Disney and Universal Sue AI Image Generator
Disney and Universal are suing AI firm Midjourney, accusing its image generator of mass-producing pirated versions of iconic characters. The lawsuit claims the tool replicates countless characters, from Darth Vader and Elsa to Marvel heroes and Minions, without permission. While studios explore AI for storytelling, they're alarmed by its ability to replicate creative content without consent.
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An Art Form Grows Up: The Transformation and Evolution of Animation Is Celebrated at Annecy
Thirty years after Pixar launched a revolution when it introduced the world's first fully computer animated feature, 'Toy Story,' its anniversary will be marked amid another sea change at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where the close-knit animation community gathers in the picturesque French city on Lake Annecy near the Swiss border. The festival will take place from June 8-14 amid a collision of artistic, business and technological shifts, driven by factors from a post-strike business climate to AI developments. 'It's just south of chaos,' admits Pixar Animation Studio's chief creative officer Pete Docter, who was a young animator at Pixar when Woody and Buzz were birthed. But as the industry evolves, he remembers the words of Disney legend Joe Grant, one of the writers of 'Dumbo,' who years ago advised Docter to remember that the business is cyclical. More from Variety 'The Bad Guys 2': DreamWorks Animation Will Preview Footage at Annecy International Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE) Finnish Animated Adventure 'Fleak' to Get U.S. Distribution After Annecy World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) 'Mulan's' Ming-Na Wen to Narrate Annecy-Bound 2D Animation Documentary 'Pencils Vs Pixels' (EXCLUSIVE) 'I keep that in the back of my head as we face what seems like, craziness, that it is cyclical. And I think the thing that I take comfort in is, regardless of the business, I have confidence in the artists,' Docter says. He recalls coming out of CalArts at a time when artists struggled to find a job. 'But that was when some of the greatest animation was produced in the form of shorts. I think the artists will always find a way to express themselves and continue to challenge the medium and push it forward. So I have a lot of optimism.' The animation community uses the mantra 'animation is film' to suggest that it's not just for kids. Rather, animation is an art form that can be used to reach changing, global audiences with all sorts of stories and on a range of budgets. Just look at this year's animated feature Oscar winner, Latvia's 'Flow,' a moving dialog-free tale of a solitary cat's journey as it learns to survive after a great flood, that was made with open-source software Blender for just $3.4 million. Or 2024 category winner, Hayao Miyazaki's semi-autobiographical 'The Boy and the Heron,' which was distributed in the U.S. by indie distributor GKIDS. 'I think the assumption that animation is tied to a particular type of four-quadrant family film has really been challenged,' says GKIDS president Dave Jesteadt, who sees opportunity for all types of films. 'I think that you see a greater acceptance of animation as a film and artform. It certainly feels like whether that's 'Flow' last year or 'The Boy and the Heron' from two years ago — and obviously there's lots of projects in between — it does feel like the things that we're sort of looking at, that are playing in Annecy, do have the potential to reach commercial audiences.' Alex Woo, director of upcoming Netflix original 'In Your Dreams,' points to not just features but series work: 'A show like 'Arcane' just wouldn't have existed without a platform like Netflix. And 'Love, Death & Robots' feels like a spiritual successor to (the Wachowskis' 'Matrix'-themed) 'The Animatrix' anthology, but with all original stories. It's been encouraging to see studios taking more chances and telling different kinds of stories in animation — and even more exciting to see audiences embracing them.' Director Genndy Tartakovsky, whose 'Fixed' (the story of a dog who learns that he will be neutered, produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix) will have its world premiere at Annecy, suggests that adult animation is thriving. 'Adult series animation definitely feels like it offers the most creativity as far as art and story,' he says adding, though, that he finds it's 'very difficult these days to get an original theatrical feature made.' In 2024, three of the five highest grossing theatrical releases were animated, with Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' and Disney Animation's 'Moana 2' both topping $1 billion. Dreamworks Animation chief Margie Cohn says it's 'imperative' to create stories that give audiences a reason to see a movie in a theater, and DWA is delivering two to three theatrical films per year, a mix of original and franchise titles. 'We will continue to strike the right balance with one original and a reimagined franchise title each year,' she reports, adding 'there is great nostalgia for existing franchises, but there still needs to be a compelling reason to add another chapter — evolving your character, story and look — making it relevant for today's audiences.' To address competition for viewers' time between social media, gaming, streaming and cinema, Laika describes its emphasis on building its audience. 'It's very challenging in a world where audiences' attention is massively fragmented,' admits Laika's CMO David Burke, citing the studio's next release, 'Wildwood,' which will part of the studio's Annecy slate presentation as an example. 'Over the last couple of years, we've really focused on building out our social platforms, so we have an audience who's aware of Laika as the creator of these five kinds of wonderful films [including 'family horror' titles 'Coraline' and 'ParaNorman'], Burke says. 'Now that we've built in this kind of foundation of brand awareness directly with the audience, we're able to build anticipation and have a conversation with our fans directly, online, as it relates to 'Wildwood.'' He adds that Laika additionally used the theatrical rerelease of 'Coraline' for its 'Wildwood' title release, which additionally played online. 'In total, we got like 30 million cumulative views — eight million views in theaters and 25 million views online for the title reveal,' he says. At Pixar, Docter says the team remains focused on universal stories but that also 'take advantage of what animation can do, bringing to life characters, inanimate objects and looking at things from a unique viewpoint.' As to evolving technology, notably the thorny subject of AI, he observes that it 'kind of feels like there's a very close equivalent' to the sorts of questions and discussions that surrounded the 'Toy Story' release about the future of animation. For Docter, technology doesn't replace the humanity. 'Movies are going to change. I don't know exactly how, but at the heart of it, people don't want to watch heartless robots making stuff. I think they go to the movies because they want to feel that they're not alone, that someone else out there had a feeling and an idea about the world and experience,' he says. 'It comes from going out and taking risks and feeling pain and struggle and then putting that into a story. … It comes from living.' THINGS TO SEE AT ANNECY Walt Disney Animation Studios' CCO Jared Bush will introduce a sneak peek at Nov. 26 theatrical release 'Zootopia 2,' which Bush directed (with Byron Howard) and wrote. Fans may enjoy an evening, open-air screening of 2016's 'Zootopia.' During the week, Disney Animation director Ron Clements ('The Little Mermaid,' 'Aladdin') will be inducted into Annecy's Walk of Fame. Dreamworks Animation's slate presentation will include Aug. 1 release 'The Bad Guys 2.' Helmer Pierre Perifel, who also directed the original, will be at Annecy, joined by returning composer Daniel Pemberton. Universal will present a preview of writer/director Dean DeBlois' upcoming live action reimaging of 'How to Train Your Dragon.' A first look at Paul McCartney's 3D animated film 'High in the Cloud' helmed by Toby Genkel joined the lineup. It's recently-announced all star cast includes Celine Dion, Himesh Patel, Hannah Waddingham, Idris Elba and Ringo Starr. Pixar's Pete Docter will host a slate presentation, joined by 'Elio' directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, and producer Mary Alice Drumm. This will include footage from June 20 release 'Elio' and first looks at the studio's 2026 releases, 'Hoppers' and 'Toy Story 5.' Marking the 30th anniversary of the original 'Toy Story,' Docter will share footage of Pixar as a young studio working on the movie. Andy Serkis will introduce a screening of 'Animal Farm,' his upcoming animated adaptation of the George Orwell novel, produced by Aniventure and Imaginarium. Its all-star voice cast includes Seth Rogen as devious pig Napoleon, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox and Kieran Culkin. Serkis will also lend his voice. Next on Netflix will include new footage of Fall release 'In Your Dreams,' its upcoming comedy adventure set in the dreams of a pair of siblings, introduced by director Alex Woo, production designer Steven