Disney just made a huge announcement about Bluey, the beloved children’s show that has taken children’s programming to a whole new level.
Bluey fans are apparently some of the most patient people on earth. After all, they’ve been waiting for what seems like forever for new episodes of the fan-favorite children’s program about the Heeler family–Bluey, her sister Bingo, and her parents Chilli and Bandit–to arrive. And whether it’s Disney or the Australian production team responsible for generating new episodes of the series, the powers-that-be have heard fans’ pleas for new episodes, and they have answered.
In an official press release on Wednesday, Disney announced that ten new episodes of Bluey will make their way to Disney Junior and Disney Channel beginning on November 6. One ten-minute episode will premiere on the channels each weekday through Friday, November 17–each time at 7:30 a.m. EST. Encores will be part of programming throughout the day.
To clarify, the press release from Disney is not announcing brand-new, never-before-seen episodes of Bluey. Instead, the ten episodes that will premiere on Disney Junior and Disney Channel are those that were released over the summer, so Disney+ subscribers have likely seen these episodes. The debut refers to the episodes’ debut on Disney television–on Disney Junior and the Disney Channel.
The addition of the ten episodes to Disney television means that the offerings will be a part of the rotating line-up of Bluey episodes, and fans can watch the episodes on live television whenever they air.
The additional episodes batch is referred to as Season 3B, as it’s the second group of episodes from the third season of the show. The newest batch includes two episodes of Bluey that feature celebrity cameos and a few episodes that are quite emotional in nature–and might just hit some adult fans with all the feels. And, of course, the episodes will feature the usual antics and silliness fans have come to expect from–and love about–the Heeler family and their friends.
Though this news is a bit disappointing for Bluey fans who’ve already seen the episodes, there’s still good news. Truly new episodes from the third season of the show will debut on Disney+, on Disney Junior, and on Disney Channel in 2024. As of the time of this post, there are still ten episodes that have only aired in their native Australia, as well as three episodes that haven’t been seen by any Bluey fans.
Disney’s new “Once Upon a Studio” short film is now streaming on Disney+. The short originally debuted at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and then on ABC on October 15.
It uses a mix of 2D and 3D animation, on top of live-action footage to bring together dozens of Disney characters. Disney brought back more than 40 voice actors to reprise their roles, plus pulled audio from the archives to use dialogue from actors who have passed, like Robin Williams as the Genie.
The film takes place at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building, beginning when employees leave for the day — including Disney Legend Burny Mattinson. Mattinson filmed the sequence in August 2022, and sadly passed away in February 2023 at the age of 87 and the short is dedicated to him. He was the longest serving Cast Member in the history of The Walt Disney Company and would have received a 70th anniversary service award (the first ever) this year.
Dan Abraham, co-writer and director of “Once Upon a Studio” said in a recent press release that Mattinson loved being included in the film. “When I storyboarded this, in the very first frame, I drew, ‘Burny Mattinson walks out of the door with a young intern.’ And that was all about handing the baton on to the next generation. He was in the storyboards for months and months before Burny even knew he was in them. When Once Upon a Studio was greenlit, we went to Burny and asked him, ‘How would you feel about being part of this?’ And he was really, really into it! I don’t think he had done any on-camera work up until that point. But Burny is an animator and a story artist, so he’s an actor with a pencil; he has been his entire life. When he delivers his line—’If these walls could talk…’—there is a sparkle in his eye. It is just undeniable the things that Burny has seen in his 70 years at the company: Walt Disney, the death of Walt Disney, the emergence of computer animation, all the different people who were in charge throughout the decades. And he just rolled with it all.”
Clark Spencer, President of Disney Animation, said of Mattinson, “For 70 years, Burny was such an important part of this studio. His career spans everything from working in the mailroom to being an animator and story artist to directing feature films to being the best mentor anyone could ever ask for. His smile lit up the Studio, and the joy he brought to every room was infectious. Simply stated, his influence on the people and the films of Disney Animation was extraordinary. For those of us who had the honor to work with him, he inspired us to truly be the best that we could be.”
In the short, after Mattinson and the other employees leave, the animated characters of the studio come to life to take a 100th anniversary photo. Of course, Mickey and Minnie are heavily featured, but they’re also joined by beloved characters like Mirabel from “Encanto,” Anna and Elsa, the Three Little Pigs, Milo Thatch from “Atlantis,” Hades, Baymax, Merlin from “The Sword in the Stone,” Winnie the Pooh and friends, Cinderella and Prince Charming, and many more.
Watch the trailer for “Once Upon a Studio” below.
“Once Upon a Studio” is also set to play in front of “Wish” when the movie opens in theaters on November 22. The main character of “Wish,” Asha, appears briefly in the short film.
Marvel Studios will re-release “Werewolf by Night” in color on Disney+ next week. The “Special Presentation” debuted last Halloween season.
“Werewolf by Night” was originally in black and white, being inspired by classic horror films of the 1930s and ’40s. It will be available in color beginning on October 20, 2023. Watch the new trailer below.
“Werewolf by Night” is directed by Michael Giacchino from a teleplay by Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron. It stars Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell, Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone, and Harriet Sansom Harris as Verussa Bloodstone.
After the special’s premiere, “Director by Night,” a documentary about Giacchino’s direction, was released.
