With a little over a month before Mary Poppins Returns arrives in theaters, Disney has released five character posters and a sneak peek featuring a song sung by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
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Emily Blunt takes on the role of Mary Poppins in the sequel. She returns to the Bank's house on Cherry Tree Lane to help grownup Jane and Michael, along with Michael's three young children.
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Lin-Manuel Miranda is Jack, a lamplighter and friend of Mary's.
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Meryl Streep plays Topsy, Mary's colorful cousin.
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Colin Firth is William Weatherall Wilkins, the president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.
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Julie Walters plays Ellen, Michael's housekeeper.
Here's the official synopsis from Disney:
In Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns,” an all new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss. Emily Blunt stars as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any ordinary task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure and Lin-Manuel Miranda plays her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London. Mary Poppins Returns arrives in theaters on December 19.
I had the chance to watch In The Heights yesterday and all I can say is WOW! The movie is incredible: the music, the story, everything was fantastic. I will definitely be adding it to my collection.
In The Heights, with music and lyrics by the fabulous Lin-Manuel Miranda, takes place in Washington Heights, New York.
It's the story of a community, a family, and the events of one intense week that just happened to fall during a heatwave.
Above all, it's a story about chasing your dreams. Each of the main characters has a dream they are hoping to fulfill. Usnavi wants to return home to the Dominican Republic.
Vanessa dreams of being a fashion designer. Nina just wants to figure out her place in the world and her father wants her to get a good education.
But as everyone discovers, the path to fulfilling your dreams may lead to something unexpected. The cast is incredible, and incredibly talented. The musical numbers are simply fantastic. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and might just discover we're all more alike than we admit. And be sure to keep a look out for a familiar face or two or three from Hamilton.
Here's the official synopsis from Warner Brothers:
The hydrants are open(ing). This summer, we’ll be back to dancing in the street together with #InTheHeightsMovie. In theaters and streaming exclusively on @HBOMax June 11.
The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big... “In the Heights.”
Lights up on Washington Heights...The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
“In the Heights” fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.
I really enjoyed this movie and look forward to seeing it again and again. In The Heights arrives in theaters on June 11.
Hamiltonis coming to Disney+ on July 3, 2020, a full year before it's planned theatrical debut! In June 2016, during the original run of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical Hamilton, cameras captured every angle of the incredible performances over 3 nights. After filming, a lengthy post production process stitched the shots together to provide viewers with the best seat in the house. The remarkable cast included:
Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson
Christopher Jackson as George Washington
Jonathan Groff as King George
Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton
Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds
Surprise! The original Broadway production of Hamilton, filmed LIVE onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, is now coming exclusively to @DisneyPlus this July 3rd. Shout it to the rooftops! #Hamilfilmpic.twitter.com/Uha1RBo6NB
“No other artistic work in the last decade has had the cultural impact of ‘Hamilton’—an inspiring and captivating tale told and performed in a powerfully creative way. In light of the extraordinary challenges facing our world, this story about leadership, tenacity, hope, love and the power of people to unite against the forces of adversity is both relevant and impactful,” said Bob Iger, Disney’s executive chairman. “We are thrilled to bring this phenomenon to Disney+ on the eve of Independence Day, and we have the brilliant Lin-Manuel Miranda and the team behind ‘Hamilton’ to thank for allowing us to do so more than a year before planned.”
I was fortunate enough to see a production of Hamilton in London this past January. It was fantastic! I can't wait to see it with the original cast.
The first trailer and poster for a new story from the Pride Lands have arrived. Mufasa: The Lion Kingtells the tale of Mufasa's rise from orphan to King.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
The film has an all-star roster of talent bringing new and fan-favorite characters to life:
Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother
Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
Preston Nyman as Zazu
Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride
"This Christmas, when you lose your way, just remember, the magic always returns." The new trailer for Mary Poppins Returns looks absolutely fantastic, a story where "everything is possible... even the impossible." Mary Poppins Returns arrives in theaters on December 19.
Here's the official synopsis from Disney:
In Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns,” an all new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss. Emily Blunt stars as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any ordinary task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure and Lin-Manuel Miranda plays her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London. “Mary Poppins Returns” also stars Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and introducing Joel Dawson as the Banks’ children, with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes, Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth’s character.
The original cast of Hamiltonreunited at the 78th Annual Tony Awards last night. They performed a medley of songs from the musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was incredible.
Hamilton, performed by the original cast, is available on DisneyPlus.
Here's a sneak peek of "You're Welcome", a song from Moana. The song was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the artist behind "Hamilton", and performed by Dwayne Johnson as Maui.
The first full song from Moana has been released by Disney. The song, "How Far I'll Go", was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed by Alessia Cara in the end credits. It will also be sung by Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, during the movie.
Disney films took home three Oscars last night. I've seen all three and really enjoyed each and every one.
In the Best Animated Feature category, Zootopia took home the top honor. Zootopia is a fantastic film with an underlying theme of tolerance and acceptance.
Piper, the short that can be seen with Finding Dory, won for Best Short Film, Animated. I absolutely adore this short. It's so sweet how she conquers her fear of the water.
Finally, the Jungle Book won for Best Visual Effects. The film is visually stunning and the animals all seem completely real, so I was glad to see it win.
Although I knew it was unlikely to win (it was up against La La Land in one of its 14 nominations) I was rather hoping Moana's "How Far I'll Go" would win for Best Song. I would love to see Lin-Manuel Miranda win an Oscar so that he could create a new combination of prizes to aspire for. After all, he's already won an Emmy, Grammy, Tony, Pulitzer, and a MacArthur Fellowship. If he'd won the Oscar, he'd be the first MacPEGOT winner. Well, there's always next year!
The new songs in Disney'slive-actionThe Little Mermaidare delightful. Composed, as in the animated film, by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, the songs are a perfect fit for the story. And Prince Eric finally has his own song, "Wild Uncharted Waters".
Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the songs for the latest tale from the Pride Lands and they are fantastic. Mufasa: The Lion Kingis the story of how Mufasa, an orphan cub, became the king. Young Taka sings this song about his secret wish for a brother.
Here's a clip of the song "We Know the Way" from the animated film Moana. The song was written and performed by Opetaia Foa'i and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It shows the seafaring life of Moana's ancestors, as they searched for new islands, guided by the stars.
After watching Moana, I had this song stuck in my head for hours. Apparently, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote it as a tribute to David Bowie. It seems perfectly appropriate then that it's sung by a giant, gold-covered crab.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is a favorite musical in our house. It's such an amazing look at the founding fathers with incredible songs. We all love it.
As a result, when Funko released its first set of Hamilton POPVinyl figures, we had to add them to the collection. The first group included Alexander Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler, Aaron Burr, Eliza Schuyler, George Washington, and Peggy Schuyler. An additional figure of Alexander Hamilton in the blue cost was a Walmart exclusive.
Then, they released a Fall Convention exclusive figure of the Marquis de Lafayette and we had to have that one too.
Now they've released four additional figures, along with another exclusive. This collection includes Alexander Hamilton (Act 2), Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and King George. There's also a Walmart exclusive King George without the cape. I see more POPVinyl in our future.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has written a new song for Disney'slive-actionMoana. "Along the Way" is performed by Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and two Moanas: the original animated Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) and the new live-action Moana (Catherine Lagaʻaia). The result is fantastic.
I finally saw Moana yesterday. It may be my new favorite Disney Princess movie. (Yes, I know Moana isn't really a Princess, but as Maui says, "If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you're a princess.") It's beautiful, with memorable music and a story that takes you on an amazing journey. Caution: Spoilers Ahead
The movie starts with baby Moana listening to her Gramma Tala tell stories about the Heart of Te Fiti. Long ago, the demigod Maui Stole the heart, which had the power of Creation. Without her heart, Te Fiti was overcome by a darkness, which spread throughout all the islands, destroying life where ever it went. Gramma Tala believed that one day, one of their people would be chosen to force Maui to return the heart and restore life to all the islands.
Moana's father, the Chief of Mata Nui, wants nothing more than to protect his people and keep them content to stay on their island. But when their crops begin to fail and the fish disappear, Moana pushes him to see that something drastic must be done. Someone must leave the safety of the island and return the Heart of Te Fiti, and she is the one who has been chosen by the ocean to complete this task. With encouragement from her dying Grandmother, Moana steals a boat which has been hidden for years, a remnant from her Wayfinder ancestors. She searches for Maui with a crazy rooster named Hei Hei for unexpected company.
When she finds Maui, they both are in for a bit of disappointment: Maui is no longer revered as the "Hero of Man", and he wants nothing to do with Moana's quest. With a lot of convincing from Moana, they finally start the long journey to set things right. Along the way, they face many dangers: the Kakamora, who look cute but are quite vicious, Tamatoa, a giant crab with a great love for all things "Shiny", and the lava monster Te Kanan. I won't spoil the journey for you, but it's an incredible chance for Moana to find out who she really is (with a little help from Gramma Tala, which made me cry every time.)
This film is one of the most visually beautiful films I've seen. The attention to detail and respect for Polynesian culture is evident throughout. And be sure to look out for the occasional Easter Egg: Sven from Frozen makes an appearance, as does the lamp and Carpet from Aladdin. And if you watch until the end of the credits, you'll catch a glimpse of Wreck It Ralph, as well as a hilarious scene full of Little Mermaid references.
I truly enjoyed watching Moana, and I can't wait to see it again. The songs, with lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa'i, are memorable and catchy. You'll catch yourself singing them for days. Both the look and the story are beautiful and draw you into many amazing world for an incredible journey.
Moana arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on March 7. Target has a special Blu-ray/DVD set that comes with a 32-page storybook. And if you pre-order now, you'll also receive a $5 gift card. If you prefer a Steelbook, there will be two sets available from Best Buy.
