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Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Walt Disney is now an animatronic. 5 things to know about the new Disneyland attraction
Disneyland turned 70 today, and to mark the occasion the resort unveiled its signature attraction for its anniversary year, 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life.' The show is notable in that it features the first audio-animatronic of Walt Disney, a creation the company's creatives have stressed is its most lifelike mechanical figure to date. While Disneyland's 70th celebrations got underway in May, 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' is its nostalgic soul, and the aim of the production is to illustrate that the massive conglomerate that is Walt Disney Co. today was, at its heart, the vision of one man. The 17-minute-or-so experience is housed in the Main Street Opera House, where it will run for the next year. After that, it will play in tandem with 'The Disneyland Story Presenting Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln,' which has called the space home since 1965. 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' has generated much curiosity, speculation and controversy since it was unveiled at last year's D23 fan convention. A re-creation of the company's patriarch is newsworthy, generating discussion on how best to preserve a legacy, but also notable because, unlike the vast majority of Disney's audio-animatronic figures, Disney is a widely recognizable personality for which much film and audio footage exists, thanks to a weekly television show in the '60s. Audiences will likely approach the mechanical re-creation with more scrutiny than an exaggerated character on, say, Pirates of the Caribbean, or even a 'Star Wars' figure. I was at Disneyland for its 70th anniversary and took in the show. Here are some instant reactions. I'm eager to see 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' a second time, in part because I didn't catch much of what the robotic figurine was saying. Not because I wasn't interested but simply because I was distracted by how the audio-animatronic moved. I'm used to seeing figures, at Disney and elsewhere, with exaggerated motions. Not here. The Disney figure maneuvers with patience — and, dare I even say, grace. That's a huge compliment for a robot. When Disney goes from leaning on a desk to standing, and then back again, you'll be looking around the stage, wondering just what mechanization allowed that to happen. Especially impressive is the slowness with which the arms move, his hands accentuating the speech but in a natural way; that is, they don't move with every sentence. There are times Disney will point and moments he puts his arm to his hips. It's incredibly fluid. I was lucky to be seated about three-fourths of the way back in the theater, so I was able to take in the theatricality of it all — a small movement of an eyebrow, a slight twist of the wrist — without nitpicking imperfections in the machine, which brings us to the next point. By now, many Disney fans have had a chance to see the officially released images by the company as well as close-up pictures taken by park guests. There have been quibbles, to say the least, with many a fan showing snapshots of the animatronic side by side with pictures of a much younger Disney. It's important to note that the figure captures Disney in 1963. Disney died in 1966 at 65. The show has me thinking a bit on how the animatronic medium can be used best. Disney introduced its audio-animatronics in 1963 with the Enchanted Tiki Room, but elevated the form in 1965 with the 'Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln' production. We have no filmed footage of Abraham Lincoln, meaning he exists to us largely in our mind. 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' contains a 15-minute documentary-like film, 'One Man's Dream,' which is narrated by Disney and Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Iger, allowing us an instant comparison. From my vantage point — again, about three-fourths of the way into the theater — the animatronic was a more-than-respectable approximation of Disney. It's not perfect, perhaps — the face is a little bulky, the cheeks just a bit off — but that's because I still think the medium is best suited for more fantastical characters and creations, shows and figures that let us use our imagination rather than aim to capture life. Audio, however, is taken direct from Disney's speeches, with an emphasis on creative inspiration, and while it has been cleaned up, there's no mistaking that it's Disney's voice. Ultimately, Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative team responsible for theme park creations, deserves to be commended for this risk, as it has me eager to see how audio-animatronics will continue to evolve and elevate our immersive experiences. At its core, this is a robot, and no robot will directly capture human life, at least not yet, but this is as close as Walt Disney Co. has come. Imagineering took great pains to capture Disney accurately. That's apparent, right down to Disney's tie emblazoned with the logo for Palm Springs' Smoke Tree Ranch, a favorite retreat of his. At a media event earlier this year, Imagineers spoke of re-creating the exact suits Disney wore, as well as researching his shoe size and attempting to find the correct hair gel Disney would use. (They failed in the latter mission.) The figure's hands were sculpted with the help of actual molds of Disney's hands, courtesy of the Walt Disney Family Museum, and the Imagineers studied film footage to time how often Disney would blink. 