Small heroes are in for a big adventure in Epic Tails, a new CG-animated family comedy imbued with mythological magic coming to theaters next year. Distributor Studiocanal UK recently revealed the new English-language trailer for the pic, which will open in U.K. cinemas on February 10.
Epic Tailstells the story of super-smart mouse Pattie and her feline friend Sam, as they embark upon an exciting adventure of paw-some proportions through Ancient Greece. With a little help from ageing hero Jason, the animals’ quest brings them face to face with some the most bizarre and dangerous creatures from Greek mythology, as they race to halt the threat posed to their city by Poseidon himself.
The English-language version features the special guest voices of comedian Rob Beckett (Cinderella 2021), Giovanna Fletcher (The Savages) and Josh Widdicombe (Josh) as the many Gods of Mount Olympus, including Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.
Produced by Toulouse-based studio TAT Productions as Pattie et la colère de Poséidon (Pattie and the Wrath of Poseidon), the film is led by The Jungle Bunch director David Alaux and producer Jean-François Tosti, who both co-founded TAT with writer Éric Tosti in 2000.
The moviepremiered at the Cinémed festival in Montpellier in October, and is due to open in France on January 25. Viva Kids has acquired U.S. rights from worldwide sales agent Kinology, under the title Argonuts.
HIDIVE (hidive.com) is bringing the gift of anime to shōnen fans this holiday season with the new simulcast series Farming Life in Another World and Ippon! again. Both will launch next season and will entertain subscribers with their unique mix of slice of life plus fantasy or sports drama, respectively.
Today’s announcement caps off the company’s upcoming simulcast line-up of nearly a dozen new series — part of an overall slate of 14 new titles set to debut on HIDIVE during Winter 2023.
Farming Life in Another World
Life cut short by illness at just 39 years old, Machio Hiraku knows not to take simple blessings for granted. When a godlike figure gives him given a chance to live again, Hiraku has only the simplest of wishes for his new life: to be healthy, to live peacefully, to speak the local language, and to spend his days on an idyllic farm. Fresh air, sunshine, honest work, and good company combine to form the happy, peaceful existence Hiraku has always dreamed of.
Farming Life in Another World is based on the 12-volume (currently) fantasy light novel series written by Kinosuke Naito and published by Kadokawa since October 30, 2017. The anime series will be directed by Ryōichi Kuraya (Overlord, Tsugumomo 2) with writing by Touko Machida (My Master Has No Tail, I’ve Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills) and animation by production studio Zero-G (Doreiku The Animation, Tsugumomo 2).
Ippon! again
After one last tournament and an embarrassing loss in the final round, Michi decides to call it quits on the sport of judo. Between high school social activities and entrance exams, she’ll have no time to compete in the martial art she loves most, but putting aside old hobbies is a normal part of growing up. Still, the love of judo lingers—and it comes back full force when she meets her new classmate Towa, the girl who bested Michi in her final match! Towa wants to form a judo club at their school, but she’ll need new members to get it up and running. United by their love of judo, they’ll throw in their passions into the ring together and score ippon again!
Ippon! again is based on the now 20-volume sports drama manga series created by Yu Muraoka that launched on October 18, 2018, in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine. The anime series features Takeru Ogihara in his TV directorial debut along with writing by Aya Satsuki (My Master Has No Tail) and animation by Tatsunoko Production’s Bakken Record (Pandora to Akubi, Exception).
The Animation Showcase — the online streaming platform bringing together the animation community and motion picture industry — is offering a special gift to friends and colleagues to cap off 2022 on a joyful note. Access holders can now stream Dean Fleischer-Camp’s critically acclaimed mockumentary Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
The feature-length film is free and available to watch in English with Spanish & French subtitles as well as English closed captions. Viewers and also enjoy a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Marcel on the platform.
Synopsis: Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family. A beloved character gets his big-screen debut in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connection in the smallest corners.
The film features the voices of Jenny Slate as Marcel and Isabella Rossellini as Connie. The picture has received nominations for the Critics’ Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Film Independent Spirit Awards this season.
Award-winning animation company Omens Studios is expanding its creative offering to global audiences launching its new program, the Omens Multiverse, to take animation and movie-based IPs into virtual reality and interactive experiences. The studio has two projects currently in development — Circle Line and Oasis — which will both be available as VR experiences and have NFT collections. Omens is also creating a Roblox experience based on hit series Leo the Wildlife Ranger, coming Q2 2023.
“We have put together a passionate team of experts to make our digital goals a reality and provide our audiences with further opportunity to explore not only our popular IPs, but to work with partners and brands to expand on their incredible storytelling, and give their fans an interactive and immersive experience not possible in TV and movies,” said Chi Sim Tang, CEO of Omens Studios. All three projects we have in development felt like a natural fit for digital extensions with their themes of adventure and the ability to transport audiences to new places or even worlds.”
The Omens Multiverse site launched on December 12 and comes with a Web3 framework based on the Ethereum blockchain. NFT holders will be able to earn Omens’ special token, the Omens Multiverse Token (OMT), which can be used to claim a number of benefits as well as in-world items in the VR experience.
Omens Multiverse – Circle Line VR
The first project, Circle Line, based on Taipan Film’s movie featuring visual effects created by Omens Studios, will offer an NFT collection produced with algorithmic generation and is scheduled to be released in late December, ahead of the movie’s release in Singapore and Malaysia on January 5. Following this, the roadmap for the project will conclude with the development and release of the Circle Line VR experience set to be released in Q4 2023 on major VR stores.
Through the program, NFT holders will be entitled to benefits including movie tickets, access to exclusive members-only content, promotional codes for merchandise and whitelist spots for priority NFT access in other Omens Multiverse projects. In addition to these perks, the NFTs can be staked to earn OMTs, which can be used to claim a free download of the VR experience in Q4 2023 as well as other special in-world items.
The immersive story-driven experience will allow audiences to step into the world of Circle Line, overcome obstacles and survive the night in a virtual reality experience that puts users in the thick of the action — face-to-face with the Circle Line monster.
