Disney-Pixar is offering us a much-needed pick me up, thanks to its musical Day of the Dead feature Coco (Nov. 22). Check out a trio of new videos related to the upcoming adventure below!
First, check out a new clip from the film which takes us in the heart of the action in “Mariachi Plaza” which imparts an important lesson: don’t ever cross anyone’s abuelita!
Next, go behind the scenes with the informative “Crafting Coco” featurette, which offers insights on the film’s development from co-director Adrian Molina, director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, voice star Gael García Bernal (“Hector” the skeleton), composer Michael Giacchino, songwriter Germaine Franco, cultural music consultant Camilo Lara, and Anthony Gonzalez (“Miguel”).
Pixar Animation Studios also announced at last week’s Oculus Connect that it would be embarking on its first-ever VR project tied to the new film. Directed by Ross Haldane Stevenson and produced by Oscar winner Marc Sondheimer (Piper), Coco VR allows users to explore the dual worlds of the film with their friends in a next-level social VR experience, available on Oculus Rift on Nov. 15 and Samsung Gear VR on Nov. 22.
Coco VR is a co-production of Disney-Pixar and Oculus, with VR creative development and execution by Magnopus. Supervising TD John Halstead spearheaded technical efforts for Pixar. The experience will be available to try out ahead of launch at Día de los Muertos festivals in Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, Oakland and Chicago (Oct. 28 and on); Camp Flog Gnaw Music Festival in LA (Oct. 28-29); and select Disney Stores and movie theaters across the US (through Nov. 22).
Read more about the making of Coco in the December issue of Animation Magazine (No. 275) available soon!
The highly anticipated 2D follow-up to the Oscar winning Disney/Marvel feature will be blasting off next month, as Big Hero 6: The Series launches with a one-hour special “Baymax Returns” on Monday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. EST. The TV movie will premiere simultaneously on Disney XD and Disney Channel, and will be available on the DisneyNOW app and Disney XD VOD.
Set in the fictional city of San Fransokyo, “Baymax Returns” explores the moment in the 2014 feature film when Hiro believes that his compassionate, cutting-edge robot Baymax is lost in the portal forever, and discovers the chip his brother Tadashi designed to create Baymax. The 14-year-old tech genius Hiro begins school as the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology and sets off to rebuild Baymax, but his overconfidence and penchant for taking shortcuts leads him and the newly minted Big Hero 6 team – Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Go Go and Fred – into trouble.
A customizable, interactive virtual assistant called Pocket Baymax launches on DisneyNOW the same day. Need more digital incentive? Two full-length episodes of Big Hero 6: The Series will debut exclusively on DisneyNOW and Disney XD VOD immediately after the movie airs, ahead of its official broadcast premiere in early 2018. Starting Nov. 24, a series of shorts will rollout each Friday for six weeks on Disney XD, the app and the network’s YouTube channel. An international TV rollout for the whole lot will occur throughout 2018.
Reprising their roles from the film are Maya Rudolph as Aunt Cass, Ryan Potter as Hiro, Scott Adsit as Baymax, Jamie Chung as Go Go, Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei, Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon, David Shaughnessy as Heathcliff and Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee as Fred’s dad. Joining the main voice cast are Khary Payton as Wasabi and Brooks Wheelan as Fred. Recurring guests include Jenifer Lewis as Professor Granville, Haley Tju as Karmi, Andrew Scott as Obake and Andy Richter as Globby.
Produced by Disney Television Animation, Big Hero 6: The Series is executive produced by Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley and Nick Filippi — the team behind Emmy-winning hit Kim Possible. Filippi is also supervising director.
You can read more about the creation of the series in the December issue of Animation Magazine (No. 275), available soon.
What do you do after creating one of the most popular, trail-blazing animated preschool shows in recent memory? If you’re Doc McStuffins creator and exec producer Chris Nee, you embark on a whole new adventure with another awesome toon that pushes the creative envelope.
