Creepy Kingdom

First Slate of Disney+ Originals Premiere Alongside Extensive Collection of Library Titles From Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and More, Including “Avengers: Endgame,” “Avatar,” and 30 seasons of “The Simpsons”

Disney+ App Now Available Across Mobile and Connected TV Devices

Disney+, the highly anticipated streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, launched today in the U.S., Canada, and The Netherlands. With nearly 500 films and 7,500 episodes of television from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more, Disney+ is the exclusive home for some of the world’s most beloved stories as well as a robust slate of original content ready to be discovered.

“The launch of Disney+ is a historic moment for our company that marks a new era of innovation and creativity,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.  “Disney+ provides an exceptional entertainment experience, showcasing our library of beloved movies, TV series and exclusive original content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic.”

As part of the launch, the service premiered its first original series and films including “The Mandalorian,” the epic first-ever live-action Star Wars series; “Lady and the Tramp,” a live-action re-telling of the 1955 animated classic; “Noelle,” an original holiday comedy film starring Anna Kendrick, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the all-new scripted series set at the real-life East High featured in the blockbuster film franchise; “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” docu-series from National Geographic; “Marvel’s Hero Project,” which celebrates extraordinary kids making a difference in their communities; “Encore!,” executive produced by the multi-talented Kristen Bell; “The Imagineering Story” 6-part documentary from Emmy and Academy Award-nominated director Leslie Iwerks; short-form series “Pixar IRL” and “Disney Family Sundays;” and animated short film collections “SparkShorts” and “Forky Asks A Question” from Pixar Animation Studios.

Beginning November 15, most new episodes of each series will premiere on Fridays at 12:01 AM PT.

The Past, Present, and Future of Storytelling

The service provides viewers of all ages an unrivaled collection of new and library content from the world-class creators of The Walt Disney Company – the visionaries representing nearly a century of creativity from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more.

Beginning today, subscribers can enjoy:

●       Timeless animated films from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Walt Disney Signature Collection, created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney – including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi,” “The Lion King,” “Lady and The Tramp,” “Peter Pan,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cinderella” and more.

●       Three of the four highest-grossing films of all time: “Avengers: Endgame,” Avatar,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

●       Thirty seasons of the 11-time Emmy Award-winning series “The Simpsons.”

●       Hit films from Marvel Studios, including “Avengers: Endgame,” as well as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3,” “Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Captain Marvel,” “Iron Man,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and “Ant-Man.”

●       Thousands of episodes from hit Disney Channel and Disney Junior series such as “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” “Kim Possible,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “PJ Masks,” and “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” along with more than 100 Disney Channel Original Movies including “Descendants,” “High School Musical,” and “Camp Rock.”

●       18 of Pixar Animation Studios’ groundbreaking fan favorite movies including “Wall-E,” “Up,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “Toy Story,” “Inside Out” and “Brave,” as well as all of Pixar’s beloved theatrical shorts such as the Academy Award-winning “Bao” and “Sanjay’s Super Team.”

●       Over 400 hours of content from National Geographic, including the critically-acclaimed and award-winning documentary “Free Solo” and the streaming debut of “Science Fair.”

●       All six of the original classic Star Wars films released between 1977-1999, in addition to recent blockbusters “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” By the end of 2020, the entire Skywalker saga will be available on the service.

●       Marvel television series from the 1970s to present day including “X-Men,” “Spider-Man,” and “Marvel’s Runaways.”

Subscribers will also have access to a burgeoning collection of 4K Ultra HD films including the first seven Star Wars movies available for the first time in this format, along with “Hocus Pocus,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Toy Story” 1-3, and more.

Best-in-Class Experience, Available Anywhere, Anytime

Disney+ offers subscribers high-quality and commercial-free viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to ten devices, personalized recommendations, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles. Additionally, parents have the ability to set Kids Profiles that create an easy -to-navigate interface to access age-appropriate content.

Consumers can subscribe to Disney+ directly at DisneyPlus.com or via in-app purchase from the following partner platforms and devices (dependent on country):

●       Amazon (Fire TV Devices, Fire TV Edition Smart TVs, and Fire Tablets)

●       Apple (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV, and fully integrated with the Apple TV app; customers can subscribe to Disney+ via in-app purchase)

●       Google (Android phones, Android TV devices, Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices)

●       LG Smart TVs with webOS

●       Microsoft (Xbox One)

●       Samsung Smart TVs

●       Sony / Sony Interactive Entertainment (all Android based Sony TVs and PlayStation®4)

●       Roku (Roku® streaming players and Roku TV™ models)

For a full list of supported devices visit here.

Amazing Entertainment, Amazing Value

For one low monthly (or annual) fee, Disney+ offers consumers of all ages a compelling entertainment offering and an amazing price-to-value proposition.

