Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down a very strange January weekend for animation and the box office. Between a massive snowstorm shutting down hundreds of theaters, surprise Oscar nominations, and some heartfelt remembrances of animation legends, this episode covers a lot of ground. There is industry news, Disney history, and a few thoughtful detours along the way.

NEWS
• How a nationwide snowstorm shut down more than 400 theaters and dragged the North American box office down to just $58 million for the weekend
• Why Mercy managed to knock Avatar: Fire & Ash out of the top spot with a historically soft number one opening
• Zootopia 2 crosses $400 million domestically and gets a confirmed digital and physical release timeline
• Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Animated Short, including why KPop Demon Hunters looks like the current front-runner
• A first look teaser for The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy Movie introduces Yoshi ahead of its April release

FEATURE
• A deep dive into the legacy of Roger Allers and how The Lion King was reshaped in the final weeks before release
• Behind-the-scenes stories from Disney Animation’s most turbulent eras, including last-minute fixes that would never fly today
• Remembering restoration legend Ron Stark of S/R Laboratories and his quiet but essential impact on animation history

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Drew Taylor - IG: @drewtailored | X: @DrewTailored | Website: drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
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The Last-Minute Fixes That Turned The Lion King into a Classic (Ep. 343)