Pixar News Lineup!

Pixar's newest short, "Hawaiian Vacation", now in theaters with "Cars 2"

Several things debuted on the web between all the excitement from the release of Cars 2! Read about them below.

First up, Cars 2 director and Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter will be getting his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year!!! It was about time!! Congratulations to Mr. Lasseter!

As you can see, the still seen above from Hawaiian Vacation was released on the web as well. I sure remember that part of the short film. It was followed by a really funny guest appearance who I am sure you will remember from Toy Story 3...

Check out this video featuring Cars franchise guardian, Jay Ward as he gives you an inside scoop on Cars 2:

Over at Animation World Network, check out two great interviews regarding Pixar's two newest shorts, Hawaiian Vacation, and La Luna.

Cars 2 earned an approximate $25.7 million yesterday on its opening day! Looks like Cars 2 will be quite commercially successful!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more updates on how Cars 2 does at the box office, and also, when the Brave teaser trailer hits the web!

Cars 2 Brings Awesome Stuff To The Big Screen

Today at 1:00 pm, I caught the first IMAX 3D screening of Cars 2 at my local theater, and it was AWESOME...honestly. It was an even better experience watching it in IMAX, which made it look absolutely spectacular.

I was disappointed that the teaser trailer for Brave was not shown infront of the screening I went to of Cars 2. Now I need to wait until it's released on the web. [groan]

Cars 2 was exactly what I expected it to be...a fun, action-packed spy thriller, that happens to star Mater and Lightning McQueen. It may not be as emotional as previous Pixar films, such as Toy Story 3 and Up, but that's because it wasn't meant to be that. As many people have stated, Cars 2 may not be Pixar's best, but it is still a very entertaining movie. Even Pixar's worst can be way better than what a lot of other studios release.  It is definately tied with The Incredibles for Pixar's most action-packed movie.

I'll have my full review on Cars 2 up on the blog later on this weekend. And as for Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation, it was absolutely hilarious!

So should you take the time to watch Cars 2? Answer: Heck yes.

Cars 2 Finally Vrooms Into Theaters!!!

This is it. Today is June 24, 2011. Everyone's favorite four-wheeled characters are back. So what do you do now? Celebrate!!

After several months of counting down to the film here on Pixar Corner, we have reached the finish line, and Pixar's Cars 2 is finally here! We have once again reached the release date of another great Pixar film.

Directed by John Lasseter, co-directed by Brad Lewis, produced by Denise Ream, and written by Ben Queen, this film not only features a great crew, but a great cast! Returning as Lightning McQueen and Mater are Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy, respectively. Joining the fun are Michael Caine as the British spy Finn McMissile, and Emily Mortimer as the sleek spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell. John Turturro voices the cocky Italian racecar, Francesco Bernoulli. This movie also features an awesome score by the very talented Michael Giacchino.

Lightning McQueen and Mater are back, but this time they are travelling all around the world and meeting tons of new cars, and getting involved with the world of international espionage.

Cars 2 will be presented in normal 2D, Disney Digital 3D, Real D 3D, and IMAX 3D. But no matter how you watch it, you are in for a real treat. Cars 2 will not disappoint!

So drive on over to your local theater, buy those tickets and vroom into Pixar's 12th release, Cars 2!

Also, don't miss the Brave teaser trailer, and the first Toy Story Toon, "Hawaiian Vacation", attatched to the fun action-packed movie!

If you are living in a country where Cars 2 is being released later on this summer, than don't let it bug you. Cars 2 is still coming to you, just slightly later!

More Info on Hawaiian Vacation!

Pixar's official website was recently updated with an article all about their latest short film, Hawaiian Vacation, the very first of the Toy Story Toons series. The new animated short stars Barbie, Ken, and of course Woody, Buzz and all the toys as they strive to create the perfect Hawaiian paradise right in Bonnie's bedroom. This interesting article talks about The Tale and The Characters behind Hawaiian Vacation and has a paragraph entitled Behind the Scenes. A few new things are mentioned here, such as some of the friendships that have been formed between Andy's toys and Bonnie's toys.

Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation features all the original voice actors from Toy Story 3 returning to voice their characters, and you can catch it in theaters when it premieres alongside Cars 2 in 18 days on June 24.

Are you as hyped as I am for the return of Buzz and Woody??

Toy Story Toons Logo Revealed!

It's amazing all the things you can find on the Internet. Today I found some pretty good news! The image seen above is what will most likely be the title card for the upcoming Toy Story Toons, the series of short films starring everyone's favorite toys. This logo does not look like a photoshop, so I am positive that it is the final product. One of the highlights of this new logo is probably how vibrant it is and how it stands out in the black background, and I like how they used the signature Toy Story lettering with the "Toons".

See the first Toy Story Toon, Hawaiian Vacation, when it premieres on June 24 alongside Cars 2!

Pixar By The Numbers

Have you ever wondered how many people currently work at Pixar? Or how long it takes to make a Pixar movie? Or how many toys are in Toy Story 3? Well, I've gone around the Internet and read my Pixarpedia and tried to answer a lot of those curious questions as best as I could. A lot of the answers are estimates, because it would be almost impossible to get the exact answers to everything. So I encourage you to read on, and let all (or at least most) of your questions about Pixar be answered!

