AWN's Headline News

Hong Kong- and Los Angeles-based animation studio Imagi International is still experiencing financial problems, reports VARIETY ASIA (via Cartoon Brew).

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS may be getting squeezed off of Time Warner Cable.

The state of New Mexico will feature a Warner Bros. animation-themed float at the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade January 1.

After receiving roughly 1,300 entries from 93 cities in 27 countries, the grand prize was awarded to Joaquin Baldwin from Sherman Oaks, California by a high profile executive jury and millions of viewers.

For the second year in a row, The Art Institute of California - Orange County has awarded a member of its faculty a quarter-long sabbatical to pursue a passion, add to their body of knowledge and bring the information back to the school.

The Library of Congress announced it is adding 25 films to the National Film Registry, including the sci-fi classic THE TERMINATOR from 1984 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the time traveling robot, according to multiple news sources.

In response to a successful expanded format in 2008, the SIGGRAPH 2009 Computer Animation Festival will again be open to the public and feature a comprehensive collection of juried and invited screenings that will showcase the most recent advances in computer-generated imagery.

This will be an evening of new work by local artists and friends from around the globe.

Break tackles and convert on fourth down as American football comes to Japan in EYESHIELD 21, the hit football manga and anime series.

Soup2Nuts and Scholastic Media are hosting a behind-the-scenes look at the making of WORDGIRL and a one-time-only, live onstage reading of the Emmy-winning hit animated series at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Hollywood.

Two animes are the lone home video releases of December 30 -- NURSE WITCH KOMUGI and WELCOME TO THE NHK.

BBC's airing of WALLACE AND GROMIT: A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH premiered on Christmas Day to an audience of 14.3 million (53.3% share), per VARIETY.

Eartha Kitt, a singer, dancer, actress and voiceover artist, died Christmas Day in Connecticut, according to the ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Fox's MARLEY & ME won the weekend box office (Dec. 26-28) with $36.4 million, earning a total of $50.7M since its Christmas Day release.

Despite topping the Los Angeles Critics Association's list for the best film of 2008, WALL-E makes only a slight appearance on THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's critics' individual lists, despite four REPORTER critics' membership to the association.

Seth Green and Matthew Senreich are set to appear as special guests at New York Comic Con (NYCC) where they will be joined by Breckin Meyer, Geoff Johns and Kevin Shinick on a panel discussing all aspects of the popular Adult Swim series ROBOT CHICKEN.

This week in AWN's Forums, a member is looking for freelance animators in Chennai or Bangalore.

Ring in the New Year with Jacques-Remy Girerd's family-friendly animated film, RAINING CATS AND DOGS (LA PROPHETIE DES GRENOUILLES) on Thursday, January 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on TV5MONDE.

Cartoon Network will broadcast a 14-hour New Year's Day marathon of classic Warner Bros. cartoons, according to CartoonBrew.com.

Producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov and director Shane Acker's upcoming animated feature 9 has a newly-released trailer.