Disney-Pixar: The Future of Feature Animation

Walt Disney has big plans for animation fans over the net four to five years. After finally weathering the potential fiscal year throes of acquiring a new animation production unit in Pixar, the greater media conglomerate has established a tentative development and production slate that will surely elicit oohs and ahhs from every corner of the industry. Disney executives freely acknowledge that this is the most diverse and in many cases, complex release slate they have ever planned over such a well-trimmed and short period of time. But with that acknowledgement comes the optimism that for every theatrical release and direct-to-video franchise about to take off, a new adventure is underway.

From this summer's computer animated film release of Wall*E (06/27/2008) all of the way to the hotly anticipated Christmas 2009 release of The Princess and the Frog, which will officially mark The Walt Disney Co.'s return to theatrical two-dimensional filmmaking; the animation the company has slated for release between 2008 and 2012 is a feast for the imagination. The ambitious slate looks to incorporate not only traditional stories and fairytale characters (Tinkerbell, October 2008; Rapunzel, Christmas 2010) but also original narratives of adventure (The Bear and the Bow, Christmas 2011; Up, 05/29/2009) and family fun (Bolt, 11/26/2008).

A detailed schedule of each theatrical and home video release that the Disney Animation and Pixar Animation production units will tentatively complete from 2008 through 2012 are available on the following pages of this AnimationInsider.net news article. Accompanied with each listing is a project summary, anticipated date of release, and key staff involved.

"This is an amazing time for animation at Disney and Pixar, and it's a thrill to be working on such a diverse and original group of films with such an all-star team of filmmakers," John Lasseter, the Chief Creative Officer for both the Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation studio units.

"The thing I love best about my job is that I get to work at both Disney and Pixar with filmmakers who are passionate about their projects and who are the absolute best in the business."

"We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way."

"At the same time," Lasseter continued, "we're drawing on our past to emphasize memorable characters, original edge-of-your-seat stories, and believable worlds. Walt Disney and his creative team taught us how to blend comedy, powerful emotion, and action-filled excitement in our films, and this group of incredible filmmakers is bringing their own originality and sensibilities to the process."

Also up for scheduled release are the first four in a series of direct-to-DVD films featuring Disney Fairies from DisneyToon Animation Studios, whom as some fans might recall, was last in the news for a shift in management structure [past A.I. news: "DisneyToon Studios Makeover"]. These anticipated home video releases will kick off the new Tinkerbell franchise, a potentially huge moneymaker for the company whose brand of princess-based merchandising efforts are top earners. The home video market should also, in due time, benefit from the up and coming releases of Pixar-based sequels (Toy Story 3, 06/18/2010; Cars 2, Summer 2012), which will once again drop Disney-Pixar characters into their ever comfortable positions always ripe for a potential summer blockbuster.

Dick Cook, the Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios added: "In a year when our Studio is marking the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, the character that started it all for us, it seems especially timely to share our plans for the future of animation. With John Lasseter and Ed Catmull guiding our creative efforts both at Emeryville and in Burbank, this is as exciting a time as any in our history."