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Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp is a movie directed by Jonathan A. Rosenbaum. It stars Eric Bauza, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Tom Kenny.

Basing on Woody, a character given life by producer Walter Lantz and cartoonist Ben “Bugs” Hardaway. Woody was a star from the 40s to 72. Yes, fifty years have passed, but here is Woody again, with all of the animation spirit.

Like what happened with the cinema adaptation of Tom & Jerry, this movie picks up an almost forgotten old cartoon and is, indeed, totally faithful to its original style: same characters, same jokes and, in current times, some might argue a bit out of context.

There will be those who like this blend of times in a kind of space-time wormhole … and others might not.

A movie totally designed for the youthful audience or for the nostalgics … very nostalgic ones.

Plot

Woody makes life miserable for everyone,...

On November 25, 1940, the character of Woody Woodpecker first appeared in the short cartoon “Knock, Knock”. Created by Walter Lantz and Ben Hardaway, Woody has become one of the most recognizable cartoon characters in history. Since then, numerous adaptations starring or featuring Woody Woodpecker have been produced, thus turning the initially-anthology character into a proper brand. And while it has been some time since we’ve seen Woody on the big screen, Netflix is slated to bring us a new animated / live-action crossover adaptation titled Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp, which is set to premiere on the streaming service on April 12, 2024. Ahead of the movie’s release, the first trailer has finally been released.

The movie was actually announced back in 2021 and is actually a sequel to the 2017 Woody Woodpecker movie, although Eric Bauza, the voice of Woody, is the only returning cast member from the 2017 movie, so there won’t...

“Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp” is a new 3D live-action/CG animated feature, directed by Jon Rosenbaum, starring Gavin Newsom -look alike ‘Woody Woodpecker’ (Eric Bauza), created by Walter Lantz, streaming April 12, 2024 on Netflix:

“…the new movie is a sequel to the 2017 3D live-action/computer-animated slapstick comedy film ‘Woody Woodpecker’. Now, after getting kicked out of the forest, ‘Woody’ thinks he's found a forever home at ‘Camp Woo Hoo’ …

‘…until an inspector threatens to shut down the camp….”

'Woody Woodpecker' was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ Warner Bros. in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio...

...alongside 'Andy Panda', distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with...

“Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp” is a new 3D live-action/CG animated feature, directed by Jon Rosenbaum, starring Gavin Newsom -look alike ‘Woody Woodpecker’ (Eric Bauza), created by Walter Lantz, streaming April 12, 2024 on Netflix:

“…the new movie is a sequel to the 2017 3D live-action/computer-animated slapstick comedy film ‘Woody Woodpecker’.

“Now, after getting kicked out of the forest, ‘Woody’ thinks he's found a forever home at ‘Camp Woo Hoo’ …

‘…until an inspector threatens to shut down the camp….”

'Woody Woodpecker' was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ Warner Bros. in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio...

...alongside 'Andy Panda', distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane...

Tomorrow, “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) will make its home-viewing debut at $24.99 for rental, $29.99 for digital download, and will presumably sweep all #1 positions for weeks to come. The extent may depend on the as-yet undated PVOD arrivals of “Oppenheimer,” “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One,” and “Sound of Freedom.”

For now, our usual chart lineup is down one list: Google Play mysteriously has the same films in the same order for more than a week. In that universe, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is still #1 while “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” has yet to chart.

“Strays” Courtesy Universal Pictures

Other #1 slots reflect the ways iTunes and Vudu calculate their lists. “No Hard Feelings” (Sony), which had an early rental price reduction to $5.99 after success at $19.99, is #1 on iTunes, which calculates by transactions. Just-released R-rated comedy “Strays” (Universal) leads at Vudu, which ranks by revenue.

“No Hard Feelings” is in sixth place at Vudu,...

There may still be people unaware of the anarchic joy of Tex Avery, so we’re making it our business to enlighten them. This third Volume of Tex’s MGM cartoons has both variety and some top favorites, plus his first, the intense Blitz Wolf and his last, the surreal Cellbound. Plus the insane King Size Canary, the most endearing Droopy cartoon and the minimalist wonder Billy Boy. You won’t believe they showed Avery the door, and let him lend his talents to TV commercials! The disc came out last October but it’s still worth crowing about now.

Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 3

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1942-1955 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 150 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date October 5, 2021 / 21.99

Produced by Fred Quimby

Directed by Tex Avery

Yes, the review is half a year old but we make no excuses; Warners was a little disorganized last year as well.

