If you’re a Disney fan, the D23 Expo is one of the most
important events of 2017. Held by the official Disney fan club D23 (which gets
its name from the year in which the Walt Disney Studios were founded), the D23
Expo takes place every two years in the Anaheim Convention Centre. This year,
it will take place between Friday 14th July and Sunday 16th
July, with thousands of Disney fans from all over the globe heading to
California in order to meet the men and women behind the entertainment which
has shaped their lives, and learn major secrets about future Disney projects. In
the last D23 Expo in 2015, highlights included exclusive footage from Moana,
and major revelations about the live-action remakes of The Jungle Book and
Beauty and the Beast. This year, the D23 Expo will be bigger than ever, so
there will be even more treats for Disney fans…
Since Walt Disney established his studio in 1923, The Walt Disney
Company has become one of the biggest companies in the world, creating the
Disney Channel and the Disneyland Theme Parks. They also own the film studios
LucasFilm (who make the Star Wars movies) and Marvel Studios (who are behind
the Marvel Cinematic Universe), as well as the major American TV channel ABC. All
aspects of Disney’s media empire will be represented at the D23 Expo. However,
as this blog is aimed at fairy tale fans, it will only discuss events related
to Disney’s fairy tale films and TV shows.
Below is a list of events at the D23 Expo which will be of significant
interest to Disney enthusiasts and fairy tale fans. These include: costume
competitions, panels hosted by Disney historians, interviews with the makers of
your favourite Disney films, and special announcements regarding forthcoming projects
from the company. If you’re attending the D23 Expo, be sure to check out some
of these events…
(Note: For more news on the D23 Expo 2017, be sure to check
out the Fairy Tale Fanboy Twitter and Facebook Pages,)
Friday 14th July
Mousequerade (Stage
28, 11AM)
Casual visitors to D23 can expect to see thousands of passionate
Disney fans dressed as their favourite Disney characters. In this competition, a
number of these cosplayers will show off their best Disney costumes, competing
to win trophies in five different categories and a $2,300 cash prize. Jim
Babcock, who serves as emcee for a number of Disney events, will host this
contest, with actresses Ashley Eckstein and Yvette Nicole Brown and costume
designer Kara Saun serving as the judges.
Pixar and Walt
Disney Animation Studios: The Upcoming Films (Hall D23, 2:30PM)
Disney are still defined by their animated films, so this
event will be the most significant of the weekend. Here, John Lasseter, Disney’s chief creative officer, will promote the latest animated films from Disney and
Pixar. If previous D23 Expos are any indication, he will be joined by a few surprise
guest stars. The movies which will dominate the event are Pixar’s next film,
Coco (which will be released in America this Thanksgiving) and Wreck-it Ralph 2:
Ralph Wrecks the Internet. There is also a real possibility that Lasseter will
provide exclusive information about Frozen 2 (due in 2019) or Gigantic (due in
2020)…
Ink and Paint: The
Women of Walt Disney Animation (Walt Disney Archives Stage, 4:30PM)
Mindy Johnson is a historian who has written books on
several Disney-related subjects, including Tinker Bell: An Evolution and Marc
Davis: Walt Disney’s Renaissance Man. Her latest book, Ink & Paint: The
Women of Walt Disney’s Animation, a detailed, extensively-researched study on
the role of female animators within the Walt Disney Studios, will be published
in a couple of months. In order to promote it, Johnson will head an event at
the D23 Expo where she will interview a panel of female animators who have
worked for Disney in order to highlight their contributions to Disney history.
Melodies in Walt’s
Time: The Music of Disney’s Live-Action Films (D23 Expo Arena, 6PM)
Although Disney’s live-action films tend to be overshadowed
by their animated output, they made a number of live-action musicals in the
1960’s with songs written by The Sherman Brothers. These included Summer Magic,
The Happiest Millionaire, and Disney’s greatest live-action movie, Mary
Poppins. In this concert, hosted by iconic comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, we will
hear classic songs from these movies, such as ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’,
performed by a number of singers, including some of the stars of these films.
