Secret Agent Plans...

Marvel's first foray into the small screen continues to unfold...

Three weeks and three adventures out and "Marvel's Agents of Shield" is slowly evolving into another Whedonesque narrative.  Almost all Joss Whedon's shows start off slow and cautiously adding layers of character and plot; building a story-like snowball that rolls down a mountain gathering momentum until it crashes into what becomes the season finale.

It took me till season two of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to finally become addicted.  By the fourth episode of "Firefly" to need my fix of that series (my favorite Whedon show, "Objects in Space" was a great, sadly last story for the Browncoats of Serenity).  Something like "Dollhouse" took till the second season to grab me, although I feel it never found its true footing.

MAOS' Pilot started off setting the table in an intriguing world filled with pretty, bland characters that I wanted to like, but who seemed too distant to care that I cared.  The second episode "0-8-4", moved us out of the confines of New York and pushed the characters out into a broader world.  And it teases that there might be something to care about after all.  In its third episode "The Asset" appears to finally make me care about both the agents and the story.

And the story not only had double the villains, but also an origin issue of a super villain: Graviton.  I hope this means we'll have another episode featuring the repercussions of this one.  The character of Skye finally finds a purpose and chemistry with Ward starts to take affect (but he needs to unwind a bit to let us in).  The locales and globe trotting have continued to expand the perception of the reach of this super secret organization.  So the show is starting to grow on me after falling short of its huge expectations.

But is it good?

Or perhaps a better question would be: "Is it what I expected?"  The show is not perfect, but as long as it grows and gets better I 'll keep watching.  There are problems witht the show.  For one, the fights are badly choreographed (Buffy's were much better realized).  Bring in some choreographers to spring the fights to life and edit it a little tighter for the action, please.

Also, I know it's a television show so the budget is limited, but couldn't they have a couple of matte paintings/digital shots set up to show us what they're talking about?  The villain's Malta resort is shown on medium shots and we kept hearing the Shield Agents talking about how big it was.  Didn't buy that.  How about an establishing shot showing a ginormous structure to add to the believability?  It would help to show the expanse of this world.

The characters were stiff in the first episode, but have begun up loosen up each outing.  This is good and if it continues that'll help myself and the audience go from liking to loving the crew aboard the bus.  I do find it interesting that each episode teases what happened to Agent Coulson.  I hope they don't reveal it too quickly and expect they won't.  My own thoughts are that Coulson is the product of a Petrie dish.  He's a clone or some variant thereof implanted with the memories of the dead agent of The Battle of New York.  And then I wonder/dream that the eco-terrorist group The Rising Tide will be revealed as a cover group for HYDRA.  Don't worry, I won't be hurt if I'm wrong.

But I do like wandering around in a world of super heroes.  It's fun watching how the governments of the world react to their existence.  I also get a kick out of seeing an idealized organization made up of good intentioned government workers working for a benevolent bureaucracy.  Only in Hollywood (and comics, I guess) could this exist.  It does come from a company that is known for telling great fairytales.  And I happen to like enchanted dreams.

I look forward to each episode of this show praying it doesn't turn into a pumpkin after midnight...

Gelè...

The seasons are changing and before you know it, winter will be here...

And with that, Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Frozen" will be released.  Not just in America, but the world as well.  Disney's marketing department is well underway promoting this about the world.  There are beautiful posters in every country across the world, beautiful campaigns, amazing banners and entertaining trailers to melt the heart of every Disney Animation fans.

While I can't wait to see the Scandinavian posters, the ones we've seen so far are quite beautiful.  These French posters are quite lovely to look at, and when you placed them together you get a surprisingly magical image.  It's nice to have Disney Magic back, isn't it?

And just wait until you see some of the posters for Big...

Frozen Assets...

I'm sure you've all seen the teaser that's been released for the Mouse's next animated film...

Many have complained about the fact that the humor reminded them of something like "Ice Age" more than it did a Disney animated film.  Well, remember that this is just a scene showing off the secondary characters and it doesn't show you the full scope of the magical world that the animators have brought to life.

