Jennifer Lee, CCO, Disney Animation Studios, speaks onstage at the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Preview:
Jennifer Lee talks about writing and crafting an original fairy tale versus adapting from an existing story and what it is like not to have to stay within the guidelines of a story
The future of Disney animation and what the next generation of artists can bring
Lee hints at more stories to be told with Elsa and Anna, “ I’m proud of where they’re gonna go next.”
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee, about writing and crafting an original fairy tale, the many iterations of the character Star, the future of Disney animation, and the possibilities the new generation of artists can bring.
Moviefone: To begin with, you’ve worked on many Disney animated films including ‘Frozen,’ ‘Frozen II,’ and ‘Zootopia,’ just to name a few. Can you talk about writing an original story with ‘Wish,’ versus adapting an existing tale and being able to write without having to stay within the guidelines of an existing story?
Jennifer Lee: You know, I will say it’s something I almost forgot in a moment because we’ve gotten so steeped in this story for a long time. As a fairy tale, but recognizing, we were creating one from scratch. At first, that was very scary. Because it is like you can do anything, but what is the thing to do? I think what was so wonderful about it was getting to make discoveries that I think we may not have been able to make. I believe in a limited palette at times for focus. But I think in this case, I look at the character of Star, and Star went through many iterations. At one point talked, at one point could turn into a human, at one point, you know, into other things and, to have the freedom to recognize what we said. But hope and possibility don’t talk. They just are there for you. Why would Star speak? It’s millions of years old, it’s evolved beyond language, like we would just take these things that were so freeing, that led us to have really fun discoveries. There was nothing like, “Oh, but people are gonna expect us because in the story it’s that” and I think that that is huge that we can do that. But in many ways, what’s interesting is, and Peter Del Vecho has talked about this, is a moment where the story starts to tell you what it means, and it almost takes on a life of its own. So what’s funny for me is the ‘Wish’ story now, it’s like it’s always been. It’s like, that’s not how we got there but eventually, it starts to just land in a way that you’re bringing to life something that actually already exists. That’s a weird thing that I think only in animation I have ever experienced.
MF: As Chief Creative Officer and as you celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, where do you see the future of Disney animation going?
JL: Well, I think in a very fun way, what I’m seeing is the new generation, and in a really great way, especially with this last decade, I’ve been there watching a whole new team of artists, especially the way animation in the world is in a great place. People are really connecting with it. I feel very lucky to be a part of it. We always say when the animation is doing well, that’s good for all the artists, and so it’s creating new opportunities. I think the new voices of animation are exciting, and they’re daring. I see now for a lot of us who have been doing this for a while or have had the chance to experience our films beyond the world. We have a responsibility now to that new generation because there’s tons of talent. But we can experience it together. I think we’ll find that “Where’s the new voices going?” It’ll be up to them. So right now, I’m loving being in this role because I get to work with them, get to have lunches with the story team – multiple teams, but with the story crew, and we just talked about story. We talk about comedy, and it’s just all about creating that connection in our legacy that’s always been, which is building that next generation. But I think when I came in, I felt like that I was not that young, but I was new. I felt like that receiver as a new generation. You know, almost 13 years later, I feel like that shift where I can see it more clearly. It’s a really fun and ambitious time.
(L to R) Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) in Walt Disney Pictures’ ‘Frozen.’
MF: Finally, speaking of the future of Disney animation, will there be more stories for Anna and Elsa from ‘Frozen’?
JL: All I’d say, as Bob Iger himself mentioned we are in development on more ‘Frozen’. That’s all I can say. Because there is more story to tell. I love these women, and I think I’m proud of where they’re gonna go next.
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What Is The Plot Of ‘Wish’?
Set in the magical kingdom of Rosas, the story introduces Asha (Ariana DeBose), an optimist with a sharp wit who deeply cares about her community. When Asha turns to the sky in a moment of need and makes a wish, her plea is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face the most formidable of foes to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
‘Wish,’ the latest entry from Walt Disney Studios features a fantasy musical adventure that captures the feeling of classic Disney animation and a fresh new story on the importance of staying true to yourself and the power of wishes. The movie will be released in theaters on November 22nd.
Initial Thoughts
Right off the bat, the audience will recognize the animation style inspired by Disney classics such as ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Pinocchio,’ and ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.’ The blending of 3D animation and 2D hand-drawn watercolor is something we haven’t seen before in Disney animation and gives the film a vintage look.
The story explores the importance of wishes, how even a simple wish can inspire one’s path in life, and what happens when that is taken away. Complete with catchy songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice that’ll get you tapping your toes and captivating performances from Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as King Magnifico.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones, Peter Del Vecho, SVP, Feature Film Production, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fawn Veerasunthorn and Chris Buck speak for “Wish” at the Long Lead Press Day In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
‘Wish’ is co-directed by Chris Buck (‘Frozen II’) and Fawn Veerasunthron (‘Raya and the Last Dragon’), with screenplay written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore. The movie will take you down the road of nostalgia with the opening of the film pans in on a storybook, just as movies such as ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,’ ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ and ‘Pinocchio’ did.
After a quick exposition of King Magnifico’s past, we understand why he began studying magic to become a sorcerer and how the Kingdom of Rosas came to be – located in the Mediterranean Sea and a travel destination for all. It is also the place where anyone over the age of 18 can give their wish to King Magnifico for a chance to have it granted at a wishing ceremony.
The story introduces 17-year-old Asha, who works as a tour guide in Rosas and is about to interview to be the King’s apprentice. During the interview, it is revealed that while King Magnifico keeps the townspeople’s wishes safe, he doesn’t intend to grant most wishes. When Ahsa suggests the King return the ungranted wishes, he becomes upset and explains that he only grants wishes he sees fit to keep Rosas safe. When Ahsa further argues that wishes can’t be harmful King Magnifico retaliates by telling her he would never grant her grandfather Sabino’s wish.
Frustrated by this, Asha runs to the giant tree in the forest – the same one she and her father often visited during her childhood – and sings out her plead to the stars. Her wish was so passionate that it manifested a star from the sky into a ball of energy with magical powers. The night sky lights up with Star’s arrival, seen by all in the kingdom, including King Magnifico, who declares that any magic (other than what he conjures) is illegal and whoever uses magic is deemed a traitor.
This propels the story into Asha rushing against time to find a way to free and return the wishes to the people of Rosas, with the help of Star, her goat sidekick Valentino, and her band of friends.
