Mattel, Inc. announced today that its all-new animated children’s series Deepa & Anoop will debut on Netflix on August 16. Created by acclaimed Bollywood animator Munjal Shroff (Shortcut Safari), accomplished writer Lisa Goldman (Dragon Tales) and award-winning producer Heather Kenyon (Doki Adventures), Deepa & Anoop is Mattel Television’s first animated series based on original intellectual property.
The colorful, music-driven series follows the adventures of seven-year-old Deepa and her best friend Anoop, a half-ton, color-changing baby elephant. The dynamic duo, self-appointed “concierges of fun,” makes everything bigger, grander and more wonderful for guests at Mango Manor, the bed and breakfast run by Deepa’s multigenerational family.
Enjoying a Bollywood number in every episode, Deepa creates music, merriment and mischief while working with the rambunctious Anoop to solve the simplest of problems with the most imaginative of solutions.
With a strong focus on the authenticity of Deepa’s Indian heritage, Deepa & Anoop includes 18 original song and dance performances, several of which are presented in the Bollywood tradition. The main cast is voiced by actors of Indian descent, including Pavan Bharaj as Deepa, Veena Sood (The Twilight Zone) as Naani-ji and Ana Sani (The Magic School Bus) as Mama.
“While Mattel is well-known for developing entertainment content based on our fan-favorite brands, we’re excited to partner with Netflix to bring audiences a heartwarming, all-new series based on original IP,” said Fred Soulie, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Mattel Television. “Later this summer, fans will be delighted as Deepa and her best friend Anoop take on exciting challenges and lead colorful musical numbers that illustrate the importance of friendship. Deepa & Anoop is sure to make an impact on audiences globally.”
Deepa & Anoop
In addition to this original series, Mattel continues to expand its roster of beloved brands well beyond the toy aisle and into the television and film space. More than 30 of Mattel’s beloved brands — including Barbie, Masters of the Universe, Thomas & Friends, Polly Pocket, Monster High, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder and Hot Wheels, to name a few — have come to life in various animated series, movies, specials and digital short-form. Deepa & Anoop, however, marks Mattel’s first-ever animated series based entirely on an original story and original characters.
“We have been lucky to work alongside best-in-class advisors and consultants during every stage of Deepa & Anoop’s development,” said Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President of Creative at Mattel Television. “Our hope is that young audiences around the world will find this heartwarming series as authentic as they do relatable. We could not be more proud or excited that Deepa & Anoop is Mattel’s first original series based on all-new IP.”
The debut season of Deepa & Anoop includes 11 30-minute episodes and two 22-minute specials. The series is executive produced by Mattel Television’s Soulie and Keenan.
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe (HBSE) has begun development work to reboot the fan-favorite, award-winning animated series The Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. Emmy-winning creator, producer and director Craig McCracken (Wonder Over Yonder, Kid Cosmic), who first began his career at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons 30 years ago in 1992, is attached to develop both projects.
“The Hanna-Barbera homecoming of Craig was an opportunity we could not pass up,” said Sam Register, President of Cartoon Network Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. “Along with his unparalleled sense of fun and imagination, he’s bringing two of his greatest works in The Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, and we are so excited for these characters to be a part of the new legacy taking shape at the studio.”
The Powerpuff Girlsreboot revisits and expands upon the world of the original series as Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup face off against a gallery of villains comprised of familiar foes and new threats. The original series debuted on Cartoon Network in 1998, earned two Emmy Awards and countless animation honors throughout its 78-episode run. The Powerpuff Girls centers on three sugar-coated superheroes — Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup — whose mission in life alternates between going to school, fighting crime, winning at hopscotch and saving the world before bedtime.
The beloved Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friendswill return as an original preschool animated series welcoming a new cast of preschool-aged imaginary friends. But don’t let their young age fool you — this new lot is just as silly and playful as the original bunch. The original series ran for six critically acclaimed and award-winning seasons on Cartoon Network. During its run, the show earned six Emmy Awards and has since been acknowledged by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best shows that aired on Cartoon Network.
Sarah Fell (VP, Original Kids and Family Animation, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe) will oversee development of both projects at the studio which is currently in production on The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe and the highly anticipated The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie! (working title) and The Amazing World of Gumball: The Series (wt) for HBO Max. Recently announced development include a stop-motion animated reboot of Wacky Races
starring Dastardly and Muttley.
Frederator Studios, a WOW! Unlimited Media Inc. company, announces that it has entered development on its newest show, the live-action/animation crossover series Hammy and Olivia, starring the stubby-legged canine internet celebrities of the same names.
Hammy and Olivia, TikTok’s cutest corgis, have quickly become break-out stars on social media, amassing a fan base of millions of followers on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram since owner Chris Equale first started producing content in March 2020 during quarantine. What began as a creative outlet while stuck at home quickly turned into much more as fans fell in love with Equale talking with his dogs Hammy and Olivia in offbeat skits, complete with cartoonish sound effects, playful camera work and plenty of costumes.
Frederator’s new Hammy and Olivia series will target kids ages 6+ with winks to an older audience designed to entertain the entire family with creative storytelling and exciting adventures filled with entertainment, humor and family-friendly chaos.
Like most of us, Equale found himself stuck at home navigating an unprecedented global pandemic. With coronavirus hospitalizations and empty grocery store shelves occupying the headlines, Equale saw an opportunity to help his friends and family smile through the lens of his silly corgis, Hammy and Olivia. When he posted his first video to TikTok, he had no idea that his video would catch the eyes of more than just his close circle, but it was quickly seen by millions.
The global reaction to this wholesome, 15-second video was the catalyst Equale needed to turn his daily focus into helping the world smile during very uncertain times. Over the course of two years, Equale has produced over 700 videos receiving billions of views, and millions of fans of all ages tune in to Hammy and Olivia’s social media channels every day for a smile and a daily giggle.
Hammy and Olivia
“We feel that whether you’re a single adult or a family household, your heart will beat with these two dogs,” says Isabel Schulz, Director of Development at Frederator Studios. “We’ve been wildly impressed by Chris’ ability to capture such magic with just a cellphone, and we know there is a much lengthier story to unpack with these two. It’s an all-hands-on-deck mission to get these two larger-than-life personas into lengthier adventures that will captivate viewers.”
Equale says, “One thing any animal lover will agree on is that you want to root for a corgi. They aren’t blessed with the longest legs or the fluffiest tails … they are true underdogs. Frederator sees the heroes that live within these two, lovable pups, and their studio’s imaginative expertise has given me the creative liberty to explore infinite possibilities. Their team’s alignment on prioritizing what our millions of fans have grown to love while also seeing an opportunity to immerse these established characters into a world that will complement their unique personalities has been the biggest dream come true. I’ve never been more excited for the limitless adventure that our fans will be able to enjoy.”
Created by Equale, Hammy and Olivia will be produced by Frederator Studios led by Schutlz and Frederator’s CEO Michael Hirsh. Genius Brands International will also develop a global licensing, merchandising, promotions and retail program supporting the brand and series.
Toronto-based children’s entertainment leader Guru Studio (PAW Patrol, True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Pikwik Pack, Big Blue) has unveiled its latest project, Scoops,a new animated educational comedy series being developed with the support of TIME Studios’ Kids & Family division. The show will teach kids 5-8 how to develop a lifelong practice of separating fact from fiction, whether it’s a schoolyard rumor or misinformation online.
“We are excited to partner with Guru, an industry leader in animated storytelling, to ensure that Scoops adheres to important journalistic principles for kids,” said Maria Perez-Brown, Head of Kids & Family, TIME Studios. “Skills such as media literacy and critical thinking are crucial for kids, especially when they are surrounded by technology and have access to massive amounts of information at such a young age.”
Scoops follows eight-year-old fact-finder Ellerby, her best friend Olsen and their ever-present camera as their natural curiosity leads them to uncover the truth hidden behind rumors in their neighborhood. Whether Ellerby is digging into goofy questions like why the Paper Factory smells like dirty feet or exploring hard truths like why PJ’s parents decided to stop being married, she will use news-gathering skills designed to judge the credibility and reliability of the information.
The Scoops Pledge: Is it true? Is it fair? Is it a story I should share?
The 52 x 11′ educational comedy brings a focus on media literacy, as Ellerby always adheres to her failsafe method for ensuring her reports are truthful, fair, and unbiased. TIME Studios and TIME for Kids Magazine bring nearly a century of journalism experience to the project designed to introduce children to the foundational journalistic concepts of truth and fairness. In partnership with TIME for Kids, Ellerby will be featured in journalism literacy material distributed to over 3 million American children.
“Like so many kids today, Ellerby has a wild enthusiasm for asking ‘why’ and finding the truth,” said Frank Falcone, President and Executive Creative Director at Guru Studio. “We’re thrilled to be working with an incredible team at TIME Studios and TIME for Kids, who have such a rich history of telling stories with integrity that get at the heart of our community.”
Andrea Delbanco, Editor in Chief of TIME for Kids, added, “Kids are never too young to be taught the fundamentals of news and media literacy, which is the mission of TIME for Kids in classrooms and homes across the country and around the world. Children are innately curious. Teaching them critical-thinking skills at an early age will help them navigate the news and the world around them.”
Scoops is created by Fablevision’s Tone Thyne (Adventures of Napkin Man, Wonder Pets!, Go! Go! Cory Carson) and executive produced by Falcone and Rachel Reade Marcus for Guru Studio, and Perez-Brown for TIME Studios.
Guru Studio will manage international distribution as well as merchandising and licensing rights.
Vancouver’s Slap Happy Cartoons has announced a partnership with Andrews McMeel Entertainment, a division of global media company Andrews McMeel Universal, to develop the popular newspaper, web and book-based property Heart of the City.
The Heart of the City comic strip debuted in newspapers in 1998 and is syndicated by Andrews McMeel Syndication in both newspaper and web format. Today, it appears in 50 newspapers and news sites across the U.S., Canada, and a number of other countries including India, the Netherlands and Trinidad.
Andrews McMeel Publishing released the first Heart of the City book collection, Heart Takes the Stage, in May 2022 to strong reviews.
Heart of the City tells the story of Heart, a girl with big dreams and a love of drama, who lives with her mom, Addy, in Philadelphia, and has always had the support of her best friends, Dean and Kat.
The strip has enjoyed a strong following since it first appeared, when it was originally created by award-winning cartoonist, writer and animator Mark Tatulli. In 2020, Tatulli handed the story over to acclaimed cartoonist and editor “Steenz.” who developed a new storyline in which Heart and her friends were a few years older – she is now 11, but she’s still the same Heart: energetic and funny, with a pronounced weakness for celebrity fads and an obsession with mega-stardom.
This rejuvenated Heart of the City, which combines familiar characters and situations with new arrivals and the preoccupations of a tween cast, has enjoyed a strong reception, both as a comic strip and the recently-released Heart Takes the Stage. Publishers Weekly praised the book as “a hilarious modern update,” noting that “the compact stories each pack a punch” and, “Steenz’s deadpan humor artfully paints a madcap adventure through middle school’s highs and lows.”
Slap Happy Cartoons and Andrews McMeel Entertainment believe the strip has strong potential in other formats. The target audience for Heart and her adventures – six- to 11-year olds and families – is a large one, and the diverse characters are very appealing: kind, funny, a bit chaotic and slightly eccentric, though their day-to-day challenges – maintaining friendships, trying to be popular and occasionally focusing on schoolwork – are highly relatable for most youngsters and their parents.
“Heart of the City is a cartoon that has established itself as a big favorite with online and newspaper readers since 1998 and has successfully reinvented itself for the 2020s without losing the wit, fun and spirited characters its audience has grown to know and love. Today in the hands of the very talented Steenz it has underlined its promise and is ready to expand its reach,” said Josh Mepham, Partner and Director of Development at Slap Happy Cartoons.
Bridget McMeel, Executive Producer, Andrews McMeel Entertainment, notes, “The positive response to the successful handover of Heart and her story from Mark to Steenz has been enhanced by excellent reviews for Heart Takes the Stage. This is a character and storyline with vast potential in multiple formats. We’re looking forward to working with Slap Happy on taking Heart’s adventures to an even bigger audience.”
Fan’s of the multi-Emmy-winning FOX animated comedy Bob’s Burgers have been salivating over the show’s marvelous, musical feature film outing since its May release. This week, following the Digital release, customers can sidle up to the counter and order The Bob’s Burgers Movieon Blu-ray and DVD served with all the fixings — filmmaker commentary, featurettes, deletede scenes and more — to satiate their cravings.
To celebrate the release, we’ve got a secret menu clip in which Bernard Derriman, who co-directed the pic with series creator Loren Bouchard, explaining how the animation team but a little extra spice into Bob and Linda’s optimistic trip to the bank. Order up!
The Bob’s Burgers Movie is an animated musical comedy-mystery-adventure based on the long-running, Emmy Award-winning series. After a ruptured water main creates a sinkhole in front of Bob’s Burgers and blocks the entrance, Bob and Linda Belcher struggle to keep the business afloat, and the kids try to solve a mystery that could save the restaurant.
Produced by 20th Century Studios, the feature-length musical mystery is directed by Bouchard and Derriman, written by Bouchard and Loren Smith and produced by Bouchard, Smith and Janelle Momary, with music by Tim Davies.
The movie features H. Jon Benjamin (Bob Belcher), John Roberts (Linda Belcher), Dan Mintz (Tina Belcher), Eugene Mirman (Gene Belcher), Kristen Schaal (Louise Belcher), David Wain (Grover Fischoeder), Zach Galifianakis (Felix Fischoeder), Kevine Kline (Calvin Fischoeder) and Larry Murphy (Teddy) reprising their roles from the hit series.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie is available now on Digital and on Blu-ray / DVD on Tuesday, July 19.
At its industry panel presented at Japan Expo 2022 in Paris, France on Sunday, Crunchyroll announced a fresh lineup of new anime acquisitions coming soon to the platform., which connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content they crave.
The just-announced additions (in order of release) are:
Muv-Luv Alternative Season 2 (October 2022) Synopsis: A story of the bonds between those who fight, in a world pushed to its limits. On one of the countless parallel worlds that exist throughout spacetime, humanity has fought a decades long war against the BETA, hostile extraterrestrial invaders, using humanoid fighting machines called Tactical Surface Fighters. This is a story of how humanity lives and dies while on the brink of extinction…
Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attack
Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attack (January 2023) Synopsis: “A girl in a lower grade just made me cry!” One day, Senpai visits the library after school and becomes the target of a super sadistic junior! The name of the girl who teases, torments, and tantalizes Senpai is “Nagatoro!” She’s annoying yet adorable. It’s painful, but you still want to be by her side. This is a story about an extremely sadistic and temperamental girl and you’ll feel something awaken inside of you.
Shangri-la Frontier(2023) Synopsis: “When was the last time I played a game that wasn’t crap?” This is a world in the near future where games that use display screens are classified as retro. Anything that can’t keep up with state-of-the-art VR technology is called a “crap game,” and you see a large number of crap games coming out. Those who devote their lives to clearing these games are called “crap-game hunters,” and Rakuro Hizutome is one of them. The game he’s chosen to tackle next is Shangri-La Frontier, a “god-tier game” that has a total of thirty million players. Online friends… An expansive world… Encounters with rivals… These are changing Rakuro and all the other players’ fates! The best game adventure tale by the strongest “crap game” player begins now!
