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During the heyday of arcades and mall culture, Dragon’s Lair wasn’t just another cabinet among the crowd, it was a revolution in gaming.

Launched in 1983, the game stood out instantly thanks to its lush, hand-drawn animation by former Disney visionary Don Bluth.

At a time when blocky pixel art dominated screens, Dragon’s Lair looked and felt like a fully playable cartoon, drawing players in with an experience unlike anything else on the market.

Powered by LaserDisc technology, the game featured full-motion video (Fmv) that allowed for smooth, cinematic storytelling. Instead of navigating a pixelated avatar, players guided Dirk the Daring, a fearless yet bumbling knight, through a fantasy adventure to save Princess Daphne from the evil dragon Singe and the sinister wizard Mordroc.

Though its plot was straightforward, the real magic of Dragon’s Lair was in its visual storytelling and unpredictable gameplay. Every wrong move triggered a unique and often hilarious death animation,...

An 80s arcade classic might have found its filmmaker, courtesy of The Muppets' James Bobin.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Bobin is "in talks" to direct Netflix's Dragon's Lair movie, which will be co-produced by Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and actor Ryan Reynolds. This will be Bobin's latest film since 2019's Dora and the Lost CIty of Gold, with the British filmmaker making his big-screen debut with 2011's Muppets film co-starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams alongside Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the Muppets cast. He later returned for its 2014 sequel Muppets Most Wanted, though no Muppets movies have been released in theaters since then.

Fans received an update about Dragon's Lair last year -- four years after Netflix bought the game's rights -- when Lee revealed how the movie's structure drastically evolved over time. "Originally, it was gonna be one of the movies that was gonna...

If you’ve got Ptsd from pumping quarters into Rick Dyer’s Dragon’s Lair arcade game, look away! This article could cause traumatic memories to resurface as we remember the pain of dying repeatedly and kissing your hard-earned couch change goodbye. According to Jeff Sneider, multiple sources say The Muppets director James Bobin is in negotiations to direct Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the beloved ’80s video game Dragon’s Lair, with Ryan Reynolds attached to star.

Discussions about adapting the quarter-killing video game were announced in 2020. Ryan Reynolds would play Dirk the Daring, the game’s main protagonist, a knight tasked with rescuing Princess Daphne from Mordroc and Singe. Reynolds’s Maximum Effort would produce the feature alongside George Dewey and Patrick Gooing. Sneider says Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Underground’s Trevor Engelson will also produce with Gary Goldman, Jon Pomeroy, and Don Bluth, who co-created the original game with Rick Dyer.

Hear ye, hear ye: Netflix's Dragon's Lairvideo game adaptation with Ryan Reynolds might have just found its knight in shining armor in The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted helmer James Bobin. The filmmaker may be more adept at dealing with frogs and swamps than knights and kingdoms, but he is reportedly in talks to direct the live-action spin of the 1980s arcade classic. The project was greenlit by Netflix back in 2020 after a year of negotiations to try and secure the rights to the game franchise that is headlined by Dirk the Daring.

Bobin is perhaps best known for helming the two puppet pictures led by Kermit the Frog, but he has also taken the reins on a selection of other family-friendly films in the years since, including Disney's Alice Through the Looking Glass and Paramount's Dora the Lost City of Gold. He most recently directed two episodes...

British filmmaker James Bobin (“Percy Jackson and the Olympians”) is in talks to direct the live action adaptation of 80’s video game classic “Dragon’s Lair” for Netflix.

Ryan Reynolds is attached to produce and star as main character Dirk the Daring.

The streamer closed a deal to acquire the rights to the laser game back in 2020. Roy Lee will produce “Dragon’s Lair” via his Vertigo Entertainment banner with Trevor Engelson of Underground Entertainment. The game’s original designer Don Bluth, along with Gary Goldman and Jon Pomeroy are also producing. Reynolds will produce via his Maximum Effort banner.

Screenwriters Dan and Kevin Hageman, who received story credit on “The Lego Movie” and most recently wrote “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” will write the screenplay.

The story centers on Dirk the Daring, a knight of the kingdom, who was entrusted with the rescue of Princess Daphne from the wizard...

After shepherding The Muppets to the big screen, James Bobin is about to enter the Dragon's Lair. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the director is currently in talks to take the reins of Ryan Reynolds's Netflix movie based on the legendary 1980s arcade game. Reynolds remains attached as the star of the long-gestating project and will produce alongside Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment in conjunction with Trevor Engelson of Underground Films. If he officially signs on, it will mark a reunion with the Deadpool & Wolverine star and the director after Bobin was previously attached to helm Reynolds' Clue remake.

