6 Classic Disney Cartoons That Should Get The Live-Action Treatment After Rescue Rangers

6 Classic Disney Cartoons That Should Get The Live-Action Treatment After Rescue Rangers

It's taken five years since we first heard it was a possibility, but the feature film adaptation of Disney’s classic 1989-1990 television series Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers has finally landed a director in The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer. The live-action/CG hybrid from the Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping co-director could be bound for theater screens or Disney’s upcoming Disney+ streaming service.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about Disney and  Mandeville Films’ Rescue Rangers movie, but according to THR, it will not be an origin story or a detective agency story like the cartoon. It is instead described as something meta and self-referential. While we’ll have to wait and see what that means and how well the Rescue Rangers movie appeals to fans of the cartoon, its very existence shows that Disney’s classic cartoons are on the table for adaptation.

Disney will eventually run out of animated classics to remake and its classic animated series are another option to fill out its theatrical and future streaming calendars. Series like Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers also carry with them major nostalgic sentiment for millennial audiences, a valuable trait in today’s marketplace.

With all of that in mind, here are 6 classic Disney cartoons that should get the live-action treatment after Rescue Rangers.

Disney’s Adventures Of The Gummi Bears

The very first animated production by Walt Disney Animation Television, Adventures of the Gummi Bears is one of the most obvious candidates for a live-action/CG hybrid akin to what Rescue Rangers is getting. Adventures of the Gummi Bears tells the story of a group of humanoid bears belonging to an ancient, magical and technologically advanced race. In the medieval kingdom of Dunwyn, the bears, along with a small group of friendly humans, go on adventures to discover their history while battling the evil Duke Igthorn and his ogres.

Gummi Bears has deeper mythology than you might expect for a cartoon. Given the magical elements and the medieval fantasy setting, a live-action feature film adaptation would have greater potential in terms of scale than some of the other titles on this list. And as Detective Pikachu recently showed, there is no need to force realism. If done well, the Gummi Bears can be just as cartoony and fantastical as their animated counterparts and still look right alongside human actors. They are magical bears after all.

Talespin

Photo-realistic CGI talking animals were one of those gambles that could have really turned people off, but based on the success of Disney’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book and what we’ve seen of The Lion King, audiences will buy in. So why not take another risk and throw some clothes on Bill Murray’s Baloo and turn him into a 1930s Pacific Islands bush pilot for a live-action adaptation of Talespin? Talespin ran for 65 episodes in the early '90s. In it, Baloo is an air-delivery pilot who, along with business owner Rebecca and orphan navigator Kit, must keep the business flying while evading nefarious air pirates.

The show had a classic action-adventure feel, reminiscent of movies like The Rocketeer, Indiana Jones and with a touch of Casablanca. The period-piece aspect is part of what would make a Talespin movie feel super unique in today’s landscape and I have no doubt such a film would be a blast. Admittedly, this one seems less likely given the cost rendering such a film would require, especially for a property without the name recognition of The Jungle Book.

Darkwing Duck

Anecdotally, Darkwing Duck, which aired in the early '90s as part of The Disney Afternoon slate, seems to be one of Disney’s more beloved classic cartoons (in no small part thanks to a great theme song). The tale of mild-mannered duck Drake Mallard and his superhero alter ego Darkwing Duck was a goofy and action-packed series that also had plenty of heart with Drake’s adopted daughter Gosalyn. The series acted as something of a parody of superheroes like Batman and The Shadow with the bumbling Darkwing Duck mirroring those grim and serious crimefighters.

Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles series already plays with some of the superhero tropes, but a Darkwing Duck movie could really lean into that while also making fun of spy movies and noir films. Such a film could be the detective story the Rescue Rangers movie supposedly isn’t, and more than that property, Darkwing Duck seems ripe with meta, self-referential potential. I’m not sure how exactly how well it would translate to “live-action,” but I’m interested to see it happen. Come on, let’s get dangerous.

