Thursday 9 May 2013

[UPDATED] First Look: Disney's Big Hero 6; And Some New Concept Art for Frozen


Well, it's official: Disney are marketing everything except for Frozen. In fact, today we got our first look at Walt Disney Animation Studios' 2014 release, the Marvel co-production, Big Hero 6!

All griping aside, Walt Disney Animation Studios' first animated collaboration with Marvel is looking mighty good, and the L.A. Times today brings us two pieces of concept art and even a first look at some footage from the film!


This all comes with confirmation of the previously indicated 7th November, 2014 release and the director (Winnie the Pooh's Don Hall), while Paperman's Kristina Reed was announced as producer. The L.A. Times's official statement on the film said:

"Big Hero 6" will be the first partnership between two pedigreed entertainment companies — Mickey Mouse's 90-year-old animation studio and Spider-Man's 74-year-old publisher — since the Walt Disney Co. acquired Marvel in 2009. Directed by Don Hall ("Winnie the Pooh") and due in theaters on Nov. 7, 2014, the movie will center on a boy and his beloved robot companion who join a team of crime fighters in a mythical mashup city called San Fransokyo.



Hall spoke to the L.A. Times about the project, saying how he (in  Disney and Pixar CCO John Lasseter's preferred manner) pitched three separate Marvel adaptations, out of which Big Hero 6 was chosen. "I was looking for something on the obscure side, which would give us more license to make it our own," the director said.

Joe Quesada, Marvel's Chief Creative Officer also commented, saying: "The storytelling aspects are very frenetic, very visceral. It takes tropes of Japanese culture, manga, anime. There are giant dinosaurs that invade a city, big robots, youth fashion, cutesy stuff in the vein of Hello Kitty." And you can, in fact, observe a certain 2012 Disney film playing on one of the many background screens.


UPDATE - 09/05/2013, 21:50 (GMT): Disney just sent us out the official logline for the film:

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits US theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

Frozen opens in the US on 27th November this year, and the UK on 6th
 December.

On WDAS's recent renaissance, Lasseter commented to the publication: "We're trying to build back that Disney name. Success breeds autonomy. The more we can be successful, the more they'll keep letting us do what we want to do."

Disney, contrary to what you might have thought from their dearth of advertising, will be hoping for the aforementioned success with this winter's Frozen, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and the same article also revealed some dazzling new concept art for that film too.

Check out the full L.A. Times piece, with Disney crew-members quotes galore, here.

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