Disney’s revisiting the world of The Lion King with a new animated TV series called The Lion Guard. The Lion Guard will be airing on Disney Junior and Disney Channel in 2016, with a The Lion Guard movie airing in late 2015.
According to Disney, the new series will “incorporate themes of conservation, family, and community while also highlighting problem-solving, creative thinking, and diversity.” Inspired by the 1994 movie, The Lion Guard is being directed by Jake and the Never Land Pirates helmer Howy Parkins.
“The story of The Lion King has deeply touched families around the world since its original theatrical release 20 years ago. We look forward to introducing a whole new generation of kids to both the Disney legacy characters and to new friends and heroes,” said Nancy Kanter, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide.
The Plot:
The Lion Guard begins as Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a group of the bravest and brightest tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. Instead of assembling a team of young lions to serve with him, Kion challenges tradition by calling upon friends he believes are the best choices – Bunga, a fearless honey badger; Fuli, a confident cheetah; Beshte, a happy-go-lucky hippo; and Ono, an intellectual egret. Stories will include special appearances by Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and Kion’s older sister, Kiara, the future Queen of the Pride Lands.
Filming has wrapped on the thriller Regression and The Weinstein Company has released the first photo from the movie starring Emma Watson and Ethan Hawke. Alejandro Amenabar (The Others) wrote and directed Regression, a Spanish-Canadian co-production that was shot on location in Toronto.
The cast also includes David Thewlis, David Dencik, Dale Dickey, Lothaire Bluteau, and Devon Bostick. The Weinstein Company’s eyeing an August 28, 2015 theatrical release.
The Plot:
Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.
Lionsgate Films confirms that Rosa Salazar has landed the role of ‘Lynn’ in the second film of the Divergent series, Insurgent. The Divergent Series: Insurgent is currently shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, with Shailene Woodley and Theo James back in starring roles. The cast of the second film of the series also includes returning Divergent cast members Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, and Mekhi Phifer.
New to the Divergent world for the sequel are Octavia Spencer, Daniel Dae Kim, Suki Waterhouse, and Jonny Weston.
Robert Schwentke (RIPD, Red) is directing the sequel based on book two in Veronica Roth’s bestselling series. Neil Burger directed Divergent and is still involved as an executive producer. Akiva Goldsman and Brian Duffield adapted Roth’s book for the screen, and Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, and Pouya Shahbazian are producing.
Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment are aiming for a March 20, 2015 release of The Divergent Series: Insurgent in theaters. The Divergent Series: Allegiant Part 1 will open on March 18, 2016 followed by The Divergent Series: Allegiant Part 2 on March 24, 2017.
The Plot:
The Divergent Series: Insurgent raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the dystopian ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite. Racing against time, they must find out what Tris’s family sacrificed their lives to protect, and why the Erudite leaders will do anything to stop them.
Haunted by her past choices but desperate to protect the ones she loves, Tris, with Four at her side, faces one impossible challenge after another as they unlock the truth about the past and ultimately the future of their world.
Jennifer Lopez took on Jimmy Fallon in a ‘tight pants’ battle on the June 9, 2014 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Fallon kicks off the skit by happily singing about being the only person in town to wear tight pants. But when Lopez shows up, Fallon’s declaration of being the sole tight pants wearer is not only proved wrong, he’s also forced out of town.
Warning: The song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day so proceed with caution.
Katharine McPhee (Smash, American Idol) takes on another starring role in a TV series with Scorpion, a CBS series premiering this fall. Scorpion, which was inspired by a true story, will air on Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT and in support of the new drama series, McPhee talked about what audiences can expect when they tune in.
The Plot:
Scorpion is a high-octane drama about eccentric genius Walter O’Brien and his team of brilliant misfits who comprise the last line of defense against complex, high-tech threats of the modern age. As Homeland Security’s new think tank, O’Brien’s “Scorpion” team includes Toby Curtis, an expert behaviorist who can read anyone; Happy Quinn, a mechanical prodigy; and Sylvester Dodd, a statistics guru.
Pooling their extensive technological knowledge to solve mind-boggling predicaments amazes federal agent Cabe Gallo, who shares a harrowing history with O’Brien. While this socially awkward group is comfortable with each other’s humor and quirks, life outside their circle confounds them, so they rely on Paige Dineen, who has a young, gifted son, to translate the world for them.At last, these nerdy masterminds have found the perfect job: a place where they can apply their exceptional brainpower to solve the nation’s crises, while also helping each other learn how to fit in.
Katharine McPhee Interview
Is Scorpion an action-packed show?
Katharine McPhee: “You know, it was for the pilot and I’m not quite sure whether or not it will be for the actual series. I hope so because I love Angelina Jolie – she’s like my woman crush – and she’s not doing television but I think her huge action films that she’s done like Tomb Raider and Salt, I just think they’re so amazing. I’m pretty athletic, actually. I’m not one to boast about the things that I think I’m good at but I think I’m actually pretty athletic, to be as humble as I can say that.
So I think that it would be really nice to continue to build on action stuff. That being said when we were shooting the pilot Elyes [Gabel] and I were shooting the car scene and we arrived on set and obviously, our veteran director Justin Lin who does all of the Fast and Furious movies and lots of action movies…I was not cocky at all, I will say wholeheartedly because I just wanted to make it very clear that I had no idea what I was doing and that I was going to listen to everything he had to tell me.
It’s very different when you’re supposed to be going 200 mph and you’re not moving at all and all you have is this wind blowing in your hair, and you’re like, ‘Wait, I’m sorry. You want me to scream at the top of my lungs?’ But that feels really uncomfortable.’ So, it was a really lovely experience for me because I had to do something out of my comfort zone, something that I hadn’t done before. I wasn’t breaking into song or dance. I was just being stretched as an actor.”
How technical is the show?
Katharine McPhee: “It’s incredibly technological. My character isn’t so much in the beginning but it’ll be interesting to see how she kind of immerses in their world and see how she becomes part of their world, mostly because she wants to be part of their world because they are the connection to her son that she wants so badly to have.”
Does the choreography of action have anything in common with dance choreography?
Katharine McPhee: “You know, I couldn’t answer that because I don’t have enough experience.”
If Smash had been offered a third season, what would you have liked to have seen for Karen?
Katharine McPhee: “Oh, I think I would love to see her do a play, a straight play [not a musical]. It might have been boring for the audience, but I would have liked that.”
Would you have liked to sing more original songs on the show?
Katharine McPhee: “I would have liked to do more Broadway stuff. I love all the stuff I do with Megan. You know, classic Broadway songs. I love all the songs we did for the first season. It’s interesting because I’m more of a pop singer but for me when you’re traditionally ‘more’ something, like a pop singer, you want to do the opposite of what people think of you.”
21 years ago Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park opened in theaters featuring realistic-looking dinosaurs brought to life on the screen via groundbreaking computer graphics. Those lifelike dinosaurs are spotlighted in the latest entry in the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ digital series, “Academy Originals.”
The Academy’s video offers a look behind the scenes at what went into convincing Spielberg that CG effects were the way to go rather than stop-motion. The nine minute video includes interviews with Jurassic Park producer Kathleen Kennedy, Industrial Light and Magic’s Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams, and Stefen Fangmeier who talk about how the creative minds at ILM altered the way filmmakers approach effects in movies. It’s a fascinating look back at a pivotal point in Hollywood history.
Christopher Egan stars as Alex Lannon, Tom Wisdom plays Archangel Michael, Rosalind Halstead is Senator Becca Thorn, Carl Beukes is Archangel Gabriel, and Luke Allen-Gale is William Whele. Anthony Stewart Head plays Senator David Whele,
Roxanne McKee is Claire Riesen, Alan Dale is General Riesen, and Shivani Ghai is Arika.
The Synopsis: Based on characters from the hit theatrical film Legion (2010), Dominion is an epic supernatural drama set in the year 25 A.E. In this transformed post–apocalyptic future an army of lower angels, assembled by the archangel Gabriel, has waged a war of possession against mankind. The archangel Michael, turning against his own kind, has chosen to side with humanity against Gabriel.
Rising out of the ashes of the 25-year-long battle are newly fortified cities that protect the human survivors. In Vega (formerly Las Vegas), the largest of these cities, two houses vie for control and the stage is set for political upheaval and a dangerous power shift. Meanwhile, a rebellious young soldier begins a perilous journey as the war between the human race and the fallen angels hell-bent on their domination escalates.
Haylie Duff, Shondrella Avery, Carmen Brady, Diedrich Bader, Jon Heder, Sandy Martin, Jared Hess, Tima Majorino and Efren Ramirez reunited for the ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ statue unveiling (Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)
Can you believe it’s been 10 years since Napoleon Dynamite opened in theaters? It has, and cast members – along with writer/director Jared Hess and Fox Searchlight presidents Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley – celebrated the anniversary with the unveiling of a new Napoleon Dynamite statue.
Among the cast who turned up to pose with the statue were Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader, Haylie Duff, Sandy Martin, Shondrella Avery, and Carmen Brady. The statue of Napoleon Dynamite wearing a ‘Vote for Pedro’ T-shirt and moon boots is located on the Fox Studios lot in Los Angeles.
Jon Heder with his ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ likeness at the 10th anniversary statue unveiling ceremony on June 9, 2014. (Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)‘Napoleon Dynamite’ star Jon Heder and writer/director Jared Hess unveiling the statue of the character celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the film on June 9, 2014. (Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)
Filmmaker James Cameron says Sigourney Weaver will be back for the three Avatar sequels, but she won’t be playing Grace Augustine. Weaver will be joining confirmed returning Avatar stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Stephen Lang for more fun in the world of the Na’vi, with filming expected to get underway later this year.
“Sigourney and I have a long creative history, dating back to 1985 when we made Aliens. We’re good friends who’ve always worked well together, so it just feels right that she’s coming back for the Avatar sequels. Her character of Grace Augustine, as fans know, died in the first movie, so she’s playing a different and in many ways more challenging character in the upcoming films. We’re both looking forward to this new creative challenge, the latest chapter in our long and continuing collaboration,” stated Cameron.
The three Avatar sequels will be shot back-to-back and 20th Century Fox is aiming for December 2016, 2017, and 2018 releases. The original film was released on December 18, 2009, and holds the record as the highest-grossing film of all time, collecting $2.8 billion worldwide during its theatrical run. Avatar also holds the record as the top-selling film on Blu-ray.
Writer/director David Michod talks about creating the characters, Guy Pearce discusses the relationship between his character and Robert Pattinson’s, and Pattinson explains his character’s motivation in this behind-the-scenes look at the dramatic thriller, The Rover. A24 will be releasing The Rover in theaters in NY/LA on June 13, 2014 followed by an expanded release on June 20th.
The Plot:
The Rover is set in a world 10 years following the collapse of society. The rule of the law has disintegrated and life is cheap. The film follows hardened loner Eric (Pearce) as he travels the desolate towns and roads of the outback. When a gang of thieves steals his car they leave behind a wounded Rey (Pattinson) in their wake. Forcing Rey to help track the gang, Eric will go to any lengths to take back the one thing that still matters to him.
Stumble It! 
