As part of a $267 million, five-picture deal with DreamWorks, British animator Nick Park's Aardman company is planning to produce a full-length Wallace and Gromit feature, the BBC reported Thursday. A series of Wallace and Gromit animated shorts have become international cult classics with merchandise related to them yielding more than $80 million annually, the BBC said. Two of the shorts have won Oscars. Unfortunately, the game plan is to put them in the third movie. Chances are we?re looking at a 2004 release date. But the first feature, starring Mel Gibson Chicken Run, will be out June 30 in the UK. (excerpts from UGO) |