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Just before the final battle, American Idol has narrowed down its roster to just five competitors, and it does not include the show’s youngest participant. Following the weekend’s Disney Night and Mother’s Day episodes, the ABC music reality show announced that it is moving forward to the next round without Mattie Pruitt and Gabby Samone.

Pruitt, an Eaglesville, Tennessee, resident, was the youngest contestant of American Idol Season 23. The rising star, who took the nation by storm through her musical genius, recently turned 16. Apart from Pruitt, America’s vote also sent back home Baltimore’s Gabby Samone, who was the last remaining Black woman left in the competition.

Toward the end of the episode, it was revealed that more than 20 million votes were received, which decided the future of the American Idol contestants.

American Idol’s youngest competitor, Mattie Pruitt, goes home after a memorable run

After...

Tonight on American Idol, the Top 7 travel to Disneyland Resort and light up the stage with Disney classics as America votes live for their five favorite performers. With the help of special guest Lin-Manuel Miranda, each hopeful will also sing a special Mother's Day tribute as judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan provide feedback.

After the Top 7 perform, host Ryan Seacrest "dims the lights" as two hopefuls are eliminated.

On Monday, the Disney magic continues as the Top 5 honor their favorite heroes and villains with two performances each. At the end of the night, three finalists will advance to the Season 23 finale and sing for the title on Sunday, May 18.

The "Disney Night No. 1" episode of American Idol airs live coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 11 (8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt). Follow along with our live blog below to see each performance and find out who went home. Plus,...

Disney+ might be Disney's dominant form of home entertainment, but that doesn't mean it's the only card up its sleeve. Freeform just announced an entire month's worth of content coming to our screens this June.

Per Freeform's official press release, Disney fans are in for an absolutely packed summer as the network airs a boatload of movies, shows, and network premieres. The release made the following statement.

"Highlights include the world television premieres of Disney Pixar’s “Elemental” and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Strange World” and a lineup of must-watch films from the Walt Disney film catalog, including animated classics like “Aladdin” (1992), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) and Disney-Pixar films like “Finding Nemo,” “Brave” and A Bug’s Life."

Freeform is no stranger to airing our favorite movies from Disney and Pixar, but a full month's worth of content is certainly remarkable. In an age where streaming services are dominating over TV networks consistently,...

Freeform has announced that it will once again host a “30 Days of Disney” block in June 2025. Fans can watch Disney and Pixar content daily on the network.

Here is the schedule.

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June 1

8:05 Pm -Elemental

June 2

5 Pm -Inside Out

9 Pm – Beauty and the Beast (1991)

June 3

9 Pm -The Little Mermaid (1989)

June 4

4:25 Pm -A Bug’s Life

6:30 Pm -Finding Nemo / Double Feature

June 5

4:40 Pm The Incredibles / Double Feature

June 6

5 Pm -The Emperor’s New Groove

6:55 Pm -Aladdin (1992)

June 7

3:40 Pm -Luca

8:15 Pm -The Little Mermaid (2023)

June 8

2 Pm -Turning Red

6:20 Pm -Encanto

June 9

8:30 Pm Cinderella (2015)

June 10

12:55 Pm Cars /Triple Feature

June 11

4:25 Pm -Brave

June 12

8:30 Pm -Coco

June 13

3:35 Pm -The Princess Diaries / Double Feature...

Just keep swimming! Freeform’s 30 Days of Disney will make a splash this summer with themed weeks full of feel-good favorites and nostalgic classics.

Highlights include the world television premieres of Disney Pixar’s Elemental and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Strange World and a lineup of must-watch films from the Walt Disney film catalog, including animated classics like Aladdin (1992), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), and Disney-Pixar films like Finding Nemo, Brave, and A Bug’s Life.

Embrace your inner Disney princess during the first weekend with enchanting films like Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and the Freeform premiere of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2023).

Gather the family together to celebrate Father’s Day weekend with films such as Onward, The Incredibles, and Pinocchio (1940).

Elemental

Join in on epic adventures as we dive into action-packed titles like The Jungle Book (2016) and the Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathon,...

Walt Disney Animation Studios is paying tribute to female talent in art and animation at a one-of-a-kind exhibition during the Gran Canaria-based Animayo. From May 7-10, the exhibition Whimsy & Wonder will be exclusively on display during the fest.

Disney, an official sponsor this year, will celebrate the female artists who helped shape Disney’s visual storytelling for more than a hundred years. These include the trailblazing Mary Blair, who transformed the use of color in the 1950s, and the visionary women behind modern favorites like “Frozen,” “Encanto” and “Moana 2.” The exhibition is a homage to the women who have shaped the past—and are defining the future—of animation.

Art for ‘Encanto’ by Lorelay Bové

In the 1940s and ’50s, Blair, a celebrated color stylist and art director, brought a bold new vision to Disney animation. Her imaginative use of vibrant colors and whimsical shapes sparked a transformative shift...

In the world of voice acting, there are few modern legends that can compare to Mel Blanc or June Foray. However, Jim Cummings is one of those individuals, in part due to the sheer number of credits to his name. Not only are there stories about Cummings filling in for Jeremy Irons on The Lion King, but he built a long, sustained career creating his own icons. Some of his most iconic voices include Darkwing Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Pete, and Ray from The Princess and the Frog. With The King of Kings, FandomWire had a chance to speak with him about his performance.

Below is a condensed version of the interview, edited for length and clarity. The full interview is available on YouTube here.

Related10 Upcoming Animated Movies in 2025 We Can’t Wait to See The King of Kings Interview with Jim Cummings

FandomWire: You are a huge inspiration...

The strangest thing about Sneaks, a new animated movie co-directed by Rob Edwards and Christopher Jenkins and written by Edwards (Captain America: Brave New World, The Princess and the Frog), isn’t that shoes become sentient beings, but that a stacked cast is squandered on such a plodding and predictable story.

Anthony Mackie, Martin Lawrence, Swae Lee, Laurence Fishburne, Chloe Bailey and Macy Gray, among many others, lend their voices to the footwear and people that populate this fictionalized New York City. And while their performances are solid, they lack the energy one might reasonably expect from such a talented ensemble.

The issues largely stem from a narrative reliant on, instead of merely riddled with, clichés. A story of a kid trying to achieve his dreams or a reunion between a shoe and his other half need not be deep, but it should feel inspired, whether through the animation or...

Rob Edwards wrote animated classics like Treasure Island and The Princess and the Frog before making the leap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Captain America: Brave New World. 

His newest movie is Angel Studios' King of Kings (you can watch the trailer below), and we recently had the good fortune to sit down with Rob and learn more about telling that epic story. As well as explaining how his past work prepared him for the project, he told us about the incredible cast and how animation was used to bring his script to life. 

Talk did eventually turn to Captain America: Brave New World, and we wondered how the writer felt about the significant changes made to the story during reshoots.  

"It's part of the process. There's this wealth of...there's so many comic books, so many thoughts. Everything takes these different roads and, at the end, you just have to make some choices,...

Peacock has unveiled a new look at “Law & Order: Organized Crime” Season 5, featuring guest star Mariska Hargitay reuniting with Christopher Meloni.

As the series makes the move from NBC to Peacock, the newest season takes place in New York City and follows the detectives of the Organized Crime Control Bureau as crime syndicates threaten lives. The official synopsis for this season teases that it will dive back into “the dangerous worlds of cross-border smuggling, high-tech domestic terrorism and a crime family intent on repaying Stabler for the injury he did them in Rome. As his worlds collide, Stabler will put everything on the line to protect the vulnerable and fight for justice.”

Hargitay has played Capt. Olivia Benson in over 500 episodes of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” to date. She starred alongside Meloni, who stars in “L&o: Oc” as Det. Elliot Stabler. The cast of the series...

Jim Cummings is an icon. The actor has served as the official voice of Winnie the Pooh since 1988, Tigger since 1989, and the Tasmanian Devil since 1991. However, that barely scratches the surface, as he also counts the likes of Darkwing Duck and Hondo Ohnaka among his many credits.

We first met the latter character in The Clone Wars, and the popularity of the pirate and smuggler later saw him featured heavily in Star Wars Rebels. He's even put centre stage as an incredibly realistic animatronic as part of the "Smuggler's Run" ride in Disneyland and Disney World. 

We recently talked to Cummings about his work in Angel Studios' King of Kings and wondered whether the door is open to him potentially voicing Hondo in a live-action Star Wars project. There's a precedent for that as The Book of Boba Fett saw Corey Burton reprise his role as bounty hunter, Cad Bane.

What do The Fox and the Hound, Fantasia, and The Manchurian Candidate all have in common? They're all movies the cast and crew of Mufasa: The Lion King would place next to the Disney prequel's physical release on their shelves. Barry Jenkins's box-office-busting photorealistic animated musical drama is coming to store shelves on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 1, and to celebrate, Collider can share an exclusive video with the stars involved talking through what films deserve to sit with their creation. Whether for sentimental reasons, a Disney connection, or because they prefer to be neat and alphabetized, each person featured has a different answer for how they're displaying the new release with the movies they own.

