More on upcoming Sony films

The above linked article is actually the same one as we linked in the previous post, but I've got a different subject in mind.

SONY ANIMATION UNVEILS MOVIE PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR

It was a broiling hot steaming August day in Miami, so to escape to a luxurious hotel on South Beach was quite a treat for a number of animation pros. It
was at this location that Sony Animation made public its theatrical film plans through 2008.

Formed in 2002, Sony Animation's latest effort was Monster House, which is still in making money at the box office. It brought in slightly over $3 million
as of last weekend, making it #10 on USA Today's Box Office Summary. It has grossed $63 million domestically since release. While this is a bit behind
much bigger box office draws as Cars, Over The Hedge and Ice Age 2, the execs at Sony apparently are pleased with the results so far. After all, Warners
The Ant Bully released a week later, has already dropped out of the top ten.

Anyway, Sony's plans for the next year plus call for three new feature films until the end of next year. All are CGI, and all with some interesting talent
attached to them. They are:

* Open Season - Opening This September.

Directed by Roger Allers (Lion King), Jill Culton (Monsters Inc.) and Anthony Stacchi (formerly with ILM), the film is about a domesticated grizzly bear
who attempts to go back to the wild. Comic Martin Lawrence voices Boog, the bear. Also in the voice cast are Ashton Kutcher and Debra Messing. Based on
a story by comic strip artist Steve Moore (In The Bleachers), who also is an executive producer.

* Surf?s Up! - Summer 2007

Tells the story of competitive penguin surfing, and one young bird's quest to become the new big kahuna. The film is directed by Ash Brannon (Toy Story
2 co-director) and Chris Buck (Tarzan), and features the voice work of Jeff Bridges, James Woods and Mario Cantone among others.

* Hotel Transylvania - 2008

Marks the theatrical debut of longtime TV director/creator Dave Feiss (Ren & Stimpy, Cow & Chicken), where he's joined by Stacchi. The film proposes that
the classic movie monsters of the past have gone into hiding from humanity in a properly dilapidated old hotel. Their security becomes threatened when
the hotel's owner passes away and the heir comes to stake his claim. No voice cast has been announced.

Have I mentioned lately that I am very much interested in Hotel Transylvania? It sounds different enough that I think it could be a fun film. It would also be a nice departure from all of the talking animal films.