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Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the smash-hit Hotel Transylvania film series, has announced an animated feature collaboration with the NBA: Goat.
Slated to premiere February 13, 2026 to kick off the NBA’s All-Star weekend, the project is produced by Stephen Curry and Erick Peyton of Unanimous Media; Oscar nominee Michelle Raimo Kouyate (The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, Silver Linings Playbook); and Adam Rosenberg (Creed 3) and Oscar winner Rodney Rothman (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) of Modern Magic.
Goat will be directed by Emmy nominee Tyree Dillihay (Bob’s Burgers, Da Jammies, Allen Gregory, Good Vibes), with Adam Rosette (head of story, Orion and the Dark; director/storyboard supervisor, Harvey Girls Forever!) co-directing. Fairfax creators Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley are penning the screenplay.
David Schulenberg (The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham) is co-producer on the project; Rick Mischel (Open Season: Call of Nature) and Fonda Snyder (Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum) are executive producers.
Today, Prime Video announced it has ordered animated comedy Kevin to series. The project is executive produced and written by Aubrey Plaza (Little Demon, Emily the Criminal, The Little Hours) and Joe Wengert (Big Mouth, Human Resources, UCB Theatre), the latter also serving as showrunner. Dan Murphy will also executive produce. The series is set to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Kevin is about a life-long housecat who decides that he doesn’t want to live with people anymore. Kevin dares to ask himself, “Is there a world where I don’t do the owner thing and am just… single for the rest of my life?” The show is loosely inspired by a real break-up and the cat caught in the middle.
“Uniquely told through the lens of a housecat, this hilarious series hits on the extremely relatable theme of self-discovery and living your desired life,” said Melissa Wolfe, Head of Animation, Amazon MGM Studios. “Aubrey, Joe and Dan are telling a fantastic story and this is a great addition to our growing animated slate for our global Prime Video customers.”
Plaza and Murphy commented, “We’re thrilled to be working with Joe and Amazon to bring this cat’s story to the screen. We can’t wait for the world to meet Kevin!”
Wengert added, “I am extremely excited to be working with Amazon and my old friends Aubrey and Dan on this show. The real Kevin was with me during some of my lowest moments. This show is my chance to thank him — by creating a world where he can find less of a total bummer situation for himself.”
Bly Manor isn’t the only haunted hotel on Netflix! The streamer today announced through its fan-targeted Tudum blog that a new animated series putting a humorous twist on the classic horror trope is in the works. Titled The Undervale, the 2D-animated adult comedy created by Matt Roller has been greenlit straight to series by Netflix after a competitive auction.
First-time show creator Roller has worked across notable comedies in both animation and live action. He was a story editor and writer for Rick and Morty, executive story editor/writer for Son of Zorn, consulting producer/ writer on Archer as well as co-producer/writer on Netflix’s own Agent Elvis. Most recently, he served as co-executive producer on Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon’s new FOX toon, Krapopolis. Roller’s live-action credits include Mr. Mayor, The Goldbergs, Speechless and Community.
The Undervale centers on a single mother of two struggling to run a hotel, which just happens to have a few supernatural guests who never check out. Luckily, her estranged and non-corporeal brother, one of the ghosts, is on hand to help out — and back the improvement schemes suggested by his fellow phantoms.
Roller will serve as showrunner and executive produce with Chris McKenna (Spider-Man: Far From Home) and his former Rick and Morty and Community colleagues Harmon and Steve Levy. Erica Hayes (Rick and Morty, Carol & the End of the World) is the series supervising director.
Canadian animation studio Copernicus (Teen Titans Go, Solar Opposites, Curious George) and veteran animation actor-writer-director Mr. Lawrence (né Douglas Oswoski) are working on a cool new 2D-animated venture — a short titled Death Castle, which will serve as a pilot for a series. Lawrence, who is best known for providing the voice of Plankton on SpongeBob SquarePants as well as being the Emmy-winning head writer of SpongeBob SquarePants and co-creator of The Patrick Star Show and Kamp Koral, is joined by Emmy-winning Craig Kellman (Penguins of Madagascar, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) who is art director and co-producer on the project, and producers Paul Rigg, president of Copernicus, and Matthew Huerto, the studio’s head of production.
“When Doug (Mr.) Lawrence, a dear friend and collaborator of over 12 years, approached us with his latest brainchild, asking if we wanted to be part of it,” says Rigg. “We knew we were in for something truly special. Death Castle is a project that not only transcends the ordinary but also ignited our imaginations from the very first animatic frame. It’s a feast for the eyes that we are truly excited to be a part of!”
“Death Castle offers a unique and electrifying mash-up of horror and comedy,” adds Huerto. “It’s a delicate balance that few dare to attempt, yet the creators of this pilot not only embrace the challenge but excel at it. what truly sets it apart is its commitment to best-in-class 2D traditional animation. There’s something undeniably special about hand-drawn animation. It’s a labor of love that shines through in every frame, captivating audiences with its fluidity and charm.
We recently had a chance to interview Mr. Lawrence before Death Castle makes the rounds at the Annecy market next month. Here is what he shared with us about this new passion project, which is described as The Office meets Frankenstein and is a satire of scary monster movies paired with a screwball relationship comedy for adult audiences:
Congrats on your exciting new animated venture. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Death Castle?
Mr. Lawrence: Growing up, I was always attracted to horror mixed with comedy. I remember seeing Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and I was hooked on scary/funny stuff ever since. I wanted to create a new take on that genre, putting the monsters center stage and giving them adult personalities and mature problems. Definitely not for kids.
