The World of Mario Kart is about to come to life in a big way now that Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” will debut in early 2023 for racers of all ages. Nintendo Fans will find themselves immersed in one of the world’s largest, most interactive rides to ever be imagined, seamlessly fusing augmented reality with projection mapping technology that includes real world set pieces, a moving ride track, and a one-of-a-kind experience for all!
The ride will be the premiere attraction when Universal’s Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Hollywood, bringing park guests right into the exciting world of Mario, Luigi, and their friends from the Mushroom Kingdom. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge”, will be located right inside Bowser’s Castle, where fans can access the fun through the iconic Warp Pipe from all the classic video games.
Here’s what Team Universal has to say about this exciting new ride:
This innovative achievement will propel guests into a multi-dimensional experience that recreates iconic environments from the Mario Kart games and where no two races are alike. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” is also one of the most complex rides ever built within the entertainment industry.
The sophisticated ride is a multi-sensory cornucopia of color, sound and movement that invites guests to navigate familiar environs through the creative use and integration of head mounted augmented reality (AR) goggles—a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.
From the depths of the dungeon within Bowser’s Castle, guests will climb aboard stadium-style, four-seat Mario Kart vehicles inspired by the video game, put on their AR goggles …and then with a 3-2-1 GO! signal from Lakitu, they will be off to the races.
The premise is simple but equally inspiring and challenging and will appeal to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests will steer through courses underwater and in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win.
“Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.
Universal Studios Hollywood Reveals Details of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s Signature Ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” Opening in Early 2023
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge info:
We can’t wait to hear more about what’s to come, with information promised to be shared soon. You can learn more about Super Nintendo World by visiting the official site of Universal Studios Hollywood or by visiting their other social media: Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ June 22. Watch the new online spot to see a special “fan thank you” from Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong and Xochitl Gomez.
In Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Doctor Strange Info
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, with Michael Stühlbarg, and Rachel McAdams.
The film is directed by Sam Raimi, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Eric Hauserman Carroll, Scott Derrickson and Jamie Christopher serve as executive producers.
The screenplay was written by Michael Waldron. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” released in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.
The Force was strong with D23 this past weekend, as fans got a reveal of what’s to come to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Star Tours. This amazing first look came from Star Wars Celebration, courtesy of host and Clone Wars alum, Ashley Eckstein.
The first part of the presentation detailed the conception and creation of the ride’s 1.0 version with Dennis Muren, FX master from Lucasfilm, Imagineer Chris Runco, and Disney Legend Tony Baxter. Starting off with a showing of the gone-but-not-forgotten original safety video, the discussion quickly segued into how the attraction was created–Let’s take a closer look for those who may have missed out on the fun:
Baxter: Well, you have to go back to the time, because Disneyland was created using all the popular shows that Walt already created, from Snow White to Peter Pan to the True-Life Adventures to Davy Crockett to even his Man in Space series from the television. Now we had run out of all that.
We’re into a new era where they’re pretty good at entertaining children with what I call ‘babysitter movies’ like Robin Hood and whatever and we realized that for Disneyland to stay relevant it had to link with the key and best popular culture at the time. And there’s no question that George had nailed that, first with American Graffiti…and then Star Wars comes along and of course, Indy not long after that.
And I drew the short straw and I went to Ron Miller, who was CEO at the time and his wife was Diane Disney, Walt’s daughter, and he kind of recognized that they had big hopes for The Black Hole, but no. This is not the Black Hole convention. Anyway, he said ‘why don’t we go up to the Silverado Vineyards,’ that they had up in Napa which wasn’t far from ILM and Lucasfilm, ‘and I’ll just get George to come over.’ I was like, ‘OH.’
You know, I wasn’t in that kind of a circle where you just say ‘I’ll have George come over,’ but we did go up there. George drove up in a BMW and got out and said ‘hi guys,’ you know, and we had potato salad out in the backyard that day and I thought ‘it doesn’t get any better than this.’ And that was the beginning.
“George thought of his products as first class.He said ‘what I do is first class. The only theme park company that I can think of that is first-class is Disney.So if there is going to be a marriage, this is the only way we can do it.
“And so that was how it started.”
Translating a feature film to a dimensional attraction had its own difficulties for Muren: “It seemed really neat, the idea of doing a film–it’s a view out the window with no cuts at all…We could assemble it so it looked like Star Wars, and the trick that I enjoyed a lot is trying to make this uninterrupted form happening thing without you just getting sick, and without it just being jostled and jostled and like fun and a good time.”
“That’s not what any sort of entertainment is coming from film, where there’s PAUSE. ACTION. that paused or reset your mind. More action movies are cut like that so that was sort of designed in it as we were doing it, you know? And if you watch it, you could sort of see where the editing is.”
