Despite growing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus epidemic around the world, this year’s edition of the Cartoon Movie animation event attracted about 850 attendees to Bordeaux, France this past week. (March 3-5). Of course, there was plenty of hand sanitizer on hand and guests were careful to avoid the traditional French bises (kisses on the cheek) and handshakes upon meeting their colleagues. But overall, it was pretty much animation business as usual as the pitching and co-production forum put the spotlight on 66 projects in various stages of development and production.
Among the movies that drew the most attention at the event were Calamity, A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary, French director Rémi Chayé acclaimed 2015 feature Long Way North, Benoît Chieux’ Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds, Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal’s musical documentary They Shot the Piano Player, Verte (Folimage), Jim Capobianco’s The Inventor (Foliascope, Leo and King), The Neighbors of my Neighbors are Neighbors of Mine (Lardux Films, Marmitafilms), The Adventures of Pil (TAT productions, France 3 Cinema, SND Films) and The Island (Aparte Film, Take Five).
Event organizers pointed out that this year’s selection of animated titles demonstrates the increasing demand of animation that targets mature audiences beyond the usual family viewers. In fact, 21% of the titles presented at Cartoon Movie were aimed at mature audiences. Another major trend was the continued development of projects based on popular graphic novels. Among the several comic-book-based titles being pitched this year were:Verte, The Character of Rain, Tafiti: Through the Desert, The Unspeakable, A Lovecraftian Fragment, The Shrew of Destiny, The Legendaries and Girl and Wolf.
Anima Vitae, Animoon and GodoFilms’s upcoming feature Fleak was the winner of Cartoon Movie’s Eurimages co-production development award, which is a 20,000 euro cash prize. The movie, which is a co-production between Finland’s Anima Vitae and co-producers Animoon (Poland) and Godo Films (France) centers on a 12-year-old who discovers a fantasy world after he suffers from a major leg injury. Cartoon Tribute honors were also given to Zabou Breitman and Éléa Gobbé-Mévellec (directors of The Swallows of Kabul), Marc du Pontavice and Xilam Animation for producing I Lost My Body and Belgium’s Lumière was awarded the Distributor of the Year prize.
On the final day of Cartoon Movie, founder and general director Marc Vandeweyer who started the Cartoon program in 1987, confirmed that he will be leaving his post in July. Annick Maes, the current director of Cartoon Movie and TV pitching event Cartoon Forum, will take over as general director after Vandeweyer’s departure. In addition to Cartoon Movie, the Cartoon program also supports Cartoon Forum, Cartoon 360, Cartoon Springboard, Cartoon Business and Cartoon Digital events throughout the year.
SpongeBob SquarePants and the unforgettable inhabitants of Bikini Bottom are back for more hilarious hijinks in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Eleventh Season, arriving on DVD March 31 from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment.
Enter DoodleBob’s alternate dimension and take a trip to Bubble Buddy’s hometown. Help SpongeBob keep Fred’s leg out of harm’s way, move Bubble Bass out of his mom’s basement, and stop SpongeGar from wreaking havoc all over town! Make new friends, including an imaginary hamster, a sea bunny, the Krusty Krab’s peculiar night crew and Sandy’s nutty nieces. Plus, take a trip to the moon, solve the curious case of the missing clarinet and hear Gary speak for the very first time ever!
Featuring every hilarious episode from Season 11, plus Plankton’s Color Nullifier, the three-DVD set will be available for the suggested retail price of $17.99 U.S.
Hulu announced their 2020 Spring preview on Friday, which included two hotly anticipated adult-animated series. Solar Opposites will premiere May 8, with Crossing Swords following swiftly behind on June 12.
Co-created by Justin Roiland (co-creator of Rick and Morty) and Mike McMahan (former writer’s assistant on Rick and Morty), Solar Opposites centers on a team of four aliens who have escaped their exploding home world, only to crash land into a move-in ready home in suburban America. They are evenly split on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Korvo (voiced by Roiland) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambroni) only see the pollution, crass consumerism, and human frailty, while Terry (Thomas Middleditch) and Jesse (Mary Mack) love humans and all their TV, junk food, and fun stuff. Their mission: protect the Pupa, a living super computer that will one day evolve into its true form, consume them and terraform the Earth.
Solar Opposites is executive produced by Roiland, McMahan and Josh Bycel. The series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Series regulars include Justin Roiland, Thomas Middleditch, Mary Mack, and Sean Giambrone.
In Crossing Swords, goodhearted wannabe-hero Patrick lands his dream job as a squire, only to learn the royal castle is a corrupt hornet’s nest of horny monarchs, crooks and charlatans. War, murder, full frontal nudity — who knew brightly colored peg people led such exciting lives?
The Crossing Swords cast includes: Nicholas Hoult, Adam Ray, Tara Strong, Tony Hale, Luke Evans, Seth Green, Alanna Ubach, Adam Pally, Yvette-Nicole Brown, Maya Erskine, Breckin Meyer and Wendi McClendon Covey.
Animation Ireland, the trade body representing Ireland’s animation studios, has announced that it has appointed Ronan McCabe as its new Chief Executive.
The appointment comes as the animation sector in Ireland undergoes a sustained period of rapid growth. Investment has tripled since 2015 to €180 million annually and employment figures have doubled to over 2,000, with new home-grown animation studios being established each year.
McCabe has been a leading producer of Irish content for decades, having spent over 20 years as Managing Director at Double Z Enterprises where he produced shows for RTE, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and MTV. He is also a former Chairperson of Screen Producers Ireland and the Treasurer of Animation Ireland since its foundation in 2015.
Throughout his career, McCabe has built strong relationships with many companies in Ireland and around the world, working on projects covering negotiation of financing, rights, licensing and merchandising. He has also worked with Enterprise Ireland and Animation Skillnet to provide advice, education and solutions to animation start-ups and new production studios.
“It is a privilege to be appointed Chief Executive of Animation Ireland. The Irish animation sector is performing very strongly, and my focus is on leading the sector through this period of enormous growth,” said McCabe. “I plan to address major challenges such as education and recruitment of talent, the effective operation of the S481 tax credit system and the implementation of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive. My mission is to ensure that Ireland continues to be a leading global destination for animation production, and bring new energy, purpose and ambition to the role.”
The appointment comes at a time of exceptional growth in the Irish animation industry. The sector directly employs more than 2,000 people, a number that is rapidly growing year on year. Animation Ireland now has 30 member studios, up from 25 in 2018 and just 14 in 2015.
