BOX OFFICE: Pixar's INCREDIBLES 2 Headed To Est $180m Weekend - An Animated Record!

Brad Bird's INCREDIBLES 2 looks to give FINDING DOREY (sorry DORY) a superhero punch to the box office chops. FINDING DORY has held the animated box office crown since 2016 with a take of $135m in its opening weekend, and now I2 is looking to land with an estimated $180m!

In fact, I2 more than doubled FINDING DORY's record Thursday night previews ($9.2m) with a staggering $18.5m.

With its A+ Cinema Score and a current 94% fresh on RottenTomatoes (audiences have it pegged at 90%), there really is nothing holding the sequel back from many, many more records. If you haven't seen it yet - it's definitely something to add to your things to see.

INCREDIBLES 2 is now playing.

Source: BoxOfficeMojo 

New Trailer For THE PEANUTS MOVIE!

Check the new trailer (more like another teaser, which does in fact copy many elements from the first) for Fox's THE PEANUTS MOVIE! Snoopy is up to some more high flying adventure and we get to see poor ol' Charlie Brown bullied again (which I've never been fond of in this comic strip).

The Peanuts theme gets some great airtime here and that aspect alone will be enough nostalgia for me to want to be there opening weekend for this 3D animation.

Interestingly, Charles Shultz's son and grandson (Craig and Brian Schultz) co-wrote the script for the movie along with Cornelius Uliano.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle – and flying ace – embarks upon his greatest mission as he takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.

Visit the official site at: http://www.peanutsmovie.com/



via Variety

Longtime Cronenberg Producer Martin Katz Acquires Feature Length Rights For FOXED!

My good friend James Stewart has ample reason to be full of cheer (other than the holidays being here) with producer Martin Katz (MAPS TO THE STARS, COSMOPOLIS, HOTEL RWANDA) acquiring the worldwide rights to Stewart's 3D short FOXED! as he plans to spool up a feature length stop-motion animation under his production banner Prospero Pictures.

Says Katz: "Emily is a sympathetic girl and the foxes are terrifying. There's no punches pulled in the film's design, which combines stop-motion animation techniques with modern 3D."

I've known James for years now and he is always in the center of the Canadian stereoscopic 3D industry. To view his 3D short on iTunes, click here.

In the short, children are being kidnapped by foxes and forced to work in mines. The feature-length “Foxed!” will continue the story of Emily and the other children who have been kidnapped and must work together to escape and save their town.

From THR: "Stewart's short was released on iTunes in 60 countries after screening at 90 film festivals worldwide. Foxed! has won a half-dozen awards, including at the San Antonio and Garden State film festivals.

Stewart is at work on a script and will direct the Foxed! feature. His screen credits include the 3D work on Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams as well as a slew of cinema commercials, stop-motion and CG animation.

Katz compares the look and mood of the upcoming Foxed! feature to Tim Burton's dark fantasy animation, or Henry Selick's 2009 stop-motion film Coraline. Foxed! is set for a 2017 release, and will include a full Oculus Rift VR experience written and designed to run alongside the theatrical release."

From Variety: “As a storyteller, it’s exciting to work on multiple platforms at once,” Stewart said. “I’m excited about telling the story in an immersive environment, where the viewer is able to have a very different experience with the same story. The VR experience will be a separate, similar story, but it will obviously be nonlinear and be an active experience in 360.”

Stewart said the VR platform offers a host of new opportunities for storytellers, which he finds energizing.

“From a narrative point of view, the difference between VR and linear storytelling is very much like the difference between reading a book and having a dream,” he said. “The way we dream is very nonlinear and very abstract, and I think that is what VR is going to closely resemble, as opposed to something that starts with a beginning, middle and end. It’s definitely going to have a beginning, it’s definitely going to have a middle and it may not have an end, depending on who you are and how enthusiastic you are about it.”

So thrilled for James to have this happen for him and Geneva Film Co. I'm really looking forward to seeing more details about the full length stop-motion animation and how the story has being adapted. Keep an eye open for this one!

Trailer for the 3D Short FOXED!


