Disney

Watts is joined by Spider-Man: Homecoming writer Chris Ford for the new Lucasfilm show.

Fantastic Four exit notwithstanding, Watts is clearly in demand to helm tentpole franchises at the moment. Knowing how well Watts handled Peter Parker’s high school years, he certainly seems like the right man for the job. Jon Watts isn’t done with the Disney machine just yet.

The new ad-supported tier of Disney+ won't accept commercials for alcohol, political campaigns or rival streamers.

An ad-supported tier on Disney+ "is going to give us the ability to reach an even more broad audience as we expand Disney+ across multiple price points," said Bob Chapek, Disney's CEO, speaking to investors last Wednesday. "And using some of our other services, we can see the additive nature of an ad-driven service that enables us to keep the price lower. That means the service would run fewer ads per hour than NBCUniversal’s Peacock, which launched with a vow to run no more than five minutes of ads each 60 minutes, and would also be competitive with Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max, which has tried to keep the number of commercials per hour to four. The Disney+ ban on rival entertainment services may seem surprising, as many media companies accept movie trailers and commercials from rivals like Netflix, Amazon and Apple. But Disney has been picky. Ads on Disney+ will run an average of four minutes per hour or less, according to a person familiar with the matter. The popular streaming service — home to Marvel movies, the “Star Wars” series and hours of signature kids’ programming — is about to unveil a new ad-supported tier, part of a broader move by big entertainment companies like Disney to lure new subscribers to its broadband entertainment hubs with cheaper subscription levels. These executives say Disney has already signaled to agencies that the new version of Disney+ will not accept alcohol or political advertising at its launch.

Star Wars' live-action shows finally have a release schedule with Andor arriving on Disney Plus later this summer, sometime after Obi-Wan Kenobi, ...

The continuing adventures of Dinn Djarin and Grogu normally return to Disney Plus in December, but this year The Mandalorian could also slip into early 2023, according to Vanity Fair’s story. The announcement came as part of a larger Vanity Fair story about Star Wars’ live-action future. It’s a busy summer for Star Wars fans.

Disney said viewers who subscribe to the ad-supported version of its Disney+ streaming service will see only a limited number of ads when it debuts this ...

He said both goals were “very achievable.” He added that the company hasn’t yet gotten into the swaths of possible new subscribers, pointing to the slate of various new TV and movie offerings, which he thought would be the main revenue driver. Disney CEO Bob Chapek said Disney’s goals were to sign up between 230 million and 260 million subscribers, with the business hitting profitability by September 2024. Disney announced the ad-supported version of Disney+ earlier this year, and has said it plans to roll the service out on a global basis next year.

In a wide-ranging new feature in Vanity Fair, Kathleen Kennedy has given the magazine insight into the future of the Star Wars franchise, including a loose ...

Riffing on a title from an episode of The Simpsons, "Grammar Rodeo" is set to center on four young people growing up in the years following Return of the Jedi, and will strive for an '80s Amblin feel. The Acolyte, described as "a mystery thriller that will take us into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging Dark Side powers in the final days of the High Republic era," and a new series codenamed Grammar Rodeo are also further off. In a wide-ranging new feature in Vanity Fair, Kathleen Kennedy has given the magazine insight into the future of the Star Wars franchise, including a loose sense of exactly when to expect Lucasfilm's numerous TV projects to hit Disney+. Beginning with Obi-Wan Kenobi, which drops in just ten days, the "galaxy far, far away" will have a new TV installment hitting roughly every three months for the next year.

The Disney Plus streaming service is going to offer an ad-supported version sometime in 2022, here are some of the first details on the planned option.

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Previously consumers could save with the Disney Bundle, which gives US consumers access to Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu for a single monthly fee of $13.99. However, this standalone ad-supported Disney Plus service can give a cheaper option for someone who doesn’t want or need the other services. Since Disney Plus launched in 2019, the streaming service has only had one available plan for all of its subscribers that offered no ads and access to all content.

Disney Plus with ads won't have too many ads and they won't be seen by preschoolers. But the price is still unknown.

