Regarding TLJ-Next:

Is this game being developed with the goal of releasing it with English-spoken parts 1st or in parallel with some other languages? How do things look with regard to bringing back voice actors for returning parts (in any language)?

We expect to release it simultaneously in several languages (including, I hope, ancient Sumerian), maybe even on the same DVD. As for the voice actors, we will definitely try to bring back some of our favourites from the previous game, in addition to a whole bunch of new ones.

Hey Ragnar,

I just had to write and agree with you about the whole Disney Feature Animation mess. I'm sure you've seen the recent news about both Roy Disney and Stanley Gold resigning from Disney's board of directors this past week to protest Michael Eisner. Since then, the media has been full of stories that express a lot of doubt about Eisner's ability to continue leading the company: http://news.google.com/news?q=eisner

Recently, I've started to doubt that Eisner was *ever* good for the company, and whether past success for the Mouse wasn't really the doing of the late Frank Wells. Frank was President of the company until his death in a helicopter crash a few years ago, and it was with his death that the company really started to go downhill. That seems like a pretty big coincidence to me :)

But, rest assured, change is coming. Roy and Stan have pledged to start a campaign to oust Eisner (http://www.savedisney.com is registered to Shamrock Holdings, Roy's company). Even failing that, Eisner's contract ends in 2006, and it's unlikely he'll be around after that. Possibly even sooner, since Disney's share price has been down ever since the resignations.

While the slow death of Feature Animation over the past few years has been painful to watch, almost as sad has been the declining state of the theme parks, which I consider almost if not just as important to Disney's history as its films. Disneyland in particular has been suffering from budget cuts galore, to the point of peeling paint, burnt out light bulbs, and cast members (universal term for 'employees' within the parks) making little above minimum wage ($7/hour). It's awful.
--
Doug

Damn straight, Doug. I had the "pleasure" of seeing Eisner speak at a conference about a month ago, and he wasn't the most articulate man I've ever listened to, nor was he particularly charismatic. It's a wonder he's survived at Disney as long as he has, and hopefully there will be a regime change very soon. Seeing as how Disney's just had a smash year with its live action movies, and Pixar's Nemo, I don't see how Eisner is going to be ousted yet, however. I think they need to hit rock bottom first.  ¶ 10:30