London-based kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE has announced its partnership with London/Nairobi-based female-led studio, Kukua on Super Sema, the groundbreaking African animated kids’ superhero franchise.
“Super Sema encourages and inspires children to reach their potential and make the most of their abilities,” said Ed Galton, CEO of CAKE. “We are thrilled to be working with the talented team at Kukua on this fun and entertaining series and we are looking forward to being part of the next step in the journey bringing Super Sema to more children around the world.”
Executive produced by Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o, (12 Years a Slave, Black Panther, Us), Super Sema is written by four-time BAFTA winner Claudia Lloyd (Charlie & Lola, Mr. Bean, Tinga Tinga Tales). CAKE comes on board as international distributor.
Kukua CEO Lucrezia Bisignani added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with CAKE to help bring Super Sema and all of her STEAM-powered adventures to even more kids around the world. It’s so important for kids everywhere to see themselves reflected on screen and feel empowered to believe that they too can be change-makers, just like Sema.”
Super Sema follows the world-changing, STEAM-fuelled adventures of a brave and heroic 10-year-old girl named Sema and her twin brother MB as they protect their African village from the villainous Tobor and his bungling robot army. A heartless artificially intelligent ruler, Tobor meets his match in Sema, who learns that with determination, creativity and a helping hand from the amazing worlds of science and technology, anything is possible!
A YouTube Originals series with over 50 million views and an NAACP Image Award nomination, Super Sema (20 x 5’) first launched on International Women’s Day in March 2021, with a second season (12 x 11’) premiering in June this year. Complementary STEAM educational videos explore the science behind the series with fun, kid-accessible experiments and crafts.
Toys inspired by the series, including talking dolls and plush, are set to be released by Just Play in North America later this year, with additional publishing (Penguin Random House and Bendon) and apparel (Bentex) deals previously announced.
Canadian kids and family producer WildBrain Television announced that Family Channel, its flagship broadcast network, has greenlit three new content projects across live-action and animation, in partnership with independent Canadian producers. Exclusive to WildBrain Television in Canada, the new content will begin rolling out across the company’s broadcast and digital channels this September, continuing into 2023. WildBrain has also acquired global distribution rights for all three properties.
The animation lineup features Slugterra: Ascension, produced in partnership with Epic Story Media. The shorts will premiere exclusively on WildBrainTV in Canada in a sneak peek on September 5 at 2:50 p.m. ET, with new episodes beginning September 18 at 11:45 a.m. ET, before rolling out globally across WildBrain Spark’s Slugterra YouTube channels.
Also newly greenlit is an expanded order of five half-hours to the popular new series Summer Memories, produced in partnership with A&N Productions, Aircraft Pictures and Yeti Farm Creative. The series debuted on Family Channel this summer, and the new stories will begin airing on Family Channel in 2023.
WildBrain Television’s live-action slate is headlined by Life with Luca, a 90-minute feature spun off from the long-running Life with Derek franchise, which is due to debut on Family Channel in 2023.
“We’re proud to further support Canadian independent producers with these original commissions. Family Channel, and WildBrain Television as a whole, play an integral role in our strategy to drive distinct Canadian content and stories that resonates globally,” said Deirdre Brennan, WildBrain’s COO. These shows have universal appeal, and we look forward to sharing them not only with our audience at home, but with kids and families worldwide.”
Slugterra: Ascension
Slugterra: Ascension (20 x 4’) – coming to WildBrainTV and Family Channel fall 2022
The wait is over! For the first time in six years Eli Shane, Trixie Sting and the slugs are back with more comedy, action and exciting escapades in Slugterra: Ascension.
After a rockslide leaves them trapped alone with only a few of their slugs, Eli and Trixie have to be smart and strategic to outwit and outrun villainous twins Locke and Lode and their deadly gattler blaster — that is until they find the legendary Universal Slug! At first glance “Uni” looks like any derpy little flopper. But once transformed, this powerful creature can imitate any slug’s strongest move! Too bad it comes with a price Eli and Trixie won’t be happy about paying.
The 20 brand-new, four-minute CG-animated shorts will join the classic library of Slugterra episodes, the fan-favorite adventure series set deep underground where fierce opponents collect, train and battle it out with their arsenals of fantastical transforming slugs.
Slugterra was created by Asaph Fipke, and Slugterra: Ascension is produced in association with Epic Story Media’s Ken Faier, acting as executive producer, along with showrunner Nancy Lees. The new series was animated at Island of Misfits (IOM) in Halifax. Additional executive producers include WildBrain’s Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts and Anne Loi, and IOM’s Meaghan Clark. The series was directed by IOM’s Don Urquhart and produced by Epic Story Media’s Christine Cote and Marlene Schmidt.
Summer Memories
Summer Memories (5 x 30’) – new episodes coming to Family Channel in 2023
Five half-hours are being added to the popular new series Summer Memories, which launched this summer on Family Channel.
The new stories dive further into the world and characters, following the adventures of best friends Jason and Ronnie as Jason looks back on the most pivotal summer of his life (which was just a few weeks ago). This is Jason’s summer of change … and he fears change. Lucky for him, he has charismatic, life adventurer Ronnie at his side. Summer Memories transcends time, space and memory — the good and the bad — as it chronicles Jason and Ronnie’s sweet, fun-filled relationship.
Summer Memories was created by veteran animator/producer Adam Yaniv and produced by A&N Productions, Aircraft Pictures and Yeti Farm Creative, with the financial support of the Canada Media Fund and Shaw Rocket Fund.
The 66th BFI London Film Festival (which takes place Oct. 5-16) has announced that it will premiere Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and director Nora Twomey’s new feature My Father’s Dragon (Cartoon Saloon) at the event this year. Also on tap is Creature, a new collaboration between acclaimed choreographer Akram Khan and Oscar winner Asif Kapadia and the previously announced opening night gala, the big screen adaptation of the smash-hit, Olivier-winning stage musical Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.
Netflix has just announced the release dates for its upcoming feature animation slate, including these two LFF premiere titles.
As part of its mission to spotlight the impressive range of creative talent within the U.K., BFI London Film Festival will help launch a rich selection of homegrown world premieres. In addition to the three U.K. productions World Premiering as part of the episodic strand, the Festival will present the claustrophobic whistleblower comedy Klokkenluider, the directorial debut of actor Neil Maskell (Kill List) which stars Amit Shah, Tom Burke and Jenna Coleman, and Welsh filmmaker Jamie Adams’ bittersweet part-improvised love story She Is Love, starring Sam Riley (Control) and Haley Bennett (Cyrano). Award-winning short filmmaker Dionne Edwards delivers on the promise of early work with her heart-swelling debut, Pretty Red Dress, which investigates Black masculinity and family dynamics.
Other U.K. debuts launching at the Festival include: Andrew Cumming’s wildly inventive Palaeolithic low budget horror, The Origin; Fridjof Ryder’s dark thriller Inland, starring Mark Rylance and acclaimed British-Kenyan artist, Grace Ndiritu’s long-form debut, Becoming Plant.
U.K. Documentary cinema is also well represented with world premieres including the rapturous Name Me Lewand by Edward Lovelace (The Possibilities Are Endless) that explores the experience of a deaf Kurdish boy, If the Streets Were on Fire, an exhilarating portrait of London’s BikeStormz community which was featured in LFF’s Works-in-Progress showcase as part of U.K. New Talent Days 2021, and two new films Kanaval: A People’s History of Haiti in Six Chapters and Blue Bag Life, produced by Natasha Dack-Ojumo, co-Founder of Tigerlily Films (Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché). Yemi Bamiro also returns to LFF with his follow up to Michael Jordan portrait, One Man and His Shoes, with Super Eagles ’96, about the Nigerian football team.
You can find details on the previously announced XR selections and Short Films in Competition on the BFI London Film Festival website.
Directed by Twomey and written by Meg LeFauve, who both executive produce alongside Tomm Moore, Gerry Shirren, Ruth Coady and Alan Maloney, My Father’s Dragon voice stars Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Mary Kay Place, Leighton Meester, Spence Moore II, Adam Brody, Charlyne Yi, Maggie Lincoln, Jack Smith, Whoopi Goldberg and Ian McShane.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio BFI LFF WORLD PREMIERE (On Netflix December 9 & in Select Theaters)
Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro and award-winning stop-motion legend Mark Gustafson reimagine the classic Carlo Collodi tale of the fabled wooden boy with a whimsical tour de force that finds Pinocchio on an enchanted adventure that transcends worlds and reveals the life-giving power of love.
Del Toro helms the project as director with Gustafson, writer with Patrick McHale and producer with Lisa Henson, Gary Ungar, Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico. The voice cast features Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson and Burn Gorman.
Critically-acclaimed Max Original adult-animated series Harley Quinnhas been renewed for a fourth season, ahead of the season three finale on September 15.
“Three seasons down and I can’t even begin to think about the new levels of chaos and trouble that Harley, Ivy and the gang can get into with a fourth season,” said Peter Girardi, Executive VP of Alternative Programming for Warner Bros. Animation. “But, I’m grateful to our partners at HBO Max for continuing this insane ride with us so we can all find out.”
Sarah Peters (Workaholics, Master of None, Nathan For You), who has written on the series since Season 1 and currently serves as consulting producer, will be elevated to executive producer and serve as showrunner for Season 4.
Based on characters from DC, Harley Quinn is produced by Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions and Yes, Norman Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation. The series was developed by Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey.
“We are ecstatic that HBO Max wants the story of Harley and Ivy to continue. And we are equally thrilled that this next season will be in great hands with Sarah Peters as our showrunner and Ceci Aranovich overseeing animation production, as they have both greatly influenced the show with their brilliance since the beginning,” commented Halpern and Schumacker.
Billy Wee, Senior Vice President of Comedy & Animation, HBO Max, said, “Patrick Schumacker, Justin Halpern and their incredible team of artists and writers have created something so explosively funny and original and we are thrilled to continue this journey with them and the show’s legion of fans. It has been amazing to watch the show grow and evolve this season and we could not ask for a more talented and dedicated team of collaborators.”
In Season 3 of the biting and uproarious adult animated comedy series, Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) wrap up their “Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour” and return to Gotham as the new power couple of DC villainy. Along with their ragtag crew — King Shark (Ron Funches), Clayface (Alan Tudyk), Frank the Plant (JB Smoove) — “Harlivy” strives to become the best version of themselves while also working towards Ivy’s long desired plan of transforming Gotham into an Eden paradise.
Harley Quinn also features the voices of Matt Oberg (Kite Man), Christopher Meloni (Commissioner Gordon), Andy Daly (Two-Face), Diedrich Bader (Batman/Bruce Wayne), James Adomian (Bane), Sanaa Lathan (Selina Kyle), Briana Cuoco (Batgirl/Barbara Gordon) and Harvey Guillen (Nightwing).
Ranked with a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, the series is executive producers are Halpern, Schumacker, Kaley Cuoco, Sam Register, Jessica Goldstein and Chrissy Pietrosh.
Seasons 1-3 of Harley Quinn are available to stream on HBO Max.
Hulu is strengthening its partnership with creator Justin Roiland (Solar Opposites), announcing the pickup and premiere date for The Paloni Show! Halloween Special!, which will offer viewers a seasonally spooky treat on October 17. The show is exec produced by Roiland and Ben Bayouth (Blark and Son).
In this special, Leroy, Reggie and Cheruce Paloni have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to be the hosts of an unforgettable Halloween Special full of “spooky” shorts from a group of up-and-coming animators:
David Firth – “Slaughter Café”
Jaime Rodriguez – “Bet it Was Becca”
Joel Haver – “Rightbehindyouton”
Lee Hardcastle – “An Alien Halloween Claymation”
Myke Chilian and Jordan Harris – “Shitty Beetlegeuse”
Jacob Hair and Josh Petrino – “Slashtronaut”
Daniel Cole – “Banana Party”
Brian Wysol – “The Dreston”
Michael Cusack – “A Creek Down the Street”
Rafillo – “Killer Bathtub”
Echo Kellum and Nate Caywood – “Camp Death Lake”
Syd Heller and Olivia DeLaurentis – “Plopsie and Friends”
Simon Hanselmann” – “Megahex, Devil’s Night”
Justin Roiland | Ben Bayouth
The Paloni Show! Halloween Special!, executive produced by Roiland (Solar Opposites, Rick andMorty) and Ben Bayouth (Blark andSon), comes from 20th Television Animation. Starring:
Justin Roiland voices Leroy, the oldest sibling in the family, Leroy is an optimistic, hard working guy who’s only dream for as long as he can remember has been to make and host his own variety show. He and his brother Reggie are very close and are usually on the same page creatively.
Zach Hadel (Smiling Friends) plays Reggie, the short-fused, fast-talking little brother of the family with a foul mouth and a tendency to let his temper get in the way of doing his job as a host.
