Animation Magazine reports that BET has greenlit a new animated series of The Black Panther, the first major black superhero. In partnership with Marvel Comics, the series will premiere in early 2009.

The Black Panther is a wise and just African warrior king who struggles to balance progress with tradition as he conceals his identity and employs technology to combat the forces of evil from his base in the fictional kingdom of Wakanda. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, The Black Panther first appeared in a 1966 issue of Fantastic Four and eventually joined other famous Marvel characters in the superhero conglomerate known as the Avengers.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Stan Lee struck a deal with Rainmaker Animation, based in Vancouver, to create what they hope to be a CG series of movies based around Lee's 'Legion of 5'. The deal is estimated around $24 million, and would require Rainmaker to make at least one feature-length film of 'Legion'.

Franklin would not give specifics on the Legion of 5 concept, which is still in development at Lee's POW! Entertainment, other than to say it will involve five superhero characters with extraordinary powers. He also doesn't know at this stage if the first film will be made for theatrical or straight-to-DVD release.

Although Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment has a first look deal with Disney, Rainmaker's CEO says their deal is unaffected by it. [inline] [/inline]

According to PRNewswire, M. Night Shyamalan is writing, directing, and producing a live action adaptation of the popular Nickelodeon animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender".

"I was drawn to the series because of its influences: one being Hayao Miyazaki," said Shyamalan. "I've always been a huge fan of Miyazaki's work. He is one of the greatest storytellers in the world and makes anime films in Japan. His combination of spirituality and super natural elements have brought depth and meaning to his art form. In 'The Last Airbender,' I see an opportunity to make a live-action version of a Miyazaki film."

The film is being produced by Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures. It is expected to be released in 2010 for the Fourth of July weekend.

Variety reports that Spielberg and Dreamworks have acquired the rights to the popular japanese manga series "Ghost in the Shell".

The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime. Created by Masamune Shirow, "Ghost in the Shell" was first published in 1989. It went on to generate two additional manga editions, three anime film adaptations, an anime TV series and three videogames. The second anime film, "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence," was released in the U.S. by DreamWorks in 2004.

The article mentions Dreamworks is planning on making it a 3-D live action feature film. Avi Arad, who previously produced all the 'Spiderman' and 'X-Men' films and is currently on 'Iron Man' and 'The Incredible Hulk', is on the project as producer.

Grand Theft Auto 4 in it's first week of release, has taken in 400 million dollars, officially become the largest opening debut in videogames, and quite possibly surpassing the largest releases in the entertainment biz as a whole. Variety reports that a source close to Take-Two Interactive

whose Rockstar Games label is developing and releasing the title, said that the latest installment of the hit franchise will reach that figure and sell some 6 million units after it launches worldwide on April 29. Microsoft currently holds the record for the biggest videogame launch with "Halo 3," which grossed $300 million in its first week and sold about 5 million units. "GTA IV" has even bigger potential, however, since it is available for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. "Halo 3" was an Xbox 360 exclusive.

Cartoon Brew reports that the legendary Disney animator Ollie Johnston has passed away at age 95. He was the last remaining survivor of Walt's famed 'Nine Old Men' from the golden age of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Cartoon Brew's Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi have already compiled a wonderful array of videos, countless memories of Ollie, and tributes to the generous and talented man. Ollie touched the lives of countless individuals in the animation industry. As John Canemaker writes in his tribute to Ollie:

He was wonderful, warm and gentle man, a teacher and author (like his father), and one of the great artists of animation. I miss him, but find comfort in that I can always find him when I view his amazing and touching animated performances.

Here's a link to the Disney Company's official announcement as seen on Cartoon Brew.

Variety is reporting that John Fithian, NATO prexy, warned in his keynote address to the Digital Cinema Summit at NAB in Las Vegas on Sunday that

"the cinema industry is headed for "a potential train wreck" over 3-D if studios and theater owners do not settle their dispute over digital cinema fees in short order."

10 major studios are expected to release films in 2009 in 3-D, and according to Fithian we have less than 1,000 screens in the U.S. and far fewer around the world with the capability of showing them.

Yet negotiations between the studios and theater owners are at something of an impasse, said Fithian, as studios try to reduce the Virtual Print Fee that helps defray exhibitors' costs to install digital cinema systems. "Unless the deals are done in the next month or two, we won't have time to do the installations in time," said Fithian, adding that manufacturing, integration and testing take time."

Dreamworks' "Monsters v. Aliens", and Fox James Cameron's "Avatar" are two of the films being released next year that could be held up if the dispute is not settled.

AWN reports that the 12th Annual Webby Award nominees have been announced.

Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by THE NEW YORK TIMES, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, online film and video, interactive advertising, and mobile Websites. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 550-person judging academy whose members include Internet co-inventor Vinton Cerf, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, THE SIMPSONS' creator Matt Groening, and Harvey Weinstein.

Here's the rundown: Online Film and Video- Best Use of Animation OR Motion Graphics: -30-Second Bunnies Theatre (Starz/Angry Alien) -Heavenly Sword (BLINK PRODUCTIONS) -It's JerryTime! (Ozone) -New Yorker Animated Cartoons (RingTales) -Samurai (BBDO New York) Online Film & Video: Best Use Of Animation/Motion Graphics: -Drawn by Pain (Jeskid Productions) -Global Giving (IP Pixel) -MTV Puberty (WDDG) -Sundance Channel - Smiling Fish (Sundance Channel) -The NY Times Style Magazine "Circle Squared" (The New York Times/T Magazine) Website: Best Use Of Animation Or Graphics: --Audi A5 - A Rhythm of Lines (GT) --Electronic Arts Sim City DS (Hydro Limited) --Happiness Factory - Now Hiring (AKQA) --MTV Puberty (WDDG) --Zune (T.A.G. Agency)

Reuters reports that the 2007 movie Alvin and the Chipmunks was released on DVD last Tuesday, debuting at the No. 1 spot and selling 2.6 million copies. This really comes as no surprise, considering the movie raked in $44.3 million on its opening weekend in U.S. theaters and went on to become a box office hit garnering $215 million.

"I Am Legend," No. 1 on both charts the previous week, slipped to No. 3 on both. The DVD release also catapulted the film's CD soundtrack up 11 places to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Wednesday.

Reuters reports that Walt Disney Studios announced their upcoming films slated through 2012. One of the biggest parts of the announcement was that all films released after Pixar's Wall-E (June 28) and Disney's hand-drawn The Princess and the Frog (Christmas 2008) will be released in digital 3-D.

"We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way," said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

The list is as follows: Bolt is the first movie to be released in Digital 3-D, with voices by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus, on November 26. Up is Pixar's next release in May of 2009, directed by Pete Doctor (Monster's Inc.). Toy Story 3 will hit theaters in 2010, with its original cast, after the re-release of the first Toy Story films in 3-D. Rapunzel, co-directed by Glen Keane and Dean Wellins, will have a Christmas 2010 release date. Disney's Newt will be released in summer 2011, and is a love story of the planet's last blue-footed newts. Pixar's The Bear and the Bow, a Scottish fairy-tale directed by Brenda Chapman, will be ready for screens in 2011. Summer of 2012 will see a sequel of Cars with much of the original cast returning to voice. Lastly, King of Elves, based on a Phillip K. Dick novel will be Disney's release in Christmas of 2012.