Once Upon a Studio is an upcoming 2023 live-action/traditional/CGI hybrid short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It premiered on June 11, 2023 at the Annecy Film Festival, will make its broadcast debut on October 15, 2023 as part of The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney's 100th Anniversary Celebration on ABC and will be theatrically re-released on October 16, 2023 alongside the feature film Moana.
Plot[]
On the day Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California turns 100, employees from the studio leave at the end of their work day. An intern converses with Burny Mattinson about the studio turning 100 years old, with Mattinson musing, "if these walls could talk..."
Inside the studio, Mattinson's wish comes true. Mickey Mouse, in a production cel from Mickey's Birthday Party (1942), comes to life, and calls Tinker Bell (Peter Pan, 1953). Mickey asks her if all of the employees are gone, in which she nods. Excited, Mickey and Minnie Mouse jump out of the cel, with Minnie getting many of the characters from the studio's filmography to all meet in the lobby. While everyone is getting prepared, Mickey approaches a photograph of studio co-founder Walt Disney and, in a private moment, bittersweetly thanks him.
All the characters go outside to the lobby to take a group photo for the 100th anniversary with Mickey getting them together. However, Goofy accidentally falls off his ladder, causing the camera to break into pieces. Everyone starts to leave in disappointment as the group photo is cancelled. Just then, Alan-a-Dale (Robin Hood, 1973) plays "When You Wish Upon a Star" on his lute joined in by Scat Cat (The Aristocats, 1970) on his trumpet and Mirabel Madrigal (Encanto, 2021) on her accordion as Hathi Jr. (The Jungle Book, 1967) makes a trumpeting sound. Then other characters take turns singing. The brooms from Fantasia (1940) sweep up pieces of Goofy's camera remains, Fix-It Felix, Jr. (Wreck-It Ralph, 2012) repairs the camera to its original state, Hercules puts the ladder back in position, and the Fairy Godmother (Cinderella, 1950) uses her magic to help Goofy up the ladder while setting the camera up for the photo. As the rest of the crowd of characters finish up the song and pose for the group photo, Tinker Bell uses her wand to match cut to the finished photo.
The film ends with a tagline "To all who imagined with us, laughed with us, and dreamed with us, Thank You".
Cast[]
- Burny Mattinson as himself
- Chris Diamantopoulos as Mickey Mouse
- Kaitlyn Robrock as Minnie Mouse
- Robin Williams as Genie
- Josh Gad as Olaf
- Zach Braff as Chicken Little
- Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket (archival recording)
- Anika Noni Rose as Tiana
- Matt Vogel as Tigger
- Griffen Campbell as Pinocchio
- Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps
- Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde
- Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis
- Ian R'Mante as Thumper
- John Travolta as Bolt
- Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan (archival recording)
- Auli'i Cravalho as Moana
- Luke Lowe as Flounder
- Dwayne Johnson as Maui
- Scott Weinger as Aladdin
- Kelly Marie Tran as Raya
- Awkwafina as Sisu
- Kristen Bell as Anna
- Idina Menzel as Elsa
- Nathan Lane as Timon
- Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa
- Mandy Moore as Rapunzel
- Daniel Wolfe as Robin Hood
- Jim Meskimen as Merlin, Eeyore
- Bob Joles as Cogsworth, Bagheera, Sneezy
- Harland Williams as Carl
- Mark Walton as Rhino
- Scott Adsit as Baymax
- John C. Reilly as Wreck-It Ralph
- Raymond S. Persi as Flash Slothmore
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jim Hawkins
- Ravi-Cabot Conyers as Antonio Madrigal
- Alan Tudyk as Mad Hatter, Turbo, Heihei, Tuk Tuk
- Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh, Baloo, Ray, Peg Leg Pete, Ed
- Ryan Potter as Hiro Hamada
- Judy Khun as Pocahontas
- Mel Gibson as John Smith
- Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
- Bill Farmer as Goofy, Pluto, Sleepy
- Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck, Chip
- Corey Burton as Dale, Captain Hook, Judge Claude Frollo
- Donnie Dunagan as Bambi (archival recording)
- Stan Alexander as Flower (archival recording)
- Eric Blore as Mr. J. Thaddeus Toad (archival recording)
- Matthew Broderick as Simba
- Susie Essman as Mittens
- D.B. Sweeney as Aladar
- Kate Higgins as Aurora
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade
- Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade
- Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade
- Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade
- Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal
- Jennifer Hale as Cinderella
- Jodi Benson as Ariel
- Paige O'Hara as Belle
- Chris Sanders as Stitch
- Ariana DeBose as Asha
- Robby Benson as Beast
- Natalie Babbitt Taylor as Snow White
- Phoenix Reisser as Mowgli
- Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen
- Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider
- Jonathan Groff as Kristoff
- Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan
- Tom Hulce as Quasimodo
- Tate Donovan as Hercules
- Linda Larkin as Jasmine
- Joan Cusack as Abby Mallard
- Idris Elba as Chief Bogo
- Miley Cyrus as Penny Forrester
- Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel Madrigal
- Daniel Hansen/Jordan Fry as Lewis Robinson
- Wesley Singerman as Wilbur Robinson
- Sarah Silverman as Vanellope von Schweetz
- Christopher Daniel Barnes as Prince Eric
- David Spade as Emperor Kuzco
- Michael J. Fox as Milo Thatch
- Joaquin Phoenix as Kenai
- Eddie Murphy as Mushu
- Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan
- Bob Newhart as Bernard
- Joey Lawrence as Oliver
- Richard Epcar as Little John
- Keith Ferguson as Prince Charming
- Kathryn Beaumont as Alice, Wendy Darling
- Jeff Bennett as Tramp, Bashful, White Rabbit, Mr. Smee
- Barbara Luddy as Lady (archival recording), Merryweather (archival recording), Kanga (archival recording)
- Sterling Holloway as Cheshire Cat, Kaa
- Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, Kron
- Phil Harris as Thomas O'Malley
- Eva Gabor as Duchess, Miss Bianca
- Rod Taylor as Pongo (archival recording)
- Lisa Daniels as Perdita (archival recording)
- Daveigh Chase as Lilo Pelekai
- Jess Harnell as Scuttle
- Moira Kelly as Nala
- Billy Joel as Dodger
- John Goodman as Pacha
- B.D. Wong as Li Shang
- Martin Short as B.E.N.
