The nationwide Regal Cinema chain is once again offering its summertime Free Family Film Festival which screens select G and PG-rated movies, most of which are animated. Movies shown vary somewhat from theater to theater but an example is the Edwards Fresno Stadium 22 theater which will be showing Anastasia, Charlotte’s Web, Muppets From Space, […]

DreamWorks has issued a press release presenting exciting information regarding what the studio has in store for Comic-Con International, coming July 13-17 in San Diego, CA. Folks who check out the DreamWorks booth will not only get the chance to attend exclusive advance screenings of DreamWorks’ summer live-action films, but will get to see, firsthand, […]

The Disney Database has posted the UK press release for Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch which lets out a little more information about this direct-to-video title including plot and music info.

Slate takes a brief look at what happens when the voice of a cartoon character passes away or becomes ill, including the process of finding of a replacement voice that sounds almost the same.

Cheeky Entertainment’s animated short Astrothrill has been announced as one of films being screened at the San Diego Comic-Con International Film Festival. For information regarding where and when the film will be shown, be sure to check out the press release from Cheeky Entertainment by clicking “More”.

Artists looking for work in Australia and New Zealand may find help through VFXJobs, a new website dedicated to helping the matter. With VFXJobs, all the production houses located in New Zealand and Australia are able to list their relevant job opportunities. Meanwhile, those looking for work may check into the website as often as […]

Numerous photos of last night’s tribute to longtime Disney story artist Joe Grant have been posted at the ASIFA-Hollywood Blog. This event was well-attended by many who knew Joe as friends, family, and professional colleagues. Expect a report on the event tomorrow at Animated News.

Sci Fi Wire reports that Paul Giamatti will be among the actors to voice the half hour animated series Amazing Screw-On Head. Based on Mike Mignola’s comic book, the series is set in the Civil War era and narrates the adventures of a robot secret agent at the service of Abraham Lincoln. David Hyde Pierce […]

The {{link http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2005/05.06.24.html Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences}} has extended membership invitations to 112 people who have distinguished themselves in the film industry. The group will be the only new voting members invited to join the organization in 2005. Among them are Pixar and Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and several others in the […]

Currently being sponsored by Volkswagen (shouldn’t they have done this for the Herbie film?) is the trailer for {{link http://www.kingkongmovie.com/ef239524432ba87f1ca8f70eed4b1fa7/en_splash.html Peter Jackson’s King Kong}}, which features a surprising amount of full-on monkey business rather than the glimpses we usually catch in teasers for such big event movies. King Kong, featuring Andy (Gollum) Serkis under a […]

Ultimate Disney has a small pic of the potential cover art for the Lady and the Tramp Platinum Edition DVD, coming in March 2006. In other Disney DVD news, the site also features the storyline for Brother Bear 2, which “will center on Kenai (who, you may recall, has been transformed into a brown bear) […]

The Disney Database reports that the Tarzan: Special Edition DVD, which has already debuted in many other countries, will finally make its way to US stores on October 18, 2005. Logo art for the DVD may also be found at the Disney Database.

PR Newswire has the press release for Corner Stone Pictures and OBX Capital Group’s revelation of a new joint undertaking, Corner Stone Animation. Operating as a branch of Corner Stone Pictures, Corner Stone Animation will work in every aspect of financing and animation production, in addition to handling product merchandising, manufacturing, and distributing. Production has […]

According to the Internet Movie Database, John Debney (Chicken Little, The Emperor’s New Groove) has been hired to write the musical score for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ Barnyard, opening in theaters on January 13, 2006. In other composer news, Alan Silvestri (The Polar Express, Lilo & Stitch) will write the music for Disney’s The […]

Jim Hill Media has the exciting news that Chicken Little will be released in 3D, on November 4, 2005. Enlisting the help of Dolby Laboratories and Industrial Light & Magic, Disney plans to release the 3D version of their first all-CGI movie in “100 specially-selected, high-profile theatres in 25 top markets”. Viewers of the 3D […]

The Disney Database reports that Buena Vista Home Entertainment UK will be releasing a Special Edition DVD of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True to coincide with the Platinum Edition DVD of Cinderella. Nevertheless, for the time being, the sequel’s re-release will be only for the UK, arriving October 3rd. Update: A message from ‘Hennie’ posted […]

DVDtoons has the DVD cover art and plot synopsis for Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows, coming to DVD on October 11, 2005.

Driving into fourth place at the box office this weekend, Herbie: Fully Loaded collected an estimated $12.8 million over the three-day weekend, despite being shown in 3,521 theaters. Furthermore, the Disney comedy averaged a mild $3,621 over three days. The Friday-to-Sunday performance of the film has set the record for the worst opening ever for […]

In more sad news for \\Winnie the Pooh\\ fans, John Fiedler, the voice of Piglet, passed away on June 25 according to {{link http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/27/obit.fiedler.ap CNN}}. The stage and screen actor became the voice of Pooh’s “ever-worrying” friend when his naturally high-pitched voice was noticed. “Walt Disney heard it on a program and said, ‘That’s Piglet’ […]

Paul Winchell, best known as the voice of Tigger in Disney’s \\Winnie the Pooh\\ cartoons and Gargamel in \\The Smurfs\\, has died at the age of 82, according to the {{link http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050626/D8AVA1TO0.html Associated Press}}. Winchell began his career as a ventriloquist in the 1930s, and went on to star in his own TV shows in […]

Ultimate Disney writes of the happenings that occurred at a special preview screening for the Cinderella: Platinum Edition DVD in New York. The report includes notes on the presentation and the bonus feature excerpts shown, along with four supplement stills.

Good for a few minutes of weekend fun, Grocery Store Wars presents the produce section of a supermarket parodying Star Wars. Watch Cuke, Princess Lettuce, Chewbroccoli, and the rest of the gang battle the evil powers of mass-produced, non-organic fruits and vegetables and the Death Melon. Thanks to James D. for the heads up.

TheBest3D.com announces Dan Ritchie’s PD Pro Digital Painter 3.2. This latest upgrade for users of PD Pro 3.x comes equipped with significant speed increase and new features. To read the Pro Digital Painter 3.2’s press release, please click “More”.

JoJo from Playhouse Disney’s JoJo’s Circus will appear as a giant helium balloon this fall in the 79th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Toon Zone reports. Measuring approximately 55 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 63 feet high, the attraction will be the first-ever animated giant helium balloon, as one of JoJo’s three juggling balls […]

Animated News reporter Christian Ziebarth happened to be in Hawaii for the Maui Film Festival recently and has written about his experiences:

TV Shows on DVD has posted the box art for season 6 of The Simpsons on DVD. It’s entirely different from the box art for the first five seasons yet somehow very familiar. Thanks to Kristin for the heads up.

Nine new images from August 30’s direct-to-video Disney title Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch can be viewed here:

The 15th International Animated Film Festival “Les Nuits Magiques” will be held in Bègles France, located near Bordeaux, from December 5 – 11, 2005. Projects may be submitted for the short film competiton until September 15th. For more info, please click “More”.