Mikael Hed, founder and former CEO of Rovio Entertainment (Angry Birds), has formed a new venture focused on animation, digital apps, and publishing: Kaiken Entertainment. The new outfit, for which Hed serves as Executive Chairman, has purchased Rovio’s Vancouver-based TV animation department as well as its publishing unit in Helsinki, and will continue to churn out cartoons and licensed Angry Birds titles for Hed’s previous company.
“‘Kaiken’ in Finnish means ‘everything,’ and alludes to the vision of the company. We want to be a 360-degree entertainment company. To me that means that while we’re starting from a story driven standpoint, we also want to create properties like amusement park rides, games or merchandise,” Hed told Variety, adding, “We are very happy with our collaboration with Rovio, but we will also be working with a number of other companies, so we are not in an exclusive relationship, so to speak.”
Hed stepped down as CEO of Rovio in 2014, transitioning to Exec. Chairman at Rovio Animation in 2015 to focus on The Angry Birds Movie — which grossed about $350 million worldwide. Hed will continue to work on the feature’s sequel while based in LA, and will transition out of his role at Rovio in the next few months.
Laura Nevanlinna is CEO of Kaiken Publishing, and will head franchise and portfolio development in Helsinki. Two experienced Rovio producers and the kickstarters of its Vancouver operations, Ulla Junell and Joonas Rissanen, have been named President of Kaiken Canada and Creative Director, respectively.
Experience senior animation executive Steve Pegram (Rovio, Aardman, DreamWorks Animation) and Rovio’s President of Animation, Tommy Korpinen (previously at Disney, DreamWorks) have joined Kaiken’s Advisory Board.
Following the National Film Board of Canada’s announcement last year that it had set a goal to have 50% of its productions directed by women and 50% of all production spending allocated to films directed by women by the year 2019, the organization is pushing its commitment to gender parity even further.
The NFB’s newly announced goal is to reach a 50% fulfillment of key creative positions for animated, documentary and interactive works in production by women as of 2020. The initiative targets editing, cinematography, screenwriting and music composition and includes crucial roles in animation and immersive/interactive storytelling, where women are strikingly in the minority. This includes titles like art director, art designer and creative technologist.
“We urgently need to take action today if we want to make a difference tomorrow. It is high time for women in the film industry to have the invaluable place they deserve. Parity must become a reality for filmmakers as well as for women working in key creative positions. Our commitment to parity includes a commitment to cultural diversity: we are committed to ensuring an inclusive place for all women,” said Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson.
The NFB will work with Women in Film and Television Vancouver, Women in View, Réalisatrices Équitables, and Femmes du Cinéma, de la Télévision et des Médias Numériques — as well as professional associations, guilds and training institutes — to understand the systemic realities and discuss potential initiatives. The org will also create a “talent bank” to stockpile portfolio, demo and resume submissions from female professionals.
Women have a ways to go to reach parity in these positions at NFB, where on films produced by between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017, women accounted for 27% of screenwriters, 24% of editors, 12% of cinematographers, and 13% of music roles. According to reports from Women in View, across the Canadian feature film industry (2013-2014), women were just 17% of directors, 22% of screenwriters and 12% of cinematographers.
However, the NFB’s key creative and managerial positions are much more equitably staffed: 53% of NFB’s producers and executive producers across Canada are women, as are 58% of its senior managers and 50% of its Board of Trustees.
As for the directors parity goals for 2019, NFB is largely on track. For the 2016-2107 period, 44% of NFB works were directed by women (51% by men, 5% by mixed teams), while 43% of allocated funds were granted to women-directed productions (40% to male-directed and 15% to mixed team projects). You can check out some of Canada’s finest female-directed films at nfb.ca/channels/women.
Spanish broadcaster RTVE has unveiled its new HD children’s channel, Clan for America, which will bring top programming and the values espoused by the state-owned public TV and radio company from across the Atlantic to fresh audiences. The announcement was made ahead of the Andina Link audiovisual market in Cartagena (March 7-9).
Aimed at viewers under age 12, with a special focus on preschoolers and kids 4-7 (targeted by 82% of the programming), Clan for America’s guiding philosophy will be to promote friendship, respect for the environment and creativity. The network’s lineup will feature recent in-house productions, co-productions with top European indies (66% of programs), as well as acquired Spanish productions (34%).
