A Peek Into Pandora...

My favorite park in Florida's Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom...

Not so much for what it is, but for what it could be.  There is a great deal for everyone in the Resort.  But the Magic Kingdom is not my favorite Disneyland clone.  Even with its expansion it still echoes that it's a copy.  Paris has one of the best designs and my favorite castle.  But not enough rides and not enough upkeep.  Tokyo's is a cleaner copy of Florida's, with a bazaar (both literally and figuratively) front entrance, but it feels even more of a clone than the one near Orlando.  Hong Kong?  A shadow of the original (but it's getting better.).  Shanghai?  Time will tell.

Epcot is a place of so much potential and undelivered promise.  Enjoy it for what it is, and for what I wish it were. But there have been compromises made over the past two decades that have misdirected what could've been a much better park than is. It is in no way the Epcot that Walt Disney envisioned, but it was built as a promising place for ideas he might've liked.   Over the years the bean counters and suits have made glaring errors that have watered down what Imagineers had originally intended/envisioned.  There are great things in the park, but there are also flawed things as well. Too many things unfortunately.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is a mixed bag. Starting out as a clone on the Mouse's competition: Universal Studios, it has morphed back-and-forth trying to find its purposes for guest.  While there are a lot of things that are right, there are many things that simply don't belong. Again, mainly the product of bean counters and not Imagineers. WDI has had clear plans from the beginning which were altered for business/economic purposes that have caused the part to stray from a more pure example of Hollywood movie love.   There have been proposals over the last decade or so that if implemented will make the former Disney-MGM Studio a much more attractive gate bringing it back on track as a "movie" park.

Which brings us to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Now, I'm certainly not saying that this park is perfect, but it does offer promise. And it does offer a much more unique Disney experience than any other park, and certainly any other Disney park.  It is different than a normal themepark, and different from a zoo like San Diego's famous destination.  It is a mix of message, environment, and entertainment all moving into one. For the most part is successful, but not entirely.  Michael Eisner and his bean counters are major players in the fault of the park's original purpose.

Those of you that follow Disney or happen to be regular readers of Blue Sky will know the background of this park and it's storied history.  Being as it is an "animal" park it was supposed to encompass all animal experiences.  By that I mean: living animals (the zoo part, with a Disney spin), extinct animals (Dinosaurs), and mythic animals (Dragons, unicorns, and fairies, oh my.).

Only two of these were actually built.  And for the most part it is a great experience in an amazingly lush and beautiful environment.  The one area that is the sore spot is Dinoland U.S.A.  An atrociously guady kids land that is a blight on the serene scenery everywhere else in the park.  Do they really have to make it ugly just for the young ones?  A revamp of this area so that it shares the same detail, and removes the "carnie" image that clashes with the rest of this hypnotic park would be welcome.

Beastly Kingdomme was the land of mythical creatures that got cut.  It was to be a place where all mythical creatures came to life.  There was an immensely detailed roller coaster revolving around the ancient, ruined castle inhabited by a dragon that would've thrilled guest. There was an enchanting ride called "Quest for the Unicorn" that would've merge guest in the whole haunting world of these magical creatures. A giant garden maze for guests to walk in and even an area along the river where a dragon which you have flames upon unsuspecting guest.

Delightfully themed, intricately detailed shops and joyfully whimsical restaurants were planned to accentuate and accommodate the experience were all included as well.  This mythic part never came to be other than the Dragon on the logo for Disney's Animal Kingdom.   The area it was to go is ironically the same place in which the new land based on James Cameron's film will go.   The area with camp Minnie-Mickey.

For months Disney fans have talked about this new addition.  Many had spread rumors that the project of been canceled, (which we told you months ago it was not) really just hoping that it would since they didn't believe it belonged in Disney park.  And to be fair, it doesn't seem at first glance to be a proper fit. If you think it is from the standpoint of the main characters both human and Na'vi, it seems you're placing it in an entirely different park (Disney's Hollywood Studio is where most think it should  go, if they think it should go in a Disney park at all).

But, if you look at the world created in the highest grossing film of all time in the world, it's the environment that they are selling.  The creatures and locations that are in the science-fiction epic or what Walt Disney Imagineers are trying to convey.  The park, just like the movie has an environmental message (although I will admit that avatars message was a little heavy-handed).  The science-fiction creatures on this far-off world are what you experience which is why the area will be called "Pandora", or the "World of Pandora", and not "Avatar Land" as everyone is referring to it.  

