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FIRST LOOK

Beautiful Concept Art and Voice Cast Revealed for Pixar's 'Brave' Film

by Ethan Anderton
March 28, 2011
Source: EW

Last April we found out that Pixar's 2012 summer film The Bear and the Bow would now simply be called Brave. Now EW has word on the voice cast for the animated feature and the big news is that Reese Witherspoon will no longer voice the lead character, a tomboyish princess named Merida. Instead it will be Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald ("Boardwalk Empire") lending her voice to the character. Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson will also join her. In addition, we also have three pieces of beautiful concept art for the animated film which you can check out below.

Here's the concept art for Brave (courtesy of EW):

Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).

Though last October brought news that Pixar's first female director Brenda Chapman (Prince of Egypt) may be taken off the project, apparently she will now have a co-director in Mark Andrews (who directed Pixar's animated short One Man Band). However, it's important to note that Andrews is no primarily responsible for finishing the film for its June 22, 2012 release, but Chapman's work wasn't going to be ignored. I suppose it's kind of worrisome to have a director lose a little control of a film like this, but I have full faith in Pixar. How about you?

Filed under Casting, First Look, Movie News, Pixar

From around the web:

Manuel

Epic..?
Anonymous

Please be better than "Up" please!
- Duane
  
  what's your beef with "UP" Xerxexx?
  - Anonymous
    
    "Up" suffered he same way as "Cars" suffered...bad plot boring characters.
    - rocKKicer
      
      the plot was great! whats better than reconnecting to your youth, and accomlishing goals in life? not to mention, Carl is one of the greatest characters pixar ever produced.
      - Anonymous
        
        I should have said boring characters with the exception of Carl.
    - Hkunati
      
      You have no idea how much I agree with you. Up and Cars were by far Pixar's lowest on the creative pool. Cars is just terrible. Up was flat out boring.
- Anonymous
  
  ....and Wally, don't forget that Cred X!
  - Anonymous
    
    I actually enjoyed Wall-E...thought it was great, a little generic but that didn't bother me.
Harm

Duane - because UP was the worst Pixar movie to date (ok I haven't seen Toy Story 3). Sure they are beloved and quite the sacred cow but I don't mind goring them. I love older Pixar stuff - the Incredibles was a GREAT film - Finding Nemo and Monsters. But their recent mix of sappy sequals that every criti sucks up to - and nonsensical BS like UP which is just assinine.
- heddwynk
  
  You have no idea how much I agree with you. There used to be GENUINE meaning to every script without the intent of the 'awwww' moments. When Dory says to Marlon, "I'm at home with you,' it's not only sad, but you get this intense heart wrenching feeling from a fish! Up and their recent releases (sadly including TS3) just don't hit home in terms of humor and story. It could merely be preference, but i'm of the view that it's a little more than that, since I've tried watching these movies atleast more than 3 times.
- rocKKicker
  
  i respectfully disagree. I enjoyed Up for what it was. i connected to the carl character and the movie itself reminded me of adventures i had a child that i seemed to forget as i got older due to circumstance and/or changes.
http://superliminal.wordpress.com/ Nat

Why does everybody love the Incredibles? Love all the Pixars films except that movie, it just annoys me to bits... so incredibly boring story, sorry.
George Caltsoudas

Gahh!! That first shot spoils the awesomness of the teaser trailer. That part is so scary and cool because you don't notice that one of the rocks is a bear at first. Such a shame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9emWB_rrMt0 Crapola

This will be terrible. Some Celtic ginger Jocksploitation rubbish. As if Mel Gibson hasn't ruined Scotland enough. 'Brave' indeed.
Merida

Boring, there are much better epic stories coming from mainland Europe.
scotty6000

Hurry up Pixar! I wanna see this movie already! <33