General
Monday Mouse Watch: Why that AVATAR concept art got unveiled in Japan rather than stateside. And what’s in the works for the Disneyland Resort in regards to “Star Wars”
It's been a busy couple of days, Disney news-wise. With all
sorts of official announcements being made and weird rumors bubbling up. So as
a special Columbus Day treat, I thought that it might be fun to dig down into
this pile and then offer some additional information about some of the stories
that have been swirling around out there.
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First of all, let's talk about that concept art for James
Cameron's World of AVATAR that was showcased at Japan's
first-ever D23 EXPO. And while the stateside Disneyana fan community of course immediately
began carping about the 2017 projected opening date for this Disney's Animal
Kingdom expansion, there was also much "Oohing" &
"Aahing" about how lush & ambitious this Camp Minnie-Mickey
replacement looked.
Mind you, no one seemed to be questioning why this James
Cameron's World of AVATAR artwork had been released at Japan's
D23 EXPO rather than the stateside version of this Official Disney Fan Club
back in August. But there is method to Mickey's madness.
Long story short: Walt Disney Imagineering has been trying
to convince the Oriental Land Group (i.e., the company that actually owns &
operates the Tokyo Disney Resort's two theme parks & four onsite hotels) for
over two years now that they should add a World of AVATAR area to Tokyo
DisneySea. But so far, OLC execs have been resisting WDI's entreaties. So the
thinking within the walls at 1401 Flower Street was that — if they filled a
hall at the Tokyo Disney Resort with some of Japan's most passionate Disney
fans and then allowed these folks to be the first to see concept art for James
Cameron's World of AVATAR — Oriental Land Company officials then couldn't help but notice the huge, passionate & vocal reaction that this proposed DAK
addition would receive from the crowds at this past weekend's Official Disney
Fan Club event. And after that … Well, maybe OLC execs might then be willing
to revisit WDI's proposal to add a version of James Cameron's World of AVATAR
to Tokyo DisneySea.
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The only problem with this idea is … Well, WDI's
relationship with OLC has recently hit a rough patch. As I understand it, Oriental
Land Company executives took issue with what it cost to add Toy Story Mania!
and the Toyville Trolley
Park to the American Waterfront
area at Tokyo DisneySea back in 2012. And ever since then, Imagineering has
been getting considerable pushback from Oriental Land Company, Ltd. when it
comes to the proposed budgets for any WDI-designed additions to the Tokyo
Disney Resort. (This is why the Cars Land project — which was to have replaced
Tokyo Disneyland's Rivers of America with a clone of DCA's Radiator Springs
area — reportedly went off the rails. All because OLC execs supposedly began
questioning what the Imagineers said it would cost to bring Radiator Springs
Racers to Japan).
So long story short here: No matter how enthusiastic those
Japanese D23 members were at the EXPO this past weekend when that James
Cameron's World of AVATAR concept art was unveiled, I seriously doubt that
we're going to see a clone of this proposed DAK addition begin construction
alongside Tokyo Bay
anytime soon. Which I know is going to disappoint a number of vice presidents
at Walt Disney Imagineering. Who were allegedly hoping that they'd then be able
to split the development costs of this obviously enormous project and its
ambitious attractions between The Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resorts.
And speaking of enormous … There's this huge rumor making
the rounds right now about how The Walt Disney Company is reportedly in the
process of cutting a deal with Peter Jackson & Co. to acquire the theme
park rights to "The Lord of the Rings" & "The Hobbit"
movies. Which — I'm sorry to disappoint all of you J.R.R. Tolkien fans out
there — just isn't true. At least not according to the Imagineering insiders
that I've spoken with over the past few days.
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That said, I can understand how this rumor might have gotten
started. You see, back in December of last year, some WDI officials took a
contingent of New Line Cinema (i.e., the studio that has produced all of the
"LOTR" & "Hobbit" films) execs for a tour of Cars Land
at Disney California Adventure theme park and then very publicly wined &
dined these Hollywood types.
"And what was the point of doing something like that if
Walt Disney Imagineering wasn't actually wooing New Line to then award them the
theme park rights to 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' ?," you ask. As
I understand it, it was supposedly about this same time that James Cameron had
once again become difficult when it came to the development of World of AVATAR.
And given that WDI officials had reportedly grown tired of dealing with James'
I'm-taking-my-ball-and-going-home negotiating style … Well, it was then
decided that it might be time to at least pretend that The Walt Disney Company
was exploring other options. Maybe send a message to Cameron that the Mouse
might be considering dropping the World of AVATAR in favor of a "Lord of
the Rings" -themed area for DAK.
Now far be it for me to suggest that this tactic worked.
But here we are, some ten months later. And there's James Cameron posing for a
photograph with Tom Staggs & Joe Rohde, the three of them smiling down at a
finished-looking model for the World of AVATAR. So maybe this bit of theme park
theatrics on WDI's part actually worked.
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More to the point, given that The Walt Disney Company is
currently up to its knees in IP (EX: Marvel, Star Wars, The Muppets, Phineas
& Ferb, Pirates of the Caribbean … to name just a few) that it owns
outright and has yet to leverage to full effect across its theme parks &
resorts, why would Disney then be pursuing the theme park rights for yet
another film franchise? Wouldn't it be smarter — strictly from a fiscal
point-of-view — for the Mouse to stick to its knitting? Make the most of the
intellectual properties that it already owns, rather than spend outrageous sums
to secure the theme park rights for another entertainment companies' IP?
And speaking of Star Wars … Just last week, MiceChat posted a piece about a
proposed Star Wars-themed redo of Disneyland's Tomorrowland area which
reportedly involved ripping out a good portion of that theme park's Monorail
track as well as shutting down the Autopia ride to make room for a new Speeder
Bike experience.