Omens Multiverse kicks off with plans to bring fans into the world of horror movie ‘Circle Line’ (background), the studio’s award-winning short ‘Oasis’ and popular preschool toon ‘Leo the Wildlife Ranger’
Also currently in development is Oasis, based on Omens Studios’ award-winning first animated short film of the same name. This project will involve a brand-new series of interactive VR stories where the audience can play the role of a space miner — the gruff gorilla George, accompanied by wisecracking otter sidekick Trusty — caught up in a chaotic civil war. The NFT collection for Oasis is scheduled to be released in Q2 2023, with the VR experience launching Q4 2023.
Omens Studios is also developing Roblox experiences for its multi-award-winning adventure preschool series Leo the Wildlife Ranger. These experiences for young children are designed to be a safe, fun and engaging extension to the hit series and will be released in Q2 2023.
HBO Max subscribers who sadly bid farewell to many of their animated favorites this year received a small olive branch from the streamer today, when the platform revealed a launch date for its grown-up Scooby-Doo spin-off, Velma. The show is a rare animated gem amid the month’s premiere highlights.
Launching January 12, Velma is ‘an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Mindy Kaling), the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.’
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the 10-episode show also stars Glenn Howerton as Fred, Sam Richardson as Norville (Shaggy) and Constance Wu as Daphne. Other cast members include Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, Ken Leung, Cherry Jones, Frank Welker, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Fortune Feimster, Yvonne Orji, Sarayu Blue, Nicole Byer, Ming-Na Wen, Shay Mitchell, Debby Ryan, Kulap Vilaysak and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Charlie Grandy (The Office, The Mindy Project) is the showrunner/executive producer alongside Kaling, Howard Klein and Sam Register.
HBO Max offered a seasonally scary teaser back in October, watch it here.
[HBO Max]January’s lineup also features the premiere of action-adventure game adaptation The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones), takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. Premiers Jan. 15.
Other animated additions to HBO Max next month include:
Jan. 1 – Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, Jorge R. Gutierrez’s The Book of Life, Planet 51
Jan. 8 – We Baby Bears S1F
Jan. 17 – Sesame Street Mecha Builders S1E
Jan. 23 – YOLO: Silver Destiny
Plus, adult animation fans can look forward to the premiere of Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special in February.
The Cinesite group, one of the world’s largest independent visual effects and animation studio collectives, today announced a series of transactions which will result in a US$235 million funding package. This support will enable the company to continue its organic and acquisition revenue growth over the next few years, further develop its talent pool and serve its customers with creative innovation and reliability.
“Across the Cinesite group, we are very well positioned with significant opportunities to capitalize on increasing demand from Hollywood studios, production companies and streaming services,” said Cinesite group CEO Antony Hunt. “The platform we have built over the last few years coupled with the three decades of experience, world-class talent and trusted reputation will help us greatly in scaling and widening the scope of our business.”
NatWest Corporate Bank led the financing alongside Barclays, who are the company’s longstanding bankers, with flexibility to allow more institutions to join the banking club as required. The overall package includes, debt, equity and mezzanine lines from existing shareholders.
“Continuing our strong support to the sector, we are delighted to lead the arrangement of this package of funding for the Cinesite group. The business has a well-established track record and an outstanding reputation for producing high quality animation and VFX,” said David Munoz, Director of Technology, Media & Telecoms at NatWest Corporate Banking.
Richard Green, Relationship Director, Technology, Media & Telecoms at Barclays Corporate Banking, noted, “We have had an excellent relationship with Cinesite for over 10 years and are pleased to be able to support their future growth. This deal highlights our ongoing commitment to the business, as well as the sector as a whole, and we look forward to their continuing success.”
The Cinesite group, which has grown its revenue fourteen-fold since 2014, will use the funding to accelerate its growth by offering clients greater creative capacity, allowing the company to enter new geographies and business segments while building on its studio partnership model to expand its talent base and global footprint.
Cinesite is an award winning studio group with more than 30 years of industry experience. Its expanding capacity of over 2,500 artists and technicians serve Hollywood studios, streaming services and international production companies. Headquartered in London, the Cinesite group also has facilities in Montreal and Vancouver alongside partner studios in Berlin, Munich (Trixter), Belgrade, Skopje (FX3X), Montreal (Squeeze Animation & L’Atelier Animation), Quebec City (Squeeze), Mumbai (Assemblage Entertainment) and Vancouver (Image Engine), enabling it to scale to thousands of VFX and animation artists worldwide.
Hans Oerlemans, Managing Director of investment platform Gryphion, concludes: “As a long-standing investor seeing the achievements of Cinesite during our tenure made it an easy decision to continue our support. The company is well known for consistently delivering the top quality that is needed in this market and as investors our experience is the same — a management team that delivers.”
Recent Cinesite group credits include animated features Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and The Addams Family 2, animated Marvel shorts series I Am Groot, as well as VFX for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Willow, The School for Good & Evil, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Witcher S2, Matilda, Thor: Love & Thunder, The Book of Boba Fett and She-Hulk.
The studios are currently in production on projects including animated series Iwaju (Disney+), animated feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Nickelodeon), Foundation S2 (Apple), Poirot (20th Century Studios) and The Witcher S3 (Netflix).
With a “Certified Fresh” score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio topped Netflix Top 10’s English Films list for the week of December 12-18, with 39.38 million hours viewed. In its second week, critics and fans alike are falling in love with the film, which has received Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations.
Released December 9, the title climbed up from its debut placement at No. 2 for all English-language films on the streamer, clocking 28.08M hours viewed and coming in just behind the recently released latest Lawrence adaptation Lady Chatterly’s Lover (29.03M hours).
Christmas titles definitely rose through the ranks over the past fortnight. For Dec. 12-18, animated classic How the Grinch Stole Christmashit No. 7 on the film list (7.53M hours), while Netflix original Scrooge: A Christmas Carolkept in the race in its third week of release, coming in at No. 9 with 5.68M hours viewed. The musical Dickens twist launched December 2, hitting at No. 9 its first week (8.17M hours) and climbing to No. 4 last ranking period (13.05M hours).
