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Raven Tales expands internationally

The full text of a press release announcing the production of a Raven Tales television series to be broadcast in Canada and internationally can be read here:

Keeping up with Chicken Little

The Disney Power Board has a nice collection up of all the major Chicken Little images released so far, including first looks at The Art of Chicken Little and Chicken Little: The Visual Guide, plus billboards, posters and Chicken Little’s village.

Interview with Doug Cooper

Online magazine Big Animation has posted an interview with Doug Cooper, visual effects supervisor at DreamWorks Animation, in which he discusses advances in visual effects technology from Prince of Egypt down to Bee Movie.

Project Firefly going strong

The press release announcing the one year anniversary of new animation studio Project Firefly can be read here:

Cartoon Network Wins Three Pulcinella Awards

For this first time in its history, Cartoon Network was honored by the prestigious “Cartoons on the Bay, International Festival on Television Animation” with three top awards, including “Best Series for All Audiences.” The awards were distributed Sunday night, May 1. Full press release here:

Polar Express IMAX to get back on track

VFXWorld reports that The Polar Express is set to reappear as a 3D feature in IMAX theaters again this November. Hopefully they can work on the film between now and then and make the characters look a little less like wax statues.

Chris Wedge interview

Check out AnimWatch for an in-depth interview with Chris Wedge, one of the driving foces behind Blue Sky’s Robots.

Joe Grant passes away

Clay Kaytis’ new animation audio blog The Animation Podcast has broken the news that legendary Disney storyman Joe Grant has passed away earlier today (Friday). With a career spanning from the 1930s all the way into our new millenium, Joe’s imprint can be felt in many productions from the indisputable classics Snow White and Dumbo […]

Toy Story 2 not neglected

The Disney Database and Ultimate Disney are reporting that a re-release of Toy Story 2 is likely to be on the heels of the recently announced 10th Anniversary Edition of the original Toy Story film. Also, check out each site for more news on the continuing saga of Pixar/Disney relations.

Christian Slater To Voice Title Role In Exodus’ CGI-Animated Film Igor

Christian Slater has signed on to lend his voice for the title character Igor in Exodus Film Group’s CGI-animated short film “Igor: Unholy Frijoles” which will precede the feature length theatrical version Igor, due out in 2007. Igor is an irreverent comedy with a new twist on the classic mad scientist/monster genre. It tells the […]

Short creatures star in short feature

Revealed at yesterday’s press junket held in San Francisco for the upcoming release of DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar is the fact that the DVD for it will contain a short featuring the four mischievous penguins (Kowalski, Private, Skipper, and Rico) and set during a Christmastime not long before the movie itself takes place. The directors and […]

Cartoon lookalikes

The Big Cartoon DataBase reports on the uncanny visual similarity between new Czech prime minister Jiri Paroubek and animated character “Diamond” Joe Quimby, the vaguely Kennedy-like mayor of the Simpson’s hometown of Springfield.

Conspiracy Theory Rock

For a biting, satirical look at corporations run amok told as a parody of a School House Rock educational cartoon head on over to Compfused.com. “Watch this and take a wild guess at why this TV Funhouse cartoon was aired only once and was never seen again. There was probably a bit too much truth […]

Jerry talks Bee Movie

Madagascar’s not even out and we’re already startin’ to hear a lot about the next DreamWorks Animation flick. Bee sure to check out AICN for the latest buzz on Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee Movie. Includes pictures from the movie and a little interview with the comedy master.

Kimba returns

For those in France, Yoshio Takeuchi’s 1997 film Léo roi de la jungle (Jungle Emperor Leo) based on the works of Osamu Tezuka began a theatrical release last April 20 so you may still be able to catch it. Thanks to Kristin for the heads up. Official Movie Page

More on the Aladdin reunion

Larry Loc, ASIFA-Hollywood’s blogger, has posted a report and photos from April 22nd’s Aladdin reunion.

Mickey the astronaut

The Disney Database has a brief announcement on a movie in production at DisneyToon Studios called Mickey in Space, and hints that it may receive a theatrical release. Thanks to Adam for the heads up.

American Dad short

If you can still catch it, an American Dad short feature titled Inside the CIA is playing with the Jimmy Fallon/Drew Barrymore comedy Fever Pitch in theaters everywhere.

Pocahontas concept art preview

Eight images out of dozens and dozens of still images of concept art from tomorrow’s 2-disc Pocahontas DVD can be viewed here:

An animated weekend in the southland

Chuck Oberleitner gives his own first person report of last weekend’s Aladdin Reunion and Dream On Silly Dreamer at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Both events have been covered here but Chuck doles out even more nitty gritty information on each.

Long-awaited Pink Panther cartoons coming to DVD

TV Shows on DVD announces The Pink Panther Show – Classic Cartoon Collection 5-Pack Box Set is due out on July 26. This box set will include “124 cartoons produced by Freleng and DePatie between 1964 and 1980” and quite a few special features. Three bargain single-disc releases are due at the same time.

Pirates of the Caribbean massively multiplayer online role-playing game announced

Yahoo! Finance announces that Buena Vista Games is developing a massively multiplayer internet game based on Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean theme park rides and movie franchise. The game’s release will coincide with the Summer 2006 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Official Site

More talk of Disney/Pixar talks

The London Times online reports a new glimmer of hope to the possibility of Pixar and Disney renewing talks and striking a new distribution deal with each other. The hopes hinge largely on the friendly relationship between Dick Cook, head of the Disney Studios, and Steve Jobs, Apple/Pixar CEO, as well as the impending transfer […]

Dream On Silly Dreamer report and photos

Animated News’ Lindsay Mayer reported on the Minneapolis screening of this documentary previously, but Animated News reporter Christian Ziebarth was able to attend a screening yesterday as part of the Newport Beach Film Festival. Following are his thoughts:

Dream On, Silly Dreamer

Independent documentary Dream On, Silly Dreamer projects the tragic tale of a medium deemed “dead” by numerous corporate heads. Animated News & Views’ Lindsay Mayer and Christian Ziebarth were on hand to sample the picture at separate screenings.

Heffalump clips

The Disney Database points to fifteen streaming Quicktime movie clips from the upcoming DVD for Pooh’s Heffalump Movie due out on May 24 (thanks to Adam for the heads up).

Aladdin Reunion rundown and photos

A lengthy writeup of last Friday’s Aladdin Reunion, hosted by ASIFA-Hollywood and held at the Glendale Central Library, as well as four photos from the event can be viewed here:

Aladdin: Crew Reunion

Animated News & Views presents a lengthy writeup of the Aladdin Reunion held on Friday, April 22, 2005. The report contains four photos from the event, hosted by ASIFA-Hollywood and conducted at the Glendale Central Library.

Weekend events

Just a couple reminders for those in the LA/Orange County area. Tonight, April 22, ASIFA-Hollywood will be holding its Aladdin reunion at the Glendale Library at 7pm. “Join animator Tom Sito as ASIFA-Hollywood reunites the makers of Walt Disney Pictures’ Aladdin with anecdotes, behind the scenes secrets, and much more!” Currently scheduled to appear are […]

Heffalump Halloween trailer

Justin Williams in our Animated News Forum has pointed out that a trailer for Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween is now available for viewing online. The movie is due out on DVD in September.