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Home Blog Page 137

Critics Purr in Praise of ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’s Stellar Cast & Animated Vision of San Francisco

This Friday, February 2, the powerful animal avatars of the Chinese Zodiac leap from the pages of Laurence Yep’s modern mythological novel trilogy onto Paramount+ screens in The Tiger’s Apprentice.

The CG animated family fantasy adventure, directed by Raman Hui (Monster Hunt; co-director, Shrek the Third), follows a Chinese American teen (voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo) as he discovers his destiny as part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians. Guided by a transforming tiger (Henry Golding), he trains to take on a powerful foe (Michelle Yeoh) and reunite the 12 warrior animals of the Zodiac. The voice cast features a parade of notable Asian and Asian-American actors, including Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis and Jo Koy.

While early reviews don’t distinguish the adaptation as the most powerful release of the new year, strong voice performances, some inspired action sequences and Hui’s loving recreation of its San Francisco setting, overall positive reviews show that this martial arts tale still packs a magical punch. The Tiger’s Apprentice rates 67% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, from 15 critics’ reviews, with a MetaScore of 62 on MetaCritic (four reviews).

Here’s what a few of them had to say:

 

The Tiger’s Apprentice

 

“While the convoluted fantasy elements may make some older viewers’ eyes glaze over, the film fortunately features generous doses of welcome irreverent humor … The powerhouse voice cast is another plus … Director Raman Hui, making his [animated] feature [solo directing] debut, keeps the proceedings moving at a suitably brisk pace, with the colorful CGI animation providing one diverting image after another.”

— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

 

“This perky, likable but profoundly derivative animated feature arrives just in time for both lunar new year and the February half-term school holidays. Like a shop-bought char siu bao, it’s over-sweetened but moreish: Chinese-flavored comfort food in cinematic form.”

— Leslie Felperin, The Guardian

 

The Tiger's Apprentice
L-R Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom, Henry Golding as Hu and Bowen Yang as Sidney.

 

“Props to the makers of The Tiger’s Apprentice for opening on the Bay Bridge, as opposed to the sexier Golden Gate Bridge … The film gives us an animated look at the “crookedest street in the world,” the green Sentinel Building, recognizable Chinatown storefronts, the historic Dragon Gate and the Golden Gate Bridge (every San Francisco-set film gets there eventually) and climaxes with a battle for the soul of humanity atop the Transamerica Pyramid. The film itself? It’s breezy fun and not much more than that, but with an all-star voice cast.”

— G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

 

“The animation is less surefooted at the start in a prologue set in Hong Kong, but it quickly improves when the action shifts to San Francisco, gloriously re-created. The vocal cast is mighty impressive … Originally slated for a theatrical release, this one got bounced to Paramount+. That’s great for parents, in particular Asian American parents, looking for a fun family feature that celebrates culture. But this feature would have been perfect viewing on the big screen.”

— Randy Myers, The Mercury News

 

SpongeBob Is Ready to Soak Up the NFL Action During ‘Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom’

Nickelodeon and CBS Sports today revealed production elements for the first-ever Super Bowl alternate telecast, airing exclusively on Nickelodeon, Sunday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. (ET). Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom will feature enhanced graphics and advanced augmented reality, bringing the historic Slime-filled telecast to SpongeBob SquarePants’ undersea home.

Paramount’s multiplatform coverage of Super Bowl LVIII will feature CBS Sports’ presentation on the CBS Television Network, which will stream on Paramount+ and on mobile with NFL+, in addition to the Nick-ified telecast exclusively on Nickelodeon.

For the first-time ever, characters from SpongeBob SquarePants will join the telecast live, with an animated SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) joining CBS Sports analyst Nate Burleson and play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle live in the booth to call the game. Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) will make her sideline reporting debut, while Larry the Lobster (Mr. Lawrence) provides live commentary.

Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom - Announce team
L-R: Noah Eagle, Nate Burleson, SpongeBob and Patrick in the booth for ‘Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom’

NFL Slimetime’s Young Dylan and Dylan Schefter will also report live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Plus, Dora the Explorer‘s Dora (Diana Zermeño) and Boots (Asher Colton Spence) will help explain penalty calls during the game.

Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom will also feature an opening segment from Allegiant Stadium re-creating SpongeBob’s iconic “Sweet Victory” performance; hijinks throughout the game from fan-favorite villain Plankton; appearances from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; reimagined end zone cannons that fire Slime, Krabby Patties and pickles; undersea AR jellyfish within the stadium; Slime trails and pineapples; and surprise appearances from beloved Nickelodeon characters in the crowd. The production will continue to showcase one-of-a-kind content and Nick-themed elements throughout, including guest appearances, original on-field graphics, virtual filters and more for kids and families.

Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom - Sandy Cheeks
Sandy Cheeks, who stars in her own movie on Netflix this year, makes her Super Bowl sideline debut.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 5, and following Super Bowl LVIII, Nickelodeon and CBS Sports will debut a programming lineup for kids and families (airing on Nickelodeon ET/PT unless otherwise noted):

  • “SpongeBob’s Super Bowl Party” – Monday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. | The Super Bowl is here, and Patrick, SpongeBob, and Gary are throwing a party! Fans are invited to join their favorite Bikini Bottom residents as they prepare for the Super Bowl and get a glimpse at the town’s game day rituals.
  • NFL Slimetime “Super Bowl Preview” – Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. | Find out who takes home NFL Slimetime’s top honor — the NVP of NVPs. Plus, catch Slimelights of some of the NFL’s most exciting players.
  • NFL Slimetime “NFL Slimetime at Super Bowl” – Sunday, Feb. 11, at 11:30 a.m. (simulcast on CBS and Paramount+) | Hosts Nate Burleson and Young Dylan are kicking off Super Bowl Sunday with Slimelights from the two teams’ road to the Super Bowl, while Dylan Schefter checks in with exclusive player interviews and Mia Burleson brings the facts about the official Wilson football and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Plus, Schefter and Young Dylan give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the augmented reality that will appear in Super Bowl LVIII on Nickelodeon.
  • NFL Slimetime “Super Bowl LVIII Slimelights” – Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. (Airs on Nickelodeon in the U.K., New Zealand and Australia on Tuesday, Feb. 13) | The game may be over, but the party’s just beginning! SpongeBob SquarePants’ Realistic Fish Head (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) will recap the highlights and Slimelights from the biggest night in sports.
  • NFL Slimetime “Post-Super Bowl” – Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. *season 3 finale* |  Young Dylan and Dylan Schefter wrap up the season with a recap of Super Bowl LVIII, including a look back at the action from Bikini Bottom, exclusive postgame interviews and bloopers. Plus, they highlight the winner of the slimiest trophy in sports–the Super Bowl NVP.

Nick.com/SuperBowl will serve as the official Super Bowl digital hub for kids and families on game day, where users can engage with an array of content packages, meme galleries, articles and more.