The DreamWorks Animation special The Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus was demoted from the Top 10 this week after debuting at No. 7 (10.4M hours).
In TV (English), Sonic Primeraced to claim the sole animation title of the week, coming in at No. 5 after its December 15 debut (27.72M hours). There has not been an animated series on this list since October 24-30, when Big Mouth Season 6 premiered.
Topping the TV list for its fourth straight week of release is Wednesday, the goth-tinged teen fantasy-mystery based on Charles Addams’ macabre cartoon family. Created by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Smallville, The Shannara Chronicles) and starring Jenna Ortega, the Golden Globe-nominated series pulled in an additional 173.96M hours watched this week, making it the streamer’s second-most popular English language series of all time with 1.19 billion total hours viewed, watched by 176M households.
In Non-English TV, the anime series Lookismrepped animation at No. 8 in its second week of release (9.96M hours), up from No. 10 after its December 8 debut. The drama about a homely loner who wakes up in a strapping new body is based on the smash-hit WEBTOON digital comic by Taejun Pak.
The last toon to make the Top 10 in this category was JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: STONE OCEAN for the week of November 28 to December 4.
Anima, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival, will open its 42nd edition with the premiere of José Miguel Ribeiro’s first feature film, Nayola. The director and the Belgian co-production teams will be present at the opening ceremony on February 17. Anima 2023 will then run through February 26.
For his feature directing debut (co-produced by Belgian studio SOIL), Ribeiro tells the profoundly affecting story of a family torn apart by the Angolan Civil War. Moving between the present and the past, the film gives voice to three generations of women marked by the war while also leaving room for the love that continues to bind them.
Presented in the official selection at the latest Annecy Festival, Nayola won the award for Best Feature Film at the Manchester Animation Festival and is continuing its tour of international festivals.
Synopsis: Three generations of women hit by the war: Lelena (the grandmother), Nayola (the daughter) and Luana (the granddaughter). Two narrative moments that come together to reveal their undying love. In the past, Nayola sets off in search of her husband after he goes missing in combat and finds herself on a mysterious, devastating and never-ending trail. In the present, Lelena and Luana face a double threat, as a masked intruder breaks into their home and the police come to arrest Luana on the grounds of fomenting political unrest.
Nayola will kick off 10 days of rich animated programming, comprising more than 200 short and feature films. The recently announced Short FilmSelection was winnowed from more than 1,700 film submissions down to 154 shorts, including 99 in the international competition, 23 new Belgian titles in the national competition and 32 out-of-competition films in the animated documentary program, Queer Stories program and inaugural Women’s Perspective program.
Many of this year’s films reflect the desire to use animation, regardless of the format, to get a message across. Besides documentary films, Anima curators say inclusive films also stand out and are making their presence felt in 2023: the Queer Stories program, which celebrates LGBTQIA+ love, is returning while the new Women’s Perspective program makes its debut to showcase a range of short films that amplify women’s voices as they speak frankly about love, intimacy, the body, motherhood and more.
Coming from 25 different countries (including 16 European ones), the films in the international competition demonstrate the richness of contemporary animation. Some of the films selected have already won awards at many festivals around the world: Bird in the Peninsulaby Japan’s Atsushi Wada (Grand Prize for best short at Ottawa), Ice Merchants by Portugal’s João Gonzalez (Cannes Critics’ Week prize winner) and Personaby Korea’s Sujin Moon (Annecy Graduation Film Cristal). In an unexpected show of force, there is also a contingent of five student films from Hungary in the mix.
Belgian animation continues to put itself forward in the animation landscape, with 32 films selected out of 108 submissions (23 of which are in national competition). Among these local talents, Noémie Marsily, director of Autour du Lac, returns with Ce qui bouge est vivant (What Moves Is Alive), a subtle tale about motherhood, while Eternalheralds the return of Gerlando Infuso, winner of the Magritte for best animated short film in 2019 for La Bague au doigt.
In addition to the national competition, the Belgian panorama also offers a good overview of the latest domestic films, particularly co-productions with Canard (Duck) by Elie Chapuis and Le Chant du Cachalot (The Song of the Sperm Whale), co-produced by the studios Beast Animation and Zorobabel, respectively. It also marks the return of Belgian animation pioneer Raoul Servais with Der Lange Kerl (The Tall Guy), a partially animated short film co-directed by Rudy Pinceel.
The jury for the international short film competition will be made up of Gaëlle Grisard (illustrator and teacher), Pablo Pico (composer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in animated films) and Yiorgos Tsangaris (director and head of Animafest in Cyprus).
The national competition jury will be made up of Laura Almantaite (producer and director of the BLON Animation and Games Festival in Lithuania), Jean-François Bigot (producer at JPL Films) and Pascale Hecquet, illustrator and director of a dozen short films for children that have been selected in festivals around the world.
The other three official juries (young audience, feature films and virtual reality) will be revealed later, as other selection announcements are made.
The complete program of Anima 2023 will be announced January 24. For more information and to register to attend, visit animfestival.be
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB | nfb.ca) will be part of the prestigious Young Audience competition at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival with the brand-new film Harvey, directed by Janice Nadeau. The animated short will have its world premiere at the event — purported to be the world’s largest festival dedicated to short films — which runs January 27 to February 4.
Adapted from the graphic novel of the same name, written by Hervé Bouchard and illustrated by Janice Nadeau (éditions de La Pastèque), Harvey depicts a young boy who candidly recalls the spring day when his world turned upside down.
Filled with original little touches and told through the eyes of a child with an overflowing imagination and featuring music by Martin Léon (My SalingerYear), the piece poetically examines bereavement and coping with the loss of a parent.
Harvey is co-produced by the NFB (Marc Bertrand) and Folimage (Reginald de Guillebon), with the support of the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée. Folimage’s Corinne Destombes was head of development.
