Animation Magazine

BabyTV Celebrates 20 Years of Entertaining Tots

Top Stories

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March 18, 2025

BabyTV Celebrates 20 Years of Entertaining Tots

BabyTV, the world’s first global dedicated television channel for babies and toddlers, marks its 20th anniversary this year. Over the past two decades, BabyTV has redefined early childhood entertainment with safe, high-quality and engaging content for children aged five and under, and has been a trusted partner for parents.

Founded in 2005, BabyTV was acquired by Fox International Channels in 2007, expanding its reach and solidifying its position as a trusted brand for parents worldwide. In 2019, The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox, making BabyTV part of Disney’s global family of networks. This transition has further strengthened BabyTV’s ability to innovate and deliver premium content to families worldwide.

To celebrate this milestone, BabyTV is kicking off a special anniversary celebration starting April 1. Viewers can look forward to a festive programming lineup featuring birthday-themed episodes of beloved shows; a social media tribute to iconic moments, characters and series from the past 20 years; and exclusive collections on the BabyTV app and YouTube channels. Plus, plenty of surprises along the way to thank families for making BabyTV a part of their journey.

Co-founder Ron Isaak and the BabyTV team have also taken the milestone as an opportunity to introduce its latest productions:

The Jungle Book – BabyTV’s unique take on The Jungle Book, featuring “Baloo’s Forest School,” followed by “Welcome to the Jungle,” a new song series exploring Mowgli’s first experiences in the jungle.
Travelers – Join the level-headed Perry and the mischievous Harley as they discover that there’s more than one way to solve a problem.
Olly – Meet Olly, a playful three-year-old monkey who loves dressing up with his toy friends — whether as a bus driver, doctor, or dancer!
My Robot & I – Follow Kim and her robot friend Kit as they explore the world together.
The Lollipops – A toddler pop trio whose upbeat songs and performances will get everyone singing and dancing along.
Billy and Bam Bam DIY Song Series – Sibling duo Billy and Bam Bam turn everyday objects into imaginative play.
Family Song Series – With Mom and Dad leading the way, Taylor (seven years old), Robbie (four) and Eddie (two) turn everyday moments into fun adventures.
Charlie & Friends – A lively song series where Charlie builds friendships through music and play.
Tulip’s Daycare – Ms. Tulip and her students care for their vegetable garden while finding creative ways to befriend hungry animal visitors.

Spring Blooms with Animated Premieres on PBS KIDS

Mercedes Milligan

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March 18, 2025

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Spring Blooms with Animated Premieres on PBS KIDS

Families looking for colorful animated entertainment over Spring Break can tune into PBS KIDS, which will be offering a delightful bouquet of new episode premieres for cartoon favorites.

The season kicks off with new episodes of Carl the Collector, just in time for Autism Acceptance Month. Five new episodes will roll out beginning March 31, highlighting themes of self-expression, confidence, and inclusion. Carl and his friends navigate everything from music and playtime to problem-solving and gratitude, helping kids celebrate their own unique ways of experiencing the world.

Spring will also bring sunny nature-themed seasonal specials from popular PBS KIDS animated series:

Nature Cat – The Nature-tastic Four Movie! (Premieres April 3)

In this one-hour special, Nature Cat questions his place in the Nature-tastic Four when a space creature named Sandos arrives, eager to steal the team’s power. With Earth’s natural resources at stake, it’s up to Nature Cat to save the day once again!

Wild Kratts: Activate Kid Power (Premieres April 7)

In this brand-new Wild Kratts special, the team faces an overload of creature rescue calls, causing their power capacity to fail. But with the help of Wild Kratts Kids, they discover that Kid Power might be the greatest power of all!

Young viewers can also activate their creature powers with the Kratt brothers with two new episodes of Wild Kratts launching the same day.

Elinor Wonders Why (Premieres April 21)

This new special follows Elinor and her friends as they set off on a journey to Moose Mountain to retrieve Ari’s beloved plushie after it’s taken by an eagle. Along the way, they observe seasonal changes and discover the power of imagination!

Three additional STEM-powered new episodes of Elinor Wonders Why also debut the week of April 21.

‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ Head Writer David Steven Cohen Has Died, Age 66

Animation Magazine

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March 18, 2025

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‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ Head Writer David Steven Cohen Has Died, Age 66

David Steven Cohen, a multiple Emmy Award-nominated animation and television writer and producer, has died at age 66 due to to cancer. News of his passing was shared on Facebook by longtime friend, animation historian Jerry Beck.

Cohen launched his television career in the mid-1980s, and over the following decade for live-action comedies like Fox’s Mr. President, ALF, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Living Single. He also wrote the TV live-action/puppet movie The Wickedest Witch, starring Rue McClanahan. He got his first big animation break with the 1988 animated spin-off ALF Tales (available to watch on YouTube Movies & TV), which he wrote and developed with Roger S.H. Schulman (Shrek).

The 1990s saw Cohen transitioning from mostly live-action projects to more animation, as he wrote for Steven Spielberg’s Tiny Toon Adventures, the holiday special A Cool Like That Christmas, and joined forces again with Schulman as part of the screenplay team for Amblin’s theatrical animated feature Balto (1995), starring Kevin Bacon.

At the turn of the millennium, Cohen came on board John Dilworth’s Cartoon Network hit Courage the Cowardly Dog, which ran from 1999-2002. Cohen served as a writer, then staff writer, then head writer on the popular series. The show centers on an easily spooked pup who lives in “the middle of nowhere” in an old farmhouse that is somehow a frequent stop for sinister characters of all kinds — leaving it up to Courage to protect his oblivious elderly owners. (The series is available to stream for Max subscribers and to purchase on Prime Video.)

After four seasons of Courage, Cohen contributed episodes to kids’ and preschool toons including Kenny the Shark, Viva Piñata, Arthur, Peg+Cat, Little People, Space Racers and Treasure Trekkers.

Over the course of his career, Cohen was recognized with two shared Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Children’s Program, for the puppet show The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. In the 2010s, he was part of the Daytime Emmy-nominated writing team of Arthur, and shared a win for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program for Peg+Cat.

In 1998, he won the WGA Award for Children’s Script for the Seuss-inspired series, for the episode “The Song of the Zubble-Wump.” Nine years later, Cohen received another WGA nomination for an episode of live-action kids’s series Phil of the Future, and in 2010 he was awarded the Richard B. Jablow Award for service to the Guild.

Disney+ Adds ‘The Simpsons’ 24/7 Streaming Feed

Mercedes Milligan

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March 18, 2025

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Disney+ Adds ‘The Simpsons’ 24/7 Streaming Feed

Beginning today, Disney+ will add a new 24/7 always-on Stream for The Simpsons, with 767 episodes across seasons 1-35 programmed in chronological order at launch. This means a total of nearly 300 continuous hours with the Marge, Homer, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

“From day one, the fans have asked for a Stream of The Simpsons, and we’re happy to oblige,” said Gabe Lewis, SVP of Programming & Content Curation, Disney+. “Streams on Disney+ have been a fantastic go-to experience for subscribers looking to sit back and relax with their favorite shows and movies, and we look forward to evolving the user experience and expanding the offering with more Streams, to more subscribers, later this year.”

The Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman added, “The Simpsons Stream will deliver a Simpsons marathon all day, every day — no matter when you tune in, this ultimate Simpsons binge will be there.”

The Simpsons Stream, featuring a programming lineup that will be refreshed monthly and accessible to Premium subscribers, adds to a collection of lean-back viewing experiences on Disney+.

Additional Streams currently available to Premium subscribers include: Hits & Heroes, delivering a compilation of action content from marquee brands and franchises; Throwbacks, a destination for nostalgic pop culture content; and Real Life, offering a lineup of traditional documentaries, biopics and true stories. Other Streams remain available to all Disney+ subscribers like ABC News, featuring live newscasts, breaking news, live events and in-depth special reports; and Disney+ Playtime, for younger viewers.

In addition to 35 seasons of The Simpsons, Disney+ is also home to The Simpsons Movie, exclusive full-length Simpsons episodes, and more than 10 shorts. Bundle subscribers can also stream the current season via Hulu on Disney+. Find it all in the Simpsons collection at disneyplus.com/franchise/the-simpsons.

The Must-Have List: Revisiting Classic ‘Tom & Jerry,’ ‘Macross,’ ‘Amphibia’ & More

Mercedes Milligan

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March 17, 2025

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The Must-Have List: Revisiting Classic ‘Tom & Jerry,’ ‘Macross,’ ‘Amphibia’ & More

This article was written for the
March ’25 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 348).

—BOOKS—

The Art of Amphibia

Series creator Matt Braly teamed up with author Drew Taylor (The Art and Making of Ultraman: Rising) to craft this loving toad ode to his Disney toon, which follows three best friends on adventures through a magical otherworld populated by frog people and dangerous beasts. The 224-page hardcover showcases behind-the-scenes artwork, never-before-seen designs and dev art and insights from the crew. Voice star Brenda Song (Anne) penned the foreword.

Tokyopop / $50 / March 25

The Art and Making of Ultraman: Rising

Speaking of Taylor, already on shelves is his tome dedicated to Japan’s supersized hero, as seen in the fully-animated Netflix movie. Page by page, fans can experience the story of Ultraman and his adopted baby kaiju through its design and art development evolution. The lush artwork is accompanied by commentary from the cast and crew, including writer-director Shannon Tindle and co-director John Aoshima.

Titan Books / $50

Skin & Bones

Fall into the adorably macabre creative mind of Dana Terrace in her first-ever monograph, collecting artwork from the past 10 years from hundreds of personal sketchbooks. Pre-order options include sets with exclusive stickers, print, mug, shirt and even an original sketch by the artist. Best known as the creator of critically acclaimed show The Owl House, Terrace has also worked on Gravity Falls and DuckTales, and has a new project titled Knights of Guinevere in the works. (Due to gory content, the book is not recommended for younger fans.)

Gallery Nucleus / Pre-orders closed, inquire about availability with gallerynucleus.com

—DISCS—

Macross Zero LE

An exclusive deluxe presentation of the five-episode OVA mech series. Includes Macross Zero Zero bonus footage and audio commentary, plus a 128-page booklet, eight art cards and a poster.

Crunchyroll Store / $90

Tom & Jerry: The Complete CinemaScope Cartoon Collection

All 23 CinemaScope widescreen adventures from the iconic cat and mouse, plus three bonus Hanna-Barbera toons.

Warner Archive / $25

Felidae

The indie animation resurrectionists of Deaf Crocodile offer a very different cat tale: German director-producer Michael Schaack’s 1994 tale of grisly murder and Gothic intrigue among domestic felines. Never before released in the U.S.! Not for kids!!

Deaf Crocodile / $26

—MERCH—

ICYMI, the cult hit mixed-media series Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared launched a new website at the end of 2024, creating a global hub to watch both the original webisodes and Channel 4 show. Plus, there’s an online bazaar of new merch designed by creators Becky & Joe, including apparel, accessories, prints and stickers. Celebrate the absurd with a stylish “Websites Are the Future” long sleeve shirt (£40), “Nothing” cap (£27) or the “Piñata” design tote (£25).

dhmis.tv

‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘X-Men ’97’ Win at ACE Eddie Awards

Mercedes Milligan

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March 17, 2025

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‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘X-Men ’97’ Win at ACE Eddie Awards

American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced Saturday the winners for the 75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards, recognizing outstanding editing in 14 categories of film, television and documentaries. The winners were announced at the live ceremony at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

Acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu received the ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award, recognizing a filmmaker who exemplifies distinguished achievement in the art and business of film. Film editors Maysie Hoy, ACE and Paul Hirsch, ACE received Career Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to film editing.

Adding to its long list of accolades this awards season, DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot was awarded Best Edited Animated Feature Film, for editor Mary Blee. This was Blee’s first nomination and win for an Eddie Award. She also shared the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Editing in an Animated Feature for The Wild Robot this year, and was nominated for the same prize in 2020 as part of the team on DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Blee has been an editor or associate editor on a number of other DWA features, including the full How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, The Boss Baby films, The Croods films and Over the Hedge, as well as Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet.

The Eddie for Best Edited Animated Series went to X-Men ’97 for the episode “Remember It,” edited by Michelle McMillan. This was also a debut nomination and win from ACE for McMillan, who has previously shared a nomination for the Annie for editing in a TV production for Netflix’s intro special Arlo the Alligator Boy. McMillan also edited for the series I Heart Arlo, and was an animatic editor for She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh and All Hail King Julien.

See the full roster of ACE Eddie Awards nominees and winners and watch a video recording of the ceremony at americancinemaeditors.org/eddie-awards.

Animation & VFX Co. Cinesite Secures $215M Funding Package

Mercedes Milligan

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March 17, 2025

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Animation & VFX Co. Cinesite Secures $215M Funding Package

The Cinesite group, one of the world’s largest independent visual effects and animation studio collectives, announced a series of transactions which will result in a new long-term funding package of US$215 million to support its continued operations, technological innovation and strategic expansion. Cinesite asserts this significant financial commitment underscores the company’s ambitions and confidence in the entertainment sector.

The funding package empowers Cinesite to overcome the challenges posed by recent industry disruption that has affected the entire sector. The industry will now be considering how best to work with its supply chain to identify, develop, test and validate solutions that deliver more sustainable and robust collaboration between vendors, studios and filmmakers. Simultaneously, the Cinesite group will continue to expand its production capabilities across animation, visual effects, immersive content and motion capture, while leveraging cutting-edge technologies and exploring the potential of generative AI.

This announcement comes at a pivotal time for the entertainment industry, which has faced numerous challenges in recent years, including the L.A. wildfires as well as the impact of the Hollywood strikes. The Cinesite group retained as many of its highly skilled artists and technical talent as possible, ensuring its studio network was ready to seamlessly resume production as soon as the strikes concluded. This commitment to talent, while impacting the company’s short-term financials, was crucial to maintaining quality and skilled expertise, allowing the company to continue servicing client projects without further disruption.

Cinesite will capitalize on the growing demand for high-quality entertainment content worldwide while considering strategic acquisitions and partnerships to achieve its medium- and longer-term objectives.

“We have served this industry for over 30 years and in that time we have seen many changes; our longevity comes in part from our ability to adapt. In the next phase of our business you can expect to see us taking advantage of opportunities thrown up by the disruption of the past couple of years,” said Cinesite Group CEO Antony Hunt. “Thanks to the renewed commitment of our banks, shareholders and other stakeholders and the ongoing confidence our clients place in our services, we will continue to produce exceptional work for audiences, while fueling innovation and studio growth.”

NatWest Corporate Bank led the financing alongside the studio’s long-standing relationship banks Barclays and Santander. Its shareholders, including family office Gryphion, supported the overall package of senior and junior debt and equity lines.

“This funding package underscores the conviction of Cinesite’s shareholders and banks in the industry’s recovery and the continued demand for high-quality visual narratives,” said William Ford, Chief Investment Officer at Gryphion. “Cinesite’s strategic market position and growth potential, combined with its ability to consistently produce top-tier entertainment during unprecedented times, made renewing our support a straightforward choice. We are confident in Cinesite’s leadership and their ability to thrive as the broader industry restores its equilibrium.”

