LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special News! This Week on Disney+: News and Debut Round-up (October 16, 2020)

LOTS of news this week, including more hype for the “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special” which we are super excited about. We also get new trailers for Disney PIXAR’s SOUL and The Real Right Stuff documentary special.

Keep scrolling to find everything NEW you can watch this week on Disney+!

Disney+ News

KELLY MARIE TRAN, BILLY DEE WILLIAMS, AND ANTHONY DANIELS JOIN CAST OF “LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL”

Premieres November 17 – Disney+ is bringing together some of the brightest stars in the Star Wars galaxy for the ultimate holiday family reunion, the “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special.” We also got a first-look at the key art. Appropriately tongue-in-cheek – on par for LEGO TV series.

The premiere date of November 17th has a special place in our hearts as Star Wars fans – it is the traditional Life Day holiday, first introduced in the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special.”

Leading up to the release, we also received exciting news – Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Billy Dee Williams (“Lando Calrissian”), Anthony Daniels (“C-3PO”), as well as “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” vets Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker), Tom Kane (Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn), James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), and Dee Bradley Baker (clone troopers) will all be reprising their roles in the “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special!” For more details on “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special,” please check out this post.

NEW TRAILER FOR DISNEY AND PIXAR’S NEW FILM “SOUL” – PREMIERING ON DISNEY+ DECEMBER 25

Premieres December 25 – Disney and Pixar’s feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher with a serious passion for jazz music. He befriends a new soul 22 (voiced by Tina Fey) and together they must find their way back to earth. On October 14 Disney+ released this new trailer to help us understand the music and the story. Read on for more info on SOUL.

DISNEY+ TO PREMIERE DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL. ‘THE REAL RIGHT STUFF,’ FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20

Premieres November 20 – A companion piece to the Disney+ scripted series THE RIGHT STUFF, this special chronicles the high-stakes, pioneering era of the Space Race. Prepare to be swept off your feet with a gorgeous soundtrack from Academy Award Winner Hans Zimmer. Check out the new trailer:

“The Real Right Stuff” debuts on the day the scripted series THE RIGHT STUFF concludes, and features:

• Never-before-seen footage and newly synced audio – Shown for the first time are the tense moments that immediately followed the Mercury-Redstone 4 flight piloted by Virgil “Gus” Grissom.

• Rare early radio and video recordings – Viewers experience the historic announcement of the Mercury 7 astronauts from a wide array of news outlets, all jockeying to cover America’s first space team and witness an internal government recording that outlines the formation of NASA from its predecessor, The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

• Never-before-seen research materials from Tom Wolfe – Hear Wolfe speak with Rene Carpenter, wife of Mercury 7 astronaut Scott Carpenter, and see intimate handwritten notes compiled for Wolfe’s seminal book, “The Right Stuff.”

• Newly digitized John Glenn home movies – From the archives of The Ohio State University, John Glenn’s rare personal family moments are captured on 8 mm and 16 mm film.

• Exclusive unseen and rare photographs – For the first time, behind-the-scenes photographs from the infamousLIFE Magazine issue are shared, providing a glimpse into the home lives of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Rare photos from National Geographic’s top photographers who covered the Mercury space program are also revealed.

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This Week on Disney+ for Friday, October 16

Disney+ Original Series or Premieres

Movie Premiere Clouds

Synopsis: Inspired by an incredible true story, “Clouds” is a poignant and beautiful look at the heartbreaking duality of life and a testament to what can happen when you start to live as if each day might be your last. Zach Sobiech (Fin Argus) is a fun-loving high school student with raw musical talent living with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. At the start of his senior year, he is ready to take on the world, however when he receives the news that the disease has spread, he and his best friend and songwriting partner, Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter), decide to spend Zach’s limited time following their dreams. With the help of Zach’s mentor and teacher, Mr. Weaver (Lil Rel Howery), Zach and Sammy are given the chance of a lifetime and are offered a record deal. Along with the support of the love of his life, Amy (Madison Iseman) and his parents, Rob and Laura (Tom Everett Scott and Neve Campbell); Zach embarks on an unforgettable journey about friendship, love and the power of music.

