WDAS may start making TV shows

[UmbrellaFish]

If we’re talking “Forky Asks a Question” type stuff— I’m not very interested, but I think it would be harmless. I trust WDAS to be more focused on quality control than Disneytoon Studios and there’s a long tradition at WDAS of producing short animation. I wouldn’t mind to see Ariel or Belle in new shorts... you know, exploring a shipwreck or the Enchanted Castle. But if it’s Comfy Princesses: The Series— to me, that joke will get old.

But personally I was hoping for something more ambitious... a 6-10 episode limited series, an original story. Oh well. Maybe someday.

[Disney's Divinity]

She also claimed that an animated series based on The Enchanted Tiki Room was in the works a while ago. As you said, she's not always reliable, but it does line up with previous reports of WDAS creating new content for Disney+. I fully agree with you on this one. I think it's a horrible idea. It will not only cheapen classic characters even further, just when they started recovering from their DTV disgrace, but it will also tarnish WDAS' reputation as a studio. If they absolutely have to do this, they should stick to just doing shorts based on their CG films. I'd hate for 2D characters to be redesigned and CG-fied and inserted into new projects that's canon to the features.

I don't really mind it with hypothetical KH or Wrecked Princess shows, because what happens with the characters in those universes isn't really "canon" with the original films. I'd really only want shows that are extensions of the films in the case of the Revival films, with most of the original talent back (if they can get them), since they were already 3D films.

I guess it doesn't bother me so much because Disney is already thinking of making all their movies with Disney+ in mind (perhaps bypassing theaters altogether in the future), so they're already crossing the line for me. The hand-drawn characters will inevitably be CGified at some point considering hand-drawn animation is dead. I hope if they were to make anything The Little Mermaid-related, it gets made while Pat Carroll is still alive and able to voice Ursula. Ariel's Beginning was bad enough without Kenneth Mars. Shorts and spin-offs aren't as damaging to me as the DTVs that promoted themselves as direct continuations or prequels though.

[estefan]

I don't think there's any shame in making television series. Like Umbrella Fish said, WDAS would probably still keep the quality high and this is also an age where streaming services are pouring a lot of money into producing shows. So even the animation probably wouldn't see a major downgrade from one of their theatrical productions. The "Green Eggs and Ham" series Warner Bros Animation made for Netflix was amazing. "Forky Asks A Question" was also great.

I have to admit I sometimes get a little jealous of children these days and the animated television shows they have access to. And I grew up in the '90s, often considered the golden age of television animation. The "Aladdin" and "Timon & Pumbaa" television series were fun, but a "Zootopia" series made by the feature animation studio has the potential to be something really special. If Marvel and Lucasfilm can create shows for Disney+ inspired by their movie properties, then why not Walt Disney Animation?

[Farerb]

I'm not against the idea of TV shows in general if they are able to maintain the quality. TV animation is usually cheap because doing a high quality animation for TV is expensive, but if Grace is right and it's only 6 15 minutes episodes then it's plausible.
What I am against is the idea of the Ralph Princesses or a continuation to Moana. The former is because I always considered the Princess Franchise to be related to merchandising alone and it's fine as long as WDAS (the artistic part of the Disney umbrella) keeps them apart because they should also care about the art and its integrity. I'm also against a continuation to Moana (heavily implied by Grace in her Raya video) because Moana's story is complete and trying to continue it in any way will be forced and contrived (see Frozen II). I also don't like the fact that if it's done then it won't involve M&C. I wish Moana wasn't as beloved as some people like to think, that way Disney might have left it alone.
I'm not against an original series if that's one of their plans, I'm also not against a continuation to Zootopia, because Zootopia has a premise that allows for more stories being told (like Incredibles or Inside Out), but again it needs to have high quality to protect the prestige of the WDAS brand. While Disneytoons is not WDAS, the general public, who is not really into Disney, didn't make a distinction between the two, adding to that the WDAS films that came out in the 2000's and the WDAS' name was tarnished. They were careless once before and it was hard for them to bounce back and I just don't want it to repeat itself. Unfortunately, they are already in that direction starting with RBTI and Frozen II and it needs to stop.

[Jules]

While Disneytoons is not WDAS, the general public, who is not really into Disney, didn't make a distinction between the two, adding to that the WDAS films that came out in the 2000's and the WDAS' name was tarnished.

This.

I can understand audiences confusing WDAS (then WDFA) with DisneyToons in the 90s and 2000s, but in 2020 this is inexcusable. However, I fully blame the Walt Disney Co. for this and not movie goers.