Skip and Loafer
Skip and Loafer
Skip and Loafer
Skip and Loafer(TBD) Synopsis: Iwakura Mitsumi graduated from a small middle school in the countryside and entered a top-tier high school in Tokyo at the head of the class. This child prodigy, who moved to Tokyo alone with a perfect life plan, is smart and gets good grades… but her social understanding isn’t quite on the same wavelength as others. This means that she sometimes makes mistakes, but her easygoing nature sways her classmates little by little, and all their different personalities are coming together before they know it. They meet and gradually come to know each other, and before long they understand each other well. Everyone experiences pent-up feelings and frustrations, but it is our friends who give us a chance at mutual understanding. This story may start out with some discord, but it becomes a happy school life comedy before you know it!
DC animation’s boldest, baddest, most bi-positive toon is back for another viciously hilarious rampage in Harley Quinn Season 3! Premiering Thursday, July 28 on HBO Max, the new episodes find HQ and her crew back in town and ready to shake things up. Violently.
The mayhem and madness continue in Season 3 of this biting and uproarious adult animated comedy series.
Wrapping up their “Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour,” Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) return to Gotham as the new power couple of DC villainy. Along with their ragtag crew — King Shark (Ron Funches), Clayface (Alan Tudyk) and 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.
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. Executive producers are Halpern, Schumacker, Cuoco, Sam Register, Jessica Goldstein and Chrissy Pietrosh.
New episodes will roll out weekly following the premiere, through September 15. Follow all things Harley Quinn on the show’s official DC Comics homepage.
Sixteen shorts, 13 student films, 15 films for children and 29 commissioned films have been selected for the short film competition programs at the Fredrikstad Animation Festival (FAF), the leading festival for animation in the Nordic region. The festival, which takes place October 20 to 23, offers the best of animated film from the Nordic-Baltic countries.
Over the past week, the festival’s selection committee has watched and evaluated over 160 films for the festival’s competition program. The program offers strong visual narratives, and represents the best from the animation scene in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania. FAF has followed the Nordic-Baltic animation scene for almost 30 years, and organizers say this year’s competition represents the most robust impression that the production community has given the festival since it was established in 1994.
New this year is a two-part children’s program where several films for the oldest children have been placed in a separate track called Young Audience 12+, while the festival’s traditional children’s program is suitable for children ages six and older.
The selected films are…
Terra Incognita
Nordic-Baltic Competition: Short film 1
Beauty & the Beasts – Aggie Pak Yee Lee – Hong Kong, Estonia
I wanted a family – Irene Altagracia Perez Lopez – Sweden
Sierra – Sander Joon – Estonia
Time of a Slime Mold – Leena Pukki – Finland
Bear Hug – Margrethe Danielsen – Norway, France
I’ll Be Your Kettle – Tobias Rud – Denmark, Canada
Terra Incognita – Pernille Kjaer, Adrian Dexter – Denmark, France
Not Drifting Off
Nordic-Baltic Competition: Short film 2
Without Us – Julie Engaas – Norway
Til We Meet Again – Ülo Pikkov – Estonia
Zolle: Resign – Kristian Pedersen – Norway
Oh So Convenient – Huei Jen Hung – Taiwan, Estonia
Not Drifting Off – Steph Hope – Norway, Usa
Dog-Apartment – Priit Tender – Estonia
Cockroaches – Adel Khan Faroog – Norway
FEAR – Julius Zubavičius, Antanas Skučas – Lithuania, U.K.
Garrano – Vasco Sá, David Doutel – Portugal, Lithuania
Season 2 of the hit web-slinging preschool series Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, from Disney Branded Television, premieres Friday, August 19 with a simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior (8:30 a.m. EDT). An initial batch of episodes will also be rolled out on Disney+ and on-demand platforms this fall.
In anticipation of the new season, which features a “Glow Webs Glow” storyline, a collection of 10 animated shorts introducing our trio of young Super Heroes — Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales — to new friends and baddies launches Monday, July 18 on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney Junior YouTube and Marvel HQ YouTube and will be available on Disney+ beginning Aug. 17.
The series, which was recently picked up for a third season, is the #1 most-watched new preschool series among Boys 2-5 and has amassed over 383 million views across Disney Junior and Marvel HQ YouTube channels since its August 2021 launch.
A new “Glow Webs Glow” digital single from the series’ songwriter/composer Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) was released today by Walt Disney Records, as well as a web-swingin’ new music video. Stump will also guest star as a concert announcer in an episode debuting later in Season 2.
Joining Stump and the other previously announced guest voice cast for Season 2 — which includes John Stamos (Big Shot) as Iron Man/Tony Stark and Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs) as Ant-Man — is Bindi Irwin (Crikey! It’s the Irwins) as well as oceanographer Isla Coralton and Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights) as Gwen’s dad, George Stacy.
Season 2 of Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends is executive produced by Harrison Wilcox (Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest) and directed by Chris Moreno (Muppet Babies), who also serves as co-executive producer along with Chris Gilligan (T.O.T.S.) and Bart Jennett (Gigantosaurus). Becca Topol (Mira, Royal Detective) is story editor/co-producer, and Steve Grover (Hello Ninja) is supervising producer. The series is produced by Disney Junior and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons.
Extensions for the series include an assortment of children’s books from Disney Publishing Worldwide and the recently released My First Comic from Marvel Press; products including toys, apparel and home items, with new toy lines releasing soon from licensees including Hasbro, Jazwares, LEGO and more; and a digital soundtrack from Walt Disney Records.
This summer, Disney Junior teamed up with Starlight Children’s Foundation to deliver packages filled with a variety of Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends products, including toys, activity packs and books from the popular series, to children’s hospitals across the country.
Additionally, characters from “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” will appear live for the first time in the upcoming “Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza,” launching Sept. 2 with stops at more than 80 North American cities throughout 2022.
Currently celebrating its 20th year as a leading animation studio in Latin America and recognized as a global player in the animation industry, with operations based in Mexico City, Madrid, Canary Islands and Buenos Aires, Ánima is partnering with Sylvia Medina’s Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Green Kids Club on its original property, Victor and the Infinite & Mysterious Hallway of Loos, created by award-winning executive producer-writers Rita Street and Frank Saperstein, based on their first in a series of middle school novels for Green Kids Club.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Green Kids Club to further develop this unique property that embraces the touchstones audiences are looking for right now — irreverent takes on everyday kid challenges in the modern world along with wish fulfillment in the form of a fantasy adventure,” says José C. García de Letona, COO of Ánima.
“I’m delighted that our team is joining forces with Ánima,” adds Medina. “Our character Victor is all about celebrating the big and small victories life has to offer, and this relationship is definitely one of them!”
Ánima CEO & President Fernando De Fuentes S. notes, “We love working on projects that honor Latin America’s culture and its people. Comedies with a fantasy vibe are our favorites, and Victor and the Infinite & Mysterious Hallway of Loos has these as main concepts. We can’t wait to bring this amazing wacky animated series to the audience.”
The comedy action-adventure, loosely based on Medina’s Latin roots, celebrates the many challenges and victories of Victor, a middle school “Every Kid” who finds his inner hero and a sense of belonging, when flung into a blended-family of diverse “ethnic and immortal” backgrounds. His epic quest will teach him to believe in himself, reveal his own family DNA and teach him how to accept his, very imperfect family, just the way they are!
Creators Saperstein (Counterfeit Cat, Ren & Stimpy) of Surprise Bag and Street (Space Chickens in Space, Ruby Gloom) of Radar Cartoons recently penned the first in a series of middle school novels for Green Kids Club about Victor, his hilarious blended family and their otherworldly adventures. They will serve as writers on the series and as EPs with García de Letona.
David Wollos of The ThinkTank Emporium has brokered the deals for the property and represents for media, publishing and ancillary rights.
Fox Entertainment’s upcoming animated series Krapopolis from Emmy Award-winning creator and executive producer Dan Harmon (co-creator of Rick and Morty), will make its San Diego Comic-Con debut this month when it gives fans their first look ever at the new series.