Currently, Disney Plus costs $7.99. The price of the ad-supported plan must be lower than that. I have previously written about how I wanted to cancel Disney Plus but couldn't because I'd gotten the deal. The WSJ also reports ad buyers are excited by the new Disney Plus offering because of the "brand-safe content." The current rate is $7.99 and Disney has said the new tier is intended as a lower-price option. Watching two 30-second ads every 15 minutes seems tolerable — but only if the price is low enough. Disney has revealed that the forthcoming ad-supported tier of the streaming service will carry four minutes of commercials per hour.

To keep you paying your monthly Disney+ subscription, the House of Mouse just confirmed a secretive new "Star Wars" series codenamed "Grammar Rodeo."

This might be the project that Watts left Marvel for, as he was originally working on the upcoming "Fantastic Four" reboot. An eye-opening feature from Vanity Fair highlighted all the upcoming "Star Wars" shows that are in development, including this new one. That's to do with the writing, and the people we were making the series with, and the technology, and how different everything is."

Disney moved its upfront to Pier 36, touting ABC, ESPN, Hulu, Disney+ and more in what Martin Short calls "the opposite to the Met Gala."

The Mannings returned to the stage to promote their “Places” franchise, and announced that John McEnroe would join the format with his own version of the show (which began as “Peyton’s Places”). Samuel L. Jackson, returning as Nick Fury, will star in “Secret Invasion,” a spy thriller featuring a very different version of the character. The Disney Upfront shifted to Basketball City/Pier 36, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, for the first time — having spent years at Lincoln Center (including back when the event was purely an ABC affair). Attendees were required to test negative for COVID-19, via a mobile station erected for quick antigen results. “It’s part of the mission of delivering a story for everyone.” “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir referenced the war in Ukraine and the massacre in Buffalo: “You really don’t need me here to talk about the unprecedented time that we’re living through right now,” he saud. “A lot has changed Disney and NFL,” Buck said, noting that ESPN will air 35 percent more games in 2023. “Echo,” a new MCU series starring Alaqua Cox, has begun production Feige noted. “Grey’s Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo touted the show’s 19-season (and more than 400 episodes) longevity, making it the longest-running medical drama in TV history. Said Brunson: “Let’s change the world together!” “We do so at a time of dramatic evolution, and boundless opportunity, with more options available for entertainment than ever before… “Now, as many of you know, Disney will be celebrating our 100th anniversary later this year and that is an incredible milestone,” he said. In fact, when you look at the entertainment landscape I believe Disney stands alone.”

The upfronts crowd has been anticipating the Disney presentation with particular relish since the news earlier this year that Disney+ is poised to add a cheaper ...

That streamlining will add a Disney+ element this time around, given that ad buyers will be able to get in on the company’s flagship service. “You can access” that ecosystem, he told ad buyers, “by partnering with us.” “Disney will be celebrating our 100th anniversary later this year, and that is an incredible milestone. “Today is a little bit like a homecoming because I started my career in advertising,” Chapek said. (Chapek’s remarks included a brief tease of that move.) Disney CEO Bob Chapek opened Disney’s upfront in New York by telling a crowd of several hundred advertisers that the company is “the most powerful force in the industry” and “the most enduring and beloved name in entertainment.”

Canoe Races of the World, also known as C.R.O.W., is a beloved annual Cast Member event at Walt Disney World.

Start the races during the 50th and continue moving forward and make it better every year,” Vecciarelli concluded. Disney Cast Members wanted to have a little morale boost, so they decided to ask if they could do some canoe racing around the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer’s Island. And the manager said, ‘Sure. What the heck? Teams of 10 people sported their best team outfits and raced against the clock in a championship round. Most teams finish their row in an average of five to six minutes. “We’re talking about a hard row for six, seven minutes around around this river.” Let’s go for it.’ And it has been a cast morale boost and a cast event ever since,” said Joe Vecciarelli, cast activities coordinator. [TRENDING: By the numbers: Here’s what it costs to live in Central Florida “CROW is definitely my favorite event as a cast member. “Everyone is super excited, and it’s honestly very supportive, and everyone is rooting each other on with just like a healthy dose of competition.” Identity thief uses fraudulent deed to take Orange County man’s property I think it really showcases how we have kind of a family of cast when you think of all the people in the Central Florida community,” explained Ellen Sawin, competitor and seven-year cast member. C.R.O.W., which stands for Canoe Races Of the World, allows cast members to team up and compete around the Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom.