Pamela Adlon (Better Things) plays Cheruce, the alienated middle child who has her own ideas for how the special should have gone. She’s bitter and holds a grudge against her brothers for not embracing her ideas.
Vatche Panos voices Little Long Legs, the Paloni’s long-legged young cousin who seems to care only about candy and having fun.
Kari Wahlgren voices Aunt Stephanie, the Paloni’s selfish and gullible aunt who feels that motherhood has robbed her of her best years.
The wait is over! From its start as a two-part, 10-minute short that became an immediate hit amassing millions of views, to a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that brought the series to its first full season, fans have driven the breakout success of cult animated web series Bee and PuppyCat, and keep wanting more.
Now, the hit series created by Natasha Allegri (Adventure Time) and produced by Frederator Studios (Adventure Time, Castlevania) is ready to delight fans once again with new adventures throughout the all-new season, Lazy in Space, dropping September 6 on Netflix.
Bee and PuppyCat follows a 20-something temp worker named Bee and her mysterious companion PuppyCat as the two travel on fantastic adventures across space while taking on various intergalactic odd jobs to help make rent. The first season of the original web series quickly became not only a fan obsession, but a critical sensation. Polygon said, “Bee and PuppyCat fills a niche that’s been relatively unexplored, not just on Netflix, but
in Western animation as a whole.”
With its stylistically distinct look and feel, outlandishly original characters and storytelling, Bee and PuppyCat shares creator Allegri’s unique creative mastery and vision in this new season featuring 16 new half-hour episodes.
The new season will kick off with a re-introduction to the beloved characters and a re-imagining of the original storyline, before launching into the all-new story arc that further showcases the charm and originality of the show’s voice and its comic, yet dreamy, appeal.
“When I think about making stuff, I think about who I’m making it for,” says Allegri. “The person I made Bee and PuppyCat for is someone who is chaotic, who likes entertainment and cute stuff, maybe a little bit socially unaware, who wants something comforting.”
“The incredibly talented team on the series are truly outstanding,” adds executive producer Kevin Kolde. “It’s a rush to see that early buzz has already pushed the new series to trend on Twitter and TikTok with millions of views, and we know fans will love what’s coming as much as we do.”
Bee and PuppyCat was created by Natasha Allegri and produced by Frederator Studios in partnership with OLM, Inc. with executive producers Allegri, Kolde, Eric Homan, Michael Hirsh, Toshiaki Okuno, Fred Seibert, Junichi Yanagihara and Art Directors Hans Tseng and Efrain Farias. Series animation was done by OLM, Inc., with Allegri, Tseng and Farias relocating to Japan during production to oversee creative direction.
Bee and PuppyCat debuts on Netflix on September 6.
Hot off Apple TV+’s big fall family slate announcement, the streaming platform has debuted the official trailer for its newest preschool toon Sago Mini Friends, premiering Friday, September 16.
Produced by Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Spin Master Entertainment and animated by 9 Story Media Group’s Emmy Award-winning studio Brown Bag Films – Toronto, the Sago Mini Friends series is based on the charming characters and artful designs featured in the award-winning Sago Mini World app, developed by Sago Mini.
The series is an adorable nod to gratitude, featuring Harvey the floppy-eared dog and his best friends, Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit and Robin the bird. Along with a unique cast of residents as colorful as their own whimsical world, the four friends play, explore, imagine and celebrate daily in their joyful town of Sagoville.
In each episode, Harvey and all his friends express their true thankfulness for all things, big and small, through optimism, kindness, preschool-friendly humor and unforgettable original songs!
Sago Mini Friends is executive produced by Daytime Emmy Award nominees Jennifer Dodge (PAW Patrol), Ronnen Harary (PAW Patrol), Tone Thyne (Wonder Pets!) and Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy). Daytime Emmy Award nominees Laura Clunie (PAW Patrol) and Toni Stevens (PAW Patrol) serve as executive producers, with Chad Hicks (Kingdom Force) as series director.
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, distinguished professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and expert in the science of happiness, serves as the gratitude expert on the series through Apple TV+’s changemakers initiative.
The Sago Mini World app, which the Sago Mini Friends series is based on, features over 40 games for kids ages two to five years old. Sago Mini World has received accolades from the Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, the Webby Awards, the Academics’ Choice Media Awards and the Kidscreen Awards. The app encourages children to play, build, create and pretend with digital games that spark imagination and curiosity.
The award-winning slate of original animated series and film for kids and families on Apple TV+ includes the recently premiered and critically-acclaimed El Deafo, Duck & Goose, Pinecone & Pony, Harriet the Spy (The Jim Henson Company) and the star-studded animated adventure film Luck (Apple Original Films/Skydance Animation), Peabody Award-winning series Stillwater,Helpsters (Sesame Workshop), Academy Award-nominated animated film Wolfwalkers, Wolfboy and the Everything Factory from Joseph Gordon-Levitt (HITRECORD/ Bento Box Ent.), Get Rolling with Otis, new series and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including Snoopy in Space S2, It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown and For Auld Lang Syne, and Daytime Emmy Award-winning Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers.
A new mind-shattering animated reality is ready to be unleashed on Netflix viewers this month, as the streamer has dropped the trippy, explosive, NSFW trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and new images showcasing this violent new neon world. The 10 x 30′ anime arrives on streaming September 13.
In a dystopia riddled with corruption and cybernetic implants, a talented but reckless street kid strives to become an edgerunner: a mercenary outlaw.
Fans also got a fresh look at the brilliant character, Lucy: a skilled netrunner and an important member of Maine’s mercenary crew. Despite her highly sought-after technical abilities, she wants nothing more than to escape Night City and her dangerous past.
CD PROJEKT RED, the company behind the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, is producing the series with Rafał Jaki (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher: Ronin) as showrunner and executive producer, with Satoru Homma, Bartosz Sztybor and Saya Elder serving as producers. The team at CD PROJEKT RED has been working on this new series since 2018.
Acclaimed Japan-based animation company, Studio Trigger is the animation studio on the series and bring the world of Cyberpunk to life with their signature, vibrant style. Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, Promare) directs the series along with creative director Hiromi Wakabayashi (Kill la Kill), character designer and animation director Yoh Yoshinari (Little Witch Academia, BNA: Brand New Animal), from an adapted screenplay by Yoshiki Usa (GRIDMAN UNIVERSE series, Promare) and Masahiko Otsuka (Star Wars: Visions ‘The Elder’). The original score will be composed by Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill series).
Global creative studio Psyop has unveiled the official trailer for Christopher at Sea, director Tom C J Brown’s “queer operatic thriller” on animated waves, ahead of the 20-minute film’s previously announced premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Co-produced by Psyop, Temple Carrington & Brown and Miyu, the piece will screen in the Orizzonti Short Films Competition.
Christopher at Sea follows Christopher (voiced by James Potter) as he embarks on a transatlantic voyage as a passenger on a cargo ship. A chance encounter with Third Engineer Valentin (Andrew Isar) under moonlight waylays his hopes of finding out what lures so many men to sea and sets him on a journey into solitude, fantasy and obsession.
“After embarking on a crossatlantic cargo ship voyage, I set out to write a love story, but Christopher’s romance soon became entwined with my own struggle with identity, discovering my truth, a dramatic retelling of the communal showers in a Sundance hostel, and my mother’s nightmares set to the score of Schubert’s song cycle ‘Die schöne Müllerin’,” Brown explains in his director’s statement.
Produced in cinescope, the digital 2D animated drama was written by Brown and Laure Desmazières, and received additional production support from Crooked City.
The short blends Schubert’s classic work with the contemporary music of Casey Spooner, Walt Disco and composers Brian McOmber and Judith Berkson. To give audiences an experience that “bursts with emotion and fantasy,” Brown directed the animation team to strive for aesthetic ideals over realism:
“’If you have to choose between what is correct and what is fashion, choose fashion,’ I frantically explained to the wonderful animators as I described how we were attempting to portray the most beautiful mohair jumper ever seen on the silver screen. Twenty minutes of sumptuous hand-drawn animation awaits the viewer, the combination of thousands of hours, years of love, and an incredible team of artists and collaborators bringing Christopher to life on open waters,” Brown writes. “My enduring thanks to everyone — and there have been many — who have lent their time, money and talents to this project.”
Brown is a British artis and filmmaker known for his shorts t.o.m. (2007), teeth (2015) and Cousin John – The Arrival (2020), which have collectively won over 50 awards at festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Annecy and AFI Fest.
Organized by La Biennale di Venezia, the 79th Venice International Film Festival will ltake place at Venice Lido from August 31 to September 10. Learn more at www.labiennale.org.
The second Psyop Origina, following Bottle Cap, Christopher at Sea has also been selected for Korea’s prestigious Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022), taking place October 21-25. Psyop is a completely cloud-based studio, maintaining locations in New York and Los Angeles while working with directors and creative partners all over the world. For more info, visit psyop.com.
Just in time for the holidays, everyone’s favorite cat and mouse duo are back in action as Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land releases on Digital and DVD November 15, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, full-length animated family holiday film is filled with 72 minutes of toe-tapping tunes and hilarious hijinks and three classic episodes.
Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land will be available to own on Digital for $14.99 SRP (U.S. and Canada) and on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada).
Synopsis: It’s time to chase that holiday spirit with Tom and Jerry! With magic in the air, Jerry and his nephew, Tuffy, make a snow mouse that miraculously comes to life! To keep their new friend, Larry the snow mouse from melting, Tuffy and Jerry must race him to the fabled Snowman’s Village. In hot pursuit, Tom and devious Dr. Doublevay have their own plans for Larry’s magic. Get ready to go dashing through this epic tale filled with songs, snow, thrills, laughs and even a bit of holiday magic!
Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land features the voice talents of Kevin Michael Richardson as Larry, Kath Soucie as Tuffy, Laraine Newman as Mrs. LePage, Stephen Stanton as Doctor Doubleyay and Lightning, Rick Zieff as Meathead and Narrator, Carlos Alazraqui as Floyd, Kimberly Brooks as Snow Cop and Little Girl, Joey D’Auria as Butch and Regi Davis as Snow Mayor.
The film is produced and directed by Darrell Van Citters (The Tom and Jerry Show); story by Will Finn (The Tom and Jerry Show) and Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go!, DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse), teleplay by Ricci.
GKIDS announced today that it will release the catalog of Japan’s legendary, Oscar-winning animation house Studio Ghibli, for digital download-to-rent in the United States and Canada today (August 30). Films will be available to rent in both English and Japanese languages on most major digital transactional platforms.
This marks the first time the Studio Ghibli films will be available for digital rental in North America, and follows GKIDS’ release of the full Studio Ghibli catalog for digital download-to-own for the first time in 2019. GKIDS also set an exclusive U.S. streaming deal with HBO Max for the Studio Ghibli library, starting in May 2020.
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 30 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s films have won countless international awards, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away, as well as five additional nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There and The Red Turtle.
Director and studio co-founder Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures paid tribute to his artwork with a special inaugural exhibition.
My Neighbor Totoro (Studio Ghibli, 1988)
The catalog of acclaimed Studio Ghibli films released for digital download-to-rent includes:
Castle in the Sky
The Cat Returns
Earwig and the Witch
From Up on Poppy Hill
Howl’s Moving Castle
Kiki’s Delivery Service
My Neighbor Totoro
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Ocean Waves
Only Yesterday
Pom Poko
Ponyo
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke
The Secret World of Arrietty
Spirited Away
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Tales from Earthsea
When Marnie Was There
Whisper of the Heart
The Wind Rises
Starting August 16, the Studio Ghibli catalog will be available to rent digitally in HD for the suggested retail price of $4.99 per film.
It’s avatar overload on Twitch this week as the popular livestream platform presents VTuber TAKEOvERMonday to Friday, August 29 to September 2. Featuring VTubers of all shapes, sizes, origins and species, the weeklong event is a celebration of VTubing in all its creative, animated diversity.
VTubers, for those wondering, are streaming presenters who use virtual avatars to better represent their brand, personality or identity, rather than with a face cam. The options for avis ranges from highly details, full 3D models to a simple PNG image — but they all contribute to a vibrant subgenre of online entertainment.
“We have seen exciting growth in VTubing content on Twitch — VTubing content on Twitch has increased 467% year over year,” notes Mary Kish, Director of Community Marketing & Production at Twitch. “What’s also impressive is the technical creativity of some of these avatars, done in such detailed design that they react to a streamer’s facial reactions, objects held and even the ability to change outfits to reflect a game or mood. It’s an example of streamers’ consistent innovation and creativity in the content they produce and speaks volumes about the way that the Twitch community is able to put their unique spin on new trends, with the artists who develop these avatars also receiving ample praise from the streamers with whom they work.”
