Animation Turnaround #1: Shrek (2001)

Welcome to Animation Turnarounds, a new section where I will review animated films that, for one reason or another, represented a change of direction for their respective animation studios and the industry in general. Unlike the Disney Retrospectives, these reviews won't be in chronological order and will feature a variety of films from different studios and nationalities. So, join me in celebrating these films that have made a dent in the animation industry, starting right now with Shrek:

Katzenberg On Shrek 5: "We’re Not Finished, and More Importantly, Neither is He.”

"We’re not finished, and more importantly, neither is he." Those are the slightly villainous-sounding words of DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, threatening indicating that another Shrek film is on the cards, only four years after Shrek Forever After, which was subtitled The Final Chapter.

DreamWorks Animation Traditionally-Animated Films: What Went Wrong?

DreamWorks Animation is a studio that has positioned itself as one of the leading studios in the animation industry. In recent years it has a achieved a certain level of excellence with great films such as Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon. Their CG films are very popular, with many of them becoming franchises and spanning many sequels. But, what many people have forgotten, is that in their early years, they also released a bunch of hand-drawn animated films that have now fallen into obscurity. The question is, what happened? Are these films very bad and deserve to be forgotten? Or, are they underrated films deserving a second chance? Well let's take a look at each film and the circumstances surrounding their releases. Unlike the Disney Retrospective, nostalgia won't play a part in any of these films as I remembered very little of them (and in the case of Sinbad, had never seen it before) so I re-watched all of them with fresh eyes. The meaning of theis article is not to provide a definite answer for the question in the headline, but just to give some context and try to make some guesses as to why that happened.

Note: Only the theatrical traditionally animated films are taken into account so Joseph: King of Dreams is not included.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #32: The Lion King (1994)

Last week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #31: Aladdin (1992)

After a string of big successes, beginning with The Little Mermaid in 1989, it seemed that Disney Animation could do no wrong and yet, The Lion King was once viewed as a B project to the 'more ambitious' Pocahontas, which was in production at the same time. Called King of the Jungle earlier on in production, nobody could foresee the impact and success that the film ultimately achieved in 1994. Jeffrey Katzenberg was more focused on Pocahontas and, on the whole, The Lion King seemed like a minor film, something that would be cute but not very memorable. As you likely already know, in the end, The Lion King not only was a resounding success on every front but it also became the peak of the Disney Renaissance, and one of Disney's most recognizable and lucrative films. The coming-of-age story of a lion cub who has to take his place in life and be part of the "Circle of Life" could be seen as nothing new or even original - similarities range from Bambi to Hamlet - and yet there is something very powerful about this film that sets it apart from the rest, making it an instant classic. Just take a look at the film's epic beginning, where just music and beautiful images take centre stage. No dialogue is needed and yet you know that you're in for something big. One of the many highlights of the film is the powerful score composed by Hans Zimmer; the music, built from African melodies, gives the film a sense of grandeur and amplifies the scope of the story. Characters are wonderfully constructed and every single one of them leaves an impression of you. Whether it's our hero Simba or the deliciously villainous Scar, every character is a perfect coupling of animation and voice acting that just makes the audience want to spend time with them. Like its predecessors, The Lion King also employs a Broadway-esque style and the songs composed by Elton John and Tim Rice are a rich amalgam of rhythms. From the earth shattering "Circle of Life" to the laid back "Hakuna Matata", each song contributes to the story and helps the plot advance with a nice, balanced flow. The animation again is top-notch with many memorable scenes from the epic prologue to the wildebeest stampede to Mufasa's appearance in the clouds to the big final battle, there are tons of scenes where you can see all the care and love that the crew put into the film. Moreover, the film's themes of death, responsibility and redemption - among others - makes this one of the most heartfelt, touching and profound motion pictures in the history of cinema. The Lion King repeated its predecessors' success in terms of accolades, and was a bombastic hit at the box office too, cementing its status as the peak of the Renaissance and of all the Disney canon. No single Disney feature before or after has repeated the success and relevancy of The Lion King; it's a testament to how good the picture is that still, all these years later, the film enchants new generations, while being fondly remembered by the older ones. Hakuna Matata indeed. Rating: 5/5.

