AWN Headline News

Warner Home Video (WHV) announced it will launch its first titles on HD DVD. Clint Eastwood's four-time Academy Award-winning, Best Picture of 2004, MILLION DOLLAR BABY; four-time Oscar-nominated epic, THE LAST SAMURAI and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Joel Schumacher's movie adaptation of Broadway's longest running show will all be released on April 18, 2006. Each of these titles will be available for $28.99.

LAZYTOWN has debuted on Nickelodeons Nicj Jr. Asia. Nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for the performance of Julianna Rose Maurello as Stephanie, the show is aimed at pre-schoolers.

Reports out of Hollywood indicate that the Church of Scientology used its well-known celebrity muscle to pressure Comedy Central into pulling an upcoming episode of the cartoon SOUTH PARK that satirized the religion. According to DAILY VARIETY, the clash between Scientology and the SOUTH PARK creators is escalating in the wake of this latest move. The controversy first gained national attention earlier this week when Isaac Hayes, the voice of the popular character Chef, quit over an episode mocking Scientology and its most famous adherent, Tom Cruise.

In a first ever move for an Eastern European game company, Nival Interactive Inc. announced it has established its global headquarters in the U.S. and recruited an executive management team comprised of American videogame industry professionals, including Kevin Bachus, co-creator of Microsofts Xbox, as ceo. The changes are part of the companys plan to expand in the computer, video and mobile game markets by offering its partners superior products with global commercial appeal at a significantly lower production cost.

InterAmus Music Systems AB announces a new technology for compositional realtime music morphing at the Game Developers Conference, GDC 2006 in San Jose. This technology makes it possible to create computer games with music that seamlessly follows the story in the game, without knowing the gamers actions or the outcome of the game.

Ai-Kon organizers are seeking a new design for Aiko, the Ai-Kon mascot, for use on the convention's 2006 promotional materials. A stylish, energetic anime girl with pink hair and blue eyes, Aiko appears on a variety of Ai-Kon promotional items, including t-shirts, posters, flyers, badges, programs and the Ai-Kon website (www.ai-kon.org).