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The Academy Awards have been honoring animation since 1932 when Walt Disney began a near decade-long reign over the then-newly minted best cartoon short subject category. However, in 2001, the ceremony inaugurated the best animated feature category, beginning a now-storied tradition that has helped the medium skyrocket in popularity and prestige. Sure, some folks still sideline it as children's entertainment -- including at the ceremony itself -- but so long as based god Guillermo Del Toro proclaims it as cinema, animation will live on as such.

Thanks to the category's relative infancy, not to mention its smaller pool of competitors, the majority of the now over 100 nominees are some of the best the medium has to offer. However, not every winner is a winner, if you know what we mean. Here is our definitive ranking of every best animated feature at the Oscars, from the times the Academy got it wrong to...

When Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for a massive $4 billion, fans immediately started speculating about the possibility of Marvel Studios teaming up with Pixar for an animated movie. 

That hasn't happened, and the closest we've come to a crossover like that is Disney Animation's very loose adaptation of Big Hero 6. However, with Marvel Animation releasing various TV shows on Disney+, we've been hearing rumblings about a big screen animated movie from Marvel Studios for a while now.

Today, scooper Daniel Richtman brings word that Power Pack and Kid Kaiju are among the characters Kevin Feige is looking to put front and centre in this long-rumoured animated feature. 

For those of you who aren't aware, Power Pack is a superhero team composed of four siblings: Alex, Julie, Jack, and Katie Power. The children gain superpowers after encountering an alien named Whitey, a Kymellian scientist who transferred one of his four...

Moana 2 Worldwide Box Office: 8th Friday Update ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Moana 2 is set to reach its goal soon, hopefully this weekend. Which goal? The one-billion-dollar mark worldwide. The movie has already surpassed Despicable Me 4 as the third highest-grossing film of the past year. Due to the amazing collection of the Moana sequel, all three of the highest-grossing films of 2024 are from Disney. Scroll below for the deets.

It is the sequel to the 2016 movie Moana, directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and co-directed by Chris Williams and Don Hall. The sequel has already grossed over 54% more than the original movie. According to reports, the estimated budget of the film is $150 million, and it has now generated 562.2% more than the price tag. It is still going strong at the box office and is expected to earn between $1-$1.1 billion in its global run.

Moana 2 surpassed Despicable Me 4...

Disney has been on a roll of remaking their older classics. Be it Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, The Jungle Book, or most famously The Lion King. With multiple prequels, sequels, live-action, and different animated versions, The Lion King has become one of Disney’s most profitable franchises.

A still from 2019’s The Lion King | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures

So, it is no wonder that they keep reprising the same content over and over. However, for many, multiple variations of the same story time and again has completely dissolved whatever charm the movie held initially.

However, there is one Disney movie that touched the hearts of fans across the globe yet somehow managed to skip this trend for the most part. That is, Big Hero 6, and the fans couldn’t be happier about it.

Disney’s Lion King franchise got ruined because of the studio...

Disney's animated canon includes all manner of characters. There are many ordinary everyday humans and animals that stand alongside far more fantastical beings. Some Disney films even go as far as to include gods or demigods of immense power. Part of what makes Disney movies so enduring is their ability to humanize even the most inhuman of characters.

Few films involve these powerful beings going up against one another so that a direct comparison can be difficult. The abilities of Disney characters span a wide variety, and the meaning of what can be considered powerful is hard to quantify. Nevertheless, some characters display feats of power that others can't match, allowing them to stand out.

Updated on January 12, 2025 by Lauren Younkin: Given Disney's extensive catalog covering a wide range of stories across cultures, there is no shortage of powerful characters in their films. As such, this list has been updated...

‘Big Hero 6’ was the first Marvel Comics animated theatrical release. It was a highly successful release thanks to an engaging mix of action, humor, and heart. Audiences loved the lovable character Baymax, who brought warmth and compassion to the film. The animation, fast pace, and emotional depth made it enjoyable for both kids and adults, earning it strong reviews and a high approval rating.

The movie was released more than 10 years ago and although a sequel was discussed a lot of times the movie is still a single release. After all, why shouldn’t the movie get a sequel, it was a great origin story.

Co-director Chris Williams said that a great movie starts with a great story. He believes the crew and the audience, who love Disney animation, both deserve a good story and that was one of the necessary things for the sequel – an equally good story as the first installment.

Big Hero 6 producer Roy Conli has revealed what it will take for a sequel to happen. Loosely based on the Marvel superhero of the same name, Disney’s 2014 animated adaptation proved a box office boon for the studio, bringing in over $657 million in worldwide box office. Not only would the movie go on to spawn two spinoff television shows, 2017’s Big Hero 6: The Series and 2022’s Baymax!, but it would also inspire a manga adaptation and multiple video games.

Ahead of Disneynature’s upcoming documentary movie Tiger, Screen Rant spoke with Conli and asked whether there were any plans for another big screen follow-up to his 2014 animated hit. While no plans for a Big Hero Six sequel exist, Conli revealed that he “always secretly urge[s]” original co-director Don Hall to return to the property. However, he suggested any such move would rely on Hall’s involvement, given he...

Even a whopping eight years after the original "Moana" first hit theaters and instantly became a modern Disney classic, it sure seems like there's no telling how far the sequel will go (see what I did there?) in its quest to capture that lightning in a bottle all over again. For the nerds among us, the early box office tracking is pointing towards another Thanksgiving weekend juggernaut, much like what happened with its predecessor back in 2016. As far as general audiences are concerned, the marketing for "Moana 2" -- with trailers foregrounding the fan-favorite title character, the return of Dwayne Johnson's chaotic demi-god Maui, and those lovable coconuts -- has been as on-point as we'd expect from a major Disney production. All signs are pointing up as we sail headfirst into the final days before release ... but how about what critics have to say?

With the animated blockbuster set...

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Fantasy is a film genre that has birthed many classics over the years, with notable examples being the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Previous decades have shown how popular fantasy films were, yet the 2020s have been a slow period for entries in the genre. Nevertheless, in an era of superhero films and other associated blockbusters, there still have been some incredible fantasy films that have stood out.

By transporting the audience to new and wondrous worlds, these films have shown that the fantasy genre is alive and well. 2024 will hopefully have more modern additions to the genre with anticipated releases like Wicked, Nosferatu, and Beatlejuice Beatlejuice. So far, fantasy in the 2020s has given audiences hits like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Northman, and more.

This article was updated on November...

Ahead of its upcoming sequel, Moana is still going strong on streaming for Disney, and it's not slowing down anytime soon. Although the company recently released several record-breaking films, including Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems audiences can't stop putting the family-friendly animated film starring Dwayne Johnson and Aulii Cravalho on their television screen. Moana, which garnered nearly $700 million at the box office,

According to Bloomberg, Moana has been not only the most streamed title from Disney, it's one of the most popular films on any platform. Since Disney+ debuted in 2019, Moana has been one of the four most-watched movies on the streamer, with over 80 billion minutes logged by its loyal and growing fanbase. In other words, as Bloomberg puts it, that number is "the equivalent of seeing the picture 748 million times." That is an unthinkable number of people watching Moana over and over again, making the upcoming sequel on pace...

Moana 2 Box Office: Advance Booking Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Moana 2 is prepping for the big day, which is just a few weeks away. It has already set a new record for this year. On Monday, the advance booking for the Walt Disney Animation Studios tentpole surpassed this year’s biggest blockbuster, Inside Out 2, in terms of pre-sales. The movie will arrive along with two other big movies, Wicked Part 1 and Gladiator II. Scroll below for the deets.

For the unversed, it is the sequel to the 2016 movie, which was directed by Chris Williams and Don Hall. It was praised by the critics, and financially, the movie was a big success. Fans have waited long for the sequel, and the popularity is so high that another live-action remake is being developed. Dwayne Johnson returns as the voice of Maui and Auli’i Cravalho in the titular character’s voice.

At some point or another, most children view their parents as monsters — but for Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler), a spell really did transform her royal parents (Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem) into monsters in the upcoming animated Netflix film “Spellbound” (streaming November 22). Watch the new trailer below.

The second animated feature from John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation (part of the impending Paramount-Skydance Media merger), the musical fantasy from director Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) is a modern fairy tale that takes place in the mythical kingdom of Lumbria as Princess Ellian embarks on “an invigorating quest” to break the spell. Boasting bright, eye-catching animation from Skydance Animation Madrid, the look of Lumbria (production designed by Brett Nystul) was influenced by the iconic architecture of ancient Spain, known for its domed rooftops and Moorish arches.

