Producer-distributor GKIDS has unveiled two new teasers for the highly anticipated, all-CGI-animated Lupin III: The First, directed by Takashi Yamazaki. The thrilling new adventure of anime fans’ favorite thief is coming to theaters soon — fans can sign up for alerts at www.lupiniiithefirst.com.
Watch in the original Japanese with English subtitles here.
Synopsis: The iconic “gentleman thief” Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made Lupin the 3rd one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in a thrilling new caper that is sure to delight fans old and new.
The English-language dub cast features Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar, Lex Lang, Michelle Ruff, Doug Erholtz, Laurie C. Hymes, J. David Brimmer and Paul Guyet.
Cinema Management Group (CMG), executive producer and international sales agent for the Peruvian/Dutch CGI animated feature AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon (www.AINBOmovie.com), is reporting hugely positive responses by global distributors as the film is poised for delivery later this year. To celebrate, journey into the rainforest with the first teaser trailer, shared exclusively with Animation Magazine.
The film, set in the deepest rainforests of the Amazon, is about a girl named Ainbo who is born and grows up in the village of Candámo. One day, she discovers that her homeland is being threatened and realizes that there are other humans in the world besides her people. As she fights to save her paradise against illegal mining and the exploitation of her homeland, she embarks on a quest to reverse this destruction and stifle the impending evil of the Yakuruna, the darkness that lives in the hearts of greedy people. Guided by her mother’s spirit, Ainbo is determined to save her land and save her people before it is too late.
Peruvian production/animation company, Tunche Films, together with EPIC Cine-Peru, and Dutch co-producer Cool Beans and animation studio Katuni have kept steadfast despite all the challenges faced by companies during the COVID pandemic of 2020, and are on-schedule to deliver the film in November this year. AINBO is the most ambitious animation project to date originated in Peru and the first ever co-production between Peru and the Netherlands.
AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon, is slated for theatrical release in the first and second quarters of 2021 and has onboarded global distributors such as Telepool (Germany, Switzerland), Le Pacte (France), BIM (Italy), eOne/WW Entertainment (Benelux), Cinemanse (Scandinavia), Kino Swiat (Poland), Film House (Israel), Filmarti (Turkey), Front Row Ent. (Middle East), Volga (Russia), CDC (Latin America) and some 20 additional distributors from around the world.
“While it has been, at times, a challenging journey over the last 24 months, we are very pleased with the extremely high production values that Tunche Films and Katuni have brought to the film resulting in stunning visuals and fabulous character animation throughout the film,” said Edward Noeltner, President of CMG. “The validation for us has been the overwhelming support by our Distribution partners with the film already slated for theatrical release in over 80 territories globally.”
Starting with European school holidays in February, the film is slated for theatrical releases through April 22 — when the world will celebrate Earth Day — to increase public awareness of the threat to the Amazonian rainforest. The film highlights the beliefs and legends, handed down over generations, by Indigenous tribes of the Amazon, protecting the way of life of the Indigenous peoples and saving the Amazon from illegal exploitation of its natural resources.
AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon, a 3D animated picture, is produced by César Zelada (Together It’s Possible) and Richard Claus (The Little Vampire 3D) as a Peruvian/Dutch co-production between Tunche Films (Lima) and Cool Beans (Amsterdam) and directed by José Zelada and Richard Claus.
Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, has greenlit a third season of The Casagrandes, which will find Ronnie Anne and her family members on a variety of adventures while exploring different areas of the city. A spinoff of Nickelodeon’s top-rated animated series The Loud House, Emmy Award-winning The Casagrandes has ranked as the number two animated property across television with Kids 2-11 since its Oct. 2019 debut.
Season three is currently in production by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
“Our audience has loved the diverse characters, relatable stories and rich animation found in The Casagrandes since the series debuted last year,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation. “The success of the show is due to the creative leadership who continue to showcase the love and laughter of this family, living in an environment that reflects the global world we live in today.”
Since its debut, The Casagrandes has told stories infused with humor, heart and the everyday escapades of family and friends. Season two of The Casagrandes kicks off with “Fails from the Crypt,” where the kids try to break a local record for staying in the cemetery overnight. Followed by “Bad Cluck,” where a haunted chicken is pestering the Casagrandes, on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Season two will debut internationally later this year.
The original animated series will feature a variety of guest stars giving voice to new and returning characters throughout season two, including Danny Trejo (Spy Kids), pop star Ally Brooke, Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Justin Chon (Twilight) and more.
Series voice cast includes: Izabella Alvarez (Westworld) as Ronnie Anne; Carlos PenaVega (Big Time Rush) as Bobby; Eugenio Derbez (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) as Arturo; Carlos Alazraqui (The Fairly OddParents) as Carlos, “Tio;” Roxana Ortega (The League) as Frida, “Tia;” Alexa PenaVega (Spy Kids) as Carlota; Jared Kozak (Born This Way) as CJ; Alex Cazares (The Boss Baby: Back in Business) as Carl; Ruben Garfias (East Los High) as Hector, “Abuelo;” Sonia Manzano (Sesame Street) as Rosa, “Abuela.” Additionally, Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken) lends his voice as Stanley; Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch) as Becca; Leah Mei Gold (Legion) as Sid; and Lexi Sexton (The Loud House) as Adelaide.
Emmy Award-winning The Casagrandes tells the story of Ronnie Anne, who moves to the city with her mom and older brother to live with their big, loving family, the Casagrandes. A spinoff of The Loud House, the series showcases the culture, humor and love that’s part of growing up in a multigenerational Mexican-American family. The series is executive produced by Michael Rubiner. Miguel Puga serves as co-executive producer, Alan Foreman is supervising producer and Miguel Gonzalez serves as art director, with award-winning cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz as consulting producer and cultural consultant.
FOX has renewed Emmy Award-winning animated series Bob’s Burgers for 12th and 13th broadcast seasons, and renewed Family Guy for its 19th and 20th broadcast seasons, carrying both series through 2023.
“Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers are key pillars of our network’s success. By taking the genre to new heights and driving pop culture in meaningful ways, they’ve laid the foundation for making Animation Domination one of the most powerful program blocks in all of television,” said Michael Thorn, President, Entertainment, for FOX Entertainment. “Both of these two-season renewals affirm once again our commitment to animation and empower us to continue in our build as the leader in the space with distinct and fresh new comedies. We’d like to thank Seth [MacFarlane], Loren [Bouchard] and their entire teams, not to mention our partners at 20th Television, and we’re excited to continue these great shows with them.”
This Sunday, Sept. 27 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX, Bob’s Burgersreturns for an 11th season. The series follows Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and his ever-quirky family who together run the restaurant Bob’s Burgers. Including its 2020 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Animated Program, the series has been nominated for the past seven consecutive years and won twice, in 2014 and 2017. The series also was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award and an Annie Award this year. Bento Box Entertainment serves as the animation studio on Bob’s Burgers.
Bob’s Burgers is a 20th Television production. The series was created and is executive- produced by Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive. Nora Smith, Dan Fybel, Rich Rinaldi, Greg Thompson and Jon Schroeder also serve as executive producers. Bouchard and Smith are showrunners for the upcoming season. Bento Box Entertainment produces the animation. Follow the show at facebook.com/BobsBurgers, Twitter @BobsBurgersFOX / #BobsBurgers and Google+ with +BobsBurgersFox.
Entering its 18th season this Sunday (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), Family Guy premieres with its milestone 350th episode. The series continues to entertain its die-hard fan base with razor-sharp humor, spot-on parodies, spectacular animation and orchestra-backed original music. Since its debut in 1999, the series has reached cult status among fans, and its breakout star, a talking baby, has become one of the greatest TV characters of all time.
Family Guy has racked up numerous awards, including an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, only the second animated series in television history to be honored with such a distinction. Most recently, series creator and lead voice actor Seth MacFarlane (voices of Peter, Stewie, Brian and “Quagmire”) won the 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance. He won the 2017 and 2016 Emmy Award in the category, and was nominated from 2013 to 2015. Cast member Alex Borstein (Lois) won the 2018 Emmy Award in the category (MacFarlane also was nominated that year).
Family Guy is a 20th Television production. Seth MacFarlane is creator and executive producer. Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin serve as executive producers and showrunners, while Steve Callaghan, Tom Devanney, Danny Smith, Kara Vallow, Mark Hentemann and Patrick Meighan are executive producers. Follow on Facebook at /FamilyGuy, Twitter @FamilyGuyonFOX and join the discussion using #FamilyGuy.
Award-winning animation studio LAIKA has announced that Park Circus, which represents over 25,000 classic films and contemporary titles, has been appointed repertory sales agent for the studio’s award-winning library of legacy films. The BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning Oregon studio is best known for its five Oscar-nominated films: Missing Link (2019); Kubo and the Two Strings (2016); The Boxtrolls (2014); ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009).
The agreement, which covers all international territories (with some exceptions) in addition to the United States, was announced today by David Burke, LAIKA’s Chief Marketing Officer & SVP of Operations, and Park Circus CEO Mark Hirzberger-Taylor. Park Circus has offices in Glasgow, London, Los Angeles and Paris.
The announcement comes as LAIKA continues to celebrate its 15th Anniversary and the recent announcement of its five films now available across a wide array of digital and streaming platforms.
“LAIKA is known for its unique approach to filmmaking, enhancing the artisanal stop-motion technique with technological innovations,” said Burke. “Similarly, Park Circus takes a bespoke approach to its library of films, introducing each film to entirely new audiences by drawing upon its curatorial judgment and keen marketing savvy. We’re thrilled to align our missions and to start working together to bring LAIKA’s storytelling to even larger numbers of movie fans around the world.”
“We at Park Circus could not be more delighted to be working with LAIKA and their award-winning library of films, particularly at a time of such challenge for our industry,” said Herzberger-Taylor. “As huge fans of their wonderfully innovative and original film-making style, we cannot wait to apply the unique Park Circus treatment to LAIKA’s incredible catalogue, bringing much-needed joy and cinematic brilliance to audiences worldwide.”
LAIKA filmography:
MISSING LINK (2019) Mr. Link, a.k.a. Bigfoot (Zach Galifianakis), is lonely and believes that famed investigator of myths, Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman), is the one man who can help. With adventurer Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), the trio embark on an epic journey to find Link’s distant relatives in the fabled Shangri-La. Along the way each finds their true identity.
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016) An epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. Clever, kindhearted Kubo’s (Art Parkinson of Game of Thrones) relatively quiet existence is upended when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Oscar winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his magical shamisen, Kubo battles gods, monsters and epic landscapes to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.
THE BOXTROLLS (2014)The Boxtrolls, a kind-hearted community of quirky, mischievous, fantastical box-wearing tinkerers, have lovingly raised a human orphan, Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright of Game of Thrones), since infancy. In the amazing cavernous home they’ve built beneath the cobblestoned streets of Cheesebridge, they transform mechanical junk into magical inventions and live a happy and harmonious existence away from the posh society above that fears them thanks to the scary stories spread by the villainous Archibald Snatcher (Oscar winner Ben Kingsley). When Eggs and his Boxtrolls family become increasingly at risk because of Cheesebridge’s citizens misunderstanding them, Eggs must venture above ground, “into the light,” where he meets and teams up with another 11-year-old, the fabulously feisty Winnie (Elle Fanning). Together, Eggs and Winnie devise a daring plan to save the Boxtrolls from Snatcher, embarking on an adventure with madcap antics and open hearts which proves that heroes come in all shapes and sizes – even rectangles.