When did you start working on it?
I wrote and storyboarded it over 15 years ago, but it got shelved for a long time and I always wanted to finish it because the audience who saw the original pitch loved it and thought it was funny. My old buddy, Craig Kellman, came on board to art direct and co-produce and that’s when we really got rolling. Production started officially September 2023 and my good friends at Copernicus Studios in Halifax are on track to complete it in 2024.
What would you say are some of the show’s inspiration?
Oh, there are so many inspirations: Young Frankenstein, Mad Monster Party, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Father Ted, Bottom,Count Chocula and Franken-Berry commercials from the ’70s, Don Bluth’s video game Dragon’s Lair. And Richard Williams’ Pink Panther title sequences. Is that enough?
Can you talk about the animation style?
I call it “UliDean style”. Without animators Uli Meyer and Dean Roberts in London (along with Gabriele Zucchelli), this short would have looked like limited TV animation, which is fine, (That’s my usual style) But I wanted this to be different and dazzling and remind myself of why I wanted to be in animation in the first place: to make cool, funny and gorgeous cartoons. So, I went full feature style on this film and I’m sooo glad I did.
GOOD SCARES: From left, “Death Castle” creatives Paul Rigg, Uli Meyer and Dean Roberts discuss animated screams and giggles at a pub in London! (Photo courtesy of Paul Rigg)
What do you love best about the world of Death Castle?
Creating a world where creepy gothic monsters act just like my family and friends is what makes me excited to write for these characters and makes me anxious to explore them further in a series. I love the character animation itself and it’s fun to watch it even with the sound off.
What was the toughest aspect of this project?
Just getting the other artists excited enough to commit to working on it, that was scary. You feel like you’re conning everyone to be part of your Ponzi scheme. But once they saw what I had in mind, I gained everyone’s trust. The other challenge was that the animation all happens in one continuous shot (No cuts) for six minutes straight. So, our animators had sore hands for a while.
What has the early response been to it so far?
It’s not finished yet, so almost no one has seen it. But people working on it, love it as much as I do which is a great commodity to have. When your fellow artists are into it, it makes it truly special and is usually a good sign others will like it too. I’m keeping my fingers, my toes and everything else crossed.
What do you hope audiences will take away from it?
Maybe just to watch something to take a break from how crazy everything is in the world right now as well as putting a light on its craziness. It’s a satire of Showbiz and relationships and it points out how stupidity is dangerous and pokes fun at delusions of grandeur. But hopefully the audience will love the characters as I do and will have a “laugh” or a “chuckle” or a “guffaw!” I’m also not adverse to a “chortle” if need be. But no “titters.” I hate that. How do you like working in the short format compared to longer series projects?
I’m lucky in the fact that I’ve almost exclusively worked in short formats pretty much my whole career. Comedy works best in short bursts. Comedy feature-length movies can be great too of course, but there’s something in short comedies that cuts to the bone of the funny faster, and you’re left wanting more. I love that aspect. I’ve seen so many shorts over the years that I love and revere just as highly as feature films.
Warner Bros. Japan LLC has announced that production is currently
underway on Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, the sequel to the original anime film Batman Ninja (2018). Like the first film, the made-in-Japan production features DC’s iconic characters with a historic twist.
Batman Ninja follows Batman as he travels back in time to the Warring States Period in Japan, where he must defeat different DC Super-Villains — including The Joker — who have become feudal lords. Reprising his role from the original film, Koichi Yamadera, “the man with the seven-colored voice,” will once again star as the Caped Crusader in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League.
The sequel is directed by Jumpei Mizusaki and Shinji Takagi from a screenplay by Kazuki Nakashima, with character design by Takashi Okazaki and music by Yugo Kanno. Produced by Warner Bros. Japan, the film’s animation is provided by Kamikaze Douga.
Updates and new content will be announced at Warner Bros. Japan’s Stage Event at Anime Expo 2024 in Los Angeles in July. The presentation will spotlight Suicide Squad ISEKAI as wekk as Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League.
Nickelodeon today announced that their lovable, super-sized cartoon clan will be starring in a new feature-length adventure: No Time to Spy: A Loud House Movie, premiering on Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon and Paramount+. An extension of the Emmy Award-winning animated series The Loud House, the super-sleuth adventure follows the Loud family as their tropical getaway turns into the ultimate spy mission.
In No Time to Spy: A Loud House Movie, Lincoln and the Louds are ecstatic to welcome their new Gran-Gran, Myrtle, into the family with a tropical wedding celebration, but the festivities are cut short when an old nemesis from Myrtle’s secret agent past appears on the island. After Myrtle is taken, Lincoln leads his family on the super spy mission of his dreams to save her… and the world!
The voice cast includes Bentley Griffin as Lincoln Loud; Alex Cazares as the spirited Myrtle; Piotr Michael as the wise Pop Pop; Jaeden White as Clyde McBride; Jill Talley as Rita Loud; Brian Stepanek as Lynn Loud Sr.; Catherine Taber as Lori; Liliana Mumy as Leni; Nika Futterman as Luna; Cristina Pucelli as Luan; Jessica DiCicco as Lynn and Lucy; Grey DeLisle as Lola, Lana and Lily; and Lara Jill Miller as Lisa.