Bradley Cooper is a triple threat at the Academy Awards, being nominated a total of nine times in the acting, producing and writing categories. However, he has yet to take home the golden statuette. His most recent bid was for producing the Best Picture nominee “Nightmare Alley,” which lost to “Coda” at the 2022 Oscars ceremony. At nine career losses, that means Cooper has quietly now surpassed legendary performers Glenn Close and Peter O’Toole, both of whom failed to win any of their eight bids (all for acting).

Cooper’s three Oscar nominations in the Best Actor race came for “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012), “American Sniper” (2014) and “A Star Is Born” (2018), plus he earned one notice in Best Supporting Actor for “American Hustle” (2013). The multi-hyphenate was recognized four times for producing Best Picture contenders “American Sniper,” “A Star Is Born,” “Joker” (2019) and “Nightmare Alley” (2021). And he has a Best Adapted Screenplay mention...

At long last a beautifully restored and mastered selection of a number of cartoon king Tex Avery’s brilliant, innovative and (most of all) hilarious MGM shorts comes to Blu-ray via the Warner Archive, with the implied promise of more volumes to come. Some of his greatest cartoons are included, and many of these shorts have likely not looked and sounded so good since their original theatrical release. This is a virtual godsend for the director’s legion of fans, and a worthwhile introduction for those yet unfamiliar with Avery’s uniquely zany oeuvre.

Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 1

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1943-1951 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 138 min. / Street Date February 18, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Voice characterizations: Not credited onscreen, but voices include Bill Thompson, Frank Graham, Kent Rogers, Sara Berner, Daws Butler, John Brown, Wally Maher, John Wald, Patrick McGeehan, Dick Nelson, Don Messick, Billy Bletcher, Connie Russell, Tex...

Cinematographer Roger Deakins hopes to snap his losing streak this year with his 14th nomination, for “Blade Runner 2049.”

Greg P. Russell (16 nominations)

Veteran sound mixer Greg P. Russell earned his first nomination for 1989’s “Black Rain.” He almost earned a 17th nomination, for 2016’s “13 Hours,” but his nomination was rescinded after he “violated Academy campaign regulations that prohibit telephone lobbying.”

Roland Anderson (15)

The longtime art director picked up his first nomination for “A Farewell to Arms” in 1934 — and then lost for such classics as 1961’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and 1963’s “Come Blow Your Horn.”

Alex North (15)

Composer Alex North was recognized with an honorary Oscar in 1986 — but he never won despite scoring such classics as “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Cleopatra” and “Spartacus.”

Roger Deakins (14)

Cinematographer Roger Deakins earned the first of 14 nominations for 1994’s “The Shawshank Redemption” — and even earned two nods in 2007 for Best Picture winner...

Don Lusk, an animator behind “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter Pan,” and many more classic animated Disney movies, died Sunday morning, according to a Facebook post by Ed Asner’s daughter, Navah Paskowitz-Asner. He was 105.

Lusk’s 60-year career touched countless classic works from Disney, where his career began in 1933. There he worked his animation magic on famous titles including 1938’s “Ferdinand the Bull,” 1942’s “Bambi,” 1950’s “Cinderella,” 1955’s “Lady and the Tramp,” 1959’s “Sleeping Beauty,” and 1961’s “101 Dalmatians.” Some of his most memorable work includes Cleo the goldfish in 1940’s “Pinocchio” and the “Nutcracker Suite” fish dance in “Fantasia.”

After leaving Disney in 1960, he continued freelancing throughout the decade, working on several Charlie Brown specials beginning with 1969’s “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” and throughout the ’70s with “It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!” and “Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.” He also freelanced for Upa on the animated...

Universal Pictures International and Universal 1440 Entertainment are launching new content on the dedicated Woody Woodpecker YouTube Channels in December. Ten new episodes have been created for Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish and English YouTube Channels.

These are the newest Woody Woodpecker episodes 46 years after the last of the original cartoons were released, 16 years after the three modern Woody Woodpecker seasons and one year after the launch of the dedicated YouTube channels.

As part of the new series – for the first time – the Walter Lantz-originated character will travel to Brazil for two adventures. Created by Universal Pictures International (Upi) and Universal 1440 Entertainment, each of the ten new cartoons is five minutes long. Also, a new, short documentary was created to complement the new cartoons. Bird Gone Wild: The Woody Woodpecker Story goes behind the scenes with the makers of the new cartoons and takes a look back at the origins of the high-energy bird.

