Filling the Slot

With the rumblings surrounding Dean Wellins' "teenage space race" film and how it may not be ready for a long while going around, what could possibly take its place?

Now, before I start, I'll be going by Honor Hunter's theory of what Disney's upcoming slate will be like after Big Hero 6 hits theaters in 2014...

Zootopia - March 4, 2016

Giants - November 23, 2016

Moana - March 9, 2018

Dean Wellins Film - November 21, 2018

Now let's just say that Dean Wellins' film will have to wait... Maybe we'll get the thing in 2019 or 2020. What could take its place on Honor's predicted schedule?

By the way, I think Honor's schedule makes a lot of sense since Zootopia was officially unveiled, while Giants and Moana's titles and plot details haven't been officially announced by Disney. Also, Giants opening in November 2016 is great timing: A fairy tale every three years in the autumn: Tangled in November 2010, Frozen in November 2013 and this in November 2016. Moana sounds like a spring/summery kind of story, as noted by Bleeding Cool's Brendon Connelly a while back, so March 2018 sounds logical...

So... The candidates?

King of the Elves - This project has been gestating for a while, and it's been without a director since mid-2011 when it lost the "race" (as Honor put it) with Frozen for the November 2013 release spot. It doesn't seem to be chugging now, so the dormant project may get a tune-up sometime later this year, next year or 2015. You never know, it's not completely dead right now. They just need another director to work some magic into what wasn't working in the current version.

The Untitled Mickey Mouse Feature: Even though this was pitched back in 2011 and nothing has been said about it since, it's possible - and reader MattNor91 pointed this out - that they could possibly have Mickey's feature-length film ready for the character's 90th anniversary. That's right, he turns 90 in November 2018. Also, Get A Horse! is the first theatrical Mickey Mouse short since 1995's Runaway Brain, and it's possible that more will follow. Disney is actually making an effort to make Mickey popular again with new generations, especially with the new and divisive Mickey Mouse series on the Disney Channel.

Something completely new: Something Disney hasn't even brought to our attention, as projects are always being pitched.

A revived project: Frozen was an on-and-off project, as a Snow Queen adaptation dates back to the late 1990s or possibly even before that. It's possible that Lasseter and the story trust are eying down earlier films that didn't pan out. A fine example: Barry Cook's A Few Good Ghosts. That film was canned around 2004 because Walt Disney Feature Animation's Florida unit was shut down and hand-drawn was deemed unsuccessful at the time. Disney still owns the rights to it, and a good number of the recent films were in some form of development as far back as the 1990s. (i.e. Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph.) Recently, Barry Cook said he'd love to take another shot at it or see someone complete it. There are several projects that Disney probably still owns that could be revived for a 2018 release. Maybe they're already looking into some, and we just don't know it yet.

What do you think? What film will be it? Be sure to vote on the current poll!

Sound off on theories and your voting reasons!

Update (9/16/13): The poll has finally closed...

Two voters said King of the Elves. Not a bad choice, after all, this thing has to be finished soon!

Nine voters think the fall 2018 film is going to be the Mickey Mouse film, making it the most-voted for option.

Seven voters think it'll be something new that has never been announced in any form... I wonder if that will ultimately end up happening.

Only one vote for a revived project. Probably realistic thinking there, but again I'm optimistically unrealistic at times and I do hope for something like A Few Good Ghosts or something like that.

Thanks for voting, people!