Ralph Breaks the Internet is the upcoming sequel to the beloved Wreck-It Ralph. The sequel sees Ralph on another adventure – this time across the vast world wide web. He traverses the internet with his friends, making new ones along the way and generally, you guessed it, wrecking things. As part of the #RalphBreaksTheInternetEvent, I was able to participate in a group interview with Ralph Breaks the Internet directors, Rich Moore, Phil Johnston, and Clark Spencer.
A Full Day of Ralph Breaks the Internet
We arrived at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building for a day of all things Ralph Breaks the Internet. The building was filled to capacity with concept art, themed decor, and even a huge statue of Ralph himself.
Photo by Alex Kang/Disney. ©2018 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Photo by Alex Kang/Disney. ©2018 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
We began the day meeting director, Rich Moore, director and writer, Phil Johnston, and producer, Clark Spencer. While there, we were treated to a sort of live-action director’s commentary track. We were shown a few clips from the movie, during each of which Rich Moore and Phil Johnston would talk about the creative process behind the scenes and the film in general. Clark Spencer introduced the two directors, and after that, they did most of the talking about the movie and what went into it.
Director Phil Johnston & director Rich Moore of RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Tale as Old as Time
Wait, that’s a different movie. However, Ralph Breaks the Internet IS Disney’s 57th animated feature film. That’s a lot of movies, but it’s no surprise when you consider that the studio is a whopping 95 years old. I believe that longevity is owed chiefly to the people behind the scenes. They believe in what they’re doing, and that directly translates to a fantastic finished product.
We watched a featurette about the people who worked on Ralph Breaks the internet and what inspired them to pursue animation. Not surprisingly, many of the writers, creators, and producers interviewed were inspired by other Disney films at a young age. In addition to that magical way of thinking, they also believe in teamwork and the power of what humans can achieve when they work together. They talked about that a bit with their “pulsing” approach to their work. Just as it sounds, it’s the idea that everyone adds something to the overall product, and with each person that comes in, a little more is added. It’s like a fun level up of the project if you will.
Ralph Breaks the Internet was in the Works Almost Immediately
One thing the directors talked about was how immediate the plan for a sequel was. Although the first movie was a satisfying tale, there was more to tell. They also wanted to address real issues that kids actually face in one form or another – complicated issues. They delved into Ralph’s self-worth and how much of it was contingent upon how Penelope viewed him. What kind of message did a relationship like that send to kids? They wanted to explore how friends navigate their relationship when they have different life goals, points of view, and dreams. In a very real sense, Ralph Breaks the Internet is a life lesson wrapped up in a comical package.
Exploring a Broader World
Just like kids grow up and go through changes in their relationships, Ralph Breaks the Internet focuses on Ralph and Vanelope navigating a much bigger world than the one they know and how that affects their relationship. Along the way, Ralph and Vanelope meet Netizens, a genius concept, I must say. Netizens are digitized versions of real-world people. It’s Disney’s way of reflecting what humans are doing on their computers and how that might translate to the digital world that Ralph and Vanelope are exploring.
The Good and the Bad
One thing I love about Ralph Breaks the Internet is that the creators decided early on to show the good and the bad of the internet, especially in this time of online attacks and cyber-bullying. They showed how the negativity that can be found on the internet affected Ralph, and I love that. It is a direct message to the kids watching that people can be mean, but it’s not about the kids, it’s about other people feeling angry or just, well… mean.
Ralph Breaks the Internet will be SO Good
That’s a wrap, everyone! The snippets of the film we saw were truly amazing and listening to the directors talk about what their thoughts were on the film really helped give a sense of foundation to what we were watching. I’m extremely pleased that the creators decided to give Ralph Breaks the Internet a strong message while still maintaining that hilarity that we’ve all come to expect from this franchise. I think Ralph Breaks the Internet is going to be both tough and funny, and I can’t wait to see it in all its glory on the big screen.
The Disney Princess scene. We’ve been hearing about this scene for quite a while now and we finally get to see it! It’s as good as we’d dreamed! Many of the princesses, however, since they were drawn with 2D animation, they have been redone on 3D animation.
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Visit the official RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 website here: http://movies.disney.com/ralph-breaks-the-internet-wreck-it-ralph-2
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 arrives in theatres everywhere on November 21st!
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I love that this movie is coming out at a time when the internet can be so full of positives and negatives. How cool that you were able to interview the directors. I am looking forward to this one coming out!
It was a blast!
My little girl and I enjoyed the first movie so much. This sounds like it is going to be great!
She will love the second!
We saw a preview for this while we were at the theatre & we cannot wait to see it- it looks like it’s gonna be really good!
My kids will be so psyched! We loved Wreck It Ralph!
Love Ralph… am sooo excited to see this. Looks like a great movie for my whole family.