Clan for America’s mission is “to be where the kids are, but with supervision; to say what children say, but judiciously; and to dream what children dream, but with intelligence” per a statement from RTVE. The channel will launch in Q2 of 2017.
The RTVE team, led by the Deputy Director of International Sales, María Jesús Pérez, will be introducing Clan for America to Andina Link attendees this week.
Cinesite Studios has acquired full-service animation facility Nitrogen Studios Canada, Inc., based in Vancouver. The studio employs 70 creative and production staff, and is best known for its work on iconic kids’ series Thomas & Friends, Seth Rogen’s R-rated comedy feature Sausage Party and currently season two of Guillermo del Toro’s hit Netflix show Trollhunters. The deal closed March 1, terms were not disclosed.
This is Cinesite’s second acquisition in Vancouver, following its merger with visual effects studio Image Engine in July of 2015.
“As one of the largest independent studio brands producing visual effects and animation, this acquisition delivers to our group the same capacity in Vancouver that we already have in Montreal, both for VFX and feature animation. This allows our customers to invest their production dollars in the two best locations for film making in North America. The opportunity to work with the creative team and crew at Nitrogen allows us to expand our storytelling capabilities, with established creative talent who are ready for new challenges,” said Antony Hunt, Group CEO of Cinesite Studios Group.
The Cinesite board will now work with Nitrogen’s senior team to develop a clear strategy to integrate the facility into the Cinesite Studios brand. In addition to Trollhunters season 2, Nitrogen is currently co-producing CG animated feature Arkie, based on Nathan Jurevicius’ cult character brand Scarygirl, with Passion Pictures Australia. The project is being directed by Luke Jurevicius (Figaro Pho), and will introduce theatrical audiences to an adopted 12-year-old girl who is blind and one eye and has a tentacle-arm, living on an isolated peninsula with her overprotective, giant octopus father, Blister.
Nicole Stinn, Principal at Nitrogen said, “We have known the folks at Cinesite for a long time and have admired what they have achieved over the past few years. When the opportunity presented for us to make our home with them, we knew it was right for all our stakeholders, staff, customers, suppliers and collaborators. We are delighted to be joining the Cinesite family.”
Cinesite Studios recently announced it is developing an animated feature slate inspired by the films of Harold Lloyd (with the Harold Lloyd Estate). The company is also working on the Riverdance feature, produced by Comic Animations, River Productions (Ireland) and Imaginary Friend, as well as Jeremy Renner and Don Handfield’s The Combine, with Straight Up Films.
Time Warner’s Turner and Warner Bros. have announced a new domestic premium video subscription service, featuring an extensive collection of timeless cartoons: Boomerang. Set for launch this spring, the service will offer the massive Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes and MGM animation library of over 5,000 titles, with both new original series and classic cartoons.
Boomerang will launch with a vast number of episodes, with new content aimed at kids, families and animation fans of all ages to be added weekly.
“Boomerang is a beloved brand that has always had multi-generational appeal and some of the greatest animated shows ever created,” said Christina Miller, President, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim. “Our on-going partnership with Warner Bros. around this new premium service continues our strategy of making sure our fans are engaged with fresh and fun content whenever and wherever they want it.”
The new service will also be the exclusive home of original n. ew series, including Warner Bros. Animation’s Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz — an uplifting, comedic fantasy series inspired by the L. Frank Baum classic; and Wacky Races, a high-octane overhaul of the Hanna-Barbera toon that takes viewers on slapstick adventures around the world. Boomerang will also be the only place to see new episodes of Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry.
“We are bringing the best new and classic characters to kids, families and animation fans so they can now watch their favorites anywhere, anytime on any screen,” said Craig Hunegs, President, Business and Strategy, Warner Bros. Television Group and President, Warner Bros. Digital Networks. “It’s a whole new way to access Warner Bros.’ storied legacy of laughs!”
The Boomerang SVOD will launch its ad-free service in the US via web, iOS and Android for $4.99 per month (7 day free trial) or $39.99 per year (30 day free trial). It will expand to several additional platforms after launch, including Amazon, Roku and Apple TV. To learn more or sign up for the pre-launch mailing list, visit boomerang.com.
Lupus Films and Melusine Productions, the studios behind acclaimed animated feature Ethel & Ernest, have reunited and joined forces with producers Sarah Radclyffe (co-founder, Working Title Films) and Barnaby Spurrier to produce a new 2D and mixed-media animated feature: Kensuke’s Kingdom. The project is based on the best-selling book by award-winning British author Michael Morpurgo (War Horse, Farm Boy).
