{{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/indietopnews.php?id=16575 ComingSoon.net}} has an exclusive interview with \\Renaissance\\ director Christian Volckman. He talks about the unique animated look (“It’s all motion capture, and then the backgrounds are 3-D or matte paintings, but the whole of it is CGI”), his influences (\\Ghost in the Shell\\ or \\Akira\\. A lot of Manga stuff, Miyazaki, of course”), […]

\\Dungeons & Dragons\\ The Complete Series will be released on DVD December 5th according to BCI, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation which has obtained the DVD rights to the original 1983 animated series. The five-disc boxed set will feature all 27 episodes for a suggested retail price of $54.98. The show is based on […]

From visual effects to architectural visualisation, computer games art to 3d computer animation, the {{link http://www.animex.net/awards Animex Student Animation Awards}} once again invites students from around the world to submit their work. You’ll need to hurry up though – they have issued a last call for entries. The deadline is October 1st. For more information […]

Hugh Jackman talks about one of the benefits of making animated films with {{link http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,,20472402-7485,00.html?from=public_rss News.com.au}}. “It is great to finally have something that my kids can see,” the father of two children, Oscar and Ava, stated. “Oscar has never seen any of my movies”. Jackman will voice the role of Roddy in DreamWorks/Aardman’s \\Flushed […]

\\{{link http://robotech.com Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles}}\\ won the Best Animated Sci-Fi Feature Award at the {{link http://www.horrorscifi.com/indexA.html 2006 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival}}. President and CEO of {{link http://www1.funimationfilms.com:80/ FUNimation}} Gen Fukunaga said “This is an exciting award for \\Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles\\. It is a series that has a tremendous fan following, and […]

After an analyst upgrade, shares of DreamWorks Animation stock rose yesterday, according to the {{link http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060926/dreamworks_mover.html?.v=1 Associated Press}}. Sanders Morris Harris Group analyst David W. Miller upgraded the company’s stock from”Hold” to “Buy” stating that the price was “too compelling to ignore”. Saying that “investors should now concentrate on 2007”, Miller pointed to several items […]

When Apple announced the addition of feature films to the iTunes store last week, Disney was the only studio on board – most others signed up to Amazon’s two week old movie download service, Unbox, presumably due to their fear of piracy and the tougher restrictions imposed by Amazon on its customers. Seven days later […]

{{link http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=38150 Sci Fi Wire}} reports that the upcoming Warner Bros. animated film \\Happy Feet\\ will feature an original song penned by pop superstar Prince. Other singers with songs appearing in the film will include Robin Williams (with the Spanish version of \\My Way\\ heard in the teaser trailer), the singing debut of voice actress […]

\\South Park\\ is celebrating its 10th anniversary by airing “episodes that changed the world”, according to {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=17990 AWN}}. “Remember the episode when televised cussing almost brought about the apocalypse? How about the time Chef was brainwashed by an adventure-seeking cult? Nobody can forget the episode, “Trapped In The Closet,” where Tom Cruise and John […]

\\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1535436_4_0_,00.html Entertainment Weekly}}\\ talks to \\American Idol\\ runner-up Katharine McPhee who addresses the rumors that she is at the top of the short list for the title role in Joss Whedon’s big-screen adaptation of \\Wonder Woman\\: “I’m not gonna deny it, or admit to it. But it’s funny because no one has even received […]

Now in its 30th year, the {{link http://ottawa.awn.com/ Ottawa International Animation Festival}} opens today and runs through Sunday. The festival is the largest event of its kind in North America and one of the most respected animation events in the world. The competitive film festival caters to industry executives, trend setting artists, students, and animation […]

\\{{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-09-18-pirates-DVD_x.htm USA Today}}\\ reports that producer Jerry Bruckheimer says that the third film in the \\Pirates of the Caribbean\\ trilogy, \\At World’s End\\, is “progressing nicely” eight months away from its scheduled release date. “We shot a lot of Chow Yun-Fat’s stuff already, and we should finish the principal actors by the beginning of […]

Butch Hartman, creator of \\The Fairly OddParents\\ and \\Danny Phantom\\, will be the featured guest speaker at {{link http://www.brookscollege.edu/events.asp Brooks College}} in Long Beach, California on September 20th. The event will run from at 6-8 PM.

Petaluma CA police arrested a Pixar finance manager last week after he sent sexually explicit images and messages from his office computer to an undercover detective posing as a 13-year-old girl, {{link http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=68395 The Big Cartoon Database}} reports. The employee, who was given screen credit in several of the company’s films, was arrested at his […]

{{link http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=38088 Sci Fi Wire}} reports that NBC’s highly anticipated new superhero series \\Heroes\\, which debuts September 25th, will be accompanied by a web comic that will “play a huge part internally inside the show”, according to creator and executive producer Tim Kring. “People can log on and view and sort of interact with the […]

Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television will award John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, their 2006 lifetime achievement award on October 9th at the Outside the Frame Festival according to the \\{{link http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-quick15.5sep15,1,7401087.story L.A. Times}}\\.

\\Everyone’s Hero\\ opened in third place at the weekend box office, but beat expectations according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2006&wknd=37&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The 20th Century Fox film’s three day opening take was $6.2 million, about 25% higher than BOM projected.

20th Century Fox’s \\{{link http://www.everyoneshero.com/ Everyone’s Hero}}\\ opens today in 2,896 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=37&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film has split the critics, garnering a rotten 50% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/everyones_hero/ Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer}}. The \\{{link http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx-060915-movies-review-hero,0,3290779.story?coll=mmx-movies_top_heds Chicago Tribune}}\\ calls it “a likable, good-natured family show”, but the \\{{link http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/0915hero0915.html Arizona Republic}}\\ says “I […]

For the ninth time \\The Simpsons\\ has walked off with the {{link http://www.emmys.org/awards/2006pt/nominations.php Emmy Award}} for Outstanding Animated Program (less than one hour). The series, the longest-running American sitcom now entering its eighteenth season, won for the aptly titled episode “The Seemingly Neverending Story”. \\The Simpsons\\ was in a tighter race for the prize than […]

Paramount’s \\{{link http://www.barnyardmovie.com/ Barnyard}}\\ opens today at 3,311 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=31&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film is not doing so well with critics, garnering a rotten 31% at {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1153230-barnyard_the_original_party_animals/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. The \\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,1222163_1_0_,00.html Detroit Free Press}}\\ complains that the film is “poorly animated and barely scripted”, while \\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,1222163_1_0_,00.html Entertainment Weekly}}\\ […]

Turner Broadcasting System and Apple today announced that programming from {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCustomPage?name=pageNetworkPage_AdultSwim Adult Swim}} and {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCustomPage?name=pageNetworkPage_CartoonNetwork Cartoon Network}} is now available on the iTunes Music Store. The animated shows added added are: \\Johnny Bravo\\, \\Aqua Teen Hunger Force\\, \\The Venture Bros.\\, and \\Sealab 2021\\. Also available, from Nickelodeon, is a {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=172911491&s=143441 Blue’s Clues […]

Warner Brothers’ \\The Any Bully\\ struggled to make a dent at the box office in its opening weekend, ending up in a disappointing 5th place finish with $8.1 million, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ Box Office Mojo}}. Even \\Monster House\\ in its second week of release was able to beat the \\Bully\\ with a 4th place […]

Warner Brothers’ \\The Ant Bully\\ opens today in 3,050 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=30&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film gets mixed reviews from the critics, garnering a just rotten 53% at {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ant_bully/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. \\Entertainment Weekly\\ says it is “an effortlessly clever animated confection”. However, the \\Hollywood Reporter\\ says the film is “anonymously generic […]

After a surprisingly low box office for Warner Brothers’ \\Lady in the Water\\, Columbia Pictures’ \\Monster House\\ was able to take second place in its opening weekend with $22.2 million according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2119&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of distribution, called it “a terrific start” for the film. The box office tally […]

Columbia Pictures’ \\{{link http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/monsterhouse/site/ Monster House}}\\ opens wide today in 3,553 theatres according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=29&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film is doing fairly well with reviewers, just getting in to a fresh rating of 64% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10005292-monster_house/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. Of those who liked the film \\The New York Times\\ calls it a “marvelously […]

Three years after its cancellation on Fox, the animated TV series \\Futurama\\ has been picked up by Comedy Central, {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=15106 Comingsoon.net}} reports. The cable network has ordered thirteen new episodes which are slated to begin airing in 2008, and will bring the total number of series episodes to 85. Creators Matt Groening and David […]

In an impressive marketing ploy designed to promote next week’s release of the highly anticipated feature film \\Superman Returns\\, Warner Brothers is releasing a large number of Superman franchise DVD’s today. The animated releases are: \\Justice League\\ – Season Two \\Krypto the Superdog\\ – Vol. 1 Cosmic Canine \\Superman: The Animated Series\\ – Volume Three […]

Pixar’s \\Cars\\ opens today at 3,985 theatres according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=23&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film’s reviews, while not as universally positive as director John Lasseter’s previous films, still merit a fresh rating of 77% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004076-cars/ Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer}}. The critical consensus is that “while the story may not reach the high standards […]

{{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=2900 Animation World Network}} goes in-depth into the technical aspects of the making of \\Cars\\, which they call “John Lasseter’s most mature and personal” film yet. Talking with the creators themselves, including supervising animator Doug Sweetland and supervising technical director Eben Ostby, part one of the article focuses on character and lighting innovations. Also […]

A French teaser trailer is now online at {{link http://fr.movies.yahoo.com/features/arthur_et_les_minimoys/ Yahoo! France}} for \\{{link http://www.arthur-lelivre.com/ Arthur and the Minimoys}}\\. {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=14872 ComingSoon.net}} reports that the film, written and directed by Luc Besson, will be released by The Weinstein Company this Christmas, and features Freddie Highmore, Madonna, David Bowie, and Snoop Dogg.