Mario’s Massive Opening, AI Animation Backlash, and the Mystery Disney Drone Show (Ep. 353)

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor kick off this week’s Fine Tooning with a real-life animation-adjacent story involving Bob’s Burgers’ Eugene Mirman, before diving into a huge Easter weekend box office led by Nintendo’s latest animated hit. From Disney+ shorts and Netflix trailers to Broadway updates and AI controversy, this episode covers a wide swath of animation and industry news. Plus, the guys explore a lingering mystery involving Disney’s experimental drone shows.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Eugene Mirman, the voice of Gene Belcher on Bob’s Burgers, is involved in a serious electric vehicle accident in New Hampshire and shares a humorous recovery update
• The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy Movie opens to a massive $372 million worldwide, outperforming expectations despite mixed reviews
• Pixar’s Hoppers continues its theatrical run with $332 million globally, while Project Hail Mary climbs to $420 million worldwide
• Disney+ debuts “Versa,” a visually ambitious animated short exploring grief and loss, alongside two new Short Circuit entries
• Netflix releases the trailer for Swapped, a new animated feature from Tangled co-director Nathan Greno
• Disney’s Hercules stage musical sets a closing date in London as speculation continues about a possible U.S. transfer
• WildBrain faces backlash for AI-upscaled episodes of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! airing on MeTV Toons
• A closer look at Disney’s evolving Short Circuit program and the final Disney work of legendary animator Mark Henn
• Updates on Disney theatrical projects including the live-action Tangled and the evolving Hercules film concept
• The growing use of AI in animation restoration and the debate over preserving original artistic integrity

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Drew Taylor - IG: @drewtailored | X: @DrewTailored | Website: drewtaylor.work

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Unlocked Magic. If a Disney or Universal trip is on your radar for 2026, get expert help securing the best ticket deals with no stress. Visit UnlockedMagic.com to start planning your next theme park adventure.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices