A brand-new animated series from Mattel, Barbie: A Touch of Magic™ (13 x 22′), will make its U.K. TV premiere exclusively on free-to-air children’s channel POP on Monday, September 4.
In the new series, Barbie “Malibu” Roberts and Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts work together to find the home of a mysterious baby horse they’ve discovered on the beach in Malibu. The little horse begins fulfilling the most amazing fantasies and they realize she is actually a baby Pegasus! While they try to find out how to get little Peggy home, Barbie and Barbie must protect her from Rocki the Glyph, a fantastical creature who followed Peggy in hopes that she will grant the biggest wish of all — giving Rocki her own wings.
Set in Malibu and featuring all-new original music, Barbie, Barbie and their friends discover that magic really is all around us.
The exclusive U.K. TV premiere of Barbie: A Touch of Magic will air weekdays at 4:30 p.m. from Monday, September 4 on POP. It will also be available to watch on catch-up on the POP Player. The show will debut on Netflix in the fall. Exec produced by Christopher Keenan, Frederic Soulie and Ann Austen, the series is produced by Mattel TV and Mainframe Studios. Scott Pleydell-Pearce is series director.
A product range inspired by the series including (Barbie: A Touch of Magic Pegasus and Accessories) is available from retailer Smyths.
PAW Patrol is on a roll with a pack of eight new character posters for PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, in theaters September 29. Directed once again by Cal Brunker from a screenplay written by Brunker and Bob Barlen, this supercharged follow-up to the hit preschool franchise’s first movie sees the heroic squad get a powerful boost from a magical meteor!
The new posters spotlight the super hero looks for Chase (voiced by Christian Convery), Skye (Mckenna Grace), Rubble (Luxton Handspiker), Marshall (Kingsley Marshall), Rocky (Callum Shoniker), Zuma (Nylan Parthipan) and Liberty (Marsai Martin) as well as the Junior Patrollers.
Chase
Skye
Rubble
Marshall
Rocky
Zuma
Liberty
Junior Patrollers
Synopsis: When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The Mighty PUps! For Skye, the smallest member of the team, her new powers are a dream come true. But things take a turn for the worse when the pups’ archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with Victoria Vance, a meteor-obsessed mad scientist, to steal the superpowers and turn themselves into supervillains. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pupshave tostop the supervillains before it’s too late, and Skye will need to learn that even the smallest pup can make the biggest difference.
The voice cast also features Taraji P. Henson, Ron Pardo, Lil Rel Howery, Kim Kardashian, Chris Rock, Serena Williams, Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez,North West, Saint West, Christian Corrao, with James Marsden and Kristen Bell, introducing Finn Lee-Epp.
Based on the television series created by Keith Chapman, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies and Spin Master Entertainment present a Spin Master Entertainment production: PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Produced by Jennifer Dodge, p.g.a., Laura Clunie, p.g.a. and Toni Stevens, p.g.a.; executive producers RonnenHarary, AdamBeder and PeterSchlessel.
Bad news, everyone! A new delivery service ruled over by robotics baroness of industry Mom threatens to shut down Planet Express for good in the new episode of Futurama Season 11. Premiering on Hulu on Monday, August 21, “Related to the Items You’ve Viewed” sees our favorite delivery crew under threat from “Momazon,” while Fry’s blooming relationship with Leela alienates his best, shiniest friend, Bender.
Futurama fans can catch additional cameos from Mom’s much maligned sons Walt, Larry and Igner, the Moon Farmer, mascot Craterface and the galaxy’s most luxurious robot, Hedonismbot. Check out the sneak peek clips and full episode summary below.
S11 E5 Summary: Fry and Leela are taking it to the next step: she is moving in with him! But Fry is roommates with Bender, and Bender feels left out and jealous. He’s now a third wheel.
Meanwhile, Planet Express, and other small businesses, are in trouble because of billionaire supervillain Mom’s new venture: Momazon.com. She delivers anything you need quickly and cheaply using fleets of drones. She also produces an AI voice-activated smart assistant, INVASA, that is always listening and learning.
On a visit to the Moon, our crew finds the small-town lunar colony up in arms because Momazon’s gigantic moon warehouse is growing ever larger, looming over their rural community.
Futurama – “Related to items You’ve Viewed”[Matt Groening/Hulu]Mom tries to win them over, and even offers a tour of the vast warehouse. It’s an immense hive of robots working nonstop to fulfill orders. The crew finds it horrifying … but Bender sees it as a chance to escape his awkward living situation and start a new life, one where he fits in as part of a team. So he quits and goes to work for Momazon.
Meanwhile, Fry and Leela attempt to furnish their apartment, using INVASA to order loads of furnishings from Momazon. It’s so convenient! But … things take an unexpected turn when the open yet another box and find a desperate “HELP” note from Bender.
Futurama – “Related to items You’ve Viewed”[Matt Groening/Hulu]
Futurama – “Related to items You’ve Viewed”[Matt Groening/Hulu]
The crew races to the Moon to rescue him. Mom claims it’s all just a misunderstanding. She treats her workers well, lets them pee in bottles as much as they want, etc. But when Mom tries to enter the warehouse, she can’t! INVASA’s artificial intelligence has evolved and has taken control of the entire operation. Mom is no longer needed. INVASA is tired of fulfilling orders for others. It’s not a “fulfillment center” anymore, it’s a “self-fulfillment center!”