Set in mythical ancient Greece and featuring the voices of Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), Pam Murphy (Mapleworth Murders) and Duncan Trussell (The Midnight Gospel), Krapopolis centers on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters that tries to run one of the world’s first cities without killing each other. The series is set to premiere on FOX in 2023.
Fans at Comic-Con will be able to literally slide into Krapopolis at the engaging, fun-for-all-ages, outdoor activation in front of the San Diego Convention Center at the Children’s Museum Park, located at W. Island Avenue and Front Street. Open to the public from Thursday, July 21 (10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) through Sunday, July 24 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), attendees will travel 40 feet up to go down a 70-foot slide for the ride of their life into the center of the activation. Throughout the space, fans also will find a photo opportunity with the characters from the series and a chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to Greece.
Fans also can experience the newly-revealed Medusa Instagram game, available via QR code within the space, and see how long they can avoid her gaze before they get stoned! Additionally, the characters Stupendous, Tyrannis, Deliria, Shlub and Hippocampus will be towering over Comic-Con attendees on new artwork, which will be revealed on the colossal Omni Hotel in downtown San Diego starting on July 19.
The Krapopolis creative team and voice actors, including Dan Harmon, executive producer and showrunner Jordan Young, supervising director Pete Michels and stars Berry, Murphy and Trussell will participate in the comedy’s first-ever Comic-Con panel in room 6BCF in the Convention Center on Saturday, July 23, at 2:45 p.m. The hour-long panel also will give fans an early sneak peek at exclusive content from the series and discuss their plans for Krapopolis, which marks the first-ever animated series to be curated entirely on the blockchain by FOX Entertainment’s Web3 media company, Blockchain Creative Labs.
Within the Convention Center, fans can visit FOX Entertainment’s first-ever Comic-Con booth for exclusive Krapopolismerchandise sold in partnership with Toddland, and a photo opportunity with characters from the series. On Saturday, July 23, at 4:30 p.m., attendees can meet the cast and creative team and receive autographed Krapopolis posters. Tickets for the signing will be distributed at booth #4423 on Saturday morning on a first come, first served basis.
Wholly owned by FOX Entertainment and produced by its Emmywinning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment, Krapopolis is an outgrowth of Harmon’s direct animation deal with FOX Entertainment.
Ayoade voices Tyrannis, the mortal son of a goddess. He’s the benevolent King of Krapopolis, trying to make do in a city that lives up to its name. Waddingham plays Deliria, Tyrannis’ mother, goddess of self-destruction and questionable choices. Within her extended Olympian family — forged in patricide and infidelity — she’s known as the trashy one. Berry is Shlub, Tyrannis’ father, a mantitaur (half centaur [horse + human], half manticore [lion + human + scorpion]). He is oversexed and underemployed, claims to be an artist and has literally never paid for anything, in any sense of that word, for his entire life. Murphy voices Stupendous, Tyrannis’ half-sister, daughter of Deliria and a cyclops. Trussell plays Hippocampus, Tyrannis’ half-brother, offspring of Shlub and a mermaid — and obviously a hot mess, biologically speaking.
Additionally, in partnership with studio, 20th Television Animation, a part of Disney Television Studios, FOX’s beloved animated series, Bob’s Burgers (Friday, July 22, 3 p.m., Indigo), The Great North (Friday, July 22, 7 p.m., 6BCF), The Simpsons (Saturday, July 23, 11:30 a.m., Ballroom 20) and Family Guy (Saturday, July 23, 1:15 p.m., Ballroom 20) will have panels throughout the Comic-Con weekend.
Toho and CoMix Wave are proud to reveal the latest trailer for Makoto Shinkai’s upcoming film, Suzume, which also features the first reveal of actress Nanoka Hara’s performance in the lead role of Suzume.
Since the key visual was revealed in April along with the phrases “Traveling Young Man,” “White Cat,” “Small Chair” and “The Key to Doors,” the film has sparked considerable interest around the world. Suzume follows Shinkai’s previous two blockbusters Your Name. (2016) and Weathering with You (2019), which garnered unprecedented international acclaim.
Suzume
The new trailer takes a deeper look into four key words revealed along with the initial teaser, which now has close to 5 million views. The “Traveling Young Man” who walks past Suzume underneath the clear skies, later closing doors together with “The Key to Doors.” Likewise, the “White Cat” whose social media presence seems to be growing day by day and the “Small Chair” running around as though alive are just the tip of the iceberg to Suzume’s story…
While plenty of mystery remains, Shinkai states, “I created this with the intention of introducing Suzume.” The trailer spotlights our 17-year-old heroine’s wide range of emotions through this strange journey. For the first time, audiences also get to hear the song titled “Suzume,” which was composed specifically for this film. Suzume ends the trailer with the mysterious words: “I wandered beyond a space … Where it seemed all time had melted together … in the sky.”
“I was so nervous. Since I could only use my voice to act out the characters’ emotions, I had to be mindful of every phrase and the meaning it was intended to carry. There was so much I didn’t know,” Hara says about recording Suzume’s performance. “Seeing the picture and voice together, it finally dawned on me that it was up to me to bring this character to life, which made me so nervous, I could barely move. Nonetheless, director Shinkai would praise my acting and guide me to just the right performance each time. Recording this trailer definitely increased my confidence!”
Hara, an 18-year-old actress from Tokyo, was selected personally by Shinkai from an audition pool of more than 1,700 actors. Suzume marks her first anime voiceover role. Most recently, Hara played Ginko on the live-action TV drama Nanba MG5.
Nanako Hara recording the title role for Makoto Shinkai’s ‘Suzume’
Suzume is expected to hit movie theaters in Japan on November 11. Crunchyrollis distributing the film globally (excluding Japan, South Korea and India) beginning in early 2023. In North America, Crunchyroll is the sole distributor. In Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, the Middle East and portions of Europe, the film will be distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment. In French- and German-speaking Europe, the film will be co-distributed by Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures and Wild Bunch International.
Here is the official Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob…
Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster.
The stars
The sunset
The morning sky
Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky—
Guided by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey to close doors is about to begin.
Gabrielle Howard [ph: Kristi Jan Hoover; courtesy of Fred Rogers Prod.]Fred Rogers Productions (fredrogers.org), the award-winning children’s media organization behind multiple well-loved, Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, has named Gabrielle Howard to the newly created position of Creative Development Manager. In her new role, Howard will manage the company’s growing portfolio of IP in development, as well as seek out new collaborators and projects that she will help shepherd. She will report to Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer.
“I’m over the moon to join Fred Rogers Productions, a company that is so well known and respected for quality programming that serves the needs of children and their families,” said Howard. “I’m excited to dive in and help build a programming slate of content that resonates with current fans and attracts many new ones, too.”
Prior to joining FRP, Howard was a media consultant and advisor on podcast development and social media strategy who developed original concepts for the web and television. She worked for The N (later TeenNick) from MTV Networks, where she developed live-action and animated properties with production companies including Endemol and Klasky Csupo. Howard started her career at Sesame Workshop, where she headed the children’s casting department for the Emmy-winning Sesame Street and later worked for J.P. Kids, producer of the hit series, The Famous Jett Jackson.
Howard holds a B.A. from the University of South Carolina and received a Podcast Certificate from The Made in NY Media Center by IFP.
Ulrich Wegenast [ph: ITFS / Reiner Pfisterer]Prof. Ulrich Wegenast is leaving Film- und Medienfestival GmbH (FMF | festival-gmbh.de) after 17 years as Artistic Managing Director. At his own request, he will end his employment at FMF on September 15 to take on a new professional challenge and has asked the FMF supervisory board to terminate his contract prematurely. The supervisory board complies with this request and thanks Prof. Wegenast for his many years of service. He will remain with FMF in an advisory capacity for the next few months.
In his time as Artistic Managing Director, Wegenast established the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) Open Air Cinema on Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz (from 2006) together with his colleague, Dittmar Lumpp (Commercial Managing Director at the time). With former MIFA manager Vincent Ferri, he founded the Animation Production Days in 2006, which have since become the most important event for animation production in German-speaking countries and take place during ITFS.
