The Hollywood Reporter indicates that Cinderella III: A Twist in Time debuted at the top of the national DVD sales chart last week, selling nearly 80% more copies than the closest competition, Flags of Our Fathers. Coming in at #4 was another animated title, Open Season.

In anticipation of Robert Zemeckis’ motion-captured Beowulf, arriving in theaters November 16, Candlewick Press will release Gareth Hinds’ graphic novel adaptation of the classic tale this April.

Toon Zone offers excellent coverage of Cartoon Network‘s upfront presentation in New York. The report features the latest on upcoming series such as Flapjack, Chowder and Re-Animated. Likewise, the news outlet reveals what is in store for Billy & Mandy, Ben 10, Naruto, Class of 3000 and Kids Next Door.

Considering the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, IGN FilmForce contemplates what other Disney theme park attractions could make blockbuster motion pictures. Rides under consideration by the site include It’s a Small World, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Autopia, Space Mountain and The Matterhorn.

Upcoming Pixar notices Action-Figure.com, where photos of the Cars and Ratatouille toys from the 2007 Toy Fair are displayed. Likewise, the earlier site points to Cinematical, which contains a larger version of the Ratatouille image seen in Disney’s December 2006 Letter to the Shareholders. The image is part of Cinematical’s latest caption contest. In the […]

IGN FilmForce has acquired a nice collection of wallpapers inspired by TMNT. Each background highlights a different character, from a lineup that includes Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello and Splinter.

Coming Soon displays four Valentine’s Day images, featuring Tiny, Frankie and the Frogs, Buster and Lefty from Meet the Robinsons. At Disney.com, one may send these images as Valentine’s Day e-cards.

Yahoo! Movies has the second teaser trailer for Bee Movie. Continuing the humorous “bee-hind-the-scenes” look seen in the first teaser, this latest ad features a cameo from Steven Spielberg. Likewise, the first teaser trailer for the live-action adaptation of Underdog may be seen at Disney.com.

Entertainment Weekly suggests 21 movies to watch on Valentine’s Day. With Lady & the Tramp taking the top spot, a surprising but welcome recommendation swims in at #13: The Incredible Mr. Limpet.

On Tuesday, February 13, 2007, Don Hahn, Disney Feature Animation Executive Producer and Head of Development, was a guest speaker at California State University, Northridge. For photos from the event, be sure to check out Animation Nation. Thanks to “ShyViolet” at the Animated News & Views Forum for the notice of these pics.

It’s uncertain how long it’ll be available, but YouTube is currently hosting a fifteen second clip from Glen Keane’s Rapunzel, footage apparently shown at last year’s SIGGRAPH convention.

Following are some photos taken at Sunday evening’s 34th Annual Annie Awards ceremony held at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA, with attempts at funny captions:

In a video interview with Mint in Box, Industrial Light & Magic animation supervisor Rob Coleman gives an update on the computer animated Star Wars: Clone Wars television series. A written overview of the conversation may be seen at Rebelscum. Concurrently, TheForce.net has an image of the CGI Yoda to appear in the show.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that French video game publisher Ubisoft is hoping for success in the computer animation business. The company plans to spend nearly $400 million for the expansion of its Montreal production center. First trying short films, Ubisoft’s long-term goal involves television series and feature-length films.

Variety indicates that French studio MK 2 will release its own computer animated Puss in Boots movie in 2009 – two years before DreamWorks Animation’s Puss picture. “We aren’t jumping on the bandwagon,” Nathanael Karmitz, MK2’s managing director, commented on Friday. “Our film has been in development for more than two years. It’s just fortunate […]

A fansite for The Little Mermaid on Broadway reveals that the show now has a section of its own at the official Disney on Broadway website. Furthermore, the fansite has an extract from the Walt Disney Employee Newsreel, containing extra info on the upcoming Broadway event. Speaking of the Mermaid musical, Jim Hill offers his […]

On Sunday, February 11, 2007, the fifth annual Visual Effects Society Awards were held. With a total of six trophies, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest took home the most VES awards of any film this year, including the top prize, “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture.” Cars also was […]

In the wake of its recent controversial marketing campaign, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters is moving from a limited release on March 23rd to a wide release on April 13th. According to Dark Horizons, this move makes the motion picture “the most high-profile movie of that weekend.”

The Simpsons won the animation prize at the 2007 Writers Guild of America Awards. The award went to John Frink for writing the episode “The Italian Bob”.

Disney/Pixar’s Cars took home the top prize at the 2007 Annie Awards, but DreamWorks/Aardman’s Flushed Away was the night’s big winner. In addition to the award for “Best Animated Feature”, Cars also won for “Feature Music”. Flushed Away more than doubled that take with five awards, the most for any film: “Animated Effects”, “Feature Character […]

Randy Newman picked up the 2007 Grammy Award for “Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media” for Our Town from Cars. The film’s album lost the “Best Compilation Soundtrack Album” award to Walk the Line, while Bob Dylan beat out John Mayer’s performance of Route 66 for the “Best Solo Rock […]

The 2007 British Academy of Film and Television Arts has given their award for “Best Animated Feature” to Happy Feet. Ian Gouldstone’s GUY 101 took the “Animated Short” award. And the award for “Best Visual Effects” went to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

Five major groups will be handing awards out tonight – the British Academy of Film and Television Arts giving their equivalent of the Oscar, the Grammy Awards for music, the Annie Awards for animation, the Visual Effects Society Awards, and the Writers Guild of America Awards. Look for the winners to be announced as soon […]

On Thursday, February 8, Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter and president Ed Catmull unveiled plans for Walt Disney Feature Animation and Pixar, writes Variety. During Disney’s investor conference, it was revealed that Toy Story 2 co-director Lee Unkrich is helming Toy Story 3, using a screenplay from Michael Arndt, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Little Miss […]

Upcoming Pixar points to About: Hollywood Movies, where Brad Garrett shares some info about his character in Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille. “I play the owner of the French restaurant where the rats live, Rousseau, who is dead but lives like a ghost and kind of nicely haunts the restaurant. They liked that character so much they called […]

Over at Animated Views, we’ve just posted our take on Disney’s latest direct-to-video offering, Cinderella III: A Twist In Time. While the animation isn’t as top notch as the 1950 classic, the film’s intentions are in the right place, and taken at face value there’s some good old-fashioned entertainment to be had.