Animation News: Smallfoot, Rugrats Revival, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Disenchantment & DuckTales

Smallfoot and Early Press Screenings

• 🎬 Drew Taylor attended an early press screening of Warner Animation Group's Smallfoot, praising the animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks and director Karey Kirkpatrick.
• 🎤 Despite embargoes, Taylor hinted at the film's potential success and noted the surprising vocal cast, including LeBron James.

Rugrats Revival and Ralph Breaks the Internet

• 📺 Jim Hill reported on Nickelodeon's plans to revive Rugrats, overhearing interns discussing character development for Angelica.
• 🌐 Both hosts attended an early press day for Disney's Ralph Breaks the Internet, discussing the challenges of embargoes and the film's depiction of the internet.
• 👑 They noted Jennifer Lee's increased leadership role, particularly in handling the Disney Princess sequence, and the absence of John Lasseter's office during the junket.

Fox Animation and Disney Merger

• 🦊 Following the Disney-Fox merger approval, Fox is focusing on its own animation properties, including a Bob's Burgers movie and a Simpsons movie.
• 📺 A Family Guy film is planned to mix animation and live-action.
• 😟 There's concern for Blue Sky Studios' future within Disney, as the animation landscape becomes more crowded with Marvel and Star Wars properties.
• 🎬 Studios are adjusting release dates to avoid being "Black Panthered," fearing similar box office dominance from upcoming Marvel films like Captain Marvel.

Gravity Falls and Disenchantment

• 📚 Drew Taylor expressed enthusiasm for The Gravity Falls: Lost Legends book, written by Alex Hirsch, praising its artwork and characters.
• ✍️ Hirsch is balancing fan expectations with other projects, including a new feature film and merchandise, while maintaining a strong relationship with publishing.
• 📺 Matt Groening's new Netflix show, Disenchantment, was discussed, with Taylor noting its serialized nature and the animation by Rough Draft Studios.

DuckTales Reboot Deep Dive

• 🦆 The hosts lauded the DuckTales reboot for its faithfulness to Carl Barks' original comics and its detailed world-building.
• 🎤 They discussed the casting choices, comparing the original voice actors like Alan Young to the new cast, including David Tennant as Scrooge and Kate Micucci as Webby.
• 🌟 The distinct personalities of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and the reimagining of characters like Beakley and Launchpad, were highlighted as key strengths.
• 🗺️ The season finale's cliffhanger, revealing Della Duck alive on the moon, sets up anticipation for season two.
• 🌟 The show's ability to incorporate elements from other Disney Afternoon shows like TailSpin and Darkwing Duck was praised.

Upcoming Events and Future Shows

• ✈️ Jim and Drew announced their upcoming event at Walt Disney World in November, focusing on the history of Pixar in the parks.
• 💡 They also plan to discuss the initial introduction of Toy Story into the Disney parks on their next show.