A new trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story aired during Olympics coverage recently and it gave us much more information on the plot of this new film than we’ve heard before.
Rogue One takes place before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, tells the story of unlikely heroes who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. If you’re having trouble fitting this new movie into the timeline, think of it as in-between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope (the original Star Wars movie); in other words, after Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader but before Luke and Leia grow up and join the rebellion.
I’m really excited about this new movie. There’s such a rich universe in the Star Wars movies, there must be plenty of stories other than those focusing on the Skywalker family to be told. It’s a familiar setting and a familiar world, but with new characters to meet and know.
The cast includes Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, and Forest Whitaker. “Rogue One” is directed by Gareth Edwards, produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel, executive produced by John Knoll and Jason McGatlin, and co-produced by John Swartz and Kiri Hart.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters December 16, 2016.
The cast of Disney’s newest animated feature, Moana, features Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger Join Auli‘i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson in an epic big-screen adventure. Here’s the newly-released TV spot from the Olympics.
“Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on November 23, 2016 and tells a story that begins three thousand years ago, when the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
BURBANK, Calif. (July 27, 2016) – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana,” which opens in theaters nationwide on Nov. 23, 2016, features a dynamic roster of characters brought to life by a talented group of actors. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who were behind “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin,” “Moana” showcases the life-changing journey of a tenacious 16-year-old who teams up with the mighty demigod Maui to fulfill an ancient quest.
The newly revealed characters and voice talent join the already announced duo that includes newcomer Auli‘i Cravalho, who lends her voice to the title character, Moana, a teenager who dreams of becoming a master wayfinder, and Dwayne Johnson (HBO’s “Ballers,” “Central Intelligence”), who voices Maui—half god, half mortal, all awesome.
Joining Cravalho and Johnson are the following performers:
· JEMAINE CLEMENT (“The BFG,” “Despicable Me,” “Rio,” “Rio 2,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” Flight of the Conchords) provides the voice of TAMATOA, a self-absorbed, 50-foot crab who lives in Lalotai, the realm of monsters. The conceited crustacean wants to be more than a “bottom feeder” and overcompensates for this perceived shortcoming by covering himself in all things shiny.
· RACHEL HOUSE (“Whale Rider,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”) lends her voice to GRAMMA TALA, Moana’s confidante and best friend, who shares her granddaughter’s special connection to the ocean. Although her son Tui, the chief of Motunui, is a no-nonsense leader, Gramma Tala most definitely dances to the beat of her own drum.
· TEMUERA MORRISON (“Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones,” “Once Were Warriors,” “Six Days, Seven Nights”) voices Moana’s father, CHIEF TUI, the gregarious and well-respected leader of the people of Motunui Island. Chief Tui wants Moana to follow in his footsteps as leader of their people, but fears his daughter’s draw to the ocean and the world that lies beyond their reef.
· NICOLE SCHERZINGER (Grammy®-nominated singer, West End’s “Cats”) voices Moana’s mother, SINA, who always has her daughter’s back. Playful, sharp and strong-willed, Sina appreciates Moana’s longing to be on the water, but also wants to protect her daughter from the fabled dangers beyond the reef.
· ALAN TUDYK, star of Joss Whedon’s “Firefly” and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ lucky charm (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Big Hero 6”), is behind the voice of HEIHEI. Heihei is one dumb rooster—the village idiot, in fact. When the clueless chicken accidently stows away on Moana’s canoe, he lands a front-row seat for her epic journey.
“Moana” also includes the KAKAMORA, an intense team of crazy, coconut-armored pirates who will stop at nothing to get what they want, and PUA, Moana’s loyal pet pig with puppy energy and an innocent puppy brain.
The soundtrack for Disney’s reimagining of Pete’s Dragon will feature three all-new original songs, including “Nobody Knows” performed by The Lumineers.
The album will be released on August 12, 2016, the same day Pete’s Dragon opens in U.S. theaters, and features 3 original songs written for the film including the end credit track “Something Wild” by electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling, “Nobody Knows” performed by the Lumineers, plus “The Dragon Song” performed by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. The original score was composed by Daniel Hart (“Tumbledown,” “Comet”).
Performed by the Grammy®-nominated band The Lumineers, “Nobody Knows” was written by “Pete’s Dragon” co-screenwriter Toby Halbrooks with Andrew Tinker.
“The Dragon Song” performed by singer-songwriter Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Will Oldham) was written by “Pete’s Dragon” director/screenwriter David Lowery and co-screenwriter Toby Halbrooks and bookends the film. Daniel Hart, who scored the film, is a multi-instrumental composer and performer and toured over a decade with bands from The Polyphonic Spree to St. Vincent to his own projects. His upcoming scores include the documentary “Eating Animals” and the FOX TV series “The Exorcist” airing this fall. The soundtrack also boasts a newly-recorded version of “Candle On the Water” performed by the critically-acclaimed Okkervil River, fronted by singer-songwriter Will Sheff. The band will release a new album this fall.
The Pete’s Dragon track list follows:
“The Dragon Song” Performed by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
“Something Wild” Performed by Lindsey Stirling featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
“Nobody Knows” Performed by The Lumineers
“Something On Your Mind” Performed by St. Vincent
“So Long, Marianne” Performed by Leonard Cohen
“Gina Anne” Performed by Bosque Brown
“An Adventure”
“Are You Gonna Eat Me?”
“Brown Bunny”
“Reverie”
“Tree Fort”
“North Star”
“Bedtime Compass”
“Timber”
“Breathe”
“Gavin Knows What He’s Doing”
“You Are Not Alone”
“Elliot Gets Lost”
“Takedown”
“It’ll Be Just Like It Used To Be”
“Follow That Dragon”
“Elliot at the Bridge”
“Abyss”
“Go North”
“Saying Goodbye”
“The Bravest Boy I’ve Ever Met”
“The Dragon Song Revisited” Performed by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
“Candle On the Water” Performed by Okkervil River
A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence and Oscar® winner Robert Redford. For more on the story:
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
Disney and Star Wars fans: sharing with you the newly-revealed poster from “Rogue One: a Star Wars Story“, coming to theaters this December 16, 2016, as well as a behind the scenes look at the upcoming film.
Gareth Edwards (Director) and Kathleen Kennedy (Producer) kicked off Star Wars Celebration with an exclusive new look at “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. They welcomed surprise special guests from the film: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, John Knoll, Executive Producer and Kiri Hart, Head of Story.
The soundtrack for Disney’s reimagining of 
The Pete’s Dragon track list follows: