do that on the volume. Now this season we’ve expanded to be able to use the balcony of the workshop as a play space that overlooks the whole elf village. It’s a cool environment and we designed that under the volume as well. This season, we get to go home with Betty and Noel. We designed their cottage, which we see the exterior of in some of the digital shots. But we go inside of it and that’s a set designed by our incredible production design team.

(L to R) Marta Kessler and Eric Stonestreet in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/James Clark.

MF: What new characters can fans expect in season 2?

JW: La Befana is such a great character. Obviously, there’s truth to her existence as a legend. She is the Italian Santa Claus in a way and has existed in legend for a long time. But the way Laura San Giacomo plays her is just with such fun and glee. It’s so great to see Laura in a role like this where she can just kind of go nuts. She’s really featured this season being a mentor to Sandra’s character and teaching her how to be a witch, Spoiler Alert. So, in terms of the other characters, obviously we have Mad Santa. We’ve talked about him. Eric’s goal with Mad Santa was to make him oddly lovable despite being occasionally evil. He wanted him to be the type of classic Disney villain that kids aren’t sure whether to run from or to hug. So, I think he’s achieved that line. He’s so much fun to watch in this role. Of course, his sidekick is a gnome. Her name is Marta Kessler, and she plays this feral, evil, angry gnome, although she’s only 10 or 11 herself. But she has such fun with this character. It’s hard to say this with Eric Stonestreet, who’s a grown man, and an 11-year-old actress, but they had tremendous comedic chemistry together. They had so much fun playing together and playing off each other. So not only is it fun to see her as a character, but it’s also fun to see the gnomes in general. They’re referenced in the first season as the annoying adversaries of the elves. They always mention them, and they complain about them. So, in this season, we get to meet them. It was fun to design what they look like. Of course, they’re played by kids the same way the elves are, and that makes them fun too. Other characters, of course, we have Gabriel Iglesias who we’re so excited to have in the season. He plays Kris Kringle Moreno, a real-life Santa, a real-world Santa enthusiast. He owns a Santa themed amusement park with a dusty, crusty Santa Museum. He just happens to be the owner of the Mad Santa nutcracker, where unbeknownst to him Mad Santa has been trapped for centuries.

MF: Are Santa Themed Amusement Parks a real thing?

JW: There are things like it. There are Christmas themed amusement parks and or play spaces that pop up around Christmas that open for the season. In fact, Disney is opening a winter wonderland to promote the show in New York City this season. They did it last year on a small scale, and it was such a hit that they’re bringing it back this year on a much bigger scale. That is a set. We built it here on the outskirts of Los Angeles and put Chicago in digitally.

(L to R) Tracy Morgan in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/James Clark.

MF: Will there be any characters returning from the movies that did not appear in the first season?

JW: Well, there’s some incredibly fun cameos from the legendary figures. We have Kevin Pollak returning as Cupid from the original movies. We have Michael Dorn returning as Sandman. Since the original actor who played the Easter Bunny (Jay Thomas) unfortunately passed away, we have Tracy Morgan capably filling the shoes of the Easter Bunny. We have a fun tiny cameo. We love referring to the original movies. People love them and they’re considered such classics that we like to tie in the action of the series every way we can, and that includes this year a cameo from Paige Tamada. This is a deep cut for fans of the movies. Paige played little Judy the elf who gives Santa the cocoa when he first arrives at the North Pole way back in the original movie. She plays the proprietor of Judy’s cocoa stand that they get cocoa from. It’s unacknowledged, but it’s just an example of the lengths we go to, to tie our series together with the original movies.

MF: As a producer and a director, what is it like collaborating with the other directors on a series like this?