Nee’s brand new animated series Vampirina, which debuts Oct. 1 on Disney Junior and Disney Channel, centers on a delightful family of, um, bloodsuckers, who have recently moved from Transylvania to a Pennsylvania neighborhood. Each episode centers on the adventures of Vampirina (voiced by Isabella Crovetti) and her parents (voiced by Lauren Graham and James Van Der Beek) as she learns to adjust to the normal human world around her.
Speaking from the Disney studios in Burbank, Nee tells us that the whole journey began when she saw a tiny visual development clip of what Disney and Irish studio Brown Bag Films had put together. “Disney Junior had found this book property [by author Anne Marie Pace and illustrator LeUyen Pham] and thought that it would be cool to develop into a series for a preschool audience,” Nee recalls. “The second I saw this character, I just knew I had to help bring her to life. I was just so excited by what she looked like and everything that she represented.”
Finding another property to fall in love with after the amazingly dynamic Doc McStuffins wasn’t going to be easy. “I knew Doc had set the bar really high, but I was really excited by what Vampirina had to say. She represents a kid who is really different, and she can be sometimes hard to be friends with, because she is so unusual, but it’s definitely worth it. She’s a total spark plug, and doesn’t do everything the right way, but her spirit is truly infectious.”
The Awesome Irish Connection
The show’s preschool-friendly CG animation is co-produced by Brown Bag Films in Dublin (in conjunction with Infinite Studios in Indonesia), which also produces Doc McStuffins. Co-exec producer is another McStuffins alum, Norton Virgien (Rugrats, Henry Hugglemonster). Brown Bag’s Nicky Phelan (Octonauts), who was nominated for an Oscar for his 2010 short Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty, is the director.
“It made a huge amount of sense to work with Brown Bag,” says Nee. “They are such a gem of studio. The amount of talent that comes out of that tiny country is unbelievable. They are a company that always says: Yes, let’s figure out a way to do this. That’s not something that we usually see in this business.”
While the writing staff is based in Los Angeles, and the voice recording, music and sound mixes are all done in L.A., Nee often travels to Dublin to get hands-on interactions with the team at Brown Bag. “We’re on the phone every morning,” she explains. “I think it’s really important for us to have face-to-face time and know each other as human beings. We really wanted to make sure that human contact is part of our process, because at the end of the day we should be connected to humanity, if we’re doing our jobs right. It’s so easy these days to become separate prods. We want to feel like we are all part of one team that is working on this wonderful project.”
As Nee and her team are also working on the fifth season of Doc McStuffins, she says she is applying many lessons that she learned from her first big series to Vampirina. “We are now people who know each other very well,” Nee explains. “The lessons have been absorbed into our creative process. We know our strengths and weaknesses, and the idiosyncratic ways we like to work together. As we are embarking on something new and fresh, we are much further down the road than we were when we were launching Doc.”
A Taste for Eyeball Soup
Of course, one of the biggest challenges about the new project was how to make the world of vampires friendly, without the usual fear quotient tied to the supernatural creatures. “Well, we never actually show them drinking blood,” explains Nee. “But the food that they eat is always left of the center. They have Yeti Spaghetti, blood orange juice, and love to eat things like eyeball soup or bone soup.”
Yet, the writers were always aware of their special balancing act. Nee notes, “In the beginning, we asked ourselves, was there going to be a day when we all turned around and said, ‘Oh my God, we are doing vampires for preschool!’ How do we honor what is so cool about this world without being in a place where kids might come in scared? At the end of the day, what happens is that you see this character who is so instantly lovable and such a great entry into this space. You know you’re in a comforting place. Her parents, who are played by Lauren Graham and James Van Der Beek, I think they are going to become one of these classic TV families. They are so warm and funny, and their performances are so nuanced. So, you kind of want to move into this house with these guys.”
In addition to Van Der Beek, Graham and Crovetti, the star-studded cast includes: Mitchell Whitfield as playful ghost, Demi; Jordan Alexa Davis as Vampirina’s — a.k.a. Vee — best friend and next-door neighbor, Poppy; ViviAnn Yee as another one of Vee’s close friends, Bridget; Dee Bradley Baker as Vee’s teacher and the Hauntley’s dog, Wolfie; Benji Risley as Poppy’s twin brother, Edgar; Cree Summer as Poppy and Edgar’s mom, Edna; and Ian James Corlett as Chef Remy Bones, the Scare B&B’s resident skeleton chef. Guest stars include none other than Broadway veterans Patti LuPone and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Vee’s grandparents, Nanpire and Grandpop; and Wanda Sykes as Vee’s grumpy gargoyle sidekick, Gregoria.
