\\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1535436_4_0_,00.html Entertainment Weekly}}\\ talks to \\American Idol\\ runner-up Katharine McPhee who addresses the rumors that she is at the top of the short list for the title role in Joss Whedon’s big-screen adaptation of \\Wonder Woman\\: “I’m not gonna deny it, or admit to it. But it’s funny because no one has even received […]

Now in its 30th year, the {{link http://ottawa.awn.com/ Ottawa International Animation Festival}} opens today and runs through Sunday. The festival is the largest event of its kind in North America and one of the most respected animation events in the world. The competitive film festival caters to industry executives, trend setting artists, students, and animation […]

\\{{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-09-18-pirates-DVD_x.htm USA Today}}\\ reports that producer Jerry Bruckheimer says that the third film in the \\Pirates of the Caribbean\\ trilogy, \\At World’s End\\, is “progressing nicely” eight months away from its scheduled release date. “We shot a lot of Chow Yun-Fat’s stuff already, and we should finish the principal actors by the beginning of […]

Butch Hartman, creator of \\The Fairly OddParents\\ and \\Danny Phantom\\, will be the featured guest speaker at {{link http://www.brookscollege.edu/events.asp Brooks College}} in Long Beach, California on September 20th. The event will run from at 6-8 PM.

Petaluma CA police arrested a Pixar finance manager last week after he sent sexually explicit images and messages from his office computer to an undercover detective posing as a 13-year-old girl, {{link http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=68395 The Big Cartoon Database}} reports. The employee, who was given screen credit in several of the company’s films, was arrested at his […]

{{link http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=38088 Sci Fi Wire}} reports that NBC’s highly anticipated new superhero series \\Heroes\\, which debuts September 25th, will be accompanied by a web comic that will “play a huge part internally inside the show”, according to creator and executive producer Tim Kring. “People can log on and view and sort of interact with the […]

Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television will award John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, their 2006 lifetime achievement award on October 9th at the Outside the Frame Festival according to the \\{{link http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-quick15.5sep15,1,7401087.story L.A. Times}}\\.

\\Everyone’s Hero\\ opened in third place at the weekend box office, but beat expectations according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2006&wknd=37&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The 20th Century Fox film’s three day opening take was $6.2 million, about 25% higher than BOM projected.

20th Century Fox’s \\{{link http://www.everyoneshero.com/ Everyone’s Hero}}\\ opens today in 2,896 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=37&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film has split the critics, garnering a rotten 50% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/everyones_hero/ Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer}}. The \\{{link http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx-060915-movies-review-hero,0,3290779.story?coll=mmx-movies_top_heds Chicago Tribune}}\\ calls it “a likable, good-natured family show”, but the \\{{link http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/0915hero0915.html Arizona Republic}}\\ says “I […]

For the ninth time \\The Simpsons\\ has walked off with the {{link http://www.emmys.org/awards/2006pt/nominations.php Emmy Award}} for Outstanding Animated Program (less than one hour). The series, the longest-running American sitcom now entering its eighteenth season, won for the aptly titled episode “The Seemingly Neverending Story”. \\The Simpsons\\ was in a tighter race for the prize than […]

Paramount’s \\{{link http://www.barnyardmovie.com/ Barnyard}}\\ opens today at 3,311 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=31&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film is not doing so well with critics, garnering a rotten 31% at {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1153230-barnyard_the_original_party_animals/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. The \\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,1222163_1_0_,00.html Detroit Free Press}}\\ complains that the film is “poorly animated and barely scripted”, while \\{{link http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,1222163_1_0_,00.html Entertainment Weekly}}\\ […]

Turner Broadcasting System and Apple today announced that programming from {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCustomPage?name=pageNetworkPage_AdultSwim Adult Swim}} and {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCustomPage?name=pageNetworkPage_CartoonNetwork Cartoon Network}} is now available on the iTunes Music Store. The animated shows added added are: \\Johnny Bravo\\, \\Aqua Teen Hunger Force\\, \\The Venture Bros.\\, and \\Sealab 2021\\. Also available, from Nickelodeon, is a {{link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=172911491&s=143441 Blue’s Clues […]

Warner Brothers’ \\The Any Bully\\ struggled to make a dent at the box office in its opening weekend, ending up in a disappointing 5th place finish with $8.1 million, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ Box Office Mojo}}. Even \\Monster House\\ in its second week of release was able to beat the \\Bully\\ with a 4th place […]

Warner Brothers’ \\The Ant Bully\\ opens today in 3,050 theatres, according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=30&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film gets mixed reviews from the critics, garnering a just rotten 53% at {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ant_bully/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. \\Entertainment Weekly\\ says it is “an effortlessly clever animated confection”. However, the \\Hollywood Reporter\\ says the film is “anonymously generic […]

After a surprisingly low box office for Warner Brothers’ \\Lady in the Water\\, Columbia Pictures’ \\Monster House\\ was able to take second place in its opening weekend with $22.2 million according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2119&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of distribution, called it “a terrific start” for the film. The box office tally […]

