With the Oscars only days away, Animated News brings together reports from around the web to give you a closer look at the five films nominated for Best Animated Short.

According to the {{link http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=509&u=/ap/20040225/ap_on_bi_ge/disney_eisner_4&printer=1 Associated Press}}, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System has announced that it will withhold its votes for Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s re-election at next week’s annual shareholder meeting. Sean Harrigan, president of the CalPERS board of administration said “We have lost complete confidence in Mr. Eisner’s strategic vision and leadership […]

{{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/shrek2/ DreamWorks Fansite}} has pics of some promotional material from \\Shrek 2\\ and \\SharkTale\\.

\\{{link http://www.variety.com/ac2004_article/VR1117900322?nav=wrap&categoryid=1656 Variety}}\\ takes a look at the major Oscar categories and breaks them down. In the Feature Animation category: \\Finding Nemo\\: “the year’s top grosser”, “The only thing that would jinx Disney/Pixar’s digitally animated \\Finding Nemo\\ is the unexpected interference of a Chicago Cubs fan”, “That the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences […]

{{link http://www.animwatch.com AnimWatch}}, a monthly magazine featuring the best in independent animation, has updated its site with 8 new film profiles (bringing the total to 47), an interview with Joey Jones and Wira Winata regarding their development studio Shadedbox and their multi-award-winning short \\Little Red Plane\\\, and information about Volume I of the AnimWatch Collection […]

{{link http://snagson1.com/AnimationClosingParty/index.htm Some pictures}} from the farewell party for the animators at the now closed Disney Feature Animation Florida facility have been posted online.

\\{{link http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117900376?categoryid=13&cs=1 Variety}}\\ reports that Sony Pictures Animation has greenlit \\Open Season\\ as its first film. “\\Open Season\\ tells the story of a 900-pound domesticated grizzly bear named Boog and a scrawny, one-horned mule deer named Elliot who are stranded together in the woods during hunting season. It’s up to the duo to rally all […]

At the {{link http://www.wordplayer.com/forums/movies/index.cgi?read=62799 WordPlayer forums}}, \\Aladdin\\ writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio confirm that they were interviewed for the upcoming Platinum Edition of the film. Rossio adds that: Even though \\Aladdin\\ is the 3rd highest selling video of all time (behind \\Titanic\\ and \\Lion King\\) and even though the writers receive zero dimes from […]

The {{link http://empirefanfest.com/empirefanfest/schedule.htm Empire Fan Fest}} has a picture of a newly redesigned \\SharkTale\\ logo. The convention will also air some footage from \\Ghost in the Shell 2\\ at the DreamWorks booth.

{{link http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/17/news/companies/comcast_disney/index.htm CNN}} reports that a source at Comcast says the company is not interested in buying Disney at current prices. Disney’s stock rose to a three year high after Comcast’s offer was announced. However, “the source also said that the Comcast’s offer is not being withdrawn, nor is it dropping its interest in a […]

According to {{link http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040216/media_disney_2.html Reuters}}, The “Walt Disney Co. on Monday said it rejected an unsolicited takeover offer from cable television company Comcast Corp. Disney’s board said it had full confidence in the business, financial and creative direction of the company under the leadership of Michael Eisner”. The following statement was issued by The Walt […]

{{link http://www.marketwatch.com/news/yhoo/story.asp?source=blq/yhoo&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo&guid=%7BA40FD307%2D4CC2%2D4629%2DA751%2DFB16F29A69B8%7D CBS MarketWatch}} believes that no matter what happens with the Comcast deal Eisner’s days at the helm of Disney may be numbered. The article also points out the added drama to Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, scheduled to be held on March 3rd in Philadelphia. It was already expected that Eisner might face an […]

In a brief statement released by the Board of Directors, Disney said it would “evaluate the unsolicited proposal from Comcast”, and reiterated that there is “no action for shareholders to take”. The full press release follows.

Comcast, the biggest cable company in the US, has announced that it has made an offer to acquire The Walt Disney Company for $66 billion, including an assumption of debt, according to {{link http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/11/news/companies/comcast_disney/index.htm?cnn=yes CNN}}. According to Comcast, Disney CEO Michael Eisner has been unwilling to discuss a deal. Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts, calling […]

Roy Disney and Stanley Gold have responded to The Walt Disney Company board’s {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/0000 recent open letter}} to shareholders. In a message posted to their website {{link http://www.savedisney.com/letters/response_to_board.asp SaveDisney.com}}, they respond to several of the points raised by the board and conclude “it is not we who are trying to protect executive positions or […]

According to an {{link http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~10834~1946836,00.html AP report}}, The Walt Disney Company board has responded to repeated criticism by former members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold. In letters to shareholders and in full-page newspaper ads the company is touting their recent accomplishments. In a ‘Dear Shareholders’, letter dated Friday, Disney’s 13 board members outlined the ‘real […]

A new trailer for \\Shrek 2\\ will air on TV before hitting the theatres, according to {{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=3385 ComingSoon.net}}. The trailer will air on NBC after the original film gets its network television premiere on Sunday, February 15th.

{{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=3392 ComingSoon.net}} reports on a {{link http://www.dvdfanatic.com/news.php?id=0402101 DVD Fanatic}} interview with \\The Simpsons\\ producer and writer Mike Reiss. When asked about a possible release date for a movie version of the show, Reiss responded, “I will say two years from this summer. I think it’s going to be Summer 2006 or maybe Christmas 2006. […]

As we {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000826.html reported}} last week, \\CBS News Sunday Morning\\ aired a segment on the state of animation. We have some pictures from the piece, including a logo from Disney’s \\Chicken Little\\, the man behind Pixar’s \\Boundin’\\, and some pics that may be from a meeting of computer artists working on Disney’s \\Rapunzel Unbraided\\.

Another \\Tintin\\ may be in the works, according to {{link http://www.moviehole.net/news/3150.html Moviehole}}. Besides the Steven Spielberg adaptation {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000644.html in the planning stages now}}, acclaimed, and exiled, director Roman Polanski “is also purportedly interested in trying to bring the European adventurer to the big screen. He’s apparently eyeing \\Tintin in Tibet\\”. Moviehole also reports that […]

{{link http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/7885747.htm ContraCostaTimes.com}} reports that John Hench, “a longtime Disney artist and the official portrait painter of Mickey Mouse”, has died at 95. Hench began at Disney in 1939 as a sketch artist on \\Fantasia\\ and went on to work on many other films (animated and live action) in different capacities. In 1946, Hench worked […]

According to {{link http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/02/04/financial1931EST0360.DTL&type=printable SFGate.com}}, Pixar CEO Steve Jobs recently talked with analysts about what led to their break with Disney. Jobs said he offered Disney better terms than he knew he could get from a rival studio during their negotiations, but said Disney balked at allowing Pixar to fold the last two movies due […]

{{link http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?siteid=mktw&guid=%7B6C7718A8%2DEBE1%2D48B5%2DAAFE%2D326237A63079%7D& CBS Marketwatch}} reports that Roy Disney has made a Securities and Exchange Commission filing outlining what he believes are the mistakes of the Walt Disney Company over the past decade. “Roy Disney looks at the time period from when Eisner assumed the lion’s share of day-to-day operations at Disney in 1994, when President […]

{{link http://www.forbes.com/markets/newswire/2004/02/03/rtr1238996.html Reuters}} reports that \\The New York Post\\ sources say DreamWorks is “ramping up efforts to spin off its animation unit”. The \\Post\\ sources say that “a spin-off would allow it to raise cash while keeping a production agreement” and that the company is also considering “a possible initial public offering of the animation […]

\\{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=2062 Animation Magazine}}\\ reports that \\The Triplets of Belleville\\ director Sylvain Chomet asked the mag to post a letter he wrote to Pixar’s creative head John Lasseter. The letter begins with Chomet speaking how he has followed Lasseter and Pixar over the years and praises thier work. It then turns into a not-so-subtle dig […]

In {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000785.html yesterday’s news}}, we reported that a site had what we thought might be a first pic from Disney’s upcoming \\Chicken Little\\. Our friends at {{link http://www.dlp.info/ DLP.info}} have let us know this picture is actually “taken from the {{link http://disney.go.com/corporate/investors/financials/annual.html 2003 Annual Report of TWDC}} where it can be found in MUCH […]

{{link http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/30/technology/apple/ CNN}} has a semi-serious article on the merits, pitfalls, and feasibility of Apple Computer (CEO Steve Jobs) buying Pixar (CEO Steve Jobs). “Apple, with its huge success in the online music arena, is beginning to look more and more like a content company, as opposed to a pure hardware firm. Plus, Apple is […]

An {{link http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007545 Animation Nation}} post points out a link to {{link http://207.44.182.109/photo/1/showgallery.php/cat/1022/password/ Figures.com}}, a website with pictures from the 2004 UK Toy Fair with pictures of some of Hasbro’s \\The Incredibles\\ toys.

{{link http://www.animagic.hpg.ig.com.br/producao.htm Animagic}} has what appears to be the first picture from Disney upcoming (and first all-CG) film \\Chicken Little\\. The article, entitled “What’s next for Disney”, is in Portuguese. Check out the link for the full picture, and check out {{link http://babelfish.altavista.com/ Babelfish}} if you’re in need of (a basic) translation.

{{link http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?siteid=mktw&guid=%7B800A8073%2D730D%2D49A5%2D8ED8%2D88412C14616E%7D& CBSMarketWatch}} has it right when they say that “Disney’s shareholder meeting, scheduled for March 3, just got a little more interesting”. They believe that Roy Disney’s calls for “Chief Executive Michael Eisner to step down could be heard by more shareholders as they wonder where the Disney chief is leading the company”, and […]