October has a couple an extra spooky special treat in store for fans as Adult Swim premieres the highly anticipated zombie-spoof crossover The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking on Oct. 8 at midnight ET/PT (scroll down for trailer). Plus, the Cuylers return in an all-new 11th season of Squidbillies — making it the network’s longest-running original series — kicking off the 15th at midnight.
Ahead of these broadcast events, Adult Swim will liven up New York Comic Con (Oct. 5-8), pregaming the con with a stop on the Adult Swim on the Green tour Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens.
Look Who’s Walking will get a sneak peek NYCC screening with co-creators/EPs Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, EP/co-head writer Tom Root, writer/director Tom Sheppard, actor/writer Breckin Meyer and a secret surprise guest (or two) enjoying the Semiannual Gathering of the Silly Hats Club. Keith Crofford, SVP of production for Adult Swim, will moderate the talk. (Oct. 6, 1:45 p.m., Hammerstein Ballroom.) The Robot Chicken crew will return the following day for a signing at the Private Autographing station at the Javits Center, from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Synopses:
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking is an animated zombie apocalypse special from Robot Chicken’s Seth Green and Matthew Senreich and their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, along with The Walking Dead creator/executive producer Robert Kirkman and showrunner/executive producer Scott M. Gimple. The half-hour special will feature original talent from TWD lending voices to their characters including Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Steven Yeun, Sarah Wayne Callies, and more. Chris Hardwick and Breckin Meyer will also be among the cast.
Squidbillies season 11 sees the Cuylers solve America’s two most pressing issues: the War on Christmas and Gender-Neutral Restrooms. This season will also feature a handful of artists covering the show’s theme song, including Steve Earle, Ty Segall, Against Me!, Bob Mould, Stephen Malkmus, Camper Van Beethoven, Elizabeth Cook, and “Weird Al” Yankovic. Created and produced by Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and Jim Fortier, the quarter-hour animated comedy series follows America’s favorite family of violent, rural cephalopods addicted to ignorance and raising hell in the red clay of Dougal County, Georgia. (Sneak Peek)
SquidbilliesThe Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking
Amazon has detailed its fall slate of kids’ original series set to launch exclusively on Prime Video. These include a new season of Wishenpoof (Sept. 26, trailer below), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (Oct. 13), If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Nov. 7) and a second season of the warmly received The Stinky & Dirty Show (TBA).
“We’re honored to reintroduce If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Sigmund’s iconic character to a new generation of kids and families,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “Our fall slate will bring customers more engaging and heartwarming stories to enjoy with their families.”
In other developments, the Wishenpoof season 2 soundtrack will be available to stream over Amazon Music Unlimited and Prime Music starting Sept. 26. The show’s Wish Magic Adventure Game by Haywire Group is available now on Amazon.
New series premiering are:
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (October 13): Sid & Marty Krofft’s Sigmund and the Sea Monsters follows two beachcombing brothers, Johnny (Solomon Stewart) and Scotty (Kyle Breitkopf), who find Sigmund – a real live sea monster. The two brothers befriend the harmless and funny Sigmund and hide him in their clubhouse. However, keeping him a secret may be nearly impossible since the town’s overzealous Captain Barnabas (David Arquette) is obsessed with proving that sea monsters are real. With the help of their cousin Robyn (Rebecca Bloom), this team of friends makes it their mission to protect their new friend and have a great and memorable summer. Based on the nostalgic 1970s live-action series, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters is directed by Ron Oliver and is executive produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. The series will also feature a cover of the original theme song, “Friends,” by The Roots.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (November 7): If you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably ask for a glass of milk, and then…who knows what he’ll ask for next? Based on the beloved books by Laura Numeroff (Dennis the Menace) and Felicia Bond and executive produced by Numeroff, Bond and Emmy Award-winning writer Ken Scarborough (Arthur, Sesame Street, Curious George) who also serves as head writer, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie follows the adventures of Mouse, Oliver, Moose, Pig, Cat, and Dog, as they discover that when you’ve got a curious Mouse for a friend, one thing always leads to another, then another, and then another! The show’s learning approach was developed in consultation with authors Mimi Ito and John Seely Brown and revolves around a cause and effect narrative structure that sparks imagination and the creativity engendered by knowing that possibilities are endless. The pilot and beloved book are both rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by customers with 82% 5-star reviews for the pilot and 84% 5-star reviews for the book. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie will feature new recordings by Grammy nominated recording artist Lisa Loeb.
Returning series:
Wishenpoof (September 26): Wishenpoof centers on Bianca (Addison Holley), a fairy who can grant wishes using Wish Magic. The series highlights her thought process as she thinks, decides and solves problems in her own creative way. Each episode features a new song by Bianca for viewers to sing along with and imaginative stories to follow. Created by Angela C. Santomero (Blue’s Clues, Creative Galaxy, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Super Why!) and produced by Out of the Blue Enterprises, the show features guest voice talent Jason Priestly (Beverly Hills 90210) as Bianca’s dad. The series’ learning approach is based on Ellen Galinsky’s “Seven Essential Life Skills” framework that focuses on skills to help children reach their full potential by having empathy for others, tackling challenges, communicating effectively, thinking critically, and to never stop learning. Season one is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by customers with 79% 5-star reviews.
The Stinky & Dirty Show (Fall 2017): Based on the “I Stink!” book series by Kate and Jim McMullan, The Stinky & Dirty Show follows the adventures and mishaps faced by best friends and unlikely heroes: Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe loader. They are a dynamic, hilarious and resourceful duo who learn when things don’t go as expected, asking “what if” can lead to success. The series is written and developed by Guy Toubes (The Adventures of Chuck & Friends, Littlest Pet Shop, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi), executive produced by Toubes and Holly Huckins, and animated by Brown Bag Films (Peter Rabbit, Octonauts, Doc McStuffins). This season will once again feature original music from acclaimed folk singer and songwriter Dan Bern and celebrity voice talent, including Whoopi Goldberg, Mark Hamill, Jane Lynch, Andy Richter, Joan Cusack and Wallace Shawn (Toy Story). The series’ learning approach is based on Jessica Lahey’s New York Times bestseller The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, specifically modeling resourcefulness, resilience, teamwork, and the benefits of failure. Season one is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by customers with 87% 5-star reviews.
The Stinky and Dirty ShowSigmund and the Sea MonstersIf You Give a Mouse a CookieWishenproof
Animation Is Film — a new toon event on the LA scene — has announced the preliminary feature competition lineup and jury for its inaugural edition. The selection will offer Stateside audiences an assortment of new films from Asia, Europe, South America and North America vying for both juried and audience prizes. The festival is set for Oct. 20-22 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theater in Hollywood.
The jurists confirmed so far are jury chair Peter Debruge (chief film critic, Variety), Allison Abbate (EVP Theatrical Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures; producer, The Iron Giant, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The LEGO Movie), Bonnie Arnold (DreamWorks Animation; producer Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (director, Book of Life), Charles Solomon (film critic and historian), and Mabel Tam (head film buyer, Landmark Cinemas).
The full lineup will be announced and tickets will go on sale on September 20 at animationisfilm.com. Animation Is Film is produced by GKIDS in partnership with Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Variety, with Google and Fathom Events as additional sponsors and media partners.
French kids’ entertainment company Millimages announces that its cuddly rabbit cartoon star is hopping to a new home, as TF1 has picked up the first two seasons of Molang (104 x 3’30”) for its youth programming block TFOU in France. The producer has also secured pre-financing for a third 52 episode season of the preschool hit with Canal+.
The series centers on best friend Molang the eccentric rabbit and PiuPiu the shy little chick as they tackle everyday adventures with warmth and humor. The offbeat friendship between joyful, enthusiastic Molang and discreet, emotional PiuPiu drives the stories which have charmed audiences around the globe.
Molang has been sold to broadcaster in over 200 countries, and just recently saw the launch of its toy line from master toy licensee TOMY in Europe and Australia. The line is set to hit the US market in Q1 of 2018 via Jazwares.
TFOU, aimed at kids 4-10,broadcasts more than 750 hours of programming a year. It finished 2016 with an excellent average viewing share of 25% with its target demographic, according to Mediametrie.
Paris-based CG shop and content producer TeamTO and Belgian producer Nexus Factory are developing School of Magic, a new 52 x 11 min. animated series spin-off of Studio Canal’s international hit feature, House of Magic. The project is an official selection at this year’s Cartoon Forum, and TeamTO and Nexus will have a bible, trailer and animatic of the first episode to present.
School of Magic stars a band of talented and inquisitive kids who dream of becoming magicians. Dylan, Izzy, Zach, Vincent and Veronica all have one thing in common: a gift for illusion, conjuring, misdirection, and all things magical, so this summer they’re attending magic camp to live out their passion! And the House of Magic, run by legendary magician and illusionist Lawrence Deweerd, is the perfect place to do it!
