A heartwarming and touching story of a newfound family set against the backdrop of the post-Tohoku natural disaster, The House of the Lost on the Cape is a captivating anime movie centered around special kinship, tradition, optimism, and childhood wonder with a touch of magic.
Winner of Best Animation Film at the 76th Annual Mainichi Film Awards and an Official Selection in feature film competition at the prestigious 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, this artful and beautiful anime film will finally make its home entertainment debut on Blu-ray+ DVD combo pack and available for digital download on September 27, following its nationwide theatrical release.
Available for the first time in North America, the home release of The House of the Lost on the Cape contains an exciting movie presentation (featuring both versions; English dub and Japanese audio with English subtitles), insightful bonus content and an exclusive art booklet.
The House of the Lost on the Cape is available for preorder now at ShoutFactory.com and will be available in stores and through other fine retailers.
Based on the award-winning Japanese novel by Sachiko Kashiwaba (The Wonderland, The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist), The House of the Lost on the Cape is directed by Shinya Kawatsura (Non Non Biyori, Kokoro Connect) and produced by David Production (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure series, Cells At Work) with a screenplay by Reiko Yoshida (A Silent Voice, Lu Over the Wall, Violet Evergarden).
Synopsis:The House of the Lost on the Cape follows 17-year-old run-away Yui and eight-year-old Hiyori, who lost her family and her voice. They have no place to go when they run into Kiwa, a strange old lady. She offers them a place to stay in a slightly banged-up old house overlooking the sea, a Mayoiga. Despite joining Kiwa on a whim, the two girls find comfort in Mayoiga, a legendary house, said to look after lost travelers, and the warm hospitality of Kiwa. Both girls’ damaged hearts begin to heal little by little. Until one day, a variety of strange beings which Kiwa calls “Fushigitto” begin popping up around the house.
Bonus Features
Director Shinya Kawatsura Special Q&A – Annecy Festival
In the original Looney Tunes cartoons, self-described super genius Wile E. Coyote was always on the cutting edge of STEM experimentation. Utilizing his own imaginings and materials from the Acme Corporation, the bewildered prairie wolf failed hilariously — but was never so discouraged that he stopped trying to catch the Road Runner. So, it’s only fitting that in the new preschool animated show Bugs Bunny Builders we find a familiar cast of characters working together, learning about building and design as well as collaboration, self-expression and problem-solving.
Nicole Belilsle
“I think we really focused on keeping the characters’ core personality traits intact, and then we just avoided any mature behaviors,” says Nicole Belisle, producer and story editor for the show, which premiered on HBO Max and Cartoon Network’s Cartoonito block last month.
“To give an example: With Wile E. Coyote, he’s not trying to eat the Road Runner in our show,” she explains. “He’s just incredibly annoyed by his presence. So, we have one episode where he goes to extreme lengths to keep the Road Runner away. And then in another episode, he’s trying to beat the Road Runner in a race. But I think that you’ll see that Bugs is still casual and chomping on his carrot, Porky is still meticulous and easily flustered and Daffy is just all over the place and super daffy. We really wanted to hold on to those core personality traits while just avoiding any mature ideas or themes.”
Bugs Bunny Builders
Mindful of the Legacy
Supervising producer and showrunner Abe Audish says he also had the history of Looney Tunes in mind as he and the team crafted each episode. “We wanted to do is make sure we established a world where all our favorite and beloved Looney Tunes characters from the past can show up and everybody has some kind of problem to solve or build that they need to create,” says Audish, who has also worked on shows such as as Sanjay and Craig, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Tig N’ Seek. “We’re having fun with the characters, but we’ve changed the characters a bit in terms of some of the things that they want, who they are, and we’ve also expanded some new characters for the show.”
He adds, “Having those characters that have such a rich past history was so much fun. Even as we’re thinking about other characters and their possible storylines, there’s so much to work with here. We’re excited to work with each one of these characters. We want to go back to some old characters and revisit them and have new builds and challenges for them. It’s been a very exciting and fun process.”
Bugs Bunny Builders
Warner Bros. Animation was the main production studio, with Snipple, an animation studio in the Philippines with offices in London, and Digital eMation, located in Korea, providing additional animation services.
This new younger take on Looney Tunes classics features the likes of Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety, Sylvester, Petunia, Wile E. Coyote, Taz, and Lola as they work together in a preschool-friendly world. Of course, they’ll use many of their classic personality traits and abilities to solve problems and meet challenges. They’ll retain essential aspects of their looks, but the character style has also been updated.
Abe Audish
“We just made them a little bit softer, a little brighter, making the line work a little bolder,” says Audish. “The art director and I made sure that we tried to incorporate a nostalgia for the original look of Looney Tunes while using a style that’s geared toward a young audience so kids get familiarized with it. It’s classic Looney Tunes, but brighter and more simplified. We wanted to simplify the voicers, too. Our voice director and I really wanted to make sure we slowed down the verbiage in the speech patterns in the dialog. This way the audience understands the story and doesn’t get lost. That’s part of the STEM work we’re doing, just making sure that our audience understands what’s going on.”
Eric Bauza, a tireless veteran Looney Tunes actor, returns as the voices of Bugs, Tweety and Daffy. Another familiar Looney Tunes thesp, Bob Bergen, is voicing Porky, while Lola Rabbit is played by Chandni Parekh. Additional voice actors include Jeff Bergman as Sylvester, Alex Cazares as Petunia Pig and Fred Tatasciore as Taz.
Cartoonito’s curriculum director Dr. Laura Brown believes the show supports the interest and excitement kids have for building. In particular, she’s noted the design thinking process of imagining, building and fixing and the emotional intelligence of learning to work together. Bugs Bunny Builders aims to include stories that inspire kids to develop interpersonal skills as well as STEM.
Bugs Bunny Builders
Baking in the Design Elements
“I think, first and foremost, we want to tell the best story,” says Belisle, whose previous credits include Kung Fu Panda: Paws of Destiny, Mickey Mouse Funhouse and Go, Dog. Go! “So, we always think about that first, and for us that means coming up with a really ‘Looney’ build and a fun character arc to follow and then baking that into our design curriculum, which consists of imagining the build and the fix, and then we achieve that by working closely with our educational consultant, as well as our executives, just to make sure that each episode is easy to comprehend.”
