<p>A&nbsp; little bit of prosthetics, a blood-red lipstick, and elbow grease are what transform the American actor Anjelina Jolie into an evil character for her upcoming film 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'.<br />
<br />
Disney shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram which gave a sneak peek into the preparation for her character, which will send a chill down the spine. The 43-second video shows Jolie sitting in the makeup chair as a few makeup and hair artists work in a flurry around her.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2QN1FkH0sc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">She’s back in black! Go behind the horns as Angelina Jolie transforms into #Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. See the film in theaters October 18!</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/disney/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Disney</a> (@disney) on <time datetime="2019-09-11T02:00:33+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 10, 2019 at 7:00pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>The makeup starts with tying her hair into two high braids that turn into buns, which act as a base for the headpiece. The headpiece then goes on her head as two other people work in tandem to do her makeup and apply the signature prosthetic bumps on her cheekbones.<br />
<br />
The horns come next, and it all wraps up with Jolie adding the fake fangs to her teeth before giving her best smile for the camera. The 43-year-old actor can be seen reprising her role as the villain first seen in 1959 animated classic 'Sleeping Beauty'.&nbsp;The film also reunites her with Elle Fanning.</p>


A little bit of prosthetics, a blood-red lipstick, and elbow grease are what transform the American actor Anjelina Jolie into an evil character for her upcoming film 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'.

A little bit of prosthetics, a blood-red lipstick, and elbow grease are what transform the American actor Anjelina Jolie into an evil character for her upcoming film 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'. Disney shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram which gave a sneak peek into the preparation for her character, which will send a chill down the spine. The 43-second video shows Jolie sitting in the makeup chair as a few makeup and hair artists work in a flurry around her. View this post on Instagram She’s back in black! Go behind the horns as Angelina Jolie transforms into #Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. See the film in theaters October 18! A post shared by Disney (@disney) on Sep 10, 2019 at 7:00pm PDT × The makeup starts with tying her hair into two high braids that turn into buns, which act as a base for the headpiece. The headpiece then goes on her head as two other people work in tandem to do her makeup and apply the signature prosthetic bumps on her cheekbones. The horns come next, and it all wraps up with Jolie adding the fake fangs to her teeth before giving her best smile for the camera. The 43-year-old actor can be seen reprising her role as the villain first seen in 1959 animated classic 'Sleeping Beauty'. The film also reunites her with Elle Fanning.

Disney's video shows how Angelina Jolie transforms into a villain

<p>As Disney announced a slate of new films that are under the pipeline, they revealed the first look of film featuring Emma Stone as one of the greatest villains there ever was, Cruella de Vil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Disney shared the first look of the actress as the iconic villain at the D23 Expo. While Stone could not attend the event, she shared a video message for her team as she appeared on the look with three dalmatians on leash as she looks into the camera with sass and style. She was heard saying, “Since you’re such huge Disney fans, we wanted to let you know a bit about the story,” and added, “1970’s set in London, it’s punk rock”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stone can be seen with short permed hair with de Vil’s signature black and white colour-blocked hairstyle. She sports a black leather checkered jacket as two men stand in the background.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here’s your first look at Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil in Disney's Cruella. The film, also starring Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Joel Fry, comes to theaters May 28, 2021. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/D23Expo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#D23Expo</a> <a href="https://t.co/KqxJ0yMYQ3">pic.twitter.com/KqxJ0yMYQ3</a></p>
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisneyStudios/status/1165327099428630530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The film also stars Emma Thompson.</p>

<p>Cruella first appeared in 1961’s animated feature ‘101 Dalmatians’, in which she kidnaps dalmatian puppies with an aim to use their fur to make coats. The character was voiced by Betty Lou Gerson in the animated version. Glenn Close played the villain in a 1996 live-action reboot and its 2000 sequel, ‘102 Dalmatians’.</p>

<p>The film will be directed by Craig Gillespie and is slated to release in 2021.</p>


As Disney announced a slate of new films that are under the pipeline, they revealed the first look of film featuring Emma Stone as one of the greatest villains there ever was, Cruella de Vil.

As Disney announced a slate of new films that are under the pipeline, they revealed the first look of film featuring Emma Stone as one of the greatest villains there ever was, Cruella de Vil. Disney shared the first look of the actress as the iconic villain at the D23 Expo. While Stone could not attend the event, she shared a video message for her team as she appeared on the look with three dalmatians on leash as she looks into the camera with sass and style. She was heard saying, “Since you’re such huge Disney fans, we wanted to let you know a bit about the story,” and added, “1970’s set in London, it’s punk rock”. Stone can be seen with short permed hair with de Vil’s signature black and white colour-blocked hairstyle. She sports a black leather checkered jacket as two men stand in the background. Here’s your first look at Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil in Disney's Cruella. The film, also starring Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Joel Fry, comes to theaters May 28, 2021. #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/KqxJ0yMYQ3 — Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) August 24, 2019 × The film also stars Emma Thompson. Cruella first appeared in 1961’s animated feature ‘101 Dalmatians’, in which she kidnaps dalmatian puppies with an aim to use their fur to make coats. The character was voiced by Betty Lou Gerson in the animated version. Glenn Close played the villain in a 1996 live-action reboot and its 2000 sequel, ‘102 Dalmatians’. The film will be directed by Craig Gillespie and is slated to release in 2021.

Emma Stone's transformation as Disney's iconic villain Cruella is all things 'punk rock'

<p>It's finally official. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The news was confirmed by actor Tom Holland and Marvel boss Kevin Feige at Disney’s D23 event on Saturday.<br />
<br />
Disney which is the parent company of Marvel, announced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywoods-a-listers-turn-out-for-disneys-latest-film-announcements-245616">multiple new projects </a>at the event. Holland was present at the event as a part of Disney’s animated film 'Onward'.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Holland admitted that he would still be playing the character but hinted at how the superhero would not be part of MCU. "It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life. It’s going to be so fun, however, we choose to do it. The future for Spider-Man will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler.”<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Feige, in an interview to 'Entertainment Weekly', was more clear about the new move. "I’m feeling about Spider-Man gratitude and joy,” he told E.W. “We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I’ll always be thankful for that."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Last week, in a move that upset fans across the world, Marvel Studios <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/spider-man-may-exit-marvel-universe-due-to-a-stand-off-between-sony-and-disney-244554">pulled out of producing future 'Spider-Man' movies </a>due to disputes between Sony and Marvel's parent company Disney over revenue sharing from films of the web-slinging superhero. Sony still holds the rights to the character.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Feige, in fact, was instrumental in introducing a younger Spider-Man into the MCU with 2016’s 'Captain America: Civil War'. Holland appeared as the web-slinging superhero in subsequent Marvel films, including 2017’s 'Spider-Man: Homecoming', 2018’s 'Avengers: Infinity War' and this past year’s 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'. The galaxy-spanning arc was far beyond what Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield got to do with the character.<br />
<br />
In another interview, Holland reportedly has suggested that he and Sony were already working on the plot of a third film.&nbsp;</p>


It's finally official. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The news was confirmed by actor Tom Holland and Marvel boss Kevin Feige at Disney’s D23 event on Saturday.

It's finally official. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The news was confirmed by actor Tom Holland and Marvel boss Kevin Feige at Disney’s D23 event on Saturday. Disney which is the parent company of Marvel, announced multiple new projects at the event. Holland was present at the event as a part of Disney’s animated film 'Onward'. Holland admitted that he would still be playing the character but hinted at how the superhero would not be part of MCU. "It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life. It’s going to be so fun, however, we choose to do it. The future for Spider-Man will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler.” Meanwhile, Feige, in an interview to 'Entertainment Weekly', was more clear about the new move. "I’m feeling about Spider-Man gratitude and joy,” he told E.W. “We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I’ll always be thankful for that." Last week, in a move that upset fans across the world, Marvel Studios pulled out of producing future 'Spider-Man' movies due to disputes between Sony and Marvel's parent company Disney over revenue sharing from films of the web-slinging superhero. Sony still holds the rights to the character. Feige, in fact, was instrumental in introducing a younger Spider-Man into the MCU with 2016’s 'Captain America: Civil War'. Holland appeared as the web-slinging superhero in subsequent Marvel films, including 2017’s 'Spider-Man: Homecoming', 2018’s 'Avengers: Infinity War' and this past year’s 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'. The galaxy-spanning arc was far beyond what Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield got to do with the character. In another interview, Holland reportedly has suggested that he and Sony were already working on the plot of a third film.

Tom Holland and Kevin Feige confirm Spider-Man's exit from Marvel cinematic universe

<p>'Spider-Man' is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has pulled out of producing future 'Spider-Man' movies due to disputes between Sony and Marvel's parent company Disney over revenue sharing from films of the web-slinging superhero. Sony still holds the rights to the character.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
According to a report in Deadline, the two studios were unable to reach terms on a deal that would give Disney a co-financing stake in future films.</p>

<p>The fallout would also mean that 'Spider-Man' may not make cameos in future MCU films or be a part of the 'Avengers.'<br />
<br />
The impasse comes at a time when latest 'Spider-Man' film, this summer’s 'Spider-Man: Far From Home,'&nbsp;just became Sony’s most successful film ever.<br />
<br />
Reports state that director Jon Watts and actor Tom Holland are expected to make two more films in the franchise, but with the recent development Kevin Feige will not serve as the creative producer of these films.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The stalemate came after Disney asked for a 50/50 co-financing arrangement for future 'Spide-Man' films. They also suggested a similar deal on other films in the Spider-Man universe, such as the upcoming 'Venom' sequel with Tom Hardy.<br />
<br />
Sony, reportedly wanted to keep the current arrangement and not change it which gives Marvel only 5% of gross box office revenue. To this Disney objected and reportedly walked away.<br />
<br />
Media reports state that the current impasse is only around the producer credit and that negotiations are ongoing. The news did not thrill Marvel fans as they expressed disappointment on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tom Holland holding on to Kevin Feige like: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sony?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sony</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpiderMan</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qf9acTo2Ip">pic.twitter.com/Qf9acTo2Ip</a></p>
— MoreoM (@MorganMaggs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorganMaggs/status/1163910545122168832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kevin Feige returning to Marvel execs after the Sony meeting:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpiderMan</a> <a href="https://t.co/3hm2fuQ0Y9">pic.twitter.com/3hm2fuQ0Y9</a></p>
— Catorade (@ethan_cator) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethan_cator/status/1163939375010459648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WE LOST HIM MARVEL 😢<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpiderMan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveSpiderMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveSpiderMan</a> <a href="https://t.co/nYkeb5tDVI">pic.twitter.com/nYkeb5tDVI</a></p>
— Kimbula Banis (@PO5IT1VE) <a href="https://twitter.com/PO5IT1VE/status/1163956620495163392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpiderMan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tomholland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tomholland</a><br />
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Are you going to miss MCU?<br />
<br />
Tom Holland: <a href="https://t.co/eqTzwgtSC5">pic.twitter.com/eqTzwgtSC5</a></p>
— Meme Facer (@MemeFacer) <a href="https://twitter.com/MemeFacer/status/1163944114183761920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


'Spider-Man' is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has pulled out of producing future 'Spider-Man' movies due to disputes between Sony and Marvel's parent company Disney over revenue sharing from films of the web-slinging superhero.

