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Emmy-winning producer Bill Borden, who helped shepherd Disney’s hit “High School Musical” franchise, has partnered with China’s Mili Pictures to bring their animated feature “Wukong Warrior” to global television and streaming audiences.

Borden is spearheading the adaptation of the Monkey King tale for TV and streaming platforms worldwide through his partnership with Summit International Pictures. While digital and linear platforms are the priority, the producers haven’t ruled out limited theatrical runs in the U.S. and other territories.

“Wukong Warrior” will hit Chinese theaters in September, with international buyers getting their first look at Mip Jr and Mipcom Oct. 11-16 in Cannes.

The animated action-adventure comedy reimagines the classic Chinese tale of Sun Wukong, the rebellious stone-born warrior with cosmic powers who defies the gods. After 500 years imprisoned beneath a mountain, Sun Wukong gets one final shot at redemption: protecting a Buddhist monk on a perilous journey...

The story of Ritchie Valens will be revisited in a new feature film. La Bamba, the 1987 movie that served as a biopic for Valens, is now in the process of getting a remake.

Per Variety, La Bamba is getting reimagined courtesy of Mucho Mas Media nad Sony Pictures. The director behind the 1987 movie, Luis Valdez, is on board to serve as an executive producer on the remake. While Valdez wrote the script for the original movie, the script for the remake will be penned by Jos Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries). A director hasn't yet been named, and there's no word yet on who will be playing the late rock 'n' roll singer whose famous "La Bamba" song inspired the title of the biopic.

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Zac Efron is being honored!

The 36-year-old actor received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday afternoon (December 11) in Hollywood, Calif.

Photos: Check out the latest pics of Zac Efron

Supporting Zac at the ceremony were his longtime friends Miles Teller and wife Keleigh along with his The Iron Claw co-star Jeremy Allen White and director Sean Durkin.

Zac‘s brother Dylan Efron and their parents Starla Baskett and David Efron were also in attendance.

In his acceptance speech, Zac honored his late 17 Again co-star Matthew Perry and gave a sweet shout-out to his breakout role in High School Musical.

Keep reading to find out more…

“I’ve been acting, singing and dancing for as long as I can remember, but never in my wildest dreams that I’d imagine I would be standing here today,” Zac said.

After thanking “dear friends, colleagues throughout the years...

Disney's post-Renaissance era was marked by frustration and internal strife: The films were less financially successful, the studio was suffering a creative identity crisis, morale had hit a new low, and questionable management was a constant issue. While DreamWorks and Pixar were on the rise, Walt Disney Animation was floundering. But even as the slump persisted, optimism bubbled under the surface in the form of Stephen Anderson's "Meet The Robinsons."

At the heart of "Meet The Robinsons," there's a very delicate balance between the past and the future. It's a fitting tension for a film that arrived just after the studio's golden era, but before its grand revival. As though blithely self-aware of its positioning, the movie begins with a logo that calls back to Steamboat Willie and ends with a powerful mantra from the man who started it all, Walt Disney. But the mantra in question warns the...

Producer Tendeka Matatu’s London and South Africa-based production company Ten10 Films is expanding and rebranding as Ten10 Entertainment.

The Ten10-produced neo-noir thriller “Cold Harbour” is currently streaming on Netflix.

The name change reflects the outfit’s rapidly growing global slate of original series and film projects, which will be overseen by new head of development Jafta Mamabolo, an actor, writer, director and producer from Johannesburg.

Based out of South Africa, Mamabolo’s primary mandate is to expand the company’s Africa-focused entertainment slate. The first projects that he will oversee include young adult series “Abel & Ashanti” with producer Bill Borden; the African-futuristic “Akebul-an Chronicles” with Fremantle; and a limited series based on the book “Call Me American” by Abdi Nor Iftin.

Mamabolo first found continental acclaim in Africa at age 11 when he landed a prime role on “Soul Buddyz,” then Southern Africa’s most-watched youth program. His acting...

Disney+ has picked up a second season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” ahead of the show’s premiere next month.

The scripted series, which is set to debut on the streaming service on Nov. 12 following a one-night preview on Disney’s linear channels, is set to head back into production early next year.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the next chapter of ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’to Disney+. Tim and this talented cast have delivered a first season that is uplifting, funny, touching and relatable across generations. We are confident that the world, like us, will want much more of these characters, incredible songs and moments of joy,” said Ricky Strauss, president of content and marketing at Disney+.

Also Read: Why Netflix Continues to Shrug Off Looming Threats From Disney and Apple

The 10-episode series follows the East High drama club as they...

It may not have even premiered yet, but Disney Plus has handed out a second season renewal for “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”

Inspired by the “High School Musical” movies, the series was created and is executive produced by Tim Federle, and stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Renee’, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders.

The show is set at East High School, the setting and filming location of the original movies. It introduces members of the drama club and their faculty advisors as they work their way to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of “High School Musical: The Musical.” During the show, show-mances blossom, rivalries flare, and old friendships are tested while new ones are made.

