Disney to Premiere Zoe Saldaña’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” on Disney+ in August

Zoe Saldaña’s galaxy is headed online…

Disney has set the Disney+ global premiere date for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, starring the 45-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, for August 2, 90 days after the film’s theatrical release of May 5.

Zoe SaldanaWhile Disney received criticism during CEO Bob Chapek’s era for executing theatrical day-and-date releases on Disney+ during the pandemic, the Mouse House continues to make it up to movie theater operators.

In fact, they’ve been following long theatrical windows before Marvel films hit Disney+ going back to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Recently, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania had an 89-day theatrical window until it hit its Disney+ debut date on May 17. Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had an 82-day window after its November 11 theatrical release date before hitting Disney+ on February 1.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 from filmmaker-turned-DC Studios co-Boss James Gunn, is currently the second highest grossing movie of the year with $842.4M worldwide after

Universal/Illumination’s Super Mario Bros Movie, which has minted $1.34 billion. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still shy of the $955.7M that Disney/MCU’s summer kickstarter, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessgrossed last year.

Meanwhile, Super Mario Bros will hit Universal’s streaming service Peacock after 121 days in theaters.

First Full Trailer Released for Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar” Sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Zoe Saldana is heading the way of water

The first full official trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has been released.

Zoë SaldañaDisney will begin the overseas rollout of the sequel to the highest-grossing film ever on December 14 with its U.S. release set for December 16.

The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the first Avatar film. It follows the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri [Saldana] and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure as they fight for their home on Pandora. Brimming with stunning visuals and new creatures, the trailer also features a callback to the original movie with the signature Na’vi line: “I see you.”

Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water,The sequel stars Sam Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Edie Falco, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Oona Chaplin, Jermaine Clement and more.

Disney previously previewed a teaser trailer at CinemaCon in April before playing it exclusively in theaters on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand then put it online in May.

The studio, Cameron and producer Jon Landau have been making the rounds with footage from the film, screening during June’s CineEurope conference in Barcelona and at D23 in September as well as for executives from China Film Group (a release there is still unconfirmed).

Disney also released a remastered 4K HDR version of the original film in September to set the table for the sequel, and included sneak footage tagged onto the end.

Sources indicate The Way of Water will clock in at more than three hours, but no exact final run-time has been decided. The original was two hours and 41 minutes.

In total, four sequels are planned. Said Landau in Vegas, “The journey across all four movies will create a connected saga.”

Said Cameron at the time, the new films are “pushing limits even farther with high frame rate, higher resolution 3D and greater reality in our visual effects. I wanted our return to Pandora to be something really special. Every shot is designed for the biggest screen, highest resolution and most immersive 3D available. I think we pulled it off.”

Xochitl Gomez Signs with Hyperion Talent Agency

Xochitl Gomez is heading into hyper(ion) space..

The 15-year-old Mexican American actress has signed with Hyperion for representation in all areas.

Xochitl GomezGomez will next star opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which hits theaters May 6.

Gomez plays America Chavez in the film, a groundbreaking Marvel LGBTQ Latin American character who ultimately joins the Young Avengers. Chavez is known for her strength, and the power of flight, particularly exceeding the speed of light. She also has a talent for kicking open star-shaped holes in reality, allowing her and her teammates to travel through the multiverse.

Gomez previously starred as Dawn Schafer, the lead of the Netflix series The Baby-Sitters Club.

In 2020, she won a Young Artist Award for Supporting Teen Artist for her work in the film Shadow Wolves. That same year, her short film The Letter was licensed by HBO.

The actress is an alum of the Sundance Institute, where she was a feature actress in the Director’s Lab in 2018. Gomez won Best Child Actor at the London Independent Film Awards for her turn in Boob Sweat and also won Best Young Actress for the movie at the 2018 New York Film Awards.

Victoria Alonso Promoted to President of Physical, Post Production, VFX & Animation at Marvel Studios

It’s another Marvel-ous moment for Victoria Alonso

The 55-year-old Argentine film producer has been promoted to president, physical and post production, visual effects, and animation production at Marvel Studios.

Victoria Alonso

A 15-year studio veteran, Alonso will oversee the divisions across the studio’s slate of films and series and continue to report to Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito.

“Victoria has been an incredible partner and part of our team since the very first Iron Man,” said Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios and chief creative officer, Marvel, and D’Esposito on Monday. “She is one of the most dynamic, candid and accessible executives in the industry and we’re thrilled that she’ll continue to be by our side in this elevated role as we lead Marvel Studios into the future.”

Alonso will continue to serve as executive producer on all upcoming feature films including EternalsDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder, as well as EP on Marvel Studios’ upcoming series for Disney+ including Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Moon Knight.

“When Louis first suggested I come to work with the team on Iron Man, I never could have imagined the adventure ahead, and as far as I’m concerned, it has only just begun!” Alonso said. “We have an absolutely incredible group of people who are bringing their many talents to the exciting slate of films and series we have on the horizon, and I’m especially thrilled about ramping up our studio’s animation efforts, which is a personal passion of mine. Look forward to more singing!”

Alonso joined Marvel in 2006 as the company’s EVP of visual effects and post production, doubling as co-producer on Iron Man, a role she reprised on Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger.

In 2011, she was upped to executive producer on the blockbuster The Avengers, a role she has maintained on all Marvel Studios releases since then including Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Widow and most recently Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

During her tenure at the studio, Marvel films have amassed over $23 billion in global box office.

In 2021, Alonso became an Emmy-nominated producer for her work on the MCU’s first series on Disney+WandaVision. She has also become an important voice in Hollywood as a producer, a Latina, and a senior female executive.

She was named one of People en Español Magazine’s top “Poderosa” Most Influential Hispanic Women in 2019 and 2020, and was honored in 2015 with the Muse Award for Outstanding Vision and Achievement from the New York Women in Film & Television.

She was also the first woman to be presented with the Harold Lloyd Award from the Advanced Imaging Society, which is given to a filmmaker who has created a body of work and specific achievements in 3D that advanced the motion picture art form.

In 2017, she was the first woman to be honored with the Visionary Award at the 15th Annual VES Awards for her advancement of unforgettable storytelling through visual effects.

Xochitl Gomez to Star in the “Doctor Strange” Sequel “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”

It’s a Strange time for Xochitl Gomez

The Latina actress has joined the cast of Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in which Benedict Cumberbatch returns to reprise the title character and Sam Raimi takes over directing duties.

Xochitl Gomez

Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor also are expected to reprise their roles from the original film as, respectively, fellow sorcerer Wong and Strange’s compatriot-turned-nemesis Karl Mordo.

And Elizabeth Olsen has been tapped to reprise her role as Scarlet Witch, aka Wanda Maximoff, for a storyline that Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has said will link up with her Disney Plus series WandaVision that debuts in December.

Plot details and Gomez’s character are still unknown at this time.

Production will begin after Cumberbatch finishes filming the next Spider-Man film, where he’ll be playing Doctor Strange.

Raimi replaces original director Scott Derrickson, who departed the project in January due to creative differences.

Gomez’s previous credits include Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club and Gentefied, as well as Raven’s Home, Roped and Shadow Wolves.