• Around 1200 employees...or more...work at Pixar Animation Studios.
• The average Pixar movie usually takes 4 to 5 years to create...or in other words, about 1460.97 to 1826.21 days.
• As many people know, Pixar has made 11 films up to date, and will release their 12th film, Cars 2, on June 24, 2011.
• Pixar's highest grossing film, Toy Story 3, earned an estimated $1,063,171,609 at the box office. It became the 5th highest grossing film of all time, the #1 animated film of all time, and the highest grossing film of 2010.
• John Lasseter has directed 4 of Pixar's films to this day, and is set to make his 5th debut as director this year with Cars 2.
• So far, there are 9 hilarious Cars Toons, and more will be released in the years to come.
• Randy Newman has scored 6 Pixar movies, including all 3 Toy Story films.
• John Ratzenberger, considered Pixar's 'lucky charm', has voiced 9 Pixar characters, including Hamm the piggy bank and Mack the truck.
• Ever since the Best Animated Feature Film award was introduced to the Oscars in 2001, Pixar has been nominated 8 times, and has won 6 times.
• Not only has Pixar made many fantastic feature films, but the company has created 19 ground-breaking short films, their most recent being Day & Night. Their 20th short, Hawaiian Vacation, will be played in front of Cars 2.
• Pixar has received 10 Academy Award nominations for their short films, and has won 3 times.
• Pixar was founded in 1986, so the company has existed for 25 years.
• Russel, the 8 year-old wilderness explorer from Up, has over 40 badges!
• In Pixar's Ratatouille, the word 'rat' is used 51 times!
• Sulley, the big, blue, furry monster from Monsters, Inc., has around 2,137,000 hairs in total!
• Carl Fredricksen from Up uses about 10,000 to 20,000 balloons to lift his house up into the air!
• In Toy Story 3, Andy only has 12 toys left...but at Sunnyside Daycare, there are probably over 100 toys!
• In Pixar's Cars, there are, of course, over 200 cars seen in the film...probably a lot more!
• There are exactly 96 days left until the North American theatrical release of Cars 2!!!

Of course, those are only a few of Pixar-related facts, because well, with numbers, Pixar always goes.........

To Infinity, and Beyond!

New 'Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation' Still

Along with all the other Hawaiian Vacation news that has been going around this week, we were introduced to this great new pic of the ought-to-be-awesome short.The still features Mrs. Potato Head, Barbie, Ken, Jessie, the Aliens, and Buzz, all dressed in their fabulous Hawaiian wardrobe! Oh, I just can't wait for June 24...

Another Sneak Peek at 'Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation'

About a week ago, we got our very first look at the upcoming Toy Story short which will see the return of everyone's favorite toys to the the big screen, entitled 'Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation'. On Tuesday, a 30 second clip from the short film and an official synopsis were revealed! Also, EW got to interview the director of the short, Gary Rydstrom. It's an interesting interview, and talks about Hawaiian Vacation, and future Toy Story shorts. Read it here.

Watch the clip here:



Read the official synopsis here:

In celebration of their recent Oscar® win for Best Animated Feature, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the “Toy Story 3” gang head to the big screen again this summer in “Hawaiian Vacation,” a 3D animated short directed by seven-time Academy Award®-winner Gary Rydstrom. “Hawaiian Vacation” will appear exclusively with the upcoming “Cars 2” theatrical release, which races into North American theaters on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters. John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct the follow-up to his 2006 Golden-Globe®-winning “Cars.”

Set in new owner Bonnie’s bedroom, “Hawaiian Vacation” features Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) and Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the rest of the favorite “Toy Story 3” toys as they create the ultimate Hawaiian vacation for Ken (voice of Michael Keaton) and Barbie (voice of Jodi Benson). It seems Ken badly miscalculated their travel arrangements, so the gang has to create a dream getaway in Bonnie’s Midwestern bedroom—in the middle of winter. “Hawaiian Vacation” also features the voices of Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin and John Ratzenberger.

Rydstrom is a 25-year veteran of Pixar Animation Studios, contributing to the sound design of the studio’s groundbreaking short film “Luxo Jr.” His credits include a variety of Pixar shorts—“Lifted,” “Red’s Dream” and “Tin Toy”—and feature films, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.” and the Academy Award®-winning “Finding Nemo,” among others.

“Toy Story 3” won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Sunday night, February 27, 2011. Randy Newman earned an Oscar® for Best Original Song for the film’s “We Belong Together.” Pixar, which has earned 29 Academy Awards® and seven Golden Globes®, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2011."

Catch Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation on the big screen on June 24 right before Cars 2!

Sneak Peek at 'Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation'

Entertainment Weekly got us a nice first look at the upcoming Pixar short, Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation with two cool shots. One of them features the whole gang dressed in their Hawaiian wardrobe, and the other one includes Ken, Barbie, Mr. Pricklepants, and Mrs. Potato Head. It has also been revealed that the short film will be directed by Gary Rydstrom, who also directed the 2007 short, Lifted. Judging by these stills, it sure seems like 'Hawaiian Vacation' will be a lot of fun!

Watch the toy gang on the big screen again right before Cars 2 this summer on June 24!

Toy Story 'Hawaii' Short Plot Revealed!

Recently, we heard that a new Toy Story short with a Hawaii theme was coming soon, and this short was assumed to be the first of the Toy Story Toons, and the short attatched to Cars 2. There is a book on Amazon entitled Play-Cation, with a publisher description reading:

Bonnie is off to Hawaii, and Barbie and Ken are excited to go along on their first tropical vacation! But when they're accidentally left behind, it's up to Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the toys to create a Hawaiian paradise right in Bonnie's room.

The description also says that the children's book is based on the lastest short featuring the famous toy gang. Heaven knows why Ken and Barbie are in Bonnie's room...maybe they snuck into Bonnie's backpack at Sunnyside and came to her house to visit their friends Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang...or maybe Bonnie brought them home with her one day. Find out hopefully on June 24, 2011, because this cool new short is most likely to be attatched to Cars 2 in theaters this summer.

(Via The Pixar Blog)

Are you excited to watch this new short featuring the beloved toys from the Toy Story universe?