Disney's Big Summer Movie!

Summer and Thanksgiving are usually the times that big animated movies come out from Disney so let's look at the lineup and see if we can figure out but the big hit is going to be.

Will it be another co-production with Pixar? No, thier next film "Cars" isn't due for release until June 9th, 2006. How about "Chicken Little?" Nope, that's due out for Thanksgiving. The movie "Valiant" came out of nowhere from the producers of Shrek. But, it's due for August which is a little late for a Summer blockbuster. There are some big live action flicks in the pipeline. "Narnia" is due in December and Herbie: Fully Loaded is slated for June. Both great but where's the big Summer animated picture?

How about this?

Howl's Moving Castle

Traditional hand-drawn animation from director Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli. The last Disney backed theatrical release from Miyazaki was "Spirited Away" and it was outstanding. His previous films like Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky have been wildly imaginative and visually stunning. Moving Castle may not pull in the kind of money that a summer hit like "Revenge of the Sith" will but, for me anyway, I'm just as anxious to see it.