Episodes

In this solo episode of Fine Tooning , Jim Hill dives into a packed week of animation news while Drew Taylor covers the opening of Epic Universe in Florida. Topics include: The 70th anniversary of Gumby – A look back at Art Clokey’s clay-animated classic and upcoming updates like Gumby Kids . Faith-based animation on the rise – Following the box office success of The King of Kings , Fairly OddParents creator Butch Hartman launches a new animation studio focused on spiritual storytel...

In this solo episode of Fine Tooning , Jim Hill covers a wide range of animation news and commentary while Drew Taylor is away covering the global premiere of Mission: Impossible 8 . Topics include: Controversy around Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch – Director Dean Fleischer Camp shares concept art of Pleakley in a dress after Disney reportedly vetoed the idea. A first look at Elsa’s new castle from Frozen 3 – How Disney Abu Dhabi’s concept art may hint at major design elements from...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor explore a wide range of animation and entertainment industry news, including: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and American Dad each get renewed for four more seasons—an unprecedented move ensuring job security and a pipeline of adult animation through the end of the decade. Marvel’s Thunderbolts debuts at #1 at the domestic box office with $76 million, signaling a possible rebound for the MCU. Korean animated feature The King of Kings becomes the highest-grossing Korean film in U.S. history, surpassing Parasite. Big City Greens celebrates its 100th episode with a special titled “One Hundred,” now streaming on Disney+. Boop! The Musical and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 30th Anniversary Tour – A look at how cartoon-based Broadway shows are faring in 2025 and what’s next for Disney Theatrical. A heartfelt look at aging voice talent, with reflections on cast longevity for The Simpsons and how Disney once replaced Paul Win…

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor cover a busy week in animation and theme park news, including: Drew’s full report from FanFest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, including Back to the Future Hill Valley experiences, new anime tie-ins, and what could be coming to the East Coast. King of the Hill revival update – A new panel announced for the ATX TV Festival, with co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and voice actors returning. The Simpsons streaming hiccups – Y...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with filmmakers Eric Kimelton, Christopher Ninness, and Scott Seibold to talk about the making of Not Just a Goof, the heartfelt new Disney+ documentary celebrating the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie. They discuss lost footage, creative challenges, pop culture legacy, and their unexpected journey from fans to contributors in Goofy’s story. Also in this episode: Star Wars animation news out of Tokyo – Updates on Tales of the ...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by offering birthday greetings to a modern animation master. They then welcome Neil O’Brien, author of “After Disney,” to discuss what it was like to work on the Burbank Lot back in the Late 1970s / Early 1980s Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: When did “BOOP: The Musical” do its out-of-town try-out in Chicago How long after Charles Dickens’ death was his short story, “Life of Our Lord,” published When did Glen Keane first ...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down the biggest stories shaking up the animation world, including: The explosive box office debut of A Minecraft Movie – Surpassing expectations with $157 million, becoming the biggest opening ever for a video game adaptation. Disney pauses its live-action Tangled remake – After Snow White’s underperformance, the studio rethinks its strategy for adapting more recent animated hits. CinemaCon 2025 highlights – Major announcements ...

In this milestone 300th episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into the biggest animation stories of the week, including: GKIDS’ 4K re-release of Princess Mononoke – How this Studio Ghibli classic led the box office in per-screen average nearly three decades after its debut. Disney’s Snow White struggles at the box office – What the 66% second-week drop means for the future of live-action remakes. Jon Lovitz and Al Jean hint at a revival of The Critic – Could Jay Sherman return for a new seaso...

In this episode of Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Jim Hill and Drew dive deep into the latest news and developments in the world of animation: Snow White’s Slow Start – Disney’s live-action remake stumbles at the box office, and Drew shares his take after seeing the film. Coco 2 Announced (and Unannounced) – A sequel to Pixar’s Coco is confirmed by Bob Iger... and then quietly walked back. The Elio Overhaul – Pixar’s original story of a shy kid mistaken for Earth’s leader has been rewritten i...

In this episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the latest animation and entertainment news, including: Disney braces for a rough opening weekend for Snow White – How revised box office projections signal trouble for the live-action remake. The Lilo & Stitch trailer breaks records – Why it’s Disney’s second-most viewed live-action trailer ever. What’s next for Disney’s live-action Tangled – Could Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi return for cameo roles? A disappointing start for The Day the E...

In this episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down a massive week in animation news, including: Disney’s shocking decision to cancel the Tiana series for Disney+ and why the studio is stepping away from long-form streaming content. Ne Zha 2’s unprecedented box office run – How the Chinese animated film crossed $2 billion and is climbing the list of the highest-grossing films ever. Jon Favreau’s new Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series – What to expect from this live-action/animation hybrid for Di...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the 97th Academy Awards. They then offer up a tribute to the late great publicist & animation champion, Fumi Kitahara Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: When is “Ne Zha 2” expected to blow through the $2 billion barrier at the worldwide box office Which produced-by-Marvel-Animation series just got renewed for a fifth season Why is the redesign of the characters for “Shrek 5” really not a big deal How many “Krypto”...

In this episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down the latest in animation news, including: Ne Zha 2’s historic box office run – How the Chinese animated epic became the highest-grossing animated film worldwide, surpassing Frozen 2. Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King and DreamWorks’ Dog Man hit digital – What their home release means for the industry. The rise of adult animation – Robot Chicken celebrates 20 years, while Nikelodeon expands its lineup with Avatar: The Seven Havens. Disney+’s la...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the biggest stories in animation, including: The live-action How to Train Your Dragon – Drew shares behind-the-scenes details from his visit to the Universal lot, where he sat in the editing bay with director Dean DeBlois. The Academy Awards race heats up! With the Oscars just two weeks away, The Wild Robot and Flow battle for Best Animated Feature. Box office updates: Ne Zha 2 smashes records in China, surpassing Frozen 2’s ...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down one of the biggest nights in animation as The Wild Robot dominates the Annie Awards, winning eight major categories. They also dive into the frustrating fate of Coyote vs. Acme, the Warner Bros. live-action/animated film that was shelved despite glowing reviews. Plus, they discuss Dog Man’s unexpected second-week box office drop and the shifting landscape of animated features. Also in this episode: Why The Wild Robot’s Annie ...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: Dog Man’s impressive $36M opening weekend and what it means for DreamWorks Animation. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the fascinating history behind Splash Mountain’s reimagining. Will Ferrell’s viral Buddy the Elf moment at an LA Kings game and his surprising reason for rejecting Elf 2. Updates on The Simpsons’ upcoming season and exclusive Disney+ episodes. The changing landscape of animated indie films like The Day the Earth ...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: Warner Bros. Animation’s ambitious adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, The Places You’ll Go! and its 2028 release plans. The marketing genius behind DreamWorks’ Dog Man, including a new The Bad Guys short premiering with the film. Animated Academy Award nominees, from The Wild Robot to Flow, and surprising snubs like Moana 2. The evolving Oscars strategy for animated features, including Disney’s hits and misses in the Best Song cate...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: A behind-the-scenes look at Disney’s Hercules, from the creation of Hades to Jeffrey Katzenberg’s surprising influence on the character. The passing of legendary filmmakers David Lynch and Robert Verrall, celebrating their lasting impact on cinema and animation. Box office highlights, including Moana 2 crossing the billion-dollar milestone and Mufasa: The Lion King’s continued success. Exciting new releases, including trailer...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: The devastating wildfires in Southern California and their impact on the animation industry. Updates on box office hits like Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The intriguing backstory of Olaf’s creation in Frozen and Josh Gad’s journey to voicing the beloved character. Changes to Fox’s Sunday night “Animation Domination” lineup and what it means for The Simpsons. The Visual Effects Society Awards nomi...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: The 82nd Golden Globes nominees for Best Animated Motion Picture, including Inside Out 2, Moana 2, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Hayao Miyazaki’s enduring creative spirit as the Studio Ghibli legend celebrates his 84th birthday. Disney’s history of using Donald Duck to rally Americans during WWII, including the creation of patriotic animated shorts like The New Spirit. Updates on Mufasa: The Lion King’s box offic...

In this final episode of Fine Tooning for 2024, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor explore: How Mufasa: The Lion King roared back at the box office, edging out Sonic 3 during the holiday weekend. Updates from Pixar, including Tim Allen’s return as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 5 and the lingering delays around Win or Lose. A sneak peek at 2025’s animated lineup, from Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl to Pixar’s Elio and Zootopia 2. The unconventional tradition of watching King Kong to ring in the Ne...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into: The excitement surrounding Bluey's upcoming presence in Disney theme parks and its debut on Disney Cruise Line. Highlights from the Annie Awards, where The Wild Robot, Inside Out 2, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl lead the nominations. The box office performance of Mufasa: The Lion King and how franchise timing and audience expectations played a role. Updates on Netflix and Sony’s animated Ghostbusters project, di...

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor discuss: The 35th anniversary of The Simpsons debut with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," and how production challenges shaped its legacy. The upcoming Bluey feature film, its creator’s vision, and how the beloved pup is heading to theaters in 2027. Warner Bros. Animation’s Dynamic Duo, an innovative mix of animation, puppetry, and CG that explores the origins of two iconic Robins. Sony’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and wh...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing how well “Moana 2” did at the box office over its second weekend in theaters. They also talk about why “Paddington in Peru” had its release date pushed back to February 14, 2025 Listeners will learn about these highlights: How long did it take the original “Fantasia” to finally turn a profit Which spec song led to the creation of the “It’s a SpongeBob Christmas” back in 2012 How many “Best Animated Feature of the Year” awards h...