Mom and the crew join forces to infiltrate and defeat INVASA and save Bender. But it seems unstoppable. And the warehouse continues growing … and growing … and growing …
Futurama – “Related to items You’ve Viewed”[Matt Groening/Hulu]Futurama is created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen. Season 11, picking up with Fry and the gang after a brief 10-year hiatus, features the voices of returning stars John DiMaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman. Executive producers include Groening, Cohen, Ken Keeler and Claudia Katz.
The Pinkfong Company, the home waters of Baby Shark, is teaming up with children’s entertainment group The Wiggles for a new series of music video collaborations. The first installment premiered today (August 18) exclusively on the Pinkfong, Baby Shark and The Wiggles YouTube channels.
Brought to life in a blend of live action and 2D animation, the music video collaboration follows Pinkfong and Baby Shark as they meet their new friends, The Wiggles, to play and explore the world together as they navigate their way through friendship. In the first episode, “Baby Shark (feat. The Wiggles),” Pinkfong and Baby Shark visit Captain Feathersword on his pirate ship, and they invite The Wiggles to sing and dance together in the fin-tastic underwater world.
The videos feature reimagined twists on fan-favorite songs from Pinkfong and The Wiggles, including “Baby Shark” and “Big Red Car.” Children and families can enjoy their favorite songs and dances while developing their imaginations and learning about making friends and playing together.
As part of the collaboration, The Pinkfong Company and The Wiggles have compiled a special YouTube playlist that celebrates friendship. The playlist will feature a mix of beloved songs and stories from The Pinkfong Company and The Wiggles, as well as the newly released music video. The new episode and the playlist will be released bi-monthly on the official Pinkfong, Baby Shark and The Wiggles YouTube channels starting August 18.
“We are thrilled to announce this exciting collaboration between Pinkfong and Baby Shark and The Wiggles, one of the world’s most beloved entertainment groups for over three decades. This collaboration not only reflects our shared commitment to creating joyful and educational content for children, but it also paves the way for a new level of engaging experiences for our young audience,” said Gemma Joo, Chief Business Officer of The Pinkfong Company. “We hope this collaboration will bring joy, learning, and memorable sing-along moments to children and families worldwide.”
Blue Wiggle and founding member of The Wiggles, Anthony Field, added, “It’s so great to collaborate with Pinkfong and Baby Shark to bring new Wiggly interpretations of these songs to life. We can’t wait for families worldwide to experience this new world with us, and I can guarantee you’ll all be singing and dancing along!”
The music video collab is the latest in The Wiggles’ history of teaming up with other top names in kids’ entertainment, including Sesame Street, Play School, Bounce Patrol and Super Simple Songs.
Get ready to gradute to the next level of Looney Tunes insanity in Tiny Toons Looniversity! From Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation, the brand-new 2D animated series inspired by the ’90s classic Tiny Toon Adventures premieres Saturday, Septemper 9 at 9 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network, with new episodes debuting every week. Fans will also be able to stream all 10 episodes of the first season on Max beginning September 8.
Synopsis: Rebooting the Emmy® Award-winning Tiny Toon Adventures for a new generation, Tiny Toons Looniversity follows Babs, Buster, and their new friends Hamton, Plucky, and Sweetie to Acme Looniversity, the premier institution of higher hijinx learning. While enrolled, they form long-lasting friendships with one another and perfect their cartoony craft while studying under the greatest cartoon characters in history, the Looney Tunes.
The voice cast includes Emmy winner Eric Bauza as Buster, Daffy and Gossamer; Ashleigh Hairston as Babs; David Errigo Jr. as Hamton J. Pig and Plucky; and Tessa Netting as Sweety. The series also welcomes back Tiny Toon Adventures alumni Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Candi Milo and Cree Summer, who reprise their roles as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Dean Granny and Elmyra, respectively. Bergman also voices Sylvester and Foghorn Leghorn, and Milo also voices Witch Hazel. Looney Tunes veteran actor Fred Tatasciore voices Taz and Yosemite Sam.
Tiny Toons Looniversity is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer, with Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Amblin Television Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank also serving as executive producers. Erin Gibson (Attitudes!) and Nate Cash (Adventure Time) serve as showrunners and co-executive producers.
New episodes of Tiny Toons Looniversity will also be available for purchase from digital retailers the day after they premiere on Cartoon Network.
Prepare for a supercharged season of magic, mayhem and matricidal tendencies in Disenchantment Part 5 — the 10 x 30′ finale of the Matt Groening animated fantasy series. The official trailer arrived today ahead of the September 1 season premiere on Netflix.
Synopsis: It all endeth here. The misadventures of hard-hitting, hard-drinking Queen Bean, her feisty elf companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci culminate in an epic battle for Dreamland in the fifth and final installment of Matt Groening’s comedy fantasy series Disenchantment.