Columbia Pictures’ \\{{link http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/monsterhouse/site/ Monster House}}\\ opens wide today in 3,553 theatres according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=29&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film is doing fairly well with reviewers, just getting in to a fresh rating of 64% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10005292-monster_house/ Rotten Tomatoes}}. Of those who liked the film \\The New York Times\\ calls it a “marvelously […]

Three years after its cancellation on Fox, the animated TV series \\Futurama\\ has been picked up by Comedy Central, {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=15106 Comingsoon.net}} reports. The cable network has ordered thirteen new episodes which are slated to begin airing in 2008, and will bring the total number of series episodes to 85. Creators Matt Groening and David […]

In an impressive marketing ploy designed to promote next week’s release of the highly anticipated feature film \\Superman Returns\\, Warner Brothers is releasing a large number of Superman franchise DVD’s today. The animated releases are: \\Justice League\\ – Season Two \\Krypto the Superdog\\ – Vol. 1 Cosmic Canine \\Superman: The Animated Series\\ – Volume Three […]

Pixar’s \\Cars\\ opens today at 3,985 theatres according to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/counts/chart/?yr=2006&wk=23&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}. The film’s reviews, while not as universally positive as director John Lasseter’s previous films, still merit a fresh rating of 77% on {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004076-cars/ Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer}}. The critical consensus is that “while the story may not reach the high standards […]

{{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=2900 Animation World Network}} goes in-depth into the technical aspects of the making of \\Cars\\, which they call “John Lasseter’s most mature and personal” film yet. Talking with the creators themselves, including supervising animator Doug Sweetland and supervising technical director Eben Ostby, part one of the article focuses on character and lighting innovations. Also […]

A French teaser trailer is now online at {{link http://fr.movies.yahoo.com/features/arthur_et_les_minimoys/ Yahoo! France}} for \\{{link http://www.arthur-lelivre.com/ Arthur and the Minimoys}}\\. {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=14872 ComingSoon.net}} reports that the film, written and directed by Luc Besson, will be released by The Weinstein Company this Christmas, and features Freddie Highmore, Madonna, David Bowie, and Snoop Dogg.

\\Over the Hedge\\ crashed through the $100 million mark this weekend, according to {{link http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=overthehedge.htm Box Office Mojo}}. So far the film has grossed over $112.4 million. \\Ice Age: The Meltdown\\ was the last animated film to reach that mark on its way to its current take of $191.5 million.

{{link http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=17091 Animation World Network}} reports that Warner Brothers has picked up an animated script from actor {{link http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000729/ Casey Affleck}} titled \\Aardvark Art’s Ark\\. “The story centers on the adventures of an animal family aboard Noah’s Ark”.

20th Century Fox has moved the release of \\{{link http://www.garfieldmovie.com/ Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties}}\\ from June 23rd to June 16th. In other \\Garfield\\ news, {{link http://www.catster.com/garfield/?PHPSESSID=e98f66701e2e707f9800295e263258ed Catster}} (the networking community for cats) is holding a Royal Treatment Sweepstakes where 10 lucky cats, and their human, can win a Hagen Living World Cat Spa.

{{link http://refrederator.com/ ReFrederator}}, which posts free classic cartoon podcasts daily, has announced that this week’s downloads will feature some of the great animation shorts directors from the golden age of cartoons. You can see ReFrederator by downloading the episodes at their website or by subscribing through iTunes. According to ReFrederator, Great Director Week will include: […]

The Toronto Animated Image Society is presenting the documentary \\Dream On Silly Dreamer\\ on June 8th, followed by a panel of former Disney artists including Scott Caple from the California studio, Andrew Hickson from Disney Florida, Rob Bekuhrs from the California and Florida studios, and Shawn Seles from the Toronto studio will discuss their own […]

The Los Angeles Professional Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is hosting a discussion on the design and execution of visual effects in IMAX films. The event will include a screening of the film \\Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon\\ followed by a panel discussion. Tim Sassoon and Johnathan Banta of Sassoon Film Design will present some […]

{{link http://www.starwars.com/clonewars/about/news/news20060525.html Apple and Lucasfilm have announced}} the availability of the first twenty chapters of \\Star Wars: Clone Wars\\ on the iTunes Music Store. The Emmy-award winning animated series directed by Genndy Tartakovsky will be available for download individually at $1.99 or at $10.99 for the entire first volume. Volume 2 will soon follow. If […]

After {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00005072.html yesterday’s story}} that the {{link http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/monsterhouse/site/ official \\Monster House\\ website}} had a PG-13 warning listed in a PG rating box, Sony Pictures Animation has had the error corrected and confirms that the film will be rated PG – Parental Guidance Suggested.

DreamWorks’ \\Over the Hedge\\ exceeded expectations but couldn’t break \\The Da Vinci Code\\. According to {{link http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2006&wknd=20&p=.htm Box Office Mojo}}, \\Over the Hedge\\ took in $37.2 million for a second place finish at the box office.