Warner Bros. will make its new animated feature film “SCOOB!” available for both Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) and for premium digital ownership in Australia and New Zealand from today, providing high-quality family entertainment in the home just in time for school holidays.
“We know ‘SCOOB!’ has been highly anticipated in Australia and New Zealand, so we’re pleased we can deliver this action-packed movie for families to experience at home during the school holidays,” said Joel Pearlman, CEO of Roadshow Films.
“SCOOB!” will be available to premiere at home for a 48-hour rental via Premium Video On Demand or premium digital ownership beginning on Wednesday, July 1. The title will be available on participating digital platforms.
A fully animated, full-length Scooby-Doo action adventure for the whole family, “SCOOB!” reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this global “dogpocalypse,” the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.
“SCOOB!” features an all-star ensemble cast led by Will Forte, two-time Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Kiersey Clemons, Ken Jeong, Tracy Morgan, Simon Cowell, and Frank Welker.
The film was directed by Warner Bros. animation stalwartTony Cervone, an Annie Award nominee for the feature film “Space Jam,” two-time Emmy nominee for his work on “Duck Dodgers” and one of the creators of the popular Scooby-Doo series “Mystery Incorporated.” It was produced by Pam Coats and Allison Abbate. Adam Sztykiel, Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Jesse Ehrman, Dan Povenmire, and Chris Columbus served as executive producers. The “SCOOB!” screenplay was by Adam Sztykiel and Jack C. Donaldson & Derek Elliott and Matt Lieberman, story by Matt Lieberman and Eyal Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart, based on characters created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Cervone’s creative team included editors Ryan Folsey and Vanara Taing, and composer Tom Holkenborg.
A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, “SCOOB!” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and by Roadshow Films in Australia and New Zealand.
Today, Disney+ shared a first look trailer at its upcoming original series “Muppets Now,” premiering exclusively on the streaming service on Friday, 31 July. In their first-ever unscripted series, the Muppets make their streaming debut in an all-new six-episode show starring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the entire gang.
In a true first for the studio, “Muppets Now” is an unscripted series filled with improv comedy, off-the-cuff gags, and the Muppets’ celebrity friends. In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppets throws at him.
Overflowing with spontaneous lunacy, surprising guest stars and more frogs, pigs, bears (and whatevers) than legally allowed, the Muppets cut loose in “Muppets Now” with the kind of startling silliness and chaotic fun that made them famous. From zany experiments with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker to lifestyle tips from the fabulous Miss Piggy, each episode is packed with hilarious segments, hosted by the Muppets showcasing what the Muppets do best.
Produced by The Muppets Studio and Soapbox Films, “Muppets Now” premieres Friday, 31 July, streaming only on Disney+. New episodes will be released every Friday.
The Walt Disney Studios has announced that the heartwarming adventure “The One and Only Ivan,” an adaptation of the bestselling, award-winning book about one very special gorilla directed by Thea Sharrock, will premiere exclusively on Disney+ August 21, 2020.
The film, which was previously scheduled to be released theatrically by The Walt Disney Studios, is an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualisation and the significance of the place one calls home.
“The One and Only Ivan,” which comes to the screen in an impressive hybrid of live-action and CGI, is based on Katherine Applegate’s book, which won numerous awards upon its publication in 2013, including the Newbery Medal.
“The world has changed in a heartbeat. People all over the globe have shared important, life changing experiences in ways we have not seen for a century,” said Thea Sharrock.
“In response to this, I am so happy that we can share Katherine Applegate’s delightful and original story, ‘The One and Only Ivan’ with the world this August on Disney+, bringing some joy through this unique movie of true friendship, inspired by a true story.”
The film features the voices of: Sam Rockwell as the gorilla Ivan; Angelina Jolie as Stella the elephant; Danny DeVito as Bob the dog; Helen Mirren as Snickers the poodle; Chaka Khan as Henrietta the chicken; Mike White as Frankie the seal; Brooklynn Prince as Ruby the baby elephant; Ron Funches as Murphy the rabbit; Phillipa Soo as Thelma the parrot; and stars Ramon Rodriguez, Ariana Greenblatt and Bryan Cranston.
“The One and Only Ivan” is directed by Thea Sharrock from a screenplay by Mike White based on Applegate’s novel and is produced by the late Allison Shearmur, p.g.a., Angelina Jolie and Brigham Taylor, p.g.a. Sue Baden-Powell and Thea Sharrock serve as executive producers.
Ivan is a 400-pound silverback gorilla who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant and Bob the dog. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from and where he ultimately wants to be.
Disney+ announced today that the popular scripted series, “Diary of a Future President” has been renewed for a second season.
From CBS Television Studios and I Can and I Will Productions, the show is executive produced by Gina Rodriguez along with creator Ilana Peña (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Keith Heisler and Molly Breeskin. Peña and Heisler are co-showrunners.
“Diary of a Future President” follows the adventures of Elena Cañero-Reed as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school on her journey to become the future president of the United States.
