Olivia TV series coming next year on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon plans to bring to life the Olivia books to life in a new computer-generated TV series set to debut in 2009. According to AWN, Olivia’s imagination leads the way in this new series which aims to foster the sense of make-believe and play that every preschooler has. The show will encourage children to be […] |
A conversation with Kung Fu Panda character designer Nicolas Marlet
Variety posted a fascinating and rare portrait of Annie Award winner Nicolas Marlet, who DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg approved as the single designer to create all the characters’ looks in the upcoming Kung Fu Panda. Nicolas explains among other things that his biggest challenge on the movie was the character of Viper, voiced by Lucy Liu. […] |
A new age for animation?
AWN’s Joseph Gilland discusses here what he hopes is the next renaissance for animation. |
Exclusive Panda clip
An exclusive clip from DreamWork’s upcoming martial-arts comedy Kung Fu Panda is currently featured on ComingSoon. The video, entitled “Tai Lung Is Free”, runs slightly over a minute. Kung Fu Panda can be viewed in its entirety when it hits theaters on June 6th. |
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa rundown
A summary glimpse of the story for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa can be read at the DreamWorks Animation website by clicking on the penguin image, rolling over “More Info,” and then clicking on “Story.” The followup to the hit 2005 CG-animated film Madagascar escapes to theaters, including IMAX, on November 7, 2008. |
Animated Beetlejuice coming to DVD
Coming for the first time to DVD are three episodes of the Beetlejuice animated television series, which ran from 1989 to 1991, as extra features on the 20th Anniversary Beetlejuice DVD and Blu-Ray disc due out September 16, 2008 (via ToonZone). According to the Beetlejuice animated series fansite, The Neitherworld, “In the cartoon, Beetlejuice rents […] |
Sony Pictures Classics to distribute Waltz With Bashir
The L.A. Times reveals that the much acclaimed animated film will be distributed in North America and select Latin American territories “sometime soon.” In the semi-autobiographical Waltz With Bashir, director Ari Folman loosely recounts his time fighting as an Israeli solider in the 1982 war with Lebanon. Last year, Sony Pictures Classics was the domestic […] |
A look at India's Dashavatar
Bollywood Ungama talked to Dashavatar director Bhavik Thakore about the song featured in the upcoming animated film from India. |
Pixar 2-set DVDs now on sale for $13 each
/film alerts Pixar fans that Amazon is currently offering six of the studio’s 2-disc special edition DVDs at a 57% discount! |
Douglas Gresham: Producing Prince Caspian
Jeremie Noyer continues his trip into Narnia, with another discussion with co-producer Douglas Gresham on the new film, Prince Caspian! |
Pixar's Presto!
Animation World Network features an exclusive first look at Pixar’s upcoming short film, Presto. Presto, the two-page article reports, stars a magician and his rabbit who partake in a cartoonish on-stage feud. The short film, will be playing alongside this summer’s Wall•E, is being helmed by first time director Doug Sweetland, who has worked on […] |
Unseen Miyazaki art from Ponyo
Ghibliworld has posted a new unseen art done by Hayao Miyazaki for his upcoming film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea which features an underwater scene from the film. Ponyo opens in theatres in Japan on July 19. |
New WALL•E featurette
Yahoo!Movies hosts a new WALL•E featurette titled The Man and the Machine which focuses on the director, Andrew Stanton. WALL•E opens in theatres on June 27. Be warned of the possible spoilers! |
Podcast recommendations
Load your iPod this weekend with a chestload of free interviews with some of the most fascinating personalities from the animation world: The Animation Podcast offers lengthy audio podcasts with masters such as Andreas Deja, Milt Kahl, Glen Keane, James Baxter, Ray Harryhausen, Ron Clements and John Musker; while BuzzBender recently chatted with Bee Movie‘s […] |
In the mood to hunt easter eggs this holiday weekend?
