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Have you longed for classic 2D Disney to return?

This is technically the sequel to a post I made earlier about Wish. In it, I end off by saying that Disney should definitely come back to 2D, and for good reason. It’s a cool way to freshen up their game.

Now, rewind to earlier this year. That time saw a new addition to the Vancouver movie space, that being the addition of a new studio from an iconic division of the Walt Disney Company.

And not just any Disney division, but Walt Disney Animation Studios. That’s right, the studio that brought us classics like Sleeping Beauty and The Lion King, to recent additions like Moana and Encanto, has recently added a studio right here in Vancouver. Exciting? Yes, absolutely! I heard they’re producing a Moana show.

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But, we’re not here to talk about Moana, or CGI in general that Disney is known for nowadays.

Remember when Disney did 2D? Yeah, that was a fun time. I recently watched Atlantis: The Lost Empire and wow, not only was it a really good yet underrated film in the Disney catalog, but it made me wish for another traditionally-animated film from the studio. 

Going back to the amazing fact that Vancouver got its own Disney animation studio, but this specific studio is going to take Disney back to its roots via a new TV series. One of the major projects being undertaken in Vancouver is Tiana, about the titular princess from the 2009 hit Princess and the Frog, and guess what? 

IT’S FULLY TRADITIONALLY ANIMATED!

If we’re not counting the recent short film, Once Upon a Studio, and a couple of other side projects, this is the first fully traditionally-animated project that Disney is taking on since Winnie The Pooh in 2011.

That’s right. 2011. Nearly 12 years ago.

This is EXCITING. Not just for me, who thinks Tiana is the best Disney Princess (don’t judge me), but the return of 2D animation will usher in new artists and more creative flair that could make for some interesting future projects.

I mean, it’s not like they weren’t considering bringing 2D back; Wish was supposed to be traditionally animated before that idea was cut short. But, with a fully confirmed return to form, Tiana is going to usher in a new generation for the studio that has been falling on the wayside recently. And the fact that it’s all happening here is… genuinely heartwarming to hear.

Makes you proud of your own city sometimes, eh?