Not only are the toys back in town, the toys are in the money! Just last week, Pixar’s Toy Story 3 became the highest grossing animated film of all time, besting DreamWorks Animations’ Shrek 2. A few weeks before that, the Disney film crossed the $400 million dollar mark. Now, the box office receipts make it official, as Toy Story 3 moves into the incredibly exclusive $1 billion dollar club. Ignoring the concept of inflation, there are only 6 other movies in this famous grouping, which helps set Toy Story 3 aside as one of the greatest films and accomplishments of all time – just edging out Batman’s The Dark Knight. With the third, and reportedly final installment in the trilogy, the Toy Story franchise will forever be known as one of the most successful. Take a look at the rest of the list

Avatar – $2,751,700,000
Titanic – $1,843,200,000
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $1,119,100,000
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $1,066,200,000
Alice in Wonderland – $1,024,300,000
Toy Story 3 – $1,012,100,000
The Dark Knight – $1,001,900,000
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – $974,700,000
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $961,000,000
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – $938,200,000

Use your mouse. Use your brain. Use your …bridge! Remember the opening moments of Toy Story 3, when Buzz, Jessie, and Woody did their best to escape the clutches of Mr. Potato Head and his millions of monkeys? Well, much of that scene depended upon the gang saving the train, barreling it’s way towards a bridge-less gap. Imagine how much easier that would have been if you could drag and drop objects, like in this game, to create a clear path for the train to travel across safely. Live the Pixar adventure, and re-write the opening train scene to Disney’s latest epic in this game

The mouse and arrow keys can help you look left and right on the screen. The arrow keys also rotate objects that you’ve picked up.

For 6 years now, Shrek 2 has remained on top of the mountain as the all-time highest grossing animated film, dethroning the Lion King after Disney’s animated classic had a 10 year reign. As of this past week, there’s a new boss in town, Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3. The 3D sequel juggernaut has earned over $920 million worldwide in the box office (over $400 million locally) besting Shrek’s $919.8 million. As the speed is dying down a bit since the June 18th launch, experts are unsure whether the film will have the legs to reach the $1 billion global plateau. However, the film is already Disney/Pixar’s highest grossing weekend with $109 million, and holds the title of the biggest June opening ever. And thankfully for us at home, Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release Toy Story 3 on Blu-ray and DVD on November 2, 2010.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIs3k4iKFjM

Pixar has championed some of the greatest animated films of the past 15 years. Heck, they’ve been responsible for some of the best cinematic experiences, animated or otherwise, during that span. And, for every awesome project they’ve completed, there are dozens if not hundreds of more ideas that never made it to completion. Sadly, one of the expected upcoming films, Newt, could share that same doomed fate. In a recent schedule reshuffling that saw Beauty and the Beast 3D get pulled from the calendar, Disney’s Newt was silently removed, as well. The Pixar film was intended to hit theaters in 2012, focusing on the last two blue-footed newts on earth, hoping to save their species from extinction. Unfortunately, it seems Newt was not successful in his quest. We’ll keep pushing for details, but… it’s not looking likely

Prior to its apparent cancellation, Newt’s story was one of love. Sorta. Gary Rydstrom, the film’s writer and potential director, had this to say early on: “Newt is smart but he’s never had to think for himself and is pampered. Brooke on the other hand is streetwise and not to be messed with. It’s fair to say it’s about as bad as first dates can get!” What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can’t stand each other? That’s the problem facing Newt and Brooke, who embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.

How “real” was Newt? Well, there has been talk of the film for years – so much so that the hype even reached Andy’s room! In Toy Story 3, comingsoon.net noticed a little sticker on Andy’s door, showcasing a “Newt Crossing” in honor of Pixar’s “could-be” lizard.

Even though it’s still in the theaters making a pretty big splash, plans are already under way to get the latest Toy Story film in the franchise into your house. Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3 will be heading to DVD and Blu-ray this November, giving you a great jump (and awesome gift) for the winter holiday season. On November 2nd, fans can grab the standard DVD, the special Blu-ray edition, and a multi-Disc Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. Digital downloadable editions and a special “gift set” version will be be announced at a later time. Now you can bring home Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Bullseye, and the rest — just be sure to bring them with you if you’re on your way to college!!

The DVD and Blu-ray discs will feature a sneak peek at the upcoming “Cars 2,” a bonus epilogue, the “Day and Night” theatrical short, and a number of other featurettes. The Blu-ray will also have additional special features, including Cine-explore Lee Unkrich and Darla Anderson, Beyond the Toybox commentary, Ken’s dating tips, and more.

With the bump up in timing for the release of Monsters, Inc. 2, the sequel to Pixar’s ridiculously popular 2001 hit, Walt Disney Pictures has done it’s best to keep fans happy. But not everyone was made happy with the recent announcement, as it also included some bad news: Beauty and the Beast 3D, the three-dimensional re-release of Disney’s 1991 traditional cel animation story, has been pulled from the lineup. ToonBarn first reported the news of BatB3D nearly two years ago, and we’ve been anxiously awaiting an update ever since we learned of Beauty and the Beast’s upcoming blu-ray release. The 3D film originally had a 2010 release, then reports came out that it would hit theaters in 2011. Now that it is off the official calendar, fans are afraid the project is squashed for good. Stay TOONed right here for more info.

Still riding high on the “monster” success of Toy Story 3, Disney and Pixar are aiming to re-energize another franchise in their portfolio with the launch of Monsters Inc. 2. We first got word of a Monsters, Inc sequel last summer, when rumors were flowing out of the Magic Kingdom. Then, a few weeks after the original film was released on Blu-ray, Disney and Pixar finally made it official and announced they were working on the project, with a November 16th, 2012 release date. But they’re not done making changes yet! We’re now getting news that the second Monsters Inc title will be hitting theaters a full two weeks earlier, on November 2, 2012. Who’s ready? Mike Wazowski!

Disney and Pixar have long since been keeping the Toy Story franchise running. Since the original film debuted in 1995, there’s been two sequels (Toy Story 2 in 1999 and this year’s Toy Story 3), TV specials, video games, and — appropriately enough — countless toys. Now, along with the help of Egmont, fans can look forward to Toy Story Magazine. The periodical is a collection of original comic strip stories, activities, games, puzzles, coloring sections, stickers, and more! Each issue will be about 25 pages, which the first special launch edition racking up 28 pages.

Occasionally, movie ideas come along that studios have to fight over. Such is the case with Gnomeo and Juliet, a 3D animated take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet being produced by eOne Entertainment as part of Touchstone Pictures. And whom did they wrestle ownership away from? None other than Disney, legends in the field of CG toons. But as John Lasseter and the rest of the Pixar group merged back into Disney to focus on internal projects like this summer’s Toy Story 3, Gnomeo and Juliet made it’s way to Pathe International, set for a February 11th, 2011 release. The film will still be distributed internationally by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, with a soundtrack provided by Elton John and James Newton Howard.

The voice-over cast features James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Jim Cummings, Stephen Merchant, Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Statham and Matt Lucas and also features songs by Elton John, who is an executive producer on the film, and Bernie Taupin.

After it’s first 7 weeks, and heading into it’s 8th weekend, Toy Story 3 is on a monster pace. The Disney and Pixar collaboration, and the first Toy Story sequel in the franchise since 1999′s Toy Story 2, is seated at about $385 million dollars at the domestic box office. That’s already $140 million more than Toy Story 2, and nearly $200 million more than the first Toy Story film. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Rex, and the rest have been swimming in success in this latest flick, heralded as the theoretical goodbye to Andy and the series. Former champ in the Disney and Pixar box office books was 2003′s Finding Nemo, and Toy Story 3 has that beat by about $45 million, even prior to this weekend, where experts predict Toy Story 3 could top the $400 million mark. How many times have you seen the film so far?