Additionally, SpongeBob and Super Bowl LVIII are coming together in the ultimate Bikini Bottom experience on Roblox. Elements from Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom will be featured in five experiences from Gamefam on Roblox — SpongeBob Simulator, TMNT Battle Tycoon, Super NFL Tycoon, Easy Obby and Twilight Daycare. From Feb. 2-19, users can earn Super Bowl SpongeBob-themed rewards by completing quests in each and across all five experiences, participating in pre-game trivia, interacting with SpongeBob characters and more.

To celebrate the first-ever Super Bowl alternate telecast, Nickelodeon is inviting kids and kids at heart to climb through its Splat portal into the inflatable Bikini Bottom Super Bowl Spectacular at Super Bowl Experience at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center. Fans will have the Slime of their lives as they bounce on a larger-than-life Krabby Patty, toss Krabby Patties into SpongeBob’s mouth, pose for a slimy photo op with the NFL Slimetime NVP trophy and more.

Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom - Nate and SpongeBob characters
Nate Burleson and the Bikini Bottom crew

On-site in Las Vegas, fans can also shop for exclusive products at the Paramount Mountain, including: a SpongeBob SquarePants t-shirt, a Survivor scarf, a Yellowstone hoodie and South Park socks, plus receive a free Paramount tote with their purchase. SpongeBob fans can also gear up with special apparel and accessory collabs. Select items will be able for purchase at the NFL Shop at Super Bowl within the Super Bowl Experience, as well as online via NFLShop.com and respective partner websites  NewEra.com, Homage.com and ChalkLine.com.

Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom is produced by CBS Sports in association with Nickelodeon Productions. Sean McManus and Harold Bryant serve as executive producers of THE NFL ON CBS, and CBS Sports’ Shawn Robbins is coordinating producer of the games. Production for Nickelodeon is overseen by Ashley Kaplan, EVP, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio; Paul J Medford, VP of Unscripted Current Series; Luke Wahl, VP of Unscripted Creative; and Jennifer Bryson, VP of Production, Tentpoles, Events & Music & Specials.

Paramount_SuperBowl2
Paramount+’s Super Bowl LVIII commercial stars Patrick Stewart and a bevy of character cameos, such as Arnold from Nickelodeon’s ‘Hey Arnold!’

Additionally, Paramount+ today debuted a new ad which will air during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11, starring an ensemble of some of the service’s most popular talent and characters, including beloved animated characters. This will be the 15th installment of the Paramount+ A Mountain of Entertainment brand campaign and the third Super Bowl Spot from Paramount+.

In the most star-studded chapter yet, a team of intrepid adventurers find themselves trapped in an icy canyon on Paramount Mountain. That’s when Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Picard) steps in to take the reins and attempts a lifesaving Hail Mary. Stewart is joined by a mix of characters from across Paramount+ Originals and library titles including Drew Barrymore (The Drew Barrymore Show), ol’ football head Arnold (Hey Arnold!), football’s favorite good luck charm Peppa Pig, Dora (Dora the Explorer), Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba), Jeff Probst (Survivor), Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and more — as well as music from Creed.

Poplar, Bilibili and Baboon Sign with Monster Entertainment to Distribute ‘Reggie Rex’

Baboon Animation, the award-winning kids’ animation studio founded by DreamWorks alumnus Mike de Seve; Bilibili, the leading online video community in China; and Japanese publisher Poplar have announced a major distribution deal with Monster Entertainment for their new CGI-animated series, Reggie Rex! Currently airing its first 52-episode season in China, the second season of 52 additional episodes will debut this year.

The series follows the adventures of Reggie, a young T. rex, as he and his friends learn about life, language, science and art — all with fun loving humor and a gigantic heart.

Reggie Rex!

Based on the picture books by Tatsuya Miyanishi, Reggie Rex! focuses on child development, creating rich and innovative scenes that closely resonate with real-life settings such as home, school and the playground, showing community between characters with different personalities. The animation experiments with facial aesthetics, bringing to life toy dinosaurs with realistic plush textures against stylized backgrounds inspired by Impressionism.

“The heartwarming picture book series based on the theme of love has been expanded into a heart-pounding 3D world by the amazing talents of many creators. Now, a Tyrannosaurus is coming to your town. A little scary, maybe? But don’t worry, Reggie and everyone should become the best of friends,” said Poplar Director Kato.

Reggie Rex!

Ming from Bilibili commented, “Baboon Animation has been wonderful at creating content with heart that resonates with both kids and parents. We believe in telling stories with humor and humanity, promoting kindness and togetherness. I’m confident that spirit will shine through for our new partners and audiences across Asia.”

Monster Entertainment has been selling programs worldwide for 25 years, exposing Oscar-winning, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning animation to audiences in more than 200 countries.

Reggie Rex!

Already reaching kids and families in China on Bilibili and other VOD/OTT platforms as well as BRTV KAKU Children’s Channel with its viewership of 790 million, through the new agreement Reggie Rex! content will be made available to millions of viewers across the globe. The partners have already inked signed regional agreements with South Korean media group Daewon Media. The show will also be broadcast in Japan, Korea, MENA and other areas.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Monster to bring our content to new audiences,” said Mike de Seve, CEO of Baboon Animation. “This great new relationship is an important part of our strategy to expand into new territories and reach viewers around the globe.”

Monster’s Chairman, Andrew Fitzpatrick, added, “Monster is excited to be working with our very creative friends in Baboon, Poplar and Bilibili on this great new series which will enthrall kids all around the world with its compelling combination of fun and adventure.”

Reggie Rex!

‘Welcome Home, Franklin’: A Peanuts Trailblazer Gets His Own Special

In 1968, a Los Angeles school teacher named Harriet Glickman wrote to Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, only a few days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and urged him to introduce a Black character to his hugely popular comic strip. Schulz agreed and on July 31 of that same year, he introduced a sweet Black boy named Franklin to his comic. Almost 55 years later, the popular character stars in his own wonderful animated special titled Welcome Home, Franklin, which debuts on Apple TV+ in February.

This fifth collaboration between WildBrain Studios in Vancouver, Apple TV+ and Peanuts Worldwide introduces young viewers to Franklin Armstrong, a new kid in town who discovers that his usual friend-making tactics don’t work on the eccentric Peanuts gang. But when the Soap Box Derby arrives, Franklin is sure it’s a chance to impress new pals, so he enters the derby with the only other unpartnered kid in town: Charlie Brown.

Welcome Home, Franklin

A Tale of Friendship

“In the first collection of specials, we focused on holidays and their significance,” says the director, Raymond S. Persi, whose many credits include The Simpsons and three previous Peanuts specials It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown; One-of-a-Kind Marcie and Lucy’s School. “In this second collection, we spotlight the wider cast of characters in the Peanuts gang. This one is co-written by Robb Armstrong, who is the creator of the Jump Start comic strip and a friend of Charles M. Schulz, along with Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano, with an original story by Robb and Scott Montgomery. Interestingly, Robb Armstrong is also the real-life namesake Schulz used for Franklin’s last name!”