The series is set to premiere upon the streamer’s launch on Nov. 12, alongside such shows as “The Mandalorian,...

Ahead of its season one premiere, Disney+ has renewed High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for a second season. Production on season two will resume early next year in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Created and executive-produced by Tim Federle, the first series adaptation of the High School Musical franchise introduces a group of drama students and faculty members at East High. Its 10 episodes count down from auditions to opening night of their school’s first production of High School Musical: The Musical. They have budding romances, faltering friendships and harsh rivalries as they experience the transformative power that only high school theater can provide.

Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Renee’, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders star.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the next chapter of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to Disney+. Tim and...

ABC, Disney Channel and Freeform will get an early peek behind the curtain at High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The three Disney-owned nets will air the first episode on November 8, four days before it premieres as part of the launch of streaming service Disney+.

Created and executive-produced by Tim Federle, the first series adaptation of the High School Musical franchise introduces a group of drama students and faculty members at East High. Its 10 episodes count down from auditions to opening night of their school’s first production of High School Musical: The Musical. They have budding romances, faltering friendships and harsh rivalries as they experience the transformative power that only high school theater can provide.

Here’s a look at the characters and actors: Ricky (Joshua Bassett) is a charismatic teen auditioning for the musical so he can win back the heart of ex-girlfriend Nini (Olivia Rodrigo...

Disney is going to give “High School Musical” fans a treat prior to the launch of the standalone streaming service Disney Plus.

“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the series adaptation of the popular Disney Channel film franchise, will air its first episode across three Disney-owned networks nearly a week before it debuts at the launch of Disney Plus.

The series premiere will air on ABC, Disney Channel, and Freeform on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Et., while the streamer is due to launch on Nov. 12. The series features an entirely new cast of characters playing drama students and faculty of East High, the Utah high school where the original “High School Musical” was filmed. The 10-episode series sees them go from the auditions to opening night of their staging of “High School Musical: The Musical.”

The series stars Joshua Bassett, Olivia Rodrigo, Kate Reinders, Sofia Wylie, Matt Cornett, Dara Reneé,...

Frankie Rodriguez, who plays Carlos, an openly gay theater student, on upcoming Disney Plus series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” thanked executive producer and showrunner Tim Federle while discussing the theme of diversity and inclusion in the spin-off at the D23 Expo on Friday.

“I think it’s very important. Growing up as a little Mexican gay kid, there’s not really much to look to so I remember after we wrapped just thanking our showrunner Tim [Federle] for creating a character like Carlos,” the actor told Variety. “He’s not a gimmick. He’s not the butt of a joke. He’s just a kid, existing in high school who loves musical theater and has a passion for it.”

Disney also debuted the first trailer for the 10 episode series premiering on the new streaming service. The new series follows the students of the East High drama club as...

We can no longer stick to the status quo because the trailer for Disney+’s upcoming “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” dropped during D23 Expo Friday, and we have zero chill about the first look at this ridiculously meta show.

In the 1-minute, 40-second video above, you’ll be introduced to the high schoolers who are going to play Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan and more of the classic characters from the 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie “High School Musical” in their student production of a musical based on said movie. And their school happens to be the same one where the movie was filmed. Yeah, see the meta now?

Adding to the drama is that Ricky (Joshua Bassett), the guy playing Troy, and Nini (Olivia Rodrigo), the girl cast as Gabriella, are exes — and he’s looking to win her back. So, as one character puts it in the trailer,...

Production is underway in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the highly anticipated, innovative and re-invented 'High School Musical The Musical The Series' for Disney, The Walt Disney Company's upcoming streaming service. The series is developed and executive produced by Tim Federle 'Ferdinand', alongside showrunner and executive producer Oliver Goldstick 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Ugly Betty'. Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush the original 'High School Musical' trilogy are also executive producers. Sundance Film Festival-nominated film, television and music video director Tamra Davis 'Empire,' 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' is directing the first three episodes. The choreographer is Zach Woodlee 'Glee,' 'Dumplin''.

The cast is set and production has begun in Salt Lake City, Utah, on High School Musical: The Musical, a series for Disney+’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, which is set to launch in late 2019.

Joining previously announced Joshua Bassett are Olivia Rodrigo (Bizaardvark), Kate Reinders, Sofia Wylie (Andi Mack), Matt Cornett (Bella and the Bulldogs), Dara Renee’ (Freaky Friday), Julia Lester (Mom), Frankie Rodriguez (Modern Family), Larry Saperstein (Fan Girl), and Mark St. Cyr (Doomsday). See cast photo above.

The 10-episode series is developed and executive produced by Tim Federle (Ferdinand) alongside alongside showrunner and executive producer Oliver Goldstick.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series picks up nearly 15 years after the original movie aired, at the real-life location where it all began: East High. It follows a group of students as they count down to...

Joshua Bassett (Stuck in the Middle) has landed the lead role of Ricky in High School Musical: The Musical, a series for Disney’s upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service, which is set to launch in late 2019.

Bassett’s Ricky is a cynical but charming high school junior who launches a bold plan to win back his ex-girlfriend Nini – by auditioning to star opposite her in the school’s production of “High School Musical.”

“Joshua’s interpretation of the Ricky character was brilliant – funny, winning and, at the same time, uniquely vulnerable. The audience is going to love watching this charismatic young actor put his stamp on this next chapter of the High School Musical franchise” said Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide.

Based on the Emmy-winning High School Musical franchise, the series will be filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a single camera documentary style. The...

The Disney streaming service series “High School Musical: The Musical” has found its lead.

Joshua Bassett has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming series, which is slated to debut in late 2019. Bassett will play Ricky, a cynical but charming high school junior who launches a bold plan to win back his ex-girlfriend Nini by auditioning to star opposite her in the school’s production of “High School Musical.”

“As someone whose childhood was shaped by the cultural phenomenon that is ‘High School Musical,’ I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to tell this story. Go Wildcats!” Bassett said.

17 year-old Bassett is an actor, singer, dancer and guitarist. Since age seven, he has performed in over 30 musical theater productions and had roles in several commercials and television series including a recurring role in Disney Channel’s “Stuck in the Middle” and a guest starring role in...

Poldark and Valley Girl star Josh Whitehouse will lead cast in blockchain outfit SingularDTV’s The Happy Worker alongside Thomas Haden Church, Colm Meaney and Meagan Holder.

Production is under way in Utah on the movie, which is executive-produced by David Lynch and is being directed by Lynch’s long-time collaborator Duwayne Dunham (Twin Peaks). Rhys Mitchell, J.R. Starr and Amy Shiels round out the cast.

The film follows Joe (Whitehouse) who lives in a utopian community. A reluctant hero eager to please his wife (Holder) and his boss (Haden Church), he unexpectedly finds himself thrust into a position of power by ‘Clete’ (Meaney) and must battle to save what he and others have spent years building.

Pic is based on S.E. Feinberg’s play, which was first performed in 1982 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. The play was adapted for the screen by Feinberg, Jerold Pearson and director Dunham.

It's no surprise that the decade that gave us Gordon Gekko and his infamous quote, "Greed is good," would be rife with films unpacking heavy social topics like police brutality, social inequality, ultra-violence, and in the case of Graham Baker's Alien Nation, racial tension, tolerance, and acceptance. Somehow I missed this film, despite it being the topic of conversation in many sci-fi and horror circles, not to mention that it influenced many other movies in the genre, from Neill Blomkamp's District 9 to last year's Bright, directed by David Ayer. It also spawned a number of Alien Nation-related products, including a series of comics and novels, a TV series on Fox by the same name that ran for one season in 1989, and five TV movies. So, without further ado, as the movie poster suggests, prepare yourselves for a dive into a buddy cop sci-fi action movie with a solid cast of characters,...

China’s domestic box office may be booming – and Chinese finance flowing into Hollywood movies – but speakers at the China-us Motion Picture Summit (March 25) discussed how successful Chinese co-productions and film exports remain scarce.

China’s domestic box office may be booming – and Chinese finance flowing into Hollywood movies – but speakers at the China-us Motion Picture Summit (March 25) discussed how successful Chinese co-productions and film exports remain scarce.

Once touted as the most effective way for the Us and China to work together, speakers on the summit’s “Cooperation Panel” pointed out that there’s only been around a dozen Sino-us co-productions approved and made in the past five years.

“Budgets have averaged around $20-35m – not modest by local standards, but commercial success has been very mixed,” said Artisan Gateway president Rance Pow. “They haven’t hit their stride yet and that’s a key issue.”

Pow speculated that difficulties may lie in finding stories that resonate...

Citic Guoan Co. Ltd., Dick Cook Studios, and Film Carnival Production Co. with the support of China Media Culture Promotion Association (Cmcpa), China Film Association and the Beijing Film Academy, have announced that Academy Award-winning director Alfonso Cuarón will be joining the esteemed line-up of speakers at the inaugural 2016 China-us Motion Picture Summit on March 25 in Grand Epoch City, China. Winston Baker is the event producer.

Cuarón is one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood and around the world today. His masterpiece “Gravity” was received with great success by both critics and audiences, winning seven Academy Awards and breaking box office records in U.S. and China. Cuarón won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, Directors Guild and BAFTA awards for best director for said film.

The film was highly acclaimed in China for its great story, the integration of the country's popular space program and for the film’s visual effects. Compared to European and American audiences, the excitement for 3D and IMAX has not declined. Chinese audiences continue to go to the cinema to watch and experience films with strong VFX.

IMAX Corporation Executive Vice President Andrew Cripps will also be joining the notable lineup to address the great implications of technology on the future of the motion picture industry. IMAX took a historic step in China last year when its subsidiary went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Additional speakers joining the summit include Zhang Xun, Chairman of the Board at Max Screen Distribution; Ann An, a renowned film producer and distribution expert in China; and Richard Fox, Executive Vice President of International at Warner Bros. Entertainment.

“We are honored to have such a visionary group of filmmakers, executives and futurists come together at our inaugural Summit. With the help of Dick Cook Studios, our goal was to develop an event that could foster the on-going conversations and collaborations between the Chinese and American entertainment industries. With a speaking faculty comprised of Alfonso Cuarón, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Gary Lucchesi, Elizabeth Daley, Zhang Xun, Andrew Cripps, Bill Borden, and so many other remarkable names – this unprecedented event will serve as a platform for future collaboration and an inspiration for the next generation of storytellers,” stated Lou Xiaolou, Chairman of Film Carnival Co. Ltd. “We also look forward to more in-depth communication with Hollywood filmmakers in order for Chinese films to truly go global.”

In addition to keynotes and panel discussions, a state-of-the-art Technology Experience will be displayed and demonstrations will be offered of the most advanced technology designed to enhance the motion picture experience for both creators and audiences. This event is nearly sold out. To learn about participation, please visit www.China-us-Summit.com.

More than 10 years after High School Musical became a global phenomenon, Disney Channel is getting ready to return to East High one more time. A nationwide casting search begins today for a planned Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical 4, that will continue the story of the global sensation High School Musical - and introduce new East High Wildcats and their cross-town school rivals, the West High Knights. DGA Award nominee Jeffrey Hornaday (Disney Channel's Teen Beach Movie, Teen Beach 2) is attached to direct and choreograph the movie.

The casting directors are Jason La Padura, C.S.A., Natalie Hart, C.S.A., and Kendra Patterson, C.S.A., of Lapadura/Hart/Patterson. Information on open casting calls to be scheduled this spring will soon be posted at DisneyChannel.com/OpenCall. Here's what Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, had to say in a statement.

Citic Guoan, Dick Cook Studios, and Film Carnival with the support of China Media Culture Promotion Association (Cmcpa) and the Beijing Film Academy, have announced the preliminary speaking faculty for the inaugural 2016 China-us Motion Picture Summit, to take place on March 25, 2016 in Grand Epoch City, China. Winston Baker is the event producer.

The prestigious group of participants include Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a highly respected marketing advisor for Oscar-winning films such as “The Artist,” “The King’s Speech,” and “Precious”; Gary Lucchesi, President of the Producers Guild of America and veteran studio production executive on big movie hits like “Star Trek,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Million Dollar Baby,” and “The Godfather: Part III”; and Elizabeth Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts for twenty-five years and world-renowned educator who has been strengthening the school’s international profile by expanding its academic programs under her leadership.

Additionally, the Summit will include the multi-talented award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter and best-selling author Randall Wallace, best known for “Braveheart,” “We Were Soldiers,” and “Pearl Harbor.” Acclaimed film producer Don Hahn, will also be speaking at the Summit. Mr. Hahn produced some of the most successful animated films, such as “The Lion King,” “Maleficent,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” the first animated film to receive a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Bill Borden, co-executive producer of “The Mermaid,” (the biggest movie release in China of all time), as well as the creator of Disney Channel's smash hit "High School Musical" franchise, will share his expertise as well. Other award-winning producers, veteran film executives, distribution experts, and technology leaders announced to participate include Hawk Koch, Betty Thomas, Michael Nozik, Stuart Ford, Bruce Hendricks, David Lee, Peter Dekom, Rance Pow, Clint Kisker, Stephen Scharf, and Cevat Yerli, who founded the revolutionary Vr technology company Crytek.

“We are thrilled and honored to have such a well respected group of industry leaders who will share their insights on creativity, the art of great storytelling, making collaborative films with Chinese filmmakers, innovative co-production strategies, as well as how new technology will impact the future of making and watching movies. We believe the Summit will inspire our next generation of creative storytellers and entrepreneurs,” stated Dick Cook, chairman, Dick Cook Studios.

In addition to the speaking faculty, the Summit will host an immersive, state-of-the-art Technology Experience, which will display and offer demonstrations of the most advanced technology designed to enhance the motion picture experience for both creators and audiences. Exhibitors will include Arriflex, a top filmmaking camera platform whose latest technology has been used for such films as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “The Revenant”; Wevr, a state of the art virtual reality company that creates innovative Vr-immersive content; Base F/X, Beijing’s leading Chinese VFX company, that supplied over 400 shots for the latest “Star Wars” film; Red, the manufacturer of professional motion picture cameras utilized by many of the industry’s top directors; Izon, the Florida-based manufacturer of auto-stereoscopic 3D television sets that do not require glasses; Dji, the global leader in developing and manufacturing innovative drone and camera technology for commercial and recreational use; and Crytek, an award winning, videogame developer, publisher and technology provider dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gaming and beyond. Cytek’s technology plays a key role in Vr development and will shape both content and software.

