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Aside from the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, there aren't many Disney heroes with bad tempers. Usually, whenever people think of an angry Disney character, they consider villains like Maleficent and Hades. On the other hand, Disney heroes are typically famous for their patience, kindness, and sweetness. Even though they never let their anger influence the ultimate path of their respective narratives, a few Disney heroes have hot tempers of their own.

Some of these heroes are the main protagonist's friends and family. These heroes cause drama with their antics so the protagonist can remain a paragon of virtue in comparison to their eternally infuriated peers. The rest, however, are the main protagonists of their movies. Still, most of these angry heroes come from later Disney movies since the studio no longer felt pressured to make perfect heroes.

Updated on March 20, 2025, by Ajay Aravind: Anger is not the emotion...

After raiding the crown jewels for just about every live-action reboot imaginable, Disney has finally gotten around to the one that started it all, the 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. That film represents Walt Disney’s first-ever full-length animated feature.

Originally, Disney’s plan was to rerelease its animated vault treasures every seven years for a new generation of kids, but they got the bright idea to instead remake those films as live-action features. Thus we have had versions of Sleeping Beauty reimagined around evil Maleficent; Peter Pan; Fantasia; Dumbo; Pinocchio; three variations on 101 Dalmatians including Cruella; The Lion King; Jungle Book; Aladdin; Mulan; Alice In Wonderland; The Little Mermaid; and an unfortunate attempt to meddle with my favorite, Lady and the Tramp among others. The best in the live-action genre to date remain Bill Condon’s blockbuster Beauty and the Beast and Kenneth Branagh’s splendid Cinderella.

Matthew Rhys has signed on for a leading role in the upcoming Apple TV+ series “Widow’s Bay,” Variety has learned.

The show was picked up for 10 episodes at Apple back in September 2024. The official logline states the show is about “a mysteriously cursed New England island and its superstitious citizens, led by a mayor (Rhys) who refuses to believe their warnings.”

This is the latest streaming TV role Rhys has lined up recently. He recently shot the Netflix limited series “The Beast in Me” opposite Claire Danes, while it was reported in November that Rhys will star opposite John Krasinski in the Amazon Prime Video serial killer drama “Silent River.” He also recently wrapped shooting on the BritBox and BBC1 series adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Towards Zero.”

Rhys is perhaps best known for his starring role in the FX Cold War spy drama “The Americans,” for which he won...

Disney’s one of the major releases during its post-animation renaissance was the animated 2002 film, Lilo & Stitch. Filmmaker Chris Sanders conceived the idea for the genetically engineered alien creature Stitch in 1985. The film was a huge success and spawned several direct-to-video films and television series. In 2025, the popular franchise will be receiving a live-action/CGI adaptation.

The release poster of Lilo & Stitch (2025) | Credits: Walt Disney Studios

Sanders will be returning to the film in a voice-acting capacity, alongside newcomer child artist Maia Kealoha. The film will be directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, known for his Oscar-nominated animated film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.

Lilo & Stitch release date: When will the live-action adaptation of the 2002 film hit theaters? Chris Sanders voices Stitch in Lilo & Stitch (2025) | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures

Lilo & Stitch will be released in the United States on May 23, 2025. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will be distributing the film in theaters.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is powering to the top of box office charts while “Mufasa: The Lion King” is getting trampled in its first weekend of release.

Paramount’s third “Sonic” adventure has opened at No. 1 with $62 million from 3,761 North American theaters. Bolstered by positive reviews and strong audience scores, the film beat initial expectations of $55 million to $60 million and looks to remain a holiday hit through the new year. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” was tracking for a trilogy-low start but instead opened above the original 2020 “Sonic the Hedgehog” ($58 million) and just below the 2022 sequel (a series-best $72 million).

Disney’s “The Lion King” prequel “Mufasa” was trotting behind in second place with $35 million from 4,100 cinemas, falling way behind pre-release expectations of $50 million. It’s a terrible start for a tentpole that cost above $200 million to produce and roughly $100 million to promote across the global. Despite mixed reviews, the film has several potential saving graces,...

The first thing you see on screen in Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney’s latest attempt to squeeze another billion or so out of its gift that keeps on giving on stage and screen, is a dedication to the late, great James Earl Jones, who of course provided the regal voice of Mufasa in both the classic 1994 animated film, and its 2019 live-action remake. It is also a reminder that it would be near impossible to try to replace the presence of Jones, and smartly — especially if you are hellbent on adding to the franchise — director Barry Jenkins and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson have not tried to do that.

