John Lasseter's Skydance Arrival: Animation Industry Controversy and Disney's Past

Mickey's 90th Anniversary Exhibit in NYC

• 💡 The "Mickey: The True Original" exhibit in New York celebrates Mickey Mouse's 90th anniversary with historical pieces, artist interpretations, and interactive photo opportunities.
• 🖼️ A standout feature is "Steamboat Willie Redux," a modern graphic reimagining of the original short by 35 international artists, perfectly synced to the original animation.
• 🎨 The exhibit guides visitors through different eras of Mickey, including a section celebrating the ink and paint department and a room dedicated to the Mickey Mouse Club, complete with a 1990s set reproduction.
• 🍦 Visitors can enjoy Ample Hills Ice Cream in the recreated Mickey Mouse Club set, and unique merchandise, including sold-out $1,500 James Jean ceramic statues, is available.

Controversy Surrounding John Lasseter at Skydance Animation

• 📌 John Lasseter has been hired as the new head of Skydance Animation, a move that has caused significant controversy and unhappiness within the animation industry, particularly among female filmmakers.
• ⚠️ Many in the industry feel Lasseter has not adequately apologized or made amends for past misconduct, making his return to a leadership role difficult to accept.
• 📉 Lasseter's departure from Disney followed the underperformance of "Cars 3" and the cancellation of "Gigantic," which resulted in a significant financial write-down for Disney.
• 🚫 Attempts by Lasseter to find a new role at Warner Bros. were reportedly met with a firm rejection, leading to his eventual hiring at Skydance.

Disney's Internal Dynamics and Past Decisions

• 🚀 Disney's past decision to let Lasseter go was influenced by fears of him joining a rival studio, similar to the situation with Jeffrey Katzenberg forming DreamWorks.
• 🎢 The timing of Lasseter's misconduct being revealed coincided with major Pixar-related events, such as the opening of Pixar Pier and Toy Story Land, where his absence was notable.
• 🤔 Disney has a history of protecting its key figures, but they did not extend this protection to Lasseter, possibly due to the circumstances of his departure and the lack of a genuine apology.

Upcoming Animation Projects and Disney Channel Programming

• 🎬 Brad Bird is working on a new live-action musical project that will feature 20 minutes of animation, with music by Michael Giacchino.
• 📺 Disney Channel is set to release new shows like "The Owl House" from Dana Terrace and "Amphibia" from Matt Brily, though release dates remain unconfirmed.
• 📺 The erratic release schedules of shows like "DuckTales" on Disney Channel are contrasted with the binge-watching model of streaming services like Netflix, making it difficult for traditional networks to compete.
• 🌟 Netflix is releasing "Undone" from the creators of "Bojack Horseman" and "Close Enough" from "Bojack's" production designer, alongside Guillermo del Toro's "Wizards," the conclusion to his animated series.

New Theme Park Attractions and Logos

• 🎢 Disney's Hollywood Studios has a new logo featuring Mickey and Minnie from the new shorts, which also power the upcoming "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway" attraction.
• ⏳ The opening of "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" has been delayed, with Disney now indicating a "late fall" opening, and "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway" is being fast-tracked for a spring opening to boost park attendance.
• 🌟 "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway" is described as a groundbreaking attraction utilizing projection mapping and transforming set pieces to create a cartoon-like transformation experience.
• 🌏 The attraction's success is expected to lead to its global rollout, with Tokyo Disneyland already expressing interest in securing it.