She adds, “Of course, we still want to be very ‘Looney.’ It was very important to us that we not lose any of the ‘Looney’ or fun parts of the characters and that we still make it palatable for such a young audience. I find so much fun to work with the cast of characters that we get to work with on this show. I grew up watching classic Looney Tunes, and to have a chance to write for their voices and to see our artists bring a show to life is really special. It’s exciting to introduce these iconic characters to a young audience.”
Belisle says she can’t wait for the show to premiere so that kids can meet these new incarnations of the familiar characters. “We’ve been really cognizant of also looking at it as a family show and I think there’s something for everyone in this show,” she notes. “We also have wordplay for older kids and nods to the classics for the parents, so I really think the whole process has been about including the whole family in this show. The payoff has been really huge.”
Bugs Bunny Builders premiered today (Mon., July 25) on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network, and streams tomorrow (Tues., July 26) on Cartoonito on HBO Max.
Mike Moon (seen above as an animated cameo in Netflix series Paradise PD) is stepping down from his role as Director of Adult Animation at Netflix at the end of this month to pursue other opportunities. The move is reportedly unrelated to the recent shuffle in the streamer’s family animation unit, which placed Karen Toliver at the head of the division while Melissa Cobb and Gregg Tayler transition from VPs to producers. A search for Moon’s replacement is now underway.
Moon joined Netflix over four and a half years ago to built its Adult Animation team. During Moon’s tenure he has overseen the launch of Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources from Brutus Pink, Shion Takeuchi’s Inside Job, Pen Ward & Duncan Trussel’s The Midnight Gospel, as well as highly anticipated upcoming series Entergalactic from Kenya Barris and Kid Cudi, Exploding Kittens from Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and Agent King from Priscille Presley and John Eddie.
Moon has also spurred overall deals with Brutus Pink, Takeuchi, Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls) and Titmouse, and spearheaded its animation production facility, Vine Studios.
The Toon Town veteran began his career as an artist, working as an animator for more than 15 years. Prior to joining Netflix, Moon has previously worked in both feature film and series animation at top studios including Sony Pictures Animation, Disney Television Animation and Cartoon Network. [Source: Deadline]
Adam Ham
The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) has announced the appointment of local entrepreneur, influencer and publicist Adam Ham to its Board of Directors for a term of two years, seeking his contribution to the growth of the entertainment industry in Malaysia. Ham previously served the government for 10 years in the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and was involved in a number of programs under the Ministry of Information Communications and Culture (currently known as the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia) before venturing into game development and PR.
Currently the CEO of Global Creative and Media Agency (GCMA) and Publisher of Kr8tif Express, Ham continued serving the Malaysian government voluntarily by connecting the private sector to the relevant government bodies, allowing for successful and impactful campaigns that have aided a large number of people. He works closely with associations, non-government organizations, press & media, and key industry players to stimulate business opportunities and enhance public awareness.
“I am honored to be one of the few industry players that have been recognized by the Malaysian government based on my contributions and knowledge. I am excited to make an impact in Malaysia by contributing fresh ideas that will allow the private sector to leverage the entertainment industry to promote local culture and content on a global scale,” said Ham. “With that said, I pledge to my country that I will do all within my reach to boost Malaysia’s entertainment industry and provide yet another reason for the rakyat to take pride in.”
Mark Kaplan
Veteran post-production executive Mark Kaplan is joining Goldcrest Post (goldcrestpostny.com) as Executive Vice President. A highly-regarded industry pro, Kaplan will be tasked with growing the facility and attracting more work from both inside and outside New York City, including Los Angeles and London. He comes aboard the facility after 20 years at Technicolor, Los Angeles, (now Formosa Group) where he was Vice President of Broadcast Sales. Kaplan is relocating from L.A. to New York to assume his new responsibilites.
Kaplan has worn many hats over the course of his career, including sales and marketing executive, producer, director, post-production supervisor, talent manager and serial entrepreneur. In addition to his tenure at Technicolor, he has lengthy experience as a freelance post-production supervisor with credits including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Water Engine, The Heart of Justice, Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight, The American Clock and The Heidi Chronicles. He also has a deep background as a producer and director of live theatrical events. Most recently, he directed the world premiere of playwright Dylan Brody’s And…Again, starring Paul Provenza and Mo Gaffney.
“The opportunity to work with a company that has produced more than 150 films and fully understands the point of view of the producer, the director and other creatives, made this a no-brainer. This is also a chance to help a company run by passionate people expand its scope and become a force worldwide. We’re not New York-centric. We’re not Los Angeles-centric. We’re not London-centric. We’re a global company capable of servicing productions anywhere,” Kaplan observed. “Goldcrest gained a lot of experience in remote work during the pandemic and a knowledge base that they can apply moving forward. They are in a great space and primed for growth.”
International artists and filmmakers working on an animated feature are invited to apply for the Annecy Festival 2023 Residence. The program will allow selected project creators to spend three months in Annecy, France between April and June focusing on the graphic development of their films. The Residence is supported by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Haute- Savoie Department, the DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the CNC, Netflix and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Fully animated or hybrid features from first or second-time writers/directors are eligible for the program. Applications must be written in French or English and contain all the required elements submitted as a PDF via email. More information is available in the 2023 brochure, which you can find on the Residence homepage here. Deadline: September 9, 2022.
Cartoon Network, HBO Max and Cartoonito enjoyed a bustling return to business as usual at San Diego Comic-Con! In addition to debuting an all-star lineup of guest voices for the upcoming seris Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, as well as celebrity appearances headed to favorites series, a first look at Batwheels and many more sneak peeks, fans of all ages got ot see and hear more about what’s next for the beloved Looney Tunes.
That’s NOT All Folks! Looney Tunes for Everyone!, the Looniest panel at Comic-Con, teased all the latest from the Looney Tunes Loon-iverse, including the new season of Looney Tunes Cartoons, new Cartoonito preschool series Bugs Bunny Builders and the upcoming Tiny Toons Looniversity.
The panel was moderated by Eric Bauza (voice of Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Daffy Duck & more) and featured Alex Kirwan (supervising producer, Looney Tunes Cartoons), Abe Audish (supervising producer, Bugs Bunny Builders), Nate Cash and Erin Gibson (co-executive producers of Tiny Toons Loonitversiy). Fans also got to see a special surprise guest, voice actress Ashleigh Crystal Hairston.