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' is a work of theater, ultimately, and it's a period piece. The set surrounding Disney is a re-creation of his office, and it has a homey, vintage feel. Yet the focus of the show, at least until some animated effects in its final moments, is on Disney. While the animatronic portion of the production is about two to three minutes, it's a restrained, respectable production. The short answer is we don't really know. Many members of the Disney family have spoken favorably of the animatronic. There has been one notable exception: Disney's granddaughter, Joanna Miller, who has argued that Disney wouldn't want to be preserved as a robot. Additionally, Miller is fearful that future audiences will see Disney simply as an audio-animatronic character rather than a real human. Walt Disney Co. in May attempted to address those concerns. 'In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,' Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said about the belief that Disney did not want to be immortalized as an audio-animatronic. 'We know that it's anecdotal, and we can't speak to what was told to people in private, and we can't speak to Joanna's specific feelings about the project. But we have worked very diligently for many years with the Walt Disney Family Museum and members of the Disney and Miller family.' Imagineering has argued that the show is important because it can show today's audiences, who may think of the name Walt Disney as simply a designation for a corporation, as a real human. 'Why are we doing this now?' Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald said. 'For two reasons. One is Disneyland's 70th anniversary is an ideal time, we thought, to create a permanent tribute to Walt Disney in the Opera House. The other: I grew up watching Walt Disney on television. I guess I'm the old man. He came into our living room every week and chatted, and it was very casual, and you felt like you knew the man. But a lot of people today don't know Walt Disney was an individual. They think Walt Disney is a company.' As someone who reported on the audio-animatronic earlier this year, I'm hesitant to give a definitive opinion on the show. I tried to approach the perspectives of Miller and Imagineering with equal respect, as I believe both are valid. I can't, for instance, relate to what it's like to see a loved one turned into an audio-animatronic. Nor am I charged with helping to preserve a company's legacy. There is one lasting thought I had, however. 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' is unique for a theme park experience. It is not tied to a massive intellectual property like a blockbuster film or hit television series. As an almost 17-minute theatrical show, with the vast majority of the experience being a documentary film, this isn't an E-ticket, the Disney term for its top-of-the-line attractions, a reference to the park's ticketing books of yore. Yes, Walt Disney Co. has objectives in appealing to the nostalgia of its fans, and it can further endear audiences to the company if it can put a face behind its roots. Today the firm is a mass of properties — Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and more — and surely there's motivation in presenting Walt Disney Co. as human, one devoted to creativity and imagination, which is the primary theme of Disney's short speech. Yet, ultimately, this isn't going to pack in long-term crowds. It's an addition to Disney's original park that explores its history. And Disney enthusiasts will likely appreciate this bold endeavor from the company — or at least enjoy debating the merits of the figure. In that sense, it's the rare theme park attraction that feels like a passion project.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Tron Ares' Trailer: A.I. Runs Amok In An Allegory For Our Times; New Nine Inch Nails Single Drops
