Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor and licensor of children’s animated and live-action content, and TIME Studios Kids and Family, the recently announced kids and family programming division of the Emmy Award-winning TIME Studios, have teamed up to develop the new original preschool series Leela’s Island.
Marking the first development partnership between the two internationally renowned companies, and the first preschool content deal for TIME Studios, the animated comedy-adventure series features a curious five-year-old girl named Leela who discovers she has inherited a gift that allows her to transform into any animal she wishes and see the world through its eyes, in the process gaining a new point of view on her own kid problem.
“Leela’s Island is a show that will help kids learn to see the world from others’ perspectives. As one of the first Afro-Latina girls featured in an animated preschool series, Leela’s Island will go far in addressing the lack of representation in children’s content both in front and behind the camera,” said Maria Perez-Brown, Head of Kids and Family, TIME Studios. “We’re so excited to collaborate with Nelvana to bring this important preschool property to life.”
Leela’s Island is created and written by a team of esteemed diverse storytellers, including award-winning writer Fracaswell Hyman (Gullah Gullah Island, Taina, Little Bill, The Famous Jett Jackson) and Maria Perez-Brown (Gullah Gullah Island,Taina), developed in partnership with writer Janice Burgess (The Backyardigans).
“We are incredibly passionate about Leela’s Island and believe Leela will become an icon for kids around the world,” said Athena Georgaklis, Head of Development, Nelvana. “The caliber of talent behind this project is unmatched, and is evident in the series’ perfect blend of heartwarming, magical moments and fierce, empowered storytelling. Working with the team at TIME has been a true highlight.”
Nelvana (nelvana.com) is handling broadcast and licensing agreements for the series.
Starting off the New Year right, Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety and all the fan-favorite Looney Tunes characters return with a jam-packed new season of Looney Tunes Cartoons, streaming Thursday, January 20 on HBO Max.
In this new batch of episodes, Elmer Fudd tries to arrest Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird goes to the Grand Canyon and Daffy plays one too many pranks on Porky.
From Warner Bros. Animation, Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. In this modern iteration of the classic series, marquee Looney Tunes characters are featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven, and visually vibrant stories.
Looney Tunes Cartoons is executive produced by Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) and Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!). The voice cast includes Eric Bauza (Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck/Tweety/Marvin the Martian), Bob Bergen (Porky Pig), Jeff Bergman (Elmer Fudd/Sylvester), Fred Tatasciore (Yosemite Sam) and Candi Milo (Granny), Michael Ruocco (Beaky Buzzard).
They’re Vox Machina … and they’re here to f*** sh*** up.
Prime Video starts off the new year with the release of the official trailer for The Legend of Vox Machina, the upcoming highly anticipated adult animated fantasy-adventure series from Critical Role and Titmouse. The first season will consist of 12 episodes, with three episodes premiering every week starting January 28 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
The Legend of Vox Machina
Based on the beloved characters and adventures of Critical Role’s first livestreamed tabletop role-playing game (RPG) campaign, The Legend of Vox Machina is an follows Vox Machina, a band of misfits with a fondness for boozing and brawling. In a desperate attempt to pay off their mounting bar tab, these unlikely heroes end up on a quest to save the realm of Exandria from dark magical forces. From a sinister necromancer to a powerful curse, the group confronts a variety of obstacles that not only test their skills, but also the strength of their bond.
You can watch the new red band trailer on YouTube here.
Click over to Animation Magazine‘s feature story on The Legend of Vox Machina to read more about the show.
The Legend of Vox Machina
The Legend of Vox Machina is a production of Amazon Studios, Critical Role, and Titmouse for Prime Video. The series stars Critical Role founders and cast members Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II), Taliesin Jaffe (Final Fantasy XIV), Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us), Liam O’Brien (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Matthew Mercer (Overwatch), Marisha Ray (Final Fantasy XV), Sam Riegel (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Travis Willingham (Marvel’s Avengers).
The Critical Role cast also serves as executive producers, alongside Brandon Auman (Star Wars: Resistance), Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse), Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax) and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth).
Netflix today issued an office-wide memo regarding new hires and the first staff meeting (a.k.a. series premiere) as well as first-look images for Human Resources, the even edgier and adult-ier spin-off of award-winning animated comedy Big Mouth.
Co-created and executive produced by Kelly Galuska alongside Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin, who inked an overall deal with the streamer under their Brutus Pink animation production banner in 2019, the new series launches with 10 episodes globally on Friday, March 18. Titmouse is once again providing the animation.
Human Resources
A newly released corporate video from Human Resources HQ introduces to the interspecies synergy of the emotional response creatures working to save humans from themselves. Because, “Life on Earth can be very complicated, and that’s why people need us!”
Rosie Perez and Henry Winkler join the corner office-worthy voice cast as Petra the Ambition Gremlin and Keith from Grief, respectively. Also at the forefront of HR‘s innuendo delivery team are Big Mouth faves Mona the Hormone Monstress (Thandiwe Newton), Simon Sex (Jemaine Clement), Tito the Anxiety Mosquito (Maria Bamford) and Gavine the Hormone Monster (Bobby Canavale).
Human Resources
In addition, fans will get to know many other creature characters a lot better (perhaps an uncomfortable and inappropriate amount), including:
Maury the Hormone Monster (voiced by Nick Kroll)
Connie the Hormone Monstress (Maya Rudolph)
Emmy the Lovebug (Aidy Bryant)
Pete the Logic Rock (Randall Park)
Rochelle the Lovebug (Keke Palmer)
Walter the Lovebug (Brandon Kyle Goodman)
The Shame Wizard (David Thewlis)
Sonya the Lovebug (Pamela Adlon)
Human Resources
Human Resources pulls back the curtain on the daily lives of the creatures — Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards and many more — that help humans journey through every aspect of life from puberty to parenthood to the twilight years. It quickly becomes clear that though the protagonists are creatures, they have a lot of humanity themselves.
Fans can keep tabs on the show by following @HumanResourcesNetflix on Twitter and Instagram.
In this edition: Major deals for Cyber Group Studios, BBC Launches two kids’ FAST channels in U.S., Attack on Titan drives anime streamer subscription searches, Xilam’s digital milestones, GOGOBUS rolls on.
Cyber Group Studios has secured another raft of major broadcast and streaming partnerships with top international broadcasters and digital platforms. The sales will bring 16 of the company’s distributed series to viewers across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
“We’re very pleased to be working with so many of the world’s leading broadcast and streaming partners that share our commitment to providing quality children’s programming to kids and families everywhere,” said Raphaelle Mathieu, SVP Sales & Acquisitions and New Media. “Our expansive and diverse slate provides a rich range of content for today’s young audiences, and we look forward to work with even more producers and co-producers, to make our distributed programs available to more viewers around the globe to engage with, learn from and enjoy.
