Watch: A New Frozen Trailer with Olaf

It seems like Disney is feeling guilty about the lack of marketing they've been giving us on their next animated feature, Frozen. Only four days after the first real trailer, the Disney Portugal Youtube channel offers us another one. This trailer is a minute long and has Olaf as the main focus. Watch it after the break.

This Week on A113Animation (23rd - 29th September, 2013)

This has been a rather mammoth week for animation news. You can tell it's been a biggie, because where otherwise we'd get a piece of Ghibli news every couple of weeks, we've got three pieces this week! Sequel speculation, release dates, and more; we've got exciting new posters and stills from Frozen, Rio 2, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Toy Story of Terror. Not to mention an awesome trailer for Disney's Frozen and a... not terrible trailer for Reel FX's Free Birds. All that exciting stuff, your latest Disney Retrospective and more, check out what happened this week on A113Animation.

Six New Images From Toy Story of Terror! Show Off Combat Carl

We may not be getting a film from them in 2014, but Pixar are treating us this year. Last week we got a great trailer for the studio's first TV special, the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Disney stylise it as Toy Story of TERROR!), and this week we got six great new stills, showing off the half-hour special's array of characters old and new.

Brand New Plot and Character Details For Disney's Big Hero 6

Those ever more popular Rotoscopers guys have teamed up with the always reliable Bleeding Cool to bring us all exclusive, brand new details about the characters and plot of Disney's hotly anticipated 2014 release, Big Hero 6!

Directed by Winnie the Pooh's Don Hall, Big Hero 6 will be Walt Disney Animation Studios' 54th animated feature film, and an adaptation of the lesser-known Marvel comic of the same name. The details come in video form, so check out Morgan Stradling (who wrote a great guest piece for us recently) giving you the lowdown below. Apparently it's spoiler free!

Princess Mononoke Sequel? Sort Of.

There is a project in the works that picks up 600 years after Princess Mononoke leaves off. Wolf Girl tells the story of "a teenager struggling to find her place in the city, [who] seeks refuge in a magical forest where giant wolves once ruled. When she discovers that humans are cutting down the trees, she unites with the wolves to defend her new home, before it all burns." While this sounds extremely exciting, it is not actually a Studio Ghibli production...

Avengers: Age of Ultron Comic-Con Teaser!

I've been careful to use the words 'Comic-Con teaser', because what we are presenting to you has absolutely no footage from the next Avengers film. However it's still an extremely exciting little video.

Like I said, nothing really happens, apart from seeing Ultron's steely helm form from Iron Man's, whilst lines from the heroic team are played back from the first film.

Avengers: Age of Ultron is again directed by Joss Whedon, and due out for 1st May, 2015.

Reminder to UK readers- Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. begins tonight, 8pm on Channel 4!

New Stills From Studio Ghibli's The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Now that we know Hayao Miyazaki's final film, The Wind Rises, is due to open officially in the US for an Oscar qualifying run from 8th - 14th November in New York and Los Angeles only, and even though most of us have yet to see the film, we can already look forward to Studio Ghibli's next project which is also right around the corner...sort of.

Watch: Surprisingly Decent Trailer for Free Birds

A new poster for the film, too.

I've been vocal in my lack of interest in Free Birds, the time-travelling turkey flick from new-kid-on-the-block animation studio, Reel FX. That said, this new trailer has at least earned my curiosity. The film does still look extremely silly, but that's not necessarily solely a bad thing. The concept is quirky and fun; Amy Poehler, who voices a female turkey in the film, is always great; the film looks as if it's got similarities, thematically and visually, to Chicken Run and Monsters vs. Aliens, two very fine films; and the Hazmat suit guys are a hoot.

Check out the new trailer, via Fandango, below. I'll embed from YouTube when it's on there.

Watch: Icy Cool New Trailer for Disney's Frozen

Disney have finally released the first official full theatrical trailer for their 53rd animated feature film, Frozen! The trailer leaked online last week, but that was low-res and shaky; check out the funny and stunning new trailer in high definition now, over at Yahoo! Movie Trailers!

Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg Making R-Rated Animated Film, Sausage Party, For Sony

Animation isn't a genre. It's not something solely aimed at kids and families, it's a medium that can be put to any one of hundreds of different ends. It just so happens that the majority of American animated films are family-oriented. For a long time though, there's been a large number of adult animated series on television; not just as in clever, oft-satirical sitcoms like The Simpsons, as in raunchy, gross-out comedies like Family Guy and South Park. Well American feature animation's about to get a big dose of that too.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the writers of comedies like Superbad and The Pineapple Express, who this year turned their hands to directing with This is the End (Rogen also starred in all three), are now trying their hands at animation. Sony will release Sausage Party, an R-rated animated comedy scripted by the pair. And it's at least not as smutty as you think!

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #37: Tarzan (1999)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #36: Mulan (1998).

The last film from this very productive era is not often as well remembered as some of the Renaissance's biggest films, but when you look back, you can see that Tarzan ended this period with a palpable bang. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs's famous novels, Tarzan tells the origin story of the popular hero. As usual with the films from this period, Tarzan excels, with stellar animation, compelling characters and a heartfelt story. Moreover, this was the last Disney film I was interested and excited about, before I became indifferent with their filmography and turned myself completely over to Pixar. That's why Tarzan remains a bright spot, as it comes before a very dark age began at the studio.

First Look: Bright New Stills from Rio 2

USA Today have got a sneak peek at the next film from Munir's favourite studio, Blue Sky. Rio 2, a sequel to the 2011 hit starring Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway, flies into cinemas next year (this, unlike The Good Dinosaur and Minions hasn't been pushed back yet); we've seen a few teaser trailers for the Sambaing sequel, but this is our first proper look at the film's returning and expanded cast of characters.

New International Posters for Frozen

Disney's Frozen is looking more and more exciting by the day. Ahead of the new trailer going online this Thursday, Disney have rolled out some snazzy new international posters! My favourite is the one above, emailed out by Disney's UK reps an hour ago.

Notice again that Anna (Kristen Bell) is beside Prince Hans (Santino Fontana), not believed love interest Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), who's next to the conflicted Snow Queen, Elsa (Idina Menzel). Nice framing of all the main characters, and it's nice to see Kristoff's reindeer Sven get some love alongside Olaf (Josh Gad). Check out the other posters, via @Artof_Animation, below.

Aardman News: Shaun the Sheep Movie Coming March 2015

Aardman announced, back in April, that their next film would be a feature adaptation of their Shaun the Sheep TV series, and that the film would be released in 2015. Richard "Golly" Starzak (who's directing the film with Mark Burton) announced on Twitter that the film is now set to bow on 20th March, 2015.

Next Studio Ghibli Film Could be Porco Rosso Sequel

While much sadness was expressed at Hayao Miyazaki's retirement announcement at the beginning of this month, some fans can once again rejoice, as a new announcement from Studio Ghibli has been released regarding their newest project. Along with lots of speculation.

This Week on A113Animation (16th - 22nd September, 2013)

Apologies that this is a day late, but we were recording our two-part (and thus rather long) Disney Renaissance podcast late yesterday, and frankly, if I looked at anything else animation related, I fear I may have imploded. Nonetheless, here's the recap of what was a very packed - if not all entirely cheery - week of animation news. Lots of Frozen stuff (you wouldn't have believed that a month ago), two hotly anticipated 2014 animation films pushed back to 2015, a spooky new trailer for Toy Story of Terror!, your usual features, some special editorials and a brand new interview/podcast all make this an exciting week! Check out what happened this last week on A113Animation.

The A113Animation Podcast, Episode 5 - Brandon Oldenburg and Limbert Fabian

After our lengthy D23/Despicable Me 2 double-feature episode last time, episode 5 of the A113Animation Podcast is a shorter one. This is a bonus episode, featuring my interview with Brandon Oldenburg and Limbert Fabian, the directors of Moonbot Studios'/Chipotle Mexican Grill/CAA's attention-getting short film, The Scarecrow! You can check out the full transcription of the interview here, but if you'd rather listen to my nasally tones and the voices of Brandon and Limbert, then you can listen to the podcast on Podomatic, iTunes and Stitcher below! We talk the film's production, its inspirations, its choice of music, what's next for the studio (a feature film collaboration with Guillermo del Toro is just one of many exciting projects!) and more - including Brandon's rant about original Star Wars lightsaber toys. You don't want to miss that.

If you're feeling generous, head on over to our Support page to see how you can help contribute to A113Animation. We're recording episodes 6 and 7 (our two-part Disney Renaissance show) tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy!