The Summit was developed to foster the on-going conversation and collaboration between the Chinese and American entertainment industries. With a speaking faculty comprised of top executives, award-winning filmmakers, and technology leaders, the event will serve as a platform for communication and business growth opportunities in the areas of film financing, production, promotion, distribution, derivative development, and more. To learn about event participation, please visit www.China-us-Summit.com.

Screenwriter Randall Wallace (Braveheart), producer Don Hahn (The Lion King) and Bill Borden, co-executive producer of The Mermaid, are among the speakers for the first China-us Motion Picture Summit (March 25).

The line-up of film execs, technology and distribution experts also includes Hawk Koch, Betty Thomas, Michael Nozik, Stuart Ford, Bruce Hendricks, David Lee, Peter Dekom, Rance Pow, Clint Kisker, Stephen Scharf and Cevat Yerli, who founded Vr technology company Crytek.

Us speakers also include Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Gary Lucchesi, Producers Guild of America president and Elizabeth Daley, dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Subjects to be covered at the summit include the art of storytelling, making collaborative films with Chinese filmmakers, co-production strategies and the impact of technology on filmmaking.

The summit is a joint initiative between Dick Cook Studios, its Chinese backer Citic Guoan and Zhejiang-based Film Carnival. It is co-hosted...

Exclusive: Edward Noeltner’s sales company has announced key sales on Mili Pictures’ animation directed by Oscar nominee Mike Johnson and Song Yuefeng.

Deals on Ping Pong Rabbit have closed in South Korea (First Run), Poland (Kino Swiat), Turkey (Associated Euromedia), Israel (FilmHouse), Hungary (Bohemia Motion Pictures), Bulgaria (Tandem Film), former Yugoslavia (2i Film) and Central America (Produciones Latinamericanas).

Cmg, in Toronto showing footage on the film, licensed rights in the Middle East to Front Row Entertainment in Cannes.

Peter Barsocchini wrote the screenplay to the tale of a rabbit who aspires to win the fabled Jade Table prize awarded to the finest table tennis player in the land and must overcome the dastardly monkey champion.

Mili Pictures Us executive Bill Borden produces Ping Pong Rabbit with Jack Zhang.

“We are very excited to show distributors attending Toronto new footage of Ping Pong Rabbit, which has some of the most adorable bunnies ever seen on the big...

Exclusive: Animation produced by China-us firm Mili Pictures.

Odin’s Eye Entertainment (Oee) has secured international sales rights to animated feature Dragon Nest: Throne of Elves, from China and Us-based production company Mili Pictures.

Oee’s La-based Svp of sales and acquisitions, Ildi Toth Davy and CEO Michael Favelle will introduce the picture to buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Produced by Mili Pictures’ chairman Jack Zhang and Us producer Bill Borden, Throne of Elves is an action-adventure set within the Dragon Nest universe, based on the online game and follows Mili’s 2014 release Dragon Nest: Warriors’ Dawn, for which Universal holds English-speaking rights.

Directed by Yuefeng Song and Yi Ge, the targeted completion date for Throne of Elves is set for Q4 2016.

Favelle described the film as “an exciting addition to our burgeoning slate of animated content”.

Mili Pictures is currently in production with family adventure Ping Pong Rabbit, co-directed by [link...

Mili Pictures Worldwide, a new Chinese animation company, has opened an office in Los Angeles run by producer Bill Borden, who worked on “High School Musical” and “Kung Fu Hustle.” The company, based in Shanghai, hopes to pair the lower costs of production in China with experienced animators from Hollywood mainstays like Disney, DreamWorks Animation, Pixar and Fox. Though California and Japan are central hubs of animation production and consumption, the growth of the Chinese market has opened up a window for new companies. Mili will debut its first movie, “Dragon Nest,” at China's biggest gaming convention in July. The movie.

Chinese animation studio Mili Pictures Worldwide has opened an office in Los Angeles, headed by producer Bill Borden.

Borden’s credits include the High School Musical series, Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle, Mission: Impossible 3 and Spike Lee’s Get On the Bus.

Mili’s debut production, Dragon Nest, will be premiered on July 31 at China’s biggest video gaming convention, China Joy. Directed by award-winning animation director Song Yuefeng, the adventure tale is based on a hugely popular online game, which has 100 million registered users. All Rights Entertainment is handling international sales.

Mili also announced that its next production, family comedy Ping Pong Rabbit, has started pre-production in Los Angeles.

Directed by Mike Johnson, who co-directed Corpse Bride with Tim Burton, the film will move into the animation process in China this autumn and is scheduled for release in early 2016. The film is scripted by High School Musical writer Peter Barsocchini.

Backed by online...

Chinese animation studio Mili Pictures Worldwide has opened an office in Los Angeles, headed by producer Bill Borden.

Borden’s credits include the High School Musical series, Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle, Mission: Impossible 3 and Spike Lee’s Get On the Bus.