Reynolds has been trying to get Dragon's Lair off the ground at Netflix since 2020. Originally, the classic game's producer, director, and animator, Don Bluth, also known for his extensive animation work at Disney and beyond, was tapped to helm the project alongside Gary Goldman, though both now remain solely as producers with Jon Pomeroy.

James Bobin is going from singing green frogs to fire-breathing green dragons.

The director of Disney’s The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted is in talks to tackle Dragon’s Lair, Netflix’s adaptation of one of the most iconic arcade games from the early 1980s, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Ryan Reynolds is attached to star as well as produce the feature, which was first set up in 2020. Also producing are Roy Lee, via his Vertigo Entertainment, with Trevor Engelson of Underground Films. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and Jon Pomeroy are also producing.

Dragon’s Lair was, at one point, the most popular game in America. It hit the scene in 1983 and promised to revolutionize the arcade industry with its movie-style animation that hailed from Bluth, who would later go on to direct the animated movies An American Tail and All Dogs Go to Heaven, and its envelope-pushing technology that...

Movies that step outside the human lens offer fresh, often mind-bending takes on the world, letting us see through the eyes of animals, machines, or otherworldly beings. These stories blend unique viewpoints with emotional depth or sharp commentary, making us rethink our place in the universe.

We’ve ranked 10 standout films told from non-human perspectives, from intriguing to unforgettable, based on their creativity and impact. Here’s why these movies pull us into their strange, captivating worlds.

10. The Lion King (1994) Walt Disney Pictures

Simba, a lion cub, navigates pride, loss, and leadership in the African savanna. Through his animal eyes, we see a vibrant world of instinct and hierarchy, voiced by Matthew Broderick and James Earl Jones.

The emotional journey and vivid animation grip us. We’re moved by its wild, heartfelt saga.

9. Wall-e (2008) Pixar

A lonely robot trash collector, Wall-e, finds love and purpose on a ruined Earth. Pixar...

Animated classics are the soul of the cinematic industry. These movies have given us some of the weirdest, wildest, and most wonderful stories ever- talking dragons, magical cities, cursed princesses, and even giant robots with feelings. While these animated movies remain iconic, but with today’s crazy-good visual effects and star-studded casts, some of these classics are practically screaming for a live-action glow-up.

While Disney’s already raiding its classic vault like a cinematic pirate, there are still so many animated gems, even the underrated ones that are literally waiting for their time in the live-action spotlight. From steampunk space pirates to lost cities full of gold, these are kinds of stories that could explode off the screen if done right.

Whether you’re a cartoon purist or love seeing your childhood faves come to life with real people, this list is for you. So, let’s grab the popcorn...

Success can be a double-edged sword. While every filmmaker would like their first movie to be a breakout success, those kinds of hits build expectation for their second feature, and not every director can navigate the artistic and industrial labyrinth that it takes to produce another instant classic.

Indeed, the perfect one-two punch is rarely achieved. Many of the best directors don’t start out with one of their finest or most successful films, those that do can’t always parlay that into a second success.

But some filmmakers have managed to immediately capitalize on all that good will, directing a second great movie after their debut wins the hearts of critics and/or audiences. With “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song’s second film “Materialists” now in theaters, we’re pretty danged sure these are the best.

Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage in ‘Adaptation’ (Sony Pictures Releasing) Adaptation.

Spike Jonze’s sophomore feature,...

In 1989, Steven Spielberg was trying really hard to get into the animation game. He had served as executive producer on films like Don Bluth's "An American Tail" and Robert Zemeckis' "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," steering both of them to great success. He also founded his own animation studio, Amblimation, that year, hoping to continue his track record of making striking, original, and successful animated features. By 1989, though, Spielberg and Bluth had suffered a falling out, and new projects didn't come easily. As a result, Amblimation only ever made three features: "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West," "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story," and "Balto."

Spielberg has better success on television, overseeing a new wave of animated shows that ushered in a new generation of entertainment. 1990 saw the debut of "Tiny Toon Adventures," a fourth-wall-breaking comedy series featuring a new collection of "kid" counterparts to well-known Warner Bros. characters. That show...

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John Howley's 1989 animated film "Happily Ever After" was conceived as a sequel to the "Snow White" fairy tale. Its story extrapolated partly from the earliest published version by the Brothers Grimm but also partly from the 1937 Disney-produced film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." "Happily Ever After" didn't re-use any of Disney's designs, voices, characters, or concepts (at least none that weren't already in the Public Domain), but one can see how Howley's film relied on vague cultural echoes that Disney originally yawped into the mass consciousness. Snow White (Irene Cara), for example, had almost identical hair and wore a similar dress to the version of the character designed by Walt Disney.

