WATCH: The First 5 Minutes Of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

Here's the next iteration of the planned trilogy of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON tales - and we get to watch a full 5 minutes from it. Lots of action by way of a dragon race the vikings like to engage in, so some mild visual spoilers in this, but nothing really concerning the overall story I would say.

The imagery looks better and better everytime I see a Dreamworks Animation project! The score is well done again too and with hearing Jay Baruchel's voice again, it was a welcome memory from the first.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy brings us back to the fantastical world of Hiccup and Toothless five years after the two have successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island’s new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 flies into theaters June 13.

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

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

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

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

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

Stat Source: Box Office Mojo

4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards - Feb 6, 2013, Beverly Hills Hotel

3D Month Continues! I'm excited to announce the upcoming 3D Creative Arts Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 6th, 2013. The International 3D Society is the host. Yours truly will be there and mingling with of all those amazing and creative 3D aficionados. Expect full details!

As 3D enthusiasts yourself, I'm sure you will be interested in this gala event!

Here is the official announcement (emphasis is mine):

Dear friends,

On behalf of the Board of Governors of the International 3D Society and 3D@Home, we cordially invite you to join us as we honor the people and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the 3D arts and technologies at this year’s 4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards.

Our annual black tie dinner has become an exciting and enjoyable evening for our friends to gather and celebrate the best of 3D from around the world.

Please join us as we honor director Ang Lee for his extraordinary achievement with ‘Life of Pi,’ DreamWorks Animation (DWA) for their leadership in 3D artistic and technical achievement, and 3net as it celebrates its 2nd anniversary.

Your red carpet cocktail reception, honoring this year’s 3D Technology Award Winners, will be held at 6pm. Dinner will follow in the Crystal Ballroom at 7pm, and our program will begin promptly at 8pm.

There are a limited number of tickets and tables available, so we encourage you to RSVP as soon as you know you’d like to join us.

For all Table and Ticketing information, please call (310) 429-3830 or email info@influencepictures.com.

Join us for 3D’s biggest night of the year!

--


Copyright © 2013 International 3D Society, All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
International 3D Society
16255 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 525
Encino, CA 91436
www.international3Dsociety.com

Second Trailer For THE CROODS From Dreamworks Animation

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

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

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

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

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

Hit the jump to view the trailer...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's the storyline for the movie:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MUST SEE: Two New Posters - THE HOBBIT And THE CROODS!

Click to enlarge

I love both of these posters! What more can I say about THE HOBBIT? Well how about Peter Jackson nailing the personalities of all those dwarves?

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE opens on December 14.

THE CROODS? Well, this is one project that I've been tracking at Dreamworks Animation since it's inception when it was being written by John Cleese (known then as CROOD AWAKENING). It looks like his writing credit has been taken off so I don't know how much of his ingenious humor has made its way into the 3D animation. Needless to say though, I was very happy to see it's first poster being released. The premise for the movie seems absolutely HILARIOUS!

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

THE CROODS open on March 22, 2013 and stars the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


--- 

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

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

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

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


---

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


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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

Official 3D Trailer For RISE OF THE GUARDIANS!

Hey guys - If you have a 3D setup at home or work with Internet access then check out this official 3D trailer for Dreamworks Animation's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS.

It's the same trailer as the 2D one released earlier, and you can adjust the settings of the trailer to reflect the kind of 3D you wish to enjoy (like side by side, interlaced, various anaglyphs, HTML Stereo View, etc) or you can switch off the 3D if you don't have the means to watch it.

You CAN also use the 'no glasses' method where you cross your eyes to converge the side by side images, but this may not be for you.

As I have said before, this movie looks like it has record breaking potential and surely an abundance of family entertainment in a quality production.

The quality of this video is perfect as it came directly from Dreamworks Animation to me via Phil McNally. Enjoy!

MUST WATCH: New Trailer For DWA's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS Displays Record Breaking Potential

Ok, I've seen enough and I'm calling it. This year will be a record breaker for animation movies. This summer Fox's ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT is going to do gangbusters around the world and set a very high bar, but I believe Dreamworks Animation's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS will rival it come this November.

It will surely be Dreamworks Animation's highest grossing movie of all time and that means the highest domestic grossing animation of all time as DWA's SHREK 2 is the current domestic record holder at $441m.