Sources: THR | Variety

Blue Sky Studios PEANUTS by Schulz Trailer #2 Impresses

Tim here, and I have to say that this second trailer for Peanuts coming out in 3D next November is looking better and better with each new trailer. I'll be honest and state that I've been a tad skeptical that these characters, who were drawn in a two-dimensional comic strip, didn't seem like they could translate well to the 3D world. This trailer shows that skeptics are wrong. The animators did a great job with subtle 3D, and what could translate into very pleasing stereoscopic 3D images, and maintaining the classic style and framing of the Peanuts comic strip. The texturing and other modern 3D computer animation techniques are subtle to the eye and invoke the nolstagia we hope to get from this movie. Yet, the trailer hasn't revealed anything about the story yet!

IMDB has this written for the storyline: For the first time ever, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the gang we know and love from Charles Schulz's timeless "Peanuts" comic strip will be making their big-screen debut like they've never been seen before in a CGI-animated feature film in 3D. And if you're yearning for a bit of trivia: This is the first theatrical Peanuts movie in 35 years!

There's also a few still frames below that come with this for you to take a closer look at. It's incredibly impressive what the animators have accomplished. It feels like Charles Schulz drew these.

Peanuts comes to theaters in RealD and Digital 3D November 6, 2015 from Blue Sky Studios and 20^th Century Fox.

DWA Seeing The Bright Lights Of 3D Crood Oil Getting Refined! THE CROODS Own Number 1

Wow. Dreamworks Animation's (DWA) THE CROODS is really clubbing the competition this weekend! The family friendly movie is enjoying a massive reaction from fans on its first weekend of release, as OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL slips slightly to third at the box office. Still the two 3D movies are doing remarkably well.

In fact the only other 2013 opening weekend that has been better than OZ was THE CROODS; a great one-two punch for 3D so far this year.

What's up next? How about a little flick starring Bruce Willis, The Rock and Channing Tatum: G.I. JOE: RETALIATION in stunning 3D on March 28.

Here are the top five movies this weekend:
1. THE CROODS - $44,700,000 ($44,700,000 / $107,316,000)
2. OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN - $30,500,000 ($30,500,000 / $30,500,000)
3. OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL - $22,031,000 ($177, 559,000 / $356,359,000)
4. THE CALL - $8,700,000 ($30,904,000 / $30,904,000)
5. ADMISSION - $6,446,000 ($6,446,000 / $6,446,000)

Stat Source: Box Office Mojo

Check The New Trailer For CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2

The return to free falling food in CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 looks to be more of the same funny material and a visual smorgasbord of treats.

Featuring the voices of Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Benjamin Bratt and Neil Patrick Harris, Sony Pictures Animation is hoping for another audience embrace at the box office. The original movie made $243m worldwide - and that's not hard to swallow for the studio!

Here's the storyline for the movie:
In the wake of the disastrous food storm at the end of the first movie, Flint Lockwood and friends are forced to leave their town of Swallow Falls. But when it is discovered that sentient food beasts have overrun the island, they are asked to return to save the world…again.

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 opens on September 27.

New Poster For Blue Sky's 3D Animation EPIC

I'm sure you've heard of the hilarious animations ICE AGE and RIO right? Well supposedly here's more of the same from Blue Sky.

EPIC stars the voices of Amanda Seyfried, Jason Sudeikis, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell, Pitbull, Beyonce Knowles, Judah Freidlander and Steven Tyler.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
EPIC is a 3D CG action-adventure comedy that reveals a hidden world unlike any other. From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good who keep the natural world alive and the forces of evil who wish to destroy it. When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world… and ours.

EPIC is slated for a May 24 release.

Second Trailer For THE CROODS From Dreamworks Animation

I must say there are a few moments during this trailer where I've thought to myself I've seen this before - but then just as that moment hits something kinda original happens so I am quite liking this production so far. It's definitely better than the first trailer which I also enjoyed.

The possibilities for laughs are endless, especially with this new kid who the Crood family encounters who has all of those new fangled inventions (shoes, and of course the big one - FIRE).

I'm liking the starfield scene quite a bit because I have often imagined what the sky must have looked like back in those days with hardly any air or light pollution. It must have been so majestic.

Here's the movie's storyline:
The Croods is being written and directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Chris Sanders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO AND STITCH) and Kirk DeMicco (SPACE CHIMPS) and produced by Kristine Belson (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON) and Jane Hartwell (SHREK). It stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman. The Croods is a comedy adventure that takes us back to a previously undiscovered era in the history of our planet known as the Croodaceous, when nature was still a work-in-progress… full of never-before- seen creatures and landscapes. Audiences will relate to the hilarious family antics as an imaginative and resourceful newcomer helps the Croods navigate their way through the fantastic world beyond their cave.

THE CROODS opens on March 22, 2013. Click here for all of our coverage!

Hit the jump to view the trailer...

First Trailer For Fox's 3D Animation EPIC

Check out the first trailer for Fox's 3D animation EPIC! To me the first 30 secs or so really reminds me of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES - and I guess some FERN GULLY thrown in. Not a bad combination but not entirely original to me.

Still the imagery looks impressive and Fox has come a long way with their animations

Director: Chris Wedge
Cast: Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Christoph Waltz, Amanda Seyfried, Jason Sudeikis, Pitbull, Steven Tyler, Aziz Ansari, Beyoncé Knowles, Blake Anderson and Judah Friedlander
Studio: Fox

Here's the storyline for the movie:
EPIC is a 3D CG action-adventure comedy that reveals a hidden world unlike any other. From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good who keep the natural world alive and the forces of evil who wish to destroy it. When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world... and ours.

EPIC flies into theaters on May 24, 2013.

WATCH: New Trailer For DESPICABLE ME 2!

The best part of the original DESPICABLE ME was the minions in my minion opinion. So naturally when you have a resource you exploit it right? Right.

DESPICABLE ME 2 seems to be all about that with the apparent alien abduction of various minions going about their innocent (?) lives. Of course we will have a search and recover mission soon embarked upon right? Right!

Here's a brief description for the movie:
Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's worldwide blockbuster, Despicable Me, delighted audiences around the globe in 2010, grossing more than $540 million and becoming the 10th-biggest animated motion picture in U.S. history. In Summer 2013, get ready for more minion madness in Despicable Me 2. Chris Meledandri and his acclaimed filmmaking team create an all-new comedy animated adventure featuring the return of Gru (Steve Carell), the girls, the unpredictably hilarious minions... and a host of new and outrageously funny characters.

Director: Chris Renaud
Writer: Cinco Paul
Studio: Universal Pictures
Cast: Al Pacino, Jason Segel, Steve Carell

DESPICABLE ME is slated for release on July 3, 2013.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer... 

 

MUST SEE: New Animated Poster From DWA's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS!

Very cool poster here guys. Like I said before, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is set to explode. Young kids and the young-at-heart will all be clamoring for this thing! That includes me.

The movie features the voices of Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Chris Pine, Isla Fisher and Jude Law.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic and magical adventure that tells the story of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost – legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children everywhere.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS opens on November 21. More details here.

New TV Spot For Dreamworks Animation's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Don't ever underestimate the power of the combined forces of our childhood holiday heroes! This movie is going to be a MASSIVE hit for many reasons - but let's face it, having Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost teaming up to fight evil is amazing fodder for a family movie.

But it seems Dreamworks Animation has nailed a great story here too. And their animation is hitting higher and higher levels of accomplishment. I truly think that RISE OF THE GUARDIANS will be a singular defining moment in the studio's life.

Here's the storyline for the movie:

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic and magical adventure that tells the story of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost – legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children everywhere.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS opens on November 21. For all of our coverage on RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, click here.

Must Watch: New Trailer For Dreamworks Animation's THE CROODS

I've been waiting for this one! This first trailer for Dreamworks Animation's THE CROODS opens the door to what I think could be the dawning of a new era for DWA. I've known all along about the plot that an caveman outsider with "new technology" enters into the Crood's family unit and disturbs the so called peace (a comedic idea developed by John Cleese?), but with this trailer we're seeing an entirely new dynamic open up about the family's daughter who is so anxious to explore. What I'm seeing here is some storytelling magic from DWA, expanding on an already great idea with some new arcs about living life to the fullest with the energy and bravado of youth.

