{{link http://keyframeonline.com/kf.php Keyframe}} announces that the trailer for Universal’s second direct-to-video sequel to the orignal Amblimation feature Balto is online at the comapny’s {{link http://www.universalpictures.jp/showcase.html Japanese site}} (the trailer is in English with subtitles). Thanks to ‘athena’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=5053#post5053 AN Forum}} for the link!

Ultimate Disney has a first look at the disc art for the {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/ Mary Poppins: 40th Anniversary Special Edition}} DVD.

AnimationHQ will this Saturday, September 11, host a one-hour online chat session with prolific cartoon voice artist {{link http://animationhq.net/v2/features/events.htm Joe Alaskey}}. In addition to being the “go to” guy for the voice of Daffy Duck, Alaskey has also vocalized a mjaority of the classic characters from the Looney Tunes stable for recent WB films and […]

Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner has confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that he will step down from his position at the company when his contract expires in September 2006, reports the {{link http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6203031 Reuters News Agency}}. “In an interview with the newspaper, Eisner said Disney’s recent crises played no role in his decision to […]

The {{link http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=5268 JoBlo movie site}} reports that the live-action Transformers producer Don Murphy has revealed a little more about the characters set to appear in the film on his website, as well as asking for feedback on key matters. Seems the team behind the film is aware of the huge fan following of the […]

C21 Media reports that “UK and German-based independent children’s producer TV-Loonland has applied to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange in an attempt to attract interest from British investors. The company, which is taking a solid programme slate to next month’s Mipcom, has filed for listing on the AIM index from September 30. […]

Obviously forgiving director Frederik Du Chau for The Quest For Camelot, Warner Brothers is starting to ramp up awareness for the helmer’s new film for them, Racing Stripes. The live-action/CGI-enhanced feature’s synopsis sounds fun: “an abandoned zebra (voice of Frankie Muniz) grows up believing he is a racehorse, and with the help of his barnyard […]

John Kricfalusi, and his artist cohorts from Spumco, will be appearing in person this Saturday, September 11, at 3pm at Golden Apple (7711 Melrose Ave.) to host a ‘Petition Signing Party’. “John is trying to convince the powers that be at Spike TV to authorize new episodes of the Ren And Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon […]

‘Monkeyboy12’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=5004#post5004 Animated News Forum}} points to an intresting story at Yahoo that rounds up the {{link http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=762&e=1&u=/ap/20040906/ap_en_mo/film_summer_box_office box office numbers}} for this summer’s big – and flop – releases. Leading the pack is Shrek 2, with $436.7 million in the bank, ahead on Spider-Man 2‘s $370m and Harry Potter‘s $247m on […]

Though he’s off duty for a couple of weeks, Mike Barrier’s {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/index.html FunnyWorld website}} is packed with new additions since we last caught up with him. Top of “the bill” is an on-going debate between Mike and controversial Ren And Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi…hot reading, but don’t forget to start at the bottom of […]

An exciting opportunity for anime fans has its deadline tomorrow (Sunday, September 5). Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence writer/director Mamoru Oshii will be answering questions submitted by fans through the {{link http://www.ghost2.com/board/showthread.php?t=62 movie’s official message board}}. It’s your chance to communicate directly with the man behind the cult movie Ghost In The Shell and […]

Follow the provided link to view an image preview of Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s new feature {{link http://www.mysan.de/article17468.html Steamboy}} at the Mysan site. Ôtomo, who created and directed the ground-breaking Japanese anime Akira and adapted Osamu Tezuka’s manga Metropolis, is giving the film its international premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it will close the event. […]

The Ultimate Disney site takes an in-depth look at Disney’s upcoming DVD release of {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/homeontherange.html Home On The Range}}. The review confirms that the included Three Little Pigs short is not the Totally Twisted Fairytale version Disney made in the late 1990s, but a new three-minute short featuring the cast of Home On The […]

DVD Toons takes a look at the just-released South Park episode {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/330 The Passion Of The Jew}} and agrees with most others that “this disc has primarily been released to ruffle a few feathers and to cash-in on the DVD issue of Gibson’s film. It’s a daring show in the South Park canon, but […]

‘Monkeyboy12’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=4950#post4950 Animated News Forum}} posts a link to an interesting piece at {{link http://ps2.ign.com/articles/543/543070p1.html?fromint=1 IGN’s PS2 site}} on the still-in-development Kingdom Hearts II game from Square and Disney, which promises easier gameplay and a new camera system.

Bishop Animation, as a result of an {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00002138.html invitation to leave feedback}} on the lead in independent short Paul And His Bananas, has revised the character. Check out the {{link http://www.bishopanimation.com/ba.php new look here}} and check out the site for more details!

Max and Dave Fleischer’s Boop-Oop-A-Doop girl Betty’s transfer to the stages of Broadway just took another turn: replacing Jason Robert Brown as composer is Andrew Lippa (A Little Princess), who will work with David Lindsay-Abaire on the project. Producers Robin Goodman and Andrew Farber had previously hoped to put together a workshop in summer 2004, […]

The DreamWorks Fansite talks exclusively with {{link http://dreamworksfansite.com/features/interviews/bill_kim.php creator Bill Kim}}, project manager of Edge Reality, to discuss the upcoming Shark Tale game on PS2, XBox and Game Cube patforms.

For production managers wishing to book the best computer artists, where do you go? That’s the question that was on Michael Christensen’s mind, before he founded Wicked RGB, whick seeks to gather today’s cutting edge artists and let clients book them directly online. For more details, read their press release here:

After stripping their interview with the producers and cast of Father Of The Pride over the past few days, the {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/fatherofthepride/ DreamWorks Animation Fansite}} has opened up a dedicated section for the show, with stacks of episode guides, news updates and images, including the first unveiling of the official poster.

DreamWorks have announced that writer/director Mamoru Oshii’s sequel Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence will have its Canadian premiere this September in the Midnight Madness section of the {{link http://www.bell.ca/filmfest 29th Toronto International Film Festival}}. Public screenings will take place on Thursday, September 9th at 11:59pm and Friday, September 10th at 3:00pm at the Ryerson […]

Pixar’s story supervisor Mark Andrews speaks to the {{link http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-mag-sp-comicmovies_082204,0,4863759.story?coll=orl-calmoviestop Orlando Sentinel}} about the upcoming Brad Bird superhero spoof The Incredibles. “According to Andrews, there will be plenty of superhero action. In fact, he says that [this is why] the film will be rated PG, instead of the customary G for Pixar films. Still, much […]

Along with the 2-disc Special Edition DVD, and helping somewhat to bulk up the profile of a so-so DTV feature, Walt Disney Records will also re-release The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride {{link http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002VESQ4/disneyanimati-20/103-1157116-8543016 soundtrack}} on August 31, with new cover image tied in to the new video re-issue. Disney has also just released Aladdin: […]

‘Kirikou’ at the {{link http://miarroba.com/foros/ver.php?temaid=2401085&foroid=97427 Miarroba.com Forums}} has posted art from what looks to be a new Spanish animated feature in development. Brendan And The Secret Of Kells hasn’t turned up on any radars yet, but another poster does say that it is at the same stage of production as Filmax’s Nocturna, so it may […]

Dark Horizons reports on a recent {{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/040820a.php industry gathering}} at which Disney’s Buena Vista Home Video entertained guests in a bid to push the studio’s upcoming DVD slate. Along with composer Alan Menken playing a medly from Aladdin to promote its October 2-disc release, animator Eric Goldberg was on hand to magic up some […]

Vinicio Mckay, an Animated News reader from Guatemala, has written in to let us know about the Lilo And Stitch 2-disc Special Edition DVD that has just been successfully released there. The disc follows along the same lines as reports of other foreign-language editions of this title, featuring director’s audio commentary, music video clips, a […]

The {{link http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=5069 JoBlo movie site}} has a story up reporting that, as it currently stands, South Park‘s Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s new puppet-animated musical action farce Team America will be rated NC-17, revealing “the current version of the Paramount film [contains] surprisingly graphic scenes of puppet sex”. The page also has new pictures […]

Echoing Ultimate Disney’s thoughts on The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/329 DVD Toons says}} that “to be fair, it stands up against an impossible to top original pretty well, though admits defeat to the law of diminishing returns, at least artistically. With nothing too outstanding to shout about, nor anything too objectionable to […]

The DreamWorks Fansite has posted a look at the {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/sharktale/games.php Shark Tale video game}}, with screenshots and specs for three console editions.

Well, now that the new Mickey Mouse feature, The Three Musketeers, is actually on shelves in stores ({{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/327 review here}}), there’s no one better placed than director {{link http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/539/539804p1.html?fromint=1 Donovan Cook to reveal all}} about the making of the picture. He writes for IGN-FilmForce about the three-year production, his genuine respect and enthusiasm for […]