by James O’Shea

@Hollywoodreporter, reports that DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon is up for the running for Best Picture! for the Oscars, as well as Best Animated Feature? Congrats to DreamWorks Animation!

@/Film, states that what would have been, for the cancelled Pixar film, Newt. The original director for Newt was Gary Rydstrom, who directed the Pixar short, Lifted. Check out very cool character designs and story ideas in the full gallery on Disney/Pixar’s Facebook page here.

@GeekTyrant, reports that the SyFy Channel is developing a prequel to Peter Pan called, Neverland. The same company who brought you Syfy’s Tin Man and Alice, written and directed by Nick Willing.

In DVD releases, we have a really cool briefcase for the special edition for Inception DVD Blu-Ray, which among bonus footage includes, four art cards showing the main key art, and a spinning top from the film. This limited edition will be available December 6. Look at a sneak peak, here.

Then there is the new cable series on Starz called, Spartacus: Blood and Sand - Season 1, which is going to be released on September 21st on DVD/Blu-Ray with extended bonus footage of behind the scenes of the groundbreaking visual effects.  Read more about the release as well as the TV Spots, here.

@FilmSchoolRejects, reports that the novel Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Browne, is going to be adapted into a film featuring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Scarlett Johansson. It’s one of those Zombie romance stories you hear everyday. Speaking of Joe, there is this very unique professional collaboration company started with Joseph Gordon Levitt and his brother where anybody can contribute and “remix” into their own project called, HITRECORD.org

by James O’Shea

@CartoonBrew, reports that Sony Pictures Classics has picked up Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist for North American distribution.  So that means we can expect the DVD, here in the states by the end of the year! If you haven’t heard or seen it yet, check this clip out.

Say it ain’t so! Studio Ghibli closing down?! or to make a sequel to Porco Rosso in order to keep the studio going? Read the brief @BleedingCool.

Check out this very Sin-City style, cool teaser trailer promoting Gucci Guilty from Frank Miller. You can watch the full version on September 12, 2010 on the MTV Video Music Awards.

Gary Rydstrom (Director of Pixar’s Lifted & Sound Design veteran extraordinaire) discusses what he worked on for the US dub release of the animated version of  Ursula Le Guin’s Tales From Earthsea directed by Goro Miyazaki. He even talks about what he’s up to at Pixar and his transition from Skywalker Sound to Pixar. Read the article @SFGate.

By Anthony Luis Rivera

Boxofficemojo.com reports this weekend’s box office numbers were flat! Two new comers take over the top two spots. Takers “take” the top spot with 20.5 million followed by The Last Exorcism missing the top spot gnarly with 20.3 million.. At #3 The Expendables with 9.5 million, then Eat Pray Love at 6.8 million and rounding out the top 5 this week is The Other Guys with 6.2 million.

AWN reports that Disney/Pixar will cross the $1 Billion dollar threshold with Toy Story 3 at the global box off making A) Toy Story 3 the all time highest grossing animated film ever! b) This is the 2nd feature this year for Disney TS3 is joined by Alice in Wonderland.

Geektyrant.com talks about custom made Nike Batman and Robin shows along with several more designs! Go check out the really cool designs in this article!

Geektyrant.com also has a cool rumor about a new Ghostbusters 3 Plot leak and they say it sounds good!

i09.com gives a great book review on the Inception screenplay with some interior scans of a few of the storyboards and art work!

by James O’Shea

Don’t forget about the EPIC Special deal going on with our First 3 Storyboard Online Classes for just $30: Click Here NOW!

The Avatar Re-Release comes out today in Theatres!, again. Be sure to check it out on the big screen or even IMAX if you missed it previously. And when it comes out on DVD in November they’re adding seven extra minutes to the film, with a total of 16 extra minutes from the theatrical cut!

Pixar Animator Sanjay Patel is featured on this profile on PBS, and discusses his personal artwork after hours his day job @Pixar. Check it out on PixarPlanet.

@Geektyrant, here’s an awesome new live-action video game trailer for Bungie’s upcoming video game Halo: Reach.  The trailer was directed by commercial director Noam Murro, and is titled, Deliver Hope. This is the second trailer in the series, the first trailer was released earlier this year called Birth of a Spartan. Now we just need to push forth the actual Feature film of Halo, which was originally started with Neill Blomkamp, but got cancelled.

by James O’Shea

Why Do Critics Care if The Audience Hates the Movies They Like? Find out the argument between how Scott Pilgrim did against The Expendables and Eat, Pray, Love on Screenrant.com

Back to the big screen? You guessed it. AVATAR! This Friday, August 27, 2010! with 9 extra minutes included. Here’s an interview with the man himself as well as info on the new project with Guillermo del Toro.

In New Releases, we have the new Special Edition of James and the Giant Peach, which has all kinds of goodies including storyboards of the feature. Check out the review, here. Next, We have the book of two of animations most prolific story artists of our time and help shape the popular films we love today called, Two Guys named Joe - Master Animation Storytellers with Joe Grant & Joe Ranft. See the review on Parkablogs.com

Disney-Pixar have withdrawn from the Annie Awards and ASIFA, due to ASIFA’s questionable policy. Check out the full article on Variety.

By Anthony Luis Rivera

Boxofficemojo.com has the latest numbers for the top grossing movies. Coming in at #1 for the second consecutive week is The Expendables, took in 16.5 million, followed by a new release Vampires Suck which brought in 12.2 million, at #3 Eat Prey Love with 12 million, then another new release in Lottery Ticket, with 11.1 million and rounding out the top five is The Other Guys with 10.1 million. Kind of a slow box office weekend from last, but I am sure that with the US holiday weekend coming up it will be really interesting to see if The Expendables can hold onto the top spot!

GeekTyrant.com talks to Sunday Herald Sun, about the black widow and if she will be the only female hero character for the film. Inquiring   minds want to know….

Also, at GeekTyrant.com reports that DreamWorks Animation is developing a film film entitled: Imaginary Enemies. The new project, will be written by Joe Syracuse and Lisa Addario, with Mike Mitchell (Sherk Forever After, Kung Fu Panda) slated to do the directing.

Aint It Cool News has a great interview with Guillermo Del Toro about his latest projects and the one that got away!

By Anthony Luis Rivera

AWN had Andrew Cawrse, founder and director of Anatomy Tools.com take Wacom’s New Cintiq 21 UX for a test drive and you would be amazed to find out what he thought!

io9.com has a great article on this Fall’s movie preview: 10 movies we’re sure will rule, and 10 that might surprise us. I say take a read and see what is on the slate that might be of interest to head out to the box office as the season changes.

Geektyrant.com has a write up on this killer looking prequel graphic novel for the upcoming movie TRON: Legacy entitled TRON: Betrayal. The write up has some really sweet images to the November released  and October  2-issue graphic novel ; from artist Jock and written by Jal Nitz.

Geektyrant.com also has a release from DreamWorks Animation that they have casted Seth Rogen for the lead role of a new animated filed they are developing called Boo U. This will be a 3D release and directed by Tony Leondis.

By Anthony Luis Rivera

AWN reports that DreamWorks Animation is venturing into the a more collectable arena with it’s recent formation of DreamWorks Animation Fine Art, works from the movies hang in galleries all over the country (including the Van Eaton in Sherman Oaks, CA and Animazing in New York).

AWN also is reporting that Warner Bros. Animation’s  series Batman Beyond is set to come to DVD for the first time in its entirety. The Complete series presents nearly 20 hours of animation spread over 52 episodes, as well as all-new bonus featurettes  and a 24 page, 8′x12′ collectible booklet.

Movieweb.com reports that Apocalypse Now will finally be released on Blu-ray in two separate editions on October 19, 2010. The two-disc set, which will include both Apocalypse Now and Apocalpse Now Redux films. Also a three-disc, three-film set will include those films and the 1991 documentary: Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.

MTV News reports director Guillermo del Toro told them about his “Hellboy” plans, and it might all come down to if he can get Ron Perlman back into the make-up chair for a re-up for his role.

By Anthony Luis Rivera

This weekends box office has a new #1 movie, and that movie is The Expendables. Boxofficemojo.com placed The Expendables at the top of the box office list with $34.825 million in it’s first weekend. (I think this might be from the amazing hype this action based movie received at last months comic-con). Eat Pray Love came in #2 with 23.1 million followed by The Other Guys with 17.4 million in it’s second week. Inception fell to #4 with 11.285 million and rounding out the top five is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World scoring 10.6 million in it’s first weekend gross. (Though I have heard a lot of great stuff about the #5 movie and think these number will only get better with it’s strong review and word of mouth).

This last weekend at Star Wars Celebration John stewart interviewed director George Lucas for a full hour. Geektyrant.com has the full video of what took place!

Aintitcool News reports that Lucas himself reports to The New York Times that all 6 Star Wars movies are coming to blue-ray next year, oh joy!!!

Aintitcool News has this report about problems with the future of any new projects in the Terminator universe. They had reported of a developing movie called Terminator 3000 which a company called Hannover House was moving along with the 70 million, PG-13, animated theatrical film. Looks like Hannover House doesn’t have the rights to make the film and more legal issues may be in stored.

by James O’Shea

There goes the Best Original Screenplay, Christopher Nolan stole the idea of Inception from Scrooge McDuck? To see the comic, go here @hollywoodreporter.com

Here are a few lessons studios can take away on what it takes be at the top spot at the box office. Film.com shows us how it’s done.

Why is Toy Story 3, the Highest grossing film to come out from Pixar? And why they are one of the most admired studios in the world. Lets find out and see the results, shall we! @Screenrant.com

According to Ramascreen.com, There is going to be another Animated Terminator Film, but Animated!? They say it will be based more on characters and situations the first Terminator film (1984).

Filmschoolrejects.com reveals 5 really good reasons why you should see Scott Pilgrim vs The World this weekend. Let’s go see it now!

Here’s a new trailer for the upcoming documentary(based on the book of the same name) film called, Freakonomics: