Disney+ Series Caused Behind The Scenes Screaming Matches

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Via DisDining.com

In 2017, Disney released a live-action remake of the incredibly popular 1991 film, Beauty and the Beast. The film starred Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans as Gaston, and Josh Gad as LeFou. The film was nearly a shot-for-shot remake, and audiences couldn’t get enough. They loved seeing some of their favorite characters brought to life once again.

Beauty and the Beast was so successful that, in 2020, at Disney Investor Day, the company announced that they were actively working on a prequel series that was bound for Disney+. The series would focus on the life of Gaston and LeFou before they met Belle in the provincial town they all lived in. Details were minimum at the time, but over the years, a lot more information was given.

Both Luke Evans and Josh Gad were set to return to their roles of Gaston and LeFou. Alan Menken — the original composer for both the animated and live-action films — was also going to return. We also learned that a brand-new character would be introduced into the world of Beauty and the Beast. A young girl named Tilly — LeFou’s stepsister — would be a part of the story. She would be the reason Gaston and LeFou set off on a big adventure.

Beauty and the Beast

Things seemed to be on a roll — production start dates were announced, casting was nearly complete, and a show title — Little Town — was even announced. Then it all came to a grinding halt. The Hollywood Reporter published an article that said, due to things being pushed back because of the pandemic, scheduling conflicts had arisen. The show was being put on indefinite hold.

Josh Gad confirmed Disney’s decision in a disappointed tweet.

Even though everyone was shocked to hear that the highly-anticipated show was not going to happen, things behind the scenes were less than optimal. According to a new report from Puck, the studio did not like the second or third scripts submitted by Gad and series creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz — the same men responsible for the hit ABC series Once Upon a Time. The studio was also reportedly not happy with the music being created by Alan Menken.

Alan Menken

Things were apparently so rocky that there were actual screaming matches that happened. According to Puck:

Sets were being built in London, the cast had been secured, and Disney’s film group had already pushed Gad’s start date on the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel to accommodate Beauty. So Peter Rice, who oversees the Disney Branded Television unit charged with exploiting its I.P., and Dana Walden, whose purview includes the ABC Signature studio, were forced to either swallow a chunk of money now or risk wasting a lot more on a potentially inferior product that would generate negative headlines because of the Beauty legacy. Making that call is their job, even if the creators were super upset (lots of screaming matches behind the scenes on this one, I’m told, especially since this trio’s other Disney+ TV project, based on the Muppets, was also scrapped in 2019). At least Gad and co-star Luke Evans are pay-or-play, according to sources, meaning they are owed for six guaranteed episodes, a rarity in TV.

Beauty and the Beast

While Little Town may have fallen through, Disney fans can look forward to seeing Gad portray Nick Szalinski in the new Disney series, Shrunk. In the series, Gad will play Wayne Szalinski’s now-grown son, Nick. Nick is following in his father’s scientific footsteps as he grieves the death of his mother, Diane. The series is also set to see the return of veteran actor, Rick Moranis. Moranis has been out of the spotlight for years but will return to reprise the role of Wayne Szalinski.

Melissa McCarthy Was Shocked She Got Ursula Role Instead of Lizzo

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+, Uncategorized

Via DisDining.com

All the way back in 2016, Disney announced that they were developing a live-action remake of the classic film, The Little Mermaid. The remake was just one of many remakes Disney was going to remake. Disney has also remade Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon, The Lion King, and Mulan, among others.

Details on The Little Mermaid were scant, but over time, it was announced that Halle Bailey would be playing the titular sea creature. Javier Bardem was also announced for the role of the sea king, King Triton. Hamilton star Daveed Diggs was given the role of Sebastian and comedian Awkwafina will be playing Ariel’s friend Scuttle.

Little Mermaid casting

Also cast in the new movie is veteran comedic actress Melissa McCarthy — who will play the sea witch Ursula. Some were surprised to see McCarthy cast in a musical role, considering she has never been in a musical. One of those who was surprised — and slightly disappointed — was superstar singer Lizzo. Lizzo had expressed interest in the past for The Little Mermaid role.

The songstress even shared a video of herself dressed as Ursula and singing the song “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.

Lizzo recently spoke to Variety and shared that she had actually run into Melissa McCarthy and told her that she had auditioned for the role McCarthy ended up getting. Per Variety:

Lizzo ended up running into McCarthy during the taping of Adele’s “One Night Only” CBS concert special in Los Angeles, and the two women bonded over their shared Ursula history.

