Posts tagged with "Disney"

THE MANDALORIAN

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SEASON 2, VOLUME 1 (CHAPTERS 9-12) DIGITAL SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE TODAY

MUSIC FROM THE EMMY®-WINNING DISNEY+ ORIGINAL SERIESFEATURES SCORE AND MUSIC BY OSCAR®, GRAMMY® AND EMMY® AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER LUDWIG GÖRANSSON

THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 2, VOLUME 2 (CHAPTERS 13-16) AVAILABLE ON DECEMBER 18

Walt Disney Records releases the digital soundtrack from Season 2 of “The Mandalorian,” Lucasfilm’s multiple Emmy®-winning live-action series, streaming exclusively on Disney+. The Mandalorian Season 2, Volume 1 (Chapters 9-12) digital album features score by Oscar®, Grammy® and Emmy® winning composer Ludwig Göransson (Tenet, Black Panther) and is available HERE. The release will be followed by The Mandalorian Season 2, Volume 2 (Chapters 13-16) digital album available on December 18.

Earlier this year, Göransson won his first Emmy for “The Mandalorian” “Chapter 8: Redemption” in the Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) category. For the first season of “The Mandalorian,” Göransson released eight full-length albums, one album per episode, with recurring themes throughout the season. This season, he will release the soundtrack in two volumes containing new musical themes, sounds and ideas.

The score and character themes feature instruments played by Göransson including the bass recorder, woodwinds, drums, guitars, piano and percussion. The organic elements from those instruments are then infused with tech sounds and a cinematic orchestra.

About Ludwig Göransson

In a career spanning only 12 years, Ludwig Göransson has amassed an impressive resume in both the recording and motion picture industries, earning an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, multiple Grammy Awards and countless other nominations. After working as an assistant to composer Theodore Shapiro, Göransson got his first big break writing music for the NBC television series, Community. This led to a friendship and collaboration with Donald Glover, who performs under the stage name Childish Gambino, on several studio albums including Because the Internet and Awaken, My Love. Göransson has been nominated for six Grammys with Childish Gambino, and won two in 2019 for the Billboard Hot 100 Number One hit song “This Is America,” which became a cultural phenomenon and garnered world-wide acclaim.

While pursuing his masters degree in film scoring at USC, Göransson met his other longtime collaborator, director Ryan Coogler, when he scored his short film, Locks. Over the next nine years, Göransson would score all three of Coogler’s feature films. Much like iconic filmmaking duos Hitchcock and Herrmann or Spielberg and Williams, Coogler’s diverse filmography has allowed Göransson to show his range as a composer, writing understated melodies for Fruitvale Station, hyping up audiences for Creed, and infusing African percussion into his themes for Black Panther.

Göransson has accumulated success in a variety of other films including the box office smash Venom andPixar’s Inner Workings. In 2019, Göransson earned multiple awards and nominations for his score for Black Panther including a Golden Globe nomination, a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack, and an Academy Award for Best Original Score. He won two Grammy Awards for his song “This is America”, which he co-wrote and co-produced with frequent collaborator Childish Gambino.

Most recently, Göransson completed the score for Season 2 of The Mandalorian, LucasFilm’s first Star Wars live-action series helmed by director Jon Favreau, streaming exclusively on Disney+. In September 2020, he won his first Emmy Award for his work on the series. Göransson also composed the music for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, which premiered late summer 2020. In addition, he co-wrote and co-produced the songs for DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour with Justin Timberlake, which exceeded expectations with its history-making digital release in April 2020, racking up nearly $100 million in sales in just three weeks.

