Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • Bobby Moynihan’s ‘Lightning Wolves’ Hits Comedy Central April 15

    Bobby Moynihan’s ‘Lightning Wolves’ Hits Comedy Central April 15

    Comedy Central announced today (Friday, April 1) the premiere date for Lightning Wolves, a new eight-episode series created and executive produced by Bobby Moynihan (Loafy, The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special).

    The retro-inspired toon tells the story of a team of half-Wolf, half-humanoid creatures tasked with protecting the Omniverse from the sinister Keeper of Spells, Moom and his extremely underwhelming group of lackeys. Wolfi-O, Wolfette, Wolfro, Manitoba, Dingo and White Wolf must come together to form The Lightning Wolves, all while becoming better Wolf-people through communication, introspection and, of course, slowly spiraling out of control as they realize they are actually just toys, and nothing really matters.

    The series will be launching on Friday, April 15 at 12 p.m. ET across Comedy Central Animated YouTube and Comedy Central Animated Facebook.

    “Lightning Wolves is an homage to all those cartoons from the ’80s we loved as kids,” says Moynihan. “ThunderCats, He-Man and She-Ra, G.I. Joe, Voltron, Silverhakws — cartoons that were packed full of important life lessons while secretly selling toys to children. But this one has lots of cursing.”

    Moynihan, whose many voiceover credits include We Bare Bears, DuckTales and It’s Pony, also stars in the new animated series alongside the vocal talents of Eugene Cordero, Donald Faison, Sofia Gonzalez, Taran Killam, Will McLaughlin, Bobby Moynihan, Griffin Newman, Lennon Parham, Nicole Parker, Connor Ratliff, Ben Schwartz, Jimmi Simpson and Cobie Smulders.

    Lightning Wolves is directed, written, exec produced and created by Moynihan. The series is produced by Big Breakfast, with Luke Kelly-Clyne, Kevin Healey and Drew Buckley as executive producers; and Kids at Play, with Jason Berger and Amy Laslett as executive producers. Animation for the series is by LowBrow Studios. Sachi Ezura, Taylor Kowalski, Lisa Kleinman and Steve Elliott are exec producers for MTV Entertainment Group.

    Lightning Wolves

     

  • The April Animation Must-Have List

    The April Animation Must-Have List

     

    Flee

    A Personal History with Global Appeal: In February, Danish director Jonah Poher Rasmussen’s Flee set a new precedent for the recognition of animated films, scoring an Oscar nomination hat trick with nods in the Animated, Documentary and International Feature categories. Critics and festival juries around the world have raved about this powerful true story of an Afghan refugee confronting his trauma and identity, which in the English-language version stars Riz Ahmed and Nicolaj Coster-Waldau. The Blu-ray release includes a New York Film Festival Q&A with the director. Available March 1. (Decal/NEON, $15)

     

    Sing 2

    Ode to the Stage Spectacular: Soar on wire riggings of animated fancy with Illumination’s latest blockbuster, Sing 2. Directed again by Garth Jennings, the sequel follows Buster (Matthew McConaughey) and his troupe to a Vegas-y entertainment mecca, where they must convince a reclusive rock star (Bono) to join their ambitious new show. The all-star cast and soundtrack of wall-to-wall hits is overshadowed only by the sparkling CG animation, rendering a menagerie of animals in elaborate stage numbers or surprisingly subtle, emotional moments. (Universal, DVD $35 | BD $40 | 4K $50)

     

     

    Delta Space Mission

    Romanian Retro: Mircea Toia and Călin Cazan’s wildly surreal sci-fi adventure Delta Space Mission (1984) is ready to thrill a new generation of audiences Stateside, thanks to a new 4K polish from Deaf Crocodile Films. Set in the year 3084, this blacklight poster-hued adventure follows an alien journalist named Alma who becomes the unwitting love interest of the AI running a state-of-the-art spacecraft — with disastrous results. A Heavy Metal-style mash-up of modern art, Eurodisco and Saturday morning cartoons, the Blu-ray release includes a new interview with Cazan, an essay by comicker/film historian Stephen Bissette and two (even rarer) cartoons from the DSM shorts series. Grasshopper Films will release the remaster on VOD on April 19. (Vinegar Syndrome/OCN | $30)

     

     

    Snow White

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: 85th Anniversary Edition

    Disney Movie Club Exclusive, with new featurette 10 Ways Snow White Changed Animation Forever (DMC | $25).

     

    Skull face

    Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san: Complete Series

    Honestly, I am a little offended that no one told me about this slice-of-life comedy among the manga shelves sooner. すごい！(Discotek | $40)

     

     

    Art of Turning Red

    Supersized Creativity: Awkward adolescence never looked so good as in the fluffy, luminous new Pixar feature from Oscar winner Domee Shi (Bao). The Art of Turning Red delves into the making of this deeply personal pic, which is both a terrifyingly relatable reflection of coming-of-age and an ode to the camaraderie and particular joys of growing up in the ’90s. The 160-page hardcover is stuffed with character designs, storyboards, colorscripts, exclusive interviews and a dizzying array of inspirational eye candy. Studio head Pete Docter penned the intro. (Chronicle Books | $43)

     

    Popeye

    Oceans of History: As a great illustrated man once said, “I yam what I yam,” and author Fred M. Grandinetti certainly yam one of the biggest Popeye connoisseurs on deck. His latest book, Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons, picks up the story of E.C. Segar’s beloved character as the popularity of his theatrical shorts translated into TV superstardom with King Features and Paramount Cartoon Studios. This 230-page history covers the iconic animators who brought the 220 toons to life, characters, voice artists, spinoffs and more, including an episode guide organized by producer. What else would you expect from the co-founder of the Official Popeye Fan Club?! (BearManor Media | ebook $10, paperback $25)

     

    bruno tee

    Celebrate your favorite Disney earworm of the year with this fun, retro horror-inspired Vintage Bruno T-Shirt, inspired by Encanto. (TeePublic | 10 color options | $20)

     

    radio spaceman

    Blast off with the new two-issue comic-book event, Radio Spaceman — a standalone steampunk space adventure from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Black Cloud artist Greg Hinkle. Monsters! Mystery! Excessive gear wheels! In space! (March 2 & April 6 | Dark Horse | $4 each)

     

     

    Stuff We Love is now the monthly Must Have list. To find previous reviews from the print edition of Animation Magazine, use the tag below or type “Stuff We Love” into the AnimationMagazine.net search bar. 

  • Rachel Zegler to Star in Skydance/Apple Animated Musical ‘Spellbound’

    Apple today announced that West Side Story star Rachel Zegler will provide the voice of Princess Ellian, the lead role in Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation’s upcoming animated musical feature, Spellbound. Ellian is the tenacious princess who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever.

    At only 17 years old, Zegler earned the role of María Vasquez for Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story, out of 30,000 auditions. The film earned her an NBR Award for Best Actress along with a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. She is currently in production on Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, and will next be seen alongside Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in D.C. Comics’ Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

    Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton. The original score for the film hails from Academy Award winner Alan Menken, with lyrics by Glenn Slater. Chris Montan serves as executive music producer. John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Lipman are producing for Skydance Animation.

