D23 EXPO 2015 – Live Action Slate Presentation Recap!!!

This past weekend at the D23 EXPO (who else wishes they could have been there!? I know I do!!) in Anaheim, CA, DISNEY, MARVEL STUDIOS and LUCASFILM presented their live action film slates which revealed exclusive news and details about the upcoming live action films, aided by live and video appearances from talent and filmmakers. WALT DISNEY STUDIOS CHAIRMAN ALAN HORN hosted the highly anticipated biennial event.

“It’s quite something to be able to have Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm all on the same stage, and it’s tremendously gratifying to unveil our upcoming projects to our most dedicated fans first,” said ALAN HORN, CHAIRMAN, THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS. “We always have an incredible time at the D23 EXPO.”

After welcoming the crowd to D23 EXPO 2015, Horn introduced KEVIN FEIGE, PRESIDENT OF MARVEL STUDIOS, and SEAN BAILEY, PRESIDENT OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION, to present overviews of the Marvel Studios and Disney live action slates. Later Horn returned to the stage
to present the Lucasfilm film slate to the enthusiastic audience.

So do you want to know what we all have to look forward to coming out in the next few year!?

MARVEL’S DOCTOR STRANGE #DoctorStrange

KEVIN FEIGE led off with a glimpse into the world of MARVEL’S DOCTOR
STRANGE, featuring a video greeting by BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, who stars
as the title character, followed by a pre-production piece that offered
fans a taste of the look and feel of the upcoming film, opening in U.S.
theaters on OCTOBER 26, 2016.

MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR #Captain America & #CivilWar

MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR picks up where “Avengers: Age of Ultron” left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.
MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR opens in the U.S. on MAY 6, 2016.

THE FINEST HOURS #TheFinestHours

Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, the film, which is directed by CRAIG GILLESPIE and also stars CASEY AFFLECK, BEN FOSTER, HOLLIDAY GRAINGER, JOHN ORTIZ and ERIC BANA, transports audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale.THE FINEST HOURS storms into U.S. theaters on JANUARY 29, 2016.

THE JUNGLE BOOK #TheJungleBook

The all-new, live-action epic adventure showcases Mowgli’s journey of self-discovery when he’s forced to abandon the only home he’s ever known. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s 1967 animated classic, the film features state-of the-art technology that immerses audiences in the lush world like never before. THE JUNGLE BOOK also features the voices of BILL MURRAY, IDRIS ELBA, SCARLETT JOHANSSON, GIANCARLO ESPOSITO and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN. JON FAVREAU and BRIGHAM TAYLOR produce and the screenplay is by JUSTIN MARKS. THE JUNGLE BOOK hits theaters in stunning 3D and IMAX 3D on APRIL 15, 2016.

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS #DisneyAlice

DIRECTOR JAMES BOBIN brings his own unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen in 2010 with “Alice in Wonderland,” in which Alice (Wasikowska) returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. The film, which once again features JOHNNY DEPP, ANNE
HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and the voices of ALAN RICKMAN, STEPHEN FRY, MICHAEL SHEEN and TIMOTHY SPALL, introduces several new characters as well: Zanik Hightopp (RHYS IFANS), the Mad Hatter’s father, and Time himself (SACHA BARON COHEN), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock.
Disney’s ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS opens in U.S. theaters ON MAY 27, 2016.

PETE’S DRAGON #PetesDragon

The heartwarming adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon, PETE’S DRAGON is directed by DAVID LOWERY, produced by JIM WHITAKER, and executive-produced by BARRIE OSBORNE, and also stars OAKES FEGLEY, WES BENTLEY, KARL URBAN, OONA LAURENCE and ROBERT REDFORD. PETE’S DRAGON opens in U.S. theaters on AUGUST 12, 2016.

QUEEN OF KATWE #QueenOfKatwe

Bailey, with the help of LUPITA NYONG’O, introduced the crowd to the upcoming film QUEEN OF KATWE, which is based on the inspirational true story of a girl from the poverty-stricken slums of rural Uganda who dreams of becoming a champion chess player. Directed by MIRA NAIR from a screenplay by WILLIAM WHEELER based on the book by TIM CROTHERS, QUEEN OF KATWE stars NYONG’O, DAVID OYELOWO and newcomer MEDINA NALWANGA.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST #BeautyAndTheBeast

Bailey next presented BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, including a musical greeting from stars EMMA WATSON, JOSH GAD and LUKE EVANS—sent from the Londonset where they are currently filming. The live-action musical, a
retelling of the studio’s animated classic, stars WATSON, DAN STEVENS, EVANS, GAD, KEVIN KLINE, EWAN MCGREGOR, STANLEY TUCCI, EMMA THOMPSON, IAN MCKELLEN, GUGU MBATHA-RAW, AUDRA MCDONALD and newcomer NATHAN MACK. The film is directed by BILL CONDON. ALAN MENKEN, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the animated classic, provides the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by MENKEN and TIM RICE, as well as several new songs.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will be released in U.S. theaters on MARCH 17, 2017.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES #PiratesOfTheCaribbean

A surprise visit by JOHNNY DEPP, who showed up on stage completely decked out as Captain Jack Sparrow, brought down the house and thrilled fans at Sean Bailey’s presentation of the next exciting film in the
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES.

THRUST INTO AN ALL-NEW ADVENTURE, A DOWN-ON-HIS-LUCK CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW FINDS THE WINDS OF ILL-FORTUNE BLOWING EVEN MORE STRONGLY WHEN DEADLY GHOST PIRATES LED BY HIS OLD NEMESIS, THE TERRIFYING CAPTAIN SALAZAR (JAVIER BARDEM), ESCAPE FROM THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE, DETERMINED TO KILL EVERY PIRATE AT SEA…INCLUDING HIM. CAPTAIN JACK’S ONLY HOPE OF SURVIVAL LIES IN SEEKING OUT THE LEGENDARY TRIDENT OF POSEIDON, A POWERFUL ARTIFACT THAT BESTOWS UPON ITS POSSESSOR TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE SEAS.PIRATES OF THE
CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES releases in U.S. theaters on JULY 7, 2017.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS #StarWars & #TheForceAwakens / ROGUE ONE
(#RogueOne)

ALAN HORN took the stage again to present the Lucasfilm slate and timeline to the D23 EXPO fans. Horn told the audience that there were only 124 days to the release of Episode VII, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, on DECEMBER 18, 2015 and added that there have been record-breaking trailer views and fantastic fan response. Touching on STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII, Horn reminded the audience that RIAN JOHNSON will be directing the film slated for release on MAY 26, 2017. Then in a surprise announcement, Horn informed everyone that COLIN TREVORROW (“Jurassic World”) has signed on to direct STAR WARS: EPISODE IX, which is scheduled for release in 2019.

Horn then took the audience by surprise, announcing the cast for ROGUE ONE, the first of the standalone _Star Wars_ stories to hit the big screen, which has commenced principal photography. GARETH EDWARDS
(“Godzilla,” “Monsters”) is directing ROGUE ONE, which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star.The film is produced by KATHLEEN KENNEDY and is slated for a DECEMBER 16, 2016 release.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS ended the live-action presentation with a bang as J.J. ABRAMS introduced stars JOHN BOYEGA, DAISY RIDLEY, OSCAR ISAAC and LUPITA NYONG’O. The crowd cheered when JOHN BOYEGA announced that everyone there would get a Drew Struzan D23 EXPO commemorative poster to take home. Then, in a bringing-down-the house surprise moment, HARRISON FORD, who is reprising his role as Han Solo, joined Abrams on stage to wild applause.

Which are you most excited to see? I can’t wait for Alice!