A perfectly rosy second season of Pinkalicious & Peterrific is set to premiere on PBS KIDS on March 30, kicking off with a week of brand-new episodes! The much-anticipated sophomore season brings even more colorful, imagination-fueled fun to families everywhere, as the episodes dive deeper into arts education plotlines, covering areas such as music, dance and visual arts.
From planning parties and playdates to creating costumes, puppets and more, preschoolers are in for pinkamazing adventures beyond color stereotypes alongside their favorite sibling duo!
Pinkalicious & Peterrific follows the adventures of Pinkalicious and her brother, Peter, as they explore the town of Pinkville with their friends. Together, they find creative opportunities and imaginative solutions to problems, encouraging young viewers to do the same. Based on the HarperCollins book Pinkalicious, written by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, illustrated by Victoria Kann, as well as additional books in the series written and illustrated by Victoria Kann.
New episodes for S2 premiere week:
March 30
“A Birthday Party for Kendra” Pinkalicious is shocked to hear that Kendra has never celebrated a birthday before, so she decides to throw her a surprise party with the help of their friends! But a pinkaperfect party isn’t what Kendra had in mind. Curriculum: (Visual Arts) Different people react differently to colors and visual styles.
“Norman Plans a Playdate” Norman the Gnome is really excited — his friend Edna is coming over to play! Pinkalicious and Peter put their gnome-thinking caps on to help Norman plan the perfect playdate. Curriculum: (Theatre / Visual Arts) Use role play to experiment with interacting with different types of people (and to help understand different types of personalities).
Interstitial: Kids meet comic book creator LJ Baptiste and learn how choosing different color palettes can convey a variety of feelings.
March 31
“Aqualicious” While at the beach, Pinkalicious and Peter meet Aqua, a merminnie! The three become friends and play together until it’s time for Aqua to go home. But Aqua’s home isn’t quite what Pinkalicious is expecting – it’s even more pinkamazing! Curriculum: (Visual Arts) A color can come in many different shades (focus on blue).
“Sing in the Spring” Spring has come to Pinkville, but none of the flowers have bloomed. Turns out all the springtime fairies have the flu. But with a little fairy dust and a lot of singing, Pinkalicious and Peter make the flowers bloom and help bring in the spring. Curriculum: (Music) Sing songs that use gestures to illustrate or substitute for words.
Interstitial: Kids observe the same lake from different angles and paint their perspectives with watercolors.
April 1
“Mr. Socko” Peter is missing one of his favorite lucky socks! To help her brother out, Pinkalicious creates a sock puppet with the sock Peter has. Pinkalicious and Peter then work with the puppet, Mr. Socko, to retrace Peter’s steps to find its other pair. Curriculum: (Visual Arts) An introduction to creating a puppet through found objects and learning to manipulate (or operate) it to create its character and show emotion.
“A Pinkapurrfect Pet” The Pinkertons discover a cat on their front doorstep! Pinkalicious and Peter realize that while taking care of a cat is tough, things can get even hairier when they wake up to find three new kittens. Curriculum: (STEAM) Explore the design thinking aspect of STEAM.
Interstitial: Kids build puppets with Sarah Nolen and learn how to bring character and movement to puppet performances.
April 2
“Yodelahee Goat” Flora’s goat Greta has escaped her farm, and Pinkalicious and Peter help track it down. After running all over Pinkville, they find the goat on top of Town Hall! How in the world are they going to get Greta down? Curriculum: (Music) Introducing the singing form of yodeling, with a focus on using both high and low pitches.
“Pink Mascot” The Pinksters have a new mascot – the pinkatoo. Pinkalicious and friends make a mascot costume, but who will wear it and help cheer the soccer team on? Curriculum: (Theater) To create a character and embody that character when putting on a costume.
Interstitial: Kids learn how to create a variety of different sounds using just their mouths with the help of beatboxer, Nate Ball.
April 3
“The Sparkle Kart” Pinkalicious and Peter spot Kendra in a flashy store-bought go kart! With some help from Mommy, they make a homemade kart, the Sparkle Speedster, but is it fast enough to beat Kendra? Curriculum: (Visual Arts) Construct Assemblages; (STEAM) Engineering – creating something out of existing materials.
“The Pinkville Merry-Go-Round” The new Pinkville merry-go-round has … one bench? That’s no fun to ride. Pinkalicious and friends search all over Pinkville to find ways to make the merry-go-round more pinkamazing. Curriculum: (Visual Arts) Model flexible thinking as part of creative problem solving.
Interstitial: With help from Jay (a.k.a. “The Pastry Queen”), kids accessorize their bikes with robot-inspired decorations to ride in a parade.
***This article originally appeared in the April ‘20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 299)***
Will Pixar be able to deliver the usual mix of comedy and pathos in its 22nd theatrical feature? That’s the question on many animation lovers’ minds as they get ready to take in the much-anticipated movie Onward, in theaters Friday, March 6. In the movie, two elf brothers take on a magical quest to try to reunite with their long-lost father after a botched bit of wizardry only brings back his lower half. This animated road picture is Pixar’s first foray into this realm of storytelling and was inspired by director Dan Scanlon’s own experiences growing up.
Like the main characters in the movie, Scanlon and his older brother lost their father at an early age and always wondered what kind of person he was and what it would be like to meet him and have the kinds of experiences most kids have with their parents. So, Scanlon, who also directed Monsters, Inc., began playing with the idea of how that might work in an animated story.
“It’s a very personal story,” says Scanlon. “Much like the characters in the story, my father passed away when I was about a year old and my brother was three. So, as you can imagine, we don’t remember him at all. But we always wonder, you know, who he was and how are we like him? And I think that question became the seed of Onward — which is, if you could have one day [with your father], what would you learn? What would you ask? And, yeah, we added elves and sprites to that incredibly sad story.”
Dan Scanlon
Blue Is the Elfiest Color
Scanlon started working on the story about six years ago. The script soon became about the dynamic of these two brothers — an older one named Barley who was more rough and tumble and leapt into things without thinking too much, and Ian, the younger brother who was cautious, more introverted and anxious around people.
Tom Holland voices Ian and Chris Pratt voices Barley in the film. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays their mother. Ali Wong, Octavia Spencer and Tracey Ullman also lend their voices to the film.
