Latest news with #JohnWilliams'
NZ Herald
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
This is Miyamoto. And it's Nintendo's world
Miyamoto created the original Mario, Donkey Kong and Legend of Zelda games, the foundations of the 135-year-old Nintendo's rebirth as a video game company. Nintendo and 'Super Mario Bros' are often cited for rejuvenating the industry after the video game crash of 1983, when the nascent industry imploded after a flood of poor-quality products. His attention to quality control and play formed the nucleus of countless video game genres and lifted the industry out of recession and into one of the planet's dominant entertainment mediums. His imprint on the medium is immeasurable. In 1998, he was the first person inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. In France, he was honoured as a Knight of Arts and Letters. In Spain, he is the first video game creator honoured with the Princess of Asturias Award. In 2019, he was the first game creator to receive Japan's Person of Cultural Merit award. Now he is one of the few people to have theme parks built from his creations. Just as one could walk around the Jurassic Park world of Orlando and hear John Williams' iconic score, Super Nintendo World echoes with the indelible jazz pieces of Koji Kondo's Mario themes. Even the bathrooms play the water-level waltz of the classic games. 'I don't think in a million years when he was sketching out Donkey Kong and Mario … that he would've ever imagined they would be a centrepiece of a major international theme park,' said Roger DiLuigi, a 35-year-old content creator from Los Angeles with more than 550,000 subscribers on his Nintendo-focused RogersBase YouTube channel. The lifelong Nintendo fan was among hundreds of influencers and creators invited to cover and promote the Orlando Epic Universe launch. 'And yet here we are.' Today as an executive and representative director, Miyamoto's fingerprints are most evident in Nintendo's expansion to other mediums, including the Super Nintendo World theme parks, the billion-dollar box-office blockbuster Mario movie released in 2023 and the recently opened Nintendo Museum in Kyoto. Nintendo's origins in the US began with a lawsuit by Universal City Studios. In 1982, the media conglomerate sued Nintendo over Miyamoto's first hit game 'Donkey Kong,' claiming infringement on the King Kong property. Nintendo hired veteran Washington, DC-based civil rights attorney John Kirby and won the case. Nintendo would honour Kirby, who died in 2019, by naming a character after him as thanks for helping the company regain foothold in the US market. Nintendo and Universal Studios announced their plans to partner in creating theme parks in 2015, with the first park opening in Japan in 2021. Universal's Epic Universe in Orlando, including Super Nintendo World featuring the Mario brand, is the first in the US to include an expansion for Donkey Kong Country. 'The world really does work in mysterious ways,' Miyamoto exclaimed, laughing. 'It was really fun to be able to jokingly talk about what if we put Donkey Kong on the other side of King Kong in City Walk!' Nintendo's decision to fight the lawsuit was seen as a sign that the company, and video games as a medium, had arrived. Miyamoto keenly remembers when people would look down their noses at video games. 'When I first created Mario, it was a time where Mom or Dad might look at their kids playing a video game and be worried, concerned about what's going to happen,' he said. 'I was expecting there will come a time when even the parent will have experience playing video games. That was something I was hoping to see. Now I'm over 70 years old, and we're finally at a time where multigenerational families all have this common shared experience of having played video games. It's really great to see that come to realisation.' His dream is fully realised. Millennial parents teaching their children the history of characters like Princess Peach or the villainous Bowser are as plentiful as the power-up blocks and green warp pipes that populate the park. Children squeal in delight riding through the immersive Donkey Kong mine cart ride that includes fake jumps and scares, much like the game it's based on, 'Donkey Kong Country.' Little girls crowd around to talk to Princess Peach with her wide set of recorded responses. Robert Martinez Jr, the 43-year-old executive chef at the park's Toadstool Cafe restaurant, understands the generational love of Nintendo. He's a 25-year veteran of Universal Orlando, a job passed on from his chef father who worked at the park. 'It's surreal to see myself as a young kid with my Nintendo, blowing the cartridges as we all did back in the day, to being here. Nintendo as a brand touches so many generations,' Martinez said. 'It's something I can share with my kids today. In many cases, you probably know the IP way more than your kid.' Seeing those families enjoy the park is 'something that really brings me joy,' Miyamoto said. 'At the same time, it makes me feel a little old too.' Advertise with NZME. Miyamoto hasn't misplaced his youthful sense of play. During a photo shoot for The Post, Miyamoto struggled to offer a 'business' face when posing. He couldn't help but crack cherubic smiles as he posed with his fists up like Mario. That playfulness translates throughout the park, which Miyamoto helped design. Each visitor receives wristbands that keep score of activities and secrets discovered, including coins collected by punching blocks. 