2006 Walt Disney Pictures Preview

He was the world’s most notorious seducer. A swashbuckler, master of disguise and wit – it was said no woman could resist Casanova’s amorous charms. Until now.

For the first time in his life, the legendary Casanova (Heather Ledger) is about to meet his match with an alluring Venetian beauty, Francesca (Sienna Miller), who does the one thing he never thought possible: refuse him. Through a series of clever disguises and scheming ruses, he manages to get ever closer to Francesca. But he is playing the most dangerous game he has ever encountered – one that will risk not only his life and reputation, but his only chance at true passion.

>From Academy Award nominated director Lasse Hallström (Chocolat, The Cider House Rules) comes a rousing romantic comedy about Casanova’s greatest adventure — losing his heart. The film also stars Oscar Winner Jeremy Irons, as the detective-like Bishop Pucci who pursues Casanova, hoping to catch him in the act of illicit seduction, Oscar nominee Lena Olin as the mother of Francesca, and Oliver Platt as Paprizzio, Francesca’s betrothed.

Glory Road, from Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, is based on the inspiring true story of the underdog Texas Western basketball team whose drive to win superceded some of the most bruising and difficult challenges during a point in U.S. history of massive cultural and philosophical turmoil. It was a time when, against all odds, the first all African American starting lineup of players took the country by storm and, in a surprise turn of events, wont the 1966 NCAA tournament title. Josh Lucas stars as Hall of Famer Don Haskins, the passionately dedicated college basketball coach that changed the history of basketball and, in turn, helped change the course of history. The film is directed by James Gartner, written by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois.

When he won a coveted admission spot to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, local kid Jake Huard (James Franco, James Dean) thought all his dreams had come true – but his battle to become the man he wants to be is only just beginning.

Now, uncertain if a regular kid from a poor blue collar family can fit into the Academy’s pressure-cooker atmosphere, and barely making the grade as a Freshman “plebe,” Jake has one last shot at proving he has what it takes to become an officer in an institution that boasts a venerable 137-year history of focused discipline and determined excellence. With nothing left to lose, Jake decides to enter the notoriously fierce Navy boxing competition known as the Brigade Championships — and face off against his arch-nemesis, Midshipman Lt. Cole (Tyrese Gibson). Everything Jake has ever hoped for stands in the balance: the chance to make his father proud, to validate his Lieutenant’s faith in him, to stand up for his fellow plebes, and most of all, to forge a different future.

Directed by critically acclaimed indie director Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow), comes this exhilarating comeback story of a courageous young sailor who discovers that some opportunities in life are worth fighting for. Jake’s fellow classmates are comprised of a dynamic young cast that includes Jordana Brewster as the alluringly tough, female commander who helps to train Jake; Donnie Wahlberg as Lt. Cmdr. Burton, the officer who first decides to take a chance on Jake; and Chi McBride as the boxing coach who takes Jake from amateur swinger to focused warrior.

The mysterious Red Planet, Mars, has inspired countless science fiction dreams and nightmares. Now, for the first time, experience the reality of the Mars surface as seen through the eyes of two intrepid, death-defying explorers — Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars Rovers — in the spectacular new giant screen adventure Roving Mars, exclusively in IMAX theatres. The phenomenal size and clarity of the IMAX screen draws the viewer into a spectacular landscape that is at once awe-inspiring and amazing. And the suspenseful drama of the Rovers’ dogged quest over the rugged terrain may even answer that persistently haunting question – Is there life on Mars? Produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Frank Marshall and produced and directed by George Butler, with executive producer Scott Swofford, this film takes moviegoers on a fantastic journey unlike any that has ever been seen on the giant screen before. “Roving Mars” was written by George Butler and Robert Andrus, with narration written by George Butler. Multiple Oscar-nominated composer Philip Glass adds to the excitement with his brilliant score.

Inspired by a true story, Eight Below is an exciting action-adventure about loyalty and the bonds of friendship set in the extreme wilderness of Antarctica. The film tells the story of three members of a scientific expedition: Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker), his best friend, Cooper (Jason Biggs), and a rugged American geologist (Bruce Greenwood), who are forced to leave behind their team of beloved sled dogs due to a sudden accident and perilous weather conditions in Antarctica. During the harsh, Antarctic winter, the dogs must struggle for survival alone in the intense frozen wilderness for over 6 months. The film is inspired by the events of a 1957 Japanese Antarctic Expedition, which served as the basis for the blockbuster Japanese film, “Nankyoku Monogatari” (“Antarctica”).

How far would you go to live your dream? When Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) is given the chance of a lifetime, he must leave his family, his life in Los Angeles and everything that he knows to travel halfway around the globe to England and into a completely foreign world — the exciting, fast-paced and glamorous world of international soccer.

As an underprivileged Mexican-American immigrant growing up in the poor section of Los Angeles, Santiago seemed destined to follow his father’s path in life: laboring at menial jobs to earn just enough money to support his family. Naturally gifted, his amazing talent on the soccer field was wasted in recreation league games while he could only dream of playing on the world stage of professional soccer. But when a British scout (Stephen Dillane) discovers his talent and gets him a tryout with one of England’s premier soccer clubs, Newcastle United, Santiago must choose between his father’s fate and his own destiny.

Now alone in a world where soccer is a religion and players are gods, this underdog must prove that he’s got the talent and determination to make it amongst the best in the world.

Goal! The Dream Begins takes audiences into the electrifying, heart-pounding action of the world’s most popular sport and features cameos from soccer’s hottest superstars such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Raul Gonzales Blanco and Newcastle captain Alan Shearer.

Tim Allen transforms from family dad to family dog and back again in this fresh update of the Disney comedy classic, The Shaggy Dog. It all begins when a workaholic Deputy D.A. Dave Douglas (Tim Allen) takes on a case involving an animal laboratory – one that will take him away yet again from his wife (Kristin Davis) and kids (Zena Grey and Spencer Breslin), who already yearn for his all-too-distracted attention. But when Dave is accidentally infected with a top-secret, genetic mutation serum, everything he thought he knew about being himself and his family changes. Yet with his newly perked-up ears, and his front-row seat on the household carpet, Dave is able to gain a whole new perspective into his family’s secrets and dreams. Now, he wants nothing more than to stop fetching and return to fathering – only first he’ll have to stop the evil forces behind the serum… in an adventure that will bring the whole family together.

After the mysterious, brutal death of an old friend, a group of teenagers find themselves in possession of Stay Alive, an ultra-realistic 3-D videogame based on the spine-chilling true story of a 17th century noblewoman known as “The Blood Countess.” The gamers don’t know anything about the game other than they’re not supposed to have it… and they’re dying to play it. Not able to resist temptation, the group begins to play the grisly game and soon a chilling connection is made – they are each being murdered one-by-one in the same method as the character they played in the game. As the line between the game world and the real world disappears, the group must find a way to defeat the vicious and merciless Blood Countess, all the while trying to… Stay Alive.

After taking moviegoers magically into the realm of toys, bugs, monsters, fish, and superheroes, the masterful storytellers and technical wizards at Pixar Animation Studios, and Academy Award-winning director John Lasseter, hit the road with a fast-paced comedy adventure set inside the world of cars. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson), a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town’s offbeat characters –including Sally (a snazzy 2002 Porsche voiced by Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past, voiced by Paul Newman), and Mater (a rusty but trusty tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) – who help him realize that there are more important things than trophies, fame and sponsorship. Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing new technical feats, Cars is a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages.

Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley reunite in Walt Disney Pictures’, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, an all new epic tale chronicling the further mis-adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski from a screenplay written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, Captain Jack sets sail on an all new adventure – filled with more intrigue, more spectacular special effects and more comedy – in July 2006.

>From Academy Award winning filmmaker Mel Gibson, comes Apocalypto: a heart stopping mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end times of the once great Mayan civilization. When his idyllic existence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, a man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.

Holiday magic mixes with comical chaos at the North Pole in The Santa Clause 3. Tim Allen reprises his role of Scott Calvin – AKA Santa – as he juggles a full house of family and the mischievous Jack Frost (Martin Short), who is trying to take over the “big guy’s” holiday.

At the risk of giving away the secret location of the North Pole, Scott invites his in-laws (Ann-Margret & Alan Arkin) to share in the holiday festivities, and upcoming birth of baby Claus with expectant wife, Carol, – AKA Mrs. Claus (Elizabeth Mitchell).

Along for the adventure are Scott’s extended family, son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), ex-wife Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), her husband, Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold) and their daughter, Lucy (Liliana Mumy) who, together with head elf Curtis (Spencer Breslin), foil Jack Frost’s crafty scheme to control the North Pole.

Lewis is a brilliant twelve-year-old with a surprising number of clever inventions to his credit. His latest and most ambitious project is the Memory Scanner, which he hopes will retrieve early memories of his mother and maybe even reveal why she put him up for adoption. But before he can get his answer, his invention is stolen by the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical hat – and constant companion – Doris.

Lewis has all but given up hope in his future when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks our bewildered hero away in a time machine and the two travel forward in time to spend a day with Wilbur’s eccentric family. In a world filled with flying cars and floating cities, they hunt down Bowler Hat Guy, save the future and uncover the amazing secret of Lewis’ future family.

Based upon the book “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” by William Joyce.

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