Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
Good Tidings and Blerdic Salutations to all our listeners and supporters! It’s that time again. Check out the latest episode of Afronerd Radio’s Mid-Week in Review airing each and every Wednesday at 8 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100. Listen to your favored AFROnerdist hosts magically embued with mystical power by Merlin himself and pontificating on the following topics: continuing the discussion on the return of the Afropunk festival to Brooklyn in a post-COVID world; noted rapper, PnB Rock was robbed and killed while dining in a Los Angeles, CA Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant. His death sparks the ongoing and inevitable debate concerning hip-hop music inciting violent acts; with the recent Amazon release of Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power and HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, race-swapping or the inclusion of characters of color is causing quite a bit of controversy….let’s discuss; Oh and the release of the race-swapped trailer for Disney’s The Little Mermaid is also treading on a similar trail:
more thoughts on last week’s She-Hulk, episode 4; iconic Jazz musician, Ramsey Lewis passes; former Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton, and former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton have a new interview special highlighting several notable women, including rap performer, Megan Thee Stallion (uh oh…..):
And lastly, in the midst of show cancellations and lay-offs, HBO animators are finally speaking about their shows being unceremoniously cut from HBO Max’s roster of programs.
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
Good Tidings and Blerdic Salutations to all our listeners and supporters! It's that time again. Check out the latest episode of Afronerd Radio's Mid-Week in Review airing each and every Wednesday at 8 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100. Listen to your favored AFROnerdist hosts magically embued with mystical power by Merlin himself and pontificating on the following topics: continuing the discussion on the return of the Afropunk festival to Brooklyn in a post-COVID world; noted rapper, PnB Rock was robbed and killed while dining in a Los Angeles, CA Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles restaurant. His death sparks the ongoing and inevitable debate concerning hip-hop music inciting violent acts; with the recent Amazon release of Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power and HBO's Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, race-swapping or the inclusion of characters of color is causing quite a bit of controversy....let's discuss; Oh and the release of the race-swapped trailer for Disney's The Little Mermaid is also treading on a similar trail:
more thoughts on last week's She-Hulk, episode 4; iconic Jazz musician, Ramsey Lewis passes; former Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton, and former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton have a new interview special highlighting several notable women, including rap performer, Megan Thee Stallion (uh oh.....):
And lastly, in the midst of show cancellations and lay-offs, HBO animators are finally speaking about their shows being unceremoniously cut from HBO Max's roster of programs.
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Kevin Feige loves to keep fans waiting, and he did just that at SDCC. After revealing the end of Phase 4 and the entire slate of Phase 5, he then teased the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 6. The long-awaited Fantastic Four movie will kick off the phase on November 8, 2024. Feige also shared that there would be two new Avengers movies in 2025: Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on May 2, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on Nov 7. We also learned that the current phase we’re existing in—which will end with Secret Wars—is called the Multiverse Saga.
That moniker makes a lot of sense seeing as there have been plenty of Multiverse shenanigans so far. Most interesting is the reveal that the Phase 6 of the MCU saga will end with Secret Wars. This is something we’ve been predicting for a while. In the comics, the most recent Secret Wars event was used to streamline the massive multiverse of Marvel Comics. So it makes sense that after introducing the multiverse, the MCU might want to do the same. But it’ll be really interesting to see how we get there. Now thanks to Hall H, we have a little more of an idea of the roadmap.
If you’re wondering what Secret Wars and The Kang Dynasty are in terms of the comics, of course, we have you covered, so read on for a little primer on the history of each.
What Is Secret Wars?
In 1984, Secret Wars was the first epic Marvel crossover event comic, pitting Marvel’s most popular heroes against their worst villains. The 12-part series had the all-powerful entity called the Beyonder place these characters on a so-called “Battleworld,” where their conflict would decide the fate of humanity. The original series was mostly a gimmick to sell toys. But writer Jonathan Hickman took the bones of that concept and ran with it for a new version, back in 2015.
