The Chicago International Childrens Film Festivals closing night awards ceremony, sponsored by American Airlines, was held Oct. 31, 2004. FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR star James Avery hosted the gala as hundreds of movie lovers gathered to celebrate the most popular films of the festival.
NBC has pulled DreamWorks high-price tagged FATHER OF THE PRIDE from is schedule for the November sweeps rating period, reports REUTERS. NBC said the series will return for its unaired seven episodes, but no date has been set. For the fall season through Oct. 24, the CG series was tied for 42nd among household audiences.
Sporting a new look for holiday shopping, Sonys redesigned PlayStation2 videogame console sports a slimmer look, is half the weight and is network-ready for play. Its available today, (Nov.1, 2004) for a retail price of $149.99 at more than 20,000 doors/retail locations.
THQ Inc. Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Interactive released today (Nov. 1, 2004) THE INCREDIBLES videogame based on the upcoming film, THE INCREDIBLES (which comes out Nov. 5). THQs Heavy Iron Studios developed the game for PlayStation2, the Xbox and GameCube while Helixe developed it for Game Boy Advance and Beenox adapted the console version to PC/Mac. THE INCREDIBLES: WHEN DANGER CALLS, an additional PC/Mac title targeting the younger demographic featuring an assortment of mini-games has also shipped.
As that adorable feminine feline, Hello Kitty turns 30 on Nov. 1, 2004, ADV Films releases HELLO KITTY & FRIENDS: HOLIDAY FUN, a deluxe two-disc set collection features 10 episodes from the TV series plus two bonus mini-episodes and three all-new special episodes. The collection hits the streets November 2.
Playtone has secured the film rights for Jeanne DuPrau's young adult bestseller, THE CITY OF EMBER, reports VARIETY. Partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman are negotiating with Caroline Thompson (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS) to write the screenplay and Gil Kenan to make his directorial debut. Walden Media is in talks to co-produce and co-finance the picture.
Nicole Kidman is in talks to voice a streetwise sewer rat in DreamWorks upcoming animated film FLUSHED AWAY. The film is being written by Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais. Hugh Jackman has been named as the lead character Roddy with Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis playing a villainous frog and his hench-rat Spike, respectively. The story follows pampered uptown British rat named Roddy, who after being flushed down the toilet into the sewers of London, must learn how to survive in the real world.
ASIFA-Hollywood is hosting a screening of Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animations THE INCREDIBLES, followed by a Q&A with director Brad Bird. The event is for members only and includes a desert reception. RSVP is required to (818) 295-5213.
Sonys horror hit, THE GRUDGE, led the box office chart for the second week in a row, scaring up $21.8M over the Halloween weekend ended Oct. 31, 2004, on its way to $70.6M. Universals Ray Charles biopic, RAY, debuted at number two with $20M, while Lions Gates SAW bowed in third place with $18.2M. DreamWorks 3D-animated SHARK TALE slipped to fourth with $7.5M and a whopping cume of $146.8M. Miramaxs SHALL WE DANCE? finished fifth with $6.2M and $33.9M.
iHollywood Forum will host its third annual Digital Studio Summit on Nov. 2, 2004, at the Monica Laemmle Theatre in Santa Monica, California, from 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
Post Logic Studios will relocate its visual effects boutique creocollective from Santa Monica to the Hollywood facility, which was recently renovated with a digital intermediate theater.
With this move, creocollective feature film and commercial clients will be able to take advantage of on-site DI, restoration, audio post-production and HD mastering services to complement creocollectives slate of high-end visual effects, 3D and compositing capabilities.
As anticipated Guillermo del Toros recently released directors cut of HELLBOY on DVD (Columbia TriStar Home Ent. $34.95) offers minor improvements in characterization to make this a worthwhile purchase, along with several additional bonus features on this three-disc set. The new footage sheds light on Rasputin and Ilsa as well as greater interplay between Myers and Liz Sherman. New footage is seamlessly integrated into the feature with no loss in quality.
New bonus features include:
Phillip Miller has been appointed evp of business development of mental images U.S. subsidiary, mental images Inc. Miller joins mental images with a noteworthy career of defining and promoting leading software solutions at Autodesk, Discreet, and Instant Effects in addition to architectural design.
The Syndicate brought all of its visual effects acumen to bear on BT-ICT NETWORKING, a 60-second spot for BT, the British telecom giant, from St. Luke's, London. H.S.I.'s Joseph Kahn, working through London-based production company, Exposure Films, directed the commercial, which is a metaphor for the agility of BT-networked businesses.
Walt Disney Pictures has hired Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon to pen SNOW AND THE SEVEN, a martial arts take on SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Hong Kong director Yuen Wo Ping will make his English-language directorial debut on the film. Andrew Gunn is producing with Gunnfilm's Ann Marie Sanderlin serving as exec producer. Brigham Taylor is overseeing the film for the studio. Set in 1880s British colonial China, the fantasy and martial arts film will follow the Grimm Brothers fairy tale with seven Shaolin monks aiding the heroine.
ADV Toys has announced Cosplay Caps, four new pieces of headgear based on three of ADV Films hottest video properties. The first wave of Cosplay Caps will feature characters from EXCEL SAGA, KALEIDO STAR and PEACEMAKER.
Production maquettes from Pendragon Pictures' new movie version of H.G. Wells' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS will be featured in the new WAR OF THE WORLDS exhibit opening at Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame beginning Oct. 30, 2004. The exhibit, which will run for one year, also features dozens of book editions, radio, film and stage adaptations. An array of artists' interpretations of the Martian invasion, including a collection of original illustrations for the 1906 le Vandamme edition of the novel by Brazilian artist Alvim Correa will be on display.
Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and the Walt Disney Co. are in early talks to form a joint venture to install digital cinema systems, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. No details are set, but the trio of studios has issued offer letters to financial institutions, including JPMorgan Securities, for prospective bids for managing and financing. The studios should hear back from the investors by Nov. 5, 2004. As part of the new firm, the three studios would use the savings on prints and shipping to help fund the venture. The financial institution would secure the theaters.
Paramount Pictures and producer Scott Rudin have teamed to remake THE BLOB, reports VARIETY. The original films producer Jack Harris worked out a deal with Warner Bros., producers of the 1958 Steve McQueen version, to bring the remake rights to Paramount where he has production deal. Studio evp Brian Witten and creative exec Ed Goemans will oversee the pic. No writer or director has been signed.
First it was Luc Bessen, now indie wunderkind Wes Anderson has moved from the live-action director's chair into more animated seating. Anderson has teamed with Revolution Studios to write and direct a stop-motion feature version of Roald Dahl's THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX, reports VARIETY. Andersons producing partner on LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU Noah Baumbach will co-pen the screenplay. Sony will distribute the flick. The book finds a crafty fox and his family under threat from three dumb, plug-ugly farmers for stealing chickens.
Cartoon Network will offer a bag full of treats for the Halloween weekend including a three-hour block on Oct. 30, 2004, to feature the Scary Saturday Block Party; and the Billy and Mandy Dare-A-Thon will take over seven hours on October 31.
This week in AWNs Theatrical Release Database, we have a handful of new pages for anime, CG films and couple games turned features. For Japanese animation fans, the highly anticipated APPLESEED will be coming to the U.S. in January. Two new CG animated films have been added to the Database Luc Bessens ARTHUR and Gary Goldmans OLLIE THE OTTER. As for games making the transition to film, fans can check out new pages for HUNTER: THE RECKONING and SILENT HILL.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
This week in AWN's Forums, a new thread has members brainstorming about unanswered questions like which came first the chicken or the egg?
As part of its horror movie line-up in celebration of Halloween, STARZ! will be hosting the STARZ! Hare-Raising Halloween Marathon, featuring the 30-Second Bunnies Theatre Troupe. The marathon begins at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Oct. 30, 2004, and runs through midnight of Oct. 31. Angry Alien Prods award-winning bunnies with re-enact SCREAM, FREDDY VS. JASON and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE throughout the Halloween Marathon.