Looney Tunes Cartoons – Hex Appeal
Fans were given a sneak peek at the Halloween special Bug’s Bunny’s Howl-O-Skreem Spooktacular, featured “Hex Appeal,” the first dedicated Looney Tunes Cartoons short starring Witch Hazel! The character is voiced by Candi Milo in the series. The seasonal slapstick will be unleashed on HBO Max.
The title for the previously announced Looney Tunes Cartoons family animated movie was revealed: The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. This sci-fi buddy action comedy turns Porky (Bob Bergen) and Daffy (Eric Bauza) into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. The upcoming TV movie will debut on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.
Co-Executive producers Erin Gibson and Nate Cash announced surprise guest Ashleigh Crystal Hairston has joined Tiny Toons Looniversity voice cast as Babs Bunny in the upcoming animated comedy. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Tiny Toons Looniversity will air on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.
Attendees also got to check out the first episode of the newest, preschool-targeted Looney Tunes show, Bugs Bunny Builders, which premieres today (Monday, July 25) on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network, and tomorrow on Cartoonito on HBO Max. Episode 1, “Splash Zone,” is available to watch on the Cartoonito YouTube channel. (Read all about the series in the new August ’22 issue of Animation Magazine!)
More exciting news out of Comic-Con for animation lovers and horror comics fans: Blur Studio founder and filmmaker Tim Miller (Love, Death + Robots, Deadpool) announced during a panel that the animation/VFX shop’s long-gestating feature adaptation of The Goon has found a home at Netflix.
He also revealed that Oscar winner Patrick Osborne (Feast; Pearl; Love, Death + Robots – Three Robots: Exit Strategies) will direct the pic. Osborne has been working on the script with comics creator Eric Powell.
Based on Powell’s multi-Eisner-Award-winning comic-book series, the film had previously been in development with 20th Century Fox, but was dropped following the acquisition and merger with Disney.
The Goon CGI feature was originally announced in 2008, to be produced by Miller’s LDR co-execuctive producer David Fincher (director: Mank, Fight Club, Se7en), with Clancy Brown (SpongeBob SquarePants, Tales of Arcadia, DCAU’s Lex Luthor) and Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Sideways, White Fang) attached to voice The Goon and Franky.
Published by Dark Horse Comics from 2003, The Goon originally debuted through Avatar Press 1999, with Powell’s own Albatross Funnybooks launching a new series in 2019. The story follows a hulking orphan raised by his aunt, a carnival strongwoman. When a gangster guns down his guardian, The Goon starts running the show — violently working his way through a horror-comedy crime caper full of undead, spectral, mutated and mob-affiliated foes.
‘The Goon’ production painting: When Seafood Goes Bad (Blur Studio)
The news was also shared in an updated posted to the project’s Kickstarter campaign page, which raised $400,000 to finance a story reel for The Goon back in 2012:
Hey there Goon Fans.
Patrick Osborne
We know it’s been a looooong time between updates and we apologise. We suck. BUT FINALLY… we’ve got some news. As you read in the last update we had a set back with the Disney / Fox merger… but since then we’ve never stopped trying to move the Goon forward on other avenues. And one of those has finally led us to….
NETFLIX!
It’s a great place for adult animation and we have long enjoyed a terrific relationship them because of LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS. They’re excellent people who love animation and we’re excited the Goon has found a home there.
ALSO, I’m personally THRILLED to introduce myself, Patrick Osborne, as the newest member of the Goon Movie team and the new captain at the helm! Working with team at Blur on Love Death and Robots directing Exit Strategies was a joy, and I can’t wait to work with Tim, Jeff, and Eric to make something special. I’ve loved the The Goon for a long time. There is no series of comics out there like it and I can’t wait to make it an equally singular film. Eric and I have already started digging in. We’re laser focused on shaping the script into something great – true to the comics – something like no one’s ever seen on screen before.
Seriously… thank you all for keeping the faith. We hope to have more info soon, but until then — KNIFE TO THE EYE!
Patrick and BLUR
You can check out the 2012 proof of concept trailer here.
Batwheels shifted into high gear this weekend, treating fans at San Diego Comic-Con to a sneak peek teaser of DC’s first-ever animated Batman preschool series. “Meet the Batwheels” opened DC’s “Comics are Fun for Everyone” panel and introduced fans to the crime-fighting Batwheels team — Bam (the Batmobile), Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Redbird(Robin’s Sports Car), Batwing(the Batwing Jet Plane) and Buff (The Bat Truck).
Also announced during the panel, Batwheels will debut a half-hour origin special on Batman Day, Saturday, Sept. 17, exclusively first on Cartoonito on HBO Max and premiering later on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network. “Secret Origin of the Batwheels” will tell the backstory of how the Batwheels team came to be.
Batwheels follows a group of young sentient super-powered vehicles as they defend Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin and Batgirl. Batwheels officially launches later this fall on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and Cartoonito on HBO Max.
The all-starvoice cast includes Ethan Hawke (as Batman), Jacob Bertand (as Bam the Batmobile), Gina Rodriguez (as Catwoman) and Xolo Maridueña (as Snowy the Snowcrawler), among others.
Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer. Michael G. Stern (Doc McStuffins) serves as co-executive producer, Simon J. Smith (Penguins of Madagascar) is supervising producer and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. is producer.
Based on characters from DC, Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Animation services provided by Superprod Studio.
Paramount+ has launched the official trailer for Season 3 of its hit original animated comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks. The trailer was introduced by series creator Mike McMahan during the Star Trek universe panel in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. All-new character portraits featuring the Lower Decks crew — Mariner, Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford — also made their debut during the panel.
Created by Emmy Award winner McMahan (Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites), Season 3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks challenges the U.S.S. Cerritos ensigns in (hilarious) ways they could never imagine, starting with a shocking resolution for Season 2s epic cliffhanger finale.
The Starfleet crew residing in the “lower decks” of the U.S.S. Cerritos includes Ensign Beckett Mariner, voiced by Tawny Newsome; Ensign Brad Boimler, voiced by Jack Quaid; Ensign Tendi, voiced by Noël Wells; and Ensign Rutherford, voiced by Eugene Cordero. The Starfleet characters that comprise the U.S.S. Cerritos’ bridge crew include Captain Carol Freeman, voiced by Dawnn Lewis; Commander Jack Ransom, voiced by Jerry O’Connell; and Doctor T’Ana, voiced by Gillian Vigman.
Star Trek: Lower Decks S3
Star Trek: Lower Decks S3
Star Trek: Lower Decks S3
Star Trek: Lower Decks S3
The series is produced by CBS’ Eye Animation Productions (CBS Studios’ animation arm), Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Secret Hideout’s Alex Kurtzman, Roddenberry Ent.’s Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, Katie Krentz (219 Productions) and Heather Kadin serve as executive producers alongside creator and showrunner Mike McMahan. Aaron Baiers (Secret Hideout), who brought McMahan to the project, also serves as an executive producer.
The third season of Stsar Trek: Lower Decks returns on Thursday, August 25, and streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Latin America. The show is distributed concurrently by Paramount Global Content Distribution on Amazon Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Japan, India and more, and in Canada airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.
Cartoon Network announced at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend that Grammy-winning hip hop icon Missy Elliott will make her debut on the Emmy, GLAAD and NAACP Image Award-nominated series Craig of the Creek. The news was announced during the “Cartoon Network: Winner Takes All” panel.
In the upcoming episode, “The Jump Off,” Craig challenges a group of Creek kids to a double dutch jump rope competition, even though he has no idea how to double dutch. Elliott plays Carla Frazier, the 1989 Double Dutch Champion and rival to Craig’s mom, Nicole, who was the previous Double Dutch Queen.
Zack Snyder makes his guest star debut on ‘Teen Titans Go!
More luminous guest stars announced during the panel included acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder, who will make his Teen Titans Go! debut, guest starring on an upcoming episode of the hit Cartoon Network series. Snyder will appear as himself in the series’ 365th episode, titled “365!,” premiering this fall.
De La Soul will treturn to ‘Teen Titans Go! following their appearance in the “Don’t Press Play” arc.
Influential rap trio De La Soul also returns to Teen Titans Go! for another guest appearance during the series’ upcoming eighth season. The band previously appeared as themselves in a season six episode titled “Don’t Press Play,” which parodied their real-life music rights battle.
Anderson .Paak and his son will play the Triple T Tigers on ‘We Baby Bears’
Additionally, Grammy-winning singer, Anderson .Paak will return for Season 2 of the hit Cartoon Network series We Baby Bears, along with his son, Soul Rasheed, as the Triple T Tigers music group.
Willow Smith will return as Unica in ‘We Baby Bears’
Willow Smith is also on board to join the adorable bears and reprise her role as Unica, magical unicorn and forest protector.
Teen Titans Go! is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Craig of the Creek and We Baby Bears are produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
Summer just got hotter with the arrival of a new clip and the poster forLEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation, the all-new animated special from Lucasfilm and the LEGO Group premiering August 5, exclusively on Disney+.
The clip, which debuted yesterday at LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, and the all-new poster, highlight the newest entry in the popular signature branded cross-saga storytelling series which is set shortly after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and features the voices of “Weird Al” Yankovic as Vic Vankoh, Yvette Nicole Brown as Colvett Valeria, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Billy Dee Williams as Lando (Holovid) and returning cast members from previous LEGOStar Wars specials.
Looking for a much-needed break from stormtroopers and TIE fighters, Finn arranges a surprise vacation for his friends Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2 and C-3PO, aboard the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon. But Finn’s plan to have one last hurrah together quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group. While searching for his friends, he encounters three Force ghosts: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Leia Organa, who each share their own unexpected stories of vacations gone wrong, helping him to understand that holidays are about more than just having fun.
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation also features the voices of Thomas Lennon as Wick Cooper, Paul F. Tompkins as Rad, Dee Bradley Baker as Boba Fett, Ashly Burch as the Tour Droid, Kyliegh Curran as Sidero, Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine, Allie Feder as Sy Snootles, Jake Green as Poe Dameron, Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, Ross Marquand as Han Solo, Omar Miller as Finn, Kevin Michael Richardson as Jabba the Hutt, Matt Sloan as Darth Vader, James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Helen Sadler as Rey Skywalker, Matthew Wood as Ben Solo and Shelby Young as Leia Organa.
David Shayne is writer and executive producer, and the director is Ken Cunningham. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, Keith Malone and Jennifer Twiner Mccarron are executive producers. Produced in collaboration with Atomic Cartoons.
Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast host Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) today exclusively revealed that the first feature-length movie from Avatar Studios will be focusing on Avatar Aang and his friends during a panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022. The panel also featured host Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) and special guests Jack De Sena (the voice of Sokka) and Phil LaMarr (The Earth King).
“Hello Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast friends and Avatar-verse lovers! It’s me, Janet, and I am so sad not to be at San Diego Comic-Con with Dante and with all of you,” said Varney in the announcement. “I’ve just been doing a little reading while I recuperate, and it reminded me that we actually have some exclusive Avatar Studios news for you all! Now, there have been a lot of rumors floating around, a lot of speculation and a lot of excitement – I feel it too. But we figured it was time to set the record straight. The first feature length movie from Avatar Studios will be focusing on Avatar Aang and his friends, and I for one cannot wait!”
Just got some HUGE NEWS from @janetvarney at our #NickSDCC Avatar: Braving the Elements – LIVE! panel, the first feature-length movie from Avatar Studios will be focusing on Avatar Aang and his friends! 💨💦🍃🔥 pic.twitter.com/dsbK1XMCe5
It was previously announced that Lauren Montgomery (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Voltron: Legendary Defender) is attached to direct the untitled, animated Avatar film currently in development from Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation. This will be the first of three planned Avatar films.
Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino are producing alongside Eric Coleman (Avatar: The Last Airbender, SpongeBob SquarePants) are producing.
Avatar Studios is a newly formed division designed to create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
Latifa Ouaou, Executive Vice President of Movies and Global Franchises for Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, will be overseeing development on the film, alongside Jason McConnell, Vice President of Animation, Nickelodeon Animation & Paramount Animation.
Paramount Animation recently release Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank; upcoming titles include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated (Aug. 4, 2023), PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Oct. 13, 2023), The Tiger’s Apprentice (Dec. 20, 2023), Untitled Transformers Animation (July 19, 2024) and Untitled Smurfs Animated Musical (Dec. 20, 2024).
