Memorable Scene From 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Now Available to Watch

"I Want You Back"

Unless you've been living in a cave, you've heard of a little film called "Guardians of the Galaxy" and what a sensation it's been. The awesome soundtrack is number one (get it...now) and a sequel is on its way. Also, there's a little dancing tree that's captured the hearts of all who've seen the film. I suppose I should proclaim a spoiler alert here but it's just so damn adorable that you'll want to watch anyway.

Please to enjoy...dancing baby Groot (courtesy of Yahoo!). Oh and Disney and/or Marvel? Please make these right away. Thank you.



-Larissa Mrykalo

More Rumors Fly Around 'Hocus Pocus' Sequel

Tina Fey: Courtesy THR

In an effort to keep you updated on the Most Important News of Our Time, the possibility of a "Hocus Pocus" sequel, we have some exciting new developments to share, even if it isn’t exactly what we were expecting. Yesterday afternoon it was reported that Tina Fey was set to produce the sequel to "Hocus Pocus" with Disney.

The title, "Hocus Pocus: Rise of the Elderwitch" was attached to the project and a plot description was even making the rounds: two women, one a regular gal the other a witchy stay-at-home mom (I mean, why don’t they just come out and ask me to be in the movie?) attempt to defeat an ancient, evil witch. No original cast members were to be making a return and no connection to the original film was even made.

Turns out, this was only partially true. While Tina Fey is indeed producing a “supernatural comedy” with Disney that may or may not involve witches, but is said to be in the same vein as "Ghostbusters," it certainly is not a sequel to "Hocus Pocus."  Beyond that, not much information was given. On one hand, it’s ridiculously exciting that such a talented writer and performer as Tina Fey is throwing her hat into the paranormal entertainment field with a new film, it’s also a little bit of a letdown the "Hocus Pocus" sequel rumors are remaining just that...rumors.

But, do we even want to see a "Hocus Pocus" sequel that has no connection to the previous movie other than title and coattails to ride?

-Roxy Orcutt

New Funko San Diego Comic-Con Announcement

Here's third San Diego Comic-Con announcement from Funko and there are some well, fun, items they plan on giving away. Here's the announcement and then check out the pics (and descriptions from the release) of the exclusives below. Drooling allowed!

We are giving away one of EVERY EXCLUSIVE! Each giveaway will run for two days (Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday) on our social media handles. We will select one winner for each set of exclusives announced. One winner will be announced each Tuesday at 4pm PST for the Monday reveal prize pack. And one winner will be announced each Thursday at 4pm PST for the Wednesday reveal prize pack.

It looks like Hannibal Lecter found himself in a bloody situation...

SpongeBob SquarePants meets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to make an totally tubular mashup!

TMNT SpongeBob SquarePants and Shredder Plankton are the first Pop! pair to come in a radical collectible lunchbox tin!

'Hocus Pocus' Sequel Rumors Begin to Magically Swirl

Courtesy Disney blogs

Forgive my heart palpitations as I write this, but I cannot contain the sheer joy I am feeling relaying this news! Well, “news” may be a bit of a stretch, more like rumors with a little bit of steam behind them. A sequel to the classic 1993 Halloween (or year round, whatever) movie, "Hocus Pocus," may very well be in the works at Disney.

On Saturday June 14th, fans of "Hocus Pocus" were treated to a 20-year reunion of a handful of the film’s stars and production team. A screening of the film, a prop museum of sorts, and a Q & A was part of the festivities for the "Hocus Pocus" fans mounted by D23, an official Disney fan club. Apparently, the rumor began when Kathy Najimy, who played delightful doofy Sanderson sister Mary, made a joke about her hopes for a sequel. While this may have been one actor’s wishful thinking, Najimy’s remarks were backed up by the film’s creator and producer David Kirschner. This was all fans and Twitter needed to be off and running with the news.

This isn’t the first time "Hocus Pocus" has been the subject of sequel rumors, the first was in 2012. It even had a title, "Hocus Pocus 2: Rise of the Elderwitch" was said to be in full swing over at Disney, that is until the House of Mouse quashed the rumors themselves.

