Yesterday we got the first glimpse of Tom Hanks as Walt Disney in Saving Mr Banks and now the new trailer is available.
Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.Read More »Saving Mr. Banks First Trailer
Disney released this first still from Saving Mr. Banks earlier today, showing Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers. The pair appear to be at Disneyland. The film, which opens in select theatres on December 13, follows Walt’s struggle… Read More »First Look: Tom Hanks in Character as Walt
“Much Ado About Nothing”, directed, adapted and produced by Joss Whedon (director of “The Avengers” and now the unofficial Marvel God) was released last week (in a limited release and will be gaining theaters as its run progresses) to the tune of an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is a re-imagining of the classic Shakespeare romantic comedy set in modern times, though utilizing the same exact script, and was filmed in black and white, in Whedon’s home within a 12 day shooting period.
I had the opportunity to catch a screening of the film last night and I enjoyed it immensely. I am not a huge fan of Shakespeare, but I have always enjoyed Much Ado, though the last time I viewed the play was 4 years ago. The first scene of the film appeared and I was incredibly confused. To jump right into Shakespearean speak is always a daunting task, but by the 3rd scene, I was enthralled. The film had multiple laugh out loud moments and an incredible score that needs an Oscar nomination. It is a must-see film in my book.
This was a passion project of Whedon’s, a nice palate cleanser between huge superhero films. While watching, I couldn’t help but think, why can’t Disney do this anymore? Last year they released “The Odd Life of Timothy Green”, which was JUST what I wanted. Was the summer release date a good choice for a movie of that nature? Heck no, but it was a refreshing change of pace for Disney and I loved it.Read More »Joss Whedon takes a break from Big Budget…why can’t Disney do the same?
The Walt Disney Studios just revealed their updated theatrical release schedule. Included in the announcement (reproduced below) are a name change for the upcoming Muppets film, formerly titled The Muppets… Again!, and the first official mention of a sequel to DisneyToon Studios’ Cars spinoff, Planes. SAVING MR.… Read More »Disney Reveals Updated Movie Release Schedule
A terrific collection of photos from around Disneyland on November 6th and 7th can be found over on LaughingPlace.com. The park was playing host to a Hollywood movie production for “Saving Mr. Banks” complete with mega stars and set design meant to recapture the early… Read More »Disneyland goes Retro for Saving Mr. Banks
(RtoL) Julie Andrews, Walt Disney and P.L. Travers
We’re still waiting for our Walt Disney bio-pic, but production has finally begun on a movie that focuses on one of the most interesting chapters in Walt’s life, his 20-year courting of P.L. Travers in order to secure the movie rights to her popular novels and the character Mary Poppins, and the testy partnership the upbeat filmmaker develops with the uptight author during the project’s pre-production in 1961. Walt knew he had a good thing there and the success of Mary Poppins allowed the Walt Disney Company to make many more innovations, including financing most of the 1967 expansion at Disneyland and transportation at WDW. This will be the first time Walt Disney has been portrayed in a dramatic movie production.
Two-time Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia,” “Forrest Gump”) will portray the legendary Disney alongside fellow double Oscar-winner Emma Thompson (“Howard’s End,” “Sense and Sensibility”) in the role of the prickly novelist. Before actually signing away the book’s rights, Travers’ demands for contractual script and character control circumvent not only Disney’s vision for the film adaptation, but also those of the creative team of screenwriter Don DaGradi and sibling composers Richard and Robert Sherman, whose original score and song (Chim-Chim-Cher-ee) would go on to win Oscars at the 1965 ceremonies (the film won five awards of its thirteen nominations).
“Saving Mr. Banks” will film entirely in the Los Angeles area, with key locations to include Disneyland in Anaheim and the Disney Studios in Burbank. Filming will conclude around Thanksgiving, 2012, with no specific 2013 release date yet set.
When Travers travels from London to Hollywood in 1961 to finally discuss Disney’s desire to bring her beloved character to the motion picture screen (a quest he began in the 1940s as a promise to his two daughters), Disney meets a prim, uncompromising sexagenarian not only suspect of the impresario’s concept for the film, but a woman struggling with her own past. During her stay in California, Travers’ reflects back on her childhood in 1906 Australia, a trying time for her family which not only molded her aspirations to write, but one that also inspired the characters in her 1934 book.
Read More »Production Begins on “Saving Mr. Banks” starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney