The Pokémon Company International and Netflix announced today that the next animated movie in the Pokémon franchise — Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle — will premiere on Netflix around the world with the exception of Japan, China, and Korea on October 8. First revealed in November 2020, this 23rd animated Pokémon movie in the franchise arrives timed to the global phenomenon’s 25th anniversary. The first official international trailer was released today.
“During Pokémon’s 25th anniversary year, we wanted fans to have the opportunity to experience the newest animated Pokémon movie simultaneously as a global community,” said Emily Arons, SVP of Licensing at The Pokémon Company International. “Pokémon animation is a much beloved pillar of the franchise and Netflix is the perfect partner to once again help us deliver a worldwide moment for fans as we celebrate 25 years of action and adventure with Ash and his Pikachu.”
Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
Deep within the Forest of Okoya, the Mythical Pokémon Zarude live in a troop and maintain a strict rule that forbids outsiders from entering their territory. Elsewhere in the jungle lives Koko, a human boy raised by a lone Zarude who left the troop. Koko has grown up never doubting that he is a Zarude. But one day, a chance meeting with Ash and Pikachu leaves Koko with his first human friend. Is he truly a Pokémon? Or is he, in fact, a human? When danger threatens the jungle, the bonds between Pokémon and human — and the love between parent and child — will be put to the test.
The trailer features two original songs, “Always Safe” and “No Matter What,” written and recorded by musical artist Cyn especially for Secrets of the Jungle. These tunes will be available to stream on popular music platforms day and date with the movie’s Netflix premiere. Cyn is also one of the many notable artists participating in the P25 Music program celebrating 25 years of Pokémon for which she wrote and recorded another new song “Wonderful“.
To further celebrate the announcement: beginning today, Trainers will be able to receive the alternate form of Zarude that is featured in the movie, as well as Shiny Celebi, in their Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield video games by signing up for Pokémon Trainer Club email notifications by September 25, 2021. Trainers who register in this way will receive a Pokémon Trainer Club email containing a distribution code for both on October 7, 2021.
Fans can also look forward to activations in Pokémon GO celebrating the global launch of Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, with details being announced soon. In the meantime, fans can visit the official movie website and join the conversation online with #Pokemon25.
Alva’s World, a new Irish animation series which aims to teach children about online safety and empathy, premiered on RTÉjr on Monday. Created by award-winning Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions, the series is billed as a “world’s first” for TV, as it places internet safety at the heart of programming for younger children. The series will also be broadcast on Sky Kids from October 18.
At a time when many kids are online more than ever before, Alva’s World explores themes that have been developed in conjunction with CyberSafeKids and Crandall Consulting in the format of magical tales to teach kids about appropriate behaviour online, including interaction, as well as preparing them for common childhood problems they may encounter through social media. Recent research by CyberSafeKids shows that even by age eight, almost 50% of kids have some form of internet accessible device and 45% are already using some form of social media.
Alva’s World
“Alva’s World is the first television series focused on providing digital water-wings for children,” said Andrew Kavanaugh, series creator and CEO of Kavaleer. “The series tackles a number of key areas, from cyber-bullying and online gaming to identity theft and current issues around COVID tracking and home learning. The characters and storylines have been developed to equip kids with the online wellbeing tools they need via safe, non-threatening entertainment. We feel it’s an important show and embodies the Kavaleer ethos of supporting young hearts and minds to thrive.”
Philip Arneill of CyberSafeKids noted, “Alva’s World is an exciting new project which we at CyberSafeKids were happy to have been able to be involved in. It’s an engaging, direct and age-appropriate way to target younger children, through a medium they love, to start developing healthy online habits and responsible digital citizenship as they begin their online journeys.”
Alva’s World
Alva’s World is commissioned by RTÉjr (Ireland) and YLE (Finland) and produced in association with Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and B.C.P Asset Management with development funding from Creative Europe / MEDIA. It broadcasts first on RTÉjr on September 6th and Sky Kids on October 18.
Synopsis: When Alva isn’t hanging out with her digitally connected family in real life, she loves to visit the magical land of Gizmo, which is full of incredible creatures and places, and where anything is possible. You can sled up mountains, fly an umbrella up into the clouds, invent your own toy-growing trees and talk with friendly, furry beasts as big as houses! Most of all, though, Alva loves visiting her friends the Oolies, the cute, elven race who live in Gizmo. Together, Alva and the Oolies have oodles of fun, but also solve problems and overcome obstacles – every trip to Gizmo is a new adventure! But no place is without its problems – and in Gizmo, those problems are usually started by the Trolls. They delight in stirring up trouble amongst all the different communities in Gizmo, and it’s up to Alva to save the day!
Spain’s Weird Market, International Animation, Videogames and New Media Market and 3D Wire Fest, International Animation Festival, has revealed details of the content and format of its 13th edition, taking place September 24 to October 3. The 3D Wire Fest jury will be made up of four international professionals from Poland, Portugal, France and Spain. The 2021 program will take place 100% in person, with select screening collections available online.
The event will have a new headquarters in 2021, La Cárcel_Segovia Centro de Creación. The old provincial prison of Segovia will be the hub of this cultural event. A rehabilitated and multidisciplinary space dedicated to promoting artistic creation and enhancing creative industries. The Julio Michel room together with the Ex.presa 2 room, cells and patios will harbor all the activities and screenings.
Leopoldo el del bar, by Diego Porral
A program of enlightening sessions on the latest animation projects in production nationally and internationally is being prepared:
Director José Luis Ucha will be in Segovia together with Graham Gallagher (animation director and head of character) to talk about the entire creative process behind My Little Pony: A New Generation and how the team adapted the popular toys from “My Little Pony”, a famous IP, to an animated feature film. This international co-production by Hasbro, Entertainment One and Boulder Media premieres on Netflix on September 24. Gallagher also has a great professional background as an animator, with a filmography featuring Oscar-winning titles such as the animated film Tarzan or Gravity by Alfonso Cuarón, as well as blockbusters such as Guardians of the Galaxy, The Jungle Book and Paddington.
Another special guest will be Isabel Tallos, the co-founder of Everguild, an ambitious video game studio that operates from the United Kingdom and Spain specialized in digital collectible card games, such as The Horus Heresy: Legions, based on the Warhammer 40,000 universe from Games Workshop. Tallos will talk about the relationship between strategy games and video games and more specifically how to get from a board game IP to a video game.
Finally, director Diego Porral will present the long-awaited premiere of the short film Leopoldo el del bar, winner of the Movistar + Short Film Project Award of the 11th edition. Porral, who was nominated for a Goya award for his previous work A Day in the Park, will be joined by producer and screenwriter Joaquín Garralda and Guadalupe Arensburg, Director of the Movistar + Short Films Department, for this exclusive debut event in Segovia.
