Watch: Tom Hanks Talks About Being Walt Disney for Saving Mr. Banks

Mary Poppins is inarguably one of Walt Disney's crowning achievements - up there with Steamboat Willie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Disneyland. Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of that story, and how Walt Disney acquired the rights to author P.L. Travers's original book. Emma Thompson plays Travers, and Tom Hanks is the first person to play Walt Disney; Hanks talked about the pressure and importance of taking on such a high profile role in a new featurette for the film, below.

Saving Mr. Banks Official Poster

It's a bit late, but still a big, new arrival for Disney's film Saving Mr. Banks has been released- a very charming poster.

Watch: First Trailer for Saving Mr. Banks

Not long after the first look at Saving Mr Banks - Disney's retelling of the true story of Walt Disney's quest to adapt Mary Poppins from book to film - was revealed yesterday, the trailer has appeared online.

First Look: Saving Mr. Banks; Tom Hanks is Walt Disney

The first image for Disney's Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, has been revealed. Read below to find out more about the film and check out the exciting first look!

A Trifecta of Non-Animation Disney News: The Muppets 2, Hanks as Disney and #Bird2015

Yes, this is A113Animation. But, hell, we're all nerds aren't we? And this is all Disney-linked at least...

Saving Mr. Banks: Tom Hanks on Walt Disney

Production is now underway on one of the most anticipated films of 2013, Saving Mr. Banks. The film focuses on the almost decade-and-a-half long struggle by Walt Disney to acquire the film rights to P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins book series.

Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, who already has a link to Disney, providing the voice of Woody in the Toy Story franchise, has the unenviable task of portraying the immortal Walt Disney on screen for the first time ever. Fellow Academy Award winner Emma Thompson will play Travers, with supporting roles being played by Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, with Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak as the musical Sherman brothers. John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) is directing from a script by Kelly Marcel.

Hanks spoke briefly to The Hollywood Reporter about Walt Disney and his preparation for the role. Asked whether it would be a "warts and all" portrayal, the Forrest Gump star said:

“He wasn’t a warty guy. There was the labor issues that were in the forties and stuff like that. But by and large, no.” With THR adding 'A three-pack-a-day smoker, Disney died of lung cancer in 1966 and Hanks said he would chain smoke his way through the movie, but that’s about as close as the production will get to any controversy or conjecture surrounding the iconic animator.'

This is fast becoming one of my most anticipated films of 2013. Saving Mr. Banks arrives in cinemas on 20th December, 2013.

Go Behind the Scenes of Brave in a New Featurette

The latest in the recent slew of Brave promotional material is a brief, 2-minute behind-the-scenes look at Pixar's latest film. The video (above) acts as a taster for the kind of stuff you can expect to see on the DVD and Blu Ray releases of the film when it hits home media later this year, and features comments about the film's story and characters from co-director Mark Andrews, producer Katherine Sarafian and voice talent including Kelly Macdonald (Merida) and Billy Connolly (King Fergus).

Brave hits US theatres in just under two weeks on 22nd June, and arrives here in the UK on 13th August.

Queen Elinor Takes the Lead in New Brave Clip and Interview

Queen Elinor, mother to Brave's star Merida, takes the spotlight in two new promotional videos for Pixar's latest film, today. The Queen is touted as being very traditional in her views, that a lady should be a lady, and not, for instance, wield a bow and refuse to marry. The clash between Merida and her mother is the backbone of Brave's story and Pixar have honed in on that with their advertising for the film today.

Above, via Yahoo! Movies, you can see the clip (which has appeared in a few trailers) in which Elinor recounts her woes over Merida's stubbornness, to her husband, King Fergus. The scene is more sombre and resonant (in the same vein as Marlin and Nemo in Finding Nemo) than some of the more comic aspects we've seen in the past couple of weeks; with Fergus here to provide comic relief.

Emma Thompson (Love Actually, Harry Potter) the Oscar winning actress who lends her voice to the Queen also spoke to Australian morning television show, Sunrise, about the film and its own resonance for her. Thompson said of the film:

"It's a growing up story, but it's a growing up story for both parent and child. They both go on this incredible joruney together and it's exciting and funny and moving."

Great to see such enthusiasm for the film, check out the full interview above!

On a side note, I'm not very fond of everyone comparing Brave to The Hunger Games now everyone appears to have jumped on that bandwagon. Can no one shoot an arrow anymore without copying Hunger Games? I suppose Daryl in The Walking Dead is channelling Katniss?

Via Upcoming Pixar.

New Brave Character Bios and Images

Throughout the many trailers and TV spots we've seen for Pixar's next feature film, Brave, a royal duo have featured very prominently: King Fergus and Queen Elinor. The monarchy of DunBroch, the parents of the film's antagonist, Merida, have been at the forefront of each and every trailer (apart from the teaser), particularly Elinor, and today /Film provide us with character descriptions for the duo as well as previously unreleased images.

The official character description for King Fergus, voiced by Billy Connolly, is:

King Fergus is a heroic warrior with a majestic bear cape, broad sword and a knobby peg leg – the result of his much-regaled skirmish with the demon bear Mor’du. His vendetta against the beast who took his leg makes Fergus a ferocious and determined bear hunter, evidenced by a home full of mounted trophies of every size. Protector of his kingdom and family, Fergus has a heart as big as his triplet sons are mischievous and boundless love for his wife, Queen Elinor. But his pride for his first-born daughter Merida is unmatched, and he has gifted her his great skill and passion for the sword and the bow.

And the description for Queen Elinor, voiced by Emma Thompson:

A vision of grace, wisdom and strength of character, Queen Elinor is fiercely dedicated to the well being of her family and kingdom. As the measured, diplomatic counterpoint to her more impulsive husband, King Fergus, Elinor carries the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders in order to maintain the fragile peace between the volatile clans. Elinor strives to instill in Merida the knowledge and manner of a royal, expecting complete commitment to Elinor’s standards. But her vision of her daughter’s future is at odds with Merida’s rebellious spirit and desire to forge her own path, which ultimately causes Elinor to face calamitous consequences.

Via /Film.

New Brave Image

Courtesy of USA Today, we get a new still from Pixar's next feature film, Brave. Pixar's 13th feature film, and its first to focus on a female protagonist, will slowly get more and more focus now that we've ticked over to 2012.
The newest image (above) shows the fiery young Princess Merida (Kelly MacDonald), with her royal kin, including her father, the grand King Fergus (Billy Connolly), her disapproving looking mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) and her triplet brothers, Harris, Hubert and Hamish.

Brave promises to be utterly brilliant; as is the Pixar norm.