Escape from Planet Earth opens in 3,288 theaters today, featuring the voices of Brendan Fraser, Rob Corddry, Ricky Gervais and Jessica Alba. Families eager to learn if the computer animated flick is worth a trip to the theater will have to rely on word-of-mouth rather than professional reviews, at least for the time being. According […]

Liam Neeson has signed on to voice Phango, a malevolent leopard, in Triggerfish Animation Studios’ Khumba, says Kidscreen. Also featuring the voices of AnnaSophia Robb and Jake T. Austin, the film tells the story of “a half-striped zebra who leaves his home in search of a magic waterhole where legend says the first zebras got […]

Rush Hour director Brett Ratner is teaming with Six Eleven Media to produce an animated television series based on the successful social media game FarmVille. “FarmVille is one of the most exciting brands out there today, and its cross-platform opportunities are endless. I am thrilled to be expanding the brand with existing fans and also […]

The end credit sequence for Wreck-It Ralph is now online, reports Cartoon Brew. Set to Owl City’s When Can I See You Again, the 8-bit styled video features Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz exploring the worlds of numerous video games, from the movie’s own Sugar Rush and Hero’s Duty to real-life games Sonic the Hedgehog […]

For years, a rumor has circulated that Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson auditioned to reprise his role as Winston Zeddemore in the film’s animated spin-off, The Real Ghostbusters – only to lose the role to Arsenio Hall. Now Hudson himself is confirming the rumor. The actor tells A.V. Club, “So I went in to read the […]

“Has animation A-lister Brad Bird left the medium … in part out of creative frustration?” asks The Hollywood Reporter, based on recent quotes from the filmmaker during a CalArts fundraising salon on Jan. 29. Appearing with Pixar colleague Mark Andrews, Bird allegedly questioned why mainstream animation studios won’t attempt films for older audiences. “Why does […]

Baby Sinclair from the hit ’90s TV series Dinosaurs has returned in a new fan-made CGI short, I’m the Baby, Gotta Love Me! Animator Davide Maugeri created the short as a tribute to the show’s production company, Jim Henson Television. “Since [Dinosaurs] was a big hit in the early ’90s and ended up forgotten, our […]

IMDb has added Keri Russell to the cast of DisneyToon Studios’ Planes. Until an official confirmation arrives, one should take this bit of casting news with a grain of salt, since IMDb also still has Jon Cryer as the voice of protagonist Dusty Crophopper. In December, sources revealed Cryer had left the project for reasons […]

Folks unable to attend today’s D23 expo are in luck. From Andrew Stanton’s John Carter to Pixar’s Monsters University, Disney has released an official breakdown of the presentations, complete with green room photos, concept artwork, and brand-new title treatments. View the press release and pics here:

Yahoo! News/The Associated Press reports that officials in a Northern California school district will pay $95,000 in lawyers’ fees to five families who sued the school due to its dress code. The lawsuit was the result of a student being disciplined for wearing socks featuring the Winnie the Pooh character Tigger on the first day […]

TV Shows on DVD presents the cover artwork to the Complete Series sets of Archie’s Fun House and The Drak Pack, as well as Frisky Dingo – Season 1. The site also offers a taste of Sonic Underground – Volume 1 through four video clips. Meanwhile, the press release for A Pup Named Scooby-Doo – […]

Coming Soon reports that a new trailer for Blue Sky Studio’s computer animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who is now online. Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, the film will enter theaters on March 14.

The nominees for the Critics Choice Awards of the Broadcast Film Critics Association have been revealed. Among the nominees for Best Animated Feature are Bee Movie, Beowulf, Persepolis, Ratatouille and The Simpsons Movie. Enchanted also obtained nominations, for Best Family Film, Best Actress (Amy Adams), Best Song (That’s How You Know) and Best Composer (Alan […]

IESB.net has a script review for the latest attempt of a live-action film adaptation of The Jetsons. Written by Adam F. Goldberg and dated 3/30/07, the screenplay is met with a mixed reaction. The critic writes, “All in all, this is a project that is going to need a solid director and cast (and, of […]

Upcoming Pixar has the lowdown on The Art of WALL-E, coming to stores on April 17th. The report includes a sneak peek at the cover artwork for the anticipated publication.

Just Press Play has a brand-new screen capture from the animated Batman: Gotham Knight, to be released directly to video as a tie-in to The Dark Knight. The image comes via the latest Wizard Universe issue.

Ultimate Disney speaks with Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Vice President Tony Baxter. The discussion notices his involvement with Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic, as well as his work with Disneyland itself.

In a new interview with Moviehole, Jason Schwartzmann briefly talks about providing his voice for the animated The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Directed by Wes Anderson, the stop-motion film will enter theaters on November 6, 2008.

TV Shows on DVD has corrected a previous story they ran regarding the bonus features for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe – Volume 1. The package is still on track for a February 19th release.

Interactive Game Group has acquired the video game rights from Exodus Film Group to the CGI flick Igor, records Variety. As a result of the deal, IGG has signed Legacy Interactive to publish the Igor game adaptation in North America. To be released in fall 2008, the game will be developed for Nintendo’s DS and […]

A set of three Spanish-language banners for the live-action/computer animated Alvin and the Chipmunks have been discovered at eBay. Each poster stars one member of the famous band featuring Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

Mike Fink speaks with The Los Angeles Times about his work as visual effects supervisor for The Golden Compass. The Oscar-nominated supervisor especially regards the time constraints and other challenges he faced during the project.

The success of the 3-D screenings for Beowulf are encouraging other movie studios who have big plans for the technology, indicates Variety. Such upcoming films as Avatar and Monsters vs. Aliens are mentioned in the piece.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Weinstein Co. and German distribution company Telepool have reached a distribution agreement regarding the English-language and Latin American rights for the computer animated Niko & the Way to the Stars. Directed by Michael Hegner and Kari Juusonen, the film focuses on “Niko, a little earth-bound reindeer who dreams of […]

Variety writes that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has ruled that the motion-capture technology used to create Beowulf has not made it ineligible for Oscar consideration in the category of Best Animated Feature. However, a different verdict met Alvin and the Chipmunks, which was disqualified from the category due to its amount […]

TV Shows on DVD reports that Archie’s Funhouse – The Complete Series (1970) will hit stores on March 4th, courtesy of Genius Entertainment. Word has yet to arrive on what bonus features the set will include.

The Los Angeles Times lists some of the best and worst online gimmicks released in 2007 to help promote movies. A Simpsons Movie activity that allowed visitors to create “Simpson-ized” versions of themselves receives a glowing review, while a similar feature to promote Alvin and the Chipmunks is met with a less positive reception.

The nominees for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards have been announced. From Shrek to Mumble the penguin, animation found itself represented once more in the competition for the coveted music award. To see the list of animated-related Grammy entries, please click:

The first trailer for the live-action/CGI Speed Racer adaptation is now up at Moviefone. Meanwhile, USA Today provides a set of images from the highly anticipated feature. Speed Racer will cruise into theaters on May 9, 2008.

DVD Active has the announcement from Genius Products regarding the DVD of its computer animated movie The Ten Commandments. While no bonus features have been revealed yet, the package’s cover artwork is now available to view.