Series regulars include Tess Romero (“Blind Spot”) as Elena, Charlie Bushnell as Bobby, Selenis Leyva (“Orange Is the New Black,” “Murphy Brown”) as Gabi and Michael Weaver (“Here and Now,” “The Real O’Neals”) as Sam.
Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”) will return as adult Elena, the future president of the United States, in a recurring guest starring role.
“Optimistic, heartfelt stories that inspire are fundamental to our content and creator Ilana Peña’s series delivers on these attributes in spades,” says Agnes Chu, senior vice president, Content, Disney+.
“Families around the world have fallen in love with Elena and the Cañero-Reed family and we are thrilled to bring Elena’s often hilarious and always meaningful journey through adolescence back for another season. It has been wonderful to partner with the extraordinary Gina Rodriguez to champion specific, diverse points-of-view and we look forward to seeing even more of President Cañero-Reed in this next chapter.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Disney+ on a series that showcases strong women both in front of, and behind the camera. They’ve been incredible champions of the show from day one,” said David Stapf, president, CBS Television Studios.
“Gina’s ability to shepherd projects with new and diverse voices, combined with Ilana’s effortless blend of comedy and drama with humour and sensitivity bring this wonderful coming-of-age story to life.”
The series has received a 10-episode order and will stream exclusively on Disney+.
The new live-action Disney+ original movie, “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals,” will stream exclusively on the service starting Friday, July 17, 2020.
Below is a link to view the trailer for this cinematic movie that combines the allure of royalty with the action-packed adventures of superheroes-in-training.
Peyton Elizabeth Lee (“Andi Mack”) leads a dynamic ensemble cast of royal recruits who inspires audiences of all ages to forge their own destinies and tap into their inner superheroes.
“Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” follows Sam, a rebellious teenage royal who unknowingly develops superpowers from a genetic trait attributed only to second-borns of royal lineage. Second-in-line to the throne of the kingdom of Illyria, Sam constantly questions what it means to be royal and wants to create her own legacy. Unlike Sam’s picture-perfect older sister Eleanor who will become the next queen, Sam would rather rock out with her bandmate and best friend Mike at an illegal protest or ditch a royal engagement for a wild night out.
Fed up with her daughter’s misbehavior, Queen Catherine sends Sam to a summer boarding school where she and four other second-born royals – Tuma, Roxana, January and Matteo – discover they have unique super-human abilities and are invited to join a secret society with a longstanding tradition of covertly keeping the peace. With a new sense of purpose and a little help from their Secret Society instructor James, Sam and her fellow royal recruits must learn to harness their newfound powers and work together as a team before they can save the world.
Starring is Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Sam; Skylar Astin (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”) as James; Olivia Deeble (“Home and Away”) as Roxana; Niles Fitch (“This is Us”) as Tuma; Faly Rakotohavana (“Raven’s Home”) as Matteo; Isabella Blake Thomas (“Once Upon A Time”) as January; Elodie Yung (“Daredevil”) as Queen Catherine; Ashley Liao (“Always Be My Maybe”) as Eleanor; Noah Lomax (“Trial By Fire”) as Mike; and Greg Bryk (“Handmaid’s Tale”) as the villainous Inmate 34.
“Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” is directed by Anna Mastro (Marvel’s “Runaways,” “The Bold Type”) and executive produced by Zanne Devine (“I, Tonya”), Mike Karz (“Valentine’s Day”) and Austin Winsberg (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”) with Juliana Janes (“Butter”) serving as co-producer. The teleplay was written by Alex Litvak (“Masters of the Universe”) and Andrew Green (“Hannah Montana”) and is based on an original story by Litvak, Green and Winsberg.
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals streaming from July 17 on Disney+
Australian animated film 100% Wolf is to be released on VOD platforms on the 29th May. The film was created by Australian company Flying Bark Productions and tells the story of a young werewolf who is surprised that on his 14th birthday he turns into a poodle.
Freddy the werewolf is voiced by actor and Triple J radio host Ilai Swindells and has a stellar supporting cast of Samara Weaving, Jai Courtney, Magda Szubanski, Jane Lynch, Rhys Darby and Akmal Saleh.
100% Wolf will be released on premium VOD on May 29th.
Today, Disney+ and Walt Disney Animation Studios launched the new, 10-episode animated short-form series and soundscape experience, “Zenimation.”
Unplug, relax, and refresh your senses for a moment of mindfulness with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zenimation” – an animated soundscape experience.
Whether it’s baby Moana being called by the ocean, Anna and Kristoff walking through an icy forest, or Baymax and Hiro Hamada flying over San Fransokyo, these iconic scenes become an aural experience like no other with the sounds of ocean waves, an icy forest and soaring flight.
“Zenimation” pays tribute to both the visual and sound artists who have created Walt Disney Animation Studios’ legacy of films. Created and edited by David Bess. From Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Summary: A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.