Next Week - Animated Classic #33 Review: Pocahontas (1995)

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #31: Aladdin (1992)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #30: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Aladdin is often perceived as the weakest film of 'The Big Four' group but I think that all of them offer something unique and entertain in their own ways. After the smash success of Beauty and the Beast the year before, Aladdin had the difficult task of trying to replicate or surpass its predecessor's glowing reputation (both critically and financially). But even if it didn't quite surpass BatB critically, it was nonetheless a smashing success and is still one of Disney's most appealing films. The third film helmed by legendary duo of Ron Clements and John Musker, Aladdin had a very difficult production where many things had to be reworked and many characters had to undergo many changes. Jeffrey Katzenberg came close to shutting down the project completely, but, thankfully, all the retooling worked, and the result is one of the most funny, heartfelt and beautiful Disney movies that ever graced the screen. Legendary composer Alan Menken returned to compose the score and his late partner Howard Ashman contributed some of the songs, making this his final work before his unfortunate death. Renowned lyricist Tim Rice had to step up to complete and create additional songs for the movie. In the end, all the troubles and problems paid off because not only do we have an appealing story, but also one of the best ensemble pieces and some of the most unforgettable characters in the entire canon.  We cannot think of Aladdin and not think about the Genie. This wonderful creation - the product of Eric Goldberg's fantastic animation and Robin Williams's superb voice acting - is one of the best and most hilarious characters to ever come from the studio. It's true that when he makes his appearances in the film, he does tend to overshadow the rest of the characters, but fortunately the filmmakers were wise enough to introduce him late in the picture so we can get to know the rest of the cast beforehand. And what a cast it is! Jafar is one of the best and most menacing villains to come from the studio and Aladdin is one of the most appealing heroes, one you can relate to and root for throughout the entire movie; and that's a good thing because, even if the Genie is a powerful presence, we never forget that this is Aladdin's story and we care for him the entire time. Added to this is top-notch humour that doesn't feel dated and is still as funny as it was 21 years ago, and fantastic songs that help the story flow more easily. As with its predecessor, the animation was also pushed to new heights and that can be seen in the 'Cave of Wonders' sequence which was done with the aid of computers and is one of the best sequences in the movie. And who can forget the "A Whole New World" scene which pairs one of the studio's best songs with some fantastic animation? You can't help but be swept away every time you see it. Aladdin may not be held as highly as Beauty and the Beast but it ended up being another huge success at the box office and took home the same Academy Awards that its predecessor did (Best Song and Best Score). More importantly though, Aladdin is still widely beloved by audiences all over the world today and remains one of the studio's brightest spots. A classic. Rating: 5/5.

Next Week - Animated Classic #32 Review: The Lion King (1994)

NY Times Profiles DreamWorks CCO Bill Damaschke

The New York Times has a great piece up highlighting one of the most powerful men in the animation industry: DreamWorks' Chief Creative Officer, Bill Damaschke. Damaschke may not be as well known to animation fans as Pixar's John Lasseter - in fact the article dubs him "The Quiet Force Behind DreamWorks" - but his influence and importance at the studio cannot be understated.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #26: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #25: The Black Cauldron (1985)

