The first feature-length CODENAME: KIDS NEXT DOOR movie, titled OPERATION Z.E.R.O., set to debut on Cartoon Network on Aug. 11, 2006 at 7:30 pm on Cartoon Network. The series and feature are produced by New York-based animation production company, Curious Pictures.
Disney/Pixars CARS, the summers second biggest hit thus far at $237.5M, debuts Nov. 7 on DVD (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99). Unlike the fully loaded two-disc extravaganzas for past Pixar animated features, though, CARS will be a single-disc release available in both anamorphic widescreen and fullscreen versions.
Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis is in negotiations, according to TMZ, to move his ImageMovers production company from DreamWorks Pictures to The Walt Disney Co., where his preferred performance capture format (created by Sony Pictures Imageworks) will expand the 3D slate for Pixar/Disney Animation studios under John Lasseters leadership. Disney would not confirm.
Zemeckis followed THE POLAR EXPRESS with MONSTER HOUSE (which he exec produced) and is currently directing BEOWULF for release on Nov. 16, 2007.
Fox Filmed Ent. and Walden Media have joined forces with the mandate of marketing and releasing family films.
Walden Media, whose recent success includes the worldwide blockbuster THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, is bringing its future feature development slate to the joint venture. Fox will also contribute a number of current and newly developed projects. Walden Media's previously announced films at other studios would remain in place.
Cardiff Film Festival 2006Cardiff, U.K. Nov. 8-18, 2006Deadline: Sept. 1, 2006
17th Annual Crystal Reel AwardsOrlando, Florida, USANov. 11, 2006Deadline: Sept. 15, 2006
The Florida Motion Picture and Television Association (FMPTA) is hosting the Crystal Reel Awards (CRA). The Crystal Reel Awards have been compared to Floridas version of the Oscars and the Emmys with many different categories (behind and in front of the camera) from students to professionals. Entries are limited to work produced in the State of Florida between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2005.
In August 2006, YTVs programmers are taking a summer break, allowing viewers to help decide what movies to air on YTVs popular movie block ZAPX, hosted by Simon every Sunday at 6:00 pm. Kids can vote online at www.YTV.com for the movies they want to see. Each week YTV offers kids a new themed block of movies to vote for including: ZAPX Prankster Movies on Aug. 13, ZAPX Summer Phreakend Movies on Aug. 20 and ZAPX Teen Queen Movies on Aug. 27.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of STAR TREK, TOKYOPOP and CBS Consumer Products have joined forces to produce STAR TREK: THE MANGA, based on the original STAR TREK TV series. Like the television classic, these new journeys venture into the terrain of social politics, personal reflection and bare-knuckled brawls between Captain Kirk and the galaxy's most cunning alien species.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
This week in AWN's Forums, theres a new thread dedicated to good podcasts about animation. A member is getting advice on how to turn his big Flash bummer into an animation success. Others discuss why drawing is important. Theres a thread discussing racist imagery in classic cartoons. A member has a question about copyrighting scripts. Others are posting their work or equipment for sale. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!
Co-financing partners, Hyde Park Ent. and Kadokawa Pictures, have hired George A. Romero to write and direct the thriller SOLITARY ISLE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Based on a short story by Koji Suzuki (THE RING, DARK WATER), the $20 million-budgeted film will follow an expedition to a deserted island, which turns deadly as the explorers face an unknown force.
The film most likely will be distributed by 20th Century Fox, where Hyde Park has a five-year, first-look deal. Hyde Park Intl holds the foreign rights.
The Weinstein Co. has snatched up the rights to produce an animated version of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, in which Jerry Lewis will provide the voice of at least two characters. Mainframe Ent. will produce and animate the project, which will be released direct-to-video by Genius Products Inc.
SIGGRAPH 2006, the 33rd conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, registered 19,764 artists, research scientists, developers, filmmakers and academics from 80 countries for its conference in Boston last week (July 31-Aug. 3). More than 230 companies exhibited, including 76 first-time exhibitors.
