News

After Elio flopped at the box office, Disney and Pixar are looking to bounce back with their next animated feature. The first trailer has been released for Hoppers, which will hop into theaters next spring.

Hoppers takes place in a world where scientists have discovered how to 'hop' human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals. The teaser trailer introduces audiences to animal lover Mabel Tanaka, voiced by Piper Curda, "who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined," according to the movie's official synopsis. One of those mysteries, as the trailer reveals, is that animals are totally okay with being eaten by one another, since predators have to "eat someone" to stay alive. Check out the teaser trailer and poster for Hoppers below.

Poster via Pixar

Most of the voice cast for...

Patton Oswalt would sign on to a live-action remake of Ratatouille “in a second”.The 56-year-old actor starred as the rodent chef Remy in Pixar’s beloved 2007 animated movie, and Oswalt has now revealed he would return for a Ratatouille remake - so long as director Brad Bird was at the helm again.When TMZ asked The King of Queens actor if he was open to voicing Remy again in another Ratatouille film, he said: “If Brad Bird came up with a great idea to do it, I would do it in a second. “But, that's up to him. Yeah, to get to work with Brad Bird [again] would be great.”Oswalt was also quizzed on whether he thought Ratatouille was one of the best Disney-Pixar movies, but the actor insisted “that’s for the viewers to decide”.He added: “I mean, I had a blast doing it, but I don't...

One of Pixar’s best animations of all time has found success once more, years after it landed in theaters, and it’s a well-deserved one at that. Produced by the animation studio for Disney, Ratatouille was a critical and commercial hit upon its release in June 2007 and was a recipient of multiple accolades at major awards events. Now with the pic available on streaming, it's reminding fans and showing newcomers what a brilliant watch it is, as proven by its status on the global charts.

Per FlixPatrol, Ratatouille has entered the top 5 movies on Disney+ globally, taking the #5 spot, right below Elio and above 2005’s Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. At the same time, Snow White, Captain America: Brave New World, and Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory are in the first three spots. Brad Bird wrote and directed the animated comedy, with Brad Lewis producing from...

Disney+ subscribers are rediscovering Elemental. Two years after its theatrical run, the animated movie is back on the streaming charts, along with another fan-favorite Pixar flick.

Per FlixPatrol, as of July 7, Elemental is No. 10 on Disney+'s Top Movies Worldwide list, with Ratatouille a few spots higher at No. 6. The Pixar movie's return to streaming dominance comes almost two years after it became the most-watched movie debut on Disney+ of 2023 with 26.4 million views over its first five days on the service. At the time, The Walt Disney Company also reported that Elemental was among Disney+'s Top 10 movie premieres of all time and was the most-viewed animated movie premiere since Turning Red, another Pixar title, dropped onto the streamer in March 2022.

Directed by Peter Sohn, Elemental is set in Element City, where Fire-, Water-, Earth-, and Air-residents live together, following "the quick-witted and fiery Ember (voiced by Leah Lewis), whose...

This weekend’s box office sees the release of two films that aren’t currently projected to take the No. 1 spot from Universal/DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” remake, but are key titles for their respective studios: Disney/Pixar’s “Elio” and Sony/Columbia’s “28 Years Later.”

“Elio” marks Pixar’s return to theaters after releasing last year’s highest grossing movie, “Inside Out 2,” which earned just shy of $1.7 billion at the global box office and became the highest grossing animated film of all time before “Ne Zha 2” smashed that record earlier this year.

But “Elio” is an original film, and drumming up pre-release excitement for animated movies that don’t have a big IP attached has been extremely difficult for Hollywood over the past several years. The most optimistic projections for this film’s opening weekend stand at $35 million, with a $28-32 million start currently considered a more likely outcome.

Pixar is in production on Gatto, a new animated feature about a black cat in Venice, Italy, that will release in cinemas in summer 2027.

Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter revealed the film at the end of Pixar’s slate presentation at Annecy International Animation Film Festival today.

Gatto will follow Nero, a black cat living in Venice, who cannot swim and must navigate a town filled with people who are superstitious about him.

Nero aligns himself with “the seedier side of cat society” said Docter, where he finds himself indebted to a cat boss named Rocco.

He loves music,...

‘Nosferatu’ filmmaker Robert Eggers has set a remake of ‘A Christmas Carol’ to his schedule with a possibility of Willem Dafoe coming on board to play Scrooge.’

The remake remains in development, and Eggers is still booked to direct ‘Werwulf’ beforehand for Focus. ‘Christmas Carol’ would be Eggers’ first feature at Warner Bros.

Also in news – Peter Sohn jumps onboard to helm ‘The Incredibles 3’

The original Dickens novella has undergone numerous adaptations over the years. Directors like Robert Zemeckis, Sean Anders, and Richard Donner have all indulged in bringing the classic material to the big screen.

The production could see Eggers and Dafoe reuniting yet again on the project, The pair first worked together on A24’s seaside black comedy ‘The Lighthouse’, and Dafoe returned for supporting roles in Eggers’ two subsequent period pieces at Universal’s specialty banner Focus Features, ‘The Northman’ and ‘Nosferatu.’

The post Filmmaker Robert Eggers...

Looks like we’re now setting the dust off those super suits and firing up the Incredimobile because Incredibles 3 is officially on the way. Yep, it’s actually happening this decade. After a 14-year wait between the first two films, Pixar has finally decided not to keep us aging in suspense for another generation.

Well, Brad Back was back as the director, but recent reports revealed the powers that be have decided to replace Back with another excellent choice. Additionally, the Parr family is preparing for more action-packed chaos, and we’re already struggling to predict what comes next.

With Incredibles 2 leaving the family mid-mission and baby Jack-Jack flexing more powers than a Marvel crossover, there’s plenty to explore. Whether it’s family therapy or full-blown showdowns, Incredibles 3 is suited up to be Pixar’s next big, bold blast.

When will Incredibles 3 release? Holly Hunter,...

The beloved Incredibles series is officially getting a third installment, and this time, Peter Sohn, known for Elemental and The Good Dinosaur, will take the reins as director.

Anticipation is growing as the next installment in the beloved superhero family's journey comes into focus. This marks a notable change in creative direction, as the film was originally unveiled at D23 2024 with series creator Brad Bird at the helm.

Although Brad Bird won’t be directing The Incredibles 3, he remains closely connected to the project as the screenwriter, continuing his creative influence on the acclaimed and fan-favorite series.

Bird’s choice to step back from directing may stem from his current focus on Ray Gunn, an upcoming feature he's leading at Skydance Animation. Even so, the franchise seems well-positioned for success with Peter Sohn now steering the film.

His most recent directorial effort for Pixar, Elemental, famously overcame a sluggish start...

‘Elemental’ filmmaker Peter Sohn has been set to direct the third movie in the animated franchise ‘The Incredibles.’

The franchise follows married couple Bob and Helen Parr (Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter) who live in the quiet suburbs with their three children after being forced to hide their superpowers by a new government mandate. Samuel L. Jackson and Sarah Vowell are part of the main cast.

Also in news – Bel Powley & more added to cast of ‘Harry Potter’ series

Brad Bard, who wrote and directed the first two movies, is currently in the process of writing the screenplay for the threequel, which will be produced by Bird and Dana Murray (Oscar-winning Soul).

Sohn and Bird share an extensive history of working together: Sohn has contributed to every animated film directed by Bird (including The Incredibles and Incredibles 2) leading up to this year’s Ray Gunn. Bird has served as a mentor to Sohn,...

Peter Sohn has described being chosen to direct The Incredibles 3 as “a dream come true”.The 47-year-old filmmaker is known for Elementals, and helming the new movie marks a major milestone in his two-decade career with its maker Pixar.He was quoted in Variety saying about working with the company on the third Incredibles movie: “I’ve always loved this family and what they represent — the messy, funny, heroic chaos of everyday life. To help tell their next chapter is a true honour.”The Incredibles 3 was announced at Disney’s D23 Expo in late summer 2024. It will be the first entry in the series not helmed by Brad Bird, 66, who directed and wrote both the original 2004 film and its 2018 sequel. But Brad will remain on board as a producer and screenwriter for the third movie in The Incredibles franchise.He is currently attached to two other projects — the science fiction...

Elemental director Peter Sohn is to take over from regular director Brad Bird on Pixar’s forthcoming superhero sequel, Incredibles 3.

Since the series began in 2004, The Incredibles franchise has reflected the tastes and storytelling style of its writer and director, Brad Bird. For Incredibles 3, however, Bird is handing directorial duties over to another Pixar filmmaker – Peter Sohn, director of Elemental and The Good Dinosaur.

Little is known about the animated superhero sequel at this stage; it was announced in August 2024, and Pixar doesn’t exactly churn these movies out – there was a 14 year gap between The Incredibles and 2018’s The Incredibles 2, which almost doubled the box office of its predecessor with a take of over $1.2bn. Pixar’s renewed emphasis on making follow-ups to its most popular franchises likely means that Incredibles 3 will be turned around far more quickly, however.

Although Bird has still been overseeing...

For over a decade, Brad Bird has been trying to make a live action film about the San Francisco fire of 1906. There’s a hint he may have progress.

Here’s something a bit curious. Over the last 24 hours, news dropped that The Incredibles 3 is definitely going ahead at Pixar. That much was already well known, but the news that Brad Bird isn’t directing it? That wasn’t.

