First Look: Brave Concept Art. Also, Behind-the-Scenes Changes.

EW.com has an exclusive first look at some concept art for Brave, Disney/Pixar’s 13th feature film, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters in the summer of 2012. A few years ago, there were a few pieces of artwork that were released when the film was first announced, but in a matter of a few years the look of a film can change. These new pieces of artwork remind us that while Brave is Pixar’s first fairytale, the studio is not looking to deliver your usual princess film. View the artwork (and an updated description of the film) below.

UPDATE: Added hi-res versions of the images.

HIGHLAND OF THE BRAVE — The rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland serve as the backdrop for Brave, a new tale that joins the lands’ ancient lore stories of epic battles and mystical legends passed down for generations. Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, Brave is the grand adventure of Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald), a skilled archer who confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts to discover the true meaning of courage. The film also features the voices of Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson and Robbie Coltrane. Brave, full of heart, memorable characters and Pixar’s signature humor, takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D in select theaters.

The stunning pieces of concept art provide a small window into the Brave world, one that is likely to be darker than other fairy tale films. In an interview last year, Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich stated that the film will be gritty, which has us even more excited for the storyline.

Looking at the new description that has been provided by Disney/Pixar, you will notice a few behind-the-scenes changes. The big one was reported last year, which had Mark Andrews replacing Brenda Chapman as director. It seems she will still be credited as co-director, as EW has confirmed it from a Disney spokesperson.

Additionally, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Reese Witherspoon, who was originally attached to voice the main role of Merida was unable to work on the film due to “scheduling issues.” She has been replaced with Kelly Macdonald, a Scottish actress who has starred in No Country For Old Men, Boardwalk Empire, and also has a role in the final Harry Potter film. No harm there, as a Scottish actress playing the role of a Scottish princess is fairly logical. While Pixar has had big stars voicing their characters before, the studio has never seemed to focus too much on landing them for their films.

Make sure to head over to EW.com for the complete article, which includes a few new details on the storyline of the film.

Brave is set to hit theaters on June 22, 2012. Let’s start up that countdown clock, shall we?

Source: EW

UPDATE (3/29/11): Disney/Pixar has released another concept art piece for the film, which you can view below:

Via: Stitch Kingdom

Source: Disney/Pixar

Follow The Pixar Times

About Samad Rizvi