Monsters, Inc. was a huge hit for Pixar (kind of a dumb thing to say since all of their movies are hits) and Pete Doctor has been getting asked for a year now about a possible sequel. He's always skirted the question, but fans would love to see more adventures with Sully and Mike.If you want, file this as a rumor for now, but I got wind from a very reliable source that Monsters, Inc. 2 IS in the production pipeline with a tentative release sometime in 2012-2013. Pixar is going sequel crazy with Toy Story 3 this year, Cars 2 in 2011, and Monsters, Inc. 2 hopefully hitting 2012, but an actual release date is a long way off so I'm just speculating.
No word on if Pete Doctor is going to be involved as a director or co-director on the project.
Like most studios when things are announced before they're ready to announce them, Disney/Pixar will probably deny it up and down (along with the websites who have nothing better to do than try and debunk our scoops). But from what I've been told, Monsters Inc. 2 is a go. The source is a very credible one in the Pixar know, so this is great news for Monsters, Inc. fans.
Now where is that Incredibles sequel?
(Thanks Latino Review)
Hero: 108 Begins Weekday Run on Cartoon Network
Fans who have been reading about the much-anticipated Moonscoop/Gamania animated series Hero: 108 in Animation Magazine for the past few years, will finally be able to enjoy the innovate toon as Cartoon Network U.S. will premiere the show on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 a.m. The cabler will air 52 episodes of the show Mondays thru Friday.Aimed at kids 6-11, Hero: 108 is the story of a group of young defenders set on ending a conflict between animals and humans in The Hidden Kingdom, caused by an evil villain called High Roller. The group is known as First Squadron, and includes the courageous Lin Chung (a.k.a. Panther Eye), Mighty Ray, Mystique Sonia and Jumpy Ghostface. Together, they battle fierce creatures such as fire-breathing ligers, magic lantern-wielding zebras and camels with really stinky spit.
Created by Gamania’s Phoenix Tarng, the show is loosely inspired by the 14th Century Chinese novel The Water Margin. Mike Young Productions and Kabillion CEO Bill Schulz and Rita Street (Radar Cartoons President) are the toon’s exec producers. Gamania’s Phoenix Tarng is show creator.
Gamania Digital Entertainment is launching a massively multiplayer online game this summer, while Playmates Toys is delivering an extensive toyline based on the property. For more info, visit www.hero108online.com or hero108.tv
(Thanks Animation Magazine)
Star Cast Recruited for A Monster in Paris
Adam Goldberg, Jay Harrington, Danny Huston, Bob Balaban and Catherine O’Hara are among the voice talent signed up for director Bibo Bergeron’s much-anticipated period feature A Monster in Paris.Written by Stephane Kazandjian and Bergeron (Shark Tale, The Road to El Dorado), the story is set in Paris in 1910 and follows a shy movie projectionist (Harrington) and an inventor who team up with a cabaret star (French singer Vanessa Paradis aka Mrs. Johnny Depp), an eccentric scientist and his monkey to save the city from a monster. However, the real villain turns out to be the ruthless police chief voiced by Huston.
The tone and style of the film is described as meshing the sensibilities of "King Kong" with The Triplets of Belleville. Europacorp, Bibo Films and France 3 Cinema are producing the feature, which was originally scheduled to open last year, but is now slated for 2010.
(Thanks Animation Magazine)
Showest Showers Pixar With Big Ten Award
Pixar will be honored with Showest’s Big Ten Award at next month’s exhibitor convention in Vegas next month. The award honors the studio for its unmatched successful record at the box office. During the event, which runs March 15-18, Disney will screen Pixar's upcoming 3D Toy Story 3 for exhibitors (only the 2D version will be previewed). Scheduled to open on June 18, Toy Story 3 is expected to be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters."Since bringing the first-ever computer-animated feature to moviegoing audiences with 1995's Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios has continued to thrill audiences with outstanding stories on film that have captivated people of all ages all over the world," ShoWest managing director Robert Sunshine said.
(Thanks Animation Magazine)
New Cars Toons Short to Debut on Disney Channel
A new Disney/Pixar Cars Toons short is set to premiere on Disney Channel Friday, March 12 at 8:55 p.m. Directed by John Lasseter, Rob Gibbs and Victor Navone, the new installment is titled Tokyo Mater and features a score by electronica composer BT.The short finds Mater in Tokyo where he is challenged to a drift-style race against a nefarious gang leader and his posse of ninjas. With the help of his friend, "Dragon" Lightning McQueen, and some special modifications, Mater attempts to drift to victory and become "Tow-ke-O Mater, King of all Drifters."