Saturday 15th July
The Walt Disney
Studios Live Action Films (Hall 23, 10:30AM)
This event will primarily focus on Marvel films (such as
Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther) and Star Wars films (such as Star Wars
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi). However, a significant amount of time will be
devoted to previewing Disney’s live-action fairy tale sequels and remakes. The main
attraction here will be Mary Poppins Returns, a sequel to the 1964 live-action classic
starring Emily Blunt as the legendary nanny. We could also receive information
on some of the live-action remakes currently in the pipeline, including
Aladdin, Mulan and The Lion King. Fans have a number of major questions about
these projects (Who will play the Genie in Aladdin? Who will play Mulan? Will
Elton John return to write new songs for The Lion King?) and it’s likely that
at least a few of these will be answered during the event.
The Power of the
Princesses (Stage 28, 10:30AM)
Disney Princesses are some of Disney’s most popular characters,
so it’s no surprise that they will have a significant presence at the D23 Expo.
In this event, animators Amy Smeed and
Kira Lehtomaki will introduce audiences to the women who voiced four of Disney’s
most notable Princesses: Jodi Benson (who voiced Ariel) , Paige O’Hara (the
original Belle)*, Anika Noni-Rose (who voiced Tiana in The Princess and the
Frog), and Auli'i Cravalho (who voiced Disney’s latest princess**, Moana). They
will reveal how these iconic characters were created, and share stories about
how they have inspired fans all over the world.
(* When this event was announced, Ming-Na Wen, who voices
Mulan, was announced as a panellist, but she has been replaced by Paige O’Hara
for unknown reasons.)
(**technically, Moana is the daughter of a chief, but she sings
and has a cute animal sidekick, so she counts as a princess.)
The Hidden Art of
Disney: A Behind-the-Scenes look at the They Drew as They Pleased Book Series
(Walt Disney Archives Stage 11:30AM)
During the D23 Expo, the Walt Disney Archives Stage will
host events which provide fascinating insights into Disney’s history. One of these
is The Hidden Art of Disney, hosted by Didier Ghez, the author of They Drew as
They Pleased. This collection of books (Ghez has already published two volumes
and plans to write six) showcases the work of concept artists who helped create
the universes central to each Disney film and the characters who inhabit them. In
this event, Ghez will reveal how he researches for each of his books (the
majority of illustrations shown in each volume have never been seen by the
public before), and provide an exclusive preview of concept art featured in
Volume 3 of They Drew as They Pleased, which will be published in autumn.
Olaf’s Frozen
Adventure: A Sneak Peek at the New Frozen Short Film (Stage 28, 2:30PM)
In Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, the lovable snowman from Frozen will
return for a 21-minute short (which will accompany Coco in cinemas) in which he
tries to help Anna and Elsa celebrate the perfect Christmas by finding a best Christmas
tradition for them. With Jennifer Lee and the Lopez’s busy working on both the
Broadway version of Frozen and the long-awaited Frozen 2, Olaf’s Frozen
Adventure is being brought to life by a new creative team, headed by directors
Stevie Wermers-Skelton and Kevin Deters, producer Roy Conli and composers Kate
Anderson and Elyssa Samsel (who are writing four new songs). In this event,
exclusive previews of Olaf’s Frozen Adventure will be shown, and there will also
be plenty of behind-the-scenes footage.
Once Upon a Time
(D23 Expo Arena 3:15PM)
This autumn, ABC’s popular fairy tale TV series Once Upon a
Time is undergoing a “soft reboot” for its seventh season. Henry, the son of original
protagonist Emma Swan, is now an adult, who has just been reunited with his daughter
Lucy. Some key characters from the previous six seasons (such as Emma Swan and
Snow White), will no longer be part of the core cast, and the characters who
are returning (such as Regina and Captain Hook) will be joined by new
protagonists and antagonists. In this event, co-creators Edward Kitsis and Adam
Horowitz will explain the major changes made to the show in more detail, with Colin
O’Donoghue, who plays Captain Hook, joining them to promote the new season.