Starting today, consumers in the U.S. also have the opportunity to purchase a Disney bundle featuring Disney+, Hulu (with ads), and ESPN+ for $12.99 per month, providing access to all of the Disney+ programming plus thousands of live sporting events, sports-themed original series and award-winning sports documentaries from ESPN+; as well as Hulu’s award-winning original content and on-demand streaming library. To learn more about the Disney bundle visit here.

Global Rollout

Today marks the beginning of the global rollout of Disney+, with expectations to launch in most major global markets within its first two years. Available now in the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands, Disney+ will launch next week in Australia, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico on November 19.

The first full-length animated Scooby-Doo adventure for the big screen is the never-before told stories of Scooby-Doo’s origins and the greatest mystery in the career of Mystery Inc.  

“SCOOB!” reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world.  As they race to stop this global “dogpocalypse,” the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.

Starring in “SCOOB!” are Kiersey Clemons (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” TV’s “Angie Tribeca”) as Dee Dee; Zac Efron (“The Greatest Showman,” the “Neighbors” franchise) as Fred; Will Forte (“Booksmart,” TV’s “The Last Man on Earth”) as Scooby-Doo’s best friend, Shaggy; Jason Isaacs (the “Harry Potter” films, TV’s “The OA”) as the infamous Dick Dastardly; Ken Jeong (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Hangover” trilogy) as Dynomutt; Tracy Morgan (“What Men Want,” TV’s “30 Rock”) as Captain Caveman; Gina Rodriguez (“Deepwater Horizon,” TV’s “Jane the Virgin”) as Velma; Amanda Seyfried (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Ted 2”) as Daphne; two-time Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter,” “The Departed”) as Blue Falcon; and Frank Welker (the “Transformers” franchise) as Scooby-Doo.

“SCOOB!” is directed by Tony Cervone, Annie Award nominee for the feature “Space Jam” and two-time Emmy nominee for his work on “Duck Dodgers.”

Set for a May 15, 2020 release, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Hello Creepy Kingdom Family! I’m bringing you a double whammy today with a mixed recap of both LADY IN THE WHITE and REST IN PIECES. I highly recommend watching both episodes back to back as they pair perfectly together and deliver an intense and pleasurable viewing experience. 

The last time we saw Brooke Thompson, she was on death row and we witnessed her last breath… or so we thought. With help from an unlikely friend, she’s back and thirsty for vengeance. Margaret Booth must pay for what she has done and the life she stole from her. But first, she must adjust to this new life and world, as she spent 1025 days in prison and it’s no longer the 80s. Things are quite different than before. She has a plan to return to Camp Redwood and make sure Margaret never hurts anyone again. But of course, it won’t be that easy as there are several setbacks along the way, including picking up a murderous hitchhiker played by Dylan McDermott.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jingles also returns to Camp Redwood to face his fears and stop Richard Ramirez from doing more harm to his family. His previous victims aren’t going to make it easy for him, though and he discovers that those who die at Camp Redwood never really die and are stuck there forever. Including his Mother, The Lady in White, played by Lily Rabe. Jingles tells his story of the very first massacre at Camp Redwood led by his Mother after losing her youngest son to irresponsible counselors.

While getting ready for the big event at Camp Redwood, Trevor and Montana have a passionate reunion. Margaret’s lust for blood and money continues to grow and she creates a plan to fulfill both of those needs with the help of her new friends.

One of the best things about LADY IN WHITE and REST IN PIECES was seeing familiar faces return to AHS. I freaking love Dylan McDermott and he plays a charismatic lunatic perfectly. I wish he was in all the seasons. Then they delivered us an extra treat with Lily Rabe who is basically a goddess. No matter what season of AHS I’m watching, her character is always phenomenal and steals the show. I had no clue she would be in this AHS 1984 and I was tickled to see her playing Mr. Jingles mother. Perfect casting. She’s absolutely terrifying.

The other thing I loved all the nods to horror films, especially FRIDAY THE 13th. Mr. Jingles’ brother jumps in the water and tragically dies when no one is watching. The counselors were fooling around when they should have been watching him. Sound familiar? And just like in FRIDAY THE 13TH, a mother’s love is a powerful thing and she takes vengeance on the camp and those who failed her. 

Next week’s episode is called FINAL GIRL and I’m dying to see it. I can’t wait to see who the last girl standing will be. Personally, I’m rooting for my girl, Brooke. She’s a fighter. What about you? Let us know and stay creepy!

I've been to a lot of cons in my days. Like a lot. I consider myself a bit of a con veteran, if you will. I know the drill and I come prepared. So when I was invited to attend Spooky Empire (which I've never had the chance to attend for various reasons) I was ecstatic! What I didn't expect was this con to be so very different from what I expected.

