Pete Docter: Last News

Disney Pixar’s awaited Toy Story 5 could very well see the return of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks.Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Allen – who voices Buzz Lightyear in the beloved Toy Story franchise – revealed to the talkshow host that Disney has reached out to both him and Tom Hanks for a fifth Toy Story film. Tom Hanks famously voices the role of Woody.When asked by Fallon if a fifth Toy Story film was in the works, Allen replied: “Bob Iger, head of Disney, said it was on and actually said it was going to happen.

Disney and Pixar should have nothing to worry about, as far as attendance for Inside Out 2, as the film’s trailer unveiled on Thursday has had the biggest launch of any in the former studio’s history, unseating 2019’s Frozen 2 with an astounding 157 million views in just 24 hours.

Ethan Shanfeld People can’t get enough of Anxiety. Not the emotion, but rather Pixar’s newest animated character played by Maya Hawke, as “Inside Out 2” marks the biggest animated trailer launch in Disney history. The trailer to the animated sequel about personified feelings garnered 157 million views in 24 hours, according to Disney.

Valerie Wu Intern Skybound Entertainment, the company behind animated TV series “Invincible,” has acquired the historic Spike & Mike’s animation events, with plans for a revival. Marge Dean, head of studio at Skybound Entertainment, announced the news at Toronto’s Animation Industry Conference (TAAFI) on Saturday. Spike & Mike began in the 1970s as a curator of animated shorts.

Thomas Schumacher’s longtime reign atop the business operations of Disney Theatrical Group saw the division become a major player on Broadway and in the nation’s regional theaters, with such powerhouse productions as The Lion King and Aladdin becoming longrunning and touring stage staples.

Disney and Pixar announced on Monday that their animated feature Elemental, starring Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, has scored the biggest movie premiere of the year to date on Disney+, earning 26.4 million views in its first five days on the service.

Disney and Pixar’s Elemental is headed to Disney+ next week. The hit animated feature film will begin streaming on the service on September 13. Also hitting the streamer that day are the making-of documentary Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental and Pixar Animation Studios’ short Carl’s Date, featuring everyone’s favorite talking dog, Dug.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Disney+ customers can start streaming Pixar’s “Elemental” animated adventure next week. “Elemental” will hit Disney+ worldwide on Sept. 13, coming 89 days after the movie’s theatrical open.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor 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.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Barbie” is a box office smash, along with its acclaim from critics and audiences alike. If you follow the social media chatter and the general feeling from most pundits, it could be a viable awards contender for Warner Bros. One category being debated is where the screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach would be able to compete — whether in original or adapted screenplay. The answer lies in how the WGA classifies it and whether the Academy could or would overrule that choice. Variety confirms there are ongoing conversations with strategists and Warner Bros regarding where “Barbie” would compete at next year’s ceremony. On the title cards, it reads “Based on ‘Barbie’ by Mattel,” which is, of course, a toy company. At the same time, there have been multiple CGI films and TV series featuring the fashion doll since its debut in the late 1980s (42 to be precise). This would point to an “adapted” run. However, take the case of Pixar’s inaugural feature “Toy Story” (1995), which picked up an original screenplay nom (Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Joe Ranft). In that case, it offers a pathway for original. The CGI classic features characters such as Mr. Potato Head, a Hasbro product, and other toys such as Etch A Sketch, Magic 8 Ball and even parts of Barbie herself. Part of the Mutant Toys, which are creations of Andy’s sadistic kid neighbor Sid, he has one called “Legs” — which are a pair of Barbie doll legs attached to a green toy fishing rod.

Disney was the final studio to present here at CineEurope in Barcelona, highlighting 17 upcoming films and bringing A Haunting in Venice star/director Kenneth Branagh to town, as well as a live performance of “This Wish” from animated adventure Wish which releases in November.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Pixar’s chief creative officer Pete Docter recently told the press that he doesn’t “think of Pixar as making children’s programming.” By the look of box office returns for the studio’s recent animated offerings, it would appear that kids have taken notice — and haven’t been so inclined to watch those movies in theaters. Over the weekend, “Elemental” collapsed at the domestic box office with a $29.5 million opening, by far the worst debut in Pixar’s 28-year history. Even forgettable Pixar adventures, like 2015’s “The Good Dinosaur” ($39 million), 2020’s “Onward” ($39 million) and last year’s massive money-loser “Lightyear” ($51 million), managed to fill more seats in their opening weekends.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Pete Docter, Pixar’s creative chief officer, is hoping the animation studio’s 27th release, “Elemental,” will draw families to movie theaters this weekend. Peter Sohn‘s film is a story about immigration, families, duty and love. Not only does Docter say the visuals are “a spectacle,” but believes it should be experienced with an audience. Docter, who has been with the studio since the beginning and was upped to CCO in 2018, has come under criticism recently that Pixar has lost its magic touch. Here, Docter sits down with Variety over Zoom to discuss Pixar’s approach to programming, Cannes, “Elemental,” and what’s next for the studio.

K.J. Yossman Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in Disney’s animated feature of the same name, is set to narrate a new documentary titled “Pencils Vs Pixels.” Co-directed by Bay Dariz (“Hypochondriac”) and Phil Earnest, “Pencils Vs Pixels” is a celebration of 2D hand-drawn animation. The documentary, which will have its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week, will explore the Disney-led 2D animation boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s which was soon eclipsed by the dawn of computer animation. But, as the film shows, a resurgence of 2D animation suggests there is still hope for the medium.

Carole Horst For 50 years, it’s been a safe place for storytellers – musicians, animators, directors, writers, artists of all kinds – to learn, grow and thrive. As CalArts celebrates its golden anniversary, it also faces the future head-on.  Broad trustee emeritus Tim Disney, whose great-grandfather, Walt Disney, laid the foundation for what is now a world-class arts school, says that CalArts was founded with very large-scale, utopian ideas by Walt Disney. “Disneyland and CalArts were very grand things,” Disney says, adding that Walt died before the school opened and that his grandfather, Roy Disney, “had the very hard job” seeing the plans through. “His commitment was a very beautiful thing.” 

Pixar’s Elemental will have its world premiere screening at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 27.

Pixar Animation Studio title Elemental has been announced as the closing film of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, running from May 16 to 27.

And the Student Academy Awards go to …

Disney’s Pixar today confirmed its plans for a sequel to its critically acclaimed animated film Inside Out. The studio made the announcement during its D23 showcase, spotlighting projects across its live-action and animated slates, with both the original’s director Pete Docter and its voice actor Amy Poehler in attendance to tout the new project.

The Visual Effects Society today announced the newest inductees into the VES Hall of Fame, including pioneering animator, producer and director Mary Ellen Bute; the first woman to ever direct a film, Alice Guy-Blaché; American computer scientist Grace Hopper; commercial computer animation visionary Bill Kovacs and Hungarian-American animator, film director and producer George Pal. The Hall of Fame inductees – and other special honorees – will be celebrated at a special event this Fall.

Pam Hogarth will be this year’s recipient of the Visual Effects Society’s Founders Award for her contributions to the art, science and business of visual effects and for her meritorious service to the Society. She and Jeff Barnes, Patricia “Rose” Duignan, Toni Pace Carstensen and David Tanaka will also be presented with lifetime VES memberships, while three-time Oscar-winning director Pete Docter will be made an honorary member.