News Shorts: Warner TV To Rollout As A Free-To-Air Channel In The Czech Republic, Come Back To Me To Rollout On Telemundo Across Africa And Historical Drama We Were The Lucky Ones To Stream On Disney+ In April

Warner TV expands to other parts of Europe

The Czech Republic will have a brand new free-to-air TV channel next month as Warner TV launches on 2 April. It will be managed as part of the local Czech linear Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio.

Vaclav Palecek, Distribution and Business Development at Warner Bros. Discovery in the Czech Republic & Slovakia, said: “Starting April, Czech viewers will be able to enjoy the wide range of content, including movies and series, on Warner TV. We are close to launching our first free-to-air channel in the market and we will bring a great content library on-air for all the viewers, from classical films to popular series.”

In the Czech Republic, Warner Bros. Discovery operates 18 pay TV linear channels (Discovery, Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2, Eurosport 4K, HGTV, TLC, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Food Network, Animal Planet, HBO & HBO 2 & HBO 3, Cinemax & Cinemax 2) and the HBO Max streaming platform.

William Levy returns to Telemundo 

For its 2023 upfronts earlier last year, Telemundo announced William Levy was joining its star roster line-up in the new original romantic series Come Back To Me (Vuelve a Mi). It is set to launch April 8 at 22:00 replacing Game Of Lies.

In Vuelve a Mí, Levy is Santiago, whose love interest is actress Samadhi Zendejas, in her first leading role as Nuria.

The drama, set in Ciudad de Juárez and Ciudad de México, follows Nuria, a woman of humble means, who begins a relationship with Braulio (Ferdinando Valencia) without knowing he is one of the owners of the company where she works to support her son and sister. The lives of the main characters begin to intertwine after the tragic kidnapping of Nuria's son Andrés. And when she least expects it, Santiago (Levy) enters her life to become the great love of her life and the pillar that keeps her hope alive.

New Hulu original launching soon

Disney has announced that the upcoming original series, “We Were The Lucky Ones”, will be coming to Disney+ globally on April 17th 2024.

Based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel, the television adaptation of “We Were the Lucky Ones” is a limited series inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive and reunite. “We Were the Lucky Ones” demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive. The series is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.

The series stars Joey King, Logan Lerman, Hadas Yaron, Henry-Lloyd Hughes, Amit Rahav, Sam Woolf, Michael Aloni, Moran Rosenblatt, Eva Feiler, Lior Ashkenazi, and Robin Weigert.

Development Alert: Hulu Rumoured To Be Replacing Disney+ Star Internationally, FX Might Replace Linear Counterparts

Last year, Disney managed to acquire Comcast's stake in the Hulu streaming service with plans underway to merge the content with the existing offering seen on Disney+. The merger would put it in a competitive position with existing brands like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Internationally, this was never an issue as the latter was distributed by Star which Disney saw as alternative trademark to Hulu. After attempting to get Hulu to more territories but blocked due to Comcast's stake in the streamer the trademark might get some time of day.

With nothing holding Disney back at this point, Star could be folded under Hulu I mean the idea wouldn't seem far fetched. Various Hulu originals like Only Murders In The Building and Blue Sky had all been trademarked as Disney+ and not Star as seen when it was introduced last year.

Disney had tried to roll out Hulu in Latin America and Asia before quickly scrubbing out any mention of the brand across their platforms.

Hulu is more knowledgeable brand although it wasn't viewed outside of the United States consumers would be able to familiarise themselves with the content. Star was more knowledgeable in India and to be frank Disney kind of damaged the trademark in parts of the world.

Based in India, Disney Star operates a number of linear channels across the world which feature various Bollywood productions. While the UK opted for an alternative trademark Utsav the rest of the world kept Star which would have caused confusion to those who view both brands.

Disney also used the Star trademark for various linear channels across Latin America and as seen in Europe the opted for an alternative brand name, FX. It wouldn't seem far fetched if FX were to replace the Star brand therefore returning Star to its former glory in India.

The Rise And Fall Of Von Dutch: How The Brand Name Became A Curse?

Hulu’s docuseries The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For dives deep into the wild story behind the brand Von Dutch, beginning with its inception in the ‘90s and following through its chaotic and messy downward spiral. Popularized in the mid-2000s, the company was and is best known for its trucker hats, though celebrities including Paris Hilton, Jay-Z, and Britney Spears were spotted in everything from Von Dutch bags to T-shirts during its heyday. Von Dutch’s success was short-lived, though: infighting over the creative vision for the brand caused internal tension at the company, and public interest dropped off by the 2010s. Here’s what you need to know about the Y2K apparel line and its demise ahead of the Hulu show.

Who Is Von Dutch?

Unbeknownst to most of the celebrities and athletes who wore the brand, the Von Dutch name and concept came from the work of Kenneth “Kenny” Robert Howard — a mechanic and car detailer who, in the 1950s, started making art under the name “Von Dutch.” Howard’s work involved painting hot rods with pinstripes, flames, and eyeballs, helping to set the stage for the subcultural movement know as Kustom Kulture. (More recent discussions of Howard have highlighted his racist and Nazi-sympathizing beliefs.)

However, Howard died in 1992, meaning he wasn’t even alive when the Von Dutch brand took off.

Who Founded Von Dutch?

After Howard’s death, several people sought to capitalize on his name and legacy. “It was basically this grab by a lot of people that claim that they came up with the idea or went through the proper steps to own something that you never really should be able to own in the first place,” Andrew Renzi, the director of The Curse of Von Dutch, told the New York Times.

One of those people was Los Angeles art collector Ed Boswell, who’s often cited as the founder of Von Dutch and appears in the docuseries to assert his stake in its success. However, the company did not begin in earnest until 1996, when Howard’s daughter sold the rights to the Von Dutch name to Michael Cassel, a former drug dealer who’d just finished a four-year prison sentence, and his mentee Robert “Bobby” Vaughn. It’s generally Cassel and Vaughn who receive credit for taking Howard’s signature and making it the logo for the Von Dutch clothing line people know today.

Many of the clothing items that Von Dutch was known for were historically associated with a working class lifestyle. But the simple addition of the Von Dutch logo transformed the trucker hat from something worn by actual truck drivers into a trendy accessory sported by the rich and famous — a tension that the stars known for popularizing the brand were likely unaware of.

“There’s implicit power dynamics in the appropriation of garments like this because you can pick and choose what garments you’re wearing, but leave behind the labor and legacy of people who originally wore these garments in the context that they wore them in,” fashion historian Emma McClendon told the New York Times.

Why Is Von Dutch Bad?

Beyond Howard’s racist and anti-semitic roots, the Hulu series attributes Von Dutch’s decline to a number of factors, suggesting that the company may have been a money-laundering scheme and also hinting that the brand did business with someone connected to drug cartels.

But it’s certain that things really began to spin out of control in 2005, when Von Dutch co-founder Bobby Vaughn shot and killed a friend who he alleged attacked him with a broken bottle. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, and though he was acquitted after a jury ruled Rivas’ death was justifiable homicide, the controversy marked the beginning of the end for the brand.

Who Owns Von Dutch Now?