Director Christian de Vita is attached to the project, bringing a wealth of experience across many different creative disciplines in animation and live-action production, from directing and writing to storyboarding and character design. De Vita’s resume includes stints at top studios such as Aardman, Disney, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., BBC and Collingwood, with credits on feature films (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Frankenweenie, Yellowbird) and series (PJ Masks, Chop Socky Chooks, Angelo Rules).
“For me, the School of Magic is a way to rediscover the childhood memory, excitement and wonder of illusionism,” said de Vita. “I was a fan of illusionism as a child, especially the Victorian period. The great challenge is to make this relevant to a contemporary audience. The setting and characters are so rich, each with their own distinct image, personality and style of magic which offers a deep source for great storytelling and a true magical experience… The inner workings and mysteries of a true school of illusionism.”
The Television Academy has announced the juried award winners for the 69th Emmy Awards for Animation, Motion Design and Interactive Programming. The honors will be presented at the Creative Arts Awards ceremony on Saturday, September 9.
Creatives from Cartoon Network Studios swept the Individual Achievement in Animation category with four of the five spots going to artist on Adult Swim’s Samurai Jack — the rogue standout was a nod to Wander Over Yonder. Google Spotlight Stories’ VR short Pearl took the Interactive Programming prize.
This year’s juried winners are:
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
Samurai Jack “XCIII” • Adult Swim • Cartoon Network Studios: Bryan Andrews, Storyboard Artist
Samurai Jack “XCIII” • Adult Swim • Cartoon Network Studios: Scott Wills, Production Designer
Samurai Jack “XCII” • Adult Swim • Cartoon Network Studios: Craig Kellman, Character Designer
Wander Over Yonder “The End of the Galaxy: • Disney XD • Disney Television Animation: Justin Nichols, Character Animator
OUTSTANDING MOTION DESIGN
Beyond Magic • ABC • Buck: Orion Tait, Executive Creative Director; Thomas Schmid, Creative Director; Daniel Oeffinger, Creative Director; William Trebutien, Lead Animator,
13th • Netflix • Forward Movement LLC and Kandoo Films: Angus Wall, Co-Creative Director; Leanne Dare, Co-Creative Director; Lynn Cho, Designer; Dan Meehan, Animator; Ekin Akalin, Animator.
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMING
PEARL • Google Spotlight Stories and Evil Eye Pictures: Patrick Osborne, Director David Eisenmann, Producer; Karen Dufilho, Executive Producer.
Juried categories require all entrants to be screened by a panel of professionals in the appropriate peer group with the possibility of one, more than one, or no entry being awarded an Emmy. As a consequence, there are no nominees but instead a one-step evaluation and voting procedure. Deliberations include open discussions of each entrant’s work with a thorough review of the merits of awarding the Emmy. After each deliberation, the jury considers the question, “Is this entry worthy of an Emmy award – yea or nay?” Only those with unanimous approval win.
The 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, executive-produced by Bob Bain, will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles beginning at 5 p.m.PT each evening. FXX will broadcast the awards on Saturday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
World champion racer Lightning McQueen is burning rubber towards shelves and digital outlets, with his latest Disney-Pixar adventure Cars 3 revvin’ on home on Digital HD & 4K Ultra HD on October 24, and on Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Nov. 7. This summer’s high-octane outing will be the first of the studio’s titles to be released in the next-gen 4K format, and comes fully loaded with bonus features (including an all-new mini-movie starring Miss Fritter).
Directed by Brian Fee (storyboard artist, Cars & Cars 2), Cars 3 sees Lightning (voiced by Owen Wilson) team up with a spirited trainer named Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) to take on a new generation of blazing-fast, top of the line racers — including conceited newcomer Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer). The voice cast also features Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion and Lea DeLaria as Miss Fritter.
The standard DVD release includes the Pixar theatrical short Lou, directed by Dave Mullins, and commentary.
Bonus features on the super charged Blu-ray and Digital versions include:
– Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool (exclusive new mini-movie) – Enjoy blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8s, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter’s Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives
– Lou (theatrical short) – When a toy-stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
– Let’s. Get. Crazy. – Get schooled in the world of demolition derby, the “rules” of figure 8 racing, and how Pixar puts the crazy in the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 race. This piece is hosted by Lea DeLaria.