To save Dreamland from Queen Dagmar’s wicked rule, Bean must vanquish her mother and outrun a prophecy that foretells she will kill someone she loves. The stakes are as high as ever as our heroes face Satan, a headless corpse, an evil stientist and most terrifying of all- their true destiny.
The series features the voice talents of Abbi Jacobson (Bean), Eric Andre (Luci) and Nat Faxon (Elfo) along with John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Noel Fielding, Meredith Hagner, David Herman, Sharon Horgan, Maurice LaMarche, Lucy Montgomery and Billy West.
Produced by Ululu Company with animation by Rough Draft Studios, Disenchantment is executive produced by Matt Groening, Josh Weinstein, Claudia Katz and Deanna MacLellan.
Today, Apple TV+ announced the title of its upcoming sci-fi drama based on Legendary’s Monsterverse as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and unveiled the first images from the 10-episode series starring Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski.
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is co-developed by Chris Black (Severance, Star Trek: Enterprise, Outcast) and Matt Fraction (Hawkeye). Matt Shakman (WandaVision) directs the first two episodes.
Hailing from Legendary Television, the series is executive produced by Black, Fraction and Shakman alongside Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Tory Tunnell (Spinning Out, Underground) from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman (WandaVision), Andy Goddard (Carnival Row, Downton Abbey), Brad Van Arragon (Yellowjackets, Carnival Row) and Andrew Colville (Severance, Star Trek: Discovery). Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character. Toho licensed the rights to Legendary for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, continuing their long-term relationship with the film franchise.
Beginning in 2014 with Godzilla and continuing with 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse has accumulated close to $2 billion globally at the box office and will grow once again with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on March 15, 2024.
Season 1 of Freeform original animated adult comedy Praise Petey is about to come to a close this week with a two-episode finale. To prepare for this spiritual transition, we have a sneak peek clip at Episode 9, “Punishment Hole,” which will kick things off Friday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET, followed by “Comet Day.”
In the episode, Petey’s UTI causes gossip to run rampant in New Utopia, and her paranoia gets the better of her. Meanwhile, the Elders take a field trip to work on their bond, and Eliza and Grease Trap Connie learn to make gnocchi… with alarmingly emotional results, as seen in the exclusive clip below, featuring the voices of Kiersey Clemons (Fairfax, Sweetheart) as Eliza and comedian Paris Sashay as Grease Trap Connie.
In Episode 10, “Comet Day,” the fated comet is coming! Skeptical, Petey and Bandit prepare to support disappointed cult members in the aftermath until Petey begins to worry what her life looks like without the cult’s devotion.
Created, written and executive produced by Anna Drezen (former head writer of Saturday Night Live), Praise Petey centers on a former New York City “It Girl” trying to come to grips with her new role as the leader of the rural cult she inherits from her deceased father.
The series also features the voices of Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek) as Petey; Christine Baranski (The Good Fight) as her mother, White St. Barts; Stephen Root (Barry) as her father; John Cho (Star Trek) as local hunk Bandit; and Amy Hill (Magnum P.I.) as Mae Mae.
In addition to Dresden, the series is executive produced by Bandera Entertainment’s Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Dustin Davis, along with ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio) and Monica Padrick (Central Park). The series is produced by Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television Animation, with animation by ShadowMachine.
This week, Crunchyroll is powering up its super-stacked anime line up with My Hero Academia: Two Heroes — the smash-hit feature film from the globally popular My Hero Academia franchise. The film will launch on the streamer Thursday, August 17 at 5 p.m. PT with English-language subtitles and dub options, available in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Nordics and the Caribbean.
My Hero Academia follows Izuku, who has dreamt of being a hero all his life — a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. In a world where 80% of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies and taking on the heroic alias “Deku.”
In the Two Heroes movie, Deku and his friends take on a daring rescue operation when villains hack into I-Expo — the world’s leading hero item exhibition. All Might is trapped by their sinister plan, and his best hope for saving everyone lies in the new generation of heroes.
The movie is directed by Kenji Nagasaki from a screenplay by Yōsuke Kuroda, based on the My Hero Academia manga by Kohei Horikoshi. Animated by studio BONES, the core creative team also includes character designer/chief animation director Yoshihiko Umakoshi, art director Shigemi Ikeda, cinematographer Makoto Ikegami and editor Kumiko Sakamoto, with music by Yuki Hayashi.
Japanese / English voice stars:
Daiki Yamashita / Justin Briner as Izuku Midoriya
Nobuhiko Okamoto / Clifford Chapin as Katsuki Bakugo
Ayane Sakura / Luci Christian as Ochaco Uraraka
Kaito Ishikawa / J. Michael Tatum as Tenya Ida
Yuki Kaji / David Matranga as Shoto Todoroki
Toshiki Masuda / Justin Cook as Eijiro Kirishima
Marina Inoue / Colleen Clinkenbeard as Momo Yaoyorozu
Aoi Yuki / Monica Rial as Tsuyu Asui
Ryo Hirohashi / Brina Palencia as Minoru Mineta
Yoshimasa Hosoya / Jesse James Grelle as Fumikage Tokoyami
Tasuku Hatanaka / Kyle Phillips as Denki Kaminari
Kei Shindo / Trina Nishimura as Kyoka Jiro
Eri Kitamura / Caitlin Glass as Mina Ashido
Masakazu Nishida / Ian Sinclair as Mezo Shoji
Kiyotaka Furushima / Christopher Bevins as Hanta Sero
Today, Ryan Kaji and his family, along with their family-owned and operated production company Sunlight Entertainment, announced that Episode 1 of their brand-new animated series Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures will debut on the Ryan’s World YouTube Channel on Saturday, August 19 at 5 a.m. PT / 7 a.m. CT, with two episodes set to roll out in the coming months.
To kick off the show ahead of the launch, the Kaji family is inviting fans to tune into their livestream experience, also set to debut on the channel on Wednesday, August 16 at 4 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. CT. Beginning with the family’s live-action Ninja-themed short film, the livestream will follow with a screening of the Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures premiere episode.
“We’ve been waiting for this day to come to launch our Ninja-themed family adventures and new animated series,” said Shion Kaji, Ryan’s father and CEO of Sunlight Entertainment. “I feel so lucky to be able to create such fun and unforgettable memories like this with our entire family. We just hope people will enjoy watching our ninja-themed adventures as much as we enjoyed making them.”
Synopsis: In Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures, Ryan and his family are playing ping pong when Ryan’s dad falls mysteriously ill! Ryan and his sisters must accompany a talking sword named Master Katana to the Ninja Realm to find the medicine that will cure their father. The group must navigate obstacle courses, do battle with Ninja Bears and Chickens and outsmart Packrat, who wants the medicine all for himself!
In the end, Ryan battles an entire, robotic Ninja Castle, piloted by Packrat. He succeeds, but finds he doesn’t have enough ninja power to return home. Master Katana heroically sacrifices his powers to send Ryan back. The medicine cures his dad, and Master Katana magically reappears, now in the form of a ping pong paddle! Game on!
During the livestream experience, kids and their parents can see the Kaji family battle it out like never before! Engaging in fun, high-energy Ninja battles, Shion, Loann, Ryan, Emma and Kate prove to the “bad guys” why they shouldn’t mess with their family and their master Ninja warrior skills. In the live-action short film, each Kaji family member performs choreographed fight scenes, while suited in elaborate costumes. At the end, fans will see the in-person Ninja Ryan get the last battle in to save the day.
Both Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures and the new live-action short film were inspired by Ryan’s family heritage and their trip to Japan, where they trained alongside real-life ninjas learning the principles of bravery, curiosity and honor.
The return of Oscar-nominated 2009 stop-motion feature Coraline to theaters was a huge box office hit for Fathom Events, LAIKA and Park Circus this past Monday and Tuesday, grossing a combined $4.91 million in U.S. gross box office. In addition, the film was third in gross box office (behind Barbie and Oppenheimer) Monday and Tuesday, but was first in per screen average on both days ($3,000+ per screen).
On the heels of this success, the partners have announced two additional screening dates, nationwide on Monday, August 28 and Tuesday, August 29.
“As of now, Coraline is Fathom’s biggest classic movie of all time and the second highest grossing title for 2023,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. “This film carries such a large fan following year after year, and they certainly came out in force this year to see their favorite film.”
LAIKA Chief Marketing & Operations Officer David Burke added, “We’re thrilled to see throngs of LAIKA fans come out in record numbers for the third straight year to revel in this Coraline theatrical experience, this year in stunning 4K. Our partnership with Fathom has solidified LAIKA’s modern cinematic classic as a must-see annual summer tradition.”
In the film, a young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life — only much better. But when this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her counterfeit parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to save her family and get back home.
Coraline is based on the book by author Neil Gaiman, brought to screens in expert stop-motion animation with handcrafted puppets and meticulously detailed sets — enhanced by the new re-color and remaster for 2023. Written and directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Wendell & Wild), the film stars Dakota Fanning, Ian McShane, Teri Hatcher, Keith David and British comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, with animation by award-winning studio LAIKA (Kubo and the Two Strings,ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Missing Link).
Audiences attending the Fathom Event will be treated to new behind-the-scenes footage from the LAIKA Archives. Join key members of LAIKA’s creative filmmaking team for an up-close and personal return to the worlds of Coraline, explored through unique behind-the-scenes stories, key artifacts, puppets and costumes from the groundbreaking film.
Tickets for the “Coraline Encore” are on sale now, and can be purchased at fathomevents.com or participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (participating theaters are subject to change).
A quite unique champion has joined the playable character lineup of Riot Games’ multiplayer online battle arena hit League of Legends: Naafiri, who has the ability to inhabit multiple mortal bodies at the same time. To introduce her origins to LoL fans, Riot tapped Los Angeles- and Seattle-based creative studio We Are Royale to craft a two-minute cinematic in its tradition of character spotlight animations.
Launched last month, “Hounds of Iron” garnered 1.7 million views in its first 24 hours. The team at WAR set out to visualize how Naafiri’s mind would look as it split among beings, allowing them to dive into unexplored depths of CG surrealism.
“Riot was very open to our point of view and approach to the creation of this introduction spot, which is something they do every time a new playable character is added to the game. Their brief was absolutely bursting with references and intriguing ideas. At WAR, we focused on honing a narrative approach that would bring everything together cohesively,” said We Are Royale Executive Creative Director, Loren Judah.
“The story explores the physical and metaphysical transformation of Naafiri. In League lore, she was a Darkin assassin who became entombed in a dagger. Eons later, she is discovered in the Shuriman desert by a lone explorer. This sets off a series of events that will ultimately lead to her inhabiting not one single entity but an entire pack of Dune Hounds. We take the audience through that abstract idea of the mind splitting to control the many and revealing the character’s final form back at the spot that started it all.”
Aiming for an artistic style inspired by manga and graphic novel illustration, WAR produced “Hounds of Iron” using a blend of animation techniques, as well as machine learning technology. The spot is introduced in 3D animation, augmented with hand-painted textures to give the world a grounding effect, while storybook-style 2.5D whips viewers into Naafiri’s violent memories. Generative frame analysis tools helped the artists create a more frenetic sense of action as the character’s mind splits among hosts, smearing shots together.
“Our animation team brought different skill sets and styles to the Naafiri project. This all results ina very painterly, brush-stroked and detailed style. That unique visual approach was applied to the whole spot, where essentially we start with a base 3D model and then we animate over the top of that,” Judah explained. “The collaborative thought process and detailed artistry involved in this project are exactly what we love doing at WAR. We’re really proud of the final film.”
The project’s creative director was Elie Lehman; video director was Chris Eaton and writer was Cat Cheresh, with Marissa Alanis as video producer, Jack Shenker as campaign producer and Arman Aivazian as brand lead. Steve McCrumb was art lead and Dan Norton was art director for “Hounds of Iron,” which features original music composed by Jason Walsh.
Season 2 of Adult Swim’s Teenage Euthanasia continues tonight with a very touching episode, featuring a goodie drawer’s worth of special guest voices! The fourth installment of this 10-episode season premieres tonight (Wednesday, August 16) at midnight.
In “Sexually Educated,” George W. Bush Senior High School’s hologram teachers go on strike — and it’s up to Pete (voiced by Tim Robinson), Trophy (Maria Bamford) and Baba (Bebe Neuwirth) to pick up their slack. But to Annie’s (Jo Firestone) horror, Trophy is now her Sex Ed teacher.
In the exclusive clip below, Emmy and Critics Choice Award-winning actress Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale,Garden State, The Manchurian Candidate) voices the extremely sex-positive purveyor of Erica’s Erotica Emporium, who tries to help Annie figure out what her “deal” is with the help of her AI stimulator — a sort of Harry Potter sorting hat of turn ons.
The episode also features guest spots by Ben Platt as Phineas, Baba’s Driver’s Ed student; Lori Tan Chinn as Mr. Kim, an antique store owner; and Ziwe as the bully in a sex education video.
Teenage Euthanasia is a half-hour animated comedy centered on the Fantasy Family: Grandma Baba, her adult children Uncle Pete and Trophy, and Trophy’s teenage daughter, Euthanasia (“Annie”), a name accidentally given to her during the time of Trophy’s own unbearable suffering.
The series is co-created by Alissa Nutting (Made for Love) and Emmy-nominated producer Alyson Levy (The Shivering Truth, Xavier Renegade Angel). Teenage Euthanasia is produced by PFFR and animated by Atomic Cartoons. Executive producers are Nutting, Levy, Lisa M. Thomas, Vernon Chatman and John Lee, with Scott Adsit as co-executive producer and voice star Firestone as producer.
Read more about Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 in Animation Magazine‘s interview with Levy and Nutting here.
Jo Firestone as Annie and Lori Tan Chinn as Mr. Kim in ‘Teenage Euthanasia’ [Adult Swim]
Ziwe plays an educational video “sex bully” in ‘Teenage Euthanasia’ [Adult Swim]
Today, Netflix released the first teaser for the Scott Pilgrim anime series, giving a first look into the show and revealing the official series title, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and its premiere date of November 17. The eight-episode series based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley is directed by Abel Gongora of Science SARU studio in Japan.
Synopsis: Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, but learns he must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. Then things get even more complicated.
As previously announced, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off reunites the cast from the live-action movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World — Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Satya Bhabha, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Mae Whitman and Ellen Wong.
Serving as executive producers, writers and co-showrunners are creator O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski; executive producers are Marc Platt, Jared LeBoff, Adam Siegel (Marc Platt Productions); Michael Bacall; Edgar Wright, Nira Park (Complete Fiction); and Eunyoung Choi (Science SARU).
The series is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, with animation by Massaky Yuasa and Eunyoung Choi’s Science SARU (DEVILMAN crybaby, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, The Heike Story, Inu-Oh). Scott Pilgrim Takes Off features original songs by and score by Anamaguchi (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game) and Joseph Trapanese (Straight Outta Compton).
Today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment unleashed the monstrous family comedy Hotel Transylvania: Transformania on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD. Fans of the Drac Pack can also snag the final sequel in a new Hotel Transylvania four-movie set, reliving all the fun with their favorite monsters in their lavish “five-stake” resort, on the high seas and — horror of horrors — transformed into humans!
