Animation World Network reports that many of the animated shorts to be shown at this year’s Sundance Festival will be made available for download to the public on the iTunes service beginning January 22.

According to Animation World Network Yahoo! Studios and The Gotham Group are teaming up to “produce and distribute original animated content for the Internet. . . . The Gotham Group is recognized as one of the leading management, packaging, strategic planning and production firms in the entertainment industry. Boasting a roster of more than 250 […]

The Animation Guild Blog breaks down how animated movies fared among the live-action flicks at the 2006 international box office. Among the top ten films, Ice Age: The Meltdown took the third spot, with $647 million worldwide. Cars arrived in fifth place, hauling $462 million, while Over the Hedge came in ninth with $334 million.

Director Luc Besson speaks with IGN FilmForce about his newest project, Arthur & the Invisibles, explaining the conception of the movie. Actors Freddie Highmore and Mia Farrow are also on hand to discuss working with Besson.

With the article “The Year of the 3quel,” TIME Magazine elaborates on the high-profile third chapters entering theaters in 2007. Films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third are particularly noticed in the piece.

Dark Horizons indicates that Jay Leno and Jennifer Coolidge have signed up for the computer-animated comedy Igor. Leno will voice the role of “King Malbert,” Malaria’s Machiavellian ruler, while Coolidge will take on the role of “Sybil,” the village vixen. Other actors already reported as part of the Igor cast include Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon, […]

Cine21 via The Internet Movie Poster Awards offers a Korean one-sheet for The Simpsons Movie. This latest poster reveals the owner of the donut-grabbing hand seen in the American teaser poster.

MGM/Weinstein’s Arthur and the Invisibles opens wide in 2,247 theatres today according to Box Office Mojo. The critical consensus at Rotten Tomatoes is that the film (with a Tomatometer reading of 25%) “wastes its big-name voice talent on a predictable script and substandard CG animation”. Reviewers for Newsday and the Los Angeles Times are more […]

With the release of Luc Besson’s Arthur And The Invisibles in the US, the CS Monitor looks at the new wave of animated films coming out of France and their place in the over-saturated CG marketplace.

Iwao Takamoto has died at the age of 81 years, in Los Angeles. His passing came as the result of heart failure. Among his many considerable contributions to animation, Takamoto designed the classic, beloved character Scooby-Doo. To view a press release regarding the life and death of Iwao Takamoto, please click:

DVDActive has the lowdown on the DVD release of Everybody’s Hero, coming to stores on March 20th. “Extras will include a commentary by co-directors Colin Brady and Dan St. Pierre and writers Jeff Hand and Rob Kurtz, a tribute to Christopher and Dana Reeve, a making of featurette, and theatrical trailers.” Likewise, the site gives […]

The official Japanese website for Shrek the Third has added two teaser trailers for the movie. Available to view through Coming Soon, both trailers offer a glimpse at some animation not seen in the American teaser for the film.

Variety sheds some light on the increase of musical artists looking to provide a tune or two to a film’s soundtrack. Peronsalities mentioned in the article include Randy Newman, who crafted both the song Our Town and a score for Disney/Pixar’s Cars, and Jewel, who co-wrote the tune Quest for Love for Arthur and the […]

In an interview with Sci Fi Wire, director Kevin Munroe lets the cat out of the bag that Cat Tale has been scrapped. Imagi Animation Studios producer Thomas K. Gray elaborates, “We’re several million [dollars] into it, but it was animals with happy talk, and we thought if we put it out there, it will […]

An assortment of scenes from Arthur & the Invisibles are being hosted by iFilm. Concurrently, Superhero Hype! has an exclusive video from the latest direct-to-video flick courtesy of Lionsgate and Marvel, The Invincible Iron Man.

Once believed to have been cancelled, the four-disc DVD set for The Mr. Magoo Show has been found by TV Shows on DVD, for sale at the Classic Media Online Store. Word has yet to arrive if the set is also available to own through retail stores.