About “The Mandalorian” Season 2

The new season finds the Mandalorian and the Child continuing their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies, as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. “The Mandalorian” stars Pedro Pascal, with guest stars Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Directors for the new season include Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed and Robert Rodriguez. Showrunner Jon Favreau serves as executive producer along with Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson, with Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serving as co-executive producers. The writers for this season are Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Rick Famuyiwa. About Disney Music Group/Walt Disney Records:Disney Music Group is home to Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing, Buena Vista Records, and Disney Concerts. In addition to the labels’ genre-spanning rosters and its rich catalog of classic and enduring music, DMG also releases film and television soundtracks such as the chart-topping “Frozen 2” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the Emmy® winning “The Mandalorian,” Oscar-winning “Coco” and “Moana” soundtracks, and the Oscar and Grammy-winning “Frozen” soundtrack. Upcoming titles include “The Mandalorian” Season 2 and Disney and Pixar’s “Soul.” To stream classic Disney hits, please visit: http://disneymusic.co/DisneyHits

CHLOE X HALLE

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RELEASE ALTERNATE VERSION “TIPSY” AND COVER OF “SENDING ALL MY LOVE” FOR SPOTIFY SINGLES

LISTEN HERE

Chloe x Halle has shared two new tracks for the latest installment of Spotify Singles, marking the second-ever Are & Be-branded Spotify Singles release.

Recorded in LA, Chloe x Halle performed a stripped-down version of their hit single “Tipsy” from their recently released album Ungodly Hour as well as a cover of Zhané’s “Sending My Love,” with Chloe x Halle adding their subtly electronic 90s-R&B-inspired twist. Listen to both songs HERE.

“We first fell in love with ‘Sending All My Love’ by Zhané because our parents would blast it all around our house in Atlanta,” says Chloe x Halle. “We fell in love with the fact that they’re a duo as well, and how their voices blended so nicely together. It was very inspiring to us as a duo too!”

Ungodly Hour is available HERE.

www.chloexhalle.com
@chloexhalle

About Spotify Singles

Driving more than four billion streams since the program began in 2017, Spotify Singles was created to give artists an opportunity to record new versions of their own songs, and the songs of the artists they love. The Singles scope includes a unique version of each artist’s own song (Side A) and a cover song of their choosing (Side B). To date, there have been over 300 Singles recorded as part of the program.

DISNEY × ROY CHOI TO LAUNCH “MICKEY & FRIENDS(GIVING)”

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In honor of the popular Friendsgiving holiday, Disney has teamed up with award-winning Chef Roy Choi – known for his popular restaurants Kogi BBQ and Best Friend – and five renowned pizzerias across the U.S. to launch Mickey & Friends(giving), offering a whole new take on the traditional ‘pie.’
Disney and Chef Choi collaborated with his friends at Jon & Vinny’s in Los Angeles; Home Slice Pizza in Austin; Roberta’s Pizza in Brooklyn; Pizzeria Beddia in Philadelphia; and Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix to create six specialty pizzas inspired by the Sensational Six friends that will be available for one day only, on Saturday, Nov. 21. From an updated take on a classic pepperoni in honor of the true original Mickey Mouse, to a spicy ingredient as a nod to Donald Duck’s feistiness, each pie embodies the characters’ distinct personalities and collectively tells a story of friendship.
Starting today, fans can pre-order the specialty pizzas – for local pickup or delivery on Nov. 21 – at disney.com/mickeyfriendsstaytrue. Each pizza will be $36.00, plus tax, and will include a custom pizza box and Mickey & Friends(giving) stickers, for those who pre-ordered. Quantities are limited. First-come, first-served, while supplies last.
“I am so excited to host this ultimate pizza party mash-up for fans and friends to share this Friendsgiving together,” said Chef Roy Choi. “I named one of my restaurants Best Friend because I live for that feeling when you’re just hanging out having fun with your friends and nothing else in the world matters. I was able to team up with some of the best pizzerias in the U.S. to make some awesome recipes inspired by Mickey and his Friends, and now, fans too can experience them with each other this holiday.”

For assets on Mickey & Friends(giving), click here.

The Sensational Six-Inspired Pies Include:

Jon & Vinny’s (Los Angeles: Fairfax and Brentwood) – Mickey Mouse

Inspired by the true original, Mickey Mouse, Jon & Vinny’s special pizza-pie features a twist on classic pepperoni ‘za. This pie features smokies sausages smothered with three cheeses (fresh mozzarella, aged mozzarella, and caciocavallo) and topped with onions. A new spin on a timeless classic.

Home Slice Pizza (Austin) – Minnie Mouse

Inspired by Minnie Mouse’s fashionable, bold, and fun spirit, Home Slice’s specialty pizza features a deck oven pie topped with a bright red sauce and rich and creamy mozzarella white polka dots. At the center of the pie is a parmesan crisp in the shape of Minnie’s signature bow.

Roberta’s Pizza (Bushwick) – Donald Duck

Inspired by the legendary Donald Duck, Roberta’s pizza speaks to Donald Duck’s feisty and fiery spirit. It features Roberta’s house-made spicy nduja sausage and bitter castelfranco radicchio topped with smooth Taleggio cheese and lemon zest.

Roberta’s Pizza (Williamsburg) – Daisy Duck

Inspired by Daisy Duck’s sassy yet classy attitude, Roberta’s white pie features Roberta’s special salsa verde and thinly sliced potatoes. It is sure to bring some of Daisy’s elegance and spiciness to your Friendsgiving table.

Pizzeria Beddia (Philadelphia) – Goofy

Inspired by Goofy’s quirky, funny, and slightly clumsy personality, Pizzeria Beddias’s crafted pizza pie includes your favorite sandwich toppings on a pizza, and what could be goofier than that! This pizza features a light tomato cream base, mozzarella, finished with mortadella and topped with a crunchy salad. It’s playful, and so yummy!

Pizzeria Bianco (Phoenix) – Pluto

Inspired by the loveable Pluto and his insatiable appetite, Pizzeria Bianco’s specialty pizza is a fun play on meat-lovers pie. It features a generous helping of fennel sausage, pepperoni and cheese. It’s sure to be delicious!

New Products and Promotions Celebrating Friendship and Food
To keep the Friendsgiving celebrations going at home, exciting collaborations with Williams Sonoma and Instant Pot are now available. Additional collections now shoppable include American Eagle Outfitters, BaubleBar, Target, Eggie, and BoxLunch, featuring apparel, accessories, and more. These, along with retailers globally, offer something for fans of all ages, with more to come next year.
In addition, popular match-3 mobile game Disney Emoji Blitz will be celebrating Mickey & Friends(giving) throughout the month of November with in-game token events and sweepstakes sponsored by Jam City. The sweepstakes will kick off November 19, giving away five products from BoxLunch’s Mickey & Friends collection. For official sweepstakes rules and regulations please visit http://bit.ly/DEBFacebook.
Fans can also follow along with @shopDisney for updates and visit shopDisney.com for a variety of Mickey and Friends products this holiday season.
Mickey & Friends(giving) is a continuation of Mickey & Friends: Stay True, the global campaign launched earlier this year inspired by the Sensational Six – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto.
Disney’s Mickey & Friends: Stay True campaign will continue throughout the end of this year and into 2021. For more information, follow @MickeyTrueOriginal and #MickeyFriendsgiving #MickeyFriendsStayTrue and on Instagram.

About Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing
Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP) brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s brands and franchises—including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more—into the daily lives of families and fans around the world through products and experiences across more than 100 retail categories from toys and t-shirts to apps, books, video games, and more. A division of the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment, CPGP’s global operations include: the world’s largest licensing business, one of the biggest children’s publishing brands, a leading licensor of interactive games across platforms, Disney store locations globally, and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.

Sprayground x Star Wars

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The global innovative streetwear brand, Sprayground, is calling on all Star WarsTM fans as it unveils an exciting collaboration. Inspired by the Lucasfilm series, The Mandalorian, which is now playing on Disney+, the company released a backpack to help fans get excited for the launch of Mando Mondays.

Sprayground focuses on creating accessories, backpacks and influential streetwear fashion. It’s no secret that when it comes to backpacks and accessories, Sprayground is at the forefront of high-quality and unique design, and on the must-have list for many people across the globe. This Star Wars’ collaboration backpack brings enthusiasm to fans of Star Wars with a new design inspired by the fan-favorite character, the Child.

