A Hong Kong Marvel..

The world now has an announcement for the Mouse's first marvel...

I mean Marvel.  There have been many things proposed, many thing cancelled, and many things reworked.  The first thing that could have been announced posssibly earlier this year was a Stark Expo type of experience where Innoventions now resides.  But the late purchase last year of Lucasfilm scuttled those plans in favor of something else (I bet you can guess what with).

Now, via the Wall Street Journal, we find out that China will get the first Marvel attraction: "The Iron Man Experience".  Hong Kong Disneyland precisely/specifically, that is.  The attraction seems to share parts of what was to go in Anaheim, but not all.  There have been rumors of an entire land, but budgetary issues and the economy seem to dictate that's not in the cards near term.

The ride will be built in Tomorrowland with an opening set for 2016.  It'll be a simulator thrill ride akin to Star Tours, but with newer technology.  But in less than three years the Chinese will get to enjoy Iron Man saving the Hong Kong skyline from evil foes bent on conquering the world - Asia first.  Too bad they didn't go with the Baxter Building Experience.

Well that could come later, or elsewhere...

Forecast, Extended Reign…

It looks like Bob Iger is going to be around a few more months than expected…

Those of you that haven't seen it yet, the news came out yesterday that Bob Eiger will retain his CEO title in addition to his chairman title until the expiration of his contract in 2016.  Originally, he was supposed to relinquish the CEO title in April 2015, while retaining the chairmanship title until the expiration of his contract in 2016.  Now they both will end together.  This means his leadership will not be split, and it also gives him and the board more time to decide on a successor.

It's going to be a difficult position, many people will be vying for that title as I mentioned in a previous post.  Right now, the odds on favorite is Tom Staggs, but other powerful people are still in the running.  This includes two people who weren't even at the company a year ago, Kathleen Kennedy and Alan Horn.  Lastly, there is the Dark Overlord, Jay Rasulo.  Let's cross our fingers that that one doesn't happen.

So what does all this mean?  Well, it means that Iger will be there through the end of his contract, and the players have a little more time to show their worth.  Three years worth.  That's a long time in the entertainment business, a lifetime compared with any other.  It'll be interesting to see how the jockeying goes over the next couple of years.  The CEO and Chairman of the largest entertainment company in the world is leaving it in an even bigger position that it was under Eisner.  His successor will have to do a lot of shuffeling to compete in this global market that entertainment has transformed into over the last decade.  The world is a lot different than it was at the beginning of this century.

Even the Disney World…

Iger's End And Openings...

Power corrupts, absolute power gets drunk on it...






Well Bob Iger has signed a two/three year extension of his contract...

But he's done something that Michael Eisner never did. He gave us an end game. Iger announced that he will gain the title of Chairman as of next year, and will leg go of the reigns of power as CEO on March 31, 2015. He will then stay on as Chairman of the Walt Disney Company at least till this new contract expires in June, 2016.

This is in stark contrast to Eisner who tried to maintain his hold on power well after he should have resigned. It also sets up a debate as to whom will become the next CEO. The obvious choices are Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman, Tom Staggs and Dark Lord of the Sith, err, I mean Chief Financial Officer, Jay Rasulo. It's my belief that it will be Tom Staggs who gets the title as it appears he's a much better fit for the role. Jay belongs over in the bean counting department dealing with the numbers. Staggs has proven himself to be a savvy Suit working the parks and getting much respect from those that he's had dealings with.

It may be interesting to see which Suit comes out in the lead over the next four years...

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...