The pacing of this movie is well-balanced, with the first act establishing the origins of Rosas, the relationship between Asha and her best friends, and King Magnifico’s past. The second act kicks into high gear as Asha works up a plan to free the wishes, all the while keeping Star hidden from King Magnifico. The songs are well-placed throughout and extremely catchy.
The overall look of ‘Wish’ preserves what we loved about the classics yet it retains the updated look wth 3D animation. It is clear to see that Buck and Veerasunthorn themselves are huge fans of Disney. Their love and appreciate of those films in is clearly shown in scenes that take places in the forest, as well as in the town of Rosas.
Leaning into the nostalgia even more are the easter eggs seen throughout the film. Most are subtle and does not distract from the movie. Sharp eyed fans can spot nods to films like ‘Bambi,’ ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Cinderella,” ‘Peter Pan’ and more. Asha’s group of friends is a nod to the seven dwarves as some of their character design and characteristics hints at at specific traits of the dwarves. The easter eggs sprinkled throughout are not only visual. If you listen carefully, you’ll also hear it in the dialogue and music.
There are seven brand new songs in ‘Wish,’ written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice. Michaels is the youngest songwriter to have worked on a Disney animated feature, and her style brings a contemporary sound to the mix. DeBose’s solo “This Wish” shows off her vocal range and ability to capture the raw emotion of Asha in her moment of desperation and hones in on the empowering message of believing in and fighting for your truth. This ballad has the potential to have the effect of ‘Frozen’s “Let It Go.”
Another standout number is King Magnifico’s “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” where he descends into dark magic and villainy. As the citizens of Rosas begin to question why they can’t remember their wishes, the King’s charming facade starts to crack. This is an upbeat song with clever lyrics, as the King sings about being under-appreciated after everything he’s done for the kingdom, being constantly asked for more, and ultimately turning to the forbidden spell book. Chris Pine delivers on all fronts in this fun and entertaining number.
The other songs in ‘Wish’ include “Welcome To Rosas,” “At All Costs,” “I’m A Star,” “Knowing What I Know Now,” and “This Wish (Reprise).”
‘Wish’ embraces all that is classic Disney animation, from the art style to the message of never stop believing in yourself (and your wishes). The idea of wishing upon a star may be a tale as old as time, but it is told in a refreshing way that’ll capture audiences young and old. The songs are incredibly catchy, and the adorable sidekicks Star and Valentino are guaranteed to steal your heart.
Chris Pine’s King Magnifico makes a magnificent villain and is extremely very fun to watch, though they could have gone into greater detail about his backstory on why he turned to sorcery, as it would have made his falling into dark magic all the more worth while.
‘Wish’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What Is The Story of ‘Wish’?
Set in the magical kingdom of Rosas, the story introduces Asha (Ariana DeBose), an optimist with a sharp wit who deeply cares about her community. When Asha turns to the sky in a moment of need and makes a wish, her plea is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face the most formidable of foes to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
(Left) ‘Wish’ co-director Chris Buck. (Right) ‘Wish’ co-director Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Disney Animation Studios gears up for its new feature-length animated movie, timed with the studio’s 100th anniversary. ‘Wish’ is helmed by Chris Buck (‘Frozen II’) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (‘Raya and the Last Dragon’). It’s an original fairy tale with an art style inspired by the looks of classic Disney animated movies and the theming of wishing upon a star.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn after a presentation for ‘Wish’ at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles. The two directors discussed the inspiration behind the upcoming animated feature, how many Easter Eggs they managed to sneak into the film, the influences for some of the musical numbers, and working with Ariana DeBose.
(L to R) Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones, Peter Del Vecho, SVP, Feature Film Production, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fawn Veerasunthorn and Chris Buck speak for “Wish” at the Long Lead Press Day In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Moviefone: To begin with, given the title of this film and how much was inspired by the classic Disney message of “When you wish upon a star,” was it always the plan to release this movie timed to the Disney 100th anniversary?
Chris Buck: Yeah. Jen (Lee) had sort of whispered in my ear. We were in the last year of ‘Frozen 2’. She says, “You know 2023 – is just around the corner, we gotta do something special.” We weren’t sure what yet, and so even though we were still finishing up from ‘Frozen 2,’ we pinned up all these stills from each Disney animated movie. I could see on one bulletin board the breadth of all the different styles and all the different years. Everything that Walt (Disney) and beyond had done, what the company had done. So that’s where it started because it wasn’t just the breadth of everything, but then you can see the connection between the movies, and then you can see characters wishing on stars. So then it just became sort of obvious, it’s like this movie has to be about a wish and it has to be wishing on stars.
(L to R) Ariana DeBose as Asha and Alan Tudyk as the pajama-wearing goat, Valentino in “Wish,” which is helmed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. The feature film releases Fall 2023.
MF: You talked about being inspired by Disney classics like ‘Beauty and the Beast‘ and ‘Pinocchio.’ We definitely saw the inspiration in the film’s artwork. Did you manage to sneak in Easter eggs for all the Disney fans and if so, can you tease any?
Fawn Veerasunthorn: You’ve seen some today. The big musical number where you may have heard a certain deer’s name (‘Bambi‘) in there. And there might have been some bunny who thumps a lot. I know we started from the ground up with aiming for this to be an original fairy tale, right? Part of celebrating the future, and coming up with something new with a contemporary song. Along the way, we just couldn’t help ourselves – being Disney fans, creating movies for Disney fans – that there are these ideas that come up, and we try to be tasteful about it and not that it’s distracting, but if you love Disney movies, when you go to see this film…
CB: …You’ll pick up quite a few. There’ll be some fans who pick out ones that maybe we didn’t even consciously do. I mean, it’s already happened. We have a list. It’s a long list.
MF: One of the scenes that we got to see today is where Asha is the tour guide, and she breaks into a musical number and we know that she’s voiced by Ariana DeBose but Asha’s movement matches the way Ariana moves. How was that achieved? Did you capture her dancing in the studio, or was it from purely watching her dance footage?
VF: For this song, we work with a choreographer from Spain, actually. We talked about Rosas as being a fictional place, but it’s a destination that people come from all over the world, but the main influence is North Africa and Southern Europe. In talking with him, we also wanted to infuse that modern sensibility because with Julian Michael’s writing of these songs, you can’t avoid it. So those aspects came together, and he created the dance reference for us onstage in Spain where we filmed it. Then our animators studied it. We also talked to Ariana about the way she moves and the way she thinks Asha would move and react to those two big factors
CB: They would also record not only for the dialect sessions but also her musical sessions. So when she is singing and acting, you know, she’s moving, and so our animators are looking at that, getting the cues and all that.
MF: Finally, were there any specific sequences, numbers or characters that were a bit challenging for you in the making of this film?
CB: They all have their own challenges. Sometimes what you think is going to be a very simple one could be deceiving. I mean, they’re all a challenge, they are all so exciting to play with and to do new things. But I don’t think there’s ever a formula that you say, ‘It’s gonna be easy.”
VF: They come with their own sets of joy and challenges.
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What Is The Plot Of ‘Wish’?
Set in the magical kingdom of Rosas, the story introduces Asha (Ariana DeBose), an optimist with a sharp wit who deeply cares about her community. When Asha turns to the sky in a moment of need and makes a wish, her plea is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face the most formidable of foes to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
The upcoming animated feature ‘Wish’ will be in theaters on November 22, 2023, with a brand new trailer debuting this week. Moviefone was invited to the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood to preview brand-new footage and meet directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn and Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee.
Timed with Disney’s 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Animation Studio’s ‘Wish’ is an all-new musical action-adventure set in the Kingdom of Rosas. Co-written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, the story follows 17-year-old Asha (Ariana DeBose), who makes a wish upon a bright star in the sky. Her wish is so powerful it brings the cosmic Star to life, and along with her goat sidekick Valentino (Alan Tudyk), they will confront the Kingdom’s ruler – King Magnifico (Chris Pine) in order to save the people of Rosas and their wishes.
The marquee is seen at the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Upon entering the lobby of the theater, there was a life-sized display of Asha and Valentino sitting on a tree branch with a starlit sky behind them. Downstairs housed artwork from the film, as well as original art from the animation research library of background and layouts from classic films like ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Pinocchio,’ ‘Snow White,’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ The filmmakers used those backgrounds as a reference for color and lighting in the movie.
Displays and signage are seen during the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
During the presentation at the El Capitan Theater, Moviefone had the pleasure of screening almost 30 minutes of never-before-seen scenes and footage from ‘Wish’, including a few musical numbers. First, we’re shown a montage of various Disney characters wishing upon a star, as the movie is all about wishes and dreams – a constant staple throughout Disney animated films.
‘Wish’ producers Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones (‘Encanto’) and Peter Del Vecho (‘Frozen’, ‘Frozen II’) introduce the new trailer, which you can watch above, where we learn the ruler of Rosas – King Magnifico, has the power to grant wishes. Unfortunately, not all wishes are granted, and when Asha finds out, she is disheartened. In a moment of despair, Asha makes her wish upon the brightest star in the sky, and because her wish was so strong and true from the heart, it manifested the cosmic being in the form of Star, a non-verbal ball of energy with magical powers. Later, Asha is deemed a traitor by King Magnifico. The trailer also includes musical numbers such as ‘This Wish’ and shows fun and energetic scenes such as Valentino dancing with a barn full of chickens.
The next scene shown was a musical number, where we see Asha working as a tour guide in the Kingdom of Rosas. She’s late to meet her tour group, but once she arrives, she leads the group through the kingdom with a ton of energy, relaying history and fun facts about the kingdom with a lively tune. The scene also shows how much the people love King Magnifico and his good looks as they fawn over his statue in the square. The scene ends in a grand dance number with Asha and the townspeople.
The third scene is of Asha as she prepares for her apprentice interview with King Magnifico. Queen Amaya has set up the appointment for her, feeling she would be perfect for the position. In the scene, we enter King Magnifico’s room, where a large tapestry hangs from the wall. One corner of the tapestry is burnt. Before King Magnifico enters, Asha sees a spellbook locked behind a glass case. Curious, she places her fingers on one of the glass etchings. To her surprise, they come to life as dragonflies buzzing around her. King Magnifico enters and uses his magic to return the dragonflies to the glass. As they continue to talk, King Magnifico reveals that he remembers Asha’s father before he passed away, and they connect over their history of loss and grief as he lost his family as well. We also find out that only citizens who are 18 or older can make a wish at the Wishing Ceremony.
The fourth scene lasts about 18 minutes and includes a musical number. King Magnifico shows Asha the magical Inner Sanctum, where all the wishes are stored. Asha breaks into song as she takes in the glory of everyone’s unique wish. Some wishes are simple, while some inventive or courageous. Asha realizes wishes aren’t just ideas but a part of one’s heart – the most beautiful part – and is filled with a sense of purpose.
It is here Asha finds out that not all the wishes are granted. Ungranted wishes are kept inside the sanctum, and the citizens who gave their wishes to King Magnifico will not remember what they wished for. Asha disagrees with the King’s method, and this makes him angry. In retaliation, he tells Asha he will not be granting her grandfather’s wish at the Wishing Ceremony and rejects Asha’s application as his apprentice.
(L to R) Ariana DeBose as Asha and Alan Tudyk as the pajama-wearing goat, Valentino in “Wish,” which is helmed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. The feature film releases Fall 2023.
The scene continues with Asha back home with her grandfather and mom. She tells him that his wish would not be granted and how many wishes are kept ungranted inside the Inner Sanctum. Asha wants to tell her grandfather his wish, but he refuses to hear it and gets upset with her. Hurt by his reaction, Asha leaves the house and heads towards the tree she used to climb with her father. This is where Asha breaks into her song ‘This Wish’. As she walks past the townspeople, she can see their long-forgotten wishes. Once she’s at the tree, she looks upon the brightest star in the sky and makes her wish.
After Asha’s wish, the star in the sky grows even brighter, illuminating the sky and forest in a burst of magic. This catches the attention of the citizens of Rosas and Queen Amaya. Inside the Inner Sanctum, the bulbs of wishes react to the magic. This alerts King Magnifico, who tells Queen Amaya someone is threatening him.
Back in the forest, Star has taken shape and grants Valentino’s wish by sprinkling stardust on him. Soon, Valentino was able to speak. The wish granting doesn’t stop there. Star floats around to a troop of mushrooms, wildflowers, and various woodland creatures who all gain the ability to speak. The animals and plants begin an upbeat song about how they all share a common dream and wish as more animals and plant life come to life, dancing, and singing.
