USA Today and Tim Burton discuss the re-release of the cult classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. In the conversation, Burton relays his thoughts about the success and marketing of the movie, while also shedding light on the idea of a Nightmare sequel. Furthermore, he considers the benefits of animation and the current condition of it.

Along with Barbie, Bratz and Tickle Me Elmo, toy cars inspired by Disney’s Pixar’s Cars brought big bucks to Mattel, says The Los Angeles Times. On Monday, the El Segundo-based toy maker announced its best quarterly earnings in six years, a sure sign of healthy holiday sales.

Located in downtown Santa Monica, Image Metrics is experiencing an increase in popularity among Hollywood studios. The company’s software allows a computer to map an actor’s performance, sending it to a character virtual or human. Thus, an older actor may star as his or her younger self. Likewise, an actor from the past may star […]

Animation has been chosen to tell the story of Pope John Paul II, in a film from producer Jose Luis Lopez-Guardia. Subtitled The Friend of All Humanity, the project reveals the life and death of the respected figure. This will mark the first time a Pope’s life has been represented with animation, writes BBC News. […]

Variety.com notes that Gumby is making a return to television, set to star in a future animated series and direct-to-video movie. The projects will be produced by Joe Clokey, son of Gumby creator Art Clokey. In addition, the claymation character is at the center of new licensing and marketing partnerships with national advertisers. Meanwhile, Classic […]

The Internet Movie Poster Awards displays the international one-sheet for Happy Feet. In addition, the website presents the UK quad for Arthur and the Invisibles, which possesses a similar design as its teaser counterpart. In related poster news, Luxo sports an image of the poster for Pixar’s latest short, Lifted, as shown at the Chicago […]

Upcoming Pixar points to MiceChat, where Daniel Chapman shares photos and memories from the tour he recently took of Pixar Animation Studios. The highly-recommended read suggests that Tim Burton may soon team with Pixar for a project, while also commenting that the ending of Toy Story 2 hints at the story for its sequel. As […]

The Japanese version of Disney’s official website has added the international trailer to Meet the Robinsons, as provided by Coming Soon. Likewise, the latter site escorts the full international trailer for Happy Feet, as provided by the UK online domain for the penguin musical. In the meantime, IGN offers a featurette on the process taken […]

Following up on yesterday’s report about the ASIFA book signing with Tom Sito, o-meon now presents an Internet podcast with Tom. “It’s been said that in Hollywood nobody knows anything. With the publication of Tom Sito’s book, Drawing the Line the Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson, that statement no […]

Variety reports on the 25th anniversary of DIC Entertainment with a special focus on Andy Heyward, the company’s chairman and CEO. “It’s midafternoon at DIC Entertainment’s Burbank headquarters, and company chairman-CEO Andy Heyward is having a typical day. He’s frantically eating a sandwich (a late lunch) along with some nuts and raisins and drinking a […]

The UCLA Film Workshop presents a evening dedicated to the veteran animator, author and ASIFA Vice President, Tom Sito. Tom’s credits include such classics as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Shrek. Join Tom as we screen films that influenced him, and hear him discuss his […]

Ain’t It Cool News carries a highly positive review for Lifted, the latest animated short from Pixar. “Do you like laughing until your stomach feels like it’s been pounded by the biggest bully in school? Then this is the film for yah! This is probably the funniest short out of Pixar I’ve seen,” writes the […]

Discovered at Movieposter.com is the final poster for Happy Feet. The one-sheet heavily resembles its teaser predecessor, with the exception that the “Warning: May Cause Toe-Tapping” label has been replaced with credits.

The New York Times takes a look at the current competition challenging Nickelodeon’s dominance in younger viewers. For the time being, the network’s largest rival is the Disney Channel, whose ratings have surged thanks to High School Musical, The Cheetah Girls and series Hannah Montana. In response, Nickelodeon is preparing new online ventures and live-action […]

An informal poll at Los Angeles Business discovered Bambi to be Disney’s most treasured animated classic, with the film receiving 21% of the vote. Next in line were Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (20%), Cinderella (12%), “Other” (9%), The Lion King (8%), Beauty and the Beast (7%), The Little Mermaid (5%) and Fantasia (4%). […]

Inspired by the Wallace & Gromit shorts, British filmmaker Lewi Firth Bolton began creating stop-motion animation in his bedroom three years ago. Recently, he submitted his work to Aardman Animations, the studio behind the loveable animated duo. To his surprise, the company offered him a job, reports BBC News. Unfortunately, Bolton was forced to turn […]

IESB.net sports ten film clips from the DreamWorks/Aardman production Flushed Away. Likewise, the site offers two featurettes, elaborating on the film’s cast and use of computer animation. Flushed Away will open in cinemas nationwide on November 3rd.

DreamWorks Animation’s short film First Flight has finally received its own official website. In addition to playing the film festival circuit, the award-winning tale debuted last May in select theaters with the feature Over the Hedge. To learn more about First Flight‘s first website, please click:

According to Elites TV, Premiere Publishing Group, Inc., along with wholly-owned subsidiaries Sobe Life, LLC and Poker Life Magazine, LLC, are preparing an animated series featuring Donald Trump and other Trump executives. “Our first step is producing two shorts and a pilot to present back to Mr. Trump for approval,” commented Michael Jacobson, CEO of […]

At the age of 94, legendary animator Ed Benedict died in his sleep on August 8, in his Auburn home of Nothern California. The news was confirmed on Tuesday by Benedict’s longtime friend and fellow animator David K. Sheldon. Early in his career, Benedict set up shop at MGM and Universal, with both studios allowing […]

Ultimate Disney speaks with Don Hahn, who has produced Disney feature films including Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, as well as shorts such as Lorenzo and One by One. The conversation covers topics like the Disney Digital 3-D release of The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Little Matchgirl, a 2-disc DVD for The […]

The St. Paul Pioneer Press summarizes what listerners should expect from the Happy Feet soundtrack, coming to stores on Halloween, October 31st. Mentioning the track Prince wrote for the film, the article points readers to AOL Music, where the tune, “Song of the Heart,” may be heard.

The Associated Press via The Bulletin reports that David Bowie is set to guest star in a 2007 episode of Spongebob Squarepants. His voice will be heard from the character Lord Royal Highness. In his blog, Bowie, who watches Spongebob regularly with his 6-year-old daughter, Alexandria Zahra, wrote that he has “hit the Holy Grail […]

The tenth Hollywood Film Festival will present the world premeire of Flushed Away, says United Press International/Variety. Running from October 18-23, the Los Angeles event will screen the Paramount Pictures’ presentation of a DreamWorks/Aardman film on its fifth night.

Through The Houston Chronicle, the Associated Press spreads the word that Ellen DeGeneres will become a “virtual seal” for Dawn Saves Wildlife. The online program provides information on wildlife preservation, including tips on how to protect aquatic animals from pollution. Visitors to Dawn Saves Wildlife may become virtual animals, such as pelicans, penguins, ducks or […]

Coming Soon is teaming with Walt Disney Pictures to bring the “Create Your Own Character Fan Art Contest.” The challenge calls for contestants to develop an original character that would fit within the world of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Prizes include a one-sheet signed by the filmmakers, a 6-foot tall Jack Skellington theater standee, a […]

Following up on yesterday’s report of the recent Disney Legends ceremony, Chuck Oberleitner provides some additional photographs from the event at o-meon. Animators among the inductees included background artist Al Dempster and the late story artist Joe Ranft, represented at the ceremony by his bereaved wife and daughter.

On Monday, October 9th, at 4:00 pm, 12 honorees were awarded the prestigious Disney Legends Award. Those recipients consisted of Tim Considine, Kevin Corcoran, Don Edgren, Sir Elton John, Tommy Kirk, David Stollery and Ginny Tyler. Posthumous inductees included Al Dempster, Paul Frees, Peter Jennings, Jimmy Johnson and Joe Ranft. Yahoo! Finance has the PR […]

Coming Soon confirms that the teaser trailer to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be attached to Happy Feet, opening November 17th. The trailer should then appear online sometime during the following week.

Business Wire through Yahoo! Finance indicates that the Little Mermaid Platinum Edition DVD sold over 4 million units in its first week. Sales show this to be the largest October debut for an animated film on DVD. Furthermore, the Mermaid DVD sold more copies in its premiere than any of its Platinum Edition cohorts. “The […]