“We couldn’t do any shots longer than about 20 seconds, but if you’re running something, we’d have to sort of quickly bank off to get the screen blurry, or…have a laser flash flash the frame so we could have a cut. And so every 20 seconds or so we would do this so we could have a four and a half minute film and it was hard to do, but it was a lot of fun.”
Runco not only came up with Captain Rex for the ride, but some of the other droids in the queue as well. “I actually worked on the design of the conveyor belt overhead, which was full of all kinds of junk, including robot parts from MAPO’s junk drawer, you know their leftovers. Halloween stores, costume pieces, and all the baskets had our team’s birthdays on them…and then we put robots in there, and Chris came up with a beautiful idea of the goose droids from America Sings.”
“…They didn’t get to go to Splash Mountain, they ended up as the goose droids and then Chris was busy art directing the field so I built his head based on Chris’ design. Then mouse droids–they’re actually built on those garden LGB trains, and it was kitbashed. I went over to Toys R Us and grabbed a bunch of toys and stuck ’em together and put LEDs and that’s how we made them.”
Bridging the gap between the original Star Tours and the current version Star Tours: The Adventure Continues, guests got to see the original Star Tours film in its entirety before Eckstein brought out the second panel, with Imagineer Meghan Short and ILM VFX Supervisor Bill George.
George spoke a bit on some of the technical challenges of updating the 70 millimeter film to digital, and also on constructing the Leia hologram: “Yeah, that was a really interesting one because I thought, ‘oh my God, this is gonna be so easy to cast a lookalike. She’s got the bun, she’s got the hood, it’s like half a block away, of course it’s going to be her.’ They had so much trouble, both with her visual look and also with the audio.
…So I started thinking about the film and there’s that scene in Luke’s garage where you see the hologram and you see her from all around, and I thought if they shot that, they must have done it three or four cameras in different positions while she went through the whole transmission. So, we called up to the ranch and they had the footage and they sent it to us and we watched it in the screening room and indeed, that’s exactly the way they did it. And what gave me goosebumps, was every once in a while there’d be a piece taken out–it would just be black, and those were the pieces that they used for the film.
“So we took the best angle from that and then we shot an actress to get her lips so we could plop her lips over the top. What was interesting is Princess Leia puts her head in like, three basic positions, so we shot the actress with her head locked in position saying the lines all the way through and picked out little pieces here and there and then plopped her lips in.”
Picking out which scenes to include in the attraction was a creative challenge Short enjoyed as part of her time on the project: “We’re very fortunate with Imagineering being able to partner with the creatives from the film and work together to pick a destination that we can add that’s going to excite our audience and the fans, but we also had to be very careful and choose something that was conducive to the simulator and the motion base, and is also going to give us fun 3D events and gags. Fortunately, we do get to work together and look and think about what’s coming.
“One of my favorite examples is Crait, adding that destination is great because…The crystal cavern reminds me a lot of the original ice comet in terms of some of those visuals, but then we get to have fun with ski speeders and that’s that’s totally new motion for us.How can we program this to have that slalom experience and get those red crystals kicking up and hitting our windshield and making those rooster tails?”
“…So this was a lot of fun, but we also opened a month before the film came out, so we were developing visuals ahead of a traditional production schedule and that caused a lot of challenges and we wouldn’t have been able to do this destination without that partnership and working with them to get those creative decisions and answers really, really comparatively early. So I’m very proud of this destination in particular in that partnership.”
Star Tours 35th Anniversary
We can’t wait to take part in the celebration and to honor 35 wonderful years of Star Tours. Make sure to stay tuned and punch it to hyperspace as we get ready to commemorate this iconic milestone!
Hasbro has teamed up with Star Wars to bring the world of the new hit show, Obi-Wan Kenobi to our galaxy, revealing a brand new series of droid figures that are all inspired by the new droid character, LOLA.
The new animatronic edition will come to life in a way never before possible, featuring an interactive touch sensor that will activate more than 45 different light, sound, and movement combinations through 3 modes of play.
Unlock Companion Mode by attaching L0-LA59’s legs, Hover Mode by attaching her stand, or On the Go Mode by removing her from either base. She even responds to background noises with a series of lights, sounds, and movements. Kids ages 4 and up will love this adorable animatronic droid, which makes the perfect addition to any fan’s Star Wars collection. Includes figure and 2 stands. X4 1.5V AA LR6 ALKALINE BATTERIES Required (not included). This edition is now live via Hasbro Pulse for pre-order while supplies last for $89.99.
