Animation News: Klaus, Frozen 2, and Release Date Strategies

Animated Film Releases and Box Office

• ❄️ Frozen 2 had a strong opening weekend with $127 million domestically, but the hosts debate whether The Lion King (2019) should be considered an animated film, as it grossed $191 million.
• 🎬 Disney's classification of The Lion King as live-action, despite being fully animated, and its exclusion from the Best Animated Feature Oscar category is discussed.
• 🎬 The discussion touches on the live-action Lady and the Tramp and the use of CGI for animal characters.

Voice Actor Changes and Production Challenges

• 🎤 The trailer for Spies in Disguise featured Reba McEntire voicing Joy Jenkins, highlighting a last-minute voice actor change, similar to Despicable Me 2 where Benjamin Bratt replaced Al Pacino.
• ⏱️ The challenge of Benjamin Bratt re-voicing a character within six weeks to match finished animation is noted.
• 🎥 The film Gemini Man is discussed as a project that was intended for a specific high-frame-rate, 3D format that few theaters could support, leading to its underperformance.

CGI and Digital Recreations in Film

• 👴 The concept of using CGI to recreate deceased actors, like James Dean for the film Finding Jack, is debated as potentially "ghoulish."
• 🎭 The use of CGI for characters like Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One is mentioned, with a focus on the technical aspects of recreating human skin.
• 🎬 A hypothetical Marx Brothers film set at the UN, A Day at the United Nations, is discussed as a project that could potentially be realized with modern technology.
• 🐶 The CGI dog in The Call of the Wild is praised, with director Chris Sanders's background in animation highlighted.

Animation Studio Release Strategies

• 🗓️ Walt Disney Animation Studios historically favored Thanksgiving weekend releases, starting with Wreck-It Ralph (2012), while Pixar typically occupied the early summer slot.
• 🤝 The acquisition of Pixar by Disney in 2006, influenced by a dispute over distribution fees and release dates, led to Pixar retaining its preferred summer release window.
• 💥 Disney's aggressive tactics to protect its release dates are exemplified by the limited re-release of The Little Mermaid to counter Fox's Anastasia.
• 🎬 The shift in release strategies is further explored with Frozen 2 being released the week before Thanksgiving to capture the entire holiday week, a deviation from the original's Thanksgiving release.

The Charm of Hand-Drawn Animation and Voice Cast

• 🎨 The film Klaus is celebrated for its stunning hand-drawn animation and stellar voice cast, including Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, and Rashida Jones.
• 🎭 The unique character designs in Klaus, particularly the young girl and the Claus character, are praised, along with the innovative use of CG sheen on character eyes.
• 🤣 The humor in Klaus is described as darker and more satirical, with characters like the ferryman voiced by Norm Macdonald adding to the comedic elements.
• 🌟 The film is recommended as a fun family viewing option, especially for the holiday season.