'The Good Dinosaur' Is Now Playing!

After a troubled production that involved a director swap, a full-on revision of the voice cast, and an 18-month delay on the original release date, Pixar's sixteenth feature The Good Dinosaur finally stomps into theaters today.

Concept art first spotted in 2009

The film's production can be traced back as far as 2009, when a behind-the-scenes video for Up offered a glimpse at some concept art featuring a dinosaur and a human boy. For two years fans wondered whether Pixar was hard at work on a dinosaur-centric movie, until the film was officially unveiled at 2011's D23 Expo as "The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs". The film was to be directed by studio veteran Bob Peterson, who came up with the idea of a story set in an alternate reality where dinosaurs never went extinct himself. Peterson was eventually removed from the director's chair when problems with the story arose and was replaced by co-director Peter Sohn (Partly Cloudy). From there, the film was entirely reworked and given an entirely new cast, with the exception of Frances McDormand, who is the sole remaining cast member from the original cast, which included Neil Patrick Harris and John Lithgow.

Though reviews for The Good Dinosaur so far have not been quite as enthusiastic as those for the studio's smash summer hit Inside Out, the film is still being received positively and is said to be charming and visually sutnning. It currently holds an 85% "fresh" critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Unfortunately I will not be able to see the film until the weekend, but after following its progress for so many years I am incredibly excited to finally see the finished product.

Accompanying the film is Pixar's latest short Sanjay's Super Team, directed by Sanjay Patel, who drew inspiration from his childhood for the film. From what I've heard, the short is an absolute delight and yet another unique entry in the Pixar short film canon.

Will you be seeing Pixar's latest offerings this weekend? Have you already seen them? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The Good Dinosaur and Sanjay's Super Team are in theaters now!

Final Trailer for 'The Good Dinosaur' Debuts

With just under two months to go until the film's release, the marketing campaign for The Good Dinosaur is picking up speed. Pixar treated us to a third and final trailer for the film this morning.

This latest trailer gives us a more extensive look at the interactions between the young Apatosaurus Arlo and the feral human child he names Spot. We also get our first real introduction to the T-rexes, Butch, Nash, and Ramsey, as well as some more brief looks at Arlo and Spot's journey home.

With every new trailer I am blown away with how gorgeous this film does. The vast, photorealistic landscapes and the different creatures are all breathtaking; some of the Pixar's best work yet, I would say. Underneath all the spectacle, there seems to be a pretty great story too. Though the dino film has undergone a troubled production, it certainly seems like all problems it may have had are all but extinct and the long wait will be well worth it. Pixar charmed audiences earlier this year with the masterful, tear-extracting Inside Out. Something tells me they may do it again next month.

'The Good Dinosaur' Plot Details Revealed at D23 Expo

In just three months, Pixar will finally release their sixteenth feature-length film, The Good Dinosaur. The film has undergone a troubled production, having had its original director replaced and release date pushed back 18 months. Fortunately, the filmmakers at the studio have been working hard to ensure they release a quality film, and it certainly seems as if they've gotten the project back on track.

Pixar screened a couple of clips from the movie for D23 Expo attendees this past Friday; some audience members were reportedly moved to tears. One of the clips showed an emotional scene in which Arlo the Apatosaurus and the human boy Spot bond, drawing in dirt to communicate their feelings to one another. Another clip introduced the horned dinosaur seen briefly in the film's trailer, who believes the animals perched on his head give him power.

Photo credit: Inside the Magic

Director Pete Sohn also explained the role that the three T-Rexes in the film will play. Though menacing in appearance, the T-Rexes are actually friendly and "help Arlo find a way through his personal fears and ultimately teach Arlo what he's truly made of.” Sam Elliott voices Butch, the leader of the trio and father to Nash and Ramsey, voiced by A.J. Buckley and Anna Paquin, respectively.

The Good Dinosaur hits theatres November 25.

Pixar Previews Upcoming Slate at D23 Expo

This weekend was jam-packed with excitement for Disney, Pixar, and animation enthusiasts alike, as Disney hosted its fourth biannual D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. The expo's animation panel, featuring looks at upcoming films from both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, took place on Friday, and Pixar certainly did not come empty-handed.

The three-hour panel got off to a rousing start when Pixar and Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter took the stage wielding a shirt cannon. Known for wearing his signature (and custom-made) Hawaiian shirts, the animation honcho proceeded to gleefully bombard the crowd with, yup, Hawaiian shirts.

Pixar's presentation provided further details and looks at the upcoming The Good Dinosaur and next year's Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory. Additionally, the studio surprised the crowd in officially unveiling an all-new original film; Coco. The film was announced back in 2012 as "the untitled Pixar movie about Día de los Muertos," but we had heard little about the project since then. Many even believed the film to have been abandoned, but fortunately this is not the case. Coco will arrive in theatres in the fall of 2017. Lastly, Pixar previewed the recently-announced Toy Story 4 and gave new details regarding the film's plot. The presentation ended with a live performance of "You've Got a Friend In Me" from Randy Newman as Toy Story characters hit the stage in celebration of the original Toy Story film's 20th anniversary this year.

Full posts about each of the films previewed at the expo are on the way; stay tuned.

Cars 3 and The Incredibles 2, though present on the studio's poster slate on the expo floor pictured at the top, were absent from the presentation since they are still both in the early stages of development and will not be released until after 2017. We did, at the very least, get a look at those two films' logos.

All in all, it was an exhilarating day that left fans eager to experience what the future of Pixar has in store.

Edit: Disney posted a great brief recap on Twitter of all that went down during D23 Expo's animation panel. Check it out:

Paws what you're doing and get a glimpse of what @disneyanimation and @disneypixar presented at #D23EXPO. https://t.co/pGEJnmX8CG

— Disney (@Disney) August 18, 2015

First Full-Length Trailer for 'The Good Dinosaur' Is Beautiful

Apologies for the blog silence this past month. I'll be catching up on some missed news this week, but things should be back to normal now, just in time for D23 Expo!

They've made you cry over toys, monsters, fish, and robots, to name a few. This November, the masterminds at Pixar Animation Studios will have you shedding tears over a young Apatosaurus and his pet boy. Only a little over a month after releasing the first teaser trailer for The Good Dinosaur, Pixar released a full-length trailer for the upcoming film. If you haven't already, watch it below:

There is much to take in here, but let's start with the visuals. From that two-and-a-half-minute trailer alone, it certainly looks as if The Good Dinosaur will be Pixar's most beautiful-looking film yet, which says a lot considering the studio's entire library consists of numerous visually stunning films. With Dinosaur, the studio seems to be pushing the limits of what computer animation can do. Everything from the dirt and plant life to the flowing rivers and wide landscapes looks phenomenal and almost real. That scene with the fireflies is particularly breathtaking. Even the film's cartoonish characters and creatures have touches of realism; upon closer inspection one will notice the scales on Arlo.

We know that the film will be light on dialogue, much like Walt Disney's Dumbo and Pixar's own WALL-E, and the trailer makes that clear. While the dinosaurs in the film do talk, the film revolves around the relationship between Arlo and the human boy Spot, who, being of different species, presumably cannot communicate verbally. The artists will have to rely primarily on visuals to tell the story, and I, for one, find that extremely exciting.

Lastly, though the trailer gives away little regarding the film's story, it definitely seems to have a strong emotional core, as is common with Pixar movies. Pretty visuals go a long way, but as one of Pixar's famous mottos says, "story is king". From the look of things though, the look isn't the only thing Pixar has done right here.

Thus far, The Good Dinosaur is shaping up to be a movie you won't want to miss out on. Mark your calendar; the movie arrives in theatres November 25.

Four New Pixar Art Books Coming Soon

Photo credit: Pixar Post

Since 2001's Monsters, Inc., every Pixar feature film release has been accompanied by an art book that offers an in-depth look at the sketches, paintings and storyboards that went into making the film. These books give fans a chance to go behind the scenes of the production of a Pixar film and allow them to enjoy artwork which would otherwise go unappreciated.

Fans will be pleased to hear that Pixar and Chronicle Books are going all-out this year, releasing not one, not two, but four new art books inspired by Pixar films, not counting the recently released Art of Inside Out book.

Of course, The Good Dinosaur will be getting the traditional art book treatment, but the short that will play in theaters before the film, Sanjay's Super Team, will also have an entire book dedicated to its artwork. This is significant since it will mark the first time that a Pixar short gets an art book all to itself. Previously, Chronicle Books published The Art of Pixar Short Films, which featured artwork spanning the entire library of Pixar short films at the time. Sanjay's Super Team must be quite unique visually to merit its own book.

Chronicle Books released the following official descriptions of the books:

The Art of The Good Dinosaur

(November 4, 2015; foreword by John Lasseter, introduction by Pete Sohn)

"What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and dinosaurs never became extinct? The Good Dinosaur expands on that premise in a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively Apatosaurus with a big heart. Showcasing the stunning artwork from the film’s creation—including sketches, storyboards, maquette sculpts, colorscripts, and much more—The Art of The Good Dinosaur offers the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the research and design that went into the making of this innovative film."

The Art of Sanjay's Super Team

(December 2015; by Sanjay Patel, foreword by John Lasseter)

"In the new short film from Pixar Animation Studios, Sanjay’s Super Team, accomplished artist Sanjay Patel uses his own experience to tell the story of a young, 1st generation Indian boy whose love for western pop culture comes into conflict with his father’s traditions. This art-filled peek behind the curtain of this groundbreaking film is sure to excite Sanjay’s legion of fans, and thrill animation lovers around the world."

Additionally, this fall Chronicle Books will publish Funny! Twenty-Five Years of Laughter from the Pixar Story Room and The Animator's Sketchbook. These new books differ from most Pixar art books in that they will include artwork from all of Pixar's existing works, rather than being specific to one film. Funny! will focus on the trademark visual gags and humor of the studio's films, featuring gags which may have not made it into the finished films. Aspiring artists, filmmakers, and animators will definitely want to pick up a copy of The Animator's Sketchbook, which delves into the intricate process of crafting an animated film.

Check out the books' official descriptions:

Funny! Twenty-Five Years of Laughter from the Pixar Story Room

(November 17, 2015; foreword by John Lasseter, introduction by Jason Katz)

"From Toy Story to The Good Dinosaur, some of the most iconic and hilarious moments in Pixar’s films were first conceived by the artists featured in this book. But there are hundreds of gags that don’t make it past the cutting room floor, like Mater as a ninja and Sadness wearing mom jeans. Funny! explores this material in depth, showcasing classic moments from all of Pixar’s films to date, plus never-before-published illustrations and doodles from the Pixar archives. With an introduction by veteran story man Jason Katz, this book is a must-have for any Pixar fan."

The Animator's Sketchbook

(September 8, 2015)

"Creating an animated film takes a lot of work, from the texture of a character’s hair to the shot sequence of a high-speed car chase. This Pixar-branded sketchbook provides a single volume in which to record the incredible journey of the making of an animated film. It covers the full preproduction process with discrete sections for Concept, Color, Story, Characters, and Worlds. Each section includes an introduction, a handful of inspiring quotes from some of the best artists working at Pixar, and a few key examples of related art. Useful and inspiring, this journal provides a structured space for aspiring filmmakers to workshop their ideas through all phases of development."

These ought to keep Pixar fans busy for a while! All of the new books sans The Art of Sanjay's Super Team are available on Amazon for pre-order, if you'd like to guarantee any copies in advance. 

'The Good Dinosaur' Gets an All-New Cast

Some new and surprising details regarding the voice cast for The Good Dinosaur emerged today. When Pixar said they were completely reworking the film, they weren't kidding. The new updated cast revealed today includes only one member from the original cast announced two years ago; all others have been replaced or cut. A couple of new characters have also joined the cast.

The new cast is as follows:

• Thirteen-year-old Raymond Ochoa (The Night Shift) replaces Lucas Neff as the voice of Arlo the Apatosaurus, the film's protagonist.
• Jeffrey Wright (Boardwalk Empire) replaces John Lithgow as Arlo's father, Poppa.
• Frances McDormand (Fargo) voices Arlo's mother, Momma, and is the sole remaining member of the original cast.
• Marcus Scribner (Black-ish) lends his voice to Buck, Arlo's brother.
• Steve Zahn (That Thing You Do) joins the cast as a pterodactyl named Thunderclap.
• A.J. Buckley (Justified), Anna Paquin (True Blood), and Sam Elliott (Justified) voice the T-Rexes Nash, Ramsey, and Butch, respectively.
• Jack Bright (Monsters University) voices the human boy Spot, likely through a series of grunts since the humans in the film do not speak.

Bill Hader, Neil Patrick Harris, and Judy Greer were originally supposed to voice Arlo's siblings, Forrest, Cliff, and Ivy, respectively, but have been cut from the film.

The new cast is probably the biggest testimony to just how much the film has changed from its original incarnation. Arlo, for example, will now bear a child's voice as opposed to an adult one, as was previously intended.

Directed by Pete Sohn, The Good Dinosaur will arrive in theaters on November 25 this year. Stay tuned for more updates.

