It's no secret that around here, we're very excited about "Tomorrowland," Brad Bird's new action adventure outing starring George Clooney and loosely based around the land of the same name that can be explored in Disney parks worldwide. What the literal connection between the movie and the "land" remained vague; mostly the connection is spiritual. This is, after all, about that utopian promise that Walt Disney and similar futurists envisioned for the human race. But this new poster, released ahead of a brand new trailer (set to debut on Monday), makes that connection more concrete.



If you look at the poster and look directly to the left of the small, overall-wearing character on the left (initially we thought that this was Raffey Cassidy's young robot character Athena, but it appears to be a child version of Clooney's Frank Welker, played by Thomas Robinson) amidst the glittering skyline is a distinct and memorable building... Yes, that's Space Mountain.



Space Mountain, of course, is one of the most iconic attractions at the Disney theme parks. It originally opened in 1975 at Florida's Magic Kingdom and in 1977 at California's Disneyland. (It has subsequently opened at Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland; Shanghai Disneyland is set to include a Space Mountain-ish attraction themed to the world of "Tron.") It's a dark, high-speed coaster that sends you hurdling through the cosmos. Of course. I last rode the ride at the end of January in Florida. And it was just as magical as the first time I rode it as a young tot.



Now how does the ride fit into "Tomorrowland?" That remains to be seen...



"Tomorrowland" opens on May 22nd.