LucasFilm Has Reportedly Fired Its Controversial President???

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Rumors have been swirling around the internet suggesting that Lucasfilm fired Kathleen Kennedy, the president of LucasFilms. As a prominent figure in the film industry, Kennedy’s leadership has shaped the direction of several beloved film franchises, resulting in both critical acclaim and disappointment from fans. It’s no secret that many Star Wars supporters have wanted her gone for a while, and after LucasFilm’s latest Indiana Jones flopped, rumors are coming out that Kennedy might indeed be getting axed.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Kathleen Kennedy attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)

Kathleen Kennedy became the president of Lucasfilm in 2012 after being selected by George Lucas following the studio’s acquisition by Disney. Since then, she has overseen the production of several Star Wars films. Despite many of these films garnering immense commercial success, Kennedy has never won over the Star Wars franchise fanbase.

Despite having an impressive roster of producing credits under her belt, fans still felt that she was the wrong pick for President of LucasFilm. Some go as far as to claim that her creative vision has destroyed the Star Wars franchise altogether. Now, rumors are swirling that Kennedy has been fired after the less-than-spectacular release of the new movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, starring Harrison Ford.

Reports that Kennedy had been locked out of her LucasFilm business email went viral this weekend. Immediately, “Kathleen Kennedy fired” began trending on Twitter as fans rejoiced about the removal of the Disney exec.

The truth is that none of these rumors have a ton of validity. Back in 2021, Kennedy’s contract was renewed for an additional three years, showing that LucasFilm still saw her in a good light. However, it is strange that no official source has been able to shut down these rumors yet.

For now, the rumor that LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy has been fired is just that- a rumor. Nevertheless, the support of her removal from fans should be enough to let the company know that fans are really not seeing her creative vision. In the days to follow, fans will be eagerly waiting to hear the latest news on if this claim is debunked or if there is actually some substance to this gossip.

5-Year-Old “Flies Out” of Water Slide

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

A terrifying accident took place at an iconic southern water park, leaving a small child potentially seriously injured.

Theme parks are the ideal place for families to sit back and relax. Unfortunately, one family experienced a horrific accident as they were spending the day at a popular Southern location.

As reported by News Channel 9, a terrifying accident occurred at Lake Winnepesaukah, a beloved and extremely popular Georgia amusement park, one that left a young child potentially with serious injuries. The state of Georgia is currently investigating the terrifying incident involving the five-year-old child.

The child allegedly fell off of a water slide at the Lake Winnepesaukah amusement park. Self-proclaimed as “The South’s Favorite Amusement Park,” this iconic Park is located in Catoosa County.

The accident took place on Tuesday evening, with several eyewitnesses revealing more details on the horrifying situation. One visitor claims that they saw the child “fly out” of a green and yellow water slide. The Catoosa County Fire Department was able to confirm that the child fell around 15-20 feet off the waterslide, though which specific one is still yet to be determined.

At this time, the condition of the small child is unknown, but authorities are working quickly on figuring out the details and assessing the situation. The child was taken to the hospital.

Another visitor claims to have heard lifeguards blow whistles shortly after the child was spotted. The visitor says that they watched employees carry the child away.

Lake Winnepesaukah “Lake Winnie” opened on June 1, 1925, and has become one of the most popular destinations in the South. Part water park par theme park, this iconic location features dozens of rides and attractions.

Mulan Actress Dead at 48 After Suicide Attempt

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

The world lost a talented performer later today who played a huge role in connecting Walt Disney Pictures’ Mulan (1998) with China itself. Actress Coco Lee was born in Hong Kong and is best known for her singing, songwriting, and performance as the voice of the Disney Princess in Mandarin. The Mulan actress was unfortunately only 48 years old and passed away in the hospital after a suicide attempt.

Despite adoring fans and a successful career, Coco Lee struggled with depression. Lee attempted to take her life at her home on Sunday July 2, but failed and was rushed to the hospital. After she went into a coma, doctors efforts were unfortunately not able to save her and she passed away by Wednesday July 5.

Through social media, Coco Lee’s sisters Carol and Nancy shared this message,

With great sadness, we are here to break the most devastating news: CoCo had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months. Although CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her.

This Chinese actress played Fa Mulan in the dubbed Mandarin version of Disney’s classic Mulan. Disney’s original version of Mulan starred Ming Na Wen as the lead actress for Mulan and Lea Salonga as her singing voice. In the Mandarin version, Coco Lee provided both.

Lee was also a beloved singer-songwriter in Hong Kong. She was the first Chinese American singer to perform at the Oscars for her song “A Love Before Time” from the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001) soundtrack. The Mulan star was also featured on the soundtrack for the romantic comedy Runaway Bride (1999) with her song “Before I Fall in Love.” Coco Lee was also the first Chinese ambassador for Chanel.

coco lee mulan actress dead at 48 suicide disney

Her sisters continued,

As a family of CoCo, we are very grateful and honored to have such an excellent and outstanding sister. We are thankful to God for giving us such a kind angel. We know now she has gone to a happier place and no longer suffers from depression; we trust God has her best interest looked after!

Guests Left “Stranded Upside Down For Hours” On Roller Coaster

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Theme Parks are a place full of thrills! Many go to enjoy the fast-paced excitement of roller coasters and other attractions. Although Disney isn’t well known for their thrill rides, other Parks and festivals worldwide host millions of riders ready to dare steep drops, quick turns, and endless loops. America is home to some of the most intense Roller Coasters in the world! Velocicoaster at Universal Orlando, Kingda Ka at Six Flag Great Adventure, and Millennium Force at Cedar Point are a few standout thrill rides where Guests can push their thrill-seeking to the limit. Still, as a roller coaster is designed to give Guests an intense experience, often malfunctions and operation can put a lot of stress on the ride systems.