There is a decidedly Disney-esque musical spectacle propelling this modern fairy tale, led by eight-time Oscar...

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The Wild Robot is an animated sci-fi survival adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Chris Sanders. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by author Peter Brown, the 2024 film follows Roz, a service robot whose ship crash lands on an uninhabited island and now she must make herself familiar with her new surroundings and the local wildlife. Roz soon makes an unlikely connection with an orphaned goose named Brightbill. The Wild Robot’s voice cast includes Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames. So, if you loved the vibrant visuals, emotional and hilariously heartwarming story, and compelling characters in The Wild Robot here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Iron Giant (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.

The Iron Giant...

Many audiences that go to watch live-action superhero movies in theaters may often overlook their animated superhero counterparts as either "not as important" or "for kids." However, many of the best superhero movies are animated, and a surprising number of animated superhero films are just as graphic, if not more so, than the average Marvel or DC live-action movie.

The best-animated superhero movies can range from family-friendly comedies to dark and brooding explorations of complex universes. For people who feel like they have explored all there is in the mainstream superhero world, diving into the best-animated superhero films can be like a breath of fresh air.

Batman: Under The Red Hood Reinvented Jason Todd as a Major Character

Batman: Under the Red Hood Where to Watchstreamrentbuy

*Availability in US

Due to the absence of Jason Todd from Batman: The Animated Series and Batman movies, most millennials and Gen Z are...

Disney Princess movies are inspired by various folktales and span different time periods, blending styles to make the stories timeless. Characters like Moana, Jasmine, and Merida are placed within historical settings based on elements like architecture and clothing. Upcoming Disney Princess movies, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Moana, aim to remain consistent with the original time periods of the animated films.

Disney Princess movies take inspiration from different folktales and the Disney Princess timeline shows the various time periods that have been explored in these animated movies. Although Walt Disney Pictures has produced a variety of films over the decades, their princess movies have struck a special chord with audiences. The studios first animated movie was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, and since then, Disney has taken viewers to different times and places, such as Germany, Jordania, Scotland, and even the bottom of the...

Warning: Minor Spoilers ahead for The Boys season 4, episodes 1-3.

Colin is introduced in The Boys season 4 as a member of the Starlight House and one of the main character's love interests. Elliot Knight portrays Colin in the Amazon series, and viewers may recognize the actor from Titans and Once Upon a Time. Knight also has voice-acting experience, as they portray Kyle "Gaz" Garrick in Call of Duty.

The Boys season 4 introduces a handful of new characters, and Colin is one of the more likable ones to emerge in the new episodes though his introduction may leave viewers wondering where they've seen the actor who plays him. Many of The Boys season 4's new characters are Supes with their own insidious agendas, but Colin is one of the few humans put in the spotlight in the latest outing. His role is very much a supporting one, but it could have...

Another day, another former Disney creative leaves the studio to join another. This time, it is Don Hall, perhaps best known for his directorial work on films such as Big Hero 6, Moana, and Raya and the Last Dragon.

When he joined the studio his first major project was 1999’s Tarzan. He would go on to work on films such as The Emperor’s New Groove, Brother Bear, and Chicken Little.

He eventually climbed the ladder and wrote the screenplay for 2007’s Meet the Robinsons. His directorial debut finally came with 2011’s Winnie the Pooh. He would make back-to-back hits with Big Hero 6 in 2014 and Moana in 2016. His later films, such as Raya and the Last Dragon and Strange World, however, left much to be desired.

In addition to writing and directing, Hall would also be part of the creative leadership team on films such as Zootipia, Ralph Breaks the Internet,...

Skydance Animation is getting into business with Oscar-winning filmmaker Don Hall.

Hall, known for such Disney movies as Big Hero 6 and the original Moana, has closed a deal with the company. The pact will see him create, develop and produce an original animated feature for Skydance, although project details are not currently available.

The filmmaker launched his career with Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he worked on such features as Tarzan (1999), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) and Chicken Little (2005). Later, he was credited as head of story on Meet the Robinsons (2007) and The Princess and the Frog (2009) before directing the animated musical movie Winnie the Pooh (2011).

