In step with custom, new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro was once requested about the way forward for Figment all the way through the 2026 Annual Assembly of Shareholders. Even if it was once the query that concluded the decision (finishing on a not-so-high word), some would possibly say it was once the real passing of the baton from Bob Iger to D’Amaro, now not the movies that performed at the start.
A last shareholder query requested whether or not Disney would make a brand new Figment characteristic movie or whether or not there are any plans to carry extra Figment to the theme parks. (Good phraseology, leaves the door open for Figment to move international, now not simply be confined to EPCOT or Walt Disney Global!)
D’Amaro replied with a snigger and stated that he embraces the Figment query, which has turn into a staple of annual assembly of shareholders. “I like the truth that there’s such a lot adoration for Figment,” D’Amaro shared. He persevered by way of acknowledging that Figment is “obviously a fan favourite and continues to spark creativity and creativeness throughout generations.”
He then pivoted to the new animated quick “How To not Draw with Figment,” which was once narrated by way of Neil Patrick Harris and has been vastly common since its unlock. He pointed to this as an indication that Figment stays an lively persona in Disney’s ingenious pipeline.
D’Amaro concluded by way of pronouncing that he had not anything to announce nowadays (emphasis on nowadays?!), however that the Walt Disney Corporate is “all the time exploring new techniques for visitors to interact with Figment and different characters that fanatics love.”
I’ve gotta be fair–I didn’t catch the total 2nd part of the quote as a result of my middle skipped a beat when D’Amaro switched gears to the “How To not Draw with Figment” reference, as it to begin with appeared like he was once on the brink of make a substantive announcement. He was once now not.
Now not that we anticipated that form of information all the way through nowadays’s shareholder assembly. It will’ve been a large and ambitious option to pop out swinging from day one and in point of fact lengthen that honeymoon with fanatics, nevertheless it is smart to avoid wasting any theoretical Figment information for D23. As of late’s information is the passing of the torch from Bob Iger to Josh D’Amaro, Dana Walden & co.
Amusingly, this was once now not the one Adventure into Creativeness query all the way through the 2026 Annual Assembly of Shareholders. The Q&A was once kicked off with an inquiry about switching out the flicks within the Disney & Pixar Quick Movie Competition, which is what changed Captain EO when that revival ended a very long time in the past and is mainly one thing that you must watch at house on Disney+.
D’Amaro started his resolution to that query with a connection with connection with Bao, prior to pivoting. I believed perhaps he was once laying the basis to start out the assembly with a bang, by way of saying that the new Figment quick was once just the start, and the EPCOT fan-favorite persona would quickly by way of taking up that venue.
As a substitute, the solution was once necessarily the similar as the general query: no additional plans presently. Even if a part of me is rather grateful, as a result of saying just a Figment quick movie and now not a fully-fledged enchantment is my worry concerning the eventual end result right here. That a large IP is going to the journey, and a “new” Figment & Dreamfinder “enchantment” is going to the theater as an olive department or try to placate fanatics. (Truthful caution: I will be able to now not be placated by way of that.)
Bookending the Q&A with questions on Adventure into Creativeness feels like a tease to me. (Doesn’t it–or am I simply loopy?!)
Needless to say those questions don’t seem to be reside, so Disney may just’ve selected and ordered them whatsoever they so desired. They didn’t want to have two Adventure into Creativeness questions (that’s some severe overrepresentation given the scope and scale of the corporate!), and so they didn’t want to come at the start and finish.
All of that is to mention that you’ll be expecting to listen to much more from me about all issues Figment as I embark on my (persevered) grassroots marketing campaign forward of the 2026 D23 Expo. I’ve taken a sacred oath to suggest for Adventure into Creativeness 4.0 every time the chance items itself, so I’m going to meet that as steadily as imaginable within the coming months.
If you overlooked it, this was once mainly a follow-up to final 12 months’s annual assembly, when then-CEO Bob Iger was once requested all the way through the Q&A about the way forward for Figment. All the way through that, he was once requested whether or not the corporate would imagine the use of Figment in different spaces of the corporate outdoor of theme parks, akin to a film in line with the nature? Right here was once Bob Iger’s reaction:
“That is my twenty fourth shareholder name, my 18th as CEO…and I feel the query of Figment has been requested about 15 instances. I name him ‘excellent ‘ole Figment.’ We all know that Figment is well-liked by shareholders as a result of the truth that they ask questions on him always.
