Paramount Pictures has hired Travis Knight to direct their Transformers Bumblebee spinoff movie. Knight is the director behind last year's stop-motion animated masterpiece Kubo and the Two Strings, which was robbed at the Oscars this year.
Hiring Knight to direct the film might just be one of the best decisions that the studio could have made. The guy has proven that he has a great sense of character development and storytelling. This would be his first live action film and I think he'll do a great job with it and give fans something spectacularly cool!
The screenplay fro the film was written by Christina Hodson (Shut In) and it will be produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventure, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg.
In case you didn't already know, Knight is the son of Nike founder Phil Knight and he's also president and CEO of Laika, which is the studio that made...
Hiring Knight to direct the film might just be one of the best decisions that the studio could have made. The guy has proven that he has a great sense of character development and storytelling. This would be his first live action film and I think he'll do a great job with it and give fans something spectacularly cool!
The screenplay fro the film was written by Christina Hodson (Shut In) and it will be produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventure, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg.
In case you didn't already know, Knight is the son of Nike founder Phil Knight and he's also president and CEO of Laika, which is the studio that made...
- 3/3/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
[[tmz:video id="0_5rub45po"]] The University of Oregon just officially opened up its brand new $19 Million state-of-the-art Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center ... and it's Awesome!!!! We're talkin' 30,000 square feet of futuristic top-of-the-line sports technology ... primarily funded by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny. You gotta check out the video ... it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie -- especially the special resting area ... complete with 5 "sleep pods" where athletes can rest between practices or meetings or maybe even classes?...
- 8/25/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
There was a time when Pixar was viewed as the greatest animation brand in the land -- at least as far as American studios go. Then they started making too many sequels, some of them not so brilliant, and diluted their reputation. While that was going on, Laika Entertainment has stepped into the circle of praise. In seven years, they've only exclusively produced four features, including the new release Kubo and the Two Strings, but as they aim to amp up their output they still have no plans for any part twos. Cartoon Brew shares parts of an interview with Laika CEO and Kubo director Travis Knight (son of Nike head Phil Knight, who co-founded the company), and he explains how he wants to start releasing one film per year, though that's harder to...
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- 8/23/2016
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
Travis Knight may be following in the footsteps of people like Pixar’s John Lasseter, Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and, way back when, Walt Disney himself. The CEO of Laika animation is also a filmmaker for his company – and Knight’s directorial debut, “Kubo and the Two Strings,” opened on Friday and is basking in the largest amount of praise for any Laika movie since the company’s first, “Coraline,” in 2009. Knight, the son of Laika owner Phil Knight, has been working in animation since he joined Laika’s predecessor, Will Vinton Studios, as an intern. (Before he devoted full-time to animation,...
- 8/21/2016
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Gifted youngster Kubo is in a tough situation. He and his pals (a stern macaque and a goofy horned beetle cursed to assume the shape of a man) need to cross a turbulent ocean. There's no seafaring vessel in sight. It appears that all is lost, but the boy, unshaken, begins plucking out a tune on his magical shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument. In mere moments, a mighty ship has materialized from thousands of sheets of origami paper, ready to go. The young hero and his cohorts climb aboard,...
- 8/19/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Monsters, journeys across stormy seas, and a quest for a storied suit of armor make stop-motion pic Kubo and the Two Strings an action-adventure — but at the heart of this samurai epic is the moving and intimate tale of a family. In a fantastical world inspired by ancient Japan, young Kubo cares for his sick mother on the outskirts of their village, where he entertains villagers with his magically-moving origami shows. Then one day, he’s whisked off on a quest to find the magical armor that belonged to his late father, a great samurai warrior. “Kubo is basically a proxy for me,” director Travis Knight told press visiting Laika, the animation studio behind Kubo and Coraline, in June. “He’s a storyteller, he’s an animator, really, when you think about it.” Another way Kubo channels the director: his connection to his mother. “When I was a kid, my...
- 8/18/2016
- by Emily Rome
- Hitfix
Chicago – One of the great benefits of the new Golden Age of Animation has been the emergence of other studios…like Laika Entertainment, which has released “Coraline,” “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls,” all nominated for Oscars. Travis Knight directs their latest stop-motion style animated film, “Kubo and the Two Strings.”
“Kubo” is rooted in Japanese samurai myth, but is a wholly new story. A baby loses an eye in a great battle, but his mother manages to save him. In exile, the two live near the ocean, and the baby grows to the boy Kubo, who supports his mother by going into the village with a magical string instrument. With it, he is able to conjure stories that use the style and look of paper folding origami. His magic is drawing attention, from both good and evil sorcery. Kubo ends up in a journey with a Monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron...
