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PRAGUE / CZECH REPUBLIC, 25 January 2010 - „New Wave of Czech Animation" - the most recent project

of the International Festival of Animated Films ANIFEST operating under the umbrella of the Institute of Czech Animation launches the first DVD of a series introducing the selection of young Czech artists - animators. Apart from already known names, e.g.Galina Miklínová or Michal Žabka, the DVD also features the representatives

of a newly emerging generation:  Martin Duda, Zdeněk Durdil, Edita Krausová, Aneta Kýrová, Jaromír Plachý, Lucie Sunková and Václav Švankmajer. The non-commercial disc of 90 min with English subtitles is meant

to become the long missing tool internationally promoting the best young Czech animators. The dramaturgist

and the author of the introductory text is the nestor of Czech animation Jiří Kubíček - the Professor of the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Animated Film Department.

 

                 After movie theatres had abolished the screening of shorts before a feature-length films (which used to be guarranteed by law in the CR before 1989), and given the international tendency towards producing commercial feature-length formats, the original short films have become a sort of „endangered species". Despite the fact that for animated production the category of short films  is essential and it boasts by a long tradition and famous names, short animated films can only be seen at festivals. This is why the Czech Animation Institute / AniFest  consider  it their priority to continue the long tradition of classice masters of Czech animation, e.g. J.Trnka, K. Zeman, J. Švankmajer, B.Pojar, or J. Barta, P.Koutský, M. Pavlátová and many others and through its new project „New Wave of Czech Animation" introduce young Czech animators to the world professional audience as well as to the large public. The  DVDs will be presented primarily at leading international festivals, in Czech Cultural Centres and at various film events worldwide.

 

In his introduction, Professor Kubíček says: „Without anybody planning or forecasting it, Czech animation saw the birth of something new, congenial, viable and meaningful. Let's call it the "New Wave" as this technical term has a grounded tradition and a solid foundation in the Czech film industry. It is a symbol".

 

 

CONTENT:

Contact (2003)

Director: Martin Duda

Designer: Martin Duda

Technique: 3D computer, 2D computer

Screenplay: Martin Duda

Music: Matouš Godík

Producer: FAMU Praha

Playfulness, harmony and conflict between cartoon and digital animation.

 

Game (2004)

Director: Galina Miklínová

Designer: Galina Miklínová

Technique: Drawing on Paper, 2D Computer, Camera-Free

Screenplay: Galina Miklínová

Music: Pavla Milcová, Petr Binder

Producer: Alkay s.r.o.

Rules and accidents between two players - hand painted and colored "total" animation with subsequent

computer processing in Prague's Alkay studio. The work on the film and screenplay took a year.

 

Geranium (2005)

Director: Lucie Sunková

Designer: Lucie Sunková

Technique: Painting on Glass

Screenplay: Lucie Sunková

Music: Vladimír Merta

Producer: Krátký film Praha, Spinel Prague Production.

A male and a female fall in love in a bar called Pygmalion. They decide to lead wonderful suburban life together gardening and growing geraniums together. However, their destiny prevents them from doing so and both of them make a mistake that proves fatal to their dreams. There is a geranium at the window to serve as a reminder - nothing else remains.

 

A Scene from the Life of Antelopes (2004)

Director: Edita Krausová

Designer: Edita Krausová

Technique: 2D Computer

Screenplay: Edita Krausová             

Music: Funthomas

Producer: VŠUP

An interpretation of one of the fables for misbehaved children by Jacques Prévert. Antelopes live in Africa with aboriginals and whites. Stray bullets accidentally hit an antelope. Her friends wait in vain for her to come back for dinner...

 

Radio Kebrle (2006)

Director: Zdeněk Durdil

Designer: Zdeněk Durdil

Technique: 2D computer, combination

Screenplay: Zdeněk Durdil, Džian Baban, Vojtech Mašek

Music: Džian Baban

Producer: FAMU/Bionaut

FreshFilmFest 2007

FILM FUTURA 2009

Prior to founding his legendary Monstrkabaret, renowned variety artist and entertainer Fred Brunold, scraped by doing anything and everything he could. For instance, he worked as an employee at a certain parasitic radio station. Fred's rich experience from his job as a reporter is illustrated in this enlightening story about little Janik and his dangerous excursion to see his grandfather, Jaroslav Kebrle.

