Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Roars to Paramount+ with Official Trailer, New Stills

    ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Roars to Paramount+ with Official Trailer, New Stills

    The Tiger's Apprentice

    Paramount+ today released the official trailer, key art and new images for The Tiger’s Apprentice, the star-studded animated family film that will premiere on the service Friday, February 2, in the U.S. and Saturday, February 3, in the U.K. The film’s availability in additional international Paramount+ markets will be announced on a later date.

    The action-adventure film stars Henry Golding (The Old Guard 2), Brandon Soo Hoo (Mech Cadets) and Lucy Liu (Shazam: Fury of the Gods), with Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh (Quiz Lady) and Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

    Synopsis: Based on the children’s book series by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprenctice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians. With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu (Golding), Tom trains to take on Loo (Yeoh), a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but with evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity. To have a fighting chance against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.

    The Tiger's Apprentice
    L-R Henry Golding as Hu and Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ [Paramount Pictures/Paramount+]

    Alongside Golding, Soo Hoo, Liu, Oh and Yeoh, the animated adventure’s ensemble voice cast includes Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live), Leah Lewis (Elemental), Kheng Hua Tan (Crazy Rich Asians), Sherry Cola (Joy Ride), Deborah S. Craig (Meet Cute), Jo Koy (The Monkey King), Greta Lee (Past Lives), Diana Lee Inosanto (The Mandalorian), Patrick Gallagher (Night at the Museum) and Poppy Liu (The Afterparty).

    The Tiger’s Apprentice, a Paramount+ original movie in association with Paramount Animation, is a Jane Startz Production and is based on Yep’s novel of the same name. Directed by Raman Hui (Monster Hunt 1 & 2; co-director, Shrek the Third) and co-directed by Paul Watling (Kid Cosmic) and Yong Duk Jhun (head of layout, Ferdinand) with a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland) and Christopher Yost (Cowboy Bebop [2021], Thor: Ragnarok) and music by Steve Jablonsky, the film is produced by Jane Startz, p.g.a., Sandra Rabins, p.g.a., and Bob Persichetti, p.g.a., with Maryann Garger, Kane Lee and Carlos Baena serving as executive producers.

  • ‘Solo Leveling’ Drops English Dub Trailer ahead of Crunchyroll Premiere

    ‘Solo Leveling’ Drops English Dub Trailer ahead of Crunchyroll Premiere

    Crunchyroll today debuted the English-language dub trailer for Solo Leveling, the highly anticipated dungeon-trawling anime, based on the manhwa by author Chugong and illustrator Dubu (Redice Studio). Hailed as “2024’s first must-see anime” by Collider‘s Michael Thomas, the dub will arrive on Crunchyroll’s streaming platform this Saturday, January 20 at 1 p.m. PST.

    Synopsis: They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but that’s not the case for the world’s weakest hunter Sung Jinwoo. After being brutally slaughtered by monsters in a high-ranking dungeon, Jinwoo came back with the System, a program only he could see, that’s leveling him up in every way. Now, he’s inspired to discover the secrets behind his powers and the dungeon that spawned them.

    Directed by Caitlin Glass, the English-language dub cast features Aleks Le (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) as dual blade-wielding, shadow summoning, solo leveling guy Sung Jinwoo; Justin Briner  (My Hero Academia) as trusty rich sidekick extraordinaire Yoo Jinho; Rebecca Wang (Aether Gazer) as hard-working sister Sung Jinah; Michelle Rojas (Hell’s Paradise) as  lovely, deadly S-rank hunter Cha Hae-in; Ian Sinclair (One Piece) as flame-wielding, ‘cool glasses guy’ Choi Jong-in; Christopher R. Sabat (Dragon Ball Z) as ‘beast mode with sick sideburns’ Baek Yoonho; Kent Williams (Dragon Ball Z) as the silver-haired, wise and strong chairman of the Korean Hunter Association, Go Gunhee; SungWon Cho (Ranking of Kings) as Woo Jinchul, Chief inspector of the Korean Hunters Association; and Dani Chambers  (The Ancient Magus’ Bride) as Sung Jinwoo’s hunter friend, Lee Joohee.

    The Solo Leveling anime is directed by Shunsuke Nakashige (Sword Art Online), with series composition by Noboru Kimura, character design by Tomoko Sudo (Fragtime), monster design by Hirotaka Tokuda (animation director, Sword Art Online), art direction by Yasuhiro Okumura (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?) and cinematography by Masataka Ikegami (Carole & Tuesday, My Hero Academia). The A-1 Pictures production also features music by multi-award-winning composer Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan, PROMARE), bookended  by opening theme song “LEveL,” performed by TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Sawano, and ending theme “request,” performed by krage.

  • Disney+ Brings Extra Magic to Apple Vision Pro’s In-Home 3D Environments

    Disney+ Brings Extra Magic to Apple Vision Pro’s In-Home 3D Environments

    Beginning February 2, fans will be able to experience Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm stories like never before with Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s spatial computer offers subscribers to the streamer who own a Vision Pro device a new way to enjoy their favorite shows and movies at no additional cost.

    “At Disney, we’re constantly searching for new ways to entertain, inform, and inspire by combining exceptional creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences,” said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that will bring our fans closer to the characters and stories they love while immersing them more deeply in all that Disney has to offer. We’re proud to once again be partnering with Apple to bring extraordinary new Disney experiences to people around the world.”

    Available only on Apple Vision Pro, Disney+ subscribers will be able to stream the entire Disney+ catalog — including thousands of TV shows and films, plus access to Hulu content for eligible Disney Bundle subscribers — from virtual environments, each including enlivening animations and sounds, and Easter eggs from films and franchises. At launch, viewers can transform their space into one of four Disney+ environments: The Disney+ Theater, inspired by the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood; the Scare Floor from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.; Marvel’s Avengers Tower overlooking downtown Manhattan; and the cockpit of Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder, facing a binary sunset on the planet Tatooine from the Star Wars galaxy.

    The partnership promises to launch Disney’s 3D movies off the screen with remarkable depth and clarity for an unprecedented in-home 3D experience on Disney+ with Apple Vision Pro. Viewers will be able to watch dozens of popular movies in 3D, like Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Elemental and Encanto. More titles, including those available exclusively to Disney+ subscribers, will be announced at a later date.

    Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro

    Apple Vision Pro users can also rent or purchase most 3D movies through the Store tab in the Apple TV app. Users who previously purchased Disney movies that include 3D versions from the Apple TV app will be able to access those 3D versions on Apple Vision Pro at no additional cost.

    Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro is the result of innovation and collaboration between multiple technology teams at the Company, including Disney Studio Technology, Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, ILM Immersive and Skywalker Sound.

    Disney+ environments were developed using the Universal Scene Description (USD) format. Originally developed by Pixar and open sourced in 2016, USD allows developers to work simultaneously and collaboratively across creation tools and development pipelines to compose complex 3D experiences, at scale, across many applications, and in real time. The Alliance for OpenUSD — a group formed by Pixar and Apple, among others — is working to standardize the USD format across the industry.

    Plus, using Dolby Vision and Multiview High Efficiency Video Coding (MV-HEVC), 3D movies on Disney+ will deliver exceptional UHD resolution in HDR, unfiltered and independent for each eye, and at a high frame rate for several titles — ensuring that the filmmakers’ creative intent is fully preserved and reflected.

    Check in at disneyplus.com/applevisionpro leading up to the Feb. 2 launch for more information. 

    Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro

  • VES Awards: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Swings ahead with 7 Nominations

    VES Awards: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Swings ahead with 7 Nominations

    Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES) announced the nominees for the 22nd Annual VES Awards, recognizing outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in features, animation, television, commercials and video games. Awards will be presented on February 21 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

    The Creator leads the live-action feature film field tied by top animated contender Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with seven nominations each. The Last of Us leads the episodic race with six nominations.

    Nominees in 25 categories were selected by VES members at 39 in-person and virtual nomination events conducted worldwide over a 36-hour continuous process. The distinctive and thoughtful VES Awards nominations protocol included a review of each awards submission including “Befores and Afters” by a minimum of three different judging panels. Participating VES members on the panels represented 25 countries, highlighting the full breadth of the Society’s diverse global membership.

    “The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” said Kim Davidson, newly elected VES Chair.  “We are seeing best in class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation. The VES Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of our nominees.”

    Select categories and their nominees below, see the VES announcement here for the complete list of nominees.