"Happily Ever After" staggered during its brief theatrical run, making only $3.3 million at the box office on a modest $6.8 million budget (although it was later heavily rented...

Just because a movie is animated doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, some of the most unsettling, eerie, and downright terrifying films ever made are animated. Whether it’s through disturbing character designs, nightmare-inducing villains, or deeply existential themes that hit even harder as you grow up, these movies have left lasting impressions on kids and grown-ups alike.

From spine-chilling stop-motion to traditionally animated nightmares, plenty of movies, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, pushed the boundaries of what “kid-friendly” really means. Whether they scarred you as a child or continue to haunt your dreams as an adult, these movies are sure to have gotten under your skin at some point. Some of them lean into horror outright, while others use their unsettling elements to craft unforgettable, eerie experiences that trickle into your thoughts far beyond childhood.

A Troll in Central Park Goes From Cheerful...

Disney has made a decision about long-form animation for Disney+, and it’s a bold move for the company!

For decades, Disney has always been the dominant force in feature animation. Even with challengers like Don Bluth, DreamWorks, and others, Disney and Pixar would be tops at the box office and win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

But the last few years have been rough for the company. Sure, the pandemic meant Pixar films like Soul and Turning Red had to be sent to Disney+. But there’s also the bombs of Strange New Worlds and Wish.

Inside Out 2 was a big hit, yet Disney seems to be resting more on sequels than on original fare. Now, a big move has occurred, with Disney announcing that it is canceling plans for a Tiana animated series that was to come to Disney+.

The show would have continued the adventures...

The comic adventures of "Hellboy" have yet to stop. Even after the world itself ended in the story "B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know," creator Mike Mignola and co. have kept revisiting Hellboy's world with various prequel stories.

In contrast, the original silver screen Hellboy, played by Ron Perlman and directed by Guillermo del Toro, remains in limbo. "Hellboy III" has remained a dream for almost two decades, one that's unlikely to ever become reality. Perlman has maintained he'd come back if del Toro would, but Mignola has moved the franchise into two successive (and disappointing) reboots.

What would "Hellboy III" have been like? The magical second film "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," originally included a post-credits scene to directly tease the trilogy's finale. This stinger, never filmed, would've resurrected the first films villains: Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden), the Russian Mad Monk himself, and his cyborg assassin...

Few animation companies have the longevity and cultural sway as Walt Disney. The studio’s meteoric rise is the quintessential American dream, and its films are as ubiquitous as water. Classics like The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, and Mulan have entranced audiences worldwide for decades. Yet, no company is without its issues. Back in the 1980s, Disney was embroiled in its so-called “Dark Era.” Its films had lost their charm, and audiences sought their family-friendly thrills elsewhere. The studio’s beloved storytelling had stalled; its profits stalled. The animation department was especially hard hit, and only two of the period’s films have since joined the company’s pantheon of classics. The Fox and the Hound debuted in 1981; The Great Mouse Detective hit theaters half a decade later.

While there were many reasons for the studio’s brief decline, one of the most prevalent was its unfortunate tendency to bleed talent.

Wildly unpredictable, visually gorgeous, and occasionally gruesome, the German animated feature Felidae is a surreal amalgam of gothic horror and noir-tinged mystery that’s definitely not for the kiddies. The film is rife with delirious dream imagery and unrestrained depictions of sadistic medical experiments, murder, and mutilation. Not to mention that, per its feline-centric title, all the central characters are cats. Felidae is the result of what might happen if a giallo director like Dario Argento took a whack at directing The Secret of Nimh.

No sooner has the urbane Francis (Ulrich Tukur), accompanied by his feckless human “can opener,” a romance writer named Gustav Löbel (Manfred Steffen), moved into new digs in a new part of town, than he meets the grizzled Bluebeard (Mario Adorf), who supplies the profanely wise-cracking buddy component for the twisty mystery that follows. Bluebeard’s idea of a housewarming present turns out to be...

With its motley crew of specialized characters and top-down view of crisscrossing enemy vision cones, The Stone of Madness resembles other stealth tactics games like Desperados III and Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. But it’s not long before the developers at The Game Kitchen reveal a suite of inspired idiosyncrasies, and they do it by leaning into the desperation and disempowerment of the game’s imposing setting: an 18th-century Spanish monastery doubling as an insane asylum.

In The Stone of Madness, you control a group of inmates digging into the monastery’s dark secrets, ducking past baton-wielding guards, tattling friars, and even ghosts that materialize halfway through each time-limited day. At the start of a day, you select three of the five inmates to control, each one distinguished as much by their unique skills as by exceptional cartoon designs that suggest The Name of the Rose by way of Don Bluth.

Amazon Prime Video is dropping new flicks on its platform this January, and we’re here to list the best of bunch.

