Slate of Stars Join ‘Tangled: Before Ever After’ Cast

Mar 8th, 2016

Disney TV has announced a slew of voice cast members for the upcoming Disney Channel animated series Tangled: Before Ever After. Joining the stars of the 2010 feature Tangled — Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (Eugene, a.k.a. Flynn Rider) — will be Ashley Judd as Rapunzel’s mother, Queen Arianna; Broadway star Eden Espinosa as Rapunzel’s handmaiden and confidant, Cassandra; comedian Jeff Ross as Hook Hand’s brother, Hook Foot; and Richard Kind (Inside Out‘s Bing Bong) as Uncle Monty.

Reprising their roles from the film are Jeffrey Tambor and Paul F. Tompkins as Big Nose and Shorty, members of the Snuggly Duckling Pub Thugs; and M.C. Gainey as Captain of the Guards.

Also joining the cast are: Sean Hayes as Pete the Guard, Peter MacNicol as Nigel the Advisor, Clancy Brown as Rapunzel’s father King Frederic, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as blacksmith Xavier, Diedrich Bader as Stan the Guard, Charles Halford as Pub Thug Vladimir, Steve Blum as Pub Thug Attila Buckethead, James Monroe Iglehart as Eugene’s friend Lance Strongbow, Jeremy Jordan as teen alchemist Varian, and Jonathan Banks as Quirin, Varian’s father.

Set between the events of the film and the start of the 2012 short Tangled Ever After, Tangled: Before Ever After will follow along with Rapunzel as she gets acquainted with her newly discovered self, parents, kingdom and the colorful characters of Corona. The series is produced by Disney Television animation and is set to debut in 2017 on Disney Channels worldwide.

Tangled: Before Ever After 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) is story editor and Alan Bodner (The Iron Giant) is art director. The series will feature music by Academy Award-winning Disney Legend Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. Emmy winner Kevin Kliesch (Tangled Ever After) will serve as score composer. Artist Claire Keane (Frozen, Tangled), daughter of Disney Legend Glen Keane and animation supervisor on Tangled, is contributing design work and consulting on the series.

Tangled: Before Ever After

First ‘Frozen’ Broadcast Set for Valentine’s Day

 Jan 13th, 2016

Smash-hit animated feature Frozen will give fans an extra sweet Valentine, making its broadcast debut on Disney Channel on February 14 at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).


Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Frozen hit theaters in 2013 and became the highest grossing animated film of all time, raking in over a billion dollars worldwide. The magical, musical CG adventure also took home two Academy Awards (Best Animated Feature and Best Original for Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’s “Let It Go”), the Best Animated Feature Film Golden Globe, five Annie Awards and two Grammys.

Additionally, the film’s enchanted snowman Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) will make a special appearance on hit kids’ series Sofia the First on February 15 on Disney Channel (at 11:30 a.m) and Disney Junior (at 7 p.m.) Also featuring returning guest stars Megan Mullally as Miss Nettle, Eric Stonestreet (flying horse Minimus) and Hugh Bonneville (narrator), “The Secret Library: Olaf and the Tale of Miss Nettle” will be the second installment in a four-part story.

The episode will bow on the WATCH Disney Junior app and website on Feb. 8.

Frozen

#DisneyKids: New ‘Lion Guard Adventure’ to Debut at Animal Kingdom February 7

Attention Disney Channel and Disney Junior fans! Watchers of “The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar,” the hit TV movie that just debuted on Disney Channel in November, will soon be able to become honorary members of the Lion Guard in a brand new Disney’s Animal Kingdom experience called The Lion Guard Adventure.

The fun starts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on February 7. This interactive experience will allow young guests to explore the park in search of five main characters from “The Lion Guard” – Kion, Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, and Ono, who are represented as colorful statues that are perfect for a kid-sized photo-ops. Like the movie, the experience encourages interest in protecting animals and caring for nature. Once they complete the adventure, each child can take a special pledge to become an honorary member of “The Lion Guard” and receive a special button.

The experience will be offered in Disney’s Animal Kingdom through late March, as one of many activities celebrating the debut of “The Lion Guard” series on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.

New Trailer Teases Wild Time in ‘Zootopia’

Jan 3rd, 2016

Disney is gearing up to take audiences on a trip to Zootopia with the release of a new trailer for the feature film.


Here’s how Disney describes the feature, which opens March 4 in theaters:


“Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), the very first bunny on Zootopia’s police force, jumps at the opportunity to crack her first case—even if it means partnering with fast-talking, scam-artist fox Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) to solve the mystery.”

Take a look:

The feature — the 55th from Walt Disney Animation Studios — also includes a new original song titled “Try Everything,” performed by Shakira and written by Sia and Stargate. Shakira also voices a character in the movie.

Zootopia

Live ‘Jungle Book’ Gets Trailer

Disney has unveiled the official trailer for its live-action-with-CG-accompaniment take on Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. This more serious action-adventure take on the story will hit theaters April 15, 2016.

Synopsis:


Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.

The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book

ABC Orders Return of ‘The Muppets’

ABC has picked up three comedy series to add to its line-up in the near future, including the triumphant return of The Muppets to the small screen.

The new twist on ABC’s The Muppets will be its framing as a documentary-style show that will explore the personal lives and relationships of the classic Jim Henson characters, both at home and at work. Breakups, romances and more adult topics tackled appropriately for all ages will feature in the ABC Studios and Muppets Studio production.

The Muppets is being co-written and exec produced by The Big Bang Theory’s Bill Prady and Bob Kushell. Randall Einhorn and Bill Barretta will also exec produce.

The Muppets

Disney Live! Presents three classic fairy tales at Ocean Center Oct. 2

Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as they bring the timeless fairytale adventures of Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to life at the Ocean Center one day only, Sunday, Oct. 2 in Daytona Beach.

Show times are 2:30 p.m. Disney Live! features dynamic storytelling, award winning music, stunning costumes and glittering special effects.

Tickets are $15, $25, $35, and $45, plus applicable service fees. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at the Ocean Center box office and Ticketmaster outlets.
For more information, visit disney.go.com/disneylive.