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View Full Version : Disney announces no more sequels!!



Aurora
06-23-2007, 10:43 AM
DVD Sequels Wiped from Disney Drawing Board

E! Online
Friday, June 22

It looks as if we've seen the last of the likes of The Return of Jafar and The Lion King 1 1/2.

Furthering the computer-dominated industry tale that began with Toy Story, the Walt Disney Co. announced Friday a major restructuring of its animation department, which includes a decision to stop producing lucrative yet lower quality direct-to-DVD sequels spawned by the studio's most successful feature titles.

DisneyToon Studios will be dismantled and operate as a separate unit under the supervision of Walt Disney Animation Studios, with Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios president Ed Catmull and chief creative officer John Lasseter—one of the masterminds behind Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Cars—immediately assuming DTS' responsibilities.

DTS president Sharon Morrill will be reassigned, according to Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook.

Lasseter joined Disney when the Mouse House snatched up Pixar for $7.4 billion in stock last year. Former Pixar CEO Steve Jobs, now Disney's largest shareholder, told reporters once how much he hated the idea of Disney doing DVD sequels, calling their quality "pretty embarrassing," despite the fact that they sell millions of copies and have served as a steady revenue stream in the face of a declining global box office.

(So far, so good with big-screen sequels, though. Toy Story 2—originally meant to be a straight-to-video production—was even more critically acclaimed than the first and grossed more than $245 million at the box office.)

Little Mermaid III, currently in production, will be the last DVD sequel on the shelves. Now, Disney will only do original direct-to-DVD features, such as one in the works starring Peter Pan's Tinker Bell. Which apparently is a spin-off, not a sequel.

"John and I are truly excited to be working with the talented team at DisneyToon Studios in developing and producing original stories for the home entertainment audience," Catmull said. "The first project includes Tinker Bell and a whole new cast of Fairy characters that have all the ingredients of wonder, magic and enchantment that our audiences expect."

The latest Walt Disney-Pixar Animation collaboration, Ratatouille—helmed by The Incredibles director Brad Bird and executive-produced by Lasseter—hits theaters June 29. The tale about a rat who longs to be a French chef features the usual assortment of all-star vocal talent, including that of Brad Garrett, Will Arnett, Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm, Peter O'Toole, Brian Dennehy and Pixar staple John Ratzenberger.

DrumTastik
06-23-2007, 12:55 PM
I remember reading this was high on Iger's to-do list when he assumed command. It's a good move, as those straight-to-dvd sequels were cheapening the Disney brand.

snifflesmcg
06-23-2007, 01:46 PM
I'm actually really glad they are doing this. I find those sequels cheesy, cheap and diluted compared to the originals. Isn't it suppost to be "Happily ever after" with no explanation needed?

LibertyTreeGal
06-23-2007, 02:16 PM
Oh I am so thrilled to hear this -- it's about time!!!!!!!!!!

Polynesian Dweller
06-23-2007, 02:20 PM
Excellent news.:thumbsup: Poorly done sequels just undercut the value of the original. Doing a well planned and thought out theatrical sequel can be good but these quickies never were.

Figment!
06-23-2007, 02:58 PM
See also Disney DTV "no more disney movie sequels". (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=100489)

lockedoutlogic
06-23-2007, 05:48 PM
good news....I'm still trying to get that horrific "Destroy Cinderella's Happily ever after!!" belch by the stepmother in the Cinderella III TV commercial out of my mind...

GET-OUT!!!!

Ian
06-23-2007, 06:03 PM
I remember reading this was high on Iger's to-do list when he assumed command. It's a good move, as those straight-to-dvd sequels were cheapening the Disney brand.Actually, it was John Lasseter who championed this move, not Iger.

Iger may have been on board, but John has said from day one that he hated the cheapquels and couldn't wait to kill them off.

RenDuran
06-23-2007, 06:20 PM
It's funny that as much as we all hate these sequels, they were actually very profitable for Disney. Thankfully this is one move where they're putting quality over financial gain.

bwgens
06-24-2007, 12:39 AM
Its moves like this that should make every Intercotee jump for joy. Finally, there are actions being taken to bring back the "Disney" to Disney.

Hooray!!!