LOLA will also be available in other editions, including an Interactive electronic figure. Standing at approx. 5 inches tall, this variant of the popular droid will have button functionality at the top of its head that will activate special sounds and lights in her eye and mouth. The figure will also have poseable panels on her head that will allow you to open and close her mouth, tilt her head from side to side, and bring the droid to life for your very own adventure. Retailing at $39.99, this version of LOLA is now available for pre-order via the Hasbro Pulse site, as well as most major retailers.
In addition, Hasbro has just revealed a brand new Bounty Collection Series. This final series will feature LOLA in a two-figure pack. The toys will feature a “Cute Companion” and “Taking Flight” set of poses. The entire Bounty collection will be perfect for play, trade, and collecting and will also include figures from Hasbro’s Series 6 line such as Grogu, R2-D2, BD-1, and many more, starting at $16.99.
Make sure to check out the entire collection via Hasbro Pulse before they sell out. Also make sure to check out the new series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, now streaming exclusively on Disney+!
The glitz, the glam, and the magic of Hollywood came together to discuss the release of the new Disney+ film, Hollywood Stargirl. The sequel to the popular film Stargirl, Hollywood Stargirl takes viewers journey out of Mica, Ariz., and into a bigger world of music, dreams and possibilities.
When her mother, Ana (Judy Greer), is hired as the costume designer on a movie, they relocate to L.A., where Stargirl quickly becomes involved with an eclectic assortment of characters.
They include aspiring filmmaker brothers Evan (Elijah Richardson) and Terrell (Tyrel Jackson Williams); Mr. Mitchell (Judd Hirsch), one of Stargirl’s neighbors; and Roxanne Martel (Uma Thurman), a musician Stargirl admires and encounters on her journey.
The team was led by the extremely talented, Grace VanderWaal, who was thrilled to bring Stargirl back for another story. “It was very exciting because, you know, I feel like after seeing everyone love Stargirl it really made me appreciate and be honored even more to play her character. So, it was very nerve wracking, but I just feel like I just slowly grow more and more love for her. And just so happy to get to play her and she, you know, she’s growing up. She’s seeing the world, experiencing different things”.
This time around, Stargirl took on the LA scene, bringing a new spin, and one that really changed the direction of the series for the better. Strangely enough, it almost didn’t happen that way.
Director, Julia Hart, discussed the decision to bring Stargirl to Hollywood, and how the environment fit in with the story they wanted to portray.
“It’s funny, originally we were gonna set it somewhere else and then the pandemic happened. And my husband and co-writer Jordan Horowitz and I… I was gonna, like, go on a trip and go to where we originally were gonna set the movie. And then the pandemic happened and so we were here. And the thing that we missed the most during the pandemic was our movie family. Our amazing crew who we love making movies with. I knew Grace and obviously I knew she was gonna be Stargirl. I didn’t know these other guys yet when we were writing it.”
“…But we decided to write a love letter to both LA but also all of the people we missed, you know, while we were all stuck at home. And so it was really wonderful to be able to write about them and write about the city that we were quarantining in. I’m, like, grateful that that ended up happening because I think this is ultimately the best version of the movie.”
“And I fell in love with all of the characters and they became my friends during the pandemic. You know, ’cause they were, like, the only people I was really hanging out with even though they were just words on a page. And then I got to meet all of these beautiful people who inhabit them so perfectly”.
Hollywood Stargirl also gave the opportunity for VanderWaal to bond with her new cast, creating a bond that really helped bring their on screen chemistry front and center for the audience to enjoy.
Elijah Richardson, who plays Evan, really felt the magic, especially since it was his first time visiting LA. “Before this project I have never been to LA. So this is my first experience. I was going to work like, ‘Wow’. I was just in the moment. And it was just so beautiful. It’s actually everything that I ever thought it would be. And the fact that I got to work here was even better, so…”
With their collective efforts, the cast came together and made a powerful message, one that everyone can appreciate. Richardson spoke about risks and the rewards that are worth shooting for, which is a big part of the film’s central message.
“…basically what I want them to be able to take from this is to learn that running away from your issues or your problems isn’t the way to go about things. You know, you have to face it eventually, you know. Taking risks doesn’t always mean that you’ll fail. You can take a risk and be the most successful person ever. You know what I mean? So just be willing to take a risk.”
VanderWaal shared a similar sense of optimism, wanting to make sure anyone who watches Hollywood Stargirl remembers the importance of giving yourself a chance and not let the craziness of the world stop you from doing your thing.
“I think this is something that we all, like, cope with, just our entire lives, is the fact that life is just entirely out of your control. And you can either be really, really upset with that or just kind of roll with the punches and let opportunities open up around you and take that in.”
