The Pirates! Sails Away to a Strong Start

British animation giants Aardman have just released their latest feature film, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (in the UK anyway, US theatre-goers will have to wait just under a month, until 27th April), to, as is the norm for Aardman, heavy critical praise.

The Pirates! is the studio's, most famous for Wallace and Gromit, fifth feature film, and their first stop-motion film since 2006's Wallace and Gromit outing, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Directed by Chicken Run helmer, Peter Lord, and co-produced with Sony Pictures Animation, The Pirates! seems to contain the usual Aardman combination of spectacle, great characters and British wit, as it currently has a score 96% on review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, signifying critical acclaim.

First Hotel Transylvania Trailer - In English This Time

On Sunday, we posted our first footage from Sony Pictures Animation's Genndy Tartakovsky directed feature film, Hotel Transylvania... in Russian. Whilst I wasn't blown away by it (largely due to the fact that... it was in Russian), the animation was impressive and the artistic style of the film looked hopeful.

Now the trailer has been released in English, and I'm still not overly impressed. Admittedly, it's a bit funnier and it still looks like it has potential, but I shan't be too optimistic until we see something of more substance. However, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs didn't look too great in trailers either, and that was brilliant, and a huge winner for Sony - fingers crossed for a repeat performance.

Rise of the Guardians Trailer

The first intense, action-packed trailer for DreamWorks' upcoming animated film, Rise of the Guardians was released on iTunes Movie Trailers today, showcasing the film's troupe of bad-ass childhood heroes. The film, based on the upcoming Guardians of Childhood book series by Moonbot Studios' William Joyce, and co-directed by Joyce, as well as being co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, follows the story of a group of famed fairytale characters, including Santa, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost and the Tooth Fairy, who must band together to save the children of the world from an evil force.

Rise of the Guardians will be DreamWorks' second feature release this year, after Madagascar 3, and is due out on 30th November.

First Trailer for Hotel Transylvania

I generally tend not to post foreign language trailers, because - quite frankly - I have no idea what they're saying. However, our first look at footage from Sony Pictures Animation's next feature film, Hotel Transylvania, comes in the form of a Russian trailer.

At this stage, it doesn't look that astounding, but the Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack) directed film, starring Adam Sandler, does seem to be very well animated, enthused with a certain energy, and seems pretty funny. Although we'll have to reserve judgement until 12th October (here in the UK, 28th September in the US), or at least until we see an English trailer.

Watch the trailer at WorstPreviews.com.

Via Cartoon Brew.

After 37 Years, Glen Keane Leaves Disney

After almost 4 decades in the employ of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Glen Keane, arguably the famed studio's most well known and respected animator and artist, has retired from Disney.

Keane, who began working for Disney in September, 1974 has been responsible for bringing to life some of Disney's most loved characters, including animating Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin in Aladdin, and having heavy creative influence over Rapunzel in Tangled.

Cartoon Brew have the text of the letter detailing his resignation to friends at the studio, in which he said:

Over these four decades I have seen so many changes, but the one thing that remains the same is that we all do this because we love it.

I am humbled and deeply honored to have worked side by side so many artists, producers and directors during my career here at Disney, and I am tremendously proud of the films which together we have created. I will deeply miss working with you.

With my most sincere and heartfelt good wishes for your and Disney’s continued artistic growth and success, 

Glen

One thing's for sure, Glen Keane will be sorely missed at Disney, but will remain a true icon and legend of animation, who will surely continue to excel at whatever he tries his hand at next.