Jawad Mir, our {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net Forum}} administrator and webmaster of {{link http://www.dreamworksfansite.com DreamWorks SKG Fansite}}, has added \\{{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/sharktale Shark Tale}}\\ and \\{{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/antz Antz}}\\ pages to his DreamWorks Animation-specific section of the site. More still to follow!

Thanks to \\Matt\\ for the following report on Disney’s \\Haunted Mansion\\ 3D Ghost Tour at NYC’s Grand Central Station. Pictures from the event follow. On Friday, October 31, Disney went all out and turned New York City’s Grand Central Station into a haunted mansion. Actually it was a 3D “ghost tour”. Guests were given special […]

The official \\{{link http://www.shrek2.com Shrek 2}}\\ teaser site has been launched. The only content available so far is the movie’s trailer – available in four sizes (small, medium, large, hi res) and in three different formats (Quicktime, Windows Media, and RealOne). There is also a link to the DreamWorks Kids Group website and a form […]

\\Finding Nemo\\ has broken “the record for opening-day sales of home video with 8 million units sold in North America” according to \\{{link http://www.hive4media.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&article_ID=5510 Video Store Magazine Online}}\\. The previous record was set by \\ Monsters, Inc.\\ last year with first-day sales of 5 million units. “Based on its first-day success, Finding Nemo is on […]

The trailer for DreamWorks’ \\Shrek 2\\ is {{link http://www.msnbc.com/m/c/ctv_msnv3.asp?id=msn/8983&subid=NBCAccessHollywood&name= now online}}. It will also appear on the TV program \\Access Hollywood\\ Wednesday night and before the movie \\Elf\\ opening this weekend.

{{link http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=794&ncid=790&e=8&u=/eo/20031030/en_movies_eo/12815 E! Online}} reports that the Disney sold 3 million copies of \\The Lion King\\ in its first two days of release. Most surprising was the fact that DVDs accounted for 92% of initial sales, rare stats for a “children’s” title but a growing trend. The original VHS release remains the best selling video […]

Fox has registered the web domains “{{link http://www.easywhois.com/index.php?domain=iceage2themeltdown.com&next.x=0&next.y=0 iceage2themeltdown.com}}” and “{{link http://www.easywhois.com/index.php?domain=iceage2themeltdownmovie.com&next.x=0&next.y=0 iceage2themeltdownmovie.com}}”. Could \\Ice Age 2: The Meltdown\\ be the title of the sequel? Thanks to MusicFan in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44 Animated News Forum}} for the scoop.

Amid Amidi of {{link http://www.animationblast.com/ Animation Blast}} has an unconfirmed rumor that Cartoon Network’s Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of \\Samurai Jack\\ and \\Dexter’s Lab\\, may be leaving to join the new Lucasfilm Animation divison we {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000075.html reported}} about last week. “Genndy, of course, is also the director/producer of Cartoon Network’s highly touted forthcoming \\Star Wars: […]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has {{link http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2003/03.10.28.b.html announced}} that Monday, November 3, is the deadline for makers of eligible animated feature films to submit their entry forms and supporting materials to the Academy for Oscar consideration. Nominations will be announced on January 27, 2004. At least three but no more than […]

\\{{link http://www.latimes.com/features/outdoors/la-os-disney28oct28,1,4433763.story The LA Times}}\\ takes an in-depth look at animals in animation. They explore what seem to be the two universal themes in these types of films: “nature is anemic” and “Man is bad”. [free registration required for \\ The LA Times\\]

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808406553&intl=us Greg’s Previews}} also has new information about the computer animated adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s award winning book \\Where the Wild Things Are\\. Spike Jonze has been brought on as director and has decided to switch from animation to live action. Screenwriter David Reynolds (\\The Emperor’s New Groove\\, \\Finding Nemo\\) will probably have his […]

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808406253 Greg’s Previews}} has an update on the independently produced computer animated film \\{{link http://www.moebiusstrip.net/index.html Thru the Moebius Strip}}\\. Based on a story and drawings by comic-book legend Jean “Moebius” Giraud, \\Thru the Moebius Strip\\ is about “physicist Simon Weir, who becomes lost and trapped in a space-time portal he created. Eight years later, […]

from {{link http://boxofficemojo.com/ Box Office Mojo}} 17 – \\Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl\\ $482,013 on 379 screens $301,243,790 in 16 weeks 18 – \\Finding Nemo\\ $435,507 on 404 screens $338,746,985 in 22 weeks 22 – \\Brother Bear\\ $291,940 on 2 screens $291,940 in 1 week

{{link http://www.davisdvd.com/news/daily_news.html DavisDVD}} has Universal Home Video’s early 2004 lineup, which includes \\An American Tail\\, \\An American Tail: Fievel Goes West\\, \\An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster\\, and \\An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island\\ on January 20th. Unforunately, if you were hoping for the two theatrically released movies to appear […]

According to some readers at {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/articles/10282003.1.htm Jim Hill’s website}}, a story we {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000008.html mentioned}} on our first day may not be true. On October 15, {{link http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al101503b.htm Miceage.com}} reported that some last minute changes were forced on the animators of \\Brother Bear\\ by Disney executives. According to their report the “mountain that plays […]