Kensuke’s Kingdom centers on a boy named Michael and his dog, Stella, who are shipwrecked on a desert island. Terrified and struggling to survive, Michael soon discovers the island isn’t totally uninhabited when he encounters Kensuka, a mysterious old Japanese man who has been living there amidst a family of orangutans for decades. The mutually suspicious survivalists will have to join forces to save their fragile paradise when dangerous invaders appear on the horizon.
Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding (Lupus Films) and Stéphan Roelants (Melusine Prod.) will be attending Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux to present Kensuke’s Kingdom to the industry for the first time, on March 9 at 11:30 a.m. in Amphitheatre A. Both companies have been shortlisted for the event’s Cartoon Tribute for European Producer of the Year award for their work on Ethel & Ernest, which will also receive a special screening at the event (March 10, 11:30 a.m., Amphi A).
“We are very excited to be embarking on this new animated adventure with Sarah Radclyffe, Stéphan Roelants and Barnaby Spurrier,” said Deakin, co-founder of Lupus Films. “Kensuke’s Kingdom is a thrilling family story with an ecological message which we hope will resonate with audiences across the world.”
Kensuke’s Kingdom will be directed by award-winning duo Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry (credits include The Last Belle, Junk, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Snowman and the Snowdog), from a screenplay written by screenwriter and children’s author Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Hilary and Jackie, Welcome to Sarajevo). The project is being produced by Deakin, Fielding, Spurrier and Roelants.
International brand manager PGS Entertainment has hit a milestone for ZAG and Method Animation’s Zak Storm (39 x 26), having secured 100% free TV carriage for the action-packed CG series across Europe.
Free TV licensees for Zak Storm include CSC Pop (UK), Gulli (France), Super RTL (Germany), DeAgostini (Italy), RTVE (Spain), Canal Panda (Spain), VTM KZoom (Flemish Belgium), OufTivi/RTBF (French Belgium), RTS (French Switzerland), RTL Telekids (Netherlands), SIC (Portugal) and Plus Plus (Ukraine).
The broadcast rollout will be supported by a toy line from master toy partner Bandai, to be launched.
Zak Storm relates the adventures of Zak, a headstrong and adventurous kid swept into the Bermuda Triangle while trying to win a surfing competition. Once inside, Zak partners up with a magical sword that allows him to transform into a swashbuckling, renegade hero to face the numerous perils of the unique and diverse Seven Seas of the Triangle.
The series is created by Man of Action (Big Hero 6), produced by ZAG (Miraculous), Method (The Little Prince), SamG and MNC Animation; commissioned by Gulli and distributed by PGS.
MONDO has picked up exclusive SVOD rights for the US and Canada for director Nick DiLiberto’s hand-animated feature film Nova Seed, from Toronto-based House of Cool. The flick will make its streaming debut on the recently launched MONDO Channel on VRV (from Ellation) on March 28.
The latest addition to MONDO’s animation content library is an epic sci-fi labor of love which has been creating a stir on the festival circuit — especially since DiLiberto drew every frame of Nova Seed himself by hand … all 60,000 of them. The film had its US premiere at Fantastic Fest and has also screened at Fantasia Film Festival (nominated for the Satoshi Kon Award) and the Carrefour du Cinema d’Animation in Paris.
“Nova Seed is a groundbreaking work of passion and vision, and it’s exactly the kind of animation that MONDO is all about, so we’re proud that it is joining our amazing collection of streaming animated content,” said MONDO’s Chief Creative Officer, Brendan Burch.
Nova Seed is an action-packed, post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure that follows a lion-man “Neo-Animal Combatant” (or NAC) and the Nova Seed, a mystic force of nature that takes the form of a girl. The NAC must save the Nova Seed from the evil Dr. Mindskull, who is bent on remaking the world in his image.
Written, directed and animated by Nick DiLiberto (who previously worked on such projects as Asura’s Wrath, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood and Mass Effect), Nova Seed was produced by Joe DiLiberto, with Ricardo Curtis (The Book of Life, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc.), Adele DiLiberto, John DiLiberto, Nick DiLiberto and Wes Lui (The Book of Life, Ice Age, Dragons: Race to the Edge) as executive producers.
