Last year, Pixar received awards and nominations for its short film, La Luna, which was beautifully directed by Enrico Casarosa. However, the divisive Cars 2 largely remained on the sidelines, making last year the first time Pixar’s feature film had not been a factor in awards season. Brave received far more favorable reviews in 2012, and last night captured the Golden Globe in the Best Animated Feature Film category. Find more details and watch the acceptance speech after the break!
Two More ‘Brave’ Awards Ads Published
The high-profile New York Film Critics Circle is announcing its picks for the year today, which means the awards season has now begun. Historically, Disney has promoted Pixar’s feature films during the season by publishing ‘For Your Consideration’ ads, the first of which we saw for Brave recently. Two more FYC ads have emerged, made up of two memorable and visually striking moments from the film. Take a look at them after the break!
First ‘Brave’ Awards Ad Unveiled
With the holidays around the corner comes the realization that awards season is rapidly approaching, which has studios scrambling to keep their films on voters’ minds. The most common approach for that is for studios to publish ‘For Your Consideration’ ads, which gently remind potential voters that their films should be in the running. Pixar’s Brave, which will likely be seriously considered for nominations in the animated feature and music categories, recently saw its first ‘FYC’ ad pblished and you can see it after the break!
More ‘Brave’ Easter Eggs – A113, The Late Joe Ranft
Pixar films are renowned for their compelling characters as well as their gorgeous animation. The studio is also known to have a bit of fun, hiding “easter eggs” in hard-to-find places that can often only be found on repeat viewings. In Brave, the latest film from the animation powerhouse, audiences quickly found two hidden references that we have come to expect in all of its feature films – the Pizza Planet truck and a nod to the next film down the line (in this case, Monsters University). However, the A113 code that has appeared in every one of Pixar’s feature films has proven to be elusive – until now, that is. Take a look at the find after the break!
‘Brave’ Expanding To Wide Release For Labor Day Weekend
Domestically, Brave has already grossed well over $200 million, placing it around the middle of Pixar’s films when ranked by box office. Internationally, the film has taken in a total of about $450 million, continuing the worldwide success that the animation studio has enjoyed. The film’s theatrical release in North America was beginning to come to an end, playing in just 450 theaters last weekend, but Disney has announced that it will send Brave back into wide release for one weekend only.
‘Brave’ Blu-ray/DVD Special Features Include All-New Short
Aside from the increase in video and audio quality, the jump from VHS to DVD was amazing for its focus on providing special behind-the-scenes features that are now considered customary. Actually, special features have become expected to the point that when they are missing, the box set is dubbed as shallow. Blu-ray discs have the potential for much more with their exponential increase in storage space and Disney and Pixar seem to be taking advantage of that, as Brave on Blu-ray has over 20 special features, including a brand new short that gives us more of the demon bear Mor’du. Find a complete listing after the break!
‘Brave’ Co-Director Brenda Chapman Exits Pixar? (Confirmed)
Brenda Chapman was a well-known personality in the industry before she arrived at Pixar, as she was the first woman ever to direct an animated film from a major studio (The Prince of Egypt from DreamWorks Animation). She had also worked in the writing department on Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Chicken Run. Excitement was in the air when she was hired by Pixar, considered by many to be the best in the animation business. She was to be the first female lead director at the studio when she came up with the idea for Brave before she was replaced by Mark Andrews. Now, a report has emerged that she recently left Pixar. [Read more…]
‘Brave’ Crosses $200 Million Mark At The Box Office
Pixar films have a phenomenally consistent record at the box office, averaging well over $200 million in North America alone. Before last week, nine of the previously released 12 films from the animation studio had settled at a number larger than $200 million. Brave has followed in the footsteps of those films and just last week joined them, crossing the mark last Wednesday. Factoring in the film’s gross from this weekend, it climbed the chart of Pixar films to become the ninth biggest (domestically) from the studio. [Read more…]
Comic-Con 2012: Pixar Costumes
Each year, about 130,000 people descend upon San Diego to attend Comic-Con, which has evolved into a massive event focused on film, TV, comics, and pop culture. Many cosplay (definition for those who may not know: they wear costumes) and put together incredibly intricate designs to bring their favorite characters to life. Brave‘s Merida is the first female lead in a Pixar film, so it comes as no surprise that there are fans who have donned costumes, bringing the red-haired princess to the real world. Take a look at some Merida cosplayers, as well as a costume mash-up of two Pixar films from San Diego Comic-Con after the break! [Read more…]
‘Brave’ Stays Strong In Third Weekend, Closing In On $200 Million
More than sheer spectacle is necessary if a film is to maintain some strength throughout its box office run. If it suffers from bad word-of-mouth, odds are that the numbers will experience percentage drops of more than 50% in subsequent weekends. More often than not, Pixar films have stayed strong in their third and fourth weekends and beyond, making the Pixar brand extremely bankable. Pixar’s Brave grossed an estimated $20 million in its third weekend, which now has it closing in upon the $200 million mark. [Read more…]