“In many ways, my VTuber model allows me to be my true, authentic self,” notes the streamer known as ARUU. “It’s a kind of veil that provides a level of comfort I’ve never known while cam streaming. I actually get to be this character that I created and manifested from my own imagination. How wild is that? It’s akin to roleplaying the person that I have always wanted to be. Although VTubing isn’t yet fully accepted by the rest of the world, I truly believe this art form is the future for media entertainment.”
Fans can find their favorite VTuber on the Recommendation Shelf, discover the wide variety of genres they stream on the Front Page Carousel, witness all the different VTuber styles and personalities during the TAKEOvER Fall Guys Tournament on /Twitch, and learn more about becoming a VTuber with the Creator Camp panel.
On Friday, September 2 at 11 a.m. PST, /Twitch will be hosting its very first VTuber only Tournament. Along with hosts Takahata101 and SinderVTuber, we’ll have 30 different VTubers compete in a Fall Guys tournament where anything can happen.
TiffanyWitcher
In the Creator Camp, VTubers OliviaMonroe, TiffanyWitcher and Delphron will have an informative conversation about their experience crafting their personas and what it’s like creating a VTuber Persona and streaming on Twitch.
“For me, being a VTuber saved me as a disabled content creator!” TaffanyWitcher shared with Animation Magazine. “Being a VTuber now allowed me to speak about how accessible it can be as an accessibility advocate and help others as it did for me. It’s constantly evolving in the community and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s new around the corner and beyond!”
The creators will discuss the basics of VTubing and what they wish they’d known when they started streaming. The aim of the session is to leave viewrs with the know-how to start VTubing on their own, like basic tips on how to create and maintain a persona, the technical aspects of face tracking and rigging, and the perks of being an anonymous avatar.
The Creator Camp discussion wil lalso delve into the tools used to bring these animated VTubing avatars to life, such as the Pixiv’s Vroid Studio model creator and different facial tracking solutions like VTube Studio, Face Rip and PrprLive.
They’re heeeeeere!
VTubers are taking over Twitch and this vast cast of characters can’t wait to meet you.
Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions, has released 13 new episodes of the popular STEM-inspired children’s animation, Kiva Can Do!, which will launch on RTEJr on September 5. The first two seasons of the hugely popular TV show were translated into 26 languages and sold globally to over 140 territories worldwide, including Nick Jr., Gulli and Knowledge Kids.
Kiva Can Do! follows the adventures of seven-year-old Kiva Kain, the world’s greatest kid-inventor; Saul Dunne, her mechanically-minded best friend; and Angus, their intrepid cardboard puppy companion, in highly imaginative adventures that take the trio just about anywhere. This show is for preschoolers whose heroes need only a cardboard box, some bits and bobs, and whole lot of imagination to have a grand adventure!
“We are absolutely thrilled to be returning to RTEjr this autumn with a new batch of Kiva Can Do! episodes,” said Andrew Kavanagh, series creator and CEO of Kavaleer. “Since the show launched in 2017, Kiva has gathered fans around the globe and her can-do attitude has inspired and empowered children at home too. The latest season is perhaps the funniest yet, and we can’t wait for audiences new and old to join Kiva, Saul and Angus on their latest adventures!”
Kiva Can Do!
Kiva Can Do! was created to encourage children to engage in imaginative play with STEM-themed stories presented in a fun, engaging and accessible format. Season 3 was announced as part of RTE’s new season line-up this week and all 13 episodes of the new program were written by comedy legends Mick O’Hara and Ciaran Morrison (Zig & Zag, Podge & Rodge). The show stars Nina Wadia (Netflix’s The Sandman) as Nanni Praveena and newcomers Cecilia Henderson as Kiva and Flynn Gray as Saul.
“RTEjr is so excited to welcome back Kiva and her family for a brand-new series of Kiva Can Do!,” said Suzanne Kelly, Head of Children & Young Peoples Content, RTÉ. “This beautifully observed, laugh-out-loud, cross-generational series delivers everything our audience adores; oodles of curiosity, sparks of imagination and awesome adventures. We can’t wait!”
The animation was partially funded by Screen Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, RTE and Section 481 Tax Credit. International sales for the show are being handled by Brian Lacey of Lacey Entertainment / Happy Audience.
Nippon TV Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, has partnered once again with Netflix, the world’s leading streaming service, and licensed 13 of its most popular anime titles to stream non-exclusively around the world.
The company has previously announced deals with Netflix for its kids’-first-errands reality series Old Enough!, streaming globally on Netflix in 190 countries, as well as 30 of Nippon TV’s biggest drama series and entertainment shows airing on Netflix in its Asian countries.
Ouran High School Host Club
The first titles to start streaming on September 1 on Netflix are the ever-popular HUNTER X HUNTER’s first 38 episodes (148 x 30′ total), slated to stream in 104 countries including Spain, Italy, Finland, Turkey, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during the licensed period. Also streaming on September1 are the beloved Ouran HighSchool Host Club (26 x 30′) in 190 countries and Claymore (26 x 30′) in 136 countries.
The remaining 10 titles 13 titles, listed in the order in which Netflix will be streaming, are: DEATH NOTE (37 x 30′), DEATH NOTE:Relight1 (130′) and DEATH NOTE: Relight 2 (120′) in 14 countries; From Me to You Seaon 1 (25 x 30′) and Season 2 (13 x 30′); BERSERK (25 x 30′); Parasyte -the maxim-(24 x 30′); NANA (47 x 30′); Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! (76 x 30′); and MONSTER(74 x 30′).
Claymore
“Given the tremendous success of Old Enough! around the world, coupled with our drama series and entertainment shows streaming to large audiences in Asia, we are truly honored to be announcing this new deal with Netflix for some of our most beloved anime series in our catalog,” said Akane Inoue, of Nippon TV’s Anime Sales & Licensing, International Business Development division.
“For many years, anime has been a driving force at Nippon TV where we have been producing hit anime titles such as HUNTER X HUNTER, DEATH NOTE and many more. With anime continuing to surge in popularity around the world, the timing could not be better for this exciting partnership with Netflix. I have no doubt anime fans will be talking about these titles the world over.”
The San Antonio Black International Film Festival will present a hybrid SABIFF 2022 from October 6-9 on sabiff.tv, and at local venues in the Alamo City’s District I & II.
The theme of this year’s festival, Animation in Black, showcases a plethora of talented animators from around the globe, with the aim to inspire new talent. Schedules, ticketed and gratis event information can be found at sabiff.tv, and with select event simulcast that will stream on multiple social media platforms during the festival run.
