‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Special Review: River Song Isn’t Forgotten in Heartwarming Retro Superhero Adventure (Spoilers)

Peter Capaldi, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Simon Ridgway/BBC America

WARNING: The following contains spoilers from the Christmas special, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio.”

’Tis the season for the Doctor to bring good tidings of comfort and joy to our world whilst ridding it of power-hungry alien invaders.

It’s been a year since we closed the book on River Song in 2015’s Christmas special, but in “Doctor Who’s” uniquely timey-wimey way, it picked right back up with the story, albeit 24 years later in Earth time. So in that sense, this wasn’t quite the standalone episode that specials have been in the past, although enough exposition allowed it to act as one. It was a smart move on Steven Moffat’s part since Whovians have been deprived of any new “Who” this year.

READ MORE: ‘Doctor Who’ Sneak Peek Reveals First Look at Justin Chatwin’s New Superhero

Although we may have hoped for a more Christmas-y episode, at least there was a nod to St. Nick when the Doctor was mistaken for Santa. Let’s take a look at the episode in a more traditional Christmas format:

Ghosts of Christmas Past

In the grand fashion of “Doctor Who,” the Doctor does not do heartache on a small scale (after all, he has two hearts!). His love story with River Song has always been bittersweet since they’re constantly passing each other like time travelers in the night, and he knows of her eventual death in a library. In last year’s Christmas special, he spent his final night with her on Darillium, which lasts 24 years in Earth time. Therefore, he had been absent from our planet for that time and is just getting back in the game.

Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Simon Ridgway/BBC America

Although it would’ve been nice to see Alex Kingston back as River Song, perhaps it was for the best she wasn’t in the episode since she’s such a force of nature. Instead, we got the return of Nardole (Matt Lucas), whom we last saw in a cyborg timeshare, from which he’d been liberated because he guessed the Doctor worried that he’d be lonely (aww!). We have yet to warm up to him as a sometimes Companion, but at least his presence represents continuity with River Song.

READ MORE: ‘Doctor Who’: Matt Lucas Returns as Nardole for Season 10

Also, through flashbacks we learn that the last time the Doctor was on Earth, he was responsible for accidentally making a 8-year-old Grant a superhero when he swallowed an alien gemstone. Nods to comic books abound, and everything, including New York and even reporter Lucy Fletcher’s speech cadence, has a retro feel.

Ghost of Christmas Present

When the Doctor and Grant (guest star Justin Chatwin) meet again, 24 years have passed, and Grant has embraced his superhero powers even though he had once promised the Doctor he wouldn’t use them. The Ghost is as good a name as any, and at least the “G” insignia still works with the name Grant.

Justin Chatwin and Charity Wakefield, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Simon Ridgway/BBC America

Let’s take a minute to attempt to acknowledge all the ways that the Grant/Ghost story is an homage to Superman:

• Grant can fly, is super fast, super strong and has X-ray vision
• He gives off major Clark Kent vibes with his alter ego who wears thick glasses frames as a disguise and works as a mild-mannered “manny”
• Lucy Fletcher, a reporter, cannot penetrate that devious disguise and see that Grant is Ghost
• Lucy and The Ghost have an interview/date very much like the one that Lois Lane and Superman had in Richard Donner’s 1978 film, even down to her asking about his x-ray vision
• Lucy’s married name is Lucy Lombard, giving us the double L initials that are so prevalent in the Superman world.

READ MORE: From ‘Outlander’ to ‘Doctor Who’: The Trickiest Time Travel on TV, Ranked

As for the non-superhero storyline, the Doctor and Nardole discovered that there were aliens who are basically brains with eyes that had a plan to take over humans as “vehicles” to get around. As Whovian monsters go, these aren’t anywhere near as iconic or scary as the Daleks, Cybermen or Weeping Angels. They’re actually just kind of gross — weeping blue tears and storing pistols inside of their heads (neither handy nor clean). Defeating them was somewhat anticlimactic.

The name of their Earthbound science research organization, however, is a nice Easter egg tribute to River Song. Harmony Shoal is another play on words much like Melody Pond was in her other incarnation.

Justin Chatwin and Aleksandar Jovanovic, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Simon Ridgway/BBC America

Ghost of Christmas Future

Season 10 marks the final season that Moffat will act as showrunner, through to 2017’s Christmas Special. It appears he’s set up a few threads that could be picked up later, including the return of Harmony Shoal (since the alien that took over a UNIT officer got away). Nardole will be returning for the 10th season as well. A sneak peek for the season also highlighted new Companion Bill (Pearl Mackie).

This may not be the last we see of the Ghost either. Even though Grant didn’t seem too interested in leaving Lucy’s side now that they’re finally together, he did leave the door open for donning the “G” again. We also suspect that Lucy’s daughter Jennifer may make an appearance sometime in the future.

Overall, the Christmas special reentered the world of “Doctor Who” on a far humbler and earthbound scale than in episodes past. It also didn’t wring us out emotionally like “Last Christmas” and “The Husbands of River Song” did, but it was comforting and heartfelt, especially with the nods to the Doctor mourning his wife. It felt like the grounding transition we needed for the new adventures that will come in Season 10

Grade: A-

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Matt Lucas and Justin Chatwin, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Simon Ridgway/BBC America

Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Justin Chatwin and Charity Wakefield, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Justin Chatwin and Aleksandar Jovanovic, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Matt Lucas and Justin Chatwin, “Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

‘Alien: Covenant’ Trailer: Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace Return to Answer Questions — and Raise New Ones

“Alien: Covenant”

20th Century Fox

More than four years after “Prometheus” divided fans and critics alike, we have our first real look at what its follow-up holds in store. “Alien: Covenant” serves as both a sequel to that film and a prequel to the original “Alien,” with Ridley Scott apparently onboard for two more installments in the sci-fi series he first created nearly 40 years ago. Watch the trailer below.

READ MORE: ‘Alien: Covenant’ Poster: Brilliant First Image Urges You To Run, Reveals Release Date

“Prometheus” stars Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Guy Pearce are all returning for “Covenant,” albeit to varying degrees; that trio is joined by a host of newcomers that includes Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Billy Crudup, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Carmen Ejogo and James Franco. Like “Prometheus,” this new film takes its title from the spacecraft where much of the action unfolds.

READ MORE: ‘Alien: Covenant’: Michael Fassbender Will Play Two Different Characters in Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ Sequel

Though this trailer promises certain answers to the enigmatic lore that’s always been part of the “Alien” mythos, it’s sure to raise new questions as well. We’ll have a sense of what those might be when 20th Century Fox releases the film on May 19, 2017.

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‘Alien: Covenant’ First Footage: Fox Debuts Terrifying, Visceral New Look at Ridley Scott’s Sequel

Host Dave Karger and star Katherine Waterston at “Alien: Covenant” event

Patrick Lewis / Starpix

In space, no one can hear you scream, “Seriously? Why did we go back to space and touch a bunch of alien life forms and stomp around on an alien planet and think nothing bad would happen?” It’s “Alien,” and it’s back.

Earlier this month, 20th Century Fox rolled out a special showcase of sneak peeks of their upcoming 2017 slate for a group of New York City film journalists and critics, including a new look at Ridley Scott’s upcoming sequel “Alien: Covenant.”

While Scott was not on hand for the presentation — he sent in a video message bidding hello and hyping the performance of the film’s lead, Katherine Waterston — newly minted action star Waterston did appear to talk about the terrifying next chapter in the “Alien” mythos after the studio showed off three clips.

“Alien: Covenant”

This new “Alien” film takes places after the events of “Prometheus” and before the unfolding of the original series. Scott has made it clear that he hopes to make a brand new trilogy of films (in addition to hinting at the possibility of a fourth film) that lead into his original “Alien.” Like the original series, which starred Sigourney Weaver as beloved sci-fi action hero Ripley, this new series also hinges on strong female characters, including turns from Waterston, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Carmen Ejogo and the apparent return of Noomi Rapace.

READ MORE: ‘Alien: Covenant’ Poster: Brilliant First Image Urges You To Run, Reveals Release Date

“People are talking a lot these days about the progress we’re making, or storytelling with great roles for women,” Waterston said during the event. “Maybe Ridley’s not getting enough credit. He’s been doing it for a very long time.”