Hall directed the 2014 Disney film Big Hero 6, in addition to serving as executive producer for its Disney+ spinoff series Baymax! He earned an Oscar alongside fellow director Chris Williams and producer Roy Conli when the title prevailed for best animated feature at the 2015 Academy Awards ceremony.

Dwayne Johnson teases his return to Moana as he prepares Maui's famous tune "You're Welcome" in a behind-the-scenes video. Disney's live-action Moana remake ventures into a risky yet promising realm, joining a trend of adapting animated classics. Auli'i Cravalho reflects on Moana's empowering legacy, preparing to once again voice the titular princess in the upcoming projects.

Dwayne Johnson has provided fans a sneak peek into the upcoming live-action remake of Disney's 2016 hit, Moana, with a behind-the-scenes video that showcases his preparation for the project. The actor, reprising his role as the charismatic demigod Maui and serving as an executive producer, confirmed that production is set to commence this fall.

The Instagram video captures Johnson in the vocal booth as he lays down the preliminary vocals for Mauis popular tune, "You're Welcome." Accompanying the clip, Johnsons caption lauds what he describes as a "cool day of work," pointing out the...

Arriving on the heels of “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” — a true milestone of superstar transparency where Jennifer Lopez expressed a clear-eyed view of her current career status — “Atlas” feels like an underwhelming return to the kind of projects that have maintained Lopez’ place in the Hollywood firmament, but not the ones that catapulted her there in the first place.

One of her few science fiction-themed films, its novelty alone should make it stand out, especially with Brad Peyton, a reliable purveyor of large-scale spectacle in the director’s chair. But a dearth of original ideas undercuts the appeal of “Atlas,” leaving Lopez to fend for herself in much the same way her character is forced to in the film’s formulaic story.

Lopez plays the title character, a coffee-addicted, “rigid and hostile” data analyst whose mother Val (Lana Parilla) developed the first artificial-intelligence being, Harlan (Simu Liu), when Atlas was just a child.

Mexican-us filmmaker Carlos López Estrada will deliver Sundance Film Festival: London’s keynote address at the festival’s third annual industry programme, with further speakers confirmed from Studiocanal, BFI, BBC Film, Film4, Bafta and Sky.

The festival runs at London’s Picturehouse Central from June 6-9.

López Estrada’s director credits include his feature debut Blindpostting which opened Sundance in 2018, and animation Raya And The Last Dragon, which he co-directed with Don Hall.

As a producer, he is founder of Antigravity Academy, a production company specialising in creating opportunities for emerging talent. Antigravity’s first produced project, Dìdi (弟弟), written and directed by Sean Wang,...

While Big Hero 6 has spawned two spinoff television series, the 2014 animated movie has yet to receive a proper theatrical sequel. Roy Conli, a producer on some of Disney's biggest animated hits, including Big Hero 6, recently revealed why a sequel has not been produced yet.

Speaking with Screen Rant to promote the Disneynature documentary, Tiger, Conli shared that Don Hall, who co-directed Big Hero 6 with Chris Williams, is the one preventing a sequel from being made, explaining that it was Hall's idea to adapt the eponymous comic, and it should also be his decision whether there is a sequel or not. "You know, we're celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Big Hero 6 this year," Conli said. "It's interesting because it is really up to Don whether he wants to make a sequel to that. It was Don's concept and idea. I always secretly urge him to do it,...

The odds of a Big Hero 6 sequel happening are low due to director Don Hall's exclusive control over the decision-making process. Don Hall has not shown much interest in making sequels in the past, indicating that a Big Hero 6 sequel is unlikely. Despite fan interest, recent updates suggest that Hall's focus on new projects makes a Big Hero 6 sequel improbable.

A Big Hero 6 sequel has yet to happen 10 years after the first film's release, and the only condition preventing it is a bad sign for it ever happening. Disney released the animated movie based on an obscure Marvel Comics team in 2014 and quickly found success. Big Hero 6 received very positive reviews, and Disney watched as its box office ballooned to over $650 million worldwide. That type of performance typically would mean that a Big Hero 6 sequel would be made, especially considering there was a...

Disney surprises fans with announcement of Moana sequel hitting cinemas this November. Planned Moana TV show retooled into feature film, releasing back-to-back with live-action movie. Moana's popularity leads Disney to capitalize on franchise, promising an expansive new voyage.

