Oh Bother, Again...

I'm just sitting back enjoying the people riding my attraction...








Walt Disney Animation Studios has released a clip from their upcoming hand-drawn animated feature...

"Winnie the Pooh" will be in theaters on July aweewe, and it'll be a warm, loving look back to one of the classics of Disney Animation. After that, we get a year of reprieve from the Hat Building and then the new slate begins. I can't wait for the Reboot. Err, I mean reboot.

Who knows, if enough seats fill the theaters there might be enough support for a bit of plusing that attraction in Disneyland...

The Cost Of Ownership, Or Not...

Money, money, money, money...









I'm sure that the majority of people that visit this site know that the Tokyo Disney Resort isn't actually owned by the Mouse...

We've had a lot of articles on Blue Sky Disney about the Tokyo Disney Resort, many pertaining to the amazingly wonderful Tokyo DisneySEA, but several on Tokyo Disneyland and their parent owner, the Oriental Land Company.

Even though the economic impact of this natural disaster will dramatically hurt the OLC, it will also have a substantial impact on the Walt Disney Company. Perhaps you were wondering how this could be? Disney doesn't own anything tangible in the company and has no actual fiscal investment in the resort. What it does have is a royalty agreement with the Japanese company. A percentage of everything that the company makes from the resort goes directly into the coffers of the Mouse's vault.

What it boils down to in general, the agreement calls for ticket/gate profits to pay a 10 percent fee on every guest that enters the park. In addition to this, food and merchandise both have to pay a 5 percent fee on every purchase made in the resort. Now, according to The Street in their evaluation of this agreement, that comes to 7.5% of the Oriental Land Company's annual revenue. This comes out to a hefty $230 million dollars every year that the WDC gets for licensing it's characters/properties out. Not bad. This gives you an idea as to the net profit the Japanese partner makes on its Disney affiliation: slightly over 3 billion dollars a year, when converted from Yen.

In addition to this, not taken in to account is the fees that the Japanese are charged for the use of Walt Disney Imagineering. All construction and design has to be done through WDI's work, which helps defray/subsidize cost of technology that will be used throughout all the other Disney Parks. One has to also wonder how the effect of the hiring of Imagineers has prevented or at least lessened the layoffs of these employees when design time was cut and projects were not heavy in the production pipeline.

So can you imagine the dent in the projected sales or profit of the upcoming corporate calendar year for the Mouse? You can already presume that anywhere from $40 to $50 million dollars will be lowered from any fiscal reports in the coming annual earnings that are announced next year. If it last into the fall, you can expect $100 million to disappear from the balance sheet of Disney profits in this business cycle. So the coming year will see a downturn in projected revenue for Disney in regards to something it doesn't really own.

In the business world and the Disney world, it's an example of how mind share and forethought can be very expensive and have lasting repercussions...

Brave Art...

No, this isn't a piece about some artist's exhibit that was banned from a showing...

It seems that Entertainment Weekly got their hands on some concept art of Pixar's "Brave" for a first look at the feature for their latest issue. It's lovely, especially that first piece (notice the bear?). It'll be interesting to see how they handle their first fairy tale/princess film. We'll find out by summer of next year. We should be getting a teaser for this by the end of this summer/beginning of fall.

Speaking of which, by the time this film comes out, the Mouse should hopefully have released another schedule showing us the road map ahead for the Hat and the Lamp. That way we can get a clearer picture of what films have been scheduled and what surprises await us.

Hopefully Ron & Jon's other idea will have gelled by then since "Mort" sadly fell through...

Resorting To Delays...

Discover the Recover...


Even if the resort was ready, the areas around are not...

The Tokyo Disney Resort wasn't going to open back up on March 21, after a ten day inspection of the parks, parking lots and hotels/entertainment complexes. While some may have hoped that it would be open close to that date, the country and particularly Tokyo, have a great deal of digging out to do before there will be any opening of the Happiest Place in the Land of the Rising Sun.

With all the power outages and transportation problems it has been determined that the park is closed until further notice. As the nation recovers from a devastating earthquake/tsunami, it has been estimated the rebuilding will take approximately five years to get Japan back where it was. Put this together with the problems happening at that Nuclear plant, and it's going to be a while before things get back to normal.

I've heard that the optimistic plan would be to open the park in time for summer. A more negative assessment would be that the closure could be more than a year, but this one is highly unlikely, though not impossible. Obviously, any delay means a delay in the celebration of Tokyo DisneySEA's tenth anniversary. The start of the celebration and opening of Fantasmic! was supposed to come starting April 23. If the park did open in summer, it's not confirmed yet as to when the show would open, but in all likelihood, it wouldn't be simultaneous. A staged release, with the opening of the parks, hotels, entertainment complex and events planned for the event would happen gradually.

