Disney lifted thelid on three live-action Star Wars series for its much-hyped new televisionstreaming service Friday, including Ewan McGregor's return as Obi-Wan Kenobi,as the company revealed a vast lineup for its Netflix rival. Previouslyunannounced series set in Marvel's wildly popular superhero universe and alive-action "Lady and the Tramp" film were among the shows teased atthe biennial D23 fan convention in California, to whooping cheers from Disneydevotees dressed as their favorite characters.
But the loudestovation was saved for the Star Wars presentation, with the first officialtrailer for Disney+ launch series "The Mandalorian" showing a dark,lawless universe populated by murderous bounty hunters. Lucasfilm presidentKathleen Kennedy said the TV shows would be "identical" in quality tothe record-grossing Star Wars films, describing it as "exhilarating andliberating" to tell stories that expand beyond two hours.
The onlinestreaming service Disney+ featuring film and television shows will launchNovember 12 in the US as well as Canada and the Netherlands, before rolling outworldwide. Chief Executive Bob Iger told investors on a recent earnings callthat "nothing is more important to us" than the platform, which willcompete in a crowded marketplace with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, HBO Maxand more.
As well asoffering Disney's enormous back catalog, including all animated films and Pixarmovies within its first year, it will feature a plethora of newly commissionedshows. It will cost $6.99 a month in the US. Friday's sweeping presentation ina packed 6,800-seater hall in Anaheim lasted nearly two hours, and set outtitles from across Disney-owned brands including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, theDisney Channel and National Geographic.
Dangerous world
McGregor joinedKennedy on stage to confirm rumors that he would return as the Jedi master whowas first portrayed by Alec Guinness in the 1977 original "StarWars." Few details were given for the series, except that it has beenwritten and will begin shooting next year. Introducing the first trailer forthe separate "Mandalorian" series, which will be available at launch,showrunner Jon Favreau said the show would take place after "Return of theJedi" in a world where celebrations about the end of the evil Empire hadgiven way to chaos.
It will be set ina "world where like the old samurai movies and the old Westerns, where thegunfighters are rolling and people are fighting for their own safety," hesaid. "It's a dangerous world." New footage showed batteredStormtrooper helmets mounted on spikes and crumbling in the desert dust, withcowering mothers and children fleeing from armed villains. Also announced was a"spy series" inspired by critically acclaimed Star Wars film"Rogue One," with Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk to reprise their roles ina prequel storyline.
Marvel Studiosboss Kevin Feige revealed three previously unannounced shows which will overlapwith the most successful film franchise of all time-"Ms Marvel,""Moon Knight" and "She-Hulk." More details emerged forfurther Marvel superhero shows "What If...?"-an animated seriesimagining different outcomes for each of the 23 Marvel films to date-and"WandaVision," which was intriguingly described as a "halfclassic sitcom, half full [Marvel Cinematic Universe] spectacular"inspired by Dick Van Dyke.
Also appearing ona bumper lineup were an "unscripted" Muppets show, a grown-up"Lizzie McGuire" reboot starring Hilary Duff, a series of shortsfeaturing "Forky" from "Toy Story 4," and a mockumentarybased on "High School Musical."--AFP