As Dreamers Do Part Deux

Super Bowl XXX (2006 Sporting Event)
  • "Just Win, Brady!"

    Super Bowl XXX [1]
    Played on February 5, 2006
    Venue:
    Little Caesar's Dome [2] in Detroit, Michigan
    TV: ABC
    Announcers: Chris Berman, Tom Jackson and Joe Theismann in the studio. Al Michaels and John Madden in the booth.
    National Anthem sung by Aretha Franklin
    Coin toss conducted by Steve Young representing previous Super Bowl MVP's.
    Halftime show headlined by Rockapella

    Uniforms:
    Falcons:
    Black helmet, White jerseys with black pants.
    Raiders: Silver helmet, Black jerseys with silver pants.

    In TTL's Super Bowl XXX, Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons led the Las Vegas Raiders 24-3 at halftime. But in the second half, Tom Brady calmly led the Silver & Black to a massive comeback. The Raiders led 27-24 late in the fourth quarter when Vick's pass, intended for Alge Crumpler, was intercepted by Charles Woodson, who ran it back 99 yards to cement the Raiders' victory 34-24. Brady was then named the game's MVP.

    [1] The introduction of the Super Bowl was delayed ten years later than OTL because Pete Rozelle kept trying to merge the AFL and NFL with the CFL. Before the Super Bowl, a championship game called the Gold Cup was held between 1966 and '75 with the winners of an AFL-NFL playoff facing off against the CFL's Grey Cup winners. Each time Pete Rozelle wanted to merge the CFL with the AFL and NFL, the Canadian government politely said no to Rozelle. In the meantime, the AFL and NFL shook hands on a deal with ABC to have both leagues showcased on Monday Night Football. The AFL and NFL became one league in 1976 with Super Bowl I played in January of 1977.

    [2] Known IOTL as Ford Field. ITTL, the Detroit Lions are no longer under the thumb of the Ford family. Instead, they are owned by Mike Illitch, founder of Little Caesar's Pizza.
     
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    Entertainment News for Early February 2006
  • @Tacomaster Yeah, he's still out there. But his son Ennis now co-owns the Fat Albert IP with Turner Broadcasting.

    Entertainment News for Early February 2006

    2006 Super Bowl
    Fan reaction to the 2006 Super Bowl:

    "Giving up halftime leads is what the Falcons do best."
    - SportsCenter

    SUPER BOWL TRAILERS
    Buena Vista

    X-Men: Dark Phoenix
    Poseidon
    (remake of The Poseidon Adventure)
    Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

    Peacock
    Mission: Impossible III
    Blue Beetle
    Nanny McPhee
    Over the Hedge


    Columbia-TriStar
    Green Lantern
    Talladega Nights
    Strange Magic


    Turner
    Casino Royale

    Luxor
    Hoodwinked!

    Touchstone
    Hoot
    Cars


    Carolco
    V for Vendetta (Graphic novel published ITTL by Malibu-Pacific, now known as WB Comics)

    Big Poppa Poop
    Total Nonstop Action (TNA) has been fined $5,000 USD by the FCC after Scott Steiner was shown intentionally defecating on AJ Styles while Styles was flat on his back in TNA's trademark hexagon shaped ring.
    - Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

    The Sports Page
    One weekend after the Super Bowl, the Olympiastadion was jammed to the rafters as the WLAF's Berlin Ogres hosted the Frankfurt Galaxy in their inaugural game. This year, the WLAF's season was shifted a month ahead to accommodate the 2006 World Cup, which will be held in Germany later this summer. If you're wondering what the Ogres' mascot is supposed to be, it's pretty much Shrek with lederhosen.

    Elsewhere in the World League, the Paris Phantoms made their debut against the London Monarchs at Parc des Princes. Over in Rome, the Centurions (Same logo as the OTL Cologne franchise except with Ottawa Senators colors) welcomed the Barcelona Dragons at Stadio Olimpico. The Stockholm Kraken opened their inaugural campaign on the road at Hampden Park against the Rhein Fire and will host the Amsterdam Admirals in their home opener next week.

    Stateside, Muhammad Ali was on hand for the Kentucky Stingers' home opener against the Chicago Blitz at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Over in Salt Lake, the Rocky Mountain Extreme hosted in the Arizona Wranglers at snowy and sold-out Rice Eccles Stadium.

    The Stallions had announced back in December that they would likely play one more year in St. Louis citing recent uncertainty in the fates of the NFL's Saints and Jaguars franchises.
    - NBC Sports

    Dark Horse Cinematic Universe in the works?
    Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson says he has been negotiating with New Line for the last ten years to regain the rights to The Mask. Richardson says it is likely that there could be a compromise in which New Line could work in tandem with Luxor Pictures on future Mask adaptations going forward.
    - Wizard

    "With Glowing Hearts, we see thee rise, the deep south strong and free...."
    - Earlier today, the Toronto Star leaked records of a registration with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office on certain logo and uniform assets of the Jacksonville Jaguars football club. The city of Jacksonville earlier in January had invoked eminent domain to seize certain Jaguar trademarks from the troubled NFL franchise to prepare for Wayne Weaver possibly selling the franchise to Stan Kroenke who intends to move the team to St. Louis after failing to lure the displaced New Orleans Saints this past NFL season. It is possible that the city of Jacksonville is hoping that should the NFL franchise leave town, they could resurrect the Jags as an expansion team in the Canadian Football League, which would require modifications to the Alltel Gator Bowl to accommodate a CFL-size field. Who would be the owner? Mark Chipman, head of True North Sports & Entertainment and chairman of the IHL's Manitoba Moose, has most of his business interests in Winnipeg. But because the Blue Bombers are community-owned, Chipman could be the front runner to resurrect the Jaguars in the CFL should the NFL version skip town.
    - TSN SportsDesk
     
    Hong Kong Disneyland (2006 Theme Park Grand Opening)
  • @stratonapba And I feel like I'm gonna need a second team to join Jacksonville, so that the CFL's membership stays even numbered.

