Disney Moves On With "Toy Story III" (Not)

Per this Bloomberg story, Disney is still making the third installment of "Toy Story," just not at Circle Seven Animation in Glendale... Over the last several weeks, Disney Feature animation staff have speculated to me what pictures will ultimately be produced in Burbank-Glendale, and what pictures will be made up in Emeryville (and speculation is what this is.) Some think that they'll be one feature from Burbank, then one feature from Emeryville, then one feature from Burbank...on into infinity. Some (who are more gloomy) think that after the current round of Burbank CGI features ("Robinsons," "Joe Jump," "American Dog," "Rapunzel" are made, that hand-drawn features will be made down South, with CGI features up north. Me, the outsider who knows what he sees and hears but mostly not much else, thinks that won't happen. I believe that you'll ultimately see one new feature a year -- most likely CGI -- out of Emeryville, plus a sequel every second or third year. And down south? I think you'll see a CGI feature every year to year and a half, and an occasional hand-drawn offering released every third or fourth year. And don't forget all the hand-drawn and CGI shorts that will be in the pipeline...in BOTH places. I think the ultimate corporate goal at Disney is to produce two new features a year -- one for summer release and one for the holidays. I think you'll see Pixar and Disney Feature Animation sharing production duties pretty much equally, with maybe one more picture coming out of Emeryville every third year. The feature animation calendar is now a crowded one -- Fox is in the game with Blue Sky Animation, as is DreamWorks/Paramount, as is Sony with SPA (Sony Pictures Animation.) As is Disney/Pixar. Then, of course, Warners has yet to be heard from, and Universal was pleased with "Curious George," so GE and its entertainment subsidiaries will be tempted to do more. (And let's not forget that Miramax is going to be producing "Gnomio and Juliet," that the Weinstein Co. has already released "Hoodwinked," and that IDT is about to get into the game.) Feature animation is now just too large and lucrative a genre of film making for any of the major conglomerates NOT to be in it. To predict who will be doing what over the next three or five years will take either detailed spreadsheets from every studio, or multiple crystal balls. UPDATE: I've since talked to a supervisor at WDFA who informs me the Bloomberg story (linked above) is in error. "Toy Story 3" is NOT in development at the present time -- either in Glendale or Emeryville. (There's a post to this effect, but it so far it doesn't show up unless you click on "comments.") At TAG Blog, we DO make an attempt to bring you a semblance of accuracy.