The first blockbuster Disney movie families can look forward to will be Ratatouille, which will be screened on Friday, 25 May at 17:00.

The Academy Award-winning fan favourite Ratatouille follows the adventures of a rat named Remy who dares to dream the impossible dream of becoming a gourmet chef in a five-star French restaurant. Together with a down-and-out garbage boy named Linguini, the pair carves their own imaginative path to becoming the greatest chef in Paris.

The Disney Channel Family Movie Block will also feature long-time Disney favourite, The Lion King, in September for the first time on Disney Channel, and the brand-new Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), Let It Shine.

Disney Channel in South Africa is consistently rated the #1 kids channel among South African kids aged four to 15 in homes with DStv Premium, and the fourth best-performing channel in DStv homes overall. Christine Service, country manager for the Walt Disney Company Africa, says the channel’s Friday movie allows it to add even more value to these viewers by providing additional family viewing opportunities.

“Disney Channel is not just a channel for children, it’s a channel aimed at the whole family. Added to this, Disney movies have always been something special; something that can be enjoyed by the kids and mom and dad too. Because of its 17:00 time slot, our Friday night movie brings everyone together and allows them to enjoy these old Disney favourites – and a host of new releases too – as a family.”

The new Disney Channel Family Movie Block is firmly focused on uniting families and encouraging them to enjoy their time together in a fun and entertaining way. While parents are often snowed under Monday to Thursday, the movie block’s after-work timeslot at 17:00 and its position on a Friday aim to ensure maximum enjoyment for all members of the family.

Watch Ratatouille at 17:00 on 25 May on the Disney Channel Family Movie Block, with family films continuing every Friday at 17:00 on Disney Channel (DStv channel 303).