The answer to mankind’s age old question – namely, how does a superhero relaxe during the festive season – will be answered in an all-new holiday episode of Justice League, Cartoon Network’s popular animated series based on the the joining up of DC Comics’ biggest guns, reports {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9822 AWN}}. The half-hour Comfort And Joy, […]

Following the news that Brother Bear will see a March 30th 2004 disc release comes {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/ Ultimate Disney DVD}} with the initial specs: “The film will apparently be presented in both 1.66:1 widescreen (which they’re calling “Full Frame”) and 2.35:1 widescreen (which matches the majority of the film’s theatrical exhibition ratio)”. You can read […]

The best online source for finding out about the workings of Walt himself and those he worked with and inspired at the Disney Studio is the one curated by those who knew him best: family and friends. {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/waltdisney/home.html The Walt Disney Family Museum}} has been updated recently to provide new {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/waltdisney/filmtheater.html QuickTime material}} […]

‘Coxy’ on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=575#post575 AN Forum}} stumbled across an amazing looking animated film, L’uovo (or in English, The Egg), which has already won a number of international awards and selected for various prestigious screenings. Seemingly one of the industry’s best kept secrets, the film has so far remained off our radar. Now, the {{link […]

{{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=96925 Toon Zone}} is back with more news, this time on the upcoming TV special to air on Disney’s {{link http://www.abc.com/ ABC Network}} which will celebrate the company mascot’s 75th anniversary. A Merry Mickey Celebration is showing on Saturday, December 20 from 8:00 to 9:00 pm ET, and will feature (to cut costs down, […]

It could be great, it could be bad…but {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/garfield/ Toon Zone}} points us toward the Apple site, who have another new teaser for us today: the upcoming live-action/CG take on {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/garfield/ Garfield: The Movie}}. The film opens next June 18th.

It’s been floating around the web for a couple of weeks, but today {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/ Apple Movie Trailers}} posted a hi-res QuickTime version of the teaser for {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/scooby_doo_2/ Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed}}. Also new today is the upcoming Remember The Titans-styled live-action Disney flick, {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/miracle/ Miracle}}. Over at Yahoo, their Webevents section […]

An inside spy at Fantasy II F/X in Burbank reveals what could be the working title for the next Pirates adventure, Treasures Of The Lost Abyss. The title, which must remain firmly in the section marked “rumor” for now, has been leaked to {{link http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Movies&action=page&type_id=&cat_id=270338&obj_id=40379 Cinescape}} after a Disney representative showed some early concept art. […]

Reporting somewhat strangely on an event for a film which opened (and closed) weeks ago, the usually hot off the press {{link http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Movies&action=page&obj_id=40389&type_id=270285&cat_id=270338&sub_id=0# Cinescape}} today posted new pictures of the World Premiere of Warner Brothers’ Joe Dante-helmed Looney Tunes starrer Back In Action. Daffy, Bugs and co were joined by the film’s co-stars, Jenna Elfman, […]

Bruno Bozzetto’s Allegro Non Troppo, his 1977 homage to Fantasia, has been announced for DVD release from Home Vision Entertainment, according to {{link http://www.davisdvd.com/news/daily_news.html Davis DVD}}. The Italian animated film features six comical sequences which feature the music of Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and Stravinsky. Previously available on VHS, the new disc will feature […]

{{link http://www.videobusiness.com/article.asp?articleID=6653&catType=NEWS Video Business Online}} reports that Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl has sold over 11 million units during its first week in stores, making the Studio a favorite with retailers, especially after the success of Finding Nemo and “catalog” hits such as Sleeping Beauty and The Lion King. […]

‘Guardstone’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=563#post563 Animated News Forum}} lets us know about a story on Yahoo News, originally from Variety, which looks at next year’s animated short subject category and whom we might see in the running. {{link http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/variety/20031210/va_sp_ev/animated_shorts_discover_fest_route_is_1 The interesting article}} also touches more on Pixar’s mysterious short Boundin’, as well as Sony’s Early […]

{{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news03/031210f.php Dark Horizons’ News Bites}} points out a story from today’s edition of {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117896919&categoryID=13&cs=1 Variety}} (paid subscription required), which reports that Warner Brothers’ DC Comics has hired Joel Silver’s TV chief Gregory Noveck to a newly created post which will see him re-evaluate underused DC universe characters, such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and […]

Tonight in the UK, the BBC will air a 40-minute documentary, From Pencils To Pixels, which looks at the current state of animation and its history. We have more details on the show, which goes out at 10.35pm on BBC1, {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000418.html here}}.

