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Exclusive: Former Disney/Pixar veteran Michael Agulnek has joined Sony Pictures as EVP Global Publicity, where he will report to Danielle Misher, Co-Head of Theatrical Marketing.

In addition, Rose Phillips has been promoted to EVP Global Digital Marketing and Social Media. Reporting to Elias Plishner in the Global Marketing department, Phillips will continue to work across the studio’s film and TV content including via Sony Pictures Global Digital Creative, Social Media as well as the new Influencer Marketing Team.

Agulnek will oversee the Motion Picture Group’s global publicity teams to develop and execute strategic campaigns covering the theatrical and home entertainment windows across the studio’s labels including Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Animation.

He counts more than three decades working as a marketing and public relations executive, most recently as VP Worldwide Publicity at Pixar Animation Studios, where he oversaw global...

Moana 2 Worldwide Box Office: Beats Despicable Me 3 ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Disney’s Moana 2 is still touching new milestones despite being available on digital platforms. It has now surpassed Finding Dory and Despicable Me 3’s worldwide haul to solidify its position in the Top 50 all-time grosser list. The film collected strong numbers on its 10th weekend across the international markets to achieve such an amazing feat. Scroll below for the deets.

Finding Dory is also a Disney movie produced by the Pixar Animation Studios and part of the Finding Nemo franchise. It is both a sequel and spin-off following the events of Finding Nemo. It collected $486.29 million in the US and $1.029 billion worldwide. The animated feature is now the 50th highest-grossing film of all time, beaten by the Moana sequel.

Another film that has been surpassed by Moana 2 is Despicable Me 3, which is now the #49 highest-grossing...

Outside of China and the strong start for Lunar New Year titles, it was a fairly sleepy weekend at the international box office. There was some expansion and one new studio entry while most of the rest of the field is made up of holdovers from the end of last year. And yet, we’ve got some new benchmarks to note.

To wit, Disney’s Moana 2, as it nears the end of its run, has now surpassed Finding Dory and Despicable Me 3 to become the No. 9 animated release of all time globally with $1.037B.

Meanwhile, Disney, Mufasa: The Lion King has topped $650M worldwide, now with $653M. In its 7th weekend, it added another $11.7M from the international box office, a slight 29% dip versus last frame. The overseas cume is $423.5M. The Top 5 markets are France ($39.5M), UK ($36.6M), Germany ($29.3M), Mexico...

Moana 2 Worldwide Box Office: Enters Top 50 Highest-Grossing Movies Of All Time List (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Moana 2 has lived up to the hype and crossed the one billion mark worldwide, but it is still not the end for it. The Disney sequel has surpassed the Harry Potter movie and Alice in Wonderland to enter the top 50 highest-grossing films of all time list. The sequel is set three years after the events of the first film as Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho return to reprise their roles. Keep scrolling for the deets.

Alice in Wonderland is a dark fantasy adventure film by Tim Burton featuring Mia Wasikowska in the title role, with Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Matt Lucas, Helena Bonham Carter, and Crispin Glover. The voice role features Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, and Timothy Spall. The movie earned $334.19 million in the United States and $1.025 billion worldwide. It has...

There is some confusion about whether or not actress Kaitlin Olson is one of the Olsen twins.

Kaitlin Olson, known for her role as Dee Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, has had a successful career spanning television and film, including starring in The Mick and voicing Destiny in Finding Dory. 

She has also received multiple Emmy nominations, including for her role as DJ in Hacks, and currently stars in the ABC crime drama High Potential.

Read full article on The Direct.

Moana 2 Worldwide Box Office: Surpasses Zootopia( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Disney’s Moana 2 is still unstoppable despite clocking in over one billion worldwide. It is still minting a significant amount of money at the box office and has now surpassed Zootopia. It is set to beat Finding Dory’s global haul to enter the list of the top 10 highest-grossing animated movies of all time. It is also expected to beat Despicable Me 3’s collection to further solidify its place in the top 10 list. Scroll below for more.

Zootopia is an animated buddy cop comedy movie released in 2016. It was directed by Byron Howard and won the Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards. A sequel is in the making and is scheduled to be released this year. The animated feature collected $341.26 million in the US and $1.025 billion at the worldwide box office.

Based on Luiz Fernando’s report,...

Still a lot of holdover business in the early part of the year at the international box office as we ride out late-2024 releases. That shouldn’t take away from the fact that Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King – which, recall, initially started softer than expected – now leads a global weekend for the 6th time in a row.

Meanwhile, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is still tearing up records. After becoming the biggest of the franchise globally last weekend, it’s now tops for the trilogy overseas.

Starting with Mufasa, the worldwide total to date is $626.7M, while the running international cume is $405.6M.

Overseas, Mufasa added $15.4M this session (-29%) and is still the No. 1 non-local film in France, Germany, Spain, Brazil and the Latin American region overall as well as many smaller markets.

The Top 5 markets to date are: France ($38.1M), UK ($34.7M...

The ABC series Modern Family has been a staple hit in the realm of sitcoms. And the captivating tales of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family not only garnered widespread attention amidst a sea of sitcoms but also propelled the show’s cast into the spotlight.

Modern Family | Credit: ABC

Among the actors whose career skyrocketed thanks to the show is Ty Burrell, who portrayed the lovable and goofy family man, Phil Dunphy. The role was pivotal, following the challenges and struggles he faced early in his career.

Modern Family star Ty Burrell opened up about his early struggles as an actor

Before taking on the role of Phil Dunphy in the ABC sitcom, Modern Family, Ty Burrell’s acting credits included several film and TV roles, including the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead and Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk.

Ty Burrell in Dawn of the Dead | Credit: Universal Pictures

However, his...

Moana 2 has hit a milestone that cements it as a record-breaking hit. The movie is a sequel to Disney's 2016 animated hit and follows the title character (Auli'i Cravalho) amassing a crew and going on a new adventure with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson). The voice cast also includes Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, and Alan Tudyk. The Moana 2 release kicked off the day before U.S. Thanksgiving, climbing to a whopping $139.8 million domestic debut that weekend.

Per Variety, Moana 2 has already reached a total of $882.5 million at the worldwide box office. In addition to passing the $850 million milestone, which is something that only 92 other movies have done in cinema history, the movie is expected to pass the $1 billion milestone worldwide in early 2025. This would make it the fourth Walt Disney Animation Studios movie to ever reach that staggering height, after...

Kelsey Mann had worked at Pixar in a variety of capacities but never directed a feature when he was called in for a meeting with company president Jim Morris and chief creative officer Pete Docter. “I had no idea what the meeting was about,” Mann told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “I knew it was either going to be the worst meeting in the world or the best.” Luckily for Mann, it turned out to be the best, because it was the meeting where Docter asked him if he would be interested in telling a new story in the world of “Inside Out.”

The movie that resulted, “Inside Out 2,” is not only the biggest box office hit of 2024 but one of those sequels, like “The Empire Strikes Back” or “Terminator 2,” that both delivers the satisfactions of the original and deepens and expands upon its ideas. For Mann, one...

Ty Burrell has forever cemented his status as America's favorite dad. Through an iconic run as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family, Burrell's quirky humor, heartfelt moments, and perfect comedic timing have made him a household sitcom name. However, beyond television, Burrell has also built an impressive filmography. For instance, he's surprisingly a member of the iconic Black Hawk Down cast, in which he delivers an unsuspectedly grounded performance. Amid the film's gripping intensity, Burrell proved himself to be a true, versatile actor.

Burrell's performance in Modern Family remains by far his most iconic, with Mr. Dunphy's hilarious, signature sense of childlike wonder redefining the otherwise cheesy sitcom dad. Additionally, as a member of the Mr. Peabody & Sherman voice cast, Burrell's versatility extends beyond live-action media. This unexpectedly dynamic career is filled with diverse roles, making it hard to pick 10 of the best, especially with so many projects we forgot Ty...

Disney’s giant blockbuster franchises achieved a near-impossible feat at the worldwide box office in 2016 — and that feat may never be repeated by another studio (or even by Disney itself). The Mouse House has made an impressive recovery at the box office this year with a trio of massive hits culminating in Moana 2. The Disney brand hit an all-time low in 2022 and 2023 with bombs like The Marvels, Strange World, and the Haunted Mansion reboot, and commercial disappointments like Elemental, The Little Mermaid, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

But in 2024, Disney has made an impressive comeback at the box office. It had the two highest-grossing movies of the year with Pixar’s Inside Out 2, the highest-grossing animated movie ever made, and Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever made. As impressive as Disney’s box office recovery in 2024 was,...

Moana 2 Box Office (North America): 2nd Monday Update (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Disney’s Moana 2 attains another remarkable feat at the box office in North America. Despite having weaker legs this Monday, they collected more than Frozen I & II’s second Monday collections. But the animated feature has been beaten by Wicked on Monday as it pushed the sequel to #2 in the domestic box office chart. Scroll below for the deets.

The movie has beaten Frozen II almost in every aspect. The 2024 sequel surpassed Frozen II’s opening weekend collection and is touching milestones every now and then. For the uninitiated, it is the sequel to 2016’s Moana, which was also a huge commercial success, and a live-action Moana is in the making. This sequel is already the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year and has already reached the $600 million mark.

According to Luiz Fernando’s report, Moana 2...

One of the final major releases coming out in 2024 is Nosferatu, a remake of the 1922 film of the same name, which itself was based on Bram Stoker's original Dracula book. The film is being directed by Robert Eggers, with Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, and Nicholas Hoult headlining Nosferatu's stellar cast. Willem Dafoe is only playing a supporting character in the film, but if the movie manages to be as successful as its pre-release interest is hinting at, he may make it out with another box office milestone under his belt.

Willem Dafoe has been acting since the 1980s, earning a reputation as an extremely versatile actor, able to take on roles that run the gamut from campy supervillains to insane lighthouse keepers, with Dafoe even having been in a previous Nosferatu movie. He tends to take on a supporting role as opposed to being the central protagonist, but...

Moana 2 Box Office (North America): Beats Deadpool & Wolverine’s Debut Weekend (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Moana 2 was expected to do well in its debut weekend, but it has completely exploded at the box office, shattering the records of Frozen II, The Super Mario Bros Movie, and Deadpool & Wolverine. It was a major force in helping to cross the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend total beyond the $400 million mark for the first time. It has attained several amazing feats with its debut weekend collection. Scroll below for the deets.

Previously, we reported that the Disneey sequel surpassed Frozen II’s $130 million debut within around three days of its release. The industry anticipated the total numbers after the first weekend, and they are far more incredible. The film brought a wave of new records for upcoming films to break. It played in the theatres along with Wicked and Gladiator II. All the...

Back in the day, you could just throw any old bullshit into the end credits of a movie. In fact, filmmakers were fond of splicing the funniest bad takes into the infinite scroll, because why not? It was just some noise to play while people filed out of the theater. Now, we’re all used to hanging around for the post-credits scene, so we pay more attention, and it turns out some end credit choices are completely unhinged.

“So I watched Edge of Tomorrow yesterday for the first time,” Redditor TheAlmightyTapir told r/Movies, “and it was a good action/sci-fi movie. I liked it. And the ending was nice right up until the credits kicked in with, ‘Iiiiiiiiii Need To Knoooooow Now!’ It was incredibly jarring, and it got me thinking if there are any other movies out with an incredibly poor/random choice of music in the end credits.

While almost all of Pixar’s movies were well-received critically, six of their outings have the unfortunate distinction of ruining the studio’s staggering streak at the Academy Awards. All of Pixar’s movies have their fans, and the studio’s output is often viewed as some of the best family animations that Hollywood has to offer. Since the studio blazed onto the scene with the 1995 blockbuster Toy Story, Pixar married smart scripts, captivating characters, and original ideas with groundbreaking animation. Not only was the studio a leader in 3D animation, but Pixar also had the quality to back up this novelty.

Related Every Upcoming Pixar Movie & TV Show

Here is every upcoming Pixar movie and TV show slated for release over the next few years, from new originals like Elio to sequels like Toy Story 5.

While Pixar’s best movies prove that the studio is capable of generating...

Saturday Update: With over-performance in all corners, Disney’s Moana 2 is now eyeing a global opening of $370M+ through Sunday. Anything but a turkey, domestic‘s super-charged Thanksgiving frame is looking at $215M-$220M, while the international box office is expected to ride a wave past $150M. Through Friday, the worldwide cume is $192.7M.

As we noted yesterday (see below), it’s important to recall that without holidays overseas, weekend play is key for the sequel. Based on results through Friday, signs are pointing upwards.

Friday added a further nine offshore markets, including the U.K., Spain and China, taking the full total to 48 material markets to date. Through Friday, the international running total is $52.7M. That’s an estimated 185% ahead of the first Moana on a like-for-like basis.

The U.K. Friday was the second highest Walt Disney Animation Studios opening day of all time (behind only Frozen 2...

In the wake of one of the best pre-Thanksgiving frames in over a decade with Wicked and Gladiator II drumming up a $200M-plus frame, crowded lobbies around the world will remain intact this week as Disney’s Moana 2 joins the fray with what’s expected to be a $225M+ largely day-and-date global opening.

That’s just below the $295M that Disney’s own Inside Out 2 drummed up earlier this year; that Pixar pic remaining the top animated movie of all time and the best 2024 has seen thus far at $652.9M domestic, and $1.69 billion (you can read the screenplay here). Folks like AMC circuit boss Adam Aron believe Moana 2 could top that.

Moana 2 starts stateside previews at 2 p.m. Tuesday and rolls out abroad on Wednesday, looking to make $100M+ overseas and anywhere from $125M-$135M over its five day-domestic Thanksgiving Day stretch at 4,100 locations. It...

Inside Out 2 has become one of 2024s biggest successes, and its now proving why Pixar is reversing its stance on sequels. As its now a tradition for the studio, Pixar keeps releasing at least one movie per year, and 2024 saw the long-awaited release of Inside Out 2. Directed by Kelsey Mann, Inside Out 2 reunited the audience with Riley Andersen (voiced by Kensington Tallman), now a 13-year-old, and the emotions in charge of everything at the Headquarters in her head: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Liza Lapira), Fear (Tony Hale), and Anger (Lewis Black).

Inside Out 2 follows Riley as she enters puberty and attends a weekend hockey camp with her best friends, who tell her they wont be attending the same high school. To make it more complicated for Riley, a group of new emotions arrive at the Headquarters: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. Anxiety takes over,...

Moana 2 could be on its way to vastly outgrossing the original Disney animated movie. The original Moana debuted in 2016 and grossed $687.2 million at the global box office against a budget of roughly $150 million. This was enough to make it the 12th highest-grossing movie of the year worldwide, during a period that featured intense competition from hits including Captain America: Civil War and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Additionally, it was the fourth highest-grossing animated movie of the year, behind Finding Dory, Zootopia, and The Secret Life of Pets.

The upcoming Moana 2 will feature the return of Aulii Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson as the voices of Moana and the demigod Maui respectively. The movie, which was originally developed as a Disney+ series before being converted into a feature, already broke a major record a month before its November 27 release. It has sold the highest number of first-day advance...

Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann suggests Pixar has more original films in development than it seems, despite the studios latest surge of sequels. The various upcoming releases and confirmed titles Pixar has in development include Toy Story 5 and Incredibles 3. The line-up has led many to question whether Pixar will sacrifice original works to further rely on their well-established franchises, particularly as they come on the heels of Inside Out 2's blockbuster success.

In a recent interview with Empire, Mann, who has also contributed to various Pixar movies over the years, addressed these concerns, suggesting Pixars production pipeline may be more diverse than expected. He hints that there are many original projects currently in the works outside the public's view. Read Manns full response here:

Were always trying to find a balance. I have to think about what you know about... Your number of originals and sequels...

For more than a decade, the cast of Modern Family entertained fans with their shenanigans. Featuring a dysfunctional family that was relatable to the max, the ABC sitcom saw the story of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family and their lives in LA. The show won several Primetime Emmys during its run, including Outstanding Comedy Series five times.

It has been four years since the final episode of the sitcom aired and fans have definitely missed the family a lot. Many child actors grew up with the show and have gone on to graduate in their careers. The adults have since gone on to work on several other projects. Here is an update on all the main cast members of Modern Family.

Ed O’Neill – Jay Pritchett Ed O’Neill in Modern Family | Credits: ABC

The patriarch of the Pritchett family, Ed O’Neill is known for his disdain for Phil, his hyper-masculine personality,...

Ellen DeGeneres has been one of the greatest television personalities, thanks to her iconic shows like Ellen and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The latter became a massive hit and set a new bar for talk shows. However, in 2020, the show faced a huge controversy after becoming the center of toxic work environment allegations.

Ellen DeGeneres in The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Credits: Warner Bros. Television

Although the titular host and the executive producers publicly apologized for everything, DeGeneres’ reputation took such a hit after the scandal that the show ultimately ended its run in 2022.

What went wrong with The Ellen DeGeneres Show? The final episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Credits: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

In a report published by BuzzFeed, numerous former employees and a current employee revealed several off-screen secrets of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The executive producer and senior officials were accused of day-to-day toxicity and harassment on-set.

Freeform is giving big Disney energy all November long with so much goodness one can’t afford to miss a night. 30 Days of Disney returns with themed weeks that make it easy to kick back and enjoy the magic of Disney with friends and family.

The programming event features a lineup of beloved films from the entire Walt Disney catalog, including Disney Animated classics like Lilo & Stitch, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast and Disney-Pixar titles, including a Toy Story movie marathon, Wall-e, Inside Out, and modern fan favorites Soul and Turning Red.

Disney’s most beloved musicals will have viewers singing along to favorite songs this Nov. 4-8, with films like Aladdin, Moana, Encanto, and Frozen/Frozen 2. Favorite Disney villains will take evil to new heights, and they are beloved for it. From Nov. 11-15, watch out for Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Scar from The Lion King, and...

The best quotes in Finding Nemo highlight the humor, heart, and clever storytelling in the animated classic. The Pixar movie captured audiences with its deep sea adventure about a protective clownfish who teams with a memory-challenged fish to find his missing son. As with many of the best Pixar movies, Finding Nemo gets its magic from the ability to combine all-ages fun with a profound story that will touch audiences on a deeper level. The best Finding Nemo quotes speak to this brilliant mix.