For the last two years, due to COVID-19 restrictions on venues and audience limits, SABIFF presented a four-day virtual film festival which attracted not just San Antonian audiences, but attendees worldwide. This year, the film festival, sponsored by the San Antonio Film Commission (@FilmSanAntonio), has elected to continue with virtual offerings, plus return to local notable venues that have partnered with the festival since its 2019 inaugural event.
The Carver Community Cultural Center and the San Antonio Public Library’s Carver Library Branch remain patrons, while SABIFF 2022 welcomes new venue partners with St. Philip’s College|Alamo Colleges (HBCU) and the Magik Theatre to present the spectrum of the Afrocentric world of animation. New evening venues include: Elsewhere Garden Bar and Kitchen and Mark’s Outing.
Bruce W. Smith, creator of Disney+ Original series ‘The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder’ (images courtesy of Disney)
SABIFF 2022’s Opening Night Gala at the Carver Community Cultural Center will feature a red carpet reception, entertainment and the presentation of SABIFF’s 3rd Annual Ankh Achievement Award to multiple award-winning animation artist Bruce W. Smith, the creator and executive producer of the Disney+ Original series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, the acclaimed revival of Disney Channel’s 1990’s groundbreaking hit-animated series The Proud Family.
During his tenure at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Smith supervised animation on classic films such as The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Tarzan and The Emperor’s New Groove. An alumnus of the California Institute of the Arts, his additional animation credits include Space Jam, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Goofy Movie, Bébé’s Kids and Happy Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. Smith, along with his longtime production partner Ralph Farquhar, currently have a wide-ranging, multi-year overall deal with Disney that calls for them to produce animated and live-action series and movies for Disney Branded Television.
Daily schedules will include Films In Competition showcases (October 7-8) judged and selected from SABIFF’s Open Call on FilmFreeway, the world’s largest film festival platform. St. Philip’s College (SLC Bldg. #10) will host two days of Black independent films consisting of: narratives, documentaries, animation, music video and student film stories consisting of Black subjects, stories, perspectives and images presented from the U.S., Trinidad, Jamaica, Cameroon, Brazil, Egypt, Germany and South Africa.
Additionally, there will be a combination of Animation Creative interviews, workshops and panel discussions. This year’s edition spotlights a diverse mix of global films and talent that highlights the need for diversity, equity and inclusion, and animation works of animators from illustrators, gamers, virtual reality, producers, casting agents, voice-over artists and more.
The Carver Library will house free Animation in Black family-friendly events for youth on Friday, and Cinema Under the Stars will be held on Saturday on St. Philip’s Court Yard. KROV Community Radio Station’s Keith Scott will host this family-friendly event, exhibiting animated shorts and Floyd Norman: An Animated Life, a documentary on Disney’s legendary first African-American animator/artist/storyman.
SABIFF 2022 extends a big push to area schools, youth organizations, and child care centers to attend Animation in Black.
“We are delighted to be back at live venues with a festival that aims to impact, inspire, and connect audiences to international films in competition, and the magical world of animation from Black global perspectives.” said Ada M. Babino, SABIFF’s Executive Director.
The festival organizers seek ongoing donations to cover admission costs for all SA youth, and students to attend festival events at no charge.
General audience entrance fees range from $10 daily block movie passes, to $100 for local all-access-badges for local live V.I.P. attendees. All-access-passes with virtual Video-On Demand (VOD) are available for virtual audiences across the world-wide-web. Events are open to St. Philip’s | Alamo College students, and area youth 18 and under with a valid ID. Discount rates to senior citizens, groups, and students at area institutions.
Visit sabiff.tv for more details, and donation opportunities.
The inaugural edition of Hiroshima Animation Season, a new animation festival in the Japanese port city, completed its five-day program with a closing ceremony on Sunday, August 21.
The first festival was a great success, welcoming many guests from Japan and abroad, and included competition screenings, feature screenings, talks by special guests, symposiums and other programs.
The awards ceremony for the competition was held at the closing ceremony, announcing the Grand Prix and other award-winning films. The competition received 2,149 entries from 86 countries and regions, 54 of which were selected for the two competitions (Pan Pacific and Asia Competition and World Competition).
The Grand Prix, chosen among the two competitions by the artistic directors from the festival (Koji Yamamura and Shizuka Miyazaki), went to Darwin’s Notebook, a short film by Swiss master filmmaker Georges Schwizgebel. The film depicts colonial
issues in a metamorphosis technique.
In the Pan-Pacific and Asia Competition, the Best Film was awarded to Los Huesos, directed by Cristobal León & Joaquin Cocina (Chile). The film was highly acclaimed for its strong social satire in the setting of an excavated 16mm film. The jury consisted of three acclaimed animation professionals: Florence Miailhe (France), Chris Robinson (Canada) and Joe Hsieh (Taiwan).
The winners of Hiroshima Animation Season 2022 are…
Los Huesos
Mitsui Fudosan Realty Chugoku Presents Hiroshima Animation Season 2022 Competition
Grand Prix: Darwinʼs Notebook (Directed by Georges Schwizgebel / Switzerland)
Chosen by HAS artistic directors Koji Yamamura and Shizuka Miyazaki asthe film that best represents the festival from all award-winning films, including the audience awards in the Pacific and Asia Competition and the World Competition.
Pan-Pacific and Asia Competition Jury Members: Florence Miailhe, Chris Robinson, Joe Hsieh
Best Film: Los Huesos (Directed by Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociñ / Chile) Jury Personal Pick – Florence Miailhe:Bird in the Peninsula (Directed by Atsushi Wada / Japan) Jury Personal Pick – Chris Robinson:The Loach (Directed by Chen Xi & An Xu / China) Jury Personal Pick – Joe Hsieh:Bestia (Directed by Hugo Covarrubias / Chile) Audience Award:Bird in the Peninsula (Directed by Atsushi Wada / Japan)
Skinned
World Competition
In addition to the category awards and jury awards already announced at the opening ceremony on August 17, the audience awards were also announced for each category, which was voted on by the audience after viewing the films.