Year: 2019
Australian Cinema Release Date: 26th December 2019
Thailand Cinema Release Date: 3rd January 2019
Australian DVD Release Date: TBA
Country: United States, United Kingdom
Director: Tom Hooper
Screenwriter: Les Hall, Tom Hooper, T.S. Eliot (poetry), Andrew Lloyd Webber (musical)
Cast: Jaih Betote (Coricopat), Larry Bourgeois (Socrates), Jonadette Carpio (Syllabub), Danny Collins (Mungojerrie), James Corden (Bustopher Jones), Laurie Davidson (Mr. Mistoffelees), Judi Dench (Old Deuteronomy), Jason Derulo (Rum Rum Tugger), Idris Elba (Macavity), Robbie Fairchild (Mukustrap), Francesca Hayward (Victoria), Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella), Melissa Madden-Gray (Griddlebone), Ian McKellan (Gus The Theatre Cat), Steven McRam (Shimbleshanks the Railway Cat), Naoimh Morgan (Rumpleteazer), Daniela Norman (Demeter), Bluey Robinson (Alonzo), Freya Rowley (Jellylorum), Ida Saki (Electra), Zizi Strallen (Tantomile), Taylor Swift (Bombalurina), Mette Towley (Cassandra), Eric Underwood (Admetus), Rebel Wilson (Jennyanydots), Ray Winstone (Growltiger)
Running Time: 110 mins
Classification: G (Australia) TBC (Thailand)
OUR CATS REVIEWS & RATINGS:
Dave Griffiths’ Cats Review:
When you look back of 2019 and think of what films made the biggest impact in cinema there were perhaps none quite talked about the way Cats was. When the trailer dropped for director Tom Hooper’s (Les Miserables, The King’s Speech) version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical it made the nightly news for all the wrong reasons. For some Hooper’s cats looked strange, not-quite-human not-quite-cat, but others (like myself) found themselves erring on the side caution wondering or not if this was going to turn out to be some kind of visual spectacular.
To be honest Cats sits somewhere in the middle. While it is not the musical masterpiece that Hooper created with Les Miserables it is also not as terrible as some would have you think. Perhaps the best way to approach Cats is to think you are about to enter a cinema to watch a theatre musical being projected onto the big screen because this feels much more like a concert than it does a cinematic experience.
Originally based on a collection of poems from T.S. EliotCats is told through the eyes of Victoria (Francesca Hayward – The Sun Is God, Extra) a young cat who finds herself dumped in a London alleyway one night. She soon finds herself making friends with a magical cat called Mr. Mistoffelees (Laurie Davidson – Will, The Good Liar) who soon introduces her to the world of the Jellicle Cats.
On the night she arrives she finds that the Jellicles are eagerly awaiting the arrival of one of their oldest members – their matriarch Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench – Skyfall, Shakespeare In Love) who on this night every year choices which Jellicle will live the life they have always dreamed of. But not everything runs smoothly as the villainous Macavity (Idris Elba – The Losers, Star Trek Beyond) plans on eliminating all of his competition.
Surprisingly the plot of Cats does work on the big screen. It is extremely light on though and at times the film feels like an extra couple of songs have been added to pad it out to feature film length. Despite what many felt from when that first trailer surfaced you do also find yourself as an audience member connecting with the cats on screen. Each has their own persona and whether you want to admit to it or not you do find yourself barracking for a cat to win Old Deuteronmy’s approval.
The film’s biggest weakness though is the way it is put together. The stories and scenes are almost presented the way they would be if you were reading through the original collection of short stories. A certain cat will perform and point out their strengths and weaknesses and then they are spirited away by Macavity before they can have their time with Old Deuteronomy. The sequences though where Macavity and his right-hand cat Growltiger (Ray Winstone – The Departed, Beowulf) are keeping the other cats captive are more like you would expect from a pantomime though and never become as menacing as they perhaps should have been.
While the sequences of watching the Jellicles perform does at times seem magical there is none of the wow factor here that we got with other musicals like Les Miserables and Moulin Rouge. Les Miserables worked on the big screen because it was believable while Moulin Rouge was way over the top which suited the theatre world that it was set in. Cats has the disadvantage of not being believable and it feels like perhaps it would have worked a little better if Hooper had followed in the footsteps of Baz Luhrmann and made this film go more into the fantasy realm as well.
What does work for Cats though is the casting. Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellan (Gods And Monster, Lord Of The Rings) steal the show as they expertly lead their younger cast. James Corden (Trolls, Peter Rabbit) brings in just the right amount of comic relief while playing Bustopher Jones but it is Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls, The Secret Life Of Bees) who shines the brightest with her amazing vocals in the role of Grizabella. The ballet skills of Francesca Hayward also allows her to gracefully float across the screen as she leads the audience through this strange new world.
Cats may not leave its audience in awe the way Les Miserables did but it does have its own special charm. The best way to approach the movie is to go into the cinema knowing you will be about to watch a theatre production rather than a big blockbuster film.