Unfortunately, however, sometimes these rides malfunction or break. Despite their relative safety, roller coasters are high-stress rides that do wear and tear. We told our readers about the support beam fracture on the Fury 325 at Carowinds a few days ago. Although events like this are rare, they still happen. Luckily for Park goers, despite circumstances like whjat happened at Carowinds, they can- be rest assured that high profile Theme Parks like Disney, Carowinds, and Universal Studios go to great lengths to ensure rider safety, even if there is a failure. This is evident in the Carowinds event, as no one was injured, and upon notification of the beam issue, the ride was promptly closed.

The same can’t be said for lesser-known Parks or rides at fairs and festivals. Sometimes these pop-up carnival-style rides could be safer. Sadly, there are many horror stories of Guests experiencing prolonged waits while stuck, along with injury, and in some cases, even death. It’s the sad nature of riding attractions at Parks that don’t have the safety standards as some of the big names, and as the country geared up for the celebration of America’s birthday, there was a new incident similar to those we’ve discussed that left Guests stranded upside down on a roller coaster for hours.

Riders of a roller coaster at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, found themselves hanging upside down for hours after their ride came to a complete stop due to mechanical failure. People took to social media quickly to share video footage of the riders, who unexpectedly got more of a thrill than they bargained for. Among the passengers stuck on the amusement ride were seven children.

“They did all very well,” Firefighter EMT Erica Kostichka told WSAW. “Obviously, they were scared. They had been upside down for quite some time.”

Crandon’s Fire Chief also told CBS that the cause of the roller coaster’s malfunction is unknown at this time. He also noted that all Guests on the ride were taken to the hospital to be checked and that the roller coaster had recently undergone a state inspection.

It seems that everyone is okay. This is good news as we consider recent related news that reported the death of a Guest and the injury of several others at a Theme Park in Sweden when their ride vehicle derailed. As well, fan favorite Kingda Ka in New Jersey was shutdown after a ride malfunction caused the roller coaster to drop Guests in the wrong direction. Although no one was injured, it does go to show the risks associated with riding any thrill ride, and it serves as a reminder that things can and do go wrong. Although the chances of being seriously injured on a Theme Park around are low, it is of note to understand that there is always real risk involved.

Even Walt Disney World, one of the most well-maintained Theme Parks in the world has experienced its share of ride malfunctions that have left Guests stranded. Most recently Guests on Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom found themselves stranded with little help! Another recent incident saw Guests stuck in a tight space at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT. Theme Parks are fun, but we should always weigh risks when riding any type of attraction. Things can and do go wrong.

Disney Loses Nearly 95% of Its Classic Animation Material

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Via DisDining.com

As the year 2024 draws closer, Disney fans have become increasingly vocal and concerned about The Walt Disney Company losing the rights to Mickey Mouse. But Disney has already lost almost 95% of the classic animation material from its feature films, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi, and no amount of lobbying Congress could have stopped the loss.

One of the earliest versions of Disney’s Mickey Mouse is set to enter the public domain on January 1, 2024, ending a 96-year-long copyright held by the entertainment giant since Mickey’s first cartoon, Steamboat Willie, debuted in 1928. At that time, Mickey’s copyright was valid for 28 years, with the option for Disney to extend it for an additional 28 years, meaning that the original copyright for the Steamboat Willie character was set to enter the public domain at the end of 1983. Facing a loss of ownership, Disney sprang into action to save the beloved mouse from life outside The Walt Disney Company.

Disney wasted no time, bypassing any potential riff-raff and going directly to the United States government for help, lobbying Congress in an effort to hold on to Mickey a little longer. Whether federal lawmakers revered Disney as an untouchable entertainment powerhouse or the American people had elected a Congress full of Mickey fans, we’ll never know, but Congress happily extended Disney’s copyright by enacting the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act,” or, as it is formally known, the Copyright Term Extension Act.

Mickey Mouse's Copyright To Expire and Mickey will be Public Domain

Copyrights don’t last forever, though, and when the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2024, Disney will be forced to say farewell to Steamboat Willie–though his trademark will remain.

But while there may still be some measure of hope for Mickey, there’s no hope for a loss of Disney property that has already occurred–one that never made the headlines as Steamboat Willie did. The Walt Disney Company has already suffered a tragic loss of some of its intellectual property, and the company has no one to blame but its very own animators.

In the 1930s and 1940s, when Walt Disney’s animators were tasked with hand-drawing the characters and backgrounds for some of the studio’s most beloved animated films, they embraced their work with great passion and dedication. They apparently enjoyed their work and had lots of fun on the clock. Back then, hand-drawn animation was a lengthy, labor-intensive process, but it was business as usual for those in that line of work. Because of this, animators were often very carefree–and sometimes careless–when it came to the fragile vintage art they were creating.

Arthur Stevens, a long-time Disney animator and director who worked on classic Disney animated films The Rescuers (1977), The Fox and the Hound (1981), and The Black Cauldron (1985), once explained that animators used to toss finished animation canvases on the floor when they were finished with them. Some animators even used the canvases to slide around on the floors. While the practice might have been good for team-building, it was entirely destructive for the artwork itself.

disney animation cel

It created multiple problems for the studio as well. Over the years, the carelessness of Disney’s animators resulted in the loss of nearly 95% of Disney’s vintage animation material–a loss from which recovery is not possible. In an effort to prevent further losses, experts now employ preservation techniques to care for the remaining material. The goal is to lower the risk of further damage and loss of Disney’s treasured and priceless artwork.

Fortunately for Disney fans of every age, all of the films for which the animation material was lost are still available in some physical and digital formats and can be streamed on the Disney+ platform.