Disney Channel's Joey Bragg ("Liv and Maddie") and ABC's Sean Giambrone ("The Goldbergs") star in the comedic adventure "Mark & Russell's Wild Ride," an original movie premiering tonight, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 on Disney XD at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT, immediately following a brand new episode of "Gravity Falls." The movie was available beginning Monday, November 16 for verified users on the WATCH Disney XD app and WATCHDisneyXD.com.
The story follows two best friends Mark (played by Bragg) and Russell (played by Giambrone) on a crazy adventure through town after Ashley, the most popular girl in school, asks Mark for a ride to an exclusive pool party. Mark's excitement comes to a quick halt when he remembers one minor detail – he still hasn't passed his driver's test after numerous failed attempts. With pressure mounting, Mark and Russell track down Glenn, a DMV instructor known for his easy testing, but on the day Mark attempts the test, Glenn learns that his wife is leaving him and is too distraught to complete the driving test. Left with no other way to get his driver's license, Mark and his trusty sidekick, Russell, embark on a cross-town adventure with Glenn to help him win his wife back.
Also starring are Chris Gauthier as DMV instructor Glenn, Nicole Muñoz as Angela, who helps Mark and Russell track down Glenn's wife, Tiera Skovbye as Mark's crush Ashley and Kurt Ostlund as another driver who complicates Mark's pursuit of a license.
"Mark & Russell's Wild Ride" is directed by Jon Rosenbaum ("Mighty Med," "Austin & Ally") from a script written by David McHugh & Matthew Flanagan ("Late Show with David Letterman"). The movie is produced by Kim Arnott ("Radio Rebel," "The Haunting Hour"), who also serves as an executive producer. MarVista Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Fernando Szew ("A Deadly Adoption," "Perfect Match"), Executive Vice President, Production and Development, Robyn Snyder ("16 Wishes," "House of Versace"), and Vice President, Production and Development, Larry Grimaldi ("Next X") also serve as executive producers. "Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride" is the second movie to be produced under the MarVista/Two 4 the Money Media co-venture as part of a multi-picture development deal with Disney XD. The first movie, "Pants on Fire," starring Bradley Steven Perry, Joshua Ballard and Tyrel Jackson Williams, debuted on Disney XD in November 2014.
Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for kids age 6-11, hypertargeting boys and transporting them into worlds full of humor, unexpected fun and inspiring action-filled adventures. Disney XD-branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser-supported network that reaches over 80 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. In total, there are 31 Disney XD channels available in 25 languages around the world. Founded in 2003, Los Angeles-based MarVista Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment studio that produces, acquires and distributes premium film and television content worldwide. With a library showcasing nearly 2,500 hours of content, and with approximately 40 new movies per year added to the company’s distribution pipeline, MarVista has become one of the largest suppliers of movies to the worldwide marketplace. MarVista has an expansive distribution footprint spanning more than 125 global territories, and has grown to become a pre-eminent supplier of programming to major cable networks in the U.S., including Disney Channel/Disney XD, Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon and MTV Networks, as well as key international broadcasters, cable networks and digital platforms.
Two 4 The Money Media, a Vancouver, Canada-based independent production company, founded by Kim Arnott in April 2010, has produced an abundance of interesting material. Arnott has served as the executive producer on movies of the week like Seattle Superstorm, Radio Rebel and Stonados. She expertly shepherded R. L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour into its fourth season for The Hub Network, winning the 2013 Emmy for “Outstanding Children’s Series”. She serves as a co-executive producer on CTV’s new half-hour comedy, Spun Out and has also tried her hand at horror, producing Grave Encounters 2 and Visitors, the latest Vicious Brothers film. Arnott recently partnered with Really Real Films to produce If I Had Wings, a heartwarming indie feature six years in the making. Arnott has vast experience in Canadian content productions, international co-productions and is an authority on both Canadian federal and provincial tax credits. Arnott continues to collaborate with other producers, including Trish Dolman’s company, Screen Siren Pictures, where she worked on Foreverland, Daydream Nation and Hector and the Search for Happiness.
