ASIFA-Hollywood will be holding a members-only screening (but anyone can be a member) of DreamWorks/PDI’s upcoming CGI film Madagascar on Monday, May 23rd, at Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theater. And look for Animated News’ review of Madagascar in the next couple of days.

Two trade ads, one from Variety and one from Pixar, commemorating the contributions the recently departed Joe Grant made to Disney lore, from Snow White down to Lorenzo, can be viewed here:

It’s not just Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, it’s also Gumby’s 50th. Yahoo! News has a fairly comprehensive article detailing the origins of that lovable green slab of clay as well as mentioning future plans, including new TV episodes and a new movie.

Following is a personal report by Animated News’ Christian Ziebarth on the funeral services held yesterday in memory of Joe Grant:

Hollywood News, The Hollywood Reporter and Empire Online all have some new plot information on DreamWorks/Aardman’s Flushed Away.

Ultimate Disney has the cover art for the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Edition DVD release of Secrets, Stories, and Magic on the Happiest Place on Earth. The DVD is scheduled to enter stores on July 12, 2005.

DVD Answers has the menus for the DVD release of DreamWorks’ animated series Father of the Pride, set to pounce into stores on June 7th.

Ain’t It Cool News indicates that the Henson Company is currently at work on The Power of the Dark Crystal, the sequel to the 1982 film. The Power of the Dark Crystal is being scripted by David Odell, writer for the first Dark Crystal film, and Annette Duffy.

JoBlo has the teaser poster for the computer animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie coming in 2007.

Ultimate Disney has six screencaps from Kronk’s New Groove, which looks to have a December 2005 or January 2006 direct-to-video release. A 30-second promo for the film will be available to view from the Sneak Peeks menu of Disney’s Classic Cartoon Favorites, coming to DVD on May 31th.

Toon Zone points to the Station 8 Comment Room, where Chad Kultgen of 3oh!5 Creative, a company involved in DVD production, reveals that the second season of Gargoyles is coming to DVD. At the moment, Mr. Kultgen is searching for a Gargoyles fan in the LA area to maybe be featured in a bonus feature […]

AWN reports that Swordplay Entertainment is working on an animated feature film based on Robert E. Howard’s creation. Conan: Red Nails is a 2D/3D feature scheduled for release on DVD in 2006, with a possibility of theatrical release.

For more info on recently departed Disney story artist Joe Grant check out his updated Disney Legends page, Remembering the Other Joe Grant at Cartoon Brew, and the official press release announcing his passing away.

A source at Disney has informed us that Bambi and the Great Prince of the Forest will be released early next year as a direct-to-video title in the United States but will be released theatrically in at least parts of Europe.

Check out JoBlo.com’s Movie News page for the very first sneak peek at the title treatment for DreamWorks’ Flushed Away. Thanks to Kristin for the heads up.

BBC News reports that according to Aardman co-founder Peter Lord, John Cleese is currently writing a “pre-historic” comedy for the studio. “It will be great comedy adventure about a pre-historic culture clash between two tribes, one comparatively evolved tribe, and one un-evolved tribe,” Lord announced at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. “Some might consider […]

For a reason not known at this time, Clay Aiken is no longer listed in the IMDB‘s cast list for Rapunzel Unbraided. Nonetheless, the pop star may still be attached to the film.

The teaser poster for Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is online at Latino Review. Curse of the Were-Rabbit is scheduled to scare up laughs on October 7th.

DVD Answers has the full episode list for the fourth volume DVD of Garfield and Friends, coming to stores on August 30, 2005. No bonus features have been announced for the three-disc set yet.

The press release for the Cinderella Platinum Edition DVD is now up at Ultimate Disney, with the notice including detailed descriptions of the DVD’s bonus features. The Cinderella Platinum Edition DVD will arrive in stores on October 4, 2005.

The Disney Database has nine promotional images for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In addition, the site features two new movie stills from and a poster for Tarzan II. The Chronicles of Narnia will enter theaters on December 9, 2005, while Tarzan II will go direct-to-DVD on June 14, […]

Ultimate Disney speaks with Irene Bedard, who provided the voice of the title character in Disney’s Pocahontas. The actress shares her thoughts on being in the film, along with her feelings of the recently released 10th Anniversary Edition DVD.

Jim Hill Media writes of McDonalds’ wanting to renew their contract with Disney- but this time, with the restaurant chain having the ability to choose which Disney theatrical releases, theme park events and/or home video & DVD releases it promotes. This development comes as the result of lackluster box office performances from some of Disney’s […]

Margaret Kerry, the original live action reference model for Tinker Bell, has just opened a personal site and it is heavily Tinker Bell-themed (original link via Laughing Place). Wonder if she has anything to do with that new Tinker Bell movie that is in production.

The full text of a press release announcing the production of a Raven Tales television series to be broadcast in Canada and internationally can be read here:

The Disney Power Board has a nice collection up of all the major Chicken Little images released so far, including first looks at The Art of Chicken Little and Chicken Little: The Visual Guide, plus billboards, posters and Chicken Little’s village.

Online magazine Big Animation has posted an interview with Doug Cooper, visual effects supervisor at DreamWorks Animation, in which he discusses advances in visual effects technology from Prince of Egypt down to Bee Movie.

The press release announcing the one year anniversary of new animation studio Project Firefly can be read here:

For this first time in its history, Cartoon Network was honored by the prestigious “Cartoons on the Bay, International Festival on Television Animation” with three top awards, including “Best Series for All Audiences.” The awards were distributed Sunday night, May 1. Full press release here:

Proving that the site covers all ends of the animated spectrum, DVD Toons has posted a couple of new pieces. The first is {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/features/75 Where’s Popeye? An Interview with Fred Grandinetti}}, which discusses the lack of authorized Fleischer Studios product featuring the spinach-guzzling sailor on DVD, and Grandinetti’s views on this as well as […]