3D Wire Fest 2021 Jury, L-R: Alexis Laffaille, Katarzyna Gromadzka, Andrea Basílio, José Luis Ucha
3D Wire Fest 2021 will have an international jury from Poland, Portugal, France and Spain; four top professionals in the animation industry:
Katarzyna Gromadzka (Poland) is an executive producer (Kids of Courage, dir. Matthias Zirzow, 2019 Emmy Kids Award nominee) and co-founder of Momakin. In addition, she is the coordinator of the Polish Quality project, a member of the Polish Association of Filmmakers (SFP) and a member of the Polish Association of Animation Producers (SPPA). With a background in Film and TV Production at the Lodz Film School, Katarzyna has worked as a production manager for film festivals (CAMERIMAGE, SE-MA-FOR Film Festival), and is co-founder of ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum, an international event dedicated exclusively for professionals in stop motion animation.
Andrea Basílio (Portugal) has served as the head of the Children’s and Youth Department of the RTP (the public radio and television service in Portugal) since 2015. In this role she coordinates acquisitions, programming, commissioned works and in-house projects for preschool, children and teen audiences for RTP’s ZIG ZAG space. In her professional background, she has also developed animation series for various production companies.
Alexis Laffaille (France) began his career in the world of journalism before turning to animation. His arrival as a producer at the Parisian animation studio Kawanimation, marks the beginning of projects in development that become successful webseries and short films, such as IL LE FAUT!, Batz and Le Bien Chasser (Special Mention for best TV series at the 2011 Annecy Festival). These humorous and zany projects represent Kawa’s editorial approach and are part of a new generation of audiovisual content.
Special guest Ucha (Spain) rounds out the jury. Hailing from Cádiz, Ucha has more than 20 years of experience in the animation industry creating, developing, writing, directing and producing more than 900 episodes of 20 completed projects. Working with studios and artists from all over the world, he has directed series such as Bernard (Best Animation at Anima Mundi 2004 and Finalist for Best TV Series at Annecy 2005), The Secret Life of Suckers (Kids’ Jury Best Series, Mipcom 2009), Canimals (Kids’ Jury Best Series, Mipcom 2010) and Invizimals. This year, My Little Pony: A New Generation marks his feature film debut (for Hasbro / eOne / Boulder Media).
The 13th edition of Weird Market and 3D Wire Fest will be held completely on site, but with reduced capacity due to the current epidemiological situation. The organizers will strictly implement the Plan of Prevention and Control Measures of the Junta de Castilla y León to face the health crisis caused by COVID-19. All activities will be under capacity control, use of a mask, hand washing and disinfection, as well as social distancing.
The previous hybrid format will only remain in the ability to view the catalog of short films, international short films, international music videos and all national works online. Between September 27 and October 10, programmers, distributors and buyers of short films will be able to view the works through the digital platform Festhome.tv; the screening booths will also be enabled for professional attending on October 1 and 2.
Due to the capacity restriction, the number of accreditations for this Weird Market edition will be very limited. The opening of accreditations will take place next Monday, September 6. As for the 3D Wire Fest screenings, they will be like last year, free and until full capacity is reached.
After 75 days of a 15-person team juggling challenging work on three simultaneous schedules, 12 minutes of footage for Michał Łubiński’s stop-motion short Astra has been completed at the Audiovisual Technology Center in Wrocław. The project enters post production with a premiere planned for mid 2022.
The new film by Łubiński (Bed Side Story) is a universal story about sisterly love, great adventures and the inevitable difficulties of life. The story centers on six-year-old Astra, who tries to stop her sister from taking part in a dangerous mission. However, when Anna needs help, the little girl embarks on a rescue mission to space on her own without hesitation.
Director of photography Jan Pawel Trzaska and director Michael Lubinski on set at CeTA.
“A film set usually means large constructions or virtual scenography, but this time everything was in miniature,” noted Robert Banasiak, Director of the CeTA Audiovisual Technology Center in Wrocław, producer of the film. “We [were introduced] to Michał Łubiński and his project Astra in 2018 in Łódź during the ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum. We were happy to decide to make this film in our studio, because we also want to be present in the area of the production of animated films.”
Before the puppets made their on-set debuts, many weeks of preparation were needed. “First, I made drawings of figures, then 3D models, based on which elements of the head and some body fragments were printed in 3D technology,” Łubiński explained. Creating the puppets required precise manual work, crafted with talent and experience. The puppets for Astra were created by a team from Łódź: Piotr Knabe, Dariusz Kalita, Agnieszka Mikołajczyk and Agnieszka Smolarek, Beata Jarmuż-Socha and Anna Szcześniak.
“Łódź is famous in the world for its excellent specialists who create animation puppets,” said Katarzyna Gromadzka from MOMAKIN, the film’s executive producer. “The Astra project gathered six recognized [artists] with great experience in the production of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs and Suzie Templeton’s Oscar-winning Peter and the Wolf.”
Daniel Kusak sets props for one of Astra’s many locations.
The film’s story unfolds across many locations, starting in Astra’s tiny room, through corridors of the science center, to a ship in outer space. The range of the scale is large, which was quite a challenge for the set and props team led by Jacek Spychalski from the CeTA Animation Studio and for the puppet makers.
“Astra’s hands, which are about one centimeter long, turned out to be a difficulty when working on a scale of 1:6. We animated her tiny fingers, built on thin wires, so we had as many as seven pairs of interchangeable hands for the character,” noted Łubiński. “We also used a very attractive and original technique of ink in water to reproduce the cosmos. To obtain the effect of slow motion, the movement of mixing fluids was recorded with higher frames per second rate. I couldn’t do it all at home, animating on my own. The possibility of using CeTA facilities guaranteed us the world standard of production and working conditions.”
Animator Anna Polisnka shoots one of the space scenes for Astra.
Łubiński is an architect whose passion is animation, to which he devotes his every free moment. His first film, Bed Side Story, was recognized by film festivals such as the Warsaw International Film Festival and the Zubroffka Short Film Festival, and won two awards.
Astra was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport. In recent weeks, the institutions supporting the project have been joined by EC1 Łódź – City of Culture as part of the Łódź Film Fund. The project was the winner of the 2018 Pitching competition of the ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum.
GKIDS and Shout! Factory have announced the release of the much anticipated box set Future Boy Conan: The Complete Series this fall. The four-disc Blu-ray set contains all 26 episodes of the show, as well as an exclusive 16-page booklet featuring character artwork. The full series will additionally be available on digital download-to-own, available simultaneously with the complete set on November 16.
Future Boy Conan: The Complete Series
The 1978 directorial debut of Academy Award winner Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), Future Boy Conan, is a landmark in animation history. This legendary sci-fi adventure series, beloved worldwide but never before released in North America, features a new English language dub version and 4K digital restoration in the complete series set.
Future Boy Conan
Synopsis: Twenty years ago, a terrible war fought with magnetic weapons caused the earth’s axis to tilt, and earthquakes and tidal waves destroyed civilization. Conan is born into this new world, raised by his adopted grandfather on an isolated island. But his life is forever changed when a mysterious girl named Lana washes ashore, pursued by shadowy operatives who seek to use her in a new scheme to control what’s left of the world.
This Labor Day, families can kick back and enjoy a new adventure for one of animation’s most enduring stars as he boldly goes where he’s never gone before: The fourth grade! Premiering coast to coast on PBS KIDS on Monday, September 6, “Arthur’s First Day” is a one-hour Arthur movie which sees both Arthur and little sister D.W. move up a grade. The fan-favorite aardvark and his friends will navigate new teachers, make new friends, and go on new adventures in this back-to-school special.
In “Arthur’s First Day,” it’s finally the first day of fourth grade, and Arthur and his friends couldn’t be more excited! But — GASP — Arthur and Buster find out they’re in different classes! While Buster makes a new friend and begins a mysterious adventure around the school, Arthur starts forming a new friendship of his own and worries he may be losing his best friend. Meanwhile, D.W. and her best friend Emily are starting their very first day of kindergarten! When Emily starts having the worst first day ever, it’s up to her Big Buddy Muffy to show her the ropes of her new school.
In July, it was revealed that GBH Kids is no longer in production on the long-running series, which will conclude with its 25th season on PBS KIDS next year. This long awaited advancement to the next grade will offer many opportunities for the popular characters to learn, grow and experience the world in new ways through to the finale.
Leading anime destination Funimation is bringing a beautiful and unique period piece to streaming this Fall. Blending stunning visuals, drama and mystery, The Heike Story premieres September 15 on the platform — an entire season ahead of its broadcast debut in Japan.
Produced by Science SARU (Japan Sinks: 2020, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby) and directed by Kyoto Animation alumna Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird, K-On!), the series relates a “story of a prayer that transcends 800 years.” It is inspired by author Hideo Furukawa’s modern translation of The Tale of Heike, a medieval Japanese epic about Kiyomori of the Heike clan’s rise from a youth sunk in poverty to the Emperor’s chief councilor — and the trail of bloodshed this otherwise enlightened man leaves in his wake.
The Heike Story
The Heike Story is written by the celebrated Reiko Yoshida (Liz and the Blue Bird, A Silent Voice, The Cat Returns), and set to music by composer, rocker and EBM musician Kensuke Ushio, a.k.a. Agraph (Space Dandy,Devilman Crybaby, Japan Sinks: 2020).
The series stars voice actors Aoi Yūki (Madoka in Puella Magi Madoka Magica) as Biwa and Takashiro Sakurai (Metphies in the Godzilla animated trilogy) as Taira no Shigemori.
Riot Games, the developer and publisher known for global hit PC games including League of Legends and VALORANT as well as the upcoming animated series Arcane, has tapped industry veteran Frank Zhu as Managing Director for Riot Games’ China Entertainment. The news was announced today by Riot Games’ Global President of Entertainment, Shauna Spenley, to whom Zhu will report directly.
“I’m very excited to join the Riot Games family,” Zhu said. “I look forward to working with Riot Games China and global teams and helping grow the best-in-class entertainment company in the 21st century.”
Zhu joins a growing senior leadership team at Riot Games and the Company’s newly formed Entertainment division, which will expand Riot’s existing IP through film, television, music, consumer products, live experiences and more. In this role, Zhu will collaborate with Spenley and Leo Lin, Vice President and Head of Riot Games China, to help define the overall strategy and roadmap for Riot Entertainment in China, as well as assemble a roster of top-tier local talent for Riot to help create best-in-class content that resonates with both players and Chinese audiences. Zhu will also work to build strong ties with Riot’s critical partners in China to develop and launch key entertainment products.
“We are incredibly excited to have Frank join our growing team at Riot Games Entertainment in this key leadership position,” said Spenley. “With a proven track record supporting and building successful entertainment brands in China, expertise in film and animation, and an Oscar nomination under his belt, Frank brings knowledge and insight that will be invaluable to Riot as we expand our entertainment presence to Chinese audiences and audiences around the world.”
Lin added, “We are all very much looking forward to Frank joining us. With his leadership, we will further connect the dots across Entertainment, Esports and Gaming in China, which is one of our most important markets, and bring the best entertainment experience to our players.”
Riot Games
Zhu is a well-respected entertainment industry veteran, having most recently served as CEO of Pearl Studio, where since 2016 he led a large team across offices in Shanghai, Los Angeles and New York. During his time at Pearl Studio, the company produced world-class animated films such as Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable. In 2020, Zhu served as executive producer for the Oscar-nominated animated feature Over the Moon, a co-production with Netflix.
Prior to joining Pearl Studio, Zhu co-founded China’s leading children’s entertainment and media company, Taomee, where he produced more than 300 episodes of the animated TV series Mole’s World and Seer as the chief producer. Zhu also served as one of the first professional leaders of The Walt Disney Company in China, where he helped establish Disney China’s toy licensing business in that market. Zhu graduated from Fudan University with a degree in marketing.
In 2015, Riot Games China was set up and is dedicated to creating tailored experiences for local players. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve game experiences and beyond.
Riot Games was founded in 2006 by Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill. The studio’s debut title, League of Legends, is the most-played PC game worldwide. Led by CEO Nicolo Laurent, Riot is headquartered in Los Angeles and employs more than 3,000 “Rioters” across 20-plus offices around the globe.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family is inviting all preschoolers, parents, caregivers and educators across the country to enjoy a free VIP virtual birthday party for Cartoonito, a new preschool block launching on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.
The one-hour interactive event coined as “Nito’s Birthday Party,” will take place at CartoonitoParty.com on Monday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET and feature exciting sneak peeks, breaking news and special guest appearances from the stars and creative teams behind upcoming Cartoonito shows. RSVP to the VIP experience here.
Join Ellen DeGeneres, who will make an appearance to talk about her new series Little Ellen; Elmo, the furry red “host with the most,” in honor of his upcoming season of Sesame Workshop’s The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo on HBO Max; and children’s book author Mo Willems, who will deliver an exciting message about his upcoming Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience. Attendees will also hear from the cast of Batwheels, who will be announced at the event. These special moments and more are in store at Nito’s Birthday Party — you don’t want to miss it!
The virtual “birthday party” will feature acclaimed musical artist and performer Kid Koala along with the colorful animated hosts of Cartoonito – Nito, Glob, Wedge and Itty. The celebration will be filled with interactive games and activities that grownups and little ones can participate in with free downloadable activity guides that will be provided via the event website closer to the party. The party will wrap with a LIVE, interactive dance party with Kid Koala that everyone can “Zoom In” to from the comfort of their home.
Attendees will also enjoy previews of Cartoonito shows including Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, Lucas the Spider, Mush-Mush & The Mushables, Bugs Bunny Builders (working title), Tom and Jerry Time and more.
Nito’s Birthday Party (Cartoonito / WarnerMedia)
Cartoonito launches September 13 on HBO Max and Cartoon Network and is WarnerMedia’s biggest commitment to preschool in 100 years. It offers a modern approach to preschool programming with its proprietary educational framework, Humancentric Learning, that aims to support every child’s humanness by celebrating their unique selves. All Cartoonito preschool content will align with Humancentric Learning and Cartoon Network’s refreshed brand promise, “Redraw Your World,” which fosters self-expression and creativity.
For all the latest Cartoonito news, sneak peeks and fun resources, parents can visit the Cartoonito parent website and follow Cartoonito on Facebook (@CartoonitoCN), Twitter (@CartoonitoCN), Instagram (@cartoonito) and YouTube.
