Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are back with another packed episode of Fine Tooning. From anime shattering records at the box office to Pixar showing off the future of Toy Story, the duo break down the biggest stories shaping animation this week.

Demon Slayer’s record-breaking $70 million North American debut and what set this release apart

Toy Story’s 30th anniversary celebration and the first five minutes of Toy Story 5 revealed at Destination D

Disney updates on Frozen 3, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2

Streaming and theatrical news for Elio, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, Cat’s Eye, and ParaNorman

Skydance’s reported bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and its potential impact on animation

From record-breaking anime to billion-dollar mergers, Jim and Drew guide listeners through an especially eventful week in the world of animation.

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Awards season is heating up, and Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are here to break it all down. From the Venice Film Festival and TIFF premieres to box office shocks and studio shakeups, this episode dives into the films and animated projects making headlines around the globe.

Highlights include:

Whether you’re tracking festival favorites, the latest box office trends, or Disney’s evolving animation slate, this episode offers insights, context, and commentary you won’t want to miss.

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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor kick off September with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering the biggest stories in the world of animation:

The record-shattering success of KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix and what’s next for the franchise

Updates on Big Mouth, its Emmy legacy, and the upcoming series Mating Season

Aardman’s latest projects, including Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom

Pixar’s Elio and how its international release stood out in unexpected ways

30 years of Toy Story returning to theaters, plus collectibles and nostalgia

Bill Plympton and “Weird Al” Yankovic team up for a one-of-a-kind animation retrospective

Jim and Drew also revisit classic shorts once shown at Disney-MGM Studios, share news from Studio Ghibli Fest, and look ahead at Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie and more.

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Jim Hill is solo this week and breaks down the end of the 2025 summer movie season and why traditional blockbusters are struggling at the box office. From shocking second-weekend drop-offs to Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” taking the No. 1 spot in theaters, Jim covers the hits and misses of the season.

Plus, Jim shares updates on upcoming animation books, CTNX 2025, Pixar’s Elio, and what fans can expect from Futurama Season 13.

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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, highlighted by an interview with legendary voice actor Jim Cummings. From Pooh and Tigger to Darkwing Duck, Jim shares behind-the-scenes stories from a career that shaped generations of animation fans.

The shifting release date of Shrek 5 and what it means for DreamWorks

Why Disney pulled back marketing on The Rocketeer opening weekend

This week’s box office projections — and why Jim calls them “wild guesses”

Streaming success of KPop Demon Hunters and Disney’s King of the Hill revival

Pixar’s Elio box office performance and upcoming digital release

Jim Cummings’ Disney origins with Dumbo’s Circus and Goof Troop

Voicing legacy characters like Pooh, Tigger, and Pete — plus his work on Star Wars

His hidden singing credits in Hollywood films and dream of a country album

From industry news to animation nostalgia, this episode blends updates, history, and an in-depth conversation with one of the most recognizable voices in Disney history.

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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with another jam-packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering everything from Sirius the Dog Star to the latest in animated film and TV news. This week’s stories span box office winners, Netflix premieres, and the challenges of recasting beloved characters.

• The history of the “Dog Days of Summer” and why Sirius is more than just a bright spot in the sky

From nostalgic callbacks to forward-looking animation news, Jim and Drew bring their trademark mix of history, humor, and industry insight.

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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with Alan Siegel from The Ringer to discuss his new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. Together, they revisit how Matt Groening’s crude interstitials on The Tracey Ullman Show evolved into a cultural juggernaut, what nearly derailed the series before it ever aired, and why The Simpsons continues to matter nearly four decades later. Along the way, the guys dig into:

• The box office performance of The Bad Guys 2 and Paramount’s Smurfs
• The cautious rollout of the Zootopia 2 trailer
• How Netflix’s K-Pop: Demon Hunters is shaping up to be the next Frozen
• The surprising backstories behind Homer’s voice, Bart’s balloon, and the show's first merchandising blitz
• Why “Mr. Plow” might be the perfect Simpsons episode

Stick around for tales of drone shows, disaster movie homages, and the writer’s room prank that involved fake stairway carnage and a box of trash. Plus, Alan shares his favorite episode and what The Simpsons taught us about comedy, family, and biting satire with heart.

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor wrap up July with box office milestones, Comic-Con exclusives, and some major animation developments:

Chris Sanders returns to write Lilo & Stitch 2 – After the billion-dollar success of the live-action film, Disney is moving forward with a sequel, with Sanders bringing fresh ideas from the original “Pitch to Stitch.”

Inside the “Magic of Disney Animation” revival – A massive reimagining of the former Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is on the way, with tributes to Mulan, Brother Bear, and hand-drawn classics.

Comic-Con highlights – Drew and Jim reflect on activations for Lilo & Stitch, Godzilla at 70, King of the Hill, and more from San Diego.

Box office report – Fantastic Four: First Steps opens strong, Jurassic World: Rebirth crosses $700M, and Elio slips out of the Top 10.

Animation updates – Warner Bros. finally sets a date for Coyote vs. Acme, DreamWorks teases Bad Guys 2, and Mrs. Claus heads to the big screen in Margie Claus.

Plus: Avatar: Seven Havens, Paramount’s South Park shocker, and the end of Drew’s long-running Light the Fuse podcast.

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Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by discussing “Walt Disney – A Magical Life,” that new show at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

examineThey then look at how Paramount Pictures’ new “Smurfs” film performed at the domestic box office.

For this episode, listeners will learn about:

Who did Chris Buck & Kevin Lima originally want to voice Tantor the elephant in Disney’s animated version of “Tarzan”

Which role will Josh Gad be playing in the live concert version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (which will be presented at the Hollywood Bowl August 1 – 3rd)

How many songs from the soundtrack of “KPop Demon Hunters” (i.e., Netflix’s latest hit animated film) wound up in Billboard’s Hot 100

Why did Sony Pictures Animation opt to push back the release date of “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”

When will San Diego Comic-Con be celebrating Fox’s Animation Domination programming block

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In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into a wide-ranging conversation about box office trends, Comic-Con reveals, and the growing debate around casting A-list celebrities in animated films. Highlights include:

Paramount debuts the first teaser for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – Mark Hamill joins as the Flying Dutchman, and Jim reflects on the franchise’s enduring magic.

Godzilla’s 70th anniversary celebration hits San Diego Comic-Con – Drew previews his panel, and Jim geeks out over Super7’s pop-up recreating the “Godzilla Minus One” train scene.

Chris Pratt returns for Garfield 2 – But should Hollywood rely less on celebrities and more on trained voice actors? Jim revisits old rants and Billy West’s take on the trend.

Michelle Yeoh joins the English dub of Ne Zha 2 – Now the highest-grossing animated film globally, the dubbed version hits U.S. theaters in August.

Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires – Warner Bros. Animation unveils a visually stunning reimagining of the Dark Knight at Comic-Con.

Plus: tributes to Pokémon voice legend James Carter Cathcart, Bugs Bunny’s 85th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl, and a sneak peek at Bluey at the Cinema: Let’s Play Chef coming soon to Europe.

It’s an episode packed with nostalgia, news, and insights from both coasts as Jim and Drew tackle everything from kaiju cosplay to cartoon casting.

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