(KTLA/NEXSTAR) – Figment, a fictional purple dragon featured in the Journey Into Imagination attraction at Epcot in Disney World, is finally getting his own movie.
The character was originally created in the early 1980s, and introduced shortly after the grand opening of Epcot. He’s made appearances in several rides, attractions and film shorts since his inception, but has only made fleeting cameos in major Disney movies. Specifically, Figment was seen in a portrait in 2015’s “Inside Out,” and his image appeared on a sign shown in “Toy Story 4.”
Despite the character’s relative obscurity — at least compared to some of Disney’s more high-profile characters — Figment has amassed a devoted fanbase over the last four decades.
He came into the national spotlight earlier this year, after Disney World created a commemorative “Figment Popcorn Bucket” for the Epcot International Festival of the Arts in January. Fans reportedly waited for upwards of six hours to get their hands on one of the $25 buckets, with many of them being re-listed for sale online.
The feature-length film treatment seemed all but inevitable.
Now, Deadline brings word that Seth Rogen’s production company, Point Grey, will produce a film about Figment. Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, who previously worked on the “Pokémon Detective Pikachu,” will serve as writers for this movie, the outlet reported.
“IT’S HAPPENING,” wrote one fan on Twitter, in response to Deadline’s news.
“Who?” asked another user, apparently unaware of who, or what, Figment is.
It’s likely that Figment will also be enjoying increased exposure at the Disney Parks between now and the film’s release date: Disney announced earlier this month that Figment will be making appearances and “meet park guests” before the end of 2023.
The film’s projected release date, meanwhile, has not been disclosed.