In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the magical world of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. Hear all about Jim's recent visit to this dazzling event at the New York Botanical Gardens, where he experienced life-sized sculptures, fog-filled forests, and stunning light displays that bring Burton's eerie, whimsical vision to life.

Also in this episode:

• The Wild Robot still dominates the box office, edging closer to $300 million worldwide.
• D23 Brasil’s big animation reveals, including a new Ice Age film and Toy Story 5 updates.
• Behind the scenes on Skydance and Netflix's Spellbound promotion in Times Square.
• Updates on Marvel’s animated lineup and what’s in store for 2025.

Get ready for all this and more on this week’s Fine Tooning!

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into some of animation’s quirkiest corners and biggest news:

• Godzilla’s 70th Anniversary: Celebrating Godzilla Day with a look back at the 1978 Godzilla animated series and the fascinating story behind Hanna-Barbera’s unique take on the King of Monsters.
• The Wild Robot’s Box Office Success: DreamWorks' hit continues to climb, surpassing $250 million worldwide.
• "Emily the Strange" Returns: A new animated feature from Warner Bros. and J.J. Abrams brings the iconic goth character to life.
• The Simpsons’ NFL Takeover: A real-time Simpsons Monday Night Football game using innovative animation technology.
• Halloween Treats & Holiday Previews: Highlights from Netflix’s That Christmas, Marvel’s upcoming series lineup, and spooky animated specials.

Tune in for a monster-packed episode celebrating everything from classic kaiju to modern animation news!

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor explore a wide range of animation news and insights:

• Netflix's Spellbound and Disney’s Thanksgiving Line-Up: A look at Netflix’s upcoming animated feature Spellbound set to compete with Disney’s holiday releases, plus details on Disney’s latest Thanksgiving promotions.
• King of the Hill Returns: A sneak peek at Hulu’s revival of King of the Hill, including aged-up characters and exclusive artwork reveals.
• Inside Out Universe Expands: Updates on Pixar’s Inside Out spinoff series, Dream Productions, and what fans can expect from Riley’s imaginative world.
• SpongeBob’s New Stop-Motion Christmas Special: Details on SpongeBob and Sandy’s Country Christmas, the latest festive stop-motion treat featuring everyone's favorite sea sponge.
• Disney's Lost Hitchcock Tribute: A deep dive into Frady Cat, Disney's ambitious but abandoned Hitchcock-inspired animated film. Discover the story of how it almost became a Halloween classic.

Tune in for all this and more on this week’s Fine Tooning!

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take you behind the curtain of Moana 2, diving deep into the highlights from Drew’s recent panel at the Animation is Film festival. They explore the exciting details shared by directors David Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand, including Moana’s continued journey, new characters, and thrilling challenges in this upcoming sequel.

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor also explore some of the biggest news and exciting developments in animation:

• "Creature Commandos" Preview: Dive into DC Studios' upcoming animated series, set to premiere on Max this December. With James Gunn at the helm and voice talents like Alan Tudyk and David Harbour, this series is set to shake up the DC animated universe.
• Halloween-Themed Animated Shorts: From The Simpsons to Sing, we break down the latest Halloween-inspired shorts, including a nod to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" and Disney+’s spooky surprises.
• The Wild Robot's Box Office Success: The Wild Robot continues to dominate, having surpassed $100 million domestically. What’s next for this DreamWorks hit?
• "Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur" Cancellation: Disney Channel's beloved animated series wraps up after two seasons, but the character still has some exciting crossovers in store with "Spidey and His Amazing Friends."
• New Marvel Preschool Show: Get ready for Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends, a new show for Disney Junior and Disney+ slated for 2025, introducing preschoolers to the Marvel Universe.

Tune in for these topics and more on this week’s Fine Tooning!

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in this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take you on a fascinating journey through Disney’s forgotten Mickey Mouse projects, including the untold story of "Mickey Columbus" and other abandoned ideas that never made it to the big screen.

They also dive into Disney's challenges while bringing Mickey into the world of CGI, from his iconic ears to scrapped anniversary projects like "The Search for Mickey.”

• The Wild Robot's Box Office Triumph: DreamWorks Animation's The Wild Robot continues its strong performance at the box office, paving the way for a sequel. Jim and Drew discuss what’s next for this hit film, based on Peter Brown’s popular book series.
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• Wallace & Gromit Are Back!: Aardman Animations is bringing the beloved duo back to the screen with Vengeance Most Fowl. Jim and Drew break down the significance of this return and what fans can expect from the upcoming Christmas release.
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• What’s Next for Animation Fans: With new releases like Transformers One and the latest from Aardman, there’s a lot to look forward to in the world of animation.
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Tune in for all this and more on this week’s Fine Tooning!