It’s a new year, which means Prime Video has a fresh slate of films for folks to enjoy. From real-life, biographical tales to animated family goodies every generation can enjoy, Prime Video’s got a variety to explore. Plus, one of the streamer’s originals lands this month following its theatrical run, ready to give viewers fright-filled watch.

Check out our picks for the best new movies on Prime Video in January below.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” 20th Century Studios “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Rami Malek brought the iconic life story of Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury, to life in 2018 in Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher’s biographical film “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The movie covers Queen’s early beginnings and rise to fame, Mercury’s departure from the group and their reunion at...

Although it has an ignominious reputation, Adam Sandler’s holiday movie Eight Crazy Nights is nowhere near as bad as critics claimed. In 2002, it truly seemed as if Adam Sandler could do no wrong. After a successful star-making run on Saturday Night Live, Sandler starred in a string of hit ‘90s comedies that elevated him the Hollywood A-list. Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, and Big Daddy were all huge hits, while 1998’s The Wedding Singer proved that Sandler could also anchor a sweet rom-com. This era featured some of Sandler’s best characters and made his box office gold.

Related Every Adam Sandler Movie His Family Members Appear In (& Who They Play)

Comedy star Adam Sandler has a habit of casting friends and family in his movies. Here's a guide to every time his family members appear.

However, the failure of 2000’s Little Nicky should have been a sign for Sandler.

It says a lot about Jon Favreau’s photorealistic CG-animated remake of “The Lion King” that it’s frequently, and inaccurately, called the “live-action” version. The 2019 blockbuster is more impactful as a technical exercise than it is as a feature film. Yes, those do indeed look like realistic cats. No, they do not look like they’re acting. Favreau’s painstaking effort to transform a vibrant animated classic into a staid, simulated nature documentary where the animals sometimes warble out an awkward song was a dull, drab, drastically inferior version of the original.

It wasn’t a waste of money though. The CG-animated “The Lion King” is now one of the highest-grossing movies in history (not adjusting for inflation), so a follow-up was inevitable. But instead of remaking the unexpectedly beloved straight-to-video sequel “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,” Disney decided to enlist Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins — the director of...

Quick Links Princess Eilonwy Appeared in Disney’s Box Office Bomb The Black Cauldron Princess Eilonwy Bucked Older Disney Princess Trends Not All of Disney’s Best Heroines Are Princesses

Disney has amassed a vast library of princesses since the debut of its first in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. These princesses range in popularity from well-known and highly promoted by Disney through merchandise and other avenues to highly obscure and forgotten. There's no clear metric directly from Disney for why it chooses to showcase some over the other. But it can be assumed it's based on the performance of the princess-in-question's movie. Indeed, some of the princesses included in the official Disney Princess brand aren't technically royalty.

One of these lesser-known princesses is Princess Eilonwy from The Black Cauldron (1985). Well-known as a major box office bomb for Disney, the film has become a cult classic among Disney...

Ever since their vibrant birth, animated sci-fi films have always been tons of fun for audiences, blending the imagination of the genre with a medium that can live up to it. They possess a unique knack for building captivating worlds, especially ones that are vastly rich and immersive, often resulting in beloved animated movies with robot protagonists. A good animated science fiction film will leave audiences hungry for more, warranting a second production that sometimes does even better than the first. However, not every cinematic gem gets the follow-up it deserves.

From visually impressive epics like Wall-e to non-Disney 2D animated masterpieces, plenty of animated sci-fi films are not only cool to look at but exist as canon events in the lives of many. People either grew up with many of these films or, arguably even better, got to experience them for the first time as adults. Out of all...

Feature films have not been kind to the Looney Tunes. There was a time when the wacky adventures of Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny and their animated pals were the best and funniest shorts on the silver screen, an era that lasted decades. But most of their longer movies were repackaged classic skits, thinly strung together by new bookend material based on whatever movie or TV show was hot at the time, like “Fantasy Island” or “Ghostbusters.” Then of course there were the “Space Jam” films, two of the most creatively bankrupt and shamelessly tacky brand exploitations in the history of [checks notes] everything.

Until now the only great “Looney Tunes” feature was the one that completely flopped, Joe Dante’s inspired and hilarious “Back in Action,” which smartly skewered the callow capitalism that made the “Space Jam” movies a cinematic crime. The new film, “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,...

Quick Links All Dogs Go to Heaven Explores the Inherent Bond Between Humans and Animals All Dogs Go to Heaven's Production Was Littered With Tragedies All Dogs Go to Heaven Doesnt Deserve Its High Levels of Criticism

This article discusses topics of murder and suicide.

Certain animated movies transport viewers back to their childhoods and remind them of the good old days of family-friendly movies and little to no responsibilities. There's no denying that many studios have perfected the art of kids' films and continue to do so. Yet, not every film brings back warm and fuzzy memories.

Don Bluth's All Dogs Go to Heaven first premiered in 1989 and immediately traumatized an entire generation of children with its heartbreaking themes. As such, it's often slated by critics and has even been labeled as "Rotten" on the leading film critic site Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, a lot of fans still argue...

In 1997, when Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote and starred in Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting," it immediately propelled the pair onto the ineffable Hollywood A-list. Both of them had been acting for several years and had participated in a few notable studio pictures, but it was "Good Will Hunting" that pushed the two handsome young blokes onto the top of the heap. Their film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and it won Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for Robin Williams). Ever since, both Affleck and Damon have remained above-the-title power players, appearing in a long list of both big-budget hits and ambitious indies.

Although, that's not to say that they both haven't had their share of stinkers. Affleck has starred in several notorious films in his career, including widely loathed films like "Gigli" and "Phantoms." Although Affleck was the bomb in "Phantoms,...

With new versions of Lilo and Stitch and Snow White set to premiere in 2025, it looks like Disney doesn't plan on stopping their infamous trend of live-action remakes any time soon. In the current age of Disney remaking their classic animated films, a very large majority of them haven't been nearly as well-received by critics or the audience. Even though they continue to gross record-breaking amounts of money, most fans have found them to be inferior to their original predecessors. There has been one exception to be found in Pete's Dragon, a certain remake that was much more well-received on a critical and financial level than the original. Sadly, it's also the one that many people have since overlooked in the ever-expanding pantheon of these remakes.

When Pete's Dragon first premiered in 2016, it had several advantages that helped its production and overall final quality, ones that most other live-action remakes just haven't had.

Some audiences might have first spotted Matt Damon during a notable dinner scene in Donald Petrie's hit 1988 drama "Mystic Pizza." Thereafter, Damon turned up as an extra in "Field of Dreams" and as one of the many handsome students in the 1992 boarding school thriller "School Ties," both of them with his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck. Damon went on to score some considerable screen time in Edward Zwick's "Courage Under Fire" before delivering his first lead performance in 1997 in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Rainmaker." That same year, Damon and Affleck became acclaimed Academy darlings for writing and starring in Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting." The pair won Oscars for their screenplay and have both been major Hollywood players since.

Damon, having gained the clout to be picky and the fame to be noticed, thereafter became attracted to projects by established directors. After having alreayd...

For a feature animation that comes complete with talking mice and tight-knit families, The Secret of Nimh is surprisingly dark. But, its safe to say thats what makes it unforgettable. Hitting the screen in 1982, the animated classic is a brainchild of the legendary Don Bluth, a former Disney animator who set out to push the boundaries of what childrens films could be and push them he did. Bluth took the warm, fuzzy world of animated animals and turned it into something a lot more intense. The result was a gripping story filled with danger, mystery, and some straight-up creepy moments.

Recently, I had the opportunity to review a new book by Disney director Stephen Anderson. Anderson is perhaps best known for directing the 2007 cult classic Meet the Robinsons and the 2011 Winnie the Pooh, which was the last entirely hand-drawn feature from the studio. Before those films, he was with the studio for quite some time, working on movies like Tarzan, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Brother Bear.

Now, he takes us on a journey back to when the company’s future was uncertain due to the death of its founder, Walt Disney.

The book Disney In-Between: The Lost Years 1966-1986 gives a deep dive into what is commonly known as Disney’s “Dark Age.”

The first few years of the company after Walt’s death were somewhat stable, mainly finishing up projects that Walt was already involved with. But after that, things started to feel like they had lost their magic touch.

Stephen King is primarily a prose writer, but he loves comic books too. He's dipped his toes into the graphic medium, contributing to 1985 one-shot "Heroes for Hope: Starring the X-Men" (a "comic jam" featuring writing from Alan Moore and George R. R. Martin too), and co-writing the horror comic "American Vampire" with Scott Snyder.

Before those, King's eighth novel — "Firestarter" — was him telling a superhero story in the horror space. "Firestarter" follows the McGees, a father (Andy) and daughter (Charlie) on the run from a government agency called the Shop. Years prior, Andy and his wife Vicky volunteered for experiments with the drug Lot 6, which turned him into a psychic and made Charlie born a "firestarter," able to spark flames with a thought.

King's seventh novel, "The Dead Zone," was about a man gaining clairvoyance and ultimately trying to assassinate a political candidate he foresees causing a nuclear war. "Firestarter" feels like a spiritual sequel,...

