General

Hollywood creatives and theme park fans appreciate the Universal difference

Published

10 years ago

November 10, 2014

It's often been said that if you build a better mouse trap,
the world will beat a path to your door.

Harry Potter fans race up the red carpet to be among the first to experience The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley when this new "land" at
Universal Studios officially opened to the public on July 8, 2014.
Copyright NBCUniversal. All rights reserved

Well, when Comcast reported its third quarter results last month, it wasn't
a mouse trap that turbo-charged that corporation's theme park-earnings. But —
rather — the successful opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter –
Diagon Alley at the Universal Orlando Resort. Which — as a direct result of the
higher guest attendance and per capita spending that came on the heels of the
July 8th opening of this new "land" at Universal Studios Florida — caused
revenue from Comcast's Theme Parks segment to jump 18.7% to $786 million
compared to $661 million in the third quarter of 2013.

And no one could be more pleased with this development than
Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts. Thanks to some
very smart additions / strategic moves that the Theme Park segment of Comcast
NBCUniversal organization has made over the past five years, guests, their
families — and the entertainment industry — are now very aware of what Universal can do.

"We've always worked with top talent. It was Steven Spielberg himself who came up with
the creative concept for Universal Studios Florida – which was to create a
place where you can ride the movies.
Then, he helped us develop cutting-edge attractions that backed up that
idea. They included experiences like
JAWS!, and the E.T. Adventure and Back to the Future," Williams explained
during a recent interview. "But since we created and opened The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter, many more people have seen just what we can do
and how collaborative Universal Parks
and Resorts can be. All of our guests
and much of the entertainment industry saw just how far we were willing to go
to create an immersive environment from the world that J.K. Rowling and Warner
Bros. developed. And that has been
helpful, both in terms of growing our business and opening doors to talk with
people about potential future projects."

Less than one month after The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, the
Hogwarts Express celebrated its one millionth rider. Copyright
NBCUniversal. All rights reserved

"We've also seen tremendous, enthusiastic, support from
the entire Comcast NBCUniversal organization and particularly from Steve Burke
and Ron Meyer," Williams said.
"We really feel the power of the entire organization behind us as
we move forward."

Mind you, not all of the phone calls that Williams has been
receiving from would-be collaborators have been coming from outside of
Universal.

"One example is Chris Meledandri, the founder and CEO
of Illumination Entertainment – and the creator of the blockbuster Despicable
Me film franchise," Williams continued.
"Chris came to Universal in 2008.
And the first week he was there, called me out of the blue. He said: 'You
don't know me, but I would be excited for the chance to work with you in the
future. I want to create some great films that I think would make great theme
park attractions.' I told Chris, 'That is music to my
ears. Bring it on.' "

A show scene from "Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem." Copyright NBCUniversal.
All rights reserved

Now jump ahead to 2012. Where — on the heels of the
enormous success of "Despicable Me" (This Universal Pictures /
Illumination Entertainment production grossed over $500 million worldwide) —
Gru, Edith, Agnes, Margo and the minions made their theme park debut in the
"Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem" simulator ride. And this Universal
Studios Florida attraction proved to be so popular with tourists vacationing in
Orlando that it was immediately fast-tracked for Universal Studios Hollywood.

"And you know the best part? Chris stayed actively involved with 'Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.' He was at
Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the grand opening of the attraction –
walking the red carpet and doing interviews.
He also personally helped create the TV commercial we used to promote
'Minion Mayhem' at that park," Williams continued. "If you had told me ten years ago that
people like Chris would be involved in helping us create attractions based on
their films and that they would attend our grand openings, do interviews with
media that supported our business and help us with our TV commercials, I would have said: 'Wake me up. I must be dreaming.' "

Speaking of Hollywood,
Universal Creative is once again working with the folks at Warner Bros. — not
to mention Gracie Films (i.e., the production company behind Fox's long running
animated series, "The Simpsons") — on an epic transformation of that
theme park's Upper Lot area.

What the skyline of Springfield at Universal Studios Hollywood will eventually look
like. Copyright NBCUniversal. All rights reserved

"I know — thanks to Diagon Alley — that a lot of attention
has been focused on Universal Orlando lately. But while we were building the
Wizarding World in Florida, we were also investing heavily in our Hollywood
theme park," Williams stated. "Just as Comcast was coming on board as
NBCUniversal's new owners, we were finishing up King Kong: 360 3-D out there.
And that drove such big numbers that we
immediately committed to Transformers: The Ride – 3D and Despicable Me Minion
Mayhem for Hollywood."

