End of Year (Pixar) News! Happy 2012!

The year of 2011 has come to a close, but that's not stopping Pixar from giving their fans one last thing to talk about this year. Or rather, multiple last things to talk about.

Unfortunately, not all of this is exactly good news. UPMAD (the Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs), which was announced at D23 Expo earlier this year and is currently in production at the Emeryville-based studio, being directed by Bob Peterson (co-director of Up; voice of Dug) has had its release date taken away by Disney's new film, Frozen, formerly titled The Snow Queen.

The new Pixar film about dinosaurs living in the modern world was set for release on November 27, 2013, but is now left without a certain release date until further notice.

The news broke about a week ago, when Disney's calendar read "Frozen" on the 27 of November, 2013, which led many to think that Bob Peterson's dino-film had been given this new title. However, it was soon announced that "Frozen" was simply the new title for Disney's The Snow Queen.

So once again, an attempt to release more than one Pixar feature film in the same year has been jeopardized.

On the happier side, Pixar's 2011 spy film, Cars 2, now holds the title for the most successful animated movie of the year. It even made the top-ten list of the overall highest grossing films of 2011, coming in seventh place, above three of the years blockbusters; Thor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Mater and McQueen raked in a total of $551,852,396 worldwide at the box office this year, with $191,452,396 of the film's earnings made in the US and Canada.

Pixar honcho John Lasseter was recently over at the currently in-construction Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure (it opens this coming summer) testing out the spectacular new ride, "Luigi's Flying Tires".

"This was awesome!" he says. Check it out:

Cars Land will opens its doors summer 2012! Another thing to look forward to this new year!

Last but not least, Brave was recently listed on both Yahoo! and Rotten Tomatoes as one of 2012's most anticipated films! So I guess passionate Pixar fans are not the only ones looking forward to Pixar's first fairy tale, set in the highlands of medieval Scotland. Can't wait for Merida to hit the big screen!

So I guess this concludes 2011 here at Pixar Corner. It's been an amazing year. Cars 2 came out, Toy Story 3 won two Oscars, Pixar celebrated its 25th anniversary, the Toy Story Toons kicked off, and Pixar Corner turned one year old! And these are just a very short few of the spectacular, amazing, incredible things that happened this year.

There are a whole lot of things to look forward to in 2012, some being the release of Brave, and Finding Nemo being re-released in 3D (and most likely in Blu-ray). So prepare yourself, it's going to be a fantastic year.

See you in 2012.

Watch This.

Watch this, and prepare to be amazed.



Now wasn't that a spectacular Pixar mashup? Proof of what an impact Pixar films have made on the world today.

Ed's Hand Added to National Film Registry

Ed Catmull, president of Pixar and Disney, is surely very proud right now.

The computer animated hand (which is actually titled A Computer Animated Hand) that he created at the University of Utah nearly 40 years ago has been welcomed into the National Film Registry. Each year, the NFR selects 25 films that should be carefully preserved forever, for future generations to enjoy. Disney's Bambi was also added to the list this year.

Many people think that computer animation started with Toy Story in 1995, but it was actually beginning to take shape over 20 years before Woody and Buzz first hit the big screen. With some of his colleagues in 1972, Ed Catmull created A Computer Animated Hand, which at the time was astounding to people, even though now it looks almost ancient, since technology has soared over the last four decades.

The short animation starring a seemingly simple animated hand is, today, one of the ancestors and pioneers of computer animation. Watch it here, along with some footage showing the making of the film.

Pixar Corner Wishes You a Merry Christmas!

The year has zoomed by at a speed that rivals that of Lightning McQueen's, and the winter holidays are already here! Once again, I present to you a special annual post here at Pixar Corner that celebrates the joy of the season...Pixar style!

WALL-E likes to decorate at Christmas! Do you?

(via Adventures with Wall-e)

Paul Robin is also celebrating the holidays alongside his buddy Timmy Worm! Enjoy this new Christmas adventure by the designer of the Pixar Corner logo! Visit Paul's blog and see previous adventures here.