She added, “I think his attitude about it is very similar to my own. It just seems obvious. There are a lot of cool, complicated women out there. It’s not rocket science.”

While “Prometheus” was lead by Rapace as archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw, “Covenant” boasts Waterston in its lead role, casting the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” star as Daniels, a crew member of the Covenant. It came as little surprise then that part of the footage screened included something of a sizzle reel dedicated to showing off Waterston’s work in the film. It was a canny choice, especially because Waterston’s character was not at the center of either clip shown, both of which actually put the premium on another female star: Seimetz as one of the Covenant’s pilots.

Per the film’s official synopsis, “Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the ‘synthetic’ David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.”

The first clip shown sees the crew of the Covenant making first landfall on this supposed “uncharted paradise,” with Seimetz piloting a shuttle from the main Covenant colony vessel, lead by Danny McBride as the ship’s pilot, to the surface of a seemingly familiar (well, to “Prometheus” fans) lush green planet. Although the clip was a short one, it was high on tension — the shuttle’s entry into the planet’s atmosphere is a rough one — and it made clear that the Covenant group is bonded (was McBride’s character freaking out during the tougher parts? you bet he was) and that Seimetz’s pilot is highly skilled. These things will matter later.

READ MORE: ‘Alien: Covenant’ Trailer: Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace Return to Answer Questions — and Raise New Ones

The real meat of the presentation was a nearly 10-minute scene that picks up after the shuttle crew has landed on the surface of their new planet. While McBride’s character and a skeleton crew are high above the planet in the main ship, at least two groups of shuttle-delivered crew members have gone out exploring, while Seimetz’s pilot character has stayed behind to mind the shuttle.

Despite the vibrant, welcoming nature of the planet, Seimetz’s character is roused into action by a distress call from one of the groups, who are desperately running back to the ship with an injured and ill member (while the scene appears to take place well into the film’s first act, we’ll be avoiding character and actor names, so to better curb the possibility of spoiling).

READ MORE: ‘Alien: Covenant’: New Video Shows Katherine Waterston Frozen In Hypersleep

So what kind of ailment could a crew member possibly have on the face of such a lovely planet? If you’re thinking xenomorph, you’re almost there. As Seimetz becomes hip to the gravity of the situation, she frantically communicates both with the main ship (and a totally hysterical McBride) and the other exploratory party (who make mention of their own ill member, though they seem startlingly nonplussed by anything that’s befalling them). When the first group arrives back at the ship, it’s clear that their sick member is in dire condition.

As Seimetz and one other member of the group rush the sick member to the medical area of the ship, Seimetz soon realizes what she needs to do: Quarantine them. It’s a tough choice, but one that becomes clearly right as the sick member begins convulsing and spewing blood all over the room, his compatriots, everything.

Semeitz escapes, but she’s nearly beside herself with fear. That intensity only heightens as the group’s other member realizes what’s going on and begs Seimetz to let her out. It’s tense, scary, fast and the kind of scene that speaks to the terror that the “Alien” franchise can crank up on screen.

While one might expect that this kind of footage screening would cut off just as whatever is in the sick dude’s body just starts to make its way out, showing itself to both his hysterical crewmates and the audience at large, Fox went for it, with a brand new alien creature popping right out off his back — that’s right, his back — and making his bloody, toothy presence known. He’s a neomorph, and he looks a hell of a lot like a classic chestburster, though darker in color and much, much faster.

As the neomorph tears through its first host, a totally undone Seimetz watches from behind a sealed door. She’s totally beside herself, but that’s to say nothing of the other member of the exploratory group who is trapped inside the med room with her now-dead compatriot and the terrifying alien lifeform. He lunges for her, and while she puts up quite a fight, she’s no match. And as forward-thinking and pragmatic as Seimetz’s character is, she isn’t either, as the neomorph eventually breaks through the door, chasing a sweaty, hysterical Seimetz through the ship.

READ MORE: ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’: Fox Debuts Extended Look at Matt Reeves’ Gritty, Western-Influenced New Sequel

And what about McBride? He’s hearing all of this over the radio, completely unable to do anything about it. And that other group? Well, they’re finally getting wise to the fact that something horrific is happening on the shuttle, and begin hustling back to it, with their very own ill crewmate in tow (along with returning star Michael Fassbender, who is reportedly also playing yet another android in the film, in addition to reprising his role as David).

By the time they get back to the shuttle, a frantic Seimetz has employed the assistance of guns and fire to kill of the neomorph, and while that’s a good idea in theory, it’s not one that works out for her, as she manages to blow up the entire shuttle just as the other group returns. Oops.

The footage concluded with a quick reel showing off Waterston taking charge as Daniels — similar in look and tone to earlier looks of the film — and a new trailer that relied heavily on much of the same footage shown in the first two clips. (You can check out the latest trailer below, which was just released.)

After the footage was shown, Waterston helped clarify not only Daniels’ place in the “Alien” galaxy, but also some finer points about her character.

“She has really good instincts, and she has a concern about where they are going on that ship,” Waterston explained. “She’s concerned about what they are doing. She’s questioning leadership there a little too, I think.”

She added, “You always wonder what kind of person you would be in an extreme crisis. Will you be a coward, or will you be courageous? And I think she’s just one of those people, who, if her kids were in a car that was on fire, she’d be able to lift up the car.”

Like many of the characters in “Prometheus,” most of the characters of “Covenant” don’t include much in the way of military training, which helps account for so much of the terror and lack of preparation evidenced in the presentation’s final clip. Waterston sounded off on that, too.

“They’re colonists. They’re scientists,” she said. “They’re not military experts or anything. They are all civilians. There are some military dudes around to protect us, but most of the — I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, but I’m gonna say it anyway — most of the people on the ship are couples. Then there are all of these colonists who are in a kind of a cryosleep.” Sounds safe!

“Alien: Covenant” is slated for release on August 4, 2017.

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“Alien: Covenant”

‘Taboo’ Trailer: Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott’s Period Shipping Drama Looks Gorgeous

Screenshot/BBC

With two weeks to go before the series premiere of “Taboo,” the BBC has released a new trailer for Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott’s period shipping drama.

Set in 1814, the dark and gritty eight-part series follows Hardy as James Keziah Delaney, a man thought to be dead who returns to London to reclaim his father’s shipping empire and rebuild his life. Though, as the new trailer shows, not everyone is happy to see him return.

Jonathan Pryce, Oona Chaplin, Stephen Graham, Michael Kelly, Jessie Buckley, David Hayman and Tom Hollander also co-star.

READ MORE: ‘Taboo’ New Teasers: Tom Hardy Returns From the Dead in FX Miniseries

The series was created by Hardy, his father Chips Hardy and Steven Knight. Scott serves as executive producer, along with Hardy, Knight, Kate Crowe and Dean Baker.

Hardy can next be seen as Al Capone in “Fonzo,” “Mad Max: The Wasteland” and in Christopher Nolan’s historical drama “Dunkirk,” out July 17, 2017.

“Taboo” premieres in the UK on January 7 and stateside on January 10 on FX. 

Check out the latest “Taboo” trailer below.

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‘Elf’ Recut As a Horror Thriller Is a Terrifying Holiday Treat

Buddy the Elf may seem like a happy-go-lucky kind of fellow, but in a new recut horror version of Jon Favreau’s 2003 comedy, Will Ferrell’s enthusiastic character takes a dark turn.

“Taken as a child, tortured, twisted and broken,” reads CineFix’s trailer for the creepy version of the holiday classic. The two-minute video begins with Walter Hobbs (James Caan) getting a call about receiving a Christmas gram and Buddy arriving to his Empire State building office.

“Dad! I walked all day and night to find you,” says Buddy.

“You look like you came from the North Pole,” Walter replies, with Buddy saying, “That’s exactly where I came from!”

READ MORE: ‘The Santa Clause’ Recut as a Horror Movie Is a Chilling Yuletide Treat – Watch

As sinister and alarming music continues to play, clips of Buddy crying in the bathroom, giving menacing looks and sitting in prison flash on screen. The video ends with Buddy wanting his dad to tuck him in then attacking him.

Check out the “Elf” recut trailer below.

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Disney This Week: LEGO Star Wars, Mary Poppins & More!

