Anime and manga distributor ADV Films has acquired the short anime film THE VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR and plans a DVD-only release for the title. Using a mix of traditional and computer animation, the film was written, directed, edited and animated by Makoto Shinkai using a Power Macintosh 7600/120 computer and several consumer and professional-level design and animation software programs. Shinkai recently won the award for "Most Valuable Newcomer" at the 2002 Tokyo Anime Fair.

GOLDMEMBER, the third installment in the AUSTIN POWERS franchise, handily topped the box office this weekend with a whopping $71.4M debut. This gives the spy spoof $75M total (including Thursday's sneak preview gross) making it the highest July debut ever. The weekend's other new film, Disney's THE COUNTRY BEARS, based on the Disneyland theme park attraction, made a lackluster sixth place debut with $5.2M. This may not bode well for Disney's upcoming features based on theme rides The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

DreamWorks
SKG has thrown its hat into the anime ring with the acquisition of
the worldwide distribution rights for the Japanese animated film
MILLENNIUM ACTRESS. The film rights, licensed from The Klockworx Co.,
Ltd., include all forms of distribution including theatrical, home
video, television and ancillary rights, and covers all markets with
the exception of Asia. Based in Tokyo, The Klockworx Co., Ltd. will
oversee the film's release in Asia. Directed by PERFECT BLUE director

Despite three new films in wide release, this weekend posted a relatively low total box office. And in a repeat of the LILO & STITCH vs. MINORITY REPORT box office battle, a family film was neck and neck with an adult drama, only to lose the top spot. The continuing adventures of the animated mouse of STUART LITTLE 2 lost its hold on the number one box office spot to THE ROAD TO PERDITION. STUART LITTLE 2, with visual effects by Sony Imageworks, debuted in second place with $15.1M, following closely behind ROAD's $15.4M.

Hollywood, California-based production house Cinesite will be providing visual effects for the 20th Century Fox feature X-MEN 2, scheduled to be in theaters May 2, 2003. In this sequel to 2000's X-MEN, Brian Cox (THE BOURNE IDENTITY) portrays the villainous Stryker, a former Army commander who holds the key to Wolverine's past - as well as the future of the X-MEN. The original cast from X-MEN will return, joined by Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, a mutant who can teleport himself from one point to another almost instantaneously.

DreamWorks Pictures’ has enlisted Jim Carrey and Garry Shandling to voice the main characters in its upcoming 3D animated comedy OVER THE HEDGE, based on the comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis. OVER THE HEDGE, slated for release in 2005, will be the second computer animated project to be produced entirely at DreamWorks’ animation studio in Glendale, following the comedy SHARKSLAYER, which is currently in production. Produced by Bonnie Arnold (TOY STORY, TARZAN), OVER THE HEDGE follows the adventures of mischievous raccoon R.J.

Four new releases failed to attack the MEN IN BLACK's box office hold. Despite a 50% drop from last weekend's monstrous box office, MEN IN BLACK II is still number one, earning $25M and breaking the $100M mark after just 8 days. The film, with primary visual effects by ILM, has earned $133.3M since its July 4 debut. DreamWorks' THE ROAD TO PERDITION, debuted in second place with $22.1M. In third was the dragonslaying thriller REIGN OF FIRE, with visual effects by The Secret Lab, which brought in $16M, and HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION managed to scare up $12.3M for fourth place.

Home video distributor New Video has been granted the exclusive U.S. retail distribution rights to Scholastic Entertainment's Scholastic Video Collection, a series comprised of award-winning animated stories from Weston Woods including Maurice Sendak’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Kevin Henkes’ CHRYSANTHEMUM and Crockett Johnson’s HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON. The deal marks the first major foray into the children’s video arena for New Video, a leading home entertainment company that serves as the exclusive distributor of A&E Home Video, The History Channel and Docurama.

Miramax Films is joining the ranks of studios with animation projects in the works. The independent film studio has partnered with LEGO Media to develop a CG-animated motion picture for 2004 release, based on LEGO’s successful Bionicle toys and comics. In addition to the feature film project, the agreement gives Miramax worldwide distribution rights to LEGO Media's previously announced, CG-animated direct-to-video movie, BIONICLE: MASK OF LIGHT, scheduled to debut in September 2003.

The National Film Board of Canada has compiled on one DVD, seven short animated films, each created with a different technique. SEVEN TO SEE/SEPT À VOIR!

