Atari will release the videogame to Universal's upcoming animated feature THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX, per VARIETY.

Brash Ent. had been set to release the game about the heroic, giant-eared mouse, but they went out of business last month. The company, who specialized in film adaptations, planned to also distribute a game for Nintendo DS produced by Universal, the studio's first self-funded game.

Brash completed the game before going out of business, but they and Universal had to rush to find another publisher before the film's December 19 release date.

A free downloadable demo for the award-winning videogame DEAD SPACE from Electronic Arts will be launched on November 25.

The stunning demo showcases the critically acclaimed combat and strategic dismemberment of the epic sci-fi action game. The demo comes just in time for holiday gift buyers to get a taste of the gore and action that has made the game a critical and commercial hit. The demo will be available at the PlayStation Store in North America and Xbox LIVE Marketplace worldwide. In Europe, the demo will be available at the PlayStation Store on November 27.

Sci Fi Channel and Trion World Network, the publisher and developer of connected games and entertainment, hired two industry veterans in the co-development of a videogame and television show.

Kevin Beardslee joins Trion to serve as Senior Development Director for the project at Trion's San Diego development studio. Television writer Peter Egan has been tapped to write the pilot episode.

The partnership will simultaneously co-develop a game and cable television property. This will be the second original IP Trion has created.

Actress Mila Kunis has been added to the cast of THE BOOK OF ELI from Warner Bros. and Alcon Ent. and starring Denzel Washington, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Albert and Allen Hughes are directing the action thriller about a lone hero named Eli (Washington), who fights his way across the wasteland of a near-future America to protect a sacred book that might hold the key to saving the future of humanity.

Today, in association with Image Comics the hardbook comic titled DEAD SPACE hits comic book stores nationwide and will hit Amazon, Border's and Barnes and Noble at the end of the month. The DEAD SPACE hardbook serves as a prequel story for the award-winning videogame that tells the gut-wrenching tale of a deep space mining colony that unexpectedly pulls an ancient and vicious alien life force from the dark rock.

Blizzard Ent.'s WORLD OF WARCRAFT’s second expansion, WRATH OF THE LICH KING, has sold more than 2.8 million copies in its first 24 hours of availability, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time.

TERMINATOR SALVATION - THE VIDEOGAME, an action-packed, third-person shooter, will be released in conjunction with the Warner Bros./Sony film, which opens nationwide on May 22, 2009.

Gore Verbinski is on board to remake THE HOST at Universal, per VARIETY. The 2006 Korean thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho broke records in its South Korean theatrical run.

Commercials director Fredrick Bond will be making his feature debut and Mark Poirer will write the script. Verbinski will produce with Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison along with Paul Brooks.

Bolt, the superdog, and his companion Penny are ready to spring into action. The BOLT videogame from Disney Interactive Studios is available at retail stores throughout the United States in time for the film's opening on Friday, November 21. Inspired by the animated comedy adventure of the same name from Walt Disney Animation Studios, BOLT game versions are available for Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and Windows-based PC.

Writer Colin Trevorrow has been hired by Disney to pen their upcoming action feature PET ROBOTS, per VARIETY.

PET ROBOTS, a graphic novel by Scott Christian Sava, is about four students who get lost on a field trip at a toy company and bond with military robots. The novel was published by Sava's Blue Dream Studios last year. Sava previously worked on SPIDER-MAN, CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST, ALIENS VS. PREDATORS and X-MEN as an illustrator, comic book artist, animator and videogame designer.

Activision Publishing is reuniting gamers with some of their favorite DreamWorks Animation characters with the release of the MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA and KUNG FU PANDA: LEGENDARY WARRIORS video games, now available on store shelves.

Universal Pictures beat out three other studios on Sunday for EA's unreleased and unannounced videogame DANTE'S INFERNO (working title), per VARIETY. Set to hit the marketplace next year, the videogame is the second EA title in a week to go to Universal.

ARMY OF TWO was purchased by the studio for Scott Stuber to produce (via EA) and Scott Z. Burns (THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM) to write.

In an unusually early bidding war, four studios are battling for a new videogame from Electronic Arts -- that hasn't yet been announced publicly, per VARIETY.

About a journey through the depths of hell, sources say the game is likely to be titled DANTE'S INFERNO, and while EA has cleared the title for use, it has not officially titled it. EA and its representation declined to comment Thursday evening.

Can't wait for the new movie to step into the shoes of James Bond? Activision Publishing's QUANTUM OF SOLACE video game, based on the upcoming QUANTUM OF SOLACE and pre-CASINO ROYALE James Bond films, is dashing into European retail outlets today, and will be available in North American stores on November 4, 2008.

Developed under license from EON Productions and MGM, the QUANTUM OF SOLACE video game equips players with the weapons, espionage and hand-to-hand combat skills and overall charm needed to survive the covert lifestyle of legendary 007 secret agent James Bond.

Activision Publishing's CARNIVAL CRAZE, a brand new addition to its enormously popular videogame franchise based on DreamWorks Animation's SHREK. The game is available now for Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and PC.

This year's EA British Academy Children's Awards will take place on Sunday, November 30, 2008 to celebrate excellence in all art forms of the moving image for children -- in film, television, video games and online.

In animation, CHARLIE AND LOLA, ELIOT KID, SHAUN THE SHEEP and SKUNK FU! are nominated for best animation, and CHARLIE AND LOLA, LITTLE PRINCESS, PEPPA PIG and ROARY THE RACING CAR are nominated for best preschool animation.

DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO!, RATATOUILLE, STARDUST and WALL-E are nominated for best feature film.

Film financier Legendary Pictures is in discussions to acquire Epic Games, the developer of GEARS OF WAR, among others, per VARIETY.

Execs at both companies declined late last week to comment to VARIETY.

If the deal goes through, it would make Legendary the first film financing company to invest directly in videogames. Studios like Warner Bros. (where Legendary is based) have recently started putting their own money into games.

Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, transferring from cable TV to the big screen, debuted with $42.03M and a box office win. Per VARIETY, it's the biggest box office opening for any musical in history. The film also saw $40M in 22 overseas markets, making it the first worldwide No. 1 opener since THE DARK KNIGHT.

Second place went to horror flick SAW V with $30.05M for Lionsgate (vfx by Switch VFX). The now-yearly Halloween staple is now around $2M away from stealing FRIDAY THE 13TH's title as highest-grossing horror franchise in history, per VARIETY.

Videogame publisher Activision Blizzard builds on facial animation technology created at Filmakademie's R&D Lab to raise the bar for in-game characters in the upcoming James Bond videogame QUANTUM OF SOLACE.

"Using the tools allowed us to enhance our production pipelines and shorten times for creating believable character animation," said Filippo Costanzo, Head of Research and Development. The technology was developed within the research project "Artificial Actors" at the Filmakademie's Institute of Animation.

Electronic Arts has closed a deal with Universal Pictures to bring EA's new franchise and top-selling videogame, ARMY OF TWO, to the big screen.

Scott Stuber, through his Stuber Productions shingle, will produce the film along with EA, and screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, who recently co-wrote the blockbuster THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, has signed on to adapt the game for the screen. Universal Pictures, Stuber Productions and EA are planning to begin production of the film in 2009.