Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • Clive Barker Goes Demonik for Video Game

    Acclaimed horror novelist/screenwriter/director Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Candyman) is set to helm Demonik, a next-generation video game for publisher Majesco and Tiger Hill Ent., a production company co-founded by action film director John Woo (Face/Off, MI:2). The third-person action franchise is set to launch for next-gen consoles in 2006, and is also being developed as a feature film to be written and directed by Barker.

    Barker will oversee the story, character designs, cinematics and voice talent for the game. “Demonik will be an intense gaming experience," he says. "I’m having a lot of fun enriching the game’s mythology and polishing the characters till they shine. And, of course, adding a little bit of Barker darkness. Demonik promises to be a game that you will play with clammy palms.”

    “Clive is known for creating great and horrific villains," adds Brad Foxhoven, president and co-founder of Tiger Hill. "In the game, you get to play the villain, and in the movie, you will be terrified by him.”

    Demonik will be Barker’s second game effort, having previously launched the successful title, The Undying, through his own company, Dogfish. The new game is being developed by Terminal Reality, the studio behind Majesco’s hit BloodRayne series. In addition to the game and movie, there have been discussions about a graphic novel and limited-edition statue to coincide with the game launch. No release date has yet been set for the film.

    Barker’s production company, Seraphim Films, is in pre-production on The Midnight Meat Train and The Plague through his Midnight Picture Show horror label. Other projects in development include The Thief of Always, Tortured Souls, Damnation Game, Dread, Weaveworld and Coldheart Canyon.

    Santa Monica, Calif.-based Tiger Hill Ent. has four games in production, and is currently working on bringing Nintendo’s Metroid game franchise to the big screen with Woo at the helm.

  • Company Reintroducing Flip Books

    In this age of portable DVD players and mobile multimedia devices, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when having animation in the palm of your hand meant flipping through a book. In celebration of this month’s 123rd anniversary of the invention of the flip book, New York-based custom flip book manufacturer Flippies is bringing back a classic.

    Flip books were patented in the U.S. on May 16, 1882, by Henry Van Hovenbergh of Elizabeth, New Jersey. They were then popularized in the early 1900’s when they showed up as prizes in Cracker Jack boxes. Now, according to Flippies president Jeffrey Kay, there’s a renewed interest in the fun creations as marketers seek to incorporate them in interactive brochures and give them away as handouts at promotions and other events.

    In addition to reengineering the original flip book concept, Flippies says it has created a patent-pending process to easily create flip books from live-action or animated video footage. Kay says the new, perfect bound, printed flip books play back crystal-clear, full-motion clips with a simple flip of a thumb. “If he were still alive today, Henry Van Hovenbergh would be proud of Flippies’ achievements in taking his original flip book concept to a whole new level of sophistication,” Kay boasts.

    Companies or individuals interested in creating their own custom flip books can visit Flippies on the web at www.flippies.com.

  • Revenge of the Sponge!

    Having made a big splash in theaters, SpongeBob SquarePants is returning to the small screen tonight, May 6, with the start of long-awaited, all-new episodes. Nickelodeon will air 20 brand-spanking new installments of the Emmy-nominated animated series on Fridays at 8:30 p.m./7:30 p.m. central.

    The fourth season kicks off with the episode ‘Fear of a Krabby Patty,’ in which The Krusty Krab opens its doors for 24-hour service, turning SpongeBob’s dream fry cook job into a nightmare. Meanwhile, Plankton capitalizes on the staff’s fatigue and takes a stab at stealing the secret Krabby Patty recipe. The second half of the show, “Shell of a Man,” has Mr. Krabs bare and embarrassed when he molts in his shell.

    Series creator Stephen Hillenburg serves as exec producer on the new episodes, which reunites voice cast members Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs) and Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks).

    Helming day-to-day production of the new episodes is Paul Tibbitt, one of the co-writers and storyboard artists on The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Tibbitt served as a director and writer on SpongeBob SquarePants for the past three seasons, and wrote some of the show’s most memorable episodes including “Ripped Pants” and “Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.”

    SpongeBob SquarePants launched in July 1999 and became the most successful property in Nickelodeon’s 25-year history. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie hit the big screen on November 19, taking in $136 million worldwide.