No Time To Spy: A Loud House Movie is produced by Nickelodeon Animation in Burbank, California. The movie is executive produced by Michael Rubiner and directed by Kyle Marshall. Production is overseen by Claudia Spinelli, SVP TV Series Animation, Nickelodeon, and Kelley Gardner, VP Current Series, Animation, Nickelodeon. The movie is overseen by Executives in Charge, Jason McConnell and Nora Kroopf.
New episodes of The Loud Housewill premiere on Nickelodeon beginning Monday, June 3, and roll out weekdays at 7 p.m. ET/PT, alongside premieres of the live-action spinoff series, The Really Loud House, all leading up to the debut of No Time To Spy: A Loud House Movie.
The Loud House debuted on Nickelodeon in May 2016 and centers on 11-year-old Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters as he gives an inside look at what it takes to survive the chaos of a huge family. As one of the longest-running animated series on Nickelodeon with 156 episodes, the property also has been translated into a comic-book series, which continues to roll out new stories, chapter books, a digital album and a podcast, Listen Out Loud. The series is executive produced by Michael Rubiner. Kyle Marshall serves as co-executive producer and Ashley Kliment-Baker is the art director.
High-end animation company, Blur Studio creates award-winning game cinematics, feature films, episodic series, and commercials. Founded by director Tim Miller as an artist-first destination for collaboration, Blur excels at telling great, visually interesting stories in its signature style. Among the company’s recent credits, it developed and created Netflix’s animation anthology series Love, Death + Robots, currently in production on the fourth season, and recently completed a standout cinematic trailer for upcoming action-adventure game Exodus from Archetype Entertainment.
Blur created the cinematic trailer for the new sci-fi action-adventure game franchise from Archetype Entertainment.
Behind the scenes, Blur Studio Head of Systems Sean Cody is responsible for keeping artists well-equipped, so that they can focus on doing what they do best. He recently began testing the new HP Z6 G5 A desktop workstation, provided by HP, and found it to be a powerful and compact machine. It features a next-generation AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO CPU and can also accommodate up to three GPUs, enabling artists to create and render composites efficiently–a huge advantage when working on massive photo-real CG scenes such as those featured in the Exodus Game trailer.
“This machine is the most powerful workstation at Blur right now. It was quite surprising that I could just drop it in, and artists were using it in production within 15 minutes,” says Cody. “I’m surprised how light, quiet and compact this machine is compared to our other Threadripper workstations. It’s an impressive system for sure, not just performance wise–but also for the well-designed physical build.”
Achieving Next-Level Cinematic Trailers
Blur recently completed a cinematic game trailer for the AAA sci-fi action-adventure role-playing game franchise Exodus from Archetype Entertainment, featuring photo-real digital humans and high action across a distant galaxy. The clip, which debuted at the 2023 Game Awards, is representative of the caliber and complexity of a typical Blur project.
With the image fidelity demanded of these types of projects, the HP Z6 affords artists the freedom to work in massive environment files without having to optimize scenes. Artists cite the advantage of rendering composites locally, and having the ability to work with multiple content creation tools, such as SideFX Houdini and Autodesk Maya, open at the same time.
Many of Blur’s existing high end workstations are custom-built in-house, with Cody and his team buying parts and assembling them to suit artists’ needs. While this approach allows for bespoke customization, it also requires added machine maintenance and management, such as airflow, temperature control, and power regulation.
“In many ways, the Z6 is a purpose-built version of what we create ourselves. I was expecting it to be larger, wider, and heavier given the power of the machine, but it is surprisingly small,” notes Cody. “It’s super quiet and the airflow and performance outpaces any other machine we’ve ever had here across both OEM and custom systems.”
Optimizing Remote Infrastructure
Blur began using the new Z6 during a studio move. With most artists working remotely, the company now primarily uses its physical space to house infrastructure, as well as accommodate local talent in Los Angeles. Many of Blur’s artists remote into their workstations, which are lined up in a dedicated high-density, power-optimized setup at the studio, using a combination of a VPN and HP Anyware. Artists’ workstation assignments can be easily adjusted based on project demands.
Blur recently completed a standout cinematic trailer for the action-adventure game “Exodus” from Archetype Entertainment.
“HP Anyware is a tool we live and breathe by,” Cody shares. “We use it to connect our HP machines, then it’s like our artist teams are still in the office and can switch virtual seats quickly and easily. Our setup is meant to be flexible, and since the HP Z machines are small, we could easily connect several without issue. With some of our other machines, we’re limited in terms of density, and those form factor issues are serious considerations given energy and space constraints.”
In evaluating the HP Z6 G5 A, Cody and his team aligned the machine with an existing yet comparable workstation to provide an accurate baseline. “We didn’t want to compare a Camry to a Porsche,” he explains. “What we found is that everything loaded extremely quickly with the Z6. Artists were able to turn around work a lot faster, without bogging down the machine.
The memory platform change from DDR4 to DDR5 is a big deal because you don’t have to make certain compromises, and can feed the beast more, the beast being the CPU.”
Cody also found the direct PC lanes to the processor to be beneficial in that he didn’t have to make as many choices concerning input/output (I/O). On other workstations without Threadripper PRO CPUs, I/O choices must be made carefully so that complex scenes don’t create bottlenecks. The added power accommodates for double memory, allowing artists to work with fewer constraints.