Instead what we have is an origin tale, the harrowing journey of a seemingly orphaned cub Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins voicing the young version) trying to survive the elements on his own after being separated from his parents due to a sudden raging river taking him on top of,...

John Krasinski and Matthew Rhys are set to executive produce and star in “Silent River,” a new psychological thriller ordered by Amazon MGM Studios for Prime Video.

According to the official logline, the project, which is seen through the lens of two men whose lives are far more more connected than they realize, explores the cracks of small-town America in the wake of discovering a serial killer among them.

“Silent River” is created by Aaron Rabin, who serves as an executive producer. In addition to Krasinski, Rhys and Rabin, Allyson Seeger and Alexa Ginsburg will executive produce for Sunday Night. Krasinski is set to direct the show’s pilot and some additional episodes. Andrew Bernstein is also set to direct and executive produce.

In addition to the series order, Sunday Night has renewed its first-look television deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

“We are thrilled to continue our work with John Krasinski,...

Amazon Prime Video has given a series order to the drama series “Silent River” with John Krasinski and Matthew Rhys attached to star, Variety has learned.

Both Krasinski and Rhys will also executive produce the series, with Krasinski also set to direct the pilot and additional episodes. Krasinski is executive producing under his and Allyson Seeger’s Sunday Night production banner, which has renewed its first-look television deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

The official logline for “Silent River” states, “Through the lens of two men, whose lives are far more connected than they realize, ‘Silent River’ explores the cracks of small-town America in the wake of discovering a serial killer among them.”

Aaron Rabin is the creator of the series and will also executive produce, with Andrew Bernstein onboard to direct and executive produce. Seeger and Alexa Ginsburg will executive produce for Sunday Night alongside Krasinski. Amazon MGM Studios will produce.

Quick Links Disney Fell Out With Louis Prima After The Jungle Book Disney Created a New Character to Replace King Louie in House of Mouse Christopher Walken Voiced King Louie in Disneys Live-Action Jungle Book

Before Disney had a falling out with Robin Williams over the use of his celebrity in promoting Aladdin (1992), another star turned his back on the studio. Disney's The Jungle Book (1967) featured the raucous character of King Louie. An orangutan living in the jungle who wants desperately to know how humans create fire. He sings the iconic song "I Wan'na Be Like You" along with Baloo the Bear -- voiced by Phil Harris. Created for the Disney film, the character of King Louie was named after his voice actor, Louis Prima. From the 1920s through the 1960s, Prima was a popular Italian-American bandleader and musician known for genres like early R&b, rock 'n' roll, boogie-woogie,...

Lily James in ‘Cliffhanger’ (Photo Courtesy of Rocket Science)

Lily James takes the lead in the reboot of the 1993 action thriller Cliffhanger directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone. Rocket Science released the first two photos from the new version, which is currently in filming in Austria’s East Tyrol region of the Lienz Dolomites.

In addition to Lily James (Pam & Tommy), the thriller stars Pierce Brosnan, Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba, and Bruno Gouery. Jaume Collet-Serra directs, based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour.

“In this reboot of Cliffhanger, seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper (Brosnan) and his daughter Sydney run a mountain chalet in the Dolomites. During a weekend trip with a billionaire’s son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers,” reads the official synopsis. “Ray’s older daughter Naomi (James), still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes.

Disney is eyeing Marvel star Chris Hemsworth for its live-action Prince Charming film. It was recently announced that Paddington director Paul King signed on to direct a film based on the Prince Charming character, who is something of a stock character among various Disney princes but is most commonly associated with Cinderella. Given the name Prince Charming, it certainly puts a lot of pressure on Disney to find the right actor to live up to that title, and the studio is pulling from its stable of Marvel stars to take on the role.

Deadline reports that Chris Hemsworth is in talks to play Prince Charming in the upcoming film. Hemsworth is best known for his portrayal of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with 2011's Thor and most recently in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder. No deal has been made yet, but if Hemsworth were to take the role,...

FX is extending its relationship with one of the creators of its Emmy record-breaking series Shōgun.

Justin Marks, who co-created the series with Rachel Kondo, has signed a new overall deal with FX Productions, where he’s been based for the past five years. Under the new deal, Marks will develop new material for FX in addition to working on two potential additional seasons of Shōgun with Kondo.

“It is an honor to have Justin as part of the FX family,” said FX Entertainment president Gina Balian. “He is a gifted storyteller who is tireless in his commitment to doing the best possible work. His dedication is in every frame of Shōgun, and we are delighted to be continuing our relationship with him as we forge new stories to share with the world.”

Shōgun won a record-breaking 18 Emmys — the most for any series in a single year — in September, including awards for best drama series,...

