WHAT WENT WRONG 'WWW' on 'No Such Thing': Why Are There so Many Twin Films?
Mar 20, 2026
Lizzie Bassett, film industry analyst, gives context on Hollywood development. Chris Winterbauer, industry commentator, explains production patterns. They explore why similar-concept films cluster in time. Short takes compare bug movies, disaster films, rom-com twins, and how studio timing, tech limits, and industry chatter create these pairings.
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Hosts' Longstanding Bug Movie Debate
- A Bug's Life and Antz launched a long-running debate among the hosts about which is better.
- The group compared plots, tone, humor, and memorable scenes to argue Antz's darkness versus A Bug's Life's child-friendly comedy.
Technology Drives Story Choices
- Technological constraints shape which characters studios choose to animate and can spawn similar projects.
- Chris Winterbauer notes shiny exoskeletons and cloneable ant models made ants an obvious choice after Toy Story's success.
Allegations Around Antz And A Bug's Life Origins
- The DreamWorks vs Pixar Antz/A Bug's Life rivalry included claims Katzenberg heard Pixar ideas after leaving Disney.
- Katzenberg may have had an earlier Army Ants pitch from 1988 and then pursued his ant project at DreamWorks.