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In a surprise announcement, Disney reveals that Coco 2is in development. The original Pixar movie, which debuted in 2017, followed an aspiring musician named Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) traveling to the land of the dead amid a conflict with his music-hating family. Coco reviews were glowing, earning it a Certified Fresh score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie also went on to win two Oscars, for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song ("Remember Me"). It was also a hit, grossing $814.3 million worldwide against its roughly $200 million budget.

During the annual Disney shareholders meeting, CEO Bob Iger confirmed Coco 2 is in the works and will hit theaters in 2029. The original creative team, comprised of director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina, will return. Iger said during the meeting:

While the film is just in the initial stages, we know it will be full of humor, heart and adventure. And we can't wait to share more soon.

Disney is known for making some of the most popular animated movies ever, including classics like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. A key reason why their films have remained so popular among generations of fans is thanks to how much audiences have connected to their characters.

Many Disney characters have cute, charming designs that are hard to forget. Whether it is due to their appearance or personality, the endearing characters helming these movies strike chords in audiences that even their silhouettes are recognizable. From timeless characters like Lion King's Simba to contemporary hits like Wreck-It Ralph's Vanellope, Disney has a massive catalog of cute characters.

Updated on January 14, 2025, by Andrea Sandoval: As one of the biggest in the animation industry, Disney has created some of the most endearing, memorable, and nostalgic characters from the big screen. Characters like Olaf, Simba, and Bambi gave people hope,...

Ty Burrell has forever cemented his status as America's favorite dad. Through an iconic run as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family, Burrell's quirky humor, heartfelt moments, and perfect comedic timing have made him a household sitcom name. However, beyond television, Burrell has also built an impressive filmography. For instance, he's surprisingly a member of the iconic Black Hawk Down cast, in which he delivers an unsuspectedly grounded performance. Amid the film's gripping intensity, Burrell proved himself to be a true, versatile actor.

Burrell's performance in Modern Family remains by far his most iconic, with Mr. Dunphy's hilarious, signature sense of childlike wonder redefining the otherwise cheesy sitcom dad. Additionally, as a member of the Mr. Peabody & Sherman voice cast, Burrell's versatility extends beyond live-action media. This unexpectedly dynamic career is filled with diverse roles, making it hard to pick 10 of the best, especially with so many projects we forgot Ty...

Given their near-death experience at the end of Toy Story 3, it might have seemed like Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang were ready to ride off into the proverbial sunset after that third installment of the franchise, but Pixar quickly let it be known that was far from the case. Just a year later, a trio of shorts called Toy Story Toons began accompanying various Disney movies in theaters. Next up came the first Toy Story TV special, which featured Woody’s Roundup Gang venturing into a surprising new genre: horror.

First airing on ABC on October 16, 2013, Toy Story of Terror saw Woody, Buzz and Jessie take a trip to a hotel where toys quickly begin going missing, leaving only Jessie (Joan Cusack) to contend with a mysterious shadowy figure. After being isolated from the rest of the group, Jessie meets a lost toy named Combat Carl...

When you think about where to head for Halloween favorites, Disney+ probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But just because Disney+ is free from blood-and-gore extravaganzas doesn’t mean it can’t scratch your spooky itch. In fact, far from it! There is a pretty robust amount of Halloween (and Halloween-adjacent) fair on Disney’s direct-to-consumer platform, including a bunch of new stuff that was recently added and so many classics, for every age group. Here are our choices for the very best Halloween movies and shows on Disney+ right now.

Frankenweenie (2012) Photo: Disney

Unlike other Disney remakes, which start out in animation before transitioning to live-action, Tim Burton decided to remake his oddball live-action short film (one of his “after school projects” that kept him busy while animating for Disney) in the form of a feature-length stop-motion animated film. Talk about a curveball! One of his most emotionally resonant and overlooked films,...

On October 16, 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of magic, from movies, television shows, theme parks, and an improbable corporate identity that has become beloved all on its own. Disney's most significant impact is the cinematic canon that defined the company, and as is to be expected from such an iconic company, it has gone through a lot of changes in its century-long history.

Disney has had eight distinct eras that shaped the company and altered the course of its vaunted animation. Each generation has had highs and lows some more than others but each has had its clear place in the Disney timeline. Despite facing various hardships, Disney has continued to delight fans of all ages with its timeless takes on classic fairy tales and original stories that resonate just as deeply. Every Disney fan has their favorite film and era, but some rank better than others in performance and quality.

Updated...

Star Wars has deeply influenced pop culture, from common sayings to collectibles, permeating everyday life and cinema. Pixar's Toy Story franchise pays homage to Star Wars with references like Darth Vader's breathing. Voice actors like Ben Burtt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Frank Oz bridge the gap between Star Wars and Pixar, creating a unique connection.

The influence Star Wars has had on pop culture cannot be overstated. From terminology like "going to the dark side" entering the common vernacular to the introduction of the fad of adults buying action figures, toys, etc., as collectors' items, Star Wars has infiltrated everyday life as much as it has cinema. However, that, too, shouldn't be overlooked. Star Wars impacts cinema with as much regularity now as it did in the '80s. This can be quite small and internal, like when Rogue One director Gareth Edwards credited the franchise as inspiration for his recent featurette,...

While studio execs devise strategies to push Pixar toward the relative safety of mass appeal, one of the linchpins of the company seems to have whooshed in to save the day, at least for Toy Story 5.

Toy Story 4 (2019) (Credit: Disney+)

The fifth installment in the comedy-adventure film series is currently in the budding stage of development with both Tom Hanks and Tim Allen expected to reprise the iconic duo of Woody and Buzz Lightyear. And Pixar Cco has reportedly confirmed that a widely celebrated director will be taking the reins for the upcoming film.

Longtime Pixar Director to Helm Toy Story 5

According to The MontyVerse, Pixar’s Pete Docter – during a screening of Inside Out 2 – confirmed that filmmaker and voice actor Andrew Stanton will be directing the much-anticipated Toy Story 5, albeit, no official announcements have been made yet.

Stanton, 58, has been an indispensable part of...

Toy Story 5 will be reportedly be directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton. Stanton has been with the franchise since the original movie, being part of the Senior Creative Team for all four previous movies and co-writing the 1999 and 2019 sequels. With Stanton leading the charge on the new movie, Toy Story 5 can make up for Lightyear's disappointments.

With the franchise gearing up for its return, Toy Story 5 has reportedly found its director with a major franchise veteran. Development on a fifth installment in the Toy Story franchise was first announced in early 2023 by Disney CEO Bob Iger, with Tim Allen confirmed to be reprising his role as Buzz Lightyear for the sequel, though Tom Hanks has yet to be officially confirmed to be back as Woody. Save for teases from Allen and Pixar exec Pete Docter about the sequel being "surprising" and landing a June 19, 2026 release date, no...

Following the poor theatrical performances of films like Elemental and Lightyear, Pixar Animation Studios is taking a safe bet with its upcoming release of Inside Out 2. Pete Docter, film director and chief creative officer of Pixar, revealed the studios new approach to filmmaking after its recent string of box office duds.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Docter opened up about the fear and disappointment felt at Pixar, after Lightyear and Elemental failed to take off. He also explained what the Disney studio learned from these theatrical setbacks. There was a real and intense period of self-scrutiny and feeling like we messed up in some way, Docter told Bloomberg. He goes on to say executives at Disney/Pixar hosted postmortems to determine how to revitalize the studio, which led to the answer of making movies with more mainstream appeal than autobiographical influences.

Related The Garfield Movie Review: The Beloved Grumpy...

Layoffs are expected to hit Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios later this year.

Tech Crunch, which first reported the news, suggested that this could affect as much as 20 percent of Pixar’s 1,300 workforce, though The Hollywood Reporter understands this estimate is higher than what is actually being planned. According to Tech Crunch, layoffs may include employees hired to create content for Disney+.

THR has reached out to Pixar for comment.

If layoffs do occur, it would follow another rare round of layoffs at the Disney-owned studio. Last June, Pixar was hit by the Disney layoffs, which affected 75 employees, including Lightyear director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman.

Since the start of the pandemic, Pixar — which maintains its campus in Emeryville, outside San Francisco — has seen its remarkable success streak suffer. That includes Lightyear, its 2023 return to theatrical exhibition, which flopped.

It rebounded with 2023’s Elemental, which brought in nearly $500 million worldwide...

Where to Watch Powered by Despite its initial struggle at the box office, Pixar's Elemental is enjoying a surprising comeback and is projected to be a profitable film for Disney. The movie's early low box-office numbers raised concerns about Pixar's future, but the success of Elemental demonstrates that audiences still enjoy watching animated features in theaters. The movie's box-office growth is not only a relief for higher-ups at Pixar but also a positive sign for the animation industry as a whole.

Despite low and potentially damning early box-office numbers, Elemental will make a profit that could do "better than break even" after its rare box-office comeback. Pixar's latest feature explores a world inhabited by beings that are anthropomorphized representations of nature. The story follows a fire and water element in Element City as they go about their lives and eventually meet one another. Despite earning some early praise, Elemental...

