A Lost 'Doctor Who' Story Will Return as an Animated Series

The BBC anounces that it will release an animated version of The Power of the Daleks, a serial of the Doctor Who TV show, which is one of the numerous stories that got lost after they were erased from the BBC's archive.

Aardman News 12 - No Pirates! Sequel in "The Foreseeable Future"

Briefly, some disheartening news for Aardman fans from mid-January that I just noticed now: Peter Lord, the director of the Oscar-nominated The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists, said that the planned sequel is not happening.

Aardman News 7 - How Will The Pirates! Sail in America?

Aardman's latest film, the fantastic The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, has just been released state-side, where it's branded as The Pirates! Band of Misfits. Despite critical praise and a strong box-office showing here in the UK, Aardman's home territory, how it'll fare in America is far less certain.

The pirate theme to the film may broaden the film's appeal to US audience, who have never quite got Aardman's trademark British wit, but if opening sales are any indication, that may not be enough. The Pirates! clocks in Aadramn's weakest US opening to date, taking an estimated $11.4 million, compared to $12.1 million for last year's Arthur Christmas. The fact that the film is being released in accordance with Sony Pictures Animation, who are much better known in America, and the film's fairly strong advertising campaign - focusing on Aardman's Oscar success and the film's comedy - may also work some way to help boost sales - although by how much will remain to be seen.

Aardman can probably expect a decent, if unexciting, box-office report for The Pirates! - although hopefully good word of mouth will drive the masses in. Large box-office receipts are going to be pretty necessary if the talk of a sequel is going to go anywhere - I'd certainly love to see a sequel.

Director Peter Lord said the following to BBC News on the subject:

"My attitude is one of hope. We do what we do and we hope the rest of the world will come to the party. I shall now be going around North America and beating a drum and wearing a sandwich board to get them to come to the cinema.

We'd be interested in doing a sequel for this film because I'd love to re-explore this bunch of characters but it entirely depends upon box office business.

This is a really rash thing to say, but most of the rest of the world I am quite confident about. We always do really well in places like France and Germany, but America is the tricky one, and that's because I think our brand of comedy is less familiar to them."

Here's hoping the film does well - it deserves too. A note to any American readers: go see it! You won't be disappointed.

Shrek: Once Upon A Time

No matter what you make of the sequels, Shrek, as a film and indeed a franchise, is one of the most important and noteworthy sagas in animation history; the 2001 original did, after all, win the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Tonight, BBC Three (this's really only applicable if you're in the UK) has a night of Shrek in store. Shrek the Halls is on right now, to be followed by the original film, however, the point of this post is what starts at 9. A documentary based upon the influence of Shrek, entitled Shrek: Once Upon A Time, narrated by David Tennant. It sounds great, after all, the Pixar: 25 Magic Moments documentary that BBC produced recently was great! I would suggest catching it if you can.