Figuring Out Disney's Future Releases

Disney has a bunch of open dates on their upcoming schedule.  They released a list of the live-action fairytales they currently had in development.  This helps to decipher what might go into those dates.

Jungle Book 2 would go into the April 2018 slot.  That is two years away and Favreau and the writer Justin Marks are already on board to continue the story.  The Jungle Book left it open for more of Kipling's jungle stories.  Releasing it around in April again makes a lot of sense.

I would expect Nutcracker and the Four Realms to be released on November of 2018.  The Nutcracker Suite is so associated with Christmas that a November release date makes sense.  This is one of the few projects to have a director not associated with several other projects.  Lasse Hallstrom can work on this soon.

There is a Disneytoon Movie schedule on April 2019.  Disneytoon is not as active as it once was with Disney sequels.  It has really only created Tinker Bell and Planes movies recently.  I think Disney wants their animation studio to keep making original movies that can create their own brands.  This gives Frozen 2 a theatrical release without having to slow down their main studio.

I will put A Wrinkle in Time in the November 2019 slot.  It is going to be directed by Ava DuVernay, but she will be busy with Intelligent Life in 2017.  Wrinkle will need two years of her time and around winter is a good release date for it.

The sequel to Mary Poppins will be released the following month, December 2019.  They have Rob Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Blunt attached and you need to release this during Oscar season.  Expect a firm announcement when Moana is released.

2018 has two live-action films with release dates.  These are not designated as fairytales so they must be something different.  Jungle Cruise might qualify and this would have to be a summer movie.  Expect the Dwayne Johnson vehicle to be released on August 2018.

That means that December 2018 must be Colin Trevorrow's Star Wars Episode IX.  I wouldn't expect it to be released the same year as a Han Solo anthology film.  Episode IX had previously been dated for December 2019, but there is a Disney fairytale there right now.  Disney must want to release two Star Wars films in one year.  Not sure if that is the best idea, but there must be some reasoning behind it.

So that leaves July 2017 with one more Disney live-action fairytale release date.  The only remaining films I don't have slotted are Maleficent 2, Tim Burton's Dumbo, Tink starring Reese Witherspoon
 and Cruella.  I am going with Cruella, it doesn't seem like a summer film but Dumbo would take more than a year of production and Maleficent will take longer to schedule.  It is too close to Pan for Tink and Emma Stone is a better star to attach yourself to than Reese Witherspoon at this point.  Cruella will have less special effects and it has been trending this week.  So expect some sort of 101 Dalmatians prequel next summer.

Other release dates are for Pixar and Disney Animation in 2020.  I expect those to be original films.  Some may be projects we have heard about (Disney may release their Galactic, teen space race film).  But for the Marvel films that year I would guess Guardians vol. 3 for May 2020 and Doctor Strange 2 for November 2020.  Black Panther might need a sequel too, Captain Marvel can wait a year.  Inhumans might go in July, unless Marvel Studios has given up on that project.  There is always a chance Marvel will get Fantastic Four by then, but I will have to wait to find out for sure.

So the final schedule will probably look like:
July 2017- Cruella
April 2018- Jungle Book 2
August 2018- Jungle Cruise
November 2018- Nutcracker and the Four Realms
December 2018- Star Wars Episode IX
April 2019- Frozen 2
November 2019- A Wrinkle in Time
December 2019- Mary Poppins II
May 2020- Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3
July 2020- Inhumans
November 2020- Doctor Strange 2

Live Read Casts

I have never had the opportunity to see one of Jason Reitman's Live Read shows, but I love the concept.  Live Read is a series of staged readings of film scripts.  I love looking at the cast lists on Wikipedia and picturing how the film would work with different actors.  During spare time I enjoy creating my own cast lists.  My unique challenge for myself is not to use the same actor twice.  Hope you enjoy the cast lists, might keep adding to this page as I come up with more.

Terms of Endearment

Julianne Moore as Aurora Greenway (originated by Shirley MacLaine), Aubrey Plaza as Emma Greenway-Horton (originated by Debra Winger), Jason Bateman as Garrett Breedlove (originated by Jack Nicholson), Max Greenfield as Flap Horton (originated by Jeff Daniels), Rob Huebel as Sam Burns (originated by John Lithgow)

 

Broadcast News

James Marsden as Tom Grunick (originated by William Hurt), Alison Brie as Jane Craig (originated by Holly Hunter), Samm Levine as Aaron Altman (originated by Albert Brooks), Michaela Watkins as Blair Litton (originated by Joan Cusack), Blake Clark as Ernie Merriman (originated by Robert Prosky), Luke Wilson as Bill Rorish (originated by Jack Nicholson)

 

As Good as it Gets

Joel McHale as Melvin Udall (originated by Jack Nicholson), Holly Hunter as Carol Connelly (originated by Helen Hunt), Neil Patrick Harris as Simon Bishop (originated by Greg Kinnear)



 

Jerry Maguire

Tyrese Gibson as Jerry Maguire (originated by Tom Cruise), Paula Patton as Dorothy Boyd (originated by Renee Zellweger), Terry Crews as Rod Tidwell (originated by Cuba Gooding, Jr.), Yvette Nicole Brown as Marcee Tidwell (originated by Regina King), Wanda Sykes as Laurel Boyd (originated by Bonnie Hunt)

 

Working Girl

Mindy Kaling as Tess McGill (originated by Melanie Griffith), Dwayne Johnson as Jack Trainer (originated by Harrison Ford), Anne Hathaway as Katharine Parker (originated by Sigourney Weaver), Vanessa Bayer as Cyn (originated by Joan Cusack)

 

Back to the Future

Jason Biggs as Marty McFly (originated by Michael J. Fox), Eugene Levy as Doc Brown (originated by Christopher Lloyd), Alyson Hannigan as Loraine McFly (originated by Leah Thompson), Eddie Kaye Thomas as George McFly (originated by Crispin Glover), Sean William Scott as Biff Tannen (originated by Thomas F. Wilson)

 

Superman

Michael J. Fox as Superman/Clark Kent (originated by Christopher Reeve), Geena Davis as Lois Lane (originated by Margot Kidder), Dennis Quaid as Lex Luthor (originated by Gene Hackman), Aidy Bryant as Otis (originated by Ned Beatty), Hugh Laurie as Jor-El (originated by Marlon Brando)

 

Misery

Robert Downey, Jr. as Paul Sheldon (originated by James Caan), Kathy Najimy as Annie Wilkes (originated by Kathy Bates)

 

When Harry Met Sally

Gina Rodriguez as Sally Albright (originated by Meg Ryan), Aziz Ansari as Harry Burns (originated by Billy Crystal), Riki Lindhome as Marie (originated by Carrie Fisher), Lamorne Morris as Jess (originated by Bruno Kirby)

 

True Grit

Michael Keaton as Rooster Cogburn (originated by Jeff Bridges), Taran Killam as LaBeouf (originated by Matt Damon), Michael Pena as Tom Chaney (originated by Josh Brolin)

 

The Departed

Anthony Mackie as Leonardo DiCaprio (originated by Billy Costigan), Chris Pine as Colin Sullivan (originated by Matt Damon), Craig T. Nelson as Frank Costello (originated by Jack Nicholson), John Cho as Sean Dignam (originated by John Cho), Parker Posey as Madolyn Madden (originated by Vera Farmiga), William Russ as Oliver Queenan (originated by Martin Sheen), Nick Offerman as George Ellerby (originated by Alec Baldwin), Kevin Pollak

 

Ocean's Eleven

Rob Lowe as Danny Ocean (originated by George Clooney), Sam Rockwell as Rusty Ryan (originated by Brad Pitt), Donald Glover as Linus Caldwell (originated by Matt Damon), Courteney Cox as Tess Ocean (originated by Julia Roberts), Christian Slater as Terry Benedict (originated by Andy Garcia), Chris Hemsworth as Basher Tarr (originated by Don Cheadle), Craig Robinson as Frank Catton (originated by Bernie Mac), Carol Burnett as Saul Bloom (originated by Carl Reiner), Rob Reiner as Reuben Tishkoff (originated by Elliott Gould)

 

A Few Good Men

Ellen Page as Lieutenant Kaffee (originated by Tom Cruise), Channing Tatum as Lieutenant Commander Galloway (originated by Demi Moore), Robin Wright as Colonel Jessep (originated by Jack Nicholson), Chelsea Peretti as Lieutenant Weinberg (originated by Kevin Pollak), Christina Hendricks as Captain Ross (originated by Kevin Bacon), Michelle Rodriguez as Lieutenant Kendrick (originated by Kiefer Sutherland), Nora Dunn as Lieutenant Colonel Markinson (originated by J.T. Walsh)

 

Juno

Kate Micucci as Juno MacGruff (originated by Ellen Page), Johnny Pemberton as Paulie Bleeker (originated by Michael Cera), Elisabeth Moss as Vanessa Loring (originated by Jennifer Garner), Mark Duplass as Mark Loring (originated by Jason Bateman), Kevin James as Mac MacGruff (originated by J.K. Simmons), Lisa Kudrow as Bren MacGuff (originated by Allison Janney)

 

Spider-Man 2

Danny Pudi as Peter Parker (originated by Tobey Maguire), Rebecca Hall as Mary Jane Watson (originated by Kirsten Dunst), Armie Hammer as Harry Osborn (originated by James Franco), Rainn Wilson as Otto Octavius (originated by Alfred Molina), Marion Ross as Aunt May (originated by Rosemarry Harris), Christopher MacDonald as J. Jonah Jameson (originated by J.K. Simmons)

 

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Tobey Maguire as Andy Stitzer (originated by Steve Carell), Tim Meadows as Jay (originated by Romany Malco), Patton Oswalt as Cal (originated by Seth Rogen), Seth MacFarlane as David (originated by Paul Rudd), Julie Bowen as Trish Piedmont (originated by Catherine Keener), Kate McKinnon as Paula (originated by Jane Lynch), Jena Malone as Beth (originated by Elizabeth Banks), Lennon Parham as Nicky (originated by Leslie Mann)

 

Forrest Gump

Charlie Day as Forrest Gump (originated by Tom Hanks), Linda Cardellini as Jenny Curran (originated by Robin Wright), Rita Wilson as Mrs. Gump (originated by Sally Field), Jordan Peele as Bubba Buford (originated by Mykelti Williamson), Chris Evans as Dan Taylor (originated by Gary Sinise)

 

Up in the Air

Jason Sudeikis as Ryan Bingham (originated by George Clooney), Malin Akerman as Alex Goran (originated by Vera Farmiga), Judy Greer as Natalie Keener (originated by Anna Kendrick), Oscar Nunez as Craig Gregory (originated by Jason Bateman), Bill Pullman as Bob (originated by J.K. Simmons)

 

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Adam Scott as Cal Weaver (originated by Steve Carell), Lake Bell as Emily Weaver (originated by Julianne Moore), John Krasinski as Jacob Palmer (originated by Ryan Gosling), Brie Larson as Hannah Weaver (originated by Emma Stone), Sofia Vergara as Kate Tafferty (originated by Marisa Tomei), Emilio Estevez as David Lindhagen (originated by Kevin Bacon)

 

Field of Dreams

Peter Krause as Ray Kinsella (originated by Kevin Costner), Leslie Mann as Annie Kinsella (originated by Amy Madigan), Keith David as Terence Mann (originated by James Earl Jones), Danny Glover as Archibald Graham (originated by Burt Lancaster), Kyle Chandler as Shoeless Joe Jackson (originated by Ray Liotta)

 

Being John Malkovich

Jason Schwartzmann as Craig Schwartz (originated by John Cusack), Jenna Fischer as Lotte Schwartz (originated by Cameron Diaz), Monica Potter as Maxine Lund (originated by Catherine Keener), Sharlto Copley as John Malkovich, Carl Reiner as Dr. Lester (originated by Orson Bean), James Franco as Charlie Sheen

 

Silence of the Lambs

Kate Mara as Clarice Starling (originated by Jodie Foster), Jonathan Banks as Hannibal Lecter (originated by Anthony Hopkins), Casey Affleck as Jack Crawford (originated by Scott Glenn), Michael Rooker as Buffalo Bill (originated by Ted Levine)

 

L.A. Confidential

Michael B. Jordan as Officer White (originated by Russell Crowe), Sam Jaeger as Det. Lt. Exley (originated by Guy Pearce), Oscar Isaac as Det. Sgt. Vincennes (originated by Kevin Spacey), Elizabeth Banks as Lynn Bracken (originated by Lynn Bracken), Henry Winkler as Sid Hudgens (originated by Danny DeVito), John Lithgow as Capt. Smith (originated by James Cromwell), Jeffrey Wright as Pierce Patchett (originated by David Strathairn)

 

Guardians of the Galaxy

Patrick Warburton as Star-Lord (originated by Chris Pratt), Paget Brewster as Gamora (originated by Zoe Saldana), Dennis Haysbert as Drax the Destroyer (originated by Dave Bautista), Kevin Michael Richardson as Groot (originated by Vin Diesel), Jake Johnson as Rocket Raccoon (originated by Bradley Cooper)

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Anna Kendrick as Rey (originated by Daisy Ridley), Damon Wayans, Jr. as Finn (originated by John Boyega), Ben Foster as Kylo Ren (originated by Adam Driver), Danny Trejo as Han Solo (originated by Harrison Ford), Mark Ruffalo as Poe Dameron (originated by Oscar Isaac), Sigourney Weaver as Leia Organa (originated by Carrie Fisher)

Mary Poppins
Joan Cusack as Mary Poppins (originated by Julie Andrews), Ed Helms as Bert (originated by Dick van Dyke), Patrick Stewart as George Banks (originated by David Tomlinson), John Ratzenberger as Uncle Albert (originated by Ed Wynn)