The Cinesite Group has contributed to a wide range of notable projects during its 32-plus year history. Its VFX work spans blockbuster films like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, James Bond, and Harry Potter franchises, as well as acclaimed television series The Witcher, The Mandalorian and Band of Brothers. In animation, the studio has delivered films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and The Addams Family films.

Cinesite’s upcoming projects include Warfare, Michael, G2O and a new Smurfs film. The studio has moved into animated series with productions like Iwájú for Disney+, gaming cinematics such as Invincible: Guarding the Globe for Ubisoft as well as pioneering immersive content for clients such as the multi-sensory experience Frameless and The National Portrait Gallery.

cinesite.com

Hollywood Responds to OpenAI & Google Challenges to Copyright

Animation Magazine

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March 17, 2025

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Hollywood Responds to OpenAI & Google Challenges to Copyright

Hundreds of entertainment industry creatives have signed on to a new open letter issued in response to recent submissions from OpenAI and Google (read here and here) claiming that U.S. law allows, or should allow, AI companies to train their programs on copyrighted works without the permission of or compensation to the copyright owners.

the letter has been submitted to the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) for the U.S. AI Action Plan.

“America’s arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3M American jobs with over $229Bn in wages annually, while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations,” the letter reads.

“Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America’s knowledge industries.”

The prominent figures in film, television and music who have signed the letter include Guillermo del Toro (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Phil Lord & Chris Miller (The LEGO Movie, Clone High), Paul McCartney, Ava Duvernay, Aubrey Plaza, Ron Howard, Taika Waititi, Cynthia Erivo and many, many more.

You can read the full statement and list of signatories here.

Classic ‘Looney Tunes’ Completely Removed from Max

Animation Magazine

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March 17, 2025

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Classic ‘Looney Tunes’ Completely Removed from Max

It’s official. The original Looney Tunes shorts of animation’s Golden Age (1930-1969) have been pulled from Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max platform. Deadline confirmed with the streamer that these iconic films, which include Academy Award winners or nominees and National Film Registry inductees, are no longer available on the streamer as part of WBD’s prioritization of “adult and family programming,” which apparently classifies these highly influential, multi-generational favorites as children’s fare.

The decision comes after years of uncertainty for Looney Tunes fans. In January of 2023, then-HBO Max removed more than 250 classic shorts from the platform. Later that year, it erroneously included collection in its list of outgoing titles for November before issuing a correction. In February of 2024, Max swapped roughly 130 Looney Tunes shorts on the platform out for a new batch, which included the previously removed notables like Porky’s Duck Hunt, One Froggy Evening and What’s Opera, Doc?

Despite WBD’s massive catalog of animation, including the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and Hanna-Barbera classics as well as decades of favorites from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, the post-merger company has disappointed fans by removing numerous seasons and full series from Max. Last year, the Boomerang classic cartoon service was shut down entirely, followed by CartoonNetwork.com. The David Zaslav-led company also dumped the hybrid Looney Tunes feature Coyote vs. Acme for a $70 million write-off, and dropped distribution of the fully animated feature The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which has finally hit theaters through Ketchup Entertainment.

According to Deadline, Max is still offering spinoffs of the Looney Tunes franchise, including The Day the Earth Blew Up helmer Peter Browngardt’s Looney Tunes Cartoons (six seasons), New Looney Tunes (two seasons, with missing episodes), Baby Looney Tunes (two seasons), Tiny Toons Looniversity (two seasons and Spring Break special), The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (five seasons) and preschool-targeted Bugs Bunny Builders (two seasons).

Exclusive: Annecy Intl. Animation Festival Reveals Eclectic Lineup for Its 2025 Official Shorts Competition

Ramin Zahed

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March 17, 2025

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Exclusive: Annecy Intl. Animation Festival Reveals Eclectic Lineup for Its 2025 Official Shorts Competition

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival has revealed the list of 35 shorts selected for the official competition in its upcoming edition, scheduled for June 8-14. According to the organizers, over 3,900 shorts from a hundred countries were submitted for consideration. The selection committees were coordinated by Maud Ahamadnia. The participants were Maud Ahamdnia, Imane Belarbi, Raphael Cahuzac, Louis Cacciuttolo, Apolline Caron-Ottavi, Marco de Blois, Corinne Destombes, Vivien Forsans, Lucie Guillermot, Lise Haushalter, Jean-Baptiste Garnero, Laurent Milton, Maral Mohsenin, Marie-Pauline Mollaret, Louise Naudot, Isabelle Vanini and Peggy Zejgman-Lecarne. The final decisions were made by Annecy’s festival director Marcel Jean, after consulting with the selection committee.