Raymond S. Persi
Raymond S. Persi

He adds, “Since in Franklin’s first appearance in the Peanuts strip in 1968, he’s seen introducing himself to Charlie Brown at the beach, we thought it was a great place to start a story about Franklin moving into town and trying to make new friends.”

According to Persi, he came on board to be part of the project’s story trust in late 2021, and the team began storyboarding in early 2022. “The schedule for Welcome Home, Franklin was about 16 months,” he notes. “We were lucky to have a bit longer than the average television schedule. This allowed us time to put a lot of extra thought into the story.”

The idea for every shot in the special was to let the emotion drive the look. “I worked closely with production designer Pascal Campion and his team describing to them the feeling of each moment and trusting their instincts to find the look,” says Persi. “There are lots of times in the special where the real world needed to fall away to put more focus on the experience the characters are having. In those moments, the environments become almost impressionistic. Additionally, it was important to capture the distinctive feel of Charles Schulz’s linework for the characters and props. The goal was to always try for a handmade feel.”

Welcome Home, Franklin

The Emmy-winning animation veteran says he really loves how the special charts the development of the friendship. “I love all the little in between moments that create lasting bonds,” he mentions. “We get to show how, sometimes, people grow closer because of their faults and not in spite of them. I reached deep into my elementary school memories for these moments! I also loved the juxtaposition between the quieter more reflective moments and wild soap box derby racing scenes. The various production teams gave it their all and created a dynamic, exciting and funny action sequence!”

He is also keenly aware of the importance of Franklin in the Peanuts universe. “At that time in U.S. history, we were going through a lot of social upheaval. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. had just been assassinated,” he notes. “When a Los Angeles schoolteacher named Harriet Glickman wrote to Schulz and asked him to add a Black character to the strip, he was reluctant at first because he wanted to make sure he was being respectful. After being convinced that just seeing a black character represented in the strip would be something positive, he decided to create Franklin.”

Welcome Home, Franklin

Embracing Diversity

Welcome Home, Franklin
Charles Schulz’s letter to a schoolteacher who pointed out that the strip was missing a Black character. [Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center]
Persi adds, “Not only was the inclusion of Franklin in the strip and the matter-of-fact way that the Peanuts gang embraced him important, but it was also great to see Franklin look past how weird all the kids in this town were and appreciate them for who they were.”

When asked about the specific challenges of this project, Persi responds, “As the director, your job is to make decisions; let everyone on the team know what to do. With a project like this, I needed to make sure there was always time for me to listen as well. Franklin is a culturally significant character, and he means a lot of things to different people. It was important to include ideas that came up in discussions with my crew in a way that felt organic and served the story.”

Persi hopes that this new special reminds everyone to have empathy for one another. “We don’t always know what other people are going through, but what we do know is everyone is trying to connect and find friendship in this world.”

That’s a sentiment that the late Charles M. Schulz would truly appreciate.

 


Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin premieres on Apple TV+ on February 16.

Welcome Home, Franklin

Animated Series ‘Scavengers Reign’ & ‘Hazbin Hotel,’ Hybrid ‘Ted’ Lead Their Platforms’ Most Popular Titles

In new charts shared by The Hollywood Reporter, Parrot Analytics has ranked several animated series among the “Top Trending” streaming content for the week of January 16-22. Notably, the top three titles on Max — which was denuded of so many animated projects following the Warner Bros. Discovery merger — are all animated. Toons and hybrid projects also lead the packs from Prime Video and Peacock, while three of the buzziest Netflix shows are animated.

Parrot Analytics determines its rankings by weighing audience behaviors such as social media engagement and online research activities as well as streams and downloads to quantify global demand. You can read more about their methodology here.

Some highlights of the Top Trending results for the week:

Max

  1. Scavengers Reign
  2. My Adventures with Superman
  3. Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake
  4. Love Has Won
  5. The Curious Case of Natalia Grace

Netflix

  1. One Piece
  2. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
  3. Blue Eye Samurai
  4. CoComelon Lane
  5. My Life with the Walter Boys

Hazbin Hotel came in No. 1 as the only animated stand-out for Prime Video this week. The show had the streamer’s biggest-ever animated original debut, and managed to outpace live-action franchise entries The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and Gen V (from The Boys).

Starring a real-time, CG-animated teddy bearTed was a surprise topper for Peacock, giving a Bostonian salute from first place to John Wick spinoff The Continental and video game adaptation Twisted Metal.

Other titles in the Top Fives include FOX’s Krapopolis (No. 3 on Hulu) which set several records with its September premiere; Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (No. 5 on Disney+); and Strange Planet at No. 5 on Apple TV+ (No. 1 was the VFX-heavy kaiju romp Monarch: Legacy of Monsters).

As far as the straight content streaming numbers, Aussie kids’ hit Bluey (Disney+) was the No. 2 top series with 1.11 billion minutes streamed — nestled between Young Sheldon (Max / Netflix) and The Crown (Netflix). On the film list, 2023’s highest-grossing, billion-plus-dollar blockbuster animated feature The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Netflix) remains popular at No. 4, coming in ahead of Barbie (Max) with 726 million minutes, but behind Meg 2: The Trench (Max / Netflix). The most-streamed movie was Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon: Part 1 (Netflix), which is tagged for an expansion of its action-packed universe into animation.

Trailer: DreamWorks’ ‘Megamind’ Returns in New Peacock Film & Series

Peacock today heralded the resurgence of a lovable reformed supervillain in the new family animated feature and companion series from DreamWorks Animation, inspired by the 2010 theatrical feature Megamind. The streamer also revealed the dual launch date on March 1, delivering the movie and all eight episodes of the new show, plus the official movie trailer and the dual project voice cast.

Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate (83 min.) picks up directly after the events of the 2010 DreamWorks theatrical feature (directed by Tom McGrath and starring Will Ferrell), as Megamind transitions from being the supervillain scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job.

Synopsis: Megamind’s former villain team, The Doom Syndicate, has returned. Our newly crowned blue hero must now keep up evil appearances until he can assemble his friends (Roxanne, Ol’ Chum and Keiko) to stop his former evil teammates from launching Metro City to the Moon.

These adventures in saving the day — one way or another! — continue in Megamind Rules! (8 x 22′), previously titled Megamind’s Guide to Defending Your City.

Synopsis: Megamind goes from being a supervillain and the scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job. He’ll be bringing the audience along for the ride, as Megamind’s trusty brainbots will be recording everything, making him the world’s first superhero influencer.

The voice cast for both the movie and series features:

  • Keith Ferguson (Robot Chicken, DuckTales) as Megamind
  • Laura Post (LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red) as Roxanne Ritchi
  • Josh Brener (Silicon Valley, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Ol’ Chum
  • Maya Aoki Tuttle (Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Destiny 2) as Keiko Morita
  • Emily Tunon (Globos Negros) as Lady Doppler
  • Talon Warburton (Echo Base) as Lord Nighty-Knight
  • Scott Adsit (Big Hero 6, 30 Rock) as Pierre Pressure
  • Chris Sullivan (This Is Us, Presence) as Behemoth
  • Tony Hale (The Mysterious Benedict Society) as Mel/Mr. Donut
  • Jeanine Mason (Upload; Roswell, New Mexico) as Christino Christo
  • Adam Lambert (American Idol, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again) as Machiavillain

Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate also features the voices of Jeanine Mason, Michael Beattie, Eric Fogel, Todd Haberkorn, Eric Murphy, Joey Rudman and Roger Craig Smith.

The new film and series are executive produced by the original pic’s writers, Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, alongside Celebrity Deathmatch creator Eric Fogel. Fogel also directs Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate. JD Ryznar is co-executive producer on the projects.

Netflix Animation Announces ‘Woody Woodpecker’ Hybrid Movie, New Images Revealed for Upcoming Slate

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 ImaginaryThelma the UnicornUltraman 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
The Casagrandes Movie

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
Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp

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
The Imaginary

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
Thelma the Unicorn

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
That Christmas

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
Ultraman: Rising

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
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie

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
Spellbound

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

 

European Broadcasting Union Backs Two Animated Series for 2024

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced details of two new collaborative animated series production projects, developed for young audiences across Europe. Belgian production Ray & Ruby and Danish concept Pig & Andersen were chosen from over 70 projects presented last year at the Cartoon Forum pitching & co-production market.

Produced by Creative Conspiracy with young audiences in mind, Ray & Ruby follows the adventures of mouse twins navigating the vast and perilous world within a magnificent castle. The quirky comedy series Pig & Andersen, produced by Fleng Entertainment ApS, is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s works and based on the 2022 short film The Swineherd from the same producers.

Under the coordination of EBU Television, and at the initiative of France Télévisions and Cartoon Forum, a group of 15 public-service broadcasters have committed over €130,000 ($140.5K USD) to the development of the two series.

Participating broadcasters are:

  • VRT (Belgium)
  • ARD/SWR (Germany)
  • DR (Denmark)
  • RTVE (Spain)
  • YLE (Finland)
  • France Télévisions (France)
  • BBC (United Kingdom)
  • RTÉ (Ireland)
  • RAI (Italy)
  • LTV (Latvia)
  • NPO (Netherlands)
  • NRK (Norway)
  • RTP (Portugal)
  • SVT (Sweden)
  • RTVS (Slovakia)

“For many decades EBU Members have been collaborating on globally-loved animation series, perhaps most famously with The Animals of Farthing Wood several years ago,” said Matthew Trustram, Head of Television, EBU. “This new initiative shows our Members renewing this spirit of collaboration to secure the most exciting new content for young audiences in a competitive market.”

Pilots for both series will be delivered in September 2024, building on the EBU network’s historical commitment to animated television programming, and reflecting its current priority to engage young people across Member territories.

“I’m delighted to see collaboration between public broadcasters on the development of animation projects, taking shape under the efficient organization of the EBU,” said Pierre Siracusa, Director of Children’s and Education & Head of Animation, France Télévisions. “Thanks to the EBU and Cartoon Forum, we can join forces, discuss the best European projects, and strengthen our commitment to European animation producers.”

Annick Maes, General Director of CARTOON, the organizing body behind Cartoon Forum and other events, said, “Cartoon Forum supports initiatives which gather, under European leadership, energies, people, companies and projects. We are happy to have welcomed this joint initiative that gives European Public Media broadcasters the opportunity to join forces and to consolidate European animation.”

 

Critics Light Up Reviewing ‘Orion and the Dark’

Ahead of the movie’s premiere on Netflix this Friday, Feb. 2, critics have been cozying up to Orion and the Dark— the latest feature film from DreamWorks Animation (with production assistance from Mikros Animation).

From a script by the inimitable Charlie Kaufman (Anomalisa, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and directed by Sean Charmatz, the star-studded 3D CG pic brings author Emma Yarlett’s kids’ book to life, illustrating the story of an anxious boy (Jacob Tremblay) who is whisked away on a night of incredible adventure by his greatest fear, the Dark (Paul Walter Hauser), in hopes of curing his phobias. Angela Bassett, Nat Faxon and even Warner Herzog all provide voices.

The comedy-adventure doesn’t have much to fear from film critics: Orion and the Dark has a pre-premiere Rotten Tomatoes rating of 89% Fresh (from 18 reviews) and a MetaScore of 74 on MetaCritic (nine reviews). Kaufman wins praise for his still charming “deconstruction” of the familiar family animated adventure — though at least one reviewer found it “over-complicated” — and the artists of DreamWorks and Mikros win praise for the solid visuals and lovely nightscapes.

Here’s what some of the top critics had to saw about DreamWorks Animation’s latest dream:

 

Orion and the Dark
Angela Bassett reaches a new level of stardom as the ethereal Sweet Dreams in ‘Orion and the Dark.’ [DreamWorks Animation © 2023]

“A mainstream children’s movie from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, creator of Being John Malkovich and Synecdoche, New York? It has to be worth a look, if only for the pleasure of wondering how much of his own adult neurosis has crept in … It is a sweet-natured little tale, indebted to Monsters, Inc. and the whole Pixar canon but saved from being predictable with other borrowings (Back to the Future, Inception), as well as its various metafictional levels of storytelling.”

— Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

 

“Director Sean Charmatz (Trolls: Holiday In Harmony) keeps the visuals kid-friendly, but he also keeps [Charlie] Kaufman’s voice recognizable throughout. And though Orion and the Dark appears to go through the motions of a family flick, it throws some serious curves en route to a loving yet emotionally devastating resolution.”

— Luke Thompson, AV Club

 

“Charmatz’s direction has to make Kaufman’s concepts come to life in a way that is easily digestible to kids, and the combination of these two filmmakers works beautifully here. The animation style looks deceptively simple at first (from Mikros Animation, who worked with DreamWorks Animation before on Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie), but the way Charmatz plays with dark and light here is simply gorgeous. The look of the film both reminds of Yarlett’s picture book and Netflix’s usual animation style — a mixture you wouldn’t expect from a film with Werner Herzog cameos and a great David Foster Wallace joke.”

— Ross Bonaime, Collider

 

Orion and the Dark
Orion and the Dark [DreamWorks Animation © 2023]

“Charmatz’s direction keeps things within DreamWorks’ CG house style, but brings a scruffy, scrappy approach, reflecting the mindset of its hero, in a manner similar to The Mitchells vs, The Machines: Orion’s hand-drawn scrapbook sketches, which document his many fears, bleed pleasingly into the frame … But to its bones, this is a Kaufman joint, and while it has an unusual sweetness — there’s a straightforwardly wholesome father-daughter relationship — it is full of existential dread, big ideas, and a strong resistance to anything too neat, too Hollywood.”