German kids and animation outfit Studio 100 International and Gaumont Animation are joining forces on a new animated series inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s classic The Jungle Book. The series, tentatively titled Jungle Book: Cub Club Adventures, is currently in early development and will explore Mowgli’s life before the age of 11.

Gaumont Animation, behind series such as Stillwater (Apple TV+), Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles (Netflix) and Do, Re & Mi (Amazon), and Studio 100, a subsidiary of Belgian entertainment company Studio 100 Group, and home to Maya the Bee, Vic the Viking, Heidi and Mia & Me, will be bringing the show to Cannes and the international television market MIPCOM later this month, seeking production and financing partners.

Created by Josh Fisher, Jungle Book: Cub Club Adventures is being planned as a series of 52 episodes, each 11 minutes, targeting preschool kids and their families. The storylines will focus on Mowgli’s adventures with...

Millennials might be the first to remember The Disney Afternoon, a two-hour block of Disney cartoons that aired on weekdays from 1990-1997. The block ran in four half-hour segments which alternated between multiple animated series. Surprisingly, the line-up was not slated for The Disney Channel only and aired in many markets across the United States. Some of the headlining shows featured characters that Disney fans would have already been familiar with from the studio's catalog of films and shorts, while others presented all-new characters and concepts.

Recognizable shows, like Darkwing Duck, first aired on The Disney Afternoon and featured voice talents like Jim Cummings. A veteran Disney voice actor, Cummings is best known as the current voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger -- but his resume extends well beyond Disney. Nostalgia for The Disney Afternoon has encouraged the studio to consider rebooting some of its properties from the block,...

Exclusive: Tennessee-based Showdog Studio has signed with Gersh for representation in all areas, as it adds five projects to its production and development slate.

The five projects include animated feature Baby on Board (slated to deliver in early 2025), the live-action feature The 442, scripted drama series Plan B and Sweet Toxins and nonfiction series Spec Ops Boss.

Showdog Studio founder and veteran producer John Attard and company executive Robert Harris serve as Executive Producers for all projects.

“It is with great pleasure that we bring Showdog Studio into the Gersh fold,” said Roy Ashton, Partner at Gersh. “John and his team have a remarkable track record of creativity and innovation across a wide range of genres. Their ability to produce content that resonates with diverse audiences – from animated and live-action features to high-stakes drama and unscripted series – is truly impressive. Showdog’s dedication to pushing creative boundaries, combined with their extensive...

From Pinocchio’s Revenge to Silent Night, Deadly Night, taking beloved cultural icons and turning them into cold-blooded killers is nothing new in horror. I mean, corrupting traditionally innocent iconography is pretty much the genre’s specialty, but I still find it fascinating how modern filmmakers are fighting back against franchise monopolies by re-imagining popular figures like Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse as murderous monsters as soon as they enter the public domain.

And with the announcement that the Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey team’s “Twisted Childhood Universe” is expanding to include evil versions of characters like Bambi and Peter Pan, I think it’s time that filmmakers start looking at some less obvious source material when coming up with their public domain scares. With that in mind, we’ve decided to highlight six public domain characters that also deserve their own horror movies. After all, if these...

COO Pete Docter believes remaking Pixar movies lacks creativity and originality. Pixar's focus on originality has helped them create timeless films loved by all ages compared to how Disney has been developing remakes. The question was asked as a follow-up to the fan casting of Challengers star Josh O'Connor to be Alfredo Linguini in a live-action Ratatouille remake.

Pixar Chief Content Officer Pete Docter addresses why the animation studio won't develop live-action remakes. From The Little Mermaid to The Lion King, many of Disney animation's beloved movies have been adapted into live-action remakes in recent years. Critical reception varies from the live-action Jungle Book's 94% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes to the live-action Pinocchio's 28%. Some of these reimaginings have been financially lucrative for Disney, including the live-action Lion King grossing more than a billion worldwide, creating speculation about whether Pixar will follow suit.

In an interview with Time Magazine,...

Scarlett Johansson's impressive box office history makes her the ideal choice for a role in Jurassic Park. Johansson's track record in big-budget movies and her star power can elevate the Jurassic World franchise. The Jurassic franchise needs a fresh face like Johansson to maintain its box office dominance and stay relevant.

Scarlett Johansson has one of the most impressive box office records in Hollywood, making her rumored Jurassic Park role the perfect next career move. The Jurassic Park franchise has seen monumental success, with the recent Jurassic World movies providing a modern adaptation of the iconic dinosaur franchise. Jurassic World's box office figures have been staggering, with each movie grossing over $1 billion; however, its latest reception has been less impressive. With Jurassic World Dominion receiving just a 29% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's clear the next installment requires a change, and Johansson could provide the answers.