'The Good Dinosaur' Teaser Trailer and Poster Are Here

After much anticipation, Pixar has finally released a first look at their upcoming feature film, The Good Dinosaur, which hits theaters this November. I'll let you experience it for yourself...

Accompanied by the simplistic yet stunning teaser poster pictured at the top, the teaser trailer dropped this morning and serves as our first real look at anything from this film, aside from a few pieces of concept art.

Of course, being a teaser, the trailer does not give a whole lot away, opting instead to simply present the basic idea behind the film to the audience through a brief sequence of an asteroid narrowly missing the Earth. Despite being secretive, the teaser does give us an idea of what the movie's tone and visual style will be, the latter of which I find particularly appealing. As John Lasseter mentioned recently, the environment in which the film is set is much more realistic in comparison to those of previous Pixar works like Monsters, Inc., but the dinosaurs inhabiting the world are quite cartoony, simplistic, and very stylized. It's an intriguing contrast, and I love it.

I have seen a couple people remark that the dinosaurs look too cartoony, but this is Pixar we're talking about, the kings of computer animation. Look at their past films; each one has been, visually, an improvement over its predecessor. To think that they would release a film that was anything less than excellent in terms of visuals (and one that has been in development for over six years, no less) is preposterous.

We also get quick glimpses at the different terrains the movie will delve into, as well as some of the species of dinosaurs we'll encounter along the way. The final shot shows protagonist Arlo trotting heroically along a rocky landscape, with human Spot perched atop his head. With that shot alone, I am hooked.

All in all, I am thrilled to have finally gotten a glimpse at this film, especially after the rough production it has undergone. Fortunately, however, it seems as if director Pete Sohn and his crew have resolved whatever was originally wrong and are working hard to deliver a brilliant, memorable work of art. From the moment I first heard Pixar was working on a movie revolving around dinosaurs, I was thrilled, and when they revealed the film's premise about a world where dinosaurs never went extinct, I was over the moon. It's a concept with immeasurable potential, and one that Pixar is more than capable of tackling.

What are your thoughts on our first look at The Good Dinosaur?

'The Good Dinosaur' Teaser Hits Tomorrow Morning

The time has finally come; the first teaser for Pixar's The Good Dinosaur should be upon us tomorrow morning, June 2, by 9:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time according to Pixar employee Peter Moxom (@damoxy on Twitter). He recommends keeping an eye on the '#GoodDino' hashtag on social media to those hoping to catch the anticipated teaser as soon as possible.

The Good Dinosaur Trailer drops tomorrow, 9:00am PDT #GoodDino @disneypixar Can’t wait for the first looks. https://t.co/dhJAiW1gFL

— Peter Moxom (@damoxy) June 2, 2015

I will share the teaser here tomorrow, but it should not be hard to find at all once it is online; stay tuned to Pixar's official YouTube channel and other social media.

John Lassester Previews Upcoming Pixar Films

Inside Out is just around the corner and has been receiving rave reviews so far, but let us not forget about all the other treats Pixar has in the oven right now. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month, Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter gave a brief preview of the studio's upcoming slate, sharing minor plot details about the much anticipated The Good Dinosaur as well as Finding Dory, the sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo.

The Good Dinosaur, which Lasseter says will put a "unique Pixar spin on the dinosaur world" will follow the Apatosaurus Arlo, voiced by Lucas Neff, and a boy named Spot on a venture home to the Clawed-Tooth Mountains. On their journey, the unlikely duo will encounter a variety of different dinosaurs, including a Pterodactyl, a Velociraptor, and of course, a trio of T-Rexes (perhaps playing a similar role to the trio of sharks in Finding Nemo?), to name a few. The film is described as "a boy and a dog story, but the roles are reversed. Arlo, the dinosaur, is the boy in the story and Spot is the dog."

In the story, which takes place in an alternate universe in which the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs never struck, dinosaurs can speak whereas humans cannot, which should make for an interesting dynamic between the two lead characters. Pixar is reportedly taking a more photo-realistic approach to the movie's look; “the level of believability we’re striving for in this film is going to be breathtaking,” raved Lasseter.

With the film a mere six months away, the first teaser for The Good Dinosaur could drop any day now; expect to see it for sure by the time Inside Out hits theaters next month.

Following The Good Dinosaur next summer is a sequel that, when it was first announced, most were not expecting to ever see. In 2016, Pixar will dive back into the colorful world of the ocean to meet up once again with Marlin, Nemo, and of course, the forgetful but endearing Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. Finding Dory will delve deeper into the titular regal blue tang's origins and will not focus on her literally getting lost, but rather on her finding herself—and her family. The new film, set in the waters of the Pacific Ocean just six months after the events of Finding Nemo, will introduce Dory's parents (voiced by Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy), as well as a whale-shark named Destiny who "thinks she’s a whale, but [is] actually a shark” and an octopus.