Mili’s debut production, Dragon Nest, will be premiered on July 31 at China’s biggest video gaming convention, China Joy. Directed by award-winning animation director Song Yuefeng, the adventure tale is based on a hugely popular online game, which has 100 million registered users. All Rights Entertainment is handling international sales.

Mili also announced that its next production, family comedy Ping Pong Rabbit, has started pre-production in Los Angeles.

Directed by Mike Johnson, who co-directed Corpse Bride with Tim Burton, the film will move into the animation process in China this autumn and is scheduled for release in early 2016. The film is scripted by High School Musical writer Peter Barsocchini.

Backed by online...

All of the "High School Musical" kids, including Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, may have graduated from East High, but Ms. Darbus' drama class lives on in the Disney Channel's new pilot inspired by the "High School Musical" franchise.

"Madison High" is the channel's new music and dance-driven comedy pilot, which will introduce viewers to a new troupe of theater students. Alyson Reed will reprise her role as drama teacher Ms. Darbus in the project. Production on the pilot begins in March and if it is picked up, it will premiere in early 2012.

Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide, says, "'High School Musical' introduced the joys of musicals and musical theater to a whole new generation and kids and families. They embraced the themes explored in those movies -- about expressing oneself and following your dreams. And now, with 'Madison High,...

Disney Channel has handed a pilot order to Madison High, a music and dance-driven comedy pilot featuring the melodramatic drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) from the High School Musical franchise and a troupe of theater students. Disney channel put Madison High, described as the channel's first musical comedy and its most ambitious series to date, on fast-track development in November when it began preliminary casting. Production on the pilot begins in March for a potential early 2012 series launch. “High School Musical introduced the joys of musicals and musical theater to a whole new generation and kids and families," Disney Channel topped Gary Marsh said. "And now, with Madison High, we hope to give kids a whole new set of characters with whom to engage – along with more great original music, dance numbers and songs.” Madison High will feature four original songs written by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Jamie Houston,...

Back in the mid-80s, horror fiction had become more than a little complacent. In most people’s minds, what passed for cutting edge genre fiction was the work of word generators such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Anne Rice. It was all spooky kids, rabid pets, daddy issues, and whiny, homo-erotic vampires.

By and large that was fine, but it is important to remember that the punk music scene had landed with both feet on the next of the public zeitgeist and stories of such archetypical monsters and mayhem didn't resonate with readers like they once did. The public had a new attitude and wanted a new breed of monsters to go with it...ones that better fit in line with their new nihilistic outlook.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere and to everybody’s surprise, came a group of young iconoclasts like Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Jack Ketchum,...

Although "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" was her last as Gabriella Montez, Vanessa Hudgens still leaves an open door for her return. In a recent interview with MTV News, the 21-year-old actress teases on the possibility of her making a cameo as the girlfriend of Troy Bolton on "HSM" spin-off, "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure".

The "Beastly" star admitted that she isn't against the idea of making an appearance on the TV movie, especially if its star, who happens to be former co-star, Ashley Tisdale asks her. "Maybe! If she's like, 'Hey!.' I'd be like, 'Ok!' Well, she's my best, best friend," she revealed. Though so, she added, "I don't know."

Asked what she thinks about the spin-off, Vanessa responded, "I'm stoked for her and it's going to be awesome. Kids love Sharpay and I did love Sharpay too, her costumes and her clothes and everything. It's so much fun,...

Filed under: TV News Daily

Fans experiencing symptoms of the dread malady known as 'High School Musical' Withdrawal Syndrome can set down their dogeared copies of 'Tiger Beat,' because a cure is on the way in the form of a movie-sized dose of Ashley Tisdale.

According to Multichannel News, Tisdale is set to reprise her role as drama queen Sharpay Evans in the upcoming feature length telepic 'Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure.' The special, which Tisdale will also be executive producing alongside 'High School Musical' honchos Barry Rosenbush and Bill Borden, is slated for a 2011 debut.

Continue reading Ashley Tisdale Prepares 'Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure'

 

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Disney star Ashley Tisdale will once again step into the shoes of "High School Musical" irrepressible diva Sharpay Evans. The 24-year-old actress has just been confirmed to front a new spin-off titled "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure". She will also serve as its executive producer, and is expected to shoot it this summer.

"In Sharpay, Ashley Tisdale brought to life one of the most memorable comedic characters we've seen in years," Gary Marsh, Disney Channels Worldwide's president of entertainment and chief creative officer, said in a statement. "This movie captures the absolutely perfect next chapter in Sharpay's life, as she tries to cultivate the humanity buried, deep, deep within her - a challenging and hilarious endeavor."

"Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure" centers around Sharpay who realizes her dream and moves to New York with her pet dog Boi after being discovered by a talent scout. Once there however, she quickly learns that making it...

One of the original cast of "High School Musical" will get more screen time with a new spin-off which will be premiered in summer 2011. Ashley Tisdale will reprise her diva role as Sharpay Evans in a new original movie called "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure". Tisdale who owns production company Blondie Girl will also serve as the executive producer.

