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!

Brad Bird Gets to Work on 'The Incredibles 2'

More than a decade after its release in theaters, The Incredibles is finally getting a much clamored-for sequel. The film was revealed to be in development in March of last year, but it may still be a while before we see our favorite family of supers grace the big screen again.

Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles, revealed in an interview with NPR earlier this month that he is only "just starting to write [The Incredibles 2]", which means the film is still in the early development stages. Pixar films take an average of four to five years to be completed, and although that may seem disheartening to those eagerly awaiting a followup to the studio's 2004 hit, it is certainly reassuring to know that they are taking their time crafting this story to make a sequel worthy of the original, which is often cited as the studio's best work. The film has not been given a release date yet, but I'd say the earliest we will see it is 2018, but more likely 2019. Pixar currently has a placeholder on June 15, 2018, so depending on how quickly the film is completed, we may or may not see it open on that day.

Brad Bird's next film, Tomorrowland, hits theaters in May, so it's probably safe to say that once that film has been released he will shift his attention towards the Incredibles sequel. As of right now we do not know for certain if Bird will return to direct The Incredibles 2, but fans can rest assured that he is at least penning the film's script. Either way, the Incredibles are coming back, and that, I think, is reason enough to get excited.

5 Years And Counting...

It's hard to believe that already half a decade has passed since I published my first post on this blog. I always get a kick looking back at my earlier posts, seeing as my writing ability was not quite up to par when I started. I'll probably look back at my current posts in a few years and cringe.

What a blast this has been. Without exaggeration, my life would be very different today were it not for this blog. Pixar's films have always filled me with sheer joy, and covering Pixar news has only added to that.

As always, a huge thank you goes to the supporters of this blog, especially the ones who have been here since the start. For those of you that are new, welcome!

If you enjoy this blog and are a Pixar aficionado, I encourage you to participate in the Luxo Limelight column - exclusive here on Pixar Corner! Read more about it here.

I look forward to keeping this blog running for many more years. I am hoping to bring some exciting updates soon to celebrate Pixar Corner's 5th anniversary, so stay tuned...

New 'Inside Out' Trailer Is Packed with Emotions

Today's the day. The second full-length trailer, and third one overall, for Pixar's upcoming Inside Out dropped today, as promised. If you haven't watched it yet, drop whatever it is you are doing and watch it below. If you have already seen it, watch it again!

I predicted yesterday that this trailer would be the one that would truly make Inside Out seem like a must-see film, an event that no one can miss out on...and I don't mean to brag or anything, but I was absolutely right.

Previous trailers had given us a taste of the whole concept behind the film, but this one not only paints a better picture as to what the story will be, but bears testament to the fact that Inside Out is a Pixar film through and through, with all the laughs, inventiveness, gorgeous visuals, and most importantly, raw emotion that audiences have come to expect from the studio. The inclusion of "More Than a Feeling" was also a fabulous touch.

Without giving away too much, the new trailer does what the previous ones did not; it gives us a peek at the film's heart. As is usual for Pixar movies, Inside Out will clearly tug at the heart strings. The two-and-a-half-minute trailer alone includes multiple shots of what appear to be very emotional scenes - which is to be expected, I guess, given the film revolves around emotions.

Additionally, this trailer shows off the sheer ambition and ingenuity of Pixar's latest feature, offering glimpses at the different parts of the mind, including Long-Term Memory, Imagination Land, and my personal favorite, Dream Production. The two previous trailers had focused exclusively on Headquarters, the control center from where the emotions view life, so this new trailer marks the first time that we have gotten to see just how expansive the world of Riley's mind really is.

Why no animation studio has ever tackled this concept before, at least in the form of a full-length feature, is beyond me. Perhaps the idea of a film based around the human mind is a bit intimidating; the possibilities are, after all, virtually endless. This trailer, however, reaffirms my belief that Pixar is more than capable of making a film this risky and daring and knocking it out of the park - way out of the park.

As of right now, Inside Out is exactly 100 days away. That may seem like forever, but June 19th will be here before you know it. In the meantime, why not watch the trailer again? Or, you can also watch this fun little 18-second promo featuring the film's cast. Is it just me, or do all the voice actors bear uncanny resemblance to their respective characters?

What did you think of today's trailer? How pumped are you for Inside Out? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Colorful New 'Inside Out' Poster; New Trailer Premieres Tuesday

With the film just a couple of months away, the marketing for Inside Out continues to pick up speed. A new poster has arrived, and it features the five main emotions from the film in front of a very vibrant backdrop. Pixar's posters often go all out in terms of color and are always very appealing to the eye (the ones for Toy Story 3 and Monsters University come to mind), and this one is no exception.

Also, look forward to a brand new trailer for the film tomorrow, premiering on The Ellen Show. If you can't catch Ellen, fear not; the trailer will almost certainly be uploaded online shortly after.

While the past two trailers have been great, I have a feeling this one will be the one that will really make audiences want to run out and see the film and show that this will be a movie to be remembered through years to come. The people who are not yet sold on the film may very likely have their minds changed tomorrow, and as for the die-hard fans...I sense that this trailer will break our excitement meters.

Check back tomorrow for the new trailer! Inside Out hits theaters June 19.