General
Lasseter, Burton, Zemeckis and Miyazaki to take part in Disney panels at this year’s Comic-Con
Jim Hill shares a press release that Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures just passed along. Which offers details on the Mouse’s presentations at this year’s Comic-Con International
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
If you haven’t already decided that you really, really,
REALLY need to attend this year’s Comic-Con International, the following will
certainly seal the deal.
You wanna know who Disney’s bringing to San Diego this year?
Would you believe John Lasseter, Tim Burton, Robert Zemeckis and Hayao Miyazaki?
Not to mention Ron Clements, John Musker, Kirk Wise and Lee Unkrich.
Wait. It gets better. On Thursday, July 23rd,
Patton Oswalt (That’s right. The voice of Remy from “Ratatouille” ) will
moderate Comic-Con’s first-ever 3D panel. Which feature footage from Walt
Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ upcoming 3D adventures, “Disney’s A Christmas
Carol,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Tron.”
Here. Read the press release. Then – if you don’t already
have a pass to the show – head on over to eBay and hope & pray that someone
is selling their tickets to this year’s Comic-Con:
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES’ COMIC-CON AGENDA IS
FULL OF “FIRSTS”DIRECTORS ZEMECKIS, BURTON TO TAKE PART IN FIRST-EVER 3D
PANELANIMATION LEGENDS MIYAZAKI & LASSETER TO ANCHOR
ANIMATION PANELStudio to Showcase Key Titles—PONYO, TOY STORY & TOY
STORY 2 DOUBLE FEATURE, DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG,
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TOY STORY 3 and TRONBURBANK, Calif. (July 9 , 2009) — Animation greats Hayao
Miyazaki and John Lasseter and directors Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton will
take part in their first ever Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center July
23-24. The filmmakers will be on hand to
help Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures showcase a wide-ranging roster of
upcoming films, including 3D juggernauts ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TRON and DISNEY’S
A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and animated gems THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST, PONYO and the TOY STORY trilogy.Zemeckis, Burton, Miyazaki and Lasseter will take part in
industry panels.
- COMIC-CON’S
FIRST EVER 3D PANEL — Veteran directors Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton join
TRON producers Sean Bailey and Steve Lisberger on Thurs., July 23 at 11 a.m.
for an unprecedented presentation featuring behind-the-scenes filmmaker
insights about the highly anticipated 3D adventures DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL,
ALICE IN WONDERLAND and TRON. In
addition to Q&A opportunities with each of the filmmakers, the 90-minute
panel will feature never-before-seen concept art, trailers, actual 3D film
footage and other Comic-Con-only footage debuts. In a groundbreaking technical feat, this is
the first time ever that 3D footage will be shown at Comic-Con.Patton Oswalt will moderate.
- ANIMATION PANEL
— Animation legends Hayao Miyazaki and John Lasseter join veteran animation
directors Lee Unkrich, Kirk Wise, Ron Clements and John Musker on Fri., July 24
at 12:45 p.m. for an animation panel which will highlight upcoming animated
films, including Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY/TOY STORY 2 double feature,
Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 3, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ half-hour holiday TV special PREP &
LANDING, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG and
Miyazaki’s PONYO. John Lasseter will
host the panel and Patton Oswalt will moderate a group Q&A following the
presentation, which will include filmmaker insights, trailers and select film
sequences.ABOUT THE MOVIES:
Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights Reserved
PONYO
From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned
Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans
Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” Already a box-office success in Japan, the
story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by NOAH CYRUS) and
her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent,
including CATE BLANCHETT, MATT DAMON, TINA FEY, FRANKIE JONAS, CLORIS LEACHMAN,
LIAM NEESON, LILY TOMLIN and BETTY WHITE. PONYO opens in U.S. theaters on Aug.
14, 2009.TOY STORY & TOY STORY 2 – DOUBLE FEATURE (In Disney Digital 3D™)
Disney ● Pixar’s TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 return to the big screen in an
exciting double feature Oct. 2, 2009—this time in Disney Digital 3D™.TOY STORY
They’re toys, they talk—at least when people aren’t
around—and they’re back… celebrating the return of the “Toy Story”
franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D. TOY STORY, the film that started it all, takes moviegoers back to that fantastic fun-filled journey, viewed mostly through the eyes of two rival toys— Woody
(voice of TOM HANKS), the lanky, likable cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear (voice of
TIM ALLEN), the fearless space ranger.The comically-mismatched duo eventually learn to put aside their
differences when circumstances separate them from their owner Andy and they
find themselves on a hilarious adventure-filled mission where the only way they
can survive is to form an uneasy alliance.TOY STORY 2
Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 2 picks up as Andy heads off to
Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive
toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voice of WAYNE KNIGHT), owner of Al’s Toy
Barn, kidnaps Woody (voice of TOM HANKS).At Al’s apartment, Woody discovers that he is a highly valued
collectible from a 1950s TV show called “Woody’s Roundup,” and he meets
the other prized toys from that show – Jessie the cowgirl (voice of JOAN
CUSACK), Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector (voice of KELSEY
GRAMMER).Back at the scene of the
crime, Buzz Lightyear (voice of TIM ALLEN) and the gang from Andy’s room – Mr.