Finding Nemo has emerged as perhaps Pixars most successful series after Toy Story, and it is justified as the film can be enjoyed by adults just as much as their kids love it. The movie won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, while also being nominated for its quotable original screenplay. There are several lessons in the movie for all kinds of generations, and these quotes demonstrate that for the audience.

Father-son duo Dan and Eugene Levy hosted the Emmys this year, and they kicked off the night by addressing some of the most heated debates of pop culture — including whether or not “The Bear” is actually a comedy.

First and foremost though, the Levy’s poked fun at the fact that more and more major stars are acting in TV series, joking that the Emmys is now television’s “biggest night for honoring movie stars on streaming services.”

Eugene even called out his own movie career, noting that he’s played plenty of dads on screen, like in “American Pie” and “Finding Dory,” but admitted that his favorite father role was being Dan’s dad.

“In ‘Schitt’s Creek,'” he clarified. “‘Cause it got me my first acting Emmy.”

“Why are we applauding bad parenting?” Dan shot back.

The duo then turned their attention to “The Bear,” which walked into...

Pixar's Win or Lose is the studio's most exciting upcoming project, but the TV series is also under a lot of pressure to succeed. Even with 23 Academy Award wins and box office record-breaking hits like Inside Out 2 under its belt, Pixar is still navigating an uneven path forward with Disney. Acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2006, right around the time the original Cars movie hit the big screen, Pixar has managed to produce original content over the last two decades or so. However, there's no denying the recent shift in the animation studio's trajectory.

For every Turning Red and Elemental, Pixar has an Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and Inside Out 2 at the ready. Plus, it's those franchise-spawning sequels that have earned Pixar its biggest box office draws. Both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar have leaned harder into sequels and established IP in recent years,...

Spoilers for numerous Pixar films to follow.

For nearly 30 years, going back to its innovative first feature "Toy Story," Pixar has defined excellence in creative and animated storytelling. Its films have been wildly successful at the box office, with "Inside Out 2" recently grossing billions at the box office, and the studio itself has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature 11 times. Pixar continues to produce feel-good stories that shape childhoods everywhere; yet, for all their warm and fuzzy moments (such as Woody and Buzz becoming friends or Dory speaking whale), what Pixar movies are really, really good at is making us cry — kids and adults alike. So, since we're feeling masochistic, this list ranks the saddest moments in Pixar films.

Read more: The 23 Best Kids Movies That Adults Will Also Love

Joe's Epiphany In Soul

/Film alum Hoai-Tran Bui once described "Soul" as not just one of the...

Is there an emotion named Cha-ching?

In just a matter of days, we could see a huge shake-up to the list of the Top 10 biggest domestic movies of all time. “Inside Out 2” has currently amassed $646 million at the U.S. box office, which puts it only about $7 million away from the current 10th place film, “Jurassic World” (2015), and its $653 million haul. See the list of all time domestic top-grossing movies.

“Inside Out 2” is directed by Kelsey Mann and stars the voice talents of Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman and Liza Lapira, among others. The Pixar and Walt Disney collaboration features the return of several beloved emotions who must deal with a new set of feelings as the human child they all inhabit enters adulthood.

See 2024 box office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million

It only took “Inside Out 2” two days to reach the $100 million...

Brad Bird's return to helm Incredibles 3 brings relief for fans, as only he can bring the characters to life at the level they deserve. Pixar boss Pete Docter praises Bird's unique style and storytelling, namely his ability to tackle sociological themes in movies that are otherwise a "fun romp". Bird's passion and attention to detail make him the logical choice to direct the highly anticipated sequel.

Incredibles 3 gets a promising tease from Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter. The third installment in The Incredibles franchise was formally announced at D23 Expo in August, with the confirmation that Brad Bird would return as director and is hard at work at developing the story. Bird wrote and directed both previous installments of the Pixar franchise, which were massive critical and commercial successes, with the original Incredibles winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar and nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing.

Toy Story 4's emotional ending might be overshadowed by Toy Story 5, with Woody's return hinted at in the new sequel. Toy Story 5 brings back Andrew Stanton as a writer and now also as the director, potentially retconning Woody's storyline from the previous film. The teaser image for Toy Story 5 suggests Woody's reunion with his friends may not be as straightforward as it seems.

Five years after its wildly successful release, Toy Story 4's emotional ending still sticks in my mind, but recent news about Toy Story 5 makes me think the previous movie's conclusion is about to be rendered inert. The fourth movie in the Toy Story series took over $1 billion at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing Pixar movies of all time. The movie's financial triumph is one thing, but I think its emotional ending to the saga was actually pretty fitting.

The official announcement at D23 of Pixar’s Andrew Stanton writing and directing “Toy Story 5” is a big deal. Stanton has co-written the previous four “Toy Story” films, receiving Oscar nominations for the original and the third film.