    The fantasy-musical joins an expanding lineup of the Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation projects, alongside upcoming titles such as the studio’s first feature Luck (premiering on Apple TV+ on August 5) and the animated series Wondla. The studio’s inaugural Apple Original short film, Blush, had its world premiere as part of the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival’s animated shorts program and is now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

    Spellbound
    Spellbound first-look image from Skydance Animation / Apple Original Films

     

  • WarnerMedia, Rooster Teeth Announce Advisors for Digital Creators Program

    WarnerMedia, Rooster Teeth Announce Advisors for Digital Creators Program

    In partnership with WarnerMedia Access, the Rooster Teeth Digital Creators Program provides historically underrepresented digital talent a platform to break through to new audiences while also providing the tools and opportunities to succeed as digital creators. Eight aspiring creators will receive paid mentorship and training from Rooster Teeth over a three-month period this fall, including a one month residency in Austin (with housing and stipend provided).

    This immersive program goes beyond independent content creation to give participants valuable experience working as part of a team on professional video sets, sponsored productions and more. At the end of the three months, the creators will have a chance to meet with industry executives from across all of WarnerMedia’s brands — and will be eligible for a one-year Rooster Teeth talent contract.

    The program is open to creators with a passion for sports, pop-culture, comedy, gaming and animation from the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. Applicants should have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers/followers but no more than 300,000, and a minimum of 1,000 downloads per episode for podcasters, across all platforms. Eight participants will be selected for the annual program by a panel of Rooster Teeth executives, in partnership with the WarnerMedia Access team and executives across the WarnerMedia content portfolio.

    The program will last three months, with two months of virtual session, followed by a one-month mentorship & technical training apprenticeship on-location at Rooster Teeth’s studios in Austin, Texas. The curriculum will focus on:

    • Branded Content: Partnerships and Creative Development
    • Scripted Content: Comedy Writing Workshop & Improv Training
    • Podcast Development & Production
    • Hosting 101 & Media Training

    Participants receive opportunities to appear as guests/on-camera talent in Rooster Teeth and other participating WarnerMedia Productions. Participants choose a track to develop & create content with mentorship from Rooster Teeth and other WarnerMedia creative teams, including the just-announced Advisory Council members:

    • Ericka Beltrán (Director, Program & Content Strategy, CNN)
    • Samata Narra (SVP, Equity & Inclusion, Content, WarnerMedia)
    • Jason Dimberg (VP, Social Strategy & Content, Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences)
    • Jennifer Dill (VP, Esports, Turner Sports/ Bleacher Report)
    • Geoff Ramsey (Co-Founder & Creative at Large, Rooster Teeth)
    • Barbara Dunkleman (Creative Director, Rooster Teeth)

    Aspiring creators can now apply for the program via this link.

     

     

  • Studio 100, ZDF Team for ‘Pash’ Prime Video Channels

    Studio 100, ZDF Team for ‘Pash’ Prime Video Channels

    Studio 100 Media, one of the leading independent studios for kids & family entertainment and ZDF Studios (ZDFS), the commercial arm of one of Europe’s largest broadcasters, have joined forces to offer kids & family programs on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels under the channel brand Pash.

    The collaboration will kick off in the U.K., Italy and Spain, with further territories in the planning. The programming lineup from both ZDFS and Studio 100’s extensive catalogs will include well-known series and kids’ brands such as Maya the Bee, Mia and Me, Heidi, Peter Pan, H20 and Find Me in Paris.

    The Pash banner was created by ZDF Studios, which has already launched Prime VIdeo Channels in various countries. Pash is a new international brand for children of all ages (and their parents) that strives to provide high-quality entertainment for young viewers in various languages and across multiple countries. In each territory, the Pash content catalog features hundreds of shows and movies.

    Mia and Me
    Mia and Me

    “We are excited to continue our journey into the world of channel activities under our brand Pash with such a great partner as Studio 100,” said Fred Burcksen, President & CEO, ZDF Studios. “Studio 100’s programs perfectly complement our programming offering, allowing us to provide a great experience for kids around the world in today’s complex content viewing context.”

    Martin Krieger, CEO of Studio 100 Media, added, “We are excited to partner with ZDF Studios on this strategic project. Combining highlights from both our line-ups with successful brands and much-loved classics allows us the opportunity to create a very appealing proposition. Pash offers an elite selection of amazing kids’ content to an international audience. We look forward to extending this collaboration to further countries soon.”

    studio100group.com | zdf-studios.com

    Pash

  • BBC Children’s Commissions New-Look Series of Paper Owl’s ‘Pablo’

    BBC Children’s Commissions New-Look Series of Paper Owl’s ‘Pablo’

    Pablo, the BAFTA-nominated, ground-breaking preschool TV show from production company Paper Owl Films, has been commissioned by BBC Children’s for a new series with a refreshed look. Growing with the audience that have lovingly followed Pablo since series one, this new series depicts its autistic hero, Pablo, as an eight-year old stepping into the weird, wonderful and often hilarious world of school.

    The announcement comes ahead of World Autism Acceptance Day (April 2) and follows an intensive period of development funded by BBC Children’s, NI Screen and CAKE, the show’s international distributor.

    As Pablo experiences a whole new world at school, the animation style changes: Paper Owl has transformed the original 2D look into a quirky, mixed-media style for the new series, echoing the eclectic mix of sounds and textures encountered at school. Within this environment, we see how Pablo experiences each day — as a mixed bag of events and emotions of which he tries to make sense, something most school-aged children, not just autistic children, can relate to.

    Through these shared experiences, the show uses humor to build a much deeper understanding and empathy amongst older viewers of the neurodivergent perspective. Pablo encourages all children to laugh together … at how ridiculous the world can be (whether autistic or not), how confusing the social script is and how it could easily be changed to make more sense for everyone.

    “This is a standout, funny, action-packed show,” says Grainne McGuiness, Creative Director, Paper Owl Films. “Pablo celebrates the autistic kids in your class — and all those who think differently and see the world in different ways. This series is an international comedy that does what comedy does best — breaking down barriers and highlighting the things that need to change for a happier world.”

    Pablo (series 1 and 2), will also air on CBeebies every day throughout April to mark Autism Acceptance Month.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Pablo back to CBeebies for a third series. Our young viewers love to watch his adventures unfold and I have no doubt they’ll be cheering him on as he begins his schooling journey, too,” said Kate Morton, Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning & Acquisitions 0-6.

    Ed Galton, Exec Producer and CEO of CAKE Entertainment, commented, “Pablo has charmed and inspired audiences all around the world with his original and imaginative perspective reflecting the real-life experience of autistic children. We are very proud to be a part of his next adventure as he navigates the challenges and complexities of school life and the changing world around him.”

    “We are delighted that BBC has commissioned a third series of Pablo,” added Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen. “Not only is this great news for our thriving animation sector, but it also allows Paper Owl to continue the important mission of making autism more widely understood and accepted. We look forward to seeing what new adventures Pablo and his friends embark on when the new series airs.”

    The first series of Pablo was nominated for a Children’s BAFTA (2018) and was a Children’s Finalist at the Royal Television Society Awards (2018). It won Best Preschool Program at the Broadcast Awards (2019), the TORC Award for Excellence at the Celtic Media Festival (2018) and Best Writer for PreSchool at the Irish Animation Awards (2021).

    The first two seasons of Pablo are aired all over the world including on CBeebies, Netflix, Universal Kids (US), CBC Kids (Canada), ABC Kids (Australia), Rai (Italy), Clan (Spain), Mango TV (China), Nat Geo Kids (Latin America) and TV Brasil (Brazil).

     

  • Autodesk Rolls Out Next-Gen Updates to 3D Tools

    Autodesk Rolls Out Next-Gen Updates to 3D Tools

    Autodesk has unveiled a series of feature-loaded updates to its portfolio of 3D tools for artists working in the film, television, games and design visualization industries. New solutions in Maya, 3ds Max, Bifrost and Arnold debuted this week, adding next-gen workflows that expedite artists’ work and help creative teams deliver high-quality VFX and animated content with greater ease and efficiency.

    “Whether enhancing the user experience, simplifying virtual production workflows, integrating open standards or empowering artists to manage complex projects, our goal is always to help artists and studios deliver incredible work that pushes the limits of what’s possible,” said Eric Bourque, VP, Engineering. “Our latest updates to Maya, 3ds Max, Bifrost and Arnold put robust tools and workflows, and the ability to collaborate and share data more seamlessly, into the hands of creative teams everywhere.”

    Blue Pencil Toolset
    Blue Pencil Toolset

    Maya

    Focused on helping artists work faster while raising the creative bar at every step of the pipeline, this update adds more power to Maya’s already robust animation, modeling, and rigging toolset. Autodesk continues to build rich USD workflows into Maya, including a brand-new integration with the visual programming environment, Bifrost.

    • Unreal Live Link for Maya: Stream animation data from Maya to Unreal in real time with the Unreal Live Link plug-in, ideal for virtual production and game development.
    • Blue Pencil 2D Drawing Tools: Draw 2D sketches over scenes directly in the viewport in a clean and non-destructive way. Building on Maya’s Grease Pencil tool, this new toolset allows users to sketch poses over time, define motion arcs, mark up shots, and add annotations and comments for review.
    • Cached Playback Improvements: Experience faster scene playback with new Cached Playback support for the Jiggle deformer and Bullet solver.
    • Animation Performance Updates: The Evaluation Toolkit now includes a new Invisibility evaluation mode and a Reduce Graph Rebuild option for animation workflows.
    • USD Across Maya’s Toolset: This update integrates USD in Bifrost for the first time, allowing Maya to be used almost anywhere there’s a USD implementation in the pipeline — from familiar Maya workflows to procedural Bifrost workflows. Support for USD in the Channel Box is also improved, accelerating the editing process for layout and assembly, while the Attribute Editor makes it easier to distinguish between USD and Maya data. Manipulate large USD data sets faster with point snapping performance in the viewport, edit attributes while preserving changes with a new USD locking feature, isolate ‘select’ to focus on where work is being done in a scene, and visualize materials in the viewport with new MaterialX support.
    • Improved Boolean Workflows: Create and edit Boolean operations in fewer clicks with improvements to the Boolean node and options in the Boolean stack that make it easier to edit meshes live and preview changes in scenes. The Boolean toolset has also expanded with five new operations, providing further flexibility when generating complex shapes.
    • Upgraded Modeling Tools: Maximize efficiency with Retopologize tool enhancements, faster manipulation of mesh compounds, QuadDraw performance improvements, and more.
    • Rigging Improvements: Rig with greater precision using a new Component Editor normalization option; enhancements to the Solidify, Morph and Proximity Wrap deformers; improved deformer weight visualization; a new Manage Pins menu for UVPin and ProximityPin nodes which adds support for curves; and improved GPU override support.
    • An Enhanced User Experience: New to Maya? Get up and running faster with new interactive tutorials. With user experience top of mind, Autodesk has also added a tablet API setting for pressure-sensitive pen tablets, Script Editor upgrades, and viewport support for unlimited lights. A faster rendering experience with the latest version of Arnold and updates to the Create VR immersive design tool further round out the release.

    Visit What’s New in Maya and check out the Maya Learning Channel on YouTube to learn more about the latest updates.

    3ds Max Retopology Tools - Data Propogation
    3ds Max Retopology Tools – Data Propogation

    3ds Max

    New support for glTF, flexible modeling tools, and productivity enhancements that save artists significant time are just a few of the updates in 3ds Max that drive modern asset creation forward.

    • gITF Support: Easily publish assets directly to gITF 2.0, the standard 3D format for web and online stores, while maintaining visual quality. A new glTF Material Preview also makes it possible to open glTF assets in the viewport and accurately see how they will look when exported to different environments outside of 3ds Max.
    • Retopology Tools 1.2: Process large and complex mesh data even faster with a new pre-processing option in the ReForm retopology tools, allowing users to generate high-quality results without preparing meshes with modifiers. This update also makes it possible to propagate existing mesh data, such as Smoothing Groups, UVs, Normals, and Vertex color to the new Retopology mesh output.
    • New Working Pivot Tools: A series of new Working Pivot tools enhance modeling, animation, and rigging workflows, including tools to adjust the position and orientation of pivots, interactively realign axis orientation, easily add Pivot and Grid Helpers, and more.
    • Autobackup Enhancements: Focus on completing tasks with fewer disruptions via improvements to the Autobackup system and a new Autobackup toolbar in the default UI.
    • Faster Rendering Experience with Arnold: 3ds Max includes the latest version of Arnold, adding powerful tools for handling complex projects, customizing pipelines, and delivering high-quality renders. Occlude Selection Improvements: Generate occluded vertex, edge, or poly component selections faster than ever — even on polygonal dense models of millions of triangles.
    • Smart Extrude: The Edit Poly modifier now includes the partial cut-through Smart Extrude union/subtraction functionality and support for cutting into non-planar quads and n-gons.
    • Unwrap UVW Keyboard Shortcuts: Work faster when creating and manipulating UV data with new keyboard shortcuts in the Unwrap UVW modifier.
    • Compressed Scene File Save Performance: Compressed scene files now save twice as fast as before.
    • Python 3.9: 3ds Max ships with Python 3.9.7, boasting improved quality and performance.
    • Per Viewport Filtering Updates: Advanced users now have access to all-new functions in MAXScript for Per Viewport Filtering and can perform a multi-selection of items in the Per Viewport Filtering dialog.

    Visit What’s New in 3ds Max and the 3ds Max Public Roadmap for more information on these updates.

    Bifrost USD
    Bifrost USD

    Bifrost

    The latest updates to Bifrost’s procedural toolset enable artists to deliver stunning, lifelike VFX in a fraction of the time. USD is now integrated, and enhancements to the Aero and MPM solvers simplify the creation of complex simulations.

    • Bifrost USD: Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) is now fully integrated with Bifrost, allowing teams to apply Maya USD functionalities from traditional workflows to Bifrost USD for procedural workflows. Use USD data as inputs, author USD data as outputs, and automate the processing of USD data for next-generation production pipelines.
      • Low-Level Nodes: Virtually any USD workflow can now be implemented and automated in Bifrost, as Bifrost’s USD low-level nodes are the USD API.
      • High-Level Compounds: Bifrost USD also includes high-level compounds, which are particularly useful for scattering and instancing, and perform common operations such as converting Bifrost data to USD and the reverse.
    • Aero Solver Enhancements: The robust Aero tool benefits from new field-mapping, scalability, and stability improvements.
    • MPM Solver Improvements: Simulate with confidence via enhanced MPM stability and MPM Cloth upgrades. Interpreted auto ports control tearing thresholds, allowing the use of fields or vertex data to mark areas that tear more easily.
    • Color Picker: Enjoy more interactive controls with a new color picker tool, integrated with Color Management.
    • Slider Multi-Selection: Adjust multiple sliders simultaneously via multi-selection functionality.