     

    OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    Ben Snow
    Diana Giorgiutti
    Khalid Almeerani
    Scott Benza
    Sam Conway

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
    Stephane Ceretti
    Susan Pickett
    Alexis Wajsbrot
    Guy Williams
    Dan Sudick

    Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
    Andrew Whitehurst
    Kathy Siegel
    Robert Weaver
    Julian Hutchens
    Alistair Williams

    Oppenheimer
    Andrew Jackson
    Mike Chambers, VES
    Giacomo Mineo
    Dave Drzewiecki
    Scot Fisher

    The Creator
    Jay Cooper
    Julian Levi
    Ian Comley
    Charmaine Chan
    Neil Corbould, VES

     

    OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

    Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
    Jon Biggins
    Jim Lewis
    Charles Copping
    Matthew Perry

    Elemental
    Peter Sohn
    Denise Ream
    Sanjay Bakshi
    Stephen Marshall

    Nimona
    Archie Donato
    Yancy Lindquist
    Theodore Ty
    Anthony Kemp

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
    Alan Hawkins
    Christian Hejnal
    Michael Lasker
    Matt Hausman

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
    Matthieu Rouxel
    Marie Balland
    Jacques Daigle
    Vincent Leroy

     

    OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

    Ahsoka; Season 1; Dreams and Madness
    Richard Bluff
    Jakris Smittant
    Paul Kavanagh
    Enrico Damm
    Scott Fisher

    Loki; Season 2; Glorious Purpose
    Christopher Townsend
    Allison Paul
    Matthew Twyford
    Christopher Smallfield
    John William Van Der Pool

    Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
    Sean Konrad
    Jessica Smith
    Jed Glassford
    Khalid Almeerani
    Paul Benjamin

    The Last of Us; Season 1; Infected
    Alex Wang
    Sean Nowlan
    Stephen James
    Simon Jung
    Joel Whist

    The Mandalorian; Season 3; The Return
    Grady Cofer
    Abbigail Keller
    Victor Schutz IV
    Cameron Neilson
    Scott Fisher

     

    OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom; Topo the Octopus
    Thomas Ward
    Andrew Butler
    Felix Slinger-Thompson
    Jacob Burstein

    Godzilla Minus One; Godzilla
    Kosuke Taguchi
    Takashi Yamazaki

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Rocket
    Nathan McConnel
    Andrea De Martis
    Antony Magdalinidis
    Rachel Williams

    Wonka; Oompa Loompa
    Dale Newton
    Kunal Ayer
    Valentina Ercolani
    Gabor Foner

     

    OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

    Elemental; Ember
    Gwendelyn Enderoglu
    Jared Fong
    Jonathan Hoffman
    Patrick Witting

    Elemental; Wade
    Max Gilbert
    Jacob Kuenzel
    Dave Strick
    Benjamin Su

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Spot
    Christopher Mangnall
    Craig Feifarek
    Humberto Rosa
    Nideep Varghese

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem; Superfly
    Gregory Coelho
    Anne-Claire Leroux
    Simon Cuisinier
    Olivier Pierre

     

    OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

    Diablo IV; Inarius and Lilith Cinematic; Lilith
    Matt Onheiber
    Jason Huang
    Maia Neubig

    Shadow and Bone; Season 2; No Funerals; Nichevo’ya the Shadow Monster
    José María del Fresno
    Matthieu Poirey
    Carlos Puigdollers
    Guillermo Ramos

    The Last of Us; Endure & Survive; Bloater
    Gino Acevedo
    Max Telfer
    Pascal Raimbault
    Fabio Leporelli

    The Nevers; It’s a Good Day; Robot Dog
    Christian Leitner
    Bernd Nalbach
    Sebastian Plank
    Martin Wellstein

    Virgin Media; Goat Glider; The Goat
    Sam Driscoll
    Kanishk Chouhan
    Suvi Jokiniemi
    Chloe Dawe

     

    OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

    Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget; Chicken Island
    Charles Copping
    Matthew Perry
    Jim Lewis
    Jon Biggins

    Elemental; Element City
    Chris Bernardi
    Brandon Montell
    David Shavers
    Ting Zhang

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Mumbattan City
    Taehyun Park
    YJ Lee
    Pepe Orozco
    Kelly Han

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem; Midtown Manhattan
    Olivier Mitonneau
    Eddy Frechou
    Guillaume Chevet
    Arnaud Philippe-Giraux

     

    OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

    Elemental
    Kristopher Campbell
    Greg Gladstone
    Jon Reisch
    Kylie Wijsmuller

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
    Pav Grochola
    Filippo Maccari
    Naoki Kato
    Nicola Finizio

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
    Louis Marsaud
    Paul-Etienne Bourde
    Serge Martin
    Marine Pommereul

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie
    Simon Pate
    Christophe Vazquez
    Milo Riccarand

     

    EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD

    Blue Beetle; Machine Learning Cloth
    JohnMark Gibbons
    Allen Ruilova
    Momme Carl
    David Minor

    Elemental; Volumetric Neural Style Transfer
    Vinicius C. Azevedo
    Byungsoo Kim
    Raphael Ortiz
    Paul Kanyuk

    The Flash; Volumetric Capture
    Stephan Trojansky
    Thomas Ganshorn
    Oliver Pilarski
    Lukas Lepicovsky

    Wish; Dynamic Screen Space Textures for Coherent Stylization
    Brent Burley
    Daniel Teece
    Brian J. Green

  • Nouns Fest Launches $1 Million Funding Pool for Indie Animated Shorts

    Nouns Fest Launches $1 Million Funding Pool for Indie Animated Shorts

    Digital art collective Nouns is unveiling the single largest source of funding for independent animated shorts, urging animators around the globe to submit ideas for Nouns Fest, a short-film competition and festival that offers grants from a $1 million pool.

    Beginning today, animators can submit ideas for consideration by a team of judges assembled by Nouns, the global artistic community that has deployed more than $50 million to fund open-source art, technology and public-goods projects.

    Nouns Fest will fund shorts of varying lengths, with budgets ranging from $7,500 to $20,000. Ideas can be submitted at nounsfest.tv/apply. Final animated shorts must incorporate interpretations of one or more of the “Nouns” — digital art characters that are generated by Nouns and auctioned off daily at Nouns.wtf. Once funded, all rights to the animated shorts, concepts and characters will belong solely to creators, underscoring Nouns’ commitment to a free market of art and ideas.

    Selected animated shorts will be presented at Nouns Fest this fall, which will bring together the animation, production and development communities for a celebration of independent animation. Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, which helped conceive the project and secure the involvement of Nouns, will produce three original shorts to debut at the festival.

    “We’re excited to create a platform that allows artists from across the globe to bring their ideas to life,” says Nouns Fest co-founder and senior development executive Chris Waters. “Our goal is to empower and encourage animators — and give them total creative control.”

    Stoopid Buddy co-founder Eric Towner is also a co-founder of Nouns Fest, which held its first animated shorts festival last year. “There’s no easy avenue for creators of animated shorts to get their work produced, and we wanted to change that,” Towner said. “At the same time, true creative freedom is at the core of what Nouns does, so it’s at the very core of what we’re doing.”

    Nouns Fest is co-founded by Walter Newman, former head of development for Adult Swim; Nouns veteran Joel Cares; music executive Joshua Fisher; and award-winning animator and director Goldy.

    Full details of the process of applying for grants in the Nouns Fest program, and rules governing the program, can be found at nounsfest.tv/apply. “We want to hear from the best, most creative, most exciting animators in the world, whether they work professionally or are seeking to break into the animation industry,” Waters said.

    Of the short films accepted into the Nouns Fest project and fully produced, a total of 50 will be included in the Nouns Fest celebration this fall. The exact date and location of the Nouns Fest celebration will be announced in the spring.

    Founded in 2021, Nouns is a global, community-run organization that uses the proceeds from the sale of digital collectibles to fund open-source technology, art and public-works projects. For more information and to learn about getting your project funded, visit nouns.wtf.

    Nouns Fest is the evolution of Nouns Short Shorts, an animation competition and festival that led to the production of 17 animated short films in 2023. In June 2023, Nouns Fest held its first festival at BrainDead Studios in L.A., featuring work from some of the top independent animators in the world. Those shorts can be viewed at nounsfest.tv.

     

     

  • The Must-Have List: ‘Spirited Away,’ ‘Shaun the Sheep,’ ‘The Boy and the Heron’ & More Winter Highlights

    The Must-Have List: ‘Spirited Away,’ ‘Shaun the Sheep,’ ‘The Boy and the Heron’ & More Winter Highlights

    [adrotate banner=”1037′]

    The Art of The Boy and the Heron

    The Art of The Boy and the Heron

    The official behind-the-scenes art book celebrating Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest critically-acclaimed masterpiece, comprising 336 pages of image boards, background paintings, characters sketches and scenery, as well as the completed script. Those who can read Japanese (or cross their fingers and hope for the best from a translation app) can read Miyazaki’s original proposal and interviews with key creatives Yu Honda (animation director), Yoji Takeshige (art director), Okui (DP) and others. Or, simply enjoy being whisked away to another fantastical Ghibli world through the artwork alone!
    [Tokuma Shoten JP | ~$30]

     

    The Art of the Creator

    The Art of The Creator: Designs of Futures Past

    Dive into 200+ hardbound pages of never-before-seen imagery, interviews and a full journey from script to screen of the stunning retro-futurist AI thriller. Film journo James Mottram is our guide, following The Secrets of Tenet and Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History. Commentary from director Gareth Edwards, production designer James Clyne and stars John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney and Ken Watanabe bring the creative process to life, illustrated with concept artwork and production imagery that shows human talent remains, as yet, inimitable.
    [Insight Editions | $75]

     

    Star Trek Llower Decks USS Cerritos Crew Handbook

    Star Trek: Lower Decks — Crew Handbook

    The crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos, that fateful Starfleet vessel at the core of the hit Paramount+ adult comedy toon, offers insider tips to new recruits. The hilarious guide is penned by sci-fi author Chris Farnell, who also graced this dismal planet with the official Doctor Who joke book, Knock! Knock! Who’s There?
    [Titan Books | $29.95 | Dec. 19]

     

     

     

    TMNT Mutant Mayhem

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

    Bonus features: TEENage Mutant Ninja Turtles ● The Mutant Uprising ● New York, New York: The Visual World of Mutant Mayhem ● Learn to Draw Leo

    [Paramount | DVD $20, BD $25, 4K $33 | Dec. 12]

     

     

    Spirited Away Live

    Spirited Away: Live on Stage

    Includes recordings of both cast performances at the 2022 opening run in Tokyo, led by Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi as Chihiro.