“…You never know, like, how much it’s gonna change your life or won’t change your life at all. And who cares? You know what I’m saying? You just keep moving. So I think that is what I like to take away from the movie.”
Hollywood Stargirl makes its debut June 3rd on Disney+.
The last couple of years have been a trying time, an era that’s challenged every fiber of our being and one that continues to ripple into our ability to look up and find the sunny side of the street. Though, those Pennies from Heaven are still out there and despite all the showers we’ve endured, there are plenty of stories to tell that will bring the very magic of hope back into our lives. Hollywood Stargirl is one of those tales.
The very fiber of this story is one of hope, optimism, and passion. It’s a beautiful tale that paints a picture of what Hollywood means to the outside world versus the darker reality of what the real streets of Hollywood Blvd can be. To that end, Hollywood Stargirl also pens a simple and elegantly crafted love letter to all the dreamers of the world who want to go out there and bring something to the world with their creative flair.
Grace VanderWaal, joined by Elijah Richardson as Evan, and Tyrel Jackson Williams as Terrell, parade in a shimmer of warm city lights, inspiring everyone they come into contact with from former musical phenoms, to old cinephiles, neighbors, and members of the community. The core of this movie comes from that concept, that no matter the background, the rough edges, or tough moments, all you need is a little reassurance. Everyone can come together to make something beautiful, and it though it takes a village, only one person needs to light the spark to inspire everyone to jump in and give their all.
Not only that, but it’s also a call to make your dream your own and to follow your own path. It’s a powerful reminder, and one that elevates this sequel into a stand-alone tale that evolves beyond the original Stargirl in a way any young artist could appreciate.
This film is pure Hollywood magic, bringing forward the right message for families of all ages and building a bridge of hope that we can all use to get back to a piece of our hearts we need to believe in again. Thank you for giving us that opportunity, it’s been sorely missed.
Hollywood Stargirl streams exclusively on Disney+ on June 3.
The fun and excitement continued for fans over the long weekend at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, where Lucasfilm unveiled two new animated series, “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” and “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,” and a new special, “LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation.” Lucasfilm also announced that the animated series “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” will return this Fall and “Star Wars: Visions” will return in 2023.
“Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni” shone a spotlight on “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka” with cast appearances and announcements, and the “Light & Magic” panel gave fans an informative look at the new documentary about Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic.
One of the highlights of Star Wars Celebration was the surprise premiere of “Obi-Wan Kenobi” which was attended by stars Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, Rupert Friend, Indira Varma, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Simone Kessell, Benny Safdie, Jimmy Smits and Vivien Lyra Blair. Director/executive producer Deborah Chow and executive producers Michelle Rejwan and Joby Harold were also in attendance for the event, which featured the first two episodes of the highly anticipated limited series.
Now streaming exclusively on Disney+, “Obi-Wan Kenobi” is the most watched Disney+ Original series premiere globally to date, based on hours streamed in an opening weekend. Additionally, immediately following the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series premiere launch, Star Wars title viewership on Disney+ tripled in hours-watched during opening weekend. In celebration of the launch, here is a new character poster.
“LIGHT & MAGIC”
ABC News’ Chris Connelly played host to filmmakers Lawrence Kasdan and Ron Howard, alongside VFX luminaries Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, Dennis Muren, Rose Duignan and Lynwen Brennan as they engaged in a spirited and informative conversation about the groundbreaking history of Industrial Light & Magic, featured in the upcoming six-part documentary series.
Granted unparalleled access, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan takes viewers on an adventure behind the curtains of Industrial Light & Magic, the special visual effects, animation and virtual production division of Lucasfilm. Learn what inspired some of the most legendary filmmakers in Hollywood history, and follow their stories from their earliest personal films to bringing George Lucas’ vision to life.
Imagine Documentaries is producing the series, which Lawrence Kasdan directs. The executive producers are Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Justin Wilkes, Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy and Michelle Rejwan.
All episodes of “Light & Magic” premiere on July 27, exclusively on Disney+.
“LEGO® STAR WARS SUMMER VACATION”
The Summer of LEGO Star Warspanelists Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler and Jens Kronvold Frederiksen of LEGO, and Douglas Reilly, Josh Rimes, Leland Chee, David Shayne and Chris Gollaher of Lucasfilm, who represented Consumer Products, Games and Animation, were led in a panel discussion by host Yvette Nicole Brown. The presentation showcased an exciting array of new LEGO products bound to keep everyone busy this summer.
During the panel, “LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation,” an all-new animated special, was announced. Premiering August 5, 2022, exclusively on Disney+, the special stars “Weird Al” Yankovic and the panel’s host Yvette Nicole Brown, and other returning cast members from previous “LEGO® Star Wars” specials. The crowd was delighted to receive “LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation” beach balls to carry home.
