Subscribe for FREE!
Receive our Daily Disney Newsletter.
Have the best in Disney News & Views Delivered to you!
Tag Archives: Lucasfilm
Staggs Says Avatar Land Is Still On
During the Grand Opening Press Event for Walt Disney World’s New Fantasyland, Parks and Resort Chairman Tom Staggs confirmed that another one of the WDW projects is still on track – that being the Avatar Land to be built in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
News on the “Avatar” land front has been quiet for some time since it was announced more than a year ago. This has caused the rumor mill to be filled with stories that the land was either being re-evaluated or even cancelled. Fuel was poured on the rumor mill fire recently when Disney announced the acquisition of Lucasfilms and the rights to the “Star Wars” franchise.
But Staggs reaffirms that the development plans are continuing. ”We’ve gotten more excited about Avatar as we’ve gone through development. Because we are finding that really playing around with this notion of allowing guests to visit Pandora can be very magical. We’re not in construction yet. We’re still in development. And we’re still honing exactly what we’re going to do. But it’s going to be big.”
Staggs compares the Avatar development to that of the newly opened “Cars” Land in DCA and the New Fantasyland at MK. “We love that as a direction,” Staggs said. “We’re going to go for that in Avatar. Cars Land has been a tremendous hit in Anaheim. It’s such a hit with our guests that it clearly factors into our thinking about the long-range plans for our other properties,” he said. “We haven’t made any final decisions about if or when that might happen. But we’re excited to see how much the guests are really loving that land.”
Staggs also confirmed that the presence of “Star Wars” in its theme parks will expand, ”You’ll see more Star Wars in the parks,” Staggs said.
Prior to any Avatar or Star Wars development however, Disney must complete the roll out of it’s “NextGen” project which has been in development for years. ”NextGen” pieces include a reservations system which allows visitors to book rides from home, keyless hotel-room doors and interactive ride queues.
Related articles
- Disney Confidential – Avatarland is BACK ON…Maybe! (chipandco.com)
- Top Disney exec says Avatar Land remains on track (orlandosentinel.com)
Save the Galaxy and Use the Force For Free – Star Wars: The Old Republic is Free-to-Play
Star Wars: The Old Republic – NOW Free-to-Play
BioWare™, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. and LucasArts has taken their critically-acclaimed, massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic is now Free-to-Play! Now players can experience the complete storylines of all eight, iconic Star Wars™ classes, all the way to level 50 without paying a monthly fee.
“There has never been a better time to start playing with us. We want to give our players the freedom to enjoy Star Wars: The Old Republic when and how they want,” said Matthew Bromberg, General Manager of BioWare Austin.
Along with the Free-to-Play launch team BioWare released Game Update 1.5: HK-51 Activated, which adds new areas to explore, a new Companion character and more, including:
- Action-packed adventure to earn control of one of the galaxy’s most deadly Assassins, HK-51. Submerged beneath the icy surface of Belsavis lies a derelict ship and if you are brave enough to venture through the wreckage, you will embark on a mission that ultimately rewards you with a powerful new, yet familiar, ally: the ruthless Assassin Droid, HK-51.
- Explore Section X, a previously untouched area of the prison world of Belsavis. The Dread Masters’ servants are searching for a powerful and ancient weapon. Fly to Section X and secure the target of their search to be richly rewarded.
- Travel to Denova to take on Operation: Explosive Conflict – now with a Nightmare Mode! Teams who complete in this new mode can earn the final pieces of the Dread Guard gear set and a brand new mount that will be sure to cause tank envy!
Toy Story 3 Screenplay Writer Michael Arndt Begins Work on Star Wars – Episode 7
Pre-production work on Star Wars: Episode VII is well underway and with speculation running rampant on who will be directing the new trilogy, Lucasfilm has confirmed that award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay for the new Star Wars film. Arndt won an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay for writing Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing Toy Story 3 (2010).
Are you looking forward to it? Or are you a Star Wars purist and have no interest in seeing new movies? Let us know in the comment box below.
Related articles
- The Toy Hall of Fame has chosen STAR WARS (jedimouseketeer.com)
- Stream the First Episode of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Season 5 Free (chipandco.com)
Pixar Dedicates Building To Steve Jobs
While the first thing you may think of when you hear Steve Jobs‘ name is his legendary work at Apple, many people should know the role he played in the creation of Pixar films. Jobs financed the studio for quite some time, even when it was not profitable, because he believed in the work of the company and it’s employees.
So it is fitting that Steve Jobs‘ name now has a permanent place at the Pixar campus, above the entrance to the studio’s main building. It is also especially fitting because Jobs himself played a major role in designing the building his name is now on.
Earlier this year Pixar also paid homage to Jobs in the end credits of Brave with a brief and touching tribute as well.
Related articles
- Pixar Names Building After Steve Jobs (pixartimes.com)
Disney Confidential – Disney to purchase Hasbro?
Hey everyone Anonymouse here once again!!! All the news, gossip and rumors that can be found, heard and talked of that is exciting to all of the Disney fans out there can be found right here!
On the heels of Disney buying Lucasfilms for a whopping $4 Billion dollars there are now rumors swirling about that Disney may have it’s sights set on acquiring toy giant Hasbro! This would make sense from the perspective that Hasbro currently owns the rights to create many of the licensed “Star Wars” toys. Now that Disney will own Lucasfilms this would allow them to directly control their “Star Wars” merchandise profits as well – CHA CHING!
Not only does Hasbro have the licenses for “Star Wars” toys but is also the owner of such properties as “Transformers“, “G.I. Joe“, “My Little Pony” and numerous others. Wizards of the Cost (a subsidiary of Hasbro) also owns “Dungeons and Dragons“, “Magic, The Gathering” and “Kaijudo“. As well, Chimp Chip is trying to get Disney to license Chip merchandise and thinks it will fly off the shelf with the new Hasbro products, but at this time Disney has no comment.
Think about it – many of these properties that have TV shows (such as “Kaijudo) could be moved to The Disney Channel. Also, there has been rumor separate from this of a “Magic, The Gathering” movie or cartoon series, which now could be produced by Disney.
If this happens just think of it – you might have Disney princesses riding in on My Little Ponies and Pirates of the Caribbean battling Transformers (well, I may be exaggerating a little but you get the jist). If I had to look into my crystal ball I am going to predict that Disney buys the International Space Station and converts it to a DVC property! Hey it could happen!!!
Anywho that is all I have right now, at least in Disney Gossip…for my past Gossip articles be sure to check them out here.
Got any good gossip/rumors? Please email me at AnonyMouse@chipandco.com or on my Facebook Page.
Related articles
- Disney Confidential – Avatarland is BACK ON…Maybe! (chipandco.com)
- Disney Confidential – Carsland, Hollywood Studios Refurb, and More! (chipandco.com)
