They said it was a failure, that Pixar was in the doldrums. The truth is that everything that critics have said this year seems to have become everything…
Pixar’s latest movie, Elemental, joined Disney’s main streaming service on September 13th, ending The Little Mermaid’s brief reign as the most-watched movie on Disney Plus of all time.
According to The Walt Disney Company, Elemental was viewed 26.4 million times in its first five days on one of the world’s top streaming services. This is nearly double The Little Mermaid, which garnered 16 million views in its first five days on the platform.
What makes Elemental’s success even more impressive is that it’s the second time the record for the most-watched Disney Plus movie in seven days has been broken.
‼️ A #LaSirenita le ha durado poco el récord, #Elemental ha arrasado completamente consiguiendo 26.4 millones de visualizaciones en sus primeros 5 días en #DisneyPlus
Se ha convertido en el mejor estreno de la plataforma en 2023 y uno de los mejores de la historia ?? pic.twitter.com/ALYY2FVtyj
Before The Little Mermaid debuted on Disney Plus on September 6th, Hocus Pocus 2 had held the title of the most-watched movie on the platform for 11 months. The Little Mermaid swam to the surface to establish a new record for Disney Plus movies, displacing Hocus Pocus 2 in the process.
Now, however, the film starring Hailee Bailey has been surpassed by Elemental.
Elemental’s rise in the Disney+ movie charts is indeed an incredible turnaround for the film directed by Peter Sohn. Pixar is known for creating movies with impressive visual effects, which could contribute to its success.
However, the animated film didn’t have a strong start in theaters. Reviews were mixed, and it faced competition from other highly anticipated movies like Indiana Jones 5, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and The Flash, which resulted in a slow initial ticket sale for Elemental.
However, it went on to become Pixar’s highest-grossing film, likely due to positive word of mouth, and concluded its theatrical run with a global box office of nearly $500 million. These numbers make it the ninth highest-grossing movie of 2023 to date.
The Little Mermaid is Disney’s most-watched release to date and proves that all the hate thrown at the film was unwarranted.
When it was released in theaters, many people wanted to condemn it. The live-action Little Mermaid was, for many, an unnecessary and “woke” film, which is why it couldn’t succeed. Unfortunately for them, history has proven them wrong.
Disney has proudly announced that its controversial remake of The Little Mermaid has accumulated 16 million viewings in its first five days on Disney+, defining “viewings” as the total streaming time divided by the duration of the movie.
According to the company, the live-action musical starring Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy is now the most-watched premiere on the streaming service since Hocus Pocus 2 late last year.
A movie that got off to a very rough start
Released in theaters on May 26, The Little Mermaid is a live-action reinterpretation of the 1989 film of the same name, featuring new songs and modified lyrics.
Disney’s appeal to nostalgia, a common strategy during times of crisis when they want to bet on a sure thing, has paid off at the box office: The Little Mermaid has grossed $570 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
This made it one of the highest-grossing films of 2023 up to this point. And now, that positive trend has translated into Disney+’s streaming numbers. Walt Disney’s team can be pleased with the results.
After enchanting audiences around the world, The Little Mermaid made a big splash on Disney+ this weekend.
Historically, Disney has been cautious about sharing streaming viewership numbers, often refusing to disclose data on its original productions.
However, it appears that the House of Mouse is willing to change this policy if the numbers are impressive enough, perhaps to attract potential advertisers. In this case, it makes perfect sense, especially considering the amount of criticism the movie received in the weeks leading up to its release.
Ahsoka is the other winner of this September
Last month, Disney announced that the first episode of its original Star Wars series, Ahsoka, had 14 million views, making it the most popular series on the streaming service during its premiere week.
There were no such cheerful announcements following the release of Peter Pan and Wendy on Disney+ in April. The publication of these numbers also brings attention back to the strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild. It’s a tough time for the film industry.
Start saving: the collection of 100 Disney movies goes on sale in November with a fairly high price. But it will be worth it.
For those who may not know, Disney is about to turn 100 years old. Yes, the company responsible for all the movies of our childhood has been turning dreams into reality since the early 1920s. For this reason, Walt Disney’s heirs want to celebrate it.
