Animation News: Annecy Festival, Disneyland Paris, and Box Office Updates

Drew's European Adventures

• ✈️ Drew Taylor returns from a two-week trip, battling severe jet lag to deliver insights from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and his first visit to Disneyland Paris.
• 🇫🇷 The journey included a scenic train ride from Annecy to Paris, highlighting a preference for international travel by rail.

Annecy Animation Festival Highlights

• 🌟 The 25th anniversary of Cartoon Network Studios featured a panel with notable creators like Gendy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, and Rebecca Sugar, discussing the studio's evolution.
• 📺 News from the festival included a Steven Universe show heading to Prime Video and the Gumball show moving to Hulu.
• 💡 Pixar's presentation was a significant highlight, showcasing a strong slate of upcoming projects, including Toy Story 5 and Elio.
• 🚀 Footage from Toy Story 5 revealed an opening scene with Buzz Lightyear figures washing ashore, introducing new characters and a shift in Bonnie's bedroom dynamics with Jessie in charge.
• 🎨 Hopper was described as incredibly funny with a charming style, while Gateau, directed by Enrico Casarosa, impressed with its beautiful, painterly animation style.
• 🤖 While AI was a prevalent topic, Annecy also celebrated the work of human animators, showcasing a vibrant creative atmosphere.
• 🎤 Drew also shared personal encounters, including a talk with Chris Sanders and a humorous interaction with Pen Ward.

Disneyland Paris Experience

• 🏰 Drew and Katie stayed at the Disneyland Paris Hotel on the concierge level, offering direct park access and castle views.
• 🎢 The park, while beautiful, showed signs of age in areas like Discovery Land, with Hyperspace Mountain noted as a disappointment.
• 🎭 A unique experience involved a private interaction with a BDX droid at a Coca-Cola branded lounge atop the Star Tours building.
• 🛍️ Disney Village is undergoing a major renovation, with the iconic Annette diner remaining.
• 🌟 The Walt Disney Studios Park (soon to be Disney Adventure World) is also under construction, with plans for new themed areas like Arendelle.
• 🎢 Despite some attractions being down, Crush's Coaster had the longest waits, and Drew was particularly impressed with the Phantom Manor and Big Thunder Mountain attractions.
• 🍽️ Dining at Bistrot Chez Rémy was a highlight, offering excellent theming and accommodating for celiac dietary needs.

Box Office and Industry News

• 🐉 How to Train Your Dragon live-action film performed well, grossing $358 million worldwide in its first 10 days.
• 🧟 28 Days Later opened strongly with a $60 million worldwide total, with a sequel, The Bone Temple, in development.
• 👽 Pixar's Elio had the lowest opening for a Pixar film domestically, though it received a positive audience score and is expected to perform better over time, similar to Elemental.
• 🐶 Lilo & Stitch live-action remake has earned $910 million worldwide, with Disney confident it will reach the billion-dollar mark.
• 🎤 The discussion touched on Rachel Zegler's career resurgence with the musical Evita in London, countering earlier speculation about her career being damaged by comments regarding Snow White.
• 🎭 The 30th-anniversary production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast is touring North America, based on the hand-drawn film.
• 🔮 Jared Bush hinted at the potential return of hand-drawn animation at Disney, coinciding with Ron Clements' return to Disney Animation.
• 🗓️ Upcoming film releases include F1: The Movie, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Smurfs, and Fantastic Four.