DreamWorks New Animated Marvels: 2010-2012

It's Thursday May 28^th, my friends, and I'm sure that you're all revved up for Up premiering tomorrow (check out my early review here). Want some more juicy news in the animated world? DreamWorks, the movie company who officially proved themselves capable of quality last summer with Kung Fu Panda have told Variety about the movie line-up for next year all the way to 2012.

So, as you've probably heard by now, given the success of Kung Fu Panda (an Oscar nod and a $631.9 million worldwide box office total later), DreamWorks has decided to make a sequel. The new title is Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom. June 3^rd, 2011 is the release date (competing with Pixar's Cars 2, which opens 3 weeks later). It once again stars Jack Black as Po.

2010 is How to Train Your Dragon, based off of the book by Cressida Cowell. This stars Jay Baruchel (one of the roommates from Knocked Up, awesome) with fellow Jonah Hill and McLovin himself, Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Then in the same year, a movie called Oobermind starring Tina Fey (sweet) and Robert Downey Jr. The movie revolves around Downey Jr.'s character, a super-villain who ends up finding himself bored after defeating his life-long foe hero Metro Man. No info on who Fey will voice yet. Oobermind was originally supposed to be a live-action film called "Master Mind" and brought up by Ben Stiller's studio Red Hour Films. The release now will be on November 15^th, 2010. Shrek 4 (now called Shrek Forever After) will come out sometime next year as well.

One source says 2010; another says 2012 for a debut date, but nevertheless, Shrek spin-off Puss in Boots is coming. The release date has not yet been set for it, although it will star Antonia Banderas, who portrayed the feline in the animated trilogy. Salma Hayek will play his love interest.

Along with Kung Fu Panda 2 in 2011, DreamWorks also plans to release The Guardians based off of the upcoming book series that centers on a team of holiday heroes: the Easter Bunny, Tooth-Fairy, Sandman and I'm guessing Santa Claus? The info on this is not yet available, but I'll update you when that leak is released. 2012 (yes they've got it planned that far ahead) delivers a third Madagascar. It got unfunny after the lazy Escape to Africa last year and the Nickelodeon series The Penguins of Madagascar.

For DreamWorks' fall release for '12, there's The Croods (about Cavemen). Unofficial dates but promises are Truckers and Super Secret Ghost Project. Variety notes that all of these movies I mentioned will be shown in 3D projection.

That's a lot to process. Hope I didn't get your blood pumping too much before you go to bed tonight.

Don't forget to check out Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs July 1^st.