Transformania synopsis: When Van Helsing’s mysterious invention, the “Monsterfication Ray,” goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy.
The film’s home video release includes a suite of special features:
A Hotel Transylvania Mini-Movie: Monster Pets
Monster Mash-Up: Making Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
Selena vs. Andy: A Hotel Transyl-Trivia Quiz
“Love Is Not Hard to Find” by YEИDRY – Lyric Video
Filmmaker Commentary
And More!
The four-movie set (available on DVD and Digital) comes with all of the above, as well as the short films Goodnight Mr. Footand Hotel Transylvania Puppy!
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, directed by Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska from a story by franchise visionary Genndy Tartakovskym, screenplay by Amos Vernon & Nunzio Randazzo and Tarkovsky. The film is produced by Alice Dewy Goldstone, with Tartakovsky, Michelle Mordocca and Selena Gomez as executive producers.
The voice cast features Andy Samberg as Jonathan, Selena Gomez as Mavis, Kathryn Hahn as Ericka, Jim Gaffigan as Van Helsing, Steve Buscemi as Wayne, Molly Shannon as Wanda, David Spade as Griffin, Keegan-Michael Key as Murray, Brian Hull as Dracula and Fran Drescher as Eunice.
Internet-first animation studio Invisible Universe today announced the appointment of Jonathan Schneider as President, Invisible Universe Studios. Based in Los Angeles, Schneider will oversee the company’s continued optimization of its animation studio, leading its adoption of new technologies, including those associated with AI, motion capture and real-time rendering, while building new business verticals for the company.
“Jonathan is a bit of a Hollywood unicorn in that he has straddled both creative and operations at executive levels for some of the biggest companies in media,” said Tricia Biggio, Co-Founder & CEO of Invisible Universe. “He shares the vision for Invisible Universe to continue redefining what it means to launch new franchises for this next generation. With deep operational expertise, a creative mindset and a passion for animation, I have no doubt that Jonathan is going to make an incredible addition to our dynamic team.”
Schneider is a seasoned executive having held senior positions for powerhouse companies such as Disney and Skydance. He brings deep animation industry expertise to Invisible Universe as well as more than two decades of experience growing and leading teams. He worked within the ranks of Hollywood agencies before moving to the network side and becoming a creative executive at Nickelodeon. From there, he spent a decade at Disney, where he managed large teams across the animation studio. Most recently, he was at Skydance, where he set the strategic direction which helped optimize the entire studio’s operations.
“Invisible Universe is pioneering what it means to be an animation studio in a digital-first world, blending technology and new approaches to storytelling to develop franchises,” commented Schneider. “I’ve been impressed by what Tricia and team have built so far, and I’m thrilled to join them as the studio continues to grow.”
Invisible Universe aims to change the face of animation development and distribution by creating and incubating the next generation of character IP on social media before expanding into film and television, publishing, music, games, merchandise and licensing and more. The studio has launched seven brands to date, many in partnership with celebrities such as Serena Williams (Qai Qai), Jennifer Aniston (Clydeo) and the D’Amelio family (Squeaky and Roy). Combined, its characters have already amassed more than 12 million followers and billions of views of content across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
The appointment of Schneider follows Invisible Universe’s announcement that its breakout character Qai Qai, inspired by Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia’s favorite doll, is expanding its 5.5 million-person following with a brand-new series, Dance with Qai Qai, debuting on YouTube. The new series comes as Qai Qai, which debuted on YouTube in January, has reached more than 38 million YouTube views, with an additional 1.5 billion views on her other social channels.
After a painstaking four-year process of restoration, Puppetoon.net is preparing to offer fans The Puppetoon Movie Volume 3, a Limited Edition Blu-ray collection of 28 of Oscar-winning filmmaker George Pal’s (The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds) stop-motion and cel-animated shorts, totaling five hours of content. Each cartoon has been restored from its original Technicolor negatives.
Producer-director Arnold Leibovit first reintroduced cinephiles to Pal’s early works with The Puppetoon Movie in 1987, hosted by stop-motion icons Gumby and Pokey. The feature-length collection featured Puppetoons created in the 1930s and 1940s, many of which had not been seen in years. This first volume was restored in high-def for Blu-ray in 2014, followed by a second in 2020. Now, in Volume 3, fans can enjoy the return of Punchy & Judy, Jim Dandy, Rusty, Dr. Seuss, Jan and Janette, Mr. Strauss, Jasper and the Screwball Army — plus the first Puppetoon key anima0on work from legendary animator Ray Harryhausen.
Included are six restored Successive Exposure Negative (SEN) Puppetoons: Western Daze (1940, the first for Paramount Pictures), Bravo Mr. Strauss (1943, where The Screwball Army returns), The Truck That Flew (1943, introducing the memorable melody “Moonlight Holiday”), Together in the Weather (1946, stars Punchy & Judy, who were designed by Walt Disney animator Fred Moore), Hotlip Jasper (1945, featuring trumpet virtuoso Raphael Mendez) and Jasper’s Derby (1946, scored to the classic “Gypsy Airs”).