(via The Adventures of Paul Robin)

Be sure to be on the look out for some of these really cool holiday-themed Cars die cast collectibles! There are plenty more besides this Reindeer Mater and Snow-Plow McQueen, including a "Decked Out" Doc Hudson! Collect them all; they make excellent Christmas decorations!

That's all for now, but stay tuned, as the coming year will surely be full of many delightful Pixar surprises!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, and I wish you all the best in 2012!

Some Brave News!

After a period with not much Pixar news, we finally have something to talk about...this spectacular new still from Pixar's Brave!

The image (see above) depicts Merida taking aim at her target, being carefully watched by her father Fergus, her mother Elinor (who does not look happy) and a few other spectators. It sure looks as if Merida's archery skills are causing quite the commotion in her hometown. You can see part of this scene from the film in the newest trailer.

I hope to see a higher-res version of the still released soon.

On other Brave related news, Stitch Kingdom tells us that the MLB team the Atlanta Braves are taking legal action against the animated feature's title. Apparently, they don't want people associating Pixar's new movie with their team, and are afraid that people will get confused between the film Brave and the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Of course, this does sound quite foolish when you really think of it; I can't picture Merida showing up at an MLB game, since I'm pretty sure that there was no professional baseball in medieval Scotland. And let's not forget that the Braves don't actually own the word "brave".

Hopefully this mess gets cleaned up soon.

Pixar's Brave takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012!

More 'Cars Toon' Die Cast Cars Coming Soon!

We haven't seen a whole lot of new Cars Toon die casts in a while, since all the new Cars 2 merchandise took over back in May. However, it looks like the popular line of Cars Toon collectibles will be returning in a bit, and this time with some of the newer Tall Tales.

Take5aDay has got a nice picture, which you can have a look at above, of a fine-looking Moon Mater die cast car. I really can't wait for this to come out, I have several other Cars Toon die casts, and they are all awesome collector's items.

I also hear there's some new Cars 2 die casts coming up, so keep your eyes peeled for those as well!

Meet the Characters of Small Fry!

On the Toy Story Facebook page, Pixar has been uploading pictures and bios on some of the fantastic new fast food meal characters from "Poultry Palace", featured in the new Toy Story Toon, Small Fry. Here are the some of the new buddies Pixar has introduced to us in this new short...

Neptuna, Queen of New Nautica

For centuries, Queen Neptuna ruled the peaceful ocean kingdom of New Nautica. When her undersea home was defiled by corporate industrial waste and discount chain stores, Neptuna formed The Mermaid Battle Squadron to protect the ocean from future pollution and exploitation.

T-Bone, Leader of the Steak Force

Fearing the healthy, life-extending agenda of the evil Vegitenarians, the government established the Steak Force, a commando squad of heroic robots dedicated to mandating a meat option for every meal. Sponsored in part by The American Meat Council.

Funky Monk

Spiritual mentor to Rappin’ Robin and Lil’ Juan, Funky Monk always keeps it real and on the down low. Be it a rap battle between his boys and Producer P John or hooking up a guest-spot on the next MC Maid Marion single, Funky Monk has got your back. See Funky Monk in the CGI animated film “Rappin’ Robin in the Hood 3D,” only in theaters.

Condorman

When comic book artist Wiley Wilkins is given the opportunity to act out the pages of his greatest cartoon creation, “Condorman,” he jumps at the chance! Will Condorman defeat the evil Krokov and win the heart of the beautiful Natalia Rambova? Find out when Condorman swoops into theaters, Summer 1981.

Bozu, The Ninja Clown

Circus clown by day, 15th century ninja from feudal Japan by night, Bozu is a master of silent entertainment. Armed with his balloon katana and a cream pie, this Ninja Clown is sure to have even the grumpiest Circus audience members in stitches!

And all these are just a few of all the Fun Meal toys from the new short. Hopefully Pixar will release some more bios and pics later on, because I'd love to get to know the rest of these toys.

Small Fry is playing in theaters right now with The Muppets!

New Disney-Pixar Kinect Game Coming Soon!

The last Pixar video game that was released, I believe, was the Cars 2 video game, that is, if you don't count the recently released Disney Universe, which includes characters from countless Disney branded films, including many of the Pixar films.

