8 Startling Early Versions Of Your Favourite Pixar Films
3. Shh, It's Pixar's Worst Kept Secret - Brave
Pixar's most high profile troubled production, Braves switch of director led to Brain Trust member Brenda Chapman actually leaving the company. The strange thing is that even though this was highly publicised, particularly because of the gender elements (it was Pixar's first film with a female protagonist and director), we dont really know what almost happened in the film.
A plot that seems to lack the traditional Pixar spark and the fleeting appearance of the witch all point to various hastily changed elements, but the lines are hard to see; in interviews Chapman always trumpeted the Merida-Elinor relationship (inspired by her own experiences with her daughter) and thats still very prominent in the finished product. Incoming director Mark Andrews said he toned down much of the magical elements of the film (which explains will-o'-the-wisps felt like little more than deux ex machina) but beyond that there are too many variables at play to get to the root of the original version.
I think as the director change was so forceful and more publicised than with Ratatouille (coupled with Pixar's shaky reputation after Cars 2 ended their unprecedented winning streak) the company were unwilling to divulge too much information lest it taint the film'Is reputation.