Disney Animation Comes Strong at D23 Expo

D23Expo

Today at Disney D23 Expo, Walt Disney Animation Studios unveiled several new projects including a new Toy Story special, more information on Frozen (which was first announced at CinemaCon with a teaser image), The Last Dinosaur and brand new projects. Kristen Bell and Indina Mendez where on hand for the presentation.

Lasseter surprised fans with a screening of the first 10 minutes of Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story OF TERROR! The D23 Expo audience was the first ever to see footage from the spooky new 30-minute special that features favorite characters from the Toy Story films. What starts out as a fun road trip for the Toy Story gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate in this “Toy Story OF TERROR!” From director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman, “Toy Story OF TERROR!” premieres on ABC Oct. 16, 2013.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen, directed by Chris Buck (Tarzan) and Jennifer Lee (Wreck-It Ralph– screenplay by), and produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”), shared never-before-seen film footage, introduced by Frozen stars Kristen Bell, voice of Anna, and Josh Gad, voice of Olaf. Fans were also treated to a show-stopping live performance of the film’s powerful new song “Let It Go,” sung by Broadway’s Tony® Award-winner Idina Menzel, who provides the voice of Elsa in the film.

In Frozen, fearless optimist Anna (voice of Bell) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Gad) in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. In theaters Nov. 27, 2013.

Get A Horse! made its U.S. premiere at the D23 Expo. Featuring Walt Disney himself as the voice of Mickey Mouse, this black-and-white, hand-drawn theatrical short follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical haywagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. This groundbreaking short from Walt Disney Animation Studios is directed by Lauren MacMullan (TV’s “The Simpsons”) and produced by Dorothy McKim (“Prep & Landing” trilogy, “Meet the Robinsons”), “Get A Horse!” opens in front of “Frozen” on Nov. 27, 2013.

Disneytoon Studios’ The Pirate Fairybrought pixie dust to the festivities, unveiling the newest and most exciting adventure in the Disney Fairies franchise. Director Peggy Holmes (“Secret of the Wings”) introduced Christina Hendricks, who gives voice to Zarina, and Tom Hiddleston, tapped to voice a young James aka Captain Hook.

When a misunderstood dust-keeper fairy named Zarina steals Pixie Hollow’s all-important Blue Pixie Dust, and flies away to join forces with the pirates of Skull Rock, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to return it to its rightful place. However, in the midst of their pursuit of Zarina, Tink’s world is turned upside down. She and her friends find that their respective talents have been switched and they have to race against time to retrieve the Blue Pixie Dust and return home to save Pixie Hollow. With comedy, heart and epic thrills for the whole family, “The Pirate Fairy” sets sail Spring 2014.

Disney•Pixar’s heartfelt and hilarious The Good Dinosaur roamed the convention center this morning. Co-director Peter Sohn and producer Denise Ream ( “Cars 2,” “Up”- associate producer) were on hand to announce key members of the voice cast, including Lucas Neff, voice of Arlo; Bill Hader, voice of Forrest; Judy Greer, voice of Ivy; Neil Patrick Harris, voice of Cliff; John Lithgow, voice of Poppa; and Frances McDormand, voice of Momma.

Neff and Greer appeared on stage, alongside Hader, whose voice was also heard in Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University.”

The Good Dinosaur asks the generations-old question: What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In theaters May 30, 2014, the film is a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively 70-foot-tall teenage Apatosaurus with a big heart. After a traumatic event rattles Arlo’s tranquil community, he sets out on a quest to restore peace, gaining an unlikely companion along the way—a young human boy named Spot.

The crowd roared when their favorite monsters returned to the big screen as Disney•Pixar’s short Party Central scared up six minutes of fun at the D23 Expo. In the short, Mike and Sulley are back at Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come up with a plan to make sure Party Central is the most epic party the school has ever seen. In theaters May 30, 2014, with “The Good Dinosaur.”

Disneytoon Studios’ Planes: Fire & Rescue landed on stage at the D23 Expo, welcoming Dane Cook, the voice of Dusty in “Disney’s Planes,” the action comedy adventure that landed in theaters today. Cook, who returns to voice the character in the follow-up, joined director Bobs Gannaway (“Secret of the Wings”) on stage. Julie Bowen was announced as the voice of Lil’ Dipper, and fans were treated to story details for “Planes: Fire & Rescue,” plus character images, concept art and footage from the film.

Planes: Fire & Rescue features a quirky crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from a raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty (voice of Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil’ Dipper (voice of Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero. “Planes: Fire & Rescue” ignites July 18, 2014.