The video opens with one of the film's two stars, Kelvin Harrison Jr., who plays Taka/Scar. Considering Mufasa is all about brothers, he thinks The Fox and the Hound...

One of the writers onCaptain America: Brave New World is pushing back against some of the negative reviews the movie has received. Captain America: Brave New World opened in theaters on Feb. 14, 2025 and was certainly not the big start to 2025 that Marvel Studios was likely hoping for, as it garnered a 48% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes — making it only the third MCU film to get a rotten rating alongside 2021's Eternals (47%) and 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (46%). For what it's worth, the audience's reaction was mixed with positivity.

Speaking with The Direct, screenwriter Rob Edwards explained why he thinks critics missed the market on Captain America: Brave New World. Edwards is one of five credited screenwriters on the fourth Captain America movie, and also has a story by credit in the film. When asked if he was surprised by the difference in audience reaction compared to critical reaction, Edwards...

It's no secret that the new live-action remake of Disney's Snow White isn't exactly winning everyone over. Even with its miserable box office numbers, the movie was fated to fall long before the production was even finished.

With an ocean of controversy behind its plot, its use of CGI, and the toxic background created by its leading lady, there might be a glimmer of hope for the House of Mouse yet. As Disney's folly sinks in the live-action department, this failure might force them to return to what they do best: classic, traditional animation.

Will Disney go Looney after Snow White?

It's safe to say that Snow White is officially a laughing stock at the cinema, and not for the right reasons. The film's opening box office was a meager haul of around $42 million versus its over $200 million budget, making it one of Disney's biggest bombs. However, there might be...

It may be time for Disney to return to 2D animation and there are great reasons for it!

There's been a long debate among Disney fans about whether the company should go back to traditional hand-drawn 2D animation. They had tried in 2009 with The Princess and the Frog but that movie's underperformance at the box office meant sticking to CGI.

Disney has seen a lot of success since adapting to 3D animation. However, it's also seen failures like 2024's Wish. They've had to rely on Pixar and change Moana 2 from a planned TV series to a feature film. Which is why maybe it's a great time for Disney to seriously consider going back to 2D animation and there are some excellent reasons it can work!

1. It just comes off more magical

As much as we love the likes of Tangled or, Frozen or Zootopia, one can't help but...

Disney fans are still raving about Mufasa: The Lion King. Released in November 2024, the prequel film takes viewers on the journey of Mufasa’s coming-of-age story, and how his relationship with Scar became estranged — Kelvin Harrison Jr. shines as the film’s villain. The film was a dream come true for Harrison Jr., who’d been a longtime fan. With all the buzz surrounding the film continuing, he spoke with Collider about whether he’d be reprising his role in another Lion King project at Disney. He said:

"Oh, it's such a huge honor. I've talked about it a lot, but the original Lion King came out in '94. That was the year I was born, so it felt like my birth project in a lot of ways. I've been a big fan of that movie. It's one of my favorite Disney movies. Scar is definitely one of my favorite Disney villains.

When Netflix released its “engagement report,” a chart that details the streaming giant’s top performing content from July to December 2024, on the film list, just past word-of-mouth sensations like “Carry-On” and “Rebel Ridge” and a couple of spots below heavily hyped sequel “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” the sixth most-watched thing on Netflix was “Sing: Thriller,” a short film set in Illumination’s “Sing” universe that features Michael Jackson’s beloved smash. This 10-minute “Sing” short performed better than animated features like DreamWorks’ “Trolls Band Together” and Netflix’s own original animated movies “That Christmas” and “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” a “SpongeBob SquarePants” project licensed from Paramount. “Sing: Thriller” racked up a staggering 77,000,000 views.

The short, which features an odd ooze turning the animal denizens of the “Sing” universe into zombie-like creatures, captures the colorful, brightly choreographed charm of the “Sing” movies and distills that charm into an easily digestible,...

Fans and critics have been in agreement recently that Disney's once masterful storytelling and even animation quality has faltered. With releases like Wish and Mufasa: The Lion King not surpassing the certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and scoring in the lower-mid-range on IMDb and Letterboxd, seeing the quintessential castle logo before a film doesn't indicate that it will be a truly magical adventure anymore.

Even though films like Mufasa and Moana 2 were financially successful, more and more discourse online and among communities emerges every time Disney releases a cash-grabbing live-action film or an animated film with significant story blunders and even unfinished-looking animation. Now is a better time than ever to revisit the classics that made audiences fall in love with Disney. Even though it's bittersweet that Disney may never get back to this point, their legacy in animation must be acknowledged and honored.

The Emperor's New Groove...

The original star of The Princess and the Frog is speaking up about Disney canceling the planned TV show centering around Princess Tiana, and her words are notable!

Back in 2020 (which feels so much longer than five years), Disney announced plans for Tiana, an animated series exclusive to Disney+. It would have been a sequel to 2009’s The Princess and the Frog, which had been intended to restart a new era in hand-drawn animated features.

Like many projects announced that year, the show hit several delays despite Joyce Sherri joining in 2023 as showrunner and writer. It was really at the point that many forgot it even existed.

Finally, Disney confirmed in early March 2025 that the series was not going forward. For that matter, Disney was now putting the focus on long-form animation only for theatrical releases.

It is a letdown for fans of the movie and especially its star!

Tiana...

Anika Noni Rose is speaking out about the cancelation of her Tiana series.

The actress was set to reprise her The Princess and the Frog role in a longform musical series for Disney+, but it was recently announced the show is no longer happening.

After a week since the news, Anika has taken to social media to share her thoughts on the sad news of the show that has been worked on for over four years. It was originally supposed to debut in 2023 but faced multiple delays.

Keep reading to see what she said…

“I’m so grateful to all who have worked to bring the Tiana series to life, and all who continue to love her into existence and beyond,” she captioned her post, which featured a longer statement. “You are loved and appreciated on this #TianaTuesday and every other day. Sometimes you need a moment to process.

Anika Noni Rose has responded to Disney’s decision to cancel Tiana, the planned animated musical series following The Princess and the Frog. The Tony-winning actress, who originally voiced Tiana in the 2009 film, shared her thoughts on Instagram, calling the cancellation disappointing while encouraging fans to support the upcoming one-off special that will take its place.

Rose acknowledged the support she received following the news, stating, “I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short.” The actress highlighted the dedication of those involved in the project, including writer-director Joyce Sherri, longtime Disney creative leader Jenn Lee, and the music team.

Originally announced during a 2020 Disney investor event, Tiana was set to continue the story of Disney’s first Black princess beyond the film. However, the series was among several long-form animated projects scrapped as Walt Disney Animation Studios shifts its focus to shorter-form content.

Last week, Disney unceremoniously scrapped an animated series based on The Princess and the Frog. Since the series had been in the works for five years, fans, including Tiana herself, were naturally upset. Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in The Princess and the Frog, took to Instagram to voice her displeasure with the move.

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” Rose wrote on Instagram. “The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved, including but not limited to long time champion Jenn Lee, our wonderful writer/director Joyce Sherri, some fabulous animators and an amazing music team.“

However, Tiana isn’t entirely dead, as a “short-form special” inspired by the movie is in early development. Rose hopes fans will turn out for...

Anika Noni Rose is breaking her silence over Disney’s decision earlier this month not to move forward with Tiana, an animated musical series offshoot of The Princess and the Frog movie set for Disney+.

First announced in December 2020, the project was expected to feature Rose reprising her role as Tiana from the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, which revolved around Disney’s first Black princess.

“Last week an announcement was made regarding the cancellation of the series, Tiana,” she began in a statement shared on Instagram. “I’ve been getting loads of messages expressing kindness, support and overwhelming disappointment.”

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” adding that the highly anticipated series adaptation had been a “long time coming” and involved “a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all the creatives involved.”

“As...

Anika Noni Rose is "deeply disappointed" that 'The Princess and the Frog' won't be made into a television show.The 52-year-old actress voiced the role of Tiana in the 2009 animated musical film and Disney+ had plans to remake it as a series for their streaming platform but confirmed in early March that the project had been shelved.Taking to Instagram on Tuesday (11.03.25), Anika said: "Last week an announcement was made regarding the cancellation of the series, 'Tiana'. "I've been getting loads of messages expressing kindness, support, and overwhelming disappointment. "I've also been asked by different outlets to make a statement, but I'd rather talk to you directly."I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana's journey in series form has been cut short. The Disney Legend added that the series had been a "long time coming" and thanked the writer and director Jenn Lee...

Anika Noni Rose has broken her silence about the cancellation of “Tiana,” the recently axed streaming series follow-up to Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” the voice actress wrote on Instagram on Tuesday a week after the Disney+ show was cancelled. A one-off animated special will now be coming in its place instead.

Rose shared that she had been asked by many outlets for a statement but that she’d “rather talk to you directly.”