Disney surprised everyone on Wednesday after announcing that Moana 2 will hit cinemas this November. However, the question whether Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho will be back to reprise their roles as Maui and Moana is yet to be confirmed. Both stars reacted to the news on social media, but according to Deadline both are currently just in talks to voice their animated counterparts. You can see their respective posts below.

With a Marvel-sized hole to fill, Disney have retooled their planned Moana TV show as a feature film and the first teaser is already here. Check out the first look at the movie below.

A series sequel to the 2016 hit...

Disney surprises fans with announcement of Moana sequel hitting cinemas this November. Planned Moana TV show retooled into feature film, releasing back-to-back with live-action movie. Moana's popularity leads Disney to capitalize on franchise, promising an expansive new voyage.

Disney surprised everyone on Wednesday after announcing that Moana 2 will hit cinemas this November. With a Marvel-sized hole to fill, Disney have retooled their planned Moana TV show as a feature film and the first teaser is already here. Check out the first look at the movie below.

A series sequel to the 2016 hit was originally announced early in 2022, with director David G. Derrick Jr being drafted in to direct the show for a Disney+ release. There has been very little said about the project since, with most of the attention shifting to the live-action movie that is now in development.

However, with the live-action movie currently having a release date...

Moana is returning to the big screen. Disney on February 7 announced the surprise release of “Moana 2,” a sequel to the 2016 Disney animated classic.

The film will open wide in theaters November 27, 2024. It is an animated feature and is separate from the live-action “Moana” film starring original animated star Dwayne Johnson that remains in the works for a summer 2025 release. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the news on CNBC ahead of the company’s earnings call on Wednesday.

“Moana 2” was previously developed as a Disney+ series, but it will now be made into a feature film with a theatrical release. It’s unclear which (if any) cast from the original animated hit is involved.

Check out the first look and a teaser trailer below:

Per an official Disney release, “Moana 2” is “another animated musical that takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

Disney Boss Bob Iger announced today that Moana 2 is coming out as a feature — this November. Iger exclaimed the news in a CNBC interview before the studio’s Q1 earnings on how the studio was turning a Moana TV series into a feature sequel. This despite the fact that a live-action version with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role of Maui from the original 2016 film is also planned for a theatrical release on June 27, 2025.

Note, Disney books the Thanksgiving five-day Wednesday-Sunday stretch with an animated movie annually. It always had a November 27 release date set for a toon feature.

“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise,” said Iger, “and we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters this November.”

Related: ‘Percy Jackson’ Renewed For Season 2 By Disney+

Part 2 will take audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

2014's Big Hero 6 was vastly underrated compared to Disney's Frozen, which premiered the year before. It was soon followed by Zootopia and Moana in 2016, which greatly eclipsed Big Hero 6 in terms of popularity. It was still a profitable film but not as highly regarded as many other recent Disney animated films. Big Hero 6 follows Hiro, a young engineer, in the devastating aftermath of his older brother's death. The last remaining pieces of Tadashi that Hiro has left are Tadashi's college friends and his recently invented school project, Baymax.

Big Hero 6 is a story of friendship. Hiro is a grief-stricken kid desiring to avenge his brother's death while realizing he does not have to be alone in his grief. However, it is not just a movie about trying to move on. It is also a superhero movie as Hiro, and his new group of friends uses science...

Raya and the Last Dragon is a 2021 animated movie directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada. The movie tells the story of Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), a warrior princess from Kumandra who has trained to protect a dragon gem belonging to the ancient dragons and containing incredible power. An attempt at stealing the gem results in it being broken into five pieces and scattered through the five kingdoms of Kumandra, along with awakening the evil Druun spirits. Years later, after the Druun have ruined Kumandra and turned people to stone, Raya embarks on a journey to find the mythical last dragon and restore the gem, using its power to banish the evil spirits.

The movie was planned for a November 2020 release but was pushed back to March 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It would eventually be released in theaters and on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, at a premium...

Hawk and Dove, an underrated duo in comics, are brought to life in an epic cosplay shoot by Team Firestorm Cosplay. The shoot showcases the fierce and accurate portrayal of Hawk and Dove, capturing their iconic look and characteristics. Hawk, known for his violent tendencies and impressive powers, is comparable to Wolverine, but with even more capabilities.