'I created this theme park with the hope that people will be able to experience Nintendo characters with their entire body,' he said. 'There was a time where I was thinking, 'I wish we could create an interactive experience where people can roll around and hang out.' ' Nintendo is a famously stubborn company. It started in the 19th century as a producer of playing cards and later as a toy company. Miyamoto's work transformed its focus to video games and consoles, a formula it has strictly followed until recent years. It is the only major platform holder that does not publish its games in competing platforms, unlike PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox, which now both publish games on Nintendo's Switch consoles. That strategy has helped keep Nintendo unusually profitable. So for years, Nintendo was precious with its intellectual property, keeping Mario and crew away from multimedia projects, outside of the first attempt at a Mario movie, which was a notorious box-office bomb. 'Our thinking was that we don't use characters in media other than games so we're not limited or restricted when we create the next game,' he said. That freedom encouraged creativity: depicting Mario flying with a raccoon tail in 'Super Mario 3', or in the following game, riding the dinosaur Yoshi. 'Over the decades, that thinking has changed inside of me, in that I've come to realize there are limits to the reach that these Nintendo characters can have when we are just focusing on games,' Miyamoto said. 'For example, there are countries where maybe there aren't games available. It really translated into being able to expand through different media.' Miyamoto said he guided Universal on creating a more interactive experience that's approachable and family friendly, while keeping the spirit of his games. The puzzle series Pikmin, which began in 2001, is one of the last properties Miyamoto helped create, and it remains among his most beloved. The plantlike Pikmin creatures are meant to be ethereal and spiritual, and it was Miyamoto's idea to place them all over the park as part of a hide-and-seek game. 'When you look at characters like Mario or Splatoon, I made it a point to make sure they only exist within the IPs they are a part of, but Pikmin have this unique quality in that they can be right next to you as we speak,' Miyamoto said. 'They can, at least in my mind, interact and mingle with any kind of IP. I thought the easiest and quickest way to really convey what Pikmin is was to just drop Pikmin in that world.' The magnitude of Nintendo and Universal's achievement only hit Miyamoto when he walked out of the warp pipe and saw the park envelop him. It's the real-world equivalent of hero Link stepping out into the world of Hyrule in the groundbreaking 2017 Nintendo Switch game 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'. 'I've been obviously looking at everything from the schematic and planning stage,' he said. 'When it comes to finally taking the blocks we so painstakingly created and stacking those up, recreating Mount Beanpole, adding the moving Piranha Plants or Goombas and having them all synchronised together … and then walking out of Peach Castle and looking ahead at the world, that was when I found myself thinking, 'Wow.'' Despite Nintendo's expansion into other mediums, Miyamoto said it's important for the firm's employees to remember that they are entertainers. It's why he helped open the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, not just as a visitor attraction but as a document to inspire employees. 'I wanted to make sure it's clear Nintendo isn't trying to compete with competitors as a game company, but as an entertainment company, looking for new technologies, to expand and create new experiences,' he said. Miyamoto said when it comes to his legacy, he's not sure if 'satisfaction' is exactly the right word for it. His first real dream was to become a manga artist and storyteller. 'Through manga, I wanted to create a unique world. Obviously I didn't become a manga artist,' he said. 'But I really can't help but feel very fortunate that through my involvement with creating games, I've been able to expand that process to something like the theme park you see today.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gorgeous Cat's Perfect ‘Star Wars' Strut Has People Cheering
With May 4 happening earlier this week, many people took the opportunity to celebrate the Star Wars franchise. This unofficial Star Wars celebration day will usually see some pretty creative homage to one of the most beloved space opera sagas of all time. But it's not just people who celebrate Star Wars on May 4. Some pets like to get in on the action, also. Just take the gorgeous cat in this video, for instance. To get in the spirit of all things Star Wars, this beautiful feline donned a cute little black cape and strutted to the tune of the iconic Star Wars theme song, and the result speaks for itself. Well, that was just about pawfect! This beautiful cat looks positively regal, showing what it's got as it strutted across the kitchen perfectly in tune with John Williams' iconic Star Wars theme. Notice how every step that this graceful cat takes is perfectly in tune with every note of this timeless theme. It's a remarkable spectacle to witness, to say the least!We certainly hope