Entertainment

A century’s worth of magic will be celebrated Thursday during the documentary event Disney 100: A Century of Dreams – A Special Edition of 20/20, airing at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, then streaming on Hulu the next day.

The documentary will take viewers through the journey of the Walt Disney Company and covers everything from its animated films to its theme parks.

Journalist Chris Connelly is featured in the special, which he says covers all of the amazing stories the company has told since its inception in 1923.

“From Snow White and Mickey Mouse to Mary Poppins to Marvel movies,” Connelly said. “It’s all in there with stuff you’ve never seen before, interviews with the actors and the creators, people who sang the songs and who wrote the songs.”

Connelly says he found the stories about Walt Disney to be the most moving part of the documentary special, particularly the story of how he created Mickey Mouse after a different character was stolen from him.

“The first one he created, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, was taken away from him. The distributor ran off with him,” Connelly said.

He compares the situation to one regarding a certain pop star and her masters.

“And so, like Taylor Swift rerecording her songs, in Disney’s case he created a new character,” Connelly said. “You see the very first drawings of Mickey Mouse in our special tonight. The first time that Mickey Mouse ever took life on a piece of paper. You see those drawings and you find out how successful he was as an animated character.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Andre Braugher, the actor known for hit television shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Homicide: Life on the Street, died from lung cancer, his rep confirmed to Good Morning America on Thursday.

Braugher died on Monday after a brief illness, his rep, Jennifer Allen, said earlier this week. He was 61.

The award-winning actor got his start in film in the Oscar-winning drama Glory, which he starred in alongside Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman.

Following Glory, he starred in Kojak between 1989 and 1990, but it was his breakout role as Detective Frank Pembleton in the 1993 drama series Homicide: Life on the Street that earned him two Emmy nominations, as well as a win in 1998, and Television Critics Association Awards in 1997 and 1998 for individual achievement in drama.

His role as Capt. Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine also earned him two Critics Choice Awards and four Emmy nominations.

Following the news of his death, many in Hollywood, including his Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-stars, paid tribute to him.

“I’m honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared 8 glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent. This hurts. You left us too soon,” Braugher’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Terry Crews wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday.

Braugher is survived by his wife, Ami Brabson, who played his character’s wife on Homicide, and their three sons.

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The upcoming 12th season of Curb Your Enthusiasm will be its last, HBO has announced.

Larry David’s long-running TV series will premiere its final season on HBO and Max on February 4. It will be 10 episodes long; the series finale will air April 7.

While the series has always operated with an open invitation at HBO and no strict guidelines, the network has confirmed that this will be its final batch of episodes.

“As Curb comes to an end, I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended me to be – the thoughtful, kind, caring, considerate human being I was until I got derailed by portraying this malignant character,” David said in a statement.

David continued, “And so ‘Larry David,’ I bid you farewell. Your misanthropy will not be missed. And for those of you who would like to get in touch with me, you can reach me at Doctors Without Borders.”

Returning for the final season are stars Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Cheryl Hines, J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson and Vince Vaughn. Tracey Ullman will also return as Irma Kostroski, the councilwoman from season 11 who Larry seduces to get a local ordinance repealed.

“It’s hard to say farewell to such a ground-breaking, brilliantly funny and iconic series like Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has left its mark across television and the comedy genre,” HBO CEO Casey Bloys said. “Working alongside Larry David and Jeff Schaffer as well as all of the comedic masterminds that comprise our producers, cast and crew has been a joy that I will always treasure.”

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Unlock a world of imagination in the new trailer for John Krasinski’s IF.

IF, which is an abbreviation for imaginary friends, stars Ryan Reynolds and an all-star supporting cast, including Steve Carell as a big, purple monster named Blue. Krasinski, Phoebe-Waller Bridge, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan and Sam Rockwell also star in the film, which Krasinski wrote and directed.

The story follows a young girl named Bea who starts seeing imaginary friends who have been abandoned by their original companions. Reynolds plays a character called The Man Upstairs, the only other person who can see all the imaginary friends who were left behind. The two team up to try to pair the IFs with new kids.

IF is aimed at families, a fact that Reynolds joked about on social media while promoting the trailer.

“Get ready for a heart-warming, all-family film from the director of A Quiet Place, the star of Deadpool, and the studio that brought you Annihilation,” Reynolds wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The film also reunites Krasinski and Carell, who famously co-starred on the popular sitcom The Office. It’s their first collaboration since the NBC series ended in 2013.

From Paramount Pictures, IF will be released on May 17.

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It’s been over 30 years since we last saw Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, but Netflix has given us our first look at his return to the character in the new teaser trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Directed by Mark Molloy, co-stars Judge Reinhold and John Ashton return as Billy Rosewood and John Taggart in the new film, which is set to stream next summer. Joining the returning cast are Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Foley’s estranged daughter Jane and his new detective partner, respectively.

Kevin Bacon also joins the cast as Captain Grant, alongside returning players Bronson Pinchot and Paul Reiser, who play Serge and Detective Jeffrey Friedman.

“We put our lives on the line every day. And for what?” Bacon’s Captain Grant asks in the teaser.

“It comes with the job if you’re doing it right,” Murphy’s Foley responds.

The film follows what happens after Jane’s life is threatened. Foley teams up with a group of old friends and his new detective partner to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.

“I’m gonna be fine,” Foley says as he dons his shades. “They love me in Beverly Hills.”

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America is in chaos in the dramatic trailer for Alex Garland‘s latest film, Civil War.

The official trailer for the film, which was written and directed by Garland, debuted Wednesday. In it, Kirsten Dunst is seen leading a group toward Washington, D.C., amid an internal conflict in the United States.

A synopsis for the film reads: “A race to the White House in a near-future America balanced on the razor’s edge.”

The group Dunst is a part of also includes characters played by Priscilla actress Cailee Spaeny, Narcos actor Wagner Moura and Dune actor Stephen McKinley Henderson.

Dunst’s partner Jesse Plemons also pops up in the trailer, and we see Parks and Recreation alum Nick Offerman playing the president of the United States.

Civil War opens in theaters on April 26, 2024.

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Jonathan Majors opted not to testify against charges alleging he assaulted his former girlfriend as his defense rested Wednesday after one day of presenting its case in his domestic violence trial.

The actor’s attorneys called three witnesses — a doctor, a police officer and Majors’ agent — after prosecutors rested their case earlier Wednesday in the Manhattan courtroom.

The defense’s first witness — a medical expert — expressed doubt about the severity of the injury Grace Jabbari said she suffered in the back of a for-hire SUV on the then-couple’s way home from dinner in March.

The actor has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and aggravated harassment.

The defense had asked the judge to dismiss the case for lack of evidence, but the trial continued Wednesday with the defense witnesses.

Closing statements and jury deliberations are expected to take place on Thursday.

The evidence the court released Wednesday included a recording of Majors imploring Jabbari in December 2022 to act more like Michelle Obama and Coretta Scott King.

“Coretta Scott King…do you know who that is? That’s Martin Luther King‘s wife. Michelle Obama, Barack Obama‘s wife,” Majors is heard saying in the recording. “I’m just gonna say this. My temper … all that said … I’m a great man. A GREAT man. I am doing great things, not just for me but for my culture and for the world.”

Majors and Jabbari met on the set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania two years ago.

Majors is known for his roles in the Ant-Man films, as well as starring in the Disney+ TV show, Loki.

In the villainous role of Kang the Conqueror, Majors is scheduled to appear in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Disney is the parent company of Marvel and ABC News.

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Flush with the success of Barbie‘s $1.4 billion box office haul, Mattel films is developing a movie project based on its American Girl dolls, according to Variety. The doll line, created in 1986, depicts girls of various cultural backgrounds throughout history. Mattel has made several previous attempts at making an American Girl film, beginning in 2019, and while there have been several direct-to-video movies focusing on each girl, the only one to hit the big screen was Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, starring Abigail Breslin in 2008…

Everybody Loves Raymond alum Brad Garrett has been added to the cast of ABC’s Not Dead Yet as a series regular in the show’s upcoming second season, according to Deadline. Garrett will play Duncan Rhodes, the boss of Gina Rodriguez‘s Nell. Duncan is a successful businessman who doesn’t realize how out of touch he is with how normal people live until he meets Nell. Season 2 of Not Dead Yet premieres February 7 and streams the following day on Hulu…

Peacock has ordered Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, a limited series executive-produced and starring Kevin Hart. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series will chronicle one of the largest armed robberies in U.S. history, orchestrated around Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight against Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, where hundreds of guests were robbed at gunpoint at an afterparty…

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2023 will soon be coming to a close, and in anticipation of the year ahead, Fandango has announced the results of its annual Most Anticipated Movies survey.

Ryan Reynolds’ fast-talking, fourth wall-breaking antihero takes the top spot: Deadpool 3 is 2024’s most anticipated wide-release film. The top five is rounded out by Beetlejuice 2, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Dune: Part Two and Venom 3.

As far as the most-anticipated movie performances go, comic book characters reign supreme. The most anticipated new performance goes to Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux, while the most anticipated hero falls to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Deadpool 3.

In terms of bad guys, Michael Keaton got the top spot in the most anticipated villain category for his role as Beetlejuice in Beetlejuice 2.

The movies are so back, as the kids say. Eighty-eight percent of ticket-buyers plan to see multiple movies in theaters in 2024, while 81 percent are more excited about going to the movies in 2024 than they were in 2023.

Here is the list of the top 10 most anticipated wide-release films from Fandango’s poll:

Deadpool 3
Beetlejuice 2
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Dune: Part Two
Venom 3
Despicable Me 4
Inside Out 2
Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim
Gladiator 2
A Quiet Place: Day One

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Jack Black is back as Po in the official trailer for Kung Fu Panda 4.

This time around, Po has hilariously been tapped to become a spiritual leader. In order to take on this new role, he must first find someone to replace him as the dragon warrior and face off against his greatest foe yet: the shape-shifting Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis, who wants Po’s staff of wisdom.

Joining Po on this journey is a streetwise corsac fox named Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina.

“In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together,” the film’s synopsis reads. “In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.”

In addition to Black, Awkwafina and Davis, Kung Fu Panda 4 features a returning voice cast of Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master Shifu; James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li; and Ian McShane as Po’s archnemesis, Tai Lung.

Joining the fold is Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once actor Ke Huy Quan as Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.

The film, directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Stephanie Ma Stine, is the fourth in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, which began with the first movie in 2008, and continued with sequel films in 2011 and 2016, as well as several side projects.

Kung Fu Panda 4 arrives in theaters March 8.

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