Lasseter Reveals Exciting New Details About the Studios’ Upcoming Animated Film Slate During London and D23 Expo Presentations
John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios, made several announcements regarding upcoming animated motion pictures while presenting at the Odeon Leicester Square in London (9/10/09) and at the D23 Expo at the
Anaheim Convention Center (9/13/09).
The news coming out of Lasseter’s presentations at both events include:
Timothy Dalton, Ned Beatty, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Garlin and John Morris joining the talented voice cast of Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 3 along with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Jodi Benson and Michael Keaton. Directed by Lee Unkrich and produced by Darla K. Anderson, this comedic and heartwarming adventure in Disney Digital 3D(TM), brings moviegoers back to the world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters as Andy prepares to leave for college. “Toy Story 3″ opens in theaters June 18, 2010.
Walt Disney Pictures’ Rapunzel has found its lead voice in singer/actress
Mandy Moore (“Saved,” “American Dreamz”) starring in the title role along with Zachary Levi (hit TV series “Chuck,” “Big Momma’s House 2″) as the dashing bandit. This action-packed, swashbuckling, animated musical comedy about the girl behind 70 feet of magical, golden hair who takes off on a hilarious, hair-raising escapade with the help of a dashing bandit directed by Byron Howard and Nathan Greno, produced by Roy Conli with music by Alan Menken. This Disney Digital 3D(TM) adventure opens in theaters Holiday2010.
Disney-Pixar’s Cars 2 combines thrills, intrigue and high octane comedy as
Lightning McQueen and his trusty-but-rusty friend Mater race across five
countries – England, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – where they face a host of new and worthy competitors. “Cars 2″ is being directed by the producer of the Oscar-winning animated feature “Ratatouille” Brad Lewis and produced by Denise Ream. This Disney Digital 3D(TM) race begins in theaters June 24, 2011.
The fifth film in Disney’s enormously popular fairy film franchise is Tinker
Bell and the Race through the Seasons. Veteran Disney writer/producer/director Bobs Gannaway (“Stitch! The Movie,” “House of Mouse”) is set to direct. The second entry in the popular direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray series, “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,” is due for release on October 27th, 2009. In this latest adventure, all the fairy talents compete in a challenging and traditional leap year race through the four seasons of Pixie Hollow. With Tinker Bell’s help, Clank and Bobble enter the race and all the hopes of the Tinkers rest on their shoulders. But the pressures of competition and Bobble’s desire to impress a beautiful lightning fairy threaten Clank and Bobble’s longtime friendship. In the end, will Bobble place winning a race above losing a best friend?
Winnie the Pooh marks the first time in more than 35 years that a feature film
staring Disney’s beloved characters is being produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Under the supervision of John Lasseter and producer, Clark Spencer (“Lilo & Stitch,” “Bolt”) the movie is due out in theaters spring 2011. Steve Anderson (“Meet the Robinsons”) and Don Hall (head of story on “The Princess and The Frog”) will co-direct this heart-warming motion picture that reunites five stories from the original books by A.A Milne with Disney’s classic, hand-drawn art style. Tidbit: Burny Mattinson, who worked as an animator on the original “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree” featurette in 1964, will serve as the lead story artist on the project.
“Unidentified Flying Mater,” the latest in a series of Disney-Pixar animated
shorts called Cars Toons, is set to debut on Friday, November 20th on Disney
Channel, Disney XD, and ABC Family. Directed by Academy Award(R)-winner John Lasseter with Rob Gibbs co-directing, the film stars Lightning McQueen’s loyal pal, Mater. Additional shorts – “Monster Truck Mater,” “Heavy Metal Mater,” and “Tokyo Mater” will debut in 2010.
SOURCE Walt Disney Studios
Mandy Moore Unbraids Hair for Disney’s ‘Rapunzel’
Singer and actress Mandy Moore will voice the leading lady famous for her 70 feet of golden hair in Disney’s Digital 3D-animated musical action-adventure “Rapunzel,” according to Reuters.
Byron Howard and Nathan Greno will direct. Oscar winner Alan Menken will compose the film’s music so the score should be amazing!
Disney is re-imagining the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, by showing the princess years after her famous stuck-in-the-castle tale. Now a rebellious teenager, Rapunzel escapes and goes on the run with a dashing bandit, voiced by “Chuck” star Zachary Levi.
The Reuters article ponders if Disney will try to “franchise” Rapunzel as part of the mega-popular Disney Princess line. That is definitely a possibly and Disney is ever on the look out for the next merchandise revenue.
Mandy Moore has a very sweet voice and while not an Oscar-winning actress, I think she’ll perform greatly as a voice-over actress. She should bring forth a headstrong yet regal performance.
The film is scheduled for a holiday 2010 release.
What do you think of Mandy Moore’s casting as the voice of Rapunzel?
Five Concept Art Images from Disney’s Rapunzel
Concept picture of Rapunzel
The Walt Disney Animation Studio has released five new concept art photos for their 2010 animated film Rapunzel.
And they are truly gorgeous!! Like beautiful pieces of painted art work!!
Five images on the Slash Film website.
Rapunzel is an upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios CGI film, starring Kristin Chenoweth as Rapunzel and Dan Fogler as Prince Flynn. It will be the 50th animated feature produced by the Studio, planned for release in 2010. The story is based on the classic German fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm.
Alan Menken and lyrist Glenn Slater will provide the songs for this movie.
What do you think of these concept pictures? Do you like this animation style? Will Rapunzel be another hit for Disney? Let us know!
