Cine Expo: Disney unveils first footage of Tron: Legacy

Daft Punk scores the film, which is set for global launch on Dec 18. Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges and Olivia Wilde star in the reboot.

Disney, represented by Daniel Frigo, executive vice-president and general manager of WDSMPI for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and WDSMPI senior vice-president Dave Hollis, also showed several clips from another tentpole, this summer’s Nicolas Cage-starring The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

And the studio offered a brief taste of Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which started shooting a week ago with Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Ian McShane. That film, directed by Rob Marshall, will be launched on May 20, 2011 in 3D. The plot of this fourth outing is about Captain Jack and McShane’s Blackbeard fighting over the fountain of youth.

As for Cars 2, that film will be directed by Brad Lewis and co-directed by John Lasseter, and will see the gang of cars racing in England, France, Italy and Japan.

Trailers were shown for You Again starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver and Betty White; awards season hopeful Secretariat starring Diane Lane and John Malkovich; and the first global release from Disneynature, African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios, a sizzle reel was shown for 3D animated project Tangled, an update of the Rapunzel story voiced by Mandy Moore, Zach Levi and Donna Murphy; clips were also shown from Elton John project Gnomeo And Juliet (in 3D), with a voice cast including James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Jason Statham, Ozzy Osbourne and Patrick Stewart.

A reel was also shown promoting the relaunch of Winnie The Pooh, with Stephen Anderson and Don Hall directing and Disney veteran Burny Mattinson also on board. Mattinson says the film “harkens to a sweeter time.”

The studio also discussed Robert Zemeckis executive produced Mars Needs Moms, which is now in the early stages of production, due out in March 2011.

Through Disney’s partnership with Spielberg and DreamWorks Studios, they will also release (in February 2011) sci fi thriller I Am Number Four directed by DJ Caruso and starring Alex Pettyfer, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron and Timothy Olyphant. “It has all the components of a potential franchise,” Frigo noted.

The studio also announced the August 10, 2011 US release date of Spielberg-directed War Horse, the WWI story to star David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestup, Emily Watson and Jeremy Irvine in his theatrical debut. Hollis noted that it “looks to be classic Spielberg.”

In addition DreamWorks has Fright Night 3D coming in October and futuristic action drama Real Steel with Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly, set for holiday 2011.

Also during Christmas 2011 and 2012 Disney has a reinvention of The Muppets, with Jason Segel writing and starring. The feature will be touted by a number of viral internet videos.

In addition to the product preview, Disney also screened Toy Story 3 for Cine Expo delegates.