Interview: Brandon Oldenburg and Limbert Fabian, Directors of The Scarecrow

You may be familiar with Moonbot Studios, the studio behind The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. If you're not, a) you should be, and b) you should now be familiar with them as the studio behind the fantastic new short film/ad for Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Scarecrow (watch it here)! Inspired by classic cinema like The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Scarecrow - which has already amassed more than 5 million views on YouTube since I started transcribing this on Wednesday, the short has passed 6 million views - is directed by Brandon Oldenburg (who helmed Morris Lessmore with fellow Moonbot co-founder, Bill Joyce) and Limbert Fabian. I recently spoke to Brandon and Limbert about the short, the accompanying app, the importance of cohesion between the film and the app, working with Chipotle and CAA, the film's music choice, what's going on at Moonbot now and next (including a feature film collaboration with Guillermo del Toro), and much more!

I'd like to express big thanks to Brandon and Limbert for taking the time to chat to me and for being such nice chaps. Thanks also to Sara Hebert at Moonbot for setting the whole thing up. As well as putting out some of the best short films on the planet and being one of the best independent animation studios on the planet, the guys and gals at the Shreveport, Louisiana also happen to be incredibly nice all round.

The interview is fully transcribed here, or if you'd rather listen to Brandon, Limbert and I discuss everything for yourself, you can check out the half-hour audio of the interview in the special new episode of the A113Animation Podcast, which will be out later today (listen here now). Episodes 6 and 7 of the podcast will be a two-part Disney Renaissance special, which will be available late this month and early next month respectively; we'll be recording those later today.

Despicable Me Spin-Off, Minions, Also Delayed to 2015

It's not quite as drastic as Pixar's 18 month delay on The Good Dinosaur, but yet another highly anticipated 2014 animated film has been pushed back to the already packed 2015. Variety reports that Illumination Entertainment have delayed Minions, their spin-off of the Despicable Me franchise, from the originally reported 19th December, 2014 release date, to one of 10th July, 2015.

[UPDATED] Watch: Leaked Trailer for Disney's Frozen

The first full trailer for Disney's Frozen is due to land online in less than a week (26th), but if you can't wait that long, and don't mind low-res quality and a very shaky camera, then the trailer's been leaked online already! The trailer is playing in Australia in front of Disney's Planes (which has just opened there), and one Tumblr user recorded it (tut, tut. But thanks.) and it's since made its way onto YouTube. Check it out in all its icy glory above!

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #36: Mulan (1998)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #35: Hercules (1997)

Mulan holds a very special place in my heart and I'll tell you why: I was eight years old when it came out in theatres, but I couldn't see it because something happened. I fell down from my grandmother's terrace and I almost died. I was in critical condition for some time and after I woke up, I was told not to move too much and I basically had to stay in bed the majority of time. Pretty boring stuff for an eight year old. Fortunately, my parents bought Mulan on video and I kept watching it over and over again. It may be the Disney film I have watch the most, and I know the dialogues and songs by heart. I tell you this so you know that when it comes to Mulan, nostalgia plays a very important part in my review.

Watch: First Trailer for Pixar's Toy Story of Terror!

Not all Pixar news is bad. Fresh off the announcement that Pixar won't release a film next year anymore, the studio softened the blow with a fun new trailer for the Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror! It's fun, it's funny, it's a little bit spooky, and, amidst all this kinda glum release date news, it's nice to be reminded just why we love Pixar so much in the first place.

We'll be reunited with the Toy Story gang this Halloween; the special airs in America on ABC on 16th October at 8pm. It'll air some point thereafter in the UK on Sky Movies | Disney.

Via Collider.

Breaking: The Good Dinosaur Pushed Back to November 2015; Pixar Will Release No Film Next Year

Concept art for The Good Dinosaur, which stars the voices of Lucas Neff, Neil
 Patrick Harris and Judy Greer. It will now open November 2015.

When Bob Peterson was removed as director of The Good Dinosaur, particularly as we're so close to its planned 30th May, 2014 release date, it seemed incredibly unlikely that the film would be ready on time. In fact, it seems the situation is worse than anticipated, as Pixar have announced (via the L.A. Times) that they're pushing their fifteenth feature film all the way back to 25th November, 2015.

A Short Note to Hayao Miyazaki Upon his Retirement

Dearest Miyazaki,

I never thought I would have to write these words, as I ignored the fact that the day would come when we would hear that you were stepping out of our worlds, and receding into your own. But the time has finally arrived, and though I recognize your reasons as good, solid reasons, I still feel a bit empty at the news of your retirement. I, like many of your fans, have spent many a night cuddled in blankets holding a cat, a stuffed Totoro, or a loved one watching your wonderful fables imagining a cross between our worlds.

Guest Editorial: Is Disney Animated Princess Marketing Sexist?

Disney's next princess movie, Frozen. Note the lack of focus on, y'know, the
princesses.

This is a guest post by Morgan Stradling, of The Rotoscopers.

It seems every time a new Disney animated princess film rolls around nowadays that people pick up their pitch forks and begin chanting the war cry that Disney is sexist. That “they’ve forgotten their core audience,” “they are catering to the boys,” and have ignored the women.

Cool New Frozen Poster; New Trailer in Ten Days

As The Rotoscopers are about to explode in a big ball of fanboy and fangirl joy, Disney are rolling out some more exciting stuff for Frozen! We've got a snowy new poster for the film, showing off its main characters (no Sven, - Kristoff's reindeer - though), and co-director Jennifer Lee promises a new trailer on the 26th!

This Week on A113Animation (9th - 15th September, 2013)

This week we got yet more clips and promos from upcoming, exciting projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; we got exciting cast and crew details about upcoming films; we got some cool stuff from Disney's Frozen; and we got an absolutely marvellous new short film from those talented guys and gals at Moonbot! Add onto that a special instalment of Damien's Futurama column, Munir's weekly Disney Retrospective, and William's review of the new Little Mermaid Blu-ray, and there's a lot of good stuff to catch up on this week on A113Animation. Oh, and we've slightly updated our logo! Now with minions!

Frozen Stuff: Opening Song and Oh So Many Olaf Posters

Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee pointed to an interview with Norwegian composer Frode Fjellheim, which reveals that a new song of his, "Eatnemen Vuelie," will be the opening number for Disney's upcoming 53rd animated feature film. Give the song a listen below.

StudioCanal and The Weinstein Company to Adapt Paddington Bear with Colin Firth

Colin Firth will voice Paddington Bear in TWC/StudioCanal's Paddington.

StudioCanal has acquired the rights to adapt the beloved, classic children's book character, Paddington Bear. The adaptation of Michael Bond's duffle-coated, marmalade-loving bear is called Paddington, and will be a hybrid of CG and live-action.

Watch: Brilliant New Short Film, The Scarecrow, From Moonbot

It's an advert for Chipotle Mexican Grill, it's a tie-in for an app of the same name, yet this beautiful new short film by the talented guys and gals at Moonbot Studios (the studio behind the Oscar winning short, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore) is the best animated short of the year so far.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #35: Hercules (1997)

Last Week’s: Munir’s Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #34: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

After two darker and more "mature" affairs, Disney opted for a more lightweight and colourful tone for its next project. Borrowing heavily from Aladdin's wacky tone, Hercules is a fast-paced action romp with lots of jokes and funny punches in nearly every scene. It's a complete departure from its more heavy-natured predecessors, but that doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary, Hercules, from the same team that created The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, comes off marvellously, as a very funny but at the same time touching Disney film. It also a very interesting film to dissect with its very linear aesthetic and carefully and uniquely constructed characters. The film's a great addition to the Disney studio and great entertainment for the whole family.

Cool UK TV Spot for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Now the dates are set for both the US and for us Brits, we must play the waiting game until Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Until then, we have a pretty exciting teaser that basically just tells us to get excited.

From the people that brought us The Avengers and Iron Man is a safe way to sell the new TV show. I mean, who isn't looking forward to meeting Lola?

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D starts in the UK 8pm, Friday 27th September.

Rio's Carlos Saldanha Might Be Latest Animation Director to Jump to Live-Action

Yesterday, the news broke that Carlos Saldanha, Blue Sky Studios vet. and director of Rio, might be the latest animation director to make the jump to live-action. Saldanha is apparently in talks to replace Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) at the helm of Fox's Rust, The Wrap reports.

The Little Mermaid Blu-ray Review - Under the Sea Looks Great in HD, Take it from Me!

The Little Mermaid is available to own on Disney Blu-ray™ today!