I have ICE AGE 4 as my most anticipated animation of 2012, but RISE OF THE GUARDIANS makes it tempting to revise that statement. The technical proficiency that DWA has acquired over the past 2 years is staggering. They are on par now with Pixar in my books and perhaps surpassing given their recent example of BRAVE (which I loved btw). Not all movies for these studios exhibit their best work of course, but for the most part DWA is rapidly going places. Pixar continues to excel and Sony and Fox seem to always surprise me with their creations. 

Will one of these movies surpass TOY STORY 3 ($1.06b worldwide)? I don't think so. But they will push it I'm sure.

Here's the official storyline:

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

The characters are well thought out. The worldwide appeal will be staggering and kids will demand to see it. This is such an easy slam dunk for DWA! Kudos to the development team. And I know their Head of Layout - Damon O'beirne (KFP2) and execution by Stereographer Willem Drees will deliver a top flight 3D experience for us. Look at the content! Flying creatures and free flowing sand? The screen is going to soak up the 3D for us and swallow us whole. Trust me, this thing is set to go ballistic.

Yes, I'm kinda putting my neck out there - but I know a winner when I see it and I'm not afraid of saying it. You should know that by now. Bring on the holiday season DWA! :-)

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS opens on November 21.

Here's the trailer - ENJOY!

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

Click to enlarge

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

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

Click to enlarge

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

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

MADAGASCAR 3 A Little Scared By PROMETHEUS But In The End Wins Box Office

I haven't seen MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED just yet, but I will this week. You can tell audiences were craving some family fodder as they haven't had a new entry in quite some time. In fact, my 6 year old son was invited to go see THE AVENGERS this past weekend because there was nothing else posted on the local theater site 2 weeks in advance. I'm sure they would have chosen MADAGASCAR 3 had they been aware of it. Anyway, we couldn't allow him to go as the movie just isn't appropriate for any child under 10, with a parent or not (in my books).

But I digress. MADAGASCAR 3 opened to the tune of $60,316,738 domestically and $135,816,738 worldwide. Impressive numbers and it just about matches the other two franchise entries that Dreamworks Animation has created for us.

Part of the reason for that excellent box office number is the 3D of course, but further than that MADAGASCAR 3 was the third widest theatrical release of all time! Yes, 4,258 theaters housed the animation and only SHREK FOREVER AFTER (4,359 theaters) and HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (4,325 theaters) had more. That helps. Clearly it is a beloved franchise worldwide.


Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS did remarkably well too this weekend taking in $51,050,101 domestically and $142,550,101 worldwide thus far. This movie I have seen and believe me it is worth the trip to see it on the big screen! Domestically, it is the 10th best opening for an 'R' rated movie of all time. Not bad at all.

Word of mouth should keep PROMETHEUS rolling along as discussions turn to arguments! I know I will be seeing it again this week at some point.

I love seeing 3D movies at the top of the charts time and time again. In fact 4 out of the top 5 movies this weekend were 3D movies. Did you know that THE AVENGERS still raked in over $11m this weekend? Amazing. They'll be passing $1.4b this week.

Stats Source: Box Office Mojo

MUST WATCH: First Trailer For Dreamworks Animation's RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Is it just me or has Dreamworks Animation caught up with Pixar? What we are seeing with this first trailer for RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an amazing collection of character nuances that I think is really quite inspired!

I love that Guillermo del Toro is involved too. His influence on design and story should ice this cake. And who doesn't like cake?

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

Take a look:



I think it looks marvelous. I think I might be sold already.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS soars into theaters on November 21. Check your local listings TWICE! :-)

Watch: New Trailer And Poster For DWA's MADAGASCAR 3

Here's an update from our good S3D friends over at Dreamworks Animation - the second trailer for MADAGASCAR 3 and a new poster to go along with it.

Clearly a family event film, MADAGASCAR 3 tells the story of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

MADAGASCAR 3 is slated to hit theaters June 8 and stars the voice stylings of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Martin Short, Frances McDormand, Bryan Cranston and Jessica Chastain.

First Look At Dreamworks Animation's THE CROODS!

If you have been reading MarketSaw for years than you know I've been following this development project for a long time. I love who wrote the original drafts (back then it was called CROOD AWAKENING) - none other than the legendary John Cleese.

Since then, Kirk De Micco and Chris Saunders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MULAN, THE LION KING, ALADDIN, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) have taken up the writing reins (and also directing) so hopefully it will be the classic comedy I've been seeking for so long!

I want a drop dead funny comedy - kind of like a MONTY PYTHON meets modern animation. If DWA can effectively mix the original DNA from Cleese with the expertise of Saunders and De Micco then we should be in for a treat.

Here's the official storyline from DWA:
The Croods is a 3D comedy adventure from DreamWorks Animation that takes us back to the beginning – to a previously undiscovered era known as the Croodacious – a time when Mother Nature was still experimenting and the flora and fauna we know today hasn’t evolved yet. At the heart of this comedically chaotic world is the Crood family, led by Grug (Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage), an over-protective father who, like all dads, is doing all he can to hold his family together as the world around them changes at a dramatic pace.

Together with his wife (Catherine Keener), kids (Emma Stone and Clark Duke) and ornery mother-in-law (Cloris Leachman) in tow, Grug guides his family through this spectacular environment, full of amazing creatures, to find a new cave to call home. Along the way, they encounter Guy (Ryan Reynolds), an imaginative and resourceful newcomer who takes risks and wholeheartedly embraces the promise of tomorrow. Audiences will relate to the hilarious family antics as Guy helps the Croods navigate their way into the bright future.

Watch out for this one folks. I think it could be the real deal and an instant classic!

Source: The Crood's Facebook Page

Watch: Interview With Phil "Captain 3D" McNally Of Dreamworks Animation

Hey guys - here's an interesting watch! I've known Phil "Captain 3D" McNally (virtually at least!) since the very early days of MarketSaw and he has been a great asset to have to draw upon when needed. Moreover - he's a great guy!

All things 3D goes through Phil at Dreamworks Animation, so you can imagine how busy he has been the past few years since Jeffrey Katzenberg made the call that all future DWA movies will be stereoscopic 3D.

I still haven't met Phil despite being invited to DWA to see their stuff in action and to premiere's of their awesome 3D animations - but I will make it down one of these days absolutely. As many of you know, I live in Canada so geography / timing is a bit of an issue.

So check out the interview done through Scot Wilkinson of Home Theater Geeks:



I love his perspective on things!!

Image: Lindsay-Marie Stewart
Source: Home Theater

Watch: Trailer For MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED

Dreamworks Animation has been on a bit of a roll haven't they? In fact they may have caught up to Pixar after CARS 2 hit the streets. Do they have what it takes to stay on top?

Is MADAGASCAR 3 the answer? We will all soon find out!

Here's the movie's storyline:
Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED stars the voice stylings of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen and Frances McDormand.

Look for the family fun movie on June 8, 2012.

MUST WATCH: Hilarious PUSS IN BOOTS Promo - "The Cat Haz Swagger"

In a brilliant marketing move for the upcoming PUSS IN BOOTS release, the fine folks at Dreamworks Animation has pulled off a very cool knock off of the famous Isaiah Mustafa commercial for Old Spice. I've put both clips one after the other for comparison and... well it has viral all over it. Nicely done!

Enjoy...





Visit the Official Puss In Boots Website:
http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com

Like Puss In Boots on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pussinboots

New PUSS IN BOOTS Poster

So now the marketing starts to heat up for the SHREK spinoff PUSS IN BOOTS. Only this time around, I think the spinoff will be better than the original franchise! Yes, it holds together that well.

They released that cool motion poster not so long ago too.

Dreamworks Animation (DWA) has released a new poster for the movie featuring Kitty Softpaws (Selma Hayek), Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifiankis) and Jack & Jill (Billy Bob Thornton & Amy Sedaris) and of course the big cat himself, Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas).

Is that the giant beanstalk in the background? :-)

And did you know that Guillermo del Toro is an Executive Producer on this production? Yep. He is. I think that this ongoing collaboration will be very fruitful for DWA.

Here's the movie's storyline:
The story takes place before Puss met Shrek, when he was a swashbuckling hero who protected the innocent. A bunch of old pub thugs tell him that two murderous outlaws called Jack and Jill have discovered an ancient power that can destroy the world. Puss then sets off on a journey with his old friend Humpty Dumpty who also introduces him to Kitty Softpaws, a sly black cat who takes an interest in Puss's journey. With his new sidekicks, Puss sets off on his most adventurous and dangerous journey ever.

Look for the release on November 4. For all of our PUSS IN BOOTS coverage, click here.