    Full details are available in the Bifrost release notes and in What’s New in Maya.

    Bifrost
    Bifrost

    Arnold

    With new tools for consistent, high-grade denoising, growing USD workflows, and optimized interactive rendering, the latest updates to Arnold let artists handle complex projects, customize their pipelines, and render with mind-blowing speed.

    • OptiX 7 Denoiser: Render photoreal results on GPU with NVIDIA’s OptiX 7 Denoiser, which supports consistent denoising of multiple AOVs — essential for compositing workflows.
    • Triplanar Shader: Project a texture from all six sides without using a UV map.
    • USD Enhancements: Handle instances more efficiently with improvements in the USD procedural and the Hydra Render Delegate, which now supports environment, background, and ramp shaders with linked colors.
    • Interactivity Improvements: Benefit from an optimized user experience when interactively rendering a scene, including enhanced imagers and atmosphere shaders on GPU and CPU, and augmented interactive GPU rendering with fixed minimum frame rates when working with more complex scenes.

    Visit What’s New in Arnold to learn more about the latest updates.

    Newly updated Maya, 3ds Max and Arnold are now available as standalone subscriptions or with the Autodesk Media & Entertainment Collection. Bifrost is available to download for free as an extension for Maya. Comment, share, and connect with other members of the community as well as Autodesk experts in new product and industry groups on AREA.

    autodesk.com

    Arnold render, image courtesy of Heribert Raab
    Arnold render, image courtesy of Heribert Raab

     

  • Farside, Strange Matter Team for Animation Slate Led by Adult Fantasy-Horror ‘Blood of Camelot’

    Farside, Strange Matter Team for Animation Slate Led by Adult Fantasy-Horror ‘Blood of Camelot’

    Farside Features has partnered with Strange Matter Media Ltd. to develop and produce a slate of animated series for the adult market. Their first project is Blood of Camelot, a dark fantasy that reimagines King Arthur as a vampire despot ruling over a blighted realm.

    In Blood of Camelot, King Arthur must make a terrible choice to protect his kingdom — a decision that splits the knights of the roundtable and corrupts the dream of Camelot. As the realm falls prey to vicious monsters and vampiric knights, only Guinevere and Arthur’s former champion Lancelot can save the king from himself.

    A pilot is currently in the works, with plans to place the series with a network sometime this year.

    “We’re incredibly excited to be developing Blood of Camelot with Strange Matter Media. This is a dream project for us, as myself and many here grew up on a strict diet of anime and comic books,” said Dylan Shipley, Creative Director of Farside Features. “Since starting out in animation, it’s been my goal to push the industry here in the U.K. and start focusing on more adult animated content. Blood of Camelot is such an exciting project for Farside Features, our very own animated series built from the ground up which is already shaping into something amazing.“

    Strange Matter’s joint CEO George Mann noted, “Blood over Camelot combines our mutual love of folklore, mythology and horror. Farside Features are the ideal partner to bring the show’s sweeping action and emotional depth to life, giving familiar characters an unexpected and often brutal twist.”

    Joint CEO Cavan Scott added, “The early visuals are nothing short of extraordinary. The story we’re crafting alongside Dylan and the team at Farside Features is truly epic in scope, while never losing sight of the very human story at the heart of the Arthurian mythos.”

    Strange Matter Media is an entertainment company focused on genre storytelling in film, TV, audio drama and transmedia, founded by Sunday Times bestselling author Mann and New York Times bestselling author Scott. Collectively, they have worked on global properties such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Pacific Rim and Doctor Who. Individually, they have created the popular series Newbury and Hobbes, Ghosts of Manhattan, Wychwood, Engineward and Shadow Service, several of which are in development for screen. Scott is a story architect on Lucasfilm’s cross-platform initiative Star Wars: The High Republic, while Mann is a lead writer of several adult animated series currently in production.

    Farside Features is a U.K.-based animation studio specializing in 2D. A division of Sun & Moon, an award-winning animation studio founded by Dylan Shipley and Louis Jones in 2009, Farside is currently in production on the Hammer & Bolter anthology for Games Workshop’s new Warhammer+ platform, in addition to developing Blood of Camelot and a slate of new productions with Strange Matter Media.

    strangematter.media | farsidefeatures.com

    Blood of Camelot

     

  • Enter the Territory of the Sisters in ‘Pacific Rim: The Black’ S2 Trailer

    Enter the Territory of the Sisters in ‘Pacific Rim: The Black’ S2 Trailer

    Netflix and Legendary Television has debuted the trailer for Season 2 of Pacific Rim: The Black, unleashing more Jaeger vs. Kaiju action onto the streaming platform on Tuesday, April 19. The spot takes us into the shadowy world of “the Sisters,” a cult devoted to the giant monsters roaming the world, who believe they have found their long-awaited Messiah…

    Synopsis: In the epic series conclusion of Pacific Rim: The Black (S2), the journey is far from over. Our brave siblings Taylor and Hayley still hope to reach the safety of Sydney aboard Atlas Destroyer, the scaled-down training Jaeger left behind when Australia was evacuated. With teenage assassin Mei and the mysterious human/kaiju hybrid bOy joining Taylor and Hayley, this makeshift family must cross a dangerous territory controlled by the bloodthirsty cult Sisters of the Kaiju. These zealots, led by the enigmatic High Priestess, are convinced that bOy is their long-awaited Messiah and will stop at nothing to indoctrinate him into their dark circle — something Hayley would sacrifice everything to prevent.

    The English-language voice cast features Calum Worthy as Taylor, Gideon Adlon as Hayley, Victoria Grace as Mei and Ben Diskin as bOy.

    The series is co-created by Craig Kyle (Thor: Ragnarok) and Greg Johnson (X-Men: Evolution). Produced by Legendary Television with animation production by Polygon Pictures in Japan.

    Pacific Rim: The Black

  • No Joke, Cartoon Network Plans a Marathon of Mischief for ACME Fools Day!

    No Joke, Cartoon Network Plans a Marathon of Mischief for ACME Fools Day!

    ACME, the #1 name in DIY cartoon mayhem, invites you to turn April Fools into ACME Fools with a celebration of silly shenanigans and playful pranks all day long on Cartoon Network, Friday, April 1.

    Expect Looney Tunes-inspired foolishness throughout the day on Cartoon Network and Cartoon Network’s social handles, where the wascally trickster himself, Bugs Bunny, will be pulling pranks alongside social media influencer and video illusionist, Kevin Parry. Fans will also be able to star in their own iconic Looney Tunes scene with a special AR filter available on Cartoon Network’s Instagram and TikTok on April 1. With Bugs in charge, it’s a guaranteed trip down a rabbit hole of fun!

    The day kicks off with a marathon of classic favorites, including The Amazing World of Gumball, Looney Tunes Cartoons, Teen Titans Go!, We Bare Bears and more from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network.

    Victor and Valentino
    Victor and Valentino “Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona”

    ACME Fools Marathon:

    11:00 a.m. – Looney Tunes Cartoons

    • “Puma Problems” – Bugs’ relaxing afternoon is interrupted by a hungry Puma looking for a “hare-y” snack.
    • “Marvin Flag Gag: Bowling Ball”
    • “Duplicate Daffy” – Daffy meets his match with an office photocopier.
    • “Key-Tastrophe!” – Daffy helps Porky find his keys.
    • “Hole Gag: Hammer the Rabbit Hole”
    • “Devil of a Drink” – Taz makes a splash in the forest looking for a drink of water.