Will it pay off for the Croods? How does Ryan Reynold's outsider character play out? Questions to be answered soon. In the meantime, enjoy the first trailer! Joining Reynolds is Nicholas Cage and Emma Stone along with Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke and Catherine Keener.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
The Croods is being written and directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Chris Sanders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO AND STITCH) and Kirk DeMicco (SPACE CHIMPS) and produced by Kristine Belson (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON) and Jane Hartwell (SHREK). It stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman. The Croods is a comedy adventure that takes us back to a previously undiscovered era in the history of our planet known as the Croodaceous, when nature was still a work-in-progress… full of never-before- seen creatures and landscapes. Audiences will relate to the hilarious family antics as an imaginative and resourceful newcomer helps the Croods navigate their way through the fantastic world beyond their cave.

THE CROODS opens on March 22, 2013. For all of our Croods coverage, click here.

3D Animation Roundup: ME AND MY SHADOW, DESPICABLE ME MINIONS And DWA Acquires Casper, Voltron And More...

Tons of 3D animation news this week! Lets start off with a poster from Dreamworks Animation and their all-star cast for the upcoming 2014 film ME AND MY SHADOW, featuring Josh Gad (Love and Other Drugs), Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs) and Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, Something Borrowed).

Animation veteran Alessandro Carloni, who most recently served as head of story on DreamWorks Animation's Academy Award-nominated HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, will make his directorial debut on Me & My Shadow. Melissa Cobb (KUNG FU PANDA 1 and 2) will produce and Jeff Hermann (KUNG FU PANDA 1 and 2) will co-produce. Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (GET SMART) are writing the screenplay. The original script was written by Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman.

When recently asked about traditional hand drawn animation, DreamWorks Animation Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke spoke about the hybrid animation in ME AND MY SHADOW:

"Me And My Shadow, which is out in spring of 2014, is a combination of CG and traditional hand drawn animation. There is a reason to tell the story in that fashion. It's about what would happen if your shadow, that has been following you around and basically just follows what you do your whole life, just stood up and took over. The shadows will be animated hand drawn, and the other characters will be CG animated. There is a reason to do it [hand drawn animation] that felt creatively interesting."

Here's the storyline for ME & MY SHADOW:
Me And My Shadow reveals the once secret world of shadows and their human counterparts. Stan, our hero's shadow, yearns for a more exciting life but happens to be stuck with Stanley Grubb, a timid guy with an extreme aversion to adventure. When a crime in the shadow world puts both of their lives in danger, Stan is forced to take control of Stanley. They go on a madcap adventure to investigate the crime and stop the shadow villain from leading a rebellion where shadows take over the human world. During this adventure, Stan empowers Stanley to let go of his fears and embrace life. Through their adventure, they both learn that one cannot be whole without a true friend. 

Look for ME AND MY SHADOW in the Spring of 2013. Here's the official Facebook page.


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One of the best features of the DESPICABLE ME franchise are those minions. They are pretty irresistible aren't they? Very funny stuff indeed. In fact, they are so irresistible that they have secured their own movie!

Yes, according to Deadline, Universal Picture are going to spawn a spin off movie from the original franchise.

Apparently Pierre Coffin (DESPICABLE ME) will direct with Kyle Balda (THE LORAX) acting as co-director and Brian Lynch (PUSS IN BOOTS) writing the screenplay.

Look for the minions in their own big screen movie in 2014.


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And back to Dreamworks Animation - HUGE news. The studio has just acquired a treasure trove of characters and properties from Classic Media. Just how classic? How about Casper The Friendly Ghost, The Lone Ranger (doesn't affect the Disney movie that's about to pop), Voltron, George Of The Jungle, Rocky And Bullwinkle, Lassie and Where's Waldo?, not to mention all the characters in the Golden Books series. The price of the deal was valued at $155m.


Congratulations to everyone involved and continued success with these iconic brands.

Here's the official press release:
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Classic Media, owner of one of the most extensive portfolios featuring many of the best-known and most-enduring franchises in all of family entertainment, for $155 million in cash from Boomerang Media Holdings I LLC, a portfolio company of Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR.


Classic Media’s library of intellectual property, which is focused on family characters and brands, features a vast collection of filmed entertainment with over 450 titles and more than 6,100 episodes of animated and live-action programming. Classic Media owns one of the world’s largest comic book archives and media rights to the titles in the Golden Books library, which have sold over two billion copies worldwide. Their properties have been distributed in over 170 territories around the globe.


