It has been almost two years since Disney/Pixar officially announced the development of The Good Dinosaur at the D23 Expo, which is essentially Disney’s version of Comic Con. We have practically come full circle because the next time we will likely hear more about the film is at the 2013 Expo, set to take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in August. We already know that the film will follow the friendship between a dinosaur and a child. We recently learned a few more small details about the characters and the story. Read about them after the break!
The film is being directed by Bob Peterson, who served as co-director on Up, in addition to voicing several memorable characters such as Roz in Monsters, Inc. and Dug in Up. The synopsis that Disney released for The Good Dinosaur reads:
What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?
Additionally, a piece of concept art from the film’s pre-production was shown (above), which showcased the silhouette of a dinosaur and a young child riding on its head. We were not told any further details about the story, as Pixar is notoriously protective of its films’ stories. The last act of Monsters University has largely remained a secret because the studio understands the importance of holding cards close to its chest – provide the audience with just enough to be curious enough to see the film, then surprise them in the theater. It is all part of the experience of seeing a film for the first time, according to Pixar. So it is no surprise that we have not heard much at all about The Good Dinosaur.
Paul Shirey of JoBlo.com (via A113Animation) recently attended a marketing event and reportedly learned a few details about upcoming projects under the Disney umbrella. With respect to The Good Dinosaur, he heard the following, details that seem harmless enough that they would likely be revealed in a teaser or trailer:
The “good” dinosaur in question is named Jacob (pronounced Yacob) and the story follows him and his “pet boy” on an adventure to save their collective worlds.
Back when the film was untitled – note the dinosaur silhouette.
While the pronunciation of Jacob is interesting, the more significant details above are that the boy may be the dinosaur’s pet (rather than the other way around) and that they will undertake a grand adventure. The usage of “pet boy” could imply that dinosaurs keep humans as pets in this version of Earth, or it could simply reference the dynamics of the friendship between the dinosaur and the boy. Up, which Peterson worked on with Pete Docter, was a great adventure film with a heart-wrenching storyline. We saw Carl and Russell form a strong bond, which ultimately paid off with a beautiful ending. If Peterson can bring some of that heart over to The Good Dinosaur‘s story and characters (and I think there is a good chance that he will), the film could be another stunning addition to the Pixar film catalog.
As for how the two “save their collective worlds,” we will have to wait and see. The Good Dinosaur is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 30, 2014! We should see a teaser for the film either later this summer or in the fall with the Blu-ray/DVD release of Monsters University.