- Minnie Driver as Jane Porter
- Wayne Knight as Tantor
- Rosie O'Donnell as Terk
- Susan Egan as Megara
- Rowan Atkinson as Zazu
- John Byner as Gurgi
- Danny DeVito as Philoctetes
- Rick Moranis as Rutt
- Dave Thomas as Tuke
- Roseanne Barr as Maggie
- Judi Dench as Mrs. Calloway
- Jennifer Tilly as Grace
- Jeremy Suarez as Koda
- André Sogliuzzo as Doc
- Stephen Stanton as Happy
- Josh Robert Thompson as Grumpy
- Eddie Collins as Dopey
- Charlie Callas as Elliott (archival recording)
- Hal Smith as Owl
- Junius Matthews as Rabbit
- Clint Howard as Roo
- Howard Morris as Gopher
- Louis Prima as King Louie
- Richard Guilame as Rafiki
- Jerry Orbach as Lumiere
- Harry Stockwell as The Prince (archival recording)
- Bennett Parker as Reluctant Dragon (archival recording)
- David Ogden Stiers as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, John Ratcliffe
- Maurice LaMarche as Mr. Big
- Leah Latham as Fru Fru
- Steve Zahn as Runt of the Litter
- Dan Molina as Fish Out of Water
- John Leguizamo as Bruno Madrigal
- Sterling K. Brown as Lieutenant Mattias
- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Buck
- Charles Haid as Lucky Jack
- Cree Summer as Kida Nedakh
- Michelle Stacy as Penny
- Adam Ryen as Cody
- Cheech Marin as Tito, Banzai
- Ciarán Hinds as Grand Pabbie
- Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts
- Bill Shirley as Prince Phillip
- Paul Collins as John Darling
- Tommy Luske as Michael Darling
- María Cecilia Botero as Abuela Alma Madrigal
- Wilmer Valderrama as Agustín Madrigal
- Adassa as Dolores Madrigal
- Diane Guerrero as Isabela Madrigal
- Mauro Castillo as Félix Madrigal
- Angie Cepeda as Julieta Madrigal
- Jessica Darrow as Luisa Madrigal
- Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo Madrigal
- Carolina Gaitán as Pepa Madrigal
- Jack McBrayer as Fix-It Felix, Jr.
- Jane Lynch as Sergeant Calhoun
- Gal Gadot as Shank
- T.J. Miller as Fred
- Damon Wayans Jr. as Wasabi
- Jamie Chung as Go Go Tomago
- Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon
- Kevin McDonald as Pleakley
- Verna Felton as Flora (archival recording)
- Barbara Jo Allen as Fauna (archival recording)
- Mimi Gibson as Lucky (archival recording)
- Mickey Maga as Patch (archival recording)
- Barbara Beaird as Rolly (archival recording)
- Sandra Abbot as Penny (archival recording)
- Susanne Blakeslee as Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, The Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine
- James Woods as Hades
- Chris Pine as King Magnifico
- Jonathan Freeman as Jafar
- Jeremy Irons as Scar
- Keith David as Dr. Facilier
- Santino Fontana as Hans
- Pat Carroll as Ursula
- Charles Judels as Stromboli (archival recording)
- Verna Felton as Queen of Hearts (archival recording)
- John Hurt as Horned King (archival recording)
- Richard White as Gaston LeGume
- Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel
- James Cromwell as Robert Callaghan/Yokai
- Stephen J. Anderson as Bowler Hat Guy
- Ethan Sandler as DOR-15
- Peter Ustinov as Prince John
- George Sanders as Shere Khan
- Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi
- Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa
- Rodger Bumpass as Dr. Hämsterviel
- Randy Quaid as Alameda Slim
- Brian Blessed as Clayton
- Ben Stiller as Arthur
- Robert Loggia as Bill Sykes
- Brian Murray as John Silver
- Eartha Kitt as Yzma
- Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Calico
- Jenny Slate as Dawn Bellwether
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Captain Gantu
- Billy Bletcher as Headless Horseman
- James Garner as Commander Rourke
- Piotr Michael as Iago
- J. Pat O'Malley as Jasper
- Frederick Worlock as Horace
- Jesse Corti as LeFou
- Peter Bartlett as Lawrence
- John Kassir as Meeko
- Nathan Greno as Maximus
- Dee Bradley Baker as Bruni
- Ciarán Hinds as Grand Pabbie
- Laurie Metcalf as Lucille Krunklehorn
- Roger Miller as Alan-A-Dale
- Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck
- Jimmy MacDonald as Jaq and Gus
- Frank Welker as Dumbo, Abu, Flit, Pegasus, Pascal, Cri-Kee, Sven, Pua, Max, Legend, Splat, Joanna
- Chorus as Dogs, Farm Animals, Toys, Villagers, Trucks, Bees, Monsters, Planes, Forest Animals, Hyenas, Aliens, Dinosaurs, Maleficent's Goons, Helicopters, Bugs, Animals, Cars, Experiments, People
- Trent Correy and Dan Abraham as Themselves
- Renika Williams as Disney Intern