 

The Clod (2007)

Director: Jaromír Plachý

Designer: Jaromír Plachý

Technique: 2D computer                                                                     

Screenplay: Jaromír Plachý

Music: Jaromír Plachý

Producer: Jaromír Plachý

One unusual morning for one unusual creature.

Best Internet Animation - AniFest 2008

Viewers´ Award - AniFest 2008

 

Mrs. G (2007)

Director: Michal Žabka   

Designer: Michal Žabka

Technique: Puppets

Screenplay: Michal Žabka

Music: Jan P. Muchow

Producer: Anifilm

Viewers Award - AniFest 2007
Golden Cactus trophy - Best International Animation - Rio de Janeiro 2008
Trudi for the best short animation - Trieste 2008
3rd award - Animfest 2009 and special mention by the student jury for best script

Best animated film - Balchik 2009

Mrs. G. is a puppet love story full of funny situations that occur during the co-existence between a man

and his unusual female life-partner. You can expect humor, romance and at times even thrills.

 

Whoops, Mistake! (2008)

Director: Aneta Kýrová

Designer: Aneta Kýrová

Technique: 2D computer

Screenplay: Aneta Kýrová

Music: Ivan Doležálek

Producer: Vendula Kraslová

The storks from the sky delivery service have long, noisily clapping beaks. When they stop to chat, anything can happen. Aneta Kýrová tells a story about two mismatched children, or it would be better to say a human baby and a bear cub. In the writer's version, the story has an unusual ending based on the common experiences

shared by all parents. In the end, parents must adapt to their offspring regardless of what they are.

 

 

 

Torchbearer (2006)

Director: Václav Švankmajer

Designer: Václav Švankmajer

Technique: Puppets

Screenplay: Václav Švankmajer

Music: ENVOI1

Producer: Bionatut

Cracow Student Jury Award

Fresh Film Fest - best animation

There is a city with a large labyrinth. Day and Night and the Sun and the Moon keep alternating above the city in a seemingly never-ending cycle. Suddenly the gear sticks and then stops and the city is covered in endless darkness. The hero enters the labyrinth and wanders along its dark corridors. He is followed by guards who, at first sight, look like motionless statues of Ancient women. But they come back to life behind the hero's back who is on his way into the heart of the labyrinth to pass three tests.

 

 

Dr. Seuss' Beloved Children's Character to Star in His First-Ever Animated TV Series on PBS KIDS TV Next Year

 

DALLAS - September 28, 2009 - Random House Children's Entertainment, in association with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, announced today that they have signed an agreement with NCircle Entertainment to distribute a series of DVDs based on the new PBS KIDS TV series, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! This marks the first time that Dr. Seuss' beloved Cat in the Hat will star in an animated TV series.

 

"We are thrilled about our new partnership with this iconic children's character," said Debbie Ries, senior vice president and general manager, NCircle Entertainment. "Both The Cat in the Hat and his creator, Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), have touched the lives of families for generations. From books and movies to TV specials and Broadway musicals, Dr. Seuss not only impacted our culture, he revolutionized the teaching of beginning reading skills."

 

Featuring the voice of award-winning actor Martin Short, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! will premiere on PBS in the fall of 2010. The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! features Sally and Nick, 6-year-old best friends and next door neighbors, who are transported on a magical voyage of scientific discovery. From the bottom of the sea to the top of the rainforest, they travel with the Cat in his one-of-a-kind custom vehicle, the Thinga-ma-jigger, a quintessentially Seussian contraption that can sprout wings, pontoons, booster rockets, you name it. Along for the ride are The Cat in the Hat's energetic helpers, the zany Thing One and Thing Two.

 

The first DVD is scheduled to hit store shelves in the fall of 2010 in conjunction with the series premiere on PBS KIDS.

Fans Compete Online to Win PlayStation®3, 40" LCD HDTV, Blu-rays & DVDs

in conjunction with Sept. 29 release of next DC Universe Animated Original Movie

 

BURBANK, CA - Sept. 11, 2009 - Fans can further immerse themselves in the multitude of DC Super Heroes and villains in the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie by participating in the Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Virtual Collector Card Sweepstakes. Starting September 11, 2009, the sweepstakes involves an active search for special codes on the film's Facebook and MySpace pages, Twitter updates and the film's official website, and entrants will be eligible to win a Sony PlayStation®3, a 40-inch LCD HDTV, and a Blu-ray or DVD of the film, which will be released by Warner Home Video on Sept. 29, 2009.

 

Sweepstakes entry begins through an application on the Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Facebook fan page (http://apps.facebook.com/supermanbatman) and the search extends through the film's official website, MySpace page and Twitter updates. Entrants can find daily codes to be entered into the Facebook application. With each code, the entrant will be rewarded with one additional sweepstakes entry and two virtual collector cards. Entrants will unlock gateways to greater prizes - exclusive content from the film, including video clips, wallpaper and images - by completing groups of card collections.

 

The Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Virtual Collector Card Sweepstakes features an unique interactive component amongst fans that allows entrants to trade virtual cards so they can help each other complete their collection sets and continue to advance toward  unlocking the exclusive content.

 

Fans will appreciate the added bonus of artistic detail within the virtual collector cards themselves as each depicts a character from the 100+ DC Super Heroes and villains that appear in the film. From Superman and Batman to Captain Atom and Power Girl to Solomon Grundy, Starfire and Metallo, the Collectors Cards include 33 different characters displayed across 40 individual, beautifully-designed virtual cards. An additional 10 bonus cards depict classic graphic novel images from the DC Comics archives.

Fans' favorite Luthor voice reunites with Tim Daly & Kevin Conroy as seminal roles

in all-new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie for distribution Sept. 29

 

 

As villains go, Clancy Brown has covered the gamut of wicked characters across every medium with sinister perfection - but never is his evil expertise so evident as when he steps behind the microphone as the voice of Lex Luthor. Brown reprises his benchmark role as the focal point of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original movies.

 

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation will present the all-new Superman/Batman: Public Enemies on Sept. 29 in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download on Sept. 29.

 

The film may be called Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, but this is a tour de force for Lex Luthor - and Brown's intonations captivate during every moment Luthor is on screen. In the film, Luthor has been elected President of the United States, and he uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his "partner in crime," Batman. Superman and Batman must unite to stave off the pursuit of heroes and villains alike, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor's devious plot to take command of far more than North America.

 

Voicing Lex isn't Brown's only upcoming starring role. Fans will get a healthy dose of Brown on large and small screens in the coming months as he appears in both the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street and in the Matt Damon vehicle The Informant!, as well as starring in

ABC's primetime law office drama, The Deep End.

 

Brown was cast as a villain in his very first theatrical role opposite Sean Penn in Bad Boys, and then forever sealed his place in fantasy villainy as The Kurgan in Highlander. Before playing an immortal, though, Brown etched his name in cult classic history as Rawhide in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8^th Dimension.

 

Beyond Highlander, Brown is regularly recognized from his standout performance as Captain Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption, as the centerpiece of HBO's Carnivale as Brother Justin Crowe, and to fanboys across the planet as gung-ho Sgt. Zim in Starship Troopers.

 

While he has voiced nearly 500 animated episodes and films, Brown is best known by the younger audience as Mr. Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants. He is widely recognized as the quintessential Lex Luthor in Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, and he has scored kudos for his voicing of Mr. Freeze in The Batman, George Stacy/Rhino in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Long Feng in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Captain Black in Jackie Chan Adventures, and Mister Sinister in Wolverine and the X-Men. His voice credits, to list just a few, include roles in Phineaus and Ferb, Ben 10: Alien Force, Kim Possible, Duck Dodgers, Teen Titans, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and Gargoyles.

 

Brown made his TV debut in an episode of the The Dukes of Hazzard, and has since been seen in primetime guest appearances and recurring roles on series as varied as Law & Order, ER, Lost, Star Trek: Enterprise, The Practice, The Outer Limits, Tales from the Crypt and China Beach.

 

Want a treat? Pause for a moment to recall Clancy Brown's patented voice for Lex Luthor. Suave. Smooth. Villainous. Now, as you read the Q&A, imagine that voicing uttering each of the answers. And enjoy ...

Justice League: The New Frontier writer brings Jeph Loeb comic to life
in all-new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie for distribution
Sept. 29


Screenwriter Stan Berkowitz guides another classic DC Comics graphic
novel to animated glory with the September 29 Warner Home Video
release of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

Berkowitz brought Darwyn Cooke's landmark Justice League: The New
Frontier from pages to screen in 2008, and this year he's converted
the words of Jeph Loeb into a summer popcorn-style blockbuster with
the crafting of the script for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation will present the
all-new Superman/Batman: Public Enemies in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition,
a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video
will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available
OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download on Sept.
29.

In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, United States President Lex Luthor
uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame
Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of
Steel and his "partner in crime," Batman. Heroes and villains alike
launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite -
and recruit help - to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the
asteroid, and uncover Luthor's devious plot to take command of far
more than North America.

Berkowitz has been actively writing for 30 years, focusing his efforts
on animated properties for the past dozen years. His animated credits
range from Superman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Animated
Series to Justice League, The Batman and Legion of Super Heroes, with
stops on shows like Static Shock, Batman Beyond and Spider-Man along
the way. Prior to moving into the animated realm, Berkowitz garnered
credits writing episodes of T.J. Hooker and the latter-day versions of
Dragnet and Adam 12.

Berkowitz pushed the keyboard aside to discuss the differences between
his film and Loeb's initial take on the tale, the importance of great
voice actors and a fine director, reaching into the DC vault for his
childhood memories, the little things Alan Burnett does to make a big
impact, and the ideal writing environment. Read on ... Stan Berkowitz is
speaking.

Director of The Flintstones & Beethoven puts new, live-action spin on Scooby crew;

Cartoon Network premiere is Sept. 13; Warner Home Video distributes Sept. 22

 

 

For four decades, Brian Levant has been at the creative helm of many of the most beloved franchises in modern family entertainment - making him the perfect choice to direct the first-ever telling of the Mystery Inc. origin story in Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins.

 

An all-new, live-action/CGI film, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins premieres Sunday, September 13 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def Combo Pack on September 22 from Warner Home Video.

 

A co-production of Warner Premiere and Cartoon Network, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins uses adventurous storytelling and stylized visuals of both live-action and CGI technology to entertain fans of all ages. Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins follows the Mystery Inc. gang, a mismatched quartet of unlikely teenage pals, uniting for the first time to solve the haunting of their high school. Along the way, fans will discover the backstory of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo.

 

The Sept. 13 premiere coincides with the 40^th anniversary of the Scooby-Doo franchise - Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! made its CBS debut on that date in 1969.

 

The live-action cast features Robbie Amell (Cheaper By The Dozen 2, True Jackson) as Fred along with Kate Melton as Daphne, Hayley Kiyoko as Velma and Nick Palatas as Shaggy. Frank Welker, a member of the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! voice-cast, provides the voice of Scooby-Doo. The film is produced by Brian Gilbert (Skinwalkers).

 

Levant began his career at age 23 as a story editor on Happy Days and went on to produce Mork & Mindy and The Bad News Bears series before returning to Happy Days as the series' supervising producer.  After winning a CableACE Award as Best Director of a Comedy Series for The New Leave it to Beaver, which he developed and served as executive producer, Levant turned his attention to feature films.

 

In 1991, Levant made his feature directorial debut on Problem Child 2, which he followed with the original Beethoven.  In 1994, Levant directed the star-studded film adaptation of Hanna-Barbara Productions The Flinstones for executive producer Steven Spielberg, as well as its 1999 prequel.  Levant's other film credits include the hits Snow Dogs; Are We There Yet;, Jingle all the Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; and the upcoming Jackie Chan vehicle The Spy Next Door.

 

Levant, who has nine large dogs of his own running around his ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, spent some time discussing the latest incarnation of the Scooby-Doo franchise, the all-new live-action cast, and the joys and challenges of adding a new chapter to a 40-year legacy.

Animation legend Bruce Timm puts the spotlight on character designer Jose Lopez and screenwriter Alan Burnett for their other-worldly creations on Green Lantern: First Flight, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 movies from Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation.

Warner Home Video will distribute the all-new film - as a special edition 2-disc DVD, a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, as well as single disc DVD - on July 28, 2009. The action-packed movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

Timm, the executive producer on Green Lantern: First Flight, has been the driving creative force behind many of Warner Bros. Animation's modern-day successes, elevating DC Comics' canon of super heroes to new heights of animated popularity and introducing generations of new fans to the characters via landmark television series and made-for-DVD films. The latter task includes the creation of the current series of DC Universe animated original movies, which have drawn critical acclaim and further whetted the public's appetite for comic book entertainment with the release of Superman Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, Batman Gotham Knight and Wonder Woman.

In the midst of producing several more films for the DC Universe series, Timm paused briefly to offer praise for two of the key players in the production of Green Lantern: First Flight - character designer Jose Lopez and screenwriter Alan Burnett.

Submitted for your journalistic needs and reading pleasure, this week's short Q&A with Bruce Timm regarding Green Lantern: First Flight ...

Perennial movie tough guy Michael Madsen provides the voice of Kilowog, the enforcer with a heart, in Green Lantern: First Flight, the next DC Universe animated original PG-13 movie coming to DVD on July 28, 2009.

Madsen has been cast as the heavy throughout his busy career, gaining widespread acclaim as Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. His lengthy list of credits include roles in films like The Natural, Thelma & Louise, both volumes of Kill Bill, Wyatt Earp, Free Willy, Die Another Day, and Donnie Brasco. He drew rave reviews for the hit cable television series Tilt as poker player Don "The Matador" Everest.

In Green Lantern: First Flight, Madsen brings to animated life the brawny alien character Kilowog, trainer of all Green Lantern recruits. The role should register positively within the fanboy realm, where Madsen has been popular in films such as Sin City and the Species franchise.

Madsen might truly be the hardest working man in show business. According to IMDB, Madsen has 10 films due out this year, and more than two dozen films currently in various stages of production. And while Green Lantern: First Flight was far from Madsen's first voiceover performance, it was his initial foray into feature length animation. Madsen has acted as narrator for several filmed projects, as well as being a vocal presence on some of Sony's best-selling games, including Grand Theft Auto III and Driv3r.

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new Green Lantern: First Flight in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

Madsen offered some surprising, honest answers following his recording for Green Lantern: First Flight, providing his thoughts and recollections of acting, the oddities of fan perceptions, sibling rivalries, pumping gas for the stars, and his cleanest definition of Kilowog's favorite word, "poozer."

Please read on ...

Four-time Emmy Award winner Alan Burnett departs from a 17-year stint in the Batcave to establish intergalactic justice as the screenwriter for Green Lantern: First Flight, the next DC Universe animated original PG-13 movie coming to DVD on July 28, 2009.

Burnett, who began his animation career at Hanna-Barbera Studios with Super Friends in 1981, has been the single most consistent active figure in bringing the Batman's legacy to animation since 1991 - when he began scripting episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, the Emmy®-winning production widely considered a pivotal moment in American animation.

Burnett's stellar talents have merited four Emmy Awards, three Annie Awards and two Humanitas Prizes. His work within the Batman realm includes as a series producer on Batman and Superman and Batman Beyond, and most recently as supervising producer and story editor for Warner Bros. Animation's award-winning series The Batman. He has remained active in crafting the words behind numerous DC Comics projects, both animated and in comic book form. In the direct-to-DVD arena, Burnett co-produced and co-wrote the animated feature film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, was supervising producer and writer for Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, and served as producer on the feature-length Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker. He also served as movie story editor and the writer of the anchoring segment of the DC Universe animated original movie, Batman Gotham Knight.

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new Green Lantern: First Flight in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

Burnett, the primary story editor for Warner Bros. Animation, took a little time to offer his views on his humbling beginnings in comics, the influences of Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen, and the simple one-line pitch behind the screenplay for the first-ever feature length Green Lantern film. Without further ado, here's a Q&A with Alan Burnett

Episodic Street Brawler Based on 'Watchmen' Film
available in Multiple Formats for All Gamers
 
 
Burbank, Calif. - May 21, 2009 - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced that the Watchmen: The End is Nigh videogame, based on the Watchmen film, will be offered in a retail Blu-Ray Hi-Def game and  film hybrid, as well as additional retail and downloadable formats in North America. Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2, the second of two long-form, episodic action games will be released in conjunction with the Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD of the Watchmen: Director's Cut in July 2009. 
 
Providing Watchmen fans with a variety of purchase options, the game will be offered in the following formats.
 
Watchmen: The End is Nigh The Complete Experience is an innovative, retail Blu-ray Hi-Def game and film hybrid which will include Watchmen: The End is Nigh Parts 1 and 2 and the Watchmen: Director's Cut on Blu-ray. This new cut of the action-packed blockbuster includes an additional 25 minutes of footage not seen in theaters only available on Blu-ray and DVD.  The two-disc collectible set will also feature exclusive artwork in a premium package. The game will be playable on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system which can also play the Blu-ray disc of Watchmen:  Director's Cut.
 
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Parts 1 and 2 will now be available for the first time as a single game available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
 
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2 will be available for download on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for PlayStation®Network.  
 

THE NEXT DC UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGINAL FILM
COMING TO DVD JULY 28, 2009

Actress Juliet Landau, a fanboy favorite from her devious appearances on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, easily glides into the voice of sultry alien Labella in Green Lantern: First Flight, the next DC Universe animated original PG-13 movie coming to DVD on July 28, 2009.

