Disney promised big news this past weekend at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, and certainly delivered with plenty of tips on the company’s upcoming animation projects.
Here’s the breakdown of the studio’s animation-related announcements:
• Shakira will lend her Grammy-winning voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in the upcoming animated feature Zootopia. The studio showed first scenes from the film and teased an original song by Shakira. Zootopia opens March 4.
• Due in 2018 is the animated feature Gigantic, based on the legend of Jack and the Beanstalk. The feature will include music from Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Directed by Nathan Greno (Tangled) and produced by Dorothy McKim (Get A Horse!), the movie follows adventure-seeker Jack as he discovers a world of giants hidden within the clouds. He hatches a grand plan with Inma, a 60-foot-tall, 11-year-old girl, and agrees to help her find her way home. But he doesn’t account for her super-sized personality—and who knew giants were so down to earth?
• Moana star Dwayne Johnson joined directors John Musker and Ron Clements and producer Osnat Shurer to show early test footage and revealed plans for the film’s inspired music and the extraordinary team behind it. Moana is due in theaters Nov. 23, 2016.
• Pixar shared new footage of a trio of T. Rex’s in action from its upcoming feature The Good Dinosaur, with director Peter Sohn and producer Denise Ream. The movie is due in theaters Nov. 25.
• Finding Dory star Ellen DeGeneres appeared on stage with cast members Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell and Kaitlin Olson as well as director Andrew Stanton, co-director Angus MacLane and producer Lindsey Collins to offer new details of the story, which reunites Dory with friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. Also featuring the voices of Albert Brooks, Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy, the movie is due in theaters June 17.
• And John Lasseter took to the stage along with Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Josh Cooley and Galyn Susman to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Toy Story and a sneak peek at Toy Story 4. Writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack also were on hand, though few details of the movie were released aside from its June 16, 2017 release date.
• Lastly, Pixar revealed that its Day of the Dead-themed animated feature is titled Coco and it will be directed by Lee Unkrich and produced by Darla K. Anderson. No release date has been set.