Quick Links Meg Ryan Was Animators First Choice for Anastasia Anastasia Could Now Be Considered a Disney Princess Anastasia Is the Perfect Disney Live-Action Remake Material

1997's Anastasia was an epic, animated musical and one of the surprising non-Disney endeavors when the entertainment giant was dominating the 1990s market. 20th Century Fox had owned the rights to Anastasia since the production of the 1956 film starring Ingrid Bergman, on which the 1997 remake was based. But adding music, new characters, and choosing to add a memorable list of songs to the retelling was a stroke of inspiration. Similar to George Bernard Shaw's play, Pygmalion -- which partially inspired the '97 film - Anastasia has seen many different iterations over the years from stage to screen. And though the leading character herself is based on a tragic historical figure, the story of her short life has reached mythical proportions.

Audiences never seem...

Quick Links 20th Century Foxs Anastasia Was Based on a 1956 Movie Starring Ingrid Bergman The Stage Musical Adaptation of Anastasia Replaced Rasputin as the Villain Anastasias Stage Adaptation Was Directly Inspired by Disneys Broadway Success

Since the release of 20th Century Fox's Anastasia in 1997, the movie has gone on to become one of the most memorable animated endeavors by director Don Bluth. The soundtrack won numerous award nominations, and it was the closest Bluth had come to replicating Disney's success in his many years as a filmmaker. The film rather openly mimicked the Disney formula, complete with a princess and a Broadway songwriting team. Only it chose to tackle a much darker historical subject than the typical Disney movie: The Russian Revolution. A topic so tragic and world-changing that it almost frightened off the film's leading lady.

Although Anastasia wasn't entirely brand-new material, Don Bluth and his co-director Gary Goldman...

Before Burt Reynolds was doing voice roles for a quick buck later in his career, he had a true passion for the art…or maybe just acting like a dog. His first foray into voice work was as Charlie 1989’s All Dogs Go to Heaven. While the character was written with Reynolds in mind, he brought a little something extra to the part, which resulted in none other than Dom DeLuise (who voiced Itchy) being recruited to help.

In a recent social media post, All Dogs Go to Heaven director and animation legend Don Bluth remembered Burt Reynolds going full German Shepherd. “When he first came to the microphone he made up what he called, ‘My wonderful dog voice.’ He was very proud of it, but it was awful.” As such, Bluth asked DeLuise (a longtime pal of Reynolds’) to help out, which he did…for a price. “Then I...

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s or 1990s and spent more time watching VHS tapes than they did experiencing fresh air and direct sunlight is likely familiar with the name Don Bluth. The animation legend gave us iconic films like An American Tale, The Secret of Nimh and The Land Before Time, which were chock-full of delightful visuals, heartwarming characters and pure uncut trauma fuel. Because it’s never too early to teach kids that life is a terrifying nightmare place full of disappointment and dead dinosaur moms.

One of Bluth’s most memorable works was 1989’s All Dogs Go to Heaven. Sounds pleasant enough, right? Well, it’s about a lovable German Shepherd scoundrel named Charlie, who gets sloppy drunk, then promptly murdered by a mobster like 10 minutes into the movie.

Despite the title, after Charlie dies and visits Heaven, he escapes back to Earth and spends much...

Animated feature films are hard to make. Incredibly expensive and time-consuming, the financial risk of making a full-length animated film has scared away investors since the 30s, and many a studio has bankrupted itself trying to achieve the near impossible. While some have tried and failed, like Upa (owners of the Mr. Magoo IP) and the famed Fleischer Studios, only the Walt Disney Company saw anything that could be considered maintained, widespread success in the field for almost 50 years. It wasn't until Ralph Bakshi's adult, counterculture-influenced films of the 70s and the gradual exposure of the rest of the world to Japan's anime features that non-Disney, feature-length animation found any real, continued the success. However, it took until one Disney animator left the company in frustration on his 42nd birthday in 1979 and founded a studio for a major competitor to Disney's long dominance to emerge.

That animator was none...

"Owls eat mice!" "Um, only after dark!" Eureka Video has unveiled a brand new trailer for their upcoming restored Blu-ray release of The Secret of Nimh, the animation classic that first opened in 1982. In 1979, legendary animator Don Bluth made the decision to leave Walt Disney Productions and establish his own animation studio with several former Disney employees. The newly established Don Bluth Productions first made a short – Banjo the Woodpile Cat – and then its first feature: The Secret of Nimh, based on Robert C. O'Brien's popular children's book. The Secret of Nimh, the heartwarming and beautifully crafted cartoon fantasy from legendary animator Don Bluth, will be released on Blu-ray in December 2024 as part of "The Masters of Cinema Series", in a Limited edition of 2000 copies exclusively featuring an O-card slipcase. To save her ill son, a field mouse named Mrs Brisby must seek the aid of a colony of rats,...

