The {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?threadid=93944 Toon Zone Forum}} reports that voice work has begun on Season Two of Cartoon Network’s Duck Dodgers animated show. Both Bob Bergen (Dodgers’ “Eager Young Space Cadet” vocalist) and producer/writer Paul Dini make reference to the “next season” on their respective websites. Toon Zone {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=93950 also reports}} that Dini is scheduled […]

A great new feature by Ron Barbagallo on the {{link http://www.animationartconservation.com/blade_of_grass.html Animation Conservation}} website takes a “study within 2D background painting at the Disney Studio from 1928 through 1942”, with examples showing the jumps from the “cartoony” look of Steamboat Willie to the intricate style of Bambi.

The new Cartoon Network/Lucasfilm “micro-series” {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9564 Clone Wars}}, which expands the Star Wars universe by way of creating the back story between last summer’s Episode II and 2005’s Episode III, is airing right now on the channel in the US. However, highly charged UK fans, who feared a long wait (or having to buy […]

Master traditional animator Glen Keane’s take on the Rapunzel legend, retitled Rapunzel Unbraided, has been confirmed as being in active production, in a story at {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9565 Animation World Network}}. The article also states that Lilo And Stitch creator/director Chris Sanders has been tapped to write (and possibly direct?) the new feature An American Dog, […]

Karl F. Cohen over at the {{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=1909 Animation World Network}} takes a look back at animation’s continuing messages of peace – from the Harman-Ising short Peace On Earth, to Brad Bird’s “great non-violent animated feature” The Iron Giant. Part 1 of Cohen’s feature is online now, and a very insightful read.

{{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheTripletsofBelleville-1127609/gallery.php?page=1&size=hires Rotten Tomatoes}} has a great look at the upcoming animated feature The Triplets Of Belleville with 14 hi-res images from the film now online. You’ll get a great look at the production design, attention to detail and original style this film takes, as well as getting to know the cast of characters. Thanks […]

Luke’s {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/ Ultimate Disney DVD}} fansite reports that “Disney is apparently moving Wave 3 of the Walt Disney Treasures, scheduled for release in just 3 1/2 weeks, all the way back to May 2004”. For many, the release of these sets, including a special collection marking Mickey’s 75th Anniversary, as well as a compilation […]

‘Buzz’ on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=352#post352 Animated News Forum}} tells us that the {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/pirates/main_site/main.html Pirates Of The Caribbean DVD}} website has been updated to include “more info [on] content plus disc artwork”. The {{link http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/homeontherange/main.html Home On The Range}} site has also had an overhaul, with a “slight visual update of [the] logo and cast”. […]

Ralph Bakshi’s 1992 animated/live-action fiasco Cool World is not due out on disc for a few days yet, but it’s started to get reviews online. {{link http://www.dvdfile.com/software/review/dvd-video_7/coolworld.html DVD File}} says “Unlike Roger Rabbit’s benign and happy Toontown, Cool World is violent and sleazy. A little gratuitous sex and violence could have been entertaining, but Bakshi […]

{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/ Animation Magazine}} reports that Warner Bros. has named Roland Poindexter as Senior VP, Action-Adventure Properties, a newly created position. Answering to WB Animation president Sander Schwartz, Poindexter will spearhead all aspects of Warner Bros. Animation’s creative development of action-adventure properties for broadcast, cable and made-for-video outlets and supervise creative direction of selected current […]

United Cinemas International, the UK-based Paramount/Universal theater chain, is offering free early screening tickets for Disney’s latest animated feature Brother Bear! Tickets are available at all outlets (exlcuding the flagship Empire Leicester Sqaure and Ireland) for an advance showing on Saturday 22nd November at 10.45am for an 11am start. Simply visit your local UCI Cinema […]

Coming Soon.net’s {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Comedy/Looney_Tunes_Back_in_Action Production Stills}} page just posted a whole bunch of new Looney Tunes: Back In Action images, including the Lourve sequence and behind-the-scenes of director Joe Dante on set. Also, reading between the lines here, check out Dante’s video monitor: although it looks like LT:BIA is being shot for “TV safe”, the […]

‘dizzybloom’ in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=330#post330 Animated News Forum}} posts that the trailer for DreamWorks’ next summer offering, Shrek 2, will appear on {{link http://entertainment.msn.com/accesshollywood/tonight/default.aspx?video=false Access Hollywood}} tonight. The trailer is also attached to the new comedy Elf, out this weekend, and should be online within the next few days.

