Vanguard, Nash capture Santa Paws
With Dark Horizons, Variety spreads the word that Vanguard Animation and Nash Entertainment have adopted Santa Paws, an idea from producer Bruce Nash. The pitch regards “a stray dog that accidentally hitches a ride to the North Pole on Santa’s sleigh.” Set to write the script is Damian Dibben, while IDT Entertainment will have rights […] |
French Cars premiere report
“Kinoo” in our Animated News forums has posted about his experience at the Grand Première for Cars held in the French Cinémathèque yesterday. In addition to a screening of the film the teaser trailer for Ratatouille and the short One Mand Band were also shown and Kinoo was able to pose an important question to […] |
Tarzan's Broadway debut review
The {{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com Hollywood Reporter}}’s Frank Scheck has been among the first to review the musical stage adaptation of Disney’s Phil Collins-penned Tarzan animated film, now playing on Broadway. Calling the production “more a theme park attraction than a show, but a spectacularly staged one nonetheless”, while adding that it is “gorgeous and imaginative [and] […] |
Gearing up for Cars
Chuck Oberleitner’s o-meon has two recent Cars-related stories, one trying to determine where the Disney/Pixar Cars Road Trip ’06 will be making its appearances, and a press release detailing the quick sellout of all 30,000 seats for the premiere at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Animated News correspondents Mickey and Brandon will be there to report on […] |
Over the Hedge development art
Yahoo! Movies has an exclusive page filled with storyboards and concept art for DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge as well as three finished clips from the film. Over the Hedge, featuring the vocal talents of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Avril Lavigne, and Wanda Sykes, opens in theaters on May 19. |
Superman Returns to DVD for documentary
A new advertisement being sent to video dealers reveals that the two-hour documentary Look, Up In The Sky! The Amazing Story Of Superman is set to receive its TV premiere on June 12, just days before it hits DVD on June 20 to tie in with the release of Superman Returns in theaters on June […] |
Disney's quarterly profit rises; Toy Story 3 confirmed
The Walt Disney Company has released its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended April 1, 2006. “Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter increased 19% to $0.37, compared to $0.31 in the prior-year quarter. For the six-month period, diluted EPS increased 16% to $0.74, compared to $0.64 in the […] |
Pixar culture blending into Disney animation
Reuters and Yahoo! Movies team to tell the effect Pixar may be having on Walt Disney Feature Animation. From the cancellation of DTV projects to the creation of a “brain trust,” Disney’s animation unit is undergoing changes, in an effort for the division to reclaim some of its luster from earlier years. The article likewise […] |
Latest word on new X-Men animated series
Comics2Film reports that according to producer Jason Netter, the first group of scripts for the upcoming X-Men animated series is currently being worked on by Greg Johnson. Prior to this job, Johnson helped with X-Men: Evolution, along with writing all four films in Marvel’s recent DTV animated movie line. Netter further noted that the show […] |
Second Ant Bully poster
Another one sheet for the star-studded computer animated comedy has appeared at The Internet Movie Poster Awards. The Warner Bros. picture will open in cinemas on August 4th. |
Paul Simon Surprise-es with "Father and Daughter" revisit
It may come as a pleasant surprise to animation fans that Paul Simon’s newest project, Surprise, includes his Oscar-nominated ballad “Father and Daughter,” as heard in The Wild Thornberrys Movie. The song, along with the rest of the CD, is available to hear for free legally at AOL Music. |
Fraggle Rock movie, DVD update
The Muppet Newsflash points to Brian Henson, who offers the lowdown on Fraggle Rock: The Movie. Apparently, the film will be more of a “revisiting” of the characters, rather than a continuation of the television series. In other words, the movie will not precisely fit the show’s timeline or cannon. With pre-planning and script writing […] |
DVD artwork: Lady & the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure
At DVD Active, presented in high resolution is the DVD cover artwork for the re-release of Lady & the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure. The sequel will re-enter stores on June 20th. |
Swashbuckling chocolate candies await
Check out the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest page at M&M’s.com for some animated webisodes featuring the M&M’s characters as pirates. The site kicks off a promotion for four new kinds of M&M’s, including White Chocolate Pirate Pearls, that tie in with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest marketing campaign. More […] |
Where's Lilo? Leroy and Stitch images
Following are seven images from the June 27 direct-to-video title Leroy and Stitch which wraps up the storyline of Disney’s Lilo and Stitch television series. |
Dumbo flaps at the El Cap
