Guillermo Del Toro's "Disney Double Dare You"

[Sawyer]

D23 Expo: Guillermo del Toro's "Disney Double Dare You"
Source:Silas Lesnick
September 11, 2009


With a special video recording from New Zealand, Guillermo del Toro announced, moments ago, his partnership with Disney for a new label entitled "Disney Double Dare You", featuring "full family" films with horror bent.

The label will include books, merchandise and films. The first film in the series will be titled Trollhunters and will be followed by a series of films, all developed by del Toro.

The stories will apparently be tied together by, the words of del Toro, "One feature that shall remain secret, but that you shall soon be very familiar with."

Here's the full press release sent out after the announcement was made:

The Walt Disney Studios, in collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth," "The Hobbit"), is launching a new production label called Disney Double Dare You (DDY), to create new animated films full of chills and thrills for audiences of all ages, it was announced today at the D23 Expo by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. All films will be produced under the guidance of del Toro, who originated the concept and the design of DDY and who will also direct certain projects. The first project in development for the new label is called "Trollhunters," an original del Toro story which he will produce.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "Guillermo is a brilliant and visionary filmmaker, and we're excited to be launching this new label with him. His knowledge and appreciation for Disney films, along with his penchant for creating worlds of fantasy, presented a great opportunity for us to explore a whole new genre of filmmaking for moviegoers of all ages. We have admired Guillermo's imaginative approach to filmmaking for some time, and now we're proud to be working with him to create films full of imaginative delights and lots of thrills at the same time."

Del Toro added, "As a director, I love to take audiences into fantastic new worlds and provide them with some anxious moments in the process. It is part of the Disney canon to create thrilling, unforgettable moments and villains in all their classic films. It is my privilege for DDY to continue in this tradition. To partner up with The Walt Disney Studios, with the support of Dick Cook and John Lasseter, is to belong to a storytelling partnership that I admire deeply. It is a true honor. I look forward to coming up with fresh and original stories that will take Disney films in a whole new direction. The emphasis is on fun, and we have some great ideas already on the storyboards."

Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" received six Academy Award® nominations in 2007, including one for his original screenplay, and went on to win three awards. That film also received a BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language. His other directing credits include "Hellboy," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," "The Devil's Backbone," "Cronos," and "Mimic," among others. Del Toro is currently directing back-to-back feature film adaptations of the Tolkien classic, "The Hobbit," for release in 2011 and 2012.

So, what does everyone think about this?

I'm intrigued...

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

Couldn't help but think of "Guillermo del Toro's Double-Dare!" As in the Nickelodeon game show I (and presumably some of you guys) used to watch. I can visualize the whole thing in my head right now. Hahaha.

Bad jokes notwithstanding, this news is 100% pure Grade-A awesomeness.

 

[Doctor Jones]

This does sound pretty damn cool.

 

[Sawyer]

I'm gonna be even more pumped if these are 2D animation.

Dont get me wrong, i love the CG animation stuff that Pixar does, but there are far too few 2D animated movies these days.

 

[Majik1387]

I like the news.

 

[Octoberist]

If it's 2D, they would stand out from the CGI pack. for sure.

 

[gwynplaine]

Del Toro is not only a great artist, he is also a great businessman.

 

[The Guard]

That name is horrible. I expect watered-down Del Toro-type projects from this.

 

[Darth Rockwell]

This is awsome news. Del Toro is one of my favorite directors. I really have high hopes.

 

[redhawk23]

anything that allows del toro to produce more material and work with different people is a good thing.

 

[DDS]

FAPFAPFAPFAPFAPFAPFAP

Now THIS Disney partnership I can get behind 100%.

 

[louiebling$]

This is fantastic news

GDT with Disney and his own production company within Disney..... he's gonna have tons of money backing him.

I'm Juiced

 

[Rac]

So this is what the "D" was all about.

http://www.deltorofilms.com/Details.php?announcementid=756&title=GDT to Make Big D Announcement

http://www.deltorofilms.com/Details.php?announcementid=757&name=The D in Del Toro is for Disney

 

[Doctor Jones]

That name is horrible. I expect watered-down Del Toro-type projects from this.

Dude, it's Disney. What do you expect? Mickey with blood dripping from his mouth and Donald shooting him with a shotgun?

 

[Majik1387]

Dude, it's Disney. What do you expect? Mickey with blood dripping from his mouth and Donald shooting him with a shotgun?

I'm sure I've seen a Mickey piece like that on DA.

 

[terry78]

Now all we need is Disney teaming up with Microsoft and Viacom and then they will literally own everyone.

 

[bullets]

Dude, it's Disney. What do you expect? Mickey with blood dripping from his mouth and Donald shooting him with a shotgun?

Well since we have marvel zombies they could do a version of the mickey mouse gang as zombies

 

[terry78]

I would love for him to do some of the more creepy Disney tales, like Mickey vs. Phantom Blot and some of the weirder Scrooge McDuck stories. "A sea monster....ATE MY ICE CREAM!"

 

[The Guard]

Dude, it's Disney. What do you expect? Mickey with blood dripping from his mouth and Donald shooting him with a shotgun?

I don't mean in terms of violence. I mean in terms of creativity. And this title just makes no sense. It has nothing to do with horror or scary stuff.

 

[BloodyWolverine]

Trollhunters sound cool but please G focus on the Hobbit.

 

[Darth Rockwell]

the man has talent to spare. We are in for a treat.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I don't mean in terms of violence. I mean in terms of creativity. And this title just makes no sense. It has nothing to do with horror or scary stuff.

Double Dare sounds more of a well, daring them to go into different territory in terms of tone and what they deal with. Supposed scary elements in Disney has never been done before. It's different and daring for a company that has relied on family value for so long.

This sounds great.

 

[terry78]

Double Dare sounds more of a well, daring them to go into different territory in terms of tone and what they deal with. Supposed scary elements in Disney has never been done before. It's different and daring for a company that has relied on family value for so long.

This sounds great.

The Disney from the 1980's and earlier always had scary elements in a lot of their properties. It wasn't until the 90s and the new marketing merchandising blitz that they started to become the entity they now are.

 

[Sawyer]

Double Dare sounds more of a well, daring them to go into different territory in terms of tone and what they deal with. Supposed scary elements in Disney has never been done before. It's different and daring for a company that has relied on family value for so long.

This sounds great.

Well, theres this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_Wicked_This_Way_Comes_(1983_film)

But I'm not aware of very many other Disney films with a horror element.

 

[Silvermoth]

I'm hoping this means more Rahl Dahl books can be adapted. Wasn't RDT planning a film based on "The Witches"? That would be tough, who could be a better villianess than Anjelica Huston?