
http://disney-blog.com/?cat=3&paged=2
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25nS575FgiQJohn Lasseter: At Pixar we love to create sequels [...]. We had this idea that "why don't we see how Sally and Mike met?" Because, remember, in Monsters Inc. they start out as best friends. And so in this case we wanted to see where did they meet and we thought we love the genre of the college movie, right? And so this is called Monsters University, it's how Sally and Mike met at college and they didn't start out as the best of friends. And so it's a fantastic, really hilarious story about Monsters University but it's like a college movie in the monster world.
Q: Sort of an "Animal House"-type vibe then, you think?
John Lasseter: It's like a classic college film, yeah.
Source: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&on ... ws&force=1Lasseter also revealed details of the upcoming prequel to 2001’s ‘Monsters, Inc.’ The prequel is called ‘Monsters University’ and tells the story of Sully and Mikes friendship, which began when they met at university. “We are creating a story where they met at college. They didn’t like each other in the beginning and they grow to like each other. It’s really fun. It’s just taking the whole university/college world and looking at it from the point of view of a Monster World,“ says Lasseter. It is due to be released in 2013.
enigmawing wrote:Hmm . . .
So basically, "let's take our pre-existing, very marketable characters from one of our previous films (<strike>Cars</strike> Monsters Inc.), and put them in a film of a whole different genre in which they don't belong (<strike>classic spy film</strike> classic college film)!"
Genius, I say! Not saying this won't work, but is this a pattern we'll keep seeing? It makes me wonder what kind of <strike>films</strike> sequels Pixar will roll out with next.
Only about as much a pattern as the "two characters meet about 20 minutes into a 90 minute movie then spend the bulk of their screentime at odds while trying to work their way into and out of crazy situations".enigmawing wrote:Hmm . . .
So basically, "let's take our pre-existing, very marketable characters from one of our previous films (<strike>Cars</strike> Monsters Inc.), and put them in a film of a whole different genre in which they don't belong (<strike>classic spy film</strike> classic college film)!"
Genius, I say! Not saying this won't work, but is this a pattern we'll keep seeing? It makes me wonder what kind of <strike>films</strike> sequels Pixar will roll out with next.

It's not really a criticism, just an observation. I liked Cars 2 well enough and I'm still pretty open to the Monsters University film, I just wonder if they're going to keep going in this direction of apparently recasting their characters into completely different film genres, which the Toy Story films have yet to do. And like I said with Toy Story 4, if it isn't any good I can easily shrug it off; I'm not like a lot of people that seem completely outraged with the concept.Disney Geek wrote:Why praise Toy Story 4, but criticise this?
Only about as much a pattern as the "two characters meet about 20 minutes into a 90 minute movie then spend the bulk of their screentime at odds while trying to work their way into and out of crazy situations".enigmawing wrote:Hmm . . .
So basically, "let's take our pre-existing, very marketable characters from one of our previous films #<strike>Cars</strike> Monsters Inc.#, and put them in a film of a whole different genre in which they don't belong #<strike>classic spy film</strike> classic college film#!"
Genius, I say! Not saying this won't work, but is this a pattern we'll keep seeing? It makes me wonder what kind of <strike>films</strike> sequels Pixar will roll out with next.