Let me begin by saying, every con I've ever been to could use work on their organization. That being said, I found Spooky Empire to be above average but still needs a little tweaking. It was their first year at that the Tampa Bay Convention Center, so I wont dwell here. It's a lot of people, and a lot of stuff. Things slip sometimes. The staff of both Spooky Empire and the TBCC were stellar. I had nothing but splendid interactions with them.

 There were a lot of artists in attendance. For me, the artists are my absolute favorite. Spooky Empire did not disappoint with the artists! We saw both local and regional artists. One who stood out to me in particular was Scott Spillman (@SCOTTSPILLMANART on Instragram). We had the honor of getting to chat with him for about an hour. His passion for his work is abundantly clear. A true artist, he captures light and shadow with careless finesse. His work is striking with the hard contrasts and brilliant colors.

Another artist who stood out was Devin Lawson (@THESPICYDONUT on Instragram). His work stood out to me because of his homage to the original cartoons. They give me such nostalgic vibes while twisting into a macabre image. If you like quirky pop art, go check him out.

 Cosplay was in full effect. Cosplay at Spooky Empire is unlike anything I've ever seen. There were a few comic characters sprinkled in, but these were true horror cosplays. There were some absolutely fantastic cosplayers. A few that stood out to me was Deanna Cilmi (@wonder_woman_deanna_cosplay on Instagram) her cosplay of Jareth the Goblin king was phenomenal. I was very impressed with her props and the attention to detail. One of my absolute favorite interactions was the cosplay couple @cosfxstudios. This couple transform into Lydia and the Ghost with the Most. Their ability to not only look like they stepped off the movie screen, but they are complete characters. We were able to totally immerse ourselves with a beautifully constructed set. They completed the experience with authentic looking props and high resolution photos, both digital and prints.  Also, Victoria Elizabeth Black (@VictoriaElizabethBlack on Instragram) blew me away with their “Doctor Satan” cosplay group. 

I also attended a panel discussion on women in film making. This was a women lead panel, and I learned so much about the struggles women have to be respected as equals in the film industry. It was a privilege to hear from these women regarding advice on how to maneuver through producing, acting in, directing, and creating films. I have the upmost respect for women who climb and work to make their dreams happen. Standouts in this panel were Amy Williams, her passion and drive were obviously clear! Also, ANDYOU Films sent Alea Figueroa to share her insights as a professional actor, producer, and director.

Being a crafter and a maker, I really enjoy the vendors. It's like a Gothic craft fair, and who doesn't want to go to that. There were honestly too many to list my favorites. However, should you find yourself in need of Gothic and horror themed clothes, home decor, toys, jewelry or collectibles, look no further. One of the things I noticed while walking around and chatting with vendors was how very nice everyone was. It was refreshing to attend a con where you are surrounded with positivity and happiness. It was quite a juxtaposition being surrounded by horror and gore. The atmosphere was very friendly and that is so rare in larger cons such as Spooky Empire. As a typical con goes, you have celebrities, vendors, panels and cosplays, but the tell-tale heart of this con is the love and hard work that went into putting it on! I truly enjoyed myself and look forward to their next one!

One of the lost joys in life is the ability to get dressed up in costume and go trick-or-treating. Generally, once you're past your teen years, the activity is taboo unless you have children. Well, my friends, through Disney magic, you too can re-live your childhood and parade around the Magic Kingdom, dressed in costumes and, in fact, Trick-or-treat.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party is a separate ticketed event held on select nights during the Halloween Season. I make this a priority every year, and let me tell you, this year it did not disappoint!

New this year, they had a whole new Halloween castle projection show called, Disney's Not-So-Spooky Spectacular. This was probably the most amazing and advanced show I've ever seen projected onto the castle. One amazing feature was the inclusion of a live action Jack Skellington hosting the show. It is a cannot miss!

I really enjoy the character interactions. They have rare characters, and familiar friends all decked out in their Halloween best! A highlight would include The Pumpkin King himself, along with his best gal, Sally. If villains are your thing as they are mine, they have them!

We had a “spoopy” good time watching the Boo-To-You Parade. Disney parades are always cool, but we really love this parade! The parade opens with a reading of the Headless Horseman poem, and the Hessian himself comes trotting by. We really liked the inclusion of Constance Hatchaway, the bride herself, dancing with the ballroom specters. The whole thing is so much fun!

We had so much energy from all the candy, we stopped at the Monsterous Scream-o-ween Ball and danced with Mike, and Sully from “Monsters, Inc.”. While we didn't ride any attractions, they did have fun overlays on several of their classic attractions. Space Mountain, Pirates of the Carribean and Mad Tea Party all have a Halloween twist to add to the fun! Over at the Haunted Mansion, Madame Carlotta perches on the front lawn of our adored spooky abode, and banters with the mortals while they wait in line. I enjoy the concept, but I think I would have enjoyed it more of she were free roaming and mingling in the crowd. Perhaps similar to the citizens of Main Street.