Series Premiere Meet The Chimps

“Meet The Chimps” takes viewers into the secret life of one of the largest and most unique wildlife sanctuaries in the world–Chimp Haven—a 200-acre refuge tucked deep in the forested heart of Louisiana, which is home tomore than 300 chimpanzees. Narrated by Emmy Award-winning actress Jane Lynch, this six-part series, from National Geographic,tracks the ups and downs of this extraordinary group of chimps that are given a second chance at life by a staff whose dedication, compassion and commitment knows no bounds. A real-life drama with a full emotional range, the series gives unparalleled access to everything happening at Chimp Haven, including food squabbles, alliances, romances, ‘bromances’, tears, tantrums, high jinxes and heartbreaks. 

The Right Stuff Episode 103 – “Single Combat Warrior” 
After mysterious bouts of vertigo, Shepard turns to Dee O’Hara to help him. Meanwhile, Cocoa Beach has transformed from ghost town to perpetual party. Gordo finds himself tempted by another woman. Glenn seeks refuge from the bedlam at a local church gathering, where even he is confronted by temptation. The astronauts’ families arrive in Florida to watch the first test launch of the Atlas Rocke

Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Episode 104 – “Meet the Mandrills”
Meet the Lady mandrills of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve! They’re part of a family known to squabble. To stop the infighting, animal manager Beth and keepers Erin and Kerri decide to throw some testosterone into the mix. They introduce Linus, a hunky new monkey who puts the ‘man’ in mandrill and manages to charm the all-female squad. On the other side of the reserve, animal keeper Nicole has a soft spot for Scooter and Zawadi, a stinky hyena pair with a spotty reputation. She helps them clean up with a spa day that includes tasty treats, a back scratch and a relaxing bubble bath. Over on Maharajah Jungle Trek, animal keeper Susan helps Sohni, an eight-year-old Sumatran tiger, face a tough challenge–undergoing a voluntary blood test. Cassanova, an Abyssinian ground hornbill and a fan-favorite resident of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, receives a new diet and feather makeover to strut his stuff again. Later, engineers must perform an overnight operation to inspect an underwater fence within the black rhino habitat.

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One Day at Disney Episode 146 – “Alfredo Ayala: R&D Imagineer”
As Principal Project Manager for Walt Disney Imagineering, Mike Davie sees his projects grow out of the ground and into magical experiences for Park guests. From drawing sketches on the back of a napkin to overseeing construction, Mike executes each project, including Epcot World Showcase’s new Ratatouille attraction, with determination and passion. 

Weird But True Episode 310 – “Explorers” 
The science fair is approaching, and Charlie is looking for the perfect project to blow the judges away: exploration! Carly meets with National Geographic Explorer Darlene Cavalier, who describes how she’s exploring new ways to connect people with science. She’s trying different methods to encourage people to pursue their own curiosity and even become explorers themselves!a disaster. The only way to master the art of cooking is to learn from the experts at the Culinary Institute of America.

New to Streaming on Disney+

These series and films are not Disney+ Originals, but they will begin streaming on October 9 unless otherwise noted.

• Disney Junior the Rocketeer (s1)
• Drain (s3)
• Lost on Everest 
• Marvel’s Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United 

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Keep up with all things Disney+

• 457: Star Wars in Disney Parks – A History
• 456: The Bad Batch S3 Mid-Season Breakdown
• 452: The Bad Batch S3 Premiere Press Roundtable & Review – Dee Bradley Baker, Michelle Ang, Brad Rau & Jennifer Corbett
• 446: Skywalking Through 2023 and Beyond! with Melissa Truth and Spencer Jawitz
• 445: A CHRISTMAS CAROL in Pop Culture & History