The final footage is where Asha, Valentino, and Star attempt to sneak into the Inner Sanctum to retrieve her grandfather’s wish. At the same time, threatened by Star’s magic, King Magnifico tells the citizens of Rosas about a traitor who practices illegal magic in the kingdom. However, the citizens have begun raising the question of why they can’t remember their wishes.
Seeing this, King Magnifico announces to the kingdom he will grant the wish of the one who can turn in the traitor. King Magnifico breaks into ‘This Is the Thanks I Get’, a song and rap about being unappreciated by his people after all he’s done for them. His reflection is used throughout the number, hinting at his narcissistic personality and ego. As Asha, Valentino, and Star sneak around the Inner Sanctum, a desperate King Magnifico opens the spell book as green-colored magic comes off the pages, and his eyes light up the same color. The floor to the Inner Sanctum opens, revealing winding stone stairs leading to a secret underground chamber. By the end of the song, King Magnifico’s polished and charming demeanor is gone, and he seems more unhinged.
From all the footage shown, ‘Wish’ is shaping up to be a grand story with a ton of fantastic musical numbers. Visually, the animation style is reminiscent of classic Disney hand-drawn 2D animation. Ariana DeBose is perfect as Asha in how she portrays both hopefulness and vulnerability in the character and her incredible vocal performances. Valentino and Star will undoubtedly be scene stealers, and Chris Pine’s King Magnifico will be a very fun villain to watch.
(L to R) Peter Del Vecho, SVP, Feature Film Production, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jennifer Lee, CCO, Disney Animation Studios, Chris Buck and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones at the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Following the footage, a Q&A took place with directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, Chief Creative Officer and Executive Producer Jennifer Lee (who co-wrote the story), and producers Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones.
The conversation of ‘Wish’ started back in 2018 between Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee as they knew they wanted to do something big for Disney’s 100th anniversary.
The film’s overall look was inspired by Buck and Veerasunthorn’s love for classic Disney movies such as ‘Sleeping Beauty’, the main legacy film ‘Wish’ is influenced by. In order to achieve the hand-drawn watercolor look with CG, the directors relied on new technology and a team of artists, technicians, and software writers. Director Chris Buck mentions they also utilized Disney short films as a way to experiment with technology:
“We’ve been doing things where you do incorporate a bit of the hand-drawn into some of the shorts that we’ve done. You get a little bit line around the character, but sometimes the characters are still animated in CG. But again, it’s starting to do what we’ve also been loving to do, and that sort of embracing our legacy, along with moving towards the future. So, I think it’s that hand-drawn look, and computer. It is very hard to describe”
Jennifer Lee, CCO, Disney Animation Studios, speaks onstage at the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Jennifer Lee adds:
“This achievement has meant a lot to us because it’s getting their vision, actually finally having technology and artistry meet in a way that they see eye-to-eye instead of having to compromise. And I think it’s part of why it’s been so hard, because it’s not just about ‘Oh, we can add this and this,’ it’s about what’s the end result we want. And it’s that sense of art.”
Fawn Veerasunthorn chimes in on the topic of blending CG and 2D art together:
“And what I love is that it brings our CG artists and 2D artists together. Because, you know, animators will call and ask for advice about ‘how do you put the lines on the face of a character to accentuate the emotion?’ and they studied that. The effects crew went to the animation research library, where you have seen some of the artwork today. And they study how the effects, the graphic shapes of it was translated into our CG process. And the artists have expressed that this is a wonderful thing that it brought them together, that there’s no longer a boundary between 2D and CG”
As for the music of ‘Wish,’ the team brought in Grammy-nominated songwriter Julia Michaels, producer Benjamin Rice (‘A Star Is Born’), and composer Dave Metzger for the score. At 29 years old, Michaels is the youngest person to write songs for Disney, having written artists such as Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Pink, and Selena Gomez, her style brings a contemporary sound to the mix.
(L to R) Peter Del Vecho, SVP, Feature Film Production, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jennifer Lee, CCO, Disney Animation Studios, Chris Buck and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones speak onstage for ‘Wish’ at the Long Lead Press Day & In-Person Presentation for ‘Wish’ at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 21, 2023. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.
Talking about Ahsa’s song ‘This Wish’, Fawn Veerasunthorn says:
“And that song was actually the very first song that Julia wrote for this film. We didn’t quite have a whole story at that point.
“We hadn’t written a script yet, even,” adds Jennifer Lee.
Veerasunthorn continues,
“That’s what’s fascinating about it. We gave her some of the brief storyline, and then she wrote that incredible song. And that’s what inspired us so much, of like, there’s this girl who didn’t know where to turn and she looked up the star and poured her heart out, and magical things happened.”
Jennifer Lee points out how well Michaels understood Asha’s character:
“What I love is the rawness of, [Asha] doesn’t even know exactly what she’s asking for. She’s looking for help, but there’s a generosity in her. You know, people tease ‘Oh teenagers only care about themselves,’ I’m like, ‘Well, they don’t.’ They just have the courage to ask for a better world. So, she is so vulnerable in that. And Julia caught all of that and gave back us something more inspired than what we were even thinking about. And it has been a true north for us the whole time.”
Chris Buck adds:
“She understood Asha so well from the very beginning. And so that was great having her as a songwriter. She not only had love for the classics, all the Disney songs, but again, being younger also embraces the more contemporary side, too.”
The filmmakers talk about working with Ariana DeBose and how much of her physicality was integrated into the character. Chris Buck explains that DeBose is very active within the booth:
“A lot. She’s very, very active within the booth (laughs). Sometimes maybe a little too much, because the sound engineer is like, ‘Ariana, can you move back on the mic a little bit?’ But you know, she’s acting it all out. And yes, we record all of it. The animators, all the way down to the mouth shapes, eye shapes, anything that she’s done. She’s so expressive, and she’s so much fun to work with. She gives you a lot of, you know, a lot of taste.”
Producer Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones remembers when DeBose came to the studio to speak with the animators, “It was really cool to see her interaction. She’s just so unique and she is unafraid to be herself. And the animators really reacted to that.”
Jennifer Lee talks about the inspiration for the film’s villain, King Magnifico.
“First, we started with what do we think about for villains that we’d love to do. Because how do we be different from the previous films, but also a nod to them. And it really is about getting to watch that journey. So we knew we wanted to start where you get to watch him make choices where you might meet the best of him, and then hopefully, survive the worst of him.”
