The Hollywood Reporter, via Cartoon Brew, reported recently that the animated series The Boondocks, based on the popular newspaper comic strip, was picked up by Cartoon Network after the Fox Broadcasting Company passed on it after viewing a 6-minute test pilot. “Cartoon [Network] is believed to be eyeing Boondocks for its ‘Adult Swim’ late-night block, […]

A hilarious teaser for the much-discussed “puppetoon” film by the politically scathing pair behind South Park has hit the net! Head on over to the Apple site to get your first glimpse of the film coming this autumn; produced in the same method as Thunderbirds, but with a slightly less innocent twist!

With DreamWorks set to spin off its animation studio and promising to ramp up its computer-rendered production, it’s going to get crowded at the pixilated multiplex soon. Rick Munarriz takes a closer look at DreamWorks, Disney, and Pixar and sees the potential for great rewards — as well as perilous pitfalls.

“ScribbleChimp” over at Animation Nation has found a 6-minute Windows Media teaser clip of the new FOX animated sitcom, American Dad. Although those at AN are clearly unimpressed, it’s too early yet to tell how the series will pan out in full 22-minute episodes. American Dad is set to premiere on FOX in January 2005, […]

The Disney Database has some new ‘Main’ and ‘Bonus Features’ menu shots of the upcoming Aladdin Platinum Edition DVD coming this October. Let’s hope the contents of the discs impress as much as the visuals!

“ThiagoPE” and “Shoka” have sent in an interesting piece to Brian Tiemann over at LionKing.org. It appears that Disney has made a few cosmetic changes to The Lion King II, set to come out on a Special Edition DVD in the U.S. on August 31st. Screen caps and an analysis of two scenes are provided […]

The IMDb is reporting that, in an upcoming episode of the long-running Fox show The Simpsons, a long-time character will reveal that he’s gay. “At the moment, many fans are betting the character in question will be Waylon Smithers – who works for evil nuclear tycoon Mr. Burns – but the show’s producers are refusing […]

Apparently, some business-savvy types are a bit perturbed at DreamWorks’ move to open the company to public ownership. As part of “The Five Dumbest Things on Wall Street This Week”, TheStreet.com listed DreamWorks at number four in a scathing criticism of the filing move. “It’s not that Shrek and Shrek 2 aren’t great. They are. […]

BusinessWeek has an extensive article on anime, the “Japanese invasion”, and the influences it has had on the Western world. The article goes on to outline the big business of Japanese (and influenced) products, the origins of the pop culture explosion in Japan, and the apparent (and growing) cultural effects it’s having in the U.S. […]

Ananova reports on the revelation first made at this year’s Comic-Con: that a live-action Transformers movie is really, truly underway. The film, tentatively set for a summer 2006 release, involves the cooperation of Hasbro as consultant, DreamWorks as distributor, and Paramount as overseas marketer. “‘The possibilities for a thrilling action adventure are virtually endless, and […]

The Los Angeles Times [free registration required] reflects on the success of the Spiridellis brothers after their Flash-animated short, This Land, debuted on their JibJab.com website in early July. “Set to the tune of Woody Guthrie’s This Land Is Your Land, the two-minute cartoon lambastes “the right-wing nut job” (Bush) and the “liberal wiener” (Kerry) […]

The Orlando Sentinel writes of a sunnier outcome for a handful of ex-WDFA-F animators: video games. “Cecropia, Inc. has hired seven former employees of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, which closed in March, and plans to hire up to 20 more by the end of the year, said Ann-Marie Bland, president and CEO. The Disney […]

Photos from this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego are already starting to flood the net, and the Latino Review has, for starters, got some great new images from this Christmas’ family fantasy, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, with Jim Carrey as the story’s main antagonist, Count Olaf. Check them out!

Ted Turner criticizes the Disney Company, among others, in the current Washington Monthly magazine. He writes about the disturbing issue of consolidation and corporate control of the media, citing three main points as “the loss of quality, localism, and democratic debates,” giving big media companies “new power over what is said not just on the […]

According to the film’s website, Geoff Murphy, who recently worked as a second-unit director for all three Lord of the Rings films, has signed on to direct the live-action adaptation of The Last Unicorn, a popular fantasy novel-turned Rankin/Bass animated film in 1982. The film’s two previous chiefs, Michael Pakleppa and Monty Python cohort Julián […]

The Globe and Mail reports that DreamWorks’ next CGI animated feature Shark Tale will have an afternoon “matinee” gala premiere on the first weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival, marking the film’s first North American showing. It joins another matinee gala, as-yet-unannounced but rumored to be Warner Brothers’ mo-cap CG film, The Polar Express. […]

The Orlando Sentinel [free registration required] has posted a feature about the arrival of new Marvel heroine Anya Corazón, a fiery Latina high-schooler with still-unraveling superpowers. Unveiled last month in Amazing Fantasy #1, she’s already drawn a surprisingly strong response. “Marvel Comics editor in chief Joe Quesada says he has been pleasantly surprised by the […]

Jens, over at The Disney Database, has posted some new peeks at upcoming Disney DVDs. First up is a clear look at the disc art of the Aladdin Platinum Edition DVD coming this autumn. Though a “thumbnail” image was included with its press release, a full view of the final cover art for Mickey’s Twice […]

Well, the website, at least! Hop on over to the new-and-improved JimHillMedia.com and check out the new digs! While you’re there, be sure to read One Mouse, Two Floyds, the latest amusing article from JHM regular, Floyd Norman. Update those bookmarks, everyone!

CHUD posts a heads-up today on a new potential comic book adaptation – though not your average superheroes with -man suffixes. No, “Hollywood vet Ron Shusett (Alien) and increasingly busy producer/comic fan Daniel Alter have grabbed the rights to the impending Image book Industry of War. The book, which hits shelves in September, follows a […]

Ain’t It Cool News‘ anime feature is back with lots of release lists and scoops for anime and manga fans. Among the notables is a Platinum Collector’s Edition release for the popular series Neon Genesis Evangelion. “The highly anticipated Neon Genesis Evangelion – Platinum:01 Collector’s Edition includes the Volume 1 DVD with an exclusive metallic […]

Coming Soon has a look at the final one-sheet theatrical poster for Spider-Man 2, arriving just less than two weeks before the film’s release. For a look at the large image, click here!

TV Shows on DVD has a full list of the cartoons to be included on the second volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, arriving this autumn. Though no official date has been announced, it’s a good bet that it will be released around November, as last year’s first volume was. The bad news? As […]

Some good news for Gargoyles fans – you could (even inadvertantly) be in the Season 1 DVD set of Gargoyles – scheduled for a 10th Anniversary release this autumn!! TV Shows on DVD relays an exciting message from Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman posted at the “Ask Greg” column of the Station 8 Gargoyles Fan Site. […]

The Digital Bits had an interesting post in their Rumor Mill on Friday – “We can’t vouch for the source, but a Star Wars fan website has information that reportedly leaked from someone who attended a recent Lucasfilm marketing meeting. Among the interesting bits of information is word that the first and second series of […]

The Digital Bits is reporting a delay in the long-awaited Region 1 DVD releases of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Porco Rosso, along with a new widescreen two-disc Special Edition of My Neighbor Totoro. They were previously announced for release on August 31st, but have now been delayed for unknown […]

Following the USA Today print article reported previously, MSNBC now has a five-minute video exclusively about the creation of Buckbeak, the gray hippogriff featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The written article included with the video is basically just a transcript of the featurette – so those who can’t work the MSN […]

According to Box Office Mojo, the Friday estimates put Garfield in third with $8 million, while Shrek 2 has fallen to the fifth spot, taking in $7,645,000. Prisoner of Azkaban remains in first with $11,210,000.

Following up on the first look at The Corpse Bride posted here previously, Ain’t It Cool News has put up more tantalizing looks at future animated (or animation-related) films. From this first AICN scoop, we get our first look at Open Season (reported here back in February as Sony’s first feature-length CG film), as well […]

Mentioned over at Animation Nation, the group Polyphonic Spree – most well-known for their song Light & Day, which was featured in the latest Charlie Kaufman film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – has fashioned a wonderfully weird Flash-animated website called Quest for the Rest. The purpose of the game is to guide the […]