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Inspired by The Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary October 16, 2023, "Once Upon a Studio" is a new live-action/animated fantasy comedy short written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, featuring over 500 Disney Animation characters, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, now streaming on Disney+:

"...animator 'Burny Mattinson' wishes that the walls of the studio could talk. Later, 'Mickey' and 'Minnie Mous' spring free from pictures on the wall, and plan to gather characters from all around the studio for a group photo..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Inspired by The Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary October 16, 2023, "Once Upon a Studio" is a new live-action/animated fantasy comedy short written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, featuring over 500 Disney Animation characters, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios:

"...animator 'Burny Mattinson' wishes that the walls of the studio could talk. Later, 'Mickey' and 'Minnie Mous' spring free from pictures on the wall, and plan to gather characters from all around the studio for a group photo..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Ideally timed to Disney’s centennial, a short film entitled “Once Upon a Studio” assembles 100 years’ worth of animated characters from the company’s vaults for a group photo outside Walt Disney Animation Studios headquarters in Burbank, Calif. That’s the building, shaped like Mickey Mouse’s conical blue hat from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” where the walls are lined with images from a century’s worth of iconic toons.

Conceived and directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham, the project involves a live-action walkthrough of the place where the magic happens — that is, where much of the work on Disney’s animated features is done. But there’s an extra sprinkling of magic here, as cartoon characters leap out of their frames and wander the halls where they were originally drawn or rendered.

That hybrid style, where animation embellishes live-action footage, was first implemented by Disney on 1946’s “Song of the South,...

It took a village of creatives at Disney Animation to pull off “Once Upon a Studio,” the animated short that celebrates 100 years of stories and magic. Iconic characters like Snow White and Peter Pan feature alongside Robin Williams’ Genie in a cast of 543 characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films. And it all came together without any artificial intelligence involved.

Directors Dan Abraham and Trent Correy were seeking a way to honor the studio’s legacy. “Once Upon a Studio” takes place at the end of a work day at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank. The studio becomes a magical place once Disney Legend Burny Mattinson, who worked there for 70 years on films such as “Lady and the Tramp” (1955) and “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961), leaves. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse step out of a photo and call for their friends to gather for an official 100th Anniversary Studio portrait.

If hand-drawn animation ever needed a jump start at Disney, now’s the time. Maybe “Once Upon a Studio,” the hybrid short where 2D takes center stage in a multi-character crossover, will provide the first baby step. But even if it’s only a momentary 100th-anniversary legacy booster, it’s a cause for celebration as 543 newly animated characters (mostly hand-drawn) leap out of their photographs in the live-action Roy E. Disney Animation building to roam the halls and gather outside for a group photo.

The short premieres October 15 during ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.” It will not play in front of “Wish” but will have an Oscar-qualifying run at the El Capitan in Hollywood. One of the great treats is watching Mickey stop and pay tribute to Walt’s portrait underscored by 94-year-old legendary composer Richard Sherman play “Feed the Birds” from “Mary...

A few years back, Trent Correy and Dan Abraham looked to explore what happened to Olaf between the events of "Frozen" and "Frozen II" with their short film, "Once Upon a Snowman." Now, they're looking to show off what happens around the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California after all of the animators have gone home for the night with "Once Upon a Studio." The short was developed as part of the centennial celebration of Walt Disney Animation, looking to honor 100 years of beloved characters, stories, and evolving animation techniques. It's practically impossible to succinctly encapsulate the impact, importance, and magic of Disney animation's first 100 years, but if there's anything that comes close, it's "Once Upon a Studio."

Featuring over 40 memorable voiceover artists, and characters from more than 85 Disney feature-length and short films, "Once Upon a Studio" is like a moving yearbook of Disney's past and present. Academy Award-winning...

Inspired by The Walt Disney Company's upcoming 100th anniversary  October 16, 2023, "Once Upon a Studio" is a new live-action/animated fantasy comedy short written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, featuring over 500 Disney Animation characters, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios airing October 15, 2023 on ABC:

"...animator 'Burny Mattinson' wishes that the walls of the studio could talk. Later, 'Mickey' and 'Minnie Mous' spring free from pictures on the wall, and plan to gather characters from all around the studio for a group photo..."

Click the images to enlarge...

As Disney Animation celebrates its centennial, the studio released the trailer for its nostalgic Once Upon a Studio, an animated short that the filmmakers describe as a love letter to the studio, its artists and fans.

During a press preview Thursday, Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee remembered the Zoom meeting during which writers-directors Dan Abraham and Trent Correy pitched the story. “I couldn’t talk. I was so emotional,” she said, as Abraham added, “I will never forget that pitch. She made us cry, right from the start.”

It begins with a live-action shot in the lobby of Disney’s animation building, as a young employee chats with Disney legend Burny Mattinson, who joined the studio as a teenager in 1953 and stayed until his death this year.

Next, a picture hanging on the wall and featuring Mickey Mouse comes to life. The studio’s famous mouse is then joined by...

Nobody loves celebrating Disney more than, well, the folks who run Disney do, but can you blame them? After 100 years of making animated feature films and shorts, the House of Mouse has amassed an incredible pop cultural cache of iconography and beloved characters. So, what better way to cap off its year-long celebration of Disney Animation's centennial than with a short film that's all about how awesome Disney is?

While it's easy and wholly justified to be cynical about the business side of Disney (especially when you consider what its executives are like when it comes to providing fair treatment and monetary compensation for their employees), it's impossible to put a price on the value of the studio's art itself. That's also why it's difficult not to feel something while watching the trailer for Disney's "Once Upon a Studio," a live-action/animated short that, quite literally, brings treasured animated heroes...

Three days after a barbarous playground attack left the lakeside town in grief and shock, and in an amphitheater facing the public park where the tragedy occurred, the Annecy Intl. Animation Festival inaugurated this year’s edition with a show of solidarity and communal defiance.

“In response to barbarity, this festival will hold up creativity and artistic perspective,” said event organizer Dominique Puthod as he addressed the lively crowd. “You will bring color and wonder to the eyes of young and old alike, on bruised and battered paper, as a tribute to life.”

“The best response to this tragedy is to live even more forcefully and more intensely,” added Annecy mayor François Astorg. “With this conviction art and culture celebrates life, and enables us to change the world to make it a better place.”

With those rousing words, the animation showcase kicked off what promises to be a banner edition,...

The 47th edition of the Annecy International Film Festival opened on a defiantly upbeat note on Sunday evening just three three days after its picturesque lakeside home was rocked by a violent knife attack.

“Three days ago, Annecy’s joie de vivre was attacked. I’m convinced that the best response to this drama is to live life even more to the full and more intensely,” Annecy mayor François Astorg told a packed Bonlieu auditorium.

“With this conviction, I believe that art and culture celebrates life, questions it and allows us to make it better,” he added, saying this year’s edition was an act of resistance.

The atmosphere in the auditorium was positive and fun as the youthful audience kept up the festival tradition of firing paper planes at the stage.

Thursday’s attack by a lone knifeman on four nursery age children and two adults, took place just...

Four-time Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz will perform for Sunday’s emotional “In Memoriam” segment on the Oscars 2023 ceremony. While only 40-50 people are generally remembered for the television ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC, over 200 people will be recognized on the Academy’s webpage starting that evening.

SEEWho is Performing at the Oscars 2023?: Full List of Presenters and Performers

Here is a lengthy list of many contributors to film who died since last year’s Academy Awards ceremony:

Mary Alice (actor)

Gil Alkabetz (animator)

Kirstie Alley (actor)

Burt Bacharach (composer)

Angelo Badalamenti (composer)

Simone Bär (casting director)

Joanna Barnes (actor)

Carl A. Bell (animator)

Jeff Berlin (sound)

David Birney (actor)

Bruce Bisenz (sound)

Robert Blake (actor)

Eliot Bliss (sound)

Nick Bosustow (shorts)

Albert Brenner (production designer)

Tom Bronson (costume designer)

James Caan (actor)

Michael Callan (actor)

Donn Cambern (editor)

Irene Cara (songwriter)

Gary W. Carlson (sound)

Marvin Chomsky...

Tom Sizemore, the veteran character actor known for nervy and visceral tough-guy roles in films like “Heat” and Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” died Friday, his manager confirmed. He was 61.

Sizemore’s family was advised this week to make a decision regarding “end of life matters” after he suffered a brain aneurysm on Feb. 18.

“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” his manager, Charles Lago, said in a statement. “His Brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side.”

Sizemore was found unconscious in his home around 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, Lago told TheWrap earlier this week. He was hospitalized and immediately admitted into the intensive care unit.

Also Read:

Walter Mirisch, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ Producer and Former Academy President,...

The animation industry has lost a pioneer. Burny Mattinson, who has worked with Walt Disney Animation Studios on several esteemed projects over the years, has passed away at the age of 87. According to The Walt Disney Company in an official statement, he had passed after a short and undisclosed illness. Working across several departments in the animation company, he worked at The Walt Disney Company for almost 70 years and was due to receive a one-of-a-kind award on June 4, 2023. He is survived by his wife, as well as the families of his son and daughter.