:party:

wizardmickey
06-24-2007, 01:33 AM
Darnit all... and here I was under contract to star in few upcoming sequels ( that now I won't even dignify to mention since they won't be made now)!!!
Guess it's back to my day-job... :cry:

ccp1
06-24-2007, 07:18 AM
**Does happy dance**

:thumbsup:

DNS
06-24-2007, 11:46 AM
I'm actually really glad they are doing this. I find those sequels cheesy, cheap and diluted compared to the originals. Isn't it suppost to be "Happily ever after" with no explanation needed?
Well said. I agree completely.

disneyfan369
06-24-2007, 08:50 PM
Hooray that they're doing this. The straight-to-DVD always spelled low quality (to me). I'm glad they'll be investing in higher quality films.

Ms.Disney
06-25-2007, 09:13 AM
Yea! I have never seen a Disney sequel that was any good, so this is great news to me :mickey:

Remzlightyear
06-25-2007, 09:31 AM
Thank you, Mr. Lassetter. :number1:

WEDTOPIA
06-25-2007, 10:06 AM
Absolutely , 100% , behind this move. Thank you John Lasseter !
Disney cheapened it's name since the advent of the " cheapquel ". The road back to respectability has officially begun. Seems almost all the moves the new regime has made thus far are positive ones. Bravo !

:mickey::mickey::mickey::mickey:

GrmGrninGost
06-26-2007, 08:36 PM
yes! Yes! YES!! Oh happy day!!:mickey:

Mickey91
06-26-2007, 11:33 PM
:cheer:Yeah!!!! Finally someone at Disney is showing a little sense! I hope all the generic cheap merchandising will stop soon too!!!:cheer:

indytraveler
06-27-2007, 09:22 AM
Another thanks. Wow giving up that money train is hard but as long as you're producing quality originals then you'll do just as well if not better. ... Happily ever after.

scottgr
06-27-2007, 12:02 PM
Thats great to hear. :thumbsup:

ImagiAsh
06-28-2007, 11:30 AM
Yay!!:D I've lost time watching a few of those cheapquels...glad to see they will be the last!:thumbsup:

big blue and hairy
06-28-2007, 01:10 PM
I agree, I'm glad they're no more also, although, I must say, I thought Lion King 1 1/2 was pretty funny...

:sulley:

Doug The Disney Man`
07-02-2007, 01:59 AM
I did like Lion King 1 1/2, but I always saw Lion King as very Hamlet-esque and 1 1/2 was like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Stoppard.

Aside from that one, we've never even bought one and our DS is 6. I always figured if it wasn't good enough for theatres, why buy it?

It definitely cheapened the brand (like Shrek 2 and 3 for Dreamworks were in theatres, not direct to DVD), but I have to say what I felt cheapened the brand even more were the TV series based on the movies. Aladdin, Lilo and Stitch, Little Mermaid, and Timon and Pumbaa (although that WAS more of a spin off). I found those more annoying, but good on Disney to stop these silly sequels.

Wolfbanesquest
07-02-2007, 03:35 AM
I am VERY happy to hear this!!!! The sequels were an embarassment to Disney Animation. Oh sure they sold well and my kids loved them, but they were very disappointing

bertasso59
07-03-2007, 09:31 AM
Great news for the Disney Animation legacy. Now animators will have to come up with original ideas once again. The sequel mania was a very lazy out.
Although there was one sequel that I preferred to the original: 'Rescuers Down Under'

kaerbear178
07-03-2007, 01:53 PM
I'm glad to hear this as well. I hate all of those sequals. :sick:

Horizon93
07-04-2007, 09:37 PM
This is great news. It sounds like a decision that Walt himself may have made.

AliceinDisney
07-04-2007, 10:17 PM
Disney himself always said that sequels cheapen the quality of the original story and diminsh their epic status. I think its sad how so little of Walt Disney's visions were taken into consideration in the pursuit to money making ventures. This makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

snifflesmcg
07-04-2007, 11:49 PM
This is great news. It sounds like a decision that Walt himself may have made.


A friend of mine (who is a total Disney freak) read somewhere that Walt wasn't big on sequals.

Aurora
07-05-2007, 01:05 PM
...but I have to say what I felt cheapened the brand even more were the TV series based on the movies. Aladdin, Lilo and Stitch, Little Mermaid, and Timon and Pumbaa (although that WAS more of a spin off). I found those more annoying, but good on Disney to stop these silly sequels.

Unfortunately the "spin-offs" and shows based on existing characters will continue; they're apparently not abandoning that part of the scavenger philosophy. The article says there is already a direct-to-DVD feature in the works starring Peter Pan's Tinker Bell.