Ben Price: News - 04/29/10...

Hollywood Reporter roundup: Peanuts and Dragon 2

THR today reports that the licensing company Iconix has reached an agreement to buy United Features Syndicate’s stake in the Peanuts characters and other brands for $175 million. Iconix will acquire UFS’ 80% share, with the remaining 20% retained by the Charles Schulz family.

With $180m in box-office grosses so far, DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg has announced How To Train Your Dragon is the next of the studio’s properties to become franchised, with a film sequel set for 2013, a television series and other events including an arena show planned. After a middling opening, Dragon’s good reviews has seen it play at the top of the charts for weeks, with Katzenberg calling it “beloved”, and he has similar hopes for this fall’s Megamind and holiday specials for Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.

Zagtoons Turns Besson’s Arthur Into Toon Series

Luc Besson’s hybrid animation and live action movie Arthur and the Minimoys is on its way to becoming an animated series.

Besson’s Europacorp has signed up Zagtoon to adapt the movie into a series. Zagtoon, founded last year by entrepreneur Jeremy Zag and run by animation veteran Jacqueline Tordjman.

Tordjman’s credits include Goldorak, Inspector Gadget, Iznogoud and Combo Ninos.

(Thanks Animation Magazine)

McCann Takes Over Top Spot at Nick U.K.

Tina McCann has been tapped as the new senior VP and managing director of Nickelodeon U.K.

McCann comes to the job from Turner Broadcasting, where she was acting chief content officer for kid-targeted entertainment brands, including Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Cartoonito, across EMEA. She is credited with launching 17 channels, including Cartoon Network and TCM across Europe.

She replaces Howard Litton, who left Nick U.K. earlier this year after 15 years with the channel.

McCann will begin her new job May 10, and reports to the Nick U.K. board.

Nick U.K. also announced the promotion of Andy Goodhand to senior VP of strategy and planning director. He will report to McCann.

(Thanks Animation Magazine)

Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool

I really love this bizarre retro-ish mixed media music video for the British indie band Editors, directed by the Lennox Brothers (Lee & Wayne) at London’s Between The Eyes. As for what it all means, the band says:

“Ultimately the video paints a truthful picture of the lies which affect our current state of existence in a (so called) free world. From the moment we’re born we are controlled, manipulated, and led astray from what really matters in life - freedom. We are orchestrated from high above; even our leaders are merely puppets/clowns with their strings being pulled by powerful groups out of sight. Conspiracy theories, Illuminati, The New World Order; the free world is no longer free, our decisions no longer our own. An Orwellian future which has come to be realised within our own lifetime - A case of the corrupt blind leading the free minds.”

(Thanks Cartoon Brew)

Fixed Fluid Fragmented by Michel Gagné

How do you do something new when you’ve already made your own animated shorts, worked on features and TV shows,, and created comics, illustrated books, video games and toys? For the prolific and creatively restless Michel Gagné, the answer is Fixed Fluid Fragmented, a live performance piece that will debut at Vancouver’s Roundhouse Performance Centre on June 25th. The project was developed in conjunction with composer Barry Guy who will be leading an improvisational music group alongside the animation.

Gagné’s explanation of the idea sounds similar to VJing concepts albeit mixed with a filmmaker’s sensibility. He writes: “I’ve been developing techniques and technology that will go way beyond playing a movie on a screen behind performing musicians. In fact, I will PLAY the animation as if I was playing a musical instrument. I will be creating the final images, live, on stage, interacting with the musicians in a way that, to my knowledge, has never been seen before.”

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at this link. I’m intrigued and wouldn’t miss this if I were anywhere near Vancouver on June 25.

(Thanks Cartoon Brew)

"The Art of How to Train Your Dragon" reveals the film that DreamWorks Animation almost made

Jim Hill reviews Tracey Miller-Zarneke's latest making-of book. Which walks you through many of the hard choices that Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold had to make while they were adapting Cressida Cowell's book to the screen

Did you see where “How to Train Your Dragon” was No. 1 again at the box office this past weekend? According to Box Office Mojo, if this Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois film keeps up this pace, it will soon become DreamWorks Animation’s highest grossing non-Shrek movie.

Which is kind of ironic. Given that – as Tracey Miller-Zarneke’s excellent new making-of book, “The Art of How to Train Your Dragon” (Newmarket Press, March 2010), clearly points out – this isn’t the movie that DreamWorks Animation initially set out to make.

Excerpted from THE ART OF HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, Preface by Cressida Cowell, Foreword by Craig Ferguson, Text by Tracey Miller-Zarneke
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (TM) & (C) 2010 DreamWorks Animation,
L.L.C. Reprinted by permission of Newmarket Press, 18 East
48 Street, New York, NY 10017, www.newmarketpress.com

... a part of this animated version of Cowell's book until they realized that ... Well, to quote "How to Train Your Dragon" 's producer Bonnie Arnold: "Due to time constraints and the fact that (Valhallarama) 's existence diluted the principal relationship of this film -- that of father and son -- she had to go."

That's what makes Tracey Miller-Zarneke's "The Art of How to Train Your Dragon" such an entertaining read. This 160-page hardcover puts you right in the room with Sanders, DeBlois and Arnold as they take Cressida's characters and stories and ... Well, as Dean put it:

"It was our goal to take the original concept of the story and bring it to the level of some of our favorite adventure fantasy films, with real world stakes, exciting action sequences, and more mature character interactions and themes."

And when you're the ones who have to make all of the tough creative calls, it's sometimes heartbreaking what you have to leave behind. Take -- for example -- this early, early concept painting for the Red Death, the Godzilla-sized beast who serves as "How to Train Your Dragon" 's main villain.

Excerpted from THE ART OF HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, Preface by Cressida Cowell, Foreword by Craig Ferguson, Text by Tracey Miller-Zarneke
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (TM) & (C) 2010 DreamWorks Animation,
L.L.C. Reprinted by permission of Newmarket Press, 18 East
48 Street, New York, NY 10017, www.newmarketpress.com

When it came to this character, the idea that the DreamWorks Animation story team originally toyed with was making the Red Death a creature of the sea. As Miller-Zarneke explains in her text:

Character designer Nicolas Marlet drafted a wondrous creature replete with a jellyfishlike bioluminescence; a coral-shaped mane with stylized tendrils that float like sea planets and detailed, barnicle-inspired scale designs. "But this was too elegant of a dragon, which made it too hard to want to see it killed," recalls Production Designer Kathy Altieri.

There are dozens of stories like this in "The Art of How to Train Your Dragon." Not to mention hundreds of illustrations that will then walk you through the DreamWorks Animation production process. So if you'd like to know how the first animated blockbuster of 2010 (As of Monday, "How to Train Your Dragon" had a worldwide box office total of $372. 2 million) really came together, you should definitely pick up a copy of Tracey Miller-Zarneke's latest making-of book.

JEM! Voice Actor Samantha Newark Performing in Atlanta May 1st

Voice Actors in the News reports that Samantha Newark (JEM! and the Holograms, Transformers) will be performing live in concert on Saturday, May 1st at 8:00 PM as part of the "Free Comic Book Day" festivities at Galactic Quest comic shop in Lawrenceville, GA.

Please visit GalacticQuest.com for event location and details.

New Online Trailer For Toy Story 3

This new online trailer for the upcoming sequel Toy Story 3 reveals all sorts of new footage, and particularly focuses on Buzz Lightyear’s language skills. The CG film hits cinemas on June 18th.

DreamWorks Animation at the Noon Hour

Today was DWA day. A lot of departments have moved into the newly expanded Lakeside Building, and I tromped around the second and third floors, seeing who had settled where.

I find the additions to Lakeside quite nice, fancy even. There are wood floors and area carpets and lots of couches and soft lights. I'm surprised I never find people sprawled in one of them taking a nap; apparently everyone is focused and energetic.

Animators are hard at work on MegaMind ("The schedule is tight ..."), and a television special that I don't think has been announced yet so I will keep my yap shut about it. Kung Fu Deux launches shortly ...

An artist and I fell into conversation about How to Train Your Dragon's soft opening, about how it's held up with good word of mouth. He was as perplexed as I was that it didn't open better, saying it's one of the best features they've done. (The only thing I can attribute it to is early, unsteady marketing and that vikings are not ... ahm ... guaranteed audience grabbers.)

As mentioned below in comments, Jeffrey K. conferenced with the business press about the company's latest numbers:

DreamWorks Animation SKG reported a 65% drop in profit in the first quarter, a swing that was the result of not having a major holiday release to power sales at the beginning of the year. ... The Glendale animation studio reported net income of $21.7 million, or 24 cents per share, on revenue of $162.1 million for the three months ended March 31 ...

DreamWorks Animation Chief Jeffrey Katzenberg said, "2010 is off to a strong start, thanks in large part to the performance of ‘How to Train Your Dragon.' "

He called the studio's latest film the company's "next franchise" and announced plans to release a sequel in 2013 ...

