Bolt Movie Trailer
Disney has released the trailer for Bolt. Does anyone else find it ironic that an Elvis Presley song is used in the trailer for a movie in which Lilo & Stitch director Chris Sanders was removed as director? I talked about the controversy behind this project last week, if you haven’t had a chance, check it out here.
I’ll admit that because of the backstory, it’s hard for me to be accept Disney’s reworking of Sander’s original designs. But aside from the groan inducing trick opening, the movie doest look all that bad. Sure, the characters and situations don’t look nearly as interesting or as original as Sander’s designs, but it also doesn’t look as generic as past Disney efforts. Plus releasing the film in 3D at least guarantees a fun theatrical experience. Could it be the John Lasseter effect? I’d be interested to hear the opinions of readers who didn’t feel an attachment to Sander’s American Dog concept art. What do you think?
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.
Watch the trailer in High Definition on Yahoo. Bolt will hit theaters on November 26th, 2008 in Disney Digital 3-D™
Toy Story 3 Plot Revealed
The Wall Street Journal has revealed the plot for Toy Story 3:
“Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college.”
Lee Unkrich, who has been co-director on Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc, and Finding Nemo, stepped up to helm the third film in the series. Michael Arndt, the Academy Award nominated scribe of Little Miss Sunshine, wrote the screenplay.
Before the Disney/Pixar merger, the mouse house was hard at work on a third Toy Story film without Pixar’s involvement. Disney’s plot idea involved a recall of Buzz Lightyear toys, which includes Andy’s doll, which results in the Toys going on an adventure to Taiwan to rescue Buzz, who has been malfunctioning. John Lasseter and company were very unhappy with the idea, and didn’t approve.
The new plot line sounds interesting, but am I the only one who liked the logline for Disney’s Recalled story? (Note: I heard the actual treatment was horrible, but the idea itself sounds pretty cool). Either way I have faith in whatever Pixar comes up with.
Disney will be rereleasing new Disney Digital 3-D versions of Toy Story on October 2nd, 2009, and Toy Story 2 on February 12th, 2010. Toy Story 3 is being produced as a 3-D movie, and will hit theaters on June 18th, 2010.
Discuss: What do you think of the “Day-Care Center” storyline compared to the scrapped Disney “recall” storyline?
Toy Story 1 & 2 Returning to Theaters in 3D
It was announced today that the first two films in Pixar’s sole and signature franchise, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, are headed back to movie screens October 2nd, 2009 and February 12th, 2010, respectively, with a complete digital 3D makeover, called Disney Digital 3D to be exact. The films will be an audience primer for Disney-Pixar’s digital 3D Toy Story 3, which hits screens on June 18th, 2010. John Lasseter, director of the first two Toy films and a Pixar poobah, is supervising the 3D process on both, while director Lee Unkrick continues his work on the second sequel.
In 1995, Toy Story was probably the most eye-popping thing I’d ever seen at that young age, in a theater or otherwise. Well, it ranked with my first concert, Beck, but I remember looking at the screen and my brain couldn’t comprehend the smoothness of the characters on screen. It was like the future in Back to the Future 2 had finally arrived. That feeling came surprisingly close again last year watching Beowulf at midnight at IMAX, but not totally. And I guess kids will feel the same way (self-fitting sneaks and attacking 3D movie ads still on the way…) with Toy Story 3 in 3D.
But while the new movie is a whole ‘nother animal, I’m not sure if I’d like to see the original film again in theaters in 3D. It might be like putting two types of syrup on your pancakes. Maybe that’s the goofy, tie-dyed cousin of death, nostalgia, talking. I’m sure it will look amazing, and Pixar revolutionized filmmaking, so they deserve the long theatrical celebration and audience refresher. What do you think?
Ratatouille Producer Brad Lewis to Direct Pixar Movie
Emmy winning visual effects producer turned Ratatouille producer Brad Lewis will soon become a Pixar director.
“I’m going to direct my next film, but that hasn’t been announced yet so that isn’t something I can break for you today, but maybe Lasseter will talk about it.”
Our friend Frosty at Collider was unsuccessful in his attempt to grill Lewis for more information, and when he questioned Toy Story director John Lasseter, he could only confirm the project:
“We haven’t announced the film yet, but he will be directing - yes!”
No word on if the project is a short of feature film. I know Pixar’s one-feature-film-a-year slate is filled up until at least 2011, so either it’s very early in development, or it’s a short film. You can watch the video interview at Collider.com.