Those of you who decide to see (or are forced by children to see) Cars 2 this weekend will likely get to check out the teaser trailer for Pixar’s next film Brave, coming to theaters in 2012. For those unfamiliar, originally titled The Bear and the Bow, the project was notable upon its announcement for not only featuring Pixar’s first female protagonist, but being helmed by Pixar’s first female director. The protagonist has stayed female (although original choice Reese Witherspoon has been replaced by Kelly Macdonald), but the project’s originator Brenda Chapman was replaced last October with Mark Andrews (who is considered Brad Bird’s right hand man) when Pixar became unhappy with the direction the project was taking.

Disney/Pixar’s official blurb on Brave‘s story is…

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Now TheMarySue has a nice little tableau of four of the film’s characters.

Left to right are Princess Merida (MacDonald), Queen Elinor (Thompson), The Witch (Walters), and Lord MacIntosh (Ferguson). And he be the bear:

And here’s a nice pic of Merida.