Disney Launches “A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever”
Today, Disney has kicked off its holiday advertising campaign with a brand new short called “A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever”, which has been directed by Academy Award winner Taika Waititi and features the voice of Disney Legend John Goodman as Doodle.
At the centre of the story is a little girl and her doodle, which comes to life on Christmas Day after Santa mistakes the drawing for a holiday wish. The short follows the charming story of the friendship between the girl and the animated product of her imagination during this magical season in a uniquely Disney way, ending with a call to action for viewers, “Make Someone’s Holiday Magic”.
This short follows last year’s Emmy-nominated, A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus, also directed by Taika Waititi, whose numerous Disney credits include Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and Searchlight Pictures’ Jojo Rabbit (2019), for which he won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Taika Waititi said in a statement regarding the new short:
“What makes this story uniquely Disney is the fact that it’s set in the world of a kid. It’s a kid and her new best friend, navigating the complex world together, and doing it just with the power of friendship and imagination.”
The lovable character Doodle is voiced by Disney Legend John Goodman (Doodle), who has voiced numerous beloved animated characters for Disney, including James P. “Sulley” Sullivan from Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013), as well as Pacha in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), and “Big Daddy” La Bouff in The Princess and the Frog (2009), among many other Disney titles.
John Goodman added:
“I’ve always loved being part of Disney stories because there’s a timelessness to Disney’s storytelling – it’s fun, it’s heartfelt, and it reminds families of what really matters. This wonderful short captures that same spirit perfectly,” said
Renowned Walt Disney Animation Studios animator Eric Goldberg, the creator of beloved Disney characters such as Genie from Aladdin (1992), acted as an advisor on the animation of the short in collaboration with Untold Studios, producer hungryman, and creative agency adam&eveDDB.
Disney’s Joanna Balikian, Senior Vice President, Brand Management, added:
“Disney stories have always been a source of togetherness, wonder, and joy, especially during the holidays. With A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever, we sought to capture that timeless spirit of friendship, family, and imagination that brings generations together and makes the holidays magical.”
“A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever” is available to stream now on Disney+ and on social media.
Roger’s Take: Disney once again knows exactly how to play those heartstrings and deliver a heartfelt message in time for the holidays, while also managing to slip in some product placement of Grogu, Stitch, Toy Story and Disneyland. This is a lovely little short that is well worth checking out, and the little payoff at the end was so lovely, bringing a little tear to my eye when it was revealed how the little doodle was feeling.
Are you going to check out “A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever”? Let me know on social media!