"And next year we'll be adding two more attractions to
Universal Studios Hollywood's entertainment roster. We've got Fast &
Furious Supercharged, which is going to be an exciting addition to the theme
park's tram tour. And then there is Springfield, which is going to take a lot
of the ideas that Universal Creative initially tried out with Universal Studios
Florida's Fast Food Boulevard and expand on them," Williams continued.
"Then in 2016, we will open the West Coast version of The Wizarding World of
Harry Potter. And based on the way our Guests have embraced Harry Potter in
Florida & Japan, we have huge expectations for Hollywood."

And speaking of
huge, how about that $3.3-billion, 300-acre theme park that Universal Parks
& Resorts will be building in Beijing. Williams traveled to China earlier this
month to officially announce this 13-years-in-the-making project. And to give
reporters a hint of what sorts of rides, shows and attractions might be found
at Universal Studios Beijing, Tom was joined onstage by the minions from
"Despicable Me." More to the point, as part of this press conference,
a video featuring Steven Spielberg was played where this Academy Award-winning
director shared that — just as he had done with Universal Orlando's theme park
— he'd be serving as a creative consultant on the Beijing project. The park
will feature several entertainment experiences that will integrate Chinese
traditional and modern cultural elements, not to mention the world's first
Universal-themed hotel.

Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts (L) and Duan Qiang,
Party Secretary and Chairman of the Beijing Tourism Group Co Ltd. (R) with the help
of some minions unveil concept art for the Universal Beijing Resort.
Copyright NBCUniversal. All rights reserved

And speaking of hotels, you'd think that — what with having
just wrapped construction of Diagon Alley & the Cabana Bay Beach Resort
(not to mention the refresh of CityWalk — Universal Orlando's retail, dining
and entertainment district — entering its final phase) — Williams and his
team would be willing to rest on their laurels at least for a little while. But
given that the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort has already begun construction (This
Caribbean-inspired hotel — Universal Orlando's fifth on-property resort — is
slated to open during the summer of 2016), resting really doesn't seem to be
part of the plan that Williams and Comcast NBCUniversal have for Universal
Parks & Resorts.

And then there's Islands of Adventure's mystery project. When
asked about the project, Williams shared, "You can't expect me to give
away all our secrets. Universal Orlando's
25^th anniversary is coming up in 2015 and we'd like to have
something left to talk about as part of that."

"The world's
storytellers -people such as Jo Rowling, Peter Jackson, Michael Bay, James L. Brook, Steven Spielberg and Chris Meledandri – work with us and are now
vey much more aware of what we can do," Williams continued. "They
know that we're committed to using cutting-edge technology to bring characters,
stories and environments to life in an all-encompassing, very immersive manner.
And all of that has been a great conversation -starter in terms of potential
future projects.' "

Scare-actors inspired by Universal's "The Purge" stroll through Universal Studios
Florida looking for victims during the 2014 edition of Halloween Horror Nights.
Copyright NBCUniversal. All rights reserved

Of course, the irony here is that — given that NBCUniversal
has been on something of a hot streak lately — Mark Woodbury (i.e., the
President of Universal Creative for Universal Parks & Resorts) and his team
doesn't have to look all that far now for compelling fodder for new rides,
shows and attractions for the parks. Which explains the "Dracula Untold –
Reign of Blood" haunted house and "The Purge – Anarchy" &
"Face Off – In the Flesh" scare zones that were featured at this
year's Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida.

At the same time, Universal Parks & Resorts is looking
to build on previous successes. Which is why — in late January / early
February of next year — Universal Orlando will be bringing back its
"Celebration of Harry Potter" event. The 2015 edition of this three
day-long event will feature some additional star power, what with last week's
announcement that Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore) and Robbie Coltrane
(Hagrid) will be joining the film talent in Q & A sessions.

"We have become a real destination resort now and we
create powerful moments for all our guests.
We've not only got two theme
parks with compelling attractions and great on-site hotels – but also events
such as Mardi Gras and Halloween Horror Nights," Williams concluded. "We find that the more people actually
understand and experience what we offer, the more they want to vacation
here. That's true with guests who come
here for Harry Potter and realize there is so much more. We also want to believe it's true for things
like our Grad Bash event. We host tens
of thousands of high school graduates and junior high school graduates. These kids look back on their graduation
party and remember the great time they had here. Then, perhaps they will want to bring their
own families and kids here someday."

So maybe it's not just Hollywood creatives who are newly
aware of what Universal Parks & Resorts can do. But a whole new generation
of theme park fans who have finally learned to appreciate the Universal
difference.

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Monday, November 10, 2014

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

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

… 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

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

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

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.' "

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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?

"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