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”.

Goofa Man Productions has announced that for the second year in a row, one of its shorts has been selected to appear at the San Diego Comic-Con International film festival. The film, Electronic Things of the Future, is a five-minute glimpse at electronic devices everyone must own in order to survive today. Click the “More” […]

It appears that Disney is hoping to release the Pixar-less Toy Story 3 in the summer of 2008, according to Variety [paid registration required]. The online magazine also mentions that since the Disney Princess line has done so well, Disney has released plans to begin a Disney Fairies line, based on a novel from Ella […]

Ain’t It Cool News has a load of images from the New York City Licensing Show 2005. Included in the mix are promotional pics from many projects in development or coming out later this year, including titles from {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20541 Warner Brothers}} (The Corpse Bride, Krypto the Superdog, Loonatics Unleashed), and {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20539 DreamWorks}} (Wallace […]

Toonzone reports that the anime based on Capcom’s Viewtiful Joe videogame will air on Kids WB this fall. The series centers on Joe, a film buff that is sucked into an action movie and is transformed into Viewtiful Joe, a superhero with the power to speed up or slow down time.

The one-sheet for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has been unveiled online at Coming Soon. The film opens on December 9, 2005.

In an interview with Latino Review, John Leguizamo tells a few tidbits regarding the future Ice Age sequel. When asked if he could tell what the film’s story consists of, the actor responds, “I’m not allowed to divulge a lot but I do sing in it. I still play the sloth, and Drea de Matteo […]

DVDtoons has the details, including cover art, on two upcoming Raggedy Ann & Andy DVDs. Raggedy Ann & Andy: The Mabbit Adventure will contain the episodes “The Mabbit Adventure”, “The Perriwonk Adventure”, and “The Pirate Adventure”. Meanwhile, Raggedy Ann & Andy: The Pixling Adventure will have “The Pixeling Adventure”, “The Beastly Ghost Adventure”, and “The […]

Disney Enterprises Inc., Sanrio Co., Cartoon Network, Viacom International Inc. and Hanna-Barbera Productions have filed copyright and trademark infringement lawsuits against two downtown Los Angeles produce vendors, reports Los Angeles Times, via The Big Cartoon Database. Filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in February and April, the lawsuits come as a result […]

Apart from The Jetsons, Yogi Bear and the return of Garfield to the big screen, {{link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8184943/site/newsweek/ MSNBC’s Newsweek}} has a small piece on more cartoons set to “go live” in Hollywood adaptations, including John Woo’s He Man, with Jason Lewis, and The Smurfs, a long-rumored project, with Jeff Goldblum once listed as Gargamel!