In the TV movie, Sharpay realizes her dream and moves to New York with her pet dog Boi after being discovered by a talent scout. Once there however, Sharpay quickly finds out that making it big in the Big Apple is not as easy as she thought and she has to temper her expectations somewhat if she's going to thrive.

"In Sharpay, Ashley Tisdale brought to life one of the most memorable comedic characters we've seen in years," said Gary Marsh, president of entertainment and chief creative officer for Disney Channels Worldwide in a statement.

Disney Channel sets a director/choreographer for the new High School Musical TV movie and extends Handy Manny with a short form series. • The network has tapped Jeffrey Hornaday to direct and choreograph High School Musical East Meets West, the fourth chapter in the Disney Channel Original Movie series. Slated to premiere on the network in 2010, HSM East Meets West is being written by Peter Barsocchini, with Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush serving as Executive Producers and Don Schain as Producer. • The network commissions the new short-form animated preschool series, Handy Manny's School for Tools (20 shorts), and two primetime Handy Manny specials. The short-form series is based on Disney Playhouse's Handy Manny series, which is currently in production on a third season (29 episodes) that will introduce a host of new tools. Set to begin production this year Handy Manny's School for Tools will bow in 2010. Meanwhile, this fall...

Best Movie (voting stays live throughout the 2009 Movie Awards ceremony)• The Dark Knight• Director: Christopher Nolan, Producers: Charles Roven and Emma Thomas (Warner Bros. Pictures)• High School Musical 3: Senior Year Director: Kenny Ortega, Producers: Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush (Walt Disney Pictures)• Iron Man Director: Jon Favreau, Producers: Avi Arad and Kevin Feige (Paramount Pictures)• Slumdog MillionaireDirector: Danny Boyle, Producer: Christian Colson (Fox Searchlight)• TwilightDirector: Catherine Hardwicke, Producers: Wyck Godfrey, Greg Mooradian and Mark Morgan (Summit Entertainment)Best Female Performance• Angelina Jolie – Wanted (Universal Pictures)• Anne Hathaway – Bride Wars (20th Century Fox)• Kate Winslet – The Reader (The Weinstein Company)• Kristen Stewart – Twilight (Summit Entertainment)• Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount Pictures)Best Male Performance• Christian Bale – The Dark Knight (Warner Bros. Pictures)• Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man (Paramount Pictures)• Shia Labeouf – Eagle Eye (DreamWorks Skg/ Paramount Pictures)• Vin Diesel – Fast & Furious (Universal Pictures)• Zac Efron...

Vampire Blockbuster and Oscar Award®-Winning Breakout Neck-In-Neck with Both Films Receiving Nominations in 6 Categories

Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Friday The 13th, and Prom Night also represent genre nods with Johnathon Schaech, Derek Mears, and Luke Goss being honored.

New York, May 4 -- The hit films "Twilight" and "Slumdog Millionaire" get ready to battle it out as MTV: Music Television announces this year's final nominees for the "2009 MTV Movie Awards." Pitting Hollywood vampires against the Mumbai slums, the movies' rabid fans proved their loyalty as they sent both flicks to the head of the cinematic pack with each film receiving nominations in six award categories including "Best Movie," "Best Kiss" and "Breakthrough Performance Male."

MTV will up the cinematic fun quotient this year by debuting the two new categories "Best Song From A Movie" and "Best Wtf Moment." Fans will get the chance to vote on such movie soundtrack...

The hit films Twilight and Slumdog Millionaire get ready to battle it out as MTV: Music Television announces this year's final nominees for the "2009 MTV Movie Awards." Pitting Hollywood vampires against the Mumbai slums, the movies' rabid fans proved their loyalty as they sent both flicks to the head of the cinematic pack with each film receiving nominations in six award categories including "Best Movie," "Best Kiss" and "Breakthrough Performance Male."

MTV will up the cinematic fun quotient this year by debuting the two new categories "Best Song From A Movie" and "Best Wtf Moment." Fans will get the chance to vote on such movie soundtrack hits as "The Climb" from Hannah Montana: The Movie as well as pick this year's most jaw-dropping "Wtf" movie moment that left audiences speechless such as the naked break-up scene in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The 18th annual awards show will be executive produced by...

High School Musical is set for return for a fourth term.

A new movie will hit TV screens in 2010, but it won't feature stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.

A Disney studio statement reads High School Musical 4 will feature a love triangle "set against the cross-town rivalry between the East High Wildcats and West High Knights."

Peter Barsocchini, who wrote High School Musical 1, 2 and 3, is back in as screenwriter, while Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush will once again executive produce the project.