Onward
“We needed a way in which the father could come back to life,” says Scanlon. “That really is the reason behind the magic. We could have done, and considered, a version in which the boys were scientists who built a machine that brought Dad back. The magic just felt more romanticized. And we didn’t want to set it in an old timey fantasy world, because it’s a modern story. And if these boys had been in robes and their father had been in robes, it just would have been ridiculous. And I think the world mirrors Ian in a lot of ways. The world of this movie is people who have just become complacent and are fearful of taking risks. They’ve lost their potential. Ian is a kid who’s never lived up to his because he’s insecure and fearful. So, it’s always nice when the world and the characters can mirror that. That and we just wanted to show dirty unicorns.”
As much as this story is based on mythical elements, it’s also grounded in what’s real. The creative team behind the film explored many different color hues for the elves and overall story, arriving at a combination of blue tones and the right illumination that made the elves believable. The backdrop of Onward is inspired by Los Angeles and the Los Feliz neighborhood of 20 years ago. The filmmakers wanted a fantasy suburb where elves could live and that audiences would feel was real somehow.
OnwardOnwardOnward
When they’d decided to tell a story full of sorcery and magic, the fun and the complications quickly began. They didn’t want something that had been seen by fans of animation and mythic tales already. Producer Kori Rae, who worked with Scanlon on Monsters, Inc., knew the magic had to be special and fit with the story they wanted to tell. Multiple departments would have to work together to bring Scanlon’s vision to the screen.
Chaos Theory of Magic
“The magic was tricky in terms of just a looks exploration,” says Rae. “But it was also so specific to the story and Ian’s character. How the magic behaved was directly related to what we needed for him and it needed to be chaotic and it needed to be a little bit scary. And, from a looks perspective, we put in a lot of time for development. So, it wasn’t necessarily new technology but I think how we approached it was slightly different. We did some 2D exploration just to try to get the look and figure out what it needed to be and then to figure out how do we get that into the computer. We spent a lot of time on magic because we wanted it to be kind of chaotic for this story.”
OnwardOnward
Supervising technical director Sanjay Bakshi and character supervisor Jeremie Talbot also worked together to have artists create and model all the fantasy characters individually, since they were all unique. This gave them a more realistic look that was specific to each species. In past films, the team had added controls that could alter features, but this time they felt a more individualized approach was needed.
Onward
As the boys quest for the magic to get the rest of their father back in 24 hours, they’re opposed by both Ian’s own fears and other fantastical creatures. Scanlon wanted to keep humor in focus even when the battles felt scary and genuinely perilous. He decided to give his mythical beasts “teeth” but also give them the kind of comic elements that kept the funny tone of the film in place.
“In the earliest days, we had the boys fighting a mythical dragon or something,” says Scanlon. “And it felt like suddenly we were in any fantasy movie. It wasn’t funny. It just didn’t seem unique. And then we realized the promise of this movie is that it’s always going to be a little bit funny or a little bit modern or silly. And you can still be terrifying and have those elements. So, we just realized whatever we do with the end, it has to be a mix of fantasy and the everyday. It just came down to the idea that monsters are always made up of your greatest fears and Ian’s greatest fears are made up of his life as a teenager.”
Onward
With a large team on Onward, Scanlon and Rae’s biggest challenge was keeping everyone on the same page throughout production. And there’s really no app for that. It comes down to the most old fashioned way of all — face-to-face communication.
“All of that information is tracked in the database as part of our tracking system but what it literally comes down to is communication and getting people in one room,” says Rae. “That’s the only way to do it. No amount of documents are going to do it because people aren’t going to read through them and nobody reads email. So, what really needs to happen is getting everyone in one room — all the different departments — and having Dan there with them, making sure that they know exactly what the story needs for that scene and then just figuring out the logistics together, talking about the images and looking at the images that are up there at least once and maybe twice a day. It’s the best.”
The wildly popular Fate anime franchise returns to U.S. movie theaters with two special events this spring. Coming this April is a one-night Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower & II. lost butterfly Double Feature, including the full animated features of the first two chapters of the thrilling trilogy. Two weeks later in May, fans can catch the final installment of the heart-pounding trilogy, the thrilling Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song.
Attendees at both events will view exclusive greeting videos with the Japanese cast. Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song audiences will also experience an inside look at the Japanese premiere of the highly-anticipated film.
Presented by Fathom Events and Aniplex of America, Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower & II. lost butterfly Double Feature comes to U.S. cinemas on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. (local time), with Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song debuting in movie theaters on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. (local time) through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).
A complete list of theater locations will be available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). Tickets go on sale April 3 at www.FathomEvents.com and at participating box offices. Fans in Canada can check Cineplex.com for showtimes and dates.
Produced by the revered studio ufotable, responsible for the celebrated Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] series and 2019’s smash hit series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the three-part movie follows the “Sakura route” of the Fate/stay night visual novel with heart-pounding action and gut-wrenching drama.
Directed by Tomonori Sudo with music by famed composer Yuki Kajiura, the action-packed trilogy unravels the truth behind the Holy Grail War as the film delivers the emotional conclusion to the story of Shirou Emiya and Sakura Matou.
“It is exciting to partner again with Aniplex of America to bring the final chapter in the Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] Trilogy to North American movie theaters,” Fathom Events Senior Director of Programming Brian Deulley said. “The incredible fans of this franchise have been so enthusiastic and supportive of these events and we expect the last installment to be the best one yet!”
“We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing all three films to the big screens,” said Aniplex of America President, Shu Nishimoto. “From the dynamic battle scenes to the commanding musical score, the Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] films were meant to be seen on the big screens.”
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and award-winning writer/director/producer Ava DuVernay are developing a high-end serialized animated family television series based on the #1 New York Times and USA Today best-selling book series Wings of Fire, from author Tui T. Sutherland.
The Studio secured the exclusive rights to the sought-after publishing phenomenon for DuVernay in a highly competitive situation with multiple parties bidding for the middle grade fantasy book series, which thus far has spawned 15 novels, three graphic novels and four short stories.
WBA is producing the project with DuVernay, who serves as executive producer, through her ARRAY Filmworks production company. Dan Milano (Glitch Techs), Christa Starr, Tui T. Sutherland and WBA’s Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!) are also on board as executive producers.
With more than nine million copies in print and available in 16 languages, the Wings of Fire book series is an epic adventure set in a world entirely ruled by dragons. Across two continents and 10 tribes, the series explores vicious wars, enduring friendships and heroic quests that span generations of fascinating dragon characters.
This marks the first animated project for DuVernay as part of her exclusive overall deal with the Warner Bros. Television Group. For WBTVG, DuVernay is currently producing the OWN/Warner Horizon Scripted Television series Queen Sugar and Cherish the Day, as well as the HBO Max/Warner Bros. Television pilot DMZ, based on characters from DC.
On the eve of International Women’s Day (Sunday, March 8), the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has announced that it continues to meet its gender-parity goals, both for the number of productions directed by women and for production budgets allocated to women — four years after making its initial commitment.
It also surpassed its goals for gender parity in two of four key creative functions, screenwriting (61%) and editing (55%), with net progress in cinematography and music composition. The NFB expanded its gender-parity commitment to these areas in 2017.
“I want to pay tribute to all the creative women from every background who bring their talent and vision to the NFB. The progress we’ve made to date is due to these women as well as to the dedication of our entire NFB team, at all levels, especially at our production studios,” said Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB. “Knowing that there is still work to do, these latest results show what hard work and determination can achieve.”
2019–2020 results*:
For works directed by women:
46% of NFB works were directed by women (40% by men and 14% by mixed teams)
44% of the NFB production budget was allocated to works created by women (42% for works by men and 14% for works by mixed teams)
For women in key creative positions:
61% of NFB works were written by women (35% by men and 4% by mixed teams)
55% of NFB works were edited by women (41% by men and 4% by mixed teams)
22% of NFB works have cinematography by women (72% by men and 6% by mixed teams)
19% of NFB works have music scores composed by women (73% by men and 5% by mixed teams)
*Preliminary data as of March 1, 2020, for works in all phases of production during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020.
Percentages at the the first phases of the gender-parity initiative:
Ongoing Projects lead by women: 45% / 7% mixed (2015-2016)
Expenditures on projects lead by women: 44% / 14% mixed (2015-2016)
Season three of the Emmy Award-nominated DuckTales will debut with two new episodes Saturday, April 4 (9:30 a.m. EDT/PDT), on Disney XD and DisneyNOW. Featuring appearances by classic Disney characters Daisy Duck, Goofy and favorites from TaleSpin, Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck, the new season finds the Duck family embarking on a globetrotting hunt for the world’s greatest lost artifacts, with a secret organization from Scrooge’s past, the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny (F.O.W.L.), trying to stop them at any cost.
DuckTales stars David Tennant (Doctor Who) as Scrooge McDuck, Danny Pudi (Community) as Huey, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Dewey, Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) as Louie, Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates) as Webby Vanderquack, Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live) as Launchpad McQuack, Toks Olagundoye (Castle) as Mrs. Beakley, Disney Legend Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck, and Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) as Della Duck, Donald Duck’s twin sister and the nephews’ mother.
Season three guest stars include Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Selma Blair
(Hellboy), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers), Retta (Parks and Recreation), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Jaleel White (Family Matters), Doug Jones (Hellboy), Clancy Brown (The Shawshank
Redemption), James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Abby Ryder-Fortson (Ant-Man and the Wasp), Tress MacNeille (Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures), Bill Farmer (Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up
Adventures), James Monroe Iglehart (Broadway’s Hamilton) and Adam Pally (Sonic the Hedgehog).
Later in the year, EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort will debut Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure, an interactive scavenger hunt that invites guests to join the Duck family in search of priceless treasure via the Play Disney Parks mobile app. Also new is a three-issue comic book series, DuckTales: Faires and Scares, from IDW Publishing. Merchandise from Disney Parks, Experiences & Consumer Products continues to be available at retailers nationwide.
DuckTales has reached over 135 million views on social media and YouTube in its first and second season combined.
The animated comedy-adventure series chronicles the high-flying adventures of Duckburg’s most famous trillionaire Scrooge McDuck; his mischief-making triplet grandnephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie; temperamental nephew, Donald Duck; and the trusted McDuck Manor team: big-hearted, fearless chauffeur/pilot Launchpad McQuack, no-nonsense housekeeper Mrs. Beakley and her granddaughter, Webby Vanderquack, resident adventurer and the triplet’s fierce friend.
DuckTales is executive produced by Emmy Award-nominated Matt Youngberg (Ben 10: Omniverse), with Emmy Award-nominated Francisco Angones (Wander Over Yonder) serving as co-executive producer and story editor, and Sean Jimenez (Gravity Falls) as art director. The series is a production of Disney Television Animation and carries a TV-Y7 parental guideline.
The 19th annual Tribeca Film Festival (April 15-26), presented by AT&T, announced its 2020 Shorts Program lineup. Setting a record with over 6,100 submissions, the final program roster includes 64 diverse and captivating short films from 20 countries around the globe, and features 46 world premieres, including DreamWorks Animation’s new animated short To: Gerard. The short films will be presented in 10 distinct competition programs which include five narrative, four documentary, and one animation program.
“In this important election year we have a political doc shorts program that illustrates contemporary issues facing our country, as well as a music doc shorts program that’s very diverse,” said Sharon Badal, Vice President of Filmmaker Relations and Shorts Programming, Tribeca Film Festival. “Everyone needs some escapism too, so our comedy shorts, sci-fi shorts, and New York shorts programs are back by popular demand.”
For the fourth consecutive year, 40 percent of the selections are directed by female filmmakers. Queen Collective by Procter & Gamble in partnership with Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment and Tribeca Studios is back, a program dedicated to supporting gender and racial equality behind the camera. The 2020 shorts lineup is programmed by Sharon Badal and Ben Thompson. International storytelling will be celebrated in Tribeca’s Short Film program, with 44 percent of its selections originating from 20 different countries.
Recipients of the Tribeca Film Festival awards for Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short will qualify for consideration in the Academy Awards’ Short Films category; the festival also gives out a Student Visionary Award.
The selection includes…
Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi G
Imaginative storytelling and captivating craft. Suggested for those 14 and older.
Grandad Was A Romantic, directed and written by Maryam Mohajer. (U.K.) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Grandad first fell in love with granny seeing her picture. It sounds like a fairy tale. All it needs is a happy ending. With Maya Naraghi.
