If you're a Disney / Pixar fan, get ready for some news! I attended a panel about the upcoming Disney Pixar movies at the D23 Expo and I've got tons of breaking news to share!
Like most people, I've been watching Walt Disney Animation Studios since I was a tiny child. With the invention of VHS tapes in the late 70's, my generation was able to experience these classic films in a whole new way. I watched my favorite Disney films over and over, committing them to memories so strong that I can play them back in my head to this day. To this day I get little chills when a new movie is announced. So, when Disney invited me to attend the 2017 D23 Expo I knew I had to make it happen. Hearing the latest news about my favorite films was a MUST!
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At the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, John Lasseter (the chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios) presented: Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Upcoming Films. After having a total geek-out moment over seeing John Lasseter in such an amazing setting, I was able to focus on all the cool news and never-before-seen footage he was about to share with us.
Here's a little preview, but be sure to read below for details:
Upcoming Disney Pixar Movies
As I mentioned in my 2017 Disney movie slate, Disney / Pixar's upcoming full length feature Coco is coming to theaters on November 22, 2017. John Lasseter introduced us to Director Lee Unkrich, co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina and producer Darla K. Anderson who shared some updates for the film.
In case you missed it, here's a little summary of what Coco is about: Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history. Coco will open on November 22, 2017.
We heard from the talent behind the film and they showed us a sneak peek of Coco. It looks so good! It explores universal themes of family, and of course, following your heart. The animation is beautiful with vivid and bold colors. It's a thing of beauty!
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We also got a surprise visit from Coco himself, Anthony Gonzalez, and his cast mate Benjamin Bratt, who sang a beautiful rendition of "Remember Me," an original song from the film. It was an impressive display!
Check out the original trailer for Coco here:
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Kristen Bell took the stage at D23 Expo to give us a little background story. This 21 minute featurette is slated to have 4 new original songs (woo hoo!) from the original cast and characters! Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) is on a mission to harness the best holiday traditions for Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) and Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and I was really hoping for a exclusive look. Lucky for us, Bell delivered!
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Image courtesy of The Walt Disney Company
A few moments into the clip, the audio skipped while Olaf started a music number. To the delight of the audience, Josh Gad came surprised the crowd and sang the song live! He was AMAZING!
Check out the trailer for Olaf's Frozen Adventure here:
Also coming up from Pixar / Disney is Incredibles 2. This film is set to hit the big screen on June 15, 2018, under the direction of Brad Bird.
Lasseter also gave us some news about Incredibles 2. We are BIG Incredibles fans so our family is looking forward to see the return of our favorite superhero family.
The Incredibles is still in production, but we got a glimpse of one of the most popular characters, super-suit stylist Edna Mode. D23 Expo guest were shown a fun clip to show just how much the fashion industry loves Edna Mode, who HATES capes - in case you didn't know. Showcasing fashion icons from Heidi Klum and Kendall Jenner to Zac Posen and Rachel Zoe, I've got the video for you right here:
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In breaking incredible news, we learned that the Incredibles will be put into an expanded universe that includes new allies and a new villain. We also found out that Bob becomes a stay at home dad and learns some things about Jack-Jack. We saw a little clip of what Bob learns and it was AWESOME. Keep an eye out for the Incredibles in theaters on June 15, 2018.
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Another highly anticipated film in the world of animation is Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2. Lasseter introduced Directors Rich Moore (who I got to interview before the release of his hit Zootopia) and Phil Johnson.
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They brought out Sarah Silverman (the voice of that little glitch we all love, Vanellope von Schweetz) to give us details about a special clip they were going to show us.
Believe me when I tell you, this was THE absolute highlight of this session (and probably my D23 experience). The hysterical scene plays homage to the Disney Princesses. Lasseter revealed that filmmakers had asked the original voice actresses behind all of the iconic Disney Princesses to reprise their roles for the sequence. It was seriously like Christmas morning as each Disney Princess took the stage next! Auli‘i Cravalho (“Moana”), Kristen Bell (Anna in “Frozen”), Kelly MacDonald (Merida in “Brave”), Mandy Moore (Rapunzel in “Tangled”), Anika Noni Rose (Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog”), Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas”), Linda Larkin (Jasmine in “Aladdin”), Paige O’Hara (Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”) and Jodi Benson (Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”) were welcomed on stage for the largest gathering of Disney Princesses in history.
We also learned a little more about the storyline and a NEW character. In the new movies, Wreck-It Ralph leaves the arcade behind, venturing into the expansive universe of the internet, which may or may not survive Ralph’s not-so-light touch. Outcasts-turned-BFFs Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope von Schweetz are reuniting with Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer) and Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch). This is when we learned about new character, Yesss, played by none other than Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson. She knows everything about what's on-trend and has a few things to teach Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope.
Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 hits theaters on Nov. 21, 2018.
In other film news, Lasseter told us about a brand new film that was being created by Disneytoon Studios. While the movie is still unnamed at this point, it's going to explore future aviation. Let me tell you, the graphics were unreal! The film will open on theaters April 12, 2019.
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Image courtesy of The Walt Disney Company
I'm sure you're anticipating Toy Story 4 news because I was DYING to hear some myself. Toy Story was my son's very first and favorite Disney movie and it's so special to us. Our whole family loves this series so we were thrilled to hear that a new Toy Story would be coming to theaters on June 21, 2019. Lasseter himself was slated to direct this film so I was sure he'd be giving us all sorts of insider access. Well, the first piece of information he shared was that he was handing over the reigns of direction to Josh Cooley. That's about all we found out about this one, so stay tuned!
And lastly, we got some more breaking news about another unnamed new feature-length film from Pixar Animation Studios from director Dan Scanlon (from Monsters University). He took the stage and gave us a bit of an emotional account of his own childhood when he lost his father at a very young age. The film is inspired by the question he’s always asked, "Who was my father?" The story is set in a world with no humans, only elves, trolls and sprites. He said that the film would tell the story of 2 teenage elf brothers whose father died when they were too little to remember. Thanks to the little magic still left in the world, the boys embark on a quest that will allow them a chance to spend one last magical day with their father. Just as you'd expect, the animation looks very cool and the storyline is sure to pull at your heartstrings!
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