Disney launches new nature film label

Post by **Josh** » April 21st, 2008, 7:44 pm

Apparently, Disney is launching the film label Disneynature. With all the changes that have taken place at Disney since Iger became its CEO, I've thought several times, 'Now, if only they'd start making nature films again...' So I'm thrilled at this news:

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/va/2008 ... 23400.html

Post by **Meg** » April 21st, 2008, 9:29 pm

Interesting!

Post by **Foxtale** » April 22nd, 2008, 8:54 am

*remembers films like Charlie the Lonesome Cougar*

This sound like pretty neat news. I don't get why they need to copy a BBC tv special that was already good for their first project. I think this whole section will be good though. I hope they make a lot of documentaries about animals similar to ones I have seen lately, they would make good reference. ^.~

Thanks for sharing

Post by **James** » April 22nd, 2008, 9:22 am

Hopefully they'll stay away from political environmentalism films and stick to good old fashioned nature films.

Post by **Ben** » April 22nd, 2008, 1:29 pm

March Of The Penguins has a lot to answer for!

Seriously, I loved that movie, but hopefully DisneyNature will strive to do more than just bring cuteness to wildlife.

It's certainly going to be interesting to see how these films fare at the BO, though.

Post by **Dacey** » April 22nd, 2008, 1:47 pm

They'll flop and Disney will stop making them or release them only to IMAX/DVD.

Seriously, I can't see these films being blockbusters.

Post by **Meg** » April 22nd, 2008, 3:00 pm

James wrote:Hopefully they'll stay away from political environmentalism films and stick to good old fashioned nature films.

Agreed. And please, no politicians for narrators!

Post by **Dacey** » April 22nd, 2008, 3:02 pm

They already have like five or six of these in production. I'm amazed.

Post by **Ben** » April 22nd, 2008, 3:53 pm

Maybe I should read the link!

Okay, read it: I'm not amazed they already have several projects up and running. These things can take longer than even animated films to produce, so they would have had a stake in some other production houses, with the intention to announce this nearer release date. I'd suspect someone else has started sniffing around the idea, maybe forcing DisneyNature to announce themselves. That, or it's because Disney seems to be on a big slate announcement streak recently!

No surprise to see Jean-Francois Camilleri's name in there...though this is a clearly obvious attempt to jump on the March Of The Penguins bandwagon, at least they've gone to the same guy and the studio <I>does</I> of course have many legitimate ties to the animal kingdom, not least the True Lifes and recent theme park attractions.

James Earl Jones sounds like the appropriate choice as well...who's betting that all of these also get shunted into the Best Documentary Feature category at the Oscars!?

Post by **Phil** » April 23rd, 2008, 9:27 am

Interesting news. I wonder why they went with a new name (DisneyNature) rather than reviving a tried and true franchise. I would rather they brought back the True Life Adventures name, or Disney's True Life Adventures if they thought it was necessary.

Post by **Ben** » April 23rd, 2008, 9:33 am

Short and sweet? A stamping of their own nature instead of wanting or trying to compete with the TLAs? Pinpointing the fact that, while the TLAs were informative, they sometimes "played" with nature as opposed to how these "factual" documentaries will present wildlife?

There are many reasons I would imagine, and while I agree that it's a shame, in part, that they didn't just resurrect the name, I do feel the DisneyNature brand perhaps more clearly epitomises the intent that these films will feel more "natural" than the often playful and sometimes story-driven TLAs, also drawing a firm line between the old and the new.

Post by **EricJ** » April 23rd, 2008, 1:30 pm

Ben wrote:
No surprise to see Jean-Francois Camilleri's name in there...though this is a clearly obvious attempt to jump on the March Of The Penguins bandwagon, at least they've gone to the same guy and the studio <I>does</I> of course have many legitimate ties to the animal kingdom, not least the True Lifes and recent theme park attractions.

Disney's not jealous, mind--
But with National Geographic Films (the US arm that did most of the production) now cashing in on their Oscar as well, and hoping to brandname another hit G-rated mainstream documentary a year ("Arctic Tale"), Disney starting its usual first plan A of "Buy up the original guy and make him build another one for us...", before it becomes a "national trend", like Fox thought Fox Faith was going to be.

Wouldn't be this much of a pride thing for them if it hadn't been for TLA.

Post by **Meg** » April 24th, 2008, 5:43 pm

"Earth" trailer -

http://www.worstpreviews.com/trailer.php?id=1209&item=0

I really like the logo.

Post by **Ben** » April 24th, 2008, 6:06 pm

Wow, that was quick!

Now the announcement's timing makes sense. Yes, nice logo, but here's hoping they change it around for films featuring sunnier climes. The cold blue could start to feel old pretty quick.

Post by **Kinoo** » April 24th, 2008, 6:45 pm

I don't see the WDP logo changing when the movie does'nt deal with pink castles....