Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor

Latest Episodes:

The Long, Strange Journey of The Cobbler and the Thief (Ep. 326) Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor wrap up September with a packed episode of Fine Tooning. From this year’s sold-out Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood to the long, winding saga of Richard Williams’ unfinished opus The Cobbler and the Thief, the guys cover the latest in animation news, box office battles, and even a courtroom clash over Steamboat Willie.

Highlights from Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025
Pixar’s Gatto facing off against heavy-hitting sequels in 2027
Crunchyroll’s Oscar campaign for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Richard Williams’ book Adventures in Animation and the legacy of The Cobbler and the Thief

With October on the horizon, Jim and Drew bring insights, history, and some big questions about the future of animation.

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How Mighty Mouse Accidentally Invented Saturday Morning Cartoons (Ep. 325) Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

This week on Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor rewind to the mid-1950s to uncover how a forgotten studio sale and one scrappy rodent changed television forever. Along the way, they’ll cover everything from box office updates to Paw Patrol holiday specials, plus the latest shake-ups inside Disney corporate.

The Disney-related twist behind CBS launching Mighty Mouse Playhouse in 1955
How that decision created the Saturday morning cartoon tradition
What the Jimmy Kimmel controversy means for Bob Iger and Disney’s upcoming animated releases
New trailers and festival buzz for projects like The Sisters Grimm and Splinter Cell: Deathwatch

From network rivalries of the 1950s to today’s streaming-first landscape, Jim and Drew connect the dots on how animation keeps reshaping the industry.

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Demon Slayer Shatters Records, Toy Story 5 Sneak Peek, and Skydance Eyes Warner Bros (Ep. 324) Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are back with another packed episode of Fine Tooning. From anime shattering records at the box office to Pixar showing off the future of Toy Story, the duo break down the biggest stories shaping animation this week.

Demon Slayer’s record-breaking $70 million North American debut and what set this release apart
Toy Story’s 30th anniversary celebration and the first five minutes of Toy Story 5 revealed at Destination D
Disney updates on Frozen 3, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2
Streaming and theatrical news for Elio, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, Cat’s Eye, and ParaNorman
Skydance’s reported bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and its potential impact on animation

From record-breaking anime to billion-dollar mergers, Jim and Drew guide listeners through an especially eventful week in the world of animation.

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From Venice to Toronto: Festival Favorites and Fall Film Buzz (Ep. 323) Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

Awards season is heating up, and Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are here to break it all down. From the Venice Film Festival and TIFF premieres to box office shocks and studio shakeups, this episode dives into the films and animated projects making headlines around the globe.

Highlights include:

Venice Film Festival winners and early buzz from TIFF
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” breaking horror records
Updates on “The Bad Guys 2” and Aaron Blaise’s hand-drawn short “Snow Bear”
Disney’s new animated feature “Hexed” and “Ice Age: Boiling Point”
What’s ahead for “Zootopia 2,” LEGO Disney Princess, and Bluey’s big-screen debut

Whether you’re tracking festival favorites, the latest box office trends, or Disney’s evolving animation slate, this episode offers insights, context, and commentary you won’t want to miss.

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Inside Netflix’s Biggest Animated Hit and What’s Next for Aardman & Pixar (Ep. 322) Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor kick off September with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering the biggest stories in the world of animation:

The record-shattering success of KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix and what’s next for the franchise
Updates on Big Mouth, its Emmy legacy, and the upcoming series Mating Season
Aardman’s latest projects, including Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
Pixar’s Elio and how its international release stood out in unexpected ways
30 years of Toy Story returning to theaters, plus collectibles and nostalgia
Bill Plympton and “Weird Al” Yankovic team up for a one-of-a-kind animation retrospective

Jim and Drew also revisit classic shorts once shown at Disney-MGM Studios, share news from Studio Ghibli Fest, and look ahead at Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie and more.

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Box Office Surprises, “KPop Demon Hunters” Rise, and Muppets on Broadway (Ep. 321) Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill is solo this week and breaks down the end of the 2025 summer movie season and why traditional blockbusters are struggling at the box office. From shocking second-weekend drop-offs to Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” taking the No. 1 spot in theaters, Jim covers the hits and misses of the season.

How films like Fantastic Four: First Steps and 28 Years Later stumbled in their second weekends
Why streaming habits continue to disrupt box office expectations
“KPop Demon Hunters” theater debut and record-breaking soundtrack buzz
The English-dubbed release of Ne Zha 2 and its global box office dominance
“The Bad Guys 2” performance compared to the original
Broadway news: Muppets joining Rob Lake’s magic show, Disney’s Broadway Week deals, and more
New York attractions for animation fans, from Nightmare Before Christmas light trails to Black Cauldron’s 40th anniversary screening

Plus, Jim shares updates on upcoming animation books, CTNX 2025, Pixar’s Elio, and what fans can expect from Futurama Season 13.

