AWN Headline News

Lord Prods. Llc. and Strategic Dreamers Llc., in conjunction with JC2 Animated Ent., are in production on the CG animated film titled, THE LEGEND OF SECRET PASS, for which a percentage of its proceeds will go to cancer research. The fully funded film is set for release in 2008.

Set in the American southwest, THE LEGEND OF SECRET PASS will follows the magical clash between the animal and human worlds when a young Native American boy must win the help of the Thunderbirds of Native American folklore to overcome a wicked spirit and ancient evil.

Despite a critical drubbing at Cannes, Richard Kellys SOUTHLAND TALES will be released in the U.S. by Sony Pictures, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The studio, which will also release the film on DVD, has not decided which label at the company the theatrical release will be under.

Voice actor Lennie Weinrib, whose most famed role was as the title character in the 1969 live-action series, H.R. PUFNSTUF (which he also co-wrote), died June 28, 2006, at his home in Chile. He was 71 years old.

For his animation career, Weinrib provided the voice for Scooby's impetuous nephew Scrappy-Doo in SCOOBY-DOO AND SCRAPPY-DOO (1979) and THE SCOOBY AND SCRAPPY-DOO PUPPY HOUR (1982). He was also in the voice cast of the first Scooby series, SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU! (1969) and THE NEW SCOOBY-DOO MOVIES (1972).

In July, AVA Publishing (UK) Ltd. will release Paul Wells new book, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ANIMATION. The book will sell for $29.95.

DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL is coming to the Hilton Theater on Broadway, according to VARIETY. The holiday-only production begins previews Oct. 25, 2006, with the official opening marked for Nov. 8. Running through Jan. 7, 2007, the family tuner will perform 12 shows a week, which required a special deal with the unions. Production will run eight shows on the weekend and has added Thursday 11:00 am matinees.

With the release SUPERMAN RETURNS theres been a revival of interest in all things Superman.

Harrison Klein met Dr. Jay Morton Paramounts original Superman screen and animation writer recently deceased in 2002 when he was 91 and Klein was a play producer in Miami. At dinner Morton told Klein his story that started back when he was a starving scruffy teen sleeping in Central Park as a homeless boy during the depression.

ITV has signed comedian Ricky Gervais to produce a TV series based on his best-selling children's book, FLANIMALS. THE OFFICE star will narrate the series, as well as voice the parts of some of his monster characters.

Gervais has devised a clay-animated ITV1 series of six 30-minute episodes for an adult as well as a younger audience. FLANIMALS is the third show the comedian has created, following the success of his debut series THE OFFICE and his follow-up EXTRAS.