A couple of news bits have surfaced from a pair of upcoming Pixar films beginning with a directorial change on Brave (previously titled The Bear and the Bow). Cartoon Brew reports Brenda Chapman, who was expected to be the first female director of a Pixar film, is no longer directing and has been replaced by One Man Band co-director Mark Andrews.
Chapman previously helmed The Prince of Egypt when she became the first animated female director for DreamWorks Animation and unfortunately “CartoonBrew” doesn’t have any additional details regarding the directorial switch, but my guess is that it has something to do with the release date shift as it originally had a Christmas 2011 slot and will now hit theaters on June 15, 2012.
Brave features the voice talents of Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson and Julie Walters. The following is the official synopsis:
A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar’s action-adventure Brave. The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father’s kingdom and her mother’s life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right.
Next comes some new goodies for Cars 2, which will be directed by John Lasseter along with co-director, Ratatouille producer, Brad Lewis, for a June 24, 2011 release.
Four pieces of concept art featuring Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) in the Race of Champions and locales such as the UK, Italy, Japan and France have just been sent over by Disney. I have included the first pic just above and the three others are at the end of this article, but if you want larger versions they can all be found in the Cars 2 gallery right here.
However, before you leave, first feast your eyes on the Cars 2 logo teaser that was just released by Disney and Pixar.
As for the storyline, the brand new synopsis tells all:
Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in Cars 2 when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.
John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning Cars. Cars 2 is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film Ratatouille, and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, Up; visual effects executive producer, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3Dâ„¢ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.