Bird wrote and directed the first two The Incredibles films, and he’s basically the parent of the franchise. Peter Sohn, who steered Elemental for Pixar, is taking over directing duties for the new sequel.

The reason? Brad Bird is a busy man. He’s still working away on Ray Gunn, a movie that he’d been trying to get made for decades and now – with a chunk of Netflix cash – he’s slap bang in the middle of.

But another...

The Incredibles, in addition to being one of the most revered animated releases of the 21st century, is undoubtedly Brad Bird’s brainchild, and it’s hard to imagine the first movie without his fingerprints all over it. Having been one of the most notable contributors to Pixar’s dominance in the 2010s, his writing for the ensemble superhero movie and Ratatouille shaped Pixar’s brand of crafting stories that resonated more with older viewers.

Although it’s hard to imagine the series moving forward without Bird at the helm, surprisingly, this will be the case for The Incredibles 3, which has a new director at its helm.

Brad Bird is stepping back from directing The Incredibles 3 The Incredibles | Credit: Pixar Studios

With Pixar set to double down on sequels with the success of Inside Out 2, the next installment in The Incredibles franchise is picking up pace. In contrast to previous reports,...

Pixar found a director for its biggest upcoming sequel, and it is not the iconic filmmaker who brought the franchise to the screen in the first place. The renowned animation studio has several big-name sequels in the works right now, with both Toy Story 5 and Inside Out 3 either outright confirmed or heavily rumored at this point; however, one of the most anticipated movies on the team's upcoming line-up is a third Incredibles movie (titled The Incredibles 3). 

Months after it was first announced to be in development, it has been revealed that franchise director Brad Bird will not be in the directing chair for the upcoming Incredibles 3. Bird previously wrote and directed the first two Incredibles films but seems to have other projects on the docket, preventing him from again grabbing the wheel in the upcoming animated threequel.

The news of Bird not helming the new Pixar movie was...

An Incredibles movie without Brad Bird at the helm? You might be asking yourself: What madness is this? Fear not, citizen! Pixar veteran Peter Sohn is ready to pack his bags for Metroville for the Parr family’s third silver-screen spectacle! As an essential part of the animation industry for decades, Peter Sohn took significant steps when he walked with the dinosaurs as the director of Disney and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur. In 2023, Sohn helmed Pixar’s imaginative urban adventure Elemental, focusing on Ember and Wade, two characters living in a city where fire, water, air, and earth residents live together.

Brad Bird wrote and directed The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2, which earned a combined total of $1.8 billion at the box office. Bird returns for The Incredibles 3 as the film’s writer, with production by Bird and Soul’s Dana Murray.

The Incredibles franchise revolves around the Parr family,...

Gold Derby's top news stories for June 10, 2025.

Third Incredibles movie will have new director

Though he's writing the script, Brad Bird — the director of the two previous Incredibles movies—is not returning to helm the third. According to The Hollywood Reporter, those duties are being handed off to Peter Sohn, who most recently directed Elemental for Pixar.

Rachel Brosnahan to lead Season 2 of Presume Innocent

Apple TV+ has announced that the follow-up to the Scott Turow adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal will move onto new source material and a new lead. Rachel Brosnahan, seen next in Superman, has been cast in the second season, which will adapt author Jo Murray's upcoming book Dissection of a Murder.

Something seems fishy about that Institute

Mary-Louise Parker is up to no good in a new trailer for The Institute, MGM+'s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's 2019 novel of the same name,...

The comic-book-esque saga of the Incredibles is one of Pixar's most unique and original concepts. The idea of a family of superheroes was truly remarkable when the original film hit in 2004, but it seems like fans crave even more action-packed adventures with the Parr family.

We most recently saw Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack. take on the Screen Slaver and a hypnotized army in the long-awaited Incredibles 2, but a surprising development from Pixar just took the next sequel in an unexpected direction.

Brad Bird replaced in a shocking update

If you're an animation buff like this writer, you know that The Incredibles was the brainchild of the incredible Brad Bird. Bird has been one of Pixar's biggest assets, and the director's stylistic approach to his movies is a key element in The Incredibles' series success.

Be that as it may, a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter...

Incredibles 3 has found its director in Elemental and The Good Dinosaur filmmaker Peter Sohn.

Brad Bird, who wrote the screenplays for and directed the first two films in the animated superhero film franchise, is currently writing the screenplay for the third film, which he will produce alongside Dana Murray (Soul).

