We’ve gotten a tease some time ago about a new project titled Iwájú and it looks like the wait is finally over. During the D23 Expo we got a glimpse of this new series. It’ll explore a futuristic version of Lagos, Nigeria, and marks Disney’s first real cooperation with external studios in Kugali. The series is set to release in 2023.
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It looks like the Zootopia+ series has received a release date as it is currently eyeing a release on November 9th. The series won’t follow our usual duo but rather take a look at different characters throughout six episodes. It doesn’t seem like they are introducing anyone new but rather exploring existing characters from the original Zootopia film. One episode, for example, will be about a sloth couple arriving at a restaurant just as they were about to close.
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Well, it looks like the rumors were true, as the sequel to Pixar’s iconic Inside Out has been announced to finish off the animation studios’ segment during the big Disney panel. They have confirmed that Kelsey Mann will direct the sequel. It’ll be written by Meg LeFauve. There was no word on the rumor surrounding some cast members not returning for the sequel with only Amy Poehler confirmed, but it is eyeing a Summer 2024 and will have some new emotions. We will return with Riley as we explore her time as a teenager.
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While we’ve been hearing a lot about projects we’ve already known something about, it seems that a brand new project has been shared by Pixar. Elemental may be the next film to release,e but it seems they are already working on their next film titled Elio, which will explore the story of an 11-year-old that ends up being the first to make contact with aliens.
As a result, he is beamed into a spaceship and meets various aliens while accidentally being nominated to be Eart’s ambassador. Have we mentioned that he is 11 years? America Ferrera has been cast as Olga, who is Elio’s mom in the upcoming movie.
We’ve heard quite some time ago that Pixar is working on their first truly full-length Disney+ series titled Win or Lose; though Cars on the Road could technically count if it didn’t have a shorter episode runtime. We haven’t known much about the project but luckily during the Pixar Showcase at D23, we got a bit more information on what to expect.
As it turns out, the project will explore the story of a softball game. Each episode focuses on a different member of a team that offers a unique perspective on the events that unfolded in this big game. A rather unique idea fitting for Pixar that also makes great use of the TV format. It’ll explore bad calls made by the coach of the team. Will Forte has also joined the cast as the coach.
We’ve long waited for an update on how exactly Pixar is approaching its next project, Elemental. It seems like the most out-there concept they’ve attempted in a while and exploring living elements could also give them a unique challenge when it comes to the animation. Well, D23 Expo is the place to be as we finally got our first look at the leads Ember and Wade. The story will explore an unlikely romance between two elements that can’t even touch. Ember will be voiced by Leah Lewis while Mamoudou Athie is taking on Wade.
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It looks like the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid will include four brand new songs that still have the same feeling as the original, as revealed by director Rob Marshall during the D23 panel for Disney’s future slate. Here’s a statement by director Marshall as shared by THR’s Borys Kit from the panel on how fond he is of the original film and why he wants to stay true to it:
When it opened in 1989…musicals were gone. Even though it was animated, we could hear people singing at movies again.
Rob Marshall
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Barry Jenkins is taking it upon himself to adapt a brand new prequel for 2019 The Lion King remake which will focus primarily on Mufasa, which is given the fitting title of Mufasa: The Lion King. It seems that the story will take place in two timelines as Rafiki, Timo and Pumbaa will be telling the story of Mufasa to a lion cub, which may be the child of Simba. Attendees got a quick teaser during their attendance but it certainly sounds like a curious direction for the already bizarre prequel..
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Attendees of D23’s Disney panel got a tease of what the future has in store for fans of the company’s various live-action and animated projects. Among many, it also gave them an exclusive first look at the live-action adaptation of Haunted Mansion. Besides the director Justin Simien confirming he used to work at Disneyland, they also confirmed that Jamie Lee Curtis has joined the cast.
Footage descriptions haven’t given away what exactly happens in the film but praised Owen Wilson’s performance. They also teased that Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Jared Leto seemingly have cameos in the film though don’t give away any specifics.
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D23’s first major panel has finally kicked off offering a tease on what exactly the future has in store for their live-action offerings. After a great trailer for Hocus Pocus 2, they quickly shifted gears to Disenchanted and revealed the first key story details of the sequel. As it turns out, the story of Amy Adam‘s Giselle will follow her having two children and trying to move forward as a mother. It gives them a chance to further explore her character and may also be a gateway into exploring how she’s handling her new life after all these years.
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