“One thing that annoys me to no end, especially on OEM machines, is that often you can choose your own GPU, but then you’re expected to use everything else that’s on board,” Cody notes. “The Z6 G5 A left more than enough room for us to expand and change without making compromises. GPUs are gigantic these days, so even that extra space was very much appreciated and will be key to start throwing our latest project at it.”
Surpassing Simulation Benchmarks
The Z6 G5 A has enhanced multiple workflows at Blur, although its processing power shines in simulation work. When one of Blur’s simulation artists was running into issues doing concept work on a shot in SideFX’s Houdini, Cody assigned them the Z6 to help troubleshoot. The artist had been pushing the previous machine with a pre-optimized shot, which kept failing.
“The Z6 G5 A not only handled the shot, but the artist was also able to do so much more with the simulation,” Cody explains. “Part of what we do at Blur is get things as super high fidelity as possible — way beyond everyone’s expectations, then dial it back to optimize a scene until it’s doable. This machine allowed us to push things even further with less optimization or troubleshooting, giving artists more time to put stuff on the screen, which is ultimately our goal.”
In addition to using the Z6 G5 A with Houdini, Autodesk Maya artists have also been putting the machine to work for character modeling. “Character modeling and FX are the heaviest in terms of processing workload, so we reserve our highest-end desktops for these two functions, though our scene assembly artists have shown interest in these machines as well,” Cody shares.
Moving into Real-Time
Blur Studio
Along with using the Z6 G5 A for simulation and character modeling, Blur has been testing it with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for video production and is getting great results. To further optimize the workflow for Blur’s distinct style and use case, the Blur team is collaborating closely with Epic. “Unreal is a great technology and now we’re pushing the edges together,” concludes Cody.
Mattel today announced Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase, Mattel Television Studios’ all-new animated children’s series, will debut globally on Netflix this fall. Featuring an all-new animation style and storyline, the new adventure will consist of eight 25-minute episodes.
Synopsis: Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase follows Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts and Barbie “Malibu” Roberts as they embark on a new adventure vacation of a lifetime: a trip to the English countryside to visit Lady Carson, Ken’s aunt and owner of cherished horses Tornado and Pepper.
Before Barbie and Barbie can take in the sights, their plans are immediately derailed by the brazen theft of the prized jumping horses and a diamond-encrusted saddle worth millions of dollars. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect. To clear their names and rescue the beloved horses, Barbie and Barbie embark on a journey across Europe, chasing clues and suspects to reclaim what was stolen and save the day.
Jam packed with mystery, intrigue and horses, kids and parents alike are sure to love Barbie’s newest adventure.
In anticipation of the animated series launch, Mattel will stir up some fun this summer with an offering of new toys inspired by the series. The line includes the Dance & Show Horse, the Barbie “Malibu” Riding Doll, and the Barbie “Brooklyn” Riding Doll. All items are sold separately.
“With an all-new story and mysterious adventures, Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase brings to life fun-filled adventures and the bond between Malibu, Brooklyn and friends like never before,” said Michelle Mendelovitz, Global Head of Mattel Television Studios. “We’re excited to introduce Barbie fans of all ages to this delightful new series and accompanying toy line as we continue to expand the Barbie universe even further.”
Greetings and salutations, friends! In advance of the Season 2 premiere of Frog and Toad on Apple TV+, we are hopping with happiness to present an exclusive sneak peek at the lovable amphibians’ next adventures. The Children’s and Family Emmy Award-nominated series, produced by Titmouse, returns this Friday, May 31.
In the new clip, we find the best friends packing up for a sunny beach vacation — of course, Toad (voice of Kevin Michael Richardson) is worried about packing every little thing he may need, but single-suitcased Frog (Nat Faxon) is there to support him. Joining in the highly relatable vignette is Mole, played by Frog and Toad showrunner/exec producer, Emmy-winner Rob Hoegee.
Read more about Season 2 and watch the previously released trailer here.
Crunchyroll today debuted the English-language subtitled trailer for Blue Lock The Movie -Episode Nagi-, bringing the popular soccer franchise to the big screen in both Japanese (with English subs) and English dub versions on June 28.
Synopsis: “That’s a hassle.” That was second-year high schooler Nagi Seishiro’s favorite phrase as he lived his dull life. Until Mikage Reo, a classmate who dreamed of winning the World Cup, discovered Nagi’s hidden skill, inspiring him to play soccer and share his outstanding talent. One day, he receives an invitation to the mysterious BLUE LOCK Project. What awaits him there is an encounter with the finest strikers assembled from across the country. Nagi’s dream of becoming the best, alongside Reo, will take this prodigy to a world he’s never known.
Voice Cast (Japanese | English):
Seishiro Nagi: Nobunaga Shimazaki | Bryson Baugus
Reo Mikage: Yuma Uchida | Kamen Casey
Yoichi Isagi: Kazuki Ura | Ricco Fajardo
Zantetsu Tsurugi: Kazuyuki Okitsu | Matthew Elkins
Meguru Bachira: Tasuku Kaito | Drew Breedlove
Rensuke Kunigami: Yuki Ono | Alex Hom
Hyoma Chigiri: Soma Saito | Aaron Dismuke
Rin Itoshi: Koki Uchiyama | Matt Shipman
Jinpachi Ego: Hiroshi Kamiya | Derick Snow
Ryo Nameoka: Subaru Kimura | Brent Mukai
The feature-length adventure is directed by Shunsuke Ishikawa from an orginal story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro (manga illustrated by Kouta Sannomiya), with character design by Yusuke Nomura, composition & screenplay by Taku Kishimoto and music by Jun Murayama. Produced by studio Eightbit.
