Fans hoping for the announcement of a new Figment-based attraction at EPCOT at the recent D23 Expo 2022 might have an explanation for only getting a meet-and-greet at this time, as Deadline reports that Seth Rogen’s production company is working on a film centered around the original EPCOT character.
What’s Happening:
- It has been reported that Seth Rogen’s production company, Point Grey, is developing a film based on the impish dragon, Figment, from the original EPCOT attraction, Journey Into Imagination.
- The film is set to be written by Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, who brought the critically acclaimed Pokemon Detective Pikachu to the screen, which sets an idea for what fans can expect to see.
- Rogen and his producing partners Evan Goldberg and James Weaver have released various TV and film projects under their Point Grey banner, including the recent Hulu hit, Pam & Tommy. So the project might be set for a streaming service as opposed to theatrical release, though that is unclear at this time.
- Originally debuting in the Kodak pavilion at was originally known as EPCOT Center, Journey Into Imagination, Figment is the childlike embodiment of imagination itself, as created as a “Figment” of the imagination of the Dreamfinder, the host of the main attraction. Figment proved so popular that in 2001, he took over the ride (after a refurbishment left him only as a cameo, much to the chagrin of fans who took to the early internet and Guest Relations at the park) and is now the primary character in “Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment,” which has actually lasted longer at the park than the original attraction.
- The Disney Parks fan favorite character has also become the unofficial mascot of the park, featured in ads, merchandise, and logos for many of the park's annual festivals.
- More recently, the purple dragon became a hot commodity in popcorn bucket form and has been featured in several other merchandise lines — including an upcoming one for EPCOT’s 40th.
- Meanwhile, at the D23 Expo earlier this month, it was announced that a Figment meet and greet would be returning to EPCOT next year, pleasing many of those aforementioned fans but also disappointing the ones who thought the build-up was leading to a new attraction featuring the dragon.
- Elsewhere, outside of Disney media, Figment has even popped up in other pieces of pop culture, including a plush making a cameo in Stranger Things 4.
- The report also doesn’t mention any story plots, which is to be expected as we are only learning of the development of the picture. That said, it is unclear at this time if we will also see any involvement featuring the Dreamfinder, as featured in the original attraction as the creator of Figment.
- To editorialize, we think that it would only be appropriate for Rogen and his team to shoot the movie traditionally, and using only Kodak film.