New Featurette and Images for Disney/Pixar’s Brave

Disney/Pixar have released a new character featurette for their upcoming animated adventure Brave. You can see it along with character poses and concept art, as well as new banners that were released by Disney/Pixar last week, on CinemaSpy (link below).

The featurette, subtitled Merida’s Brave Story, introduces us to the passionate and fiery titular character. Merida is described in the official biography as “a headstrong teenager of royal upbringing who is struggling to take control of her own destiny.” Merida will be voiced by Kelly Macdonald.

According to Disney/Pixar, “[Merida] feels most at home in the outdoors honing her impressive athletic skills as an archer and swordfighter, and racing across the magnificent Highland countryside with her faithful horse, Angus. With a spirit as vibrant as her untamed hair, Merida also has a softness of heart, especially when it comes to her wee triplet brothers. As the daughter of the King and Queen, her life is weighted with responsibilities and expectations, causing her to yearn to preserve her freedom and independence. When Merida blatantly defies an ancient tradition, the consequences of her actions prove disastrous for the kingdom. She must race against time to make right the result of her reckless behavior, her journey compelling her to look inside to discover the meaning of bravery and reveal her true fate.”

Brave follows the heroic journey of Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her skills and resources – including her clever and mischievous triplet brothers – to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late, discovering the meaning of true bravery.

Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman have directed Brave, with Katherine Sarafian producing. Andrews served as story supervisor for the Disney/Pixar films Ratatouille and The Incredibles, and was Oscar-nominated as the co-writer/co-director of the Pixar short One Man Band. He also contributed to the screenplay as co-screenwriter and served as second unit director for John Carter. Chapman directed DreamWorks Animation’s The Prince of Egypt and was story supervisor for the Disney classic The Lion King. Sarafian produced the Oscar-nominated Pixar short film Lifted and served as production manager for The Incredibles.

Brave will be released on 22 June, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theatres.

NOTE: All images are copyright 2012 Disney/Pixar or as otherwise indicated.

Watch the featurette and see the artwork at Cinema Spy

SCOTS STAR KELLY IN RUNNING FOR MAJOR TV AWARD
Kellly Macdonald has been nominated for a major award at the 52nd Monte Carlo Television Festival.

The Renfrewshire-born actress is against fellow Boardwalk Empire cast member Gretchen Mol for outstanding actress.

It is the third time that Kelly, 36, has been nominated for the role of Margaret Schroder in the Sky Atlantic drama series set in 1920s prohibition era America.

Source: Express