Blue Lock follows the dreams of 300 high school students who aim to become an absolute ace striker and lead the Japan’s Men’s National Team to win the next World Cup tournament. However, if they are eliminated from the Blue Lock training program, they will never be able to play for the national team and their career is finished. Only one whose ego and skill triumphs over all will emerge on top.
Based on the award-winning manga of the same name written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro, illustrated by Yusuke Nomura and serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine with over 30 million copies in circulation, the anime debuted in October 2022 and was one of the most popular series during its simulcast season.
The first season of Blue Lock is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Netflix and Mojang Studios announced today they are in development to produce an animated series based on one of the most popular video games ever made, Minecraft. The series will feature an original story with new characters, showing the game world in a new light, and will debut exclusively on Netflix.
The new CG-animated Minecraft series is in development with WildBrain, the studio behind popular animated Netflix shows such as Sonic Prime, Ninjago: Dragons Rising and Carmen Sandiego.
This news was announced as a part of the Minecraft 15-year anniversary celebration, honoring fans of the game and their unforgettable Minecraft adventures and stories over the past 15 years.
With over 300 million copies sold, Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time.
The Oscar-qualifying Hiroshima Animation Season, taking place in the Japanese metro from August 14-18 this year, has revealed the competition lineup for the 2024 edition of this biennial celebration. HAS pored over 2,634 entries from 97 countries and regions this year, a big jump from the debut edition in 2022 (2,149 entries).
The selection committee consisted of festival Artistic Director Koji Yamamura, festival Co-producer Shizuka Miyazaki and animation artist Honami Yano (Nobuaki Doi, the festival’s Producer, participated as an advisor). The total of 78 films (73 shorts and five feature films) were selected, and HAS confirms almost three-quarters of the competition filmmakers/producers are going to attend the festival in person.
Koji Yamamura
“There were many films we couldn’t select although they were excellent,” said Yamamura. “This year, the result of the selection reflects the prominence of films on the theme of war and refugees as well as the maturity and challenge of veteran artists, and the rise of Chinese and Taiwanese films in terms of their uniqueness and technical skills. On the technical side, the number of AI-based films has increased substantially and the selected films with this technique had unique and conscious approaches to this new way of filmmaking. We also focused on the artist’s standpoint in telling the story. In particular, for films dealing with war, the selection committee members had discussed whether the artist’s awareness of the theme was appropriate, whether it was meaningful to use such expressive techniques, and whether they had not become indulged by a sense of beauty.”
There are four competitions at HAS (for films produced between 2022 and 2024). The Short Competition consists of four thematic categories: “Contemporary Tale,” “A Slice of Society,” “Fictive World” and “Visual Poetry,” in addition to the Feature Competition, Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition offering a gateway to success for young artists in the region, and the newly established the Japanese Commissioned Film Competition.
In addition, a newly established networking program will be held during the festival. Hiroshima Animation Academy & Meeting (HAM) will be held alongside HAS (from August 15-17) as a place for people from around the world to gather and collaborate. By boosting communication among festival participants, the festival aims to deepen knowledge within the industry and build new global connections.
The official competition selection films are:
Wander to Wonder
Short Competition: “Contemporary Tale” Exploring “the meaning of telling and watching stories in the contemporary age.”
Children of the Bird (Julia Tudisco / 2024 / Hungary / 11:31)
A Night at the Rest Area (Saki Muramoto / 2024 / Japan / 11:34)
World to Roam (Stephen Irwin / 2023 / United Kingdom / 12:21)
Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition 2 From technological experiments and familiar events to social issues, this program echoes the diverse voices of artists living in the present.
Editor’s note: Following the initial announcement, HAS issued a statement saying that some films selected, including the feature film Eternal Spring and the short Menagerie, had been found to not meet the entry requirements and were removed from the list.
Another popular podcast is heading down the animated series development pipeline, as Hulu has landed a deal to develop Bad Friends, from comedians and co-hosts Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee. The Disney-owned streamer won out amid a bustle of interested adult toon outlets, according to Deadline.
Based on the top-performing improv comedy podcast of the same name, the Bad Friends animated series will center on the relationship between Andrew, a fiery lightning bug, and Bobby, a shy roly-poly, as they carefully buzz and scuttle through the trials of adolescence as misfit high schoolers.
The adaptation is created by Lee (MADtv, New Words with Bobby Lee; voice actor on Inside Job, Nature Cat), Santino (Here’s the Rub, Punk’d; voice actor, Royal Crackers, Ten Year Old Tom), Nick Kreiss and Andres Salaff, written by Kreiss and Santino, and executive produced by Lee, Santino, Kreiss, Trevor Engelson (Underground) and Doug Banker (Five All in the Fifth), with Salaff as co-EP. The project is being developed out of 20th Television Animation.
Hulu debuted its “Animayhem” brand last summer, and is home to animated originals (including Solar Opposites, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey and the resurrected Futurama, renewed for two more seasons) as well as FOX/FX toons (Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, Archer) and both original and acquired anime series (Undead Unluck, Sandland). Last month, the platform ordered a presentation for original animated adult comedy Journey to the Center of the Internet, also in the works at 20th Television Animation.
London-based animation software developer CelAction has announced their pledge to only use AI in their products if the AI has been ethically trained.