It’s harder these days for animated films to find an audience without a recognizable brand. But with both critic and moviegoer acclaim on its side, Universal/DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot” has the tools it needs to turn a modest $35 million domestic opening weekend into a long theatrical run that could last through the end of the year.

“Robot” will have to defy a historic trend of tough roads to success for animated science fiction. One critical strategy will be to leverage positive reviews and word of mouth to appeal to families and women over 35 at a time when the box office offers those audiences fewer options.

“Robot” took in $53 million globally in its opening weekend, a solid performance against a reported $78 million budget.

But the $35 million domestic box office was not close to the $43.7 million opening (unadjusted for inflation) that the franchise-spawning “How to Train Your Dragon” earned in...

Quick Links Chicken Run Was Directed by the Creator of Wallace and Gromit DreamWorks Wanted to Use Chicken Run as a Way to Catch up to Disneys Success Chicken Run DreamWorks Biggest Hit to Date

The 1990s were a peak time for animation in movies and television. The Disney Renaissance kicked off a race of different studios to attract audiences and build lasting franchises. Former Disney creatives and executives like Don Bluth and Jeffrey Katzenberg were major players in the game. And while many of these movies focused on traditional, hand-drawn animation, other methods were creeping into the mix. While stop-motion animation is one of the oldest animation techniques -- if not the oldest -- it's not one of the most prevalent.

DreamWorks saw a clear opportunity to capitalize on the art form and make it an international endeavor. Chicken Run (2000) was produced in collaboration with both European and U.

Heartbreak always hits harder in children's movies. Audiences expecting a feel-good story are sometimes shocked by unexpectedly heavy themes. But just because the content is intended for children does not always guarantee it will be a fun-filled adventure.

The sudden death of a popular character can shift the entire mood of a film. Themes such as abandonment or the loss of a friendship can turn any upbeat kids' movie into a bittersweet one. While most movies for kids have happy endings, that does not mean the characters can always avoid tragedy. From classic animated Disney films to live-action book adaptations, many movies made for children are sure to make viewers cry.

Update: 2024/09/14 16:18 Est By Brian Cronin

This has proven to be a very valuable resource of some of the saddest kids movies around. I've updated it to simply add five More notable kids movies that are quite sad (at...

Animated movies have always held a special place in people's hearts. These movies are able to use their medium to showcase human emotions with more expression and color. All animated movies have a certain flair to them, but sometimes, the ones that stick with audiences the most are the ones where selfless characters are highlighted.

Selfless characters have a way of standing out. These characters are often the ones that audiences root for, especially when they are so selfless that they end up sacrificing themselves for another. From the characters that meet their end for the ones they love to the ones that take that step but fortunately make it out alive, these characters make their mark. These types of selfless characters exist outside the animated sphere, but animated films oftentimes have the effect of evoking tears due to the emotional weight of the characters.

Flynn Rider Cut Off His...

A24 has published a new book, Hey Kids, Watch This!, a thoughtfully selected guide to films suitable for children and adolescents, perfect for budding cinephiles.

The book is not just designed for children but also for adults, bringing families together to enjoy classic stories curated by critics, animators, and directors. Discovering films as a child used to involve nostalgic trips down the aisles of a video rental store. Nowadays, films are chosen from the comfort of a couch.

The 288-page book is beautifully designed and illustrated and split neatly into four sections: PreSchoolers (2-4), Little Kids (5-7), Big Kids (8-9), and Tweens (10-12). Spanning decades, genres, moods, plotlines, nations, and languages, the only thing that ties the 100+ film recommendations together is that they can easily be found on most streaming services.

The book is packed with movie history and forgotten films. There is a chapter on high-brow experimental films that...

Judith Barsi was one of the rising stars in the 80s, and many of her directors were keen on the child actress getting extensive work as she progressed in her career. However, the promising child actress would record her last performance at the age of 10, before she and her mother were allegedly killed by her father, who reportedly committed suicide just moments after.

Judith Barsi in Jaws: The Revenge || Universal Pictures

The actress’s final performance came in the form of lines that she had recorded for the film, All Dogs Go to Heaven, which featured Burt Reynolds as the principal protagonist of the film. After the tragic passing of the young actress, it has been reported that it took Reynolds more than a few takes to get through his final scene for the film.

Burt Reynolds allegedly took 60+ takes to get through the final scene of the film A...

Producer Roy Lee gives a hopeful update on the Dragon's Lair movie at Netflix, an adaptation of the 1980s arcade game of the same name set to star Ryan Reynolds.