The first two films follow Bob and Helen Parr (Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter), who are better known to the wider world as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. The pair hide their superpowers and identities with a quiet life in the suburbs with their three children — Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dashiell ‘Dash’ (Spencer Fox) and Jack Jack, who also have superpowers. Samuel L. Jackson voices Mr. Incredible’s good friend Frozone aka Lucius Best, another secret superhero.

Sohn and Bird’s collaboration history includes Bird’s mentorship to Sohn, who has worked on every animated Bird film — including The Incredibles...

Marvel's First Family may be getting ready to make their big screen comeback in The Fantastic Four: First Steps next month, but they aren't the only superbrood eyeing a return to our screens sometime soon. Following last year's D23 announcement that Incredibles 3 is in the works at Pixar, today THR are reporting that Pixar has set the man to lead the Parr clan's third outing — and it isn't, as we'd initially been led to believe, Brad Bird. Instead, Elemental and The Good Dinosaur director Peter Sohn has been picked to steer Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack's next spandex clad escapade.

Now, before anyone starts panicking, Bird hasn't flown the nest entirely for the follow-up to his 2018 superhero sequel Incredibles 2 — he will be returning as writer on Sohn's film, the plot of which is currently being hashed out as we type. And, what's more, having worked alongside...

Incredibles 3 will mark a first for the franchise, as creator Brad Bird will not helm the upcoming Pixar film. Created by Bird as a loving homage to superheroes and spy films, The Incredibles was a significant change for Pixar animation in 2004. It was the first film centered on a fully human protagonist and was the first time the studio brought in outside talent to direct. Incredibles as a franchise is very much a Brad Bird creation, but the director is moving on from the franchise and passing leadership over to an animation veteran.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Peter Sohn, who previously directed Elemental, will direct Incredibles 3. Bird was announced to be developing Incredibles 3 back at D23 in August 2024, though it was unclear at the time if he would write and direct the film, as he had previously done on both installments. Scheduling conflicts reportedly are keeping...

Pixar has delivered a major shakeup to Incredibles 3 with an announcement that Brad Bird is not directing the third film. The longtime veteran of Pixar made a splash with The Incredibles in 2004 and returned to direct the sequel in 2018, leading to the confirmation that he was developing a third entry to close out the trilogy. Disney and Pixar announced Incredibles 3 at D23 in 2024. This announcement included acknowledging Bird's involvement, which was not specifically detailed, but led to the belief that he would be back to direct the Parr family.

Now, it has been revealed that Brad Bird is not directing Incredibles 3, with Pixar tapping Elemental's Peter Sohn to direct the third installment, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bird will remain involved in the new movie, as he's currently writing the screenplay and will produce the feature. While no official reason was given for the director switch,...

Incredibles 3 is making franchise history, although it's in a way that might not please too many Pixar fans. The upcoming threequel will be the first Incredibles movie not to be directed by Brad Bird.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Bird is no longer directing Incredibles 3, with Pixar tapping Elemental director Peter Sohn as his replacement. While an official reason hasn't been given yet as to why Bird isn't directing the threequel anymore, the filmmaker is currently in pre-production on Skydance's Ray Gunn, which could mean that scheduling conflicts prevented him from being able to direct both movies. At this time, Bird remains involved in Incredibles 3 as a screenwriter and producer.

Bird has been the main creative force behind the Pixar franchise, having come up with the idea for the superhero family in the early 1990s. He wrote and directed both the original movie, 2004's The Incredibles, and its sequel,...

The Incredibles are coming back for a third big-screen adventure, but unlike their first two outings, Brad Bird will not be in the director's chair. Instead, that honor will go to Peter Sohn, a Pixar veteran who helmed the 2023 sleeper hit Elemental. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that, while he won't be at the wheel of The Incredibles 3, Bird will still write the film's script, as he did for The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2. Bird and Sohn are frequent collaborators, and he was hand-picked to direct the film by Bird and Pixar chief Pete Docter.

No reason was given for Bird bowing out of director's duties for the animated threequel, but the veteran animator and director has several projects on his plate at the moment. He's currently in pre-production for Ray Gunn, a passion project Bird has been working on for decades; it's the story of the last human private eye...

“Elemental” director Peter Sohn will direct “The Incredibles 3” for Disney and Pixar.

This installment is the first without Brad Bird at the helm. Bird wrote and directed the original 2004 adventure “The Incredibles” and its 2018 sequel “Incredibles 2.” It’s unclear why Bird is no longer directing the threequel, but the Pixar veteran will remain involved as a screenwriter and producer. Scheduling conflicts could be the culprit. Bird is developing the futuristic “Ray Gunn” for Skydance and historical drama “1906” for Disney, though the timeline on those films are hazy.

“The Incredibles” follows a superhero couple, Bob and Helen Parr, also known as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who attempt to live a normal suburban life with their three children after the government pans superpowers. In the second film, the Parr family tries to restore the public’s trust in masked vigilantes as a new cybercriminal threatens mankind. The first film grossed $630 million...

