Now available on Blu-ray and DVD is Pixar’s latest feature film Monsters University.  As the studio’s first prequel, the pic’s initial announcement was met with a mix of excitement and skepticism, but this summer audiences were treated to a film that was not only hilarious and gorgeous to look at, but also gutsy in its themes and message to young viewers.  While attending the press day for the film’s Blu-ray release at Pixar, I was able to sit down with director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae to talk all things Monsters University.

Scanlon and Rae discussed how involved they were in the extras and special features that are included on the Blu-ray, how they initially came to land their jobs as director and producer of Monsters University, the initial pitch meeting that explored possible Monsters Inc. sequels, making a significant last-minute change to the film by swapping the gender of a major character, and more.  Additionally, since the people at Pixar are all massive fans of a large variety of movies, I asked if there was one “bad” movie that they each love despite its less-than-stellar reputation.  Watch the video interview after the jump, and if you missed my interview with The Blue Umbrella director Saschka Unseld and producer Marc Greenberg, click here.

Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae:

  • How involved they were with selecting the bonus features that would be on the Blu-ray.
  • Pixar's process of choosing directors and producers. They discuss how they landed their respective roles on MU and Scanlon talks about the initial exploratory pitch meeting that aimed to think up sequel ideas for Monsters Inc.
  • How late can changes still be made to a Pixar film? They talk about why they swapped the gender of Dean Hardscrabble late in the production process.
  • Is there one "bad" movie that they each love despite its reputation? They talk about how bad movies can positively influence their work.

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