Disney’s 41st animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, was born at a Mexican restaurant. During lunch in 1996, it was there that producer Don Hahn and directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale (who had all collaborated on Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame) met to talk about movies and potential future […]
Posts Tagged ‘Walt Disney Animation Studios’
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Pixar’s new short “22 Vs. Earth” goes to Disney+ Next Week
April 21st, 2021 
Jerry Beck Ever wonder what new soul 22 has against Earth in Disney and Pixar’s hit 2020 feature film Soul? A new short from Pixar Animation Studios revisits the skeptical soul long before she ever met Joe Gardner. Debuting on Disney+ on Friday April 30th, 22 vs. Earth welcomes Tina Fey back to The Great Before as […]
REVIEW: “Raya and the Last Dragon”
March 8th, 2021 Martin Goodman Raya and the Last Dragon, in production since 2017, is Disney’s 59th film, or should I say, films, because there is more than one movie at work here. By the time I sat down to write this review, I found myself feeling like the shattered dragon orb (the McGuffin of the movie, trying to reunite […]
INTERVIEW: Zach Parrish On Disney’s Dancing Short “Us Again”
March 5th, 2021 Jackson Murphy Zach Parrish is the director of the new Disney animated short film Us Again. It plays exclusively in theaters before Raya and the Last Dragon starting today (and will be on Disney+ in June). Parrish is excited for families to experience this story of an older couple re-connecting through the art of dance. Jackson Murphy: […]
INTERVIEW: Makers Talk Movie Magic of “Raya and the Last Dragon”
March 2nd, 2021 Jackson Murphy Disney Animation’s new feature Raya and the Last Dragon opens in theaters and debuts on Disney+ Premier Access this Friday March 5th. Five of the film’s makers discuss all that went into the movie, from story to visuals to release strategy. These interviews were edited for length. Jackson Murphy: Adele and Osnat, you announced Raya […]
INTERVIEW: “Raya” Directors and Writer Preview Disney’s Upcoming Feature
January 26th, 2021 Jackson Murphy On March 5th, Disney will release its latest animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access. The studio recently gave members of the press an exclusive first look at 30 minutes of footage, along with special presentations from the makers. One of those was a “How to Draw Tuk […]
Spot On! The 60th Anniversary of Disney’s “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”
January 22nd, 2021 Michael Lyons When Walt Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians opened on January 25, 1961, it was a “first” in so many ways. For the first time, a Disney animated feature would have a contemporary setting; it would also be the first “non-musical” animated feature to come from the Studio and the first time Disney was using […]
From Drama to Llama: The 20th Anniversary of “The Emperor’s New Groove”
December 25th, 2020 Michael Lyons From a movie production filled with drama came a film filled with laughs. Disney’s 40th animated feature, The Emperor’s New Groove, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, started life as a completely different movie that became mired in problems, but emerged as one of the funniest films ever to come out of the Studio. […]
A Mice Time in the Outback: The 30th Anniversary of “The Rescuers Down Under”
November 6th, 2020 Michael Lyons It was Monday, November 19th, 1990 and Home Alone had just opened, becoming a mammoth hit that blindsided Hollywood, going on to become one of the biggest movies of all time and a Christmas classic. The John Hughes film also demolished any other movies competing against it at the box-office. One of these was The […]
FIRST LOOK TEASER: Disney’s “Raya and The Last Dragon”
October 21st, 2020 Jerry Beck Check out the exciting, new teaser trailer for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon featuring Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of Raya, a lone warrior whose mission is to track down the legendary last dragon in a bid to save Kumandra and unite its lands. The film, from directors Don Hall […]
The Mouse That Roared: The 25th Anniversary of “Runaway Brain.”
October 15th, 2020 Michael Lyons Mickey Mouse. One of film’s most iconic animated characters. Instantly recognizable in his trademark yellow-buttoned-red shorts or any of his iconic roles: Steamboat Willie, The Sorcerers Apprentice, Bob Cratchit in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Julius the Monster…wait…what?!? Often forgotten and seldom discussed, Mickey did turn in one of his most daring performances as a wild-eyed, fang-toothed […]
Malerie Walters Goes “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II”
June 22nd, 2020 Jackson Murphy Frozen II animator Malerie Walters worked on some of the key musical sequences in Disney’s blockbuster feature. Walters is featured on the new six-part documentary series Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II, debuting this Friday June 26th on Disney+. She shares stories of bringing dynamic scenes to life and teases her next big animation assignment. […]
Making History: The 25th Anniversary of Disney’s “Pocahontas”
June 16th, 2020 Michael Lyons In the summer of 1995, there was a shadow that loomed over the Walt Disney Animation Studio. It was a shadow in the shape of The Lion King. Just one year prior, the tale of Simba had skyrocketed past all box-office expectations and made its way into our collective pop-culture as few films do. For […]
Talking with Creators of Disney’s “Short Circuit”
January 23rd, 2020 Jackson Murphy Anyone at Walt Disney Animation Studios could submit a blind pitch for a 2-3 minute short. The result: the first 14 films in Disney’s new Short Circuit collection. Originally meant to be kept inside the studio, all will now be available to watch on Disney+ starting January 24th. Terry Moews, a layout artist on such […]
Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2020
Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2020 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the […]