CGS’ newest partnerships include:
TV3 (Spain) – Ernest & Rebecca(52 x 13′, Kids 5-8, CG Comedy), The Pirates Next Door(52 x 11′, Kids 6-10, CG Comedy) and Sadie Sparks(52 x 11’/26 x 22′, Kids 6-11, 2D/CG Adventure/Comedy)
SIC K (Portugal) – Tom Sawyer(26 x 22′, Kids 6-12, 2D/CG Adventure),Droners (52 x 22′, Kids 6-10, CG/2D Action/Comedy)
MTVA (Hungary) – Zou Seasons 2 & 3 (Preschool, CG Adventure/Comedy),Raju the Rickshaw (78 x 7′, Preschool, CG Comedy), Tom Sawyer
LRT (Lithuania) – Mirette Investigates(52 x 11′, Kids 6-10, 2D Adventure),The Pirates Next Door, Gigantosaurus S1 (Preschool, CG Comedy/Adventure)
Ceska TV (Czech Republic) – Zou S2 & 3
AMC Networks International (Central & Northern Europe) –Ernest & Rebecca, Zorro: The Chronicles (26 x 22′, Kids 6-10, CG Action/Comedy),Leo the Wildlife Ranger (60 x 11′, Preschool, CG Edutainment)
RTBF (Belgium) – Sadies Sparks, Ernest and Rebecca
Canal+ (Myanmar) – Mirette Investigates, Leo the Wildlife Ranger, Purple Turtle (52 x 7′, Preschool, 2D Edutainment)
Canal+ THEME (Ethiopia) – Zou, Zorro: The Chronicles, Mini Ninjas (104 x 11′, Kids 6-10, CG Action/Comedy)
Bell Media (Canada, English- and French-speaking VOD) – The Pirates Next Door, Mini Ninjas, Sadie Sparks, Zorro: The Chronicles
Squared Zebra, Nefertine on the Nile, The Last Kids on Earth
These deals follow the successful MIPCOM 2021 debut of three new series:
Squared Zebra, produced under the newly-created French and Russian joint label Cyber Soyuz Junior; picked up by ABC Australia
Nefertine on the Nile, co-produced with Graphilm (Italy) and Wahoo! (Belgium) in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi; heading to Ceska TV (Czech Rep.) and HOP! (Israel)
The Last Kids on Earth, Netflix original animated series based on Max Brallier’s bestselling books and produced by Thunderbird Entertainment’s animation studio Atomic Cartoons; acquired by LRT (Lithuania)
Attack on Titan
Analysis of Google search data reveals that online searches for “Crunchyroll subscription” exploded 525% worldwide on January 9 (GMT), as the end part of Attack on Titan‘s fourth, final season finally saw a global streaming release. New insights by www.VpnOverview.com reveal that fans also looked into Funimation, which is also offering the action-horror anime. Searches for “Funimation subscription” rose a whopping 1,011% over Sunday, Jan. 9 in Europe and America – showing the interest that many non-subscribers showed towards the already popular Japanese show.
“With the release of the final part of Attack on Titan, fans have flocked to streaming services such as Crunchyroll to watch the highly anticipated anime series. It’s interesting to see how searches for subscriptions to the streaming services have shot up as much as they have due to the release of one anime. It shows the global interest in anime has increased over recent years, and popular series like Attack on Titan have helped surge demand for Japanese animation,” said a spokesperson for VpnOverview.com. “With the release of Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc and the new season of One Piece, it looks to be a great year for anime fans, but also a great year for streaming platforms, as subscribers to the likes of Funimation and Crunchyroll will flood to watch the newest content and create plenty of revenue for both companies.”
Sarah & Duck
Global British content creator, producer & distributor BBC Studios today launched two new FAST channels in the U.S.: BBC Kids and Ninos por BBC, the first children-dedicated FAST channels for BBC Studios, will bring over 450 hours of English and Spanish language programming to ViacomCBS’ Pluto TV. “BBC Studios is doubling down on FAST channels as we see great potential to tap into this tremendous growth sector, including bringing our content to new audiences in the U.S. and beyond. We are committed to delivering high quality content for children to households for free, and hope to expand this offering to other FAST providers,” said Beth Anderson, GM FAST Channels, BBC Studios.
Animated content highlights (available now):
Dinopaws – Three very inquisitive dinosaurs are on a mighty mission to go everywhere that can be gone, see everything that can be seen, feel everything that can be felt, and do everything that can be done! A Kindle Entertainment Ltd, Guru Studio Ltd and Laughing Gravy Media Ltd co-production for CBeebies, BBC Studios and Treehouse TV. Distributed by BBC Studios.
Sarah & Duck – A charming and quirky animated series, focusing on the day-to-day new experiences and learnings of childhood. A Karrot Entertainment production with CBeebies. Distributed by BBC Studios.
Spot Bots – Funny to watch, even more fun to play, Spot Bots is an entertaining children’s sketch show that helps preschoolers develop their attention skills by playing along with observation games and puzzles. A CBeebies production. Distributed by BBC Studios.
Yakka Dee – An entertaining and inspiring series that uses a mixture of animation and live action to help teach young children new words and encourage their self-esteem and social confidence. A Beakus production for CBeebies. Distributed by BBC Studios.
Oggy and the Cockroaches
Academy Award-nominated French studio Xilam Animation has reached significant milestones in its global digital content strategy, including debuting on Samsung TV Plus and securing a second YouTube Diamond Play Button. “Digital platforms continue to play an integral role in our content strategy, as we ensure that fans can access our vast library of content wherever they are in the world, and from whichever device they prefer,” said Marc du Pontavice, Founder & CEO. “As one of the first French production companies to launch a dedicated ad-supported linear channel in an international market, we’re proud to be taking an innovative approach in the digital sector and look forward to hitting even more milestones in the future.”
After launching on Samsung TV Plus in Brazil – the free, ad-supported streaming service pre-installed on all 2017-2021 Samsung Smart TVs – Xilam’s unique users hit 600K. The dedicated Xilam TV channel available on Samsung TVs in Brazil features titles from the studio’s extensive catalogue, including Zig & Sharko, Oggy and the Cockroaches, Where’s Chicky?, A Kind of Magic and Floopaloo – Where Are You?
In a further milestone, Xilam has been awarded a coveted Diamond Play Button for its Oggy and the Cockroaches YouTube Channel, which now has 10 million subscribers. This marks Xilam’s second Diamond Play Button after its Zig and Sharko channel received the award in 2020. Also on YouTube, Xilam has now reached the 50 million subscriber mark across its network of dedicated brand channels. Across all digital platforms worldwide, Xilam cumulated 12.5 billion views for its content in 2021. Of this total, 1.5 billion views were generated from Facebook Watch, making Xilam the No. 1 provider of kids’ content worldwide in terms of views on the VOD service.