Read all about the new Cartoonito block in Animag‘s feature story here!
Fans of classic anime will now get a triple dose of action-packed adventures with the release of more than 70 episodes from the hit series Ragnarok – The Animation, Witchblade and Burst Angel for a limited time on the YouTube channels for Funimation (in the United States and Canada) and Gonzo K.K. (in Japan). All three series will be available to fans for free until November 30 and subtitled in English.
Based on the worldwide hit 2002 MMORPG video game and currently streaming ad-free on Funimation, the fantasy adventure series Ragnarok – The Animation can now be seen for the first time in HD during its limited run on YouTube.
Ragnarok – The Animation (26 episodes): A great evil sweeps across the realm, and the young swordsman Roan, along with his life-long companion Yufa, must face it head on! As the two friends travel toward their destiny, they are joined by an ever-growing cast of heroes. The path they travel is rife with monsters, magic, and danger, but where there’s a will—there’s a way! Lessons lurk in the darkness, and the journey starts now!
Burst Angel (24 episodes): The future’s looking bleak. It’s a good thing there’s a new sheriff in town. Her name is Jo, and she’s an enigma even to herself. Alongside her partners Sei, Amy, and Meg, Jo fights for the citizens who can’t defend themselves. Confronting corruption and twisted science, these gals are on fire—and they’re the best chance the wounded city’s got.
Witchblade (24 episodes): Masane Amaha exists on society’s fringe, with no memory and no direction. Upon her arrival back in Tokyo, her fate is altered forever when she unites with the Witchblade—an ancient weapon of ecstasy, power, and pain that penetrates the body and soul. Conscripted into the service of the Doji Group and hunted down by the NSWF, Masane’s greatest battle will be for her very soul.
Funimation also announced this week that it is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) with enough anime to keep Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking fans in the United States and Canada celebrating and binge-watching all month long.
The service will add 1,000+ new episodes with subtitles and more than 600+ episodes dubbed, all beginning in September. So, popular titles like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan can be enjoyed by a wider audience than ever. Other titles added in Spanish and Portuguese include Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, Wonder Egg Priority, SK8 the Infinity, Higurashi: When They Cryand Akudama Drive.
Funimation began making Spanish and Portuguese subtitles and dubbed episodes to audiences in the United States and Canada earlier this year.
“Funimation is dedicated to serving anime fans wherever, and however they want, and that includes our audience who prefers Spanish,” said Rahul Purini, Chief Operating Officer for Funimation Global Group. “The stories and themes that anime conveys are universal, and Funimation knows that Hispanic and Latino audiences love their anime. The addition to our content library is just one of the ways we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.”
“I am so, so excited that the Latin anime community can experience their favorite shows dubbed in Spanish,” said Anairis Quinones, voice of Mirko in My Hero Academia. “Our community has loved anime for the longest time and is a huge supporter of anime. I’m happy that the industry can give back with more opportunities to experience anime and even be a part of it! Keep an eye out for My Hero Academia‘s Spanish dub! ¡¡Plus ultra!!”
“Growing up watching English dubs of anime, it was rare to see any Latino voice actors in the credits, let alone Latino voice directors,” said Emily Fajardo, the voice of Eua in Higurashi: When They Cry – GOU. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to direct and act in dubs and to help make anime more accessible to people from all different backgrounds.”
The Pokémon Company International has announced Pokémon Evolutions, a new, limited animated series created to celebrate 25 years of the global entertainment franchise. A trailer for the web-exclusive installment was released today.
Over eight episodes, Pokémon Evolutions will take fans on a journey through all the known regions of the Pokémon world explored in the popular core video game franchise since it launched 25 years ago. Throughout 2021, The Pokémon Company International has invited fans on a retrospective journey of these regions and the Pokémon originally discovered in them.
Pokémon Evolutions
Like the retrospective, the series will begin in the Galar region, most recently explored in the latest video games Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, and culminate in the Kanto region, originally explored by players in the first games from the franchise, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green in 1996. Each episode will focus on a story from a different region in reverse chronological order from which they were first explored in the games: Galar, Alola, Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto. Familiar tales from Pokémon lore will be told from a fresh perspective in every episode.
“PokémonEvolutions is both an exciting new collection of animation for the brand and a thank-you to the millions of fans around the world who have joined us on this journey over the past 25 years,” said Colin Palmer,VP of Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “Each region has been a touchstone for new generations of Pokémon Trainers as the brand has grown, and we wanted Pokémon Evolutions to pay homage to that legacy while also being innovative and contemporary. It’s a new adventure and familiar all at once. And, with the last episode set in Kanto, Pokémon Evolutions is a meaningful way to end our anniversary celebrations in the place where it all began for Pokémon 25 years ago.”
Pokémon Evolutions is being produced by The Pokémon Company International in collaboration with OLM Studios and will premiere exclusively on the official Pokémon YouTube channel and Pokémon TV worldwide on the following dates:
Thursday, Sept. 9: “The Champion” featuring the Galar region
Thursday, Sept. 23: “The Eclipse” featuring the Alola region
Thursday, Oct. 7:“The Visionary” featuring the Kalos region
Thursday, Oct. 21: “The Plan” featuring the Unova region
Thursday, Dec. 2: “The Rival” featuring the Sinnoh region
Thursday, Dec. 9: “The Wish” featuring the Hoenn region
Thursday, Dec. 16: “The Show” featuring the Johto region
Thursday, Dec. 23: “The Discovery” featuring the Kanto region
For more information about Pokémon’s 25th anniversary celebrations, fans can visit Pokemon.com/25 and follow #Pokemon25.
Disney+ today released the teaser poster for the all-new animated adventure Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which begins streaming this holiday season. Be sure to check it out and share with your readers. Adapting the first book in Jeff Kinney’s worldwide bestselling series, the new movie premieres exclusively on Disney+ on December 3.
Greg Heffley is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous — he just has to survive middle school first. To make matters worse, Greg’s lovable best friend Rowley seems to coast through life and succeed at everything without even trying! As details of his hilarious — and often disastrous — attempts to fit in fill the pages of his journal, Greg learns to appreciate true friends and the satisfaction that comes from standing up for what is right.
Directed by Swinton Scott (Futurama) and written and produced by Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid features the voices of Brady Noon (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers), Ethan William Childress (mixed-ish) and Chris Diamantopoulos (Mickey Mouse).
Kinney is one of the world’s bestselling authors; Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have sold more than 250 million copies globally in just 14 years. “This film feels like the book come to life, and it’s exciting to see Greg Heffley and his family and friends in their fully-animated glory,” the noted. It is the Wimpy World in a way no one has seen before. Working on this movie, I feel like we have been sitting on a wonderful secret. I can’t wait to finally share it with the world!”
The National Film Board of Canada shared the news of the death of outstanding animation auteur and skilled editor Jacques Drouin. Over the course of his 30-plus years with the NFB, he created six unique and poetic films, including ’70s classic Mindscape. Drouin’s work is inextricably linked to the Alexeieff–Parker pinscreen, a legendary tool in the history of animated film. The Quebec native passed away Saturday, August 28 at the age of 78 from a cervical aneurysm.