Nickelodeon, Paramount+ and Entertainment One (eOne) today announced the voice actors breathing new life into original and franchise favorite characters in the upcoming Paramount+ original animated series Transformers: EarthSpark. The all-new animated series (26 episodes) introduces a new generation of Transformers robots — the first Transformers robots to be born on Earth — and together with the human family who welcomes them in and cares for them, they’ll redefine what it means to be a family.
Transformers: EarthSpark is set to debut exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. in November, and on Paramount+ and select Nickelodeon channels internationally. The new series joins the globally recognized Transformers powerhouse franchise.
The news was revealed during an exclusive panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022 featuring voice cast members Danny Pudi (Bumblebee), Kathreen Khavari (Twitch), Zeno Robinson (Thrash) and co-executive producer Dale Malinowski and executive producer Ant Ward. Mike Cecchini (Editor-in-Chief, Den of Geek) moderated the panel, which also revealed a first look at the series.
The new voice cast and their characters are:
Sydney Mikayla (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts) as “Robby Malto,” a smart 13-year-old boy with an abundance of moxie and charisma. Robby is frustrated by his family’s recent move to a small town until he discovers Transformers bots and is now living the ultimate dream.
Zion Broadnax (Day Shift) as “Morgan ‘Mo’ Malto,” Robby’s 9-year-old younger sister. Though she’s emotionally mature for her age, she’s able to look at everything with a wide-eyed sense of optimism and hope. For her, family comes first no matter who you are or where you’re from.
Benny Latham as “Dot Malto,” the mother to Robby and Mo, surrogate mother to the Malto-bots, and wife to Alex. She’s a loving mother and ex-soldier, so she can flip that switch when she’s pushed.
Jon Jon Briones (Ratched) as “Alex Malto,” the father to Robby and Mo, surrogate father to the Malto-bots, and husband to Dot. He’s a college professor with a Ph.D. in Transformers History who loves sharing his Filipino heritage and wealth of Transformers knowledge with his human and bot kids. He can also rattle off dad jokes like a pro.
Kathreen Khavari (Dead End: Paranormal Park) as “Twitch Malto,” an Earth-born Terran born out of primordial sludge in the cave waters of Witwicky, Pennsylvania, like her brother Thrash. She’s a keen observer of everything around her.
Zeno Robinson (Big City Greens) as “Thrash Malto,” an Earth-born male Terran and a cheeky wild child. Like his sister, Twitch, he was born out of primordial sludge in the caves of Witwicky, Pennsylvania. He’s a bringer of fun and good times with a happy-go-lucky attitude.
Danny Pudi (Community) as “Bumblebee,” a fun-loving veteran Autobot who serves as a mentor to the Terrans as they learn what it takes to be Transformers robots. Bumblebee has a lot to learn about being a big brother and role model. He’s suddenly in a position of authority, which makes him nervous and afraid to show any cracks.
Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien) as “Optimus Prime,” a courageous Autobot leader who has forged a new alliance with humans. The birth of the Terrans has given him renewed hope for the future.
Rory McCann (Game of Thrones) as “Megatron,” the father of the Decepticon faticon who believes in making any sacrifice necessary for the survival of Cybertronian civilization. He’s a headstrong idealist but isn’t unwilling to adjust his strategy when victory hangs in the balance.
Cissy Jones (The Owl House) as “Elita-1,” the physically gifted and confident second-in command of the Autobots. Elita-1 is fair and never overbearing to the team. She listens to everyone and is a bot the Terrans look up to.
Diedrich Bader (Better Things) as “Mandroid,” the villain. He was a scientist-soldier in the war, jaded and ultimately, very anti-Cybertronian. With this new anti-Transformer ideology, he believes Earth and its humans need his protection and surmises that the annihilation of all Cybertronians is the best for the planet.
Hasbro, maker of the Transformers: EarthSpark toyline, and a production partner on the animated series, also participated in the panel presentation.
Transformers: EarthSpark is created and co-executive produced by Dale Malinowski (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and executive produced by Ant Ward (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). The series is developed for television by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, Big Kids Animation, Nickelodeon. Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Mikiel Houser, Executive in Charge of Production and for eOne by Kari Rosenberg.
Crunchyroll, the ultimate anime destination worldwide, announced today that tickets for Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO, the newest film in the global anime blockbuster franchise, are now on sale in the United States and Canada at Fandango.com. The film will be available in both English dub and subtitled and will arrive in more than 2,500+ theaters in North America on August 19. The film will also be released in select U.S. based IMAX theaters.
Tickets are also now on sale in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Ticket-on-sale dates and openings for global territories are available at 2022dbs-global.com.
Crunchyroll and Toei Animation also unveiled a new trailer this afternoon, treating both fans attending Comic-Con International to a new, special exclusive look at the upcoming film.
Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO also took center stage at the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con International, when special guest of honor from Japan, Toshio Furukawa (voice actor for Piccolo), was joined by Christopher R. Sabat (English voice actor for Piccolo) and producer Norihiro Hayashida, to share stories and insights from the film. Lucky attendees were also given an extended first-look at the movie — with approximately the first 20 minutes screened exclusively for the at-full-capacity SDCC audience in Hall H!
Synopsis: The Red Ribbon Army was once destroyed by Son Goku. Individuals, who carry on its spirit, have created the ultimate Androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. These two Androids call themselves “Super Heroes”. They start attacking Piccolo and Gohan… What is the New Red Ribbon Army’s objective? In the face of approaching danger, it is time to awaken, Super Hero!
The film, with full commitment and deep involvement from Dragon Ball’s original creator Akira Toriyama, has the legendary manga creator behind the film’s original story, screenplay and character design.
Directed by Tetsuro Kodama, the film features the voices of Japanese actors Masako Nozawa (Son Goku, Son Gohan, Son Goten), Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo), Aya Hisakawa (Bulma), Ryō Horikawa (Vegeta), Mayumi Tanaka (Krillin), Takeshi Kusao (Trunks), Yūko Minaguchi (Videl), Yūko Minaguchi (Pan), Miyu Irino (Dr. Hedo), Hiroshi Kamiya (Gamma 1), Mamoru Miyano (Gamma 2), Volcano Ota (Magenta) and Ryota Takeuchi (Carmine).