Sony Imageworks first 3D animated short, a 5 1/2 minute comedy titled THE CHUBBCHUBBS, is now playing in theaters before the feature film MEN IN BLACK II. Produced by Imageworks, and directed by Eric Armstrong, animation supervisor for STUART LITTLE 2, THE CHUBBCHUBBS features an alien hero named Meeper who valiantly tries to warn the patrons of the Ale-E-Inn of impending intergalactic danger. According to VARIETY, the short was never intended for the public and was made as an internal systems test.

Aliens are proving to be big box office this summer, as MEN IN BLACK II debuts at number one, and LILO AND STITCH breaks the $100M mark after three weeks. MEN IN BLACK II, the sequel to the 1997 blockbuster, has taken in a record-breaking total of $90M since its Wednesday, July 4 debut, knocking last week's number one film MR. DEEDS, to second with $18.8M for the weekend and $74M to date.

From an Oscar-nominated animated boy hero to World War II to Plymptoons, July has a little bit of everything in the way of home video releases.

JIMMY NEUTRON

In this Oscar-nominated feature from Nickelodeon Movies, nerdy Jimmy Neutron and his robot dog fight evil, rescue his parents and save Earth. DVD features include, "The Making of Jimmy Neutron" featurette, two music videos, 12 promotional spots, seven DVD-ROM games and two theatrical trailers. Release Date: July 2, 2002. Suggested retail price: DVD $29.99.

After fighting a battle royal with futuristic thriller MINORITY REPORT and ending last weekend in close second, this weekend's tally finds LILO & STITCH holding fast to the number two spot while MINORITY REPORT has slipped to third. In first place was the latest Adam Sandler vehicle MR. DEEDS, which topped the chart with $37.6M. In second, LILO & STITCH grossed $22.2M for $77.8M to date and MINORITY REPORT's $21.6M was good for third, and a two-week total of $73.4M. SCOOBY DOO, with visual effects by Rhythm & Hues and Warner Bros.

Industrial
Light + Magic will provide the special visual effects and animation
for PETER PAN, the first live-action version of J.M. Barrie's
enduring classic about the boy who doesn't want to grow up. The film
is a joint production of Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures and
Revolution Studios, with P.J. Hogan (MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING)
enlisted to direct. Principal photography will begin in fall 2002 in
Queensland, Australia. Hogan and writer Michael Goldenberg (CONTACT)

After it grossed $100M in only 10 days, it's no
surprise that Warner Bros. has announced plans for a second
SCOOBY-DOO feature, with the original starring cast returning under
the anticipated helm of SCOOBY-DOO director Raja Gosnell. The
announcement was made by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, president of
worldwide production for Warner Bros. Pictures. The upcoming film
will be produced by Mosaic Media Group's Charles Roven, and by
Richard Suckle. Stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar,

The final numbers from this weekend's box office have been tallied, and it was a close one! Although Disney officials predicted the traditionally animated duo LILO & STITCH will take the number one spot over the powerful combination of Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg, it was not to be. It was down to the wire, but Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT, with primary visual effects by ILM, prevailed, edging out LILO & STITCH for the number one spot with $35.7M.

The CGI
Scooby isn't the only startling effect in Warner Bros. feature film
SCOOBY DOO. Spooky Island features a host of ghosts and San
Francisco visual effects house Giant Killer Robots (GKR) delivered
120 visual effects shots, most involving the "spirits" of the film's
characters. When the villain Mondavarius and his team of evil-doers
steal the spirits of the Mystery, Inc. gang, the artists at GKR had
to bring those spirits to life. Working with point cloud scans of the

Three new releases took the top three spots at this weekend's box office. Number one was the live-action comedy SCOOBY DOO, featuring an all CGI Scooby courtesy of Rhythm & Hues and Warner Bros. Feature Animation. The Mystery Inc. crew debuted with $56.4M, making SCOOBY DOO the third highest grossing debut this year, after EPISODE II and SPIDER-MAN. In second place was the thriller THE BOURNE IDENTITY with a strong $27.6 debut. In third was the John Woo-helmed World War II pic WINDTALKERS, with visual effects by Cinesite, earning $14.5M for the weekend.

Seen SPIRIT? Looking to get an animation fix before LILO AND STITCH arrives in theaters? Then check your local cineplex for the independent feature THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS, which features nearly 20 minutes of animation by Todd McFarlane. The coming of age drama is set to open in selected U.S. theaters on June 14, 2002. Based on the 1992 debut novel by Chris Fuhrman and directed by Peter Care, the film stars Kieran Culkin and Emile Hirsch as budding comic artists who are constantly at odds with their strict Catholic school teacher, Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster).