Nickelodeon and award-winning Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver are jointly announcing today that production will begin on an all-new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theatrical motion picture — a first for Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President, Animation Production and Development, is overseeing production for Nickelodeon. Josh Fagen is overseeing for Point Grey Pictures. Paramount Pictures will handle worldwide distribution of the film.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theatrical motion picture will be directed by Jeff Rowe (Gravity Falls, Connected, Disenchantment) and written by Brendan O’Brian (Neighbors, Sorority Rising, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates).
“Adding Seth, Evan and James’ genius to the humor and action that’s already an integral part of TMNT is going to make this a next-level reinvention of the property,” said Brian Robbins, President, Kids & Family for ViacomCBS. “I’m looking forward to see what they do, and I know that Ramsey Naito and her team are excited to take the Nick Animation Studio into another great direction with their first-ever CG-animated theatrical.”
Considered one of the most popular kids’ franchises, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It first debuted as a successful comic-book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a live-action television series and later spawned numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse, winning in every category that has hit shelves to date — with toys, apparel, video games, DVDs and more — and generating billions of dollars at retail.
Nickelodeon brought the franchise to life again in 2012 with the CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and then reimagined the Heroes in a Half-Shell with the 2D-animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2019. As previously announced, as part of a separate deal, Nickelodeon and Netflix are partnering to produce an original animated 2D film based on the current Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.
One of the highlights of this past season of TBS’ American Dad! series was the participation of Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, who voiced and co-wrote the May 4 episode “A Starboy Is Born”. We were thrilled when Tesfaye and co-writer Joel Hurwitz answered a few of our questions about this buzzy outing in which Stan abducts The Weeknd to teach Roger a lesson!
Q&A with Abel Tesfaye
We know you’re a big fan of animation. Can you tell us how you ended up collaborating with the American Dad! team?
Tesfaye: All I did on tour was watch American Dad!, so everyone around me was forced to, also. When my manager Cash met Joel randomly at a party in Las Vegas, he shared, and here we are.
What do you love about the show and animation in general?
I love that it’s the counterpart to Family Guy –– like the cult version of Family Guy, only the jokes are smarter and the storylines are better.
What was the toughest part of writing the episode “A Starboy Is Born”?
I think the toughest part was probably coming up with what my character’s dark secret actually was, and we finally landed on “virgin.”
How did you come up with the song “The Weeknd’s Dark Secret”?
The script informed the concept and the song wrote itself with the help of the talented Asa Taccone [Electric Guest].
What was it like doing the voice for your own character?
I hated it. I actually hated it, because when I think about cartoons you have characters. With Robot Chicken I got to be other characters, so it didn’t point back to me. I’d rather disguise my voice.
You grew up loving animation, right? What were some of your favorites?
I’m a cartoon connoisseur but I remember vividly the first cartoon that blew my mind was Duckman. And because it was super adult, I’d stay up late in my room and watch it without my parents knowing. Duckman pretty much introduced me to adult cartoons.
As you know, the animation field is ripe for having more diverse and Black talent both behind the scenes and in terms of content. What are your thoughts on the subject?
Despite characters like Apu and Cleveland being so beloved I definitely agree with the decision of the actors who are retiring their voices
Q&A with Joel Hurwitz
Animag: Can you tell us how the idea for “A Starboy Is Born” came about?
Hurwitz: Abel and I had been talking about him appearing on American Dad! The concept started small, but “Starboy” quickly grew into a very ambitious project. Celebrity cameos are inherently corny, and The Weeknd is a very big star. The only way to pull it off was by going totally absurd. Abel is a fan of American Dad!, so he trusted us. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that, so we turned The Weeknd into a virgin.
How did you get The Weeknd’s attention?
It’s a long, weird story that started in Marshmello’s Las Vegas hotel room. He also loves animation, and invited some Robot Chicken writers to his concert to discuss some ideas. I met a guy named Cash who turned out to be The Weeknd’s manager. I mentioned I write for American Dad! and he was like, “Are you serious? Let me get your number. The Weeknd loves American Dad! He just flew to Dubai and watched it the entire flight.” I honestly didn’t expect anything to come from it. Then a few days later, I got a text from Abel.
What was it like to work with him on the episode?
Kind of like working with any other writer on American Dad! … If he ever wanted to give up superstardom and write cartoons full-time, he would be a natural.
What did you love about working with The Weeknd?
I loved that our sensibilities were so aligned. There was literally not one time we disagreed about something. Either we both loved a joke, or we both thought it could be beat.
How has American Dad! evolved during your time on the show?
It’s hard to believe American Dad! is going to hit 300 episodes this season. I’ve been there for the last hundred, but when the show premiered, I was still in school. The writers room has gone through different eras. It’s cool to have the real OG guys like Matt Weitzman, Brian Boyle, Parker Deay and Steve Hely in the room. There’s a great balance of keeping it fresh, but also honoring the show’s history.
The single biggest evolution since I arrived is the blossoming of Klaus. Sometimes, it takes a couple hundred episodes to find a character. That’s why all new shows should be given at least 200 episodes to find itself, in my opinion.
What is your biggest challenge on the show in 2020?
Nothing. 2020 is smooth sailing and America is great again. But if I had to pick something, it would probably be the global pandemic our government failed to prevent ravaging every part of production.
What is your take on the overall state of animation today?
Animation is so strong now, and it always will be. I show the classic Chuck Jones cartoons to my four-year-old and he laughs his ass off just like I did. It’s cool to write in a medium that’s actually timeless.
“A Starboy Is Born” is getting Emmy buzz. Why do you think this episode stands out?
Obviously, the song is unreal. “The Weeknd’s Dark Secret” had something like 5 million YouTube views in a month. More importantly, people genuinely love it. It’s a Weeknd-level banger and the comedy isn’t mean spirited. I saw one kid on YouTube declare it the “virgin anthem.” The Weeknd is the king of music in 2020, he’s a mega celebrity, a sex symbol, and he sang the most self-deprecating song imaginable on American Dad. That’s pretty awesome.
Watch the full “A Starboy Is Born” episode on TBS.com — or at least check out “The Weeknd’s Dark Secret” below!
As the film world (and the world at large) works to triage the damage caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the ANIMA Festival — one of the last events of this year’s cultural season to go off as planned — looks forward to a restabilized 2021 when, along with many other events, organizers will celebrate the festival’s 40th edition.
Just as ANIMA was one of the last animation events to take place, the 2020 edition has turned out to be the last one for festival director Doris Cleven, who has been leading the event since 1988 — first, as co-director with founder Philippe Moins, and then as sole captain since 2014.
During its 39 years of existence, the ANIMA Festival has largely proven its merits both at home in Belgium and throughout the world, increasing from 2,000 spectators in 1982 to almost 43,000 in 2020, as well as benefiting from the incredible technological and aesthetic evolution of animation over the past 30 years.
The Festival will continue on its path with two new directors, Dominique Seutin and Karin Vandenrydt, who have both been part of the team for 20 years and know their way around the organization of the event perfectly. They will be able to rely on a well-established team and are already hard at work ensuring the succession which, given the current health crisis, is taking a totally unexpected turn.
While no one knows for sure whether ANIMA will in fact welcome visitors to Flagey, Brussels in the real world once again or take place virtually, the dates have been fixed for February 12-21, 2021. The big anniversary edition will feature visual themes designed by Gil Alkabetz, one of the best-known animation filmmakers in Germany.
Streaming is steaming on Disney+, which is kicking off “Summer Movie Nights” in July with brand-new originals and blockbuster hits (including some animated favorites and VFX showstoppers). Beginning Friday, July 3 with the Disney+ premiere of Hamilton, the filmed version of the original Broadway production, and The Mighty Ducks, families and fans can come together to watch blockbuster hits and original movies premiering every week.
Some of the movies debuting during Disney+ Summer Movie Nights include:
Friday, July 10
X-Men: Days of Future Past – The unstoppable characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves in an epic struggle to change the past and save our future.
Solo: A Star Wars Story – Through a series of daring escapades, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca in an epic adventure directed by Ron Howard and written by Jonathan & Lawrence Kasdan.
Friday, July 17
X-Men: Apocalypse – Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant in the universe, tries to destroy all of mankind. To save humanity, Professor X leads the X-Men in a showdown that will determine the fate of the world.
Friday, July 24
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – Captain Jack Sparrow is pursued by old rival Captain Salazar and a crew of deadly ghosts who escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…notably him.
Friday, July 31
Incredibles 2 – Helen is called on to help bring Supers back, and Bob must juggle the daily heroics of home life. But when a new villain arises with a sinister plot, the Parrs meet the challenge together!
Friday, August 7
X-Men – The X-Men, a group of mutants with extraordinary powers, wage a fight against both intolerance, and a fellow band of radical mutants intent on exterminating the human race.
The Peanuts Movie– Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle and flying ace takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest.
Friday, August 14 “
Ant-Man and the Wasp – As he struggles to balance his home life and Super Hero duties, Scott Lang finds he must suit up as Ant-Man again, joining the Wasp on an urgent mission to uncover secrets from the past.
The Greatest Showman – Hugh Jackman stars in this bold and original musical – inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum – celebrating the birth of show business and dreams coming to life.
Friday, August 21
Beauty and the Beast (2017) – The story and characters you love come to life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, a cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told.
Friday, August 28
Fantastic Four (2005) – Transformed into superheroes after surviving a disaster in space, The Fantastic Four struggle to reconcile their powers, responsibilities and relationships as a dysfunctional family. Overcoming their personal conflicts, they finally join forces to defeat Dr. Doom, the malevolent, metallic embodiment of their treacherous former patron.
Alice Through the Looking Glass – When Alice comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Underland, she discovers that her friend the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) has lost his Muchness and embarks on a perilous race to save him before time runs out.
Friday, September 4
The Wolverine – The Wolverine returns to face his ultimate nemesis in an action packed battle that takes him to modern day Japan; an epic fight that will change him forever.
These movies join Disney+’s growing library of fan-favorites including recent arrivals like Avengers: Infinity War, Artemis Fowl, Frozen 2 and Onward and upcoming movies debuting on the service later this summer includingThe One and Only Ivanand Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe.
Amphibia
On the broadcast side, animation fans won’t want to miss the season 2 premiere of Amphibia on Disney Channel on Saturday, July 11 at 8:21 p.m., as well as exciting new adventures in stores for the plucky heroes of The Owl House and Big City Greens with visits from guest stars like Riki Lindhome, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Thomas Middleditch and Lauren Lapkus, while youngsters check in with their favorite canines on Bluey and Puppy Dog Pals before the month ends with a new case for Mira, Royal Detective. Plus, an all-new episode of Elena of Avalor premieres on Disney Junior this month.
Disney TV animation highlights:
Friday, July 3
9:00-9:30 A.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Puppy Dog Pals “The Lab Four/Feelin’ Antsy” – When a performance by Bob’s favorite band, The Walruses, is canceled, Bingo and Rolly make it their mission to ensure the show goes on. / When ants invade Playcare, the pugs must find a way to get them out.
Friday, July 10
8:00-8:30 A.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Bluey “Hammerbarn/Featherwand/Dance Mode” – While on a trip to the store, Bluey and Bingo create their own mini-homes side-by-side in the trolley. / When Bingo isn’t invited to Chloe’s party, she uses a magic featherwand to make things incredibly heavy. / After Dad eats her last chip, Bingo is given three chances to put Mum and Dad in “Dance Mode.”
Saturday, July 11
8:00-8:21 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Big City Greens “Desserted/The Gifted” – Cricket treats his family to dinner, but Bill is suspicious about how he plans to pay for it. Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel and Oates) guest stars as Gina, a waitress. Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs) returns as Nancy Green. / Tilly and Cricket battle to see if Bill lies about liking their Father’s Day gifts.
8:21-8:43 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) SEASON 2 PREMIERE Amphibia “Handy Anne/Fort in the Road” – Worried that something bad could happen while they are in Newtopia, Anne decides to disaster-proof the farm. / Sprig longs for exotic road trip adventures, but Hop Pop’s strict road rules threaten to spoil all of his fun plans.
8:43-9:05 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) The Owl House “Sense and Insensitivity” – When King becomes a bestselling author, he learns a valuable lesson in reading the fine print.
Friday, July 17
9:30-10:00 A.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Puppy Dog Pals “Suitcase Switcheroo/More Cowbell for Bob” – When Bob mixes up his suitcase with another traveler, the pugs head to Spain on a mission to retrieve it. Jaime Camil (“Jane the Virgin”) guest stars as Héctor. / Bob can’t find his signature instrument for the reunion of his high school rock band.
Saturday, July 18
8:00-8:21 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Big City Greens “Time Crisis/Gramma Driver” – Remy’s plan for his whole life is thrown into question when he is unprepared for a violin recital. / Gramma becomes a rideshare driver, only to find her best customers are thieves. Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and Lauren Lapkus (Orange Is the New Black) guest star as thieves, Bash and Bella, respectively.
8:21-8:43 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Amphibia “The Ballad of Hopediah Plantar/Anne Hunter” – Hop Pop’s efforts to be hailed as a hero amongst some small-town folks backfires when he stands up to the wrong family. Jenifer Lewis (black-ish) and Keith Ferguson (DuckTales) guest star as Mama Hasselback and Judro Hasselback, respectively. / When the family is in danger, Anne must put her self-consciousness aside in order to learn the true way of the hunter.
8:43-9:04 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) The Owl House “Adventures in the Elements” – Luz needs to learn a new spell, so Eda takes her to the most magical place on the island to train.
Sunday, July 19
5:00-5:30 P.M. EDT (Disney Junior) Elena of Avalor “The Lightning Warrior”
Elena gives Victor and Carla a chance to redeem themselves by helping her free Ixlan, an ancient Maruvian princess. Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine‑Nine) guest stars as Ixlan.
Saturday, July 25
8:00-8:21 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Big City Greens “Tilly Style/I, Farmbot” – When Tilly is mistaken for a baby, she searches the mall for a new look to reflect her maturity. / Cricket persuades Bill to buy a farming robot in order to get out of chores. Jeff Bennett (Johnny Bravo) guest stars as robot F.R.A.N.K. Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live) returns as Gwendolyn Zapp.
8:21-8:43 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Amphibia “Truck Stop Polly/A Caravan Named Desire” – Feeling unappreciated by her family, Polly hatches a plan to make them pay attention to her. / Hop Pop signs the family up to join a traveling theater troupe, hoping to realize his dream of being an actor. Susan Egan (Hercules) and Max Mittelman (Marvel Future Avengers) guest star as Renee Frodgers and Francis, respectively.
8:43-9:05 P.M. EDT (Disney Channel) The Owl House “The First Day” – During Luz’s first day of Magic School, curiosity gets the best of her, and she finds herself thrown into the Delinquent Track, where she’s not allowed to learn magic. Ally Maki (Toy Story 4) and Noah Galvin (The Real O’Neals) guest star as Viney and Jerbo, respectively.
Friday, July 31
9:00-9:30 A.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Mira, Royal Detective “The Rakhi Mystery/Mystery Below the Palace” – When the bracelets that Mira and her friends made for the Rakhi holiday disappear, Mira sets out to find them before the celebration starts. / When strange sounds are heard at the palace, Queen Shanti asks Mira to find out what is causing the ruckus.
Cartoon Network is inviting viewers to jump into July with the return of BAFTA and Annie-nominated series Apple & Onion, which kicks off its second season on Monday, July 20 at 6 p.m. ET/PT. The new season, which was greenlit last year, debuts with four fresh episodes throughout the week, and follows the two pals as they continue to set out on hilarious misadventures.
This season, Apple and Onion are finding adventure and new friends around every corner. With their boundless enthusiasm and wild imaginations, they’ll have to defend their roof shack before it’s overrun by vermin and brambles, protect their special booth at Pizza’s Diner, and try to become one-hit-wonders so they’ll never have to work a day in their lives again.
Fans can also tune in to a brand new Teen Titans GO! special and new episodes of Emmy-nominated series Craig of the Creek, Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart, Bakugan and LEGO Ninjago throughout the month.
Craig of the Creek
CN July premieres:
July 1
10:00 a.m. ET/PT Craig of the Creek“The Bike Thief” — Craig investigates the theft of the 10 Speed’s bikes in hopes of finding the culprit!
July 2
10:00 a.m. ET/PT Craig of the Creek “Craig of the Beach” — Craig gets to hit the beach with his friends and family, but starts to get worried his Dad is more fun than him.
July 5
6:30 a.m. ET/PT Bakugan “Final Battle! Dan vs. Ajit/Secrets Exposed” — It’s time for the event everyone in Los Volmos has been waiting for, The Bakugan Battle League finals! Then, with the winner determined, the celebration is cut short when Phantom Thief Storm crashes the party by stealing everyone’s Bakugan!
Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart
July 6
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Mao Mao’s Nakey” — When MM loses his clothes while trying to scale the Ruby Pure Heart, he has to get back to Sheriff’s HQ by daybreak.
July 7
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Lucky Ducky Mug” — When Adorabat and Badgerclops break Mao Mao’s favorite mug, he gives them the silent treatment.
July 8
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Lonely Kid” — When AD has trouble making friends at school, MM tells her the story of how he made his first real friend, BB.
July 9
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Try Hard” — When the Sky Pirates take Mao Mao and Badgerclops hostage, it’s up to Adorabat to save the day.
July 10
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Scared of Puppets” — Mao Mao is scared of puppets.
6:00 p.m. ET/PT SPECIALTeen Titans GO!“Night Begins to Shine 2: You’re the One” — The elderly Titans decide to take one last trip to the world of Night Begins to Shine only to encounter a new villain ruling the land, Ultralak. In order to stop Ultralak, the Titans must find three music stems.
Teen Titans Go
July 13
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“The Perfect Couple” — When Mao Mao accidentally breaks up the most perfect couple in Pure Heart Valley, he has to figure out how to get them back together.
July 14
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Adoradad” — When AD’s dad forbids her from working with the Sheriff’s Dept because it’s too dangerous, AD sets out to prove that she can take care of herself.
July 15
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Badge-a-fire Explosion” — When BC comes out of a rare state of hyper-focused creativity, he may have made something that could destroy all of PHV.
July 16
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Zing Your Heart Out” — When Adorabat starts to aggressively heckle everyone with her new zing power, she threatens the entire kingdom.
July 17
12:30 p.m. ET/PT Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart“Strange Bedfellows” — After an insane battle, MM and OS end up in the same hospital room. But even in full body casts, the sworn enemies continue the fight.
July 19
6:30 a.m. ET/PT Bakugan “The Director/Queen Ebony” — Everett Ray reaches out to Lia with an opportunity that seems too good to be true. Then, Lightning learns of a street cat named Ebony, threatening them to do her bidding or face the wrath of her Bakugan!
11:00 a.m. ET/PT LEGO Ninjago “Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire?” — While investigating a heist, the ninja discover Prime Empire, a legendary unreleased arcade game that suddenly takes control of all other games in Ninjago.
“Dyer Island” — When the ninja connect Jay’s disappearance to Prime Empire, they set out to Dyer Island to seek answers from the game’s designer, the elusive Milton Dyer.
“Level Thirteen” — Cyrus Borg discovers a shocking secret about Prime Empire, while the ninja battle an escaped Mechanic in their attempt to reach Level Thirteen and enter the game themselves.
“Superstar Rockin’ Jay” — Now inside the Prime Empire game, the ninja find themselves in unfamiliar territory, ignorant of the rules of this world, as they try to find Zane and escape Unagami’s army of Red Visors.
July 20
6:00 p.m. ET/PT Apple & Onion “Champion” — Apple and Onion need to get rid of a problematic dog they thought was a horse.
July 21
6:00 p.m. ET/PT Apple & Onion “Falafel’s Passion” — Apple and Onion must stop Falafel from humiliating himself on a national TV show.
July 22
6:00 p.m. ET/PT Apple & Onion “Hole in Roof” — Apple and Onion must repair the hole in their roof before the impending storm of the century.
July 23
6:00 p.m. ET/PT Apple & Onion “Patty’s Law” — Apple and Onion must look after a sick Falafel in order to go parasailing.
July 26
6:30 a.m. ET/PT Bakugan “Here Comes Haavik/The Fusion Bakugan Arrive” — An evil shape-shifting alien has landed in Los Volmos and he has a group of robot mechanoids on his trail trying to bring him justice. Then, Chad and Trey challenge Dan to rematch but this time they have a few tricks up their sleeve.
11:00 a.m. ET/PT LEGO Ninjago “I Am Okino” — Inside one of the game zones, a Samurai named Okino faces a crisis of faith when he repeatedly fails to lead a series of Masters to victory, causing him to lose all hope, until some familiar ninja arrive.
“The Glitch” — In order to stop Unagami the ninja must obtain three Key-tanas, the first of which is hidden in the game zone Terra Kerana, one of Prime Empire’s most dangerous game environments.
August 2
6:30 a.m. ET/PT Bakugan“Sophie, the Bakuganist/Midnight Train Battle!” — Magnus is on the trail of the illegal Baku-brawling devices and is looking to cut off the supply at its source. Then, Sophie Judson Warfield is working to put an end to all Bakugan brawling. Her latest target is the Awesome Brawlers.
11:00 a.m. ET/PT LEGO Ninjago “The Cliffs of Hysteria” — While being chased by Unagami’s dreaded Red Visors the ninja must climb the ‘Cliffs of Hysteria’, however, they make a startling discovery: Unagami is converting players into energy cubes in order to build a portal into the real world!
“The Maze of the Red Dragon” — Still in the game zone Terra Kerana, the Samurai guide Okino has to choose between helping his allies the ninja, or obeying the evil orders of his Master, Unagami.
The producers of The Inventor — an upcoming animated feature inspired by the life of the original Renaissance Man, Leonardo Da Vinci — have announced the launch of “The Inventor Award.” The initiative is a world-wide search for young inventors who have the chance to become part of the film’s epic stop-motion adventure.
The competition is calling for children to stretch their imaginations, embrace their curiosity and discover what they can invent from a simple cardboard box and recycled materials gathered around their homes — whether it’s a fun new game or a clever contraption. Participating kids and families can draw inspiration from a series of cardboard making workshops, videos and materials that will be available from “Cardboard Wizard” Lottie Smith as part of The Festival of Curiosity 2020 (July 16-19) when the contest opens.
Prizes for the competition will include some of the best children’s kits, toys and gadgets available today. The ultimate selection of tools for any young inventor, and the tools the producers fancy a 21st Leonardo Da Vinci would love to use. But most excitingly, the winner may very well find themselves as an animated 3D puppet interacting with Leonardo Da Vinci in the film.
Children don’t need any special equipment to enter the competition and it’s open to kids and families across the globe.
The Inventor is written, directed and produced by Oscar-nominated Disney/Pixar vetaran Jim Capobianco (Ratatouille, The Lion King, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Finding Dory); Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore (Song of the Sea, Secret of Kells) is overseeing 2D sequences. The lead voice actors of the Cartoon Movie-selected project were recently announced as Stephen Fry and Daisy Ridley.
Synopsis: In 1516, rather than paint “pretty” pictures for the Pope, the insatiably curious Leonardo da Vinci is instead searching for the meaning of life itself. This deadly heresy forces Leo to flee Italy with his apprentices and arrive at the court of Francis I, where he proposes to create the “Ideal City”. A city designed to benefit people not control them. However, Leonardo finds his new radical ideas do not please the King’s Mother nor do his endeavors serve the king’s ambitions for power. It is only in the enterprising princess, Marguerite, that Leonardo sees hope for the future. It is with her help that he finds the answer to the ultimate question: “What is the meaning of it all?”
The Inventor Award competition goes live on July 16. Learn more and sign up to be notified of the launch at www.theinventorfilm.com/award.
As production moves into high gear in anticipation of the 2021 global launch of 52 original seven minute episodes, Zoonicorn, the multiplatform animated preschool brand featuring a Zooniverse of enchanting characters, has added a team of multi award-winners to its creative lineup.