MONDO is a Los Angeles based producer and distributor of original animated content created for adults 18-34. In addition to its VRV channel, MONDO operates the most-viewed animation channel on YouTube (3.5 billion+ views), and has created TV projects Night Sweats (Adult Swim Canada), Like, Share, Die (Fusion) and Happy Tree Friends (MTV). More at mondomedia.com.
Celebrated Bristol-based studio Aardman has produced a striking, pulp-sci-fi inspired animation for BBC Radio 4 for the broadcaster’s season of Mars programming, which launched this weekend. The film takes audiences on a fact-fuelled cosmic journey to the “red planet,” guided by narrator William Shatner of Star Trek fame.
The three-minute short was commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to celebrate the mystery and evocative cultural impact of Mars, utilizing a collage of live-action footage, animation and music to create an exciting visual journey covering interesting facts and trivia about our intriguing neighbor-planet. William Shatner on Mars is the third film Aardman has created for BBC Radio 4, this time designed and directed by studio creative Danny Capozzi.
“It’s not often you get a free reign on a wonderful brief, better still a three minute film about Mars,” said Capozzi. “BBC Radio 4 were planning a Mars season and only ten weeks ago commissioned me to create a factual sci-fi animation with an impactful graphic edge using B-movie and pulp / sci-fi comic references. The final piece is a retro mash up mockumentary and the icing on the cake was that the legendary William Shatner came on board to do the voice over!”
Rhian Roberts, the commissioning editor for Radio 4 digital, commented:
“We love Danny’s colorful, bold interpretation of the brief; it presents Martian facts in a whole new way, shouting out to a different audience. The design has informed all the online content and helps the Radio 4 Mars programs hang together beautifully. Again it’s been a total pleasure to work with Aardman, we enjoy the creative journey we go on together.”
Global broadcast leaders including Amazon, Netflix, BBC and Disney are expected to join in the festivities as the second Irish Animation Awards recognizes outstanding creative talent in the local animation, VFX and gaming industries on Saturday, March 25. Presented by Animation Ireland, the awards will take place in Dingle, Co. Kerry as part of the Animation Dingle festival.
“Animation Ireland’s biennial awards ceremony has gone from strength to strength. Our event is now sold out with studio bosses from around the world travelling to Dingle to see the best of the best in animation talent and collect awards,” commented Niamh Herrity, organizer and MD of Pink Kong Studios. “We had an incredibly successful inaugural ceremony in 2015 and this year will be even bigger and better. Animation Ireland is kindly sponsored by RTÉ and the Irish Film Board and without them the event wouldn’t be going ahead.”
Newly introduced for the 2017 event is the Best Irish Feature Film or Special category, which will join returning contests for Best Animation, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animation for Apps and Gaming, and Best Director of an Animated TV Series.
More at animationireland.com and irishanimationawards.ie.
Annecy 2017 – Check Out the Official Poster! French illustrators Kevin Manach and Ugo Bienvenu (currently working on Miya Prod.’s Domenica) delivered this year’s defining artwork. “When we heard about this year’s highlighted themes (China as guest country and erotica), we immediately thought of Jade, Ugo’s wife, who has Chinese roots. We stared at her through the bay window: she was eating a ham sandwich out back in the garden. We replaced the sandwich with an ice-cream cone, the garden with Lake Annecy, and voila!”
Animation Nights New York: March Shorts
Check out a (free!) curated screening of animated shorts and VR animation on Weds., March 8 at 8 p.m. in NYC’s Seaport District.
VIDEO: ‘Moana: As Told By Emoji’ | Disney
Season 3 of the popular digital series launches with an emoji-fied voyage. Said director John Musker: “Moana as Told By Emoji is a funny, playful and entertaining way of telling our story, but distilled down to its essence, finding clever ways of communicating certain ideas, whether it’s a boat sinking or whatever it might be. In a way, it’s like seeing an alternate reality version of our movie.”
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Seattle Int’l Film Festival Works-In-Progress Forum
The 43rd SIFF (May 18-June 11) is presenting a new program as part of its Filmmakers Forum, which will accept two narrative and two documentary projects for industry and audience scrutiny at the fest. Deadline April 15.
DreamWorks Animation has made its second cancellation announcement since being purchased by Comcast and absorbed into the NBCUniversal family: Australian comedian-actor-writer-musician-director Tim Minchin’s animated ode to his home country (and DWA’s sole announced release for 2018) Larrikins has fallen under the axe.
