From the beginning, Disneytoon's “Planes: Fire & Rescue” was destined to break new ground. “Not only is it the biggest visual effects movie we’ve ever done here at Disneytoon Studios,” says producer Ferrell Barron, “nobody had ever really attempted to do an animated movie featuring fire of this magnitude before—the size, scope, scale and frequency of smoke and fire in this is really extraordinary. So the first thing we had to do is dig into the effects side of the film, because it was so important that we get fire right. It had to be real.”

John Patton was tapped as the effects animation lead for the film. “Out of 1224 total shots in the film, more than half feature some kind of effect: fire, smoke, water. And ‘fire’ is in the title of the film—it’s a key element in the story—we had to make sure we nailed it.”

So the team studied the science of fire through online research, books and talking to a host of firefighters. Says Patton, “We referenced a lot of live-action fire footage to understand how it looks from different distances and with varying intensity. A lot of variables—the fuel source, weather, size—affect how a fire looks.”

Filmmakers decided to build a library of smoke and fire, creating more than 80 effects with more than 800 frames each that could be selected by effects artists and adjusted to fit the needs of the scene. They were able to select and dial up or down accompanying smoke, too. “The idea was to create and shoot fire from various distances with differing details,” says Patton. “Each one can be very time-consuming, so rather than reinvent the wheel every time, we created a library of options that could be used to populate a scene with a number of unique fire effects.”

But not every fire in the film comes from the library. Patton estimates that half of the fire in the film was custom designed. “If it was something that needed very specific art direction from the director—a specific look, motion or timing to the fire—we did a custom simulation.”

Filmmakers also had to be aware of the level of light each fire might emit, taking into consideration the time of day and the scope of the fire. Says Patton, “In the Augerin Canyon sequence with a massive blaze, we had to be careful about having everything go completely red or orange. We wanted it to be threatening, but not overpower the action.”

The climactic sequence included a 571-frame shot, according to Patton. “Dusty flies through what we like to call an effects extravaganza—water, smoke and atmospherics like smoke and embers—and ends up in the valley that’s entirely ablaze. That was a big challenge for the team, but it all came together: the lighting, the flight, the camera composition and the effects—I think everybody is proud of that shot.”

“Planes: Fire & Rescue” is a new adventure-comedy about a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire.

When world-famous air racer Dusty Crophopper learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire-and-rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous team, including spirited air tanker Dipper, heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

Opening across the Philippines on August 20 in 3D and 2D cinemas, “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

The teaser trailer of Disney's 3D animated comedy-adventure “Planes: Fires & Rescue” has just took off and may now be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gDDiGKAKE&list=UUCPJwUM4ZwSwba5o5m6B0Ug.

The sequel to last year's box-office hit “Planes” (grossing more than $200 million worldwide, with some global markets still to open), “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is a new comedy-adventure about second chances, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire.

When world famous air racer Dusty (voice of Dane Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous team, including spirited super scooper Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero. Opening across the Philippines on August 13, 2014, “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

"Top Gun" stars Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards are voicing fighter jets named Bravo and Echo in "Disney's Planes," the "Cars" spinoff from Disney Animation. The two F-18s are called upon to help out Dusty (Dane Cook), a crop-dusting single-prop who signs up for a high-flying rally around the world.

"When you think of movies with planes, 'Top Gun' usually comes up, so it is fun to be part of this," Edwards says. "Our naval aviators are some of the best pilots in the world, and Val and I were lucky enough to get to play them twice."

Armed with stellar instincts, incredible aerial abilities and outstanding service records, Bravo and Echo are two of the Jolly Wrenches’ top troops. These fighter jets happen to be avid air-racing fans, too, with a special affinity for our hero Dusty, who’s adopted their Jolly Wrenches insignia. And as far as the racers are concerned, it doesn’t hurt to have a couple soldiers nearby should any plane falter under the immense pressure of the world’s most rigorous rally.

“Dusty gets lost in the air space of an aircraft carrier that Bravo and Echo are patrolling,” says Edwards. “So we escort him back to the carrier to make sure he’s safe. I know if I were ever in trouble, I’d want these guys to have my back.”