The popular Cars Toons shorts debuted in October 2008 and reached 78.3 million unique total viewers in 2009, including 26.6 million among target age group kids 2-11. Later this year, Disney Online will launch the World of Cars Online (www.WorldOfCars.com), a virtual world that allows fans to immerse themselves in Radiator Springs and interact with other players alongside Lightning, Mater and Doc. A new Cars Land attraction is also planned to open at Disney’s California Adventure in 2012, in time for the release of the feature’s sequel, Cars 2.
(Thanks Animation Magazine)
James Woods on Being Owlman for "Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths"
Emmy award winning actor James Woods is the newest subject to be interviewed by Warner Home Video in conjunction with the release of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the newest direct-to-video animated movie available now on DVD, Blu-ray disc, On Demand services, and for download. Among other topics, Woods discusses how he constructed the character of Owlman for the movie, his favorite scene in the script, the joys of being a villain, how much of a superhero comic book fan he is, and whether he'd like to be a superhero in real life.
In addition, a new video clip from the movie has also been released, with a spotlight on Owlman and Superwoman. To view the new clip from the Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths direct-to-video animated feature in the Quicktime format, please click HERE.
In addition, producer Bruce Timm was interviewed by Comic Book Resources about the movie. Among other topics, Timm details the links between it and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, his role in the production of the DC direct-to-video animated movies, and how character design was handled between the original JLU-based designs and the final versions in the movie, as well as providing a few more details about the next movie Batman: Under the Red Hood.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is available now. The full press release interview follows. Click on any image to enlarge:
TWO-TIME EMMY AWARD WINNER JAMES WOODS GIVE EVIL A SUBTLE TOUCH AS OWLMAN IN JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS
Two-time Emmy Award-winning actor James Woods, pictured at the World Premiere in New York City on February 16, is the voice of Owlman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the next DC Universe animated original movie. The film is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, OnDemand and for Download from Warner Home Video.
Nobody captures villainy quite like James Woods. The two-time Emmy Award winning actor steals his every scene as the voice of Owlman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, an all-new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie now available from Warner Premiere, Warner Home Video, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation.
In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a “good” Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villainous characters with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman, puts the balance of all existence in peril.
Woods was the lone member of the cast not to record his lines in the presence of voice director Andea Romano and producer Bruce Timm, instead setting up shop in Providence, Rhode Island to record via ISDN line. You’ll never notice. In Owlman, Woods has crafted an affecting, subtly evil performance that brings forth a truly memorable villain in a film packed with the world’s most famous super heroes.
With two Emmy Awards and two Oscar nominations, Woods has drafted an impressive resume, capturing audiences’ imaginations with one memorable performances after another. In addition to Academy Award nods for his roles in Salvador and Ghosts of Mississippi, Woods’ list of films includes The Onion Field, Once Upon a Time in America, Against All Odds, The Hard Way, Diggstown, Casino and Contact, to name a few. Woods is featured in the upcoming remake, Straw Dogs. Woods’ television work has included his recent primetime series, Shark, as well as Emmy nods for Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story, Indictment: The McMartin Trial, Citizen Cohn and a guest role on ER. He received Emmys for his performances in My Name is Bill W. and the Hallmark telefilm, Promise.
Woods has spent more than his share of time bringing characters to animated life, parlaying his devilishly hilarious role as Hades in Disney’s 1997 film Hercules into its 65-episode television series follow-up. Since then, Woods has also voiced roles in animated film from Surf’s Up and Final Fantasy: The Spirit Within to Recess: School’s Out and Stuart Little 2. He has also had a recurring role on Family Guy and Disney’s House of Mouse.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is an original story from award-winning animation/comics writer Dwayne McDuffie (Justice League). Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday) is executive producer, and Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies) are co-directors. The full-length animated film is now available from Warner Home Video as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def, as well as single disc DVD, and On Demand and Download.
Woods chatted after his recording session – and at the New York premiere of the film last week – about the collaborative aspects of animation, his aspirations to play villainous sidekicks, the importance of super heroes for today’s society, and his inclination never to develop a super power. Stick around, it gets better …
QUESTION: What makes Owlman a great character?