We also tried a couple of the featured snacks for the party! Over in Liberty square, we tried Constance's “For Better or For Worse” Wedding Cake. This was a lemon raspberry cake with a not too sweet frosting. It was cool and creamy, but slightly tart. We also tried the Headless Horseman Cheesecake. I am admittedly not a pumpkin fan, but my hubby is, and to quote him “I was shocked with how flavorful it was.” So I guess it was good, because I just looked over and it was gone. This was chocolate cake and pumpkin mousse. It was a creamy crispy tasty treat.

There is also a castle stage show called Hocus Pocus villian Spectacular! The Sanderson Sisters from the beloved classic Hocus Pocus, along with other Disney villains, stir up some trouble in the Magic Kingdom! This show plays several times during the evening, so make sure that you stop and watch it once... or twice! At the end of the night we had somewhere around 20 lbs of candy, all from treat stations located around the park. There was so much to do, it is hard to get it all in. I recommend attending more than once if you can.

If you know me at all, you know that I am petrified of spiders. So, sticking my hand into the belly of a pregnant arachnid was not something I ever thought I would do. Or say. Or think about. And yet, there I was, face to face with the horrifying spider mama and her many eyes, trying to complete the scavenger hunt challenge on the second floor of the House of Spirits.

The House of Spirits is an interactive cocktail party with a sort of choose-your-own-adventure vibe. You can stay on the main floor, mingling with the guests and spooky spirits of the house, or venture upstairs to a scary scavenger hunt laid out by the mad artist, Francisco Vega, whose tragic story served as the inspiration for the party. Finally, brave party goers can choose to go down into the two rooms - and two different experiences - in the basement. The basement was dubbed the “most intense” section of the house, which is … accurate.

First things first - when you arrive at the House of Spirits - whose secret location isn’t revealed until you have received your ticket - you immediately come across spooky photo ops, a bar, and one of the hosts of the evening, a ghoul whose spats with his wife throughout the evening reminded me of Carol Kane and Billy Crystal in “The Princess Bride,” to my absolute delight.

When your time slot is about to begin, you line up to receive a tarot card, which is also your ticket to the six themed cocktails on the first floor. And the drinking commences immediately, as you’re handed a sparkling wine cocktail upon entering, AKA, the way I would like to enter every event from now on.

As you explore the first floor - and try all of the cocktails - you will meet a few strange faces who, if you’re lucky, might pull you away for a special tour of the haunted mansion. You’ll also notice that each of the cocktails are themed around the six rooms on the first floor. And they’re delicious - ranging from the Black Magic Margarita to a basic witch apple cinnamon drink that seemed to (unsurprisingly) be a crowd favorite.

My favorite happened to be from the Goya room, because your girl loves Goya’s dark period — and whiskey (Or was it bourbon? Either way, I’m a fan.).

Set design for this event was amazing, with every inch seemingly perfectly decorated to fit their spooky theme. The musicians were even dressed as haunted creatures both frightening and mesmerizing. And I got to partake in my ultimate obsession of late, via a tarot reading from Meline Tovmasian (@melibellishow).

Upstairs you encounter the last six paintings from Vega, before he disappeared. And let me tell you - they are creepy AF. The bad news I have to give you is that if you choose to do the scavenger hunt, know that the demon paintings are warnings of what you will find in each room. As I said earlier, the makeup work at House of Spirits is phenomenal, so be prepared to come face to face with fear, as I did.

If you’re feeling a bit of alcohol-induced confidence, two more unique experiences await you in the basement. I’ll keep the details of those to myself, since they are quite the interesting endeavor.

If you’re lucky, you might even stumble upon the hostess of the party, who could beckon you to the Garden of Despair to tell the tragic story of the home’s former owner, artist Francisco Vega. Once outside, you’ll find a host of evils of a different kind entirely. There, the House of Spirits has yet another bar, as well as a food truck cranking out hand-made pasta and desserts.

Throw in an evil puppet show, and now you’ve got the gist of the House of Spirits experience. It’s not exactly easy to put into words, because it is not exactly like any other fall fare. But for those with macabre inclinations, it could just be the best thing to do on a Friday evening.

If you’re reading this, and worrying you may have missed the haunted party of the year - fear not. House of Spirits has been extended until December 15th, thank Lilith! And if you use code FO2019LAX, you can get $5 off your ticket on the Fever App.

Halloween may be over, but we can keep this season going all year long - or, at least until December 15. Happy haunting!

A workplace robot, AUTO, transforms into a killing machine when he discovers he will be replaced by a more efficient model.

Garo Setian directed, produced, and edited AUTOMATION, and co-wrote alongside Rolfe Kanefsky and Matthew L. Schaffer. The film stars Elissa Dowling (WE ARE STILL HERE), Parry Shen (The HATCHET films), genre multi-hyphenate Graham Skipper (director and writer of SEQUENCE BREAK, actor ALMOST HUMAN, Re-Animator the Musical), Sarah French and Scream Queen Sadie Katz as office employees thrust into peril by a spiteful robot. Garo Setian and Anahit Setian produced for their Hungry Monster Entertainment company, along with Mike Elliott, Greg Holstein, Joseph P. Genier, Rob Kerchner, Esther Goodstein and Dan Bowen.

Automation: 91 min / USA / English

The Blu-Ray release of AUTOMATION includes separate commentaries with Setian and Writer Rolfe Kanefsky and Setian and Anahit Setian with Producer Dan Bowen, deleted and alternate scenes, bloopers, Behind The Scenes featurettes Writing The Screenplay and Building “Auto” with “Evil’ Ted, “Auto’s Voice” An Interview With VO Artist Jim Tasker and bonus interviews with cast and crew!

Blu-Ray Pre-order

Directed by two-time Academy Award®-winner Pete Docter, co-directed by Kemp Powers and produced by Academy Award®-nominee Dana Murray, Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” opens in theaters on June 19, 2020. According to Docter, the idea for the story is 23 years in the making. “It started with my son—he’s 23 now—but the instant he was born, he already had a personality,” says Docter. “Where did that come from? I thought your personality developed through your interaction with the world. And yet, it was pretty clear that we’re all born with a very unique, specific sense of who we are.”

“Soul” introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. “I think Joe is having that crisis that all artists have,” says Powers. “He’s increasingly feeling like his lifelong dream of being a jazz musician is not going to pan out and he’s asking himself ‘Why am I here? What am I meant to be doing?’ Joe personifies those questions.”

The film is set in New York City—inviting filmmakers to capture everything they love about the city of dreams. “I was born and raised in New York,” says Powers. “This is the first time Pixar has gone to my hometown and I’ve been so impressed by the amount of energy that goes into making sure that everything is right. When the character’s in Queens, it looks like he’s in Queens. When he’s in Manhattan, it looks like he’s in Manhattan. It’s pretty incredible.”

The big-city backdrop proves the perfect place to set a story interwoven with jazz music. Globally renowned musician Jon Batiste is writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar® winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, are creating an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds. The teaser trailer offers a taste of what’s in store for moviegoers. “I grew up with Peanuts cartoons and the Vince Guaraldi music,” says Docter. “I feel like it’s coursing through my veins and this is our version of that. Jon Batiste is a fantastic musician—he’s a historian yet is able to push the music forward, bringing all these different influences to the work. I sincerely hope that the jazz music in ‘Soul’ will inspire a whole new generation.”

Adds Murray, “The contrast that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross bring is really exciting. It’s an unexpected choice for Pixar—this is like nothing we’ve ever done before.”

In the film, just when Joe thinks his dream might be in reach, a single unexpected step sends him to a fantastical place where he’s is forced to think again about what it truly means to have soul. That’s where he meets and ultimately teams up with 22, a soul who doesn’t think life on Earth is all it’s cracked up to be. Jamie Foxx lends his voice to Joe, while Tina Fey voices 22. “The comedy comes naturally,” says Murray. “But the subtle emotion that reveals the truth to the characters is really something special.”

The film also features the voices of Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir Questlove Thompson and Daveed Diggs.

November 5, 2019 – After the phenomenal success of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen in 2013, the filmmakers knew they had more stories to tell. Why does Elsa have powers? And why doesn’t Anna? These questions—and many more—will be answered when Frozen 2 opens on November 22. In the new issue of Disney twenty-three, available exclusively to Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, writer/director Jennifer Lee and stars Kristen Bell (voice of Anna) and Josh Gad (voice of Olaf) share a peek at the incredible journey all of the characters must take to save the kingdom of Arendelle in the new movie. The issue also features a gorgeous wrap-around cover created exclusively for D23.

Also coming to theaters soon is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the 42-years-in-the-making thrilling climax to the Skywalker saga. Star John Boyega and director J.J. Abrams talk about reaching this cinematic apex to the nine-film saga. Plus, Boyega shares some amusing on-set stories, including what his final on-set meal was with fellow cast members Daisy Ridley and Naomi Ackie (spoiler alert: “burgers and donuts”).

