Netflix today has revealed new details and imagery for its upcoming kids & family animated movie slate, which will be delivery an array of exciting toon tales to screens which will forge further connections with familiar characters and introduce audiences to brand-new worlds.
Highlights of today’s announcements include a live-action/CGI hybrid Woody Woodpecker project, a premiere date for The Casagrandes Movie and new images for recent acquisition The Imaginary, Thelma the Unicorn, Ultraman Rising and more!
Rolling out after this Friday’s premiere of Orion and the Dark from DreamWorks Animation, here’s what’s in store for 2024:
New Projects & Premiere Announcements
The Casagrandes Movie
March 22
After a surprise family trip to Mexico derails Ronnie Anne’s birthday plans, she is determined to prove that she’s old enough to do her own thing — even if it means confronting an ancient preteen demigod whose angst has apocalyptic potential!
Director: Miguel Puga
Writers: Tony Gama-Lobo & Rebecca May, Lalo Alcaraz & Rosemary Contreras
Executive Producer: Michael Rubiner
Produced by: Nickelodeon Animation Studios Inc.
Cast: Izabella Alvarez, Sumalee Montano, Paulina Chávez, Angélica Aragón, Sonia Manzano, Kate del Castillo, Cristo Fernández
Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp
April 12
After getting kicked out of the forest, Woody thinks he’s found a forever home at Camp Woo Hoo — until an inspector threatens to shut down the camp.
Based on the character Woody Woodpecker created by Walter Lantz.
Director/Executive Producer: Jon Rosenbaum
Screenplay by: Cory Edwards, Jim Martin, and Stephen Mazur
Story by: Stephen Mazur and Cory Edwards
Producer: Jon Kuyper
Studio: Universal 1440 Entertainment
Cast: Eric Bauza
New Images
The Imaginary
2024
Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger. Their fantastical adventures launched from her attic, lead them to discover a magical world of creatures and places never before seen until a sinister force threatens to destroy their imaginary world and the friendship within it.
Directed by renowned animator Yoshiyuki Momose (Spirited Away, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya), The Imaginary is an unforgettable adventure of love, loss, and the healing power of imagination.
Director: Yoshiyuki Momose (Modest Heroes, Tomorrow’s Leaves)
Producer: Two-time Academy Award nominee Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There)
Thelma the Unicorn
May 17
Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamourous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom. But this new life of fame comes at a cost.
Thelma the Unicorn is a quirky, hilarious and heartfelt ride from directors Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Lynn Wang (Unikitty!).
Directors: Jared Hess & Lynn Wang
Producer: Pam Coats
Writers: Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess; base don the books by Aaron Blabey
Executive Producers: Aaron Blabey, Patrick Hughes
Music by: John Powell
Cast: Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jemaine Clement, Edi Patterson, Maliaka Mitchell, Ally Dixon, Fred Armisen, Zach Galifianakis, Jon Heder
That Christmas
2024
Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!
This heartwarming comedy from Locksmith Animation marks Curtis’ first foray into animation, serving as the film’s writer and executive producer, and also the feature directorial debut of renowned animation veteran Simon Otto (Love, Death + Robots; How to Train Your Dragon films). Nicole P. Hearon (Moana, Frozen) and Adam Tandy (The Thick of It, Detectorists) are producers.
Director: Simon Otto
Producers: Nicole P. Hearon, Adam Tandy
Writers: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter
Composer: John Powell
Ultraman: Rising
2024
When Tokyo is threatened by rising monster attacks, an all-star athlete reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman, discovering that his greatest challenge isn’t fighting giant monsters — it’s raising one.
Director: Shannon Tindle
Co-Director: John Aoshima
Writers: Shannon Tindle, Marc Haimes
Producers: Tom Knott, Lisa Poole
Cast: Christopher Sean, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, Julia Harriman
More to Come in 2024
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
2024
When Bikini Bottom and all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot.
Director: Liza Johnson
Teleplay by: Kaz and Tom Stern
Story by: Kaz; based on the SpongeBob SquarePants series created by Stephen Hillenburg
Executive Producers: Marc Ceccarelli, Vincent Waller
Animation Supervisor: Piero Piluso
Music by: Moniker
Music Supervisor: Karyn Rachtman
Cast: Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, Wanda Sykes, Clancy Brown, Bill Fagerbakke, Mr. Lawrence, Rodger Bumpass, Johnny Knoxville, Craig Robinson, Grey DeLisle, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Matty Cardarople
Spellbound
2024
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters.
Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled).
Director: Vicky Jenson
Writers: Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda
Producers: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation
Cast: Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess
