Last week, Walt Disney World held a press event to detail its “Monstrous Summer,” including plans to integrate Pixar’s upcoming film Monsters University into Disney Parks. The campaign is also a way for Disney to raise awareness of the exciting attractions that were recently completed/updated. The event culminated in the temporary-but-still extraordinary transformation of Spaceship Earth at Epcot into Mike Wazowski. Take a look at how Disney was able to implement this tremendous spectacle, and learn who at Pixar helped make this a reality!
'Monsters University' News
New ‘Monsters University’ Concept Art Unveiled At Walt Disney World
Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World celebrates the golden age of the film industry, with its beautiful structures and classic theme. The park grounds used to house the home of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, which was responsible for the development of such films as Mulan and Lilo & Stitch. That production building was later converted into an attraction where guests can visit and learn how Disney animated characters come to life. There is also a showroom inside that displays concept art for upcoming films. Monsters University concept art was recently added, and you can take a look at the beautiful pieces after the break!
Preview: ‘Monsters University’ Vinylmation
Over the years, Vinylmation figures have become very popular in the collectors market. While they were originally all shaped like Mickey Mouse, the lines have expanded to include other shapes and sizes, giving the designers and artists who work with them virtually unlimited possibilities. The Mickey-shaped figures continue to be the most widely released, which include the new Monsters University figures that are coming soon. Take a look at the monster figures after the break!
Spaceship Earth Turns Into Mike Wazowski To Announce Disney Parks Will Stay Open 24 Hours May 24-25
With a test video of Mike Wazowski taking over Spaceship Earth at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park leaking out yesterday, we were left wondering just what the spectacle was tied to. With Epcot closed for the night except to the press, a huge Mike projection was shined upon the iconic Epcot structure, to share the announcement that the Magic Kingdom park at Disney World and the Disneyland and California Adventure parks in California would all remain open for a 24-hour stretch at the start of Memorial Day weekend. Watch the gigantic Mike Wazowski make the announcement after the break!
Walt Disney World To Reportedly Turn Epcot’s Spaceship Earth Into Giant Mike Wazowski For One Night
Just yesterday, Walt Disney World debuted the “monsterail,” a monorail at the resort that has been covered with Monsters University characters to promote the release of the upcoming film. Also tying into the film is the “Monstrous Summer” campaign that is currently underway, to not only showcase the Pixar film, but to also emphasize the enormity of the various attractions and events around Disney resort this summer season. There is a press event being held at Disney World through Friday that discusses these aspects of the campaign. Connected to the event, a report has emerged that, in order to help launch the Monstrous Summer campaign, Mike Wazowski will be projected onto the iconic Spaceship Earth at Epcot. Watch how it will look in a video after the break!
Watch: Final ‘Monsters University’ Theatrical Trailer
Monsters University is currently screening for college students and faculty around the country, and judging from the overall consensus, the film is on track to delight audiences across the globe. To raise and maintain awareness of the film’s release, which is less than two months away now, Disney/Pixar has just released the final theatrical trailer. Watch the final Monsters University trailer after the break!
‘Monsters University’ Director Dan Scanlon Explains Why Sulley Was Not Jealous Of Mike’s Good Looks In The 4th Grade
In early April, I was invited to visit Pixar to preview its upcoming films for the year, Monsters University and The Blue Umbrella, and to speak to the filmmakers that worked on them. One of the concerns (translation: nitpicks) that some Monsters, Inc. fans had after the announcement of prequel Monsters University was the comment Mike made to Sulley in the original film that inferred they knew each other in the fourth grade. With the prequel film revolving around the story of how Mike and Sulley met in college, there was a vocal minority that complained about what seemed to be a contradiction. After the break, read what MU director Dan Scanlon had to say about that!
Walt Disney World Monorail Cleverly Covered With ‘Monsters University’ Characters
Pixar’s parent company, Disney, has more resources to promote its upcoming films than rival studios. The Disney Parks and various Disney channels allow the company to extend its arm beyond the promotion that we see most often, such as trailers and commercials. In addition to organizing “meet and greets” with film characters at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the company has recently started to theme its park monorails in a creative fashion. Earlier today, Disney World debuted a monorail that is covered with Monsters University characters. Take a look after the break!
CinemaCon 2013: Positive Reactions Emerge From Early ‘Monsters University’ Screening
Yesterday, Disney held a presentation at CinemaCon, the event where studios preview their upcoming films as a way to rally support among members of the movie theater industry. The studio confirmed that Pete Docter‘s 2015 film that takes place inside the human mind would be called Inside Out. Additionally, attendees were lucky to be one of the first audiences outside of Pixar to view a near-complete version of Monsters University. Given that the film is a prequel to Monsters, Inc., which starred several beloved characters, expectations are high. Based on the brief reactions from the press present in the audience, it looks like the prequel film is on the way to being another Pixar hit.
‘Monsters University’ Character Posters, Bios, Voice Cast Revealed
Monsters, Inc. was only the fourth feature film to come out of Pixar. Almost twelve years later, the studio is set to release the prequel, Monsters University. In that time period, animation technology has evolved, and allows for far more detail to appear on the big screen than ever before. The Monsters prequel, which takes place on a campus, will have hundreds of characters share the screen, making for an expansive cast. Today, we have posters and details for twelve of those characters, along with the actors who will be voicing them. Enjoy information overload after the break!