The characters are really quite classic, but with a bit of a modern edge, the way "Tangled" was.  But the Bothans seem to like the way the story is moving and they're proud of the work they've done.  If you've enjoyed what has come over the past few years then you won't likely be disappointed in this one.  Plus you have that the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in a long time placed right in front of it. 

But that's a horse of a different color...

Last Father Of Krypton...

Each day it seem they release another poster from the "Man of Steel" film...

The difference this time is that it's not one of Kal-El/Clark Kent, but his father.  The biological one.  The one that sent him off to survive the destruction of his home world.  And it's pretty cool, I'm sure you'd agree.  It's going to be great to see a new Superman film after the disappointment that was Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" film.  He seemed to be treading on too much nostalgia for the Donner film.  This film will be our first glimpse into the world to come.

The one we've waited for...

Child Of The Mansion...

Today marks the official end of the Extreme Expansion and the opening of the final piece of it...

Mystic Manor opens today in Hong Kong Disneyland.  The attraction, which is the result of planning for the Haunted Mansion in China, is a layered hybrid of taking the lessons learned from dealing with unique cultural perceptions.  The views on ghosts in Chinese culture represented a challenge to the Imagineers designing the initial phase of the Hong Kong Chinese version of the popular attraction.  While, the ride is not officially a clone of the classic ride, there are no plans for a version of the original at the park because of the connective DNA that they share.

The guest riding the attraction since it soft opened yesterday, will travel along a mansion owned by Lord Henry Mystic, purveyor of fine antiques of his adventures around the world.  As a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, he's collected a large collection of artifacts that he's set about the manor to show off to guest to his home.  The result is a "Jumanji" like experience filled with clever displays of magical mischief.  Danny Elfman's score does a great job creating the atmosphere of slightly scary, while still having a subtle tone of humor.  If you want to read more about the area, Alain's coverage of the opening over at Disney and More has excellent analysis, pics and videos.

The attraction and it's lushly themed Mystic Point is perhaps the best layered in the park.  It's narrative story is pure Disney, and this will be the first of several attractions that will hopefully give HKDL it's own identity, to separate it out from the other sibling parks.  The Imagineers have been working on several other projects that the Suits will try to present to their Chinese partners in the near future.  But don't expect anything big for the next few years as the park gets guests to experience the fruits of expansion.  There is plenty of land for more Disney themed experiences in the areas surrounding the new openings.  And right now the Imagineers are focusing further into inland China.

Shanghai is a much bigger task...

Going Big...

The latest trailer for Guillermo del Toro's latest just came out...

Boy, does this look like a young boy's dream or what?  "Pacific Rim" is shaping up to be what kids have fantasized about playing with action figures for decades.  And from the buzz it sounds like Legendary Entertainment's Suits, particularly, head geek Thomas Tull, have made a friend for life.

Perhaps Guillermo is hoping that if he makes Warner/Legendary a mountain of cash, they'll give him a mountain?  As in buy the rights to his mountain over at Universal.  His opus, his dream is to make "At The Mountains Of Madness" since forever.  And it would have been done over at Universal with James Cameron producing and Tom Cruise starring, but the Uni Suits didn't want a R rated $100 million dollar picture.

If this film is a success then perhaps Universal will let him make that picture.  Or maybe Legendary will buy the rights to the project and let him have it as a gift for what he's done for them?  And while we're at it, maybe Alan Horn and the Disney Suits will finally bite the bullet and green light his "Haunted Mansion" reboot?  Now that would be a project I and many other fans have wanted to see.

It could all be riding on a bunch of giant robots and monsters...

Cowboys At The Superbowl...

At least this one shows more ranger...

Sadly, they didn't make it that far...

But one particular cowboy showed up.  A ranger.  A lone ranger.  Check out Walt Disney Pictures Super Bowl Spot for "The Lone Ranger" that premiered during the Big Game.  It's got a lot of action and a good amount of humor.  Especially that bit near the end.