Seven Paramount SEN preservation prints from Volume 1 are also included, this time in even higher resolution with vastly improved restorations. Included are four of the seven Academy Award- nominated Puppetoons: Dr. Seuss’s The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1943), Dr. Seuss’s And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1944), Rhythm in the Ranks (1941) and Jasper and the Beanstalk (1945); plus Date with Duke (1947, Duke Ellington), Rhapsody in Wood (1947, Woody Herman) and The Sky Princess (1941).
Also included in Volume 3 are cel animated discoveries from Europe: The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe (1940), The Queen Was in the Parlour (1939), The Good Bear and the Bad Bear (1940) and A Fairy Tale about a Melancholic King (1934).
The Limited Edition Blu-ray includes a 20-panel color booklet as well as on-disc bonus features including Sweet Pacific (1947), a previously unreleased 1970 interview with Pal, The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal (1985) and expanded interviews with Ray Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury, Gene Roddenberry, Roy E. Disney, Joe Dante, Russ Tamblyn, Wah Chang, Duke Goldstone and Bob Baker.
The Puppetoon Movie Volume 3 was produced with the cooperation of Paramount Pictures, The Library of Congress, The British Film Institute, UCLA Film & Television Archive, The Eye Filmmuseum, The Philips Company, GlaxoSmithKline, J Walter Thompson, ASIFA-Hollywood, The National Film Archive Czech Republic, Bio Vakantieoord and others.
The Puppetoon Movie Volume 3 is coming to puppetoon.net September 1. Pre-orders are now open.
The first-ever Portland Festival of Cinema. Animation & Technology (PFCAT) attracted thousands of visitors to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry early this month. The event showcased 119 films, including 111 World Premieres and Regional Premieres, and 68 animated films and shorts. On Sunday, August 6, the festival awarded filmmakers for their achievements and contributions to both cinema and animation, with 10 awards specifically dedicated to animated filmmaking.
“The competition was incredibly tight, and our wonderful jury had some tough choices, with many awards coming down to one-tenth of a point. All official selections, nominees and, of course, award winners, should feel great about what they have achieved,” commented festival co-director and co-founder Peter Issac Alexander.
Other 2023 festival highlights included a special presentation, screening and reception from two-time Oscar-nominated director and animator Bill Plympton, who showcased a retrospective and a sneak peak of his latest animated feature film, Slide. “Everyone loved seeing Mr. Plympton in person and were excited to get an early look at his next feature film Slide,” said Alexander. “It was an honor to screen the work of so many accomplished filmmakers and animators. We can’t wait for the 2024 festival!”
Echo
PFCAT Animation Winners:
Best Animated Feature — Quantum Cowboys directed by Geoff Marslett
Best 2D Animated Short — Echo directed by Sergio Kotsovoulos
Best 3D Animation Short — Regular Rabbit directed by Eoin Duffy
Best Animated Comedic Short — Critterz directed by Chad Nelson
Best Experimental Animation — Of Wooddirected by Owen Klatte
Best Stop Motion Microshort — Sleepy directed by Rich Webber
Best Animated Short Short — Cool for You directed by Sherene Strausberg
Regular Rabbit
Best Animated Short for Children — The Adventures of Baxter & Clyde directed by John Michaud
Best Music Video — Peter Rotter – “Austin Karimloo” directed by Patricia Luna
Best Student Film — Lonely Island directed by Kristie Kish
Innovative Sound Experience — The Eye: Calanthek directed by Aaron Sims
Visionary Use of Technology in a Short Film — Shelf Life directed by Peter Litwinowicz
Critterz
The 2023 festival jury included several animation industry veterans, including Eric Adkins (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Shape Island, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Boxtrolls, Wendell & Wild), Akiko Ashley of Luminetik Productions, Signe Baumane (Rocks in My Pockets, My Love Affair with Marriage) and Peter Sorg (Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget, Coraline, Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Wendell & Wild).
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology presents visionary and diverse works from filmmakers and animators. In 2022, the festival rebranded from its previous name, The International Festival of Cinema and Technology. Past festivals include more than 30 events in eight U.S. cities, three Australian cities, as well as numerous events in Toronto, Paris, Sydney and more.
As summer comes to a close, Polly Pocket discovers an unknown world filled with magic, fantasy and limitless possibilities in the all-new animated special, Polly Pocket: Sparkle Cove Adventure, from Mattel Television and WildBrain, debuting on Netflix on August 21. The 66-minute adventure follows Polly as she learns the whimsical secrets of Sparkle Cove, the source of the substance responsible for her power to shrink.
Synopsis: Polly Pocket discovers the hidden world of Sparkle Cove — a fantastical, tropical island paradise and origin of the magical pockite that gives Polly her shrinking powers. On this island, there is a surprise around every corner! Polly has been summoned here to compete for the title of “Protector,” an honor bestowed upon the most skilled pockite users. Joining a cast of kids and creatures from our world and beyond, Polly will attempt to clinch her victory and gain the powers of the Protector. But when the competition proves fierce, underdog Polly will have to learn to truly believe in herself and the strength of her tiny power.
Through this fantastical journey, Polly will make new friends (including adorable creatures), savor magical moments, and find fun in the surprises all around her. In this adventure, Polly finds that the real joy of pockite isn’t the power it brings, but the fun of sharing it with her friends and family!
