Walt Disney Animation Studios has announced that it will team up with Lighthouse Immersive Studios, the producers of the blockbuster Immersive Van Gogh, to develop Disney Animation: Immersive Experience, which will receive its world premiere in Toronto this December, before being available at selected areas across the rest of the world next year.
Creating iconic animated stories for all ages for nearly a century, Walt Disney Animation Studios will join forces with North America's top creator of experiential projection exhibitions to present the music and artistry within Disney Animation's canon of films – from the hits of today like Encanto, Zootopia and Frozen, to all of the classics including The Lion King, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio. Audiences will feel like they've entered the incredible worlds of beloved Disney characters and become one with them.
"This will be a first for Disney Animation. It's a dream to bring the best of animated storytelling together with the top experts in the immersive art experience. We can't wait for audiences around the world, of all ages, the experience the great moments from our legacy of feature films in this incredible way," says Clark Spencer, president, Walt Disney Animation Studio
The creative team for the Disney Animation: Immersive Experience is led by Oscar-winning producer J. Miles Dale who said, "Trailblazing in a new medium is always exciting, and this is truly going to be the most challenging and rewarding project of my career. Being entrusted with Disney's rich archive of animation is a great honour, but also a tremendous responsibility. With such a wealth of material and a treasure trove of memorable characters, it will be a thrill to bring the work of all the great Disney animators and performers to life in a 360-degree immersive environment."
"Just imagine journeying through Zootopia with Judy Hopes, diving to the ocean floor with Ariel, flying on a magic carpet with Aladdin, and stepping into Casita with Miracle and the family Madrigal. This is where the Disney Animation: Immersive Experience will take you."
In other news, Disney+ has just released its first AR-enabled short film, 'Remembering', featuring an augmented reality app that allows users to interact with the movie at the comfort of their homes.