Zoonicorn is teaming with Toonz Media Group (TMG), a global leader in family entertainment, for the development, co-production and distribution of the new 3D CGI content. TMG’s distribution arm Imira will distribute the series globally through its worldwide network.
A magical mix of zebra and unicorn, the Zoonicorns inhabit the dreams of young animals, taking them on amazing adventures to help learn important social-emotional skills. When the dream is over, the young animal wakes up feeling self-confident and with decision-making skills necessary to overcome whatever challenges they are facing.
The Zoonicorns are kids themselves, each with special talents and skills: Purple Promi is the wise caretaker of the group, handing out sage advice and offering a ready ear to anyone who needs it. Green Ene is the analytical Zoonicorn, a tech whiz, who believes every problem has a solution that can be solved, usually with one of his gadgets. Blue Valeo believes the answer to any problem is physical — full of gusto and confidence, he lets nothing stand in his way. Pink Aliel is a big ball of energy wrapped in curiosity, a bubbly force of nature, ready to burst with excitement for anything.
The accomplished writing team of kids’ TV vets includes:
The award-winning Mark Zaslove>, who serves as showrunner and lead writer/editor for the series. Zaslove’s many credits include Winnie the Pooh, for Disney, for which he was honored with two Emmy Awards. Other credits include Lazytown for Sprout, Bob The Builder for PBS Kids, Strawberry Shortcake for DIC, Shopkins for Netflix and DuckTales and TaleSpin for Disney.
>Stephen Senders>, whose work includes Inspector Gadget for Nickelodeon, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for Cartoon Network and Max & Ruby for Nick Jr.
>Annie Girard >(Donald Duck’s Three Caballeros for Disney+ and Club Penguin for Disney).
The multi-Emmy Award winning team of >Dennis Haley & Marcy Brown>, whose credits include Kong, King of the Apes for Netflix, LEGO Friends for LEGO, Dinosaur Train for Jim Henson Co. and Clifford’s Puppy Days for Scholastic/PBS.
Emmy Award winning music composer >Rich Dickerson> also joins the Zoonicorn production team. Dickerson scored and wrote the songs for the Warner Bros. show and films Scooby-Doo and as well as the theme song for the TV series What’s New Scooby Doo? He bagged the Emmy for penning the theme for the ESPN show Off Mikes. Dickerson has also produced and written for recording artists, including EG Daily with the Top 10 Billboard Dance hit Beautiful. Dickerson served as music supervisor for movies such as In Too Deep, Paid In Full (both Miramax) and Queen of the Damned (Warner Bros.). He was VP of Music for the animated webseries network Icebox.tv, where he worked with many composers, produced the music for the shows and wrote theme songs.
The growing line of Zoonicorn products have continued to expand since the launch of the brand in 2015. In 2018, Zoonicorn and Jay@Play introduced a new interactive plush as part of the “Wish Me” brand. Other products include a picture book, three interactive story apps and four games available for download and on the Zoonicorn website and available on both iTunes and Google Play. Zoonicorn debuted a new limited edition apparel line in Fall, 2019.
The 11 Zoonicorn music videos have been a hit on YouTube, with additional Sing Along videos offered exclusively on Kidoodle.TV, Happy Kids TV, ToonGoggles Jr. and Kabillion. Brand development and licensing for the property is headed by J’net Smith of All Art Licensing.
Bad House (Leo Vision / Lagardère Studios) and Next Venture Films, based in L.A. and Tel Aviv, have inked an agreement to co-develop, co-produce and co-exploit the political satire animated series Duty Calls in Lagardère’s key markets: France / French-speaking territories, Spain, The Netherlands and Finland.
Created by award-winning writer-director Assaf Machnes (7 Minutes, Auschwitz on My Mind)and renowned illustratrator Amit Shimoni, Duty Calls portrays world leaders caught on video chat, caricatured in the style of Shimoni’s famous “hipstories” series of prints which reimagine global icons of art, culture and political leadership as hyperstyled hipsters. (www.hipstoryart.com)
You can watch the web series episodes of Duty Callson Vimeo.
“Assaf and Amit are an incredibly talented creative duo based in Israel and I’m thrilled that together with Lagardère Studios we can provide them the proper support for their fun animated content to reach international audiences,” said David Litvak, Chairman of Next Venture Films.
“It’s part of our DNA to work with international, experienced talent and it’s a great opportunity for Lagardère Studios to explore new areas such as animation to develop a satirical program,” added Thomas Plessis, Chief Digital Officer of Lagardère Studios. “This genre is very popular on digital platforms and linear TV especially these days, where people definitely need fun.”
The Walt Disney Co. will be clicking off its children’s channels in the U.K., making its streaming platform Disney+ the only way for viewers in the country to access its content. The decision came down after the media giant failed to reach a new agreement with U.K. pay-TV carriers Sky and Virgin Media.
Disney+ debuted across the pond in March, several months behind the November 2019 U.S. launch. Kids’ linear outlets Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD will go dark, while National Geographic and FOX continue broadcasting.
“From October 1st, Disney+ will become the exclusive home for content from Disney Channel, DisneyXD and Disney Junior in the U.K.,” said a spokesperson, adding that “Walt Disney Company remains committed to our kids channels business” and plans to “execute distribution agreements for Disney channels in many markets where Disney+ is also available.”
Disney Channel U.K. is home to original animated series 101 Dalmatian Street, a U.K.-Canada co-pro (Passion Pictures, Atomic Cartoons) which premiered on the outlet in 2019, as well as popular acquired toons like Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Go Away, Unicorn!, Sadie Sparks and Best Bugs Forever.
Disney Junior U.K. animated originals include Henry Hugglemonster and Claude, with acquired offerings from Disney Junior U.S. and others like Paprika and Bluey.
Disney XD’s U.K. channel is home to imported faves including Big City Greens, DuckTales, Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Star Wars Resistance, among others.
Mickey’s TV colleagues will also soon be bidding farewell to VP of Kids Programming – U.K., Europe & Africa, David Levine, who is leaving the company in June after 16 years as recently announced.
Following announcements from Jenny Slate (Big Mouth) and Kristen Bell (Central Park), Family Guy voice actor Mike Henry, who is white, announced on Friday that he would no longer play African-American character Cleveland Brown on Seth MacFarlane’s breakout FOX series. The news was swiftly followed by a statement from the network’s long-running animated favorite The Simpsons, stating that the show will stop casting white actors for non-white characters.
Mike Henry [Photo: Getty Images]
Henry has played Cleveland since Family Guy premiered in 1999, as well as in video games based on the series. He also voiced Consuela, a Latina maid, for the show, and Cleveland’s Black step-son Rallo on spin-off series The Cleveland Show, which aired from 2009-2013 on FOX and earned the actor an Annie Award nomination in 2011. Henry also provides the voice of recurring white characters Herbert (Family Guy), Jackson (American Dad!) and various others for MacFarlane’s series.
“It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years,” Henry Tweeted. “I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role.”
It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. pic.twitter.com/FmKasWITKT
Harry Shearer [Photo: Mark Sullivan / WireImage] and Hank Azaria [Photo: Amy Sussman / Getty Images]
The same day, The Simpsons announced a new casting policy that will affect recurring characters including Dr. Hibbert and Carlton, both portrayed as Black but voiced by white actors who play multiple roles in the record-setting series.
“Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” said FOX SVP of Corporate Communications Les Eisner in a statement.
Dr. Julius Hibbert and his recognizable laugh have been a part of Springfield since Season 2 of the show (1990), one of several recurring characters played by Harry Shearer which also include Montgomery Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Principal Seymour Skinner and news anchor Kent Brockman.
Carlton “Carl” Carlson, Jr. is a friend and coworker of Homer’s on the show, and has been voiced by Hank Azaria (and occasionally by Shearer) since he debuted in a S1 episode in 1990. Earlier this year, Azaria retired from his controversial role as Indian-American Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. The actor has been part of The Simpsons key cast since he was 22 years old, when he took on the role of Moe the bartender. He has also voiced Black police sergeant Lou, as well as Cletus, Comic Book Guy, Dr. Nick, Kirk Van Houten, Professor Frink, the Sea Captain, Snake, Superintendent Chalmers, Raphael the “Wiseguy” and others.