Disney reported growth in theme park attendance and guest spending in its latest quarterly report. The company also reported that its streaming service, Disney+ ...

The post also said Disney’s theme park attendance experienced a massive drop. The company also reported that its streaming service, Disney+, had a 33% increase in subscribers. We rate this claim False. This is a 25% drop since the company’s stock price swelled to $141 on March 29, the day after Disney said its "goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature." "10.1 million people canceled their Disney+ subscription. Everything woke goes broke."

During the three-week C.R.O.W. event, 90 teams comprised of cast members from different departments across the resort, race in 35-foot long canoes around the ...

Ashley Carter is a digital journalist who covers the fast-paced and ever-changing world of Florida theme parks and attractions. The 18-month long celebration kicked off Oct. 1. “Working for Walt Disney World Resort is unlike anything else, it’s just a really amazing cast, crew. They also go through practice sessions, with some that take place outside of the water. For cast members, it’s an experience unlike any other. - C.R.O.W. is short for Canoe Races of the World and is an annual tradition now in its 47th year

One Guest got a rude awakening after Universal Studios publicly called them out while riding an attraction.

Or, how about a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood to experience the movies? You can go to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, then eat some dinner and grab a drink at CityWalk. Want to take a splash? If you want to visit Universal Orlando Resort, you can today!

When Disney Plus' ad-supported plan goes live later this year, it will reportedly run ads for four minutes on movies or shows that last an hour or less, ...

A note to employees indicates that Netflix could be rolling out an ad-supported tier sometime this year, and like Disney Plus, it’s also working on a livestreaming option. Disney says it added 7.9 million new subscribers last quarter, growing its subscriber base to about 44 million people in the US and Canada. Disney isn’t just cutting out ads that may have adult themes, like anything related to alcohol or politics — Variety reports that it won’t accept any ads if they're from an entertainment competitor either.

Starting in February 2023, all XFL games, including the playoffs, will air on ESPN and other networks owned by The Walt Disney Company.

The eight-team XFL is returning under new owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners. In February, the XFL reached a partnership agreement with the NFL that will focus on creating innovation programs and protecting the health of players. "This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I've had with Disney throughout my career," Johnson said in a statement. Starting next year, the XFL will have all its regular-season games and playoffs air on ESPN and other networks owned by The Walt Disney Company as part of a multiyear agreement, it was announced Tuesday.

Disney has become a leader in the industry due to a serious investment in sports. The company is prioritizing its streaming services. Walt Disney Company.

Disney could grow even more as it continues to do business with America’s most popular professional sports league. Earlier this week, Disney confirmed it will limit ad breaks on the service to just four minutes per hour. Chapek confirmed in February that Disney plans to bid on media rights to “NFL Sunday Ticket.” A deal for the rights could fetch $2.5 billion per season.

Disney is throwing a pass at spring football. The entertainment giant said it struk a multi- year rights deal with the XFL, tte start-up football league led ...

“We are extraordinarily excited to explore the endless possibilities of this partnership – today is surely just the beginning,” said Dany Garcia, the new league’s chairwoman. The games are I”also going to feature technological innovation designed to create a really unique viewing experience for fans all over the world and advertisers,” said Johnson. “We are building this brand and your brands we can co create something that is truly special and iconic.” “We have entered into an exclusive multi year deal with our partners with Walt Disney to produce and distribute all of our games,’ Johnson told attendees at Disney’s upfront presentation Tuesday. The games are expected to start in 2023, and the deal will last through 2027.

Kimmel appeared at the New York City advertisers event via Zoom, having contracted Covid yet again.

—”ABC, you know, we finished the year in last place both in total viewers and in the demo. —”I know this all seems like a bunch of bullshit, but it’s not. —”Now [Netflix is] coming for our money, our ad money, which is technically your money, but you know what I mean. —”A Disney CEO has never spoken at the Upfront before, and now we know why. It’s our 100th anniversary and we’re going to celebrate that milestone like only Disney can by milking the living shit out of it.” And let’s have another round of applause for Rita, the queen of bullshit.”

