Disney
As Disney Outmaneuvers DeSantis, Florida Gov. Calls for Investigation Over Special District
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for an investigation into an agreement that transferred the powers of Disney’s now-dissolved special district back to the company before the state assumed control of the board. In a letter to state chief inspector general Melinda Miguel, DeSantis says that the deal suffers “serious legal infirmities” and questions whether […]
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Disney’s Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Movie Finds Its Lilo
Disney has found its Lilo. Newcomer Maia Kealoha has been cast in Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, a remake of its cult 2002 animated movie, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind indie darling and best animated feature Oscar nominee Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, is directing the feature that is intended to […]
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Disney Layoffs Hit ABC News, Kim Godwin Reorganizes Leadership Team
The Disney layoffs have hit ABC News. The broadcast news division is laying off 50 people as part of the company’s planned cuts, with ABC News president Kim Godwin reorganizing her senior leadership team. Godwin announced the changes in a note to staff Thursday morning. “Throughout the company, teams are being impacted by the downsizing […]
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Board Outmaneuvered in Wrangling Over Disney Special District Control
A legal battle is brewing over an agreement that transferred the powers of Disney’s now-dissolved special district back to the company before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis assumed control of the board. The 30-year deal includes approval to build another theme park and restrictions that bar the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s new board of supervisors […]
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Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter Out at Disney
Marvel mogul Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter is out at Disney. The billionaire, who sold the comic book giant Marvel to Disney in 2009, was told Wednesday that Disney is folding his Marvel Entertainment unit into other parts of the company and that he would be let go. Marvel Entertainment is focused mostly on consumer products and […]
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‘Deadpool 3’ Adds ‘Succession’ Actor Matthew Macfadyen
Matthew Macfadyen is going from one dysfunctional family to another, with the Succession star in talks to join Ryan Reynolds in the third Deadpool movie. The film stars Reynolds as Deadpool, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and The Crown‘s Emma Corrin in a villain role. Macfadyen’s role is unknown, but the feature was searching for a […]
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Disney, Major Studios Get $30M From Illegal Streaming Sites Amid Piracy Crackdown
A coalition of top movie and TV studios have secured a $30 million judgment against the operator of two illegal streaming sites. The studios and defendant Dwayne Johnson (no relation to the actor) agreed to resolve the suit in a deal that includes an injunction barring him from continuing to operate any service that allows […]
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Disney Layoffs Hit TV Production, Acquisitions Departments
Layoffs have begun in Disney’s television divisions. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Monday’s layoffs focused production and acquisitions. Among the notable staffers let go Monday are Jayne Bieber, senior vp production at Freeform/Onyx Collective; Mark Levenstein, head of production and postproduction at Hulu; and Elizabeth Newman, head of Disney’s acquisitions department. Sources note Newman’s […]
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Questlove to Direct Live-Action ‘Aristocats’ for Disney
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is getting behind the camera for his narrative feature debut for Disney. The Oscar and Grammy winner will direct a live-action adaption of the jazz-focused 1970 animated feature The Aristocats for the studio. The story follows a cat and her three kittens, who inherit the fortune of their heiress owner, only to […]
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Halle Bailey Says ‘The Little Mermaid’ Will See Ariel Leave the Ocean for More Than a Boy
Halle Bailey says that when audiences finally see the live-action The Little Mermaid, they should expect a modern twist to Ariel’s motivations. The singer and actress spoke about her experiences filming the upcoming Disney movie, along with another film — The Color Purple — as part of a cover story for Edition‘s March issue. The […]
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Sonia Coleman Named Chief Human Resources Officer at Disney
Sonia Coleman has been named senior executive vice president and chief human resources officer of The Walt Disney Company. Coleman, who was senior vice president human resources for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, will succeed Paul Richardson, who is leaving after more than 15 years at Disney. Coleman starts in the role on April 8. She […]
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Disney, Warner Bros. Celebrate 100th Anniversaries at Oscars 2023
At Sunday night’s 2023 Oscars ceremony, two of the largest studios in the entertainment business — Disney and Warner Brothers — were recognized for celebrating 100 years in the business. The excitement began when stars Melissa McCarthy and Halle Bailey introduced the trailer for Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid to rapturous applause. […]
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