The traditionally animated feature that will mark Marlon Brando’s last film credit, Big Bug Man, seems to be riding the crest of the recent publicity surrounding the late actor by opening up its {{link http://www.bigbugman.com/ official website}}. Among other things to be found is confirmation of Brendan Fraser’s attachment, a poster and character concepts, as […]

As {{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents The Digital Bits}} reports, the 2004 Home Entertainment DVD Technical Awards were announced yesterday at the Video Software Dealers Association show in Las Vegas. Animation and releated winners included The Lion King 1½ for Best Overall Direct-to-DVD Presentation, Finding Nemo for its Direct Digital Transfer and Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse […]

The Disney Database has scored some screen shots from the upcoming {{link http://www.disneydatabase.com/dvd_screens.php?movieid=36&dvdid=30 Mulan: Special Edition}}. The images show various captures of the deleted scenes, fun facts and behind-the-scenes footage featured in the 2-disc set.

As seen on Extra last night, hop on over to their website for a sneak peek at the new, full two-and-a-half-minute trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s Shark Tale. {{link http://extratv.warnerbros.com/ Open the page}} and look for the ‘Upcoming Movies: Will Smith Gets Animated’ link on the right for full fishy fun. There’s another, {{link http://progressive.stream.aol.com/aol/us/moviefone/movies/2004/sharktale_016410/sharktale_trlr02_dl.mov direct […]

CINEME’s marketing and public relations team writes in with an update on the CINEME International Animation Festival, IGDA Video Game Developers Summit and $20,000 AGP Halo Tournament. There is still just about enough time to submit entries for this year’s featival, though the submission deadline of August 1st is looming! The 2004 festival runs September […]

The Popular Mechanics website has a couple of interesting stories up for animation fans. Tobey Grumet takes a {{link http://popularmechanics.com/technology/television/2004/7/pixar_live/ very brief visit}} to the Pixar Animation Studios, but much more substantial is the report of new software that will help producers cut the costs of {{link http://popularmechanics.com/technology/computers/2000/8/_Talking_Heads/index.phtml facial animation}}, and is already being used […]

‘Otma1918’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=4179#post4179 Animated News Forum}} points out that AnimationHQ will be hosting a chat session with voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch (Witch Hunter Robin) on Sunday July 18, at 9pm ET/6pm PT. For more details, see the AnimationHQ {{link http://www.animationhq.net/v2/features/events.htm events page}}.

Despite there being no images of Mulan herself on the upcoming Mulan Special 2-disc Edition DVD, the {{link http://www.disneydatabase.com/news_more.php?id=18 Disney Database}} has posted the actual disc art for this October release.

Academy Award-nominated director Mark Osborne is to partner with distinguished animated short producer Karen Dufilho-Rosen to make a new short film, with a 2004/2005 Guggenheim Fellowship helping to partially fund its making. Read the full press release on The Better Half here:

Five preliminary cover artworks for Disney’s October 2005 Platinum Edition DVD release of Cinderella have been posted at the {{link http://www.disneydatabase.com/news_more.php?id=15 Disney Database}}. These designs have not been confirmed as anything official, though it is thought they are early approaches in working out the look of the cover. One thing that has been mentioned though: […]

{{link http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/450471.html Haaretz.com}} reports that a Hebrew-dubbed line in Shrek 2 threatened to hold up the release of the film in Isreal. Local singer David Da’or was upset that one line was translated to use his trademark high-voice as a metaphor for castration. The line has now been…cut. Thanks to ‘Itair’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=4035#post4035 […]

Over at DVD Toons there’s a host of new super-reading on offer. First up, Rodney Figueiredo dons a cape for a very enthusiastic look at Warner Brothers new collection of classic {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/321 Challenge Of The SuperFriends: The Complete First Season}} episodes. Then Randall Cyrenne brings us more up to date with the modern incarnation […]

{{link http://www.dvdfile.com/software/dvd-video/archive/2004/07_08.html DVD File}} announces that SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Second Season will hit DVD on October 5th. The set will include “seven audio commentaries on select episodes, two storyboard comparisons, Around The World With SpongeBob SquarePants and a Script Viewer exclusive for PC users”. It’s set to retail at $49.95.

In a strange new twist on the marketing business, an animated fictional character is sponsoring Clay Aiken’s nationwide tour, which has just started, reports {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=115865 Toon Zone}}. Well, kind of. It seems Disney is lending financial support to the events to promote its upcoming Aladdin: Special Edition DVD, to which a new song has […]

Proving that Jim Henson’s Muppets are still a popular line of characters (are you taking note, Mr Eisner?), Palisades Toys has announced the availability and very fast sell out of a new series of Muppet Figures. “The response to Series 8 actually caught us off guard… In a positive way,” says Palisades President and CEO […]

Philip Staiger writes in with news on a new version of Dan Ritchie’s animation software, Project Dogwaffle, now available in edition 1.2 as a free updated download. Read the full details on the product here:

TV Shows On DVD have some updates to several highly anticipated animation sets due for release later this year. Follow these links for news on the {{link http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1829 Looney Tunes Golden Collection 2}} release date and bonus Clampett documentary, the release date set for {{link http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1828 The Flintstones Season 2}}, a release date for {{link […]

The trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s Shark Tale has just been added to Apple’s high quality {{link http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/shark_tale/ QuickTime Trailers}} page.

Toon Zone posts a brief but informative {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=115661 review of events}} from this past weekend’s Anime Expo 2004, one of the biggest gatherings of manga and anime fans in the country.

The UK’s Guardian online has reprinted an interview with DreamWorks’ {{link http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1253349,00.html Jeffrey Katzenberg}} by my old pal Jason Solomons from The Observer newspaper. The studio head, currently riding high with Shrek 2, talks about forming a partnership with Spielberg and Geffen, his time with the Mouse House, the move from hand drawn to CG, […]

Oscar-winning Marlon Brando, who died last week in Hollywood aged 80, had just finished recording his lines for what will eventually be his final screen outing, Big Bug Man. {{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/040706g.php Dark Horizons}} reports a Variety story about his role in the superhero-ish picture, about how celebrity and success can corrupt the good-hearted. “Brando voices […]

Although he passed away on May 25, the UK’s Guardian newspaper has only recently published an obituary for Ronald ‘Gillie’ Potter, an animator who pioneered the use of special effects in British screen advertising and also contributed visual effects and title work for big screen features including Jurassic Park. Read the full account of his […]

As expected, Sony’s Spider-Man 2 has smashed records to become the film with the biggest opening box office numbers. {{link http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=4704 JoBlo.com}} reports that Spidey has broken Matrix Reloaded‘s 6-day take of $146.7m and also beaten Shrek 2‘s recent 4-day holiday cume of $95.6m. From last Wednesday’s day of release to this Monday, the superhero […]

DVD Toons’ Anthony Lizarraga takes an early sneak peek at the WB’s {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/319 Batman: The Animated Series, Volume 1}}, a DVD collection of 28 episodes. “There has never been a truer Batman than the one producers Bruce Timm and Eric Rodomski gave us between 1992 and 1995. American animated television programming was redefined, and […]

Del Walker turns back the clock to take a look at a lost name in the history of animation over at DVD Toons, {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/features/67 Charley Bowers}} – The Story Of An American Comic Genius. Bowers’ life is pretty sketchy, though this extensive article reveals all there is to know about this early stop-motion animator […]

By the end of last week, DreamWorks’ Shrek 2 passed Spider-Man on the all-time {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic.htm domestic grosses list}}, with a take of $404.3m, beating the webbed wonder’s $403.7 pull in 2001. On the worldwide board, Shrek 2 just passed Toy Story 2‘s $485m gross with a $485.3m cume so far, and is nipping at […]

DVD Toons has finally gotten around to {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/317 reviewing Ralph Bakshi’s 1977 fantasy Wizards}}, though they don’t seem too bothered by having to wait for their copy. “If you know Bakshi’s work, or have ever heard of his infamous style, then you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect here. Surreal, badly […]

The {{link http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/pressrelease.php?id=439 Anime News Network}} announces that there will be an “exclusive screening of a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Ghost In The Shell II: Innocence, plus an exclusive first-look at the film’s trailer only at the Anime Expo 2004 on Saturday, July 3 at 4pm in Video Room 1. AX2004, taking place […]

DVD Toons’ Rand Cyrenne cracks open the Disney DVD release of Marvel’s {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/316 Spider-Man: The ’67 Collection}}, six discs of original animated adventures. “When I was eight years old, I was unaware that Spider-Man was a revolutionary character. Watching Spider-Man was a bit unsettling, since I could not rely on him always coming out […]