“Kubo” is rooted in Japanese samurai myth, but is a wholly new story. A baby loses an eye in a great battle, but his mother manages to save him. In exile, the two live near the ocean, and the baby grows to the boy Kubo, who supports his mother by going into the village with a magical string instrument. With it, he is able to conjure stories that use the style and look of paper folding origami. His magic is drawing attention, from both good and evil sorcery. Kubo ends up in a journey with a Monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron...
- 8/17/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Laika has definitely come of age with “Kubo and the Two Strings.” The stop-motion samurai fantasy represents a summation of everything the Portland studio has accomplished with its four films to date. Its vision of mythic Japanese folklore is epic and exquisite while its heroic rite of passage is thrilling and tender. No wonder Laika president/CEO Travis Knight plunged into directing “Kubo,” undoubtedly the animation studio’s strongest Oscar contender.
Not surprisingly, “Kubo’s” also deeply personal for Knight. “It’s a story fundamentally about family, about a time when we cross that Rubicon from childhood to adulthood,” said Knight, “the things that we gain and the things that we leave behind.”
Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living in a seaside town with his mother, telling stories and playing his shamisen. That is, until Kubo accidentally summons a spirit...
Not surprisingly, “Kubo’s” also deeply personal for Knight. “It’s a story fundamentally about family, about a time when we cross that Rubicon from childhood to adulthood,” said Knight, “the things that we gain and the things that we leave behind.”
Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living in a seaside town with his mother, telling stories and playing his shamisen. That is, until Kubo accidentally summons a spirit...
- 8/17/2016
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
By Patrick Shanley
Managing Editor
Anomalisa, the stop-motion-animated feature from Oscar-winning writer Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson, is currently enjoying a 100% score on review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, ahead of its release in theaters next January. The film, which focuses on a bored author (voiced by David Thewlis) whose chance run-in with a strange woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) changes his life and is based on a play written by Kaufman, is a serious contender for the best animated feature Oscar this year.
The genre of stop-motion animation can trace its roots all the way back to 1933’s King Kong, when the technique was used to create a rampaging 200-ft. tall ape that wreaked havoc throughout New York City. As the years progressed, stop-motion slowly began to emerge as its own genre, with particular help from legendary visual effects artist Ray Harryhausen, who worked on such films as 1981’s Clash of the Titans...
Managing Editor
Anomalisa, the stop-motion-animated feature from Oscar-winning writer Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson, is currently enjoying a 100% score on review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, ahead of its release in theaters next January. The film, which focuses on a bored author (voiced by David Thewlis) whose chance run-in with a strange woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) changes his life and is based on a play written by Kaufman, is a serious contender for the best animated feature Oscar this year.
The genre of stop-motion animation can trace its roots all the way back to 1933’s King Kong, when the technique was used to create a rampaging 200-ft. tall ape that wreaked havoc throughout New York City. As the years progressed, stop-motion slowly began to emerge as its own genre, with particular help from legendary visual effects artist Ray Harryhausen, who worked on such films as 1981’s Clash of the Titans...
- 11/24/2015
- by Patrick Shanley
- Scott Feinberg
Jay Z ripped into everyone who's bashing his new business ... as only he can -- by uncorking a blistering freestyle in which he compared himself to the founders of Apple and Nike. The lyrical attack came during Jay's 'B-Sides' concert last night, which aired on Tidal ... his music streaming service. Critics have accused the rap mogul of charging users more for Tidal -- compared to similar services -- simply because his name is attached to it.
- 5/17/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
It would be easy to overlook the surprisingly strong opening of “The Boxtrolls” amid the hail of box-office bullets fired by Denzel Washington‘s “The Equalizer,” which won the weekend with an explosive $35 million debut. But the $17.2 million opening by the 3D stop-action animated kids movie was notable because it's the best ever for Laika Entertainment, the production company headed by Nike founder Phil Knight and run by his son Travis, who is both the CEO and an animator on its films. Any animated movie scoring at the box office is news this year, which is one of the weakest.
- 9/29/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
The stop-motion animation house Laika is well on its way to becoming one of the strongest, most consistent studios in in the movie industry. Founded by Travis Knight, the son of Nike founder and chairman Phil Knight, the company has only made two features thus far - Coraline and ParaNorman - but both earned incredible critical praise and even Academy Award nominations. The future is bright for Laika, particularly because their next film, The Boxtrolls, looks to continue the studio tradition of mixing beautiful animation with powerful storytelling. Directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi and based on the novel "Here Be Monsters" by Alan Snow, The Boxtrolls is set in a "Charles Dickens meets Monty Python" type world where a young orphan boy named Eggs (Isaac Hempstead Wright) lives underground with his family . who happen to be a bunch of trolls who live in and wear cardboard boxes. While...
