IMAX Shares Jump on Possible Bid by Disney‎ and Sony

Shares of Imax surged in early trading on Friday, amid speculation that Sony and possibly the Walt Disney Company are mulling takeover offers.
The company’s stock, which closed at $26.86 on Thursday evening, was up more than 20 percent at the opening bell.
The Daily Mail reported that Sony might be prepared to pay more than $40 per share for Imax. Disney is also a potential suitor, said the British newspaper — which has a mixed history of predicting takeover targets.
The Daily Mail reported this week that BHP Billiton may make a move for Anadarko Petroleum. 
Imax, best known for its large-format movie screens, has seen its shares steadily rise this year. Discounting the pop on Friday, the stock has roughly doubled in the last 12 months, bolstered by improving revenue and rising demand for 3D blockbusters and immersive theater experiences. A growing number of theaters, looking to increase foot traffic, are signing up for Imax screens, which typically draw larger crowds at higher ticket prices. In the third quarter, Imax easily beat analyst expectations with earnings of 15 cents a share and revenue of $51.1 million.
The company’s market capitalization is nearly $2 billion.
Although Imax’s financial situation has improved significantly in the last two years, some analysts questioned whether a bid north of $40 per share was justified. Brett Harriss, a research analyst for Gabelli & Company, who has a buy rating on the stock, said a $40 offer is roughly 20 times next year’s earnings, “which is a very high multiple.” He also questioned whether regulators would permit Sony, an entertainment company with a major production house, to buy Imax.
Still, Mr. Harriss said he would not be surprised if either Sony or Disney pursued a bid for Imax, which has significant growth prospects.
“There’s plenty of room for them to grow, they have about 400 screens installed in commercial theaters and they can grow that to 1,200,” he said. “It’s quickly become premium real estate.”

Disney’s Tangled and Tron still strong!

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Disney’s holiday hopes, the animated Tangled and fanboy favorite Tron: Legacy continue to do well. Tangled is “keeping up with newer Christmas family offerings” to pass the $150m domestic gross mark, while Tron also registered a milestone to become “the first Christmas film to cross $100m domestically”, pulling in $175m worldwide so far. The films look to bring in much more in the long run, with both titles still in the higher rankings of the US box office top ten and further international roll-outs to come. 

Will Walt Disney Company's 2011 be as Successful as its 2010?

This year at the movies we’ve seen wizards, vampires, demigods and one bad ass billionaire in an iron suit. At the end of the year, however, something as simple as toys and a little girl who fell down a rabbit hole took top honors at the box office in 2010.
Needless to say, the Walt Disney Company and CEO Robert Iger celebrated Mickey's birthday right with huge profits and memorable films.  Back in March, Johnny Depp put on the oversized hat of the Mad Hatter in what was more of a sequel to the original Alice in Wonderland. Helena Bonham Carter was outstanding as the Queen of Hearts and Disney used that tandem to score $116.1 million on opening weekend.
The mark easily broke the record held by “300” for biggest opening weekend in the month of March. Alice in Wonderland stayed strong in its second week gaining $62.7 million -- the fifth-largest second weekend. When it was all said and done, the new story of Alice earned the Walt Disney Company $1.02 billion.
Most great things come in pairs -- a fact any guy knows if they’ve met a hot pair of twins.
Back in 1995, the world was introduced to a boy named Andy and his favorite toy -- a cowboy named Woody. When this pair was introduced to the world, no one really know how they’d be received, yet here we are 15 years later, and we know exactly how they were -- with open arms (and wallets).
Toy Story 3 debuted on the weekend of June 18 with thunderous anticipation from fans of all ages who wanted to see how the series would end. Disney and Pixar have speculated that this will be the last movie in the franchise, and boy did they go out with a bang.
The new chapter in the story of Woody and Buzz Lightyear gained $232 million on its first weekend topping just about every worldwide box-office opening. With a strong second week of $94 million, Disney continued to see amazing revenues from another storied franchise from the company and at final tally, Toy Story 3 earned $1.06 billion at the box office worldwide.
Success at the box office is not a rare occurrence for Disney, but success of this magnitude is. With Alice and Wonderland and Toy Story 3, it marks the first time in movie history that two movies earned a total of at least $1 billion.
Recently, Disney resurrected another franchise to tug at the memories of fans with Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 film starring Jeff Bridges. So far, Tron: Legacy has earned $159 million, which could make 2010 a very good year for Walt Disney Company when it’s all over in two days.

Disney/Pixar Pals to Grace United States Postage Stamps in 2011

The United States Postal Service today announced its commemorative stamp program for 2011 and it includes some very familiar faces, fictional and not, including friends from several Disney/Pixar films.
The Send a Hello stamps are a natural outgrowth of the Art of Disney stamp series issued between 2004 and 2008. Originally intended as a series of three annual issuances depicting friendship, celebration, and romance, the Art ofDisney stamps proved so popular that the Postal Service expanded the series to include issuances in 2007 and 2008 to celebrate imagination and magic. The Send a Hello series is meant to encourage people to connect with their loved ones via the United StatesPostal Service.

With an already established and well-received relationship, the Postal Service was eager to again work with the Walt Disney Company, this time choosing to explore the Disney/Pixar films, which offer exciting, contemporary characters and strong themes involving family and friends.

The pane of 20 stamps includes five different designs featuring Pixar characters: Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006); Remy and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007); Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995); Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009); and WALL*E from WALL*E (2008).
The 2011 Disney/Pixar Send a Hello stamps will be released on August 19, 2011.

Images courtesy of United States Postal Service

Disney Pop Princess For Disney/Marvel’s Avengers?

Disney star Demi Lovato may have won tween hearts in the Camp Rock movies and courted tabloid headlines by checking herself into a counseling center for emotional issues in the middle of a tour, but does that make her Avenger-worthy?
Radar Online is reporting, surprisingly matter of factly, that the Sonny With A Chance star has a role lined up in Joss Whedon’s big-screen adaptation of Marvel Comics’ premiere superhero team. It doesn’t hint at what that role would be – and my mind’s a blank for who she could play, I admit – but the Disney/Marvel synergy definitely suggests that it could be a possibility. Maybe Joe Jonas could join the cast as Kang the Conqueror, if this continues…?

Jason Segel spends holiday season with 'The Muppets'

Jason Segel is spending much of this holiday season with his second family — namely, Kermit the Frog, Fozzy Bear and Miss Piggy.

Segel is currently filming next year's new Muppets movie — simply titled The Muppets and tentatively scheduled for a Nov. 23 release — and working with many of the same characters he grew up loving as a kid. It's a true passion project for the How I Met Your Mother sitcom mainstay: He is the movie's star, executive producer and co-writer alongside Nicholas Stoller, who directed Segel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

"I'm doing The Muppets and the TV show, and I have another script that we're just finishing up to shoot this summer," Segel says. (His next project is the R-rated comedy The Five-Year Engagement, teaming him again with producer Judd Apatow.) "I'm doing proper seven-day weeks, which I've never really done before. It's pretty intense."

In The Muppets, Segel plays Gary, a guy who lives in Smalltown, USA, with his best friend, a puppet named Walter.

"We have an Ernie-and-Bert relationship," Segel says. "But he's never met anyone like him, basically a puppet. His dream is to go to L.A. and meet the Muppets, because they're the only people who he's ever seen who are like him."

The twosome finds out the famous Muppet Theater is in danger of being destroyed, so they work to get the Muppets all back together so they can raise $10 million in a telethon and save the place from certain doom.

The movie is not short on star power: Amy Adams and Chris Cooper are part of the human cast, and there is a slew of celebrity cameos, with everyone from Lady Gaga, Emily Blunt and Ricky Gervais to Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis and Jean-Claude Van Damme reportedly popping up.

But it's performing with the likes of Gonzo, Sam the Eagle, Beaker, Bunsen Honeydew and Rowlf the Dog that excites Segel.

"It's really, I must say, a childhood dream come true," he says. "When Kermit comes out of his little box and all of a sudden he comes alive, it's everything I've ever dreamed of."

"I've worked with puppets for a long time," adds Segel, who recalls making short films with puppets when he was 16. "It's a lot of imagining that inanimate objects are alive, and I don't know if this speaks to that I'm slowly going crazy, but I have gotten pretty good at that."

He's not shy to say that he actually cried during the first table read with Kermit, arguably the most famous creation of the late Jim Henson. "We had to stop and take a two-minute break because Segel lost his (composure) for a minute. And then I got a little worked up at a photo shoot," Segel admits.

"It really brings you back to your childhood when they put these puppets out. And it's amazing — the puppeteer disappears within a minute of them operating one of these puppets. They're standing right there, and you know it's a human with a puppet on his hand, but for some reason you're looking straight into the puppet's eyes."

