Variety reports that Vanguard Animation’s John H. Williams, who brought William Steig’s Shrek to DreamWorks, has obtained the rights to The Zabajaba Jungle from the author’s estate. Published in 1991, the book is the story of a young boy who must travel through a jungle to find his captured parents. Vanguard Animation’s films in production […]

In the first review anywhere online, {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17745 AICN}}’s ‘Moriarty’ looks at the new Spider-Man film, and really, really loves it!

For those who just can’t seem to get enough Shrek these days, hop on over to the DreamWorks Animation Fansite, where they’re giving away copies of the PS2 {{link http://www.dreamworksfansite.com/features/contest/shrek_games.php game of Shrek 2}}! Meanwhile, DVD Toons are running a similarly easy to enter contest where the prize is one of three copies of {{link […]

In an interview with IGN Filmforce, Catwoman producer Denise Di Novi stated that her next project may be the live-action adaptation of the cartoon classic The Jetsons. Director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down the House) is set to helm the film for Warner Brothers. Di Novi also indicated that the most recent draft of the screenplay […]

At the AN Forum, ‘monkeyboy12’ points to a new Garfield: The Movie sweepstakes at Cartoon Network’s official website. One could win a trip for four to see the Garfield balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live in New York City, while two hundred runners-up will receive a Garfield prize pack, including a Garfield watch […]

In what must be a first, {{link http://www.filmstew.com/Content/Features/Details.asp?Pg=1&ContentID=8864 Film Stew}} actually reviews the recent Cannes Film Festival press conference for DreamWorks’ Shark Tale! The story is interesting, however, as it looks at how the worlds of serious film festival and Hollywood junkets can blend (and sometimes crash) together, however orchestrated such an event could be. […]

Ain’t It Cool News has a couple of animation-related tidbits up this Monday: the {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17740 latest on Tintin}}, Spielberg’s live-action feature film series, and another story spreading the good word about {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17741 Rex Steele: Nazi Smasher}}. Finally, one reader has sent in a {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17733 scathing review}} of Garfield: The Movie…

This past Saturday played host to this year’s MTV Movie Awards and {{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/040606f.php Dark Horizons}} has the full list of winners up, including Johnny Depp’s Best Male Performance for Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Lindsay Lohan’s Breathrough Female win for Freaky Friday, and The Lord Of The Rings: […]

Box Office Report indicates that Shrek 2 fell 49% this weekend, pulling in $37 million and coming in at the second spot on the weekend’s top ten list. Thus, with a total of $313 million, Shrek 2 has crossed the $300 million mark in only 18 days, a record that took Spider-Man 22 days to […]

At the Ultimate Disney forum, ‘Karlsen’ has posted a reaction to The Three Musketeers, starring Mickey, Donald and Goofy, after seeing a sneak preview of the film in Norway. “It was a great movie, but as usual Disney has twisted the original story to the unrecognizable,” says ‘Karlsen’. The Three Musketeers will arrive on DVD […]

With the recent release of the Walt Disney Treasures: TomorrowLand DVD set bringing back to the fore Walt Disney’s interests in looking toward the future, the {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/waltdisney/home.html Walt Disney Family Museum}} highlights the 40th anniversary of the 1964 World’s Fair and the making of Mary Poppins. Participants in newly added video clips include Marty […]

Filmax Animation Entertainment, the independent Spanish production company, will bring its two completed animated feature films, the hand drawn El Cid: The Legend and the CGI Pinocchio 3000, to the Annecy animation festival, reports the {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=11165 Animation World Network}}. AWN also has more on the ambitious {{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?article_no=1950 El Cid}}, which will see a […]

With Ralph Bakshi’s 1977 feature Wizards currently making the rounds on a recently released DVD, animation historian and writer Micheal Barrier opens up his {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/funnyworld_revisited.htm Funnyworld Revisited}} pages to re-print a fascinating and in-depth piece on the making of Bakshi’s first feature, Fritz The Cat, with some additional thoughts on Bakshi’s post-Fritz career. Great […]

{{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=112820 Toon Zone}} posts the specs and details for Warner Home Video’s VHS and DVD release of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, which will go up against Disney’s Home On The Range on September 14.

While the state of the industry may be headed into bad shape, there’s no questioning Japanese anime’s continuing popularity. Ain’t It Cool News returns with the latest rumblings from the manga world with their monthly {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17721 AnimAICN}} column.