In this critically acclaimed reboot, Battleworld was composed of multiple realities from across the Multiverse, ruled by Doctor Doom. Versions of virtually every character Marvel fans have ever loved appeared on Battleworld, doing battle with each other. And it looks like we might see this play out on the big screen, with something that might blow fans’ minds. Secret Wars may have the possibility of making the Infinity Saga like just a warm-up act.
Secret Wars has been a rumored MCU outing for a long time, so we’re excited to see it in Marvel’s Phase 6. Famously, the Russo Brothers have brought up over and over again that they would like to helm the Secret Wars film. But, alas, Kevin Feige has revealed that this won’t come to pass for now. In fact, the Russos won’t connect to either the Secret Wars or Kang Dynasty Avengers movies. Per Deadline, Feige notes, “They’re not connected to it…They’ve been very direct about that. We love them, they love us. We want to find something to do together, it’s not this.”
What Is The Kang Dynasty?
Marvel Studios likes to take titles from well-known comics but apply them to all-new stories. Most famously, they did this with Avengers: Age of Ultron. The movie had a totally different story than the comic of the same name, aside from the basic “Avengers vs. Ultron” of it all. We may see the same thing with The Kang Dynasty.
In the comics, “The Kang Dynasty” was a 16-part story by Kurt Busiek, who wrote one of the best Avengers runs of all time with multiple artists. The basic plot of the 2001-2002 story saw Kang in the present announce his intentions to the UN to take over the world, in order to prevent all negative futures from happening. We could see something like this taking place in the MCU, which would lead an all-new team of Avengers to stop Kang.
Of course, we don’t know any details about The Kang Dynasty yet. But The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton will also helm Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. So we already know its going to be fire. Additionally, per Deadline, Jeff Loveness will pen this Phase 6 Marvel movie.
Both movies will hit the MCU and theaters in 2025!
Tired of staying in boring land hotels? Are cruise ships just not doing it for you anymore? Well a nuclear powered flying hotel could be the answer to your luxury travel needs. Dan takes a closer look at this hypothetical new technology and when it might take flight on today’s episode of Nerdist Now!
More Science News: https://nerdist.com
Watch more Nerdist Now: https://bit.ly/3yhdnmF
DISNEY BRANDED TELEVISION DEBUTS NEW CONTENT AND UNVEILS KEY PROJECTS FOR DISNEY+, DISNEY CHANNEL AND DISNEY JUNIOR DURING DISNEY’S EPIC ENTERTAINMENT SHOWCASE: THE MUSICAL: THE EXTRAVAGANZA! AT D23 EXPO 2022
Premiere Dates, Trailers and New Footage Revealed for:
Disney Channel’s ‘Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’
Disney+ Original Series: ‘The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder’ Season 2, ‘National Treasure: Edge of History,’ ‘The Santa Clauses,‘ and More!
It’s Now or Never: ‘High School Musical 3: Senior Year’ Announced as Musical for Season 4 of Disney+’s ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’
Lead Voice Cast Announced for ‘Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures’ – First Full-Length Animated Star Wars Series for Preschoolers Set to Air 2023 on Disney Junior and Disney+
New Unscripted Holiday Specials for Disney+ Announced: ‘Best In Snow,’ ‘Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays’ and ‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’
Disney Branded Television today revealed new projects and released never-before-seen content for its series and movies across Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior during Disney’s Epic Entertainment Showcase: The Musical: The Extravaganza! at D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim, California. The announcements were made by Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis with some help from the casts and creative teams of current and upcoming series and movies across Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
“At Disney Branded Television, we create shows full of magic, adventure, thrill and heart that resonate with audiences around the world,” said Davis. “Our announcements today spotlight the breadth and depth of our commitment to entertaining fans of all ages, across animation, live-action series and movies, unscripted and documentaries.”
