Disney’s famous flywheel came to life for the general public Saturday as studio executives, Imagineers and talent gathered on a SXSW stage to illustrate world building of beloved franchises as they move from TV and film to theme parks and back.
Robert Downey Jr., aka Tony Stark, joined Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Bruce Vaughn, president and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, to talk Avengers to talk new attractions and how they’re envisioned and constructed. The actor has been invited in to advise the Imagineers.
Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro and Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman, both in casual black, kicked off the event, which was called The Future of World Building At Disney, as dozens of Mandalorian droids wandered the stage.
“Because a Disney story doesn’t end when the credits roll, or when you walk out the park’s front gate. They keep growing and evolving,” said D’Amaro.
“We’re really proud of the creative collaboration we have at Disney, and it starts with great storytelling. We truly have something for everyone, with so many ways to experience it,” Bergman said to a thousands or so attendees at the Austin Convention Center. “The key to all of this is the partnership we have between our teams.” After the event, the pair t0ld Deadline that it’s abou the first time they’ve tried to showcase how the collaboration works, which is something that’s been unique to the company.
Pete Docter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, director and producer of The Mandalorian and Grogu, were also on hand in a jubilant celebration of how stories from Star Wars, The Avengers and Pixar come to life in Disney experiences around the globe from Cars land to Monsters Inc. attraction Monstropolis with explanations illustrations and mechanical drawings on two big screens.
“Only Disney can bring this caliber of artists together to give fans richer and deeper experiences with the stories they love,” said D’Amaro.
D’Amaro and Bergman invited storytellers from across Disney Studios and Disney Experiences to discuss the ways they use cutting-edge technology to make experiences more relevant and more connected.
Others who took the stage include Pete Docter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios; Kevin Feige, producer and president of Marvel Studios; Jon Favreau, director and producer of The Mandalorian and q.
Speaking to Disney’s unique ability to make connections with fans through these experiences, Bergman noted, “It’s a powerful legacy that we’re fortunate to be a part of.”
“We’re so excited about the boundless future in front of us as we use new technology to tell the next generation of Disney stories,” D’Amaro said.
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