Former Disney animator Ruben Aquino has revealed to Rotoscopers.com that he and “a handful of other former Disney 2D artists” are in negotiations with an independent studio to make a hand-drawn animated film. Aquino says, “If it happens it’s going to have to be different than anything we’ve ever seen.”
Aquino truly is one of the greats. He is a major reason the ‘Disney Renaissance’ of the 90s ever happened. Among the many amazing characters that Aquino animated are Ursula in The Little Mermaid, Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, the adult Simba in The Lion King and Shang in Mulan.
Some of the other hand-drawn animation legends who have left Disney in recent years are Nik Ranieri (Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast), the brilliant Andreas Deja (Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Scar from The Lion King) and the incomparable Glen Keane (Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Beast from Beauty and the Beast). Could any of these guys be part of this possible collaboration? I sure hope so!
