Notes

October 24, 2002

Disney’s growing slate of video premiere movies also includes Atlantis II, which has been restarted after being put on hold. It now has the subtitle of Milo’s Return instead of The New Adventures, with James Taylor (not the singer) in for Michael J. Fox as the voice of Milo.

As of September 12, 2002

Jim Hill Media explains that the cancelled Atlantis TV series spin-off "was supposed to have been this ambitious animated series that would have heralded a return to epic storytelling by Walt Disney Television Animation. Something that this division of the Walt Disney Company hadn’t attempted since Gargoyles stopped production ‘way back in 1996. So what was the story arc for Team Atlantis? Due to events that had occurred during the climax of the direct-to-video sequel to Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Milo and Kida were now trapped on the surface. Their return route to Atlantis has somehow been sealed off forever. Which means in order to return to the Lost Empire" Milo & Kida must now travel the globe. With the help of the Shepherd’s Journal as well as their old friends from the Whitmore Expedition, they seek out a new route to Atlantis. In each episode, Milo and Kida would journey to another far-flung corner of the globe where they would be re-united with Moliere (or Vinnie or Audrey or Mrs. Packard or Dr. Sweet). Then the intrepid explorers would have to deal with some paranormal phenomenon (be it the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, the Abominable Snowman in the Himalayas, or strange lights in the night sky over Roswell, New Mexico) as they sought out yet another rumored entrance to the 'Lost Empire.'"

"Unfortunately," continues Jim Hill, "when Disney realized that Atlantis: The Lost Empire wasn’t going to be the big box office 'Wow!' that everyone had thought it would be, the company quietly shut down production on the Team Atlantis TV series." But the Mouse House was still committed to doing a direct-to-video sequel to the film, and "rather than go ahead with the sequel that Disney Television Animation had already scripted Mouse House execs elected to take the two or three episodes of Team Atlantis that had been already completed and (with the help of a few additional scenes) pass that off as the direct-to-video sequel to Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Of course, one wonders how the writers at Disney Television Animation are going to explain away Milo & Kida being trapped on the earth’s surface unable to return to Atlantis. After all, it was the storyline of the original version of the Atlantis: The Lost Empire direct-to-video sequel that was going to set up the situation that lead to the Team Atlantis TV series. Now "Who knows how Disney intends to deal with this gaping hole in the plotline?"

As of August 10, 2002

Greg Weisman confirmed to Toon Zone that the ill-fated animated series Team Atlantis--the TV spinoff of Disney's animated feature Atlantis: The Lost Empire--will see the "light of day" after all. Since scripts were finished and the cast had completed voice recording for much of the first season, Disney went ahead and "finished animation on the first 3 episodes"--editing them into a feature direct-to-video/DVD release that should reach stores in the Spring of 2003.

March 18, 2002

According to Disney animators, "we picked three stories we thought we could link thematically. We animated about 10 minutes of new material, not just wraparound stuff but scenes within episodes that followed the theme more closely. It'll feel like three adventures but hopefully following the theme will give the ending more resonance."

February 1, 2002

According to Disney Fan Club, Mike Mignola designed new characters for Atlantis's direct-to-video sequel, based on the first episodes of a canned TV series. Disney supposedly invested much more energy and money in Team Atlantis -the working title for the series, which is likely to be changed by the time the sequel is released- than in most of its other minor projects. Directed by the team behind Gargoyles, it will follow the adventures of Milo and Kida in Atlantis.

January 29, 2002

In the Atlantis DVD, the sequel was mentioned. Most likely next year.

Second Life For Atlantis II (from August 13, 2001 mouseplanet)

And, finally, out to Glendale: Walt Disney Television Animation is having second thoughts about entirely scrapping Team Atlantis, the weekly TV show that was to follow up Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The division is proceeding with a direct-to-video called Atlantis: The New Adventures.

Originally, the direct-to-video was to be an original story called Atlantis II: Shards of Chaos, which bridged the gap between the movie and the series. Instead, Disney will use the first three TV episodes. One was mostly through preproduction, including writing, recording, storyboard, design and direction. The other two were finished with preproduction and had been shipped overseas for layout and animation. The episodes' beginnings and endings, though, had to be rewritten to tie their stories together.

Those who worked on the canned series seemed grateful that something was being salvaged. "It's not 39 episodes, but it'll do," said one employee. "Granted tomorrow they might change their minds, but as of today that's the plan."

A co-worker speculated: "I suspect that now that this is a direct to video instead of just an average TV episode we may have a bigger budget and more time to do things better than just average."

As for a true Atlantis II, he mused, "I wouldn't put it past the direct- to- video department to be working on an Atlantis sequel or prequel. They did a Hunchback sequel, so nothing is impossible as far as I'm concerned."

According to MSNBC, "Disney feature animation chief Tom Schumacher says he is more focused on the film’s profitability and long-term value which will involve a video sequel and TV show than how it stacks up against Tomb Raider this weekend."