that this amazing cat was rewarded with plenty of tasty treats, good pets, and scratches for giving such an incredible performance. Interestingly, some people wanted to see this video without the Star Wars theme playing so that they could hear this gorgeous feline's 'stomps' as they marched across the floor. So, another version of this video was posted to Instagram, but without the Star Wars theme. And, we must say, it's pretty darn adorable! If you listen closely, you can hear this cat's paws plopping on the hardwood floor as they get closer to the camera. And at the end of the video, you can also hear some lovely purring and grumbling sounds as this magnificent kitty realizes that they have done a fantastic job and is probably trying to communicate to their human, 'hey, I did the thing you wanted, is it treat time, yet?' Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
Web Release
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Web Release
THE OFFICIAL HARRY POTTER FILM CONCERT SERIES IS RETURNING TO ABU DHABI IN SEPTEMBER 2025
Proactiv Entertainment, in partnership with Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, is thrilled to announce that the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will perform Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneTM in Concert on September 6 and Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsTM in Concert on September 7 in Abu Dhabi, as part of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series. General ticket sales are available via and The concert will feature the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra in performing live, to picture, every note from both Harry Potter films. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the both films in high-definition on a 40-foot screen while hearing Armenian State Symphony Orchestra perform John Williams' unforgettable score live. Earning a Grammy nomination for the score, the incredible music composed by John Williams became an instant classic, conjuring beautiful and soaring motifs continuing the adventures of Harry Potter on his magical journey. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and CineConcerts created the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, the only official global concert tour celebrating the Harry Potter films. Since the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Concert in 2016, more than 3 million fans have enjoyed this magical experience, which is scheduled to include over 2,973 performances across more than 48 countries worldwide through 2025. Nicolas Renna, Chief Executive Officer at Proactiv Entertainment, expressed his excitement, stating, 'The Harry Potter Film Concert Series is an extraordinary fusion of cinema and live music that continues to captivate audiences around the world. It's more than just a film screening — it's a magical, multi-sensory experience that brings families, friends, and fans of all ages together in a celebration of story-telling and orchestral brilliance. We at Proactiv Entertainment are incredibly proud to bring this world-class production back to Abu Dhabi, for the first time at Etihad Arena and to offer audiences the chance to relive the wonder of Harry Potter with the power of a live symphony orchestra.' 'We are delighted to bring the Harry Potter Film Concert Series to followers of the franchise in Abu Dhabi. This magical concert series is an exhilarating experience that aims to create joyful and memorable moments for our guests,' said Leon Marsh, Director of Events & Community Engagement at Miral. 'The globally recognised concert on Yas Island, debuting at Etihad Arena, is among our calendar of innovative and culturally enriching events that caters to Harry Potter fans while resonating with diverse audiences in Abu Dhabi and beyond. We can't wait to welcome enthusiasts and concertgoers alike to enjoy an extraordinary orchestral show.' Justin Freer, President of CineConcerts and Producer/Conductor of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series explains, 'The Harry Potter film series is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. It is with great pleasure that we bring fans for the first time ever an opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved film is simultaneously projected onto the big screen. This is truly an unforgettable event.' Brady Beaubien of CineConcerts and Concert Producer for the Harry Potter Film Concert Series added, 'Harry Potter is synonymous with excitement around the world, and we hope that by performing this incredible music with the full movie, audiences will continue to celebrate the wizarding world.' For more information on the official Harry Potter Film Concert Series, please visit All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s25) Ticket prices Floor Royal AED 595.00 Floor VIP AED 390.00 Floor Platinum AED 345.00 Floor Diamond AED 300.00 Lower Tier Platinum AED 345.00 Lower Tier Diamond AED 300.00 Lower Tier Gold AED 200.00 Lower Tier Silver AED 120.00 People of Determination AED 120.00
Trade Arabia
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Trade Arabia
Harry Potter Film Concert series returns to Abu Dhabi in September
