Mario’s Massive Opening, AI Animation Backlash, and the Mystery Disney Drone Show (Ep. 353)

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor kick off this week’s Fine Tooning with a real-life animation-adjacent story involving Bob’s Burgers’ Eugene Mirman, before diving into a huge Easter weekend box office led by Nintendo’s latest animated hit. From Disney+ shorts and Netflix trailers to Broadway updates and AI controversy, this episode covers a wide swath of animation and industry news. Plus, the guys explore a lingering mystery involving Disney’s experimental drone shows.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Eugene Mirman, the voice of Gene Belcher on Bob’s Burgers, is involved in a serious electric vehicle accident in New Hampshire and shares a humorous recovery update

• The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy Movie opens to a massive $372 million worldwide, outperforming expectations despite mixed reviews

• Pixar’s Hoppers continues its theatrical run with $332 million globally, while Project Hail Mary climbs to $420 million worldwide

• Disney+ debuts “Versa,” a visually ambitious animated short exploring grief and loss, alongside two new Short Circuit entries

• Netflix releases the trailer for Swapped, a new animated feature from Tangled co-director Nathan Greno

• Disney’s Hercules stage musical sets a closing date in London as speculation continues about a possible U.S. transfer

• WildBrain faces backlash for AI-upscaled episodes of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! airing on MeTV Toons

• A closer look at Disney’s evolving Short Circuit program and the final Disney work of legendary animator Mark Henn

• Updates on Disney theatrical projects including the live-action Tangled and the evolving Hercules film concept

• The growing use of AI in animation restoration and the debate over preserving original artistic integrity

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia (instagram.com/JimHillMedia) | X: @JimHillMedia (twitter.com/JimHillMedia) | Website: JimHillMedia.com

• Drew Taylor - IG: @drewtailored (instagram.com/drewtailored) | X: @DrewTailored (twitter.com/DrewTailored) | Website: drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW

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• TikTok: tiktok.com/@JimHillMedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia (patreon.com/jimhillmedia).

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency (strongmindedagency.com)

SPONSOR

This episode is sponsored by Unlocked Magic. If a Disney or Universal trip is on your radar for 2026, get expert help securing the best ticket deals with no stress. Visit UnlockedMagic.com (unlockedmagic.com/?utm_source=partner&utm_…) to start planning your next theme park adventure.

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