“She was like, ‘Hi, I’m Melissa,’” Lizzo said. “And I was like, ‘Hi, I’m Melissa. And I also auditioned for Ursula.’ And she was like, ‘Well, why the hell did I get the part?,’ which is a classic Melissa McCarthy thing to say. And then I was like, ‘Girl, because my audition was terrible.’ And I say that as Tyler Perry walks by. And I was like — ruined my chances there. And then she goes, ‘This is my daughter Vivian.’ And I’m like, ‘Get out of here, because my name is Melissa Viviane.’ We were looking at each other like, ‘What the hell is going on?’”

Melissa McCarthy

After a series of delays due to COVID, filming has wrapped on the live-action film, and it is currently in post-production. Disney has announced that the film will be released on Memorial Day weekend, hitting theaters on May 26, 2023. Even though the film is being released later than originally expected, Bailey has assured fans that it is worth the wait.

Disney Is Back In Cahoots With ‘Mandalorian’ Star Gina Carano

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Actress Gina Carano — who formerly played New Republic Marshal Cara Dune on  Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s hit Star Wars series, The Mandalorian — has faced more than her share of online drama due to her controversial Tweets throughout the airing of The Mandalorian Season 2.

Before Carano was fired by Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company in Febraury 2021, hashtags like #FireGinaCarano, #WeLoveCaraDune, and #IStandWithGinaCarano alternately trended on social media.

Carano has been vocal about her distaste for Disney and Lucasfilm, publicly stating that she was “bullied” by the powers-that-be and sharing that her new project, Western movie Terror on the Prairie with Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire, will “take down the Death Star”.

the mandalorian season 2 mission to morak (l-r) bill burr as migs mayfeld, gina carano as cara dune, ming-na wen as fennec shand, pedro pascal as din djarin, and temuera morrison as boba fett

Despite the controversy surrounding the actress — and Lucasfilm’s insistence that they have no plans to bring her back to the Star Wars franchise — there have been rumors that the actress will return for The Mandalorian Season 4, thanks to support from Favreau, Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin), Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan Kryze), Ming-Na Wen (Fennec Shand), Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), and Carl Weathers (Greef Karga).

Now, in a strange turn of events, Disney is actually back in cahoots with Carano and her family thanks to the company’s deal with Casear’s Entertainment.

bryce dallas howard (left) and gina carano (right) on mandalorian set

Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that “ESPN is seeking to license its brand to major sports-betting companies for at least $3 billion over several years.” Caesar’s Entertainment, Inc. and online sports betting giant DraftKings were both involved in the conversation.

gina-carano-at-galaxys-edge

Previously, in 2019, Disney-owned ESPN signed a long-term marketing deal with Caesar’s:

ESPN has announced a wide-ranging deal with Caesars Entertainment that includes the addition of a new ESPN-branded studio at the LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where sports-betting-themed content will be created, along with segments for Daily Wager, ESPN’s recently launched sports-betting-related show.

The studio (launching in 2020) will serve as a Vegas home for odds-related content across ESPN platforms. Caesars will also serve as ESPN’s official odds data supplier across TV and digital, receiving associated attribution across ESPN platforms.

espn the daily wager

This is where the Carano family comes in. Gina, a former women’s MMA and Muay Thai fighter, and her father, Glenn, an ex-NFL backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, both have deep ties to sports. But, what many don’t realize is that the Carano family is actually deeply invested (literally) in the casino industry.

Per The Hollywood Reporter:

Howard Stutz, executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports, tells THR that the Carano family is “deeply rooted” in North Nevada. Gina’s grandfather, Don Carano, founded Eldorado Resorts in the 1970s as well as the McDonald Carano law firm in Nevada, and the Ferrari Carano Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg, California…

…“[Don’s] sons took over Eldorado Resorts, and they grew it into an amazing gaming company,” Stutz continues of the empire that expanded greatly in July 2020 (three years after Don Carano’s death) when Caesars Entertainment announced that it had completed a merger between Caesars Entertainment Corporation and Eldorado, creating the largest casino and entertainment company in the United States with 55 properties worldwide including eight on the Las Vegas Strip.

fennec shand cara dune mandalorian the believer

This means that, thanks to The Walt Disney Company’s ongoing deal with Caesar’s Entertainment, Gina Carano and her family never really left the Disney fold. What this could mean for the Deadpool actress’s future in the Star Wars universe is anyone’s guess, but the possibilities are certainly intriguing.

Fired Actor Files Lawsuit Against Disney Over Vaccine Mandate

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+, Uncategorized

When Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, the company not only gained the rights to Fox’s film library, it also became the owner of a number of successful television shows. One of those shows was 9-1-1, which has been on the air since 2018. One of the show’s main characters was Michael Grant, played by Rockmond Dunbar. Dunbar had been on 9-1-1 since its premiere, and fans were shocked when it was announced that the actor would be leaving the series at the end of the fifth season.

