News & Press Releases
Animation Director Carlos Saldanha to Receive CinemaCon International Filmmaker of the Year Award

CARLOS SALDANHA TO RECEIVE CINEMACON® INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR AWARD
WASHINGTON D.C. (January 28, 2014) – Acclaimed animation director, Carlos Saldanha, will be honored with a special "International Filmmaker of the Year" Award, as part of CinemaCon's International Day, it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. CinemaCon, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), will be held March 24 – 27, 2014 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Saldanha will receive his special honor during International Day festivities, to take place on Monday, March 24, 2014.
Saldanha is currently completing production on "Rio 2" which sees the return of all of our favorite "Rio" characters including those voiced by Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, will.i.am and Jamie Foxx along with new friends being voiced by Andy Garcia, GRAMMY ® winner Bruno Mars, Tony® winner Kristin Chenoweth and Oscar®/Emmy®/Tony®/ GRAMMY ® winner Rita Moreno. The Twentieth Century Fox film is slated for release April 11, 2014.
"Since his theatrical debut in 2002 with 'Ice Age', Carlos Saldanha has captivated and entertained moviegoers worldwide, young and old, with some of the most stunning, imaginative and vibrant animated visuals ever to grace our theatre screens, while all along having these very same moviegoers laughing in their seats with some of the most delightful animated characters and stories of our time," noted Neuhauser. "From 'Ice Age' to 'Rio' and now 'Rio 2', Saldanha continues to create films for the entire family to enjoy and we could not be more excited to honor him as CinemaCon's 2014 International Filmmaker of the Year."
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saldanha, who has a background in computer science, left for New York City in 1991 to follow his passion for animation. While enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program at New York's School of Visual Arts, Saldanha completed two animated shorts, "The Adventures of Korky, the Corkscrew" and "Time for Love." After graduating from the program with honors, Saldanha joined Chris Wedge and the team of artists at Blue Sky Studios. Following his roles as both supervising animator and director of animation on television commercials and film, Saldanha teamed with Wedge to co-direct Blue Sky's first animated features "Ice Age" and "Robots." After "Ice Age" received an Oscar® nomination, Saldanha went on to direct the animated short film "Gone Nutty," also nominated for an Oscar®. Additionally, Saldanha directed "Ice Age: The Meltdown," and directed "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" with co-director Mike Thurmeier. In 2011, Saldanha directed the global blockbuster "Rio", which grossed over $486 million.
About CinemaCon
CinemaCon will attract upwards of 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry -from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.
CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry's greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies.
About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 31,450 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 78 countries worldwide. NATO's membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.
News & Press Releases
Disney Will Bring D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event to Anaheim, California in August 2024

Expanded Disney Fan Experience Will Feature New and Exciting Events Across Multiple Locations, Including a D23 Takeover of the Happiest Place On Earth, Evening Entertainment at the Honda Center, D23 Day at Angel Stadium, and Much More
Fan Favorites Including Exhibits, Panels, Shows, and Shopping Will Dazzle Disney Enthusiasts at the Anaheim Convention Center
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is a one-of-a-kind fan experience like never before with spectacular shows, new venues, and multiple days of entertainment that will bring together the best of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and more!
Highlightswill include:
- Sunday, August 4: D23 Day at Angel Stadium, where D23 fans are invited to attend the Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Mets game.
- Thursday, August 8: D23 kickoff celebration at Disneyland Resort.
- Friday, August 9 – Sunday, August 11: Shopping, exhibits, panels, and presentations will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center during the day, with the fun extending into the evening at the Honda Center, the bigger home to marquee shows.
Tickets for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will go on sale in Spring 2024, with ticketing options to be announced later for access to the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center. Admission for D23 Day at Angel Stadium and the D23 kickoff celebration at Disneyland Resort will be available as separate ticketed events. Additional details for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will be announced in early 2024.
You can get updates by staying connected to D23 via social media (@DisneyD23 on Facebook, Instagram, X), D23.com, and our weekly D23 FanFare email (sign up for free as a D23 General Member at JoinD23.com).
About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s nearly 100-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic year-round through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; the latest news and stories on D23.com; member-exclusive offers and discounts; the popular D23 Inside Disney podcast; and special experiences for D23 Members throughout the year.
Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99/year), Gold Duo Membership ($129.99/year), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube.
News & Press Releases
Star Wars Spoof: Space Robots in Outer Space Ep X: Battle for the Halcyon: The Last Starcruiser