    [Shout! Factory | $24]

     

     

    Cat City

    Cat City

    Deaf Crocodile brings another Hungarian animation experiment to light with this 1986 sci-fi animal crime tale by Béla Ternovszky. The release also includes three rare shorts from the director.

    [Deaf Crocodile | $35]

     

     

     

     

  • PGS Entertainment Tows ‘Leo the Truck’ to Global Distribution

    PGS Entertainment Tows ‘Leo the Truck’ to Global Distribution

    PGS Entertainment has announced a strategic partnership with Lazy Shrimp Studio for the worldwide distribution of popular YouTube preschool series Leo the Truck. Known for its engaging and educational content, the series boasts over 23 billion lifetime views on YouTube and is available in over 15 languages. Already, the series is available around the world on over 80 platforms, including YouTube, Prime Video, Tubi, Roku, Spacetoon and Telecom Italia, among many others.

    PGS Entertainment aims to further expand the series’ reach, enhancing its availability on various digital and linear platforms.

    “We are excited to bring Leo the Truck, a favorite among children in the digital world, into the PGS Entertainment fold,” said Philippe Soutter, Co-Founder of PGS Ent. “This partnership marks a significant step in broadening the series’ global influence. Our aim is to propel ‘Leo the Truck’ to greater heights in children’s entertainment, enriching young minds worldwide.”

    Appealing to the YouTube Kids vehicle content crowd, the show blends engineering concepts and storytelling. It follows the adventures of Leo the truck and his friends as they build new objects and overcome challenges in each episode. This approach not only entertains but also educates, introducing young minds to basic engineering principles and encouraging cognitive development. Currently, with two successful seasons and a third in production, the show continues to captivate young audiences worldwide.

    “Leo the Truck has already garnered significant success in digital media, reflecting our commitment to innovative storytelling and quality animation,” noted Vladimir Nabatov, Head of Business Development for Lazy Shrimp. “Our partnership with PGS, a leader in children’s content distribution, strategically aims to diversify the series’ reach across both traditional and digital platforms. This collaboration combines our digital expertise with PGS’s robust distribution network, broadening Leo the Truck‘s appeal on multiple media platforms. We are eager to embark on this journey, leveraging our combined strengths to make a significant impact in children’s entertainment.”

    pgsentertianment.com | lazyshrimp.studio

  • ‘Miraculous’ Seasons 6 & 7, Plus 3 Specials, Coming to Disney TV Worldwide

    ‘Miraculous’ Seasons 6 & 7, Plus 3 Specials, Coming to Disney TV Worldwide

    Award-winning indie animation studio ZAG and Method Animation (Mediawan Kids & Family) announced today that Disney Branded Television has acquired Seasons 6 and 7 of the global hit series, Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, as well as three original animated specials. The new season and specials will be available on Disney Channels worldwide, then on Disney+ globally (excluding select territories) thereafter, rolling out through 2024. The announcement was made today by Jeremy Zag, Founder and CEO, ZAG, and Julien Borde, President, Mediawan Kids & Family.

    “We are excited to continue working with Disney Branded Television to create first-class content for Miraculous fans everywhere,” commented Zag. “Our audiences resonate with this coming-of-age series about ordinary kids learning the importance of believing in themselves and understanding that you don’t need to be a superhero or wear a mask to reach your dreams and overcome fears!”

    The two new seasons, each consisting of 26 x 22-minute episodes, and original specials are produced in collaboration with Disney Branded Television, Brazil’s Globosat, Italy’s KidsMe and France’s TF1. The new season and specials also boast updated 3D CGI visuals, produced using Unreal Engine.

    Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir follows the adventures of two seemingly typical teens with secret identities, Marinette and Adrien, who magically transform into superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir to save their city of Paris from unexpected villains!

    “We are thrilled to continue the wonderful adventure of the two most famous superheroes among children with ZAG and our long-standing partner Disney Branded Television,” said Borde. “The Miraculous universe continues to expand, captivating an increasingly vast and demanding fan community. These new adventures will meet their expectations and are poised to surprise and inspire dreams.”

    Currently in production for a fall 2024 launch, S6 of Miraculous finds the superheroes facing a new and skillfull enemy. Meanwhile, their alter-egos Marinette and Adrien have never been closer — but are still keeping secrets from each other. Set in a revitalized, eco-friendly Paris, our heroes are about to experience a school year full of emotions and revelation.

    Now available on Disney Channel and Disney+ U.S., the first 44-minute special, Miraculous World: Paris, Tales of Shadybug & Claw Noir showcases Ladybug and Cat Noir discovering a parallel world where the holders of the miraculous of the Ladybug and the Black Cat are evil, while the holder of the miraculous of the Butterfly is a hero! The second of the three specials (title TBD) is currently in pre-production.

    With a massive fan base of young adult “Miraculers,” (ages 15-25), Miraculous has become a digital planetary craze with over 37 billion views on YouTube (authorized and user-generated content). The animated blockbuster “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie” launched theatrically in Europe in summer 2023 topping the box office in France and Germany; and launched on Netflix on July 28, 2023.

    Territories excluded from the Disney+ rollout include Brazil, China, South Korea (series extended only), Russia, Ukraine, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Georgia and CIS. 

  • ‘Piñata Smashlings’ Gets Greenlight for 2D Series from Nelvana & Toikido

    ‘Piñata Smashlings’ Gets Greenlight for 2D Series from Nelvana & Toikido

    Corus Ent.’s Nelvana and London-based Toikido have announced the greenlight of Piñata Smashlings, a new 2D-animated children’s series (26 x 11′). The series is available for international sale and already has confirmed placement with YTV in Canada.

    This comedic adventure, tailored for kids age six to nine, complements the previously launched Piñata Smashlings shorts, currently streaming on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel, with more installments coming soon.

    Inspired by the popular Roblox game, with a ‘like’ rating of over 97 percent, the series will showcase characters from the game, each possessing unique personalities.

    In the Piñata Smashlings series, audiences will we meet four friends who have been thrown together by fate to form a team of very, very unlikely heroes. Whether questing across the land unlocking maps or collecting fruities and power ups, these Smashlings are out to save the Piñataverse from the evil Bashlings and level up on fun along the way.

    “Piñata Smashlings is such a unique brand and we’re excited to kickstart production on the TV series, diving deeper into the Piñataverse.” said Mellany Welsh, VP of Nelvana Enterprises & Kids Can Press. “With multiple touchpoints through the successful Roblox game, toy and merchandise line, brand partnerships and animated shorts, the new series will broaden the fan experience and add a new way for kids to discover and engage with the brand worldwide.”

    “We are incredibly proud to announce the greenlight of the Piñata Smashlings full animated series in collaboration with Nelvana,” said Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido Ltd. “This marks a significant milestone for us at Toikido, as we embark on an exciting journey to bring our vibrant world and beloved characters to screens worldwide. Partnering with Nelvana has been a fantastic experience, and we’re thrilled to see Piñata Smashlings™ expand its reach globally, captivating audiences across different platforms and mediums. This series launch is a testament to our commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment and engaging experiences to children everywhere. We can’t wait to share the ongoing magic of Piñata Smashlings with the world!”

    Currently available for purchase nationwide in-store and online at Walmart in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia, fans can explore the Piñata Smashlings toy range comprising collectible figures, plush toys, and playsets. The collectible plush has earned recognition as one of Walmart’s “Top Toys” for Holiday 2023.

    The brand’s extensions include significant collaborations, such as an immersive Chuck E. Cheese in-game and in-store experience and the creation of the official mascot, Albärt, for Euro 2024 in collaboration with UEFA. Albärt will be integrated into the Piñata Smashlings Roblox game, alongside an exclusive Euro 2024 experience launching in May.

    nelvana.com | toikido.com

  • Award-Winning Animation House Folivari Launches International Distribution Arm

    Award-Winning Animation House Folivari Launches International Distribution Arm

    French animation company Folivari announces its new distribution arm, Folivari International, headed up by former Acquisitions & International Sales Manager at Dandelooo, Melissa Vega. Vega is also co-founder of Folivari International, alongside the Folivari management team Damien Brunner, Sarah Delmas and Thibaut Ruby.

    At launch, Folivari International will promote distribution of two Folivari originals: Nino Dino and Kiki & Ailen. The distributor is also developing its slate of acquisitions around demanding animated content with strong international potential.

