Disney and LucasFilm Are Launching 'Star Wars Forces of Destiny'

Forces of Destiny is a multi-part campaign based on the heroines of the Star Wars universe. It will introduce a new line of toys, books and a new animated TV series. The episodes will be very short (2-3 minutes), and tell key moments in the lives of Leia, Jyn Erso, Rey and more female characters of the extended saga.

Get a first look at what the show will look like in the presentation video below.

Watch: Here's A New Trailer for 'Tangled: Before Ever After'

Tangled: Before Ever After is both a TV Movie and a series. Both will air on Disney Channel later this year: the movie will launch the series based on the 2010 WDAS' classic Tangled. Both Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi will reprise their roles as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, respectively, while Alan Menken will write new songs. The main difference between the feature film and this TV version is the transition from CGI to traditional animation. Watch the new trailer below.

Watch: Three New TV Show Trailers

These three TV Shows recently got their first trailer. One of them is coming to Disney Channel next year - that's Tangled: Before Ever After; and the two other are premiering on Netflix soon - they are Trollhunters and Skylanders Academy. Watch the trailers and learn a bit more about these shows below.

'Hotel Transylvania': A New TV Show and Tartakovsky is Back

Sony Pictures Animation and Nelvana announced that they will work together on a TV based on the Hotel Transylvania brand. The series will debut on Disney Channel in 2017.

Watch: A Clip and Intro from 'The Lion Guard'

Disney's The Lion King characters are coming back with a new television movie and its companion show. The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar (the TV Movie) is premiering this November on Disney Channel, while the series, simply titled The Lion Guard, will debut in early 2016 on Disney Channels around the globe. Get a first look below.

'Tangled': I See the TV Show

Variety reports that a TV series based on Disney's Tangled is heading our way. The show will air on Disney Channel in 2017, and will star Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (Eugene AKA Flynn Rider) who are reprising their roles from the 2010 feature film.

Three New, Non-Mater, Cars Toons Announced... For Tonight!

Cars Toons - Shorty Shorts: Hiccups

Well, this is a surprise. Disney have just announced three new Cars Toons, being billed as Shorty Shorts, to premiere on Disney Channel tonight during an airing of Up (starting 8/7c) - note, these details are all for the US, though the shorts are to hit the Internet on Sunday. They're called Shorty Shorts because they're just that, short, about a minute and a half each, and they'll be airing throughout the night.

Mickey Mouse News: New Series of Shorts Coming Later This Year, Watch the First Now/New Poster for The Stooge

Disney announced yesterday that they're working on a series of nineteen new 2D Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, to premiere on 28th June on Disney Channel, Disney.com and their WATCH Disney Channel app.

The new series will feature Mickey and other classic Disney friends, including Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto, in a "broad range of humorous situations that showcase [Mickey's] pluck and rascality, along with his long-beloved charm and good heartedness". The shorts will take Mickey to locales including Paris, New York and Beijing.

Breaking: Disney Chairman Rich Ross Resigns

We rarely cover corporate news, or details of hiring or firing, here at A113Animation - this blog is primarily focused on the entertainment side of things - however, this is too huge a piece of news in terms of the scope it affects animation: Rich Ross has stepped down as Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

The former creative head of Disney Channel, responsible in his reign there for Hannah Montana and High School Musical, had been running Disney's film department for the past two and a half years - a tenure recently marred by such box office failures as Mars Needs Moms and John Carter.

Disney CEO Robert Iger said, of Ross's departure:

“I appreciate his countless contributions throughout his entire career at Disney, and expect he will have tremendous success in whatever he chooses to do next”.

No successor has thus far been named and it will likely take some time to fill the position, but, depending on the success of Marvel's The Avengers (which will almost certainly be an enormous hit), Marvel Studios (owned by Disney after all) President, Kevin Feige may be considered a front runner for the job.

Via Reuters.