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What does it take to carry an entire franchise on your shoulders? In the Karate Kid universe, it’s not just the heroes who’ve done the heavy lifting, but also the villains, who’ve kept us intrigued and invested. Cobra Kai took this to a whole new level, especially by bringing back John Kreese.

The most memorable antagonist in pop culture and the sensei with a brilliant character arc. Now, with the show wrapping up and Karate Kid: Legends ushering us into the new era, I feel both excited and anxious because Cobra Kai was right to give him a send-off, but the movie might not be ready for the void he’s left behind.

John Kreese: The ultimate villain in Cobra Kai and Karate Kid Martin Kove in Cobra Kai | Netflix

Martin Kove was amazing as John Kreese, and he shaped the soul of the franchise with the...

This just in — Looney Tunesis no longer streaming on Max! The Warner Bros. show is one of many cartoon series that the platform has removed in recent times. In October 2024, fans learned that Max had taken down several big shows from the studio, including Ben 10, Chowder, Steven Universe, and Regular Show, without warning. Not just that, but Warner Bros. has also removed several of theScooby-Doo movies from Max, along with two Tom & Jerrytitles.

During the early 2000s, Cartoon Network boasted an embarrassment of riches in terms of the volume of high-quality shows on its platform. Cult classic series like Teen Titans, The Powerpuff Girls, Codename: Kids Next Door, Samurai Jack, and Ed, Edd, n Eddy were daily fixtures on the network, delivering round-the-clock entertainment to its largely Gen Z audience. Beloved series such as Johnny Test, Total Drama Island, Totally Spies, Chowder and Ben 10 also helped establish Cartoon Network's golden age. While most Cartoon Network series carry a lighthearted, playful tone, there is one series with a hilariously dark origin story that surprisingly became a network favorite — The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.

The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy is an animated television series created by Maxwell Atoms for Cartoon Network. The series is centered around the exploits of Billy (Richard Steven Horvitz), an idiotic and happy-go-lucky boy; Mandy (Grey DeLisle), a deadpan,...

Animation has come a long way since its inception. The meticulous hand-drawn frames of yore have given way to digital techniques, and things like ink and paint have been replaced by Cintiq art tablets. However, one thing has remained the same: every animated work draws inspiration from something else.

Today, there are more remarkable animated shows to see than ever before. Disney and Hanna-Barbera no longer control the narrative. Now, audiences can find something to pique any interest. Shows like Amphibia and The Owl House appeal to the whimsical whims of fantasy fans. Anyone with an itch for something more mysterious can turn to Infinity Train and Gravity Falls. For comedy, Chowder and Regular Show are always available. All these shows seem wildly different, but they’re all connected to the same source. More specifically, their creators were all protégés of Thurop Von Orman and J. G. Quintel’s Cartoon Network show,...

Cartoon Network fans are starting 2025 on a sour note as several beloved animated series have been removed from Max.

Just last month, it was announced that four popular DC animated series—Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!, Static Shock, and Green Lantern: The Animated Series—would leave the platform by the end of 2024. True to the announcement, these shows disappeared from Max’s library after December 31. But it didn’t stop there.

As of January 1, more fan-favorites have also been removed, including Ed, Edd n’ Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, The Looney Tunes Show, and the first seven seasons of Teen Titans Go! While the show’s eighth season remains on Max, fans hoping to revisit earlier episodes will have to look elsewhere, like Hulu, where some seasons are still available.

This isn’t the first time Max has upset fans by pulling Cartoon Network content. Over the past year,...

Cartoon Network fans are starting 2025 with disappointment as several beloved animated series have been removed from Max.

Let’s remember that last month, we learned that Max, the streaming home of countless DC shows and movies, is facing some unexpected changes as four fan-favorite DC animated series were set to leave its library by the start of 2025.

Namely, Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!, Static Shock, and Green Lantern: The Animated Series are no longer available after December 31. However, it seems that those were not the only projects removed from Max’s library starting January 1.

Among the notable titles now missing are the first seven seasons of Teen Titans Go!, the original Teen Titans, Ed, Edd n’ Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, The Looney Tunes Show, Static Shock, and Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

While the eighth season of Teen Titans Go! remains available, fans hoping to...

There have been so many iconic shows that have defined Cartoon Network over the last three decades, like Dexter's Lab, The Powerpuff Girls, Chowder, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Adventure Time – just to name a few. However, in terms of action series, there is no name as beloved on the network as Totally Spies. The French show originally ran for six seasons, from 2001 to 2015, but hasn't had a new season in over a decade. That changes soon, as Totally Spies Season 7 has found a new home stateside for 2025.