     

    Nino Dino

    Nino Dino (52 x 7′) is a 3D CG animated upper preschool series based on the books by Camille Kohler and Thierry Bedouet. The animated series is directed by Aurélie Raphaël and Jeanne-Sylvette Giraud, with Damien Brunner and Thibaut Ruby serving as producers. The project is produced by Folivari and FOST in partnership with Europe Creative – MEDIA and PROCIREP/ANGOA.

    Synopsis: Nino Dino, it’s life and emotions size XXL: T. Rex style! He’s the ambassador of all children his age, he is excessive and temperamental. With him, everything takes volcanic proportions: he’s not tired, he’s exhausted; he’s not happy, he’s in paradise; he’s not grumpy, he’s furious! Even though he thinks he’s super strong, he’s still very small and wouldn’t go very far without his friends Cléa, Max, Alfred and Zéphyrine. But when the gang’s all together, adventure is around the closest rock’s corner.

    Kiki & Alien

    Kiki & Alien (52 x 13′) is a 3D CG comedy/sci-fi adventure aimed at kids ages 6-9, directed by Céline Gob­i­net and written by Matthieu Cho­quet. Folivari’s Brunner is the lead producer.

    Synopsis: Two naïve young extraterrestrials have come to our planet to mingle with earthlings, the better to observe them. But misconstruing pretty much every situation they come across, they end up triggering one disaster after another… Which their adopted duck then has to set about trying to avert! Quack!

     

    The new distribution business is announced as Folivari celebrates its 10 year anniversary. The studio was founded in 2014 by Damien Brunner, Thibaut Ruby and Didier Brunner, the producer of The Triplets of Belleville, and then joined by Sarah Delmas as Head of Developments in 2015. The company has produced a multi-award-winning slate, including feature films The Summit of the Gods (2021) and The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (2017) which both won a César Award and a Prix Lumière for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as quality TV content including Ernest & Celestine: The Collection and Samsam: Cosmic Adventures, which is currently being broadcast in France.

    In 2018 the Folivari team also set up an animation studio FOST, based in Paris and Angoulême, which specializes in 2D animation and preproduction for 3D projects.

    Vega joins the team with over 13 years of experience in the animation and kids’ content industry, including 10 years developing Dandelooo’s distribution department, managing acquisitions and international sales. She has represented multi award-winning and widely broadcasted titles such as Ernest & Celestine, Royals Next Door and Pompon Little Bear.

    “Folivari and FOST have long been on my radar as one of the most major and trusted animation companies and studios in France,” said Vega. “It is an honor to join the team to not only ensure that its award-winning original content reaches more audiences globally, but to also use my experience to source the most high-quality animated content for Folivari International’s exciting slate in 2024 and beyond.”

    folivari.com

  • The Magic of ‘Wish’ Comes Home on Digital and Disc

    The Magic of ‘Wish’ Comes Home on Digital and Disc

    Wish Blu-ray

    Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Wish will soon offer its musical tribute to the studio’s storytelling legacy. Fans can enjoy a sing-along movie version, never-before-seen bonus features and deleted scenes when the film becomes available from all major digital retailers, including Prime Video, Apple TV and Vudu, on January 23 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 12.

    Synopsis: In this animated musical-comedy, Asha (voiced by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist in the kingdom of Rosas, makes a powerful wish that’s answered by Star, a ball of boundless energy. Soon, Asha and Star must face a formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas (Chris Pine) — to save her community and prove that when one brave human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things happen.

    Directed by Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen II) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (head of story, Raya and the Last Dragon) from a screenplay by studio creative chief Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen II) and Allison Moore (Powers), Wish also features the voices of Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Evan Peters, Harvey Guillén, Ramy Youssef, Niko Vargas, Jon Rudnitsky and Della Saba.

    Wish Walmart exclusive set
    Wish Walmart exclusive set
    Bonus Features
    May vary by product and retailer.
    • Sing Along with the Movie
      Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with on-screen lyrics.
    • Featurette: Once Upon a Studio
      Beloved characters from Disney Animation’s 100 years come together for an unforgettable reunion.
    • 100 Years in the Making – The inside story on the making of Wish:
      • What Makes Disney, Disney
        Learn what makes a Disney film and its characters so distinct, memorable and beloved. Discover how Asha and WISH are quintessentially Disney — from the extraordinary challenges Asha must overcome, to the magical, Kingdom of Rosa
      • The Wish Equation
        What is a wish? Join the filmmakers for a surprising conversation as they break down the “Wish Equation,” discuss the “rules of magic,” and describe the role music plays in Disney films. Then hear Julia Michaels’ own original demo of “This Wish.”
      • Looking Backward to Go Forward
        Walk the aisles of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library as the filmmakers “draw” inspiration from 100 years of animation. Learn about the “Pinocchio test,” and how Wish’s design blends new technology with classic techniques.
      • Where Dreams and Reality Collide
        Discover the times and places that were the inspiration for Rosas and helped build the world of this original fairy tale.
      • Asha Means Wish
        Learn all about Asha, from her inspired design to her boundless determination and generosity. Uncover the subtle symbolism in her jewelry, and dive into her dancing skills. See how she’s imperfectly perfect and what makes her a memorable Disney hero.
      • The Return of the Disney Villain
        You’ll love to hate King Magnifico when you uncover his secrets. Find out what makes him the classic Disney villain — and why he doesn’t wear a crown.
      • Star Is Born
        Uncover early concept drawings to see how Star evolved into Asha’s lovable wish facilitator. Learn about Star’s sparkles, and why Star can communicate with Asha and the other characters.
      • Those Who Stand Beside Me
        Learn more about Asha’s closest allies, Dahlia and Valentino. Find out which of Snow White’s seven companions served as inspiration for Dahlia, and how Valentino breaks one of the rules of Disney animals.
      • When Wishes Come True
        Get to know the kids inside the filmmakers as the creators of Wish reflect on what Disney movies meant to them growing up, and what it’s like being part of the Disney legacy today.
    • Featurette: Wish D-Classified
      Wish is filled with references and nods to other Disney films from the studio’s 100-year legacy. From hidden Mickeys to more subtle tributes, you may have caught many of them, but check out this “D-Classified” piece for ones you may have missed.
    • Featurette: Outtakes
      Step inside the recording booth with the brilliant and talented actors of Wish for some creative fun as they bring their characters to life.
    • Featurette: Deleted Song “A Wish Worth Making”
      Directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn introduce this poignant song sung by Saba Sabino (voiced by Victor Garber) expressing what it’s like to be reunited with your one true wish.
    • Deleted Scenes – Check out some scenes that didn’t make the final cut:
      • Magnifico’s Secret
      • The Wishing Tree
      • To Rosas
      • Finding Flazino
      • Valentino Is A Star
    • Song Selection – Jump to your favorite musical moments, with on-screen lyrics.
      • At All Costs
      • This Wish
      • I’m A Star
      • This Is the Thanks I Get?!
      • Knowing What I Know Now
      • This Wish (Reprise)

  • ‘MOTU: Revolution’ Powers Up Official Trailer, John De Lancie Joins Cast

    ‘MOTU: Revolution’ Powers Up Official Trailer, John De Lancie Joins Cast

    John De Lancie_Granamyr

    Netflix and Mattel have dropped a taste of the supercharged ’80s throwback action awaiting viewers in Masters of the Universe: Revolution, the second chapter in executive producer Kevin Smith’s revival of the popular toy and toon franchise.

    In addition to the official trailer and key art release, fans learned that Star Trek‘s Q, John De Lancie, will be joining the cast to voice the character Granamyr.

    Revolution (5 x 25′) debuts on Netflix on January 25.

    Masters of the Universe: Revolution

    Synopsis: It’s technology versus magic when He-Man and the heroic warriors face the forces of Skeletor and something more in Masters of the Universe: Revolution — the new epic chapter in the battle for Castle Grayskull!

    The newly mechanized Skeletor, armed with the might of Motherboard, attacks the heart of Eternia while Prince Adam grapples with a new responsibility and what that means for him as He-Man! Adam is forced to choose between the scepter or the sword, and a life as either the King or the Champion! Meanwhile, the new Sorceress Teela searches for the secret of Snake Magic in the mists of Darksmoke to rebuild a magic realm and help He-Man hold off the greatest threat Eternia has ever faced: the return of the despot Hordak, the ruthless leader of the Horde Empire!

    Masters of the Universe: Revolution
    Masters of the Universe: Revolution [c/o Netflix © 2024]
    De Lancie joins returning voice stars Chris Wood (Prince Adam/He-Man), Mark Hamill (Skeletor), Liam Cunningham (Duncan / Man-at-Arms), Melissa Benoist (Teela), Lena Headey (Evil-Lyn / Majestra), Diedrich Bader (King Randor and Trap Jaw), Keith David (Hordak), Griffin Newman (Orko), Tiffany Smith (Andra), Tony Todd (Scare-Glow) and William Shatner.

    Masters of the Universe: Revolution is executive produced by Kevin Smith, Ted Biaselli, Rob David, Christopher Keenan and Frederic Soulie. The show features music by Sparks & Shadows with themes by Bear McCreary. Animation is provided by Powerhouse Animation Studios (Castlevania).

    netflix.com/MastersoftheUniverseRevolution

    https://youtu.be/tHC-VTmLlpU?si=KEC7UxRCacnTgYs8

  • Apple TV+ Races into 2024 with New ‘Peanuts’ Special and Returning Kids’ Series

    Apple TV+ Races into 2024 with New ‘Peanuts’ Special and Returning Kids’ Series

    Apple TV+ today unveiled its winter programming slate for kids and families, featuring brand new Peanuts content as well as returning fan-favorite and critically acclaimed series.

