Paramount's Plan: SpongeBob 2 and Monster Trucks for Release in 2015

Paramount Animation set up shop in the wake of Rango's success and the studio's expired distribution deal with DreamWorks (who are now under the Fox banner). We heard about their plans back in August of last year, but have heard close to squat since. Today, we got details and release dates for their first two projects: SpongeBob SquarePants 2 and Monster Trucks.

Munir's Epic Review: Not So 'Epic' After All

*This review contains mild spoilers*

Blue Sky Studios have been making films for over a decade now, but they've never have truly created a truly great great film. I mean, sure the first Ice Age is funny, has heart and some great characters but after their promising start they they've been going downhill ever since. Robots is as cold as the metal that the characters wear, the Ice Age sequels are derivative and less and less funny which each passing, Horton has its moments and a valuable lesson but the main character is obnoxious (among other problems), and Rio is colourful and has some catchy songs but it feels overly long and the plot is a tad familiar.

The Art of Epic Review - Fifty Shades of Green

The latest film from the studio who previously brought you Ice Age and Robots is out in cinemas now; as such, Titan have released an accompanying Art of book for the Chris Wedge film. We've actually had a copy of the book for a month or so, but schedules being what they are, we've not had the chance to review it until now. If you're in the UK, you can win yourself a free copy too, by entering our competition here. Before that though, check out our review below.

Competition: Win a Copy of The Art of Epic [NOW CLOSED]

A113Animation are teaming up with the new animated film EPIC to offer you the chance to win a free copy of The Art of Epic, the accompanying Art of book for Blue Sky Studios' latest - directed by Ice Age's Chris Wedge. Alas, this competition is only open to UK residents; check out the full details and terms and conditions below.

Another New Trailer for Blue Sky's Epic Showcases Stars and Comedy

We only got the previous Epic trailer earlier this month, but Blue Sky and Fox have just released another new look at their May release. The trailer, which again comes from iTunes Movie Trailers, follows the releases of new trailers for Despicable Me 2 and Turbo over the last few days.

As a big Blue Sky fan and an even bigger Bill Joyce one, I'm really excited for Epic (I mean, just look at those visuals), but I've really not been wowed by Fox's advertising for the film. This newest trailer focuses entirely too much on humour - while some of the jokes work, a lot fall flat, and it really isn't in keeping with the more, well, epic tone the studio tried to establish with the teaser. Something else that this new trailer focuses on too much is its cast; clearly Blue Sky are thrilled with the film's star wattage, but spending half the trailer saying who's in it is overkill, especially when a lot of the cast isn't that impressive (fair enough if it was focusing solely on Christoph Waltz).

Epic is directed by Chris Wedge (Ice Age) and stars the voices of... hell, we've heard enough about who's in it. It's released on 24th May.

Watch: New Trailer For Blue Sky's Epic

Fox and Blue Sky Studios have released the first full-length trailer for their forthcoming release, Epic. Based on the book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs by Moonbot Studios' William Joyce (director of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore; author of the source material for Meet the Robinsons and Rise of the Guardians), Epic will be Blue Sky's eighth feature film. We got a teaser for the film back in June of last year.

Watch: Brilliant New Trailer for Epic

Blue Sky Studios are great. They get a lot of flack sometimes for their more goofy, comic approach to animation - versus the more sophisticated stories of Pixar or, now, DreamWorks - but their films have heart, have depth, are gorgeous, and, yes, have lots of, sometimes asinine, comedy. I loved the first two Ice Age films (3, not so much; I still haven't seen 4), I loved Robots as a kid, Horton Hears a Who! was fun, and Rio was a great film! That said, the Fox-owned studio's next film, Epic, looks like a departure from their pre-existing mould, and I'm all for that.

New Images From Blue Sky's Epic

It certainly looks like, at least somewhat of, a departure from their funny Ice Age-norm, but Blue Sky Studios' Epic looks just that: epic. Directed by Blue Sky co-founder and head-honcho, Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Robots), and based on the 1996 book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, by William Joyce, Epic looks set to wow - particularly in terms of visuals.

Trailers: Blue Sky Studios' Epic and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie

Today brought two fantastic new trailers for two highly anticipated upcoming animated films. Firstly, and thanks to Tyler Carter for sharing this with us via Twitter, Good Morning America brings us the first teaser trailer for Blue Sky Studios' 2013 release, Epic. The premise is magical and draws from nature, based on the book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs by William Joyce, and the trailer reflects this. Set to a fantastically calm, atmospheric score, the teaser is almost reminiscent of Avatar, and Epic looks set to be Blue Sky's most beautiful and delicate film to date.

Two weeks ago we got the first piece of concept art from the film, that seemed to capture this calm yet (pardon the pun) epic scale and many crowed that this could be Blue Sky's best film yet. But there were also the naysayers, who said that, given the voice cast, including Beyoncé, it would fall down a daft comic route. This should allay that. Aside from a few jokes towards the end of the trailer, the teaser is almost entirely speechless, which is exactly how it left me.

Look forward to seeing more from Epic over the next several months now that Ice Age: Continental Drift is almost out in theatres.

Secondly, the second fantastic trailer for Tim Burton's black-and-white, stop-motion return to animation direction, Frankenweenie, is up over at iTunes Movie Trailers. Showcasing the wicked comedy and attuned  sense of character that has made Burton's films such huge hits in the past, Frankenweenie look set to be a huge hit for Disney.

Epic is due for release on 24th May, 2013, with Frankenweenie hitting later this year, on 5th October (US) and 17th October (UK).

Blue Sky Studios' Leafmen Gets a Title Change

20th Century Fox recently announced their upcoming slate of feature films, including sequels to Rise of the Planet of the Apes (titled Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and X-Men: First Class, and - more topically given the theme of this blog - a title change to Blue Sky Studios' upcoming animated film, Leafmen.

Blue Sky's next animated release is the fourth instalment in their Ice Age series, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and following that, the newly renamed, Epic. It's hardly the most inspired title change in the world - it's a little blasé and vague; certainly a lot less magical sounding - and seems to be trying to piggyback on the simplicity of Pixar's Brave. But then again, a title means very little, and Blue Sky have a great track record, so let's hope the film turns out great nonetheless.

Epic is based on the book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs by William Joyce (co-director The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, author of the Guardians of Childhood series on which DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians is based) and is directed by Blue Sky veteran, Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Robots).

The voice cast was also unveiled by Fox, a voice cast that includes Beyoncé, Colin Farrell and Josh Hutcherson.

Epic is due out on 24th May, 2013, and it's a safe assumption that we'll see a teaser trailer with Ice Age 4 next month.

Via Kyle's Animated World.