Well, I'm not going to say that MiceChat got it wrong. But I
think that what may have happened here is that MC may have gotten wind of a one
dimensional model that's currently sitting in WDI's model shop. Which — truth
be told — is just one of several different site plans for Star Wars-themed
redos of Tomorrowland that are currently being considered for that Anaheim
theme park.
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More to the point, given that there now are multiple
generations of Southern Californian drivers who got their first experience
behind the wheel by climbing into an Autopia car, Disneyland Resort officials
know all too well what sort of uproar would result should they ever decide to
replace this opening day attraction. Which is why they will look long and hard
at all other pieces of available Tomorrowland real estate before the Imagineers
then circle back on the idea of shutting down the Autopia.
And speaking of replacing Tomorrowland attractions at Disneyland
Park … I did hear from one friend
at 1401 Flower Street that
one of the ideas that's reportedly being toyed with is relocating Buzz
Lightyear Astro Blasters to DCA. Taking this interactive dark ride out of the
old Circlevision 360 show building and then moving it over to one of Paradise
Pier's expansion pads. Where it would then become a companion for Toy Story
Midway Mania (not to mention help increase the hourly ride capacity for this
portion of that theme park). More to the point, once Astro Blaster vacates the
old Circlevision 360 building, that then would free up space for a new Star
Wars-themed experience.
Beyond that … I guess I should mention that while it is
unlikely that Disneyland's Autopia will be closed anytime soon, simplifying the
route that the Monorail takes after it enters that theme park (to be specific,
eliminating a lot of the looping & the doubling-back that this
transportation system does as it travels over Disneyland's old Motorboat Cruise
area) is something that the Imagineers have been wanting to do for over 25
years now. So the fact that they're once again exploring this idea so that WDI
could then drop an attraction of size in the area between the Matterhorn
Bobsleds & "it's a small world" isn't really all that surprising.
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Mind you, what's always prevented the Disneyland Resort from
doing this in the past is that — in order to simplify the Monorail route and take
out all of those lengths of track & support pylons … Well, that would
then mean having giant construction cranes inside of that theme park for months
at a time. Not to mention shutting down popular attractions like the Finding
Nemo Submarine Voyage, the Autopia, the Disneyland Railroad and "it's a
small world" for much of the time that this work would be going on. And
let's not forget about inconveniencing the folks who'd be staying at the
Disneyland Hotel while all of this Monorail track removal work would be going
on.
But given that Monorail service was going to be disrupted
anyway in the not-so-distant future once work finally begins on the
"Monsters, Inc." -themed coaster that's supposed to replace
Muppetvision 3D as well as Soundstage 17 (i.e., the home of DCA's version of
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Play It!") in the not-so-distant
future … Disneyland officials are now wondering if
they should just bite the bullet here. And that — when construction finally
goes vertical on the Doors Coaster and it's time to bring the cranes in to lift
all of that structure steel & ride track into place — the Imagineers
should just take advantage of this necessary closure of the Monorail to then
simplify this now-54 year-old transportation system's layout in & around Tomorrowland.
And speaking of construction projects that are sure to be a
bear … You did see that concept art for that new night-time show which will
be presented on, in and around DAK's Tree of Life, right? Well, as you might
expect, a project like this is going to be huge. It'll basically involve
replacing all 102,583 man-made leaves that currently hang off of this 145
foot-tall structure, with leaves that feature an internal lighting
mechanism. Not to mention running the wiring for all these leaves out through
the Tree of Life's 756 tertiary branches and 7891 end branches.
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All of this work means that the Tree of Life will then be
surrounded by scaffolding for the better part of a year starting in 2015. But
the upside is … Once the scaffolding comes down, all of the faded green
plastic leaves that currently cover this structure will then be replaced with
leaves that look far more life-like; that are a deeper, richer green. More to
the point, many of the paths that are currently closed on Discovery
Island and much of the safety
netting that's now in place due to falling leaves & branches will then be
removed. Which means that the Tree of Life will then be returned to its former
glory, looking better than it did when this DAK icon first opened back on April 22, 1998.
Beyond that … I have heard some rumblings about the
night-time water pageant for DAK's Discovery
River area. To be specific, that
this will NOT be a "World of Color" -like, moving nozzle-based show.
But — rather — that it will make use of a NextGen version of the water screen
technology that's currently used in "Fantasmic!"
And one final interesting little bit of trivia here: As part
of the site planning work that's currently being done on both Star Wars Land
for Disney's Hollywood Studios and James Cameron's World of AVATAR for Disney's
Animal Kingdom, the Imagineers are reportedly deliberately folding in multi-purpose venues that can then be used in the future for fan events like
Star Wars Weekends.
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Which means (you guessed it) after James Cameron's World of
AVATAR opens in 2017 (which will be right inbetween when the first
"AVATAR" sequel opens in theaters in December of 2016 and when the
second extension of this film franchise hits the big screen in December of
2017), you should anticipate that DAK will then annually begin hosting "AVATAR"
fan events. Which will feature appearances by those movies' stars, signings by
the authors of the "AVATAR" books as well as limited edition
merchandise.
Remember. You heard it here first, folks. So be sure and
save me a spot in line for that special collector's edition of a mountain
banshee. Which will undoubtedly be offered at that first "AVATAR" fan
event. Which — the way I hear it — could be held at DAK as early as the late
Fall of 2017 (and might even feature an early work-in-progress screening of
"AVATAR 3").
Okay. Here's hoping that the above info gives all of you Disneyana fans
/ theme park enthusiasts something to chew on / debate in the coming week. In
the meantime, have a Happy Columbus Day, okay?
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
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
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
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.
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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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