animated-news

A peek of what’s to come in the Clone Wars universe

Star Wars: The Clone Wars may have been cancelled by Disney, but fans will still have some stuff to look forward to…although when and where still has yet to be revealed. USA Today has an article discussing what’s to come in the show’s few remaining storylines, including one involving the fate of the mysterious Jedi Master […]

Walking With Dinosaurs gets a first trailer

A first trailer for Walking With Dinosaurs is now online and can be viewed over at MSN. The preview–which will no doubt remind many of Disney’s Dinosaur–shows off the movie’s blend of live-action and CGI animation. The story, according to the film’s plot summary, follows “two brothers looking to follow in their fathers footsteps, which […]

Latest on Egill from Legends of Vahalla: Thor creators

Animated Views has a new screenshot from CAOZ’s Egill, a computer animated feature integrating hand drawn elements. Egill is the second CGI film from the Reykjavík-based studio, whose first feature, Legends of Vahalla: Thor, hit U.S. stores last March as Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer. CAOZ is co-producing Egill with the Hungarian production company […]

Minions gets a slice of Hamm

Deadline reports that Mad Men star Jon Hamm will voice Herb Overkill in Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me prequel, Minions. He joins the already-announced Sandra Bullock, who voices Overkill’s wife and aspiring super-villain Scarlet. According to Deadline, Minions is set in the 1960s – before the title henchmen met Gru – and focuses on the Minions’ […]

DreamWorks posts solid earnings for first quarter

For this year’s first quarter, DreamWorks Animation reported $134.6 million in revenue and $5.6 million in net income, partially thanks to The Croods in theaters and several titles on home video. Thus far, The Croods has collected almost $480 million worldwide, well on its way to beating Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful as the […]

Reel FX aims for quality film slate with no “turkeys”

D Magazine has an in-depth profile on the Dallas-based animation studio Reel FX and its CEO Steve O’Brien. In 20 years, the studio has grown from animating direct-to-video films like Hasbro’s G.I. Joe titles and the Open Season sequels to producing its first theatrical feature, Free Birds. With voice acting by Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson […]

Monsters University festivities at Disney World

Theme park enthusiast Jeff Lange is keeping viewers updated on the festivities at Walt Disney World to promote Monsters University. On YouTube, he shows Mike Wazowski and Sulley projected onto Epcot’s Spaceship Earth as part of the park’s Monstrous Summer All-Nighter. In another vid, Lange walks viewers through the Monsters University display at Hollywood Studios, […]

Toy Story, Spongebob freebies on iTunes

ITunes is offering some noteworthy freebies for families and animation enthusiasts. Toy Story: Smash It! has unveiled a free Lost Episode version, sure to please fans of the similar block-breaking game Angry Birds. Meanwhile, Surf’s Up, Spongebob! is iTunes’ free book of the week. The book’s synopsis reads, “SpongeBob eagerly accepts Sandy’s invitation to go […]

Smurfs 2 enlists Mario Lopez as Social Smurf

With the summer movie season kicking off this weekend, Sony Pictures is starting to put their marketing muscle behind The Smurfs 2. Of course, no good movie campaign nowadays would be complete without social media integration. Hence, the studio has enlisted the newest member of the original “blue man group”: Social Smurf, voiced by Extra […]

Monsters University director explains “fourth grade” controversy

Among marketing materials for Monsters University, one of the most frequently shown scenes involves a college-aged James P. Sullivan introducing himself to roommate Mike Wazowski. Monsters, Inc. fans have taken issue with this footage, since the 2001 hit has Mike joking to Sulley, “You’ve been jealous of my good looks since the fourth grade, pal!” […]

More How to Train Your Dragon 2 artwork

Our friends The Rotoscopers have scooped new promotional artwork for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2. In addition to images reported last week, their assortment features the characters Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid and a slew of new creatures. Directed by Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is expected to enter theaters June […]

Disney’s Planes to take off at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Walt Disney Studios announced today that Planes will have a special screening at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the nation’s largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts. The screening will take place at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI, on Friday, August 2 – one week before the film hits theaters nationwide.

The Croods Blu-ray now available to pre-order

Audiences who made The Croods this year’s first animated blockbuster can now pre-order the film on Amazon.com. The film will be available to own via 3D or standard Blu-ray combo packs, with the latter containing a plush toy of the character Belt for a limited time. Directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco, The Croods […]

How Pixar built Monsters University; New trailer focuses on Scare Games

/Film looks at how Pixar crafted the actual university of Monsters University. To make the college as believable as possible, artists considered the many sizes and species of its monstrous students, whether it meant placing smaller stair steps on top of larger steps or having a section of the campus underwater. In related news, another […]

How to Train Your Dragon 2 artwork revealed

At CinemaCon last week, Fox released new information about DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2. During the sequel’s presentation, a teaser trailer was shown that surprised audiences by revealing an older version of the first film’s young protagonist, Hiccup. Now PerezHilton.com has artwork showing Hiccup’s new look as well as the film’s first […]

