What a week for Disney fans, we got trailers for Lilo & Stitch and Freakier Friday, as well as some MCU news. We also spoke with with Moana 2 composer Mark Mancina, and he teased the live-action remake and Moana 3.
This week in mailbag we discuss Disney’s interest in Sabrina Carpenter, the Oswald news, and live-action remakes. So, let’s dive in, shall we?
What’s Tiana’s future in terms of content? I would love for her to have as much as the other princesses.
Well, of course, both US Disney Parks have Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disney Animation Studios is still working on an animated special, and a live-action remake is in the early stages. So, the future for the princess is still pretty bright.
There are rumors that Sabrina Carpenter will play the fairy Tinkerbell in the live-action film. Is this true?
No, Disney would want the superstar for one role, and that is Rapunzel in the live-action Tangled remake. However, I think it is highly unlikely she would take the role as she is currently on her world tour, and the studio would like to begin filming this project later this year. That said, she became a star in large part of Disney, so there is mutual interest in working together again.
Moana is currently the only remake confirmed for next year. Tangled and Hercules seem to be the only ones in active development, compared to others. Do you think Disney wants to reduce the amount of remakes to rekindle audience excitement?
After a wave of live-action remakes from Disney in recent years, the reception has been mixed; people either love them or hate them. Financially, some have done really well, like The Lion King and Aladdin, while others, like Dumbo and The Little Mermaid, didn’t land as strongly with audiences. By slowing down and focusing on projects with stronger fanbases (Tangled and Hercules have pretty dedicated followings), Disney might be trying to create more anticipation and deliver higher-quality remakes that feel like actual events, rather than just another remake.
IF the rumored Jon Favreau Mickey cinematic universe becomes a reality, do you see potential in it?
When Favreau is behind the camera, I always see the potential of success in a property. That said, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is a Disney+ series, and there has been no confirmation that he is working on the other rumored project like a Mickey Mouse movie or Kingdom Hearts, but if it happens, there is potential.
Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 actually happening? Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt have been very coy when asked about it recently. Do you think they’re not allowed to confirm it at this stage since it’s early days?
It is happening, and begins filming this Summer in New York.
Hi! Are there any further updates about Hocus Pocus 3? IMDb claims that it’s in production but I don’t know if someone has edited that themselves. Thank for the last update about Mother Witch 🙂
It is not in production. IMDbPro users can easily edit a status on a film’s page.
Any updates on the next Inspector Gadget movie?
Inspector Gadget was shelved a couple of years ago. Disney could always revisit the project down the line, but I think it will be some time before we see this project in any form come to fruition.
Is Sister Act 3 stalled or scrapped. Whoopi has said recently that it’s in Disney’s hands but I wondered if you had any insight. I imagine there could be script changes if Maggie Smith had been a part of it prior to her passing. Thank you for all the work you do!
Thank you. I do not believe the project is scrapped, but it is definitely stalled. Director Tim Federle has moved on to multiple new projects, including Coven Academy for Disney+/Disney Channel and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion 2. Maggie Smith’s sad passing also threw a wrench into things as she was expected to return, as was Kathy Najimy, so that also could’ve played a factor. I expect this movie to come out at some point but from a new director and new script.
Olá! Há uma boa chance de que o conteúdo removido retorne ao Disney+ em breve??? Estou me referindo ao conteúdo original que foi removido no Disney+ (Transaltion: Hello! Is there a good chance that the removed content will return to Disney+ soon??? I’m referring to the original content that was removed on Disney+)
Disney has removed several titles in the past as part of cost-cutting measures, possibly to save on licensing fees or to repurpose the content for other platforms or formats. I imagine, like other streamers, that removed content will make its way back to Disney+.
Do you think with the success of Deadpool 3 and now Daredevil, Marvel will push more TV-MA/R projects? (If the story calls for it ofc)
I think they’ll proceed cautiously, though. They’ll likely continue using the TV-MA/R rating for projects that demand it such as the Punisher project Marvel Studios is working on as well as Blade and the rumored Midnight Sons project.
I feel like the newer Disney songs from their animated films haven’t been that good, definitely not on par with songs by Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, Robert and Kristen-Anderson Lopez etc. What do you think the root cause of this recent issue is and how can it be fixed?
While I can respect where you’re coming from, music preferences work the exact same way as movies; we all have different tastes. That said, Moana and Moana 2 have had fantastic songs, as did Encanto, which may have been the biggest strength of that movie. Today’s audiences have instant access to Disney’s entire music library. New songs have to compete against nostalgia, which is a powerful force. Plus, the sheer amount of Disney content being produced can make even good songs feel less special.
Do you know anything about the Toy Story 5 test screening?
Let me start off by saying that Disney/Pixar did not have a test screening for Toy Story 5. Pixar’s braintrust screened an edit of the film and it is still in production.
Wondering when we’ll get a first look at Tron: Ares, and how is it testing?
We should see the first trailer sometime in May. As of now, I have not heard of any test screenings for the film, which isn’t to say it has not tested, I just have not heard anything at this time.
That’s all for this week’s mailbag. Stay tuned as every week, a new DisInsider Mailbag will drop.