So, expect the news in April to come in bits and pieces as the Oriental Land Company determines not only how and when it fixes any structural problems, but how it coordinates them with reopening of the resort and the country itself. Our hearts go out to the families and friends there who have lost so much in this devastation.

Developing...

End Of A Legacy...

Game on, game on, game on...






Those of you that go to DCA tonight to see World of Color are in for something special...

You see, tonight is supposed to be the last performance(s) of the "Troncore" trailer at the end of the show. While, as of now nothing has been green lit to take it's place, there are a couple of presentations that WDI is mulling over. We should see something to replace it by the time summer is upon us.

But for those of you that see the show tonight, you have seen the last of Legacy...

America Unleased...

I believe in my country, I want to fight for my country...








The new "Captain America" trailer was released today...

Looks pretty sweeeeeet to me. I can't wait to see this in front of Zack Snyder's film this weekend. I think it has a very authentic appearance to the comic book, but carries mass appeal to those that have never even turned a page of this pop-culture historical piece.

I certainly hope that Hydra will play a great part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not just a menace in the Forties...

A Final Pirate Trailer...

Yo ho, and a bottle of rum...






Finally, a "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" trailer that actually makes me want to see it...

The last couple of trailers for POTC 4 have been ok, but have mainly played up Johnny Depp being in the film. They haven't left me all that excited, even though I planned on seeing them. I love pirates so I would go see it no matter what. But this one actually shows some of the story, and some of the new world that this film will inhabit. And it looks like a place I would want to enter.

Now there is a good reason to take a drink of this rum...

There And Back Again Starts Today...

One Ring to rule them all and in Orlando bind them...










Today is supposed to be the start day for "The Hobbit" film(s)...

Warner Bros. production of the classic novel that gave birth to "The Lord of the Ring" should be lensing down in New Zealand as we speak. As someone that absolutely loved the books, the films and everything else about them, I can't wait to see Part One in December of 2012.

And now, if Disney would just license the films they can capitalize on mania that will happen over the new few years by putting a nice attraction in Disney's Hollywood Studios (just as the Second Part ends, what a coincidence that would be). It might even give them a reason to move that Sorcerer's Hat.

I know the Mouse has wanted their own LOTR, but Narnia sadly, wasn't it...

The Blackest Beard...

Well, shiver me timbers...






No sooner had I mentioned I couldn't wait to see Ian McShane's one-sheet than it appears...

Well, it came out yesterday, but I've been away from Blue Sky Headquarters, so I wasn't able to post it till now. Of course, it doesn't show any action, it's a character sheet for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." And although he doesn't look like what I expected, I know that McShane will deliver an amazing performance. I know that his character is based on the real pirate, but it's a story involving more myth than the man. Still, it would be nice to see them incorporate some of the real man's history into this pirate fairy tale. Perhaps if the tone and scope of this film is closer to the original, we can expect the second trilogy to materialize in a less chaotic way.

But this is Hollywood and wishing that might be a little unrealistic...

UPDATE: If you'd like to see the collection of all the character one-sheets, then head over to Coming Soon's post here.

Theme Parked...

Spider-Mouse, Spider-Mouse, does whatever it can to get out of agreements...








Something interesting happened in the world of theme parks this week...

Something that is not about Disney, but all about it. At least when it comes to inserting the Marvel characters into the many parks that the Mouse owns or co-owns.

Universal Studios owns Universal Hollywood outright, but the other Universal Studios theme parks that it owns are co-ventures; even Universal Studios Orlando. That theme park is co-owned by the Blackstone Group. They own a fifty percent equity in the two theme park resort and are now looking to sell their share. With the success of "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," the group looks to capitalize on its investment and get a premium for the shares that it has.

One of the interesting things about the agreement between Uni and Warner Bros. is that a change in ownership will trigger a clause in the rights to that franchise, which could mean they could lose it or have to renegotiate the original agreement for a much higher fee. Now, realistically, Universal is coming off their best year ever with attendance and spending, so there is no way the Uni Suits are going to plan on giving away what has helped turn their parks into destinations that is usually only reserved for Walt Disney World. They will do what they need to do to keep them inside the park, which means a renegotiation if necessary.

That said, it makes one wonder what the agreement that Universal Orlando has with Marvel is like. Is it similar? Because if it is, this could be the out that Disney would look for to wrestle control back of properties that it would love to exploit at its own parks; particularly those just a little ways down the road from IOA. You can bet that the Mouse's lawyers will be looking at every line of the agreement for wiggle room, and unlike TWWOHP, there would be no reason to settle. Any renegotiation by Disney would be set at a level meant to make such a renegotiation prohibitively expensive. That way, the Walt Disney Company could walk away with the rights to the properties it bought in 2009 and be able to start planning attractions or even parks without fear of some form of litigation nightmare.

Universal would have to come up with a way to retheme the attractions to other characters that it owns or someone else would be willing to license to them. If I was Warner Bros., I'd consider this a great opportunity to offer the DC Comics properties instead. It'd be a major upgrade from Six Flags and branded characters that would fit into the theme parks need for highly visible franchises. Couldn't you see that Spider-Man attraction being retooled for Batman or Superman? Maybe retheme that Hulk coaster to the Green Lantern?

So, depending on how good Marvel's lawyers were, we may be seeing men wearing their underwear on the outside of their clothes sooner than we thought.

Developing...

Family Portrait...

Meanwhile, back in Smallville...





Well, they've rounding out the Kent family...

After announcing that Henry Cavill would play Clark Kent, and Diane Lane would be Martha Kent, it was confirmed today that Kevin Costner would play the only father Kal-El has ever, really known, Jonathan Kent.

I wonder which part of the Superman canon they'll follow for Zack Snyder's "Superman: Man of Steel" reboot? If they go the traditional route then Clark will be left with only his mother by the end of the film. Me? I hope they go with the John Bryne period and keep him alive so that he can always have the grounding presence of a father around. That was a change that resulted from the 80's mini-series "Man of Steel," so it would be appropriate for a film entitled the same name.

Here's Warner Bros. official press release:

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Kevin Costner will play Jonathan Kent, the father who raised Clark Kent as his own son, in the new Superman movie to be directed by Zack Snyder.

Snyder stated, “Jonathan Kent is the only father figure Clark has ever had, the man who was there to help Clark understand what he was meant to do in the world as Superman. Kevin will be able to communicate the quiet strength of this rural American man who raised the greatest super hero of all time.”

Costner will star alongside Diane Lane, who plays his wife, Martha, and the film’s star, Henry Cavill, who will play the new Clark Kent/Superman.

Costner most recently starred in 2010’s “The Company Men,” and is currently in development on the comedy “The One.” He has won two Academy Awards®, for producing and directing the epic “Dances with Wolves,” also garnering a nomination for Best Actor. He has also starred in a wide range of memorable films, including “The Untouchables,” “No Way Out,” “Bull Durham,” “Field of Dreams,” “JFK,” “The Bodyguard,” “Wyatt Earp,” “Tin Cup” and “Swing Vote,” to name a few.

Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film. The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

The new Superman movie will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Looking forward to seeing that suit when they post it. I hope it sticks as closely as possible to the actual costume. I don't want to see something along the lines of what Nick Cage was going to wear for Tim Burton's aborted attempt at the last son of Krypton. I would stick as closely as possible to the original archetypes.

Truth, justice and the American way...

Oh Captain, My Captain...

We named the monkey part four...






Walt Disney Pictures has released another character one-sheet for the next Pirates adventure...

Geoffrey Rush/Hector Barbossa appears in this poster for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," with that crazy eye glaze that tells you to stay away because he's just a bit wacky. I don't mind Elizabeth and Will missing from these stories, but I'm glad Sparrow's foil and nemesis has not been left out of these new adventures. I can't wait to see one with Ian McShane as Edward Teach.

Setting sail in less than two months...

Brave, One Week...

Princess movies are so passe, wait, they're not...






Pixar Animation Studios has delayed the release of next summers film by one week...

The 13th animated feature from the Lamp, "Brave" has been moved from June 15, 2012 to June 22, 2012. Most likely as counter programming for "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter." This will be the Little Emeryville Studios' first princess film. So I guess royalty at the Mouse isn't dead after all?

Now, it'll be interesting when both studios announce their line-up for films after 2013/14...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day...

Another pint of Guiness, please...
















May the Luck of the Irish be with you today, my friends...

To everyone out there, from we Irish here (more than just me, so you know), have a great, happy and blessed St. Patty's Day!

May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past....

After Shock Waves...

Wait and see to wait and see...


As Japan starts to recover from the devastation of a earthquake/tsunami, word comes about TDR from the OLC...

First, it was revealed that the parks/resort will be closed for at least ten days with the earliest possible date being March 21st. Here's the press release:

Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea suspended operations due to the effect of the Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake on 3/11. Theme park operations will continue to be suspended tomorrow and thereafter. We will target 3/21 for a decision and notification on when to expect operations to resume.

This earthquake did not cause major damage to the facilities and building in the themeparks, and we have already proceeded with safety verifications. We will make a decision on the timing of restarting operations carefully, taking into account the safety of the parks, and the recovery of transportation systems as well as neighboring infrastructure.

Even though the majority of the theme park structures appear to have been unaffected, the parking lots are in bad shape and the actual date of March 21st is unlikely to be the opening date. There is talk that they may stay closed through most of April. Nothing has been approved yet, but it might be May before the Resort is back up. And even then it's not known if it'll be back up to capacity.

And all this also brings into perspective the fact that the celebration of Tokyo DisneySEA's 10th anniversary is to be pushed back/delayed. The opening in April of Fantasmic! is highly unlikely, as is much of the entertainment. Many Cast Members have taken a leave of absence or in the case of most foreign Cast Members, returned to their home countries. The state of the Tokyo Disney Resort is much like the state of Japan; evaluating the damage and cleaning up after the full force of a 9.1 (or 9.0 depending on whom you talk to) Earthquake/Tsunami. We'll know more as we get closer to the end of the month.

Developing...

The Fourth Post...

Yo, ho, yo, ho...







The first poster for "Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides" has been released...

Wonder what they're trying to sell here? Obviously, Jack Sparrow is playing an important role in this, but it'll be nice when we get to see Ian McShane and other in a more flashing sheet.

I can't wait to see how they continue the storyline from the original trilogy into this trilogy.

Yes, I know, you heard me say that. It's not earth shattering, and it doesn't require brain surgery to come to this conclusion. One doesn't have to have their head in Fantasyland to realize what success will mean for this franchise in film and attractions. A hit is a hit.

But if this one is a hit you can believe that there will be more to follow..

A New Ballad...

Don't short on the shorts...



The first stills from WDAS's "The Ballad of Nessie" are out...















The short is definately influenced from those late 50's animated shorts that were being made by Walt Disney Productions. As most of you know, this will be playing in front of "Winnie the Pooh" when it comes out this summer.














Directed by Stevie Wermers-Skelton and Kevin Deters (the directors of the awesome "Prep & Landing" and "How to Hook Up Your Home Theater") this short tells the tale of the famous Scottish monster and what happens when a greedy developer decides to build a project over her old home. Not only is the team behind Prep doing this, but Michael Giacchino has done the score for the short. That right there means it'll have a unique and entertaining sound at the least. Now, if Lasseter will just put these two in charge of a feature.













Now, if they'll get those other shorts that they're working on in front of more films...

Earthquakes & Heartaches...

The earth may fall away, but not the people's resolve...



I'm sure many of you have seen the massive devastation in Japan from the Tsunami/Earthquake...

Literally hours after reading about that "Pacific Rim" script in which monsters destroys Tokyo, a real disaster almost does what that script was pretending to do. Massive flooding, fires and lost lives have resulted from this tragedy.

If you've ever been to the Tokyo Disney Resort, then you know it's in Tokyo Bay and is built upon land fill. While the parks themselves have had limited damage that we know of, the parking lots/structure have pretty much become swamps from liquefaction; a result of earth settling, pipes bursting and soil erosion. A full assessment hasn't been completed yet, so we don't know if there will be a delay in Fantasmic! premiering next month in Tokyo DisneySEA or if it'll affect the opening of Toy Story Midway Mania next year. The days and weeks ahead will provide the answer, slower than we'd like, but an answer none-the-less.

All here at Blue Sky Disney wish the survivors well and pray that you and your families get back to the life you knew before this, as soon as able, with as little disruption as possible...

Industry: All Light & Magic...

Lights, Industrial Magic, Action...







The entertainment industry is a very competitive business...

Most of the time, it's a very hard and demanding business. The animated portion of that business is a very robust and busy area dominated by three or four studios in a world where the name Walt Disney used to dominate over all. There was a time when it was thought that only Disney animated films could make money. That was a long, long time ago.

Today you have Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios at the top of the mountain. Several others, like the emerging companies like Illumination Entertainment are crawling closer to the peak, and start-ups like ImageMovers Digital fall off and roll back down the mountain. And then there are the lower tiered ones. But sometimes surprising contenders can be found in the most unexpected places.

Now, as I've said before, I don't do reviews anymore, but I will say that saw "Rango" last weekend and thought that it was spectacular. From the weird and quirky script, to the drop dead gorgeous animation. The CG work in this film is some of the best I have ever seen. It's stunning. Although the most stunning part of it is that it was animated by a company that's not an animation studio. At least in the traditional sense. It's an FX company, the FX company. The one that set the standard a couple decades ago:

Industrial Light & Magic.

George Lucas' effects company has branched out and this film was their first animated film. This was the first one that they weren't just doing effects for scenes, they were doing all the scenes. Everything. And they did it flawlessly. This film looks absolutely mind droopingly delicious; not in a distracting way, but in a very organic and smooth way. You would never know from watching the film that they weren't an animation company. Which shouldn't come as too much a surprise as they've been animating things for years, just not an entire story. I look forward to whatever is their second film, because they've proven that they can hang with the big boys. I just hope that they're as selective of the scripts they animated as they were with this one. It's going to be interesting to see where they go from here.