Pilcher, and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender; and a first look at its animated series 'Stranger Things: Tales From '85,' with showrunner Eric Robles. Annecy will host the world premiere of Genndy Tartakovsky's 'Fixed,' produced by Sony Pictures Animation (Tartakovsky's 'Hotel Transylvania'). The movie will be released by Netflix on Aug. 13. SPA's Annecy plans also include more on its upcoming feature 'GOAT' with director Tyree Dillihay and producer Michelle Raimo-Kouyate. Paramount & Nickelodeon Animation's slate presentation will include'Smurfs,' directed by Chris Miller ('Puss in Boots') and 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,' helmed by Derek Drymon. A first look at Paul McCartney's 3D animated film 'High in the Cloud' helmed by Toby Genkel will be featured. It's recently-announced voice cast includes Celine Dion, Himesh Patel, Hannah Waddingham, Idris Elba and Ringo Starr. Laika's development slate presentation will include a sneak peak at Travis Knight-helmed 'Wildwood.' Additionally, Laika director Chris Butler ('Paranorman,' 'Missing Link') will present a masterclass during the festival. Honorary Cristals will be awarded to Michael Gondry, who will also screen his new film 'Maya, Give Me Another Title;' animator and advocate Joanna Quinn, who will receive her honor as part of the 10th Women in Animation Summit; and 'The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening, who will participate in a session on the longrunning series. Annecy's 2025 country of honor is Hungary and related programming will include Hungarian feature films, such as 'Bubble Bath' and 'Heroic Times,' as well as student films. Best of Variety 'Blue Velvet,' 'Chinatown' and 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' Arrive on 4K in June All the Godzilla Movies Ranked Final Oscar Predictions: International Feature – United Kingdom to Win Its First Statuette With 'The Zone of Interest'
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Disney Sneak Peeks ‘Zootopia 2' at Annecy: Announces Studio Return of ‘The Little Mermaid,' ‘Aladdin,' ‘Moana' Director Ron Clements
At the Annecy Animation Festival this Friday morning, Walt Disney Animation Studios offered a first look at its highly anticipated sequel, 'Zootopia 2,' coming to theaters on Nov. 26. Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming 'Zootopia 2,' Jared Bush, made his first appearance in Annecy to delight the Bonlieu audience with new footage and images from the upcoming sequel to the beloved Oscar-winning film. More from Variety Laika Unveils New 'ParaNorman' Short Starring Anna Kendrick and Finn Wolfhard: Original Feature Getting Halloween Re-Release 'High in the Clouds' Shares Original Music, Early Art and a Beatles Reunion in Annecy Sneak Peek Adult Swim, Cartoon Network Studios, Sneak Peek Genndy Tartakovsky's 'Heist Safari' 'Over the last few months, I've been thinking a lot about this moment,' Bush told the audience. 'Being here with all of you, like all of us, together in this amazing global community of artists and dreamers who love animation. We all live for it.' A crowd consisting of industry vets, studio execs and several hundred artists and students responded with laughs, audible 'awws' and tremendous excitement to the footage, which featured returning characters Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) and Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche), and new characters Gary De'Snake (Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and Dr. Fuzzby (Quinta Brunson). 'Nick and Judy are now Zootopia Police Department's newest rookie cop partners,' Bush said. 'But the question of this movie is whether these two animals, who are so different, really have what it takes to stay together in the long run. In other words, if the first movie was like their honeymoon, this movie is what moving in feels like.' The largely French audience was particularly thrilled to find out that iconic French actor Jean Reno will lend his voice to a cameo role as an officer of the Zootopia Police Department. Bush introduced a variety of new environments and characters in the sequel, including Marsh Market, 'one of the most immersive environments that we've ever created,' and a buff, actor-turned-politician stallion named Mayor Wind Dancer. He also confirmed the return of fan favorites: 'Chief Bogo will be back. Clawhauser. Gazelle. Mayor Bellwether. That naked yak. Judy's 278 brothers and sisters. Mr. Big and his daughter Fru Fru. And of course, Flash.' Footage shown at Annecy included the duo's troubled undercover operation, their eccentric therapy sessions with Dr. Fuzzby, and a fast-paced chase involving Gary the Snake. 