Disney Junior has expanded their roster of original series, adding two animated shows to the channel’s lineup. The network announced production is now underway on Vampirina and Puppy Dog Tails, both obviously aimed at preschoolers. Disney Junior also confirmed two of their popular series, The Lion Guard and Goldie & Bear, have been renewed for season two.
Vampirinia comes from Doc McStuffins creator Chris Nee and Puppy Dog Tails comes from comedian Harland Williams. Both shows are expected to premiere sometime in 2017. The start of production and series renewal announcement was made by Disney Junior Worldwide Executive Vice President of Original Programming and General Manager Nancy Kanter. “Five years ago, we launched Disney Junior with the goal of providing inspired storytelling and aspirational characters that would resonate with our young audience and their parents and caregivers, while also introducing age appropriate social-emotional concepts and other key learnings relevant to kids age 2-7. Our programming has upheld these values and we are pleased to introduce two new series that are sure to do the same,” stated Kanter.
Details on Disney Jr’s Original Series, Courtesy of the Network:
Vampirina, inspired by Disney Publishing’s popular children’s book series Vampirina Ballerina, tells the story of a young vampire girl who faces the joys and trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. Many of the key creative professionals behind Disney Junior’s Peabody Award-winning series Doc McStuffins are at the helm, including executive producer Chris Nee and co-executive producer Norton Virgien. Nicky Phelan (Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty) is directing the series, and the Academy Award-nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films is producing in association with Disney Junior.
Puppy Dog Tails, created by comedian and actor Harland Williams, centers on two fun-loving pug puppies, Bingo and Rolly, whose thrill-seeking appetites take them on daily adventures around their neighborhood and beyond. Williams also serves as consulting producer with Sean Coyle (The Awesomes, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) as executive producer and Dean Batali (That ’70s Show) as story editor. The series is a production of Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior.
Disney Junior’s newest hit series The Lion Guard, continues the epic storytelling of The Lion King and follows the adventures of Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, and his diverse group of friends as they unite to protect the Pride Lands. The story of Kion and his friends was introduced in the animated television movie The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, which premiered on Disney Channel in November 2015 and became the #1 primetime cable TV telecast of 2015 among Kids 2-5.
Goldie & Bear, 2015′s #1 series across preschool networks, chronicles the adventures of best friends Goldie and Bear following the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears. The series was developed for television and is co-executive produced by Jorge Aguirre (Giants Beware! graphic novel series); Chris Gilligan (Frankenweenie) is executive producer and director. Goldie & Bear is a production of Titmouse in association with Disney Junior.
Season two of AMC’s The Walking Dead prequel, Fear the Walking Dead, will premiere on April 10, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT and today the network’s released a new poster for the upcoming season. At the end of season one, our small group of survivors of the plague made their way to Strand’s mansion and were about to set sail on his yacht. The new poster shows that they’ve made it out to sea, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Dave Erickson provided insight into what to expect after the group heads out to sea. “There’s a difference between being land-bound and going from town to town and being stuck. The great thing about this boat is we have a wide range of places we could go and a lot of this will feed into the agendas our characters and the things they’re keeping to themselves. It will drive a lot of the tension for the first half of the season,” explained Erickson.
Erickson also told THR that the group would be at sea for a good deal of time in season two. However, he would not say how many ports they’re stopping in or what’s their ultimate destination.
Fear the Walking Dead stars Kim Dickens as Madison, Cliff Curtis as Travis, Frank Dillane as Nick, Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia, Ruben Blades as Daniel, Mercedes Mason as Ofelia, Lorenzo James Henrie as Chris, and Colman Domingo as Strand. Erickson, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert are the executive producers.
The Plot: Season one left off with Madison (Dickens), Travis (Curtis) and their extended family taking temporary shelter in Strand’s (Colman Domingo) gated estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As civil unrest continues to grow and the dead take over Los Angeles, Strand prepares to escape to “Abigail,” his large yacht moored offshore. Fear the Walking Dead takes us back to the beginning of the zombie apocalypse – a time when the world was changing rapidly for reasons unknown, before anyone understood exactly what was happening, when life as everyone knew it was upended and altered in ways no one could have ever imagined.