- 7/9/2014
- cinemablend.com
As a fan of Paranorman and Coraline, Laika is becoming a force in genre storytelling. Earlier this morning I read an article that every genre fan should read. It tells the fantastic story of how a failed rapper by the name of Chilly Tee overthrew and ousted the creator of Claymation, Will Vinton. Chilly Tee’s actual name is Travis Knight. Travis Knight is the President and CEO of Laika. More importantly, Travis Knight is the son of Phil Knight, the owner of Laika and co-founder of Nike. I think many of us associate Laika as a relatively new company – which, under that name, they are. However, as the story below goes to show, Laika is just a re-branding of the original Will Vinton Studios. Will Vinton is the man that created and popularized The California Raisins.
It is a fascinating story to read and I would do a disservice in quoting any of it.
It is a fascinating story to read and I would do a disservice in quoting any of it.
- 5/12/2014
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
In the new issue of Gay Times, Jonathan Knight talks about being "outed" by Tiffany in 2011 for the first time in detail. And he finds the whole thing ridiculous. "I felt stupid having to make a public statement. Even when the band got back together in 2008, New Kids fans knew I was gay. Everyone did." Uh, no. Not everyone, Jonathan. But he saves the harsh words for Perez Hilton, who had been chasing him ever since an ex had sold private pictures to the National Enquirer. "Perez tried to out me many times and I hate that guy for doing that. I was already gay and living a gay lifestyle but he wanted me to talk about it. Why? My brother and the rest of the guys don't go on interviews saying 'I'm straight" etc. so why do I need to just because I'm gay? People like him want me...
- 4/14/2013
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
This Weekend’s Winners: With an estimated $28.7 million from just over 3,300 theaters, The Expendables 2 was number one with a bullet. (Or rather, thousands and thousands of bullets.) Also catching eyes: Sony’s Sparkle; Whitney Houston’s final film, opened to $12 million in 2,224 theaters. At a production cost of just $14 million, Sparkle is no Think Like A Man, but at least it is well on its way to profit. This Weekend’s Losers: ParaNorman (No. 3 with $14 million in just over 3,400 theaters) was a decidedly weak sophomore effort from Pixar wannabe Laika Entertainment, the animation company established by Nike founder Phil Knight and his scion, Travis: Despite showing in half as many theaters, the company’s 2009 debut Coraline still made $3 million more than ParaNorman.How It All Went Down: Even as last weekend approached, a new survey found that almost a fifth of moviegoers were still reluctant to...
- 8/20/2012
- by Claude Brodesser-Akner
- Vulture
Laika is proving itself to be a very special movie studio. While they have only produced two films so far - Coraline and ParaNorman - both movies are so brilliantly designed and have such wonderfully told stories that it.s hard not to start expecting greatness from the Oregon-based stop motion company. And that.s where Travis Knight comes in. The son of Phil Knight, the founder and chairman of Nike, Travis Knight created Laika in 2005 and currently serves as both the president and CEO of the studio. But he isn.t you standard movie executive. Instead of spending all of his time in an office dealing with the business side of things, Knight is right down there on the floor with the other stop-motion artists of Laika and served as the lead animator on both of the studio.s first films, and, as you can probably imagine, he is...
- 8/15/2012
- cinemablend.com
Nike is cutting one of its last remaining ties to Joe Paterno -- removing his name from the child care building on the corporation's campus.The move comes just hours after independent investigators revealed the late Penn State coach helped cover-up facts about the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal. Nike President Mark Parker said in a statement, "With the findings released today, I have decided to change the name of our child care center at our World Headquarters.
- 7/12/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
In 2010 it was announced that Henry Selick, the beloved director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” had left Laika Studios, the Portland, Oregon-based animation studio run by Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight. Knight had hired Selick back in 2002 to help transition the studio from Will Vinton Studios (home of the California Raisins, among others) into a 21st century powerhouse. Selick’s first animated feature, the gorgeous “Coraline,” was released in 2009, but just a year later Disney and Pixar came courting and Selick packed his bags. Things have been quiet for a little while but some details have started to emerge about his Pixar project, while Disney has signed him on to a highly coveted property.
First, the Pixar stuff – when Selick was hired by Pixar, many thought it would simply be the studio’s stop-motion animation division, housed on the same sprawling campus as Pixar proper. But Selick has control...
First, the Pixar stuff – when Selick was hired by Pixar, many thought it would simply be the studio’s stop-motion animation division, housed on the same sprawling campus as Pixar proper. But Selick has control...
- 4/28/2012
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
So it is now time to embark on the final chapter in my mindless quest to compare Friday Night Lights plot lines to bowl games.
If you missed my first two posts in the series, you can read them here and here.
Before I jump into the comparisons, we need to get in the mood to discuss Friday Night Lights. That is, sappy, reflective and on the verge of tears.
So here you go:
The Rose Bowl Game Presented By Vizio, January 2nd, 5:00 Pm, Espn
Oregon vs. Wisconsin
By all indications, this should be one of the best games of the entire bowl season, if only because the Friday Night Lights tie-ins are just off the charts. Wisconsin has a tough, explosive offense that's led by an extremely talented dual-threat quarterback named Russell Wilson who transferred into the school this season from out of state. Hmmm..."an extremely talented...