    11:30 a.m. – Victor and Valentino

    • “Ghosted” – Vic makes a ghost friend, but when she interferes with his shot at being part of the cool kids’ Tlatchtli team, he must choose between the two.
    • “The Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona” – When Val sets out to get a little privacy in the woods, Vic is bent on pranking his unsuspecting brother – that is, until Val goes missing.
    We Bare Bears
    We Bare Bears “The Mall”

    12:00 & 12:30 p.m. – The Amazing World of Gumball

    • “The Game” – The Watterson family faces Mom’s wrath in a supermarket.
    • “The Oracle” – Banana Barbara has made a prophecy which Gumball simply cannot accept. Gumball, Darwin, and Anais discover Banana Joe’s mom paints pictures which predict the future. When they find one that depicts Gumball running naked through the mall, Gumball is determined not to let it come to pass.
    • “The Uploads” – Gumball and Darwin try to tear themselves away from the internet but end up falling down the Elmore Stream-hole.
    • “The Compilation” – A compilation of some of the funniest, most bizarre clips uploaded onto the internet by the people of Elmore. Clips include Banana Joe’s self-choreographed acrobatics, Richard’s latest culinary invention and Gumball and Darwin’s contest for who can pull the weirdest face.

    1:00 p.m. – Regular Show

    • “See You There” – Mordecai and Rigby find out that everyone has been invited by Muscle Man to High Five Ghost’s birthday party except them. They decide to go anyway.
    • “Prankless” – The guys want to win a prank war with a rival park.

    1:30 & 2:00 p.m. – We Bare Bears

    • “Ralph” – Charlie meets a creature just like him named Ralph. Charlie loves having a new friend, but the Bears think Ralph is bad news.
    • “More Everyone’s Tube” – Through another video-browsing session online, we get more videos uploaded by the Bears and their friends.
    • “The Mall” – The Bears go to the mall and encounter their human counterparts.
    • “Cousin Jon” – When the Bears attend Chloe’s family reunion, they fall victim to the mischievous pranks of Chloe’s cousin, Jon.
    Teen Titans Go!
    Teen Titans Go! “Operation Tin Man”

    2:30, 3 & 3:30 p.m. – Teen Titans Go!

    • “Ghostboy” – Starfire mistakenly thinks she’s killed Beast Boy, leading him to pose as a ghost and torment her.
    • “The Best Robin” – When the other Titans are too lazy to fight Brother Blood, Robin calls on his secondary team: Team Robin, a crime-fighting group made up of different Robins.
    • “Operation Tin Man” – Gizmo convinces the Titans he’s kidnapped Cyborg, when in reality, Cyborg’s just hanging out in the HIVE tower with his girl, Jinx. When Gizmo gets annoyed by Cyborg’s constant presence, the two start a prank war.
    • “The Hive Five” – Tired of the Titans, The Hive agrees to take a day off and avoid engaging with their foes — if possible.
    • “Batman V Teen Titans: Dark Injustice” – The Titans try to out-prank each other on April Fool’s Day.
    • “Lil Dimples” – The Titans must find a way to keep all the Jump City residents from moving to Stockton thinking it’s a way to reconnect with her father, Raven enters a beauty pageant.
    The Amazing World of Gumball
    The Amazing World of Gumball “The Game”

    4 & 4:30 p.m. – The Amazing World of Gumball

    • “The Prank” – Gumball and Darwin’s harmless pranks on Dad spiral hopelessly out of control.
    • “The Tag” – Gumball and Darwin get caught in the middle of Dad and Mr. Robinson’s trash can feud.
    • “The Game” – replay
    • “The Oracle” – replay

    5:00 p.m. – Shrek Forever After

    • Long settled into married life and fully domesticated, Shrek begins to long for the days when he felt like a real ogre. Duped into signing a contract with devious Rumpelstiltskin, he finds himself in an alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin rules, and he and Fiona have never met. Shrek must find a way out of the contract to restore his world and reclaim his true love.
    Total Dramarama
    Total Dramarama “Duncan Duty”

    7:00 p.m. – Looney Tunes Cartoons

    • “Mt. Neverest” – Porky and Daffy go mountain climbing. / Sylvester zips out for a quick meal.
    • “Telephone Pole Gag: Zip Line”
    • “Fast & Steady” – Wile E. Coyote sees a sign.
    • “Practical Jerk” – Daffy plays one too many pranks on Porky.
    • “Bottoms Up” – Bugs is having Pete Puma over for dinner.

    7:30 p.m. – Total Dramarama

    • “Duncan Duty” – When Duncan realizes Chef is getting kids to tattle on him in return for chocolate milk he sees an opportunity.
    • “AbracaDuncan” – When a magic trick goes sideways, Duncan makes a great escape and Harold becomes the target of a Sorcerer Hunt!
    Regular Show
    Regular Show “Prankless”

     

     

  • Trailer: ‘It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown,’ Sprouts on Apple TV+ for Earth Day

    Trailer: ‘It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown,’ Sprouts on Apple TV+ for Earth Day

    Apple TV+ today revealed the trailer for the all-new Earth Day Peanuts special, It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown. Premiering on Friday, April 15, the special is based on the classic Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz and features an original song by American singer-songwriter Ben Folds.

    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown
    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown

    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown follows Sally’s bond with a special little flower on the baseball field that may spell disaster for the big game. For Charlie Brown and the team, it’s just the inspiration they need to make a positive impact on their environment. Produced for Apple TV+ by Peanuts and WildBrain, the special is directed by Raymond S. Persi and executive produced by Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, Cornelius Uliano, Paige Braddock, Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts, Amir Nasrabadi and Anne Loi, and produced by James Brown and Tim Smith.

    In addition, the classic Peanuts special from Mendelson/Melendez Productions, It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown,’ is also coming soon to Apple TV+ in celebration of the environment, and will make its Apple TV+ debut on April 29. To celebrate Arbor Day, Charlie Brown’s baseball team turns the field into a lush garden, throwing Peppermint Patty off her game.

    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown
    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown

    The expanding, award-winning lineup of original animation for kids and families on Apple TV+ also includes the critically acclaimed El Deafo; Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and Harriet the Spy from The Jim Henson Company; Wolfboy and the Everything Factory from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment; Get Rolling with Otis; Helpsters from Sesame Workshop; Academy Award-nominated animated film Wolfwalkers; Peabody Award-winning series Stillwater; new series and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including Snoopy in Space S2 and For Auld Lang Syne; and Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, the Daytime Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers.

    tv.apple.com

    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown
    It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown

     

  • Adult Swim Digs Up ‘Teenage Euthanasia’ for Season 2

    Adult Swim Digs Up ‘Teenage Euthanasia’ for Season 2

    Teenage Euthanasia, the critically acclaimed, animated coming-of-all-ages comedy series about death, family and accidental resurrection gets new life with a second season on Adult Swim.

    Currently in production, the series is set in near-future inland Florida, centering on the Fantasy family who juggle work-life balance among the living and the dead in their family-run funeral home, Tender Endings. The show garnered impressive viewership during its broadcast launch and continues to build its fanbase now that Season 1 is available on HBO Max.

