Disney won't put out its next movie until October, but that doesn't mean its blockbuster summer is over.
If churning out five new additions to the billion-dollar box-office club wasn't enough, Disney kept its record-setting 2019 going over the weekend, hosting its 11th annual D23 Expo in Anaheim. The event is essentially Disney's very own version of Comic-Con, complete with its own roster of star-studded panels to update fans on what's coming next for the company's content and theme parks divisions.
In previous years, D23's production updates have been largely focused on Disney's theatrical offerings, but the small screen stole the show at this year's event.
The House of Mouse is just a few months away from unleashing Disney+ — the long-awaited streaming service that's been seemingly labeled a potential "Netflix killer" since before it was announced in September of 2017. Disney ($DIS) used D23 to put its original content slate in the spotlight and give audiences their best sense yet of what to expect when the platform goes live on November 12.
All of Disney's highly-lucrative properties will stream on the new service, from older classics (Disney+ will be the exclusive streaming home of the studio's entire theatrical library) to newly acquired ones (the Disney-Fox deal means "The Simpsons" are moving to Disney+) to the studio's current phase of extended cinematic universes (if you thought you were already suffering from Marvel and 'Star Wars' fatigue — you ain't seen nothing yet.)
Marvel Studios is working on at least eight episodic series for the streaming platform, with superproducer Kevin Feige revealing the latest three titles from the D23 stage ("She-Hulk," "Ms. Marvel," and "Moon Knight").
Lucasfilm, Disney's other prized acquisition, followed suit, premiering the trailer for "The Mandalorian," a new show set in the "Star Wars" galaxy that will serve as Disney+'s cornerstone original series when it launches this fall. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy also confirmed that the animated cult favorite "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" will be revived on Disney+ after going off the air in 2014.
Superheroes and Skywalkers aren't the only nostalgic entities getting new life on Disney+. The studio also confirmed rebooted versions of "High School Musical" and "Lizzie McGuire," with the latter featuring Hilary Duff's return to the show that made her a household name in the early 2000's. Viewers will also be able to stream other recognizable characters like Forky, the breakout star of this summer's "Toy Story 4," when the utensil toplines Pixar's new animated series "Forky Asks a Question."
Disney+ will also introduce a new type of content to the studio's slate: original movies distributed exclusively on the streaming platform. Disney's (very successful) strategy of remaking its animated classics will continue with a live-action version of "Lady and the Tramp" that premieres with the platform in November.
Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn also used his time on the D23 stage to introduce "Noelle," a holiday comedy starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader as Santa Claus's adult children.
So far, the early renderings of Disney's user interface are almost indistinguishable from Netflix's now-iconic landing page. But the platform will take at least one different approach compared to its main rival: According to TVLine, the entertainment giant will reportedly release new episodes of its streaming series weekly, which clearly differs from Netflix's signature full-season drops.
Almost a decade after facing a parent's worst nightmare, the families of the young students killed in the Sandy Hook School shooting reached a settlement with gun manufacturer Remington, makers of the Bushmaster AR-15 used in the crime. David Pucino, deputy chief counsel, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence joined Cheddar News to discuss the families' case and how its strategy brought about the legal settlement. "They built a really great case showing the way that Bushmaster developed its advertising to drive sales using those toxic messages.
Private equity firms are taking a big interest in investing in NBA teams, the sports league showing the highest ROI over the last two decades according to Sportico, Forbes, and PitchBook. Wylie Fernyhough, lead analys for private equity at PitchBook joined Cheddar News to discuss the way firms are looking to get a piece of the action on the court. “There’s a certain amount of rarity, with these," Fernyhough said. "They’re not exactly printing new NBA franchises."
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Inflation remains hot as the January PPI has increased by 1 percent, twice what analysts had been expecting with a jump of 9.7 over the year. Beth Ann Bovino, the U.S. chief economist, for S&P Global Ratings, joined Cheddar News to discuss the rapid pace of inflation alongside higher wages, predicting the Federal Reserve will act quickly and forcefully this year. "They haven't changed their forecast, yet, that's gonna come out soon. But we expect that a March rate hike is basically pretty much baked in the cake," she said. "We think six rate hikes in total for 2022."
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
Black spending power reached a record $1.6 Trillion in a 2021 report from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. Ayesha Selden, certified financial planner, breaks down why real estate is the key to closing the racial wealth gap and how Black Americans are using social media to improve financial literacy. "If we look at home ownership as being a primary driver of wealth, when you look at the equity that Americans have in their homes, that equity can be used to buy additional assets like other rental properties. That equity can be used to educate our children," Selden said, noting that lower rates of home ownership meant Black Americans tend to incur more debt on average for their student loans.
A new survey from Etoro suggests that talking crypto might actually help Americans on the dating scene find love...or at least land another date. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be more interested in going on a second date with a person that pays the bill in Bitcoin. Callie Cox, Etoro's U.S. investment analyst, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