In 2000, Cassel and Vaughn were in need of funding and decided to bring in Danish entrepreneur Tonny Sorenson, who invested in the company and took over as CEO. Sorenson hired French fashion designer Christian Audigier to help expand the brand’s reach, but Cassel and Vaughn didn’t like Audigier’s direction and worried that they were “selling out.” By the time Audigier left Von Dutch in 2004, their signature trucker hats were reportedly generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue. However, the success of Von Dutch started to wane in the later aughts, and Sorenson sold the brand to French footwear company Groupe Royer in 2009.

What Happened To Von Dutch?

Though Von Dutch never officially stopped production, public interest in the brand dropped off for nearly a decade. In 2019, the company hired Ed Goldman as the acting general manager of Von Dutch North America in order to help revive the brand and reach a new generation. With ‘90s and 2000s nostalgia at an all-time high, it certainly seems like the ideal moment for Von Dutch to attempt a comeback — and it could be working. Celebrities including Megan Thee Stallion and Saweetie have been spotted wearing Von Dutch apparel, and the brand recently collaborated with Young Thug on a streetwear collection.

Credits: Justice Namaste, Bustle

Disney To Launch Single App In The Us With Disney+ & Hulu, Questions Lurking Over Star

During Disney’s quarterly results, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that in the United States, they will be launching a single app, which will incorporate Hulu content into Disney+.

Each app will still be available individually, and this might be a way around Disney getting ready to bring together Hulu and Disney+, until Disney sorts out its ownership of Hulu from Comcast.

Bob Iger stated that the one-app experience will offer a better service to its subscribers and increase advertising revenue.

“While we will continue to offer Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our [direct-to-consumer] offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience,”
This follows other moves being made by studios, like Comcast and Warner Brothers Discovery, who are consolidating their apps. Disney feels it can spend more money advertising its major movie and show releases by marketing a single app.

The single-app experience will launch in the United States by the end of the year. Disney’s tech teams have been working on migrating the Hulu legacy system into the Disney+ tech, since early last year, and the teams referred to the project as “Nu-Lu”.

Bob Iger has had conversations with Comcast about buying its stake in Hulu, which Disney can force to happen in 2024. In the last few months, Bob Iger has come to the conclusion that offering more general entertainment with Disney+ content is what they need to do.

“What we’re doing right now — because we own two-thirds of Hulu, and we have an agreement with Comcast that may result in us owning 100 percent — is we’re really studying the business very, very carefully, all those competitive dynamics with an understanding that we have a good platform in Hulu.

We have very strong original programming, actually highly awarded original programming, some delivered by FX, which is a great not only producer but brand, and we also have a good library, so it’s a solid platform. And it’s also a very attractive platform for advertisers. It’s already proven to be valuable for them and advertising is proven to be valuable for us. But the environment is very, very tricky right now and before we make any big decisions about our level of investment, our commitment to that business, we want to understand where it could go”.

Bob Iger has said that the addition of Star to Disney+ internationally has been very successful and they want to offer more general entertainment alongside Disney, to reduce churn, increase revenue and reduce costs.

For more Disney+ and Video Entertainment updates head over to Insidus Plus

Disney+ Loses Another 4 Million Subscribers

Today, the Walt Disney Company has released its latest quarterly results for the fiscal second quarter 2023, and that means we get an updated look at how many subscribers Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ have.

This gives us a clear indication of how the apps are doing, especially with growth or decline in subscriber numbers. These subscriber numbers are based up to April 1st 2023.

Disney+ now has 157.8 million subscribers globally, down over 4 million subscribers from 161.8 million subscribers last quarter. All of these losses have come from subscribers leaving Disney+ Hotstar in India, following the loss of the cricket and, most recently, HBO content. In the US and Canada, they lost 300,000 subscribers, likely due to the recent price rise, less content and political issues. However, Disney+ subscribers in other areas, including Latin America, Europe and Asia, increased by 900,000.

While Hulu has added around 200,000 subscribers, ESPN+ has also added 400,000 subscribers in the US.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement:

“We’re pleased with our accomplishments this quarter, including the improved financial performance of our streaming business, which reflect the strategic changes we’ve been making throughout the company to realign Disney for sustained growth and success. From movies to television, to sports, news, and our theme parks, we continue to deliver for consumers, while establishing a more efficient, coordinated, and streamlined approach to our operations.”

More importantly, Disney’s streaming businesses have been able to increase its revenue by 12% to $5.5 billion and decrease its operating lost by half a billion dollars, which mainly came from better Disney+ and ESPN+ results, partially offset by lower operating income at Hulu.

The improvement at Disney+ was due to higher subscription revenue and a decrease in marketing costs, partially offset by higher programming and production costs and, to a lesser extent, increased technology costs. Higher subscription revenue was attributable to subscriber growth and increases in retail pricing, partially offset by an unfavorable foreign exchange impact. The increase in programming and production costs was due to more content provided on the service. Improved results at ESPN+ were attributable to growth in subscription revenue due to an increase in retail pricing and subscriber growth.

The decrease in operating income at Hulu was due to higher programming and production costs and lower advertising revenue, partially offset by subscription revenue growth and, to a lesser extent, lower marketing costs. The increase in programming and production costs was attributable to more content provided on the service and an increase in subscriber-based fees for programming the Live TV service, partially offset by a lower average cost mix of SVOD content. Higher subscriber-based fees for programming the Live TV service were due to rate increases and more subscribers. The decrease in advertising revenue resulted from lower impressions, partially offset by higher rates. Subscription revenue growth was due to increases in retail pricing and subscribers.

Disney has also provided a detailed breakdown per region: (Million)

Disney+ – Global – 157.8

Disney+ – Domestic (US & Canada) – 46.3

Disney+ – International excluding Disney+ Hotstar+ – 58.6

Disney+ Core – (excluding Hotstar) – 104.9

Disney+ Hotstar – 52.9

ESPN+ – Million Subscribers (US Only) – 25.3

Hulu – Million Subscribers (US Only) – 48.2

To compare, here are the subscription numbers (Millions) from November’s Investor Call:

Disney+ – Global – 161.8

Disney+ – Domestic (US & Canada) – 46.6

Disney+ – International excluding Disney+ Hotstar+ – 57.7

Disney+ Core – (excluding Hotstar) – 104.3

Disney+ Hotstar – 57.5

ESPN+ – Million Subscribers (US Only) – 24.9

Hulu – Million Subscribers (US Only) – 48.0

How Will Disney+ Adding Hulu Content Work?

It’s finally happening. Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced plans to bring together its streaming services in the United States under one app, bringing Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ content all together to offer subscribers a better experience but it also comes with many business benefits.

The details of how all of this will work are still very much unknown. Bob Iger was very vague about how Hulu content would be added within Disney+, but there are some key things we know.

• It will be happening by the end of 2023

• Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu will still be offered as separate services

• Hulu content will be available within Disney+

• More advertising is going to be offered

• Price rises for Disney+

However, we still know very little about how all of this will work out because the Hulu situation is very complicated. First off, Comcast still owns 33% of Hulu and due to a contract that was put into place when Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, which means Disney or Comcast can force Disney to buy out the 33% stake, for a minimum of around $9 billion. Bob Iger has said he has had meetings with Comcast over Hulu, but ultimately, the deal hasn’t been finalised, which is why the information has been so vague.