News broke after Minchin posted a statement to the website of New York venue Feinstein’s/54 Below announcing a maudlin, boozy show (which sold out quite quickly):
“I’ve recently been working in 3 different continents, missing my kids a lot, sleeping too little and not playing piano enough. And then a couple of days ago, the animated film to which I’ve dedicated the last 4 years of my life was shut down by the new studio execs,” the post read. “The only way I know how to deal with my impotent fury and sadness is to subject members of the public to the spectacle of me getting drunk and playing ballads.”
Larrikins, which was to be directed by and feature songs by Minchin (who has written lyrics for the Matilda and Groundhog Day musicals) followed an uptight bilby on a music-driven adventure across the Australian Outback. The film was set to star Hugh Jackman and Margot Robbie, leading an all-Aussie-star cast which also included Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Rose Byrne and Ben Mendelsohn.
The news comes a few days after DWA announced a sequel to Trolls. The studio previously canceled a planned Croods 2 following the Comcast acquisition.
Award-winning director Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Summer Days with Coo) and acclaimed Japanese animation studio Production I.G have scored another filmic victory with the powerful, historical tale of Miss Hokusai — available on DVD and Blu-ray March 7 through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The anime feature reveals the life of O-Ei, daughter of the revered artist Hokusai, set in Edo-period Japan (17th-19th centuries), who diligently works in her father’s studio producing coveted works to be sold under his name.
To celebrate the film’s highly anticipated home video release, Animation Magazine will be offering a very cool giveaway pack in the next couple weeks, so be sure to check the website regularly or sign up for our email newsletter so you don’t miss it!
The two-disc Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD combo pack includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes bonus feature: “The Making of Miss Hokusai,” which follows director Hara and the Production I.G team along their creative journey. The DVD release offers an excerpt featurette from the “Making of.”
Synopsis: As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai, his daughter O-Ei toils diligently inside his studio. Her masterful portraits, dragons and erotic sketches — sold under the name of her father — are coveted by upper crust Lords and journeyman print makers alike. Shy and reserved in public, in the studio O-Ei is as brash and uninhibited as her father, smoking a pipe while sketching drawings that would make contemporary Japanese ladies blush. But despite this fiercely independent spirit, O-Ei struggles under the domineering influence of her father and is ridiculed for lacking the life experience that she is attempting to portray in her art. Miss Hokusai’s bustling Edo (present day Tokyo) is filled with yokai spirits, dragons, and conniving tradesmen, while O-Ei’s relationships with her demanding father and blind younger sister provide a powerful emotional underpinning to this sumptuously-animated coming-of-age tale.
Miss Hokusai, picked up for North American distribution by GKIDS last fall, was nominated for the Annecy Cristal as well as the Annie Award for independent feature. The film won Best Animated Feature at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2015, as well as the Best Animated Feature juried and audience awards at Fantasia Film Festival.
You can read more about Miss Hokusai in the November 2016 issue of Animation Magazine.
The 36th Brussels International Animation Film Festival, or Anima 2017, wrapped up Sunday having welcomed a record-setting number of attendees, far exceeding last year’s 42,000 visitors. The ten-day festival closed with the competition prize winners, followed by a screening of Roger Mainwood’s acclaimed feature Ethel and Ernest as well as the award-winning films.
This year’s Grand Prix went to Russian short Among the Black Waves by Anna Budanova, who received the 2,500 euro purse proved by the Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. The 2017 international jury was made up of Rémi Durin (Enclume Animation, Belgium), Graham Annable (LAIKA, US) and Annette Schindler (Fantoche, Switzerland).
Anima 2017 features 279 selected films curated to appeal to a wide range of audiences, as well as sneak peeks, numerous sold-out screenings and special events such as the EXPERIENCE festival of VR films, Animated Night, kids’ workshops and Futuranima professional days. This year’s event hosted 70 international guests from Japan, South Korea, the US and all corners of Europe.
Anima 2018 will take place February 9-18. Visit animafestival.be for more information and photos, and check out Anima’s YouTube channel for interviews with the filmmakers.