    @HonestAbe1809 @Goldwind2

    hong-kong-disneyland-reopening.jpg

    Hong Kong Disneyland
    Grand Opening held on February 18, 2006

    Grand Opening Speech given by Disney Enterprises, Inc. chairman and CEO Walt Disney, Jr., accompanied by Disney vice chairwoman Margaret Loesch, 20th Century-Fox chairman Robert Zemeckis, Legendary chief operating officer Thomas Tull and Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang

    Founding Partners

    The Britt Allcroft Company
    Legendary Multimedia
    Tee and Charles Addams Foundation
    Amblin Entertainment

    Notes
    Hong Kong, although no longer a British territory, maintains a level of autonomy within the People's Republic of China. Future expansions to this park are subject to the approval of the Executive Council of Hong Kong.

    Opening Day Attractions
    Main Street USA, Adventureland, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland are roughly the same as OTL. Grizzly Gulch, which was added later IOTL, is an opening day land featuring clones of Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Landing/Splash Mountain, the latter themed ITTL after the 1983 film Huck's Landing.​
     
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    The Arthur Movie (2006 Animated Film)
  • @QTXAdsy You have my condolences.

    arthur_wide-fc8093bc7a3feec45667b0c8ac9fda32ab0c3de9-s1100-c50.jpg

    The Arthur Movie
    Released by Paramount Pictures on February 24, 2006

    Produced by Paramount Animation, formerly Rankin-Bass.

    Based upon characters created by Marc Brown.

    Produced and directed by
    Emily Chiang

    Screenplay and storyboards by
    Linda Woolverton
    Roger Allers
    Joe Macdonald

    Storyline
    An adaptation of Marc Brown's book, The Bionic Bunny Show, Arthur and his pals learn important lessons about how Wilbur Rabbit (voiced by Tom Hanks) the bunny behind Bionic Bunny, is a mere mortal and makes the same mistakes as everyone else.

    Notes
    - Emily Chiang came to Paramount a year or so after production on Freakazoid! wrapped at Warner Bros.
    - Jay Fukuto, who had been a journeyman throughout the 80's and 90's, joined Paramount when the Arthur series began in 1996.
    - Linda Woolverton was brought in to do re-writes to make DW more likable. Around this same time, Woolverton was approached by Paramount with an offer to write Ghostbusters 3 despite having only worked briefly on the animated series in '87.
    - Joe Macdonald, older brother of WB animator Stephanie Macdonald, came to Paramount two years prior to this film's release.
    - Rob Reiner, Paramount's chairman, makes a Stan Lee-style cameo, drawn as an aardvark with a white beard.
    - By this point, both Arthur and Sonic have surpassed Ghostbusters, Top Gun and Tales from the Crypt as Paramount's most lucrative IP's.
    - Most of the voices are the same as OTL, with the exception of Carl Reiner as the voice of David Read.
    - Historical figures such as Walt Disney, Sr., Fred Rogers and Bob Ross are caricatured as different animals when Wilbur reminisces about the start of his acting career.​
     
    V for Vendetta (2006 Film)
  • R.88894fc35e65933823c5ebe7fc0a1012

    V For Vendetta
    Released by Carolco through Warner Bros. on February 24, 2006

    Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, originally published by Malibu Pacific Comics.

    Cast and Crew
    Same as OTL

    Notes
    - While V for Vendetta's R rating prevented it from really competing with Paramount's Arthur Movie at the box office, Warner chief Mario Kassar was happy with the ticket sales.
    - After V's release, Luxor approached the Wachowskis on possibly returning to the Shezow franchise to write the script for the second live action installment.​
     
    Media Conglomerates as of 2006 Part One
  • When will we get a update on the media conglomerates?

    Media Conglomerates as of 2006

    Microsoft Entertainment
    HQ:
    Seattle, WA
    Key people: Bill Gates (founder), Sumner Redstone (chairman emeritus), Rob Reiner (head of Paramount Pictures)
    Assets:
    Paramount Pictures
    Paramount Television
    SEGA
    Stax Records
    Paramount Comics (formerly EC and Quality Comics)
    Odyssey Network (co-owned with Mattel and Saban)
    Paramount Parks
    United Paramount Network ("United" changed from "Universal" after that studio was acquired by Peacock)
    Paramount Animation (formerly Rankin-Bass)
    Famous Players (Indie/Arthouse film label)
    Paramount Home Media Distribution
    Pre-1985 AVCO Embassy Library
    BBC America (co-owned with BBC Worldwide)
    Bagdasarian Productions
    Franchises:
    Happy Days/Fonzie
    Mork and Mindy
    Arthur
    Sonic the Hedgehog
    Shinobi
    NiGHTS
    Alex Kidd
    Ghostbusters
    The Riders of Kisha-Yar
    Silverhawks
    Thundercats
    Top Gun
    Crocodile Dundee
    Grease
    Airplane!
    Police Squad/Naked Gun
    Tales from the Crypt
    MAD Magazine
    Spy vs. Spy
    The Godfather
    Alvin and the Chipmunks
    Seinfeld
    Plastic Man
    The Odd Couple
    The Brady Bunch
    King of the Hill
    The Thief and the Cobbler
    Crazy Taxi
    The Spirit
    (Acquired from the estate of Will Eisner)
    Asterix (North American rights only)
    Doctor Who (North American rights only)
    Wallace and Gromit (North American rights only)
    Rankin Bass Holiday specials

    Peacock
    HQ:
    30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City
    Key people: Michael Eisner (head of Peacock), Dick Ebersol (head of NBC Sports), Lorne Michaels (head of the NBC network), Jeffrey Katzenberg (head of Peacock Animation), Kevin Feige (chairman of Peacock Film Group), Gale Anne Hurd (VP of Peacock Film Group), Peter Laird (head of Archie Comics)
    Key Assets:
    National Broadcasting Company
    Peacock Film Group (Universal Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Gramercy Pictures)
    Sony/MCA Home Entertainment
    MSNBC
    USA Network
    Spike
    CNBC
    SciFi Channel
    Bravo!
    USA Cartoon Express
    All Elite Wrestling
    Peacock Interactive
    Peacock Animation (Universal Cartoon Studios, PDI/DreamWorks, Murakami-Wolf-Swenson)
    Peacock Music (Decca, MCA, Geffen, Island and Def Jam labels)
    Peacock Recreational (Universal theme parks)
    Franchises:
    Saturday Night Live
    Back to the Future
    An American Tail
    Jaws
    Universal Monsters
    Jurassic Park
    SeaQuest
    Woody Woodpecker
    Mighty Mouse
    Star Trek
    King Kong
    Godzilla
    (North American rights only)
    Kenzo
    Mission: Impossible
    Quantum Leap
    Law and Order
    Archie
    Josie and the Pussycats
    Sabrina the Teenage Witch
    Dick Tracy
    Blue Beetle
    Captain Thunder
    (Known IOTL as Shazam)
    Dr. Seuss (multimedia rights including theme parks and movies)

    Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    HQ:
    Burbank, CA
    Key people: Walt Disney, Jr. (chairman of the board), Margaret Loesch (Disney VP), Robert Zemeckis (head of 20th Century-Fox), David Hill (head of the Fox network), Sid Bass (COO), Daniel Abbott (head of classic animation), David Silverman (co-chair of Grantray-Lawrence), Seth MacFarlane (co-chair of Grantray-Lawrence), Charles Hirschhorn (head of Atari)
    Assets:
    Walt Disney Pictures
    20th Century-Fox
    Hyperion Pictures
    Marvel Comics
    Fox television network
    Harvey Comics (now the children's imprint of Marvel)
    Atari, Inc.
    Buena Vista Home Entertainment
    Buena Vista Music Distribution
    The Disney Channel
    Toon Disney
    FX
    Video Hits One (VH1)
    G4
    Buena Vista News (BVN)
    Fox Sports National (known IOTL as FS1)
    Mighty Ducks of San Diego (NHL franchise)
    Pre-1985 Filmways library
    Pre-1985 Heatter-Quigley game show library
    Notable Franchises:
    Fab Five (Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc.)
    Marvel superheroes
    Planet of the Apes
    Lost in Space
    The Land Before Time
    The Simpsons
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    Pirates of the Caribbean
    TRON
    The Addams Family
    (co-owned with the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation)
    21 Jump Street
    Carmen Sandiego
    (co-owned with Legendary Multimedia)
    Kingdom Hearts (co-owned with Square Enix)
    Ice Age
    Futurama
    Family Guy
    The X Files
    AstroBoy
    The Secret of Akko-Chan
    Urusei Yatsura
    Ranma 1/2
    Naruto
    Halo

    Franchises co-owned with Amblin Entertainment
    Star Wars
    ET: The Extra Terrestrial
    Indiana Jones
    Roger Rabbit
    /Bonkers

    Saban Metromedia
    HQ:
    Los Angeles
    Key people: Haim Saban (founder), Shuki Levy (vice chairman), Bob Shaye (founder of New Line Cinema), James Cameron (New Line head of production), Quentin Tarantino (head of Golden Harvest of America)
    Assets:
    New Line Cinema
    Golden Harvest of America
    Fine Line Features
    Pre-1986 Hemdale Film Corporation Library
    Pre-1991 Samuel Goldwyn Company Library
    Pre-1991 Cannon Group Library
    Pre-1991 Vestron Pictures Library
    Pre-1991 Golden Harvest Hong Kong Library
    New Line Animation (a merger of DiC and CineGroupe)
    Odyssey Network (co-owned with Microsoft and Mattel)
    Barry and Enwright Library
    Notable Properties:
    The Sixth Sense
    Nightmare on Elm Street
    Friday the 13th
    Terminator
    RoboCop
    UHF
    Dirty Dancing
    Pulp Fiction
    Austin Powers
    Noozles
    Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
    Madeline
    Inspector Gadget
    Small Wonder
    Kill Bill
    Sailor Moon
    (North American rights only)
    What's with Andy?
    Jay and Silent Bob
    Tic-Tac-Dough
    The Joker's Wild


    Bally's Inc
    HQ:
    Chicago, IL
    Key people: Jeffrey Bewkes (CEO), Tom Ruegger (co-chair of Luxor Animation), Mark Evanier (co-chair of Luxor Animation), Mike Richardson (founder of Dark Horse)
    Assets:
    Luxor Pictures (formerly HBO Films and Hollywood Pictures)
    Luxor Home Entertainment (a merger of HBO Cannon Video and Media Home Entertainment)
    Hi-Tops Video
    PAWS, Inc.
    Dark Horse Comics
    Home Box Office (HBO)
    Cinemax
    Comedy Central
    Festival (Known IOTL as HBO Family)
    Midway
    Namco
    Bally Theme Parks and Hotels
    Bullwinkle Studios
    Chicago White Sox (MLB franchise)
    Chicago Blitz (WLAF franchise)
    Notable Franchises:
    Weekend at Bernie's
    Sex and the City
    Arliss
    Entourage
    Six Feet Under
    Rampage
    Defender
    Joust
    Mortal Kombat
    Pac Man
    Galaga
    Spy Hunter
    Dig-Dug
    Tekken
    The Sopranos
    South Park
    Ace Combat
    Time Crisis
    Gundam
    Soulcalibur
    Defender
    Robotron
    Gauntlet
    Rush
    Cruisin'
    Super High Impact
    (football video game)
    Xenosaga
    Rocky and Bullwinkle
    George of the Jungle
    Tom Slick
    Karen Sympathy
    Peabody and Sherman with Penny
    Saturday Morning Retriever
    Shezow
    Garfield/US Acres
    The Mask
    (co-owned with New Line Cinema)
    Gumby
     
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    Media Conglomerates as of 2006 Part Two
  • Media Conglomerates as of 2006 Part Two

    TimeWarner
    HQ:
    Detroit, MI
    Key people: Mario Kassar (CEO of Warner Bros.), Berry Gordy (chairman emeritus), Mike Illitch (shareholder), Smokey Robinson (shareholder)
    Assets:
    Warner Bros.
    Carolco
    Warner Home Video
    WB Comics (Formerly Malibu-Pacific)
    Time Magazine
    Life Magazine
    Sports Illustrated
    Warner Freeform
    Starz/Encore
    WB Sports (formerly Warner Golf)
    Warner Music Group (WB Records, Motown, Atlantic, Elektra, Reprise)
    Warner Parks (Formerly Cedar Fair)
    Pre-1990 Grand Diamond Library
    Pre-1978 American International Library
    Pre-1978 New World Pictures Library
    Merv Griffin Enterprises
    Notable Franchises:
    Looney Tunes
    Wheel of Fortune
    Jeopardy!
    Speed Racer
    Dragon Ball Z
    Gremlins
    Goonies
    Rambo
    Total Recall
    RAD
    Heathers
    The Amityville Horror
    Willy Wonka
    Tiny Toons
    Animaniacs
    Freakazoid!
    Xenomorphs
    Predator
    Lethal Weapon
    Men in Black
    The Rocketeer
    Mad Max
    Berenstain Bears


    CBS Discovery
    HQ:
    New York City
    Key People: John S. Hendricks (chairman of CBS Discovery), Michael E. Uslan (chairman of Columbia-TriStar), Geoff Johns (head of DC)
    Assets:
    CBS Television Network
    Columbia Pictures
    TriStar Pictures
    Destination Films
    Columbia-TriStar Home Entertainment
    The Discovery Channel
    Country Music Television (CMT)
    HLN
    The Learning Channel (TLC)
    DC Comics
    Screen Gems
    Nelvana
    Columbia-TriStar Imageworks
    EuroSport
    Food Network
    HGTV
    Animal Planet
    Travel Channel
    Science Channel
    Notable Franchises:
    DC Universe
    Animated collaborations with Nintendo and Hasbro
    The Twilight Zone
    CSI
    Theo and Gretchen
    /Strange Magic
    Stuart Little
    The Magic School Bus
    Angie Girl


    Turner Broadcasting System
    HQ:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Key People: Ted Turner (chairman emeritus), Geraldine Laybourne (CEO), Barbara Broccoli (head of film division), Mike Lazzo (Head of Williams Street), Chris Savino and Sam Register (co-chairs of Ruby-Spears)
    Assets:
    United Artists
    Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
    CNN
    TBS Superstation
    Turner Network Television (TNT)
    MTV
    MTV2
    Cartoon Network
    Boomerang
    TCM
    Adult Swim
    Atlanta Hawks (NBA franchise)
    Atlanta Hammers (MLB franchise; formerly the Braves)
    Atlanta Flames (NHL franchise)
    World Championship Wrestling
    Pre-1985 Filmation Library
    Notable Franchises
    The Wizard of Oz
    James Bond
    Pink Panther
    Rocky
    Tom and Jerry
    Gilligan's Island
    Spaceballs
    Tex Avery characters
    Doug
    Spongebob Squarepants
    Beavis and Butt-Head
    Aeon Flux
    The Loud House
    Fairly Odd Parents
    Danny Phantom
    Popeye
    Little Lulu
    Fat Albert


    The Jim Henson Company
    HQ:
    Culver City, CA
    Key people: Bob Iger (Chairman and CEO), Jim Henson (director emeritus), Mike Tollin (head of Nickelodeon), John Lasseter (head of Henson Animation aka HA!), George Bodenheimer (head of ESPN)
    Assets:
    American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
    Touchstone Pictures
    Henson Animation (HA!)
    Hanna-Barbera
    Pixar
    ESPN
    A&E
    Showtime
    The Movie Channel
    Nickelodeon
    TV Land
    Noggin
    Nick, Jr.
    XYZ (formerly HA! TV Comedy Network)
    Jetix
    TeenNick
    Nicktoons Network
    CrossGen Comics (Merger of CrossGen, Valiant and Tokyopop)
    ITC Library
    Pre-1993 Lorimar Library
    Pre-1993 Cosgrove Hall Library
    Notable Franchises:
    The Muppets
    Nicktoons

    Ghibli English dubs
    America's Funniest Home Videos
    School House Rock
    Dallas
    The Waltons
    Danger Mouse
    Count Duckula
    Dark Crystal
    Labyrinth
    Fraggle Rock
    Huckleberry Hound
    Yogi Bear
    The Flintstones
    The Jetsons
    Scooby Doo
    Full House
    Family Matters
    The Smurfs
    (Hanna-Barbera version only; Characters still owned by the estate of Pierre Culliford)
    Ren and Stimpy
    Rugrats
    Hey Arnold!
    Powerpuff Girls
    Toy Story
    The Incredibles
    Kenan and Kel
    Hannah Montana
    The Price is Right
    Neighbours
    To Tell the Truth
    Baywatch
    Match Game
    Password


    Lionsgate
    HQ:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Key people: Mark Amin (Chairman), Frank Guistra (Founder)
    Key Assets:
    Lionsgate Films
    Lionsgate Home Entertainment
    Pre-2000 TriMark/VidMark Library
    Notable Franchises:
    Flint the Time Detective
    Saw
    Cubix
    Medabots
    Hoodwinked!


    Up for sale (Let me know if somebody already owns these ITTL)
    Eclipse Comics
    Jive Records
    Capitol Records
    Chrysalis Records
    RCA Records
    Arista Records
    Tommy Boy Records
    "Weird Al" Yankovic Scotti Bros. catalog
     
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    Entertainment News for Early March 2006
  • Entertainment News for Early March 2006

    "Will there be a Top Gun Ken doll?"

    Mattel and Paramount confirm they will work together on new Barbie multimedia in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the toy line. Mattel and Paramount's parent company Microsoft each co-own the Odyssey cable network with Saban Metromedia.
    - Variety

    Lionsgate Shopping Spree
    Capitol Records and other labels formerly owned by the now-defunct EMI music empire have been sold to Lionsgate for $5.5 billion CDN. Jive Records and other Zomba labels, divested by Bertelsmann, along with a catalog of early "Weird Al" Yankovic parodies, have also been acquired by Lionsgate in recent weeks.
    - The Vancouver Sun

    As Lionsgate prepares to acquire anime firms ADV and Geneon, the Vancouver-based mid-major studio's shopping spree was summed up in an editorial cartoon in the New York Times featuring a lion pushing a shopping cart filled with Capitol Records, Jive Records and the aforementioned anime studios.
    - The Hollywood Reporter

    Vancouver-based Lionsgate to acquire the assets of the now-defunct World Events Productions, including Voltron.
    - The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
     
    Riverfront Square Reopens!
  • eyki5kvku3cbm1zbuohr.jpg

    The New Riverfront Square
    Reopened on March 10, 2006

    Re-Dedication hosted by Walt Disney, Jr.

    Re-Opening Day Attractions

    The footprint of the newly rebuilt Riverfront Square is double the size of the original, now extending to Clark Street where the OTL Ballpark Village now sits.

    Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, both of which got their start at the original Riverfront Square, have each been rebuilt to fit the expanded footprint. The main concourse with the Old St. Louis and New Orleans Square lands have also been expanded. Also rebuilt is Splash Landing, a revamp of the original Lewis and Clark expedition ride with the characters from the 1983 film Huck's Landing.

    Not only has Riverfront Square been expanded horizontally, but vertically too. New upper floors feature a new Magic Eye Theatre, a condensed version of Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, AJAX CrimeNet and a new revamp of the classic Star Tours. Additionally, there is the return of Snow Queen and Hansel and Gretel rides that were taken out of the original park in the mid-1990's.​
     
    This Just In: Mid-March 2006
  • This Just in...

    When you're being sued, and your ratings drop, who you gonna call?

    Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis and John Belushi have each been rumored to replace Lorne Michaels as executive producers of Saturday Night Live, but only if NBC loses its current court battle with United Feature Syndicate.
    - Entertainment Tonight; March 21, 2006
     
    Rapunzel (2006 Remake)
  • Rapunzel
    Released by Walt Disney Pictures on March 24, 2006

    A remake of Walt Disney, Sr.'s 1979 animated film.

