Disney's Animated Film Schedule

Upcoming Animated Movies From Disney, Pixar

Apr 8, 2008

What animated movies will the Mouse House make this year and the next? Click the link and find out. Part #1 of 3.

After the 10-year hell that was the post-Katzenberg Eisner era at the Walt Disney Company, the studio known affectionately as The Mouse House is reclaiming its place as the premiere North American animation outfit.

Fueled by Pixar's attitude and vision (which, ironically, was an imitation of Walt's own philosophies), Disney Animation is in the midst of a revival of sorts which may end up matching, or surpassing, its heralded "animation renaissance" of the late 1980s.

So what are some of the Mouse House's upcoming animated films? Click on our crystal ball (AKA the Disney website) for a tour of their upcoming flicks.

According to Jim Hill, staff at the Disney store are inundated with requests for WALL-E merchandise, three months before the film is due in theatres. Apparently, demand for toys based around the upcoming movie are rivaling the bonanza surrounding 2006's Cars (remember the name). Disney stores sold 90% of their stock of merch for that John Lasseter flick 3 weeks before the movie ever hit theatres, a problem they'd love to have again.

Disney Consumer Products is hoping and praying that WALL-E will do similar business as Cars, since 2007's Ratatouille wasn't exactly the license-to-print-merch-money they were hoping for.

It still remains to be seen whether current Disney Animation creative director John Lasseter was right to toss Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch) off this flick and replace him with Chris Williams.

Bolt follows the titular dog (voiced by John Travolta), a canine TV star who actually thinks he has super powers. After getting dumped in New York City, Bolt joins up with a female cat named Mr. Mittens (Susie Essman) and a hamster-in-a-ball named Rhino in order to try and get back to Los Angeles. JoBlo claims that Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) is voicing the role of little girl Penny, but IMDb has namechecked Chloe Moretz.

This direct-to-DVD flick (originally subtitled Tinker Bell and the Ring of Belief) was the subject of a massive turf war between John Lasseter and Disney Toon Studios president Sharon Morrill, before Morrill lost her job and Disney Toon was shut down. However, Disney Consumer Products wants to put this movie out to support the Disney Fairies line of merchandise. Director Bradley Raymond has presumably revamped this flick, with Lasseter overseeing the changes. Whether that's enough to make this flick (and its sequels) viable remains to be seen.

Interestingly, Brittany Murphy is no longer the voice of Tinker Bell; Mae Whitman has taken over that gig.

Pixar's 2009 flick is believed to be a modern-day retelling of Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel Don Quixote. Certainly the synopsis, lifted from JoBlo.com, appears to bear this out:

"From the Academy Award®-nominated team of director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.) and co-director Bob Peterson comes Up, a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. Up takes audiences on a thrilling journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures. When seeking adventure next summer – look Up.”

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