An epic new Hawk and Dove cosplay shines a spotlight on the one DC hero who can out-Wolverine Logan. One of the most underrated duos in comics, Hawk and Dove have been cult favorites for nearly 60 years, and a new cosplay shoot from Team Firestorm Cosplay brings them to life. The shoot shines a spotlight on the icons, and shows just how fierce Hawk can be.

Team Firestorm Cosplay, a cosplaying duo, unveiled the shoot across three photos on Instagram. The first photo shows Hawk and Dove posing, their backs to each other.

“Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme.” The magic of Disney Princess movies is indeed timeless. These films, from “Cinderella” to “Moana,” have captivated audiences worldwide with their enchanting tales, breathtaking animation, and unforgettable characters. But which are truly the best? Which ones stand the test of time, enchanting audiences young and old? In this article, we’ll present the best Disney Princess movies in order, based on viewer ratings and critical acclaim.

Related: 20 Best Disney Movies For Toddlers

Over the years, IMDb ratings, popularity indexes, Metascores, and more have painted a picture of the impact of each film. Whether you’re revisiting these classics or discovering them for the first time, let this guide illuminate the magic and wonder of Disney’s most beloved heroines.

10 ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009)

IMDb: 7.1/10 159K | Popularity: 1190 | Metascore: 73

Duration: 1h 37m | Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements

Cast: Anika Noni Rose,...

Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers will bypass a theatrical run in France and go straight to Prime Video.

Amazon in a June 19 statement said the tennis-themed movie — which stars Zendaya, The Crown’s Josh O’Connor and West Side Story breakout Mike Faist — will launch exclusively in France on Prime Video as it skips a release in French theaters.

The announcement came as Prime Video unveiled nine new original productions for the streaming platform in France, including Le Stupéfiant Noël des Silestone, Sulak and Tigres et Hyènes, and five new acquisitions, including the second season of Coeurs Noirs.

The decision to skip a French theatrical release follows the country introducing strict windowing regulations that require a 17-month period between a film’s theatrical release and its debut on a streaming platform in France. That compares to an average window of around 45 days between theatrical release and SVOD bow in most territories worldwide.

2022's Strange World had the ignominious fate of officially ending Disney Animation's CinemaScore ratings streak by scoring lower than any film in 31 years. Directed by Don Hall and Qui Nguyen and written by Nguyen, Strange World was the third major animated feature to be released by Disney in 2022 after Pixar’s Turning Red and Lightyear. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu, and Jonathan Melo, Strange World brings viewers into the fold of a new adventure and story centered on a family of explorers.

Strange World reviews from critics presented mixed opinions about the pulp adventure flick, which led to a Disney tradition being broken. The market research firm CinemaScore, which polls theater audiences after seeing the movie, has revealed that Strange World received a B, making it the first ever Walt Disney Animation Studios film to score below an A- according to CinemaScore's metrics.

Disney is setting sail with Moana once again, this time in vibrant live action. The studio has teamed with Dwayne Johnson to develop a live-action remake of its 2016 animated musical sensation.

Johnson plans to return to the role of Maui, the grandiose demigod of the wind and sea. He will produce via his Seven Bucks Productions along with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia. Beau Flynn produces via Flynn Picture Co. Jared Bush, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie, is back to write the remake, along with Dana Ledoux Miller. No director is involved at this stage of development.

Disney CEO Bob Iger and Johnson shared the news during Disney’s annual shareholders meeting Monday.

“This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength,” said Johnson. “I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this...

Where can you watch Baymax! right now?

The world fell in love with the big, squishy marshmallow-looking health healer, Baymax, thanks to Disney’s Big Hero 6. Fans simply could not get enough of this fun robot and, now, they get to enjoy his heart and humor once again in the Disney+ show, Baymax! With emotional storylines, inclusivity, and heroism, this show is sure to delight audiences.

If you want to spend some time with the lovable Baymax, you’re in luck. Baymax! is available for streaming exclusively on Disney+.

Watch Baymax! on Disney+

Background on Baymax!

Audiences are transported back to San Fransokyo to find out what Baymax and the gang are up to in this animated show. Each episode is centered around a character assisting San Fransokyo citizens in need with their health concerns. The creator of the show, Don Hall, explains his intention for the show, saying...

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...