Sunday 16th July
Celebration of an
Animated Classic: The Lion King (D23 Expo Arena, 10AM)
23 years after its initial release, The Lion King remains
one of Disney’s finest and best-loved animated films. It has spawned a direct-to-video
sequel, a direct-to-video midquel, two spin-off TV series, a long-running stage
musical and even a live-action remake. Simba’s coming-of-age story remains just
as compelling today as it was in 1994, and its legacy will be the subject of this
event. Producer Don Hahn, director Rob Minkoff and animators Tony Bancroft and
Mark Henn will tell us about how The Lion King was made, and they will be
joined by a few special guests as they discuss how it became such a timeless
classic.
Tangled: The
Series Q&A Panel (Stage 28, 10:30AM)
After going on a three-month hiatus, Tangled: The Series is returning
with new episodes on Sunday 23rd July. In order to promote the new
adventures of Rapunzel and Co., there will be a Q&A Session headed by Mandy
Moore (who voices Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (who voices her love interest Flynn
Rider Eugene Fitzherbert). They will be joined by executive producers Chris
Sonnenburg and Ben Balistreri, as well as Eden Espinosa and Jeremy Jordan, who voice
the prominent new characters Cassandra and Varian…
Walt Disney
Signature Collection Presents: The 75th Anniversary of Bambi (Walt
Disney Archives Stage, 11:30AM)
Disney’s Bambi premiered in 1942, introducing children the
beauty of wildlife through the story of the titular deer, and featuring (in
scene where Bambi’s mother dies) one of the most iconic tearjerker moments in
cinema. In order to mark its 75th anniversary, the surviving members
of the voice cast will reveal stories about how the film was made, and discuss
the distinctive and beautiful animation, which has inspired animators for
generations.
Zero to Hero: The
Making of Hercules (D23 Expo Arena, 12:30PM)
Hercules, Disney’s comedic take on Greek mythology,
celebrated its 20th anniversary last month. Though it proved a
relative financial disappointment on its initial release, its catchy
gospel-influenced songs, lively comedy and memorable characters have given it a
strong fan base. In this event, the directors of Hercules, Ron Clements and
John Musker (The duo behind The Little Mermaid and Moana) will share stories
about the making of the movie, joined by animators Eric Goldberg and Ken
Duncan, and voice actors Tate Donovan and Susan Egan, who voiced the
protagonists Hercules and Megara.
A Whole New World
of Alan Menken (Hall D23, 1:30PM and 5:30PM)
If there is one man who defined ‘The Disney Renaissance’
during the 1990’s, it is Alan Menken. He wrote the scores for Disney classics
The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, and has also provided
music for more modern hits such as Enchanted and Tangled. Menken has always
been aided by lyricists such as Howard Ashman, Sir Tim Rice and Glenn Slater,
but in this show, he is going solo. He will sing some of his most iconic songs,
such as “Under the Sea”, “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World”, whilst
providing stories about his long and eventful career.
Snow White and the
Seven Dwarves: 80th Anniversary Screening (D23 Expo Arena, 3:15PM)
Out of all the major anniversaries being marked by Disney
this year, the most significant is the 80th anniversary of the
release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The first feature-length animated
movie ever made by Disney, this adaptation of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy
tale retains a lot of its magic today, due to its enchanting visuals and simple
yet appealing story. In order to commemorate 80 years since it was first
released, the movie will receive a special screening at D23.
Sleeping Beauty
Castle Walkthrough: 60 Years of Walt’s Most Charming Tableaux (Walt Disney
Archives Stage, 3:30PM)
When Disneyland was being created in 1956, Disney were hard
at work creating their animated film Sleeping Beauty, which would be released
in 1959. In order to promote the movie, Disney set up a walkthrough attraction
in Sleeping Beauty Castle, enlisting key animators to recreate scenes from the
movie inside the castle. In this event, Tony Baxter and Christopher Merritt,
who work as “Imagineers” and create the attractions seen at Disney theme parks,
will discuss the history and development of the Sleeping Beauty Castle
Walkthrough, including its debut in 1957 and its reopening in 2008 after being closed
for seven years.
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