– Legendary – A close, historical look at the racing legends Wendell Scott and Louise Smith, whose tenacity and perseverance got them into the race even when they weren’t invited.
– Ready for the Race – Disney Channel’s Olivia Rodrigo and NASCAR Racer William Byron check out the Hendrick Motorsports campus to showcase how real-world race training influenced the filmmakers.
– World’s Fastest Billboard – Blink and you will miss all of the graphics and “car-ified” advertisements created by Pixar’s Art team to make the Cars 3 world as believable as possible.
– Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car That Could – Join Cristela Alonzo and the filmmakers on their journey to create a race-car trainer turned champion racer.
– Generations: The Story of Cars 3 – For the story team, creating Lightning McQueen’s next chapter didn’t involve just a tune-up, but a complete overhaul.
– My First Car – A collection of illustrated first-car stories as narrated by members of the Cars 3 cast and crew: “A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington,” “Old Blue,” and “Still in the Family.”
– 5 Deleted Scenes – Each with an introduction as to why it was removed from the film: “The Boogie Woogie,” “The Jars of Dirt,” “Lugnut,” “The Bolt,” and “More Than New Paint.”
– Cars To Die(cast) For – Take a look at the phenomenon of die-cast toy collecting and the more than 1,000 unique designs that exist in the Cars universe.
– Commentary – Brian Fee (Director), Kevin Reher (Producer), Andrea Warren (Co-Producer) and Jay Ward (Creative Director)
Casting in place for ‘Aladdin’ Live-Action Adaptation
The live-action take on the Disney animation classic — directed by Guy Ritchie — has completed its casting and entered production at Longcross Studios outside London. Starring are Will Smith as Genie, Mena Massoud (Jack Ryan) as Aladdin, Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) as Princess Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) as Jafar, pictured in this great selfie; with Navid Negahban as the Sultan of Agrabah, Nasim Pedrad as handmaiden Dalia, Billy Magnussen as the suitor Prince Anders of Skanland, and Numan Acar as Hakim, head of the palace guards and Jafar’s right-hand man.
’The Rocketeer’ Reboot in the Works
In other Disney live-action news, the 1991 action-adventure flick is getting a remake/sequel (requel?), penned by Max Winkler and Matt Spicer (Magic Camp), retitled The Rocketeers, and getting a black female lead!
Peter Rice Promoted to President of 21st Century Fox
The longtime exec will now oversee international channels in addition to the majority of Fox’s domestic TV operations — including primetime toon destinations Fox and FX — and will retain his title as Chairman-CEO of Fox Networks Group, which he’s held since 2012.
VIDEO: MPC ‘Ghost in the Shell’ VFX Breakdown
Working with director Rupert Sanders and Production VFX Supervisors Guillaume Rocheron and John Dykstra, MPC’s teams in Montreal, London and Bangalore contributed to more than 1,000 shots for the manga adaptation, under the leadership of supes Arundi Asregadoo and Axel Bonami.
DHX Media has tapped industry vet Jerry Diaz as its new Vice President Distribution, in which role he will have direct responsibility for managing the global sales and distribution business at the company. Diaz will report to and work closely with Josh Scherba, EVP Content and Distribution, who holds overall responsibility for kids’ and family content creation and sales.
“Jerry’s reputation and relationships in the kids’ content world are exceptional,” said Scherba. “I have had the privilege of knowing Jerry personally for over 15 years and am thrilled to have him bring his experience and talent to DHX Media. We anticipate he will bring great benefits working alongside our stellar distribution team and help to provide key insights into the global market for our leading content development team.”
“I’ve had a strong peer relationship with Josh and the DHX Media team for many years in the kids’ content space,” Diaz commented. “I am excited about what DHX has to offer its customers and am thrilled to be joining a respected and seasoned team, well-liked for their relentless pursuit of excellence in the growing kids’ content arena.”
Diaz brings more than three decades of experience in the global content distribution business to his new post. He joins DHX Media after more than seven years leading global sales and distribution at Corus Entertainment’s animation arm, Nelvana Enterprises, where as VP of Worldwide Sales and Distribution he sold directly into Canada, the US, the UK, Spain, Portugal and South America.
Prior to Nelvana, Diaz ran his own company for two years, representing producers including TV-Loonland, Evergreen Ent. and Scholastic Ent. in North America and Latin America. He had previously been with TV-Loonland for 8 years, preceded by 5 years at Heart Ent. and 7 at ABC Distribution.
Based in Toronto, Diaz is originally from New Jersey, and holds a BA in Communications from William Paterson University.
NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment is officially launching rebranded kids’ network Universal Kids (formerly Sprout) on Saturday, September 9. Highlighted in the expanded content offerings are series from NBCU acquisition DreamWorks Animation Television, and proven hits of the live-action and animation varieties. Universal Kids programming will extend the network’s audience from purely preschool to appeal to kids up to 12.
The launch lineup’s animated offerings are:
All Hail King Julien – Premieres Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.; airs M-F at 6:30 p.m. thereafter.
From DreamWorks Animation Television, find out how Julien became King in this series set before the blockbuster “Madagascar” feature films. All Hail King Julien portrays the adventures of a laugh-out-loud lemur and his wild friends on their return to Madagascar.
The Deep – Premieres Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; airs Sun.-Fri. At 7:30 p.m.
An animated series that follows the adventures of the Nekton family, a brilliant team of underwater explorers who explore the mysterious depths of the ocean, where most of our world lies unexplored and unexplained.
Dragons: Riders of Berk – Premieres Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.; airs M-F at 7 p.m.
From DreamWorks Animation Television, follow Hiccup, Toothless and the rest of the Viking teens as they balance the new cohabitation of Dragons and Vikings while helping the residents of Berk overcome their fears.
Masha and the Bear – Premieres Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.; airs M-F at 6 p.m.
A 3D animated family show that features the hilarious stories of a mischievous little girl Masha and her kind and caring father-like friend, the Bear.
Five of the UK’s leading festivals of world cinema will bring a touring show of rare, forgotten and sometimes suppressed pioneering African films to audiences across the country. Featuring in the “Africa’s Lost Classics” program will be several animated pieces which helped lay the foundation of the continent’s growing industry. In all, the lineup includes two dozen titles from 15 countries.
Africa in Motion founder Dr. Lizelle Bisschoff, a South African-born film lecturer at the University of Glasgow and the program’s chief researchers, said:
“In the past decade or so the five festivals in the TANO alliance have been working hard to redress the imbalance which makes it extremely rare for African films to get any screen time in the UK. As a result, the festivals have focused mainly on giving audiences what is often their only chance to see the best contemporary releases or the past work of the best-known directors. But African film history is punctuated by many incidents of great films and exceptional talent being lost, forgotten or silenced. So for the Africa’s Lost Classic programme we are delving into the archives to let UK film fans discover an older selection of work of which they are most likely unaware, because the films were banned, forgotten, damaged, lost or simply failed to get the distribution deal they deserved.”
Animated works included in the program are:
Bon Voyage Sim – Moustapha Alassane (Niger, 1966): From sub-Saharan Africa’s first maker of animated film, this satire shows what happens when Sim, president of the toads, seeks to pass off a luxury gadabout as diplomacy. 5 min., silent.
La femme mariée à trois hommes – Danièle Roy & Cilia Sawadogo (Burkina Faso, 1993): An animated fable about a woman’s right to choose her husband, in which a princess sets tests to make a pick from several suitors. 6 min., in French with subtitles.
National Defence – The Frenkel Brothers (Egypt, 1940): A funny but forgotten propaganda film, urging Egyptians to donate to the WW2 effort. The Frenkels were inspired to become animators by Felix the Cat cartoons – an influence shown by their character, Mish-Mish, Egypt’s first animated hero. 10 min., in Arabic with subtitles.
Princess Yennega – Claude Le Gallou & Blaise Patrix (1986, Burkina Faso): Cut-out paper animation is used to tell the story of Yennenga, a legendary mediaeval princess and warrior, considered to be the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. 12 min., in French with subtitles.
Toad Visits His In-Laws – Jean Michel Kibushi (1991, Democratic Republic of Congo): The first animated Congolese film is based on a folk story from the Sankuru region of DCR. 10 min., in French with subtitles.
Some of the film in Africa’s Lost Classics have been rediscovered and restored by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project. Other titles are being retrieved from academic, family or specialist collections around the world. Three works by women directors are being restored and subtitled especially for the tour: Fatma 75 (Selma Baccar, Tunisia), Flame (Ingrid Sinclair, Zimbabwe) and Mossane (Safi Faye, Senegal).