— John Nugent, Empire Magazine

 

“Endlessly clever and funny, Orion and the Dark also beautifully conveys the adolescent angst that plagues most of us and the familial love that can enable us to conquer it. Although it finds plenty of amusement in Orion’s insecurities, the film treats them sympathetically, delivering a heartwarming message that should resonate with younger viewers while proving nostalgic for older ones.”

— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

 

“Kaufman — the inventive, subversive and mind-blowing mind behind “Being John Malkovich” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” — is rather tame here … The animated world is wonderfully realized, from the shaded, uneven grass to the gritty crosswalks of Times Square. There is a welcome use of childhood drawings to give the movie more texture but it’s a far cry from the game-changing animation of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

— Mark Kennedy, The San Diego Union-Tribune

 

Innersloth Teases First Look at ‘Among Us’ Series from CBS Studios

Video game creator Innersloth today released a surprise sneak-peek image from the upcoming Among Us animated series across its social feeds. Produced by CBS Studios through CBS Eye Animation Productions division, the project was announced last summer with Infinity Train creator Owen Dennis named creator and executive producer through his overall deal with the studio. Titmouse is providing the animation.

The teaser artwork shows the space station’s cafeteria, with abandoned pizzas, party balloons and an ominous splash of blood on a festive “WE’RE DEAD” banner giving new meaning to the term mess hall.

The official social post reads: “Patient Crewmates are rewarded with a pizza party (totally safe) (not a trap)” and notes “work on the show is progressing!”

Logline: Members of your crew have been replaced by an alien shapeshifter intent on causing confusion, sabotaging the ship and killing everyone. Root out the ‘Impostor’ or fall victim to its murderous designs.

Executive producers on the project are Dennis and Forest Willard, Marcus Bromander and Carl Neisser for Innersloth, and Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio and Ben Kalina for Titmouse. A broadcast/streaming home has not been announced.

Fans can follow Among Us news and updates from Innersloth through X, Facebook and Instagram.

‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Director Raman Hui Takes Us into the Thrilling World of Paramount+’s New Movie

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Across countless cultures, mythology’s millennia-long dalliance with astronomy and astrology has begotten some of humanity’s most cherished stories. The Chinese zodiac, which oscillates through a 12-year cycle as opposed to its 12-month variant in the West, effortlessly retains its association with relevant myths, irrespective of the era.

Paramount+’s upcoming feature film The Tiger’s Apprentice perfectly encapsulates this concept as an animated adaptation of the renowned 2003 novel by Laurence Yep. Besides possessing the narrative DNA of its source material, the new animated feature also has the privilege of emerging in an era where positive representation of Asian and Asian American culture is at an all-time high. Although Asian culture is at the film’s forefront, director Raman Hui believes that The Tiger’s Apprentice’s strength lies in its universality.

The Tiger’s Apprentice
Astrological Adventure: A young boy in San Francisco meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu (Henry Golding) and discovers he’s the latest in a long line of guardians in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice.’

“The Tiger’s Apprentice speaks to any kids and families with any cultural background, not just [an] Asian background,” says Hui. “While the Asian families can relate to the heritage in the story that they are familiar with, the non-Asian families will get to see a different culture that they can appreciate and understand.”

Raman Hui

‘Being Chinese American and having lived in San Francisco for over 20 years, I could picture all the specific elements in the story that happened there. The cultural background and the values of the characters inspired me and spoke to me.’

— Director Raman Hui

 

The new CG-animated feature follows the journey of Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), whose grandmother is grooming him to inherit her position as guardian of an ancient and powerful artifact known as the coral rose. Slain in an attack that threatens the safety of her grandson and the coral rose, Tom’s grandmother cedes her role of guardian and mentor to her ally, Mr. Hu (Henry Golding). Armed with the ability to transform into an avatar of a tiger from the Chinese zodiac, Mr. Hu develops Tom’s latent strengths to become the eponymous tiger’s apprentice.

Although rife with fantastical elements, Hui felt a personal connection to The Tiger’s Apprentice that grounded him throughout its production. “Being Chinese American and having lived in San Francisco for over 20 years, there is always a special place in my heart for San Francisco Chinatown,” says Hui. “And I could picture all the specific elements in the story that happened there. The cultural background and the values of the characters inspired me and spoke to me.”

The Tiger’s Apprentice

Earning Your Stripes

Like studying at the feet of a martial arts master, the process of adapting The Tiger’s Apprentice novel was lengthy and required several years of intense development. “The book by Laurence Yep was first published in 2003 and was in movie development soon after by Jane Startz,” says Hui.

Mirroring its protagonist during its initial phase of development, The Tiger’s Apprentice was originally in the hands of a different master, since the film was first optioned by and slated to debut on Cartoon Network. Eventually, that iteration of The Tiger’s Apprentice failed to find its footing, leading to more than a decade of relative inactivity for the intellectual property. “I joined the project in 2019 when the script was ready for preproduction,” says Hui. “During preproduction, we kept working on the script under the supervision of Bob Persichetti (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Latifa Ouaou (Minions: The Rise of Gru).

The Tiger’s Apprentice

“The production part, guided by Sandra Rabins, took around two-and-a-half years to finish,” says Hui. “And the post-production, including the music by Steve Jablonsky (DC League of Super-Pets), finished in mid-2023. From pre-production to finishing [the film] altogether took about four years.”

The process of realizing author Laurence Yep’s dream of a cadre of warriors powered by the Chinese zodiac required the proverbial stars to align, as evidenced by the abundance of A-list voice talent within The Tiger’s Apprentice’s cast. “I had a blast working with the amazing cast,” says Hui. “They added beautiful layers and dimensions to the characters with humor and emotions.”

The Tiger’s Apprentice

As with any film, the chemistry shared between leads is an essential element for success, and according to Hui, the men behind the titular tiger and his apprentice provided the movie with a rich emotional core. “Henry Golding gave us the powerful yet sensitive, tough yet fun Hu the Tiger, and Brandon Soo Hoo played the troublemaking but good-hearted apprentice Tom,” says Hui.

Aside from boasting enough star power to make an astrology aficionado’s knees wobble, The Tiger’s Apprentice is a shining example of representation, as members of the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community comprise a majority of the cast. “Sandra Oh gave us a sympathetic, magical and spectacular Mistral the Dragon,” says Hui. “And Michelle Yeoh gave us the complicated, threatening and whimsical evil force, Loo. You wouldn’t want to disagree with Michelle.”

The Tiger’s Apprentice
Familiar Voices: Directed by ‘Shrek’ veteran Raman Hui, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ features a stellar cast of actors, including Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Leah Lewis and Bowen Yang.