The production was supported by a crew that included lead animators Claude Cloutier (director of Bad Seeds and Carface) and Marc Robinet (dir., Opération Père Noël) and sound designer Olivier Calvert.
Nadeau has illustrated numerous books and is a three-time recipient of Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Literary Award. She also directed the animated films No Fish Where to Go (NFB, 2014, with Nicola Lemay) and Mamie (NFB/Folimage, 2016), which were shown at more than 50 international festivals and won several awards.
Harvey
In addition to this world premiere screening, animated highlights of Clermont-Ferrand 2023 include:
Julie Ecoffey’s But What Does It Men? (Switzerland) and Joachim Hérissé’s Skinned (France) in the International Competition
Osman Cerfon’s Aaah!, Florentina Gonzalez’s El After del Mundo, Manon Tacconi’s Cupid’s Bow, Mohammad Babakoohi’s Fires, Gobelins graduation short Go Fishboy and Camille Authouart’s The Great Arc in the National Competition
Balázs Turai’s Amok (Hungary/Romania), Nikita Diakur’s Backflip (Germany/France), Atsushi Wada’s Bird in the Peninsula (France/Japan), Elizabeth Hobbs’ The Debutante (U.K.), Leo Černic’s Pentola (Italy), Sujin Moon’s Persona (S. Korea), Laen Sanches’ PLSTC (France) and Joseph Pierce’s Scale (France/Belgium/U.K.) in the Lab Competition
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race should be ready to get served some holiday cheer with an extra girdle twisting dash of Bianca Del Rio sass. Launched today, the new animated holiday short Bianca Saves Christmas features the Season 6 winner and arrives as Bianca is proclaimed the next host of The Pit Stop.
In the finest traditions of the stop-motion special, Bianca Saves Christmas opens on our heroine preparing to read a cozy gathering to filth with the 100% true story of how she once saved her benighted town from a hopeless holiday:
Bianca Saves Christmas brings audiences to the year 2009, where Palm Springs is a ghost town. Christmas cheer has plummeted to new lows, and Bianca Del Rio is the holiday’s last hope. Bianca’s Butler (voiced by Cheyenne Jackson) hopes to convince the Queen of Mean to save Christmas… but will she!?
The animation was done by award-winning Brooklyn studio Cartuna.
On The Pit Stop, Bianca and her guest for the episode will recap and review the most recent episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, which premieres Friday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. New episodes of The Pit Stop will premiere Saturdays on the RuPaul’s Drag Race YouTube channel.
You can stream Bianca Saves Christmas across all of RDR‘s social channels, @rupaulsdragrace on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
French kids’ entertainment powerhouse TeamTO has announced the opening of its new, cutting-edge studio in Paris — a facility that will further the studio’s ambitions to create quality animated content and commitment to social and environmental issues.
Located in the Bastille neighborhood, the studio will feature a host of energy saving and green protocols, significantly reducing its carbon footprint and making it one of the most energy-efficient studios in France. The innovative methods developed are the culmination of 15 years of research and experimentation initiated by founder Guillaume Hellouin and implemented by TeamTO CTO Jean-Baptiste Spieser and his team.
TeamTO’s environmental policies started 17 years ago, with everyday micro-choices such as going paperless, using only reusable cups and utensils, encouraging the use of electric or pedal-powered vehicles and even experimenting with warming up a swimming pool using heat from their servers.
Larger green initiatives for the new studio include: choosing the location based on the commuting distances and access of its 200+ employees to reduce travel; using only recycled wood in the construction; green areas that require minimal water while providing bird and insect ecosystems; hot-fridge systems in place of microwaves; low-energy, free cooling ventilation; 100% renewable energy; extending the use of workstations (six years) and servers (10 years); and a data-center enhanced by an AI based open source management software.
Together, TeamTO says these cutting-edge technologies and policies will reduce the studio’s carbon footprint by 63%.
Guillaume Hellouin
“I’m so proud of the work achieved by our entire team, from technical to production, who over the past four years where able to imagine, develop and create this incredible, artist-centered and forward-thinking animation studio,” said Hellouin. “The result is truly amazing, it is a nest that will nurture the next generation of talent for the next 15 years!”
In 2012 TeamTO received UNESCO recognition for Plankton Invasion, an animated satire on global warming for teenagers & young adults. During the production of the series, TeamTO developed the first carbon footprint calculator for animation. Currently, TeamtTO’S CTO Jean-Baptiste Spieser and his team are working with AnimFrance and La Cartouch Verte to create an updated animation carbon footprint calculator for the industry. Their science- based approach can provide any producer or studio with a tool to accurately monitor their activities.
Hellouin and TeamTO co-founder Corinne Kouper are multi-award-winning kids’ content producers who have won broad international recognition for their animated series (including Emmys, Annies, Pulcinellas, Cartoon Tribute for Producer of the Year), as well as for their impact on the industry as a whole (Ecran Total Personality of the Year, World Animation Summit Hall of Fame, UNESCO, et al). They also have contributed concretely to the diversification in the production business, and an increase of the French talent pool, with their free animation school (ECAS), and Kouper’s work with Les Femmes s’Animent (the French organization for women in animation).
Founded in 2005 by Hellouin, Kouper and Caroline Souris, TeamTO is one of Europe’s leading kids entertainment companies. Its original series include Jade Armor, Mighty Mike, Emmy-nominated Angelo Rules, Presto! School of Magic, My Knight and Me, Oscar’s Oasis and the feature film Yellowbird; third-party productions include Netflix’s Emmy-winning City of Ghosts, Silvergate’s Creature Cases, eOne’s PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom and Kiya; Activision Blizzard’s Skylanders Academy and Ubisoft’s Rabbids Invasion. The company employs 400+ artists in its Paris and Valence studios, with offices in Beijing, Toronto and Los Angeles.
Kalidor Media Group, Viskatoons, Xentrix Studios and virtual world/social platform Netvrk have announced their partnership to release the animated TV series called Jungle Freaks – The Animated Series, based on the NFT project Jungle Freaks newly acquired by Ken Cantrill and Peter Viska of Kalidor. Netvrk will house the content and digital landscape of this new Web3 toon venture.
“The NFT market has opened many doors for the animation sector, it’s showcased the talent of numerous artists and unearthed many wonderful stories. In addition, it has released this incredibly exciting world we now called the metaverse,” said Cantrill, Head of Creative for Kalidor and co-creator of the series. “Netvrk is one of the leaders in this field and we are excited to have signed this partnership. Partnering with Netvrk was obvious from the outset as every animated series needs a location, a universe, a metaverse. The Jungle Freaks animated series is unique. It’s the first NFT project to be transformed into a series located inside a digital landscape.”
Viska, CEO of Kalidor and Viskatoon, noted, “This is the new paradigm the industry has been searching for to cater for the incubations, production and screening of concepts beyond the realms of conventional screens.”
Xentrix Studios will back the production with its animation expertise, honed through frequent collaborations with leading entertainment brands such as Marvel, Warner Bros., Paramount, Nickelodeon and DC. The studio already works with Unreal Engine and Unity, and will be producing Jungle Freaks – The Animated Series in high-fidelity 3D CGI ready for metaverse and Web3 integration.
“Xentrix is excited to partner with Netvrk to ride the next wave of digital content creation using real time technology through innovative business models,” said Nandish Dolmur, CEO of Xentrix Studios.
Netvrk is planning a fully immersive experience for Jungle Freaks fans, which will allow the audience to explore its world along with the series and interact with other users inside the same environment featured in the show. Access will be available via Netvrk’s forthcoming social spaces and gaming venues.
“With our vision to establish the world’s premier 3D content creation, monetization, and social platform for everyone, it makes perfect sense to become the virtual home for all IPs. We plan to give an added level of experience and storytelling,” said Netvrk CEO Linus Chee. “A partnership with Kalidor/Xentrix and the Jungle Freaks TV show opens up new possibilities that every animation project can employ. A way for projects to seamlessly enter into Web3 with us as the bridge.
“We are excited about working with Ken and the entire team at Kalidor and Xentrix to bring not only Jungle Freaks but all their IP to life inside the Web3 space. Ken’s passion for Jungle Freaks and Netvrk is addictive.”
David Lopez-Kurtz, CEO, BSL Group and Attorney, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, commented on the partnership: “Any digital asset, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), can be classified by regulators as a ‘security.’ By embracing available regulatory infrastructure, Kalidor Media Group, Viskatoons, Xentrix Studios, and Netvrk are pressing forward to an exciting future where economics and expectation of profits are appropriately offered and sold pursuant to applicable securities law, while simultaneously affording purchasers and community members the ability to enjoy Web3 freedoms and mechanisms.”
Terry Pratchett fans of all ages are preparing to enter an animated Discworld adventure when The Amazing Maurice makes its U.S. premiere! Selected to screen at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January, the CG-animated family flick will get a nationwide release through Viva Kids on February 3.
The stateside distributor has issued a new trailer to mark the occasion, which introduces Pratchett’s deconstructed fairytale with hints at a sinister plot — and the brave, if comical, characters ready to prat fall their way to uncovering it.
Emilia Clarke voices Malicia in ‘The Amazing Maurice’
Synopsis: Maurice is a sassy, street-smart cat with a sneaky disposition. Together with his band of rats and pied-piper friend, he travels across the countryside, swindling villagers with a staged rat plague. All seems well when the gang sets its sights on a scenic market town, though they quickly realize that something more nefarious is afoot.
The town is already plagued by food-snatching rats, a pair of criminals, and a mysterious boss at the heart of the trouble. Joining forces with resident narrator and the mayor’s daughter Malicia, Maurice and his friends investigate trouble, fight daring battles, and discover the truth of the town’s unfortunate events.
Maurice (Hugh Laurie) and Keith (Himesh Patel)
Peaches (Gemma Arterton) and Dangerous Beans (David Tennant)
The film features a stellar voice cast led by Hugh Laurie (House) as Maurice, Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Malicia, Himesh Patel (Yesterday) as Keith, Gemma Arterton (The Girl with All the Gifts) as Peaches, David Thewlis (Enola Holmes 2) as Boss Man, Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) as The Mayor and David Tennant (Doctor Who) as Dangerous Beans.
The film is adapted from Pratchett’s novel The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, directed by Toby Genkel (A Stork’s Journey) from a script by Academy Award nominee Terry Rossio (Shrek, Aladdin 1992). Produced by Emely Christians at Ulysses Filmproduktion (Germany) and Andrew Baker and Robert Chandler at Cantilever Media (U.K.), animation services by Studio Rakete (Germany) and Red Star 3D (U.K.).
Read more about The Amazing Maurice in the February ’23 issue of Animation Magazine, available January 6.
Netflix has offered up a reward to loyal toon watchers today with a sneak-peek clip of My Dad the Bounty Hunter, the new CG-animated sci-fi comedy-adventure from accomplished animation artists Everett Downing Jr. (Oscar-winning Hair Love, Vivo, The Boss Baby) and Patrick Harpin (Hotel Transylvania2 & 3, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Clarence).
The 10 x 22′ series will drop on February 9. The new advance clip follows as our heroic patriarch puts the squeeze on a squishy water-based alien bounty.
Synopsis: Close-knit siblings Lisa and Sean stow away on their dad’s latest work trip, hoping to finally get some quality time together. Little do they know Dad’s been keeping a secret from them — he’s actually the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy! Launched into the surprise space adventure of a lifetime, Lisa and Sean discover that their seemingly average dad’s job is anything but boring…
Dodging dangerous aliens, robots and laser fights galore, family bonding time becomes much more than they bargained for as they try to help their dad in pursuit of his toughest fugitive yet. With his kids along for the ride, Dad must show up for them when they need it most — and they’d better make it home before Mom finds out!
The voice cast features Laz Alonso as Sabo Brok (Dad),Priah Ferguson as Lisa, JeCobi Swain as Sean, Yvette Nicole Brown as robot assistant KRS, Yvonne Orji, Leslie Uggams, Rob Riggle, Jim Rash and Jamie Chung.
Creation Entertainment Media and Magic Frame Animation today announced that they will adapt Georges Alexander Vagan’s Christmas-set book series Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass for the screen. The two production companies will co-develop and produce the fantasy adventure tales into a film series.
The project will be the start of an international IP franchise, turning the literary Christmas universe into a series of films for family audiences and presenting new licensing opportunities for partners around the world. Per the studios: The story will take the audience across many wintery locations with highly detailed animated environments, and follow compelling and diverse characters.
The first film is expected for release in 2025 and the scripts are currently in development.
“This magical book series is much loved already by families and children across the world and lends itself perfectly to a wintery adventure to be told through animation,” said Lidia Chirita, Head of Sales & Co-Productions at Magic Frame Animation. “There is a beautiful depth to the universe Georges has created with Paul Martin and we are looking forward to telling it to more audiences and using our signature animation styles and experienced creatives to paint a Christmas world for the screen.”
The family fantasy and adventure follows the life of the protagonist Paul Martin, along his adventures in a wonderful world of Christmas and snow. Across books, e-books and audio books, the series has sold more than 100,000 copies around the world. Originally written in French, the books and audio books are available in a variety of languages including English, German, Italian and Spanish. The series includes five novels, with a sixth currently being written by Vagan.
Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass
The animated film series will be based on the extended Paul Martin universe, with the first movie adapting the first book in the series: Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass. The story follows Paul, an 11-year-old boy, who lost his father at an early age and loses his faith in Christmas and Saint Nicholas at the same time. By chance, he comes across a very powerful magical artifact, the Magic Magnifying Glass, which been stolen from Saint Nicholas by his arch-enemy. Forces of evil and good start their fight for the young character’s soul.
Sefi Carmel’s Creation Entertainment Media and Magic Frame Animation are known for the No. 1 ranking Netflix animated feature Secret Magic Control Agency, which was a ratings hit in multiple territories. The partnership between the two studios is a global collaborative co-production from experienced creatives around the world working in a borderless environment, from territories including Cyprus, France, Spain and the U.K.
“I couldn’t ask for a better partnership to turn Paul Martin’s fantasy detective world into films fit for the screen,” said Vagan.
The first book, and now film, introduces Paul to the world. The second, calledThe Order of The Star of Bethlehem returns when Paul is grown up and has become a journalist, leading an investigation of a mysterious murder. The third, The Crown of Seven Kingdoms delves even further into the battle between light, St. Nicholas, and darkness, Paul’s enemy Arius. The fourth finds Paul nearing the end of his life, when his legacy depends on his grandson Jean-Pierre to save the world.
“The true meaning at the core of all of these stories, however, is that it is only love that can save the world.”
Big Bad Boo Studios has partnered with Singapore’s national media network Mediacorp on the new children’s TV series Galapagos X. In this deal, Mediacorp has acquired exclusive rights to air the new environmentally themed animated series on its free-to-air Singapore TV channel Okto on 5, as well as rights to be the show’s sole distributor in more than 20 Asian territories.
Created by Shabnam Rezaei (16 Hudson, director-producer The Bravest Knight), Galapagos X is currently in production at Big Bad Boo Studios with commissioning broadcasters TVOKids, SRC Radio-Canada, Knowledge Kids and TFO. Additional partners Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canadian Media Fund are also part of the financing. Targeting six- to 11-year olds, the show’s first season comprises 26 x 11′ episodes.
“Galapagos X is a global series that deserves international partners who can bring the positive messages of preserving our planet to every kid. With Mediacorp now on board as our partner, we will ensure a wide reach,” said Rezaei, co-founder of Big Bad Boo Studios.
Galapagos Xfollows four explorers from the future and their blue-footed booby bird as they set off to prevent future environmental problems from happening, by finding the source in the present day.
Set to air in 2023, Galapagos X will be trekking new territory — both literally and figuratively — as Big Bad Boo is developing an interactive virtual reality component that sees its audience explore different ecosystems in addition to creating a traditional television series and digital storybook.
“We are glad to work with Big Bad Boo Studios to distribute Galapagos X to audiences in Asia,” said Lee Hung Sheng, Head of Audience & Partnerships, Mediacorp. “With critical issues like environmental sustainability and climate change facing the world today, being a part of the Galapagos X project enables Mediacorp to continue raising awareness of the importance of saving our planet among young viewers.”
Galapagos X
Featuring Odd Squad’s Millie Davis as the lead character Orchid, Gavin MacIver-Wright as young Quinn Crock and Riverdale’s Nathalie Boltt as the power-hungry social media mogul Doc Crock, Galapagos X features a noteworthy cast whose experience range from live-action films and series to theater.
Based in New York and Vancouver, Big Bad Boo Studios is the home of Hulu’s The Bravest Knight, 16 Hudson, Lili & Lola, Mixed Nutz and 1001 Nights, which was nominated for 14 LEO awards with five wins. Big Bad Boo is currently producing procedural series Judge Jodhi as well as Galapagos X and a series of digital games and apps. The company’s own streaming channel Oznoz provides cartoons in 10+ languages including classics such as Thomas and Friends, Bob the Builder, Babar and more.
Even after our big Animation Lover’s Holiday Gift Guide, there were still quite a few notable fall releases and product announcements we couldn’t squeeze into our stockings. So, enjoy this supersized version of the Must-Have List that appeared in the January ’23 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 326).