DVD Review has unearthed hidden bonus features from recent animated releases including Ratatouille, The Simpsons Movie (DVD and Blu-Ray), Surf’s Up, Beowulf, Enchanted, Peter Pan: Platinum Edition, as well as Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 1. Enjoy! |
Behind the scenes of three Disney classics
Youtube is a wonderful thing! A vintage video of Walt Disney reenacting with his staff how The Three Little Pigs came to be has been uploaded online, along with the making of Pinocchio and The Magic Behind the Masterpiece of Bambi (part 1 and 2). Thank you to ‘Charles’ at Animation Nation for the links. |
Wall•E on Movie Surfers
Disney’s official site features a new Movie Surfers video concerning Wall•E, Pixar’s upcoming sci-fi adventure. During the video, writer and director Andrew Stanton is interviewed, who sheds light on two of the film’s main characters. Several new clips from the movie are also shown. Wall•E opens in theaters on June 27th. Thanks to “Remy” over […] |
Space Chimps poster
The first theatrical poster for the intergalactic comedy Space Chimps can be viewed on Cinematical. A direct link to the full-size version can be found here. Space Chimps hits theaters on July 18th. |
Preview some new Disney music
While the quality of the DisneyMania series from the Mouse House has been very inconsistent, Volume 6 sounds rather promising with songs performed by Colbie Chaillat, Elliott Yamin, Plain White T’s and Nikki Blonsky. Take an earful at Amazon MP3! DisneyMusic.com also offers a preview of the soundtrack of Disney’s new franchise, Camp Rock, starring […] |
Real life Wall•E coming to Disney parks?
The little robot that audiences worldwide are already falling in love with might not have popped up in just any streets of L.A., says Newsweek. Real life replicas of Wall•E will apparently be coming soon to theme parks as part of Disney’s “Living Character Initiative.” |
Another lawsuit for DreamWorks Animation
The South Florida Times reports that a Boca Raton man is suing DreamWorks Animation, claiming the studio stole his ideas to create the 2005 movie Madagascar. According to Joseph Davis, the DreamWorks blockbuster has striking similarities with a manuscript he submitted to the studio in 1999 and was never compensated for, about the adventures of […] |
For you Indy fans
Paramount’s Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull reportedly opened with a bang on Thursday with a massive though not (yet) record-breaking $25 million in the U.S. alone, $4.5 million of which came from midnight U.S. screenings. |
New look for Disneyland's Monorail trains
Check out the the new Disneyland Monorail Mark VII trains here! Built in Rhode Island, assembled in Vancouver and caravanned thousands of miles west, the first in the fleet of new Mark VII Monorails is the first new Monorail design at Disneyland Park in over 20 years. The Mark VII features a design inspired by […] |
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time getting limited theatrical release in the U.S.
Jerry Beck points out on the Cartoon Brew to the fact that Mamoru Hosoda’s 2006 film, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, is going to get a limited U.S. theatrical release next month through Bandai Entertainment. “It’ll be screening June 13 through June 19 at the ImaginAsian Center in Los Angeles (251 South Main Street, […] |
Video montage of the Art of Kung Fu Panda book
The Character Design blog put together a video montage showcasing some of the designs created by the amazing Nicolas Marlet that can be found in the Art of Kung Fu Panda book by Tracey Miller, now in stores. |
Indiana Jones and the really slow and talky blockbuster…
Indy’s back, but it’s not all good…come have your say on the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull in our Forum! |
Hans Zimmer and Will.i.am teaming up on Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
The Lion King and The Simpsons Movie composer Hans Zimmer revealed a very interesting bit of news in an August 2007 interview with MP3.com which has been flying under everyone’s radar–until now! Talking about his upcoming projects at the time, Hans revealed that he was working with Will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas on the Madagascar […] |
Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries
As a tie-in to the new Indiana Jones movie opening today the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, CA, will soup up its Indiana Jones offerings by holding the “Summer of Hidden Mysteries,” featuring appearances by the archaeologist/adventurer himself, an “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show, an Indiana Jones theme added to […] |
Reality maven Mark Burnett ventures into animation
The Hollywood Reporter announces that top reality producer Mark Burnett (Survivor) has signed a deal with popular online animation Web site Liquid Generation to develop cartoon TV comedies-both original and based on existing content. Under the pact, Mark Burnett Prods. will produce Liquid Generation’s first three TV projects, including originals “Witness Protection” and “Rapper in […] |