The creative minds behind Disney and Pixar’s “Cars” knew they had something special, but couldn’t have imagined how popular their creation truly was -- never thinking it would be rolling on 4 year later. Thankfully for us, there’s a limitless supply of new Cars fun. Tonight (July 30th) the Disney Channel will showcase the latest “Cars Toons” at 9:30pm, titled Monster Truck Mater, directed by John Lasseter, Pixar legend. In the short, Mater is a professional wrestler who works his way up the ranks from amateur to World Champion Monster Truck Wrestler, wrestling all kinds of characters along the way. When faced with his biggest opponent yet, Mater tags in his “tag team partner,” Frightening McMean. Lookout for an additional showing later in the month (Friday August 20th) on Disney XD.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TWL3Ga0fSw

Movie buffs have had a lot of great cinema in the past few weeks to keep them busy at the box office. Seemingly each week this year, there’s been a must-see movie, more often than not an animated one! Though despite two recent toon juggernauts running the show at the box theaters, it was Inception (from the creators of Batman’s The Dark Knight) that walked away with the top prize this week. Universal’s Despicable Me held it’s own at third place with $23 million, with Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3 pulling in another $9 million. Nickelodeon’s Avatar film, the Last Airbender, also grabbed another $4 million for it’s total. The box office list finished up with Tom Cruise’s Knight and Day, not to be confused with the Pixar short Day & Night. Take a look at the full weekend box office list!

Inception – $42,725,012
Salt – $36,011,243
Despicable Me – $23,689,060
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – $9,651,495
Toy Story 3 – $8,917,512
Ramona and Beezus – $7,810,481
Grown Ups – $7,428,742
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $7,186,170
The Last Airbender – $4,217,021
Predators – $3,120,656
The Kids Are All Right – $2,594,758
Knight & Day – $1,694,003

Gru is king at the box office, as Despicable Me trumps all movie competitors this weekend. Despite the might of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3, beyond the popularity of The Twilight Saga’s Eclipse, and even surpassing new comers like Predators, it was pure evil that fans delighted in this weekend. The Universal Pictures film pulled in over $50 million dollars in the three day span, soundly defeating the second place Eclipse. The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon’s live action retelling of the anime Avatar, fell to 5th place in the rankings with just over $16 million. Take a look at the full haul!

Despicable Me – $56,397,125
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $31,708,438
Predators – $24,760,882
Toy Story 3 – $21,015,958
The Last Airbender – $16,635,471
Grown Ups – $15,806,738
Knight & Day – $7,719,251
The Karate Kid – $5,365,636
The A-Team – $1,752,421
Cyrus – $1,280,470
The Girl Who Played with Fire – $904,998
Get Him to the Greek – $711,625

One of the world’s greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith, and Agnes. Never before has dastardly and evil Gru been faced with such a task. Shrink rays, freeze rays, combat vehicles… sure. That’s all commonplace. But being a father figure to a grouping of sweet kids? That’s new on the list. Such is the story of Despicable Me, the creation of Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment which reaches theaters today, July 9th. The 3D and CG animated film stars Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, and Julie Andrews. Critics and fans, alike, are expecting big things from the film, though it does have stiff competition with Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and The Last Airbender. I think it’s time to give evil, and Gru, a chance!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhxqEzj0b6Y

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tikthjwNUBw

Despicable Me Promotional Poster

Production companies are always on the search to create the next big thing, especially now in the advent of the CG movie. Pixar has it’s Toy Story franchise, DreamWorks can always turn to Shrek, Fox has the Ice Age films, etc. So where does a company like Rainmaker Entertainment turn to? Ting & Juma. At least, that’s what they’re hoping. The story follows the exploits of Ting, a small energetic alien with an attitude, and Juma, an adventure seeking, creative caveman-ish forest dweller. The studio has already produced several short films of their adventures, and is now prepping the grandest of adventures, Ting & Juma: The Movie. So, how will things turn out? Will we be talking about the Ting & Juma franchise at their themepark some ten years in the future? Only we can be the judge of that!