“Anthony and I were such great rivals in ‘Top Gun,’ we always had so much fun on set,” says Kilmer. “And I've always thought so highly of Anthony, especially with his success on ‘ER.’ So it was really great to find out that we would both being working together on ‘Disney’s Planes.’”

Edwards is probably best known as Dr. Mark Greene on the hit series “ER.” For his portrayal of the overworked, but dedicated emergency room doctor, Edwards received four Emmy® nominations, won three Screen Actors Guild Awards®, and won a Golden Globe® Award. Edwards made his return to series television in 2013 with ABC’s adventure-drama “Zero Hour.”

Edwards has starred in more than 20 features, including his memorable turn as Goose in the blockbuster feature “Top Gun.” Other feature film credits include David Fincher’s “Zodiac,” “Flipped” and “The Client.” He will be seen on the big screen in Michael Polish’s “Big Sur,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Meanwhile, Kilmer is one of the most prolific actors of his generation. From his more recent work as a career military officer in David Mamet’s “Spartan,” back through his work with Oliver Stone in “The Doors” and Michael Mann in “Heat,” to his early work in “Top Gun,” Kilmer has worked with many of film’s most respected directors and actors. He adds to that impressive list two new films: Millennium’s “Bad Lieutenant,” with Nicolas Cage and directed by Werner Herzog; and “Streets of Blood,” with Sharon Stone and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Kilmer recently completed principal photography on the new Francis Ford Coppola movie “Twixt Now and Sunrise.”

Other recent projects include “Déjà Vu,” an action-thriller produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films for Touchstone Pictures in which Kilmer stars with Denzel Washington and Jim Caviezel; and “Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang,” written and directed by Shane Black, and co-starring Robert Downey Jr.

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes” takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.

Actor and stand-up comedian Dane Cook (“Dan in Real Life”) brings the lead character Dusty to life in “Disney's Planes,” showcases an airplane’s desire to do more than what he was designed to do.

Dusty is a plane with high hopes—literally. Crop duster by trade, this single-prop plane sees himself soaring alongside his high-flying heroes in an international race. The fact that he’s not really built for competitive racing doesn’t deter him from pursuing his dream—but his fear of heights just might. With a little help from his friends—and a WWII vet with wisdom to spare—Dusty takes off on an adventure of a lifetime, going prop-to-prop with champions while daring to reach heights he never imagined possible.

Director Klay Hall says he relates to the crop duster that could. “This whole movie and my experience working on it parallels Dusty’s story in a lot of ways. We started small, worked really hard, and through a series of fortunate events have been able to go farther than we imagined.”

Dane Cook, who was called on to provide the voice of Dusty, also sees a connection with his character. “As a kid, it took me a lot of years to find my place, my voice,” says Cook. “I couldn’t even speak in class—I was afraid to put my hand up and yet I wanted to entertain the world. My journey—much like Dusty’s—was one of digging down deep and finding something inside myself that would help me to exceed my own expectations.”

According to Hall, Cook helped give Dusty the kind of edge he’d need to tackle the racing circuit. “Once we saw Dane do some of his stand-up and watched a couple of his movies, it just clicked. His voice is on the deeper side with a bit of sarcasm—dry wit—to it. We liked how that supported the character’s intense passion for racing as well as his sense of humor.”

When asked how exciting is it doing a Disney animated film and with a part like Dusty, Cook answers, “Would you believe me if I said it's like you really want to jump up and down and it's like being a kid again. I've known [Pixar legend] John Lasseter for several years. John has been a fan of my stand-up comedy. From time to time I would see him and he would say, `Oh, I was on a road trip listening to your comedy.' And my heart would always race hoping that someday he might be like, `I've got an idea for something.' And I went to an evening at Pixar… They had an evening at the Hollywood Bowl, and they played all Pixar music. I brought a date and we're sitting, and we're looking at the beautiful visuals, and the L.A. Philharmonic is playing. I'm saying to her like, `Can you imagine being a part of one of these films. It's so wonderful, the music, and the attention to detail.'