With well-established titles such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Where’s Waldo?, Lassie, The Lone Ranger, George of the Jungle and Rocky And Bullwinkle, Classic Media’s properties have been a fixture in mainstream entertainment for decades. The Christmas Classics – Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – are the longest-running, highest-rated holiday specials in television history. Classic Media counts among its holdings contemporary bestsellers such as VeggieTales and the beloved Olivia property, as well as hits Postman Pat and Noddy in international markets.


“Classic Media brings a large and diverse collection of characters and branded assets that is extremely complementary to DreamWorks Animation’s franchise business, and we plan to leverage it across our motion picture, television, home entertainment, consumer products, digital, theme park and live entertainment channels,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. “Founders and co-CEOs Eric Ellenbogen and John Engelman – seasoned executives with over 20 years of industry experience and a proven track record of success in managing high-quality content – have built an amazing team at Classic Media and are a welcome addition to the DreamWorks Animation family.”


Classic Media has approximately 80 employees and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in the UK and a division, Big Idea Entertainment, in Nashville, TN.


“No company knows the family entertainment business better than DreamWorks Animation and we are excited to join their family in a natural extension of our long-standing relationship that began years ago on Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” said Eric Ellenbogen, co-CEO of Classic Media. “Classic Media brings to the table extensive rights to some of the most beloved family entertainment brands in the world. Our combination with DreamWorks Animation will expand the opportunities for us and for our content and distribution partners around the globe.”


Classic Media’s joint venture with Jay Ward Productions, a legend in animation, manages the rights to the entire Jay Ward animated catalog, which includes Rocky And Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody And Sherman. DreamWorks Animation’s 3D feature film Mr. Peabody And Sherman is scheduled for release on December 25, 2013.


“For over 75 years, Classic Media’s iconic properties have entertained kids and families around the world with a unique, cross-generational appeal that is also a defining characteristic of DreamWorks Animation’s films,” added Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer at DreamWorks Animation. “We believe their characters and brands will continue to serve as a creative magnet for the industry’s top directors, producers and artists.”


For the 12 months ended February 29, 2012, Classic Media earned net revenue of $82.2 million and operating profit of $19.2 million.The acquisition of Classic Media will be financed through a combination of cash and borrowings under DreamWorks Animation’s revolving credit facility. The purchase price of $155 million includes amounts required to retire indebtedness.


“As part of DreamWorks Animation’s ongoing diversification strategy, this acquisition combines our hit-driven business with Classic Media’s extensive and sustainable library revenue stream,” added Lew Coleman, DreamWorks Animation’s President and Chief Financial Officer. “We expect the transaction to be accretive to our earnings in the first full year following the completion of the acquisition.”


The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. DreamWorks Animation expects that the transaction will be completed during the quarter ended September 30, 2012.


J.P. Morgan Chase And Co. acted as financial advisor and Cravath, Swaine And Moore LLP and O’Melveny And Myers LLP served as legal advisors to DreamWorks Animation in connection with the transaction. Jefferies And Company, Inc. acted as financial advisor and Kirkland And Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Classic Media in connection with the transaction.

Must See: new Character Posters For DWA's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Click to enlarge

Check out the new character posters for Dreamworks Animation's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS! I am quite bullish on this upcoming 3D animation feature that features the vocal stylings of Chris Pine (Jack Frost), Hugh Jackman (Easter Bunny), Alec Baldwin (Nicholas St. North), Jude Law (The Boogeyman) and Isla Fisher (The Tooth Fairy). 

It's kinda like a child-friendly version of THE AVENGERS. Love that the creative genius of Guillermo del Toro has an influence here!

Click to enlarge

Here's the official movie storyline:
Rise of the Guardians, based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 21, 2012. It is directed by Peter Ramsey (Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space) and co-directed by Joyce. The film is being produced by Christina Steinberg (Bee Movie, National Treasure) and Nancy Bernstein, long-time head of Production at DreamWorks Animation. Rise of the Guardians is being written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro and Michael Siegel. It stars Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. More than a collection of the well-known childhood legends, Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS hits theaters on November 21. For all of our coverage on RISE OF THE GUARDIANS including it's first trailer, click here.

Must Watch: New Trailer For ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Think this one is going to make big money? Yep. Considering that Fox's ICE AGE franchise has gone 3D and the last one did in the ballpark of $900m worldwide, you could say this is a sure thing.

As much as I quite despise Ray Romano and his voice (yeah why? I don't know, he just doesn't agree with me) I had a TON O' FUN with the last one in 3D, so definitely bring it on. In fact, it's my most anticipated 3D animation of 2012.

Here's the storyline for the ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT:
Scrat’s nutty pursuit of the cursed acorn, which he’s been after since the dawn of time, has world-changing consequences – a continental cataclysm that triggers the greatest adventure of all for Manny, Diego and Sid. In the wake of these upheavals, Sid reunites with his cantankerous Granny, and the herd encounters a ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates determined to stop them from returning home.

And don't forget about the new SIMPSONS 3D short that will pre-roll in front of ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT! The short is entitled THE LONGEST DAYCARE and will be in the 4 minute duration range focusing on, you guessed it, Maggie. Can't wait to see the Springfield crew in three dimensions!

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT opens July 13.

Check Out The New Disney Featurette - A TANGLED World: Creating The Difference

We have a new featurette for you from Disney (courtesy of AwardsDaily) focusing on the creation of TANGLED. The imagery is amazing. And it should be, the directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard used Disneyland's own Fantasyland for inspiration. LOVE the forest pub idea they have come up with...

Storyline:
The long-haired Princess Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but when she falls in love with a bandit who was passing by she must venture into the outside world for the first time to find him.

Mandy Moore voices Zapunzel and Zachary Levi takes on Flynn Rider's character.



TANGLED will be released in limited theaters on November 12 and will taken wide on November 24.

LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS Character Posters

I have some character posters from Zack Snyder's upcoming family animation LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE thanks to the IMPAwards (via FirstShowing).

GUARDIANS is a computer-animated film based on the series of children's fantasy books Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky. Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Rachael Taylor, David Wenham, and Emilie de Ravin voice the characters. Production took place in Australia at Animal Logic, and the film is scheduled to be released on September 24, 2010. It will be released in part in RealD 3D and IMAX 3D.

Is there any doubt that this movie will rake in the ca$h? Kids will love these adorable owls and mixed with a bit of Snyder's storytelling and admitted need to please his own kids - it is sure to succeed. Kudos to Warner Bros. for believing in the project!

New Trailer: ALPHA & OMEGA

We are getting a glimpse of the upcoming 3D animation ALPHA & OMEGA from an international trailer from Lionsgate.

My first impression from the scenes is that it reminds me of early Dreamworks Animation efforts - so don't expect Pixar here. I think the story could be compelling enough so I am certainly not panning it altogether, but the design and end result are not up to today's standards in my opinion.

However they do have a superb voice cast in Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover, and Vicki Lewis.

Storyline: What makes for the ultimate road trip? Hitchhiking, truck stops, angry bears, prickly porcupines and a golfing goose with a duck caddy. Just ask Kate and Humphrey, two wolves who are trying to get home after being taken by park rangers and shipped halfway across the country. Humphrey is an Omega wolf, whose days are about quick wit, snappy one-liners and hanging with his motley crew of fun-loving wolves and video-gaming squirrels. Kate is an Alpha: duty, discipline and sleek Lara Croft eye-popping moves fuel her fire. Humphrey’s motto – make ‘em laugh. Kate’s motto – I’m the boss. And they have a thousand miles to go. Back home rival wolf packs are on the march and conflict is brewing. Only Kate and Humphrey can restore the peace. But first, they have to survive each other.

Look for Alpha & Omega on September 17th, 2010.

Looney Tunes Shorts Coming THIS Year!

Yes! Love these characters. The Looney Tunes gang is back in action and this time in glorious 3D!!

The shorts and the movies they will be screening before are as follows: “Coyote Falls” (“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” in theaters July 30); “Fur of Flying” (“Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” in theaters September 24); “Rabid Rider” (“Yogi Bear” in theaters December 17).

From the press release: "The characters also return to television with The Looney Tunes Show, an all-new half-hour animated television series for Cartoon Network. No longer confined to seven-minute shorts, iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode’s main story, The Looney Tunes Show also features cartoons within a cartoon. The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute Merrie Melodies music videos, and the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote are featured in two-and-a-half-minute CG shorts."

It is going to be so cool to see good ol' Wile E. Coyote mess up in 3D. I grew up on Looney Tunes so it is about time we are seeing this happen!