As a lifelong aviation enthusiast and qualified pilot, filmmaker Klay Hall was the logical choice when Disney was seeking a director for its latest animated offering, Planes.

A spinoff of Pixar's phenomenally successful Cars franchise, Planes was initially envisioned as a video project, released through the Disney Toon Studios division.

However, Disney took the rare step of giving the movie a theatrical release, confident the film, which opens in the US this week, has potential to be a commercial success at the box office.

The sky-high hopes for the project are a testament to the work of Hall, a pilot who comes from a long line of aviators. Hall's affinity with aircraft meant the director was in his element as he got to work on Planes.

While the project bears obvious similarities to Cars, Disney's legendary animation chief John Lasseter - who directed both Cars and Cars 2 - encouraged Hall to "create his own universe."

"The aesthetics are the same. We have eyes and the characters talk, and it's a charming design of a vehicle. But that's where the similarities stop," the director noted.

Planes follows the adventures of a feisty crop-dusting plane called Dusty who dreams of competing in a prestigious round-the-world race.

"I always loved the underdog stories, the little guy, the weak guy able to rise above. I think it's a classic story, it's universal," Hall said.

AFP