Animation Anticipation: CGI Movies of 2013

2013 is shaping up to be a strong year for the animated movie. Animation powerhouses Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks expectedly lead the pack with CGI-centric sequels, prequels and originals. Here are five of our most anticipated toons of 2013.

“The Croods” March 22

Dreamworks’ new prehistoric family, the Croods, are giving the Flintstones a run for their money. After the cave they call home collapses, this modern Stone Age family must embark on a perilous journey through undiscovered and exotic vistas. The cavemen cast (including voices by Nicholas Cage and Emma Stone) encounters strange beasts, hostile environments and an inventive nomad ahead of his era. It’s he who introduces the Croods to astonishing new discoveries like shoes, fire and perhaps the precursor to Goodyear tires the stone wheel.

“Monsters University” June 21

Every monster has to start somewhere. Before working at Monsters, Inc., James P. Sully Sullivan and Mike Wazowski attended Monsters University for proper scarer education. This prequel follows the pair’s initial rivalry in their college fraternity to its growth into an inseparable friendship. Billy Crystal, John Goodman and much of the original cast from Monsters, Inc. reprise their monstrous roles.

“Dorothy of Oz” 2013

When Dorothy Gale returns to Kansas, she finds it all but destroyed by the tornado that transported her to Oz. She is soon swept from ravaged Kansas and summoned back to the land of Munchkins and yellow brick roads. All is not well in the Land of Oz; it’s in a state of turmoil, threatened by a jester who wants to pull the strings of Oz’s authorities. During her second journey over the rainbow, Dorothy and allies both new and old are off to see the jester and extinguish his dangerous uprising. Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi and Kelsey Grammar voice the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Man.

“Turbo” July 19

A true underdog story, Turbo tells the tale of a sluggish snail who dreams of becoming the best racer like the Indy 500 champ he idolizes. Turbo’s yearning for a high-velocity lifestyle is at odds with the unhurried culture of his snail community, but how can he escape it? When a fortunate accident transforms the hopeful snail from slowpoke to speedster, Turbo is finally granted the opportunity to compete against the best IndyCar racers. Ryan Reynolds voices the turbocharged snail along with the varied voice cast of Paul Giamatti, Bill Hader and Samuel L. Jackson.

“Mr. Peabody Sherman” November 1

From The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, you may remember a duo of bespectacled time travelers in Peabody’s Improbable History segments. The anthropomorphic dog genius and his adopted human boy are now starring in their own film, back to traveling through time and leaping dimensions as wellthat is, making the leap from classic 2D to 3D animation. Using the WABAC time machine, the world’s smartest canine and his pet boy will travel from ancient Egypt to the Italian Renaissance era. Time travel isn’t without its repercussions, however, as the pair find out when the space-time continuum faces imminent destruction.

The above article was written by guest contributor Vince Hirst.