'Spider-Man' is no longer a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has pulled out of producing future 'Spider-Man' movies due to disputes between Sony and Marvel's parent company Disney over revenue sharing from films of the web-slinging superhero. Sony still holds the rights to the character. According to a report in Deadline, the two studios were unable to reach terms on a deal that would give Disney a co-financing stake in future films. The fallout would also mean that 'Spider-Man' may not make cameos in future MCU films or be a part of the 'Avengers.' The impasse comes at a time when latest 'Spider-Man' film, this summer’s 'Spider-Man: Far From Home,' just became Sony’s most successful film ever. Reports state that director Jon Watts and actor Tom Holland are expected to make two more films in the franchise, but with the recent development Kevin Feige will not serve as the creative producer of these films. The stalemate came after Disney asked for a 50/50 co-financing arrangement for future 'Spide-Man' films. They also suggested a similar deal on other films in the Spider-Man universe, such as the upcoming 'Venom' sequel with Tom Hardy. Sony, reportedly wanted to keep the current arrangement and not change it which gives Marvel only 5% of gross box office revenue. To this Disney objected and reportedly walked away. Media reports state that the current impasse is only around the producer credit and that negotiations are ongoing. The news did not thrill Marvel fans as they expressed disappointment on Twitter. Tom Holland holding on to Kevin Feige like: #Sony #SpiderMan pic.twitter.com/Qf9acTo2Ip — MoreoM (@MorganMaggs) August 20, 2019 × Kevin Feige returning to Marvel execs after the Sony meeting:#SpiderMan pic.twitter.com/3hm2fuQ0Y9 — Catorade (@ethan_cator) August 20, 2019 × WE LOST HIM MARVEL 😢#SpiderMan #SaveSpiderMan pic.twitter.com/nYkeb5tDVI — Kimbula Banis (@PO5IT1VE) August 20, 2019 × #SpiderMan #Tomholland Are you going to miss MCU? Tom Holland: pic.twitter.com/eqTzwgtSC5 — Meme Facer (@MemeFacer) August 20, 2019 ×

'Spider-Man' may exit Marvel Universe due to a stand-off between Sony and Disney 

<p>Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday second-quarter results were lifted by strong box office gains but failed to meet Wall Street forecasts, sending shares sharply lower.<br />
<br />
Disney shares tumbled more than three percent in after-hours trade after reporting profits fell 51 percent to $1.4 billion while revenues rose 33 percent to $20.2 billion.<br />
<br />
The results included the recently acquired film and television assets from 21st Century Fox, which puts Disney atop the Hollywood box office as it looks to boost its share in an on-demand television battle with Netflix and Amazon.<br />
<br />
"Our third-quarter results reflect our efforts to effectively integrate the 21st Century Fox assets to enhance and advance our strategic transformation," said Disney chief executive Bob Iger.</p>

<p>"I'd like to congratulate The Walt Disney Studios for reaching $8 billion at the global box office so far this year -- a new industry record -- thanks to the stellar performance of our Marvel, Pixar and Disney films."</p>

<p>The latest results were highlighted by box-office hits such as "Avengers: Endgame," "Aladdin," "Captain Marvel"&nbsp;and&nbsp;"Toy Story 4."<br />
The latest "Avengers" film smashed records this year to become the all-time top grossing film with $2.8 billion.<br />
<br />
Disney also included results from Hulu, the online streaming service in which it acquired a controlling stake with the Fox deal.<br />
Disney, which also operates theme parks and the ABC and ESPN television networks, is focusing on streaming as it gears up for the launch of its Disney+ service.</p>

<p><strong>Hulu bundled&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
Iger announced that the entertainment colossus will take advantage of its control of Hulu to bundle an ad-supported version of the streaming television service with Disney+ and ESPN in the US for a monthly subscription price of $12.99.<br />
<br />
He contended that the bundle would offer a cornucopia of high-quality viewing content at a "tremendous" price.<br />
<br />
Disney's video streaming service will launch in the US in November, spotlighting its blockbuster-making studios as it takes on powerhouse Netflix.<br />
<br />
Disney said that after launching in the US on November 12 at a starting price of $6.99 monthly, Disney+ will gradually expand internationally with a start in Europe.<br />
<br />
Disney's service will offer its films and TV shows, along with the library it acquired from Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. That includes the "Star Wars" and Marvel superhero franchises and ABC television content.<br />
<br />
In the recently ended quarter, revenue from Fox film studio was lower than Disney had expected, according to executives.<br />
<br />
Disney is working to put some of its movie magic into Fox films, particularly its live-action titles, according to Iger.<br />
<br />
"We're all confident that we're going to be able to turn around the fortunes of Fox live action and you'll see those results in a couple of years," Iger said during an earnings call.<br />
<br />
Disney wants to rapidly ramp up its digital streaming business and is in talks with potential digital content distribution partners including Amazon, Apple and Google, according to Iger.<br />
<br />
"You can expect that we will conclude deals with them as distribution partners," Iger said.<br />
<br />
"We think it's important for us to achieve scale relatively quickly and they'll be an important part of that."<br />
<br />
Disney's "direct to consumer" revenues rose in the past quarter from $827 million to $3.8 billion, but its operating loss more than tripled to $553 million due to its investments and consolidation of streaming operations.</p>


Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday second-quarter results were lifted by strong box office gains but failed to meet Wall Street forecasts, sending shares sharply lower.

Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday second-quarter results were lifted by strong box office gains but failed to meet Wall Street forecasts, sending shares sharply lower. Disney shares tumbled more than three percent in after-hours trade after reporting profits fell 51 percent to $1.4 billion while revenues rose 33 percent to $20.2 billion. The results included the recently acquired film and television assets from 21st Century Fox, which puts Disney atop the Hollywood box office as it looks to boost its share in an on-demand television battle with Netflix and Amazon. "Our third-quarter results reflect our efforts to effectively integrate the 21st Century Fox assets to enhance and advance our strategic transformation," said Disney chief executive Bob Iger. "I'd like to congratulate The Walt Disney Studios for reaching $8 billion at the global box office so far this year -- a new industry record -- thanks to the stellar performance of our Marvel, Pixar and Disney films." The latest results were highlighted by box-office hits such as "Avengers: Endgame," "Aladdin," "Captain Marvel" and "Toy Story 4." The latest "Avengers" film smashed records this year to become the all-time top grossing film with $2.8 billion. Disney also included results from Hulu, the online streaming service in which it acquired a controlling stake with the Fox deal. Disney, which also operates theme parks and the ABC and ESPN television networks, is focusing on streaming as it gears up for the launch of its Disney+ service. Hulu bundled Iger announced that the entertainment colossus will take advantage of its control of Hulu to bundle an ad-supported version of the streaming television service with Disney+ and ESPN in the US for a monthly subscription price of $12.99. He contended that the bundle would offer a cornucopia of high-quality viewing content at a "tremendous" price. Disney's video streaming service will launch in the US in November, spotlighting its blockbuster-making studios as it takes on powerhouse Netflix. Disney said that after launching in the US on November 12 at a starting price of $6.99 monthly, Disney+ will gradually expand internationally with a start in Europe. Disney's service will offer its films and TV shows, along with the library it acquired from Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. That includes the "Star Wars" and Marvel superhero franchises and ABC television content. In the recently ended quarter, revenue from Fox film studio was lower than Disney had expected, according to executives. Disney is working to put some of its movie magic into Fox films, particularly its live-action titles, according to Iger. "We're all confident that we're going to be able to turn around the fortunes of Fox live action and you'll see those results in a couple of years," Iger said during an earnings call. Disney wants to rapidly ramp up its digital streaming business and is in talks with potential digital content distribution partners including Amazon, Apple and Google, according to Iger. "You can expect that we will conclude deals with them as distribution partners," Iger said. "We think it's important for us to achieve scale relatively quickly and they'll be an important part of that." Disney's "direct to consumer" revenues rose in the past quarter from $827 million to $3.8 billion, but its operating loss more than tripled to $553 million due to its investments and consolidation of streaming operations.

Disney sees box office gains, but earnings fall short

<p>Walt Disney Co&nbsp;on Tuesday said it would offer a $13-per-month bundle of its three streaming services starting in November, a move to attract audiences who have embraced digital services such as Netflix Inc.</p>

<p>Disney's bundle includes family-friendly digital offering Disney+, sports service ESPN+, and Hulu, which will cater to adults, for a $5-per-month discount. The Hulu offering in the bundle will include commercials.</p>

<p>That price is the same as Netflix's most popular plan, which allows streaming on two devices simultaneously.</p>

<p>Disney "hamstrung Netflix by announcing a bundle of Disney+ and ESPN+ and ad-supported Hulu at the same price point," said Kamal Khan, an analyst at Investing.com.</p>

<p>Executives at Disney and Netflix have said they believe there is room for both services in the growing market of digital options that are luring customers away from cable TV.</p>

<p>Video streaming competition will intensify soon, with Apple Inc, AT&amp;T's&nbsp;WarnerMedia's HBO Max and Comcast Corp's&nbsp;NBCUniversal planning to roll out new services. Customers are dropping cable TV but now must decide how much they want to pay for digital offerings.</p>

<p>Hulu is currently available for $5.99 a month with ads or $11.99 without ads. ESPN+, which offers sports that are not shown on ESPN's cable channels, including Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts, rugby and some professional baseball and soccer games, costs $4.99 a month. Disney+ on its own will cost $6.99 when it starts streaming on Nov. 12 with a slate of new and classic TV shows and movies.</p>

<p>Disney shares were trading 5 per cent&nbsp;lower after it reported a steeper earnings decline than Wall Street expected on Tuesday.</p>


Walt Disney Co on Tuesday said it would offer a $13-per-month bundle of its three streaming services starting in November, a move to attract audiences who have embraced digital services such as Netflix Inc.

Walt Disney Co on Tuesday said it would offer a $13-per-month bundle of its three streaming services starting in November, a move to attract audiences who have embraced digital services such as Netflix Inc. Disney's bundle includes family-friendly digital offering Disney+, sports service ESPN+, and Hulu, which will cater to adults, for a $5-per-month discount. The Hulu offering in the bundle will include commercials. That price is the same as Netflix's most popular plan, which allows streaming on two devices simultaneously. Disney "hamstrung Netflix by announcing a bundle of Disney+ and ESPN+ and ad-supported Hulu at the same price point," said Kamal Khan, an analyst at Investing.com. Executives at Disney and Netflix have said they believe there is room for both services in the growing market of digital options that are luring customers away from cable TV. Video streaming competition will intensify soon, with Apple Inc, AT&T's WarnerMedia's HBO Max and Comcast Corp's NBCUniversal planning to roll out new services. Customers are dropping cable TV but now must decide how much they want to pay for digital offerings. Hulu is currently available for $5.99 a month with ads or $11.99 without ads. ESPN+, which offers sports that are not shown on ESPN's cable channels, including Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts, rugby and some professional baseball and soccer games, costs $4.99 a month. Disney+ on its own will cost $6.99 when it starts streaming on Nov. 12 with a slate of new and classic TV shows and movies. Disney shares were trading 5 per cent lower after it reported a steeper earnings decline than Wall Street expected on Tuesday.

Disney to bundle Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ at popular Netflix price

<p>Simba and Mufasa reigned supreme this weekend as Disney`s 'The Lion King' dominated box office charts. Director Jon Favreau`s remake of the animated classic collected a massive $185 million from 4,756 North American theaters during its first three days of release.<br />
<br />
In yet another win for Disney, the movie landed the best domestic launch for a PG film and set a new record for the month of July. That figure represents the second-best domestic debut of the year behind Disney and Marvel`s 'Avengers: Endgame' ($357 million). The Buena Vista company now holds five of the top six biggest movies of 2018 so far.<br />
<br />
Overseas, 'The Lion King' felt the love with $269 million for a global start of $433 million. The film launched in China last weekend and has since earned $98 million, boosting the worldwide haul to $531 million.<br />
<br />
"We have a lot to celebrate," Cathleen Taff, Disney`s president of global distribution, said on a Sunday morning call. "`The Lion King` has such a resonance in pop culture that you see all different types of people coming out. People wanted to be part of this."<br />
<br />
The state-of-the-art technology used to bring the Pride Lands and its inhabitants to life drew a polarizing response from reviewers, but the newest version of Disney`s crown jewel proved to be critic-proof, and the prospect of hearing Donald Glover`s Simba and Beyonce`s Nala harmonize to Disney classics was irresistible. Moviegoers flocked en masse to see Simba`s grand return to the big screen, and to much enthusiasm. 'The Lion King' holds an A CinemaScore.<br />
<br />
Audiences also shelled out to see the hyper-realistic movie in the best quality possible. Imax theaters accounted for $25 million of tickets sold, while 36% of global ticket sales came from 3D screens.<br />
<br />
"The Lion King" provided a much-needed jolt to the domestic box office. Heading into the weekend, box office receipts were pacing over 9% behind last year. Now, theatrical earnings are down just over 7%, according to Comscore.<br />
<br />
'The Lion King' is already one of the most recognizable stories across the world, but the remake benefitted from an equally buzzy voice cast including Glover as Simba, Beyonce as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa. James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa from the original movie. The updated version also includes a new song from Beyonce.<br />
<br />
Disney has re-imagined five of its classics to mostly consistent success. Outside of 'The Lion King,' 2017`s 'Beauty and the Beast' had the strongest start with $174 million, followed by 2010`s 'Alice in Wonderland' launched with $116 million. In 2016, Favreau`s 'The Jungle Book' earned a strong $103 million in its inaugural weekend. In May, Guy Richie`s 'Aladdin' debuted with $91.5 million and is approaching the $1 billion mark globally. However, Tim Burton`s 'Dumbo' stumbled with $45 million earlier this year.<br />
<br />
In a banner weekend for Disney, the studio is now home to the highest-grossing movie in history. 'Avengers: Endgame' crossed $2.7892 billion at the global box office, officially dethroning the 10-year record of James Cameron`s 'Avatar.'<br />
<br />
Since other Hollywood studios refrained from releasing a movie against 'The Lion King,' number of holdovers filled out domestic box office charts. In a distant second place, Sony`s 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' collected $21 million during its third weekend in theaters, lifting domestic ticket sales to $319 million. The web-slinging superhero adventure has generated $569 million at the international box office.<br />
<br />
Disney and Pixar`s 'Toy Story 4' landed in third with $14 million. In five weeks, the animated movie has generated $375 million in North America and $859 million globally, making it the seventh Pixar film to surpass the $800 million mark.<br />
<br />
At No. 4, Paramount`s alligator thriller "Crawl" generated $6 million for a domestic tally of $23 million. Rounding out the top five is Universal`s musical rom-com "Yesterday," which pocketed $5.1 million during its fourth weekend of release. The movie has grossed $57.5 million to date.<br />
<br />
Among specialty releases, Sony Pictures Classics opened its documentary 'David Crosby: Remember My Name in four locations, where it earned $41,050.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, A24 expanded Lulu Wang`s 'The Farewell' to 35 locations in its second weekend, generating a promising $1.17 million. The comedic drama starring Awkwafina debuts nationwide on Aug. 2.<br />
<br />
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Neon`s documentary "Apollo 11" returned to theaters, making $75,000 from 107 venues. With $9 million in North America, it`s now the highest grossing non-fiction film of 2019. Neon owns the three biggest docs of the year so far with 'Amazing Grace' ($4.5 million) and 'The Biggest Little Farm' ($4 million).<br />
<br />
"It`s remarkable to see `Apollo 11` cross $9 million to become the highest grossing doc of 2019 and on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing," Elissa Federoff, Neon`s head of theatrical distribution said in a statement. "A true testament to an extraordinary piece of cinema and one of the best-reviewed films of the year.</p>


Simba and Mufasa reigned supreme this weekend as Disney`s 'The Lion King' dominated box office charts. Director Jon Favreau`s remake of the animated classic collected a massive $185 million from 4,756 North American theaters during its first three days of release.

