Disney Animated Studios has posted the first full-length trailer for "Big Hero 6," the upcoming animated feature based on the Marvel comic of the same name. This marks the first time Disney proper has taken on a property from Marvel since the mouse acquired the comics giant in 2009.
Like the teaser trailer posted in May, the new trailer focuses on two of the "6," genius Hiro Hamada and his balloon-shaped robot Baymax. Among other things, it also provides our first glimpse of the rest of the team, albeit before they take on their superhero identities, as well as the villain. The unnamed baddie wears a kabuki mask and according to Hiro, controls microbots using telepathy.
The trailer shows plenty of levity, mostly focused around the relationship between Hiro and Baymax, which feels very Disney-ish. One assumes that there's some kind of metal robotic skeleton inside Baymax's balloon parts, and he appears able to inflate or deflate those parts at will. He also displays an endearing childlikeness and wonder, interested in exploring the world around him — another classic Disney character trait.
Disney says that in the film, "a devastating turn of events catapults [Hiro and his friends] into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo." Those four friends fill out the rest of the Big Hero 6 team. They are:
- Go Go Tomago: an adrenaline junkie who uses a supersuit outfitted with mag-lev discs that she can use both to get around on and detach and throw as weapons
- Wasabi: the team's most reluctant hero, a by-the-book guy with plasma-induced lasers that come out of his arms
- Honey Lemon: this lovably geeky but positive and empathetic genius is the glue that holds the team together; her power set is unknown
- Fred: a fanboy type who pilots an enormous, kaiju-inspired robotic suit he calls "Fredzilla"
This property may seem like an odd choice for Disney Animation to take on as its first Marvel-inspired feature, since it's based on such an obscure title from Marvel's catalog, which is several thousands of characters strong. Perhaps that's part of the strategy, though; maybe Disney is thinking that it's better to take on something viewers will have no preconceived expectations about. A property with no baggage solves a lot of inherent problems for adaptations.
"Big Hero 6" arrives in theaters November 7, 2014.