The actress...

Before I knew her as Archie Bunker's little girl Gloria on "All in the Family," I knew Sally Struthers as Rebecca Cunningham on "TaleSpin." A loving single mom and ambitious businesswoman whose outspoken personality belied her petite build, Rebecca -- aka "Becky," "Beckers," and the many other nicknames her responsibility-skirting, party-loving employee Baloo would use to refer to her -- was but one of many reasons to love the "Jungle Book"-inspired animated pulp period adventure series and Disney Afternoon staple. After years of trying (and failing) to keep the peace between her stubbornly conservative dad and her liberal, holier-than-thou husband Michael as Gloria in "All in the Family," Struthers was an expert in the art of sounding flustered, a talent that served her well on "TalepSpin."

Struthers' distinct, gently raspy vocals would allow her to carve out a career for herself as a voice actor, resulting in roles on...

Disney executive Sean Bailey is exiting after 15 years as the motion picture group’s president of production. He’ll be replaced by Searchlight’s chief David Greenbaum, who has been named to the newly created role of president of Live Action and 20th Century Studios.

In his new post, effective immediately, Greenbaum will report to Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman. This shakeup merges two of Disney’s film divisions: live-action (responsible for remakes and spinoffs of the studio’s classics) and 20th Century Studios.

“David has an incredible creative sensibility and eye for film, and he has built a reputation as an exceptional leader and creative executive, as proven by his track record at Searchlight Pictures and deep relationships throughout the industry,” Bergman said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that he’ll be taking on this new and important role.”

Bailey, who has overseen Disney’s live-action slate since...

Sampooran Singh Kalra, more famous by his pen name ‘Gulzar’, is renowned as a man and master of letters, in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi, with over seven decades of rich contributions to the literary arena as well as Bollywood. On Saturday, Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, Sanskrit scholar, spiritual leader and educator, were declared the recipients of the coveted 58th Jnanpith Award-2023.

For Gulzar (89), this is yet another feather in his artistic cap brimming with an Oscar Award, a Grammy Award, five National Awards, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award (Urdu), Padma Bhushan, and 22 Filmfare Awards. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Assam Central University besides being decorated with many more honours and accolades.

Born in Dina, Jhelum district (now in Pakistan), Gulzar started coining and penning couplets and ‘shayris’ from an early age, earning his father’s ire over his passion.

Post-Partition, when his clan also suffered a split,...

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

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

Idris Elba, now known for action franchises and acclaimed dramas, is the most famous actor who starred in The Wire. Lance Reddick, known for his role as Lt. Daniels in The Wire, went on to star in the John Wick movies and various video games. Michael B. Jordan credits The Wire for his fame, transitioning from crime dramas to action movies like Creed and Black Panther.

Many amazing actors went on to have successful careers in movies and TV after appearing in the acclaimed crime thriller TV show The Wire. The show depicts a fictionalized version of the Baltimore drug trade with the main cast comprising law enforcers and drug lords. Among the cast and crew of The Wire are some present-day stars and directors whose involvement with the show is not widely known, such as Michael B. Jordan and Tom McCarthy.

The Wire is considered one of the best...

Some movies feature terrifying animals with accurate details, like the patrolling behavior of sharks in The Shallows. The live-action Jungle Book accurately depicts the size of King Louie as an extinct ape species. Nope incorporates real marine animal inspiration into its alien design, creating a plausible creature.

Some movies that feature terrifying animals which are seemingly exaggerated for dramatic effect still include some surprisingly accurate details. With almost any horror or survivalist movie that focuses on characters escaping a bloodthirsty predator, experts will point out that the animals in question rarely attack humans. Theoretically, if there are no other food sources or an animal is provoked, they will attack people – but critics of such horror movies typically stress that it is not likely.

However, impressively accurate aspects about a species make their way into many genres. The team behind the Jurassic Park movies researched the dinosaurs they wanted to depict...

Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, the co-writers and co-directors of Aardman Animations’ musical film “Robin Robin,” which premiered on Netflix in November 2021, and was nominated for an Oscar the following year, say that a spinoff is in the cards.

“We are currently working on more stories in the world of ‘Robin, Robin,’” Please tells Variety. “I think that’s all we’re allowed to say. But that would certainly be our hopes and dreams. We feel like there are loads more stories to tell in this world, so we’d love to do more.”

