Animation Magazine

Tag: featured

  • Spark Festival to Offer Sessions with Tomm Moore, Women of ‘Toy Story’

    Spark Festival to Offer Sessions with Tomm Moore, Women of ‘Toy Story’

    The 12th annual Spark Animation Film festival has moved online in 2020 with an expanded program running over 11 days from October 29 to November 8. The virtual festival, which is produced by Vancouver-based Spark Computer Graphics (Spark CG) Society, will showcase interviews with Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore (Wolfwalkers, The Secret of Kells) as well as a 25th anniversary reunion of the women who worked on Pixar’s Toy Story, featuring acclaimed producer Bonnie Arnold (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy).

    Festival director Marina Antunes noted, “Along with a program of edgy and award-winning short and feature films, we will have director Q & A sessions, live presentations, and opportunities for festival pass-holders to network with filmmakers virtually.”

    Among the sessions planned for this event, organized by festival director Marina Artunes are:

    • “The Women of Toy Story” honors the 25th-anniversary of this beloved film from the perspectives of the women who helped in its creation. Hollywood Producer Bonnie Arnold, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Spark CG Society in 2019, will be joined by other women from the production. The session will be moderated by author, film historian, and filmmaker Mindy Johnson.
    • An online presentation by Irish animator and illustrator Tomm Moore, co-director of the Apple TV+ upcoming film Wolfwalkers.
    • To mark the 20th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning short film Father and Daughter, an “In Conversation” session with London-based Dutch Director Michaël Dudok de Wit will be moderated by educator and film historian Keith Blackmore and will include a screening of the acclaimed short.
    • Female filmmakers’ talents are on display during the “Mothers of a Medium” program.
    • Films by Canadian filmmakers are celebrated with a “Made in Canada” showcase.
    • The “Spotlight on France” includes award-winning French shorts and features.
    • Experimental films provide fuel for “Late Night Snacks” screenings.

    Festival passes are on sale now at Eventive for $25, plus taxes and fees.
    For the full line-up, visit at http://sparkanimation.ca.

    Bonnie Arnold
    Bonnie Arnold
    Tomm Moore
    Tomm Moore

  • Hugh Davidson Nabs Overall Deal with Warner Bros. Animation

    Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) has signed an exclusive, multi-year overall deal with Emmy- winning writer/actor/producer Hugh Davidson (Nobodies, Mike Tyson Mysteries, Robot Chicken). Davidson’s first project under this new deal, Keeping Up with the Joneses, has received a presentation order from HBO Max. The show centers on an aging matriarch who scrambles to keep up appearances in her wealthy, judgmental Texas neighborhood.

    Davidson will develop, write and produce original animated projects — at WBA across all platforms, including premium/pay and basic cable channels, streaming/on-demand and digital platforms, and the broadcast networks. In addition to WBA, the deal also allows for Davidson to develop, write and produce original live-action scripted projects through Warner Bros. Television.

    This marks another overall deal for WBA joining the previously announced pact with Emmy-nominated producer Wellesley Wild, as the animation studio continues to strengthen its in-house producer lineup and further expand into adult animation.

    Davidson most recently served as executive producer and showrunner of the hit adult animated series Mike Tyson Mysteries, which concluded its fourth season on Adult Swim earlier this year. His credits also include the comedy show Nobodies, The Looney Tunes Show, which ran for two seasons on Cartoon Network, as well as writing and voicing multiple characters for the popular Adult Swim series Robot Chicken.

    “I have been at Warner Bros Animation for 10 years which in entertainment business years is about 100 years, so we finally decided to ‘make it official’,” said Davidson.

    Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios President Sam Register added, “Mike Tyson Mysteries was our first big swing at producing an adult animated series here at WBA, and the show owes much of its success to the creative vision and work of Hugh, who is one of the funniest and most creative voices in the industry. As we move into this space even further, I’m thrilled that we are extending and expanding this creative partnership.”

  • DreamWorks Reveals Stellar Voice Cast for ‘Boss Baby: Family Business’

    Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Greenblatt, Eva Longoria, James Marsden and Amy Sedaris have joined the cast of DreamWorks Animation’s The Boss Baby: Family Business, the sequel to the 2017 Oscar-nominated blockbuster comedy. Alec Baldwin will also reprise his role as Boss Baby Ted, and Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow are back as Ted and Tim’s parents.

    The Boss Baby: Family Business is directed by returning filmmaker Tom McGrath and is produced by Jeff Hermann (Kung Fu Panda 3). The first movie earned more than $500 million worldwide. In the sequel, the Templeton brothers—Tim (Marsden) and his Boss Baby little bro Ted (Baldwin)—have become adults and drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married dad. Ted is a hedge fund CEO. But a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude is about to bring them together again … and inspire a new family business.

    Tim and his super-mom wife Carol (Longoria) live in the suburbs with their super-smart 7-year-old daughter Tabitha (Greenblatt), and super-cute new infant Tina (Sedaris). Tabitha, who’s at the top her class at the prestigious Acorn Center for Advanced Childhood, idolizes her Uncle Ted and wants to become like him, but Tim worries that she’s working too hard and is missing out on a normal childhood. When baby Tina reveals that she’s a top secret agent for BabyCorp on a mission to uncover the dark secrets behind Tabitha’s school and its mysterious founder, Dr. Armstrong (Goldblum), it will reunite the Templeton brothers in unexpected ways, lead them to re-evaluate the meaning of family and discover what truly matters.

    “We are so fortunate to work with such a talented ensemble of actors, all of whom possess tremendous imaginations,” said director Tom McGrath. “The everyday joy for me is not only watching our actors make a line hilarious or heartfelt through subtle adjustments, but the process they all share of improvisation and character creation.  They are the heart and soul of the characters they bring to life.”

    “We are so thrilled to welcome these new additions to our Boss Baby family,” said producer Jeff Hermann. “James, Amy, Ariana, Eva and Jeff each bring so much depth, wit and charm to combine with Alec, Lisa and Jimmy to form an incredibly rich ensemble, one which expands upon the world of the first movie in unexpected and exciting ways.”