The English voice cast includes Kyle Hebert (Son Gohan), Sean Schemmel (Son Goku), Robert McCollum (Son Goten), Christopher R. Sabat (Piccolo, Vegeta), Monica Rial (Bulma), Sonny Strait (Krillin), Eric Vale (Trunks), Kara Edwards (Videl), Jeannie Tirado (Pan), Zach Aguilar (Dr. Hedo), Aleks Le (Gamma 1), Zeno Robinson (Gamma 2), Charles Martinet (Magenta) and Jason Marnocha (Carmine).
Douglas Bensimon and Edward Mejia have both been promoted to Vice President of Current Series, Disney Television Animation, the animation studio within Disney Branded Television which currently has 1,200 half-hours of animated content in production for Disney’s streaming and linear platforms, each focused on entertaining kids age 6-14 and families, and millions of fans of Disney animation around the world.
The announcement was made today by Meredith Roberts, Executive VP of TV Animation, Disney Branded Television. Both Bensimon and Mejia continue to report to Khaki Jones, Senior VP of Current Series, Disney Television Animation.
“One of our guiding principles is to prepare high-potential team members for greater levels of responsibility and to recognize the contributions of innovative, diverse, ready-to-lead executives,” said Roberts. “As a result of their sheer talent, solid experience and Khaki’s mentorship, Edward and Doug are highly skilled in imaginative, visual story-based work, and each has a deep appreciation for our brands and a trusted rapport with content creators that helps us achieve our goals.”
Bensimon leads a team concentrated primarily on Disney Television Animation’s serialized properties for Disney+ and Disney Channel and works closely with Marvel on its branded content for kids 6-14 and families. He has spent his entire career in Current Series work at Disney TV Animation, having joined in 2012 as an assistant in the Current department and, in roles of increasing responsibility over the years, worked as a coordinator, manager, director and, since 2021, executive director of Current Series.
Among the series Bensimon has steered are the upcoming Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur for Disney+ and The Ghost and Molly McGee and Amphibia for Disney Channel. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
Mejia leads a team that focuses on Disney Television Animation’s titles borne from Disney heritage characters and stories for Disney+ and Disney Channel, utilizing his strong institutional knowledge and deep collaboration with colleagues across the Walt Disney Company. He began his career at Disney in 2005 as an assistant to the President of Disney Channels Worldwide and went on to pursue his aspirations in the Disney Channel Original Series department and Disney Television Animation, where he has worked across Development and Current Series and was ultimately promoted to coordinator, manager, director and, in 2020, executive director of Current Series.
Among the titles Mejia has overseen are Monsters at Work for Disney+, the upcoming Kiff and Primos for Disney Channel, and DuckTales, Mickey Mouse, Star vs. The Forces of Evil also for Disney Channel. He is a graduate of USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Today (Friday) at Comic-Con in San Diego, enthusiastic fans got a look at what’s coming up from Marvel Studios’ Animation.
Moderator Paul F. Tompkins introduced the panelists:
Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ head of streaming television and animation
Ryan Meinerding, head of visual development
Bryan Andrews, director of What If…? and executive producer of Marvel Zombies
AC Bradley, writer and executive producer of What If…?
Beau DeMayo, writer and executive producer of X-Men ’97
Kirsten Lepore, writer, director and executive producer of I Am Groot
Jeff Trammell, writer and executive producer of Spider-Man: Freshman Year
(L-R) Paul F. Tompkins, Jeff Trammell, Ryan Meinerding, Beau DeMayo, Kirsten Lepore, Bryan Andrews, A. C. Bradley and Brad Winderbaum participate in the Marvel Studios’ Animation presentation during San Diego Comic-Con 2022 on July 21, 2022 in San Diego, California. [Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney]I Am Groot writer/director/executive producer Lepore answered questions about the upcoming series and treated the audience to the trailer and new key art. A surprise screening of one of the shorts, Groot Takes a Bath, delighted everyone, and applause greeted the announcement of a second collection of shorts.
There’s no guarding the galaxy from this mischievous toddler! So get ready as Baby Groot takes center stage in his very own collection of shorts, exploring his glory days growing up — and getting into trouble — among the stars. I Am Groot, five original shorts featuring several new and unusual characters, stars everyone’s favorite little tree, Baby Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel, who voices Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and James Gunn.
I Am Groot launches exclusively on Disney+ August 10, with all five shorts available for viewing.
Trammell teased Spider-Man: Freshman Year with the cast of characters, and Meinerding showed off the new Spider-Man suit designed for the series. A fun reveal was that moderator Tompkins will be playing a character in the series. A second season was also announced, aptly titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year is an animated series that follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we’ve ever seen and a style that celebrates the character’s early comic book roots. Executive producer Jeff Trammel serves as head writer.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year comes exclusively to Disney+ in 2024.
Andrews and Bradley talked about the Emmy-nominated series What If…? and showed the trailer for Season 2. The audience went wild when, at the end of the presentation, a surprise screening of one episode of the highly anticipated next season was shown, and a third season was announced.
What If…? Season 2 continues the journey with The Watcher as our guide through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The animated series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley as head writer.
Season 2 of What If…? launches exclusively on Disney+ in early 2023.
Andrews also offered background on the upcoming Disney+ exclusive series Marvel Zombies and its origins spawning from an episode of What If…? Season 1, as well as concept art.
The animated series Marvel Zombies from Marvel Studios reimagines the Marvel Universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge. Directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews and written by executive producer Zeb Wells.
Cheers erupted when Winderbaum spoke fondly of the legacy of X-Men: The Animated Series and presented a sizzle reel for X-Men ’97 featuring cast and creatives from the popular ‘90s animated show. Writer and executive producer DeMayo then spoke about the new series, shared artwork, and presented an animatic AV piece. DeMayo also mentioned that the show will use the original X-Men theme music. A second season was also announced.
X-Men ’97 is an animated series from Marvel Studios that explores new stories in the iconic ’90s timeline of the original series. Beau DeMayo is executive producer and head writer.
X-Men ’97 will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ Fall 2023.
Zach Galligan, who starred as the hero “Billy Peltzer” in the Gremlins films, will have a recurring guest role on Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Galligan announced his return to the franchise during a surprise appearance at Friday’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, “The Origin Story You’ve Been Waiting For…Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.”
The series will debut on HBO Max next year and later on Cartoon Network.
Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei and Bowen Yang were also announced as series guest stars. They join an all-star lineup of Asian American actors lending their voice talents to the series, which include Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong and Izaac Wang. Character details for today’s announced guest voices will be shared at a later date.
Greeting Con attendees from afar, Park sent a special video message expressing his excitement for being involved in the series:
In Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, we travel back to 1920s Shanghai to reveal the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering, and sometimes battling, colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.
The series is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television are executive producers. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as supervising producer.
Pyromaniacal hallucinations, divine missions, TikTok tutorials… yep, looks like Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-headis ready to reintroduce toondom’s beloved burnouts to a new generation of fans. Timed to the project’s Comic-Con panel, Paramount+ has unleashed the reboot with a new first-look clip presenting scenes from the episode “The Special One.”
Synopsis: The iconic animated duo of Beavis and Butt-head are back and dumber than ever! The ’90s pop-culture phenomenons return, voiced by creator Mike Judge, to confound common sense, torment each other, and showcase some of the dumbest comedy imaginable.
Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head is streaming August 4, exclusively on Paramount+, following their feature film return in Beavis and Butt-head Do the Universe.
Created and voiced by writer, producer and director Mike Judge, the characters of Beavis and Butt-head originated in Judge’s 1992 short film Frog Baseball, which was broadcast by MTV’s animation showcase Liquid Television. After MTV commissioned a full series around the characters, Beavis and Butt-head ran for seven seasons from March 8, 1993 to Nov. 28, 1997. The series was revived in 2011 with an eighth season airing on MTV.
During its initial run, Beavis and Butt-head received widespread critical acclaim for its satirical, scathing commentary on society. The show’s popularity spawned various related media, including the theatrical film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America in 1996.
Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head is executive-produced by Mike Judge, Lew Morton and Michael Rotenberg, and Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Ben Kalina,and Antonio Canobbio for Titmouse. Watch the trailer here.
Follow Beavis and Butt-head on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and join the conversation with #BeavisAndButtHead.
Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the beloved Care Bears heritage brand, celebrate 40 years of sharing and caring this year with a special-edition 40th Anniversary Care Bear, Care-a-Lot Bear, and a wave of new deals across key consumer licensing categories. The new character also appears in the Season 2 finale of Care Bears: Unlock the Music.
Care-A-Lot Bear
Care-a-Lot Bear joins her fellow recently introduced friends, Dream Bright Bear and I Care Bear, to make this anniversary as special as it can be. Touted as the first ever bear to exist in the magical kingdom of Care-a-Lot, she possesses the most magic and belly badge powers of all the bears. Care-a-Lot Bear knows that caring for others is the best way to spread kindness and love wherever you go. She lives in a cloud castle with her best friend, Cloud Buddy, and together they fly around the kingdom going on epic adventures with the rest of the Care Bears.
Kristeen Tibbits, Head of Marketing at Cloudco Entertainment, said, “Introducing Care-a-Lot Bear to the world is the perfect way to commemorate 40 years of making the world a more caring place. Her belly badge depicts the iconic cloud castle being illuminated with a beautiful rainbow, representing her passion to care for her neighbors and her community!”
Licensees across the globe have signed on to create Care-a-Lot Bear-themed collections with Amazon, Walmart, Target, FYE, Hot Topic, 5 Below and Shein leading retailers in the U.S., and Walmart Canada and Toys R Us Canada launching retail programs in Canada. Basic Fun!, Funko, Franco, Mad Engine, Loungefly, Bioworld, Concept One, Lights Lacquer, Rubies, WYP Jewelry, iScream, Fetch 4 Pets, Shop Girls Crew and Wet n Wild are all celebrating Care-a-Lot Bear through limited-edition collaborations, and Sandbox introduced Care-a-Lot Bear to the metaverse through a recent NFT drop. Basic Fun! U.K., Headstart, Rock Your Baby, Plaza, Somerbond and Parks Toy are supporting the launch internationally.
“The Care Bears resonate with fans of all ages, and we love hearing that our first fans are now introducing their families and children to the brand,” said Robert Prinzo, Head of Global Licensing at Cloudco Entertainment. “In partnerships with our amazing licensees, we are creating fun, thoughtful and unique limited-edition collections that will have something for everyone.”
The Care Bears were first introduced in 1982 through consumer products, greeting cards and, later, a series of animated television shows and feature films, and quickly became one of the most popular and endearing children’s properties in the world. As the Care Bears embark on new adventures, from Care-a-Lot to the Silver Lining, they never shy away from their core values and invite their viewers and fans to join them in spreading sharing, caring, love, friendship and togetherness.
In 2020, Cloudco relaunched Care Bears toys with new master toy partner, Basic Fun!. The new toy line features the new Unlock the Magic look and rolled out successfully at Walmart and Target as well as Amazon and several other online and brick and mortar retailers across the U.S., U.K. and Canada.
The Care Bears: Unlock the MagicTV series is now airing on HBO Max’s preschool programming block, Cartoonito, Boomerang and Cartoon Network in the U.S., Tiny Pop in the U.K., Nickelodeon and Noggin in Latin America, Tiji and Gulli in France, CCTV14 Children’s Channel in China and many other broadcasters worldwide.
Care Bears: Unlock the Music Season 2,a “YouTube-first” show featuring the Care Bears characters and original pop music, is available to view on the Care Bears YouTube channel. The finale episode will feature Care-a-Lot Bear, premiering soon.
One of the most talked-about documentaries upon its world premeire at Sundance, My Old School is receiving a U.S. theatrical release through Magnolia Pictures starting Friday, July 22.
Directed by Jono McLeod (Being Stavros) and starring Alan Cumming, Clare Grogan and Lulu (who performs the title song), the film tells the story of a star student at a posh Scottish school who is much more than he appears, related through a mix of live interviews, archival footage and animation. McLeod described the 2D augmentation as a way to “evoke high school life from 25 years ago. While drawing inspiration from MTV’s 1990s high school icon, Daria, the film also nods to the animation styles of the 1970s.”
We’re chuffed to present an exclusive clip, courtesy of our friends at Magnolia Pictures, in celebration of the movie’s release. Buckle up!
