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As moonlight illuminates Disneyland Park’s Main Street, U.S.A., toddlers are gleefully hoisted onto shoulders, young couples nestle under Mickey Mouse blankets and groups of teenagers buzz with excitement. The mix of generations represented here have at least one thing in common: A real love for Disney’s creations.
The crowd is awaiting “Wondrous Journeys,” the park’s new nighttime event celebrating 100 years of Disney magic. In the span of a 15-minute, firework-filled spectacular, every milestone of the storytelling giant’s century-long history is projected onto the exterior of Main Street U.S.A. and the Sleeping Beauty Castle – from the first sketch of Mickey Mouse in 1927 to Disney’s upcoming 2023 film, Wish.
The display features nods to every Walt Disney Animation Studios film, coupled with lighting effects, fireworks and even Baymax from Big Hero 6, who at one point soars above the castle. It’s all set to a star-studded soundtrack arranged by Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Lennertz, which features re-imaginings of Disney classics like “When You Wish Upon a Star” fused seamlessly with songs from modern-day films including “Almost There” from Princess and the Frog and “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto.
“When the team sat down, we realized that the core theme that binds everyone together when it comes to emotion, is music,” says Walt Disney Imagineering’s global head of music Tricia Holloway.
The first step in developing the show’s music component was putting together an acoustic blueprint for what would become the “Wondrous Journeys” soundtrack. “I really approached this project like a combination of a stage musical and animated feature,” says Lennertz. “I wanted the music to be precisely clear about telling our story, with motivated singing and lyrics, but also be joyous, vivid, and colorful, like the great animated art that we were paying tribute to.”
Once the 18-song piano and vocal demo was thoroughly reviewed by Disney’s team, including show director and creative music producer Jordan Peterson, it came time to decide who would perform each track. “We started brainstorming [and] put together a list of vocalists that we thought would help inspire the show and take it to another level,” says Holloway. “As we were looking to cast the vocalists, we were looking to people who perform in front of a live audience so that they could bring that energy and storytelling to the delivery of their vocals.”
In addition to more musical theater-centric acts suggested by her colleagues, Holloway threw a number of recording artists into the mix — reflective of her 20 years as a music supervisor in film and television at companies like Lionsgate and Nickelodeon. Through a combination of outreach to managers, agents and contractors, the soundtrack became a perfect blend of vocalists across musical disciplines, including Tarriona “Tank” Ball from Tank and the Bangas, Tony Award winner Lena Hall, jazz and soul singer Shoshana Bean, Ty Taylor from Los Angeles soul-rock band Vintage Trouble and pop duo Clyde and Gracie Lawrence.
“Being a part of Disney’s Wondrous Journeys was a dream come true,” says Ball, who, along with Taylor, jokingly referred to herself as “Disney royalty” after watching the show for the first time.
Hall, who performed “Immortal” from Big Hero 6, says she was “thrilled” when asked to be a part of the project. “I’m no Disney princess, so I thought it was cool they wanted to bring some real rock vocals to the show,” she says.
The “Wondrous Journeys” score was recorded over the course of a year across California, Nashville, New York City, London and Orlando, with an 80-piece orchestra, 16 lead vocalists and a 33-member choir. One of the elements Holloway is most excited about is the spectacular’s original opening song, “It’s Wondrous.”
When the Disney team received the track — originally a demo from songwriters Alex Ganga and Danny Brown — they loved the rendition so much that they opted to keep the demo vocalists for the final song. “It’s a folk-pop approach, bringing a different style than you typically would hear in the parks, something that you’d want to hear outside of the parks on its own,” says Holloway of the song.
Now, fans can hear “It’s Wondrous” whenever they want, as the track arrived on streaming platforms Friday (March 3).
“I think ‘It’s Wondrous’ is going to become part of the DNA of the Disney catalog,” Holloway says. “It isn’t from an actual film or character, but it captures the feeling and beauty that you find within all the animation films.”
Growing up on shows like Fat Albert, musical multi-hyphenate Raphael Saadiq knows the value of representation in children’s television. “If I turned on my TV and found somebody Black,” he says, “those people were superheroes — even though they weren’t flying through the sky.”
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Today, the three-time Grammy winning producer, songwriter and instrumentalist is working as executive producer of Disney’s animated Marvel series, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The series marks Marvel’s first Black teenage girl superhero (actress Diamond White is voicing Moon Girl) and will feature guest voices from Alison Brie, Andy Cohen, Daveed Diggs, Maya Hawke, Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Cobie Smulders, Wesley Snipes and more.
“In the comic book world, this is huge,” Saadiq tells Billboard. “To be able to see a Black teenage genius girl doing amazing things, working out problems, explaining to people how not to get caught up in a box without being preachy.”
When it comes to the lyrical messaging of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Saadiq is hitting on topics like loving your hair, overcoming insecurities and being yourself, by way of a fusion of genres that the music legend grew up around. “I had everything from Motown to Neil Young and Steely Dan,” recalls the Oakland native of his own childhood. “Latin music in my neighborhood from Pete Escovedo, so many different layers and soundtracks blaring out of cars in my neighborhood. Music is the backdrop to [children’s] lives. For me, it’s a contribution that I want to give back to the community of kids and their parents.”
Based in New York City, the show is centered on Lunella Lafayette (a.k.a. Moon Girl), who accidentally brings her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur to the city. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur explores universal themes of family and community, while centering the experiences of a Black family living on the Lower East Side. The series arrives to Disney+ today (Feb. 15).
The Disney Music Group (DMG) and Andscape are partnering on a new record label, Good Company Records. Oscar- and Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer D’Mile, talent manager Natalie Prospere and Grammy-winning mixing/audio engineer John Kercy are the founders of the new global venture.
In addition to signing and developing artists, Good Company will collaborate with other Andscape divisions on various projects. First up will be the Andscape documentary Shyne. The forthcoming film will chronicle Shyne’s life and journey from rap artist on Sean Combs’ Bad Boy label to becoming a member of the Belize House of Representatives.
Announcing the partnership with Good Company today (Feb. 14), Disney Music Group president Ken Bunt stated, “It’s special and unique to have a shared vision for the future of music, and the opportunity to visually tell new stories with Andscape. We can’t wait to collaborate with D’Mile, Natalie, John and the Andscape team to deliver on this goal.”
Added DMG head of creative Mio Vukovic, “We could not be more excited about working with the talented team behind Good Company and our partnership with Andscape. It allows us the dream of creating a home to cultivate and nurture Black artists through storytelling.” Disney Music Group houses Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing and Disney Concerts.
Andscape is the 2022 rebrand and expansion of ESPN’s former media platform The Undefeated. Dedicated to exploring all facets of Black identity, Andscape encompasses several divisions including editorial, book publishing, film/television and music publishing.
“D’Mile, Natalie and John are special individuals – each true to Andscape’s vision: deep and dimensional multi-hyphenate storytellers,” said Andscape vice president/editor-in-chief Raina Kelley in the announcement release. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to the Andscape family. This incredible partnership vaults forward Andscape’s evolution as a content creator across The Walt Disney Company.”
Prior to creating Good Company, D’Mile became the first songwriter in Grammy history to win back-to-back song of the year Grammys: for H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe” in 2021 and Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” in 2022. Also in 2021, he won the Academy Award for best original song for co-writing and producing “Fight for You,” performed by H.E.R., from the film Judas and the Black Messiah. A producer of the year nominee at the 65th Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, D’Mile has also worked with Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson, among others.
The longtime manager of D’Mile and fellow Good Company co-founder Kercy, Prospere has also managed Grammy-winning artist Lucky Daye and songwriter/producer DJ Camper. She is also the creator of the Friends Only collective, focusing on forward-thinking business development and artist partnerships throughout the Caribbean and Black diaspora. Kercy’s resumé includes collaborations with Daye, Lil Wayne, Disclosure, Diddy, Ty Dolla $ign, Normani and more.
In a joint statement, D’Mile, Prospere and Kercy said, “We are so excited to partner with Disney/Andscape on Good Company. Disney is a place where we believe all of our creative ideas can come to life, and we are looking forward to where this partnership takes us!”
In a stunning turn of events, The Walt Disney Co. says that Bob Chapek will step down as CEO, with Bob Iger returning to lead the company.
Disney’s board of directors announced the decision Sunday night.
“We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic,” said Susan Arnold, chairman of the board, in a statement. “The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.”
Chapek had just signed a new multi-year contract in June.
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Iger even acknowledged in an email to Disney employees Sunday that he is returning “with an incredible sense of gratitude and humility — and, I must admit, a bit of amazement.”
While Iger will be returning to his old role, the board also made it clear that his new term will be a temporary one.
Iger “has agreed to serve as Disney’s CEO for two years, with a mandate from the Board to set the strategic direction for renewed growth and to work closely with the Board in developing a successor to lead the Company at the completion of his term,” the board said.
Iger stepped aside as CEO in February 2020, handing the reins to Chapek, who previously led the company’s theme parks and consumer products division. He continued to serve as executive chairman of the company, stepping down from that position just 11 months ago.
Of course, as Arnold noted in her statement, the novel coronavirus pandemic took its toll on the company, shutting its theme parks and cruise ships, and stopping almost all film and TV productions. It also, however, turbocharged streaming growth, with Chapek leaning into streaming by reorganizing the company to focus on digital.
But his tenure has also been rocky, marked with controversies and distractions. From the aggressive campaign against Marvel star Scarlett Johansson that resulted in a settlement over pay for Black Widow, to Disney’s response (or lack thereof) to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Chapek has had to deal with a wide array of public misfires during his relatively brief tenure atop the company.
But in addition to the public controversies, Disney’s business has also begun to falter in recent quarters.
Chapek announced earlier this month that the company would freeze hiring and stop all non-essential travel, with layoffs likely to follow as his executive team sought to trim costs.
And while Disney+ continues to gain subscribers at a rapid clip, the company’s streaming losses have continued to grow, making it that much more challenging to hit their profitability target.
Iger, a company man at ABC since joining ABC in 1974, led the network after Disney acquired it in 1995 was elevated to CEO of Disney in 2005, succeeding Michael Eisner.
While his elevation within the company was due to his business acumen, he developed a reputation for having an elevated sense of taste and creative vision, skills he continued to put to use after stepping aside as CEO in 2020.
Iger grew Disney to new heights by acquiring Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009) and Lucasfilm (2012), creating a powerhouse that in 2019 saw the company pass $10 billion in global box office sales. The same year, it closed the unprecedented, $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox, creating a global content powerhouse.
While Iger built a reputation as talent-friendly, Chapek’s reputation amongst creatives took a hit in July 2021 when the dispute with Johansson over the day-and-date streaming release of Black Widow went public. The star filed a lawsuit claiming the studio was sacrificing its box office potential in order to juice Disney+.
Their differing styles and approaches led to something of an oil and water relationship between the two Bobs. As Kim Masters reported last year, at what was to be his last formal Disney board retreat with the company, Iger implored everyone in the room to focus on the virtues of creativity and talent.
Disney’s market cap was roughly $55 billion when Iger took over in 2005, rose to $260 billion in January 2020, and has fallen to $167 billion as of Friday.
“I am extremely optimistic for the future of this great company and thrilled to be asked by the Board to return as its CEO,” Iger said in a statement. “Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration. I am deeply honored to be asked to again lead this remarkable team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through unrivaled, bold storytelling.”
–Aaron Couch contributed to this THR report.
