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Geographical Region: Europe

Series Headline News

Maya & Miguel Lands TV Sales In More Than 30 Countries

Just months after its debut on PBS KIDS GO! in the U.S., Scholastic Ent.s new series MAYA & MIGUEL has already been sold in more than 30 countries, including to the BBC in the U.K.; Cartoon Network Latin America; NOGA in Israel; ABS-CBN in the Philippines and Luk International in Spain and Portugal. The international broadcasters have acquired all 65 half-hour episodes of the breakthrough series.

Mobile Headline News

Gameloft Secures Mobile Gaming Rights to War of the Worlds

Gameloft, a leading developer and publisher of videogames for mobile phones, has signed an exclusive agreement with Viacom Consumer Products Inc. to develop, publish and distribute the wireless game version of Steven Spielberg's WAR OF THE WORLDS starring Tom Cruise.

Production Headline News

VFX Sup Fangmeier To Helm Eragon Adaptation

LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier will make his directorial debut on the film adaptation of ERAGON, reports PRODUCTION WEEKLY. Production on the Fox 2000 picture will begin in July in Europe. JURASSIC PARK III scribe Peter Buchman adapted the screenplay from Christopher Paolinis bestselling fantasy novel. The story follows a farmboy who discovers a dragon egg, which leads to him becoming a Dragon Riders and battling a wicked king.

Films Headline News

CARTOON MOVIE Tribute Noms Announced

CARTOON MOVIE, the only event dedicated to promoting European animated feature films, has announced the nominated companies for the Cartoon Movie Tributes 2005. These tributes highlight the initiatives that contribute to the recognition and the success of the European animation cinema. Three of them will be chosen by the professionals attending the event, taking place March 10-12 in Potsdam, Germany.

The nominated companies are:

Kids Headline News

Nelvana Inks Babar European Deal; Reveals Miss Spider Lineup at Toy Fair

While exhibiting at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, Nelvana Ltd. announced it has completed a pan-European direct-to-retail agreement with C&A to carry a carry a range of BABAR-themed infantwear.

Under terms of the direct deal a first for Nelvana in the international market C&A stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Russia and the Czech Republic will carry the BABAR baby line, which is expected to debut in June 2005.

Headline News

Videa Will Create VFX for Laughing Water Feature

Italian digital studio Videa VFX has signed on to do visual effects work on LAUGHING WATER, an Italian, British and Czech co-production based on the German novel, MINE HA HA, about the mysterious disappearance of girls at a school surrounded by a fairy tale atmosphere with dark forests and gloomy lakes.

VFXWORLD contributor Gianluca Dentici will serve as vfx supervisor, with John Irvin directing and Dante Ferretti doing the production design. Jacqueline Bisset co-stars as the headmistress.

Company Headline News

ADV Toys To Exhibit At TOYFAIR 2005

ADV Toys will be making its debut exhibiting appearance at the upcoming American International TOYFAIR happening February 20-23, 2005, in New York City. ADV Toys line of cool anime merchandise from ADV Films extensive library includes EXCEL SAGA, NOIR, KALEIDO STAR, CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL and more. ADV Toys will be located at Booth #2488 at the Jacob Javits Center and will be giving out a free portable DVD player.

Avatar Headline News

Nick Premieres Avatar in Hour Special Feb. 21

Nickelodeons new Asian-inspired Nicktoons series, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, premieres with a one-hour special on Feb. 21, 2005 at 7:00 pm, featuring Aang (Zachery Tyler), a fun-loving 12-year-old who must forgo a normal life as the Avatar in order to master his latent powers over the four elements to restore world order. Following the special broadcast, the Avatar series will air in its regular time period, Fridays at 8:00 pm.

International Headline News

MGM Elevates Sutherland to EVP Int’l Theatrical Distribution & Marketing

MGM Home Entertainment Group, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. has promoted Ian Sutherland from svp to evp, international theatrical distribution and marketing.

"Ian has done important work overseeing our overseas distribution and marketing efforts in conjunction with our partner, Twentieth Century Fox Intl," said David Bishop, president of the group. "This well deserved promotion recognizes that work."

Headline News

Microsoft Announces Power Cord Replacement for Xbox

Microsoft Corp. announced today (Feb.17, 2005) that it will voluntarily replace the power cords on 14.1 million Xbox consoles worldwide as a precautionary measure and out of concern for consumer safety.

Film Headline News

fmx/05 Celebrates 10th Anniversary

fmx, a key event in animation, visual effects, games and other 3D content, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year (April 27-30 in Stuttgart, Germany) by continuing to offer a holistic, cinematic and integrated approach to the booming CGI industry. You can see the changes in CGI reflected in the new design for the fmx/05 logo and trailer, based on the clip, Timeless, by Filmakademie graduate student Linus Ewers.