The Eye of the Tiger

It’s common for martial artists to attribute their victories to the power of positive visualization, and for the crew behind The Tiger’s Apprentice, a clear vision of success was equally crucial in crafting a mystical world of kung fu practitioners. “Our production design team, led by Christophe Lautrette (Rumble), paid extra attention to details to make what is on screen authentic to the culture and background of the story,” says Hui. “We worked great as a team, and I was happy to be the go-to person for any questions regarding the culture. For example, how would a Chinese grandmother show her grandson love without saying, ‘I love you’? The answer is she may pinch his cheek or feed him with a lot of food to express that affection.”

Although visualization is a pivotal portion of the equation, the execution of one’s intent is what produces results. Helping to shepherd The Tiger’s Apprentice from the theoretical realm to tangibility was a team of expertly talented artists. “It took close to 80 animators to animate the movie,” says Hui. “The majority of the animators animated in France. We also had animators from Spain, England, Belgium and Canada work on it remotely.”

The Tiger’s Apprentice

Wrangling such a massive stable of creators is an art in itself, and Hui is quick to credit his colleagues who helped compose the mosaic of talent behind The Tiger’s Apprentice. “David Nasser and Yannick Honore supervised the animation across all these countries,” says Hui. “I was grateful for how much they cared about the characters in the movie and how they brought them to life with hilarious, energetic and touching acting. I also learned to speak a little French and a very little Thai, while I taught the animators some simple Chinese.”

The Tiger’s Apprentice possesses a spectacle and scale on par with the kung fu films of yesteryear and modern Marvel movies, but at its core it’s a relatable coming-of-age story. Despite his irrepressible pride for the breathtaking work his team poured into the film on a visual and narrative level, Hui believes The Tiger’s Apprentice’s effervescent tone is what audiences will identify with and enjoy the most. “I hope the audience will have fun and feel uplifted watching how Hu the Tiger, and his friends help Tom grow to become a wonderful apprentice,” says Hui.

 


The Tiger’s Apprentice premieres Friday, February 2 on Paramount+.

Jellyfish Originals’ ‘Stan & Gran’ Goes into Production

Jellyfish Originals, the kids and family content division of award-winning global animation & VFX studio Jellyfish Pictures, announces that production will commence next month on its inaugural original series Stan & Gran. Bangalore-based Xentrix Studios has partnered as co-producer and will be providing animation services for the show. Banijay Kids & Family Distribution (the commercial arm and dedicated sales division for Banijay Kids & Family) is on board as global distributor alongside existing co-production partner Jollywise Media.

The 52 x 11′ episodic series created by Jon Mason has been commissioned by Channel 5’s preschool strand, Milkshake!. Recent production hires include Howard Read (Danger Mouse, Horrible Histories, Deep in the Bowl) as head writer, Peter Griffiths (LEGO: Nexus Knights, Rosie’s Rules, The Ocean Calls) as producer and Simone Giampaolo (Only a Child, Bad Dinosaurs, The Legends Family Adventure, Obki the Eco Alien) as director. Managing Director of Jellyfish Originals Natalie Llewellyn and Jon Mason are also serving as executive producers on the series.

“Moving into production is a major milestone for Jellyfish Originals and represents the culmination of over five years of tireless development, distribution, and financing efforts,” said Llewellyn. “We are thankful to key stakeholders such as Jollywise, Xentrix, Banijay and Milkshake! for their belief and commitment to this project, and we look forward to working together to deliver a high-quality animated series with global appeal.”

Xentrix Studios’ CEO, Nandish Domlur, said, “We are delighted to partner with Jellyfish Pictures to ‘bring to life’ this endearing concept by Jon Mason. Our talented team is excited to be a part of the storytelling process of Stan & Gran as together we bring it to a global audience.”

Julia Rowlands, SVP Sales, Co-Productions & Acquisitions, Banijay Kids & Family Distribution, added, “Children’s unique relationships with their grandparents is a poignant, universal theme that resonates with global audiences and cultures. Stan & Gran layers this brilliantly with comedy and charm, which is striking a chord with our buyers worldwide.”

About the series:

Stan & Gran is a funny and heart-warming CG animated series following the mystery-busting adventures of Stan Breakwater, a curious and excitable young nature lover, and his fun-loving, dynamic Gran, as together they investigate the strange goings-on in the fictional British coastal village of Porthole. Stan & Gran blends comedy and intrigue with factual entertainment and focuses on core themes including discovery, exploration, nature, science and inter-generational relationships.

jellyfishpictures.com

Winx Turns 20: Rainbow’s Magical Girls Celebrate Another Milestone

Global hit Italian animation export and licensing sensation Winx Club is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with plenty of surprises for fans in store. Producer Rainbow has announced that the animated series reboot has begun production, and the company is planning a year packed with special events and new projects tied to the double-decade milestone.

Created by Iginio StraffiWinx Club centers on the adventures of six girls — Bloom, Stella, Flora, Aisha, Musa and Tecna — as they learn to harness their magical powers to transform into fairy warriors and fight villains. Promoting friendship, courage, commitment, generosity and optimism, the show premiered in Italy on January 28, 2004 on Rai 2, becoming an explosive phenomenon.

After the series’ initial four-season run, By 2014, Winx Club had aired in 150 countries. A revival of the show, presaged by four specials, launched in 2011 in partnership with Nickelodeon and ran through Season 8 in 2019. A spin-off, World of Winx, debuted as a Netflix original series in 2016, followed in 2021 by the live-action drama Fate: The Winx Saga.

Stay tuned for updates about Rainbow’s plans for the Winx girls’ 20th birthday!

Winx Club Magic Numbers:

  • 18 billion views of Winx Club content on YouTube
  • 5 billion shares on social media with the hashtag #winxclub
  • 170 original songs
  • 18 transformations
  • Over 150 outfit changes
  • 30 enemies (all beaten)
  • Over 6,000 animated minutes
  • Over 9,000,000 frames of animation

winxclub.com

‘Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning’ Gets NorAm Distribution Deal with Shout!

Multi-platform media co. Shout! Studios and iconic Japanese studio Toei Animation Inc. have announced a new home entertainment distribution deal to bring Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning, the 2023 feature film based on the sequel series from the global hit Digimon anime franchise, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. The announcement was made today by Melissa Boag, Shout! Studios’ Executive Vice President, and Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation Inc.

“We are delighted by this new opportunity with Toei Animation and excited by this contemporary story of the DigiDestined from Digimon Adventure 02,” said Boag. “Over the years, we enjoyed tremendous success with Digimon Adventure tri. film series and Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna. We look forward to presenting Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning to anime fans and families through home entertainment very soon.”