I wonder if Wingnut Films will now decide to animate films as well as do the FX for them? After all, if ILM can, perhaps they should give it a try? It's not like haven't proven to be more than competitive with ILM in effects, how about in terms of an entire story? I kind of like the sound of Wingnut Animation Studios.

Either way, the big boys have some competition...

Pacific Plot...

Godzilla! Godzilla! Wait? Generic Godzilla!







As the days progress, we'll hear more and more about Travis Beacham's "Pacific Rim," maybe even sooner than expected...

News In Film has got a heck of a spoiler of what the first act of this film is supposed to be about and boy does it sound wild and big. Mostly big. The site says that if the budget is proper and Guillermo del Toro is given enough free reign then this could be his "Jurassic Park." I'm sure he'd like that, as it would probably make it easier for him to get "At the Mountains of Madness" made. Who knows, maybe if he delivers in spades for Legendary Pictures, they'll buy the script/option from Universal and make it themselves? Time will tell.

Now, about that "Haunted Mansion" reboot...

Hat Tip to /Film.

Release Of Pooh...

It looks like the sun is coming out, Piglet...






Thirty-four years ago on this day, "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" was released...

The compilation of three shorts: "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree," Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day," and "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too," created a story for kids and kids at heart all around the world.

And although, these three tales were based on original tales from A.A. Milne, they weren't the only ones. As we will soon have a collection of new tales to follow that silly ole' bear on come July 15.

In classic, hand-drawn delight...

Reel Nostalgia...

From the creative minds of Jaws and Lost...




Bad Robot phone home...


The first real trailer for J.J. Abram's "Super 8" is out...

And it looks totally like something you'd find coming from Amblin Entertainment in the Eighties, only it's out now from Bad Robot. Check out the Spielbergian trailer as well as this swanky, new poster for the film. I love both, but the poster is great for the fact that it's not just some head shot of a star and the films name. The art of the poster has disappeared over the last couple of decades as the need for stars to open a film has dominated the marketing of the project. I'm glad to see this as a turn in the opposite direction. Of course, it could be said that the stars of this film are Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, which would explain their names being so prominent.

Looking forward to 8 being my number 4 in 11...

Keane Observations...

Since Blue Sky broke the news about the Moon looking to buy a star the Internet has been a buzz...

At least, for those of us that keep track of such things. Not everyone knows who does what in Disney Animation (or cares for that matter). But for those that love Disney, Glen Keane is the animated equivalent of Brad Pitt or some such other that would set Tween hearts a flutter.

Well, Steve Hulett (a former story man at the Mouse and son of famed Disney background artist, Ralph Hulett) over at the TAG Blog happened to have stumbled into Glen and posted this conversation about the rumor we reported on:

"My contract is up at Disney in May, and I'm doing due diligence, looking around, seeing what's out there. I'm 57 years old and I want to make the rest of my career count.

"I've known Jeffrey Katzenberg for a long time, and like him. And DreamWorks Animation is a dynamic studio. I also like what's happening at Disney. I think Tangled was one of our best features, and I did more drawings on it than I did working on Tarzan. It was great working with the animators on the crew, helping them take the work to the next level ..."

Check out the post for a bit more on Hulett's observations and some really snarky comments afterwards. Let's just hope that the Suits in the Hat Building know what they'll be losing, because DreamWorks Animation KNOWS what they'd be getting. Talent can sometimes come cheap, but reputations never do.

Keane is a major reason many a young animator would wind up choosing WDAS...

Wandering Around Worlds...

I am speed...







As with every project that the Lamp does, it does more than just the film...

You build the world around that film. Remember those lovely wine/food posters from "Ratatouille?" Or all the concept art that never make it into the film? A great deal of work that goes into a film from WDAS or Pixar will likely never be seen by the public, so it's refreshing when stuff like this pops up. It layers the places we enter when the lights go down in that local theater.



Take these lovely posters for example. Inspired by Harley Jessup and with the help of many members of the Emeryville crew, they have added depth and dimension to a world populated by engines with hearts and eyes that have wiper blades. Nice, eh?



Now, if they'd only sell these in Cars Land...

Hat Tip to The Pixar Blog.

Guillermo's Rim...

So Legendary Pictures made it official about Guillermo del Toro directing their big, monster film...

Hours after it was revealed that Universal had passed on "At the Mountains of Madness" and Del Toro was likely to be filming "Pacific Rim," this press release was issued:

Legendary Pictures announced today that Guillermo del Toro is directing the company's upcoming feature, Pacific Rim, confirmed as his next film. The film has already entered pre-production and will begin principal photography in September 2011. Pacific Rim will be released during summer 2013 and will be produced by Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni for Legendary Pictures and Guillermo del Toro.

Stated Guillermo del Toro: "We started developing PAC RIM a while ago with the mad passion and enthusiasm of a project unwatched and unchecked by politics or comparisons. We designed and shepherded the movie we want to make. We start shooting in September and we hit the ground running because we are so in sync. My partnership with Legendary represents, both in scale and creative demands, a huge step forward for me."

It's difficult to believe that the last film he directed was in 2008 with "Hellboy 2." The long, gestating "The Hobbit" ate a great deal of time from his already busy schedule, and for the better part of the last year he's been working on ATMOM. And all he has to show for it are a couple of rejection notices. Well, that's not really the case. He has a great script, impressive FX and models as well as a commitment from Tom Cruise to do it a little later, and I have a feeling that it still may see the light of day a few years down the line. But right now he's prepping "Pacific Rim" for a 2013 release. Again, no word yet on his re-imagining of "The Haunted Mansion" film/attraction, but his love for it should carry it though, although not as a director, but just as a producer/co-writer.

We should start to hear casting/story/location details about GDT's Rim by summer, Mansion is another story...

Shanghai Details Land...

Second kingdom, second chance...


We finally have an idea of what Shanghai Disneyland will look like...

A map officially giving a bit of detail and definition to what we can expect has been released. Alain over at Disney and More has a fantastic article with the picture/map, details about size, number of hotels and transportation are included as well.

Give it a look...

Dreaming A Future...

Dream a big, little dream...


The Mouse's main competition announced their animated film slate through 2014 today...

Jeffrey Katzenberg, who happened to have ran WDAS during the Second Golden Age has created a very formidable rival in DreamWorks Animation; something that many thought was impossible. Year after year, he's been able to create another hit. While the story and tone of DWA films sometimes draws snarks and name calling, the thing that stands out is how much Katz is a survivor, and a successful one at that. It's not easy to make it in Hollywood, it's not something that everyone can do, even though many try; most fail. I have to commend Jeffrey and his Suits for putting together a large collection of very talented animators (that may or may not include Keane, whenever he decides on that offer) and the collection of hits they've had in a very competitive industry.

So as I mentioned, today the Moon gave everyone a peek at what to expect between now and the next three years. It's a very crowded schedule.

Here's the official announcement:

GLENDALE, Calif., March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced its feature film release slate through 2014.

The Company's current plan features six original films and is anchored by three sequels based on its hit Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon franchises.

DreamWorks Animation's theatrical release schedule is currently planned as follows: Kung Fu Panda 2 for May 26, 2011 and Puss In Boots for November 4, 2011; Madagascar 3 for June 8, 2012 and Rise of the Guardians for November 21, 2012; The Croods for March 1, 2013, Turbo for June 7, 2013 and Me and My Shadow for November 8, 2013; Mr. Peabody & Sherman for March 21, 2014 and How to Train Your Dragon 2 for June 20, 2014.

"At DreamWorks Animation, our creative ambition has never been greater and the release schedule we're unveiling today is designed to give our movies the time and resources they need to realize their full potential so each one can become a true event for our audiences," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. "Thanks to the extraordinary talent base at DreamWorks Animation today, our feature film slate is full of both original story ideas and exciting new franchise chapters that will form a solid foundation for the studio's creative output through 2014," added Bill Damaschke, the Company's Chief Creative Officer.

Below is additional detail on the feature films that comprise DreamWorks Animation's theatrical release schedule:

Kung Fu Panda 2 will be released on May 26, 2011. It is being directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda), produced by Melissa Cobb (Kung Fu Panda) and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda). It stars Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong and Michelle Yeoh. In the sequel, Po is living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po's life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins... only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Puss In Boots will be released on November 4, 2011. It is directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) and produced by Joe Aguilar (Merry Madagascar) and Latifa Ouaou (Monsters vs. Aliens). It is being written by Tom Wheeler (The Cape). Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) are serving as executive producers on the film, which stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris. Way before he ever met Shrek, the legendary Puss In Boots goes on a heroic journey, teaming up with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty Softpaws to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs. It's the adventure of nine lifetimes!