Even though we haven't yet gotten those mythical dragons and other creatures, Joe Ronde's goal is to provide that mythic experience which was missing from the opening.  They will simply be science fiction imaginary creations instead of ancient lore creations.  It will finally helped develop the park into three divisions: living, extinct and imaginary animals.  And before you complain too much, this doesn't mean that we won't get something like Beastly Kingdomme.  It just means that it (and the proposed Austrailia area) will come later.

From what I've heard the Bothans tell me, this new land will be an incredibly immersive experience.  As we've said before, the land will be approximately the same size as Cars Land is in Disney California Adventure. There are at least three attractions, many restaurants and shops, and immersive surroundings which will startle guests throughout the park.  It'll also finally turn the park from a part-day to a full-day park. In fact, from what has been shown, and from what has been told to me, when this area opens in 2017 DAK will be the "must go to" park in the entire Walt Disney World Resort.  

I don't say this as hyperbole, I say this simply as someone conveying what people have told me. Imagineers are extremely happy, and proud of what they have done and are working on to create an experience unlike any other for guests to enjoy.  When I said nighttime experience, I meant "nighttime" experience. There simply will be no more beautiful place to be in than Animal Kingdom,, particularly Pandora at nighttime in Disney World.  It will be a hypnotic trance inducing trip for the young and the old alike.  

And even Hogwarts will be jealous...

UPDATE:  It looks like that Walt Disney Imagineering let D23 release the video presentation for everyone to see.  I guess you didn't have to travel to Japan to travel to Pandora after all.

2015: Becoming A Disney World...

With all the major purchases over the last five years, the Walt Disney Company is about to have a bumper crop...

What am I talking about?  Well, between the purchases of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm, not to mention the live-action/animated films coming from the main branch, the Mouse is gearing up for a monster year.  That year will be 2015.  Just a little more than two years from now Disney will dominate the box office.  It's simply a given.  What films will they release that year?  Take a look at what most likely will be the summer offerings:


Avengers 2

Pirates of the Caribbean 5

Star Wars 7

Finding Dori

Walt Disney Animation Studios release (which one hasn't been determined yet, more in a future post.)

Tron 3 (not announced, but likely)

Ant-Man

Can you imagine the box office that year?  The public is going to get very used to seeing that castle every time they go see something at the local movie theater.  I don't believe any other film studio has had such a dramatic effect on the box office of an entire year this much.  It's going to be a very interesting year.  I'm trying to picture what the other major studios are going to line up against it.

And it's not just the films they release that will mark the year for Disney, but the theme park expansion as well.  There are several expansions (including a rather nice one for Disneyland if it's green lit) that could happen, but aren't approved as of yet.  These are the main two expansions that are on schedule to be opened.


Disney's Animal Kingdom: Pandora: The World of Avatar (tentatively)

Shanghai Disneyland 


This year will mark the end Disney's normal content distribution system as well.  Starting the next year, Netflix will be a primary driver of Mouse entertainment that will likely change distribution channels.  So this year will close on a normal way people get shows, films, and possibly even gaming.  Better sign up now.

Bob Iger is going to be leaving the company on a high note.  The opposite of how Eisner left the entertainment giant.  It's hard to believe how large the company has grown in the last decade, but it shows the popularity of the Disney brand.  Of course, Iger will still be there for a year or so after his resignation as "Chairman Emeritus", but the day to day of the company will be handled by one of four people who now report to him.

Just don't let it be Rasulo...

Building Worlds Apart...

Just don't be preachy, just entertain please...






It marks an interesting turning point for Disney's Animal Kingdom this week...

Because it's the start of researching the feasibility of the massive mini-park that they plan on constructing there. My Bothans told me that the design phase of the project has settled to the point where they have a general idea of what will come of this blue sky period.

So what may we find on the fifth moon of the gas giant Polyphemus?

Well the land will be Big, very BIG. It'll be approximately 10-12 acres (Example: Cars Land = 12 acres) and will be filled with distinctive horticultural differences from the surrounding areas of the park to realize that you've left the earth for something special.

There will be at least three attractions (rides) in the land with plenty of places to eat exotic, foreign foods and shop for strange, alien merchandise. Of those attractions, at least one will involve a flight simulator technology that will be heavily modified from the ones used for "Soarin' Over California."

Cameron has been very helpful in detailing what makes up the planet and how it ecologically can be explained to guests. He's let them pour over the extensive notes and even given them a peek at what is to come in the sequels. The Imagineers are unsure yet if anything from the sequels will make it into the first phase of this land. That's right, I said first phase. If it's successful then they have talked about the ability to expand the area within three to five years for additional attractions, shows and entertainment.

The name of the area will not be "Avatar" as some have mistakenly thought it would be. The three prime names that are being bandied about are: Pandora, The World of Pandora, and Pandora: The World of Avatar. The last one is what most think will be the final name, but nothing is certain yet.

Those of you that are disappointed that the Beastly Kingdom concept wasn't used will know that there are those at DAK that would like to revive it. Many believe that if this is successful it may pave the way for bringing back a variation of it sometime in the next decade. While it wouldn't be exactly the same, it would still fill the fantasy requirement that was originally set up by WDI when they pitched the park: A park celebrating animal life - real animals (the zoo part), extinct animals (dinosaurs) and mythical animals (fantasy animals). While some don't like the Avatar concept, it does fall under the branch of mythical animals, although it's more of a sci-fi branch than a fantasy one. Nevertheless, Imagineers still feel that someday they'll be able to bring the fantasy part of this park to life and have the mythical land be split into a fantasy and a sci-fi element.

But either way, this park will look worlds different (and better) right after the middle of this decade...

Of Beasts And Burdens...

Yeah, king of the world baby...








As we learn more about this deal for an expansion of Disney's Animal Kingdom, some thoughts...

A lot of people are asking about how this deals with the possibility of fans seeing Beastly Kingdom? Well, to be honest, I'll let the dark lord of soulless numbers give you the answer:

”We just won’t do something else we were going to do”

- Jay Rasulo, Chief Financial Officer, Walt Disney Company

That was in response to a question he was asked about the cost of this new "Avatar" land and how it'll affect the bottom line. So for anyone expecting an announcement coming anytime in the near future, you better be patient. While the idea of Beastly Kingdom still lives in the halls of WDI in Glendale, it's not going to be happening anytime soon. And when/if it finally does, don't expect it to look exactly as the original proposal did. Somewhere, sometime in the future you could expect to see dragons, griffins and unicorns to make it to Animal Kingdom, but likely before the end of this decade. I'm willing to wait and watch it grow and evolve.

While "Avatar" wasn't my favorite film in 2009, I can see some appeal for putting it in DAK. And it does fall in the slot of fantasy or mythical creatures, but could likely be referred to as sci-fi creatures. So it would be a variation or play on the original theming of extinct animals, living animals and mythical animals. This would be a subset of that particular group.

And if James Cameron gets his way, which he's used to getting, then you can expect that every penny that he wants will get put into this project. And from what unnamed suits have been saying is this will be somewhere around $500 million dollars. To put that in perspective, Cars Land is somewhere close to $300 million and the Extreme Expansion of the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is a little under that. Keeping that in mind, remember that the Extreme Makeover of DCA is a little under one billion dollars. So for just a section of DAK Imagineers will have half of that funding. This could make for an extremely immersive world if done properly.

And if everything goes well, dragons, griffins and unicorns will join this place when another expansion finally comes...

A Different Kind Of Beastley Kingdomme...

A world of tall, cat looking, blue creatures...




Now this is surprising, but not entirely unexpected...

The Walt Disney Company has licensed James Cameron's "Avatar" for an attraction based in Disney's Animal Kingdom for debut after the release of the next film. So, Universal has Spielberg and now Disney has Cameron helping design themed attractions? Here's the press release:

BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide is joining forces with visionary filmmaker James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world of AVATAR to life at Disney parks. Through an exclusive agreement announced today by Disney, Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of AVATAR first hand. Disney plans to build the first AVATAR themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.

“James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James’ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”

“AVATAR created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we’ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new AVATAR films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore,” said James Cameron. “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of AVATAR with an unprecedented sense of reality.”

The agreement announced today gives The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) exclusive global theme park rights to the AVATAR franchise and provides for additional AVATAR themed lands at other Disney parks. The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. James Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the AVATAR themed lands.

“This exciting new venture combines the world of AVATAR with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron,” commented Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the AVATAR motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”

“AVATAR is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. Its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures, and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney,” said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We can’t wait to give our guests the ability to journey to Pandora and explore the incredible immersive world of AVATAR in person.”

In addition to setting a global box office record, AVATAR has been hailed as one of the most innovative and visually stunning movies ever produced. With its advanced motion capture and 3-D digital projection technologies developed by James Cameron and his team, moviegoers were able to connect with the world of AVATAR in new and engaging ways.

This new venture complements Walt Disney Parks & Resorts’ strategic efforts to continue to invest in its core theme park businesses around the world while simultaneously expanding into other parts of the family vacation business.

More commentary to follow...

Hat Tip to Deadline Hollywood.

Avatar Take Two, Too...

Well now, the new/second trailer for James Cameron's "Avatar" has finally been freed from theaters and unleashed across the Internet...

In HD no less, but not yet on Apple's trailer website, dang it. I know a lot of people have/had problems with the first trailer. So did I. This new one will not quell all the naysayers, but it does give us more elaboration and a deeper view into the world that is Pandora. I like it. I'm cautiously optimistic to see the world that Cameron has created. And Fox is banking on him as the main selling point as you watch the crawl: "From the director of..."





Take a look for yourself and form your own opinion of the trailer. But wait until you actually see the film before you judge it. I mean, this film cost between 250 to 300 million dollars and even the new trailer only showed about ten to fifteen million of it. That leaves a lot of screen time to look at and a lot more money to still show.




Come December we'll get to be the judge to if it was worth the cost in dollars and hype...

Avatar/John Carter/Pandora/Mars Comparisons...

With the announcement that a new "Avatar" trailer coming this weekend I figured it was time to address a few things that are going to be happening over the next few years...

First of all, 3D is here. Duh. Yeah, I know, but by the end of this year it'll have kicked into high gear with the release of Cameron's new film. Presuming that the film is not a total bust and sucks all the money it cost to make down a black hole, you can expect to see many more films like this over the next few years.

One of those film will be "John Carter of Mars" in 2012. Remember that one of the reasons James Cameron did Avatar was that he wanted to film his own John Carter of Mars type of story. He apparently didn't want to literally adapt the Edgar Rice Burroughs version; choosing instead to go his own route with a story that is merely inspired by those kinds of novels. But think about what's going to happen this Christmas season. We're going to watch a big budget Hollywood film about a man from Earth transported to another planet that interacts with the indigenous species and goes on to fight a war on their side. In 2012 we're going to watch a big budget Hollywood film about a man from Earth transported to another planet that interacts with the indigenous species and goes on to fight a war on their side. Sound familiar? Hopefully Andrew Stanton and his crew are working to make a film that is as ambitious as the King of the World's film, but uniquely different so as to not look like it's trying to rip off Avatar. I know it's based on a series of novels from eighty years ago, but the general public doesn't. And remember, perception counts. It always has/does.

But there are similarities to the characters and settings. But the main difference I think is Carmeron's film is more science fiction and Stanton's film is more science fantasy. The narrative he's going to be going with is more romantic than Avatar despite the love story in that film. It'll be easier for audiences to relate to Carter being human and his Mars Princess being almost human (she'll be orangish/coppery). Both films will have large budgets, although I don't think Carter will come in as much as Avatar, though I could be wrong.

But by the time this movie comes out two years from now it should be commonplace, almost an afterthought that it's 3D. The movie going public will not take much note since practically every blockbuster will be released in this format. So it's going to be even more critical that the Walt Disney Picture stands out from the rest. Being in third dimension won't be as much of a selling point as it is today. It'll have to rely on something that Pixar has earned its bread and butter doing: story. This film is going to have to rise above the markers set by today's films. It's going to have to set it's own. I'm curious to see what will happen. I've had friends tell me that if they get hold of the script that they'll send me a copy. I don't know if I'd read it because I've already read the novels and I want to be surprised by the film. I want to enjoy the virginity of seeing it and don't want to spoil the film by knowing every scene that is coming up. I experienced that with "Batman Begins" and chose not to do the same with "The Dark Knight." Now this isn't the case with that "Doc Savage" film coming out. I've been trying to get my hands on David Leslie Johnson's script for a few years. If I could get hold of that script I'd read it in a heartbeat. I've read a few reviews/descriptions of it and would love to turn every page of that one (hint to anyone that wants to send me a copy).

