News Round-Up!

     Just a quick news round-up for you before I post the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa review! To start things off, let's look at what Disney has cooking up for us. Disney has a released a serious of Wreck-It Ralph character posters! I love the digital look surrounding each one and the characters just look beautiful. I love the character design and how you can tell Sergeant Calhoun is from a different game then Fix-It Felix! Speaking of the games, Disney has created the arcade game Fix-It Felix and it is so much fun! Play it here: http://disney.go.com/wreck-it-ralph/?cmp=wdsmp_wir_url_dcomwreckitralph#/fixitfelix 
     In the wake of all the Frankenweenie Madness, Disney still had one more trick up their sleeves and are releasing a new trailer for the film in 5 days! It's the cherry on top because now we finally get to see more of the characters and the bulk of the story. I can't wait! Pixar has released a few Brave posters as well, the interesting part? One of them has a nice close look at the witch! She looks amazing! Quirky and evil, perfect! Check them out at the bottom of this post! On to DreamWorks Animation. Yesterday they released a press release for their upcoming film "Happy Smekday!". Although it doesn't come out til the end of 2014, it's a nice look into their future line up of films! Rihanna and Jim Parsons are the voices of the main characters. Here's the press release: 

Emmy® And Golden Globe® Winner Jim Parsons And International Superstar Rihanna To Star In DreamWorks Animation's Happy Smekday! In 2014

GLENDALE, Calif., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Jim Parsons (Harvey on Broadway and The Big Bang Theory) and international superstar Rihanna (Battleship) will star in the leading roles in Happy Smekday!, a feature film based on the critically acclaimed book "The True Meaning of Smekday" by Adam Rex. The studio plans to release Happy Smekday! during the fourth quarter of 2014. 
Tim Johnson (Over the Hedge, Antz) will serve as the film's director. Chris Jenkins (Rio, Surf's Up) and Suzanne Buirgy (Kung Fu Panda 2) are serving as producers and DreamWorks Animation's Head of Development Gregg Taylor is overseeing the project. Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (Get Smart) are currently writing the screenplay.
"Adam's hilarious book is the perfect recipe for a compelling animated feature and we are ecstatic that Jim Parsons and Rihanna will contribute their immense talents to the production," said Bill Damaschke, DreamWorks Animation's Chief Creative Officer. "We're also thrilled that Tim Johnson is back to direct another DreamWorks Animation feature film and show the world just how fun an alien invasion can be!"
"When I read Adam Rex's remarkable book, I knew it would make an amazing film. I can't wait to introduce audiences to the unique world and characters of Happy Smekday!" added Tim Johnson.
In Happy Smekday! an alien race invades Earth and uses it as a hideout from their mortal enemy. When one lowly alien accidentally notifies the enemies of his whereabouts, he is forced to go on the run with a teenage girl. The two become unlikely buddies and embark on a comical globe-trotting adventure to right his wrongs, in which our alien hero learns what it really means to be human. 

Sergeant Calhoun

Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz

Fix-It Felix

     Blue Sky Studios has released a couple scenes from Ice Age: Continental Drift and boy do they look.... interesting. Check them out for yourselves! 

     So a musical number in Ice Age? I don't know how I feel about it. The song started out alright, but then it kind of turned into a song you might see on Disney Jr. or something. It's definitely growing on me and the animation is beautiful, but it feels a little out of place in Ice Age. I guess we shall see how it all turns out! As for "The Storm", I like what I see here. The moment where the crab is gone got a good chuckle out of me and it looks like good Ice Age fun.  

     Hotel Transylvania released a new trailer and it gave me some reservations about the film. Check it out below: 

  

       Well I think this film looks great for the most part. The characters look fun and lively, the animation looks great, and the story looks fun! I just have one concern, Jonathan, the human who stumbles upon the hotel. He looks really stupid, why would Dracula's daughter, Mavis, fall for someone so stupid! The filmmakers try to make his stupidity funny, but they just look annoying. Who knows if his character will be more likable in the final film? The rest looks great so here's hoping! 

Merida

     

The Triplets

The Witch
Well that's about it for the news lately! Check back for the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa review later tonight or tomorrow! This year is looking great for animated films and I am excited for all of them. Here's the Brave posters, enjoy! Notice the character model for Merida's horse. Beautiful! As for me, I plan on excepting the challenge Merida set when she said "If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?"