If you missed my first two posts in the series, you can read them here and here.
Before I jump into the comparisons, we need to get in the mood to discuss Friday Night Lights. That is, sappy, reflective and on the verge of tears.
So here you go:
The Rose Bowl Game Presented By Vizio, January 2nd, 5:00 Pm, Espn
Oregon vs. Wisconsin
By all indications, this should be one of the best games of the entire bowl season, if only because the Friday Night Lights tie-ins are just off the charts. Wisconsin has a tough, explosive offense that's led by an extremely talented dual-threat quarterback named Russell Wilson who transferred into the school this season from out of state. Hmmm..."an extremely talented...
- 1/2/2012
- by Dan Treadway
- Aol TV.
Fans of stop-motion animation and things that are awesome should get a kick out of this: Laika, the studio behind the delightful "Coraline," is developing another whimsical tale, this time with The Decemberists lead singer Colin Meloy.
According to Collider, the company is all set to adapt Meloy's new children's book titled "Wildwood," which he completed with his throwback illustrator wife Carson Ellis.
The story revolves around young girl Prue McKeel and her pal Curtis as they venture into the mysterious, so-called "Impassable Wilderness" where a murder of crows has absconded with her baby brother. Magic, dark wizards, and battle-hardened creatures all figure in to the rocker's Tolkien-esque world, of which "Wildwood" is (natch) the first in a possible trilogy.
The marriage of Laika and Decemberist Meloy makes sense given they're both based out of Portland, Oregon and have indie cred coming out the wazoo. The studio's president Travis Knight...
According to Collider, the company is all set to adapt Meloy's new children's book titled "Wildwood," which he completed with his throwback illustrator wife Carson Ellis.
The story revolves around young girl Prue McKeel and her pal Curtis as they venture into the mysterious, so-called "Impassable Wilderness" where a murder of crows has absconded with her baby brother. Magic, dark wizards, and battle-hardened creatures all figure in to the rocker's Tolkien-esque world, of which "Wildwood" is (natch) the first in a possible trilogy.
The marriage of Laika and Decemberist Meloy makes sense given they're both based out of Portland, Oregon and have indie cred coming out the wazoo. The studio's president Travis Knight...
- 9/8/2011
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
The heat behind Laika, the Portland, Oregon-based stop motion animation studio (owned by Nike bigwig Phil Knight) that unleashed 2009's outstanding fantasy film "Coraline," has cooled somewhat since that release. The reason, of course, is that "Coraline" director (and Laika creative head) Henry Selick left the company shortly after "Coraline" was released – after unsuccessfully attempting to renegotiate his contract, he bolted for Pixar, setting up that studio's first stop-motion division (about which we have heard precious few details, besides an October 4th, 2013 release date for its first film). But that doesn't mean the company isn't cooking up new…...
- 9/8/2011
- The Playlist
Two-time Grammy Award-nominated composer Jon Brion has signed to create the original score for Laika and Focus Features. animated comedy thriller ParaNorman, currently in production at Laika.s Oregon studios for nationwide release by Focus on Friday, August 17th, 2012. Following Laika and Focus. groundbreaking Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Laika President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.
Joining the voice cast of ParaNorman are Tucker Albrizzi (Good Luck Charlie), Alex Borstein (Family Guy), and Jodelle Ferland (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse). ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler.s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton.s Corpse Bride.
Mr. Brion.s original score for Focus. Academy Award-winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...
Joining the voice cast of ParaNorman are Tucker Albrizzi (Good Luck Charlie), Alex Borstein (Family Guy), and Jodelle Ferland (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse). ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler.s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton.s Corpse Bride.
Mr. Brion.s original score for Focus. Academy Award-winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...
- 6/14/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Coraline Partners Focus Features And Laika Reteam For Two-picture Deal
3D Stop-motion Animated Comedy Thriller
Paranorman Opens August 17, 2012
Focus Features and Laika, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coralineare reteaming for Laika.s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Focus CEO James Schamus and Laika President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.
As on Coraline, Focus will hold worldwide distribution rights to the movies, and Universal Pictures International will release them overseas. Coraline is Focus. second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with over $75 million domestically. The picture earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics. Choice, and Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film; and was named one of the year.s...
3D Stop-motion Animated Comedy Thriller
Paranorman Opens August 17, 2012
Focus Features and Laika, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coralineare reteaming for Laika.s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Focus CEO James Schamus and Laika President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.
As on Coraline, Focus will hold worldwide distribution rights to the movies, and Universal Pictures International will release them overseas. Coraline is Focus. second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with over $75 million domestically. The picture earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics. Choice, and Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film; and was named one of the year.s...