Songwriter Julia Michaels was instrumental in fleshing out the character of King Magnifico, says Lee
“Julie Michaels was instrumental because [the song] ‘This Is the Thanks I Get’ as an idea, which hilariously, is a nod to all moms put up with in the house. We talked a lot about that, for her, that she hooked onto the idea of a narcissist. So, it comes really simple, down to character and the deliciousness and danger of that. And so, for me, when I write, that’s how I had to process is, from inside out. And the person, the charm of that, when tested, people make different choices when tested.”
The filmmakers went through many iterations of Star, and Jennifer Lee touches on why it’s one of the most critical characters in the movie.
“We did many iterations of Star. Star can’t make this wish happen for you. You have to do it. But Star represents the thing that was critical to Walt [Disney], that you need. You need hope. You need possibility. Doesn’t hurt to have some wonder. Don’t forget some joy. All the things that we grab onto that keep us going. So, it helped us because in building Star, this sense of, Star always reminds you to keep going and possibility. And yes, gets to add a little bit of magic. It’s this, trying to capture the simplicity of one person’s journey through Asha. But the emotional story of what Walt cared about built through Star.”
‘Wish’ will arrive in theaters on November 22, 2023. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. It is co-written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones.
Walt Disney Studios kicked off the first day of D23 Expo 2022 in style today with tons of advance looks at what the House of Mouse has in store for fans in the coming days, months, and years. You can watch Moviefone‘s exclusive backstage interviews by clicking on the video player above.
The first D23 Expo in three years began with the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, Sean Bailey, revealing the first-ever footage from ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
Bailey was joined by the wacky Sanderson Sisters themselves – stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – who appeared via video to show how their characters are back for the first time since 1993 for more soul-stealing Halloween action.
Battling them this time around are aspiring witch Becca (Whitney Peak) and magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson).
But the audience’s biggest applause went to the original film’s Billy Butcherson (‘The Shape of Water’s Doug Jones) upon his return from the grave. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ hits Disney+ on September 30th. The trailer is in the video player above.
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Next up on the panel was another eagerly anticipated sequel, ‘Disenchanted’. Returning stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden took the stage, alongside Maya Rudolph, the film’s new villain. ‘Disenchanted’ finds Adams’ Giselle and hubby Dempsey moving to the suburbs with their infant and teenage children.
“I was a huge fan of the original,” said Rudolph. “I can’t believe I got to be part of this… It’s not easy being mean to Amy Adams.” The new teaser trailer for the sequel is in the video player above.
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As far as live-action remakes of Disney animated classics go, ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ was the first on deck today: with star Jude Law (Captain Hook) flanked by newcomers Alexander Molony (Peter Pan), Ever Gabo Anderson (Wendy), and Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Tiger Lily).
Expect more empowered female characters this time around, including at least one Lost Girl among Peter’s Lost Boys.
“Disney has worked very hard to give her more depth and a lot more character,” said Anderson of Wendy. “She and Peter are equals in this film.”
Law added that Hook and Pan’s prior relationship is also fleshed out. “We got to mine their back story a little bit more. You get to understand their past,” he said, hinting that the two were once friends.
“I got to make sure all the little details, all the Easter eggs are there. Because I’m a nerd,” confessed Simien. He then joined another of the film’s stars – scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis – in a Doom Buggy rolling across the D23 Expo stage.
Few Disney films are so beloved as 1994’s ‘The Lion King’. And fans will get more of the film’s animal kingdom in the 2024 prequel ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’.
Director Barry Jenkins appeared to explain how “Mufasa is the origin story of one of the greatest kings of the Pride Land… It’s the real story of how Mufasa found his place in the circle of life. What you learn is that Mufasa is great because of the family and the friends he has with him.”
Of course Disney Studios wouldn’t exist without its very first animated classic, 1937’s ‘Snow White’.
Director Marc Webb is tackling the live-action 2024 remake, featuring Gal Gadot as the Wicked Queen and Rachel Zegler as its eponymous heroine. The two were touched by the warm response they received as they presented a first look at their characters.
“Just your reaction means the world to us,” said Gadot.
A visibly moved Zegler explained that, “Snow White is the girl you remember, but she’s definitely made for the modern age,” stating the film redefines what it means to be the fairest of them all.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot at Disney D23 Expo 2022 Getty Images
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While ‘Snow White’ is Disney’s first animated feature, 1989’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ is responsible for the studio’s renaissance. As well as its renewed dedication to musicals, as Rob Marshall, director of May 2023’s live-action adaptation, reminded fans today.
“It was very important for us to honor the original. We went to Alan Menken, who was divine to work with, and also our dear friend Lin-Manuel Miranda. They had never worked together before… There are four new songs. We still retain the beauty of the original score, written by the late great Howard Ashman as well.”
Fans were treated to the film’s entire “Part of Your World” number, featuring a note-perfect Halle Bailey, who appeared on stage with Marshall.
“Three days of filming ‘Part of Your World,’” said Bailey, “that was the most beautiful experience of my life. Just getting to sing a song I’ve loved since I was a child was so exciting.”
“The camera loves you,” Marshall told Bailey. “But it’s more than that. [It] loves what’s inside. [It] loves what you bring.”
The two then unveiled a teaser that recalled ‘Finding Nemo’ in the color and detail of its underwater world. You can find a teaser version of the clip in the video player at the top of the page.
It was then time for Pixar Animation Studios’ turn in the spotlight, with chief creative officer Pete Docter introducing next summer’s ‘Elemental’.
Director Peter Sohn spoke of how the film’s Element City was inspired by the culturally mixed New York of his childhood. Footage shown depicted the star-crossed romance of its fire-based heroine Ember (Leah Lewis) and her watery boyfriend Wade (Mamoudou Athie).
Pixar also unveiled its first original long-form series in the form of ‘Win or Lose’, each episode of which follows the perspective of a different character connected to a co-ed softball team, the Pickles.
With this year’s ‘Lightyear’, Pixar returned to the science fiction of ‘Wall-E’. Expect more in this vein soon, starting with ‘Elio’.
Announced today at D23 with star America Ferrera on stage, the film’s title character is an 11-year-old boy who doesn’t feel like he fits in his world. His mom (Ferrera) runs a top-secret military project, which inadvertently results in Elio making first contact with alien life and becoming our planet’s ambassador to the rest of the universe. It’s due out in spring 2024.
