F*#@ Yeah Disney

Too much exciting news (or maybe not enough) seems to be coming from Walt Disney Company as of late. First the buyout of Marvel, which I for one wholeheartedly support and am pretty excited for - hell I may even pick up a Ducktales comic or two if they start rolling those out again. I’m pretty excited about the rumors of Edgar Wright directing a Pixar adapted Antman movie. Than there’s the recently announced Robert Zemeckis 3D motion capture remake of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine (although I’ve found every film Zemeckis has made with this technology to be mediocre at best, and the upcoming A Christmas Carol looks no different). But I think the most exciting news for me after the Marvel buyout was last Friday’s press release (via Ain’t It Cool):

DISNEY TEAMS UP WITH ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER GUILLERMO DEL TORO TO CREATE ANIMATED FEATURES WITH CHILLS AND THRILLS UNDER THE NEW LABEL “DISNEY DOUBLE DARE YOU”

Anaheim, California — September 11, 2009 — The Walt Disney Studios, in collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “The Hobbit”), is launching a new production label called Disney Double Dare You, to create new animated films full of chills and thrills for audiences of all ages, it was announced today at the D23 Expo by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. All films will be produced under the guidance of del Toro, who originated the concept and the design of DDY and who will also direct certain projects. The first project in development for the new label is called “Trollhunters,” an original del Toro story which he will produce.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, “Guillermo is a brilliant and visionary filmmaker, and we’re excited to be launching this new label with him. His knowledge and appreciation for Disney films, along with his penchant for creating worlds of fantasy, presented a great opportunity for us to explore a whole new genre of filmmaking for moviegoers of all ages. We have admired Guillermo’s imaginative approach to filmmaking for some time, and now we’re proud to be working with him to create films full of imaginative delights and lots of thrills at the same time.”

Del Toro added, “As a director, I love to take audiences into fantastic new worlds and provide them with some anxious moments in the process. It is part of the Disney canon to create thrilling, unforgettable moments and villains in all their classic films. It is my privilege for DDY to continue in this tradition. To partner up with The Walt Disney Studios, with the support of Dick Cook and John Lasseter, is to belong to a storytelling partnership that I admire deeply. It is a true honor. I look forward to coming up with fresh and original stories that will take Disney films in a whole new direction. The emphasis is on fun, and we have some great ideas already on the storyboards.”

Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth received six Academy Award® nominations in 2007, including one for his original screenplay, and went on to win three awards. That film also received a BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English language. His other directing credits include “Hellboy,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” “The Devil’s Backbone,” “Cronos,” and “Mimic,” among others. Del Toro is currently directing back-to-back feature film adaptations of the Tolkien classic, “The Hobbit,” for release in 2011 and 2012.

Say what you will about Disney, but they put out some pretty incredible content. I’ve loved everything Guillermo Del Toro has touched and can’t wait for his two-movie run at the Hobbit to be completed to see what other original content he can give us (oh, and I can’t wait for that two-movie Hobbit run as well). Walt Disney Co. holds a special place in my heart - from it’s outstanding animation in television (Ducktales, Gargoyles, Rescue Rangers, and any number of older original Disney shorts and series) and film (take your pick), to it’s live action outings (my brothers and I used to watch Swiss Family Robinson off an old VCR recorded VHS tape every few weeks), to nearly everything that Pixar has created (I’m still absolutely floored by the visuals in Toy Story, and am eagerly awaiting the back-to-back rerelease of the films this October in 3D) - adding more spookiness to the mix is a great thing. I can’t wait to see who else jumps on to these projects. Count me excited.