Segel has been known to write songs for his acting projects — from Sarah Marshall all the way back to the short-lived series Freaks and Geeks. For The Muppets, though, soundtrack duty goes to Bret McKenzie, one half of the New Zealand comedy/music duo Flight of the Conchords. (The director of The Muppets, James Bobin, was also a co-creator of the Conchords' HBO series.)

Segel had considered doing the Muppets music himself, but thought he might be too swamped to do it right.

"Also, I'm good at writing songs that are allowed to just be funny," he says. "They don't need to have a tremendous amount of musical merit, but these Muppet songs have to be great. The lineage of the Muppet songs, things like Rainbow Connection and all that, it's not a job for an amateur. (McKenzie) really knows what he's doing, and his songs have just been beautiful."

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of Us at The Disney Digital Files!

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Broadcast on ABC

Everyone loves a parade! The 27th year of the Emmy Award-winning Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade, Pre-Recorded to air on ABC on December 25th, promises to be one you won’t want to miss! Ryan Seacrest at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Nick Cannon at Disneyland Resort in California host this year’s magical, musical, coast-to-coast entertainment extravaganza. They’ll bring on favorite stars like Mariah Carey singing songs from her brand new Christmas album. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will have the parade in full swing with an amazing opening number that spans both coasts. You’ll see Disney star Selena Gomez and American Idol Season 9 Winner, Lee Dewyze. Plus, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Phineas and Ferb, and the whole Disney gang will all be dressed in their holiday best as they sing, march and dance through the Disney Parks. It will be a magical Christmas Day made for sharing and making magical Disney memories.

Zone	Broadcast Times on ABC
Eastern Time	Noon-2pm
Central time	11AM-1PM
Mountain Time	10AM-Noon
Pacific Time	5PM-7PM
Los Angeles (KABC)	9AM

Disney California Adventure extreme makeover to transform entrance

An intense, 16-month construction project designed to transform the Disney California Adventure entryway from a nondescript strip mall into a circa-1920s Los Angeles streetscape will begin in earnest Jan. 4.
As part of an ongoing, $1.1 billion makeover, the sweeping and extensive reimagineering will wall off 4 acres of the main entrance between the C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters, Sunshine Plaza, Grizzly Peak and Hollywood Studios Backlot. The remade entryway, dubbed Buena Vista Street, will be designed to evoke the era when a young Walt Disney first arrived in Los Angeles.

After the winter holiday season ends, construction walls will go up around the iconic C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters Jan. 4 so that crews can turn the plaza area into Streamline Moderne turnstiles modeled after the former Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The most disruptive phase of the project will start in August, when retheming work will begin on the shops just inside the entrance. On Aug. 1, Engine-Ear Toys, Bu-r-r Bank Ice Cream and Baker's Field Bakery will close on the right side of the entrance. Then on Aug. 29, the Greetings from California gift shop on the left side of the entrance will close. If all goes according to plan, the new Pan-Pacific-style turnstiles will also open Aug. 29.
But construction will force Disney to route visitors through a 500-foot-long backstage pathway running behind Soarin' Over California. The temporary entrance/exit route is expected to remain in place through spring 2012. Another pathway carved through the Sunshine Plaza construction zone will allow visitors to travel between Condor Flats and Hollywood Studios Backlot.
The undertaking is so massive and unprecedented that DCA Vice President Mary Niven has taken to a Web video in an effort to convince visitors the Anaheim theme park will remain open for business once the front gate turns into a construction zone.
"While we're adding all these new attractions, our guests' favorite attractions are still open," said Niven, who faces the daunting challenge of building and operating a theme park at the same time.
Indeed, all major attractions and shows will remain open during construction.

Jason Segel Talking About MORE of The Muppets!

Segel is making the promotional rounds for the new Jack Black vehicle, Gulliver's Travels, in which Segel also stars. But, of course, they just can't stop Jason from talking about The Muppets every chance he gets. Especially on last night's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, in which he went on and on about how immensely talented the Muppet performers are!" for Jason:

The Muppets on "What's Up Doc?"

The stars of "The Muppet Christmas Carol" are visited on the film's set in 1992 by Andy Crane for "What's Up Doc?" As usual with The Muppets, things don't go quite as planned...

‘Tron’ Leads Box Office With $44 Million in Sales

“Tron: Legacy,” a sequel to the 1982 Walt Disney Co. release about a man trapped in a video game, opened as the top-grossing weekend movie, with $44 million in ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters.

“Yogi Bear,” based on the TV cartoon character, opened second with $16.4 million for Warner Bros., researcher Hollywood.com Box-Office said today in an e-mailed statement. “The Fighter,” expanding to 2,503 theaters from four, took in $12.1 million to open in fourth.