After the disastrous premiere of The Black Cauldron the previous year, the new Disney management, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and Roy E. Disney at the helm, took it upon themselves to rehabilitate the ailing animation studio. Instead of aiming for a big, ambitious and costly endeavour, they set their goal on a smaller but still entertaining film. Mice have always been a staple for the Disney Studio, so it's not a surprise that this film would feature another one of the studio's most famous animal. Based on the children's book series "Basil of Baker Street" by Eve Titus, the film tells the story of Basil (a mouse version of Sherlock Holmes) a very clever and astute mouse who solves the most difficult and puzzling mysteries. When a toymaker is mysteriously kidnapped, Basil sets his sights on his arch-nemesis Professor Ratigan (a rat version of Professor Moriarty) and, with the help of a veteran mouse, Major Dawson (Watson), they start unravelling a crime which could put the whole British Empire in jeopardy. The Great Mouse Detective may not be a particularly remarkable film, but it features an excellent cast of characters. The film boasts excellent character animation and top-notch vocal performers (Vincent Price is particularly stellar as the villainous Ratigan) and is also an early showcase of the talent of some of the young animators who would become legends in later years by creating some of the most famous Disney films in recent memory. A particular stand-out is Glen Keane's animation of Ratigan which makes him such an interesting personality. This is also the first film directed by the legendary duo of Ron Clements and John Musker who later created iconic films like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. All in all, The Great Mouse Detective may not be a cherished Disney classic (and the fact that is sandwiched between two disappointing films may be one of the reasons for that) but it offers clever entertainment and wonderfully animated characters; it's a showcase of early talent from some of the studio's top animators. Rating: 3.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #27 Review: Oliver and Company (1988)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #25: The Black Cauldron (1985)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #24: The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Here's a film that has the words "wasted potential" all over it. The Black Cauldron was a movie intended for a more mature audience, as Disney felt they needed to do something for teens instead of little children, without realizing that was Walt did was entertainment for everyone and for all ages. The Disney team wanted to create a "darker movie" and Lloyd Alexander's "Prydain Chronicles" seemed like the perfect choice on paper. Unfortunately, the final product is a bloated mixture of half-baked ideas and underdeveloped characters. The story of Taran and his quest to reach the mythical Black Cauldron and save humanity before The Evil Horned King takes it and rules over the world seems like a great adventure story, but the Disney animators created a painfully slow and unfunny film that really wastes any potential of becoming something better by giving Taran the personality of a potato. Yep, Taran is one of the most bland and contradictory characters ever created for a Disney film and, as heroes go, he's one of the worst. Alongside a slate of horrible supporting characters (just look at Gurgi, one of the most annoying creatures I've ever encountered in a film) he drags the whole picture down; the film is a nearly complete disaster from beginning to end. What saves it from being a compete waste is some inspired backgrounds and The Horned King, who is a menacing villain with a great design. But, aside from that, The Black Cauldron is the main reason why this was a dark time for Disney Animation. It didn't help that Jeffrey Katzenberg, the newly appointed head of the department, demanded many cuts in the final sequences that were too "dark" for the audience. When the film premiered, audiences turned their back on this "ambitious" project and Cauldron plummeted at the box office, becoming an epic disaster and threatening the very existence of the studio. Fortunately, that wasn't quite the case and since the movie's disastrous premiere it has achieved some sort of "cult status" among some circles. But I must say that The Black Cauldron remains one of the worst and most boring pictures the famous studio have ever created. Rating: 2/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #26 Review: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Fox Announces Colossal List of Animated Releases Up to 2018 - What's the Fallout?

Fox are gearing up for war, it seems. After Disney's ambitious 2016 - 2018 release schedule a couple of weeks ago, the studio, which distributes both DreamWorks' and Blue Sky's films, have announced an equally competitive release schedule, directly plonking down on the release dates on a rather high-profile Pixar films.

Oriental DreamWorks To Adapt The Tibet Code

The Hollywood Reporter says that DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has announced plans for Oriental DreamWorks to adapt the immensely popular Chinese book series, The Tibet Code, with a view towards turning it into a franchise.

The series follows "the adventures a two men on the hunt for Buddhist treasures," so DreamWorks will presumably be hoping to evoke Indiana Jones comparisons; the books themselves have been several times compared to the Harry Potter series. The project is to be a collaboration between Oriental DreamWorks, China Film Group and The National Film Fund of China. The commercial potential of the films is huge, particularly so in China, with Katzenberg stating "Tibet Code has all the makings of a world-class, quality, blockbuster franchise."

Oriental DreamWorks is the animation powerhouse's Beijing-based satellite studio, which is currently working on Kung Fu Panda 3. Writing for Tibet Code is set to begin shortly.

Related news: Exciting New Additions to Kung Fu Panda 3 Voice Cast

DreamWorks To Launch First Netflix-Original Kids' Series with Turbo: F.A.S.T

It's been a tough few months for DreamWorks: Rise of the Guardians underperformed, there's been release date chaos, films have been scrapped, people are being let go; but, they are still, for the most part, doing business as usual. Yesterday, news broke that DreamWorks were working with Netflix to produce the streaming service's first original children's series.

DreamWorks Woes: Mr. Peabody Pushed Back, Shadow Back in Development, Staff Cuts Coming

On the back of Rise of the Guardians under-performing (though it's still taken almost $300 million worldwide - hardly a failure), DreamWorks have a string of unpleasantness on the horizon, and none of today's developments are good news for animation fans.

DreamWorks Sign With Fox

DreamWorks Animation's distribution deal with Paramount comes to a close at the end of the year - with Paramount looking to cut out the middle man and set up their own animation studio - which left DreamWorks looking for a new partner. Studios rumoured to be in consideration were Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox and Sony, and today, Deadline tells us that the house that brought us Shrek has now signed a five year distribution deal with Fox.