Long Live Looney Tunes. Unfortunately, the same cant be said for a lot of other IPs once under the Warner Brothers banner. Among a laundry list of theatrical take-downs, website wipes and digital content deletions, WB recently scrubbed one of its longest-standing streaming services. Standing as the director and writer behind The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, Pete Browngardt commented on the recent cancelation of Boomerang, the all-around classic toon channel:

Its becoming more and more difficult to, at times, find classic animation thats out there. Especially with the streaming services. They are wonderful a lot of the time, but they are also the gatekeepers of whats available. I always say that if you love something, find a physical copy of it and keep it in your house. Because I know when I want to watch something thats from the past, I try to keep a...

In an unexpected move, several iconic Cartoon Network series have been removed from Max without warning. The streaming service is the home to various animated series but has dropped several modern classics. This sudden removal has impacted a number of beloved animated series, leaving viewers to question the reasoning behind this decision and the future of other well-known programs.

According to Collider, some of the well-known titles that have been removed include Ben 10, Steven Universe, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, Chowder, and the 2016 Powerpuff Girls. These animated classics had previously been available on Max, where they enjoyed a dedicated following. Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns the network, has provided an official statement or explanation regarding the removal of these series. While such changes can be tied to expiring licensing agreements, there has been no indication of what prompted this particular decision.

What The Removal Of These Series Mean...

It's been nearly forty years, but people still remember "The A-Team." The action adventure series went on for five seasons, but stuck around in the public consciousness for much, much longer. People still remember the theme song, the cartoonish violence, the catchphrases. But although many viewers throughout the 2000s wanted a revival of the show, the TV series itself never came back.

Instead, we got a feature film in 2010 starring an updated A-Team, with the characters being veterans of the Iraq War instead of veterans of Vietnam. The film underperformed at the box office, however, and they never made a sequel. Unlike "21 Jump Street," a franchise where the later movies have now long-since overshadowed the TV show for most younger viewers, when people of all ages today think of "The A-Team," they're still almost certainly thinking of the show.

So what have the cast members been up to since...

Paul Reubens may be most famous for his immortally innocent man-child persona Pee Wee Herman and the big adventures he embarked upon, but the late comedy actor also had a varied and accomplished career in voice acting. His most prominent roles include Lock of the troublesome trick-or-treating trio in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, the neurotic pilot droid R-3X in Disneyland’s galaxy-hopping Star Tours and the hog-headed glutton sophisticate Reuben in Cartoon Network’s Chowder. Reubens’ comically elastic voice made him a consummate fit for roles that took him behind the microphone. However, out of all his roles in animation, there is one that not only brought to life a relatively unknown DC Comics icon for a new generation, but also served as the standout character in one of the Dark Knight’s most spirited and underrated adaptations.

We Americans are fascinated with food and the people who prepare and serve it. A quick glance at all of the reality cooking/competition shows on television will confirm this. You’ve got everything from “Master Chef” to “Iron Chef” to “Next Level Chef” to “Chef’s Table,” “Chopped,” “The Great British Bake-Off” and “The American Barbecue Showdown,” for starters. But the legacy of scripted TV shows about cooking and restaurant-ing isn’t nearly as epic, which is why FX on Hulu’s “The Bear” was such a revelation when it launched last summer.

“The Bear” introduced up to the pressure-cooker life inside an Italian beef sandwich shop in Chicago. It captured the visceral, adrenalin-pumping chaos of the food industry in a way nothing had before, showing us just how unglamorous and dangerous (and yet colorful and compelling) a kitchen can be. After just eight episodes, it’s already probably the...

“Corba Kai” breakout Xolo Maridueña is in talks to star in the lead role of Jaime Reyes in “Blue Beetle” for HBO Max, Warner Bros. and DC Films first superhero movie starring a Latino character, TheWrap has exclusively learned.

“Charm City Kings” director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct.

The screenplay is from Mexican-born writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who wrote Universal’s “Scarface” remake and Sony’s “Miss Bala.”

In DC Comics, Blue Beetle is the superhero alter ego used by three different heroes, but the film will focus on Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes, the third character to assume the Blue Beetle mantle.

While DC has had Latino characters in its movie universe,, and cast Latina Sasha Calle to play Supergirl in “The Flash,” this will be the first stand-alone title to feature a Latino lead. Also of note, “In the Heights” breakout star Leslie Grace, who is Dominican American,...

Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss once ruled as crown princes of Saturday-morning TV. Now they are simply hoping to hold court among a legion of young streamers who watch video at any time they choose.

The cartoon characters are stand-outs from the Hanna-Barbera animation studio, which in the last half of last century accounted for the bulk of animated programing shown each Saturday morning on ABC, NBC and CBS. Creations ranged from the memorable to the decidedly less so. On Thursday, dozens of Hanna-Barbera characters are being set loose anew in “Jellystone!,” a new HBO Max series that seeks to revive several generations of animated favorites for an audience that may not know them all that well.

“This was definitely the biggest challenge I have had,” says C.H. Greenblatt, creator and executive producer of the new series, in an interview. “We were basically making ‘The Simpsons,’ season five, right out of the gate,...

Cartoon Network Studios debuted a new iteration of its animated shorts program, Cartoon Cartoons, its first dedicated shorts initiative in over a decade that will look to showcase diverse stories, discover new creative voices and mentor the next generation of animators.

The program’s predecessor, an animated incubator, began in 1995 as World Premiere Toons, and the initiative has over the years launched popular, award-winning series such as Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Dexter’s Laboratory,” Craig McCracken’s “The Powerpuff Girls,” C.H. Greenblatt’s “Chowder,” J.G. Quintel’s “Regular Show” and Rebecca Sugar’s “Steven Universe.”

“Cartoon Network Studios has a proud legacy of animated shorts,” said Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation president Sam Register. “We are building on that legacy today with a program that will champion new and diverse voices, energize creativity and provide resources for artists to share their stories with the world. I am so grateful to...

Peter Browngardt, Emmy-winning creator of “Uncle Grandpa” and “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome,” has signed an exclusive, multiyear, cross-studio overall deal with Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. He will develop and produce original animated programming for a variety of audiences, including pre-school, kids, adult and family/co-viewing. Under the terms of the pact, Browngardt, who currently serves as executive producer on the HBO Max series “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” will be allowed flexibility to develop material for all WarnerMedia platforms, as well as external outlets and services. He will also have access to extensive character and franchise libraries at both studios.

“This inaugural cross-studio deal is one example of how we intend to meet the growing demand for animated content by being innovative, in not just our storytelling, but in the opportunities we provide to creatives in our industry,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios,...

Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios have teamed up to sign their first joint overall deal – with Pete Browngardt, exec producer of HBO Max’s Looney Tunes Cartoons

The deal will allow Browngardt, who created Cartoon Network’s Uncle Grandpa and Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, to develop and produce animated programming at both WarnerMedia-owned studios.

The multi-year agreement is the first joint deal between the companies. It will allow Browngardt flexibility across both companies’ character and franchise libraries and give him the opportunity to pursue projects intended for both kid and adult audiences across WarnerMedia platforms and third party networks and streamers.

Warner Bros. Animation currently produces series including Harley Quinn Tiny Toons Looniversity, Velma and Young Justice for HBO Max, DC Super Hero Girls, Teen Titans Go!, ThunderCats Roar for Cartoon Network and The Tom and Jerry Show and Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs! for Boomerang as well as Animaniacs...

Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network studios have signed a joint overall deal with “Looney Tunes Cartoons” showrunner Pete Browngardt, the studios announced Monday.

Under the multiyear agreement, Browngardt will develop and produce new animated programming in addition to developing projects based on characters and titles from both studios.

In addition to “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” on which he currently serves as executive producer and showrunner, Browngardt’s list of credits also includes “Uncle Grandpa,” “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome,” “Chowder,” “The Marvelous Midadventures of Flapjack” and” Adventure Time.”

The deal marks the first cross-studio overall since the two WarnerMedia studios were united under the purview of president Sam Register last summer.

“This inaugural cross-studio deal is one example of how we intend to meet the growing demand for animated content by being innovative, in not just our storytelling, but in the opportunities we provide to creatives in our industry,” Register said in a statement.

Photo: 'The Mighty Ones'/Hulu Adding to an already impressive roster, Hulu debuts its new Dreamworks children's show, 'The Mighty Ones'. The show is a lighthearted, silly, and oftentimes quirky comedy that primarily follows four characters: Rocksy, Twig, Leaf, and Berry. Their names are in relation to what they are, a fun wink from the creators, and appropriate for their target audience. Adults who are fans of animation, especially peculiar and unpredictable animation, will enjoy this show immensely. It’s a beautiful spectacle to look at, and features aesthetically pleasing, color-coordinated artwork throughout. Children will make up the majority of the show’s fan base though, as the humor and content are in line with popular children’s shows The Ren and Stimpy Show and Chowder. This show is as visually appealing as it is entertaining, and certainly not one to miss. Related article: ‘Adventure Time’ is One of the...

