News Archive for Ben Simon

Scooby’s returns to live-action for TV movie

Cartoon Network is set to bring back the original cast and crew from its record-setting Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins for an all-new, live-action mystery adventure, Scooby-Doo! Curse Of The Lake Monster, to premiere Saturday, October 16, at 7pm. More details and a cast shot can be seen here:

Tron (1.0) Profiled

Over at CG Society, writer Trevor Hogg takes an interesting look back at the production of the original Tron, in anticipation of this year’s sequel Tron: Legacy. Elsewhere, Trevor has profiled director Steven Spielberg for the Flickering Myth website: part one of five may be read here.

Despicable Me despicably on Blu-ray and DVD!

Universal have announced their animated summer hit Despicable Me for release on Blu-ray and DVD on December 14, in a feature packed edition and limited edition combo pack. Full details and hi-res cover art can be seen here:

Cinzia Angelini’s directorial debut: Mila

A teaser for Bolt animator Cinzia Angelini’s short film Mila, which marks Angelini’s directorial debut, reveals the director’s intentions to push CGI in a new painterly direction. The “story of a little girl who survives war despite the loss of her family”, funding for the project is now underway, with an opportunity to contribute to […]

Flintstones celebrate original premiere with day-long marathon!

On September 30, 1960, Hanna-Barbera introduced America to the first-ever prime time, animated half-hour series, The Flintstones, which ran for six seasons on ABC Television. In celebration of this landmark series, Cartoon Network’s classic network Boomerang airing the original first episode, The Flintstone Flyer, followed by an evening of dedicated programming — and a full […]

Toy Story‘s full specs and final artwork

Full specifications for the releases of Toy Story 3 as well as the contents of the Ultimate Toy Box DVD and Blu-ray Disc set and final cover art for them all, can be seen here:

Tokyo Film Fest gets 30 minutes of Tron: Legacy

Looking to build anticipation in the same way the extended teaser for Avatar did last year, Disney is to screen some 30 minutes of its upcoming Tron: Legacy at the Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs October 23-31. The film is set to be released in Japan and the US on December 17. THR Asia […]

Christmas goes Pink!

Rubicon Studios has announced that it will team with MGM to produce a new half-hour animated Christmas special featuring the original Pink Panther, set for distribution in time for the 2011 holiday period. Full details can be read here:

Disney teams with Sony again for home 3D

After arguably providing the strongest studio support for its fledgling Blu-ray format, Disney is again to team with electronics giant Sony, this time to provide “consumer and retail education, promotion and marketing support for in-home 3D devices and content”, according to TWICE.com. The initiative is to kick off this holiday season with bundles of the […]

More Shrek and Panda from DreamWorks/NBC

The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reveals that DreamWorks will continue their small screen partnership with NBC to produce two new specials following success last year with Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space and Merry Madagascar. The Halloween-themed Scared Shrekless will air on October 28, with a Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special being shown November […]

ASIFA-Hollywood calls for 2010 Annie entries

Despite Disney’s recent announcement that it would not be supporting the upcoming annual Annie Awards, the International Animated Film Society is progressing as normal with their call for entries for the 38th ceremony, to be held February 5, 2011, at UCLA’s Royce Hall in LA. Full details can be read here:

Aardman’s Timmy Time to premiere on Disney Channel

Aardman Animations’ new series Timmy Time, about Shaun The Sheep‘s little lamb pal, will make its North American debut on the Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney on September 13, following a sneak peek on September 7. Full details can be read in this announcement:

LA/NY set for Superman/Batman’s Apocalypse

Warner Bros. has announced that the next entry in their popular series of DC Animated Universe movies, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, will receive the big screen premiere treatment in Los Angeles on September 21 and New York on September 23, ahead of the video disc release on September 28. Full details can be read here:

Pirates Of Dark Water on DVD now

Added to the exclusive line of Warner Archive Collection titles available directly from the studio, Hanna-Barbera’s Pirates Of Dark Water has just arrived on DVD this week, becoming one of the fastest selling titles in the collection. A review of the two-disc set will feature here shortly, in the meantime, cover art and a clip […]