{{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9527 Animation World Network}} announced that Big Idea Productions had been approved for purchase by Classic Media. The Veggie Tales animation company tried to expand too quickly with the release of the feature film Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie and filed for bankruptcy. Classic Media owns the copyright on characters such as Rocky and […]

A couple of DVD updates for you this morning: today seas the release of Disney/Pixar’s fintastic underwater adventure comedy Finding Nemo, in a special 2-disc edition packed with fun bonus features, including the 1989 computer animated short Knick Knack. Still swimming high in theatrical charts around the world and officially the biggest grossing film of […]

Sylvain Chomet’s amazing animated adventure Les Triplettes De Belleville is about to hit America as the more simple The Triplets Of Belleville. Already playing around the world (in the UK, it’s out as Belleville Rendez-vous, the film is very much worth seeing, and should appeal to all sides of the animation spectrum – be sure […]

Mamoru Oshii’s sequel to the hit anime feature Ghost In The Shell, subtitled Innocence, is providing a lot of excitement for fans online. Over at {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=16431 Ain’t It Cool News}}, Harry provides links for the official site and the new trailer.

The late John McGrew, who served as Chuck Jones’ layout artist and whom Jones said was “a great student of film techniques, and he had very interesting ideas that I was willing to try” is celebrated over at {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Interviews/McGrew/interview_john_mcgrew.htm Michael Barrier}}’s website. The newly posted interview, which comes from September 11 1995, touches on […]

With the award season nearly upon us, the {{link http://www.bafta.com British Academy of Film and Televison Arts}} will award the winners of this year’s British Academy Children’s Film and Television Awards exactly one month from today, on November 30th, in London. The event is co-sponsored by Lego. Feature films up for consideration for Best Feature […]

Tony Bannister, a video graphics designer based in London, is looking to turn the offbeat series of J.P. Martin {{link http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099411415/qid=1067779443/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_2_4/026-2398344-2705202 Uncle}} books into an animated television series, using the original Quentin Blake pictures as a starting point for the look of the show. Blake drew additional fame as the imaginative illustrator of Roald Dahl’s […]

According to {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117894889&categoryID=13&cs=1 Variety.com}}, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is lined up to become a real-life Johnny Bravo in a live-action feature film based on the Cartoon Network show. Though the casting has been rumored for a while, the hiring of screenwriters Matthew Berry and Eric Abrams confirms that the movie is being pushed ahead. […]

With the news that Don Bluth’s films for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, An American Tail and The Land Before Time, were due for release on DVD from Universal, I asked via the {{link http://www.donbluth.com Don Bluth Website}} about Amblin’s cutting ties with the Bluth Group, why they are not involved in the disc production process, […]

‘Jawad’, who runs the excellent {{link http://www.dreamworksfansite.com DreamWorks SKG Fansite}}, has expanded his online universe by announcing on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=249#post249 Animated News Forums}} a new, specific {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/shrek2/ DreamWorks SKG Animation Fansite}}, featuring up to date news on next year’s Shrek 2. “Over the next few months this site will slowly expand featuring sections […]

‘Guardstone’ over on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=224#post224 Animated News Forum}} alerted us to the fact that Home On The Range has been added to the Walt Disney Pictures slate on their official website. There’s no link to a teaser site yet, but keep an eye on that space!

It was ten years ago this weekend that audiences were first treated to Tim Burton’s amazing stop-motion animated film {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/nightmare/intro.html The Nightmare Before Christmas}}, a magical tale that tells of what happens when Halloween meets Christmas! The big Disney holiday season feature offering was originally going to be King Of The Jungle, a small […]

{{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com Michael Barrier}}, the author of {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/books.htm Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation In Its Golden Age}} and a commentary contributor to the new Looney Tunes DVD, offers up his interpretation of long-time Disney artist and imagineer John Hench’s book {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Hench/Hench.htm Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art Of The Show}}. Hench was also recently […]

‘Maxie Zeus’ over at the {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?threadid=92932 Toon Zone Forums}} posted an interesting interview with Daffy Duck’s new producers and their challenge of living up to Chuck Jones’ classic Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 Century (itself “sequel-ized” in the 1970s follow-up Duck Dodgers And The Return Of The 24 1/2 Century). The new Duck […]

Even though we all know Disney has a final trick up its sleeve with next year’s Home On The Range, there are still articles galore spreading the word that “2D is dead, and Brother Bear is the last of a dying breed” – despite the flood of quality hand-drawn animation coming from Europe! {{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-10-28-2d-animation_x.htm […]