In collaboration with Lucasfilm, Sprayground has developed a unique backpack that celebrates the Child, as well as showcases Sprayground’s infamous and collectible ‘shark mouth’ art piece which can be seen on the background canvas of the backpack.

Just in time for the release of Star Wars’ The Mandalorian’s second season coming October 30, fans are able to get their hands on this fresh new backpack. The backpack features the Child which fans have dubbed Baby Yoda, a character that quickly became a star of the show.

Sprayground, as always, has ensured that functionality is the highest-quality in their pieces and this bag is no different. It has designated partitions for USB sticks, wires and cables, a laptop, and other accessories that can be securely stored in zipped compartments. This functionality makes this bag perfect for the fashion-forward, Star Wars lovers and for those that are always on the go.

The backpack is also complete with a conveniently placed velour pouch perfect for a pair of glasses, pencil case, or your favorite Star Wars-inspired gear, offering conveniences for all fans.

Founder and creative director, David Ben David said, “This was such an exciting collection for us. It’s the first time we have collaborated with Lucasfilm, which for me and many others is such an iconic brand. I am super humbled to have the opportunity and we’re all excited to release this collection for fans of The Mandalorian and Sprayground alike.”

The backpack retails at $65 and is available from October 26, 2020, on Sprayground’s website.

Skai Jackson × DWTS

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Skai Jackson, the 18-year-old television and social media star, hit the cover of 360 MAGAZINE.

A competitor on the 29th season of ABC’s hit television series “Dancing with the Stars,” Jackson is mostly known for her role as Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel show “Jessie” and its spin-off series “Bunk’d,” as well as her social media presence. Her cover with 360 MAGAZINE was featured on “Dancing with the Stars,” and you can see it right here.

Now, she is partnered with Alan Bersten in the popular ballroom dancing competition.

She danced the tango with Bersten to Nicki Minaj‘s “Super Bass” in the first week of the show and scored a 21 out of 30 from the three judges.

In the second week, she danced the samba to Ne-Yo‘s “Miss Independent.” The duo scored their lowest score up to this point in the competition with a 15, but they were saved while Charles Oakley and Emma Slater were eliminated.

Jackson and Bersten then danced the jive to “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog.” They scored an 18 and moved on to the next round.

Week four saw the two dance the foxtrot to John Legend‘s “Ordinary People.” Jackson dedicated the dance to her “Jessie” co-star Cameron Boyce, who died at the age of 20 in 2019.

She spread the word about dedicating the dance on Twitter.

“Just got off stage…I did my thing for Cameron tonight,” she tweeted.

She also encouraged viewers to donate to the Cameron Boyce Foundation, a program that honors Boyce with a goal to end gun violence and cure epilepsy. Combining an issue that affected Boyce personally with an issue he was passionate about, the foundation aims to be the bridge for people who want to help but don’t know how.

To help, you can follow the Cameron Boyce Foundation on Instagram, donate and encourage others to get involved.

The dance scored the first ten of the year from Carrie Ann Inaba. It also received nines from Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli, giving it a total score of 28, the highest score of the season at the time.

The two danced jazz in the fifth week to “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & The News for the show’s 80’s night. Set to a “Back to the Future” backdrop, the costumes completed the feel of the movie and the dance scored a 24.

Week 6 will air Wednesday night on ABC, and Jackson and Bersten will dance the cha-cha-cha.

You can follow Skai Jackson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Interscope Records Release Soundtrack for Disney+ Movie – Clouds

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Today, Interscope Records releases the soundtrack for the Disney+ original movie Clouds, from Director Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. The release of the soundtrack coincides with the premiere of the movie on Disney+ and includes renforshort’s recently released song “afterthoughts,” the title track performed by stars of the movie Sabrina Carpenter and Fin Argus, the lead single “Wild Life” by OneRepublic, along with songs from the real Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown who inspired the story for the movie. The Clouds Soundtrack is available now at all digital retail providers. See full track listing below.