On Wegenast’s initiative, the GameZone has been taking place as part of ITFS since 2013, exploring the intersection of computer games and animated film as well as bringing the subject of games in the classroom to the fore. During the coronavirus crisis, ITFS was the first animation festival in the world to be held exclusively on the internet, setting new standards in the online presence of film festivals. ITFS is one of the largest animation film festivals worldwide and one of four Oscar-qualifying festivals in Germany. It reaches an audience of up to 100,000 and receives over 2,000 (film and project) submissions per year.
“I would like to thank our Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Walter Rogg and my colleague, Commercial Managing Director Dieter Krauß, who was already given his farewell into retirement (starting in autumn) at ITFS 2022, for the good and trusting cooperation,” said Wegenast. “I owe a lot to the entire FMF team and at this point would like to make special mention of my colleague Andrea Bauer, Head of Program, who I worked with intensively for many years. My time at FMF was fascinating and successful, but also — especially during the time of the coronavirus — very challenging. The ITFS is a ‘jewel’ in the German festival scene with a high international reputation and charisma, and Raumwelten has developed into the most important event for scenography in the German-speaking regions over the last 10 years.”
Michel Fournier
Rodeo FX (rodeofx.com) has appointed Michel Fournier, CPA as Chief Financial Officer as it continues to create effects for some of the most lauded film and TV projects in the industry, including Stranger Things, the Fantastic Beasts saga and Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Fournier formerly joined Framestore in 2013 as Head of Finance when the studio was just opening in Montreal. Building out from an original team of six, he helped its expansion to what it is today, securing resources for more than 900 employees. “I’ve known Rodeo for some time now. It’s great to see a studio with such a culture of pride at its core. That human aspect is crucial for me, it shows that we value who we are, and the people behind our craft above all,” said Fournier.
Rodeo FX, recently on the ballot for three Emmy Award-nominated shows and the recipient of the 2022 Mercuriade Award for Best Employer, continues its exponential growth with a new office opening in Toronto last month (along with Los Angeles, Quebec City, Munich and Montreal). Mr. Fournier will oversee a team of experts and will be focusing on creating strong tools to steer the studio forward and shift to a more proactive attitude in the long term.
Charles Gamble
Keeping with their tradition of finding young emerging artists, OKAY STUDIO (okaystudio.co.uk) announces the signing of in-demand editor Charles Gamble to its growing roster of talent. “As soon as I was introduced to the OKAY setup and ethos, I knew it was for me,” said Gamble. “It was great to feel the support and guidance from Nikolaj [Belzer, Founder & MD], Madeline and Josh from the very beginning of our first discussion. I look forward to working on many more creative projects with the OKAY family and further developing my craft.”
Since graduating from his studies of Film, Gamble has seized varied opportunities to develop his skills. With an impressive body of work already behind him, the creative has lent his talents to spots for Nike and New Balance, while showcasing his comedic timing for Old Spice’s 2022 Webby award winning ‘Curls Are Cool’, directed by PRETTYBIRD’s Yousef. In addition to his commercial portfolio, Gamble has worked on Kai Blamey’s short film FEEL and music videos for the likes of Aitch, Paloma Faith and Sam Fender.
Thomas Phariss [ph: Valentina Photography at Macardi Images]Conductor Technologies (conductortech.com) announced that Thomas Phariss has joined the company as Vice President of Sales. Phariss brings more than 20 years of experience in high performance computing and render management technology to the position. In this newly created role, he will help creative studios quickly leverage cloud-based compute resources. He comes to Conductor from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which he joined following its acquisition of Thinkbox Software.
As Director of Sales at Thinkbox Software, Phariss enabled clients across media and entertainment, engineering, architecture and design to make the most of their on-premises and cloud-based compute resources with Deadline render management solution, as well as equip artist with tools such as Krakatoa, Frost and Stoke. He started with the company in 2012, and remained an instrumental part of the team following its acquisition by AWS in 2017. His role then expanded to extend cloud-based solutions across the entire production cycle, including for high profile studios that work on billion-dollar franchises. Phariss began his career in creative technology with Universal Computer Systems and AMD, and has also held sales roles at PipelineFX and BOXX. He is based in Austin, Texas.
Conductor cloud platform supports most industry-standard creative applications, including Autodesk 3ds Max, Maya and Arnold; Blender; Maxon’s Cinema 4D and Redshift; Foundry’s NUKE, Cara VR, KATANA, MODO and Ocula; Chaos Group’s V-Ray; Pixar’s RenderMan; Isotropix’s Clarisse and others. It can be used with AWS or Google Cloud Platform.
Having just picked up the worldwide rights earlier this month, Gravitas Ventures is gearing up for the release of Annecy premiere feature Canvas. Written and directed by Ryan Guiterman, the animated horror flick will roll out On Demand on August 9.
In this midnight thriller, a demon known as ‘The Painter’ comes to Earth with a gruesome mission — to create new spawn from chaos and murder. FBI agent George Rohan finds himself tasked with covering up The Painter’s multiplying murders, meanwhile a dogged investigative journalist, Reila Martin, works to unveil George’s growing web of lies.
The voice cast features Russell Peck as The Painter, Steve Key as George Rohan, Isabel Ellison as Reila Martin, Marama Corlett, Sam Encarnación and Ell Peck; Ellison also produces with Betsy Shuller. The film has also screened at Strasbourg, Lighthouse, The Art of Brooklyn Festival, and won Best VFX at Macabre Faire 2021.
A new trailer for the third season of the hit online game spinoff DOTA: Dragon’s Blood has dropped ahead of the August 11 premiere on Netflix. Produced in collaboration with VALVE, the epic fantasy centers on a conflicted yet courageous Dragon Knight who must use the power of the dragon within to stop a deadly demon.
The time has come for brave warriors to conquer an indomitable foe. But can the ultimate sacrifice bring lasting peace — to all possible worlds?
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood voice stars Yuri Lowenthal as Davion, Lara Pulver as Princess Mirana, Josh Keaton as Bram, Tony Todd as Slyrak the Ember Eldwurm, Troy Baker as Invoker, Kari Wahlgren as Luna, Alix Wilton Regan as Selemene, Freya Tingley as Fymryn, Stephanie Jacobsen as Drysi, Anson Mount as Kaden, and JB Blanc.
Ashley Edward Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor, Black Sails) serves as series showrunner and executive producer. Renowned Studio MIR (The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender) is responsible for animation, with Ryu Ki Hyun serving as co-executive producer.
Carmen Sandiego
WildBrain is extending its longstanding partnership with HarperCollins Productions to include exclusive linear broadcast distribution rights, on a worldwide basis, for the Emmy-winning animated series Carmen Sandiego. WildBrain has been appointed to distribute Seasons 1-4 (33 x 30’ total) of the hit series, which was originally produced for Netflix by HarperCollins Prod. and WildBrain’s animation studio in Vancouver.
WildBrain has already secured deals for all four seasons with Disney for its linear broadcast channels in Japan and France.
The series, which launched in 2019, follows the adventures of Carmen Sandiego — a master thief who uses her skills for good — as she pulls off a string of international capers, while also giving fans a look at Sandiego’s backstory and why she became a thief. Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin) stars as Carmen, with Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) as Player, Carmen’s chief accomplice and friend.
These new rights build on WildBrain’s relationship with the brand across its 360-degree offering of production, distribution and licensing. WildBrain also distributes all four seasons of the classic 1990s animated
series, Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? (40 x 30’), its licensing agency WildBrain CPLG represents the brand globally.
Maya and the Bee | Alice in Wonderland
Studio 100 Media has closed a multibrand deal with global media company SPI International for digital exploitation of several 2D animation classic series from its extensive catalog.