When the COVID-19 vaccine became widely available, many companies began instituting mandatory vaccination policies. One of those companies was The Walt Disney Company. Dunbar requested a medical exemption, so he did not have to get the vaccine, which was denied. He then applied for a religious exemption, which Disney denied yet again. Dunbar continued to refuse the vaccine, and Disney promptly ended his contract.

Rockmond Dunbar

Dunbar has now filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company. Dunbar claims that he is a member of the Church of Universal Wisdom, in which its members do not believe in injecting any man-made substances into the body. According to Dunbar’s lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court, and reported by Deadline:

“In retaliation, Defendants summarily terminated Mr. Dunbar’s employment agreement, and refused to pay him the hundreds of thousands of dollars that are still owed to him,” the lawsuit, which references a Deadline article numerous times, reads. “Then, wanting to make an example out of Mr. Dunbar, he believes that Defendants wrongfully leaked negative information to the media about his departure from ‘9-1-1’ including that he sought both religious and medical exemptions that were denied. Defendants deliberately made it sound like Mr. Dunbar was a recalcitrant anti-vaxxer, rather than present the truth – that like millions of other Americans, he is a sincere adherent to a non-mainstream religious belief that prevents him from being vaccinated.”

“On information and belief, Disney has a history of racial discrimination, and Mr. Dunbar was subjected to disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination on the basis of his race,” the 45-page filing reads. “On information and belief, non-minority employees similarly situated were not subject to termination when they refused the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Rockmond Dunbar

Dunbar is seeking $1.3 million in damages from Disney. Disney did not comment on the litigation in particular, but did issue the following response:

We take the health and safety of all of our employees very seriously, and have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on our productions. In order to ensure a safer workplace for all, Zone A personnel who do not confirm their vaccination status and do not meet the criteria for exemption will not be eligible to work.”

Dunbar is not the first Disney actor to leave amidst vaccination requirements. Recently, it was announced that Emilio Estevez would not be returning to season two of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, although the actor has said that he is not anti-vax and his departure was merely due to creative differences.

Emilio Estevez Coach Bombay

Disney has also reportedly had issues with Letitia Wright, star of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While James is not required to be vaccinated because the film was in production before the mandate went into place, rumors were swirling that she was vocal about her anti-vaccination beliefs on set. The actress has denied those claims.

Disney CEO Confirms ‘Encanto’ Will Be an Entire Franchise

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek has hinted at the future of the mega-popular Encanto (2021) characters, indicating that the hit movie will become an entire franchise.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios film premiered in theaters on November 24, 2021. After a relatively unimpressive 30-day theatrical run, Encanto has exploded on Disney’s streaming platform. It’s Lin-Manuel Miranda soundtrack is now even officially more popular than the hit Frozen (2013) score, which featured hits like Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go” and “For the First Time In Forever.”

Felix (L) and Pepa (R) in 'Encanto'

One Encanto song in particular — “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — has skyrocketed up the charts. And, as it turns out, composer Miranda (Hamilton, Moana, Mary Poppins Returns) had such a hunch about the tune’s popularity that he had an “NDA for toddlers” with his sons.

Mirabel (L) and Abuela Alma (R) in 'Encanto'

During last week’s first-quarter Walt Disney Company earnings call, Chapek confirmed that the company has launched an entirely new franchise with Encanto:

“We’ve had a very strong start to the fiscal year, with a significant rise in earnings per share, record revenue and operating income at our domestic parks and resorts, the launch of a new franchise with Encanto, and a significant increase in total subscriptions across our streaming portfolio to 196.4 million, including 11.8 million Disney+ subscribers added in the first quarter…”

encanto antonio

As for where the franchise might go in the future, the options are nearly endless.

From a potential sequel film in the vein of Frozen II (2019) to Disney+ Original series like Moana and Princess Tiana are both getting to more toys and merchandise — which are already flying off the shelves, with the Magical Casa Madrigal Play Set sold out everywhere — to, perhaps, even a Broadway show, Encanto‘s popularity will undoubtedly continue to rise.

Mirabel (L) and Bruno (R) in 'Encanto'

Miranda, in fact, recently spoke to E! News about his desire to see the popular movie come to the stage:

“I think it weirdly lends itself well. They don’t always, you know? Like, I can’t picture a Moana Broadway musical. I don’t know how you’d do the ocean. My first draft of the last song in the movie, ‘All of You,’ was like seven minutes long. It was so late in production that they were like, ‘Lin, we won’t make the movie in time. You actually have to cut this down.’ So I’ve got the Broadway finale like in the chamber.”