Where to Watch Powered by Toy Story 5 presents the perfect opportunity for Pixar to bring back the tradition of including John Ratzenberger in its movies. Ratzenberger's last Pixar role was in 2020, and he has been absent from recent Pixar movies in the midst of corporate shake-ups and strategic changes at the studio. The absence of Ratzenberger in recent Pixar movies may be a personal issue or a decision made by Disney, but his return for Toy Story 5 would be greatly anticipated by fans.

Pixar has ignored its most beloved cameo tradition in recent movies, but Toy Story 5 is the perfect opportunity to bring it back. Even though Toy Story 4 was heavily marketed as the final chapter of the series, and it saw the central duo of Woody and Buzz parting ways, the saga will continue in Toy Story 5. With the unexpected commercial underperformance of Indiana Jones and the Dial...

Time travel is one of the most used themes in science fiction, and it allows artists to make their own rules – however, this has led to many nonsensical stories about time travel, but there are also many others that actually make sense. Time travel in film can be traced all the way back to 1949 with the adaptation of Mark Twain’s 1889 novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, starring Bing Crosby, and one of the earliest, most influential time-travel movies was George Pal’s 1960 adaptation of H.G. Well’s 1895 novella The Time Machine.

Since then, time travel has been a fascinating topic to cover in film, and it has made its way to various genres – from drama (such as About Time) to horror (like Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness) and even the world of superheroes (Avengers: Endgame). As time travel is a concept rather than a reality,...

Just days before Disney and Pixar’s latest feature, “Elemental,” hits theaters the studio has released the first trailer for their next film, “Elio.”

As the official synopsis lays out, the film follows “Elio, an underdog with an active imagination who finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, and completely unprepared for that kind of pressure, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, survive a series of formidable trials and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.”

“Elio” is directed by Adrian Molian, who wrote and co-directed the 2017 film “Coco” and, much like that film, the Communiverse in this trailer is utterly beautiful. Make no mistake, Pixar always knows how to worldbuild and Elio’s excitement at seeing the different aliens here will...

After one of the most impressive winning streaks in Hollywood history, Pixar has seen its fortunes reversed in recent years, with last year’s flop Lightyear and a pandemic-era policy of sending its features straight to streaming at Disney+. Now, Pixar faces a major test of brand strength as it prepares to unveil Elemental, its first original theatrical feature since Covid-19 hit.

Directed by Peter Sohn, the film is based on an original story set in a world where fire, water, earth and air residents live together. Among early reviews, the title has an underwhelming 64 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a low number for Pixar. Additionally, the movie is tracking to soft numbers, just $37 million to $38 million over the June 16-18 opening weekend, which it shares with Warner Bros.’ The Flash. Only a handful of Disney’s releases have debuted to less than $50 million. (There were plenty of negative...

The recent Disney layoffs that shed 7,000 employees company-wide included 75 positions at Pixar, marking the animation studio’s largest jobs cut since 2013.

The restructuring plan originally announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger in February to consolidate the company’s film and television divisions and save $5.5 billion in costs was executed on May 23rd. According to Reuters, Lightyear director Angus MacLane and long-time producer Galyn Susman — who was credited with rescuing 1999’s Toy Story 2 after nearly every file of the film was accidentally deleted during production — were among those eliminated from the animator’s 1,200-member staff.

The decision follows the troubled release of 2022’s Toy Story spin-off film Lightyear, which barely broke its $200 million budget with a worldwide gross of $226.7 million, along with less-than-stellar reviews and at least one case of existential crisis. Similarly, Disney’s last round of Pixar layoffs was initiated in 2013 following the delayed production and creative overhaul of 2015’s The Good Dinosaur.

Disney recently made a seismic move by terminating several of its Pixar staff, including Lightyear director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman, acclaimed for her pivotal role in rescuing Toy Story 2 from total loss. This wave of layoffs was triggered by Lightyear's underwhelming performance at the box office as per Reuters.

Despite a substantial $200 million budget, Lightyear's gross barely surpassed its production costs, marking it as a considerable flop for Disney. This unexpected failure sparked an overhaul within the animation studio, leading to the termination of more than 70 executives, including Pixar's Vice President of Worldwide Publicity, Michael Agulnek​​.

However, the challenges Disney faces go deeper than the failure of a single film. For some time now, the entertainment giant has been grappling with financial troubles, the roots of which are traced back to the brief and troubled tenure of CEO Bob Chapek. These issues became so significant that former CEO Bob Iger,...

San Francisco, June 4 (Ians) The director and producer of ‘Lightyear’, the Chris Evans-headlined ‘Toy Story’ spinoff film, are among those affected in the recent job cuts at Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studio, reports ‘Deadline’.

Director Angus MacLane and Producer Galyn Susman were among the 7,000 layoffs Disney had planned in late May.

Their film based on the ‘Toy Story’ character of Buzz Lightyear, attracted bans in several Islamic countries due to a scene featuring a same-sex kiss between Uzo Aduba’s female character Alisha Hawthorne and her partner Kiko, and caused a net loss of $106 million to the studio despite positive reviews, according to ‘Deadline’.

MacLane, a 26-year animator, was part of the senior creative team of ‘Coco’, ‘Incredibles 2’ and ‘Toy Story 4’, and Susman had been at the studio since the original Toy Story was released in 1995. The two were among the 75 employees laid off by Pixar.

Among the layoffs that took place at the Walt Disney Company were job cuts at Pixar that included the director and producer of Lightyear, Deadline has confirmed.

Director Angus MacLane, a 26-year animator who was part of the Senior Creative Team in animated films like Coco, Incredibles 2 and Toy Story 4, was cut from the studio in late May, which was part of the 7,000 layoffs Disney had planned. Galyn Susman, who had been at the studio since the original Toy Story was released in 1995, was also part of the cuts.

There was a total of 75 jobs that were made redundant on May 23, Reuters first reported. It’s worth noting that cuts at the animation studio are rare and the last time it happened was in 2013 when The Good Dinosaur was delayed. At the time, 5% of Pixar’s 1,200 workforce was cut, including director Bob Peterson.

MacLane and Susman’s exits...

After Lightyear proved to be a massive flop for Pixar, Disney is officially firing much of Pixar's office, including the Toy Story spinoff's director. Lightyear followed the adventures of the eponymous cosmic adventurer, serving as a movie within the Pixar universe that inspired Tim Allen's iconic toy. On a budget of $200 million, Lightyear brought in just over $225 million, proving to be a serious flop for Disney, and now resulting in major changes at the animation studio.

Nearly a year after it first hit theaters, Reuters has brought word that Disney has fired Lightyear director Angus MacLane along with Pixar's Vice President of Worldwide Publicity Michael Agulnek. The House of Mouse has also fired producer Galyn Susman, who famously saved Toy Story 2 from destruction when the entire film was mistakenly deleted, along with a reported 70-plus other executives. MacLane is the most shocking firing, as the director has enjoyed...

Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios cut 75 positions last week, including two executives who worked on the financial disappointment “Lightyear,” Reuters reported Saturday.

Angus MacLane, director of the unsuccessful “Toy Story” spinoff and a 26-year animation veteran who was part of the creative team behind hits like “Toy Story 4” and “Coco,” was included in the cuts. Gayln Susman, a producer on the film who had been at Pixar since 1995, was also removed from her role.

A representative for Pixar didn’t immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

“Lightyear” grossed just over $226 million worldwide at the box office when it was released last June, but cost $200 million to produce.

Also Read:

Why ‘Lightyear’ Failed to Lift Off: 6 Lessons From Pixar’s Meh $51 Million Opening

The cuts took place on May 23, according to Reuters, and are part of Disney CEO Bob Iger’s “strategic realignment” that he announced in February.

Director and producer of Toy Story spinoff lose roles after $200m production brought in just $226.7m in global ticket sales

Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind the box office disappointment Lightyear, sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade.

The cuts included Lightyear director Angus MacLane, a 26-year Pixar veteran who was part of the senior creative team on such acclaimed films as Toy Story 4 and Coco. Galyn Susman, producer of Lightyear, also departed. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original Toy Story movie in 1995.

Nearly a year after the film soared to theaters, Lightyear's Zurg actor James Brolin is reflecting on the movie's box office failure. Helmed by Finding Dory's Angus MacLane, the movie acted as a spinoff of the Toy Story franchise, existing as the in-universe film that would spawn the line of toys Tim Allen's iconic Buzz came from. Led by Chris Evans taking over the eponymous role, Lightyear scored generally positive reviews from critics but got off to a rough start with audiences and failed at the box office.

While speaking exclusively with Screen Rant to discuss Sweet Tooth season 2, James Brolin reflected on his turn as Zurg in Pixar's Lightyear. The star admitted to feeling disappointed that the Toy Story spinoff didn't perform well and expressed his uncertainty at whether he'll get the chance to return to the franchise in the future. See what Brolin said below:

So,...

One of the most crushing disappointments any studio faced at the box office last year came from Disney in the form of "Lightyear." The unique "Toy Story" spin-off, which focused on the "real" Buzz Lightyear, telling a grounded, sci-fi tale in space, was Pixar's big return to theaters following two years of streaming releases due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, it was a massive misfire, with director Angus MacLane's film taking in just $226 million worldwide against a hefty $200 million production budget. So, what went wrong?

Pete Docter, the director of "Up" and the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar, recently opened up about the situation in an interview with The Wrap. So far as he (and seemingly the rest of the studio) sees it, the movie merely asked too much from the audience, while also suffering from a disconnect related to expectations.

