Don Bluth should be head of the animation studio and Roy Disney should be the head of the company as a whole. It's the simplest solution to the issue.
American Magic: A Different History of Disney
- Thread starter OldNavy1988
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I don't know enough about any of these people to vote for anyone for any office--except these two points--I don't think Disney should become either Lucas or Spielberg.
But the Hensons I think have the right sort of spirit to be anointed heirs of Disney!
I'd keep it in the family as much as possible, assuming that Disney's actual relatives are at all competent and at all au courant with Walt's own sensibilities.
A Henson-Disney fusion seems most appropriate to me.
Again--OTL I don't suppose Disney ever saw enough of the Muppets to judge them? I suspect that before Sesame Street (and is that a thing in this ATL? I hope so!) the Muppets were perhaps rather dark and maybe a bit raunchy for Walt Disney's personal taste. (Certainly as a little child, who had gotten used to the Muppet cast of Sesame Street, the old footage of some horrible monster eating up a frog identical to Kermit was pretty scary and traumatic--indeed if you see footage from the very oldest Sesame Street episodes some of the early monsters are very frightening in their looks. Once the Muppet Show got on the air they often did show a spirit incompatible with the clean and soft image favored by the PBS children's show. Also fans of the Hensons may recall a few appearances on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s or early 80s (the first cast of Not Ready For Prime Time players) of something called "Dregs and Vestiges" which was a nearly R-rated (PG-13 was not yet a thing then) plot of some crater monster people dealing with drugs, adultery, and a greedy and mendacious pagan god.
So it would be so interesting to live in this ATL where Disney lived longer, and see how he feels about the work of the Muppet creators, and they about him in his last years. The Hensons of course don't know much about animation, but I do think that with some personal interaction with Walt Disney they and he could get on the same page storyboarding out a plot and designing some characters.
In the end the Muppets and Disney animation are two very different though somewhat related things. I can see Henson becoming a branch of the Disney empire (which did happen OTL eventually I suppose).
In terms of a possible heir to Disney, others may be far better than the Hensons in terms of carrying on Disney's animation traditions, and someone other than them might be better for carrying on Disney's personal sensibilities. But in terms of the wild and lively imagination that brought us Steamboat Willie and that peeks impishly at us even in Disney's most level-headed and serious work, the Muppet people bring that breath of zany life with them and would be good to have pretty high up on top of the Disney ruling circles-not to impose but to contribute.
But the Hensons I think have the right sort of spirit to be anointed heirs of Disney!
I'd keep it in the family as much as possible, assuming that Disney's actual relatives are at all competent and at all au courant with Walt's own sensibilities.
A Henson-Disney fusion seems most appropriate to me.
Again--OTL I don't suppose Disney ever saw enough of the Muppets to judge them? I suspect that before Sesame Street (and is that a thing in this ATL? I hope so!) the Muppets were perhaps rather dark and maybe a bit raunchy for Walt Disney's personal taste. (Certainly as a little child, who had gotten used to the Muppet cast of Sesame Street, the old footage of some horrible monster eating up a frog identical to Kermit was pretty scary and traumatic--indeed if you see footage from the very oldest Sesame Street episodes some of the early monsters are very frightening in their looks. Once the Muppet Show got on the air they often did show a spirit incompatible with the clean and soft image favored by the PBS children's show. Also fans of the Hensons may recall a few appearances on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s or early 80s (the first cast of Not Ready For Prime Time players) of something called "Dregs and Vestiges" which was a nearly R-rated (PG-13 was not yet a thing then) plot of some crater monster people dealing with drugs, adultery, and a greedy and mendacious pagan god.
So it would be so interesting to live in this ATL where Disney lived longer, and see how he feels about the work of the Muppet creators, and they about him in his last years. The Hensons of course don't know much about animation, but I do think that with some personal interaction with Walt Disney they and he could get on the same page storyboarding out a plot and designing some characters.
In the end the Muppets and Disney animation are two very different though somewhat related things. I can see Henson becoming a branch of the Disney empire (which did happen OTL eventually I suppose).
In terms of a possible heir to Disney, others may be far better than the Hensons in terms of carrying on Disney's animation traditions, and someone other than them might be better for carrying on Disney's personal sensibilities. But in terms of the wild and lively imagination that brought us Steamboat Willie and that peeks impishly at us even in Disney's most level-headed and serious work, the Muppet people bring that breath of zany life with them and would be good to have pretty high up on top of the Disney ruling circles-not to impose but to contribute.
Ghibli will still exist with or without Disney ITTL.
ITOL, 20th Century Fox was the first to import My Neighbor Totoro to the US, when they teamed up with Streamline for the English dub of the 1993 VHS.
Kiki's Delivery Service took nine years for Disney to acquire the distribution rights and its only American theatrical release was at the Seattle Film Festival of '98, and came out on VHS and Laserdisc later that year.
I figured, just worried that butterflies might prevent it from forming.
Actually, speaking of changes in history, is there anyway that Judith Barsi's tragic death could be prevented? She was barely ten when her father killed her and her mother, that's just not right. I imagine working with a big company like Disney might be able to better protect her, if she still provides the voice for Ducky that is.
Actually, speaking of changes in history, is there anyway that Judith Barsi's tragic death could be prevented? She was barely ten when her father killed her and her mother, that's just not right. I imagine working with a big company like Disney might be able to better protect her, if she still provides the voice for Ducky that is.
I am not sure if I can guarantee Barsi living longer, unless there was a way to deport or incarcerate her father before the abuse worsened.
Maria reported her abuse in 1968, but the police stated that they could find no signs of physical abuse and she dropped the charges. Later on, Judith's therapist actually discovered signs of physical and mental abuse in...1987-8, I believe? And called CPS. Maria however stopped this by informing them that she was going to divorce Jozef. She didn't get the chance.
