By Pete Hammond
HollywoodNews.com: For the third time this year Dreamworks Animation has scored strongly at the boxoffice in their continuing challenge to Disney and Pixar to top the ‘toon parade. “Megamind,” a really funny twist on the superhero genre featuring the voices of Will Farrell, Tina Fey , Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill scored an estimated $47.7 million to lead all comers, following in the footsteps of DWA’s early 2010 hits, “How To Train Your Dragon” and “Shrek Forever After” which between them have earned over 1.2 billion dollars worldwide. One of the distinguishing secrets to the success of the Dreamworks formula, if there is one has been in the voice casting of their animated movies. Using comedians in key roles has provided those stars with film vehicles for some of their best work. It’s a conversation I had with DWA chief Jeffrey Katzenberg recently in which we both said it’s interesting that stars like Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld. Robin Williams, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jack Black, Jim Carrey, Steve Carell and others have had some of their biggest box office and critical success going the ‘toon route. I told him I thought Will Farrell’s work as the inept villain-turned-hero, “Megamind” was the best thing I have ever seen him do in movies to date and Katzenberg agreed there is something about the animation process that frees these great comedy talents to really let loose and deliver. I caught up with Katzenberg at DWA’s DVD release party for “How To Train Your Dragon” where he also mentioned that the company is now beginning work on a sequel and has a sequel to “Kung Fu Panda” coming in 2011. A sequel to “Megamind” would also seem to be a no-brainer if it continues to perform at the boxoffice this holiday season and its A- Cinemascore rating bodes well for that happening even with intense upcoming competition from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1″ and Disney’s Thanksgiving ‘toon release, “Tangled.”
Sunday morning I also got the opportunity to moderate a Q&A at the DGA with Zack Snyder, the director of another of the Fall’s animated entries, “Legends Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’hoole,” a stirring beautifully made 3D adventure based on a series of well-known children’s books. Snyder who made his first foray into animation with the picture [...]