Proactiv Entertainment, in partnership with Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, has announced that the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will perform Harry Potter Film Concert in Abu Dhabi in September. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone concert will be on September 6 and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert on September 7 in Abu Dhabi, as part of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series. General ticket sales are available via and The concert will feature the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra performing live, to picture, every note from both Harry Potter films. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the both films in high-definition on a 40-foot screen while hearing Armenian State Symphony Orchestra perform John Williams' unforgettable score live. Earning a Grammy nomination for the score, the incredible music composed by John Williams became an instant classic, conjuring beautiful and soaring motifs continuing the adventures of Harry Potter on his magical journey. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and CineConcerts created the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, the only official global concert tour celebrating the Harry Potter films. Since the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Concert in 2016, more than 3 million fans have enjoyed this magical experience, which is scheduled to include over 2,973 performances across more than 48 countries worldwide through 2025. Nicolas Renna, Chief Executive Officer at Proactiv Entertainment, expressed his excitement, stating: 'The Harry Potter Film Concert Series is an extraordinary fusion of cinema and live music that continues to captivate audiences around the world. It's more than just a film screening — it's a magical, multi-sensory experience that brings families, friends, and fans of all ages together in a celebration of story-telling and orchestral brilliance. We at Proactiv Entertainment are incredibly proud to bring this world-class production back to Abu Dhabi, for the first time at Etihad Arena and to offer audiences the chance to relive the wonder of Harry Potter with the power of a live symphony orchestra.' 'We are delighted to bring the Harry Potter Film Concert Series to followers of the franchise in Abu Dhabi. This magical concert series is an exhilarating experience that aims to create joyful and memorable moments for our guests,' said Leon Marsh, Director of Events & Community Engagement at Miral. 'The globally recognised concert on Yas Island, debuting at Etihad Arena, is among our calendar of innovative and culturally enriching events that caters to Harry Potter fans while resonating with diverse audiences in Abu Dhabi and beyond. We can't wait to welcome enthusiasts and concertgoers alike to enjoy an extraordinary orchestral show.' Justin Freer, President of CineConcerts and Producer/Conductor of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series explained: "The Harry Potter film series is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. It is with great pleasure that we bring fans for the first time ever an opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved film is simultaneously projected onto the big screen. This is truly an unforgettable event.'
Time Out Abu Dhabi
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
Harry Potter in Concert is officially coming back to Abu Dhabi
Wands at the ready, Abu Dhabi – the Wizarding World is making a musical comeback and it's set to be spellbinding. The official Harry Potter Film Concert Series is flying back into the capital this September and for the first time ever, it's taking over Etihad Arena with not one, but two magical nights of music, movies and Muggle enchantment. Here are the dates to mark your calendars with if you're a huge HP fan: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Concert lands on Saturday September 6, followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert on Sunday September 7. The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will be conjuring up the magic live, performing every note of John Williams' unforgettable score while the films play in high definition on a whopping 40-foot screen. Expect goosebumps, nostalgia and maybe a few happy tears. In case you missed it last time, this isn't your standard movie night. It's part of the official Harry Potter Film Concert Series – a global cinematic symphony tour that's enchanted more than three million fans across 48 countries. And now, it's finally taking centre stage on Yas Island. The music? Grammy-nominated. The vibe? Pure wizardry, pal. Whether you're a lifelong fan of the books, the films, or just have a soft spot for Hedwig's Theme (we're going to shed a tear, for sure), this is the ultimate way to relive Harry's early adventures – complete with flying letters, slithering snakes and one very grumpy Potions Master. There's even a pre-sale running from May 2 to May 4 with access to select ticket categories – so if you're keen to secure your seats before the general release on May 5, hop on your broomstick pronto. Sat Sep 6 and Sun Sep 7, Etihad Arena, Yas Island. More going on in Abu Dhabi UAE residents can now save big time on flights thanks to a new Skyscanner feature No complaints here You can now get a robotaxi from Zayed International Airport Trips to the airport just got an upgrade Abu Dhabi's best restaurants: Everywhere you should eat at least once Your dinner inspo is sorted 20 incredibly fun ways to explore Abu Dhabi after dark The city is at its most fascinating once the sun goes down