GOGOBUS toy line 2022
Nominated as the Young Property of the Year in 2020 by LIMA, GOGOBUS will launch on major TV stations and VOD platforms in Israel from early 2022. A Hebrew YouTube channel will be built in support of the expansion, while the toy line will hit shelves with action figures, robots and toy cars. Winsing Animation will present brand-new seasons of GOGOBUS in 2022 and make efforts to build more YouTube channels in different languages as to set up a multilingual channel matrix.
GOGOBUS transforming robot playsets were a great success in Indonesia last year, with two new series and a 6-in-1 robot due out this year. The toy line has also expanded into e-commerce in the U.S. — five Skus have been available on Amazon since October, with great Black Friday and Cyber Monday performance. The popular toy line has rolled out across 15 countries and regions, including South Korea, Russia, Indonesia, North America.
Professional 3D software developer Maxon announced the completion of all financial and regulatory requirements for the acquisition of all assets of Pixologic, creators of the Academy Award-winning ZBrush sculpting and painting software. As an added benefit, the entire ZBrush team has already joined Maxon, bringing decades of 3D industry expertise.
The move suitably rounds out Maxon’s product line and firmly positions the company as an industry leader for providing superior creative tools to digital artists to the €16 billion 3D Animation Industry (Research and Markets 2021-28 forecasts).
No interruptions are expected for the ongoing development of ZBrush post-acquisition. Nevertheless, the collaboration with Maxon’s development team, access to its other technologies and the potential integrations therein are expected to bring greater innovation and expanded capabilities to ZBrush and the entire Maxon product line. Additionally, the inclusion of the ZBrush team assures greater marketing, training and support resources.
“We are excited to start working with the Maxon team,” said Ofer Alon, Founder and Visionary of Pixologic. “Our synergies are undeniable — both companies share a great tradition of outstanding products, innovation and a passion to serve the creative community.”
“I’m excited to see how this alliance will influence, evolve and enrich all our product offerings,” stated David McGavran, Maxon CEO. “We have our eyes towards not only transforming creative workflows; we’re aspiring to revolutionize the industry.”
ZBrush is used by respected film studios, game developers, designers, advertisers, illustrators and scientists around the world. Top creatives have employed ZBrush for nearly every major franchise including Dune, Star Wars, Avatar, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit and more. Its versatility has also made it an integral part of animated features such as Frozen, Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto, as well as Triple A games such as Fortnite and the God of War, Uncharted, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and The Division franchises.
Until further notice, ZBrush pricing remains unchanged following the completion of the acquisition. Customers can continue to purchase ZBrush through their usual sales channels, including the ZBrush online store. See the acquisitions FAQ for more information.
Annecy 2022 (June 13-18, annecy.org) is paying tribute to Swiss animation, a film tradition that is rooted in cultural history – exemplified in the creation of Les Amours de monsieur Vieux Bois (The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck) by the “father of comic books” Rodolphe Töpffer in 1827 and, almost a century later in 1921, the completion of an animated adaptation by Lortac and Cavé, Histoire de monsieur Vieux-Bois.
This is the genesis of a cinema history that includes such admired creators as Gisèle and Nag Ansorge (Anima), Julius Pinschewer (King Coal) and Georges Schwizgebel (Romance), which today represents a plethora of different genres and styles. From brothers Sam and Fred Guillaume (Max & Co) to Claude Barras (My Life as a Zucchini), from Isabelle Favez (Apple Pie) to Marina Rosset (The Bear’s Hand), from Michaela Müller (Miramare) to Michael Frei (Plug & Play), to Claude Luyet, Marcel Barelli, Claudius Gentinetta, Anja Kofmel, Zoltán Horváth and Maja Gehrig, Swiss animation is more vibrant and varied as ever.
Peel
The Annecy Cristal for a Short Film awarded in 2021 to Peel by Samuel Patthey and Silvain Monney is an example of national filmmaking passion the festival aims to provide its audiences this year.
As well as a historical overview of production in the country, the tribute to Swiss animation will include retrospective screenings dedicated to Claude Barras, Marcel Barelli and Isabelle Favez.
The program is made possible in collaboration with Swiss Films, the Swiss Film Archive, Animatou, Fantoche, the Groupement Suisse du Film d’Animation (GSFA) and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).
Clockwise from top left: Max & Co, Anima, The Bear’s Hand, Miramare, Plug & Play (center)
As part of the country focus, Geneva studio Nadasdy Film has been selected to create the official festival trailer for 2022. Marjolaine Perreten from Nadasdy is collaborating with Frederic Siegel from Team Tumult (Zurich) on the project, bringing together two of Switzerland’s linguistic regions, French- and German-speaking. The two directors first met at the 2016 Annecy Festival, where their graduation films were selected in competition.
Nadasdy Film (www.nadasdyfilm.ch) was set up in 2001 by Zoltán Horváth, animation film director-producer, and Nicolas Burlet, producer and administrator. This company specializes in animation film production, direction and fabrication for TV series, shorts and feature films.
For 20 years, the studio has worked on creative and original projects using different techniques such as cartoons, CGI, stop-motion and rotoscoping. The films produced have been selected by numerous festivals including Berlin, Venice, Cannes, Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand and Annecy.
As a sneak peek, Nadasdy Film unveiled the synopsis and the first image of the 2022 festival trailer:
At the top of a snow-capped Swiss mountain, a bubble suddenly appears and disturbs a little insect that was hibernating. The noise it makes when it pops intrigues it even more! When a new bubble appears, it doesn’t hesitate for a second and follows the bubble as it floats off.
Comedy Central’s new Animated channel just launched the brand-new animated action-comedy series Super I.T. Squad, created by Mike Manor. The 8-bit toon follows four friends surviving in humanity’s post apocalyptic new home: The Internet. After an avoidable catastrophe turns the Earth into a trash heap, everyone uploads themselves online.
The digital series voice stars Jordan Firstman, Zack Fox, Mitra Jouhari, Mekki Leeper, Alyssa Limperis, Marc Rebillet, Steph Tolev and JD Witherspoon. Creator Mike Manor is a LA-based animator and director known for his viral shorts and unique 2D/3D pixel art style. Manor has collaborated with Netflix, Comedy Central and developed projects with Zack Fox, Kennybeats, Flying Lotus, Pi’erre Bourne and Reggie Watts.
The first episode, “Erasing a Search Robot’s Memory,” premiered Saturday, Jan. 8 as a Comedy Central Animated YouTube Premiere. Episodes will roll out weekly each Saturday, across Animated Facebook, Instagram, and Comedy Central Twitter.