JAMES WOODS: Owlman is a very, very modern character. He's really the doppelganger of Batman who, himself, of course, is a very Dark Knight, torn in his motivations, wanting to avenge the death of his parents. Ultraman is the leader of the Crime Syndicate, but he’s just a tough guy who solves things more with the blunt end of a bat. He’s all brute force. Owlman is the brains of the organization, and he is a thinker, which is ironic in that his greatest strength is really his ultimate undoing.
Owlman is a very calculating, dangerous individual because of his extraordinary brain power. And at the same time, it causes him to have incredibly dark, existential reservations about his acts. He’s very self-destructive and self-loathing. The whole future of the multiverse may be in his hands in our story.
Owlman fires a shot at Wonder Woman during an action-packed scene in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the next DC Universe animated original movie.
QUESTION: Knowing all of that, how did you choose to implement those characteristics into the vocal performance?
JAMES WOODS: You know, this process of creating a comic brought to life is very interesting, especially a sophisticated comic like this story. I had a thought of his being a very sardonic, almost charmingly sarcastic character. But I started to think that that was a little bit like Heath Ledger's wonderful performance in The Dark Knight as the Joker. And I must say that Andrea (Romano) and Bruce (Timm) were very helpful in helping to interpret the character. We settled on a very existential, depressed man, almost like a Jacobian character, who sort of feels that nothing matters. And there's nothing more dangerous than a man who has his finger on the trigger and believes that nothing matters.
It's a wonderful character to work on because you have to do certain things with your voice. I'm a very passionate, animated actor. There are people like William Hurt, a wonderful Academy Award-winning actor, who are great at being very spare in the use of their voice. I am a guy who's a little more dynamic, so for me to repress myself, it leads to a kind of different character than I usually get to do. It's a lot of fun for me to play something that's not innately or instinctively what I would do. And then the great collaboration comes from these wonderful artists, including the director, the producer, the writer. Everybody has an artistic vision of how things should be and, when you work together, you come up with some confluence of ideas that creates a unique character. I really think we came up with something nice.
QUESTION: Can you elaborate on the romantic side of Owlman?
JAMES WOODS: In our story, Owlman and Superwoman have this strange, power-hungry kind of, I won't call it love affair, but certainly a strange attraction. And it is the dark side of love, so it involves all kinds of power and domination. Owlman really makes her need him without giving her any kindness. That's the nature of a dark, dark character like this. So they have this really brutal, bitter kind of love. And to get that kind of tone into it was kind of strange, because it's not what love would be about. So you have to do things that are kind of counterintuitive, but it's fun to try it.
QUESTION: What's the joy for you in playing a villain, particularly this type of cerebral one?
JAMES WOODS: Villains are the best characters to play because the possibilities are really quite endless. A hero has certain things that we expect of him or her, while a villain can be pretty far out there. Owlman wants to destroy everything, and yet is fascinated by how the world became so awful, in his mind. And he blames it on man and on choice.
All the things that we as civilized human beings celebrate – the freedom of being able to choose and to have free will – Owlman sees as the source of chaos throughout the universe and the alternate universes. He sees everything wrong in all of these universes as being a permutation of choice. I think most people would agree that choice has allowed people to create, to put man on the moon and write Hamlet. And people can aspire to do good. Owlman see the opposite -- he sees the celebration of evil as a way of asserting one's meaning in life, and the way to have meaning is to have things be meaningless. It's a strange, strange thought, but there are pretty sophisticated 20th century existential philosophers who've said the same thing. It’s pretty impressive to realize that comic books get that fundamental in terms of a philosophical understanding of the human condition. It's much more sophisticated than you expect when you get involved with doing an animated super hero movie.
QUESTION: Is that a direct reflection of why comics are so popular?
JAMES WOODS: Comics have never really talked down to their audience. The comics have always respected what the audience wants. I have always said that one of the greatest faux pas made by the denizens in the film business is that they tend to want to put their own personal points of view – whether they be political, spiritual, religious, whatever – on their stories and promote their own agenda rather than respect what the audience is looking to hear and see. We should get into their wheelhouse and not be ashamed to sell a hero to people who love the idea of good versus evil. You know good versus evil worked great for Sophocles? It worked great for Shakespeare and it certainly works great for Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern … and Owlman.
Owlman flies into battle in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the next DC Universe animated original movie.
QUESTION: Was there a stash of DC Comics on your nightstand as a kid?
JAMES WOODS: I don't know anybody in America who didn't read Superman and Batman. I was young enough that I actually watched George Reeves on television, and when he took off, I would believe it like any other kid. It was amazing that he was flying around in that black and white television. He used to hop and probably crash on a set of cardboard boxes right off the camera. But to me, there he was – Superman – flying around, saving the day.
I actually liked the idea of Superman because it was so pure. I liked the guy who was kind of away from his own home and, in a kind of way, a little lonely, but trying to do good in a place where he was always kind of an outsider. Batman always disturbed me because he was so dark and so full of sadness and rage. It's interesting because playing Owlman is full of an emotion that is actually probably less angry and vengeful, and almost demonic in its passion than Batman. Owlman’s darkness is such an empty void of soullessness.
And yes, I’ve always been a fan of the comics, especially in their reflection of the times. Our country has gone through enormous cultural changes in the past 50 years, and DC Comics was always very hip to those changes. They weren't afraid of them. They just wanted to ride with them. They know their audience.
QUESTION: Would you like to be a super hero?
JAMES WOODS: I like the idea of being Owlman. He’s got it made. Think about it. The dark side of all these superpowers is that, as a super hero, you’re always inclined to use them for everybody else. What makes that so great? You're sitting around, the clicker in hand. You're in your nice old pajamas, you’ve got your Uggs on, you just settled in to watch Gladiator for the 58th time. You got some popcorn, the pizza just arrived – it's gonna be terrific. And suddenly it’s “Oh crap, they just blew up the U.S. Mint!” And I’ve got to put on that rubber suit – and don’t forget the talcum powder – and rush into action. Who wants to wear latex all the time? Harvey Fierstein? Not me. I don't want any superpowers. If they offer, I’ll politely decline.
QUESTION: You’ve played a lot of characters in both live-action and animation. What role are you still waiting for?
JAMES WOODS: I would like to do a doofy henchman. I'm always the guy in control. I'm always going to destroy the universe and then I'm gonna go get a sandwich. (he laughs) I’d like to be the guy who says “Hey, I can go and get the sandwich for you while you destroy the universe, and then we can go get some key lime pie.” I'm so tired of being the “A” personality in the villainy department. Give me the goofy henchman. I think that would be fun.
QUESTION: When you portray real life figures like cops and lawyers, you can research, you can talk to cops, you can talk to lawyers. In playing a superhero, what kind of research did you do before you stepped into the booth?
JAMES WOODS: That is an interesting thing that people don't understand about animated work. The voice actor does a lot to create the character. It's amazing. I mean, obviously the writers and the directors and the producers have set up months or years of work to prepare it. But I've been in situations where, unfortunately, maybe an actor was replaced, not because he was doing a bad job, but because it just wasn't working somehow. It's a very unique thing. For all these big animated movies, no matter who you are, you audition. Mel Gibson at the height of his career, had to audition. Everybody does – because they want to hear the voice, and sometimes you come in with a slant that will bring the character to life. I did a television series called Shark. I played a very sophisticated lawyer, a very dark guy. We had a former Dream Team district attorney as one our technical advisers. Five of the writers were lawyers. So we had all the resources to make the characters real. But there’s no place you can go to ask how a super hero behaves. You don't get to ask those questions. You kind of have to figure it out. So you go in with an open mind and things kind of just come to you.
Sometimes you really fall flat on your face, and I'm sure we all have. But by and large, usually everybody figures it out together. And it's fun. Really fun. I love doing these animated films because I think the actor has a great deal more input into the creation of the character than he or she does when you're doing a real-life film, even though there's a lot more acting involved when you're being photographed. In animation, you have the possibility of improvising. We work alone and use a great deal of imagination, and rely just on our instincts to create the character.
Owlman (voiced by James Woods) gets the upper hand on Batman (voiced by William Baldwin) in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the next DC Universe animated original movie.
QUESTION: Was there any particular scene in the script that stood out for you?