Fantasia will amaze ya: full details

Walt Disney Home Entertainment has now released the full and final specifications for their upcoming release of the Fantasia: 2-Movie Collection set on November 30, 2010. The announcement, alongside updated final cover art, can be seen here:

Tinker Bell picnics in the park

Details on Disney’s recent family premiere screening of Tinker Bell And The Great Fairy Rescue on the big screen in LA, ahead of its release on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, can be found here:

Black Cauldron DVD details

Full details and cover art for Disney’s 25th anniversary edition of its 25th animated feature can be seen here:

ASIFA-Hollywood Student Award announced

ASIFA-Hollywood has announced the creation of a new Student Annie Award, to be handed out at the next Annie Awards ceremony. More details can be read here:

Batman Beyond hits DVD

A press release for the upcoming release of Batman Beyond on DVD from Warner Home Video on November 23 can be read in full here alongside cover art for the set:

Wonka producer Wolper dies at 82

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that David L. Wolper, the producer of the original Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory feature film, among many other achievements, has died in Hollywood. He was 82.

DC Comics’ Secret Origins revealed on DVD

A press announcement and cover art for Warner Home Video’s November 9 documentary Secret Origin: The Story Of DC Comics, which reveals the history behind some of the world’s greatest super hero characters, can be seen here:

“How much are you asking for, Dave?” – Kubrick auction item goes ape!

A little off our beaten track but too exciting to pass over: the specialist film and entertainment arm of auctioneer Bonhams is set to welcome bids on an ultra-rare ape-man costume, created for the filming of Stanley Kubrick’s seminal sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, at the upcoming Pioneers Of Popular Culture vintage auction, to […]

Gnomeo included in Disney Miramax sale

The Hollywood Reporter has stated that Gnomeo And Juliet, the Elton John-produced animated feature that was being made under the Miramax banner and was at one stage destined to remain at Disney even after their sale of the independent film company, is actually to be included in the sale, alongside three other completed pictures. Actor […]

Pixar’s great Muppet caper

It seems Disney is leaning on Pixar for a little more than just their own animation department: as well as reports of the CG studio offering notes for a round of Tron: Legacy reshoots, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Pixar’s Brain Trust has been involved in how to successfully revive Jim Henson’s Muppets, with […]

G2: Pixar’s changing face of animation; New Wonder Woman

The Guardian online version of its G2 supplement today looks into the way Pixar and its feature debut Toy Story revitalized the animation industry, as the third film gets ready for its European release. Elsewhere, G2 includes Pixar’s The Incredibles in a discussion about proper superhero costume etiquette, to coincide with DC Comics’ revealing of […]

Plympton over at Chuck’s

Animation Legend Bill Plympton is set to spread his wings over at the Chuck Jones Gallery in San Diego, where a reception and exhibition will be held to celebrate his latest animated feature, Idiots And Angels, on Friday, July 23, from 7pm. Full details can be read here:

Poser 8 goes international

Smith Micro has launched new versions of its popular 3D character solution Poser, the intuitive 3D character solution for hobbyists exploring 3D graphics for personal entertainment, as well as experienced digital artists and creative professionals, in German, French and Japanese. A press release can be read here:

King Kong lives!

Hot on the heels that Peter Jackson is to direct his long gestating The Hobbit movies comes news that another character he brought to the screen, in 2005’s Oscar-winning King Kong, has returned for more. Unveiled yesterday at Universal Studios Hollywood, the theme park’s latest attraction, King Kong 360 3D has been produced by Jackson […]

Cloudy with a chance of…Lego!?

Heat Vision reports that Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have been tapped by Warner Bros. and the Lego company to helm a feature-length movie based around the plastic bricks. The plot, under wraps for now, is expected to mix live action with Lego animation.

Jackson getting set to return to Middle Earth

As perhaps inevitably expected, helmer Peter Jackson is in negotiations to sit in the director’s chair for the two upcoming Hobbit movies being made by New Line and MGM. Although Jackson was still heavily involved as co-writer and producer, Guillermo del Toro was to direct the films until he left under “scheduling conflicts” coming from […]