Disney has announced several new titles that will hit Disney+ worldwide on September 8th as part of its second annual Disney+ Day event.
Leading the pack is Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder, which opened in theatres on July 8th, making its Disney+ debut a mere two months later. Here’s the full list of Disney+ Day premieres:
Cars on the Road — animated series
Dancing with the Stars: The Pros’ Most Memorable Dances — special
Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory — docuseries
Frozen and Frozen 2 Sing-Alongs — lyrics-supported versions of the animated films of the same name
Growing Up — docuseries
Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder — documentary
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return — documentary
Pinocchio — feature film
Thor: Love and Thunder — feature film
Tierra Incógnita — original series produced in Latin America
Welcome to the Club — The Simpsons short
It’s worth noting that Disney+ Day coincides with Disney’s annual D23 fan convention in Anaheim. The company is expected to make a variety of announcements related to Disney+ programming, including Marvel and Star Wars. A first-ever video game-specific presentation will also be held during D23.
Less than one month from its initial premiere, Disney and LucasFilm have announced that Andor will now premiere on September 21st.
The spin-off and prequel series to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was first slated to premiere on August 31st, 2022. Now, the 12-episode season kicks off nearly a month later. However, to make it up to eager fans, it will premiere will the first three episodes. Following the premiere, Andor continues on a week-to-week basis, concluding on November 23rd.
Alongside the news of the delay, Disney and LucasFilm debuted a brand new trailer for Andor.
The new footage largely sets up the plot of the series, showing the start of the rebellion against the Empire. Cassian Andor, who is played by Luna, was first introduced in Rogue One. Andor shows his rise in the galaxy far, far away five years prior to the film. As a nobody, Andor seeks to inspire change and become a hero amongst the ranks of the Rebels.
Alongside Luna, Andor stars Genevieve O’Reilly who is once again playing Mon Mothma. To the delight of Star Wars fans, Forest Whitaker is returning as Saw Gerrera. This character has spanned many properties including Rogue One, Clone Wars, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Alex Ferns, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, and Robert Emms are also members of the cast. It remains to be seen if Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO is returning this season.
Disney+ is available for $11.99 per month or $119.99 for a yearly subscription in Canada.
Disney has revealed all of the new movies and shows hitting its Disney+ service in Canada in August.
Notably, it’s a big month for both Marvel and Star Wars. With the former, there’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, starring Regina’s own Tatiana Maslany, while the latter has the Rogue One prequel Andor with Diego Luna.
See below for the full list:
August 3rd
The Bear (Season 1, two-episode premiere) [Star Original]
Breeders (Season 3) [Star]
Lightyear
Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel [Disney+ Original]
What We Do In The Shadows [Star]
August 4th
The Orville (Season 3) [Star]
August 5th
Explorer: The Deepest Cave
The Lion King (2019) (Sing-Along Version)
The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (Sing-Along Version)
Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation [Disney+ Original]
42 to 1 [Star]
Prey [Star Original]
Tommy [Star]
24: Legacy (Season 1) [Star]
August 10th
Bluey (Season 3 — 25 episodes)
I Am Groot (premiere — five shorts) [Disney+ Original]
Disney has announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi is now the most-watched premiere on Disney+.
The firsttwo episodes of the anticipated TV show released on May 25th at 7pm ET/4pm PT (instead of the original May 27th date).
The new Star Wars TV show features the return of Ewan McGregor as famous Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Canadian Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. Other notable actors that are part of the series include Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Rupert Friend, Indira Varma, Sung Kang, Kumail Nanjiani, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Simone Kessell, Benny Safdie and Maya Erskine.
Thank you to the best fans in the galaxy for making @ObiWanKenobi the most-watched #DisneyPlus Original series premiere globally to date, based on hours streamed in an opening weekend. pic.twitter.com/LYKFfBZq2L
Strangely, Disney has not revealed specifically how many viewers the premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi received. That said, to be the top-performing on the streaming platform, the TV show would need to pass The Mandalorian, which received over 1 billion minutes of viewing after its premiere. It’s possible The Mandalorian season 3 — which is set to release in February 2023 — could top that record.
Disney+ will air new episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi every Wednesday until the show’s finale on June 22nd. A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.
Disney confirms that the now annualized Disney Plus Day celebration is returning on September 8th, 2022. Focusing on the company’s streaming service, it’s likely we’ll see new announcements and footage across projects from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and National Geographic.
Last year, Disney held its Disney Plus Day festivities on November 12th. It was here that the company showcased a large assortment of projects to hit the streaming service over the next calendar year and beyond. Quick highlights included Marvel’s Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Star Wars’ Obi-Wan Kenobi. Disney hasn’t confirmed what fans can expect to see from Disney Plus Day this year.
Given what we’ve seen from Disney Plus Day in the past, we have a rough idea of what the company has in store. With expectations set from the year prior, it’s safe to say we’ll see new announcements and footage across, films, shows and specials. The streaming service holds a ton of content so expect to see a broad range shown. The company confirms it will “host special experiences for fans and subscribers.”