A new Disney/Pixar game is coming, however. This March, Kinect Rush - A Disney/Pixar Adventure will arrive, and boy, does it look exciting.

Watch the trailer here:

I was at Best Buy the other day trying out the Kinect, and I have to say, it is pretty astounding, so I can't imagine what fun the Pixar characters will bring to the system.

The game consists of five beloved Pixar classics; The Incredibles, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, and Ratatouille., and judging by the trailer, will have special levels with all of the different characters from these films. What's more, you'll now be able to control Buzz, Remy, Mr. Incredible, and even Lightning McQueen by using yourself as the remote!

Kinect Rush - Disney/Pixar Adventures hits store shelves March 2012, and will be available exclusively to the Xbox 360 console.

'The Art of Brave' Now Available for Pre-Order

With every Pixar film comes a fabulous book that gives you an inside scoop into the making of that particular movie. These popular books, known as the 'Art of'' books, display original concepts, storyboards, colorscripts, interviews with the film makers, and obviously, art.

The Art of Brave is now listed on Amazon, and you are able to pre-order the book, which arrives in bookstores in June.

The official description has also been posted:

Brave is Pixar’s first fairy tale, a lush, animated adventure through the forests, heaths, and highlands of medieval Scotland. Featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the film’s many artists, The Art of Brave also showcases the gorgeous concept art that went into the creation of the movie, including colour scripts, storyboards, character studies, environment art, sculpts, and more.

The cover art currently displayed is subject to change; whenever these books are posted for pre-order, the cover is always changed to a more appealing design later on. However, I do quite like this cover.

The book is written by Jenny Lerew, with a preface from Chief John Lasseter, and a foreword from directors Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman.

Pre-order now, or wait until June, but you'll want to get ahold of this book sooner of later!

More Info on Pete's 'Mind' Production

Hooray! At D23 Expo, two brand-new original Pixar films were announced; Bob Peterson's "UPMAD" (Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs), and Pete Docter's "Inside the Human Mind" film.

John Lasseter talked on the Charlie Rose show and said the following about Pete's film:

"Pete Docter, from Monsters, Inc. and Up, is doing a new film that takes place inside of a girl’s mind and it is about her emotions as characters, and that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen."

The protagonist's emotions will be characters? No kidding this will be unlike anything we've ever seen before. Oh, and yes, John did say that it was a girl who is at the center of the story. So joining Brave in the short list of Pixar films with female protagonists is Pete Doctor's new feature. Expect another mind-blowing (pun intended) hit from Pete, as his filmography currently includes classics like Monsters, Inc. and Up.

Scottish princesses? Monsters in college? Dinosaurs in the modern world? A look inside a human's mind??? Is it just me, or is Pixar's upcoming film list just really, really exciting?

Pixar Corner Celebrates the Holiday Season!

Once again, we have a brand new logo to correspond with the time of year. Christmas is just around the corner (pun intended), and to celebrate, Pixar Corner has an all new seasonal logo just for the 2011 holidays!

As all previous logos, this new piece of art was created by the very talented artist, Paul Robin. Be sure to visit his blog here.

Paul Robin tells me that the story behind this new Christmas logo takes place during nighttime...the night before Christmas. While delivering presents, Santa has dropped his hat in the corner...more specifically, Pixar Corner.

Look forward to more fantastic art from Paul, some thrilling Pixar news, and an exciting holiday season!

First 'Cars 2' FYC Posters

The awards season is getting started. Pixar has released their first two 'For Your Consideration' posters for their contendant this year, Cars 2.

Despite all the negative reception it got, I don't see why Cars 2 can't be nominated or even win an award at the Oscars this year. The animation was top-notch, and the sound was absolutely breathtaking. I quite enjoyed the characters as well, both old and new; they were a blast. Above all that, Cars 2 came with a valuable message about friendship. Sure, it wasn't as emotionally heavy as Up or Toy Story 3, but it did pack an important life lesson.

That said, I'm looking forward to the Oscars, and all the other awards this year. There were a ton of stupendous films this year, both animated and live action, and some of them are not even out yet! Rango was one of my personal favorites..

It's going to be an exciting awards season this year!

Pixar Website Updated with 'Small Fry'

Pixar's official website has recently been updated with a file on the latest short film to come out of the studio, Small Fry.

Click on the 'Short Films' heading and you'll be taken to a gallery of all of Pixar's shorts, and at the top you will see the same image seen above. Clicking on the image will take you to a short page with the film's plot.

I also just found out that Small Fry was the second project to be animated at the Pixar Canada studio, the first one having been Air Mater. I wonder what else they are cooking up for us right now...

I really like this new promotional image for the short. I just love the concept of Mini Buzz looking up at the actual Buzz (whose only visible body parts are his legs). Again, we have pure genius coming from Pixar, as always.

Small Fry is playing in theaters now with Disney's The Muppets! Don't miss it!

Even More Images from 'Small Fry'

The Muppets and Small Fry hit theaters tomorrow (I'm so excited), and to celebrate, we have two more images to add to our gallery of Small Fry stills!

This first one, as you can see, shows Mini Buzz excitedly looking out into the outside world from his display case. Joining him in this pic is a miniature version of the Evil Emperor Zurg, Buzz Lightyear's arch nemesis.

In the still seen below, Mini Buzz, never missing a chance to cause mischief, has climbed on top of Rex's head. How will Bonnie's toys get rid of this pest?

The more clips, trailers, and TV spots I watch for The Muppets, the more I want to see it. Be sure to check out this 'Muppetational' TV spot for the new film, and don't miss the little bit of Small Fry footage at the end! And look for the hidden Cars 2 poster at the 4 second mark in the video. The Muppets sure do love Pixar!

The Muppets and Mini Buzz will arrive in theaters tomorrow!

Watch the Epic New 'Brave' Trailer!

It's finally here. We can now enjoy the very first full-length trailer for Pixar's upcoming tale about Medieval Scotland, Brave.

As it is the first trailer featuring actual footage from the film, all the footage is fresh, and as there was no actual dialogue in the teaser, we get to hear Merida, and all the other characters' voices for the first time, all except King Fergus, who I think was the one speaking in the teaser.

Also, we get a glimpse at some more plot details that remained unknown before today.

Watch below, and prepare to be astonished.

Everything I've seen from this film so far looks absolutely awesome, epic, spectacular...the list could go on. Of course, you cannot judge a film by its trailer, but like I said the other day, Brave sure looks like it is living up to all the previous Pixar classics.

Now, the 2012 "news cycle" begins. As the months progress, we will make the transition from Cars 2 to Brave, just as last year we moved on from Toy Story 3 to Cars 2. We will see more and more new stills and trailers pop up from time to time, until June arrives once again, and we get to experience what will most likely be the animated phenomenon of 2012...Brave.

Another 'Small Fry' Still

The Muppets and the new Toy Story Toon, Small Fry, hit theaters in just a week! We already have two pics and a 30-second clip to enjoy from the short film, but it looks like we have one last still to savour before watching the entire Toon.

The image shows the mischevious Mini Buzz (voiced by Teddy Newton) wearing Woody's hat and smiling naughtily at the rest of the gang. It certainly looks like the fast food restaurant imposter will not be making life much easier for Bonnie's toys.

What trouble will Mini Buzz cause next? Find out next week when Small Fry hits theaters on November 23rd!

Brave Trailer Arriving Tomorrow

Things like this happen all the time.

Well, as it turns out, the new Brave trailer we have been craving for will be released tomorrow instead of today as initially planned. It kind of sucks, but it's only 24 more hours of waiting, so there's no point in being upset. Besides, at least we have something to look forward to tomorrow.

I will have the all new trailer up on the blog as soon as I can, so that will either be very early in the morning, or sometime in the afternoon (Pacific Standard Time).

Get ready, because tomorrow, we will experience something epic, something amazing...we will experience, Brave.

30 seconds from 'Small Fry'...

Shortly after the new stills we saw on the weekend, we can now enjoy 30 seconds of fresh footage from the latest Toy Story adventure, Small Fry. Buzz is left behind at a fast food restaurant, and must find a way to escape before it's to late...but instead ends up at a support group meeting for discarded "Fun Meal" toys, and is invited to take a seat...

Catch Small Fry in theaters November 23rd with The Muppets! Just a few days to go...

New 'Brave' Stills Released; Trailer Debuts Tomorrow

Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) in Disney-Pixar's "BRAVE"

There hasn't been much Brave related news in a while, so I leaped with joy when I saw the three all-new images from the newest Pixar film today.

Not only that, but the newest trailer for the fantasy film will be released on the web tomorrow!! Now we don't even have to wait for The Muppets to arrive in theaters (although I probably will still be watching it anyway).

The picture seen at the top features Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), the protagonist of the film, encountering one of those mysterious blue, glowing, levitating things seen in the teaser trailer and the poster. Another shows Lord MacGuffin (voiced by Kevin McKidd), Lord Dingwall (voiced by Robbie Coltrane), and Lord Macintosh (voiced by Craig Ferguson), standing with pride amongst a crowd, staring at who-knows-what. Lastly, this other still has the entire family of Queen Elinor (voiced by Emma Thompson), King Fergus (Billy Connolly), Merida (sitting quite unhappily dressed in royal garments) and the Royal Triplets (Harris, Hubert, and Hamish).

By the looks of these pictures, Brave will be as amazing as it sounds. It seems all ancient and traditional, but it seems hard to find the relation between previous Pixar films and it, and yet, I get the sense that it will have all the elements that fans have grown to love about the studio's films; the stupendous characters, the breathtaking animation, the hysterical humour, and most importantly, the touching, moving emotion.

Look forward to a fantastic new trailer tomorrow! Brave hits theaters June 22nd, 2012!

First Look at 'Small Fry'

Mini Buzz meets Woody in 'Small Fry'

Ironically, today I was thinking to myself, 'Hmm, Pixar hasn't released any clips or stills from Small Fry yet'. Then, I go on my computer a few hours later and I find two never-before-seen images from the upcoming short film, along with some new facts about the plot.

Small Fry revolves around Buzz being left behind at a fast food restaurant, while an irritating miniature version of himself takes his place in Bonnie's bedroom. Our favorite space ranger then has to deal with a gang of "Happy Meal" like toys, including a mermaid voiced by Glee's Jane Lynch.

The mermaid's name has been announced to the public; Neptuna. Judging by the picture seen below, she may be the leader of the rejected toys at the restaurant.

Angus MacLane, director of the short, talked with USA Today about Small Fry.

MacLane describes the short as "the Prince and the Pauper tale for toys" only that "one of them happens to be 3 inches tall".

He tells how Small Fry is about how these miniature fast food meal toys feel unloved after always being discarded right after all the food has vanished from the table.

"These toys' existence is about being really popular before the meal and then being totally forgotten about. And sometimes they don't even get played with."

Most of the cast from the short has been confirmed. Tim Allen and Tom Hanks are set to return as Buzz and Woody, respectively, Joan Cusack reprises her role as Jessie the cowgirl, and John Ratzenberger is back as the voice of Hamm the piggy bank. Neptuna the mermaid is voiced by Jane Lynch, and guess who has been cast as the cheeky Mini Buzz...

Teddy Newton, director of Day & Night and voice of the Chatter Telephone in Toy Story 3. Now that I think of it, he does sound like the perfect voice for a naughty little 3-inch Buzz. His voice work should be hilarious! Also, Angus MacLane, the director of the short, will voice several of the fast food restaurant toys, including T-Bone and Super Pirate.

Pixar wants audiences to remember to just "give these guys a little bit of love", 'these guys' being the little toys you get with your burger and fries.

Small Fry hits theaters November 23 with Disney's The Muppets. The new film starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Kermit the Frog, and all the other awesome characters looks incredible all on its own already, so the latest Toy Story Toon is just another bonus! Plus, there are rumours that the next Brave trailer will also play with the film, so it's even better!

A Look Inside Pixar Canada

The satellite animation studio that Pixar set up in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia in April of last year has been kept under wraps for a pretty long time. No one except those talented enough to work at the studio have seen the inside of Pixar Canada...that is, until now.

A few images of the Vancouver studio's interior have surfaced on the web. It definitely looks like it's living up to the look and feel of the main studio in Emeryville!

Here are a few of my favorite images:

 Some comfy sofas right next to a colorful display of colorscripts.

 Mike Wazowski greets people who pass this wall infested with artwork from the films.

An awesome spot for settling down and having a nice conversation, reading a book, or simply relaxing.

 Yet another place for grabbing a seat and sipping down a warm cup of coffee, with marvelous Ratatouille art of display.

 Some Pixar Canada employees at an important-looking meeting. I think that's Amir Nasrabadi, general manager of Pixar Canada (the one closest to the Sulley statue).



That's about all we can see of the Vancouver Pixar studio right now, but hopefully we'll get another inside scoop on Pixar Canada sometime in the future!

John Lasseter Now Officially a 'Star'

It was about time that John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Disney, got his very own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame! Not too long ago, Toy Story composer Randy Newman was also made a part of Hollywood history.

Check out this video of the ceremony:

As you can see, Lasseter's star is located right in front of the  famous Disney-owned El Capitan theater, where, I believe, all of Pixar's films have premiered. So it's the perfect spot for Mr. Lasseter to have his shining star, isn't it?

The ceremony was attended by Cars 2 stars Owen Wilson and Emily Mortimer, Toy Story cast members John Ratzenberger and Don Rickles, Pixar composer Randy Newman, and so many others...including McQueen and Mater themselves.

Congratulations to John Lasseter! Who knows, maybe someday Lee Unkrich will get a star, or Andrew Stanton? Or what about Pete Docter and Brad Bird?

Cars 2 Now Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

Now Available!

The wait is over. Cars 2 has crossed the finish line, and has finally arrived on home video, for anyone to enjoy in the warmth of their home.

As all previous Pixar home video releases, the Cars 2 Blu-ray and DVD is jam-packed with loads of spectacular bonus features, all giving the ultimate inside scoop into the making of the film. If you want the very best special feature experience possible, I would recommend the 5-disc Blu-ray edition, as it comes with an entire disc filled with exclusive bonus material.

For a sneak peek filled with videos of pretty much everything that will be included on the home video release of this exciting family adventure, visit this post.

Here is the music video for the catchy song, "You Might Think" from the movie.

I'll probably be getting my copy of the 5-disc set today. I can't wait to see Hawaiian Vacation and Cars 2 all over again, and I am absolutely hyped about watching Air Mater and all the bonus material!

If you are planning on buying Cars 2, don't forget to visit this website to print out a coupon that will save you $5 when buying the film. But hurry, this offer only lasts for a week!

So race on over to Target, ToysRUs, Best Buy, or whatever store you want, but you won't want to miss out on the biggest animated spy thriller ever! Get your hands wheels all over Cars 2 now!

Happy Halloween 2011!

(Photo credit: pixarjunkie)

Can you believe Halloween is already here?

The festival of thrills, chills, pumpkins, and of course, candy, brings new surprises every year. Pixar fans also always come up with new ways to infuse the beloved characters into their Halloween celebrations. For example, costumes of Pixar characters are very popular among children and adults alike, and the characters from the animated films also make fantastic Jack O' Lanterns!

This year, I dressed up in a homemade Woody costume, and carved a Mike Wazowski pumpkin.

Check out this brilliant Halloween costume, inspired by the famous Pixar Luxo lamp!

 

I hope everyone had a safe and pleasant Halloween! And don't forget, Cars 2 comes out on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow!

Awesome Stills From 'Air Mater'

It's been almost a whole year since we last saw a brand-new Cars Toon, so now that Air Mater is coming on the Cars 2 home release, it's quite exciting to see Mater in another one of his hilarious Tall Tales.

While we won't get to see Mater fly until Tuesday, we can enjoy these fantastic new images from the short. They're amazing! Pixar Canada did a spectacular job on this Toon!

Doesn't Mater look AWESOME as a Falcon Hawk??

Catch Air Mater on the Cars 2 home release this Tuesday. Don't miss out, because Mater is going to fly! This is going to be the best Cars Toon ever!