He's Gonna Wreck It (Again): 'Wreck-It Ralph' Sequel Confirmed

Yesterday, Disney teased that they would reveal something new today. That something new was in fact something that's been rumoured before, but never officially announced: the Wreck-It Ralph sequel.

'Wreck-It Ralph 2' is Quite Possibly Happening

In a recent interview with Collider.com, John C. Reilly claimed that Disney is currently working on a Wreck-It Ralph sequel. Reilly, of course, voiced the titular character in the first film and has been saying for quite some time that he'd like to make a follow-up to the 2012 animated feature, but this is the first time he seems to confirm it's actually happening.

Sequel Potential?

In this day and age, if a movie does well enough, it's common for the studio that made it to announce a sequel right away. Animation studios are no different; DreamWorks Animation is the best example of this practice, as they tend to announce a sequel (or sequels) as soon as a film does good business. Most recently, Warner Bros. Animation announced a sequel to The Lego Movie as soon as the film started earning big bucks at the box office. Other studios, like Pixar, take their time with announcing sequels to their films (just recently we learned of sequels to The Incredibles and Cars). Surprisingly though, the studio that hasn't released many sequels in its long history is the oldest of them all, Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Wreck-It Ralph Composer on Sequel: "A Story is Indeed Being Written"

Henry Jackman, who has just recently scored Marvel's buzz-generating Captain America: The Winter Soldier (and who has just been announced as scoring Disney's upcoming Marvel adaptation, Big Hero 6), spoke to Collider recently. One very interesting topic of conversation was the rumoured sequel to 2012's Wreck-It Ralph; the composer, who scored the film, says he thinks the film is "officially on the cards."

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #52: Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #51: Winnie the Pooh (2011).

After the more quiet and charming Winnie the Pooh, Disney Animation came firing back on all cylinders with their next film. It was something very different from anything the studio had attempted before, and it seemed like an unlikely endeavour from a studio that seemed more "traditional" in the view of most people. Nonetheless, Wreck-It Ralph came at the perfect time for WDAS, as it helped it reinvent itself and find a new identity, as a pioneer of new and fresh stories, while also developing new technology to match them.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - The Revival Era (2007 - Present) Introduction

Last Week’s: Munir’s Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #46: Chicken Little (2005).

After a very difficult early/mid-2000s, Walt Disney Animation Studios could've easily ceased to exist and no one would've cared. Yes, the oldest animation studio was in such a crisis that putting it out of its misery was a very viable and merciful option at the time. Thank goodness for John Lasseter. Yes, I just said that. The man often reviled nowadays, John Lasseter, completely rehauled the studio, giving it back its identity, putting it back on the map and making it a worthy competitor to the other animation studios again. He healed the heart of the Disney Company and released a string of films that, step-by-step, created a stronger studio, a confident studio that not only embraced its rich history but also wasn't afraid of trying new things and delivering fresh stories with wonderful characters and heartfelt messages. Better still, the studio was no longer a DreamWorks or Pixar wannabe, but had its own style to differentiate it from the others. That wasn't an easy feat. Critical reception and box office started to grow slowly but surely, and now, seven years after Lasseter took over, the studio is back where it was always meant to be: at the very top of the pack. Whether it's a musical fairy-tale that pays homage to the Renaissance features while also offering something new and exciting, or a completely fresh story set in the video gaming world or a shiny future, Walt Disney Animation Studios has returned from the dead, risen like the phoenix, and taken the world by storm. We can only hope that this comeback will never subside again, as the studio's recent output has been simply outstanding to say the least. Welcome back Disney Animation, I hope you're here to stay!

Editorial: Thank You, Mr. Lasseter. Or, An Analysis of Walt Disney Animation Studios' Spectacular Comeback (2007-2012 and Beyond)

With Disney's Frozen just around the corner, I think it's time to look back and see the slow-but-sure comeback of Walt Disney Animation Studios since John Lasseter took over. With the Disney Company owning some of the most influential brands in the world (Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel), the Disney Animation Studios sometimes gets lost amidst its more media-frenzy-inducing siblings. Nonetheless, since Walt founded it back in 1923, the Animation Studio has been, and continues to be, the cornerstone of the Disney company (even if sometimes that's not apparent).