When asked about what she loves about the show so far, Nee says the work really speaks for itself. “I think the animation is absolutely stunning, and our writing staff feels comfortable taking our stories to the next level and pushing the character as far as we can go,” she adds. “We’re working on the fifth season of Doc now, and we are very excited that we can explore the world of the hospital further throughout the upcoming season, which will probably be next year.”
Nee, who has worked on many acclaimed children’s TV shows including Little Bill, Maya & Miguel, Blue’s Clues, Wonder Pets! and The Backyardigans over the past two decades, believes we are experiencing a new golden age of preschool television. “I think we have found our voice again,” she comments. “We found a sense of joyful and full storytelling and bringing kids along on that journey. We are also in a place that we recognize that all kinds of kids need to see themselves on TV. The process of seeing someone who doesn’t represent you makes you feel like you’re not important in any way. I believe we are doing a really good job of making every kid has something that they can look at and aspire to.”
Vampirina premieres October 1 at 11 a.m. with two back-to-back episodes on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. The episodes will also be available on Disney Junior VOD and YouTube, and the new DisneyNOW app. New episodes will air every Monday and Friday in October on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Special screenings of Vampirina are planned for movie theaters across the U.S. on Saturday, October 21; Thursday, October 26; and Saturday, October 28, as part of Disney Junior at the Movies – HalloVeen Party!, presented by Fathom Events. The events will include a never-before-seen episode of the show, a costume party for kids and families. For more info, visit FathomEvents.com/DisneyJunior. Vampirina will also be available on DVD on October 17.
This story originally appeared in the November issue of Animation Magazine, No. 274.
The new, cutely blood-curdling kids’ show Vampirina has been slated for its broadcast premiere on Sunday, October 1 at 11 a.m. ET, with two back-to-back episodes simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. The opening adventures will also be available on Disney Junior’s VOD and YouTube platforms as well as the DisneyNOW app. New episodes will roll out every Monday and Friday on the channels through October.
To make the most of its monstrous debut, special screenings of Vampirina will take place at theaters across the US on Sat., Oct. 21; Thurs., Oct. 26; and Sat., Oct. 28 as part of Disney Junior at the Movies – HalloVeen Party!, presented by Fathom Events. The cinema events will include a never-before-seen Vampirina episode, costume party for kids and families, and other festive surprises. Tickets go on sale Sept. 22 through FathomEvents.com/DisneyJunior.
Set in a Pennsylvania neighborhood, the series stars Lauren Graham, James Van Der Beek and Isabella Crovetti as the Hauntley family; friendly vampires who have recently moved from their home in Transylvania. The stories follow Vampirina (aka “Vee”) as she faces the joys and trials of being the new kid in town including making friends and attending a new school in the human world. Along the way, Vee learns that it may be easier to blend in with her peers, but it’s more valuable to celebrate the qualities that make each individual unique.
Inspired by the popular Vampirina Ballerina books by author Anne Marie Pace and illustrator LeUyen Pham (Disney Publishing), the series is made by the creative team behind Doc McStuffins, including creator/EP Chris Nee and co-EP Norton Virgien. Nicky Phelan (Octonauts) is director. Vampirina is produced by Brown Bag Films in association with Disney Junior.
The undead are anything but unfriendly in the animated family comedy series Vampirina, premiering this fall on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and the new Disney NOW app. The CG-animated kids’ book adaptation stars James Van Der Beek (What Would Diplo Do?) and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) as parents Boris and Oxana Hauntley, with 12-year-old Isabella Crovetti (Colony) voicing lovable little bloodsucker Vampirina (a.k.a. Vee).