The selection breakdown is as follows:

35 shorts in the Official Selection
9 titles in the Off Limits category
17 shorts in the Perspectives sidebar
10 selected in the Young Audiences group

The Girl Who Cried Pearls, directed by Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski (NFB, Canada)

Here are the 35 titles selected for the Official Shorts Competition:

9 Million Colors. Directed by Bára Anna Stejskalová (Czech Republic)
At Night. Directed by Pooya Afzali (Iran)
Atomik Tour. Directed by Bruno Collet (France)
Bread Will Walk. Directed by Alex Boya (Canada)
Carcassonne-Acapulco. Directed by Marjorie Caup, Olivier Heraud (France)
Dog Ear. Directed by Peter Vacz (Hungary)
Dollhouse Elephant. Directed by Jenny Jokela (Finland)
Fusion. Directed by Richard Reeves (Canada)
Hairy Legs. Directed by Andrea Dorfman (Canada)
Hatjer. Directed by Alejandro Ariel Martin (Argentina)
Il Burattino et la Balena (The Puppet & the Whale). Directed by Roberto Catani (France, Italy)
La vie avec un idiot (Life with an Idiot.) Directed by Theodore Ushev, Alexandra Ushev (France)
Les Bêtes (The Beasts). Directed by Michael Granberry (U.S.)
Luna Rossa (Red Moon). Directed by Priit Pärn, Olga Pärn (Estonia, France)
Murmuration. Directed by Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger (Netherlands)
My Brother, My Brother. Directed by Abdelrahman Dnewar, Saad Dnewar (Germany, Egypt France)
My Wonderful Life. Directed by Calleen Koh (Singapore)
Ordinary Life. Directed by Yuriko Mizushiri (France, Japan)
Ovary-Acting. Directed by Ida Melum (Norway, Sweden, U.K.)
Praying Mantis. Directed by Joe Hsieh (Taiwan)
Sappho. Directed by Rosana Urbes (Brazil)
Shadows. Directed by Rand Beiruty (France, Jordan)
Shocking Dreams in the Circus. Directed by Xun Sun (China)
Signal. Directed by Emma Carré, Mathilde Parquet (France, Belgium)
Sisowath Quay. Directed by Stephanie Lansaque, François Leroy (France)
Star Wars: Visions “Black.” Directed by Shinya Ohira (Japan)
Sulaimani. Directed by Vinnie Ann Bose (France)
Tapeworm Alexis & the Opera Diva. Directed by Thaïs Odermatt (Switzerland)
Thank you, Doctor Farsi. Directed by Samaneh Shojaei (Iran)
The Exploding Girl. Directed by Caroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel (France)
The Girl Who Cried Pearls. Directed by Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski (Canada)
The Gnawer of Rocks. Directed by Louise Flaherty (Canada)
The Magician. Directed by Bogdan Muresanu (Croatia, France, Romania)
The Night Boots. Directed by Pierre Luc Granjon (France)
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish. Directed by Daria Kopiec (Poland)

The winner of the competition will automatically be shortlisted for next year’s Academy Awards.

Here are the selections for the other sidebars:

OFF-LIMITS

Capriccio, Hungary – Gabor Ulrich
Coda, Norway – Thor Silversten
This Is not Your Garden, Colombia – Carlos Velandia, Angélica Restrepo
Firewalk, Finland – Pink Twins
Gerhard, Germany – Ulu Braun
Rakugaki, Japan – Ryo Orikasa
SKRFF, Austria – Corrie Francis Parks, Daniel Nuderscher
The Prologue, Austria – Marzieh Emadi, Sina Sadaat
Father Ademt, Belgium – Juliette Pons

PERSPECTIVES

Blinded by the Light, Ghana – Francis Y. Brown
Bloody Mess, Canada – Megan Wennberg
Box, China – Yuanjia Huang, Tingyi Zhou, Yafei Xie
Dédé (Ancestor), United Kingdom – Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume
Fačuk, Croatia, Slovenia – Maida Srabovic
Goldau, Swistzerland – Roman Kalin
Ibuka, Justice, Canada – Justice Rutikara
K’uchu: Rincon of childhood, Peru – Alessio Del Pozo
Kronicitet, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Aleta Rajic
The Circus of Mustachioed Clowns, Argentina – Ana Comes, Tomas Alzogaray Vanella Nella, Paz Bloj
Nagofteh Namanad, Iran – Mahboobeh Kalaee, Ali Fotoohi
Dark Orange, Iran – Zahra Azadpour
Psychonauts, Croatia – Niko Radas
S The Wolf: “I Will Have the Crown Back On My Head”, Egypt, France – Sameh Alaa
Silent Cinema, Macedonia – Krste Gospodinovski
Snake Soup, Armenia – Zack Demirtshiyan
All These Deaths, Lebanon – Fadi Syriani

Young Audiences

A Walk into the Afterlife, Luxembourg – Jiyun Jeong
Cardboard, United Kingdom – Jean-Philippe Vine
Forevergreen, United States – Nathan Engelhardt, Jeremy Spears
The Carp and the Child, Belgium, France – Morgane Simon, Arnaud Demyunick
The Grand Annual Party of Moon Creatures, Canada – Francis Desharnais
The Night Tunnel, Belgium, France, Netherlands – Annechien Strouven
The Carpinchos, Chile, France, Uruguay – Alfredo Soderguit
Sapan, Turkey, Kerem Yoruk, Yasir Atis
Snow Bear, United States – Aaron Blaise
Tsuru, Brazil – Pedro Anias

Visit the website (Annecyfestival.com) to find out more about the 2025 edition. Annecy will reveals its picks for student films, TV and commissioned projects, VR and animated features categories in upcoming weeks.

