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Strange Magic - Lucasfilm's New Upcoming Animated Film!

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Well this certainly came out of left field!

LUCASFILM’S STRANGE MAGIC COMING TO THEATERS JANUARY 23, 2015

Strange Magic, a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., will be released by Touchstone Pictures on January 23, 2015.  Strange Magic is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic, which created the CGI animation for 2011’s Academy Award-winning film Rango, bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects.

With a story by George Lucas, Strange Magic is directed by Gary Rydstrom (Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation, Lifted), produced by Mark S. Miller (associate producer Mars Attacks!) and executive produced by George Lucas, with a screenplay by David Berenbaum (Elf), Irene Mecchi (Brave, The Lion King) and Rydstrom. An extraordinary roster of film, television and Broadway stars lend their voices to Strange Magic, including Alan Cumming (CBS’ The Good Wife, Broadway’s Cabaret), Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March), Kristin Chenoweth (Broadway’s Wicked), Maya Rudolph (Big Hero 6, Bridesmaids), Sam Palladio (ABC’s Nashville), newcomer Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina (Chocolat), Elijah Kelley (Hairspray, The Butler), Bob Einstein (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Peter Stormare (Fargo). Well-known music producer Marius de Vries (Moulin Rouge) serves as both the musical director and composer.

Bog King (voice of Alan Cumming), Griselda (voice of Maya Rudolph) and Marianne (voice of Evan Rachel Wood) are part of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps in Strange Magic, a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Released by Touchstone Pictures, Strange Magic is in theaters Jan. 23, 2015.

Official Press Release

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With a story by George Lucas...and executive produced by George Lucas...

Blech!  Double blech!

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As long as it's not written by. Remember, that's how we got Willow!

Though I will say, the "popular songs from the past six decades" bit doesn't have me hopeful. That's the only thing I really didn't care for in The Book of Life. But then, George did make it work for American Graffiti, so...

Five'll get you ten that this makes it in.

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So they are going to use the ELO song "Strange Magic" as the title track?

That's one reason to like it.

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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Interesting. (That still looks like a frame from a CGI direct to video sequel to The Dark Crystal.)  But when is Lucasfilm going to give their first animated feature some Blu Ray love?

I still have the invitation to an L.A. screening I got as a member of the original SW fan club. Pity I couldn't get anyone to take me.

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Where were you in '77?

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Tobar said:


Strange Magic is directed by Gary Rydstrom (Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation, Lifted), produced by Mark S. Miller (associate producer Mars Attacks!)

 This reminds me of commercials that say things like "from the producers of Fast Five" as if that's somehow a selling point.

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Does anyone else think it's odd this was announced so close to it's release date? (Amazing that any Lucasfilm project could remain under the radar these days.) If they're going to put out trailers, they'd better do it fast.

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Where were you in '77?

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Darth Id said:

With a story by George Lucas...and executive produced by George Lucas...

Blech!  Double blech!

 The man can't even put his shoes on correctly, right?

And to this day, I love Willow.

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Wouldn't surprise me if someone deep inside Lucasfilm or Disney has thought about a Willow sequel.  Warwick Davis would probably do it in a heartbeat.

And if Mark Hamill can get back in shape, so can Val Kilmer.

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Where were you in '77?

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I'd love a movie sequel that completely disregarded the books.  I only read Shadow Moon, but I didn't like it that much.

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The fact that were only hearing about this now, considerin how long it usually takes to make animated films, is very suspect. Add in the fact that it's being released in January and by Touchstone rather than Disney and that Lucas is producing it and the other behind the scenes guys have practically nothing to their names I think there's only one thing to deduce about his film: it will be shit.

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I wouldn't say Gary Rydstrom has nothing to his name. His resume is just a bit esoteric to turn into a blurb for average movie patrons.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003977/

I admit it does seem like they're dumping this film in the post holiday dead zone. This could have been the last thing in the pipeline other than The Clone Wars before the Disney deal, and it was too far along to pull the plug. Or else they just didn't want to kill George's last "hands on" project?

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SilverWook said:

I wouldn't say Gary Rydstrom has nothing to his name. His resume is just a bit esoteric to turn into a blurb for average movie patrons.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003977/

 He has plenty to his name but it's all as a sound designer, not as a writer/director.

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Isn't that what I said? He does have three animated short directorial credits and two for writing though. ;)

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Where were you in '77?

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This movie bares all the hallmarks of being a film the studio doesn't want anyone to see and given that the studio in question has released both Ewok Adventure and Howard the Duck in the past this makes me very very afraid.

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The Ewok Adventure and Howard The Duck got more advance publicity than this though. And the Ewok movie was successful enough to get a sequel.

Will be interesting to see how wide a release this actually gets.

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Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

The Ewok Adventure and Howard The Duck got more advance publicity than this though. And the Ewok movie was successful enough to get a sequel.

Will be interesting to see how wide a release this actually gets.

 So in other words they are more ashamed of this movie then they were of those two.  That is a scary thought right there.

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I don't think Lucasfilm was ever ashamed of those films. Lucas even joked at the Star Wars 10th anniversary con that several Howard sequels were being planned.

The legend of HTD's failure is a bit out of proportion with reality, but late night comedians can't score easy laughs with jokes about Heaven's Gate. ;)

I think the mouse is calling the shots here though.

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Where were you in '77?

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You know, if the teaser for TFA isn't in front of The Hobbit next month...

I could see them putting it in front of this film to boost ticket sales.

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That would be a masterstroke, so long as the media doesn't spot fans leaving before the movie starts. ;)

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Where were you in '77?

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Well they could play it before the film and then again after the credits like they did during Meet Joe Black for TPM.

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I had no idea they did that!  You could still go play games in the lobby for a while and come back though. ;)

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Where were you in '77?