Pixar is shaking things up for Incredibles 3.

Peter Sohn (Elemental, The Good Dinosaur) will direct the third installment of the critically and commercially successful animated series.

Brad Bird wrote the screenplays for and directed the first two films in the franchise, which have earned a combined $1.8 billion at the box office. Bird is currently in the process of writing the screenplay for the threequel, which will be produced by Bird and Dana Murray (Oscar-winning Soul).

The franchise follows married couple Bob and Helen Parr (Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter) who live in the quiet suburbs with their three children after being forced to hide their superpowers by a new government mandate. Samuel L. Jackson and Sarah Vowell are part of the main cast.

The first Incredibles was released in 2004 and won the Academy Award for best animated film the following year. Incredibles 2 was released 14 years later, and earned $1.24 billion globally.

Quick Links John Lithgow Was Initially Set to Play the Dinosaur's Father The Film's Casting Issues Didn't Stop There Despite Its Many Changes, Pixar's Hard Work Paid Off

Pixar is one of the most recognizable production companies in the world and has introduced audiences to a number of alluring films, including Toy Story and Cars. The studio is also well-recognized for its superior animation skills and has been pushing the limits of this medium for many, many years. As such, it's not wrong to say when Pixar makes a film, it's bound to set the box office alight.

One of the studio's more underrated films, The Good Dinosaur, aimed to diversify itself from its predecessors. Complete with a heartwarming story and sweeping scenes; this movie allowed the studio to stretch its wings and explore another side of history. Yet, the film was teeming with issues from the start. So...

Moana 2 Box Office (China): Release Day Update(Photo Credit – Instagram)

Moana and Maui are winning hearts worldwide and are headed towards a magnificent debut weekend. It has crossed a major milestone at the global box office and has registered one of the biggest openings in China. It is eyeing a decent opening weekend in one of the biggest markets, that is at the Chinese box office. It is significantly higher than its 2016 predecessor. Scroll below for the deets.

It has surpassed the opening-day collections of Soul and Elemental. For the uninitiated, Soul was released in 2020 and directed by Pete Doctor. Meanwhile, Peter Sohn’s Elemental came out in 2023. All the movies were produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The 2024 sequel is, however, behind Inside Out 2’s release-day numbers. The animated feature has surpassed Frozen II’s Thanksgiving Day collection, setting a new record for that holiday. Now, all...

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has announced its winter programming, featuring a range of new film series, screenings, public events and educational programs. Highlights include an onstage conversation with singer-songwriter Diane Warren, followed by a screening of “Armageddon,” and a live performance by Warren herself. The schedule also includes a 10th-anniversary screening of “Selma,” with special appearances by director Ava DuVernay, lead actor David Oyelowo and other key cast members.

Additional exhibits include Present Past: A Celebration of Film, showcasing preserved and restored works from the Academy Film Archive and beyond. Scheduled screenings for this series are “The Sugarland Express” in DolbyVision and the restoration world premiere of “By Hook or By Crook.” An on-stage conversation with filmmakers Harry Dodge, Silas Howard, and Steak House, moderated by musician Kathleen Hanna will also feature. Opening on Dec. 7 is Animation and Me, an immersive exploration of animation’s cinematic world. From Jan.

Variety will host its third annual “Pixels and Pencils” series at this year’s Scad Savannah Film Festival on Monday, Oct. 28. The panel, featuring directors of some of the year’s most celebrated animated feature films, is presented in partnership with the Savannah College of Art and Design (Scad). Moderated by Clayton Davis, Variety’s senior awards editor, the event will showcase a diverse range of animation styles and artistic approaches, culminating in a roundtable discussion with the directors.

This year’s lineup of films and directors includes:

“Flow” (Sideshow/Janus Films) – Director Gints Zilbalodis “Inside Out 2” (Walt Disney/Pixar) – Director Kelsey Mann “Memoir of a Snail” (IFC Films) – Director Adam Elliot “Piece By Piece” (Focus Features) – Director Morgan Neville “Transformers One” (Paramount Pictures) – Director Josh Cooley “The Wild Robot” (Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation) – Director Chris Sanders

Last year’s “Pixels and Pencils” panel featured Academy Award nominees Peter Sohn...

This article contains spoilers for the "Toy Story" movies.

When John Lasseter's "Toy Story" was released in 1995, it was a coup for the industry. CGI had been used in films for a decade and there were myriad computer-animated short films, but the first theatrically released, fully-computer-animated feature changed the landscape. It certainly helped that "Toy Story" was a massive success, raking in over $365 million on a mere $30 million budget. The film was also highly acclaimed, sporting a novel concept (your toys are alive when you aren't looking), an excellent screenplay, and a first-rate cast.

