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The legendary film critic Roger Ebert was a firm believer in the power of family films being works of art that could connect children and adults through movies that featured deep themes. With glowing reviews of movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialand My Neighbor Totoro, he championed family entertainment that did not talk down to its audience.

Some Disney movies exemplify Roger Ebert's ideas about what makes a great children's film, with works like Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves being featured on his Great Movies lists. But other Disney movies fell short of his standards, becoming kids' films that he saw as cheap and under-baked.

Ebert Thought The Princess Diaries Was a Tired Rehash of Tropes

Considered a classic by millennials around the country, and one of the best performances in Anne Hathaway's fantastic multi-decade career, The Princess Diaries is a lovely coming-of-age story wrapped up in a classic daydream.

With Disney's Moana 2 arriving in theaters, it joins the rising list of animated sequels to critically acclaimed Disney movies. Since the 1990s, Disney has released several animated sequels to some of their most popular movies, which have reached varying degrees of success with critics and viewers. While there were some Disney sequels that received a theatrical release, between the 1990s and 2010s, the majority of animated sequels were released direct-to-dvd.

There are several Disney direct-to-dvd movies that serve as midquels or prequels to classic stories, including Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. While these midquel movies fill in the gaps in the originals' stories, Disney also released many movies that continued on from where the original movie ended. But while Disney's catalog of animated sequels allows iconic characters to experience a new adventure, not every sequel has been met with a warm reception from audiences.

John Goodman is a recurring actor for the 2000s era of Disney and Pixar movies, with some titles emerging as smash hits and others as mediocre installments. Goodmans recognizable voice is perfect for big and friendly characters, namely several of Disneys best animated fathers or paternal figures. The characterization provided by Goodman at least improved if it did not entirely transform the movie into something worthwhile.

After making his Disney debut in The Emperors New Groove, Goodman got the attention of Pixar, then still in its era of an uninterrupted streak of hits with a history of casting well-known actors. However, Goodman has not entirely escaped being in unnecessary Disney sequels or spinoffs, predictably resulting in lackluster installments. Goodmans Disney career of main characters and cameos, some of the best Pixar movies and the worst, illustrates how he became someone Disney loves to work with.

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Quick Links The Mummy Director, Stephen Sommers, Wrote and Directed 1994s The Jungle Book Disneys 2016 The Jungle Book More Closely Resembles 1967 Animated Film Jon Favreaus The Jungle Book Was a Sleeper Hit for Disney Disney's 1994 version of The Jungle Book has an almost entirely different plot from Rudyard Kipling's book on which it is based. Jon Favreau's 2016 version of The Jungle Book is one of Disney's highest-grossing live-action remakes. 2016's The Jungle Book changes the ending of the 1967 animated film.

Long before Disney's recent trend of adapting its animated films to live-action began in 2015, The Jungle Book was one of the first movies to get the full treatment. Two years later, Disney would release another live-action version of one of its 1960s animated movies: 101 Dalmatians. Still, the company didn't go all out to produce more of the same, save for the follow-up (102 Dalmatians) in 2000. Although Dalmatians hasn't exactly...

Disney Animation Studios has had an exceptional collection of films that have lived on for generations, from classics like Peter Pan to the '90s hits such as The Lion King. These remarkable storylines and characters have inspired dozens of later movies, including notable originals and respectable sequels. Among the seventy-three animated movies released by Disney since 1937, there are only a handful that have received overall poor reviews.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, there are eighteen Disney animated films that didn't live up to expectations. Some of these titles are widely unpopular among both critics and viewers, such as The Jungle Book 2 and Planes. However, some are disliked by critics while being fan-favorites, including Brother Bear and A Goofy Movie.

A Goofy Movie Is an Underrated Family Film (1995) 6.9/10 on IMDb 59% on Rotten Tomatoes

In A Goofy Movie, the beloved Disney character is trying to bond with his rebellious son, Max,...

The live-action sequel to The Jungle Book, The Jungle Book 2, was hinted at in 2016 but hasn't received updates since 2018. Unlike the animated movie, the live-action version has a different ending, leaving room for more adventures in a sequel. The original cast such as Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, and Scarlett Johansson could potentially return for The Jungle Book 2.

The live-action sequel to The Jungle Book, The Jungle Book 2, was first hinted at back in 2016. Jon Favreau directed the live-action adaptation of Disney's The Jungle Book which was also released in 2016. Widely considered one of the best Disney live-action remakes, The Jungle Book balances both the original 1967 animated feature and Rudyard Kipling's 1894 book. This makes The Jungle Book unusual in that it is one of the few Disney live-action adaptations to have many significant differences between the remake and its animated parent – and The Jungle Book already has differences from the book.

The live-action Jungle Book remake may have been a massive success, but it was far from an accurate depiction of life in the jungle. Wilderness expert Hazen Audel criticizes Mowgli's decisions and skills in the movie, highlighting the danger he would actually face in the wild. The movie's inaccuracies stem from the fact that it is a Disney remake with talking animals, but its plot and characters remain compelling despite imperfections.

A wilderness expert isn't happy with the depiction of Mowgli in the live-action remake of The Jungle Book. Starring Neel Sethi as Mowgli, the 2016 remake depicted a young boy trying to survive in the wilderness with the help of the jungle's many animals and resources. The movie was a massive success, generating over $950 million against a budget of approximately $175 million. That does not, however, mean that it was accurate.

Despite outperforming the original movie on Rotten Tomatoes, The Jungle Book...

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Disney fans and physical media collectors, rejoice! This November will see the release of a gargantuan 100-film Blu-ray collection called the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection. The catch? It’ll cost you $1,499.96.

The boxed set officially releases on Nov. 14, but preorders are currently available exclusively at Walmart’s website.

Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection $1,499.96 Buy Now

The collection is packaged as a three-volume set, featuring animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar. But unlike other behemoth boxed sets, this one isn’t filled with lame direct-to video snoozers but beloved titles that includes classics and recent favorites. For example, the long-running list includes all the “Toy Story” movies, both of “The Incredibles,” “The Black Cauldron,” “Frankenweenie” and “Robin Hood.” It even includes films as recent as this...

If you’re a Disney fan who wants each and every animated movie they’ve ever made in one place, then you’re in luck. The Walt Disney Company announced the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, which features 100 animated movies from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar on Blu-ray. Everything from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Elemental is included, encompassing nearly one hundred years of storytelling.

Related Disney and Pixar’s Elemental comes to Disney+ on September 13th

The Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection is a self-standing, three-volume set that will be available for pre-order on September 19th, but only on Walmart.com. There will be a limited amount of sets available, so each will include a numbered certificate of authenticity. The set will also feature digital codes for each title, along with a collectible lithograph from Disney Animation’s all-new musical comedy Wish, and a collectible...

The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a hefty new Blu-ray box set containing 100 of its best animated films.

Officially titled the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, the box set comes with three volumes that open up to feature the original theatrical artwork for each film. Additionally, the package offers digital codes to all 100 movies, a certificate of authenticity, a lithograph from the upcoming feature Wish, and a collectible set of crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with “Disney 100.”

Drawing films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and the now-closed DisneyToon Studios, the collection offers a pretty comprehensive timeline of the company, founded in 1923. The box set features early classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, 1990s renaissance films like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Toy Story, and more modern offerings — many of which got the direct-to-Disney+ treatment thanks to Covid — including Soul,...

Since the Writers Guild of American and Screen Actors Guild are both still on strike, this year's Destination D23 convention down in Orlando, Florida didn't really have much of anything to showcase. Sure, the studio showed some footage from Disney's upcoming animated movie "Wish," and they announced that "Haunted Mansion" would be hitting Disney+ in October. But there was one other announcement that might be intriguing for anyone who is both a Disney fan and a physical media collector.

This fall, the House of Mouse will be releasing the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, which collects 100 animated films from both Disney and Pixar, reaching as far back as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and up through this summer's "Elemental" from Pixar. All of the movies come in a big three-volume set that unfolds in collectible storybooks. The Disney100 Blu-ray box set also includes the original theatrical poster art for every movie within the storybook,...

Disney just announced the release of the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, featuring 100 animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. It’s packaged together as a three-volume set that unfolds into your own storybook.

The set is festooned with original poster designs and comes with digital codes for every movie, alongside a lithograph from Disney’s upcoming feature “Wish,” a certificate of authenticity and crystal Mickey Mouse ears engraved with the “Disney 100” logo. The limited-edition collection will be available on Nov. 14, with pre-orders beginning on Walmart.com on Sept. 18. It has a retail price of $1,500.

What’s fascinating about the set is that it includes a wide array of classic Walt Disney Animation Studios features, along with beloved Pixar favorites and a smattering of films (many of them direct-to-video sequels to earlier masterworks) created by the since-shuttered DisneyToon Studios. That includes “Tinker Bell,” “Return to Neverland,” “The...

Live-action Disney villain prequels have become a trend recently and after The Little Mermaid, it's inevitable that the next one will be about Ursula. 2023's The Little Mermaid has been a huge hit, once again revitalizing the Disney animated classic and renewing interest in the future of the franchise. Due to the film's success, Disney is most likely looking for ways to expand on The Little Mermaid live-action remake. Luckily, the film's fantastic use of Ursula means that a live-action The Little Mermaid prequel focusing on the Sea Witch is the perfect choice for Disney's next big villain prequel.

The Little Mermaid is only the most recent entry in Disney's long line of live-action remakes of animated classics with, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and more getting the same treatment. 2023's The Little Mermaid is arguably the most accurate to the source material, as...

Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was featured on the first season of Netflix’s Tiger King, was arrested this afternoon by the FBI, according to multiple reports. The reasons for his arrest in Horry County, South Carolina were not disclosed.

Antle, who was a magician before he founded his first private zoo, now owns and runs Myrtle Beach Safari which features big cats and other endangered species.

In 2020, Antle was charged in Virginia with two felony counts related to wildlife trafficking. He has also been the subject of allegations about inappropriate relationships with minors. He was further accused of operating a cult at his Myrtle Beach business. Antle denies the claims.

The zookeeper was hired as an animal expert on films like Dr. Dolittle and provided animals for movies such as Mighty Joe Young, The Jungle Book and The Jungle Book 2. Antle is also credited as a “principle animal trainer” on the Ace Ventura films.

Exclusive: Deadline has learned that David Gordon Green is set to direct a movie at Disney Studios for Disney+ about Walt Disney’s journey to building Disneyland, the “Happiest Place on Earth.”

The news comes days before Gordon’s Halloween Kills opens, the sequel to the highest-grossing Halloween movie of all time It was released in 2018 and racked up $255.6 million.

Evan Spiliotopoulos, who has a history writing on such Disney projects as The Jungle Book 2, Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure and the $1.26 billion-grossing live-action reboot of Beauty and the Beast, is set to write. Cavalry Media and producer Jason Reed spent a year developing the pitch before bringing it to Disney.

Spiliotopoulos’ credits also include the 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsmen, which grossed nearly $400M worldwide; the $245M WW-grossing Hercules; and this year’s Snake Eyes and The Unholy.

Allison Erlikhman will oversee for Disney Studios.

The film will begin pre-production in Australia and New Zealand in December.

UK sales outfit Sc Films International has acquired world sales rights to animated adventure Stonerunner and will launch the title at next month’s American Film Market.

The family title will begin pre-production in Australia and New Zealand in December. It is a co-production between New Zealand’s Huhu Animation Studios, and Accent Media Group and Fg Film Productions in Australia.

It is scheduled for a December 2022 delivery, ahead of a 2023 theatrical release.

Set in a distant future where the world is slowly being rebuilt after machines destroyed the planet,...

Thank Mickey it’s Friday, as that means a heap of new content is coming to Disney Plus.

The Mouse House streaming site’s release model is to drop a batch of titles in one go, as opposed to Netflix’s preferred tactic of drip-feeding their audience over time. This Friday, then, we’re getting a lot of fresh material to binge watch over the weekend, from various original documentaries and TV specials to a couple of major releases making their debuts on the service.

Check out the list below for the full roll call of everything that’s coming to Disney Plus in the U.S. and Canada today:

Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Finale Episode 108 – “Connections” (Global) Disney Family Sundays Episode 133 – “Monsters, Inc. Water Bottles” (Global) It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer Episode 106 – “Stunt Dogs & Water Rescue Dogs” (Global) Fantastic Four (2015) (Us) Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days...

One of Britney Spears' most iconic moments is tied to Netflix's hit Tiger King series. The limited series introduces the world to some amazing characters and Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is one of the lead players. While Antle is not as flamboyant as the show's main focus, Joe Exotic, he carves out his own bizarre niche in the bonkers storyline and adds quite a bit to the story. As it turns out, he helped Spears back in 2001 with a huge performance. Then there's another possibly even weirder connection, which you can see below.

The 2001 MTV Video Music Awards was a big one for Britney Spears. She came out and performed her hit single "I'm a Slave 4 U" while holding a seven-foot albino Burmese python around her neck. While the majority of viewers focused on Spears' outfit and the huge python, not too many people noticed that there was an adult tiger behind her,...

Before “Tiger King” became a water-cooler sensation, a key character in Netflix’s bizarre true-crime documentary had his own moment in the spotlight.

“Tiger King” enthusiasts discovered that Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, an animal trainer who worked closely with series’ central character Joe Exotic, had a surprising connection to Britney Spears. As fate would have it, Antle was on stage with the pop star during her infamous MTV Video Music Awards performance in 2001, where Spears was draped in a seven-foot long python to sing “I’m a Slave 4 U.” In the performance, which has since cemented its place in pop culture, Antle can be seen standing in a cage handling tigers.

Antle has ties to Hollywood, having worked as an animal expert on films like “Dr. Dolittle” and “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” He appeared frequently on late night talk shows and also provided creatures for movies including “The War,” “The Jungle Book,...

Disney will be pumping out live-action versions of their animated classics for a long time time to come. Here’s a list of titles in the works, including the release date of the original.

Aladdin

“Aladdin” is up next: This whimsical and critically acclaimed journey catapulted Robin Williams into four-quadrant comedy stardom thanks to his take on the genie in Aladdin’s lamp. Now the colorful and gritty director Guy Ritchie will try his hand at a reboot. The live-action version stars Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud and Will Smith and will hit theaters on May 24.

The Lion King

This highly anticipated live-action remake of 1994’s “The Lion King” will hit theaters in July, and is Jon Favreau’s follow-up to his successful “Jungle Book” remake. Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, Beyonce, Billy Eichner, Keegan-Michael Key and more star.

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil

Adapted from 1959’s “Sleeping Beauty,” the first...

Netflix is moving forward with Bright 2, bringing aboard Evan Spiliotopoulos to write the script, taking over for original Bright writer Max Landis. Original Bright director David Ayer is returning to the helm, with Will Smith and Joel Edgerton expected to reprise their roles as Daryl Ward and Nick Jakoby, respectively. Netflix has yet to announce a production start date, or a release date for this sequel, but it will mark the first sequel for any of the streaming service's original movies.

Sources say that Max Landis, who wrote the original Bright, will not be involved with Bright 2. The writer reportedly had creative differences with returning director David Ayer, which lead to the writer parting ways on the sequel. Max Landis was paid a whopping sum for his original Bright script, reportedly between $3 million and $4 million, which was part of a package that Netflix paid $90 million for, beating out...

Disney's Maleficent 2 is finally moving forward, with the studio bringing aboard Ed Skrein to play the new villain. Unfortunately, no details about his character were given at this time, with the actor joining original Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning in this sequel. This report doesn't reveal any details about when production may or may not take place, and Disney hasn't set a release date at this time, but there was previously a report that indicated filming was supposed to start yesterday.

The last we heard about Maleficent 2 was back in January, when it was revealed that director Joachim Ronning has entered pre-production on the sequel, with principal photography reportedly set to begin on April 16 in London. That report also indicated that filming was slated to last until August, with Angelina Jolie reportedly choosing this project over the prospect of starring in Universal Pictures' Bride of Frankenstein,...

Disney’s live-action remake of their classic animated movie The Jungle Book turned out to be a raging success when it hit theaters in 2016, skirting a $1 billion dollar box office gross and winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It’s no surprise, then, that the House of Mouse is working on a sequel.

Luckily for the filmmakers, there’s some material to mine when it comes to finding a new story to fuel a second outing. The first movie was based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic of the same name and it just so happens that the author also wrote a follow-up, The Second Jungle Book, which has rarely been brought to the screen.

It also turns out that the sequel will look to deleted scenes and ideas from the 1967 animated movie for inspiration. Screenwriter Justin Marks spoke at the TCA press tour recently and explained how he...

Director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Marks are currently in the process of developing the script for The Jungle Book 2 for Disney. During a recent interview with /Film, Marks offered up some details on where they are getting their ideas for the sequel. One of the cool things that he reveals is that they dove into the Disney archives and pulled out a bunch of unused ideas for the original 1967 animated film and they are going to implement them into their story. Those ideas come from a script that Walt Disney rejected.

"In the second film, the idea is to go further through the Kipling but also go into some of the Disney resources from the ’67 film that maybe didn’t get to see the light of day in the first film. If you look back to Bill Peet’s work on the original film, some of which was thrown out by Walt Disney,...

It wasn't terribly surprising when Disney revealed they were planning The Jungle Book 2, with the sequel in development just days before The Jungle Book hit theaters. The Jungle Book would go on to be one of the biggest box office hit in 2016, bringing in $364 million domestic and $966.5 million worldwide, from a $180 million budget. While promoting his new Starz TV series Counterpart, screenwriter Justin Marks shed some new light on this sequel. Here's what the writer had to say about how this sequel will continue to explore other aspects of the Rudyard Kipling novel.

"In the second film, the idea is to go further through the Kipling but also go into some of the Disney resources from the '67 film that maybe didn't get to see the light of day in the first film. If you look back to Bill Peet's work on the original film, some of which...

During /Film’s interview with screenwriter Justin Marks, creator of Starz’s new series Counterpart, we asked about his screenplay for the developing live-action Jungle Book sequel. The Jungle Book 2 was announced back in April of 2016, but we haven’t heard much on development since then. Jon Favreau is busy directing a new version of The […]

The post ‘The Jungle Book 2’ Will Resurrect Unused Disney Ideas, Explore More Rudyard Kipling Stories [TCA 2018] appeared first on /Film.

Presented by Deadhouse Films, the 11th annual A Night of Horror International Film Festival and Fantastic Planet, Sydney Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival announce the first wave of programming for the 2017 event today. Both festivals will run concurrently at Dendy Cinemas Newtown, from November 29th to December 3rd 2017. Says programming director Dean Bertram:

The festivals’ programmers are delighted to announce a stunning array of frightening, bloody, and awe-inspiring cinema from around the world. This first wave is an international cinematic buffet. It includes the freshest and best of this season’s fantastic genre fare: incredible films from Australia, Europe, North and South America, and Africa.

The first eight feature films announced by the two festivals – all of which are Sydney, Australian, or international premieres – are below. More program details and guest announcements will be revealed at the end of the month when tickets also go on sale.

Bad Black (dir: Nabwana I.G.G.,...

The growing desire on the part of the House Of Mouse to wring every last remake opportunity from its entire back catalogue is something that sparks a number of debates about the evolution of cinema, and the part we play in that evolution as consumers. With 2015’s Cinderella having come and gone, and Beauty And The Beast now doing well at the box office, we’re currently staring down the barrel of at least a further 15 of these types of projects – featuring live-action re-imaginings of previously animated tales and characters. This being the case, it’s tempting to decry the dearth of new ideas and creations in Disney’s big screen output. But, while there is clearly merit to that argument, is there really no value to be found in these upcoming movies?

Disney’s developing slate of live-action re-imaginings is a mixture of remakes, sequels, and character-focused spinoffs – which...

Angelina Jolie was at one point, not that long ago, one of the most sought-after and highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. On Disney's Maleficent, she was able to command a massive $20 million payday as well as some backend, which is no small feat. She has since turned her attention toward smaller projects and directing, but it looks like her next big role could be a return as the iconic Disney villain in Maleficent 2.

The Hollywood Reporter recently ran a pretty in-depth feature on Angelina Jolie and where her career is headed. According to the report, she currently has a few acting projects in the works after spending a few years mostly behind the camera. Her only acting gigs of late were in By The Sea and Kung Fu Panda 3. Per THR, she is now looking to get back in the game with a pair of large-scale projects currently in development at Universal,...

Over the past few years, Disney has made some hefty profits off of adapting their animated films for live-action. It worked with Cinderella, it worked with The Jungle Book, and the stars certainly seem to be aligning for the upcoming Beauty and the Beast. One film that seems perfectly suited for a live-action adaptation is Mulan, and it was no surprise when Disney officially announced recently that they’d, in fact, be doing exactly that. But who would’ve thought this would be the film mired in such interesting controversy, discussion, and dare I say…imitation…?

Recently, we reported on the controversy surrounding an early script that had a white male at the center of the Chinese conflict. It was later reported that this version of the script had already been reworked, and that the entire cast of the film would be Asian. Bullet dodged, Disney. Bullet dodged.

Read Also:...

Ever since Disney started successfully remaking their animated classics in live-action, I've been waiting for them to announce a remake of Aladdin. Robin Williams' death may have been the reason for the delay (that's pure speculation on my part), but now the studio has pulled the trigger on the movie and execs are having discussions with director Guy Ritchie about helming it. Additionally, Deadline says the studio is eyeing this as a potential franchise starter, so assuming this movie makes enough money, we're going to get more adventures with these characters (no surprise there, considering The Jungle Book 2 is in the works).

