New Mickey Mouse documentary, more non-fiction projects announced for Disney Plus
A new definitive Mickey Mouse documentary, a Howard Ashman documentary and more non-fiction offerings that will be coming to the new Disney+ streaming service on Nov. 12 have been announced by Disney.
The new nonfiction titles were announced last week during a showcase event hosted by the International Documentary Association, where Ricky Strauss, president, content & marketing, Disney+, was joined by fellow Disney+ executives Agnes Chu, senior vice president, content, and Dan Silver, vice president, originals—unscripted and others previewed their upcoming projects.
The projects announced and showcased here today reflect Disney+’s commitment to building on Walt’s storytelling ethos and core values of creativity, innovation and exploration,” Strauss said during the IDA event.
New titles announced include:
Howard
Disney+ has acquired the worldwide distribution rights for the documentary, which will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2020. From director Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), Howard is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals such as “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Untitled Mickey Mouse Documentary
Academy Award-, Grammy Award- and Emmy Award-winning documentarian Morgan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “20 Feet From Stardom”) is producing an untitled documentary that will strive to be the definitive analysis of Mickey Mouse as a cultural icon. Jeff Malmberg (“Marwencol,” “Shangri-La”) directs the film, from Tremolo Productions and Lincoln Square Productions.
Science Fair
National Geographic’s Emmy Award-winning feature documentary will stream exclusively on the service and will be available at launch. Winner of audience awards at both Sundance Film Festival and SXSW, Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe and the challenges they face on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair.
People & Places
This is a relaunch of Walt Disney’s Academy Award-winning documentary short film series from the 1950s and 1960s. A mix of up-and-coming and established filmmakers will tell the real-life stories of extraordinary people and places from around the globe that embody the Disney ethos.
Wolfgang
David Gelb (“Jiro Dreams of Sushi)” will take a close look at the life and work of the original “celebrity chef,” Wolfgang Puck.
Marvel’s 616
This previously announced documentary anthology series will explore a wide range of topics that include an intimate look at the cosplay community, Marvel’s influence and relationship with hip-hop, and illustrators who live and work internationally, to name just a few. Actress/filmmaker Gillian Jacobs (“Love,” “Community”) directs the first episode, “Higher, Further, Faster,” which will examine what it means to be a woman in what’s perceived to be a male-driven industry and spotlight the trailblazing women of Marvel Comics and the stories of representation and inclusion that they were determined to tell. This is coming in 2020.