For fans seeking a mind-bending new animated world to explore, GKIDS has got you covered. The North American indie distributor has released the opening scene to Oscar-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda’s acclaimed new feature Belle, produced by Studio Chizu. The sequence invites viewers into the film’s rich virtual world, as our heroine makes a stunning musical entrance to theme song “U” by millennium parade x Belle.
GKIDS will release Belle in over 1,000 theaters and IMAX screens in both the original Japanese language and all-new English dubbed version on January 14, with an exclusive IMAX preview in select markets beginning Jan. 12.
Synopsis: Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
Belle is an original story written and helmed by celebrated director Hosoda (Mirai, The Boy and the Beast, Wolf Children, Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) with long time producing partner / Studio Chizu co-founder Yuichiro Saito as producer. The Japanese creative team worked in collaboration with a roster of international talents: Character designer Jin Kim (Moana, Tangled, Frozen) designed Belle. Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart (Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells) contributed artwork for the various virtual fantasy worlds. Up-and-coming British architect and designer Eric Wong designed the virtual world of “U.” Rounding out the team is composer Ludvig Forssell, best known for his collaborations with video game auteur Hideo Kojima (Death Stranding, Metal Gear Solid V).
The film made its critically-acclaimed world debut at the Cannes Film Festival and its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. It has also played in competition at the London Film Festival, Fantastic Fest and Los Angeles’ Animation Is Film festival winner: Special Jury Prize). Belle has received honors at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle, Austin Film Critics Association, Detroit Film Critics Society, Florida Film Critics Circle, Online Association of Female Film Critics, and Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. Last month, Belle was nominated for five Annie Awards, including Best Independent Animated Feature.
Belle was released in Japan July 16, 2021. Despite ongoing limited seating capacities and nationwide curfews, the film topped the box office for three consecutive weekends. The film marks Hosoda’s first title to have IMAX screenings, and played in 38 IMAX theatres throughout Japan. Belle has crossed over 6.53 billion yen in box office to date, and has become Hosoda’s highest-grossing film ever, beating the lifetime gross of Boy and the Beast.
ViacomCBS streamer Paramount+ today released the official trailer and key art for its upcoming animated original series Big Nate, based on the best-selling children’s books and comic strip written and drawn by acclaimed author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce. The first eight episodes of the series will be available to stream beginning Thursday, February 17, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Australia, with more episodes to be announced at a later date.
Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Big Nate follows a precocious 11-year-old boy named Nate and his best friends as they navigate sixth grade with humor and style. Nate’s misadventures will begin with an exclusive look at the new series during the halftime presentation of Nickelodeon and CBS Sports’ slime-filled NFL Wild Card Game on Nickelodeon, airing Sunday, Jan. 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Big Nate
Paramount+’s Big Nate will feature brand-new original storylines centered on Nate, a sixth grade kid who has a never-ending need to prove his awesomeness to the world. Whether he’s dealing with disasters at home or detention at school, Nate Wright is no stranger to a challenge. Luckily, he’s able to express himself through the world of cartoons that he creates. Charming, mischievous and a magnet for misadventure, Nate always finds a way to turn trouble into fun.
In the series premiere, “The Legend of the Gunting,” Nate has multiple detentions on the docket, per usual. But this time he is only one detention away from a fate only whispered about in the halls of P.S. 38. Meanwhile, the unhinged new kid is determined to become Nate’s prank partner. Jack Black (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) guest stars as Brad Gunter, a prankster of epic proportions and Nate’s inspiration, and Daniel Jacobs (All Hail King Julien: Exiled) lends his voice as Bentley Carter, the new kid at P.S. 38 eager to wreak havoc through the school on teachers and students alike.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=huTB1q6r0e0
As previously announced, the stellar lineup of series voice actors includes 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 (All Hail King Julien) and John Cohen (The Angry Birds Movie) and produced by Amy McKenna (Beware the Batman), with Lincoln Peirce serving as consultant throughout development and production. Bridget McMeel is co-producer.
Big Nate
Peirce’s humor-based books about Nate and his friends have spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times’ best-seller list. The Big Nate book series (bignatebooks.com) is published worldwide in 33 languages and available as ebooks and audiobooks and as an app, Big Nate: Comix by U! The comic strip is syndicated by Andrews McMeel Syndication and appears in more than 400 newspapers and online daily at www.gocomics.com/bignate. Big Nate comic collections are published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and the novels are published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Paramount+’s growing lineup of original and exclusive kids’ programming includes Star Trek: Prodigy, Rugrats and Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, and original movies including The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, PAW Patrol: The Movie and Clifford the Big Red Dog, which recently premiered on the service the same day it hit theaters and set a new record as the service’s most-watched original film.
Skybound Entertainment announced today that Emmy Award-winning animation industry veteran Marge Dean has joined to manage the company’s Los Angeles-based Animation Studio. In this role, Dean is responsible for overseeing production of all new original animated content at Skybound.
In addition to close collaboration with creators, producers, and top leadership, Dean will drive the creative vision and overall development within the studio. Immediate focus will center on the partnership with Amazon Studios and production of seasons two and three of the hit animated series Invincible. Dean will also be executive producing Invincible, joining Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder and Simon Racioppa.
“I’ve always admired Skybound’s creator-driven spirit, and it’s a company rich with content,” said Dean. “I’m excited to join the company during this phase of growth and evolution, and look forward to working closely with Skybound leadership and creative teams on these amazing properties.”
Known for building studios and animation pipelines, Dean was responsible for the design or re-design of several studios large and small, including Columbia-TriStar TV, Warner Bros. Animation, Mattel’s Playground Production, Omation (Steve Oedekerk), Technicolor Animation and WildBrain Entertainment. She also serves as President of Women in Animation, an advocacy organization dedicated to advancing women and underrepresented genders in the field of animation and providing resources and connections for women to succeed in the industry.
“Marge Dean is a respected authority in the world of animation, and her veteran leadership is critical for the growth of our original and franchise animation content,” said David Alpert, CEO of Skybound Entertainment. “We believe Marge’s presence is a huge boost to secure top animation talent across the Skybound portfolio.”
Prior to Skybound, Dean was the Head of Studio at Crunchyroll, the largest streaming source of anime. Prior to Crunchyroll, she served as General Manager of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the largest stop motion studio in Southern California, where she supervised production of Emmy Award-winning Robot Chicken (Adult Swim) and Buddy Thunderstruck (Netflix) as well as expanded Stoopid Buddy’s range of work to include 2D and 3D CGI.