- 5/4/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
How does one get over their fear and start talking and networking with those that can help your business, from Vc rockstars to possible partners? Even a personal hero, such as Nike cofounder Phil Knight? We continue our Leadership Hall of Fame series, a year-long look at the top business books and authors, with an excerpt from Never Eat Alone, by Keith Ferrazzi.
Nothing in my life has created opportunity like a willingness to ask, whatever the situation. When I was just an anonymous attendee at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, I walked onto a hotel bus and saw Nike founder Phil Knight. Knight was like a rock star to me, given his extraordinary success at creating and building Nike, and the many marketing innovations he introduced over the years.Was I nervous? You bet. But I jumped at the opportunity to speak with him, and made a beeline...
Nothing in my life has created opportunity like a willingness to ask, whatever the situation. When I was just an anonymous attendee at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, I walked onto a hotel bus and saw Nike founder Phil Knight. Knight was like a rock star to me, given his extraordinary success at creating and building Nike, and the many marketing innovations he introduced over the years.Was I nervous? You bet. But I jumped at the opportunity to speak with him, and made a beeline...
- 1/25/2011
- by Keith Ferrazzi
- Fast Company
Photograph by Patrik Giardino
Nike's Mark Parker brings together extreme talents, whether they're basketball stars, tattooists, or designers obsessed with shoes.
"It still has moon-dust on it." Mark Parker sounds like a happy kid as he points to an astronaut manual from the Apollo mission inside his glass-topped desk at Nike's Beaverton, Oregon, headquarters. Over his shoulder, Keith Richards, at least the version of the Rolling Stones guitarist by German artist Sebastian Krüger, feigns a boozy disinterest. "And here," says Parker, swinging around in his chair, "is Jimi Hendrix's guitar."
It is astonishing to see this shoe designer turned CEO in his natural habitat, surrounded by artwork he has commissioned or collected, mixed in with bits of Nike history, such as the boots Michael Keaton wore in the 1989 hit Batman. Next to Keith Richards is a bas-relief by Missouri sculptor Kris Kuksi. Parker owns three of his pieces, one a blank-check commission.
Nike's Mark Parker brings together extreme talents, whether they're basketball stars, tattooists, or designers obsessed with shoes.
"It still has moon-dust on it." Mark Parker sounds like a happy kid as he points to an astronaut manual from the Apollo mission inside his glass-topped desk at Nike's Beaverton, Oregon, headquarters. Over his shoulder, Keith Richards, at least the version of the Rolling Stones guitarist by German artist Sebastian Krüger, feigns a boozy disinterest. "And here," says Parker, swinging around in his chair, "is Jimi Hendrix's guitar."
It is astonishing to see this shoe designer turned CEO in his natural habitat, surrounded by artwork he has commissioned or collected, mixed in with bits of Nike history, such as the boots Michael Keaton wore in the 1989 hit Batman. Next to Keith Richards is a bas-relief by Missouri sculptor Kris Kuksi. Parker owns three of his pieces, one a blank-check commission.
- 8/11/2010
- by Ellen McGirt
- Fast Company
On the morning that Oscar nominees were announced last month, Nike founder Phil Knight called his son, Travis, at 6 a.m. They both had just gotten word: Coraline, the debut film by their studio Laika, was up for best-animated film. "Phil is a man of few words, but it was a nice conversation," Travis told me recently. "A great father-son bonding moment."
On Sunday, they're hoping for another such moment at the Academy Awards. Whether or not they walk away with a gold statuette, it's been a remarkable and improbable journey for the new filmmakers. Even Nike didn't reach the Olympic medal stand with its first shwoosh-emblazoned shoe.
As we chronicled in our story "The Knights' Tale," when Coraline was just starting production in 2007, Laika is a family affair. After rescuing the struggling animator Vinton Studios from financial ruin, Phil took control of the company and set his sights on building a movie studio,...
On Sunday, they're hoping for another such moment at the Academy Awards. Whether or not they walk away with a gold statuette, it's been a remarkable and improbable journey for the new filmmakers. Even Nike didn't reach the Olympic medal stand with its first shwoosh-emblazoned shoe.
As we chronicled in our story "The Knights' Tale," when Coraline was just starting production in 2007, Laika is a family affair. After rescuing the struggling animator Vinton Studios from financial ruin, Phil took control of the company and set his sights on building a movie studio,...
- 3/5/2010
- by Chuck Salter
- Fast Company
Elin Nordegren may soon be getting something from her husband's scandal. Tiger Woods' wife is reportedly "very close" to signing a deal of her own with athletics shoes and sportswear company Puma, the competitor of the golfer's sponsor Nike.
An official from Puma confirmed to TMZ that they are in "internal discussions" to sign the aggrieved wife as a spokesperson for a new Swedish-inspired clothing line called Tretorn because they feel she's a "good brand fit."
Meanwhile, Nike dismisses Woods' "transgressions" as a "minor blip." Co-founder Phil Knight said the scandal surrounding the top athlete's private life was just "part of the game."
Needless to say, the company is standing by its man.