"Burny's artistry, generosity, and love of Disney Animation and the generations of storytellers that have come through our doors, for seven decades, has made us better," wrote Walt Disney Animation chief creative director Jennifer Lee. "All of us who have had the honor to know him and learn from him will ensure his legacy carries on.

Burny Mattinson, who worked as an animator, director, producer and story artist during a 70-year career as the longest-serving “castmember” in the history of The Walt Disney Co., has died. He was 87.

Mattinson died after a short illness on Monday at a Canoga Park assisted living facility in Los Angeles, the studio announced. He was due to receive his 70th anniversary service award — the studio’s first ever — on June 4.

Mattinson was working full time at Walt Disney Animation Studios as a story consultant and mentor at the time of his death.

“Burny’s artistry, generosity and love of Disney Animation and the generations of storytellers that have come through our doors, for seven decades, has made us better — better artists, better technologists and better collaborators,” Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee said in a statement. “All of us who have had the honor to know him...

Burny Mattinson, a Disney animator, director, producer and story artist, died on Monday, Feb. 27, in Canoga Park, Calif., following a short illness. He was 87.

Mattinson’s death was confirmed by The Walt Disney Company, his longtime employer. Mattinson was the longest-serving Disney employee and was set to receive the first ever 70th-anniversary service award this June.

Born in San Francisco on May 13, 1935, Mattinson was first inspired to pursue a career in animation after seeing “Pinocchio” at age 6. He began drawing in hopes to recreate the Disney animation style. By the time he finished high school, Mattinson joined The Walt Disney Company and in just six months moved from the mailroom to an animation in-betweener on “Lady and the Tramp.”

Academy Award-winning Disney director Don Hall said, “For almost 30 years, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside Burny Mattinson, from ‘Winnie the Pooh’ to ‘Big Hero 6’ to, most recently,...

Animator, director, producer and story artist Burny Mattinson, who joined the Walt Disney Company at the end of its first great run of films, when Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942) were new and an in-his-prime Walt Disney was just 42 years old, died today. He was 87. He was the last full-time Walt Disney Studios employee who had worked at the company when Walt Disney still ran it.

Seeing the studio’s Pinocchio at the age of six convinced Mattinson he wanted to work in animation. “Ever since I saw that film, this was my dream—to work in this business,” he recalled years later. “So I worked every day, drawing.”

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Burny Mattinson, a Disney Legend who served as an animator, producer, director and story artist in his nearly 70-year career with the studio, died Monday at the age of 87 following a short illness. Disney announced his death on their official website.

The story goes that Mattinson, who was born in San Francisco in 1935, was transformed when his mother took him to see Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” at the age of 6. He knew what he wanted to do. As Don Hahn, who produced some of Disney’s most beloved movies during the Disney Renaissance, said of Mattinson’s life: “His life could be a Disney movie: teenaged kid shows up at the Disney gate with his portfolio under his arm and stays for 70 years. He was our story sensei, a brilliant draftsman who showed us what it was like to grind on a story until it was right.”

Mattinson’s first...

Mark Harrison Nov 21, 2019

Disney tackled Sherlock Holmes back in 1986, in an animated movie that's more groundbreaking than it's given credit for...

You never miss Sherlock Holmes on screen for long these days. In just the last decade we had BBC's Sherlock, CBS' Elementary, Guy Ritchie's Sherlock: Holmes a Game of Shadows, and Bill Condon's Mr. Holmes, in which Ian McKellen played an aged version of the sleuth.

With such a familiar character, it's no surprise that revisionist takes are in vogue at the moment, and certainly, there are precedents in film and TV. In the early 1970s, author Eve Titus and illustrator Paul Galdone remounted the whole concept for children's literature with the Basil Of Baker Street novels, in which mice stood in for Holmes and Watson, making deductions from the gutters and mouseholes of Victorian London.

Disney's 1986 adaptation of those books, The Great Mouse Detective, is one...

101 Dalmatians was one of my favorites films as a child. I generally found that Disney cartoons involving animals, like it and Jungle Book were a lot funnier and less sentimental than all those boring girly fairy-tales like Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty. I also liked the fact that the action took place not in some fantastic never-never land but in the real England. 101 Dalmatians of course deals with the theft of a litter of Dalmatian puppies by a woman named Cruella De Vil who wants to skin them and turn them into fur coats. The human authorities are baffled, so it falls to the kidnapped puppies’ parents, Pongo and Perdita, to track them down and rescue them- along with a lot more Dalmatian pups acquired by Cruella for the same nefarious purpose.

101 Dalmatians is rather different in look from a lot of earlier Disney cartoons, which were characterized by bright colors.

Sure, you've seen "The Lion King" dozens of times. You own the soundtrack and you've caught the Broadway show. Maybe you even had "Lion King" sheets and went to bed singing "Hakuna Matata."

And what "Lion King" fan doesn't know about the scene where stars supposedly spell out "Sex"? We bet there are still some things you didn't know about the beloved Disney classic, which turns 20 on June 15.

1. When writer Irene Mecchi was hired, she was told that the story pitch was "'Bambi in Africa' meets 'Hamlet,'" so she started calling it "Bamlet."

2. Disney believed that "Pocahontas" (which came out in 1995) would be the bigger, more prestigious film and put all its key animators on it instead. Story artist Brenda Chapman (who went on to direct "Brave" and "The Prince of Egypt") thought the story "wasn't very good" and writer Burny Mattinson declared, "I don't know who is...

The Black Cauldron

Written by David Jonas, Vance Gerry, Ted Berman, Richard Rich, Al Wilson, Roy Morita, Peter Young, Art Stevens, Joe Hale, Rosemary Anne Sisson, Roy Edward Disney, Tony Marino, Steve Hulett, Melvin Shaw, Burny Mattinson, John Musker, Ron Clements, and Doug Lefler

Directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich

USA, 1985

If there is one movie, Disney would like to delete from its animation library, it’s The Black Cauldron. What began as another feather in their animation cap became a perfect storm of misfortune that lead to a box office bomb that put Disney on the edge of disaster. They waited 13 years before releasing the film on VHS, and only because enough fans requested the film be made available. Although The Black Cauldron isn’t considered a Disney classic, it has established itself as a cult classic.

Those looking beyond mainstream animation will find a hidden gem within...

Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios chief creative officer John Lasseter joined colleagues and talent at the annual convention in Anaheim, California, to announce a number of surprises.

Walt Disney Animation Studios director Byron Howard and writer Jared Bush spoke about the forthcoming 2016 comedy adventure Zootopia (working title, pictured), about a fast-talking fox framed for a crime who teams up with a rabbit police officer.

Finding Nemo and Wall•E director Andrew Stanton and Wall•E producer Lindsey Collins said Ellen DeGeneres would be joined on the cast of Finding Dory by Albert Brooks as the voice of Marlin, Diane Keaton as the voice of Dory’s mother Jenny, Eugene Levy as the voice of Dory’s father Charlie and Ty Burrell as the voice of Bailey. Finding Dory is scheduled to open on Nov 25, 2015.

“It’s a fantastic, exciting time for animation at Disney and Pixar,” said Lasseter. “The filmmakers at our three studios are so...

John Lasseter has one rule: Walt Disney Animation Studio films have to be amazing. They bear Walt’s name, after all.

In celebration of a slew of announcements at Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday, audiences were treated to never-before-seen clips and concept art behind two of their most anticipated properties — Frozen, with appearances by voice actors Kristen Bell and Josh Gad, and Big Hero 6. Lasseter also announced the development of Zootopia, a brand-new concept for 2016 that puts the animals back in clothes.

Frozen

Sisters can be such a pain. Especially when they’re more glamorous...

The Rescuers

Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery, Art Stevens

Written by Larry Clemmons, Vance Gerry, Ken Anderson, Frank Thomas, Burny Mattinson, Fred Lucky, Dick Sebast, Dave Michener

Starring Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Pat Buttram, George Lindsey

One of the most fascinating aspects of our podcast is watching the struggle within the Walt Disney Company to blend reality and fantasy. From the beginning, Disney had stated that he wanted movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to be perceived as films for adults, as opposed to films for children or families. I’m always heartened to see that comment brought up in modern conversation, because the stigma that animation is specifically for children hasn’t ever dissipated in popular culture. What frustrates me is the film Disney refers to, and how it became a template of sorts for the animators and filmmakers who work at the Walt Disney Company.

Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective re-imagined the world of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed Sherlock Holmes series as a playful adventure of sleuthing rodents. When a young mouse’s father is kidnapped, Basil of Baker Street, the great mouse detective, is called in to solve the case. Who could the villain be but none other than Professor Ratigan, Professor Moriarty’s pint sized, rat-faced doppleganger.