However we additionally know that he’s common at EPCOT, the place you’ll meet him and enjoy Adventure Into Creativeness. I’m going to invite our ingenious groups to make some type of collection or short-form movies of Figment. Clearly he’s extra common than only a walk-around persona.”
Disney fulfilled Iger’s promise with a brand new Disney Channel quick that includes Figment on Disney+ and YouTube.
For no matter it’s price, the “How NOT To Draw” that includes Figment is acting strongly. On YouTube, the fast has already racked up over 170,000 perspectives. Extra impressively, it was once trending on Disney+, mountaineering as excessive because the #2 spot!
When you haven’t observed it already, we extremely counsel gazing the “How NOT To Draw” Figment video for your self a time or two dozen. Possibly simply put it on loop within the background to assist pump up its stats and display Disney how large of a fanbase Figment nonetheless has. Right here’s the fast:
As famous by way of D’Amaro, the fast is narrated by way of Disney superfan Neil Patrick Harris, who talks to Figment about creativeness whilst the pair draw other scenes the use of inspiration from atypical items across the room.
Figment is voiced by way of A.J. LoCascio on this video, who began voicing the nature with the Disney Speedstorm sport. This might apparently recommend he’s taking up the position from Dave Goelz, which is in truth superb by way of me. I nonetheless bring to mind Gonzo every time I pay attention Figment within the present enchantment.
A.J. LoCascio’s model has grown on me, even though it’s nonetheless slightly too raspy and grownup. It’s no doubt a step in the appropriate route, and I feel he may just nail it in a long term model of the enchantment. (Figment was once at the beginning voiced by way of the past due Billy Barty.)
If common sufficient, most likely this “How NOT To Draw” Figment video will persuade Disney to continue with the Figment characteristic movie by way of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The movie was once introduced again in 2022, however it sort of feels to caught in building purgatory.
Our hope is and has been that Rogen’s ongoing dating with Disney leads to the Figment characteristic movie getting greenlit and transferring ahead. Possibly Disney already has determined to push ahead with that when the wonder luck of The Muppet Display revival by way of the duo.
After Rogen’s pitch-perfect dealing with of the Muppets, with the revival being without delay a nostalgic love letter and undying reboot, we’re additional satisfied he’d be an ideal option to helm a Figment characteristic. There additionally (appears to be) the truth that Figment wishes one thing large to show the nature into a significant emblem or franchise for Disney.
A characteristic movie isn’t essential to “turn out” Figment’s reputation. The previous few many years of the nature’s enduring enchantment and vending doable in spite of an underwhelming enchantment have already performed that.
It’s no secret that at the same time as diehard Figment devoted, we don’t love the present incarnation of the journey. It made our lists of the 10 Worst Appeal Replacements at Walt Disney Global and 10 Points of interest That Have Elderly Poorly at Walt Disney Global.
We did protect Adventure into Creativeness as one in every of a number of points of interest at EPCOT that you just will have to now not skip, which is a “arguable” opinion since the enchantment actually is divisive. Because it exists now, Adventure into Creativeness isn’t objectively excellent, however this is a lovely loser. And we’ve heard from a number of oldsters whose youngsters nonetheless latched onto Figment (ours integrated, even though that can be a distinct case).
Until you’re a kid of the Eighties or 90s who skilled the unique enchantment–which has been long gone for a long way longer than it existed!–or are a voracious shopper of Disney historical past movies, you most likely have 0 affinity for Figment and would possibly also be perplexed by way of why the present persona has this type of robust fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the previous Figment we adore!)
The present enchantment and Creativeness pavilion as an entire are underutilized. The journey automatically is a walk-on or has a real wait time of below 5 mins. Visitor delight rankings don’t seem to be nice, to place it mildly.
On a number of events, Disney management has expressed a need to extend capability of the parks by way of reimagining spaces which might be recently underused. There are a number of such spots in EPCOT, however few have as a lot doable for soaking up extra crowds because the Creativeness Pavilion. There’s such a lot unrealized creativeness in that house.
