Figment is coming to a screen near you. Disney’s beloved small purple dragon, who serves as the mascot of EPCOT’s Imagination Pavilion in Disney World in Orlando, will be getting a movie. Deadline reports that the feature is from Seth Rogen’s Point Grey. Pokémon Detective Pikachu‘s Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit have been selected to write the script. It’s been long overdue for many fans. The news comes as EPCOT is celebrating its 40th anniversary. There’s also a new Figment Stained “Glass” Suncatcher Ornament now available at the Creations Shop in World Celebration for fans to purchase.
Figment was created by famed Walt Disney Imagineers Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk, among other collaborators, in 1983. It made its debut at EPCOT with the ride Journey Into Imagination the same year. Figment is the embodiment of the imagining process— which is described as a figment of one’s imagination. As legend has it, Figment was created after Baxter watches an episode of Magnum, P.I. In that particular episode, a goat eats Higgins’ (John Hillerman) flowers and Higgins says, “Don’t tell me [the goat is] a figment of my imagination. Figments don’t eat rare tropical flowers.”
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Figment has a devoted fanbase. Attempts to remove the ride or decrease his presence have been met with loud protests, halting plans along the way. Despite the film in the works, it won’t be Figment’s first time on the big screen. He made cameo appearances in 2015’s Inside Out, as well as Toy Story 4 in 2019.
Rogen and his producing partners Evan Goldberg and James Weaver have released an array of TV and film projects under their company. Projects include Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, Amazon’s The Boys and The Boys Presents: Diabolical, as well as This Is the End, The Interview, The Disaster Artist, and An American Pickle. Next on the roster is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
The news comes as Disney World theme parks in Orlando have begun a phased reopening amid the destruction left by Hurricane Ian. Parks will reopen Sunday, Oct. 2. Initially, a phased reopening plan was announced. It quickly shifted. Deadline reports that Cast Members and park staffers have already been notified they can return to work. Millions in the area have been flooded and without power after the storm’s wrath.
Reservations are required for Saturday’s re-opening, and are only available for the resort’s hotel guests who have been sheltering in place for the past two days under the law enacted due to the storm. Full details on hours and events at Walt Disney World can be found on the website.