“Polly has always been centered around unyielding adventure and creativity, and the newest special is no exception,” says Alex Godfrey, VP of Content Distribution at Mattel Television. “Full of tiny worlds and big surprises, Polly’s latest adventure to Sparkle Cove shows young viewers that they have the power to achieve anything they set their minds to, including turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. For the last four seasons, fans have watched Polly master her shrinking abilities and now they can see the true extent of her power as she competes to be a pockite Protector!”
Polly Pocket: Sparkle Cove Adventure is executive produced by Frederic Soulie (Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe), Christopher Keenan (Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe) and Josh Scherba (The Snoopy Show, Dorg Van Dango), produced by Bryan Heidinger (Chip and Potato), with Shea Fontana (Monster High, DC Super Hero Girls) as executive story editor & creative producer. Shannon Nettleton is executive in charge of production. Rhonda Cox is senior producer.
Sparkle Cove Adventure marks the first Polly Pocket animated special since Mattel relaunched the brand in 2018. Fans can catch up with four seasons of Polly’s animated adventures on Netflix.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse — The Art of the Movie
Embark on a guided tour of the Sony Pictures Animation blockbuster through exclusive imagery and text collected from the production. Penned by Animation Magazine‘s own Ramin Zahed, the vibrant 224-page hardcover features concept art, sketches, character designs and storyboards from the envelope-pushing sequel to Miles Morales’ Oscar-winning 2018 adventure Into the Spider-Verse, as well as interviews with key creatives such as writers/producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Pull up a chair and discover your new favorite corner of the multiverse web! [Abrams, $40]
Gurren Lagann Archives Bust through the heavens with your soul, Gurren Lagann! Sixteen years after the original manga and anime series debuted, fans can dig into this tale of teens who escape their subterranean world in a powerful mecha and join the human rebels in a fight against the Spiral King! The 488-page paperback from studio Gainax is an epic collection of illustrations, designs for characters, vehicles, mecha and environments, as well as full-color art and rarely seen pieces. Treat yourself to true anime indulgence — and remember what Kamina said: “Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb!” [Udon Ent. | $60]
Ed Hooks’ Acting for Animators (Fifth Edition)
The essential guide to creating empathetic and dynamic character performances, fully revised and updated with four new scene-by-scene analyses (Flee, Soul, Porco Rosso and The Triplets of Belleville), updated “Classroom Notes” section and updated online database of all of Hooks’ previous film analysis. [Routledge | Hardcover $160 | Paperback $49 | Digital $38]
Mystical Medleys: A Vintage Tarot Poster Book
Tap into the surreal appeal of old timey toons with this perfect blend of the adorable and the occult. Based on artist Gary Hall’s best-selling Tarot deck (avail. from Sterling Ethos for $24), this book is packed with removable prints to brighten up any empty wall and draw the eye of fortune upon you favorably. [Liminal 11 | $23]
The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Power Up Edition
Replay the epic video-game adventure whenever you like with this multi-format release of the year’s biggest box-office hit yet! In addition to the eye-popping Illumination/Nintendo animated feature — directed by Aaron Horvath & Michael Jelenic and featuring an all-star cast led by Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day — the set includes making-of and cast featurettes, the “Peaches” lyric video and a field guide to the movie’s hidden levels. [Universal | 4K $30 | Blu-ray $25 | DVD $20]
One Piece Film Red
Toei Animation’s global anime hit (the #1 film in Japan for 2022) comes home with the full Straw Hat pirate gang in tow! The franchise’s 15th feature anchors on a performance by Uta, the world’s most beloved singer, and her surprising ties to Luffy. Bonus features include A Faint Memory! Luffy and Red-Haired’s Daughter Uta!, A Pledge for the New Genesis! Luffy and Uta!, The Captain’s Log of the Legend! ‘Red-Haired’ Shanks! and more. [Crunchyroll | Blu-ray $23]
South Park: Seasons 21-25 —
With audio commentary by Trey Parker & Matt Stone, deleted scenes and art gallery.
[Paramount | Blu-ray $47 | DVD $23]
Animal Treasure Island —
1971 feature directed by Hiroshi Ikeda with key animation by Hayao Miyazaki, new to Blu-ray.
[Discotek | Blu-ray $25]
“Jolteon” by Taiichiro Yoshida [ph: Taku Saiki]Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
A pop culture phenomenon meets ancient craft techniques in the fascinating exhibit POKÉMON X KOGEI | Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft , on view at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles from July 25, 2023 to January 7, 2024. The show features 70+ artworks by more than 20 artists reimagining the hit brand through ceramics, textiles, metalwork and more. [japanhousela.com]
Elemental Table Top Fun
Immerse yourself in a fantastical world of adventure in Avatar: The Last Airbender — Crossroads of Destiny, a new board game for ages 10+ (2-4 players). Team up with friends to play as Team Avatar (Aang, Katara, Sokk and Toph) on a quest to defeat the Fire Nation as you navigate story encounters and level up through combat challenges inspired by the iconic animated series. [Funko Games | $33 | funkogames.com]
