This Week in Disney Headlines for June 24, 2021
This week, we’ve got more dress code violations and alligator hunting. We’ve also got fake facts about Disney and some sad news about a store.
Oh, and Disney film executives just had a very trying day. I’ll explain in This Week in Disney Headlines!
Are You a Professional Alligator Trapper?
If you answered yes, I have information that may interest you. If you answered no, I have a follow-up question.
How much would you expect to get paid to trap alligators at Walt Disney World?
Well, this field is apparently a growth industry, as Disney has welcomed trappers to capture gators in and around the campus.
The pay isn’t so great, though. You’ll get $30 per gator. You’re also the recipient of all profits stemming from gator meat and leather. So, there’s that.
Personally, I wouldn’t risk my life for $30 plus a cut of the gator meat and leather, but bolder types do exist!
Recent reports suggest that Disney has removed 250 gators from the premises over the past five years, a clip of 50 gators per year.
That’s…not a lot of gator meat and leather, though. Still, it’s nice to see Disney prioritizing the elimination of a potentially dangerous problem.
Seriously, that 250 total represents more gators than Disney captured from 2006 through 2015!
Again with the Outfits!
Okay, I promise that this isn’t recycling of a previous headline. As with the alligators, the story has come up again.
Recently, a TikTok user went viral with her tip on how to get a free $75 sweater at Walt Disney World.
She suggested that wearing anything that shows underboob will lead to a conversation with a cast member.
Presuming that you’re not confrontational, Disney will ask you to switch shirts, providing you with a coupon to buy a free shirt at a nearby store.
Well, I expected that story to lead to mimicry, and that’s precisely what has occurred.
After roughly 28 million viewers watched the first TikTok, a second woman experienced something similar at EPCOT.
According to the imagery in this TikTok, @alyssaschueller wore a somewhat revealing top to Disney – their belief, not mine – and was asked to change.
The clip shows a cast member escorting the guest to a nearby store. Afterward, she is wearing, well, a shirt that I own. Not sure how to feel about that.
Disney has obviously cracked down on the amount of skin on display at the parks this summer.
However, the way that cast members handle the problem is win/win. If your outfit is too risqué, you get a free shirt!
Disney Movie Headlines
Okay, we have just experienced an insane few days for Disney films. First, Luca debuted on Disney+, receiving high marks on Rotten Tomatoes.
Currently, the latest Pixar release has a score of 89, which is instant classic territory.
Movie executives maintained the hot streak by announcing some genuinely thrilling news.
For many years now, fans have clamored for a live-action version of Twilight Zone Tower of Terror…and we’re finally getting it!
Disney confirmed that development is underway on this long-anticipated project! Even better, Scarlett Johansson will produce and star in the film!
Yes, once Black Widow enters theaters, ScarJo will maintain her relationship with Disney by creating a new franchise!
For park fans, this revelation brings additional joy. Some insiders had suggested that Disney may re-theme Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
After all, Disney California Adventure switched its version of the attraction to Guardians of the Galaxy.
Now that we know there’s a ScarJo movie version in production, the Tower of Terror will live on.
Notably, early reports only refer to the project as Tower of Terror. There’s no mention of Twilight Zone, which is undoubtedly a licensing issue.
CBS owns Twilight Zone and recently rebooted the series with Jordan Peele as host.
Disney also confirmed that Rachel Zegler of West Side Story just received the job title of a lifetime.
She’ll portray Snow White in a live-action reboot of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
homegirl we have LOTS to catch up on pic.twitter.com/gtNsrpITm0
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) June 22, 2021
As always, any mention of Zegler allows me to report this video of her shredding Shallows in an acoustically pleasing shower:
This woman will be a superstar.
The Rough Disney Movie Headlines
You win some, and you lose some as a Hollywood studio boss. Sometimes, a film franchise does so well that they make video games with it.
In other instances, people look back at a G-rated movie and wonder how in the world that happened.
Then, there are those unfortunate instances when a 78-year-old tries to prepare for a fight scene and gets injured.
Yes, Disney has changed some of the scheduling for principal photography on Indiana Jones 5 to account for the fact that Harrison Ford got hurt.
Now, nobody should express surprise over this. Lately, Harrison Ford is ALWAYS getting hurt, especially when he tries to fly a plane.
Still, this incident sets back production at least somewhat. Also, it could force some script changes, depending on the required length of recovery.
All we know right now is that Ford suffered a shoulder injury.
Fun fact: Jones is 19 (!) years older for Indiana Jones 5 than Sean Connery was during the production of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. So, this was predictable.
Remarkably, Disney suffered even worse news yesterday, as a COVID-19 outbreak occurred on the set of The Little Mermaid.
Fifteen different crew members tested positive for the more dangerous Delta variant. Here’s a tweet from Discussing Film that references an Italian site:
15 people have reportedly tested positive for the Delta variant of COVID-19 on the set of Disney’s live-action ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ remake.
(Source: https://t.co/Kgm51GjY2n) pic.twitter.com/XINICGEeSC
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 23, 2021
At this point, we don’t know whether any performers are among the positive tests.
From talking about pandemic productions with my friends in the industry, I know that most films employ isolation right now.
The sets wall off unassociated crew members from needless interaction. However, sets may have grown less strident now that many have their shots.
Hopefully, this won’t delay the project by more than a few days.
Miscellaneous Disney Headlines
In sad news, the first Disney Store in the world will close soon. Many such retail outlets had suffered this feat in recent weeks, including the one in my area.
If you need to get cheered up, Insider has collated a batch of celebrity couples having the time of their lives at Disney theme parks!
Say what you will about Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley. They look very much in love in their picture.
Finally, The Onion wants you to know some disturbing facts about Disney. I…question the veracity of some of them. They’re great for a laugh, though.
The Beating Heart Inside Epcot’s Geosphere: This giant 150-foot organ pumps out the blood that nourishes the attractions throughout the futuristic park. https://t.co/sW26TujVT0 pic.twitter.com/irT4w9BW2s
— The Onion (@TheOnion) June 23, 2021