AWN Headline News

Disney's TARZAN, based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs character, finishedfourth, grossing an estimated $11.3 million at the US weekend boxoffice tobring its total to $129.5 million. This puts it on the list of 100top-grossing films of all-time in North America. It has already surpassedDisney's previous animated feature, MULAN, which grossed $120.5 million.Warner Bros.' WILD WILD WEST, with digital effects by ILM, finished second,grossing an estimated $16.7 million for a total of $76.4 million; STAR WARS

MTV Films and Paramount Pictures has signed creator Eric Fogel to write,direct, and produce a CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH feature. The feature will bebased on the TV series which premiered on MTV in 1998, and features clayanimated caricatures of celebrities who fight each other in wrestlingmatches. Bouts have pitted Marilyn Manson against Charles Manson, HillaryClinton against Monica Lewinsky, and Richard Simmons against DavidLetterman. Before CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH, Fogel directed a short film, THEMUTILATOR, and another MTV series, THE HEAD.

India-based Graphiti Multimedia has completed a :20 spot for Wimpy's FastFood (New Delhi, India). The spot features a jolly and plump animated manwho entices viewers by wielding his fork around live footage of a Wimpy'scheeseburger and fries. Graphiti used Cambridge Animation Systems' Animosoftware. Puneet directed for production company Chaitra Leo Burnette(Delhi).

The five members of rock band Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, vocals; Joe Perry,guitars; Brad Whitford, guitars; Tom Hamilton, bass; and Joey Kramer,drums, have teamed with Walt Disney Imagineering to create a high-speedthrill ride for Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, called Rock'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. It debuts this summer at Disney-MGMStudios. The indoor roller coaster features a high-speed launch of 0-60 mphin 2.8 seconds, three inversions, rock-concert lighting and a specially

The WIA Writers' Seminar Group meets Thursday, July 8, 7:30 pm at SabanEntertainment, 10960 Wilshire Blvd. at the corner of Midvale in LosAngeles, California, USA. Brian Casentini from Saban Development will beguest speaker. He'll discuss the development process at the Fox FamilyChannel, pitching, and what you should include in a presentation bible.Admission: $5 at the door. RSVP required to Jean Wright at 818-360-8321.

The ABC network, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., has ordered asix-hour miniseries based on the first two installments of James Gurney'sfantasy book series, DINOTOPIA which is about a world in which humans andhighly-evolved dinosaurs live together in harmony. With the exception ofStephen King projects THE SHINING and STORM OF THE CENTURY, DINOTOPIA marksABC's biggest miniseries time commitment since 1988's 30-hour WAR ANDREMEMBRANCE which starred Robert Mitchum. Some sources estimate the cost at

Dream Quest Images, the feature film visual effects division of The WaltDisney Company, has wrapped production on more than 300 visual effectsshots for INSPECTOR GADGET, Walt Disney Pictures' live-action version ofthe '80s Saturday morning cartoon. The film follows the escapades ofInspector Gadget, the bumbling bionic detective, played by MatthewBroderick and his nemesis, the villainous Claw, played by Rupert Everett.The film is directed by David Kellogg and produced by Jordan Kerner, Roger

DreamWorks SKG, the Hollywood film studio co-founded in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen, pulled out of a deal to build a new $250 million studio on July 1, 1999 because it could not reach a financing agreement. DreamWorks said it was unable to reach a financing deal that "makes good business sense." The closely held company also cited rising construction costs and tougher financing terms due to the rebound in the Los Angeles real estate market. Last year DreamWorks signed a deal with developer Playa Capital Co.

Fox Family Channel has named Nancy Redford Vice President of Programming and Development. Redford will oversee day-to-day management and adminstration of live-action and animated daytime programming and development for Fox Family. She will also serve as production executive on several children's series coming up this fall, including JELLABIES and WEIRD OHS. Redford had been Associate Vice President of Programming and Development for Fox.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based a.k.a Cartoon, Inc., Danny Antonucci's studio, has hired. Falconer as storyboard supervisor/storyboard director, and Marlene Robinson-May as storyboard director and animation timing director. Falconer previously worked at Vancouver-based Mainframe Entertainment on REBOOT, BEAST WARS, and WAR PLANETS. Childhood chums Falconer and Antonucci worked together at Vancouver-based International Rocketship in the '80s on Antonucci's LUPO THE BUTCHER.

The Walt Disney Company has named four executives to new positions. ETIENNE DE VILLIERS has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Europe; MICHAEL O. JOHNSON has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Asia; DIEGO LERNER has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Latin America; and PAUL SALEH has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney International.