Once again word of a Toy Story 3 is beginning to spread. Variety just reported that the third film in the franchise will be released in 2009 without original director John Lasseter at the helm. Instead Lee Unkrich will be directing. Unkrich co-directed Toy Story 2, Monsters , Inc. and Finding Nemo.

Lasster was quoted saying, "The greatest thing about the merger of the two companies is that the creators of 'Toy Story' 1 and 2 can make 3 with the story that we wanted." To this Variety brings up the obvious that it was a not-too-subtle swipe at Disney's former plan to develop a third Toy Story, without Pixar input.

Other news came out of the story, which was a result of Disney's investor conference today, first saying that Chris Williams has been set as the director of Disney's American Dog, which is due out in 2008 about a canine TV star who drinks martinis with starlets and showboats on sets until he is suddenly abandoned in his trailer in the Nevada desert where he meets up with a radioactive rabbit and a one-eyed cat who are trying to find new homes.

They also revealed that 2-D animation has not been abandoned and presumably The Frog Princess will be developed as a 2-D animated pic with Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin and Treasure Planet) at the helm. That pic is expected to release after American Dog.

Related post categories: Movie News : Toy Story 3

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