Key premiere dates and trailers unveiled during the Showcase include the following: “American Born Chinese” – first look at the exciting new Disney+ Original series coming in 2023 (link here) “Big Shot” – season two, all episodes streaming on Disney+ on Oct. 12 “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” – debuts Feb. 10 on Disney Channel and shortly thereafter on Disney+ – first trailer released (link here) “National Treasure: Edge of History” – Disney+ Original series set to debut Dec. 14 with two episodes – trailer released (link here) “Prom Pact” – first look at new movie revealed (link here) “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” – season two premieres February 2023 on Disney+ announced with all-new trailer (link here) “The Santa Clauses” – Disney+ Original series debuts Nov. 16 with two episodes – first-look teaser released (link here) Other key announcements during the showcase included the following: Three new unscripted holiday specials announced for Disney+ streaming this holiday season: “Best in Snow,” an action-packed winter competition event hosted by Titus Burgess; “Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays,” following the superstar a cappella group as they work to find inspiration for their annual holiday album; “The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” a modern reimagining of a holiday classic that fuses the worlds of hip-hop and classical music to put a fresh spin on a beloved tale. In season four of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” after an epic summer at Camp Shallow Lake, the Wildcats return to East High where they will prepare a stage production of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” On their first day back, the principal announces that Disney has decided to make the long-awaited “High School Musical 4: The Reunion” movie on location at their beloved high school, and our Wildcats will be playing featured extras in the movie. It’s season four, and it’s now or never. New single “Can You Picture That?” from the upcoming Disney+ series “The Muppets Mayhem” released after The Electric Mayhem’s live performance of the musical number – https://disneymusic.lnk.to/CanYouPictureThat New details about “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” were shared with D23 Expo attendees about the upcoming series and two members of the lead voice cast – Jamaal Avery Jr. and Emma Berman – revealed.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR SERIES AND SPECIALS PRESENTED DURING THE SHOWCASE:
“American Born Chinese” Coming to Disney+ in 2023 (DBT and 20th Television) Based on the genre-hopping graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. “American Born Chinese” stars Ben Wang as Jin Wang, Yeo Yann Yann as Christine Wang, Chin Han as Simon Wang, Ke Huy Quan as Freddy Wong, Jimmy Liu as Wei-Chen, Sydney Taylor as Amelia with Daniel Wu as Sun Wukong “The Monkey King” and Michelle Yeoh as Guanyin.
Emmy® Award-winning writer/producer Kelvin Yu (“Bob’s Burgers,” “Central Park”) serves as executive producer and showrunner. Destin Daniel Cretton (Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Short Term 12”) is set to direct and serves as executive producer, alongside Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan (both of “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” for Disney+, and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and “Jumanji: The Next Level” feature films), Erin O’Malley (“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.”), Asher Goldstein (“Short Term 12,” “Just Mercy”) and Gene Luen Yang. The Disney Branded Television series is produced by 20th Television, part of Disney Television Studios.
“Big Shot” Season Two Premieres Oct. 12 on Disney+ (DBT and 20th Television) Marvyn’s (John Stamos) latest plan toward relevance is to get his team broadcast on ESPN, and his method is to recruit an unlikely player: Ava (SaraEcheagaray), a gutsy beach volleyball phenom whose public tantrum got her ousted from her own sport. Between losing their assistant coach Holly Barrett (Jessalyn Gilsig) to a rival school, new friction amongst teammates, a sudden and unexpected proximity to boys, and off-the-court disasters that no one could’ve predicted this season, the Westbrook Sirens have even more to prove. “Big Shot” stars John Stamos (“You,” “The Little Mermaid Live”), Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee), Sophia Mitri Schloss (“Potato Dreams of America), Nell Verlaque (“Secrets in a Small Town), Tiana Le (“Just Add Magic”), Tisha Custodio, Cricket Wampler (“About A Boy”), Sara Echeagaray and Yvette Nicole Brown (“Community”). Executive producers and co-creators are David E. Kelley, Dean Lorey and Brad Garrett. Bill D’Elia also serves as executive producer. A Disney Branded Television series, “Big Shot” is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios.