Frankly, I should have seen this coming. In hindsight, Ritchie is an obvious choice to direct this film because of Aladdin's street rat origins: he's built a career making movies about the down-and-dirty street rats of London, and he's even bringing that vibe to King Arthur early next year.

Can studios really expect theater audiences to keep coming back to old franchises decades after their original release? Looking at data over the last couple decades, the answer has become a resounding yes. This is an in-depth look at why that is.

We all know that sequels are rarely better than the original film. And sequels of sequels tend to be even worse. Audiences are aware of this fact, which is why traditionally sequels usually gross less in theaters than the original film. If audiences don’t respond to the sequel as well as the original film, they are less inclined to see it more than once, or tell their friends to go see it.

It becomes a matter of diminishing returns; studios try to eke out as much business from one franchise before it no longer makes financial sense to release another sequel. And with each sequel making less money,...

Walt Disney Pictures is continuing plans for live-action remakes of practically every animated feature in their library, and now Deadline reports that the studio is considering a recent pitch for a live-action "The Little Mermaid" film.

The original 1989 animated feature kicked off a renaissance for the studio which had struggled with animated features before that point and then suddenly had a successful run of them afterwards with the likes of "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "The Lion King".

With 'Mermaid,' initial discussions have reportedly taken place with major producers, but the studio has yet to move forward with the idea. One reason is that Universal and Working Title are already developing their own "Little Mermaid" project based on the original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale with Chloe Grace Moretz set to star and Rebecca Thomas directing from a script by Richard Curtis.

Disney's upcoming live-action takes on their...

Disney is turning more of its classic stories and characters live.

The studio announced it is making nine new live-action films, following the tremendous success of "The Jungle Book," which followed the success of "Cinderella" and "Maleficent." The new projects join the upcoming "Alice Through the Looking Glass" (opening May 27) and Emma Watson's "Beauty and the Beast" (opening March 2017).

The slate boasts a slew of A-list stars, including Emma Stone in "Cruella," Dwayne Johnson in "Jungle Cruise," Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda in a "Mary Poppins" sequel, and Reese Witherspoon in "Tinkerbell."

There's also "Maleficent 2," with Angelina Jolie reprising her role; "Dumbo," directed by Tim Burton; "A Wrinkle in Time," directed by Ava DuVernay; "The Nutcracker and Four Realms," directed by Lasse Hallstrom; and "The Jungle Book 2."

None of the newly-announced movies have release dates as of yet.

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Disney has had a recent trend that's been both eye-rollingly lazy and all kinds of awesome. It hasn't gone unnoticed by the mainstream that they've taken a liking to adapting their animated classics into live-action films. So far, the studio has churned out Alice In Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book. While the first two films were widely considered duds by critics (even if they made gangbusters at the box office), the last two were exceptionally well-received. Cinderella was such a pleasant surprised, in fact, that most could give Disney a pass when they announced a live-action Dumbo from Tim Burton. 

So far, we have dates for Alice Through The Looking Glass, Pete's Dragon, and Beauty And The Beast, but despite a long list of upcoming films, we still don't know when a lot of them are coming out.

Disney has taken their first steps in announcing that. According to EW,...

Disney has secured five release dates spanning between 2017 and 2019 for new live-action fairy tale movies. Although we don't know exactly which movies will open in these particular slots, two of them will be The Jungle Book 2 and Maleficent 2. There are a number of other projects in various stages of development at Disney, so we'll have to wait and see which other family adventures claim these dates. For now, all we know are the dates themselves.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the first date, July 28, 2017, actually replaces a previous untitled project set to open on December 22, 2017, one week after Star Wars: Episode VIII. The other dates are April 6, 2018, August 3, 2018, December 25, 2018 and December 20, 2019. The July 28, 2017 project will go up against Sony's Jumanji reboot, while all of the other unspecified projects don't have any direct competition in those release dates yet. But that will surely change. Disney had previously set...

Disney just announced a bunch of updates to its movie release calendar, but they’re all untitled movies, so that leaves us to play the guessing game of which movies have been moved to which dates. Here are the changes to the studio’s release calendar, all for live action projects: Untitled Disney fairy tale (live action) previously dated on December 22, 2017 moves to July 28, 2017 Untitled Disney fairy tale (live action) now dated April 6, 2018 Untitled Disney live action now dated on August 3, 2018 Untitled Disney live action now dated on December 25, 2018 Untitled Disney fairy tale (live action) now dated on December 20, 2019 First things first: What does this mean for Star Wars? Star Wars Episode IX was at one point scheduled for May 24, 2019. Then Episode VIII got moved from May 2017 to December 2017, after the massive box office success of a Christmastime release for Force Awakens. After that release date change, Disney CEO...

Disney may have their hands full with the Marvel, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones franchises, but those are far from the only live-action projects they currently have in the works. The studio has revealed release dates for many of their live-action fairy tale films today, with one now dated for July 28th, 2017, and another coming on April

The post Disney sets slew of release dates; confirm Dumbo, Maleficent 2, The Jungle Book 2, and more appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing Jon Favreau's latest, The Jungle Book. I'll be posting a review within the next 48 hours, but I can give you a sneak peek right now:

It's good. It's very, very good.

Disney can sense that it's got a major hit on its hands, as the film has already raked in around $32 million in a handful of foreign markets, and critics so far have given the film a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. So it should come as no surprise that the Mouse House is beginning to get its ducks in a row for The Jungle Book 2.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Favreau, fellow Queens College boy (hehe), has already been asked to return to the director's chair, and Justin Marks has also been rehired to write the sequel. Since the film, a live-action adaptation of the animated Disney classic,...

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Jon Favreau is set to return to direct another Jungle Book movie for Disney...

Disney’s new (relatively) live action take on The Jungle Book lands in cinemas this weekend, with director Jon Favreau steering the ship. But with welcome early reviews and signs of strong box office, it sounds like Disney isn’t wasting much time getting a follow-up together.

It’s reportedly in talks with Favreau about returning to direct The Jungle Book 2 – or whatever it’d end up being called – with screenwriter Justin Marks also in negotiations. The many Rudyard Kipling stories available certainly give no shortage of directions a sequel could go.

There’s no word yet on scheduling, but Disney clearly has a lot of confidence in this one. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more…

THR.

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In just a few short days, Disney will unveil its new adventure The Jungle Book in theaters, which features an all-star cast of talent voicing the jungle creatures around young Neel Sethi, who portrays the lead character Mowgli. While we'll have to wait and see how this movie fares in theaters, it has already been getting rave reviews from critics, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from 21 reviews. Today we have a new report from Heat Vision Blog, which reveals that the studio is already developing The Jungle Book 2, with The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Marks currently in negotiations to return for the follow-up.

The Jungle Book already opened in select Asian and Latin American international territories this weekend, taking in $31.7 million, debuting in the #1 spot in all territories. The highest debut was its $8.4 million take in India, which represents the second highest opening for a Western release in the country.

Rob Leane Simon Brew Nov 1, 2016

Disney adds Snow White and Mulan to its list of live action takes on its animated features...

You’ve probably noticed the influx of live action fairytales gracing cinemas in recent years. This isn’t about to stop any time soon, since re-spinning a recognisable fantastical yarn with real people instead of animated ones always makes big money for the studio behind it.

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This process has become so popular that there are currently more of these live action fairytales in production than Marvel Studios, DC Entertainment or Star Wars movies. That’s a lot of films.

We've recently learned that two movies based on or around Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs are now in development at Disney.

What's the only thing worse than a sequel? The only prospect worse than paying £10 at your local cinema to have your favourite movie ruined, forever. The answer has three words. Straight-to-video.

In the '90s, home release sequels became fairly common. You'd greet them with surprise at your local Blockbusters and then want to pull your eyeballs out when you took them home and watched them. They're probably called straight-to-dvd or straight-to-Blu-ray now, but they still exist.

With the announcement that Dolph Lundgren will be starring in Kindergarten Cop 2 (because of course), here are 21 absolute stinking sequels - the vast majority of which weren't even considered good enough for the cinema. How many of them have you watched?

1. American Pie Presents: Band Camp

2. American Pie Presents: Beta House

Maybe it's the Eugene Levy factor - just why did he keep starring in all the sequels?! - but we have weird...

Does Hollywood try to remake/sequelize/franchise-extend every single one of its successful movies? Sometimes it feels that way, but there’s a little more nuance to studio practices than that. If you’re looking for meaning in this summer’s blockbuster season – not always easy – you could call it Dr. JurassicMax or How Hollywood Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Reboot. Rebooting franchises isn’t as common, well-received, or lucrative as you might think. Today let’s look briefly at the history of the reboot – and how this summer changed it.