Disney is being open about its plans to consolidate its streaming services, similar to how HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge and how Paramount+ and Showtime have recently done. It’s setting the tone for the future, which Disney knows will be all about the streaming business as the linear business is declining yearly.

There are many reasons why the merger of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ will make sense. It will drastically reduce costs for the company. They can make less content and stretch it out easier, because when you look at all of the content being created across Disney’s studios, they release lots of shows and films. Publicity costs can be reduced, since they will be only promoting one app. Bob Iger even mentioned in the quarterly conference call that they’ve been releasing so much content on their streaming platforms, they’ve not been advertising them properly to get the most out of their investment. That’s in addition to savings that can be made on just running one platform, reduced overheads etc.

The merging of the platforms also will help reduce churn, as subscribers of the Disney Streaming Bundle have been generally less likely to unsubscribe, since there is usually something someone wants to watch on one of the three platforms.

ESPN+ is already available within the Hulu app, so Disney has already begun getting subscribers used to them being together. However, adding ESPN+ into Disney+ should hopefully be something that can happen easier, since they are built on the same tech. Disney has also already added ESPN content onto Disney+, but with the high costs of sports, it’s likely this will remain a premium add-on or as part of a bundle.

Internationally, Disney+ has had lots of success with the addition of the Star brand, which offers the majority of Hulu Originals and other general entertainment from Disney’s studios like 20th, FX and ABC. Bob Iger has said that it’s been a huge success and one of the reasons why they want to merge the platforms.

Unfortunately, with the Hulu contract, Disney has never been to share its plans for the future properly, but now with just over six months until 2024, it is starting to let subscribers know what’s going on. It makes the recent decisions for Disney+ to make more sense, such as moving to the next-day programming for Disney Channel and National Geographic content. Or why more Disney+ Originals have been added to Hulu and why “A Small Light” and the next Searchlight Pictures film, “Flamin’ Hot”, are being released on both Hulu and Disney+ simultaneously. Slowly blending together the two platforms.

Disney’s CFO Christine M. McCarthy also revealed during the quarterly results that they are going to be taking an impairment charge of approximately $1.5 to $1.8 billion, due to them planning to remove content from their streaming platforms. Disney+ in the United States generally probably doesn’t have a huge amount of content to remove, but Hulu has thousands of titles, many of which aren’t owned by them, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see lots of content removed from Hulu in the coming months, ahead of the merger.

There will no doubt be many more questions about how all of this is going to work in the coming months ahead. We know that Disney has been working on incorporating Hulu’s legacy system into the Disney+ tech since last year. Plus, the Disney Streaming Bundle accounts already use a single login, so that’s something that will hopefully make this smoother, but it’s bound to be a bit bumpy.

There are so many questions that we know nothing about such as:

• How much is the combined app going to cost?

• When will it happen?

• Will Hulu + Live TV continue?

• Will the Hulu brand continue?

• Will ESPN+ be a paid add-on?

• What will happen to other add-ons like HBO within Hulu?

• What will happen with the Star brand internationally?

Ultimately, the direction for a combined streaming platform for Disney makes sense. Offering multiple outlets is more expensive, and one platform will offer more content to more people. It’s already proven to work, but there are lots of hurdles, including Disney paying Comcast a huge cheque for billions of dollars. But now we know there is a plan to combine Disney’s streaming services under a single offering.

Eventually, a single app for all of Disney’s content is going to make it much easier for both subscribers and Disney, but it will also likely lead to less overall content being available, as Disney is looking to scale back its general entertainment side, but pairing it with Disney+, which has been lacking general entertainment, means the combination will result in us getting regular content constantly.

Roundups #102: Trevor Noah To Exit The Daily Show, Hugh Jackman To Return As Wolverine In Deadpool And Keanu Reeves No Longer Part Of Upcoming Series Devil In The White City

Trevor Noah is exiting The Daily Show

It’s the end of the road for Trevor Noah’s tenure at Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. The comedian announced during the September 29 episode that, after seven years as host spanning back to 2015 when he took over for Jon Stewart, he’s decided to move on.

After noting that he recently reflected on fans’ support for the show on an international level, Noah told the studio audience that he found himself “filled with gratitude for the journey. It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s something that I never expected.” He went on: “And I found myself thinking throughout the time, you know, everything we’ve gone through: the Trump presidency, the pandemic, just the journey of, you know … the more pandemic. And I realized that, after seven years, my time is up. But in the most beautiful way. Honestly, I’ve loved hosting the show. It’s been one of my greatest challenges. It’s been one of my greatest joys. I have loved trying to figure out how to make people laugh, even when the stories are particularly shitty on the worst days. We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together. But after seven years, I feel like it’s time.”

A Comedy Central spokesperson released a statement on Noah’s departure after his announcement was posted to Twitter: “We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years. With no timetable for his departure, we’re working together on next steps. As we look ahead, we’re excited for the next chapter in the 25+ year history of The Daily Show as it continues to redefine culture through sharp and hilarious social commentary, helping audiences make sense of the world around them.”

Hugh Jackman returns to the MCU

The Wolverine is back as Hugh Jackman gets back in the gym to once again sport the muscular frame of the beloved X-Men character. It has now been confirmed that Jackman will reprise the role of Wolverine in the upcoming Deadpool 3, an announcement that came as a huge surprise to Marvel fans.

Hugh Jackman first played the role of Wolverine over two decades ago in the first X-Men outing. While the actor was praised for his portrayal, Jackman has since revealed that he only had a few weeks to prepare. Hence, why his physique is far less impressive than it would eventually become. Jackman has now played the role multiple times, each time putting in the hard work to bring the Marvel superhero to life in live action, with the actor often topping the list of the greatest physical transformations.

While the plot of Deadpool 3 is currently unconfirmed, it is looking more and more likely that the threequel will follow Wolverine and Deadpool embarking on a road trip. Something that Ryan Reynolds seemingly revealed last year.

Keanu Reeves no longer making his first major American television role debut

Keanu Reeves will no longer star in the Hulu series adaptation of “The Devil in the White City,” Variety has learned exclusively from sources.

The show was first put into development at Hulu in 2019 and was officially ordered to series at the streamer in August 2022. It is based on the book of the same name by by Erik Larson.

Per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”

 

Roundups #89: Megan Thee Stallion Joins The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Selena Gomez Enters Negotiations For Working Girl Reboot, Scrapped HBO Max Series Drawing Interest Of Various Streamers

Megan Thee Stallion joins the cast of She-Hulk

Megan Thee Stallion is following up her role on Starz’s P-Valley with a cameo appearance in Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law.

In an upcoming episode, she becomes involved in a legal case that is being handled by attorney Augustus “Pug” Pugliese, played by Josh Segarra. Segarra teased what’s ahead while chatting with Deadline on the red carpet of the show’s premiere.

“A gentleman is being catfished by somebody that lives in another universe, let’s say. Another world,” Segarra said before confirming Deadline’s teasing response that the catfisher is pretending to be a certain recording artist.

Selena Gomez might be joining another reboot

Selena Gomez and 20th Century Studios are partnering for a reboot of Working Girl.

Gomez is in talks to produce a remake of the 1988 comedy that starred Melanie Griffith as a Long Island woman who secretly takes over her boss’ job while she recovers from a broken leg. Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver also starred in the original film, which was directed by Mike Nichols and was a massive success, earning Oscar nominations and an impressive $100 million box office haul.