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new Green Lantern: First Flight in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

Landau is best known for her portrayal of vampire Drusilla in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. She initially turned heads with standout performances in Tim Burton's Ed Wood and opposite Whoopi Goldberg in Theodore Rex; she has done oodles of voiceover work, including recurring roles on Justice League Unlimited and Ben 10: Alien Force; and she has three upcoming films in various stages of production.

Turning her attention behind the camera, Landau has received notable praise for her initial pair of directing gigs. She helmed Take Flight, a documentary centering on the creative process of actor/director Gary Oldman, which drew rave reviews at a recent advance screening. Her co-direction of the Godhead music video, Hero, is garnering widespread Internet acclaim. She also has been busy at the keyboard, co-writing the Drusilla story line for the Angel comic books as well as scripting It's Raining Cats and Cats, a short film in which she intends to play seven different roles.

Christopher Meloni provides the voice of Hal Jordan, the alter ego of the title character in Green Lantern: First Flight. Landau offers a Cajun-style vocal performance for Labella, a mistress of the seedier side of the universe in which the Green Lantern Corps patrol. Landau and Meloni have worked closely together in the past, starring as brother and sister in the 1999 award-winning independent film Carlo's Wake.

Fortunately for the masses, Landau carved a few minutes out of her busy schedule to chat about voiceover work, the development of her Green Lantern: First Flight character, and the ability to grow and create in the entertainment business. So sit back and enjoy an intriguing Q&A with Juliet Landau ...

Fresh off her triumphant solo directorial debut of Wonder Woman, Lauren Montgomery shifts gears from Amazons and mythology to intergalactic intrigue as the director of Green Lantern: First Flight, the fifth in the ongoing series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 movies.

Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new Green Lantern: First Flight on July 28, 2009. The Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, the special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD will be distributed by Warner Home Video. The action-packed movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

Montgomery has been a central force within the DC Universe animated original movies, directing one-third of the series' initial film, Superman Doomsday, and wowing critics and fans alike with her solo directorial debut at the helm of Wonder Woman. With Green Lantern: First Flight, Montgomery takes the next step in her burgeoning career, directing the initial full-length story to feature the DC Comics super hero and an entire universe of fascinating characters. She is once again teamed with executive producer Bruce Timm, this time working from an Alan Burnett script that focuses on Hal Jordan's recruitment to the Green Lantern Corps and his discovery of a secret conspiracy that threatens its philosophies, traditions and hierarchy.

There is no rest for the weary. Though Green Lantern: First Flight has just completed production, Montgomery has already begun directing her next project - another upcoming DCU that you'll no doubt hear about in the not-too-distant future. Montgomery paused between recording sessions and storyboards to chat about the directorial learning curve, a new universe of astounding characters, a very cool quartet of key voiceover actors, and the tricks to avoiding greens and yellows for an entire background color palette.

Read on ... it's director Lauren Montgomery talking about Green Lantern: First Flight ...

From Academy Award blockbusters Titanic and Milk to Emmy-nominated
performances in Alias and Will & Grace to Tony Award nods for a
lengthy list of leading roles on Broadway, Victor Garber has achieved
acting greatness regardless of the format.

Now add animation to his list of successes.

In his animation debut, Garber masterfully crafts the voice for the
calculating, villainous Sinestro in Green Lantern: First Flight, the
fifth in the ongoing series of DC Universe animated original PG-13
movies. Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set
to release the all-new film - as a special edition 2-disc DVD, a
Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, as well as single disc DVD - on July 28,
2009, as distributed by Warner Home Video. The action-packed movie
will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available
for download day and date, July 28, 2009.

San Francisco, CA, JULY 29, 2009 - VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced a diverse collection of new animated and live-action titles scheduled for release throughout the Second Quarter of 2009.

The new releases include DEATH NOTE RELIGHT: VISIONS OF A GOD, which retells the groundbreaking DEATH NOTE psychological crime drama from an entirely new perspective. Also set for release is the concluding DVD Box Set of the DEATH NOTE animated series. New BLEACH episodic and NARUTO box set editions are also scheduled for release, along with the next Box Set compilation of HUNTER X HUNTER. INUYASHA fans will delight in the debut of the final Season 7 Box Set edition containing the series' cliffhanger finale, while younger fans can look forward to four new POKÉMON DVDS that highlight their favorite characters.