If you've been keeping up with the recent developments at The Walt Disney Company, you know that Disney Animation head Jared Bush expressed a sincere interest in returning to traditional animation. What you might not know is that Disney already started the process this week, and it flew under even this writer's radar.
The Walt Disney Company has been instrumental in the animation industry since the 20s, and to know that artists and animators are working hard to reclaim the art form is a joy. However, one of the flagship projects won't be for all audiences.
Zootopia gets animated (again)
With an upcoming sequel on the way, Zootopia is slowly starting to become popular again. The 2016 original was a poignant delight that spawned a spinoff series and a fanbase almost worthy of cult status. However, the majority of Nick and Judy's fans aren't on American soil, and neither is the next project.
According to a report from CartoonBrew, Zootopia has been such a hit in China that Disney is working with Chinese animators to create A Day in the Life of Zootopia, a new series of short films celebrating both the upcoming sequel and Chinese culture set to premiere later this year.
Per CartoonBrew,
The shorts will use different “authentic local artistic techniques,” such as stop motion, 2d, paper cutout, and ink wash. “In this collaboration with Disney Studios China, we will blend Eastern and Western cultures, using diverse traditional Chinese animation techniques to creatively reimagine globally beloved characters,” said Wang Jun, chairwoman of Shanghai Film Group Corporation. “This will provide audiences with a fresh visual experience.”
This is certainly an exciting development, but it does leave us American fans wanting. Speaking as an out-and-proud Zootopia fanboy, I find myself envying audiences on the other side of the world. After all, they already have a Zootopia park expansion at Shanghai Disney.
Jealousies aside, this is also a step in the right direction for Disney. It proves that the studio is serious about reviving the art form Walt worked so hard to establish. That said, fans are still on pins and needles to see what happens here in the States. All we can do is wait.
A Day in the Life of Zootopia will release to Chinese audiences this November.