This multi-year partnership provides Shout! Studios with North American home entertainment distribution rights to Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning for cross-platform releases in the U.S. and Canada, including all packaged media and electronic sell-through digital rights. Shout! Studios plans a strategic rollout of this new movie across multiple entertainment platforms and home entertainment shelves in 2024. Additional information and activities tied to the release will be revealed in the coming months.

Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning was a hit with franchise fans around the world, and we’re thrilled to bring it to homes across North America through this partnership with Shout! Studios,” said Endo. “Today’s news is one of many exciting things planned during 2024 as part of Toei Animation’s year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of Digimon.”

Synopsis: It’s 2012, and 10years have passed since the adventure in the Digital World. Daisuke Motomiya is now twenty, and he and the rest of the DigiDestined seem to be changing bit by bit in terms of appearance and lifestyle. Then one day, a giant Digitama suddenly appears in the sky over Tokyo Tower. Daisuke and the others encounter a mysterious young man named Lui Ohwada, who informs them that he’s the first ever DigiDestined in the world…

Produced by Toei Animation, Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning was enjoyed by fans in theaters across Japan and around the world in 2023, including its two-day U.S. theatrical release on November 8 and 9 by Toei Animation and Fathom Events. Based on the series Digimon Adventure 02, which debuted a new cast of characters to the franchise in 2000, this brand-new movie adventure is a contemporary continuation of the series which follows the DigiDestined children as 20-year-old young adults.

Director Tomohisa Taguchi and scriptwriter Akatsuki Yamatoya with production by Toei Animation — the same team behind the most recent film Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna — reunite to weave this new story.

The home entertainment release will feature an English-language dub produced by Toei Animation specifically for the U.S. theatrical run. The film’s English voice cast is led by Brian Donovan as Daisuke Motomiya, reprising his role from the series, Jeannie Tirado (My Hero Academia), Bryce Papenbrook (Digimon Adventure), Tara Sands (Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna), Johnny Yong Bosch (Digimon Adventure tri.) and Derek Stephen Prince (Digimon Adventure 02), among others.

Baobab & 9 Story Bring Roblox Hit ‘Momoguro’ to TV

Ten-time Emmy Award-winning interactive animation shop Baobab Studios and kids & family content co. 9 Story Media Group today announced a partnership to co-produce and launch a new television series for Baobab Studios’ game-based property Momoguro, aimed at children ages 6-12. The project is spurred by the success of the Momoguro Roblox games, which have garnered worldwide fandom with over 21 million visits and an 87% positivity score.

Baobab Studios and 9 Story Media Group will leverage their award-winning creative, development and production experience along with 9 Story’s established distribution, financing and merchandising business in support of the new series.

The Momoguro franchise was created by Baobab Studios, in collaboration with industry-recognized creators Martin Allais & Nico Casavecchia and developed for television and games by Baobab Studios. Baobab also launched the Momoguro digital collectibles game, the first of its kind to be nominated for an Emmy Award.

Momoguro’s fantastical universe features contrasting creatures who use the magical power of Momoguro to fuse together, forming powerful beings, greater than the sum of their parts — but only if they can work together.

“We’re delighted that Momoguro‘s characters and universal theme of ‘stronger together’ has resonated with global audiences and gained such popularity with the family audience on Roblox. Our fans have told us it evokes the childhood nostalgia of Pokémon meeting Voltron,” said Maureen Fan, CEO & Co-Founder of Baobab Studios. “We feel there is no better partner to grow this universe independently than with 9 Story, known worldwide for scaling hit children’s programs through licensing and distribution across every major TV market.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the talented team at Baobab to bring Momoguro to new audiences as our first Roblox to TV IP,” said Vince Commisso, President & CEO of 9 Story. “Momoguro is a fresh take on the hero genre, set in a rich world where two kids, born on opposing sides of an age-old feud, find a deep connection through self-expression. Just like the game, our heroes find themselves at the heart of a societal transformation that will put the power in the hands of kids.”

The upcoming Momoguro series joins Baobab’s two recently announced Disney+ shows: The Witchverse, a fantasy action-adventure universe based on Baba Yaga, the three-time Emmy-winning interactive VR experience and short film; and Intercats, a cat workplace comedy based on the studio’s graphic novel series with First Second Books / Macmillan.

9 Story Media Group is a global leader in all aspects of children’s media, including development, production, distribution and brand management. The company recently announced a significant multi-project development, production co-financing and licensing deal with Crayola Studios and was ranked Top Ten on the Kidscreen Hot50 across Distribution, Licensing, Production and Digital Media, including #1 in the Distribution category. Recent and upcoming series include Open Season: Call of Nature (Discovery Latam, WildBrain Canada), Dee & Friends in Oz (Netflix), Lu & The Bally Bunch (Warner Bros. Discovery US, Latam and EMEA, CBC Kids) and A Kind of Spark Season 2 (BBC, CBC Kids and BYUtv).

baobabstudios.com | 9story.com

‘Harley Quinn’ EPs Justin Halpern & Patrick Shumacker Ink Exclusive Deal with WBTV Group

Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, the co-developers and executive producers of Max’s critically acclaimed adult animated series Harley Quinn as well as exec producers and co-showrunners of ABC’s Abbott Elementary (earning them two consecutive Emmy nominations as well as a Peabody Award), have entered a new exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group, which backs both series. The agreement reportedly covers four years, though details have not been disclosed.

Halpern and Schumacker will continue to develop, create and produce programming through their banner Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, which is housed at WBTV. Projects will include series for Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max, external streamers, broadcast networks and cable outlets.

Harley Quinn debuted to rave reviews in 2019. Based on DC characters and starring exec producer Kaley Cuoco as the titular villainess, the Warner Bros. Animation series won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series in 2023 and was nominated again this year — Cuoco won Best Voice Actress at the short-lived Critics’ Choice Super Awards for genre television — as well as the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards, and has bee nominated for four Annie Awards and two GLAAD Awards. The show was recently renewed for a fifth season.

Halpern and Schumacker first worked with WBTV on the 2010 William Shatner comedy $h*! My Dad Says, based on Halpern’s book. With new Harley Quinn and Season 3 of Abbott Elementary on the way, the duo — whose credits also include Surviving Jack (FOX), Powerless (NBC) and iZombie (CW) and, of course, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special — will see their next project, the animated Harley Quinn spinoff Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, debut on Max later this year.

Under the new WBTV deal, Chriss Romero (The Good Place, Superstore, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) continues as Vice President of Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, overseeing development and current projects including Harley Quinn and Kite Man. She joined the shingle in 2021, having previously worked at Fierce Baby Prod., NBC and CAA.

[Source: Deadline]

Trailer: ‘Hot Wheels Let’s Race’ Burns Rubber to Netflix Debut

Hot Wheels Let's Race

Netflix is ready to put kids into the animated driver’s seat in the new CG series Hot Wheels Let’s Race, premiering on the streamer March 4. The show’s trailer dropped today, featuring an energetic track by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, the along with first-look images.

