Rapunzel is an American animation film scheduled for release in 2009 and produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Pictures and to be distributed by Buena Vista Pictures in the United States. The story is based on the fairytale Rapunzel.
Though the film will be made entirely in CGI, Rapunzel will resemble traditional oil paintings on canvas, which will take another step further in the graphic development in computer animation that WDFA is going to use in American Dog. One of the main ambitions of the makers of Rapunzel is to create movements that are just as soft and fluid as of that in the old Disney Classics.
Very few details have been released about this film, except that in October of 2005, production was halted in order to "retool" it. Early versions of Rapunzel (then titled Rapunzel Unbraided) had been criticized by top Disney artists and executives for being too "Shrekified" (having too many similarities to the 2001 DreamWorks hit animated film Shrek, which parodied numerous fairy tales and Disney animated films). The retooling is expected to last two years, with Rapunzel's release date being pushed back from 2007 to 2009. Many classic Disney films often go through this retooling phase, with the end result being a much stronger film. In July 2006, Disney's new creative head John Lasseter admitted that he is very pleased with Rapunzel thus far, after seeing a nearly-completed first act. In early September 2006, animation blog jimhillmedia.com reports that "Rapunzel" will finally begin production later in the year, after many long delays. Those associated with this highly anticipated film are reported to be very eager to begin production. "Rapunzel" is still expected to be released in the summer of 2009.
