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New Disney Channel & Disney Junior Series “Sofia the First” Debuts Friday January 11th

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"SOFIA THE FIRST," AN ANIMATED SERIES ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL PRINCESS
ADJUSTING TO ROYAL LIFE, DEBUTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 ON DISNEY CHANNEL AND
DISNEY JUNIOR

Classic Disney Princesses Ariel, Aurora, Belle and Jasmine
Make Special Appearances

Eric Stonestreet, Viola Davis, Bonnie Hunt, Ellie Kemper, Megan
Mullally, Kiernan Shipka and Jeffrey Tambor among All-Star Guest Voice
Cast

The highly anticipated debut of Disney Junior's "Sofia the First," a new
animated series about Princess Sofia, an adventurous little girl who is
learning how to adjust to royal life after her mom marries the king and
she becomes a princess overnight, debuts FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 on Disney
Channel (9:30-10:00 a.m., ET/PT) and Disney Junior (5:30-6:00 p.m.,
ET/PT). Created for kids 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, "Sofia the
First" tells the story of an ordinary girl who becomes a princess and
throughout her journey learns that possessing the characteristics of a
true princess – honesty, loyalty, compassion and grace – is what makes
one truly royal.

Classic Disney Princesses Ariel, Aurora, Belle and Jasmine make special
appearances in event episodes throughout the year, offering Sofia words
of wisdom when she needs it most.  Fauna, Flora and Merryweather (the
beloved fairies seen in Disney's classic "Sleeping Beauty") are featured
as the headmistresses of Sofia's new school Royal Prep Academy.

The series stars the voices of Ariel Winter as Sofia, the young princess
in training; Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda, Sofia's loyal and caring
mother; Wayne Brady as Clover, Sofia's wise-talking rabbit sidekick and
Tim Gunn as Baileywick, the castle's royal steward.  Winter's "Modern
Family" co-star Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family") guest stars in the
premiere episode as the voice of Sofia's flying horse Minimus.  Other
notable guest stars include Viola Davis ("The Help"), Bonnie Hunt
("Cars"), Ellie Kemper ("Bridesmaids"), Megan Mullally ("Will &
Grace"), Kiernan Shipka ("Mad Men") and Jeffrey Tambor ("Arrested
Development").


SOFIA THE FIRST – (DISNEY JUNIOR) PRINCESS SOFIA
Copyright Disney Enterprises All rights reserved.

The November 18 premiere of Disney Junior's animated television movie
"Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess" introduced a record numbers of
viewers to Disney's first little girl princess, Sofia the First,
delivering a crowning glory of 5.2 million Total Viewers on Disney
Channel, handily becoming the #1 cable TV telecast of 2012 among Kids
2-5 (1.5 million/9.1 rating) and Girls 2-5 (954,000/12.2 rating). The
movie also delivered with older kids and adults, attracting more than
3.0 million Kids 2-11 and more than 1.4 million Adults 18-49.
 Impressively, the movie ranked as the #1 cable TV telecast in 5 years
in Kids 2-5 (since 11/12/2007, "Spongebob Atlantis Pantis") and in over
10 years in Girls 2-5 (since 5/6/2002, "Oswald").  Furthermore, it now
stands as Disney Channel's #1 telecast in the network's history among
Girls 2-5, its #2 telecast among Kids 2-5 (behind "High School Musical
2") and its #1 preschool telecast ever in Total Viewers, Adults 18-49
and Women 18-49.

In the premiere episode, "Just One of the Princes," Sofia strives to
become the first princess to earn a spot on her school's flying derby
team.  Although paired with the overly-anxious horse Minimus (voiced by
Stonestreet), Sofia learns to believe in herself and proves that a
princess can do anything she sets her mind to.  While she lives in an
enchanting fairytale world of castles, wizards and flying horses, Sofia
remains a relatable peer-to-peer princess who is experiencing many of
the same social situations as young viewers at home including fitting in
at school, building sibling relationships, making new friends,
discovering how and when to be brave, learning the importance of telling
the truth, and mastering new skills and good sportsmanship.  The
stories are designed to provide young children with fundamental lessons
about developing social and emotional skills to help prepare them for
life.

Events across multiple platforms will mark the series debut with
a preview of the premiere episode available via Disney Channel SVOD,
WATCH Disney Junior and on iTunes beginning Friday, January 4.  The
January 11 linear premiere on Disney Channel will be simulcast on WATCH
Disney Channel and mobile providers AT&T and Sprint TV. Following
the series premiere throughout the month of January, new episodes will
be available one week prior to their linear premiere via Disney Channel
SVOD and WATCH Disney Junior.

In early January, DisneyJunior.com/Sofia will launch the new
game "Minimus the Great," where players can help Sofia take care of her
horse Minimus and train for the big Royal Prep Flying Derby race.

Craig Gerber ("Pixie Hollow Games") developed the series and serves as
co-executive producer and story editor.  Jamie Mitchell ("Special Agent
Oso") is executive producer and director.  John Kavanaugh ("Winnie The
Pooh: Springtime with Roo") serves as songwriter/music director and
Kevin Kliesch ("Tangled Ever After") is the composer. "Sofia the First"
is a production of Disney Television Animation.

Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers
have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and
contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney
experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters,
while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed
for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior's series blend Disney's unparalleled
storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including
early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social
skills. Disney Junior launched in February 2011 with a daily programming
block on Disney Channel. In its first year, Disney Junior posted the
network's biggest yearly audience in the daypart in Total Viewers, Kids
2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49, increasing by double-digit margins among
preschooler demographics over year-ago levels.  On March 23, 2012 Disney
Junior added a cable and satellite channel in the U.S.  Disney Junior
channels in Japan, India and Disney Junior Portugal launched in fall
2012, bringing the total number of channels to 33 worldwide.

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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News & Press Releases

Disney Will Bring D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event to Anaheim, California in August 2024

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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 FacebookInstagramX), 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.

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Star Wars Spoof: Space Robots in Outer Space Ep X: Battle for the Halcyon: The Last Starcruiser

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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.

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Disney’s New Trailer Reveals How Ralph & Vanellope Get to the Internet in “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2”

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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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