This week’s topic, obviously, is what happened to Elio, whether Pixar is finished as a butts-in-seats brand for original animated films, and (without blaming any single factor as a zero-sum explanation) who and what is responsible.

Special guest Josh Spiegel, who wrote the book(s) on Pixar, blames Bob Chapek for sending three key original Pixar films to Disney+ during the early days of the streaming war.

Lisa Laman notes that Pixar hasn’t been a “the name is enough” brand since the mid-2010s.

Jeremy Fuster attributes the decline to audiences voting for more of what they already know while noting that Disney is at least trying to put out big-deal original toons in a brutal marketplace.

Scott Mendelson, while agreeing with all of that, highlights the tragedy of what should have been a decade—both for Pixar and Walt Disney Animation—focused on buzzy originals, instead becoming centered on rehashing the most significant commercial successes of the previous decade.

Oh, and 28 Years Later opened pretty damn well for an R-rated grimdark zombie flick, and concerns about possible frontloading mainly relate to the two sequels presumably on the way. And, huzzah, Sinners has passed the global total of The Nun to take its place as uh, the jazziest chapter of the Conjuring Universe?

In terms of the written word…

Scott Mendelson discusses whether the success of How to Train Your Dragon will or should kick-start a wave of DreamWorks live-action remakes.

Lisa Laman does the lord’s work in demanding that James Gunn do what is needed and give us the Detective Chimp movie we need and deserve. In more, less #importantjournalisms, she also notes that the romantic comedy need not continually having prove itself at the box office (which frankly has become a circumstance for almost any genre save for horror and, bemusingly, DC/Marvel flicks) and details why she believes Pixar lost its pop culture juice (quality of films like Turning Red and Soul notwithstanding) a decade ago.

Jeremy Fuster notes how the industry-wide employment crisis has now migrated to post-production. Spoiler - Things are still terrible, actually.

Ryan C. Scott (who, unless life gets in the way, should be returning as a guest to discuss his and Ethan Mendelson’s favorite franchise) offers a “Tales from the Box Office” noting the 50th anniversary of Jaws. Spoiler, it was kind of a big deal.

Josh Spiegel has a new podcast, Mousterpiece Melodies (a sequel to Mousterpiece Cinema), which analyzes the musical numbers from each Disney film. I’d suggest having Allison Mendelson as a guest on the eventual Frozen II episode, but (a film she despises with the fiery passion of a devoted Zack Snyder fan discussing the theatrical cut of Justice League) it’d risk becoming an unbroken three-hour monologue. 

If you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at [email protected].

Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck NewsJeremy Fuster - TheWrapLisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Cultress, Comic Book and AutostraddleRyan C. Scott - SlashFilm and FangoriaJosh C. Spiegel - SlashFilm, PrimeTimer, Crooked Marquee and LateNighter

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