Disney's Release Schedule, 'Up' Anniversary, and Animation News with Drew Taylor & Jim Hill

Animation Industry Challenges and Box Office Performance

• 📉 Ugly Dolls had a poor opening weekend, grossing only $8.5 million against a $45 million budget, with Avengers Endgame dominating the box office.
• ⚠️ Concerns are raised about the lack of buzz for the live-action Aladdin, especially compared to the success of live-action Beauty and the Beast.
• 🎬 Dumbo also underperformed, contributing to a rough year for animation, with How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World and The Lego Movie 2 also not meeting expectations.
• 😟 Spies in Disguise has faced multiple release date changes and a challenging holiday season release, potentially mirroring the fate of The Wonderful Winnie the Pooh opening against the last Harry Potter movie.

Disney's Live-Action and Animated Projects

• 🎬 Lady and the Tramp is set to premiere on Disney Plus, featuring Janelle Monáe as Peg and producing new songs, including a reimagining of the controversial "We Are Siamese If You Please."
• 🎶 The decision to revisit the Siamese cat song is questioned, with discussion on whether it should be cut or reinterpreted.
• 🗓️ Disney has announced a packed release calendar, including Avatar 5 in 2027 and Star Wars films, but Spies in Disguise is notably struggling to find a stable release date.
• 🌟 Toy Story 4 is anticipated to perform well due to the franchise's strong brand management.

Pixar's 'Up' and Creative Development

• 🎈 Up is celebrated as a standout film from Pixar's golden age, despite initial marketing challenges due to its unique premise of a 90-year-old man and a boy scout.
• 🗺️ Early footage shown at New York Comic-Con in 2009 revealed the jungle adventure and Carl's interactions with Dug and Kevin.
• 🐦 The character of Kevin the bird remained a consistent element throughout development, even when the story shifted from princesses in a floating city to a house lifted by balloons.
• 🎨 The concept for Carl emerged from a drawing of a grumpy old man holding balloons, highlighting the often random nature of creative development.

Animation Art and Disney+ Content

• 🖼️ The spring 2019 animation art auction features rare pieces, including title cards for Dumbo and concept art for Snow White.
• 📚 Books like Mary Blair's Unique Flare and Disney Pencils, Pens, and Brushes are being released, coinciding with the D23 Expo and the launch of Disney+.
• 📺 The upcoming Disney+ service is expected to feature content like the Ink & Paint documentary series and Leslie Iwerks' Imagineering documentary.

Pin Trading and Event News

• 📌 Disney is bringing back official pin trading events at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, with admission fees and opportunities to pre-purchase select pins.
• 🏰 The events offer a chance to acquire pins from the Up collection, celebrating its 10th anniversary, featuring designs of Carl, Ellie, their house, and the coin jar.
• 🤝 Pin trading has a strong community presence, with collectors gathering at various locations within the parks.