WALL-E (Pixar's 2008 Film)
 

After seeing the Ratatouille thread and the discussion contrasting Pixar and DreamWorks' filmmaking philosophies, I felt that this thread would at least be somewhat relevant.

Wall-E will be the upcoming ninth feature film from Pixar, currently scheduled to be released on June 27, 2008. It is being directed by Andrew Stanton, who previously helmed 2003's Academy Award-winning Finding Nemo. It will be Pixar's first sci-fi/space film. It is set on a distant future centuries from now, and will be about a robot with the same name as the film's title.

That's as generic a summary for the film I can personally give. A few weeks ago, while lurking some film message boards, I found a link to a popular Disney-related site containing what is apparently a summary of the first third of the film. It is very spoilery -- and if it's true, it will be a major departure and risk for Pixar.

As you will see from the user comments on that site, there are some strong feelings on both sides about this movie and it's implications for Pixar. I've repeatedly seen people praise Pixar for being genuine artists and storytellers instead of commercially-minded manufacturers; needless to say, Wall-E could potentially take that artistry to an unprecedented new high if done right. Of course, if something goes wrong in it's development, it could become a laughingstock...

I know this film is still over a year away, but I want to see what everyone else's thoughts are. I personally have high faith and hopes, just like I do with every new Pixar release.

Very interesting story, perhaps the best, from Pixar.

I might see it when it comes out next year.

Stop thinking of Wall E. Weasel from The Simpsons.
 

Ah, cheers, Voxxyn...all I had heard previously about this movie was its title, which in itself isn't all that informative. :P

Having skim-read that article - I didn't want to spoil it too much for myself - I have to tell you, that sounds really very good indeed. :bloocross: It never actually occured to me that Pixar, aside from the tongue-in-cheek prologue to Toy Story 2, have never actually done any sci-fi/space stories, but now that I realise it, I can't wait to see how they handle it. Visually, it'll be absolutely stunning, but that goes without saying - what's really interesting about sci-fi to me is its potential for imaginative, thought-provoking narratives, and Wall-E sounds to have a fascinating premise, with a healthy dose of social commentary and satire thrown in for good measure.

Quite frankly, this sounds like a shoo-in to me. It is a departure, content-wise, from anything they've done before (which is unequivocally a good thing), but on the other hand, I certainly feel Pixar's output collectively has already shown all the qualities necessary to pull this off; people seem to be forgetting how much satire and social commentary there was in The Incredibles. Heart, of course, has never been a problem for Pixar, but Andrew Stanton seems a particularly canny choice for the director's chair this time round, given that the premise of Wall-E sounds like it might call for the same brand of low-key, bittersweet sentiment that ran through his Finding Nemo.

So, in conclusion, I'm there. I would say "roll on 2008", but I haven't seen Ratatouille yet. :P

Oh, and I'm loving the new avatar, Voxxyn! :D

I don't see it being screwed up, Finding Nemo was great.

I read about this a month ago. It seems like a strange idea. No dialogue for the entire first third? That's risky.

It could be a really great movie with just the right touch. Let's hope Stanton has what it takes.