“The Santa Clauses” Premieres Nov.16 on Disney+, Two-episode premiere (DBT and 20th Television) Scott Calvin is on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He’s suddenly starting to lose his Santa magic; and, more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the North Pole. With a lot of elves, children and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.
The Disney+ Original series “The Santa Clauses” stars Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, Devin Bright, Austin Kane, Matilda Lawler, Rupali Redd and Kal Penn. Award-winning Jack Burditt (“30 Rock,” “Modern Family”) is the executive producer and showrunner; and Tim Allen, in addition to starring, Kevin Hench (“Last Man Standing”), Richard Baker and Rick Messina will also serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company. The Disney Branded Television series is a production of 20th Television, part of Disney Television Studios.
“National Treasure: Edge of History” Premieres Dec. 14 on Disney+, Two-episode premiere (DBT and 20th Television) The Disney+ Original series “National Treasure” Edge of History” is an expansion of the “National Treasure” movie franchise told from the point of view of a young heroine, Jess – a brilliant and resourceful DREAMer in search of answers about her family – who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure. “National Treasure” stars Lisette Olivera, Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”), Jake Austin Walker (“Rectify”), Jordan Rodrigues (“Lady Bird”), Zuri Reed (“Flatbush Misdemeanors”), Antonio Cipriano (“Jagged Little Pill”) and Lyndon Smith (“Parenthood”). Jerry Bruckheimer, Cormac & Marianne Wibberley, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed serve as executive producers on the series alongside Rick Muirragui, who also serves as a writer. Jon Turteltaub is also an executive producer. Mira Nair is directing and executive producing. A Disney Branded Television series, “National Treasure” is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios.
“Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” Premieres Feb. 10 on Disney Channel and streams shortly thereafter on Disney+ (DBT) “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” based on Marvel’s hit comic books, follows the adventures of 13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur. After Lunella accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into present-day New York City, the duo works together to protect the city’s Lower East Side from danger.
“Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” stars Diamond White as Lunella (aka Moon Girl); Fred Tatasciore as Devil Dinosaur; Alfre Woodard as Lunella’s grandmother, Mimi; Libe Barer as Lunella’s best friend and manager, Casey; Sasheer Zamata as Lunella’s mom, Adria; Jermaine Fowler as Lunella’s dad, James Jr.; Gary Anthony Williams as Lunella’s grandfather, Pops; and series executive producer Laurence Fishburne in the recurring role of The Beyonder, a curious and mischievous trickster.
Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series is executive produced by Fishburne and Helen Sugland’s Cinema Gypsy Productions (ABC’s “black-ish” and “mixed-ish,” Freeform’s “grown-ish”) and Steve Loter (Disney’s “Kim Possible”). Rodney Clouden (“Futurama”) is supervising producer, Kate Kondell (“The Pirate Fairy”) and Jeffrey M. Howard (“Planes”) are co-producers and story editors, and Pilar Flynn (“Elena of Avalor”) is producer.
“Prom Pact” Streaming Soon on Disney+ (DBT) It’s the height of prom season, and high school senior Mandy Yang and her best friend and fellow outsider Ben are surrounded by over-the-top ’80s-themed promposals. However, Mandy keeps her eyes focused on a different goal: her lifelong dream of attending Harvard. When she finds out that she has been put on the waitlist, she is determined to do whatever she can do to get herself accepted, even if that means asking for help from the one person she abhors – popular all-star jock Graham Lansing, whose father is a powerful senator and Harvard alum. Once Mandy becomes Graham’s tutor, she begins to realize there’s more to him than she thought and perhaps something more to life than Harvard.
“Prom Pact” stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Mandy, Milo Manheim as Ben, Blake Draper as Graham, Monique Green as LaToya, Arica Himmel as Zenobia, Jason Sakaki as Charles, Margaret Cho as Ms. Chen, Wendi McLendon-Covey as Alyssa and David S. Jung as Tom.
Jake Kasdan (“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.”), Melvin Mar (“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.”), Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”) and Rachael Field (“Modern Family”) are executive producers on “Prom Pact”; and Anya Adams (“Ginny & Georgia”) directed the movie, which was written by Anthony Lombardo (“American Housewife”).
The comedy series follows The Electric Mayhem Band — Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone and Lips on trumpet — on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of a driven, young music executive, Nora, the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current-day music scene as they try to finally go platinum. “The Muppets Mayhem” stars Lilly Singh (“Nora”), Tahj Mowry (“Moog”), Saara Chaudry (“Hannah”) as well as Anders Holm (“JJ”) in a recurring role.
“The Muppets Mayhem” is developed by Adam F. Goldberg, Bill Barretta and Jeff Yorkes based on characters created by Jim Henson. It is written by Adam F. Goldberg, Bill Barretta and Jeff Yorkes; the executive producers are Goldberg, Barretta, Michael Bostick and Kris Eber. Yorkes is a co-executive producer. The Muppets Studio’s David Lightbody and Leigh Slaughter are also executive producers. The Disney Branded Television series is produced by ABC Signature, which is part of Disney Television Studios, and The Muppets Studio for Disney+.
“The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” Season Two Premieres February 2023 on Disney+ (Disney Television Animation) “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” picks up the story of its central character, Penny Proud, and includes her madcap family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and grandmother Suga Mama (and Puff!). Of course, it would not be “The Proud Family” without Penny’s loyal crew: Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez, Zoey Howzer and Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, among others.
Cast members reprising their roles from the original series and returning for season two are Kyla Pratt as Penny Proud, Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, JoMarie Payton as Suga Mama, Cedric the Entertainer as Uncle Bobby, Karen Malina White as Dijonay Jones, Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer, Alisa Reyes as LaCienega Boulevardez, Carlos Mencia as Felix Boulevardez, Maria Canals-Barrera as Sunset Boulevardez, Alvaro Gutierrez as Papi, Raquel Lee Bolleau as Nubia Gross and Marcus T. Paulk as Myron. Recurring new voices that will also return include Keke Palmer as Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto as Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins, EJ Johnson as Michael Collins, Asante Blackk as Kareem, Artist “A Boogie” Dubose as Francis “KG” Leibowitz-Jenkins, Bresha Webb as CeCe and Aiden Dodson as BeBe.
The series, a critically acclaimed revival of Disney’s groundbreaking “The Proud Family,” is executive produced by its creator Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar. Calvin Brown, Jr. (“Moesha”) is co-executive producer and story editor. Jan Hirota (“Big Hero 6 The Series”) is producer. Eastwood Wong (“Carmen Sandiego”) is art director, and directors are Latoya Raveneau (“Rise Up, Sing Out”), Rudi Bloss (“DC Super Hero Girls”) and Tara Nicole Whitaker (“Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure”).
New Unscripted Holiday Specials
“Best in Snow” Coming This Holiday Season to Disney+ (Six West Media and Milojo Productions) “Best in Snow” is a festive holiday special, hosted by Tituss Burgess, featuring teams from around the world transported to a magical snowy village, Snowdome, and thrown into a spirited competition to compete for the title of Best in Snow. With the help of Snowdome’s finest carvers, teams will transform their 10-foot, 20-ton blocks of snow into beautiful creations inspired by Pixar, Marvel, Walt Disney Animation, Walt Disney Studios and The Muppets Studio. The teams will take family favorites such as Moana, Coco and The Lion King, and bring the characters to life in a way you’ve never seen before – in snow! Spectacular snow sculptures and lively musical performances from Tituss Burgess, Kermit the Frog and DCappella make this an action-packed winter event for the entire family.