Umbrella, directed and written by Helena Hilario, Mario Pece. Produced by Helena Hilario. (Brazil) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Inspired by true events, Umbrella is a short film that follows Joseph, a boy who lives in an orphanage and dreams of having a yellow umbrella.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea, directed by Robin Shaw, written by Joanna Harrison, Judith Kerr. Produced by Ruth Fielding, Camilla Deakin. (U.K.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. A mysterious tiger turns up unannounced and invites himself in for afternoon tea. With David Oyelowo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tamsin Greig, Clara Ross, David Walliams.
Beyond Noh, directed by Patrick Smith, written by Patrick Smith, Kaori Ishida. Produced by Kaori Ishida. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Beyond Noh rhythmically animates 3,475 individual masks from all over the world.
Kapaemahu, directed by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson. Produced by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Four mysterious boulders on Waikiki Beach have a hidden history; within them, there are legendary transgender healing spirits. In Hawaiian with English subtitles.
Bathwell in Clerkentime, directed, written and produced by Alex Budovsky. (Colombia, U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. This is the animated short that completes the trilogy about cuckoos from Clerkenwell going nuts. In this episode birds face problems with marriage, raising kids and alcohol.
Friends, directed, written and produced by Florian Grolig. (Germany) – North American Premiere, Short Animation. The “small” one is, well, small, and the “big” one is definitely very very big. They are friends.
To: Gerard, directed and written by Taylor Meacham. Produced by Jeff Hermann. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. A sprightly elderly man brightens the day of a little girl through magic.
Animation professionals from across Europe gathered once again in Bordeaux this week to pay tribute to stand-outs in their field with the presentation of the 2020 Cartoon Tributes. Created in 2001, the awards recognize the work of individuals and companies across the continent and are bestowed annually by Cartoon Movie.
Announced on Thursday, March 5, the winners in each of the three categories – European Director, Distributor and Producer of the Year – were voted by the participants at the animated feature film pitching and co-pro forum Cartoon Movie. Two of the three prizes went to French pros, with the third going to a Belgian studio.
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: Zabou Breitman & Éléa Gobbé-Mévellec for The Swallows of Kabul (France)
This film is an adaptation of Yasmina Khadra’s literary fiction set in a Taliban-occupied Kabul. Actor and director Breitman’s first animated feature and Gobbé-Mévellec’s first feature film as a director, the movie premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2019 and received an award at the Annecy Festival the same year. Produced by Les Armateurs, The Swallows of Kabul is a coproduction between France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Monaco.
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR: Lumière (Belgium)
Lumière Group started its activities in 1996 in Bruges as an exhibitor. In 2003 they got into the distribution business in Benelux with a wide catalogue of European films such as I Lost My Body, Funan, Phantom Boy and Joseph.
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Xilam Animation (France) / Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma (France) for I Lost My Body
Directed by Jérémy Clapin; nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2020. Founded in 1999 by Marc du Pontavice, Xilam is a production company specializing in family-oriented, audiovisual and multimedia content. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma is the regional film fund for features, having recently supported Mia and the Migoo, A Cat in Paris, Phantom Boy and My Life as a Courgette.
Academy Award-winning writer, director and actor Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) is set to write, direct and executive produce two original animated series for Netflix, inspired by the works of Roald Dahl. The first is a series based on the world and characters of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The second is a wholly original take on the Oompa-Loompas, who will star in their own event series. The shows will retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time.
Waititi signing on to these two series marks the beginning of an extensive partnership between Netflix and The Roald Dahl Story Company, which will reimagine many of the author’s beloved stories, including Matilda, The BFG and The Twits. The first-of-its-kind slate of animated event series will bring together the highest quality creative teams – led by world-class filmmakers like Waititi – to create premium animated content for families around the world.
“I grew up reading Dahl stories and lived large parts of my young life in those magical worlds, so finding just the right creative partner to bring Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Oompa-Loompas to life in animation was a daunting task … until Taika walked into the room. Then, it was really obvious. If Dahl had created a character of a filmmaker to adapt his work, I’m pretty sure he would have created Taika,” said Netflix Vice President of Original Animation Melissa Cobb.
“In the words of Willy Wonka himself – we are ‘Delighted! Charmed! Overjoyed!’ with Taika’s appointment on this project. There is something undeniably Wonka-esque about Taika’s creative flair and inimitable sense of humor and we cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited to leading the creative charge on these first of their kind, feature quality Netflix shows,” added Gideon Simeloff, Commercial and Entertainment Director, Roald Dahl Story Company.
The BFG, Matilda, The Twits and a host of other iconic stories will soon join Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Oompa-Loompas as Netflix becomes the home of a first-of-its-kind slate of animation extending across the Roald Dahl story universe. They will join a growing slate of Netflix animated feature films for families, including Academy Award-nominated Klaus from Sergio Pablos, The Willoughbys from Kris Pearn and Over The Moon from Glen Keane in 2020.
Taika Waititi is best known for directing the critically-acclaimed blockbuster Thor: Ragnarok for Marvel, as well as the WWII satire Jojo Rabbit for Fox Searchlight. Waititi won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, which he directed, wrote, produced and starred in; the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Previously Waititi wrote and directed the beloved indie films Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows, Boy, and the Oscar-nominated short film Two Cars, One Night. He is currently in post-production on the feature film Next Goal Wins, which he directed, wrote and produced, and he will next write and direct Thor: Love and Thunder. In television, he directed the season one finale of The Mandalorian on Disney+, and he served as executive producer, co-writer and director of last year’s TV adaptation of What We Do in the Shadows on FX, now going into its second season on FX.
With 300 million books sold and 1 new book sold every 2.5 seconds, the Roald Dahl brand has never been more popular, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the #1 best-selling Roald Dahl title. With over 50 years of literary heritage, Willy Wonka has become one of the world’s most beloved fictional icons, recognised globally as the world’s most inventive confectionary creator.
Director Tony Cervone makes no bones about the latest iteration of animation’s venerable, lovable Great Dane, Scooby-Doo. “This is an opportunity to animate Scooby and Shaggy and the gang, and these other Hanna-Barbera characters, the way they could have been,” he says of his new animated feature Scoob! “I can honestly say this is the greatest Scooby-Doo animation.”
Cervone, who is a specialist in the classic Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera characters, recently led a group of select journalists and bloggers through the Warner Animation Group headquarters in Burbank for a sneak-peak of the digitally animated film. Scoob! offers the backstory of Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. before launching them into a sci-fi adventure in which they battle a reimagined version of Dick Dastardly and Muttley. A reconfiguration of the Blue Falcon ─ here presented as Shaggy’s boyhood hero, but with a modern twist ─ and Dynomutt are also key elements of the plot. Even Captain Caveman shows up.