Clouds Soundtrack Track Listing:

Galaxies – Isabella Richardson
Sexy And I Know It – Fin Argus
Blueberries – Sabrina Carpenter
Clouds – Fin Argus & Sabrina Carpenter
afterthoughts – renforshort
Fix Me Up – Fin Argus & Sabrina Carpenter
My Little Dancer – Fin Argus
How To Go To Confession – Sabrina Carpenter
Clouds Score Suite – Brian Tyler
Purple Pink – Sammy Brown
Star Hopping (Film Version) – A Firm Handshake
Ames (Film Version) – A Firm Handshake
Sandcastles (Film Version) – A Firm Handshake
Wild Life – OneRepublic

In addition to the release of Clouds and the soundtrack, the music video for OneRepublic’s “Wild Life” is out now. The video, directed by Christian Lamb and produced by Black Dog Films, was shot on location at Ruby Beach and the Hoh Rainforest in Washington State and includes scenes from the Disney+ original movie.

Click HERE to watch.

Inspired by an incredible true story, Clouds is a poignant and beautiful look at the heartbreaking duality of life and a testament to what can happen when you start to live as if each day might be your last. Zach Sobiech (Fin Argus) is a seventeen-year-old, fun-loving student with raw musical talent living with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. At the start of his senior year, he is ready to take on the world, however when he receives the news that the disease has spread, he and his best friend and songwriting partner, Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter), decide to spend Zach’s limited time following their dreams. With the help of Zach’s mentor and teacher, Mr. Weaver (Lil Rel Howery), Zach and Sammy are given the chance of a lifetime and are offered a record deal. Along with the support of the love of his life, Amy (Madison Iseman) and his parents, Rob and Laura (Tom Everett Scott and Neve Campbell); Zach embarks on an unforgettable journey about friendship, love and the power of music. Clouds debuts exclusively on Disney+ today.

ABOUT DISNEY+:

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

ABOUT WAYFARER STUDIOS:

Wayfarer Studios, forged by a partnership between Justin Baldoni and Steve Sarowitz (4S Bay/Paylocity), is a purpose-driven creative and financial engine focused on radically sincere film and television content that is platform and genre agnostic. Wayfarer Studios was founded with the mission to develop and finance projects that can serve as true agents for social change, and which can eradicate the negative “isms” from our world. The studio aims “to disrupt for good” by empowering and protecting creators with fresh voices, championing content that speaks to the human spirit, challenging the status quo and embracing our diverse global community. Wayfarer Studios currently has multiple television and feature film projects in active development.

**TO BUY OR STREAM THE CLOUDS SOUNDTRACK:**

Paul McCartney × Rupert

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“Congratulations to Rupert on his 100th birthday. The great thing is he never looks a day older. Having been a fan of his since my early days in Liverpool, I know what he means to generations of young and old kids. In his character and attitudes to the world, he sums up the best of British tradition and reminds us of an innocence we would all love to cherish. So, congratulations, my little bear. Your fans are celebrating your 100th birthday, and I, for one, think you deserve a telegram from the Queen.” Paul McCartney

36 years since its release and also celebrating the 40th anniversary of when Paul recorded the song at AIR Studios, London, We All Stand Together is being made available on limited edition picture disc vinyl on November 6th via MPL/Capitol/UMe – the vinyl is specially shaped, exactly the same as the 1984 release. The 2020 version also comes with a poster.

We All Stand Together has been remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Alex Wharton along with the B-side instrumental We All Stand Together (Humming Version), which was included on the original release.

Produced by George Martin and featuring The King’s Singers and the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, We All Stand Together (also known as The Frog Song) was a huge hit upon release, remaining in the charts for 13 weeks, becoming a classic and a much -loved song by every school child in the 80s.

The song was the focal point of Rupert and The Frog Song – a short animated film that Paul began work on in 1981 with animator Geoff Dunbar. The film has now been fully restored in 4k as well as getting a new audio mix. Written and produced by Paul and directed by Geoff, Rupert and The Frog Song was eventually released in 1984. The film saw Paul voice the character of Rupert and featured the voices of the beloved British TV icons June Whitfield (as Rupert’s mother) and Windsor Davies (Father Frog). Released simultaneously with We All Stand Together, the film went on to become the biggest selling video of 1985 in the UK, earning Paul a Grammy nomination in the process as well as seeing him win a revered Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Soundtrack and picking up a BAFTA for Best Animated Short Film.