Simba and Mufasa reigned supreme this weekend as Disney`s 'The Lion King' dominated box office charts. Director Jon Favreau`s remake of the animated classic collected a massive $185 million from 4,756 North American theaters during its first three days of release. In yet another win for Disney, the movie landed the best domestic launch for a PG film and set a new record for the month of July. That figure represents the second-best domestic debut of the year behind Disney and Marvel`s 'Avengers: Endgame' ($357 million). The Buena Vista company now holds five of the top six biggest movies of 2018 so far. Overseas, 'The Lion King' felt the love with $269 million for a global start of $433 million. The film launched in China last weekend and has since earned $98 million, boosting the worldwide haul to $531 million. "We have a lot to celebrate," Cathleen Taff, Disney`s president of global distribution, said on a Sunday morning call. "`The Lion King` has such a resonance in pop culture that you see all different types of people coming out. People wanted to be part of this." The state-of-the-art technology used to bring the Pride Lands and its inhabitants to life drew a polarizing response from reviewers, but the newest version of Disney`s crown jewel proved to be critic-proof, and the prospect of hearing Donald Glover`s Simba and Beyonce`s Nala harmonize to Disney classics was irresistible. Moviegoers flocked en masse to see Simba`s grand return to the big screen, and to much enthusiasm. 'The Lion King' holds an A CinemaScore. Audiences also shelled out to see the hyper-realistic movie in the best quality possible. Imax theaters accounted for $25 million of tickets sold, while 36% of global ticket sales came from 3D screens. "The Lion King" provided a much-needed jolt to the domestic box office. Heading into the weekend, box office receipts were pacing over 9% behind last year. Now, theatrical earnings are down just over 7%, according to Comscore. 'The Lion King' is already one of the most recognizable stories across the world, but the remake benefitted from an equally buzzy voice cast including Glover as Simba, Beyonce as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa. James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa from the original movie. The updated version also includes a new song from Beyonce. Disney has re-imagined five of its classics to mostly consistent success. Outside of 'The Lion King,' 2017`s 'Beauty and the Beast' had the strongest start with $174 million, followed by 2010`s 'Alice in Wonderland' launched with $116 million. In 2016, Favreau`s 'The Jungle Book' earned a strong $103 million in its inaugural weekend. In May, Guy Richie`s 'Aladdin' debuted with $91.5 million and is approaching the $1 billion mark globally. However, Tim Burton`s 'Dumbo' stumbled with $45 million earlier this year. In a banner weekend for Disney, the studio is now home to the highest-grossing movie in history. 'Avengers: Endgame' crossed $2.7892 billion at the global box office, officially dethroning the 10-year record of James Cameron`s 'Avatar.' Since other Hollywood studios refrained from releasing a movie against 'The Lion King,' number of holdovers filled out domestic box office charts. In a distant second place, Sony`s 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' collected $21 million during its third weekend in theaters, lifting domestic ticket sales to $319 million. The web-slinging superhero adventure has generated $569 million at the international box office. Disney and Pixar`s 'Toy Story 4' landed in third with $14 million. In five weeks, the animated movie has generated $375 million in North America and $859 million globally, making it the seventh Pixar film to surpass the $800 million mark. At No. 4, Paramount`s alligator thriller "Crawl" generated $6 million for a domestic tally of $23 million. Rounding out the top five is Universal`s musical rom-com "Yesterday," which pocketed $5.1 million during its fourth weekend of release. The movie has grossed $57.5 million to date. Among specialty releases, Sony Pictures Classics opened its documentary 'David Crosby: Remember My Name in four locations, where it earned $41,050. Meanwhile, A24 expanded Lulu Wang`s 'The Farewell' to 35 locations in its second weekend, generating a promising $1.17 million. The comedic drama starring Awkwafina debuts nationwide on Aug. 2. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Neon`s documentary "Apollo 11" returned to theaters, making $75,000 from 107 venues. With $9 million in North America, it`s now the highest grossing non-fiction film of 2019. Neon owns the three biggest docs of the year so far with 'Amazing Grace' ($4.5 million) and 'The Biggest Little Farm' ($4 million). "It`s remarkable to see `Apollo 11` cross $9 million to become the highest grossing doc of 2019 and on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing," Elissa Federoff, Neon`s head of theatrical distribution said in a statement. "A true testament to an extraordinary piece of cinema and one of the best-reviewed films of the year.

'The Lion King' rules box offfice with $185 million debut

<p>Ahead of the world wide release of 'The Lion King', Beyonce has dropped the music video of 'Spirit'. The song was unveiled a week back.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The world premiere of the music video was aired on ABC News and `Spirit` comes as the title track for Beyonce`s, upcoming album `The Lion King: The Gift`.<br />
<br />
"I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Beyonce as saying.<br />
<br />
Adding to it, the pop icon called it a "love letter to Africa" and added, "I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa, and not just use some of the sounds and did my interpretation of it."<br />
<br />
The `Crazy in Love` singer also added that the song has made use of "a lot" of drums and "incredible new sounds mixed with some of the producers from America."<br />
<br />
The four-minute thirty-second video is sure to take you on a journey to Africa as it features some mesmerising landscapes of the continent.<br />
<br />
The video has also incorporated some clips from the film featuring Mufasa, Simba and other characters.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/civgUOommC8" width="560"></iframe><br />
The music video ends with a beautiful dance sequence. While the singer`s voice is surely soothing, she looks comely and appealing in all the bright attires she wore in the music video.<br />
<br />
Beyonce has also given her voice to Nala, Simba`s bae.<br />
<br />
Donald Glover has voiced Simba and James Earl Jones has lent his voice to Mufasa.With the screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson and songs by legends like Elton John and Time Rice, the movie is helmed by Jon Favreau.<br />
<br />
The film will hit the theatres on July 19 and will release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.</p>


Ahead of the world wide release of 'The Lion King', Beyonce has dropped the music video of 'Spirit'. The song was unveiled a week back. The world premiere of the music video was aired on ABC News and `Spirit` comes as the title track for Beyonce`s, upcoming album `The Lion King: The Gift`.

Ahead of the world wide release of 'The Lion King', Beyonce has dropped the music video of 'Spirit'. The song was unveiled a week back. The world premiere of the music video was aired on ABC News and `Spirit` comes as the title track for Beyonce`s, upcoming album `The Lion King: The Gift`. "I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Beyonce as saying. Adding to it, the pop icon called it a "love letter to Africa" and added, "I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa, and not just use some of the sounds and did my interpretation of it." The `Crazy in Love` singer also added that the song has made use of "a lot" of drums and "incredible new sounds mixed with some of the producers from America." The four-minute thirty-second video is sure to take you on a journey to Africa as it features some mesmerising landscapes of the continent. The video has also incorporated some clips from the film featuring Mufasa, Simba and other characters. The music video ends with a beautiful dance sequence. While the singer`s voice is surely soothing, she looks comely and appealing in all the bright attires she wore in the music video. Beyonce has also given her voice to Nala, Simba`s bae. Donald Glover has voiced Simba and James Earl Jones has lent his voice to Mufasa.With the screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson and songs by legends like Elton John and Time Rice, the movie is helmed by Jon Favreau. The film will hit the theatres on July 19 and will release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Music video of Beyonce's 'Spirit' out; singer calls it a 'love letter to Africa'

Disney's "The Lion King" has received no shortage of remakes and spinoffs in the years since its original 1994 release. Now, as the film nears its silver anniversary, Disney delivers a new take on the animated musical.

At 'Lion King' world premiere, star Donald Glover feels the love for his duet with Beyonce

WION Speaks to Ollie Jones' Father, Llyod Jones. Disney has blocked a grieving dad's desperate wish to put a picture of Spider-Man on his 4-year-old son's grave - because they want to preserve the "innocence" of their hero.

Your Story: WION Speaks to Ollie Jones' Father

<p>Actor Cameron Boyce, known for his roles in Disney's 'Descendants' and the hit channel show&nbsp;'Jessie', passed away on Saturday.</p>

<p>It was reported by ABC News that the 20-year-old actor died in his sleep&nbsp;"due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition".<br />
<br />
"It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron," a Boyce family spokesperson said.</p>

<p>'Descendants' director Kenny Ortega confirmed the news in a touching post on Instagram.</p>

<p>"My Love, Light and Prayers go out to Cameron and his Family. Cameron brought Love, Laughter and Compassion with him everyday I was in his presence. His talent, immeasurable. His kindness and generosity, overflowing. It has been an indescribable honor and pleasure to know and work with him. I will see you again in all things loving and beautiful my friend. I will search the stars for your light. Rest In Peace Cam. You will always be My Forever Boy! 💔" he wrote.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzmWM3aF_tX/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">My Love, Light and Prayers go out to Cameron and his Family. Cameron brought Love, Laughter and Compassion with him everyday I was in his presence. His talent, immeasurable. His kindness and generosity, overflowing. It has been an indescribable honor and pleasure to know and work with him. I will see you again in all things loving and beautiful my friend. I will search the stars for your light. Rest In Peace Cam. You will always be My Forever Boy! 💔</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kennyortegablog/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kenny Ortega</a> (@kennyortegablog) on <time datetime="2019-07-07T02:42:29+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 6, 2019 at 7:42pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>"Cameron, You left a big piece of your heart for those of us who knew and loved you in this life and you left with a big piece of our hearts today. We will continue to carry your loving spirit forward",&nbsp;he added in the comments.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Kenny Ortega for Cameron Boyce" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4a222643-bd3a-4153-8a0e-de510beb2238" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_19.jpg" /></p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BznAJJ3Fgto/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Cameron, You will forever live in our hearts. . . RIP 🌟</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kennyortegablog/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kenny Ortega</a> (@kennyortegablog) on <time datetime="2019-07-07T08:48:59+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 7, 2019 at 1:48am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Boyce had been acting for the past 11 years and involved himself in charity work.&nbsp;In 2017, he&nbsp;helped raise over $27,000 for the Thirst Project, which helps bring clean water to underdeveloped countries.</p>


Actor Cameron Boyce, known for his roles in Disney's 'Descendants' and the hit channel show 'Jessie', passed away on Saturday. It was reported by ABC News that the 20-year-old actor died in his sleep "due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition".

