Gigantic (unproduced film)

Gigantic
Directed byNathan Greno
Meg LeFauve
Screenplay byMeg LeFauve
Jennifer Lee
Story byNathan Greno
Meg LeFauve
Jennifer Lee
Based onJack and the Beanstalk
by Benjamin Tabart
Produced byDorothy McKim
John Lasseter (executive)
Michelle Mazzano (associate)
CinematographyRob Dressel (layout) Adolph Lusinsky (lighting)
Edited byJeff Draheim
Tim Mertens
Music byKristen Anderson-Lopez (songs)
Robert Lopez (songs)
Production
company
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Gigantic is an unproduced American animated musical fantasy film based on the English fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk". The film was to be directed by Nathan Greno and Meg LeFauve, produced by Dorothy McKim, and was to feature original songs from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

Gigantic was initially scheduled to be released on November 21, 2018, but it was pushed back to November 25, 2020 after it was announced that Ralph Breaks the Internet would be released on the former date. However, on October 10, 2017, Disney cancelled the movie due to creative differences. Raya and the Last Dragon then assumed the November 2020 date even though its release was delayed to March 5, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Premise

Set in Spain during the Age of Exploration, a boy named Jack finds a land of giants hidden in the clouds, and befriends a young 11-year-old giantess named Inma who treats him like a living doll. Meanwhile, there's a race of Storm Giants, who stand at 120 feet (37 m).[2]

Production

During the D23 Expo in August 2015, Disney announced the film Gigantic, which would be produced by Dorothy McKim, and the film's music would be written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Winnie the Pooh, Frozen). Director Nathan Greno stated "we're looking to make the definitive version of Jack and the Beanstalk," which he also mentioned did not really have one. The film would be different from the original tale.[3][4][5] On October 3, 2016, it was announced that Oscar-nominated screenwriter Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) would join Greno as director.[6]

Cancellation and aftermath

On October 10, 2017, Walt Disney Animation Studios President Ed Catmull announced that the film's production was "ending active development for now", with another project, later revealed to be Raya and the Last Dragon, taking up its original release date. Discussing the film being shelved, Catmull stated: "It's impossible to know when we begin a project how the creative process will unfold, and sometimes, no matter how much we love an idea or how much heart goes into it, we find that it just isn't working. With Gigantic, we've come to that point, and although it's a difficult decision, we are ending active development for now."[7][8] A month later, The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney had written-off nearly $98 million in the film's production costs.[9]

Prior to the film's cancellation, it was marketed in a scene in Disney's 2016 film Zootopia. In the scene, the film was referenced as Giraffic. Other then-upcoming films referenced in the scene including Moana, referred to as "Meowana", and Frozen 2, referred to as "Floatzen 2".[10]

In 2020, Disney officially released the project's concept artwork in the book They Drew as They Pleased: Volume 6—The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age.[11]

In 2023, a different Jack and the Beanstalk project was revealed to be in development at Skydance Animation, with Lasseter returning as producer, but with Disney alumni Rich Moore now directing.[12]

Release

When announced in 2015, Gigantic was scheduled to be released on March 9, 2018.[13] However, on June 30, 2016, Disney announced that Ralph Breaks the Internet would instead be released on that date, and Gigantic was pushed back to November 21, 2018.[14][6] In April 2017, Ralph Breaks the Internet took the November 2018 release date, and the release date of Gigantic was pushed back to November 25, 2020.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (April 13, 2020). "Pixar's 'Soul' Release Moved From June to November". Variety. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  2. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (August 14, 2015). "Disney Announces Jack and the Beanstalk Animated Movie 'Gigantic'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  3. ^ Libbey, Dirk (August 15, 2015). "Disney Is Making A Jack And The Beanstalk Movie Like We've Never Seen Before". Cinemablend. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  4. ^ Wolfe, Jennifer (August 14, 2015). "Disney Announces 'Gigantic' Animated Feature". Animation World Network. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  5. ^ B, Brian (August 16, 2015). "Watch the Gigantic Presentation from Disney's D23". MovieWeb. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Chitwood, Adam (October 3, 2016). "Disney's Gigantic Adds Inside Out Scribe Meg LeFauve as Director". Collider. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  7. ^ Hughes, William (October 10, 2017). "Disney takes an axe to its Jack And The Beanstalk movie". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  8. ^ Amidi, Amid (October 11, 2017). "Disney Cancels Fairytale Animated Feature 'Gigantic'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  9. ^ Fritz, Ben (November 9, 2017). "Disney Fleshes Out Its Streaming Plans". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 27, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ Moser, Zachary (February 6, 2024). "The Giraffic DVD In Zootopia Is A Reference To This Canceled Disney Movie". Screen Rant.
  11. ^ "Exclusive: Q&A with Historian Didier Ghez on the Hidden Art of Disney Animation". D23. July 20, 2020. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  12. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 18, 2023). "Netflix Sets Skydance Animation In Multi-Year Deal, First Up Is Alan Menken Musical 'Spellbound;' Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem Star". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  13. ^ Schaefer, Sandy (October 8, 2015). "Incredibles 2 Set for 2019, Toy Story 4 Delayed To 2018, & More". Screen Rant. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  14. ^ Libbey, Dirk (June 30, 2016). "How Wreck-It Ralph 2 Will Affect Gigantic, Disney's Jack And The Beanstalk Movie". Cinemablend. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  15. ^ Lesnick, Silas (April 25, 2017). "Disney Movie Release Schedule Gets a Major Update". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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