Disney This Week: December 17 – 23, 2016

Welcome to another edition of our new regular weekly feature Disney This Week here at ComingSoon.net. We’re rounding up the latest news on all things Disney, including movies, TV, Blu-ray/DVD, theme parks, fan art and Disney history. Let us know what you like or want to see more out of in Disney This Week in the comments below!

RELATED: Star Wars News: Rogue One Passes $400M, Episodes VIII & IX Updates and More

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Movies

The Walt Disney Studios First Ever to Hit $7 Billion in One Year

On December 19, The Walt Disney Studios became the first studio ever to reach the $7 billion threshold at the global box office, setting a new industry record. With a powerful $290 million global debut for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Disney’s year-to-date grosses were $6.988 billion from Jan. 1 through Dec. 18, 2016, including $2.700 billion domestically, also an industry record, and $4.287 billion internationally, a Disney record.

These box office results are driven by films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm, representing the first time that all five of these brands have released films in the same calendar year.

Dick Van Dyke Joins the Mary Poppins Returns Cast!

Living legend and original Mary Poppins co-star Dick Van Dyke (who just turned 91) has confirmed he will join the Mary Poppins Returns cast. It is unclear whether it is a major role or merely a cameo.

“This one supposedly takes place 20 years later and the kids are all grown up,” Van Dyke said. “It’s a great cast — Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury and that guy [Lin-Manuel Miranda] from Hamilton.”

Watch the Full Shiny Song Sequence From Moana

Disney revealed another full sequence from their animated hit Moana featuring the song “Shiny,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed by Jemaine Clement.

Know where you are by knowing where you’ve been. #Moana is now playing. pic.twitter.com/xgr344Ph8c

— Disney (@Disney) December 23, 2016

Stuffed with fluff and Christmas cheer! pic.twitter.com/yjp98CMsN5

— Disney (@Disney) December 23, 2016

This #Tangled art gleams and glows so merry and bright. pic.twitter.com/uHr2WKxC9O

— Disney (@Disney) December 22, 2016

Go behind the seas with @DisneyStyle to discover the inspiration behind #Moana’s clothing. pic.twitter.com/4SFaWldegx

— Disney (@Disney) December 22, 2016

Exclusive Tom Whalen Art Inspired by #Moana and More Is Now Available Online: https://t.co/3aUZiD0Wqz pic.twitter.com/VMnCtdfOf4

— Disney (@Disney) December 18, 2016

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DVD/Blu-ray

LEGO Star Wars The Freemaker Adventures Complete Season One

We had the chance to scope out the new Blu-ray for LEGO Star Wars The Freemaker Adventures Complete Season One, which is a lot of fun for younger viewers who might find Star Wars Rebels a little too intense. It also has a lot of fun inside jokes for grown-up Star Wars geeks. The disc comes with six exclusive Lego Star Wars magnets available nowhere else, for all you compulsive collectors out there!

The story revolves around a family of scavengers who make starships out of leftover parts from crashed ships found strewn all over the galaxy. When the youngest member of the family comes across the remains of the original Kyber Saber (the first lightsaber ever made), he and a Jedi named Naare — who may not be all she appears to be — set out to reconstruct the saber before the empire can.

You can check out the first episode in its entirety below! Click here to purchase your copy of The Freemaker Adventures Season One Blu-ray now!

Pinocchio Signature Collection Edition

The box art and trailer for the upcoming release of Pinocchio on Walt Disney Signature Collection Blu-ray are here. The movie, which inspired the world to wish upon a star, arrives for the first time on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on January 10, and on Blu-ray and DVD on January 31 with hours of new and classic bonus features.

The Lion Guard: Life in the Pride Lands

A new release featuring five new episodes of The Lion Guard: Life in the Pride Lands is arriving on Disney DVD January 10. Check out the cover art above!

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TV

Forest Whitaker to Voice Saw Gerrera on Star Wars Rebels

Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker, who stars as Rebel freedom fighter Saw Gerrera in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will join the cast of the hit animated series Star Wars Rebels, which is set in a time period just prior to the events of Rogue One. Whitaker will reprise his role as Saw Gerrera, providing the voice of the character as he makes his debut on “Ghosts of Geonosis, Parts One and Two” premiering Saturday, January 7 (8:30-9:30 p.m. EST), on Disney XD. Check out a featurette with footage from the episodes below!