If a sequel to "Hocus Pocus" is now becoming a very real possibility, what could we expect? A reunion of the original cast, whom the majority of gamely participated in the reunion, or a fresh new take on the rise of the Sanderson sisters, who all were zapped to bits at the end of the movie (like that’s ever kept any good witch down before?). Would Sarah Jessica Parker be willing to reprise her role as the sexy Sarah Sanderson (no doubt with Louboutin witchy heels), would Doug Jones’s "Billy the Butcher" be back? And let’s not even talk about Bette Midler not even considering it; I don’t think my heart can take it.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

-Roxy Orcutt

Gareth Edwards to Direct First Stand-Alone 'Star Wars' Film

Big news from the official Star Wars site about the future of stand-alone films! An official release just revealed that Godzilla director, Gareth Edwards will direct and Gary Whitta will pen the first of the expected multiple stand-alone films. The film is expected to be in theaters December 16, 2016, almost exactly a year after Episode VII is released on December 18, 2015.

Here is the official announcement:

In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.

Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his acclaimed work on Monsters, a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in Monsters earned him the high-profile spot directing this year's smash hit Godzilla.

"Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life -- join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited and honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm," said Edwards.

Gary Whittas screenwriting credits include 2010's The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of The Walking Dead.

Whitta states, "From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid, Star Wars has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me,so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth, is literally a dream come true. I'm still pinching myself."

-Larissa Mrykalo

See Maleficent's Wings in This New Video and Poster

New poster courtesy Disney

"I had wings once. They were stolen from me." Check out this teaser for yet another "Maleficent" trailer that's coming our way. It's titled "Wings" and from the looks of the teaser below and the new poster, they're amazingly big!

Be sure to:
Like Maleficent on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyMaleficent
Follow Maleficent on Twitter: @Maleficent
Tweet the hashtag: #Maleficent
Instagram: http://instagram.com/disneystudios
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/maleficent/
Tumblr: http://disney.tumblr.com/

“Maleficent,” the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty,” reveals the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora, only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the land.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Third Trailer Released for Disney's 'Maleficent'

A third official trailer for Disney's "Maleficent" is out and it's aptly titled, "Legacy." It's really not showing much more than the other two that have already been released and the second trailer, "Dream," seemed much more exciting. That being said, we'll include both. The film starring Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville opens on May 30.

Synopsis:
“Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty" and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.





-Larissa Mrykalo

Epcot's Figment Leaps from Your Imagination into Comics

When Disney acquired Marvel, it was no big surprise when it was announced that Star Wars would be moving back to the company famous for iconic heroes. Did you think that was where it was going to stop? Au contraire, mon frere. Disney has also announced that it’s having Marvel produce a new comic mini-series that features one of its most beloved characters that resides at Epcot. A lil' purple dragon dude named Figment!

The five issue mini-series, titled "Figment," will delve into the mythology of Figment and his buddy, Dreamfinder. Or is it Dreamfinder and his buddy, Figment? We’ll have to leave that up to your imagination.

In charge of this project is "Skullkickers" writer, Jim Zubkavich and Filipe Andrade, who’s drawn Captain Marvel. Marvel recently sat down with Jim Zub as did Comic Vine to talk about the origin story as well as the flavor of the series.

Jim Zub says the charge of expanding the history behind such popular characters while doing justice to their past has been as exciting as it was intimidating at first. With his history of "Skullkickers," it’s easy to see a sort of whimsical feel making its way into the story, though "Figment" will be much more kiddo friendly. In keeping with each iteration of the popular attraction at Epcot, Zub also focuses on the importance of the imagination that everyone has.

If you’re not all that familiar with the history or characters of Dreamfinder and Figment, don’t worry. Jim has taken special care to remember that not everybody has been following our heroes since 1983, when Journey Into Imagination was first opened in Orlando. You’ll be able to pick everything up and enjoy it, regardless of your familiarity or lack thereof.

Strap yourselves in for the newest historical ride Disney has to offer come June 4th!

-David Berck

Disney Reviving Ray Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

By the pricking of my thumbs ... according to an exclusive over at Deadline, Disney is making yet another film version on the Ray Bradbury classic novel, "Something Wicked This Way Comes." In 1983, Disney released a film adaption of the novel that tells the story of traveling carnival owner, Mr. Dark. In the thriller, however, Mr. Dark doesn't just want to take you money in exchange for rides and popcorn, he'll grant your darkest dream in exchange for your soul. Beware those Autumn carnivals!

Although I remember loving the film, when I read the book I noticed several differences and so did 38-year-old Seth Grahame-Smith, who will be making his feature directorial debut on the project. According to Deadline, "Grahame-Smith said it was his favorite book as a child, but he doesn’t feel the movie is sacrosanct. Although the late Bradbury wrote the script, he later lamented that the movie lost a lot of the book. Grahame-Smith intends to put it back and plug a new generation into the tale."

Grahame-Smith revealed, “I have been so crazy about this book, and it was such a formative title in my life that I actually wrote a piece on NPR about why it is so important for young males to read. It is a classic coming-of-age, father-son story about the transition from childhood to adulthood and how kids can’t wait to be adults and adults romanticize their childhoods. I’m not remaking the movie; I want the haunted atmosphere that makes the book so chilling, and I want to reinstate some of the classic scenes from the book that were missing from the ’83 film.” Well this is great news for fans of the novel!

After Grahame-Smith writes a treatment for the film, the studio will hire the writer and Deadline adds that Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg’s KatzSmith Productions will be the producing banner and Katzenberg will produce the film.

The film is obviously in its early stages, but we'll be sure to keep you updated. The trailer for the 1983 film starring the late Jason Robards is below for you to check out.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Meet the 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

With all the buzz surrounding the recent release of the first trailer, it looks as though Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" is set up to become a huge success. Now Walt Disney Studios are providing some behind the scenes insights on each character from the actors that play them. Be sure to check out our infographic to get all the details on the characters as well! Get hooked on a feelin' with "Guardians of the Galaxy," in theaters August 1, 2014. Check out the trailers, after the jump!

Boba Fett Getting His Own Movie

Everyone's favorite Mandalorian bounty hunter, Boba Fett, is finally getting his own movie. "Metalocalypse" director Jon Schnepp sat down for an interview with AMC Movie Talk to discuss the Disney "Star Wars" spinoff films, where he revealed "one of them is Boba Fett. It is. I know. I know for a fact. [...] I'll never reveal my source, but it is the one written by Lawrence Kasdan."

Kasdan co-wrote "The Empire Strikes Back," which introduced Fett's character, as well as "The Return of the Jedi." Currently, Kasdan is working on a script for Disney's "Star Wars Episode VII," alongside director J.J. Abrams. While there is no information regarding a release date for the bounty hunter's spinoff, "Star Wars Episode VII" will be blasting into theaters on December 18, 2015.

Watch the following AMC Movie Talk video at around the four-minute mark for the confirmation as well as more details about the upcoming "Star Wars" films.



-Nowal Massari

'Star Wars' Comics Leave Dark Horse, Return To Marvel

Yesterday Dark Horse Comics announced in a statement that Disney had informed them of plans to allow the "Star Wars" comics license to expire and assign the franchise back to Marvel.

Mike Richardson, founder of Dark Horse, released the following statement on Friday:

"I am sad to report that Disney, the new owner of Lucasfilm, has notified us here at Dark Horse of their intention to move the Star Wars publishing license to another of their recent acquisitions, Marvel Comics, beginning in 2015. This will end a partnership that has lasted more than two decades. 

For those who are new to the industry, Dark Horse revolutionized the treatment of comics based on films. After a history of movie properties being poorly handled with little regard for execution and continuity, Dark Horse took a new approach, carefully choosing licenses and approaching them with excitement and creative energy. Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail, essentially treating those films as though they were our own. Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach. We began chasing the title as far back as 1989, and with the launch of Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy’s Dark Empire, a new era in comics was born. I’m not ashamed to admit that we were Star Wars geeks, and we have been determined to spare neither effort nor expense in the pursuit of excellence."

