Disney-owned Lucasfilm dropped a bombshell on the film world this morning: Strange Magic, a new animated feature based on a story by George Lucas, will be released into theaters by Disney’s Touchstone Pictures label on January 23, 2015.

It’s a pretty incredible announcement; I can’t remember the last time an animated production was kept secret and announced so close to its release date. The film, it should be noted, was already underway when Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, and the politics of that purchase likely has a lot to do with the film’s release strategy.