It’s a #LabRats Christmas nightmare! pic.twitter.com/0MOyGlbQS6

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 23, 2016

HBD, Bryce! Hope you don’t get pranked too bad today! pic.twitter.com/phQdV6bxEr

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 22, 2016

Happy Holidays from the Disney ABC Television Group! pic.twitter.com/ylneIalSwU

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 21, 2016

If this is only the first day of GIF-mas… #12DaysOfGIFmas #Groot #RocketRaccoon #GOTG #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy @Marvel pic.twitter.com/OAZEibNsLU

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 21, 2016

Chopper and the Ghost, hitting the big time with their #RogueOne cameos!#StarWarsRebels https://t.co/Hjz4uakRSR

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 20, 2016

Happy #MapleSyrupDay! Who’s having a late-night syrup race to celebrate?#GravityFalls pic.twitter.com/M0eTZKrDz0

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 18, 2016

Doctor Strange has a really scary recipe for gingerbread men…@Marvel #UltimateSpiderMan pic.twitter.com/YQE8gG1UYK

— Disney XD (@DisneyXD) December 17, 2016

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Theme Parks

Eat, drink, and be merry at Disney California Adventure’s new festival: https://t.co/UQDZ1NrKXS pic.twitter.com/iqRx6MxRkO

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 23, 2016

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious vintage holiday cards from the Walt Disney Studios: https://t.co/GiOedF7nuu pic.twitter.com/gxIT4zSVq7

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 22, 2016

“Remember … Dreams Come True” Fireworks are returning to Disneyland Park on Feb. 3!” https://t.co/qt5zmCnsVc pic.twitter.com/xHcykKYgve

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 22, 2016

It’s a special magic to be a part of holiday parades at @Disneyland and @WaltDisneyWorld: https://t.co/ayT2W5OdRf pic.twitter.com/Au54B03rCk

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 21, 2016

VIDEO: We’ve got the details on what the celebrity performers will be wearing in the #DisneyChristmasCelebration! https://t.co/HrAIItNPQg pic.twitter.com/fpEkw6W2Sf

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 22, 2016

Let’s take a look at some of the holiday decorations in Mickey’s Toontown at @Disneyland park: https://t.co/l12dPsf08z pic.twitter.com/jh0BxGsjSG

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 23, 2016

PHOTOS: Disney Channel actress and recording artist Sabrina Carpenter recently stopped by Walt Disney World! https://t.co/I1hjA8muzP pic.twitter.com/z6yknpVHvn

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 23, 2016

Santa brings in holiday cheer to Magic Kingdom Park in tonight’s “Disney Parks After Dark” picture: https://t.co/tUVaxLNRJF pic.twitter.com/kQxmEmRhJj

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 23, 2016

Get a running start on those New Year’s resolutions during the #WDWMarathon! https://t.co/5RuAFHibYF #DisneyFamilia pic.twitter.com/I15ChkWKcX

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 21, 2016

Learn how Disney is helping protect gorillas on your next visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom: https://t.co/w98W8luLzK pic.twitter.com/nuRNi7hdsI

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 21, 2016

VIDEO: Watch a real life super hero from the @RunDisney Avengers Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort! https://t.co/HTmgNa4cjm

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 20, 2016

PHOTOS: Take a look at some of the culinary treats you’ll find during the Epcot International Festival of the Arts: https://t.co/QhCjjHpB3z pic.twitter.com/oobNBHykOv

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 20, 2016

Late last week, 400 Disney Parks Blog readers gathered to see #RogueOne: A Star Wars Story at @DisneySprings: https://t.co/wntmRYZw0y pic.twitter.com/mxCGFHfhaU

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 20, 2016

The wildest renovation in the West is finally over! Big Thunder Mountain has reopened at Disneyland Paris: https://t.co/qkWE22twzx pic.twitter.com/SYRMyLu5yx

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) December 19, 2016

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Toys

It’s a Frozen frenzy! Enter to win a set of Anna and Elsa dolls: https://t.co/MaBakP9YaU #D23Days pic.twitter.com/J9kkuK7yL2

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 19, 2016

Have a ball! Enter for a chance to win Disney Descendants dolls: https://t.co/TolP6pDopN pic.twitter.com/MTATlV7WcW

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 18, 2016

Ready to race? Enter for a chance to win a @Cars Flag Finish McQueen: https://t.co/agQlaag5VA #D23Days pic.twitter.com/oq8YnpXHcd

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 17, 2016

#BigHero6 Dorbz Funko and Disney MyMoji Figures Are Coming This February: https://t.co/5TajOg5MA6 pic.twitter.com/nnVqgXc2tS

— Disney (@Disney) December 23, 2016

Just keep singing, singing, singing with this #FindingDory tree ornament: https://t.co/KYEH6FjNpZ pic.twitter.com/mEUy1Hmc9p

— Disney (@Disney) December 20, 2016

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Fan Art of the Week

This week’s holiday-appropriate Frozen fan art comes from Rita, a.k.a. ribkaDory, a young artist living in Russia. Check out her full gallery at this link!

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This Week in Disney History

After expenditures of $1.5 million dollars nearly bankrupted the company, the world’s first full-length animated feature __film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood on December 21, 1937.

Disney’s first full-length animated feature debuted on this day in 1937: https://t.co/C2H1f1VLo9 pic.twitter.com/gITGXbTCOG

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) December 21, 2016

Walt Disney’s younger brother Roy O. Disney (Walt Disney Productions CEO, President and co-founder) died on December 20, 1971.

The animated feature __film Fantasia 2000 debuted at Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 17, 1999. This week also saw the release of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1954, Swiss Family Robinson in 1960, In Search of the Castaways in 1962, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit in 1968, The Island at the Top of the World in 1974, The Shaggy D.A. in 1976, The Black Hole in 1979, Father of the Bride in 1991, Tom and Huck in 1995, O Brother, Where Art Thou? in 2000 and Tron Legacy in 2011.

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Disney Vault

Each week we highlight an underappreciated Disney classic! Since this is Christmas, we thought it would be good to highlight an interesting half-hour long short film from 1978 called The Small One. It concerns a young boy living in the city of Nazareth who is reluctant to sell his beloved old donkey, until he comes across a kindly man who needs a gentle donkey to carry his pregnant wife to Bethlehem. You get where this is going. The project was conceived as an experiment to engage young animation talent, including future greats like Don Bluth (The Land Before Time) and Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), The Small One was released theatrically with a Christmas reissue of Pinocchio.

Check out the clip below, and click here to purchase a digital copy of The Small One for $1.99!

Fuller House Season 3 Gets the Green Light from Netflix

Fuller House Season 3 gets the green light from Netflix

The holidays are definitely “fuller” with family and the new year is about to shine a little brighter as Fuller House Season 3 has been given the green light by Netflix for a 2017 premiere. Not caught up yet? Seasons one and two of Fuller House are currently streaming only on Netflix.

In the spinoff series, Fuller House, the adventures that began in 1987 on Full House continue, with veterinarian D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron-Bure) recently widowed and living in San Francisco. D.J.’s younger sister/aspiring musician Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin) and D.J.’s lifelong best friend/fellow single mother Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber), along with Kimmy’s feisty teenage daughter Ramona, all move in to help take care of D.J.’s three boys — the rebellious 12-year-old Jackson, neurotic 7-year-old Max and her newborn baby, Tommy Jr.

Fuller House stars Candace Cameron Bure as D.J. Tanner-Fuller, Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner, Andrea Barber as Kimmy Gibbler, Juan Pablo Di Pace as Fernando, Soni Nicole Bringas as Romona, Michael Campion as Jackson, Elias Harger as Max, Dashiell and Fox Messitt Twins as Baby Tommy, Scott Weinger as Steve Hale, John Brotherton as Matt Harmon, and Ashley Liao as Lola.

Bob Boyett and Jeff Franklin serve as executive producers. Fuller House is produced by Miller-Boyett Productions and Jeff Franklin Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television for Netflix.

Holiday wishes, answered. Fuller House Season 3, coming 2017. pic.twitter.com/pJkRASTpBj

— Fuller House (@fullerhouse) December 25, 2016

Full Justice League Movie Cast Revealed

Full Justice League movie cast revealed

Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed the full Justice League movie cast! The line-up includes Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta, and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.

While not in the official Justice League movie cast list just released by the studio, it is expected that Ciarán Hinds will play Steppenwolf, Amber Heard will appear as Mera, and Kiersey Clemons will appear as Iris West.

Fueled by the hero’s restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Justice League sees Bruce Wayne enlist the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Directed by Zack Snyder, the screenplay is by Chris Terrio from a story by Snyder and Terrio. The producers are Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Jon Berg and Geoff Johns. The executive producers are Jim Rowe, Wesley Coller, Curt Kanemoto, Chris Terrio and Ben Affleck.

Justice League will open in theaters on November 10, 2017.

Baby Driver Photos: First Look at Edgar Wright’s Music-Driven Film

Baby Driver Photos: First look at Edgar Wright’s music-driven film

A first look at the new Edgar Wright film, Baby Driver, has arrived in the form of two photos via EW. You can view the Baby Driver photos in the gallery below!

Wright, whose previous credits include Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The World’s End, brought together a cast that includes Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent) as Baby, Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects) as Doc, Jon Hamm (Mad Men, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as Buddy, Lily James (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Cinderella) as Deborah, Eiza Gonzalez (Jem and the Holograms, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series) as Darling, Jon Bernthal (Marvel’s Daredevil, The Walking Dead) as Griff, and Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) as Bats.

Baby Driver follows Elgort as a young man (called Baby because of his youthful face) who works as a getaway driver for different bank robbers. One day, he gets into trouble when a bank robbery goes wrong, putting him on the run from various parties. The story is partly inspired by the “Blue Song” music video, which Wright directed for the band Mint Royale in 2003.

Elgort’s character suffers from tinnitus and the movie’s action is choreographed to the music he plays to drown out the ringing in his ears, Wright told the magazine. “I always wanted to do an action movie that was powered by music. It’s something that’s very much a part of my previous films and I thought of this idea of how to take that a stage further by having a character who listens to music the entire time. So, you have this young getaway driver who has to soundtrack his entire existence, particularly the bank robberies and fast getaways that come afterwards.”

Wright added that “there’s about 35 songs in the movie and they range from very famous to more obscure. It’s supposed to reflect the character’s extremely eclectic taste in music.”

Baby Driver is coming to theaters on August 11.

‘Single White Female’ Is Resurrected as a NBC Drama

Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bridget Fonda in “Single White Female.”

Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock

What is it with NBC and adapting 1992 thrillers? In addition to the comedic “Sneakers,” NBC will be adapting Barbet Schroeder’s considerably darker “Single White Female.”According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series received a script commitment and is described as a “modern-day reboot.”

Written and executive produced by Eric Garcia, the psychological thriller will be set in San Francisco instead of the film’s New York. The story will follow Hedra, a con artist who uses her professional connections to target Allie, a seemingly wealthy colleague in search of a roommate. Over time, Hedra realizes that Allie is not as naive as she thought. Per the logline, “Viewers will then come to understand that Hedra may have met her match in Allie, making viewers question who is really being ‘single white female’d.'”

READ MORE: After ‘Mr. Robot’ Comes ‘Metropolis’: Sam Esmail Wants to Turn Fritz Lang’s Classic Into a Miniseries

“Single White Female” starred Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film grossed over $48 million at the box office and went on to have a direct-to-video sequel, “Single White Female 2: The Psycho,” which was released in 2005.

Soon to premiere on NBC is another thriller adaptation, this one of 2008’s “Taken,” which launches February 27. 

Check out the 1992 trailer for “Single White Female” below.

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2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Sound Editing

“Hacksaw Ridge”

Summit Entertainment

Movies with scale and scope have the advantage in the sound categories. And with a $30 million budget, “La La Land” is a relatively modest contender.

READ MORE: 2017 Oscar Predictions

Frontrunners

“Deepwater Horizon”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“The Jungle Book”
“La La Land”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

Warner Bros.

Contenders

“Arrival”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Silence”
“Sully”

“Allied”

Long Shots

“Allied”
“The BFG”
“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”
“Captain America: Civil War”
“Doctor Strange”
“Finding Dory”
“Jason Bourne”
“The Legend of Tarzan”
“Live By Night”
“Moana”
“Passengers”
“Star Trek Beyond”

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“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

“Allied”