In celebration of the upcoming home release of Disney's Strange World, Screen Rant is pleased to be hosting a giveaway and sharing some exclusive art from the sci-fi adventure! Disney's computer-animated masterpiece is now on Digital now and will be released on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 14. The home release includes four special featurettes about the making of the gorgeous film: "Anatomy of a Scene - Creating A Strange World," which focuses on the animation team; "Strange Science," which explores the science behind the fiction; "Creature Feature," which details the fun and freaky animals of the movie; and "The Hidden Secrets of Strange World," which highlights all the possible Easter eggs.

Devoted Disney fans will not want to miss out on the chance to own a special Strange World SteelBook, not to mention a fun collector's toy set of the entire ensemble. Screen Rant readers can feast their eyes...

Jake Gyllenhaal has unfinished business to resolve in the first trailer for director Guy Ritchie’s upcoming film The Covenant.

The MGM military thriller, hitting theaters April 21, stars Gyllenhaal as Army Sergeant John Kinley, who is rescued during a tour in Afghanistan by his interpreter, played by Dar Salim. The footage shows Kinley grappling with whether to put himself back in harm’s way to rescue Ahmed.

“If it wasn’t enough for him to carry me across those mountains, now he’s hiding in a hole somewhere,” Gyllenhaal’s character says somberly in the trailer. “I should be in that hole.”

He later adds, “Ahmed and his family are in trouble. I am gonna have to get him out myself.”

The cast also includes Alexander Ludwig, Antony Starr, Jason Wong, Bobby Schofield, Sean Sagar, Sina Parvaneh, Emily Beecham, Cyrus Khodaveisi and Christian Ochoa.

Initially entitled The Interpreter, Ritchie wrote...

This story about “Strange World” first appeared in the Awards Preview issue of TheWrap awards magazine.

“Strange World” is an atypical movie for Walt Disney Animation Studios. There aren’t any princesses or enchantments, and the one song is very brief and more of a gag than anything else. It follows the Clade family, a group of explorers always pushing up against what is possible. After Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) goes missing, his son Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) winds up with an even bigger discovery: Pando, a farmable energy source that turns their sequestered kingdom into a technological powerhouse. But when the energy source starts to falter, Searcher must embark on a journey to uncover the mystery and save his world. To save the world he must journey within it.

Their descent into the strange world of the film’s title is one of the most gripping in the movie. Their airship,...

Ethan (Strange World) Ethan in Strange World

French and Belgian comics inspired the characters in Disney Animation’s Strange World, which follows three generations of explorers, including teen Ethan. “He’s designed to have more realistic proportions, in contrast to other, wiry Disney teens like Hiro Hamada or Mowgli,” explains director Don Hall. “He’s biracial, and we wanted his skin tone to reflect both his mother, Meridian, and father, Searcher, and our team worked with Black hair experts to get his locks just right.” Textiles, he adds, took a cue from woven fabrics from environments like the Himalayas, with buttons and ties instead of zippers. “Given Ethan’s journey from unsettled teen to conservationist, we opted for a kind of laid-back, ‘granola’ vibe, with his green cutoff farm pants being the only subtle clue as to his internal conflict with his father’s expectations for him.” His vest is deep blue with red trim.

Discover where to watch Strange World, Disney's latest computer-animated sci-fi feature directed by Don Hall and written and co-directed by Qui Nguyen, who also wrote Raya and the Last Dragon.

Strange World tells the story of the Clade family, who lives in the peaceful land of Avalonia. While the patriarch Searcher Clade, voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal was growing up, he followed around his explorer father who was determined to travel past the mountains that surrounded their homeland. During the expedition, Searcher stumbles upon a mysterious glowing green plant known as Pando, but he fails to convince his father Jaeger (Dennis Quad) to stop their journey so that they can learn more about the discovery. Sadly, Jaeger abandons his son and the rest of his team to continue toward the edge of the mountains and has not been heard from since. Twenty-five years later viewers find Searcher raising a family on Avalonia,...

After working on Moana, director Don Hall was left thinking about the world he is leaving behind for his children. This thought gave birth to Strange World, an adventure story with an environmental theme. The film follows the legendary Clade family, as they explore the unknown regions of Avalonia. Jaeger (Dennis Quaid), Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White) are three generations of the family, each with different opinions that conflict and threaten their latest mission. Producer Roy Conli was drawn in by the story of generational conflict between three generations of a family.

Deadline: Where did the idea for Strange World come from?