Gargoyles

Of all the classic Disney cartoons that have live-action feature film potential, Gargoyles is the most obvious. It’s so ripe for adaptation it’s kind of baffling a Gargoyles movie hasn’t happened yet, especially considering that Jordan Peele supposedly wanted to make one. Gargoyles ran in the mid-nineties and told the story of a clan of creatures of the night who turned to stone by day and protected New York City once the sun goes down.

Gargoyles was notable for being much darker than many of its contemporaries, with complex stories and rich characters that made the show ahead of its time and an eventual cult classic. Modern CGI could finally do Gargoyles justice in live-action on the big screen and I think such an adaptation, that really took the property seriously, would have real blockbuster franchise potential. It’s got action, magic, mythology and a modern setting. It would also be completely different from both Disney’s other offerings and those from other studios and that sort of unique quality makes it worth pursuing.

Bonkers

A spinoff of the earlier Raw Toonage TV series, Bonkers bears a lot of similarities to the classic live-action/animated hybrid comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Bonkers, an anthropomorphic bobcat, is a former cartoon star who has seen his fortunes fade a la BoJack Horseman and now works as a cop in Hollywood. Like Roger Rabbit, cartoons in the world of the TV show live, work and interact with human beings, including Bonkers’ partner Lucky Piquel, who hates toons, a hatred only exacerbated by Bonkers’ antics.

A Bonkers feature could be live-action with very cartoony cartoon characters populating the world and interacting with the human actors. Such a Roger Rabbit-esque approach wouldn’t require realism and would play in to the slapstick-y nature of the TV show. I don’t necessarily see this as a theatrical tentpole for Disney in the way the Gargoyles could be, but it would be ideal as a younger-skewing movie released on Disney+.

Recess

As evidenced by movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Stand By Me and Goonies, the childhood adventure story is a recipe for cinematic magic. Disney’s Recess may not have the supernatural elements of something like Stranger Things, but it delivers the great characters and relationships that are essential to making these stories work. The jock Vince, the leader T.J., the tomboy Spinelli, the genius Gretchen, the gentle giant Mikey and shy new kid Gus navigate the political battlefield of elementary school recess, while learning important lessons and forming meaningful friendships along the way.

Recess was wildly original and clever and seems like it would be an easy thing to adapt into live-action for a feature film for Disney+. Such a film could really have the childhood adventure quality of something like Goonies, while doing something unique with the mythology inherent to the Recess series. Recess already received a theatrical animated film in 2001 with Recess: School’s Out, which grossed $44.4 million worldwide on a $23 million budget. There is nostalgia and love for this property and it would really whomp if it never came back in some form.

Okay, so where is Ducktales? Well, Ducktales is currently back on the air with a new animated series starring the voice of David Tennant, so a live-action movie seems unnecessary at this point. And Goof Troop? I think Goofy is best served by staying in the fully animated realm as a jump to live-action of any sort could result in the kind of nightmare fuel that would give Pennywise bad dreams.

Disney has classic, beloved cartoons, with name recognition and strong nostalgia capital in its stable that could be brought back to life in wonderful fashion with live-action adaptations. Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers may be the first, but it is hopefully not the last.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to see all the biggest movies heading to theaters this year and let us know in the poll below which classic Disney cartoon you think should get the live-action treatment.

Captain Marvel Officially Crosses $1 Billion Mark

Captain Marvel Officially Crosses $1 Billion Mark

While so many are already gearing up for Avengers: Endgame, the story isn't quite over for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's previous entry just yet. Captain Marvel's box office totals have been slowly building, with its eyes on the $1 billion mark. Now, the movie has finally crossed that threshold, becoming the 38th movie ever, and the seventh MCU movie, to make $1 billion at the global box office.

The original Avengers film was the first Marvel movie to break the billion dollar mark. More recently, two of the Marvel films released last year, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War did so as well. This means Marvel will have two billion dollar films this year as well, as Avengers: Endgame is expected to not only break the billion dollar mark but break the $2 billion mark.

Expectations were high for Captain Marvel. The film was the first to be focused on a solo female hero, and coming in between the two big Avengers movies, one that has already become one of the highest grossing movies ever, and another that's expected to be, Captain Marvel could have been very easily overshadowed. However, the story of Carol Danvers has clearly been able to hold its own, and succeed in a way that not every part of the MCU franchise has been able to.

It also has done better than other female led superhero movies. DC's Wonder Woman finished it's theatrical run with a perfectly respecatable $821 million. The Gal Gadot-led film actually did better than Captain Marvel domestically, but Brie Larson's film more than made up the difference internationally.

The box office numbers, as reported by Variety, are, of course, good news for Marvel Studios and Disney. who have already got this year off to a great start. However, there's potentially more to it than that. Many have speculated that Captain Marvel is likely to be a major part of the MCU going into Phase Four, since we're expecting current top line characters, like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, to be on their way out. The fact that the audience has voted with their wallets and approved of the character means that if this is in fact the plan, it's going to go very well for Marvel.

We certainly expect Captain Marvel to be a difference maker when it comes to the events of Avengers: Endgame, and based on the fact that pre-sale records were broken when tickets went on sale for the movie yesterday, people are clearly ready for that.

The future of the MCU after Spider-Man: Far From Home comes out in July is still mostly a mystery. We know of a few projects in development, but nothing has a release date. Future Captain Marvel movies certainly seem likely following this result.

So Many People Are Going to Galaxy's Edge, Disneyland Has To Actually Expand Entryway

So Many People Are Going to Galaxy's Edge, Disneyland Has To Actually Expand Entryway

We're coming into the home stretch before Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland, but the park still has a lot of work to do to get ready. In anticipation of the major crowds that are expected to swarm the park, Disneyland recently took to modifying the entrance to Adventureland, which will be one of the major pathways to Galaxy's Edge, in order to allow it to accommodate more people. This included removing the iconic sign above the hub entrance, though the word is Disney Parks plans to reuse as much of the sign as possible for the brand new entrance.

Disneyland's hub and spoke design is an iconic part of the park's layout that allowed guests to enter any of the park's major areas once they reached the end of Main Street USA. However, even with the park's first major expansion back in the 1960s, this concept began to fall apart. New Orleans Square was built out of a corner of Frontierland, meaning guests had to go through either Adventureland or Frontierland to get there.

Mickey's Toontown likewise requires guests to trek all the way through Fantasyland to see it.

The only space that Disneyland has had available for expansion has been in the back of the park, in an area previously holding offices and other "behind the scenes" cast member areas. This is going to make traffic a serious concern at Disneyland as the new area that everybody is going to be headed towards requires guests to pass through the rest of the park, making pretty much the entire park feel more crowded.

Adventureland Sign Removal

In order to make this a little more painless, Disneyland recently widened the path between the hub and Adventureland. One problem, that has DIsney fans a little sad, is that the wider path means the existing Adventureland sign no longer fits.

The permit to remove the iconic Adventureland sign was first uncovered by theme park fan Matthew Gotula in early April. The new entrance has been largely completed, and now has a very small sign denoting your location.

While there is only a small sign there now, a new larger sign is planned to be created, which will utilize as much of the previous sign as possible. The plan, according to the OC Register, is to have the new sign in place in time for the Galaxy's Edge opening May 31.

Dole Whip Diversion

A number of other changes are being implemented to help deal with crowds. One potentially surprising change is that the Dole Whip stand in front of the Enchanted Tiki Room will be closed on busy days, in order to prevent the crowds that often line up to get the popular soft serve pineapple treat.

Fear not, however, Dole Whip will still be available at the new Tropical Hideway, the grab-and-go food stand that opened late last year. Dole Whip is always available there. Also, you can get it with rum at the Disneyland Hotel coffee house, if you're inclined to such things.

The Dole Whip stand situation shows just how important these changes are. Normally, on a busy day, Disneyland would want to have as many places to buy Dole Whip, or anything else for that matter, as possible. However, in this case traffic flow is actually even more important than selling more food.

Project Stardust

All of these changes are part of a large, park wide, traffic review called Project Stardust (Star Wars+ Pixie Dust). Everything from seating and planter locations to stroller parking has been under review, and much of it has been moved or removed, in order to make it easier for people to make their way through the park.

Early estimates were that Disneyland could see as many as 200,000 people on the opening day of Galaxy's Edge. While the exact capacity of the park is unknown, estimates put the number at someplace around 85,000 people.

It's unclear if things will be quite that dire, since Disneyland has instituted a reservation system for the first three weeks after Galaxy's Edge opens. You can secure a reservation for Galaxy's Edge by making a Disneyland Resort hotel reservation. Everybody, booked into the room is guaranteed entry into Galaxy's Edge during one day of the booked stay, for a period that appears to be four hours long.

Anybody not staying on property will have an opportunity to book a reservation for Galaxy's Edge on May 2.

While the reservation system will likely keep those that don't have reservations away, the four hour block will mean that those waiting for their reservation time will be all over the rest of Disneyland, making traffic flow important not only in the areas that lead to Galaxy's Edge, but everywhere in the park.

Of course, the big question is just how long the massive crowds are expected to fill Galaxy's Edge? The interest in Galaxy's Edge clearly exceeds anything that has ever come before. The new attractions will likely be the most popular in the park for years to come. Does that mean the crowds won't die down for years?

One item that could prolong the popularity of Galaxy's Edge is that the initial opening will actually only be the beginning of phase one for Galaxy's Edge. Only one of the two E-ticket attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run will be open on say one. The second attraction, Rise of the Resistance will come later. Exactly when has not been announced, but it will come later in 2019.

This means that even those that get to experience Galaxy's Edge early will have every reason to want to return if only to get a chance to ride the second attraction.

It's also unclear just how much you'll be able to do in a four window. Will that be enough time to ride Smuggler's Run and have dinner, or will you have to come back if you want to do both?

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland May 31 and will come to Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World on August 29.

Don Cheadle Wants Deadpool To Join The Avengers

Don Cheadle Wants Deadpool To Join The Avengers

Avengers: Endgame has been in theaters for a week, but the conversation regarding the film's contents have only just begun. The Russo Brothers crafted an extremely ambitious blockbuster, which wrapped up the Infinity Saga and even provided a few teases for what's coming next. But with the absence of a credits scene, most of Phase Four is a giant mystery.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Marvel's future is if/when the characters previously owned by 20th Century Fox will be adopted into the massive shared universe. This is perhaps the most relevant to Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool franchise, as Disney has expressed its interest in continuing the R-rated romp. Don Cheadle has played War Machine in the MCU since Iron Man 2, and recently expressed hope that Wade Wilson joins The Avengers, saying:

Yeah, I think that Deadpool would, I think we want to see that.

You tell 'em, Rhodes. The Merc with a Mouth has been noticeably absent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and both the fans and cast themselves would love to welcome Deadpool to the fold in a future installment.

Don Cheadle's comments to Variety echo what Marvel fans have been saying since Deadpool first hit theaters in 2016. Ryan Reynolds played the fourth-wall-breaking antihero masterfully, and the character became extremely popular to casual fans overnight. And considering how much the title character references the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the idea of him assembling with Earth's Mightiest Heroes hasn't been far from moviegoers' minds.

And according to Don Cheadle, that also includes the members of the MCU. While Disney's plans for Deadpool and The Avengers is unclear at the moment, it seems like a logical time to bring Wade Wilson into the fold. Endgame marked the end of the OG Marvel actors' contracts, so it's unclear if we'll see the likes of Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man again in the future. As such, Marvel Studios may want to bring new talent to help fill in the ranks.

Enter Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool. Bringing Wade Wilson into the MCU would skip the pesky origin story or first introduction, with cinephiles instead following a fully formed character. The Deadpool franchise has made a ton of money at the box office, so even casual moviegoers will have some understanding of the foul mouthed anti-hero. And from all the references, it's clear that Deadpool knows the MCU's denizens well.

Related: Chris Hemsworth Welcomed Deadpool To The MCU In A Great Way

For now, we'll just have to wait and see if/when Deadpool joins the MCU. And he's not the only formerly owned Fox property, as the Fantastic Four and X-Men also have the potential to be adapted by Marvel Studios.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and making a ton of money at the box office. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer Is Here, And It Just Revealed A Major Character Return

The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer Is Here, And It Just Revealed A Major Character Return

The end of an era is almost upon us. The Star Wars franchise is wrapping up the Skywalker Saga later with year with the release of Episode IX. Well, after all this time waiting, and straight out of Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, we finally have our first trailer for Episode IX, or as it’s officially known, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. As if that wasn’t a big enough deal, it revealed that Emperor Palpatine, a.k.a. Darth Sidious, is back. Check it out!

There’s a lot to absorb from our first look at Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but let’s fast forward to the end, right before the title card. Visually, there’s just a black screen, but that’s accompanied by a very familiar noise: Emperor Palpatine’s laugh. That’s right, nearly 40 years after we watched Palpatine die in Return of the Jedi and over a decade after Ian McDiarmid last played the Sith Lord on the big screen in Revenge of the Sith, he’s back!

How is he back? That’s hard to say. The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi paved the way for flashbacks in Star Wars movies, so maybe we’ll look back at Palpatine during the Empire’s reign or even earlier, when he was Chancellor of the Republic. On the other hand, what if just like Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda learned to do, Palpatine somehow learned to project himself as a Force ghost? That would be awesome to see for fans, but nothing but trouble for the protagonists. Or what if clones are being broken back out, and this Palpatine is a copy of the original?

We’ll just have to wait to see how Palpatine fits into Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, though knowing Disney and Lucasfilm, they’ll try to keep that a secret for as long as possible. Fortunately, there were plenty of other things to enjoy from the first The Rise of Skywalker trailer.

The preview kicks off with Rey on a desert planet (a return to Jakku or yet another sand-filled world?) drawing her lightsaber and preparing herself for something while Luke Skywalker narration and John Williams music plays. Eventually she ignites her blade and starts running from a spacecraft pursuing her: Kylo Ren’s TIE Fighter, meaning you can logically guess who’s inside of it. Then, as the ship gets extremely close to Rey, she leaps backward in its direction, although the trailer cuts before we see whether she lands on top of it or not.

From there, we see a lot of cool moments, including Kylo Ren slamming an opponent (maybe a Resistance fighter) to the ground on a red-lit planet; Kylo repairing the helmet he destroyed in The Last Jedi; Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca traveling through hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon; Finn, Poe Dameron and C-3PO on a skiff avoiding blaster fire, Rey hugging Leia Organa; and the main heroes on a strange planet looking at a large structure in the distance. However, it’s probably safe to say that this Palpatine tease was the biggest surprise.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. In the meantime, look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out this year.

Edward Norton Is Suing Over Movie Set Fire That Killed A Firefighter

Edward Norton Is Suing Over Movie Set Fire That Killed A Firefighter

Around this time last year, filming on writer/director/actor Edward Norton’s film Motherless Brooklyn suffered an accidental fire, which claimed the life of New York firefighter Michael Davidson as he responded to the scene. Up until now, the legal ramifications of this fatality had been filed against Norton and his Class 5 production company, but a recent update has shown that Edward Norton is now filing a suit of his own.

In this latest turn of events, a lawsuit against the owner of the building Motherless Brooklyn was filming in, Vincent Sollazzo, claims that he is at fault for the fatal incident which occurred last March. Specifically, the suit alleges the following points of supposed negligence:

…failing to maintain the building’s boiler, maintain an operational sprinkler system, install or maintain smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors and address exposed wiring and other electrical hazards.