Anima 2017 award winners:
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Jury Awards
Grand Prix Anima 2017 for Best International Short Film –Among the Black Waves (Sredi chernyh voln), Anna Budanova, Russia
Special Jury Award – Decorado, Alberto Vazquez, Spain
Award for Best Student Short Film (prize: software license TVPaint Animation 11 Edition Standard) – My Father’s Room, Jang Nari, South Korea
Special mention: Asphalte, Lisa Matuszak, France
Award for Best Short Film for Children (Youth jury : Ceci n’est pas un buzz and Ouftivi) (acquisition of broadcasting rights on Ouftivi) – La Cage, Loïc Bruyère, France
Special mention: Jubilé, Coralie Soudet, Charlotte Piogé, Marion Duvert, Marie El Kadiri, Agathe Marmion; France
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Best Animated Feature, provided by FedEx (voucher worth 2,500€) – Your Name (Kimi no Na wa), Makoto Shinkai, Japan
Audience Award for Best Animated Feature for Children – Rabbit School(Die Häschenschule – Jagd nach dem goldenen Ei), Ute von Münchow-Pohl, Germany
Audience Award for Best Short Film – Blind Vaysha, Theodore Ushev, Canada
Audience Award for Short Film for Children – Jubilé, Coralie Soudet, Charlotte Piogé, Marion Duvert, Marie El Kadiri, Agathe Marmion; France
Animation Night Audience Award for Best Short Film – Our Wonderful Nature – The Common Chameleon, Tomer Eshed, Germany
Partner Awards
BeTV Award for Best Animated Feature (5,000€ for acquisition of broadcasting rights) – The Anthem of the Heart (Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda), Tatsuyuki Nagai, Japan
Creative Revelation Award (2,500€ provided by the Korean Cultural Centre) – Blind Vaysha, Theodore Ushev, Canada
Press Award for Best Short Film – Fragments(Estilhaços), José Miguel Ribeiro, Portugal
NATIONAL COMPETITION
Jury Awards
Award for Best Belgian Short Film, provided by SABAM (2,500€) – Catherine, Britt Raes
Grand Prix for Best Short Film of the Fédération Wallonie -Bruxelles, provided by the Fédération Wallonie -Bruxelles (2,500€) – La Rentrée des classes, Stéphane Aubier & Vincent Patar
Author Award provided by SACD (2,500€) – Pour une poignée de girolles, Julien Grande
Partner Awards
BeTV Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights) – 69Sec, Laura Nicolas
RTBF – La Trois Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights) – Projection sur canapé, Violette Delvoye
Cinergie Award (Electronic Press Kit) – 69Sec, Laura Nicolas
To celebrate the Digital HD release of Illumination Entertainment’s Sing, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is offering fans something to croon about with a clip from the release’s bonus content, featuring star Reese Witherspoon (“Rosita”).
Sing will bow on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on March 21. More details on the home video release (and a look at one of the exclusive mini-movies) in our previous post.
Ice Cube Eyed for Miles Morales’ Dad in the Animated ‘Spider-Man’ Movie
According to Meet the Movie Press co-host Jeff Sneider, Sony Pictures Animation is considering the hip-hop star turned award-winning actor from Straight Outta Compton for the role of “Jefferson Davis”. The project is being produced by Phil Lord & Chris Miller and Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch recently joined the story team. Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey are directing.
MTG Extnds Content Agreement with Disney
Stockholm-based media company will continue its long-term content partnership with Disney Nordic to carry Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD on the Viasat pay TV platform across the Nordics and Baltics, as well as offering Disney film brands to Viaplay and Viasat Film subscribers.
‘Mrs Orangeleaf’ Animation Helps “Healing Process” for Veterans
30-year Navy veteran Pierre Cornlouer of Tredegar, Wales, has turned his storybook about being at sea into an animated adventure and radio play, featuring the voices of some 40 ex-servicemen and women.
Nick Animation Podcast: Episode 33 – Pete Docter
Host Hector Navarro chats with one of the driving forces behind Pixar’s success and Oscar-winning director of Up and Inside Out in the latest Nickelodeon podcast. (Also on iTunes.)
VIDEO: ‘Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania’ Trailer
Big Show pulls an Encino Man and ends up being thawed out by George Jetson 100 years in the future. When Big Show uses an army of wrestle-bots to take over Orbit City, the Jetsons and WWE Superstars team up to stop him. Available from WB Home Ent. on digital (now) and DVD (March 14).
VIDEO: The Oh My Disney Show | Exclusive ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Clip
The very first episode of OMD features a sneak peek at Belle meeting a CG Lumiere and Cogsworth for the first time in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast (in theaters March 17). Clip after the 1-min. Mark.
