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Tag: Jennifer Lee

  • Disney reveals major projects and surprises at the D23 showcase

    Disney reveals major projects and surprises at the D23 showcase

    Mumbai: The world-class storytelling engines of The Walt Disney Company took center stage at the Honda Center during the Disney Entertainment showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney fan event presented by Visa. Surprise celebrity appearances, new film and series titles, and major musical performances enthralled the audience of Disney fans from around the world, demonstrating the unmatched strength of the company’s creative studios, as well as the unique connection that generations of passionate fans of all ages have forged with its stories and characters over the past century.

    Walt Disney Company chief executive officer Bob Iger kicked off the evening to thank fans for their enduring passion, and to highlight what sets Disney apart as a global leader in creative storytelling and innovation. “Our deep bond with fans, forged over a century of storytelling, is stronger today than ever before,” he said, “driven by the unmatched strength of our creative studios, the wide appeal of our brands and franchises, and the innovative ways that we bring our stories to life in our theme parks and experiences.”

    Hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown, the event featured several of Disney’s outstanding creative leaders, including Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman, Pixar Animation Studios’ chief creative officer Pete Docter, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer Jennifer Lee, and Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige were on stage to introduce the stars and storytellers behind new and beloved titles.

    Here are the major highlights from the D23 showcase, where The Walt Disney Studios made several exciting announcements:

    Disney Animation: Three new feature films are on the way. Moana 2 kicked off the event with a performance by Auli‘i Cravalho and introduced new songs, with the film set for release on 29 November 2024. Zootopia 2, featuring Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde on a new adventure, is scheduled for 20 November 2025. Additionally, Frozen 3 was teased for a 2027 release.

    Avatar: James Cameron revealed the title of the third Avatar film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, set for a 19 December 2025 release, with stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña returning.

    Pixar: Upcoming films include Elio (13 June 2025), Hoppers (2026), Toy Story 5 (19 June 2026), and Incredibles 3, which is currently in development.

    Lucasfilm: Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni gave a sneak peek of the new Mandalorian and Grogu film, slated for 22 May 2026.

    Marvel Studios: Kevin Feige shared updates on Captain America: Brave New World (14 February 2025) and introduced the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which premieres on 25 July 2025.

    Disney live-action: Announcements included Mufasa: The Lion King (20 December 2024), Disney’s Snow White (21 March 2025), a live-action Lilo & Stitch (Summer 2025), TRON: Ares (10 October 2025), and the sequel Freakier Friday (2025).

    New projects: Dwayne Johnson revealed a new movie centered around monster trucks, celebrating the popularity of monster jam truck rallies.

  • Disney appoints new creative officers for animation division

    Disney appoints new creative officers for animation division

    MUMBAI: Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter have been named as new chief creative officers (CCOs) for Disney’s animation division. While Docter will handle the Pixar Animation Studios, Lee will head the Walt Disney Animation Studios. 

    The appointments come after John Lasseter stepped down from his role last month as the CCO of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. He resigned after admitting in 2017 that he had committed unspecified missteps that had left some employees feeling disrespectful and uncomfortable. However, he will continue to have a consulting role with the company until December 31.

    Announcing his resignation, Lasseter issued a statement, saying, “The last six months have provided an opportunity to reflect on my life, career and personal priorities. While I remain dedicated to the art of animation and inspired by the creative talent at Pixar and Disney, I have decided the end of this year is the right time to begin focusing on new creative challenges. I am extremely proud of what two of the most important and prolific animation studios have achieved under my leadership and I’m grateful for all the opportunities to follow my creative passion at Disney.”

    Disney announced on Tuesday that Docter and Lee will have creative oversight of all films and associated projects of their respective studios reporting directly to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn.

    In announcing their appointments, Horn said, “Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter are two of the most gifted filmmakers and storytellers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Pete, the genius creative force behind Up, Inside Out and Monsters, Inc., has been an integral part of Pixar almost since the beginning and is a huge part of its industry-leading success. Jenn, in bringing her bold vision to the boundary-breaking Frozen, has helped infuse Disney Animation with a new and exciting perspective. Each of them embodies the unique spirit, culture and values of these renowned animation studios, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have them to lead us into the future.”

    While Lee and Docter will look into the creative affairs, Pixar Animation Studios president Jim Morris and Walt Disney Animation Studios president Andrew Millstein will continue in their roles. They will be responsible for the business side and report toDisney and Pixar Animation Studios president Ed Catmul.

  • Disney to come up with a sequel to ‘Frozen’

    Disney to come up with a sequel to ‘Frozen’

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney Animation Studios is returning to the world of Frozen by featuring Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and the warmth-craving snowman Olaf in a new short film.

     

    Titled Frozen Fever, the film is due in spring 2015. “It’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa’s icy powers may put more than just the party at risk,” reads a plot description for Frozen Fever provided by Disney.

     

    The short- film will reunite the key forces from the original film directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, as well as producer Peter Del Vecho. The film will also include a brand-new song from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the Oscar-winning duo behind Let It Go.

     

    The original movie Frozen released in theaters on 22 November and went on to gross $1.274 billion worldwide. It is the 53rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, the film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged iceman, his loyal pet reindeer, and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have inadvertently trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

     

    Frozen won two Oscars at the Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (for Let It Go).