Think Comic-Con with mouse ears.
With headliners ranging from Willem Dafoe to John Lasseter to Miss Piggy, Disney’s third annual D23 Expo — in which the studio introduces its upcoming film slate to fans — has been set for Aug. 19-21 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the studio announced Tuesday.
Represented will be cast and crew members (both fictional and human) from upcoming Disney, Pixar and Marvel Studios releases, including Miss Piggy (“The Muppets”), Dafoe (“John Carter), Jennifer Garner (“The Off Life of Timothy Green”), several “Avengers” cast members and “Wreck-It Ralph’s” Sarah Silverman.
Expo attendees will have access to top-name panels, as well as advance screenings of an all-new 3D version of “The Lion King,” set for a fall release, and the upcoming ABC holiday special ”Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice.”
The event also features activities and exhibits including drawing workshops, book signings and a gallery of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” film prop collection.
In addition, there will be a celebration of Pixar’s “25 years of moviemaking magic,” including a sit-down with chief creative officer Lasseter and a panel of directors from the Pixar Creative Team.
In a panel for Pixar’s upcoming film “Brave” (pictured above), production designer Steve Pilcher and shading art director Tia Kratter will show how their team “put paint to canvas and fingers to computer keys to create the [film’s] stunning visuals of Scotland,” according to a studio release.
Also planned: a musical presentation featuring composer Michael Giacchino’s contributions to such Pixar films as “Ratatouille,” “Up” and “Cars 2.”
