Following Steve Jobs’ announcement, Disney.com’s Corporate Press released a statement, which has ended up on the {{link http://www.animationnation.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007538;p= Animation Nation}} boards. The first half of the statement features the quotes we’re reading in other stories, but towards the end, Disney reminds us (and Pixar) that they own all rights to the existing Pixar films, as […]

Little Longnose, the Russian animated feature we {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000040.html previously reported}} about, looks to have been picked up for distribution by Warner Brothers (who’ll do anything to keep trying for a slice of the animated feature pie – think they’ve got their eye on Pixar, perchance?). Dark Horizons mentions the studio’s name along with a […]

‘Disneyaholic’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=871#post871 Animated News Forum}} points to where viewers can vote for the Orange Audience Film Award at this year’s British Academy Awards. “Voting is currently going on and will end on Febuary 13. Of the 10 nominees, both Pirates of the Caribbean and Finding Nemo [plus The Lord Of The Rings: […]

Despite protests from long-time Disney fans not to create sequels for the older animated classics, Disney looks to be going ahead with a sequel to 1942’s Bambi. Many rumors persisted that production had been shut down on it as well as the proposed continuations of Snow White and Dumbo, and that the company would focus […]

Kelly Asbury, director of the upcoming Shrek 2, has been tapped by Southpaw Entertainment to write and helm Imaginary Children, “a live-action/CGI fantasy adventure about a cartoonist whose creations inhabit his house and cause an estrangement from his son, who can’t measure up to them”. The news comes from {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117899065&cs=1 Variety.com}} (paid subscription required).

Unsurprisingly, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King heads up the hopefulls for the primarily live-action effects fests, with eleven nods, while Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl just beats Nemo‘s four with five nominations. Another fantasy earlier predicted to be in the running, Big Fish, only comes […]

Following our report of the Golden Globes this past Sunday night, the {{link http://www.imdb.com/features/rto/2004/goldenglobes Internet Movie DataBase}} has a full listing of the nominees and eventual winners. Topping the biggest honors was Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, with Best Picture (Drama), Director, Song and Score, placing it in the […]

Despite leaving the company his father and Uncle Walt built, Roy Disney continues to support the work of the animation division, as ‘PatrickvD’ points out on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=806#post806 Animated New Forum}}. As well as play dates and links to various articles on the web about the short film Destino (a project that, it must […]

To celebrate the release of The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata (aka Lion King 1½) on DVD and video in the UK on Monday 16 February, Disney are holding a special screening of the film at London Zoo the day before release, on Sunday 15th. For entry details, check out here:

Sylvain Chomet’s Belleville Rendezvous (The Triplets Of Belleville) notched up more kudos last night, when a panel of four film professionals announced it as the winner of the first ever BBC World Cinema Award. In the shortlist were City Of God, Etre Et Avoir, Good Bye Lenin!, The Man Without A Past, the fully animated […]

The official {{link http://www2.warnerbros.com/scoobydoo2/ Scooby-Doo 2}} site has posted the final one-sheet poster for the March 26 release of Monsters Unleashed, which will also probably end up being the front cover for an eventual DVD issue. Thanks to ‘monkeyboy12’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=793#post793 AN Forum}} for the link – check it out on the WB […]

Belleville Rendezvous (The Triplets Of Belleville) will get one final showing on the BBC 4 digital cable channel, tonight (Saturday) at 11.30pm.

Set to retail on January 27th, {{link http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008EY6Q/qid=1074953040//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl74/102-4687562-8010520?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846 The Critic: The Complete Series}} brings together all 23 episodes from seasons one and two, as well as a few other surprises! Speculation across the web also has wish-listers including the 2000 follow-up “webisode” series in the set. Initial reports confim a “short film” compliation, which many […]

The Writers Guild of America has announced its television nominees for this year, and The Simpsons takes the lead with three out of six nods for animation writing. {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=100236 Toon Zone}} has the full list, and a link to the WGA stite.

The {{link http://www.impawards.com/2004/scooby_doo_two_ver3.html Internet Movie Poster Awards}} unveiled four new Scooby images promoting the upcoming Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

‘MusicFan’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=765#post765 Animated News Forums}} points to a site that announces William Joyce as the writer of Disney’s latest pick-up, A Day With Wilbur Robinson, which Joyce originally wrote as a book in 1990. Steve Anderson is slated to direct.

The British Academy Of Film And Television Arts, known more succinctly as {{link http://www.bafta.org/press/releases/pr_071103_1.htm BAFTA}}, just announced the nominees for this year’s awards, which will take place in Leicester Square, the heart of cinema in London, on February 15th. The British equivalent to the Oscars, the awards often point towards who might pick up the […]

Michael Barrier updates his {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Feedback/feedback_funnyworld.htm Funny World}} site to include feedback from Robert Clampett, son of legendary animation director Bob, who writes to him following the re-print of an {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/Clampett/interview_bob_clampett.htm interview}} between Barrier and his father. It’s a great piece that plays up his Dad’s role in the WB cartoons, as well as […]

{{link http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=493&ncid=493&e=4&u=/ap/20040117/ap_en_mo/disney_speech Yahoo news}} reports on last night’s appearence of Roy Disney and his talk to around 200 collectors of Disney memorabilia at the semi-annual NFFC: The Club for Disneyana Enthusiasts meeting. The ex-Disney chairman spoke out again about the current management of the Walt Disney Company, and mentioned “a sense of frustration” about the […]

{{link http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/01/15/robot.actor.ap/index.html CNN Online}} reports that Astro Boy got the help of a real life little boy robot recently, when Sony’s humanoid Qrio entered a voice booth to record lines for an episode of the new incarnation of the show. Qrio, which stands for “quest for curiosity”, isn’t a regular Sony product, but works instead […]

“More control and more profit from videogames based on its properties” was the reason given by {{link http://www.videobusiness.com/article.asp?articleID=6819&catType=NEWS Video Business Online}} as to why Warner Bros has decided to create a division to co-publish and develop gaming titles. WB Interactive Entertainment has set up Warner Bros. Games to develop, produce and distribute videogames, which will […]

Not a day after we reported The Digital Bits’ rumor of new Hanna-Barbera season sets from Warners, the Studio has released cover art, specs and dates for The Flintstones: The Complete First Season and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: The Complete First And Second Seasons (that last one being a single box set that comprises both […]

A final word from an animator leaving the recently closed Walt Disney Feature Animation-Florida ramps down the {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/articles/01142004.1.htm Jim Hill Media}} coverage of the events happening down Orlando way. Be sure to check out “Brother Bri”‘s touching last note.

Flushed with the success of their Looney Tunes: Golden DVD Collection late last year, it seems Warners are already looking towards a second boxed set for Bugs and co. The Studio also sounds like it’s pleased with the ongoing popularity of the single-disc super-hero and Hanna-Barbera animated releases, and will finally take fans’ comments on […]

Despite the release of Tim Burton’s latest, Big Fish, which with $13.8 million didn’t quite manage to dislodge Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King from the top slot, the Peter Jackson motion picture behemoth continued to trail blaze through the charts, flying past the $300 million mark this weekend with a $14.2 million […]

{{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=99501 Toon Zone}} posted a fun little article on music professor Daniel Goldmark, who uses cartoons in the classroom to introduce students to the musical classics! Check it out at {{link http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/01/12/400248b022276 The Crimson White}}.

{{link http://www.savedisney.com Save Disney.com}} this morning has a slightly new look (a full upgraded site is on the way), with Legacy Animation Studios’ Eddie Pittman offering up a visual take on the closing of WDFA-Florida. The page also re-prints Disney’s official statement regarding the Studio, which has president David Stainton announcing that “this difficult decision […]

{{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=99470 Toon Zone}} points to another Wilbur in the news today – Wilbur Post, the long-suffering human friend to the world’s most famous talking horse, Mr Ed. As MGM Home Entertainment gets set to release a new DVD collection, The Best Of Mister Ed: Volume One, next week, actor Alan Young, who went on […]

{{link http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/critics.choice.awards.reut/index.html CNN Online}} just posted a story on Saturday’s Annual Critics’ Choice Awards, where Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King was named best picture, also snagging awards for best director, ensemble cast and composer. The story confirms that Jackson spoke via satellite from his native New Zealand, where […]

Walt Disney Feature Animation-Florida will today officially close its doors, putting over 250 talented artists, technicians and animators out of work, as well as depriving the public of a chance to see how the magic was made. The animators’ desks themselves were a featured part of an attraction at Walt Disney World in Orlando, which […]