    Launching February 16, the new Peanuts special Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin uncovers the origin story of one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters and how he ultimately makes friends with Charlie Brown and the gang. (Read all about the making of the special in the February ’24 issue of Animation Magazine [No. 337], available now.)

    Acclaimed series also returning this winter includes the second seasons of the award-winning series, Sago Mini Friends, debuting January 26, and of the Emmy Award-winning series from The Jim Henson Company, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, debuting March 29, as Tony and Grammy Award winner, and Emmy Award nominee Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) returns for S2 alongside Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!), Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) and Emmy Award winner Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) in guest star roles.

    Sago Mini Friends
    Sago Mini Friends

    Sago Mini Friends

    Season 2 Premieres Friday, January 26

    Based on the charming characters and artful designs featured in the popular and award-winning Sago Mini World app, developed by Sago Mini, Sago Mini Friends is an adorable nod to gratitude, spotlighting Harvey the floppy-eared dog and his best friends, Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit, and Robin the bird. Along with a unique cast of residents as colorful as their own whimsical world, the four friends play, explore, imagine and celebrate daily in their joyful town of Sagoville.

    In each episode of the series, which is recognized as a Common Sense Media Selection for Families, Harvey and all his friends express their true thankfulness for all things, big and small, through optimism, kindness, preschool-friendly humor and unforgettable original songs!

    Sago Mini Friends is executive produced by Daytime Emmy Award nominees Jennifer Dodge (PAW Patrol), Ronnen Harary (PAW Patrol), Tone Thyne (Wonder Pets!) and Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy). Daytime Emmy Award nominees Laura Clunie (PAW Patrol) and Toni Stevens (PAW Patrol) serve as co-executive producers, with Chad Hicks (Kingdom Force) as series director.

    The series is produced by Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Spin Master Entertainment and animated by 9 Story Media Group’s Emmy Award-winning studio Brown Bag Films. Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and expert in the science of happiness, serves as the gratitude expert on the series through Apple TV+’s changemakers initiative.

    Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin
    Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin

    Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin

    New Special Premieres Friday, February 16 

    The origin story for one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, Franklin, follows how he approaches making new friends. Franklin’s family is always on the move with his dad’s military job, and everywhere he goes Franklin finds support in a notebook filled with his grandfather’s advice on friendship. But when Franklin tries his usual strategies with the Peanuts gang, he has trouble fitting in.

    That is, until he learns about the neighborhood Soap Box Derby race — according to his grandfather, everyone loves a winner! He’s sure that winning the race will also mean winning over some new friends. All he needs is a partner, which he finds in Charlie Brown. Franklin and Charlie Brown work together to build a car and in the process become good buddies. But as the race nears, the pressure mounts — can their car and their newfound friendship make it to the finish line?

    Produced for Apple TV+ by Peanuts and WildBrain, the special is directed by Emmy Award winner Raymond S. Persi (The Simpsons, Wreck-It-Ralph) and is co-written by Robb Armstrong (creator of the comic Jump Start) along with Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano, from an original story by Armstrong and Scott Montgomery (The Snoopy Show). Executive producers are Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, Cornelius Uliano, Paige Braddock, Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts and Logan McPherson.

    Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock
    Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

    Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

    Season Two Premieres Friday, March 29

    In the second season of the Emmy Award-winning series, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, the reboot of Jim Henson’s beloved classic Fraggle Rock, the Fraggles are back for more epic, fun adventures! This time, with big changes affecting the Rock, the Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs will be forced to confront their past and celebrate their interdependence, as they move through challenges together with hope, silliness and brand new songs, all while dancing their cares away … down at Fraggle Rock.

    Henson’s fun-loving and musical Fraggles — Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt — alongside new Fraggles and Doozers, embark on epic, hilarious adventures about the magic that happens when we celebrate and care for our interconnected world. Tony and Grammy Award winner, and Emmy Award nominee Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) returns for Season 2 alongside Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!), Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) and Emmy Award winner Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) in guest star roles.

    Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock is executive produced by The Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford, longtime Henson collaborator John Tartaglia, and Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson. Co-executive producers are Dave Goelz and Karen Prell, and executive music producer is Harvey Mason Jr. The new season is produced by Chris Plourde and co-produced by Tim O’Brien. The series is produced in association with New Regency with Yariv Milchan and Michael Schaefer executive producing.

    The complete first season of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock “Night of the Lights” holiday special are now streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Ellipse Animation Acquires Italian Toon House Studio Campedelli

    Ellipse Animation Acquires Italian Toon House Studio Campedelli

    French prodco Ellipse Animation (The Adventures of Tintin, The Garfield Show, The Smurfs) has acquired a majority shareholding in Studio Campedelli. Founded in 2008 by Pietro Campedelli and currently led by Anne-Sophie Vanhollebeke and Valeria Brambilla, the Italian production company based in Milan and Turin specializes in the creation and production of animated audiovisual content, including the series Calimero, Atchoo! and Tip the Mouse.

    The acquisition of Studio Campedelli marks an important step in Ellipse Animation’s growth strategy and the development of Média-Participations, which has already established a presence in France and Belgium (Belvision, Dreamwall). The addition of the new studio consolidates Ellipse’s station in the global animation market, while elevating Campedelli’s international visibility and growth.

    “This acquisition is a unique opportunity for us to combine our talents to create and produce new quality stories together, with the ambition of touching the hearts of audiences around the world,” said Caroline Audebert, Managing Director of Ellipse Animation. “It is also a great step forward for the European ecosystem of the audiovisual branch of Média-Participations, which is continuing its growth.”

    Campedelli principals Vanhollebeke and Brambilla commented, “It will be a pleasure for us to work with Caroline, Lila [Hannou] and their fantastic team, with whom we share the same professional ethics and content development strategies. I would like to thank Pietro Campedelli for giving us this great opportunity to work together to take on the future challenges of the global entertainment market.”

    The two studios are already working together on the series Versailles Unleashed (in production for France Télévisions) and on the feature film Prendiluna (in development).

    “We are particularly honored by the trust placed in us by Mr. Campedelli,” said Julien Papelier, Deputy Managing Director of Média-Participations. “He has contributed so much to the success of his studio, which is a real benchmark for Italian animation. He can rest assured of our commitment to developing it even further.”

    Campedelli noted, “I founded Studio Campedelli in 2008 after working as an executive producer of animated series for Italian companies, including Studio Laganà’s Lupo Alberto, the first series co-produced by RAI. The pleasure of seeing the professionalism of the staff I hired grow has enabled me to give them ever greater responsibilities and to attract the interest of a group the size of Média-Participations. To promote the development of the new group, I have decided to sell my shares to Anne-Sophie Vanhollebeke and Valeria Brambilla, who will be able to guarantee a fruitful future for what we have built. Before I leave the stage, I must thank the President, Julien Papelier. I am delighted to know that my company is now in experienced hands that will ensure the international growth of Studio Campedelli.”

    ellipseanimation.com | studiocampedelli.net

  • ‘Orion and the Dark’ Trailer and Cast Step Out of the Shadows

    ‘Orion and the Dark’ Trailer and Cast Step Out of the Shadows

    Netflix and DreamWorks Animation have shone new light on the upcoming animated feature Orion and the Dark, debuting the official trailer and announcing the voice cast. Based on the book by Emma Yarlett, the pic is written by Charlie Kaufman (Anomalisa), directed by Sean Charmatz (Trolls Holiday in Harmony, Pinky Malinky) and stars the voices of Jacob Tremblay as Orion and Paul Walter Hauser as Dark.

    The film will premiere on the streamer on February 2.

    Synopsis: Orion seems a lot like your average elementary school kid — shy, unassuming, harboring a secret crush. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a ball of adolescent anxiety, completely consumed by irrational fears of bees, dogs, the ocean, cell phone waves, murderous gutter clowns, even falling off a cliff. But of all his fears, the thing he’s the most afraid of is what he confronts on a nightly basis: the dark. So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark whisks Orion away on a roller coaster ride around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night. As the unlikely pair grow closer, Orion must decide if he can learn to accept the unknown — to stop letting fear control his life and finally embrace the joy of living.

    The cast list also features Angela Bassett as Dreams, Colin Hanks as Adult Orion, Natasia Demetriou as Sleep, Golda Rosheuvel as Unexplained Noises, Nat Faxon as Insomnia, Aparna Nancherla as Quiet, Ike Barinholtz as Light, Carla Gugino as Orion’s Mom, Matt Dellapina as Orion’s Dad, Nick Kishiyama as Tycho, Mia Akemi Brown as Hypatia, Shannon Chan-Kent as Adult Hypatia, Jack Fisher as Richi Panichi and Werner Herzog as the narrator.

    Orion and the Dark is produced by Peter McCown; executive producers are Walt Dohrn and Bonnie Arnold at DreamWorks.

    Don’t miss the March ’24 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 338), available early February, to learn more in our feature story on Orion in the Dark. 

