Latest news with #Disney
The Independent
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The original ‘Disney castle' finally named as Unesco Heritage site
The campest castle in Christendom? Without a doubt Neuschwanstein, deep in the Bavarian Alps. Amid meadows and mountains, King Ludwig II's hilltop citadel soars skyward. The playful twirls of towers and turrets will be instantly recognised by anyone who has visited a Disney theme park: Walt himself chose Neuschwanstein as the model for the Sleeping Beauty's castle. Copies of it decorate theme parks from California and Florida to Paris and Japan. The Bavarian monarch envisioned a medieval knights' castle that was 'holy and unapproachable' and where he might 'breathe the air of heaven'. Ludwig called in not architects, but theatrical set designers who shared his obsession with Wagnerian opera – and were clearly unfamiliar with the concept of Mässigung (moderation). They embellished Neuschwanstein with motifs from Wagner's greatest hits. Elements from Parsifal – which resonates with lost souls – decorate the Singers' Hall, including a mural of the sacred forest surrounding the Castle of the Holy Grail. The Schloss boss had a state to run. Ludwig ordered the living spaces and working-from-home area to be connected by an elaborate grotto. The royal bedroom, meanwhile, feels like a Byzantine chapel – complete with cherubs and starlight to lull a weary sovereign to sleep. One castle is not enough for any self-respecting king. The rest of Ludwig's portfolio comprises Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof and the Royal House at Schachen – all added to the Unesco list along with crowdpleaser Neuschwanstein. The Bavarian treasury, though, was not at all pleased. The breathtaking scale and intricacy of the king's vision took the state along the road to bankruptcy. Fifteen years after the foundation stone was laid at Neuschwanstein, but before all of Ludwig's grandiose plans were fulfilled, Bavaria 's political leaders had their king declared insane. He had lived for less than six months in the castle. Shortly afterwards, the beautiful dreamer died in mysterious circumstances - along with his doctor. Just seven weeks later, Neuschwanstein opened as a tourist attraction, despite the king's description of its location as. Since then the castle has become the icon of Bavarian tourism. And at last Unesco has recognised the cultural wealth of such glorious madness.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Single Riders': New dating app for Disney lovers in development
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Looking for your happily ever after? A new dating app is reportedly in development for lovers of all things Disney. One of the developers posted a TikTok about the idea for an app where people could connect over their shared passion for theme parks, calling it 'Single Riders.' The developer, who goes by @joethebeardednerd on TikTok, said the app won't just be for dating, but also for meeting like-minded friends to join your Disney adventures. They'll start looking for beta testers sometime this year, the developer said. Interested users were invited to share ideas or features they'd like to see in the app. 'I go to the parks alone and it would be AWESOME to have a feature that shows if other singles are at the parks at the same time,' one user wrote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Belfast Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Five of the best sports documentaries of all time (and where to watch them)
The great thing about sports documentaries is that they can cover a huge, HUGE amount of events. Obviously, the stuff that immediately comes to mind are the huge sporting events from around the world, but if you think smaller, think more niche, there is very likely a fantastic documentary dealing with that event too. Fascinated by deep-sea diving? A must-watch for you is The Deepest Breath. A lover of e-sports? Then you have to check out The King Of Kong. Looking for something completely left field but still super competitive? Spellbound is the one for you, set in the world of spelling bees. Sports fans tend to follow more than just the games—news, stats, even things like betting offers often come up in the mix. These documentaries tap into that same wide interest, showing how deep the love for competition can go. See what we mean? There is quite literally something for everyone. Whittling down that list to five of the best is tough, but these picks are tremendous, and some of the best movies ever made, not just under the banner of sports documentaries. So on with our five picks, and where to watch them* right now: Free Solo – Disney+ From the description alone, you would be forgiven for thinking this isn't going to be THAT interesting a watch, as the documentary profiles rock climber Alex Honnold on his quest to perform the first-ever free solo climb of a route on El Capitan, a vertical rock formation found in Yosemite National Park in California. So you'll have to trust us when we tell you this is one of the most edge-of-your-seat movies you'll ever see, and it proved to be so impressive that it went on to win the Best Documentary Oscar back