Scooby-Doo (voiced by Frank Welker), Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg) and Shaggy (Will Forte) and in the new animated adventure SCOOB! from Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Based on the clips presented at WAG, the boast that Scoob! represents the acme (so to speak) of Scooby-Doo tooning is not an idle one. Working with Dallas/Montreal-based Reel FX Animation, Cervone and his crew retained the characters’ cartooniness through the textured 3D. And having contributed to various installments of the franchise for one-quarter of its half-century existence ─ the last five years for this movie alone ─ Cervone is a man who knows his Doo. He cites a personal connection with Scooby and the gang reaching back before his professional career. “I grew up in Chicago and learned about L.A. from Scooby-Doo,” he states. “I never knew what a burrito was; I learned from Scooby-Doo!”
SoCal culture is a major element of the film. “The way Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was set in New York, this movie is clearly set in Los Angeles,” says Cervone. That includes reproducing recognizable neighborhoods, notably Venice Beach, which is where a young, lonely Norville “Shaggy” Rogers first encounters the stray, streetwise, nameless pup who will become his BFF. The Venice establishing shot even features a cameo by “The Kama Kosmic Krusader,” the turbaned, roller-skating balladeer who has been a fixture of the Venice boardwalk for decades. Cervone and producer Pam Coats point out the film is loaded with such cultural and animation-related Easter eggs ─ including a gyudon restaurant called “Takamoto Bowl,” named for Scooby’s original designer Iwao Takamoto. “There’s not an accidental street sign in this movie,” declares Coats.
Daphne (Amanda Seyfried), Fred (Zac Efron) and Velma (Gina Rodriguez) in the new animated adventure SCOOB! from Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
More than that, Scoob! presents the denizens of the Mystery Machine (which was on-hand as part of the press event for photo ops) as real people with real personalities and emotions, which sometimes result in real conflicts. “We tried to keep everyone’s personality at their core characters, but then try to find a way to go deeper,” Cervone says. “When the stuff gets real and emotional with Shaggy, he can make you cry.”
Scoob! opens May 15, 2020 through Warner Bros. Pictures.
A very different sort of secret-agent caper comes home next week when 20th Century Home Entertainment sends Spies in Disguise on its home video mission! Ahead of the release, check out the new behind-the-scenes clip below, and hear from directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane how the animation artists at Blue Sky Studios used the power and playfulness of storyboarding to bring the pic’s high-tech gadgets, hilarity and birds-eye action to the big screen.
With the reveal of the festival’s short film lineup, DreamWorks Animation announced that the World Premiere of its latest short film To: Gerard will take place April 18 during the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.
In To: Gerard, writer/director Taylor Meacham (making his directorial debut) pens a love letter to his father — one that unifies his love for animation and the art of illusion — to tell a heartfelt story about how life’s greatest magic is inspiring someone else to follow their dreams…even if you haven’t achieved your own. The short is produced by Jeff Hermann with music by Layla Minoui and character designs by four-time Annie Award winner Nico Marlet (How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda trilogies).
“New York has such a historical wealth of great filmmakers that have deeply inspired me while growing up, and Manhattan is where I first got my foot in the door within the film industry,” said Meacham. “Because of my relation to this city, it feels like such a gift to be able to come back to New York and the Tribeca Film Festival to share a part of myself with the world that was such a strong backdrop to my interests and ambitions in telling stories.”
Hermann added, “When we first started To: Gerard, there was no guarantee that we would be able to complete the short, let alone have it released. To premiere the short as part of the Tribeca Film Festival is an incredible honor, one that is beyond our wildest dreams.”
About To: Gerard…
One Act of Kindness Can Change Your Life.
Toward the doldrum end of his shift, a sprightly mailman sorts envelopes and packages nimbly with the flick of a wrist. Despite working in a post office all his life, Gerard has dreamed of one day finding his audience as a famous magician like his childhood hero. With effortless dexterity that accompanies mastery, this delightfully overgrown kid practices magic every day with a special coin… a gift from The Great Vivonti.
When an inquisitive young girl named Jules wanders upon his practiced routine, she’s dazzled by his talents. With the help of his cherished coin, Gerard charms his first-ever audience member with an impromptu magic show. In this moment, two artists — separated by decades — unknowingly set off a chain reaction that will change both of their lives forever.
Tickets and more information on the festival at tribecafilm.com/festival.
Academy of Art University Launches ‘Creative Mind’ Podcasts
The San Francisco school has launched the brand-new title to inspire budding artists and designers. In each episode, guests from diverse art and design fields dive into what it really takes to be a successful working artist including challenges that are rarely advertised. Debut guests are art director/illustrator Krystal Lauk and children’s author Julie Downing. Available on major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and the Academy’s YouTube channel, new episodes launch on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
’The Simpsons’ Will Be Available to Stream on Disney+ in the UK
The Mouse House where Matt Groening’s beloved yellow family now dwells has confirmed the record-breaking FOX animated sitcom will be included when the platform launches March 24. More than 600 episodes will be available, the company confirmed in a Tweet.
14 Kickstarter-Funded Films Selected for SXSW 2020
The crowdfunding platform revealed that nearly 10% of this year’s festival features were funded on the site. Two of the 14 projects are animated shorts. Blackheads by Emily Ann Hoffman, making its world premiere in Austin, centers on a woman coping with bad therapy, heartbreak and clogged pores. Sara Kiener’s The Shawl shows what happens when after years of long-distance, two big and beautiful boyfriends reunite at a Stevie Nicks concert and share a brush with magic.
Kyoto Animation’s Paralympic Anime Short for NHK “Unable to Be Finished”
The troubled studio was meant to deliver the short as part of a series on Japan’s pubcaster highlighting some of the events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, but announced on its website last week that it would be unable to make the deadline. The short was originally to have premiered in August 2019, but was delayed by the heinous arson attack July 18 which killed 46 employees.
The eight completed Animation x Paralympics shorts can be watched online.
The Collapse of Prima Linea Sounds the Alarm for European Animation
Fabien Lemercier ponders the industry outlook in light of the liquidation of Valerie Schermann and Christophe Jankovic’s acclaimed studio. The studio recently released The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily — a nearly €12m outpaced box office returns. Prima Linea, which delivered the highly lauded The Red Turtle as well as Fear(s) of the Dark, Zarafa and Wolfy, is shortlisted for the Cartoon Tribute for European Producer of the Year at Cartoon Movie.