Make room for a genuine rarity, come back from the cinema graveyard in excellent condition: a lavish color musical extravaganza from 1930 that’s been effectively Mia for generations. Universal undertook a daunting restoration of this ‘revue-‘ style spectacle, which includes a full presentation of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in its original orchestration.

King of Jazz

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 915

1930 / Color / 1:33 flat full frame / 98 105 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date March 27, 2018 / 39.95

Starring: Paul Whiteman, John Boles, Bing Crosby (unbilled),

Laura La Plante, Jeanette Loff, Glenn Tryon, Wiliam Kent, Slim Summerville, The Rhythm Boys, Kathryn Crawford, Beth Laemmle, Stanley Smith, Charles Irwin, George Chiles, Jack White, Frank Leslie, Walter Brennan, Churchill Ross, Johnson Arledge, Al Norman, Jacques Cartier, Paul Howard, Nell O’Day, The Tommy Atkins Sextette, Marion Stadler, Don Rose, The Russell Markert Girls.

Cinematography: Hal Mohr, Jerry Ash, Ray Rennahan

Film Editor: Maurice Pivar, Robert Carlisle...

Chaos ensues in the all-new family comedy, Woody Woodpecker, now available on DVD, Digital and On Demand from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film blends live action and CGI animation to tell the crazy and humorous story of an all-out turf war between the mischievous prankster and a big city lawyer who wants to build his dream home in Woody’s backyard. Directed by Alex Zamm (Inspector Gadget 2, The Little Rascals Save the Day), Woody Woodpecker stars Timothy Omundson (“Psych”), Thaila Ayala (“Rio Heat”), Graham Verchere (“Fargo”) Jordana Largy (Monster Trucks) and Eric Bauza (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water), as the voice of Woody. The Woody Woodpecker DVD and digital features deleted scenes and an exclusive inside look at the making of the film as well as the evolution of Woody’s iconic cartoon character.

Alex Zamm, the director of Woody Woodpecker,...

Chaos ensues in the all-new family comedy, Woody Woodpecker, coming to DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 6, 2018, from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film blends live action and CGI animation to tell the crazy and humorous story of an all-out turf war between the mischievous prankster and a big city lawyer who wants to build his dream home in Woody’s backyard. Directed by Alex Zamm (Inspector Gadget 2, The Little Rascals Save the Day), Woody Woodpecker stars Timothy Omundson (“Psych”), Thaila Ayala (“Rio Heat”), Graham Verchere (“Fargo”) Jordana Largy (Monster Trucks) and Eric Bauza (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water), as the voice of Woody. The Woody Woodpecker DVD and digital features deleted scenes and an exclusive inside look at the making of the film as well as the evolution of Woody’s iconic cartoon character.

Now you can own Woody Woodpecker on Blu-ray.

Chaos ensues in the all-new family comedy, Woody Woodpecker, coming to DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 6, 2018, from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film blends live action and CGI animation to tell the crazy and humorous story of an all-out turf war between the mischievous prankster and a big city lawyer who wants to build his dream home in Woody’s backyard. Directed by Alex Zamm (Inspector Gadget 2, The Little Rascals Save the Day), Woody Woodpecker stars Timothy Omundson (“Psych”), Thaila Ayala (“Rio Heat”), Graham Verchere (“Fargo”) Jordana Largy (Monster Trucks) and Eric Bauza (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water), as the voice of Woody. The Woody Woodpecker DVD and digital features deleted scenes and an exclusive inside look at the making of the film as well as the evolution of Woody’s iconic cartoon character.

Woody Woodpecker is back with his signature laugh,...

Sneak Peek more new footage from Universal's CGI animated "Woody Woodpecker", directed by Alex Zamm, available on DVD February 6, 2018:

"...'Woody Woodpecker' loves his home in the forest in the mountains. His tree is just the right size and perfect for his needs. Then a lawyer from the city arrives with his girlfriend and son and tries to tear it down to build a 'dream' home for humans. 

"Woody being Woody decides to use his unique method of handling irritations to stop the development plans: He terrorizes the humans entirely. He goes after the construction crew, attempts to electrocute and peck the father and causes mayhem everywhere. 

"After Woody finds himself relating to the son, can he and the humans come to a compromise that works for everyone?...":

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid groundwork for "Bugs Bunny" and "Daffy...

Sneak Peek footage from Universal's upcoming big screen CGI "Woody Woodpecker" movie, opening in 2017:

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid groundwork for "Bugs Bunny" and "Daffy Duck" at the Warner Bros. cartoon studio in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, including "Andy Panda", distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who was succeeded by Ben Hardaway and later by Grace Stafford, the wife of producer Walter Lantz.

Woody Woodpecker cartoons were first broadcast on TV in the 1957 cartoon series, "The Woody Woodpecker Show", which featured Lantz cartoons (including director Tex Avery's manic "Chilly Willy" shorts).

The...

At the Academy Awards on Sunday night, Kevin O’Connell just broke the longest streak for Oscar nominations without a win. The 59-year-old New Yorker had been nominated 21 times in total, making 2017 a very good year for him.

Who else among Hollywood’s finest has had to weather a storm of nominations without a win? Well, even just keeping it to over 10 nominations, it’s a healthy list. Let’s take a look.

Greg P. Russell

O’Connell’s win must have been somewhat bittersweet for Russell, who’s directly behind the elder sound mixer in the category of most nominations without wins.

Loyola Marymount University is opening a new campus in Playa Vista, California, the college announced Friday. Through a long-term lease agreement with Tishman Speyer at The Brickyard Playa Vista, Lmu will design learning and creative spaces in preparation for a fall 2018 opening. The new space will hold graduate programs for Lmu School of Film and Television (Sftv). Also Read: Lmu Film School Receives Grant From Walter Lantz Foundation “Sftv has incredible access to the industry, and we place a strong emphasis on career pathways. With the new Playa Vista Campus, our students and faculty will further benefit from the dynamic and.

Walter Lantz’s animated mischief-maker is still big in Brazil. But is the now glassy-eyed, Portuguese-speaking bird set for big-screen global domination?

Remember Woody Woodpecker? In fairness, you might not. A perennial also-ran compared to the big guns of Disney and Warner Bros, Woody Woodpecker never quite managed to settle on a definitive persona. He was an irritant, then a belaboured everyman. He created problems, then he solved them. He was aggressive, then he was a watered-down Bugs Bunny. Maybe this is why Woody Woodpecker has only fitfully been seen on screen since the early 1970s.

Continue reading...

Hollywood has raided my childhood once again! A live-action version of popular 1940s cartoon series Woody Woodpecker is heading to the big screen next year and the first teaser has been released in Brazil, where it is titled Pica-Pau. Created by Walter Lantz and produced as a series of theatrical short films by his studio in the 1940s, the character made its way to television in 1957 and eventually lodged its way into my brain through the TV rerun circuit in the late 1960s. Frankly, all I remember from the show is Woody's insistent laughter, which is reproduced faithfully in the short teaser. A quick look at IMDb reveals a lesser-known cast directed by Alex Zamm, whose extensive credits include a number of sequels, such...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Brendon Connelly Mar 13, 2017

A new international trailer lands for the Woody Woodpecker movie...

Update: It's been a while, but Woody Woodpecker completists, fear no more. A new international trailer for the upcoming movie has been released. And you can view it right here...

You are very welcome.

Previously (December 2016)

Thanks to Universal's Brazillian wing (Wing! get it? Like a bird's wing!) here is the first trailer for the live-action Woody Woodpecker movie. In the sense, that is, that the movie is live-action, because the Woodpecker most definitely is not.

The film's director is Alex Zamm, previously culpable for Jingle All the Way 2, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, Inspector Gadget 2... You know what? That's a lot of number twos.

Zamm did direct some episodes of the Upright Citizen's Brigade TV show and he does have Timothy Omundensen here - the bearded man getting gunged, previously popular in Psych and Gallivant.

The Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television has received $13 million in grants and gifts from the Walter Lantz Foundation. The total donation is comprised of a recent gift to the animation program, art from the Walter Lantz Foundation Collection and the remaining corpus of the Walter Lantz Trust, valued at over $5 million, to be used as the lead investment for a new facility designed by Gensler. The new facility will include a screening theater, visual effects work space, editing suites and smart classrooms that will serve as a creative home for all students in the film program. Also.

Loyola Marymount University's School of Film and Television hit the jackpot with another $5 million gift from a familiar benefactor, the Walter Lantz Foundation, pushing the foundation’s total support of the school to $13 million. The new gift, announced Thursday by film and television dean Stephen Ujlaki, paves the way for construction of new quarters for the school and continues a push by Ujlaki, a longtime movie producer, to put Lmu in the top rank among a growing…...