Musician, singer-songwriter and FOB lead vocalist Stump composed, recorded and produced the theme song for Hot Wheels Let’s Race in addition to leading the composition of the score, underscore and music cues for all episodes.

“Hot Wheels is an iconic brand that I’ve loved since I was a kid, which is why I’m so excited to be working on Hot Wheels Let’s Race with Mattel Television Studios and Netflix,” said Stump. “Let’s Race is a high-energy thrill ride, and I’m so proud of the way the music brings the show to life. I can’t wait for the months ahead when the next generation of Hot Wheels fans around the world get to experience it for themselves.”

Synopsis: Based on the number-one selling toy in the world, Hot Wheels Let’s Race is a high-octane series that ignites and unlocks the challenger spirit within every racer! The series follows the newest generation of racers as they experience mind-blowing races, extreme stunt contests and thrill-seeking challenges.

Produced by Mattel Television Studios with animation by Sprite Animation Studios and OLM Digital, the series is developed by Rob David, Melanie Shannon and Jordan Gershowitz; executive produced by Rob David, Christopher Keenan and Fred Soulie; and produced by Mike Roberts and Diane A. Crea.

netflix.com/hotwheelsletsrace

Animation Guild Co-Commissioned Study on AI Jobs Impact “Demands Urgent Attention”

A new survey on the impact of generative AI (GenAI) on the entertainment industry reveals a dramatic shift in the story of film, television, animation and video game jobs and technology that, the commissioning bodies emphasize, demands urgent attention. The findings indicate a wave of disruption that creative workers will face, characterized by the consolidation, replacement and elimination of job roles as GenAI technology evolves.

CVL Economics conducted the survey, which was commissioned by the Concept Art Association (CAA, conceptartassociation.com), The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839, animationguild.org), The Human Artistry Campaign (humanartistrycampaign.com) and The National Cartoonist Society Foundation (cartoonistfoundation.org).

The study, conducted between November 17 and December 22, 2023, surveyed 300 C-Suite leaders, senior executives and mid-level managers across six key entertainment industries to better understand how this technology is being used now, how it will be used over the next three years, and assessing how these technologies will impact creative workers.

Key findings include:

  • Three-fourths (75%) of survey respondents indicated GenAI tools, software and/or models had supported the elimination, reduction or consolidation of jobs in their business division. At the same time, most executives and managers indicate GenAI has already led to the creation of new job titles and roles in their organization. Whether these new jobs will offset inevitable job losses is not
    clear.
  • Over 90% of business leaders foresee GenAI playing a larger role in the entertainment industries, with 26% indicating it would play a significantly larger role over the next three years. That said, only 26% of respondents felt their organization’s workforce was fully prepared for the integration of GenAI into their workflows.
  • Almost half (47%) of business leaders felt that over the next three years, GenAI will be effective in generating 3D assets as well as realistic sound design for film, television and video games. Another 44% believed GenAI would be able to generate realistic and convincing foreign-language dubbing for film or television dialogue, and 39% believed GenAI would be generating music mixes and masters by 2026.
  • About 21.4% of film, television and animation jobs (or approximately 118,500 jobs) are likely to have a sufficient number of tasks affected to be either consolidated, replaced or eliminated by GenAI in the U.S. by 2026. As the state with the largest industry employment and industry concentration (or location quotient), California will be impacted the most (affecting 39,500 jobs) both in total job disruption nationwide and with respect to its own economy. New York also has a relatively high employment concentration and will see 15,100 film, television, and animation jobs affected over the next three years.

 


For more information on the survey and its implications, visit conceptartassociation.com/advocacy or click here for the full report, “Future Unscripted: The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Entertainment Industry Jobs.”

Nelvana Plugs in to ‘Trapped in a Video Game’ Animated Film Series with Andrews McMeel

International kids’ content producer, distributor and licensor Nelvana is collaborating with Andrews McMeel Entertainment to develop Trapped in a Video Game, a series of CG-animated films based on the hit book series created and written by Dustin Brady. While development is underway on the first movie, Nelvana and Andrews McMeel Entertainment are looking for international partners.

“The energetic, edge-of-your-seat adventures that Dustin Brady has created aligns so well with Nelvana’s brand of world class storytelling,” said Athena Georgaklis, Vice President of Nelvana Studios. “Books have the power to transcend pages, and when those stories are extended to new platforms, we can give fans another way to experience their favorite characters. It’s a pleasure working with Andrews McMeel Entertainment to build upon the Trapped in a Video Game fandom.”

Trapped in a Video Game

Getting sucked into a video game is not as much fun as you’d think. Sure, there are jetpacks, hover tanks, and infinite lives, but what happens when the game starts to turn on you? In the bestselling book series, 12-year-old Jesse Rigsby finds out just how dangerous video games — and the people making those games — can be.

The film series will deliver the non-stop action, huge plot twists and tons of humor that fans know and love from the books.

“Dustin Brady enthralled readers with the first Trapped in a Video Game, and fans have eagerly anticipated (and subsequently delighted in) each book that followed,” said Matt Sheppo, Head of Development at Andrews McMeel Entertainment. “The vibrant and imaginative adventures lend themselves perfectly to screens, and we’re confident viewers will be just as thrilled with each film. Nelvana is an ideal partner to bring the popular series to life.”

The first installment of the five-book series was released in 2018, and the complete series has sold nearly 2.5 million copies worldwide. The books are published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. Andrews McMeel Entertainment is represented by Independent Artist Group (IAG).

‘Yumi’s Cells’ First Feature Fires Up for EFM

The Naver Webtoon hit Yumi’s Cells — which dives into the internal, psychological world of a young woman and the brain cells that drive her emotions — will debut a fully-animated feature film to buyers at European Film Market in Berlin this month (February 15-21). The 3D CG pic is produced by Locus Animation Studios (Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs) and Naver’s Studio N (Sweet Home), and Barunson E&A (Parasite) has picked up international rights.

The original manhwa created by Dong-gun Lee ran for over 500 chapters from 2015 to 2020. The story centers on Yumi Kim, a 30-something office worker, and reflects her life experiences through the antics of the tiny hood-clad cells insider her brain that are each responsible for Yumi’s emotions and behavior; such as Anxiety Cell, Love Cell, Emotional Cell, Rational Cell and Naughty Cell. The comics earned an average 9.9/10 rating per chapter across 3.2 billion views on Naver Webtoon.

The IP inspired a drama series which premiered in Korea in 2021, combining live-action with animated segments for the cellular activity. The Yumi’s Cells show ran for two seasons (28 episodes) and sold to more than 150 territories around the world, including major multi-territory Prime Video.

Picking up where the TV series left off, he franchise’s debut feature film will be fully-animated and explore the love story between Yumi and her Season 2 love interest, Babi, a co-worker. The movie will also follow Yumi as she pursues her dreams of becoming a writer.