Inspired by Disney Publishing’s book series Vampirina Ballerina, the TV show centers on Vee as she settles into her new urban surroundings, after her family relocates from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. Excited to experience everything that the human world has to offer, Vee will learn that while it may be easier to blend in with her peers, it’s important to celebrate the differences that make everyone unique. Always by her side, Vee’ mom and dad are also adapting to their new life as proprietors of the local Scare B&B, a bed and breakfast for visiting ghouls and goblins.
The recurring guest voice cast includes Tony-award winning Broadway performers Patti LuPone (Evita) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me, Kate) as Vee’s grandparents, Nanpire and Grandpop, and Wanda Sykes (Black-ish) as Vee’s cantankerous yet loyal gargoyle sidekick, Gregoria.
Rounding out the voice cast are: Mitchell Whitfield as playful ghost, Demi; Jordan Alexa Davis as Vee’s best friend and next-door neighbor, Poppy; ViviAnn Yee as another close friend, Bridget; Dee Bradley Baker as teacher, Mr. Gore, and the Hauntleys’ dog, Wolfie; Benji Risley as Poppy’s twin brother, Edgar; Cree Summer as Poppy and Edgar’s mom, Edna; and Ian James Corlett as Chef Remy Bones, the Scare B&B’s comedic skeleton chef.
Disney Junior’s Vampirina will feature music by Broadway composers Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes), with original songs performed by the voice cast (Van De Beek, Graham and Crovetti belt out the theme song). The series creative team reunites many of the key players from Peabody winner Doc McStuffins, including executive producer Chris Nee and co-exec producer Norton Virgien. Nicky Phelan (Octonauts) serves as director.
Vampirina is produced by Brown Bag Films in association with Disney Junior.
Vampirina
Vampirina
James Van Der Beek, Lauren Graham & Isabella Crovetti Star in Vampirina
JENNA ORTEGA, the 14-year-old star of DISNEY CHANNEL's "Stuck In The Middle," will host an all-new RADIO DISNEY program, "What's Good" with JENNA ORTEGA, premiering TODAY at 4p (PT)/ 7p (ET) and will air weekly across multiple platforms, including the RADIO DISNEY app, SIRIUSXM 79, TUNEIN, iHEARTRADIO and AHA RADIO digital streaming services.
The hour-long show will follow ORTEGA as she spotlights weekly inspirational stories, shares positive news, reveals her favorite trends, and interviews co-stars and friends from other DISNEY CHANNEL shows.
ORTEGA stars as Harley Diaz, a creative and engineering whiz kid and the middle child in a family of seven children, in DISNEY CHANNEL's family comedy series "Stuck In The Middle." She is also known for her role in the GOLDEN GLOBE-winning series "Jane The Virgin," and voices Princess Isabel, Elena's younger sister, in DISNEY's animated "Elena Of Avalor." She was a host of the 2017 RADIO DISNEY MUSIC AWARDS.
Disney XD’s new take on the classic animated series DuckTales will kick off its run with an hour-long premiere movie airing on the channel for 24 consecutive hours Aug. 12, with the series debuting with two episodes premiering Sept. 23.
The premiere date of the movie — titled “Woo-oo!” — was announced on Facebook today along with the series’ title sequence and a new version of the classic theme song. The theme is written by Mark C. Mueller, the song is performed by singer/songwriter Felicia Barton (Dancing with the Stars) and produced by Emmy Award-winning Michael ‘Smidi’ Smith (Coldplay, Sia, Britney Spears) and composer Dominic Lewis (Rough Night, Fist Fight). It will be released June 23 by Walt Disney Records.
Here’s a look at the sequence:
Featuring animation inspired by the classic Carl Barks’ comic book stories, DuckTales chronicles the high-flying adventures of Duckburg’s most famous trillionaire Scrooge McDuck, his mischief-making triplet grandnephews – Huey, Dewey and Louie, temperamental nephew Donald Duck and the trusted McDuck Manor team: big-hearted, fearless chauffer/pilot Launchpad McQuack, no-nonsense housekeeper Mrs. Beakley and Mrs. Beakley’s granddaughter, Webby Vanderquack, resident adventurer and the triplet’s newfound fierce friend.
The voice cast is: David Tennant (Doctor Who) as Scrooge McDuck, Danny Pudi (Community) as Huey, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Dewey, Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) as Louie, Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates) as Webby Vanderquack, Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live) as Launchpad McQuack, Toks Olagundoye (Castle) as Mrs. Beakley and Tony Anselmo (Mickey Mouse) as Donald Duck.
DuckTales is executive-produced by Annie Award-nominee Matt Youngberg (Ben 10: Omniverse), with Francisco Angones (Disney XD’s Emmy Award-nominated Wander Over Yonder) serving as co-producer and story editor and Sean Jimenez (Disney XD’s Annie Award-winning Gravity Falls) as art director. The series is a production of Disney Television Animation and carries a TV-Y7 parental guideline.
Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the world of its hit Frozen, releasing a trailer for the featurette Olaf’s Frozen Adventure that will play in front of Pixar’s Coco when it’s released Nov. 22.
The trailer appeared online June 13 and will run in theaters ahead of Pixar’s Cars 3 when it arrives in theaters June 16.
Featuring four new original songs, the 21-minute featurette welcomes the original cast and characters back to the big screen, including Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), who is on a mission to harness the best holiday traditions for Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) and Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff). It’s directed by Emmy-winning filmmakers Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton (Prep & Landing), produced by Oscar-winner Roy Conli (Big Hero 6), and includes original songs by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson (Between the Lines).
Season four of the hit animated series Sofia the First will premiere Friday, April 28 at 11:30 a.m. ET on Disney Channel. Featuring a fresh raft of special voice guests, the new season will see Sofia take on a larger role as protector of her kingdom and send her on a journey to an enchanted world called The Mystic Isles.
A great success for Disney Junior, Sofia holds the record for the top two cable TV telecasts ever among Kids 2-5, and top three cable TV telecasts ever among Girls 2-5. The show recently received a Humanitas Prize, which recognizes movies and series that inspire compassion, hope and understanding.
The season four guest star line-up includes Andrew Rannells (Girls) as an enthusiastic unicorn named Skye; Megan Hilty (Smash) as a Crystalmaster named Prisma; Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan (both from The Lord of the Rings franchise) as two gnomes named Malachite and Fig; Ming-Na Wen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as a magical human/hawk character named Vega; Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Underground) as a crystal fairy named Christa; and Kimiko Glenn (Orange Is the New Black) and Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as dragons named Cinder and Sizzle.
Sofia the First tells the story of an ordinary girl who becomes a princess, and follows her journey at she learns the positive qualities that make someone truly royal. The series stars Ariel Winter as Sofia; Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda; Wayne Brady as Clover; Tim Gunn as Baileywick; Darcy Rose Byrnes as Amber; Nicolas Cantu as James; Travis Willingham as King Roland II; and Jess Harnell as Cedric. Recurring guest stars include Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Anna Camp, Kiernan Shipka, Hugh Bonneville and Bonnie Hunt.
Jamie Mitchell and Craig Gerber serve as executive producers, with Mitchell directing. Emmy winners John Kavanaugh (Elena of Avalor) and Kevin Kliesch (Tangled: The Series) are songwriter/music director and composer, respectively. Sofia is produced by Disney Television Animation.
A “pugtastic” new animated series is coming to screens, with Puppy Dog Pals set to premiere Friday, April 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET with two back-to-back episodes on Disney Channel, which will also launch the same day on the Disney Junior app and YouTube page. Created by comedian Harland Williams, the show follow two fun-loving pug brothers on their exhilarating adventures. Williams also acts as consulting producer and writer, and voices “Bob,” the pups’ devoted owner. Sean Coyle (The Awesomes, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) serves as executive producer.
Pug brothers Bingo and Rolly are always up for adventure, whether in their neighborhood or around the globe. Their motto is: life is more exciting with your best friend by your side! Along for their ride are their colorful animal pals, including Bob’s cat Hissy and his loveable robot dog creation, A.R.F. Each episode features two 11-minute stories that illuminate Bingo and Rolly’s similarities and differences while demonstrating positive lessons about friendship, problem solving, collaboration, creativity and adventure.