Produced by Six West Media and Milojo Productions. Executive producers are Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Steve Ascher, Albert Bianchini, Allie Breslin, Jessica Conway, Josh Greenberg (and showrunner) and Tabitha Hanson-Obtulowicz. Michael Halpern is a producer, and the special was directed by Sam Wrench.
Cast includes Tituss Burgess as Mayor Frostifer von Fjord, Kermit the Frog and Disney’s DCapella as the Town Carolers.
“Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays” Coming This Holiday Season to Disney+ (Done+Dusted) Superstar a capella group Pentatonix is struggling to find inspiration for their annual holiday album, and the clock is ticking. To make matters worse, their well-intentioned but misguided manager mistakenly locks them in a magic mailroom. But with the help of some Disney magic, we’re soon on a whirlwind tour around the world, discovering holiday traditions and inspiration from Pentatonix fans all around the globe: from Tokyo to Grenada, Ghana to Mexico and Iceland. The fun-filled journey leads the group to realize that wherever we find ourselves, the holidays offer the perfect opportunity to discover how much we have in common and that it really is a small world after all!
Produced by Done+Dusted, executive producers are Ashley Edens, David Jammy, Katy Mullan.
Cast includes Pentatonix – Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, Matt Sallee and Nico Santos as manager.
“The Hip Hop Nutcracker” Coming This Holiday Season to Disney+(Done+Dusted) Run-D.M.C.’s Rev Run brings us along for a hip-hop reimagining of The Nutcracker ballet set in New York City. It’s the night of the annual New Year’s Eve block party and Maria-Clara’s (Caché Melvin) mom and pop (Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch’ Boss) aren’t getting along … and it’s bringing her down. Maria-Clara embarks on a holiday adventure to bring her parents back together, finding help along the way from the magical toymaker, Drosselmeyer (Comfort Fedoke), and the Nutcracker (Du-Shant “Fik-shun” Stegall) whom she brings to life.
Maria-Clara’s journey takes her from the streets of New York to fantasy worlds where she battles with mice and toy soldiers (Viktor White, BDash, Kevin “Konkrete” Davis”), and back in time to the Land of Sweets in order to find the key to unlock her holiday wish. Will it be enough to rekindle her parents’ lost love before the clock strikes midnight? The special features best-in-class dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tiler Peck, KidaTheGreat AKA Kida Burns, the Jabbawockeez as magical snowflakes, and more.
Produced by Done+Dusted, executive producers are Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan, Jennifer Weber, Eva Price and NappyTabs. Choreographers include NappyTabs, Hokuto “HOK” Konishi, Phillip Chbeeb, Makenzie Dustman, Luther Brown, D-Trix and Jennifer Weber.
Nikki Parsons is director. The Disney+ Original special “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” is inspired by the live stage phenomenon touring America this holiday season.
Cast: Rev Run – Neighborhood MC/Narrator Caché Melvin – Maria-Clara Du-Shaunt “Fik-Shun” Stegall – Nutcracker Stephen “tWitch” Boss & Allison Holker Boss – Mom and Dad Comfort Fedoke – Drosselmeyer Jabbawockeez – Snowflakes Jaja Vankova – Marionette Toy Tiler Peck – Ballerina Toy Nicholas “Slick” Stewart – Jack in the Box Toy Robert Green – Violinist, Ensemble BDash, Kevin “Konkrete” Davis, Viktor White – Soldiers Jean Sok – Mouse King KidaTheGreat AKA Kida Burns – Reed Pipes, Ensemble Alex Wong, Simrin Player – Sweets, Ensemble Ray Basa – Chocolates D-Trix – Piano Player Bailey “Bailrok” Munoz, Dustin “D” Payne, Randi “Rascal” Freitas, Rudy Reynon, Tre De Rego, Ethan Evaro, Elyssa Cueto, Angel Gibbs, Alexis Shon, Brynda Rowen, Shannon Kelly, Maycee Steele, Winnie Chang, Jordan Laza, Dayne Sempert, Alex Palaez, Hugh Aparente, Chris Andrews, Noelle Rodriguez, Taylor Thomas – Ensemble Marisa Kouroubacalis – Bucket Drummer Mikhail Baryshniikov – Cameo Kurtis Blow – Cameo Phil Wright – Cameo
Disney+:
“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” Season Two Coming Soon to Disney+ (DBT and 20th Television) After spending the summer apart, Lahela (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is finally reunited with Walter (Alex Aiono), although he’s not the same boyfriend she said goodbye to months before. Their relationship has shifted and they’re no longer on the same page. Her head is spinning and even more so when she meets a new patient, Nico (Milo Manheim). Lahela’s life is full of decisions – Walter, Nico and choosing her medical specialty. In the end, who or what will she choose? Luckily, she has her family, coworkers and best friend (Emma Meisel) to support her along the way.