The Africa’s Lost classics initiative is funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council through a grant from University of Glasgow. Dr. Bisschoff is principal investigator, with Dr. David Murphy (Univ. of Stirling) as co-investigator.
The best-selling audiobooks series Tales by Marlène Jobert (Les Contes de Marlène Jobert) will be getting an animated makeover from Paris-based Superprod, with an eye to create digital-targeted content. Superprod launched a dedicated digital division, headed by Carole Brin, in July.
“We have always been very fond of Marlène Jobert’s tales, as they are all narrated with much tenderness and humor,” explain Clément Calvet and Jeremie Fajner, founders of Superprod. They have been part of the lives of generations of kids and parents and we are delighted to work on adapting them and offering them to the audience on booming digital platforms.”
Published in France by Editions Glénat, the Tales series has sold more than 11 million copies. The 90-plus titles include adaptations of classic stories such as Snow White or Hansel and Gretel, as well as biographical introductions to famous composers like Mozart, Bach or Vivaldi. Each tale comprises an illustrated book and an accompanying CD of narration by Jobert, a popular actress, author and storyteller.
Superprod is developing the tales into a digital platform-targeted series for children ages 3-7.
“The tales written and narrated by Marlène Jobert are an invitation to dream and travel, and we believe that a series adapted to on-demand platforms such as Youtube, DailyMotion or Amazon, will enable young children to pursue in another way, and as much as they want, their literary adventure,” commented Brin, Superprod’s Chief Digital Officer.
Marion Corveler Glénat from Editions Glénat added: “We are very delighted with this partnership with Superprod. It will offer children a new way of reading Tales by Marlène Jobert and will create a new convivial moment for the whole family.”
Announced back in March, Universal 1440’s holiday hit song-inspired CG tale has received a home entertainment debut date and a spunky, snowy trailer. Narrated and executive produced by the all-time best-selling diva, Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital and On Demand on November 14 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Adapted from the illustrated book of the same name, the movie centers on little Mariah, who desperately wishes to find the darling puppy named Princess she saw at the pet store under the tree on Christmas morning. To make her wish come true, Mariah must show responsibility by dog-sitting her uncle’s scraggly rascal, Jack — the worst dog in the country! Jack’s antics turn her family’s perfect holiday preparations upside down in hilarious ways. Even though it isn’t exactly the Christmas she wished for, Mariah realizes it was more than she ever wanted.
All I Want for Christmas features the voices of Breanna Yde (School of Rock) as Mariah, Henry Winkler (Royal Pains) as Grandpa Bill, Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) and Phil Morris (Smallville) as Mariah’s mother and father, Penelope and Bud; with Laya Hayes (Doc McStuffins) as Mariah’s friend Vicky, and Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls) as pet adoption facilitator Emiko. In addition to narrating, Carey performs an all-new original song “Lil Snowman” for the movie, which naturally features “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and the pop queen’s other holiday classics, “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and “Christmas Time Is in the Air.”
The Blu-ray, DVD and Digital versions include the bonus featurette “A Wish Come True: Making Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You,” in which stars Cary and Yde discuss their roles in the film, their love for dogs, and their favorite things about Christmas.
The pic is exec produced by Carey and Stella Bulochnikov for Magic Carpet Prod., in partnership with producer Mike Young and Splash Ent. (Kulipari, Norm of the North). Guy Vasilovich (LEGO Star Wars) directs from a script by Temple Mathews (Return to Neverland, The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea).
Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is YouMariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You
Hang on to your childhoods, ‘90s kids. Netflix has released the first trailer for its much anticipated revamp of Emmy-winning The Magic School Bus. Produced by 9 Story and Scholastic, the new Netflix Original Series The Magic School Bus Rides Again premieres exclusively on the streaming platform on September 29.
In the trailer, we get a first look at the slight makeover given the classic property — which includes a touch of de-frizzing for Ms. Frizzle and possibly an animated nose job — and meet the new teacher in town. A glimpse at the educational adventures that await is backed by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s re-recording of the iconic theme song.
Official synopsis: The kids are back at Walkerville School for another school year of astonishing, out-of-this-world field trips in this all-new reimagining of the iconic science-comedy-adventure series The Magic School Bus. But this year, there’s a new Frizzle (Kate McKinnon)! The younger sister of the famed Professor Frizzle (Lily Tomlin) has taken over the classroom! But worry not – the new Ms. Frizzle shares her sister’s zany ways and passion for science. Field trips this year are wilder than ever, into the clouds, across the internet, riding the continents – even a plunge into the depths of the Sun itself! And along the way, the kids we know and love bring their science investigations into the 21st century – still taking chances, making mistakes and getting messy!
Lucasfilm Animation’s Emmy-nominated series Star Wars Rebels is returning to screens for its fourth (and final) season, premiering Monday, October 16 on Disney XD and the Disney XD App. The one-hour episode — which will air at 12:30 a.m., 3 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET –will see the crew of the spaceship Ghost embark on their most important mission yet, wending their way through the galaxy towards the series’ grand finale.
Check out the new trailer below, and remember you can catch up on seasons 1-3 on the Disney XD App from September 28 to the premiere.
The last season will see the Ghost crew rejoin the Rebel Alliance, struggling to unite against the Galactic Empire. But when a new Imperial threat arises on Lothal, Ezra and his crew return to his home world to defeat the forces under the command of the cunning Grand Admiral Thrawn. Old friends will be reunited, and new alliances will be forged, leading to the epic conclusion.
Star Wars Rebels features the voices of Freddie Prinze Jr. as Kanan, Vanessa Marshall as Hera, Steve Blum as Zeb, Tiya Sircar as Sabine, Taylor Gray as Ezra, Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex, David Oyelowo as Kallus, Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera and Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn. Season 4 also brings in original Star Wars actor Warwick Davis as Rukh, Thrawn’s deadly assassin.
The series is created by Emmy winner Dave Filoni (The Clone Wars), Oscar nominee Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Emmy nominee Carrie Beck. Filoni and Kinberg are executive producers, with Henry Gilroy as co-exec producer.
Kids entertainment co. CAKE has secured a distribution deal with Virgin TV which will bring programs from the CAKE catalog — nearly 500 episodes in all — to Virgin TV Kids’ no demand service (available to Virgin Media subscribers in the UK and Ireland) and its brand new Kids app, launched August 24.
“We are very excited to bring nearly 500 episodes of great kids content to Virgin TV with CAKE,” said David Bouchier, Chief Digital Entertainment Officer at Virgin TV. “The addition of programming such as Angry Birds, Total Drama and Wanda and the Alien underlines our commitment to a market-leading kids offer for Virgin TV. Kids TV is a clear focus for us and it is great to have CAKE as key a partner.”
Additional highlights of the deal’s programming package include Rovio Ent.’s latest Angry Birds toons Angry Birds Blues (launched earlier this year) and Piggy Tales: 4th Street (in production) and BAFTA-nominated kids’ live-action sci fi series The Sparticle Mystery.
Ed Galton, CCO and Managing Director at CAKE said, “It is exciting to be working with Virgin TV as they expand their offering to kids and we hope this will be the beginning of a fruitful partnership.”
VIEW Conference 2017 Full Program Now Online
With an awesome lineup of more than 50 inspiring industry speakers, the Turin, Italy CG confab is setting up to be another can’t-miss edition. Highlights include a masterclass with director Mark Osborne (The Little Prince), keynote on immersive storytelling by Eric Darnell (Chief Creative Director, Baobab Studios), digital humans workshop with VFX legend Hal Hickel, and much more.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Anifilm 2018
The international festival competition is open to animated works and — for the first time! — videogames. Projects finished after Jan. 1, 2017 are eligible for entry in the Feature Film (adults / children), Short Film, Student Film, Music Video, Abstract & Non-Narrative Animation, and Independent Computer Games (Visual Art / Game for Children) — deadline is Jan. 15, 2018. The next Anifilm will take place May 1-6 in Trebon, Czech Rep.
Oaxaca FilmFest Announces 2017 Official Selection
The 8th edition has a moderate but well-rounded assortment of animated shorts: Au Revoir Balthazar by Rafael Sommerhalder (Switzerland), Dimensions by Nicolas Castillo (Ecuador), Dog Clog by Maggie Miller (US), E-Delivery by Young Gul Cho (US), Fatcula by Marinus Klemet (Estonia), Fox and the Whale by Robin Joseph (Canada), Gift Away by Shawy (France), Lupus by Carlos Gomez Salamanca (France), Stars by Han Zhang (US) and Weekends by Trevor Jimenez (US).
‘Batman: Gotham by Gaslight” Sneak Peek
The super popular steampunk comic from Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola is next on the DC Universe Original Movie docket, as teased earlier this summer.
