Disney to Co-Produce IMAX 3D Space Film
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IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), today announced an agreement to produce and distribute the latest IMAX® 3D cinematic space spectacle from acclaimed filmmaker Toni Myers, who has been crafting mind-blowing movie experiences for IMAX audiences for more than 40 years.
Myers’ upcoming 3D film, which is still untitled, will use IMAX’s extremely high-resolution photography and videography to offer breathtaking, illuminating views of our home planet from space, exploring the astonishing changes that have occurred on Earth in just the past several decades.
Made in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the film will explore mankind’s future on — and off — the planet, increasing our understanding of the solar system, while also traveling light-years to other star systems to ponder the possibilities of “Goldilocks,” an Earth-like planet. The film is expected to be released in 2015.
“Disney has always been a leader in creating immersive fantasy worlds for audiences, but we know there’s no more immersive world than the real one,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “This is a bird’s eye view of our incredible universe and our future in it, and we’re looking forward to diving in with the perfect collaborators, Toni Myers and IMAX.”
“We’re thrilled to collaborate on our first joint production with Disney,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Entertainment. “Toni Myers and her team have given us films that have been educating, delighting and astonishing IMAX audiences for many years, and we look forward to continuing the journey with this latest spectacle.”
Myers has been editing, writing, producing and directing films specifically tailored for The IMAX Experience® since 1971. Her most recent documentary feature film, 2010′s acclaimed Hubble 3D, has grossed nearly $53 million in IMAX® theaters to date.
“The 1990 IMAX film Blue Planet was the first time we pointed the IMAX® cameras from space back to Earth to reveal, on a grand scale, the changes being made to our planet by both natural and human forces,” Myers said. “It’s marvelous and important to have this new opportunity to show what has happened to our planet since then. The International Space Station is a unique and perfect platform from which to see how our home is evolving, and at the same time explore our exciting future in other worlds.”
‘The Avengers’ to be Screened Aboard International Space Station
Marvel Studios announced today that they arranged with NASA to transfer their record-breaking blockbuster film Marvel’s The Avengers to NASA’s Mission Control in Houston, which will uplink the film to the International Space Station (ISS), currently orbiting 220 miles above Earth. The film will then be screened for the space station crew’s exclusive enjoyment.
This screening continues Marvel’s collaboration with NASA, which began during principal photography of Marvel’s The Avengers when the film shot at the Space Power Facility at NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio.
Louis D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President and Executive Producer of Marvel’s The Avengers, says, ‘The studio is privileged to share Marvel’s The Avengers with those up in space exploring the universe. A special thanks goes to NASA for utilizing their incredible technology to make this special screening miles above us in space happen. It is a screening that would make Tony Stark envious.’
Films, books, and music offer important aspects of psychological support for astronauts on long-duration missions, such as those on the International Space Station (ISS). ‘These are the types of things that help to keep the crew connected to home, which is a huge morale boost while being away for long periods of time,’ said Dan Cook, Psychological Support Coordinator with Wyle, a contractor at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Aside from watching movies and television shows, ISS crewmembers have a number of options for their leisure and personal time, such as reading books or magazines, listening to music, and playing musical instruments.
The current space station mission is Expedition 31 and has a six-member crew consisting of 2 NASA Astronauts, 1 European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut, and 3 Russian (RU) Cosmonauts as follows: Don Pettit (NASA), Joe Acaba (NASA), Andre Kuipers (ESA), Oleg Kononenko (RU), Gennady Padalka (RU), Sergei Revin (RU)
For more details about Expedition 31, check out the main NASA page.
Categories: Marvel, Movies Tags: NASA, The Avengers
Photo: Space Shuttle Discovery Cruises Above Disney Dream
This long-exposure photo shows the new “Disney Dream” cruise ship docked in the foreground at Port Canaveral, Florida, as the Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off in the background from nearby Cape Canaveral, Fla. at 4:53 p.m. ET on Feb. 24, 2011. The mission marks Discovery’s final liftoff for NASA’s oldest orbiter. The Disney Dream is the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, and sailed on its maiden voyage from Port Canaveral last month.
Photo by Matt Stroshane, courtesy of Disney Cruise Line
Categories: Disney Cruise Line Tags: DCL, Discovery, Disney Dream, Events, NASA
Walt Disney World Honors Buzz Lightyear with Hero’s Welcome (Photos, Video)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Oct. 2, 2009) – Disney Parks and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today celebrated Buzz Lightyear’s cosmic achievement as the longest tenured crew member in space with a ticker-tape parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. Some of Buzz’s new friends, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin and International Space Station Expedition 18 astronaut Michael Fincke, attended.