in 2019. Murderball – rent on Apple TV This documentary focuses on the intense rivalry between the American and Canadian wheelchair rugby teams in the run-up to the 2004 Paralympic Games taking place in Athens, Greece. We get to know the players and their families, who all talk openly and frankly about their injuries, personal lives, and the love of the game that has them all vying for the gold. This movie was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2006 Oscars, but lost out to March of the Penguins. Icarus – Netflix Some of the best documentaries are those that begin filming with something specific in mind – in this case, director Bryan Fogel wanted to expose the inadequacy of the procedures to catch athletes using performance-enhancing substances – but become something else over the course of the movie being made – here, the World Anti-Doping Agency's investigation of doping in Russia led to the head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory to flee his country and become a whistleblower. Icarus went on to win the 2018 Best Documentary Feature Oscar. Senna – Netflix Arguably one of the best and most impactful documentaries not to even be nominated for an Oscar, this film tells the story of much-loved Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna. Directed by Asif Kapadia (who went on to win an Oscar in 2016 for his Amy Winehouse documentary), it tells us about Senna's life, death, and intimate rivalry with fellow driver Alain Prost through archival race footage and home video recorded by Senna's friends and family. When We Were Kings – Sky/NOW Another Best Documentary Picture winner, focusing on the night of The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Betting offers on underdog Muhammad Ali were 4-1 against the then-unbeaten, heavy-hitting George Forman. It took director Leon Gast over 22 years to edit and finance before it could be released in 2006, when it was met with immediate critical acclaim, and the movie is still considered to be one of the best sports documentaries ever made.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Good Morning America' Makes Big WNBA All-Star Announcement
'Good Morning America' Makes Big WNBA All-Star Announcement originally appeared on The Spun. The WNBA could continue to attract an expanded audience during this year's All-Star festivities. ESPN will air the Skills Challenge and Three-Point Shootout on Friday night before ABC televises the All-Star Game on Saturday. Disney is devoting considerable attention to the events. Advertisement As revealed on Tuesday, "Good Morning America" will broadcast live from Indianapolis on Friday. Robin Roberts will interview All-Stars such as Paige Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Allisha Gray and hold segments alongside ESPN analysts Elle Duncan, Andrea Carter, and Chiney Ogwumike. BIA and G-Eazy will also perform live as part of GMA's Summer Concert Series. According to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, GMA co-hosts George Stephanopoulos and Michael Strahan will stay at the show's New York studio. Roberts is also expected to talk to "several members" of the Indiana Fever, but it's unclear if those guests include Caitlin Clark. GOOD MORNING AMERICA - Show coverage of "Good Morning America," on Tuesday, September 4, 2018 airing on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network. GMA18 (Photo by Paula Lobo/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) MICHAEL STRAHAN, ROBIN ROBERTS, GEORGEESPN play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco discussed the magnitude of GMA's involvement in WNBA All-Star events. Advertisement "We've seen the All-Star game over the last handful of years become this big event in sports pop culture and the landscape of big summer events," Ruocco told Constabile. "When GMA goes somewhere, it's validating and has this verifying effect on wherever they are. It signals 'this is a big deal' because GMA is there." Friday is certainly shaping up to be a big deal for the WNBA. The league confirmed Tuesday that Clark will participate in the Three-Point Contest in a stacked field featuring reigning champion Gray, 2023 winner Sabrina Ionescu, rookie All-Star Sonia Citron, and 2022 All-Star Game MVP Kelsey Plum. Gray will also compete in the Skills Challenge against Natasha Cloud, Courtney Williams, Skylar Diggins, and Erica Wheeler. Ratings for last year's All-Star game skyrocketed from 850,000 to 3.4 million. Last week, Clark drafted a team featuring Ionescu, A'ja Wilson, and Fever teammates Boston and Kelsey Mitchell to oppose a squad captained by Collier. Advertisement Friday's live "Good Morning America" starts at 7 a.m. ET on ABC. Related: Angel Reese Sent Classy Message To WNBA Star Napheesa Collier 'Good Morning America' Makes Big WNBA All-Star Announcement first appeared on The Spun on Jul 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
Meg Donnelly, Milo Manheim talk new film ‘Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires'
ABC News' Will Reeve is joined by the stars of Disney's film series 'Zombies' to discuss the latest challenge their characters face in the movie 'Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires.'