Ahead of the movie's big splash at San Diego Comic-Con next week in Hall H, Disney has dropped the official trailer to Tron Ares, their reboot of the classic 1980s live-action, trapped-in-a-videogame movie. But consider the Joachim Rønning directed movie, an allegory for current days. More from Deadline Nine Inch Nails Announces 2025 Tour Dates Here's Everything We Learned At D23 2024: New Film Announcements And More Nine Inch Nails Are Taking On The Score To 'Tron: Ares' 'So much talk of A.I. and big tech today,' exclaims Evan Peters' Julian Dillinger, a corporate type who doesn't seem to have a hippie agenda. 'Virtual worlds, what are they going to look like? When will we get there?' he asks in the trailer, 'They are coming here.' That kingdom come is in the form of an ultimate soldier, that being Ares (Oscar winner Jared Leto), who has come to Earth all ablaze in red neon lights, and the floating upside-down 'U' Tron-thingy; these shooting lasers are splicing this and that and forming all sorts of light-cycle pathways. Seriously, this looks like a lotta fun and we're hoping that the laser light show in Hall H tops that shown in Disney's CinemaCon presentation. Along for the ride, living in the spiritual matrix is Jeff Bridges' Kevin Flynn, the original computer programmer protag who got stuck in the videogame in the original Tron. A new poster dropped today. In addition, Grammy-award winning rock band Nine Inch Nails, who composed the score for the movie, dropped a new single from the pic, 'As Alive As You Need Me To Be' along with an official music video. It's the group' first music in five years. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Stranger Things' Season 5 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Closing time for Tom Sawyer Island, Rivers of America at Disney World's Magic Kingdom
First, parts of DinoLand, U.S.A., then Muppets Courtyard. Now, another iconic corner of Walt Disney World is shuttering. Sunday, July 6 is the last operating day for Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square Riverboat and Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom in Florida. For decades, this tree-lined stretch of Frontierland and Liberty Square invited guests to break away from the hustle and bustle of the world's most visited theme park, to take in the scenery and slow down. The closing was announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event last August, but a specific date wasn't shared until June. Here's why the attractions are closing and what guests can expect from their replacement. Like its counterpart at Disneyland in California, Tom Sawyer Island is a old timey island amid the Rivers of America, which guests can reach by raft or circle by riverboat. "Wander dusty dirt roads lined with tall trees, explore whirling mills and amble across creaky suspension bridges. Navigate narrow passages amid secret mined caves and uncover a frontier fort," read the attraction's page on Disney World's website. "Along the way, follow in the pioneering footsteps of early settlers, during an era when Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer reflected a new nation coming into its own. It's an unforgettable expedition into the heart of the American frontier!" D23, the Official Disney Fan Club notes both Disneyland and Disney World's Tom Sawyer Island were present on the opening days of their respective parks, but their attractions didn't open until later. Disneyland's version was personally designed by Walt Disney and given a pirate overlay in 2007. It's important to note that only Magic Kingdom's version is closing. Disneyland's Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island will remain open, as will its Rivers of America and riverboat. Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square Riverboat and Rivers of America are closing at Disney World as part of Magic Kingdom's largest expansion to date. The Florida park is getting a whole new area beyond Big Thunder Mountain, including a new Villians land in years to come. The space where Tom Sawyer Island is now will be replaced by a new "Cars"-inspired area different from the Radiator Springs setting of Cars Land in Disney California Adventure. The new area will be called "Piston Peak National Park." "Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers," Disney Parks Blog posted in June. "Inside Piston Peak, guests will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar 'Cars' universe." Disney said Imagineers will use a style of architecture developed by the Natural Park Service to blend structures into Rocky Mountain-inspired Piston Peak, and trees will serve as a natural border between an off-road rally attraction and the rest of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Concept art shared by Disney shows water will also remain a prominent part of the landscape. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island prepare to close
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After Pixar's Incredibles 3 Confirms A Major Change, I'm Actually More Excited For The Movie
