Pixar's John Lasseter unveils 'Tinker Bell,' costly star of new Disney Fairies initiative

Cue the pixie dust.

Walt Disney Animation is taking direct aim at little girls with a business initiative called Disney Fairies whose long-awaited star is finally ready for her small screen debut.

John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, announced the much delayed "Tinker Bell" DVD on Friday, the first original title in a series of company-wide animation initiatives meant to capitalize on the fairy and princess craze among little girls.

"Tinker Bell," the first character to take wing from the Disney Fairy canon, is scheduled for direct-to-DVD release in late October, after being pushed back a year due to reported production complications. In this particular 2008 incarnation, Tink actually has a voice (actress Mae Whitman, although at one point Disney announced that Brittany Murphy would play Tink), and a lovely pair of iridescent wings:

Word has it that Tinker Bell's wings cost a pretty penny, too. At least $50 million, in addition to a key executive's job, two dozen versions of the script and a dozen different directors, according to Variety.

The female character's success should be an interesting test for Lasseter, whose Pixar animated films over the past decade have largely catered to boys. Consider the upcoming robot tale "Wall-E" (June 27), and earlier blockbusters "Cars," "Bugs," and "Monsters, Inc." Somehow Pixar and parent company Disney have managed to largely overlook a marketplace filled with little girls fixated on princesses and fairies.

Disney Animation hasn't introduced any new animated girl-centric titles and characters -- such as "The Little Mermaid" (1989), Princess Jasmine in "Aladdin" (1992), "Pocahontas" (1995) and "Mulan" (1998) -- in close to a decade. (Even "Enchanted," which was live action, was released just last year.)

But Disney's animated princess hiatus is about to change, both with the so-called Disney Fairies initiative and when Disney Feature Animation releases theatrically "The Princess and the Frog" (Christmas 2009) and "Rapunzel" (Christmas 2010).

Until then, it will be hard for parents to avoid the Disney Fairies juggernaut, which the Walt Disney Company promises to incorporate across its many divisions, including Disney Consumer Products, Disney Publishing, Disney Interactive Studios, Disney on Ice, Disney Parks and Resorts, and Disney Online.

And with that, Disney's finally going full-bore with faith, trust and pixie dust.

-- Sheigh Crabtree

Comments

[Faerie Jane]

Although Disney may be trying to market to girls with fairies and princesses, the writing and directing appears to be very male.

[Fairy Queen]

The thing I love so much about Pixar is that they make movies not for boys or girls, but for people. They focus on telling good stories and don't try to market to any particular demographic. I can't say I'd even classify Ratatouille as a kid movie... it's a family movie.

Focusing on a narrow audience became part of Disney's downfall when they were releasing direct-to-DVD sequels left and right for movies like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. Then there were the Disney stores. The stores used to be so cool, filled with a wide variety of merchandise for almost anyone (even figurines and jewelry!), but then they largely replaced all that with fairy-pink-princess stuff for little girls. The heavy focus on princesses (and a few personalities like Grumpy and Eeyore) was part of why I lost interest in Disney stores.

Pixar's John Lasseter is the only reason I have hope for this Tinker Bell movie. Don't get me wrong, I like fairies and princesses, but if the movie isn't supported by a good story, Tinker Bell is being done a great disservice.