    Universal will release The Boss Baby: Family Business on Friday, March 26, 2021.

    The Boss Baby: Family Business
    The Boss Baby: Family Business
  • DreamWorks’ ‘Doug Unplugs’ and Gaumont’s ‘Stillwater’ to Debut on Apple TV+

    DreamWorks’ ‘Doug Unplugs’ and Gaumont’s ‘Stillwater’ to Debut on Apple TV+

    Apple TV+ has announced the addition of two new animated series DreamWorks’ Doug Unplugs and Gaumont Animation’s Stillwater this fall. The streaming service also revealed the October premiere dates for season two of its award-winning shows Ghostwriter and

    From DreamWorks Animation and based on Dan Yaccarino’s popular book series,  Doug Unplugged  follows a young robot named Doug who senses there’s more to life than just the facts. While other robots plug in for their daily download, curious Doug unplugs and journeys into the human world, and with his best friend Emma, experiences its wonders firsthand. The show is executive produced by Jim Nolan, Aliki Theofilopoulos and Dan Yaccarino, and features the voice talents of Brandon James Cienfuegos, Kyrie McAlpin, Eric Bauza, Mae Whitman, Leslie David Baker and Becky Robinson. Premiere Date: Friday, November 13

    Based on the Scholastic book series Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth, Stillwater is produced by Gaumont and Scholastic Entertainment and centers on siblings Karl, Addy and Michael. Fortunately for these three kids they have Stillwater, a wise panda, as their next-door neighbor. Through his example, stories and gentle humor, Stillwater gives the children a deeper understanding of their feelings, as well as mindfulness tools that help them face their own day-to-day challenges. The show is executive produced by Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Nicolas Atlan, Terry Kalagian, Iole Lucchese, Caitlin Friedman, Jef Kaminsky and Rob Hoegee and features the voice talents of James Sie, Eva Binder, Tucker Chandler and Judah Mackey. Premiere Date: Friday, December 4

    Other new original shows and seasons for kids and families premiering globally on Apple TV+ this fall include:

    Ghostwriter. After being honored with the Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Programming Award at the 47thAnnual Daytime Emmys, and making Apple TV+ the first streaming service to win a Daytime Emmy in its first year of eligibility, Ghostwriter returns after a landmark first season, on Friday, October 9. The series earned a  Prix Jeunesse Award, a Parents’ Choice Gold Medal Award, and recognition from Common Sense Media. Academy Award-winning and DGA Award-nominated Luke Matheny returns as the writer and director of the series, with PGA-nominated Andrew Orenstein serving as showrunner. Sesame Workshop’s executive vice president of Creative and Production Kay Wilson Stallings is executive producer. The show is produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment. Season Two premieres Friday, October 9

    Helpsters. In Season Two of “Helpsters,” preschoolers continue to explore the power of teamwork as puppets Cody, Scatter, Mr. Primm and Heart join a cadre of new celebrity and musical guests to solve problems. The Helpsters approach any challenge – from party-planning to magic trick mastery, and even mountain-climbing – with a can-do attitude, because everything starts with a plan. Featured guest stars in the new season include Terry Crews, Danny Trejo, Gabby Douglas, Christopher Meloni, Richard Kind, Michael Ian Black, Janeane Garofalo, Michelle Buteau, and Judah Friedlander. Emmy Award winner Tim McKeon (Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends: Destination Imagination, Odd Squad) is the creator and showrunner. He and Sesame Workshop’s executive vice president of Creative and Production Kay Wilson Stallings are executive producers.. Season Two premieres Friday, October 16.

    Apple TV+ is currently available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, select Samsung and LG smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices, as well as at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. The Apple TV app will be available on Sony and VIZIO smart TVs later this year.

    Stillwater
    Stillwater
  • Virtual N.Y. Comic Con to Offer Panels on ‘Wolfwalkers,’ ‘Kipo,’ ‘Steven Universe’

    Virtual N.Y. Comic Con to Offer Panels on ‘Wolfwalkers,’ ‘Kipo,’ ‘Steven Universe’

    This year’s virtual New York Comic Con and MCM Comic Con have unveiled their amazing lineup for the digital confab which takes place Oct. 8-11 on the New York Comic Con YouTube channel. The rich line up features lots of exclusive panels about the making of our favorite animated shows and features including a look at the Apple film Wolfwalkers, an interview with Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, a panel featuring the creative team behind CBS All Access’ new series Star Trek: Lower Decks, a look at the writers’ room of Colin Trevorrow and Scott Kreamer’s Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, a special roundtable with the team behind Seis Manos, and a look back at the making of the hugely influential show X-Men: The Animated Series:

    Here are some of the animation and fantasy/vfx-related sessions:

    Inside the World of Wolfwalkers from Apple TV+
    Join directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart for a deeper look at Wolfwalkers, a new Apple Original Film. Alongside Cartoon Saloon’s Maria Pareja (production designer), Sandra Andersen (character designer), and Mark Mullery (assistant director), they’ll offer insights into the creative process and answer questions directly from fans. From Cartoon Saloon, the Oscar-nominated animation studio behind The Secret of Kells and co-produced with Mélusine Productions, comes a magical tale of an unlikely friendship between two girls in 17th-century Ireland. A young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe (voiced by Honor Kneafsey), and her father, Bill (Game of Thrones’ Sean Bean), journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl named Mebh (Eva Whittaker) from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night. Coming Soon to Apple TV+.

    In the Writers’ Room of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous 
    Join executive producers Colin Trevorrow and Scott Kreamer, consulting producer Zack Stentz, story editor Josie Campbell, and staff writers Sheela Shrinivas Rick Williams and Bethany Johnson as they take you inside the writers’ room of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.

    Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: The Final Season
    Take a final journey inside the post-apocalyptic wonderland of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts before season three hits Netflix October 12. Join executive producers Radford Sechrist and Bill Wolkoff, story editors Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco, and voice cast as they preview the final season.