BAFTA has announced the nominations for the 2020 British Academy Games Awards — the Academy’s annual celebration of the very best in games in 2019. The nominations highlight an outstanding level of creative excellence from a broad range of U.K. and international development teams.
Control and Death Stranding both received 11 nominations — the highest number of nods for a game in the history of the Awards (since 2004). Disco Elysium, the debut release from ZA/UM, follows with seven. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Life Is Strange 2 (episodes 2-5) and Outer Wilds each got five; Knights and Bikes and Untitled Goose Game received four nominations each; and Wattam got three.
This year’s Awards introduce several new categories: Animation, Technical Achievement, Performer in a Leading Role and Performer in a Supporting Role.
Hideo Kojima, creator of Death Stranding, will receive the Fellowship — the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA.
The Awards will be hosted by Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain (Mock the Week) and will take place on Thursday, April 2 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s Southbank as part of the London Games Festival (March 26-April 6) The Awards, including a red carpet show, will be live streamed on BAFTA’s Facebook, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube channels — see www.bafta.org/games/howtowatch for more information.
A select list of category nominees follows; the full list is available online.
ANIMATION CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFAREDevelopment Team – Infinity Ward/Activision CONTROLDevelopment Team – Remedy Entertainment/505 Games DEATH STRANDINGDevelopment Team – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe LUIGI’S MANSION 3 Development Team – Next Level Games/Nintendo SAYONARA WILD HEARTSDevelopment Team – Simogo/Annapurna Interactive SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE Development Team – FromSoftware/Activision
ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT CONCRETE GENIE Development Team – Pixelopus/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe CONTROL Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/505 Games DEATH STRANDING Development Team – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe DISCO ELYSIUM Development Team – ZA/UM KNIGHTS AND BIKES Rex Crowle, Moo Yu, Kenneth C M Young – Foam Sword/Double Fine Presents SAYONARA WILD HEARTS Development Team – Simogo/Annapurna Interactive
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT A PLAGUE TALE: INNOCENCE Development Team – Asobo Studio/ Focus Home Interactive CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE Development Team – Infinity Ward/Activision CONTROL Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/505 Games DEATH STRANDING Development Team – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe METRO EXODUS Development Team – 4A Games/Deep Silver SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE Development Team – FromSoftware/Activision
BEST GAME CONTROL Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/505 Games DISCO ELYSIUM Development Team – ZA/UM LUIGI’S MANSION 3 Development Team – Next Level Games/Nintendo OUTER WILDS Development Team – Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE Development Team – FromSoftware/Activision UNTITLED GOOSE GAME Development Team – House House/Panic
BRITISH GAME DiRT RALLY 2.0 Development Team – Codemasters/Codemasters HEAVEN’S VAULT Joseph Humfrey, Jon Ingold, Laura Dilloway – inkle/inkle KNIGHTS AND BIKES Rex Crowle, Moo Yu, Kenneth C M Young – Foam Sword/Double Fine Presents OBSERVATION Development Team – No Code/Devolver Digital PLANET ZOO Development Team – Frontier Developments/Frontier Developments TOTAL WAR: THREE KINGDOMS Development Team – The Creative Assembly/SEGA
DEBUT GAME APE OUT Gabe Cuzzillo, Matt Boch, Bennett Foddy – Gabe Cuzzillo, Matt Boch, Bennett Foddy/Devolver Digital DEATH STRANDING Development Team – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe DISCO ELYSIUM Development Team – ZA/UM/ZA/UM KATANA ZERO Justin Stander – Askiisoft/Devolver Digital KNIGHTS AND BIKES Rex Crowle, Moo Yu, Kenneth C M Young – Foam Sword/Double Fine Presents MANIFOLD GARDEN Development Team – William Chyr Studio/William Chyr Studio
FAMILY CONCRETE GENIE Development Team – Pixelopus/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe KNIGHTS AND BIKES Rex Crowle, Moo Yu, Kenneth C M Young – Foam Sword/Double Fine Presents LUIGI’S MANSION 3 Development Team – Next Level Games/Nintendo UNTITLED GOOSE GAME Development Team – House House/Panic VACATION SIMULATOR Development Team – Owlchemy Labs/ Owlchemy Labs WATTAM Development Team – Funomena/Annapurna Interactive
The Awards are supported by BAFTA’s official games partners Activision-Blizzard, Electronic Arts, PlayStation, SEGA Europe LTD, Tencent Games and Ubisoft Entertainment, with EE sponsoring the only award voted for by the public.
Tickets to the Awards are now available to buy at tickets.bafta.org (for the industry) and www.bafta.org/whats-on/bafta-games-awards-2020-public-tickets (for the general public).
The jury has selected 50 projects from 19 different countries for the 14th edition of Animation Production Days (APD), taking place in Stuttgart, May 7-8, where producers will negotiate possibilities of co-producing and financing these projects in pre-planned one-to-one meetings at the L-Bank. A total of 80 feature film, series, TV special and transmedia projects in various formats were submitted.
APD is the most important business platform for animation in Germany and takes place as part of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media. Around a third of the projects presented at APD in previous years have been successfully produced.
A notably large number of submitted projects deal with environmental and climate issues, often in dystopian scenarios; gender-related and historico-political topics are also well-represented and clearly reflect current public discourse. And there is plenty of action, comedy and fantasy material.
From stop-motion animation to hand-drawn 2D, from 3D, CGI and hybrid projects to anima-doc formats, all animation techniques and genres will be present at APD 2020. Around 60% of the selected projects are being developed for children between 6 and 12 years of age, 20% for preschool children and a further 20% for teenagers and adults.
Of the 50 selected projects, 18 are from Germany. Danish companies are once again strongly represented with a total of seven projects, followed by France and Belgium. The combined production value of the selected projects is around 170 million Euros.
Thirty projects were submitted for the highly popular APD Talent Programme, of which 10 were chosen to participate. This year, APD is awarding 16 free accreditations to outstanding young talents. APD gives them the opportunity to discuss their ideas with experienced industry experts, establish contacts and find cooperation partners for their projects. Tales of Zale by Sif Savery from Denmark has qualified for the APD Talent Programme via the ongoing cooperation with the European training program, Animation Sans Frontières.