So while I realize there are challenges ahead for this film, just like Cameron's film had problems to overcome, I await seeing the stills, posters and trailers that will follow over the next year or two. Even though I'll be swept away to an alien world this holiday season, I'm excited to know I'll get to experience something similarly wonderful just around the bend in 2012.

There goes that year again...

Oh come on. You really didn't think I'd pass up that opportunity, did you?

A New Yorker On Pandora With The King Of The World...

If you haven't read it, this article on James Cameron over at the New Yorker Magazine about the director and his incredibly expensive and ambitious new film is a must read...

It's twelve pages long, very detailed, engrossing and well written by Dana Goodyear. Great piece. Give it a glance, actually, read the whole thing.

Good stuff...

Cameron's Empire...

For those that are interested in James Cameron's "Avatar" film...

This coming week, Empire Magazine has a new issue out that has an article with a lot of photos that haven't been seen yet of 20th Century Fox's Christmas/Holiday release. I know there's been a lot of criticism of the teaser trailer that premiered last week. But the majority of those that went to the Avatar Day screenings left impressed. Myself included. It may not be a revelation/game changer, but it will be an event film with images and scenes like you've never seen before. Many bet against Cameron when he made "Titanic" over a decade ago. No one felt it would make the 200 million dollar budget back. They were all wrong. Badly wrong. Could they be again?

In December we'll find out what 300 million can buy...

Pandora's Box Office...

I've now seen the trailer and the sixteen minutes of footage in 3D...

I didn't say anything about the trailer of "Avatar" that was released the other day. I've heard a lot of talk about the teaser and it seems that most people are split between loving it or downright hating it. I didn't want to say anything until after I had seen it with 3D glasses in the environment that James Cameron wanted you to experience it.

Well, now I've seen it. First off, about the trailer. When I saw it at first I was somewhat unimpressed. First impressions of it were that it appeared to be a very big budget remake of "Aliens" combined with "Dances with Wolves" set in space. I bought all the human scenes of Sam Worthington, but when those big blue aliens came on I had some difficulty believing in them. It still seemed a bit like video game footage. I didn't hate it and I was in no way going to condemn it as some seem to be doing. I've bet against James Cameron before when he did a little film called "Titanic." I can still hear my roommates and I saying that he'll never recoup that 200 million dollars he spend on it. Fox will never let him do another film for them, we crowed. By the time it was over, I was the one eating crow. So, I never will place my money against the King of the World. He risked a lot making that film and he earned the right to make this film. 20th Century Fox owes him that much.

Having now seen the trailer I can tell my first impressions of the trailer were right... and were not so write. Confused? Well, I was right about it being Aliens/Dances in Space. But it also feels to have a bit of Michael Mann's "Last of the Mohicans" as well. And although I saw some scenes from the trailer, they play out far better on a giant IMAX screen than a 32 inch computer screen. Does it look totally real? No, not really, but I bought into it after a little bit and you became lost in the story and this uniquely beautiful and strange world. And the world of Pandora is unlike any world I've seen on screen before. I mean, there are shades of Felucia, that glowing world seen briefly in "Revenge of the Sith," but Pandora appears much more organic and believable. Star Wars seemed like Lucas gave the artist a one or two sentence line about a world and let them create it. All he had to do was sign off on the designs. This place feels like something that Cameron designed from the bottom up. I felt that if I was to ask him how this world evolved or how the ecology worked that he could go through a very detailed explanation that he's worked out. It felt very big, epic and intriguing and I can see many people going to see this just because of the event movie it is going to turn out to be. And it's probably going to make a who lot of money at the box office for the Suits at the Fox Studio.

CG is just a tool. It can't tell a story, it can only present that story. In the right hands it can expand their opportunities, but in the wrong hands it can be an excuse to not have a fully developed script or even idea. That's the difference between James Cameron and Michael Bay. I have a feeling that Cameron has an endgame for this story. If Bay had done a film like this I can only imagine the plot holes that we would be seeing these characters falling into. So after this first viewing I'm looking forward to it. It's got me interested enough to give it a chance.

And Cameron at the very least deserves that from me...