DreamWorks SKG, the company behind THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, and distributor of
PDI's ANTZ, has expressed their pleasure with Bristol, England-based
Aardman Animations' forthcoming CHICKEN RUN by signing the Peter Lord/David
Sproxton/Nick Park company to a four feature deal. DreamWorks is
distributing the clay animated CHICKEN RUN, set to be released June 23,
2000, in the US. CHICKEN RUN, which is described as THE GREAT ESCAPE with
chickens, is being co-directed by Peter Lord (ADAM, WAT'S PIG) and Nick
Park (CREATURE COMFORTS, THE WRONG TROUSERS) and features Mel Gibson as
Rocky the rooster. As for the forthcoming projects, Aardman is said to be
close to developing a project based on THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. This
Aesop's fable has already provided the basis for several significant films
in the history of animation, including Disney's 1935 Silly Symphony, THE
TORTOISE AND THE HARE, which is said to have introduced speed to cartoons,
and Tex Avery's spoof of the Disney film, TORTOISE BEATS HARE with Bugs
Bunny.


Wendy Jackson interviewed Peter Lord for the May
1997 issue of Animation World Magazine.


Jerry Beck reviewed CREATING 3-D ANIMATION: THE AARDMAN BOOK OF FILMMAKING
in the February
1999 issue of Animation World Magazine.


Andrew Osmond wrote about animation companies in Bristol for the February
1999 issue of Animation World Magazine.