Per the deal, Fox will receive an 8% cut of box office and home video takings, and 6% of digital takings - meaning DreamWorks' lucrative deal with Netflix. DreamWorks CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, called the deal "an absolute win-win".

Of note also, is that Fox already has its own built-in animation division, Blue Sky Studios, which is pretty damn successful. Fox's Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman spoke about this in a DreamWorks conference call, saying:

“We are particularly excited to add DreamWorks Animation’s films to the strong and growing slate of movies from our outstanding Blue Sky Studios division, which is coming off another global blockbuster with Ice Age: Continental Drift, and has Epic and Rio 2 in advanced production. Together we will be a dominant force in animated entertainment for years to come.”

The first film released under this new deal will be Chris Sanders' The Croods, due on 22nd March, 2013.

DreamWorks Buys Classic Media

News broke a few days back that DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, was planning to purchase Classic Media. Today, it hit the web that the purchase had been made for $155 million, adding the vast Classic Media library to DreamWorks' already vast repertoire.

Classic Media hold the rights to - as well as Rocky and Bullwinkle, the Mr. Pebody and Sherman section of which DreamWorks are already making a film adaptation of - the Entertainment Rights catalogue, including Basil Brush and Postman Pat (big hits over here in the UK); Where's Waldo?/Wally?; He-Man; Felix the Cat; several UPA properties, including Mr. Magoo; Lassie; Casper the Friendly Ghost; Noddy and several more! Basically, Classic Media own a lot of stuff. And now DreamWorks owns it.

So, we can expect - presumably - to see a lot more from these properties coming out of DreamWorks in the next decade or so. Speaking of the transaction and DreamWorks' plans for the properties, CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said:

"Classic Media brings a large and diverse collection of characters and branded assets that is extremely complementary to DreamWorks Animation's franchise business,

We plan to leverage it across our motion picture, television, home entertainment, consumer products, digital, theme park and live entertainment channels."

It's going to be very interesting to see what comes out of this in the near future.

Via The Telegraph.

DreamWorks Animators "PUSH IT"

I really don't know what to say about the above video; other than that it's hilarious. Designed to keep the animators at DreamWorks in good spirits, particular comic highlights of the video are Jeffrey Katzenberg's hilarious cameos.

It's also nice to see that Pixar isn't the only place in the world that has a hoot making their films!

Enjoy.

Via Cat Hicks' Twitter.

At DreamWorks, The Dream Works

DreamWorks Animation Studios is a name and a company that will likely garner mixed responses. Its films are often accused of being cheesier, cheaper and more rushed; it’s always playing second fiddle to Pixar. Then again, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Pixar is the greatest animation studio of the past few decades; it took over when Disney faltered, as the crème de la crème of animation. Narrowly following this is a hard act, yet one DreamWorks seems to have managed over the years, with improvements hitting us all the time.

Also, let us not forget that DreamWorks were awarded the very first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature back in 2001, for Shrek, which still remains one of their finest films, trumping Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. in the process – not an easy feat.

So, how did DreamWorks get this reputation for being a far cruder, far less emotionally poignant, wannabe version of Pixar? To be honest, I don’t think they have this reputation anymore, but the main reason is likely the way they rush a lot of their films, in the past anyway. There are a few DreamWorks films that I love on par with any other film – Pixar, animated or otherwise –, those being Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda 2; they were witty, smart, funny and, more importantly, genuinely touching and heart warming. However, we also have a series of, maybe not great, but solidly fun and entertaining films, such as Monsters vs. Aliens and Megamind. The problem, however, with their reputation lies in the large portion of their films that are just mediocre filler.

A lot of the DreamWorks canon is unmemorable, dull, crude or just plain pointless; Bee Movie, Shark Tale, Over the Hedge and Shrek the Third are four films that I just consider plain bad, they were cringe worthily terrible, the characters felt unformed, the scripts felt unfinished and the animation looked unpolished. Similarly, films like Madagascar and Shrek 4 felt like they had potential and, while they were fun, they felt like DreamWorks, in their desire to make money, had rushed the production, loaded them full of stupid pop-culture gags and references and crude “edgy” humour.

