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Jason Lee: For me, this simply proves how much of an uphill battle it will be for Disney to revive the 2-D animation genre. A classic story, theatrical villain, likable sidekicks, hand drawn animation, Broadway-style musical numbers . . . it all feels like a throwback to a bygone era. It'd be fine if viewers came out in droves for a big of cinematic nostalgia, but they didn't. I just question whether or not this film's eventual theatrical gross will justify the effort that's gone into it. My guess is "no."

Kim Hollis: I'm going to disagree, Jason. Reagen and Kevin are right in that with the period of time that's elapsed between 2-D animated films - and good ones, at that, it's going to be a process for Disney to rebuild that brand. They won the weekend, reviews are stellar, and it's certainly a plus on the merchandising side of things. This is going to be a win in the long run.

They're all just intimidated by Miyazaki

Kim Hollis: Does this opening and potential solid theatrical run mean that more studios, including Disney, will give traditional animation another look as a viable investment for future projects?





Josh Spiegel: Well, since John Lasseter is so happy to get involved in 2-D and 3-D animation, I'm sure Disney's not about to stop its production slate. For other studios, though, I don't think they're going to start venturing into 2-D animation. The major competition Disney has is in CGI animation, not 2-D. In the days before Pixar, though there were other 2-D animation companies, none were nearly as powerful or lucrative as Disney. This result likely proves that there will always be an audience for any kind of animation style, but I don't know that Dreamworks or Sony is going to throw away their computer technology.

Jim Van Nest: Unfortunately, I don't think so. $25 mil is nothing compared to the openings they can get rolling out another crappy Madagascar flick. I would expect Disney to continue to make 2-D, but the other studios? Not so much.

Tom Macy: If Frog can fight its way to being considered a legitimate success - not just by not being a failure - then the door for further cell animated projects will remain open. Another big test lies ahead with the release of Rapunzel, Disney's next Princess-driven throwback, opening on the potentially lucrative Thanksgiving weekend of 2010. A solid performance from Frog could whet audiences appetites for more 2-D fare, putting Rapunzel in a prime position to break out. Don't forget, it's been almost 15 years since Disney stopped churning out animated classics of this kind. There's a whole generation that's been brought up on Pixar and 3-D animation. Maybe exposing this new younger audience could provide Disney with a chance to make something old new again. Geez, all this positive spinning is making me sound like one of George Lucas's assistants.

Shalimar Sahota: With so many already grounded in computer animation and looking towards 3D, it seems unlikely. Though I would love to see what a traditionally animated Pixar film would be like. There really is only one studio to count on for your traditional 2D animation fix, and that's Studio Ghibli. Although they barely crack the US box office, very few can match them in terms of sheer storytelling and detail.

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