\\The Complete Far Side\\, containing every one of Gary Larson’s \\The Far Side\\ single panel comics, {{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2003-10-20-far-side_x.htm was released}} last week. The hardcover, two volume set costs $135 and weighs 20 pounds! In its 14 year history, 4,000 individual \\The Far Side’s\\ appeared in 1,900 newspapers. It was often voted the reader’s favorite and […]

{{link http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=13391 The Big Cartoon Database}} reports that “after two years of preparation, filming of the first Wallace and Gromit feature movie will start in a few days”. \\Curse Of The Wererabbit\\, featuring the voices of Peter Sallis , Helena Bonham Carter, and Ralph Fiennes, is expected to be in production for 18 months with […]

{{link http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ Anime News Network}} reports that Hayao Miyazaki’s \\Howl’s Moving Castle\\ is set for its Japanese release on July 17, 2004. The Japanese release date for \\Ghost in the Shell: Innocence\\ was also annonced and is set for March 6, 2004.

Last week’s NPR interview with \\The Simpson’s\\ and \\Futurama\\ creator Matt Groening is now available on the {{link http://freshair.npr.org/day_fa.jhtml?display=day&todayDate=10/23/2003 NPR website}} in Real or Windows Media formats.

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808405700 Greg’s Previews}} reports the rumor (first heard from {{link http://www.variety.com Variety}}) that Pixar is considering a slight name change for John Lasseter’s next film, \\Cars\\. The possibly renamed \\The Cars\\ is heading for a 2005 release.

{{link http://www.davisdvd.com/news/daily_news.html DavisDVD}} has Columbia TriStar’s January release slate, which includes (finally!) \\The Critic: The Entire Series\\ on the 27th. The show debuted in 1994, on ABC before being cancelled. It was picked up by FOX where it ran for another season (including a guest apperance by \\Critic\\ Jay Sherman on a crossover episode of […]

{{link http://www.billboard.com/bb/charts/videos/dvd.jsp \\Billboard\\ November 1, 2003 chart}}: 1 – \\The Lion King\\ (Platinum Edition) 10 – \\Sleeping Beauty\\

{{link http://www.billboard.com/bb/charts/videos/sales.jsp \\Billboard\\ November 1, 2003 chart}}: 1 – \\The Lion King\\ (Platinum Edition) 2 – \\Barbie of Swan Lake\\ 5 – \\Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico\\ 7 – \\Sleeping Beauty\\ 8 – \\Stitch! The Movie\\ 10 – \\Bionicle: Mask of Light\\

{{link http://www.dvdfanatic.com/news.php?id=0310241 DVDFanatic.com}} reviews the direct to video \\Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman\\. The reviewer believes that “the story just isn’t compelling and the supporting cast doesn’t get to support anything”. However, he says, the “story was never the most compelling part of the Batman cartoon. It’s the look and this is where \\BMOTB\\ delivers. […]

In an in-depth article, {{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=1898 AWN}} follows the story behind \\Brother Bear\\, from its inception to its debut. This one is a must read! Besides telling an interesting story, it has a lot of little known trivia including: – part of Michael Eisner’s inspiration in pushing this project forward was “an original landscape he’d […]

{{link http://lightsoutentertainment.com/news/news.php?id=1931 Lights Out Entertainment}} has the first look at the teaser poster for the live-action/CG film \\Garfield\\. The movie, which opens June 18, 2004, features Bill Murray as the title voice, and a screenplay by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow, co-writers of \\Toy Story\\.

The future does not look bright for \\Brother Bear\\ if the compilation of reviews at {{link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/BrotherBear-1127071/reviews.php?rtp=1 Rotten Tomatoes}} is right. So far the Disney film already has 15 rotten reviews out of 17, for an abysmal freshness rating of 12%. Keep track as the reviews pour in in advance of next Saturday’s release date.

The Glen Keane directed Disney movie \\Rapunzel\\ has apparently been renamed. According to \\{{link http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106686389992986500,00.html?mod=home%5Fpage%5Fone%5Fus The Wall Street Journal}}\\, the title is now \\Rapunzel Unbraided\\. The \\Journal\\ takes an in-depth look at Disney’s switch from traditional hand drawn animation to computer animation. The story follows traditional animator Keane’s journey as he trades in his pencils […]

FOX TV has four new animated shows planned for the 2004-2005 season, and \\{{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117894386&cs=1 Variety}}\\ reports that one is based on radio host Phil Hendrie, the “critically-hailed KFI-AM gabber known for his ‘theater of the mind’-style show”. (\\{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1677 Animation Magazine}}\\ has the info for those without a \\Variety\\ subscription.) Steve Levitan, Phil Lord, […]

In 1986, Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs purchased the computer graphics division of Lucasfilms for $10 million. The new company, called Pixar, has gone on to become one of the greatest success stories in the animation business. {{link http://www.redherring.com/article.aspx?f=Articles/2003%2F10%2F0c7fc820-5666-48fc-addf-496ba6276531%2F0c7fc820-5666-48fc-addf-496ba6276531.xml&hed=George%20Lucas%20gets%20animated Red Herring}} reports that George Lucas’ company is preparing to strike back. “Earlier this year, San […]