    The TV series is a Nicktoons Production, with Hillenburg’s United Plankton Pictures, and is produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif.

  • Winx Club to Cast Spells on Cartoon Network

    A whole lot of “bubble, bubble, toil and trouble” is coming to Cartoon Network in the U.S. Winx Club, 4Kids Entertainment’s animated series about teenaged fairies and witches, is set to join the cabler’s action/adventure block, Miguzi, on Monday, May 16, at 5 p.m. (ET/PT). The series also joins Nickelodeon in the U.K. this month.

    When Bloom discovers she has magical powers, she joins the Alfea School for Fairies, the oldest and most prestigious fairy school in the magic dimension. There she meets four fellow freshmen, Stella, Flora, Musa and Tecna, and they form the Winx Club. Together, the girls use the lessons they learn in school to fight off evil-doers, such as the witch students at rival school Cloud Tower.

    Cartoon Network will air 26 episodes of Winx Club during Miguzi, which airs seven days a week and featuressuch hit series as Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited and Megas XLR.

    Winx Club currently airs in the U.S. on 4Kids TV and is seen around the world via such broadcasters as RAI 2 (Italy), France 3, Teletoon (France), RTL II (Germany), Telecinco (Spain), Alter TV (Greece), TV 2 (Denmark), MTV3 (Finland), Nickelodeon (Netherland/Benelux), TV 2 (Norway), RTP1 (Portugal), Club RTL (Belgium), ORF (Austria), YTV (Canada), Network TEN (Australia), Cartoon Network (Australia and New Zealand), TV3 (New Zealand), Minimax (Poland), S4C (Wales), TVR /Channel 2 (Romania TV Markiza (Slovakia) and Iceland Broad Corp.

    Influenced by top Italian designers, Winx Club is produced in Italy by Rainbow Srl and is adapted for English language markets by 4Kids Entertainment.

  • Lions Gate Passes on HIT Bid

    Independent producer/distributor Lions Gate Ent. announced today that it does not intend to make an offer to acquire HIT Entertainment PLC, home to Bob the Builder,Thomas the Tank Engine and other successful animated shows for kids. The news comes less than two weeks after New York-based property rights manager Classic Media dropped out of the competition, making private equity company Apax Partners the only potential HIT buyer.

    Lions Gate CEO Jon Feltheimer comments, “After our review of due diligence materials, we have determined that although HIT would be a potentially strong strategic fit, a Lions Gate/HIT transaction does not create the level of additional shareholder value that would be a prerequisite for moving forward."

    Despite the popularity of Bob the Builder and other HIT commodities, HIT has seen home video, licensing and retail revenues slide considerably in the past year, making it a prime target for take-over.

    In March, HIT agreed to be acquired by Apax for $917.1 million. The move seemed like a done deal until Lions Gate exercised due diligence and expressed interest in placing a bid that sources said may have reached $1billion. Now it appears HIT will go to Apax as planned.

  • Polar Express to Make Second IMAX 3D Run

    Is the computer-animated family flick, The Polar Express, poised to become the next big holiday tradition? IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures certainly hope so. Today the two companies announced that The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience, will return to IMAX theatres in November of this year. First released in November of 2004, the Tom Hanks vehicle hauled in $45 million in large-format distribution to become the highest grossing IMAX release to date.

    “The outstanding success of The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience convinced us that this film can be a holiday perennial, similar to It’s a Wonderful Life, that will draw audiences year after year,” comments IMAX co-chairmen and co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “Commercial exhibitors took note of the movie’s performance to date in IMAX theatres, leading to increased signings momentum, and many of our customers have expressed a desire to bring the film back for another run.”

    Based on the classic Caldecott Award-winning children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express reunites the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump team of director Robert Zemeckis and star Tom Hanks. Imagemotion, the proprietary motion-capture technology developed by Sony Imageworks, was employed to tell the story of a doubting young boy who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole.

    A presentation of Castle Rock Ent., in association with Shangri-La Ent., The Polar Express is a Playtone/ImageMovers/Golden Mean production. The film is produced by Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler. Tom Hanks, Jack Rapke and Chris Van Allsburg served as exec producers.

    IMAX also announced this week that it will join forces with Warner Bros. to release a large-screen version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Nov. 18, 2005. The highly anticipated feature will be digitally re-mastered into the IMAX format through the company’s IMAX DMR technology.

  • Pixar Up, Upbeat on Disney

    Pixar and Disney may be a step closer to kissing and making up. During an investor conference call on Thursday, Pixar CEO Steve Jobs announced strong earnings bolstered by The Incredibles DVD sales and noted that he thinks incoming Disney CEO Bob Iger "seems like a terrific guy." Jobs’ esteem for Iger is in stark contrast to the contentious relationship he had with outgoing CEO Michael Eisner.

    “If conversations turn to Disney wanting to strike a new deal, we’ll see how things go,” Jobs added, referring to the Walt Disney Co., which co-financed and distributed all of Pixars blockbuster animated films to date. While Pixar no longer needs Disney to pitch in on production costs, the animation studio is still quite fond of the Mouse House’s distribution and promotional engine. "We have tremendous respect for Dick Cook and his marketing team at Disney. We work very well with them and think they do a terrific job," notes Jobs.

    Despite warmer relations between Jobs and Iger, a partnership renewal is still likely hinge on whether or not Disney is willing to take a distribution fee rather than sharing profits on Pixar productions.

    Another incentive for Pixar to reconcile with Disney the opportunity to be involved in creating sequels to its hit films, which Disney owns the rights to. Disney has publicly stated its desire to make sequels, starting with Toy Story 3, with or without Pixar’s involvement. “If we do enter into any negotiation with Disney, all I really want to say is that sequels will play a part of it," says Jobs.

    For its fiscal first quarter ended April 2, 2005, Pixar reported revenues of $161.2 million and earnings of $81.9 million, nearly three times what the company pulled in during the same quarter a year ago. The Incredibles accounted for $125.5 million in revenues, selling 17.7 units on home video in the U.S. alone. These results compare to revenues of $53.8 million and earnings of $26.7 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, achieved in the year-ago quarter.

    Cars, the next and perhaps last Disney presentation of a Pixar film, is scheduled to race to theaters in June of 2006. “Cars is looking great, and we’re also very excited about the [Sept. 6] ten-year anniversary re-release of Toy Story on DVD this Fall,” says Jobs.

    Toy Story falls under the terms of the original 1991 feature film agreement. As a result, revenues from the home video re-release will not be split evenly with Disney. Pixar says it is in discussions with Disney for the U.S. re-release of Toy Story 2 toward the end of the year.

  • Jobs Talks Cars, Pixar’s Future

    During Thursday’s investor conference call, Pixar CEO Steve Jobs provided some updates on its 2006 release, Cars, and responded to questions regarding future plans for the Emery, Calif.-based computer animation studio.

    "We are on track to finish Cars this October and it’s looking terrific," noted Jobs. Over two-thirds of the animation is now finished. It’s turning out to be even more stunning than we imagined."

    Commenting on the visual quality of the next film, Jobs boasted, "Cars is going to be the most detailed computer-animated film ever made. It has a stunning level of modeling and shading in it. It’s rendered with Pixar’s state-of the-art ray tracing to give amazing reflections off the cars and there’s a level of subtlety in the lighting and shadowing throughout the film’ that is simply gorgeous. Of course, all this visual richness is matched by a wonderful story and what we hope will be timeless characters."

    Jobs said Pixar plans to announce its next three films beyond Cars before the end of this year. "In addition to Cars, we now have several films in various stages of production and development and our post-Disney pipeline is building very nicely," he remarked. He also noted that the studio’s mysterious 2007 film is well into production and on track to be finished on time. That pic will be completely self-financed and a distributor has yet to be chosen. Pixar hopes to have a distribution partner Iined up by the end of the year.

    While Disney, DreamWorks and a number of other major studios are dedicated to releasing two computer-animated features a year, Jobs confirmed that Pixar is focused on delivering one each year, starting in 2006.

    When asked how Pixar plans to stay competitive in the crowded marketplace that CG feature animation is becoming, Jobs responded, "If there are three bad films, you might see none of them. If there are three good films, you might see all of them. If we have a competitor that comes out with a good film, as an example Shrek 2 comes out and it does very well, does that hurt The Incredibles? I don’t think so. You could argue that it helps The Incredibles by reminding people how much they love to go see animated films. If Shrek 2 had done terribly, would that have helped The incredibles? I don’t see how. It’s not a zero-sum game as long as the films do not overlap in their distribution windows." Jobs went on to say that Pixar’s real competition is itself and its ability to consistently make films that audiences want to go see and buy on DVD.

