Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor

Fine Tooning is back with a packed post-D23 week of animation news, as Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into fresh trailers, release dates, box-office milestones, and one potentially very big Disney revival. The conversation ranges from Laika’s long-awaited Wildwood and Warner Bros. Animation’s Margie Claus to Blue Eye Samurai, LEGO Star Wars, and the remarkable theatrical run of Toy Story 5. Jim and Drew also discuss Brent Spiner’s unexpected suggestion that a new Gargoyles series may be headed to Disney+, and remember Hayden Panettiere and her early voice work as Princess Dot in A Bug’s Life.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Brent Spiner may have accidentally revealed that a Gargoyles revival is in development for Disney+.

• Laika unveils the first trailer for Wildwood ahead of its October 23 theatrical release.

• Margie Claus sets a November 12, 2027 release date with Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Octavia Spencer, and Andrew Scott.

• Blue Eye Samurai previews Season 2 while Netflix announces a third and final season for 2028.

• Jim and Drew look at the latest animation-related box-office numbers, including Toy Story 5 and Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie.

• Jim remembers Hayden Panettiere and her performance as Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.

• Panettiere’s memoir offers a revealing look at the demanding voice-recording process behind the Pixar film.

• Drew reflects on Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and the continuing legacy of Light the Fuse.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

• Drew Taylor - X/Twitter: @DrewTailored | Instagram: @drewtailored | drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a fall getaway to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando? Be Our Guest Vacations can help with hotels, theme park tickets, dining reservations, and the details that can make an Orlando vacation easier to manage. Their vacation-planning services come at no additional cost to you. Visit BeOurGuestVacations.com to start planning.If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/
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Drew and Jim take a break from Disney’s D23 fan expo festivities to talk about everything they learned in a jam-packed set of panels and announcements!

NEWS

• The End of Oak Street beats Paw Patrol at the box office but Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into first place again

• The threequels are coming! Zootopia 3, Frozen 3, and The Incredibles 3 are all on their way

• Jodie Foster has her first animated role in Hexed alongside Walton Goggins as Beef Roger Crumbchuck

• Kingdom Hearts finally gets an animated series along with a new entry in the Final Fantasy meets Disney video game series

• Pixar gets spooky with the upcoming Ghost Market, in what is being described by Pete Docter as its first ‘horror movie’

• Drew is hosting a special 15th anniversary screening of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica, California on August 22nd at 7:30PM featuring a live virtual Q&A with director Brad Bird (and another mystery in-person guest along with other surprises!)

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
• Drew Taylor - X: @DrewTailored | Instagram: @drewtailored | drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
• YouTube: @jimhillmedia
• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - StrongMindedAgency.com

SPONSOR

This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, the go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal theme park tickets. If a 2026 theme park vacation is on your radar, their team can help you save money while making the planning process easier.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Jim Hill Media Sponsorship Information
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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are getting ready for D23 2026 with a look at the animation news, movies, and announcements worth watching before the big Disney Entertainment Showcase. Along the way, they check in on the box office, upcoming Looney Tunes and PAW Patrol releases, and a newly announced Family Guy spin-off. Then Jim and Drew revisit some memorable animation moments from past D23 Expos and consider what Disney, Pixar, and 20th Century Animation might bring to the stage this year.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Coyote vs. Acme prepares for its August 28 theatrical release from Ketchup Entertainment.

• PAW Patrol 3: The Dino Movie adds dinosaurs to the franchise as Jim and Drew consider its box-office potential.

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, Toy Story 5, and Minions & Monsters continue shaping the 2026 box-office conversation.

• Adult Swim's President Curtis earns a second season while Fox orders The Stewie Show for the 2027-2028 television season.

• Jim and Drew preview D23 2026 and the animation announcements that could emerge from Disney's Entertainment Showcase.

• The Simpsons Movie 2, The Bluey Movie, Ice Age: Boiling Point, Gatto, Frozen 3, Incredibles 3, Coco 2, and Monsters, Inc. 3 are among the projects potentially in the spotlight.