It is unclear if Gomez would also star in the project, which is eyeing a release on Hulu.

Batman is gaining traction

While Bruce Timm, Matt Reeves, and J.J. Abrams' Batman: Caped Crusader won't be coming to HBO Max, the animated series is reportedly very much alive and drawing interest from Apple, Hulu, Netflix, and more.

As reported by THR, Batman: Caped Crusader was one of six animated titled that was pulled from HBO Max's upcoming slate and will no longer be produced by the company. It was stated that these shows were not necessarily canceled, but instead would be shopped to other studios.

According to THR's sources, "it is believed that the various Warners divisions making the show and movies will make more money on the titles by selling them to other outlets than having them on Warners’ own streamer."

 

14 Surprising Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'How I Met Your Mother'

The narrator, who was supposed to be an older Ted Mosby, was voiced by Bob Saget.

There's a reason the voice of future Ted sounds so familiar. Josh Radnor played Ted on the CBS show, but the late Bob Saget was cast to do the "future Ted" voice-overs that narrated the series.

Jim Parsons was almost cast as Barney.

Jim Parsons played Sheldon on CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" instead. Chuck Lorre Productions
Before Neil Patrick Harris landed the role, Jim Parsons auditioned for Barney on the show. But there are no hard feelings from the "The Big Bang Theory" star.

"Look, it all worked out fine … Neil's better for the part, let's be honest," Parsons said on a 2015 episode of "Live With Kelly," according to Yahoo.

 

 

Jennifer Love Hewitt almost played Robin.

Jennifer Love Hewitt opted for a role on "The Ghost Whisperer."  Real-life Canadian Cobie Smulders eventually snagged the part of Robin, but only after Jennifer Love Hewitt turned it down.

According to E! News, cocreator Craig Thomas wrote on Reddit that Love Hewitt decided to do CBS' "The Ghost Whisperer" instead of "HIMYM."

Britney Spears saved the show from low ratings.

Britney Spears helped bring in new viewers. CBS
The pop singer guest-starred as Abby the receptionist on season three, episode 13. According to E! News, cocreator Carter Bays told Reddit that she helped bring in new viewers and saved the show from low ratings.

"By golly she put our show on the map. It can't be overstated," Bays wrote. "Britney Spears rescued us from ever being on the [renewal] bubble again. Thanks Britney!"

The show's creators are in a real-life band, and they wrote and performed the series' theme song.

Carter Bays and Craig Thomas are in the band The Solids. The theme song of "HIMYM" is known for its infectiously catchy tune, and it turns out the show's creators had a big hand in creating it.

The song, "Hey Beautiful," is by the band The Solids, which Bays and Carter are both members of. Bays does vocals and guitar, and Thomas plays the drums.

 

 

Harris made it his mission to get Barney and Robin together on the show.

Neil Patrick Harris was in favor of the characters getting together. Ron P. Jaffe/Fox
Smulders was apprehensive when there were initial chats about the characters getting together, but Harris actively tried to make it happen throughout filming.

"I'd try to do little things in our scenes together where I gave her an extra look and an extra glance or would stare only at her during a whole scene just to see if anyone was noticing," Harris told The Fan Carpet of his own personal mission to get Barney and Robin together.

Ted probably made Barney sound worse on purpose to make himself look better in the end.

Ted is telling the story to his kids, so he can stretch the truth a little. CBS screencap
In 2018, Harris agreed with a popular fan theory in an interview with Digital Spy.

The theory speculated that Ted made Barney sound extra sleazy and womanizing in his story for his kids because he didn't want them to judge him for falling for Barney's ex-wife, Robin.

"I think that that's very accurate," Harris told Digital Spy. "Given the story structure, and with [Ted] telling the story to his kids, everything was able to be overdrawn."

"The Bro Code" really exists.

 

You can buy your own copy of "The Bro Code." 20th Century Fox. You can buy the series-approved version of all of Barney's rules, and it's even "written" by Barney Stinson himself.

The characters' favorite bar was named after the cocreator's assistant.

McLaren's name has a special significance. 20th Century Fox. Bays told TV Squad that his assistant, Carl McLaren, lent his name to the bar, McLaren's, and to its bartender, Carl.

The fictional bar is also based on a real establishment in New York City.

McLaren's is modeled after McGee's pub in NYC. Richard Cartwright/CBS.

According to the New York Post, McLaren's is modeled after a pub in New York City called McGee's.

Bays and Thomas reportedly spent a lot of time in the real-life establishment when they were both writing for "The Late Show With David Letterman" earlier in their careers.

Some fans found out who the mother was on Facebook before they had a chance to watch the episode.

The post spoiled the plot for a lot of people. CBS
According to The Obsessive Viewer, the official "HIMYM" Facebook page posted a photo of the mother right after the episode that revealed her identity aired.

However, not every fan was able to watch the episode live, so they had the series-long plot point spoiled for them if they scrolled past the post.

The actors who played Ted's kids knew how the show was going to end for years.

All of the kids' scenes were filmed early on in the series.
According to CBS News, the final scene of Ted's kids learning that Ted still loved Robin was filmed in 2006 to ensure the actors playing the kids still looked the same.

That was only a year after the show premiered and eight years before the finale aired, so several precautions were taken to keep the ending a secret.

 

 

David Henrie and Lyndsy Fonseca, who played the kids, had to sign non-disclosure agreements, and only one camera operator was allowed in the room while they filmed the final scene.

There was almost a spin-off starring Greta Gerwig.

Greta Gerwig is now a successful actor and director. How I Met Your Mother screencap
"How I Met Your Dad" was in the works after the "HIMYM" series finale, but it was ultimately scrapped in 2014 due to creative differences between the writers and CBS, according to Deadline.

The unaired pilot starred Greta Gerwig as Sally, a recent divorcée on the hunt for new love.

 

Over seven years after the "HIMYM" finale, a sequel series starring Hilary Duff premiered on Hulu.

Hilary Duff stars on the series.

After the failed "How I Met Your Dad" spin-off, Deadline reported in 2017 that a "How I Met Your Father" series was in development. But it took a few years to get it off the ground.

The Hulu sequel series stars Hilary Duff as Sophie, the leading Ted-like role, who is telling her son the story of how she met his father.

Roundups #56: Rick And The Morty Is Getting An Anime, Kendrick Lamar Shooting Documentary In Ghana And The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Reboot Is In Development

Rick And Morty spinoff announced

Adult Swim has ordered an anime project from director Takashi Sano (Tower of God) that’s based on the Emmy-winning series. The network has placed an order for 10 episodes of Rick and Morty: The Anime.

Sano previously directed two acclaimed anime shorts in the Rick and Morty universe: “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).” The shorts have generated more than 10 million combined views on Adult Swim digital platforms.

 

“The multiverse-straddling exploits of Rick and the gang pose challenges to the family bond, but they always rise to the occasion,” Sano said in a statement. “It’s such a life-affirming sight, and Jerry is no exception.” He adds, “I am honored to have been given an opportunity to tell a new story about this amazing family. I hope you enjoy their adventures!”

 

Kendrick Lamar documentary in the works

Kendrick Lamar has taken the campaign for his new album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, abroad, as the rapper was recently spotted in Accra, Ghana, where he is reportedly filming a documentary.