PARANORMAN (2012)ParaNorman is the thrilling story of 11-year old Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who must use his unique ability to see and speak with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse. In addition to spooky zombies, he’ll also have to take on mysterious ghosts, wily witches and, worst of all, clueless grown-ups. Now caught in a wild race against time to save his family, friends, and town, Norman must bravely summon up all that makes a hero – courage and compassion – as he finds his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits. Voice cast includes Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
CORALINE (2009) Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is bored in her new home until she finds a secret door that leads her into a world that’s just like her own…but better! But when this fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her “other” Mother (Teri Hatcher) tries to keep her forever, Coraline must count on all of her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.
Festival Stop Motion Montreal’s 12th edition — and first-ever ‘Home Sweet Home’ virtual event — wrapped up with a live-streamed closing ceremony held Sunday, September 20, the Festival team and jury members assembled to announce this year’s award winners and, thanks to the virtual format, had some of the filmmakers join in to accept their awards from wherever they were across the globe.
The jury of industry professionals was composed of Maral Mohammadian; producer at the National Film Board of Canada, Bren López Zepeda; Montreal animator and independent filmmaker and Aaron Wood; co-founder and producer at London’s Slurpy Studios.
Official category winners are:
Best Emerging Talent Film:Une de Perdue | A Lost One by Marie Clerc (France)
Best Independent Film: KKUMby Kangmin Kim (South Korea)
Best Professional Film:Uzi | Tiesby Dina Velikovskaya (Germany / Russia)
Best Youth Film:The Silly Duck Wizardby Terry Ibele (Canada)
École NAD – UQAC special prize for a Canadian film:In the Shadow of the Pinesby Anne Koizumi (Canada)
Public Choice Award presented by See Learn Academy:Un Coeur d’Or | Heart of Gold by Simon Filliot (France)
The Silly Duck Wizard
Jury Special Mentions went to:
Youth Films: Something Witchy by Arielle Demilecamps (Norway)
Emerging Talent Films: À la mer poussière | To the Dusty Sea by Héloïse Ferlay (France)
Independent Films: Machini by Tétshim and Frank Mukunday (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Professional Films: Matilda ir atsarginė galva | Matilda and the Spare Head by Ignas Meilunas (Lithuania)
The Festival partnered with Canadian broadcast platform VUCAVU to bring 90 short films from 30 different countries and three special guest masterclasses online and available to the public worldwide this year, in efforts to provide a safe Festival experience to all during these unprecedented pandemic times.
KKUM
The virtual Stop Motion Montreal was extended to a full seven-day experience, as compared to past physical editions which took place over three days. A total of 11 different film screening programs were offered, which included nine in competition and two thematic programs, with one highlighting local talent in a Quebec films retrospective and another with a selection of Scottish films from the Edinburgh Short Film Festival.
Two separate technical skills animation workshops were led by renowned industry leaders Julia Peguet, See Learn Academy’s Dale Hayward and Sylvie Trouvé, which attracted all levels of participants from India, the United States, Germany, France, Colombia, Montreal and Hungary.
“Dale and Sylvie were amazing mentors and super generous with their knowledge about stop motion craft and the industry — I took SO many notes. Their feedback on our tests was helpful and encouraging. I left feeling inspired and confident and it was a beautiful experience to be animating from my home while alongside a group of animators in different time zones all over the world!”
– Aarica North, animator & fabricator (U.S.)
“The workshop was amazing. There are so many students [in India] who love stop motion and are very talented but can’t afford to come to Montreal. I learned so much in two days from miss Julia. It really helped me to focus on my own goals as an animator and my short film. It was my first film festival experience and I loved every bit of it. I hope I can be a part of next year’s film festival, too.”
– William Pakyntein, animation student/2D & stop-motion animator, (India)
Une de Perdue
The Festival also offered a slew of free activities throughout the week on their social networks in a conscious effort to keep viewers connected and engaged which included a multitude of interactive Watch Parties and Live Streams. Among the offerings was a virtual studio tour with Vancouver-based Alicia Eisen, 19 different meetings with the filmmakers from the competition programs, a Fireside Chat with the 2020 Jury Members and a Cozy Brunch Conversation with Jean-François Lévesque and the crew members of I, Barnabé (NFB).
VIP Pass holders were given access to a private Networking Pod, allowing festival goers to interact and network with one another, ask questions in a safe environment, offer film and masterclass reviews, job opportunities and more! The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were also live-streamed with the addition of a bonus Official 2020 Cake Bake Along, with all of these free activities remaining up on the Festival’s Facebook page to watch at your own leisure.
In the Shadow of the Pines
The 2020 Festival doubled its VIP pass sales compared to its previous edition, having had participants tune in from almost every continent and reached over 400,000 accounts on their growing social media networks.
The pandemic challenge was met and surpassed, leaving the Stop Motion Montreal team proud of having maintained its mandate in making stop-motion animation discoverable and accessible to all, in providing a platform for the artists and their works to shine, and in stimulating the local and international stop motion industry.
The successful reception of this online edition has certainly shaped the future of the Festival which will continue to develop and broaden its reach. Upcoming hybrid editions are being considered in order to meet the diverse needs of its local and international stop motion communities.
The 23th Festival Stop Motion Montreal will be held in September 2021.
European animation org CARTOON has, in light of the continued difficulties and complications wrought by the pandemic, to cancel its ‘real life’ plans for Cartoon 360. Originally planned for Nov. 17-19 in Lille, France, the transmedia pitch event will now be held fully digitally. Further, the deadline to submit projects has been extended to September 30.
As usual, the digital version of Cartoon 360 will provide an e-catalog to participants with all information about participating partners, experts and young talents, as well as a detailed list of contacts. New for this edition will be a mobile app containing all information about selected projects, and a unique digital platform where the event will stream live — virtual attendees all over the world can log on to watch pitches and keynote addresses, listen to expert feedback and interact with each other.
Cartoon 360 pitch spots are open to European producers looking to develop an animated property into a cross-media brand for multiple platforms (TV, mobile, books, games, etc.) Selected projects will be pitched to — and receive invaluable advice from — professional transmedia specialists from across Europe.
Participants can also soak up information on best practices in content creation and roll-out strategy, audience engagement, marketing, budgeting, business planning and more from expert talks throughout the two-and-a-half-day event. This year’s lineup of speakers includes reps from Aardman Animations, BBC Children’s, Ketnet, Planeta Junior, Rainbow and more.
In its latest L.A. expansion, Netflix has leased 171,000 square feet at Burbank Empire Center’s 2300 W. Empire Avenue building, which will host the streaming giant’s first dedicated animation studio. The company reportedly chose the spot for its proximity to other major studios like Disney, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon in ‘the animation capital of the world.’
Los Angeles real estate news outlet The Real Deal points out that this is the biggest new office lease in the city this year, as most companies have been looking to slim down to weather COVID-19. But with demand for content soaring amid lockdown, Netflix stocks have also taken off.
The streamer is taking 150,000 square feet in the new location now, with plans to take an additional 21,000 square feet in the future. This includes the entire first floor and spaces on three other floors, adding up to about half of the space in the 351,300 square foot, seven story building. Netflix already leases comparatively small spots in neighboring buildings.
Netflix’s L.A. footprint was already at 1.6 million square feet of office and studio space as of Q3 2019, according to TRD.
The deal comes as Netflix prepares to blast off with its latest original animated movie, Over the Moon on Oct. 23. Upcoming features also include Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½, Henry Selick’s Wendell and Wild, and Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon. The company also produces a slew of adult animation, kids’ cartoons and original anime titles — recent and upcoming launches include Pen Ward’s The Midnight Gospel, Hoops, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, Gods & Heroes (from Castlevania studio Powerhouse Animation), Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.
VIZ Media, the leading pop culture publisher and producer of Japanese manga and animation in North America announced today Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is coming to Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu on October 3.
The Inuyasha-inspired anime will be available for simulcast in North and Latin American territories subtitled, with the English dub to follow shortly after.
“We can’t wait for both Inuyasha and anime fans of all ages to discover the spirit of adventure and friendship in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, which will be coming to Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu this October,” said Brad Woods, CMO of VIZ Media. “By partnering with multiple platforms, the iconic and much-loved property will have tremendous reach and availability for fans to enjoy this next chapter with half-demon twins Towa and Setsuna.”
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon follows the daughters of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha as they set out on a journey transcending time. Set in feudal Japan, half-demon twins Towa and Setsuna are separated from each other during a forest fire. While desperately searching for her younger sister, Towa wanders into a mysterious tunnel that sends her into present-day Japan, where she is found and raised by Kagome Higurashi’s brother, Sota, and his family.
Ten years later, the tunnel that connects the two eras has reopened, allowing Towa to be reunited with Setsuna, who is now a demon slayer working for Kohaku. But to Towa’s shock, Setsuna appears to have lost all memories of her older sister. Joined by Moroha, the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome, the three young women travel between the two eras on an adventure to regain their missing past.
Confirmed voice cast: Sara Matsumoto as Towa Higurashi, Mikako Komatsu as Setsuna, and Azusa Tadokoro as the voice of Moroha.
Nickelodeon has greenlit Brendar the Barbarian (working title, 13 episodes), a brand-new puppet comedy series from co-creators Mike Mitchell (director, Trolls, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part) and expert puppeteer Drew Massey (Mutt & Stuff, Sid the Science Kid).
The series follows a bridge troll in search of adventure and a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother. Production on Brendar the Barbarian will begin later this year and the show is slated to premiere on Nickelodeon in 2021.
“It’s amazing to work with such immensely talented creators like Mike and Drew. Their imaginative puppetry, uniquely cinematic vision, and hilarious voice make this a show like no other,” said Shauna Phelan, SVP Live-Action Scripted Content for Nickelodeon. “Brendar the Barbarian is a truly original series that kids and families of all ages are going to love.”
Synopsis: Evan, a troll who has never ventured out from under his bridge, decides to explore the world for the first time in search of a great adventure and inspiration to fulfill his dream of becoming a singer. He soon meets Brendar, Gothmoria’s most feared and revered warrior, and joins in her quest across treacherous terrain and confrontations with bizarre and magical creatures. Throughout their journey and encounters with an eclectic puppet cast of wacky characters, they both learn that they’re better together and form an unbreakable friendship.
Brendar the Barbarian is co-created, written and executive produced by Mitchell, who also serves as director, and Massey, who also serves as lead puppeteer. Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Phelan and Zack Olin, SVP Live Action.
Award-winning Vancouver animation studio Global Mechanic, producer of the recently Emmy-nominated digital interactive story Scribbles & Ink (PBS/WGBH, has joined forces with Northern Ireland’s renowned studio ALT Animation (one of MIPTV’s 2020 Producers to Watch) to co-develop Class Clown (52 x 11′). The series is an original concept from veteran Canadian writer Ian Boothby (Simpsons Comics, Futurama Comics, MAD Magazine).