The film, along with the amphibian anthem, were inspired by Paul’s childhood love of Rupert and a specific drawing Paul remembered from the 1958 Rupert Bear Annual.

“I’ve always loved animation. It started with Disney cartoons and went on from there. As a kid, I would always get the Rupert Annual at Christmas. I remember getting the idea for a film project when looking through one of them. There was a standout image in color, and when I saw it, I could imagine a concert of frogs with them all doing different parts, a choir, and an orchestra, and I could almost hear the music.”

The project had been in the making for a long time. Paul’s original idea had been to make a feature-length film, and he set about work for this in the 70s, recording songs and writing stories that, to this day, remain unreleased with one of the unreleased songs dating back to The Beatles Let It Be sessions in 1969.

“I had wanted to make a Rupert feature film for a while but didn’t realize what a difficult task it actually was. I remember telling John Lennon about it, and he encouraged me to have a go, which was great, but you need more than that to make a film. There were so many different things to think about, things like securing the rights. It was all too much. Eventually, I had the idea to make a short film with an animator I admired, Geoff Dunbar.”

Like Paul, Geoff Dunbar had grown up on Rupert, and unlike other animators who were suggesting some kind of Rupert reboot, Geoff, sharing Paul’s vision, believed that Rupert shouldn’t change. Geoff took inspiration from the demo of We All Stand Together, and just as Paul had heard what the song might be years before when looking at the annual, Geoff started to visualize the film based on Paul’s music, and he and Paul would back and forth ideas on the project as it started to come to life. Rupert and The Frog Song was made in a pre-digital age, all handcrafted, and this year has undergone a painstaking and serious restoration process in which the film has been regraded and restored frame by frame.

Watching the new film, Geoff says: “It’s delightful and absolutely thrilling. I’m totally blown away by it and the sound quality too. I’ve always maintained what a marvelous piece of work it was. It was seriously adored and a massive hit all over the world.”

The magic can be recaptured once again for existing fans and new audiences on November 6th when the new version will be made available on YouTube.

“Clouds” Premieres Oct. 16 on Disney+

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Seventeen-year old Zach Sobiech captured the hearts of people everywhere when his original song “Clouds” debuted and instantly became a viral sensation in 2012. In the new Disney+ original movie “Clouds,” premiering on Friday, October 16, the world will be inspired once again by Zach’s musical legacy and his story about the resilience of the human spirit. Directed by Justin Baldoni, the movie is based on the book “Clouds: A Memoir” by Zach’s mother, Laura Sobiech.

Inspired by an incredible true story, “Clouds” is a poignant and beautiful look at the heartbreaking duality of life and a testament to what can happen when you start to live as if each day might be your last. Zach Sobiech (Fin Argus) is a fun-loving high school student with raw musical talent living with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. At the start of his senior year, he is ready to take on the world, however when he receives the news that the disease has spread, he and his best friend and songwriting partner, Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter), decide to spend Zach’s limited time following their dreams. With the help of Zach’s mentor and teacher, Mr. Weaver (Lil Rel Howery), Zach and Sammy are given the chance of a lifetime and are offered a record deal. Along with the support of the love of his life, Amy (Madison Iseman) and his parents, Rob and Laura (Tom Everett Scott and Neve Campbell); Zach embarks on an unforgettable journey about friendship, love and the power of music.

Clouds” is directed by Justin Baldoni and produced by Andrew Lazar, Justin Baldoni and Casey La Scala. Kara Holden wrote the screenplay with a story by Casey La Scala & Patrick Kopka and Kara Holden. The movie is produced by Wayfarer Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures and Mad Chance / La Scala Films.

