Popeye in 3-D in the Works, Big Easy Becomes First Feature Launched on iTunes: Biz Break

Also in Tuesday morning's round up of news briefs, Elissa Greer joins FilmDistrict's exec team, comic book writer Alan Moore is looking to collaborate on film, big-name directors and others come out in defense of Wikileak's Julian Assange and BAFTA revamps its nomination and voting rules.

Elissa Greer Joins FilmDistrict
Greer will serve as Senior Vice President of Publicity, overseeing the Company’s domestic theatrical publicity and promotional campaigns. She previously worked at New Line Cinema. Greer's hire completes the senior executive team working under FilmDistrict's President of Marketing, Christine Birch.

Around the 'net…

Director Takes on 3-D Popeye
Hotel Transylvania director Genndy Tartakovsky is set to develop and direct Popeye for Sony Pictures Animation. The character first appeared in 1929 with a long running series of cartoon shorts and Robert Altman's 1980 version starring Robin Williams, Variety reports.

Big Easy Express Becomes First Feature Launched Worldwide on iTunes
The documentary which traveled the film festival circuit becomes today the first feature to be distributed via iTunes in 50 countries. Directed by Emmett Malloy, the film follows a train tour by folk bands Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Britain’’s Mumford & Son, Deadline reports.

Alan Moore to Write First Screen Project
The comic book creator will collaborate with director Mitch Jenkins on a series of "occult, noir flecked" short films. He recently finished the latest edition of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Century 2009, The Guardian reports.

Michael Moore, Oliver Stone & More Push Ecuador on Assange Asylum
Bill Maher and Naomi Wolf asked the South American country to allow Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to have political asylum. Assange, who is Australian, walked into the Ecuadorian embassy in London last week to avoid extradition to Sweden where he would face sex assault charges, THR reports.

BAFTA to Change Nomination, Voting Process Rules
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is altering how it will proceed with the 2013 Orange British Film Awards. January 9th will be the nominations, six days ahead of the Oscar nominations, Deadline reports.