Finding Dory arrives in theaters June 17, 2015.

Lastly, Lasseter very briefly spoke about Toy Story 4, which he is directing and is scheduled for a June 2017 release. He described the film as "not as much a continuation of the past films, but a brand new chapter in the Toy Story world," which should be reassuring to those worried that a fourth film in the series would taint what is regarded as a near-flawless trilogy.

With all this and even more in store, the future is looking bright for Pixar. Though the first of these films is still six months away, Inside Out will be here in less than three weeks to help ease your appetite for Pixar goodness.

via Variety

New Synopsis for 'The Good Dinosaur' Emerges

Having been pushed back a whole eighteen months after a swap in directors, we still know relatively little about Pixar's upcoming feature The Good Dinosaur, whose development can be traced as far back as 2009. We are now just six months away from the film's release and still know next to nothing about it besides its basic plot, and even that information may be outdated since the film is said to have been reworked entirely after Pete Sohn took over for Bob Peterson as director. A new synopsis has now dropped, and though it is somewhat vague, it does give an idea as to where the story lies as of now.

"The Good Dinosaur asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of."

The film appears to still be, at its core, the same basic story that was originally envisioned.We were never really given a very detailed description of the film's initial plot to begin with, so it is hard to say exactly how much has changed. The whole notion of the dinosaurs being farmers is confirmed to have been scrapped, but outside of that we may not know exactly what has changed from the original version of the film to its current iteration until the home media bonus features arrive.

With the release of Inside Out fast approaching, expect to see a teaser trailer, which should shed some more light on the film's story, sooner than later. The Good Dinosaur opens November 25.

Pixar Unveils New Short 'Sanjay's Super Team'

Concept art from Pixar's latest short, Sanjay's Super Team

Pixar has made it a tradition to pair each of their theatrical feature-length films with an original short. Though it has been known for a while that June's Inside Out will be released alongside Lava, directed by James Ford Murphy, the short that will be released in November with The Good Dinosaur remained concealed until recently. That short has now been revealed to be titled Sanjay's Super Team.

Directed by first-timer Sanjay Patel, Sanjay's Super Team draws inspiration directly from Patel's childhood. The LA Times gave the following description of the short:

"The seven-minute short begins with young Sanjay watching cartoons and eating cereal in a bland, beige room as his father jingles a bell, beckoning him to join in meditation. Reluctant and bored by the ceremony, Sanjay begins daydreaming a kind of ancient, Hindu version of 'The Avengers,' with the gods appearing like superheroes. As the daydream progresses, the color, light and animation of the film grows increasingly dazzling and cosmic, and Sanjay grows closer to understanding his father's inner world."

Sanjay Patel

Pixar often uses its shorts as a way to experiment with new animation styles and techniques; the combination of computer animation and traditional 2D animation in Day & Night and the photorealistic look of The Blue Umbrella serve as prime examples of this. Based on that brief description and the concept art, it certainly sounds like the studio will break new ground with their latest short. With the combined forces of Pixar's artists' masterful artistry and Patel's deeply personal story, Sanjay's Super Team will no doubt be a welcome addition to the impressive library of Pixar short films.

The short is produced by Toy Story 3 and Monsters University associate producer Nicole Paradis Grindle, with music composed by Mychael Danna, who won an Oscar for Best Original Score for his work on Life of Pi. Catch Sanjay's Super Team in theaters this November alongside The Good Dinosaur!

New Logo and Concept Art for 'The Good Dinosaur'

The marketing campaign for Pixar's Inside Out, hitting theaters in June, is well underway, but let's not forget that the studio is treating us to two new full-length films this year, the second one being The Good Dinosaur, which is set for release in November.

The last month has seen a few minor bits of Dinosaur news, including the release of the two gorgeous pieces of concept artwork for the film seen above. The art book for this movie is going to be a thing to marvel at.

We also now have an updated logo for the film. It's pretty similar to the previous one, except the dinosaur silhouette has now been removed altogether, and the "The" has been underlined.

Lastly, this promotional image bearing the new logo made its way onto the web recently, and while the film's characters are nowhere to be seen, we get a nice look at a gorgeous background for the film. Also, for you toy collectors out there, the line of toys based on The Good Dinosaur arrives in stores in September, so keep an eye out!