JW: Well, the job of a pilot director, myself in this case, is to establish a style visually that can be copied, and to make a clear set of rules so that, visually, incoming directors can make it their own certainly, but make sure that it’s still connected and consistent. It’s also my job to establish a tone amongst the actors so that everybody feels like they’re in the same show and connected as an ensemble. Hopefully, by the time I’m done doing that with the first two episodes when additional directors come in, the whole thing kind of functions well, and of course I’m around. Even when the other directors are directing, I’m still there in a producorial capacity overseeing, though I don’t want to give short shrift to our amazing ensemble of directors, who also directed the other episodes of the first season. So, we really got on the same page as we were thrown into the fire of the crazy schedule of the first season and just figuring it all out together. So, the chance for everybody to return, and for us all to work together collaboratively the second season, I think, guarantees the tonal consistency of the show.

(L to R) Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/James Clark.

MF: Finally, has there been any talk about a third season?

JW: There’s a lot of talk about a season three, and we’ve got ideas percolating. I think there’s a lot of new questions that get asked in the second season that would be fun to dive into in a third season. Not only that, but there’s of a wealth of cameos, people from the original movies that the fans are clamoring to see. Some of them appear in the second season, but there are yet more that we’d like to deliver in the third.

The cast of ‘The Santa Clauses’ season 2, which begins on Disney+ November 8th. Photo: Disney.

What is the plot of ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2?

In the second season, the Calvin family is back in the North Pole as Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) continues his role as Santa Claus after retirement plans were thwarted when failing to find a worthy successor in season one. Now that Scott and his family have successfully saved Christmas, Scott turns his focus towards training his son Calvin (Austin Kane) to eventually take over the “family business” as Santa Claus.

Who is the cast of ‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2?
- Tim Allen as (‘Galaxy Quest’) Scott Calvin / Santa Claus
- Elizabeth Mitchell (‘The Purge: Election Year’) as Calvin / Mrs. Claus
- Matilda Lawler (‘Flora & Ulysses’) as Betty
- Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias (‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’) as Kris Kringle
- Eric Stonestreet (‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’) as Magnus Antas/The Mad Santa
- Tracy Morgan (‘Cop Out‘ ) as the Easter Bunny
- Austin Kane (‘Ender’s Game‘) as Buddy “Cal” Calvin-Claus
- Devin Bright (‘Turning Red‘) as Noel
- Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra Calvin-Claus
‘The Santa Clauses’ season 2 begins on Disney+ November 8th. Photo: Disney.

Movies Similar to ‘The Santa Clauses’:
- ‘Trading Places‘ (1983)
- ‘Gremlins‘ (1984)
- ‘Lethal Weapon‘ (1987)
- ‘Scrooged‘ (1988)
- ‘Die Hard‘ (1988)
- ‘Home Alone‘ (1990)
- ‘The Santa Clause‘ (1994)
- ‘Jingle All the Way‘ (1996)
- ‘The Santa Clause 2‘ (2002)
- ‘Elf‘ (2003)
- ‘Bad Santa‘ (2003)
- ‘Love Actually‘ (2003)
- ‘Christmas with the Kranks‘ (2004)
- ‘Surviving Christmas‘ (2004)
- ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause‘ (2006)
- ‘Deck the Halls‘ (2006)
- ‘Fred Claus‘ (2007)
- ‘Four Christmases‘ (2008)
- ‘Krampus‘ (2015)
- ‘The Night Before‘ (2015)
- ‘The Christmas Chronicles‘ (2018)
- ‘Violent Night‘ (2022)
- ‘Spirited‘ (2022)
Buy Tim Allen Movies On Amazon
November 16, 2023
Michelle Yeoh Starring in ‘Star Trek’ Movie
Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou on Paramount+’s ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’

Michelle Yeoh made a big impact on the world of ‘Star Trek’ from the very first episode of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’. As Captain Phillipa Georgiou, she was a powerful presence… at least (spoiler alert if you’ve somehow not caught up on the episode, which screened in 2017) until she died at the hands (and blade) of a Klingon warrior.

Yet that was not the end for Yeoh’s story –– a trip to the Mirror Universe (established all the way back in the 1960s original ‘Star Trek’) revealed that there was another Georgiou –– and she was Emperor of the cruel Terran Empire. She eventually ended up helping our heroes, and in a deleted scene, was approached by a member of the stealthy organization Section 31.

