News from the Mouse House

A Disney Animation Showcase took place in London this morning and several big announcements were made. Some spoilers, of course, so take heed.
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First we have the cast and story outline of the new CGI Rapunzel, which is scheduled for release on Christmas Eve 2010. Rapunzel will be voiced by singer-actress (actress-singer, actress?) Mandy Moore, while Zachary Levi will voice a dashing bandit who rescues her. According to Empire magazine, which had some representation at the showcase his morning, Rapunzel uses her long hair as an ''Indiana Jones-style whip." Interesting. Apparently Rapunzel is a musical feature, with Alan Menken and Glenn Slater providing the songs.
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Next was the announcement that Timothy Dalton - a former 007 for those of you who don't know - has joined the cast of Toy Story 3. He'll be voicing a character named Mr. Pricklepants, a toy porcupine who considers himself quite the thespian. Accompanying this news was a clip from the movie. The clip had its debut at the Venice Film Festival a few days ago. Empire has a description up at their site, so check it out there.
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Pixar also revealed the plot and a new character from Cars 2. Lightning McQueen and Mater the Towtruck are back as the leads, and a new character named Finn McMissile will be along for the ride. Apparently Finn McMissile is an Aston Martin with a secret agent vibe, though casting for the character was not discussed. The film involves Mater getting sucked into a "Hitchcockian case of mistaken identity," but no one believes him. Cars 2 is being directed by Cars producer Brad Lewis and is slated for release in summer 2011.
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Some concept art was shown for Pixar's fairy tale The Bear and the Bow, the first film from the studio with a female protagonist and also the first directed by a woman. Brenda Chapman is on board to helm the project. You may remember Chapman's stunning The Prince of Egypt, which was, as it happens, the first feature-length animated film directed by a woman. Chapman is breaking barriers left and right, it seems.
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The Bear and the Bow centers on the mother-daughter relationship between a 10th-century Scottish princess, Merida (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), and her mother (Emma Thompson). Merida gives up her family name for her dream of becoming an archer, resulting in peril for her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida then struggles to set things right. Other cast members include Billy Connolly and Julie Walters as an evil witch.
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The last bit of news pertained to Disney's new Winnie the Pooh film. Some production art was shown and the story is said to include five stories from A.A. Milne's library that have not yet been filmed. No news on which ones, though. That film is looking at a spring 2011 release date.
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And that's it. As a Pixar fangirl I'm anxiously awaiting Toy Story 3 and The Bear and the Bow. Cars 2 is leaving me just a little bit cold at this point, but who knows? Any news you're partcularly excited about?