Disney

In the new Pixar film Elio, a lonely kid dreams of being abducted by aliens. And then one day, it happens. Eager to find a place to belong, Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) volunteers to save the aliens from a dangerous enemy. Along the way, he makes a friend and starts to think about Earth a little differently. The film was directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi (Turning Red) and Adrian Molina (Coco). Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture To access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Pop Culture Happy Hour, subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+ at plus.npr.org/happy.

The company's theme parks and cruises make up a fast-growing section of its profits. The new park will be located on Yas Island with a number of existing attractions.

FCC chair Brendan Carr said he wants a review all of Disney's DEI practices — both past and present — to determine whether the company has ever violated any FCC regulations.

The production begins at 7 on Friday night and Saturday night at Southwest High School.

It's been five years since Disney remade its animated classic The Lion King as a photorealistic blockbuster. This leads us to Mufasa: The Lion King, a new prequel telling the story of Mufasa's rise — as well as the origins of his rivalry with Scar. The film was directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) and features new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture. Subscribe to NPR Plus at plus.npr.org or make a gift at donate.npr.org.

Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear made history as the youngest composers and only all-woman songwriting team for a Disney animated film with Moana 2.

It's been 15 years since Disney bought Marvel Entertainment, ushering in a Hollywood era dominated by superheroes. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe and author Joanna Robinson discuss the deal and its impact.

The film, set to be released in March 2025, has been mired by a string of controversies on everything from its new “woke” messaging to its depiction of dwarfism.

In just a week and a half, Inside Out 2 has become 2024’s highest-grossing film to date, surpassing Dune: Part Two. Inside Out 2 will likely blow through the $1 billion mark in about a week.

Pixar's Inside Out introduced us to the core emotions inside an 11-year-old girl named Riley. We met Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Anger (Lewis Black). In Inside Out 2, Riley is experiencing puberty and a whole new crop of emotions have popped up. Most notably Anxiety (Maya Hawke) who has literally bottled up Riley's original core emotions and sent them hurtling into the back of her mind, where they plot to get back and set things right. We want to hear your opinions about summer snacks. Are you Team Hot Dog or Team Hamburger? What's better: churro or a funnel cake? Click here to cast your votes. The results will be revealed at a virtual live event for Pop Culture Happy Hour+ supporters on Thursday, June 27th at 6 p.m. ET. Sign up for PCHH+ at plus.npr.org/happyhour to get access to the event.(Once you've signed up for PCHH+, make sure to set up your special feed, where you'll see a special bonus episode from May 31st with instructions on how to register for the live event. Email plus@npr.org for any extra assistance.)