  • 51st Annie Awards Nominees: ‘Nimona’ Scores 10 Nods; Several Major Studios Shut Out of the Best Feature Race

    51st Annie Awards Nominees: ‘Nimona’ Scores 10 Nods; Several Major Studios Shut Out of the Best Feature Race

    Today, ASIFA-Hollywood announced the nominations for the 51st Annie Awards — celebrating the past year’s achievements in animated storytelling and craft across movies, television, streaming and more. Bestowing honors across 32 categories as well as the special Juried Awards, the Annies will be held Saturday, February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles.

    This year’s most-nominated project is the ND Stevenson comic adaptation Nimona, produced by Annapurna for Netflix and directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane. The highly acclaimed, openly queer fantasy-adventure earned an impressive 10 nominations, including Best Feature — one more than Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio scored last year.

    Nimona is followed by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Sony/Marvel) with eight, The Boy and the Heron (Studio Ghibli/GKIDS) and Suzume (CoMix Wave/Crunchyroll) with seven, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount/Nickelodeon/Point Grey) and Elemental (Pixar/Disney) with six and Robot Dreams (Arcadia/Noodles Prod./Les Films du Worso/Neon) with five.

    In a first for these awards, perennially nominated animation powerhouses Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks have failed to make the Best Feature cut this year — in fact, the 51st edition will be the first in the Annies’ half-century history to not include a film from one or more of these studios in the category — nor has the hitmaker Illumination, which had two films this year, or the U.K. indie darling Aardman. Despite not making it to the top race, the Bristol stop-motion shops’ Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (Netflix) did hatch two nominations in other categories.

    On the television side, the most-nominated title was the Netflix revenge drama Blue Eye Samurai with seven nods, with the other most-repped shows being Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney/Marvel) with six, African animation anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (Triggerfish/Disney+) with five, Hilda (Silvergate/Mercury Filmworks/Netflix) and the sci-fi/horror series Scavengers Reign (Titmouse/Green Street/Max) with four each.

    Visit annieawards.org for more information.

     

    Annie Best Indie Feature nominees
    Indie feature nominees: ‘Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia,’ ‘The Inventor,’ ‘Four Souls of Coyote,’ ‘Robot Dreams,’ ‘White Plastic Sky’

    2024 Annie Awards Nominees

    BEST FEATURE

    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc.
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS

     

    BEST FEATURE-INDEPENDENT

    • Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia – Folivari, Mélusine Productions, Studio Canal / Distributed by GKIDS
    • Four Souls of Coyote – Cinemon Entertainment
    • Robot Dreams – Arcadia Motion Pictures
    • The Inventor – Curiosity Studios
    • White Plastic Sky – SALTO Films & Artichoke

     

    BEST SPECIAL PRODUCTION

    • Invincible: Atom Eve – Amazon MGM Studios, Skybound Entertainment
    • Shape Island: The Winter Blues – Bix Pix Entertainment in association with Apple
    • Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie – WildBrain Studios in association with Apple
    • The Smeds and The Smoos – Magic Light Pictures
    • The Velveteen Rabbit – Magic Light Pictures in association with Apple

     

    BEST SHORT SUBJECT

    • Carne de Dios – Ojo Raro & Fedora Productions
    • Daffy in Wackyland – Warner Bros. Animation
    • Humo – Outik Animation, 3rd Street Video, Mindsoup Entertainment, IMCINE
    • Pina – Punchline Cinema / Next Days Films
    • War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko – ElectroLeague

     

    BEST SPONSORED

    • “Video Games” by Tenacious D – Pinreel Inc.
    • Alzheimer’s Research UK “Change The Ending” – Passion Pictures
    • “Laugh Track” by The National (featuring Phoebe Bridgers) – Bernard Derriman
    • WWF “Up in Smoke” – NOMINT

     

    BEST TV/MEDIA – PRESCHOOL

    • Batwheels “To the Batmobile!” – Warner Bros. Animation
    • Ghee Happy “Navagraha” – Ghee Happy Studio
    • Playdate with Winnie the Pooh “Piglet, Tigger and the Cardboard Box” – Oddbot Inc.
    • StoryBots: Answer Time “Fractions” – JibJab Bros. Studios for Netflix
    • The Creature Cases “The Forest Food Bandit” – Silvergate Media/Team TO/Choice/Provisions/Netflix

     

    BEST TV/MEDIA – CHILDREN

    • Curses! “The Baboon Temple” – DreamWorks Animation
    • Hilda “Chapter 8: The Fairy Isle” – Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks
    • Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “The Beyonder” – Flying Bark Productions / Disney Television Animation
    • My Dad the Bounty Hunter “Bizarre Ride” – A Netflix Series
    • Shape Island “Square’s Special Place” – Bix Pix Entertainment in association with Apple

     

    BEST TV/MEDIA – MATURE

    • Big Mouth “The International Show” – Netflix
    • Blue Eye Samurai  “Pilot: Hammerscale” – A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
    • Bob’s Burgers  “Amelia” – 20th Television Animation
    • Scavengers Reign  “The Signal” – Max in association with Titmouse Animation and Green Street
    • Tomato Kitchen – Special Production – Bilibili / Studio Reflection

     

    BEST TV/MEDIA – LIMITED SERIES

    • Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire – “Enkai” – Triggerfish Animation Studio & Blinkink
    • Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection – “Yellowbird” – Afterman production in association with Max/Warner Bros. Discovery
    • Pokémon: Path to the Peak – “Episode: 1” – The Pokémon Company International

     

    BEST STUDENT FILM

    • From The Top – Student Director: Rich Farris – Student Producer: Martina Buendia Silva – School: National Film and Television School
    • Kolaj – Student Director: Besen Dilek – Student Producer: Besen Dilek – School: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
    • La quête de l’humain – Student Team: Mélina Ienco, Lucie Juric, Caroline Leibel, Faustine Merle, Claire Pellet – School: Gobelins, l’école de l’image
    • Quem Salva – Student Team: Laure Devin, Maxime Bourstin, Nathan Medam, Charles Hechinger, Titouan Jaouen – School: Supinfocom Rubika
    • The Little Poet – Student Director: Justine King – Student Producer: Justine King – School: California Institute of the Arts
    Annie short nominees
    Short subject nominees: ‘War Is Over!,’ ‘Daffy in Wackyland,’ ‘Humo,’ ‘Carne de Dios,’ ‘Pina’

    BEST FX – TV/MEDIA

    • Blue Eye Samurai “All Evil Dreams and Angry Words” – Production Company: A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions – FX Production Company: Blue Spirit — Thomas Decaens, Karl Burtin, Laurent Bretonniere
    • Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire “Moremi” – Production Company: Triggerfish for Disney+ – FX Production Company: Lucan — Matthew Dunwoody, Dmitry Sarkisov, Podchasha Yuri Anatolyevich, Richard Bothma, Emile Van Straaten
    • Star Wars: Visions “Sith” – Production Company: Lucasfilm Ltd. – FX Production Company: El Guiri Studios — Jonatan Catalán, Alberto Sánchez, Phoebe Arjona, Virginia Cantaro, Rubén Hinarejos
    • The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday – Production Company: DreamWorks Animation – FX Production Company: DreamWorks Animation and 88 Pictures — Sateesh Malla, Russell Richardson Jr., Akash Gopal, Basavaraj P, Kevin Rumold
    • What If…? – “What If…Kahhori Reshaped the World?” – Production Company: Marvel Studios – FX Production Company: SDFX Studios — Ryan Barringer, Rajkumar Gurudu, Bipin Kumar Patra, Pranil Ravindra Mahajan

     

    BEST FX – FEATURE

    • Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Production Company: Netflix Presents An Aardman Production – FX Production Company: Aardman Production — Charles Copping, Jon Biggins, Jim Lewis, Rich Spence, Martin Lipmann
    • Elemental – Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios – FX Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios — Chris Chapman, Tim Speltz, Krzysztof Rost, Amit Baadkar, Ravindra Dwivedi
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Production Company: Sony Pictures Animation – FX Production Company: Sony Pictures Imageworks — Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari, Naoki Kato, Nicola Finizio, Edmond Boulet-Gilly
    • Suzume – Production Company: CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. – FX Production Company: CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Yoshitaka Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Seshita
    • The Peasants – Production Company: Breakthru Films – FX Production Company: Breakthru Productions — Lukasz Mackiewicz, Kamil Polak

     

    BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – TV/MEDIA

    • Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake – “The Winter King” – Cartoon Network Studios — Alex Small-Butera
    • Blue Eye Samurai Episodes 101, 104 and 106 – A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions — Alex Bard
    • Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire “Moremi,” “Surf Sangoma,” “Stardust” – Triggerfish Animation for Disney+ — Andre DeVilliers
    • Star Wars: Visions “I Am Your Mother” – Lucasfilm Ltd. — Laurie Sitzia
    • The Amazing Digital Circus Pilot – Glitch Productions — Kevin Temmer

     

    BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – FEATURE

    • Elemental – Pixar Animation Studios — Jessica Torres
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Toby Seale
    • Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken – DreamWorks Animation — Prashanth Cavale
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Kenichi Tsuchiya
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Takeshi Honda