Disney has green lit High School Musical 4, but unlike the last in the series it won’t be another theatrical release. Instead, HSM4 will return to the small screen and premiere on the Disney Channel in 2010. According to the trades, the film will introduce a new cast of characters and will center on East High Wildcats' cross-town rivalry with the West High Knights. High School Musical became a phenomenon when it premiered on the Disney Channel in January 2006. It spawned the Disney Channel sequel High School Musical 2," whose 2007 premiere ranked as the number one basic cable telecast of all time with 18.6 million viewers. Last year the franchise took a leap to the big screen with High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The movie, which marked the high school graduation of Troy (Zac Efron), Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) and company, has grossed $250 million in the worldwide box-office. Peter Barsocchini, who...

Disney will bring back the Wildcats through the fourth installment of "High School Musical". In 2006, it became the most successful Disney Channel Original Movie, and a year later the sequel was made to another success that the third one was brought to the big screen in 2008. This fourth one however, will be another TV project.

"The 'High School Musical' trilogy introduced a new generation to the celebrated genre of movie musicals," Gary Marsh, president of entertainment, Disney Channels Worldwide, told BroadcastingCable.com. He continued, "In crafting this next iteration, we've challenged the entire creative team to raise the bar again, and create something truly worthy of this extraordinary global phenomenon."

Geared up for a 2010 release, the production will start later this year with Peter Barscocchini back as the screenwriter, and Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush as executive producers.

While in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year", the Wildcats...

The fourth installment of "High School Musical" will return the franchise back to where it started: the Disney Channel. Featuring a new cast, the "High School Musical 4" telepic is scheduled to begin production later this year and premiere on Disney Channel in 2010. Peter Barsocchini, who penned the first three installments, returns as screenwriter. Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush are also back as executive producers. Disney Channel did not say whether Kenny Ortega would return as director. "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," helmed by Ortega, took in nearly $250 million last year in worldwide theatrical release. Several of the cast members are now starring in Hollywood films.

The Disney Channel announced today that "High School Musical" is returning to the network in 2010 with a whole new movie and a new cast of characters. The latest installment in the teen musical phenomenon, tentatively titled "High School Musical 4", is set to go into production later this year. According to the press release, the latest sequel will involve "a classic love triangle set against the cross-town rivalry between the East High Wildcats and West High Knights."

"In crafting this next iteration, we've challenged the entire creative team to raise the bar again -- and create something truly worthy of this extraordinary global phenomenon," said Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for the Disney Channel.

"High School Musical 4" will be written by Peter Barscocchini, writer of the first three films, and executive producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush will return. No word on director Kenny Ortega, who helmed the first three.

We have plenty clips from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" including interviews with Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Alyson Reed, Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush, Jenna McKenzie, Chris Warren and more. Kenny Ortega returns to helm for a third time. On October 24th, the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' musical sees theatres. Check out the clips for the interviews and other clips if you haven't landed a look at this already.

We have plenty clips from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" including interviews with Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Alyson Reed, Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush, Jenna McKenzie, Chris Warren and more. Kenny Ortega returns to helm for a third time. On October 24th, the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' musical sees theatres. Check out the clips for the interviews and other clips if you haven't landed a look at this already.

We have plenty clips from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" including interviews with Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Alyson Reed, Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush, Jenna McKenzie, Chris Warren and more. Kenny Ortega returns to helm for a third time. On October 24th, the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' musical sees theatres. Check out the clips for the interviews and other clips if you haven't landed a look at this already. What's this about? Disney’s “High School Musical” phenomenon leaps onto the big screen in High School Musical 3: Senior Year,in which America’s favorite high school students(Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman) hit senior year. Amidst a basketballchampionship, prom and a big spring musical featuring all of the Wildcats, Troy and Gabriella vow to make every moment last as their lifelong college dreams put...

We have plenty clips from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" including interviews with Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Alyson Reed, Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush, Jenna McKenzie, Chris Warren and more. Kenny Ortega returns to helm for a third time. On October 24th, the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' musical sees theatres. Check out the clips for the interviews and other clips if you haven't landed a look at this already.

MoviesOnline caught up with Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu, Matt Prokop, Jemma McKenzie-Brown, Justin Martin, director Kenny Ortega, and producer Bill Borden at the Los Angeles press day for their new film, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” Disney’s High School Musical phenomenon leaps onto the big screen in “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” in which the world’s favorite high school students (Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman) hit senior year. Amidst a basketball championship, prom and a bi...

With "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" counting down to its theatrical premiere in about ten days, sequel talks of "High School Musical 4" have been brought up once again. On Sunday, October 12 in "Senior Year" press conference, producer Bill Borden stressed that the fourth installment of the highly successful "High School Musical" is to follow saying, "Yes, there will be a fourth movie."

Hollyscoop reported that Borden further explained, "We haven't actually really even talked about 4 that much together. But we've been working so hard on 3. As a producer, I haven't talked to Disney about 4. We have a ways to go." Though insisting that "HSM 4" will be made, he rejected the idea that it will follow one of the stars to the college. "Personally, I don't think it will be College Musical," so he claimed as quoted by E! Online.

Meanwhile, on the possibility of Sharpay Evan's return which...