JAMES WOODS: There's a wonderful sequence in this story where Owlman and his opposite spiritual twin, Batman, have a confrontation about the future of the multiverse, all the universes, all the earths that were created. And it was a very sophisticated conversation about the existential meaning of life. I'm reading this thing and thinking, “This is a comic book character talking?” I mean, it was very sophisticated, and I found myself wondering how you would do that.
I thought, this is like The Remains Of The Day with Anthony Hopkins -- it's that kind of character. He's a character speaking with such a loss of any ability to dream for anything good. It was all about a dark, empty void of the meaningless existence. When you read something that deep, you find yourself instinctively going to a better level of performance. So it wasn't a challenge so much as an invitation to be unique and maybe better.
QUESTION: Have you had any reaction from your fans – or the legions of fanboys – to your playing the role of Owlman?
JAMES WOODS: They talk about fanboys and the Comic-Con audience and so on, calling them geeks and such. But I have to tell you – those guys know what they like, and they embrace the hard work that goes into these stories. And it's really fun to give them what they want, because I'm a fanboy at heart. I'm much older than the usual base, but I have to say – I love these characters. And I love being one of them. I would be Owlman forever. I love the concept.
QUESTION: Why do you think super heroes are important today to people?
JAMES WOODS: I think there aren't a lot of heroes in the world today because there aren't a lot of clear cut battles. It's really hard to know who the enemy is today. I don't know who the enemy is. I know we are at war, but I don't know who the enemy is. And I don't think anybody else does. It's like the enemy is famine and despair and the banality of evil. In comparison, World War II was easy. Hitler was a good enemy – a dark character who did heinous things to millions and millions of people, and enlisted the help of others who may or may not have been inclined to do so until he inspired them to be at their worst.
But in this day and age, there are people who hate people that other people completely admire. And the people who admire that person are decent people. I think our politics are so divisive in this country and so bitter because I don't think anybody on either side of the political divide has a bad intention. I think they want things to be good, they just see a very, very different way of going about it. And yet they're so hard on each other. I'm always disappointed by how negative and petty people are on either side of the equation in politics. And that's a symbol of how disruptive our spirituality is right now in the world. I think that's why super heroes are important because, in the long run, at the end of Act III, their triumph is something that fills us with joy because their triumph is a clear cut victory in a world where almost nothing is clear cut.
For more information, images and updates, please visit the film’s official website at www.JUSTICELEAGUECRISIS.com.
Nicholas Cage, Ryan Reynolds to Star in DreamWorks' "The Croods"
Variety is reporting that Nicholas Cage and Ryan Reynolds are set to star in DreamWorks Animation's The Croods, scheduled for release in 2012. Cage is to be a caveman leading his clan to a new home who butts heads with a charming nomad, who will be played by Reynolds. The film will be co-directed by Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) and Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon).
Bob Peterson Talks Dogs and Dug
Bob Peterson, the co-director of UP and voice of Dug, is interviewed by Glenn Close about his affection for dogs. He offers some good details on how he developed the personalities of the dog characters in UP.
(Thanks cartoon brew)
Explore New Toy Story 3 Characters
I think if any other feature film released footage this uninspired, I’d simply click onward. But it’s Toy Story 3, for crying out loud. I’d post footage of the Pixar render farm chewing through test shots. Here’s two character samples from new additions for the upcoming film, which hits theaters on Jun 18th.
Lots-O-Huggin-Bear
Ken
Pleix Hatches Piu For Warm&Fuzzy
Piu is a new musically-driven short that weaves together shape-based character animation with live-action video. It was created by Pleix for the French production company Warm&Fuzzy. The animation isn’t terribly complex, but it’s damn stylish.
Osolya Turns Anima Festival Upside Down
Hungarian animator Bella Szederkényi’s 5-minute film, titled Osolya, introduces us to a woman who discovers a sudden change in her body that turns her world upside down. The film was produced as part of her studies at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, and the short just won the top prize in the Graduation Film category at this year’s Anima Festival, otherwise known as the Brussells Animation Film Festival
Dutch Stop Motion Video is Grindin’
100% Halal director Rogier van der Zwaag moonlights as a DJ for the group Nobody Beats The Drum (along with Jori Collignon and Sjam Sjamsoedin). So it should be no surprise that he makes his own music videos, like this one below, titled Grindin’. And below that, check out the making of segment, which they shot at their studio in Amsterdam.