Cartoon Headline News

Midway & Cartoon Network Game On Three Properties

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 12:00am

Midway Games Inc. announced that it has signed three publishing agreements with Cartoon Network, licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Ent., for videogames based on three of the network's top-rated kids programs: ED, EDD N EDDY, THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY & MANDY and DEXTER'S LABORATORY. Under the terms of the agreements, Midway secures multi-territory rights to develop and publish games for the console, handheld and PC platforms.

Series Headline News

ADV Films Announces Release Of Blue Seed: Complete Collection

On Feb. 15, 2005, ADV Films will release the BLUE SEED Thinpak Box Set. BLUE SEED, based on the popular manga by Yuzo Takada (3X3 EYES), is an action/adventure series with a touch of horror and full of hideous, shape-shifting beasts with a bad attitude and a voracious appetite for human flesh.

Films Headline News

7th Edition of Cartoon Movie Coming in March

The 7th edition of Cartoon Movie will be held March 10-12, 2005, at Babelsberg studios in Potsdam, Germany. The intimate conference is for filmmakers and professionals involved in the financing, production, distribution or the exploitation of European animated feature films.

It was at Cartoon Movie that the first images of BELLEVILLE RENDEZVOUS, THE LITTLE POLAR BEAR, STRINGS, LAURAS STAR and EL CID, among others, were unveiled.

Anima Headline News

Anima 2005/Brussels Announces Winners

Anima 2005, the 24th Animation Festival drew to a close on February 13, 2005, in Brussels with an awards ceremony for Anima 2005's national and international competition. The award winners were chosen by the public, via attendance and voting at the official competition screenings and there were juried categories.

With 13 feature films in competition, Anima reflected Europes important role the boom in animated films.

Anima 2005 Feature Film Grand PrixRENART, THE FOX by Thierry Schiel (Luxembourg)

Prix Be TV Feature Film Prize

Film Headline News

BAFTA Winners Announced

THE AVIATOR has won four BAFTAs at the Feb. 12, 2005, Orange British Academy Film Awards. Martin Scorseses Howard Hughes biopic received awards in the categories Film, Actress in a Supporting Role for Cate Blanchett, Make-Up & Hair and Production Design. The effects on the film were done by Camera e-Motion, New Deal Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Mobile Headline News

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Goes Mobile

Atari Inc. announced at 3 GSM World Congress that it has entered into a worldwide, multi-year partnership with Sorrent Inc., a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, to develop and publish a suite of mobile content based on the MARC ECKO'S GETTING UP: CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE. The agreement expands Atari's platform mix for the game, which was developed in partnership with Marc Ecko Enterprises, to leverage the portability and connectivity of the mobile platform.

Film Headline News

International Casts Animated for Midsummer Dream

Lumina Films has hired regional stars to voice characters for each territory version of its CG feature, MIDSUMMER DREAM, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

For the U.K., Rhys Ifans, Toby Blessed and Brian Blessed have been signed on. For Spanish-speaking territories Gabino Diego, Jose Luis Gil, Emma Penella, Isabel Ordaz, Gemma Cuervo and Carmen Machi have been hired

Headline News

Nelvana Re-Cultivates Care Bears Broadcast And Home Video

Toronto-based Nelvana Ltd. has completed a series of broadcast and home entertainment deals for its popular library series CARE BEARS in Scandinavia, Greece, Israel, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Nelvanas Scandinavian agent Kidz Entertainment has completed deals for the first 49 episodes in Sweden (Channel 5), Denmark (TV Danmarks) and Norway (TV2), while Greece-based Alter Channel and Kazakhstans Channel 1 & 2 have also picked up the same 49. Meanwhile, EUROCOM TV in Romania has acquired episodes 1-26 of the 1980s 2D series.

Television Headline News

Dan Taylor Named New President of MGM

Daniel Taylor has been appointed president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., following completion of the sale of MGM to the consortium now acquiring the film/TV studio and its library. The investor group consists of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, DLJ Merchant Banking, Sony Corp. of America and Comcast Corp.

Interactive Headline News

Atari Plans The Matrix: Path Of Neo Holiday Release

Atari Inc. is developing and publishing THE MATRIX: PATH OF NEO, an interactive console and PC game based on the blockbuster motion picture trilogy THE MATRIX, THE MATRIX RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS from Warner Bros. Pictures for a 2005 holiday release on PS2, Xbox and PC.

Animated Headline News

Pepe Le Pew Marathon Smells Fine For Valentine Day

Boomerang, Cartoon Networks commercial-free classic animation network, will present a Valentines Day mock-celebration Love Stinks! featuring that odiferous lover with a French accent, Pepe Le Pew, in a 24-hour marathon beginning at 6:00 on Feb. 14, 2005. Looney Tunes ardently amorous skunk earnestly tries to win the tender affections of unwitting females never quite succeed, he remains loves greatest champion through his enduring optimism and never-say-die commitment to the pursuit of lamore.

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