While the doc has yet to be confirmed by Lamar or his team, various media outlets in Ghana announced the news upon his arrival in the West African country, which occurred last week, prior to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers‘ release. Images and clips of the Compton, Calif. native at various locations in Ghana began surfacing on social media as early as last Thursday (May 12), when the “Crown” rapper visited Kozo Restaurant that same day. Over the weekend, he was seen at Freedom Skate Park and was also captured playing soccer with children in Jamestown.

 

On Saturday evening (May 14), the rapper hosted a listening party, which was attended by numerous local Ghanaian artists, including Black Sherif, Stonebwoy, Amaarae, and Smallgod. In addition, Lamar and Spotify also partnered with local Ghanaian transportation companies, which plastered song titles from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on multiple tro-tro vehicles (privately-owned minivans and minibusses used for public transportation) within the area.

More reboots

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was a fantasy pic released by 20th Century Fox in 2003, based on the comic book series of the same name from writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O’Neill. Set in an alternate Victorian Age world, it followed a group of famous contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and adventure characters—including Captain Nemo, Dorian Gray and Tom Sawyer—as they teamed up on a secret mission.

 

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman comics were first introduced in 1999. Stephen Norrington directed the original film adaptation, starring Sean Connery, which was reputed to be the reason he retired from acting—so miserable was his experience on set. James Dale Robinson wrote the script, with Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng and Richard Roxburgh rounding out the cast.

While multiple attempts at a League reboot have been made in the past, with one conceived as a female-centric take, they’ve thus far been to no avail. BAFTA Award nominee Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) will adapt the script this time around. Susan Montford and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Erwin Stoff will produce alongside Don Murphy, who also produced the original.

Roundups #12: Love, Victor Cancelled After Three Seasons By Hulu, Captain America Meets Black Adam In New Amazon Film RedOne, Possible Renewals At Nick Jr. And Popular 90's Animated Series SWAT Kats Is Back With New Series

Love, Victor comes to an end on Hulu

In distressing proof that nothing pure lasts forever, Love, Victor is signing off for good. Hulu announced during this week’s Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour that the upcoming third season of beloved gay teen drama will be its last.

The series will conclude with the June 15 release of all eight episodes of season 3. The series, written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, began as a spin-off of the 2018 Greg Berlanti-produced film Love, Simon, based on Becky Albertalli’s YA novel. Love, Simon was the first gay teen rom-com to be released by a major Hollywood studio.

Source: Them

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Chris Evans and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson join forces for new Amazon film, RedOne

Chris Evans and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be starring together in the upcoming Amazon film Red One. Red One is set to be a globe-trotting holiday comedy film, leaning into a genre which Johnson has been finding success in between his
Jumanji films and the recent Netflix title Red Notice . Jake Kasdan, who directed the two new Jumanji films, will be directing Red One and it is a project being an original vision from Seven Bucks President of Production Hiram Garcia . Red One is written by well-known Fast & Furious scribe Chris Morgan.

Red One is expected to release for the holiday of 2023. Kasdan will also serve as a producer on the film with Morgan, as well as Seven Bucks' Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia. Previously, Seven Bucks and Kasdan's partnership on Jumanji films lead to massive box office successes through a pair of films which will lead into a third effort together.

Source: ComicBook

List of possible renewals on Nick Jr.

According to Preschool Series News & Galore, the following will live for another day:

- Paw Patrol renewed for 10th season
- Blaze And The Monster Machines renewed for 7th season
- Bubble Guppies might get a 7th season or end with its current season
- Blue Clues & You might get a 4th season with new movie
- Paw Patrol might get a 10th season with a new movie coming out and spin-off
- Santiago Of The Seas might get a 3rd season
- The Adventures Of Paddington renewed for 3rd season

SWAT Kats reboot is in development

India’s Toonz Media Group is teaming up with Christian and Yvon Tremblay to produce a new show inspired by the brothers’ classic animated series SWAT-KATS. The reboot, entitled SWAT-KATS Revolution , will target kids ages five to 11 and feature a host of new characters battling evil alongside the brand’s beloved feline fighters.

Source: Kidscreen

Also read:
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Roundups #11: CN To The Rescue Returns For A Second Season On Cartoon Network Africa, Moonbug Entertainment Acquires Little Angel, Futurama Revival Heading To Hulu And Jimmy Neutron Revival On The Cards

Cartoon Network Africa’s favorite family is back for season 2 in the uproarious comedy, CN to the Rescue!

Just when you thought that this year couldn't get off to a better start, think again! Cartoon Network brings you a brand-new season of its original local production, CN to the Rescue. Premiering on 21 February on Cartoon Network Africa, the show is set to keep audiences laughing uncontrollably with pure African humour and fresh, imaginative content that combines the forces of live-action comedy with quality animation.

Following the massive success of season one, which ranked as the number one watched show in South Africa across all kids’ channels in January 2021*, CN to the Rescue 2 takes us deeper into the adventurous parallel world of Tapiwa's 'Imagination Room'. Here the lines between reality and animation become more blurred, the story becomes more real, and the adventure becomes even crazier than ever! Is the new mysterious family member, Uncle Ezekius from Cape Town, a good guy, or is he plotting evil? Haibo! - will Tapiwa and his no-nonsense glam, but caring Mama, intensely focused nerdy bra, and happy-go-lucky Gogo find a way out of the 'Imagination Room' in time?

Wacky 'slap-chic' African comedian André Lembwa portrays ALL five characters again, including the new long-lost uncle. He skillfully brings all the personalities in the show to life with his unexpected comedy and humour. Produced by the multi-talented Capetonian filmmaker Howard James Fyvie, season two expands on the colourful first season, highlighting everyday situations in the African household. The new instalment introduces more local flavour while featuring a lot more of Cape Town. The continuous storyline throughout the nine episodes gives season 2 a real 'series' feel, set to keep audiences coming back episode after episode!

“CN to the Rescue is just like the kind of show that used to inspire me when I was a kid - it’s all about family, adventure and imagination. The cool thing about this show, though, is it’s wrapped in a uniquely African aesthetic with a true local flavour,” says Fyvie. “Working on it was a joy, a challenge and a miracle all wrapped into one. Thanks to WarnerMedia for trusting us and supporting our passion!”

Ariane Suveg, Head of Kids channels Africa, France and Israel, explains, “Bringing CN to the Rescue back to our channel with nine 11-minute brand-new episodes is a perfect example of Cartoon Network’s dedication to creating local content that resonates with our African audience. This show is truly local: not only are the creators African, but the whole production team reigns from Africa - bringing innovative content aligned with Cartoon Network’s brief to showcase unexpected, random, humorous and energetic content!”

With Taps' crazy adventures and his quintessentially African family along for the ride, CN to the Rescue has the perfect ingredients for kids to enjoy and laugh out loud. And with amusing pop culture references included throughout, Cartoon Network's grown-up fans will also relish the new show: an incredible viewing experience for the whole family!

A new season, new characters, and a new adventure - tune in from Monday, 21 February at 18:10 CAT on Cartoon Network Africa as Cartoon Network's biggest fan, Taps, comes to the Rescue!