The filmmakers from Disney-Pixar’s Soul, director Pete Docter, co-director & screenwriter Kemp Powers and producer Dana Murray, partnered with American anthropologist/educator Dr. Johnnetta Cole and globally-renowned jazz pianist Jon Batiste to offer an exclusive sneak peek at the film as a part of the Essence Festival of Culture during a virtual panel titled Finding Soul. (Watch it here.) Both Dr. Cole and Batiste, who lent his expertise to the jazz arrangements and compositions in Soul, serve as cultural consultants on the film.
The clip features the song “Parting Ways” written, produced and performed by Cody ChesnuTT. Soul is set to bow in U.S. theaters on November 20.
Synopsis: What is it that makes you…YOU? This November, Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film Soul introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Directed by Academy Award winner Pete Docter (Inside Out, Up), co-directed by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short Lou).
The Ibero-American Animation Quirino Awards have announced the winners of its third edition in a virtual ceremony, closing out 2020’s “Quirino Month.” The Spanish feature film Klaus, the Brazilian series Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians and the Colombian short film The Cubicbird were recognized in their respective categories. In addition, six other works from Argentina, Spain and Portugal were recognized as best school short film, commissioned film, animation for video game, visual development, animation design and sound design and original music.
The third edition held in this innovative virtual format was made possible thanks to the main sponsorship of the Cabildo de Tenerife, through the Tenerife Film Commission.
The feature directorial debut for Spanish animator/screenwriter Sergio Pablos (Despicable Me, Smallfoot), Klaus has been widely celebrated as a return to traditional animation. Produced by Madrid-based The SPA Studios and Atresmedia Cine for Netflix, the film is based on the legend of Father Christmas, and tells the story of a postman who goes to the Arctic Circle to open a post office. The film was previously awarded at the Annie Awards and BAFTA in addition to being one of the finalists in the Best Animated Film category at the last Oscars. The film was also recognized with the Quirino Award for Best Animation Design.
Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians
Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians — a co-production between Brazil’s Hype Animation and Sincrocine Produções directed by André Forni — was awarded Best Animation Series. Aimed at preschool audiences, this series combining 3D and 2D animation centers on Tainá, an orphan girl from the Amazon jungle who, in the company of her animal friends, protects wildlife and the rich biodiversity of her habitat. The series is an adaptation of a successful live-action trilogy and has been released internationally on the Nickelodeon channel and the Netflix platform.
The Cubicbird
The short film winner was The Cubicbird, a Colombian production directed by Jorge Alberto Vega and produced by La Valiente Estudio and Cintadhesiva Comunicaciones with the associated production of Animaedro. Animated in stop-motion, the film is an adaptation of the self-titled book by Marcos Mas that has as main character Pedro, a bird that lives in a cage and is willing to break its bonds to be free. The work was selected at various international festivals and received the award for Best Colombian Animated Short Film at Bogoshorts 2019.
The Quirino Awards had planned to hold their third edition on April 18 in Tenerife, and had to change their date of celebration and format as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The island was present throughout the ceremony with some of its most emblematic landscapes and with the participation of professionals and animation companies that are among the finalists. As a prologue to the ceremony, an animated photocall took place in which different personalities from the sector paraded virtually on the purple carpet of the Quirinos along with the finalist directors.
Portuguese animation was one of the stars of this edition, receiving 10 nominations and winning the awards for Best School Short Film and Best Sound Design and Original Music (Nestor by João Gonzalez) and Best Visual Development Visual (The Peculiar Crime of Oddball Mr Jay directed by Bruno Caetano).
The 2020 winners circle is completed with Best Commissioned Film Mate?, a co-production between Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, directed and produced by Buda.tv; and the award for Best Animation for Video Game, which went to Gris, a production by the Spanish Nómada Studio directed by Conrad Roset.
Quirino Awards collage
The winning works were chosen by an international jury among 219 works from 17 countries received in the call. The international jury was made up of Alfredo Marun (Development Director at Disney Television Animation, from Colombia); Anja Franczak (Creative Producer at Human Ark, Poland); Simon Vladimir Varela (Production Designer and Visual Development Artist for various studios, including Pixar, Disney, Warner Bros, Sony Animation, Fox and Universal; El Salvador); Vera Verba (Manager of the YouTube Channel of Sesame Workshop, U.S.) and the Véronique Encrenaz (Director of MIFA Annecy, France).
Quirino Awards 2020 winners:
Best Feature Film: KLAUS directed by Sergio Pablos. Produced by The SPA Studios, Atresmedia Cine (Spain).
Best Series: TAINÁ AND THE AMAZON’S GUARDIANS directed by André Forni. Produced by Hype, Sincrocine (Brazil).
Best Short Film: THE CUBICBIRD directed by Jorge Alberto Vega. Produced by La Valiente Estudio, Cintadhesiva, Animaedro (Colombia).
Best School Short Film: NESTOR directed by João Gonzalez. Produced by Royal College of Art (Portugal, United Kingdom).
Best Commissioned Film: MATE? directed by Buda.tv. Produced by Buda.tv (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay).
Best Animation for Video Game: GRIS directed by Conrad Roset. Produced by Nomada Studio (Spain).
Best Visual Development: THE PECULIAR CRIME OF ODDBALL MR JAY directed by Bruno Caetano. Produced by Cola – Colectivo Audiovisual, Wild Stream (Portugal, France).
Best Animation Design: KLAUS directed by Sergio Pablos. Produced by The SPA Studios, Atresmedia Cine (Spain).
Best Sound Design and Original Music: NESTOR directed by João Gonzalez. Produced by Royal College of Art (Portugal, United Kingdom).
The awards ceremony closes the Quirino month, in which an intense program of activities also featured the Co-Production and Business Forum. Organized with the collaboration of ICEX, Animation From Spain and PROEXCA, this professional platform included the participation of a hundred companies from 19 countries that held more than 800 B2B meetings. Throughout a month, representatives of channels, distributors and producers had the opportunity to learn about different projects from the 23 countries of the Ibero-American region.
With the aim of bringing the creations closer to the public, from June 1-14 a program with the finalists in the school short films category was presented on the Retina Latina and Filmin streaming platforms, in addition to the winners of this section in the editions 2018 and 2019. The works had more than 3,000 views between both platforms.
Throughout the month, different conferences and virtual round tables were held. These include the one carried out by La Liga de Animación Iberoamericana (the Ibero-American Animation League) and the pitch of the “Firsts” project; the round table on women in Ibero-American animation in which the associations MIA (Women in the Animation Industry, Spain), MUMA (Women in the Animation World, Mexico) and RAMA (Argentine Network of Women in Animation); the talk about new technologies applied to animation production with Andrés Aguilar (Mate), Juan Cañada (Epic Games) and Francisco Delgado (HP); and the talk on sustainability in animation with the participation of the Tenerife Film Commission, Welaw and the Tenerife companies La Casa Animada, Tomavision, Mondo TV Producciones Canarias, In Efecto, B Water Animation Studios, Drakhar Studio and 3 Doubles Producciones.
All these conferences, which to date have registered more than 170,000 views, can be seen again on the Quirino Awards YouTube channel.
Toon Boom Animation has launched the newest update to its award-winning animation production software, &Toon Boom Harmony. With Harmony 20, the company wants to challenge artists and animators to express themselves in new styles — inspiring users with a demo pack created by seven artists and their teams from around the world. Their work illustrates endless possibilities with Harmony 20’s improved drawing and coloring tools as well as a host of new features.
“The entertainment industry is becoming aware of the true value of animation — both as a means of producing content and of expressing what is impossible to show in any other medium,” said Stephanie Quinn, Director of Marketing at Toon Boom Animation. “Harmony 20 has tools and capabilities that dare artists to push beyond the boundaries of what audiences expect to see.”
Harmony 20, the industry’s leading 2D animation software, brings the latest in digital drawing sensitivity to its brushes — every marking, every style, every texture you want to create feels natural. Rulers, guides, colour control and features as well as innovative deformers enrich your animation, bringing your work closer to what you can imagine.
