Future TREASURE PLANET projects could be in the works

By: Jennifer H. Tomooka
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2002

During an interview promoting the latest addition to the Disney animated pantheon, TREASURE PLANET, Thomas Schumacher, President of Walt Disney Feature Animation discussed the possibility of future direct to video releases of TREASURE and a possible television series.

"We've got a story and some storyboards and concepts up and a script for what a sequel to this could be," reveals Schumacher. "There's also a notion of what a series could be. I have all the pieces in place and should we [decide] to push the button, we push the button and go with it."

Schumacher also took time to discuss the criticism Disney has received following the release of straight to video continuations of classic Disney features.

"There's no question that there are people who find the idea of spending more time with characters, like the PETER PAN characters in RETURN TO NEVERLAND and there are people who go, 'Why are you doing that?,'" admits Schumacher. "There's also no question that when you can do $45 - $50 million at the box office virtually without advertising the movie and then go out and sell five to six million cassettes to people, that people love those stories and want to see it. Almost all the criticism that I've [received] is [from] people [who] haven't seen the movies."

Schumacher feels that the public should take a look at the movies that are being produced and realize that Disney fans all want to take a little piece of their favorite characters home with them.

"We spend very little money marketing the movies," says Schumacher. "We go right after our core audience and they're films that play at a time when there's nothing out there for kids. Families love the fact that we're showing these movies that kids can go to. What I don't want to do is make movies that I feel are not good enough. Nor do I want to make sequels to films where we really let it down. But there's such a demand. There's a sequel coming out to 101 DALMATIONS that's really charming. It will be on video. It's sweet and fun. And why not [expand the franchise]? We all want to take a little bit of [the Disney magic] home with us. We want [to relive] those stories."

TREASURE PLANET opens November 27.

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