After a busy year in the books with a bunch of hits, including “Lightyear,” “Turning Red,” and “Chip’n’Dale: Rescue Rangers,” among others, Disney is all set to take the box office by storm in 2023. With the creation of its own exclusive streaming platform, Disney+, the industry titan has been churning out more content than ever before, and with this overabundance of content comes a good amount of generic or below-average flicks. But don’t worry; we are trying to list some of the most anticipated Disney releases of the year so you won’t have to waste time searching for good content.
Peter Pan And Wendy
Adapted from J.M. Barrie’s novel “Peter and Wendy,” this rework of the 1953 classic animated movie retells the tale of Wendy and her two brothers when they run away from their home to the magical Neverland where she meets all kinds of magical friends, including Peter Pan. This live adaptation of the classic animated tale seems to be staying faithful to the original plot while portraying the characters in a slightly different way.
The movie will star Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Ever Anderson, who played Natasha Romanoff’s younger version in “Black Widow (2021),” as Wendy, and Jude Law as the infamous Captain Hook. Disney hasn’t announced a release date yet, but the movie is said to be coming out around spring 2023.
The Little Mermaid
Disney is dead set on making live-action remakes of almost all of their animated classics. This live-action attempt at the 1989 film of the same name is directed by Rob Marshall, who is known for movies like “Chicago (2002)” and “Mary Poppins Returns (2018).” The plot of the film seems to be the same as the original. The beloved character Ariel is brought to the screen by actor and singer Halle Bailey; the choice was a controversial one, as some of the fans were mad at the studio for casting a black actor to play an originally white character. Other notable cast members include Jonah Hauer-King, previously known for roles in “Old Boys (2018)” and the mini-series “Little Women (2017).” Javier Bardem stars as King Triton, along with Melissa McCarthy as the evil witch Ursula. The movie is expected to be released on May 26, 2023.
Elemental
“Elemental” is the first Pixar movie to hit the theatres after more than two years. The Disney-Pixar collaboration follows the relationship between two characters of different elements, Ember, a fire element, and Wade, a water element, in a city where water, fire, land, and air elements live together. The movie is directed by Pixar legend Peter Sohn, who has worked in the art, story, and animation departments of some of the biggest animated movies in the recent past, such as “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” and “WALL.E,” among others. Mamoudou Athie, previously known for his roles in “Black Box (2020),” “The Circle (2017),” and “Underwater (2020),” is voicing the character of Wade Ripple (the Water Element), while Ember Luman is voiced by “The Half of It (2020)” star Leah Lewis, who is also known for her role in the TV show “Nancy Drew.” “Elemental” is set to take the theatres by storm on June 16, 2023.
Haunted Mansion
This is Disney’s second attempt at adapting their theme park ride into a movie after the Eddie Murphy-starrer film flopped back in 2003. Disney has been trying to cash in big using their many theme park rides, and the recent success of “Jungle Cruise” (2021) proves their point. Rosario Dawson plays Gabbie, a single mom who buys a mysterious mansion before realising that it is actually haunted. In her desperation, she reaches out to a priest, played by Owen Wilson, who seeks the help of paranormal expert LaKeith Stanfield, psychic Tiffany Haddish, and history professor Danny DeVito. The cast also includes other big names such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Winona Ryder, and Jared Leto, among others. The impressive cast promises an entertaining movie filled with screams and hilarious gags. “Haunted Mansion” is expected to be released on August 11, 2023.
Prom Pact
“Prom Pact” follows high school senior Mandy Coleman, played by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as she strives to achieve her longtime dream of getting into Harvard. Mandy is a feminist who doesn’t believe in conventional romantic relationships; this changes when she realises that she’s falling for the school jock Ben, played by Milo Manheim, known for being the lead in the Disney musical “Zombies.” Peyton Elizabeth Lee is previously known for her role in the TV show “Andi Mack (2017–19)” and the film “The Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (2020)”. The movie is directed by Anya Adams, who is known for her work in a number of TV shows such as “Black-ish,” “Ginny and Georgia,” “GLOW,” and “The Good Place.” Rom-Coms have been rare for the past few years, and “Prom Pact” attempts to revitalise the genre among younger audiences. Disney hasn’t set a release date for the movie, but it is expected to be aired around the spring of 2023.
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