Assuming the role of Ariel in the live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid is Halle Bailey‘s biggest acting look to date. But despite the apprehension — and at times, backlash — that comes with portraying such an iconic character in the Disney franchise, the “Do It” singer insists she’s cool as a cucumber leading up to the film’s May 2023 release.
“I don’t feel any pressure anymore,” Bailey told E! News on Tuesday (Nov. 15) when asked about playing the titular character. “I think that before I started filming, I did feel some nerves naturally because the film is so important to so many people.” The 22-year-old added that leaning on her close friends and family, including big sister Chloe, helped her overcome any fears she had.
Perhaps the most “touching” part about getting to play Ariel, the actress revealed, was getting to see the reaction little girls had to her performance of “Part of Your World” when it was released in September.
“It just makes me cry,” she shared. “The fact that all these little Black and Brown babies are going to be able to feel like they’re being represented is really special to me. I know that if I had that when I was younger, it would have changed a whole lot for me and my perspective on who I am as an individual.”
In addition to feeling “super honored” to play a Disney princess, the star added, “I’m just really grateful to kind of be in this position and I just hope everybody really enjoys the film.”
The Little Mermaid live action remake will be released on May 26, 2023. Revisit the trailer — in which Bailey sings “Part of Your World” — below.
Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump is getting young Marvel fans in the holiday spirit with the festive new Spidey and His Amazing Friends song “Merry Spidey Christmas.”
Stump, the Grammy-nominated lead singer of Fall Out Boy, is also a songwriter on the Disney Junior series and performs the theme song.
The new Christmas episode — which premiered Friday (Nov. 11) on Disney Channel — follows Team Spidey (Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales) as they aim to save the spirit of Christmas. Viewers can stream the episode on Disney + starting Nov. 30 as well.
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends is the first episodic show Marvel has created for preschoolers. The show, now in its second season, also includes other characters from the Avengers, such as Iron Man, Ant-Man, Wasp and Reptil, the Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther.
Through his work with Fall Out Boy, Stump has scored four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” (No. 8 in 2005), “Dance, Dance” (No. 9 in 2006), “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race” (No. 2 in 2007) and “Centuries” (No. 10 in 2015).
Watch the “Merry Spidey Christmas” music video below:
ABC is rounding out the cast of its live Beauty and the Beast special.
The Dec. 15 special, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film’s best picture nomination — the first animated feature to earn that honor — has added Martin Short, David Alan Grier, Shania Twain, Rizwan Manji, Jon Jon Briones and Leo Abelo Perry to its cast. They join an ensemble led by Grammy winner H.E.R. as Belle and Josh Groban as the Beast; Joshua Henry also stars, and Rita Moreno will narrate the special.
Only Murders in the Building star Short will play Lumiere. Tony winner Grier (A Solider’s Play, The Patient) will play Cogsworth, while Grammy winner and country music star Twain will play Mrs. Potts and Perry her son, Chip. The news of Twain’s casting comes less than a week after Angela Lansbury — who voiced Mrs. Potts in the 1991 animated film — died at age 96. Manji (Schitt’s Creek) plays Gaston’s (Henry) sidekick, LeFou, and Briones (Ratched) will play Belle’s father, Maurice.
“I am unbelievably honoured… and excited… and all of the emotions(!!) to announce that I will be joining the cast of #BeautyAndTheBeast30th to play the part of my favourite character – Mrs. Potts,” Twain wrote Monday (Oct. 17) on Instagram. “And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t pay tribute to the iconic Angela Lansbury, I mean she IS Mrs. Potts and the reason why this character is so beloved. To follow in the foot steps of such an icon is a huge honour and I hope to do the part justice.”
The special, which ABC ordered in July, will feature a mix of live action and animation and new musical performances along with sets and costumes inspired by the movie. Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Wicked) is executive producing, and Grammys and Super Bowl halftime show helmer Hamish Hamilton will direct.
Done + Dusted is producing the special with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Caitlin Foito, Hamilton, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan also executive produce. H.E.R. serves as producer.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.