The Kidd here...
I bet you The Mouse is kicking himself in the ass now after the decision to close Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World, replacing the beloved attraction with boring fuckin' Winnie the Pooh. Had they known back in 1998 what their future plans were, it may have survived (Mr. Toad's Wild Ride still continues to entertain the masses in California at Disneyland... lucky bastards).
MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE is gaining some new life though now that Disney has decided to develop a CGI/live-action film based on the attraction. Commercial and music video director Pete Candeland has been given the honor of developing the project, according to Deadline, which would give Disney another film in its library stemming from one of their theme park rides. While PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN launched a massively successful franchise that's still going strong (at least financially), THE HAUNTED MANSION didn't exactly set the world on fire. But that isn't going to stop Disney from continuing to try capitalizing on their brand synergy. Plans are already in motion for a MAGIC KINGDOM film (directed by Jon Favreau) and a David Fincher-helmed 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, so MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE isn't that out of place.
I'm really very curious to see how they aim to adapt this for the screen, but the ride, which is set up like a wild chase through the streets of London, ends up with you being run over by a train and then sent to Hell. Sounds like the perfect candidate for a movie if you ask me.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
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