“Allegories Nowadays” Audience Award:Skinned (Directed by Joachim Hérissé / France)
Category Award: Skinned
Arthur Binard Award: Confessions of an English Ant-Eater (Alex Crumbie / United Kingdom)
Hiroko Sebu Award: In the Mountains (Wally Chung / United States)
Shizuka Miyazaki Award:Prince in a Pastry Shop (Katarzyna Agopsowicz / Poland)
“A Slice of Society” Audience Award:Precious (Directed by Paul Mas / France)
Category Award: Salvia at Nine (Jang Nari / Korea)
Kiki Sugino Award: The House of Loss (Jinkyu Jeon / Japan, Korea)
Asako Fujioka Award: All Those Sensations in My Belly (Marko Dješka / Croatia)
Honami Yano Award: Mom, Whatʼs Up with the Dog? (Lola Lefevre / France)
Zoon
“Adventure in Storytelling” Audience Award: Darwinʼs Notebook (Directed by Georges Schwizgebel / Switzerland)
Category Award:Darwinʼs Notebook
Min Tanaka Award:The Blind Writer (Georges Sifianos / Greece)
Yuki Harada Award: My Father’s Damn Camera (Milos Tomic / Slovenia)
Sarina Nihei Award: In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-weeny Pocket (Yoko Yuki / Japan)
“Visual Poetry” Audience Award: Zoon (Directed by Jonatan Schwenk / Germany)
Koji Yamamura Award: Zoon (Jonatan Schwenk / Germany)
“The Spark: Films for Children” Audience Award:A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays (Directed by Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier / Belgium, France)
A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays
Special Jury Award
Feature Film Jury Award: When You Get to the Forest (Directed by Eric Power / United States)
Jury Members: Masashi Koide (Professor of Tokyo Zokei University), Akiko Sugawa (Professor of Yokohama National University, President of Japan Society for Animation Studies), Koji Takase (Animation Researcher and Critic), Mirai Mizue
(Animation Artist, President of Japan Animation Association)
Hiroshima Choice: A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays (Directed by Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier / Belgium, France)
Jury Members: Akiko Isonaga (freelance writer), Mitsuhiro Seimasa (READAN DEAT store owner), Takeshi Matsuoka (Curator, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art)
HAC (Hiroshima Animation City) Award: A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays (Directed by Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier / Belgium, France)
The next Hiroshima Animation Season will be held in two years, in August 2024.
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) has announced this year’s Short Cuts lineup, presented by TikTok, which showcases 39 live-action narrative, documentary and animated shorts by a groundbreaking group of filmmakers representing 18 countries.
The diverse lineup of shorts includes 21 World Premieres and 15 North American Premieres presented in 20 different languages, with a breadth of new and unique perspectives. Among this group of storytellers are 21 filmmakers from countries such as Portugal, China, Colombia, Mongolia, Kenya, Ukraine, the U.S. and the U.K., as well as 18 filmmaking teams from across Canada.
“We’re thrilled to be returning with one of our strongest ever selections of short films by directors from all over the world,” says Jason Anderson, International Programmer for Short Cuts. “We’re always amazed by the breadth, depth and diversity of the talents working in short-form cinema, whether they’re filmmakers who we’ve already had the privilege of presenting at TIFF or emerging storytellers who we can’t wait to introduce to our audiences. And however different these new works may be, what they share is an incredible sense of clarity and economy – these are films that don’t waste a second no matter what they’re out to achieve.”
The Flying Sailor
Among the standout animations in this year’s Short Cuts are The Flying Sailor, a National Film Board of Canada production by the Oscar-nominated team of Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, and Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez, recent winner of Leitz Cine Discovery prize for best short film at the Semaine de la Critique at Cannes.
Films programmed in this year’s Short Cuts selection are eligible for three jury-selected IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards (Best Film, Best Canadian Film and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman) as well as the Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award.
In addition to the films included in Short Cuts lineup, which you can find here, there are 11 films in the previously announced Wavelengths shorts program. TIFF22 will also be screening a special presentation of Henry Selick’s new animated feature Wendell & Wild (Netflix) and Pierre Földes’s Haruki Murakami adaptation Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman in the Contemporary World Cinema section.
The Ice Merchants
TIFF22 Short Cuts Animation Selections:
Against Reality
Against Reality Olivia Peace | U.S.A. | 2022
In this surreal and gorgeous animated autobiography, artist and filmmaker Olivia Peace uses AI art-generation tools and immersive sound design to bring viewers into a border space between dreams and waking life.
backflip
backflip Nikita Diakur | Germany, France | 2022
In his efforts to teach his digital avatar how to master a tricky move, animator Nikita Diakur creates something wholly unique: an ingenious demonstration of the potentials and pitfalls of machine learning that doubles as a riotously hilarious slapstick comedy.
CANARY
CANARY Pierre-Hugues Dallaire, Benoit Therriault | Canada | 2022
The delightful handiwork of directors Benoit Therriault and Pierre-Hugues Dallaire with the team at Montreal’s Rodeo FX, this animation charms viewers with the story of a boy and a bird who find hope and connection in the deepest and darkest of places.
The Flying Sailor Wendy Tilby, Amanda Forbis | Canada | 2022
One of the most celebrated teams in Canadian animation, Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis return with a spectacular synthesis of sound and image, inspired by the incredible but true story of one man’s unexpected voyage on the morning of the Halifax Explosion in 1917.
The Garbage Man
The Garbage Man (O Homem do Lixo) Laura Gonçalves | Portugal | 2022
Drawn from interviews with family members speaking about a beloved patriarch, the latest animation by Laura Gonçalves is an irresistibly warm-hearted and whimsical celebration of generosity, community and the value of things others may throw away.
Ice Merchants João Gonzalez | Portugal, France, U.K. | 2022
A prizewinner at this year’s Semaine de la Critique at Cannes, João Gonzalez’s visually stunning and emotionally affecting animation tells the story of a father and son whose tender bond will be tested by their increasingly precarious place in the world.
Shadow of the Butterflies
Shadow of the Butterflies (خيال الفراشات) Sofia El Khyari | France, Qatar, Portugal | 2022
This exquisite animation by Morocco’s Sofia El Khyari draws viewers into a mysterious forest where a young woman’s emotions, memories, and desires intermingle with the delicate movements of the butterflies that surround her.
Rick and Morty fanatics around the world are on the hunt for spectacular immersive displays that are part of Adult Swim’s ongoing #WORMAGEDDON global “living episode.” The fan experience has already thrilled fans with custom builds in MexicoCity, Malibu, The Netherlands and Pittsburgh. The latest scene was just unveiled this morning in Adult Swim’s hometown of Atlanta.
Featuring 14 total unique scenes with nine as part of a global treasure hunt, #WORMAGEDDON is animmersive adventurethat brings to life the two-time Emmy Award-winning animated hit comedy series. Reaching every continent except Antarctica, spectacular custom scenes will unfold nearly every day until #WORMAGEDDON concludes with the season six global premiere of Rick and Morty starting on Sunday, September 4 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim.