“Growing Up” Now Streaming on Disney+ (Culture.House) Created by Brie Larson and Culture.House, “Growing Up” is an innovative hybrid docu-series that explores the challenges, triumphs and complexities of adolescence through 10 compelling coming-of-age stories. The series uses narrative, experimental and documentary filmmaking to follow one casted individual, ages 18-22, as they tell their story. They represent a wide range of lived experiences, giving audiences emotionally powerful narratives that offer an engaging look at teenage-hood and the diverse social, familial and internal obstacles young people face on their path to self-discovery and acceptance. Each 30-minute episode features one young person or “hero” and their experience growing up. Each episode is anchored by a deeply personal interview that allows our heroes to walk us through their childhood and teenage years. Alongside these interviews, creative cinematic reenactments help bring their major inflection points to life.
“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” Season Three Finale Streams Sept. 14 on Disney+ (DBT) Season three of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” is set at Camp Shallow Lake, a sleepaway camp in California, as the Wildcats and their fellow campers are primed for an unforgettable summer ripe with romance, curfew-less nights and a taste of the great outdoors. With a high-stakes production of “Frozen” on the horizon AND a drama-filled “docu-series” of the production, the Wildcats will attempt to show who is “best in snow” without leaving anyone out in the cold.
“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” season three stars Joshua Bassett (“Ricky”), Sofia Wylie (“Gina”), Matt Cornett (“E.J.”), Julia Lester (“Ashlyn”), Dara Reneé (“Kourtney”), Frankie Rodriguez (“Carlos”), Saylor Bell Curda (“Maddox”) and Adrian Lyles (“Jet”). Also featured this season are recurring guest stars Corbin Bleu (himself), Meg Donnelly (“Val”), Jason Earles (“Dewey Wood”), Kate Reinders (“Miss Jenn”), Aria Brooks (“Alex”), Liamani Segura (“Emmy”), Ben Stillwell (“Channing”) and Olivia Rodrigo (“Nini”) as well as guest stars Olivia Rose Keegan (“Lily”), Larry Saperstein (“Big Red”), Joe Serafini (“Seb”), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Marvin”) and JoJo Siwa (“Maddox”).
“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” is created and executive produced by Tim Federle.
“ZOMBIES 3” Now Streaming on Disney+ (DBT) “ZOMBIES 3,” the third installment in the uber-popular “ZOMBIES” franchise, takes an interstellar turn as space aliens suddenly touch down in Seabrook, upsetting Zed and Addison’s final year at Seabrook High in the town that’s become a safe haven for zombies, werewolves and humans alike. Zed is anticipating an athletic scholarship that will make him the first zombie to attend college, and Addison is gearing up for Seabrook’s first international cheer-off competition when mysterious extraterrestrial beings appear around Seabrook, provoking something other than friendly competition.
“ZOMBIES 3” stars Milo Manheim as Zed, Meg Donnelly as Addison, Chandler Kinney as Willa, Ariel Martin as Wynter, Pearce Joza as Wyatt, Carla Jeffery as Bree, Trevor Tordjman as Bucky, Kylee Russell as Eliza, Terry Hu as A-spen, Matt Cornett as A-lan, Kyra Tantao as A-li, James Godfrey as Bonzo and Kingston Foster as Zoey.
