#FIRSTLOOK: DISNEY MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT “STRANGE WORLD”, “BAYMAX!” AND “ZOOTOPIA+”

Disney made several announcements today at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival about upcoming releases, STRANGE WORLD, BAYMAX! and ZOOTOPIA+!

STRANGE WORLD

The studio revealed key members of the voice cast joining previously announced actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Gyllenhaal lends his voice to Searcher Clade, a farmer who finds himself thrust into an adventure in a strange world. He is joined by an all-star cast, including: 

• Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade, Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father 
• Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade, Searcher’s 16 year-old son who longs for adventure beyond his father’s farm while also navigating a school crush
• Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, a pilot and natural leader, mom to Ethan, and wife of Searcher 
• Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, the head of the land of Avalonia and the leader of the exploration into the strange world 

Within the Disney Animation presentation, Oscar-winning filmmaker and Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee received the Festival’s Honorary Cristal Award, from Annecy Festival Artistic Director Marcel Jean. In her remarks to the audience, Lee thanked the festival and all of those at Disney Animation. “We look ahead, together,” she said. “The ‘we’ is more important than ever as our studio can only truly shine when everyone feels welcome, feels the pride and responsibility of our legacy, and feels inspired to create, together.” 

Lastly, two-time Academy Award® winner and President of Disney Animation, Clark Spencer, surprised the audience with world premieres of episodes from Disney Animation’s first-ever series, “Baymax!” which releases June 29 on Disney+, and “Zootopia+,” which Spencer announced would debut on Disney+ November 9, 2022. 

“Baymax!” returns to the fantastical city of San Fransokyo where the affable, inflatable, inimitable healthcare companion, Baymax (voice of Scott Adsit), sets out to do what he was programmed to do: help others. Zootopia+ heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series that dives deeper into the lives of some of the feature film’s most intriguing characters, including Fru Fru, the newly married arctic shrew; Gazelle’s talented tiger dancers; and the sloth full of surprises, Flash. 

(Photo credit: Disney)

#FIRSTLOOK: “BAYMAX!” TRAILER

In celebration of National Streaming Day, we have a new Trailer for Disney’s BAYMAX!, the upcoming Series based on the beloved BIG HERO 6 Character.

Synopsis:

In celebration of National Streaming Day, Disney+ has released a new trailer and key art for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Baymax!” Streaming exclusively on Disney+ on June 29, the all-new series of healthcare capers returns to the fantastical city of San Fransokyo where the affable, inflatable, inimitable healthcare companion robot, Baymax, sets out to do what he was programmed to do: help others. “I thought it would be fun to do a Disney+ series with Baymax interacting with normal folks,” said series creator Don Hall, who helmed 2014’s Oscar®-winning film “Big Hero 6.” “In each of our six episodes, Baymax just wants to help someone—and a lot of times they don’t want to be helped. He sets out to fix a physical issue that he’s identified, and in the process, gets to a deeper, more emotional place and can be almost transformative in that role.”

“Baymax!” is produced by Roy Conli and Bradford Simonsen. The series’ episodes are directed by Dean Wellins (Eps 1, 2, 6), Lissa Treiman (Ep 3), Dan Abraham (Ep 4) and Mark Kennedy (Ep 5). Screenwriter is Cirocco Dunlap. Scott Adsit returns as the voice of Baymax. Voice talent featured in episodes include Ryan Potter, Maya Rudolph, Emily Kuroda, Lilimar, Zeno Robinson and Jaboukie Young-White.

BAYMAX! arrives June 29, 2022 on Disney+.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)