"We've done a lot of soul-searching about that...

Uzo Aduba has been tapped as the lead of Netflix’s Shondaland murder-mystery drama The Residence, from writer Paul William Davies. Additionally, Liza Johnson has been set to direct the first four episodes of the series. Davies, who serves as showrunner, executive produces with Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.

Using Kate Andersen Brower’s book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House as a jumping off point, the eight-episode series is described as “a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and back stairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.” Its premise: 132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective (Aduba). One disastrous State Dinner.

Aduba will play Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department. Cupp is an astute observer of human behavior, with a distinctive and – to some,...

This story about “Lightyear” first appeared in the Awards Preview issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

Pixar’s “Lightyear” is built around a nimble, ingenious premise: Instead of just another entry in the “Toy Story” franchise, it is the movie that young Andy watched and became obsessed with the Buzz Lightyear character (here played by Chris Evans) before the events of the first “Toy Story” film. As envisioned by co-writer/director Angus MacLane, “Lightyear” is a muscular science fiction movie (MacLane’s professed favorite is “Aliens”) that also must exist within the preexisting framework of the “Toy Story” franchise and the cumbersome mythology that has already been established. One of the more delicious thrills of “Lightyear” is watching it bump up against the mythos and gleefully subvert the audience’s preconceived notions.

And nowhere is this push-and-pull greater than when Buzz comes face-to-face with Zurg, the movie’s big villain.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)

The proportions of his eponymous stop-motion character are gangly and childlike, in the words of Guillermo del Toro. “They lend themselves to these sort of haphazard rhythms of walking and running that are very endearing. In his apparent simplicity, is a very complex work of design keeping those few elements alive and on top with the raw wood that is simulating hair and branches, and the nails on his back are very expressive and unique and feel almost elemental.” Director Mark Gustafson points out that in the story, he’s carved by a drunken Geppetto making Pinocchio “very primitive in some ways, unfinished, naked, and exposed. That was what we needed for him to go out into the world with. He can’t hide anything. That’s the nature of innocence. You’re wearing it all on the outside and that’s what this character does.

Following its memorable box office bombing, a new report indicates that original Toy Story director John Lasseter is very critical of the Lightyear spinoff movie. Released in theaters this past June, the film explored the origin story of the figure that would go on to inspire Tim Allen's beloved toy, with Chris Evans recast as Buzz as he finds himself stranded in the future after trying to save his fellow Star Command officers from the alien planet they're stranded on. Co-written and directed by Angus MacLane, Lightyear debuted to generally positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, though this wouldn't translate to box office receipts, as it only grossed just over 226 million against its 200 million production budget, landing it the label of a box office bomb.

A recent posting from Matthew Belloni's Puck newsletter reflected on the recent changes occurring in Hollywood's animation field, including former Pixar CEO...

Though Lightyear was full of references to Toy Story and other Pixar films, it was missing the iconic aliens that first appear in the Pizza Planet claw machine in Toy Story. One of the Little Green Men (a.k.a. LGMs) ends up going with Buzz and Woody to Sid's house. In Toy Story 2, Mr. Potato Head rescues three LGMs in a Pizza Planet truck, and they join the gang, appearing in Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4. The LGMs also appear in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the original Buzz-centric movie, and series, in which they also work for Star Command.

It would have been easy for the LGMs to appear in Pixar's Lightyear as residents of the alien planet Buzz and his crew end up stranded on. But Lightyear director Angus MacLane had a reason for not including the Lgm in the new film. “They’re from Pizza Planet,...

After working on multiple Toy Story films and shorts, director Angus MacLane began to wonder about the inspiration for the character of Buzz Lightyear. Since Buzz, the toy, is based on Andy’s favorite movie, why not make that movie? Lightyear tells the story of Buzz Lightyear, the space ranger, as he spends years trying to return home after being marooned on an unknown planet. When he finally figures it out, he encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg. The challenge for MacLane was to create a film that an existing character would be based on, without telling the same story.

Related Story 'Turning Red' Director Domee Shi & Producer Lindsey Collins On Mother-Daughter Relationships And Embracing Your "Inner Beast" Related Story James Cameron Intros 'Avatar: The Way Of Water' At London World Premiere: "To Me Tonight Is Not About A New 'Avatar',...

In the early days of the Academy’s animated feature Oscar, there were questions as to whether enough films would qualify each year for the award to be given. Not anymore! This year sees a record number of contenders across a wide variety of genres, styles and audiences, from serious, adult-targeted films (like “Charlotte” and “Eternal Spring”) to boffo offerings from Hollywood’s top toon studios — and that doesn’t even count such anime franchise sensations as “One Piece Film: Red” and “Jujutsu Kaisen 0,” which didn’t submit but further illustrate the vitality of the form.

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood

Director: Richard Linklater

Voices: Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Jack Black

Studios: Minnow Mountain, Submarine, Detour Filmproduction

Distributor: Netflix

A time capsule made possible through a sophisticated blend of 2D, 3D and rotoscope techniques, allows the “Boyhood” director to revive the style of “Waking Life” and his own 1960s Texas boyhood.

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This article contains IndieWire’s preliminary Best Animated Features predictions for the 2023 Oscars. We regularly update our predictions throughout awards season, and republish previous versions (like this one) for readers to track how the Oscar race has changed. For the latest update on the frontrunners for the 95th Academy Awards, see our 2023 Oscars predictions hub.

Nominations voting is from January 12-17, 2023, with official Oscar nominations announced January 24, 2023. Final voting is March 2-7, 2023. And finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt. We update predictions through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2023 Oscar picks.

At the midway point of 2022, here’s the current state of the animated feature Oscar race: Pixar’s “Turning Red” is the early frontrunner, the studio’s “Lightyear” is still a contender after underperforming at the box...

In what Criterion is describing as their “first collaboration” with fabled animation studio Pixar, Andrew Stanton’s “Wall•E” will be joining the collection this November (spine #1161). And, typical of Criterion releases, it will be festooned with special features, including a new essay (by Sam Wasson), a pair of audio commentaries and a new documentary called “Wall•E A to Z,” featuring co-writer/director Andrew Stanton and writer Jim Reardon.

“Wall•E,” released back in 2008, originated as an idea from “Up” director (and current Pixar chief creative officer) Pete Docter called “Trash Planet.” Soon the idea mutated, as it was passed to Stanton and the focus became squarely on a small, lonely robot inhabiting an abandoned, garbage-covered Earth. When another droid visits Earth, the sleek new Eve, Wall•E falls in love. He follows her to the Axiom, a cruise ship in space, and together they reignite the human race.

“Wall-e,” Pixar’s 2008 sci-fi love-story animated film classic, is getting a special three-disc 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray release from the Criterion Collection this fall.

The special edition of “Wall-e,” the first collaboration between Criterion and Disney’s Pixar, features a 4K digital master approved by director Andrew Stanton, according to Criterion. The three-disc set will be available Nov. 22, 2022, and is currently available to pre-order from Criterion’s site for 39.96.

“Wall-e” is set in the 29th century, after humans have long since fled Earth for outer space, leaving the movie’s protagonist — the last functioning trash-compacting robot — to go about the work of cleaning up the pollution-choked planet, one piece of garbage at a time. When he meets Eve, a fellow automaton sent to detect plant life, the pair are launched on an intergalactic quest to return humanity to Earth.

According to Criterion’s description, “Transporting us simultaneously back to cinema...

In a bit of an unexpected and pleasant surprise for fans of both animation and physical media, Pixar has teamed up with the folks at Criterion for a special 4K Ultra HD release of one of the greatest animated movies of the last 15 years (at least). "Wall-e," the 2008 Oscar-winning triumph from director Andrew Stanton, is indeed going to get a physical release as part of the Criterion Collection. And it sounds like this is going to be worth the money.

Criterion made the somewhat unexpected announcement out of nowhere, revealing that the 4K edition of "Wall-e" will be hitting shelves in November. So Pixar fans now know what to put on their Christmas lists this year. Aside from an impressive list of special features (more on that in a moment), the film has been mastered in 4K, which was approved by Stanton personally. The new release also comes with some...

One of the earliest and most influential contributors to the overall visual design of Pixar animated movies has sadly passed away. Ralph Eggleston, an Oscar-winning animator, art director, and production designer died on August 28, 2022, after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to The Pixar Post (via The Hollywood Reporter). 

The longtime artist worked on several acclaimed films for the storied animation studio spanning decades, from serving as art director on "Toy Story" in 1995 all the way to his development artist role on "Soul" in 2020. Along the way, Eggleston did much to pioneer the wonderfully distinctive look for the studio's various movies, helping to define the popular conception of how a Pixar movie ought to look and feel like to general audiences around the globe.

Eggleston is perhaps best known for his work on "Finding Nemo," "The Incredibles," and especially the 2000 short film "For the Birds" that played alongside the theatrical...

Click here to read the full article.

Ralph Eggleston, the veteran Pixar animator, art director and production designer who won an Oscar for his much-loved short film For the Birds, has died. He was 56.

The Pixar Post reported that Eggleston died on Aug. 28 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Pixar and the world will be forever grateful,” tweeted the official Pixar account honoring Eggleston on Tuesday.

“Truly one of a kind. His massive talent was matched only by his kindness,” tweeted Lightyear director Angus MacLane.

