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ENTERtainMENT NEWS

Take a break and watch this good-hearted, funny, good news video created and hosted by John Krasinski...with a lot of good news and.......Steve Carrell. 

Virtual Tours

Many institutions, Museums and National Parks are offering free virtual tours online. Below, are just two sites that offer a few of these amazing experiences.

Sonic the Hedgehog Speeds and Breaks Box-Office Video Game Movie Records

By: Abhin Gandhi

sonic.jpeg

On February 14th everyone's favorite blue hedgehog hit the theaters. The film is about Sonic, a fast hedgehog originating from the video game franchise finding his way through the troubles of life on Earth with the help of his new friend named Tom Wachowski as they team up to take down a villain named Dr. Robotnikc played by Jim Carrey who plans to use Sonic’s power to take over the World. After the film has been released to the public the reviews between critics and users are mixed. Critic reviews are quite low in comparison to users. “In the end, “Sonic” is quippy without being mean, and sweet without being sappy, making this a trip that’s well worth taking,” said the Washington Post. However, user reviews are highly positive and are expressing their love for the movie and the little hedgehog.

The movie wasn’t received as positively when it was first showcased in the first trailer by Paramount back in Apil 30th, 2019. The released trailer terrified fans of Sonic and it received negative reviews and criticism. The reason of such backlash was due to Sonic’s original design. The character resembles more of a human rather than an adorable, childish hedgehog. Many fans were disgusted by the look of the character and its features like the teeth, and mouth. While others complained of the lack of charm the character has due to the missing signature red boots and white gloves. But to everyone's surprise,  Paramount came out and stated that they will be delaying the film to correct their mistakes and accurately portray sonic in a better form. Jeff Fowler the director tweeted eith the hashtag “#novfxartistswereharmedinthemakingofthismovie” stating they will be “ Taking a little more time to make Sonic just right “. 

This delay proved to be extremely worthwhile as fans love the new design change to Sonic. So much so that the movie broke Detective Pikachu’s 3-day opening record in the US by receiving “$57 million in comparison to Detective Pikachu's $54.3 million” according to Engadget.com. This positive outcome exhibits the power of community feedback has in effecting companies and turning their product around but it also shows that if the company is willing to listen to their received constructed feedback and take their time to release a finished product, the outcome would be rewarding for both the company and consumers. Sonic the Hedgehog has been seen as a step in the right direction for video game movies in contrast to others like Mortal Kombat Annihilation and Assasins Creed; in the eyes of video-game enthusiasts and fans of the franchise. And many are waiting to see if video-games will continue to increase in popularity and success in the film industry.

Disney CEO Bob Iger steps down

By: Steven Taylor

On February 25th, 2020, current Disney CEO Bob Iger made an announcement that he would be stepping down from the role, while remaining with the company until his contract ends on December 31st, 2021. Iger will remain on the company’s Board of Directors for the duration of this time, meanwhile, chairman of Disney Parks Bob Chapek will take up the mantle of CEO. Although many have concerns about Chapek, he has proven himself as chairman, with colleagues calling him “highly intelligent and organized,” having overseen Disney Shanghai’s opening and the largest expansion in the history of already existing parks. Chapek also worked on the integration of the new intellectual properties into the parks after the acquisition of companies such as Marvel and Pixar. Even with his track record, many still wonder if Chapek can live up to Iger’s illustrious work as CEO.

Iger became the 6th CEO in 2005, succeeding Disney’s previous CEO, Michael Eisner. Iger led the company forward in a multitude of ways as CEO, most notable being his reinvIgeration of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Over his career, Iger led the company to increase its profits by nearly five times, as well as both the expansion of many Disney parks and the introduction of two new resorts in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Possibly Iger’s most famous move, however, is his acquisition of multiple companies and intellectual properties. During his 15 year duration as CEO, Disney acquired Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm and later 21st Century Fox, bringing with each purchase several recognizable names that would be big hits for the company such as Star Wars, The Avengers and Toy Story. It’s safe to say that these purchases worked out well for the company, with 15 of Pixar’s films being some of the 50 highest-grossing animated films ever, and Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame becoming the highest-grossing film ever, making $2.797 billion at the box office. This is in addition to the parent company’s own efforts, crown among them being the 2013 animated film Frozen.

The company has been subject to some criticism during Iger’s time, mainly in the handling of newly acquired IPs. The company’s efforts with Star Wars have often been mixed, with some films falling short with critics and fans. Infamously, the video game Star Wars Battlefront 2 was met with controversy on launch due to it’s handling of in-game loot boxes purchasable with real money. Although Marvel’s films have proven generally much more profitable, longtime fans have criticized the company’s handling of their characters, noting that the popular X-Men and Fantastic Four properties were seemingly being neglected. This speculated to be due to the film rights of these characters being owned by 21st Century Fox, and in an attempt to de-value the rights, these characters have their appearances minimalized. With the acquisition of 21st Century Fox, however, Disney is likely to return these characters to the forefront, as already seen with the addition of X-Men characters to Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3.

Despite some criticism, Iger led Disney and it’s subsidiaries to success during his time, the likes of which the company has not seen in years. Disney has made many acquisitions that have quickly proven themselves worthwhile, and the company has seen several unprecedented blockbusters. With Iger’s stepping down, many worry that these golden years of the company may be coming to a close, but with Chapek’s record and Iger remaining with the company for a while, there is some hope that there is still greatness yet in store for the Walt Disney Company, but only time can tell the legacy Chapek will leave the company with.

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