“I know a guy…you need something done, he’s on it,” says Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman). “Wait, they’re all sloths!” replies Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) as they arrive at the DMV trying to rundown a license plate number in the animated Disney film, Zootopia.
All her life, bunny Judy Hopps wanted to be a police officer and help make the world a better place. When she grows to young adult bunnyhood, she leaves her home on the farm and moves to the mammal metropolis known as Zootopia to become the very first bunny police officer. Her happiness doesn’t last long, however, when she’s basically demoted on her first day to being a meter maid. Still determined to prove to Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) that she’s meant to be a cop, Judy sets out to write over 200 parking tickets before noon.
While on her beat she comes across a sly fox named Nick Wilde who cons her into buying a very large ice bar for who she believes to be his son. Later that day she sees the young fox driving a van and realizes she was tricked. She confronts Nick and he quickly reminds her that he has broken no laws and she’s just a dumb bunny. When Judy is back at the police station, she overhears people talking about Mr. Otterman who’s gone missing. She steps in and volunteers to take the case as the Chief is trying to quickly get rid of the wife of the missing animal. This ticks off the Chief who gives Judy an ultimatum: she solves the case in 48 hours or resigns.
While looking for any leads, Judy notices something unusual in the last street photo taken of the missing animal. There are red stains from the red ice bar that Nick gets someone to pay for so he can melt it and re-freeze it to make money. Judy realizes that the fox was one of the last animals to see Mr. Otterton before he went missing. She tracks down Nick and threatens to arrest him for income tax evasion – the fox mentioned to Judy when he was insulting her intelligence that he’s been conning people since he was 12. This prompted the ‘dumb bunny’ to check his records and discover he didn’t declare any income on his tax forms. If he doesn’t help her track down Mr. Otterman, she’ll turn him in. And thus the unlikely team of Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde is born.
Bright, colorful, and visually impressive, Zootopia is a funny, energetic, and imaginative adventure with wonderful animation and a strong voice cast. Ginnifer Goodwin is perfect as the voice of Judy Hopps, the cute, upbeat, eternally positive bunny who desperately wants to prove herself as a cop and help make the world a better place. She gives Judy the high-energy and likable personality that will have the audience rooting for her early on. Jason Bateman does a fantastic job bringing to life the voice and personality of Nick Wilde, the sly con-artist fox who gets blackmailed into being Judy’s partner on the mystery case only to start to appreciate her dedication and “won’t quit” attitude. It’s the chemistry and growing friendship of these two unlikely characters that drives the film.
The animation and visual designs are gorgeous. Especially awe-inspiring is the scene where Judy takes the train ride in from her farm to Zootopia with its lavish colors and breathtaking look of the huge city. The writing is sharp and witty with some very funny laugh-out-loud lines and has solid, positive messages about believing in yourself, not giving up on your dreams, giving someone a chance, and not judging someone by how they appear.
Cute, smart, original, and very funny, Zootopia has everything you could ask for from a Disney animated movie. It’s a real must see.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action
Running Time: 108 minutes
Directed By: Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush
Fox will premiere the second season of Wayward Pines on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT, taking over the time slot after Empire airs its season two finale. The second season of Wayward Pines will consist of 10 hour-long episodes starring Jason Patric, Djimon Hounsou, and Hope Davis. The network also confirmed season one cast members Terrence Howard (‘Sheriff Arnold Pope’), Carla Gugino (‘Kate Hewson’), Toby Jones (‘Dr. Jenkins/David Pilcher’), Melissa Leo (‘Nurse Pam’), Tim Griffin (‘Adam Hassler’), Shannyn Sossamon (‘Theresa Burke’) and Charlie Tahan (‘Ben Burke’) are returning for the new season.
The series is based on Blake Crouch’s books and executive produced by Crouch, M. Night Shyamalan, Donald De Line, Ashwin Rajan, and Mark Friedman. Friedman’s also the showrunner. Season one averaged 9.4 million viewers and earned the top spot as the summer of 2015’s most viewed broadcast scripted series among adult audiences.
Details on Wayward Pines season two: The second season will pick up after the shocking events of Season One, with the residents of Wayward Pines battling against the iron-fisted rule of the First Generation. Dr. THEO YEDLIN (Patric) – a new resident of Wayward Pines – awakens from suspended animation and finds himself in the middle of this rebellion, as he tries to understand what Wayward Pines really is and help preserve the endangered human race.
Also joining the second season are cast members Tom Stevens, returning from Season One as JASON HIGGINS, a member of the First Generation and Pilcher’s young acolyte; Nimrat Kaur as REBECCA, who has her own secrets she keeps from Theo, her husband; Josh Helman as XANDER, a resident working to undermine Wayward Pines from within; and Kacey Rohl as KERRY, one of Jason’s lieutenants in the civil war going on in Wayward Pines.
David-Paul Grove, Jared Gilmore, Mig Macario, Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lee Arenberg, Michael Coleman, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, and Sean Maguire in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (Photo by Eike Schroter / ABC)
ABC handed out renewals orders for 15 shows including Once Upon a Time, Modern Family, and freshman series Quantico. ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey announced the renewals, with only a handful of shows including Agent Carter and The Muppets still left without pick-ups. “We’re very proud of our strong roster of performers, and we’re excited about what they will bring us creatively next season,” stated Dungey.
America’s Funniest Home Videos will return for season 27, Dancing With the Stars is coming back for season 23, and The Bachelor will have a 21st season of handing out roses. Grey’s Anatomy earned a 13th season and Shark Tank, The Middle, and Modern Family will stick around for their eighth seasons. Once Upon a Time and Scandal were picked up for season six, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Goldbergs will be around for season four. How to Get Away with Murder, black-ish, and Fresh Off the Boat earned third season orders.
Details on the Renewed Shows, Courtesy of ABC:
America’s Funniest Home Videos – The longest-running primetime entertainment show in ABC history, returns for season 27 with the same mission – to provide viewers with hysterical moments that fly by at a dizzying pace. These real-life blunders are fun for everyone, from viewers age four to one hundred and four. AFV, the show that invented the viral video, continues to be a Sunday night tradition for millions of families from coast to coast. Hosted by actor and Dancing with the Stars champion Alfonso Ribeiro, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has given away over $14 million in prize money and evaluated more than a million video clips from home viewers.
The Bachelor – ABC’s The Bachelor, a pop-culture sensation, will celebrate its 21st season with more fireworks, surprises and drama than ever. Just as Ben Higgins, one of the most popular Bachelors ever, will end his journey to find love with a proposal, the series has encouraged millions of viewers for over a decade to find their own fairytale romances while the original hit primetime romance reality series continues to offer unpredictable, sexy, emotional, over-the-top fun. The newly relaxed format rules guarantee more “OMG,” jaw-dropping moments. Bachelor Nation has made this romantic rollercoaster ride one of television’s top social-media and water-cooler shows, as one lucky man and 25 lucky women have the unique opportunity to find true love.
black-ish – Andre “Dre” Johnson and his physician wife, Rainbow, are living the American dream: great careers, four beautiful kids and a home in an upper middle class neighborhood. With a little help from Pops and Ruby, Dre sets out to establish a sense of cultural identity for his family that honors their past while embracing the future. Loosely based on show-creator Kenya Barris’ life, the series tackles a wide array of timely social issues with humor and humanity.
black-ish stars Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson, Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby and Jeff Meacham as Josh.
Dancing with the Stars – Dancing with the Stars prepares for more glitz, glamour and sequins for fall 2016. With an all-new cast of celebrities ready to take on the competition and hit the ballroom floor, it will be another season full of surprises and unforgettable dances.
Fresh Off the Boat – Set in the mid-’90s, 12-year-old hip-hop loving Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang) and his family are adjusting to their new lives in suburban Orlando – new schools, new friends, new neighbors, new traditions – yet still remaining true to their family values and their continual pursuit of the American Dream.
Fresh Off the Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan and Chelsey Crisp as Honey.
The Goldbergs – For geeky and movie-obsessed youngest child Adam, wonder years were spent documenting the hilarious and awkward antics of his colorful family. Mom Beverly is at her best when she’s meddling, matchmaking and bedazzling her way through life, while Dad Murray parents from the comfort of his recliner in his underpants. Oldest sister, Erica, dreams of being a pop star if she can only overcome her secret love of all things uncool. Then there’s middle child, Barry, who’s just as in touch with his emotions as he is with his sick rap skills, which is how he landed Lainey as his girlfriend, who is also Erica’s best friend and the hottest girl in school. Rounding out the brood is beloved grandfather, Al “Pops” Solomon, the wild man of the clan, a shameless Don Juan who enjoys family time with his grandkids almost as much as his weekly massages. The siblings fight off huggies, snuggies and nubbies as they navigate what it means to grow up as a Goldberg.
The Goldbergs stars Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg, Patton Oswalt as adult Adam Goldberg, Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg, Troy Gentile as Barry Goldberg, Hayley Orrantia as Erica Goldberg, AJ Michalka as Lainey Lewis with George Segal as Pops Solomon and Jeff Garlin as Murray Goldberg.
Grey’s Anatomy – ABC’s hit drama Grey’s Anatomy has been a television staple for over a decade, and the series is set to return this fall for its 13th season. Created and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, the show follows Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial. Faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis, they seek comfort from one another, and at times more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
Grey’s Anatomy stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Sarah Drew as April Kepner, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Jerrika Hinton as Stephanie Edwards, Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce, Jason George as Ben Warren, Martin Henderson as Nathan Riggs and Giacomo Gianniotti as Andrew DeLuca.
How to Get Away with Murder – After taking Professor Annalise Keating’s (Viola Davis) class at Middleton University and successfully landing coveted positions working at her law firm, the Keating 5 were pushed to their limits as their values, convictions, dreams and even truths about themselves were revealed to be as dark as the law and justice system they’re trying to learn.
How to Get Away with Murder stars Emmy-winner Viola Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, Billy Brown as Nate Lahey, Alfred Enoch as Wes Gibbins, Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh, Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt, Matt McGorry as Asher Millstone, Karla Souza as Laurel Castillo, Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino and Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for a game-changing fourth season. In the aftermath of their journey to another planet, Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the rest of the team are more driven than ever to put an end to Gideon Malick (guest star Powers Boothe) and the Hydra organization. Little do they know that they are up against the deadliest threat they’ve ever faced – an extremely powerful Inhuman who was transported back from Maveth in the body of their worst enemy, Grant Ward (Brett Dalton).
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Daisy Johnson, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Henry Simmons as Agent Alphonso “Mack” MacKenzie and Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell.
The Middle – Two-time Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.
The Middle stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick. Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, and Ty Burrell in ‘Modern Family’ (Photo by Ron Tom / ABC) SOFIA VERGARA, JULIE BOWEN, TY BURRELL
Modern Family – ABC’s groundbreaking and multiple Emmy Award-winning hit comedy series Modern Family takes a modern and often hilarious look at the complications that come with being a family today.
Modern Family stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett.
Once Upon a Time – Welcome to Storybrooke, Maine, a small town that probably won’t show up on your GPS, but it’s a magical place to visit. Reality and myth merge as Emma Swan, Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Hook, Rumplestiltskin and all the other resident fairy tale characters encounter adventures with new friends and foes, battling with good and evil. But one thing always prevails: you never give up on the people you love.
Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Sean Maguire as Robin Hood, Rebecca Mader as Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Scandal – Everyone has secrets, and Olivia Pope has dedicated her life to protecting and defending the public images of the nation’s elite by keeping those secrets under wraps. Pope’s team is at the top of their game when it comes to getting the job done for their clients, but it becomes apparent that these “gladiators in suits,” who specialize in fixing the lives of other people, have trouble fixing those closest at hand – their own.