Class 5’s lawsuit also claims that the production company, and Edward Norton, had followed all protocols involving fire safety, throughout the production of Motherless Brooklyn. It was also inferred that Norton and his crew had the proper permits from the FDNY, and were not warned of any “unsafe or problematic” conditions at their shooting site.

The Blast has been a frequent source for reporting such developments during the production of Motherless Brooklyn, with the story becoming more complicated and saddening with each turn. Previously, the publication had reported on several additional lawsuits against Edward Norton’s Class 5 production company, with the most recent being filed earlier this month from a pair of tenants who literally claimed that this tragic incident ruined their lives.

Two additional suits were also reported from last year, as one was from tenants of the apartment building that claimed the company had informed them erroneously that the blaze was extinguished. The other was from Michael Davidson’s widow, who claimed that Class 5 actually removed fire prevention systems from the building.

This is the latest obstacle that’s befallen Motherless Brooklyn, as it’s a project that’s already taken over a decade to get into production. A project very near and dear to Norton, the film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by author Jonathan Lethem, which tells the story of a man with Tourette’s Syndrome trying to solve the murder of a local mobster.

It’s up to the law to determine whether the loss of life on Motherless Brooklyn is a case of gross negligence on any person’s part, or if this was merely an accident that took the life of a brave firefighter answering the call of service. However this ends up, at the very least, we should hope that the victims of this event can find peace and that measures are taken to make sure that accidents such as these happen less frequently during any future film productions.

Motherless Brooklyn has been set for a November 1 release date, but should that change for any reason we’ll provide the updated information as it breaks.

Even Disneyland Cast Members Will Have Trouble Getting Into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge When It Opens

Even Disneyland Cast Members Will Have Trouble Getting Into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge When It Opens

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is going to be the hottest ticket Disneyland has ever seen when it opens next month. Simply getting into the land is going to require guests make a reservation for the first three weeks. Those who book rooms at Disneyland Resort hotels during the reservation period will receive a reservation automatically.

Once that period is over things may get even more crowded as everybody in the park tries to make their way to Black Spire Outpost. Normally, being an employee has its privileges, but it appears that being a Disneyland cast member won't help you get onto Batuu, as cast member passes are apparently blacked out for most or all of this summer at least.

Normally, when a Disneyland cast member isn't working, they can enter the park almost at their leisure, and they can even bring a limited number of friends with them, by simply requesting a pass. However, as Disney theme park YouTuber Disney Dan revealed yesterday, if a Disney cast member attempts to request a pass right now, they are subject to serious blackout restrictions. Every date between May 16 (according to ThrillGeek) and August 31 is currently blacked out. That's as far out as the calendar currently runs, so the daily blackout may run even longer.

Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge is set to open at Disneyland on May 31 so the blackout begins two weeks prior to opening and runs through at least the next three months. If an employee at Disneyland wants to try and get into Galaxy's Edge any sooner, they'll have to buy a ticket like everybody else, though they will have normal access to the Disneyland Resort's other park, Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland is doing everything that it can to manage the massive crowds that are expected to swarm the Disneyland Resort when Galaxy's Edge opens. Early estimates were that the resort could see 150,000-200,000 people on opening day, far more than the park can actually hold. With the announcement of the reservation system those numbers will likely be greatly reduced, but obviously, Disney Parks want to get as many paying guests into the park as possible, which means the cast members that don't need to buy tickets will have to wait until things die down.

One assumes that similar restrictions will impact cast members looking to get into Disney's Hollywood Studios starting in August, when that resort's version of Galaxy's Edge opens. Although, the fact that it will opening near the end of the busy summer season might mean the restrictions won't last quite as long. That park will not be subject to the early reservation system that Disneyland is seeing.

The good news is that Disneyland cast members won't be left entirely out in the cold. They were recently informed that there will be a special cast member-only event at Galaxy's Edge before the new land opens to the public. This is nice to hear. It's one thing to be a regular guest and have to put off making a trip because the crowds will just be too much. It's another thing to have to work right next to the place every day and not be able to see what's there.