Never Before-Revealed Details about Upcoming Animation Titles at D23 Expo!

THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS SHARES

NEVER-BEFORE-REVEALED DETAILS ABOUT UPCOMING ANIMATION TITLES WITH FANS AT D23 EXPO

Three Animation Studios Come Together to Showcase

Extraordinary New Music, Voice Cast Announcements, Behind-the-Scenes Stories and Sneak Peeks of Future Big- and Small-Screen Adventures

BURBANK, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2013) — The Walt Disney Studios unveiled new details about its upcoming animation slate this morning at the D23 Expo, showcasing new imagery, signature music and behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the roster of upcoming animated adventures. The presentation included information about the just-announced feature film “Zootopia” (working title) from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the newest film in Disneytoon Studios’ Disney Fairies franchise, plus never-before-shared voice cast announcements for upcoming Disney•Pixar titles that include Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Neil Patrick Harris and Diane Keaton, among a host of others.

“It’s a fantastic, exciting time for animation at Disney and Pixar,” said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. “The filmmakers at our three studios are so talented—their films are all so touching and beautiful, but so different. I am truly excited to share these films with everyone.”

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Lasseter surprised fans with a screening of the first 10 minutes of Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story OF TERROR!” The D23 Expo audience was the first ever to see footage from the spooky new 30-minute special that features favorite characters from the “Toy Story” films. What starts out as a fun road trip for the “Toy Story” gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate in this “Toy Story OF TERROR!” From director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman, “Toy Story OF TERROR!” premieres on ABC Oct. 16, 2013.

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Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen,” directed by Chris Buck (“Tarzan”) and Jennifer Lee (“Wreck-It Ralph”- screenplay by), and produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”), shared never-before-seen film footage, introduced by “Frozen” stars Kristen Bell, voice of Anna, and Josh Gad, voice of Olaf. Fans were also treated to a show-stopping live performance of the film’s powerful new song “Let It Go,” sung by Broadway’s Tony^® Award-winner Idina Menzel, who provides the voice of Elsa in the film.

In “Frozen,” fearless optimist Anna (voice of Bell) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Gad) in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. In theaters Nov. 27, 2013.

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“Get A Horse!” made its U.S. premiere at the D23 Expo. Featuring Walt Disney himself as the voice of Mickey Mouse, this black-and-white, hand-drawn theatrical short follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical haywagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. This groundbreaking short from Walt Disney Animation Studios is directed by Lauren MacMullan (TV’s “The Simpsons”) and produced by Dorothy McKim (“Prep & Landing” trilogy, “Meet the Robinsons”), “Get A Horse!” opens in front of “Frozen” on Nov. 27, 2013. 

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Disneytoon Studios’ “The Pirate Fairy” brought pixie dust to the festivities, unveiling the newest and most exciting adventure in the Disney Fairies franchise. Director Peggy Holmes (“Secret of the Wings”) introduced Christina Hendricks, who gives voice to Zarina, and Tom Hiddleston, tapped to voice a young James aka Captain Hook.

When a misunderstood dust-keeper fairy named Zarina steals Pixie Hollow’s all-important Blue Pixie Dust, and flies away to join forces with the pirates of Skull Rock, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to return it to its rightful place. However, in the midst of their pursuit of Zarina, Tink’s world is turned upside down. She and her friends find that their respective talents have been switched and they have to race against time to retrieve the Blue Pixie Dust and return home to save Pixie Hollow. With comedy, heart and epic thrills for the whole family, “The Pirate Fairy” sets sail Spring 2014.  

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Disney•Pixar’s heartfelt and hilarious “The Good Dinosaur” roamed the convention center this morning. Co-director Peter Sohn and producer Denise Ream ( “Cars 2,” “Up”- associate producer) were on hand to announce key members of the voice cast, including Lucas Neff, voice of Arlo; Bill Hader, voice of Forrest; Judy Greer, voice of Ivy; Neil Patrick Harris, voice of Cliff; John Lithgow, voice of Poppa; and Frances McDormand, voice of Momma.

Neff and Greer appeared on stage, alongside Hader, whose voice was also heard in Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University.”

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the generations-old question: What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In theaters May 30, 2014, the film is a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively 70-foot-tall teenage Apatosaurus with a big heart. After a traumatic event rattles Arlo’s tranquil community, he sets out on a quest to restore peace, gaining an unlikely companion along the way—a young human boy named Spot. 

·         The crowd roared when their favorite monsters returned to the big screen as Disney•Pixar’s short “Party Central” scared up six minutes of fun at the D23 Expo. In the short, Mike and Sulley are back at Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come up with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen. In theatersMay 30, 2014, with “The Good Dinosaur.” 