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I was in the audience at D23 last summer when Pixar CCO Pete Docter confirmed that Brad Bird was already at work developing Incredibles 3. There was, unsurprisingly, a lot of applause following that announcement. The Incredibles is one of Pixar's most beloved films. Incredibles 2 was the top-grossing Pixar movie ever made until Inside Out 2 dethroned it last summer. I like both Incredibles films, but I have to admit I wasn't overwhelmed with excitement that Incredibles 3 was on the way. There was no reason to believe it wouldn't be a solid film, but I just found it less interesting than doing something new or even making a sequel to a film that hadn't already received one. But now I'm a bit more curious about Incredibles 3 because it will be different from the previous films in a big way. Today, THR broke the news that while Brad Bird will write and produce Incredibles 3, he will not direct the movie, as he had done with each of the previous Incredibles franchise entries. Instead, directing duties will be handled by Peter Sohn, who most recently directed Pixar's Elemental. While it had been widely assumed that Bird would direct the movie, it had never been specifically stated by Pixar. Perhaps that had even been the plan at one point. Bird does have other projects he's directing, including Ray Gunn for Netflix. It's possible Bird just didn't have the time in his schedule. Bird and Docter reportedly jointly selected Sohn as the man who should direct the new film. But now you have my attention. My love for Elemental is well known to frequent CinemaBlend readers. I think it's the best movie Pixar has made in a long time. Pixar has always been good at turning things without consciousness into living things that we care about and cry over. But in Elemental, we saw those characters fall in love, and the movie let a single relationship carry the weight of the entire story. If Peter Sohn can do that with fire and water, then I have high hopes that he can do even more with characters that are actually human. It might be just enough of a different vibe to an Incredibles movie that it feels unique and not simply like it's another of the same movie for the third time. Fans of Brad Bird need not worry. He's still writing the film, so one assumes the final script, the plot, the dialogue, etc, will be mostly his work. It will still be Bird's story, and Sohn has been one of his long-time collaborator. Sohn began his professional career as an animator on The Iron Giant and has contributed to every film Bird has made for Pixar, including both previous Incredibles movies. If there's another person capable of bringing Brad Bird's work to life properly, it's probably Peter Sohn. The fact that a director has been slotted indicates that Incredibles 3 is probably getting ready to shift into more of a production status, though the movie is probably at least a couple of years away at least. Still, I'm looking forward to when that day comes more now than I was before.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miley Cyrus Says She ‘Wasn't Allowed' to Perform ‘Hannah Montana' Songs After She ‘Left Disney': ‘Not Like I Wanted To'
Miley Cyrus had to leave 'Hannah Montana' behind after exiting the Disney Channel. In a recent conversation on Spotify's 'The Ringer' podcast, Cyrus said she 'wasn't allowed' to sing any of the original songs from her hit TV series 'Hannah Montana' after the show ended in 2011. More from Variety Why 'Somebody Somewhere' Star Bridget Everett Insisted Miley Cyrus' 'The Climb' Be Sam's Defining Anthem: It's the Song 'That Matters Most' Miley Cyrus on 'Something Beautiful' Visual Album and Writing Verses for Naomi Campbell: 'She Had No Notes' 'Something Beautiful with Miley Cyrus' Review: The Star Co-Directs an Album's Worth of Music Videos, Celebrating Her Herself 'After I left Disney, I wasn't allowed to perform any of the 'Hannah Montana' music,' she explained. 'It's not like I wanted to, I mean, performing 'The Best Of Both Worlds' between 'We Can't Stop' and 'Wrecking Ball,' wouldn't have really made sense.' 'It was still sad knowing those songs have my voice, my face, and I wasn't allowed to sing them,' she added. However, after Cyrus was named a Disney Legend at D23 2024, she was 'given permission to perform those songs in the future,' which Cyrus said was 'pretty cool.' 'Hannah Montana,' which followed a regular teen who lives a double life as the titular pop sensation, ran for 100 episodes from 2006-2011 on the Disney Channel. Other cast members included Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mitchel Musso and Moises Arias. The former child star's latest project is 'Something Beautiful,' a 55-minute visual album that hits theaters June 12. At the premiere, Cyrus paid tribute to all the female artists who inspired her work. 'I completely worship and idolize the Tina Turners, the Donna Summers, Diana Ross and so many ladies before me that paved this path that I'm on,' she said. 'This is my journey but they made it so much easier because they've already broken down all the doors for me.' Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
