Once Upon a Studio: Disney 100 short film explained

Disney has brought us a 100th anniversary special: Once Upon a Studio. But what happens in it, and where can you watch it?

It’s officially Disney’s 100th year anniversary today, which naturally calls for a celebration. And Disney has a number of events lined up to commemorate its century long run.

One of these events is the animated special short, that being Once Upon a Studio. Said short harkens back throughout the studio’s history, mixing live-action and 2D & 3D animation.

But what will happen in this anniversary film, and where can you watch it? Well, read on, and we’ll explain all.

What is Once Upon a Studio?

As explained by Disney, “An all-star ensemble of beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios come together in ‘Once Upon a Studio’ for a joyful, entertaining, and emotional reunion as they assemble for a spectacular group photo to mark Disney’s 100th anniversary.

“Featuring 543 Disney characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films, ‘Once Upon a Studio’ welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers – in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation – to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry, and technological achievements.”

Watch the trailer below:

The 12-minute short was directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, who developed the idea for eight months during global restrictions in 2020.

“We were thinking of something that really just celebrated the history and the legacy and used the characters from the past that people had come to know and love,” Correy explained to IndieWire. “And for those eight months, we didn’t know if this was going to fly because there’s hand-drawn animation and CG animation with live action playing over 500 characters [from more than 85 features and shorts]. As Disney fans, we were just creating what we would want to see for the 100th year.”

How to watch Disney’s Once Upon a Studio

Once Upon a Studio is currently available to stream on Disney+.

The film first premiered on October 15 during ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.” It will also have an Oscar-qualifying run at the El Capitan in Hollywood.

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