Strange World, from left: Callisto Mal (voice: Lucy Liu), Jaeger Clade (voice: Dennis Quaid), Searcher Clade (voice: Jake Gyllenhaal), Splat, Ethan Clade (voice: Jaboukie Young-White), Meridian Clade

Don Hall: The idea came around 2017, I was just coming off of Moana and thinking...

2022 has made it very clear that we are living in a golden age of animation.

The wildly different styles of animation, a wide variety of stories being told and an equally wide array of audiences being targeted (and not just children!), 2022 felt like an adventurous, experimental time for the medium, where even major studios like Pixar and DreamWorks were embracing new techniques and aesthetics. (And 2023 looks even more adventurous!)

Here are the very best animated features of 2022:

10. Strange World Disney

It’s rare for a movie that was only released a few weeks ago to feel unfairly overlooked, but in the case of “Strange World,” it’s the truth. Granted, the movie wasn’t the easiest sell – it is set in a pre-industrial world that becomes technologically complex thanks to a magical vine, only when that vine starts to die it leads to a desperate mission underground. And every...

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, Lucy Liu | Written by Qui Nguyen | Directed by Don Hall

A journey deep into an uncharted and treacherous land, where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades – a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest, and by far most crucial, mission.

It’s extremely disappointing to see how Disney’s new animated feature Strange World came out. It’s the sixty-first film released by the juggernaut studio, following the immense success of their previous projects such as Encanto and the wildly popular Frozen II.

Although director Don Hall definitely had some bold ideas for where this film could go, he ultimately ended up crafting a massively forgettable film that strangely forgets to inject the heart and joy into the story, which is a hugely important aspect of any Disney movie.

Despite the fact that this movie focuses on some crazy,...

Though the animation titan that is the Walt Disney Company has mostly been sticking to its roots with infectiously fun musicals such as Encanto (2021) and Frozen II (2019), the studio has also been exploring animated expeditions into more adventurous stories. Recently, there have been a wide variety of these non-musical adventures, including hit films like Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and Zootopia (2016), just to name a few. But their latest adventure takes a page out of some of Disney's most legendary exploratory films like Pixar's Up (2009) and the criminally underrated Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). Strange World (2022) reunites the duo behind the Academy Award-nominated Raya and the Last Dragon, directors Don Hall and Qui Nguyen, bringing with them an all-new adventure packed to the brim with exploration and excitement. The latest from Walt Disney Animation Studios follows the Clade family, more specifically the optimistic Ethan Clade (Jaboukie Young White...

As awards season shifts into high gear, acclaimed directors, actors, producers, screenwriters, composers, animators and more — headlined by the likes of directors Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Ryan Coogler — joined Variety for the virtual FYC Fest, dedicated to highlighting this year’s most celebrated films. Over the course of multiple panels, Variety editors and writers spoke with the creatives behind some of this year’s biggest awards season contenders about how their critically-lauded films came to be.

Here are the six biggest takeaways from this year’s virtual FYC Fest.

‘Big’ Movies Don’t Have to Be Action Blockbusters

During the Making of “The Fabelmans” panel, director Steven Spielberg was joined by many of the film’s creatives, such as producer Kristie Macosko, editor Michael Kahn and more, to talk about how they brought the longtime director’s autobiographical story to life. During the conversation, they discussed the film’s...

Click here to read the full article.

Disney Animation’s Strange World, which took inspiration from adventures such as King Kong and Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, is about discovery and family, and the characters learning that their world is just as much a living thing as they are.

The story centers on three generations of a family: Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), a farmer who as a teen discovered a plant-based power source that changed the world; Searcher’s dad, Jaeger (Dennis Quaid), a legendary explorer; and Searcher’s son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White), a 16-year-old who helps on the farm but is unsure about following in his father’s footsteps. Their home, in Avalonia, is in trouble — the power source is fading — setting in motion a journey beneath the surface into a fantastical, colorful world to find the root of the problem. This world includes...

Disney’s Strange World is heading to Disney+ on December 23, the streamer announced Monday.

The animated family film has been a disappointment at the box office, grossing 30.4M domestically since its weak opening over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and 50.4M worldwide.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios pic centers around a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures.

The A-list voice cast is led by Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission, and Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger, along with Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old, adventure-seeking son, Ethan, Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal,...