Chris Sanders Returns for Lilo & Stitch 2 After Billion-Dollar Success (Ep. 317)
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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Get ready for a very animated San Diego Comic-Con (Ep. 316)
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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SpongeBob Returns with Flying Dutchman and a Star-Studded Teaser (Ep. 315)
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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Jurassic World Breaks Records, Elio Stalls, and Looking Back at 'The Mouse Factory' (Ep. 314)
In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into a packed slate of animation and entertainment news—including box office wins, deep animation history, and Broadway updates:
Universal celebrates a huge opening for Jurassic World Rebirth with $318M globally, while How to Train Your Dragon crosses the half-billion mark.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch nears the billion-dollar club, expected to cross the threshold by the time Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters later this month.
Pixar’s Elio struggles at the box office, with $96M worldwide after three weekends and its Disney+ debut now supposedly slated for September.
“Boop the Musical” to close on Broadway, while Disney’s Frozen the Musical West End run hits Disney+ with a professionally filmed version.
Ward Kimball’s The Mouse Factory – Jim revisits Disney’s forgotten answer to The Muppet Show, cancelled after just two seasons to protect the studio’s Sunday night ratings.
Plus: Updates on Camp Cretaceous: Chaos Theory, the retirement of animation legend Tom Sito, changes at Cartoon Brew, and the long-awaited arrival of The Cat in the Hat—now with Things 1 through 18.
A jam-packed episode filled with history, industry insight, and a look ahead at what’s next.
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Lilo & Stitch 2 Announced, Elio Holds, and Akira’s Live-Action Deal Expires (Ep. 313)
In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor reunite (despite a case of post-Annecy crud) to cover a wide range of animation and industry news, including:
Disney officially announces Lilo & Stitch 2 after the live-action original crosses $945M globally.
Elio holds better than expected with a solid second weekend as it climbs past $42M domestically.
Live-action Tangled delayed to 2029, reportedly to make room for the Lilo & Stitch sequel.
Warner Bros. loses the rights to Akira after years of development—setting the stage for a new studio to reimagine the cyberpunk classic.
Laika’s ParaNorman returns to theaters for Halloween 2025 as part of the studio’s 20th anniversary celebration.
Also in this episode: KPOP Demon Hunters debuts at #2 globally on Netflix, Broadway updates on Beauty and the Beast and Hercules, and what’s really in those Dragon Flame-Grilled Whoppers at Burger King.
It’s a shorter episode while Drew recovers—but packed with news, box office insight, and some wild theme park popcorn bucket trivia.
Be Our Guest Vacations
Planning your next Disney vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations is a Platinum-level Earmarked travel agency with concierge-level service to make every trip magical. Their team of expert agents plans vacations across the globe, from Disney and Universal to cruises and adventures, ensuring you have the best possible experience without the stress.
Learn More
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Jim and Drew break down the animation world frame by frame, until you get the singular picture. If you love Disney animation, Pixar, and the classics that were hand sketched, or built out of 1's and 0's in a computer, this is the podcast that draws you in.
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