You can find an overview of all the selected projects on the APD website.
Registration for the Investor Programme is open until March 6. Buyers, investors and potential co-producers can find exciting new projects at APD, meet up-and-coming talents and give producers feedback on the requirements of the various markets across Europe. Numerous national and international broadcasters and distributors will be attending, including: Blue Zoo Rights, Canal+, Cloudco Ent., eOne, Ferly, France Télévisions, Hopster, Jetpack Distribution, Kidjo, Kids First, Koch Films, LevelK ApS, MFA+ FilmDistribution, Motion Pictures Ent., Netflix, Newen Distribution, Nickelodeon International, Pink Parrot Media, RAI, SilkWayFilms, Sola Media, Sony Pictures Television, Studio 100, Studio Hamburg Enterprises, SWR/ARD, Superights Invest, RTL Disney Fernsehen / SUPER RTL, The Walt Disney Company, TokyoPop, WarnerMedia, WildBrain, Wild Bunch, YLE, ZDF and Zodiak Kids.
Applications to the Trickstar Business Award are open until March 15. All projects selected for APD are invited to apply. The 7,500 Euro prize is being awarded in 2020 for the fourth time by the ITFS. Companies with innovative business models can also compete for the award even if they are not participating in APD.
Gottfried, by Alexander GellnerCarmilla the Animation, by Valerie Neumaier
The World’s Greatest Super Heroes suit up for a once-and-for-all battle against the despotic Darkseid – with the fate of all humanity hanging in the balance – in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, the next R-rated 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 May 5, and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack ($39.99 US / $44.98 CA) and Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98 US / $29.98 CA) on May 19.
Apokolips War will be accompanied by the all-new DC Showcase animated short, Adam Strange. The thrilling tale, which offers insight into the space adventurer’s fascinating backstory, features Charlie Weber (How to Get Away with Murder) as the voice of title character.
Culminating a six-year animated journey that began with the release of Justice League War in 2014, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War finds Earth decimated after intergalactic tyrant Darkseid has devastated the Justice League in a poorly executed war by the DC Super Heroes. Now the remaining bastions of good – the Justice League, Teen Titans, Suicide Squad and assorted others – must regroup, strategize and take the war to Darkseid in order to save the planet and its surviving inhabitants. This is truly the war to end all wars, and only the victor will live to enjoy the spoils.
Featuring the largest Super Hero cast in the history of DC Universe Movies with dozens of actors/characters spotlighted, Apokolips War boasts a grand ensemble of talent reprising their roles. Matt Ryan (Legends of Tomorrow, Constantine), Jerry O’Connell (Carter, Bravo’s Play by Play, Stand by Me) and Taissa Farmiga (The Nun, The Mule, American Horror Story) anchor the cast as Constantine, Superman and Raven, respectively – the triumvirate determined to assemble the forces necessary to lead humanity’s final attack.
Alongside that trio are the long-running core of Justice League voices — Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Batman, Rosario Dawson (Briar Patch, Daredevil, Sin City) as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore (S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds) as Cyborg and Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs, Insatiable, Ugly Betty) as The Flash – as well as JL-adjacents Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, The Librarians) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Meg) as the voices of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively.
Tony Todd (Candyman) is the voice of the film’s key villain, Darkseid. The cast also boasts appearances by Camilla Luddington (Grey’s Anatomy) as Zatanna, Ray Chase (Justice League Dark, Final Fantasy XV videogame) as Jason Blood/Etrigan, Roger R. Cross (24, The Strain, Arrow) as John Stewart & Swamp Thing, Liam McIntyre (Spartacus: War of the Damned, The Flash) as Captain Boomerang, Hynden Walch (Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans) as Harley Quinn, Stuart Allan (Batman vs. Robin, Batman: Bad Blood) as Robin/Damian, Sachie Alessio (Batman: Hush) as Lady Shiva, and John DiMaggio (Futurama, Batman: Under the Red Hood) as King Shark.
The movie is directed by Matt Peters (LEGO DC: Batman – Family Matters) and Christina Sotta (Young Justice) from a script by Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush, Justice League Dark) and Mairghread Scott (Wonder Woman: Bloodlines), who is also credited with creating the story. Amy McKenna (The Death of Superman) is producer, and Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) is co-producer. Executive producers are Sam Register and James Tucker (Reign of the Supermen, Justice League Dark).
“Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is an epic story of supernatural proportions. A blockbuster, battle royale of a film filled with intense action and heartfelt emotions, serving up spotlight moments for our cast of unique characters,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Senior Vice President, Originals, Animation and Family Marketing. “This incredible thrill-ride takes us to the edge of the DC universe and sets the stage for an exciting new chapter.”
Special Features (4K / Blu-ray Combo Packs & Digital)
DC Showcase: Adam Strange (Animated Short) – On an asteroid mining colony, mysterious drifter Adam Strange is dismissed as an interplanetary derelict. But when the miners open a fissure into the home of a horde of deadly alien insects, his true identity is exposed. He is space adventurer Adam Strange, whose heroic backstory is played out in flashbacks as he struggles to save the very people who have scorned him for so long. Charlie Weber provides the voice of Adam Strange, with Roger R. Cross, Kimberly Brooks, Ray Chase and Fred Tatasciore. Produced and directed by Butch Lukic (Batman Unlimited franchise), who also conceived the original story – which is written by J.M. DeMatteis (Constantine: City of Demons).
Darkseid: New God/Evil Classic (New Featurette) – This documentary explores the machinations of one of fiction¹s greatest Super Villains as we learn more about what fuels Darkseid¹s drive to becoming a galactic Atilla the Hun and the importance of deities in our classic and modern fiction.
Filmmaker Audio Commentary – Observations and behind-the-scenes insight from executive producer James Tucker, directors Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, and screenwriter Ernie Altbacker.
Look Back: Justice League Dark (Featurette) – John Constantine leads a group of misfit characters that use magic to vanquish their opponents. This is the dark version of the Justice League taking on the malevolent forces that go beyond our plane of existence.
Look Back: Batman and Harley Quinn (Featurette) – Take a peek at the animated feature film, Batman and Harley Quinn, featuring the creators and talented voice cast.
From the DC Vault: Justice League Action “Zombie King”
From the DC Vault: Justice League Action “Abate and Switch”
From the DC Comics Vault: Teen Titans “Nevermore”
A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Superman: Man of Tomorrow – An advanced look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.
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