The effect on the studio of its CEO, former Disney head honcho, Jeffrey Katzenberg, usually provides some form of consternation for animation aficionados. Katzenberg has a reputation for being unreasonable and micromanaging, insisting on 'edge', and making it difficult to make a resonant, warm film. However, let us not forget that he is one of the largest factors behind the Disney Renaissance, without which, Disney may not be what it is today still, it may have not been able to buy Pixar and the entire landscape of animation history would be different. Jeff Katzenberg is an animation visionary and without him, DreamWorks wouldn't be what it is, for good and bad; yes we can attribute blame to him, but we must also attribute rapturuous acclaim.

But, there is no arguing, DreamWorks is a fantastic studio. Specifically in recent years, the studio has been, more and more, refining their films, fine tuning the story and its characters and focusing on genuine emotions, and it shows. Over the last two years, DreamWorks have released two of my favourite animated films of all time: How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda 2. Both were definitely ‘Pixar quality’, and can easily be considered some of the best films in recent memory. The studio is riding a curve upwards at the moment, they are on a major roll, Puss in Boots (review up this weekend) is supposed to be a pretty solid and entertaining film from the studio, and films like The Croods sound like they’ll be a great way to keep the current tradition going.

DreamWorks produce, more so now than ever, warm, touching, very funny and witty animated films that the whole family can truly enjoy. They are the second best animation studio around, and, particularly after the last couple of years, it should be very proud of that.

New DreamWorks Films: 2011-2014

DreamWorks Animation yesterday announced their very impressive schedule of released for 2011-2014, whilst it seems a tad over the top to have 9 films in 3 years, it is encouraging to see the large number of original films - but there is still a lot of sequels. Nonetheless, time will tell and you can view the full press release below:

GLENDALE, Calif., March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced its feature film release slate through 2014.The Company's current plan features six original films and is anchored by three sequels based on its hit Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon franchises.

DreamWorks Animation's theatrical release schedule is currently planned as follows: Kung Fu Panda 2 for May 26, 2011 and Puss In Boots for November 4, 2011; Madagascar 3 for June 8, 2012 and Rise of the Guardians for November 21, 2012; The Croods for March 1, 2013, Turbo for June 7, 2013 and Me and My Shadow for November 8, 2013; Mr. Peabody & Sherman for March 21, 2014 and How to Train Your Dragon 2 for June 20, 2014.
"At DreamWorks Animation, our creative ambition has never been greater and the release schedule we're unveiling today is designed to give our movies the time and resources they need to realize their full potential so each one can become a true event for our audiences," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. "Thanks to the extraordinary talent base at DreamWorks Animation today, our feature film slate is full of both original story ideas and exciting new franchise chapters that will form a solid foundation for the studio's creative output through 2014," added Bill Damaschke, the Company's Chief Creative Officer.

Below is additional detail on the feature films that comprise DreamWorks Animation's theatrical release schedule:

Kung Fu Panda 2 will be released on May 26, 2011. It is being directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda), produced by Melissa Cobb (Kung Fu Panda) and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda). It stars Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong and Michelle Yeoh. In the sequel, Po is living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po's life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins... only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Puss In Boots will be released on November 4, 2011. It is directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) and produced by Joe Aguilar (Merry Madagascar) and Latifa Ouaou (Monsters vs. Aliens). It is being written by Tom Wheeler (The Cape). Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) are serving as executive producers on the film, which stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris. Way before he ever met Shrek, the legendary Puss In Boots goes on a heroic journey, teaming up with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty Softpaws to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs. It's the adventure of nine lifetimes!

Madagascar 3 will be released on June 8, 2012. It is directed by Eric Darnell (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and produced by Mireille Soria (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and Mark Swift (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa). It is being written by Noah Baumbach (Fantastic Mr. Fox) and once again stars Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer and Andy Richter. Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

Rise of the Guardians, based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 21, 2012. It is directed by Peter Ramsey (Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space) and co-directed by Joyce. The film is being produced by Christina Steinberg (Bee Movie, National Treasure) and Nancy Bernstein, long-time head of Production at DreamWorks Animation. Rise of the Guardians is being written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro and Michael Siegel. It stars Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. More than a collection of the well-known childhood legends, Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

The Croods will be released on March 1, 2013. It is being written and directed by two-time Academy Award® nominee Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch) and Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) and produced by Kristine Belson (How to Train Your Dragon) and Jane Hartwell (Shrek). It stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman. The Croods is a comedy adventure that takes us back to a previously undiscovered era in the history of our planet known as the Croodaceous, when nature was still a work-in-progress... full of never-before- seen creatures and landscapes. Audiences will relate to the hilarious family antics as an imaginative and resourceful newcomer helps the Croods navigate their way through the fantastic world beyond their cave.