What unfolded was a parade of stars across the Disney stage, including Steve Martin, Dwayne Johnson, various Kardashians, various Mannings, Ellen Pompeo and ...

“The heart of Disney is our storytelling,” she said. “When you see yourself on screen, wonderful things can happen and do happen,” said Pompeo. Now it’s our corporate motto,” said Kimmel. “When I started doing this, Lost was one of our biggest hits. Disney’s goal for the next hundred years, he said, is “to transform entertainment”--better storytelling, better technology, better live events. “It’s almost like they didn’t save any money at all.” “This is…Disney.” Only Murders in the Building cast members Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez were out next. Peter Rice, chairman of general entertainment, was out next. He called Only Murders “a terrific example of kinds of stories” Disney excels in, and called it the most watched comedy in Hulu history. The Abbott Elementary cast came out, and then Claire Danes spoke about Fleishman is in Trouble on FX. “It’s not just Fleishman who is in trouble on our show,” said Danes. Martin shared, “When I was a kid, a little kid, I would dress up and play Disney upfronts.” For his part, Short said the Disney upfront answers the question of, “What’s the opposite of the Met Gala?”

Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige came out to amp up the crowd at Disney's upfront presentation to advertisers Tuesday.

From the six series we’ve watched so far, we’ve introduced fantastic new characters, but we’ve also been able to dive deeper into the lives of the backstories of some of the MCU’s favorite superheroes.” When we were first asked to start working on programming for Disney+, we knew we wanted to weave together storylines between the films and our series that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the MCU, as a whole. Feige didn’t do it all alone, welcoming both Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson, on stage to tease “Secret Invasion” and Maslany out to introduce the “She-Hulk” promo.

The company touted the breadth and depth of its projects, and the streamer's upcoming ad-supported tier.

Inside Disney's upfront presentation: Bob Chapek, Baby Yoda and Jimmy Kimmel calls "Bullshit."

“The only studio started by an artist, and the only one that’s never been bought or sold in over a century,” said Rice, who himself came to Disney when it bought 21st Century Fox’s film and TV properties. “We foster an environment where artists are encouraged to take risks and nurtured by seasoned executives,” said Rice. “Many of them work for us exclusively.” By the time it came to talk about actually selling these people, projects and various platforms, those who stuck around — which was, admittedly, most everyone — were clearly only there for Kimmel. Ad boss Rita Ferro’s pitch didn’t even come until the 110-minute mark. “Disney,” as word or an entity, never figured so prominently during the TV industry’s annual pitch to advertisers. In the end, it was a wild two-hour affair. who told media buyers that he’s seen a waterfall effect in his cinematic universe.

Exact episode release times and more for the huge Marvel series, starring Tatiana Maslany.

- Episode 9: Available Wednesday, Oct. 12 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 8: Available Wednesday, Oct. 5 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 7: Available Wednesday, Sept. 28 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 6: Available Wednesday, Sept. 21 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 4: Available Wednesday, Sept. 7 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 5: Available Wednesday, Sept. 14 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 3: Available Wednesday, Aug. 31 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) The series will consist of a hefty nine episodes, though each is slated to run for only 30 minutes (Marvel chief Kevin Feige has reportedly described the series as a half-hour legal comedy). - Episode 2: Available Wednesday, Aug. 24 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) - Episode 1: Available Wednesday, Aug. 17 -- 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET/7 a.m. GMT) That's a Wednesday, so lock in the midweek appointment to see Maslany play Jennifer Walters, aka The Hulk's attorney cousin.

Walt Disney World announced the reopening dates for two of its popular family experiences at the Magic Kingdom.

In addition to guests visiting the Harmony Barber Shop, Disney said the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will also be reopening later this year. [TRENDING: By the numbers: Here’s what it costs to live in Central Florida Identity thief uses fraudulent deed to take Orange County man’s property

News24's lifestyle editor Herman Eloff spoke to The Walt Disney Company Africa senior vice president and general manager, Christine Service, ...