Gore Verbinski can tell a Western.  He did it before with "Rango" a couple years ago.  So I have faith in him.  The Mouse's marketing department hopefully won't have a problem figuring out how to sell this one to an audience like they did with "John Carter" last year.  They were both Westerns after all.  One just ended up on another planet.

And the other ended up on Johnny Depp...

After Godzilla, Before Godzilla...

Giant robot, run for your lives... 

It's been one great week for trailers...


I can't wait to see these on the big screen.  Guillermo del Toro's new film, "Pacific Rim" has finally had its first trailer released.  Giant robots versus giant monsters.  Is there really any need to say more?  It looks fantastic, and you can see del Toro's signature vision stamped across each and every frame of this trailer.  If the film lives up to the trailer then this will be one fun event next year.

Now, if Alan Horn can just get him to sign on to direct the "Haunted Mansion" remake...

Still Frozen...

Cold blooded, beautifully crafted...





Walt Disney Animation Studios 53rd animated film is deep in production...

But very little is known in the public about it. While it is based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," very little else is known about it. A lot of internal artwork has been produced for the film. Apparently, a couple of stills have leaked like the one above. Much of what I've seen out there is artwork from previous incarnations, not the current version. So what do we know about it. A few bits of info for you:

First of all, it's entitled "Frozen" as the above artwork says. Disney marketing wants to stay as far away from royal titles as possible for fear of young boys not buying tickets. Tangled reinforced this idea, at least domestically it did. Nothing with a Queen or Princess will make it out as a title. A title with King in it could make it out though, but nothing as of yet is in the production pipeline.

While it is based on that classic tale, it's very, very loosely based on it. Think along the lines of "Tangled" and how little it resembles the fairy tale of "Rapunzel." The bare bones of that story is all that is intact and the rest of the story is entirely original. But the script was well enough to get the green light and move it ahead of "King of the Elves," which is no longer in production. John Lasseter feels strongly about the story, and the direction that Chris Buck is taking the narrative.

Yes, it is computer animated, not hand drawn, but the style is quite beautiful and evolved from traditional graphics that we expect in these films. Think about the swirly painted sets/backgrounds in Tangled that appear like they were taken out of a classical painting. Frozen will advance and alter this as well, but in a different direction (but not as much as Paperman, which you'll understand when you see it).

But the film that comes out next year will show you that the current state of Disney Animation is quite healthy...

Pacific Toho...

Guillermo! Guillerzilla! Godzilla! G...












Not really Toho...

Not even in the slightest. This is something new, and unto itself. Holy, wow. I mean, you know I love Guillermo del Toro. I think his work is amazing and I still want him to direct that "Haunted Mansion" film, but with this he's definitely moved forward into a pack that few directors occupy. And in this environment, at this time, well let's just say that Comic-Con is a world unto itself. And Guillermo is a god here. The crowd hailed him as a conquering hero when he walked onstage to present footage/effects from "Pacific Rim."

He could have had roses thrown at his feet as he showed clips from the giant robot (Jaeger) versus giant monster (Kaiju) film. There was footage shown of a battle with the creatures, but you never really got to see it in full scale or entirety. But the scope of the destruction and battles was clearly evident. And it had del Toro's style all over it. His talk was filled with the typical humor he uses, and it feels like a friend telling you about his favorite project, not some distant film maker that happens to be trying to impress you with his latest masterpiece.

I love how when he describes the way he wants the robots to move that he mentions how they should move and why. He explains things like he's thought them out, not just trying to throw something up on the screen. And with the monsters, how he wants you to know them from the inside out, like he's been examining their physiology as a scientist. It's the same way I've heard him describe that "Frankenstein" project that he's been working on for years.

My only fear, not for the film really, but more for Legendary is that this film will make "Godzilla," which was also announced today, an afterthought. It's going to have to go in a completely opposite direction if it's not going to be perceived as underwhelming for audiences after this. Guillermo mentioned that this will be the only footage released for sometime, so attendees got to see it first until late this year/early next. And I can't wait to see a full on trailer for this when more fx work is done. I can't wait to see the battles that this mighty hero has planned for us.

Because they are going to be EPIC...

Pirates Of The Old West...

Hi ho, Black Pearl, and away...




And as a last surprise during Disney's panel, they had a little trailer for us...

Like a few years before when they showed a test trailer for "Tron 2," the Mouse had a gift for us. Not the official trailer for the "The Lone Ranger," but one that was specifically made for Comic Con.

And it looks typical Gore Verbinski. It's very much like what you would find in the Pirates films. It has an epic scale to it. While very little of the Lone Ranger and Tonto are shown, you do get to enter the world in which they occupy. And it's somewhere between a traditional one and a Sergio Leone western. This isn't a revisionist western, it's Disney after all.

But it does look big, and you can see with the train scenes (lots of them) that this film is going to be massive just like the Pirate films. It is to the West what that series was to the Caribbean. And Johnny Depp is playing a Tonto that is like Jack Sparrow, while Armie Hammer is Will Turner. As well, for perspective think that in this film the ships are trains and the ocean is the dusty dessert plains. And Tonto hanging from the bottom of a train. This should be fun.

Looking forward to the actual first, full trailer when it's released...

Inside Oz...

No place like home, no place like home...




We've now had our first look at "Oz: The Great and Powerful" thanks to ET...

Entertainment Tonight reporter Mark Steines had a segment where they interviewed James Franco about the character, the film and gave a slight peek behind the curtain. I love the look of the film, and the shots of Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz are spot on and feel like a perfect glove. Franco on the other hand doesn't. When Robert Downey Jr. was attached it felt like perfect casting, but this I don't really know. I'll have to wait till we see a trailer to make a better judgement. But it'll be an interesting trip down the Yellow Brick Road next year for the Mouse, and us.

We should find out more about this tomorrow as Comic Con begins...

Higher Learning...

How Sully and Mike met...







So today we got our first preview of Pixar's first prequel...

The Lamp released a teaser for the upcoming "Monster University" animated feature scheduled for 2013. Not only did they release the teaser, they released it in four different formats with slight variations.

Teaser One.
Teaser Two.
Teaser Three.
Teaser Four.

Now you know what it's like to learn how to scare to care...

Art School...

How many years before they graduated...




As the release date gets closer, we get to know more about the Lamp's 2013 film...

Here is a piece of production art that was released today. Sully and Mike going through the gates as they learn to scare. Well before they became the championship team at Monster's Inc. they had to learn how to. And this film will apparently tell that story. Enjoy this as a small peek beneath the curtain. Tomorrow the first teaser will be released.



And we'll get our first animated look at what this film looks like...

Hat Tip to Big Screen Animation.

Unthawing...

A great script without the royalty in it's name...






Walt Disney Animation Studios let out who would be playing in the next year's animated feature...

While "Wreck-It Ralph" is having its finishing touches worked on as we speak, the Mouse is hard at work on 2013's release. Disney's "Frozen," also known as "The Snow Queen" now has a queen and a heroine. Here is the press release with the details:

Walt Disney Animation Studios presents an epic tale of adventure and comedy in Frozen, a computer-animated feature film slated for the big screen in November 2013. Directed by Chris Buck (Tarzan,Surfs Up) and produced by Peter Del Vecho (Winnie the Pooh,The Princess and the Frog), Frozen features the vocal talents of film/TV/stage star Kristen Bell as Anna, a young dreamer about to take the adventure of a lifetime, and Tony Award -winning actress Idina Menzel as Elsa the Snow Queen. The movie will feature original songs by Broadway greats Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

In Frozen, a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, so Anna (voice of Bell) must team up with Kristoff, a daring mountain man, on the grandest of journeys to find the Snow Queen (voice of Menzel) and put an end to the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like extremes, mystical creatures and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

Bell has starred in a variety of films, including the comedies Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Couples Retreat, and the upcoming films Hit & Run, Some Girls and the Farrelly BrothersMovie 43. On the small screen, Bell is currently starring in the Showtime series House of Lies alongside Don Cheadle; she has also starred in Heroes and Veronica Mars. Broadway credits include The Crucible and Tom Sawyer.

