DreamWorks SKG, the company behind THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, and distributor ofPDI's ANTZ, has expressed their pleasure with Bristol, England-basedAardman Animations' forthcoming CHICKEN RUN by signing the Peter Lord/DavidSproxton/Nick Park company to a four feature deal. DreamWorks isdistributing the clay animated CHICKEN RUN, set to be released June 23,2000, in the US. CHICKEN RUN, which is described as THE GREAT ESCAPE withchickens, is being co-directed by Peter Lord (ADAM, WAT'S PIG) and NickPark (CREATURE COMFORTS, THE WRONG TROUSERS) and features Mel Gibson asRocky the rooster. As for the forthcoming projects, Aardman is said to beclose to developing a project based on THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. ThisAesop's fable has already provided the basis for several significant filmsin the history of animation, including Disney's 1935 Silly Symphony, THETORTOISE AND THE HARE, which is said to have introduced speed to cartoons,and Tex Avery's spoof of the Disney film, TORTOISE BEATS HARE with BugsBunny.
Wendy Jackson interviewed Peter Lord for the May 1997 issue of Animation World Magazine.
Jerry Beck reviewed CREATING 3-D ANIMATION: THE AARDMAN BOOK OF FILMMAKINGin the February 1999 issue of Animation World Magazine.
Andrew Osmond wrote about animation companies in Bristol for the February1999 issue of Animation World Magazine.