     

    BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – LIVE ACTION

    • Ahsoka – Production Company: Lucasfilm – FX Production Company: Industrial Light & Magic — Rick O’Connor, Mike Beaulieu, Stewart Alves, Kevin Reuter, Wai Kit Wan
    • Cocaine Bear – Production Company: Wētā FX – FX Production Company: Wētā FX — Carmelo Leggiero, Steve Braggs, Kevin Kelm, Cedric Enriquez Canlas, Kane Elferink
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – Production Company: Marvel Studios – FX Production Company: Framestore — Fernando Herrera, Chris Hurtt, Nathan McConnel, Daniel Cabral, Chris McGaw
    • The Little Mermaid – Production Company: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures – FX Production Company: Framestore — Pablo Grillo, Kayn Garcia, Ferran Casas, Stuart Ellis, Joseph Lewis
    • Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Production Company: Wētā FX – FX Production Company: Wētā FX — Kevin Estey, Kai-Hua Lan, Blaine Toderian Toderian, Richard John Moore, Joseph C.K Leong

     

    BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – VIDEO GAME

    • Atomic Heart – Mundfish — Mundfish Animation Team
    • Hogwarts Legacy – Avalanche Software ○ Tara Edwards ● Let’s! Revolution! – BUCK — BUCK Animation Team
    • Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Insomniac Games — Insomniac Games Animation Team
    • Teslagrad 2 – Rain Games — Aslak Helgesen

     

    BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – TV/MEDIA 

    • Clone High “Let’s Try This Again” – Max in association with Lord Miller, Doozer, ShadowMachine, and MTV Entertainment — Tara Billinger
    • Jessica’s Big Little World “Bedtime Routine” – Cartoon Network Studios — Nick Winn
    • Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire “You Give Me Heart” – Triggerfish for Disney+ — Lesego Vorester
    • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “The Beyonder” – Disney Television Animation / Cinema Gypsy Productions — Jose Lopez
    • Spirit Rangers “Water Protectors” – Laughing Wild / Netflix — Marie Delmas

     

    BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – FEATURE

    • Elemental – Pixar Animation Studios — Maria Yi
    • Merry Little Batman – Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment — Nikolas Ilic
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Aidan Sugano
    • Robot Dreams – Arcadia Motion Pictures — Daniel Fernandez Casas
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation — Jesús Alonso Iglesias

     

    BEST DIRECTION – TV/MEDIA

    • Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire “Moremi” – Triggerfish Animation Studio & Lucan Studio — Shofela Coker, Andrew McNally
    • My Dad the Bounty Hunter “Bizarre Ride” – A Netflix Series — Kenji Ono, Kai Akira, Patrick Harpin
    • Pokémon Concierge “What’s on Your Mind, Psyduck?” – dwarf studios for Netflix — Iku Ogawa
    • Scavengers Reign “The Fall” – Max in association with Titmouse Animation and Green Street — Diego Porral
    • Star Wars: Visions “Screecher’s Reach” – Lucasfilm Ltd. — Paul Young

     

    BEST DIRECTION – FEATURE

    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Nick Bruno, Troy Quane
    • Robot Dreams – Arcadia Motion Pictures — Pablo Berger, Benoît Feroumont
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation — Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies — Jeff Rowe, Kyler Spears
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Hayao Miyazaki
    Annie mature tv nominees
    Mature TV nominees: ‘Scavengers Reign,’ ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ ‘Blue Eye Samurai,’ ‘Big Mouth,’ ‘Tomato Kitchen’

    BEST MUSIC – TV/MEDIA

    • Animaniacs “Talladega Mice” – Warner Brothers Animation/Amblin Entertainment/HULU Originals — Steven Bernstein, Julie Bernstein
    • Babylon 5: The Road Home Special Production – Warner Bros. Animation — Michael McCuistion, Kristopher Carter, Lolita Ritmanis
    • Pacemaker Short Film – A Running Commentary — Christopher Lennertz
    • Star Wars: Visions “Aau’s Song” – Lucasfilm Ltd. — Markus Wormstorm, Nadia Darries, Dineo du Toit
    • The Smeds and The Smoos Special Production – Magic Light Pictures — René Aubry

     

    BEST MUSIC – FEATURE

    • Elemental – Pixar Animation Studios — Thomas Newman, Ari “LAUV” Leff
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation — Daniel Pemberton, Metro Boomin
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Kazuma Jinnouchi, RADWIMPS
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies — Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Joe Hisaishi

     

    BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TV/MEDIA

    • Blue Eye Samurai “Hammerscale” – Netflix Animation — Jason Scheier
    • Blue Eye Samurai “The Great Fire of 1657” – A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions — Toby Wilson, James Wilson, Emil Mitev
    • Scavengers Reign “The Storm” – Max in association with Titmouse Animation and Green Street — Charles Huettner, Jonathan Djob Nkondo, Pauline Mauvière, Hugo Moreno, Jon Juarez
    • Star Wars: Visions “Sith” – Lucasfilm Ltd. — Carlos Salgado
    • What If…? “What if… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?” – Marvel Studios — Paul Lasaine, Kristina Vardazaryan, Cynthia Halley, Ryan Magno, Simon Dunsdon

     

    BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE

    • Elemental – Pixar Animation Studios–  Don Shank, Maria Yi, Dan Holland, Jennifer Chang, Laura Meyer
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Aidan Sugano, Jeff Turley
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation — Patrick O’Keefe, Dean Gordon
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies — Yashar Kassai, Arthur, Tiffany Lam
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Yoji Takeshige

     

    BEST STORYBOARDING – TV/MEDIA

    • Craig Before the Creek  – Cartoon Network Studios — Erik Fountain
    • Fright Krewe “The Blood Awakening, Part 1” – DreamWorks Animation — Leah Artwick
    • Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai “Never Give Up” – Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Television — Kristine Lee
    • Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight “Apok-ta-pokalypse Now, Part II” – DreamWorks Animation — Grace Liu
    • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur  “Run the Rink” – Disney Television Animation / Cinema Gypsy Productions — Ben Juwono

     

    BEST STORYBOARDING – FEATURE

    • Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Netflix Presents An Aardman Production — Richard Phelan
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Esteban Bravo
    • Robot Dreams – Arcadia Motion Pictures — Maca Gil
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Makoto Shinkai
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Hayao Miyazaki

     

    BEST VOICE ACTING – TV/MEDIA

    • Archer “Keys Open Doors” – FX Productions — Aisha Tyler (Character: Lana Kane)
    • Craig Before the Creek – Cartoon Network Studios — Vico Ortiz (Character: Serena)
    • Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “Moon Girl Landing” – Flying Bark Productions / Disney Television Animation — Diamond White (Character: Lunella Lafayette / Moon Girl)
    • Solar Opposites “The Re-Visibility Bouillabaisse” – 20th Television Animation — Dan Stevens (Character: Korvo)
    • The Velveteen Rabbit – Magic Light Pictures in association with Apple — Alex Lawther (Character: Velveteen Rabbit)

     

    BEST VOICE ACTING – FEATURE

    • Merry Little Batman – Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment — David Hornsby (Character: Joker)
    • Migration – Illumination — Tresi Gazal (Character: Gwen)
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Chloë Grace Moretz (Character: Nimona)
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Hokuto Matsumura (Character: Souta Munakata)
    • The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Illumination — Jack Black (Character: Bowser)

     

    BEST WRITING – TV/MEDIA

    • Blue Eye Samurai “The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride” – A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions — Amber Noizumi
    • Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection “Yellowbird” – Afterman production in association with Max/Warner Bros. Discovery — Tsvetelina Zdraveva, Jerred North
    • Rock Paper Scissors “Birthday Police” – Nickelodeon Animation Studios — Josh Lehrman, Kyle Stegina, Aram Spencer Porter, Julia Prescott, Mike Trapp
    • Rosie’s Rules “Time Trouble” – 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films — Leyani Diaz, Maria Escobedo
    • Scavengers Reign “The Reunion” – Max in association with Titmouse Animation and Green Street — Sean Buckelew

     

    BEST WRITING – FEATURE

    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Robert L. Baird, Lloyd Taylor
    • Robot Dreams – Arcadia Motion Pictures — Pablo Berger
    • Suzume – CoMix Wave Films Inc. and STORY inc. — Makoto Shinkai
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies — Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jeff Rowe, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit
    • The Boy and the Heron – Studio Ghibli / Distributed by GKIDS — Hayao Miyazaki

     

    BEST EDITORIAL – TV/MEDIA

    • Blue Eye Samurai “The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride” – A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions — Yuka Shirasuna
    • Hilda “Chapter 6: The Forgotten Lake” – Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks — John Mckinnon, Mike Stefanelli
    • I Am Groot “Groot’s Snow Day” – Marvel Studios — Dan Urrutia
    • Star Wars: Visions “Screecher’s Reach” – Lucasfilm Ltd. ○ Richie Cody, ACE, BFE
    • The Legend of Vox Machina “The Sunken Tomb” – Amazon MGM Studios, Critical Role Productions, Titmouse — Todd Raleigh, Joelle Kristy

     

    BEST EDITORIAL – FEATURE

    • Elemental – Pixar Animation Studios —  Stephen Schaffer, Amera Rizk, Gregory Snyder, Jen Jew, Kevin Rose-Williams
    • Leo – Happy Madison for Netflix — Patrick Voetberg, Joseph Titone, Darrian M. James, Danny Miller, Brian Robinson
    • Nimona – Annapurna Animation for Netflix — Randy Trager, Erin Crackel, Stephen Schwartz, Ashley Calle
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures Animation — Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Editorial Team
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies — Greg Levitan, Illya Quinteros, David Croomes, Myra Owyang
    Annie kids tv nominees
    Kids’ TV nominees: ‘Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil’s Dinosaur,’ ‘Hilda,’ ‘Curses!,’ ‘Shape Island,’ ‘My Dad the Bounty Hunter’

     

    Juried Awards

    Juried Awards will also be presented honoring unparalleled achievement and exceptional contributions to animation.

    The Winsor McCay Award in recognition of lifetime or career contributions are being bestowed on three recipients:

    • Legendary animator and director Charlotte “Lotte” Reiniger (posthumous)
    • Prolific Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi
    • National Film Board animator and producer Marcy Page
    From left, Lotte Reiniger, Joe Hisaishi and Marcy Page are this year’s recipients of the Winsor McCay Lifetime Achievement Awards.

    The June Foray Award for significant and benevolent or charitable impact will be presented to the BRIC Foundation, Alison Mann and Nicole Hendrix, co-founders.

    The Ub lwerks Award for technical advancement affecting the animation industry will be awarded to John Oxberry (posthumous).

    The Special Achievement Award recognizing unique and outstanding achievement not recognized within the existing award category structure will be presented to The Artists of Walt Disney Animation.

  • Animation First Festival Unveils Limited Edition Peter de Sève Poster

    Animation First Festival Unveils Limited Edition Peter de Sève Poster

     

    Peter de Sève
    Peter de Sève

    The French Institute Alliance Française has just unveiled the artwork for the exclusive poster designed by Peter de Sève for the 7th edition of the Animation First Festival. FIAF will present the expanded six-day festival from Tuesday, January 23 through Sunday, January 28 in New York.

    A limited edition of 200 total posters have been printed, 50 of which have been signed by the artist himself and are available at Posteritati. During the festival, the artist will be on hand to sign posters at FIAF while supplies last.

    De Sève’s work spans four decades and various media, including magazines, books, television commercials, Broadway posters, and character designs. He’s best recognized for his New Yorker Magazine covers and his character designs for the Ice Age animated franchise.

    This year’s Animation First festival presents seven feature-length films (including three U.S. and three New York premieres), six short film programs, a “First Look” presentation, filmmaker talks, the annual Student Short Film Competition, program additions including a juried competition of New Francophone shorts, and a special spotlight on Québécois animated cinema.

    More information is available at fiaf.org.

    Animation First artwork by Peter de Sève

  • Trailer: ‘Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back’ Hits Aussie Theaters in February

    Trailer: ‘Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back’ Hits Aussie Theaters in February

    Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back

    The dynamic animal-hero duo Combat Wombat and her sugar-glider sidekick Sweetie are leaping back into action in Australian cinemas on February 29 in Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back. Below you can watch the official trailer for the film, a sequel to 2020’s Combat Wombat, from the Tales from Sanctuary City animated film franchise created by female-led Australian production company Like A Photon Creative.

    The colorful CG-animated action-adventure features the voices of Deborah Mailman (The New Boy, 2067, The Sapphires, Bran Nue Dae) and Ed Oxenbould (Paper Planes; Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; The Visit) as Maggie Diggins (a.k.a. Combat Wombat) and her sidekick Sweetie, along with acclaimed Australian actor David Wenham (Elvis, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Elizabeth Cullen (The Bureau of Magical Things, Bali 2002, Elvis), Mark Coles Smith (Last Cab to Darwin, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Sweet As), Dan Brumm (Bluey) and Grant Denyer (Daisy Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal).

    Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back

    Synopsis: Life has become a little too demanding for Maggie Diggins, a.k.a. Combat Wombat. Whilst the Sanctuary City crime rate is at an all-time low, she’s now expected to spend her days helping unclog drains instead of saving the world! But when evil tech genius Lenny Glick threatens to trap the whole city in a ‘perfect’ metaverse simulation, Combat Wombat and her sidekick Sweetie must work together to save the day.

    Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back  will open in Australian cinemas on February 29 and in New Zealand on March 7.

  • TokyoPop Announces ‘Captain Laserhawk’ Anime & Manga Event in L.A. Featuring Adi Shankar

    TokyoPop Announces ‘Captain Laserhawk’ Anime & Manga Event in L.A. Featuring Adi Shankar

    Publisher TokyoPop invites fans to a special activation and live event on Saturday, January 13 in Los Angeles at the AMC The Grove 14 for Captain Laserhawk featuring a personal appearance and live Q&A with Adi Shankar, the creator of the hit Netflix anime action series mixing alternative Ubisoft characters from its video game franchises.

    This event is presented by TokyoPop and Barnes & Noble in collaboration with AMC The Grove 14. Attendees will receive a copy of Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix Crushing Love signed by Shankar, a limited-edition poster and postcard. Details on the manga, which will hit shelves in print and launch on digital on January 23, available below.

    Captain Laserhawk Live Action at AMC The Grove
    January 13, 2024 | 3:00 p.m. PST
    AMC The Grove 14 189 The Grove Dr.
    Los Angeles, CA 90036
    Tickets available at: https://shorturl.at/mU345

    Aditya “Adi” Shankar is an acclaimed American film producer, screenwriter, film director, showrunner and program creator. He was the creator and showrunner of the first two seasons of the Netflix Castlevania animated series as well as the creator of Dredd and his “Bootleg Universe” one-shot series of fan films. Shankar is the youngest producer to have a number one film at the North American box office with The Grey, released in 2011.

     

    Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix Crushing Love

    Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix Crushing Love
    Story by Ben Kahn, art by Bayou Kun
    SRP $14.99
    Available January 23

    Dolph Laserhawk, the once powerful and illustrious super-soldier stationed under the oppressive Eden mega-corporation, evolved from a mindless killing machine to a rebel outcast on the run. But before he can finally be free of the manipulative forces surrounding him, he must relive the best and worst moments of his life.

    Using Marcus Holloway’s VR technology, he walks through his memories of living as a penniless deserter and meeting the love of his life, Alex Taylor. Reflecting on his passionate and tumultuous love affair with the ruggedly handsome criminal mastermind, he will eventually come to terms with the truth behind this crushing love.

    Immerse yourself in the first-hand accounts of Captain Laserhawk’s tragic past through this introspective manga adaptation featuring all-new scenes that explore Dolph’s conflicting thoughts and motivations leading up to the most memorable moments in his life.

  • Acclaimed French Film ‘Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds’ Breezes to NorAm with GKIDS

    Acclaimed French Film ‘Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds’ Breezes to NorAm with GKIDS

    GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the French psychedelic fantasy Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds. Directed by Benoît Chieux, the film held its world premiere as the opening night feature of the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France), where it won the Audience Award for Best Feature, and its U.S. debut at the 2023 Animation Is Film Festival (Los Angeles). The film will soon hold its New York premiere as the centerpiece film of the FIAF Animation First Film Festival on January 26.

    Sirocco is the first animated feature to be solo directed by Chieux, who previously co-directed 2013’s Aunt Hilda! Chieux is a two-time César Award nominee (Midnight’s Garden, Tigers Tied Up in One Rope), and served as the screenwriter for 2008’s European Film Award-winning Mia and the Migoo, which was one of the earliest titles distributed by GKIDS.

    Synopsis: What happens when you get lost inside your favorite book? Adventure-seeking Juliette and her sister Carmen are faced with this very question when they are dropped off at their neighbor’s house and quite literally drop into Juliette’s favorite fantasy book, Sirocco and The Kingdom of the Winds.

    Now transformed into humanoid cats, the sisters are quickly separated in this new fantastical land, which features flying divas, technicolor dragons and other mind-melting creations, including the mysterious blue-haired wizard Sirocco, who can control the winds. While Juliette and Carmen have to figure out how to reunite and escape back into the real world, they find it harder than they imagined to leave their new magical world and curious friends, in this singular fantasy vision years in the making from director Benoít Chieux.

    Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds

    GKIDS will release Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds theatrically in 2024, following a domestic release in France which began December 13. International sales are represented by Kinology, who brokered the deal with GKIDS.

    “We are so pleased to be able to partner on Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds,” said GKIDS President David Jesteadt. “This is a film we have been anticipating for years, ever since we saw the very first images. But in addition to absolutely unforgettable visual design and animation, Sirocco is a timeless fairy tale that we are sure will enchant American audiences.”

    Kinology CEO Grégoire Melin added, “We’re thrilled and honored to be teaming up again with GKIDS on this little gem that Sirocco is, also a tribute to many animation masterpieces starting with Hayao Miyazaki’s work which GKIDS has done magnificently well in releasing his last masterpiece The Boy and the Heron.”

    “Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds” has been lauded for its whimsical imagery and imaginative storyline.

    You can watch the French-language trailer below: