The following is a press release on Mundos Digitales, an International Festival of Animation, Fx and Videogames, which will be held July 1-8 this year in Spain:

Checking in with their periodic review of animated shorts, which often go unnoticed in favor of features, Animation World Network looks at Dragon, The Love Train, A Plan, Stasis, and Vaudeville. A QuickTime clip of each is provided.

Animation fans with high definition televisions are in luck, with two films being shown in the format over the next few weeks. {{link http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet?ACTION_DETAIL=DETAIL&ID=115494 HBO-HD}} is airing Fox/Blue Sky’s \\Robots\\ until April 29th, including tonight. {{link http://www.hd.net/movies_schedule_by_title.html#M0885 HDNet Movies}} premieres \\The Triplets of Belleville\\ tonight, running until May 11th.

As we {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00004200.html reported earlier}}, available nationwide beginning April 22 the third series of official US postage stamps featuring Disney characters will focus on the theme of romance. Characters spotlighted include Cinderella and Prince Charming, Belle and the Beast, Lady and the Tramp, and, of course, Mickey and Minnie. View the press release at […]

Animated News reader Dave has sent us some photos of Canadian Cars toys:

According to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2006&wknd=15&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}} estimates, \\The Wild\\ finished in fourth place in its opening weekend with a lower than expected $9.6 million. \\Ice Age: The Meltdown\\ continues to heat up the box office, bringing in an additional $20 million in its third weekend. So far the film has racked up $147 million.

Angela Bassett spoke with {{link http://blackfilm.com/20060414/features/angelinabassettnews.shtml Blackfilm.com}} about her role in Disney’s upcoming \\Meet The Robinsons\\. “I’m little Robinson’s foster mother and trying to know him, and love him. He’s a different little kid and I’m trying to find talent for him and trying to keep his spirit up…”

The following is a press release regarding a special panel discussion entitled “The Indian Animation Industry: Pencils to Pixels to Prominence” to be held this coming Saturday, April 22, as part of the 2006 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

Nearly a year before the film’s release, the teaser trailer for Walt Disney Pictures’ Meet the Robinsons has debuted online. Also, be sure to check out Robinsons’ section at the official Walt Disney Pictures homepage, where, by the movement of a mouse, one may view the many expressions of Bowler Hat Guy. Thanks to “PatrickvD” […]

To their cover art gallery, Ultimate Disney has added high-res artwork for Disney’s Leroy & Stitch. The conclusion to Lilo & Stitch: The Series will be released in stores on June 27.

In a surprise move, Miramax Films, the arthouse division of The Walt Disney Co., has obtained an exclusive deal with Sir Elton John’s Rocket Pictures to develop and produce Gnomeo and Juliet, reports Coming Soon. Along with Miramax president, Daniel Battsek, Rocket Pictures producing partners David Furnish and Steve Hamilton Shaw will shepherd the project. […]

Nearly a year before its March 2007 theatrical release, Starz Kids & Family viewers will get an exclusive sneak peek at Walt Disney’s \\Meet the Robinsons\\ on Friday, April 14 at 4:28 pm and 7:39 pm (ET/PT). The preview will play through Sunday, April 23. About the film: “Based on William Joyce’s book \\A Day […]

Check out these two new TV spots for \\The Wild\\, and get a glimpse into the adventures Samson the Lion, Nigel the Koala, Bridget the Giraffe, Benny the Squirrel, and Larry the Snake encounter in the streets of New York City:

Disney/C.O.R.E.’s \\The Wild\\ opens today at 2,854 theatres according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=15&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film’s reviews have been disappointing, scoring only 22% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wild/ Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer}}. The critical consensus is that “with a rehashed plot and unimpressive animation, there’s nothing wild about \\The Wild\\”. A third place finish for the weekend […]

A press release available at Toon Zone tells the details of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney’s latest series aimed toward preschoolers. The show will use computer animation to bring Disney’s “Sensational Six” (Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, and Daisy and Donald Duck) to life. In addition, “it will combine entertainment with early-learning fundamentals, using an […]

Nausicaa.net relays the news that the official Studio Ghibli website has added a trailer for Tales from Earthsea, presented in Flash format. Directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of legendary film director Hayao Miyazaki, Tales from Earthsea will have it Japanese release in July 2006.

Over at {{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002343504 The Hollywood Reporter}}, Frank Scheck has seen Disney’s The Wild – out tomorrow – and has posted a review of the apparently not-screened-for-critics movie. While he highlights the “impressive animation”, the “ultra-frenetic” direction seems to have left Frank with impressions of a “relentlessly loud and ultimately exhausting exercise”, though he misses […]

With a couple of pictures from the scene, Jim Hill Media explains how Lowe’s Motor Speedway is quickly becoming a theater, in preparation for the Cars premiere. Concurrently, Dark Horizons displays two new character images for the film: Chick, voiced by Michael Keaton, and The King, voiced by Richard Petty. Likewise, MovieWeb.com has the latest […]

Unlike its October Platinum Edition siblings, the Little Mermaid Platinum Edition DVD will not be released with a Collector’s Edition Gift Set, reports Ultimate Disney. In the past, the sets contained a hardcover book, signed concept art of characters, and a film frame. Anyone wishing for this news to change may want to contact Disney’s […]

From the first test screening of Monster House comes a review at Ain’t It Cool News. The writer praises the film whole-heartedly, commenting, “I’m really hoping that they don’t change anything because this film was pretty much flawless as it was.” Monster House will open its doors on July 21st.

Starting April 14th, eight of the characters from Walt Disney Pictures’ The Wild will be invading McDonald’s Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals. As the company’s press release notes, the promotion will end May 11th.

Speaking with the Orlando Sentinel, Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger stated that controversies which have plagued the company’s recent years are now “largely behind us, if not completely behind us.” Stressing Disney’s quest for “quality entertainment,” Iger continued, “The incredible value that we’ve created over the years when we made great animated films that […]

CGCHAR Animation presents more details about Space Chimps, an upcoming venture from IDT Entertainment and Vanguard Animation. At a planned running time of 80 minutes, the film will tell the story of “Ham, the grandson of the first chimp in space, who has all the wrong stuff, who’s teamed up with Lucy, a buttoned-up Ms. […]

Specializing in direct-to-video entertainment, DVD Sequels includes a list of upcoming movies set to enter stores in the near future. Among the titles in the list is A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. Upon contacting the manager of the site, it was discovered that the film was rumored to be in the works last year. However, the […]

Harry Knowles’ AICN gives Disney/C.O.R.E.’s The Wild a favorable review, calling it “a well constructed family film that isn’t the least bit painful to sit through,” and claims that it has “the best American animation to date, with rendering more akin to the gorgeous surrealism of Japan’s recent efforts.”

Variety, via Coming Soon, indicates that Twentieth Century Fox is set to introduce Space Chimps in 2008. Created by Vanguard Animation, the studio behind Valiant, Chimps is the second picture in Fox’s four-picture deal with Vanguard minority owner IDT Entertainment. “Space Chimps is a family comedy about the descendants of the first chimps sent into […]

Speaking to Sci Fi Wire, Jeff Bridges explains his involvement in Sony Pictures Animation’s Surf’s Up. “The character is this penguin, an old surfer penguin. What’s happening in this movie, it’s hard to kind of describe it, but they’re pulling it off pretty well. It’s a cartoon about penguin surfing, but not tongue in cheek. […]

With much more information yet to be revealed, TV Shows on DVD announces that the animated incarnation of The Tick will be arriving on store shelves sometime in late August.

Two television spots for Walt Disney Pictures’ The Wild have been placed at Hollywood.com and iFilm. Meanwhile, Yahoo! Movies has added another Wild scene, titled “Stupid Dogs,” to its video collection.