A good chunk of Pixar and director Pete Docter’s “Soul” is set in the serene nirvana called The Great Before. The surreal nature of this afterworld, with its soft, glowing edges and inviting colors, is populated by Don Hertzfeldt-esque stick figures who go by the name of Counselors, omnipotent God-like beings reminiscent of Hertzfeldt’s minimalist style and the friendly UFO’s in Spielberg’s “Artificial Intelligence.”
Read moreD23: The Five Biggest Revelations, From ‘Rise of Skywalker’ Footage to Pixar's New Existential Movie ‘Soul'
Disney yet again was the centre of all entertainment news over the weekend as their annual event in Anaheim dropped some huge news regarding some of their biggest upcoming Movies, whilst the company also continued to stock up their Disney+ streaming service ahead of its November 12th US release.
Read more‘Onward’ Trailer: Another Pixar Winner?
The folks at Pixar swear that they are done with sequels. Well, at least, after “Toy Story 4” is released next month. After that we can look forward to original content, starting with Dan Scanlon’s “Onward.” Yes, it’s a movie about Elves but Ill give the toon company the benefit of the doubt, they have, after all, given us these past 15 years classics such as “WALL-E,” “Finding Nemo,” “Up!” “Ratatouille,” “The Incredibles,” and “Toy Story 3.”
Read morePixar Claims No More Sequels After ‘Toy Story 4'
Last summer's "Incredibles 2," came off the heels of some rather disappointing sequels from toon company Pixar. With the exceptions of “Toy Story 2” and “Toy Story 3,” they have had had a lackluster set of continuations delivered to us these last few years. Sure, there were things to like about "Finding Dory," and "Monster University," maybe less so in regards to "Cars 2,” "Cars 3," but they all lacked the overall focus and thematic resonance of their predecessors. In short, none of them needed a sequel. It was all about branding and marketing merchandise. However, when Pixar focuses on non-sequels they usually hit aces, think of their last two "Coco" and "Inside Out," both wondrous adventures that showcased the company's indelible talents as cinematic gift-givers.
I’ve been brandishing the theory that maybe Pixar has finally lost its mojo and sold its soul to the Disney machine, but I was proven wrong today when it was revealed [via THR] that the upcoming “Toy Story 4,” which arrives June 21, will be the last sequel before Pixar starts work, solely, on new, original projects and not sequels, led by new boss Pete Docter.
“He’s really looking out for the new voices and really loading up the development pool,” Producer Mark Nielsen said. “It’s all original films after this one right now.”
It all starts in 2020, with “Onward,” directed by “Monsters University” director Dan Scanlon.
Emma Thompson Quits Animated Film “Luck” Because She Doesn't Want to Work With John Lasseter
Skydance Animation experienced some expected blowback when they hired ex-Pixar boss John Lasseter to head their animation department. The blowback stems from Lasseter being accused of sexual misconduct in the past and consequentially being fired by Pixar because of it. And so, It was shocking to see Lasseter re-hired because, truth be told, most of the industry thought he was persona non grata in after that controversy.
Read moreBrad Bird Says Fired Pixar Boss John Lasseter Should Not Be Compared to Harvey Weinstein
Here's a refresher course in case you're not entirely familiar with the John Lasseter story.
Last year, THR detailed Pixar‘s Lasseter taking a leave of absence for behavior for which their source qualified as “missteps” but which also left the staff Lasseter was working with feeling “disrespected or uncomfortable.” When more details came to fruition, it turned out that Lasseter was accused of “grabbing, kissing, making comments about physical attributes” towards women, "to the extent that employees created a move known as “the Lasseter” to avoid having him touch their legs." Actress Rashida Jones, a credited writer on the upcoming “Toy Story 4,” left the project due to “creative differences” which also turned out to having to do with Lasseter's aforementioned "missteps." Lasseter eventually stepped down from the company.
Read more‘Toy Story 3,’ and ‘Coco’ Director Lee Unkrich Exiting Pixar
I had initially heard about director Lee Unkrich when he was hired as director for "Toy Story 3." Little did I know that he had also worked behind the scenes as an editor on "Toy Story," and has had co-director credits on "Finding Nemo," "Toy Story 2," and "Monsters Inc." Anyway, "Toy Story 3" was his own creation and it was such a success that he then was tasked to helm "Coco“ which ended up making close $800 Million worldwide.
Read moreThe next original feature from Pixar Animation Studios, “Onward,” will arrive in theaters March 6, 2020
Director Dan Scanlon ("Monsters Uninversity") and producer Kori Rae will helm "Onward" the next project over at Pixar due to be released on March 6th, 2020. The film “centers on two teen elf brothers who go on a quest to discover if there is still magic left in the world.” He went on to add that “at Pixar we try to create stories that come from some kind of personal truth,” said Scanlon, “This film was inspired by my own relationship with my brother.”
Read moreTom Hanks Got Very Emotional Recording Toy Story 4's Ending
It seems, at least based in part on past comments from Tim Allen, and now Tom Hanks's recent comments on the The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, that Pixar is going for something very big with the ending of "Toy Story 4."Hanks claims this finale will be "a moment in history" which is an absurd statement, but, hey, I'm willing to take the bait. Here's what he had to say about that ending:
Read moreTim Allen Compares 'Toy Story 4' to ‘Infinity War’
In an interview on “The Talk,” Tim Allen, Mr. Buzz Lightyear, was asked about ‘Toy Story 4’:
“I gotta resist getting emotional because I don’t wanna give it away but this is an incredibly great story. If you’re at all a superhero fan, ‘Infinity War,’ I’m a big superhero fan, that didn’t seem like it was going to work. It was a lot of vignettes that all made sense. This ‘Toy Story 4’ . We’ve only been through it once, there will be several more incantations, but it is so emotional, it’s so funny, it’s so big the idea that they’ve come up with. I’m startled. [‘Toy Story 3’] I thought was amazing. This one, I couldn’t even get through the last scene, OK?”
“Toy Story 4” will be released on June 21, 2019.
Review: “Incredibles 2"
Brad Bird's 2004 classic "The Incredibles" can be deemed a groundbreaker for animation by now, right? Bird's tale of a family of superheroes that have to call it quits, due to all the collateral damage that comes in saving the world (just check the DCEU for proof), felt like a breath of fresh air and is one of the very best superhero movies of the modern era.
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