Chowder is a Cartoon Network animated children's program about a purple bear-cat-rabbit hybrid boy who dreams of becoming a chef someday. Chowder lives with his chef mentor, Mung Daal, working as an apprentice for Mung's catering company in Marzipan City. Alongside Mung Daal, Schnitzel, a tall, brown rock monster, works with the crew, as does Truffles, Mung Daal's pixie wife.

Related: We Bare Bears: 5 Reasons Why It's One of Cn's Best Shows 

Created by C. H. Greenblatt, the show was a product of the late 2000s, at a time when the network was experimenting with producing more weird TV shows. The success of SpongeBob SquarePants had proven that Gen Z and late millennial children preferred odd comedies set in worlds that make no sense. Soon, Chowder was born, running for forty-nine episodes during the late 2000s.

Head of Warner Bros. Animation Sam Register is adding Cartoon Network’s productions to his purview with an elevation to president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Meanwhile, Cartoon Network Studios head Rob Sorcher will transition to an overall production deal with Warner Bros. Television Group.

Register will now oversee both animation studios, which will continue to function as separate entities but will be “united by a commitment to creative excellence, new voices, and a culture of inclusion and collaboration,” according to the company. Register, who began his animation career with Cartoon Network in 1994, developed and produced animated series such as “Chowder,” “Flapjack,” “Clone Wars,” and “Ben 10.”

“By aligning two of the industry’s most powerful animation studios, we will unleash incredible opportunities for artists to flourish and an unprecedented amount of animation for fans to devour,” said Register. “Together we have a shared opportunity to create...

In today’s TV news roundup, Cartoon Network announced the launch of its CNCheckIn initiative, and Atx Television Festival will take place virtually June 5-7.

Festivals

Atx Television Festival will take place virtually June 5-7. Rebranded as “Atx TV… From the Couch!”, badge and ticket holders can experience screenings and panels from the comfort and safety of their living rooms amid the coronavirus pandemic. “This will be a television experience unlike anything we’ve done before, and we are emboldened by the possibilities we are discussing with our panelists and partners,” co-founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson said in a statement. “We are confident we can continue to have great conversations, showcase new and old favorite series, and interact with our incredible community — with a lot of fun surprises along the way.” For more details, visit atxfestival.com.

Specials

Disney Animation announced it will debut “At Home With Olaf” on Disney Plus this week.

Tonight, After the Kids’ Choice Awards, Nickelodeon is offering a sneak peek of its newest animated series, Harvey Beaks. The first look should air at 9:30-ish Et/Pt, right about the time Nick is mopping up the slime from the KCAs. The series about the adventures of a sweet bird and his mischievous friends comes from the mind of creator and executive producer C.H. Greenblatt (Chowder). In the series, which normally airs on Sundays, Harvey has never gotten into trouble, and his best friends twins Fee and Foo have never caused anything but trouble. Chaos and hilarity ensues. I’ve been charmed … Continue reading →

The post Get a Sneak Peek of Nickelodeon’s “Harvey Beaks” appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Following the Thursday, Friday and Saturday schedules, San Diego Comic-Con has released the full schedule of events for Sunday, July 27, the last day of the Con. You clickHere to check out the entire lineup, which includes several comic book events and panels, but we have pulled out all the relevant movie, DVD and TV panels for your convenience.

Nickelodeon: New Animated Comedies-Bringing You Buds, Baps & Bad Seeds!

Be the first to see an exclusive peek at Nickelodeon's new Lol-inducing animated comedies! You'll also get an insider's look at the creative processes behind these funny, warped, endearing, and booty-shaking shows. The panel features Breadwinners creators Steve Borst and Gary "Doodles" Di Raffaele, Pig Goat Banana Cricket creators Johnny Ryan and Dave Cooper, and executive producer David Sacks. Chowder creator C.H. Greenblatt will be showing off his brand new Nickelodeon series with the working title Bad Seeds. Moderated by Rich Magallanes (Svp...

Director Michael Bay has tapped John Goodman and Ken Watanabe to voice two all new Autobots in his highly anticipated film Transformers: Age Of Extinction, the fourth film in the global blockbuster franchise from Paramount Pictures.

Goodman and Watanabe will join legendary voice actors Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

Goodman will play Autobot Hound, Watanabe will play Drift, while Cullen reprises his role as the voice of Optimus Prime, and Welker takes on another new character, Galvatron.

“I am pleased to welcome two gifted and versatile actors, John Goodman and Ken Watanabe, to the world of Transformers,” said Bay. “And to reteam with Peter and Frank, who have brought Transformers characters alive from the beginning. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best voice talent in the business, and together we will introduce several exciting new robots to fans of the franchise around the world.”

Rounding out...

Nickelodeon has greenlighted two new animated series, Bad Seeds and Pig Goat Banana Cricket, ordering 26 episodes of each. In addition, the kids network has ordered four live-action pilots – Smart Alec form veteran producer Tommy Lynch; Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Don; Twang; and Untitled Cheerleader Project, – greenlighted a pair of digital series (Welcome to the Wayne and Junior Eye), and inked young actors Noah Urrea, Jace Norman and Haley Tju to talent deals from its recent talent showcase at The Groundlings in La. This marks the first greenlight slate for Russell Hicks as Nick’s President, Content Development and Production. “All these projects represent fresh, new creative voices from diverse backgrounds who want to make great, funny content for kids,” he said. Here are details on all newly ordered series: New Animated Series Bad Seeds (26 episodes) Harvey, a sweet and well-meaning bird, makes two new best friends, Fee and Foo, the wildest kids in the forest.

Cartoon Network’s Uncle Grandpa, seen here with Pizza Steve, Gus, and Giant Realistic Flying Tiger.

Artist Willy Elder called it “chicken fat” – the extra background gags he’d cram into his art for Mad, Little Annie Fanny, and elsewhere. He described it as “The part of the soup that is bad for you, but where all the flavor is.” Cartoon Network’s new Uncle Grandpa is slopping over with “chicken fat”, but manages not to drown in it. It successfully answers the question, “What if Mary Poppins were not only male, but an idiot”?

A spin-off from Peter Browngardt’s previous effort, Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, the title character is described as “Everybody in the world’s Uncle and Grandpa”, a magic character that drives around in an enchanted Rv with his compatriots Gus the world’s strongest monster, Pizza Steve (a sentient slice of pizza) and Giant Realistic...

Comic-Con International has released the full schedule for Sunday July 24th for San Diego Comic-Con 2011. This is the final day of the convention. Sunday is known as Kids day and is usually the slowest of all the days, there are a few surprises though. In all my years of going to Comic-Con I've never been to a panel in Hal H. Usually nothing is happening in Hall H on Sunday, this year there are a few TV programs going on in Hall H such a as Glee, Supernatural, Doctor Who, The Cleveland Show, Sons of Anarchy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and this year Buffy the Musical will be in the great Hall as well. I've never been to the Buffy Musical event, and I think I finally want to go this year. A couple of other things worth noting are a one on one panel with Nathan Fillion, and Max Brooks talks about zombies.

Cartoon Network revealed today that they will be launching a new block of DC animation properties for TV and Online in 2012 called DC Nation. The new programming line-up will be "populated with event programming, interstitials, exclusive behind-the-scenes of theatrical production and an insider look into the world of all things DC."

The animated line-up includes 13 new animated series, 19 returning shows, and the network’s newest live-action scripted comedy series, Level Up. During the presentation DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg talked about the company's new CG-animated series for Cartoon Network based on How to Train Your Dragon. The network also announced fourth season renewals for the LucasFilm Animation's Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Here's a list a description of all of the new series coming to Cartoon Network, which includes ThunderCats, Green Lantern and Looney Toons.

The Problem Solverz: Created by celebrated artist Ben Jones, The Problem Solverz presents a fresh,...

Wow! I think we all grew up watching Captain Planet save the Earth from the bad guys and teaching us about saving the Earth and introducing us to our carbon footprint!

For Immediate Release

Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!

Captain Planet and the Planeteers: Season One

Featuring Voice Cast of David Coburn, LeVar Burton, Joey Dedio, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Welker, Meg Ryan, Martin Sheen, Kath Soucie, Dean Stockwell, Jeff Goldblum, Sting and more!

Join The Action With All 26 Adventurous Episodes And Exciting Bonus Features In An Eco-friendly-packaged 4-dvd Box Set

Flying Onto Home Entertainment Shelves For The First Time

April 19, 2011 From Shout! Factory

Move over Iron Man, Spider-Man and Batman, the world’s first environmentally-conscious superhero on the block plans to offer kids action-packed adventure and a chance to help save the environment. He's Captain Planet, the ever-changing eco-hero from within our Earth,...

Kidspickflicks Exclusive! Kids may think that Taylor Lautner's first acting job was as the title "boy" in Shark Boy and Lava Girl, but in fact, the teen wolf we now know as "Jacob" started with a voiceover job for Petco. For kid actors, voiceover work has become the breeding ground for tomorrow's future superstars.

Part of the reason is the savvy of Melissa Berger Brennan, the Hollywood agent who has jump-started the careers of many kid actors by identifying their talent on the microphone. She says that a good Vo actor is usually a good on-camera actor but it doesn't necessarily work the other way around, "It's not like they just have to smile at the mom or bring in a bowl of cereal, they have to be natural with it." Once kids nail the emotional depth off camera, she says that it usually translates on camera.

Berger Brennan's...

'Superbad' boss will produce as-yet-untitled project starring and co-written by Pee-wee creator Paul Reubens.

By Gil Kaufman

Judd Apatow

Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

In a perverse match made in movie-dude heaven, "Superbad" boss Judd Apatow is developing an as-yet-untitled Pee-wee Herman movie that will find the bow-tie-wearing ageless man-child going on a road trip built around a "gigantic adventure."

According to Variety, Apatow will produce, but not direct, the movie, which is being written by Pee-wee creator Paul Reubens along with "Inglourious Basterds" scriptwriter Paul Rust.

"Let's face it, the world needs more Pee-wee Herman," Apatow told the magazine. "I am so excited to be working with Paul Reubens — who is an extraordinary and groundbreaking actor and writer. It's so great to watch him return with such relevance."

The unlikely pair hooked up after Apatow attended one of Reubens' recent string of "Pee-wee Herman Show" revival gigs in Los Angeles.

'Superbad' boss will produce as-yet-untitled project starring and co-written by Pee-wee creator Paul Reubens.

By Gil Kaufman

Judd Apatow

Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

In a perverse match made in movie-dude heaven, "Superbad" boss Judd Apatow is developing an as-yet-untitled Pee-wee Herman movie that will find the bow-tie-wearing ageless man-child going on a road trip built around a "gigantic adventure."

According to Variety, Apatow will produce, but not direct, the movie, which is being written by Pee-wee creator Paul Reubens along with "Inglourious Basterds" scriptwriter Paul Rust.

"Let's face it, the world needs more Pee-wee Herman," Apatow told the magazine. "I am so excited to be working with Paul Reubens — who is an extraordinary and groundbreaking actor and writer. It's so great to watch him return with such relevance."

The unlikely pair hooked up after Apatow attended one of Reubens' recent string of "Pee-wee Herman Show" revival gigs in Los Angeles.

Known to adults as Bender in Futurama and tweens as Dr. Drakken in Kim Possible, John Dimaggio takes an iconic step forward as the voice of The Joker, the pivotal villain in Batman: Under the Red Hood.

In the animated film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two forces of justice, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

Dimaggio gets free reign to play the iconic villain amidst a stellar voice cast that includes Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek) as the Caped Crusader, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Nightwing.

Best known for his near-100 episodes as Bender,...

click the above title to read the full story

John Dimaggio Undertakes a Villainous Icon as The Joker in “Batman: Under the Red Hood”

Known to adults as “Bender” in Futurama and tweens as “Dr. Drakken” in Kim Possible, John Dimaggio takes an iconic step forward as the voice of The Joker, the pivotal villain in the all-new DC Universe animated original movie, Batman: Under the Red Hood.

In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two forces of justice, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

Dimaggio gets free reign to play the iconic villain amidst a stellar voice cast that includes...

Chicago – The all-new episode 521 of “Ghost Whisperer” on CBS, which is called “Dead Ringer,” will air on Friday, May 14, 2010.

“Ghost Whisper” episode 521 with Jennifer Love Hewitt on CBS on May 14, 2010.

Image credit: CBS

In its fifth season, the series centers on a newlywed named Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) with the ability to communicate with the earthbound spirits of the recently deceased. She overcomes skepticism and doubt to help send their important messages to the living and allow the dead to pass over to the other side.

“Ghost Whisperer” features Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, Christoph Sanders and Jamie Kennedy from series creator John Gray. Information follows about this all-new episode.

In “Dead Ringer,” a routine haunting turns very strange when a man whose ghost Melinda is trying to help suddenly turns up alive. Melinda finds herself caught in a bizarre and dangerous revenge plot while battling enemies...

"Up" from Disney/Pixar won the top honor at the 37th Annual Annie Awards. The fantastic film received the Best Animated Feature Award beating out "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," "Coraline," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Princess and the Frog," and "The Secret of Kells."

(Check my interview with Annie Award-winner Pete Docter for "Up" held at Pixar Animation Studios right here)

Walt Disney Animation took home six other Annies including three for "The Princess and the Frog" and three for its television production "Prep and Landing."

Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards is considered the highest and most prestigious honor given in animation by the animation industry.

The Annie Awards is also a great predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. So yes, "Up" will win that category at the Oscars!

Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of...

The International Animated Film Society has announced the 2009 Annie Award nominations! "Up" and "Coraline" led the pack in the film categories.

Award recipients will claim their trophies at the 37th Annual Annie Awards scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2010 at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles, California.