Menzel, who won a Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elphaba in Broadways Wicked (2004), landed her first role on Broadway in 1995 in the Tony Award-winning musical Rent. Film credits include Enchanted and the feature film Rent. She has appeared in a recurring role on TVs Glee and recently released Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony, a live concert with an orchestra led by composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Menzel is currently on a North American concert tour.

Robert Lopez is a three-time Tony Award-winning writer of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon, which was co-written with Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park), and the musical Avenue Q, which ran for six years on Broadway and four years in Londons West End. Lopez teamed with wife Anderson-Lopez, whose Drama Desk-winning show In Transit is Broadway-bound, to write original songs for 2011s Winnie the Pooh, a stage version of Finding Nemo and a new musical called Up Here.

Word is that the script for this one is very good, and it was one of the reasons it was moved ahead of "King of the Elves" in the production line before Elves got put in turnaround. But the one I'm truly looking forward to is the one that is scheduled for release after 2013.

It's truly unlike anything WDAS has ever done before...

Villains Too/Two For 2...

Of thunder and rock and roll...




In a few Months, "Thor 2" starts production in England...

Unlike many in the Marvel Universe, Thor doesn't have a large rouge's gallery of villains. Characters like the Fantastic Four, Captain America, Spider-Man or the X-Men have a great deal more respected and credible villains, the Norse god's enemies are not as well known. There are a few that might wind up being potential opponents in a cinematic environment.

While Loki is the most known/best foil to Thor, several other villains could play a role in the upcoming sequel. Many are asking what villain will confront the Norse god in the new film? Who could the actor hired to play him be portraying? Well, he could be playing Atum, the God Eater, a being created to consume the gods. Or maybe Desak the God Slayer of an unnamed world. Then again, Ego the Living Planet might be him, but doubtful. Kryllk the Cruel a Asgardian Troll Leader? All are possible, but I don't believe any are the villain.

In fact, if you look at the actor cast to play the lead villain, he bares a striking resemblance to a certain villain that has been a pain in Thor's side since the 80's. Mads Mikkelsen is a very tall, lean actor with piercing tiny eyes. He's capable of playing a villain with cold blooded intensity. He's a charismatic Danish actor and has a Scandinavian appearance that would go with many of the villains that come from Norse mythology which Stan Lee adapted into comic form. Out of all these villains, one seems to stand out.



Malekith the Accursed.

For those of you that don't know who he is, Malekith is the ruler of the Dark Elves in the Asgardian Nine Worlds. And his story would work with Thor 2 taking place mainly within the other realms of Thor's chronology. Since we know that Loki would play a part in the film, it also makes sense. Because in the stories, Malekith makes a pact with Loki that involves him ruling the lands of Asgard and could bring about an epic adventure that could lead to a truly "Lord of the Rings" type film for "Thor 3" if they follow the Surtur storyline. Who is Surtur? Click on the link and see the Walt Simonson run on the book as well. We now know that Thanos won't be in this film, so there won't be a plot line involving The Infinity Gauntlet. But perhaps Thor's sequel will feature The Eternal Flame? Now, if some reporter will just ask Kevin Feige this question we can see if he tries to squirm out of answering it.

But if all this turns out to be true then the sequels to Thor could be a quite interesting and radical direction that differentiates Odin's son from the rest of his underwear wearing friends on Earth...

Of King & Kingdom...

A whole new world...










It's amazing what a couple of years and a blockbuster can do to a studio...

The Hat Building is flying on all cylinders and things are a buzzing. But not everything is going well in the Happiest Studio in Burbank.

Later this year, "Wreck-It Ralph" will debut and show audiences that "Tangled" wasn't a fluke. From the stories I've gotten, it sounds like they really have a heart filled tale that will have everyone seeing this film over and over again. What "Toy Story" did for toys, this does for video games. And the nostalgia for those that grew up on 8-bit games as well as those that love the 90's games are going to be in love with this film. And boys, will eat this up. Get that? "Boys," the marketing demo that the Suits seem to be worried about.

After that, next year we go back to classic fairy tales. Minus the names that tell you they're royalty, of course. But one tale that won't be happening anytime soon is about Elves. That's right, "King of the Elves" was racing with "Frozen" to be the 2013 release and it still has too many story structure problems to make it across the finish line. So many in fact, that Chris Williams is now off the project and going back to work on other projects (not as a director, but story boarder). It seems the script for Snow Queen aka: "Frozen" is in much better shape and it got the release date for next year, while KOTE got put on the shelve. Again.

Ron & John's new project is going through story development and could wind up being the 2014/15 slot, but it's still deep in the early stage so time will tell what happens. A lot of people have commented that this will be the duo's first computer animated film. As of now, there are development test going on for traditional, hybrid and computer examples, and no decision has been made. This decision won't be made for quite a while. Just like Pixar, the focus is on story, story, story. Not, the medium it's presented in.

The projects competing for 2014/2015 are the uber-secret film from Don Hall, which will be a marvelously unexpected project if it ever gets the green light, and Nathan Greno and Byron Howard's films which are deep in development. These are projects that are busy working out the story elements so that the films live up to John Lasseter's high Pixar standards. The one that gets the release slot will be the one whose story is deemed ready to actually animate. Not a bad concept, right?

There are a couple other projects in concept form and many more animators are lining up for pitch sessions with John for a chance to develop their ideas. Slowly the culture has changed over the past half-decade to the point where many animators and artist actually are having fun again. And many are hoping that they will be part of the Third Golden Age of Disney Animation. That is a very good thing.

Those of you that are fans of "Prep & Landing" will be interested in knowing that the ratings for last Christmas' "Naughty Versus Nice" special weren't where ABC/Disney wanted them to go, and any plans for a third special have been put into a holding pattern as the Suits figure out what/where or even when/if it should go forward. It's possible that the advertising schedule didn't exactly set the mark for giving people the information for when it would be broadcast. So Burbank is factoring in merchandise, ratings and other elements to see if there is any viability in creating another special. I certainly hope so, because there was talk of taking all of them and combining the into a film with original footage along the lines of "Winnie the Pooh."

And when talking about animation, if you follow WDAS then you know there was talk of moving down toward Glendale a while ago to be next to WDI. Those plans were canned and plans moved to trying to find a place on the lot to build a new animation building. Well, now the goal is to take the existing animation building and rework it, kind of the way Disney California Adventure had an extreme makeover done to it. And just like DCA was kept open as guests went about their way, so would be the same for artists in the Hat Building. It's nice to know that in addition to screwing up Disneyland's Second Gate, Eisner was capable of screwing up the animation building as well. But thankfully, it's all getting fixed.

But it's great to see the majority of news coming out of the Hat Building to be positive...

Untitled Road...

Don't stop, go, go, go...








A lot has been happening in the Hat Building over the past six months...

After all, at the end of last year saw the release of "Tangled," which was a huge film for the studio. Not only did it relieve a bit of pressure to perform by the Disney animators, it also made way for a lot of projects to move further into development. Many have complained that there wasn't much in development over the past few years, causing many an animator/artist to get a layoff notice.

I am happy to tell you that that is not the case now. Of course, the development slate is nowhere near as large as DreamWorks Animation, which has a very large and long list of projects, but it is getting fattened up, and it's still growing.

First off, we know that Walt Disney Animation Studios next film is the hand-drawn sequel "Winnie the Pooh," which comes out as counter programing to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2." But where does the road take us after that?

Well, come 2012 we know that Rich Moore's "Wreck-It Ralph" will be the studios' animated offering. I hear that the project is very different from the last few films, but still shares the same, Disney heart. If some of the hysterically dark scenes I heard make it though the cut then this one will get an unusually rare, PG13 rating for the 52nd animated feature from Disney Animation. But we'll have to wait and see what final form it arrives in.