·         Disneytoon Studios’ “Planes: Fire & Rescue” landed on stage at the D23 Expo, welcoming Dane Cook, the voice of Dusty in “Disney’s Planes,” the action comedy adventure that landed in theaters today. Cook, who returns to voice the character in the follow-up, joined director Bobs Gannaway (“Secret of the Wings”) on stage. Julie Bowen was announced as the voice of Lil’ Dipper, and fans were treated to story details for “Planes: Fire & Rescue,” plus character images, concept art and footage from the film.

“Planes: Fire & Rescue” features a quirky crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from a raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty (voice of Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil’ Dipper (voice of Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.  “Planes: Fire & Rescue” ignites July 18, 2014. 

·         Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Big Hero 6” hit the D23 Expo in style, welcoming director Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) to the stage with a story presentation, including concept art and a sizzle piece designed to build excitement for the action comedy adventure.

“Big Hero 6” features brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits theaters in 3D on Nov. 7, 2014. 

·         Disneytoon Studios director Steve Loter revealed plans for “Legend of the NeverBeast,” which takes the Disney Fairies on an epic action adventure that’s full of heart and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Fun and talented animal fairy Fawn believes you can’t judge a book by its cover—or an animal by its fangs—so she befriends a huge and mysterious creature known as the NeverBeast. While Tink and her friends aren’t so sure about this scary addition to Pixie Hollow, the elite Scout Fairies set out to capture the monster before he destroys their home. Fawn must trust her heart and take a leap of faith if she hopes to rally the girls to save the NeverBeast. Directed by Steve Loter, “Legend of the NeverBeast” roars to life in Spring 2015. 

·         Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out” brought Joy to fans—literally—revealing members of the voice cast, including Amy Poehler as the voice of Joy, Lewis Black as the voice of Anger, Mindy Kaling as the voice of Disgust, Phyllis Smith as the voice of Sadness, and Bill Hader as the voice of Fear. The audience met two of the film’s five starring emotions, Sadness and Fear, when Smith and Hader appeared on stage to greet fans and fuel excitement for the 2015 film.

From director Pete Docter (“Up,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and producer Jonas Rivera (“Up”), Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out” takes you to a place that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen: the world inside the human mind. Riley, an 11-year-old girl who recently moved with her family to San Francisco, is not the main character but the setting for the film. Moviegoers will go inside her mind to explore how memories are formed and how a mixture of five emotions—Joy, Disgust, Anger, Fear and Sadness—defines life experiences. In theaters June 19, 2015.  

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Director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”) and producer Lindsey Collins (co-producer “WALL•E”) shared exciting voice cast announcements for Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory.” Joining Ellen DeGeneres, who provides the voice of Dory, areAlbert Brooks as the voice of Marlin, Diane Keaton as the voice of Dory’s mom Jenny, Eugene Levy as the voice of Dory’s dad Charlie, and Ty Burrell as the voice of Bailey.

The all-new big-screen adventure dives into theaters Nov. 25, 2015, taking moviegoers back to the extraordinary underwater world from the original film. “Finding Dory” reunites the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the true meaning of family along the way.

Pixar fans also delighted in a surprise appearance by the studio’s “lucky charm” John Ratzenberger, who was ceremoniously paraded on stage by the Disneyland marching band.  Ratzenberger joined Hader in a hilarious duel of one-upmanship over the multiple Pixar characters each has voiced.  

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Walt Disney Animation Studios’ director Byron Howard (“Tangled”) and writer Jared Bush shared plans for the upcoming comedy adventure ”Zootopia” (working title). In the animal city of Zootopia, a fast-talking fox who’s trying to make it big goes on the run when he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Zootopia’s top cop, a self-righteous rabbit, is hot on his tail, but when both become targets of a conspiracy, they’re forced to team up and discover even natural enemies can become best friends. In theaters in 2016. 

Veteran Disney Filmmaker Celebrates 60 Years with Walt Disney Animation Studios

Burny Mattinson counts 60 years with Walt Disney Animation Studios this year, and the milestone was marked with a surprise celebration at the D23 Expo. Mattinson is one of the few remaining Disney artists who worked with Walt Disney and is still on staff at Walt Disney Animation Studios. His career is highlighted by helming the Academy Award®-nominated 1983 animated featurette “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” which returned Mickey Mouse to the big screen for the first time in 30 years. In 1984, wrote, produced and directed “The Great Mouse Detective.” Mattinson’s credits include “Sleeping Beauty,” “101 Dalmatians,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Aristocats” and “The Rescuers.”  He served as a key member of the story team on Disney’s contemporary classics including “Aladdin,”  “Beauty & the Beast,” “The Lion King, “Pocahontas,” “Mulan,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Tarzan,” and was senior story artist on 2011’s big-screen adventure “Winnie the Pooh.” Mattinson joined Disney in 1953 at age 18 with no formal art training; within six months, he was working as an in-betweener on “Lady and the Tramp.”

Guess Who's Coming to the Disney Interactive D23 Arena Presentation on Sunday!

Disney Interactive Puts the Magic of Animation at your Fingertips!

DISNEY INTERACTIVE PUTS THE MAGIC OF ANIMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS WITH NEW INTERACTIVE iPAD APP

Disney Animated, a collaboration with Touch Press and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Provides Unprecedented Access to the Art and Technology Behind All 53 Walt Disney Animation Studios Feature Films

August 8, 2013 (Burbank, CA) -- Disney Animated, a new premium app for iPad, is now available in the App Store. For the first time ever, fans can explore the story of Disney animation through unique interactive illustrations and authentic animation workshops derived from actual Disney technologies.  Disney Animatedgives fans unparalleled access to an astonishing amount of content, including text, art, sound, images, interviews and interactive activities, spanning all eras of Walt Disney Animation Studios history, many previously unavailable to the public.  Disney Animated was created in collaboration with Touch Press, the acclaimed developer of award-winning iPad apps such as The Elements and Barefoot World Atlas, recently selected by Apple as one of the ten best apps of all time.

“At Disney Interactive we are committed to building new, high-quality storytelling experiences that leverage digital technologies and platforms,” said Mark L. Walker, Senior Vice President, Disney Interactive Entertainment. “Through the power of the iPad, we are bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite Walt Disney Animation Studio films and the art and technology of making those films.  Disney Animated represents a rare moment when innovation, technology and art converge to create an experience that is entirely new.”

“Walt Disney Animation Studios’ top animators, artists and technicians brought their expertise to this app to help create an incredibly authentic experience which represents our studio’s rich legacy,” said Dave Bossert, co-author of Disney Animated and Producer, Creative Director, Head of Walt Disney Animation Studios Special Projects. “We’re excited to show the world the art and technology behind how we make our films and inspire the next generation of animators.”

Through Disney Animated, fans can immerse themselves in content from all 53 full-length animated feature films.  From the ability to examine treasured artifacts and intricate artwork to an exclusive first look at footage, concept art, animation tests and visual effects from the upcoming film Frozen, Disney Animated allows fans to discover the animation process through hands-on interactive activities adapted from the actual tools Disney animators use.

“The world of Disney animation is amazingly rich and deep.  The more you look into it, the more surprising and delightful it becomes.” said Theodore Gray, co-author of Disney Animated and Chief Creative Officer of Touch Press. “We rethought from the ground up how this story should be told, now that we can tell it with words, pictures, clips, sounds, and interactive workshops that let you apply what you’ve learned.”

Disney Animated features:

·         The Story of Animation:  How Disney animated films are brought to life, from early concept and story development through layout and background, animation, visual effects, sound and music and final assembly – with every illustration on every page touchable and interactive, including the ability to peel back the layers of animated scenes to reveal work-in-progress animation steps and visual effects layers.

·         Interactive Workshops: Hands-on interactives allow fans to experiment with iPad versions of authentic Disney animation technologies and share their creations via email and social media.  Fans can animate Vanellope from Wreck-It Ralph using a straightforward but powerful 3D animation package adapted from real Disney software and control a swirling snow visual effect from the upcoming film Frozen.

·         Disney Animation History in One Place: A comprehensive timeline of all 53 animated feature films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, including animated clips of favorite characters and recently uncovered historic trailers.

·         Unprecedented Access: Disney Animated contains over 750 interactive illustrations, including more than  400 short animation clips, over  350 high-quality images from Disney’s archives, including backgrounds, concept art, character sketches, and super-zoomable storyboards, 3D rotational photography of rare artifacts like the maquette of Hyacinth, the dancing hippo from Fantasia, and a unique Color Map that displays a sophisticated color summary and thumbnail frames from every scene from every one of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 52 released feature films in a single iPad image.

Disney Animated is available for $13.99 from the App Store on iPad at AppStore.com/DisneyAnimated. For more information on Disney Animated, visitDisney.com/Animated.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Screening at the D23 Expo

THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK & MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK PRESENTS A SPECIAL SCREENING OF MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. AT D23 EXPO 2013

Executive Producer Jeph Loeb hosts viewing event of the upcoming action-packed drama on August 11 in the D23 Expo Arena

BURBANK, Calif. – August 6, 2013 – Guests at the D23 Expo will be among the first to see the highly anticipated one-hour drama Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Sunday, August 11 at 3:00 p.m. in the D23 Expo Arena. Marvel’s Head of Television & Series executive producer Jeph Loeb will introduce the screening, taking place during the ultimate Disney fan event, August 9 – 11, at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The series begins where Marvel's The Avengers left off. It's just after the battle of New York, and now that the existence of Super Heroes and the incredible has become public knowledge, the world is trying to come to grips with this new reality. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) is back in action and now has his eye on a mysterious group called The Rising Tide. In order to track this unseen, unknown enemy, he has assembled a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division). The S.H.I.E.L.D. team has a mission: To investigate the new, the strange and the unknown around the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres on ABC September 24 at 8:00 p.m., ET, but guests at the D23 Expo have the opportunity to see this dynamic show over a month before it debuts.