DreamWorks Animation, I think, is well-positioned to make a nice chunk of money this fiscal year. HTTYD will top out somewhere between $400 and $500 million in worldwide grosses. And the last installment of Shrek will come in at $700 million-plus. (I won't venture a guess how well MegaMind ultimately performs.)

All in all, the crew should be enjoying free lunches well into 2011.

(Thanks Animation Guild Blog)

FINAL NOTICE: Cartoon Brew TV’s Student Animation Festival

Last notice: Just three days left to submit to Cartoon Brew TV’s Student Animation Festival. Click HERE for rules and submission details.

(Thanks Cartoon Brew)

Enter the Void Titles

Gut-punchingly intense titles for Gaspar Noé’s Enter The Void, designed by Noé and Tom Kan. Motion graphics, experimental animation, labels as such are superfluous. These titles (music included) are fresh and exciting, and from what I’ve read about the film that follows, perfectly attuned to its tone and mood.

(Thanks Cartoon Brew)

Directors of Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks Films

(click to enlarge)

Even though I’ve always been aware of the dominance of CalArts alumni within the West Coast industry, I was still surprised to see the above chart posted on a message board. Is there any other creative industry that is so dominated by one school? I certainly can’t think of any.

A similar chart could be made for TV series produced at Nick and Cartoon Network. CalArts alumni have created Spongebob, El Tigre, Dexter’s Lab, Powerpuff Girls, My Life as a Teenage Robot, The X’s, Time Squad, Adventure Time, Fairly OddParents, Camp Lazlo, The Regular Show, the list goes on and on.

Let me be very clear. This is not meant to be twisted into a criticism of the students attending CalArts; there is an above-average level of talent that attends the school and they obviously should be delighted that people want to hire them. But on any given year, I see just as many promising animation students graduate from other schools as I do from CalArts. So the overwhelming dominance of CalArts students at the highest creative levels of certain studios strikes me as being disproportionate to the caliber of talent spread across American animation schools. If anything, it speaks volumes about the state of our industry and its inability to look for fresh ideas beyond a single safe-and-approved farm team.

The main takeaway? West Coast animation is not a level playing field that judges artists purely on the basis of skill, talent, and ideas. If you’ve gone to an animation school other than CalArts, you probably have a better shot of winning the Powerball than you do directing a film at one of these companies.

(Thanks Cartoon Brew)

Art director, comics editor Bill Dubay dead at 62

Bill DuBay, art director for the 1985-87 Marvel Productions series Jem and editor of such Warren Publishing comics as Vampirella, Eerie and Creepy, died April 15 in Portland, Oregon. He was 62.

DuBay, also art director for 1985's Robotix, had been suffering from colon cancer. Both Jem and Robotix aired in syndication as part of Marvel's Super Sunday block.

After a short fan career, DuBay turned professional in 1966 with a story for Charlton Comics. He began editing at Warren in 1972 and remained there until the company folded in 1983.

The following year, he went to work for Marvel Productions, the animation studio where Stan Lee was senior writer and studio art director. DuBay later went to Fox and helped develop the Fox Kids animation block.

DuBay was the story editor for Escape From Mongo and A Demon In His Pocket, 1986 episodes of Marvel's Defenders Of The Earth. He was the art director of My Little Pony: The Movie (1986), the 1987 syndicated TV special Barbie And The Rockers, and the direct-to-video version of Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines (1985).

Born on January 11, 1948 in San Francisco, William Bryan DuBay was the first child of Dorothy and Richard DuBay. His first wife was Peggy Buckler, sister of well-known comic-book artist Rich Buckler.

Bill DuBay is survived by his wife Venessa Hart, whom he married two months ago; children Crystal, Lisa, Bill, Daniel and Leina; grandsons KC and twins Daron and Kyle, mother and stepfather Dorothy and Dee Davis of Lincoln, California; six brothers and sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

Services were held Sunday, April 25 at West Hills Unitarian Church in Portland.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent in his name to Serenity Palliative and Hospice Care, which took such compassionate care of him in his final months of life.

'Iron Man 2' Post-Credits Scene Revealed!

One of the biggest questions surrounding "Iron Man 2" has been answered — and the movie hasn't even hit theaters yet.

Fans wondering what will appear in a "secret" post-credits scene in "Iron Man 2" received their answer today via YouTube, where the final scene of the film was revealed in the expected sketchy, shaky, hidden-camera style. And as many fans speculated, it continues the grand tradition of connecting the film to another property in development around the Marvel movie universe.

