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“Mary Poppins” musical to tour? “Green Hornet” movie on the way?

Jim Hill

Well, I’m just back from the airport. Where I put Alice and my former mother-in-law, Nancy Smith, on their early morning flight back to Honolulu.

I had a great two weeks with my daughter. The time really flew by. (Though, I would imagine that the JHM readers who have been patiently waiting for me to finally finish my “Star Tours” saga series would disagree with that …)

Anyway, to keep the blues at bay (At least for a little while), I thought I might throw together a quick story for you folks. An article that reveals some of the other stuff I learned while looking over the various domain names that the Walt Disney Company has registered over the past two months.

So here goes …

Sometimes, the domain names that the Walt Disney Company choses to register are fairly obvious. Take — for example — these domain names that are obviously associated with Disney’s Animal Kingdom soon-to-be-opening thrill ride:

While still others give us a glimpse at the company’s long range plan for a particular project:

Now given how superstitious theater-types are, I’m guessing that they’d be aghast to find out that — even before “Tarzan” completes its casting, let alone its out-of-town try-out in Boston — that the Mouse is so certain that this new Phil Collins musical will be a Broadway smash that they’re already planning on sending this particular production out on tour.

Mind you, if they’re upset about Disney’s presumptious plans for “Tarzan: The Musical,” imagine what those theatrical-types will think of what Mickey has in store for “Mary Poppins”:

Never mind that there are still supposedly a considerable number of folks within the Walt Disney Company who are concerned that the London stage version of “Mary Poppins” may be just too dark & grim (More importantly, that this new stage musical doesn’t exactly follow the storyline of the much-beloved 1964 Walt Disney Productions release) for American theater-goers to embrace … Disney Theatrical already assumes that the Broadway version of “Poppins” will be a smash hit. Which is why this division of the Walt Disney Company feels that it’s important to plan now on this production’s eventual stateside tour.

Speaking of musicals, I came across a pretty intriguing title among the domain names that the Mouse registered back on June 26th:

Could it be that the Walt Disney Company is looking to revisit its 2002 success, “Chicago,” by transferring yet another popular Broadway musical from the 1970s to the big screen? Does anyone out there have Stephen Schwartz’s phone number? So we could give “Pippin” ‘s composer a call and see if this project is actually legit?

Speaking of movies that Disney may eventually make, I was pleased to see that — even though Kevin Smith has officially bailed out of this project now — that the Mouse still evidently intends to go forward with production of its first comic-book-superhero movie since 1991’s “The Rocketeer”:

Speaking of Kevin: Though the follow-up to Smith’s 1994 break-out film, “Clerks,” doesn’t officially go into production ’til next month, Disney’s already grabbed that domain name:

And — while we’re talking more adult-oriented material from the Mouse House — I’ll bet all your Quentin Taratino fans out there will be pleased to hear that there’s apparently an uncut version of his 2003 Uma Thurman epic waiting in the wings:

Of course, if you’re not the type that really enjoys movies that feature vengeful women wielding swords, maybe you’ll be pleased to hear that Disney — through its now-Weinstein-free Miramax Pictures division — plans on producing a film version of John Kennedy Toole’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel:

“What’s with all this non-Disney-related stuff, Jim?” I hear you saying. “Tell us more about what the Mouse is up to.” Your wish is my command.

There have been a lot of rumors out there that Walt Disney Feature Animation’s 2006 release,”A Day with Wilbur Robinson” is undergoing a name change. Well, based on the fact that the Walt Disney Company has just registered this domain name:

I’d say that that rumor is mostly likely true. (Don’t worry, folks. Just because “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” is changing its title doesn’t mean that this Stephen J. Anderson film is actually in any trouble. If anything, the advance buzz on this 2006 release just keeps getting better & better. Based on what I’ve been hearing, the now renamed “Meet the Robinsons” may be Disney’s first CG blockbuster.)

Speaking of CG … As part of the studio’s continuing effort to kiss & make up with Pixar Animation Studios, the Walt Disney Company obviously plans to make a very big deal out of the tenth anniversary of “Toy Story” ‘s November 1995 release:

Whether or not all this extra effort will eventually convince Steve Jobs to re-up his co-production / distribution deal with Disney … Who can say?

Meanwhile, to make up for all the revenue that the Walt Disney Company’s sure to lose if Pixar does actually renew its deal with the studio, the Mouse is aggressively exploring every possible money-making avenue. These include the corporation’s web-based retail efforts:

Mind you, Disney’s targeting bargain-hunters …

… As well as the kids …

To maximize the company’s profits from here on in, the Mouse wants to make sure that every single campsite at WDW’s Fort Wilderness Resort is filled:

As well as making sure that every seat at every performance at WDW’s Cirque de Soleil show is occupied (Even if that does mean that Disney has to start selling specially discounted tickets to annual passholders as well as Disney Vacation Cluib members):

Of course, the best way to save money is not to spend any at all. Which is why the Walt Disney Company is reportedly looking into radically expanding its unpaid intern program:

Anyway … That’s a brief glimpse at some of the hundred or more domain names that the Walt Disney Company registered over the past two months. Here’s hoping that you enjoyed this peek behind the Mouse House’s curtain.

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