“Robin Robin,” whose voice cast includes Bronte Carmichael, Adeel Akhtar, Gillian Anderson and Richard E. Grant, centers on a robin who is raised by a loving family of burglar mice. As Robin grows up, her differences become more apparent. She sets out to pull off a daring heist in a bid to prove to her family...

The Lion King Photo: ©2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hopefully, all our readers are enjoying a bit of a seasonal break right now - and what better time to catch a few good films on the telly? We hope you've enjoyed the last 12 months of recommendations and would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy 2024.

The Lion King, 5.05pm, BBC1, Boxing Day

Jon Favreau had already tackled a live-action remake of The Jungle Book to great acclaim when he took on Disney's version of Hamlet. It might not reach the heights of Mowgli and his crew but this is a faithful adaptation of the original - even if the term "live action" seems somewhat weird given that we're looking at CGI creations. Nevertheless, as with Jungle Book, these animals look the business, as we watch Simba (Jd McCrary then Donald Glover) struggle with guilt over the death...

With lines from Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, Fulton County District Attorney Adriane Love made opening arguments Monday in the racketeering and gang trial of Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, and other accused members of Ysl, 18 months after his arrest.

“Ysl operated as a pack,” she said, citing the law of the jungle from Kipling’s book. The words “are appropriate for where we are today. For 10 years and counting, the group calling itself Young Slime Life dominated the Cleveland Avenue community of Fulton County. They created...

New Delhi, Nov 14 (Ians) Children’s Day, which is celebrated on November 14, is all about making kids feel special and bringing a smile to their faces. And what better way to do that with some fantastic series to binge-watch and listen.

Here is a list of the most captivating and educational series that are perfect for this Children’s Day, that are not just about entertainment but they also offer valuable life lessons, encourage creativity, and inspire young minds.

From exciting adventures to heartwarming stories, there is something for every child to enjoy.

Gullak:

It is a heartwarming web series directed by Palash Vaswani and Amrit Raj Gupta. ‘Gullak’ revolves around the Mishra family, comprising Santosh, Shanti, Anand “Annu”, and Aman Mishra. In season one, Annu’s constant tiff with his mother, Shanti, over joblessness and exam results sets the stage. Season two beautifully captures stories of hope, wishes,...

New Delhi, Nov 14 (Ians) Children’s Day, which is celebrated on November 14, is all about making kids feel special and bringing a smile to their faces. And what better way to do that with some fantastic series to binge-watch and listen.

Here is a list of the most captivating and educational series that are perfect for this Children’s Day, that are not just about entertainment but they also offer valuable life lessons, encourage creativity, and inspire young minds.

From exciting adventures to heartwarming stories, there is something for every child to enjoy.

Gullak:

It is a heartwarming web series directed by Palash Vaswani and Amrit Raj Gupta. ‘Gullak’ revolves around the Mishra family, comprising Santosh, Shanti, Anand “Annu”, and Aman Mishra. In season one, Annu’s constant tiff with his mother, Shanti, over joblessness and exam results sets the stage. Season two beautifully captures stories of hope, wishes,...

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

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

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

Pencils vs. Pixels is a documentary that chronicles the history of 2D hand-drawn animation and the shift to 3D computer animation in the industry. The documentary features iconic artists, including Seth MacFarlane and Alex Hirsch, who played a significant role in creating beloved animated classics. The film explores the influence of the Nine Old Men, mentors to many of the animators featured, and their lasting impact on modern animation. The future of animation is predicted to include new technologies and a surge of creativity.

New documentary Pencils vs. Pixels goes back through the incredible journey of 2D hand-drawn animation, especially the high point of the Disney Renaissance in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Then the story of 3D computer animation follows, and how animation studios have had to change in the wake of such a shift. The documentary is narrated by Ming-Na Wen and incorporates the thoughts of several...

A hit comedy film in 2023 has proven that a classic Pixar movie could work well as a live-action remake. Andrew Barth Feldman's performances in "No Hard Feelings" and the "Ratatouille" musical show that he would be the perfect choice for the lead role in a live-action "Ratatouille" remake. A live-action "Ratatouille" movie would have the advantage of portraying real food and could pave the way for future Pixar live-action adaptations.

Not all Pixar movies deserve a remake, but a 2023 hit comedy film proves that a 16-year-old Pixar flick should finally be considered for a live-action adaptation. Although Disney's strategy of traversing age-old animated films to the live-action medium was initially met with criticism and skepticism, live-action Jungle Book's critical and commercial success established that it was not a bad idea after all. After The Jungle Book paved the way for live-action adaptations of classic animated films, many movies like The Lion King,...

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is requesting an alteration.

The 51-year-old Jungle Book star spoke out after his wax figure was unveiled at the Musée Grévin in Paris, France.

The figure quickly went viral on social media, as fans reacted with laughter and horror at the final product, which drew comparisons to Mr. Clean.

Dwayne shared a video from comedian James Andre Jefferson Jr. on his Instagram.

Keep reading to find out more…

“You know Black a– Samoan The Rock? That’s how Paris thinks he looks,” the comedian says. “They turned The Rock into a pebble!… it looks like The Rock has never seen the sun a day in his life… You make the rock look like he David Beckham. It looks like The Rock is going to be a part of the royal family. Did y’all even Google him?”

“Knew my boy James Andre Jefferson Jr. had this...

Once Upon A Studio is a celebration of Walt Disney Animation Studios' 100-year anniversary, bringing together over 500 Disney Animation characters. Directors Trent Correy and Dan Abraham discuss the technical challenges of blending different animation styles and choosing character pairings. The short also pays homage to Disney legends, with Richard Sherman recording music and portraits honoring key figures from the studio's history.

Once Upon A Studio is the culmination of 100 years of magic and animation, celebrating Walt Disney Animation Studios' milestone anniversary. In the short, Mickey and Minnie Mouse free themselves from pictures on the wall after the studio clears out for the day. The pair gathers over 500 other Disney Animation characters from all around the studio for a group photo.

Once Upon A Studio is written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy. The short features the voices of countless Disney cast members, including Kristen Bell, Jodie Benson, Auli’i Cravalho,...

Director Karan Tejpal’s feature film debut “Stolen” is a nail-biting thriller about two privileged, big-city boys who unwittingly embark on a harrowing adventure as they help an impoverished young woman find her kidnapped baby in rural India.

The film, which is produced by Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Studio (Toronto titles “Angry Indian Goddesses” and “Faith Connections”), is also a commentary on the alarming number of child abductions in India in recent years, and the explosion of often misguided vigilantism that accompanied the widespread adoption of instant messaging apps, particularly in rural areas.

The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, earned a special mention in the Feature Film Competition at the Zurich Film Festival this week, and heads next to the BFI London fest.

The film follows brothers Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) and Raman (Shubham), who try to help the desperate Jhumpa (Mia Maelzer) find her five-month-old child...

The second set of cards coming to Disney Lorcana has officially been announced and will be titled Rise of the Floodborn, suggesting that many of the characters included will have the reimagined styling fitting for Floodborn cards. Floodborn glimmers are examples of where characters have been touched by a mixed-up and chaotic ink that gives them more powers and changes the traditional features of the characters from their original versions. This second set of cards will have more than 200 cards including stories of Zootopia, The Great Mouse Detective, Jungle Book, and more.

A Rise of the Floodborn reveal announcing what's coming Disney Lorcana's second set, as well as the new Disney100 Edition, was made early in the morning of September 12, 2023. The set is scheduled to make its official launch on December 1, with early releases to local game stores just prior to that. Many fan favorites will be joining the game,...

Production veterans John Attard and David “Doc” Abbott have launched Showdog Studios, a content company based in Franklin, Tenn.

The partners are self-financing the business and have established a development fund to create their own content. The pair are at work on an anthology series, “Revive: Portraits of Redemption,” with producer Tom Evans that they intend to shop to buyers down the road. Another industry veteran, Robert Harris, has joined Showdog as executive producer to help shepherd “Revive” and other projects. Franklin is about 20 miles south of Nashville.

“Doc and I are extremely excited to have Robert join the Showdog Studio team. We want to create stories of hope along the lines of the stories I’ve enjoyed watching over the years – many of which were deftly shepherded by Robert’s steady hand,” Attard said.

John Attard

The partners vow to produce TV shows, films and other content that revolve...

Earlier this year, an astounding statistic came to light, indicating that Scarlett Johansson was the highest-grossing movie actor of all time.

Given her roster of screen credits — which includes the likes of “Avengers: Endgame”, “Jungle Book” and “Ghost in the Shell” — the total gross of the 33 films in which she’s appeared are $14.52 billion.

This places her ahead of the No. 2 actor, fellow ‘Avengers’ co-star Robert Downey Jr., whose 43 films have amassed $14.39 billion. In third place”: Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in 43 films, which have grossed $14.36 billion.

Read More: Scarlett Johansson Shares What It Was Like Taking Her 8-Week-Old Son To Work With Her On ‘Asteroid City’ Set

During a recent appearance on “CBS Mornings”, Johansson was asked about earning that accolade.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to get some text message from Sam [L] Jackson, that’ll be like ‘No, no, no, no. Wait a minute,...