Sony’s Astroboy property has been slated to be turned into a big screen theatrical adventure, reports Dark Horizons, from an original {{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/040603i.php Variety article}}. Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory creator Genndy Tartakovsky (also of Star Wars: Clone Wars) is down to write and direct, with Don Murphy producing with Lisa Henson and Kristine Belson […]

In a clever piece of marketing speak, Universal’s Craig Kornblau explains that the multitude of home video spin-offs, animated DTV titles and so-called “cheapquells” actually do have a purpose other than creating a way for a studio to make a quick buck. “What this whole DVD business is about is offering consumers more of the […]

In a piece over at {{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-05-13-shrek-main_x.htm USA Today}}, Jeffrey Katzenberg explains the change in direction DreamWorks has taken from the traditionally animated films Spirit and Sinbad to the hipper, more edgier family fare such as the Shrek films. Touching on the future of DWs animation, Katzenberg confirms Shrek 3 and 4, and the story […]

‘Monkeyboy12’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=3184#post3184 AN Forum}} has posted a link to a trailer for the upcoming PS2 video game of Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles. Don your super suit and fly over to {{link http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/568/568280/vids_1.html IGN.com}} (free subscription required) for the clip and a new video interview on the game!

‘Otma1918’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=3178#post3178 Animated News Forum}} says that “AnimationHQ will host a live online chat session with American voice actress and dub director Wendee Lee on Saturday, June 5th at 2pm EST. This will be the third time Wendee has chatted with the folks at {{link http://www.animationhq.net/v2/features/events.htm AnimationHQ}}”.

One of the more fascinating and down right fun looking animated shorts to come along in recent times, Woohoo Pictures’ {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00001362.html Rex Steele: Nazi Smasher}} is making quite a name for itself on the festival circuit, it seems, and picking up accalim and awards. Now {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/articles/guest/colton.06042004.1.htm Roger Colton}} is back for Jim Hill […]

With a successful DVD release last fall, the crew from Disney’s The Lion King will be reuniting for one night only to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the film, at a one-off event to be held in Glendale, California. Featuring a healthy host of panelists on hand to talk and answer questions on the making […]

{{link http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/features/story.jsp?story=527813 Independent News}} in the UK reports that when the DreamWorks behemoth Shrek 2 arrives for its UK bow on July 2, audiences will hear a slightly different version of the film than is playing in the US. It only boils down to two small (but pointless) changes, which sees the US’s Larry King […]

In answer to Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s quote earlier this week that 2D animation had come to an end (at least in the eyes of the Mouse House), caricaturist Pete Emslie has penned the rather clever and amusing {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/articles/guest/emslie.06042004.1.htm The Monkey’s Tale}}, a poem which can be read over at Jim Hill’s page.

DVD Answers have a bunch of info on upcoming Disney DVD issues, including high-res artwork for the {{link http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?r=0&s=1&c=3875&n=1&burl= Mulan: Special Edition}} (released October 26) and the 1979 live-action feature {{link http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?r=0&s=1&c=4087&n=1&burl= The Black Hole}} (August 3). Most interesting are the menu screens from the September 14 release of {{link http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?r=0&s=1&c=4088&n=1&burl= Home On The Range}}: […]

Seattle Post-Intelligence, via Toon Zone, reveals that guests during a ceremony at Disneyland in Anaheim, California will be treated to a set of four postage stamps and other mail products featuring Disney characters on June 23. As the website notes, call 1-800-5-MICKEY to make reservations. The 37-cent stamps, 23-cent postal cards, and printed stationary that […]

Twenty new Star Wars: Clone Wars episodes are set to air before the release of Star Wars: Episode III, says an informant at TheForce.net. No official announcement has been made yet. Nonetheless, the website indicates, “We’re also hearing that a Clone Wars DVD release is a pending announcement, though we’re not sure if both ‘seasons’ […]

Coming Soon! reports that Gary Winick (13 Going on 30) has been hired to direct the live-action/CG animated version of Charlotte’s Web, from a script by Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) with revisions by Karey Kirkpatrick (Chicken Run, Curious George). Charlotte’s Web, last seen as the 1973 animated film, will be released by Paramount.

A Windows Media version of the trailer is now available at Dark Horizons.

For those interested in the technological details of Sony’s new digital theater projectors, the {{link http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=25972 Digital Producer}} has more on how the 4K resolution system works. To put things in perspective, films such as Toy Story or Shrek 2 are created at 2K, and transferred to film for standard projection. The 4K route doubles […]