Last but by no means least on the Pixar slate – ‘Inside Out’ star Amy Poehler made a surprise appearance alongside Docter to announce ‘Inside Out 2’.
“Joy and the emotions are back for an all new adventure inside Riley’s head,” said a fittingly ebullient Poehler. “Only this time she’s a teenager!”
New emotions will also appear in the film, as Kelsey Mann takes over the directing chores from Docter, with Meg LeFauve returning to write the summer 2024 release.
To cap off the panel, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer (and Oscar-winning ‘Frozen’ director) Jennifer Lee greeted the D23 Expo audience to show what’s in store for the studio’s 100th anniversary next year.
But first, Disney’s fan-favorite 2016 ‘Zootopia’ will get a spin-off series this November on Disney+. And attendees got an advance look at the aptly titled ‘Zootopia+’, consisting of six short ‘Zootopia’-style spoofs of everything from ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ to ‘The Godfather Part II’.
Perhaps Disney’s most unique offering at the Expo was ‘Iwaju’. Coming this year to Disney+, it finds the animation studio partnering for the first time in its long history with an overseas animation studio – Africa’s Kugali. Its three founders appeared today, describing their Afrofuturism fable and its characters as a love letter to their hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
More sci-fi arrived with a new look at ‘Strange World’, described by Lee as “a film about family, legacy, and what we leave behind for the generations that follow.” Director Don Hall explained how the film chronicles three generations coming together on an alien planet in order to save their world.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu introduced a rip-snorting clip of an exciting chase through ‘Strange World’s creature-packed planet.
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The Disney Animation segment, and indeed entire panel, concluded with the revelation of the studio’s 100th anniversary feature film – ‘Wish’. The tale of the star upon which so many Disney characters have wished throughout the past century, ‘Wish’ is co-directed by the attending team of Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Buck, who co-wrote the film with Lee, explained how ‘Wish’ explores a kingdom of wishes, in which wishes can literally come true. Offering a lush, animated watercolor style coupled with CG animation, it stars newly minted Oscar winner Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old Asha, who pleas to the heavens for help, and gets an actual star from the sky, named Star, who communicates through pantomime.
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Disney “good luck charm,” actor Alan Tudyk appeared with footage of his character, a goat named Valentino who wishes to communicate with people. Finally, DeBose saw fans off with a sizzling live performance of “More for Us,” one of the film’s songs by Grammy winner Julia Michaels.
In “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” after Elsa’s transformation from snowy ice queen to comfy couch potato, she wears a T-shirt that says, “Just let it go.” If only.
Since its release five years ago this week, Disney’s animated bauble “Frozen” has proven itself to be a juggernaut, taking hold of the cultural zeitgeist like no animated feature since the early 1990s. (It also made lots and lots of money.) But while the movie seems to be everywhere these days, there are probably things you don’t know about the shimmery wonder that is “Frozen.” It might sound impossible, but it’s true.
1. Walt Originally Wanted to Make It, 70 Years Before Its Release
Following the end of World War II, during which the studio had been occupied by American military forces and a drought in overseas distribution led to the creation of cheaper, less creatively viable “package films,” Walt Disney wanted to do something ambitious. As early as 1937, he had wanted to turn Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Snow Queen” into an animated feature; it never came together.
But after the war, he started looking into a different approach. According to Neal Gabler’s biography, one of the postwar projects was “a biography of Hans Christian Andersen with animated sequence that he had been discussing as a joint production with producer Samuel Goldwyn throughout the war.” The idea was that a live-action biopic would be threaded with animated sequences created by Walt Disney at his studio (another sequence was planned for “The Little Mermaid”). In 1952, Goldwyn released “Hans Christian Andersen,” a musical biopic that starred Danny Kaye. It was nominated for six Academy Awards. Walt put “The Snow Queen” and “The Little Mermaid” back on the shelf. Thankfully, they didn’t stay there forever.
2. The Idea Was Revisited During the Disney Renaissance
The idea for “The Snow Queen” was too good for Disney to just abandon. In the early 1970s, Disney Imagineer Marc Davis pitched the Enchanted Snow Palace, an elaborate dark ride that would have sat where the Fantasyland Theater currently resides in Disneyland. Described by Disney historian Jim Hill as an “elegant, air-conditioned, Audio-Animatronic-filled extravaganza,” the attraction would have culminated with an encounter with the Snow Queen, this time envisioned looking like of the the showgirls from Ziegfield Follies. “This was a ride that Marc had designed for the hot summer days,” is how his widow Alice Davis described the attraction on the “Frozen” home video release.
The studio eventually returned to the idea of a full-fledged animated “Snow Queen” movie from the late-1980s up until the early 2000’s, during the so-called Disney Renaissance, when the animation division of the studio was seeing unprecedented critical and commercial success. One of the touchstones of this period was “The Little Mermaid,” an idea that Walt had batted around in regards to the Andersen biopic, and had now blossomed into a full-fledged phenomenon.
When Harvey Fierstein was working on “Mulan,” he pitched a version that Disney passed on, and they likewise shrugged at proposals concocted by the great Glen Keane, French animators Paul and Gaetan Brizzi (who around the same time sold their animation studio to Disney, ultimately serving as a Parisian satellite studio), Dick Zondag, and Dave Goetz (who most recently served as production designer for “Zootopia“). None of these versions took hold. But good ideas don’t go away, especially at Disney.
3. It Was Almost a Pixar Movie …
As James B. Stewart reports in his indispensable book “Disney War,” in 2003, then-head of Disney Michael Eisner was taking a meeting about the studio’s upcoming slate. In 2007, a feature based on “The Snow Queen” had been penciled in. Eisner was skeptical of the project, and wistfully thought about transferring the production. “John Lasseter. If we make a new deal with Pixar …” Eisner began. If a new deal could be reached with Pixar, then the project would then go to the Emeryville, California-based studio. “I said to John, you can have ‘Snow Queen.’ He loved it. John said, ‘I want to do a princess movie,’” Eisner continued. Mary Jane Ruggels, a creative vice president at the company, was at the meeting and pitched the core concept to Eisner: “The Snow Queen is a terrible bitch, when her suitors try to melt her heart, she freezes them.” She promises Eisner a treatment in two weeks, but when he asks if it can be ready by 2006, he is told “absolutely not” by producer Pam Coats.