Following the success of “The LEGO® Star Wars Holiday Special”in 2020 and “LEGO® Star Wars Terrifying Tales” in 2021, the popular signature branded cross-saga storytelling continues with this seasonal special. “LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation” is set shortly after the events of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” Looking for a much-needed break from stormtroopers and TIE fighters, Finn arranges a surprise vacation for his friends Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2, and C-3PO, aboard the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon. But Finn’s plan to have one last hurrah together quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group.
David Shayne is writer and executive producer, and the director is Ken Cunningham. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, Jennifer Twiner Mccarron, and Jason Cosler are executive producers. Produced in collaboration with Atomic Cartoons.
“STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES”
Host Anthony Carboni led panelists executive producer James Waugh, supervising director Elliot Bour, executive producer/showrunner Michael Olson and consulting producer Lamont Magee in a discussion of “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.”
Set during The High Republic era, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will follow Younglings as they learn valuable skills needed to study the ways of the Force and become Jedi: compassion, self-discipline, teamwork, patience, and friendship. The series is set to premiere Spring 2023 on Disney+ and Disney Junior.
“MANDO+: A CONVERSATION WITH JON FAVREAU AND DAVE FILONI”
Amid roars and applause, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni took the stage for “Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni” that was moderated by Ash Crossan, host of Screenrant. Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Carl Weathers, Temuera Morrison, Katee Sackhoff, Rick Famuyiwa, Rosario Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo were all on hand to add to the excitement. Special guests Grogu from “The Mandalorian” and Chopper, a very special droid that will be featured in “Ahsoka,” delighted the crowd with their very first Star Wars Celebration appearances.
The audience went wild when Natasha Liu Bordizzo was announced as joining the cast of “Ahsoka” as fan-favorite character Sabine Wren, and fans were treated to early footage from the series, which stars Rosario Dawson.
In addition to his directing duties, it was announced that Rick Famuyiwa will also executive produce “The Mandalorian,” Season 3. The enthusiastic audience was also shown an extended sneak peek of the upcoming season.
Both “Ahsoka” and “The Mandalorian,” Season 3 will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2023.
“STAR WARS:TALES OF THE JEDI”
Host Amy Radcliffe conversed with special guest Dave Filoni who announced that “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” an anthology of six, all-new, animated shorts, will premiere Fall 2022, exclusively on Disney+. Filoni told the audience that the anthology will feature Jedi from the prequel era, including Ahsoka and Count Dooku. To the audience’s delight, Filoni showed a teaser trailer and the premiere short in the series, showcasing a very young Ahsoka Tano and her mother. Janina Gavankar, who voices Ahsoka’s mother in the short, made an appearance and joined the discussion.
“STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH” SEASON 2
Lots of fun was had when “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” panelists supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jen Corbett, story editor Matt Michnovetz, actors Dee Bradley Baker, who voices the Bad Batch, and Michelle Ang, the voice of Omega, joined host David Collins for a lively discussion about what’s coming up for the Bad Batch in Season 2. A clip from the first episode of Season 2 and a teaser trailer delighted the fans, who all walked away with posters.
Months have passed since the events on Kamino and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.
The second season of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” consists of 16 episodes and is set to premiere this fall exclusively on Disney+.
A LOOK BACK AT “STAR WARS: VISIONS”
Team members from Lucasfilm and Qubic Pictures took the stage before an audience of excited anime fans to discuss “Star Wars: Visions.” Hosted by longtime anime and Star Wars fan Chastity Vicencio, panelists James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez and Justin Leach shared highlights from the production of the first season and talked about working with Kamikaze Douga, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, TRIGGER, Kinema citrus Co., Production I.G, and Science SARU to bring “Star Wars: Visions” to life.
The fans were treated to never-before-seen concept artwork, but that was just the beginning. English language dub actors Hiromi Dames, Andrew Kishino, Keone Young, Christopher Sean, Bobby Moynihan and Brian Tee made surprise appearances, and then, via a map on-screen with regions highlighted, the panel also announced that Volume 2 of the celebrated animated shorts anthology will showcase various animation styles and talents from countries around the world, including studios from Japan, India, U.K., Ireland, Spain, Chile, France, South Africa and the United States (California).
The panel attendees also watched a very special thank-you video recorded just for Star Wars Celebration by the Japanese studios who created “Visions.”
“Star Wars: Visions” stretches beyond any one form of animation and serves as a broader framework for celebratory expressions of Star Wars storytelling. Volume 2 will showcase that potential as the shorts go on a global tour, celebrating the incredible animation happening across countries and cultures, through the mythos of Star Wars.