    Pixar will turn 20 years old this February and as part of the celebration, Jobs said New York’s Museum of Modern art will celebrate with a special exhibit titled "Pixar," featuring art from the studio’s films. The exhibit will run December through February of 2006.

  • Kirch Takes Creative VP Gig at Disneytoon Studios

    Development producer B. Susan Kirch has been upped to VP of creative affairs for DisneyToon Studios. In the new position, she will develop original scripts and stories, as well as sequels to Disney’s animated hits. Kirch will work with filmmakers through all stages of production on films that will be distributed by Disney’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution’s theatrical division.

    Kirch will report jointly to DisneyToon Studios president Sharon Morrill and senior VP of creative affairs Ellen Gurney.

    "Susan exudes creativity in every facet of her life," says Morrill. "She brings to the table a wealth of experience in telling great stories in a variety of mediums. She is also quite skilled in strategic planning and can expertly take a film from concept to completion on all levels."

    "We realized early on that Susan’s understanding of the aspects of storytelling at its core made her perfect as a VP of creative affairs," adds Gurney. "Storytelling is what we are all about."

    Kirch joined Disney Interactive in 1995 as a senior producer, then moved to Disney Online in 1998, serving first as director of lifestyles content and then VP. In 2001, she became VP of creative development and production at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online before joining DisneyToon Studios as a development producer in 2003.

  • Flight Studio 1.5 Takes Off at Turbo Squid

    Royalty-free 3D products provider Turbo Squid has announced the release of Flight Studio 1.5, a Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in from Bluerock Technologies. The release is designed to better facilitate the importing, editing and exporting of OpenFlight scene graphs and databases from within Autodesk 3ds max for professionals in such fields as game development, military simulation, geographic information systems and training and development.

    Flight Studio allows the user to load, edit and export OpenFlight scene graphs and databases from within Autodesk’s 3ds max, all while retaining scene graph structure and attributes. Features of the new max plug-in include scene graph and attribute editing and LOD management. In addition, OpenFlight artists can continue to use the full range of content creation tools available in 3ds max, including polygonal and multi-resolution mesh modeling, unwrap UV modifier, texture baking, real-world lighting and vertex paint modifier.

    Flight Studio 1.5 carries a suggested retail price of $1,495. Existing Flight Studio users will be upgraded to 1.5 at no cost. Flight Studio is available from Turbo Squid at www.turbosquid.com/dcpstore, from Discreet’s e Store www4.discreet.com/3dsmax/3dsmax.php?id=741, or from authorized Turbo Squid resellers around the world. For a Reseller near you, contact sales@turbosquid.com.

  • BOXX Unboxes HDV-Certified Workstations

    BOXX Technologies has introduced HDVPAK, a professional HDV application kit designed to help customers purchase optimized workstation platforms for HDV editing and finishing. The HDVPAK validation program is supported across a wide range of BOXX workstations, from single processor systems to dual-core, dual processor set ups, to meet the demands of any project.

    Reese Gautschi, director of marketing for BOXX, says the company created the BOXX HDVPAK certification program as a response to consumer confusion over how choose the right workstation platform for HDV. He comments, "Now, BOXX customers can easily identify and select pre-tuned and optimized workstation configurations for HDV. The HDVPAK logo is our promise of industry-leading price-performance, dependability and an outstanding user experience for desktop DV and HDV editing and finishing."

    For optimized HDV, BOXX offers the NVIDIA Quadro FX540 by PNY Technologies, which is designed specifically for HDV. The system offers high bandwidth, OpenGL graphics acceleration and simultaneous real-time HD component, S-Video and composite video connections through an external breakout box. The NVIDIA FX540 PCIe graphics board provides independent, full-screen video overlay output for high-definition preview of real-time effects, video editing timelines and source clips on video monitors.

    Since HDV requires more power due to higher video resolution, BOXX’s HDVPAK specification requires that a HDVPAK-qualified workstation have at least an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor or Intel 2.8GHz Pentium 4 processor with a minimum of 1GB of RAM and two disk drives–an 80GB SATA system drive for your OS and application software and a second 250GB SATA data drive for HDV footage.

    Additional HDVPAK features include optimized graphics with PCIe x 16 128MB frame buffer and 128-bit precision with OpenGL performance; preview and multi-monitor support; multiple Firewire and USB 2.0 ports; and support for Adobe, Avid, Pinnacle, Canopus, Autodesk, Leitch, Matrox and Sony DV software.

    BOXX workstations with HDVPAK are available for purchase via the BOXX web site at www.boxxtech.com or by calling toll free 1-877-877-BOXX in the U.S. and Canada or 512-835-0400 outside the U.S. Customer videos and testimonials can be viewed at www.boxxvideo.com.

  • Imaginum Runs Wild at Anima Estudios

    Anima Estudios, which produced Magos y Gigantes (Wizards and Giants), Mexico’s first animated feature in more than 30 years, has released details about its second feature, Imaginum. The action/comedy about a boy and his encounter with loony extraterrestrials is being produced with support from Fidecine Mexico and will be distributed to theaters this August by Videocine, the distribution arm of Televisa.

    Directed by Alberto Mar and Isaac Sandoval, Imaginum begins when three crazy aliens break out of a space asylum and set their sights on conquering the universe. Taking a rest stop on Earth, they run into Dante Naranja, a kid who uses his imagination and an alien artifact to transform everyday objects into incredible devices that can help him thwart the alien invasion.

    Eugenio Derbez, one of Mexico´s top comedians, lends his voice to the project. Other cast members include Giovanni Florido, Ilse Olivo and Ruben Trujillo.

    Founded in 2002, Anima Estudios also produced the animated TV series, Cascaritos, in 2004. for more information on the studio, go to www.animaestudios.com.

  • Ren & Stimpy Co-Creator Releasing Sketchbook

    Jim Smith, who co-created with John Kricifalusi Ren and Stimpy, The Ripping Friends and many other Spumco cartoons, has signed with Asylum Press to release a series of sketchbooks. The first volume, Deadly Are The Naked, is set to ship this July.

    Deadly Are The Naked offers pages of rare sketches, sexy figure studies, muscle-bound barbarians and loony cartoon characters. Also featured are Ripping Friends storyboards, background design and celebrity caricatures. A 16-page, full-color section will include never-before-seen concept art and a glimpse into Smith’s new comic-book character, Chestaclese.

    Asylum will issue a limited run 500 copies of a signed sketch edition of Deadly Are The Naked, which will feature an original pencil sketch by Smith. Previews can be seen at www.jimsmithcartoons.com and www.asylumpress.com/deadly.html.

  • Nickelodeon, Verizon Launch Nick Mobile

    Kid cable outlet Nickelodeon has teamed with Verizon Wireless to create Nick Mobile, a service that will bring Nickelodeon video content to V CAST wireless phones. Initial offerings will include music videos from Nick Jr. favorites Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, The Backyardigans and LazyTown, with Nickelodeon television programming scheduled to go mobile this summer.

    V CAST runs on Verizon Wireless’ Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network, allowing customers to view short content on demand. For an additional $15 a month, Verizon Wireless customers get the V CAST Vpak, which includes unlimited access to more than 300 regularly updated video clips from leading content providers. Additional application download fees apply for 3D games, premium video clips and all other Get It Now applications.

    For a limited time, Verison Wireless is offering two months of free service to customers who sign up for V CAST. Users can go to the Get It Now virtual store to access multimedia content, including video from news, sports and entertainment providers. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. content can be on the LG VX8000 phone, which is available for $149.99 after a $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement.

    Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

  • Bardel Preps Dragons Fire & Ice Sequel

    Toymaker Mega Bloks Inc. and children’s entertainment company Bardel Ent. are working on a sequel to last year’s award-winning direct-to-video animated feature, Dragons Fire & Ice. Titled Dragons Metal Ages, the followup will be distributed by Lions Gate, Paramount and Alliance Atlantis, and will have its Canadian television premiere on YTV this fall. A U.S. broadcast partner is being finalized.

    Dragons Metal Ages has Prince Dev and Princess Kyra embarking on a new adventure aided by a mysterious young Odaku rebel named Gorhagar. Together, the three teens must fulfill a dangerous destiny that generations before them set in place, while the fates of the human and dragon worlds hang in the balance.