Here's the list of nominees of the 37th Annual Annie Awards:

Production Categories

Best Animated Feature

* Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs . Sony Pictures Animation

* Coraline . Laika

* Fantastic Mr. Fox . 20th Century Fox

* The Princess and the Frog . Walt Disney Animation Studios

* The Secret of Kells . Cartoon Saloon

* Up . Pixar Animation Studios

Best Home Entertainment Production

* Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas . Universal Animation Studios

* Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder . The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

* Green Latern: First Flight . Warner Bros. Animation

* Open Season 2 . Sony Pictures Animation

* SpongeBob vs. The Big One . Nickelodeon

Best Animated Short Subject...

Disney Television Animation and Disney Channels Worldwide have begun production on Fish Hooks (working title), a new 2D digital and photo collage animated comedy. The 21-episode series follows the underwater adventures of three aquatic pals that live in the same fish tank at a local pet store trying to make it through their tween/teen years and high school. Created by kid's book illustrator Noah Z. Jones, and developed for TV by Alex Hirsch The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack) and Bill Reiss (Chowder), Fish Hooks features the voices of Kyle Massey Cory in the House), Chelsea Staub (Jonas) and Justin Roiland (The Sarah Silverman Program).

http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY2201679UTF60...

Disney Channel has greenlighted "Fish Hooks," its first animated series in three years.

The cable channel has ordered 21 episodes of the high school comedy, which mixes 2D digital animation and photo collage.

"Fish" revolves around party guy Milo (voiced by Kyle Massey); his neurotic brother, Oscar (Justin Roiland); and an overly dramatic goldfish, Bea (Chelsea Staub). They attend Freshwater High, a school submerged in a giant fish tank in the center of a local pet store. The series chronicles their daily lives as they deal with friendships, dating and sports as well as such atypical teen issues as giant lobster attacks and school field trips to the hamster cages.

"The 'Fish Hooks' team has created one of the most original, inventive animated series on television, bringing an ingenious twist to the classic archetypes of high school life," said Gary Marsh, president entertainment at Disney Channels Worldwide. "Where else but in...

Its no secret that Cartoon Network and Adult Swim feature some of the funniest and most innovative shows around. With programming like Robot Chicken and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, they really show their true creative abilities and, in the case of Robot Chicken in particular, often makes us laugh our butts off.

Because we’re such fans of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim here at The Flickcast, we’re particularly excited to see what they have in store for Comic-Con. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait any longer to find out because today they’ve released the official Cartoon Network and Adult Swim schedule of all the events going on in San Diego.

Here’s all the info from the press release:

Cartoon Network and Adult Swim Series Panels and Events Lineup

for 2009 Comic-Con International

Cartoon Network and Adult Swim announces a number of panels, fan events...

Cartoon Network and Adult Swim announces a number of panels, fan events and signings at 2009 Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., Thursday, July 23 - Sunday, July 26, 2009. All times, dates and locations subject to change.

Cartoon Network And Adult Swim Panels

Thursday, July 23

Adult Swim: Robot Chicken w/ Titan Maximum

3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Location: 6A

Moderator: Keith Crofford, vice president of production Adult Swim

Seth Green (co-creator, Robot Chicken and Titan Maximum), Matthew Senreich (co-creator, Robot Chicken and Titan Maximum), Tom Root (head writer, Robot Chicken/co-creator, Titan Maximum) and Doug Goldstein (head writer, Robot Chicken) with Chris McKay, Breckin Meyer, Kevin Shinick, Mike Fasolo and Dan Milano discuss the popular Adult Swim series Robot Chicken. They also discuss the upcoming new stop-motion animated series Titan Maximum, slated to premiere on Adult Swim this fall.

Cartoon Network Comedy - Original Animation

4:15 - 5:15 p.m.

Location: Room 6A

Moderator: Brian Miller,...

Kung Fu Panda shut out its competition in every major feature film category at the 36th annual Annie Awards celebrating 2008’s best animated movies. The DreamWorks Animation pic bested critic favorite Wall-e and other nominee Bolt for “Best Feature.”

The surprise win is the first time DreamWorks has beaten a Pixar film for the top prize since 2001’s Shrek over Pixar’s Monster’s Inc. Panda took home fifteen statues Friday night and tied for the most wins ever. The Annie Award has matched the “Best Animated Feature” category at the Academy Awards every single year but one.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kfp, but I was under the impression that Wall-e was a better film all around. While DreamWorks Animation has stepped up its game in recent years, Pixar’s animation was exceptional. This is a major upset, especially since Wall-e went home with nothing. The Oscar race just got even more interesting.