To kick off their San Diego Comic-Con panel "Producers on Producing," a panel exploring the ins and outs of film production, Collider spoke with producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Akiva Goldsman and Roy Lee on their various projects, from Constantine 2, I Am Legend 2 and The Thing series. In the midst of these updates came one about Dragon's Lair, giving fans of the franchise a little hope after four years of development.

Related Black Mirror: Bandersnatch Isn't the Choose Your Own Adventure We Wanted

Netflix's Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is certainly ambitious, but falls short in its interactive storytelling.

It's been a hard-fought battle to get the film made. After almost a year of negotiations, Netflix picked up the rights to...

Quick Links The Dragon's Lair Movie Latest News The Dragon's Lair Movie Is Confirmed The Dragon's Lair Movie Cast The Dragon's Lair Movie Story Details Dragon's Lair: Further News & Info

Netflix is hard at work adapting the classic arcade game Dragon's Lair into a feature film, and there have already been a ton of updates on the Ryan Reynolds project. Created by noted game designer Rick Dyer, Dragon's Lair is a 1983 arcade game that casts the player as Dirk the Daring, a knight who must rescue Princess Daphne from the clutches of the evil dragon, Singe. Though the story was boilerplate fantasy, the game was notable for its use of laserdisc technology, and it featured full-motion animated graphics created by Don Bluth (The Secret of Nimh).

Even if Dragon's Lair featured very little actual gameplay, the classic '80s arcade game was a massive hit and became something of...

Ryan Reynolds may be making waves at the box office this weekend with his latest movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, but another one of his upcoming projects just got a major update. While speaking to Collider's Steve Weintraub at Sdcc's Producers on Producing panel, Roy Lee talked about the upcoming Dragon's Lair project which has been in development limbo at Netflix for years. Reynolds is the only one confirmed to star in the project, with Don Bluth and Gary Goldman being tapped to direct. When asked if he could provide any kind of status update on the project, Lee had this to say:...

Quick Links Don Bluth Was Once an Animator at Walt Disney Studios Don Bluth's Early Films in the 1980s Showed He Was Not Afraid to Tackle Heavier Topics By the 1990s, Don Bluth's Animated Films Started to Look More Like Disney's Don Bluth was a former Disney animator who left the studio in 1979. Don Bluth's animated films in the 1980s had much darker themes and direction, overall, than Disney's. The last widely successful film produced by Don Bluth was Anastasia in 1997.

Artist Don Bluth's animated tear-jerker All Dogs Go to Heaven premiered in 1989, the same day as Disney's The Little Mermaid. The movies share little in common. And The Little Mermaid certainly beat its competitor in box office sales. However, the greatest difference might be how the two studios approached heavier topics. Disney took a fairly dark and tragic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen and made it more palatable for family audiences,...

Yoshiyuki Momose’s The Imaginary arrives on Netflix today, and it’s one of the most magical animated experiences you’ll find on screens this year. Based on the book of the same name by A. F. Harrold with art by Emily Gravett, The Imaginary is a fantasy epic on part with some of Studio Ghibli and Don Bluth’s best and most impactful works. Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat.

We are honored to be joined by Studio Ponoc founder and The Imaginary writer Yoshiaki Nishimura for this in-depth interview into the world of make-believe,...

As the JoBlo YouTube Network continues to grow with every upload across a vast chain of themed channels, our JoBlo Animated Videos YouTube channel is celebrating an epic milestone. Thanks to you, our outstanding team, and the boundless talents of creators and artists across the film and television industry, we’ve reached 3 Million Subscribers, thus becoming one of (if not the most popular) animated channels on all of YouTube!

In addition to reaching 3 million subscribers, our YouTube channel recently reached 2 billion views, bringing the latest characters, stories, and worlds in the animated medium to animation lovers worldwide. The channel houses every animation studio under one roof, making it a one-stop shop for the latest previews, trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, and exclusive content for one of the film industry’s most creative and labor-intensive genres.

Whether you’re a Pixar fan, enjoy the works of Don Bluth, or stan the House of Mouse,...

Steven Spielberg was associated with a dinosaur film even before Jurassic Park came out in 1993. While the legendary filmmaker revolutionized cinema with the incredible dinosaur franchise, it was not his first time in the genre. He also acted as a producer in the 1988 animated film The Land Before Time.

Despite being a fun-filled animated dinosaur film for kids, The Land Before Time spoke on some mature topics like homelessness. However, if it was not for Spielberg, the film was also about to carry a more violent and darker tone, unlike a traditional children’s film.

A still from The Land Before Time I Amblin Entertainment

Some of the saddest sequences in films like The Lion King and Up have proven that even animated films come with loads of emotions and tearful scenes. But Steven Spielberg felt that the villain in The Land Before Time was becoming too scary to be in a children’s movie.