The Croods

As the tub-thumping increases ...

Echoes of campaigns past ...

DreamWorks' 3D animated feature The Croods, from How to Train Your Dragon director Chris Sanders and Space Chimps' helmer Kirk De Micco and featuring voice work from Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone, will have its world premiere out of competition in Berlin.

The initial screening happens early February.

The Croods was in development a long time, like before How to Train Your Dragon was wrapped and released. Story work went on longer than most DWA features, and swung into production slowly while sequences held back for more polishing. The initial release date was changed.

But the picture -- from what I've seen on computer screens -- looks terrific. And the comedy is bright and in the foreground, propelled forward by spunky characters. More of a piece, I think, with recent DWA features that don't contain Santa and the Easter Bunny.

The flick has a high "want to see" rating from Rotten Tomatoes, and Chris Sanders directing, so with good reviews and a launch on the right weekend, it could do mice business.