Movies

‘Andor’ Returns With First Season 2 Trailer

BBG News

Following the release of Disney+’s Star Wars shows after The Mandalorian, many have garnered mixed reactions, even among some fans. However, Andor was met with widespread acclaim. Unsurprisingly, this Rogue One prequel starring Diego Luna as Rebel spy Cassian Andor is the central point of the first trailer for Season 2, which features enthusiastic reviews from critics praising the show.

It seems like you didn’t enjoy “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” or even “The Acolyte” – but you enjoyed this one! However, the current Star Wars show that has been garnering a lot of positive attention is wrapping up its season soon, so any goodwill or increased interest generated by the new episodes may not last too much longer.

Watch the new Andor trailer below:

Here is the new season’s official synopsis:

The series, titled “Andor”, is filled with political drama, peril, suspense, and significant consequences. It serves as a precursor to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, where we witnessed a valiant group of rebels who stole the blueprints for the Empire’s destructive weapon, The Death Star, paving the way for the events depicted in the original 1977 film. “Andor” takes us five years before the incidents of “Rogue One”, delving into the tale of its protagonist, Cassian Andor, as he evolves from an indifferent, skeptical individual into a hero of the rebellion, steadily marching towards an extraordinary fate.

Here is what Andor creator Tony Gilroy had to say about the show, via a press release:

Creating Andor offers a unique excitement due to the expansive narrative scope and variety of characters encountered – from everyday folks, ruling Imperial figures, and passionate rebels. These individuals are faced with significant dilemmas, each grappling with questions that carry dire repercussions. Although Cassian’s odyssey serves as the heart and backbone of our tale, it is the ensemble cast that truly brings the show to life. I can hardly wait for viewers to discover where we head in Season 2!

The much-anticipated second season of “Andor” is set to debut on Disney+ on April 22. However, this season marks its final one as it spans across 12 episodes, which will be rolled out weekly in sets of three.

Sign up for Disney+ here.

Amazing Theme Park Rides Based on Movies That Were Never Built

Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition

Disneyland originally had plans for a more extensive Indiana Jones attraction, known as The Lost Expedition, which was initially conceived in the 1970s. This elaborate project would have transformed Adventureland by incorporating two rides: a roller coaster inspired by the mine-car finale of ‘Temple of Doom’ and a jeep-based dark ride showcasing Indy’s most iconic moments, including elements from the existing Jungle Cruise. However, due to changes in the design process, most of the land earmarked for The Lost Expedition was eventually utilized to construct Splash Mountain instead.

Indiana Jones Ore Car Attraction

Let’s delve into the details of an intriguing ride called “Ore Car Simulator,” which would have been part of the abandoned Lost Expedition complex. Despite the fact that Indiana Jones Land was never constructed, Disney still boasts one mine-train roller coaster featuring Indy: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, situated at Disneyland Paris. This ride was the inaugural looping coaster in any Disney park, and I experienced it once as a teenager. Unfortunately, during that ride, we got stuck halfway through – definitely not an enjoyable moment!

Indiana Jones Jungle Cruise

The “River Idol” sculpture was planned to be a focal point within the revamped Jungle Cruise, designed as part of a land dedicated to Indiana Jones-themed adventures. It truly appears as if it’s been plucked straight from one of his movies.

The Hauntington Hotel

Prior to the widespread popularity of interactive shooting attractions in Orlando, such as Toy Story Midway Mania and Men in Black Alien Attack, Six Flags had devised a concept for a Ghostbusters ride known as Hauntington Hotel. This proposed ride would have allowed visitors to explore a haunted building, using car-mounted proton packs to shoot at targets. As stated by the ride’s designer in an interview on 2600connection.com, the entire concept – from creation and design to engineering and prototyping – was complete and ready for installation in Texas. Unfortunately, when Six Flags’ theme park division was sold, the project disintegrated under new ownership, which may be considered one of the greatest disappointments in human history.

Nostromo

For about eight years, the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland was home to an attraction named ExtraTERRORestrial: Alien Encounter. Riders were literally strapped down to their seats while a menacing E.T. “materialized” in the center of the room, and then proceeded to touch and breathe on them while the lights were out. When Alien Encounter opened it starred a creepy alien; when it was conceived it starred *the* creepy alien — as in H.R. Giger’s iconic xenomorph from Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film. Astonishingly, someone at Disney thought it was a good idea to insert a little acid-blooded horror into the Happiest Place on Earth. Eventually, Disney came to their senses and abandoned the ‘Alien’ aspect (and the original name for the attraction, Nostromo, after the ship in the film), but not the overall concept. After terrifying children for almost a decade (I was one of them; this thing was pure nightmare fuel), Alien Encounter finally closed in 2003. The site now houses a toned-down version starring Stitch from ‘Lilo & Stich.’

The James Bond Live-Action Stunt Show

Originally, the design for Universal Studios Florida featured a breathtaking illustration by ‘Star Wars’ artist Ralph McQuarrie, showcasing a stunt show themed around James Bond. This concept was heavily influenced by Ken Adam, longtime James Bond production designer. The idea was to have a massive rotating roof, opening up to reveal screens displaying Bond’s most formidable enemies, watching as 007 met his demise and a nuclear warhead was launched. However, this project never took flight, but over the years, Universal Studios has created stunt shows based on ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ ‘The A-Team,’ ‘Miami Vice,’ ‘Spider-Man,’ and ‘Waterworld.’

Mel Brooks’ Hollywood Horror Hotel

At its earliest stages, the Tower of Terror wasn’t themed to ‘The Twilight Zone,’ and was instead conceived as a collaboration between Disney and Mel Brooks. Eventually Brooks dropped out of the project, and ‘The Twilight Zone’ elements were introduced, but before then ideas for “Hotel Mel,” as it was commonly called, involved an attraction and a working hotel housed together in the same building, and a murder mystery that could be solved with clues littered around the grounds. StudioCentral.com says Brooks lost interest and left to make ‘Life Stinks’ right around the time Imagineers stumbled on the idea of adding haunted elevators which leap out of their shafts. The Tower of Tower is a great ride, but when you hear that we almost got an entire Mel Brooks hotel, it does seem that life stinks.

Batman Island

At Comics101.com, you’ll find a sequence of articles detailing the initial concept for Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure: Originally, instead of Marvel Super Hero Island, there was an entire themed area dedicated to Batman. This idea emerged in the 90s when Tim Burton’s Batman films were trending. The proposed area would have featured a Batmobile ride, a Bat-jet attraction, and a live action stunt show involving Batman, Robin, and Superman. However, as changes frequently occur with such projects, Batman was eventually replaced by characters like Spider-Man and the Hulk.

Batwing: Batman vs the Penguin

On Batman Island, one might have encountered an elevated roller coaster that offered visitors a choice between two tracks – the Batman or Penguin path. Each route would provide unique adventures, visual effects, and fireworks displays. In the lower left corner, you’d spot Shreck’s Department Store, a nod to Christopher Walken’s character in ‘Batman Returns.’ Regrettably, this roller coaster idea was never realized, but the concept of ‘dueling’ coasters was eventually implemented at Islands of Adventure with their Dueling Dragons ride (formerly known as Dragon Challenge and situated within its Harry Potter district).

Dick Tracy’s Crime-Stoppers

1990 saw the release of Warren Beatty’s ‘Dick Tracy’, a film that was anticipated to be a massive success. Disney, in anticipation, had planned to create a theme park attraction based on the movie. This would have been an interactive dark ride, where participants would join Dick Tracy in a chase through Chicago. Each vehicle was designed to include tommy guns that could be fired at targets scattered throughout the ride. However, when ‘Dick Tracy’ failed to develop into a lasting franchise, this idea was abandoned. Interestingly, the design of these vehicles resembles those found in the Indiana Jones Adventure, and the concept of shooting galleries can still be experienced in Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Ride

Visitors to this attraction, themed around a 1993 stop-motion Christmas movie, would have climbed aboard eerie, flying caskets – think Peter Pan’s Flight, but with a Tim Burton twist of darkness and creepiness. However, Disney found that Tim Burton, who co-owned the characters, wasn’t keen on the concept, so it was scrapped. Instead, every year, Disney turns the Haunted Mansion in California into the “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” incorporating characters from the film for a festive seasonal experience.

