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New Pixar Movie Brings Hollywood To Wyoming

Wyoming’s landscape stars in a new film coming this Thanksgiving. So, the UW Geological Museum and the Wyoming Office of Tourism have teamed up with Disney Pixar to promote the movie.

The Good Dinosaur imagines a world where dinosaurs and humans coexist. In the movie, a long-necked dinosaur develops an unlikely friendship with a human boy. For the animated film’s scenery, Disney Pixar artists traveled to Wyoming to use its landscape as a model. Wyoming viewers will recognize the Tetons and other iconic Wyoming landscapes. Paleontologists will recognize dinosaurs found in Wyoming.

UW Geological Museum manager Laura Vietti says, “The main dinosaur is modeled after an Apatosaurus, which is a long-necked plant-eating dinosaur belonging to the Sauropod group. And then there’s a triceratops, which is of course, our state dinosaur.”

Vietti says a real Apatosaurus is on display at the UW Geological Museum.

The Geological Museum is hosting educational events featured around the film and the Office of Tourism has gotten permission to use stills in its promotional materials.

Vietti says the museum hopes to inspire people to become interested in Wyoming’s landscape and deep past.

“It’s exciting to see both the state tourism office, the town tourism, the university, and Pixar all independently reach out to the University of Wyoming Geological Museum,” Vietti says. “I think that tells a lot about the community collaboration efforts.”

Last week, the museum hosted a Pixar artist to talk with the community. In November, they’ll host a Wyoming geology art show which will include The Good Dinosaur promotions. The film comes to theaters on November 25. 

Erin Jones is Wyoming Public Radio's cultural affairs producer, as well as the host and senior producer of HumaNature. She began her audio career as an intern in the Wyoming Public Radio newsroom, and has reported on issues ranging from wild horse euthanization programs to the future of liberal arts in universities. Her audio work has been featured on WHYY Philadelphia’s The Pulse and the podcast Out There.
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