Cars 3
Director: Brian Fee
Screenwriters: Kiel Murray, Bob Peterson, Mike Rich
Cast: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Nathan Fillion, Kerry Washington, Lea DeLaria
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Rated PG| 109 Minutes
Release Date: June 16, 2017

One of the things that continues to impress me about Pixar’s Cars franchise is its resiliency and heart. Though it is considered to be one of Pixar’s weakest franchises, it managed to become a trilogy. It may not resonate as much with fans as some other Pixar films do, but Cars has continually shown that it has what it takes to be great. Even if it that means it needed to take two “very safe” films to get there. So Cars 3 doesn’t take any huge risks, it takes an unconventional approach to possibly ending Lightning McQueen’s (Owen Wilson) story.

While that is a bit refreshing for the franchise, it does come with its own set of issues and concerns. All of it depends on how you look at it. Check out my full review below.

The Good Dinosaur
DIRECTOR: Peter Sohn
WRITER: Meg LeFavure
STORY: Peter Sohn, Erik Benson, Meg LeFavure, Kelsey Mann, Bob Peterson
CAST: Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Steve Zahn, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Marcus Scribner
Walt Disney Studios | Pixar
Rated PG | 100 Minutes
Release Date: November 25, 2015

The story of a boy and his dog gets a new prehistoric spin in Disney and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur. The story asks the age-old question, what would have happened if the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs had missed? Well, in the film, we learn that the dinosaurs become productive members of society that adapted to their natural surroundings. There lies one of the things that makes this film so beautiful. Even with its storied production problems the film has gone through, the studio has managed to rise above it all and give out something that is not only beautiful aesthetically, but emotionally as well.

Arlo, a skittish Apatosaurus with a big heart, is separated from his family. Scared and alone, our hero must find his way home before the cold winter comes. On his journey he comes across sights he has never seen before, and meets an unlikely companion who joins him on his course home – a human boy, whom he names Spot. Together, they learn that they have more in common with each other than they originally thought despite their difference in species, and together they find that they can have the courage to overcome any fear they will encounter on their journey home.

Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur has had its share of production problems in the past. The first sign of trouble was when Bob Peterson was a no-show at D23 Expo in 2013. Due to some issues with the story, Peterson was taken off the project, and replaced by Peter Sohn (Pixar animated short Partly Cloudy). At the time, the film had already cast its voice talent, which consisted of Lucas Neff (Raising Hope), John Lithgow, Frances McDormand, Neil Patrick Harris, Judy Greer, and Bill Hader.

But we are now learning that The Good Dinosaur is getting a major voice cast overhaul, and everyone except McDormand has been replaced. Some of the incoming talent includes, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott, Jeffery Wright, Steve Zahn, and more. Check out the new cast below.

Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur was originally slated for a 2014 release. But problems with the story forced the film’s original director, Bob Peterson, out, and pushed the film back to a November 2015 release. The first signs of trouble started to appear when Peterson was noticeably absent at the D23 Expo in 2013.

Since then Peter Sohn came on board as director to resolve some of the story issues that The Good Dinosaur was suffering from, and in a new report from The LA Times, we are getting a better understanding of why the film had to be pushed back, and what he has done to fix some of the problems. Hit the jump for more and to see a new image from the movie.

Earlier this week, reports of Pixar pulling Bob Peterson off directing The Good Dinosaur surfaced. He was notably absent at both the animation presentation and The Good Dinosaur panel at D23, leaving some wondering if there was trouble between the two parties.

Well, it isn’t so much trouble, but more of just a shift in direction. The LA Times confirms the news of Peterson’s departure from the project. However, the director, who was the voice of Roz in Monsters, Inc, will remains a part of the Pixar family. The film’s directorial duties will go to the Pixar Brain Trust, which consists of: John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Mark Andrews, and Pete Sohn, the latter of whom had originally been co-director with Peterson.