Actor Cameron Boyce, known for his roles in Disney's 'Descendants' and the hit channel show 'Jessie', passed away on Saturday. It was reported by ABC News that the 20-year-old actor died in his sleep "due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition". "It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron," a Boyce family spokesperson said. 'Descendants' director Kenny Ortega confirmed the news in a touching post on Instagram. "My Love, Light and Prayers go out to Cameron and his Family. Cameron brought Love, Laughter and Compassion with him everyday I was in his presence. His talent, immeasurable. His kindness and generosity, overflowing. It has been an indescribable honor and pleasure to know and work with him. I will see you again in all things loving and beautiful my friend. I will search the stars for your light. Rest In Peace Cam. You will always be My Forever Boy! 💔" he wrote. View this post on Instagram My Love, Light and Prayers go out to Cameron and his Family. Cameron brought Love, Laughter and Compassion with him everyday I was in his presence. His talent, immeasurable. His kindness and generosity, overflowing. It has been an indescribable honor and pleasure to know and work with him. I will see you again in all things loving and beautiful my friend. I will search the stars for your light. Rest In Peace Cam. You will always be My Forever Boy! 💔 A post shared by Kenny Ortega (@kennyortegablog) on Jul 6, 2019 at 7:42pm PDT × "Cameron, You left a big piece of your heart for those of us who knew and loved you in this life and you left with a big piece of our hearts today. We will continue to carry your loving spirit forward", he added in the comments. View this post on Instagram Cameron, You will forever live in our hearts. . . RIP 🌟 A post shared by Kenny Ortega (@kennyortegablog) on Jul 7, 2019 at 1:48am PDT × Boyce had been acting for the past 11 years and involved himself in charity work. In 2017, he helped raise over $27,000 for the Thirst Project, which helps bring clean water to underdeveloped countries.

Disney channel star Cameron Boyce dies at 20

<p>R&amp;B singer Halle Bailey is to play Ariel in a live-action version of 'The Little Mermaid,'&nbsp;she said Wednesday, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess.</p>

<p>Bailey, 19, who rose to fame under the wing of pop queen Beyonce, said it was a "dream come true" to play the lead role.</p>

<p>She tweeted a cartoon image of the princess in which the traditionally red-headed Ariel has dark skin, brown eyes and black hair.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Director Rob Marshall said Bailey had been cast after an extensive search, and praised her "rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance -- plus a glorious singing voice."</p>

<p>News of the casting was trending on Twitter late Wednesday, with many fans overjoyed by the decision.</p>

<p>"If your Egyptian adaptations (actually historical) can be white people, Ariel (a fictional character) can be black," wrote one Twitter user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Like most Disney princesses, Ariel has been portrayed as pale-skinned in previous cartoon films, in which she was voiced by white actress Jodi Benson.</p>

<p>Disney came under criticism last year for "whitewashing" Princess Tiana in the cartoon movie 'Ralph Breaks the Internet,'&nbsp;hastily redrawing the character with darker features just months before the film's release.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bailey's casting comes more than two decades after Disney cast singer Brandy, who is also black, as Cinderella in a live-action 1997 film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bailey is part of Atlanta-based sister duo Chloe x Halle, who received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist last year.</p>

<p>Beyonce became a mentor of sorts to them after seeing the pair cover her song 'Pretty Hurts'&nbsp;in 2013.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They were signed to her label soon after, and Beyonce took them on her tour in 2016.</p>

<p>Former first lady Michelle Obama is a fan of the duo, turned on to their music by daughters Sasha and Malia.</p>

<p>'The Little Mermaid'&nbsp;will be the latest in a crop of live-action remakes of classic Disney movies, including the recent 'Aladdin.'</p>

<p>Filming is slated to begin next year.&nbsp;</p>


R&B singer Halle Bailey is to play Ariel in a live-action version of 'The Little Mermaid,' she said Wednesday, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess.

R&B singer Halle Bailey is to play Ariel in a live-action version of 'The Little Mermaid,' she said Wednesday, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess. Bailey, 19, who rose to fame under the wing of pop queen Beyonce, said it was a "dream come true" to play the lead role. She tweeted a cartoon image of the princess in which the traditionally red-headed Ariel has dark skin, brown eyes and black hair. Director Rob Marshall said Bailey had been cast after an extensive search, and praised her "rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance -- plus a glorious singing voice." News of the casting was trending on Twitter late Wednesday, with many fans overjoyed by the decision. "If your Egyptian adaptations (actually historical) can be white people, Ariel (a fictional character) can be black," wrote one Twitter user. Like most Disney princesses, Ariel has been portrayed as pale-skinned in previous cartoon films, in which she was voiced by white actress Jodi Benson. Disney came under criticism last year for "whitewashing" Princess Tiana in the cartoon movie 'Ralph Breaks the Internet,' hastily redrawing the character with darker features just months before the film's release. Bailey's casting comes more than two decades after Disney cast singer Brandy, who is also black, as Cinderella in a live-action 1997 film. Bailey is part of Atlanta-based sister duo Chloe x Halle, who received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist last year. Beyonce became a mentor of sorts to them after seeing the pair cover her song 'Pretty Hurts' in 2013. They were signed to her label soon after, and Beyonce took them on her tour in 2016. Former first lady Michelle Obama is a fan of the duo, turned on to their music by daughters Sasha and Malia. 'The Little Mermaid' will be the latest in a crop of live-action remakes of classic Disney movies, including the recent 'Aladdin.' Filming is slated to begin next year.

Disney live-action 'Little Mermaid' to star a black Ariel

<p>Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday it had hired a top executive in Netflix Inc's original film division, Matt Brodlie, to lead international content development for its upcoming family-oriented streaming service called Disney+.</p>

<p>As director of the original film at Netflix, Brodlie was responsible for films including 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before'&nbsp;and 'Ibiza.'</p>

<p>He also acquired award-winning movies 'Roma'&nbsp;and 'Mudbound'&nbsp;for Netflix. 'Roma'&nbsp;won three Academy Awards.</p>

<p>In his new role at Disney, Brodlie will determine what content needs to be produced or acquired for Disney+ customers outside of the United States, according to a statement from the company.</p>

<p>In recent years, Netflix had been luring away high-profile executives from rivals and was earlier sued by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp for poaching employees as it built an audience of nearly 149 million global customers.</p>

<p>Disney unveiled details of Disney+, an ad-free monthly subscription streaming service, in April and priced it at $7 monthly or $70 annually with a slate of new and classic TV shows and movies from some of the most popular entertainment franchises.</p>

<p>Disney+ is set to launch on November&nbsp;12.</p>


Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday it had hired a top executive in Netflix Inc's original film division, Matt Brodlie, to lead international content development for its upcoming family-oriented streaming service called Disney+.

Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday it had hired a top executive in Netflix Inc's original film division, Matt Brodlie, to lead international content development for its upcoming family-oriented streaming service called Disney+. As director of the original film at Netflix, Brodlie was responsible for films including 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' and 'Ibiza.' He also acquired award-winning movies 'Roma' and 'Mudbound' for Netflix. 'Roma' won three Academy Awards. In his new role at Disney, Brodlie will determine what content needs to be produced or acquired for Disney+ customers outside of the United States, according to a statement from the company. In recent years, Netflix had been luring away high-profile executives from rivals and was earlier sued by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp for poaching employees as it built an audience of nearly 149 million global customers. Disney unveiled details of Disney+, an ad-free monthly subscription streaming service, in April and priced it at $7 monthly or $70 annually with a slate of new and classic TV shows and movies from some of the most popular entertainment franchises. Disney+ is set to launch on November 12.

Disney poaches Netflix film executive for streaming service

<p>Who doesn't remember the sweet ending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ask-julia-roberts-who-should-coach-real-says-real-madrid-coach-santiago-solari-201169">Julia Robert</a>`s character got in the 1990s hit film 'Pretty Woman'? Well, surprisingly, the original script of the movie had far from a pretty ending.</p>

<p>Speaking with fellow actor Patricia Arquette for Variety's Actors on Actors series recently, Roberts revealed that the screenplay she auditioned for in the first place was a far cry from the romantic-comedy that fans love today.</p>

<p>"So many, many, many years ago, one of my early auditions was for a movie called 3,000. Most people don't know that 3,000 was the original Pretty Woman script.</p>

<p>"That movie was really dark and the ending was really heavy," Arquette said at the beginning of her interview with Roberts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roberts revealed that the original script ended with her character being thrown "out of the car," before the driver "threw the money on top of her, as memory serves, and just drove away, leaving her in some dirty alley."</p>

<p>"So it really read like a gritty art movie. When you first read it, it was that incarnation," Arquette said. Roberts explained that while she landed the role in "3,000", she thinks she "had no business being in a movie like that".</p>

<p>"However, that version of the film was never executed because of the "small movie company" behind the script "folded over the weekend," according to Roberts.</p>

<p>"And by Monday, I didn't have a job," she added. The script and its sole remaining producer ended up landing at Disney, which Roberts originally thought was odd."I thought, "Went to Disney? Are they going to animate it?" she told Arquette.</p>

<p>"Director Garry Marshall came on, and because he's a great human being, he felt it would only be fair to meet me since I had this job for three days and lost it. And they changed the whole thing. And it became more something that is in my wheelhouse," Roberts added.</p>

<p>"I couldn't do it then. I couldn`t do it now," Roberts said of the initial script, adding, "Thank God it fell apart."The two actors also discussed the pay gap in the Hollywood industry, as Arquette asked Roberts if her salaries early on in her career felt like "breaking that glass ceiling".</p>

<p>"It never felt like pressure. All the salaries in those days where there was just a lot of money to be spent making films, in a comical way, I thought, Okay, sure, this is ridiculous, but I`ll be part of this party," Roberts said.</p>

<p>"I'm just walking in a path that Barbra Streisand has hacked out with a machete, so to be the gardener that's picking some weeds that have come up since these incredible women before me have made a path for all of us to be artists in our own right, it was nice to feel that I had a little puzzle piece to that," she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roberts said that she felt like she could be more picky with her projects after filming "Sleeping with the Enemy".</p>

<p>"I just had this instinct to stop doing anything if it didn't feel that passionate," she said.</p>


Who doesn't remember the sweet ending Julia Robert`s character got in the 1990s hit film 'Pretty Woman'? Well, surprisingly, the original script of the movie had far from a pretty ending.

Who doesn't remember the sweet ending Julia Robert`s character got in the 1990s hit film 'Pretty Woman'? Well, surprisingly, the original script of the movie had far from a pretty ending. Speaking with fellow actor Patricia Arquette for Variety's Actors on Actors series recently, Roberts revealed that the screenplay she auditioned for in the first place was a far cry from the romantic-comedy that fans love today. "So many, many, many years ago, one of my early auditions was for a movie called 3,000. Most people don't know that 3,000 was the original Pretty Woman script. "That movie was really dark and the ending was really heavy," Arquette said at the beginning of her interview with Roberts. Roberts revealed that the original script ended with her character being thrown "out of the car," before the driver "threw the money on top of her, as memory serves, and just drove away, leaving her in some dirty alley." "So it really read like a gritty art movie. When you first read it, it was that incarnation," Arquette said. Roberts explained that while she landed the role in "3,000", she thinks she "had no business being in a movie like that". "However, that version of the film was never executed because of the "small movie company" behind the script "folded over the weekend," according to Roberts. "And by Monday, I didn't have a job," she added. The script and its sole remaining producer ended up landing at Disney, which Roberts originally thought was odd."I thought, "Went to Disney? Are they going to animate it?" she told Arquette. "Director Garry Marshall came on, and because he's a great human being, he felt it would only be fair to meet me since I had this job for three days and lost it. And they changed the whole thing. And it became more something that is in my wheelhouse," Roberts added. "I couldn't do it then. I couldn`t do it now," Roberts said of the initial script, adding, "Thank God it fell apart."The two actors also discussed the pay gap in the Hollywood industry, as Arquette asked Roberts if her salaries early on in her career felt like "breaking that glass ceiling". "It never felt like pressure. All the salaries in those days where there was just a lot of money to be spent making films, in a comical way, I thought, Okay, sure, this is ridiculous, but I`ll be part of this party," Roberts said. "I'm just walking in a path that Barbra Streisand has hacked out with a machete, so to be the gardener that's picking some weeds that have come up since these incredible women before me have made a path for all of us to be artists in our own right, it was nice to feel that I had a little puzzle piece to that," she added. Roberts said that she felt like she could be more picky with her projects after filming "Sleeping with the Enemy". "I just had this instinct to stop doing anything if it didn't feel that passionate," she said.