Until yesterday, I hadn't seen The Little Mermaid in about ten years. So, when the Diamond Edition Blu-ray set (which is out now in the UK, and on 1st October in the US) arrived, I was excited to dive back into the world of one of my favourite Disney films. And it was probably the best way I could've revisited this timeless classic, as it looks great, it sounds great, and the story, music and characters are as fresh, as entertaining and as, well, great as ever.

Watch: New Cloudy 2 Clip Introduces Barry the Berry

Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ended up being one of the best surprises of 2009, and the sequel looks set to be just as fun! The animation looks fun, the visuals look gorgeous and the film just generally - as seen in this new clip - looks very fun.

Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli on Retiring

Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki finally released a statement over the weekend about his retirement. Throughout the recording, Miyazaki is cheerful, respectful, and honourable, just as he's been throughout his entire duration at Studio Ghibli.

Futurama, A Top Ten

Introduction
Just a few days ago, Futurama last episode ever was broadcast on Comedy Central (check out the final mini-review here). This seems like the perfect moment to look back and pick the best episodes of the sci-fi show throughout its entire run(s).
Before we begin, I want to clarify a few things. First, like every top ten list, this one will be subjective and some of your favourite episodes may not appear in it. But Futurama has produced 140 episodes over its on-and-off 14 year run, so choosing only 10 episodes from those was not an easy task. But I'll try to explain each choice and I'll even mention the great ones that didn't make the cut. Of course, feel free to discuss my list and share your own in the comments.
Warning: There will be spoilers for episodes that aired in 2012 and before. For the series that aired this year, I'll stay evasive on the plot.
From number 10 to the best, let's roll!

Check Out the Logo for How to Train Your Dragon 2

Well, no subtitle in sight, but here's the official logo for DreamWorks' highly anticipated sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2. Not much to say really, it says the film's name... And it definitely looks a bit more dragon-y than the original film's logo. Quite striking.

HTTYD2 is directed by Dean DeBlois (Chris Sanders, who directed the first film with DeBlois, is relegated to an executive producer role this time round, due to - as he discussed in our interview - his commitments to The Croods) and produced again by Bonnie Arnold. If you haven't yet, make sure you check out the phenomenal teaser trailer we got for the film a couple of months ago.

Dragon 2 hits cinemas on 13th June, 2014 (US)/4th July, 2014 (UK).

Via The Rotoscopers

This Week on A113Animation (2nd - 8th August, 2013)

There wasn't an awful lot of news this week, but what news there was was pretty great - more exciting Star Wars rumours, Toy Story of Terror promotion, Marvel stuff, Disney stuff and more. In addition, we've got pretty exciting instalments of our features this week, with Munir's review of an underrated Disney classic and Damien's final Futurama mini-review. All that, and some John Lassetery goodness, is what you might have missed this week on A113Animation.

New Sky Broadband Ad Advertises Toy Story of Terror

This rather shameless new ad for Sky Fibre Broadband also sorta serves as our first promo for Pixar's Halloween special, Toy Story of Terror. No word on when the special (which airs in America on ABC on 16th October) will show in the UK yet, but I'd imagine it'll be before or on Halloween, and it will show on Sky Movies | Disney.

Be sure to check out the new poster we got earlier in the week too.

UPDATE - 07/09/2013, 21:29 (GMT): Some readers said they couldn't view the video from their country, so we've uploaded it to our channel; you should be able to check it out now.

Via Bleeding Cool

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D to Air in UK Friday 27th September at 8pm!

This isn't really news unless you live in the UK, more of an announcement. But UK Marvel fans will be happy to learn that we don't have to wait long after the US premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D to see it (legally).

This means there is only 3 days between the US air date and the UK one. I see this as positive for views, as it means people are less likely to want to watch it online because, for once, there is no long delay in broadcast. The pilot is directed by Avengers director Joss Whedon.

As we've previously reported, the show will air on Channel 4 in the UK, and we can catch it starting at 8pm, Friday 27th September.

John Kahrs Speaks About His Disney Departure

At the tail end of last month, we reported the sad news that John Kahrs, the director of Disney's fantastic short film Paperman, had left the Disney studio to pursue other avenues. As it was announced in a, strictly-speaking, unofficial manner, we got no comment from Kahrs or from Disney reps. But now we have just that; Kahrs and a Disney spokesperson offered statements on the move to The Wrap.

