Walt Disney Animation Studios debuts footage from November’s feature film, “Strange World” at Annecy Animation Festival & announces the voice cast!
For the first time since 2019, Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS) returned in person to the Annecy International Animated Film Festival showcasing the Studios’ latest projects, including the worldwide debut of over 10 minutes of footage from “Strange World.” Releasing this November, the original action-adventure journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest—and by far— most crucial mission.
The studio also revealed key members of the voice cast joining the film! Including Jake Gyllenhaal who lends his voice to Searcher Clade, a farmer who finds himself thrust into an adventure in a strange world. He is joined by an all-star cast:
- Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade, Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father
- Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade, Searcher’s 16 year-old son who longs for adventure beyond his father’s farm while also navigating a school crush
- Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, a pilot and natural leader, mom to Ethan, and wife of Searcher
- Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, the head of the land of Avalonia and the leader of the exploration into the strange world
Within the Disney Animation presentation, Oscar-winning filmmaker and Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee received the Festival’s Honorary Cristal Award, from Annecy Festival Artistic Director Marcel Jean. In her remarks to the audience, Lee thanked the festival and all of those at Disney Animation. “We look ahead, together,” she said. “The ‘we’ is more important than ever as our studio can only truly shine when everyone feels welcome, feels the pride and responsibility of our legacy, and feels inspired to create, together.”
Lastly, two-time Academy Award winner and President of Disney Animation, Clark Spencer, surprised the audience with world premieres of episodes from Disney Animation’s first-ever series, “Baymax!” which releases June 29 on Disney+, and “Zootopia+,” which Spencer announced would debut on Disney+ November 9, 2022.