Universal Orlando Resort Offers First Look at Isle of Berk, Nintendo & More Epic Universe Worlds

Mercedes Milligan

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March 17, 2025

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Universal Orlando Resort Offers First Look at Isle of Berk, Nintendo & More Epic Universe Worlds

Universal Orlando Resort has shared an official first look inside Universal Epic Universe – the destination’s fourth theme park, which will hold its grand opening on May 22, 2025.

The new theme park will present the next level in immersion and innovation as it unlocks the portals to five new worlds: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.

Here is an official look at some of the locations guests will be able to explore at Universal Epic Universe:

The Chronos

As guests start their day, they will pass through the stunning Chronos portal that serves as the gateway to the incredible adventures found in Epic Universe. The first world guests will encounter upon entering the Chronos is Celestial Park, where they can board a shooting comet for an exhilarating roller coaster adventure, dine on delectable cuisine, shop exclusive merchandise to commemorate their visit and more.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, guests will journey from a Muggle park in Paris into the breathtaking spectacle of 1920s Place Cachée — a hidden, bustling shopping district in wizarding Paris. Within Place Cachée, guests will find numerous dining venues like Café l’Air de la Sirène; chic shopping options like Les Galeries Mirifiques; a live, full-scale theater experience, Le Cirque Arcanus; and more. Visitors will also journey from wizarding Paris to the British Ministry of Magic to witness the long-awaited trial of the infamous Dolores Umbridge in the thrilling ride, “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.”

Super Nintendo World

After guests emerge from the iconic green pipe into Super Nintendo World, they’ll be immersed into the worlds of beloved Nintendo characters Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Donkey Kong and more. Within Universal Orlando’s most colorful and interactive experience yet, they’ll encounter familiar places inspired by Nintendo’s games, including Mt. Beanpole.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Upon entering the larger-than-life world of How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, guests will be captivated by a real-life version of the iconic sweeping vista straight from the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon films. As they take in the vast sparkling lagoon, two 40-foot-tall Viking statues and an energetic village perched above churning seas, guests can embark on a variety of Viking adventures inspired by the beloved film series — including experiencing what it’s like to fly on a dragon on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, competing to outscore and out soak fellow guests on Fyre Drill, posing for a photo with Toothless and so much more.

Dark Universe

In Dark Universe, guests will explore the shadowy village of Darkmoor — home to Universal Monster legends like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster and more. The icon of this ominous world is Frankenstein Manor, where guests will venture deep into its catacombs and face a horde of enraged monsters on Universal Orlando’s most chilling attraction ever — “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.”

Stars Collective Launches Animated ‘Journey to the West’ Movie Trilogy at FILMART

Animation Magazine

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March 17, 2025

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Stars Collective Launches Animated ‘Journey to the West’ Movie Trilogy at FILMART

From opening day of Hong Kong FILMART, Stars Collective Film Entertainment Group announced it was embarking on an ambitious animated trilogy adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Production is expected to commence in 2026, and will incorporate generative AI and motion-capture technology to create a photoreal mythic world.

Journey to the West follows the adventures of Monkey King (SUn Wukong) as he escorts Tang Sanzang, a Buddhit monk, on a demon-beset pilgrimage to India. Audiences around the world have seen the story’s characters on screens through numerous adaptations (including the box office record-smashing animated feature Ne Zha 2 this year), and will get a fresh introduction in three new films: Bajie, Monkey King and Nezha.

Film 1, Bajie, “will break traditional stereotypes by exploring Marshal Tianpeng’s fall to the mortal realm, revealing the loyalty and sacrifice behind his seemingly carefree demeanor.”
Film 2, Monkey King, is centered on the story of “The True and False Monkey King,” and uses the Six-Eared Macaque as a “metaphor for Sun Wukong’s transformation from the ‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven’ to the ‘Victorious Fighting Buddha.'”
Film 3, Nezha, explores the supernatural hero’s tragic fate of “cutting flesh to return to hi smother, and removing bones to return to his father,” reimagining his “Three Heads and Six Arms” combat through Zen philosophy and examining themes of rebellion and redemption.

Stars Collection Film also announced a partnership with Stars Immersion, Stars Immersion China and Echotech to create immersive XR theatrical experiences, with a flagship set to open in Los Angeles by the end of this year. The companies plan to expand the offering to 30 venues cross North America in 2026, and 50 overseas in 2027. The attractions will use motion-sensing technology and interactive storytelling which allow audiences to experience moments like Monkey King’s “Havoc in Heaven” for themselves.

The Journey to the West project follows Stars Collective’s recently announced team up with El Pajaro Pictures to develop, produce and distribute a new adaptation of The Little Prince.

[Source: Variety]

‘Orion and the Dark,’ ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Are Among the Big Winners of Children’s & Family Emmys

Animation Magazine

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March 15, 2025

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‘Orion and the Dark,’ ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Are Among the Big Winners of Children’s & Family Emmys

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences held the 3rd Children’s & Family Emmys (theemmys.tv/childrens) ceremony Saturday afternoon, hosted by Looney Tunes voice star Eric Bauza and honoring the year’s outstanding young audiences television content. Presenters at the event included included Bobby Moynihan,Jacob Tremblay (a winner for his voice work on DreamWorks/Netflix’s Orion and the Dark), Paul Walter Hauser, Cree Summer and John Tartaglia.