Production has now wrapped in Vancouver on writer/director Alex Zamm's CG-live-action film "Woody Woodpecker", based on the famous Walter Lantz cartoon character, starring Timothy Omundson, Thaila Ayala, Graham Verchere and Toby Walters:

'Woody Woodpecker' was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ Warner Bros. in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio...

...alongside 'Andy Panda', distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who was succeeded by Ben Hardaway and later by Grace Stafford, the wife of producer Walter Lantz.

Woody Woodpecker cartoons were first broadcast on TV in the 1957 cartoon series, "The Woody Woodpecker Show...

According to animator Bill Kopp, Universal Pictures is still developing "Woody Woodpecker" for a big screen, 3D, CG feature:

"It's been put on hold. It's not dead," said Kopp about the "Woody Woodpecker" feature. "It's just not breathing at the moment. 

"The script is in its second draft and is Really funny..."

"Universal Pictures has hired me to put the 'Woody' back in the 'Woodpecker'! Hooray!! 

"There will be 3 stories woven together into a feature length cartoon - plus a 6-7 minute short that we will put into theaters..."

'Woody Woodpecker' was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ Warner Bros. in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, alongside 'Andy Panda', distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years,...

When I was a kid my first ambition was to be a cartoonist. Walt Disney’s Magazine printed tips on how to draw his most famous characters, which always began with a perfect circle. I found this challenging, which is one reason I never became a professional artist, or even a good amateur. Still, I retain a fascination with drawing and treasure my copy of Walter Lantz Easy Way to Draw, which Mr. Lantz graciously signed for me many years after I’d marked up its pages with bad renderings of Woody Woodpecker and Wally Walrus. I also got to meet Preston Blair, who created the first manual for aspiring animators in 1948 for the venerable Walter Foster publishing company. (In his...

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Honorary Award: Gloria Swanson, Rita Hayworth among dozens of women bypassed by the Academy (photo: Honorary Award non-winner Gloria Swanson in 'Sunset Blvd.') (See previous post: "Honorary Oscars: Doris Day, Danielle Darrieux Snubbed.") Part three of this four-part article about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Honorary Award bypassing women basically consists of a long, long — and for the most part quite prestigious — list of deceased women who, some way or other, left their mark on the film world. Some of the names found below are still well known; others were huge in their day, but are now all but forgotten. Yet, just because most people (and the media) suffer from long-term — and even medium-term — memory loss, that doesn't mean these women were any less deserving of an Honorary Oscar. So, among the distinguished female film professionals in Hollywood and elsewhere who have passed away without...

Universal Pictures continues to develop, with veteran animator Bill Kopp, the original "Woody Woodpecker" for a big screen, 3D, CGI feature:

"It's official folks," said  Kopp.

"Universal Pictures has hired me to put the 'Woody' back in the 'Woodpecker'! Hooray!! 

"There will be 3 stories woven together into a feature length cartoon - plus a 6-7 minute short that we will put into theaters..."

'Woody Woodpecker' was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ Warner Bros. in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, alongside 'Andy Panda', distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who...

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment ("Despicable Me") originally planned for a CG animated "Woody Woodpecker" feature, looking to 'modernize' the character with a screenplay by John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. 

But Illumination, flush with cash from their "Despicable Me" franchise, dropped the "Woody" movie, allowing Universal to continue working with a veteran animator who will revive the 'original' Woody for the big screen:

"It's official folks," said "Eek! The Cat" creator Bill Kopp.

"Universal Pictures has hired me to put the 'Woody' back in the 'Woodpecker'! Hooray!! There will be 3 stories woven together into a feature length cartoon - plus a 6-7 minute short that we will put into theaters..."

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid the groundwork for 'Bugs Bunny' and 'Daffy Duck' @ the Warner Bros. cartoon studio in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in...

Will Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment ever make their big screen CG "Woody Woodpecker" theatrical movie, that they have been promising for years ?  

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid groundwork for "Bugs Bunny" and "Daffy Duck" at the Warner Bros. cartoon studio in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, including "Andy Panda", distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who was succeeded by Ben Hardaway and later by Grace Stafford, the wife of producer Walter Lantz.

Woody Woodpecker cartoons were first broadcast on TV in the 1957 cartoon series, "The Woody Woodpecker Show", which featured Lantz cartoons (including director...

“Guess who?! Ha ha ha hah hah! Ha ha ha hah hah! Hahahahah!” Looks like another iconic cartoon character from Hollywood’s Golden Age is finally returning to the silver screen! He joins the ranks of Mickey Mouse in the theatrical short subject “Get a Horse’ that will be paired with Disney’s Frozen, the Loony Tunes Warner Brothers gang recently seen in the “I Tawt I Taw a Putty Tat” short preceeding Happy Feet 2, and Popeye the Sailor Man (technically a comic strip star) in his very own CGI feature from director Genndy Tartakovsky (Hotel Transylvania) in production at Sony Pictures. Why it’s that fine feathered frantic fury, Woody Woodpecker! Animation reporter and historian Jerry Beck reported over at the website Indiewire that animator Bill Kopp (TV’s “Eek the Cat” and “Dan Vs.” amongst many credits) has been signed to bring that red-headed rascal back to theatres...

Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before: a Tex Avery cartoon from 1955 produced by Walter Lantz simply called “Sh-h-h-h-h-h”. This was Tex Avery’s last animated short cartoon. The sounds of the trumpet player and the laughing woman who keep the man awake through the night are taken directly from the novelty OKeh Laughing Record, which was released in 1923. The voice, of course, is Daws Butler. Beyond that, we should obviously say no more. Enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Glenn Hauman on Google+...

*spoiler alert. Director: Paul Edwards. Writer: Andrew Dabb. Cast: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Lisa Chandler, Faustino Di Bauda, and Andrew Zachar. When a man's heart pops out like a Walter Lantz cartoon, just what is CW's latest episode of "Supernatural," "Hunteri Heroici" up to? In what may be the strangest episode so far, perhaps watching too many 'toons can distort reality. In this case, to look at real representations of cartoon violence can prove disturbingly gooey when the anvil drops. But for Fred Jones (Mike Farrell), no relation to the Scooby Doo character of the same name, he shows that he can manipulate the world around him if he so desires. For some people, watching cartoons provides a means of escapism. They inject humour into the dull everyday life of growing old. Jones' argument for their purpose is great. Writer Andrew Dabb has crafted a defining moment that...

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment ("Despicable Me") continue to develop a big screen CGI "Woody Woodpecker" theatrical movie, from a screenplay by John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky ("Blades Of Glory").

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid groundwork for "Bugs Bunny" and "Daffy Duck" at the Warner Bros. cartoon studio in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, including "Andy Panda", distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who was succeeded by Ben Hardaway and later by Grace Stafford, the wife of producer Walter Lantz.

Woody Woodpecker cartoons were first broadcast on TV in the 1957 cartoon series, "The Woody Woodpecker Show...

When I was growing up, TV was a living museum of animation. Every day I was exposed to everything from silent Terrytoons to Looney Tunes from Warner Bros. I learned the name Ub Iwerks from the main titles of Flip the Frog and Willie Whopper shorts I saw every morning, and became familiar with such now-forgotten characters as Molly Moo Cow. What’s more, Walt Disney and Walter Lantz showed me how animated films were made on their weekly shows. Today, the only home for vintage animation is DVD, which offers film buffs a vast array of material. But no one is regularly programming these short subjects any more, and young people are coming of age without being exposed to Betty Boop,...

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Seems we're presently in the midst of a miniature renaissance for horror-themed animated features. A few months ago we got the truly impressive ParaNorman from Universal, and next month Disney has a treat in the form of Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, but while the former film is very clever and the latter one is very sweet, this weekend's "horror cartoon" from Sony is content with being very funny, very silly, and very energetic. Directed by Clone Wars and Samurai Jack co-creator Genndy Tartakovksy, Hotel Transylvania is neither the smartest nor the sweetest monster-themed animated feature under the sun, but it earns a lot of points for plain old wit, humor, and outright silliness.

Adam Sandler provides the voice for Count Dracula, as sort of a cross between Bela Lugosi and a Jewish grandmother, and in this movie the infamous count is intent on building a secret haven for all monsters.

For 100 years, Universal Pictures has been entertaining audiences all around the world with some of the most unforgettable movies ever made. For a limited time only, own a piece of Hollywood history with the Universal 100th Anniversary Collection arriving on Blu-ray. and DVD on November 6, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The collection features a selection of 25 unforgettable films that helped shape the legacy of one of the most successful movie studios of all time. Featuring prestigious Academy Award® winners such as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Sting, genre-defining classics like Dracula and Spartacus, captivating storytelling such as Field of Dreams and Do the Right Thing, blockbusters likeJurassic Park and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and pure entertainment with franchises including The Bourne Identity and The Fast and the Furious, these movies continue to have an enduring impact throughout the world.

The Universal 100th Anniversary Collection includes an exclusive “100 Years of Universal...

Whether you're ready for it or not, a new animated take on "Woody Woodpecker" is going to soon be coming to a theater near you.

With the exception of a short-lived Saturday morning cartoon that aired on Fox in the late 1990s through early 2000s, Woody Woodpecker has been largely absent from the public eye ever since creator Walter Lantz shut down his studio in 1972. Now Universal is resurrecting the character with a very distinctive laugh, thanks to some help from Illumination Entertainment.

Deadline is reporting that John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky have been hired to pen a script for the new "Woody Woodpecker" movie. Judging by the duo's previous writing credits, we can get a sense of the type of project this will be.

Altschuler and Krinsky are best known for working alongside Mike Judge as writers and executive producers on "King of the Hill." They also co-wrote the...

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment will produce a big screen CGI "Woody Woodpecker" movie, from a screenplay developed by John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky ("Blades Of Glory").

Woody Woodpecker was created in 1940 by storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, who previously laid groundwork for "Bugs Bunny" and "Daffy Duck" at the Warner Bros. cartoon studio in the late 1930's.

The 'anthropomorphic' acorn woodpecker cartoon character soon appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio, including "Andy Panda", distributed by Universal Pictures.

Woody's character and design would evolve over the years, from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined look.

Woody was originally voiced by actor Mel Blanc, who was succeeded by Ben Hardaway and later by Grace Stafford, the wife of producer Walter Lantz.

Woody Woodpecker cartoons were first broadcast on TV in the 1957 cartoon series, "The Woody Woodpecker Show", which featured...

Though still very much in the preliminary phases of development, THR reports that Illumination Entertainment, a Universal-based animation house, is working on a project to bring the somewhat psychotic cartoon bird Woody Woodpecker to the big screen. Illumination is best known for bringing us Despicable Me and next year's Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Blades of Glory writers John Altshuler and Dave Krinsky are in talks to develop a story. Woody Woodpecker first appeared in a short in 1940 and was co-created by cartoonist Walter Lantz. Early on, he was voiced by Mel Blanc (future voice of Bugs Bunny) and was initially rowdy, brash and a huge hit during World War II-era America. He mellowed out in the ‘50s and developed a love interest as well as a recurring nemesis, Ben Buzzard....

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An anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker had been drawn in 1940 by the same Bugs Bunny storyboard artist Ben Bugs. The famous cartoon character lasted for 32 years since the 196th final animation short Bye, Bye, Blackboard, when co-creator Walter Lantz closed his studios and later sold the rights to Universal in 1985. Now, Illumination Entertainment, which [...]

Continue reading Woody Woodpecker the Next Cartoon Character to Get a Big-Screen Revamp on FilmoFilia.

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Yet another famous old-school (animated) character is being prepared for a return to the big screen: Woody Woodpecker, the famous anthropomorphized cartoon fowl whose trademark cackle is a reminder of a bygone era in Hollywood animated entertainment (or the stuff of nightmares, depending on your personal view).

Illumination Entertainment is working on a new feature-length project that will star the Woodpecker character. It could be one of the company’s next completely CGI-animated efforts, following Despicable Me, next year’s adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and the in-development Despicable Me 2.

Woody Woodpecker was concocted by storyboard artist Ben “Bugs” Hardaway and cartoonist Walter Lantz as being a screwball character, similar to early incarnations of Looney Tunes icons Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck - both of which were also partly Hardaway’s creations.

The Woodpecker character eventually transitioned from ...

Click to continue reading Woody Woodpecker Movie Could Be Scripted By...

Woody Woodpecker laughs again. Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, Hop) will make a movie about the the patriotic-colored bird. Blades of Glory scribes John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky will create a story for the film.

Woody Woodpecker was created in the 1940s by cartoonist Walter Lantz, voiced by Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny). During the '70s and '80s, Woody Woodpecker was lumped together with the "Looney Tunes" cartoons. Universal bought the rights to Woody Woodpecker in 1985, the movie is a way to revive the cartoon character ala Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Smurfs.

Source: HeatVision...

Producing nostalgic cartoons like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Yogi Bear have been a growing trend lately and now Universal and Ullumination Entertainment is looking to get into the game by producing an adaptation of Woody Woodpecker. According to Heat Vision reports that Universal picked up the rights to all of the shorts and the character himself from cartoonist Walter Lantz back in 1985. Woody Woodypecker became a cult hit in the 1950s, and was even a nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song for its animated short, the only animated short to be ever nominated. The move to capitalize on the asset mirrors an effort throughout Hollywood to mine value from properties that studios already own.

Illumination and the writers will seek to create a story that modernizes the character, hopefully launching a franchise in the process. John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, who co-wrote the Will Ferrell comedy Blades of Glory,...

The quiffed mischief-maker, who has been away from the big screen for 40 years, will have a makeover by the team behind Despicable Me with a franchise in mind

The animation house behind the Steve Carrell hit Despicable Me is working on a Woody Woodpecker movie, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film, to be penned by the team behind the Will Ferrell ice-skating comedy Blades of Glory, will give the character a modern makeover, with a view to launching a new franchise. It will be the first film outing for the frenetic birdie since 1972's Bye, Bye, Blackboard (though he did have a cameo in 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit).

Woody was dreamed up as a replacement for waning animation staple Oswald the Lucky Rabbit by cartoonist Walter Lantz in 1940, following an unhappy holiday experience in which he and his wife were plagued by a tapping woodpecker. Initially voiced by Mel Blanc,...

Universal and Illumination Entertainment have a good collaborative relationship going with their success of Despicable Me and the forthcoming adaptation of The Lorax, which looks rather charming. Now the two are teaming up again to bring another iconic character to the big screen as Heat Vision reports they're developing a feature film adaptation of Woody Woodpecker. The character first showed up in animated shorts in 1940 with the now iconic voice of Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny and many more Looney Tunes) bringing him to life, and his rambunctious, obnoxious personality carried him right onto television in the late 50's. Though the character is remembered for being wild and unhinged, he chilled out a bit in some shorts in the 50's before making it to television. Universal has actually picked up the rights to all the shorts and the character himself from cartoonist Walter Lantz back in 1985, but with nostalgia being ...

The classic animated cartoon character Woody Woodpecker has started his journey to the big screen. The film is set to be developed at Universal Pictures with the CGI animation studio Illumination Entertainment who made the films Despicable Me and next year’s Dr. Suess’ The Lorax, which looks like a solidly good film. This would be the first time Woody Woodpacker will get a feature film adaptation. John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky (Blades of Glory) are currently in talks to develop the story.

The animated character was co-created by cartoonist Walter Lantz and voiced by Mel Blanc, who did the voice of Bugs Bunny. Woody Woodpecker first appeared in a short in the 1940's but he really hit his stride in during World War II, and carried into the 1950's.

I used to watch reruns of the animated series when I was a kid, but I'm not sure how it...

While he might not enjoy the iconic fame of, say, Mickey Mouse or Homer Simpson, Woody Woodpecker has been a recognisable figure in short ‘toons and TV shows for decades, best known for his trademark bright feather quiff and madcap call. And now Universal, via its Illumination animation house, is looking to turn him into a movie star for today’s kids.The studio is now in talks with Blades Of Glory co-writers John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky to develop the story. They’ll have plenty of material to work from – Universal bought the rights to the character from co-creator Walter Lantz back in 1985, and Woody has a long history of short cartoons and telly episodes.First birthed in 1940, Woody was originally voiced by legendary tonsil talent Mel Blanc. His character has evolved over the years, from a blowhard egotist to the slightly mellower (yet still zany) character known today.

Universal Pictures released Walter Lantz’s Woody Woodpecker cartoons throughout the 1940s and The Hollywood Reporter confirmed today the studio’s decision to produce a feature-length animated comedy based on the comical woodpecker. Scribes John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky (Blades of Glory, TV’s King of the Hill) signed on to co-write the comedy and Illumination Entertainment, the animation studio that made Despicable Me and the upcoming Dr. Suess’ The Lorax, looked to join Universal on the Woody Woodpecker movie. Woody Woodpecker also appeared on TV in the 1950s and returned to the small screen in the late ‘90s as part of Fox’s Saturday cartoon lineup.