Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor

Latest Episodes:

“Flow,” “In the Shadow of the Cypress” take home Oscar gold (Ep.296) Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

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” shorts is Warner Brothers Discovery supposed to be producing after “Superman: Legacy” is released to theaters this July

What Halloween-themed short was the most viewed piece of animation on Netflix in the second half of 2024

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Ne Zha 2 Breaks Records, Mufasa Hits Streaming, and The Future of Adult Animation (Ep. 295) Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

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 latest animation drops – Thoughts on Win or Lose and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
The Simpsons’ Disney+ exclusives – Are they living up to the hype?

Tune in for expert analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, and the latest in animation!

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How to Train Your Dragon’s Live-Action Leap and The Race for Best Animated Feature (Ep. 294) Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

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 worldwide gross in just 18 days.
The return of Feathers McGraw! Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl wins big at the BAFTAs, and Drew uncovers how Aardman revived the iconic villain.
Disney blinks! Elio moves its release date after the first How to Train Your Dragon trailer drops.

Tune in for exclusive industry insights, awards buzz, and deep dives into animation’s biggest stories!

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The Wild Robot Sweeps the Annies and The Lost Coyote vs. Acme Movie (Ep. 293) Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

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 Award sweep could signal Oscar momentum.
How Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to scrap Coyote vs. Acme has angered fans and filmmakers.
What Dog Man’s box office drop-off means for the future of mid-budget animated films.
Where to stream Flow, the Oscar-nominated indie animated film making waves worldwide.

Tune in for expert insights, industry updates, and deep dives into the world of animation!

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How Dog Man Became DreamWorks’ First Big Hit of 2025 (Ep. 292) Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

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 Blew Up and Wed Wabbit.

Tune in as Jim and Drew break down the latest animation news, industry trends, and behind-the-scenes stories!

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Animated Oscars Buzz: The Wild Robot, Flow, and Surprising Snubs (Ep. 291) Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

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 category.
Changes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including new animation-themed shows replacing MuppetVision 3D.

Join Jim and Drew for an in-depth look at animation news, awards buzz, and how studios are shaping the future of family entertainment!

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How Hades Became the Star of Disney’s Hercules (Ep. 290) Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

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 trailers for Pixar’s Win or Lose and DreamWorks’ Dog Man.

Join Jim and Drew for insights, stories, and industry updates that celebrate animation’s rich history and exciting future.

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Wildfires Impact Animation and Josh Gad’s Olaf Journey (Ep. 289) Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

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 nominees, including The Wild Robot.

Join Jim and Drew as they highlight the latest animation news, heartwarming stories, and reflections on industry challenges.

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Animation at the Golden Globes and Donald Duck’s Wartime Legacy (Ep. 288) Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

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 office performance and the evolving plans for Disney theme park attractions.
A sneak peek at Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series arriving on Disney+ this month.

Join Jim and Drew as they explore animation’s rich history, exciting present, and promising future.

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A Look Back at 2024 and What’s Next for Animation in 2025 (Ep. 287) Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

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 New Year, and other quirky viewing habits.

Join Jim and Drew as they close out the year with a mix of animation insights, industry updates, and a look ahead at what’s coming next.

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