In 2019, we learned that Paramount+ was developing a series featuring Georgiou working for Section 31, but plans have now shifted. Yeoh will now star in a TV movie called ‘Star Trek: Section 31.’

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ (1993 – 1999).

What is Section 31?

First introduced in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’, Section 31 was an organization which claimed to protect the security interests of United Earth and, later, the United Federation of Planets. During the mid-23rd century, they were considered a critical division of Starfleet Intelligence, while by the 24th century, they were believed to be a rogue organization not considered part of the Federation but were in fact still part of Starfleet Intelligence.

There are no plot details for the show yet, beyond a basic synopsis: “Emperor Philippa Georgiou joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past.”

Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou of the CBS All Access series ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’ Photo: Russ Martin/CBS All Access 2017 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.

Related Article: Full List of 95th Academy Awards Winners

Who is making the movie?

Craig Sweeny is writing the script, with ‘Discovery’ veteran Olatunde Osunsanmi directing.

Here’s what Yeoh had to say about Georgiou’s return,

“I’m beyond thrilled to return to my ‘Star Trek’ family and to the role I’ve loved for so long. Section 31 has been near and dear to my heart since I began the journey of playing Philippa all the way back when this new golden age of ‘Star Trek’ launched. To see her finally get her moment is a dream come true in a year that’s shown me the incredible power of never giving up on your dreams. We can’t wait to share what’s in store for you, and until then: live long and prosper (unless Emperor Georgiou decrees otherwise)!”

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman adds,

“All the way back in 2017, before the first season of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ had even aired, Michelle had the idea to do a spin-off for her character, Philippa Georgiou. She broke new ground as one of the first two women on screen in the pilot to usher in a new age of ‘Trek,’ and now, six years later, ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ finally arrives on the heels of her latest groundbreaking win. Everyone on Team ‘Trek’ couldn’t be more thrilled to have our legendary friend return home to us as we expand our storytelling into new and uncharted corners of the Trekverse. Long live Emperor Georgiou; long live Michelle Yeoh!”

Production on the movie will start later this year.

In related Paramount+ (and indirectly, ‘Star Trek’ news), there is a change going on for the TV series spin-off of 1999 movie ‘Galaxy Quest’.

The cult favorite film, directed by Dean Parisot, followed a ragtag group of actors played Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell who all once starred on a ‘Trek’-alike series called ‘Galaxy Quest’.

One night, after their latest convention outing, the group is contacted by aliens who think their adventures are historical documents and have created a real version of their ship. There’s just one catch… the extraterrestrials need their help to fight the evil, powerful alien warlord Sarris (Robin Sachs). With the help of some young fans (including one played by Justin Long), they’re able to succeed.

It has been a long road for development on a series based on the movie, but Paramount+ is trying again.

(L to R) Sam Rockwell, Alan Rickman, Tim Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Sigourney Weaver, and Tony Shalhoub in ‘Galaxy Quest.’ Photo: DreamWorks.

What happened to the ‘Galaxy Quest’ series before?

Paramount TV and Amazon were reported as developing a show aimed at continuing the story of the movie back in 2015. Writer Robert Gordon (who was one of the scribes on the movie), was aboard to craft a series script, but problems began over casting the original stars, and that was compounded by the tragic death of Rickman in January 2016.

Yet there was still hope it could get made; actor, comedian and writer Paul Scheer took over a couple of years later and seemed upbeat about the idea.

Here’s what Scheer said to Deadline,

“Without giving much away, I don’t think there has ever been a better time to continue the ‘Galaxy Quest’ story with the explosion and popularity of sci-fi films in recent years. To be able to create and be a part of this world is just mind-blowing, and I’m approaching this truly as what I’d like to see as a fan.”

Despite all that seemingly positive movement, the series lingered in space dock, seemingly unable to find traction.

Amazon quietly dropped the idea recently, but Paramount is not ready to give up, with another version now at an early stage via Paramount+.

Little has been announced about what shape it could take or whether the cast will be involved this time; indeed, no writer or director is attached yet. Mark Johnson, who was an executive producer on the 1999 movie, is driving development of the show, and the search is likely now on for a writer to flesh out the concept.

By Grabthar’s Hammer, it still has a chance!

(L to R) Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, and Sigourney Weaver in ‘Galaxy Quest.’

Other ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Galaxy Quest’ Movies:
- ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture‘ (1979)
- ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan‘ (1982)
- ‘Star Trek III: The Search for Spock‘ (1984)
- ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home‘ (1986)
- ‘Star Trek V: The Final Frontier‘ (1989)
- ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country‘ (1991)
- ‘Star Trek: Generations‘ (1994)
- ‘Star Trek: First Contact‘ (1996)
- ‘Star Trek: Insurrection‘ (1998)
- ‘Galaxy Quest‘ (1999)
- ‘Star Trek: Nemesis‘ (2002)
- ‘Star Trek‘ (2009)
- ‘Star Trek Into Darkness‘ (2013)
- ‘Star Trek Beyond‘ (2016)
Buy ‘Star Trek’ Movies On Amazon

Buy ‘Galaxy Quest’ Movies On Amazon
April 18, 2023
Tim Allen To Reprise His Role As Buzz Lightyear
(L-R) Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from ‘Toy Story 3.’ ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

To infinity and beyond … again!

A ‘Toy Story’ sequel was recently announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger during the Q1 earnings call, along with ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia’. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises”. This will mark the fifth installment for the Pixar franchise, the third for ‘Frozen,’ and the second for ‘Zootopia.’

Shortly after the announcement, actor Tim Allen took to his personal Twitter account to express his excitement and hinted at the reunion with Tom Hanks:

“See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!”
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Allen originated the voice of the space commander action figure in 1995 alongside actor Tom Hanks, who plays Woody. Since then, Allen has been a part of every ‘Toy Story’ sequel except for ‘Lightyear’, the origin story of how the Buzz Lightyear toy came to be.

‘Lightyear’ cast Chris Evans to voice the title character, mainly because that Buzz isn’t exactly the same Buzz that we know in ‘Toy Story.’ Spoilers ahead, so you’ve been warned. ‘Lightyear’ is about space ranger Buzz Lightyear who is trying to find his way home after being lost in space travel and his adventure along the way. The “fictional” movie is the movie that Andy saw as a child, and that movie inspired the toy version of the Buzz Lightyear we see in ‘Toy Story.’

The movie opened domestically at $50.5 million and has grossed $226.4 million worldwide. Many fans were disappointed that Allen was not cast as the voice for Buzz in ‘Lightyear’. The actor finally broke his silence on the topic in an interview with Extra:

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do (with my Buzz Lightyear).”

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear,’ which opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Related Articles: ‘Frozen’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia’ Sequels Are In The Works

A Look At Toy Story’s Success

The first ‘Toy Story’ opened in November 1995 to $223.2 million. It was the first feature film by Pixar, and also the first film to use computer animation entirely. The toys belonged to Andy, a boy who loved playing with his toys but especially Woody – a pull-string cowboy (voiced by Tom Hanks). When new toy Buzz Lightyear was introduced to the group, chaos ensued because Buzz did not believe he was a toy but in fact, a real Space Ranger. Being the new toy with all the bells and whistles, Buzz got a lot of attention from Andy and fellow toys making Woody jealous.

‘Toy Story’ received three Academy Award nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Original Score. The film was a hit across the board and today, it remains at a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The follow-up ‘Toy Story’ films continue to receive praise and win awards, including Academy Awards for ‘Toy Story 3‘ (Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song).

No word yet on who else will return to ‘Toy Story 5‘ or when the film will begin production.

See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond! pic.twitter.com/bwRzE487Vi

— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) February 9, 2023

Other Movies Similar to ‘Toy Story 5:’
- ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Toy Story’ Movies On Amazon
February 13, 2023
‘Frozen’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia’ Sequels Are In The Works
(L to R) Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) in Walt Disney Pictures’ ‘Frozen.’

Get ready to head back into the unknown. Disney animated films ‘Frozen,’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia‘ have been greenlit for sequels. The news was announced during Wednesday’s Q1 earnings call by Disney CEO Bob Iger, his first since returning to the company.

“Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia,’” says Iger. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises.”

‘Frozen’ quickly became a household favorite when it premiered in 2013. With Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel as its leads, the sequel ‘Frozen 2’ garnered just as much attention in 2019. It got so popular that the musical version made its way to Disneyland’s Hyperion Theater and later to Broadway. ‘Toy Story’ stars the voices Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, becoming a beloved franchise since its debut in 1995. It even expanded its own universe with the release of ‘Lightyear’ in 2022 with Chris Evans as the lead.
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Related Articles: D23 Expo 2022: Disney Studios Presentation

The Box Office Success Of ‘Frozen’, ‘Toy Story’, and ‘Zootopia’

This should come as no surprise as all three films have had major success at the box office worldwide. ‘Frozen’ (2013) earned 1.2 billion with its sequel ‘Frozen 2’ (2019) earning 1.4 billion, and both ‘Toy Story 4’ (2019) and ‘Zootopia’ (2016) grossed over one billion.

On top of their financial success, these films have all taken home plenty of awards. ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Toy Story 4,’ ‘Frozen,’ and ‘Zootopia’ have all received Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. Frozen’s hit original song “Let It Go” (sung by Broadway superstar Idina Menzel) won Best Original Song at the 2020 Academy Awards.

The animation giant has released plenty of amazing titles such as ‘Luca,’ ‘Raya and the Last Dragon‘ and ‘Encanto,’ which also won Best Animated Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards. However popular, none of these titles were able to achieve the financial success of the aforementioned films.

(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in y Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
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But Do We Need More Sequels?

Some may say there’s no need for a sequel to these films but I think, there are plenty of stories left to tell. What type of adventures (or misadventures) can the sisters get into now that Elsa is the Snow Queen and Anna rules as the Queen of Arendelle? How expansive has Zoopotia become since the last film? And while Woody and Buzz may have parted ways (for now), there’s always something that brings the duo back together, plus we all would love to see a post-college Andy.

Those who are craving original stories can look forward to Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ this summer and ‘Wish’ from Walt Disney Animation in the fall.

(L to R) Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nicholas P. “Nick” Wilde (Jason Bateman) in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ ‘Zootopia.’
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Other Movies Similar to ‘Frozen’ and ‘Toy Story:’
- ‘Frozen II‘ (2019)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy Disney Animated Movies On Amazon
February 9, 2023
‘The Santa Clauses’ Tim Allen and Elizabeth Allen-Dick

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Premiering on Disney+ November 16th is the new series ‘The Santa Clauses,’ which is a spinoff of ‘The Santa Clause’ film franchise.

The series once again stars Tim Allen (‘Toy Story’) as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus, who on the brink of his 65th birthday realizes that he can’t be Santa Claus forever, and that it’s not fair to his wife Carole (Elizabeth Mitchell), his two sons Charlie (Eric Lloyd) and Cal (Austin Kane), and his daughter Sandra (Elizabeth Allen-Dick). So, Scott soon sets out to find a replacement Santa, and meets game inventor Simon Choksi (Kal Penn), while his family prepares for life after the North Pole.

The series will also feature returning franchise star David Krumholtz as Bernard, as well as Laura San Giacomo as Befana the Christmas Witch.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tim Allen and his real-life daughter Elizabeth Allen-Dick about their work on ‘The Santa Clauses,’ returning for the new series, why Scott wants to retire, Elizabeth’s experience working with her father, and what it was like for Allen to put the red suit back on one more time.