She continued: “The series was a longtime coming and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved, including – but not limited to – longtime champion Jenn Lee, our wonderful writer/director Joyce Sherri, some fabulous editors and an amazing music team.”

Additionally, Rose wrote, “As hurtful as it is...

After Walt Disney Animation Studios pulled the plug on its Tiana princess series, the film’s original star Anika Noni Rose is speaking out on the decision.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, the actress, known for voicing Princess Tiana in Disney’s 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, addressed the news of the series being shelved, which was exclusively reported by The Hollywood Reporter on March 3.

“Last week an announcement was made regarding the cancellation of the series, Tiana,” she shared in a statement on Instagram. “I’ve been getting loads of messages expressing kindness, support and overwhelming disappointment.

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short. The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved,” she continued, crediting “long time champion” Jenn Lee, writer-director...

“The Princess and the Frog” actress Anika Noni Rose is “disappointed” in Disney after the IP did not get its happily ever after, as promised.

Rose was set to reprise her lead voiceover role as Princess Tiana for an eponymous Disney+ sequel series. The show was announced in 2020, more than a decade after “The Princess and the Frog” debuted in 2009. In March 2025, “Tiana” was officially scrapped by the streamer; a source told IndieWire that the series went through several different creative teams, and the production costs were too high to continue. In lieu of the series, a short-form project titled “Tiana Special Event” is now in the works for Disney+.

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” Rose wrote on social media. “The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into...

In 2009, Disney premiered The Princess and the Frog, introducing Tiana, the first black princess. The animated film was a modest success, and it was expected to continue as a TV series.

Disney announced plans for a television spin-off titled Tianain December 2020. Anika Noni Rose, who voiced the lead character in the 2009 animated film, was confirmed to return to reprise her role. A few days after Disney officially shelved the series, Rose shared her disappointment in an Instagram post.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Anika Noni Rose (@anikaaroundtheworld)

"Last week an announcement was made regarding the cancellation of the series, Tiana. I've been getting loads of messages expressing kindness, support, and overwhelming disappointment," Anika Noni Rose's message began. "I've also been asked by different outlets to make a statement, but I'd rather talk to you directly."

The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into it.

The Princess and the Frogstar Anika Noni Rose shares that she is disappointed about the cancellation of the planned television spin-off series Tianathat was being developed for Disney+. Tiana was originally announced by Disney in December 2020. However, in March 2025, it was reported that Walt Disney Animation Studios was no longer focusing on producing long-form content for streaming and that the Tiana series had been cancelled.

In an Instagram post, Rose shared an image of Tiana from the 2009 animated film, showing the character wishing on a star. The post also includes a statement from the actress, which said that she was "disappointed" about the cancellation. She goes on to praise the work that had been done on the series, giving a special shout-out to former Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee, as well as writer and director Joyce Sherri. Rose also praises the animators and music team who worked on Tiana.

Disney might have a storied history of "happily ever afters," but it abruptly cut one story short after years of development. The company unexpectedly closed the book on Tiana, a spin-off series of The Princess and the Frog, earlier this month and now Anika Noni Rose, who was set to voice the Disney+ show's titular princess (reprising her role from the 2009 animated movie), has broken her silence on the shock cancellation. The actress took to Instagram to share her thoughts and feelings on the matter, noting how "deeply disappointed" she is by the decision to not continue Tiana's journey in series form.

Rose's response comes one week after news surfaced that Disney had scrapped its plans for Tiana, a project that was first announced in 2020, along with an unannounced feature-length movie for Disney+, the details of which had not been circulated. In the caption of the post, she explained...

Anika Noni Rose is “deeply disappointed” after Disney scrapped its planned “Princess and the Frog” television series for Disney+ after years in development. The series, titled “Tiana,” was first announced in 2020. Joyce Sherri joined the project in 2023 as its lead writer and director. Rose was set to reprise the title princess, who she first voiced in the 2009 animated film. News broke earlier this month that “Tiana” had been axed as a series. A short-form project based on “The Princess and the Frog” is now being developed for Disney+.

“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” Rose wrote on Instagram. “The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved, including but not limited to long time champion Jenn Lee, our wonderful writer/director Joyce Sherri,...

Children's movies, especially animated features, should be given more credit for their masterful and artistic storytelling, which can stay with people for years. There are plenty of iconic and beloved stories from all ages and studios, but sometimes, these stories can get more sinister than audiences expect.

Some of the most famous children's movies also include some of the most horrific and devastating deaths in cinematic history. For these to be in children's films makes it even more sour as their audiences will most likely retain that memory forever. Whether for better or for worse, children's films can sometimes have the most horrific deaths to ever see put to screen.

