AWN Headline News

DreamWorks has signed a five-year production deal with Calabasas, California-based TDK Mediactive to produce games for current and next-generation gaming consoles. The first project for TDK will be the gaming adaptation of PDI/DreamWorks' 3D animated feature SHREK. Already DreamWorks has signed a deal to have a Nintendo Game Boy version arrive on shelves in conjunction with the release of the film in May. TDK also produces games for Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Universal, Harvey and New Line.

Fox TV Studios has tapped Los Angeles-based Gear-CGI to develop and produce a new action/adventure TV series entitled XERONINE. The series follows the mishaps and adventures of a simple-minded robot, a mad half-cockroach-half human scientist and the president of the United Earth. Providing voices for the series will be Gary Coleman (DIFF'RENT STROKES) as Xeronine, Clancy Brown (STARSHIP TROOPERS, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) as Dr. Canard and Pam Grier (JACKIE BROWN) as the president of the United Earth.

* Saturday, February 10 Wednesday, February 14, 2001. Cannes, France.

After claiming the U.S. box office crown over the Christmas weekend, CAST AWAY reclaimed the titled as BO champ for the New Year's weekend with a gross of US$31.2 million. The desert island adventure, with primary visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks, has floated $111.2 million in just 10-days of release. In fifth, Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE danced in with another $11.8 million. The new animated comedy has collected $47.9 million to date. Falling from fourth to sixth, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS grabbed an additional $7.8 million.

The U.S. Library of Congress has added two more animated films to The National Film Registry Bob Clampett's PORKY IN WACKYLAND and the 1957 theatrical trailer, LET'S ALL GO TO THE LOBBY from Filmack Studios. As part of the Library of Congress, the Registry was established in 1989 to preserve American film heritage. The list is formed by input from the National Film Preservation Board and the public. The Library adds 25 films per year that are deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.

Incanta, a managed content solutions firm for broadband service providers (BSPs), has announced a new distribution deal with AtomFilms. Incanta's Cinema and Arts channel will feature AtomFilms' short films and original animation. Incanta's content services for BSPs include an award-winning personalized radio service as well as customized video offerings that range in subject from sports to film, from chat to music video. Incanta's other content partners include Quokka Sports, Vidnet, Planet Jam, AdventureTV and Academy Entertainment.

Asun Gil has been named channel manager of Cartoon Network Spain. Gil joined Cartoon Network Spain as head of research where she played a key role in building 1.2 million subscribers for the network in just over one year on air. "It is very exciting to take on the channel at this stage and my brief is to increase viewers as well as moving further into the area of new media and launching additional services," said Gil.

Click 3X has created effects for the new Disney Store spots highlighting merchandise for the live-action feature 102 DALMATIANS. The 30-second "Pool" has Dalmatians shaking their spots onto a rack of white coats. A series of real Dalmatians were shot on green screen, as well as a still plate for the far wall. The Click 3X CGI department then created a photo-realistic floor with reflecting puddles matching the movement of the camera.

Oxygen will give life to ABC's DOTCOMEDY. The series that highlighted the funniest content on the Internet was cancelled from ABC after only one airing. The show received one of the network's lowest ratings for a regularly scheduled program with a 2.8 rating. Oxygen will air the four episodes of the show, created by Oxygen Media and Carsey-Werner, but will not produce anymore. Originally, ABC called for 13 installments of the series.

AWN's Web Animation Guide is the place for what's new on the Net. In this week's installment Rick's Pick's Best of 2000, various holiday themed toons, the Salem Witch Trials and much, much more!

Get your Web Animation Guide here!

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

In a pledge of support for its fledging network, Viacom has agreed to let UPN air episodes of MTV's clay-animated series CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH as a compliment to GARY & MIKE. So far UPN has the rights to 7 choose reruns of DEATHMATCH with an option for 13 more. As part of the arrangement, MTV and UPN will cross-promote each other's airings of DEATHMATCH and MTV is considering a broadcast of GARY & MIKE after it nods on UPN. "It's great to be a part of Viacom," UPN COO Adam Ware said.

Cinar Corp. announced that it has finally come to settlements with Canadian federal and provincial tax officials over the repayment of improperly obtained tax credits. Scandal hit the Montreal-based company in the fall of 1999 when fraud allegations were made in the House of Commons claiming that Cinar was placing false Canadian names on scripts written by U.S. writers to gain tax credits. Subsequently, the firm's co-founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg and CFO Hasanan Panju were fired.