The Academy Awards are slowly creeping up, just three months away now with buzz seeming to only surround a handful of movies. But one piece of the puzzle and a solid indicator of the “Best Animated Feature” Oscar are the Annie Awards, now in their 36th year.

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda earned 16 total nominations, a tie for the most in the history of the ceremonies. The other movies to pull that off were 2004’s The Incredibles and 2005’s Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Since the Annies started, the Annie Award for “Best Animated Feature” has predicted the Oscar winner every single time but once.

This is huge for DreamWorks, who makes successful animated movies like Shrek, but hasn’t seem to put out the quality of film that Pixar seems to churn out on a regular basis. Just for comparison, this year’s expert pick for...

DreamWorks' excellent "Kung Fu Panda" lead the 2008 Annie Award nominees with a total of seventeen nominations which included Best Feature, Best Feature Writing, Best Directing, Best Animated Effects, Best Character Animation as well as Best Animated Video Game. (See featured store items at the bottom of the page) Disney/Pixar's heart-warming "Wall-e" ended second best with a total of eight nominations. Also faring well was another Disney pic in the recent "Bolt" voiced by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus. The adventure comedy scored five nominations. DreamWorks, which also released "Kung Fu Panda" companion piece "Secrets of the Furious Five" and "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," landed a grand total of 27 nominations. As listed, here are the 2008 Annie Award Nominations by CategoryPRODUCTION CATEGORIESBest Animated Feature Bolt – Walt Disney Animation Studios Kung Fu Panda – DreamWorks Animation $9.99 – Sherman Pictures/Lama Films Wall•E – Pixar Animation Studios Waltz With Bashir – Sony Pictures Classics/Bridgit Folman, Les Films D’ici,...

Photo: DreamWorks Animation The International Animated Film Society announced the nominees for the 2008 Annie Awards and Kung Fu Panda is leading the way with 17 nominations followed by Disney's Bolt with 9 and the Disney/Pixar feature Wall-e earning 8. Panda picked up a healthy amount of noms in categories such as Character Animation, Character Design, Music, Production Design, Storyboarding, Voice Acting and Writing. In each of those categories it was either nominated while Bolt and Wall-e were not or secured multiple nominations giving it the outright nomination lead by 8. Could this be a sign of a Panda-over-wall-e Oscar upset? The nominees are listed below and you can check out the official award site here. Best Animated Feature Bolt (Walt Disney Animation Studios) Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks Animation) $9.99 (Sherman Pictures/Lama Films) Wall-e (Pixar Animation Studios) Waltz With Bashir (Sony Pictures Classics/Bridgit Folman, Les Films D'ici, Razor Films) Best Animated Home Entertainment...

DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda" fought off stiff competition to earn 16 nominations -- the most for a feature -- for the International Animated Film Society's 36th Annual Annie Awards.

That includes a nomination for best-animated feature, a category that includes Pixar Animation Studios "Wall-e"-considered the frontrunner for the Oscar-which earned seven nominations. "Panda" and "Wall-e" also earned one additional nomination each in the best video game competition.

The top category is rounded out by nominations for Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Bolt," a 3-D release that earned five nominations; Sony Pictures Classics' "Waltz With Bashir," Israel's award-winning documentary, which took four nominations; and Sherman Pictures/Lama Films "$9.99," a stop-motion title that earned two nominations.

Blue Sky Studios' "Dr. Suess' Horton Hear as Who," a Fox release, also had a strong showing with five nominations.

All of these features are short listed by AMPAS for this season's animated feature competition.

Dwa earned a total of 27 nominations.

NEW YORK -- Flanked by four Clone Troopers, George Lucas headlined Cartoon Network's upfront presentation Thursday, pitching advertisers his new animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Cartoon executives also announced that a second live action Ben 10 TV movie is in the works, a new animated Batman: The Brave and the Bold series will air in the fall and that Chowder -- the network's top-rated show among kids 6-11 -- would be picked up for a second season.

In addition, they unveiled a new initiative called Cartoonstitute that is designed to dramatically increase Cartoon's development slate by creating up to 150 pieces of programming over the next 20 months.

"It's 'Star Wars' starring an 11-year-old girl," Lucas said after advertisers viewed a short clip of the Clone Wars series, premiering in the fall. He said partnering with Cartoon and sister network TNT allowed the show, which he described as appealing to audiences 8-80 to "cover all the bases very well and have an extra wide reach." The show will also air on TNT after it premieres on Cartoon.

Following a brief Q&A between Lucas and Turner Animation president and COO Stuart Snyder, the Cartoon Network exec told the advertisers Clone Wars represented "once in a lifetime" opportunities for their brands.