    Doctor Who Spotlight | BBC America

    BBC America, in partnership with HBO Max is excited to bring together a new spotlight on Doctor Who and the series’ return to New York Comic Con with the Doctor herself, Jodie Whittaker, companion Yaz, played by Mandip Gill, and Graham O’Brien, played by Bradley Walsh. Together with moderator Melanie McFarland, TV Critic for Salon.com, they will look back at their epic past two series in the TARDIS, which have been packed with shocking twists, turns and surprises and discuss their favorite moments to date.

    Exclusive Interviews with the Creators of Steven Universe – The End of an Era
    Join Steven Universe series creator Rebecca Sugar and author Chris McDonnell as they discuss Steven Universe: End of an Era (Abrams Books), the new art book that features concept art, storyboards, background paintings, and exclusive interviews about one of the most progressive, imaginative, and beloved animated series of our time. Joined by Kat Morris (writer, storyboard supervisor, supervising director) and Alonso Ramirez Ramos (producer, director on Steven Universe Future), the panel will explore the process of creating season four through Steven Universe Future, as well as the show’s incredible legacy.

    Star Trek: Lower Decks
    Join the creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Mike McMahan, and series voice cast for a special edition of CBS All Access’ official Star Trek after-show, The Ready Room, as they dive into the season one finale with host Wil Wheaton. Voice cast appearing include Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis, Jerry O’Connell, Fred Tatasciore and Gillian Vigman.

    The Stand: Exclusive Q&A with Cast + Inside Look
    Based on Stephen King’s iconic post-apocalyptic novel of the same name, the much-anticipated limited event series asks the question “where will you stand?” in the ultimate fight between good and evil. Join series stars Whoopi Goldberg, James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Amber Heard, Jovan Adepo, Odessa Young and Owen Teague alongside showrunner Benjamin Cavell and executive producer Taylor Elmore, as they discuss bringing this epic story to life and what fans can expect when the series premieres December 17,

    Smallville Cast | 20 Years of Fandom, Friendship & Flying
    Join Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Sam Witwer, Laura Vandervoort, and Michael Rosenbaum on this look back at this groundbreaking show and a look ahead at what’s next for this Super-group.

    Dylan O’Brien Takes Fans Behind-the-Scenes of Love and Monsters
    Go behind the scenes of the wildly imaginative, post-apocalyptic adventure that’s filled with Love and Monsters. Starring Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker and Ariana Greenblatt, the film arrives on premium video-on-demand and Digital October 16.  #LoveAndMonsters

    A Discovery of Witches S2 | Behind the Magic
    Take a journey to the fascinating and treacherous world of Elizabethan London as Sky original drama A Discovery of Witches returns for season two. Enjoy a sneak peek at the new magical series, adapted by Bad Wolf from Deborah Harkness’s bestselling All Souls trilogy, including an introduction by Deborah herself and Bad Wolf Executive Producer Lachlan MacKinnon, as well as a Q&A with key cast Matthew Goode, Teresa Palmer, Ed Bluemel, Adelle Leonce and Steven Cree who will gather from the set of the infamous Congregation- in Wolf Studios Wales –  where witches, daemons and vampires meet and where they are also filming season 3.

    VIZ & Powerhouse Animation Present Seis Manos
    Join the creative team and cast members on a deep dive into Seis Manos as they reflect on their favorite moments and reveal lots of behind-the-scenes secrets. Panelists include: Brad Graeber (Co-creator), Álvaro Rodríguez (Co-creator), Daniel Dominguez (Writer), Willis Bulliner (Director), Jonny Cruz (Voice of Jesus), & Angélica Vale (Voice of Garcia).

    IDW Presents – The World of Locke & Key
    Unlock what’s next in the world of Locke & Key, now a hit Netflix original series! Join New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (Full Throttle, NOS4A2, Dying is Easy) and legendary artist Gabriel Rodríguez in conversation with series editor Chris Ryall, as they welcome you back to Keyhouse. Be the first to hear more about the next wave of comics and graphic novels in the Locke & Key franchise!

    X-Men | The Art and Making of the Animated Series
    Meet the creative team behind one of the most celebrated, revolutionary animated TV shows of all time as they discuss their new book, X-Men: The Art and Making of the Animated Series, by Eric Lewald (series showrunner) and Julia Lewald (series writer). The Lewalds are joined by other celebrated creators who helped make X-Men: The Animated Series, including Larry Houston (series producer/director), Rick Hoberg (series artist), Stephanie Graziano (production), and Sven Larsen (VP, Licensed Publishing for Marvel). Panelists will discuss what it’s like to develop, pitch, design, write, draw, direct, and produce a hit animated series, while showcasing never-before-seen production and promotional materials from the art book.

    Marvel’s Black Panther: Sins of the King
    Step into Wakanda with Emmy-nominated William Jackson Harper and the award-winning writing team for Marvel’s Black Panther: Sins of the King, from Serial Box. Get an inside look into the upcoming immersive e-book and audiobook series and be the first to hear an exclusive audio excerpt from William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), who will be narrating the series.

    In Conversation with All the Anime!
    Missed your regular fix of MCM Anime? Join familiar faces Andy Hanley and Jeremy Graves from Anime Limited as they give a rundown of All the Anime’s latest exclusives, festival features and new releases. Continue the conversation over on the NYCC x MCM Metaverse Discord channel when the panel is over!

    A Celebration of Revolutionary Girl Utena
    Hear from iconic Manga Writer, Chiho Saito (Kanon, Revolutionary Girl Utena, The World Exists For Me) and Director, Kunihiko Ikuhara (Sailor Moon, Revolutionary Girl Utena) as they answer fan questions and take a look back at the critically acclaimed and highly influential anime series. Panel hosted by Anime Limited.

    The Jedi Mind – Lessons in Mindfulness from Star Wars
    The code that all Jedi strive to follow offers principles for being at peace and learning. In fact, these tenets are useful not just in a galaxy far, far away, but here in our own world. While the Force isn’t present in our galaxy, we can still learn from how the Jedi use it to guide their lives. And we can use these lessons about the Force as a gateway to studying mindfulness and putting practices into action. Join us for an exploration of how the practice of mindfulness inspires and empowers some of our favorite Star Wars characters, and how we can bring some of that inspiration into our everyday lives. Panelists include Amy Ratcliffe, Managing Editor of Nerdist and author of The Jedi Mind; Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and founder of Her Universe; and Dr. Drea Letamendi psychologist and co-host of the Lattes with Leia podcast.

