The economy is in tatters. There isn't a corporation in the world that isn't feeling some pinch from these rough times and that includes Disney. But now the House of Mouse is trying to make some changes to its retail stores so they're bringing in the big gun: Apple honcho Steve Jobs.
Jobs, who was appointed to the Disney board of directors in 2006, has given Disney access to the blueprints for his Apple Store and has told Disney engineers to "think bigger." Jobs' vision is that the stores will no longer be purely retail centers, but "Imagination Centers" that show off "Pixar-esque winks and nods."
According to Jobs, the stores will also have some form of scent component. "If a clip from Disney's coming 'A Christmas Carol' is playing in the theater, the whole store might suddenly be made to smell like a Christmas tree," said Jobs in a press release.
I often talk about films and remakes that have no right to be made. This week we're hitting stage shows.
Melissa Gilbert of "Little House on the Prairie" is launching a touring musical version of the show. Gilbert, who played Laura in the TV series, will play Ma in the musical version.
The national tour kicks off in that Mecca of Broadway extravaganzas, St. Paul, Minn.
Lee Unkrich, director of Disney/Pixar's upcoming "Toy Story 3" has unveiled the film's cast. According to a recent video blog by Unkrich, most of the cast has remained intact.
Names like Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Wallace Shawn and John Ratzenberger will be joined by new castmembers Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton, Timothy Dalton and Whoopi Goldberg.
Blake Clark of "The Waterboy" will replace the late Jim Varney as Slinky.
I got some cool news for my fellow Gleeks out there. (Gleeks = the official term for fans of the Fox hit "Glee.") How would you like the chance to see the cast perform some of your favorite tunes live? According to Fox Broadcasting president Kevin Reilly, you may get the chance soon.
The series' music has been blowing up on iTunes and with a soundtrack due out on Nov. 3, the iron is officially hot. And while nothing is confirmed, "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy says that a tour would most likely be scheduled around spring 2010.
One place the tour won't land? The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The organizers of the parade were instructed by NBC to rescind an offer to the cast to perform. Kinda makes sense. Why would a network flat out promote one of their rival network's biggest hits? Still, pretty lame NBC.
Here's what else is happening ...
Hey "SpongeBob SquarePants" fans, your favorite underwater cartoon character is getting married!
The event will happen in a one-hour special called "Truth or Square" and will feature the celebrity voices of Ricky Gervais, Rosario Dawson, Craig Ferguson, Will Ferrell, LeBron James, Robin Williams and others.
The episode airs at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 on Nickelodeon
According to the New England Genealogical Society, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are more than just childhood pals. They're also related. Researchers found that Damon and Affleck are descended from William Knowlton Jr., a bricklayer who came to the states from England around 1630. This makes the pair tenth cousins. Once removed, of course.
Keep up the good work, NEGS.
According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, iconic director John Landis has announced that his next film will be "Burke and Hare." The film is based on the infamous British duo that supplied a British medical school with cadavers they obtained from grave robbing or flat out murder.
And starring as the duo? Former "Doctor Who" star David Tennant and "Shaun of the Dead's" Simon Pegg. We'll be keeping an eye on this one.
Paramount Pictures is looking to cast Chris Pine as the next Jack Ryan.
Pine, who took on the role of Captain Kirk in the "Star Trek" reboot would fill the shoes of the Tom Clancy-created action hero that has been previously played by Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin and Ben Affleck.
Lastly, some sad news as we learn that wrestling legend Captain Lou Albano passed away Wednesday at the age of 76. May his rubber bands live on in our memories.
