“Finding Dory” reunites the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the true meaning of family along the way. The all-new big-screen adventure dives into theaters in 2016, taking moviegoers back to the extraordinary underwater world from the original film.
The new trailer has Dory searching for her parents but she ends up captured and taken to an aquatic park, like a comedic “Blackfish”. Marine Life Institute (MLI) in California has a variety of new characters. Ed O’Neill is Hank the seven legged Octopus who could be a potential scene stealer or villain or both. Two other residents are unable to be released back into the wild. Ty Burrell is a Beluga whale with sonar difficulties while Kaitlin Olson is a whale shark with vision impairment. While Dory is differently-abled, she has been able to live her life with her memory problems. Will she wonder whether she’s more of a misfit that deserves to be cared for rather than living in the ocean on her own? Will she realize that all she really needs are her new family of Marlin and Nemo?
The MLI has a fountain very similar to the jumping water pods outside the Imagination Pavillion at EPCOT. The front of that pavilion faces the front of the Seas with Nemo and Friends just a five minute walk away. One of the Seas attractions has already been updated with the new characters. However, Disney is also careful to have differences between this fictional park and EPCOT. The only real octopi at EPCOT are found on a restaurant menu. Someone wanting to see a real Whale Shark, Beluga Whale or Harbor Seal would have to leave EPCOT and drive west about three exits on I4 to Sea World Orlando. The film doesn’t appear to address dolphins in captivity like the four found in EPCOT. There’s a terrifying touch pool scene that may make aquarium owners nervous. Most public marine parks and aquariums have touch pools for their visitors.
Of course, the scene with the Harbor Seals is a retread of the “Mine! Mine! Mine!” scene with the seagulls but everyone enjoyed the seagulls and this is just as funny. The whole trailer shows a much more light-hearted tone than the first teaser trailer which is a relief.
The internet is also abuzz with speculation over these two women:
Are they friends taking her child for a visit to the aquarium? Sisters? Or are they the first lesbian couple in a Disney animated film?
Disney announced that June 11, 2016 will be “Speak Like a Whale Day” on all Disney property, including special events, souvenir buttons and Whale School to better learn the language.
“Finding Dory” will be released June 17, 2016 but the Czech Republic wins at having the best “Finding Dory” posters:
