Originally Posted By mickey_ring From an NY Times article: Betting that multiplex audiences are hungry for lavish nature documentaries, the Walt Disney Company has established a new production banner to deliver two nature films a year starting in 2009. The effort, to be called Disneynature, reflects efforts by Disney to spur growth at its film unit after a retrenchment in 2006. Disney’s chief executive, Robert A. Iger, said the success of “March of the Penguins†— a 2005 documentary from Warner Independent that cost $3 million to make and sold $127.4 million in tickets worldwide — helped spark the company’s interest in the genre. He also said that “Planet Earth,†the recent mini-series from the Discovery Channel and the British Broadcasting Company, delivered blockbuster television ratings. “We were blown away by that TV series and we wished the Disney name was on it,†Mr. Iger said in an interview. **I don't know how Disney can film lions, tigers and bears any different than has been done before. Tho maybe that's why I ain't Disney's Chief Exec.**
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I don't know how Disney can film lions, tigers and bears (oh my) any different than has been done before.<< One word: IMAX. Not that it hasn't been done before, but slap "Disney" on it and the marks, er, customers will line up in droves. And lions work for a lot cheaper than Angelina Jolie.
Originally Posted By basil fan Are we talking about making new films? Or re-releasing old nature films? For Disney Girls Only <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/girls.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...rls.html</a>
Originally Posted By alexbook >>Are we talking about making new films? Or re-releasing old nature films?<< New films, sort of. First title is "Earth," which was made by the BBC a couple of years ago. Disney's bought it and re-releasing it with new narration by James Earl Jones. Other upcoming titles: - The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos - Oceans - Orangutans: One Minute to Midnight - Big Cats - Naked Beauty: A Love Story that Feeds the Earth - Chimpanzee <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3icbb206706db0dba20537012c5b57e98c?imw=Y" target="_blank">http://www.hollywoodreporter.c...8c?imw=Y</a>
Originally Posted By basil fan Are they feature length, do you know? I could barely sit still through March of the Penguins. I think it should've been cut down to 20 minutes. Basil of Baker Street <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/basil/bakerst.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...rst.html</a>
Originally Posted By alexbook >>Are they feature length, do you know? I could barely sit still through March of the Penguins. I think it should've been cut down to 20 minutes.<< I'd say you're definitely *not* the target audience, then. The head of Disneynature is Jean-Francois Camilleri, who worked on "March of the Penguins."
Originally Posted By basil fan Ha! Thanks for the warning. Maybe I'll catch some when they come to TV. So, you all found March of the Penguins riveting? I kept hoping the narrator would tell us about some penguin named "Skinny" and his trials and tribulation. Very Good Advice <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/advice.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...ice.html</a>
