About this episode

Jim Hill discusses the challenges Hollywood faces in blending animation and live-action, alongside industry news and reflections on past films.

Jim Hill goes solo this week while Drew Taylor is off moderating panels at a film festival, delivering a packed episode that jumps from animation industry headlines to box office chatter and even a bit of theme park savings strategy. Along the way, Jim reflects on past California travels, breaks down major animation announcements, and then dives deep into why Hollywood continues to struggle with blending animation and live-action. From legacy hits to modern misfires, it’s a thoughtful look at what works, what doesn’t, and why. NEWS • “Ne Zha 2” heads to HBO after becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time • Bong Joon Ho’s animated feature “Ally” announced for 2027 release • Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters” to open Annecy 2026 ahead of its July theatrical debut • Disney and Pixar preview new projects including “Hexed,” “Gatto,” and a Cars preschool series • “Coyote vs. Acme” back on track with a confirmed 2026 theatrical release FEATURE • A look back at “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and why it remains the gold standard for hybrid films • How “Space Jam” and its successors highlight the difficulty of scaling cartoon concepts to feature length • Behind-the-scenes…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Hill

Topics covered

• animation industry
• live-action
• Hollywood challenges
• theme parks
• box office
• film festival

Keywords

• animation
• live-action
• Hollywood
• film
• box office
• theme parks
• Roger Rabbit
• Coyote vs. Acme

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HBO, Bong Joon Ho, Illumination, Disney, Pixar

Books & works: Ne Zha 2, Ally, Minions & Monsters, Hexed, Gatto, Cars preschool series, Coyote vs. Acme, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam

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