This transatlantic partnership has been awarded co-development funding by the Canadian Media Fund and Northern Ireland Screen.
“When looking for the ideal collaborator for Class Clown, it was ALT Animation’s keen eye for creating captivating 2D designs alongside their high level of professionalism that sealed the deal,” said Tina Ouellette, Executive Producer/CEO, Global Mechanic. “With our new production partner in place and the CMF/NIS co-development funding jointly awarded to us, we are excited to move forward and secure the additional financing for this incredible project.”
Global Mechanic and ALT Animation first met at MIPCOM 2019. The two companies instantly connected over a like-minded animation approach and a penchant towards slapstick animation comedy series for kids aged 6-12. Both have a strong background in creating quality production services, and now aim to make their mark with their own original intellectual property. Joint efforts on the new Class Clown series began in June 2020, and the partners are currently preparing to take the property to MIPCOM Online+ this October to secure additional funding and broadcasting partners.
“Class Clown is a series that touches upon universal themes about family, inclusivity and the desire to ‘fit in’ that will resonate with audiences all around the world, not least because the circus tradition is something that is recognized and enjoyed in all parts of the world,” said Tim Bryans, Managing Director, ALT Animation. “We are confident the series has the potential to reach not just Canadian and Northern Irish audiences, but also a wide variety of international audiences. We could not be more thrilled to be working with Canada’s Global Mechanic.”
Class Clown, written by Boothby, is all about a clown and carnival family that decides to settle down in the suburbs after years of being on the road. The show mainly centers around the family’s son Jimmy Jingles, a boy who just wants to fit in at his new school. Only trouble is, he’s really a clown. In fact, Jimmy is descended from a long line of clowns. And he looks it: blue hair, large red nose, huge shoes and everything else you’d expect from a clown, but for him it’s all natural. Things were fine when they were all travelling with the circus but now that his parents have decided to settle in the suburbs to give Jimmy a more stable life, it’s a constant struggle.
“I’ve always been a fan of shows like The Addams Family which featured a take on the immigrant story with bizarre old world culture clashing with the modern suburbs. Jimmy Jingles loves his circus folk family but also really wants to fit in at his new school. Unfortunately he brings with him a red nose, huge shoes and mastery of slapstick comedy he can’t turn off no matter how hard he tries,” Boothby shared. “Global Mechanic have always had a great take on all things surreal and funny with real emotion which in this case is a kid just trying to make it through lunch without three rings of chaos breaking out.”
Christmas is coming early for SYFY’s late-night adult animation block, TZGZ. The network made a list, checked it twice… and today announced that the irreverent and edgy animated comedy The Pole, starring Saturday Night Live alums Bobby Moynihan (We Bare Bears, DuckTales) and Jillian Bell (Bless the Hearts, Bob’s Burgers), has been added to the “nice list” with a six-episode series pickup.
The Pole also added several helpful elves to the voice cast, including series regular Nicole Byer (Woke, Big City Greens) and recurring cast members SungWon Cho (Aggretsuko, Borderlands 3), Colin Jost (SNL), Tim Simons (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Sasheer Zamata (Woke).
Synopsis: After a scandal involving “Saint” Nick (Moynihan) rocks the holly jolly foundations of the North Pole, all hell breaks loose as the future of Christmas turns into a twisted power struggle for the Red Suit. As Nick, the 20th to wear the Suit, struggles with the age-old question of naughty vs. nice, his wife Mrs. Claus, a.k.a. Gretchen (Bell), works to keep the political machine that is toy production afloat. It isn’t easy as they juggle the factory elves, including Nick’s head elf Matilda (Byer) and the political activist Helenor (Zamata), as well as parenting two sons – Nick’s mini-me Harry (Cho) and the crown prince, Jack (Simons), who’s not only next in line for the Suit, but also looking to rebrand it. Reporting on all the drama in The Pole? Cocoa (Jost), host of the North Pole News Network Program, “Morning Cocoa.”
Pulling multiple voice duties, Monihan also voices Nick’s snowman BFF, Chilly; Bell plays the mysterious Snow White Lady; and Cho voices frisky reindeer Dasher and party elf Len.
Expected to debut in TZGZ in 2021, The Pole is from B.C.-based Yeti Farm Creative (Hotel Transylvania Season 2, Pete the Cat Season 2). The quarter-hour series is created and executive produced by Matthew Bass (writer, Future Man) and Theodore Bressman (writer, Future Man; writer/EP, Jungleland), who also serve as showrunners. Mark Gordon (producer, Grey’s Anatomy, Ray Donovan) also executive produces, as well as Frank Saperstein (EP, Counterfeit Cat; producer, Ren & Stimpy) and Jay Surridge from Yeti Farm Creative.
The Pole joins an expanding lineup of SYFY originals on TZGZ, including Devil May Care, The Summoner, Wild Life, Magical Girl Friendship Squad and Hell Den Season 2.
Academy Award-nominated French studio Xilam Animation has announced that its new CGI kids’ non-verbal slapstick comedy series Trico (78 x 7’) will be launched as a Netflix Original for global streaming. Created by Xilam’s Hugo Gittard (Zig & Sharko, Magoo), the series is slated for delivery in early 2022.
Xilam retains second window global linear television distribution and merchandising rights to Trico.
“We’re thrilled to be undertaking this new collaboration with Netflix and feel honoured by the trust they have placed in Xilam’s talents,” said Marc du Pontavice, CEO of Xilam and series exec producer. “Hugo has created a fantastic series which is brimming with endearing characters and original comedy — we’re sure Trico’s mishaps will charm and entertain audiences across the globe.”
In this new series, mountain pasture life is a little too peaceful for former globetrotter Trico. Luckily for him, he always has tons of ideas, and objects from his travels, to share with his fellow sheep to shake things up! All this new ruckus is at Biscotte’s expense, a tough ewe whose job is to keep the flock safe. An especially hard task with the Wolf lurking around, waiting to make the most of this newfound chaos by catching a few sheep here and there. Fortunately, we can count on Trico and Biscotte’s friendship to overcome these challenges and keep the Wolf from snacking on their wooly companions!
Xilam Animation is also in production on Netflix’s first French animated Original Series, Oggy Oggy (156 x 7’) which is targeted at a preschool audience and set to be delivered in 2021. Based on Xilam’s global hit franchise Oggy and the Cockroaches, this show sees young Oggy freed from the ceaseless tyranny of the cockroaches and living in a fantasy world inhabited by a vibrant community of cats.
The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), the U.K.’s largest animation festival, has today revealed its program for 2020. Returning in its sixth year as a digital event, the festival will offer audiences an opportunity to access the world’s greatest animated content from the comfort of their homes. The festival is confirmed to take place from November 15-30.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 edition will, for the first time, be hosted online, allowing worldwide viewing of this dynamic digital festival. The program comprises stunning short films, fantastic features, exclusive previews, informative masterclasses and eclectic events to celebrate what the world of animation can offer. Live Q&As, panels and screen talks will present experts and acclaimed animators who will share behind the scenes insight into their iconic work and characters.
“We’re delighted to welcome the animation community back to MAF for another year of animated activity all from the comfort of their own homes from the 15-30 November. Everything you know and love from the Festival has gone digital, from stunning short films to mesmerising masterclasses, feature films and we’ve also expanded our program this year to showcase more industry events, a digital marketplace and social events,” said Festival Director Steve Henderson. “Going online gives us the perfect opportunity to make MAF accessible to lots more people and welcome them all to the Festival. It’s with thanks to the valued and continued support of our partners and sponsors that after a heck of a year, we’ve got a programme that everyone can enjoy and we look forward to welcoming friends old and new to MAF 2020.”
Jim Parkyn
Headline events in the announcement include an exclusive work-in-progress look at the forthcoming stop-motion animation film The Inventor starring Stephen Fry and Daisy Ridley, with a Q&A from writer and director Jim Capobianco, the Academy Award-nominated writer of Pixar hit Ratatouille. A family day will also introduce audiences to animated features and short films from around the world and a sculpt-along with Jim Parkyn, sculptor from Aardman Animations.
Every year, MAF presents its prestigious Fellowship Award, celebrating the outstanding achievements of animators within the industry. Organizers revealed that Alison Snowden and David Fine of Snowden Fine Animation (Bob’s Birthday) are the 2020 recipients. In celebration, events in the program will take a look at their work and screen a retrospective of their film and TV career, with a live Q&A with the Oscar winning couple.
The Animated Short Film competition, which includes categories of Short Film, Student Film and Commissioned Film screenings, will remain central to the festival. Winners will be announced on November 27.
Principles of Puppetry
The U.K. animation industry is world renowned for its quality of talent and originality of productions. The industry has remained resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as most animation can be accomplished remotely, making animation an incredibly impressive and important sector to the U.K.’s film and television industry.
New for MAF 2020 is the Industry Day sponsored by Brown Bag Films which takes place on Thursday, Nov. 19, with a range of live events for animation professionals to gain valuable insight into the Industry. Linking with the Industry Day, the MAF Marketplace will return in 2020 linking companies and animation studios to showcase their work and meet the festival delegates. Virtual stalls will allow industry to chat, meet, share and network. Studios and companies attending and sponsoring the MAF Marketplace are Jellyfish Pictures Ltd, Marks & Clerk, Animation Toolkit, the Young Audiences Content Fund (BFI), Blue Zoo, Brown Bag Films, Toon Boom and the University of Salford.
“I’ve had the pleasure of attending MAF every year since its inception, witnessing it grow to become the U.K.’s biggest animation festival in just a few short years,” said MAF board chair Tom Box, MD of Blue Zoo Productions. “The passion and drive that led to that growth has been cranked up and transferred to the online edition this year — sharing the love of animation with even more people around the world.”
Falcon’s Creative Group, a leading experience design and animation company in the world of themed entertainment, has teamed up with Eric Calderon, a veteran animation executive and writer, to adapt Katmandu Group’s theme park intellectual property into an animated series.
“We are thrilled with the vision that Falcon’s has for expanding Katmandu’s IP and creating new forms of media that will have global reach. It’s also fantastic to see Eric Calderon recognize the strength of our IP as a standout from the crowd,” said Scott Demerau, Chief Executive Officer of Katmandu Group, LLC. “As we at Katmandu, along with our partner, Meliá Hotels International, expand the Katmandu universe beyond our parks into a resort-style hotel brand, kids’ camps and themed experiences, we are incredibly excited to move forward with world-class animation development from these imaginative leaders.”
The Katmandu brand — which combines interdimensional fantasy with steampunk and Himalayan influences to create its own universe of mythic adventures — is being simultaneously developed with transmedia storytelling activations in new global entertainment destinations, immersive attractions and branded merchandise. Since Katmandu Park & Resort launched in Mallorca, Spain in 2013, millions of international visitors have experienced its immersive entertainment and beloved characters.
“Katmandu’s lore and strong storytelling foundation create the perfect jumping off point to provide audiences with a new way to connect to their characters,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, President & Chief Creative Officer at Falcon’s. “We are so thrilled to have Eric on board to push this forward. With his established industry background, we are firmly positioned to bring this fascinating universe to life.”
“I’m excited and honored to be part of this imaginative franchise,” said Calderon. “It perfectly blends action and whimsy in a grounded family story, creating endless possibilities in animation.” For 26 years, Calderon has developed and worked on dozens of renowned, award-winning animated films and series for kids and adults in the United States, Canada, and Asia.
Calderon is an animation executive, writer and director credited on over a dozen major animated TV series. He was the main producer/writer for Afro Samurai starring Samuel L. Jackson, and he served as showrunner for Transformers: The Combiner Wars and its sequel, Titans Return. Prior to teaming up with Falcon’s, Calderon was SVP at Octopie Productions, where he collaborated with the Russo Brothers to establish the upcoming Netflix animated series Magic: The Gathering. He has been a producer and/or consultant on kids’ TV series and franchises like Slugterra (Disney XD / Nerd Corps Entertainment), Sonic: The Hedgehog (Sega Corp / Cartoon Network) and Endangered Species (Teletoon Canada). Calderon’s ongoing educational YouTube channel, Surviving Animation, freely shares information about the business of cartoons.
Eric Calderon
“The Katmandu formula enriches our world of family resorts, a segment where we are leaders,” said André Gerondeau, Chief Operating Officer of Meliá. “We are thrilled to keep growing together and to undertake initiatives like this project with Falcon’s and Eric Calderon, which will allow many more people worldwide to experience Katmandu’s storytelling.”
Katmandu Group and Meliá have recently announced two new entertainment destinations under development in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Tenerife, Spain that will welcome millions more guests to the wondrous realms of Katmandu. Falcon’s is providing master planning, attraction design, 4D immersive ride experiences and next-generation interactivity for both sites.
Netflix and Pearl Studio have unveiled the final trailer for Glen Keane’s highly anticipated CG feature Over the Moon — a beautifully crafted, musical fantasy adventure inspired by both Chinese mythology and contemporary life. The new spot takes us into the light-filled city of Lunaria and reveals a bold Moon Goddess (voiced by Hamilton star Phillipa Soo), who tasks our young heroine with finding her long lost true love in exchange for the wish that will send Fei Fei back to Earth.
Over the Moon premieres on Netflix streaming on October 23. Read more about the project in the November issue of Animation Magazine, available soon.
Synopsis: Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures. Directed by animation legend Glen Keane, and produced by Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou, Over the Moon is an exhilarating musical adventure about moving forward, embracing the unexpected, and the power of imagination.
The film stars Cathy Ang (Fei Fei), Phillipa Soo (Chang’e), Robert G. Chiu (Chin), Ken Jeong (Gobi), John Cho (Dad), Ruthie Ann Miles (Mom), Margaret Cho (Auntie Ling), Kimiko Glenn (Auntie Mei), Artt Butler (Uncle) and Sandra Oh (Mrs. Zhong).
Directed by Oscar winner Glen Kean (Dear Basketball) and co-directed by Oscar winner John Kahrs (Paperman), Over the Moon was written by the late Audrey Wells. Producers are Gennie Rim (Dear Basketball) and Peiin Chou (Abominable). Exec producers are Keane, Janet Yang, Ruigang Li, Frank Zhu and Thomas Hui.
The original movie features songs by Christopher Curtis (Chaplin), Marjorie Duffield and Helen Park (KPOP), with a score by Oscar winner Steven Price (Gravity).
Leading anime outlet Funimation announces that Attack on Titan Final Season sub and dub will be available on its streaming service in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Mexico, and Brazil later this year. The subtitled episodes will stream day and date with its Japanese broadcast in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland. SimulDub episodes of the season will be available at a later date.
Another major anime platform, Crunchyroll, is also planning to run the conclusion series later this year in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Latin America.
With Eren and company now at the shoreline and the threat of Marley looming, what’s next for the Scouts and their quest to unravel the mysteries of the Titans, humanity, and more? Attack on Titan Final Season is shaping up to be the most action-packed yet, with MAPPA taking on production duties for the series after a spectacular tenure from WIT Studio on the first three seasons.
For fans of the critically acclaimed anime who want to relive the action, Seasons 1-3 is currently available to enjoy subbed and dubbed on Funimation. All three seasons of Attack on Titan are also available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD and can be purchased at funimation.com or from select retailers. Collectible figurines, Funko Pop! characters, and other Attack on Titan merchandise are available in the Funimation Shop.
Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese) the anime series is adapted from the best-selling manga series by Hajime Isayama about the last of humanity fighting to survive against man-eating giants called Titans. To date, there are a total of 32 volumes in the manga series, with an estimated 100+ million copies in print around the world.
Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0) lends his voice as Mr. Hong in a brand-new episode of The Casagrandes, premiering Fri., Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
In “Bo Bo Business,” Bobby (Carlos PenaVega) gets into a disagreement with Abuelo (Ruben Garfias) and decides to use his new business ideas at the Mercado’s competition, Hong’s Korean Market. Kim voices Mr. Hong, a neighbor of the Casagrandes and the owner of Hong’s Korean Market, who enthusiastically embraces Bobby’s ideas.
Emmy Award-winning The Casagrandes tells the story of Ronnie Anne (voiced by Izabella Alvarez), who moves to the city with her mom and older brother to live with their big, loving family, the Casagrandes. A spinoff of The Loud House, the series showcases the culture, humor, and love that’s part of growing up in a multigenerational Mexican-American family.
The series is executive produced by Michael Rubiner. Miguel Puga serves as co-executive producer, with award-winning cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz as consulting producer and cultural consultant.
Mondo TV Iberoamerica, part of the Mondo TV Group — one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content — is showcasing its new kids’ animated comedy Masked Cinderellain a number of important industry events for broadcasters, program buyers and financing/production partners. These include MIPCOM Online+, Cartoon Forum, Weird Market and the recent Indian Cine Film Festival, where it won a major award.
Now in development, Masked Cinderella (26 x 22’) is a new and very modern take on the classic tale, full of magic, humor and adventure, aimed at a target audience between six and 12 years old. The 2D-HD animated comedy is created and directed by Myriam Ballesteros and written by Txema Ocio.
The show is a co-production with MB Producciones, the production company founded by Ballesteros, who has been developing animated content for more than 20 years. Ballesteros is an admired producer and director with a strong reputation in the audiovisual industry for highly original ideas.
In this year’s reformatted Cartoon Forum, the show has been pitched on a digital platform across three virtual rooms. Pitches appear on a digital platform following an established agenda. The first showing of Masked Cinderella took place on the opening day (Sept. 15). Videos will be accessible until Oct. 15 — CF participants will be able to request a personal login to access them.
Masked Cinderella is also part of the program at Weird Market (Oct. 1-4). Formerly known as 3D Wire, Weird Market is one of Spain’s most important professional markets for animation, video games and new media – and a major event at the pan-European level as well.
From October 12-16, the series will also be among Mondo TV’s strong sales slate for MIPCOM Online+. Masked Cinderella makes its market debut at this year’s virtual Cannes confab, alongside established international favorites and newer titles including Annie & Carola (MB Producciones, Mondo TV Iberoamerica, RTVE), Grisu – The New Adventures, Hey Fuzzy Yellow (Toon2Tango, Mondo TV, Jungle Fruit), Invention Story (Mondo TV, York Animation), MeteoHeroes (Centro Epson Meteo, Mondo TV), Robot Trains (Mondo TV, CJ E&M) and Sissi: The Young Empress (Mondo TV, Il Sole di Carta).
Although it is still in the early production phase, the show has already received an award: The pilot of Masked Cinderella (presented as Cinderella Swing) won the Best Animation Short award from the jury at the eighth Indian Cine Film Festival in August.
Growing buzz around Masked Cinderella is being driven by its innovative concept that takes a well-known story and brings it right up to date in a highly original way. The show stars an ordinary 21st-century teenager with 21st century teenager problems – except that she lives in a magical kingdom whose inhabitants are all characters from classic fairy tales.
Cinderella studies at the Brothers Grimm High School, with unique classmates like the rebellious Little Red Riding Hood, the antisocial Beast and the Little Mermaid, a famous influencer princess. What’s more, she lives with a foster family made up of her airhead stepmother and awful step sisters.
Most people think Cinderella is just an insignificant young girl. Little do they know that she is really the famous masked heroine who defends the kingdom from monsters and injustice – with a little help from her pal Merlin, the young magician’s apprentice.
The producers promise thrilling and funny stories, innovative animation and evolving, growing characters will make every episode of this highly original series a must-see – and that its combination of classic fairy tale-inspired ideas and modern settings make it perfect for multiple formats and platforms as well as diverse merchandising and publishing initiatives.
“Masked Cinderella brilliantly combines two winning scenarios. It’s a relatable 21st century story about kids finding a role and being themselves. It’s also a hilarious new approach to the classic characters and fairy tales that we’ve all known since we were kids,” said Maria Bonaria Fois, Mondo Tv Iberoamerica’s CEO. “We’re looking forward enormously to previewing this wonderful new series in many important showcase events.”
“We’re thrilled at the reaction to Masked Cinderella, which, even at this early stage, is very positive,” added Ballesteros. “This is a wonderfully original project but one with a universal appeal and we’re confident that it will continue to attract enthusiastic support from the broadcasting industry wherever it is showcased.”
Premium kids content distributor Federation Kids & Family (part of Federation Entertainment) has finalized a deal with the WarnerMedia-owned HBO Max for the hilarious animated children’s comedy series Squish.
Federation Kids & Family has sold all 52 episodes of Squish to the U.S. SVOD platform which is scheduled to start airing the series Q1 2021.
“We are delighted to announce our first deal with HBO Max, a great partner and superb platform for Squish,” said Monica Levy, Head of Sales, Federation Kids & Family. “This unique slapstick comedy is perfectly timed as younger viewers try to navigate their way through this pandemic, especially as all the central characters in the series are extremely ‘endearing’ amoeba, viruses and bacteria.”
Squish, produced by Cottonwood Media and Planeta Junior, was commissioned by Gulli who has been an incredible partner from the outset. The series is executive produced and developed by John Derevlany.
To date, the series has also sold to international broadcasters such as VRT and RTBF (Belgium), Wow and Quebecor (Canada), Hop TV (Israel), Tooniverse (Korea), NEOX (Atresmedia in Spain) to name just a few.
Based on the original books by New York Times best-selling authors Jennifer & Matthew Holm, Squish (52 x 11’) is about everyday school kids, their friendships, parents, and efforts to fit in, centering on the adventures of a twinkie-eating grade school amoeba.
Squish’s hometown of Small Pond looks suspiciously like an ordinary suburb, with its tidy streets, schools and homes…with just one small difference: Small Pond is inhabited solely by single-celled organisms. They’re mostly like us, with a few unicellular quirks: algae are the cool kids, parasites can’t be trusted and, of course, bacteria always make a mess of everything!