The other major unknown is the format. Last year, the majority of announcements were made to the public via a Twitter thread. While this method gave way to a long list of trailers, interviews, etc. it was hard to keep up with as the “event” unfolded in real-time. It will be interesting to see if Disney maintains that format or moves to a live-streamed event.
On top of announcing Disney Plus Day, the company released a teaser trailer for the live-action Pinocchio film starring Tom Hanks. The film premieres on Disney+ on September 8th.
Finally, all of the festivities lead right into D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California. Slated for September 9th through September 11th, D23 Expo aims to host panels, events and more for fans around the world.
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
In 1998, Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Leon S. Kennedy must band together during a zombie outbreak in a small town.
Based on Capcom’s Resident Evil video games, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was written and directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) and stars Toronto’s Robbie Amell (Upload), Vancouver’s Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon, Kaya Scodelario (Skins) Hannah John-Kamen (Killjoys), Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy) and Ottawa’s Donal Logue (Gotham).
It’s also worth noting that the film was shot in Toronto and Sudbury, Ontario.
Original theatrical release date: November 24th, 2021
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: May 27th, 2022 Genre: Horror Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes
Stream Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City here.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Amazon Prime Video Canada this month can be found here.
Apple TV+
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Season 5) [Apple Original]
A new batch of celebrities teams up for karaoke while driving in this series based on the eponymous James Corden segment.
Some of this season’s guests include Mississauga, Ontario’s Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) with Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections), Vancouver’s Jonathan Scott (The Property Brothers) with partner Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) and The White Lotus co-stars Murray Bartlett, Alexandra Daddario and Sydney Sweeney.
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: May 27th, 2022 (first six episodes, new episodes later this year) Genre: Comedy, musical Runtime: Six episodes (around
From Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian) and the producers of Planet Earth comes this docuseries which uses the cutting-edge technology found in Favreau’s Jungle Book and The Lion King films to recreate dinosaurs with photorealistic visuals.
On top of that, Sir David Attenborough (Planet Earth) narrates and Hans Zimmer (The Lion King) serves as composer.
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: May 23rd to May 27th, 2022 (one new episode each day) Genre: Documentary Runtime: Five episodes (39 to 42 minutes each)
To coincide with the Cannes premiere of famed Toronto filmmaker David Cronenberg’s new film, Crimes of the Future, Crave has launched a new collection featuring many of his films.
These include:
Cosmopolis
Crash
A Dangerous Method
Dead Ringers
Eastern Promises
The Fly
A History of Violence
Maps to the Stars
Videodrome
Additionally, Bell has confirmed that Crimes of the Future — a body horror film starring Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart — will come to Crave this fall following its theatrical run.
Kyle Brownrigg: Introducing Lyle [Crave Original]
Discover another Canadian homegrown comedy!
Don’t miss Kyle Brownrigg’s comedy special Introducing Lyle, now streaming on Crave. pic.twitter.com/2yJPmUjtra
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Disney+
Obi-Wan Kenobi [Disney+ Original]
Ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi embarks on a dangerous mission while being hunted by the Empire.
Notably, Toronto’s Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) directed all six episodes of the show, while Ewan McGregor and Vancouver’s Hayden Christensen reprise their prequels roles of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, respectively.
Other cast members include Moses Igram (The Queen’s Gambit), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Rupert Friend (Homeland) and Sung Kang (The Fast and Furious franchise).
Disney+ Canada premiere date: May 27th, 2022 (first two episodes, new episode every Wednesday) Genre: Sci-fi Runtime: Six episodes (around one hour each)
Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) spotlights the work of chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen as they provide prepared meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
Disney+ Canada premiere date: May 27th, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Six episodes (around one hour each)
The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.
Netflix
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark [Netflix Original]
Pony friends Zipp, Sunny, Izzy, Pipp and Hitch go on adventures.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark features the voices of Mississauga, Ontario’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever), J.J. Gerber (Bibleman: The Animated Adventures) and Jenna Warren (Thomas & Friends).
Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal travels to more places around the world to try out new cuisine. This season, he visits Oaxaca, Maine, Helsinki, Portland and Madrid.
Netflix Canada premiere date: May 25th, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Five episodes (46 to 51 minutes each)
Sixth months after the devastating Battle of Starcourt, the teens are separated for the first time, just as a new and horrifying supernatural threat emerges.
Stranger Things was created by the Duffer Brothers (Wayward Pines) and features an ensemble cast that includes Winona Ryder (The Age of Innocence), David Harbour (The Newsroom), Millie Bobby Brown (Intruders), Vancouver’s Finn Wolfhard (It), Gaten Matarazzo (Prank Encounters), Caleb McLaughlin (The Lion King on Broadway) and Noah Schnapp (The Peanuts Movie).
It’s worth noting that Montreal’s own Shawn Levy (Free Guy) is a producer and director on the show. Additionally, keep in mind that the second half of Season 4 Vol. 2 will drop July 1st, with a fifth and final season also on the way.