Eggleston was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1956. He attended Sam Houston High School in Lake Charles. He began his animation career at Bill Kroyer’s Kroyer Films working on projects such as the TV pilot Computer Warriors (1990) and the feature FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992).

Eggleston was hired by Pixar in 1992 during the development of the first computer-animated feature that was to become Toy Story,...

Ralph Eggleston, a longtime animator and art director who worked on several Pixar films starting with Toy Story and won an Oscar for directing the animated short For the Birds, died Sunday of pancreatic cancer in Lake Charles, LA, Pixar announced. He was 56.

Eggleston served as an art director on the smash Pixar films Cars, The Incredibles, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, as well as on the Disney toons Pocahontas, The Lion King and Aladdin. His other Pixar credits include Soul, Up, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles 2, Ratatouille and Finding Nemo.

Hollywood & Media Deaths 2022: A Photo Gallery

Pixar’s official Twitter account confirmed the news of his death by sharing a photo of Eggleston as he was working on Inside Out.

“In memory of Ralph Eggleston—animator, director, art director, storyboard artist, writer, production designer, and our dear friend. Pixar and the world will be forever grateful,...

“Lightyear” has landed … on VOD and Disney+.

The latest Pixar adventure imagines the movie that Andy watched in 1995 that inspired his love of the Buzz Lightyear character. “Lightyear” is a rip-roaring ride, with this version of Buzz (now voiced by Chris Evans), attempting to rescue a community of colonists from a hostile planet, after their ship crash lands and their fuel cell is damaged. Combining hard sci-fi with the kind of emotionality you expect from a Pixar movie, it might have been overlooked in theaters but can find a loving audience at home.

Of course, as with any Pixar movie, “Lightyear” went through some major changes along the way to its final version. Here are some of the versions of “Lightyear” that you’ll never see, with commentary from co-writer/director Angus MacLane and producer Gayln Susman. As Susman said at one point during our conversation, “Trust me, you saw...

When audience members take their seats to watch “Bullet Train” in a 4Dx auditorium this weekend, they will be greeted with a choice. Within the armrest lies a small button that allows viewers to toggle between two options: “Water On” and “Water Off.” The device serves as a harbinger – and, to 4Dx novices, perhaps a warning — of the full-tilt sensory experience that is about to unfold as Brad Pitt fights for his life against an army of opposing assassins.

With streaming and other at-home entertainment competing for consumer attention, 4Dx employees see the format as an extra incentive to lure audiences to movie theaters. Korean parent company Cj Group first conceived of the technology as an answer to the question of how to innovate the moviegoing experience and make it more essential in the public’s eyes.

Over the course of “Bullet Train,” Pitt will get socked, stabbed, chucked and...

Image Source: Everett Collection

"Toy Story"'s spinoff movie "Lightyear" has tapped into the nostalgia of the long-running franchise with a refreshing new story that centers on one of the film series's most popular characters. The spinoff follows astronaut Buzz Lightyear, the universe's space ranger that inspired the toy we all know and love from the "Toy Story" movies.

Fans of Disney and Pixar movies, especially the "Toy Story" franchise, who didn't rush to theaters in June to see the film on the big screen have been curious when it will be available to stream. Here's everything you need to know.

What Is "Lightyear" About?

Veteran space ranger Buzz has been stationed on a planet with a space crew for one year. When the Star Command ship is finally ready to be tested, Buzz is the first person to volunteer and travel through space. During a test flight, he is...

Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

Breeders, the comedy series that explores the challenges of modern parenting, is sticking around at FX.

The series was renewed today by Nick Grad, President, Original Programming, FX Entertainment.

The beloved series, starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard concluded its third season on FX this week and all seasons are available to stream on Hulu.

"Breeders has given us the special opportunity to watch the 'Worsley' family grow with each season and FX is thrilled to order a fourth season that will bring the next chapter of this hilarious yet brutally honest take on being a parent in today's world," said Grad.

"Our thanks to creators Simon Blackwell, Chris Addison and Martin Freeman, the entire creative team, Daisy and the cast, the crew and everyone at Avalon, FX Productions and Sky."

"Their efforts are what...

You can officially go to infinity and beyond straight from your home, beginning next month. Disney has announced that “Lightyear” will release on its streaming platform Disney+ on Aug. 3.

Pixar and Disney’s newest film, which was first released in theaters on June 17, serves as a prequel to the franchise’s first four “Toy Story” films, which kicked off with the original more than 27 years ago. However, rather than following one of the character’s backstories like most prequel films do, “Lightyear” is the in-universe movie that inspired the creation of Andy’s most beloved action figure. In a meta move, Pixar has created the fictional film that started it all.

In the film, Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans) and his crew embark on an intergalactic adventure only to find themselves lost in space 4.2 million lightyears from Earth. Their mission to return to Earth is further complicated when he and...

Disney and Pixar have announced that their latest animated feature Lightyear will be available for streaming on Disney+ starting August 3rd.

“‘Lightyear’ looks amazing on the big screen, of course, but we are so excited to bring it to Disney+,” said the film’s director Angus MacLane in a statement. “We devoted years of our lives to this film and we are so proud of it. We want to share it with as many people as possible. Disney+ not only gives more fans an opportunity to see ‘Lightyear,’ it gives us all the means to see it again and again.”

A sci-fi action adventure and the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the Toy Story toy, Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger (The Gray Man‘s Chris Evans) after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew.

Add “Toy Story” star Tom Hanks to the list of people who wanted to see original Buzz Lightyear voice actor Tim Allen return to the Pixar franchise for the Buzz spinoff film “Lightyear.”

In an interview with CinemaBlend to promote his new film, “Elvis,” Hanks was asked whether or not it felt strange to compete with “Lightyear” at the box office, since Hanks, who voiced Woody, helped the “Toy Story” franchise gross more than 3 billion worldwide since 1995.

“Actually, I wanted to go head-to-head with Tim Allen, and then they didn’t let Tim Allen do it. I don’t understand that,” Hanks said of his onscreen buddy. The new film replaced Allen with “Avengers” star Chris Evans as the boastful space ranger and Disney put the Captain America actor at the forefront of its marketing campaign.

When the interviewer then mentioned Evans’ popularity, Hanks responded, “Yeah, yeah, I know. But...

Photo: ‘Lightyear’ A Brief Overview “To infinity and beyond” are the iconic words of our favorite space ranger. ‘Lightyear’ is a look into the backstory of ‘Toy Story’s’ Buzz Lightyear. The film was directed by Angus MacLane, who has taken part in several other Pixar films such as ‘Finding Dory’ and ‘The Incredibles’. It is essentially the film that Andy watched that caused him to fall in love with Buzz. ‘Lightyear’ is an enjoyable watch for the family as it allows us to reminisce about our favorite group of toys. This new version of Buzz is oftentimes straining as his inability to communicate with a team is frustrating, but his development as a character leads us to understand who he was as Andy’s toy. Related video: Full Commentary - Cast & Crew Spills Secrets on Making of ‘Elvis’ | In-Depth Scoop | Austin Butler Related video: Full Rendezvous At the Premiere...

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Tim Allen is finally weighing in on the continued discussion surrounding Pixar’s recent film Lightyear, which tells the origin story of the human Space Ranger who would inspire the Buzz Lightyear toy that Allen voiced in the four Toy Story films.

During a video interview with Extra, Allen explained that he has “stayed out of this” but went on to recall a years-ago conversation with Pixar creatives about potentially exploring Buzz’s origins. “As I’ve said a long time ago, we talked about this many years ago,” Allen said. “It came up in one of the sessions; I said what a fun movie that would be.”

Lightyear, featuring the voice of Chris Evans as the title character, was directed by Angus MacLane, who wrote and directed the 2011 theatrical short Toy Story Toon: Small Fry and the 2013 ABC Halloween special Toy Story of Terror!

At long last, the actor who played Buzz Lightyear the toy has spoken out about the movie that the toy was based on.

In a new interview with Extra, Tim Allen broke his silence on “Lightyear,” the new Pixar film that sees Chris Evans (sort of) taking over as the iconic space ranger that Allen voiced in four “Toy Story” movies. Allen, who will next be seen in “The Santa Clause” on Disney+, made it clear that “Lightyear” is entirely separate from “Toy Story.”

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this because it has nothing to do [with my character],” Allen said. “This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies.”

Allen made it clear that while he wasn’t necessarily criticizing “Lightyear,” he simply does not see it as connected to the “Toy Story” franchise in any meaningful way.

“It’s a wonderful story,...

For some reason, the confusion around “Lightyear,” Pixar’s new sci-fi adventure, remains. And Tim Allen, who voiced the toy version of Buzz Lightyear in four “Toy Story” features and several spin-offs and specials, has finally weighed in. (Chris Evans voices the new film’s iteration of the character.)

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this because it has nothing to do [with my character]. This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies,” Allen told Extra.

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Why ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Can Succeed at the Box Office Where ‘Lightyear’ Failed

But the actor’s claim that “a whole new team” created “Lightyear” is, perhaps unsurprisingly, categorically untrue. Angus MacLane, who co-wrote and directed “Lightyear,” has been at Pixar for many years. In fact, the first feature he worked on for the studio was 1999’s “Toy Story 2.” He worked...