Turbo will be released on June 7, 2013. It is being directed by David Soren (Merry Madagascar), who first brought the project to the studio, and produced by Lisa Stewart (Monsters vs. Aliens). It is being written by Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After) together with Soren. Turbo tells the story of an ordinary garden snail with an impossible dream: to become the fastest snail in the world. When a freak accident gives him extraordinary speed, Turbo sets out to try to make this dream come true.

In Me and My Shadow, which will be released on November 8, 2013, the studio will pioneer a groundbreaking combination of both CG and traditional animation techniques seamlessly together throughout the film. The film is directed by Mark Dindal (Chicken Little, The Emperor's New Groove) and produced by Melissa Cobb (Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2) and Teresa Cheng (Shrek Forever After, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron). It is being written by Tom Astle and Matt Ember (Get Smart). Me and My Shadow tells the story of Shadow Stan, an extremely frustrated shadow who yearns for a dynamic life but happens to be stuck with Stanley Grubb, the world's most boring human. Finally pushed to the brink, Shadow Stan breaks the singular rule of the Shadow World – "They lead, we follow" – and takes control of Stanley!

Mr. Peabody & Sherman will be released on March 21, 2014. It is directed by Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little, The Lion King) and produced by Jason Clark (Monster House, Stuart Little) and Denise Nolan Cascino (Megamind). It is being written by Craig Wright (United States of Tara, Six Feet Under). Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Bullwinkle Studio's Tiffany Ward and Classic Media's Eric Ellenbogen are serving as executive producers on the film, which stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Robert Downey Jr. Based on Jay Ward's classic cartoon, Mr. Peabody is the world's smartest person who happens to be a dog. He and his "pet" boy Sherman discover that someone has stolen their time traveling WABAC machine and is changing moments in history to disastrous and comical results. It's up to this most unexpected of father-son teams to somehow put a stop to this villain before his actions destroy the space-time continuum in Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

How to Train Your Dragon 2, the sequel to the Academy Award®-nominated original film from 2010, will be released on June 20, 2014. It is being directed and written by Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon) and produced by Bonnie Arnold (How to Train Your Dragon). Also based on the book series by Cressida Cowell, the sequel is being executive produced by Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon) together with DeBlois. How to Train Your Dragon 2 again stars Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller and Kristen Wiig. About DreamWorks Animation SKG DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques.

Keep your eyes pealed for more updates!

The Pixar Touch Review - A (David A.) Price-less Look at the Building of The Animation Gurus of Our Generation

This is going to be the first of a different breed of A113Animation Reviews, namely a review of David A. Price's insanely detailed chronicle of all things Pixar, about the turbulent rise to the top of Pixar Animation Studios.

The first thing to say is that this book has been out for a while now, first published not long after Ratatouille's original theatrical release in 2007, now with an updated epilogue that covers the release of WALL E. The book literally touches on practically every single detail of Pixar's history... ever... this book is insanely, absurdly, completely-over-the-top-ly detailed. I'm a massive Pixar mark myself and have at times have completely immersed myself into everything Pixar for weeks on end, yet, nonetheless The Pixar Touch taught me a thing or two (to understate it a million fold), a very trivial example would be that I had no idea that Ed Catmull was a Mormon! Price's devotion to the source material is, simply put, exemplary; he obviously spent weeks and weeks and years and years fully devoting himself to every little morsel of Pixar, and it shows. The level of detail is one absent from any other documentary or book I've seen out there, even more spectacular considering that it's based on a very secretive company.

DreamWorks Sequel Plan

In a press release on December 3rd, DreamWorks CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg laid down DreamWorks' plan for sequels in the near future. DreamWorks, who in the past have never shied away from sequels, in the past making 4 Shreks - with a Puss in Boots spin-off out next year - and 2 Madagascar films, announced, that in the upcoming years, they will release far more.

The following have recently been announced:

• Another 4 Kung Fu Panda films, in addition to next years Kung Fu Panda 2, bringing the total to 6

• 2 more Madagascars, including the already announced Madagascar 3, bringing the total to 4

•  Anywhere between 3 and 8 How to Train Your Dragon films