But now as a director, he finally gets to be in total control of the franchise he helped establish. So if there was going to be a fifth “Toy Story,” he’s the perfect director for a couple of reasons.

The first is that, since “Wall-e,” Stanton has been fascinated with science fiction and the dangers of ubiquitous technology. The story for the fifth “Toy Story” allows him to double down on that fascination.

“Let’s be real,” Stanton told the packed Honda Center in Anaheim on Friday night. “Toys have some serious competition these days with phones, tablets, and technology everywhere. So, this time around, it’s toys vs. tech.

Pixar took the centerstage at the Disney Entertainment Showcase Panel at D23 on Friday, August 9th, revealing a number of exciting new projects including Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and an Inside Out spin-off series coming to Disney+.

The biggest news of the night may have been the announcement of Toy Story 5, set for release in 2026. The film will be written and directed by Andrew Stanton, who helmed Wall-e, Finding Nemo, and Finding Dory. He also wrote the previous Toy Story films, including 2019’s Toy Story 4.

At D23, Stanton spoke about how the Toy Story toys have always tried to be there for their kids. “Their jobs get exponentially harder when our toy crew goes head to head with what our kids are obsessed with today: electronics.” He then revealed the below concept art, featuring Woody, Buzz, Forky, Jessie, Rex, and others facing their new mortal enemy: a tablet screen.

Last year, we learned that "Toy Story 5" would be coming to theaters in 2026, but that was pretty much all we knew about Pixar's sequel to its longest-running and arguably most beloved film franchise. Thankfully, though, Disney and Pixar have revealed some more information about the upcoming follow-up at tonight's D23 Expo panel presentation in Anaheim, and /Film's Jacob Hall was on hand to experience it in person.

Andrew Stanton, the Pixar veteran who directed animated movies like "A Bug's Life," "Finding Nemo," "Wall*E," and "Finding Dory," is officially returning to the studio to write and direct "Toy Story 5." This is a homecoming for him in more ways than one: He's spent the past several years directing live-action TV shows like "Better Call Saul," "3 Body Problem," and more, and Stanton was also one of the credited writers on the original "Toy Story" way back in 1995.

As for the plot,...

With “Inside Out 2” blowing the roof off the summer box office, Disney and Pixar are all steam ahead on the sequel train. Next up on the slate is a return to the IP that reshaped the world of animation, “Toy Story 5.” Disney CEO Bob Iger announced development on the new installment in early 2023, with a release date later being set for June 19, 2026. At the same time as Iger’s announcement came, Buzz Lightyear star Tim Allen also shared via X, formerly known as Twitter, that he would be lending his voice to the iconic character once again. Though it had been rumored Pixar brain trust member and creative mainstay Andrew Stanton would be directing the 5th entry in the long-running animated film series, his involvement was confirmed at D23 today, in addition to new details being revealed.

Stanton has contributed to every “Toy Story” script since the inception of the inaugural Pixar film,...

Pixar’s next installment of the “Toy Story” series is starting to take shape, as it was officially announced at the D23 Expo in Anaheim on Friday that “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton will write and co-direct the upcoming project hitting theaters in 2026.

Stanton will co-direct with McKenna Jean Harris, who directed the Disney+ animated short “Ciao Alberto” based on the film “Luca.”

Stanton says that in the new film, Woody and the gang will find their jobs to make kids happy facing their toughest challenge yet: electronics. The crowd laughed at a concept art of all the toys looking sadly at a kid gazing a tablet from under the bed covers.

Stanton also revealed that there will be an army of Buzz Lightyear toys that are controlled by computers that will make things miserable for everyone.

Stanton is one of the founding fathers of Pixar, having served as writer...

Ty Burrell won’t be making a comeback to ABC after all. The network officially passed on the pilot for “Forgive & Forget,” a new comedy from Eugene Garcia-Cross and Robin Shorr in which the “Modern Family” actor was set to EP and star.

The news comes as ABC greenlit the Tim Allen-led comedy series “Shifting Gears” to series, meaning the two shows were likely competing for the same slot in the broadcast network’s lineup. “Shifting Gears” will also go through a showrunner change as Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully exited.

The axed multicamera series from 20th Television centered around perennial life of the party Hank (Burrell). “After an unexpected diagnosis, Hank reconnects with his responsible adult son Ben in hopes of making new memories together,” according to a logline provided by ABC when the network ordered the pilot in March.

Burrell is best known for his...

Descubre las 10 películas animadas más taquilleras. © Disney

Tras seis semanas en cartelera, “Del Revés 2” ha logrado superar a “Frozen 2” y se ha convertido en la película de animación más taquillera de la historia. La secuela de la aclamada película de Pixar ha recaudado cerca de 1.500 millones de dólares a nivel mundial, alcanzando una impresionante cifra de 1.460 millones de dólares.

Walt Disney Animation Studios ha felicitado a Pixar por este logro, siguiendo la tradición de los estudios de festejar cuando se baten récords de taquilla. La imagen conmemorativa, compartida en redes sociales, muestra a los personajes de “Frozen” pasando la antorcha a los de “Del Revés”.

El nuevo ranking de películas animadas más taquilleras queda así:

Del Revés 2 (2024) Frozen II (2019) Super Mario Bros.: la película (2023) Frozen (2013) Los Increíbles 2 (2018) Minions (2015) Toy Story 4 (2019) Toy Story 3 (2010) Gru 3: Mi Villano Favorito (2017) Buscando a Dory (2016) © Disney

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Ecstatic. Incredible. Gleeful. Overjoyed. Take your pick.

Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has iced out fellow Disney release Frozen II to become the top-grossing Hollywood animated film of all time at the worldwide box office after finishing Tuesday with $1.462 billion, not adjusted for inflation. The film’s domestic total stands at $601 million, while it has grossed $861.8 million internationally.

Disney Animation’s Frozen II topped out at $1.451 billion in 2019. It now rests at No. 2 on the all-time animated list followed by Illumination and Universal’s video game adaptation The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.361 billion), the first Frozen ($1.274 billion), Pixar’s Incredibles 2 ($1.242 billion), Illumination’s Minions ($1.157 billion), Toy Story 4 ($1.072 billion), Despicable Me 3 ($1.032 billion) and Finding Dory ($1 billion).

Among all films, Inside Out 2 laughed its way past Warner Bros.’ 2023 summer juggernaut Barbie ($1.446 billion) on Monday to land at No. 13 on the list of all time grossing films, animated or otherwise.

Worldwide box office July 19-21 Rank Film (distributor)3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Twisters (Warner Bros/Universal) $107.6m $123.2m $27.1m $42.7m 77 2. Successor (various) $85.2m $211.7m $85.2m $211.7m 1 3. Despicable Me 4 (Universal) $75.8m $574.4m $52m $315m 80 4. Inside Out 2 (Disney) $47m $1.44bn $34.2m $846.9m 52 5. Longlegs (various) $17.2m $56.1m $5.5m $11.5m 28 6. A Place Called Silence (various) $15.6m $152m $15.6m $152m 1 7. A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount) $11.3m $241.4m $5.2m $113.8m 68 8. Your Name (2017) (Crunchyroll) $11.3m $390.9m $11.3m $390.9m 2 9. Fly Me To The Moon (Sony) $7.1m $30.7m $3.8m $14.3m 59 10. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die (Sony) $5.9m $338m $3.2m $198.7m 64

Credit: Comscore.

Inside Out 2 surpasses box office milestones, but Disney's history hints Frozen 3 will top even better results. Disney needed Inside Out 2's success after recent failures, but Frozen 3 is expected to outperform both. Disney's animated sequels consistently outperform predecessors, indicating Frozen 3 will surpass Frozen 2's success.

Inside Out 2 just keeps surpassing milestones at the box office, but Disney's history indicates that Frozen 3 will see even more impressive results. The 2024 Pixar sequel joined the billion-dollar club only a few weeks into its stint at theaters, surpassing 2015's Inside Out both domestically and globally. This is especially impressive considering movies' difficulty getting audiences to turn up at theaters since the Covid-19 pandemic. Given its recent failures, Disney desperately needed this win, and we can expect to see even better results with the coming Frozen sequel.

Disney had a rough year in 2023, with both Wish and...

Pixar's innovative storytelling and animation have set a high bar for their films, creating anticipation and nostalgia for audiences. Finding Nemo and Finding Dory were highly successful, loved by both critics and audiences, showcasing the timeless appeal of these characters. A potential Finding Nemo 3 could explore Marlin's traumatic past and give closure to beloved characters, offering a sense of nostalgia for fans.

Disneys Pixar is a brilliant animation studio that has brought the world joy and nostalgia through their films. Theres always high anticipation when a Pixar film is announced because of the high bar theyve set, not only with their advanced animation design, but also with the magnificently creative plots, characters, and stories they share. The concepts are genius, I mean - sympathizing with the monsters under your bed in Monsters Inc., or finding out what your toys really are up to when youre not there in...

Ellen DeGeneres is walking away from Hollywood.

During a recent comedy show in Santa Rosa, Calif., the comedian and actor declared that she was “done” being in the public eye. Some people aren’t mourning her departure.