“We, like most other content-creation software developers, have been exploring the possibilities of integrating AI into our products, but it has become clear to us that without clear guidelines designed to protect creators, AI could do far more damage than the benefits it would bring,” said CelAction CEO Andy Blazdell. “Creators are quite rightly scared that their work is being repurposed without their knowledge or consent, and it is the responsibility of the software developers to allay those fears and protect the hard work of artists and programmers.”
CelAction’s pledge is twofold: Firstly, the company will not use generative AI without a chain of ownership to create its products or marketing materials. So, no automatic code completion tools and no generative AI sound, voices or images, unless it can be proven that the AI was trained on material that was knowingly given by the original creators.
Secondly, in any AI tools that CelAction may implement into its products, the AI will be trained ethically, either from material knowingly given by the original creators, or by the user of the product. So, clients can let it learn from their own data, or use data that CelAction has responsibly sourced.
“Fortunately, most of our clients so far are only interested in their own unique creations, and reject the idea of diluting the originality of their work with homogenous input from AI,” continued Blazdell. “But we call on all serious software companies to join us in our pledge to protect the community that we owe our livelihoods to.”
CelAction has been providing animation software solutions to the 2D industry for over 20 years, helping to create successful and award-winning shows for clients such as Aardman, Karrot Entertainment, Folimage and Tiger Aspect. Their flagship product, CelAction2D, allows small teams of animators to work on complex productions using advanced skeletal-based rigs, creating high-quality animation in short time-frames and in a variety of visual styles. CelAction2D is used to create Bluey, Peppa Pig and many other hit shows.
GKIDS announced today it has acquired all rights for North America to Mamoru Oshii’s critically acclaimed animated fantasy feature, Angel’s Egg. Four decades after the film’s original release, the film will be presented in an all-new 4K restoration personally supervised by director Oshii, in cinemas nationwide for the first time next year.
“Angel’s Egg has long been a cult classic, an object of fascination among dedicated animation fans,” said GKIDS President David Jesteadt. “After almost 40 years, this masterpiece retains all of its beauty and power, and we are thrilled to do our part in bringing the film to a new generation of audiences in the way it deserves to be seen.”
Synopsis: In an underwater city, a young girl takes care of a large egg she holds carefully in her arms — a treasure that she believes is an angel’s egg. A boy with a gun arrives in search of a bird he saw in his dream. At first it seems as if feelings of sympathy are developing between the two. Then, one night, the boy crushes her precious egg.
First released directly to home video in 1985, the film is a creative collaboration between Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), who wrote and directed the feature, and artist Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Vampire Hunter D) — blending Oshii’s thematic reflections on philosophy and theology with Amano’s distinctive ink painting style.
The deal was negotiated in Cannes between Rodney Uhler of GKIDS and Jason Bressand of Gebeka International (a Hildegarde – Goodfellas Company). The film marks the next collaboration between GKIDS and Oshii, following the upcoming release of the new 4K restoration of his Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, which arrives in U.S. cinemas next month.
Bringing a fresh wave of anime-influenced energy to the Canadian talent pool, Studio Unagi has launched as Montreal, Quebec’s latest independent animation player. Founded by Guillaume Dubois and supported by Anthony Roux, CEO of Ankama, the venture aims to blend a benevolent corporate culture and ambitious vision while tapping the technical excellence of Japanese animation and the rich creativity of the Canadian scene.
Guillaume Dubois
“Our ambition with Studio Unagi is to combine the technical and artistic excellence of Japanese animation with the cultural richness and creativity of Montreal to offer a competitive presence in North America,” said Dubois, Studio Unagi’s Founder & President. “We aim to create works that resonate with anime fans worldwide while providing a space where talents can thrive.”
The new studio had already attracted more than 700 spontaneous applications, and now reports a team built on a 90% Canadian talent base, complemented by 10% of international employees. Studio Unagi also points out that women hold 75% of all roles at the studio, including critical production and animation positions.
At launch, Studio Unagi is working on two Ankama productions: Bestiale (7 x 11′; for ADN in France) and Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart; 26 x 26′; France TV). The studio is already preparing for future productions and plans to diversify its activities, exploring new segments like YouTube and video games to tell innovative stories.
The strategic partnership with Ankama, known for its game Dofus and the animated series Wakfu, is based on a longstanding relationship between Dubois and Roux. This new collaboration will meet the growing production needs of Ankama while supporting the growth of Studio Unagi. Together, they aim to create high-quality 2D animation stories and develop innovative projects.
“Our collaboration with Studio Unagi stems from our shared passion for animation and our desire to push the boundaries of creativity,” said Roux. “Leveraging their expertise, we want to bring a new dynamic to the industry and create captivating stories that honor the spirit and aesthetics of the Ankama universe and anime in general.”
That’s right: The whole gang — human and livestock alike — is back together in the new teaser-trailer for Moana 2, released today across Walt Disney Animation Studios’ social platforms. Posters for the eagerly awaited sequel, showing our heroine sailing toward the sunset-backed mountains of a distant island and blowing conch on the beach behind a hook and paddle, were also debuted.
Moana 2 opens exclusively in theaters on November 27.
The movie reunites Moana and Maui — voiced by returning stars Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson — three years after the events of Moana (2016) for “an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers.”
Synopsis: After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
Directed by David Derrick Jr. (the first Samoan filmmaker for a Disney animated feature; head of story on Strange World), Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.
Weigel Broadcasting Co. today unveiled the programming schedule for its highly anticipated new network, MeTV Toons — launching Tuesday, June 25 as the only TV network destination dedicated exclusively to classic animation. (See the full schedule below.)
