NY Comic Con: Big Hero 6 panel and footage description!

Before they set the room on fire with their TOMORROWLAND panel, Disney brought New York Comic-Con a nice sneak peek at their upcoming animated adventure BIG HERO 6, which was made in partnership with Marvel Studios (it’s based on a Marvel comic, if you didn’t know). Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams and producer Roy Connolly were all in attendance, as well as voice actors TJ Miller, Jamie Chung, Genesis Rodriguez, Scott Adsit and Ryan Potter.

Here are some notes from the panel, followed by footage description:

– According to Dom Hall, the project started three years ago, right around the time of New York Comic-Con, incidentally. The director grew up loving Marvel comics and Disney animation, so this was a dream project for him.

– Former Marvel Comics Editor-in-chief Joe Quesada has been heavily involved in the film, from the first pitch to the final meeting.

The filmmakers say they made BIG HERO 6 their own. They call it a mash-up of Marvel and Disney sensibilities.

The movie also mixes Eastern and Western cultures. The setting is a made-up city called SanFransokyo.

– The lead in the film is Hiro (voiced by Potter), a young genius and inventor makes money doing back alley robot fights, not using his creativity in a smart way. His equally smart brother, who wants the best for him, exposes him to the lab he works in with the hope it’ll inspire his younger brother to do greater things with his skills.

The first clip showed to us took place within this lab. Hiro is introduced to his brothers quirky co-workers and their innovative projects. Finally, the oder brother shows Hiro what he’s been working on: Baymax (voiced by Adsit), an inflatable robotic nurse. This thing, as you’ve probably already seen via the trailers, is quite lovable; they will sell A LOT of toys this Christmas.

– The second clip called “Charging Baymax” was incredibly funny and sweet. Baymax’s battey is low, and when he gets like that, he acts and sounds drunk. Hiro has to sneak Baymax upstairs to his room without his aunt, who he lives with, knowing. Silliness ensues as he tries to distract his aunt while Baymax makes his way, very noisily and clumsily to his charging station.

A moment where Baymax holds Hiro’s cat and slurringly refers to it as a “hairy baby” is almost certain to become an instant classic. Expect people to be saying “hairy baby” a lot.

– The third clip shows Hiro turning Baymax into an armored, mechanized weapon in order to stop a villain who is terrorizing the city. “You’re going to need some upgrades,” Hiro says, and enters kung-fu footage into a computer that will then be uploaded into Baymax.

Hiro designs some armor for Baymax, which sits uncomfortably on his bulky frame. “This may undermine my huggable, non-threatening design,” Baymax admits.

– But indeed, at the end of all this, Baymax busts out a bunch of cool moves and appears to be battle ready.

– Side note: Baymax running is the most adorable thing in the world.

The final clip was an action-packed one, and reasonably exciting. Baymax’s first fight doesn’t go well, he gets thrown into car by the kabuki mask-wearing villain. This guy is pretty badass; he surfs atop what looks like a million nanobots that act as his transportation system. It’s hard to describe but trust me, it’s incredibly cool. He pursues the gang as they drive hectically through the streets; at one point he throws a car at them. Lots of funny exchanges between the characters in the car as they evade the powerful enemy.

Overall, BIG HERO 6 looks very sweet and amusing; not necessarily top-tier Disney in the Pixar mold, but a clever and entertaining ride that small and big kids alike will eat up. You can be sure that if you have a kid yourself, they’re going to want a Baymax to call their own, so get ready for in a few months.