Again, nothing really groundbreaking, and still no word on when we can expect a trailer, but keep in mind that the film is still ten months away. In the meantime, however, we have Inside Out to keep us busy, so that should help make the wait more tolerable.

The Good Dinosaur hits theaters November 25th.

'The Good Dinosaur' Gets Its Director

When Pixar announced that Bob Peterson would no longer direct their upcoming film The Good Dinosaur over a year ago, they made no mention of who would be taking over the reins on the project. Soon after, the studio announced that the film would be pushed from its original release date of May 30th, 2014 all the way to November 25th, 2015, leaving this year Pixar-less. We had heard little else about Pixar's dino flick since, until last month, that is.

As many had suspected, former co-director Peter Sohn (story artist on several Pixar productions, director of Partly Cloudy, voice of Emile in Ratatouille and Squishy in Monsters University) has been named the new director of the film, as Pixar revealed via their Twitter account a couple of weeks ago. While many fans had assumed that Sohn had taken over directorial duties completely after Peterson's removal, this fun little video of the new director sketching the eponymous Good Dinosaur, Arlo, is the studio's first official statement regarding the film's new director.

Our director Peter Sohn can't wait for you to meet Arlo! #TheGoodDinosaur releases in theaters November 2015. https://t.co/i4J5X6tfhi
— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) October 20, 2014

The Good Dinosaur is just a little over a year away, and while that may seem far away, we have a whole other Pixar feature to look forward to coming in June! It appears as if 2015 will be the first ever year to see the release of two feature Pixar films. Once upon a time this was supposed to happen in 2011, but obviously circumstances did not allow for that. However, despite having experienced several bumps on the road during production, Dinosaur seems to be on the right track, and it's probably safe to say that next year we will at last have a year with twice as much Pixar goodness as we have come to expect.

The Good Dinosaur hits theaters November 25th, 2015.

A Look Back at 2013

Here we are, once again at the end of yet another year. While not without its fair share of saddening tragedies in the Pixar realm, this year has nonetheless seen the release of not one, not two, but three fantastic new works from the folks down in Emeryville.

Unfortunately, this hasn't quite been the best year for Pixar. We saw the removal of Bob Peterson as director from The Good Dinosaur - making this the fourth time a director at the studio has gotten the boot. This eventually lead to nearly 5% of the staff being laid off.

Then in October came the headline that probably devastated me most of all - Pixar Canada was shut down. It's a real shame; the Vancouver-based satellite studio had made some remarkable shorts since opening in April 2010, and the studio itself was filled to the brim with talented artists. Those who have followed this blog for a while now may know that I was fortunate enough to visit Pixar Canada this January and tour the studio (you can read about my visit here). I'm more thankful for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity now than ever before, so a big thank-you is due to Amir Nasrabadi (general manager and vice-president of Pixar Canada at the time of its closure) for allowing this dream of mine to become a reality. The studio itself may have closed, but it built quite the legacy in the short three years that it was operational. So long live Pixar Canada!

Now let's talk about some of the more exciting things that happened this year.

Of course, Monsters University, the studio's fourteenth feature-length film and prequel to fan-favorite Monsters, Inc., hit theaters in June and its reception was generally quite warm, despite a select stubborn few still riding that old bothersome 'Pixar is losing it' bandwagon. Oh well, you can't please everybody. Let them keep riding that bandwagon while we look forward to the studio's future wildly ambitious projects.

The latest short film to be pumped out by Pixar, The Blue Umbrella, also made its debut this year alongside MU. While perhaps not as groundbreaking as, say, Day & Night or La Luna, it's arguably still a splendid and very creative work of art, accompanied by an irresistibly catchy soundtrack, not to mention its gorgeous photo-realistic visuals.

More recently, in October Pixar released its first ever television special! Toy Story of Terror saw the return of Woody, Buzz, Jessie and co. and delighted audiences across the globe, proving that the folks at Pixar are more than capable in handling the half-hour special format. Needless to say, Toy Story of Terror left audiences hungry for more Pixar TV specials, so here's hoping they're cooking up some more for us to enjoy in the near future.

All in all, it's been another great year. 2014 will likely be quite a quiet year in terms of Pixar news, what with no new feature film until 2015, but who knows, maybe the studio will surprise us with another television special later in the year. Whether that happens or not, let's make 2014 another memorable year.

Happy New Year, everyone!

November Pixar Update

There hasn't been a heck of a lot of exciting Pixar news this month, but here's a brief recollection of the little tidbits that have dropped over the past few weeks.