An official from Puma confirmed to TMZ that they are in "internal discussions" to sign the aggrieved wife as a spokesperson for a new Swedish-inspired clothing line called Tretorn because they feel she's a "good brand fit."
Meanwhile, Nike dismisses Woods' "transgressions" as a "minor blip." Co-founder Phil Knight said the scandal surrounding the top athlete's private life was just "part of the game."
Needless to say, the company is standing by its man.
- 12/16/2009
- icelebz.com
Elin Nordegren stepped out for lunch in Florida today with her two children, Sam and Charlie. Elin was spotted out over the weekend without her wedding ring which were the first photos of her since the entire Tiger debacle started. Elin still wasn't wearing anything on her ring finger, but she put on a strong face as she attempted to get back to her normal life with her son and daughter. As for her husband Tiger Woods - well, he's still Mia amid more and more information leaking about how he managed to keep his many infidelities a secret for so many years. Meanwhile, most of you seem to think Elin should not stay with Tiger for the kids, but Nike chairman and cofounder Phil Knight calls Tiger's indiscretions "a minor blip" in his career. View 5 Photos ›...
- 12/15/2009
- by Molly
- Popsugar.com
Nike's Phil Knight lets go of 5 million Nike Inc. shares,according to the Post Chronicle. Phil Knight is the co-founder and Chairman of Nike,and they report that he sold about $37 million worth of Nike stock earlier this week. In the last two weeks he has sold about 5 million shares,which adds up to a price range in the area of around $332 million.
- 10/31/2009
- by Eric
- OnTheFlix
Henry Selick (Coraline, James and the Giant Peach, The Nightmare Before Christmas) will not renew his deal with Laika, the Oregon-based animation studio that where he wrote, directed, designed and produced Coraline (2/6/09) and the short-film Moongirl, per The Oregonian. You may recall that Laika laid-off 60+ of its CG animation artists in September. Selick will continue to work closely with Laika and Coraline distributor Focus Features to continue to promote the movie during the forthcoming awards season. Coraline is based on the eponymous book by author Neil Gaiman. The studio, established by Nike co-founder Phil Knight after acquiring Will Vinton Studios in 2003, opened its doors in 2005 with the mission of developing both stop motion and CG animated feature films as well as content for other outlets. Selick joined Laika in 2004. Earlier this year, Laika named Travis Knight as President and CEO, he was a lead animator on Coraline and had also toiled for Vinton Studios,...
- 10/8/2009
- by gwen@cynopsis.com
Coraline director Henry Selick has left Laika, the Portland, Oregon-based animation studio. Selick had been employed by Laika for five years and his contract was up this year. His departure leaves a large void in the small studio and a big question mark about who will replace him for Laika's next project, whatever it might be.
When The Oregonian confirmed the news about Selick's departure neither the studio nor the man commented about why the break was made or who made it first. "Making Coraline was one of the great filmmaking experiences of my life," said Selick in a statement that he released earlier today.
Laika owner Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, offered more commentary about the break-up. "Throughout our five years of collaboration, Henry has been variously my director, my mentor, and my friend. I will miss him and wish him well in his future projects."
The Oregonian reports that,...
When The Oregonian confirmed the news about Selick's departure neither the studio nor the man commented about why the break was made or who made it first. "Making Coraline was one of the great filmmaking experiences of my life," said Selick in a statement that he released earlier today.
Laika owner Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, offered more commentary about the break-up. "Throughout our five years of collaboration, Henry has been variously my director, my mentor, and my friend. I will miss him and wish him well in his future projects."
The Oregonian reports that,...
- 10/7/2009
- by Patrick Sauriol
- Corona's Coming Attractions
I had thought that Coraline, which was produced for about $65 million, wound up being a pretty successful animated film. It grossed over $75 million in the Us alone and wound up with a worldwide gross of over $120 million (and that's before DVD and Blu-ray sales are factored in). But apparently the costs of running an indie animation studio was a little too much for Laika. The company, set up by Nike CEO Phil Knight, recently laid off 63 animators in their CGI department, refocusing their...
- 9/21/2009
- by Mike Sampson
- JoBlo.com
The Oregonian reports that Nike co-founder Phil Knight's Portland movie studio Laika laid off 63 people in its computer animation department on Friday after deciding to focus exclusively on stop-motion features. The studio's first film, the stop-motion pic Coraline , earned $120.2 million at the worldwide box office. Laika had originally planned to develop both stop-motion and computer-animated films, but will now only use computer animation on a limited basis, to augment stop-motion. The layoff reduces Laika's work force from 243 to 180. In December, the company laid off 65 after scrapping a computer-generated feature called Jack and Ben's Animated Adventure . Coraline director Henry Selick continues to develop new features for the studio as Laika's supervising...
