Fine Tooning Episode 6: Pixar Pier, Pete Docter, Gravity Falls Blu-ray, and Hotel Transylvania 3

Pixar Pier and The Incredibles

• 🎢 Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure has been reimagined, featuring the Incredicoaster, which replaces California Screamin' with a new Incredibles-themed experience.
• 🍪 A standout attraction at Pixar Pier is the Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums, with a popular gluten-free option.
• 🤫 A secret room at Lamplight Lounge offers exclusive Pixar art and a view of the Incredicoaster launch.
• 🏰 The Incredibles IP is being heavily integrated into Disney parks, particularly at Disney Hollywood Studios, due to its success.

Pete Docter's New Role at Pixar

• 🎬 Pete Docter has taken over as the new creative lead at Pixar, following in the footsteps of John Lasseter.
• 😥 There's concern that his new role may limit his directorial opportunities, shifting him towards studio management and story fixing.
• ✝️ The discussion touches on the perception of Docter as the first openly Christian director at Pixar, noting that Andrew Stanton also openly discussed Christian themes in Wall-E.
• 🛠️ Docter faces the dual challenge of upholding Pixar's film legacy and addressing cultural issues within the studio.

Gravity Falls and Disney Streaming

• 📀 The Gravity Falls: The Complete Series Blu-ray set is highlighted as a comprehensive release with extensive bonus features, including commentaries and documentaries.
• ✍️ A new Gravity Falls graphic novel by Alex Hirsch is also mentioned, coinciding with the Blu-ray release.
• 📉 The podcast questions why Disney isn't releasing such popular content themselves, citing declining DVD and Blu-ray sales as a factor for the company's focus on larger revenue streams.
• 📺 The closure of Toon Studio is discussed in the context of Disney's need for content for its upcoming streaming service.

Hotel Transylvania 3 and Gendy Tartakovsky

• 🚢 Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is reviewed as potentially the best film in the series, with a strong, Gendy Tartakovsky-directed ending.
• ✍️ Director Gendy Tartakovsky wrote the script himself, avoiding creative input from Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel, and focusing on animation-driven storytelling.
• 🚀 Tartakovsky's career is explored, including his departure from Lucasfilm Animation due to George Lucas's focus on TV over features, and his early involvement with Marvel, including discussions about directing Thor and his influence on Iron Man.
• 🌟 The film's ending is noted for its animation style, reminiscent of Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory.

Other Animation News and Acquisitions

• 🚗 A Cars-themed attraction, the Lightning McQueen Racing Academy, is coming to Disney Hollywood Studios.
• 🦊 The potential acquisition of Fox assets, including Blue Sky Studios and IPs like Anastasia and Ice Age, is discussed in relation to Disney's streaming service and theme park expansion.
• ❓ The closure of Toon Studio is questioned, especially given the need for content for the Disney+ streaming service and the talent that walked out.
• 🎬 The teaser for Wonder Park (formerly Amusement Park) is analyzed, with questions about its target audience and the studio's decision to launch a TV series before the film's release.
• ❄️ The animated series Togo, starring William Dafoe, is mentioned as content for the new streaming service, based on the true story of a sled dog.