This first launch schedule showcases many of the greatest names and most famous characters and series in all of classic animation. Future schedules will feature even more classic animation favorites. MeTV Toons will also feature daily and weekend curated blocks with even more incredible cartoon favorites:
Cartoon All-Stars – Every day of the week, MeTV Toons puts the spotlight on a world class collection of classic cartoons viewers will not want to miss. They’re all together because they’re the ‘Cartoon All- Stars’ on MeTV Toons!
The Monday – Saturday all-star lineup of cartoons features
many of the network’s biggest names including Woody
Woodpecker, Popeye, Mr. Magoo, Tom & Jerry, Droopy and
Casper and others, all together in their very own programming
block, presented for a full hour every weekday at 1 p.m. ET/PT,
plus a full hour weeknights Monday thru Saturday at 10 p.m.
ET/PT.
The prime-time Sunday all-star lineup of cartoons features the network’s best loved cartoons from across the schedule, plus surprises from Warner Bros. Discovery, MGM, Columbia, Fleischer, Walter Lantz, Universal and other studios, airing for
three star-studded hours from 8-11 p.m. ET/PT.
Flintstones Family Sunday– Sunday afternoons from 1-3 p.m. ET/PT, Flintstones fans will want to tune-in for these very special and rarely seen Flintstones Family Sunday movies and series starring Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Dino, Pebbles and Bam Bam. Yabba Dabba Doo-not miss all the hilarious and heartwarming Bedrock bedlam on MeTV Toons.
The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones airs Sunday, June 30 at 1 p.m.
ET/PT
The Man Called Flintstone airs Sunday, July 7 at 1 p.m. ET/PT
Scooby-Doo! Sunday Specials – Zoinks! Every Sunday afternoon
from 3-5 p.m. ET/PT, the Scooby gang goes in search of more
mysteries, more snacks and more fun with Scooby-Doo! Sunday
Specials, kicking off with the The New Scooby-Doo Movies, beginning Sunday, June 30 on MeTV Toons.
Through this initial lineup and beyond, MeTV Toons will be dedicated exclusively to the very best of classic animation, from Hollywood-era shorts to made-for-television favorites. The network will welcome dozens of classic cartoons, with familiar friends including Warner Bros. Discovery’s most famous animated characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, Popeye, Johnny Quest, The Jetsons and The Flintstones, to name a few.
Alongside Warner Bros. properties, other beloved cartoon characters joining MeTV Toons include Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop, Speed Racer and more.
Joining MeTV Toons to share their years of animation expertise and enthusiasm are noted animation author, historian and executive Jerry Beck, and character voice actor Bob Bergen.
MeTV Toons is a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery and Weigel, the company behind the top rated MeTV Network. The network will be available for multi-platform distribution on over-the-air broadcast television, traditional MVPD and virtual MVPDs, along with a complimentary offering for ad supported streaming services.
A delightful new 2D show featuring Snoopy and the Peanuts gang is just what the doctor ordered for the summer blahs.
Aah, the joys of summer — spending endless days exploring the great outdoors, bonding with our animal friends and sharing new adventures with our favorite Beagle Scouts! That’s right: The folks at Apple TV+, Peanuts Worldwide and WildBrain have teamed up once again to bring a new animated series featuring Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang for fans around the globe to enjoy.
The new 10-part series, which premieres June 14, is called Camp Snoopy and is directed by award-winning animation veteran Rob Boutilier and executive produced by Craig Schulz, Paige Braddock, Boutilier, Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts and Logan McPherson. Boutilier, who also exec produced Apple’s The Snoopy Show and Snoopy in Space and has worked on a long list of toons, such as Dorg Van Dango, Kid vs. Kat and Ed, Edd n Eddy, was kind enough to chat with us about his upcoming series.
Dog Days of Summer: AppleTV+ and Canada’s WildBrain continue their successful adaptations of Charles M. Schulz’s beloved comic strip with the new series, ‘Camp Snoopy.’
Birds of a Feather
The idea for a new show following the summer adventures of Snoopy and his team of feathered Beagle Scouts, as well as Charlie Brown and his friends as they enjoy their time at Camp Spring Lake, came about around the third season of The Snoopy Show. “One of our writers, Scott Montgomery, had pitched the idea of a series based around Snoopy as a Beagle Scout and I was brought on board to develop it with him,” recalls Boutilier. “We had done a few Beagle Scout episodes throughout The Snoopy Show, and they highlighted a very different side of Snoopy’s character: The weight of his responsibilities as a troop leader presented him more like a comically exasperated older sibling. It became clear there would be a lot more laughs to mine from his relationship with this incompetent but lovable troop of birds.”
Once the team settled on the idea that Snoopy and his team would need to earn a minimum number of performance badges to avoid being expelled from the Beagle Scouts, the creative team was confident there would be enough stories to cover a full season.
Boutilier is very pleased that he and his team were able to bring the whole Peanuts gang into the stories in a substantial way. “Camp Snoopy episodes are nine minutes long instead of just seven and the extra time allowed us to experiment with story format,” he explains. “Some episodes are based purely on the adventures of Snoopy and the Beagle Scouts, some are of Snoopy crossing over into the kids’ summer camp to assist them, as a good Beagle Scout would, and some are kid-based stories with Snoopy and the birds in more of a supporting role. Spending just that little bit more time with Good Ol’ Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang made the series feel closer to the classic specials I grew up with.”
