The first image from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming short film has us smiling. It’s been five years since the company has released a project from their theatrical shorts program to accompany an animated feature. Their last entry, “Innerworkings,” made its way to movie screens ahead of “Moana” back in 2016.
Disney has announced that “Us Again,” a brand new experimental short film from director Zach Parrish, will be released March 5, 2021 in theatres ahead of the studio’s upcoming animated feature, “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Parrish is an eleven-year veteran of Disney’s animation studio who served as head of animation on projects like 2014’s “Big Hero 6,” and director of the 2019 short film, “Puddles.”
In “Us Again,” a vibrant city pulsating with rhythm and movement will set the stage for an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife who rekindle their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night.
According to Disney, “Us Again” conveys its emotional message without the use of dialogue, and will tell the story through animation, dance, and music. A musical score reminiscent of the mid-1960s was composed specifically for the film by “Captain Marvel” composer Pinar Toprak, who is regarded for her compositions in film, television and video games.
To help set the tone for the film, Parrish worked closely with professional dancers and married couple Keone and Mari Madrid, who were brought on board due to their unique style of choreography. Some of their notable works include choreographing NBC’s “World Of Dance,” BTS, Billie Eilish, and Ed Sheeran, and starring in and choreographing Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” music video.
The film is produced by Brad Simonsen (associate producer on “Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet”), and executive produced by Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS).
“Raya and the Last Dragon” will also be available to Disney+ subscribers March 5 as a Premium Access title simultaneously with a theatrical release. The film stars Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Benedict Wong, Gemma Chan, and Sandra Oh.
After its theatrical run, “Us Again” will also be available in June on Disney+.
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Let’s Hear From You
Let’s hear from you. Are you glad to see shorts returning to Disney films? Does this one appeal to you? “Raya and the Last Dragon“ and “Us Again” will release in theaters and on Disney+ on March 5th. “Raya and the Last Dragon” will initially cost an additional $29.99 to stream on Disney+. The film and short will become part of the regular Disney Plus library on June 4th if you don’t want to pay 30 bucks for it. Will you see “Raya” and “Us Again” in the theater, stream it for an additional fee, wait for it to be streamable at no additional cost, or skip it all together?
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