    Find out about the complete New York Comic Con lineup at www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

  • Bron Animation’s ‘Henchmen’ Looks for Home Ent. Money in Oct.

    Bron Animation’s ‘Henchmen’ Looks for Home Ent. Money in Oct.

    Bron Animation’s CG-animated feature Henchmen is making its pay-per-view and digital debut in the U.S. on October 9. The action comedy is directed by Pixar veteran Adam Wood (who worked on Geri’s Game and A Bug’s Life, as well as Space Chimps and Escape from Planet Earth), and written by Wood and Jay D. Waxman. The movie was originally released in Canada in December 2018.

    Here is the official synopsis for the movie: “In a world of super-villains, evil schemes and global domination…someone has to take out the Trash. Welcome to the world of Henchmen, third class. When a fresh-faced new recruit joins the Union of Evil, he is assigned to a motley crew of blue-collar workers led by fallen henchmen Hank. But when ‘The Kid’ accidentally steals the super villain’s ultimate weapon, Hank must break his ‘risk nothing’ code to save the boy he’s befriended, even if it means becoming the one thing he has always avoided…being a hero.”

    The film’s voice cast includes Thomas Middleditch, James Marsden, Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina, Will Sasso, Nathan Fillion, Rob Riggle, Jane Krakowski, Craig Robinson, and Bobcat Goldthwait. Entertainment One (eONe) is releasing the movie in theaters in Canada this weekend.

    The film will make its virtual cinema, digital and on-demand debut on Friday, October 9 in the U.S. Vertical Entertainment is handling the distribution Stateside. The 81-minute feature is produced by Brenda Gilbert, Luke Carroll and Aaron Gilbert. Bron Animation, which is based known for producing the animation for Netflix’s well-received feature The Willoughbys is based in Burnaby and Duncan in British Columbia. In July, Bron Media launched a new digital division, led by vfx veteran Jason Chen (Avatar, Jojo Rabbit, Real Steel, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Bumblebee and Thor: Ragnarok).

    You can watch Henchmen‘s trailer here.

    Henchmen
    Henchmen
  • Universal Bumps DreamWorks’ ‘Croods 2’ Up to Thanksgiving Release

    Universal Bumps DreamWorks’ ‘Croods 2’ Up to Thanksgiving Release

    DreamWorks Animation’s long-awaited Stone Age sequel adventure The Croods: A New Age will be arriving earlier than expected, with distributor Universal Pictures moving the release up from its December 23 slot to Wednesday, November 25. The bump adds to speculation that Disney-Pixar’s Soul may be opting for a Disney+ debut instead of its Thanksgiving theatrical holiday window.

    The shortened theatrical-to-Premium VOD window negotiated between Universal and AMC (the largest cinema chain in the U.S.) after the studio’s day-and-date Trolls World Tour release sowed resentment amid COVID-19 shutdowns could mean that the Crood clan will get to take advantage of both a Thanksgiving big screen release and a Christmas PVOD debut — a winning strategy as the pandemic rages on and audience returns to theaters are unsteady. The Trolls sequel reportedly made close to $100 million in PVOD rental fees this spring.

    The Croods: A New Age is being directed by DWA story artist Joel Crawford (Trolls Holiday) in his feature debut, from a script by Dan Hagerman and Kevin Hagerman. The sequel pits the prehistoric Croods against a rival “more evolved” family, the Bettermans. Voice stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman and Clark Duke return, joined by Leslie Mann, Peter Dinklage, Joanna Lumley and Kelly Marie Tran.

    The Oscar-nominated first film, The Croods (2013), was directed by Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders and earned over $580 million in worldwide box office.

    Update:  Sony Pictures Animation’s much-anticipated feature Connected will no longer be released theatrically on Oct. 23rd as previously announced. No official date has been announced as of yet.

    The theoretical theatrical release calendar for animation and VFX showpieces through the end of 2020 currently:

    • Oct. 23 | Connected (Sony Pictures Animation) [Updated: the movie has moved to an unset date in 2020]
    • Oct. 23 | Death on the Nile (20th Century)
    • Nov. 6 |  Black Widow (Marvel/Disney)
    • Nov. 20 | No Time to Die (MGM/Universal)
    • Nov. 20 | Soul (Disney-Pixar)*
    • Nov. 25 | The Croods: A New Age (DreamWorks/Universal)
    • Nov. 25 | Voyagers (Lionsgate)
    • Dec. 4 | The Empty Man (20th Century)
    • Dec. 18 | Dune (Warner Bros.)
    • Dec. 25 | Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)

    [Source: Deadline]

    The Croods
    The Croods
  • New Artwork: ‘Black-ish’ Gets Animated Oct. 4

    New Artwork: ‘Black-ish’ Gets Animated Oct. 4

    The Johnsons and black-ish return to ABC with a special one-hour television special on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC with a double episode event, including the show’s first-ever animated episode. The network has just debuted the official character designs for this tooned up installment of the hit series, announced earlier this month.

    The two back-to-back episodes, which will air ahead of the official season seven premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9:30 p.m. EDT, will follow the Johnsons as they navigate the upcoming election, with Junior (Marcus Scribner) embarking on his journey as a first-time voter and Dre (Anthony Anderson) launching an exploration into local politics. Oscar winner Matthew A. Cherry (Hair Love) is set to direct.

    In “Election Special Pt. 1” (10 p.m. EDT), Junior is excited for his first time voting but discovers he has been purged from the voter polls so he does a deep dive into why – trying to understand the systems in place for voter registration. (Directed by Cherry, written by Eric Horsted.)

    Then, in a special animated episode, “Election Special Pt. 2” (10:30 p.m. EDT), Dre’s colleague Stevens (Peter Mackenzie) makes an ill-advised decision to run for Congress, so Dre enlists his family’s help and campaigns against him but gets caught up with fundraising and private interest groups. (Directed by Cherry, written by Graham Towers & Ben Deeb.)

    The animation is being produced by Jonas Diamond, Executive Producer and Co-Owner of Smiley Guy Studios and Rod Amador, Executive Producer and Co-Owner of Big Jump Entertainment.

    In its upcoming seventh season, black-ish will continue to tell stories that shine a light on current events through the lens of the Johnson family, addressing the global pandemic, systemic racism and the movement for social justice and equality.

    (Airdate & times may change due to NBA Finals.)

  • Trailer: Fairytale Rewrite ‘Red Shoes’ Strides to US Digital Friday

    Trailer: Fairytale Rewrite ‘Red Shoes’ Strides to US Digital Friday

    An animated import that puts a new twist on a popular tale is zapping into living rooms across the country via Digital and On Demand distribution this Friday, September 18: Locus Corporation’s internationally successful Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs.

    First opening in its native Korea in July 2019, Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs has had a successful rollout in many countries throughout the world as the first wholly Korean-produce animated feature to reach more than 123 territories — scoring a box office of over $1.4 million USD in Australia and New Zealand alone, as well as a two-week reign at the top of the Spanish box office in July 2020. Now, the outrageous fairytale spoof rolls out in North America with a release on AppleTV, Amazon and other digital and On Demand platforms Friday. The OST was also released worldwide by Sony’s Milan Records on June 26, available digitally.

    “After years of hard work from well over a hundred animators, we are proud to hear that Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs has been given such a warm reception throughout the world, and kindly thank our friends at Lionsgate and Sony Music for giving audiences in North America opportunity to enjoy the film as well,” said director Sung-ho Hong (Egg-Cola, Wonderful Days), who also wrote the original story.

    Red Shoes begins when Snow White steals a pair of red shoes that transform her into a stereotypically pretty princess. Meanwhile, a witch’s curse turns seven brave princes into dwarfs, forcing them to seek out the princess, hoping for a kiss to break their spell. Together, they must face Snow White’s wicked stepmother – who will stop at nothing to get her precious shoes back – and, along the way, learn that true beauty lies within!

    Produced by noted commercial/games cinematics studio Locus Corporation, the English dub stars Chloë Grace Moretz (The Addams Family) as Snow White, Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games series) as Merlin, Gina Gershon (Riverdale) as the Witch Queen, Patrick Warburton (Family Guy) as the Mirror, and Jim Rash (Community) as Prince Average.

    Mulan director Tony Bancroft handled voice direction, while Primetime Emmy-winning composer Geoff Zanelli provided the music. The animation direction and character design were spearheaded by Jin Kim, 20-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company whose credits include Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Moana. Producers are Hyungsoon Kim and Sujin Hwang.

    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
    Red Shoes and Seven Dwarfs
  • ‘Ocean Village’ Surfs to Fox Development Slate

    ‘Ocean Village’ Surfs to Fox Development Slate

    Fox continues to grow its animation dev slate, with the latest addition being multicultural family sitcom Ocean Village, created by Daniel Cardenas Katz (Deep Space 69), whose writing/directing credits include TripTank and Like Share Die. The network has committed to a script and ordered a backup script and animatic presentation.

    Inspired by Katz’s own childhood on a Florida island, Ocean Village centers on the Diaz family as they navigate life in a tropical village. This part-immigrant, blended, multicultural clan take it one day at a time in what would be a paradise on Earth — it it weren’t for the gangs of raccoons, beach bums, crusty retirees and mosquitos the size of cats. Katz is writing with fellow TripTank alum Tim Saccardo as supervisor. Saccardo has also written for Community and was a writer/co-exec producer on American Dad!

    Katz is an executive producer on the project alongside Josh Bowen, Managing Director of Blue Ant Media’s animation studio Look Mom! Productions; Dan Lubetkin; and Nick Weidenfeld.

    Ocean Village is a co-production of Fox Entertainment and its animation shingle Bento Box. The project was originally commissioned by Blue Ant and was in development at Hulu.

    [Source: Deadline]

  • 4K Remaster of ‘Akira’ Bursts into Select US Theaters Sept. 24

    4K Remaster of ‘Akira’ Bursts into Select US Theaters Sept. 24

    For over 30 years, Akira has entertained and inspired fans and creators around the globe. Funimation announced that the iconic anime film has been re-mastered in 4K and returns to select theaters on September 24 (subtitled only).

    Tickets for the event will be available starting September 18. For a list of cities and theaters visit www.funimationfilms.com/movie/akira-4k. This film is Rated R.

    Akira, the crown jewel of anime and science fiction, returns to theaters with remastered 4K visuals and remixed audio. In the future, Shotaro Kaneda (voiced by Mitsu Iwata) and his motorcycle gang tear through Neo Tokyo, a city divided by growing tensions. But when caught in an accident, Kaneda’s friend Tetsuo Shima discovers a secret government project and receives psychic abilities beyond his control. The film is presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

    The original Japanese voice cast also features Nozomu Sasaki as Tetsuo, Mami Koama as Kei, Taro Ishida as Colonel, Tessyo Genda as Ryu, Mizuho Suzuki as Doctor, Tatsuhiko Nakamura as Takashi (No. 26), Fukue Ito as Kiyoko (No. 25) and Kazuhiro Kando as Masaru (No. 27).

    Based on the graphic novel AKIRA by the film’s director, Katsuhiro Otomo, first published by Young Magazine, Kodansha Ltd.

    Otomo wrote the screenplay with Izo Hashimoto and designed the characters. Takasih Nakamura was chief animator on the film, which was produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (now TMS Entertainment). Shoji Yamashiro was composer & conductor; music by Geinoh Yamashirogumi.

    Akira
    Akira
  • Disney Junior Launches Spanish-Language ‘Ready for Preschool’ Shorts for Hispanic Heritage Month

    Disney Junior Launches Spanish-Language ‘Ready for Preschool’ Shorts for Hispanic Heritage Month

    Disney Junior has kicked off its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on the channel’s official YouTube page with a new Spanish-language version of the popular Ready for Preschool short-form series. The cartoons highlight age-appropriate lessons for young children through favorite Disney Junior characters and fun, upbeat music.

    “The new Ready for Preschool Spanish-language shorts will provide more young viewers with the opportunity to follow along with their favorite Disney Junior characters and learn simple, preschool appropriate lessons in subjects like math, language arts, cognitive thinking and social-emotional development,” said Lori Mozilo, Executive Director of Original Programming for Disney Junior. “Having both the English and Spanish versions available for our audience encourages curiosity, not only about the lessons being presented, but also about different languages and by extension, different cultures.”

    The first short, “Formas” (“Shapes”) debuted Tuesday at the start of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15). The musical 2D animation follows Mickey Mouse as he discovers and plays with the many shapes that exist in the world.

    Disney Junior’s Ready for Preschool short-form series premiered in October 2019 and since then has amassed nearly 21.5 Million Video Views on Disney Junior’s YouTube channel. Featuring favorite characters from hit Disney Junior series including T.O.T.S., Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Puppy Dog Pals, as well as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, the series features fun and playful tunes that prepare young minds for preschool.

  • ‘South Park’ Returns with Hour-Long Special Sept. 30

    ‘South Park’ Returns with Hour-Long Special Sept. 30

    Comedy Central will welcome back animation’s favorite foul-mouthed tykes in a one-hour special event of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series South Park. The supersized episode titled “The Pandemic Special” premiering on Wednesday, September 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT will have two encore airings at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT and 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

    In the hour-long special, Randy comes to terms with his role in the COVID-19 outbreak as the on-going pandemic presents continued challenges to the citizens of South Park. The kids happily head back to school but nothing resembles the normal that they once knew; not their teachers, not their homeroom, not even Eric Cartman.

    All-new episodes will be available to stream in HD exclusively on South Park Studios, CC.com and the Comedy Central App immediately following the west coast airing and on HBO Max 24 Hours after premiere. Fans will have next-day access to new episodes, as well as the entire South Park library, across numerous internet-connected devices with a HBO Max subscription.

    Comedy Central’s South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, launched on August 13, 1997. Parker, Stone, Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II are the executive producers. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell, Jack Shia and Vernon Chatman are producers. Chris Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios. See more at SouthPark.cc.com.

    The uncensored episodes are also available for download on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, XBOX Live, Google Play, Sony Entertainment Network, Vudu and Verizon Flexview.

  • DreamWorks Conjuring ‘Ronan Boyle’ Adaptation with Director Fergal Reilly

    DreamWorks Conjuring ‘Ronan Boyle’ Adaptation with Director Fergal Reilly

    Tom Lennon’s New York Times bestseller Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles is being magicked into an animated adventure-fantasy through DreamWorks Animation. Now in development, the project will be helmed by Irish director Fergal Reilly (The Angry Birds Movie), who has an overall deal with the studio.

    Published last year, Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles is a tongue-in-cheek middle grade adventure which follows the titular teenage recruit to the Garda Special Unit of Tir Na Nog — an elite division of the Irish police dedicated to supernatural incidents involving trolls, changelings, leprechauns and other mystical menaces. In the first book, Boyle must survive the Unit’s harrowing training in shillelagh combat and weaponized poetry before tackling his first case when the team is sent to investigate a harpy sighting.

    Bridge of Riddles was followed in March of this year by a second installment, Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death. Both Amulet Books titles were illustrated by John Hendrix

    Actor-screenwriter Lennon (Night at the Museum films) is penning the script based on his debut book series.

    In addition to directing Sony Picture Animation/Rovio’s The Angry Birds Movie, Reilly has a long list of art department credits with top animation studios, including storyboarding for Sony’s Hotel Transylvania, The Smurfs and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as well as Disney’s Pooh’s Heffalump Movie and Warner Bros.’ Osmosis Jones, The Iron Giant and Space Jam. He is attached to direct Pete & Goat for Allegiance.

    [Source: Variety]

    Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles
    Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles
  • 2020 Student Academy Award Animation Winners Revealed

    2020 Student Academy Award Animation Winners Revealed

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted 18 students as winners of the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciencescompetition. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received a total of 1,474 entries from 207 domestic and 121 international colleges and universities. The 2020 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award winners as Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Trey Parker, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.

    The animation category winners are:

    Animation (Domestic Film Schools)

    Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma, “Ciervo,” Rhode Island School of Design

    An emotionally haunting and visually beautiful experience, Ciervo tells the story of a young girl who holds violence, submission and independence in an uneasy balance as one morphs into the other.

    Daniela Dwek, Maya Mendonca and Chrisy Baek, “Hamsa,” School of Visual Arts

    A young Israeli girl is oblivious to the historical conflict she lives in. On a trip to the market, her mother reinforces her fear of “the other.” However, when chaos strikes she finds that the people she was once afraid of are not so bad.

    HAMSA from Hamsa Thesis on Vimeo.

    Kate Namowicz and Skyler Porras, “Mime Your Manners,” Ringling College of Art & Design

    An arrogant man named Julian is transformed into a mime. Given a taste of his own medicine, he must grow to be a better person to be freed.

    Animation (International Film Schools)

    Pascal Schelbli, “The Beauty,” Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

    All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for 2020 Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Subject category. Past winners have gone on to receive 64 Oscar nominations and have won or shared 13 awards. The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in the seven award categories will be revealed in a virtual program highlighting the winners and their films on Wednesday, October 21.

    The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work.

    www.oscars.org/saa

    Hamsa
    Hamsa
    Mime Your Manners
    Mime Your Manners
    The Beauty
    The Beauty
  • Aniventure, River Prod. Set “Giganteus” Cast for ‘Riverdance’

    Aniventure, River Prod. Set “Giganteus” Cast for ‘Riverdance’

    The original new feature film Riverdance: The Animated Adventure, co-produced by Aniventure and River Productions, has revealed its impressive voice cast, including Emmy, BAFTA and Grammy Award winners.

    Pierce Brosnan (James Bond, Mama Mia) leads the cast as King of the Megaloceros Giganteus. Two other legendary Irish actors, John Kavanagh (Vikings, Alexander) and Brendan Gleeson (Mr. Mercedes, Harry Potter), are also on board with Gleeson as the villain.

    Top comedy players Lilly Singh, Jermaine Fowler, Pauline McLynn and Aisling Bea, make up a hilarious ensemble for the epic musical-comedy. Singh is the host of NBC late-night talk show A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and has amassed a global audience of over 36 million followers on social media. One of Hollywood’s fastest rising young talents, Fowler will star in the upcoming film Coming 2 America. McLynn received a British Comedy Award for her performance in Father Ted. This year, Aisling won the Breakthrough Talent BAFTA for her series This Way Up — other credits include Living With Yourself for Netflix opposite Paul Rudd and The Fall opposite Jamie Dornan.

    Aniventure and River also cast two rising stars: Sam Hardy and Hannah Herman Cortes. Talented young Irish actor Hardy voices 12-year-old Keegan, the hero of the film, while Cortes, a Spanish actress, voices 12-year-old Moya.

    “The breadth and depth of the comedic and dramatic talent of this cast resonates with every line. Their vast experiences and wild imaginations delivered brilliantly nuanced performances which will thrill their fans and charm new audiences,” said Dave Rosenbaum, who is directing the film with Eamonn Butler and wrote the screenplay with Tyler Werrin.

    Additional star power is provided by Irish music sensation Lyra, who performs a brand-new song titled “Light Me Up” (co-written with Bill Whelan) for the movie.

    Riverdance: The Animated Adventure is inspired by the global stage sensation (originally produced by Moya Doherty), with new music by Grammy winner Whelan. The film follows an Irish boy named Keegan and a Spanish girl named Moya as they journey into the mythical world of the Megaloceros Giganteus, who teach them to appreciate Riverdance as a celebration of life.

    “This beautiful story brings Riverdance into a new and exciting phase, one which will allow families to enjoy the spectacle together. It reinforces the deep connection of Riverdance to Irish culture both at home and across the globe, and one which introduces Riverdance to a new, young audience many of whom will be experiencing Riverdance for the first time,” said Doherty, who serves as producer alongside Peter and Adam Nagle.

    The movie features a score especially written by Whelan for the film, but which combines the main themes from his original Grammy-winning stage show score with an entirely new set of arrangement — creating a film score that reimagines the emotional and elemental themes of Riverdance. The score was recorded remotely during lockdown with the composer, producers, directors, sound engineer and the orchestra all situated in different locations. The 73-piece orchestra played in a socially distanced manner within one large studio at Synchron Stage in Vienna.

    “It was important for this score which combines rhythmic complexity and emotional impact, to have the orchestra in one room together. I was very lucky to find that location in Vienna, and to have at our disposal some of the finest musicians in that historically musical city,” said Whelan. “What might have seemed impossible turned out in fact to be a most satisfying experience.”

    “Music is really the emotion of the movie, beautifully stitching the scenes together,” added director Butler. “We wanted a score that was melodic with prominent themes, while pushing technical boundaries with modern fun music, too. Bill Whelan was able to weave it all together brilliantly.”

    Riverdance The Show has been seen by over 27 million theater audiences across six continents and by over 300 billion TV audiences worldwide — 25 years since its first production, Riverdance The Animated Adventure is in post-production and will be delivered later this year.

    Aniventure is represented by CAA.

    Brendan Gleeson
    Brendan Gleeson
    Lilly Singh
    Lilly Singh
    Pierce Brosnan
    Pierce Brosnan
  • Rooster Teeth & Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society Ramp Up ‘gen:LOCK’ Writers Room Inclusivity for S2

    Rooster Teeth & Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society Ramp Up ‘gen:LOCK’ Writers Room Inclusivity for S2

    Rooster Teeth and Outlier Society have increased representation and inclusion behind the camera with the upcoming second season of animated series gen:LOCK for HBO Max. gen:LOCK is executive produced by and stars Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther), and his production company Outlier Society is co-producing the series alongside WarnerMedia company Rooster Teeth.

    Together, Rooster Teeth and Outlier Society have ensured that the production for gen:LOCK is inclusive based on the industry recommendations in Jordan’s recently announced #ChangeHollywoond initiative. Writers Daniel Dominguez (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Seis Manos), Maasai Singleton, Evan Narcisse, Kristle Peluso (Onyx Equinox) and Gavin Hignight (Transformers: War for Cybertron, Star Wars Resistance) bring their talent, experience and cultural perspectives to the writers room for Season 2 of the mecha-inspired series, including representation across Black, Latinx and LGBTQIA+ communities. gen:LOCK takes place 50 years in the future and tells the story of an oppressive authoritarian force that threatens to conquer the world.

    “Inclusivity and amplifying Black and Brown stories has always been at the forefront of Outlier Society and our productions,” said Jordan. “I am proud to work alongside HBO Max and Rooster Teeth to #ChangeHollywood and ensure our writers room for gen:LOCK is a reflection of the world we live in.”

    “When I was a teenager I fell in love with anime because my imagination was always strange and hyperbolic, the way cartoons are,” said Dominguez, who serves as series Head Writer. “I could not be more honored, and excited to have been given this opportunity to work with Rooster Teeth because they embrace that same spirit of expanding the boundaries of storytelling that is doing its small part to make the world a better and more empathetic place.”

    gen:LOCK S2 synopsis:

    On a dying Earth in the midst of a now unstoppable climate collapse, two utterly distinct visions for the future of the human race have come to dominate: The Polity and the Union. The future of humanity, if it is to have one, rests in some form of mechanization or digitization. On opposing sides of this fundamental debate, the Polity and the Union remained locked in a brutal and unforgiving war…

    A war the Polity is losing, despite the heroic efforts of their greatest soldiers, the gen:LOCK team – Chase, Cammie, Yaz, Kazu and Val, who continue to upload their minds to their Holon units and fight for their vision of a better future on the front lines.

    As we meet the figurehead of the Union – Brother Tate – and the citizens for whom he spills Polity blood, the nature of the conflict between the two sides will be seen in a whole new light. A light that, for Chase, will test his loyalty to the Polity…as he digs deeper into the nature of the war and realizes nothing he thought is what it seems…

    Voice stars Dakota Fanning (The Alienist, Twilight Saga), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones, Early Man, New Mutants), Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) and David Tennant (Jessica Jones, Doctor Who) are all set to return to the series along with Jordan.

    gen:LOCK is executive produced by Jordan and Alana Mayo of Outlier Society, along with Rooster Teeth’s Matt Hullum and Ryan P. Hall. The series is produced by Rooster Teeth.

    The gen:LOCK writing team will be featured on a “Meet the Writers of gen:LOCK Season 2” panel at Rooster Teeth’s RTX at Home virtual event. The panel is part of Animation Festival programming sponsored by HBO Max. Watch the free panel live September 21 at 2 p.m. ET at https://roosterteeth.com/live/rt-tv.

  • Planeta Junior & Fourth Wall Team Up for ‘Milo’ and ‘Superpigs’ Series

    Planeta Junior & Fourth Wall Team Up for ‘Milo’ and ‘Superpigs’ Series

    Planeta Junior has signed a collaboration deal with Fourth Wall Animation, an emerging independent producer of animated entertainment content for the whole family, for two new animated series: Superpigs and Milo. These projects join the list of other Planeta Junior productions, which includes: Power Players, Gormiti, That’s Joey, Squish, Pio Rocks! and Tilly.

    “Fourth Wall is one of the rare companies that excels at transmedia storytelling and is capable of creating lovable characters that are intended to work beautifully both in books and in animation series,” said Diego Ibáñez, International Commercial Director, Planeta Junior. “Superpigs and Milo are the perfect example of Planeta Junior’s content strategy, which is to produce highly original stories with the best independent creators.”

    “There is a natural synergy between Fourth Wall and Planeta Junior. We share the same commercial ambitions, as well as a passion for creating high-quality, engaging, character-led content,” said Joe Moroney, CEO, Fourth Wall. “As well as an excellent distribution & licensing pedigree, Planeta are also underpinned by impressive publishing roots – so has a similar group business model – making them the perfect partner for Fourth Wall.”

    Channel 5 (U.K.) has commissioned Milo or its top-rated preschool block Milkshake!, targeting kids 2-5, with a launch planned for Fall 2020. The series is receiving support from the government-backed Young Audiences Content Fund through the BFI.

    Milo (52 x 11’) is a preschool series about an adventurous cat called Milo, who loves to use role-play to explore the wide world of jobs and vocations. Together with his best friends Lofty and Lark, each episode celebrates a different job role, introducing little ones to a variety of professions as they go on adventures when they change outfits.

    Superpigs (26 x 22’) is for 5- to 9-year olds and brings a very modern twist to classic fairy tales as the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood are given superhero status to fight criminals and the Big Bad Wolf. Comedy, mystery, action and drama combine in a series that values teamwork as the way to solve cases.

    Superpigs
    Superpigs
  • Disney+ Debuts New ‘Mandalorian’ S2 Trailer, Out Oct. 30

    Disney+ Debuts New ‘Mandalorian’ S2 Trailer, Out Oct. 30

    A new trailer for season 2 of the breakout Disney+ Star Wars original The Mandalorian has dropped, previewing the ongoing adventures of Mando & the Child. The new season, streaming Friday, October 30, sends our bounty hunting hero (played by Pedro Pascal) back out into the galaxy to deliver his mysterious little Force-wielding buddy into the care of some nefarious wizards known as … “Jedi.”

    Together, The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.

    The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Directors for the new season include Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed and Robert Rodriguez. Showrunner Jon Favreau serves as executive producer along with Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson, with Karen Gilchrist serving as co-executive producer.

  • ‘Arctic Friends’ Shorts Go Global, US Premiere Sept. 15

    ‘Arctic Friends’ Shorts Go Global, US Premiere Sept. 15

    With the popularity of animated content booming worldwide, a new animated series titled Arctic Friends Shorts Collection — a spinoff from the popular feature film Arctic Dogs (released theatrically in 2019 and becoming a top rated animated film on Netflix) — has been created and set for release on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video through WWPS, which acquired the digital distribution rights and brokered the deal.

    Iervolino Entertainment S.p.A acquired the spinoff rights to the characters from the original film, including all merchandising rights, commercial exploitation, soundtrack, and print publishing rights, and created Arctic Friends as a short-format animated series consisting of five-minute episodes, produced by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi.

    Arctic Friends follows the exciting adventures of Swifty, the arctic fox who has finally achieved his dream job: be the best delivery dog at Arctic Blast Delivery Service. With the help of his best friend PB the polar bear, Jade the red fox and the ABDS team, this crew is ready to deliver at any cost! Constantly thwarted by the nefarious mastermind Otto Van Walrus and his mischievous puffins, Swifty must outsmart these villains to ensure that all packages are delivered to their rightful recipients.

    The Arctic Friends Short Collection just made a grand debut in Italy, becoming the #1 overall title on Apple TV in Italy and #1 on the Kids and Family movie ranking upon release last week.

    The first two collections will be available in the U.S. beginning September 15.

    The series will be available in 90 countries through Apple TV with weekly installments of four-episode collections, available for purchase or rental. On Amazon Prime Video, the series is available to subscribers in the U.S., United Kingdom, Japan and Germany.

    World Wide Production Service (WWPS), a company specialized in the international distribution of content on digital platforms, made the distribution agreements with Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, after acquiring distribution rights from Paradox Studios.

    “We are excited [to launch] our new division with such a great product and success. We are looking to replicate the same success with all the other collections in many countries,” said Luca Matrundola, Co-Founder & Managing Director, WWPS.

    Andrea Iervolino, CEO and founder of Iervolino Entertainment, said, “I’m really proud of this collaboration and of the success we are having on digital platforms. Our studio is focusing on developing and producing amazing short content adapted for the mobile and streaming services. I am convinced that in 10 years from now 98% of the content consumption will be on mobile of short content.”

    Arctic Dogs, the animated movie on which the series is based, featured the voices of Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin, Heidi Klum, John Cleese, James Franco, Anjelica Huston and Omar Sy, and was directed by Aaron Woodley. The 3D CGI animated film hit theaters in 2019 through Entertainment Studios.

    Arctic Friends
    Arctic Friends
    Arctic Friends
    Arctic Friends