Futurama is heading to streaming services

Hulu has ordered 20 new episodes of the adult animated sci-fi comedy series. The revival hails from David X. Cohen and Matt Groening. Cohen developed the original series with Groening, the series creator.

“Futurama” focuses on the life of Philip Fry (West), a 25-year-old pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself on December 31, 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later with a fresh start at life and a new group of friends including Leela (Sagal), a tough but lovely one-eyed mutant, and Bender, a robot who is fond of drinking excessively, smoking cigars, and stealing anything not nailed down.

Source: Variety

Moonbug Entertainment is buying more property

Aimed at preschoolers and available in 19 languages, the core Little Angel channel offers more than 400 original songs and 500-plus 3D-animated episodes. Its reimagined classic nursery rhymes and original stories are designed to teach things like letters, numbers, good manners and healthy habits. The network’s global viewership has doubled since 2019 and now generates 1.5 billion monthly views.

This is Moonbug’s first acquisition since it was purchased by indie startup Candle Media last November, and it plans to invest in new Little Angel content and broaden the brand’s global distribution footprint.

Source: Kidscreen

Jimmy Neutron revival could be underway

It's nearly twenty-one years since Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius hit theaters and the better part of 15 since The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, the animated series based on the movie on Nickelodeon aired its final episode. As you know by now, it's never too long for Hollywood to revive a property for a reboot and in the ever-expanding world of streaming video, revivals are now more possible than ever.

Despite 2010's Planet Sheen spin-off, Jimmy Neutron hasn't been seen for quite some time. However, one of the original voice actors has teased a possible comeback: Mark DeCarlo, who played Hugh Neutron, Jimmy's dad.

Source: NickALive

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You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).

The Murder Of Dee Blanchard: From HBO To Telemundo Here's A List Of Brands That Documented Gypsy's Freedom From Her Abusive Mother

Dee Dee had been making her daughter pass herself off as younger and pretend to be disabled and chronically ill, subjecting her to unnecessary surgery and medication, and controlling her through physical and psychological abuse.

Gypsy Rose, daughter of Dee Dee is currently serving a 10-year sentence for second-degree murder while Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In 2017, HBO produced the documentary film Mommy Dead and Dearest directed by Erin Lee Carr about the murder and its relationship to Munchausen syndrome by proxy. The film includes interrogation footage and exclusive interviews with Nick Godejohn and incarcerated Gypsy Rose.

Later that year, The CBS network talk show Dr. Phil, episode "Mother Knows Best: A Story of Munchausen by Proxy and Murder" featuring interviews with Gypsy Rose, her father and step-mother.

In 2018, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) news and information series Good Morning America, segment "Mother of All Murders" aired an exclusive in-prison interview with Gypsy Rose. The ABC network other series 20/20, did an episode titled "The Story of Gypsy Blanchard".

The Sony Entertainment Television channel series CID aired an episode titled "Death on Social Media" on 13 August 2017, based on the case but the setting for the episode was changed to India; the characters Aria and Aanchal were based on Gypsy and Dee Dee Blanchard respectively.

The Investigation Discovery channel series James Patterson's Murder is Forever episode "Mother of All Murders", season 1, episode 2, premiered on January 29, 2018. Investigation Discovery also aired a two-hour-long special documentary titled Gypsy's Revenge.

Love You to Death aired on Lifetime in January 2019, dramatizing the case as "inspired by true events". Marcia Gay Harden starred as the fictionalized version of Dee Dee, Emily Skeggs starred as Gypsy Rose's counterpart, Brennan Keel Cook starred as Nick's counterpart, and Tate Donovan starred as Rod's counterpart.

In 2019, the streaming service Hulu announced the creation of the true crime series The Act. The 8-episode miniseries is based on Michelle Dean's 2016 BuzzFeed article. Dean is an executive producer and writer for the first season of the series.

Later that year, Netflix web television series The Politician, the characters Infinity Jackson, Ricardo, and Dusty Jackson are respectively based on Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Nicholas Godejohn and Dee Dee Blanchard. Telemundo's Decisions 13th episode "Amor de madre" was also used to tell the tale.

Gypsy Rose's case has been treated more as a child abuse as opposed to her fiancee case which is murder. Her actions garnered media attention as opposed to her mother whose family flushed her ashes down the toilet.

You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets (Lnk.Bio).

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Hotstar Could Be Added To Disney+ Star And Hulu Globally

When the Walt Disney Company purchased 20th Century Fox, one of the key assets was access to the Indian streaming service “Hotstar”, which was rebranded to Disney+ Hotstar early last year.

Subscribers to Disney+ Hotstar make up over a third of the total number of subscribers to Disney+ globally.

Earlier today, Disney announced some changes to its Disney+ Hotstar service, merging together the VIP and Premium content, while offering three price tiers, depending on if the subscriber is only watching on a mobile device or on multiple devices like 4K TVs.

Disney+ Hotstar has a wide selection of original content, which is currently only available in India, but that is likely to change in the future, with some of the best original content available on Hulu in the United States or on Star On Disney+ internationally.

During an interview with Variety, Sunil Rayan, president and head of Disney Plus Hotstar, has confirmed.

“It is an objective for us that we want creators out of India to have a global platform. Because if we feel like we can provide a global platform, more creators will actually come to us and we want to see more Indian creators be accessible throughout the globe,” Some of the Hotstar Specials are already available on Hotstar in other countries such as the US, Canada and the UK. Netflix has had lots of success in releasing Indian content globally, and releasing Disney+ Hotstar originals on a bigger platform, would make these shows accessible to more viewers.

Disney is now making original content for Disney+ in a number of different countries around the world, including in Latin America, South Korea and across Europe, so it makes sense to use their main streaming platforms to distribute content globally. Especially considering Amazon and Netflix have also been heavily investing in making original Indian content for their streaming services, it would make sense for Disney to follow suit.

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80 Projects Announced At 2020 Disney Investor Day

Here are the 80 biggest announcements Disney made.

The Walt Disney Company on Thursday night held a virtual 2020 Disney Investor Day that included a raft of content announcements that ranged from the Kardashians to the Marvel universe, from Pixar to National Geographic and even that Star Wars galaxy far, far away.

Disney's presentation was strongly focused on how the Mouse House is bolstering its catalogue of its Disney+ video streaming service, clearly showing that as the world's second-biggest streaming service it is ready to take on Netflix for first place.

Disney executives said that it's main-focus in content creation is now on growing its direct-to-consumer business, meaning Disney+, and that it is pivoting to a "DTC first business model".

Disney spoke multiple times about its Disney+ subscribers "all around the world" and new territories where it plans to launch Disney+ as well as its general entertainment video streamer STAR.

With its presentation Disney clearly wanted to show that it can rival or outpace a competitor like Netflix when it comes to creating new original content based on its own sought-after brands and intellectual property.

Here is the 80 most noteworthy announcements Disney made:

1. While Disney plans to rollout Disney+ in more countries and territories in 2021, the continent of Africa and South Africa as it's most developed TV market still doesn't feature anywhere.

Disney+ is already in all of the comparable markets to South Africa like the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South American countries, and Disney will roll out STAR as a new general entertainment video streamer in places like South America.

2. STAR as Disney's new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service will be a general video entertainment service that will launch outside of the United States.

It will be for more mature audiences like adults and older teenagers, so it will, for instance, carry a film like Deadpool and general content that - although part of Disney - Disney wants to keep separate from the kid and family-friendly Disney+ brand.

STAR is essentially the hulu video streamer that is available in America but that Disney last year said "has no name brand recognition" outside of America, which is why Disney is going with STAR internationally.

STAR will include series from Disney Television Studios and FX, as well as films and library content from the Disney library and its 21st Century acquisition, for instance, The Simpsons. Available content titles will only show up within STAR depending on the parental control level chosen.

In South America STAR will launch as it's own stand-alone service called STAR+. Elsewhere, for instance, in Australia, Canada and elsewhere, it will launch in February 2021 as STAR as the 6th tile within the existing Disney+ streaming service. Disney+ now has 86.8 million subscribers globally and will hike prices from March 2021 because of the fold-in STAR content offering.

3. hulu's The Handmaid's Tale seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and Showmax has been renewed for a 5th season.

4. The Kardashian Jenner clan and their Keeping Up with the Kardashians that got cancelled on NBCUniversal's E! (DStv 124) a few months ago is jumping into streaming. hulu and STAR is doing a new video streaming reality series with the Kardashians that it plans to run for several years.

hulu content, unlike Disney+ content, is for sale to M-Net so expect this series to show up on M-Net, one of the M-Net channels like VUZU, or somewhere on DStv.

5. FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and Showmax has been renewed for a further 4 more seasons, taking it to season 18.

6. FX has commissioned an Alien TV series, as "the first Alien story set on Earth" and Ridley Scott is involved. "Set not too far into our future, it's the first Alien story set on Earth. By blending both the timeless horror of the first film with the action of the second, it's going to be a scary thrill-ride that will blow people back in their seats". This series will very likely be available for pick-up by M-Net (DStv 101) or FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131).

7. FX is working on Shogun, a new series based on the James Clavell novel, as "one of the most sweeping, sophisticated adult series that FX has ever created". It is "set within the riveting and real Game of Thrones that was feudal Japan".

8. Disney and Lucasfilm are working to bring a further 10 Star Wars series to Disney+. Star Wars The Mandalorian is getting two, live-action spin-off TV series. Star Wars Rangers of the New Republic and Star Wars Asoka will both be set within the timeline of The Mandalorian. "These interconnected shows along with future stories will excite new audiences," says Disney. These series will "culminate in a climactic story event".

9. "One of the most exciting and ambitious series we have coming to Disney+ in 2022 is Endor - a tense, nailbiting spy-thriller in the Star Wars universe," with Diego Luna back in the role as Rebel spy Cassian Endor from Rogue One. Production on Endor started in London 2 weeks ago.

10. Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi is a special event series and will start 10 years after the dramatic events of the Revenge of the Sith film. "Hayden Christensen will be returning in the role of Darth Vader. This will be the rematch of the century". Production will start in March 2021.

11. The animation series Star Wars The Bad Batch is a new spinoff from Star Wars The Clone Wars and "follows the specialist commandos of Clone Force 99 as they embark on new missions in a rapidly changing galaxy".

12. Star Wars Visions will be a series of animated short films celebrating the Star Wars galaxy through the lens of the world's best anime creators. This anthology collection will bring 10 stories from the leading Japanese anime studios to life and offer a fresh and culturally diverse perspective on Star Wars.

13. In Star Wars Lando, Lando Calrissian will return in a brand-new limited, event series.

14. Star Wars The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into "a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic Era".

15. Lucasfilm Animation is teaming up with Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to develop A Droid Story. "This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero guided by our most iconic duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO on a special mission, known only to them".

16. The new Willow series will be set decades after Ron Howard's 1988 movie "continuing the spirit of adventure, heroics and humour of the original film". Filming starts in March 2021 in Wales and will debut on Disney+ in 2022.

17. The next and final film of Indiana Jones is in pre-production. Harrison Ford will be back to "conclude this iconic character's journey". Indiana Jones will start shooting in late 2021 and will be released in July 2022.

18. Tomi Adeyemi's book Children of Blood and Bone is getting the feature film treatment and the story will revolve "around a young African girl's heart-racing quest to restore magic to her forsaken people, the magi".

19. Taika Waititi is busy writing the next Star Wars film.

20. Patty Jenkins will be directing the next Star Wars film, Star Wars Rogue Squadron that will "introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride". Rogue Squadron will be released in cinemas Christmas 2023.

21. Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic content, says the new documentary film Cousteau "features never-before-seen archival footage as a deep-dive into the fascinating life of the man who first showed us the beauty and wonder under the sea".

22. The National Geographic anthology series Genius is moving exclusively to Disney+ from the 4th season that will dramatise and profile the life of the American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

23. James Cameron is doing the new National Geographic natural history series, Secrets of the Whales, narrated by Sigourney Weaver, showcasing never-before-seen behaviour from 5 different whale species.

24. A Real Bug's Life will be using the latest miniaturised camera technology to capture and show the world of insects from the African savannah to New York's urban life.

25. America The Beautiful is a natural history portrait series showing the wildlife and places of the United States.

26. In Welcome to Earth, Will Smith takes viewers on a journey around the world, exploring the strangeness of our planet and some of the most extreme and exciting places, for instance, the side of a volcano and going inside a glacier in Iceland.

27. Big Shot from David E. Kelly is a new dramedy series set in the world of high school basketball with John Stamos who becomes the coach of a girls team at a private California high school.

28. Beauty and the Beast The Prequel Series will be a live-action drama series set before the events of the film with Luke Evans and Josh Gad who will return to reprise their roles.

29. Swiss Family Robinson will be a live-action drama series and reimagine the classic story as a live-action drama series.

30. The Mysterious Benedict Society is a live-action dramedy, based on the young adult book.

31. Disney is working on Hocus Pocus 2 as a "spooky sequel" to the original bewitching film.

32. Disney is "deep in development" with "a hilarious take on the 80s comedy" Three Men and a Baby. Aiming for a 2022 release, Three Men and a Baby has Zac Efron attached in a starring role.

33. Greek Freak, heading into production in 2021, is a biopic based on the life of the life story of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family as they lifted themselves out of poverty as undocumented immigrants living in Greece. Disney+ is developing another similar biopic about another NBC star, Chris Paul.

34. The live-action film Flora & Ulysses is based on the book about the girl Flora and her squirrel Ulysses and will be released in February 2021 on Disney+.

35. In 2022, Disney is reimagining the comedy Cheaper by the Dozen, centred around a multi-racial, blended family of 12, navigating a hectic home-life, while managing their family business. Gabrielle Union will star in this reboot.

36. Disney is revisiting the beloved Diary of a Wimpy Kid but this time as an animation film.

37. After 5 films, 20th Century Studios is now in production on a spinoff film, exclusively for Disney+ entitled The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild and will revolve around the possum brothers and weasel Buck.

38. Night at the Museum is returning as a new animated film.

39. In July 2021 Disney will release Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

40. Disney is developing "a Lion King prequel of sorts that revisits these iconic characters" and production is underway on the already-announced live-action version of The Little Mermaid that will have the classic songs as well as new music.

41. Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers is becoming a Disney+ hybrid live-action and animation film. In this film, like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, "cartoon are living among us, in all their forms, and let us just say they may have gone a little overboard to keep up with current popularity of CGI". The film will be release in late-2022.

