With recent releases like Turning Red and the phenomenal Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Disney+ has had a bevy of brilliant titles come out in 2022. With Disney+ Day fast approaching on September 8th, the streaming service still has a whole host of new and imaginative content to satisfy its dedicated fanbase.
Spanning the genres of live-action remakes, nature documentaries, short films, and more, this year's Disney+ Day selection has a wide variety of shows and movies to enjoy. With such a selection of different materials and projects, it's practically impossible for Disney's eclectic fanbase not to find at least one thing to binge-watch.
Remembering
In this short film starring Brie Larson, a writer struggles with a common job hazard all creatives face eventually. Chasing after an incredible idea that they just can't quite remember. After a phone call distracts her, she loses focus and a brilliant idea (represented by a beam of light) in the process. What transpires is a journey through her imagination to recover her train of thought.
This trip through the mind appears to have some clear inspiration from Inside Out, but that should only serve the surrealist fantasy in the best way. It's not like Disney hasn't taken a dive into the subconscious before.
Growing Up
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Described by Disney as a "hybrid docu-series," this show concerns a group of ten young people between the ages of 18 and 22 dealing with the hills and valleys of adolescence in a modern era. In a time where cultural and social representation is in high demand, this series is set to meet the request in spades.
The cast consists of many individuals from multiple walks of life, relating their stories and experiences in a biographical and artistic way. Since Disney has always been in the business of storytelling, this gives the studio a new way of blending fact and fantasy with both truth and artistic visuals.
Frozen Sing-A-Longs
In spite of the most recent film being three years old, many hardcore Disney fans are still showing symptoms of Frozen fever. Given the fact that it's perhaps the studio's most financially successful property, it only makes sense that Disney would want to keep the hype going.
Love the Frozen movies or hate the Frozen movies, one thing that can be generally agreed upon is that the soundtracks are absolutely intoxicating. To hammer home this fact, Disney is releasing sing-along versions of both films in hopes of garnering even more viewership. Now all fans can belt out "Into The Unknown" along with their favorite ice queen to their heart's content.
Epic Adventures With Bertie Gregory
Disney's partnership with National Geographic has presented Disney+ subscribers with a number of incredible adventures. With so many documentaries and series taking them to the jungles of South America and the tombs of Ancient Egypt, Bertie Gregory has to truly raise the bar with his upcoming Epic Adventures.
The explorer's upcoming series will be a set of animal-focused adventures, taking viewers around the globe to see animals like Sharks, Cheetahs, and other creatures in their natural habitat. Fans familiar with the great Jeff Corwin will feel right at home with this wildlife show.
The Simpsons: Welcome To The Club
The Simpsons have mixed and mingled with a lot of different characters over the years. Thanks to their inclusion on Disney+, Homer, Marge, and the kids have rubbed elbows with the likes of Loki, Goofy, and the cast of Star Wars. It was only a matter of time before the princesses were next on the list.
With her neurotic nature and at-times snobbish attitude, Lisa might be the last candidate in mind to join the halls of Disney royalty, but therein lies the comedic gold. Of course, if the description from Disney is to be believed, she might find better company amongst the villains.
Tierra Incógnita
Tierra Incógnita is Disney's upcoming Latin-American horror series set to premiere in September, and it looks like an absolutely chilling thrill ride. Although the house of mouse might do it sparingly, Disney can get unexpectedly dark and this upcoming series is definite proof.
A conspiracy involving missing parents, an abandoned theme park, and a shadowy figure with an icy touch are all par for the course in this upcoming mystery show, The elements of this project are so compelling and intriguing that even non-Spanish-speaking fans will want to check it out.
Cars On The Road
With their most recent adventures being Mater's Tall Tales and Tales From Radiator Springs, its been a while since fans have seen the cast of Pixar's Cars. In the upcoming Cars on the Road, it looks like Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, and the rest of their four-wheeled buddies are back for one more adventure down Route 66.
With Mater getting an invitation to his sister's wedding, he and his good buddy Lightning are soon off on a cross-country road trip, meeting all sorts of colorful characters along the way. From the trailer, it looks like they'll be tangoing with monster trucks, a Vegas-styled circus, dino-cars, and a gang of Mad-Max-esque nitro cars. They definitely aren't in Radiator Springs anymore.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return
Disney +'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series was a triumphant entry into the Star Wars saga, and so much care, dedication, and attention to detail went into crafting this chapter in the epic space opera. A Jedi's Return is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at Master Kenobi and his exile on Tatooine.
While it might look like the standard how-it's-made feature at first, the trailer shows that the documentary is a far more intimate affair than the standard movie/show-making process. With interviews and reflections on what both the characters and Star Wars means to the cast and crew, it's setting up to be quite a complex and emotional project.
Thor: Love And Thunder
Of course, no Disney+ Day would be complete without at least one contribution from the MCU, and the much-anticipated Thor: Love and Thunder is coming to satisfy that need. After the events of the Infinity Saga, Asgard's favorite golden boy is back in action and ready to take on Gor the God-Butcher with a vengeance.
This chapter in Thor's saga is a classic superhero movie in the purest sense. While it's all well and good to see complex characters like Captain America and Iron Man dealing with compelling narratives involving honor and duty, it's more fun to watch Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy beat up some bad guys.
Pinocchio
Perhaps the most anticipated film joining Disney+ day this year is the live-action adaptation of Disney's Pinocchio. Led by the incomparable Tom Hanks as Geppetto, this seemingly true-to-form reimagining of the 1940s classic is set to premiere in September along with the rest of the streaming service's new material.
Although Disney's live-action remakes have cultivated something of a hit-and-miss reputation in recent years, the trailer for the film certainly looks promising. There are definitely notes of the Lady and the Tramp remake in the visuals, but hopefully, the film can stand on its own with no strings attached.