With the success of The Lion King 3D, Disney and Disney�Pixar have announced the 3D re-releases of Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and The Little Mermaid for 2012 and 2013:
On the heels of the phenomenal success of The Lion King 3D � which will cross the $80 million mark at the domestic box office today � The Walt Disney Studios has announced limited theatrical engagements for four of its classic films for the first time in 3D. The following titles from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios will be released in 2012 and 2013:
- Beauty and the Beast � January 13, 2012
- Disney�Pixar's Finding Nemo � September 14, 2012
- Disney�Pixar's Monsters, Inc. � January 18, 2013 (Monsters University, a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 21, 2013)
- The Little Mermaid � September 13, 2013
"Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we're fortunate to have a treasure trove of both," said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. "We're thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D � and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen."
Originally released in 1991, Beauty and the Beast is a classic "tale as old as time" that follows the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman imprisoned in the castle of a mysterious beast and his enchanted staff, who must learn the most important lesson of all � that true beauty comes from within. Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film ever nominated for an Academy Award� for Best Picture, earning an additional five Oscar� nominations and winning two. It has grossed $380.4 million worldwide.
First released in 2003, Disney�Pixar's Finding Nemo takes audiences into a whole new world in this undersea adventure about family, courage and challenges. When Marlin, an overly cautious clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef, helplessly watches his son get scooped up by a diver, he must put aside his fears of the ocean and leave the safety of his coral enclave to find Nemo. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory, a forgetful but relentlessly optimistic fish, Marlin finds himself the unlikely hero in a seemingly impossible land-and-sea rescue. Finding Nemo won an Academy Award� for Best Animated Feature and was nominated for three others. With a total of $867.6 million worldwide, it was the second highest-grossing film of 2003.
In 2001, Disney�Pixar released Monsters, Inc. Lovable Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. But when a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it's up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home. Monsters, Inc. shattered every DVD-era home entertainment sales record when 11 million DVD/VHS copies were sold during its first week of release. It won an Academy Award� for Best Song and has grossed $526.9 million worldwide.
Released in 1989, The Little Mermaid, stars Ariel, a fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true and save her father's beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula. One of the most celebrated animated films of all time, The Little Mermaid was nominated for three Academy Awards�, winning two. It has grossed $228.9 million worldwide.
THEATER OF OPERATIONS: The creative force behind Pixar has taken the mantle of Walt Disney and created an unrivaled hit machine. His latest effort, this summer’s Cars 2, fared well at the box office, despite generally middling reviews—a testament to the Pixar brand. Next big project: Monsters University, a “prequel” to the $525-million-grossing Monsters, Inc. EXECUTIVE TIC: The animation king has a phobia-like aversion to cell phones and e-mails. His preferred mode of giving feedback: leaving voice messages via iPad. SIGNATURE ACCESSORY: Hawaiian shirts—more than 1,000 of them—of which 375 are sorted by subject matter in his closet. LITTLE BUDDY: Brad Bird. The creative force behind Pixar’s Ratatouille and The Incredibles directed the upcoming Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, for Paramount. SIDE PROJECT: Lasseter Family Winery produced 1,300 cases of wine last year, from grapes grown on his 95-acre estate, in Glen Ellen, California. GREEN BONA FIDES: More than 1,700 solar panels generate enough energy to service his winery and 10,000-square-foot home. OFFICE DECOR: The walls of his office at Pixar are lined with thousands of toys, from vintage Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars to assorted Pixar memorabilia.
Lee Unkrich will post one photo for every day on his currently unnamed Pixar project.
Wouldn’t it be magical to see behind the curtain at Pixar? To get a peek into the studio that has earned 26 Academy Awards, producing hit after animated hit?
Lee Unkrich, the director of Toy Story 3, will be giving fans an inside look into his next project, but it’s just with one photo per day. Hopefully, a picture really can be worth a thousand words. STORY: Pixar's Highs and Lows of the Past 25 Years
“Today is day one on my next project,” Unkrich wrote on Twitter. “Every day I'll post a new photo chronicling the journey.”
The first day photo, posted on September 26, is a close-up of a Mac keyboard with the caption: “the starting line.” Unkrich is using Tumblr to post his photo updates. PHOTOS: THR's Animators Roundtable
Unkrich has plenty to live up to, since his last project, Toy Story 3, was Pixar’s highest grossing film of all time, and the top grossing film of 2010. Additionally, it was the third animated movie to ever earn a best picture nomination. Unkrich also worked as a co-director on Toy Story 2, and an editor on the original Toy Story.
Currently, nothing is known about Unkrich’s upcoming project – not a name, a premise or even a character. Disney did announce two new Pixar projects back in August at Disney’s D23 conference. Oscar winner Pete Docter (Up) is helming the Untitled Pixar Movie that You See Inside the Brain, which is aiming for a Summer 2014 release. Additionally, the Untitled Pixar Movie about Dinosaurs will be directed by Pixar veteran Bob Peterson and produced by John Walker, and is aiming for a holiday 2013 release.