The luck of Check Observe 3.0 since its reimagining has demonstrated the culmination of this method. An identical methods are recently being undertaken with Large Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin, and Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring the Muppets.
A equivalent technique will have to be used with Adventure into Creativeness. Not anything new has been introduced for EPCOT, which means the following all-new enchantment isn’t coming till someday within the 2030s. Adventure into Creativeness 4.0 might be fast-tracked to debut this decade, at the side of a reimagined Spaceship Earth and the Wonders of Lifestyles pavilion after all being put to make use of once more. All of those initiatives would meaningfully develop efficient park capability with none exact enlargement.
Input new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.
As mentioned in 11 Nice Adjustments Josh D’Amaro May just Make for Large Wins as New CEO, it’s commonplace for brand spanking new management at Disney to make a large number of bulletins and adjustments early of their tenure to set the tone. We’re completely anticipating a pair waves of bulletins, most likely with an preliminary set of visitor enjoy wins this spring and summer time, adopted by way of extra substantive information on the 2026 D23 Expo in August.
I will be able to’t bring to mind any larger and bolder transfer that Josh D’Amaro may just make all the way through his tenure as CEO to win over alienated fanatics than saying Adventure into Creativeness 4.0. (Apart from greenlighting a complete Creativeness pavilion, whole with MuppetVision three-D taking up the theater!)
Bringing again Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire manner of undoing a large number of the wear and tear from arguable adjustments of the previous few years, quieting lawsuits and complaint. There’s no different certain announcement that might outweigh such a lot of prior negatives ones.
It will be the surest manner for D’Amaro to distance himself from Iger and Chapek, unloading the detrimental luggage onto them. Rivers of The us, MuppetVision, DINOSAUR, visitor enjoy cutbacks–it all–could be forgiven by way of fanatics within the blink of an eye fixed. Or blamed on any person else.
It will ship a formidable message that there’s a brand new sheriff on the town, and one that “will get” fanatics and is conscious of comments. It will determine the Disney Parks as their very own highbrow belongings (one thing that are supposed to already be evident), and now not simply dumping grounds for film IP. It will be a large win for legacy construction.
I’ve been advocating for a brand new Adventure into Creativeness for longer than this website online has existed. Figment was once my access level into the fandom within the first position, and was once a long way and away my favourite enchantment when visiting EPCOT Middle as a kid within the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties.
There’s actually no information that might be as significant for me as a reimagined Adventure into Creativeness. Walt Disney Global may just announce that fantastic fifth gate on the 2026 D23 Expo, and I’d nonetheless be asking about Figment. It’s the information I’ve been anxiously looking forward to for the final decade-plus.
And even though I’ve sought after this for an extended, very long time, there’s a brand new sense of urgency for me: we have a daughter who’s coming into her early life when this enchantment may just in point of fact resonate. She’s already outgrown her lovable Figment dress (nobody tells you time begins transferring sooner while you turn into a guardian), and is coming into the ‘candy spot’ for Adventure into Creativeness to spark her interest.
Environment apart my very own motivations and nostalgia, Figment is extra common than ever. He sells popcorn buckets, sweaters, and the whole thing else. It will generate goodwill amongst WDW diehards and forge new fanatics within the procedure. Figment would turn into the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, raising the another way underwhelming central backbone within the procedure. It’d be a license to print cash on extra new products, too.
Recapturing that misplaced magic and spirit of creativeness would have the similar affect nowadays because it did many years in the past, which is why such a lot of people are nonetheless Figment fanatics. Walt Disney Global has performed sufficient dipping its ft into the pool to check the recognition of Figment. It’s past time for a redone journey. It simply is smart to reimagine Adventure into Creativeness.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you bring to mind the questions bookending the Q&A all the way through the 2026 Annual Assembly of Shareholders? Accident, or practical tease? May just this be a precursor to Adventure into Creativeness 4.0? Or is that this simply extra false hope for fanatics? Hoping that Josh D’Amaro does the appropriate factor and publicizes a journey reimagining or pavilion overhaul on the 2026 D23 Expo? Do you settle or disagree with our evaluate? Any questions? Listening to from you is part the thrill, so please proportion your ideas within the feedback!
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