Contrary to a report in DAILY VARIETY that Johnny Depp has been offered the coveted role of Willy Wonka in Tim Burton's upcoming film version of Roald Dahl's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. said the studio is not even in negotiations with the actor and the script is still being rewritten. Stay tuned because Depp is still the leading contender to star in his third Burton film, following EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and ED WOOD, and has never been hotter after propelling Disney's blockbuster, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN.

Vancouver-based Mercury Filmworks and Perfect Circle Productions are partnering on a new animated movie, EDISON & NEEMO, produced with a unique blend of stop-motion and 3D animation. The film is an adventurously comic reworking of the mythical and legendary inventor, Thomas Alva Edison.

Hot off its Student Emmy Award for the clever animated short LITTLE RED PLANE, Shadedbox, the Pasadena-based animation studio formed two years ago by a group of college buddies, has optioned its first CG-animated feature to Disney. LET’S GET FRANCIS is a fast-paced comedy about two hamster brothers, Joe and Francis, who live inside a mall pet store, and compete for the attention of customers during the busy holiday season.

To avoid a direct conflict with Disney/Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES on November 5, 2004, DreamWorks has moved up the release of its underwater mob comedy, SHARKSLAYER, to Oct. 1. DreamWorks had originally staked out the Nov. 5 date, until Disney/Pixar laid claim to it as well in a teaser trailer for the Brad Bird film that accompanied FINDING NEMO.

Fred Patten takes a look at Allan Neuwirth's new book about the American animation industry.

With the distinct possibly of THE MATRIX RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS canceling each other out in terms of Oscar contention, Warner Bros. has decided to solely promote the latter film, which opens Nov. 5, 2003, a studio source told VFXWorld. It also makes sense from the standpoint that REVOLUTIONS concludes the Wachowski Brothers' trilogy and will have all the momentum on its side if it delivers the goods.

Considering how hard it was to get FREDDY VS. JASON on the big screen, New Line must be smiling now, as the dual franchise frightener (with vfx principally by Cinesite (Hollywood), Pixel Magic and Asylum) scared up $36.4M for the weekend box office ending Aug. 17, 2003. In fact, not even the power blackout that struck the Northeast and parts of the Midwest hindered the horror film, even when power was still out in large areas on Friday night.

Director Ronny Yu (FREDDY VS. JASON) has optioned rights to the anime movie BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE for a live-action feature, according to SCI FI WIRE. The original 2000 movie directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo concerns a vampire hunter on a military base.

THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS started as a short on Nickelodeon’s OH YEAH! CARTOONS!, spun-off off into its own TV series, then a 90-minute telemovie, recently became a stripped series and is now slated to be a big screen theatrical. Paramount Pictures-based Nickelodeon Movies is developing an untitled film version with the show's creator Butch Hartman and producer/story editor Steve Marmel, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER and confirmed by a Nick spokesperson.

Renn Prod. and producer Claude Berri have scrapped plans to produce a third live-action feature in the ASTERIX franchise, reported the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. ASTERIX AND OBELIX IN SPAIN had been scheduled to start shooting next spring in Spain. Director Gerard Jugnot (MONSIEUR BATIGNOLLE) had been assigning directing duties and Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu were set to reprise their roles.