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Friday
29May2009

DreamWorks Lays Out Three Years of Animated Films

DateFriday, May 29, 2009 at 3:38AM
DreamWorks has announced its slate of animated movies pretty much from now until the kids the movies are aimed at this year will be out of graduate school. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But we do know what the next three years look like, and they're pretty packed.

We know we're getting another damn Shrek movie, which was worthwhile once, but certainly now by the fourth movie, it's a tired concept. Shrek Forever After comes our way May 21st next year, and the spin-off, Puss in Boots, will debut at the end of March 2012.

How to Train Your Dragon will occupy the Monsters vs. Aliens slot next spring, and that looks like it has some potential. DreamWorks will also release Oobermind - formerly Master Mind - next November. Has the studio had three animated flicks in one year before? This one has an interesting concept, at least: A supervillain (Robert Downey Jr.) defeats his archrival and falls into despair because there's no more carrot at the end of the stick.

We knew a second Kung Fu Panda was on the way, and now it's locked in for June 2011. I hate the full title, though - Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom. That's Electric Boogaloo bad. That fall, we'll see The Guardians, which pits The Boogeyman against the heroic team of The Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, Mr. Sandman, Jack Frost, and The Easter Bunny, although they all have slightly different names. Who knew the estate of The Easter Bunny would be so hard to work with?

Puss in Boots we mentioned already, and 2012 is another three-movie year for the animation department over at DreamWorks, with the third Madagascar movie scheduled for May of that year and in November, it will be one of three possibilities, one of which is being called the "super secret ghost project," so let's hope that's the one the studio chooses.

Although Pixar is still the lead dog in the animation world, critically and commercially, DreamWorks is gaining ground, and as far as pure profitability goes, has had a better five-year run than Pixar because its movies are less expensive. Having three movies a year will certainly raise the game for DreamWorks, although the studio still has a ways to go to reach instant credibility with audiences.

It wouldn't hurt to get a signature movie better than the fallen Shrek series or Madagascar. I don't know that we've seen its Toy Story yet.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment4 Comments |

Reader Comments (4)

Make Shrek and Madagascar (because of David Schwimmer) stop! On the other hand, Puss in Boots deserves his own movie more than those two tired old t*rds...

Friday, May 29, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKXB

Shrek 2 was alright. The 3rd one was actually the funniest one, it just lacked any real substance. If anything, they should skip the 4th Shrek and just make the Puss In Boots spin off. Madagascar 2 was AWFUL. I figured it would have killed the whole franchise.

Friday, May 29, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCurt D.

It's all in the script, until they figure that one out, Pixar will continue to beat them in the animation game.

Friday, May 29, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterscott

Shrek the Third was one of the worst animated movies ever. MAKE IT STOP!!!!

Sunday, June 7, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterThe Aussie

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