As of 2013, the next project to be moving down the pipeline is newly re-envisioned "King of the Elves," which has been chugging along under the direction of Chris Williams (something we reported exclusively last year). The storyboarding has been going on, new scenes are being written and the story structure is being tightened up. This CG animated feature should tentatively arrive during the holidays unless a kink in the production process pops up. I've heard many people asking if rumors of it being out of development were true and from what I know, it has continually been moving forward since last year.

Now for 2014, it gets a little murkier, as these projects are in a more fluid state of development, so changes could happen. But as of now, this is what you are likely to see.

Based on the current state of projects, a CG version of "Snow Queen" directed by Chris Buck is likely to see release sometime during the year. The story structure problems that popped up in the last hand-drawn version seem to be ironed out and storyboarding has moved forward with Chris' unique take on the material. And for those of you wondering if it'll be faithful to the original story? I can only say that it'll be as faithful to it as the Mouse was to "The Little Mermaid." Presuming that another film gets released that year, it is likely to be the new hand-drawn film from John Musker and Ron Clements. And no, I'm not talking "Mort" as the rights to that would have required the Mouse to purchase the entire series, which it didn't want to commit to. So this new project is something else that the duo has pitched Lasseter. All that is known, is that it will be hand-drawn.

After that, in the 2014/2015 range will be the untitled project coming from Nathan Greno & Bryon Howard's. Not much is known about this film, but the duo hit it off on "Tangled" and have apparently pitched a project that Lasseter thinks will be great. If their project is not ready, then Dean Wellins' project will fill the slot. His is a story that will be very different from the mold we picture Disney animated films and this is a project that is aimed at all those boys that don't like princess movies.

Sometime around this point in the schedule, Don Hall's super secret project may have been greenlit and far enough down the line to be penciled in for a 2015/2016 release. That project, once announced will generate a lot of buzz in certain geek communities, as it's going to surprise a lot of people for what it is and what it's not. But it's in the very early embryonic stage and it depends on how well the project is received upon the presentation that is being prepared for John and Ed.

After that, there are several ideas that are being prepared for pitches which could compete for time on the release slate, but as of now there you have it. It will be interesting seeing how Disney's marketing department deals with some of these titles as they are out of what we normally picture for a Disney film. Even some of the ones you would think are in the classic mold, are really not.

Although several of these films have titles, they are very much temporary ones and are as much in flux as is the schedule itself. The development track expanding in the last year is a very positive step and Lasseter's trust in the talent is also a very reassuring development as well.

The greatest contribution about last years hit is not the box office it generated, but that it may have untangled the restrictions that had been placed on the company's animation future...

The Mighty Returns...

By Odin's beard...


Marvel Studios has announced the release of the next adventures of a temperamental Asgardian...

Well, they've made the general time they're going to be releasing it, not the actual date. "Thor 2" will be released in summer 2013. This will also see the debut of Shane Black's "Iron Man 3," which I am anxiously awaiting. Now, since Shellhead's third outing is coming May 3, it's very likely that the Nordic sequel will come out in June or July, but the studio is going to wait until they see what other films start to line up around that time.

This makes one wonder if that is all that will be released in 2013? Perhaps there will be a spring release? Or more likely, a Christmas release? Can we say "The Runaways" or another property in that large catalog? S.H.I.E.L.D. 2014!!!

Time will tell...

The Pixar Plan...

Calling Docter Pete, calling Docter Pete...



The Lamp has scheduled it's next animated film...

And for all those out there that are screaming about too many sequels, it's an original story. As per their Modus Operandi, the gang up in Emeryville have been very cryptic. No plot details and no information on who is directing or writing it, only the release date: November 27, 2013.

From what I've heard, it's likely the next animated feature from Pete Docter since he's not helming the sequel/prequel to his "Monsters Inc." film. It probably won't be too long before we'll be hearing about the next release of the Mouse's other animation house in Burbank. The one that's coming in 2014.

It'll be interesting to see when that happens...