About Disney+

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

Watch the trailer now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWEgUhWU4g4&feature=youtu.be

Mulan Boycott

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by Justin Lyons

A new movement is taking over social media as pro-democracy activists try to spread a boycott of the new Disney film Mulan.

Disney’s live-action remake of the 1998 original film hit Disney’s streaming service Disney+ this weekend. On top of the monthly subscription fee, those wanting to see Mulan would have to pay $29.99 to unlock it.

Social media users in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand called for movie fans and Disney lovers to avoid the new film because of comments from Liu Yifei, who plays the titular Mulan.

In Aug. 2019, Liu expressed via Weibo, a Chinese social media site, that she supported Hong Kong police. The comments came amid pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Liu was met with instant backlash, but now that her movie is available to stream, the widespread boycott seems to have intensified.

Joshua Wong, a Hong Kong activist, has been particularly outspoken regarding the situation. He asked everyone who believes in human rights to boycott the film.

He also retweeted multiple tweets from other activists. One of which was from Twitter user Gwyneth Kwai-lam Ho, who linked a story about the boycott from The Guardian.

“Not while the true Mulans are suffering in the darkness of a Chinese jail,” the tweet said.

Mulan currently sits at 78% on Rotten Tomatoes among critics but 55% among audience members. It had a production budget of $200 million.

Netflix Co-CEO on Ads

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by Justin Lyons

Netflix co-founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings sat down with Variety recently to discuss his new book and everything regarding Netflix. From business strategies to hiring strategies to creative strategies, Hastings seemed to be quite open about his ideas for the streaming service.

One of the biggest questions everyone seems to have about Netflix revolves around its revenue strategy. The home of shows like “Stranger Things,” “Orange is the New Black,” “House of Cards” and other award-winning, binge-inducing shows has been ad-free since its inception.

Hastings said the decision to rely entirely on a subscription model is more of a judgement call than a strict rule for Netflix.

“You know, advertising looks easy until you get in it. Then you realize you have to rip that revenue away from other places because the total ad market isn’t growing, and in fact right now it’s shrinking,” Hastings told Variety.

Hastings went on to say there’s more opportunity for growth in the consumer market than there is in the advertising business, also citing 20 years of success to back his point.

A 2019 report from eMarketer said Google, Facebook and Amazon received upwards of two-thirds of advertising dollars in the United States, so it would make sense to believe the room for growth in advertising is limited.

The New York Times reported in April that Netflix gained nearly 16 million subscribers early in the year, pushing the total number of subscribers to more than 182 million.

Hastings also touched on production during COVID-19’s shutdown, saying Netflix was able to shoot some originals, like the fourth season of “The Crown,” before shutting down production. He added that Netflix is currently producing in Europe and Asia.

While producing in Europe and Asia is more practical than producing in the United States right now, it also goes along with goals Hastings has for Netflix.

He said he wants Netflix to become a first-class developer all around the world, not just in Hollywood. Hastings said shows like “Dark,” from Germany, and “La Casa de Papel,” from Spain, have aided that movement.

On the future of Netflix, Hastings said, “What’s next is becoming a great Turkish developer of content, becoming a great Egyptian developer of content and sharing that with the world.”

He closed the interview with a discussion about other streaming platforms. Hastings compared Netflix to Starbucks, serving a specific product, while Amazon is more of a Walmart, serving every need.

With the number of streaming services growing exponentially, it might be easy to assume doom for the original streaming platforms. Even with Disney+ reaching 60 million subscribers, Hastings isn’t worried, calling the streaming industry a “healthy situation.”

“Because you’ll continue to push each other to innovate and entertain people. It’s only in the old communist states of the 1960s when you’d have a single network. No one wants to create that,” Hastings said.

A rising tide lifts all boats, right? There is no doubt that Netflix remains king of the streaming industry, and we can probably assume we’re safe from ads on Netflix for now. That, along with the possible development of more content from other countries and cultures, makes it an exciting time to be a Netflix subscriber.

For now, we’ll continue to rely on Netflix’s ad-free experience while studios that rely on theatrical releases are slowed down.

To read the entire interview from Variety, you can click right here.