Big Hero 6 Not Released in the UK Until 2015? Or, Why Disney Still Hates Non-Americans

Yes, this is another international staggered release dates rant. If there's one thing that boils my bacon, when it comes to film studios, it's when films are released several months after their initial North American premieres over here in the UK. While writing a post about animated releases in 2014 (watch out for that in the next couple of days), I logged onto fiilmdates.co.uk to check when Walt Disney Animation Studios' Marvel adaptation, Big Hero 6, was due over here in good ole Blighty. And I was very much not pleased with what I found: the film isn't even due here next year; much like the God-awful situation with Wreck-It Ralph last year, it's not arriving until 15th February, 2015!

Editorial: "Kiddie-Fare": Why Animated Films Need to Be More Than Just 'Fun'

With the recent releases of The Croods and Epic, I think it's time to reflect on a nagging question that keeps bothering animation enthusiasts around the world: Why isn't animation taken more seriously? After all, animated films are almost guaranteed moneymakers for studios. One animated film can expand into sequels and endless merchandise that turn into billions in profits. Gone are the days when we had one animated films every three years or when we just have one or two animation studios in the world. No, now almost every major studio has an animation division and they're not releasing one animated film per year but two or even three. We are saturated with animated films and yet, when awards season comes, animation almost never receives the recognition it deserves. I mean sure, we have a Best Animated Feature Category and a Best Animated Short category; we also have the Annies and other awards, but animated films get shut out in other categories like Best Director and, until recently, Best Picture.

Introducing the A113Animation YouTube Channel!

As part of our ongoing expansion, we're pleased to officially unveil the A113Animation YouTube channel! Videos will be posted covering everything from news, to reviews, to opinions and everything in between. The first proper video from the channel, covering my updated thoughts on the A113Animation Award winning Best Animated Feature Film of 2012, Wreck-It Ralph, is live now - check it out above!

Wreck-It Ralph Blu-ray Review - Did the Bonus Features Go Turbo?

The most recent film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wreck-It Ralph, was a winner in every sense of the word. It was a hit at the box-office, so much so that a sequel could very well see the light in only a few years - director Rich Moore even mentioned some possible plot points for the likely follow up.

It was a hit critically too. People embraced the characters and their unique world. Many even called Wreck-It Ralph the best animated film of 2012. Including this very blog and its readers (yes, you!).

Rich Moore Talks Wreck-It Ralph 2

Late in January, Rich Moore spoke to The Huffington Post about all things Wreck-It Ralph: the production of the film, his reaction to its Oscar nomination and a few more teases about the possible sequel.

85th Annual Academy Award Predictions [UPDATED: And Winners]

The biggest night of the year on the film calender is nigh; the 85th annual Academy Awards ceremony takes place tomorrow! Hosted by Seth MacFarlane and emanating from the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, this year's Oscars are close, very close. As such, it's time for me to let out my inner awards pundit and offer up A113Animation's predictions on what will be walking home with a golden statue at the end of the night.

Animation is a particularly close call this year; for months I was sure Laika's ParaNorman would take the prize, but the tide has turned, particularly after Disney's Wreck-It Ralph swept the Annies at the start of the month. Though Ralph is the best film of the five, it may well be Pixar's Brave that takes home the award, particularly after its swell of momentum at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, and the Academy has always been fond of Pixar. Tim Burton's Frankenweenie had a lot of awards hype around it, but it doesn't seem to be a threat to Disney's other two offerings. It's great to see The Pirates! nominated, especially after getting so little recognition elsewhere, but it seems unlikely Aardman's latest will herald a second Oscar for them.

Short wise, it should be Disney's Paperman. Should be. But, personally, it seems more likely that Minkyu Lee's Adam and Dog will take the prize home, despite its lack of major advertising. Nonetheless, it's another close category. Life of Pi should and almost certainly will take home Best Visual Effects, a bittersweet win after Rhythm & Hues recently filed for bankruptcy.

On the live-action side, Argo seems a lock for Best Picture at this stage, and with the inexplicable omission of its helmer Ben Affleck from Best Director, the safe bet for that one is Spielberg. Most of the acting categories seem pretty sewn up (Daniel Day-Lewis is almost unbeatable at this stage, and a win will make him the only actor to ever win three Best Actor Oscars). Cinematography should be Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi - although Roger Deakins' work on Skyfall may well get the nod - and Best Original Song will definitely be Adele for "Skyfall". It's all really quite exciting!

Films we think should win are in bold, films we think will win are underlined; the winners will be highlighted in gold after the fact. No prediction indicates it's a category that I'm not knowledgeable about/haven't seen any of the nominees for.

William on the Scotty Jo Podcast Again: Wreck-It Ralph, Monsters U, The Boxtrolls and a Whole Lot More!

A few weeks back I went on the Scotty Jo Podcast to talk animation, and yesterday episode 7 of the podcast was released, with another animation-themed appearance by me! Far more extensive than my last visit, Scotty Jo and I discuss the last few weeks' super-exciting animation news (prepare for a link-a-thon): my thoughts on Wreck-It Ralph, the new Monsters University trailer, Laika's The Boxtrolls, the BAFTAs, the Oscars, the Annies, Finding Nemo 2, DreamWorks' current woes, Illumination's upcoming slate, the recently released fake Frozen posters, The Good Dinosaur and even more! If you like animation and don't mind the sound of my voice, give it a listen!

You can listen to the episode here or subscribe to the Scotty Jo Podcast on iTunes. You can check mine and Scott's half hour-plus animation conversation out from about 7:15 on - but I recommend giving the whole show a listen; particularly if you like hilarious Daniel Day-Lewis jokes.

3rd Annual A113Animation Awards Results

So, it's that time of year again, time to present our A113Animation Awards, honouring the best of animation in 2012! 2012 was undoubtedly a very strong year for animated films, it was the first year in recent memory where there was no clear cut winner; rather, a slew of very strong, very exciting and very diverse animated motion pictures. Nonetheless, winners had to be decided, so check out the results below - winners in bold - and a breakdown of what and why afterwards.

Videos of the Day: Live-Action Wreck-It Ralph in 60 Seconds and Chris Nolan Tribute

We've got a couple of really cool videos for you today... Firstly, for the Wreck-It Ralph fans out there, which should be everyone (check out our review here),  YouTuber MegaSteakMan has remade the Disney hit in live-action, in 60 seconds! Obviously, don't watch the video if you haven't seen the film (although it does actually leave out the biggest spoiler), but, if you have, enjoy the hell out of it! The level of detail in the video is astonishing; check out some great stills over at their Facebook page.



After that (via Animation Magazine), Vimeo user whoispablo has created this awesome animated tribute to the work of one A113Animation's favourite directors, the inimitable Mr. Christopher Nolan. The Dark Knight, Memento, Inception: whoispablo is clearly a massive Nolan fan too. Check it out - the music's from the Looper soundtrack.

Wreck-It Ralph Review - A Retro Turbo-Tastic Classic!

*This review is largely spoiler free, but read cautiously if you haven’t seen the film yet*

It's been a long wait. It's been an arduously long wait. But Walt Disney Animation Studios' 52nd animated feature, and one of its most unanimously praised ones in decades, Wreck-It Ralph, has finally hit the UK. Disney landed the film with an uphill battle: die-hard animation fans (myself included) harboured resentment at the delay and casual viewers - including many a friend of mine - have given up waiting and pirated the film - we don't endorse that, but it is a cold, hard fact that Disney need to wake up to. So, the question I posed to myself as I walked into the cinema on Saturday morning was a simple one: is it worth the wait? And the answer I arrived at within minutes was a resounding yes.

3rd Annual A113Animation Award Nominations

They've been delayed thanks to Disney's release schedule, but the time is upon us again, and I'm here today to announced the nominees for the 3rd annual A113Animation Awards! This year, we're introducing a few new awards; check out the categories, a few comments about what sort of criteria each category has where necessary, and the nominees who've managed to make the cut this year below.

Note, I haven't seen every single animated film of the year - the most notable omission is Tim Burton's Frankenweenie - and the awards are to be judged on what I have seen, as of today.

The Art of Wreck-It Ralph Review - A Wreck-Tacular Art Book

I actually received Chronicle Books' latest accompanying Art of book when Wreck-It Ralph was released Stateside in November, but I thought it would probably prove useful to have something left to hype myself up for the film's inevitable UK release. And it has. So, with Disney's Wreck-It Ralph finally hitting UK cinemas tomorrow, I'm very happy to present a review of its wonderful, vibrant and quintessentially cartoony companion, The Art of Wreck-It Ralph.

40th Annual Annie Awards Winners: Disney Wins Big

Last night, ASIFA-Hollywood handed out this year's Annie Awards, honouring the best of animation for 2012; the evening was hosted by animation and film historian Leonard Maltin. The Annies are self-touted as animation's highest honour, and last night the highest honours went to Disney.