(L to R) Elizabeth Allen-Dick and Tim Allen star in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses.’

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Allen, Allen-Dick, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Kal Penn, director Jason Winer, and executive producer Jack Burditt.

Moviefone: To begin with, Tim, it’s been 16 years since the last time you put on Santa’s red suit, how does it feel to be back playing Santa Claus?

Tim Allen: Well, now it feels great because I’m not in the suit. When I’m in it, I have to get everybody used to me being very quiet because I get very hot. So, when I’m not doing my acting, I have to sit by myself. It took a while to get used to it. I’m not afraid to tell everybody I need to be left alone. All that part of it went away once we got on set and I had to work with my youngest, quite by accident. I keep saying it isn’t something that her mom or I wanted. She read something, and it was so magical, we both went, “We’ll let her read up the food chain,” and she got the part.

There’re so many magical moments in this that it completely took me out of my discomfort. They got the makeup and hair very practical. It wasn’t like last time. It wasn’t six hours in it. They got it down to a much shorter time. That said, the script was so well done. This is a movie shot in six episodes. It was a marvelous experience.

MF: Elizabeth, you play Santa’s daughter, Sandra, but you are also Tim Allen’s daughter in real-life. What was it like working with your father on set?

Elizabeth Allen-Dick: Such a blast. It was just so amazing, and so much fun. I’m so grateful and honored to be on the set and to be part of this franchise because it’s incredible. Growing up and watching these movies, having my dad play this character and impacting so many people, and then being on the fourth movie, it’s just such an honor and so much fun. I did not work one day throughout the two months that I was on the show.

Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’ stars Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra. Photo: Disney/Justin Stephens.

MF: Elizabeth, were you even born yet when the last film, ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’ was released?

EAD: Nope, I was not.

MF: Finally, Tim, why does Scott think now is the right time to retire from being Santa Claus?

TA: There’s a moment where I see one of the girls that I was in the very first movie and I hit her house. She’s scared of me and her life is very different now. It reminds the character, Santa, the actual mythical figure who’s timeless, even in his world time doesn’t do the same. He saw her grown up and how things are different now. He tells his lead elf in the sleigh that things are different. It’s different in his life and it’s different in all of our lives, where maybe we start focusing on getting and not giving.

That’s really what this is all about. You’re getting stuff done, you’re getting stuff for your family, and you forgot the other part of that. It seems subtle, but it isn’t, the actual giving experience. It gets into this spiritual thing. We dance around it and it’s all about reuniting with that feeling of giving. Then there’s a wonderful scene with the old Santas. Scott’s not the first Santa! He may be a magic part of Santa, and I’m not giving anything away, but there’s a real wonderful story about how and why he is who he is, and it’s all about reuniting with how it all started. It’s also a very simple story, how it all started.

Tim Allen as Scott Calvin / Santa Claus in Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses.’ Photo: Disney/James Clark.

November 16, 2022
Movie Review: ‘Lightyear’

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear,’ which opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters on June 17th is the spinoff to Pixar’s popular ‘Toy Story’ franchise entitled ‘Lightyear.’

Directed by Angus MacLane (‘Finding Dory’), the new movie is a representation of the in-world blockbuster film that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy Andy played with in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise, and stars Chris Evans (‘Avengers: Infinity War’) as the voice of Buzz Lightyear.

In addition to Evans, the voice cast also includes Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Dale Soules, and Taika Waititi. The result is a fun movie that doesn’t recapture the magic of the ‘Toy Story’ franchise but is still an entertaining animated adventure.

The film begins by introducing us to Buzz Lightyear (Evans), a Space Ranger exploring a new planet with his commanding officer Alisha Hawthorne (Aduba). When danger strikes, Buzz does his best to save his spaceship full of civilians and escape the planet but they are ultimately marooned. Blaming himself, Buzz and Alisha work with the survivors to build a new civilization on the strange planet and rebuild their spacecraft so they can go home.

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in ‘Lightyear.’ Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ releases June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

However, when Buzz tests the new ship he realizes that every time he attempts to leave the planet, he is thrusted into the future by four years. Refusing to fail, Buzz attempts to leave again dozens of times, until eventually, Alisha grows old and dies. After Buzz’s latest attempt, he realizes the planet has been invaded by the evil Emperor Zurg (Brolin). Now, Buzz must team-up with Alisha’s granddaughter Izzy (Palmer), Mo Morrison (Waititi), Darby Steel (Soules), and a robotic cat named Sox (Sohn) and learn to work together in order to defeat Zurg and free the planet forever.

As a standalone Pixar animated adventure, ‘Lightyear’ completely soars, but is undermined by the filmmakers’ choice to shoehorn it into the ‘Toy Story’ franchise. The film opens with a title card that explains ‘Lightyear’ is the in-world movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy, which Andy played with in the original ‘Toy Story’ movies. The idea that this movie is Andy’s ‘Star Wars’ or even ‘Independence Day’ is laughable, and it’s hard to see how young Andy would fall in love with this movie.

Another question that arises from making ‘Lightyear’ the movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy is why doesn’t the character in the “movie” sound like the toy? Typically, when a voice-activated toy is release from a movie, that toy has the voice of the actor that played him in the movie. So, why isn’t Tim Allen the voice of the real Buzz Lightyear? Also, since ‘Lightyear’ is the movie the toy is based on, it means Chris Evans wasn’t actually playing Buzz, he was really playing an actor playing the title character. Best not to think about that one too much.

That being said, whoever Evans is actually playing, he does a great job of making the role his own, while honoring what Tim Allen did before him. It’s also clever casting because there are a lot of similarities between Buzz and Evans’ signature character, Steve Rogers/Captain America. Both characters are government heroes, lost in time, just trying to get home to their loved ones. There is also a comparison to be made to his “Old Man Steve” character from ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ but to talk too much about that would give away spoilers.

(L to R) Izzy Hawthorne (voice of Keke Palmer), Sox (voice of Peter Sohn), Mo Morrison (voice of Taika Waititi), Dale Soules (voice of Darby Steel), and Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in ‘Lightyear.’ ‘Lightyear’ releases June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

An overall issue I’ve had with Pixar in the past is that they come up with great concepts, and then abandon them halfway through to introduce a cute character that will sell a lot of merchandise. ‘Soul’ is a great example of that, with a truly original concept, but then introducing an adorable cat halfway through. So, I was skeptical when Sox (voiced by Peter Sohn) was introduced about 30min into ‘Lightyear.’ However, I’m happy to say that Sox really works and is a great addition to the story. Yes, it’s another example of Pixar adding a cute animal to its cast, but it doesn’t feel out of place at all and the character definitely steals every scene he’s in.

Rounding out the supporting cast are some really lovely performances from Uzo Aduba and Keke Palmer, as Commander Alisha and her granddaughter Izzy, respectively, who are really the emotional core of the movie. Taika Waititi and Dale Soules are also scene stealers with their wonderful characters of Mo and Darby, who bring the funny with their off-the-wall performances.

James Brolin is fine as the voice of Emperor Zurg, but it’s the characters final reveal that bothers me. Again, to say too much would lead to spoilers, but let’s just say that I saw the film’s big twist coming from a million lightyears away. It’s an interesting idea, but I feel like we’ve seen that twist before and it doesn’t lead to the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ moment that was probably intended. The reveal also puts the integrity of the movie’s lead character in jeopardy.

Don’t get me wrong, ‘Lightyear’ is a really fun and exciting adventure movie, with beautiful animation and a cast of really interesting characters, but in the end, suffers from its desire to remind you its set in the ‘Toy Story’ universe.

(L to R) Buzz Lightyear (Voice of Chris Evans) and Emperor Zurg (James Brolin) in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear.’ ‘Lightyear’ releases June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

‘Lightyear’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
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June 18, 2022
Comedian Bob Saget Dies at 65

Comedian Bob Saget preforms at The Laugh Factory.