Puppy Dog Pals stars Issac Ryan Brown (black-ish) as quick-witted problem solver Bingo; Sam Lavagnino (Miles from Tomorrowland) as silly, energetic Rolly; Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as A.R.F.; and Jessica DiCicco (The Lion Guard) as Hissy.
Recurring guest stars include musician Huey Lewis as Bulworth, the junkyard dog; Patrick Warburton as Captain Dog, the star of the pups’ favorite TV show; Jack McBrayer as Hedgie the hedgehog; Yvette Nicole Brown as Daisy, a kind German Shepherd; sportscaster Bob Uecker as a baseball announcer; Leslie David Baker and Cheri Oteri as neighbors Frank and Esther Exposition; Jill Talley as bossy pup Cupcake; Mo Collins as Strider, a fast-talking sheep herder; and Tress MacNeille as Bob’s Mom.
The series is produced by Wild Canary (Miles from Tomorrowland, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West) in association with Disney Junior.
Games and activities inspired by Puppy Dog Pals will launch on the Disney Junior app and DisneyJunior.com on Fri., April 7. Branded products from Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, such as activity and story books, will arrive in June followed by an apparel and toys launch in August.
A sneak peek at the first five minutes of upcoming Original Movie Tangled Before Ever After launched Friday morning on the channel’s YouTube page. The feature-length adventure — which stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi reprising their roles as Rapunzel and Eugene (formerly known as Flynn Rider) — premieres Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. ET. In addition to familiar characters like loyal chameleon Pascal, no-nonsense horse Maximus, and the Snuggly Duckling Pub Thugs, fans will meet tough-as-nails lady-in-waiting, Cassandra (voiced by Broadway’s Eden Espinosa), who becomes Rapunzel’s confidante.
The movie will be followed a week later by the premiere of Tangled: The Series on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The show has already received a second season order.
Set between the events of the Tangled theatrical feature and the short film Tangled Ever After, the new movie is a visually vibrant, 2D-animated adventure comedy that unfolds as Rapunzel gets to know her parents, her kingdom and the people of Corona. When she realizes there is so much more she wants to learn about the world before accepting her royal destiny, Rapunzel puts off her coronation to seek adventure — much to the dismay of the king, who missed his daughter’s childhood and must now accept her as an independent young woman. But the princess’s plans get an added, magical kink in them when her long blonde hair suddenly grows back…
Disney Channel has placed a third season order for Elena of Avalor, announced by Nancy Kanter, EVP Content & Creative Strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide and GM, Disney Junior Worldwide. Episodes from the second season are slated to premiere this fall on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
After premiering in July 2016, the animated series about a daring teenage ruler quickly became TV’s No. 1 series for Girls 2-11, and has been honored with a National Hispanic Media Coalition Award and an Annie nomination. Elena also ranks No. 1 in its timeslot with Kids in the UK, Spain and Portugal.
Offscreen, Elena’s adventures have inspired a line of dolls from Disney store and Hasbro which recently reached one million dolls sold, and the No. 1 costume at Disney Store for Halloween and holiday. New goodies include the Palace of Avalor playset from Hasbro, and dolls and roleplay items from Jakks Pacific, which will will debut at Toy Fair in New York.
“With this new season order, the creative team, led by Craig Gerber and Silvia Olivas, has some exciting surprises in store for Elena on her journey to becoming queen,” said Kanter. “We’re looking forward to having our young viewers follow along on Elena’s adventure, while also continuing to build the Elena of Avalor experience for them beyond the screen.”
Elena can also be found making character appearances at Disney Parks & Resorts, in print and e-book titles (Disney Publishing), on multiple DVD releases like the recent Elena and the Secret of Avalor (Walt Disney Studios), and sharing Avalor’s music on an original soundtrack album (Walt Disney Records).