Ellen DeGeneres speaks out on her future in Hollywood Ellen DeGeneres accepts The Daytime Talk Show of 2021 award at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards | Christopher Polk/E! Entertainment/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

DeGeneres, 66, says she’s planning to step away from the spotlight following the release of her upcoming Netflix comedy special.

“This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done,” she said during a stop on her “Ellen’s Last Stand … Up” tour at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, according to SFGate.

“I’m going bye-bye,” she added when asked if she would ever return to voice Dory in another Finding Dory movie.

Is Ellen DeGeneres leaving the spotlight for good? She got fans amped for her 20-city tour but then canceled four dates with no explanation. More so, the comedian did not even bother rescheduling them which had her followers extremely frustrated. So, what happens now with the longtime performer? Keep reading for more details.

Ellen DeGeneres Going Away For Good?

For decades, Ellen DeGeneres was a comedy staple. She had her own sitcom and then, her own successful talk show which celebrities and musicians clamored to. Everyone wanted to join Ellen and, in a way, she became a new version of Oprah Winfrey. She would dance her way onto the stage and this created a light-hearted vibe for the show. Unfortunately, toward the end of her run, Ellen was slammed with toxic workplace allegations. She recently addressed those on her stand-up tour, which she announced earlier this year. According to People,...

Ellen DeGeneres said during a recent stop on her “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour that she is done with fame once she plays her final shows, which will be filmed for a new Netflix special (via People and SFGate). During the audience Q&a part of the show at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, one fan asked if DeGeneres would return to movies after the tour ended or perhaps try her hand at Broadway.

“Um, no,” DeGeneres answered matter-of-factly. “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”

Another fan pushed DeGeneres to once again voice the character Dory from Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” but DeGeneres responded: “No, I’m going bye-bye, remember.”

DeGeneres kicked off the “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour earlier this year and recently canceled four dates on the lineup.

Pixar's five highest-grossing movies are all sequels to previous hits. Finding Dory benefited from its lead star's decade-long campaign for the movie to happen. Toy Story 4 maintained the franchise's acclaim and profitability despite being a surprise sequel.

During the decades it has spent as one of the most successful animation studios in Hollywood, Pixar has had several movies cross the billion-dollar mark at the box office. Pixar was once the brilliant and lucky underdog team that pulled off the first 3D-animated feature-length movie with the release of Toy Story in 1995, an event that would transform the animation industry. Since then, Pixar has produced many more smash-hit family movies based on fun conceptualizations and profoundly real stories, which often move people to tears.

Pixar regularly receives glowing reviews and Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature; with this has come considerable profits. Some clear trends determine which Pixar movies gross...

Inside Out 2 did not feel like a necessary addition to the Pixar canon when it was announced. Why make a sequel to one of the most original, ingenious solo outings in animation history and potentially tamper with the reputation of greatness? Money sure felt like the motivating factor, and Pixar has cashed in to the tune of nearly $1 billion and counting after two-plus weeks at the box office. But jumping inside Riley’s head of emotions for a second time was actually a courageous and rewarding payoff for fans worldwide as they were treated to one of the best sequels in Pixar’s history.

What makes a great Pixar sequel though? It’s not the first time the company has successfully returned to the same universe for another go-round, but Inside Out 2 certainly created a new blueprint for future sequel outings. Let’s look at how the movie...

Inside Out 2 surpasses box office records, becoming the second-highest-grossing Pixar movie domestically. The film is also the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time at the domestic box office. The film's strong performance and staying power indicate it could be the highest-grossing film of 2024.

Inside Out 2 passes even more box office records as it continues its strong run. A highly-anticipated sequel to the 2015 Pixar film Inside Out, Inside Out 2's reviews have been extremely positive thus far. Said positive reviews are coupled with an immensely strong run at the box office, as Inside Out 2 has crossed the much-coveted $1 billion mark. The film was the no.1 movie at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, and even stayed at no. 1 during its second weekend, beating out A Quiet Place: Day One.

As per Collider, Inside Out 2 soars past even more box office records. On Tuesday, its 19th day in theaters,...

Ellen DeGeneres has canceled her comedy tour right after it began. The comedienne had fans thrilled that she was making a comeback. Unfortunately, it was very short-lived but what happened, and will she be back on the road? Keep reading for more details.

Ellen DeGeneres Cancels Tour Right After Begins

For years, Ellen DeGeneres was a staple on television. She had her own sitcom, Ellen, which ran for four years. It lasted from 1994 to 1998 and aired over 100 episodes. In 2003, she landed her own talk show. It was highly successful and every celebrity and musician wanted to be a guest on it. She would dance her way onto the stage, amping the audience up with the late Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss as the house DJ. By the end of her run in 2022, Ellen had won 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. While hosting the talk show, Ellen also hosted the game show, Ellen’s Game of Games.