Created in partnership with State Farm, this #WORMAGEDDON scene includes Rick and Morty characters Gene and Glootie alongside Jake from State Farm. Welcoming fans to the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the massive build integrates an actual car into the newest scene that brings to life the mysterious alien worm’s path of destruction.
The scavenger hunt winner who discovered the Malibu #WORMAGEDDON installation poses with the coveted “Golden Rick Head”
The custom builds in Atlanta and Mexico City were revealed to fans immediately, while scenes in Malibu, The Netherlands and Pittsburgh were part of the ongoing global treasure hunt that began on Monday. Following along via RickandMorty.com, fans are invited to unlock clues and discover nine hidden builds. The first fan to find each hidden location in person is rewarded on the spot with a life-size golden “Rick” head.
“We are so blown away by how engaged and excited Rick and Morty fans are for #WORMAGEDDON. Each of our hidden builds were found only mere hours after the first clue was posted!” said Tricia Melton, Chief Marketing Officer for Warner Bros. Discovery Kids, Young Adults and Classics group. “It’s so incredible to bring both our fans and our sponsors into this immersive Rick and Morty living episode. Who but Adult Swim could dream up a global treasure hunt that includes invading space worm aliens and State Farm?”
Netherlands #WORMAGEDDON
Facing a threat of complete global destruction, the heroes and anti-heroes of Rick and Morty will team up against #WORMAGEDDON. Between the destruction of the Citadel of Ricks at the end of season five and the beginning of season six, a new threat lands on Earth in the form of a mysterious alien worm that aims to take over the planet.
Adult Swim also debuted a series of custom animated shorts about the origins of this dangerous alien invasion, including [A Citadel Secret], [A Journey to Earth] and [Threat Level: Wormageddon]. The shorts have received a combined total of 30MM+ global views and counting. Fans can get details and rules on how to participate in the global treasure hunt here.
Mexico City #WORMAGEDDON
The first custom scene was revealed on Saturday, August 20 at the Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles, Coyoacán in Mexico City. This massive build depicts Rick and Morty characters Beth Smith and Supernova in the fight of their lives to save Earth. (Video)
Monday kicked off the global treasure hunt as a second custom build featuring Rick Sanchez was soon “discovered” by a fan in Malibu, California. (Video)
The treasure hunt continued on Tuesday as a custom build featuring Rick and Morty character Jerry Smith was spotted in The Netherlands. (Video)
The latest custom build was unlocked yesterday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and features fan-favorite character Mr. Poopybutthole in his apartment. (Video)
Aclaimed adult and family animation producer-distributor GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for New Gods: Yang Jian, the latest feature from the powerhouse Chinese animation studio Light Chaser Animation.
Directed by Ji Zhao, who helmed Light Chaser’s White Snake and New Gods: Nezha Reborn,Yang Jian is the second installment of the studio’s “New Gods” series of animated action-fantasy epics inspired by Chinese mythological figures, following 2021’s Nezha Reborn.
Domestically released on August 19, New Gods: Yang Jian was the top film at the mainland China box office, beating Minions: The Rise of Gru, and earning $19.8 million on its opening weekend. GKIDS will release the film theatrically in both original Mandarin language and an all-new English language dub early next year. GKIDS previously handled local distribution of Light Chaser’s 2019 feature White Snake.
“Light Chaser Animation is one of the most exciting CG studios working today, and we are thrilled to continue our relationship on their newest film New Gods: Yang Jian,” said David Jesteadt, GKIDS’ President. “The film drips with style, bringing a unique and action-packed spin on a classic Chinese story. We can’t wait to share it with American audiences early next year.”
New Gods: Yang Jian
Synopsis: Thirteen years after Yang Jian (known to some as Erlang Shen) imprisoned his sister beneath a mountain, the once powerful god now scrapes by as a penniless bounty hunter. When a mysterious woman hires him for a new job, Yang Jian soon finds himself chasing down a familiar figure. He must stop Chenxiang, his long-lost nephew, who is in search of the magical lotus lantern that will free his mother, even if it will bring catastrophe. As Yang Jian confronts the actions of his past, he must face a host of dangerous vigilantes seeking the same treasure with the power to alter the balance of their worlds.
Featuring awe-inspiring action sequences set against breathtaking, wildly imaginative environments and combining ancient lore with dazzling animation, New Gods: Yang Jian is a timeless adventure of epic proportions featuring one of China’s legendary mythic figures.
The film was writte by Chuan Mu and produced by Xi Lu. The Mandarin version features the voices of Kai Wang, Guanlin Ji, Lihong Li and Lanling Li.
LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight today announced the voice cast for Wildwood, the Oscar-, BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning animation studio’s next feature film. The studio also unveiled a new piece of artwork for the project, which you can see in full below.
The cast includes:
Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman),
Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack)
Jacob Tremblay (Room)
Awkwafina (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings),
Oscar nominee Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to Do with It)
Jake Johnson (Jurassic World)
Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses)
Amandla Stenberg (The Hate You Give)
Emmy nominee Jemaine Clement (The Flight of the Conchords)
Maya Erskine (Pen15)
Tantoo Cardinal (Wind River)
Grammy winner Tom Waits
Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Wildwood, based on the series of novels by Colin Meloy (lead singer for The Decemberists) and illustrator Carson Ellis, is currently in production at LAIKA Studios outside Portland, Oregon.
Knight, who won the BAFTA for directing LAIKA’s Kubo and the Two Strings and also directed Paramount’s hit movie Bumblebee, directs from a script by Chris Butler (ParaNorman, Missing Link). Six-time Oscar nominee Caleb Deschanel (The Passion of the Christ) is the cinematographer with Arianne Sutner, LAIKA’s Head of Production and Oscar-nominated producer of Kubo and Missing Link, producing alongside Knight.
“That is one helluva cast,” said Knight. “Collaborating with these exceptional actors has been a humbling and inspiring experience. Their committed performances elevate Wildwood, and are a remarkable gift for LAIKA’s animators. I’m in awe of them all.”
Synopsis: Beyond Portland, Oregon’s city limits lies Wildwood. You’re not supposed to go there. You’re not even supposed to know it exists. But Prue McKeel is about to enter this enchanted wonderland. Her baby brother Mac has been taken by a murder of crows into the forest’s depths, and she — along with her hapless classmate Curtis — is going to get him back. Prue might think she’s too old for fairytales, but she’s just found herself at the center of one. One filled with strange talking animals, roguish bandits, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions.
Wildwood is a tale of love, loss, sacrifice and secrets, and of the magic you can find on your doorstep, if you’re willing to look for it.