Julia Roberts reveals original script of 'Pretty Woman' had dark ending

<p>WarnerMedia on Thursday became the third major US media company to say it would reconsider working in Georgia if a new law banning abortions after a foetal heartbeat can be detected takes effect, following Walt Disney Co and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/netflix-to-rethink-investment-in-georgia-if-abortion-law-takes-effect-222382">Netflix.</a><br />
<br />
Georgia is one of eight US&nbsp;states that have passed strict new limits on abortion this year, moves some anti-abortion activists said were aimed at prompting the US&nbsp;Supreme Court to review and strike down the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman`s right to terminate her pregnancy.<br />
<br />
"If the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions," the division of telecommunications company AT&amp;T Inc said. "As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project."<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger told Reuters it would be "very difficult" to keep filming in Georgia if the new law went into effect. Netflix Inc on Tuesday said it would "rethink" its investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect.<br />
<br />
The Georgia law, which Republican Governor Brian Kemp signed on May 7, is due to take effect Jan. 1 if it survives court challenges. It would ban abortions at about six weeks into a pregnancy - before many women know they are pregnant.<br />
<br />
Abortion is one of the most socially divisive issues in US&nbsp;politics, with opponents often citing religious beliefs to call it immoral, while abortion-rights advocates say the bans amount to state control of women`s bodies.<br />
<br />
Georgia has attracted film and TV productions with tax credits and currently employs over 92,000 people in the entertainment business, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.<br />
<br />
The media companies` words echoed a parallel case in North Carolina, which in 2016 repealed a law restricting bathroom use by transgender people after a boycott that cost its economy hundreds of millions of dollars and saw the National Collegiate Athletic Association pull tournament championships and the National Basketball Association its All-Star Game from the state.</p>

<p>While most of the abortion restrictions passed this year have been signed by Republican governors, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, on Thursday was preparing to sign a six-week abortion ban authored by a fellow Democrat and passed by the state`s Republican-controlled legislature.<br />
<br />
<strong>MISSOURI COURT FIGHT</strong><br />
<br />
Women`s health services provider Planned Parenthood on Thursday was warning that Missouri`s sole abortion clinic could be forced to stop providing them as the result of a license dispute that could make Missouri the sole U.S. state without a legal abortion provider.</p>

<p>Attorneys for the group were due in a St&nbsp;Louis courtroom to ask a judge to block the state health department from not renewing the clinic`s license on Friday.<br />
<br />
Hundreds of abortion rights protesters, including singer Amanda Palmer, some carrying "I Stand with Planned Parenthood" or "Stop the Ban" signs, gathered near the courthouse on Thursday during the hearing, according to videos of the scene posted online by Missouri media.&nbsp;</p>


WarnerMedia on Thursday became the third major US media company to say it would reconsider working in Georgia if a new law banning abortions after a foetal heartbeat can be detected takes effect, following Walt Disney Co and Netflix.

WarnerMedia on Thursday became the third major US media company to say it would reconsider working in Georgia if a new law banning abortions after a foetal heartbeat can be detected takes effect, following Walt Disney Co and Netflix. Georgia is one of eight US states that have passed strict new limits on abortion this year, moves some anti-abortion activists said were aimed at prompting the US Supreme Court to review and strike down the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman`s right to terminate her pregnancy. "If the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions," the division of telecommunications company AT&T Inc said. "As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project." On Wednesday, Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger told Reuters it would be "very difficult" to keep filming in Georgia if the new law went into effect. Netflix Inc on Tuesday said it would "rethink" its investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect. The Georgia law, which Republican Governor Brian Kemp signed on May 7, is due to take effect Jan. 1 if it survives court challenges. It would ban abortions at about six weeks into a pregnancy - before many women know they are pregnant. Abortion is one of the most socially divisive issues in US politics, with opponents often citing religious beliefs to call it immoral, while abortion-rights advocates say the bans amount to state control of women`s bodies. Georgia has attracted film and TV productions with tax credits and currently employs over 92,000 people in the entertainment business, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. The media companies` words echoed a parallel case in North Carolina, which in 2016 repealed a law restricting bathroom use by transgender people after a boycott that cost its economy hundreds of millions of dollars and saw the National Collegiate Athletic Association pull tournament championships and the National Basketball Association its All-Star Game from the state. While most of the abortion restrictions passed this year have been signed by Republican governors, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, on Thursday was preparing to sign a six-week abortion ban authored by a fellow Democrat and passed by the state`s Republican-controlled legislature. MISSOURI COURT FIGHT Women`s health services provider Planned Parenthood on Thursday was warning that Missouri`s sole abortion clinic could be forced to stop providing them as the result of a license dispute that could make Missouri the sole U.S. state without a legal abortion provider. Attorneys for the group were due in a St Louis courtroom to ask a judge to block the state health department from not renewing the clinic`s license on Friday. Hundreds of abortion rights protesters, including singer Amanda Palmer, some carrying "I Stand with Planned Parenthood" or "Stop the Ban" signs, gathered near the courthouse on Thursday during the hearing, according to videos of the scene posted online by Missouri media.

WarnerMedia joins Disney, Netflix in reconsidering Georgia business over abortion law

<p>After the trailer release of the live-action remake of `The Lion King` in April, Disney has finally dropped the character posters of the film.</p>

<p>Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the posters on his Twitter handle."Disney unveils the character posters of #TheLionKing. A remake of the much-loved 1994 film of the same name. The 2019 version, directed by Jon Favreau, is slated for release on 19 July 2019. In #English, #Hindi, #Tamil and #Telugu," Taran tweeted.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Disney unveils the character posters of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheLionKing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheLionKing</a>... Remake of the much-loved 1994 film of the same name... The 2019 version, directed by Jon Favreau, is slated for release on 19 July 2019... In <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/English?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#English</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hindi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hindi</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tamil?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tamil</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Telugu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Telugu</a>. <a href="https://t.co/DsuuKVkpj7">pic.twitter.com/DsuuKVkpj7</a></p>
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/1134335120595230720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The film will see Donald Glover lending his voice to the much-loved character of Simba. While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyonce-to-star-in-disneys-the-lion-king-remake-23352">Beyonce Knowles-Carter will dub for Nala</a>. John Oliver will be heard as Zazu and Seth Rogen will lend his voice to Pumbaa.</p>

<p>The trailer of the film features our favourite characters in new avatars while keeping the essence of the classic alive. The trailer opens with a young Simba and Nala exploring the elephant graveyard, where they encounter a band of hyenas.</p>

<p>In the next scene, Mufasa can be seen imparting some political wisdom to his son Simba. Following this, the trailer features Simba's exile at the encouragement of his uncle.</p>

<p>From the trailer, it seems like the upcoming film is a shot-by-shot remake of the 1994 animated film. The trailer ends with Timon and Pumbaa merrily singing the classic `The Lion Sleeps Tonight`.</p>

<p>With the screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson and songs by legends like Elton John and Time Rice, the movie will be directed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-lion-king-trailer-jon-favreau-attempts-narrate-the-classic-one-more-time-209320">Jon Favreau</a>.</p>

<p>James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, and Alfre Woodard are also a part of the cast ensemble. The film will hit the theatres on July 19 and will release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.&nbsp;</p>


After the trailer release of the live-action remake of `The Lion King` in April, Disney has finally dropped the character posters of the film. Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the posters on his Twitter handle.

After the trailer release of the live-action remake of `The Lion King` in April, Disney has finally dropped the character posters of the film. Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the posters on his Twitter handle."Disney unveils the character posters of #TheLionKing. A remake of the much-loved 1994 film of the same name. The 2019 version, directed by Jon Favreau, is slated for release on 19 July 2019. In #English, #Hindi, #Tamil and #Telugu," Taran tweeted. Disney unveils the character posters of #TheLionKing... Remake of the much-loved 1994 film of the same name... The 2019 version, directed by Jon Favreau, is slated for release on 19 July 2019... In #English, #Hindi, #Tamil and #Telugu. pic.twitter.com/DsuuKVkpj7 — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 31, 2019 × The film will see Donald Glover lending his voice to the much-loved character of Simba. While Beyonce Knowles-Carter will dub for Nala. John Oliver will be heard as Zazu and Seth Rogen will lend his voice to Pumbaa. The trailer of the film features our favourite characters in new avatars while keeping the essence of the classic alive. The trailer opens with a young Simba and Nala exploring the elephant graveyard, where they encounter a band of hyenas. In the next scene, Mufasa can be seen imparting some political wisdom to his son Simba. Following this, the trailer features Simba's exile at the encouragement of his uncle. From the trailer, it seems like the upcoming film is a shot-by-shot remake of the 1994 animated film. The trailer ends with Timon and Pumbaa merrily singing the classic `The Lion Sleeps Tonight`. With the screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson and songs by legends like Elton John and Time Rice, the movie will be directed by Jon Favreau. James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, and Alfre Woodard are also a part of the cast ensemble. The film will hit the theatres on July 19 and will release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Disney unveils posters of iconic characters from 'The Lion King'

<p>Disney's 'Aladdin'&nbsp;soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday.</p>

<p>The film, released on the American four-day Memorial Day weekend, earned $116.8 million from Friday through Monday and $91.5 million from Friday to Sunday, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million.</p>

<p>The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith as the genie and the Egyptian-born Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the wily charmer who pretends to be a prince to catch the attention of the lovely Jasmine (Naomi Scott).</p>

<p>The new version is an adaptation of Disney's 1992 'Aladdin,'&nbsp;which featured the unforgettable voice of Robin Williams as the fast-talking genie (and the less well-known actor Scott Weinger as Aladdin).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week's box-office leader, Lionsgate's 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum,' slipped to second, taking in $24.6 million for three days ($31 million for four).</p>

<p>Keanu Reaves again stars as retired hitman John Wick, this time being chased by an army of killers after a contract is put on his head.&nbsp;Also starring are Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston.</p>

<p>In third was Disney blockbuster 'Avengers: Endgame,'&nbsp;taking in an estimated $17.2 million for three days ($22.1 million for four).</p>

<p>Avengers,&nbsp;with an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Brolin, has broken domestic records but, with a worldwide take of $2.68 billion, is still shy of the $2.79 billion earned by all-time leader 'Avatar'&nbsp;in 2009.</p>

<p>Fourth place went to 'Pokemon: Detective Pikachu'&nbsp;from Warner Bros, at $13.4 million ($17.2 million). Its animated title character (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a young boy (Justice Smith, in a live-action role) to seek the boy's missing father.</p>

<p>And in fifth was new Sony horror thriller 'Brightburn,'&nbsp;at $7.8 million ($9.6 million). Elizabeth Banks, David Denman and Jackson A Dunn star in the story of an alien tot who arrives on Earth and realizes, as he grows up on a Kansas farm, that he has superpowers.</p>

<p>Rounding out the weekend's top 10 were:</p>

<p>'Booksmart' ($6.9 million for three days; $8.7 million for four)</p>

<p>'A Dog's Journey'&nbsp;($4.1 million; $5.4 million)</p>

<p>'The Hustle'&nbsp;($3.6 million; $4.6 million)</p>

<p>'The Intruder'&nbsp;($2.3 million; $2.9 million)</p>

<p>'Long Shot'&nbsp;($1.6 million; $2 million)</p>


Disney's 'Aladdin' soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday.

Disney's 'Aladdin' soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday. The film, released on the American four-day Memorial Day weekend, earned $116.8 million from Friday through Monday and $91.5 million from Friday to Sunday, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million. The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith as the genie and the Egyptian-born Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the wily charmer who pretends to be a prince to catch the attention of the lovely Jasmine (Naomi Scott). The new version is an adaptation of Disney's 1992 'Aladdin,' which featured the unforgettable voice of Robin Williams as the fast-talking genie (and the less well-known actor Scott Weinger as Aladdin). Last week's box-office leader, Lionsgate's 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum,' slipped to second, taking in $24.6 million for three days ($31 million for four). Keanu Reaves again stars as retired hitman John Wick, this time being chased by an army of killers after a contract is put on his head. Also starring are Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston. In third was Disney blockbuster 'Avengers: Endgame,' taking in an estimated $17.2 million for three days ($22.1 million for four). Avengers, with an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Brolin, has broken domestic records but, with a worldwide take of $2.68 billion, is still shy of the $2.79 billion earned by all-time leader 'Avatar' in 2009. Fourth place went to 'Pokemon: Detective Pikachu' from Warner Bros, at $13.4 million ($17.2 million). Its animated title character (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a young boy (Justice Smith, in a live-action role) to seek the boy's missing father. And in fifth was new Sony horror thriller 'Brightburn,' at $7.8 million ($9.6 million). Elizabeth Banks, David Denman and Jackson A Dunn star in the story of an alien tot who arrives on Earth and realizes, as he grows up on a Kansas farm, that he has superpowers. Rounding out the weekend's top 10 were: 'Booksmart' ($6.9 million for three days; $8.7 million for four) 'A Dog's Journey' ($4.1 million; $5.4 million) 'The Hustle' ($3.6 million; $4.6 million) 'The Intruder' ($2.3 million; $2.9 million) 'Long Shot' ($1.6 million; $2 million)

Disney's 'Aladdin' woos North America box office

The cast of new X-Men movie "Dark Phoenix" is unsure about whether they'll reprise their roles in future after Disney's acquisition of studio 20th Century Fox. Because of the ownership change, what will happen with the X-Men franchise and its characters is unclear, but the director and writer Simon Kinberg said that he always saw the movie as the 'culmination' of the saga.

X-Men's 'Dark Phoenix' cast unsure over future as Fox franchise ends

<p>Disney in India donated Rs 2 crore on Monday to aid relief and recovery efforts in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-fani-odisha-government-says-adequate-steps-taken-to-avoid-outbreak-of-any-epidemic-219507">areas impacted by cyclone Fani in Odisha</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The donation will support disaster response and provide assistance to those in need through Save the Children in India.</p>

<p>"Our hearts go out to those affected by this severe cyclonic storm Fani. The families and communities impacted by this devastating calamity need our support as they begin to rebuild," Sanjay Gupta, Country Manager, Star and Disney India, said in a statement. "Through our contribution, we hope to help the families affected as they recover from this cyclone," Gupta added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;NASA releases images of power situation after Fani</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-releases-images-of-power-situation-after-fani-217238/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>With this aid, Save the Children in India will provide affected families with critical shelter, basic needs and also work in cyclone shelters and temporary camps.</p>

<p>In August 2018, Disney and Star India came forward to extend support during Kerala floods, the release said.&nbsp;</p>


Disney in India donated Rs 2 crore on Monday to aid relief and recovery efforts in areas impacted by cyclone Fani in Odisha. The donation will support disaster response and provide assistance to those in need through Save the Children in India.

Disney in India donated Rs 2 crore on Monday to aid relief and recovery efforts in areas impacted by cyclone Fani in Odisha. The donation will support disaster response and provide assistance to those in need through Save the Children in India. "Our hearts go out to those affected by this severe cyclonic storm Fani. The families and communities impacted by this devastating calamity need our support as they begin to rebuild," Sanjay Gupta, Country Manager, Star and Disney India, said in a statement. "Through our contribution, we hope to help the families affected as they recover from this cyclone," Gupta added. Watch: NASA releases images of power situation after Fani With this aid, Save the Children in India will provide affected families with critical shelter, basic needs and also work in cyclone shelters and temporary camps. In August 2018, Disney and Star India came forward to extend support during Kerala floods, the release said.

India's Disney donates Rs 2 crore to Cyclone Fani relief in Odisha

<p>The live-action adaptation of Disney's `Aladdin` is one of the films which pulled off really well on the Thursday night box office by clocking $7 million. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/aladdin-review-will-smith-shines-in-a-fitting-remake-of-a-timeless-classic-221282">Read the film's review here.</a></p>

<p>The makers are hoping for tracking an $80 million bow over the Memorial Day weekend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Guy Ritchie directorial `Aladdin` stars Will Smith as the genie and Mena Massoud as the titular hero, a charming street rat who masquerades to win the affections of Princess Jasmine, (essayed by Naomi Scott).</p>

<p>The musical film, which is opening wide in 4,400 locations, has received a mixed response from critics, with a 60 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.</p>

<p>Apart from `Aladdin`, also hitting theatres in previews was Olivia Wilde`s R-rated comedy `Booksmart`, which earned a neat $875,000 on Thursday.</p>

<p>The Annapurna Pictures production title is set to launch in 2,500 locations via United Artists Releasing. The story of the high school comedy starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever revolves around two Ivy League-bound overachievers determined to party on the night before their graduation.</p>

<p>The film premiered at SXSW to universal praise and currently sits at an incredible 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.</p>

<p>Another film hitting the previews on Thursday was Screen Gems and The H Collective`s superhero horror `Brightburn` which took in $950,000 in previews at 2,257 locations.</p>

<p>The movie sits at a 64 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and is directed by David Yarovesky from a script by Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, and counts James Gunn as a producer.</p>

<p>A riff on the Superman origin story, `Brightburn` is led by Elizabeth Banks and centers on a couple in Kansas who find an alien baby and raise him, only to see him turn evil.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The live-action adaptation of Disney's `Aladdin` is one of the films which pulled off really well on the Thursday night box office by clocking $7 million. Read the film's review here.

The live-action adaptation of Disney's `Aladdin` is one of the films which pulled off really well on the Thursday night box office by clocking $7 million. Read the film's review here. The makers are hoping for tracking an $80 million bow over the Memorial Day weekend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Guy Ritchie directorial `Aladdin` stars Will Smith as the genie and Mena Massoud as the titular hero, a charming street rat who masquerades to win the affections of Princess Jasmine, (essayed by Naomi Scott). The musical film, which is opening wide in 4,400 locations, has received a mixed response from critics, with a 60 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Apart from `Aladdin`, also hitting theatres in previews was Olivia Wilde`s R-rated comedy `Booksmart`, which earned a neat $875,000 on Thursday. The Annapurna Pictures production title is set to launch in 2,500 locations via United Artists Releasing. The story of the high school comedy starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever revolves around two Ivy League-bound overachievers determined to party on the night before their graduation. The film premiered at SXSW to universal praise and currently sits at an incredible 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Another film hitting the previews on Thursday was Screen Gems and The H Collective`s superhero horror `Brightburn` which took in $950,000 in previews at 2,257 locations. The movie sits at a 64 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and is directed by David Yarovesky from a script by Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, and counts James Gunn as a producer. A riff on the Superman origin story, `Brightburn` is led by Elizabeth Banks and centers on a couple in Kansas who find an alien baby and raise him, only to see him turn evil.

Disney's 'Aladdin' Box Office: Earns $7M in Thursday previews

<p>After the Skywalker saga concludes in December, Walt Disney Co`s next venture into the 'Star Wars'&nbsp;galaxy will come from the creators of HBO`s global hit 'Game of Thrones,'&nbsp;the company`s chief executive said on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Disney announced last week that it had scheduled 'Star Wars'&nbsp;movies for December 2022, 2024 and 2026 but did not reveal any other details. Those will be the first 'Star Wars'&nbsp;films after 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'&nbsp;in December 2019.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Speaking at an investor conference on Tuesday, Chief Executive Bob Iger confirmed that the 2022 film would come from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of medieval fantasy series 'Game of Thrones.'&nbsp;He did not provide any other details.<br />
<br />
Disney has said the series will tell a story separate from the Skywalker saga that began with the original 1977 'Star Wars'&nbsp;film.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The company also has announced a separate 'Star Wars'&nbsp;trilogy in the works by 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'&nbsp;director Rian Johnson. No release date has been unveiled.</p>


After the Skywalker saga concludes in December, Walt Disney Co`s next venture into the 'Star Wars' galaxy will come from the creators of HBO`s global hit 'Game of Thrones,' the company`s chief executive said on Tuesday.

After the Skywalker saga concludes in December, Walt Disney Co`s next venture into the 'Star Wars' galaxy will come from the creators of HBO`s global hit 'Game of Thrones,' the company`s chief executive said on Tuesday. Disney announced last week that it had scheduled 'Star Wars' movies for December 2022, 2024 and 2026 but did not reveal any other details. Those will be the first 'Star Wars' films after 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' in December 2019. Speaking at an investor conference on Tuesday, Chief Executive Bob Iger confirmed that the 2022 film would come from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of medieval fantasy series 'Game of Thrones.' He did not provide any other details. Disney has said the series will tell a story separate from the Skywalker saga that began with the original 1977 'Star Wars' film. The company also has announced a separate 'Star Wars' trilogy in the works by 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' director Rian Johnson. No release date has been unveiled.

'Star Wars' movie in 2022 will come from 'Game of Thrones' creators

<p>Walt Disney Co's theme parks lifted quarterly earnings past Wall Street targets on Wednesday, helping offset big investments to support the media and&nbsp;entertainmentcompany's bid to draw audiences to streaming media.</p>

<p>Shares of Disney rose 1.5 percent to $137 in after-hours trading.</p>

<p>"Avengers: Endgame", the end of a decade-long superhero series with $2.2 billion in box office sales worldwide, will stream exclusively on Disney+ starting Dec. 11, the company announced.</p>

<p>Growth at Disney parks in the United States boosted results above analyst expectations. From January to March, Disney reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.61, ahead of analyst estimates of $1.58, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Heavy investment accounted for a 13 percent drop from a year ago by that measure.</p>

<p>Revenue rose 3 percent to $14.92 billion. Analysts had been expecting a small decline.</p>

<p>Disney is trying to transform from a cable TV leader to a streaming media powerhouse that, like Netflix Inc, sells subscriptions directly to consumers. Costs to build digital services will weigh on profits for several years, the company has said, but the stock has risen 15% since the Disney+ announcement in April.</p>

<p>Its biggest streaming bet, the family-oriented Disney+, is set to launch in November. The company told analysts in April that it expects Disney+ to achieve profitability in fiscal 2024.</p>

<p>The just-ended quarter reflected the purchase of film and TV assets from 21st Century Fox, which brought Disney more content for its streaming future.</p>

<p>For the quarter, the direct-to-consumer and international unit recorded a loss of $393 million from streaming costs.</p>

<p>Disney also recorded a $353 million impairment charge from its ownership stake in media startup Vice.</p>

<p>In the theme park unit, net income hit $1.5 billion as more visitors showed up at Walt Disney World in Florida and at Hong Kong Disneyland, and occupied hotel nights increased.</p>

<p>"Increased ticket prices haven’t put visitors off, and hotels continue to be a major driver of additional spending," said Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.</p>

<p>"It’s easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding new films ...&nbsp;but it’s the less glamourous Media Networks and Parks that pay the lion’s share of the bills."</p>

<p>Overall net income jumped 85 percent, to $5.4 billion, thanks to Disney's acquisition of a controlling stake in Hulu through the Fox acquisition.</p>

<p>Media networks, a division that includes ESPN and ABC, reported $2.2 billion in operating income for the quarter.</p>

<p>The movie studio reported profit of $534 million, lifted by 'Captain Marvel,' which was a global hit but did not reach the level of 'Black Panther'&nbsp;and 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'&nbsp;a year earlier.</p>

<p>(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Vibhuti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Lisa Shumaker)</p>


Walt Disney Co's theme parks lifted quarterly earnings past Wall Street targets on Wednesday, helping offset big investments to support the media and entertainmentcompany's bid to draw audiences to streaming media.

Walt Disney Co's theme parks lifted quarterly earnings past Wall Street targets on Wednesday, helping offset big investments to support the media and entertainmentcompany's bid to draw audiences to streaming media. Shares of Disney rose 1.5 percent to $137 in after-hours trading. "Avengers: Endgame", the end of a decade-long superhero series with $2.2 billion in box office sales worldwide, will stream exclusively on Disney+ starting Dec. 11, the company announced. Growth at Disney parks in the United States boosted results above analyst expectations. From January to March, Disney reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.61, ahead of analyst estimates of $1.58, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Heavy investment accounted for a 13 percent drop from a year ago by that measure. Revenue rose 3 percent to $14.92 billion. Analysts had been expecting a small decline. Disney is trying to transform from a cable TV leader to a streaming media powerhouse that, like Netflix Inc, sells subscriptions directly to consumers. Costs to build digital services will weigh on profits for several years, the company has said, but the stock has risen 15% since the Disney+ announcement in April. Its biggest streaming bet, the family-oriented Disney+, is set to launch in November. The company told analysts in April that it expects Disney+ to achieve profitability in fiscal 2024. The just-ended quarter reflected the purchase of film and TV assets from 21st Century Fox, which brought Disney more content for its streaming future. For the quarter, the direct-to-consumer and international unit recorded a loss of $393 million from streaming costs. Disney also recorded a $353 million impairment charge from its ownership stake in media startup Vice. In the theme park unit, net income hit $1.5 billion as more visitors showed up at Walt Disney World in Florida and at Hong Kong Disneyland, and occupied hotel nights increased. "Increased ticket prices haven’t put visitors off, and hotels continue to be a major driver of additional spending," said Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. "It’s easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding new films ... but it’s the less glamourous Media Networks and Parks that pay the lion’s share of the bills." Overall net income jumped 85 percent, to $5.4 billion, thanks to Disney's acquisition of a controlling stake in Hulu through the Fox acquisition. Media networks, a division that includes ESPN and ABC, reported $2.2 billion in operating income for the quarter. The movie studio reported profit of $534 million, lifted by 'Captain Marvel,' which was a global hit but did not reach the level of 'Black Panther' and 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' a year earlier. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Vibhuti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Lisa Shumaker)

Disney parks lift earnings, 'Avengers: Endgame' streaming date announced

<p>`Avatar` fans will have to wait a little longer for the release of its sequel as the release date of the upcoming film has been postponed.</p>

<p>The long-awaited `Avatar 2` will now release hit the theatres on December 17, 2021, instead of December 18, 2020, reported Variety.</p>

<p>The move also means that `Avatar 3` will now release on December 22, 2023, rather than on December 17, 2021, `Avatar 4` will open on December 19, 2025, instead of December 2024 and `Avatar 5` will release on December 17, 2027.</p>

<p>The upcoming sequel is being directed by James Cameron and will introduce seven young cast members who will take a trip to Pandora.</p>

<p>The news comes as a part of a larger shift in release dates announced by Walt Disney Studios.</p>

<p>The entertainment company is moving around the debuts of various films it inherited after buying the bulk of 21st Century Fox`s film and television assets in a mega-merger.</p>

<p>Disney also announced that there will be a trio of untitled `Star Wars` films.</p>

<p>These will hit the big screens after `Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker` brings the Skywalker spinoff saga to a close this December.</p>

<p>The first of the new three films will release on December 16, 2022.</p>

<p>There will be two other follow-ups that will premiere in the Christmas corridor on December 20, 2024, and December 18, 2026.</p>


`Avatar` fans will have to wait a little longer for the release of its sequel as the release date of the upcoming film has been postponed. The long-awaited `Avatar 2` will now release hit the theatres on December 17, 2021, instead of December 18, 2020, reported Variety.

`Avatar` fans will have to wait a little longer for the release of its sequel as the release date of the upcoming film has been postponed. The long-awaited `Avatar 2` will now release hit the theatres on December 17, 2021, instead of December 18, 2020, reported Variety. The move also means that `Avatar 3` will now release on December 22, 2023, rather than on December 17, 2021, `Avatar 4` will open on December 19, 2025, instead of December 2024 and `Avatar 5` will release on December 17, 2027. The upcoming sequel is being directed by James Cameron and will introduce seven young cast members who will take a trip to Pandora. The news comes as a part of a larger shift in release dates announced by Walt Disney Studios. The entertainment company is moving around the debuts of various films it inherited after buying the bulk of 21st Century Fox`s film and television assets in a mega-merger. Disney also announced that there will be a trio of untitled `Star Wars` films. These will hit the big screens after `Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker` brings the Skywalker spinoff saga to a close this December. The first of the new three films will release on December 16, 2022. There will be two other follow-ups that will premiere in the Christmas corridor on December 20, 2024, and December 18, 2026.

Disney announces new release date for 'Avatar' sequel

<p>Following its merger with Fox, Disney on Tuesday sketched out its future plans for two of its most towering franchises -- the 'Star Wars'&nbsp;saga and 'Avatar.'</p>

<p>Three new as-yet-untitled 'Star Wars'&nbsp;films will hit the big screen every other year just before Christmas starting in 2022, the mega-studio announced.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That means that there could be a three-year wait between the December release of 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,'&nbsp;the final film in the original series begun in 1977, and the next big-screen "Star Wars" flick.</p>

<p>Several 'Star Wars'&nbsp;projects are in the works, including a trilogy by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of HBO's 'Game of Thrones,'&nbsp;and a separate trilogy by 'Last Jedi'&nbsp;director Rian Johnson.</p>

<p>A spokeswoman for Disney, contacted by AFP, did not offer additional details about the upcoming scheduled films, which will expand upon the cinematic universe created by George Lucas.</p>

<p>Disney paid $4 billion for Lucasfilm in 2012.</p>

<p>In September last year, Disney CEO Bob Iger admitted after the lacklustre performance of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story,'&nbsp;a one-off film in the franchise, that the 'Star Wars'&nbsp;release schedule was too frenetic.</p>

<p>After six films in 38 years, from 1977 to 2005, the rhythm had picked up considerably.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A total of four films came in rapid succession, from the release of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in 2015 to 'Solo' in May 2018.</p>

<p>"I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made -- I take the blame -- was a little too much, too fast," Iger told The Hollywood Reporter last year.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the studio pushed back its plans for the next films in director James Cameron's uber-successful Avatar&nbsp;franchise -- one of the biggest prizes for Disney in the Fox merger.</p>

<p>'Avatar 2'&nbsp;will come a year later than expected in December 2021, followed by 'Avatar 3'&nbsp;in 2023, 'Avatar 4'&nbsp;in 2025 and 'Avatar 5'&nbsp;in 2027.</p>

<p>'Avatar'&nbsp;remains the top-grossing film of all time, with $2.79 billion in worldwide box office sales, but superhero extravaganza 'Avengers: Endgame' is hot on its heels at $2.24 billion and rapidly climbing.</p>


Following its merger with Fox, Disney on Tuesday sketched out its future plans for two of its most towering franchises -- the 'Star Wars' saga and 'Avatar.' Three new as-yet-untitled 'Star Wars' films will hit the big screen every other year just before Christmas starting in 2022, the mega-studio announced.

Following its merger with Fox, Disney on Tuesday sketched out its future plans for two of its most towering franchises -- the 'Star Wars' saga and 'Avatar.' Three new as-yet-untitled 'Star Wars' films will hit the big screen every other year just before Christmas starting in 2022, the mega-studio announced. That means that there could be a three-year wait between the December release of 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,' the final film in the original series begun in 1977, and the next big-screen "Star Wars" flick. Several 'Star Wars' projects are in the works, including a trilogy by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of HBO's 'Game of Thrones,' and a separate trilogy by 'Last Jedi' director Rian Johnson. A spokeswoman for Disney, contacted by AFP, did not offer additional details about the upcoming scheduled films, which will expand upon the cinematic universe created by George Lucas. Disney paid $4 billion for Lucasfilm in 2012. In September last year, Disney CEO Bob Iger admitted after the lacklustre performance of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story,' a one-off film in the franchise, that the 'Star Wars' release schedule was too frenetic. After six films in 38 years, from 1977 to 2005, the rhythm had picked up considerably. A total of four films came in rapid succession, from the release of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in 2015 to 'Solo' in May 2018. "I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made -- I take the blame -- was a little too much, too fast," Iger told The Hollywood Reporter last year. Meanwhile, the studio pushed back its plans for the next films in director James Cameron's uber-successful Avatar franchise -- one of the biggest prizes for Disney in the Fox merger. 'Avatar 2' will come a year later than expected in December 2021, followed by 'Avatar 3' in 2023, 'Avatar 4' in 2025 and 'Avatar 5' in 2027. 'Avatar' remains the top-grossing film of all time, with $2.79 billion in worldwide box office sales, but superhero extravaganza 'Avengers: Endgame' is hot on its heels at $2.24 billion and rapidly climbing.

Disney sets dates for next three 'Star Wars' films from 2022

From originality to animation, here's why 'Toy Story 4' is special

<p>&nbsp;Disney India has roped in singers Badshah and Armaan Malik for the Hindi version of `Aladdin` movie.</p>

<p>While Badshah will shoulder the responsibility of creating the promotional song and video, Armaan will do the voice over for the Aladdin`s character.</p>

<p>Announcing the news, Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to his Twitter handle and wrote, 'Disney India ropes in Badshah and Armaan Malik for Hindi version #Aladdin.</p>

<p>Badshah will create a promotional song and video.</p>

<p>Armaan Malik will do the voice over for #Aladdin.</p>

<p>#Aladdin releases on 24 May 2019 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.</p>

<p>'Helmed by Guy Ritchie, `Aladdin` stars Will Smith, who plays Genie, Canadian newcomer Mena Massoud as Aladdin and British actress Naomi Scott as Jasmine.</p>

<p>The trailer of the film came out in March gave a sneak peek into the miraculous world of Aladdin, the trailer also featured glimpses of the classic song.</p>

<p>'A Whole New World,' which will be a part of the adaptation.</p>

<p>The film is set to release in China on May 24, the same day as in North America.</p>

<p>The film will be released in four languages Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.</p>


Disney India has roped in singers Badshah and Armaan Malik for the Hindi version of `Aladdin` movie. While Badshah will shoulder the responsibility of creating the promotional song and video, Armaan will do the voice over for the Aladdin`s character.

Disney India has roped in singers Badshah and Armaan Malik for the Hindi version of `Aladdin` movie. While Badshah will shoulder the responsibility of creating the promotional song and video, Armaan will do the voice over for the Aladdin`s character. Announcing the news, Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to his Twitter handle and wrote, 'Disney India ropes in Badshah and Armaan Malik for Hindi version #Aladdin. Badshah will create a promotional song and video. Armaan Malik will do the voice over for #Aladdin. #Aladdin releases on 24 May 2019 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. 'Helmed by Guy Ritchie, `Aladdin` stars Will Smith, who plays Genie, Canadian newcomer Mena Massoud as Aladdin and British actress Naomi Scott as Jasmine. The trailer of the film came out in March gave a sneak peek into the miraculous world of Aladdin, the trailer also featured glimpses of the classic song. 'A Whole New World,' which will be a part of the adaptation. The film is set to release in China on May 24, the same day as in North America. The film will be released in four languages Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.

Disney ropes in Badshah, Armaan Malik for 'Aladdin'

<p>Hulu announced Wednesday that its user base has grown to some 28 million as the streaming video platform now controlled by Walt Disney gears up to take on Netflix.</p>

<p>Hulu said it was adding new original shows including the Marvel comics based Ghost Rider and Helstrom as live-action series in 2020.</p>

<p>It will also partner with Vox Media Studios, David Chang's Majordomo Media and Chrissy Teigen's Suit &amp; Thai Productions to develop its own "food-centric programming for the platform."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hulu said it has a total of 28.1 million users, including 26.1 million paying subscribers and 1.3 million on promotional trials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The streaming platform is now controlled by Disney, which has a 60 per cent stake with its deal for media assets of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Disney is believed to be in talks with Comcast, which holds 30 per cent of Hulu. AT&amp;T has said it will cede its 10 per cent stake back to the platform in a deal that set the value of Hulu at some $15 billion.</p>

<p>Hulu's US user base trails Netflix, which has some 60 million US subscribers, but it has grown faster than its larger rival so far in 2019. Unlike Netflix, it offers a variety of plans that include ad-supported subscriptions.</p>

<p>"In today's direct-to-consumer world, viewers are demanding better when it comes to TV -- from the user experience to their content choices to the advertising," said Hulu chief executive Randy Freer.</p>

<p>"Hulu's continued growth, as well as the shows and initiatives announced today, reflect our deep investment in product, programming, brand, customer experience and business strategy to ensure that with Hulu, consumers can connect with the stories they love, at the right time and price, on any device."</p>

<p>Hulu, known for 'The Handmaid's Tale'&nbsp;and the upcoming 'The Great,'&nbsp;based on the life of Catherine the Great and starring Elle Fanning, is expected to play a role in Disney's strategy as it shifts to the new media landscape.</p>

<p>The media-entertainment firm, the largest of the Hollywood giants, is launching its Disney+ streaming service, which is expected to offer more family and children's content while allowing for separate or bundled subscriptions with Hulu and the ESPN+ sports streaming service.</p>


Hulu announced Wednesday that its user base has grown to some 28 million as the streaming video platform now controlled by Walt Disney gears up to take on Netflix.

Hulu announced Wednesday that its user base has grown to some 28 million as the streaming video platform now controlled by Walt Disney gears up to take on Netflix. Hulu said it was adding new original shows including the Marvel comics based Ghost Rider and Helstrom as live-action series in 2020. It will also partner with Vox Media Studios, David Chang's Majordomo Media and Chrissy Teigen's Suit & Thai Productions to develop its own "food-centric programming for the platform." Hulu said it has a total of 28.1 million users, including 26.1 million paying subscribers and 1.3 million on promotional trials. The streaming platform is now controlled by Disney, which has a 60 per cent stake with its deal for media assets of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. Disney is believed to be in talks with Comcast, which holds 30 per cent of Hulu. AT&T has said it will cede its 10 per cent stake back to the platform in a deal that set the value of Hulu at some $15 billion. Hulu's US user base trails Netflix, which has some 60 million US subscribers, but it has grown faster than its larger rival so far in 2019. Unlike Netflix, it offers a variety of plans that include ad-supported subscriptions. "In today's direct-to-consumer world, viewers are demanding better when it comes to TV -- from the user experience to their content choices to the advertising," said Hulu chief executive Randy Freer. "Hulu's continued growth, as well as the shows and initiatives announced today, reflect our deep investment in product, programming, brand, customer experience and business strategy to ensure that with Hulu, consumers can connect with the stories they love, at the right time and price, on any device." Hulu, known for 'The Handmaid's Tale' and the upcoming 'The Great,' based on the life of Catherine the Great and starring Elle Fanning, is expected to play a role in Disney's strategy as it shifts to the new media landscape. The media-entertainment firm, the largest of the Hollywood giants, is launching its Disney+ streaming service, which is expected to offer more family and children's content while allowing for separate or bundled subscriptions with Hulu and the ESPN+ sports streaming service.

Hulu reports growing user base, new shows, with Disney in control

<p>Natalie Portman is now heading to Disney’s streaming platform with a film on dolphins.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The actress will be narrating a movie from the Disneynature label called ‘Dolphin Reef’. According to THR, the film is about a young dolphin named Echo who “can’t quite decide if it’s time to grow up and take on new responsibilities” or if he should enjoy “the many adventures the ocean has to offer.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film is a documentary or fiction, we will know only once we see the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, there were some reports that Natalie might appear in Marvel’s latest offering, ‘Avengers: Endgame’. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/avengers-endgame-review-the-greatest-reunion-ever-213617">Read the film’s review here.&nbsp;</a>This was post she was seen at the the world premiere of the film in Los Angeles. The film released worldwide today while it made it to China, Australia and UAE, two days before.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Natalie Portman is now heading to Disney’s streaming platform with a film on dolphins. The actress will be narrating a movie from the Disneynature label called ‘Dolphin Reef’.

Natalie Portman is now heading to Disney’s streaming platform with a film on dolphins. The actress will be narrating a movie from the Disneynature label called ‘Dolphin Reef’. According to THR, the film is about a young dolphin named Echo who “can’t quite decide if it’s time to grow up and take on new responsibilities” or if he should enjoy “the many adventures the ocean has to offer.” The film is a documentary or fiction, we will know only once we see the film. Meanwhile, there were some reports that Natalie might appear in Marvel’s latest offering, ‘Avengers: Endgame’. Read the film’s review here. This was post she was seen at the the world premiere of the film in Los Angeles. The film released worldwide today while it made it to China, Australia and UAE, two days before.

Natalie Portman to voice film for Disney's streaming platform, 'Dolphin Reef'

<p>The final chapter in a decade-long superhero saga and the remake of a big-screen classic could topple box-office records, during a summer movie season expected to be dominated by Walt Disney Co.</p>

<p>'Avengers: Endgame'&nbsp;from Disney's Marvel Studios kicked off Hollywood's parade of potential blockbusters on Wednesday. Ticket sales in China hit $107.2 million, the highest opening-day total in the country's history.</p>

<p>Industry experts say 'Endgame'&nbsp;will likely deliver the biggest opening weekend ever in the United States and Canada, where it opens on Thursday night.</p>

<p>Then in July, a new version of Disney hit 'The Lion King'&nbsp;has a shot at dethroning 'Avatar'&nbsp;as the highest-grossing film in Hollywood history, according to box office analysts.</p>

<p>Those movies and others are giving theater owners hope for a turnaround, after a sluggish start to 2019. Ticket sales so far are running 16 per cent below last year's bonanza, data from measurement company Comscore showed.</p>

<p>Studios used to reserve their big-budget films for summer, making it Hollywood's most lucrative season, but now spread them throughout the year.</p>

<p>"I counted over 30 huge movies coming out this year," said Adam Aron, chief executive of AMC Entertainment, the world's largest theatre operator. Aron said he now considers summer film season to be "March 1 to December 31."</p>

<p>Possible heavy hitters include 'Detective Pikachu'&nbsp;and 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters'&nbsp;from AT&amp;T Inc's Warner Bros, 'The Secret Life of Pets 2'&nbsp;from Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures, and Sony Corp's 'Spider-Man: Far from Home.'</p>

<p>But Disney's lineup is seen as the most formidable. The company's other 2019 releases include 'Toy Story 4,'&nbsp;a remake of 'Aladdin,'&nbsp;'Frozen 2'&nbsp;and 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.'</p>

<p>"Disney has probably the strongest film slate in the history of the industry this year," Cowen &amp; Co analyst Doug Creutz said.</p>

<p>The new 'Lion King'&nbsp;tells the well-known story of the plucky cub Simba through computer-generated imagery designed to look like live action. A trailer released at Thanksgiving generated 224.6 million views within 24 hours, a Disney record.</p>

<p>Even so, it will not be easy for the king of the jungle to reach the top of the box office mountain. 'Avatar'&nbsp;grossed $2.8 billion after its 2009 release and is one of only four movies ever to cross $2 billion.</p>

<p>'Lion King'&nbsp;boosters noted the original film hauled in $968.5 million way back in 1994, with lower ticket prices. This time, it will play in a booming Chinese movie market that has grown to the world's second-largest, positioning it to take in far more than the original's $5 million in the country.</p>

<p>Plus, the story of Simba's challenges and triumphs has wide appeal.</p>

<p>"That is a movie that will travel very, very well," said Vue International cinemas CEO Tim Richards. "It has common themes that hit a chord with all of our audiences internationally. It's for all ages."</p>

<p>'Endgame,'&nbsp;the culmination of 22 Marvel films since 2007, has generated huge buzz. Website Fandango said 'Endgame'&nbsp;sold five times as many tickets as last year's 'Avengers: Infinity War'&nbsp;over its first seven days of advance U.S. sales. Theatres were adding show times to meet demand.</p>

<p>'Infinity War'&nbsp;holds the current opening weekend record, generating $257.7 million domestically over its first three days. The movie ended with an epic cliffhanger that will lure fans back to theatres in droves for 'Endgame,'&nbsp;said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.</p>

<p>He predicts between $250 million and $275 million for 'Endgame,'&nbsp;which wraps up the story started by Iron Man, Thor and four other Avengers.</p>

<p>"I don't see how anticipation could be any higher," Dergarabedian said. "Audiences have developed an ongoing relationship with these characters and these stories. It's a must-see movie."</p>


The final chapter in a decade-long superhero saga and the remake of a big-screen classic could topple box-office records, during a summer movie season expected to be dominated by Walt Disney Co.

The final chapter in a decade-long superhero saga and the remake of a big-screen classic could topple box-office records, during a summer movie season expected to be dominated by Walt Disney Co. 'Avengers: Endgame' from Disney's Marvel Studios kicked off Hollywood's parade of potential blockbusters on Wednesday. Ticket sales in China hit $107.2 million, the highest opening-day total in the country's history. Industry experts say 'Endgame' will likely deliver the biggest opening weekend ever in the United States and Canada, where it opens on Thursday night. Then in July, a new version of Disney hit 'The Lion King' has a shot at dethroning 'Avatar' as the highest-grossing film in Hollywood history, according to box office analysts. Those movies and others are giving theater owners hope for a turnaround, after a sluggish start to 2019. Ticket sales so far are running 16 per cent below last year's bonanza, data from measurement company Comscore showed. Studios used to reserve their big-budget films for summer, making it Hollywood's most lucrative season, but now spread them throughout the year. "I counted over 30 huge movies coming out this year," said Adam Aron, chief executive of AMC Entertainment, the world's largest theatre operator. Aron said he now considers summer film season to be "March 1 to December 31." Possible heavy hitters include 'Detective Pikachu' and 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters' from AT&T Inc's Warner Bros, 'The Secret Life of Pets 2' from Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures, and Sony Corp's 'Spider-Man: Far from Home.' But Disney's lineup is seen as the most formidable. The company's other 2019 releases include 'Toy Story 4,' a remake of 'Aladdin,' 'Frozen 2' and 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.' "Disney has probably the strongest film slate in the history of the industry this year," Cowen & Co analyst Doug Creutz said. The new 'Lion King' tells the well-known story of the plucky cub Simba through computer-generated imagery designed to look like live action. A trailer released at Thanksgiving generated 224.6 million views within 24 hours, a Disney record. Even so, it will not be easy for the king of the jungle to reach the top of the box office mountain. 'Avatar' grossed $2.8 billion after its 2009 release and is one of only four movies ever to cross $2 billion. 'Lion King' boosters noted the original film hauled in $968.5 million way back in 1994, with lower ticket prices. This time, it will play in a booming Chinese movie market that has grown to the world's second-largest, positioning it to take in far more than the original's $5 million in the country. Plus, the story of Simba's challenges and triumphs has wide appeal. "That is a movie that will travel very, very well," said Vue International cinemas CEO Tim Richards. "It has common themes that hit a chord with all of our audiences internationally. It's for all ages." 'Endgame,' the culmination of 22 Marvel films since 2007, has generated huge buzz. Website Fandango said 'Endgame' sold five times as many tickets as last year's 'Avengers: Infinity War' over its first seven days of advance U.S. sales. Theatres were adding show times to meet demand. 'Infinity War' holds the current opening weekend record, generating $257.7 million domestically over its first three days. The movie ended with an epic cliffhanger that will lure fans back to theatres in droves for 'Endgame,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. He predicts between $250 million and $275 million for 'Endgame,' which wraps up the story started by Iron Man, Thor and four other Avengers. "I don't see how anticipation could be any higher," Dergarabedian said. "Audiences have developed an ongoing relationship with these characters and these stories. It's a must-see movie."

'Avengers: Endgame' and 'The Lion King' may set movie records for Disney this summer

<p>Disney's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ahead-of-disneys-streaming-platform-launch-netflix-drops-marvels-daredevil-180413">video streaming service </a>will launch in the US in November, spotlighting its blockbuster-making studios as it takes on powerhouse Netflix.</p>

<p>Disney said that after launching in the US on November 12 at a starting price of $6.99 monthly, Disney+ will gradually expand internationally with a start in Europe.</p>

<p>Disney's service will offer its films and TV shows, along with the library it acquired from Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. That includes the "Star Wars" and Marvel superhero franchises and ABC television content.</p>

<p>Details about Disney+ were shared by executives at an annual investor day, where chief executive Bob Iger said the streaming service would combine strengths of Disney and the assets acquired from Fox.</p>

<p>"The Disney+ platform is being built on that foundation; one that no other content or technology company can rival," Iger said.</p>

<p>"We knew the best approach to the market was to create great content and distribute it in innovative ways. It is that simple."</p>

<p>Disney+ will combine offerings from powerhouse brands including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars with content from Hulu and sports network ESPN.</p>

<p>Disney stressed plans to use its coveted content, and original creations to come, to differentiate itself in the increasingly competitive streaming television market.</p>

<p>"I strongly believe Disney will not become a threat to Netflix whatsoever," said an analyst and Transpire Ventures partner John Meyer.</p>

<p>"Netflix now knows what people want more than anybody."</p>

<p>Some of the biggest names in media and tech world are gearing up to move into streaming, in what could be a major challenge to market leader Netflix.</p>

<p>With Hollywood stars galore, Apple last month unveiled its streaming video plans along with news and game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales.</p>

<p>The Apple TV+ service, an on-demand, ad-free subscription service, will launch this year in 100 countries, the company said.</p>

<p>"We believe deeply in the power of creativity," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said.</p>

<p>"Great stories can change the world. We feel we can contribute something important to our culture and to our society through great storytelling."</p>

<p>This year is expected to see the launch of a streaming television service from WarnerMedia, the newly acquired media-entertainment division of AT&amp;T.</p>

<p>The new entrants, with more expected, could launch a formidable challenge to Netflix, which has some 140 million paid subscribers in 190 markets, and to other services such as Amazon and Hulu.</p>

<p>Netflix is likely to feel pain, not only from the new rivals, but also from the loss of content from the big libraries of Disney and Time Warner.</p>


Disney's video streaming service will launch in the US in November, spotlighting its blockbuster-making studios as it takes on powerhouse Netflix. Disney said that after launching in the US on November 12 at a starting price of $6.

Disney's video streaming service will launch in the US in November, spotlighting its blockbuster-making studios as it takes on powerhouse Netflix. Disney said that after launching in the US on November 12 at a starting price of $6.99 monthly, Disney+ will gradually expand internationally with a start in Europe. Disney's service will offer its films and TV shows, along with the library it acquired from Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. That includes the "Star Wars" and Marvel superhero franchises and ABC television content. Details about Disney+ were shared by executives at an annual investor day, where chief executive Bob Iger said the streaming service would combine strengths of Disney and the assets acquired from Fox. "The Disney+ platform is being built on that foundation; one that no other content or technology company can rival," Iger said. "We knew the best approach to the market was to create great content and distribute it in innovative ways. It is that simple." Disney+ will combine offerings from powerhouse brands including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars with content from Hulu and sports network ESPN. Disney stressed plans to use its coveted content, and original creations to come, to differentiate itself in the increasingly competitive streaming television market. "I strongly believe Disney will not become a threat to Netflix whatsoever," said an analyst and Transpire Ventures partner John Meyer. "Netflix now knows what people want more than anybody." Some of the biggest names in media and tech world are gearing up to move into streaming, in what could be a major challenge to market leader Netflix. With Hollywood stars galore, Apple last month unveiled its streaming video plans along with news and game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales. The Apple TV+ service, an on-demand, ad-free subscription service, will launch this year in 100 countries, the company said. "We believe deeply in the power of creativity," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said. "Great stories can change the world. We feel we can contribute something important to our culture and to our society through great storytelling." This year is expected to see the launch of a streaming television service from WarnerMedia, the newly acquired media-entertainment division of AT&T. The new entrants, with more expected, could launch a formidable challenge to Netflix, which has some 140 million paid subscribers in 190 markets, and to other services such as Amazon and Hulu. Netflix is likely to feel pain, not only from the new rivals, but also from the loss of content from the big libraries of Disney and Time Warner.

Disney+ streaming service sets November launch

Bautista: Disney quickly realised firing 'Guardians' director 'a bad call'

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