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The Voice of Your Childhood: Jim Cummings Joins Fine Tooning (Ep. 320) Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, highlighted by an interview with legendary voice actor Jim Cummings. From Pooh and Tigger to Darkwing Duck, Jim shares behind-the-scenes stories from a career that shaped generations of animation fans.

The shifting release date of Shrek 5 and what it means for DreamWorks
Why Disney pulled back marketing on The Rocketeer opening weekend
This week’s box office projections — and why Jim calls them “wild guesses”
Streaming success of KPop Demon Hunters and Disney’s King of the Hill revival
Pixar’s Elio box office performance and upcoming digital release
Jim Cummings’ Disney origins with Dumbo’s Circus and Goof Troop
Voicing legacy characters like Pooh, Tigger, and Pete — plus his work on Star Wars
His hidden singing credits in Hollywood films and dream of a country album

From industry news to animation nostalgia, this episode blends updates, history, and an in-depth conversation with one of the most recognizable voices in Disney history.

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From Dog Stars to “Fixed” and What’s Next for The Bad Guys (Ep. 319) Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with another jam-packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering everything from Sirius the Dog Star to the latest in animated film and TV news. This week’s stories span box office winners, Netflix premieres, and the challenges of recasting beloved characters.

• The history of the “Dog Days of Summer” and why Sirius is more than just a bright spot in the sky
• Genndy Tartakovsky’s Fixed - the long road to Netflix for this R-rated animated comedy
• Box office breakdown - how Weapons, Freakier Friday, and The Bad Guys 2 are performing worldwide
• Why The Bad Guys franchise may or may not be headed for a third installment
• The $2.2 billion success of Ne Zha 2 and what’s ahead for Ne Zha 3
• King of the Hill revival on Hulu - navigating the absence of key characters
• KPop Demon Hunters’ Netflix success and upcoming sing-along screenings
• New and upcoming animation releases - The Twits, Zootopia 2, Spider-Punk, and Dr. Seuss projects including Cat in the Hat

From nostalgic callbacks to forward-looking animation news, Jim and Drew bring their trademark mix of history, humor, and industry insight.

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How “The Simpsons” Took Over America (with Author Alan Siegel) (Ep. 318) Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with Alan Siegel from The Ringer to discuss his new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. Together, they revisit how Matt Groening’s crude interstitials on The Tracey Ullman Show evolved into a cultural juggernaut, what nearly derailed the series before it ever aired, and why The Simpsons continues to matter nearly four decades later. Along the way, the guys dig into:

• The box office performance of The Bad Guys 2 and Paramount’s Smurfs
• The cautious rollout of the Zootopia 2 trailer
• How Netflix’s K-Pop: Demon Hunters is shaping up to be the next Frozen
• The surprising backstories behind Homer’s voice, Bart’s balloon, and the show's first merchandising blitz
• Why “Mr. Plow” might be the perfect Simpsons episode

Stick around for tales of drone shows, disaster movie homages, and the writer’s room prank that involved fake stairway carnage and a box of trash. Plus, Alan shares his favorite episode and what The Simpsons taught us about comedy, family, and biting satire with heart.

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Chris Sanders Returns for Lilo & Stitch 2 After Billion-Dollar Success (Ep. 317) Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor wrap up July with box office milestones, Comic-Con exclusives, and some major animation developments:

Chris Sanders returns to write Lilo & Stitch 2 – After the billion-dollar success of the live-action film, Disney is moving forward with a sequel, with Sanders bringing fresh ideas from the original “Pitch to Stitch.”
Inside the “Magic of Disney Animation” revival – A massive reimagining of the former Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is on the way, with tributes to Mulan, Brother Bear, and hand-drawn classics.
Comic-Con highlights – Drew and Jim reflect on activations for Lilo & Stitch, Godzilla at 70, King of the Hill, and more from San Diego.
Box office report – Fantastic Four: First Steps opens strong, Jurassic World: Rebirth crosses $700M, and Elio slips out of the Top 10.
Animation updates – Warner Bros. finally sets a date for Coyote vs. Acme, DreamWorks teases Bad Guys 2, and Mrs. Claus heads to the big screen in Margie Claus.

Plus: Avatar: Seven Havens, Paramount’s South Park shocker, and the end of Drew’s long-running Light the Fuse podcast.

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