HOME TRAILERS RELEASE DATES PODCASTS REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS BOB $TENCIL NEWS FEEDS ABOUT APPS

LATEST NEWS

Disney Working on 3D Lion King + Roger Rabbit Sequel Soon

by Alex Billington
June 22, 2010
Source: Empire

Disney is definitely on their way to becoming the top studio again. There are hundreds of projects they're working on, but two of them get some time in the spotlight today. Empire caught up with Disney producer Don Hahn, who directed the great Waking Sleeping Beauty documentary and is working on Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, and talked about a few different projects at Disney, since he still is working on other things besides telling the inside story of Disney. First up, it sounds like that Who Framed Roger Rabbit sequel is moving forward soon and secondly, they're starting work on a 3D conversion of The Lion King as well.

Hahn explains about Lion King: "I'm actually trying to work out a 3D conversion of The Lion King. I'll be doing that when I go back to the States in a couple of weeks. It's going to be spectacular – we will do a good job for ya! The technology is tremendous. We did A Nightmare Before Christmas a few years ago and Tim thought it was better than the original because it allows you to walk onto the set." If this seems like another money grab, it's not entirely. Disney has been working on a 3D conversion of Beauty and the Beast for years and that still hasn't hit theaters, but I have seen some test footage converted, and it looks fantastic. They're going back to the "drawing boards" when working on these and it truly shows, because it looks spectacular.

As for that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? sequel in the works that we've heard rumors might involved director Robert Zemeckis again, Hahn drops a couple of hints that make it sound like Zemeckis is indeed back and it's moving forward very soon. "Yeah, I couldn't possibly comment. I deny completely, but yeah... If you're a fan, pretty soon you're going to be very, very, very happy." I'll take that as a sign that something big is in the works and fans should be excited to hear the news, but we're going to have to wait until it officially hits. Hahn also confirmed that The Snow Queen has also been shelved. We'll be on the lookout for more updates!

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions, Rumors

Hattori Hanzo

Isn't it ironic that Disney, a company that took so much pride and bragged how their animated movies such The Lion King were hand drawn, cell by cell, in the traditional way is now being unconverted into 3-D money grab? Walt Disney must be rolling over in his grave over his old company’s lack of respect and integrity for his treasured traditional art form. I'll pass on The Lion King 3-D but look forward to hearing more about the Roger Rabbit sequel.
Xerxex

Yeah Hattori its down right pitiful. "It's going to be spectacular – we will do a good job for ya!" fuck you Hahn. I do not want a Roger Rabbit sequel, especially since Zemeckis is obsessed with his CGI hybrid bastard. Walt Disney's ghost is gonna come back and destroy what has happened to his company.
Jedibilly

I can't imagine how Lion King would look amazing in 3D. I hope it won't look like a big pop up book. Conversions usually look like pop up books. Hopefully, they got the technology to impress us this time around.
Cmurder

Pretty sure that if this technology existed when Disney was in his prime, we would have been all over it. Get over it Hanzo!
DRM

Wait, since when did Disney own Rodger Rabbit? I though that property was co-owned? And if it is owned by Disney, is this sequel still going to feature animated characters from all over, like Bugs Bunny and Felix the Cat?
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2408/blackbabyjesus.gif Crapola

2 reasons why Roger Rabbit worked. Roger rabbit making of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arcc3XBpBuI Richard Williams doc: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VpT5Xa2cDk - The Lion King doesn't need 3deed. It is pretty cheesy to begin with.
Eli

This isn't the best news today. Why do we need to see a classic in 3-D?
Cartman

Thats what the world needs, another Roger Rabbit.... suck my balls.
Nada Nuff

Roger Rabbit? Yes, please. Lion King? Simba's gettin' old, and his kids are not that likeable. Will wait for trailer.
http://movies.iconocritic.com peloquin

I wanna see Waking Sleeping Beauty dammit!
Hey Wowza

I won't ruin my childhood memories by watching a 3D version of Lion King. This 3D thing is just getting out of hand.
casting couch

I got Lion King vibes while watching Prince of Persia the other day. Think about the similarities in a large part of the story.
DaftPUNKFAN

F the lion king, the first one was the only good one, and WHERE THE HELL IS ROGER RABBIT 2, now thats the one i want to know about and see
Dan

Wow we now get to see the crappy drawings in 3D!
Jeeze

If Zemeckis uses Pixar and Dreamworks characters as cameos that's a good thing. If the following scenes happen, I'm in Homer Simpson, Hank Hill, Peter Griffin and Bender Bendin' Rodriguez in a beer drinking contest. Robot Santa and Jack Skellington in a sleigh drag race.
Logan

3D is the next step in cinema. Whether you like it or not. You will either get mind blowing epics like avatar or eye-gouging blunders like Clash of the titans. I personally think there is a huge scope for 3D being GREAT especially in animated movies. Anyone who saw "how to train your dragon" in 3D would agree to that. It will be very interesting to see how they convert The Lion King to 3D. There are many ways to get it wrong and just one way to get it right.
Jeeze

Robert Zemeckis previously stated that even when he made 2D movies like Forrest Gump and Cast Away, he had a " 3D sensability" as a director. Does that mean that if he goes bact to live action, even they will be in 3D?
JacksonLee

oh fuck disney. and 3D.
Dave

Is there a law that says that every time the Roger Rabbit sequel comes up, some loon must suggest stupid, impossible scenes and characters for it? WFRR is set in 1947. The Simpsons did not exist until 1989, Pixar did not exist (in practice) until 1995. As you can see, there's a slight time difference between those dates. Keep it in the late forties / early fifties and we're sold.
Jeeze

What if Zemeckis sets the sequel in the late 50s/early 60s? Does that mean we could be seeing Hanna/Barbera characters pop up? If I remember rightly, the first one was set in 1947, but had cartoon characters from the early 50s making cameos.