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'Good Dinosaur' Delay Leads to Layoffs

Some sad news indeed. After the sudden and tragic closure of Pixar's offices in Vancouver, Canada last month, the studio announced last week that nearly 5% of its current staff will be laid off in the wake of The Good Dinosaur's recent 18-month delay.

The official statement:

"At Pixar, we are constantly re-evaluating the creative and business needs of our studio. With the release date change of The Good Dinosaur, we have realigned our production and support priorities, which includes a small reduction in our staffing levels." 

My condolences to those who have lost their jobs, and best of luck to them in their future endeavors.

Ed Catmull's New Book Gives In-Depth Look At Birth of Pixar

Pixar president and co-founder Edwin Catmull will provide the public with the first ever first-hand account of how a struggling division of Lucasfilm once known as the Graphics Group eventually became the animation empire it is known as today. Co-written by Amy Wallace, Creativity Inc. is 368 pages long and will be available April 8, 2014. You can pre-order it now through Amazon.

'Monsters University' Enters Race For Academy Award Nomination

The fourteenth feature to be pumped out by the animation powerhouse, Monsters University, has been submitted alongside 18 other films, including DreamWorks' The Croods and Blue Sky's Epic, for contention to receive nominations at this year's Academy Awards. The real competition, however, lies in Walt Disney Animation's Frozen, which hits theaters tomorrow (or today, depending on when and where you're reading this) and has received wildly enthusiastic reviews thus far, many going as far as calling it the studio's best since The Lion King. Pixar will have to once again butt heads with their sister studio to claim the title of Best Animated Feature; Brave's win in February over Wreck-It Ralph stirred controversy and outrage among many who believed that WDAS had produced the better film.

Read Scripts For 'Monsters University' & 'The Blue Umbrella'

If you're interested in becoming a screenwriter some day, or you just like going through the scripts of awesome movies and shorts, then you'll be thrilled to hear that the screenplays for both Monsters University and The Blue Umbrella are now up on the Walt Disney Studios Awards website for your reading pleasure. I spent a good while the other day just reading the first 60 pages or so of MU's rather brilliant script, and The Blue Umbrella's is equally delightful - it reads almost like a poem. Check out both scripts here and here.

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Like I said, nothing particularly thrilling, but the gap between autumn and the awards season is usually pretty quiet anyway in terms of Pixar-related news.

Are you upset by the layoffs at Pixar? Will you be getting Ed Catmull's new book come April? Which film do you think will win Best Animated Feature this year? Do you enjoy reading the scripts for films and short films? Sound off in the comments!

Leaked [Unofficial] 'Good Dinosaur' Poster Hits

The above poster for Pixar's upcoming (and recently delayed) The Good Dinosaur has been making the rounds online over the past few days, although it has been confirmed by a source at the studio that this mock-up is indeed unofficial. The character designs on the poster, nonetheless, do seem legitimate and certainly match the concept art for the characters that was shown at D23 Expo. Now, given that the film is still two years away from its intended release in theaters, not only would it be illogical for the studio to release a teaser poster for Dinosaur now (especially when Inside Out is currently next in the pipeline), but the finalized character designs we see in the finished product could very well differ from what is seen here, although I must say, I quite like the look of the characters on this poster. They strike that wonderful balance between cartooniness and realism, a trend that most of Pixar's character designs seem to follow.

It is obviously quite a bit of a bummer that we won't be able to see this very promising film until November 2015, but as has previously been stated, those additional 18 months give the filmmakers all the time in the world to perfect the picture, and after all, isn't that all that we want?

A Year Without Pixar...

Pixar's The Good Dinosaur is now scheduled for release in Fall 2015

It was bound to happen. The upcoming Pixar feature The Good Dinosaur recently lost its original director, Bob Peterson, and no new director was announced. The Pixar veteran soon took to Twitter to share a few words on how he was doing after being removed from the project:

Been a tough time, but I am good - thankful for family and hilarious friends. On to future projects. Long live TGD. It's gonna be great!

— Bob Peterson (@bob__peterson) August 31, 2013

Fortunately, Peterson is still with the studio and reportedly working on a new project, but nonetheless, the upcoming dino flick was left out in the cold without a set director and a  fast-approaching release date less than a year away. So I guess we all should have anticipated that the film would eventually end up being pushed back.