At the end of the meeting, after they’ve discussed eventual projects like “The Princess and the Frog” and “Meet the Robinsons,” alongside ultimately doomed features like “Fraidy Cat,” “Hansel & Gretel” (“with a twist: the kids are obnoxious, the witch likable”) and “Aida,” Eisner remarks, “I love Snow Queen.” Looking back on this conversation, it’s fascinating, because a new agreement with Pixar was never reached (Eisner’s successor, Bob Iger, ended up buying the studio) and “The Snow Queen” continued to languish, although Pixar finally wound up with its princess movie with 2012’s Oscar-winning “Brave.”
4. … And An Original Stage Production
In March, 2006, Disney announced that Alan Menken, one of the musical architects of the Renaissance, was signed to a nonexclusive contract with the studio. Amongst his many projects was “The Snow Queen,” a big, Broadway-style musical that was set to debut in the summer of 2007 at the Tokyo DisneySea resort, in the park’s Broadway Music Theater. (You can still hear some of the unreleased songs if you search hard enough.) Several months after the announcement, however, the project was ultimately scrapped, with Menken teaming up with Mike Gabriel, a legendary Disney animator and the co-director of “Pocahontas,” on yet another animated feature version of “The Snow Queen.” But, again, this wasn’t meant to be.
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5. Even the Version That Was Announced Doesn’t Sound Much Like the Final Movie
Formally announced in 2011, the project followed the lead of “Tangled,” and was renamed “Frozen.” At that point, it wasn’t clear if the film would be traditionally animated (as “The Princess and the Frog” and “Winnie the Pooh” had been) or computer-generated. In June 2012, it was revealed that it would be a CG feature, that Kristen Bell would play Anna, Idina Menzel would play Elsa, and that Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (alums from “Winnie the Pooh” and a “Finding Nemo” musical production at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park) would be writing the original songs.
At this point, Chris Buck was the sole director, even though Jennifer Lee, who wound up being the screenwriter and co-director, had been quietly brought on board earlier that year after previous efforts to crack the story had “imploded.” According to a Script Notes podcast with John August, the entire team “essentially started over and … we had 17 months.” (While most agree that the script was pretty locked down by November, 2012, it still went through extensive changes, up until right before it was released.)
And looking back at that press release, you can sort of see the movie that they wound up with, if you squint hard enough: “In ‘Frozen,’ a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, so Anna (voice of Bell) must team up with Kristoff, a daring mountain man, on the grandest of journeys to find the Snow Queen (voice of Menzel) and put an end to the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like extremes, mystical creatures, and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.” No Olaf, no Sven, and a larger emphasis on “mystical creatures and magic at every turn” (early versions had an actual yeti they encountered).
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6. The Movie’s Success Was Far From a Sure Thing
While the overwhelming success of “Frozen” now seems like a part of our everyday life, it was never a sure thing, especially given what a painful production it ultimately ended up being. And pretty much everyone was taken by surprise. I spoke to Josh Gad shortly after the movie opened and he recalls that he didn’t think the movie was going to be a smash until he was invited to a screening that Lee, Buck, and John Lasseter had for the actors. He hadn’t read the script, simply recited his lines from storyboards that the animators had provided him. Well, I’ll let him tell it:
“So I’m sitting there and I’m watching this movie and I feel my eyes leaking and I literally find myself sitting there sobbing like I did, I guess, the first time I saw ‘The Lion King.’ I’m thinking to myself: Oh my god, I haven’t felt this way watching a Disney film since I was a kid,” Gad told me. “I grew up in the eighties and nineties when it was that run of ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Beauty & the Beast‘ and ‘The Lion King,’ so I was very spoiled in terms of what I was able to experience as an epic event at the movie theater. When the movie ended, I turned to John Lasseter, and I said, ‘I haven’t felt that way since 1994.’ I thought to myself: Man, what a great feeling. I hope audiences can discover that too. And I guess they have. That’s the best way to put it. Not only have they felt the same way I felt when I first saw the movie, but now their kids are discovering what it feels like to be a part of a Disney event that is a musical that harkens back to all of the princess movies that Walt Disney gave my grandparents that the company then gave my parents and me. To now be a part of the fourth or fifth generation to experience one of these great musicals… It’s an amazing thing to be a part of that.” Well said, Gad.
7. This Movie Was Unbelievably Huge
Again, “Frozen” has become such a steadfast part of the cultural landscape, it’s hard to imagine a time without it. But consider this: “Frozen” is still the highest grossing animated feature of all time, on a global level. And it came out five years ago. What’s more – it’s still going. A 2015 Forbes report stated that in the fiscal 2014, its consumer products division posted “a healthy profit of $1.36 billion.” Much of this was due to the sale of “Frozen” merchandise (and the accompanying, highly lucrative licensing that went along with it). Similar numbers are staggering: a sing-along version of the movie was released into America theaters on January 31, 2014, on 2,057 screens. It won two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”). And when the movie finally hit home video, it sold 3.2 million units on its first day of release. It has since gone on to become the biggest-selling Blu-ray in the United States, with nearly 8 million units sold. In 2014, Elsa showed up on the list of 100 most-used baby names on BabyCenter, for the first time ever.
And in the years since, “Frozen” has only expanded its icy hold – it has showed up on Broadway, in countless Disney Parks attractions and shows (Frozen Ever After, the first full-fledged ride, is open at Epcot), in a Christmas special, in “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and on “Once Upon a Time.” In the months ahead, we’ll get announcements of even more attractions (Disneyland’s Fantasyland will look very different very soon), plus the stage show will begin touring the United States. And, finally, on November 22nd, 2019, we will finally get a sequel. But, you know, expectations are muted.
The short is centered around Anna’s birthday; Elsa, having spent so many years in seclusion, wants it to be perfect. But since she’s come down with a cold, things don’t go exactly as planned. (We’ll keep things vague — we don’t want to spoil a second if it!) The entire “Frozen” team returns for the short, from voice talents Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad, to songwriters Bobby and Kristen Lopez (yes, there’s another insidiously infectious song to worm its way into your brain) to much of the animation team, led by returning directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck.
We were able to chat with Lee and Buck about where the short came from, how close it was to not getting finished, what their favorite piece of “Frozen” merchandise is, and how the “Frozen” ride at EPCOT in Walt Disney World is shaping up.
