Still from the “Monsters University” trailer

Pixar’s Monsters University will not be released until summer 2013, but the animated feature film, directed by alumnus Dan Scanlon (CCAD 1998), is getting a lot of media attention already.

We broke the exciting news last year that Scanlon would be directing the Monsters Inc prequel. This week the LA Times wrote an article announcing that the movie had released not one, not two, but four trailers for Monsters University, which will follow monsters Mike and Sully, voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal, as they navigate their way through college life at scaring school.

“This is about showing youthful exuberance and fun,” Scanlon said in the article. “Just Mike and Sully being wild and young feels right.”

This will be Scanlon’s first time directing a feature film, but he has had a writing credit on Cars, co-directed the short Mater and the Ghostlight, and was a storyboard artist on other Pixar projects.

Monsters University will be released into theaters June 21, 2013. To read the full LA Times article and watch the trailers click here.

Alumnus Dan Scanlon has been chosen to direct Pixar's Monsters University.

In a bit of you-heard-it-hear-first news, Illustration alumnus Dan Scanlon (CCAD 1998) has just confirmed that he will direct Monsters University, a prequel to Pixar’s 2001 hit Monsters Inc.

“Yup, I’m directing MU,” he wrote to us in an email. And while he can’t do an interview (yet), Scanlon and the 2013 film are being talked about all-over the cyber world.

Cole Abaius of the blog Film School Rejects writes, “This will be Scanlon’s first feature film, but he has a writing credit on Cars, a co-director credit on the short Mater and the Ghostlight, and he’s acted as a storyboard artist on several project. It’s difficult to say what kind of job Scanlon will do with Monsters University, but he’s got the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the Pixar team.”

Kevin Jagernauth of the IndieWire Blog Network wrote, “Walt Disney has announced that Dan Scanlon will helm the film that will track Mike and Sully during their days at the University of Fear, telling the story of how they start off as enemies but soon become friends. As per usual with Pixar‘s hiring process, they’ve tapped a longtime colleague for the job. … And while it’s his first feature length animated film, he’ll undoubtedly have the strong team of the studio behind him every step of the way.”

On the blog Pixar Planet, a poster wrote, “A rising star at Pixar has taken his talents to new heights. It was confirmed today that Dan Scanlon is currently directing Monsters University…Not only is he talented, but he’s also a genuinely nice guy. It will definitely be interesting to see his take on the monster world.”

And while you anxiously await the opening of the film—and the chance to reconnect with Mike, Sully, and the gang—keep following CCAD News for the updates.

Galgas worked several months as a 2D animation production coordinator on Day & Night and Altman was responsible for modeling and articulating all of the short’s 3D characters. Altman also worked on Toy Story 3 as a technical director in modeling and articulation, focusing on rigging toys in Sunnyside Day Care.

A recent review in The New York Times included the following about Day & Night, “. . . a charming little movie about two characters, opposites in temperament and outlook, hostile at the start, who gradually learned not only to find delight in each other, but also to appreciate how much they had in common. This film is whimsical, inventive, crammed with visual virtuosity and six minutes long.”

Both Altman (class of 2000) and Galgas (class of 2001) majored in Media Studies Time-Based at CCAD.