Madagascar 3 will be released on June 8, 2012. It is directed by Eric Darnell (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and produced by Mireille Soria (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and Mark Swift (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa). It is being written by Noah Baumbach (Fantastic Mr. Fox) and once again stars Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer and Andy Richter. Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

Rise of the Guardians, based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 21, 2012. It is directed by Peter Ramsey (Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space) and co-directed by Joyce. The film is being produced by Christina Steinberg (Bee Movie, National Treasure) and Nancy Bernstein, long-time head of Production at DreamWorks Animation. Rise of the Guardians is being written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro and Michael Siegel. It stars Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. More than a collection of the well-known childhood legends, Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

The Croods will be released on March 1, 2013. It is being written and directed by two-time Academy Award® nominee Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch) and Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) and produced by Kristine Belson (How to Train Your Dragon) and Jane Hartwell (Shrek). It stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman. The Croods is a comedy adventure that takes us back to a previously undiscovered era in the history of our planet known as the Croodaceous, when nature was still a work-in-progress... full of never-before- seen creatures and landscapes. Audiences will relate to the hilarious family antics as an imaginative and resourceful newcomer helps the Croods navigate their way through the fantastic world beyond their cave.

Turbo will be released on June 7, 2013. It is being directed by David Soren (Merry Madagascar), who first brought the project to the studio, and produced by Lisa Stewart (Monsters vs. Aliens). It is being written by Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After) together with Soren. Turbo tells the story of an ordinary garden snail with an impossible dream: to become the fastest snail in the world. When a freak accident gives him extraordinary speed, Turbo sets out to try to make this dream come true.

In Me and My Shadow, which will be released on November 8, 2013, the studio will pioneer a groundbreaking combination of both CG and traditional animation techniques seamlessly together throughout the film. The film is directed by Mark Dindal (Chicken Little, The Emperor's New Groove) and produced by Melissa Cobb (Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2) and Teresa Cheng (Shrek Forever After, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron). It is being written by Tom Astle and Matt Ember (Get Smart). Me and My Shadow tells the story of Shadow Stan, an extremely frustrated shadow who yearns for a dynamic life but happens to be stuck with Stanley Grubb, the world's most boring human. Finally pushed to the brink, Shadow Stan breaks the singular rule of the Shadow World – "They lead, we follow" – and takes control of Stanley!

Mr. Peabody & Sherman will be released on March 21, 2014. It is directed by Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little, The Lion King) and produced by Jason Clark (Monster House, Stuart Little) and Denise Nolan Cascino (Megamind). It is being written by Craig Wright (United States of Tara, Six Feet Under). Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Bullwinkle Studio's Tiffany Ward and Classic Media's Eric Ellenbogen are serving as executive producers on the film, which stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Robert Downey Jr. Based on Jay Ward's classic cartoon, Mr. Peabody is the world's smartest person who happens to be a dog. He and his "pet" boy Sherman discover that someone has stolen their time traveling WABAC machine and is changing moments in history to disastrous and comical results. It's up to this most unexpected of father-son teams to somehow put a stop to this villain before his actions destroy the space-time continuum in Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

How to Train Your Dragon 2, the sequel to the Academy Award®-nominated original film from 2010, will be released on June 20, 2014. It is being directed and written by Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon) and produced by Bonnie Arnold (How to Train Your Dragon). Also based on the book series by Cressida Cowell, the sequel is being executive produced by Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon) together with DeBlois. How to Train Your Dragon 2 again stars Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller and Kristen Wiig.

About DreamWorks Animation SKG DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques.

Busy company, hmmm? While it's been noted that WDAS slate was thin (it was), things have started to pick up as we've reported here. Slowly they're putting together a list of films, steadily building a collection of stories that can work their way through the production line. Eventually a film should/could come out ever year to a year and a half depending on how smoothly things go over the next year as plans become more defined.

But I'm sure it's not coming together as fast as some would like to hold the talent there though...

Iger On Disney...

Call me Bob...







Charlie Rose did a very in depth interview with Disney CEO Bob Iger that has been posted...

No matter if you like him or not, it's a great opportunity to get the man's perspective on Disney, business, the deals he has made and his take on the future that lies ahead.

An interesting viewing...

The Man Who Directed Too Much...

Lights, camera, what's next...






Wow, the economy is bad, but some people never run out of job opportunities...

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Guillermo del Toro has been offered the directing gig of "Pacific Rim," the giant monster film written by Travis Beacham. This after having difficulty getting the green light for his adaptation of "At The Mountains of Madness." With James Cameron producing, Guillermo directing and Tom Cruise starring and they can't get the Universal Suits to pull the trigger? Man, this town is seriously risk averse big time. Movies such as "Apocalypse Now" could have never been made today. It's sad that this has happened.

Of course, from what I hear, Pacific Rim is right up the director's alley, and something where he would be in his element. But his heart is in this project and although he has have a dozen other films in preparation, the H.P. Lovecraft novella is the dream that he wants to wake up to. If he does decide to make the film, it'll be with the intent of showing Universal that he can make a big budget commercial film so that they'll let him make Madness.

He wouldn't be the first to do this, remember that Brad Bird took the reigns of "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" so as to prove to Warner Suits that he was capable of directing a big, live-action film and therefore be allowed to make "1906" a reality.

If Guillermo del Toro does take Rim, to make ATMOM, then that will likely be the death nail for any chance of him directing the "Haunted Mansion" remake. He already said that he was producing the script with he wrote with Matthew Robbins and that directing would be decided later and time permitting. Well, this would certainly kill the "time permitting" part. He would have to just produce/co-write it and start hunting for another director for the project. All this doesn't even address the many film projects which his name is attached to, or the "Incredible Hulk" series that he's shepherding with an eye in directing the pilot. And then he has an untitled series for cable that he's been developing for a couple years. Not to mention his entry in the video game business with "inSane." And on and on and on. The man is seriously busy and waiting for something to yell: "Action!" on.

We just don't know what will be the first one out the gate..

Between The Mouse & The Moon...

Sabbatical or retreat...







Some interesting stirrings in the Hat Building of late...

Or perhaps that should be out of the Hat Building? With the stunning hit that is Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Tangled," one would think that the success has everyone with their heads a bit in the clouds. This starting out as Glen Keane's pet project, it would seem that his head would be up there as well. And it is, or was. Right now Glen is on sabbatical from Disney and enjoying a much needed, and much deserved break from the grind of animating.

That said...

It appears that some folks (Bothans included) think that Glen isn't happy with the current slate of projects at WDAS and is looking for greener pastures to ply his trade. Or maybe he's simply just looking for a change? And a certain animation studio knows this. They dream of working with the likes of someone of Keane's stature. And it has the Suits at this particular place in Glendale trying/attempting to woo him over to this side of the valley. And they're wooing him very aggressively.

Glen has had meetings with people at that studio recently and while no decision has been made, they want him and are wooing him with opportunities and dangling carrots in front of his face to get him to make that walk across the long yard from Burbank to Glendale.

Nothing is set in stone, but losing Glen Keane, who is one of the premiere talents and master animators that have defined the Second Golden Age of Disney Animation, would be a major blow to the recently revived studio. He's my favorite living animator, a living legend, a true talent and a genuinely nice guy. Hopefully, he'll decide to stay, but the very fact that he's entertaining the offer is something that is frightfully scary. It would be like Babe Ruth leaving Boston Red Sox for the New York Yankees. A truly monumental leap for someone who has been iconically linked to the Disney name for over three decades.

Then again, maybe with starting the Third Golden Age for Disney, he feels it's time to move on to a new, and different chapter of his life?

Time will tell...

Newest Disney Villain...

Hydra over the world...







Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive peek at the arch nemesis of the "Captain America" film...

And I have to say it looks totally, amazingly cool! That is pitch-perfect: the skull, the uniform and the actor. This could be a great adaptation of a classic comic book character.

If you want to see a much more detailed shot of the picture then head over to EW right now.

Looking more and more forward to this...

Official Date Sucks...

Lucasfilm has announced the theatrical release date for "Star Wars: Episode I" in 3D...

February 10, 2012 is the date you can go into a theater and see George Lucas begin to destroy the mythic Star Wars universe with each passing second, only this time it'll be in 3D. Think it'll suck just as badly or worse in the Third Dimension? I'll go see these when they start to get good, which means Episode III (which is by no means perfect).

Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox announced today that the 3D theatrical launch of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace now has an official release date — February 10, 2012! Set against the thrilling and exotic backdrop of a “galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars is perfectly suited to the immersive 3D theatrical experience, and Episode I delivers some of the Saga’s most stunning and spectacular sequences — from the Naboo invasion to the Tatooine Podraces to the climactic lightsaber battle between Darth Maul and the Jedi. Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous conversion is being done with utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions.

And just so you know, yes, Indiana Jones is still planned for a 3D theatrical release. They just have decided to wait on the announcement. I stick by that story because of what I know that I can't tell.

Eat that, haters...

Hat Tip to The Force.Net.

Lost Anime Translation...

A small preview trailer for the new X-Men Anime series on G4 is now online...

Looks purty. Of course, it's in Japanese so I have no idea what's being said. But it's X-Men so I can pretty much guess. If I'm riding Pooh's Hunny Hunt I can tell what's happening by the visuals, so I think I can follow this. I wonder when Google Translate is going to have an app that lets you translate something you're watching?

Time will tell...

First Look @ An Uprising...

2N In 4 fun and games...






When you buy the new "Tron Legacy" Blu-Ray/DVD you'll get a lot of bonus features...

One of those will be the trailer for Disney XD's animated series "Tron Uprising." But if you want to see it before then, click here.

Looks very nice. I can't wait to see/DVR this. So much happening in the world of Tron right now.

An exciting time to be on the grid...