“Jacques Drouin was a major figure at the NFB, with an extraordinary career path: For three decades, he was the only animator in the world using the pinscreen technique. An outstanding filmmaker, he was also unfailingly generous, forever ready to share his knowledge with young filmmakers and his colleagues. Not only did he create unforgettable works, but he also ensured that work could continue to be created using the pinscreen — another of his generous legacies,” said Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson.
“Mindscape” (1976)
Julie Roy, the NFB’s Director General of Creation and Innovation, commented, “The international animation community today lost a great spirit. Jacques Drouin, engaged and passionate, gave himself over fully to his art by tirelessly championing that rarest of animation techniques, the pinscreen. Throughout his career, he carried the legacy of this imposing apparatus of film heritage. But Drouin also stood out for his exemplary involvement in the day-to-day activities of the NFB and with the broader animation family on the world film scene. For all his extraordinary talent, he remained humble. He was endlessly erudite, a patient and attentive teacher, and a warm and caring colleague. But above all, a man of exceptional humanity.”
Drouin made his films — from Three Exercises on Alexeieff’s Pinscreen (1974) to Imprints (2004) — on the “new” nouvel écran d’épingles (NEC) pinscreen, made up of 240,000 pins inserted into their own holes through a vinyl screen held in a rigid frame. Acquired by the NFB in 1972, it was for decades the world’s only working pinscreen. Drouin later initiated filmmaker Michèle Lemieux into the technique, which she applied to Here and the Great Elsewhere (2012) and her current work-in-progress, Le Tableau. A room at the NFB’s new Montreal headquarters in the Balmoral building is named Mindscape (Le paysagiste) in honor of Drouin.
“Imprints” (2004)
Born in Mont-Joli, Quebec, in 1943, Drouoin studied at the École des beaux-arts de Montréal and UCLA, and began working as a TV editor in 1971. Two years later, during an internship at the NFB, he made his first professional film, Three Exercises on Alexeieff’s Pinscreen. His next short film, Mindscape (1976), garnered 17 awards and earned praise from Norman McLaren and Alexeieff himself.
In the years that followed, Drouin worked primarily as a picture editor on such award-winning titles as Co Hoedeman’s Oscar-winning animated short The Sand Castle (1977) and Clorinda Warny’s posthumous film Beginnings (1981), which earned a Special Jury Prize at Annecy.
More honors came with Night-angel (1986), co-directed with Czech animator Bretislav Pojar — an ambitious film combining pinscreen and puppet animation, craftily imbued with color through lighting. The film won nine awards, including the Grand Prix from the Odense International Film Festival in Denmark. Drouin then made a number of short films on commission, as well as animating sequences for NFB documentaries, while continuing his work as an editor.
“The Sand Castle” (1977)
He returned to directing in 1994 with Ex-Child, created as part of the Rights from the Heart collection promoting children’s rights, which picked up six awards. In 2001, he made A Hunting Lesson, adapted from a tale by Jacques Godbout. This was Drouin’s first experience with a complex plot, obliging him to devise many original solutions to overcome the limits of the pinscreen. The film received four awards, including the Special Jury Award at the WorldFest in Houston.
Having come up with the ideas of varying the distance between camera and pinscreen and flipping the screen, Drouin proceeded to systematically apply these discoveries to Imprints, an experimental work in which he revolutionized the images able to be produced using a pinscreen. Drouin subsequently retired from the NFB to pursue independent research and filmmaking.
In 2007, Drouin restored the three main Alexeieff-Parker pinscreens for France’s film archives, thus perpetuating the technique that had been passed down to him by the tool’s inventor. In 2012, the only other working pinscreen in the world was acquired by French government agency Le Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée, with a view to letting European artists try their hand at the extraordinary instrument. Dubbed the Épinette, the device was successively restored by Drouin and Lemieux, bestowing an invaluable legacy on the global animation community.
In 2009, the NFB released the DVD box set Jacques Drouin – Complete Pinscreen Works. A memorial video channel dedicated to Drouin, featuring his works and pieces about the artist, can be accessed on NFB.ca.
CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), the premier non-profit organization creating opportunities and driving success for Asian and Pacific Islanders in Hollywood for the past 30 years, is setting its sights on animation. CAPE’s Board Chair Sanjay Sharma and Executive Director Michelle K. Sugihara announced today the CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator, a new initiative to identify and train the next generation of animation leaders, powered by Sony Pictures Entertainment, parent company of animation titan Sony Pictures Animation.
Submissions open on September 1 and continue through September 30, with Sony Pictures Entertainment covering application fees for this inaugural year.
“Studies show that children as young as five years old are capable of racial biases, which highlights the importance of authentic storytelling in animation,” said CAPE’s Sugihara. “Furthermore, we know that when directors and EPs behind the camera are diverse, it leads to more diverse crew and stories. Despite the relative number of Asians working in animation, there are woefully few Asian or Pacific Islander studio animation directors or EPs, making this a critical pressure point to accelerate change in the industry.”
“We’ve enjoyed a long partnership with CAPE and it was important to us to support this significant initiative to increase the exposure and opportunity for Asian and Pacific Islander talent even beyond our doors,” said Paul Martin, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Chief Diversity Officer.
Selected rising animation directors will hone both their artistic and leadership skills through a series of panels, workshops and masterclasses from high-level executives, producers and creatives in the animation industry, as well as receive one-on-one executive mentorship. Ideal candidates will have five-plus years in the animation field or related entertainment industry, and ambitions of being the creative lead for animation film or episodic projects. More information can be found here.
Justinian Huang | Michelle Wong
The accelerator is co-chaired by Justinian Huang (Vice President, Creative, Sony Pictures Animation) and Michelle Wong (producer, Vivo) who will help vet submissions and coordinate opportunities for program participants.
Huang is responsible for overseeing creative development of a number of animated features and series at Sony Pictures Animation, including K-Pop: Demon Hunters directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans. Prior to joining SPA, Huang was Head of Development at Pearl Studio in Shanghai, where he led the team that oversaw the historic co-productions Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable in partnership with DreamWorks Animation, as well as the studio’s most recent film, the Netflix original Over the Moon, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2021. Huang was also the executive in charge of the upcoming Netflix original The Monkey King, which will be Stephen Chow’s first global animated film. In his last year at Pearl, he launched a new slate of projects helmed entirely by Asian directors.
Currently at Netflix, co-chair Wong is one of the producers behind Sony Pictures Animation’s original animated musical Vivo, which features brand new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creative force behind the Broadway smash Hamilton, and is available now on Netflix. Wong has 18 years of experience in feature animation and has worked on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2. Prior to producing Vivo, she produced the 2017 feature, Surf’s Up 2: Wavemania, directed by Henry Yu.
“Excitingly, there are more pathways to becoming a director in animation than ever before,” said Huang. “This accelerator invites the most talented folks out there to join us in navigating those paths, strategically and mentally, as we launch a new class of directors that finally reflects the abundance of the AAPI community in animation.”
Wong added, “It’s time to look beyond the current state of directors in animation. This is a groundbreaking opportunity that will give exposure to a community that has a wealth of originality and innovation.”