- 9/20/2009
- Comingsoon.net
With a better than expected 3rd place performance and $16.3 million at the box office last weekend, Coraline surprised skeptics, but whether it did well enough to satisfy investors remains unclear. A lot is at stake for Laika Entertainment, a fledgling studio with dreams of one day rivaling Pixar in the animation world. Coraline is its first feature production and cost upwards of $35 million to make. Much of the money for this initial project came from Nike founder Phil Knight (pictured), but the eccentric billionaire is holding off on further financial commitments to see whether the film really does turn out to be a financial as well as a critical success. So, for now Laika remains in suspended animation. Nine follow-up projects are being contemplated, but so far none have been greenlit. And without definite work ahead, some of the stop-motion animators who helped put Coraline together have been laid off.
- 2/10/2009
- by Bill Stouffer
- Reelzchannel.com
Dakota Fanning kept up her streak of looking like quite a little lady at the premiere of Coraline in Portland on Thursday night. She posed with her costar Teri Hatcher before taking her seat to enjoy the 3D movie. Buzz quite liked the visual spectacle, which will be all the more interesting to watch come to life in 3D. Dakota has another movie, Push, coming out this weekend that shows two very different sides of Dakota as she grows into herself as an actress. To see more of the red carpet just read more. Images include: Dakota Fanning, Phil Knight, Teri Hatcher, Henry Selick, Neil Gaiman, Travis Knight, Robert Bailey Jr. Film Magic...
- 2/8/2009
- by Molly
- Popsugar.com
Movie Jungle is pleased to give you interview clips with Dakota Fanning, director Henry Selick, Keith David, writer Neil Gaiman, Teri Hatcher, Georgina Hayns, Phil Knight, John Hodgman, Travis Knight, Robert Bailey Jr., Dawn French and more! We also have new clips in from the animated film from visionary director Selick ("The Nightmare Before Christmas," "James and the Giant Peach") who helms from the international best-seller by Neil Gaiman. The film is the first to be originally filmed in 3D! What's it about? Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is bored in her new home until she finds a secret door and discovers an alternate version of her life on the other side. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life and the people in it – only much better. But when this seemingly perfect world turns dangerous, and her other parents (including her Other Mother voiced by...
- 1/31/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Movie Jungle is pleased to give you interview clips with Dakota Fanning, director Henry Selick, Keith David, writer Neil Gaiman, Teri Hatcher, Georgina Hayns, Phil Knight, John Hodgman, Travis Knight, Robert Bailey Jr., Dawn French and more! We also have new clips in from the animated film from visionary director Selick ("The Nightmare Before Christmas," "James and the Giant Peach") who helms from the international best-seller by Neil Gaiman. The film is the first to be originally filmed in 3D!...
- 1/31/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Movie Jungle is pleased to give you interview clips with Dakota Fanning, director Henry Selick, Keith David, writer Neil Gaiman, Teri Hatcher, Georgina Hayns, Phil Knight, John Hodgman, Travis Knight, Robert Bailey Jr., Dawn French and more! We also have new clips in from the animated film from visionary director Selick ("The Nightmare Before Christmas," "James and the Giant Peach") who helms from the international best-seller by Neil Gaiman. The film is the first to be originally filmed in 3D!...
- 1/31/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
We recently reported that NBC’s remake of the Australian original Kath and Kim received poor reviews after being called “jaw-dropping awful” and having “no substance” whatsoever. The Popwatch blog on Entertainment Weekly even criticized it the show, saying, “In translating the cult hit for a stateside audience, the creators of Kath & Kim have stripped the show of its essence and edge. Overly slick, it lacks the grit and wit of the original.”
While most of you already labeled this show as a huge failure, NBC is fighting back by giving the show a full season order.
NBC’s Kath and Kim, which stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as the titular characters, has been picked up for a full season. While some TV critics see this as a bad decision made by the network, it will prove to be a cash windfall for the Australian creators of the show,...
While most of you already labeled this show as a huge failure, NBC is fighting back by giving the show a full season order.
NBC’s Kath and Kim, which stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as the titular characters, has been picked up for a full season. While some TV critics see this as a bad decision made by the network, it will prove to be a cash windfall for the Australian creators of the show,...
- 11/3/2008
- by BuddyTV
- buddytv.com
Director Henry Selick describes his upcoming "Coraline" as a marriage of "old-fashioned" stop-motion animation with the latest 3-D techniques.
During a footage presentation Friday, roughly 20 minutes of Focus Features' "Coraline" -- the first stop-motion animated film to be produced in stereoscopic 3-D -- was shown. It was mostly finished, though it did include some temp music.
"Coraline" is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's best seller, which follows a young girl who walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. The film opens wide on Feb. 6.
The clips shown Friday include the sequence where Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) discovers and enters the alternate world. In that environment, Coraline encounters the "Other Mother" (Teri Hatcher), who tries to keep her from going home, as well as a variety of characters who perform circus-style acts. In another scene, the girls run from the home,...