Moviefone: When did you first start thinking about this short?
Chris Buck: The idea of doing a short came up last spring. We were talking to John Lasseter about it, too, and it really seemed like a “thank you” to all of the fans. Just a short little thing like this, and we got excited about that. We were a little tired after the feature and the months after, so not until we really sat down in a room with our head story artists and started brainstorming about what it could be did we get excited. And then one of our story artists, Mark Smith, came to me and said, “What if Elsa got a cold?” And we all went, “Hmmm, okay!” We didn’t get a chance to have much fun with Elsa in the feature so this was the chance. We all got really excited.
Was there any discussion about what to use in the short and what to hold back for potential sequels or follow-ups?
Jennifer Lee: No, I think, obviously, this is coming from us and Bobby and Kristen Lopez too, we know the “Frozen” characters very well, we know what they would and wouldn’t do, we know the choices they would make and things we don’t want to happen and we obviously stay true to that. But the bigger thing was just making sure we were creatively open and saying “What if?” and shaking things up a bit. We had to get everything that happened with “Frozen” out of our heads just so we could think, What would Anna do? What would Elsa do? And staying true to them and exploring things like how Elsa and Kristoff had never talked to each other in the feature so that would be nice to see, so we did. But being that short and being that it takes place in one day, it wouldn’t take away from the fun people were having about where these characters were going next.
Can you talk about developing the look of “Frozen Fever”? It’s kind of fun to see the kingdom with a springier color scheme.
Buck: We got a lot of our team back together to do the film, so our art director was back and we gave it that “Frozen” look. He’s great with color and design so we wanted to stay true to the original and Arendelle. So it’s pretty much Arendelle set in the summertime and how beautiful that could be. That was it. Instead of the wintery color scheme from the movie we got to play with more summery stuff.
What was it like working with the Lopezes again? They’re obviously a huge part of the make-up of the franchise’s success.
Lee: Well, what’s nice is that we worked very, very intensely with them for a good 14 to 15 months and shaped the story with them, so we had a shorthand throwing out story ideas and giving them the broad strokes of where we were going and supporting that with visual gags and things. And they find the hook — that song that they can write that resonates. We hit a nice balance, since the song is quite sincere and it’s the emotion of the film; it’s the girls, it’s their relationship, and the visuals support it with playfulness. And that’s what we’ve done a lot with them. It was a bit of a groove that we came to know, which was very helpful. But we also couldn’t imagine doing it without them. They know these characters as well as we do.
How difficult was it to get this short done on time?
Buck: It was tight. We started working on it last June. That was just coming up with the idea. And production-wise, we had to squeeze in at the end of “Big Hero 6,” before the animators started in on the next one. Everybody wanted to work on it. A lot of the animators had such a good time on the first one that they came to us and said, “Can I just do one scene?” And even our head animator on Olaf came back and did one scene.
Lee: So we have a lot of animators on this because everyone said, “Can I just do one?” That meant a lot to us — that people wanted to come back. The concern in the beginning was always, Will it be good enough? Will it do it justice? Do you have the creative energy to do it? So we couldn’t put it into production until we had found it. So the summer was pretty intense in terms of getting it right or getting it to where it could go with animation. The song came about pretty quickly, which helped. But we were recording voices in August and we had just sat down with it in June. But we tend to work that way — really intense, really fast.
This movie has clearly taken on a life of its own. What is your favorite bit of “Frozen”-related merchandise?
Lee: Ooooo…
Buck: Uhhhh…
Lee: Could it be good or bad? My mind is now spinning.
Buck: For the bad, the bad would be that there was a Halloween costume for women… It was Olaf…
Buck: That would probably be my favorite bad one. I don’t think it was Disney sanctioned. It was pretty impressive though.
Lee: For good I think to the thing that inspired a lot of eBay price fights, which were the dresses. Because when I was growing up as a girl, they didn’t have these. They didn’t have the Disney Princess dresses. And I was obsessed with “Cinderella” and making dresses out of my mom’s slips and things.
Buck: You said the mice were helping you with that!
Lee: So particularly Elsa’s dress, every time I saw a little girl in that, I could just feel how they were feeling and how much they were enjoying throwing their arms out and pretending to make snow. That doesn’t get old.
“Frozen” will be a franchise that will go on for many years. How do you delegate shepherding the “Frozen” brand with working on other projects of your own?
Lee: I’ll let you know once we figure out how to do it right. It’s a challenge, and it’s a good challenge to have. We can be quite tired, but I would say that’s a champagne problem to have this amount of support creatively from Disney on all fronts — the musical, the “Wrinkle in Time” animation, the parks; just the fact that they want us from us keeps us going, even when we’re tired.
Buck: What’s great too is that they’ve actually asked us to hop on these things. Sometimes in the past, once you finish the film, you hand it over and that was it. That was the last time you had any input that came after the film, so it’s nice that we’re asked and are able to tell them what worked, what didn’t work, and give them some advice in keeping them true. It helps to keep the integrity of these characters and this property.
You brought up the parks. What’s the status of the Norway ride at EPCOT and how’s it coming along?
Buck: I’m not sure of the date, I think spring of next year. It’s looking very, very good. We’ve been in on the early designing and I’m excited by the look of it.
Lee: Chris has been working with them daily, and I of course threw up when they showed us the 3D version in the simulator. So I’m not going anywhere near it.
Buck: It’s going to have real state-of-the-art audio animatoronics and it’s going to look amazing.
What has it been like seeing the characters embraced at the parks?
Buck: Oh, it’s crazy. Especially when you see the response with the meet-and-greet characters. I was walking by the meet-and-greet at Disneyland last summer, when the lines were extremely long, and I was with someone and they said, “You should tell them you’re the director.” And it’s like this four-hour line of parents and kids, and I said, “I’m not going to tell anyone I had anything to do with it.”
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Good news for every parent or caretaker tired of hearing little voices sing “Let It Go”! From what we can glean from this first look at “Frozen Fever,” there will soon be a new song for young fans to obsess over. The catch is that you have to go see Disney’s “Cinderella” in theaters to see the entire animated short, which will run before each showing of the fairy tale retelling.
“Frozen Fever” chronicles the mishaps of Kristoff, Olaf, and Elsa as they try to organize a birthday party for Anna. The short reunites the entire team behind “Frozen,” from Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel to directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck.