Autodesks Media & Ent. division will launch a new community portal on Aug. 22 called The Area (www.the-area.com), which will enable artists to network with peers and enjoy a repository of Autodesk 3D content. Content will be posted by community members and Autodesk.
Initially, the site will focus on content created using Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Motion Builder or VIZ used in games, film, post-production or design visualization. Membership is free.
The Will Ferrell NASCAR comedy, TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY, raced to the top of the box office chart in its first outing. For the weekend ended Aug. 6, 2006, the Sony release scored a whopping $47Mthe best comedy opener of the year and a personal best for Ferrell. Debuting in second place with $15.8M was the 3D-animated BARNYARD from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and director Steve Oedekerks O Ent.
iThentic.com is looking for original animated short to distribute over cellphones. The company is looking for film under three minutes and 15 MB file size. Visit www.ithentic.com for details or contact rachael@ithentic.com for more information. Entries that arrive before Aug. 15, 2006, will be considered for iThentics September release.
TELETOONs highlights for August 2006, kick off with the debut of the new series, DI-GATA DEFENDERS. Premiering on Aug. 5 with a special 90-minute CINETOON presentation of the first three episodes, the series will regularly air Saturdays at 7:00 pm starting August 12.
For the second quarter of 2006, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. reported total revenue of $74.9 million and net income of $13.7 million, or $0.13 per share on a fully diluted basis. This compares to revenue of $35.4 million and a net loss of $3.7 million, or ($.04) per share on a fully diluted basis, for the same period in 2005. The company ended the period with $526.9 million of cash and cash equivalents.
Universal Pictures is set to fully finance and distribute HELLBOY 2, Guillermo del Toros sequel to his 2004 film, which was produced by Revolution Studios and distributed through its deal at Columbia Pictures, reports VARIETY. Universal plans to release the film based on the Dark Horse comic in summer 2008.
Del Toro has penned the script and Ron Perlman and Selma Blair will return as Hellboy and his pyrokinetic love interest, Liz Sherman, respectively.
Agnieszka Vosloo has been tapped by new production company Constellation Ent. to write and direct AFTER.LIFE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
The story follows a young woman in limbo between life and death who fights to avoid being buried alive by the funeral director who holds her fate in his hands.
The supernatural thriller will be co-produced and co-financed by the Collective. Production is scheduled to begin in the winter.
20th Century Fox has announced that the next installment in the DIE HARD action franchise will hit theaters next summer on June 29, taking on TRANSFORMERS for the Independence Day weekend, reports the trades.
Bruce Willis will again play tough-talking, New York cop John McClane in LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, which plans to start shooting next month. Len Wiseman (UNDERWORLD) has been hired to helm the film from a screenplay by Mark Bomback.
Academy Award-winner Joe Letteri and Weta Digital have signed on to create visual effects, creatures and digital environments for James Cameron's much-anticipated next picture, AVATAR, which was previously known as PROJECT 880.
DQ Ent. Ltd., a leading animation, gaming and vfx company based in Hyderabad, South India, announced a joint venture with French production company Onyx Films to produce CG-animated feature films, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Additionally, DQE announced it will take a 20% equity stake worth about $3.2 million in Paris-based TV production company Method Films.
Delfino Ent. is teaming with George Lopez to produce EDDIE & THE SQUID, an animated half-hour comedy about two young Latino brothers, VARIETY reports. Lopez will serve as exec producer. Movie- and TV-distribution company Delfino has set up an animation arm to produce the pilot, which is budgeted just under $1 million.
Don Ashley, head of Delfino; Rick Nyholm, exec producer of ABC's THE GEORGE LOPEZ SHOW; and Brett Merhar, who created the characters, developed the show. The voice cast will include Efren Ramirez (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) and Carlos Alazraqui (RENO 911).
FUNimation Ent. announced that it has acquired rights to the feature film ROBOTECH: THE SHADOW CHRONICLES from Harmony Gold. In the agreement, FUNimation acquired home video, broadcast and theatrical rights.
