Yvette Nicole Brown and Pepé the King Prawn on ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’

October 6, 2021October 8, 2021 Sophia Soto

Yvette Nicole Brown and Pepé the King Prawn star in the Muppets’ first-ever Halloween special, Muppets Haunted Mansion. Inspired by all four of the iconic Disney Haunted Mansion attractions located across the globe at various Disney Parks, the new special includes many hidden easter eggs for fans as well as “Muppet-ized” sets and props. Muppets Haunted Mansion premieres October 8 on Disney+.

Comics, Streaming

‘American Born Chinese’ Headed to Disney+

October 4, 2021 Keith Chow

After smashing box office records with Shang-Chi, Disney and Destin Daniel Cretton are re-teaming on another iconic Asian American comic book. This time, the critically acclaimed and award-winning graphic novel, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, will see new life as a series on Disney+, helmed and produced by Cretton.

Animation, Interview

‘The Ghost and Molly McGee’ Star Ashly Burch Celebrates Thai Culture in Her New Series

September 29, 2021 Laura Sirikul

Ashly Burch is proud of her Thai heritage.

Being of Thai descent, Burch has never really gotten the opportunity to play a Thai character, let alone showcase her mixed heritage onscreen until now with Disney Channel’s new animated series, The Ghost and Molly McGee. After Burch was cast as the title character, the creators — Bob Roth and Bill Motz — decided to base Molly and her family on Burch’s own cultural background.

Movies, Streaming

New Trailer for ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’ Materializes

September 23, 2021September 23, 2021 Mike Manalo

I love The Muppets! I love the Haunted Mansion! Put them together and you’ve got a Halloween classic I’m just dying to see!

Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Pepe, Fozzie, and the whole gang are back! And this time they’re telling an original tale surrounding the spooky spectral occurrences at the Gracey Manor (also known as — The Haunted Mansion!). Today, Disney dropped the trailer for the special dropping on Disney+ October 8. Have a look at the mystery and the mayhem below:

Anime, Star Wars, Streaming

Masi Oka on ‘Star Wars: Visions’ and How His Career Came Full Circle

September 22, 2021September 22, 2021 Laura Sirikul

Masi Oka’s life in the Star Wars Universe has come full circle. When he was fresh out of college, he took a job with Industrial Light & Magic as a digital and visual effects artist working on the Star Wars prequels. Now, the actor is voicing a Jedi in the new anime-inspired Star Wars series, Visions.

Marvel, Streaming1 Comment

Watch the New Trailer for Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’

September 13, 2021September 13, 2021 Sophia Soto

Disney+ and Marvel Studios have just released an official teaser trailer and poster for Hawkeye. The new series stars Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye and Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop. The cast also includes Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James, and Alaqua Cox.

Animation, Interview

‘Twenty Something’ Director Aphton Corbin Inspired By Her Youth for SparksShort

September 8, 2021September 15, 2021 Laura Sirikul

Director Aphton Corbin is excited and surprised to see her Disney-Pixar SparksShort Twenty Something come to life on Disney+.

“My inspiration was my own 20s journey through life where I just feel like a new director — the panic and stress of ‘oh my gosh, did they pick the wrong person?’ I’m just barely figuring out how to be a functional adult in life,” said Corbin during a Zoom interview with The Nerds of Color. It was a fun insecurity to dig into of what was making me feel this way.”

Animation, Streaming

Disney+ Just Dropped the Trailer and Key Art for Pixar’s ‘Dug Days’

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 Sophia Soto

To celebrate International Dog Day, Disney+ has shared the official trailer and key art for Pixar Animation Studios’ Dug Days! Bob Peterson, the voice of Dug then and now as well as a screenwriter and co-director on Up, wrote and directed the new series of five shorts. Kim Collins serves as producer.

Interview, Marvel, Television

Chris Sullivan Talks Marvel Studios’ ‘What If…?’ and the Final Season of ‘This Is Us’

August 17, 2021August 17, 2021 Sophia Soto

Chris Sullivan plays Taserface in Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series, What If…?, as well as Toby in the hit NBC series, This Is Us. New episodes of What If…? premiere Wednesdays on Disney+. This Is Us is about to head into its sixth and final season, returning midseason 2021-22 with new episodes airing on Tuesdays.

Animation, Marvel, Reviews

NOC Review: ‘What If’ Recontextualizes the MCU

August 10, 2021August 11, 2021 Mike Manalo

I’m going to do something a bit different for this one. You see, unlike the past three MCU shows we’ve been treated to (wow, I can’t believe we live in a world where I get to say something like that that!), What If takes more of an anthology approach ala Black Mirror and Twilight Zone. And that, essentially, was the spirit of the original comic book series.

Interview, Movies

Veronica Falcón on Playing Trader Sam in ‘Jungle Cruise’

August 7, 2021August 8, 2021 Sabina Graves

The surprising reveal of a Disney Parks icon in the Jungle Cruise film paves a lot of potential for fan-favorite character Trader Sam. Mexican actress Veronica Falcón (Queen of the South, Ozark) plays the re-imagined character known for their history on the attraction and popular themed bars on both coasts. However, in Jungle Cruise, she is introduced as a long-time friend of Dwyane Johnson’s Frank, whose relationship with Sam and her people goes way back.