• Drew looks back at memorable D23 animation presentations, including Idina Menzel performing "Let It Go," the reveal of Get a Horse!, and the onstage pitches for Gigantic and Coco.

• Jim revisits the complicated road to Pixar's The Good Dinosaur and recalls an emotional early screening with director Peter Sohn.

• Drew previews the 15th-anniversary 35mm screening of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and his upcoming book, The Art of Wildwood.

• Jim spotlights Welcome to Wackyland: The Wonderful World of Bob Clampett and the unusual Disney history connecting Clampett, Roald Dahl, and The Gremlins.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com

• Drew Taylor - X/Twitter: @DrewTailored - Instagram: @drewtailored - drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning your next Disney or Universal adventure? Let the experts at BeOurGuestVacations.com help plan your resort stay, theme park tickets, cruises, and special extras with personalized concierge service. Be sure to mention that Drew and Jim sent you.If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with animation news from San Diego Comic-Con, Netflix House Philadelphia, and the latest streaming and box-office releases. Drew shares what it was like moderating DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island panel for a packed Ballroom 20 crowd, while Jim explores how animated characters become theme park attractions and merchandise. Then the episode travels back to Disney’s postwar era for the story of character actor Billy Gilbert, whose booming personality and famous comic sneeze helped bring Sneezy and Willie the Giant to life.

NEWS

• Drew Taylor recounts moderating the Forgotten Island panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

• Jim visits Universal Studios Theme Park: The Exhibition and explores how animation is translated into rides, animatronics, costumes, and merchandise.

• Netflix House Philadelphia brings The Mitchells vs. the Machines and other Netflix films to the big screen inside the Tudum Theater.

• Toy Story 5 crosses the billion-dollar mark as Minions & Monsters continues its worldwide theatrical run.

• Dragon Striker earns a second season following its Disney+ debut and Comic-Con promotional push.

FEATURE

• How vaudeville performer and character actor Billy Gilbert became the original voice of Sneezy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

• Why Walt Disney remembered Gilbert when the studio needed a performer who could make Willie the Giant both threatening and childlike.

• The long development journey that transformed The Legend of Happy Valley into the Mickey and the Beanstalk segment of Fun and Fancy Free.

• How Willie the Giant continued appearing in Disney projects and theme park locations long after Gilbert’s final performance.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com

• Drew Taylor - X: @DrewTailored - Instagram: @drewtailored - drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a trip to Universal Orlando or Walt Disney World? Let the experts at BeOurGuestVacations.com help with your hotel, theme park tickets, and vacation planning.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix animation is having another monster year, with Nathan Greno’s body-swap comedy “Swapped” racing up the platform’s all-time rankings behind “KPop Demon Hunters.” Jim Hill and Drew Taylor also examine Disney’s uncertain live-action remake strategy, the return of “Hotel Transylvania” and a new theatrical Looney Tunes short. Plus, Drew shares highlights from his conversation with Greno about the making of Netflix’s latest animated hit.

HIGHLIGHTS

• “The Odyssey” dominates the worldwide box office while Disney’s live-action “Moana” suffers a steep second-weekend decline.

• Disney moves ahead with “Tangled” and a possible continuation of “The Princess and the Frog” despite uneven remake results.

• “Toy Story 5” approaches the billion-dollar mark as “Minions & Monsters” falls short of franchise expectations.

• Sony and Amazon MGM prepare “The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania” for a theatrical release in 2027.

• Disney Junior tests a YouTube-first launch strategy with the new animated preschool series “Ozzy Fox.”

• Director Nathan Greno discusses the creation and unexpected streaming success of “Swapped.”

• “Daffy Season” brings the Looney Tunes back to theaters with a modern spin on the classic rabbit-season-versus-duck-season routine.

• Titmouse joins Meow Wolf’s upcoming Los Angeles exhibition as an animation and creative-design partner.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com

• Drew Taylor - X/Twitter and Instagram: @DrewTailored - drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Save up to 12% on Disney and Universal theme park tickets with UnlockedMagic.com. Their experienced team can help you find great ticket prices and make planning your next Florida vacation less stressful.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices