Walt Disney Studios has become the second studio after Jeffrey Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation to throw its weight fully behind three-dimensional cinema, pledging that all its future animated releases will be in 3D - starting with Bolt in November.
The announcement at a New York press conference this week came as chairman Dick Cook and creative supremo John Lasseter unveiled 10 new titles scheduled to open between now and 2012 (see full details below).
With a wave of new releases authored in 3D set to arrive in cinemas, beginning with New Line's Journey To The Center Of The Earth through Warner Bros this summer, distributors are banking on their exhibition partners to upgrade infrastructures to accommodate 3D as quickly as possible.
Approximately twelve 3D films are scheduled to go on release in North American in 2009, including DreamWorks Animation's Monsters Vs Aliens and Fox's sci-fi epic Avatar from James Cameron. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are about to commence shooting on the first of three live-action Tintin adaptations for DreamWorks, and Jackson has spoken of converting his Lord Of The Rings trilogy into 3D.
Currently there are approximately 1,000 3D-ready screens in North America and 400 overseas. Executives expect the domestic number to rise to approximately 4,000 by 2009 and the international marketplace will be expected to follow suit.
REAL D, one of the leading 3D specialists in the US, recently signed a deal with Odeon in the UK to put its 3D projection systems in 500 cinemas and has begun the installation process.
Disney's powerhouse slate includes the 2D Pixar tale WALL*E this summer, followed on November 29 by Walt Disney Animation Studios' Bolt, the tale of a canine TV star who becomes a real-life hero that features the voices of John Travolta and Disney teen superstar Miley Cyrus.
2009 releases are Pixar's Up, about an elderly adventurer, and a converted 3D version of Toy Story. 2010 will bring a 3D version of Toy Story 2 as well as a new outing for Buzz Lightyear and friends in Toy Story 3 featuring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the original voice cast. Disney will also release the Walt Disney Animation Studios title Rapunzel, based on the fairy tale about the girl with the flowing gold tresses.
2011 promises the Pixar titles Newt, about the world's last two blue-footed newts, and The Bear And The Bow, a tale set in the mythic past of Scotland voice by Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson.
In 2012 Disney will release the Pixar sequel Cars 2 and Walt Disney Animation Studios' King Of The Elves, based on a short story by Philip K Dick about an ordinary Mississippi Delta man who helps a desperate band of elves.
Disney also unveiled a four-movie slate of direct-to-DVD titles centred on the adventures of the fairy Tinker Bell, which will launch in October this year with Tinker Bell North Of Never Land.
'In a year when our Studio is marking the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, the character that started it all for us, it seems especially timely to share our plans for the future of animation,' Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said.
'We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way,' Lasseter said. 'At the same time, we're drawing on our past to emphasise memorable characters, original edge-of-your-seat stories, and believable worlds.'
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS/ PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS RELEASE SCHEDULE 2008 -- 2012:
2008:
WALL*E
(Domestic Release Date: June 27th, 2008)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Stanton
Producer: Jim Morris
Co-Producer: Lindsey Collins
Sound and Character Voice Designer: Ben Burtt
Composer: Thomas Newman, with an Original Song Performed by Peter Gabriel Voice Talent: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, John
Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy
Synopsis: What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot' Oscar-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton (Finding
Nemo) and Pixar transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for
a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named
WALL*E. After hundreds of lonely years doing what he was built for, WALL*E
(short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new
purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek
search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL*E has inadvertently
stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to
report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that
it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL*E chases EVE across the galaxy; joining him on his fantastic journey is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.
BOLT
(Domestic Release Date: November 26th, 2008, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Chris Williams, Byron Howard
Producer: Clark Spencer
Voice Talent: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman
Synopsis: For super-dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), every day is filled with
adventure, danger and intrigue -- at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the canine star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet -- a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions -- a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), and TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino -- Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero. Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) brings her vocal talents to the role of Penny, Bolt's human co-star on the television series.
TINKER BELL
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: October 28th, 2008)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Bradley Raymond
Producer: Jeannine Roussel
Synopsis: Enter the magical world of fairies and meet the enchanting creatures of Pixie Hollow, who 'nurture nature' and bring about the change of the seasons. Changing the colors of the leaves, moving a sunbeam to melt snow, waking animals from their winter slumber, or giving a patch of sproutlings a sprinkle of water are all within the realm of these seasonal specialists. Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a 'tinker' isn't as special or important as the other fairies' talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities ... and discovers that when she's true to herself, magical things can happen.
