A Slew of Disney Re-Do's in 3D

A Slew of Disney Re-Do's in 3D

Published: July 24, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
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By Amy Kaufman

Disney used its panel at Comic-Con on Friday morning to tout its upcoming slate of animated films -- from it's newest hand-drawn musical "The Frog and the Princess" to announcing the studio would release the original "Beauty and the Beast" in 3D.

The panel also hosted famed Japanese animator Hiyao Miyazaki's, whose "Ponyo" will get its American release in August.

But the presentation in Hall H also showed more familiar Disney fare upgraded to 3D, including the opening of "Toy Story 2," in which an aloof Buzz Lightyear encounters an angry fleet of Zergs in a videogame being played by the dinosaur Rex.

"I can't press the fire button and shoot at the same time," Rex jokes of his little arms.

Three years after the merger of Pixar and Disney, Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter said he was excited to show what the two parties had created. He said that those who are familiar with 1995's 'Toy Story' have never seen the film on big 3D screens.

"We've always made 3D films at Pixar -- the theaters have just finally caught up to us," Lasseter said.

He also debuted a trailer for a double feature of the original cartoon and its sequel in 3D, in which all of the toys stumble across a pair of 3D glasses and play around with the new technology.

The double feature, which will hit theaters Oct. 2 -- is a marketing ploy for "Toy Story 3," out next summer. The film's director, Lee Unkrich, said they'd been working on the projet  for over three years and only have a quarter of it animated ,despite its June 2010 release date.

Unkrich and the film's original creators, he said, went on a retreat to a cabin to face the "daunting task" of finding a plot for the third movie. They decided they needed to have the film's boy star, Andy, grown up and ready to depart for college.

All of the old characters and their celebrity voices are back, including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. He also said that Barbie will find her companion in the movie -- Ken, who will be voiced by Michael Keaton.

Ulrich then introduced a comical old-school themed look at the doll called "Groovin' With Ken," in which he looks at himself in the mirror and dances to disco music.

Lasseter then announced that the studio is releasing the classic "Beauty and the Beast" in 3D next Valentine's Day.

"It's the only animated film to be nominated for Best Picture and it was made with the digital cap system, so the new technology gives it some roundness," Lasseter said.

They showed a sneak of the film in its upgraded state, and audience members sang along to the movie's opening theme song.

Lasseter also showed a clip from an original Christmas special airing this holiday season for ABC called "Prep & Landing" about elves who sneak into houses to prep the homes for Santa's arrival -- scanning chocolate chip cookies for nuts and calming angry guard dogs.

Tags: Beauty and the Beast, Disney, Hayao Miyazai, John Lasseter, Movies, Princess and the Frog, Toy Story
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