If you’re crazy about Disney movies, November’s Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection is going to be home theater heaven. We have never seen anything like it and we will not experience something like it again for another 100 years.
The 100-movie collection on Blu-ray includes all your favorites, from the 1930s classic Snow White to 2023’s Elementary, and all the good ones in between – they’re all must-see classics, with very little filler.
An outrageous price for an irreplaceable collection
As you can see in the video above, it’s beautifully presented: the collection unfolds in a storybook, includes original poster designs, comes with a certificate of authenticity, and even gives you a glass Mickey Mouse ear bust. There are also digital codes for each movie, as we know that Blu-Ray discs degrade over time.
Celebrate 100 years of storytelling. Buy the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection featuring 100 animated movies on Blu-ray from Disney & Pixar. Own it 11/14. Pre-order on 9/18, only on https://t.co/obhWBtbMwipic.twitter.com/YdX8J68vGl
The collection seems to be well-curated: there are no forgettable direct-to-video movies that can be found at gas stations or in small-town libraries. Instead, it offers an impeccable collection of Disney classics, Pixar films, and some good inclusions from DisneyToon Studios.
The collection also includes some of the best Disney+ movies, such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “James and the Giant Peach,” and the brilliant “Frankenweenie,” as well as recent Pixar films like “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red.”
Gargoyles, the famous animated series from the 90s, returns in the form of a remastering of its Megadrive video game that looks spectacular.
Some works manage to transcend and become generational. These are works that define a generation and are remembered by a large part of the people who lived during the time of their creation, either directly or indirectly, due to the significant impact they had on culture. It doesn’t matter if they had or didn’t have a later impact on culture or other generations. If a work had a significant impact on a generation, that’s enough to make it generational. And that’s the case with Gargoyles, mythological heroes.
The legendary animated series from Disney, created by Frank Paur and Greg Weisman, is a series that many people hold dear for obvious reasons. Based on Arthurian myths and the works of Shakespeare, it created a unique universe of gothic horror suitable for children. It even made its way to consoles in 1995 in the form of a more than competent action platformer for the SEGA Mega Drive.
Now Disney announces an HD remaster of this classic. Available on October 19th, with versions for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, it will be sold in digital format for a price of 14.99 euros.
The game’s main attraction is, as it couldn’t be otherwise, a profound change in the graphics. With a cell-shaded style that strongly resembles the animated series, the game looks absolutely stunning. But that’s not all it includes. With a button to switch between the new and original graphics at any time, the instant rewind feature, and quality-of-life improvements, it promises to be the definitive version of this SEGA Mega Drive generational classic.
Furthermore, if you want to have it in physical form, you’re in luck: Limited Run has announced that they will publish three physical editions. The standard edition, which includes only the game, will cost $34.99. The classic edition, which comes in a special VHS box and includes a steelbook, will cost $69.99. And the collector’s edition, in addition to everything mentioned above, will contain a larger box that plays phrases from actor Keith David, who voiced the series protagonist Goliath, a certificate of authenticity, a pin, and a Goliath figure. Reservations for all these editions have already opened and will close on October 22nd.
If you don’t know what’s opening this month on the most popular streaming services, don’t worry, we’ll bring you all the news.
If you’re here, it’s because you either have or want to subscribe to one of the most popular streaming services – the ones that everyone has and release movies and series every week.
For this reason, today we bring you this article, where we’ll talk about all the television series premiering on streaming platforms this August 2023. It’s a fantastic month for everyone.
If you’re unsure about what to watch during your vacation, we’ve got you covered. Surely, more than one of these premieres will catch your eye, making you want to sit in front of the TV with the sound of the sea in the background.
The series arriving this August 2023
True Lies
CBS series based on the legendary film of the same name. Just like in the movie, the main character Harry will be an amiable father and computer salesman who is, in reality, an international spy.
His unsatisfied wife, Helen, will be thrust into a life of dangers and adventures when recruited to work alongside him to save the world while trying to rekindle their passionless marriage. It premieres on August 2nd on Disney+.
