Thursday, February 16, 2012

At the Diz

My morning was spent at the Riverside Drive Hat Building. The word on Wreck-It Ralph is ...

"Animation has been going full bore. Lighting and finaling are getting ready for big ramp ups. There's going to be new people hired next month. ..."

"They had a screening in the hat's first-floor theater yesterday. Iger and Rich Ross were there. They missed some of the lines because of the laughter. There's a lot of gags in it, a lot of referencing of newer video games. The consensus is that the story works and its funny. Now we just have to get it made. This is one of the shortest schedules we've had. ..."

I asked if there was any worry that the video game references could date the picture in ten or twenty years. Nobody is concerned about that. They want it to be a hit next Fall when Ralph gets released.

(There's a Wreck-It Ralph display in the building's entrance hall. So you want to see character sketches and some artwork, just talk your way past the gate guard on Riverside Drive and feast your eyes.)

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ten to twenty years? Video game references will most likely be dated in a matter of months.

Anonymous said...

Look at guitar hero that game is already outdated and unpopular. Ralph may have a successful release but certainly won't be a timeless classic

Anonymous said...

A bunch of old fogies posting above.

With the scanned pictures of the recent D23 magazine article on Ralph hitting the internet, the forums already picked out such unknown video game characters that no one has ever heard off...

Characters from Mario, Street Fighter, Mega Man, etc.

This will be Toy Story for anyone who has ever played a video game in the past 30 years and every kid and kid at heart will go and see this...

Anonymous said...

It is funny as hell.

Anonymous said...

Steve, are the projects in development coming along? Frozen, King of the Elves, Mort?

Anonymous said...

The Marvel superhero animated feature is moving along well. Second draft of the script is much better than the first--and boarding should start with delivery if the third draft.

Anonymous said...

"Steve, are the projects in development coming along? Frozen, King of the Elves, Mort?"


---


Just why do you expect Steve would spill anything about development work on future projects (even if he knows) ? That's the way to get banned from the Disney Animation building. He's a professional and wouldn't do that. Do you understand this is a professional guild blog, not a fan site which speculates on rumors about Disney films , right ?

Anonymous said...

Why is anon#5 talking about Mort? I thought it was cancelled. Is it back in development?

Anonymous said...

"A bunch of old fogies posting above"

You clearly know nothing I'm in my twenties; I would say that puts me in the young crowd. Oh and I'm really gonna be excited to see Mario in Disney movie. If Disney is gonna make a video game movie at least come up with original characters. You already think this will be the Toy Story of this generation?? Maybe you're a diehard gamer that's the only reason I could see for your thought process. Ethier way I won't be supporting this film.

Anonymous said...

**The Marvel superhero animated feature is moving along well. Second draft of the script is much better than the first--and boarding should start with delivery if the third draft.**

Complete and utter drivel.

Anonymous said...

I had to look up the video game character thing, from the looks of it, it looks like a support group for video game villians with obscure and not so obscure characters ranging from Q-bert to Sonic to more recent titles, I wasn't expecting that.

A lot of people are going that stuff up, and in this case, I think it's better to go that route vs "original" characters that are a parody of something that already exists. I'm sure there will be an nice mix of original characters tossed in there as well...

I can't wait to see the trailer or teaser for this now...

Steve Hulett said...

"Steve, are the projects in development coming along? Frozen, King of the Elves, Mort?"

Some are coming along. Others not. (Mort's rights were never secured by the Big Mouse.)

There. Now I've spilled the beans.

Anonymous said...

--> There's a lot of gags in it, a lot of referencing of newer video games.


And all those Pixie snobs did so attack Shrek for its use of pop culture references. JL is in charge at Disney, right?

Steve Hulett said...

What say we wait to see the movie before throwing stones?

Anonymous said...

There's a lot of gags in it, a lot of referencing of newer video games

I'm a bit concerned about that. I don't like wink-at-the-audience anachronisms.

Anonymous said...

There arent any.

Anonymous said...

"just talk your way past the gate"

Kind of the way Steve goes through life.

Steve Hulett said...

"just talk your way past the gate"

Kind of the way Steve goes through life.


Worked great for me so far.

Try it some time.

Anonymous said...

What say we wait to see the movie before throwing stones?

Hey man, this is the internet. We talk crap about movies before they even exist.

Anonymous said...

This is not sounding like my kind of film. Disney films should be timeless, appealing to all age groups, and not specific niche crowds (i.e. the game boys.) Sometimes I wonder if there are two John Lasseters: the first making quality products and the other who makes the other stuff for Disney,

Anonymous said...

It's Rich Moore. Do some research.

Anonymous said...

Disney films should be timeless, appealing to all age groups, and not specific niche crowds (i.e. the game boys.)

Considering how popular gaming is these days, it's not really a niche anymore.

Also, is this the first time Disney Animation has hired an outside director to direct one of their films? I can't think of any previous film directed by somebody not already employed by the Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Anonymous said...

Am I alone in thinking that "Wreck it Ralph" is quite possibly the worst title for a movie... ever?

Unless maybe you thought "Drop Dead Fred" was a good movie title.

Just sounds like shit.

Anonymous said...

Yes, you are alone. In your little pile of poo.

Anonymous said...

*and

Steve Hulett said...

"*and"?

What kind of snark comment is that?

Anonymous said...

I was correcting my own mistake. Easy does it, Steve.

Anonymous said...

"What say we wait to see the movie before throwing stones?"


I hope that there are more mime jokes in it like there were in Tangled! That really made the movie more approachable for me, ... mime jokes!

Walt's legacy is certainly unbroken and intact, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

You have a problem with the mime joke? (which was funny by the way)

I think someone's been drinking the hatorade. Because if that's an actual complaint you have about Tangled, it speaks more about you than the film

Did you get laid off?

Anonymous said...

.. this just reminds me of tangled and bolt.. shorter and shorter schedules for the animators.. who sacrifice time spent with the family to get this on time.. and then get laid-off....

I'm surprised animators keep falling for the same tricks by Disney management..

Anonymous said...

"You have a problem with the mime joke? (which was funny by the way)"


Sure. Sure it was. Every time they went with it.
It's just plain lazy storytelling.

And it's just lazy to ask if someone who thinks Disney could be (should be!) better at what they do is just bitter about being laid off. Right, that's all it ever is.

Go on Disney, keep lowering the bar. Blame it all on those people who do not work for you, and never blame it on those people who DO work for you.

Anonymous said...

If you think Tangled was a bad film that lowered the bar, I can't take you seriously. And yes, you probably don't work there anymore.

Anonymous said...

As a film, Sleeping Beauty definitely would have benefited from a few mime jokes, no question about it.

Anonymous said...

Different time back then.

You seriously don't expect Disney to release films like that now, do you? Maybe Ford should re-release the Model T also.

Anonymous said...

You have a problem with the mime joke? (which was funny by the way) [...] Did you get laid off?

I'm not even sure how to make sense of this comment, given that the animator who animated the mime in "Tangled" was...you guessed it...laid off.

Anonymous said...

So...by that logic, the joke isnt funny if the animator gets laid off? Please try making sense yourself.

Anonymous said...

--> You seriously don't expect Disney to release films like that now, do you?


Seriously, no, I don't.

Now I expect them to release films which are much less impressive.

Seriously.

Anonymous said...

^ Now that's class.

Anonymous said...

Tell me, who's more classless, the guy flame-baiting or the guy calling him out on it?

Where I come from, the type of people who pick fights, then mock the people for defending themselves are the worst kinds of people.

He got called a name. From where I sit, he deserved it.

I've watched Disney closely for the last 5 years. They are on an upward trajectory and I'm happy to see that. Some people are too angry and bitter and it hurts them to see Disney doing better

So be it.

Anonymous said...

^ I think you need to gain a little perspective. Maybe take a walk, and calm down a little.

Anonymous said...

Pot, meet Kettle.

Jeanne said...

I think Ralph could be a great movie, there's a lot of potential in it.

I'm too curious about Ron & John's new movie, Mort has been shelved, so I hope to know something soon about their new feature. I read that the short Paperman is a test for Ron & John. It's too interesting. Is it true, Steve?

I hope to see Glen Keane working on Frozen, I will love Frozen if it will have the original painterly look it was supposed to have Rapunzel in the original Glen Keane's version for the story: I remember beautiful concept art based on Fragonard and Rembrandt and I think a movie like that (with also a very strong, epic and beautiful plot) could be the most beautiful movie ever. So I hope Keane's works could be used for a new movie and I think Frozen (or Snow Queen) could be perfect with a beautiful painterly look.

Anonymous said...

"...the original painterly look it was supposed to have Rapunzel in the original Glen Keane's version..."


Quick question, were there mime jokes in Glen's version of Rapunzel, or were they added to the story after it became Tangled?

An honest question, not being rhetorical.

Anonymous said...

Uuuuuuuhhhhh, no.

That's a very, very, very, very big no.

And if you loved "Tangled," you probably would've hated Glen's "Rapunzel." More different movies I cannot imagine.

Anonymous said...

"I've watched Disney closely for the last 5 years. They are on an upward trajectory and I'm happy to see that"

Yea I don't know what you're talking bout I would not say they're on a upward trend.

Winnie the Pooh 2011 - story had no appeal to anyone over age 6, poor voice cast, animation was good

Tangled 2010 - great story, great animation, great music

The Princess and the Frog 2009 - bad story, sub par music, good throwback to the 90s

Bolt 2008 - story is almost identical to the original Toy Story, unmemorable, good animation

Meet the Robinsons 2007 - good concept bad excution, bad jokes, bad animation

Wreck it Ralph - characters look like a complete rip off of the DK vs Mario game, trying to parody something from pop culture (aka trying to be Dreamworks megamind, Shrek)

Anonymous said...

Tangled was better than Bolt. Bolt was better than Meet The Robinsons. Meet the Robinsons was better than Chicken Little. See where Im going here? I'm ignoring 2D, because, frankly, audiences do.

Throw in a dash of Prep and Landing and the positive rumors about Paperman and I'd say it's definitely trending upwards.

I won't speculate about Wreck It Ralph until there's something more concrete to talk about

Anonymous said...

I love how everyone that hates the idea of Ralph hates it because they think video games are "niche" or just a fad. Gaming has only grown in the past 30 years, that's how old Mario happens to be, and he's not likely to be forgotten yet. Plus, I wouldn't classify anything that's earns 775 million dollars in 5 days a niche product. Thats how much Modern Warfare 3 earned upon release. I'm pretty sure that kills most movie debuts.

Anonymous said...

Disney haters are a dime a dozen, as evidenced by the constant trolls on this blog.

Anonymous said...

"Disney haters are a dime a dozen, as evidenced by the constant trolls on this blog."

I'm the one who made the comment about Disney not being on a upward trend. I don't know that makes me hater. I'm actually a big fan of Disney just not some of their recent work but I guess anyone who disagrees with you is a troll?? Why don't you come up with an argument to support your opinion instead of calling people trolls and haters.

Anonymous said...

I did. I said it has improved steadily since Chicken Little, both in review scores and box office.

Anonymous said...

"I did. I said it has improved steadily since Chicken Little, both in review scores and box office."

Well don't call people trolls and haters for having a different opinion.

Anonymous said...

"I love how everyone that hates the idea of Ralph hates it because they think video games are "niche" or just a fad. Gaming has only grown in the past 30 years, that's how old Mario happens to be, and he's not likely to be forgotten yet. Plus, I wouldn't classify anything that's earns 775 million dollars in 5 days a niche product. Thats how much Modern Warfare 3 earned upon release. I'm pretty sure that kills most movie debuts."

Who has said video games are a fad?? I think some people just don't want to see a movie about video games. Also video games cost $60 two movie tickets cost $20 let's not compare how much money films and games make.

Anonymous said...

"Who has said video games are a fad?? I think some people just don't want to see a movie about video games. Also video games cost $60 two movie tickets cost $20 let's not compare how much money films and games make"

No one specifically used the word fad, but they did bring up that they thought video game related content would be dated in months, or are more niche products and unappealing to the masses, which is clearly not the case. The point is, video games are more relevant now than ever, and people shouldn't dismiss it as something only your neighbors geeky kid is interested in.

Anonymous said...

I'm have yet to post on here, but I def think Diz animation is getting better. Each film since Chicken Little has gotten better and better. That is very obvious people. That is all...

Anonymous said...

Disney being able to make films that are better than Chicken Little isn't saying much that film was crap and I say this as a big fan of Disney Animation.

Anonymous said...

Disney is still recovering from years of poor leadership. it doesn't happen overnight and is far from easy. They will come back, PATF and tangled were steps in the right direction.

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