“I go back stage after to say thank you to John for inviting me, and he said, `You know, I'm thinking about something for you.' And two months later he called me up and we had dinner and he told me what was needed, and he told me about `Planes.' I'm not even kidding like it took everything in me to just be cool, and to not at that table just want to just up. Like this is a lifelong dream of mine. Like I grew up loving, loving animation and musicals and things of that nature. So I feel like I'm at home.”

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes” takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.

From two-time Emmy® nominated director and aviation enthusiast Klay Hall (“King of the Hill,” “The Simpsons”) comes “Disney’s Planes,” an all-new big-screen adventure that showcases a crop duster’s desire to do more than what he was designed to do.

The action-packed 3D animated comedy features Dusty, a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

Says Hall, “I think people will really relate to ‘Disney’s Planes’ because it’s a great underdog story. It has a lot of heart and a message we can all use: If we can believe in ourselves, step out of our comfort zones and get past whatever fear is holding us back, we’d be surprised with the results. And that’s exactly what happens to Dusty in this movie. He’s a crop duster who’s never flown above 1,000 feet, but he dreams of being the fastest air racer in the world. He has a lot of obstacles to overcome and needs to dig pretty deep to find the courage to become more than what he was built for.”

According to producer Traci Balthazor-Flynn, the global setting of the film invites audiences along for the ride. “Dusty has never been far from home, so he’s experiencing the world for the first time,” she says. “The film visits places many of us—like Dusty—have never seen. It features characters from all over the world—diverse personalities we can get behind and root for. It’s a real adventure—a road movie in the sky.”

Hall, who attended Cal Arts with fellow animation vets Rich Moore (“Wreck-It Ralph”) and Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”), came to Disney in 2005. “My background has always been primetime comedy,” says Hall. “I spent 10 years at ‘The Simpsons’ and then ‘King of the Hill.’”

So when it came time to build the story for “Disney’s Planes,” humor was a key ingredient—along with the kind of action a film about airplanes called for and—of course—authenticity and heart.

Hall credits the story team with finding the right blend. “What’s really cool about making an animated film is—hands down—the collaboration. I think animation is the most collaborative art form there is. It takes an army of talented people to do one of these films.”

Hall, executive producer John Lasseter and co-screenwriter Jeff Howard came together early in the process to hammer out the story. “We sat in a little room for five or six hours,” says Howard, who welcomed the opportunity to brainstorm with Lasseter. “We all respect him so much, creatively—and we were invited to hang out and spitball with him. That’s when we came up with the idea of a crop duster who wants to be a racer. We named him Dusty that first day and talked about a race around the world where he’d meet racers from different countries.”

“It just felt right,” says Lasseter. “There’s a great group of new characters who fly throughout different parts of the world—Iceland, Germany, India, Mexico. We knew from the start that it had to be better than good. It had to be great. And it is. It’s beautiful. To say that I'm excited about this movie is an understatement.”

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes” takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.

After introducing the voice cast comprising Team Dusty, the hero group in “Disney's Planes” last March, the studio now announces Dusty's high-flying competitors in the ultimate international race.

The competition is led by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Cleese, Carlos Alazraqui, Priyanka Chopra, Gabriel Iglesias and Roger Craig Smith. Below are the first-look images of the characters, with corresponding descriptions.

Inspired by the world of “Cars,” “Disney’s Planes” is an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure about Dusty’s dream of competing as a high-flying air racer—and his decidedly unfortunate fear of heights.

Ripslinger (voice of Roger Craig Smith). With more wins than he can count and an abundance of fans, Ripslinger is wings-down the biggest name in air racing—and he knows it. But despite sky’s-the-limit funding and state-of-the-art equipment, the world champion still doesn’t play fair—especially when it comes to a small-town plane with zero racing experience. Dusty doesn’t belong in Ripslinger’s sport and his mere presence makes the pro’s fuel boil. And if Dusty’s inexperience doesn’t take him out of the race, Ripslinger’s vast empire includes a couple of underhanded sidekicks to take care of business.

Ned & Zed (voice of Gabriel Iglesias). Team Ripslinger’s bombastic racers Ned and Zed specialize in sabotage. Lacking the skills to actually outrace the competition, they simply eliminate it, propelling boss Ripslinger to victory every single time. Zed, a rowdy and reckless flier, and Ned, a strange bird himself, may not be the sharpest props in the hangar, but they have figured out how to draft off Ripslinger’s fame.

El Chupacabra (voice of Carlos Alazraqui). The intensely charming El Chupacabra is a legend in Mexico (just ask him). Powered by his passion for racing (not to mention the elusive Rochelle), this caped Casanova is anything but low-key—his booming voice and charismatic presence are as big as his oversized engine. His cohorts aren’t really sure what is truth and what is delusion when it comes to El Chu, but one thing is beyond doubt: he races with a whole lot of heart and more dramatic flair than is recommended at high altitudes.

Rochelle (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is a tough racer and the pride of the Great White North. Always confident and capable, she got her start running mail to small towns in Quebec, picking up home remedies for mechanical maladies along the way. She also developed a knack for fast travel that ultimately inspired her to give air racing a try. Rochelle never looked back (this competitive contender doesn’t need to). She is relentlessly pursued by charmer El Chupacabra, but steadfast Rochelle is much too focused on winning the race to return his affections.

Bulldog (voice of John Cleese) has been racing longer than every other racer on the circuit. As the oldest and arguably wisest, he remembers a time before GPS, when real racers trusted their gyros and navigated by the stars. When it comes to racing, it boils down to two qualities, says Bulldog: good flying and sportsmanship. Period. While the competition secretly wonders if the aging plane is past his prime, he flies his way onto the leader board again and again, proving that this Bulldog has lost none of his bite.

Ishani (voice of Priyanka Chopra). The reigning Pan-Asian champion from India, Ishani is easy on the eyes, but ruthless in the skies. Thanks to her high-speed competitiveness and notable talent, she has amassed more than a billion loyal fans—including one rookie racer who turns to her for guidance. Exotic and mysterious, Ishani is full of surprises, but always has her eye on the prize.

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes” takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.

Audiences worldwide are fastening their seatbelts as “Disney’s Planes” prepares to take off this August!

From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

Joining Dane Cook are Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Cedric the Entertainer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Cleese, Carlos Alazraqui, Priyanka Chopra, Gabriel Iglesias, Roger Craig Smith, Colin Cowherd, Sinbad, Oliver Kalkofe and Brent Musburger.

Adding some high-flying flair from a classic feature film (“Top Gun”) are Anthony Edwards and Val Kilmer.

The film is directed by Disneytoon Studios veteran and aviation enthusiast Klay Hall (“King of the Hill,” “The Simpsons”). Klay Hall was into airplanes long before “Disney’s Planes” ever got off the ground. So when executive producer John Lasseter asked the Disneytoon Studios veteran if he’d be interested in directing a feature film set in the skies, it was a no-brainer. “I’ve always loved airplanes,” says Hall. “My dad was in the Navy and his dad was also a pilot. They flew all their lives and passed that love of aviation to me.

“When I was a kid here in California,” continues Hall, “my dad and I would grab some burgers and Cokes and go to the local runway to watch the planes take off and land. I’d sit there and sketch as he talked about the characteristics of the airplanes. I still have a couple of those drawings. So when this project came up, I was able to really jump into this universe.”

“Disney’s Planes” tells the tale of a crop duster—aptly named Dusty—who’s sure he’s capable of more than taking care of crops. Says Hall, “I think people will really relate to the film because it’s a great underdog story. It has a lot of heart and a message we can all use: If we can believe in ourselves, step out of our comfort zones and get past whatever fear is holding us back, we’d be surprised with the results. And that’s exactly what happens to Dusty in this movie. He’s a crop duster who’s never flown above 1,000 feet, but he dreams of being the fastest air racer in the world. He has a lot of obstacles to overcome and needs to dig pretty deep to find the courage to become more than what he was built for.”

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes” takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.