Ray Finally Gets to Evangeline The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The Princess and the Frog is easily one of Disney's most underrated princess movies of all time. Audiences adored the classic and immaculate animation, catchy songs, beautiful story and especially its lively characters.

When Will Finn's and John Standford's animated musical Western "Home on the Range" was released, it came with an elegiac announcement. Disney, you see, had been struggling throughout the early 2000s. The 1990s renaissance was over, and much of the studio's more recent output was either failing critically or commercially. Films like "Fantasia 2000," "The Emperor's New Groove," and "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" were only modest successes, while films like "Dinosaur" and "Brother Bear" were coming and going without much notice. The studio's clunky sci-fi epic "Treasure Planet" notoriously lost buckets of money, which didn't inspire confidence. It didn't help that DreamWorks was attracting huge animation audiences with films like "Shrek" — a notoriously anti-Disney movie.

As such, to appear competitive, Disney announced that "Home on the Range" was going to be the studio's last-ever traditionally hand-drawn feature film. After that, it was to be 100% CGI. Animation purists panicked, feeling...

Disney has made a decision about long-form animation for Disney+, and it’s a bold move for the company!

For decades, Disney has always been the dominant force in feature animation. Even with challengers like Don Bluth, DreamWorks, and others, Disney and Pixar would be tops at the box office and win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

But the last few years have been rough for the company. Sure, the pandemic meant Pixar films like Soul and Turning Red had to be sent to Disney+. But there’s also the bombs of Strange New Worlds and Wish.

Inside Out 2 was a big hit, yet Disney seems to be resting more on sequels than on original fare. Now, a big move has occurred, with Disney announcing that it is canceling plans for a Tiana animated series that was to come to Disney+.

The show would have continued the adventures...

Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially scrapped its Tiana series, which was set to serve as a follow-up to The Princess and The Frog.

According to THR, the project was cancelled as part of the studio's new strategy, which involves moving away from all original longform animated content for the Disney+ streaming service. A spokesperson confirmed there "will be some layoffs in its Vancouver studio as a result of this shift in business strategy."

In addition to Tiana, an untitled feature-length project has also been shelved.

First announced back in 2020, Tiana was being developed as a musical featuring Anika Noni Rose reprising her lead role from the 2009 animated film. The trade report mentions that, despite best efforts, "including several changes to the creative team, Tiana ultimately could not get to where it needed to be given production costs."

Apparently, The Princess and the Frog is still a key property for the company,...

It ain’t easy being green, and it ain’t easy spending so much green either.

Disney has axed a series meant for Disney+ called “Tiana” spun off from its 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog,” one that would have featured the return of the original film’s voice actress Anika Noni Rose, IndieWire has confirmed. The series was announced back in 2020, has been in development since, and has gone through several different creative teams, but the production costs to make it work were too great to continue, a source told IndieWire. THR first confirmed the news about the series being shelved.

The loss of “Tiana” is not indicative of just one project; it’s part of a larger change of thinking at Disney around long-form animated content intended for streaming. In addition to “Tiana,” an untitled, unannounced, animated feature film meant for Disney+ is also being shelved.

Pixar...

Walt Disney Animation Studios has decided not to move forward with Tiana, an animated musical series offshoot of The Princess and the Frog movie set for Disney+, Deadline has confirmed.

While Disney did not respond to request for comment today over the Tiana series cancellation, sources confirm that going forward neither animation studio will be providing long form content for Disney +.

With a Tiana original special now the focus, we hear, it seems that creatively a Tiana series had been going nowhere fast for several years. That creative funk was why all we’ve seen the past four years is a single image from the proposed Tiana series.

First announced in December 2020, the project was expected to feature Anika Noni Rose reprising her role as Tiana from the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, which revolved around Disney’s first Black princess.

Set in New Orleans during the 1920s,...

Despite announcing plans for a Princess and the Frog series, titled Tiana, back in 2020, Disney has pulled the plug on the animated follow-up. In addition, Walt Disney Animation is scrapping all development plans for content on Disney+. Walt Disney Animation joins Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm as divisions of the Walt Disney Company that are focusing less on streaming projects and reinvesting their energy in theatrical films, a far cry from where the studio was just five years ago.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that plans for Tiana have now been scrapped entirely, along with a planned feature-length film for Disney+ which had not been announced. A spokesperson for Disney confirmed there would be some layoffs in its Vancouver studio due to this shift from developing original content for Disney+ to focusing on feature film animation. Sources close to Tiana told The Hollywood Reporter that despite their best efforts to save the series,...

