Disney has released updated concept art for the upcoming Cars Land expansion replacing Frontierland’s Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island—but something’s missing. Actually, two somethings.
Marvin Montanaro
Marvin Montanaro is the Editor-in-Chief of That Park Place and a seasoned entertainment journalist with nearly two decades of experience across multiple digital media outlets and print publications. He joined That Park Place in 2024, bringing with him a passion for theme parks, pop culture, and film commentary.
Based in Orlando, Florida, Marvin regularly visits Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, offering firsthand reporting and analysis from the parks. He’s also the creative force behind The M4 Empire YouTube channel, bringing a critical eye toward the world of pop culture.
Montanaro’s insights are rooted in years of real-world reporting and editorial leadership.
He can be reached via email at [email protected]
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Email: [email protected]
WBD Shareholders Vote Against $52 Million Pay Package for David Zaslav Amid Mounting Debt and Junk Credit Rating
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders made their dissatisfaction clear this week, delivering a major rebuke to CEO David Zaslav and the company’s top brass by voting against their 2024 compensation packages.
Hollywood Trades Claim Josh D’Amaro Now Leading the Race to Replace Bob Iger as Disney CEO
The race to succeed Bob Iger as Disney CEO just got more focused—and more complicated. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro is now in “pole position” to take over the company’s top job, vaulting ahead of a crowded internal field of Disney CEO candidates that includes Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, and Jimmy Pitaro.
James Gunn Denies Superman Runtime Cut Rumors, Claims WBD Has No Power to Cut Down DC Studios Films
James Gunn is setting the record straight on recent rumors that large scale cuts were made to the runtime of Superman. Following recent rumors first shared by World of Reel that Warner Bros. may have intervened in the final cut of his upcoming Superman reboot, the...
WBD Layoffs Hit Almost 100 Staff Across Cable Networks as Linear TV Business Shrinks
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has enacted another round of layoffs, this time targeting its traditional cable television operations. As the company’s linear business continues to decline in the face of cord-cutting and shifting viewer habits, sources confirm that fewer than 100 employees have been let go from across WBD’s networks.
THR Claims Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck Will Replace Kathleen Kennedy as Co-Heads of Lucasfilm
According to The Hollywood Reporter, studio insiders say Lucasfilm is likely to promote from within, with Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck expected to succeed Kathleen Kennedy in a shared leadership role. The move would mark the end of Kennedy’s tenuous decade-plus tenure atop the Star Wars franchise, as Disney looks to course-correct after years of inconsistent results.
Taylor Swift Ghosts Blake Lively Amid Baldoni Legal War, Allegedly Ignoring Blake’s “Groveling Excuses”
Taylor Swift is reportedly going ghost on her longtime pal Blake Lively.
The pop superstar has allegedly severed ties with longtime friend Blake Lively following the actress’ escalating legal battle with It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni. According to a report published by the Daily Mail on June 3, Swift has gone no-contact with Lively after being dragged into the courtroom drama—reportedly ignoring all texts, calls, and emails from the actress.
Marvel’s New Black Panther is White (Yes, Seriously)
In one of the most unexpected turns in modern comic book storytelling, Marvel has introduced a white Black Panther as the new ruler of Wakanda in Marvel Knights: The World to Come Vol. 1 #1 (2025).
Geoff Keighley Struck With X Community Note After Allegedly Misrepresenting Witcher 4 Footage
Geoff Keighley, the longtime host of The Game Awards and producer of Summer Game Fest, is under fire again—this time for allegedly misrepresenting tech demo footage of The Witcher 4 as actual gameplay. The controversy erupted on X after Keighley posted stills from a recent CD Projekt Red presentation.
Disney Fans Use 2019 Tom Sawyer Island Tweet to Call Out Company for Erasing the Legacy of Walt Disney
In a striking turn of events, Disney fans are throwing the company’s own words back at it after this week’s announcement that the Rivers of America—including Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle Riverboat—will close permanently at Magic Kingdom on July 6, 2025 in Walt Disney World.
Xbox Pushes PRIDE Imagery on Social Media While PlayStation and Nintendo Focus on Video Games
As PRIDE Month 2025 enters its first week, Xbox has quietly made a move that distinguishes it from most other major players in the video game industry. Without issuing a statement or making a dedicated post, the brand updated its profile images on X, Facebook, and Instagram to include rainbow-themed graphics—becoming the only major console manufacturer to acknowledge the observance in any public-facing way so far.
Halo Bucks the Trend with PRIDE Cosmetics While r/Halo Subreddit Bans Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month Posts
Halo is once again participating in PRIDE month for 2025 while Reddit mods ban users for acknowledging any other themed month for June.
As June begins, a noticeable shift has taken place across the United States. Many companies that previously launched PRIDE Month campaigns with splashy cosmetics, rainbow-themed branding, and celebratory posts have gone silent. Ubisoft, Target, Starbucks, Disney, and others—companies that, in past years, would immediately swap their social media banners or offer limited-time PRIDE content—have so far stayed quiet.