'Nick and Judy become fugitives, which puts a little strain on their relationship,' Bush said. 'So how will they set things right?' In describing the larger thematic arc, Bush emphasized, 'Ultimately, our mismatched pair of a bunny and a fox shows us that even in a polarized world where our differences so often push us apart, sometimes just simply trying to understand each other and talk to each other can be the thing that allows us to mend our broken world together.' As part of today's presentation, Disney legendary director Ron Clements ('The Little Mermaid,' 'Aladdin,' 'The Princess and the Frog,' 'Moana') was inaugurated into Annecy's Walk of Fame. 'This is so cool,' Clements said. 'It's such an honor to be memorialized this way. Unbelievable. So thank you. Thank you with all my heart. I am very, very appreciative.' In addition to the honorific event, it was also revealed that Clements is returning to Walt Disney Studios Animation in an advisory role. 'I really have been enjoying retirement,' he said, 'but I'm excited about just returning to kind of mentor… There aren't as many old people around as there used to be, and there certainly are so many young people who want to work in animation.' Bush, who announced Clements' return, said, 'I've actually unretired a very important person here, Ron Clements, who's coming back to the studio. Ron is one of the reasons that I do what I do… The legacy he helped build is the foundation we walk on.' Ron Clements addressed this sense of legacy and purpose during a special conversation with Bush and Variety's Peter Debruge. Recalling his own animation origin story, Clements said, 'I was nine years old… and I saw a reissue of 'Pinocchio' in our local theater. I couldn't get it out of my mind… I decided at that point that I wanted to be an animator, and I wanted to work for Walt Disney.' Bush added that 'The Jungle Book' and 'The Little Mermaid' were his childhood inspirations. 'Just wanting to be a part of that kind of storytelling legacy was really important,' he said. 'To be honest, I never knew that it was possible to join Disney Animation… let alone run it. That was never even a dream I let myself have.' Now at the helm of Disney Animation, Bush affirmed his priorities: 'There are three things I believe define our path forward. First is joy and imagination… Second, this deep collaboration… And lastly, we are committed to always swinging for the fences.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
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Pixar Announces New Original Film ‘Gatto,' Previews Joan Cusack's ‘Toy Story 5' Return and Presents ‘Hoppers' Exclusive Footage at Annecy
Today, Disney and Pixar reaffirmed their commitment to France's Annecy Animation Festival, a world-class event the studios now use annually to deliver exclusive news and preview screenings to a global audience of animation fans. In what opened as a regular preview showcase of upcoming 'Elio,' DisneyPixar's Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter unveiled a packed Pixar slate featuring an all-new film, breaking the news to an ecstatic audience at Annecy, which he called 'the greatest festival in the world.' More from Variety Laika Unveils New 'ParaNorman' Short Starring Anna Kendrick and Finn Wolfhard: Original Feature Getting Halloween Re-Release 'High in the Clouds' Shares Original Music, Early Art and a Beatles Reunion in Annecy Sneak Peek Disney Sneak Peeks 'Zootopia 2' at Annecy: Announces Studio Return of 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Aladdin,' 'Moana' Director Ron Clements 'Gatto', expected in summer 2027, comes from the filmmaking team behind 'Luca,' director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren. Casarosa's directorial debut feature, now turned fan-favorite due to his lovable characters and lush Italian settings, 'Luca' was the first Pixar film to be released exclusively on Disney+, as Hollywood execs struggled to adapt to the pandemic's shifting tides. Since then, DisneyPixar has —to all animation fans' greatest pleasure— pivoted back to a worldwide theatrical release strategy, paired with exclusive premieres. Annecy crowds may well be the very first audience to discover 'Gatto' in June 2027. This new Pixar film returns to Italy, Casarosa's birth country, this time to Venice, where, after years of maneuvering the seaside, an extraordinary city, a black cat named Nero begins to question whether he's lived the right life. A partial music-lover —at least, his tail is— and non-swimming feline who is indebted to a local feline mob boss, Nero, finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship with Maya, a street artist who adopts him against his will. Together, those two individuals form an odd couple, but this relation might finally lead Nero to find his purpose…. unless the mysterious and dark side of Venice gets the better of him first. The Annecy crowd cheered the announcement and went wild as Docter unveiled animation tests of a distinct, unique hand-painted look, something Pixar has never shown before. The film appears to be rich in colors from Venetian settings, and blends 2D hand paint textures with cutting-edge CG animation. As 'Luca' continues to delight Pixar fans and family audiences alike, 'Gatto' is scheduled for summer 2027. 