AWN Headline News

TOPIX/Mad Dog has just finished a new Alka-Seltzer ad for the Mexican market. Combining live-action and 3D animation, the 20-second spot, "Termita," features a hungry termite, who cures his upset stomach with Alka-Seltzer. TOPIX/Mad Dogs animation director Richard Rosenman said, "Our priorities were to illustrate the termite eating wood, plastic, becoming ill, and, of course, being cured by a dose of Alka-Seltzer.

Victory Entertainment, an Orlando, Florida-based multimedia production house, has named Michael Jay Solomon to its board of directors. Currently, Solomon is chairman and CEO of MAXX International, a broad-based rights management company. The television veteran has held executive positions at Warner Bros., Telepictures and has launched the television companies Solomon International Enterprises and Solomon Broadcasting International. Michael H.

* Wednesday, November 8 Sunday, November 12, 2000. Ajijic, Mexico.

Barcelona-based Neptuno Films has signed a deal to co-produce, with Planeta 2010, a childrens series entitled PUSS IN BOOTS. Based on the classic tale of Perrault, the story is being adapted by Neptuno director Josep Lluis Viciana. Neptuno also produces THE UGLY DUCKLING, THE THREE BEARS, THE GRAVEDIGGERS SQUAD and BANDOLERO. This production will be the first in what both companies hope to be a long-term co-production relationship.

To blur the lines even more between marketing adult themes to children, the animated characters from SOUTH PARK will be appearing on condoms. Comedy Central has signed a deal with the U.K.-based Licensing Company to provide the faces of Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny and Chef for Condomania prophylactics. The condoms will only be available in the U.K. for about US$20.

London-based rights holder Chorion is launching a new 3D animated childrens series entitled MAKE WAY FOR NODDY. Based on author Enid Blytons books, NODDY follows the Toyland gang as they try to teach children social values and simple life lessons. The NODDY books have sold over 200 million copies in forty languages worldwide. Chorion has commissioned Los Angeles-based SD Entertainment to produce the series, which will combine 2D and 3D animation. SD Entertainment is the animation house formed by former MGM Animation executives Paul Sabella and Jonathan Dern.

Walt Disney is adding BLACK CAULDRON and THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD & MR. TOAD to their Gold Classic Collection. Arriving in stores on October 3, 2000, the CAULDRON DVD will feature the BLACK CAULDRON Mystery Game, the Donald Duck short TRICK OR TREAT, still frame gallery and the original trailer. The ICHABOD & MR. TOAD DVD will include Mr. Toads Wild Ride Game; "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" DVD Storybook featuring music, graphics and animated page turns; a "Merrily On Our Way" sing-along; and the Mickey Mouse short LONESOME GHOSTS.

The newest installment of the SCOOBY-DOO direct-to-video franchise will be coming to DVD. SCOOBY-DOO AND THE ALIEN INVADERS will be released by Warner Home Video on October 3, 2000. ALIEN INVADERS has the Mystery Inc. gang stranded in a desert town crawling with alien invaders. The retail price will be US$19.96 (VHS) and $24.98 (DVD).

With premieres in the U.K. and France, HOLLOW MAN emptied the pockets of moviegoers world wide in this weeks international box office. In the U.K., the updated Invisible Man tale scared up US$2.4 million at #1. SCARY MOVIE slipped from second to third, with a gross of $1.08 million, lifting its British cume to $12.5 million. In 5th place, SNATCH grabbed $735,482, raising its British cume to $16.12 million. SPACE COWBOYS floated in at #6, grossing $497,398 and bringing its British cume to $1.67 million.

German animation production house and rights buyer, TV Loonland AG has acquired the television production and distribution activities of Sony Wonder, the childrens production arm of Sony Music Entertainment. The deal was worth US$20.5 million in cash and stocks. As part of the deal, TV Loonland also obtains animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, which Sony Wonder bought in 1998. Sony will retain North American home video rights and international audio rights to their catalog of programming, which includes CLIFFORD and GENERATION O!

ABC has secured broadcast rights for the classic holiday PEANUTS specials from rights holder United Media ending the specials 35-year run on CBS. The main reason for the switch was that the new deal was more lucrative for the rights holder. However no specific monetary details were released. The agreement also guarantees that ITS THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN and A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING will be aired each year, which wasnt always an absolute on CBS.

Toon In is AWN's guide to what's new on the Net. This week's installment features N' Sync ten years from now on BEHIND THE MUSIC THAT SUCKS, Plastic Man's journey into porn on WHERE ARE THE TOONS NOW? and much, much more.

Get your Toon In: Web Animation Guide here!

Every week AWN's associate editor Rick DeMott highlights what he thinks is the top new toon in cyberspace in "Rick's Picks!"