Disney unveils animation slate

Schedule includes ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Cars 2′

By BEN FRITZ, DADE HAYES

After years of relative reticence, the Mouse House is strutting over its animation slate once again.

With Disney chief exec Robert Iger and the investment community looking on in Gotham Tuesday, John Lasseter presented an uncharacteristically detailed road map of the next four years of Pixar and Disney animation.

Two years after the pair’s $7.4 billion merger, the Mouse House is eager to tout the lineup and keep Pixar’s momentum going after “Ratatouille” and “Cars.” Studio is also looking to pump up the fortunes of Disney’s own animation unit, now under the control of Lasseter and former Pixar prexy Ed Catmull after suffering a string of disappointments, including last year’s “Meet the Robinsons.”

Lineup includes a Pixar film every summer and a Disney Animation Studios toon every holiday season, save for 2011, when Pixar is releasing two films and Disney Animation Studios will take a breather. All of the films starting with this November’s “Bolt” will be released in digital 3-D, except for 2009 Disney toon “The Princess and the Frog,” the only pic being made in traditional 2-D.

Disney studio chief Dick Cook said it was the first pure animation presentation for the Mouse House in more than a decade.

Muppets in the News!

 

World Science Festival at NYU Announced!

World Science Festival founder and Pulitzer nominated physicist Brian Greene, along with NYU President John Sexton, Actor Alan Alda and Muppet scientist, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew spoke during a press conference to announce the World Science Festival at NYU on April 2, 2008 in New York City. The festival will be held throughout New York City from May 28- June 1, 2008.

Learn more about the festival HERE!

More Muppets in the News!

Segel: ‘New Muppets movie is classic’

Jason Segel has claimed the new Muppets movie will be a “classic”.

It was confirmed last month that Segel and Nick Stoller would be writing the screenplay for the first Muppet film since 1999’s Muppets from Space.

Speaking about the movie’s plot, he said: “It’s a classic story. It’s the Muppets needing to get back together to save the show…It’s going to take place all over the world.

“Basically, the Muppets are no longer together. So that might take a while to film. I guess they’ve set the precedent in that last movie that Gonzo is, in fact, an alien, so he could well end up in space.”

Talking about possible guest appearances, Segel commented: “Every time I bring it up with somebody - Mila Kunis, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen - they say, ‘Oh my god, you’re writing me a part’.

“So I don’t think there’ll be trouble casting. I would love to star in it myself. I think that’s the plan, but right now it’s just a script deal.”

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