'Luca' was re-released last year, along with two other COVID-struck Pixar films, 'Turning Red' and 'Soul,' and is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. Animation-hungry Annecy crowds were not disappointed by this year's showcase, as 'Elio' filmmakers Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and producer Mary Alice Drumm took the stage and offered a not-so-brief 27-minute preview of their long-awaited feature. From tears to joy, fans were treated by a highly sensitive 'Inside-Out' level opening, after which the Sharafian, Shi and Drumm took Annecy's audience by hand to a whole new Pixar environment, the luscious Communiverse. Elio, mistaken for Earth's leader, becomes part of this galactic assembly and meets a wide variety of aliens. Carefully designed by Pixar teams, those creatures range from quirky-looking squids to furry and slender ostriches and live in an environment deeply inspired by marine life, deep-sea creatures and macrophotography. Oscar winner and production designer Harley Jessup helped the team bring this colorful universe to life, creating a wonderful, soon-to-be children's favorite, brand new world. What has been shown so far from this female-driven project enchanted festival goers, leaving them eager to discover the full scope of the adventures that await Elio and Aunt Olga (voiced by Academy Award Winner Zoe Saldaña), as Elio travels millions of miles across the universe encountering a host of out-of-this world creatures who just might help him figure out exactly where he belongs. 'Elio' hits global theaters next week. 'Hoppers' is helmed by BAFTA Children's Awards winner Daniel Chong ('We Bare Bears') and appears to bring a refreshing humor to this strikingly beautiful girl-turns-beaver modern ecological adventure. With voice talents such as Primetime Emmy winner Jon Hamm and 'Saturday Night Live' actor and writer Bobby Moynihan, 'Hoppers' tells the story of Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), who wants to protect her favorite local pond from a highway construction project. To do so, she steals 'Hoppers' technology, which places her consciousness into a robotic beaver and allows her to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination. DisneyPixar's CCO Peter Docter — who was honored today with an induction into Annecy's Walk of Fame — delighted Pixar fans with exclusive footage from 'Hoppers' along with a sneak peek at the first two minutes of the studio's summer 2026 release, 'Toy Story 5.' Following up with 'Toy Story 5,' Docter confirmed the return of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack as Jessie in this next 'Toy Story' chapter and announced exciting new characters as well. A 'Toys Meet Tech', as Docter described it, this new 'Toy Story' film follows an eight-year-old Bonnie as she discovers her new toy tablet. A device that is as enticing as can be, and that the other toys will have to deal with. A two-minute clip that had fans instantly on board, as the studio celebrates the 30th birthday of the fan-favorite, trailblazing franchise. 'Toy Story', released in 1995, is the first feature-length computer-animated film ever released and the debut feature release from Pixar Animation Studios, released by Walt Disney Pictures – a film that revolutionized the industry and brought forth the age of computer-generated animation. As the supervising animator on the original 'Toy Story,', Docter showcased rarely seen legacy footage from the film, which brought fame and fortune to Pixar and started a franchise that has since received 18 Academy Award nominations and won 3 Academy Awards and a Special Achievement Award, with best animated feature for both 'Toy Story 3' and 'Toy Story 4' and best original song ('We Belong Together'), featured in the acclaimed third installment of Woody and Buzz' franchise. 30 years ago, 'Toy Story' was showcased in Annecy. Today, it definitely seemed that Docter was once again telling Annecy's crowds: 'You've Got a Friend in Me.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