Ever since WDFA was rebranded as WDAS, with its logo featured prominently at the beginning of all its films, I thought Disney would push WDAS as its own brand similar to Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and the rest. Yet, to my frustration the WDAS films are still lumped under the very vast "Disney" brand which also includes all the DisneyToons films as well as the studio's entire theatrical, TV and DTV live-action film output.

How is this beneficial for WDAS? Why did Disney make this decision? Isn't it a good thing for audiences to recognise WDAS' feature films and short subjects as those made my the original animation studio of the Walt Disney Co.?

Also, perhaps we can get less people online still considering Pixar the only animation studio for film connoisseurs and dismissing WDAS as a maker of babyish films that cannot be mentioned in the same sentence with Pixar's offerings (normally citing Pocahontas II or Planes.)

[Sotiris]

The former is because I always considered the Princess Franchise to be related to merchandising alone and it's fine as long as WDAS (the artistic part of the Disney umbrella) keeps them apart because they should also care about the art and its integrity.

They have undone that already with Ralph Breaks the Internet. Sure, technically, they aren't the real princesses, they're online avatars, but that distinction has not been made clear and the public believes they're the actual princesses. Doubling down on it and making more content with them will only damage the characters and their respective films.

I'm also against a continuation to Moana (heavily implied by Grace in her Raya video) because Moana's story is complete and trying to continue it in any way will be forced and contrived (see Frozen II). I also don't like the fact that if it's done then it won't involve M&C. I wish Moana wasn't as beloved as some people like to think, that way Disney might have left it alone.

I'm sorry to say, but I believe Moana is the most likely WDAS film to get a TV series. It's the only movie aside from Frozen and Frozen 2 that has been in the top 10 of Disney+ since it became available on the service. The powers that be must have noticed that. Personally, I wouldn't be against it, if instead of a continuation, they produced a TV series or a series of shorts focused on Maui and his adventures before he met Moana. I think that would be the most innocuous and respectful of approaches.

While Disneytoons is not WDAS, the general public, who is not really into Disney, didn't make a distinction between the two, adding to that the WDAS films that came out in the 2000's and the WDAS' name was tarnished. They were careless once before and it was hard for them to bounce back and I just don't want it to repeat itself. Unfortunately, they are already in that direction starting with RBTI and Frozen II and it needs to stop.

That's what I've been saying. Making TV shows based on their movies is a short-sighted strategy motivated solely by greed and in the long run will backfire on them. They'll become known as the sell-out studio as they won't be able to hide behind DisneyToon or DTVA anymore.

[Farerb]

I agree with everything you said, Sotiris.

[blackcauldron85]

That's what I've been saying. Making TV shows based on their movies is a short-sighted strategy motivated solely by greed and in the long run it will backfire on them. They'll become known as the sell-out studio as they won't be able to hide behind DisneyToon or DTVA anymore.

I'm just curious: So the distinction between the shows in the '90s/early '00s (TLM, Aladdin, Hercules, Tarzan) being okay vs the newer shows (Tangled, BH6, future ones) is that the DTV films tarnished the brand...the '90s shows came when Disney was only known for quality animation? Hasn't the Tangled show received some critical praise?; does that make it more okay? (And what about The Emperor's New School that came after many DTVs?)

I understand your stance on the Wrecked Princesses™©® (I personally would probably enjoy the show, at least in premise, but I do understand that most people probably wouldn't associate them with avatars). I'm just trying to get a greater understanding of what you think!

[Sotiris]

Oh, I think you misunderstood me. The problem is not with TV shows being made, but them being made by WDAS. WDAS is supposed to stand for quality and artistic integrity and debasing themselves into exploiting their catalog (as opposed to another studio doing it like DisneyToon or Disney Television Animation) will eventually hurt their reputation. Not only that, but if WDAS makes them it renders them canon to the features. One can ignore the DisneyToon movies or the DTVA shows, because they aren't made by WDAS, and hence aren't canon, but you can't do that if WDAS is the one making them.

[blackcauldron85]

^Yes, I did misunderstand you, so thank you for clarifying! That does make sense.

[D82]

I don't usually watch Grace Randolph, I don't really like her and she's wrong most of the time, but I did watch her latest video about the Raya teaser and she hinted at something there that I didn't like and I just had to look on twitter and found these tweets from a month ago:

OH MY GOD

I just got some tea that I'm DYING to share but have to wait...