The new season of “Star Wars: Visions” launches exclusively on Disney+ Spring 2023.
Disney+ “Pinocchio” Directed by Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis is a live action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy.
Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Academy Award® nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman.
Also in the cast are Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana (and her marionette Sabina), Giuseppe Battiston as Señor Stromboli and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick.
Robert Zemeckis, Derek Hogue, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz are the film’s producers, with Jackie Levine, Jack Rapke, Alexandra Derbyshire and Jeremy Johns the executive producers.
Disney+ Day Returns
The global celebration of Disney+ Day will return on Thursday, September 8, 2022, leading into D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa in Anaheim, CA. In celebration, the streaming service will host special experiences for fans and subscribers, and will premiere new content from its marquee brands, including the return of the beloved Disney franchise in the all-new live action “Pinocchio” on Disney+ Day, September 8.
In addition to “Pinocchio,” Disney+ will announce more Disney+ Day premieres from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic in the coming months.
During the recent Star Wars Celebration convention, a four-day party dedicated to the enjoyment of all things Star Wars, one of the panel presentations focused on one of the things dear to many a Star Wars fan–merchandise.
The first part of the presentation by members of the Lucasfilm Brand Merchandising & Product Design Team related some of the many measures they took to create the merchandise for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
In order to recreate the Jedi robes from the films, team members went to the Lucasfilm Archives and took detailed notes of the actual costumes so that guests purchasing them would feel the authenticity in them.
The toys available in Galaxy’s Edge were similarly inspired by what was seen on the screen in various Star Wars films and television series.
Now joining the carefully crafted dolls at the Toydarian Toymaker shop is a new Rey doll, while over at the Creature Cart a new plush of Gorg and Therii (from Amy Ratcliffe’s book Elee and Me) will soon be available.
Over at Dok-Ondar’s, the supply of lightsabers continues to be in flux, with Ben Solo’s lightsaber the next one to be retired.
Similarly, the lightsaber pieces at Savi’s Workshop will soon change out as well, with new ones like these Power and Control segments.
Moving on from Batuu to WDW’s Galactic Starcruiser, we can again see the direct inspiration the team took from the films when they designed the merchandise available from that experience, including Qi’ra’s tunic from Solo.
Finally, the panelists gave us a look at upcoming merchandise grouped in different collections, the first being in celebration of Star Tours’ 35th anniversary.
Next, “Star Wars: A New Hope 45th Vintage Action Figure Collection.”
“Star Wars: A New Hope 45th Concept Series” inspired by original storyboard and concept art by Ralph McQuarrie.
Apparel and collectibles related to the new Star Wars series Obi-Wan and Andor, both coming to Disney+, and the new Indiana Jones feature film.
Finally, Lucasfilm revealed some upcoming sneak peeks at a variety of merchandise. The “Star Wars Planet Series” starts off with products from Tatooine.
A new collection by Her Universe‘s Ashley (VA of Ahsoka) Eckstein, “Guided By The Light” is in the works, as well as a special edition Ahsoka Tano doll.
New droids coming to the Droid Factory, along with seasonal variations and an advent calendar! So many droids!
For Grogu fans (and who isn’t?) there will be new art prints at the WonderGround Gallery and a blind box plush set.
Fans of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special will certainly want to pick up their share of Life Day merchandise.
For the Jedi who likes to keep a few lightsabers on hand, some new models will be arriving in the future: Qui-Gon Jinn’s lightsaber will be coming to Dok-Ondar’s, and Obi-Wan’s will be available from shopDisney. Lightsaber collectors can also look forward to Plo Koon’s and Darth Sidious’ lightsabers later this summer as well.
Star Wars Celebration Anaheim came to a close at the Anaheim Convention Center on Sunday May 29, going out in epic flair with even more exclusive updates and reveals! Lucasfilm animation led the way, bringing a look back at the exciting conclusion of The Clone Wars series, as well as a sneak peek at season two of The Bad Batch.
After the aftermath of the destruction of Kamino and the havoc caused by the Empire, The Bad Batch left plenty of questions for fans leading into the new season.
The panel “Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2” featured Brad Rau (executive producer/supervising director), Jennifer Corbett (executive producer/head writer), Matt Michnovetz (story editor), Bradley Dee Baker (voice actor behind the Bad Batch), and Michelle Ang (voice of Omega) discussing their favorite past scenes and their enthusiasm for the upcoming ones. Baker and Ang acted out a scene from the show for rapt audience members, and a new look for the Batch was debuted
In perfect Dave Filoni fashion, The Clone Wars once again graced the Celebration Stage, giving everyone another look at the truly spectacular finale of the Clone Wars, The Siege of Mandalore arc.