Potato Head (voice of DON RICKLES), Slinky Dog (voice of JIM VARNEY), Rex
(voice of WALLACE SHAWN) and Hamm (voice of JOHN RATZENBERGER) – spring into
action to rescue their pal from winding up as a museum piece.The toys get into one predicament after
another in their daring race to get Woody home before Andy returns.DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (In Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D)
DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, a multi-sensory thrill ride
re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the
fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3D motion
picture event.Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM
CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking
at his faithful clerk (GARY OLDMAN) and his cheery nephew (COLIN FIRTH).But when the ghosts of Christmas Past,
Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old
Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will
before it’s too late.Opens in theaters
nationwide on Nov. 6, 2009.Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights ReservedTHE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Walt Disney Animation Studios presents the musical THE
PRINCESS AND THE FROG, an animated comedy set in the great city of New Orleans.
From the creators of “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” comes a modern twist on
a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana (ANIKA NONI ROSE), a
frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that
leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of
Louisiana.THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
marks the return to hand-drawn animation from the revered team of John Musker
and Ron Clements, with music by Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman. Opens on
November 25, 2009 in NY and LA, and on December 11, 2009 nationwide.PREP & LANDING
PREP & LANDING is ABC’s first television special
produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The half-hour holiday special
reveals the never-before-told tale of an elite unit of Elves known as Prep
& Landing. Every Christmas Eve, this high-tech organization ensures that
homes around the world are properly prepared for a visit from the Big Guy (aka
Santa Claus). After working tirelessly on Prep & Landing for 227 years, an
elf named Wayne (voice of Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an
expected promotion to be the Director of Naughty List Intelligence. Instead,
Magee (voice of Sarah Chalke), the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center
Coordinator (NPCECCC for short), partners Wayne with Lanny (voice of Derek
Richardson), an idealistic rookie who has an undying enthusiasm for Christmas.During their Christmas Eve mission, Wayne and
Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits.BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (In Disney Digital 3D™)
Walt Disney Pictures’ magical animated classic BEAUTY AND
THE BEAST returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole
new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. Opening Feb. 12, 2010, the film captures the
fantastic journey of Belle (voice of PAIGE O’HARA), a bright and beautiful
young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of ROBBY BENSON) in
his castle. Despite her precarious
situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra
and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the
Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince. Featuring unforgettable music by Howard
Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, BEAUTY AND
THE BEAST was the first—and only—animated feature to receive a Best Picture
nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.ALICE IN WONDERLAND (In Disney Digital 3D™)
From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton
comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and
imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA
WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first
encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum,
the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad
Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical
journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror.The all-star cast also includes ANNE
HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER; Linda Woolverton wrote the
screenplay. Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures
in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning,
avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history,
ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5,
2010.Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights Reserved
TOY STORY 3 (In Disney Digital 3D™)
The creators of the beloved “Toy Story” films re-open the
toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and
our favorite gang of toy characters in TOY STORY 3.Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2” and
“Finding Nemo”) directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the
Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine,” brings his
unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.TOY STORY 3 comes to theaters nationwide in
Disney Digital 3D™ on June 18, 2010.TRON (title not final) (In Disney Digital 3D™)
TRON is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world
that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (GARRETT HEDLUND), the tech-savvy
27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (JEFF BRIDGES), looks into his father’s
disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs
and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along
with Kevin’s loyal confidant (OLIVIA WILDE), father and son embark on a
life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has
become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? And – yes (Just in case you’re
wondering) JHM WILL be covering these panels at this year’s Comic-Con.
Your thoughts?
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.
Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…
Photo by Jim Hill
… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).
Photo by Jim Hill
But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.
Photo by Jim Hill
And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.
Photo by Jim Hill
Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the postman delivering the mail …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …
Photo by Jim Hill
Photo by Jim Hill
… the street musician playing for tourists …
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention the tourists themselves.
Photo by Jim Hill
But right alongside the bronze businessmen …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …
Photo by Jim Hill
… or — for that matter — out-of-time.
Photo by Jim Hill
These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.
Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill
Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"
Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."
Photo by Jim Hill
But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.
General
Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.
Photo by Jim Hill
Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.
Photo by Jim Hill
And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.
Photo by Jim Hill
That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.
Photo by Jim Hill
And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.
Photo by Jim Hill
Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.
Photo by Jim Hill
I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.
Photo by Jim Hill
I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.
Photo by Jim Hill
Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.
Photo by Jim Hill
Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.
Photo by Jim Hill
And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.
Photo by Jim Hill
"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.
Photo by Jim Hill
I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.
Photo by Jim Hill
And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."
Photo by Jim Hill
And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."
Photo by Jim Hill
One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.
Photo by Jim Hill
Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.
Your thoughts?
General
It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?
Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved
Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.
Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.
"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"
Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."
But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."
And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.
Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."
So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?
Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."
This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015
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