To showcase Harmony 20’s stylistic flexibility and features, Toon Boom invited seven artists and teams to produce a demo pack, each contributing scenes inspired by a short prompt. These teams were drawn from both the Toon Boom Ambassador Program and the international users’ community, and were given total creative freedom on their scenes.
Demo breakdown:
Scene One — Mark Borgions, illustrator and animator, HandMade Monsters | Interpreting, “In our world… // Everything is possible,” Belgian illustrator Mark Borgions’ scene begins with a squirrel climbing a massive tree as giants approach to play instruments. The scene uses imported raster and vector assets along with Harmony’s textured brushes and pens, deformers, depth of field effects, colour scale nodes and rigging with master controllers.
Scene Two: Arthell Isom, studio founder and background artist, D’ART Shtajio | Tokyo-based anime studio founder Arthell Isom was inspired by the lines, “You can be who you are // You can show your true you,” and shows a person exploring their true identity in a mirror. It was animated in a traditional Japanese-style pipeline, recreated in Harmony. “I believe D’ART Shtajio is helping to set the tone for the future of Japanese animation. Anime has always been a tradition, the next gen is coming,” said Isom.
Scene Three: Anja Shu, animator and instructor, TUMO Center for Creative Technologies | Based in Yerevan, Armenia, Anja Shu applied her watercolor animation skills to the lines “You can sing // You can dance,” illustrating an opera singer jumping from the stage to her dressing room. “I’m very happy with the wide range of textured brushes and pencils that Harmony has to offer. There are so many styles to try — watercolor, pastel and chalk,” Shu said.
Scene Four: Magelan Fournier, Marie Pier Larose, Matt Watts, Raymond Quigley, Andres Martinez Vergara and Mike Morris | Inspired by “You can achieve,” artists Magelan Fournier and Marie Pier Larose created a 3D scene to accompany a 2D rig created by Matt Watts and animated by Raymond Quigley. The full scene was pulled together, both 2D and 3D elements, by Andres Martinez Vergara. Finally, the scene was originally storyboarded by Mike Morris for the new Toon Boom Training Courses for Advanced Rigging, showcasing Master Controllers and other advanced rigging features.
Scene Five: Rise of the TMNT crew, Nickelodeon | The Burbank team behind Nickelodeon’s hit television series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles provided a digitally hand drawn animated scene with their iconic characters to accompany the lines, “Acceptance is everywhere // And possibilities are endless.” This superhero scene was storyboarded by Kevin Molina-Ortiz and was brought to life by director Sebastian Montes and supervising director Alan Wan.
Scene Six: Gonzalo Azpiri, animator and studio owner, Hookup Animation | Depicting, “And every creative dream // Every style,” Bueno Aires-based promotional animator Gonzalo Azpiri animated an action sequence of a creature leaping through the woods, over a car and diving into a live-action ocean scene. “These kinds of scenes with animated backgrounds end up being quite complex due to the many elements involved, but Harmony has put together a lot of friendly aids to organize the work, which made my scene much easier to handle,” said Azpiri.
Scene Seven: Pinot W. Ichwandardi, senior animator, VaynerMedia | Finishing the demo pack is New York-based animator Pinot W. Ichwandardi with “Everyone can simply express their deepest dreams // Their truest stories” — showing a live-action right hand sketching its left counterpart, which then erases the hand that drew it! His scene makes use of filmed footage, rotoscopy and traditional animation.
Harmony 20 new features:
The smoothest texture deformation with the Weighted-Deform Node
Create depth, volume, and more realistic animations with new Lighting & Shading
Advanced color management environments and effects give artists and studios full control over the accuracy of their project’s colors from initial illustration to final export
New colour effects nodes: color curves, color levels, gamma and color-fade
Drawing and creativity live hand-in-hand and snapping Alignment Guides make it faster & easier
Drawing improvements made for animation artists make animation creation quicker and easier
You can watch a complete one-hour overview of Harmony 20 here.
For more information on Toon Boom Harmony 20 features, pricing and technical requirements, visit toonboom.com/harmony.
French production company Cross River has signed a development agreement with the Canal+ group for the hybrid TV series project Virtual Past, which will blend animation and live-action sequences. Aimed for a family audience and children 8 and up, the 13 x 26′ serialized comedy features a modern family played by live actors, who are projected via a VR game into a larger than life (animated) epic era: the Middle Ages.
Synopsis: To bring together his family on the verge of implosion — and with the excuse of making ends meet — Lucas Lambda, a 12-year-old obsessive gamer, manages to convince Laetitia, his control freak mom; Loic, his immature father; and Laurie, his social media-obsessed sister; to test Virtual Past, a new VR game that immerses players and their five senses into an authentic Middle Ages… full of glitches!
The creative team includes writers Jean-François Henry and Jacob Henry (Kaeloo, Trolls of Troy, The Pirate Family, The New Adventures of Lucky Luke), animation director Pascal David (Rabbids Invasion, Captain Biceps, Chronokids) and art director/character designer Yann de Préval (Spongo, Fuzz & Jalapeña, Muffin Jack & Jeremy, Meet Buck). On the live-action side, the cast as well as the choice of the director are to be announced.
Aside from this newly announced partnership, Cross River is staying plenty busy. Currently in production:
Season 2 of Handico (12 x 3′ new episodes) with Lumni; the series answers kids’ questions about living with disabilities.
3D series Boon and Pimento (30 x 1’30”) with Xilam TV
Mor Israeli’s new short film Journey with My Dad
Pilot episode for teen/adult series Little Cheeky, based on the book by Capucine Lewalle and Benoît Drigny (published by Hugo & Cie).
Daily Planet intern Clark Kent takes learning-on-the-job to new extremes when Lobo and Parasite set their sights on Metropolis in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting August 23, and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (SRP $39.99 US / $44.98 CA) and Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98 US / $29.98 CA) on September 8.
Synopsis: It’s the dawn of a new age of heroes, and Metropolis has just met its first. But as Daily Planet intern Clark Kent – working alongside reporter Lois Lane – secretly wields his alien powers of flight, super-strength and x-ray vision in the battle for good, there’s even greater trouble on the horizon. Follow the budding hero as he engages in bloody battles with intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo and fights for his life to halt the attack of power-hungry alien Parasite. The world will learn about Superman … but first, Superman must save the world!
As previously announced, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Darren Criss (Glee, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace) and Emmy nominee Zachary Quinto (Star Trek franchise, Heroes) lead a star-studded cast as the voices of Superman/Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, respectively.
The cast also includes Alexandra Daddario (San Andreas, Baywatch, All My Children) as Lois Lane, Brett Dalton (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Parasite/Rudy Jones, Ryan Hurst (The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Remember the Titans) as Lobo, Ike Amadi (Mass Effect 3, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge) as Martian Manhunter, Neil Flynn (The Middle, Scrubs) as Jonathan Kent, Bellamy Young (Scandal, Prodigal Son) as Martha Kent, Cristina Milizia (DC Super Hero Girls) as Maya, Petey & Kaylie; Eugene Byrd (Bones, LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures) as Ron Troupe, April Stewart (South Park) as Mrs. Ross, and Piotr Michael (The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle) as Perry White, as well as Cissy Jones (Firewatch) and David Chen (Gotham).
Superman: Man of Tomorrow introduces a new producing vision to the DC Universe Movies series, which now numbers 41 films over its 13 years of existence. Supervising producer Butch Lukic has a rich pedigree in DC animated productions, serving as producer on Constantine: City of Demons, Justice League Action and the Batman Unlimited franchise, as well as directing episodes of Justice League, Batman Beyond and Beware the Batman. Lukic brings a new visual aesthetic to Superman: Man of Tomorrow that departs from the animation styles – of previous producers Bruce Timm (23 films) and James Tucker (17 films) – thus far represented in the DC Universe Movies.
Chris Palmer (Voltron: Legendary Defender) directs from a script by Tim Sheridan (The Death of Superman). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Executive producer is Sam Register.
