When “Chicken Little” Took Flight: Disney’s First CGI Gamble and What Came Next (Ep. 331)

This week on Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor mark the 20th anniversary of Chicken Little — Disney’s first fully computer-animated feature — and trace how the film’s rocky launch reshaped the studio’s animation strategy in the mid-2000s. Recorded the morning after Daylight Savings Time kicked in, this episode mixes history, humor, and behind-the-scenes insight as the guys unpack what really happened inside Disney Animation during one of its most volatile eras.

HIGHLIGHTS

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Drew and Jim revisit the creative chaos that followed The Emperor’s New Groove and how Mark Dindal & Randy Fullmer’s next project evolved into Chicken Little.

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Why Bob Iger’s early plans to buy Pixar cast a shadow over the film’s release.

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How Chicken Little became both a casualty and catalyst in Disney’s CGI transformation.

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Updates on the new Zootopia Zoobetter Together 4-D show at Animal Kingdom and why fans may want to wait for the Merrie Menagerie’s return.

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Studio Ghibli Fest’s finale screenings of The Boy and the Heron, plus news on Laika’s upcoming Wildwood and ESPN’s animated Monsters Funday Football event.

Hosts

Drew Taylor — X/Twitter: @DrewTailored (twitter.com/DrewTailored) | Instagram: @drewtailored (instagram.com/drewtailored) | Website: drewtaylor.work

Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia (twitter.com/JimHillMedia) | Instagram: @JimHillMedia (instagram.com/JimHillMedia) | Website: jimhillmedia.com

Patreon

Support Fine Tooning and the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network on Patreon: patreon.com/jimhillmedia

Follow Us

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews (facebook.com/JimHillMediaNews) | YouTube: youtube.com/@jimhillmedia | TikTok: @jimhillmedia

Producer Credits

Edited by Dave Grey

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

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com — where you can save up to 12% on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets, including hard-ticket events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠ (unlockedmagic.com/?utm_source=partner&utm_…)

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