Animation News: Bad Guys Holiday Special, Encanto Live, and Kevin Conroy Tribute

Encanto Live at the Hollywood Bowl

• 🌟 Drew Taylor attended the Encanto Live at the Hollywood Bowl event, describing it as the best live-to-film presentation he's ever seen.
• 🎶 The event featured a live orchestra, special effects, and projection mapping to recreate the film's magical setting, potentially serving as a trial for a Broadway musical.
• 📱 Attendees used a downloaded app that synchronized with the stage effects, enhancing the immersive experience.

Animated Film and Series Updates

• 🎬 Netflix released a trailer for Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, an animated musical featuring re-imagined songs by Leslie Bricusse, with a unique visual of Jacob Marley having glowing gold eyes.
• 🐉 DreamWorks Animation is prepping a holiday special for The Bad Guys in 2023, set before the film, where the characters must reignite the city's holiday spirit.
• ✍️ The film My Father's Dragon, from Cartoon Saloon, is highlighted despite the overwhelming amount of new content available.

Academy Awards and Disney News

• 🏆 Apollo 10 and a Half and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On have qualified for the Best Animated Feature Oscar consideration.
• 🎬 Drew discusses Disney's Strange World, praising its gorgeous animation and vocal performances, while Jim has yet to see it.
• 📉 The conversation touches on Disney's stock price drop and Bob Chapek's decisions regarding streaming profitability and production spending.

Tributes and Animation History

• 🦇 A heartfelt tribute is paid to Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of Batman, who passed away at 66.
• 📚 The upcoming book The Disney Animation Renaissance: Behind the Glass at the Florida Studio by Mary Leer is mentioned as a significant release.
• 🎬 A fascinating anecdote recounts Chuck Jones's brief and unproductive stint at Disney in the 1950s after Warner Bros. initially shifted to 3D films.
• 🎶 The controversial history of Song of the South is discussed, including its limited re-release in 1986 to support the development of Splash Mountain and the ongoing debate about its availability on Disney+.