The Lincoln Lawyer (Season 2)
Los Angeles lawyer Mickey Haller resumes his career, after a long time without practicing, by accepting a complex murder case.
Mickey is an iconoclastic idealist who runs his law practice from the back of his Lincoln Town Car… a series based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels. It premieres on Netflix on August 2nd.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
At the age of 9, Alice Hart tragically loses her parents in a mysterious fire, after which she goes to live with her grandmother June at Thornfield, a flower farm. There, she discovers that there are more secrets surrounding her past and her family’s.
Set against the natural landscape of Australia, with wildflowers and native plants serving as a means to express the inexpressible, this family drama spans several decades. As she grows up, Alice’s journey will reach an emotional climax, as she finds herself fighting for her life against the man she loves. It premieres on August 4th on Prime Video.
Moving
Kim Bong-Seok, Jang Hee-soo, and Lee Gang-hoon all attend the same high school. They may seem like ordinary students, but they have special abilities inherited from their parents.
Kim Bong-seok has the ability to fly, while Jang Hee-soo possesses excellent athletic skills and can quickly recover from injuries, such as gunshot wounds or stabbings. Lee Gang-hoon has astonishing power and speed.
These three students try to hide their special abilities from others, while their parents struggle to prevent them from being exploited by others. It premieres on August 9th on Disney+.
Painkiller
Explore the Opioid Crisis in the US in-depth through the eyes of those responsible, the victims, and a truth-seeking researcher.
In the United States, there is a very serious problem with opioids as they were introduced through common medications into society, leading to millions of people becoming addicted. Even today, the problem persists stronger than ever. It premieres on August 10th on Netflix.
Mala Fortuna
It tells the story of two broken souls making one last attempt in search of glory. They reunite under false identities, carrying resentments and remnants of their love, while competing for control of Mexico’s wealthiest family’s bank account.
Both have endured financial hardships, surviving social exile, and struggling to make ends meet. The only way out of this mess is by changing their identities and seeking a better future. Premiering on August 18th on Prime Video.
Ahsoka
One of the most anticipated series of the year, this show is a must-perform for Disney+ if they want to succeed this summer after the disappointment of their last Marvel universe venture.
As for Star Wars, things haven’t been going perfectly, but they are holding on. With ‘Ahsoka,’ a series starring Rosario Dawson, they have a golden opportunity to prove that the saga still has potential and hasn’t run dry. It premieres on August 23rd on Disney+.
ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series is a short animated series that continues the adventures of Zed, Addison and the rest of the gang…
Few things delight us more than reviving series that brought us joy in our childhood. Disney knows this well, as they are responsible for many of our fondest memories. Today, we bring you an exceptional case.
Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim will reprise their roles as Zed and Addison, the zombie and human couple from Seabrook High, in a new installment of the successful “ZOMBIES” franchise by Disney Branded Television.
Fans will get their first glimpse of the Seabrook gang in animated form in “ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series,” premiering on Friday, July 21, 2023, on Disney Channel, Disney Channel YouTube, and DisneyNOW. For viewers in Spain, it will be available on Disney+ at a later date.
From movies to series, Disney resurrects your favorite vampires and zombies
ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series is a short animated series that continues the adventures of Zed, Addison, and the rest of the Seabrook group, beloved protagonists from the successful “ZOMBIES” franchise, much to the delight of fans.
The animated shorts, filled with the same spirit and music as the movies, showcase the friends facing off against new monsters: a carnivorous plant creature, a horrifying megacricket, and even evil clones. As they navigate through school and new experiences, like an endless summer loop, the gang finds themselves in thrilling and entertaining escapades.
"ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series Shorts" features new monsters, like carnivorous plants monsters and evil clones. And also new music! ?
— Disney ZOMBIES 3 ? | STREAMING NOW (@ZombiesDCOM) July 17, 2023
Ariel Martin, Chandler Kinney, and Pearce Joza reprise their roles as the werewolves Wynter, Willa, and Wyatt; Carla Jeffery and Trevor Tordjman as the cheerleaders Bree and Bucky; Jonathan Langdon as the coach; James Godfrey and Kylee Russell as the zombies Bonzo and Eliza; and Terry Hu as the alien A-Spen.
The series is executive produced by Aliki Theofilopoulos, Jack Ferraiolo, Gary Marsh, David Light, and Joseph Raso, with Melanie Pal as the producer and Leah Artwick as the supervising director. Rachel McNevin serves as the series editor. We’ll have to wait and see how it turns out!
Osamu Tezuka will have a new adaptation of his unfinished magnum opera, this time adapting one of his most dramatic arcs
Osamu Tezuka is often referred to as the father of manga. Not without good reason. Although manga has been around long before Tezuka started publishing, it was he who turned it from niche entertainment to mainstream art. Inspired in equal parts by Disney, Takarazuka Revueand his university studies in medicine, he is the creator of immortal manga such as Astro Boy, Princess Knight, Black Jack, Buddha, Dororo, or the one we are dealing with today, Phoenix. Because today has been released the first teaser and a lot of relevant information of the new adaptation of this unfinished manga of the most famous mangaka in history.
Phoenix: Eden 17 is an adaptation by Studio 4ºC with director Shojiro Nishimi, director of the notable Mutafukaz, and screenwriters Katsunari Mano and Saku Konohana, whose most notable works are Death Note Light up the NEW World and Children of the Sea respectively. The character designer and art director are Tatsuzou Nishida and Shinji Kimura, respectively. Since most of the team is the same as in Children of the Sea, we can expect a very delicate animation work, a use of muted colors with much emphasis on the contrast of lights, and languid characters within the canons of Tezuka’s own character design.
In the case of this anime, we will follow Romi and his companion, who leave a devastated Earth in search of a new life on the planet Eden17. Unfortunately, in this new world, life is already extinct and they will have to find a way to survive in a context even more difficult than that of Earth. The anime is based on the original manga arc called Nostalgia, of which we will not give any details so as not to give away any of the possible plot of the anime.
Phoenix: Eden 17 can be seen through Disney +, with a world premiere date for September 13. This ONA, or anime created specifically for streaming services, will also have a version in the form of a film that will be titled Phoenix: Reminiscence of Flower, whose official premiere in Japan will be on November 3. But unless you are lucky enough to be in Japan on those dates, for now you will have to settle for its streaming premiere in less than two months.
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Imagine that you premiere on Disney+ so that all the children can see and enjoy you, but a few weeks after landing on the platform you…
The streaming world is going through a really challenging time. With numerous layoffs, series cancellations, massive price increases, and ad-supported plans, the golden age of platforms is behind us.
Well, today we have yet another terrible and puzzling decision. Disney+ has pulled one of its recent original films less than two months after it joined the streaming service.
Crater, which premiered on Disney+ on May 12, has been unceremoniously removed. According to several reports, the science fiction adventure film was only available on the platform for seven weeks before being taken down from Disney’s movie library.
No explanations, only resignation
No reason has been given for the surprising departure of Crater from one of the world’s top streaming services. It is highly likely that Disney will not make any statement regarding this.
Frankly, we should have seen it coming, especially considering that Disney is currently reviewing its content offerings. They have been removing movies and television shows that were deemed too expensive to maintain on the service and (on its sister platform Hulu).
In May, we already learned that The Walt Disney Company was about to withdraw several television series from Disney Plus and Hulu, including Willow and Y: The Last Man.
‘CRATER’, starring Mckenna Grace and Kid Cudi, has been removed from Disney+ due to cost-cutting reasons.
These removals of movies and television shows come amidst Disney’s desire to cut costs across the board. The entertainment giant has been losing money for several years, with a significant portion of those losses coming from its streaming division.
Apparently, Disney’s financial troubles are so severe that its CEO, Bob Iger, aims to save $5.5 billion over the next five years. And that can only be achieved through substantial cutbacks.
On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed, the United States plunged right into the thick of World War II, and for whatever reason, Dumbo no longer seemed so important.
On March 3, 1923, exactly a century ago, Time magazine began appearing on newsstands across the United States with the idea of becoming a weekly publication delivering news with depth, significance, and importance. What is now known as “a long read,” so to speak. Four years after its launch, the magazine‘s editors had a brilliant idea: to award a Person of the Year, for better or for worse. For instance, in 1927, it went to Charles Lindbergh, who had just completed his transatlantic flight. Fifteen years later, the situation was very different, but it also involved soaring achievements.
All American presidents (except Gerald Ford) had their moment in Time magazine as Men of the Year, as did communist leaders, Popes, and even astronauts. In fact, Adolf Hitler even received the “Man of the Year” award in 1938. As we mentioned, the cover is given for better or for worse, and indeed, under Hitler’s photo playing the organ, the caption read “From the unholy organist, a song of hate.” As Indiana Jones would say, “Too many Nazis.”
The good news is that even we won the award in 2006, where the Person of the Year was “You,” referring to the Internet content creators. In fact, over the years, there has been a gradual shift towards awarding ideas rather than individuals: the spirit of Ukraine, the computer, Ebola fighters, American women, and so on. However, it has never been awarded to a fictional character… at least, not until 1941 when Dumbo, the Disney elephant, was about to grace the cover as the “Mammal of the Year.”
The Disney film meant everything or nothing for the studio. To put it in gamer terms, it was a final fantasy after the failures of ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Fantasia’. Even in the midst of World War II, the movie was a success and provided a much-needed boost before they closed (as we now know, they never did and grew to become everything). How could it not be immortalized?
In fact, Disney even created the cover for the issue, featuring a black and white Dumbo looking downtrodden and without a smile, reflecting the somber times. But on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and the United States was thrust directly into the midst of World War II. For whatever reason, Dumbo no longer seemed as significant. The cover was changed to feature General MacArthur, and the Person of the Year became President Roosevelt.
However, inside the magazine, readers could still find pages dedicated to Dumbo, as if they had bestowed the honor on him due to lack of time to change it. It would have been quite a mess, and for whatever reason, it would have been considered in poor taste. Over the years, Time changed its way of thinking. “Man of the Year” became “Person of the Year,” and several covers were dedicated to showcasing the “Women of the Year” who had been overlooked since 1927. No fictional character has ever come close to winning the award. But you might believe that an elephant could indeed be the Mammal of the Year.
Tengoku-Daimmakyo, better known as Heavenly Delusion in the West, is the most interesting adult anime of the season according to critics and audiences.
The anime world continues to surprise us with constant new releases, and one of the biggest surprises of this season, if not this month, is the success of Tengoku Daimakyō. If the series doesn’t ring a bell with that name, don’t worry, it’s normal. In the West, we know it by the name Heavenly Delusion.
Premiered on April 1st, with 12 episodes behind it and adapting Masakazu Ishiguro’s eponymous manga, Heavenly Delusion tells the story of a post-apocalyptic future where an unprecedented disaster has destroyed modern civilization. Under this premise, a group of boys living in a secure place isolated from the outside world receive a message one day asking them, “Would you like to go outside the outside?” This leads them to imagine what the outside world will be like. The outside world is a hellish wasteland where our protagonists, Maru and Kiruko, try to survive while searching for a safe place they know as Eden.
Produced by the animation studio Production I.G, Heavenly Delusion has been a great success among critics and audiences. Presenting us with a post-apocalyptic world that truly feels uninhabitable and desolate, delving into the relationship between Maru and Kiriko, and flawlessly developing its characters and the world they inhabit, it is not unreasonable to say that Heavenly Delusion is one of the best post-apocalyptic stories you can watch today. Especially when it features spectacular animation, exceptional artwork, and character design, particularly regarding the mystery that led the world to its current situation, which greatly enhances the overall experience. However, due to the mature nature of many of the themes addressed in the series, including aspects such as sex or gore, it is important to be aware of what we are getting into before diving into it.
Although it has not yet been officially announced, everything indicates that the series will have a second season. With the first season about to conclude and available to watch in full streaming on Disney+, Heavenly Delusion is probably the most interesting anime focused on a more adult audience of this spring season that we are about to leave behind. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, this is the perfect time to give a chance to one of the anime called to be in the pools of best series of the year.
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