An all-star ensemble of beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios are set to assemble in Once Upon a Studio for a joyful, entertaining and emotional reunion as they assemble for a spectacular group photo to mark Disney's 100th anniversary.
Featuring 543 characters from more than 85 Disney feature-length and short films, Once Upon a Studio welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers - in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation - to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry and technological achievements.
Another new still from the movie has been released today and it highlights the extent of this animated crossover. Look closely, and you'll notice The Snuggly Duckling sign from Tangled, Moana hanging out with Flounder, Merlin, characters from Beauty and the Beast and Alice and Wonderland, and even Lucille Krunklehorn from Meet the Robinsons.
Now that's a deep-cut Easter Egg.
Among the confirmed cast members are Auli'i Cravalho as Moana, Ariana DeBose as Asha, Josh Gad as Olaf, Jeremy Irons as Scar, Dwayne Johnson as Maui, Anika and Noni Rose as Tiana.
Once Upon a Studio will also feature archival recordings of Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan, Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket, Verna Felton as Flora, Sterling Holloway as Winnie the Pooh, Barbara Luddy as Merryweather, and Robin Williams as the Genie.
Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, recently shared some insights into how this short became a reality. "I could not stop crying [when it was pitched]. I came back, and I just said, we have to find a way to make this. And I do give a lot of thanks to Clark Spencer, the President, who had to handle a budget unlike anything we'd seen for a short before, I won't say what it was."
"And to the company who said yes, even though knowing it was going to take a lot to make it happen. There was no time built into the slate for it, but the whole studio said, we have to do it," she continued. "So everyone just did everything they could to make it happen. But like I said, I knew from that first pitch that this was something special. Amazing."
Written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy and produced by Yvett Merino and Bradford Simonsen, Once Upon a Studio will premiere on ABC on October 15 as part of The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney's 100th Anniversary Celebration. It's also set to hit Disney+ in the UK on October 16.
The short will also play in front of Disney Animation's Wish on November 22, and you can take a closer look at the animated crossover below.