Star Wars: Episode VII Gets Release Date

With open auditions starting this weekend, Disney have finally announced the release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, ending months of speculation. It will be a Star Wars Christmas, because it's due to open on 18th December, 2015.

UPDATED: J.J. Abrams Set to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII

It's a day, it seems, of loosely-based-to-animation news, but this is too exciting a story to not post about. Months after the galaxy-shaking news that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and were working on a new Star Wars trilogy, and endless speculation about who would direct the first instalment in said trilogy, we now know that J.J. Abrams is near to reaching a deal to helm Star Wars: Episode VII!

UPDATED - Star Wars Update: Brad Bird's Out, Who's In?

The hot topic at the moment is who's going to direct Star Wars: Episode VII? Already the most anticipated film in the history of the world, the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy will allegedly see the return of Luke, Han and Leia, with more old faces seemingly set to return, along with everyone and their mum wanting to be a part of the film, which is being scripted by Toy Story 3 writer, Michael Arndt. With all the news we are getting though, the one bit we're not is that all important nugget of who's going to direct it.

Bob Iger, George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy Discuss Disney-Lucasfilm Acquisition

Coming off the most exciting news of the decade, Disney and Lucasfilm's head-honchos have weighed in on the gigantic $4 billion purchase that means we'll be seeing a new Star Wars film by 2015.

Breaking: Disney Buys Lucasfilm, Star Wars, Indiana Jones for $4.05 Billion

The Walt Disney Co. CEO and Chairman Bob Iger with former Lucasfilm owner George Lucas.

Yes, you did read that right: The Walt Disney Company just announced that they've acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion! Included in that acquisition are the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, special effects house ILM (who debuted their feature animation efforts with last year's Rango) and Skywalker Sound, all for $4.05 billion. Sufficed to say, Twitter practically exploded.

Tintin Wins Producers Guild Award

Yesterday, The Adventures of Tintin took home the animation award at the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards. Producers Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy were awarded the honour, beating out other top contenders Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots and Rango.

Following on from the film's success at the 69th Annual Golden Globes last week, this certainly bodes well for Tintin's Oscar chances (nominations to be revealed tomorrow). The film, which won our very own 2nd Annual A113Animation Award for Best Animated Film, seems to be getting the recognition it deserves this awards season, and it look as if its main competition for the Oscar will be Nickelodeon's Rango.

Tintin 2 Details

Although US viewers are still waiting for the release of Steven Spielberg's phenomenal first animated film, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (I believe it hits theatres in the US tomorrow actually) plans are already underway for the long foretold sequel.

The sequel is to see Spielberg and Lord of the Rings helmer, Peter Jackson, swap places, as Spielberg switches to producing and Jackson assumes the director's chair. Spielberg tells us that "we have the story and we have the book we're adapting from Hergé", and many a report (see this one from Screen Rant) are claiming that the sequel will be based on the Calculus Affair story. Spielberg also tells us that the bumbling Thompson detectives will "have a much bigger role."

The film, to be written by Alex Rider author, Anthony Horrowitz, will begin to take shape once Jackson has finished his directorial duties with the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit. It will likely be hitting cinemas late 2014 or early 2015, as co-producer, Kathleen Kennedy, says that the script will be finished in the first quarter of the new year.

Via CBC News.

Read my review of the first The Adventures of Tintin film here.