The Great Mouse Detective may not have the following of more popular Disney movies like Cinderella or Snow White, but it’s delightful adventure doesn’t skip a beat on the Disney magic. What the movie lacks in musical numbers, it more than makes up for with top-notch voice acting. Horror master Vincent Price voices Ratigan. Also, Alan Young, who voiced Scrooge McDuck on Duck Tales, appears as kidnapped father, Hiram Flaversham. You can’t beat that.

The closing scene where Professor Ratigan...

Since 1953, Burny Mattinson has been a member of the Disney family. After extensive training in 1972, Mattinson worked on the Disney featurette “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too” with Walt Disney himself. Now, 39 years later he holds the post of Senior Story Artist on the highly lauded Disney feature-length film, Winnie the Pooh. Winnie the Pooh started off as the movie that almost wasn’t, with everyone (even the studio) looking into doing short featurettes, which have a time frame somewhere between a movie short and a full-length feature, around 20 to 40 minutes: “… The decision early on was to have Bob Iger look into the franchise of Winnie the Pooh and find the feature animation people and so he went to John Lasseter and they asked him who should do it and John went to the directors who...

As National Honey Month comes to a close, we are keeping the celebration going with these Winnie The Pooh-themed recipes and a honey-loving clip! The world’s most beloved bear spends his days in search of the naturally delicious nectar, and now you, too, can enjoy some honey-flavored treats with Pooh. Pooh Bear Takes Care Of His Tummy

Recipe & Cooking Activities

And on October 25th, Disney releases Winnie The Pooh on Blu-ray & DVD! Journey back to the 100 Acre Wood for a heart-warming adventure with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, Eeyore and Christopher Robin! Bonus material includes the Exclusive short “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon,” deleted scenes and more!

Walt Disney Studios proudly invites families and audiences of all ages to return to the HundredAcre Wood with some of the world.s most beloved characters, as .Winnie the Pooh,. the delightful all-new animated feature film...

Chicago – As far as kiddie tearjerkers go, “The Fox and the Hound” is one of Disney’s finest. It’s not a great film, and certainly not in the same league as the watershed game-changers that came before or the renaissance masterworks that followed. But it is a tender and bittersweet fable with a message of refreshing complexity. At its heart is a friendship that society has deemed unsustainable, and the film doesn’t shy away from its troubling repercussions.

Based on the novel by Daniel Mannix, this 1981 effort functioned as a crucial turning point in the history of Disney studios, when veteran animators like Wolfgang Reitherman were replaced by a slate of new talent including Ron Clements and John Musker (future co-directors of “The Little Mermaid”). Creative differences intensified between the old guard and the rookies, many of whom found the project to be distressingly bland. This caused the...

Winnie the Pooh

Written by Burny Mattinson

Based on the characters by A.A. Milne

Featuring the voices of John Cleese, Craig Ferguson, Jim Cummings

Rated G

Disney Pictures

Release Date: July 15, 2011

If you are tired of seeing a summer blockbuster involving superheroes, wizards, or transforming robots, perhaps a trip through the Hundred Acre Wood would do you some good. For the first time in six years, Winnie the Pooh returns to the big screen in a brand new feature from Disney Pictures simply titled Winnie the Pooh.

Pooh’s friend Eeyore’s tail has gone missing and it is up to Pooh to find it. Pooh discovers soon that a tail is not the only thing that is missing. It seems his human friend Christopher Robin has also disappeared, leaving a curious note behind. Where has Christopher gone? Does it have anything to do with Eeyore’s missing tail? And...

Well, hello all of you crazy kids out there! It’s your nerd with the word, Melissa here, and I have a treat for you…

Recently, I got to attend the Winnie The Pooh junket at Disney Animation Studios. I was like a kid in a candy store! Not only do I love movies… but I love to draw! Hooray!

We started the day with a screening of the movie Winnie The Pooh with an introduction by the Producer, Peter Del Vecho.

Next, I got to go into the recording booth and attempt to do a voiceover for Piglet. They showed me a clip from the new film, and then I had to read the script while attempting to also see when Piglet’s mouth was moving. It was really hard, but super fun! (So, if anyone wants to hire me… I am tooootally available! Hint, Hint… Wink, Wink!) Even...

Winnie The Pooh is getting ready to melt the hearts of the world again, and we here at Wamg can’t wait! So, here’s a brand new clip from the upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios film Winnie The Pooh.

Synopsis:

Inspired by three stories from A.A. Milne.s books in Disney.s classic, hand-drawn art style, Walt Disney Animation Studios. .Winnie the Pooh. reunites audiences with the honey-loving, philosophical bear and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and Eeyore in a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit.

Winnie The Pooh Makes His Way To Theaters July 15th

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with .Winnie the Pooh.. Featuring the timeless charm, wit and whimsy of the original short films, this all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical .bear of very little brain. and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo.and last,...

By Khia Beauchesne

(June 2011)

For live-action films, location scouting is not out of the ordinary. But for an animated movie like the new “Winnie the Pooh,” even directors Don Hall and Stephen Anderson were surprised to have a budget to travel to Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England, to see the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood.

“We suggested that idea, almost as a joke, because we didn’t think they’d actually send us,” Hall admits.

While Hall and Anderson were in England, they also toured several London museums to see E.H. Shepard’s original drawings for A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories. The entire film is hand-drawn with a watercolor aesthetic, just like Shepard’s artwork. Other research for the cast and crew involved family screenings of all the previous Pooh classics.

“I think the idea of Winnie the Pooh coming back into the building was something...

By Khia Beauchesne

(June 2011)

For live-action films, location scouting is not out of the ordinary. But for an animated movie like the new “Winnie the Pooh,” even directors Don Hall and Stephen Anderson were surprised to have a budget to travel to Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England, to see the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood.

“We suggested that idea, almost as a joke, because we didn’t think they’d actually send us,” Hall admits.

While Hall and Anderson were in England, they also toured several London museums to see E.H. Shepard’s original drawings for A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories. The entire film is hand-drawn with a watercolor aesthetic, just like Shepard’s artwork. Other research for the cast and crew involved family screenings of all the previous Pooh classics.

“I think the idea of Winnie the Pooh coming back into the building was something...

Disney brings Winnie The Pooh back to the big screen, and does the character justice in its latest hand-drawn animated movie. Here's our review...

Since taking over the reins as the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006, John Lasseter has quietly overseen something of a renaissance within the ranks of the once venerable House of Mouse.

Prior to his arrival, Disney's animation division had backed itself into a corner, producing ill-advised direct-to-dvd sequels to many of their past classics, alongside underwhelming theatrical releases that barely registered on the public's radar.

Ironically, the decline of the mainstream Disney brand coincided with the debut of a certain computer animation company, which released its debut feature in 1995. That company was Pixar, the film was Toy Story and its director was none other than Lasseter himself. 

Under Lasseter's control, Disney Animation has slowly but surely increased the quality of its animated...

Disney brings Winnie The Pooh back to the big screen, and does the character justice in its latest hand-drawn animated movie. Here's our review...

Since taking over the reins as the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006, John Lasseter has quietly overseen something of a renaissance within the ranks of the once venerable House of Mouse.

Prior to his arrival, Disney's animation division had backed itself into a corner, producing ill-advised direct-to-dvd sequels to many of their past classics, alongside underwhelming theatrical releases that barely registered on the public's radar.

Ironically, the decline of the mainstream Disney brand coincided with the debut of a certain computer animation company, which released its debut feature in 1995. That company was Pixar, the film was Toy Story and its director was none other than Lasseter himself. 

Under Lasseter's control, Disney Animation has slowly but surely increased the quality of its animated...

The first photo of Johnny Depp on the set of Martin Scorsese's Hugo Cabret.

A photo of an unfinished toy of the villainous "Green Lantern" character Parallax, a celestial being that threatens the universe's existence.

After its dismal performance at the U.S. box-office, "Drive Angry" will be going straight-to-dvd in Australia.

"Terrence Malick's highly anticipated "The Tree of Life" is set to hit the UK first with a May 4th release..." (full details)

"MGM has dismissed reports that they're planning to remake "Child's Play" with marketing head Mike Vollman denying the claim..." (full details)

"Noomi Rapace says that because of her busy schedule, currently shooting Ridley Scott's "Prometheus", she's no longer sure she'll do David Slade's "The Last Voyage Of Demeter"..." (full details)

""The Descent," "Doomsday" and "Centurion" filmmaker Neil Marshall says that he's currently writing a World War II-set alien invasion movie..." (full details)

"It's official,...

There was a time, decades before I was born, where if you were going out to the movies then chances were pretty good that you were going to see something with Mickey Mouse in it. That’s where Walt Disney originally made his mark, in movie theaters. Whereas we sit through advertisements before our big feature films today, back in the days of yore there would be a presentation of news reel footage and animated shorts. Through these shorts enduring icons were born: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald. These are the franchise players of the Disney Empire. But recently, they’ve felt a bit diminished to me. Sure they still appear in books, in TV shows, on countless numbers of merchandise, but it feels like Disney has walled themselves off from the rest of culture. It used to be that you saw Disney characters everywhere. Now you see them only on the official Disney TV Channel, in...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Isn't it strange that Mickey Mouse has never really had his own animated feature? We don't call it the Mouse House for nothing. Mickey's the king of the Disney cartoon characters, yet he's still only been the star of shorts. Goofy and Uncle Scrooge have had their own long-form theatrical endeavors, so why not the little guy we most associate with the studio? Well, there's a chance of him finally being honored with a feature-length movie, if Disney bites.

Longtime Disney animator Burny Mattinson, who received an Oscar nomination for directing 1984's 'Mickey's Christmas Carol' (which I always thought of as a full movie when I was a kid -- but it's only 24 minutes), told Bleeding Cool that he wants his follow-up to working on the upcoming 'Winnie the Pooh' to be a feature film starring Mickey, Donald Duck and Goofy. So it's the whole gang,...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Isn't it strange that Mickey Mouse has never really had his own animated feature? We don't call it the Mouse House for nothing. Mickey's the king of the Disney cartoon characters, yet he's still only been the star of shorts. Goofy and Uncle Scrooge have had their own long-form theatrical endeavors, so why not the little guy we most associate with the studio? Well, there's a chance of him finally being honored with a feature-length movie, if Disney bites.

Longtime Disney animator Burny Mattinson, who received an Oscar nomination for directing 1984's 'Mickey's Christmas Carol' (which I always thought of as a full movie when I was a kid -- but it's only 24 minutes), told Bleeding Cool that he wants his follow-up to working on the upcoming 'Winnie the Pooh' to be a feature film starring Mickey, Donald Duck and Goofy. So it's the whole gang,...

BleedingCool had the chance to speak to Burny Mattinson, who served as the supervising story artist on the upcoming "Winnie the Pooh" movie. When asked what he will work on next, Mattinson revealed that he's putting together a Mickey Mouse feature film. "I am working on just an idea of my own which is basically a Mickey, Donald, Goofy feature film idea," he said. "We have to present it first to the bosses to get the green light." While Mickey has appeared in some direct-to-video movies, he has never starred in his own theatrical release. And there is a good reason for that. Disney is not willing to risk putting the icon character in a movie, which may end up hurting Mickey's and the company's image.

Disney Animation is not in the best of places right now.  Although Tangled did pretty good, it wasn't the huge success it should have been.  Tron: Legacy might have made its money back, but nothing more.  And Mars Needs Moms?  Let's not talk about that one.  So who will Disney call on to rejuvenate their studio?  Well, the big man himself; none other than Mickey Mouse.

Bleeding Cool caught this tantalizing piece of news during an interview with long time Disney collaborator Burny Mattinson (who's now a Story Supervisor on Winnie the Pooh). During the interview, Burny had this to say about his next project:

I am working on just an idea of my own which is basically a Mickey, Donald, Goofy feature film idea. We have to present it first to the bosses to get the green light.

Now this doesn't exactly mean this movie will ever get made.

Despite all the feature length videos, T.V. series, video games, toys, and other merchandise, Mickey Mouse never got a theatrical treatment. That could be a thing of the past if it successfully goes through an intense screening process.

Bleeding Cool spoke to Disney veteran Burny Mattinson, who is serving as supervising story artist for the upcoming Winnie the Pooh, about a potential film for Disney’s most iconic character.

I am working on just an idea of my own which is basically a Mickey, Donald, Goofy feature film idea. We have to present it first to the bosses to get the green light.

It would be nice to finally see the Mouse get the movie he rightfully deserves. The film would most likely be a very low-key film like the upcoming Winnie The Pooh, unlike a high stakes adventure like The Princess and The Frog. Even then the film...

Despite the character's locked-in-stone status as an animation icon, Mickey Mouse has forever been a star of shorts, television and comics. While there have been some direct to video films starring Mickey, he's never starred in his own theatrical feature. Now it looks like one could happen. Not quickly or soon, because that's not the pace of animation. But still: a Mickey feature in theaters would be a pretty big deal. Speaking to Bleeding Cool [1] about his work on Winnie the Pooh, long-time Disney veteran Burny Mattinson said, I am working on just an idea of my own which is basically a Mickey, Donald, Goofy feature film idea. We have to present it first to the bosses to get the green light. We'll watch how this goes. Part of the reason that there has never been a Mickey feature is that the character is a serious cash cow for Disney and,...

Have a look at the latest poster for Walt Disney Pictures upcoming animated feature Winnie The Pooh. Pooh, and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and Eeyore are sailing on the SS Honeypot through a sea of honey in a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit.

Some fun facts about the movie:

Veteran Disney animator/storyman/director Burny Mattinson (a key animator on the 1974 featurette .Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!.) serves as senior story artist, with a dynamic young directing duo.Stephen Anderson and Don Hall.at the helm. Director Stephen Anderson helmed animated films .Meet the Robinsons. and .Journey Beneath the Sea,. among others; he worked as a story supervisor on .Brother Bear. and .The Emperor.s New Groove,. and as an additional story artist on 2008.s award-winning .Bolt..  Director Don Hall is a veteran story artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios with...

Disney has released a new honey filled Winnie the Pooh poster, with Pooh leading the way across the honey river in a honey pot. I used to watch Winnie the Pooh all the time as a kid, but it's been awhile. The new movie caused a lot of old memories to flood back in my head.

If you haven't seen great looking trailer for check it out Right Here.

The film was co-directed by Stephen J. Anderson (Meet the Robinsons, Journey Beneath the Sea), Don Hall, and Disney veteran Burny Mattinson (Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too). It stars the voices of Jim Cummings (Pooh and Tigger), Craig Ferguson (Owl), Tom Kenny (Rabbit), Travis Oates, and Bud Luckey. Zooey Deschanel even sings a nice new version of the Pooh theme song.

Synopsis:

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with “Winnie the Pooh,” the first big-screen Pooh...

Disney has released a new poster for their upcoming Winnie the Pooh film, which I'm surprisingly looking forward to taking my kids to see. I watched Winnie the Pooh when I was a kid, so I have that nostalgic connection to the franchise. The movie looks like it could be pretty good, and I really like that Disney stuck with the 2D traditional animation for this one, and didn't decide to do a live-action CGI hybrid film like Yogi Bear and Smurfs. If you havent seen the trailer for the film yet, check it out here.

The film was co-directed by Stephen J. Anderson (Meet the Robinsons, Journey Beneath the Sea), Don Hall, and Disney veteran Burny Mattinson (Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too). It stars the voices of Jim Cummings (Pooh and Tigger), Craig Ferguson (Owl), Tom Kenny (Rabbit), Travis Oates, and Bud Luckey. Zooey Deschanel even sings a...

The following post, originally published yesterday, has been updated with the trailer for the film.

Nah, I'm fucking with you. It's not in 3D.

It is, however, absolutely adorable. Because it's Pooh, and all Winnie The Pooh-related things are by default adorable. A.A. Milne's stories about the charming bear Pooh and his bestest friend Christopher Robin, as well as his company of friends -- Eyeore, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga and Roo -- were childhood staples of mine. I probably wore through a couple of copies of The House At Pooh Corner as a wee Tk, and still have a great deal of fondness for the stories. There have been several adaptations over the years, in film and television and radio, and now the Mouse House is looking to bring Pooh and company back to the screen:

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with "Winnie the Pooh,...

It’s time to go back and find your inner-child. Disney’s Winnie The Pooh will be hitting theaters next summer and it has been quite a while since we saw the lovely Pooh Bear on the big screen. It is not too often that we get hand drawn animated features these days, but when we do, I feel that we get something more out of the film. Winnie The Pooh looks excellent. The colors, drawings, and animation all work beautifully in this trailer, but I am on the fence about the incorporation of CGI use. Boy these characters bring me back, which hopefully will have the same affect on a lot of people to make it to the theater to see these classic characters.

Voice actors include Jim Cummings (Pooh and Tigger), Craig Ferguson (Owl), Peter Cullen (Eeyore), Tom Kenny (Rabbit), Travis Oates, and Bud Luckey along with Zooey Deschanel...

Next summer fans of A.A. Milne's beloved honey enthusiast bear will be able to see a brand new adventure featuring Winnie the Pooh. Walt Disney Animation Studios is making the new Pooh film and they're doing it the old fashioned, traditional way with no CG (computer graphics) to be found.

Thank Pooh.

That's not to say that the new Winnie the Pooh movie won't take its inspiration from the classic 1973 Disney film. The look of the 2011 Pooh film is similar to that of the '73 film but Disney is taking advantage of the modern filmmaking techniques to tell its new story. This is the first Winnie the Pooh film in 35 years, and while new talent is helping make the film (Meet the Robinsons Stephen J. Anderson and The Princess and the Frog story artist Don Hall are co-directing the movie), key animator Burny Mattinson, who worked on the 1974 Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!