Sarah Polley — who earlier this year won the best-adapted screenplay Oscar for her feature Women Talking — is in talks to direct the live-action Bambi film for Disney, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The project is still in development, but should it happen, it would join Disney’s lucrative classic animation–to–live-action roster, the most recent addition to which was The Little Mermaid, which has made over $400 million at the box office to date.

The Bambi project was first reported in 2020, with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel, Tomb Raider) and Lindsey Beer (Chaos Walking) set to pen the screenplay and Depth of Field, the production banner run by Chris and Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano, on board to produce. It’s unclear if this team is still in place. (Depth of Field worked with the studio on Robert Zemeckis’ take on another classic animation, Pinocchio.)

The original movie, released in 1942, told...

The unstoppable march of the Disney live-action remakes continues -- over both land and sea. The Memorial Day weekend brings Rob Marshall's new take on "The Little Mermaid," starring the golden-voiced Halle Bailey in the titular role, and the numbers so far indicate an opening weekend similar to Jon Favreau's 2016 adaptation of "The Jungle Book."

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney estimates that "The Little Mermaid" will gross between $120 and $130 million over the four-day holiday weekend, after Thursday previews and Friday ticket sales brought in $38 million. That's the consensus at Variety and Deadline as well, though THR notes that some analysts think the movie could end up north of $130 million. Over the three-day weekend, Deadline estimates that the live-action adaptation is set to bring in $104 million at the domestic box office. Overseas, it's tracking for an $80 million opening weekend following a day-and-date release in most major international markets.

The...

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is poised to make a box office splash over Memorial Day weekend. The big-budget remake is projected to earn a mighty $100 million from 4,300 North American theaters in its first three days of release and $120 million to $125 million by Monday’s holiday.

Based on those estimates, it’ll be the fourth movie (and third from Disney) this year to clear the $100 million mark in its debut, following “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($146 million), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” ($118 million) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” ($106 million).

Rob Marshall directed “The Little Mermaid,” which looks like it’ll be one of Disney’s more successful live-action adaptations. The studio has revisited classics like “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin,” — all of which cracked $1 billion globally — as well as the less commercially embraced “Mulan” and “Dumbo,” to varying degrees of box office glory.

By comparison,...

Prehistoric Planet season 2 is almost here, with Apple TV+ set to immerse viewers once again in the world of the late Cretaceous period. Returning are some fan-favorite dinosaurs from the unique docuseries’ first season, as is series narrator David Attenborough. The five-episode event series premieres May 22 on Apple TV+, with a new episode to be released every night.

The show follows in the tradition established by hit BBC docuseries like Planet Earth, focusing on different ecosystems with each episode to great and fascinating effect. Two major creative minds behind the series are executive producer Mike Gunton and showrunner Tim Walker, who together have managed to take what worked about the first season of Prehistoric Planet and flesh it out even more for season 2. From new creatures to a wider range of camera techniques, Prehistoric Planet season 2 has managed to improve upon the already fantastic original iteration.

Related: David Attenborough Proved...

Update, writethru: Illumination/Nintendo/Universal’s The Super Mario Bros Movie has got super game as it levels up to cross 1B$ at the global box office through Sunday. It now becomes the 10th animated film in history to cross $1B worldwide, and is the 10th biggest animated film of all time globally, overtaking Despicable Me 2 and Minions: The Rise Of Gru. The Super Mario Bros Movie is the third Illumination title to hit the $1 billion mark.

The juggernaut powered-up to an additional of $68.3M this session in 80 overseas markets, bringing its international receipts to-date through Sunday to $532.5M. Worldwide, the estimate through today is $1.022B.

Notably, Japan opened this weekend. On 776 screens, the start was a huge $14.3M to score the biggest opening weekend ever for an animated studio movie, as well as the biggest Saturday box office in Universal history – topping Jurassic World Dominion. In only two days,...

A month out from the release of “The Little Mermaid,” Disney’s other beloved nautical cartoon is prepping its live-action makeover. A remake of “Moana,” the 2016 animated blockbuster, is in early development, Disney announced Monday.

The news was revealed during Disney’s annual meeting of shareholders. During the webcast, a prerecorded message from Dwayne Johnson, who voiced the character of Maui in the original animated film, was played. (You can watch the full video below.)

Speaking from Hawaii, Johnson said, “As many of you may not know, the brilliant team at Disney Animation, my partners, we found so much inspiration for Maui in the mana and presence of my late grandfather, the legendary high-chief Peter Maivia. … In a way, when I bring Maui to life, I’m doing it in the spirit of my grandfather.”