DGA Award winner Paul Hoen, who has directed a record-setting 15 Disney Channel Original Movies (“The Luck of the Irish,” “Jump In,” “Let It Shine,” “Camp Rock 2” and both “ZOMBIES” hits among them), directed “ZOMBIES 3” from a screenplay by David Light and Joseph Raso (nominees for a Humanitas Prize for “ZOMBIES”). Light, Raso and Suzanne Farwell (Disney’s “Upside Down Magic”) are executive producers.
Disney Channel:
Under Wraps 2 Premieres Sept. 25 on Disney Channel and Streams Sept. 30 on Disney+ (DBT and MarVista Entertainment) “Under Wraps 2” picks up as Marshall, Gilbert and Amy are getting ready to attend Amy’s father’s Spooktacular Halloween-themed wedding. However, plans soon go awry when the three friends discover their mummy pal Harold and his beloved Rose may be in danger. Sobek, an evil mummy with a 1,000-year-old grudge against his best friend-turned-bitter-rival, Harold, is unexpectedly awakened and out for revenge. With help from his hypnotized lacky Larry, Sobek kidnaps Rose. Amy, Gilbert, Marshall, Buzzy and Harold must use their skills once again to save her and get back in time to attend the wedding.
“Under Wraps 2” stars Malachi Barton (Marshall), Christian J. Simon (Gilbert), Sophia Hammons (Amy), Phil Wright (Harold), Melanie Brook (Buzzy), Ryla McIntosh (Rose), Jordan Conley (Larry), T.J. Storm (Sobek), Claude Knowlton (Pop), Antonio Cayonne (Carl) and Adam Wylie (Beuller).
Produced by MarVista Entertainment, Alex Zamm returns as director of “Under Wraps 2” with Todd Y. Murata and Fernando Szew also returning as executive producers for MarVista Entertainment. Josh A. Cagan is writer for the sequel, based on the original movie written by Don Rhymer.
Disney Junior:
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Premieres 2023 on Disney Junior and Disney+ (Lucasfilm and Disney Junior) New Image Available HERE Set during the High Republic era, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will follow a group of Younglings as they embark on missions where they will help people in need, discover exotic creatures, clash with villainous pirates, train with their masters, and ultimately learn the valuable skills needed in order to become Jedi: compassion, self-discipline, teamwork, patience and friendship.
“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” stars Jamaal Avery Jr. (“Abbott Elementary”) as Kai Brightstar, a Jedi Youngling who hopes to follow in the footsteps of his hero, the great Master Yoda, and become a Jedi Knight; and Emma Berman (Pixar’s “Luca”) as Nash Durango, a pilot who befriends Kai and his friends and joins them on their adventures across the galaxy.
Produced by Lucasfilm for Disney Junior and Disney+, the series is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is showrunner and executive producer. Elliot M. Bour (“Elena of Avalor”) is co-producer and supervising director; Jeannine Hodson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is producer; and Lamont Magee (“Black Lightning”) is consulting producer.
About Disney Branded Television Disney Branded Television encompasses the creative storytellers and production and content marketing teams responsible for Disney-branded television series, movies and other programming spanning live-action, animated and unscripted formats. The group fuels the Disney+ streaming platform and Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior linear networks with content geared toward kids, tweens, teens and families, with stories that are imaginative, aspirational and reflective of their world and experiences. Recent projects include “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” “Monsters at Work,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society” and “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends.” Disney Branded Television has created some of the most iconic and award-winning properties and franchises, including Peabody Award winners “Doc McStuffins” and “The Owl House”; Emmy Award winners “Big City Greens” and “Elena of Avalor”; the beloved “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts plus the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise, comprised of more than 100 titles.
About DISNEY+ Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.
*Source: NMR, 6/3-8/7/22, L+SD blended data, rank based on 000’s.