Read on for a full breakdown of the scene, and just in case it's not obvious: SPOILER WARNING!

[UPDATE: VIDEO REMOVED]

The scene begins with a black car speeding across the desert, eventually pulling up to the camera. Its New Mexico license plate reads 8RE-2Z1, and features the slogan "Land of Enchantment."

Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), who has an expanded role in "Iron Man 2," steps out of the vehicle. He looks out over a massive crater, surrounded by various vehicles.

"Sir, we've found it," he says into his phone.

The camera pans out to reveal what's at the center of the crater. It's...

Mjolnir, Thor's hammer!

Here's what it looks like:

And there you go, folks.

Yes! Ewok karaoke! (With a guest Chewbacca appearance!)

Depending on how you feel about the Ewok celebration song at the end of Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi, the idea of Ewok karaoke will either cause you to start singing along uncontrollably ... or make your teeth hurt.

As for us, we have only one thing to say about the clip Rob Tyler put together for the PDX Fest Karaoke Throwndown—

Yub nub, eee chop yub nub!

Clark Gregg's 'Iron Man 2' S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Will 'Do Some Exciting Things' In 'Thor'

Back in January, it was confirmed that Clark Gregg will reprise his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson in director Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "Thor" in addition to his return in "Iron Man 2."

And while Gregg's role in the first "Iron Man" film was relatively small, it appears that his character will be playing a much bigger role in "Thor."

"I just have been in New Mexico where I was a little more busy, dealing with the arrival of a certain Norse god," revealed Gregg during an interview with Superhero Hype. "I get to do some exciting things in some of the new stuff."

"Agent Coulson was one of the guys who wasn't really in the comic books, and he [had] a very kind of small role in 'Iron Man,'" added Gregg. "And I was just very lucky that they chose to expand that character and chosen to put him more into the universe of it. It's really a blast!"

Gregg is perhaps best known for his role as Richard Campbell on the CBS series "The New Adventures of Old Christine" opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus. He has also appeared in numerous films and TV series, including "The Shield," "The West Wing" and "(500) Days of Summer."

Additionally, Gregg wrote the screenplay for "What Lies Beneath" and was the screenwriter and director of "Choke" — an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name — with his "Iron Man 2" co-star Sam Rockwell in the leading role.

"Iron Man 2" lands on May 7, while "Thor" will drop the hammer down on May 6, 2011.

Third Batman, New Superman Part of New IMAX Deal!

Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX Corporation dropped a bombshell this morning saying that Christopher Nolan's next Batman movie and the new Superman movie are part of an up to 20-picture deal! Here's an excerpt from the press release at ComingSoon.net:

Under the agreement, Warner Bros. movies that will be released in IMAX are: Legends of the Guardian: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 3D (September 24, 2010); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (3D) (November 19, 2010); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (3D) (July 15, 2011); Happy Feet 2 (3D) (November 18, 2011); and The Hobbit (December 2013). Warner Bros. and IMAX also plan to release an additional 15 films over the course of 2011, 2012 and 2013, including Gravity, Dark Shadows, Fury Road, Batman 3, and Superman.

You can read the full press release here!

UPDATE: TMNT Pic

Could this be our first look at one of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

Looks like the source of this pic has been found.

We haven't heard much about the new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. Latino Review received an image, with no further explanation, that could be our first look at how the Turtles may appear.

UPDATE: The image is not from any movie.

Latino Review has updated its original story after this picture had made the internet rounds. Some people familiar with the mask recognized it and responded. Kevin over at Fused Film tracked down the artist who is simply working on this as part of his formal education.

Hello, Kevin!

I am, in fact, the owner of the image. This is simply a portfolio shot of a animatronic head i did for class, in my fourth semester of attending the "Tom Savini Special Make-up Effects Program".

It's posted on my facebook as well as a popular FX related message board "The Effects Lab". I have no idea who sent it to Latino Review, with the assumption that it had to do with the upcoming TMNT film.

In all of MY posts of this project, i stress it was a class project, and nothing more. How it blew up to this is beyond me. But I'd be lying if i said i didn't enjoy the hell out of it! Especially seeing people's opinions on it when they think it is truly a concept for the film! It's a great honor to see my project so well received by many hardcore TMNT fans. It's also fun to see the people who HATE that direction of the characters.

Either way, i had a good laugh! Sorry i can't help you with who exactly sent it in. But i can dismiss it! If you have nay other questions, please feel free!

(Thanks Comic Book Movie)

Clash of the Titans To Receive Sequel!

But this time Louis will not be behind the camera.

This from Deadline:

"Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures are moving ahead with a sequel to Clash of the Titans, which the studio would like as early as spring, 2012. But they will make the journey without Louis Leterrier, who will not return for an encore as director. Sam Worthington will return, as well as most every other character that survived. Greg Berlanti will write the story and the studio is already canvassing the agencies for a writer and director who can whip the movie into shape to shoot before Worthington makes Avatar 2."

Word is Leterrior will be involved as Executive Producer but no word on what type of storyline the sequel will follow up with. The first installment released just last month has grossed over $390 million on a $120 million budget. Making Clash one of the years biggest movies. Pretty good return.

People like Greek mythology movies and Hollywood has rediscovered this fact after a pretty long drought. With a new director we will get to see first hand if Louis was the reason why the fans had a bad taste in their mouth after viewing Clash of the Titans.

(Thanks Comic Book Movie)

EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. Explains Where He Stands On 'Avengers,' 'Thor' And Joss Whedon

Sure, we know "Iron Man 2" star Robert Downey Jr. will blast into theaters next week as Tony Stark, but what about "The Avengers"? And what does he think about "Thor"? And while we're at it, is he a fan of rumored "Avengers" director Joss Whedon?

These are the questions on many fans' minds when it comes to the most prominent face in Marvel's movie future, and they were some of the questions we posed to Downey when he caught up with him this weekend at the "Iron Man 2" junket. And while the actor stopped short of revealing any big spoilers, he did offer some great insight regarding his new role as a spokesman for the Marvel movie universe and the rest of the films that might get a cameo from Tony Stark down the road.

"I don't know," said Downey when asked if his participation in "The Avengers" was a done deal or if there might still be some negotiation down th road. "I try not to think about that stuff, because everything changes in success, and everything changes in lack of success."

Adding that he has yet to see a script for the superhero team-up film, Downey said he also wasn't familiar with the work of rumored contender for the "Avengers" directing gig, Joss Whedon.

"I'm not very familiar with the guy, but I will let Marvel make whatever decisions they deem appropriate," he said.

However, the actor said he has visited the set of "Thor," Kenneth Branagh's upcoming take on Marvel's god of thunder.

"I take it fairly seriously," he said. "As a bit of an ambassador from Marvel, it's important for me to just show up and let these guys know there's a presence and an awareness, and a gratitude, and a bit of a commiseration — because these are tough movies to pull off."

"I think between the casting and Branagh at the helm, I particularly feel that 'Thor' is on a really solid page right now," said the actor, giving a vote of confidence to the project.

As for "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth, Downey had nothing but praise for the actor charged with wielding Mjolnir, the magic hammer of the gods.

"It's interesting, isn't it? That guy is compelling even in small doses, so I bet getting to see him fully inhabit an iconic character should be good," he said.

'Iron Man 2' Star Mickey Rourke 'Had No Idea What Was Going On In The Movie'

The proverbial cat is out of the bag regarding the secret ending of "Iron Man 2." Navigating through spoilery waters is always a bit difficult for fans, but for many of the filmmakers and actors close to the project, the secret "Iron Man 2" scene has been common knowledge for quite some time.

But it's not common knowledge for everybody — certainly not for Mickey Rourke, who said he hasn't even seen "Iron Man 2" yet.

"I have no idea," he told MTV's Josh Horowitz when asked about rumors of the secret "Iron Man" scene. "I haven't seen the film."

As "Iron Man 2" celebrated its world premiere in Los Angeles earlier this week, it's very likely that Rourke has seen the film by now. But would you believe that the actor didn't even know what "Iron Man 2" was about while shooting the film?

Believe it or not, that's the case, according to Rourke!

"If you want me to be honest with you, I've only read my part," he confessed. "I had no idea what was going on in the movie, really."

Rourke said it didn't really matter to him what was going on in "Iron Man 2" outside of his scenes as Whiplash. Given the character's status as the film's central villain, Rourke presumably knew a good deal about the movie's major action scenes, or at the very least, the Monaco Grand Prix sequence.

But Rourke's decision to focus solely on his own role extends beyond "Iron Man 2." According to the actor, he demonstrated a similar practice on another recent movie.

"I just did a movie with Megan Fox and I have no idea what's going on!" he declared.

Ben Price

Thursday, April 29, 2010

News - 04/29/10...

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