Rio is a new Digital 3-D animated feature from Blue Sky Studios (Ice Age). Rio stars the voices of Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), George Lopez (George Lopez) and Rodrigo Santoro (Love Actually). Rio combines animation and flying to maximize the 3-D format. I expect some Getz, Gilberto & Gilberto (can somebody say “Ipanema?”) on the soundtrack. Call it early but I think I’ve found what I’ll be doing Good Friday Easter weekend 2011 (Rio is set to release Easter April 2011). As you will see in the trailer the basic story is of a macaw that has lived its whole life in a cage “with a mirror and a bell” and never learning how to fly. He will learn to fly in Rio. So what do you think of Rio? How do you feel about 3-D? Better question: what do your kids think of this trailer? I know I’ll be taking my nieces and nephew to see Rio!

Following the box office success of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Blue Sky Studios and Fox Animation are collaborating again on the animated flick Rio.

Ice Age director Carlos Saldanha has already signed on to direct Rio, and the studios are currently negotiating to add Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris to the voicing cast for the film.

Rio tells the story of a macaw in Minnesota who escapes from his cage in the north to make his way to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The film is scheduled to be released in April 2011 and, continuing with the trend, will be released in digital 3D.

Having grossed almost $2.5 billion with five animated films since 2002, all but one of which saw Saldanha’s involvement, Blue Sky and Fox undoubtedly expect to see large-scale success with Rio as well. Given those involved with the project, that success likely will be achieved.

In addition to having two studios strong in animation and a director who has also done much animated work involved in Rio, the film is being produced by Chris Jenkins and Bruce Anderson, who produced (respectively) the animated movies Surf’s Up and Horton Hears a Who.

20th Century Fox has just released the second teaser trailer for Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs I would have to say that Ice Age goes down as one of my all time favorite animated features to date. I have yet to see Wall-E so don’t kill me just yet.

Watch the teaser trailer for Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in theaters everywhere on July 1st 09. Are you seeing this in theaters or is this a rental for you?