2009:
UP
(Domestic Release Date: May 29th, 2009, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter
Co-Director: Bob Peterson
Producer: Jonas Rivera
Writer: Bob Peterson
Voice Talent: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Jordan Nagai
Synopsis: From the Oscar-nominated team of director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.) and co-director Bob Peterson comes Up, a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. Up takes audiences on a journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures.
TOY STORY in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: October 2nd, 2009)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Producers: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Synopsis: Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, Toy Story was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award Oscar 'for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film.' The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2009)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
Producer: Peter Del Vecho
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman
Synopsis: A musical set in New Orleans, The Princess And The Frog marks Disney's return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. The film teams Ron Clements and John Musker, creators of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, with Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman to tell the most beautiful love story ever told ... with frogs, voodoo, and a singing alligator.
TINKER BELL NORTH OF NEVER LAND - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2009)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Klay Hall
Producer: Sean Lurie
Synopsis: In autumn, Tinker Bell is entrusted with crafting a great treasure that
can rejuvenate the Pixie Dust Tree. But when her friend Terence offers to help, Tink's temper and stubbornness get the better of her, shattering both her creation and her friendship with Terence. To set things right again, she must embark on a journey far North of Never Land ... and along the way, she will discover an even greater treasure.
2010:
TOY STORY 2 in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: February 12th, 2010)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Directors: Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon
Producers: Helene Plotkin, Karen Robert Jackson
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Synopsis: Originally released in 1999, Toy Story 2 went on to become one of the most popular animated features of all time. The film picks up as Andy is heading off to Cowboy Camp and the toys are left to their own devices. When an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al's Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody, and Woody learns that he's a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called Woody's Roundup, the stage is set for a daring rescue attempt by the gang from Andy's room. The film introduced such other memorable characters from Woody's Roundup as Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse, and the Prospector.
TOY STORY 3
(Domestic Release Date: June 18th, 2010, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Lee Unkrich
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
Writer: Michael Arndt
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Ned Beatty
Synopsis: The creators of the beloved Toy Story films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our beloved band of toy characters in Toy Story 3. Lee Unkrich (co-director of Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo) directs the highly anticipated new installment, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, brings his talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.
RAPUNZEL
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2010, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Glen Keane, Dean Wellins
Producer: Roy Conli
Synopsis: In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel, audiences will be transported to a computer generated fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humour, and hair ... lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.
TINKER BELL A MIDSUMMER STORM - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2010)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Carolyn Gair
Producer: Margot Pipkin
Synopsis: After being confronted by her antagonist Vidia, an irritated Tinker Bell retaliates by taking a photograph of Vidia ... without considering the consequences. Now, the two must set aside their differences and cooperate to prevent evidence of the existence of fairies from falling into human hands.
2011:
NEWT
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2011, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Gary Rydstrom
Producer: Richard Hollander
Writers: Gary Rydstrom, Leslie Caveny
Synopsis: What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can't stand each other' That's the problem facing Newt and Brooke, heroes of Newt, the Pixar film by seven-time Academy Award-winner for sound Gary Rydstrom, and director of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short, Lifted. Newt and Brooke embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.
THE BEAR AND THE BOW
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2011, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brenda Chapman
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Voice Talent: Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson
Synopsis: A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure The Bear And The Bow. The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman (The Prince Of Egypt, The Lion King) teams up with Pixar to tell a rich Highland tale of humour, fantasy and excitement.
TINKER BELL A WINTER STORY - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2011)
DisneyToon Studios
Producer: Sean Lurie
Synopsis: The fourth, as-yet-untold story of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends will take place in winter, completing the cycle of the seasons.
2012:
CARS 2
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2012, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Lewis
Synopsis: All the world's a racetrack as racing superstar Lightning McQueen zooms back into action, with his best friend Mater in tow, to take on the globe's fastest and finest in this high-octane new installment of the Cars saga. Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic escapades around the globe. Cars 2 is being directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar-winning Ratatouille.
KING OF THE ELVES
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2012, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker
Producer: Chuck Williams
Synopsis: Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick's short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king. Joining the innocent and endangered elves as they attempt to escape from an evil and menacing troll, their unlikely new leader finds himself caught on a journey filled with unimaginable dangers and a chance to bring real meaning back to his own life.