50 Animated Years of Lupin the 3rd
Dive into the history of Monkey Punch’s manga and anime sensation with this hardcover ode to the gentleman thief! Over 200 pages of full-color artwork and designs, behind the scenes tales, creator spotlights, complete episode & movie guide, plus a gallery of tribute art by admirers around the world. [Magnetic Press | Dec. 6 | $40]
The Art of DuckTales Deluxe Edition
Bless me bagpipes! Now this is a treasure for the would-be Duckberg denizen to quack about: All the content of the standard edition book plus an exclusive Ducktales Guidebook packed with expanded interviews with cast and crew (including Matt Youngberg, Francisco Angones, Sean Jimenez, Suzanna Olson, David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci, Beck Bennett, Toks Olagundoye, Paget Brewster and Don Cheadle) and a replica of Scrooge’s #1 Dime, all in a gilded tome and slipcase featuring everyone’s favorite miserly mallard. [Dark Horse | $100]
The Art of Strange World
Quest along with the Clades into a fantastical new animated landscape, full of strange features and colorful creatures.Take in a dazzling array of production art and insider tales of adventure from the Disney Animation team. The 176-page hardcover is written by studio creative executive Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones and D&I senior manager Kalikolehua Hurley, with a preface by studio head Jennifer Lee and foreword by director Don Hall. [Chronicle Books | $43]
Adventurer pro tip: Cuddle up with a Splat plush for the ultimate reading experience! [shopdisney.com | $23]
Written by Leslie Iwerks. [Disney Editions | $35]
Written by Howard Lovecraft director Sean Patrick O’Reilly, illustrated by animation artist Chelsey Bueckert (My Little Pony: The Movie).
[arcanacomics.com | $15]
[Vertical | Dec. 6 | $35]
[Titan Books $50]
[Titan Books, $50]
[Titan Books, $40]
The Iron Giant Deluxe Edition
Original score by Michael Kamen (plus 13 min. of rare extras) on two LPs in a special cover/sleeve that changes the Iron Giant’s eyes from normal to defense mode! New liner notes feature fresh interviews with Brad Bird et al. [Varèse Sarabande | varesesarabande.com | $50]
Disney X Kidrobot “Sailor M.”
This eight-inch vinyl figure designed by Brazilian sculptor Pasa is a spunky take on Steamboat Willie that will lend a contemporary edge to your Mickey collection. [kidrobot.com | Pre-Order $53]
LAIKA X Converse By You
The ultimate custom footwear splurge for fans of Missing Link, Kubo, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman and Coraline (pictured) with dozens of options for the Chuck 70 inspired by these beloved films. [converse.com]
SpongeBob X HipDot EyeCons
Be the belle of the briney with these sculpted eyeshadows, available in Bikini Bottom Bronze, Platinum Wave and Rock n Gold — all made with cruelty-free, vegan formulas. [hipdot.com | $12 ea. or $30 for all three]
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki! [Discotek | $70 BD]
Another partially lost (seasonally appropriate) episode gets new animated life.
[BBC | Dec. 6 | $30 BD]
Riot Games. developer/creator of the hit League of Legends video games that inspired award-winning Netflix animated series Arcane, has appointed Cristina Fiumara as its first-ever Global Head of Animation Content Develop ment for Film & TV. She will be responsible for developing animated series and features for Riot Entertainment worldwide, working closely with a broad group of partners across franchise development, esports, game development and creative leaders, and reporting to Riot CCO Brian Wright.
Fiumara arrives at Riot from Walt Disney Animation Studios, where she was VP of Streaming Content, driving strategy, development, production and overall vision for Disney+’s animated slate, including its first long-form theatrical quality limited series Iwaju, Tiana and Moana, as well as its first short-form series, Olaf Presents, Zootopia+ and more. She was also part of the story trust for features, including Oscar winner Encanto.
Bringing 16 years of experience to her newly created role at Riot, Fiumara joined Disney in 2014 and held a variety of leadership roles, helping develop high-profile scripted and unscripted shows, spearheading collaborations with top gamers and producing animated pilots. Shewas instrumental in developing animated content for Disney+ across The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Television Animation, 20th Century Animation, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, etc., commissioning production of more than 45 titles, including the Emmy-winning series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Marvel’s Emmy-nominated What If…? and Star Wars: Visions. [Source: Deadline]
Nancy Ward
The Visual Effects Society (VES) has selected Nancy Ward as its new Executive Director, effective immediately. Ward, who joined the Society in 2014 as the organization’s Program and Development Director, was appointed Interim Executive Director upon the retirement of Eric Roth in September 2022, who had served as leader of the organization for nearly 20 years. The VES Board of Directors voted on the selection of Ward at the culmination of a comprehensive search process, under the leadership of VES Chair Lisa Cooke.
As VES Program & Development Director, Ward oversaw direct fundraising, partnerships, alliances and new programs. Her accomplishments include: driving annual sponsorship revenue; overseeing and directing the publishing team for VFX Voice, the Society’s award-winning magazine; spearheading initiatives around DEI, virtual production and women who lead VFX; overseeing the annual VES Honors Celebration, VES New York Awards Celebration and other VES and Section events; and leading the VES Archives initiative and development of the Society’s forthcoming VES digital museum.
Prior to joining the VES, Ward spent more than a decade in advertising, direct marketing, brand identity and business development, managing successful multi-million-dollar campaigns — as both a client and an ad agency account manager — for General Motors, Taco Bell, Mattel, office products, financial services companies and various nonprofits.
Giulia Bundesmann
Atlanta-based creative studio PrimalScreen has named a trio of new appointments:
After being at the helm of operations for over 20 years, Giulia Bundesmann will now lead PrimalScreen as CEO. Bundesmann boasts career accomplishments in post-production management, studio management and corporate communications training.
Bundesmann succeeds Founder Doug Grimmett, who served as PrimalScreen’s CEO since the company’s inception in 1995.
David Trexler
Daytime Emmy Award-winning producer David Trexler joins the agency as Director of Client Partnerships with over 25 years’ experience in the animation industry. After cutting his teeth at MTV Animation in the ’90s, Trexler moved to Scholastic Ent. to produce the Clifford’s Puppy Days series, then to its Soup2Nuts division where he supervised the animated series Time Warp Trio (WGBH/Discovery Kids/BBC/NBC), WordGirl (PBS), SciGirls (TPT/PBS) and Astroblast (Peacock Kids/NBCUniversal).
Trexler has also produced numerous award-winning animated book adaptations for Weston Woods, shorts for Sesame Street and Between The Lions, interactive websites, multiple commercials, explainer videos and web ads. He is based out of New Jersey and joins PrimalScreen from Curious Media.