The contract will give SPI non-exclusive worldwide AVOD and SVOD rights (with the exception of a few territories per program) on SPI platforms such as FilmBox+, FilmBox on Demand, Film1, ToonzBox and ToonzStream. The shows Maya the Bee, Heidi, Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland will be available on-demand in various language versions, including English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Petit
Emmy Award-winning French animation producter/distributer company Dandelooo has signed a deal with Grupo Globo in Brazil for Season 1 & 2 of the preschool series Petit and Ella Oscar & Hoo. Both will be available on Globo’s children’s OTT platform Giga Gloob and Pay TV channel Gloobinho.
Petit (S1: 26 x 7’; S2: 13 x 7’) follows the adventures of a sweet, fun, brave, creative, sensitive, thoughtful, intense and innocent child who has a unique point of view of the world around him, as every boy and girl does! Based on the book Petit el monstruo by Isol, the 2D series targeted at kids 4-7, produced by Pájaro (Chile) in co-production with Pakapaka, Nonstop (Argentina) and Señal Colombia. Nominated for the 8th International Emmy Kids Awards, Season 3 (26 x 7’) is currently in production.
Ella, Oscar & Hoo
Ella, Oscar & Hoo (52 x 11’), produced by French animation company Normaal and Piwi+, Canal+’s preschool channel, is based on the picture books by Théo de Marcousin & Michael Dudok De Wit. A smart, bubbly girl, a bouncy little boy and a very young cloud: here are Ella, Oscar & Hoo! Together they will chase dinosaurs, explore mysterious woods, or be Santa’s devoted assistants… Every day is a new adventure, an opportunity to learn together about courage, honesty and childhood friendship!
Everything’s Rosie
Preschool animation hit Everything’s Rosie, produced and distributed by U.K.-based V&S Entertainment, has been picked up by award-winning digital content agency and media network Little Dot Studios, which has had great success with the show on its YouTube channel
WIZZ and has now taken over management of the official Everything’s Rosie YouTube channels in both English and Latin American Spanish.
After being a staple of the CBeebies schedule for nearly 10 years, the wholesome and educational series has also been successfully placed on state broadcaster CCTV in China, and there are deals in the pipeline with digital platforms which will ensure the show is seen by in excess of 120
million preschoolers in the territory. In addition to the 170 territories where Everything’s Rosie already has a footprint, V&S recently secured contracts in Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Eastern Europe and the U.S.
The Pinkfong Company‘s brand-new 3D-animated sing-along series Bebefinn is off to a great start, reaching notable milestones across streaming and social platforms in its first several months of release. Highlights include:
Bebefinn’s official YouTube channel surpassed 1 million subscribers within 100 days of release, achieving the Gold Creator Award by YouTube.
Since its release in April 2022, Bebefinn has garnered 484M minutes (920 yrs.) watched on its own YouTube channel within 100 days of opening, which makes it Pinkfong’s fastest-growing YouTube channel in watch-time.
In the same period, Bebefinn videos have surpassed more than 185M views. The U.S. is one of the top markets that have brought the most views to the series.
The average monthly growth rate of the subscribers on Bebefinn’s YouTube channel hit 92%, nearly doubling its mark every month.
Bebefinn has also connected with fans across social media platforms, bringing kids-friendly content in short-form videos. Bebefinn’s official TikTok account has amassed 500K subscribers, making it the most popular Pinkfong account on the platform. Content with #bebefinn hashtags has surpassed 37.6M total views on TikTok.
OTT/FAST channel service OTTera has partnered with Slovakia-based ducktv to power and distribute the children’s early learning channel to the FAST market, starting with media giant Xiaomi. OTTera will power, support and provide advertising for ducktv in its further linear launches, making the free, ad-supported FAST channel available for distribution on additional platforms worldwide, excluding North America.
ducktv’s educational programming reaches babies and toddlers and features animated and live-action content and mini-cartoon series. Their flagship show, Ducky Adventures, stars the brand hero, a charming character named Ducky. Ducky’s stories are created with the support of child psychologists and teach toddlers how to handle their emotions and help in conflict resolution while developing their thinking and observational skills.
Spanish producer Zinkia will unveil its new production, Yanco, Dina and the Dinosaurs at Kidscreen Summit in Miami (July 18-21). The property is the company’s first original project in 15 years and will target audiences aged 6-8 through a combination of comedy and action. The animated TV series will be augmented by specific content for YouTube and handheld devices.
Yanco, Dina and the Dinosaurs (Yanco, Dina y los Dinosaurios) brings a fun spin to traditional pirate stories, replacing treasure with dinosaur eggs. The protagonists, Yanco, a yeti thespian with a penchant for stand-up comedy, and a young girl named Dina, who holds a deep secret, will face the evil Cuddy: a brilliant and charismatic millionaire obsessed with dinosaurs. In each episode, Yanco and Dina will travel to a new corner of the world to retrieve dinosaur eggs and take them to a safe place before they hatch and become a problem for humans … or rather, the other way around.
The project’s creative team boasts over 20 years of expertise in the animation industry, having worked on series like Pocoyo, Cleo y Cuquin, Jelly Jamm, Bugsted, Shuriken School and PINY Pinypon Institute.
“Yanco, Dina and the Dinosaurs seeks to bring a new look to the extensive and popular theme of dinosaurs,” explains Victor M. Lopez, General Manager of Zinkia. “The dinosaur cubs born from the colorful eggs retrieved by young Dina and Yanco, a yeti who loves omelettes, will star in a series that will unfold through digital and interactive content.”
The launch of Yanco, Dina and the Dinosaurs at Kidscreen is preceded by its backing by RTVE, through its 2022 tender for animation series; the Spanish public television corporation has opted to broadcast the series through its kids channel, Clan.
The tender, which sought attractive formats aimed at children aged 0 to 14, received 26 proposals and focused on those with charismatic characters, highlighting emotions and featuring innocent and simple humor for the youngest kids, as well as references to popular culture for the older ones. Other values that were also taken into account include themes of critical thinking, equality, respect, healthy habits and the environment.
In celebration of the Digital and Blu-ray/DVD releases of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 20th Century Studios’ The Bob’s Burgers Movie and Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear, an exciting range of activities are set to take place at Comic-Con International in San Diego, presented by Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
Fans of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Bob’s Burgers Movie can enjoy themed, interactive experiences at the Gaslamp Diagonal, including immersive photo ops, games that are sure to “pack a punch” and complimentary burgers that will “get the patty started.”
Plus, in anticipation of the forthcoming Lightyear home entertainment release, a special family screening of the film will take place on Sunday.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 23 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Fans are invited to get their buns to The Bob’s Burgers Movie activation to enjoy engaging photo ops, play the Lucky Ducks game and enjoy a complimentary burger during the daily “Patty Hour” from 3-6 p.m. — while supplies last and on a first-come, first-served basis. Collectors can beef up their movie collection with The Bob’s Burgers Movie – now available on Digital and on Blu-ray and DVD July 19. [Gaslamp Diagonal, adjacent to the Omni Hotel; where Sixth Avenue ends.]
Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 23 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. & Sunday, July 24 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is taking a thrilling ride to Comic-Con! Experience the multiverse in person with ‘Pop-A-Poppa’ — an entertaining game inspired by Pizza Poppa, the hilarious pizza purveyor from Universe-838. Fans will be given a chance to win prizes, as well as enter a new reality with themed photo ops. Plus, Multiverse Scavenger Hunt invites fans to journey from the Marvel booth through Comic-Con’s multiverse of madness to complete tasks for a chance to win prizes. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now available on Digital and will be released on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD July 26. [Gaslamp Diagonal, adjacent to the Omni Hotel; where Sixth Avenue ends.]
Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear Sunday, July 24 | 12:45 p.m.
Special family screening of Lightyear plus free souvenir postcards for attendees [Room 6BCF]
Starting Friday, July 15, audiences will get to enjoy a funny, fuzzy misadventure for the Big Nate kids in the new short playing in theaters before screenings of Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.
Dubbed Bad Hamster, the film sees Nate, Teddy, Francis, and Chad teach their audience how to make homemade ice cream, but an ice cream-induced food coma may set loose a giant terror in the Wright household. The short also features an original song, “Don’t Shove Me in Your Pocket,” performed by Kevin Michael Richardson.
Big Nate, produced by Nickelodeon Animation, is based on the best-selling children’s books and comic strip written and drawn by acclaimed author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce. The series follows Nate Wright, a precocious 11-year-old boy, and his best friends as they navigate sixth grade with humor and style.
The first eight episodes are currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+, with more episodes coming later this year.
The stellar lineup of actors lending their voice talent to the beloved characters of Big Nate include Ben Giroux (Nate Wright), Dove Cameron (Ellen Wright), Rob Delaney (Martin Wright), Bryce Charles (Dee Dee Holloway), Daniel MK Cohen (Francis Pope), Arnie Pantoja (Teddy Ortiz), Charlie Schlatter (Chad Applewhite), Kevin Michael Richardson (Principal Nichols), Carolyn Hennesy (Mrs. Godfrey), Nik Dodani (Randy), Betsy Sodaro (Kim), Lisa Kay Jennings (Gina), Chandni Parekh (Jenny), Todd Haberkorn (Artur), Ryan Garcia (Mr. Rosa), Mike Rivkin (Mr. Galvin) and Chester Rushing (Zeff).
Big Nate is executive produced by Mitch Watson and John Cohen and produced by Amy McKenna, with Jim Mortensen as supervising producer and Lincoln Peirce serving as consultant throughout development and production. Bridget McMeel is co-producer.
In this week’s Netflix Top 10 report covering July 4-10, original animated family feature The Sea Beasttook viewers on an epic journey with Maisie and Jacob, debuting at No. 1 on the English Films List with 33.52 millions hours viewed. From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Chris Williams (Moana, Big Hero Six, Bolt), the animated film was in the Top 10 in 92 countries. This stellar streaming performance followed glowing reviews and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Another animated family hit, Sing 2, came in at No. 4 on the same list, down from No. 2 the previous week. For Non-English Films, Tadeo Jones 2 (Tad, the Lost Explorer 2) climbed from No. 9 to No. 3. For TV shows, fans did a lot of rewatching of their fave VFX-fueled series in anticipation of new seasons, with Stranger Things and The Umbrella Academy dominating the English-language list, and anime series BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- S1 held on to No. 8 on the Non-English list. See more at top10.netflix.com.
The Last Unicorn
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will present a screening of beloved 1982 animated feature The Last Unicorn in honor of the film’s 40th anniversary on July 30 at at 3 p.m., in its David Geffen Theater. The event will feature an in-person Q&A with screenwriter/author Peter S. Beagle and producer Michael Chase Walker.
On discovering that she may well be the last of her immortal kind, the Unicorn sets out on a long journey to discover what may have become of the other unicorns. On the way, she encounters a genuinely wicked witch and a village with a shameful secret. She also befriends a bumbling wizard and a bitter, disillusioned outlaw named Molly Grue, meets the mad King Haggard, and, at the last, must challenge the terrible Red Bull she so deeply fears to face.
Produced and directed by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass of the iconic Rankin-Bass studio and animated by some of the same team that would go on to work with Hayao Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli, The Last Unicorn eatures the voice talents of Mia Farrow, Academy Award winners Alan Arkin and Jeff Bridges, Angela Lansbury and Christopher Lee.
Tickets for The Last Unicorn at the Academy Museum are available here. The venue is also presenting an accommodative screening of the acclaimed animated feature The Red Turtle, by Oscar winner Michaël Dudok De Wit (Father and Daughter), for its family matinee the same day (tickets here).
Gulliver Returns
This summer, Shout! Kids invites families to embark on the thrilling adventures of one of literature’s biggest heroes when the new movie Gulliver Returns comes to digital download on July 26 and lands on national home entertainment shelves on August 9. Shout! Factory will be donating a portion of the net proceeds earned from the distribution of the movie from year one to World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides fresh meals in response to crises, which is currently active in Ukraine and surrounding countries providing meals for as many people as possible at border crossings, shelters and other locations.
Inspired by both Jonathan Swift’s timeless tale and an original idea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Gulliver Returns is a production of Gulliver Films and 95 Animation Studio in Ukraine. The English-language movie is directed by Ilya Maksimov (Dobrinya and the Dragon) with Tony Bonilla (Encanto, Moana) as animation director. The DVD features an exciting movie presentation and is available for pre-order now at ShoutFactory.com.
Mavka. The Forest Song
In other Ukraine-related news, Animagrad‘s (FILM.UA Group) eagerly awaited animated ode to Ukrainian culture and artistry, Mavka. The Forest Song, has been picked up by Universal Pictures Content Group with all French distribution rights to the feature. The movie will receive an all-new French-language dub for the release.
Mavka. The Forest Song showcases unique Ukrainian culture, values, traditions and has an environmental component in the partnership with WWF-Ukraine. Mavka is a unique female character from Ukrainian legends and myths, the Soul of the Forest, who becomes its Guardian when her home is in danger. She strives for peace and harmony in her world — just as the people of Ukraine today strive for their own.
As FILM.UA Distribution CEO Evgeniy Drachov points out, Mavka has already presold in more than 20 territories, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and MENA countries. Despite the war of Russian aggression, the film is on track for delivery in Q4 2022.
Land of Mercy [Hwallywood Studios]Armand Assante (Gotti), Alexander Wraith (The Mandalorian), Louis Mandylor (Debt Collector) and Singaporean stage actor Adrian Pang have been tapped for the voice cast of Land of Mercy, an English-language animated feature set in Tibet. The $3 million film follows a young man’s quest for Buddhit enlightment, fulfilling the last wish of his dying father.
Land of Mercy is written, directed and produceed by Tan Keng Leck, head of Singapore-based Hwallywood Studio, and adpated from the novel by Fan Wen. MSV (Battle of Surabaya) in Indonesia is co-producing and handling the animation production. The film is slated for delivery in October 2023; sales agent / distribtor(s) TBA.