The announcement at a New York press conference this week came as chairman Dick Cook and creative supremo John Lasseter unveiled 10 new titles scheduled to open between now and 2012 (see full details below).
With a wave of new releases authored in 3D set to arrive in cinemas, beginning with New Line's Journey To The Center Of The Earth through Warner Bros this summer, distributors are banking on their exhibition partners to upgrade infrastructures to accommodate 3D as quickly as possible.
Approximately twelve 3D films are scheduled to go on release in North American in 2009, including DreamWorks Animation's Monsters Vs Aliens and Fox's sci-fi epic Avatar from James Cameron. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are about to commence shooting on the first of three live-action Tintin adaptations for DreamWorks, and Jackson has spoken of converting his Lord Of The Rings trilogy into 3D.
Currently there are approximately 1,000 3D-ready screens in North America and 400 overseas. Executives expect the domestic number to rise to approximately 4,000 by 2009 and the international marketplace will be expected to follow suit.
REAL D, one of the leading 3D specialists in the US, recently signed a deal with Odeon in the UK to put its 3D projection systems in 500 cinemas and has begun the installation process.
Disney's powerhouse slate includes the 2D Pixar tale WALL*E this summer, followed on November 29 by Walt Disney Animation Studios' Bolt, the tale of a canine TV star who becomes a real-life hero that features the voices of John Travolta and Disney teen superstar Miley Cyrus.
2009 releases are Pixar's Up, about an elderly adventurer, and a converted 3D version of Toy Story. 2010 will bring a 3D version of Toy Story 2 as well as a new outing for Buzz Lightyear and friends in Toy Story 3 featuring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the original voice cast. Disney will also release the Walt Disney Animation Studios title Rapunzel, based on the fairy tale about the girl with the flowing gold tresses.
2011 promises the Pixar titles Newt, about the world's last two blue-footed newts, and The Bear And The Bow, a tale set in the mythic past of Scotland voice by Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson.
In 2012 Disney will release the Pixar sequel Cars 2 and Walt Disney Animation Studios' King Of The Elves, based on a short story by Philip K Dick about an ordinary Mississippi Delta man who helps a desperate band of elves.
Disney also unveiled a four-movie slate of direct-to-DVD titles centred on the adventures of the fairy Tinker Bell, which will launch in October this year with Tinker Bell North Of Never Land.
'In a year when our Studio is marking the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, the character that started it all for us, it seems especially timely to share our plans for the future of animation,' Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said.
'We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way,' Lasseter said. 'At the same time, we're drawing on our past to emphasise memorable characters, original edge-of-your-seat stories, and believable worlds.'
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS/ PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS RELEASE SCHEDULE 2008 -- 2012:
2008:
WALL*E
(Domestic Release Date: June 27th, 2008)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Stanton
Producer: Jim Morris
Co-Producer: Lindsey Collins
Sound and Character Voice Designer: Ben Burtt
Composer: Thomas Newman, with an Original Song Performed by Peter Gabriel Voice Talent: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, John
Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy
Synopsis: What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot' Oscar-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton (Finding
Nemo) and Pixar transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for
a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named
WALL*E. After hundreds of lonely years doing what he was built for, WALL*E
(short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new
purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek
search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL*E has inadvertently
stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to
report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that
it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL*E chases EVE across the galaxy; joining him on his fantastic journey is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.
BOLT
(Domestic Release Date: November 26th, 2008, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Chris Williams, Byron Howard
Producer: Clark Spencer
Voice Talent: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman
Synopsis: For super-dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), every day is filled with
adventure, danger and intrigue -- at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the canine star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet -- a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions -- a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), and TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino -- Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero. Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) brings her vocal talents to the role of Penny, Bolt's human co-star on the television series.
TINKER BELL
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: October 28th, 2008)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Bradley Raymond
Producer: Jeannine Roussel
Synopsis: Enter the magical world of fairies and meet the enchanting creatures of Pixie Hollow, who 'nurture nature' and bring about the change of the seasons. Changing the colors of the leaves, moving a sunbeam to melt snow, waking animals from their winter slumber, or giving a patch of sproutlings a sprinkle of water are all within the realm of these seasonal specialists. Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a 'tinker' isn't as special or important as the other fairies' talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities ... and discovers that when she's true to herself, magical things can happen.
2009:
UP
(Domestic Release Date: May 29th, 2009, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter
Co-Director: Bob Peterson
Producer: Jonas Rivera
Writer: Bob Peterson
Voice Talent: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Jordan Nagai
Synopsis: From the Oscar-nominated team of director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.) and co-director Bob Peterson comes Up, a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. Up takes audiences on a journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures.
TOY STORY in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: October 2nd, 2009)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Producers: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Synopsis: Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, Toy Story was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award Oscar 'for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film.' The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2009)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
Producer: Peter Del Vecho
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman
Synopsis: A musical set in New Orleans, The Princess And The Frog marks Disney's return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. The film teams Ron Clements and John Musker, creators of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, with Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman to tell the most beautiful love story ever told ... with frogs, voodoo, and a singing alligator.
TINKER BELL NORTH OF NEVER LAND - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2009)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Klay Hall
Producer: Sean Lurie
Synopsis: In autumn, Tinker Bell is entrusted with crafting a great treasure that
can rejuvenate the Pixie Dust Tree. But when her friend Terence offers to help, Tink's temper and stubbornness get the better of her, shattering both her creation and her friendship with Terence. To set things right again, she must embark on a journey far North of Never Land ... and along the way, she will discover an even greater treasure.
2010:
TOY STORY 2 in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: February 12th, 2010)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Directors: Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon
Producers: Helene Plotkin, Karen Robert Jackson
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Synopsis: Originally released in 1999, Toy Story 2 went on to become one of the most popular animated features of all time. The film picks up as Andy is heading off to Cowboy Camp and the toys are left to their own devices. When an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al's Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody, and Woody learns that he's a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called Woody's Roundup, the stage is set for a daring rescue attempt by the gang from Andy's room. The film introduced such other memorable characters from Woody's Roundup as Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse, and the Prospector.
TOY STORY 3
(Domestic Release Date: June 18th, 2010, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Lee Unkrich
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
Writer: Michael Arndt
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Ned Beatty
Synopsis: The creators of the beloved Toy Story films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our beloved band of toy characters in Toy Story 3. Lee Unkrich (co-director of Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo) directs the highly anticipated new installment, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, brings his talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.
RAPUNZEL
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2010, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Glen Keane, Dean Wellins
Producer: Roy Conli
Synopsis: In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel, audiences will be transported to a computer generated fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humour, and hair ... lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.
TINKER BELL A MIDSUMMER STORM - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2010)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Carolyn Gair
Producer: Margot Pipkin
Synopsis: After being confronted by her antagonist Vidia, an irritated Tinker Bell retaliates by taking a photograph of Vidia ... without considering the consequences. Now, the two must set aside their differences and cooperate to prevent evidence of the existence of fairies from falling into human hands.
2011:
NEWT
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2011, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Gary Rydstrom
Producer: Richard Hollander
Writers: Gary Rydstrom, Leslie Caveny
Synopsis: What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can't stand each other' That's the problem facing Newt and Brooke, heroes of Newt, the Pixar film by seven-time Academy Award-winner for sound Gary Rydstrom, and director of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short, Lifted. Newt and Brooke embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.
THE BEAR AND THE BOW
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2011, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brenda Chapman
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Voice Talent: Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson
Synopsis: A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure The Bear And The Bow. The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman (The Prince Of Egypt, The Lion King) teams up with Pixar to tell a rich Highland tale of humour, fantasy and excitement.
TINKER BELL A WINTER STORY - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2011)
DisneyToon Studios
Producer: Sean Lurie
Synopsis: The fourth, as-yet-untold story of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends will take place in winter, completing the cycle of the seasons.
2012:
CARS 2
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2012, Disney Digital 3-D)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Lewis
Synopsis: All the world's a racetrack as racing superstar Lightning McQueen zooms back into action, with his best friend Mater in tow, to take on the globe's fastest and finest in this high-octane new installment of the Cars saga. Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic escapades around the globe. Cars 2 is being directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar-winning Ratatouille.
KING OF THE ELVES
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2012, Disney Digital 3-D)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker
Producer: Chuck Williams
Synopsis: Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick's short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king. Joining the innocent and endangered elves as they attempt to escape from an evil and menacing troll, their unlikely new leader finds himself caught on a journey filled with unimaginable dangers and a chance to bring real meaning back to his own life.
No comments yet