42. The live-action remake of Pinnochio was already announced but the Tom Hanks film with state-of-the-art special effects is now moving to Disney+.

43. Peter Pan & Wendy is a new film specifically for Disney+ with Jude Law as Captain Hook.

44. Disney confirms that Amy Adams will be back as Giselle in a sequel to Enchanted exclusively for Disney+. The live-action film, Disenchanted will once again follow the hapless Disney princess who accidentally found herself in New York.

45. Disney is developing Sister Act 3 - and Whoopi Goldberg will be back in the starring role and producing. Tyler Perry is also a producer on the project.

46. The already-announced live-action film Cruella will dive into the early life of "one of the most notorious, and most notoriously fashionable villains, the legendary Cruella de Ville played by Emma Stone. Set in the 1970's punk-rock London, Cruella (then Estella) is noticed as a burgeoning fashion designer.

47. Walt Disney Animation Studios is doing its first-ever original animation series based on the Big Hero 6 film, entitled Baymax!. It will be on Disney+ in early-2022.

48. Zootopia+ is a short-form series that will take a hilarious look at some of the animal that moviegoers only briefly met in the film. Viewers will get to know more about Zootopia's hottest shows like The Real Housewives of Little Rodentia, So You Think You Can Prance about the back-up tiger dancers, and a show that follows the fast lane of sloth speed. Zootopia+ will release on Disney+ in late-2022.

49. Tiana is a new long-form animation series coming to Disney+ in 2023 and revolves around the Disney princess and her friends in a musical comedy series with Tiana stepping into her role as a princess of a land yet to be seen, as well as with a lot of New Orleans to be discovered.

50. Disney is developing a long-form musical comedy series, Moana, to explore new stories with this character. "In this series, Moana's boundless sense of adventure takes her far beyond the reef". Moana the series will be on Disney+ in 2023.

51. Walt Disney Animation Studios is teaming up with the pan-African comic book company Kugali to create the original animation series Iwájú for Disney+. Walt Disney Africa was asked how viewers in Africa will be able to see Iwájú - that roughly means "the future" but the company didn't respond. Iwájú will debut on Disney+ in 2022. The long-form series, steeped in science fiction, is set in Lagos, Nigeria.

52. Walt Disney Animation Studios' 60th feature film will be an animation musical set in Colombia, where a magical family lives in a magical home in Encanto. Songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda is attached with songs in Spanish and English.

53. Pixar has a new upcoming animation spinoff series from the UP film entitled Dug Days, following the talking dog's adventures and that will release around March 2021.

54. The Cars franchise is making a comeback around late-2022 with a new animation series following Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater as they head on a roadtrip across America. Episodes will be filled with imaginative new destinations as well as old friends.

55. Win Or Lose is Pixar's first long-form original animation series and follows a primary school sports team in the week leading up to a game. Each 20-minute episode follows the same week but from the perspective of a different character. The Pixar series will debut on Disney+ in late-2023.

56. Luca is a new Pixar animated feature film set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian riviera following the adventures of the boy Luca and his friend Alberto experiencing an unforgettable summer. It will debut in cinemas worldwide in June 2021.

57. Around March 2022 Pixar will release the feature film Turning Red revolving around May, a confident 13-year old who uncontrollably turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets excited.

58. In mid-2022 Pixar plans to release Lightyear in cinemas. Remember in Toy Story how the Buzz Lightyear doll action figure was based on a never-seen film? Lightyear is now that film as the "definitive origin-story of the original Buzz Lightyear and reveals how this young test pilot became the space ranger we all know him to be today". Captain America's Chris Evans will be voicing Buzz.

59. Marvel Studios' already-announced WandaVision series coming 15 January 2021 released a new trailer and it looks a bit like the Pleasantville film, with the characters of Wanda and Vision who will discover that they're trapped in some reality/universe not of their making.

60. Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be released in cinemas 25 March 2022 and will connect directly to the events of Wandavision and will also connect to the new Spider-Man film coming to theatres in December 2021.

61. Marvel Studios also unveiled a new trailer for the already-announced Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier coming from March 2021 and will be "a cinematic experience playing out over 6 episodes".

62. The already-announced Black Widow will return to the big screen on 7 May 2021 with Scarlett Johansson.

63. Loki with Tom Hiddleston will debut as a Disney+ series in May 2021 and is joined by Owen Wilson, Richard E. Grant and others. "We've put Loki in the centre of his own crime-thriller. If that sounds a little confusing, don't worry, Loki is just as confused."

64. What If...? is the first animated series from Marvel Studios and will release on Disney+ in mid-2021. The series "flips the script on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), taking famous events from the films and reimagining them in unexpected ways". Many MCU actors will reprise their roles for their animation versions.

65. Production has just wrapped in Australia on the film Chang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and will release in cinemas on 9 July 2021.

66. The already-announced American-Pakistani superhero series Ms Marvel will release next year on Disney+ with Iman Vellani in the title role.

67. The already-announced Captain Marvel 2 is currently in the works and will also be connected to the Wandavision series.

68. The already-announced Eternals will release in cinemas ofrom 5 November 2021 and Marvel Studios describes it as "introducing a brand-new emsembleof superheroes" that "is an epic story spanning thousands of years and is one of our most ambitious films yet".

69. The original Avenger Jeremy Renner returns to star in Hawkeye launching on Disney+ in late 2021. In this new series Hawkeye will team up with another well-known archer Kate Bishop who will be played by Hailee Seinfeld.

70. She Hulk is coming to Disney+ as a new series and is described as "a very funny series" with Tatiana Maslany in the title role. Tim Roth is returning as the Abomination first introduced in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk will be appearing in the series as well.

71. Moon Knight is an action-adventure, Indiand Jones type story from Marvel Studios as a Disney+ series. Moon Knight is a vigilante suffering from disassociative identity disorder and these multiple identities are very distinct characters. The backdrop to the series is Egyptian iconography.

72.  Secret Invasion was a Marvel Comics cross-over story and now with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury is a new series coming to Disney+.

73. Ironheart is a new Disney+ series about inventor Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, who makes her own most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. Ironheart and Secret Invasion will both tie-in to MCU feature films.

74. Production is also underway on a new series, Armor Wars. Tony Stark's worse feat comes true - it's what happens when his tech falls into the wrong hands. Don Cheadle will appear as War Machine.

75. Marvel Studios will be doing a live-action The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special for Disney+ with James Gunn as writer and director and will release in December 2023.

76. Baby Groot, everybody's favourite little tree, will appear in the series I Am Groot on Disney+, featuring several new characters.

77. Thor Love and Thunder will start filming in January 2021 with director Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson returning and Christian Bale as Gorr, the God Butcher. It will release in cinemas on 22 May 2022.

78. Development and storylines are coming together for Blade with Mahershala Ali in the title role.

79. The third Ant-Man film from Marvel Studios will officially be called Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania. Paul Rudd as Ant-Man will be back together with Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kathryn Newton is joining the cast as Cassie Lang.

80. Black Panther II won't recast the role of Chadwick Boseman and will release in cinemas 8 July 2022. Writer and director Ryan Coogler is working on the story. Marvel Studios is working on a new The Fantastic 4 feature film.