And Toy Story 4’s breakout spork gets his own collection of 10 shorts on Disney+ when Forky Asks a Question debuts this month. The creative team discusses bringing the hysterically frustrating character to the streaming service and reveals some of the big-name comedy stars lending their voices to the show including Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Betty White (who play the hilariously named Chairol Burnett, Melephant Brooks, Carl Reinosceros, and Bitey White, respectively).

Also included in the Winter issue of Disney twenty-three:

The author of One Day at Disney reveals the stories behind some of his favorite interviews in the dazzling new book

Lea Michele takes a Hawaiian holiday for the new ABC movie Same Time, Next Christmas

A look at the new Disney+ series The Imagineering Story from award-winning documentarian Leslie Iwerks

Stars Billy Campbell and Kathy Najimy preview the new animated series The Rocketeer

The stars and creative team behind Togo—about a man, a dog, and an unbelievable adventure—talk about the real-life inspiration for the new Disney+ film

Kristen Bell enjoys an Encore!, her delightful unscripted series that reunites the casts of high school musicals for one more unforgettable performance

Stunning concept art from beloved films celebrating milestone anniversaries, including Cinderella, Fantasia, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

The cast of the new Frozen on Broadway national tour takes a bow

A peek at all of the incredible Star Wars content and experiences on the way

Every exciting announcement from D23 Expo 2019

From the Desk Of: Disney store’s Jonathan Storey

Regular features including By the Numbers, Character Analysis, D Society, and Ask Dave

I didn’t know a whole lot about Intruder Escape going into it. I loved the sleek imagery online, and had heard some positive buzzing about it, but it was way up in Santa Clarita, and I’m a busy girl. So when my friend Shannon (from Nightmarish Conjurings; also a busy girl) hit me up about repping Creepy Kingdom, on a night that I miraculously had open, I couldn’t refuse. Especially after she promised she would 100% not abandon me. The things that scare me the most (in haunts, but also sometimes in life) are dolls, windows at night, and being alone. Lucky for me, I’d discover Intruder Escape: CULT has a healthy dose of ALL THREE.

The experience really begins before you even get there. They offer a curated playlist on Spotify and the drive up to the massive ranch house was long, dark, winding and severely lacking cell-service. We wondered out loud, “how are we going to get home with no service?” When we arrived, one of the signs for the parking/meeting location had been knocked over so that, of course, added to our adventure. We finally parked, and realized we were over 30 mins early (impressive)! So we sat in the car, in the pitch black, waiting for “The Butler” to fetch us, and freaking ourselves out. When he finally did come, he popped up to my driver side window and rapped loudly on it. I screamed bloody murder, startling Shannon in the process. It was going to be an exciting night.

“The Butler” was, in my opinion, the star of the show. He was tasked with collecting us and explaining things, while also maintaining his character and setting the mood for the evening. He led us from the parking lot to the ominous two-story ranch house, pointing out only a couple of areas that were off-limits. The house was very dimly lit, mostly by candlelight. We were ushered into the main room to sign waivers and read rule sheets. We were then instructed to sit in a circle on cushions on the floor. Looking around the room, I started to notice that it was adorned with religious paraphernalia. Crosses, bibles, framed verses, you name it. Then entered Father Ash.

Father Ash is the young, handsome leader of the “Buchanan Family,” basically the cult we had just become initiates of. As initiates, we had to complete a series of tasks to prove ourselves to him, and loyalty to the family. And of course, we wanted to do that so we could have the answers to all of life’s questions! We took a vow, got some vague instructions, then were handed a mask, map and flashlight. Then we were off to the races. As we began to play, we learned that completed tasks would earn us wristbands, which were points. Encounters with the roaming family members could cost you a wristband and valuable time. Plus, they were creepy as hell, lurking around corners in the house, or hidden in the shadows outside. Further into the night, my fear was finally overcome by my competitive spirit, as I started to see some of the clues come together. I was even a little curious to see what would happen if one of the family members got ahold of me, but there was no way going to sacrifice a point for it! I sacrificed Shannon, instead - “take her!” I didn’t even know I had that survival tactic in me (I’m sorry, Shannon)!

Intruder Escape combines great actors, detailed sets, clearly thought-out gameplay and the perfect location for a top-notch immersive experience that you won’t soon forget. It’s not often that you see an event excel in all of these areas. As we were walking back to the car, I finally had a moment to think about how very impressed I was, and how much fun we actually had! I was exhausted and starving, but the whole experience was worth it. I also loved that we got to keep our cult masks as an added bonus, too bad I can’t remember the chant anymore.

It only took a few nouns and verbs from James Carter II and I was all in. 

Haunted. 

Oktobeerfest.

Depeche Mode tribute band. 

Oingo Boingo tribute band.