Futurama, A Swan Song - Week 12

Previously on Futurama, A Swan Song: Week 11. With mild spoilers, here is the review of what's possibly the last Futurama episode ever.

Meanwhile
AVENGE US

Plot
The Professor invents the time-button, a powerful device that sends the entire Universe ten seconds into the past. That's the perfect invention from Fry's point of view, as a recent accident on Luna Park made him realize how much he cares about Leela. So, using the time-button he proposes to the purple-haired pilot at Elzar's restaurant and asks her to meet him on the top floor of the Vampire State Building if she agrees to marry him. Fry intends to make that important moment last as long as he wants, thanks to the Professor's device. Unfortunately, Leela doesn't show up at the expected time, and Fry makes a decision that could change the Universe forever…

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #34: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #33: Pocahontas (1995)

In the same vein as Pocahontas, Disney attempted a darker tone for its next feature film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Based on Victor Hugo's famed novel, the film had again assembled a high-calibre crew: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, directors of the beloved Beauty and the Beast, were helming the project; acclaimed producer Don Hahn was producing and Alan Menken returned for scoring duties. What set this film apart from the other animated films was that Disney dealt with themes of religion, virtue, lust and intolerance, among others, and the challenge was to make this film still suitable for all audiences. They didn't entirely succeeded on that front but I think that is a positive thing, because Hunchback appeals to an adult audience in a way few Disney films have.

New Poster for Pixar's Toy Story of Terror TV Special

Pixar are voyaging into the realm of TV specials for the first time this Halloween, with the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Ironic, of course, given that Toy Story itself started off as a planned half hour TV special continuation of their Tin Toy short film.) Entertainment Weekly have got a new poster for the special, which is set to premiere on ABC just before Halloween, on 16th October, at 8pm ET. Angus MacLane is directing.

"Heading to the small screen before Halloween, Toy Story of Terror features the gang taking a road trip to Bonnie’s grandmother’s house before everything takes an unexpected turn. On a detour leading them to a roadside motel, one of the toys goes missing, and the others find themselves caught in an eerie turn of events that must be stopped before they suffer the same fate," says EW's synopsis.

How are you feeling for Toy Story of Terror? Excited? Cautious? A little bit spooked?

Via Hypable

Watch: John Lasseter Talks Animation, Directors and the Best All-Round Film for Bolt in 2009

"We're a filmmaker-led studio, we're dedicated to the vision of these filmmakers. But the most important thing is we've got to be making a great movie for our audience. And frankly, that's good business. Quality is the best business plan." Those are the words of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, talking about the replacement of Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) early on in the production of, what would become, Bolt, and how it was ultimately best for the film.

The interview with Movies Ireland is over four years old now, but with the current commotion about the replacement of Bob Peterson at the helm of Pixar's fifteenth feature film, The Good Dinosaur, it seems particularly poignant right now.

Rumour: Benedict Cumberbatch for Star Wars: Episode VII?

As we all do, people are putting two and two together and making Star Wars casting theories. This one sounds like it could just be true though: Benedict Cumberbatch might be joining Star Wars: Episode VII.

It was only a few weeks ago that Cumberbatch dropped out of Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak, which many speculated that this means he is making time for his director-buddy from Star Trek, J.J Abrams, and Star Wars.

This Week on A113Animation (26th August - 1st September, 2013)

Now this is more like it. After a few quiet weeks, this week has been an absolute belter for animation news (although it's not all been good). Lots of casting news from Marvel, films announced and detailed from Warner Bros. and Disney, and a fun new clip from Cloudy 2; but, on the flip side, we've got directorial removals, a potential-packed animation director leaving Disney, and a whopping great retirement at the very end of the week. As usual, we've got your latest Disney Retrospective and Futurama, A Swan Song, and we've also get the big D23/Despicable Me 2 episode of the A113Animation Podcast! So for all that, and to catch up on what you might have missed in the past 7 days, check out our weekly recap below.

Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki to Retire (Again)

Studio Ghibli has shocked audiences and fans as co-studio head Hoshino Koji announced that Hayao Miyazaki will be retiring, making The Wind Rises the final film written and directed by Miyazaki. The announcement was made at the Venice Film Festival in Italy where The Wind Rises is currently competing. Though no further details were given, we can expect an official announcement from Miyazaki in the coming weeks.