Today Movieweb sat on a panel discussion for Disney’s Sky High. Talking about the film were the director Mike Mitchell, the screenwriter Paul Hernandez and legendary actor Bruce Campbell who plays Coach Boomer in the film. During their time on the stage, it was basically “the Bruce Campbell show” as Mitchell and Hernandez took a backseat and let the actor engage the audience with his sardonic brand of wit.
Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is full of teen angst about friends, grades, and girls... in other words, Will is just another suburban teen about to start high school. If that isn't enough to deal with, Will has the added pressure of being the third generation of the Stronghold family to attend the esteemed and celebrated Sky High. This elite school is entrusted with the responsibility of molding today's power-gifted students into tomorrow's superheroes. The only problem... Will is starting his freshman year without any super powers of his own. Labeled a sidekick, Will is bullied by the jock with the power to stretch, humiliated by a kid with super speed, stalked by the outcast who shoots fire from his hands, and teased the cheerleader who can replicate herself into an entire cheer squad. Worst of all, he must hide all of his troubles or face the disappointment of his parents, the crime-fighting duo - The Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston) - the most revered and beloved superheroes in the business today.
Originally, “I tried to sell it as TV series,” Hernandez stated but that never happened for him. Bruce Campbell then made a point of mentioning that “Kurt Russell did his first Disney movie like 40 years ago.” Someone in the audience then asked a question about Coach Boomer being related to Ash (Campbell’s character in the seminal Evil Dead films). “It’s important to play Ash in every role.” He stated bluntly as if he’d already answered that question 1000 times today. “I pattern all my characters after Ash.” Campbell then acted like he was throwing a fit because of that question. Another person asked if Campbell was “a hero or a sidekick?” He pretended to get even madder and then calmed down explaining, “Russell Crow and I have anger issues.”
Lastly, they asked what it was like working with Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) who has a role in Sky High. “She’s hot!” Mike Mitchell stated. “She hit on me in the parking lot.” Campbell offered. More laughter ensued.
Sky High opens July 25th, 2005 nationwide from Walt Disney Pictures.
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