The making of -
The Disney Afternoon
I spent a portion of my post-lunch day at the Hat Building, doing my usual rounds. And the place was peaceful.
Tangled, the movie in production, is generally liked, although some departments on the first floor are still waiting for the production wave to hit at full force.
Winnie the Pooh (the next feature up) is going full-tilt in the layout department, although some animators don't have a lot of scenes yet. Meanwhile, animation staffers attended a meeting about new ideas for hand-drawn production. (The word is that the company would like to see The Princess & The Frog hit $300 million globally, the better to get into clearly profitable territory, and of course now it's below that magical figure. "But the merchandise has sold well.")
In the bigger corporate picture, Robert Iger is in an acquisitive mood:
Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger, 59, is on a spending spree at the world’s biggest media company to transform his film studio, amusement parks and stores. In fiscal 2009, net income at Disney fell 25 percent to $3.3 billion -- the worst annual performance in Iger’s five-year reign -- and was almost flat in the first quarter of 2010 compared with a year earlier. ...
... In December, Disney completed its $4.3 billion purchase of Marvel Entertainment Inc., home of Iron Man, Spider-Man and the X-Men, paying a 40 percent premium over the stock price. ... In December, S&P affirmed its earlier revised outlook on Disney’s debt to negative from stable, citing concerns about the company’s recovery, the growth in spending and threats from deep-pocketed rivals...
“Disney is going to be basically doubling what they are spending,” says James Tarkenton, a managing director at Lateef Investment Management ....
Looks to me like the Disney CEO is planning to do whatever it takes to goose Diz Co.'s profit margins. Some big buys and big bets going on just now. Here's hoping they pan out.
Add On: As long as we're on Disney, the Mouse is teaming with the Getty on a worthwhile preservation program.
... The Getty Conservation Institute said Wednesday that it is partnering with a division of Disney to study the deterioration that can occur in plastics -- specifically, the kind used in animation cels.
The study will be conducted as a partnership between the Getty Institute in Brentwood and the Disney Animation Research Library ...
Some of the cels already examined by the Getty show that paint is starting to come away from parts of the plastic, while others show signs of warping and yellowing ...
The Disney Animation Research Library houses an estimated 65 million pieces of animation created over more than 80 years by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. ...
(Thanks Animation Guild Blog)
Lemming Watch
We should all celebrate the success of Alvin and the Chipmunks and sequel. Because it means that all over Tinsel Town, movie execs are shouting into their cell phones: Quick! What other cartoon characters we got out there?!"
And now we have our answer:
Speedy Gonzales is taking his folk hero status, incredible speed and signature red kerchief to the big screen, courtesy of New Line. "Garfield" scribes Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen will adapt the classic animated Looney Tunes character into a live-action/CG hybrid feature. ...
We are fortunate that Warner Brothers Animation and other studios developed a variety of cartoon characters in the thirties, forties, and fifties. Because it gives Hollywood a lot of different choices as it populates the oncoming tidal wave of hybrid animated features.
(Thanks Animation Guild Blog)
Animated Review of Avatar
Nobody’s come forward to claim responsibility for this elaborate animated review of Avatar. I particularly like how they (I’m assuming more than one person made it) used the same performance capture animation technique as the film itself. Stats on YouTube show that the video is popular in New Zealand, but word on the street is that it’s not WETA. Hmmm . . .
(Thanks, Kim Hazel)
(Thanks cartoon brew)
'Iron Man' Costumes And Props To Be Auctioned At C2E2 Convention In April
If you've ever wished that you could be a bit more like Iron Man, you're in luck — in April, you'll have a chance to own some of Tony Stark's most prized possessions.In celebration of the imminent release of Marvel Studios and director Jon Favreau's "Iron Man 2," Marvel Entertainment is planning to auction several props and costumes from the original "Iron Man" film at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) held from April 16 - 18, 2010. Propworx Inc. is producing the auction.
Among the 225 items being auctioned are the schematic drawings of the Mark I armor drafted by Tony while in captivity, Stark's very own pinstripe suit and Iron Man's crushed Mark II helmet.
Fans that aren't able to attend C2E2 can still participate in the auction through online means. After the live auction concludes in Chicago, other "Iron Man" collectible items will be available on eBay.