Acclaimed director, animator and artist Ivana Sebestova — two-time winner of the Slovak National Film Award, for Four (2007) and Snow (2013), and a driving creative force behind hit cartoon and book series Mimi & Lisa — will debut her latest short film, Yellow, at the grand opening of travelling film fest Projekt 100 in Bratislava on September 6. The animation will run with Gyorgy Kristof’s feature, Out, which premiered at Cannes this year.
The seven-minute film explores the the representational themes of “yellow” — a color of happiness, warmth and life — while relating a relatable story about an opera singer. “Yellow is a movie about freedom and the joy of living, but also about the fear that stops us from enjoying them,” said Sebestova. “The main character has withdrawn into her own, neatly structured world whose boundaries make her feel safe. Fortunately, her longing for freedom is much stronger than her fear of the unknown.”
Yellow was scripted by Katarina Molakova, produced by Katarina Kerekesova and Ivana Lauckova, and features music by composer Michal Novinski and an aria by Geminiano Giacomelli (sung by Katarina Kurucova and performed by Vlado Sarissky). The short was produced with traditional hand-drawn animation, with a small digital boost.
“I animated the line drafts on the computer, one frame at a time, altogether over 3,000 of them, printed them out, and colored each of them by hand. After applying thin layers of the background color on each picture, I needed to elaborate every detail, just like in a coloring book,” Sebestova explained.
In addition to the film’s premiere, Projekt 100 will feature an exhibition of Sebestova’s original production drawings for Yellow. The film opens the festival Wednesday at the Lumiere Cinema.
Yellow is co-produced by Fool Moon and Feel Me Film with the support of the Slovak Audiovisual Fund; follow the project at facebook.com/FilmYellow. Projekt 100 Film Festival is organized by the Association of Slovak Film Clubs.
9 Story Distribution International and China’s Magic Mall Entertainment have joined forces for a new animated children’s series, Luo Bao Bei. Created and produced by Magic Mall, with Welsh studio Cloth Cat Animation commissioned for production, 9 Story’s international distribution arm has picked up global distribution and merchandising rights (excluding China).
Luo Bao Bei is currently in production, due to premiere in China later this year. The 52 x 11-min. series aimed at kids 4-7 has award-winning writer Dave Ingham (Shaun the Sheep, The Octonauts) onboard as head writer. 9 Story will shop the project at MIP Junior next month with several completed episodes to show.
The star of the series is 7-year-old Luo Bao Bei, a bright and spirited girl with a vivid imagination who is driven to understand the world around her. With her friends, family, and some endearing animal companions by her side, she navigates the excitement of childhood with enthusiasm and curiosity, finding adventures along the way and learning important life lessons.
“We are so thrilled to be representing this one-of- a-kind property,” said Alix Wiseman, VP Acquisitions & Business Development for 9 Story Distribution International. “We immediately fell in love with Luo Bao Bei’s irrepressible determination and with the funny and touching storylines about growing up and being part of a family. We are also very excited to become a part of this unique international collaboration between Magic Mall and 9 Story. We feel the series has tremendous potential around the world and can’t wait to share initial episodes at MIPCOM.”
Premium content distributor Federation Kids & Family announces the hiring of former France Télévisions kids’ acquisition exec Alexandre Hénin as its Head of Acquisitions, and as Creative Producer for its sister production company Cottonwood Media. Tasked primarily with sourcing and investing in new animated and live-action children’s content for co-production and acquisitions, Hénin will report to David Michel, President of Cottonwood and Head of Federation Kids & Family.
Hénin started his career as programming manager at Nickelodeon France as it was booting up in 2005. In this post, he was responsible for launching flagship series on their satellite and digital platforms, as well as Viacom’s second channel in the territory, Nickelodeon Junior France. In 2012 Hénin joined France Télévisions as Program Executive in charge of Acquisitions for kids’ programming, building the children’s slate for France 3, France 4 and France 5, as well as YA product on their digital channels.
Hénin’s appointment is part of a raft of new staffing coming in the wake of rapid growth for Federation K&F and Cottonwood. Founded by Michel, Cécile Lauritano and Zoé Carrera Allaix three years ago, Cottonwood currently has two animated series in production — Ollie & Moon and Squish — as well as live-action fare, and an ambitious development slate with more toons, live-action series and feature films.
Recent hires have also included Monica Levy (Head of International Sales & Co-Productions for Kids and Family) and Sarah Zarka (Sales Executive).