Elena of Avalor stars Aimee Carrero as the voice of Elena; Jenna Ortega as Princess Isabel; Chris Parnell, Yvette Nicole Brown and Carlos Alazraqui as the jaquins Migs, Luna and Skylar, respectively; Emiliano Díez as Francisco; Julia Vera as Luisa; Christian Lanz as Chancellor Esteban; Jillian Rose Reed as Naomi; Joseph Haro as Mateo; Jorge Diaz as Gabe; Keith Ferguson as Zuzo; and Joe Nunez as Armando. The recurring guest voice cast includes: Constance Marie, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rich Sommer, Justina Machado and Jaime Camil.
The series is created by Emmy winner Craig Gerber, with Silvia Olivas as co-producer & story editor, Elliot M. Bour as supervising director, John Kavanaugh as songwriter/music director, Tony Morales as composer, and acclaimed musician Rene Camacho as Latin Music Consultant. The theme song is performed by Latin Grammy winner Gaby Moreno. Elena of Avalor is a Disney Television Animation production and airs daily.
Disney Channel has taken the initiative to order a second season of animated spinoff show Tangled: The Series ahead of the season one premiere, with Chris Sonnenburg as executive producer and supervising director. The Disney Television Animation production inspired by the hit feature film will launch with the music-filled Disney Channel Original Movie Tangled Before Ever After on March 10 (8 p.m. ET/PT), followed by the series premiere March 24 (7:30 p.m. ET/PT).
The season two order was announced Wednesday by Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney Channels Worldwide.
An initial line of role-play products, dolls and playsets inspired by Tangled: The Series will debut at New York Toy Fair this Saturday, and will be available at retail in fall of 2017, along with new apparel and accessories. Disney Publishing will debut print and e-book titles including an original middle grade series by Leila Howland. Walt Disney Records recently released the single “Wind in My Hair” performed by Mandy Moore and will debut “Life After Happily Ever After,” performed by Moore, Zachary Levi and Clancy Brown, on March 10. A DVD of the TV movie Tangled Before Ever After and four animated shorts will be released by Walt Disney Studios on April 11.
Tangled: The Series was developed for TV by Chris Sonnenburg and Shane Prigmore, with Sonnenburg serving as executive producer and supervising director. Benjamin Balistreri is supervising producer. Kevin Kliesch serves as score composer.
Disney Channel has dated the small-screen debut of the all-new animated movie and TV series set in the world of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Tangled. Taking place between the story events of the original feature and the short Tangled Ever After, the Disney Channel Original Movie Tangled Before Ever After debuts Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. ET, leading into the premiere of Tangled: The Series on Friday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The new Tangled tales feature stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi reprising their roles as Rapunzel and Eugene — the charmer formerly known as Flynn Rider. Both the movie and series will have same-day launches on Disney Channel VOD platforms, and will roll out worldwide in 162 countries following their US debut.
Rapunzel & Co. will also appear in new print and e-book titles (including original middle grade series by Leila Howland) from Disney Publishing; Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media will debut new playsets, dolls, role-play, apparel and accessories later this Fall at Disney Store and all other retailers; the singles “Wind in My Hair” performed by Mandy Moore and “Life After Happily Ever After” performed by Moore, Zachary Levi and Clancy Brown releasing on February 10 and March 10, respectively, from Walt Disney Records, and a DVD of the TV movie and four animated shorts releasing April 11 by Disney Studios.
The vibrant, energetic new adventure-comedy animation projects unfold as Rapunzel gets to know her parents, kingdom, and the people of Corona. With her irrepressible spirit and natural curiosity, she realizes there is a lot to learn about the world and herself before she can assume her role as Princess. Along for the ride are beloved Tangled characters including loyal chameleon Pascal, no-nonsense horse Maximus, and the Snuggly Duckling Pub Thugs.
In Tangled Before Ever After, Rapunzel grapples with the responsibilities of being a princess and the overprotective ways of her father. While she wholeheartedly loves Eugene, Rapunzel does not share his immediate desire to get married and settle down within the castle walls. Determined to live life on her own terms, she and her tough-as-nails Lady-in-Waiting Cassandra (voiced by Broadway’s Eden Espinosa) embark on a secret adventure where they encounter mystical rocks that magically cause Rapunzel’s long blonde hair to grow back. Impossible to break and difficult to hide, Rapunzel must learn to embrace her hair and all that it represents.
