Platinum Studios and Catch 23 Entertainment will co-produce a live-action feature film based on writer Alex Simmon’s graphic novel series BLACKJACK. BLACKJACK debuted in 1996, and the series details the exploits of independent African-American soldier of fortune Arron Day – a man called "Blackjack" – as he roams the globe seeking adventure and warding off danger.

QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, the latest screen adaptation from Anne Rice’s VAMPIRE CHRONICLES, took a bite out of this weekend’s box office debuting at number one. The thriller, with visual effects by Grey Matters FX and Manex, earned $15.1M. QUEEN’s sexy vampires handily beat last week’s number one film, the Denzel Washington-starrer JOHN Q, with visual effects by The Effects Group. The hostage drama came in second with $12.5M for a cume of $39.8M.

A new photography exhibition spotlighting thirty film industry women is currently on display at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and features portraits of three noted women of animation. "Great Women of Film: Photographs by Helena Lumme and Mika Manninen" is intended be a celebration of the film industry's current female talents and includes women from a wide variety of professions and crafts in the motion picture industry.

Los Angeles-based short film distributor Apollo Cinema will showcase all five Oscar-nominated animated short films, along with the five live-action short film nominees. This is the second consecutive year Apollo has presented the films in association with Laemmle Theatres. Beginning in Los Angeles on February 28, 2002, the screenings will continue to run every weekend until the Academy Award winners are announced on March 24.

Cowboy Pictures is presenting a tribute to Pixar Animation Studios featuring four feature film classics from Disney/Pixar: TOY STORY, A BUG’S LIFE, TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS, INC. The retrospective will run February 23 - March 17 in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Sunset 5 and February 24 - March 10 at The Quad in New York. All screenings are free. In New York on Tuesday, February 26, director John Lasseter will host a special evening introducing the screening of MONSTERS, INC. and two of Pixar’s short films, LUXO JR. and 2001 Academy Award nominee FOR THE BIRDS.

The U.S. President’s Day three-day holiday weekend has proved profitable for new releases as well as some films that have been on the charts for weeks. In third place, Disney’s 2D animated PETER PAN sequel enjoyed a solid $16.1M opening. RETURN TO NEVER LAND is set during World War II and finds Peter Pan on the trail of Captain Hook after the pirate kidnaps Wendy's daughter, Jane. The family-friendly film sent Disney’s other kid flick SNOW DOGS running to tenth place, where it earned just $7M for a cume of $68.4M.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has announced their nominations for the coveted Oscar award. Receiving nominations for best animated short were Ruairi Robinson’s 3D meditation on suicide FIFTY PERCENT GREY, Cathal Gaffney’s "animated documentary" GIVE UP YER AUL SINS, Pixar’s latest 3D short FOR THE BIRDS, Joe Merideth’s caveman comedy STUBBLE TROUBLE and Cordell Barker’s tale of otherworldly love STRANGE INVADERS. These films are featured on AWN with QuickTime clips, pictures and information about the films and directors.

Three new films held the top spots this weekend, with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terrorist drama COLLATERAL DAMAGE leading the pack. The film, with visual effects by Digital Film Works, earned $15.1M in its first weekend out. A remake of the 1975 film ROLLERBALL managed to debut in the number three spot despite generally lackluster reviews. The futuristic actioner took in $9M. BLACK HAWK DOWN, last week’s number one film, fell to fourth. The war epic, with visual effects by The Mill and Asylum, earned $8M for a total of $86.7M to date.

The nominations for the 74th Annual Academy Awards were announced on February 12, 2002. Effects-heavy THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING topped the list with 13 nominations including Best Visual Effects alongside A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE and PEARL HARBOR. LORD also won spots in major categories like Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Joining LORD OF THE RINGS in the Adapted Screenplay category is DreamWorks' 3D blockbuster SHREK, which was also one of three nominees in the brand new Animated Feature Film category.

Despite a lackluster weekend box office due to the Super Bowl, the action of BLACK HAWK DOWN, with visual effects by The Mill and Asylum, kept the film at number one for a third week in a row. The film earned $11.1M for a total of $75.1M. The rest of the box office is almost a repeat of last week, with Disney’s SNOW DOGS still in second, with $10.2M for a cume of $51.1M. In its second week of release THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO jumped up a spot to fourth, earning $8.8M for $23.4M to date.