Animated News Weekly Archive
One downside to getting to celebrate another big milestone like our 20th anniversary is that there's not a lot more left to show or tell about our history. However, after some major excavation deep into the embarrassingly cluttered AV archives, we were able to find another dusty bit of long lost content under some old boxes of cease and desist letters and moldy Norm Of The North promotional plush.
From the first week of our launch in October of 2003 and intermittently over the next six years or so, we had an email newsletter. Sure these messages may not be too useful anymore! But they're actually kind of fun as a sort of virtual time capsule. And perhaps some future animation researcher might find the links useful. Either way, they're part of our story and we're happy to be able to move them from the dark, cobwebbed recesses of the AV archives and back into the warm light of our anniversary celebration!
So travel back 20 years with us to see how we covered the top stories of the day!
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Subject: Animated News Weekly 05/23/04 – 05/29/04: Hello, and what a week it’s been for Shrek! Please copy and paste any split links into your browser for more info on a given subject. The Animated News Weekly top stories are... ----FEATURE FILMS---- SHREK 2 broke box office records everywhere, opening with a whopping $125 million five day take! Now the film to be seen to beat this summer – at this point it has cleared an estimated $275m – with audience figures actually RISING roughly 4%! Check out all the Shrek opening stats here: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001557.html Take a peek behind the scenes and see how SHREK 2, the year’s biggest film, was knocked into shape: http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=2099 The many, many in-jokes and gags of SHREK 2 – spoilers ahead for the two people who have not seen this yet, a list of all the references featured for those who have: http://www.skwigly.co.uk/magazine/articles/01-05-04/dreamworks/shrek2jokes01.asp SHREK 3 and 4 to move ahead “one at a time” according to DreamWorks animation head Ann Daly, now in final talks to bring Myers, Diaz, Murphy and Banderas back on board: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000518373 THE INCREDIBLES – Pixar’s Brad Bird gets Wired, as the in-depth article that appears in the June print issue of Wired Magazine turns up online: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.06/pixar.html?tw=wn_tophead_3 INCREDIBLES CLIPS – The “First In Line” teaser spot is now available in a variety of sizes, plus previously released trailers and sneak peeks: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001593.html INCREDIBLE READING – The Art Of book, posters, postcards, stickers and the Essential Guide book cover. There’s a ton of related reading coming up for Pixar’s latest: http://www.theincredibles.free.fr/index2.html LORENZO – Ron Barbagallo looks at the making of Disney’s latest animated short, which is attached to prints of Raising Helen, in US theaters now. Lorenzo makes it’s European debut at the Annecy Festival on June 7: http://www.animationartconservation.com/lorenzo.html PIXAR SEQUELS: “YES” SAYS EISNER – the Disney CEO has confirmed plans to produce follow-ups to Pixar’s hits: http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=26859 THE POLAR EXPRESS – the look of the film is explored here: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-05-25-polar-express_x.htm THUNDERBIRDS – the new one sheet poster is online. With the tagline “The greatest rescue organisation in the world has a major problem”, is the marketing team trying to warn us about the reportedly terrible movie (in which Lady Penelope’s famous pink limousine sprouts rocket boosters and flies, no less)? Check out the “new generation”: http://www.impawards.com/2004/thunderbirds_ver4.html ----DVD RELEASES---- WALT DISNEY ON THE FRONT LINES – producer Dave Bossart answers Ten Questions: http://www.dvdfile.com/news/special_report/ten_questions/bossert_dave/index.html FUTURAMA: VOLUME 4 – specs and episode details: http://www.dvdtoons.com/news/574 Specs and cover artwork for SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED: http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?r=0&s=1&c=4009 Chronicles Of Riddick: the website for DTV animated prequel DARK FURY has gone live: http://www.darkfurydvd.com/ Upcoming Disney: BAMBI released next March 8, CINDERELLA on disc for October 4 2005, plus LION KING series going out of print – full details here: http://www.ultimatedisney.com/ SHREK 2 – Due on DVD this November on the 2nd – two days before Pixar’s The Incredibles hits theatres: http://www.davisdvd.com/weekly/calendar_f.html HOME ON THE RANGE – Disney’s initial DVD cover art can be sneaked at here: http://www.ultimatedisney.com/coverart.html#september PINCHCLIFFE GRAND PRIX – Henstooth are looking to acquire the 1975 Norwegian film for DVD release in the US, and need your input: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001601.html ----INTERVIEWS---- Back in the public eye and out promoting the recent DVD release of his 1977 fantasy Wizards, Film Force interviews RALPH BAKSHI: http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/518/518805p1.html Doug Chiang’s ROBOTA – images, clips, info and an interview with composer TIM LARKIN as he puts finishing touches to the CG movie’s trailer: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001591.html ROBOTA teasers and trailers: http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/dc_studio/robota/ Surely wrapping up the Shrek 2 promotions, it’s JOHN CLEESE on playing the king: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/26/1085461823635.html ----CHARACTERS AND HISTORY---- Mental illness in Disney animated movies? It’s there, if you look: http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=26428 LIONS GATE FILMS and MARVEL COMICS are to team up to produce a series of direct-to-DVD releases based on the comics giant’s vast catalog of characters. Eight projects, with a running time of no less than a TV-friendly 66 minutes, are already underway: http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=11084 Disney animator and comic book artist JACK BRADBURY has died, aged 89: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001579.html SUPERMAN – the planned live-action remake, to be helmed by Charlie’s Angels director McG, has an interesting “is he or isn’t he?” take on Johnny Depp’s likely involvement. First reported to be up for the Lex Luthor role, his attention has turned to the Man Of Steel’s father, Jor-El, but scheduling for Tim Burton’s upcoming Charlie And The Chocolate Factory may be a deciding factor: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001583.html MORE SUPERHEROES – Dark Horizons has a host of project updates, including latest status on Forbidden Planet remake, Superman, Catwoman, Fantastic Four and Cowboys And Aliens. Plus – join up to help RESTORE SUPERMAN II to Richard Donner’s original intent: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001600.html ANIMWATCH, the home of independent animation on the web, adds eight new projects to its profiles: http://www.animwatch.com/News.shtml#05262004 SPIKE AND MIKE – back for the 25th year: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/entertainment/s_195627.html Amid Amidi is swapping the Animation Blast for THE ART OF ROBOTS – a book to accompany Chris Wedge’s next Blue Sky film for Fox is in the works: http://www.cartoonbrew.com/archives/2004_05.html#000209 ----TELEVISION / THEMED / STAGE---- KINGDOM HEARTS – the successful video game franchise from Disney spreads to a second edition, as well as another spin off: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001575.html More Disney gaming – TOONTOWN ONLINE, the successful multi-player interactive experience, is spreading globally. First launched in the US, and made available in Japan, the game has now been let loose for download for potential players in the UK: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=GENERIC&newsId=20040525005254&newsLang=en&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view INCREDIBLES GALLERY – Ape the style of Brad Bird’s latest and put yourself in the spandex of Mr Incredible: http://babystudio.free.fr/wip/mistaincrediweb.htm THE FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE – Su and Mo, a new, “crude, rude and lewd” Flash animated short, is currently lampooning the Festival experience while actually doing the Festival circuit! Take a peek at the trailer (features mature content): http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001603.html DINI LEAVES WB – After 15 years, writer/producer Paul Dini (Batman, Superman, Duck Dodgers, Freakazoid) has decided to call it a day, and wants to move on to feature film writing, comics and a top secret “Project X”: http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=112121 ----BUSINESS---- Animation system PROJECT DOGWAFFLE just got an upgrade: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001556.html More than just a movie – see how GARFIELD is cashing in other than simply in the multiplexes: http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/146855-8750-105.html Not just a rumor anymore: STEVE JOBS wants Pixar to stay with the Mouse House. CNN reports on the fact that the studio is not leaping at other distributor offers, and may be sitting tight until the Michael Eisner situation is resolved one way or another: http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/24/technology/pixar/ The LA Times reports that the Disney board is talking about concessions to the state pension fund companies it met with last week. However, certain requests (namely a succession plan for current CEO Eisner) have gone unheeded: http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/cotown/la-fi-disney22may22,1,1659392.story?coll=la-headlines-business-enter MICHAEL EISNER is due to talk directly to investors on Wednesday, June 2. His remarks will be webcast from the official Disney page, and a replay will be available for one week: http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00001585.html FLORIDA ANIMATION – With the closure of Walt Disney in Orlando, a number of independents have sprung up. AWN looks at the new start ups and relays the message that Legacy, the first and most prolific for a time, has indeed shuttered its doors: http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=2104 Though they may lose Pixar, Disney is looking to hold on to JERRY BRUCKHEIMER. The producer speaks about staying at the Mouse House: http://yahoo.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2004/nf20040525_4039_db008.htm ----WRAP UP---- That’s all for this week, folks! Don’t forget to visit us online at http://www.animated-news.com and contribute through our forums: http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/ Have a great week, The Animated-News Team. ---------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: The news shared in this email contains material and links to other non-associated websites. Animated-News.com is not responsible for any consequences arising from the participating and use of these sites, and cannot be held liable for any content that may prove to be untrue, or stories that may later have elements within them changed by the creators of the reported projects. Original content ©2004 Animated-News.com.
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