    Teenage Euthanasia
    Teenage Euthanasia

    In Teenage Euthanasia, when a bolt of lightning strikes Baba’s embalming fluid and mixes with a tear from Annie, Trophy is accidentally brought back to life with extraordinary zombie-esque superpowers. Shenanigans ensue as Trophy navigates the struggles of parenthood and tries, or hardly tries, to make up for lost time with her daughter.

    The half-hour series is co-created by The New York Times Editor’s Choice writer Alissa Nutting (Made for Love) and Emmy-nominated producer Alyson Levy (The Shivering Truth).

    Teenage Euthanasia
    Teenage Euthanasia

    The all-star voice cast returns for Season 2 with Maria Bamford as Trophy, the toxic mother given a second chance at life as well as motherhood, and Jo Firestone as her neglected teen daughter, Euthanasia or “Annie.” Tim Robinson reprises his role as the emotionally needy Uncle Pete, and Bebe Neuwirth as Baba, Annie’s “old country” immigrant grandmother and the family matriarch who runs the funeral business and household.

    Season 2 of Teenage Euthanasia is produced by PFFR and animated by Atomic Cartoons. Executive producers include Lisa M. Thomas, Vernon Chatman, Scott Adsit and John Lee.

    adultswim.com | hbomax.com

  • Three Cheers for Mini Boss! New ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Trailer, Poster Arrive

    Three Cheers for Mini Boss! New ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Trailer, Poster Arrive

    This summer, from the biggest global animated franchise in history, comes the origin story of how the world’s greatest supervillain first met his iconic Minions, forged cinema’s most despicable crew and faced off against the most unstoppable criminal force ever assembled in Minions: The Rise of Gru.

    Universal Pictures and animation hitmakers Illumination have released a brand-new trailer for the highly anticipated prequel today, which makes the most of Gru’s flair for gadgets, introduces the mighty kung fu master/acupuncturist Master Chow (voiced by Michelle Yeoh), reveals more of the Vicious 6, led by Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson) and comes to a smashing crescendo with a massive monster battle!

    Minions: The Rise of Gru hits theaters July 1.

    Synopsis: Long before he becomes the master of evil, Gru (Oscar nominee Steve Carell) is just a 12-year-old boy in 1970s suburbia, plotting to take over the world from his basement … It’s not going particularly well. When Gru crosses paths with the Minions, including Kevin, Stuart, Bob and Otto — a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please — this unexpected family joins forces. Together, they build their first lair, design their first weapons, and strive to execute their first missions.

    When the infamous supervillain supergroup, the Vicious 6, oust their leader — legendary martial arts fighter Wild Knuckles (Oscar winner Alan Arkin) — Gru, their most devoted fanboy, interviews to become their newest member. The Vicious 6 is not impressed by the diminutive, wannabe villain, but then Gru outsmarts (and enrages) them, and he suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. With Gru on the run, the Minions attempt to master the art of kung fu to help save him, and Gru discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

    The voice cast also features Jean-Claude Van Damme as the nihilistic Jean Clawed, who’s armed (literally) with a giant robotic claw; Lucy Lawless as Nunchuck, whose traditional nun’s habit hides her deadly nun-chucks; Dolph Lundgren as Swedish roller-skate champion Svengeance, who dispenses his enemies with spin kicks from his spiked skates; and Danny Trejo as Stronghold, whose giant iron hands are both a menace to others and a burden to him; Russell Brand as Young Dr. Nefario, an aspiring mad scientist, and Oscar winner Julie Andrews as Gru’s maddeningly self-absorbed mom. Pierre Coffin once again provides the iconic voice of the Minions.

    Minions: The Rise of Gru is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy and Chris Renaud. The film is directed by returning franchise filmmaker Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3, Minions), co-directed by Brad Ableson (The Simpsons) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets films), and features a ’70s soundtrack courtesy of legendary Grammy-winning music producer Jack Antonoff.

    minionsmovie.com

    Minions: The Rise of Gru

  • Aspen Shortsfest Selects 22 Animated Shorts for Oscar-Qualifying Competition

    Aspen Shortsfest Selects 22 Animated Shorts for Oscar-Qualifying Competition

    Aspen Film, the year-round film arts and education organization, today announced its program for the 31st Aspen Shortsfest, taking place in the picturesque Colorado town April 5-10. One of only four Oscar-qualifying festivals in the U.S. strictly dedicated to short films, Aspen Shortsfest is widely recognized as a premier short film festival and showcase of world cinema’s most remarkable emerging and established talents.

    This year’s competition highlights notable filmmakers and talent, along with international prize-winners by filmmakers. The lineup of 77 films selected from nearly 3,000 submissions originating in 28 different countries includes 22 animated shorts (clost to 30%). Overall, the selection marks a gain for gender equity, with 41 films directed or co-directed by women (53%).

    Buzzy and award-winning titles among the animated competitors include the Academy Award shortlisted The Shaman’s Apprentice by Cannes prizewinning director Zacharias Kunuk; Anxious Body, Yoriko Mizushiri’s meditation on touch; Psyop directors Marie Hyon and Marco Spier’s personal, ecological allegory Bottle Cap; Hugo de Faucompret’s kid’s POV on depression Mum Is Pouring Rain; the strange paradise of Gobelins student short Goodbye, Jerome!; Camrus Johnson’s new film She Dreams at Sunrise; the latest from Renee Zhan, Soft Animals; and the paper puppet Jim Jarmusch documentary Stranger Than Rotterdam with Sara Driver, which premiered at Sundance. Read on for the full list of animated shorts at Aspen.

    Aspen Shortsfest
    Clockwise from top left: Bottle Cap, Stranger than Rotterdam, She Dreams at Sunrise, Soft Animals

    “We are delighted to be presenting another incredible roster of films from around the globe for this year’s Shortsfest,” says Aspen Film Executive + Artistic Director Susan Wrubel. “What a wonderful recharge after two virtual years, to be back in person at our festival home, the historic Wheeler Opera House. Once again,our Programming Team has assembled some of the most dynamic, innovative, and thought-provoking short films of the year to showcase for Aspen and valley-wide audiences.”

    Shortsfest Director of Programming Jason Anderson added, “We’re thrilled to be celebrating Aspen Shortsfest’s 31st annual festival with another exciting showcase of incredible new work by filmmakers from every corner of the world. The 77 titles in this year’s program demonstrate the depth and diversity of film talent that we have the privilege of introducing to our audience. Moreover, we’re astounded by the strength and resilience these directors have shown in the face of all the recent challenges and are so excited to be able to present their films in person.”

    Shortsfest award winners will receive cash prizes of $1,250 or $2,500 in select categories. The jury for 2022 includes award-winning producers Mimi Polk Gitlin (Thelma and Louise), former NFB Animation head Michael Fukushima (Affairs of the Art) and Valerie Steinberg (Karmalink). Industry special guests include four industry notables: Opal Hope Bennett (producer, POV), Sarah Lash (Senior Director of Acquisitions, Condé Nast Entertainment), Meghan Oretsky (Senior Curator, Vimeo) and Casey Sunderland, (Media Finance Agent, Creative Artists Agency).

    Find the complete film competition selection and ticketing information at aspenfilm.org.