Animation, Interview, Star Wars1 Comment

Gwendoline Yeo on Her Return as Nala Se in ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’

July 30, 2021July 29, 2021 Lauren Lola

Nala Se is the Chief Medical Scientist on the planet of Kamino, where she oversaw the production of thousands of clone troopers who served in the Clone Wars. In the aftermath of the fall of the Republic and the quick rise of the Galactic Empire, she seems to have an agenda of her own that she’s carrying on; one that involves protecting her former medical assistant, Omega, from harm.

Marvel, Streaming

Your First Look at Kate Bishop in ‘Hawkeye’ is Here

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021 Sophia Soto

We finally have a first look and release date for the highly anticipated Hawkeye series. The new Marvel Studios’ original will begin streaming Wednesday, November 24 on Disney+. New episodes will continue to drop on Wednesdays. Hawkeye will star Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld. Steinfeld tweeted the new photo with the caption, “Barton & Bishop.”

Marvel, Movies, Streaming

We Was Kangs: On Jonathan Majors’ Lively ‘Loki’ Performance

July 28, 2021August 11, 2021 Adonis Gonzalez

It has been a minute since the season one finale for Loki aired. These last few Loki-less Wednesdays [not counting the making-of special last week] have been brutal, but they’ve allowed me to take a sort of reflective look at the Marvel series.

Marvel, Podcasts, Streaming

The Middle Geeks Episode 28: Palestine in Pop Culture and ‘Loki’

July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 Swara Ahmed

Palestinian historian and scholar N.A. Mansour joins us to discuss the situation in Palestine, where the situation stands now, how pop culture plays into the dehumanization of Palestinians, and what you can do to help and learn more about Palestinian people and their struggles. We also discuss all of Loki Season 1! What did we like about the series, and what themes resonated with us? Where could it have done better in areas? We also give our recommendations, and much more!

Interview, Marvel, Movies

NOC Interview: Olga Kurylenko on ‘Black Widow’

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021 Mike Manalo

Incredibly excited to share this all with everyone. First of all, it’s the first Marvel Studios interview I’ve conducted in my life! And second, it couldn’t have been with a more wonderful actress — Olga Kurylenko!

Now for those of you who have not seen Black Widow yet, I not only encourage you to do so because 1.) it’s awesome (I really don’t care what the haters say!), and 2.) the below contains pretty heavy spoilers pertaining to the movie.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR BLACK WIDOW**

Marvel, Movies

New Featurette for ‘Black Widow’ Reveals Connections to the MCU

July 7, 2021July 7, 2021 Mike Manalo

This is it folks! This week, we’ll all finally get to see Black Widow! And in anticipation of the release of the film, Marvel Studios has released a new featurette for the film, featuring Kevin Feige and Scarlett Johansson talking about the film’s connections to the larger MCU.

Marvel, Movies, Reviews2 Comments

‘Black Widow’ Thrives on Epic Action, Family, and Legacy

June 29, 2021July 22, 2021 Laura Sirikul

We’ve needed a Black Widow film since the character was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Throughout the eleven years with Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), audiences have learned so much about the character’s difficult upbringing in the infamous Red Room to her time with the Avengers and her ultimate sacrifice in Endgame. In Black Widow, we are given a glimpse into Natasha’s past and how that made her into the badass assassin we know today.

Marvel, Streaming, Television

Loki’s Bisexuality and How to Move Forward in the MCU

June 28, 2021August 11, 2021 Adonis Gonzalez

With three episodes in and I’m already obsessively hooked on Marvel’s Loki, even more than the previous two Marvel Disney+ shows. The first episode, and every episode after, has gotten me into a new little weekly routine.

Animation, Interview, Star Wars1 Comment

Ming-Na Wen on Exploring Fennec Shand in ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021 Lauren Lola

The latest Star Wars animated series, The Bad Batch, finds the galaxy at a turning point. The Clone Wars just ended and the Empire is quickly rising to power. Clone Force 99, a squad of elite clone troopers with genetic mutations, along with a young female clone named Omega, must navigate this rapidly changing galaxy. Along the way, they are quick to learn that to play it low might be the most difficult task, when they have the likes of Fennec Shand after Omega.

Interview, Movies, Streaming

‘Dinner is Served’ Director on Trying to Fit in and Finding Himself in the Process

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 Laura Sirikul

Hao Zheng is no stranger to creating stories that touches on the human spirit. The award-winning director, who was recently named a 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and recognized at countless film festivals, has been recognized for his work with the 2019 First International Film Festival Directing Lab and now as a 2020 Disney Launchpad Director and 2020 HBO Access Directing Program Fellow, where he continues to explore themes of identity and belonging.

Interview, Marvel, Movies

Springing into Action at the ‘Black Widow’ Press Conference

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 Mike Manalo

There’s honestly nothing in this world that makes me happier than Marvel Studios does. And naturally, we have not done a press conference for an MCU film since Endgame back in 2019. And I know we’ve had three shows to kick off Phase 4, of course; one of which I was lucky to attend a press conference for. But to be honest, there’s something different and special about the films that just represents everything we love about this universe. And to be able to say we’ll have the chance to return to theaters and see the MCU play out on the big screen again? That’s just incredibly exciting and wonderful!

Interview, Streaming, Television

NOC Interview: Tiana Le on Disney+’s ‘Big Shot’

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Sophia Soto

Tiana Le made her series regular debut as Destiny Winters in David E. Kelly’s new hit series Big Shot, which premiered on April 16. You might recognize the actress from her recurring roles on HBO’s Insecure, Amazon Prime’s Just Add Magic, and Netflix’s No Good Nick. The season 1 finale, as well as the entire first season, of Big Shot is now available to stream on Disney+.