D23 Expo: ‘Finding Dory’ details, timeline, new characters, photo
The long awaited Finding Nemo sequel was previewed at the D23 Expo on Friday and fans learned quite a lot about Finding Dory, the new adventure set to arrive in theaters next summer.
Ellen Degeneres made an appearance with director Andrew Stanton, who explained that the story was birthed out of the Finding Nemo ending.
“I needed to know that this charming, forgetful fish would be okay…that she would find her way home. So that’s when I knew we had a story.”
The audience viewed a few clips and a few details: Finding Dory is set six months after the first film. Dory is pulled into an undertow early on in the movie and this leads to a flashback of memories. She petitions Marlin and little Nemo to journey across the ocean to the kelp forest of Northern California — she talks in her sleep calling it the “The jewel of Monterey, California.” (expect some sleep swimming)
“All I know is that I miss them. I really, really miss them,” Dory says. “Do you know what that feels like?”
Marlin looks at Nemo. He sighs because he does, indeed, know what that feels like. “Dad, you can get us all the way across the ocean, right?” young Nemo asks. “No,” Marlin he says. “But I know a guy.”
Dory meeting Hank in “Finding Dory”
In another clip, Dory meets Hank, a “cantankerous” octopus, voiced by Ed O’Neill. Hank doesn’t want to be released back into the ocean and yearns for the comfort of an aquarium in Cleveland, Ohio.
O’Neill was actually in attendance, introduced by DeGeneres with Ty Burrell, who voices a beluga whale named Bailey and Kaitlin Olson who voices Destiny, a very confused whale shark.
The new group help Dory find her family after an escape from the ocean sanctuary facility where Dory finds herself after separating from Marlin and Nemo.
Dory parents are voiced by Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton with former Wire stars Idris Elba and Dominic West having parts as well.
Finding Dory swims into theaters June 17, 2016.