During a footage presentation Friday, roughly 20 minutes of Focus Features' "Coraline" -- the first stop-motion animated film to be produced in stereoscopic 3-D -- was shown. It was mostly finished, though it did include some temp music.
"Coraline" is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's best seller, which follows a young girl who walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. The film opens wide on Feb. 6.
The clips shown Friday include the sequence where Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) discovers and enters the alternate world. In that environment, Coraline encounters the "Other Mother" (Teri Hatcher), who tries to keep her from going home, as well as a variety of characters who perform circus-style acts. In another scene, the girls run from the home,...
- 10/24/2008
- by By Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In August, BuddyTV gave you a Fall Review, giving you a sneak peek into the returning and new shows that will hit the airwaves this season. One of those shows is NBC’s Kath and Kim, which premieres on October 9 at 8:30pm. Unfortunately for most viewers, the TV critics are at it again, releasing their reviews and spoiling all the fun for us.
For those who wouldn’t want to be swayed, read no further because there may be bad news for those who are looking forward to NBC’s Kath and Kim, which stars Molly Shannon as Kath Day, Selma Blair as Kim Day, John Micheal Higgins as Phil Knight and Mikey Day as Craig Baker. Created by Gina Riley and Jane Turner, the original series of Kath and Kim hails from Australia, and was developed for American television by Reveille Productions and Universal Media Studios in cooperation with NBC.
For those who wouldn’t want to be swayed, read no further because there may be bad news for those who are looking forward to NBC’s Kath and Kim, which stars Molly Shannon as Kath Day, Selma Blair as Kim Day, John Micheal Higgins as Phil Knight and Mikey Day as Craig Baker. Created by Gina Riley and Jane Turner, the original series of Kath and Kim hails from Australia, and was developed for American television by Reveille Productions and Universal Media Studios in cooperation with NBC.
- 10/7/2008
- by BuddyTV
- buddytv.com
Kath & Kim, America's version of the popular television series, premieres on NBC starring Selma Blair and Molly Shannon on October 9!
{sidebar id=1}The American adaptation of the Australian hit comedy series, "Kath & Kim" stars Molly Shannon (NBC´s "Saturday Night Live") and Selma Blair ("Hellboy 2") as the hilarious and iconoclastic mother-daughter duo.
"Kath & Kim" focuses on Kath (Shannon), a cheerful, foxy, forty-something, and her self-absorbed daughter, Kim (Blair), who have the love/hate, push/pull dysfunctional relationship that only a mother and daughter could share.
Kath has finally found love in the form of a sandwich shop owner named Phil Knight, played by John Michael Higgins ("Best in Show"). Kim is a self-absorbed princess newly separated from her husband of six weeks, Craig (Mikey Day, MTVÂ.s "Short Circuitz"). Kim decides to move back home, putting a damper on KathÂ.s new romance.
Watch eight clips from Read more...
{sidebar id=1}The American adaptation of the Australian hit comedy series, "Kath & Kim" stars Molly Shannon (NBC´s "Saturday Night Live") and Selma Blair ("Hellboy 2") as the hilarious and iconoclastic mother-daughter duo.
"Kath & Kim" focuses on Kath (Shannon), a cheerful, foxy, forty-something, and her self-absorbed daughter, Kim (Blair), who have the love/hate, push/pull dysfunctional relationship that only a mother and daughter could share.
Kath has finally found love in the form of a sandwich shop owner named Phil Knight, played by John Michael Higgins ("Best in Show"). Kim is a self-absorbed princess newly separated from her husband of six weeks, Craig (Mikey Day, MTVÂ.s "Short Circuitz"). Kim decides to move back home, putting a damper on KathÂ.s new romance.
Watch eight clips from Read more...
- 9/30/2008
- by Stephanie Sanchez <stephanie@iesb.net>
- IESB.net
Who knew that a guy who built his fortune selling overpriced shoes to kids who could never truly feel accepted unless they had them was also a big geek? Phil Knight, the king of the Nike empire, took over Will Vinton Studios, most known for the California Raisins, and turned it into Laika a few years back, employing his son Travis as one of the lead animators.
The film Laika’s most associated with is the Neil Gaiman adaptation Coraline, which Variety reports this morning will finally see an Oscar-qualifying release later this year, followed by a wide theatrical on February 6th, 2009. I’m really glad there’s finally going to be some promotion for this project because I’ve been trying to drum up hype about it seemingly on my own for well over a year now!
Laika unveiled that they're also working on some new animation projects, including...
The film Laika’s most associated with is the Neil Gaiman adaptation Coraline, which Variety reports this morning will finally see an Oscar-qualifying release later this year, followed by a wide theatrical on February 6th, 2009. I’m really glad there’s finally going to be some promotion for this project because I’ve been trying to drum up hype about it seemingly on my own for well over a year now!
Laika unveiled that they're also working on some new animation projects, including...
- 6/24/2008
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
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