Leonardo DiCaprio To Make Animated Feature Film Debut With The Guardians

Dreamworks Animation announced today that Leonardo DiCaprio will make his animated feature film debut as Jack Frost in The Guardians. After the jump you can see a concept rendering of DiCaprio's computer animated character, along with the official press release.

Based on an upcoming book series by William Joyce, whose work inspired Disney's Meet The Robinsons. Described as "a contemporary fairytale based on existing fairytale characters," The world's five unlikeliest heroes – Jack Frost, North (aka Santa), Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), Tooth (the Tooth Fairy), and Sandy (the Sandman) – must band together to stop an ancient spirit called Pitch (the Boogeyman) from plunging the world into eternal darkness. Of course, the characters have been "somewhat renamed and massively re-imagined". The first book has a tentative release of Christmas 2010. Visual effects artist and animator Jeff Lynch makes his feature directorial debut. The Guardians, currently a working title, is scheduled to hit theaters on November 2nd 2012.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO TO MAKE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM DEBUT IN DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S "THE GUARDIANS" (working title)

Glendale, CA – December 3, 2009 – DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) announced today that Leonardo DiCaprio will make his animated feature film debut when he headlines the cast of the Company's November 2, 2012 release, "The Guardians" (working title) as Jack Frost.

DiCaprio is the first actor announced for "The Guardians," (working title) which is produced by Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein, and directed by Peter Ramsey.

When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes—Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost—band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, "The Guardians" are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear. The film is based on "The Guardians of Childhood," a series of highly anticipated books by William Joyce.

About DreamWorks Animation SKG

DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 18 animated feature films, including the franchise properties, "Shrek," "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda."

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's plans, prospects, strategies, proposals and our beliefs and expectations concerning performance of our current and future releases and anticipated talent, directors and storyline for our upcoming films and other projects, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: audience acceptance of our film and other projects, our dependence on the success of a limited number of releases each year, the increasing cost of producing and marketing feature films, piracy of motion pictures, resource constraints resulting from our expanding number of films and other projects, the effect of rapid technological change or alternative forms of entertainment and our need to protect our proprietary technology and enhance or develop new technology. In addition, due to the uncertainties and risks involved in the development and production of our projects, the release dates described in this document may be delayed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. DreamWorks Animation is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.