The Playlist

5 Things You Might Not Know About Brad Bird's 'The Iron Giant'

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
August 6, 2012 1:19 PM
|
10 Comments

Features

These days, Brad Bird is one of the most sought after directors around. He helmed "The Incredibles" for Pixar, still one of the company's best and biggest hits, and took over troubled project "Ratatouille" at the last minute, helping turn it into another classic, and another global hit. And last year, he made his live-action debut with the thrilling "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," which became the biggest film of Tom Cruise's career, and will follow it up in the near future with the Damon Lindelof-penned sci-fi "1952."

More:

Director Mark Andrews Talks Replacing Brenda Chapman On 'Brave,' The Future Of 'John Carter' & More

By Drew Taylor
|
June 21, 2012 11:06 AM
|
45 Comments

News

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times – Mark Andrews, who makes his feature directorial debut this weekend on Pixar's heavily hyped, medieval girl-power romp "Brave" (taking duties over for Brenda Chapman, who parted ways with the film – more on that in a minute) was also an assistant director and co-writer on "John Carter," Disney's massively budgeted sci-fi spectacle that crashed and burned like an out-of-control Martian spaceship. Few filmmakers have been in the unenviable position of being involved in huge (and occasionally troubled) productions this close together.

More:

Brad Bird To Direct Mystery Disney Project '1952' Penned By Damon Lindelof

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
May 3, 2012 2:06 PM
|
2 Comments

News

Well it may not be his San Francisco earthquake epic "1906," but it looks like another numerically titled movie has caught the attention of Brad Bird.

More:

Is The Media Being Unfair To 'John Carter'? Brad Bird Thinks So

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
February 29, 2012 3:52 PM
|
38 Comments

News

With Disney's expensive, years-in-the-making adaptation of "John Carter" finally hitting theaters next week, the buzz has both been very loud, and not all positive either. Fanboys were miffed when Disney, in a bid to make the sci-fi movie more broadly appealing, changed the title from the original "John Carter of Mars" to simply "John Carter." Rumors swirled of a massive $300 million budget, reshoots, and in recent weeks, soft tracking indicating the film may not be the blockbuster the studio is hoping for. But the filmmakers are starting to fight back. Director Andrew Stanton addressed the budget rumors calling them a "complete and utter lie" and today, the helmer's Pixar pal Brad Bird (likely part of the braintrust who served as advisers on the film) hit Twitter to lash out at the media, and what he perceives as a tar and feather campaign against the picture.

More:

Discuss: With A New Trailer Arriving, Does 'Brave' Mark The Start Of A New Act For Pixar?

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
February 23, 2012 9:01 AM
|
5 Comments

News

For a company unaccustomed to anything but bountiful praise and spectacular box office, 2011 must have been a little tough for Pixar. This is a relative term: while "Cars 2" might have had the company's lowest ever admissions domestically (and second lowest gross), it performed well overseas, coming in as their sixth most successful film worldwide. But it's not the financial takings that must have been breaking hearts over at the animation giant's Emeryville headquarters.

More:

Brad Bird Taking A Look At Directing 'Here There Be Monsters'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
February 2, 2012 11:37 AM
|
2 Comments

News

Yep, it's another this-guy-might-do-something story, so bear with us. We know. That being said, it involves Brad Bird, the geek fave behind "The Incredibles" and of course, the smash hit "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol." And while that film is kind a bummer because it peaks right in the middle, the entire Burj Khalifa sequence was one of the best, most thrilling action sequences of the year. And so when Bird decides to show interest in a monster movie, we're all ears.

More:

Interview: 'Ghost Protocol' Director Brad Bird Hopes Earthquake Epic '1906' Is Next, Would Like To Revive Sci-Fi Noir 'Ray Gunn'

By Drew Taylor
|
December 20, 2011 8:03 AM
|
1 Comment

Features

Brad Bird has made a bold, fascinating leap from animation to live action with this week's glorious popcorn epic "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol." But we were curious as to what kind of connection he still has with Pixar, his former home base, as well as what else he is working on. In the second part of our lengthy interview with the filmmaker (you can read the first part here), he fills us in on Pixar, his live action historical epic "1906," the status of his animated film noir "Ray Gunn," what former Pixar owner Steve Jobs meant to him, and why Wall Street is so scared of Pixar.

More:

Interview: Director Brad Bird On His $200 Million Live Action Debut 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol'

By Drew Taylor
|
December 19, 2011 5:00 PM
|
1 Comment

News

Judging by the box office numbers, chances are if you lived somewhere with an IMAX theater, you saw "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol," the fourth and arguably the best (at least since Brian De Palma's) film in the long-running, Tom Cruise-led franchise. And the biggest reason why this movie feels so fresh and new and fizzy is that it's the live action debut of director Brad Bird, who had previously given us genuine animated masterpieces in "The Iron Giant" and (for Pixar) "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille."

More:

Brad Bird Talks Possible 'Incredibles' Sequel & Long-Delayed Earthquake Drama '1906'

By Drew Taylor
|
December 14, 2011 4:25 PM
|
2 Comments

News

While making the press rounds for his forthcoming spy sequel "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (out this Friday in IMAX, next Wednesday in regular theaters), director Brad Bird, who had previously helmed animated films "The Iron Giant," "The Incredibles," and "Ratatouille," got quizzed by MTV's Rough Cut about the status of an 'Incredibles' sequel as well as his long-delayed earthquake drama "1906" (based on the historical novel by James Dalessandro).

More:

Watch: One Final Dusty, Awesome Three Minute Clip Arrives For 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol'

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
December 14, 2011 9:23 AM
|
0 Comments

News

We're now only a couple of days away from the IMAX opening of "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," and the film, the fourth in the previously tired franchise, has mostly lived up to the expectations set by the hiring of Pixar veteran Brad Bird as director, with the critical consensus, for the most part, being that the film's the best in the series, and one of the best action films of 2011 (although our own review didn't go quite as far...).

More: