D23 Expo 2011: Movie Announcements

Look what's coming in the near future!

Planes [2013]

[Source: aicn.com] John Lasseter reveals a sneak peek of the direct-to-DVD complement to the CARS franchise. The main character is a plucky crop duster named "Dusty" (Jon Cryer) who yearns to be fighter jet.

Brave [2012]

Pixar's summer 2012 offering: BRAVE. It's an original story about a headstrong Scottish princess, Merida (Kelly Macdonald), whose bow-wielding quest for personal freedom inadvertently results in the release of a dangerous curse only she can break. It's Pixar's first fairy tale and, more importantly, its first film with a female protagonist. In one scene, Merida crashes her own courting ritual, embarrassing her would be suitors with a dazzling display of archery (concluding with Merida "castrates" them by splitting the arrow of the guy who luckily hit a bull's eye). Merida, with her fiery red hair and take-charge attitude, looks to be a fine addition to the Disney princess roster.

Lasseter reiterates Pixar's sequel policy: "We do it because we've found a story as good as or better than the original." And what was the "as good or better" idea that set MONSTERS' UNIVERSITY in motion? "How did Sulley and Mike Wazowski become friends?"

Director Dan Scalon shows off the sketches of undergrad Sulley and Mike (the former thinner and shaggier, the latter sporting a retainer), the D23 faithful are delighted.

 
Scanlon also gives a peek at the Ivy League-inspired campus setting of Monster University. Sulley and Mike will start as "enemies" at the university's prestigious "Scare School" (they both want to be the best scarer in their class). 

THE UNTITLED PIXAR MOVIE ABOUT DINOSAURS (2013)

From Bob Peterson (co-writer of UP and the voice of Roz, Mr. Ray and Dug) comes Pixar's inevitable dinosaur movie. It's been suspected that this one was in the works for a while now, but now it's confirmed. Premise: What if that life-exterminating meteor missed Earth, and the dinosaurs never died out. Dinosaurs and humans cohabiting? Simple, yes, but loaded with potential.

THE UNTITLED PIXAR MOVIE THAT TAKES YOU INSIDE THE MIND
(Summer 2014)

From the great Pete Docter (MONSTERS INC., and UP) comes an animated movie that takes place in the human brain. Sounds kinda like HERMAN'S HEAD.