Refresh for updates….Disney will keep it relatively short this AM in their presentation of their creme de la creme this year on the big screen versus Warner Bros’ two hour, yet robust, session yesterday.
In a first CinemaCon appearance, Alan Bergman, co Chairman of Disney Entertainment fired off the session after a new splashy Disney 100 logo for the studio.
“I wanted to personally thank you for your support,” said the Co-Chairman, “It’s so gratifying to see the business coming back.”
Indeed, exhibition is happy too after Disney practiced with theatrical day-and-date on Disney+ during the 2020-2021 portion of the pandemic. No more, the films shown here are for the big screen only.
“Thank you for the success of Avatar: The Way of Water,” Bergman added.
Tony Chambers, head of Theatrical Distribution, says it’s the first time since 2019 that they’re releasing movies from all seven labels including Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Marvel, 20th and Searchlight.
First up was a clip from James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a clip with Peter Quill and a different version of Gamora on a planet in astronaut suits. “I know you don’t remember any of it. You were everything to me, I miss you so much.,” he tells her, pining for her love. The funny kicks in with the rest of the gang –Drax, Nebula and Mantis– listening to Peter’s pouring of his heart. The movie opens not this weekend, but next, to launch summer. Expected domestic opening is $130M.
The trailer for The Marvels, which already dropped, also played. Chambers announced that Wish, their original Disney Animation movie at Thanksgiving cast Chris Pine as King Magnifico. They showed off a clip of Ariana DeBose’s princess belting a very pretty, powerful anthem, “So I Made This Wish” as she swirls around underneath a starry sky. Lots of claps from the Colosseum crowd here at Caesar’s Palace. Pic opens Nov. 22. This doesn’t look like a Strange World, but a return to the princess verse for the animated studio which has been getting outstripped post-pandemic by Illumination’s double punch of Super Mario Bros and Minions: Rise of Gru.
Melissa McCarthy aka Ursula surprised on stage to talk up Little Mermaid, which opens Memorial Day weekend.
“Did someone say my name .. I had something in my throat,” said the Bridesmaids Oscar nominee striding onto the stage. “It was an honor to play one of Disney’s most delicious and iconic villains. You can’t help but love her.”
“Ursula is everything — she’s dishy, she’s a conniving broad, maybe that’s why I relate to her,” said McCarthy. The clip featured McCarthy singing “Poor Unfortunate Souls”. It’s in this sequence where Ursula grants Ariel’s wish to become a human. The trade-off — Ursula will ultimately own her soul. Ursula demands Ariel to sing “Ahh ahhh ahh”; taking her voice. McCarthy is campy, loud and makes this production so worthy for the big screen in the musical number. Huge applause. May 26.
The first trailer and clip from Disney’s feature take of theme park ride, Haunted Mansion, was shown, and let’s say it’s very faithful to the ride down to the sinking elevator foyer with the long spooky pictures. Clip starts with Danny DeVito narrating, ““Sometime after 1788 the mansion was discovered, fully built. That’s when things started to get weird. A string of traumatic event, paranormal attacks. There’s no records, only stories.” Tiffany Haddish plays a medium –how good, remains the question (“People use to eat here,” she says walking into a dusty dining room). LaKeith Stanfield is seen putting his fingers through the eyes of a painted woman and finding a secret door. The hook with this Haunted Mansion: After midnight, everything changes, every room is a trap. Look out for Jamie Lee Curtis as the floating crystal ball head, Madame Leota. Rosario Dawson, Winona Ryder, Jared Leto, and Hasan Minhaj also star. July 28 is the release date.
Disney then showed 20 minutes of 3D footage from their June 16 release, Pixar’s Elemental, which is opening on the same date as Warner Bros.’ The Flash.
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