It was just a few years ago that animation was denigrated as an exclusive “boys club.” But today, most Hollywood studio heads in feature animation are women. Similarly, the pathways to becoming a director in animation have evolved as well, as the desire for authentic storytelling and diverse ideas appears to be opening the door to historically underrepresented creatives. The CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator is a necessary component to propel the change, because it takes more than just artistic talent to become an animation director.
The CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator joins other industry-renowned CAPE initiatives such as the CAPE New Writers Fellowship and the CAPE Leaders Fellowship. CAPE is also incubating several other initiatives, including ones for assistants and stand-up comedians, as well as the CAPE Database, a public-facing database for Asian and Pacific Islander talent, executives, reps and more.
Gamechanger Films (The Inspection), helmed Effie T. Brown, is partnering with Gabrielle Union’s I’ll Have Another Productions and Taraji P. Henson’s TPH Entertainment to produce a feature film adaptation of graphic novel Sorcerority from co-authors Mikhail Sebastián and George Watson.
A powerhouse production team will develop the graphic novel for the big screen: Brown will be producing on behalf of Gamechanger; Union is producing alongside Kian Gass, who will oversee from I’ll Have Another Productions; and Henson and Christine Conley are producing on behalf of TPH Entertainment.
Gamechanger secured the rights to the fantasy graphic novel earlier this year. The comic chronicles the adventures of a young African-American girl named Melanie who, following in the footsteps of her late mother, enrolls into a historically African-American coven and university of magic. She soon discovers her enrollment in the school may not be entirely of her own choosing, but rather the calculated actions of a higher authority. In between her studies, she uncovers her familial connection to the school’s mysterious past, as well as her pivotal role in its future.
“Taraji and I have been looking for a project to work on together for a few years now and I’m excited to be partnering with her, TPH Productions and Gamechanger Films on this project. I’m looking forward to bringing this graphic novel to the big screen,” said Union.
Henson noted, “I created TPH Entertainment as a way to help push forward stories that better represent what our society looks like and to help share voices that may not have been given the opportunity to be heard. Joining incredible, likeminded women like Effie and Gabrielle on this exciting adaptation is a thrill for me and I cannot wait to begin this journey with them!”
Recently announced Gamechanger Films projects include Elegance Bratton’s The Inspection, starring Jeremy Pope and Gabrielle Union, on which Brown is a producer and co-financier on behalf of Gamechanger; A24 will co-finance and handle worldwide distribution on the film. The company also recently consulted on Amazon Studios’ inclusion policy and playbook initiative for its content and productions – a testament to its leadership in elevating projects by and about underserved communities including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities across all platforms.
“I could not have imagined a better equipped or more inspiring dream team of female producing partners than Gabrielle and Taraji on a project about such powerful black women. Sorcerority‘s depiction of Black Girl Magic and sisterhood offers such a fresh and unexpected perspective, and we can’t wait to bring Mikhail and George’s beautiful graphic novel to life,” said Brown.
Gabrielle Union is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners, Patti Felker and The Lede Company. Taraji P. Henson is repped by M88, Ziffren Law and The Lede Company.
Inu-Oh, the latest feature from award-winning director Masaaki Yuasa, is celebrating its World Premiere at the Venice International Film Festival (www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2021) in the Orizzonti Competition. The animated rock musical produced by acclaimed Japanese animation studio Science SARU is based on the original novel The Tale of the Heike: The Inu-oh Chapters by Hideo Furukawa about Inu-oh, a real performer who lived 600 years ago.
The film’s World Premiere will take place September 9 at 2:25 p.m. in the Sala Darsena. Stateside distributor GKIDS has acquired U.S. rights and is planning a nationwide release in 2022.
Synopsis: Inu-oh is born with unique physical characteristics and the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. Tomona is curious boy from the countryside who loses his sight in a strange accident. One day, Inu-oh and Tomona, now a blind biwa player, meet. Inu-oh asks him to write a song about his life. Tomona plays a delicate song of their tangled fate, Inu-oh, dances as he never knew he could. Inu-oh and Tomona become business partners and inseparable friends as song after song gain them notoriety and propel them to stardom. Through the songs, Inu-oh mesmerizes his audiences on stage, and gradually begins to transform into someone of unequaled beauty. It is a story about the friendship of Inu-oh and Tomona, who dance and sing to get to the truth of their pasts and break each other’s curse.
Inu-oh’s voice and songs are performed by Avu-chan (Queen Bee), one of the most influential emerging artists today. Inu-Oh tells a story of modern life – whether to accept one’s fate and live according to mainstream conventions to seize glory or to forgo rewards and stay true to your own beliefs.
Inu-Oh is produced by Fumie Takeuchi (Asmik Ace, Inc.) and Eunyoung Choi (Science SARU INC.) in co-production with Yuhai Cheng (Open Culture Entertainment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.). International Sales is handled by Fortissimo Films for outside Asia, and Asmik Ace, Inc. for Asia.
Masaaki Yuasa was born in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan on March 16, 1965. He made his feature-length debut in 2004 with Mind Game, which won awards in Japan and overseas, including six prizes such as Best Film, Best Director and Best Script, at the 2005 Fantasia International Film Festival. His film Lu Over the Wall won the Cristal for Best Feature Film at the 2017 Annecy International Animated Film Festival. His latest film, Ride Your Wave, won the Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2019 Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival and was nominated for the 2021 Annie Award. In addition, his latest series Japan Sinks: 2020 won the Jury Award for a TV Series at Annecy 2021. His other major works include Ping Pong: The Animation; Night Is Short, Walk On Girl; Devilman Crybaby; and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken.
Further details of the 2021 Pixelatl festival, celebrating 10 years of uniting the Latin American animation industry, have been revealed as the festivities are just around the corner. Kicking off online from September 6-11, the animation, videogames and comics confab will welcome 150 speakers from 18 different countries, international industry delegations, recruiting, workshops, B2B events and more — all accessible with a free pass.
As festival director José Iñesta explained during Tuesday’s press conference, Pixelatl views animation not only as an industry that can trigger the development of Latin America, but one that can help the social cohesion of the region reflected on screens with familiar characters and cultures. The festival’s goal over the years has been to foster a spirit of community among artists, as the most important ingredient in strengthening the region’s capacities to develop this industry.
Maya and the Three (Netflix)
Important stakeholders in Latin America also expressed their interest and support for continuing to collaborate with the community of artists that Pixelatl has promoted over the last decade. This is the case of José Luis Farias, Founder of the Quirino Awards for Ibero-American animation: “Spain has joined the Festival through the support of PICE and ICAA for several years, as we consider it the most important animation event in Mexico.”
“Co-productions are essential for animation, but so is having a network of contacts that facilitates professional exchanges in the region. That is why the work that Pixelatl does in each edition is vital,” added Silvina Cornillón, who leads the animation division of the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts of Argentina as well as the Ventana Sur Market’s Animation! program.
Encanto (Disney)
A few of the event highlights announced in the presentation are:
Keynote on “The Journey of Maya and the Three“ with Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua, who will discuss their process from conception to the realization of visuals never seen before
Peter Lord, founder of Aardman Animations will share the 50 year history of the studio.