Rob Shepps
Primal Screen’s newly promoted Chief Creative Officer Rob Shepps has worked in the field of experience design for the last 25 years. Formerly an art director and production designer on films and commercials in L.A., where he worked as a PD on several award-winning projects for Pittard Sullivan, including main titles for The Wonderful World of Disney, NBC, CBS and SKY Network.
For the last 20 years, Shepps has worked as a live-action, interactive and creative director at PrimalScreen. He has won numerous awards for working with such clients as Nickelodeon, PBS KIDS, Sprout, CNN and Cartoon Network. In his new role as CCO, he will oversee the creative output of the studio and continue PrimalScreen’s commitment to high-quality content.
Alaric McAusland
VFX and animation studio DNEG an nounced industry veteran Alaric McAusland as Managing Director of the company’s new VFX and animation studio in Sydney, Australia. McAusland will take up his new post with DNEG in January 2023, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry to the role.
McAusland has held significant entertainment industry leadership
roles in both Australia and the U.S. Most recently, he served as Executive Director for the Australian Directors’ Guild, and previously as Chief Operating Officer for the Emmy-winning L.A. production house, Grace: A Storytelling Company. McAusland has also served as Managing Director of Deluxe Entertainment Service Group Australia and is a past Chair of Ausfilm.
As MD of Deluxe Australia, McAusland was responsible for building its local VFX and post production presence, which included Iloura in Melbourne and Method Studios in Sydney. Earlier in his career, McAusland was a foundation team member, VFX Producer and General Manager of Australia’s DFILM, which won a VFX Oscar for its work on The Matrix.
McAusland is a former Chair of Ausfilm, the body for marketing Australia’s production capabilities and incentives to the Hollywood Studios and worldwide. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of AACTA and a Councilor of Screen Producers Australia.
Samuel Mason
BlinkInk has signed on two unique animation talents to its roster:
Samuel Mason is a director and visual artist whose hyperrealistic work “blends the surreal with the cinematic”. He has received global recognition for his films: “Colors and Shapes” taken from the late Mac Miller’s mixtape Faces earned accolades from the Clios (Gold), D&AD (Graphite Pencil) and was awarded ‘Music Video of the Year’ by Shots last year. As well as music videos, Mason has created commercials for Honda, Spotify, Facebook and New York Times. BlinkInk represents Mason in the U.K. and Netherlands.
Isabel Garrett
Isabel Garrett is a graduate of the National Film and Television School in London and formerly a resident artist at Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande Foundation whose films combine tactile stop-motion animation craft with her dark sense of humor. She joins BlinkInk for global representation.
Commissioned by Sarabande, Garrett’s upcoming short film Bod“celebrates flesh, nakedness and the human body,” making use of characters designed by sculptor and performance artist Daisy Collingridge. The film is set for online release January 19 with an event celebrating the launch at Sarabande Studios in London.
CAKE and August Media Holdings announced that CBeebies has pre-bought the upcoming season of International Emmy Award-nominated preschool animation Tish Tash in a deal signed by CAKE.
Following the series’ successful launch on CBeebies in September 2021, a further 52 episodes are in production with delivery planned for Autumn 2024 (104 x 5’ total). A sing-and-dance-along interstitial series is also planned for delivery in 2023.
Aimed at three- to five-year olds, Tish Tash is produced by South Korean animation shop Studio Gale, Singapore-based August Media Holdings, Korean educational public broadcaster EBS and BAFTA- and Emmy Award-winning U.K.-based Karrot Entertainment.
Tish Tash follows the adventures of a young bear called Tish, her bear family and her larger-than-life imaginary friend Tash, as they learn about the world around them. No matter what troubles they face — be it surviving long, boring car trips or helping Tish’s baby brother not to be too sad about losing his favorite toy — these special friends can create new worlds around themselves, embarking on fun adventures, while inspiring imaginative play and problem solving in young children.
“Young viewers and their parents have been charmed by the warm-hearted adventures of Tish and her imaginary best friend Tash,” said Ed Galton, CEO at CAKE. “We are delighted to be partnering with CBeebies on a second season and look forward to bringing more imaginative and fun stories to audiences in the U.K. and around the world.”
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 61st animated feature Strange World will soon be available to audiences to enjoy at home with never-before-seen bonus features and deleted scenes. The “stunning” (Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times) family adventure arrives on all major digital platforms this holiday season on December 23 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD February 14.
As previously announced, Strange World will also be available to Disney+ subscribers starting on December 23.
Synopsis: Strange World introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures.
The voice cast includes Oscar- and Tony-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission; Emmy and two-time Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger; comedian, actor, writer, filmmaker and musician Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old, adventure-seeking son, Ethan; actress, producer, bestselling author and TIME100 cover honoree Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and critically acclaimed actress, producer, director and fine artist Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, Avalonia’s fearless leader who spearheads the exploration into the strange world.
Helmed by director Don Hall (Oscar-winningBig Hero 6,Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writerRaya and the Last Dragon), with Roy Conli (Oscar-winningBig Hero 6,Tangled) producing,Strange Worldis in theaters now.
Bonus Features Bonus features vary by product and retailer.
Anatomy of a Scene: Creating A Strange World –Learn about Walt Disney Animation Studios’ creative process through a single, visually stunning scene as the filmmaking team puts all of their imagination — and more — on the screen.
Strange Science – Jaboukie Young-White (voice of Ethan Clade) hosts an exploration of how Walt Disney Animation Studios artists were inspired by real science to create Strange World.
Creature Feature – Journey into the world beneath Avalonia and meet some of the terrifying, slimy, gassy — and sometimes cute — creatures that inhabit this Strange World.
The Hidden Secrets of Strange World – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios films hidden throughout the film, along with some fun facts and behind–the–scenes stories of how Strange World was made.
Outtakes – Go behind the glass as we join the cast of Strange World inside the recording booth for some fun, flubs and outtakes.