After "Toy Story," it felt like the floodgates opened, and a shift from traditionally animated features to fully computer-animated features occurred within the next five years. One might even recall when Disney announced that it would be shuttering its traditional animation studio and only make computer-animated features going forward. This was slightly before its 2004 film "Home on the Range" flopped.

Hot off of the recording-breaking run of Inside Out 2, Pixar has revealed some behind-the-scenes changes for their next film, Elio. Elio follows an eleven-year-old boy who is mistaken by aliens as Earth's ambassador. The film's teaser debuted back in June 2023 ahead of Elemental's theatrical run when it was still planned to be Pixar's next release. In October 2023, the movie was delayed to March 2025. Now, some details about changes behind the scenes on the movie have been revealed.

Speaking with The Wrap, Pixar chief creative officer Pete Doctor revealed some of the behind-the-scenes changes for Elio. The movie will now be directed by Turning Red's Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, who directed the Pixar short Burrow. The project was originally set to be directed by Adrian Molina, the co-director of Coco, but Doctor says Molina has been moved off Elio and "was taken on to a priority project...

On October 16, 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of magic, from movies, television shows, theme parks, and an improbable corporate identity that has become beloved all on its own. Disney's most significant impact is the cinematic canon that defined the company, and as is to be expected from such an iconic company, it has gone through a lot of changes in its century-long history.

Disney has had eight distinct eras that shaped the company and altered the course of its vaunted animation. Each generation has had highs and lows some more than others but each has had its clear place in the Disney timeline. Despite facing various hardships, Disney has continued to delight fans of all ages with its timeless takes on classic fairy tales and original stories that resonate just as deeply. Every Disney fan has their favorite film and era, but some rank better than others in performance and quality.

Updated...

While studio execs devise strategies to push Pixar toward the relative safety of mass appeal, one of the linchpins of the company seems to have whooshed in to save the day, at least for Toy Story 5.

Toy Story 4 (2019) (Credit: Disney+)

The fifth installment in the comedy-adventure film series is currently in the budding stage of development with both Tom Hanks and Tim Allen expected to reprise the iconic duo of Woody and Buzz Lightyear. And Pixar Cco has reportedly confirmed that a widely celebrated director will be taking the reins for the upcoming film.

Longtime Pixar Director to Helm Toy Story 5

According to The MontyVerse, Pixar’s Pete Docter – during a screening of Inside Out 2 – confirmed that filmmaker and voice actor Andrew Stanton will be directing the much-anticipated Toy Story 5, albeit, no official announcements have been made yet.

Stanton, 58, has been an indispensable part of...

As an individual entity, Pixar Animation Studios is busy handcrafting films that touch people’s hearts. As a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, however, Pixar seems to be grasping at straws, which is why the former is aiming to resort back to the financially safer choice of crowd-pullers.

The Incredibles (Credit: Pixar Animation Studios)

Looking at the way some of Pixar’s most brilliant creations were brought to life, though – case in point: The Incredibles (2004), Cars (2006), and Luca (2021) to name a few – the prospect of giving into the lure of mass appeal might just be unacceptable.

The Predicament of Pixar Animation Studios

A multitude of films that turned into childhood treasures across the globe encompass creation after creation by Pixar. But the studio accredited with weaving beautiful stories into animated knockouts like Wall-e (2008) and Up (2009) appears to be floundering at the box office.

One such case is that of Peter Sohn...

Mamoudou Athie can practically taste the lobster rolls from the Carlton hotel. He smiles wistfully as he taps into that sense memory of his first trip to the Cannes Film Festival. In 2023, Athie voiced the lead role in Disney-Pixar’s “Elemental,” which closed the fest. And he’s returning this week as part of the first-rate ensemble of Yorgos Lanthimos’ offbeat movie “Kinds of Kindness.”

Discussion of the crustacean-filled dish might seem irrelevant, but it’s perhaps not incidental. Athie begins our conversation by revealing that his first encounter with Lanthimos’ unique sensibilities was 2015’s “The Lobster.” The Mauritanian American actor, who was studying at Yale School of Drama at the time, was captivated by the originality of the material and the conviction the filmmaker brought to his craft.

“I love something that feels fresh and innovative and risky,” Athie says, sitting down with Variety in late April and eagerly...

Elemental's world features unique elemental cultures, not based on real-world societies. Integration between different elements in the film is shown as beneficial and beautiful. Director Peter Sohn drew inspiration from his immigrant family's story for the film's themes.