Despicable Me 2 Minion character banners

Most folks know the yellow, pint-sized comic relief characters of Despicable Me 2 only as “Minions.” However, a new series of character banners found on eBay reminds that each Minion has his own name, whether it’s the cupcake-loving Stuart or the befuddled Dave. Meanwhile, the Internet Movie Poster Awards has a new Russian poster for […]

Floyd Norman revisits Huck’s Landing

At his insightful blog, veteran Disney animator Floyd Norman recalls working on the cancelled Huck’s Landing, which was to be loosely based on Mark Twain’s classic character Huck Finn. As work commenced in the ’80s, the film’s production team included Kathy Alterie as art director, and Duncan Majoriebanks, Bruce Smith and Chris Bailey as animators. […]

Shaun The Sheep moving to big screen

A feature film version of Aardman Animations’ TV series Shaun The Sheep is in the works according to Deadline. Studiocanal is financing the film. “The family film, written and directed by Richard Starzak and Mark Burton, will see the titular character and his flock venture into the big city to rescue their farmer”.

Frozen preview pulled

Our friends The Rotoscopers got a look at a preview video for Disney’s Frozen before the Mouse House had it pulled offline. Luckily they have screencaps so you can still check out some of the art. “The video appears to have been made or cleared on 7/25/12, which is a few weeks before Destination D […]

Monsters University gets USA Today profile, Disney World monorail

Director Dan Scanlon talks with USA Today about making Monsters University. “If there’s a message [in the movie], I think it’s that sometimes you have to discover who you really are, instead of what you’re expected to be,” Scanlon explains. “It might be a slightly heavier theme than the first movie, but I think kids […]

More info on the Heavenly Sword film adaptation

At the bottom of yesterday’s announcement for the Ratchet & Clank movie, it was revealed that Blockade Entertainment is adapting the Heavenly Sword video game into a direct-to-video computer animated film. Now IGN is offering more info on the project. Produced by Brad Foxhoven and David Wohl, Heavenly Sword will be written by Todd Farmer, […]

“New” Mickey Mouse short features Walt’s voicing

D23 reports that Walt Disney Animation Studios will be premiering a new Mickey Mouse short titled Get A Horse! at the Annecy Animation Festival on June 11. The “never-before-seen short” will feature Walt Disney himself as the voice of Mickey Mouse. “This black-and- white, hand-drawn short follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and […]

Ratchet & Clank moving from game consoles to the big screen

Rainmaker Entertainment and Blockade Entertainment are teaming to give the popular video game duo Ratchet and Clank their own 3D computer animated movie, says Variety. The characters were introduced in 2002 with the Ratchet & Clank game, before growing into a successful franchise exclusive to PlayStation consoles. Jericca Cleland will direct the Ratchet & Clank […]

More Little Mermaid Blu-ray artwork

On Monday, Animated Views brought you details on The Little Mermaid 3D Diamond Edition, including cover artwork for the three-disc Blu-ray set. Now Amazon has posted artwork for the release’s two-disc Blu-ray combo pack, which consumers may purchase with or without a digital copy. The site is also offering a coupon for five dollars off […]

Futurama cancelled (not a repeat from 2003)

As the Professor might say when delivering not so good news, “Good news, everybody!” Futurama has been cancelled… again. Entertainment Weekly reports that the now Comedy Central program will come to an end on September 4th. The series originally ran on Fox from 1999 to 2003 before being revived in 2007 after fan outcry. After […]

Six new images from Wizart’s Snow Queen

Animated Views has a new batch of images from The Snow Queen, courtesy of Wizart Animation. Based on Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale, the film tells of Gerda and her journey to find her brother Kai in a wintry wonderland ruled by the titular villain, who wishes to destroy all artists and their successors. The […]

Peanuts will be 3D and CG

Fox has confirmed that the Peanuts film being made by Blue Sky Studios will be CG and 3D, according to Animation Magazine. “The Peanuts script was written by Charles Schulz’s son Craig Schulz, his grandson Bryan Schulz, and Bryan’s screenwriting partner Cornelius Uliano”.

Free Birds gets rookie composer

Film Music Reporter says that first timer Dominic Lewis will score the upcoming film Free Birds. “Lewis has previously worked together with [composer John] Powell and composers Henry Jackman and Hans Zimmer, providing additional music for such films as Rio, Rango, Kung Fu Panda, X-Men: First Class and Wreck-It-Ralph“.

The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition

Confirming earlier reports, Disney today officially announced The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition will be released on DVD, Digital, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray on October 1st. The full press release, with more details on pricing and special features, and the cover art can be seen here:

Katzenberg plans The Tibet Code

As part of his eagerness to release more movies that will be financially successful in China, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffery Katzenberg announced that he plans to bring The Tibet Code to the big screen, Deadline is reporting. Described as an “Indiana Jones-style adventure,” the movie is based on a series of Chinese novels set in 9th […]