Ticket sales fell for a sixth straight weekend, making it less likely Hollywood will exceed last year’s record $10.6 billion in the U.S. and Canada. This year’s holiday films are up against a 2009 slate that included “Avatar,” the top-grossing film of all time, and “The Blind Side,” a surprise hit that generated $256 million in domestic sales, according to researcher Box Office Mojo.

“We might actually barely exceed the $10.6 (billion), but it’s built on the back of higher ticket prices,” Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com’s box-office unit, said in an interview. “It will be a shallow victory.”

“Tron: Legacy” continues the story of programmer Kevin Flynn, who has been trapped in a video game for 20 years. In the new film, Flynn’s son Sam is transported into the digital world while investigating his father’s disappearance. Jeff Bridges reprises his role as Flynn. Michael Sheen and Bruce Boxleitner co-star.

‘The Fighter’

In “Yogi Bear,” a greedy politician decides to close Jellystone Park and sell the land. Yogi and his friend, Boo Boo, join forces with a park ranger to save their home. Dan Aykroyd provides the voice of Yogi. Justin Timberlake plays Boo Boo.

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” the third film based on the C.S. Lewis books, fell to third place from first with $12.4 million.

“The Fighter,” distributed by Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures, stars Mark Wahlberg as Irish-American boxer Micky Ward. Christian Bale co-stars as Ward’s half-brother and trainer, Dicky Eklund. The film was nominated for six Golden Globe awards, including best film drama and best actor in a drama for Wahlberg.

Disney’s “Tangled” dropped to fifth from third with $8.8 million, while the thriller “Black Swan,” took in $8.4 million for seventh place. The film, which features Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as rival ballerinas, expanded to 959 theaters from 18. It’s been nominated for four Golden Globe awards.

Ken and Barbie Return for 'Toy Story' Short Film

Toy Story 3 may be the end of the feature film series, but the characters will not be subsequently dead. Disney and Pixar had previously announced that they will make "Toy Story" short film and apparently are moving forward with their plan as Disney animator Floyd Norman recently tweeted, "Ken and Barbie want to go to Hawaii. I don't know what it's gonna be attached to. Fun stuff, however." 

While various sites linked his tweet to "Toy Story" short, he claimed he has no idea if the work he referred to as "Hawaii" is the one which has been planned to be attached to "Cars 2". "I honestly have no idea what short will precede 'Cars2.' In any case, it's been a busy week," he added later. 

Meanwhile, "Toy Story 3" helmer Lee Unkrich has confirmed that the short film will indeed be attached to "Cars" sequel, which is scheduled to hit theaters across the nation on June 24, 2011. The filmmaker previously said, "We have announced we're going to do a short film in front of 'Cars 2' that uses the 'Toy Story' characters. We're going to keep them alive; they're not going away forever." 

Disney's Tangled Blu-ray 3D Pre-Order Only $22

Disney's Tangled is still playing into the top 10 at the box office but that hasn't stopped the studio from teaming up with Amazon.com to offer pre-orders on home video well ahead of when it will likely be available in stores.
The four-disc version of Tangled is currently the number two bestseller on Amazon's hourly Blu-ray bestsellers list despite no official release date (odds are favorable for a late February or early March arrival). This version includes the film on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy.
The reason this version is selling so well is it is listed for $29.99, 40% off the list price of $49.99, plus Amazon is offering an additional $8 off for purchasing through them. The bottom line: you can pre-order Tangled on Blu-ray 3D for $22.
Pre-order Tangled on 4-disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD for $29.99 (plus the $8 off promotion) at Amazon.com

Tron: Legacy tops Avatar and Inception openings with $3.6m midnight showing

After what can politely be called “mixed reviews” Tron: Legacy’s legion of ravenous fans have quelled any last minute fears Disney may have had in the box-office fortunes of the film by ringing up more than $3.6m in Thursday night midnight showings – more than the $3m posted earlier this year and Avatar’s $3.5m showing one year ago. According to Hollywood Reporter, Imax screens accounted for a $1m 29% of the gross on 228 theaters, this including several theaters that had to close because of snow. With a take of $18m on Friday, Tron: Legacy is expected to top more than $40m by Monday, while Warner Bros.’ Yogi Bear has limped along so far on $4.6m on almost 500 additional screens than Tron.

