MONSTERS VS. ALIENS, DreamWorks Animation's first-ever film produced in stereoscopic 3-D technology, has been pushed up to a March 27, 2009 release. The Paramount Pictures release had been previously slated for May 15 and now avoids splitting the market with James Cameron's 3-D/CG fantasy, AVATAR, which opens May 22. However, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, the next 3D-animated feature from Sony Pictures Animation, is currently scheduled for March 27 as well.
"I believe that next generation 3-D will make our CG films even more special and unique," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation. "We are thrilled to have MONSTER VS. ALIENS as the first opportunity for audiences to enjoy this exciting new movie experience. Moving to a March release date, which has proven to be a great slot for family films, allows us to roll out our first 3-D project on the maximum amount of screens as the year's first big event film to hit the market in this new format."
"We are really excited to be distributing MONSTERS VS. ALIENS, the marriage of a new technology with the classic family entertainment audiences have come to expect and love from DreamWorks Animation," added Rob Moore, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Paramount Pictures. "This new immersive 3-D experience will fully exploit the latest in exhibition technology--and with the March 27 release date, we'll be able to take full advantage by showing it in as many theaters with this advanced 3-D capability as possible."
MONSTERS VS. ALIENS, which reinvents the classic '50s monster movie into an irreverent modern day action comedy, is being directed by Conrad Vernon (SHREK 2) and Rob Letterman (SHARK TALE), produced by Lisa Stewart (I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE) and co-produced by Jill Hopper and Latifa Ouaou.
DreamWorks Animation is principally devoted to developing and producing CG-animated feature films. DreamWorks Animation's newest release, BEE MOVIE, opens in theaters Nov. 2.
Paramount Pictures Corp. is a unit of Viacom, a global entertainment company that produces and distributes filmed entertainment through the Paramount Motion Picture Group. PHE is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties, including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Ent.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