Fans watched the first major screening of the series finale, which was joined with a special Q/A with Lucasfilm animation and Dave Filoni. Filoni spoke on the core of what makes Star Wars what it was, and how important it was to get it right, not only for these final episodes, but the continuing dedication to improve and do better since the very beginning of the series.
“You have this young woman in a crisis situation that’s involving all of her friends. She’s determined not to hurt them. She’s determined not to be violent. She’s determined to do the right thing…it’s important that you see her kindness. It’s not easy. That’s what George is trying to tell us!”
Filoni also focused on how judgement is quickly passed on content, making it a challenge for creatives to improve and that it’s a process that thrives with patience and less quick judgement on what’s to come, admitting he may not have been given the same opportunity to let Clone Wars and his subsequent work with Lucasfilm thrive if the original Clone Wars film is was released in today’s venue.
Fans embraced the comments as a perfect send off for the festivities, and a reminder to us all of what Star Wars means and how special it all is.
To wrap things up, Celebration host David Collins once again welcomed fans to reminisce about the week’s excitement, as well as give a tease about what comes next.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Star, Rupert Friend came to announce Celebration will be traveling back overseas to London April 2022. The circle is now complete as London last hosted Celebration in 2016, right after having the torch passed from Anaheim in 2015.
Star Wars Celebration 2023
We will see you at Star Wars Celebration! We look forward to sharing more details about what’s to come to our favorite galaxy far, far away and will see you later this year at the D23 Expo. Until next time!
Whether you prefer the clumsy or random fire of a blaster, or the elegance and vibrant accuracy of a lightsaber, there was plenty of exciting details for all at Star Wars Celebration. Day 3 was no exception, with so many epic reveals. Let’s take a closer look at what news came to this corner of the galaxy as day three comes to a close!
This is the day, or the way, or whatever you want to call it, as The Mandalorian took center stage, showcasing a showstopper panel featuring show creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. As expected, fans got a first look at season 3, coming in 2023. Grogu also made his Celebration debut, coming on stage and charming the crowd with adorable cuteness!
The fun didn’t stop there though, as Rosario Dawson made a surprise visit to the stage, giving them their first look at a trailer for her upcoming series, Ahsoka. As it would turn out, Ahsoka would dominate Celebration in other fantastic ways!
After a quick look at the casts and creatives of The Mandalorian, guests got a look at some of the hard work that supports the look and reality of the series in “Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian & The Book of Boba Fett.”
In this fascinating technical presentation, filmmakers from the two shows spoke on the amazing work done to create a convincing universe for the characters to inhabit, from pioneering technology such as ILM StageCraft which allows for seamless use of virtual backgrounds…
…and Lola VFX face replacement…
…to classic production elements like Grogu’s practical puppetry.
Moving into another era of Star Wars, fans got their first glimpse into a mysterious new series, Tales of the Jedi. When the series title was revealed a few weeks ago, speculation exploded faster than the reactor on Death Star II, prompting many to hope the series would be a callback to the legends story arc of the same title.
Dave Filoni returned to the stage, revealing the series will consist of animated shorts. “I wanted to explore some characters and set some things down on them and based them ideas I had during Clone Wars”. One of the shorts focuses around crowd favorite, Ahsoka Tano.
Ahsoka’s arc will take us across various stages of her life, starting with her birth and discovery of her Jedi powers. As seen from above, Baby Ahsoka stole all our hearts, as a first reveal of the new series at Celebration.
Count Dooku’s backstory will also be explored in the series. In contrast to Ahsoka’s, his arc will focus on his time as a member of the Jedi Order and his fall to the Dark Side.
A young Qui-Gon will be explored during this arc, giving more layers to the relationship between master and apprentice and building on the lore of the prequel character’s legacy.
When discussing Qui-Gon, Filoni stated “He’s trying to get to the selfless truth of things…He does not possessively love” Qui-Gon will be brought to the screen with the voice talents of Liam Neeson and his son, carting the legacy of the character forward.
The series will be six shorts, exploring their very different Jedi paths, coming Fall 2022 to Disney+.
“Exciting is hardly the word we would choose,” and in honor of that quote, we have to take a look at a panel that no Star Wars Celebration would be complete without. Thank the maker, because Anthony Daniels, C3P0 himself, took to the stage to share some of his favorite Star Wars memories, classic behind-the-scenes droid tales, as well as some well-needed laughter.
Adorned in his typical gold attire, Daniels was his usual energetic self, zipping around on stage and off, taking questions, doing scenes, and trading barbs with everyone: “I’ve been wearing a mask for 45 years! Suck it up!”
More Star Wars Celebration Info Coming Soon
We cannot wait to see what the final day of Celebration has in store and will share the full scoop right here. Stay tuned and may the Force be with you!
Punch It Chewie! We are making the jump to lightspeed to bring you all the latest updates from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim. Going into Day 2, we have plenty of fun to look back on, including legendary Star Wars milestones, a sneak peek at the future of must have Star Wars merchandise, as well as a chance to take part in the intergalactic fun of Star Wars Nite at the Disneyland Resort.
We first return to a time of unrest in the Galactic Senate. Several thousand solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic. This Separatist movement, under the leadership of the mysterious Count Dooku, has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy.
The year is 2002, a year where Tobey Maguire would suit up and swing across the New York skyline in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man for the first time. It would also be the year that Star Wars fans across the galaxy would get their first glimpse of Hayden Christensen Anakin Skywalker. That funny little boy on Tatooine has grown, and along with him, a forbidden love that could spell certain doom for the entire galaxy.
Attack of the Clones is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, and in perfect Celebration fashion, fans convened to pay respects to the second installment of George Lucas’ prequel trilogy.
Clone Wars alum and Ahsoka voice actress, Ashley Eckstein led the panel, sharing stories with Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, and Anthony Daniels. Creative minds Matthew Wood, Doug Chiang, and John Knoll joined in, detailing the iconic work completed for the world’s first fully digital film production.
Plenty of laughs came, as well as many other unexpected moments between Logan and Morrison. It was truly something to behold, with a bond that is still just as strong today!
The biggest surprise came right at the end of the panel, where Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen joined the discussion, telling a few stories connected to Daniel Logan’s memorable reaction to seeing Obi-Wan, which turns out came to be from Ewan’s direction. The performance came from advice to Logan, having him imagine Ewan had just passed a very atrocious fart. Jokes aside, Hayden also discussed his saber training and his bond with Ewan as they traveled on location to complete filming.
Coming back to present day and beyond, fans also had the chance to discover brand new merchandise coming soon to our galaxy. Disney and Lucasfilm took the stage, giving a first look at some of the exciting new items coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Parks, as well as ShopDisney.
Lawrence Kasdan virtually joined Ron Howard on the Celebration Stage, giving fans a first look at the new Disney+ documentary series, Light and Magic. The panel featured some of ILM’s legendary veterans Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Joe Johnston and Rose Duignan, and Lucasfilm’s executive vice president and general manager, Lynwen Brennan.
This creative powerhouse gave fans an insiders scope on some of the most remarkable and memorable technological accomplishments in modern cinema and their impact on the movie going experience. As Dennis Muren stated, the series isn’t just a “how we did it” type show, instead diving into the inner depths of what makes ILM and its creative team so special.
Fans got a chance to look at some exclusive behind the scenes clips from the series, stories that went into the biggest moments of American Graffiti, Willow, and beyond. The new series, debuting on Disney+ “Insert date here” will be something any hard core film nerd will need to see.
ILM wasn’t finished for the day, however, as they took the stage later that afternoon for the presentation “Go Beyond the Spires in Virtual Reality: Making of ILMxLAB’s Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.”In this one, panelists Matthew Wood (Mubo), Jose Perez III (Director), Alyssa Finley (Producer), Ross Beeley (Writer), and Marissa Martinez-Hoadley (Manager of Quality Assurance) joined Host Holly Frey to talk about the creative process behind the virtual reality experience that takes you from Black Spire Outpost to Seezelslak’s Cantina, to the wilds of Batuu: Star Wars: Tales from The Galaxy’s Edge.
Their goal? To take this story that starts in the parks and make it bigger. How do we fit in? Where is the ship parked? How does it connect to everything we do in the parks? The experience allows you to see Blackspire but go way beyond the expanses of the park. They worked with WDI to determine that ship is parked where it would fit or could be. Al the angles and views are true as if it was really real because it is.
Go Beyond the Spires in Virtual Reality: Making of ILMxLAB’s Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
Park fans were not left out of this Celebration either, as the panel “From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You” took them on a chronological journey through all the Star Wars experiences available to guests in all the Disney parks around the world.
From the initial collaborations with Lucasfilm resulting in Captain EO and Star Tours, to the recently opened Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser and the Star Wars: Hyperspace lounge, Imagineers Scott Trowbridge, Asa Kalama, Ann Morrow Johnson, Matt Martin from Lucasfilm, and the Disney Legend Tony Baxter gave us insights and anecdotes on creating immersive attractions in the Star Wars universe.
From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You
Make sure to stay tuned for all the latest and greatest from this side of the galaxy to the other as we continue our coverage of Star Wars Celebration Anaheim! Trust in the Force!
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