    Produced in association with
    Legendary Multimedia

    Directed by
    Amy Heckerling

    Screenplay by
    Linda Woolverton
    Amy Heckerling

    Music
    John Williams

    Themes from the 1979 version written by
    Joe Raposo

    Main Cast
    Mandy Moore as Rapunzel
    Chris Evans as Prince Alexis
    Cathy Moriarty as Mother Gothel
    Alan Cumming as the Captain of the Guard
    Eric Idle as King Frederick
    Helen Mirren as Queen Arianna
    Billy Connolly as Sideburns Stabbington
    Gregor Fisher as Patchy Stabbington​
     
    One Fine Day at Buckingham Palace
  • One Fine Day at Buckingham Palace...

    prince-charles-prince-of-wales-smiles-as-he-visits-a-news-photo-1581455917.jpg

    Prince Charles (Now known IOTL as King Charles III)
    "Are you sure you want to knight Mr. Daniel Abbott? He's been living in America the last 29 years."

    Shutterstock_578202j.jpg

    Queen Elizabeth II
    "Yes, son. I know bloody well he now lives in America. But he was born here in Britain and his impact on the field of animated cartoons is global. As far as I'm concerned, he has earned that knighthood."​
     
    Arise, Sir Daniel!
  • 04a914aa-fca8-4116-9775-e30bc2e70118.jpg

    Buckingham Palace
    London, England
    April 14, 2006

    Peter Sissons (BBC Newsreader):

    "Two days before his 48th birthday, Southampton-born Hollywood animator Daniel Abbott is officially dubbed Sir Daniel Abbott by Her Majesty the Queen. On hand for the honorary accolade were his wife, live action director Rachel who turned 45 last February, son Devon who turned 18 in January, daughter Alyssa who turned 13 last month and niece Rebecca Sugar who turns 19 in July. Also, there were Daniel's siblings and their families, along with just a few of Abbott's colleagues throughout the years, including Richard Williams, Eric Goldberg, Matt Groening, Bruce Timm, Bob Camp, Bob Zemeckis, Tom Ruegger, Kevin Eastman, Seth MacFarlane and Linda Woolverton among others."

    Sir Daniel Abbott shortly after the accolade:
    "Without a doubt, this is a dream come true."

    Excerpt from a World League on NBC telecast.
    London Monarchs v. Amsterdam Admirals at Twickenham Stadium (Wembley is currently undergoing a rebuild) on April 15, 2006.

    Nick Halling (play by play): "What's that in your hand, Jerry?"

    Jerry Glanville (analyst): "This is a caricature of me that I rediscovered while I was rearranging my attic. Back in '77 when I was running the Falcons' Gritz Blitz defense, Sir Daniel Abbott as he's now called, had arrived in Atlanta to work for Ted Turner. During training camp, Bill Tush from the Superstation was interviewing me, and I noticed 19-year-old Danny with a sketchpad drawing caricatures of some of the players and I asked I could have one of myself. Suddenly a ball bounced towards him, and he punted it pretty far with his Chuck Taylors. Years later when he and I collaborated on an Atari game called Pigskin Footbrawl, Sir Daniel said that the Falcons were his first exposure to our American football which he understood pretty easily having grown up with rugby here in England."

    One week later after the Abbotts return home to Los Angeles County...

    Edd Gould (Creator of Eddsworld; via AOL Instant Messenger):

    "Dev, how do you feel having a knight for a dad?"

    Devon Abbott (via AOL):
    "Here at home, he doesn't act differently from before. He already gets the royal treatment when we're out in public so yeah."​
     
    Spring 2006 Movies
  • Spring 2006 Movies
    Most titles are the same as OTL with exceptions mentioned below.

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    BloodRayne
    Released by Lionsgate
    Directed ITTL by Paul WS Anderson.

    glory-road-1024x681.jpg

    Glory Road
    Released by Walt Disney Pictures

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    Grandma's Boy
    Released by 20th Century-Fox

    MV5BMjE2MDIxNTI1N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwOTIyNDY3._V1_.jpg

    Tristan and Isolde
    Released by RKO Radio Pictures through Peacock Releasing

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    Final Destination 3
    Released by New Line Cinema

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    When a Stranger Calls
    Released by Destination Films through Columbia-TriStar

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    Date Movie
    Released by Miramax 2.0
    Produced by Seltzerberg Productions​
     
    Scary Movie 4 (2006 Movie)
  • AAAABVwe7uPzqkMCxgE90tsAc8GssX9_Aq_jkJ5YuFJb6Zimc2MSHku-Q10u5dUcqbjAKQwCoUdUjt191ICxZeQFle5L6wi-I685Z3pS.jpg

    Scary Movie 4
    Released in the Spring of 2006 by Dimension Films through Jim Henson Studios Motion Pictures

    Notes
    ITTL, Shaquille O'Neal still appears in this film, except the off-brand basketball uniform he wears on screen is based on the look the Minnesota Timberwolves have worn since 1996. Shaq played for the Magic and Lakers before joining the T-Wolves via trade in 2004. On the court, he, KG and Ray Allen have formed an intimidating trio.​
     
    Entertainment News for Mid-April 2006
  • Entertainment News for Mid-April 2006

    Daniel Abbott of Disney granted knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.
    - The Hollywood Reporter

    You're a blockhead, Lorne Michaels!
    United Feature Syndicate awarded $75 million USD in lawsuit against Peacock.
    - The New York Times

    With Reitman and Ramis electing to collaborate with Paramount on Ghostbusters 3, John Belushi rejoins SNL as Lorne Michaels' successor.
    - MSNBC

    Speaker D'Alesandro confirms that President Weinstein has been formally impeached for slow Katrina response.
    - The Washington Post