Tron Guy Reviews Tron Legacy

Remember a few years back that guy who dressed up like a program from Tron and became a web sensation? He recently reviewed Tron Legacy on Wired. Jay Maynard AKA Tron Guy states that the movie went beyond his expectations and actually brought him to tears. He also reflects on his role as Tron Guy and how he brought attention to the original 1982 film. The videogames Kingdom Hearts, Tron 2.0, Slave Labor Graphics comic book Tron: The Ghost in the Machine, and the general use of computers mixed with nostalgia also helped.

Disney To Make Museum of the Weird

Based on a Disney attraction that never happened…

Disney is developing a film based on a Disneyland attraction that never got off the ground. The film will be based on the Museum of the Weird, which Walt Disney wanted to do in the 1960s but never got off the ground. The idea was to spotlight surreal exhibits such as "ghostly organists, magic carts, talking chairs" and more. Some aspects were incorporated into the Haunted Mansion, which it was meant to tie into.

Disney is in talks with screenwriter Ahmet Zappa about the project. Zappa is also working on a film that may be inspired by the company's Enchanted Tiki Room.

Iron Man 3 Not Directed by Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau is no longer at the helm of the "Iron Man" machine.

The director has confirmed he will not be returning for the third installment in the super hero franchise after New York Magazine's Vulture blog broke the news via insiders on Tuesday.

"It's true, I'm directing Magic Kingdom, not Iron Man 3," Favreau tweeted. "I've had a great run with Marvel and wish them the best."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Favreau's price has gone up from "Iron Man 2" -- when he was paid $10 million -- and Marvel Studios is known for keeping their costs low.

The 44-year-old filmmaker has already accepted a new gig to develop and direct a franchise for Disney based on the Magic Kingdom theme park. The movie reportedly follows a family that gets trapped in Disney Land and has encounters with park attractions.

Favreau told mtv.com returning to family fare -- he directed "Elf" and "Zathura" before embarking on "Iron Man" in 2008 -- allows him to "blow people away, which is easier to do with a project that isn't loaded with built-in expectations."

"It's great to be able to connect parents with children both emotionally and through humor," he told the website. "I look forward to exploring family entertainment once again and examining the specifics of our day-to-day lives against the backdrop of an extraordinary adventure."

Favreau will return as producer on "The Avengers," the Marvel series directed by Joss Whedon in which Iron Man stars with a group of other famous super heros.

And he seemed to have no ill will to his "Iron Man" successor.

"I look forward to seeing what others can do playing in the same world," he said.

"Iron Man 3" is currently scheduled for a 2013 release.

David Fincher signs on for Disneys NEW 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

David Fincher is in the midst of a whirlwind. Not only is he storming into awards season on the strength of his critically acclaimed THE SOCIAL NETWORK while in the process of filming his American remake of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, but he has just been announced as the director for the remake of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. 

Screen Rant confirmed that Fincher will begin production on Jules Verne’s sci-fi classic in late 2011, which means a late 2012 or summer 2013 release date is likely.

The story of Captain Nemo and his crew was famously adapted in 1954 with Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre in the starring roles. Walt Disney (the man, not the company), personally overlooked and produced the project. Fincher should have a bit more autonomy on this picture than director David Fleischer had for the 1954 version, put the film will still be produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Scott Z. Burns, who wrote 2007′s THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM and 2009′s THE INFORMANT, will be writing the screenplay.

It has always been my hope to see Michael Douglas in a remake of a film his father starred in. Michael does have a history with Fincher; he starred in Fincher’s 1997 film, THE GAME. I know he is sick, but if he can rally back to health, well, I can hope, can't I?

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Official Trailer

Ahoy, the wait has finally ended! Watch the exclusive trailer debut of 'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES" now! Could this be the best one yet?!

ABC, Disney Channel to come to Netflix

Netflix has signed a deal with ABC, Disney Channel, ABC Family network and Walt Disney on Wednesday.

The agreement is for online video streaming and the content will be available after 15 days of its premiering on TV so as to avoid conflicts with distributors.

Shows such as Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, Melissa & Joel, Lost, Phineas and Ferb, Brothers & Sisters will all be covered by Netflix including their previous seasons. The chief content officer of Netflix Ted Sarandos said “TV content streamed from Netflix has proven to be immensely popular with our members” adding that “Adding to our existing Disney-ABC lineup with great network and cable shows, and opening up ABC Family for the first time, are important steps in creating a wide and diverse selection of content Netflix members of all ages can watch.”

The deal is worth approximately $150 million annually but no financial terms were vocalized to the press.

Official synopsis for The NEW 2011 Muppets Movie

"On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino house band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate. With secret, signature, celebrity cameos,The Muppets hits the big screen  Nov. 23, 2011.

Disney to Release 'Muppets Movie' Next Thanksgiving

Disney will release "The Muppets Movie" on Nov. 23, 2011, the studio announced on Wednesday.

James Bobin's film was previously scheduled for released on Christmas.

Jason Segel stars alongside Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones, who will be joined by Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the rest of the beloved Muppet gang.

Alan Arkin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Billy Crystal and Wanda Sykes have all been confirmed for cameos, and Zach Galifinakis, Jack Black, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Donald Glover and Danny Trejo will also appear briefly.

Segel wrote the script with his "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" director Nicholas Stoller, and production is currently underway in Los Angeles.

"Disney has had incredible success opening films over the Thanksgiving weekend, and thanks to 'Tangled,' we have the top three Thanksgiving openers of all time,” said Chuck Viane, president of global distribution for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. “I have spoken with The Muppets, and we all agreed this comedy is a great fit for the holiday 2011 time frame.”

Commenting on the new release date, Miss Piggy noted “it was actually moi’s idea to open the movie then,” stating she wants to give everyone a big reason to give thanks next Thanksgiving. “It doesn’t get any bigger than moi…. And don’t you dare quote that out of context!”

Disney Epic Mickey soundtrack

For all those dedicated fans asking if a Disney Epic Mickey soundtrack was coming, wonder no more! The official game soundtrack will be released on December 21st 2010--just in time for the holidays!

Disney Hits 100 Million Facebook Fans

Think your company is popular on Facebook? Think again. Burbank-based Walt Disney reported Sunday that it has just surpassed one hundred million fans across its network of Facebook pages. According to Disney, those fans are spread across more than 200 official Disney brands, property, and character pages, which the firm has been creating on Facebook since August of 2009. Disney said it is now seeing more than 5 million new fans per week on its Facebook pages

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney! This Day in History: Walt is born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1901. 

      

Tangled wins the weekend

 After to losing to Harry Potter by a hair last weekend, Disney's Tangledclaimed box office victory this weekend with a take of $21 million,Yahoo! Movies is reporting. It easily won over Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, which made about $16 million in its third week of release. Tangled currently has a total of $96 million.

a few Disney updates..

Disney closes the sale on MIRAMAX  

Disney completed its deal with a group of investors today for the purchase of Miramax Films to the tune of $663 million.  The investors include construction magnate Ron Tutor, the Los Angeles private equity firm Colony Capital, and Qatar Holding.

Mike Lang, a former Newscorp executive, will be Miramax’s new CEO, but there are no immediate plans to hire top creative leadership.  The reason for this:  rather than going right to work making new films, the new owners plan to spend the next 12 to 18 months reviewing the 300 projects in development, as well as the 90 book titles to which the company holds movie rights.  In addition, the company plans to determine how best to take advantage of the library of more than 700 films that it also acquired in the deal.  Among the films – many Oscar winning titles, such as “Shakespeare in Love”  and “Chicago.”

The next year will see a build up of staff, as new owners seek to rebuild the company, which was largely dismantled by Disney when the company announced that it would be seeking a buyer for Miramax.  The new owners anticipate a team of 60-80 employees.

Miramax was founded in 1979 by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein.  Known for its attention to independent films, the company was sold to Disney in 1993.  Disney decided to sell the company earlier this year, after determining that Miramax no longer fit with its branding strategy.  The Weinsteins attempted to reclaim the company earlier this year, but were ultimately unsuccessful in their bid.

Disney plans on "Pirates" films 5 & 6  

It is being reported that the Walt Disney Company has been telling the cast and crew of the fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” that they should set aside a block of time in the near future so that Walt Disney Pictures can film “Pirates of the Caribbean 5″ and “Pirates of the Caribbean 6″ back-to-back.

If Johnny Depp is set to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the films (and would they really be any good if he wasn’t?) the filming may not begin for some time as he has quite a few movies he is set to begin filming for soon, including Disney’s “The Lone Ranger.”

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” will open in theaters on May 20, 2011. Are you excited that there may be another two “Pirates” movies in our future?

TRON: Legacy UK Premiere is Tonight 

There are just hours to go until the most anticipated film of the year makes its UK premiere, and The Fan Carpet would like to remind you that you can watch the even live online by becoming a fan on the Tron: Legacy Facebook page and clicking on the Tron Premiere tab.

You can also view it without the use of Facebook at Live Stream here. 

Tron: Legacy is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world thats unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his fathers disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years.