The Lucasfilm crew are hard at work on the fourth season of critically-acclaimed animated series Star Wars Rebels, set to premiere on Disney XD later this year and continue the thrilling galactic travels of the good ship Ghost and her intrepid crew.
More details about season four will be announced during Star Wars Celebration in Orlando this April.
“The team behind Star Wars Rebels delivers epic storytelling that has captivated fans of all ages across the globe,” said Marc Buhaj, SVP of Programming and GM for Disney XD. “We’re excited to continue sharing the journey of these fan-favorite Rebels with our audience in the fall.”
Currently in its third season, Rebels extends the Star Wars saga into unexplored reaches of the galaxy, where its heroes uncover action-packed adventure at every turn. Lucasfilm Animation produces the CG series under the guidance of executive producers Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Simon Kinberg, who created Rebels with Carrie Beck.
The season three voice cast includes 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 Agent Kallus, Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera, Sam Witwer as Maul, Tom Baker as Bendu and Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Star Wars Rebels was Disney XD’s No. 1 series in Total Viewers and No. 1 animated series across key kids and boys demos in 2016, and generated more than 60 million consumer engagements on digital platforms.
Japanese toy company BANDAI Co., Ltd. is embarking on an international tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Tamashii Nations collectible figures brand. Figure display events will take place in 10 cities throughout the year, with the next set for April 29 & 30 in New York City.
The Tamashii Nations 10th Anniversary World Tour in NYC will be held at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, and is free to the public.
The event will highlight new Dragon Ball products (with Dragon Ball Super now on the air in the US), and the Meisho Movie/Manga Realization action figure series, which re-envisions the characters of Star Wars and the Marvel Universe as Japanese samurai.
Fans can also check out character goods from hit anime Naruto and Sailor Moon, as well as toys inspired by the characters of the WWE and Godzilla franchises. A total of nine commemorative products will make their sales debut.
The Tour event will also include a “touch and try” corner for direct interaction with the figures, and a fun photo area. More info at http://tamashii.jp/tour.
The first Tamashii Nations 10th Anniversary World Tour stop was in Sao Paulo, Brazil in December, followed by Hong Kong in February. After NYC, the Tour will come to Mexico in June, with further locations to be announced leading up to the finale in Tokyo in November.
Cartoon Network is springing into action with all-new episodes of fan-favorite series throughout the month of March. The Powerpuff Girls premieres new girl-powered adventures on Fridays, kicking off with the half-hour special “The Last Donnycorn” on March 3 (clip below), alongside Teen Titans and Steven Universe (clip below).
Also on the month’s forecast of new toons every day: Mondays will be Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as the fresh foibles of teen scientist Flint Lockwood arrive with an hour-long series premiere March 6 at 5:30 p.m. ET/PT. A four-night streak of The Amazing World of Gumball kicks off that day at 5 p.m.
Justice League Action premieres continue Saturdays at 7:30 a.m., with new episodes of LEGO Nexo Knights returning Saturdays at 7:45 a.m.
Over in the digital world, the Cartoon Network app will sneak peek the reimagined Ben 10 series and premiere new episodes of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ahead of broadcast all month.
Cartoon Network March premiere highlights:
The Powerpuff Girls
Friday, March 3: “The Last Donnycorn” – When Donny the Unicorn is hunted by a seemingly unstoppable foe, the Powerpuff Girls have to find a way to save him before it’s too late!
Steven Universe
Friday, March 3: “Tiger Philanthropist” – Steven returns to the ring to continue his pro wrestling odyssey.
Friday, March 10: “Room for Ruby” – Steven’s Gem family continues to grow.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Monday, March 6: “And the Winner Is…” – Flint and Sam reminisce about the first time they met when they went head-to-head at the school science fair and nearly destroyed the town.
Monday, March 6: “Princess Kittymittens” – Flint begs Sam to let him see her most treasured possession, but when Sam relents Flint damages it and has to find a way to make it up to her.
Monday, March 6: “Invent This!” – When Tim is celebrated for accidentally inventing a pencil holder, Flint gets jealous and starts to doubt his own skills as an inventor.
Monday, March 6: “Bacon Girl” – Flint invents a way to make sardines taste like bacon so Sam can eat one without gagging, but Flint’s invention has a few bacon-related side-effects.
The Amazing World of GumballCloudy with a Chance of MeatballsWe Bare Bears