    The Sports Page
    The Toronto Star's initial Jaguars-to-CFL story turns out to be a hoax.
    - TSN

    Excerpt from SportsCenter Special Edition on the NFL's 2006 schedule reveal:
    Trey Wingo:
    "Yesterday, the NFL unveiled its regular season schedule. The focus this year is on the Saints' return to New Orleans after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina last fall. Michael North, the league's VP of broadcasting said every network wanted a chance to cover what promises to be the Saints' comeback season and here's how their schedule will look come September...."
    2006 New Orleans Saints Pre-Season
    WeekOpponentStadiumNetwork
    August 12@ Carolina PanthersSony Ericsson StadiumLocal broadcast
    August 21Denver BroncosTiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, LA)SBC
    August 26Buffalo BillsLegion Field (Birmingham, AL)Local broadcast
    August 31@ Los Angeles RamsAmblin FieldUSA Network
    2006 New Orleans Saints Regular Season
    WeekOpponentStadiumNetwork
    Week 1: September 10@ Indianapolis ColtsRCA DomeCBS
    Week 2: September 17@ Green Bay PackersLambeau FieldCBS
    Week 3: September 25Atlanta FalconsLouisiana SuperdomeABC (Monday Night Football)
    Week 4: October 1@ Jacksonville JaguarsAlltel Gator BowlCBS
    Week 5: October 8Tampa Bay BuccaneersLouisiana SuperdomeFox (Sunday Night Football)
    Week 6: October 15Philadelphia EaglesLouisiana SuperdomeCBS
    Week 7: October 22Bye
    Week 8: October 29Cincinnati BengalsLouisiana SuperdomeSBC
    Week 9: November 5@ Tampa Bay BuccaneersRaymond James StadiumCBS or Fox
    Week 10: November 12@ Pittsburgh SteelersHeinz FieldCBS or Fox
    Week 11: November 19Cleveland BrownsLouisiana SuperdomeSBC or Fox
    Week 12: November 26@ Atlanta FalconsChick-Fil-A Georgia DomeCBS or Fox
    Week 13: November 30Arizona CardinalsLouisiana SuperdomeUSA Network (Thursday Night Football)
    Week 14: December 10@ Dallas CowboysTexas StadiumCBS or Fox
    Week 15: December 17Washington HeroesLouisiana SuperdomeCBS or Fox
    Week 16: December 24@ New York GiantsGiants StadiumCBS or Fox
    Week 17: December 31Jacksonville JaguarsLouisiana SuperdomeCBS or Fox
     
    X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2006 Film)
  • XMenLast06.jpg

    X-Men: Dark Phoenix
    Released by 20th Century-Fox on May 26, 2006

    Known IOTL as X-Men: The Last Stand

    Xavier (Patrick Stewart):
    "Since the dawn of existence, there have always been moments when the course of history shifted. Such a turning point is upon us now."

    Produced in association with
    Legendary Multimedia

    Directed by
    Shane Black

    Screenplay by
    Simon Kinberg
    Matthew Vaughn
    Zak Penn

    Music by
    John Ottman

    Main Cast
    Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine
    Sophie Okonedo as Ororo Munroe/Storm
    Gus St. Pierre as Remy LeBeau/Gambit
    Famke Janssen as Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix
    Sir Ian McKellen as Erik Lensherr/Magneto
    Francoise Yip as Jubilee
    Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed/Sabretooth
    Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme/Mystique
    Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/Beast
    James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops
    Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko/Juggernaut
    Elliot Page (billed at the time as Ellen Page) as Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat
    Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III/Angel
    Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X

    Notes
    - The "turning point" speech by Xavier that was only heard in the OTL teaser is spoken over black right before the cold open of Magneto and Xavier visiting a young Jean Grey.
    - The Sentinels make their first appearance in the film series, built to destroy mutants that refuse to be cured.
    - As the Brotherhood storm Alcatraz and the Sentinels slaughter mutants from both sides, the Pentagon tries to shut down the Sentinels but a fatal glitch in the programming makes the robots unstoppable.
    - Many mutants on both the X-Men and Brotherhood are killed off during the course of the film. The survivors are forced into hiding, questioning what awaits them while mourning their fallen comrades.

    Wolverine (Hugh Jackman):
    "What's your next play call, coach?"

    Professor X (Patrick Stewart):
    "I don't know."

    - After that exchange, Magneto is still seen at the park playing chess right before the end credits.

    Logo Trivia
    ITTL, X-Men: Dark Phoenix is the first film to begin with a new 20th Century-Fox logo created by Weta Digital.
     
    The Omen (2006 Remake)
  • MV5BMTc2NDc4NTAzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjc1MjIyMDI@._V1_.jpg

    The Omen
    Released by 20th Century-Fox on June 6, 2006.

    A remake of the 1976 Gregory Peck/Lee Remick film.

    Cast and Crew
    Same as OTL

    Notes
    - The original Omen was 20th Century-Fox's first release through Buena Vista Distribution Co, Inc. However, some argue it is not the first R-rated release under Disney's ownership, believing that honor should belong to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which was Fox's first release after Disney announced their purchase in July of 1975. The acquisition was completed 72 hours before principal photography began on the original Omen.

    - Alan Ladd, Jr. was Fox's head of creative affairs during the sale to Disney and oversaw production on the original Omen. It was under Laddie's watch that development of the original Star Wars transferred from Hyperion to Fox when George Lucas asked for his film to open with the Fox fanfare.

    - The infamous tricycle scene was later parodied in a Little Audrey short produced during the Fox Movietoon revival in the mid-to-late Eighties.

    - The Omen remake is the first installment in the franchise to use the Cinemascope extended version of the Fox fanfare. Previous installments only used the short 1935 version.​
     
    Fantastic Finals Finishes
  • Fantastic Finals Finishes

    Game Seven Goes Better with Titanic Music
    2006 NBA Finals
    Game 7

    June 20, 2006
    Venue: Target Center; Minneapolis, Minnesota
    TV: ABC
    Announcers: Mike Breen and Mike Fratello

    As the clock wound down, the T-Wolves and Cavs were tied at 100 with Minnesota in possession for the last shot. Troy Hudson inbounded the ball at half court to Kevin Garnett who then threw a lob pass to Shaquille O'Neal for the buzzer-beating dunk over LeBron James. The Timberwolves won the game 102 to 100, clinching their second NBA ring in four years. As LeBron and the Cavs made the long walk back to the locker room, the Target Center crowd stood up and sang "My Heart Will Go On" in unison.

    Let's Win it for Marty McFly
    2006 Stanley Cup Finals
    Game 7

    June 21, 2006
    Venue: Rexall Place; Edmonton Alberta
    TV: NBC
    Announcers: Mike "Doc" Emrick and Darren Pang

    Edmonton overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat San Diego in six games of the Campbell Conference Finals. Over in the Wales Conference, Daniel Briere's heroics weren't enough to help the Buffalo Sabres, who bowed out to Jarome Iginla and the Atlanta Flames in five. Atlanta jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals and looked to pull off a sweep in Game 4. Suddenly, Dwayne Roloson netted 44 saves on his way to helping the Oilers shut out the Flames at Philips Arena. When the series shifted back to Edmonton, Oil Country was at full throat as the Oilers evened the series at 3 a piece. In Game 7, Roloson only surrendered one goal before leaving the game with an injury. Ty Conklin quickly rose to the occasion for Edmonton while Ryan Smyth and Anson Carter accounted for the five goals necessary to extinguish the Flames in front of the Oiler faithful. Earlier in the season, initial news reports claimed that actor Michael J Fox had been placed in hospice care. Even when the reports of Fox's alleged demise turned out to be greatly exaggerated, the Oilers still rallied around the Edmonton native on their way to winning the sixth Cup in their history.​
     
    Walt Disney, Jr. at 60
  • Walt Disney, Jr. turned 60 on June 14, 2006. Let's recap the Disney company's milestones during his lifetime.

    June 14, 1946: Born to Walter Elias Disney and Lillian Bounds Disney. He is the youngest of Walt and Lilly's three kids, with Diane and Sharon already teenagers when Junior was born.
    1950's: Made occasional appearances alongside his father on the anthology series.
    Early 1960's: Made cameos in Pollyanna and The Parent Trap.
    1963: Provided the voice of Wart/Arthur in The Sword in the Stone.
    1968: Graduated from the University of Southern California's film school.
    1969: Founded Hyperion Pictures with the initial goal of producing content for mature viewers. Appeared in live action bookends in the animated classic Alice in Wonderland.
    1973: Helped negotiate his father's purchase of Marvel Comics from Cadence Industries.
    1975: Brokered the deal to acquire 20th Century-Fox.
    1976: The outright purchase of Grantray-Lawrence after having farmed out many animated features to that studio the previous five years.
    1977: Married actress and childhood sweetheart Candice Bergen.
    1978: Atari sold to Disney with Nolan Bushnell joining the board of directors.
    June 11, 1979: Son Walter Elias Disney III, aka Trey Disney, is born.
    1982-84: Named Co-chair of Disney Enterprises, Inc. with Walt, Sr.
    February 1983: Daughter Tiffany Lillian Disney is born.
    Fall 1983: Daniel Abbott arrives from Paramount and begins working closely with Eric Larson.
    September 22, 1984: Officially named full time chairman of the board.
    1985: The start of the Fox Movietoon revival series, which produces theatrical shorts until 1991. Plus, the acquisition of the Filmways library.
    1986: The acquisition of VH1 and the launch of the Fox network.
    April 1989: Acquisition of a majority stake in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
    December 1989: The Simpsons successfully spin-off from The Tracey Ullman Show.
    1992: The opening of EuroDisney in Spain. The Mighty Ducks of San Diego join the National Hockey League.
    1993: The Backstreet Boys signed to 20th Century-Fox Records.
    1994: The launch of FX and the first season of Sunday Night Football on Fox.
    1995: The first year of the NHL on Fox.
    1996: The first year of Major League Baseball on Fox.
    1998: TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman appointed as head of Marvel.
    1999: The acquisition of the Carmen Sandiego franchise during the bankruptcy of Broderbund.
    2002: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego becomes the first film since TriStar's Titanic back in 1997 to gross $1 billion USD worldwide.
    February 2006: Fox televises its first Olympic Games, the 2006 Winter Olympics which were held in Torino, Italy.
    April 2006: Sir Daniel Abbott knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

    When Walt, Jr. was asked who he thought should play him in a movie, his answer was usually Alec Baldwin.​
     
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