Godzilla Bullet Train

Ever since the 1970s, there were whispers of incorporating a thrilling bullet train experience into the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. Riders would’ve found themselves aboard a vehicle, gazing out at screens depicting a scenic Japanese countryside journey. But here’s an intriguing twist: instead of just a peaceful train ride, they might have encountered Godzilla! This monstrous creature, rising from the ocean, would’ve wreaked havoc on the train as it traversed Tokyo Harbor. Regrettably, this exhilarating concept never progressed beyond initial discussions with Toho, the studio that owns Godzilla. Apparently, a colossal, city-wrecking lizard didn’t quite fit the serene, natural vibe of Epcot. Oh well!

The Great Muppet Movie Ride

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’ve always held a soft spot for The Muppets, and their enduring presence at Disney Hollywood Studios through the captivating MuppetVision 3D movie has been a delight for over two decades. However, it’s intriguing to delve into an alternate scenario where The Muppets might have played an even more substantial role in the park.

In those early days, there were plans for a parody version of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Great Movie Ride, titled “The Great Muppet Movie Ride.” This proposed attraction would have seen Jim Henson’s beloved characters reenacting scenes from iconic films, offering a hilarious twist on the original.

Unfortunately, these dreams were momentarily dashed when Disney and Henson Corporation’s merger negotiations fell apart following Henson’s untimely demise in 1990. The loss of this deal effectively shelved the Muppet Movie Ride. Yet, as fate would have it, Disney eventually acquired the Muppets in 2004. So, here’s hoping that someday, we might witness their grandest theme-park adventure yet!

Jurassic Park Jeep Safari

At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Jurassic Park features a River Adventure ride which shares only animatronic dinosaurs with the Jurassic Park films. The initial plan, however, encompassed more Jurassic Park attractions. One of these was a Jeep Safari that closely followed the movie’s narrative, taking visitors on a simulated journey through the park where they would encounter brontosauruses, evade T-Rexes, and engage with raptors. Unfortunately, according to DisneyAndMore.Blogspot.com, this idea was rejected as being too similar to the River Adventure for both attractions to coexist peacefully.

Jurassic Park Jeep Safari

Take a look at this detailed shot of the Jurassic Park Jeep Safari vehicle. It has quite a resemblance to the iconic 8-seater DeLoreans from ‘Back to the Future’.

Baby Herman’s Runaway Buggy Ride

As a passionate cinephile reflecting on the magical world of Disney, I can’t help but wonder about the untold potential of ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit.’ Despite Disney successfully creating one thrilling theme-park ride (Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin in Disneyland), their initial vision held room for more. A ride named Baby Herman’s Runaway Buggy Ride would have immersed us, the guests, into the heart of chaos as we took on the role of Baby Herman’s stunt double, navigating a perilous scene in baby carriages-shaped vehicles. To enhance the experience, we were supposed to don baby bonnets throughout the ride, contributing to the illusion and boosting sales of charming photos snapped during our adventure. Regrettably, disputes between Disney and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment over creative control of Roger Rabbit thwarted this enchanting idea from becoming reality. The same disagreements also hindered the development of…

Toontown Trolley

Just as the Baby Herman attraction hindered plans for a simulator ride modeled after Star Tours, which would have guided guests through the cartoon-filled world of Toontown from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’, so too did battles over the Roger Rabbit character lead to this idea being scrapped. Originally, these rides were intended to be part of a completely new Disneyland district called Hollywoodland. However, this concept was later reimagined and transformed into Mickey’s Toontown instead. Unfortunately for Roger, he missed out on his own dedicated land in the park.

Toontown Trolley

Here’s another artwork inspired by the Roger Rabbit trolley ride. It appears quite psychedelic. Kids, particularly those fueled by sugar, would have found it fascinating.

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2025-02-24 20:55

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