No director, screenwriter, or casting has been announced for the feature. Johnson will produce the...

If you've seen anything about "Cocaine Bear," then you've been introduced to Cokey, the titular ursine entity that stumbles across a brick of cocaine in the woods and promptly goes on a killing spree in search of one more fix. As producers Lord and Miller told me in my interview with them, not only did no real-life bears do cocaine on set, but no real-life bears were involved at all. Cokey is a creation of Wētā FX, and while her distinct look comes from the artists there, she was also represented on set by motion capture performer Allan Henry, a veteran of movies like "Avengers: Endgame," "Jungle Book," and the "Planet of the Apes" trilogy.

I sought an interview with Henry after seeing the film and talking with Lord and Miller as well as Keri Russell about what they witnessed on the set. "He's on stilts on his arms, doing...

Jon Favreau, director of “Iron Man” and creator of “The Mandalorian,” got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday and was joined by his own star Robert Downey, Jr. But Downey, who Favreau famously fought to cast in the original “Iron Man,” threw a comical curveball when the star was being unveiled.

“Hold on,” Downey, Jr. said as cameras were snapping and Favreau was holding his plaque. “Just to make it official…”

Downey, Jr. then reached into his mouth, pulled out his gum and smashed it down on the star.

“Now we’re ready,” he said.

Entertainment Tonight captured the video, which you can watch below.

.@RobertDowneyJr jokingly plants a wad of gum on @Jon_Favreau's newly unveiled Hollywood Walk of Fame star "just to make it official." pic.twitter.com/DReWckplTh

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 13, 2023

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark and tourist destination...

Exclusive: 12 Years a Slave and Brokeback Mountain outfit River Road Entertainment has joined Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd’s feature Unicorns as producer and financier.

CAA Media Finance will be selling the project at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.

The cross-cultural romance, directed by The Swimmers filmmaker El Hosaini and Floyd, from a screenplay by Floyd, is now in post-production.

Today, we can also reveal that the film will co-star emerging British Indian R&b artist Jason Patel alongside the previously announced Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody).

Related: Deadline’s Full EFM Coverage

Set against a secretive London subculture, the film follows a queer performer (Patel) living a double life and a single father (Hardy) working as a mechanic, whose lives collide after a chance encounter.

“When Laura Windows, our casting director, introduced us to Jason, we knew we’d found our unicorn. Jason has poured his heart and soul into this.

The actor will answer questions on Thursday on anything from her new film Mr Malcolm’s List to her career in movies such as Slumdog Millionaire

Mumbai-born actor Freida Pinto found fame after being cast in 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire: she had been working as a model for Wrigley’s Chewing Gum, Škoda and Vodafone, and was picked by Danny Boyle to star as the love interest to British-born star Dev Patel.

After Slumdog cleaned up at the award dos, Pinto went on to become a household name, with the unusual career trajectory for an Indian actor of having not featured in any homegrown Bollywood movies, skipping straight to Hollywood, where she’s stayed ever since. She featured as James Franco’s primatologist love interest in 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and one of the few human characters in 2018’s Jungle Book update, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle.

IndieWire turns 25 this year. To mark the occasion, we’re running a series of essays about the future of everything we cover.

As part of IndieWire’s 25th anniversary series, who better to forecast the future of VFX than three-time Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Rob Legato? The 2021 recipient of the Ves Award for Creative Excellence, Legato has translated virtual production into a live-action, photorealistic methodology for James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, and Jon Favreau. In fact, Legato’s VR experimentation with Favreau on “The Lion King” led directly to the director’s pioneering work with Industrial Light & Magic on “The Mandalorian” series on Disney+. They created the StageCraft platform, which eliminated the need for costly and time-consuming location shoots. Actors perform in an immersive and massive LED video wall and ceiling at Manhattan Beach Studios in L.A., where the practical set pieces are combined with digital extensions on the screens.

Simon Brew Dec 18, 2017

With new exclusive behind the scenes pictures, director Kevin Lima takes us through Enchanted, as it hits its 10th birthday.

It’s been ten years since the terrific Enchanted arrived in UK cinemas, just under two months after it premiered at the London Film Festival. The film made a star of Amy Adams, brought back 2D animation from Disney to the big screen, and has a songbook that sits happily alongside the top end of Disney work. Plus, the film remains a flat out family treat.

“It has been a long time” Lima chuckled, apologising in advance if he couldn’t recall all the answers I was after. Turns out he didn’t do too badly. He spared me some time to look back over the film, the challenges of making it, and what happened next…

I’ve only just discovered that Enchanted actually had its premiere in the UK!