Marvel has indicated they want to dig into the darker side of the MCU with more projects like “Werewolf by Night.” No characters from the special have appeared in the MCU again and Marvel hasn’t announced a “Werewolf by Night” follow-up, but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said it introduced “a world that will ultimately become quite important to the future of the MCU.” (via Collider)
Season 2 of the Disney Parks “Behind the Attraction” series is coming to Disney+ this November.
The whole season will be available starting November 1.
Behind the Attraction: Season 2
Attractions featured will include:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Indiana Jones Adventure
Other episodes will focus on Nighttime Spectaculars, Food, and EPCOT.
The official episode descriptions read:
Pirates of the Caribbean
It’s a pirate’s life for everybody aboard Pirates of the Caribbean! Walt Disney loved adventure stories, especially ones that featured swashbuckling pirates. That inspiration led to one of the most beloved attractions in Disney history. Initially conceived as a wax museum, technological advances convinced Walt that a more sophisticated attraction could be created using state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronics figures. The classic version in Anaheim proved so successful it spawned a hit movie franchise and iterations in Disney parks around the world, including the cutting edge reimagining at Shanghai Disneyland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Step aboard the wildest ride in the wilderness! Based on a concept by Disney Legend Marc Davis, Imagineer Tony Baxter reimagined this mountainous thrill ride that is sure to float your goat! Inspired by the American West, this attraction has spread around the world. The version at Disneyland Paris is on an island and is connected to Phantom Manor, while the ones at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park are inverted versions of each other on opposite coasts. Hong Kong Disneyland Park even boasts a sister attraction – Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has it all – runaway trains, mining town Rainbow Ridge, disturbed spirits, and spinning possums! Rumor has it there’s even a secret goat trick…
Indiana Jones Adventure
Crack the whip and join Indiana Jones on the adventure of a lifetime – just beware of the snakes! Following the success of Star Tours, Michael Eisner and Frank Wells thought it was time to have George Lucas bring another cinematic hero to the Disney parks. With action sequences in every Indiana Jones movie that seemed like blueprints for exciting attractions, the choice was obvious. Indy is everywhere in the parks, from a live action stunt show, to Disney’s first inversion roller coaster at Disneyland Paris, to the thrilling Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park that proved so popular another one was built at Tokyo DisneySea. These attractions are so good, they belong in a museum!
EPCOT
Where can you both glimpse the future and travel the world without leaving Florida? At the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, where the impossible becomes possible! When it opened in 1982 at Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT was the biggest Disney park yet. At its heart stands the astounding architectural achievement that is Spaceship Earth. Arrayed around the lagoon, World Showcase features pavilions that celebrate nations from around the world. Some even host attractions, like Norway’s Frozen Ever After and France’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in the World Discovery neighborhood. As long as there is imagination left in the world, EPCOT will never be complete.
The Food
Churros, DOLE Whip, turkey legs, and more… Discover the stories behind these tasty treats! Walt knew food was crucial to the park going experience. From walk-around snacks to themed dining experiences like the piratical Blue Bayou Restaurant, there’s something for everyone. Learn how the churro debuted at a Disneyland teen nightclub, how the Central Bakery makes all of Disneyland’s sweets, and what goes on at the secretive Flavor Lab at Walt Disney World. What’s the Flavor Lab? That would be telling! Globally, explore how Disneyland Paris puts their twist on Walt’s favorites, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort creates character-shaped dim sum, and Tokyo Disneyland reimagines popcorn, to name a few. Food keeps the story going beyond the attractions!
Nighttime Spectaculars
The magic continues after dark with Disney Parks’ nighttime spectaculars. What began as a fireworks show in the skies above Disneyland Park has evolved, over the years, into a wide array of shows at Disney parks around the globe. Thanks to technological innovations like projection mapping, mist screens, and even drones, they have become more spectacular with every passing year. Longstanding Disney favorites like the “Main Street Electrical Parade,” “Fantasmic!,” and “World of Color” have been joined by newer dazzlers like “Momentous” at Hong Kong Disneyland Park and “ILLUMINATE!” at Shanghai Disneyland. Come for the attractions, stay for the shows!
Watch the season 2 trailer below.
Season 1 is still available for streaming. It has 10 episodes featuring the Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Star Tours, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the Castles, Disneyland Hotel, Space Mountain, “it’s a small world,” the Hall of Presidents, and Trains, Trams, and Monorails.
Disney’s new “Once Upon a Studio” short film will have its broadcast premiere on ABC during “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration!” on October 15, 2023, at 8/7c. Disney released a new trailer for the short film, which you can watch below.
ABC is celebrating 100 years of Disney this fall with an evening of magical programming hosted by Kelly Ripa. ABC will begin the evening with an episode of “AFV,” followed by a lineup that will include exclusive moments featuring Kelly Ripa and sneak peeks at upcoming Disney projects. Featuring the broadcast world premieres of Walt Disney Animation’s new animated short film “Once Upon a Studio” and the beloved film “Encanto,” “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration” airs SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 (8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. EDT/PDT).
An all-star ensemble of beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios come together in “Once Upon a Studio” for a joyful, entertaining and emotional reunion as they assemble for a spectacular group photo to mark Disney’s 100th anniversary. Featuring 543 Disney characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films, “Once Upon a Studio” welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers—in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation—to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry and technological achievements. Directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy and produced by Yvett Merino and Bradford Simonsen, “Once Upon a Studio” makes it broadcast debut on ABC on Oct. 15, 2023.
“Once Upon a Studio” originally debuted at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It’s set to also play in front of “Wish” when it’s released in theaters on November 22.