"It is always great to involve our fans in the making of our films and now we have the chance to allow them to take a piece home with them," Marvel Studios' Director of Production Operations Jordan Hudson said in an issued statement. "IRON MAN has already proven to resonate with moviegoers all over the world and now each of them has the chance to own some of the greatest items seen in the film just a few weeks before the continuation of Tony Stark's adventures in IRON MAN 2."
James Cameron explains: Why exactly do Na'vi have breasts?
The Na'vi aren't mammals, right? No need to breastfeed, no need for nipples. So how come Zoe Saldana's character, Neytiri, has a pair of pixelated breasts? James Cameron has already told Playboy that "Right from the beginning I said, 'She's got to have t-ts,' even though that makes no sense because her race, the Na'vi, aren't placental mammals."
But that still doesn't answer the question—why?
Turns out, according to Cameron, that it's all our fault.
As reported by The Huffington Post, when pressed for a better explanation by interviewer James Lipton during the taping of an upcoming episode of Inside the Actors Studio, Cameron said, "Because this is a movie for human people." Which he further explained basically means, "Let's focus on things that can create otherness that are not off-putting."
Freddy's way scarier in new Nightmare on Elm Street trailer
"One, two, Freddy's coming for you ... "
The new trailer has gone live on MySpace for the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, and you can view its full awesomeness below.
The new trailer shows us a lot more of nightmare Freddy, played by Jackie Earle Haley, as well as the new kids on the Elm Street block, played by Katie Cassidy, Rooney Mara, Thomas Dekker and Kellan Lutz.
In particular, we get to see scenes that are straight homages to the original movie: The claws in the bathtub, the girl floating above the bed and Freddy stretching the wall, not to mention the iconic images of the fiery basement, the little kids skipping rope, the works.
Looks like the producers of last year's Friday the 13th have crafted a loving remake that is faithful to the original in some details, but completely new and a heck of a lot scarier.
What do you think?? Just speaking for us, we can't wait until April 30 ... if we can stay awake that long.
Fan pays $31,100 for a Doctor Who Dalek, is exterminated
Not really, but somebody really did pay $31,100 for a prop Dalek from Doctor Who at a London auction yesterday, and someone else paid nearly $24,000 for another one.
STV.tv reports:
The black painted prop mutant used in the 1985 edition of the BBC science fiction show raised £20,400 [about $31,100 U.S.] when it went under the hammer at Bonham's auction house in London. Another Dalek, a white model from 1988, made £15,600 [$23,784].
The exterminating aliens were the highest-earning items up for sale that day, which also included clothing worn by the show's characters, including two sets of pajamas and a French maid's outfit, both worn by Billie Piper—who played the Doctor's assistant Rose Tyler in 2005 and 2006—which fetched £1,000 ($1,525) each and £3,600 ($5,489) respectively. Click over to find out what else sold and for how much.
Would you have paid that much for a Dalek? We would have paid twice as much, but not $1 million, which we're saving for that Action Comics number one. Also, we think they're a little dangerous to have around the house, don't you?
A Speedy Decision Made On Who Is Directing The Flash
IESB got word about who is the top contender for The Flash, the DC comic speedy super hero. The project has been picking up steam now that Green Lantern is currently shooting.IESB has more:
IESB has learned exclusively that WB is lining up a director for another high profile DC character; Greg Berlanti is the leading contender to helm "The Flash". The name should ring a bell or two, Berlanti wrote "Green Lantern" with one my favorites Marc Guggenheim and was once attached to direct the film before WB settled on Martin Campbell From what IESB is hearing WB is very high on Berlanti from his prep on "Green Lantern" and would love him to run with "The Flash".
Click HERE to read the rest.
I don't care who is directing it, just get it going! It's good news that WB and DC are going full steam ahead with all of these super hero projects. But what's up with Wonder Woman?
(Thanks Latino Review)
New Iron Man 2 Featurette
MSN's France branch has a brand new featurette of Iron Man 2. There are the usual clips of actors talking about how awesome the movie is. Mickey Rourke explains how Favreau only hires talened actors (nice to be humble) while Scarlet lets us know that the Monaco sequence is "off the hook."There are a couple of new clips as well. Stark walking down the hall to meet Whiplash in a holding cell. I assume Tony manages to get his armor on when Whiplash attacks him during the race and manages to apprehend him.
Sorry, no new footage of War Machine.
You can check out the featurette by clicking HERE.
(Thanks Latino Review)
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