Disney's 'The Brave Little Toaster' & 'Where the Wild Things Are' Development

Early Disney Animation Projects

• 💡 The episode begins by discussing casting for Disney's live-action "The Little Mermaid," including Aquafina as Scuttle and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, with Melissa McCarthy considered for Ursula.
• 🎭 The casting of Ursula sparks discussion about the character's inspiration from drag culture, referencing Divine and Harvey Fierstein's potential involvement in the stage musical.

The "Gremlins" Franchise and Disney's "Nightmare Before Christmas"

• 🎬 A new "Gremlins" project for Warner Media's streaming service is discussed, focusing on the origin story of Gizmo and Sam Wing.
• ⚠️ Concerns are raised about the potential for the new "Gremlins" to be too traditional, lacking the subversive edge of the original film.
• 👻 The possibility of a live-action "Nightmare Before Christmas" is mentioned, with speculation that Disney is reconsidering the project.

Unproduced Disney Films: "Where the Wild Things Are" & "The Brave Little Toaster"

• 🎨 John Lasseter's vision for "Where the Wild Things Are" involved CG backgrounds and traditional animation for characters, a concept that showed promise but was ultimately not realized.
• 🍞 "The Brave Little Toaster" was planned as a follow-up, intended to blend computer animation with hand-drawn elements, similar to the "Where the Wild Things Are" test.
• 💰 The projects were shelved due to Disney's financial concerns in the early 1980s, particularly after the over-budget Epcot construction, making the combined $24 million cost prohibitive.
• 🎬 John Lasseter and Glen Keane resigned from Disney in protest, with Lasseter eventually joining Lucasfilm and contributing to early Pixar shorts.

"The Brave Little Toaster" Independent Release

• 🌟 Tom Wilhight eventually secured financing for "The Brave Little Toaster," resulting in a $2.5 million independent film.
• 🏆 The film was screened at Sundance, where judges acknowledged its quality but hesitated to award an animated film the top prize, reflecting animation's marginalized status at the time.
• 📈 "The Brave Little Toaster" ultimately received a theatrical release in 1987, highlighting the challenges and evolution of animation as a storytelling medium.