Yahoo! Finance gives all the details on the previously mentioned run of Dumbo at Disney’s El Capitan Theatre from May 25 to June 7. Each screening during the two-week engagement (which kicks off an 80th anniversary celebration for the historic theatre) will also feature the short Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. The opening […] |
Walt's People: Third volume released
Following is the official press release and order information for volume 3 of Walt’s People, a collection of interviews in print form with key Disney animators who either knew Walt Disney or worked under those who knew him. This volume includes one interview that originally appeared here at Animated News as well as interviews with […] |
Overview of Over the Hedge's transition to the big screen
With “Can We Get Bruce Willis for the Raccoon,” The New York Times accounts the journey Over the Hedge took to get from its comic strip incarnation to its DreamWorks Animation film form. Interestingly, the article notes that the project once belonged to Twentieth Century Fox, before the studio lost interest. |
Layout of Disney/Pixar merger meeting; Disney throwing away junk food
Jim Hill Media provides a rundown of the minutes from last Friday’s short meeting at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art, where Pixar stockholders approved Disney’s merge with the computer animation powerhouse. The site likewise notices Disney’s turn from junk food, a resource which the company has used to help attract younger audiences for its […] |
John Lasseter: "The Man Who Could Save Animation"
With a four-page article, titled “The Man Who Could Save Animation,” Entertainment Weekly places the spotlight on John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of both Pixar and Disney animation studios, and Principal Creative Advisor at Walt Disney Imagineering. Explaining his past, present, and future responsibilities, the article also notices Lasseter’s love of cars, details, and quality. |
Toy industry looks to film industry for sales
Reuters, via Yahoo! Movies, breaks down the characteristics certain films must carry in order to interest toy companies. Movies mentioned in the composition include the Star Wars saga, The Da Vinci Code, Superman Returns, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and Mission: Impossible III. |
Over the Hedge storyboards, video game review
Yahoo! Movies presents three storyboard slideshows, along with one design art slideshow, featuring work from DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge. Meanwhile, IGN FilmForce applauds the Nintendo DS adaptation of Over the Hedge, granting it an overall score of 8.2/10. Commenting that the game is “like a furry Tomb Raider and Metal Gear Solid,” the critique […] |
More Cars featurettes cruise online
Cruising onto the information superhighway, two more Cars featurettes, “Meet the Cast of Cars” and “Life-Size McQueen and Sally,” may be viewed exclusively at iFilm. |
Foxworthy, Lawrence join Fox and the Hound 2
Ultimate Disney reports that Jeff Foxworthy and Vicki Lawrence have joined the cast of The Fox and the Hound 2. Already announced for the midquel are Patrick Swayze and Reba McEntire, voicing Lyle and Dixie of The Singin’ Strays. McEntire will likewise perform three of the film’s seven new songs. |
Box artwork, details on Godzilla Power Hour, Carmen Sandiego DVDs
Courtesy of TV Shows on DVD, more information has arrived on the first two volumes of The Godzilla Power Hour and the Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? box set. In addition to supplying the titles’ artwork, the site likewise lists each package’s episodes. |
Pixar acquisition finalized
With shareholders voting in favor of the motion The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of Pixar has been approved and finalized. “The vote makes Pixar a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney and makes former Pixar Chief Executive Steve Jobs Disney’s single largest shareholder with about a 7 percent stake. The deal is squarely aimed at restoring […] |
Two days with John Lasseter
For two days, John Lasseter allowed reporter John Horn of The Los Angeles Times to follow him as he performed his daily duties at Pixar. Noticed by Route 66 News, Topix.net accounts what happened during those few days. The events recalled include Lasseter’s inspecting Mattel’s Cars toy line, debating with co-supervising animator Doug Sweetland about […] |
Interview: Pixar's Ralph Eggleston
The Museum of Modern Art provides an interview with Ralph Eggleston (For the Birds) from Pixar, as noticed by Upcoming Pixar. The conversation has been placed at the MoMA’s teen site, Red Studio. |
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to premiere tonight
Both Jim Hill Media and The New York Times take a look at Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a brand-new Playhouse Disney series created for preschoolers, starring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. While Hill pinpoints why the show was created, Times breaks down the series’ basis. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse will debut […] |
Hedge co-director Tim Johnson speaks; Film clips online
Tim Johnson speaks to Coming Soon about co-directing Over the Hedge. Topics raised in the conversation range from Jim Carrey’s departing the project to a typical day as an animation director. Additionally, Johnson suggests that Over the Hedge 2 may not be too far away. In other Over the Hedge news, IESB offers ten clips […] |