Here's an interesting article I found on MSN:



NEW ORLEANS - The Walt Disney Co. has started production on an animated musical fairy tale called “The Frog Princess,” which will be set in New Orleans and feature the Walt Disney Studio’s first black princess.

The film, set for release in 2009, also is the first hand-drawn film Disney has committed to since pledging last month to return to the traditional animation that made it a worldwide brand.

“The Frog Princess,” a musical scored by composer Randy Newman, is “an American fairy tale” starring a girl named Maddy who lives in the French Quarter in New Orleans, said John Lasseter, chief creative director for Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

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Disney did not provide details of the plot, but the company showed shareholders preliminary drawings from the movie. Newman and a jazz band played a song from the movie’s score.

Maddy joins eight other Disney princess characters, who have generated $3 billion in global retail sales since 1999. Disney Princesses is the fastest-growing brand for the company’s Consumer Products division.

Disney introduced its first non-white animated heroine in 1992's “Aladdin”: a Middle Eastern character named Jasmine. Three years later an American Indian princess appeared in “Pocahontas.”

The creation of the Chinese heroine from “Mulan” came in 1998. Other Disney princesses are the main characters from “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Disney aggregated the eight characters in 1999 under the banner Disney Princesses and has rolled out toys, books, clothing, furniture and other merchandise aimed at girls ages 3 to 8.

Disney chief executive Robert Iger said the company wanted to show its support for New Orleans, only partially rebuilt 18 months after it was flooded by Hurricane Katrina, by holding its annual meeting and setting its newest animated film in the city.

“The film’s New Orleans setting and strong princess character give the film lots of excitement and texture,” Walt Disney Studios chairman **** Cook said.

John Musker and Ron Clements, who co-directed “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Hercules” will co-direct the movie. The pair also wrote the story for the film.


It's about time Disney went back its roots and made another classic tale into a movie. :}

Aww i was just about to post this -.- oh well, thanks for posting! now i don't have to :P too tired Lol anyway, frog princess?? :( i wish there's a chicken princess :)

~me~

Introducing Princess Maddy.

I just read on Yahoo! News, in 2009 Disney will release a new film, without 3D animation! Instead, it will be handdrawn. The film is to be called "The Frog Princess".

This princess will be African American! Her name is to be Maddy.

A lot of people from other classic Disney films will be helping out with this film. Also, this princess will be added to the collection of Disney Princesses at parks! Maybe new items for VMK in 2009?

I'm happy disney decided to make an African princess, and that Pixarization is dying! YAY! ;)

I'm happy disney decided to make an African princess, and that Pixarization is dying! YAY! ;)

It depends, I think they are testing non-pixarization. If the film is a success in the box office, perhaps they will continue with this. But if it's not, well...

Maddy joins eight other Disney princess characters, who have generated $3 billion in global retail sales since 1999. Disney Princesses is the fastest-growing brand for the company’s Consumer Products division.

Disney introduced its first non-white animated heroine in 1992's “Aladdin”: a Middle Eastern character named Jasmine. Three years later an American Indian princess appeared in “Pocahontas.”

The creation of the Chinese heroine from “Mulan” came in 1998. Other Disney princesses are the main characters from “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”They always leave out Nala and Eilonwy!

It's about time Disney went back its roots and made another classic tale into a movie!I'm just glad it's a musical! That's what we've been missing!

This is going to mess up all their "Princess" merchandise completely. They'll have to squeeze this new one in somewhere....

I'm so excited for this! Pixar's first non-computer animated film!

~Key

Yay! Thats awesome news. Can't wait

<33Linny

Hmm, that would be interesting.

I wonder what the little kids would say about this...

~Fantasy

Wasn't there a movie coming out called Enchanted with a Princess? (No, Not Ella Enchanted) Anyway, I have a friend that will be happy about this news. Now many of the Kidas will have new friends. ;)

I can NOT WAIT for this. I will try to go see the next HAND DRAWN film Disney creates.

As for Merchandise, it will go fine. They circulate merchandise pretty frequently so adding a new logo will be easy and WORTH it financially.

I'm happy disney decided to make an African princess, and that Pixarization is dying! YAY! ;)

And from the the writers and directors of Aladdin and Treasure Planet, John Musker and Ron Clements, but it's actually supposed to be released in 2008.

They always leave out Nala and Eilonwy!

Never mind them, what about Disney's FIRST first featured black princess?:

(Although Atlantean as opposed to African... (http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0230011/atl03.jpg.html)
And she wasn't white at WDW, either!) (http://www.wdw-photos.com/characters/kida.jpg)

Do not forget Princess Rapunzel as well. We have some new faces to grace us soon.

As for Pixarization, I am sure it is not going away...BUT 2-D will not be forgotten. Thats nice to know.

The Pixarization isn't leaving because Pixar is making this film.

~Key

Kida IS the First! ;) (From Atlantis)

Now, there are several threads on this movie. I hope they make the soundtrack a fun and emotional ride that will be treasured for years and fun to sing aloud

PS: I know Kida in that pic there. Nice find. ;)

I don't understand. Why is everyone making a big deal about Pixar? I happen to think that Disney/Pixar movies are pretty good (some of them, at least) Let's not neglect our fish friends or monsters!
:mickbar:DisneyRoxie

I'm happy disney decided to make an African princess, and that Pixarization is dying! YAY! ;)


Not all Pixarization is CGI(Computer Generated Imagery), There are many more different kinds of special effects. For Instance, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" won an oscar for best visual effects in 1989, for creating a world where cartoons coexist with humans. The movie's visual effects was mostly hand-drawn animation, there were still some CGI moments, but at least 94% of the film was hand drawn. "Mary Poppins" also won an oscar in 1965 for best visual effects.

Not all Pixarization is CGI(Computer Generated Imagery), There are many more different kinds of special effects. For Instance, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" won an oscar for best visual effects in 1989, for creating a world where cartoons coexist with humans. The movie's visual effects was mostly hand-drawn animation, there were still some CGI moments, but at least 94% of the film was hand drawn. "Mary Poppins" also won an oscar in 1965 for best visual effects.
What do either of those films have to do with Pixar? Or with this thread?

What do either of those films have to do with Pixar? Or with this thread?

Pixarization. Not all Pixarization is computer animated.

AWESOME!! _too short_

http://bp1.blogger.com/_yKDod7R-YL0/RfY9aggzBUI/AAAAAAAAAAM/_kdYKmtSDeI/s320/frog+princess+logo.jpg

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. has started production on an animated musical fairy tale called "The Frog Princess," which will be set in New Orleans and feature the Walt Disney Studio's first black princess.

The company unveiled the plans at its annual shareholders' meeting in New Orleans.

John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Disney and the Disney-owned unit Pixar Animation Studios, said the movie would return to the classic hand-drawn animation process, instead of using computer animation that has become the industry standard. He called the film "an American fairy tale."
"The film's New Orleans setting and strong princess character give the film lots of excitement and texture," Walt Disney Studios Chairman Cook said.

The movie will be scored by Randy Newman, who also wrote the music for Disney's "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc." and "Cars."

Newman performed a song from the score for the shareholders.
John Musker and Ron Clements, who co-directed "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," and "Hercules" will co-direct the movie. The pair also wrote the story for the film.

Disney said its new animated princess -- Maddy -- will be added to its collection of animated princesses used at the company's theme parks and on consumer products.

The film is set for release in 2009

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Frog_princess_maddy.jpghttp://bp3.blogger.com/_yKDod7R-YL0/RfY_bAgzBYI/AAAAAAAAAAs/BKlEJQw5qJU/s200/frog+princess+maddy+4.JPG
Picture of a concept art.

Omg she looks beautiful i have a feeling this will be a most definitly an awesome movie!

The real entire thing I am extremely happy about with this movie is that is it hand drawn. It's nice to see Disney returning to it's trademark even if it may be for just one movie. Also, the movie does sound great, but I hope the parks don't get a makeover everywhere to add the Frog Princess.....

New Orleans-style jazz composed by Randy Newman? Sounds dreadful.

New Orleans-style jazz composed by Randy Newman? Sounds dreadful.

I can't imagine Randy Newman doing "Jazz". -Shutters- Why not let Alan Menken score another Disney flick? He won three oscars for best original score (Two of which he beat out John Williams, the guy who scores most of Steven Spielberg's films, and won three oscars also for best score), and four oscars for best original song.

I can't imagine Randy Newman doing "Jazz". -Shutters- Why not let Alan Menken score another Disney flick? He won three oscars for best original score (Two of which he beat out John Williams, the guy who scores most of Steven Spielberg's films, and won three oscars also for best score), and four oscars for best original song.
Yeah, I miss Alan Menken. Even if all his scores did sound exactly the same, at least it was a good score. Still, I suppose Randy Newman's better than Phil Collins. Couldn't they at least have asked back Elton John?

I dont like her name, "Maddy." It doesn't sound as creative as "Ariel" or "Aurora" when those movies came out. o_O

I just feel badly for Walt Disney Studios chairman **** Cook. He can't even say his name on VMKF.

Yeah, I miss Alan Menken. Even if all his scores did sound exactly the same, at least it was a good score. Still, I suppose Randy Newman's better than Phil Collins. Couldn't they at least have asked back Elton John?

Yeah it would be better, Randy's score was good in Toy Story. Elton John?

Yeah it would be better, Randy's score was good in Toy Story. Elton John?
Elton John scored The Lion King. "Can you feel the love tonight?"

Elton John scored The Lion King. "Can you feel the love tonight?"


He wrote the songs.

Hans Zimmer wrote the score.

He wrote the songs.

Hans Zimmer wrote the score.
Oh, sorry, you're right. Well, Hans Zimmer, then. Whatever. I've just had enough of Randy Newman already.

Oh, sorry, you're right. Well, Hans Zimmer, then. Whatever. I've just had enough of Randy Newman already.


Amen dude.

Just read online (Slight "Editation")
"I've got more on Anika Noni Rose's big casting coup.

As I was the first to break the news yesterday, Disney has picked Rose to star as the studio's first black princess in an upcoming animated musical movie.

I just got word on some changes already happening with the much anicipated movie.

Inside sources report the Mickey Mouse filmmakers have changed the name of the flick from The Frog Princess to The Princess and the Frog. Also, until now, Rose's 19-year-old character's name was Maddy; however, my sources tell me that moniker has been dropped and a new name is still being hashed out.

Now, back to the casting. When the Tony Award-winning Rose got the news yesterday that she had been plucked over people like Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Tyra Banks, a source tells me that she was in the middle of Times Square and not far from the Disney offices.

So, Rose hightailed it over to Disney, where some execs on the film were waiting for her with celebration in hand."

"As I've reported, Hudson and Alicia Keys also auditioned for the role. A source now tells me others who tried out for it include Tyra Banks." It was a highly sought after role.

I can't wait for this or rapunzel :D

An African-American princess this should be a good movie but if if it is released in theateres my mom will not let me see it unless she doesn't see the commercials.
~sktr♥~

Well its nice Disney isn't only appreciating Cocasians for once..Maybe they'll make a Hispanic and Hindu princess..

It depends, I think they are testing non-pixarization. If the film is a success in the box office, perhaps they will continue with this. But if it's not, well...

Everybody see it! I must get rid of pixarization! But really, I cant stand their "pixarization". Hopefully a lot of people see this, putting Disney on the map to sucess in my book again!

I am looking foward to this movie. The story is classic. The princess is African American so all african American children finally have a princess to look up to. Like others look up to Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, etc. So now all we have to do is wait untill 2009!

Lemony, I agree, that would be good to see Hispanic, Hindu, and even other princesses. But you have to understand, Disney never was only appreciating Cocasians. Them creating movies about those people had nothing to do with it. It is just that, Disney was first created in a place where the population is mostly Cocasians. Walt grew up in a place like that, too. Im guessing they pretty much just made movies based on what was around them, not what is around other people on this world, thtis country. That is my guess.