
Beyond Beyond From Copenhagen Bombay Gets Financed
Copenhagen Bombay has closed financing on a new animated film by critically acclaimed director Esben Toft Jacobsen. The new movie has the working title Beyond Beyond and is about a little bunny named Johan who lives on a fishing boat with his father. One day when his father goes ashore, Johan receives a phone call […] |
The Fraggle Star in Ben Folds Five New Music Video
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Fraggle Rock, the Henson Company,Ben Folds Five, and The Nerdiest Channel have produced a new music video. Ben Folds Five and the Fraggles perform in “Do It Anyway.” All parties involved in making the video were all equally excited and you can tell they had a lot of fun […] |
Finding Nemo 3D can’t overcome Evil
The 3D re-release of Finding Nemo came to theaters this week, with the movie opening in second place with $17.5 million, ComingSoon.net is reporting. Although some were expecting for the film to open on top, it was unable to beat the fifth film in Sony’s highly successful Resident Evil franchise. Nemo will also face competition fors […] |
Big Money Losses for Disney and Nickelodeon
If you have paid attention to animation news this past week, you would have noticed that two of the biggest names in the game are not doing so well financially. Nickelodeon, the first kid-based cable network, is not doing so well in ratings. Pivotal Research Group found that Nick wasn’t earning its keep from Viacom. […] |
Cardboard Will Be Animated
If you think that someone is going to make an animated film entirely out of cardboard, then you would be wrong…somewhat. Cardboard is a graphic novel by Doug TenNapel of Earthworm Jim fame. It is about an impoverished father and son who build a boxer (get the pun?) out of magic cardboard. A neighbor kid […] |
The Elusive Rose of Versailles Finally Comes West
The Rose of Versailles is a legendary anime/manga in Japan, but it has never crossed into the US legally. Finally, after many years of waiting, Right Stuf has picked up the US license according to Anime News Network. The 40 episode anime will be released in a special edition 2-disc DVD set and it a […] |
Wreck-It Ralph theatrical trailer now online
A brand new full length theatrical trailer for Disney’s video game inspired animated feature Wreck-It Ralph has debuted online. Directed by Rich Moore and featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, Wreck-It Ralph opens in theatres November 2nd. |
Bob Lambert Passes On
It is with solemn regret, that we annouce the death of Bob Lambert. Bob Lambert was the pioneering force behind Disney’s transition from hand-drawn cel animation to CGI. He intitated the deal with Pixar and for his efforts earned Disney the Academy Award for Scientific & Technical Achievement. He was a twenty-five year veteran of […] |
Madagascar 3 coming home in Ocotober
Blu-Ray.com has the first official details involving the DVD and Blu-Ray release of DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Extras on the Blu-Ray will include audio commentary and deleted scenes. Extras on the DVD release have yet to be revealed. A 3-D version of the Blu-Ray will also be available. Grossing more than $200 million […] |
Andrew Stanton discusses John Carter’s box office
Several months after its theatrical run, Andrew Stanton recently spoke with the LA Times about the box office results for his first live-action feature, John Carter. In the interview, he talks about the film’s production problems, as well as the controversial marketing campaign that the movie was given. He also says that, despite internet rumors that […] |
Still more South Park on the way
Eric, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny will be back for more R-rated adventures when South Park wraps up its current season starting on September 26th. The current season has seven episodes remaining. In addition to being aired on Comedy Central, the shows will also be made available online over at SouthParkStudios.com, and can be seen in […] |
DreamWorks Animation reveals massive release date slate
DreamWorks Animation, via its new distributor, 20th Century Fox, has revealed its upcoming movies from 2013-2016, ComingSoon.net is reporting. The slate, which begins with next spring’s The Croods, includes 16 animated features for the next four years–a record for any studio–and confirms previously rumored titles such as Kung Fu Panda 3 and The Penguins of Madagascar. “What we […] |
Sherlock Gnomes scores a director
The upcoming–and unexpected–sequel to Disney’s Gnomeo and Juliet is apparently really moving forward now, with the project now having a director, Indie Wire is reporting. The film will be helmed by Kung Fu Panda director John Stevenson, who also worked on Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas and Madagascar. The plot will involve Gnomeo and Juliet […] |
Michael Clarke Duncan passes away
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in The Green Mile, has passed away at age 54, NBC News is reporting. Duncan’s powerful voice could be heard as the voice of Commander Vachir in Kung Fu Panda and as the voice of Tug in Brother Bear. In addition, Duncan […] |
Delgo loses its “record”
Delgo, the sci-fi animated feature from 2008 which once held the infamous record for lowest opening day of all time on more than 2,000 theaters, has finally lost its title. The children’s film The Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure–a strange looking movie involving large costumed characters, balloons and Christopher Lloyd, among other things–truly set […] |
DreamWorks Gives Paramount the Boot, Makes New Deal with Fox
In a move that will go down in animation history, Jeffrey Katzenberg and his DreamWorks studio have ended their distrubution contract with Paramount after six years. The animation studio responsible for Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar has signed a new deal with Fox after talks with Paramount went south. Paramount did not want to […] |
Full Cast List for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2: Revenge of the Leftovers
Animation Magazine has the complete cast list for Sony’s next animation project: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2: Revenge of the Leftovers. The original main cast returns to reprise their roles, including Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, James Caan, Neil Patrick Harris, and Benjamin Bratt. New additions to the cast include Will Forte […] |
Ellen Degeneres Returns To Voice…That Blue Fish…What Was Her Name?
The famous talk show host has confirmed that she will return to voice the short-term memory Blue Tang, Dory in Finding Nemo 2. Last month Collider reported that Pixar would make a sequel to its highest groessest film. The script is currently in development, but no other actors have reported they will reprise their roles. […] |
Brave comes home in November
Walt Disney Studios have announced the US DVD and Blu-ray releases of Brave on November 13th, 2012. The latest Pixar offering will be available to own as a Five-Disc Combo Pack Ultimate Collector’s Edition, Three-Disc Combo Pack Collector’s Edition, and a single disc DVD. Full list of specs and extras can be found here. |
ParaNorman opens in third place
ParaNorman had a weaker than expected opening, coming in third place for the weekend with $14 million according to Box Office Mojo. “Even with a unique concept and lukewarm competition, the movie still couldn’t break out of the standard stop-motion animation opening range, which reinforces how tricky this sub-genre is”. |
ParaNorman opens
Focus Features/Laika’s ParaNorman opens today in 3,429 theatres according to Box Office Mojo. The film is doing well with the critics, earning a solid 84% from Rotten Tomatoes. Their critical consensus: “Beautifully animated and solidly scripted, ParaNorman will entertain (and frighten) older children while providing surprisingly thoughtful fare for their parents”. Box Office Mojo predicts […] |
Chapman opens up on Brave removal
Brenda Chapman, a former Pixar director and the original creative force behind Brave who was later replaced as director, has come out for the first time to explain her thoughts on what happened. In a piece for a New York Times series on How Can Women Gain Influence in Hollywood?, Chapman blames the “Hollywood Boy’s […] |
Disney Selick film shut down
Disney has ended production on an untitled Henry Selick project that had been slated for release in October 2013 due to it not being as far along as they needed it to be, according to Variety. They note that he still has the option to take the film to another studio. |
Scooby-Doo…and World Wrestling Entertainment, Too?
In one of the oddest partnerships to be announced….well, in a long time, the WWE has announced that they are partnering with Warner Bros. to make an animated feature film starring Scooby-Doo. ComingSoon.Net reports that the movie will involve Scooby and the gang teaming up with World Wrestling Entertainment stars to fight crime, in an effort […] |
Preview of Partysaurus Rex
Pixar has posted a sneak peek of their upcoming short, Partysaurus Rex, on their YouTube channel. The full short will play in theaters before Finding Nemo 3D, which opens September 14th. You can watch the clip here: |
More ParaNorman interviews
As we get closer to the release of Feature Films/Laika’s ParaNorman this weekend the promotional tour is in full swing. Laika CEO and ParaNorman producer Travis Knight talks the rebirth of modern stop-motion animation and more with Dread Central. And Digital Facility has a running line of interviews with the filmmakers. Those posted so far […] |
Chapman leaves for LucasFilm Animation
IndieWire reports that Pixar’s Brenda Chapman, the original director of Brave, has left Pixar for an unannounced project at LucasFilm Animation. Thanks to Lord Akiyama in the AV Forum for the tip. |
ParaNorman creators discuss stop-motion animation
Some of the cast and crew of ParaNorman discuss stop-motion animation with Reelz — the process, how long it takes to make, and the appropriateness of the medium for this story. Watch the video here: |
A look at Laika
The New York Times has a look at Laika, the company behind the upcoming animated film ParaNorman. The in-depth piece includes: a history of the studio, a look at some of their ground-breaking work in rapid prototyping and 3D and how the Laika aims to push the boundaries of stop-motion animation, a discussion with Henry […] |
Director Moore talks about Wreck-it Ralph development
Wreck-it Ralph director Rich Moore talks with HitFix about pitching the film to John Lasseter, getting game studios on board for character cameos, Sarah Silverman’s involvement, creating the in-movie game, and more. |