Rotten Tomatoes has named the recipients for its eighth annual Golden Tomato Awards. With an adjusted score of 71.11, Disney/Pixar’s Cars takes the honor for “best-reviewed animated movie.” With a score of 70.78, Happy Feet follows close behind, in second place. Flushed Away (69.41), Over the Hedge (68.92), Monster House (68.05), Curious George (64.44), A […]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest nabbed an assortment of accolades at the 33rd annual People’s Choice Awards, held Tuesday night. The sequel won for “Movie,” “Movie drama,” “Male star” and “Male action star” (Johnny Depp), and “On-screen matchup” (Johnny Depp & Keira Knightley). Meanwhile, Cars crossed the finish at #1 in the category […]

Luc Besson talks to Sci Fi Wire about his latest film, Arthur & the Invisibles, explaining why he wanted to create an adventure for children. Coming Soon also has an interview with Besson, in which such topics as the film’s conception, casting and title change are raised. In other Arthur news, it appears that two […]

Just shortly after the revelation that James Cameron will soon begin principal photography for his original project titled Avatar, word arrives that M. Night Shyamalan is developing a film bearing a very similar name. However, the latter work is none other than a live-action adaptation of the hit Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. […]

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo: 6) Happily N’Ever After with $6,608,244, averaging $2,775 over 2,381 theaters ($6,608,244 total; 1st week) 13) Happy Feet with $4,004,462, averaging $1,810 over 2,212 theaters ($185,414,182 total; 8th week) 44) The Polar Express (IMAX) with $50,926, averaging $2,037 over 25 theaters ($2,897,449 total; 8th week) 58) Santa Vs. the Snowman […]

DVDActive has the details, including artwork, for Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes – Volume 1, arriving March 27. The DVD will include four episodes from the 2006 series, including Doomed, Hard Knocks, World’s Tiniest Heroes, and De-Mole-Ition. One week earlier, Garfield & Friends: An Ode to Odie, containing thirteen Odie-starring episodes of the series, will […]

PR Newswire has the official press releases from Buena Vista Worldwide, Sony Pictures and Lionsgate, regarding each company’s upcoming line of Blu-ray titles. For instance, North America, Europe and Asia will see the release of such Buena Vista flicks as Chicken Little, Cars, and both Pirates of the Caribbean films. Asia and Europe will also […]

o-meon has the complete press release on Disney CEO Bob Iger’s unveiling yesterday at the 2007 CES of the new, completely overhauled Disney.com which will go live on the Internet later this month. According to Iger, “Wherever the path of unfolding technologies and imaginative new platforms may lead, Disney will be there.”

Upcoming Pixar brings the glad tidings that toys for Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille may now be seen at ToyWiz.com. While the figures reveal more character designs from the film, two playsets present a further glimpse at the movie’s world.

As the release dates for Toy Story 3 and The Little Mermaid III are speculated, a director possibly emerges for Gnomeo & Juliet.

A recent Hollywood Reporter article outlines soundtrack details for many movies to be released throughout this year including the songs to be used in Disney’s March 30 release Meet the Robinsons.

Lions Gate Films’ Happily N’Ever After opens this weekend in 2,381 theatres, according to Box Office Mojo. The film is being almost universally panned by the critics, scoring an abyssimal 5% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer – and a perfect 0% Rotten with their Cream of the Crop critics.

In an sneak peek of what Walt Disney Pictures has in store for 2007, the Disney Channel Movie Surfers unveil an animated sequence from Enchanted. Pictures from the scene have been placed by Prince Kido at the French forum Disney Central Plaza. Likewise, more Enchanted screencaps, as well as downloadable footage, are available at the […]

Coming Soon notices that the official website for Sony Pictures Animation’s Surf’s Up has opened. Right now, the domain presents the film’s synopsis, teaser trailer, wallpaper, and a Pen Gu Island webcam.