Yule Links

Today's opening of the latest animated epic Avatar promises to be big. Or so says Hollywood Insider.

1. Avatar: $87 million

So Fox is trying to keep expectations in check with this film but I’m not buying the modest predictions. I think the incredible word-of-mouth coupled with the must-see factor will propel this movie into the upper echelons of weekend grosses

2. The Princess and the Frog: $18 million

Relief is finally here for Disney’s animated romp that began its theatrical run with a rather soft opening frame last weekend. Moms — and kids — are finally free and nothing says “holiday cheer” like lots of trips to the movies ..

Seth MacFarlane talks up his newest production.

The sequel to the first "Family Guy" parody comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on Dec. 22 ... The first hour-long movisode, "Blue Harvest," kicked off the show's sixth season in 2007. "The first one did so well in demand that the second just seemed like a logical thing to do," MacFarlane said.

A third based on "Return of the Jedi" will be out next year, MacFarlane said ...

DreamWorks Animation is developing a different kind of feature project.

DreamWorks Animation has set Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris to write "Gil's All Fright Diner," an adaptation of the A. Lee Martinez novel that has Barry Sonnenfeld attached to direct ...

Much like the "Twilight" series, "Gil's All Fright Diner" revolves around a vampire and a werewolf. Here, they are mismatched partners who battle zombies and try to save the world, after they stop in a diner in the desert that is a conduit for the supernatural ...

Animated vampires and zombies. We're talking a whole new level of entertainment here.

The latest Shrek rolls out its new trailer. (DWA says this is the last, but after it makes $710 million dollars, I seriously doubt the series ends.)

It looks as thought TP&TF is going to hold pretty well in its second weekend, but even if it doesn't ...

The week of Thanksgiving, Princess Tiana items outsold the perennial favorite, "The Little Mermaid's" Ariel, by $700,000.

Retailers are reporting that "Princess and the Frog" articles account for as much as 19% of sales of all Disney Princesses merchandise, which generates about $4 billion in annual retail sales.

Interest in Tiana has been so keen, Toys R Us stores pulled merchandise off shelves to ensure an adequate supply for the movie's wide release ...

Lastly, the Chinese are still moping around because they didn't make Kung Fu Panda.

Animated comedy "Kung Fu Panda" is humiliating for China because it successfully sold Chinese culture to the world but was created by Hollywood, an animation forum has been told ...

Ouyang Yibing, vice-chief of China Animation Association, said Kung Fu Panda, which was a global hit with audiences, was the perfect example of how successful a Chinese animated figure could be.

"Unfortunately, it is our US counterparts, and not us, who made this terrific presentation and showed their deep understanding of Chinese culture. It is a humiliation," he said.

I doubt that it's much consolation, but I'm humiliated on their behalf. It's the least I can do.

Have a life-affirming weekend.