TV Shows on DVD reports that in addition to the DVD release of Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock, taken from the 1994 series, Spider-Man: The ’67 Classic Collection DVD box set will be released in stores on June 29. The six-DVD set contains all 52 fully restored classic Spider-Man episodes from the original 1967 TV series.

Two animation events across the UK were highlighted today, in The Guardian newspaper’s listings supplement, The Guide: {{link http://www.britishanimationawards.com/ The British Animation Awards}}: “When you consider that past contributors have included Nick Park, Steve Bell and Tim Burton, you get a good idea of the quality expected in this competition. Plus you – yes, you […]

Dalboz has provided links in the Animated News Forum to several posters to designed to generate awareness for Oscar nominees including two posters for Finding Nemo and one for Tokyo Godfathers.

Check out the opinion piece by Motley Fool Rick Aristotle Munarriz on the advantages to a merger between The Walt Disney Company, Apple Computers, and Pixar Studios with Steve Jobs at the helm of the superconglomerate. “Eisner isn’t ready to step out. Jobs isn’t ready to step in. That still doesn’t detract from the tantalizing […]

The Big Cartoon DataBase reports on an alternative Disney investor meeting set up by Walt Disney Company dissidents Roy Disney and Stanley Gold. This meeting will be held in Philadelphia one day before the official meeting of Disney stockholders and is intended to educate shareholders on how “the House of Mouse has lost its creative […]

Be sure to tune in to CBS News tomorrow morning, February 8 at 9:00 am ET and at 7:00 am PT, for a report on the state of animation. Animators J. J. Sedelmaier and Gary Baseman, and animation studio Pixar are scheduled to be profiled. Thanks to Animation Insider for the alert.

The DVD menus for Cat in the Hat, Dilbert, and The Flinstones are now available at Davis DVD.

Toon Zone reveals that, according to Reed Television, Kids’ WB! and Cartoon Network next season will share Warner Bros. Animation’s The Batman. While the half-hour show will air on Kids’ WB! on Saturday mornings next fall, it will begin airing on Cartoon Network around six months later. The Batman‘s premise is that it “looks at […]

According to AWN, on February 8, at 9:00 am ET and 7:00 am PT, CBS News Sunday Morning will take a look at the state of both traditional and computer animation.

The official Shrek 2 website has been updated, now offering visitors wallpapers, a screen saver, buddy icons, and Valentine’s Day e-cards.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the upcoming Aladdin: Special Edition DVD, the fourth entry in the “Platinum Edition” series, will include the song “Proud of Your Boy,” which was cut from the original film. Also, the DVD’s bonus features will include the original pencil test drawings of a scene including Aladdin’s mother. Thanks to Toon […]

Velma in Red Leather! doh, well you’ll understand what I’m talking about when you head over and d/l the full Scooby Doo 2 trailer at Apple Quicktimes It seems that Rhythm & Hues is taking on the hound once again. Wow, some of these shots look great, now hurry, before a scary, ghost knight in […]

{{link http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/7885747.htm ContraCostaTimes.com}} reports that John Hench, “a longtime Disney artist and the official portrait painter of Mickey Mouse”, has died at 95. Hench began at Disney in 1939 as a sketch artist on \\Fantasia\\ and went on to work on many other films (animated and live action) in different capacities. In 1946, Hench worked […]

During a Q&A session after a Clerks screening in Los Angeles, Kevin Smith announced that Clerks: Sell Out will probably head directly to DVD and video, considering this route is “cheaper, faster, and a more direct route toward the intended customers.” Smith also mentioned that there is a possibility of a new animated Clerks movie […]

After Sci Fi Wire’s interesting interview with producer Don Hahn, Jim Hill Media provides an article that further investigates if Gnomeo and Juliet has not been cancelled after all.

According to {{link http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/02/04/financial1931EST0360.DTL&type=printable SFGate.com}}, Pixar CEO Steve Jobs recently talked with analysts about what led to their break with Disney. Jobs said he offered Disney better terms than he knew he could get from a rival studio during their negotiations, but said Disney balked at allowing Pixar to fold the last two movies due […]

On the Animated-News forum, “MusicFan” reports that, “THQ will be publishing a videogame based on Warner Bros. upcoming film The Polar Express, to be released in conjunction with the film. The console and PC versions will be developed by Austrialian developer Blue Tongue Entertainment, and the Game Boy Advance version will be developed by Tantalus […]

After months of stagnancy, The-Last-Unicorn.net, the official website for the live-action production of The Last Unicorn, has finally seen a change. Not just any change, either – the whole website has been revamped! With a new look and layout, the site still continually mentions that it is only a work-in-progress representation, with much more to […]

{{link http://www.toonradio.net/ Toon Radio’s}} anime program Anime in the Limelight will expand to a full hour starting Saturday, February 7, at 6:00pm EST.

According to Variety, in a seven-figure deal with DreamWorks, John Ridley is set to write his first animated feature, The Unprofessionals. The story follows three “hapless” monkeys who, while on a quest, are expected to fail but ultimately succeed.

{{link http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?siteid=mktw&guid=%7B6C7718A8%2DEBE1%2D48B5%2DAAFE%2D326237A63079%7D& CBS Marketwatch}} reports that Roy Disney has made a Securities and Exchange Commission filing outlining what he believes are the mistakes of the Walt Disney Company over the past decade. “Roy Disney looks at the time period from when Eisner assumed the lion’s share of day-to-day operations at Disney in 1994, when President […]

On February 10, Buena Vista Home Entertainment will be releasing Disney’s The Lion King 1½ as a direct-to-video title in America and later on in other parts of the world. This is quite possibly the grandest and most ambitious animated feature to be released directly to video and will go a long way in helping […]

Available at LionKing.org are the lyrics to the songs from Lion King 1½. Also available there are the front and back scans from the interquel’s soundtrack cover.

Ultimate Disney has the production notes for Lion King 1½.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Marvel vice chairman Peter Cuneo said on Tuesday that Marvel Enterprises has met with Pixar — and nearly every producer — concerning bringing more of its comic book characters to filmed entertainment. While Speaking at Emerald Asset Management’s 11th annual Groundhog Day Investment Forum in Philadelphia, Cuneo said, “Pixar has […]

Despite recent news that the movie has been cancelled, Don Hahn talks about Gnomeo and Juliet, in a new interview with Sci Fi Wire, as if the film is still on its way.

Check out About.com‘s interview with Bradley Raymond, the director of Lion King 1½!

Superhero Hype! points to Adam West’s website, where it is revealed that the former Batman will be voicing Commissioner Gordon in the new animated Batman series, which will debut later this year. One more quick note concerning Superhero Hype! is that the website has added a new Incredibles Hype! page.

The preview for The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride DVD on the Lion King 1½ DVD shows that the animated short One by One will be one of the DVD special features. This short was previously thought to be part of the upcoming third Fantasia movie. Does anyone have any more information on this?

{{link http://www.forbes.com/markets/newswire/2004/02/03/rtr1238996.html Reuters}} reports that \\The New York Post\\ sources say DreamWorks is “ramping up efforts to spin off its animation unit”. The \\Post\\ sources say that “a spin-off would allow it to raise cash while keeping a production agreement” and that the company is also considering “a possible initial public offering of the animation […]