After opening (and closing) satellite studios in Paris, Florida, Canada and Japan, the majority of 2D Disney animation is now being carried out at the ToonStudios facility in Australia. The {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=10492 Animation World Network}} has news, however, that the studio may now also be looking to strengthen ties in India as a “production base […]

An animator’s guidebook, {{link http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0782141293/qid%3D1072479639//102-4687562-8010520 Stop Staring: Facial Modeling and Animation Done Right}}, by Jason Osipa, which looks at one of the still-challenging aspects of 3D animation: namely the modeling and manipulation of a human figure’s head, has been reviewed at {{link http://10secondclub.net/reviews.php?id=10004 The 10 Second Club}}, a character animation focused site, which screens new […]

Dark Horizons reveals that Garfield: The Movie‘s release date is now June 11. Also available on the website is the notice of a new Thunderbirds teaser poster, which can be seen at UIP Netherlands.

PR Newswire has the official press release from Universal concerning the Peter Pan DVD, arriving in stores on May 4, 2004.

Variety reports about the anticipated Muppets of Oz, Disney’s new made-for-ABC movie, being written by Debra Frank and Steven Hayes. Subscription is necessary to view the article.

Though it will be primarily live-action (but you can be sure of spectacular visual effects and CGI aliens), Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise have announced plans to pool resources to produce a new version of HG Wells’ 1898 classic The War Of The Worlds, according to Variety, via {{link http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/040317f.php Dark Horizons}}. Previous incarnations include […]

Coming Soon! has the newest poster for Shark Tale, swimming to theaters on October 1. Thanks to “macontosh2000” for the heads up!

Animation World Network points out an article at VFXWorld about the process of bringing two-dimensional Mickey and friends into the three dimensional, computer-generated world. The article includes screen grabs from “Twice Upon a Christmas, the DVD-premiere produced by DisneyToon Studios featuring five all-new episodes starring Mickey and his Disney pals.”

\\{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=2225 Animation Magazine}}\\ reports that Donovan Cook, director of Disney’s upcoming \\The Three Musketeers\\, has began an email campaign to try to convince the company to give the traditionally animated film a theatrical release, as opposed to the planned straight to DVD release. In an letter he has sent to some people in the […]

Comics Continuum has pics from last Saturday’s sneak peek of The Batman, on Kids’ WB!.

Coming Soon! reports that screenwriters Paul Benson and Matt Sullivan are writing Disaster!, a clay-animation project for Dream Entertainment. Being directed by Roy Wood, the film has begun shooting and is set to complete in about another year.

If you’re one of the many who hope that Disney begin using the woefully underused Muppet characters again and are missing their dose of Kermit and Co, how about stocking up on thse great figures from {{link http://palisadestoys.com/new/whatsnew/thebit/Muppets/Mon3_1_04.php Palisades Toys}}? Series 7 – a new line of finely detailed figures – was recently launched, with […]

Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi, known online for their animation history and comment sites Cartoon Research and Animation Blast respectively, have joined together to launch a new place to discuss toons and promote their upcoming projects: {{link http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ Cartoon Brew.com}}. Both the writers’ previous sites will remain active as archives, but look to the Brew […]

UK “bedtime story” author Clive Woodall is also the subject of a video report, now playing on the BBC’s TV news channel. {{link http://news.bbc.co.uk/broadband/console/news/newsid_3513000/3513984.stm Broadband viewers}} can see the one and a half minute clip online, with the author speaking about his many-years-in-the-making “overnight” success and the recent Disney news. Look for the “Shop manager […]

{{link http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/icsouthport/nationalnews/content_objectid=14053524_method=full_siteid=60252_headline=-Supermarket-manager-s-Disney-deal-name_page.html icSeftonandWestLancs}} reports that a “supermarket manager has fulfilled the dream of aspiring writers everywhere – not only publishing his first book, but selling it to Disney for one million dollars”. Clive Woodall’s debut novel, \\One for Sorrow, Two for Joy\\, is being released today. The new book and soon to be animated film […]

CHUD‘s got the scoop on a potential third Scooby Doo movie. According to screenwriter James Gunn, a possible focus of the movie might be “Scooby and Shaggy’s fear and how that affects their lives.” Apparently Matthew Lillard (Norville ‘Shaggy’ Rogers) and Linda Cardellini (Velma Dinkley) have signed for it already, but Sarah Michelle Gellar (Daphne […]

Coming Soon! reports that although Jerry Bruckheimer is very interested in filming both Pirates of the Caribbean sequels together, Johnny Depp has not signed on to do the third one.

Follow the “More” link to view five screen captures from the outtakes included on disc 1 of Disney’s Brother Bear. Warning: spoilers involved for those who like Disney movies about genetic experiments from outer space crash landing on Hawaii and befriending orphaned little girls.

‘MusicFan’ has provided details on a new competition at {{link http://www.mtvu.com/contests/mtvu_animation/ mtvU online}} where participants could win a deal MTV’s animation department. They’re looking to give someone a shot at creating the next big animated show for MTV, with a development deal worth up to $20,000. Some big name industry folk – including Family Guy […]

George Richardson writes in to let us know about his new online Flash-animated series {{link http://datelinenews.tripod.com/ Dateline News}}, an off-beat, sardonic and adult-skewed look at the week’s stories, all presented by 2D anchors. Balancing out the site are serious looks at what’s happening worldwide.

Animated News reader ‘Dacey’ has written in with a summary of a sneak peek, contained on the DTV Springtime With Roo, of Disney’s next Winnie The Pooh feature, The Heffalump Movie, which interestingly enough is now going under the title of Pooh’s Heffalump Movie. Read her full run down here:

Raider Productions, who {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00001043.html we reported}} are looking for independent animated shorts from around the world for their upcoming DVD compilation The World’s Best Independent Animated Shorts, have let us know that their information and submissions website is {{link http://www.wbias.com now online}}. If you have any animated short films that you would like to […]

Follow the “More” link for three screen captures, one from each of the three deleted scenes included on the Brother Bear DVD. Also included are two captures from the cut musical number “The Fishing Song.”

Ultimate Disney has menus and screen grabs from Home on the Range: A Little Patch of Heaven Sing Alongs Songs DVD, arriving in stores on March 23.

UPN’s Game Over had a lackluster debut on Wednesday. TVWeek.com reveals that the critically-panned, computer-animated sitcom received a 0.6 rating/2 share in adults 18 to 49 with 2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. These ratings are even worse than the ratings for Enterprise, which had held the same time slot. Thanks to Toon […]

\\{{link http://www.forbes.com/business/2004/03/12/cx_al_0312nemo.html Forbes}}\\ reports that a French judge has ruled against Franck Le Calvez, who asked the court to stop the merchandising of \\Finding Nemo\\ in France. “Even though a civil trial remains on the docket for the fall, the court decision is a blow to Franck Le Calvez, the author behind the small publishing […]

Since today seems to be the day for screen grabs, follow the “More” link for four captures from the preview Chicken Little, Disney’s first completely computer-generated movie produced sans Pixar, as seen on disc 1 of the upcoming Brother Bear 2-disc set, due out in Region 1 on March 30.

Laughing Place has a great new in-depth interview with Disney’s dynamic directing/writing duo Ron Clements and John Musker who helmed The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, and Treasure Planet. Thanks to Kristin for the alert.

Philippe Druillet’s grotesque take on the legendary vampire will become a CG series thanks to Wolfland Pictures. Druillet himself is supervising the project, that casts Jean Rochefort as the vampire’s voice and title song by Catherine Ringer. Have a look at the teaser for this gothic horror comedy.

Follow the “More” link for a story sketch from The Chronological Donald, one of the DVDs in the 3rd wave of collectible Walt Disney’s Treasures scheduled for release on May 18, 2004.