According to THR, Walt Disney Animation Studios has pulled the plug on the animated series based on The Princess and the Frog. The series would have focused on Princess Tiana and was set to feature Anika Noni Rose reprising her role from the 2009 animated movie. It was first announced in December 2020, so this one has been in the works for quite some time.

The report states that “despite best efforts, including several changes to the creative team, Tiana ultimately could not get to where it needed to be given production costs.” Unfortunately, a Disney spokesperson confirmed that there would be some layoffs at the Vancouver studio working on the project. Another unannounced feature-length project being developed for Disney+ was also scrapped.

Related Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net:Doom, Star Trek, Top Gun, WandaVision

The Princess and the Frog marked Disney’s brief return to traditional animation. Set...

In a move reflecting the current state of Disney's efforts across both streaming and theatrical releases, Walt Disney Animation Studios will no longer be pursuing longform streaming content, as revealed by The Hollywood Reporter. As a result, the "Tiana" animated series, which has been in development for half a decade, has been canceled. The show would have seen Anika Noni Rose reprise her role from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog."

The change in mission isn't exactly shocking. It's widely known that Disney+ has struggled to make the money work on high-budget streaming originals, from live-action "Star Wars" shows to animated projects from Pixar. "Moana 2," in particular, was infamously meant to be a Disney+ series before it evolved into a theatrical film -- and given that movie's billon-dollar gross, coupled with the massive box office success of Pixar's "Inside Out 2," it makes sense that Disney would want to...

Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially canceled “Tiana,” its planned Disney+ musical series, as part of a broader strategy to move away from original long-form streaming content, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The decision comes four years after the project was first announced in December 2020. Anika Noni Rose was set to reprise her role as Tiana, Disney’s first Black princess, from the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog.”

Despite multiple changes to the creative team, sources close to the series indicated that the project failed to reach the necessary production benchmarks, particularly given its budgetary constraints.

Layoffs and Strategic Shifts

Along with the cancellation of “Tiana,” Disney Animation is also shelving an unannounced feature-length film that was set to premiere exclusively on Disney+. As a result, the company confirmed layoffs at its Vancouver animation studio, which had been focused on producing original streaming content.

Disney came under fire...

The highly anticipated fifth installment of Disney’s Descendants franchise is expanding its cast! Four new actors have joined the upcoming musical fantasy film, which will stream on Disney+ and air on Disney Channel.

Joel Oulette (Trickster), Zavien Garrett (The Flash), Ryan McEwen (Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies), and Dayton Paradis have officially signed on. Production is set to begin soon, and fans can expect more magical adventures featuring the children of iconic Disney characters.

Joel Oulette will play Robbie Hood, the son of Robin Hood, a legendary hero known for stealing from the rich to help the poor. Zavien Garrett takes on the role of Felix Facilier, the son of Dr. Facilier, the cunning villain from The Princess and the Frog. Ryan McEwen and Dayton Paradis will portray Squirmy Smee and Squeaky Smee, the mischievous twin sons of Mr. Smee from Peter Pan. Related: ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red...

“Tiana,” a streaming series from Walt Disney Animation Studios that was meant to debut on Disney+ and continue the adventures of Disney’s first Black princess (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), is no longer moving forward at the animation studio.

Instead, Joyce Sherri, who was writing and directing on the animated series, will be helming an animated special that will find its home on Disney+. “Meet the Robinsons” director Stephen Anderson will also direct on the new project.

This is part of the House of Mouse’s strategic shift away from long-form animated series to instead focus on both its one-movie-a-year theatrical cadence, which will mix original series with sequels like the upcoming “Frozen 3” and “Frozen 4,” along with its short-form content like the “Zootopia+” and “Baymax!” series (both of which are Emmy winners).

There will also be a small reduction in staff at the Vancouver studio, but this indicates...

The Princess and the Frog sequel series has been scrapped at Disney+. Titled Tiana, the streaming exclusive would have brought back Anika Noni Rose as the voice of Disney's first Black princess, Tiana.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially pulled the plug on Tiana as it abandons making original long-form content for Disney+. Sources close to the project revealed that despite best efforts, including several changes to the creative team, the animation studio couldn't get Tiana where it needed to be given its budget. The decision to scrap Tiana in its entirety comes as a bit of a surprise, given that Disney recently found success at the box office with Moana 2, which was announced alongside Tiana back in 2020 as a Disney+ series before ultimately being reworked into a feature-length animated sequel.

