D23: The Mandalorian, Ms Marvel, and 5 other Disney+ projects to be excited for
An Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series and a High School Musical mockumentary were also teased at the event
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Your support makes all the difference.The first day of the D23 Disney expo has seen the unveiling of a number of exciting projects that will debut on Disney+, the corporation’s new streaming platform.
Announcements included an Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series starring Ewan McGregor and TV adaptations of the comic book superheroes Ms Marvel and She-Hulk, while fans were also granted the first look at the forthcoming Star Wars series The Mandalorian.
Here’s a round-up of everything you may have missed so far…
The Mandalorian
The first of a number of future Star Wars TV series on Disney+, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal as a lone bounty hunter roaming the wasteland left behind after the downfall of the Empire at the end of Return of the Jedi.
Pascal is surrounded by an eclectic cast that includes Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Gina Carano, Nick Nolte and the literal Werner Herzog, who is reliably snarling and menacing in the trailer.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Following years of speculation, Ewan McGregor is indeed returning to the Star Wars universe and reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi. According to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, the scripts for the series have already been written, with production due to begin in 2020.
It was previously reported that the character, played by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy, would be getting his own film, but following the disappointing box office performance of the Han Solo spin-off movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, the studio has decided to proceed with the project on the small screen.
Ms Marvel, She-Hulk and Moon Knight
While we know little about any of these projects other than the fact that they’re in development, TV series based on comic book characters Ms Marvel, She-Hulk and Moon Knight are in the pipeline. In her current incarnation, Ms Marvel is the first Muslim superhero to headline her own Marvel comic book. Moon Knight is a former US marine who transforms into a costumed vigilante at night, while She-Hulk is historically the cousin of male-Hulk Dr Bruce Banner.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, British writer and comedian Bisha K Ali will write the Ms Marvel series.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
After appearing on stage to perform a rendition of “We’re All In This Together” from the original High School Musical, the cast of the TV series adaptation introduced the show’s first trailer. The new High School Musical is in truth a mockumentary (which explains the convoluted title) that follows a group of high school students auditioning for their school play… which is High School Musical itself.
The first trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic was also released. The new film finds Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux voicing the dogs of the title, with real-life rescue dogs supplying their form (though with some CGI assistance to make their mouths move). Kiersey Clemons and Thomas Mann are Lady’s live-action owners, while Janelle Monae, Sam Elliott and Ken Jeong are among the supporting voiceover cast.
Disney+ launches on 12 November in the US, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands, but a UK launch date remains unannounced so far.
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