The Future of 'Indiana Jones' Now in the Hands of Disney

Image courtesy of the dailymail.co.uk

According to an announcement made on Friday, December 6, Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Studios reached a marketing and distribution agreement regarding future “Indiana Jones” films. What does this mean? A few things. Two of George Lucas’ huge franchises (“Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones”) are now property of Disney and even though Disney has owned the production rights since 2012 when they acquired LucasFilm, they now have the marketing and distribution rights for any future films as well.

According to Entertainment Weekly, “In return for the rights, Paramount will receive ‘financial participation on any future films.’ In other words, the studio will still get an undisclosed cut of the business. Paramount will retain distribution rights for the first four films in the series.”

There are no plans for Indy to return to the big screen any time soon nor do we know if Harrison Ford would reprise his iconic role. This acquisition will no doubt make it easier for another film to be made but will it be a reboot or a continuation from the last film (“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”)? And how many might there be?

Is there an actor you could think of that could replace Ford’s fedora? Would a reboot of the original be preferable? Will there be a resurgence of Indy-themed toys available for us to buy lots and lots of? Let us know your thoughts!

-Larissa Mrykalo

Disney Releases Their Official Trailer for 'Maleficent'

Angelina Jolie gets scary in Disney’s “Maleficent” and we have the just-released trailer to prove it! The film also stars Elle Fanning as that sleeping beauty, “Aurora,” Sharlto Copley as “King Stefan” and Brenton Thwaites as “Prince Phillip.” The Robert Stromberg-directed film is scheduled to be released May 30, 2014.

Read the official synopsis from Disney and then "Don't be afraid" to check out the trailer. Look for Jolie and Pitt’s daughter, Vivienne in the brief role of the toddler “Aurora" running through the meadow.

From Disney comes “Maleficent”—the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Will Disney Bring ‘The Princess Bride’ to the Stage?

Courtesy PrincessBrideForever.com

It looks like Princess Buttercup and Westley’s romance may be brought to the stage. Inconceivable? Not really. The idea of developing a stage version of the 1987 cult fairy-tale hit, "The Princess Bride," is being strongly considered according to a report over at Entertainment Weekly.

They revealed, “Disney Theatrical Productions announced Monday that William Goldman’s 1973 novel and subsequent 1987 film adaptation would be the next in line for development by Disney’s stage arm.” But will is be a musical to “tweasure" or simply a play? They have yet to decide and the project has no timeline.

The Rob Reiner-directed classic has some pretty devoted fans so if the powers that be (Disney Theatrical Productions) don’t get this right, they better prepare to…Well, you know the rest!

So what say you on a stage version? Yay or nay? Should it be a musical or a rom-com play that exactly follows the film? We think it could be pretty entertaining either way!

-Larissa Mrykalo

Second Screen Live: 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' Offers a Unique Theater Experience

Starting October 18 in select theaters, you can view Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in a whole new way. Walt Disney Studios is offering a special engagement of Second Screen Live: "The Nightmare Before Christmas” and when you download the free app and bring your iPad to the theater, you’ll experience this classic like you never imagined.

This interactive experience will allow moviegoers to engage with the film in real time “through songs, games and audience participation, including competition between friends and teams.” The only requirement is that you bring your iPad or iPad mini with the app already installed and of course, your willingness to have an amazing and imaginative time.

Second Screen Live: "The Nightmare Before Christmas” will play in these select theaters:
City Center 15: Cinema de Lux (White Plains, NY)
Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas (Farmingdale, NY)
Arclight Pasadena (Pasadena, CA)
Arclight Sherman Oaks (Sherman Oaks, CA)
Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 (Thousand Oaks, CA)
AMC Empire 25 (New York, NY)
AMC Garden State 16 (Paramus, NJ)
AMC Burbank 16 (Burbank, CA)
AMC Downtown Disney 12 (Anaheim, CA)
AMC Bay Street 16 (Emeryville, CA)
AMC Town Center 20 (Leawood, KS)
Century Huntington Beach and XD (Huntington Beach, CA)
Cinemark West Plano and XD (West Plano, TX)
Carmike Thoroughbred 20 (Nashville, TN)
Carmike 15 (Columbus, GA)

Watch the trailer and dare to break the rules!