RelatedDescendants 5 Casts the Children of Robin Hood, Dr. Facilier & Mr. Smee

As Descendants 5...

The Tiana project is not moving forward at Disney+.

Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially cancelled its Tiana princess series, and will abandon original longform content for streaming, THR reports.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed there “will be some layoffs in its Vancouver studio as a result of this shift in business strategy.”

Keep reading to find out more…

In addition to the Tiana series, an unannounced movie that was set to go straight to Disney+ has also been shelved.

Tiana was first announced in December 2020. At the time, it was planned to be a musical featuring Anika Noni Rose reprising her role as Tiana from the 2009 film The Princess and The Frog, Disney’s first Black princess.

Sources told THR that after much effort, including several changes to the creative team, Tiana ultimately wasn’t able to get where it needed to be given production costs.

The animation...

Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially pulled the plug on its Tiana princess series as it abandons making original longform content for streaming, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

A spokesperson confirmed there will be some layoffs in its Vancouver studio as a result of this shift in business strategy. In addition to the Tiana series, the studio is also scrapping an unannounced feature-length project that was set to go straight to Disney+.

Tiana was first announced in December 2020, and was envisioned as a musical featuring Anika Noni Rose reprising her role as Tiana from the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, the film centering on Disney’s first Black princess.

Sources close to the streaming series say that despite best efforts, including several changes to the creative team, Tiana ultimately could not get to where it needed to be given production costs.

Still, The Princess and the Frog remains a key property for the company,...

The Descendants franchise continues to expand with the announcement of four new cast members for the fifth film, set to air on Disney Channel and Disney+. Production on the movie is set to begin shortly, with the new additions bringing fresh faces to the popular series.

Joel Oulette, Zavien Garrett, Ryan McEwen, and Dayton Paradis will join the ensemble, each taking on roles tied to Disney villains. Oulette will portray Robbie Hood, the son of Robin Hood, whose character seems to lean toward a more heroic path. Garrett will play Felix Facilier, the son of the villainous Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog. McEwen and Paradis will take on the roles of twin brothers, Squirmy and Squeaky Smee, the sons of Mr. Smee from Peter Pan.

The movie will also feature returning cast members, with Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker reprising their roles as Red, the daughter of the Queen of Hearts,...

Disney fans born before or during the turn of the century likely associate the studio’s animated films with its iconic two-dimensional style. Beginning with Snow White, these movies became a childhood staple for generations. However, with Tangled, Disney shifted to a three-dimensional animation style. While not new to 3-D — thanks to earlier films like Bolt and Meet the Robinsons — Tangled marked the first Disney princess film in this style, concluding the 2-D princess era with 2009’s ThePrincess and the Frog.

The trend of 3-D animation has continued, with recent films like Encanto earning widespread acclaim. Alongside this, Disney has increasingly favored live-action remakes of its classics, with their first attempt coming via 1994's The Jungle Book. It has since continued this trend, with movies like The Little Mermaid and Snow White getting a live-action remake,further distancing audiences from the charm of 2-D animation. With 3-D and live-action dominating,...

With its release in 2010, Tangledwas instantly regarded as a true return to form for Disney while utilizing what was, at the time, a new animation style for the company. Grossing almost $600 million on a $260 million budget, the film rivaled Disney's renaissance-era films, including more contemporary musical numbers, featuring the vocals of '90s/early 2000s pop star Mandy Moore.

The film explores conflicted dynamics between the sly criminal Flynn Ryder and the sheltered lost princess Rapunzel. The two's development from unlikely friends to inseparable lovers coincides beautifully with the film's adventure elements. The film is an adaption of the beloved fairy tale Rapunzel and employs many key plot points from the story, but there is a more concentrated emphasis on the action within the film. This shift in direction for the film was decided to appeal to a more comprehensive audience, aiming to move away from the princess film archetype.

Disney friendships are pivotal to many of the company's stories. Whether existing between humans, animals, or toys, these relationships allow audiences to see themselves in these characters and relate to the larger story. Many of Disney's dynamic duos center around male characters, including Woody and Buzz, Mater and Lightning McQueen, and Baloo and Mowgli, to name a few.

Disney's female friendships are far more sparse, or exist solely within a family bond, such as Anna and Elsa. Disney has made an effort since the massive success of Frozen to emphasize the power of female relationships both inside and outside of family. And one could argue that this trend truly began with Charlotte and Tiana in The Princess and the Frog. Maleficent and Encanto feature strong female characters who learn to overcome their differences and embrace each other's unique qualities, letting love shine through. With new and powerful friendships emerging, fans...