Sure, Star Wars is cool and all. But let’s not forget about that other multi-part sci-fi cinematic spectacular, “Space Robots in Outer Space.” In fact, Hank Lonely (Hollywood’s ultimate hyphenate — actor / producer / director / writer / guy who makes sure the Porto Potties are kept squeaky-clean) just announced that there’ll soon be a 10th installment of this … Well, not exactly beloved. How about we say “admired from afar” instead? … series coming to a theater near you. In fact, here’s the highly anticipated teaser trailer for that project. Which is supposed to be titled “Space Robots in Outer Space X — Battle for the Halycon: The Last Starcruiser.”
Okay. Now the real story … In honor of Star Wars Day (i.e., May 4th. As in “May the Fourth Be With You”), Len Testa and I are sharing something that we produced with the help of all the nice folks who joined us last month aboard the Halycon.
We turned the Galactic Starcruiser as well as Black Spire Outpost into the backdrop for an affectionate send-up of all things Stars Wars. We hope that you (more importantly, the legal team at Lucasfilm) take this faux trailer in the spirit with which it was intended. Special thanks to Aaron Adams for so skillfully stitching all of this footage together. Also thanks to the team at Storybook Destinations, Touring Plans and the talented cast & crew aboard the “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” for making this “Disney Dish” fan event so memorable.
News & Press Releases
Disney’s New Trailer Reveals How Ralph & Vanellope Get to the Internet in “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2”


When “Wreck-It Ralph” opened on Nov. 2, 2012, it turned in the highest opening weekend ever for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film at the time of release. Now Disney is hoping Ralph will not only break the Internet but the 2018 Thanksgiving boxoffice records as well.

The film re-teams the original director, producer and co-writer behind “Wreck-It Ralph.” The screenplay is currently being written by Phil Johnston and Pamela Ribon. Director Rich Moore, producer Clark Spencer, and co-writer Phil Johnston partnered with fellow director Byron Howard and co-writer/co-director Jared Bush to create the Academy Award®-winning blockbuster feature “Zootopia.”

ROYAL REUNION – In “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck It Ralph 2,” Vanellope von Schweetz-along with her best friend Ralph-ventures into the uncharted world of the internet. When she finds herself surrounded by Disney princesses, she’s surprised to learn that she actually has a lot in common with them. The scene, highlighted in a new trailer for the film (below), features several of the original princess voices, including Auli’i Cravalho (“Moana”), Kristen Bell (Anna in “Frozen”), Idina Menzel (Elsa in “Frozen”), Kelly MacDonald (Merida in “Brave”), Mandy Moore (Rapunzel in “Tangled”), Anika Noni Rose (Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog”), Ming-Na Wen (“Mulan”), Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas”), Linda Larkin (Jasmine in “Aladdin”), Paige O’Hara (Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”) and Jodi Benson (Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”). Featuring Sarah Silverman as the voice of Vanellope, “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck It Ralph 2” opens in theaters nationwide Nov. 21, 2018.
“RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2”
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS
https://disney.com/ralphbreakstheinternet
https://www.youtube.com/user/disneyanimation
https://www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph/
https://twitter.com/wreckitralph
https://www.instagram.com/wreckitralph/
U.S. Release Date: Nov. 21, 2018
Voice cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk
Directors: Rich Moore, Phil Johnston
Producer: Clark Spencer
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