“Superman: Man of Tomorrow is an inspiring retelling of the DC Universe Movies’ backstory for The Man of Steel, taking the audience to his early days as an intern at the Daily Planet – and his beginnings as a learning-on-the-job DC Super Hero,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Senior Vice President, Originals, Animation and Family Marketing. “Darren Criss and Zachary Quinto have wholeheartedly embraced their roles as Superman and Lex Luthor for this film, and the end result is a special addition to the canon of films that every Superman fan will want to add to their collection.”
Special features:
Lobo: Natural Force of Chaos (New Featurette) – He’s the rude, crude, galactic bounty hunter who has been more than a thorn in the side of DC’s greatest heroes. This is a full throttle look at Lobo.
Martian Manhunter: Lost and Found (New Featurette) – This is the personal journey of J’onn J’onzz. A stranger in a strange land who emerges from the shadows as a force for peace and justice.
Look Back: Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (Featurette) – The Earth’s future hangs in the balance when the Justice League faces a powerful new threat – the Fatal Five. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman seek answers as the time-traveling trio of Mano, Persuader and Tharok terrorize Metropolis in search of budding Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz – whom they need to be able to free remaining Fatal Five members Emerald Empress and Validus in order to carry out their sinister plan. But the Justice League discover an ally from another time in the peculiar Star Boy – brimming with volatile power, could he be the key to thwarting the Fatal Five? An epic battle against ultimate evil awaits!
Look Back: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Featurette) – Based on the popular Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness comic series/graphic novel, the film finds United States President Lex Luthor using the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his “partner in crime,” Batman. Heroes and villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite – and recruit help – to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor’s devious plot to take command of far more than North America.
From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “The Main Man, Part I”
From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “The Main Man, Part II”
Movie trailers:
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge
Superman: Red Son
A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie – An advanced look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow will also be available on Movies Anywhere.
Superman: Man of TomorrowSuperman: Man of Tomorrow
Kelly Asbury, an animator, director, screenwriter, voice actor and published author/illustrator, has died from cancer at age 60. The news was shared on Facebook by a colleague and friend.
Asbury contributed to beloved animated features from Disney, DreamWorks — where he co-directed two Oscar-nominated films, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) and Shrek 2 (2004) — and Sony Pictures Animation (Smurfs: The Lost Village, 2017), among others. He most recently directed UglyDolls for STX Entertainment, and provided the voices of Gibberish Cat, Oliver, Chef and Buttons.
Born in Beaumont, Texas on January 15, 1960, Asbury graduated from local Lamar University before pursuing his artistic yen at CalArts.He got his start in animation at Disney Features in the early ’80s, creating storyboards, vizdev and character design for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Rescuers Down Under and Pixar’s first feature, Toy Story. He also worked on stop-motion classics Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (asst. art director) and Henry Selick’s James and the Giant Peach (artistic supervisor – story).
Asbury joined the newly-formed DreamWorks Animation studio in 1995, working on The Prince of Egypt, Chicken Run and Shrek before moving to the co-director’s chair for Spirit and Shrek 2. While at DWA, he also worked on Shrek the Third, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar 2 as a VO or story artist.
The multi-talented artist returned to the helm to write and direct Rocket Pictures’ breakout animated release Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), which spawned a sequel in 2018. Asbury returned to Disney as a story artist for Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen, before taking the reins of Sony’s fully-animated Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), for which he also voiced Nosey Smurf. He also served as an additional story artist on MGM’s The Addams Family released last year.
Outside animation, Asbury turned his energies to writing and illustrating. He penned Dummy Days — a biography of five 20th century ventriloquists — in 2003, as well as 12 children’s books, including Rusty’s Red Vacation, Bonnie’s Blue House and Yolanda’s Yellow School.
DreamWorks Animation released an out-of-this-world trailer for The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants in Space!, an all-new six-episode adventure coming to Netflix on July 10.
When the space agency P.O.O.P.S.I.E holds a contest to send one lucky school on a field trip to space, George and Harold ensure that Jerome Horowitz Elementary is chosen. Soon, the school is transformed into a “school-ship” and the kids and Captain Underpants are launched into space where they quickly discover their mission is not what it seems.
Based on the novels by Dav Pilkey (over 80 million copies in print), The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants in Space! features the voices of Academy Award-winner Nat Faxon (Life of the Party, Disenchantment, Married) as Mr. Krupp and Captain Underpants, Ramone Hamilton (The Grinch) as Harold, Jay Gragnani (Bubble Guppies) as George, Jorge Diaz (Jane the Virgin) as Melvin, Sean Astin (Stranger Things) as the Narrator, Erica Luttrell (Magic School Bus, Steven Universe) as Erica, Dayci Brookshire (Home; Adventures with Tip & Oh) as Jessica/Dressy, Evan Kishiyama (Mickey and the Roadster Racers) as Gooch, David Koechner (The Office, Anchorman) as Mr. Meaner, Nolan North (Spirit Riding Free, Young Justice) as Dr. Shifty Fitzgibbons and Secunda Wood (Fast & Furious: Spy Racers) as Moxie Swaggerman.
Peter Hastings (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain) is executive producer of DreamWorks The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants in Space!
Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Natasha Bedingfield has recorded a brand-new song entitled “Together in This” for the animated feature, Jungle Beat: The Movie, out today on digital. The song is the official end title track for the film.
A Sandcastle Studios production made in collaboration with Sunrise Productions, Jungle Beat: The Movie recently premiered as part of the official feature selection of the digital edition of the Annecy International Animation Festival and is now available worldwide on Amazon, GooglePlay and AppleTV.
Written by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and longtime friend of Bedingfield, Jonas Myrin, “Together in This” was not only inspired by the film’s themes of togetherness and friendship, but also the current state of the world today, reminding us that although we may be apart, we’re never alone.
In the vibrant visual that accompanies the song, Bedingfield and Myrin are joined by people from all walks of life dancing to the same choreography in unison with the animated animals from the film. The music video also features special guests including Anastasia Radzinskaya (“Like Nastya”), who is the leading digital media creator for children with over 130 million YouTube subscribers across the globe, among others.
“As a mother, I love being a part of a movie that will captivate my son with its positive messages about unity and friendship that the whole family can appreciate,” said Bedingfield. “The song ‘Together in This’ came about after my friend and acclaimed songwriter, Jonas Myrin, called me about a track he wrote for Jungle Beat: The Movie with my voice in mind. When he told me what the song was about, I knew I wanted to be a part of the project. I feel so much joy singing a song that promotes togetherness during this challenging time. It really tapped into the joy that my son gives me, and I hope it brings joy to other families as well.”
Myrin noted, “Music has the power to unite, heal and uplift us. So in these difficult times, I wanted to write an anthem of hope for the world. We are stronger together and with love and faith in our hearts, together, we can get through this.”
The song was also co-produced by Myrin and Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter Michael Fatkin, and mixed by five-time Grammy-winning mix engineer Josh Gudwin.
“‘Together in This’ is such a timely song, and we’re so grateful to Jonas who did an incredible job writing the song, and to Natasha who did a spectacular job performing it,” said Sandcastle Studios Producer Rita Mbanga. “In this time in our world we so desperately need voices and messages of hope, and we really believe our film and the song will inspire unconditional love and acceptance in a world which needs an abundance of both.”
“Together in This” is Natasha Bedingfield’s first release following her latest studio album, Roll With Me, which was produced by Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum producer Linda Perry and released via We Are Hear in 2019. The LP showcases the power of Bedingfield’s unparalleled musicality heard in hits like her era-defining anthem “Unwritten,” a double-platinum hit that emerged as the most played song on U.S. Top 40 radio the year of its release.
Named one of VH1’s “100 Greatest Women in Music,” Bedingfield has sold over 10 million albums and has earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and multiple Brit Award nominations for Best British Female Artist. Her illustrious career also includes collaborations with icons like Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars and Sheryl Crow.
Jungle Beat: The Movie is a family friendly adventure of epic proportions. When a homesick alien crash-lands his spaceship near the colorful African jungle, his new animal friends need to find a way to get him back to his ship and teach him about friendship and fun before his Space-Conqueror father can take over the planet. The film is based on the global hit series, Jungle Beat, which has broadcast in over 200 countries and across a range of media platforms including TV, cinema and in-flight entertainment.
For more information on the film, visit junglebeatthemovie.com or follow @junglebeatthemovie on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and/or Twitter.
We had a chance to catch up with Carl Jones and Brian Ash, who were producers on The Boondocks and Black Dynamite, to talk about the new season of their adult sketch series Sugar and Toys, which begins a new season on Fuse TV. They were kind enough to give us the new scoop on the second season of their hilarious show, which transitions from a hybrid blend of skits to fully animated, as well as commenting on the importance of having Black voices and diverse content and creators in animation.
Animag: First up, congrats for being renewed for a second season of the show. How long have you been preparing for the new season?
Brian Ash: Thank you! We are so excited to be back making more of these. We kicked off writing in January and began production in March. It’s always fun, if a bit nerve-wracking, starting up a new season of a show. You’re like, “I’m pretty sure we covered every topic under the sun already. What is there left to say?” Then 2020 happened and it turns out there’s plenty to f***ing say still.
Carl Jones: Thank you. It’s a really fun show to make. And we are grateful to be able to make people laugh during such a very tough time. Laughter is medicine.
Lost Dreamers
Where is the second season’s animation being produced?
Brian Ash: Once again, we are working with Echo Bridge animation out of St. Petersburg, Florida. [Director] Esteban Valdez and [Head of Production] Omar McClinton keep it moving!
Do you have a writers’ room or is the show storyboard driven?
Brian Ash: On Sugar and Toys, everything starts with the writing. We spent significant time generating, gathering and developing concepts. For this season, we were fortunate to have Robot Chicken veteran Jordan Allen-Dutton join our team as an executive producer. Dude is a beast. We were able to generate over three times the amount of material we ended up using, which allowed us to cherry pick the stuff we were most excited about. We also had the opportunity to work with some newer, younger writers with tremendous voices including Anna Salinas, Idriys Jones and Christian Pierce, who does The Real Bros of Simi Valley.
Carl Jones: Yeah, unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to spend as much time in the writers room as I did the first season, but I didn’t really need to. I mean with Brian at the helm along with so many other talented writers in the room, it was to no surprise that the comedy has even elevated from the first season.
Lego Atlanta
What can we expect to see in the second season? Any special guests?
Brian Ash: More smart-dumb shit to make you laugh, make you mad and hopefully make you think. Lots of break out characters from season 1, like OG Steve and Clue, Drizzy, Ye Yeezy & Yesus (our Huey, Duey and Louie version of Kanye West) are back! So is Cardi B. But joining them will be our parodies of Lizzo, The Mandalorian and a butt-naked blue Barack Obama whose been chilling on Mars the last four years, Watchmen style.
We take on 4chan, the “OK Boomer” phenomenon, sneaker culture, fast food companies targeting minority communities, cultural appropriation of Latinx eyebrows and white people’s enduring but doomed struggle to be allowed to say the n-word. It’s a pretty full season.
What do you think fans responded to positively in the first season?
Brian Ash: Superduper Kyle is an amazing presence with starpower and charisma. Maybe the most likeable dude God ever put on this Earth. Comedically and culturally, it has been our experience since day one that fans like to see their truth reflected and are thrilled when we take a left turn that they don’t see coming. It was true in The Boondocks, Black Dynamite, Lazor Wulf and The Jellies. And it’s true for Sugar and Toys.
What was the most unusual reaction you got from the show?
Brian Ash: A second season order. (Laughs)
Carl Jones: I don’t know about unusual but the response I love to get from people is, “What the f*** did I just watch?” (Laughs) I never know if that’s a good or bad response but It makes me laugh.
Veggie Purge
Can you talk a bit about why it’s important to keep the show edgy and unafraid of tackling difficult issues?
Carl Jones: Well, because life is edgy. And life makes us handle difficult issues. So that’s what we reflect. The show is a fun-house of mirrors. It’s a warped but honest reflection of the world we live in.
Brian Ash: When kids are traumatized, one way therapists get them to open up is to draw pictures of experiences that are hard to talk about. Obviously, that’s a very severe analogy, but there is a connection. Mostly, we try to be honest. When we are, it just feels right, even when we are being wrong and inappropriate as hell. When it’s honest, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Did the COVID work-at-home period affect the animation at all?
Brian Ash: COVID affected the animation less than it did the live-action part. As in, the live-action portion of the show died of COVID. Corona hit right as we were wrapping up writing. We kept kicking the live-action question down the line as long as we could. Finally we had to pull the plug. Luckily, we still have Kyle as our brand ambassador/host, only now he’s animated and chilling with giant robots, talking toxic waste barrels and dating a hippogriff (although they are kind of on again off again). We experimented with having episodes where the characters interacted over Zoom, but ultimately that stuff got cut because we had stuff we liked better.
What is your advice to people of color who want to get into animation?
Carl Jones: Get into animation! (Laughs) Black cartoons matter more now than ever before. Black people are experiencing a very painful, yet pivotal point in history. All eyes are on us and we’re making noise. And we’ve always made noise when facing injustice, but never all at once like this. I mean all over the world. So, Black animators and content creators need to use the medium to make noise. To say something and say it extremely loud, and you’ll find success. That’s the time we are in.
Lost DreamersSugar and Toys
We live in a period that people in the industry seem to be more aware of having Black people and people of color represented both behind the scenes and as characters. What kind of racial barriers still exist in animation?
Carl Jones: I think most of the barriers are mental. Meaning, even if every studio was to say, “No more black content ever,” we still have the power to create our own path. When I was a kid, if I didn’t have my key, I would just go through the window … Of my own house, of course! (Laughs) But yeah, it’s all about how you look at the situation. There is always a way, so I don’t think about the barriers per say, I only think about the ways around them. Then they are no longer barriers, just like stepping over a puddle or going around a car in traffic. You just maneuver and stay focused on the destination.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the new season of your show!?
Brian Ash: It’s okay to laugh. It’s okay to be angry. And it’s okay to give us a third season.
Sugar and Toys Season 2 will launch on Fuse TV, available on Hulu, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire. Watch full episodes from S1 at Fuse.tv
3BLACKDOT (3BD), the leading entertainment studio that sits at the intersection of gaming and culture, announced Friday it is developing a new animated comedy series, Alpha Betas, in partnership with the award-winning animation studio Starburns Industries (Rick and Morty, Anomalisa). The half-hour comedy is the first long-scripted television series from the group, who bring a collective audience of over 40 million fans across social media.
Alpha Betas stars leading gaming influencers VanossGaming, BasicallyIDoWrk, I AM WILDCAT and Terroriser. The supporting cast also includes Chris Parnell (Rick and Morty, Saturday Night Live), Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), John DiMaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time), Brent Morin (Undateable, Merry Happy Whatever) and more.
Creators Chris Bruno & David Howard Lee (Facebook Watch’s Human Discoveries) will serve as showrunners and executive producers, and Starburns Industries will animate. Regi Cash, James Frey, Zennen Clifton and Mitchell Smith of 3BLACKDOT, along with Starburns’ Casey Rup, James Fino, Simon Ore and Paige Dowling, will also serve as executive producers on the project.
The pilot episode will debut in early 2021.
“3BLACKDOT has made it its mission to push the boundaries of modern entertainment through innovative and immersive projects, and we’re thrilled to take that mission to the next level by partnering some of the biggest names in gaming with a groundbreaking studio in Starburns Industries,” said Zennen Clifton, EVP and Head of 3BD Networks. “As more opportunities arise for gamers in the broader entertainment landscape, we’re eager to continue to develop, finance and create new projects merging the art of storytelling with gaming culture through this dynamic and massive audience.”
Alpha Betas further expands 3BLACKDOT’s growing slate of original programming that pushes the boundaries of modern entertainment by creating content with the most authentic and influential names in gaming who have 6B+ hyper-engaged monthly viewers across the globe. 3BLACKDOT is also the creative force behind some of the most innovative cross-platform entertainment projects including the 2019 box office hit Queen & Slim, the immersive horror universe of CLOWNPOCALYPSE, the highly anticipated film Eat Brains Love, and more.
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