Established in 2010, Skybound is a multiplatform content company that works closely with creators and their intellectual properties, extending their stories to further platforms including comics, television, film, tabletop and video games, books, digital content, events, and beyond. The company is home to critically-acclaimed global franchises including The Walking Dead, Invincible and Superfight.
Grab some extra napkins, because this summer’s movie release schedule is getting juicy: 20th Century Studios has released the trailer, new poster and still images for The Bob’s Burgers Movie, which will open in U.S. theaters on May 27.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
The big-screen, musical comedy-mystery-adventure based on the long-running Emmy-winning animated series begins when a ruptured water main creates an enormous sinkhole right in front of Bob’s Burgers, blocking the entrance indefinitely and ruining the Belchers’ plans for a successful summer.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
While Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) struggle to keep the business afloat, the kids (Kristen Schaal, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman) try to solve a mystery that could save their family’s restaurant. As the dangers mount, these underdogs help each other find hope and fight to get back behind the counter, where they belong.
The trailer also promises appearances from series regulars Teddy (Larry Murphy), Mr. Fischoeder (Kevin Kline), Calvin Fischoeder (Zach Galifianakis), Sergeant Bosco (Gary Cole), Jimmy Junior and even the highly collectible Kuchi Kopi. David Wain, who voices necklace sucker Courtney and Fischoeder cousin Grover, is also billed on the movie’s cast.
The film’s director is series supervising director-turned-producer Bernard Derriman, known to Australian alt rock fans as the creator of the TISM animated music video “Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me,” and series creator Loren Bouchard is co-director. The screenplay is by Bouchard & Nora Smith, who also serve as producers with Janelle Momary.
WarnerMedia’s anime block Toonami is kicking off the new year with a winter flurry of premieres. The brand’s official Facebook page announced that it was waiting on “lots of deals,” with details to come,” but that T.O.M. will be introducing fans to a new show each week for “the next month or so.” Debuts began this weekend with the arrival of Assassination Classroom Season 2, in a lineup which also included the new Adult Swim/Crunchyroll original Blade Runner: Black Lotus as well as steady favorites Naruto: Shippuden and Cowboy Bebop.
Based on the manga created by Yusei Matsui, the Assassination Classroom anime series launched on Fuji TV in 2015, directed by Seiji Kishi at Lerche. The series places the humanity’s fate in the hands of a seemingly random group of students who are challenged by a powerful octopus-like creature masquerading as their homeroom teacher — he’s already destroyed the Moon, and the Earth is next, unless class 3-E at Kunugigaoka Junior High can learn the secret to killing him within the year.
In Season 2, class 3-E is back in school for their second semester of sharpening their blades, but they will have to work hard to outsmart enemy assassins after the bounty on slippery Koro-sensei’s head. Meanwhile, their rivals in Class A and even the principal are out to stop them from achieving academic excellence!
Assassination Classroom debuted on Toonami in August 2020.
Toonami began airing on Cartoon Network in 1997 with a focus on action toons, hosted by Moltar from Space Ghost. Robot host T.O.M. was introduced in 1999’s relaunch, and the block started focusing on anime classics like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Mobile Suit Gundam when it moved to a weeknight block in 2000. Toonami (and T.O.M.) have undergone several retoolings.
The show currently airs Saturdays at midnight, delivering fan favorites like Lupin the Third, Demon Slayer, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, original co-pros like Fena: Pirate Princess, Shenmue and Uzumaki (coming this year) as well as Western toons like Harley Quinn and Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal.
ChizComm Ltd. and ChizComm Beacon Media founders Harold and Jennifer Chizick today addressed their exit from Genius Brands, ChizComm and ChizComm Beacon Media. Their leading marketing/media companies were acquired by GBI in Febraury 2021, with Harold Chizick serving as CEO of both as well as President of Marketing, Content Sales and Consumer Products for GBI, and Jennifer Chizick as COO of ChizComm Ltd. Their statement reads:
“We are extremely disappointed to be leaving Genius Brands and ChizComm after less than a year of being with Genius Brands. However, our vision on how to best grow the Company does not align well with Genius Brands.
“Last week, Genius Brands imposed organizational changes that reduced our role in the Company and was a breach of our agreement with Genius Brands. Efforts to resolve this matter in an amicable fashion have been unsuccessful. We believe that we have been terminated on a without cause basis and now have no choice but to depart the Company and explore options for how to recoup the considerable sums remaining due to us.
“ChizComm staff is at the heart of everything we do. We want to thank this phenomenal team — past and present – that have contributed to building a great organization that prioritizes integrity, drive and passion. And to the ChizComm client base, it has been an honor working in partnership to unlock opportunities and drive growth. Stay tuned for what we do next.”
Harold and Jennifer Chizick
In its own statement, Genius Brands asserts that Harold and Jennifer Chizick were terminated for cause, saying, “The Company believes this decision to be in the best interest of its shareholders and customers. Business will continue under current management: Donna MacNeil, President of ChizComm, and Kathleen Campisano, Global Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager of ChizComm Beacon. The Company is fully invested in the success of these subsidiaries and believes it will be more fully realized under Ms. MacNeil’s and Ms. Campisano’s leadership.”
The Chizicks founded ChizComm Ltd. in 2013, a marketing communications and media buying agency in the lifestyle, family, entertainment, toy and gaming spaces. Harold previously worked as a senior-level executive at top tier organizations including Spin Master Ltd. and MEGA Brands, as well as serving on several Toy Industry Association committees and having spent six years as the Official Spokesperson for the Canadian Toy Association. In the past year working with GBI, Harold secured a Master Toy Partner for Rainbow Rangers, led the partnership to have Kartoon Channel! stream on Pluto TV, and led the marketing to deliver over 70M views on Stan Lee Superhero Kindergarten.
Jeremy Padawer | Herb Mitschele | Guy Thomas | Arthur Ferreira
Global toys and licensing leader Jazwares (www.jazwares.com) has named Jeremy Padawer as Chief Brand Officer, effective immediately. Padawer is a toy industry veteran with deep expertise in brand development across multiple toy categories including collectibles, as well as an experienced executive in e-commerce and animated content.
Padawer has been instrumental in Jazwares’ growth since joining the company in 2019 when Jazwares acquired Wicked Cool Toys. In this newly created role prioritizing brand and growth strategies, Padawer will be responsible for the company’s global brand building, design, marketing and communications across all business units.
Additionally, Jazwares announced key promotions to the company’s sales organization, elevating Herb Mitschele to Executive Vice President of Global Sales & Planning, Guy Thomas to Senior Vice President of U.S. Sales and Arthur Ferreira to Senior Vice President of International Sales and Marketing.