The news broke on Wednesday that The Good Dinosaur had been pushed from its original release date of May 30, 2014 all the way to November 25, 2015. The new date was previously held by Finding Dory, which has now consequently been moved to summer 2016 (boy, Ellen sure isn't going to be too happy). Pete Docter's Inside Out remains untouched and is still scheduled for release on June 19, 2015 and is now the next Pixar film that we can expect to see hit theaters.

So what does this mean? Yes, folks, there will be no Pixar film released next year. 2014 will be the first Pixar-less year since 2005. And while it all does seem very sad, I very much trust the studio's judgement. They wouldn't just push back a film many are dying to see just for the sake of it. If this decision benefits the finished product, then I think another 18 months of waiting is worth it. Pixar president Ed Catmull puts it perfectly:

"Nobody ever remembers the fact that you slipped a film, but they will remember a bad film. Our conclusion was that we were going to give the film some more time."

I think we can all agree that we'd much rather have The Good Dinosaur not come out until 2015 and have it be absolutely magnificent as opposed to seeing it this coming May but having it turn out a mediocre effort. John Lasseter once said, "Quality is the best business plan", and I think it's refreshing to see the studio sticking to that philosophy, even if it means have a Pixar-sized hole in next year's movie schedule.

So let's focus on the bright side of things, shall we? Now the studio has time to nurture all of their upcoming projects to perfection. Also, 2015 will now see the release of two original Pixar movies! That's right, two films within the same year, and two original ones no less! Pretty freaking exciting, isn't it? And if you're still bummed out that you won't be able to go on a new Pixar adventure until 2015, just think of all the other promising movies coming out next year - Disney's Big Hero 6, DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon 2, and many, many more.

Turn that frown upside down, Pixar is merely taking a quick break so that they can provide us with the best film they can give.

D23 Madness! Part 1: The Good Dinosaur

Concept art from Pixar's The Good Dinosaur

This is one film I'm extremely pumped for. Pixar's fifteenth feature The Good Dinosaur, scheduled for release on May 30, 2014, showcases another one of the fascinating "what if" scenarios that the studio is known for expanding upon in their pictures. This time, we'll get a look at what the world would be like if the dinosaurs had never gone extinct. Prior to the Expo, we knew relatively little about the film, but the folks at Pixar decided to treat us to some juicy plot details, voice cast announcements and astounding concept art from the film.

• Lucas Neff voices our protagonist, an apatosaurus named Arlo
• John Lithgow voices Arlo's father, Poppa
• Frances McDormand voices Arlo's mother, Mama
• Bill Hader voices Arlo's brother, Forrest
• Neil Patrick Harris voices Arlo's other brother, Cliff
• Judy Greer voices Arlo's sister, Ivy

That's quite the voice cast, huh? This will be Bill Hader's second role in a Pixar production as he also previously voiced the poor little "I can't be late on the first day!" slug monster in Monsters University. Now, onto the plot details.

We learned that in the alternate reality the film portrays, dinosaurs have become the dominant species on the planet and they are farmers, who use their different physical characteristics as farming tools. The protagonist, Arlo, is the odd one out in his family as he is dazzled by bugs, whereas everyone else just seems to want to get rid of them. He soon encounters a young human boy named Spot, whom he mistakes for a large beetle upon first glance. Interestingly enough, the dinosaur characters in this film talk, while the human, Spot, does not. The film apparently follows the unlikely duo of Arlo and Spot leaving the farm and going on a journey across several different climates and terrains.

Now, I had previously expressed my fascination with The Good Dinosaur, but after these announcements, it has grown...well, larger than a dinosaur. Granted, I probably say that for pretty much every new Pixar film at some some point, but I find this one project exceptionally intriguing. Bring on 2014!

EW Premieres Breathtaking Concept Art from 'The Good Dinosaur'

Pixar and Disney Animation honcho John Lasseter recently sat down for a chat with Entertainment Weekly to talk about the latest features in the Disney animated roster, including Disney's Frozen (in theaters this November) and Pixar's own The Good Dinosaur (slated for May 2014). Both films will be previewed at D23 Expo in Anaheim, California this week, but before all that action takes place Lasseter and EW took it upon themselves to wet our appetite for what's to come at the convention and, more importantly, the future in Disney and Pixar animated films.

Above is an a never-before-seen piece of absolutely stunning concept art of Pixar's fifteenth feature film, The Good Dinosaur. EW unveiled the artwork alongside their interview with Lasseter (read the full article here). We know very little about the Bob Peterson-directed film as of now, but expect many new details to begin flooding in once D23 kicks off tomorrow!