So either have CPS come in anyway or have the much bigger and more thorough Disney investigate, especially since neighbors apparently witnessed it as well.
So either have CPS come in anyway or have the much bigger and more thorough Disney investigate, especially since neighbors apparently witnessed it as well.
Maybe the abuse should be discovered much sooner. The powers that be at the studio, Judith's school or whomever will have no choice but to get CPS involved.
Also, security on the backlot should be beefed up to keep Joszef off the lot while Judith is recording her lines. Would a police barricade around the facility be excessive?
Also, given she was born almost a decade after the POD, she might not even be born. It's murky territory there.
Before I get to the 20th Anniversary of Disneyland, or the "Twincennial," as it'll be called ITTL, I have a few plausibility checks for the future...
- A timetable for Disney and Henson to finally team up (Thank you Shevek23).
- A timetable for Spielberg to form Amblin Entertainment and maybe pitch the first Indiana Jones to the Hyperion label.
- A timetable for Tim Burton's exit from Disney. Maybe he does some animation on Musicana, The Fox and the Hound and The Secret of NIMH, then a full length Frankenweenie around '84, then Burton goes off to direct a live action Jetsons that Gary Nardino wanted to do for Paramount in 1985 IOTL.
- A timetable for Disney and Henson to finally team up (Thank you Shevek23).
- A timetable for Spielberg to form Amblin Entertainment and maybe pitch the first Indiana Jones to the Hyperion label.
- A timetable for Tim Burton's exit from Disney. Maybe he does some animation on Musicana, The Fox and the Hound and The Secret of NIMH, then a full length Frankenweenie around '84, then Burton goes off to direct a live action Jetsons that Gary Nardino wanted to do for Paramount in 1985 IOTL.
For Disney and Henson: I'd say 1976 or 1977. I somehow doubt Walt would be impressed by the Sex and Violence skit done in '75, so having it after might make things go smoother.
For Spielberg: To be honest, around the same time frame, really. 1981 was the perfect time for Raiders of the Lost Arc, and you'll want to give Spielberg plenty of time to get everything set up. Especially if you have Harrison Ford maintain his roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Gives him time to gain popularity and generate hype for the film.
For Tim Burton: Not sure here. I'd go with your idea, personally. Seems like it would work out well for everybody, and it would be interesting to see what effect it would have on those three films if he did some animation for them.
For Spielberg: To be honest, around the same time frame, really. 1981 was the perfect time for Raiders of the Lost Arc, and you'll want to give Spielberg plenty of time to get everything set up. Especially if you have Harrison Ford maintain his roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Gives him time to gain popularity and generate hype for the film.
For Tim Burton: Not sure here. I'd go with your idea, personally. Seems like it would work out well for everybody, and it would be interesting to see what effect it would have on those three films if he did some animation for them.
Umm...if Star Wars is being animated ITTL, than I can't really see anyone other James Earl Jones (whose role was entirely voice-over anyway) and Mark Hamill (who became a voice actor later on anyway) having the same actor.
Eh, it depends. Remember, Harrison Ford had an acting role in American Graffiti, so he already has a history with George Lucas. Before Star Wars IOTL, he had very minor roles, only some of them even having lines. At this point in the timeline, it's perfectly reasonable to imagine he would still voice Han Solo, due to both George Lucas seeing him as someone with potential and because, let's face it, Disney is a pretty big name. Working with them could help his career, even if it is an animated film. Remember that everyone thought that Star Wars would flop in OTL. Doing work with a company like Disney, even if it is animated, would be a much easier pill to swallow, so to speak.
Good point.
If we're thinking along those lines: Kurt Russel auditioned for Han Solo IOTL, and IIRC he's still under contract at Disney at this time.
Maybe he ends up playing Luke or Wedge? (Or Biggs Darklighter if his part isn't practically cut from the movie like IOTL?)
What if Kurt Russel is cast as Han Solo in this timeline? He was both one of the many actors considered and his name was what Disney wrote before he died in OTL. It just seems morbidly ironic that he'd be cast in what's going to be Disney's biggest single film franchise. Christopher Walken also works. And Robert Englund was auditioning to play Luke when he brought Hammil to the auditions. And Orson Welles was considered as the voice for Vader. Just brainstorming how casting might be changed in this timeline.
Kurt Russel would make a great Han Solo, to be honest. I could definitely see him playing the role, and the fact that was being considered and is already working under contract with Disney makes him a likely choice. Christopher Walken would also work, though Han would probably be a different kind of criminal, maybe a crime lord that lost his empire or someone that used to be a big shot and then fell from grace. Robert Englund...it could work, but it would change the character for sure. It'd make him older and a little more experienced, rather then the youthful, naive Luke of OTL. Orson Welles as Vader? It might work, but I think they'd go with James Earl Jones for the same reason they did in OTL: the voice would have been too recognizable. The audience would think "That's Orson Welles" not "That's Vader". James Earl Jones, on the other hand, was unemployed at the time, he'd wouldn't come with the same risk.
So if I get Kurt to be Captain Solo, it'll be down to either Harrison or Tom Selleck for the part of Indy.
Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones? This I have to see! Somone get me a portal to the universe where Tom Selleck played Indiana Jones! Or at least a DVD of it!
I mean, as much as I love Harrison Ford, it would be different but I can picture it, and it could be awesome!
The power of the 'Stache comPELs you! The power of the 'Stache comPELs you! The power of the 'Stache comPELs you!
Maybe Harry still does small roles, and his big break could be a Hyperion produced Blade Runner?
Maybe Harry still does small roles, and his big break could be a Hyperion produced Blade Runner?
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