Luciano Tapia | Fola Akinola | Bill Mata
Creative production studio Taylor James (www.taylorjames.com), part of Tag, has announced three new hires to see in the New Year:
Award-winning creative director Luciano Tapia joins Taylor James as Creative Director from MSNBC/NBC, where he was lead creative on the branding of the network, its shows and news events (including on-air, off-air, studio and marketing materials). Recently, he led all the branding coverage of the 2020 Elections at NBC. He has also worked with clients including Google, BMW, HBO, ESPN, Tiffany&Co, Sephora, Imaginary Forces, Loyal Kaspar and Interbrand. With a strong background in design and concept development, Tapia brings an in-depth knowledge of brand development and multi-platform campaign leadership to the team at Taylor James. Last year, his work on I Am the New History, which celebrated Black History Month for Universal Kids, picked up a Clio Bronze Award, a Promax Gold Award and was nominated for an Emmy.
CG Lead Bill Mata joins the team originally from Cincinnati, where he has animated his way into credits for Marvel movies and Comcast campaigns alike. Inspired by the stunning visuals of video game animation as a kid, Mata pursued a career in simulation, design and motion graphics. He has worked with brands such as Edelman, Google and Nike, to name a few.
Taylor James also welcomes CG Lead Artist & Motion Designer Fola Akinola, who transformed his childhood interest in computer graphics and animation into an established career in CG, honing his skills at shops including Ocupop and 1stAveMachine, Absolute Post and Bombastic Inc. With over 12 years of experience, Fola has worked on campaigns for Google, Samsung, The Disney Channel, CBS, Nickelodeon and PBS. A portion of his career also saw him dedicate time to non-profit media company the Lost Bird Project, helping create campaigns highlighting environmental issues, where he expanded his expertise in web and graphic design, CG and VFX, and UX/UI.
Clockwise from top left: Kris Crenwelge, J.D. Shields, Steph Garcia, Kelly Eisenbrand
Disney General Entertainment (DGE) revealed the writers selected for its 2022 Writing Program and the recipient of Disney Branded Television’s Eunetta T. Boone Comedy Writer’s Scholarship, established in 2020 by Disney Channel in honor of the late writer/producer for diverse and aspiring comedy writers. Baltimorean filmmaker/comedian Mattie Bayne (Never Have I Ever writing asst.) received the Scholarship honor, while a few of this year’s selectees rep the animation industry:
Kris Crenwelge is an L.A.-based comedy writer. Raised in Houston by her dad and her maternal Choctaw grandmother, Crenwelge earned her master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University and worked for ABC Sports, NFL
Europe, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets. Crenwelge subsequently launched her own firm which produced award-winning branded content for clients in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and NCAA. Crenwelge began her comedy career at The Groundlings and was a mainstage company member at Acme Comedy Theater, writing for the multicam late-night show, Acme Saturday Night. She was a fellow in the 2020 Native American TV Writers Lab and is in the Women in Film Mentoring Program. Her original pilots have received recognition in more than 15 competitions, placing as Top 10 finalists in ScreenCraft and Creative Screenwriting. Her book, Growing Up with Granny: A Survivor’s Guide, won Roadmap’s 2020 Write Start Manuscript Competition. Crenwelge was recently a staff writer on the Netflix animated series Spirit Rangers.
Kelly Eisenbrand is an LGBTQ biracial Chinese comedy writer and native Angelino. She received a certificate in Fiction Novel Writing from Stanford University and an M.A. in English literature from Claremont University. Her scripts have received recognition from Roadmap for Writer’s 2021 AAPI Diversity Initiative, the Chinese in Entertainment Pitch Contest, the Stage 32 TV Comedy Contest and the Stage 32 New Voices in Animation Contest. Eisenbrand loves to write about protagonists who overcome their fears to realize their true selves — usually through connection with found family. The source of Eisenbrand’s best comedy is authenticity, and she seeks to bring nuance and specificity to Asian American representation in the TV landscape. Her hobbies include attending and reviewing every Halloween haunt event within 100 miles, and hoarding books — a habit kept only in check by her two rabbits, Bruce Wayne and Blink, who eat books.
Steph Garcia is a Cuban American comedy writer with a Jersey girl attitude.
Recently a consulting producer on an as-yet unannounced talk show, Garcia’s credits include writing a freelance episode and working as a writers’ assistant on an animated half-hour comedy in development at Titmouse, freelance writing for Wildbrain Studios, writers’ assistant for the Comedy Central pilot Hood Adjacent with James Davis and writers’ PA on ABC’s The Catch and Selfie. She has an extensive background in sketch comedy and has written and performed at The Ruby LA, The Magnet, The PIT and UCB, as well as at festivals such as NYC Sketch Fest and Women in Comedy Fest. She participated as a writer for the 2020 CBS Leadership Pipeline, the 2019 NHMC TV Writers Program and the 2019 CBS Showcase and was a finalist for the 2021 Universal Animation Writers Program. Garcia enjoys exploring identity through comedy, especially with a fantastical or sci-fi bend. She is a Sagittarius, just like her two daughters, and she worries about what’s in store for their teen years.
J.D. Shields is an award-winning writer and director, originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She received her M.F.A. in screenwriting and directing from Columbia University and is an alum of New York University’s Tisch Asia in Singapore.
Shields has worked for DreamWorks TV Animation and is currently developing
an original series with Marsai Martin’s Genius Productions. Shields participated in the Women in Film INSIGHT Fellowship as well as the HBO Access Writing Program and was the winner of the Humanitas Prize Drama Fellowship. She is an alumna of Film Independent’s Project Involve where as a screenwriting fellow, she penned the award-winning short film Wednesday, currently available on HBO. Wednesday debuted at the LA Film Festival and premiered at the American Black Film Festival. Additionally, Shields participated in the Moving Picture Institute Pilot Workshop and was a finalist for the Tribeca Sloan Filmmaker Fund, IFP No Borders and the Nantucket Film Festival Screenwriting Competition.
Now in its 32nd year, Disney Creative Talent Development & Inclusion’s one-year writing program is a highly selective initiative which helps participants secure their first TV staff writer assignments on a DGE series. The program also provides participants with mentorship, advanced professional development and access to DGE’s creative executives, producers, showrunners and program alumni. The program is widely recognized as one of the entertainment industry’s most successful of its type, with a nearly 100% annual TV staffing rate for more than a decade and launching many accomplished storytellers at the Company.
The 2022 participants also include Amanda Mercedes (13 Reasons Why writers’ asst.), Ariana Quinonez (Roswell, New Mexico writers’ asst.), Carlton Gillespie (sports/live events producer), Jeff Qiu (Locke & Key writers’ asst.), Austin S. Harris (ABC Current Programming asst.), Mithra Alavi (development coordinator/writer/filmmaker) and Randall Valdez-Castillo (Mythic Quest writers’ asst.)