Synopsis: In 1993, 16-year-old Brandon Lee enrolled at Bearsden Academy, a secondary school in a well-to-do suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. What followed over the next two years would become the stuff of legend. Brandon had been privately tutored in Canada while he accompanied his mother, an opera diva, on tour before her tragic death. The preternaturally bright student surprised teachers by blazing toward his goal of entering medical school, displaying a wealth of knowledge beyond his years. Brandon found friends despite his initial awkwardness, taking bullied students under his wing, introducing classmates to seminal retro bands, and even starring in the school‘s production of South Pacific. But then his unbelievable secret was revealed.
Filmmaker Jono McLeod returns to his oldschool for a nostalgic look at the strange but true story of his former classmate, Brandon Lee. Utilizing playful, period-specific animation, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, the memories of students and teachers, and the talents of Alan Cumming to bring the tale to life, My Old School offers more than one surprise along the way.
Produced by Hopscotch Films, the film is written, directed and executive produced by McLeod, produced by John Archer and Olivia Lichtenstein, with Clara Glynn and Mark Thomas as executive producers. The animation was overseen by creative director Rory Lowe and art director scott Morriss of Wild Child Animation (The Brilliant World of Tom Gates) in Stirling, Scotland.
You can watch trailer for My Old Schoolhere, learn more and get tickets at myoldschoolfilm.com.
The Dragon Princereturned to San Diego Comic-Con Thursday with a panel previewing the upcoming Season 4 (a.k.a. Book Four; Earth), the first season in the next phase of the saga, “Mystery of Aaravos.” The adventure continues this November with nine new episodes on Netflix.
Featuring series co-creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond as well as executive producer Villads Spangsberg, lead writer Devon Giehl and voice actors Jack De Sena (Callum) and Racquel Belmonte (Claudia), the Comic-Con session also revealed that Seasons 5-7 are currently in various stages of production.
The new multi-season “Mystery of Aravos” arc will see the enigmatic Startouch elf, Aaravos, take center stage, staking his claim to the magical world of Xadia after centuries of careful planning.
Synopsis: It’s been two years since the Battle of the Storm Spire in Season 3. Peace has been restored throughout the lands but tensions persist between the human kingdoms and Xadia.
With Amaya at her side, Janai must rebuild the Sunfire elves from the ashes of the Corrupted Core. Ezran has fully stepped into his role as king of Katolis, protected by both Soren and Corvus as his Crownguard. Zym is no longer just a hatchling. Callum has replaced Viren as High Mage. And Rayla has since left Callum in search of Viren, her whereabouts unknown…
In Season 4, we see Aaravos’ plans begin to take shape. Under Aaravos’ guidance, Claudia has resurrected her father, Viren, at great cost to herself, but he only has 30 days to live unless they free Aaravos from his mysterious prison.
Claudia will stop at nothing to unearth the long-lost location of Aaravos’ prison in order to save her father, while our heroes must race against time to stop her from unleashing the dangerous Startouch elf on the world…
Season 4 introduces Earthblood elves for the first time, including a new character — the affable and very loveable Terry — and a new environment, the Drakewood. Many more adventures, mysteries, friends, foes and (of course) dragons await!
The Dragon Prince is produced by Wonderstorm, led by co-creators Ehasz and Richmond. It premiered globally on Netflix in September 2018 and immediately topped popularity lists across Rotten Tomatoes, Fandom and Tumblr. It was quickly renewed for second and third seasons, which premiered in 2019. In 2020, Netflix took the unprecedented step of renewing the series for four additional seasons. With this multi-season renewal, Netflix committed to fully realize the creators’ vision for the seven-season Saga.
The Dragon Prince won the 2020 Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Animated Series and has been a “Top 10 Digital Original” for all of its season runs. Forbes named it one of the best fantasy shows on TV and all three seasons have a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nickelodeon will take viewers on a multidimensional adventure deep below the ocean’s surface throughout Bikini Bottom with the first-ever SpongeBob Universe crossover special, “The Tidal Zone.” The one-hour special encompasses all three animated series within the SpongeBob Universe, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Paramount+ original series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years and The Patrick Star Show, and follows GrandPat (The Patrick Star Show) as he makes his way through each dimension. The special is slated to premiere in November on Nickelodeon.
The crossover special was revealed today during an exclusive panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022, where SpongeBob fans packed the room for a look at these iconic shows. Moderated by Patrick Gomez (Editor-in-Chief, Entertainment Weekly), the panel brought together legendary voice talent from all three series — Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Jill Talley (Karen, Squidina), Kate Higgins (Narlene) and Carlos Alazraqui (Nobby) —and executive producers Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller.
“The Tidal Zone,” is journey into an hour of television where two dimensions can become three, and French divers can wear black ties. Observe a tale of both comedy and caution, of satire and stupidity. Minds may switch, bodies may shrink, and robots may rise in…“The Tidal Zone.”
Check out two first-look clips from the special as it appears in the world of SpongeBob SquarePants and The Patrick Star Show!
The news comes on the heels of the recently announced pickup for a 14th season of SpongeBob SquarePants (26 episodes), which will continue to follow incurable optimist SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, Plankton and Squidward, along with all of the denizens of Bikini Bottom.
The SpongeBob Universe will continue to expand with more new episodes of Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years coming to Paramount+ on Sept. 30 and The Patrick Star Show continuing to rollout on Nickelodeon, along with three character-driven movies launching exclusively on Paramount+ and a fourth theatrical release from Nickelodeon Animation currently in development.
Since its launch July 17, 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has reigned as the most-watched animated series for nearly 20 consecutive years, while generating a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base. SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the most widely distributed properties in Paramount International history, seen in more than 170 countries, translated in 29+ languages, and averaging more than 100 million total viewers every quarter.
SpongeBob SquarePants was created by Stephen Hillenburg and produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurable optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends.
![(L-R) Paul F. Tompkins, Jeff Trammell, Ryan Meinerding, Beau DeMayo, Kirsten Lepore, Bryan Andrews, A. C. Bradley and Brad Winderbaum participate in the Marvel Studios’ Animation presentation during San Diego Comic-Con 2022 on July 21, 2022 in San Diego, California. [Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/AR1_7837_20220722113947989-760x505-1.jpg)