Creepy Kingdom arrived at the OC BooHaHa on Friday, October 25th 2019 and were immersed into a 21-and over crowd with the majority dressed in elaborate costumes. There was to be a serious costume contest and I saw so many winners as we walked through the OC Fair Event Center. My head in particular was swinging back and forth to get my bearings because if it were up to me, I would have hopped skipped and jumped my way through the ever, snapping photos and taking videos. Oh my Goth, did you see the impressive Freddy Mercury costume that guy was wearing? However, it was imperative, we get our sampler stein and begin our unlimited beer tasting extravaganza. The beer was cut off at 9pm so, we had to get to work. 

The Boo Ha Ha offered samples of traditional Oktoberfest lagers as well as beers from multiple West Coast Breweries. My taste buds were dancing as I stopped at each sample booth throughout the Hall which was also lined with diverse vendors. They had it all from Apothocary supplies, socks to timeshare previews in Tahoe!

The whole place was decked out with spider webs, purple and orange lights and elaborate photo ops. Creepy Kingdom had a blast posing and modeling at each and every one.   Inside the concert hall guests were offered games to play such as oversized Connect 4 and cornhole. I covered myself with “Hello, My Name Is..” stickers because they had options to change my name from Michelle Halloween to Mighty Oyster and Night Lair. One was my Vampire Name. The other was my beer name. I don’t recall which was what but, I loved it! There were tombstones with laugh-out-loud epitaphs and more spider webs and hay! I’m still so excited!

As with any good event, the OC Boo HaHa treated our eardrums to some fantastic music. Outside the DJ almost had James and I moshing to thrasher metal. But, we decided to save our energy for  the pretty famous Depeche Mode and Oingo Boingo tribute bands. Devotional and Dead Man’s Party.  I have been dying to see each of these bands so yes, my feet were moving and hips were swaying and my especially terrible singing voice was turned all the way up as each group serenaded us with our favorite songs from “Question of Time” to “No One Lives Forever”.

The OC Brew HaHa is truly a Halloween Party and it kicked off our weekend with perfect amount of beer tastings, German sausages and spooky party atmosphere. Its best described as Halloween themed Oktoberfest. I know I can speak for the rest of the Creepy Kingdom team and say we cannot wait until the next OC Brew Haha event!

On the heels of this year’s wildly-popular event, Universal Orlando Resort has revealed the dates for Halloween Horror Nights 2020 – the 30th anniversary of the world’s premier Halloween event.  All-new scares, plus reimagined haunts inspired by the past, will invade Universal Studios Florida for 39 select nights from Thursday, September 10 – Saturday, October 31, 2020.

Guests visiting Universal Orlando’s world-class vacation destination select nights in September and October will be able to experience all of the horrors that await – including 10 brand-new haunted houses, five bone-chilling scare zones, live entertainment and more.

What began as a three-day event in Orlando in 1991 has become the world’s premier Halloween event – Halloween Horror Nights.  Each fall, as the sun sets on days filled with thrills and the night awakens with a frightening chill, the most terrifying names in horror and pop culture take over Universal Studios Florida – forcing guests to come face-to-face with what scares them most. Elaborately-themed haunted houses based on everything from cinematic greats and cult favorites to original abominations created by the twisted minds behind the event come to life – each filled with so much detail, they rival movie sets.  Hordes of menacing scareactors prey upon guests in various scare zones throughout the streets of the park.  And when guests need a break from the screams, they can enjoy live shows and Universal Studios’ most exhilarating rides and attractions.

Halloween Horror Nights has grown into a global phenomenon and can also be experienced at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore each fall. Details and dates for those events will be revealed in the months ahead.

Lupita Nyong’o, star of Universal Pictures and Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele’s, Us, surprised guests on Saturday, October 26, when the Academy Award® winning actress reprised her role as Red within the popular “Us” maze at Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights.”

           The actress donned her character’s recognizable red jumpsuit and fingerless leather gloves as she reenacted her critically-acclaimed role as Red, baiting the many unsuspecting guests entering the infamous classroom scene, artfully recreated from the film….and the results were diabolical.

Lupita, accompanied by her family, also summoned her inner strength to experience the terrifying “Us” maze first-hand, coming face to face with the doppelgängers she portrayed in the movie.

Click here to watch Lupita tour the “Us” maze and reprise her role as Red, and here for select images.

           Tickets are still available for remaining “Halloween Horror Nights” dates: October 30-31 and November 1-3 and can be purchased at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.

           The “Us” maze is also part of “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Orlando Resort.

           Featuring the unnerving labyrinth of underground tunnels that stretch from coast to coast below America, to the disorienting and the ominous uprising of “The Tethered”— doppelgängers of every living man, woman and child in the country—the “Us” maze places guests at the heart of this living nightmare where they quickly realize they are their own worst enemy.

           The journey begins circa 1986 as guests follow in the footsteps of the young girl they first meet as Adelaide Wilson as she innocently ventures through a mirror funhouse at the Santa Cruz boardwalk and has a fateful and traumatic encounter with her tethered doppelgänger, an event that will forever alter both of their lives.  The harrowing experience then transitions to present day, thrusting guests into the chaos of “The Tethered” uprising as they emerge from their tunnels to murder their privileged doubles in a nationwide coordinated act of rebellion.

           "Halloween Horror Nights" at Universal Studios Hollywood brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. This year’s event features 10 terrifying mazes inspired by today’s most compelling movie and television horror properties as well as a selection of all-original horror-themed mazes envisioned by the masters behind the creation of “Halloween Horror Nights.”  As Southern California’s premier Halloween event, “Halloween Horror Nights” is designed to taunt, terrorize and torment guests as they navigate the darkness from one frightening maze to another.

           Updates on “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood are available online at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com and on Facebook at: “Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood,” Instagram at @HorrorNights and Twitter at @HorrorNights as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information. Watch videos on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube and join the conversation using #UniversalHHN

Heeeeereeesss ME!!!! I’m so sorry for that everyone. I kind of had to. Welp!, Now that’s out of the way...Let’s get into this review, shall we? Doctor Sleep is of course based upon the book of the same name by legendary author Stephen King. The story takes place years after the events of “The Shining” and follows Danny Torrence all grown up. Now played by Ewan McGregor, who’s a recovering alcoholic who gets a job at a hospital and talks to the patients who are about to pass on into the next life. Later on, Danny meets a girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran) with the same powers as him. When a cult group named The True Knot come around and prey on children and sucks their souls right out of them, Danny tries to protect Abra and defeat The True Knot and it’s leader Rose the Hat (Rebbeca Ferguson). Sounds like a fun romp huh? 

I had a couple of days to think about what I thought of this movie. When I left the press screening, I quickly answered: “This movie is OK, not great and it didn’t wow me unlike writer & director Mike Flanagan’s previous work.” After processing my thoughts, I come to a conclusion with I did enjoy this movie very much as it’s both a sequel to Kubrick’s movie as well as elements of the recent book. Although I have read neither of the books (Don’t @ me), “Doctor Sleep” very much works as a sequel to the movie. Ewan’s portrayal as older Danny is a very sad man who of course tries to redeem himself from the trauma he’s suffered from The Overlook Hotel incident. The main villain Rose the leader of the cult is my favorite character of the movie and as I was talking to another fellow critic, we would like to see a spin-off movie on how Rose and the rest of The True Knot gang came to be. I thought Abra was an interesting addition to this movie and I thought Kyliegh did a fine job portraying her and she does some pretty badass tricks during the middle of the movie. 

Getting back to writer/director Mike Flanagan for a second...I’ve been a fan of his since I first saw “Oculus”. A movie the flew under my radar and became one of my favorite movies of 2013. He also made that purely amazing “Ouija” sequel that’s 10 billion times more watchable than the god awful first one. He has a specific style I like very much and I thought he brought some of his styles to this. There were a few things I found interesting about this movie as it is a sequel, The score by The Newton Brothers (Mike Flanagan’s goto film composers) stayed true to the original score that Wendy Carlos first brought us back in 1980 as well as added some of their flavor to the mix. 

“Sleep” also brought back some familiar characters. I won’t give too much away but the actors portraying these characters did a unique job at the impressions and the mannerisms. Ok, I’ll give one thing away...Danny’s mom originally portrayed by Shelley Duval now played by Alex Essoe perfectly imitates Shelley’s performance. Now, If you REALLY don’t want to know about what happens in the 3rd act, I suggest you stop reading now if you want to hear what happens. I’ll give you at least five seconds. 

5 4 3 2 1 Ok,...So the 3 act Takes Danny & Abra and basically invites Rose to you guessed it, The Overlook Hotel for the final battle. It also begins exactly the way “The Shining” begins with the helicopter shot going through the lake all the way to following the car as it drives to the hotel. When we get there, everything you remember from the Kubrick movie is recreated in “Sleep”. All the hallways, the main room, room 237, etc. I enjoyed the final battle very much as well as the execution of the finale. All in all, It’s a satisfying sequel to the movie rather than the book. 

To wrap things up, If you’re looking for a straight-up adaptation to “Doctor Sleep”, look somewhere else, but if you wanted a sequel to the Stanley Kubrick 1980’s horror classic with some elements of “Doctor Sleep”, you came to the right place. At just 2 hours and 40 mins, I think Flanagan who edited this movie kept the pace flowing throughout to make this a fun and interesting horror/thriller. Definitely catch it with an audience when it comes to theaters with a special screening on Halloween night October 31st (as of this review) and when it officially comes out on November 8th. 

Rating: B-