| Photo courtesy of Disney
WALT Disney Animation is set to debut the animated short “Us Again” in theatres before “Raya and the Last Dragon” on March 5, and will be available on Disney+ in June.
“Us Again” is written and directed by Zach Parrish, the head of animation of “Big Hero 6.”
It will be Disney’s first theatrical short in five years, following 2016’s “Inner Workings,” which premiered in front of “Moana.”
“Us Again” tells the story of an elderly man named Art and his young-at-heart wife Dot rekindling their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night. It will be told entirely through dance, with composer Pinar Toprak delivering an “original funk and soul musical score reminiscent of the mid-60s.”
For this short, Parrish collaborated with Filipino American dancers and married couple Keone and Mari Madrid, who have previously worked with musical acts such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and K-pop group BTS.
“Working with Keone and Mari was the key to making this film work,” said Parrish in a statement.
“From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted this film to be music driven. And I felt that dance is a universal language that can translate into any culture. I loved that their dance style felt like it was made for animation, and that there was this genuine, honest and organic connection between them because they were actually a married couple in real life,” he added.
In an Instagram post, Keone Madrid expressed his excitement for “Us Again.”
“Dream project announcement. Since 2019 we’ve been working on an animated short film with Disney, told entirely through dance/music (can’t believe I get to type that). And on March 5th, “Us Again” will play in theaters before Raya and the Last Dragon (wherever theaters are open). It will later go to Disney+ in June,” Madrid wrote on Monday, February 15.
He continued, “There are so many levels to which my heart explodes with joy when thinking about this coming to life, particularly that we can watch our daughter watch this – and that watching the shorts before Disney films have always been something I’ve deeply cherished – but this film and the village of people who helped bring it to life, are so special. Thank you Zach, Brad and the team for believing in us. The Disney dork in us is floating on animated clouds above space mountain.”
“Us Again” is produced by Brad Simonsen (“Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet”) and executive produced by Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios.