Starring alongside Moore, Levi and Espinosa are Julie Bowen (Modern Family) as Rapunzel’s mother, Queen Arianna, and Clancy Brown (Shawshank Redemption) as her father, King Frederic.
The recurring guest voice cast includes: Jeffrey Tambor as Big Nose, Sean Hayes as Pete the Guard, Jeremy Jordan as teen alchemist Varian, comedian Jeff Ross as Hook Hand’s brother Hook Foot, Richard Kind as Uncle Monty, Paul F. Tompkins as Shorty; Jonathan Banks as Varian’s father, Quirin; Peter MacNicol as Nigel the Advisor; Diedrich Bader as Stan the Guard; M.C. Gainey as Captain of the Guards; Laura Benanti as Lady Caine; Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as blacksmith Xavier; Pat Carroll as Old Lady Crowley; Charles Halford as Vladimir; Steve Blum as Attila Buckethead; and James Monroe Iglehart as Eugene’s friend Lance Strongbow.
Produced by Disney Television Animation, Tangled: The Series was developed by animation veterans Chris Sonnenburg (Enchanted) and Shane Prigmore (The LEGO Movie). Sonnenburg serves as executive producer and supervising director; Benjamin Balistreri (How to Train Your Dragon) is supervising producer; Jase Ricci (Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero) is story editor; and Alan Bodner (The Iron Giant) is art director. Celebrated artist Claire Keane (Frozen, Tangled), who painted Rapunzel’s tower murals in the feature film, is the series’ Visual Development Artist.
The series features songs by Academy Award-winning Disney Legend Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. Emmy Award-winning Kevin Kliesch (Tangled Ever After) serves as score composer.
Tangled Before Ever After (Photo credit: Disney Channel 2017)
The Doc is in for a delightful adventure one blustery day when an all-new episode of Disney Junior’s Peabody Award-winning series Doc McStuffins debuts on Wednesday, January 18 — National Winnie the Pooh Day! — at 7:30 p.m. ET. In “Into the Hundred Acre Wood!” the Doc and her toys welcome A.A. Milne’s beloved cast of characters to McStuffinsville.
“Winnie the Pooh books and animation have always been hugely important to me, so it’s a personal dream come true to be able to bring together the worlds of the Hundred Acre Wood and McStuffinsville, especially since Christopher Robin is the original human famous for talking to his stuffed animals and toys,” said creator and executive producer Chris Nee. “This episode is an homage to the original Disney animation and storytelling styles, from the original songs, including a hat tip to the Sherman Brothers, to the visuals which evoke old school Winnie the Pooh.”
The episode begins when Doc and the toys spot Winnie the Pooh floating through the air, unable to alight. On their way to the rescue, they are magically swept away by the wind to the Hundred Acre Wood, where they team up with Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore to find Pooh in time for his favorite event of the year: The Honey Festival. When they finally find him, a tree branch rips Pooh’s tummy on his way down, and Doc must rush him to McStuffins Toy Hospital for emergency surgery. A worried Christopher Robin arrives and bonds with Doc over their ability to talk to toys. Meanwhile, Piglet and Lambie get to work organizing a Honey Festival in McStuffinsville just for Pooh.
“Into the Hundred Acre Wood!” features two original songs, “Follow That Bear!” and “Think Heavy Thoughts,” both written and produced by Michelle Lewis, Kay Hanley and Dan Petty. Winnie the Pooh also sings the series’ iconic song “I Feel Better.”
Guest starring are Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Travis Oates as Piglet, Peter Cullen as Eeyore and Oliver Bell as Christopher Robin. Doc McStuffins stars Laya DeLeon Hayes as Doc, Loretta Devine as Hallie, Lara Jill Miller as Lambie, Robbie Rist as Stuffy, Jess Harnell as Chilly, Andre Robinson as Donny McStuffins, Kimberly Brooks as Mom McStuffins, and Gary Anthony Williams as Dad McStuffins.
“Into the Hundred Acre Wood!” was written by Chris Nee and directed by Brónagh O’Hanlon.