First, what technically counts as a reboot? One school would say that anytime the cast shuffles, it’s a reboot, meaning we’re now on the second reboot (and third iteration) of Spider-Man films. That’s pretty rare; far more often, duration between films is the deciding factor, and it just doesn’t feel right to slap...

A slew of classic Disney movies are hitting for the first time on Blu-Ray, including one double-pack release, and you’re going to want to make sure to pick these up. You haven’t paid attention to some of these titles for a while, and it’s about time you got the chance to catch them on Blu-Ray. The best part is that there’s a great mix of releases hitting. Bedknobs and Broomsticks is all but lost in the cultural consciousness, and it deserves a return. The Academy Award-winning movie from the year I was born is filled with a lot of fun and adventure, and like most Disney films, holds up well for a whole new generation.

The rest of the group covers a great spectrum, including two animated “big” titles, and a 10th Anniversary release. There’s a lot to expose your family to here, so check out all the info below,...

Maleficent wasn.t a game-changer. It was, instead, the latest in what is now becoming the status quo: Live-action takes on one-time animated classics that will attempt to appeal to a familiar audience base by telling them a timeless story using a different medium. And now we know which animated classic is going to get reworked. Bill Condon, the Oscar-winning director of Gods and Monsters, Kinsey, Dreamgirls and . yes . two Twilight movies, will take a swing at a live-action Beauty and the Beast for Disney. Variety reports that screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos has been tapped to write the script, after tackling scripts for such in-house animated sequels like Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure, The Jungle Book 2, Pooh.s Heffalump Movie and The Lion King 1 1/2. And HitFix added that Condon will be drawing not only from the Oscar-winning 1991 animated film, but also from the smash Broadway musical that ran for 13 years,...

Sure, Michael Bay's massively scaled "Transformers: Age of Extinction" might be just a little over a month away from premiering all over the world, but apparently that doesn't mean that he can't still cast people in pivotal roles.

Bay announced (via his sleek personal website) that John Goodman and Ken Watanabe will join the voice casting, playing Hound and Drift, respectively, while Peter Cullen and Frank Welker will return to the franchise (Cullen is, once again, Optimus Prime, while Welker will essay a new character, Galvatron).

"I am pleased to welcome two gifted and versatile actors, John Goodman and Ken Watanabe, to the world of Transformers," Bay announced in a statement on the site. "And to reteam with Peter and Frank, who have brought Transformers characters alive from the beginning. I've been fortunate to work with some of the best voice talent in the business, and together we will...

Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book 2 is finally available on Blu-ray (I reviewed it last night Here)

We Are Movie Geeks has a couple of copies of the Blu-ray to give away to our readers. All you have to do to win one is to leave a comment below letting us know who your favorite character from the Jungle Book movies is. It’s so simple!

We have two Jungle Book 2 Blu-rays to give away and the winners will be chosen next week. Good luck!

The post Wamg Giveaway – Win The Jungle Book 2 Blu-Ray appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.

The Disney Dtv sequels have become a bit if an embarrassment to the Disney legacy. There have been a lot of them and for every Toy Story 2 there are a half dozen cash-ins like Aladdin The Return Of Jafar, Beauty And The Beast’S Enchanted Christmas, and Lilo And Stitch – Stitch Has A Glitch. Most seemed rushed with inferior animation, weak tunes, and lame scripts. They may have worked their way into the wallets of the Disney fans, but not their hearts.

Let’s face it – topping Phil Harris and his classic jungle jive in the original 1967 Jungle Book wasn’t going to happen but 2003’s Jungle Book 2 was better than most sequels, had an impressive voice cast, and was wise enough to include the Jb signature tune “The Bear Necessities” not once but three times! The film’s animation was more detailed and vivid than most of Disney...

Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week

"Frozen"

What's It About? Anna (Kristen Bell) doesn't know why she and her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel) have grown apart over the years. Doesn't she want to build a snowman like they used to do when they were kids? Actually, Elsa is a little too good at building snowmen, because she's the gosh-darn Ice Queen and turns everything to frost when she gets mad or stressed out. Anna goes on a mission to save her sister, along with a dude named Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his beloved reindeer, and a talking snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) who just wants a hug.

Why We're In: This is one of the best Disney movies to come out in years. Even adults are secretly listening to Menzel belt out the Oscar-winning song "Let It Go" on their headphones.

Moviefone's Top Blu-ray of the Week

"The Hidden Fortress"

What's It About?...