Source: http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/08/ ... -by-pixar/Billy Crystal is getting schooled by Pixar — and he couldn’t be happier about returning to the “Monsters Inc.” universe and working again with fellow beastie John Goodman.
“We’re having a blast together,” Crystal said Friday after a marathon recording session for “Monsters University,” which is planned for summer of 2013. “It’s really a great script, it’s really funny.”
Crystal was on stage Friday night at a 20th anniversary screening of “City Slickers,” where he was joined on stage by surprise guest Daniel Stern for a sparkling night of humor and emotion — both spoke warmly of Jack Palance and Bruno Kirby, their “Slickers” costars who both died in 2006. I was the moderator on stage and I also asked Crystal about his return to the role of Michael “Mike” Wazowski, the lime-colored, one-eyed scene-stealer from “Monsters Inc.”
“That’s why I’m a little hoarse. I spent five-and-a-half hours today for our fourth session on ‘Monsters Inc. 2.’ And I have to tell you something, it is hilarious. The Pixar people are geniuses. It’s 10 years since the first movie. Yeah, it’s crazy. And it’s a prequel. They’re in college. It’s how they met, it’s how Michael and Sully meet, and plan to become scarers at Monsters Inc. — so this movie ends where the other one starts.”
The film again puts Crystal side-by-side with Goodman, who plays the hulking and hirsute James P. “Sulley” Sullivan. “John Goodman is a genius and he’s great and we’re really funny together,” Crystal said to a loud ovation from the audience at the American Cinematheque event. The 63-year-old Crystal didn’t elaborate on new cast members or the details of the plot beyond saying: “It’s college pranks with monsters. And I wear a retainer. Mike has a retainer.”
Some new information concerning the cast for the film from the D23 Expo.in addition to Billy Crystal and John Goodman, who will be returning as Mike Wazowski and Sully respectively, Steve Buscemi is scheduled to be back as Randall Boggs, the chameleon-esque antagonist from the first film. New to the film will be Dave Foley (who Pixar fans will remember as the voice of Flick in A Bugs Life), Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn (who previously did the voice of Emile in Ratatoille).
Source: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/d23exponews.php?id=81296Taking the stage at the film presentation at today's D23 Expo, John Lasseter and director Dan Scanlon offered a first glimpse at Monsters University. A prequel to Pixar's 2001 film, the 2013 release shows the first meeting between Billy Crystal's Mike Wazowski and John Goodman's James P. "Sully" Sullivan. "They look familiar but, like all of us, they're a little thinner and a little shaggier," Scanlon told ComingSoon.net backstage after the presentation, "It was super fun making them look young but still familiar. That was sort of the big design challenge."
The younger versions of Mike and Sully debuted to much applause from the sold-out crowd. Both are depicted as 18 years old and still going through growing pains with Mike wearing a retainer. Steve Buscemi was also confirmed to return as a younger Randal with the hint that Roz and George (the orange monster who winds up getting shaved in the first film) will likely be featured as well. New voice talent includes Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn (the Pixar animator who voiced Emile in Ratatouille).
"We're definitely going to see a lot of monsters this time," Scanlon continued, "A lot of designs. The technology has made that possible but, also, the story has made that possible. We're at a larger University and it's packed with monsters. Hopefully we'll see a little bit more of the world. It's pretty cool to be able to open it this much. On the first one, fur was difficult. Just having Sully in a shot was enough to bog things down. Now we can see so much more."
When Mike and Sully enter the story, they're competing to become scarers. At Monsters U, being a scarer is a prestigious position akin to becoming an astronaut or an NFL player. "Monsters University doesn't only teach scaring," Scanlon adds, "There are other things as well. I can't really get into what they are, but it is a University." Lots of research went into "monsterizing" the college experience. The plan is to feature "cool" frat monsters, nerd monsters and goth monsters in the student body. Monster professors will also feature prominently.
The Pixar artists also toured several Ivy League schools because, as Scanlon puts it, "most of us went to art school and have no idea what real college is like." The "monsterizing" process includes adding doors of various sizes, making archways look like mouths and putting horns on pretty much every roof. We asked Scanlon if there was any chance of again seeing the "human" world in the prequel and, if so, would it similarly be set 10-15 years in the past. "I don't think I can go into that yet," he said with a smile.
The presentation concluded with a special video greeting from John Goodman and Billy Crystal with Crystal opening with, "Hello nerds!" Goodman lamented the fact that he didn't make it person and, on the video, Crystal retorted that he's glad he did, suddenly appearing on person on-stage, flanked by costumed characters of Mike and Sully. "The script's great!" he shouted, "The actors are great. The art is great. Everyone's telling me it's great!"
I didn't think about that. I just imagined they'd give us thinner versions of the old designs, but if they do more with it that could be an interesting part about this movie."They look familiar but, like all of us, they're a little thinner and a little shaggier," Scanlon told ComingSoon.net backstage after the presentation, "It was super fun making them look young but still familiar. That was sort of the big design challenge."
I kind of like that they use a lot of same voice actors in each of their films. It kind of gives off that same feeling of camaraderie that the Walt films had, when a lot of the actors--like Verna Felton, for ex.--reappeared many times.New to the film will be Dave Foley (who Pixar fans will remember as the voice of Flick in A Bugs Life), Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn (who previously did the voice of Emile in Ratatoille).
I'm glad we'll get to see a wider scope of the world of Monstropolis (?). Overall, I'm still irked by the idea of another Monsters film, but this all makes me a little more excited to see it."We're definitely going to see a lot of monsters this time," Scanlon continued, "A lot of designs. The technology has made that possible but, also, the story has made that possible. We're at a larger University and it's packed with monsters. Hopefully we'll see a little bit more of the world. It's pretty cool to be able to open it this much. On the first one, fur was difficult. Just having Sully in a shot was enough to bog things down. Now we can see so much more."

Source: http://ghiblicon.blogspot.com/2011/04/t ... ce-in.htmlThe idea of a cameo in the Monsters prequel has been quietly germinating ever since, as both studios are understandably cautious about spilling secrets.
He did in Toy Story 3 as you know,so it's quite probable.....DisneyJedi wrote:So.... I have heard that Totoro (from My Neighbor Totoro) may be making a cameo in this movie.
Source: http://ghiblicon.blogspot.com/2011/04/t ... ce-in.htmlThe idea of a cameo in the Monsters prequel has been quietly germinating ever since, as both studios are understandably cautious about spilling secrets.
I'm not entirely sure if it'll happen. But if it does, I will be more than pleased because My Neighbor Totoro is one of my fave Miyazaki movies.