D23 Expo 2019: Disney & Pixar Animation News with Drew Taylor & Jim Hill

D23 Expo Animation Highlights

• 🎙️ The D23 Expo has concluded, and Drew Taylor and Jim Hill are discussing the major animation news and announcements.
• 💥 Drew Taylor was battling a cold throughout the weekend but is ready to share insights from the expo.

Box Office Performance and Trends

• 📉 Angry Birds 2 underperformed at the box office despite positive critical reviews, contrasting with its predecessor.
• 🦁 The Lion King continues to be a significant financial success for Disney, potentially its most profitable film.
• 📈 Several animated sequels this year, including How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The Secret Life of Pets 2, and The Lego Movie 2, have seen solid reviews but middling box office performance.
• 🌟 Toy Story 4 was a notable exception, exceeding expectations by grossing over a billion dollars worldwide.

New Animation Projects and Announcements

• 🕵️ Agent King, an animated series about Elvis Presley as a secret agent, is coming to Netflix, with the Elvis Presley estate's approval.
• 🦄 The final episode of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic aired, concluding its nine-season run.
• 💔 The animated project Medusa, a female empowerment story based on Greek mythology, is lamented as a missed opportunity by Sony Animation.
• ❄️ Frozen 2 is described as telling a complete story with the original film, with previews including musical numbers and a flashback scene.
• 👻 Olaf's Frozen Adventure is questioned regarding its place in the overall Frozen mythology.
• 🧙 Onward, a Pixar film set for March 2020, features a fantasy suburban setting and was previewed with a scene involving two brothers.
• 🌌 Soul, directed by Pete Docter, is described as a visually strange and cosmic film exploring metaphysical questions about life and existence, with a cast including Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, and music by Trent Reznor.
• 💰 The close release dates of Onward and Soul raise concerns about potential audience cannibalization, a situation not seen since Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur.
• ❓ Forky Asks a Question, a new short-form Pixar series for Disney Plus, features Forky exploring concepts like money, with a humorous interaction involving Hamm.
• 👹 A Monsters Inc. spin-off series for Disney Plus has a revised premise focusing on the transition from scares to laughter.
• 🐉 Raya and the Last Dragon is a new Disney Animation project with a unique art style, featuring a water sprite dragon and drawing comparisons to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Disney Plus and Theatrical Releases

• 📺 Disney Plus is set to launch with a significant amount of content, including all Pixar films.
• 🎬 The strategy of releasing content on both Disney Plus and in theaters raises questions about audience consumption and the role of streaming in talent development.
• 📅 The release date for Cruella has been pushed to May 2021, indicating a strategic approach to market positioning.
• 🗓️ Disney is adopting a week-to-week release model for Disney Plus shows, differing from Netflix's binge model.
• 🏞️ Moana is being integrated into Disney Parks, including a new attraction and the Harmonious fireworks spectacular.
• 🏰 The El Capitoon Theater and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney Parks are highlighted.
• 🎬 The live-action Mulan trailer was shown, and speculation about an Aladdin sequel was present but unconfirmed.
• 🧐 The release of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil was also delayed to 2021.

Podcast and Personal Notes

• 💬 Drew Taylor is seeking a Duke Kaboom Signature Collection toy.
• 🎤 The hosts promote their respective podcasts, Fine-Tuning and Light the Fuse, encouraging listeners to rate and subscribe.
• 🎢 Plans for a