Another great aspect of the show is that it falls near the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Beagle Scouts in Charles M. Schulz’s original Peanuts comic strip. Boutilier believes new audiences continue to respond to these characters’ authenticity. “Schulz’s characters are loaded with emotions and unrequited desires that, while unique to them, still manage to be universal to all ages,” he says. “Everybody can find a bit of truth in Peanuts that they can relate to or see a character similar to someone they know. Life is packed full of Charlie Browns having the football pulled away by Lucys, and Linuses sitting in pumpkin patches, certain this will be the year the Great Pumpkin shows up. These characters are imperfect, like us, but they’re also hopeful, like us!”
Of course, he gives special props to Charlie Brown. “He especially deserves a spot in history as one of the greatest symbols of perseverance,” says Boutilier. “No matter how many times Lucy pulled the football away from him, he’s always gotten up and tried again. For almost 75 years now, he’s never wavered in the hope that this time, things will be different. I can’t think of a better character trait for kids — and adults — to aspire to!”
‘Snoopy has always been my favorite character. I just love his confidence, his freewheeling imagination and stubborn refusal to be defined as ‘a normal dog.’ The older I get, however, the more I recognize that I am much less of a Snoopy and more of a Charlie Brown … I’m somehow at peace with that.’
— Director and exec producer Rob Boutilier
Speaking of challenges, Boutilier admits that one of the new show’s big dilemmas came on the design front. “Moving Snoopy and the Peanuts gang into a completely new environment meant that we didn’t have any kind of reuse library like we had built up on The Snoopy Show,” he says. “We were starting again from scratch, and I’m sure our design numbers caused a few headaches on the production side, but in the end we were able to handle it because of our experienced crew. We’re fortunate in that a lot of our artists have been with us from the beginning of Snoopy in Space through The Snoopy Show, and they have a great deal of respect and understanding of Peanuts animation. That Camp Snoopy looks so great is a testament to their talent and dedication.”
“Some of my favorite Schulz art is found in the Beagle Scout strips, specifically the larger Sunday format, where he took advantage of all the panel space he had to fill them with beautiful, wide-open scenes of nature,” says Boutilier. “I was expressing my admiration of Schulz’s pen and brush lines in those strips with our art director, Joseph Holt, when we asked ourselves the question: ‘What would a classic special have looked like if Schulz had drawn the backgrounds?’”
So, the artistic team studied everything they could find from the strips and applied Schulz’s artistry to the series’ backgrounds. As a result, the Camp Snoopy environments are organic and loose and share the same wide-open feeling of the strip.
An Homage to Schulz’s Legacy
“What I like about working with Joseph is that he treats the camera like a printing press — he wants these backgrounds to look like they’ve been ripped straight out of the comic pages,” notes Boutilier. “Our goal was for it to feel like we’ve brought Schulz’s panels to life in this series, and I hope we’ve succeeded in doing so.”
Like everyone else working on the show, Boutilier hopes audiences of all ages will be entertained by Snoopy’s antics. “I also hope that our themes concerning friendship, perseverance and a respect for the wonders of nature will resonate with them,” he concludes. “I hope that younger viewers will discover the same love for these characters that I did at a young age; I hope that older viewers will recognize the high regard this new work has for the classic specials. We do our best to not only honor Schulz’s strip, but to also honor Bill Melendez’s success in bringing that strip to the screen in 1965. Lastly, I hope audiences will take away a desire to see more of Peanuts, whether it be on screen or on the printed page.”
Anime Limited, licensee of BigWest Co., Ltd., in partnership with Crunchyroll, announced plans for the release of the Macross Plus Ultimate Edition, bringing this classic series to Blu-ray exclusively in the United States this fall — the set’s first availability outside of Japan. Fans of the decades-spanning Macross franchise can bring home the classic 1995 film — together with its original four-part OVA presentation — for the first time in English on Blu-ray.
Created by BigWest and Studio Nue, with Shoji Kawamori (Super Dimension Fortress Macross; Escaflowne) serving as executive director, the film marks the directorial debut of Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop; Samurai Champloo) as co-director and the first collaboration with composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop; Escaflowne).
This Ultimate Edition comes packaged in a large rigid slipcase adorned with the title’s most iconic visuals, which contains an immense and comprehensive hardback book chronicling the history, production and creative efforts behind Macross Plus — from interviews with its creators to character designs, background and key animation artwork.
Also included with the set is a series of nine art cards celebrating all of the title’s key visuals, plus an A3 “concert promotion” poster serving as an homage to virtual pop idol Sharon Apple.
Bonus features on the disc include the full Manga Entertainment dub for the OVA version of the show, as well as the Bandai Visual dub of OVA #4, while both Neil Nadelman’s Manga Entertainment subtitles and Bandai Visual’s subtitle options are present for the Movie Edition. With a host of other extras, including an interview with Shoji Kawamori and special visual effects director Ichiro Itano, this is the ultimate Macross Plus viewing experience for new and old fans alike.
In North America, the Macross Plus Ultimate Edition will be available exclusively via the Crunchyroll Store, while U.K. customers will be able to purchase the product exclusively from the AllTheAnime.com storefront. Pre-orders for the release will open on Thursday, June 6 at 9 a.m. PST.
An edition of Macross Plus for France and other European territories will follow, with more details to be confirmed later in the year from Anima Limited.