    While the first Dragons feature was nominated for a 2005 DVDX award and four 2005 Leo awards, Bardel CEO Delna Bhesania says that her company has incorporated new technologies into its production pipeline to lift the quality of animation for the sequel.

    The Dragons toy line is sold in more than 50 countries around the world, including the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., France, Italy, Spain and Australia. The animated Dragons movie franchise is an integral component of Montreal-based Mega Bloks’ strategy to extend the brand over time.

  • EA Profits Down 91%

    Video game developer/publisher Electronic Arts today reported record revenues but a deep dip in profits as it announced preliminary fourth quarter and fiscal year financial results. While the company’s revenue is up 6 percent at $3.129 billion, net income for the quarter was only $8 million, compared to $90 million for the prior year. Net revenues for the frame are also down 8%.

    EA attributes its boost in revenue to 31 platinum titles released during the fiscal year. Six of the company’s franchises sold more than five million units, including The Sims, Need for Speed, Madden NFL Football, FIFA, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.

    The dip in profits is being blamed on the transitional period the game industry has entered. EA says it has invested a lot of money in upcoming titles for the next-generation game consoles coming from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, as well as the new Sony PSP and Nintendo DS handheld units. Furthermore, EA expects the trying period to also be reflected in the current quarter and predicts a 26% drop in revenues compared to the same quarter last year.

    Among the investments made by EA during the quarter is its acquisition of Criterion Software, which brings into the fold the award-winning Burnout and Black franchises, as well as RenderWare technology. EA also completed its tender offer for Digital Illusions, creators of the award-winning Battlefield franchise.

    Pundits are predicting that the industry as a whole will experience such growing pains as companies ramp up to deliver next-gen titles, which gamers seem to waiting for rather than buying new games for the existing consoles.

  • Incredibles, Shrek 2 Up for Moonmen

    While the live-action comedies Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Mean Girls lead the pack with four nods each, there was plenty of love of animated pics as MTV today announced the nominees for the 2005 MTV Movie Awards. Fever Pitch star Jimmy Fallon will host this year’s event, which will air on June 9 at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT). Joining the list of categories this time around are Best Frightened Performance and Best Video Game Based on a Movie.

    Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles is the only animated film up for Best Movie this year. The action-packed superhero spoof is up against Miramax’s Kill Bill Vol. 2, Fox Searchlight’s Napoleon Dynamite, Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man 2 and Universal’s Ray. Last year, the Disney/Pixar production, Finding Nemo, was the only toon in the pond, losing out to New Line’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

    Incredibles cast members Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Spencer Fox and Sarah Vowell are up for Best On-Screen Team. The super-powered screen family will flex their vocal muscles against the casts of the live-action movies Mean Girls (Paramount), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (DreamWorks), Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (20th Century Fox) and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (New Line Cinema).

    Representing DreamWorks’ Shrek 2, Antonio Banderas received a Best Comedic Performance nom for his vocal portrayal of the scene-stealing Puss In Boots. Also in the running for the award are Dustin Hoffman for Universal’s Meet the Fockers, Will Ferrell for DreamWorks’ Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Ben Stiller for 20th Century Fox’s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and Will Smith for Sony Pictures’ Hitch.

    Sony’s blockbusting Spider-Man 2 picked up three nominations, including a Best Villain nod for Alfred Molina (Doc Ock). Molina is in good company with Tom Cruise for DreamWorks’ Collateral, Ben Stiller for Dodgeball, Rachel McAdams for Mean Girls and Jim Carrey for Paramount’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

    The subway battle from Spider-Man 2 is up for Best Action Sequence, a category filled out by the vfx-loaded destruction of Los Angeles from 20th Century Fox’s The Day After Tomorrow, the Beverly Hills plane crash from Miramax’s The Aviator, the Moscow car chase from Universal’s The Bourne Supremacy and The Desert Terrorist Assault from Paramount’s Team America: World Police.

    In addition, Activision’ Spider-Man 2 will vie Best Video Game Based on a Movie.

    The other interactive titles on the list are THQ’s The Incredibles, EA’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Vivendi Universal Games releases, Van Helsing and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. This award will be announced pre-show and viewers will be able to vote for their favorite games by dialing *MTV on their Virgin Mobile phones.

