Exclusive footage from Madagascar, the Wallace and Gromit movie, Ghost In The Shell 2 and Father Of The Pride will debut at this year’s Comic-Con International, being held in San Diego from July 22-25. In the press release that follows, DreamWorks also announces that animators will be able to show their portfolios and bring their reel to DreamWorks recruiters from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm on both Friday July 23rd and Saturday July 24th at Comic-Con’s Portfolio Review Area. Full details:
DREAMWORKS PREVIEWS ANIMATION SLATE
AT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL
Thousands of fans are being introduced to the characters of DreamWorks’ upcoming animated projects at the Comic-Con International, being held from July 22-25 in San Diego, CA.
DreamWorks will be hosting a booth featuring art from the computer-animated blockbuster Shrek 2, as well as the upcoming releases Shark Tale Madagascar, and The Wallace & Gromit Movie. Animé fans can also get a sneak peek at Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, as well as last year’s Millennium Actress. Also represented at the DreamWorks booth will be the new computer-animated comedy series Father of the Pride, being produced by DreamWorks for NBC’s 2004-2005 slate. In addition to the art showcasing the cast of characters from Shrek 2, Shark Tale, and Madagascar, attendees have the opportunity to view conceptual behind-the-scenes art of the sets and character development. Visitors to the DreamWorks booth (#4321) will also be among the first to see footage from Shark Tale, Father of the Pride, Madagascar, The Wallace and Gromit Movie, and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.
Representatives from DreamWorks will also be doing mini portfolio reviews and taking reels from 10:00AM to 12:00PM and from 2:00PM to 4:00PM on both Friday, July 23rd and Saturday, July 24th in Comic-Con’s Portfolio Review Area.
Shrek 2 continues the adventures of the loveable green ogre, his bride Princess Fiona, and his loyal but talkative friend Donkey. The film reunites the cast from Shrek, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, while introducing a new band of characters voiced by Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, and Jennifer Saunders. Shrek 2 has shattered virtually every record for an animated film since its May 19, 2004 opening: in addition to being the top-grossing animated film of all time, it holds the records for the biggest mid-week opening day for an animated film, the largest opening weekend for an animated film, the biggest single-day Saturday gross for any film, and the biggest single-day Sunday gross for any film.
Father of the Pride is a new CGI-animated comedy series for prime-time that goes beyond the bright lights and glitz of the iconic Siegfried & Roy show to provide a glimpse of the off-stage antics and the suburban life of the performing white lions. The comedy series stars the voices of John Goodman, Orlando Jones, Cheryl Hines and Carl Reiner, and is set to debut on NBC August 31, 2004. It will air Tuesdays at 9PM ET/PT.
Opening on October 1, 2004, Shark Tale is an undersea comedy about a little fish who gets into hot water when he pretends to be something he’s not-a great sharkslayer. The film features an all-star cast, including Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Martin Scorsese, Peter Falk, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, Doug E. Doug and Ziggy Marley. Shark Tale is the first CG film to be produced out of DreamWorks’ new state-of-the-art pipeline in Glendale, CA.
Madagascar is a computer-animated comedy starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Schwimmer as four civilized Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their entire lives in blissful captivity. But when they are unexpectedly shipped to Africa and get shipwrecked on the exotic island of Madagascar, these native New Yorkers must try to survive and discover the true meaning of the phrase “it’s a jungle out there.” Madagascar is slated for release in Summer 2005.
A horror spoof spun by Academy Award-winning writer-director Nick Park, the long-awaited clay-animation Wallace and Gromit Movie is currently set to open in Fall 2005. The first feature-length film featuring the beloved characters from two Academy Award-winning shorts is also Aardman Animations’ follow-up to the critically acclaimed Chicken Run.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, written and directed by Mamoru Oshii, is the anticipated sequel to his cult anime film Ghost in the Shell. The film, which was the first animé to ever screen in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this year, is the story of a solitary cyborg who desperately wants to hold on to what’s left of his humanity in a world where the worth of the human soul is fading almost into obscurity. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence will be released in U.S. theaters on September 17, 2004 under the Go Fish Pictures banner, a division of DreamWorks Pictures. This is the second animé film to be distributed by Go Fish Pictures after Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress in September 2003.
DreamWorks SKG was formed in October, 1994, by its three principal partners-Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen-to produce live-action motion pictures; animated feature films; network and cable television programming; home video entertainment; records; books; toys; and consumer products.