Hollywood is mourning another loss today as it was announced that comedian, actor and director Bob Saget was found dead on Sunday, January 9th in his Orlando hotel room at the age of 65. Saget, who was on a stand-up comedy tour and had performed Saturday night in the Jacksonville area, was found unresponsive and while cause of death is not known at this time, authorities have ruled out foul play or drug use.

After graduating from Temple University in 1978, Saget began his stand-up career in Los Angeles at the Comedy Store, and unlike the squeaky-clean image he would eventually achieve from his television work, his act was very dirty. Saget would go on to briefly co-host CBS’ ‘The Morning Program’ before leaving to star on the ABC comedy ‘Full House,’ which would make him a household name.

For eight seasons from 1987-1995 Saget played widower Dan Tanner, who along with his best friend Joey (Dave Coulier) and brother-in-law Jesse (John Stamos), raised his three daughters (played by Candace Cameron, Jodie Sweetin and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). In 1989, at the height of the show’s success, Saget became the first host of the massively popular ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos,’ which he hosted until 1997.

On the big screen, Saget appeared opposite comedy legend Richard Pryor in director Michael Apted’s ‘Critical Condition,’ as well as ‘Meet Wally Sparks’ with another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield. In 1998, Saget would have a hilarious uncredited cameo in Dave Chappelle’s ‘Half Baked,’ before appearing in the prequel ‘Dumb and Dumber: When Harry Met Lloyd,’ as well as the documentary ‘The Aristocrats.’
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Saget studied film in college and received a student Academy Award for documentary merit for his film, ‘Through Adam’s Eyes,’ which was based on his nephew’s facial reconstructive surgery. In 1998, he made his feature length directorial debut with the cult classic comedy ‘Dirty Work,’ which starred Norm Macdonald, Artie Lange, Chris Farley, Don Rickles, John Goodman, Adam Sandler, and Chevy Chase. Saget would also go on to write and direct the spoof-documentary, ‘Farce of the Penguins.’
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Back on television, Saget would appear as an exaggerated version of himself on four episodes of HBO’s ‘Entourage,’ before providing the adult voice of Ted Mosby in narration for nine seasons on CBS’ popular series, ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ The actor would eventually return to Netflix’s revival series, ‘Fuller House,’ reprising his role as Dan Tanner from 2016-2020. Most recently, Saget was featured on an episode of the Showtime series ‘Shameless,’ as well as competing on Fox’s ‘The Masked Singer’ as the Squiggly Monster but was eliminated after his second appearance.

Both of Saget’s ‘Full House’ co-stars, John Stamos and Dave Coulier, tweeted about the passing of their friend. “I am broken. I am gutted. I am in complete and utter shock. I will never ever have another friend like him. I love you so much Bobby,” said Stamos. While Coulier tweeted, “My heart is broken. I love you, Bob.”

Dozens of comedians have also shared their memories of Saget, including Jim Carrey. “Beautiful Bob Saget passed away today at 65. He had a big, big heart and a wonderfully warped comic mind. He gave the world a lot of joy,” Carrey tweeted. Tim Allen tweeted, “Terribly sad news great friend, great comedian and wonderful man Bob Saget passed. Hit me hard. Prayers and my open heart to his family.” Billy Crystal added on his Twitter account, “I’m shocked and saddened to learn that Bob Saget is gone. A great friend and one of the funniest and sweetest people I have ever known. My love to his beautiful family.”

Director Judd Apatow also tweeted about Saget’s passing. “Bob Saget was so kind and when you spent time with him he made you laugh hard. He loved to be funny and he was hysterical. He was also there for everyone. A beautiful soul.” While legendary television producer Norman Lear tweeted, “Bob Saget was as lovely a human as he was funny. And to my mind, he was hilarious. We were close friends and I could not have loved him more.”

January 10, 2022