After living his dream of space travel, Buzz Lightyear returned to Earth aboard Space Shuttle Discovery STS-128 on Sept. 11, following more than 15 months of dedicated service onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The 12-inch-tall action star flew to space as part of an education initiative between Disney Parks and NASA to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Buzz’s historic space flight is a great example of spreading the excitement of space exploration to students around the world,” said NASA’s Assistant Administrator for Education, Dr. Joyce Winterton. “We hope that our space station crews and Buzz will spark student interest in the International Space Station and its scientific potential.”
“We can’t thank our partners at NASA enough for bringing Buzz Lightyear home from space to his family, friends and fans here at Disney Parks – after all, this was his dream come true,” said Duncan Wardle, vice president, Disney Parks. “He was certainly missed and deserves a hero’s welcome!”
Coinciding with the celebratory parade, NASA announced two new student contests and conducted special educational experiences in the park, including fun and informative discussions with NASA astronauts.
The ISS Student Experiment Competition challenges students in 5th-8th grade to devise experiments to be conducted aboard the space station. The winning 12 experiments will be performed by future station crew members and videotaped for the winning schools. More information on the competition is available at www.NASA.gov/BuzzonISS.com.
Disney Parks and NASA today also launched an online Mission Patch Design Challenge that will run from Oct. 2-Nov. 6. Students ages 6-12 will have the opportunity to design a mission patch to commemorate Buzz’s return aboard shuttle Discovery and his accomplishment of being the longest-serving toy in space. The student with the most creative mission patch and 100-word essay will win a trip to Walt Disney World Resort and a VIP tour of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. More information on the Mission Patch Design Challenge is available at DisneyParks.com/buzz.
NASA and Disney today also launched a new online game as part of the Space Ranger Education Series, both at http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub. The series includes fun, educational games for students, as well as materials for educators to download and integrate into their classroom curriculum.
Buzz Lightyear is the intrepid space ranger toy from the Disney•Pixar films “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” Originally released in 1995, “Toy Story” was the first fully computer-animated feature film, which earned director John Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Both films chronicle the comedic adventures of a group of toys that come to life when humans aren’t watching. Buzz is one of the beloved toys of child-owner Andy, along with the rest of Andy’s toy gang, including the likeable cowboy Woody, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Jessie the cowgirl and Bullseye the horse.
Buzz isn’t just returning home. He returns to the big screen alongside Woody and the rest of the gang, this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” 3-D double feature hits theaters today (Oct. 2) for a limited two-week engagement. The Disney Digital 3Dä “Toy Story” celebration culminates next summer in a brand new adventure starring Buzz and Woody: “Toy Story 3” – in theaters June 18, 2010.
Categories: Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Buzz Aldrin, Buzz Lightyear, NASA, Video
NASA Launches New Education Initiatives, Contests with Disney’s Buzz Lightyear
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 — NASA and Disney Parks, which collaborated to carry toy space ranger Buzz Lightyear into orbit, are launching new efforts to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The 12-inch-tall action figure spent more than 15 months aboard the International Space Station and returned to Earth on Sept. 11. On Friday, Oct. 2, a ticker-tape parade at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., will officially welcome Lightyear home.
“Buzz’s historic spaceflight is a great example of spreading the excitement of space exploration with students around the world,” said Joyce Winterton, NASA’s assistant administrator for Education at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We hope our space station crews and Buzz will continue to spark student interest in the space station and its scientific potential.”
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, the station commander from October 2008 to April 2009, is spending the day at the Magic Kingdom to tell students about two new educational design challenges and a new online game.
Categories: Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Buzz Lightyear, Contest, Mike Fincke, NASA
More Than a Year Later, NASA Legend Buzz Lightyear Returns to Earth; To be Honored at WDW Oct 2
TO INFINITY… AND BACK!: Buzz Lightyear returned from space on Sept. 11, 2009 aboard space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission, having served as the longest-tenured crew member in space. In a photo taken Sept. 11, 2009, the toy Buzz Lightyear that was sent into space May 31, 2008 aboard the STS-124 mission is posed in front of space shuttle Discovery on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. He will be celebrated in a ticker-tape parade together with his International Space Station crewmates and former Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin on Oct. 2, 2009 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. While on the space station, Buzz supported NASA’s education outreach program – STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) by creating a series of fun educational online outreach programs. To celebrate his return, Disney is partnering with NASA to create a new online educational game and an online mission patch competition for school kids across America. NASA will fly the winning patch into space. In addition, NASA plans to announce on Oct. 2 the details of a new exciting educational competition that will give students the opportunity to design an experiment for the astronauts on the space station.
Categories: Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Buzz Aldrin, Buzz Lightyear, Events, NASA
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