Scandal stars Emmy-nominated Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, Guillermo Diaz as Huck, Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelan, Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Grant, Jeff Perry as Cyrus, Bellamy Young as First Lady Mellie Grant, Joshua Malina as David Rosen, Scott Foley as Jake Ballard, Portia De Rossi as Elizabeth North, Cornelius Smith Jr. as Marcus Walker and Emmy-winner Joe Morton as Eli Pope.
Shark Tank – Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed reality show that has reinvigorated entrepreneurship in America, has also become a culturally defining series. The recipient of the 2015 and 2014 Emmy Award for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, the business-themed show returns to the ABC Television Network for its eighth season.
The Sharks – tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons – continue their search to invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer. The Sharks will once again give people from all walks of life the chance to chase the American dream, and potentially secure business deals that could make them millionaires.
The Sharks are billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, “Queen of QVC” Lori Greiner, technology innovator Robert Herjavec, fashion and branding expert Daymond John and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary.
Quantico – A diverse group of recruits has arrived at the FBI Quantico Base for training. They are the best, the brightest and the most vetted, so it seems impossible that one of them is suspected of masterminding the biggest attack on New York City since 9/11.
Quantico stars Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish, Josh Hopkins as Liam O’Connor, Jake McLaughlin as Ryan Booth, Aunjanue Ellis as Miranda Shaw, Yasmine Al Massri as Nimah and Raina Amin, Johanna Braddy as Shelby Wyatt, Tate Ellington as Simon Asher and Graham Rogers as Caleb Haas.
The Plot: When reporter Kim Baker’s (Fey) life needs something more, she decides to ‘shake it all up’ by taking an assignment in a war zone. There, in the midst of chaos, she finds the strength she never knew she had. Sometimes it takes saying ‘WTF’ to find the life you were always destined to have.
Fox’s upcoming Lethal Weapon series has added Fast and Furious‘ Jordana Brewster in a starring role. According to Fox, Brewster will be playing a character named Dr. Maureen ‘Mo’ Cahill. The comedy/drama is based on the Lethal Weapon film series and comes from Fox and WBTV. Damon Wayans is on board to play Roger Murtaugh and Golden Brooks will play Trish Murtaugh. Danny Glover played Roger and Darlene Love was Trish in the Lethal Weapon feature films.
Fox released this description of Brewster’s character in Lethal Weapon: ” No-nonsense Dr. Maureen ‘Mo’ Cahill is the LAPD’s hostage negotiator as well as its in-house therapist. She helps cops deal with their trauma and occasionally gets stuck with a real hard case like Riggs.” The series is being executive produced by McG, Matt Miller, Dan Lin, and Jennifer Gwartz. McG is attached to direct the pilot from a script by Miller.
Brewster’s credits include the Fast and the Furious film franchise (playing Vin Diesel’s sister/Paul Walker’s wife). She’s also starred in The Faculty, D.E.B.S., Annapolis, Chuck, Dark Blue, Dallas, and Secrets and Lies.
The first Lethal Weapon movie starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover was directed by Richard Donner and hit theaters on March 6, 1987. Lethal Weapon 2 followed on July 7, 1989 with Lethal Weapon 3 arriving in theaters on May 15, 1992. The trio of Gibson, Glover and Donner reunited one final time for Lethal Weapon 4 which opened in theaters on July 10, 1998.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s son Rod has come on board CBS’ new Star Trek television series as an executive producer. The network also announced Roddenberry Entertainment COO Trevor Roth will serve as an executive producer, joining Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, and Bryan Fuller (Hannibal). Fuller is the series’ showrunner. The new Star Trek series will arrive in 2017, previewing on the CBS network and then airing all first-run episodes exclusively on the network’s digital subscription service, CBS All Access.
“Gene Roddenberry, the Great Bird of the Galaxy, left a finely feathered nest for all who love Star Trek to enjoy,” said Bryan Fuller. “And it is only fitting that Rod Roddenberry and Roddenberry Entertainment join our new Trek adventure to ensure that his father’s legacy of hope for the future and infinite diversity in infinite combinations runs through our tales as Gene Roddenberry intended.”
“Moral dilemmas, human issues, complex characters and a genuine sense of optimism: These are the cornerstones of Star Trek and are what have made it such an influential and beloved franchise for the last 50 years,” stated Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, President of Roddenberry Entertainment. “While I will always be humbled by its legacy and the legions of fans who are its guardians, it’s a genuine honor to be joining a team of imaginative and incredibly capable individuals whose endeavor it is to uphold the tenets of Star Trek’s legacy while bringing it to audiences in a new era and on a contemporary platform.”
The original Star Trek series premiered in 1967. Since its debut 50 years ago, the Star Trek universe has expanded to include feature films and five television series.
Maddie Ziegler (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Dance Moms breakout star Maddie Ziegler has signed on to be a judge on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation. The new season of So You Think You Can Dance will find the 13 year old dance sensation sitting on the judging panel along with Jason Derulo, Paula Abdul, and series creator Nigel Lythgoe.
Fox plans to premiere The Next Generation season on Monday, May 30, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT with the contestants all between the ages of eight and 13. The young dancers will show off their skills in contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation and breaking, and will be teamed up with All-Stars as they attempt to win the America’s Favorite Dancer title. Auditions are currently underway, stopping in Chicago on March 11th and New York on March 18th.
Ziegler’s starred in Dance Moms and is the featured dancer in Sia’s music video trilogy. She’s also performed on Saturday Night Live, the Grammy Awards, Dancing with the Stars, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. And, Ziegler recently wrapped up filming on The Book of Henry directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Lee Pace and Naomi Watts.
Details on So You Think You Can Dance Season 13: During auditions, the next generation of dancers will compete for a place at “The Academy,” where only the most talented will be selected for the next round of competition. At the end of the round, the best of the best, the Top 10 dancers will be partnered permanently with a SYTYCD All-Star. The competition then moves to the SYTYCD studio, where, with Ziegler and the returning SYTYCD judges watching their every move, the top youngsters will compete each week in a variety of styles, working and performing alongside their All-Stars with world-renowned choreographers. As the competition heats up, contestants will be eliminated until a winner is named on the season finale.
Christian Bale stars as ‘Rick’ and Natalie Portman as ‘Elizabeth’ in Terrence Malick’s drama ‘Knight of Cups’ (Photo Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Broad Green Pictures)
Terrence Malick’s seventh film, Knight of Cups, will open in limited release on March 4, 2016 and the cast recently sat down to provide a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to work on a Malick project. In this behind-the-scenes video, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Imogen Poots, Teresa Palmer, Frieda Pinto, Antonio Banderas, and Wes Bentley talk about the fact their scenes are all improvised and they’re only provided with the very basic information as to what is required of them in each scene. They also discuss the freedom they’re given by Malick and how the camera actually becomes another character in the film.
Malick’s other films include The Thin Red Line, Tree of Life, To the Wonder, The New World, Days of Heaven, and Badlands.
The Knight of Cups Plot: Knight of Cups follows writer Rick (Christian Bale, The Fighter, American Hustle) on an odyssey through the playgrounds of Los Angeles and Las Vegas as he undertakes a search for love and self. Even as he moves through a desire-laden landscape of mansions, resorts, beaches and clubs, Rick grapples over complicated relationships with his brother (Wes Bentley) and father (Brian Dennehy).
His quest to break the spell of his disenchantment takes him on a series of adventures with six alluring women: rebellious Della (Imogen Poots); his physician ex-wife, Nancy (Cate Blanchett); a serene model Helen (Freida Pinto); a woman he wronged in the past Elizabeth (Natalie Portman); a spirited, playful stripper Karen (Teresa Palmer); and an innocent Isabel (Isabel Lucas), who helps him see a way forward. Rick moves in a daze through a strange and overwhelming dreamscape — but can he wake up to the beauty, humanity and rhythms of life around him? The deeper he searches, the more the journey becomes his destination.