Conversation with Byron Howard, Academy Award winner and director of Disney’s fall release Encanto, Zootopia and Tangled.
Sandra Equihua’s masterclass about character design throughout her career.
Latinxs in Animation panel highlighting the importance of diversity and representation in creating content for the new era.
Aminder Dhaliwal, one of Variety‘s “Top 10 Animators to Watch,” will share her approach to storytelling from comic books to animation.
Nona (Pixar SparkShorts)
Premieres of Pixar SparkShorts Nona and Twentysomething, where directors Louis Gonzales and Aphton Corbin will share some insights into the development of their work.
The release of a Mexican software tool to make pipelines more efficient.
Cartoon Network will present four talks with Mexican creators that are producing upcoming series for the channel (Rey Misterio, Villainous, Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda (Frankelda’s Scary Stories), Astropackers).
Many highlights from Spain, including Emmy Award winner Alfonso Blaas, Vivo‘s production designer Carlos Zaragoza, feature film Josep, new and emerging talents, and more!
International delegations with studios participating in the market, from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Peru, Jalisco, Quebec and other territories.
Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda (Cartoon Network)
Despite the packed program, the most important activity to highlight is that the Latin American community will have its annual space to meet again. The festival organizers consider the most important achievement of these 10 years of Pixelatl has been “to articulate the audiovisual community in Mexico and Latin America with a philosophy of collaborative competition, promoting the professionalization of creative work together with a spirit of generosity and mutual support among its members.”
An unthinkable tragedy propels Superman into a dangerous new mindset, ultimately pitting Justice League members against each other in Injustice, an all-new DC Animated Movie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the feature-length animated film is set for release on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack (U.S. $39.99 SRP; Canada $44.98 SRP), Blu-ray (U.S. $29.98 SRP; Can. $39.99 SRP) and Digital on October 19.
Inspired by Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios’ popular videogame, and the best-selling DC graphic novel adaptation Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One by Tom Taylor, the animated film Injustice finds an alternate world gone mad — where The Joker has duped Superman into killing Lois Lane, sending the Man of Steel on a deadly rampage. Unhinged, Superman decides to take control of the Earth for humanity’s own good. Determined to stop him, Batman creates a team of like- minded, freedom-fighting heroes. But when Super Heroes go to war, can the world survive?
As previously announced, the movie’s all-star cast is headed by Justin Hartley (This Is Us, Smallville) and Anson Mount (Star Trek Discovery, Hell on Wheels) as Superman and Batman, respectively. The massive Injustice cast also features:
Janet Varney (The Legend of Korra, You’re The Worst) as Wonder Woman
Brandon Micheal Hall (God Friended Me) as Cyborg
Kevin Pollak (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Joker & Jonathan Kent
Anika Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog, The Good Wife, Dreamgirls) as Catwoman
Reid Scott (Veep, Venom) as Green Arrow & Victor Zsasz
Edwin Hodge (The Tomorrow War, Mayans M.C.) as Mr. Terrific & Killer Croc
Gillian Jacobs (Community, Invincible) as Harley Quinn
Oliver Hudson (Rules of Engagement, Nashville) as Plastic Man
Laura Bailey (Critical Role, Avengers Assemble) as Lois Lane & Rama Kushna
Faran Tahir (Iron Man, Star Trek) as Ra’s al Ghul
Derek Phillips (Friday Night Lights, 42) as Nightwing & Aquaman
Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10 franchise, Young Justice, RWBY) as Mirror Master, Flash & Shazam
Zach Callison (Steven Universe, The Goldbergs) as Damian & Jimmy Olsen
Brian T. Delaney (Fortnite, Batman Unlimited) as Green Lantern
Fred Tatasciore (Family Guy, American Dad!) as Captain Atom
Andrew Morgado (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) as Mirror Master Soldier
Matt Peters (Justice League Dark: Apokolips War) directs Injustice from a screenplay by Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush). Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) is producer and Alyessa Ornelas (Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge) is associate producer. Producer is Rick Morales (Mortal Kombat Legends franchise). Sam Register is executive producer.
Injustice
The Injustice 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in 4K with HDR, a Blu-ray disc featuring the film in hi-definition, and a digital version of the movie. The Blu-ray features a Blu-ray disc with the film in hi-definition and a digital version of the movie.
Catch a sneak peek at Injustice when DC FanDome, the ultimate global fan experience, returns on Saturday, October 16 at 10 a.m. PDT. The free virtual event will once again welcome fans from around the world to immerse themselves in the DC Multiverse at DCFanDome.com and celebrate the stars and creators of their favorite feature films, live-action and animated television series, games, comics, home entertainment releases and more. DC FanDome 2021 will also be available on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, giving fans more ways to watch the events unfolding in the Hall of Heroes.
Special Features:
Adventures in Storytelling – Injustice: Crisis and Conflict (New Featurette) – The storytellers behind the new Injustice animated film discuss how all the intense drama and unabashed action was brought to life.
DC Universe Movies Flashback
The Death of Superman
Reign of the Supermen
From the DC Vault
Justice League – Injustice For All, Part I
Justice League – Injustice For All, Part II
Catch a refresher course on DC’s animated Super Hero stories before the new movie on HBO Max. Injustice will also be available on Movies Anywhere.
DNEG, a leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studio for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content, announced the promotion of Tom Jacomb to President, DNEG Animation. Previously serving as Managing Director, Jacomb helped launch the Feature Animation division at DNEG in 2014.
Based in London, Jacomb has guided the growth of the team to more than 500 employees across DNEG’s animation studios in London, Los Angeles, Montréal and Mumbai. In his new role as President, Jacomb will oversee further worldwide investment and expansion of DNEG Animation, including expansion into Vancouver and the creation of up to 100 new animation roles in the city.
Jacomb’s promotion to President is effective concurrently with the appointment of five new senior members of DNEG Animation’s team and the studio’s expanding slate of new feature film and episodic animation productions. DNEG Animation’s recent projects include Ron’s Gone Wrong, DNEG’s first feature animation project (Locksmith Animation/20th Century Studios). The studio’s production slate also includes Under the Boardwalk for Paramount Animation, animated short Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat with Academy Award-winning director William Joyce, and four yet-to-be-announced projects. Additionally, the team is developing the first feature-length animated adaptation of The Great Gatsby with Joyce.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that Tom Jacomb, whose vision has guided our Feature Animation team since its inception in 2014, has been promoted to President, DNEG Animation. This promotion, and the onboarding of five new senior members of his team, supports our ambition for DNEG Animation to become one of the best and most highly regarded animation studios in the world,” said DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra. “Tom is continuing to build a superlative global team that is delivering fantastic work, delighting our clients and winning some fantastic film and episodic projects; and we will continue to build upon these great successes.”
Jacomb commented, “DNEG has long been known for its creative pedigree in visual effects, and I am incredibly proud of the opportunity to lead our amazing team and prove that DNEG can also excel in delivering the highest-quality animation projects. The team’s talents and hard work get the credit for our growth and the incredible projects that we are embarking on with our new feature film and episodic partners, including some very exciting co-production opportunities that will be announced in the months ahead. Looking to the future, I am very pleased to welcome our new senior crew members, who will bolster DNEG Animation’s global capabilities with even more creativity, experience and expertise.”