All program writers will be under contract with DGE and receive a weekly salary and benefits prior to staffing. All program writers who staff on a DGE scripted series will be compensated at WGA scale. The DGE Writing Program has been managed and run by Liz Kelly, senior manager of DGE Creative Talent Development & Inclusion, for the past three years.
A newly established animation festival, Hiroshima Animation Season has opened its call for entries for the film Competition and applicants for the Artist-in-Residence program. The five day event will be held August 17-21 at JMS Aster Plaza and other venues in Hiroshima, Japan as a highlight of the Media Arts Division of the new Hiroshima Festival, which the city is launching this year (Aug. 1-28).
Hiroshima Animation Season is being led by festival producer Nobuaki Doi, founder of indie animation distributor New Deer, and artistic directors Koji Yamamura — picture book author and Oscar-nominated animator (Mount Head, A Country Doctor, Muybridge’s Strings) — and animator/lecturer Shizuka Miyazaki (Deep Awakening, Mimoptera; Hijyama Junior College). The event will be split into three sections: Competition, Awards and Academy.
The Competition section, now accepting entries, comprises a Pan-Pacific and Asia Competition to discover new talents in the region, and a World Competition to showcase the latest notable works across a variety of genres, including fiction, documentary, etc. Both competitions will accept films of any length without separating features and shorts. Works that pass the selection process will screen during the festival in august, competing for awards and the Grand Prix. Entry deadline: Monday, February 28, 2022.
The Academy section of the festival, which aims to revitalize the art and culture environment in Hiroshima through animation and media arts, presents the Hiroshima Artist-in-Residence (H-AIR). The program encourages outstanding animation artists and specialists from around the world to stay in Hiroshima to develop and produce new projects. Three artists from all around the world will be invited to stay in the Tsurumi, Yokogawa and Minaga areas, where they will interact with local residents and people involved in the arts and culture, and work on their own projects for six months starting in May 2022.
H-AIR applicants may submit projects other than animation, such as novels, comics, and films, as long as the projects are intended to be animated in the future. Research for production and academic research is also eligible. Entry deadline: Monday, January 31, 2022.
1/11/22: Updated with statement from Chris Prynoski.
Animation workers at Titmouse New York studios have overwhelmingly voted to join The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 — the first animation workers and production staff to do so in more than three decades.
More than 90% of animation workers at the studio signed union representation cards with The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839. In response, Titmouse voluntarily recognized the unit, which was certified by a neutral arbitrator on Jan. 7, 2022. This means that a committee of engaged Titmouse New York workers will soon sit at the bargaining table to negotiate their first union contract.
“This historic moment has given me a sense of agency I never thought I could be afforded in the workplace, especially as a production worker,” says Production Supervisor Gray Rothey, a member of the Titmouse New York Organizing Committee. “Unionization felt unattainable until I saw the unstoppable force that is this organizing effort. I feel a deep sense of gratitude and relief knowing that this means current and future generations of New York artists and production staff will have their voices heard.”
The organizing work done by the Titmouse crew is a testament to the power of animation workers coming together to demand an end to unsustainable workplace practices and provide a collective voice on issues that directly impact them on the job. This organizing milestone is the first time that The Animation Guild will represent animation workers outside of Los Angeles County since its charter was signed 70 years ago.
“It is wild to look back on where I was two years ago, making pennies, struggling to break in and knowing that if I was to have a stable livelihood in this industry, I’d have to leave everything behind and go West. That was always the only choice I had. Now I am here standing with my fellow workers, thrilled to fully understand just how much of a choice we do have when we combine our voices and refuse to compromise,” comments story artist T. Curry.
The Animation Guild is the only union representing animation artists and animation production workers in the United States. A sister local, the Canadian Animation Union, IATSE Local 938, formed in the last year and negotiated a first contract for Titmouse Vancouver workers.
“This historic moment is a cause for celebration as we begin a nationwide effort to ensure all animation workers are treated with respect and are afforded the same benefits and protections as those who are working in Southern California,” says The Animation Guild Business Representative Steve Kaplan.
Key issues for the animation workers include defining job roles and classifying workers accurately, addressing unrealistic schedules, paying overtime appropriately, improving health benefits and establishing wage minimums to ensure a livable salary.
“I’m overjoyed that my students and young peers will be able to thrive in an environment that supports them from today forward,” comments story artist Chrissy Felmeth. “To my fellow New Yorkers in animation and production, I’m confident that our collective pain is being recognized now that we have a seat at the table.”
Background artist Yves Menshikova adds, “What this historic moment of unionizing means to me is a step closer to a brighter future for animation workers not just at Titmouse, not just in New York, but the animation community at large. I’m hoping that our victory here will be a catalyst for creating representation for animation workers spanning from coast to coast that aims to leave no one behind.”
Founded by Chris and Shannon Prynoski, Titmouse is an award-winning independent animation company employing over 700 creatives across its three studios in Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver. Its recent work includes Big Mouth Season 5 (Netflix), Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 (Paramount+), Harriet the Spy (Apple TV+), Fairfax (Prime Video) and the AREA21 music video series.
“We are proud of the Titmouse artists in NY and support them as we move into the future together! Responsible employment practices are the foundation of our artist-driven studios,” said Titmouse Founder & President Chris Prynoski in a follow-up statement. “Following our voluntary recognition of the unit, we look forward to the opportunity to work with IATSE as we explore the first agreement for our NY-based employees.”
The Animation Guild, also known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952. The labor union represents more than 5,000 artists, technicians and writers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto has been awarded the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Animated, as the year’s most acclaimed toons advance one more lap around the awards season race track. The Globes were disseminated quietly Sunday via Twitter announcements after losing their broadcast slot on NBC.
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard (Zootopia), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith and produced by Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer, Encanto is a colorful, musical fantasy-adventure about a Colombian family and their supernatural house. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal — every child except one, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
Disney was the only major studio group represented in the animation category this year. Encanto was up against Raya and the Last Dragon (WDAS) and Luca (Disney-Pixar), as well as international indie breakouts Flee (Neon) and My Sunny Maad (Totem Films). The CGI family feature was the only animated title nominated in the Globes music categories, though its live-action competition was stiff. Germaine Franco’s original score was edged out by Hans Zimmer’s work for Dune, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original tune “Dos Oruguitas” was bested by Bond theme “No Time to Die” from Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.
The Golden Globes have a strong animated feature winner correlation with the Oscars. Since the Globes launched the category in 2007, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the motion picture Academy have only disagreed on the year’s best feature-length toon four times (see chart here). Nominations for the 94th Oscars will be announced February 8.
NBC announced in May that it had canceled the 2022 Golden Globes broadcast, following heavy criticism lobbied at the HFPA over allegations of corruption and the revelation that the organization had zero Black members.
Illumination has scored another franchise box-office hit in spite of Omicron spikes, as Sing 2 continues to lure family audiences to the cinema with its siren song.
Having just made its PVOD debut on Friday, the music-filled sequel took in another $11.95 million for Universal Pictures this weekend, hitting $109 million in its third week to become the highest-grossing domestic animation release since pandemic shutdowns ramped up in March 2020. The pic’s worldwide total is $190.8M.
The film screened in 3,713 theaters nationwide (down 179) and saw a week-on-week ticket sales drop of -41%. Sing 2 came in at No. 2 overall this weekend, behind Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, still swinging in its fourth week with a three-day take of $33M ($668.7M cume). Sci-fi VFX showpiece Matrix Resurrections (Warner Bros.) came in at No. 6 in its third week with $1.86M, reaching a $34.3M total, while Ghostbusters: Afterlife is still hanging in the top 10 after eight weeks, at No. 8 ($1.14M/$125M cume).
Sing 2 has pulled ahead of 2021’s late-arriving highest grossing animated release Encanto in the domestic race. The Disney musical fantasy has earned $92.4M domestic with a worldwide total of $215.5M.
Canadian author Bryan Lee O’Malley’s hit graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim might get a new, animated screen treatment, with a series adaptation in the works with Netflix and Universal Content Production (The Umbrella Academy). O’Malley is writing and executive producing/showrunning with BenDavid Grabinski (Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot); Masaaki Yuasa’s Science SARU studio in Tokyo is tagged to produce the anime should the project receive a series order.
Published by Oni Press, Scott Pilgrim (2004-2010) center on the titular 23-year-old slacker whose perfect life jamming with his band Sex Bob-omb, dating a high school girl and coasting between jobs is turned upside down by a painfully cool rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers. Scott’s infatuation leads to a series of increasingly crazy showdowns with Ramona’s seven evil exes.
The indie comics hit turned mainstream crossover was adapted as a live-action movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in 2010, starring Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The movie was written and directed by Edgar Wright, who is on board to exec produced the anime series with producing partner Nira Park, as well as Marc Platt, Jared LeBoff and Adam Seigel (Marc Platt Productions) and the movie’s co-writer Michael Bacall.
Science SARU’s President & CEO Eunyoung Choi (Ride Your Wave, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!) will be the series producer. Spanish animator Abel Góngora, who leads the studio’s digital animation department, has been tapped to direct. His previous credits include serving as an episodic director for Cartoon Network’s OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes and the “T0-B1” installment of Disney+ anthology Star Wars: Visions.
Grabinski is represented by CAA, Kaplan/Perrone Ent. and Bloom Hergott. O’Malley is represented by Fourward.
Organizers of the Kidscreen Summit 2022 (https://summit.kidscreen.com/2022/) have opted to delay the planned live event in Miami, Florida due to the impact of the Omicron COVID variant on travel and concerns over in-person gatherings. Originally slated for mid February, the Summit has been rescheduled for July 18-21 at the InterContinental Miami. Attendees must be fully vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 daily, masks must be worn indoors and more outdoor meeting space will be allocated. Kidscreen Summit Virtual will run as planned March 7-11, offering a week of virtual panels, presentations, Q&A and networking formats.
FanExpo Portland’s Artists Alley, in simpler times.
On the opposite coast, the formerly Wizard World branded FanExpo Portland (https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpoportland) in Oregon has been canceled for 2022 over pandemic safety concerns. The event will return in 2023, and admissions tickets will roll over or be refunded; refunds will be issued for autograph, photo op and special event tickets. The news comes just as FanExpo New Orleans kicks off Friday, with 30,000 fans expected to attend this first in the organizers’ long list of conventions across the U.S and Canada this year.
COVID-19 cases in Portland’s Multnomah/Washington counties and surroundings more than doubled between Nov. 28 and Dec. 26 to nearly 16,000, according to County Public Health. FanExpo spotlights hot titles, talents and creators from the comics, gaming, anime, cosplay and genre entertainment spheres.
Calamity Jane
MyFrenchFilmFestival (www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com/en/) is back online for 2022, offering 30 feature films and shorts subtitled into 10 languages and available worldwide between January 14 and February 14. The fest released its official trailer and program this week. The 2022 selection is divided into thematic sections that reflect the diversity and vitality of French-language cinema, including “French and Furious,” “Bold Youth,” “Troubled Identities,” “A Cinema of Desire,” “Night Tales,” “Voyage, Voyage” and the “Kids Corner” of animated shorts, which includes:
Astralium by Lucie Andouche
Mido and the Instrumals by Roman Guillanton
Eye for an Eye by Thomas Boileau, Alan Guimont, Robin Courtoise, Mathieu Lecroq, Malcolm Hunt and François Briantais
Treasure by Alexandre Manzanares, Guillaume Cosenza, Philipp Merten and Silvan Moutte-Roulet
Additional animated gems can be found throughout, including Caroline Cherrier’s short Horatio (French & Furious), Léoluna Robert-Tourneur’s debut Hold Me Tight (Cinema of Desire) and Rémi Chayé’s acclaimed feature Calamity Jane (Voyage, Voyage).
Additional updates:
ACE set a new date and venue for 72nd Eddie Awards, to be held March 5 at the Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles — at 50% capacity and following COVID guidelines. Previously scheduled for Feb. 26, the awards will be followed by an after-party at Clifton’s Republic. Submissions now open (https://americancinemaeditors.org/)
GDC2022 reunites the games industry live at San Francisco’s Moscone Center and online from March 21-25. Online Only All Access includes 100+ sessions, including Main STage and IGF & GDCA Awards as well as live chat, networking, meetings and access to exhibitor profiles. (https://gdconf.com/)
Kosovo’s Anibar animation festival, taking place live in Peja and online July 23-30, is calling for entries to the film competition. Awards include International, Balkan and Student shorts, Best Feature, Human Rights and Music Video. Deadline: March 31, 2022. (https://filmfreeway.com/AnibarAnimationFestival)
Annecy (June 13-18) is still accepting submissions for the 2022 MIFA Pitches, seeking animated short, feature, series/TV specials and immersive projects. Deadline: Feb. 8, 2022. (www.annecy.org/take-part/submit-a-project)
SIGGRAPH 2022 is also calling for creative and cutting edge additions to its program, including Art Papers (deadline: Jan. 21), Technical Papers (Jan. 27) and Art Gallery submission (Feb. 1). The confab will take place in Vancouver, BC Aug. 8-11. (https://s2022.siggraph.org/submit-to-siggraph/)