    The nominees for the 2005 MTV Movie Awards are chosen through a national poll of MTV and MTV2 viewers. The winners will be viewer-selected. Votes can be cast online from May 4 through May 20 by visiting www.MTV.com, or by telephone at 900-562-2300 at 99 cents per call. See www.MTV.com for a complete list of nominees.

  • Narnia Images, Trailer Plans

    Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media have released a set of images from their upcoming CG-laden fantasy flick, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. In addition, the companies announced plans to reach the largest worldwide audience ever with the debut of the film’s eagerly awaited theatrical trailer debut on Saturday, May 7.

    Disney and Walden say more than 200 million viewers in 32 countries across five continents will experience what has been dubbed a "global roadblock" of Narnia promotional materials. The blitz will be anchored by the U.S. broadcast debut of the trailer during ABC’s network premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The trailer will air simultaneously on Disney Channel and on four channels across the Starz Entertainment Group network, as it also hits the web on America Online Web sites and Verizon Wireless V CAST outlets. Verizon Wireless customers will also be able to access the trailer through the company’s V CAST wireless multimedia service.

    Within 48 hours of the domestic launch, the international roadblock (dubbed in more than 11 languages) will simulcast on popular programs in such countries as the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Korea, and Latin America. In addition to the broadcast launches, each territory will partner with print and online outlets to maximize exposure.

    The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe opens in theatres everywhere on Dec. 9, 2005. Directed by Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Shrek 2) and produced by Mark Johnson (The Rookie, Rain Man), the film is based on the classic children’s book by C.S. Lewis and stars Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Rupert Everett, Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone, Dawn French, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Mosely and Anna Popplewell. Scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely adapted the property for the screen.

    While they’re waiting for the trailer to premiere, fans of the book can check out these images that represent the look and atmosphere of the film. The pics seem to be concept art, blending shots of the actors in costume with illustrated backgrounds.

  • Toy Story Anniversary DVD Details

    As computer-animated feature films continue to dominate the box office, the film that started it all is set to get a lavish, two-disc DVD upgrade. Toy Story 10th Anniversary Edition will be available Sept. 6 from Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Pixar Animation Studios.

    The new DVD release utilizes advanced video technology that provides a higher digital bit rate than the original presentation. In fact, it will have the highest bit rate of all Disney/Pixar films on DVD to date, according to Disney. In addition, seven-time Academy Award winner Gary Rydstrom has amped up the audio to Dolby Surround-sound 5.1 EX Mix.

    Extra features on the 10th anniversary disc will include an all-new look at the impact Toy Story has had on the field of animation and pop culture, featuring interviews with the movie’s original voice cast and dozens of other industry leaders. There will also be an all-new roundtable discussion with the key Pixar creatives including director John Lasseter and writers Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft. Rounding out the list of bonus materials are featurettes on the film’s design and animation, early animation tests, a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, interactive games, music videos, filmmaker audio commentaries, production tours and a sneak peek at the upcoming Disney/Pixar feature, Cars, also directed by Lasseter.

    The Toy Story 10th Anniversary Edition will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99.

  • Animal Planet Catalogs Star Wars Creatures

    Are Wookies just overgrown Ewoks? And just what the heck are Taun-Tauns and Dewbacks? All these questions and more will be answered when cable network Animal Planet premieres Animal Icons: Star Wars Creatures on Wednesday, May 18, at 9 p.m. Narrated by C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels, the one-hour special will explore the saga’s strange critters with a little help from George Lucas and the actors, animators and creature designers behind the cinematic phenomenon.

    Just as Chewbacca was inspired by Lucas’ family dog, many of the creatures that populate the Star Wars universe can be traced back to real animals found on Earth. The special will explore these connections and how Lucas brought his ambitious vision to the big screen. Stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher will also provide insight through interviews.

    In addition to clips from past Star Wars films, viewers will be treated to advanced footage from Star Wars: Episode III–Revenge of the Sith, which hits theaters the day after the special airs.

    Animal Icons: Star Wars Creatures is produced by Prometheus Ent. in association with Fox Television Studios and Animal Planet. Prometheus’ Kevin Burns and Animal Planet’s Jamie Roberts serve as exec producers.