Wes Anderson's stop-motion animated FANTASTIC MR. FOX will have its premiere at the 53rd Times BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 14, per VARIETY.

Anderson produced the film with Scott Rudin and Allison Abbate will likely attend along with voice talent George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Jason Schwartzman. Based on the Roald Dahl children's tale, the film was written by Anderson and Noah Baumbach. Voices also include Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson.

Adult Swim and ROBOT CHICKEN creators and executive producers Seth Green and Matt Senreich are celebrating the release of the ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD this summer by strapping on a pair of roller skates and living on a tour bus for two weeks just to bring ROBOT CHICKEN-style fun to the masses. Green and Senreich host the celebration throughout the nine-city roller rink tour across America, featuring performances by one of the hottest bands today, Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Gym Class Heroes, in addition to special ROBOT CHICKEN guests including the show's writers and producers, celebrity guest stars, ROBOT CHICKEN-themed activities and games and exclusive Adult Swim merchandise. Adult Swim's ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II Roller Skating Tour kicks off in Los Angeles August 1. A preview party, which is also open to the public, will take place on July 25 in San Diego with a guest DJ. "Our show is so much fun, we want to invite everyone to have fun with us," says Seth Green. "Grab your friends, your couple's skate partner and some kneepads. We're coming to your town! Or at least to a major market somewhat close to your town." "When Seth first pitched the idea of throwing roller skating parties around the country, I rolled my eyes and laughed at him," says Matthew Senreich. "I said, 'That's crazy talk.' Now that we're actually going to do it, I'm in awe of its absurdity and can't wait to attend. It fits with the randomness of our ROBOT CHICKEN show. Why not throw roller skating parties across the U.S.?" Adult Swim's ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II Roller Skating Tour schedule: * July 25, San Diego, Calif.: Skate San Diego-Preview party minus the band but with a guest DJ and extra Comic-Con awesomeness * August 1, Los Angeles, Calif.: Venue TBA * August 2, Las Vegas, Nev.: Rancho Crystal Palace Skating Center * August 4, Denver, Colo.: Skate City Westminster * August 6, Kansas City, Mo.: River Roll Skate Center * August 8, Indianapolis, Ind.: Skateland * August 10, Richmond, Va.: Roller Dome Skating * August 12, Philadelphia, Pa.: Jamz Roller Skating Center * August 14, New York: Venue TBA *Dates and times are subject to change. At each event, all ages are welcome, admission is free and doors open at 8 p.m. Patrons with an early entry-voucher will be admitted one hour earlier. Early-entry vouchers can be found in the new ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD, which will arrive at retail on July 21. More information about the tour can be found at AdultSwimPresents.com. Building on its tremendous broadcast success, the highly anticipated DVD release of ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II features 15 minutes of never-before-seen footage. The sequel once again combines the satirical sensibilities of Seth Green and Matthew Senreich's Stoopid Monkey Productions Emmy Award-winning ROBOT CHICKEN with the unforgettable moments and favorite characters of the STAR WARS universe. Winner of three Annie Awards, including Best Animated Television Production, the ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD includes both the original broadcast version and extended version of the special, along with more than 90 minutes of bonus features. In addition to the roller rink tour and new DVD, the final nine brand-new episodes of ROBOT CHICKEN's fourth season will premiere on Adult Swim beginning July 26 at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). Created by actor/producer Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, ROBOT CHICKEN uses stop-motion animation to bring pop-culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format. The series is created in conjunction with ShadowMachine Films' Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico.

Travis Knight tells Bill Desowitz what it's like making the transition from artist to studio head at Laika.

WATCHMEN and CORALINE make their DVD/Blu-ray bows, along with the "complete experience" Blu-ray of 300 and the DVD/Blu-ray debut of season two ABC's whimsical series PUSHING DAISIES.

300: The Complete Experience on Blu-ray

Experience 300 in a whole new way when the cutting-edge, heart-pounding visual masterpiece from filmmaker Zack Snyder (WATCHMEN) marches onto home screens as 300: The Complete Experience in Blu-ray July 21, to coincide with Snyder's WATCHMEN and WATCHMEN Director's Cut DVD and Blu-ray debut. All are from Warner Home Video.

Press Release from Bent Image Lab

The Portland, Oregon-based production company and creative laboratory Bent Image Lab is further expanding its roster with the recent signing of veteran animator and director Ken Lidster. Known for brilliant, award-winning commercials, such as those for Brisk iced tea that feature the voices and animated likeness of such stars as Bruce Willis and Danny DeVito, Lidster has directed noteworthy spots for Energizer, Chips Ahoy!, Kellogg's, Oscar Mayer, Quaker Oats, and Target.

Press Release from Adult Swim

Adult Swim and ROBOT CHICKEN creators and executive producers Seth Green and Matt Senreich are celebrating the release of the ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD this summer by strapping on a pair of roller skates and living on a tour bus for two weeks just to bring ROBOT CHICKEN-style fun to the masses.

Press Release from Aardman Rights

Bristol, 17 June 2009. Leading independent distributor Aardman Rights is delighted to announce the hugely successful debut of its preschool property TIMMY TIME on CBeebies.

Stop the printing machines! Hold everything! I have seen the film of the festival. Sorry, but I am still under heavy shock and I think my feel-good hormones are still busy on the merry-go-round called my brain. And this happens only, when I see a truly overwhelming film.

Press Release from Aardman Rights

Bristol, 20 May 2009. Leading independent distributor Aardman Rights has concluded a number of new licensing deals for its brand new preschool series TIMMY TIME, which has made a hugely successful debut on CBeebies in the UK.

In Central and Eastern Europe, Regio is on board as toy partner for TIMMY TIME in Hungary where Minimax has the broadcast rights. Also One 2 Play is managing all rights to the property in ex-Yugoslavia.

Adult Swim announced its newest series, TITAN MAXIMUM, from the creators of ROBOT CHICKEN. Created by ROBOT CHICKEN producer/co-head writer/director Tom Root and ROBOT CHICKEN exec producer/co-creator/writer/director Matthew Senreich, TITAN MAXIMUM uses stop-motion animation to spoof '80s action cartoons. The series will premiere this September.

Stop-motion animation studio Aardman has begun production on their next two animated feature length motion-pictures, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS and PIRATES!. Both films are to be released worldwide by Sony Pictures.

PIRATES! will be produced in Aardman's house style of hand-crafted modeling clay, while ARTHUR CHRISTMAS will be co-produced with Sony Pictures Imageworks in CGI.

Puppet building, puppet animation fundamentals, and a "how to" intro to independent stop motion. Sunday, April 26th, 2009. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the TAIS Studio, 60 Atlantic Avenue $35 members, $50 non-members (Pre-registration required). To register, contact the TAIS office at tais@bellnet.ca or by calling 416-533-7889.

Day 2 of Red Stick, and the multiple events begin. Oh for the power of Dr. Manhattan to split myself up into several Joes so as to cover everything, but all I can manage is to run to and fro, capturing a taste of this and that.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents a conversation with stop-motion animators the Brothers Quay titled "The Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets" as part of the Art in the First Person lecture series. Moderated by SVA faculty member Thyrza Goodeve, the Quay Brothers will discuss their work in film and theater including their forthcoming feature SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS. The event will take place on Thursday, April 2 at 6:30pm in the Visual Arts Theater (333 West 23 Street) and is free and open to the public. "The Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets" is co-presented by the BFA Fine Arts, BFA Visual and Critical Studies and MFA Art Criticism and Writing Departments at SVA. Visit www.sva.edu for more information. American identical twins working in London, the Brothers Quay find their inspiration in Eastern European literature and classical music and art. Their work is distinguished by its dark humor and an uncanny feeling for color and texture. Masters of miniaturization, they turn their tiny sets into unforgettable worlds suggestive of long-repressed childhood dreams. According to THE NEW YORK TIMES, the primary work of the Quay Brothers "is the arcane and highly specialized art of puppet animation. Yet what they accomplish in the nightmarish shorts for which they are best known is closer to the medieval practice of alchemy than to any identifiable modern pursuit." Born in Pennsylvania in 1947, Stephen and Timothy Quay studied illustration in Philadelphia before attending the Royal College of Art in London. They began making animated shorts in the 1970s and are best known for their classic 1986 film STREET OF CROCODILES, which filmmaker Terry Gilliam selected as one of the ten best animated films of all time. Their recent work includes IN ABSENTIA, an award-winning collaboration with Karlheinz Stockhausen; four short films made in collaboration with composer Steve Martland for a live event at the Tate Modern in London; and THE PIANO TUNER OF EARTHQUAKES, their second full-length feature, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 2005. The Brothers Quay have directed music videos for His Name is Alive, Michael Penn, Sparklehorse, 16 Horsepower, and Peter Gabriel (contributing to his celebrated "Sledgehammer" video), and have also directed commercials for, among others, MTV, Nikon, Murphy's beer and Slurpee. The Quay Brothers' work also includes set design for theater and opera, including their 1998 Tony-nominated work for the acclaimed Broadway revival of Ionesco's THE CHAIRS.

Firebox.com has teamed up with Aardman Animations -- the creators of Morph -- to launch an animation competition entitled Morphmation. Inspired by the popular Make your Own Morph product that the gift e-tailer sells, Firebox will be encouraging Morph lovers to send in their two-minute stop-motion animations starring the lovable clay figure.

LAIKA, the Portland-based animation studio whose first feature film, CORALINE, was released by Focus Features on February 6, has announced that Travis Knight has been named President and CEO of the company. Knight, the son of LAIKA's owner Philip H. Knight, succeeds Dale Wahl, who has held the position since 2005. Travis Knight, who sits on the LAIKA Board and has been Head of Animation since 2007, was one of the lead animators on CORALINE, the first stop-motion animated feature film to be produced in 3-D.

The costumes from Universal Pictures' FROST/NIXON and Focus Features' MILK are now on display along with props from Universal Pictures' HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY at Universal Studios Hollywood's "The Universal Experience: Behind the Scenes of Universal Pictures."

Fans of Guillermo del Toro's HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY, Oscar nominated for Best Makeup - Mike Elizalde, Thom Floutz, can preview an eclectic display of the original prosthetic masks and props and costumes featured in the film.

Henry Selick chats up Coraline and the state of stop-motion and 3-D with AWN.

In a timely salute to the talent of the late, great Tony Hart, ESQUIRE magazine celebrates the 30th anniversary of Morph, the character Hart made famous, by making him a first-time wardrobe of custom-made clothes and turning him into a magazine cover star. Kitted out in his specially-made designer clothes by labels such as Burberry, Gucci and Prada, Morph graces ESQUIRE's fashion pages as well as a special limited-edition front cover of the upmarket men's magazine. Each of Morph's outfits is a miniature recreation of the original.

Aardman Rights has secured a number of key new licensing partners for its new preschool property TIMMY TIME. Currently in production, the 52x10 stop-motion animated series has been pre-bought by CBeebies in the U.K. for debut in 2009 and it has been picked up by Disney Channels worldwide, including the U.S.