Disney's Unmade 'Gremlins' Movie and WWII Animation History

Cruella and Early Impressions

• 🎬 Drew Taylor shares his positive impressions of Disney's live-action film "Cruella", calling it his favorite live-action remake of an animated classic.
• ✨ He praises the direction by Craig Gillespie for adding great texture and surprising twists, recommending it for a theater viewing due to its soundtrack and score.

Animation News and Projects

• 🏨 The trailer for "Hotel Transylvania: Transformania" is discussed, noting it's the fourth installment and potentially the last, with new directors and Adam Sandler not voicing Dracula.
• 📺 Tim Burton's live-action series "Wednesday" for Netflix is highlighted, focusing on Wednesday Addams at Nevermore Academy.
• 💥 A new young adult animated "Superman" series is coming to HBO Max, starring Jack Quaid.
• 🦇 A new "Batman" animated series is in development from JJ Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Bruce Timm, with Drew expressing reservations about the absence of Paul Dini.
• 🐉 "Raya and the Last Dragon" Blu-ray/DVD release is mentioned, including the short film "Us Again".
• 🤖 The animated series "Monsters at Work" trailer is discussed, with praise for its animation and character design, noting it looks even better than the original "Monsters Inc."
• 🚀 "Star Wars: Biomes" on Disney Plus is commended for its atmospheric visuals and sound design by ILM.
• 🐶 Dwayne Johnson will voice Krypto in "DC League of Super-Pets", releasing the same day as "Mission Impossible 7" and "John Wick 4".
• 🦊 "Smiling Friends" is being turned into a series for Adult Swim, described as bizarre and perfect for its niche.
• 🐒 Netflix is releasing three animated projects from Asian-American creators, including "The Monkey King" executive produced by Steven Chow.
• 🧛 Travis Knight is directing a vampire thriller "Uprising" for Netflix.
• 🧠 "Marvel's M.O.D.O.K." debuted on Hulu, praised for animation and voice cast but criticized for its focus on divorce, though episode 6's animation battle is a must-see.

Disney's WWII Efforts and 'Gremlins'

• ✈️ The Walt Disney Family Museum's exhibit "Walt Disney Studios and World War II" is discussed, with a catalog featuring art from the unmade animated feature "Gremlins".
• 📝 The origin of the "Gremlins" concept is traced back to Roald Dahl's 1942 "Gremlin Lore," which Walt Disney was inspired by for a wartime animated feature.
• 📚 Dahl worked with Disney artists to expand the lore, resulting in a published book, "The Gremlins: A Royal Air Force Story", which sold well and led to toy merchandise.
• 😥 However, by mid-1943, with American audiences tiring of war stories, the "Gremlins" animated feature was shelved by Walt Disney himself.
• 💡 Despite being shelved, the "Gremlins" concept has resurfaced periodically, with concept art and storyboards appearing in auctions.
• 🎬 The unmade "Gremlins" film is contrasted with Steven Spielberg's "Gremlins" and the potential for Nazis in the unmade "Indiana Jones 5" script.

Park News and Merchandise

• 🎢 Discussion of Disneyland's reopening and the controversial $63 "Web-Slinger" wristband for the attraction, seen as antithetical to the anti-annual pass strategy and a potential gift shop upsell.
• 🤖 The Spider-Bot from Avengers Campus is mentioned as a previously hyped merchandise item that faced delays.
• 🏛️ The Walt Disney Family Museum is described as spectacular but potentially overwhelming due to the sheer volume of exhibits.

Upcoming Interviews

• 🎬 Drew Taylor announces an upcoming interview with director Brian De Palma for his podcast "Light the Fuse," coinciding with the paperback release of his novel "Are Snakes Necessary?"