    Aspen Shortsfest
    Clockwise from top left: Boobs, In Nature, Aeronaut and A Brief History of Us

    Animated films selected for Aspen Shortsfest 2022:

    • Aeronaut – Directed by Leon Golterman (Netherlands)
    • L’Amour en Plan – Directed by Claire Sichez (France)
    • Anxious Body – Directed by Yoriko Mizushiri (Japan/France)
    • Boobs – Directed by Marie Valade (Canada)
    • A Brief History of Us – Directed by Etgar Keret (Poland)
    • Bottle Cap – Directed by Marie Hyon, Marco Spier (US)
    • A Cartoon of a Sleeping Cat – Directed by Randall Scott Christopher (US)
    • Cat and Bird – Directed by Franka Sachse (Germany)
    • Cat and Moth – Directed by India Barnardo (Canada/UK)
    • Charlotte – Directed by Zach Dorn (US)
    • Chilly & Milly – Directed by William David Caballero (US)
    • Footsteps on the Wind – Directed by Maya Sanbar (UK/Brazil/US)
    • Freedom Swimmer – Directed by Olivia Martin-McGuire (France/Australia)
    • Goodbye, Jerome! – Directed by Gabrielle Selnet, Adam Sillard, Chloé Farr (France)
    • In Nature – Directed by Marcel Barelli (Switzerland)
    • Mum Is Pouring Rain – Directed by Hugo de Faucompret (France)
    • My Grandmother Is an Egg – Directed by Wu-Ching Chang (UK/Taiwan)
    • She Dreams at Sunrise – Directed by Camrus Johnson (US)
    • Sierra – Directed by Sander Joon (Estonia)
    • Smile – Directed by Jonas Forsman (Sweden)
    • Soft Animals – Directed by Renee Zhan (UK/US)
    • Stranger than Rotterdam with Sara Driver – Directed by Lewie Kloster, Noah Kloster (US)

     

  • ‘Spirited Away’ on Stage Closes in Tokyo with Critical Acclaim, Japan Tour Begins

    The highly anticipated adapted stage performance of Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning animated feature Spirited Away has wrapped its debut run at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo, bringing in a full house of attendees. The production is now set to tour four additional cities in Japan over the next few months:

    • April 13-14 – Osaka, Umeda Arts Theater
    • May 1-28 – Fukuoka, Hakataza theater
    • June 6-12 – Sapporo, Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater hitaru
    • June 22-July 4 – Nagoya, Misonoza Theater
    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    This timeless masterpiece was recreated by the director of Les Misérables, John Caird, who brought iconic scenes to the stage with amazing performances with 32 performers and over 50 puppets designed by Toby Olié.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.
    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    The Spirited Away theatrical production was brought to life by the acclaimed performances of Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi double cast as the lead, Chihiro. Mari Natsuki, who voice starred in the original film, and Romi Park, both play Yubaba the sorceress — whose stage interpretation requires as many as five puppeteers.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.
    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    Koharu Sugawara and Tomohiko Tsujimoto, who are double-cast as No Face (Kaonashi), perform the role with solely their own body movement until No Face runs wild and the character is magnificently represented by as many as 12 performers.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    In an iconic scene, Kamaji’s arms span 19-feet long and are beautifully performed by as many as six actors. The boiler room operator is played by Tomorowo Taguchi and Satoshi Hashimoto.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    Due to COVID-19 restraints, all rehearsals were conducted remotely at Toho Studios, which was developed for film shooting. With impressive set design by Jon Bausor, expressive performances and live orchestra for beautiful original scoring by longtime Miyazaki collaborator Joe Hisaishi with orchestration by Brad Haak and Conor Keelan, the stage production earned both commercial success and critical acclaim.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    The cast also features Kotaro Daigo and Hiroki Miura as Haku, Miyu Sakini and Fu Hinami as Lin and Chihiro’s mother, Kenya Osumi as Aniyaku and Chihiro’s father, Sunao Yoshimura as Chichiyaku and comedian Obata no Oniisan (Kazuki Obata) as the frog spirit Aogaeru.

    Spirited Away
    Spirited Away 2022 stage production © Toho Co., Ltd.

    The original 2001 masterpiece by Studio Ghibli co-founder Miyaazaki, Spirited Away has enjoyed worldwide success since its release and earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The story of a young girl put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons continues to enchant fans around the world.

    Spirited Away is part of Toho Co., Ltd.’s 90th anniversary celebrations this year. Visit tohostage.com to learn more about the production.

     

  • Phil Tippett Feature ‘Mad God’ Snatched by Horror Streamer Shudder

    Phil Tippett Feature ‘Mad God’ Snatched by Horror Streamer Shudder

    AMC’s “scream & stream” OTT Shudder has acquired rights to the acclaimed experimental animated feature Mad God, from Oscar-winning stop-motion, animation & VFX legend Phil Tippett (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, RoboCop, Starship Troopers and Twilight films). After 30 years of work, the apocalyptic labor of love has been making the festival rounds since last year, and will debut on the genre-focused streaming platform on June 16.

    The deal was brokered by Emily Gotto for Shudder and Peter Kaufman of Kaufman Abdel-Aal for Tippett Studio.

    Mad God
    Mad God concept art by Phil Tippett (images from madgodmovie.com)

    Tippett began work on his “Miltonesque world of monsters, scientists and war pigs” in 1987, creating dozens of environments and hundreds of puppets as well as notebook upon notebook of concept sketches and storyboards. But the success of Tippett Studio forced a pause on the creation of this surreal stop-mo world.

    Decades later, a new generation of animators at the studio found the stashed material, and volunteered to work weekends to bring Mad God to life — learning the craft of practical stop-motion from Tippett along the way. A runaway Kickstarter campaign funded the project.

    Mad God made its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August 2021, going on to win top prizes from Fantasia (Most Groundbreaking FIlm and Best Animated Feature Audience Awards), Sitges (Best Visual Effects and José Luis Guarner Critics Award for Best Film) and the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival (Nocturno New Vision Award). It has also screened at Edinburgh, Chicago, Denver, Mar del Plata, the European Fantastic Film Festival, Slash Film Festival, Fantastic Fest (Austin), Beyond Fest, Tallinn Black Nights, Monster Fest (Melbourne) and Carrefour du Cinema d’Animation, to name a few.

    Mad God
    Mad God

    The film is written, directed and produced by Tippett. Executive producers are Sanjay Das, Colin Geddes, Katarina Gligorijevic, Gary Mundell, Jules Roman and Joshua Sobel, with Jack Morrissey as co-producer.

    “It’s been over 30 years, but thanks to the team at Tippett Studio we finally made the dream a reality,” Tippett told Deadline in the announcement. “I’m proud to partner with Shudder on the release of Mad God, and it’s an honor that my original vision can now be shared with audiences across the country.”

    Visit madgodmovie.com to learn more about the film. Join Shudder at shudder.com.

    [Sources: Deadline, Tippett Studio]

     

  • GKIDS, Fathom Events Set Select Release for ‘Lady Nikuko’ with New Teaser

    GKIDS, Fathom Events Set Select Release for ‘Lady Nikuko’ with New Teaser

    GKIDS announced today it will bring Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko to theaters nationwide this summer. GKIDS, continuing their partnership with Fathom Events, will hold fan preview events in cinemas nationwide on Thursday, June 2, followed by a limited theatrical release by GKIDS starting June 3. In addition to the full feature, audiences at the Fathom Events screenings will see an exclusive introduction to the film by director Ayumu Watanabe and creative producer Sanma Akashiya.

    Planned and produced by Japanese comedy legend Sanma Akashiya, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko follows the lives of loud and boisterous single mother Nikuko and her reserved daughter Kikuko, whose otherwise quiet life in a small seaside village is frequently disrupted by her mother’s comedic antics.

    Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko
    Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko

    The release marks the next collaboration between the GKIDS and STUDIO 4°C, following the U.S. distribution of Children of the Sea (also directed by Watanabe), MFKZ, Mind Game, Genius Party and Genius Party Beyond.

    Tickets will be available beginning April 29 at FathomEvents.com, NikukoMovie.com and participating theater box offices. The ticket on-sale date may vary based on local cinemas, so please check back often. (Theaters and participants are subject to change).

    Synopsis: A heartwarming and moving comedy-drama with touches of magical realism, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is about an unconventional family and the bonds that they share in their sleepy seaside town. Brash single mother Nikuko is well-known for her bold spirit, much to the embarrassment of Kikuko, her pensive yet imaginative daughter. In contrast to her mother, Kikuko wants nothing more than to fit in as she navigates the everyday social dramas of middle school. Life in the harbor is peaceful until a shocking revelation from the past threatens to uproot the pair’s tender relationship.

    Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko

  • FLAMIN Animations Artists Premiere Commissions, 2nd Program Planned

    FLAMIN Animations Artists Premiere Commissions, 2nd Program Planned

    Today (Wednesday, March 30) the artist animators selected as part of Film London and Arts Council England’s FLAMIN Animations program will premiere their commissioned work at TNB XPO, with a second iteration of FLAMIN Animations confirmed. The call for applications for the new round will open April 20 – July 5, 2022.

    Toby Cato, Mothy Muyobo, Ezra Myers and Zainab Sanyang were selected for the inaugural round of FLAMIN Animations, a new program of commissions for early-career Black-identifying artist animators living in the U.K. Three of the animations will premiere at the TNB XPO at Picturehouse Central London, an event by The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC) showcasing Black creatives, practitioners and projects in film and high-end TV. The fourth animation in the process of being completed. Short clips from the commissioned works are available to view on the Film London website now.

    Part of FLAMIN (Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network), and as part of Film London’s increased commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, FLAMIN Animations supports artist animators aged 18-30 as they take their first steps into a career working with the moving image. The program provides development support, bespoke mentoring and £2,500 to create a new one- to three-minute animation. Wider support has also been available to all those who applied, including animation focused Film London Masterclasses with Film London’s Equal Access Network.

    “We are thrilled to see the works commissioned through FLAMIN Animations profiled at the inaugural TNB XPO. It is vital that we continue to support and champion artists exploring and challenging creative practices and perceptions and Toby, Mothy, Ezra and Zainab are shining examples of next-generation talent here in the capital, creating bold and innovative work. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for them,” said Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission.

    “FLAMIN Animations is a considered acknowledgement of the underrepresentation of black-identifying artists within the art, film, and animation industries and as we embark on a second edition, we hope to continue to create a network of exciting emerging artists. I would like to thank Arts Council England for their vital support in helping to deliver these commissions.”

    Chosen from a high caliber of applications, the selected artists follow both non-traditional and traditional animation routes to making work, using and combining techniques ranging across photography, Claymation, hand-drawn, collage and digital to explore identity and heritage, social structure and lived experience.

    Toby Cato’s 1 Man is a surreal collage animation music video of the artist falling through the world. Cato is interested in creating dream-like realities where they can live in the world of imagination — their only nation. 1 Man deals with finding identity as a young Black man and with challenging the roles that black and female characters play in film and animation. 1 Man is made in collaboration between Cato as animator and vocalist, Jazz Grant as collage artist and Jago Sagar as music producer.

    Mothy Muyobo’s Crown combines claymation and digital drawing techniques and is an open-ended investigation into feelings around Black hair. The animation reflects on generational trauma and the gentrification and commodification of Blackness that the artist struggles with. It is an artistic interpretation of generational abrasions which have long been woven into the socio-political fabric, offering an insight into why we wear our hair in specific ways.

    Ezra Myers’ The Sounds of Jordan is a scratched 16mm animation which voices an authentic, modern depiction of Trinidad’s chosen instrument, the steel pan. With original music from acclaimed U.K. pan players Samuel Dubois, Kyron Akal and Marcus Cumberbatch King, the film represents the magnitude of the instrument’s contribution to a once silenced community, which allowed broken souls to express and experience freedom.

    Zainab Sanyang’s Small Moments is an animation exploring the minutiae of life — things that we often overlook or take for granted. Simplicity is key to this hand-drawn animation, which focuses on the elegance of nature, domestic spaces and everyday actions and the sounds they evoke, reminding us of our own small moments which make us feel calm and centered.

    To find out more about FLAMIN Animations, the 2021 artists and clips of work visit filmlondon.org.uk/flamin/flamin-animations.

     

     

  • Snipple Originals Teams with Keith Chapman for IP Development

    Snipple Originals Teams with Keith Chapman for IP Development

    London-based Snipple Originals, the original content arm of global production leader Snipple Animation, and veteran kids content production company Keith Chapman Productions, announce a partnership deal to co-create and develop ground-breaking animated kids’ TV shows.

    The first production from the creative partnership is in development; under the working title Paco & the Pirate League. The 2D animated show will target upper preschool aged children and combines the world’s biggest sport, soccer/football, with one of the most popular play patterns for that age group, pirates. The project will be ready for pitching in October this year.

    “I am thrilled to be working with the super talented team at Snipple on creating and developing Paco & the Pirate League,” said Keith Chapman. “This is the show I wish I could have watched as a kid kicking my first football around. It will appeal to all kids of today, of all nationalities, and their parents too!”

    The series follows the adventures of the world’s greatest soccer player/footballer, Paco, a 10-year-old cabin-boy living on the Golden Boot pirate ship. He’s the star player for Seadog Juniors, the youngest team in the Seven Seas Super League, playing other pirate teams across the globe. Paco must use his unique soccer/football skills to overcome adversity and challenges, building his confidence and learning life lessons along the way. The show incorporates timeless themes such as comedy and adventure, with thrilling soccer/football action and skills, which children across the world will seek to emulate.

    The partnership has longer term ambitions to create more character-driven animated IPs for the upper preschool market.

    “This deal represents a fantastic meeting of minds,” said Snipple CEO Kaine Patel. “Keith is the ultimate kids TV veteran. This creative partnership has the vital chemistry to create brilliant, original kids shows that will become global break-out hits. The visible quality, even at this early stage, is something the kids TV market should feel excited about.”

    Karina Stanford Smith, head of Snipple Originals, added, “The bringing together of Keith Chapman and Snipple offers a unique blend of ideas, creativity and experience. The team have loved working with Keith. We feel incredibly proud of what we’re doing here and I’m sure kids will love it, too!”

    Snipple Group, under the leadership of founders Kaine Patel (CEO), Jonathan Tinsay (Studio Director) and Romy Garcia (Creative Director), works with the world’s biggest networks including Disney, DreamWorks, WarnerMedia, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Its portfolio includes evergreen titles such as Animaniacs, Green Eggs and Ham, DuckTales, Be Cool Scooby Doo, Phineas and Ferb and The Proud Family. Snipple Originals announced its formation in 2020, with £6 million funding from BGF. It is spearheaded by award-winning producer Karina Stanford-Smith as director of animation development.

    Keith Chapman is one of the world’s most successful creators of kids IP, including Bob the Builder, PAW Patrol, Mighty Express and Fifi and the Flowertots.

    snippleanimation.com