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill dives into the latest animation news and rumors.

With Drew Taylor away, Jim covers:

• Unraveling Studio Feuds and Hollywood Drama: What caused the downfall of Fleischer Studios and their ultimate takeover by Paramount Pictures?

• Jennifer Lee’s Next Move: Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer steps down to focus on Frozen 3 and Frozen 4, while Jared Bush steps in.

• Joker: Folie à Deux’s Box Office Struggles**: Warner Bros. Discovery faces losses as the Joker sequel underperforms despite the original film's success.

• MuppetVision 3D’s Future: Rumors swirl about the potential impact of Disney’s new Monsters Inc. door coaster on MuppetVision 3D at Hollywood Studios.

Plus, updates on DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot and Warner Bros.’ upcoming Dynamic Duo superhero film using innovative animation techniques. Don’t miss this deep dive into the latest animation industry news and history!

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Jim Hill starts a solo edition of this podcast by discussing how well “The Wild Robot” did at the domestic box office this past weekend.

He then discusses the Halloween-themed “The Bad Guys” special which will soon be debuting on Netflix

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

• How will Warner Bros. Discovery be celebrating Scooby Doo this month

• Who will be introducing “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” at this year’s Animation is Film Festival

• What did the “Mufasa: The Lion King” production do to differentiate this film from Disney’s photo-realistic “Lion King” from 2019

• Where did “Shrek the Musical” do its out-of-town try-out

• Why was Jeffery Katzenberg reportedly upset with a plaque he found in the lobby of the Broadway Theater

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss the surprising news of Jennifer Lee stepping down as Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and what it means for the future of Disney’s animated films.

They explore:

• Jennifer Lee’s New Role: How she’s shifting her focus to the upcoming Frozen 3 and Frozen 4.

• Jared Bush Takes the Lead: What does this creative shake-up mean for Disney, and what projects might be on the horizon?

• Pixar’s Pressure to Perform: The intense working conditions at Pixar and the studio’s struggle to produce hits like Inside Out 2 and Elio amidst high expectations and long hours.

Plus, hear the latest updates on DreamWorks’ Dog Man, The Wild Robot, and more!

Don’t miss this deep dive into the latest animation industry news and insights.

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss how the successful 15th-anniversary re-release of Coraline inspired Disney to bring back some of its beloved classics to theaters.

Find out how The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus are making their return to the big screen this Halloween season.

Join us as we cover:

• Coraline’s Box Office Success: How a cult classic reignited Disney’s interest in re-releases.

• The Return of Hocus Pocus: Why is this Halloween favorite back in theaters, and what does it mean for Disney's strategy?

• The Wild Robot’s DreamWorks Triumph: Early reviews from the Toronto premiere and its impact on the animation industry.

Tune in for all this and more, as we dive into the latest animation news and Halloween favorites making their way back to theaters!

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take you behind the scenes of Disney’s beloved Hocus Pocus and its unexpected connection to Steven Spielberg.

Discover the untold story of how the Halloween classic was pitched, nearly lost, and ultimately stolen away from Spielberg.

Tune in as we explore:

• The Spielberg-Kirschner Drama: How did the An American Tail creator’s decision to pitch Hocus Pocusto Disney instead of Spielberg create tension in Hollywood?
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• Disney's Billion-Dollar Halloween Gamble: What convinced Jeffrey Katzenberg to greenlight Hocus Pocus after an unconventional pitch?
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• South Park Hiatus: Why Trey Parker and Matt Stone are putting South Park on pause until 2025 and how the Paramount-Skydance merger affects its future.
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• The Wild Robot World Premiere: DreamWorks’ adaptation of The Wild Robot hits the Toronto International Film Festival, and Jim & Drew dive into the excitement leading up to its wide release, including a sneak peek at The Art of DreamWorks The Wild Robot.
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• The Animated Opener of Joker: Folie à Deux: Learn how Sylvain Chomet brings a Looney Tunes-style sequence to life for the Joker sequel’s Venice Film Festival debut. 

Join Jim and Drew for an inside look at one of Halloween’s most iconic films, plus the latest in animation news and commentary.

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Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing how “Inside Out” became the highest grossing animated feature of all time.

They also take a look at the upcoming new “Wallace & Gromit” film, “Vengeance Most Fowl”

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

• How many films in Hollywood history have grossed over a billion dollars overseas

• Why won’t Quentin Tarantino watch “Toy Story 4”
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• How long has it been since the last “Wallace & Gromit” (i.e., “A Matter of Loaf & Death”) debuted on BBC One

• Which emotion was originally supposed to be Envy’s twin in “Inside Out 2”

• Who acquired the North American theatrical distribution rights for “The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” 

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