Netflix Canada premiere date: May 27th, 2022 Genre: Sci-fi, horror, drama Runtime: Seven episodes (63 minutes to 98 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.
Paramount+
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic must team up with a crafty fox named Tails to defeat the evil Dr. Robotnik, who’s back and more dangerous than ever thanks to his new ally, Knuckles the Echidna.
Based on Sega’s Sonic video game series, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was directed by Jeff Fowler (Sonic the Hedgehog) and features returning cast members Ben Schwartz (Sonic), James Marsden (Tom), Newmarket, Ontario’s own Jim Carrey (Robotnik), Tika Sumpter (Maddie) and Canadian-raised Lee Majdoub (Stone). Additionally, Idris Elba (Luther) voices Knuckles and Colleen O’Shaughnessy reprises her fan-favourite role of Tails from the Sonic games. It’s also worth noting that much of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was shot in Vancouver, just like the first film.
Original theatrical release date: April 8th, 2022
Paramount+ Canada premiere date: May 24th, 2022 Genre: Action-adventure, comedy Runtime: 2 hours, 2 minutes
EA and Respawn Entertainment debuted the first look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor at Star Wars Celebration. The sequel to the hit action-adventure game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order sees the return of Cal Kestis in a galaxy far, far away.
As part of the formal announcement of the sequel, Respawn released a brand new cinematic trailer, setting the tone of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. In it, we see Cal Kestis continue to evade the Empire. As one of the few remaining Jedi after Order 66, Kestis and his companion BD-1 roam the galaxy and find new allies along the way.
The trailer continues to show off new inquisitors, who are tracking Kestis along with other remaining Jedi. We also see that Kestis’ lightsaber has fallen into the hands of the inquisitors after a recent fight gone wrong. The nefarious figure then asks, “What’s your next move, Jedi.” Most interesting is we see Kestis and BD-1 overlooking what appears to be a bacta tank where an injured individual lays in rest.
Respawn confirms that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a current-gen only. It’s intended to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023. No specific window is given by EA nor Respawn.
Fans praise Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for its soulsborne-light mechanics and combat. It featured Metroidvania puzzle-solving and a plethora of force abilities to unlock. It became a stand-out Star Wars game in recent years.
The official reveals of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was just one of the highlights of Star Wars Celebration. During the event, Disney and LucasFilm debuted a new trailer for the Disney+ series Andor, along with its August 31st premiere. Two episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series also debuted on Disney+.
LucasFilm also confirms that The Mandalorian Season 3 streams this February. Ahsoka, and another live-action series, Skeleton Crew, begin airing on Disney+ in 2023 as well.
In a surprise announcement, Lucasfilm has confirmed that its hotly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series will premiere tonight on Disney+ three hours ahead of schedule.
Now, the first two episodes of the show will land on the streaming service on Friday, May 27th at 12am ET/Thursday, May 26th at 9pm PT. Normally, Disney+ originals premiere at 3am ET/12am PT, which fans were especially frustrated with in the case of Obi-Wan Kenobi since it’s getting a special two-episode premiere.
After this, the remaining four episodes will release once per week on Wednesdays. It’s unclear if these will also drop at the earlier timeslot, but it seems unlikely. Lucasfilm likely made the decision in part because of the special premiere, as well as the fact that fans at Star Wars Celebration in California got to see the episodes already.
In any case, it’s an exciting time for fans. Set 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi sees Ewan McGregor reprise his prequels role of the eponymous Jedi Master as he embarks on a dangerous mission. Notably, Vancouver’s own Hayden Christensen is also back as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, while Toronto’s Deborah Chow (who directed episodes of The Mandalorian) has helmed all six episodes. It’s one of many upcoming Disney+ originals with prominent Canadian talent.
A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99 CAD/month or $119.99/year.
Along with announcing the return date of The Mandalorian during its Star Wars Celebration, Disney also offered a peek at Andor ahead of its August 31st Disney+ debut.
Andor, starring Diego Luna, sees the actor reprising his role as Cassian Andor. The series takes place five years before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
While the trailer Disney dropped is brief (see it above), it shows off a far darker look at the world of Star Wars than we’ve seen in the past.
Andor was created by Tony Gilroy, the writer of the Bourne movie series and Rogue One co-writer, which explains the trailer’s muted tones and tense pacing. The first season of Andor will feature 12 episodes, with the second season starting filming this November.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, an Original series starring Jude Law, from executive producers Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, is streaming in 2023 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/cEP3uXO4Aw
During its Star Wars Celebration, Disney also confirmed that Ahsoka, starring Rosario Dawson, will release in 2023, and revealed yet another live-action Star Wars series, Skeleton Crew. Starring Jude Law, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is focused on a group of children that “get lost in the Star Wars universe.” The TV show is helmed by Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford.
Finally, during its presentation, Disney confirmed that The Mandalorian Season 3 will stream in February.