"What is Elemental about?" is the question on many fans' minds when it comes to Pixar's 27th feature film. Elemental, directed by Peter Sohn, his second outing as director after first leading Pixar's earlier movie, The Good Dinosaur, was for a moment looking like it would be a massive flop for the studio. However, Elemental's success on Disney+ streaming, with over 26 million views, led to many people discovering the beautiful world of the film. They also discovered that the "rom-com with a twist" story it was sold as, hides a much richer text.

In the world of Elemental, there are four groups of anthropomorphic elements of nature: earth, air,...

For many fans, Pixar's Elemental hasn't garnered the praise it deserves. The film's messages on the effects of discrimination and the desire to honor family while being an individual are a stark reality for many people around the world. And the immigrant experience through the lives of Ember and her family are experiences many can relate to. Elemental handles these topics with grace, taking audiences on a journey of love and self-discovery.

Despite its limited success in theaters, Elemental has been making waves in home viewings, becoming something of a sleeper hit. The deeply personal story by director Peter Sohn highlights the struggles of immigrants and their families. The characters are cleverly created with breathtaking animation and a keen eye for how the Elements interact with their environment. Although it isn't quite as popular as it should be, Elemental has a lot to offer viewers and has many surprising...

Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature last night in Los Angeles, marking a second Oscar win for legendary Japanese animator and director Hayao Miyazaki, as well as Studio Ghibli. The studio’s latest anime film faced a tough competition, but won, adding an Oscar to the Golden Globe and the BAFTA it had already won earlier this year.

The nominees at last night’s ceremony were as follows:

The Boy and the Heron – Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki Elemental – Peter Sohn and Denise Ream Nimona – Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan, and Julie Zackary Robot Dreams – Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, and Sandra Tapia Díaz Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal

With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse winning the Annie Award for 2023, it was expected that The Boy and the Heron...

Oppenheimer was named best picture at the 2024 Oscars, which were were handed out Sunday.

The film took a total of seven awards during the night: Christopher Nolan won best director, Cillian Murphy won best actor and Robert Downey Jr. won best supporting actor. The film also won awards for best cinematography, best original score and best film editing.

In a surprise, Emma Stone won best actress for Poor Things, which also snapped up three crafts wins, for best costume design, production design, and makeup and hairstyling. She beat out perceived frontrunner Lily Gladstone, who has scooped up numerous awards for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph won best supporting actress for The Holdovers.

Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki’s The Boy and the Heron was named best animated feature, while Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest won the Oscar for best international feature. 20 Days in Mariupol...

Refresh for updates: The votes are in, the tuxes are pressed, and the envelopes are sealed: It’s time for the 96th Academy Awards. Deadline is updating the winners list live as they are announced, so check it out below.

Christopher Nolan’s near-billion-dollar juggernaut Oppenheimer has been collecting trophies at nearly every stop this awards season and comes into the ceremony as the odds-on favorite for Best Picture, among other nods. It’s vying for the Big Prize on Hollywood’s Big Night against the No. 1 movie of 2023, Barbie, along with American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest.

Here are the winners announced so far at the Oscars, followed by the remaining nominees:

Winners

Tba

Nominees

Best Picture

American Fiction

Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers

Anatomy of a Fall...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2023 Oscars Predictions:

Best Animated Feature

Weekly Commentary: Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” has garnered both the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, solidifying its status as a strong contender in the animated feature category. However, what’s intriguing is the absence of Miyazaki and his producer Toshio Suzuki at the award ceremonies,...

Elemental channels classic Pixar adventure with Ember and Wade, but falters in LGBTQ+ representation with minor characters. While Ember and Wade journey through Element City, LGBTQ+ characters Lake and Ghibli are unfortunately sidelined. Pixar's Elemental, released during Pride Month, misses the mark on LGBTQ+ representation, highlighting an ongoing issue.

Warning: minor spoilers for Elemental.2023's Elemental follows some of Pixar’s best traditions but, unfortunately, also continues the studio’s poor LGBTQ+ track record. After going back to the Toy Story saga with the spinoff Lightyear, Pixar returned to original stories with Elemental, directed by Peter Sohn. Set in a world where all four elements coexist, named Element City, Elemental introduces fierce young fire elemental Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis) and go-with-the-flow water elemental Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) — and their romance teaches that differences mean nothing when it comes to love.

Although all the elements reside in Element City,...

Disney+ Hotstar announced today that the 96th Oscars® will be live-streamed in India on Monday, March 11 at 4 Am Ist. Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show host and producer Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the live show for the fourth time.

Actor In A Leading Role (Nominees)

Bradley Cooper

Maestro

Colman Domingo

Rustin

Paul Giamatti

The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy

Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright

American Fiction

Actor In A Supporting Role (Nominees)

Sterling K. Brown

American Fiction

Robert De Niro

Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr.

Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling

Barbie

Mark Ruffalo

Poor Things

Actress In A Leading Role (Nominees)

Annette Bening

Nyad

Lily Gladstone

Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra HÜLLER

Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan

Maestro

Emma Stone

Poor Things

Actress In A Supporting Role (Nominees)

Emily Blunt

Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks

The Color Purple

America Ferrera

Barbie

Jodie Foster

Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph

The Holdovers

Animated Feature Film...

The Creator won big at the 22nd annual Visual Effects Society Awards Wednesday night.

The awards were handed out during a ceremony, hosted by actor-comedian Jay Pharoah, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

The Creator took home five awards in the feature competition, including outstanding visual effects in a photoreal feature. The Last of Us was also a top winner in the series categories, scoring four awards, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse led the animation competition with four wins.

Other winners of the night included Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Oppenheimer, Nyad, The Mandalorian and The Flash.

It was previously announced that producer Joyce Cox, who produced VFX on movies including Avatar and The Dark Knight, received the Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.

Actor-producer-director William Shatner was also previously revealed as the recipient of the award for Creative Excellence in “recognition of his valuable contributions...

Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” was the big winner at the 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards (held February 21 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel). The AI-themed, sci-fi actioner earned five awards, including the top photoreal feature VFX prize. The other awards were for modeling (Nomad), created environment (Floating Village), effects simulations, and compositing & lighting (Bar).

“The Creator” utilized an innovative streamlining process in post, in which Ilm designed and placed the naturalistic VFX over the actors playing AI simulants and the photographic plates as set extensions. This made the $80 million indie look like a $200 million blockbuster, with director Edwards shooting the entire film guerilla-style in 80 locations throughout Southeast Asia as the primary camera operator with a small crew and natural light.

Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the animated feature Oscar favorite (snubbed by the Academy’s VFX branch), took home four awards, including the top animated VFX prize. Sony Pictures Imageworks innovated...

As had been generally expected, Gareth Edwards’ futuristic sci-fi film “The Creator” proved to be the favorite among visual effects practitioners. The film topped the feature competition at the 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards, claiming five wins including one in the leading category for outstanding VFX in a photoreal feature.

Wednesday night at the Beverly Hilton, it also won the categories for created environment, model, compositing and lighting and effects simulations. Also, in the feature competition, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” collected two awards for the digital character (the emotive Rocket) and virtual cinematography. “Oppenheimer” grabbed the trophy for practical effects, and “Nyad” took home the award for supporting VFX. Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was the big winner among the animated features, collecting four awards.

“The Creator,” whose VFX was led by Industrial Light + Magic, and Guardians 3, whose work was shared by roughly 10 VFX companies,...

Nominations voting is from January 11–16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced on January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22–27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt. We update predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.

The State of the Race

Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” solidified its standing as the Oscar favorite after dominating Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards on February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The acclaimed sequel from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller grabbed seven awards, including best animated feature. It also won FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.

Its closest Oscar competitor, Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), took home two Annies for Takeshi Honda’s character animation and Miyazaki’s storyboarding. However, “The Boy and the Heron...

Deadline has launched the streaming site for Contenders Film: The Nominees, the Oscar nominees panel showcase that took place Saturday.

Click here to launch the Contenders Film: The Nominees streaming site.

Cast and creatives from eight Oscar-nominated films sat down for wide-ranging discussions about the craft that went into the making of the movies now in final stretch to the Academy Awards on March 10.

The diverse panels ran the gamut, from Best Picture nominees Killers of the Flower Moon, The Holdovers and Anatomy of a Fall to documentaries like Bobi Wine: The People’s President, To Kill a Tiger and Năi Nai & Wài Pó, the historical epic Napoleon and the animated Elemental.

Panelists included Napoleon costume designers Janty Yates and David Crossman and production designer Arthur Max; Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, director Alexander Payne, writer-producer David Hemingson and producer Mark Johnson; Flower Moon cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, production designer Jack Fisk,...

Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer’ (Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon © Universal Pictures)

Oppenheimer went into the 2024 Ee BAFTA Film Awards with the most nominations with 13, and earned the most wins overall with seven. Christopher Nolan took home his first BAFTA Best Director win, and the film also earned Best Film, Leading Actor (Cillian Murphy), Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr), Editing, Cinematography, and Original Score awards.

Poor Things followed with five wins in the Leading Actress (Emma Stone), Costume, Make Up & Hair, Production Design and Special Visual Effects categories. The Zone of Interest collected three wins: Outstanding British Film, Film Not in the English Language, and Sound. And The Holdovers was recognized with Supporting Actress (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and Casting honors.

David Tennant (Good Omens) hosted the 2024 Ee BAFTA Film Awards which took place on February 18th at The Royal Festival Hall in London.