NPD: Epic Mickey Sells 1.32 Million Copies in December in North America

NPD is a research firm that tracks video game sales for the industry. These numbers represent copies of the game sold to customers, not shipped to stores.

That's a phenomenal start for the game in North America. It hasn't been charting as well in the UK (which we get charts for, but not sale numbers) and Europe is more nebulous (very infrequent sales updates). The game has yet to be released in Japan.

Disney hasn't commented publicly on their expectations for the title, but I can't imagine anyone is disappointed. It has to already be one of the best selling Disney Interactive titles ever.

Hopefully if given the chance Junction Point can fix some of the game's problems in a sequel. And hopefully Disney will give them enough time to actually finish the game.

UPDATE: I have been told that Epic Mickey 2 has actually been in development now for "a while." Can anyone else confirm? CONFIRMED.

UPDATE 2: With the success of the game, I wonder if Disney will look to port it to the Playstation 3 (where it would work well with the Move controller) and the Xbox360 (which would have to use the standard controller, since I can't imagine it working well with Kinect)?

Warren Spector had mentioned before that it's something they would consider. May not be worth it though since the game is selling well enough on the Wii.

Deadline: Disney Sets Terry Rossio to Script Pirates of the Caribbean 5

Deadline.com:

Disney has closed a deal with Terry Rossio to write the fifth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. This will be the first one without Ted Elliott, his screenwriting accomplice on the first four pictures. The studio is also making moves to bring back director Rob Marshall for his second voyage on the franchise.

Johnny Depp in recent days has expressed interest in returning for a fifth film and Disney has a contract option in place (though not air tight), so unless On Stranger Tides is a complete box office disaster this seems like a no-brainer.

There were rumors a few weeks back that Disney wanted to film two sequels in tandem. Have they backed away from that idea?

WDFM: Evolution of a Duck

The Walt Disney Family Museum and Disney historian J.B. Kaufman share the early days of Donald Duck.

Tron: Legacy Sequel to be Given the Green Light?

According to Harry Knowles over at Ain't It Cool News, yes:

And this was the happy word I received today on the Grapevine of Industry Insiders. TRON LEGACY... is getting close, incredibly close to having its SEQUEL announced! 

Tron: Legacy will pass $300 million worldwide in box office by the end of the week, a solid but not fantastic number. I don't think Disney would even be considering a film sequel unless merchandise sales have been impressive.

Of course, Disney has already committed itself to the Tron franchise longterm with a Tron animated show debuting on Disney XD in the summer.

The first film was expensive to produce at $150 million, but that's not an unreasonably figure for a effects laden, blockbuster film today. I wonder if they'll try to bring it in lower for a sequel.

Disney Has Concerns With Proposed Conditions on NBC - Comcast Merger

The LA Times Company Town blog:

Fox's letter to Disney does not go into great detail of what the media giant -- whose holdings include ABC, cable networks ESPN, Disney Channel and ABC Family as well as Disney Studios -- is worried about, but its filing is sure to raise eyebrows. Up until now, Disney had kept very quiet about the Comcast - NBC Universal deal. Fox's letter said the company was concerned about conditions "that may be dependent on or that would affect the marketplace negotiations of independent third-parties." Fox could not immediately be reached for comment.

2010 Hong Kong Disneyland Attendance Reportedly Hits 5.2 Million

That's a significant 13% increase over the previous year, but remember that the Park was supposed to be drawing that many visitors from year one.

Hopefully the three new lands opening over the next three years, starting with Toy Story Playland in late summer, will help boost attendance significantly.

Wild Africa Trek Adventures Begin Sunday at Disney Animal Kingdom

Official Disney Parks Blog:

Wild Africa Trek will be offered several times daily and group sizes for this unique experience will kept small – no more than 12 trekkers. By limiting the group size, the Wild Africa Trek offers a personalized, VIP feel for guests.

Anyone know the cost per person?

Zap2It: Should the Disney Channel Feature Gay Characters?

"We leave it up to our audience to interpret who these characters are and how they relate to them," [Disney Channel Worldwide President Gary] Marsh tells AfterElton, noting that while characters may not be clearly identified as gay, viewers are free to interpret them that way. According to Marsh, the channel is trying to "create a diverse cross section of characters on television that kids can have different access points and entry points to connect with."

Marsh has said, "We don't deal with sexuality on the Disney Channel in general. That's just sort of not where our audience's head's at. They're really a pre-sexual audience, for the most part, and so sexuality is not how we look to tell any kind of stories."

But while straight characters have gone out on dates and shared kisses on the channel, there hasn't been an equivalent for gay characters. "I don't know where the series or the Disney Channel or the world might evolve to in that regard. But I don't see it has some sort of second class," Marsh says.

I can understand why there are no openly gay characters on the Disney Channel, but I don't think it's a great policy.

I do think it's only a matter of time, though.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet-and-Greet at Disney Village

Not dated, but it has to be from around Euro Disney's opening in 1992.

Bonus: Zorro in Frontierland.

Cartoon Brew: Mobil Ads by Ward Kimball

Amid Amidi:

For nearly thirty years, animation legend Ward Kimball contributed a cartoon page called “Asinine Alley” to the bi-monthly magazine Horseless Carriage Gazette, which was a specialized magazine geared towards collectors of vintage automobiles. For a few issues, he also created ads for Mobil, and someone on has been posting them on-line.

I read an interview with Ward once in which he described how Walt Disney became angry when he saw these ads displayed at a studio show, and told Ward that he couldn’t do them anymore. Ward said he was never paid for the ads and was making them as a favor to the magazine, but nevertheless, he stopped. The last one was created in 1960.

Disney Store Announces New & Remodeled Locations for 2011

They're expanding fairly aggressively into new markets, but leaving a number of older stores without a remodel.

Broadway-Bound Aladdin Musical Slated for Out-of-Town Tryouts in Seattle This Summer

Here's hoping it retains nothing from the insufferable California Adventure show.

December 1935

The official Disney Twitter:

Mickey Mouse was the first image sent by telegraph wire in the United States, on the New York to Buffalo line.

Cartoon Brew: Jeffrey Katzenberg Defends 3-D... Again

Amid Amidi:

It must be tough work maintaining the facade that 3-D is the savior of theaters, when in fact, 3-D has done absolutely nothing to renew interest amongst moviegoers in the United States nor has it substantially boosted box office grosses.

Cars Retheme Being Considered for Test Track?

There are rumors that while Disney is looking for a new corporate sponsor for the Epcot attraction, they are also looking to incorporate characters from the Cars films.

Basically, placing the characters into the already existing show scenes.

Just a rumor at this point...

(via Twitter user AnotherVoiceDIS)

Star Tours Re-Opening Dates Leaked?

10 May 2011 for Disneyland and 17 May 2011 for Disney Hollywood Studios?

The dates are plausible, but not set in stone this early.

But you know Disneyland wants Star Tours and The Little Mermaid at California Adventure open by Memorial Day.