[Source: Variety]
Inu-Oh
GKIDS announced the list of participating theaters for the highly anticipated release of Masaaki Yuasa’s latest critically acclaimed feature, Inu-Oh, a revisionist rock opera about a 14th-century superstar whose dance moves take Japan by storm. The film hits U.S. screens on August 12, read more here. Screenings are scheduled in the following markets and venues:
ALABAMA:Birmingham (AMC Patton Creek 15 with IMAX)
ARIZONA: Chandler (Chandler Fashion Center 20), Gilbert (Santan Village 16 ), Glendale (AMC Westgate 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Goodyear (Estrella Falls 16), Mesa (AMC Mesa Grande 14 with Dolby), Peoria (Arrowhead Fountains 18), Phoenix (AMC Ahwatukee 24; AMC Arizona Center 24; AMC Deer Valley 17 with IMAX, Dolby) Tempe (Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX, Tempe Marketplace 16)
CALIFORNIA:Arcadia (AMC Santa Anita 16 with IMAX, Dolby) Burbank (AMC Burbank 16 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime ), Cerritos (Cerritos 16), Chino Hills (Chino Hills 18), City of Industry (AMC Puente Hills 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Covina (AMC Covina 17 with IMAX ), Fullerton (AMC DINE-IN Fullerton 20), Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal), Monterey Park (AMC Atlantic Times Square 14), Moreno Valley (Moreno Valley 16), North Hollywood (Laemmle’s NoHo 7), Norwalk (AMC Norwalk 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Orange (AMC Orange 30 with IMAX, Dolby), Redlands (Mountain Grove 16), Riverside (AMC Tyler 16 with IMAX, Dolby), San Bernardino (AMC DINE-IN Ontario Mills 30 with Dolby), Thousand Oaks (AMC DINE-IN Thousand Oaks 14 with Dolby), Torrance (AMC Del Amo 18 with IMAX, Dolby; AMC Rolling Hills 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Tustin (AMC Tustin 14 with Dolby, Prime), Universal City (AMC Citywalk Stadium 19 with IMAX), Manteca (AMC Manteca 16), Chula Vista (AMC Otay Ranch 12) La Jolla (AMC UTC 14), National City (AMC Plaza Bonita 14 with IMAX, Dolby), San Diego (AMC Mission Valley 20 with IMAX, Dolby; AMC Palm Promenade 14 with IMAX), Emeryville (AMC Bay Street 16 with IMAX, Dolby), San Francisco (The Roxie; AMC Metreon 16 with IMAX, Dolby), San Jose (AMC East Ridge Mall 15 with IMAX, Dolby), Santa Clara (AMC Mercado 20 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime)
COLORADO:Highlands Ranch (AMC Highlands Ranch 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Westminster (AMC Westminster 24 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime)
CONNECTICUT: Danbury (AMC Danbury 16 with IMAX, Dolby)
FLORIDA: Jacksonville (AMC Regency 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Orange Park (AMC Orange Park 24 with IMAX, Dolby), South Miami (AMC Sunset Place 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Altamonte Springs (AMC Altamonte Mall 18 with IMAX, Dolby), Orlando (AMC DINE-IN Disney Springs 24 with Dolby), Brandon (AMC Regency 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Oldsmar (AMC Woodland Square 20 with IMAX, Dolby)
GEORGIA:Atlanta (The Plaza), Kennesaw (AMC Barrett Commons 14 with IMAX), Lawrenceville (AMC Colonial 18; AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 with Dolby)
IOWA: Iowa City (FilmScene)
ILLINOIS:Chicago (AMC River East 21 with Dolby), Naperville (AMC Naperville 16 with IMAX, Dolby), South Barrington (AMC Barrington 24 with IMAX, Dolby)
INDIANA: Schererville (AMC Schererville 16 with IMAX), Indianapolis (AMC Indianapolis 17 with IMAX, Dolby)
KANSAS:Leawood (AMC Town Center 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Olathe (AMC DINE-IN Studio 28 KC with IMAX, Dolby)
KENTUCKY: Newport (AMC Newport On The Levee 20 with IMAX, Dolby)
LOUISIANA: Harahan (AMC Elmwood 20 with IMAX, Dolby)
MASSACHUSETTS: Boston (AMC Boston Common 19 with IMAX, Dolby), Methuen (AMC Methuen 20 with IMAX, Dolby)
MARYLAND:Baltimore (AMC White Marsh 16 with IMAX, Dolby), Columbia (AMC Columbia 14 with IMAX, Dolby),
MICHIGAN: Livonia (AMC Livonia 19 with IMAX), Sterling Heights (AMC Forum 30 with IMAX, Dolby)
MINNESOTA: Coon Rapids (AMC Coon Rapids 16), Eden Prairie (AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18 with IMAX, Prime), Edina (AMC Southdale Center 16 with IMAX, Dolby)
MISSOURI: Kansas City (Armour Theatre / Screenland Armour; AMC Barrywoods 24 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime)
N. CAROLINA: Charlotte (AMC Carolina Pavilion 22), Concord (AMC Concord Mills 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Greenville (AMC Fire Tower 12), Durham (AMC DINE-IN Southpoint 17 with IMAX, Dolby), Fayetteville (AMC Fayetteville 14 with IMAX)
NEW JERSEY: Clifton (AMC Clifton Commons 16 with IMAX, Dolby), Edison (AMC DINE-IN Menlo Park 12), Elizabeth (AMC Jersey Gardens 20 with IMAX, Dolby), Freehold (AMC Freehold 14), New Brunswick (AMC New Brunswick 18 with IMAX, Dolby), Paramus (AMC Garden State 16 with IMAX, Dolby), Rockaway (AMC Rockaway Plaza 16 with IMAX, Dolby), Cherry Hill (AMC Cherry Hill 24 with IMAX, Dolby)
NEVADA: Las Vegas (AMC Town Square 18 with IMAX, Dolby)
NEW YORK: New York (AMC 34th Street with IMAX, Dolby; AMC Empire 25 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime; AMC Kips Bay 15 with IMAX)
OHIO: Mentor (Atlas Cinemas Great Lakes Stadium 16), Columbus (Gateway Film Center; AMC DINE-IN Easton Town Center 30 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime)
OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma City (AMC Quail Springs 24 with IMAX, Dolby)
PENNSYLVANIA: Bensalem (AMC Neshaminy 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Center Valley (AMC Center Valley 16 with IMAX), Pittsburgh (Row House Cinema), West Homestead (AMC Waterfront 22 with IMAX, Dolby)
TEXAS: Arlington (AMC Parks at Arlington 18 with IMAX, Dolby), Mesquite (AMC DINE-IN Mesquite 30 with IMAX, Dolby), Edinburg (AMC Edinburg 18 with IMAX, Dolby), Houston (AMC Gulf Pointe 30 with IMAX, Dolby; AMC Willowbrook 24 with IMAX, Dolby), Sugar Land (AMC First Colony 24 w IMAX, Dolby, Prime),
VIRGINIA: Virginia Beach (AMC Lynnhaven 18 with IMAX, Dolby), Alexandria (AMC Hoffman 22 with IMAX, Dolby), McLean (AMC Tysons Corner 16 with IMAX, Dolby)
WASHINGTON: Seattle (AMC Pacific Place 11), Tukwila (AMC Southcenter 16 with IMAX, Dolby)
The Deer King
The distributor also announced new engagements for another compelling Japanese animated feature, The Deer King, which opens nationswide on July 15. In additoin to the previously announced theaters, the movie will screen at:
CALIFORNIA: Bakersfield (Valley Plaza 16), Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach Bella Terra 20 + XD), Milpitas (Milpitas Great Mall 20 + XD), Oxnard (Century River Park 16 + XD), San Jose (San Jose Oakridge 20 + XD)
FX’s Emmy Award-winning animated comedy Archer will return for its 13th season on Wednesday, August 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FXX, streaming the next day on Hulu. The latest season will be followed on Thursday, August 25 with the series premiere of the new animated comedy Little Demon on FXX at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Since FXX expanded its programming line-up last September — adding all seasons of Family Guy to a schedule that includes such all-time classics as King of the Hill, Bob’s Burgers and The Simpsons, among others — it has become the go-to network for animated adult comedies, surging nearly +65% in Primetime in P18-49 and vaulting +21 spots — from #36 to #15 — in overall cable channel rankings to now place neck-and-neck with Adult Swim.
Archer is an animated, half-hour comedy that follows Sterling Archer as he navigates the changing landscape of the spy world. This season, Archer and The Agency have been acquired by Fabian Kingsworth and the spy conglomerate known as IIA (International Intelligence Agency). As the gang struggles to find their identity performing odd missions for Fabian, one question arises: will they be able to maintain independence, or will they succumb to their corporate overlords?
The series features the voices of H. Jon Benjamin as the world’s greatest spy, Sterling Archer; Aisha Tyler as the spy with marital troubles, Lana Kane; Judy Greer as the crazy office assistant in search of a special skill, Cheryl/Carol Tunt; Chris Parnell as the reliable company-man, Cyril Figgis; Amber Nash as the enthusiastic offender, Pam Poovey; Adam Reed as the opportunist, Ray Gillette; and Lucky Yates as the experimenter-in-chief, Algernop Krieger.
Season 13 also features the voices of guest stars Kenan Thompson, Alison Pill, Christian Slater, Kayvan Novak and Stephen Tobolowsky, to name a few.
Archer was created by Adam Reed and is executive produced by Reed, Matt Thompson and Casey Willis at Floyd County Productions. The series is produced by FX Productions.