I can just tell you #Disney Animation is going to be doing #DisneyPlus series - MULTIPLE ONES

AND THE CHARACTERS THEY ARE DOING ARE A DREAM COME TRUE!

I'll share as soon as my source say I can...

https://twitter.com/GraceRandolph/statu ... 15395?s=19

Most of them will be about 6 episodes, 15 minutes each

they're reviving several popular #Disney characters / brands (recent)
and one show will be an ALL NEW original

Lots of great representation is the only other clue I can give right now...

https://twitter.com/GraceRandolph/statu ... 97122?s=19

Again, this is Grace Randolph so we can't know for sure, but since this news were hinted before her tweets there might be something coming and I HATE THIS. I HATE THE IDEA OF THIS.

She posted more details a couple of days ago:

I'll tell u a bit more since we're so close:

Six 15 min episodes per show.

I heard it's Tiana, Moana, and a Baymax series.

Also, a Zootopia spoof show & something with Disney cut songs.

+ working with outside company to do an all new original series that will be very diverse.

Source: https://twitter.com/GraceRandolph/statu ... 9231304706

[Sotiris]

I'll tell u a bit more since we're so close:

Six 15 min episodes per show.

I heard it's Tiana, Moana, and a Baymax series.

Also, a Zootopia spoof show & something with Disney cut songs.

+ working with outside company to do an all new original series that will be very diverse.

What in the world? They've already milked Baymax to the max with Big Hero 6: The Series and its associated shorts. Making a CG continuation of The Princess and the Frog is plain insulting to 2D animation and its legacy at the studio. CGfying the princcess for Ralph Breaks the Internet was bad enough, and they were mere avatars there. Not to mention, having a canon entry in a different medium will be very odd and inconsistent. And what does a Zootopia spoof show even mean? Zootopia characters satirizing real events and pop culture like an SNL with animals? Having Zootopia characters parodying other Disney films like Weaselton's bootleg DVDs? Either way, it sounds awful. The only one with potential is a show about the cut songs. That's if they treat it as bonus features by having concept art accompanying the songs instead of animating them.

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm angry that hand-drawn animation is dead, too, but I'm still happy that Tiana is getting any attention from Disney.

[D82]

I guess it's not possible the Tiana shorts are in 2D animation, right? I don't know how I feel about all this. I'll wait to see if it's all true, and in case it is, to know more details about it before forming an opinion.

The only one with potential is a show about the cut songs. That's if they treat it as bonus features by having concept art accompanying the songs instead of animating them.

That's the one that sounds most exciting to me too.

[Clindor]

Can't wait for all this to become official

[Sotiris]

I guess it's not possible the Tiana shorts are in 2D animation, right?

It's highly unlikely, especially if they are 15 minutes long. WDAS no longer has the capabilities to produce 2D animation at such an extent. If the shorts were 1-5 minutes long, I would say it was still possible, but 15 minutes? No way.

[D82]

^Yeah, that's what I imagined. Anyway, it hasn't even been confirmed the shorts are 15 minutes long or that there'll be one about Tiana. We'll have to wait and see.

[unprincess]

I had a feeling they'd do something regarding PATF to help promote the Splash Mountain makeover. I hope its at least 2d looking even if its "fake" 2d like Lion Guard or Tangled series.

the Zootopia being a spoof is probably b/c they cant really do anything with Zootopia anymore regarding the "cops" angle b/c of BLM and the current social issues revolving policing IRL(at least thats the speculation going around as to why they haven't announced a sequel).

Also hope they announce something new regarding Frozen soon... hopefully this time NOT revolving around Olaf.

[Disney's Divinity]

the Zootopia being a spoof is probably b/c they cant really do anything with Zootopia anymore regarding the "cops" angle b/c of BLM and the current social issues revolving policing IRL(at least thats the speculation going around as to why they haven't announced a sequel).

This sounds like complete nonsense. Zootopia will get a sequel, bet on it. I'd be surprised if they don't make a TV series for it eventually, too, since WDAS is starting to make their own shows. BLM doesn't = hatred of all police.... Where did that come from--no, wait, I know where that slander comes from. Unless they make a film of Judy and Nick participating in police brutality against other animals, I'm sure it'll be fine.

[unprincess]

^hey, dont shoot the messenger! that's something I read about regarding why they have yet to announce a sequel which you'd think would be a no-brainer considering how successful Zootopia was. I know very well that BLM doesn't mean police hate...but then again, its not that crazy to believe that Disney might want to stay away from something with cops as the main characters right now...

I bet you'll never guess what lovely cozy site I read about this speculation...