-Larissa Mrykalo

More Magic Added to Disneyland's 'Haunted Mansion Holiday' Attraction

The 1993 Tim Burton classic, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is an integral part of the attraction “Haunted Mansion Holiday” at Disneyland in Anaheim. What happens when two holidays collide? Pure awesome!

Recently, some enhancements were made to the 13-year-old holiday treat, of course featuring our favorite “Nightmare” characters, including Jack Skellington, Sally and Zero the dog. According to InsidetheMagic.net, “This year, the ride features some high-tech additions including new animation for the stretching rooms. It’s a rare occasion where vertical video is actually appropriate, featured below showing the full new effects.”

“Jack” also scatters 13 surprises around the attraction to mark its 13th year. The attraction opened last Friday the 13th and will run through early January 2014. The best way to experience it is in person but you can also watch the 12-minute video of the full ride here...




-Larissa Mrykalo

'Saturday Night Live' gets hauntingly funny

One of the funnier skits on Saturday’s new Saturday Night Live proved that a terrifying ghost can be pretty hilarious. It was great to see Kristin Wiig back on the set and even cooler to see her play a Korean water ghost ... a Mul-Gwishin!

We’d love to see the Disney Channel actually have a show called "Aw Nuts! Mom’s a Ghost" but for now, we’ll just have this clip to keep our spirits up. When Hayley and Max’s mom (Wiig) heads to South Korea for a business trip, she has an affair with a business man. He fears she may reveal the affair so he drowns her and she comes back as a ghost reminiscent of The Ring and The Grudge.

Obviously, hilarity ensues and you can check it out here.

-Larissa Mrykalo

Disney to release first animated Marvel movie

In an exclusive from Hero Complex, we now not only know that Disney will be bringing a new Marvelverse Big Hero 6 to the screen in 2014. We are also able to get a look at the location of the action, “San Fransokyo.”
CG-animated film called

Back in 2009, Disney bought Marvel for a mere $4 billion and fans wondered what this acquisition would mean. Would they do the comic book company justice? This 2009 rendering by our resident artist David Rosenberg reflected our skepticism at the time. But things have been working pretty damn well so far so we’re pretty optimistic about Big Hero 6.

According to Hero Complex, Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) will direct the film that’s due to be released on Nov. 7, 2014. The movie’s focus is on “a robotics prodigy named Hiro Hamada and his robot companion BayMax, who join a team of superheroes in a high-tech city called San Fransokyo.”

Based on the little-known Marvel comic book series of the same name created in 1998 by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau, Hall, who is a lifelong Marvel fan, likes the fact that the “detail-obsessed fan base” is minimal and therefore, the characters will not be overly scrutinized. Hall stated, “I was looking for something on the obscure side, something that would mesh well with what we do. The idea of a kid and a robot story with a strong brother element, it’s very Disney.”

Are you excited to visit San Fransokyo? How do you think Disney is doing with the Marvel Universe?

-Larissa Mrykalo

'Star Wars' ... nothing but 'Star Wars'

We hope you guys like Star Wars (duh, of course you do) because really big news has just been revealed at the theater owners convention, CinemaCon today. According to Collider, Disney Studios is planning on releasing a new Star Wars film every summer, starting in 2015 with Star Wars: Episode VII.

Collider reported, "The studio will alternate every other year with an 'Episode' film and a standalone film, and based on previous rumors there certainly won’t be a lack of characters for them to mine."

It’s really not news that Luke, Leia and Han may be returning to the J.J. Abrams-directed Episode VII. George Lucas has said original cast members, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford "are pretty much in final stages of negotiation."

There is still much speculation on the characters and content of Episode VII, let alone the prospect of the never ending parade of future Star Wars films. Are you on board the Millennium Falcon with this announcement? Or should the studios put a choke hold on this grand undertaking?

-Larissa Mrykalo