Disney Online is celebrating the release of Tinker Bell on Blu-ray and DVD by previewing the first six minutes of the film exclusively at www.disney.com/tinkerbell on October 27 and 28. Tinker Bell is set for release on October 28th.
The preview will be available to view on Disney.com’s newly launched full-screen video player. Additionally, Disney Online’s latest virtual world, Disney Fairies PIXIE HOLLOW (www.PixieHollow.com) is marking Tinker Bell’s arrival with a special in-game event.
Twentieth Century Fox has moved the CGI-live action hybrid Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel directly against Disney’s The Princess and the Frog on Christmas Day 2009.
Fox’s other animated movie, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will stay in its Summer 2009 release date.
In other news, Sony Pictures will release Planet 51 in November 2009. The movie features the voice of Dwayne Johnson. Previously Warner Bros. had scheduled the movie for Summer 2009 but let the film go after producers wanted a November release.
Oliver & Company 20th Anniversary Edition is heading to DVD on February 3, 2009 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
Oliver, a stray kitten, wanders Manhattan when Dodger, a street-smart mutt with a weakness for mischief, befriends him. He introduces his new pal to his pack of pickpocket pooches, run by the evil Sykes, and just as Oliver is about to begin a life of crime, he is rescued by a rich girl named Jenny, who takes him home to live in luxury. But when Sykes finds out about Oliver’s new benefactor, he hatches a plot to abscond with the little girl and hold her for ransom. Now it’s up to Oliver and his pals to search the city and save Jenny.
Bonus features include:
Games & Activities
• All-New Game
Backstage Disney
• The Making of Oliver & Company
• Puss Café – A delightful animated short starring Disney favorite Pluto and friends
• The History of Animals in Disney Films – A Disney animated featurette
• Return of a Classic – A look at the 1996 theatrical re-release of Oliver & Company
Bonus Short
• Lend a Paw — Pluto rescues a kitten and saves the day in an Academy Award (1941 Short Subject -Cartoon) winning animated short.
Check out this four minute clip of Disney’s Bolt, in theater November 21, 2008.
The Walt Disney original classic, Pinocchio, is heading to DVD and Blu-ray as “Pinocchio: 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition” on March 10, 2009. Available for the first time on Blu-ray and 2-Disc DVD, Pinocchio is restored with enhanced picture and sound. The movie will be available for a limited time only and comes loaded with bonus features.
The special 2-Disc Blu-ray release not only includes a bonus standard definition DVD of the film in the same package, but provides viewers accessibility to Disney’s popular BD-Live Network, which allows viewers to chat, video stream, participate in communal games and download exclusive content.
The folks at Ain’t It Cool News are reporting that Disney has replaced “Rapunzel” directors Glen Keane and Dean Wellins. Below is the memo sent to AICN.
For nearly two years, Glen Keane and Dean Wellins have been directing partners on Rapunzel. As Glen lessens his directorial responsibilities to attend to some non-life threatening health issues, their involvement on the project will shift. Glen will step back as a Director but stay attached to Rapunzel as an Executive Producer and Directing Animator. At the same time, Dean will move into development to pitch three new ideas for one of our future feature projects and focus on directing one of his CG shorts.
We are happy to announce that Nathan Greno and Byron Howard have accepted to partner as directors on Rapunzel as we continue to hone the story in anticipation of our Holiday 2010 release.
We want to welcome Nathan and Byron to the project and thank Glen and Dean for their great contributions to date on Rapunzel.
Thanks
Ed
During today’s Walt Disney Showcase, John Lasseter revealed that the release date for Cars 2 will be pushed forward to Summer 2011, from the previous 2012 release date.
Mr. Lasseter also revealed plot details and how the idea came to him while traveling the world doing publicity for the original Cars. He wondered how Lightning McQueen, Mater and the rest of the gang would react to other countries and the foreign vehicles that inhabit them.
The sequel will answer such a question as Lightning McQueen and Mater go on a worldwide trip where they will no-doubt meet many new friends — all of which you will be able to buy at a toy store near you, just in time for the Holidays! After all, we all know that’s the only reason Pixar is doing another sequel. The original was a HUGE merchandising hit for Disney with products repeatedly selling out.
Also announced was a series of short Cars cartoons cleverly (not really) titled Car-toons… get it? Car…toons… Yea, they didn’t even try. The shorts will air on the Disney Channel and maybe even in theaters before other Disney films.
Discuss: What do you think? Is Cars 2 just an attempt to cash in on merchandising? What other Pixar film do you think would have been a better choice for a sequel? Post your comments and discuss with other readers.
Via Slashfilm
Bolt is Disney’s latest computer animated movie; one for which new techniques had to be invented by the studio’s artists. With production wrapping up, Disney gave ComingSoon.net the chance to go behind the scenes and experience firsthand the level of detail that goes into a project such as Bolt.
The NY Times reports that Disney plans on releasing five more classic animated movies on Blu-ray within two years. The five movies bound for high-definition glory are: Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Fantasia 2000 and last but no least, Beauty and the Beast. Disney will kick off it’s Platinum Blu-ray releases with Sleeping Beauty on October 7th.
All of the releases will take full advantage of Blu-ray technology including BD Live, which allows for internet interactivity. Bob Chapek, president of Disney’s home entertainment division, is fully behind Blu-ray and BD Live, commenting “BD Live is not a niche product, We see mass adoption of the technology.”
Update:
Pinocchio – Spring 2009
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Fall 2009
Fantasia – 2010
Fantasia 2000 – 2010
Beauty and the Beast – Fall 2010
Mickey and his pals Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Pluto star in this new Playhouse Disney production where classic fairy tales are retold, giving each their own individual twist.
There are spells, 100-year sleeps and magical frogs awaiting you on this new DVD, available September 2, 2008.
Bonus features include the “Tales from Toodles” interactive story and a never-before-seen episode of “Minnie’s Mystery.”
Release date: November 18, 2008
Directed by Charles Nichols.
Written by Nick George and Milt Schaffer.
Produced by Walt Disney.
The Wise Little Hen is a Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies cartoon, based on the fairy tale The Little Red Hen. This cartoon marked the debut of Donald Duck.
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