Five senior hires have been brought onboard to help lead the production of DNEG Animation’s expanding slate of projects:
Freddy Chaleur (Sherlock Gnomes, Gnomeo & Juliet) and Yancy Lindquist (The Boss Baby, Trolls) join DNEG Animation’s talented team of VFX Supervisors, which includes Philippe Denis, Archie Donato and Taylor Moll; Animation DirectorJay Boose (The Little Prince, Up) joins the team’s animation leadership group, which includes Kapil Sharma, Troy Saliba and Dave Lowry, all led by Ted Ty; and DNEG’s new hires are rounded out by Head of Look DevelopmentSonja Burchard (Rise of the Guardians, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Producer Audrey Ford (Turbo, Tangled).
The DNEG Animation original animated short Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat will receive its North American premiere at Spark Animation Festival in Vancouver, which runs from October 28 to November 7, 2021. The DNEG Animation creative team on this project, headed by SVP Creative Production David Prescott and VFX Supervisor Taylor Moll, worked closely with director William Joyce to develop the animated short within Unreal Engine, pushing the boundaries of what real-time game engine technology can bring to production feature animation and paving the way for the production of The Great Gatsby, which will be developed with these new workflows.
DNEG’s VFX work has won six (including five of the last seven) Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects for the feature films Tenet (2021), First Man (2019), Blade Runner 2049 (2018), Ex Machina (2016), Interstellar (2015) and Inception (2011); six BAFTA Awards (10 nominations); 11 VES Awards (28 nominations) and two Primetime Emmy Awards (four nominations).
WarnerMedia Kids & Family announced today the launch of ACME Night, an ultimate entertainment destination for families every Sunday starting Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network. The newest programming block, named after the fictional corporation made famous by the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, kicks off with the premiere of the Warner Bros. hit DC superhero feature film, Shazam. ACME Night will start off every week with family friendly blockbusters that include Man of Steel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sherlock Gnomes, Detective Pikachu, Scoob! and more.
As part of the WarnerMedia Kids & Family content commitment to appeal to everyone in the household, ACME Night will be reserved for families to sit down together every Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. ET/PT for a lineup of library favorites and upcoming new originals. ACME Night programming will also be available on HBO Max starting next year.
“In the world of ACME anything, and I do mean anything, is possible,” said Tom Ascheim, President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “We know families want to spend time together, so we’ve created a destination for multigenerational stories that pull families together through the power of imagination.”
Alongside a lineup of previously announced series and specials that include a Harry Potter Wizarding World Competition Event Series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Unicorn: Warriors Eternal and others, WarnerMedia Kids & Family has also greenlit a slate of original animated movies from Warner Bros. Animation that will add to ACME Night’s family programming roster.
Merry Little Batman
New movies greenlit for ACME Night:
Merry Little Batman: An animated family action comedy destined to join the rogues’ gallery of classic holiday movies. When a six-year-old Damian Wayne finds himself alone in Wayne Manor, he must transform into “Little Batman” in order to defend his home and Gotham City from the crooks and supervillains intent on destroying Christmas.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and based on characters from DC, Merry Little Batman is executive produced and directed by Mike Roth (Regular Show) from a screenplay by Morgan Evans (Earth to Ned).
Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story
Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story: From executive producer Wyatt Cenac, Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story brings back one of the most iconic sitcom characters of all time for an animated movie musical event.
The holiday season has arrived, and brilliant but accident-prone Steve Urkel has already ruined his local celebration by publicly humiliating a shopping mall Santa. In his attempt to make things right and score some nice points with the big guy in the North Pole, Steve creates an invention that only makes things worse. Using his big brain and even bigger heart, Steve must find the real Santa to see if together they can help the city rediscover the holiday spirit. Jaleel White serves as producer and will also reprise his iconic performance by voicing the beloved super genius.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story is written by Wyatt Cenac. Bryan Newton (Rick and Morty) serves as supervising director.
Untitled Looney Tunes Cartoons Movie
Untitled Looney Tunes Cartoons Movie: Planet Earth faces the threat of an alien invasion and humanity’s only hope lies with Porky Pig and Daffy Duck! Starring the classic animated odd couple, this sci-fi buddy action comedy turns Porky and Daffy into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Against all odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!) … that is if they don’t drive each other crazy in the process.
Created in the same world and style as the hit HBO Max original series, Looney Tunes Cartoons, the family movie is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Pete Browngardt (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer. Alex Kirwan (Looney Tunes Cartoons) is supervising producer and Kevin Costello serves as the writer.
Previously announced special joining ACME Night:
Aquaman: King of Atlantis: The three-part animated mini-series event begins with Aquaman’s first day on the job as king of Atlantis and he’s got a LOT of catching up to do. Luckily, he has his two royal advisors to back him up – Vulko the scholar and Mera the water-controlling warrior princess. Between dealing with unscrupulous surface dwellers, elder evils from beyond time and his own half-brother who wants to overthrow him, Aquaman is going to have to rise to the challenge and prove to his subjects, and to himself, that he’s the right man for the trident!
Based on the DC characters, Aquaman: King of Atlantis is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and executive produced by James Wan (Aquaman, upcoming Malignant), Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear (Annabelle Comes Home) and Rob Hackett (Swamp Thing) and Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!). Victor Courtright (ThunderCats Roar!) and Marly Halpern-Graser (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) serve as showrunners and co-executive producers.
Batman: Caped Crusader: This all-new animated series and reimagining of the Batman mythology comes to life through the visionary lens of executive producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves. Based on the DC characters, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Bad Robot Productions and 6th & Idaho, this powerful creative partnership will once again reinvent Batman and his iconic rogues’ gallery with sophisticated storytelling, nuanced characters and intense action sequences all set in a visually striking world.
(Fans can get more info and catch sneak peeks at Batman: Caped Crusader and Aquaman: King of Atlantis during the virtual DC FanDome expo in October.)
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai: In the animated television adaptation, we travel back to 1920s Shanghai to reveal the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering (and sometimes battling) colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.
Harry Potter Wizarding World Competition Event Series: To commemorate the 20th anniversary later this year of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, this new upcoming limited event special will help to find some of the biggest self-proclaimed Harry Potter fans to celebrate and test their Wizarding World knowledge. Produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, the limited series will include four one-hour quiz challenges and premiere later this year.
Unicorn: Warriors Eternal: From Emmy Award-winning creator Genndy Tartakovsky, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal follows a team of ancient heroes protecting the world from an ominous force. Throughout history, unicorns have symbolized the virtuous, appearing to ensure that goodness reigns. When the reawakening of our heroes comes too early, they find themselves in the bodies of teenagers. Damaged as a result, their memories of who they are and the history of the unicorn over the centuries have been lost, with some of their magical abilities weakened and fragmented. Not only do they have to protect the world against the prevailing darkness, they have to do it while navigating the unexpected laughs and humor that come with teen angst and emotions.