The {{link http://www.imdb.com/StudioBrief/#1 Internet Movie Database}} today points out that the Disney Animation Tour at Orlando’s Walt Disney World re-opened on Monday, but that the attraction has one thing missing: “‘animators,’ the Orlando Sentinel observed, noting that if guests on the tour ask where the animators are, guides reply that they are ‘taking a break’. […]

{{link http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031215-557062,00.html Time Magazine}} made available online a story from its December 15th print issue, which looks at the current Mouse chief’s track record and how the the Roy Disney situation might develop over the next few weeks.

After a much rumored courting of various media companies, the specialist home entertainment company {{link http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/ Anchor Bay}} has been promised to IDT Entertainment, who own a controlling interest in Simpsons animation producer Film Roman Productions, according to {{link http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=16157 The Big Cartoon Database}}. Anchor Bay serves as a “boutique” producer of rare and cult […]

{{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=96699 Toon Zone}} reports that Finding Nemo continues to drawn in large audiences on its international theatrical release, pulling in another $45.9 million from 26 countries, for “a cumulative overseas gross of $283.4 million”!

Peter Jackson, readying himself for the release of the last in his epic special-effects filled Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Return Of The King on December 17th, is already looking towards his next project, a grand re-telling of the King Kong story, as well as a long-rumored return to Middle Earth. In Berlin to […]

The {{link http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3U30OLM2B2ZYQCRBAELCFEY?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=3960532 Reuters News Agency}} has reported that Friends star Lisa Kudrow will “lend her voice to an untitled animated pilot presentation created by Jonathan Katz and Tom Snyder (Dr. Katz), under consideration at Fox, playing the mother of a family whose life is disrupted when their uncle moves in with them”.

{{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/ Dark Horizons}} picks up on a story that originally featured at {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117896739&categoryID=13&cs=1 Variety.com}} (paid subscription required) about the long-in-pre-production Disney live-action/animation fairy-tale skewer Enchanted. “Kim Possible executive producers Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle have been hired to rewrite the project for Disney and director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down The House). The film […]

The BBC this Wednesday evening will air a 40-minute documentary which looks at the current state of the animation industry, at 10.35pm on BBC1. The Imagine series (covering a wide variety of artistic and cultural projects and people) has so far been an intelligent show, going to the top people in the field for information. […]

Ray Harryhausen’s contribution to special effects cannot be overstated, with virtually everybody in the field being inspired by his armies of mythical beasts in the Sinbad films, the dinosaurs of One Million Years BC, or the unforgettable and amazingly influential skeleton gladiators in Jason And The Argonauts (see even this year’s effects-fest Pirates Of The […]

The boys, as they say, are back in town! Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny all return in the latest season to hit DVD, with {{link http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CABL2/qid=1070725303//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i0_xgl74/002-1902555-2863210?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846 South Park: The Complete Third Season}}, out on December 16th. The three-disc set features all seventeen episodes as well as “mini-commentaries” (short vocal intros by creators Trey Parker and […]

With the end of 2003 upon us and the holiday gift-giving season coming up fast, we thought we’d share what we here at Animated News thought would make great ideas for the animation fan in your life

The ever present {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/main/index.htm Jim Hill Media}} has a brief update on the Roy Disney/Michael Eisner situation over at Disney today, plus an announcement for a rather special event for NYC residents. “Tonight [December 4] at the Museum of Television and Radio, they’re having an event to honor Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass, […]

In what is possibly the fastest theatrical-to-television turnaround ever, Sylvain Chomet’s Les Triplettes De Belleville (or in the UK, {{link http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/ Belleville Rendezvous}}) will be shown on the BBC (who part funded the film) as part of their New Year’s Eve programming. Belleville, which is screening on BBC2 at 2.30pm, was premiered this year at […]

Ray Pointer, who runs the wonderful resource for older American animation, {{link http://www.inkwellimagesink.com/ Inkwell Images}}, is finally taking pre-orders for his wide collection of silent Disney and Fleischer cartoon libraries on DVD! Previously, only the Max Fleischer {{link http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000096JHT/002-1902555-2863210?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I3P5SIVJ8BIHBW&colid=23OUJ19G09P91 Out Of The Inkwell}} disc was available, being a combination of Volumes One and Two from […]

Up to the minute DVD info page {{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/ The Digital Bits}} are usually first online with the latest disc rumors, and if not first, they’ll be able to confirm or deny reports based on their close association with the main Studios. Now, in the always entertaining {{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/barriemaxwell/maxwell112803.html Coming Classic Attractions}} column, writer Barrie […]

The {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/index.php? Toon Zone Forums}} today report on a couple of stories that just appeared at {{link http://www.nytimes.com/ The New York Times.com}}. The first, {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=95782 Studios Sue To End Screener Ban}} looks at the ongoing concern that the MPAA DVD screener ban imposed on the studios to help crack down on piracy will […]