As previously announced, this year’s winners of the juried Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation honors are background designer Philip Vose (Merry Little Batman), viz-dev artist Miho Tomimasu (Orion and the Dark), animation supervisor Elena Najar (Merry Little Batman), character designer Lesego Vorster (Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire), digimatte artist Lauren Zurcher (Orion and the Dark), art director Guillaume Fesquet (Merry Little Batman) and storyboard artist David Lux (Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin).

The CAFE winners list included:

Preschool Series

Blue’s Clues & You! (Nickelodeon) [9 Story Media Group / Brown Bag Films]

Children or Family Viewing Series

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock (Apple TV Plus) [The Jim Henson Company /Apple]

Fiction Special

The Velveteen Rabbit (Apple TV Plus) [Magic Lamp Pictures/Apple]

Preschool Animated Series

The Tiny Chef Show (Nickelodeon)

Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney+)

Animated Special

Orion and the Dark (Netflix)

Short Form Animated Program

Once Upon a Studio (Disney+)

Voice Performer in a Preschool Program

Kari Wahlgren as Granny Caterina, Ms. Poochytail & Magda – Superkitties (Disney Junior)

Voice Performer in a Children’s or Young Teen Program

Eric Bauza as Daffy Duck & Bugs Bunny – Teen Titans Go! (Cartoon Network)

Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program

Jacob Tremblay as Orion – Orion and the Dark (Netflix)

Writing for a Preschool Animated Series

“Glow Toy” – Jessica’s Big Little World (Cartoon Network)

Writing for a Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series

“Dancing with Myself” – Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney+)

Dan Abraham and Trent Corey and their team accept the Emmy for Best Short for Disney’s “Once Upon a Studio.”

Writer Liz Hara accepts the Emmy for Best Writing for a Children’s or Teen’s Animated Series for “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.”

“Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” won the CAFE for Best Children’s/Family Viewing Series.

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF NATAS

You can find more info about the awards at theemmys.tv.

‘Looney Tunes Movie’ Projected to Have a $3.17 Million Opening Weekend, Landing at No. 5 on the U.S. Box Office Chart

Ramin Zahed

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March 15, 2025

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‘Looney Tunes Movie’ Projected to Have a $3.17 Million Opening Weekend, Landing at No. 5 on the U.S. Box Office Chart

Daffy and Porky save the world from greedy aliens in The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie but they may end up at the No. 5 spot at the U.S. weekend box office with an estimated $3.17 million gross. The Warner Bros. Animation movie, which is distributed indie outfit Ketchup Entertainment posted a $1 million opening on Friday. Tell all your friends to go see this movie, so we can have more 2D-animated features (and hilarious, original Looney Tunes projects) on the big screen again! If the movie ends up being a success, we may even been able to see the shelved Coyote vs. Acme hybrid movie in theaters too, fingers crossed!

Directed by Pete Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is billed as the first fully animated and theatrically released film in the franchise, based on entirely original material. It’s a spin-off from the Looney Tunes Cartoons series developed by Browngardt and this team, and showcases the voice talent of Eric Bauza, Candi Milo and Peter MacNicol. The plot finds Daffy Duck and Porky Pig trying to save the planet from a vicious world domination scheme from aliens from outer space, paying homage to favorite sci-fi B-movies from the 1950s and ’60s.

The movie received a B+ Cinemascore and 89% on PostTrak. It earned a respectable 86% score on the review aggregation site, rottentomatoes.com. The movie has also earned $2.113 million internationally. The other animated titles at this week’s box office were Sony’s Paddington in Peru (at the No. 7 spot) with an estimated $2.75 million weekend take ($41.2 million cume in its fifth week) and DreamWorks’ Dog Man in the 9^th spot with a $650,000 weekend and a $92.6 million total gross in its seventh weekend.

Disney fans will be watching next weekend’s box office openings closely to see the much maligned live-action (with some odd-looking CG-animated dwarfs!) version of Snow White performs in theaters. The remake of Disney’s 1937 classic features Rachel Zegler in the title role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and is projected to make between $48 million and $58 million next weekend.

Read our interviews with Looney Tunes Movie director Peter Browngardt here and voice star Eric Bauza here.

Sources: Deadline.com, Boxofficemojo.com

V-Nova Studios Makes a Splash with New Immersive, Cinematic Projects ‘Sharkarma’ and ‘Weightless’

Animation Magazine

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March 14, 2025

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V-Nova Studios Makes a Splash with New Immersive, Cinematic Projects ‘Sharkarma’ and ‘Weightless’

Pioneering London-based tech company V-Nova and its V-Nova Studios have unveiled Sharkarma: Guardian of the Oceans and Weightless, two ground-breaking cinematic experiences that mix cinematic-grade visuals with the freedom to move through hyper-realistic scenes, and explore behind and around objects and characters with ease. Powered by the Lumiere-award-winning V-Nova PresenZ format, this new system solves the typical motion-sickness issues that often come with VR storytelling experiences, offering a sense of presence rarely achieved in VR.

Thanks to V-Nova’s innovative use of hierarchical and parallel processing, its technologies improve data, video, imaging and point-cloud compression, whilst accelerating AI processing and providing new unique features. V-Nova’s relentless investment in R&D has built a portfolio of over 1,100 international patents, along with a range of software products and solutions.

Sharkarma: Guardian of the Oceans is an animated action-adventure that follows an expedition gone awry, delivering cinematic storytelling with unprecedented immersion. Endorsed by leading conservation organizations WildAid and StopFinning, Sharkarma highlights the vital role of sharks in ocean ecosystems while pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. The project’s production team includes Hollywood producer David Miles Uslan, V-Nova principals Gianluca Meardi and Guido Meardi, global technology pioneer Tristan Salomè, media personality Valentina Martelli, and award-winning animator, writer and director Cinzia Angelini (Hitpig, Mila).

“Sharks have been the majestic guardians of our oceans for millions of years, yet it is humans who have become their greatest threat—taking more than 80 million of their kind annually,” says Gianluca Meardi, V-Nova Studios’ general manger. “By contrast, fewer than 10 human deaths annually are linked to sharks, and those are often cases of mistaken identity. Sharkarma isn’t just a breathtaking 6DoF spectacle; it’s a call to end cruelty, foster understanding, and protect biodiversity.”

In addition to Sharkarma, V-Nova is also releasing Weightless, which ventures into the next generation of music videos and music shows. Created by Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning composer Diane Warren, performed by international artist Arilena Ara, directed and choreographed by renowned music producer Chokolate, Weightless takes audiences into a dynamic immersive music journey, where every movement alters their perspective of the performance.

“We are entering a new era of cinematic entertainment—one where audiences don’t just watch but step inside a film,” says Guido Meardi, CEO of V-Nova. “With V-Nova PresenZ, we’ve unlocked true volumetric, high-fidelity storytelling that redefines what ‘immersive’ can be. Sharkarma and Weightless demonstrate the vast creative potential of this technology — pushing the boundaries of narrative, music, and audience engagement alike.”

Guido Meardi

He added, “By leveraging the same production pipelines as typical CG video, studios can now cost-effectively remaster their archives or adapt current theatrical releases in 6DoF format. With over 30 million VR households spending $7 billion annually in gaming, there’s a significant opportunity to repurpose beloved IPs and to create unprecedented musical shows, for a new era of storytelling. We’re thrilled to offer VR headset users the first taste of this cinematic revolution—and we invite them to tell us which franchises or artists they want to see next in V-Nova PresenZ.”

With V-Nova PresenZ, Hollywood studios, music talents, and indie creators alike can easily reimagine how audiences experience their content in XR. The company introduced V-Nova PresenZ to major Hollywood Studios as a way to produce content expressly for the 6DoF format, to reformat blockbuster movies into the V-Nova PresenZ format and to repurpose library content for new revenue and market opportunities. DreamWorks Animation was among the studios that entered into a test arrangement with V-Nova for excerpts from its hits How To Train Your Dragon and Abominable along with other top studios that provided their brands to V-Nova to undergo tests.

Both experiences are now available on free premium app ImmersiX, launching on April 2nd on SteamVR with both free and paid cinematic 6DoF content. You can learn more at www.v-nova.com.

‘Lilo & Stitch’ Becomes Disney’s Second Most-Watched Live-Action Trailer of All Time

Mercedes Milligan

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March 14, 2025

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‘Lilo & Stitch’ Becomes Disney’s Second Most-Watched Live-Action Trailer of All Time

This week’s launch of the trailer for Lilo & Stitch was a huge success for Walt Disney Studios. After 24-hours, the trailer has become the second-most-viewed Disney live-action trailer of all time with 158 million views, behind only 2019’s The Lion King teaser trailer.

Within an hour of release, Lilo & Stitch reached the No. 1 spot for trending on Twitter/X and remained in the top 10 for the hours following. The trailer also trended on YouTube, taking the No. 1 spot following release and even reached No. 1 on China’s Douyin platform.

The live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, opens exclusively in theaters May 23.

Buzz about the film has continued to grow since a first look at the renegade animated alien’s new look was revealed at Disney’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event last August. During this year’s Super Bowl game, a spot featuring Stitch “crashing” the field generated 173.1M views in 24 hours, making it Disney’s most viewed spot digitally.

About the film: Lilo & Stitch tells the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.

Lilo & Stitch is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha.

Producers are Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.

Crunchyroll Brings ‘Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon’ Movie to NorAm Theaters

Mercedes Milligan

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March 14, 2025

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Crunchyroll Brings ‘Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon’ Movie to NorAm Theaters

Crunchyroll announced today that it has acquired the North American theatrical rights for the monster-sized omnibus film Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will bring the film to theatres in the United States and Canada for an event-style release on April 13, 14 & 16. It will be available in both Japanese with English subtitles and dubbed in English.

Adapted from the original manga created by Naoya Matsumoto, the anime series debuted in April 2024 and is centered around a group of characters living in a world where giant kaiju (monsters) attack humanity, amid the creatures’ destructive aftermath.

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon features a high-action condensed recap of Season 1 and gives fans an exclusive new original never-before-seen episode, “Hoshina’s Day Off.” The film also debuts a new ending theme song, “Invincible” by OneRepublic.

Film Synopsis: In a Kaiju-filled Japan, Kafka Hibino works in monster disposal. After reuniting with his childhood friend Mina Ashiro, a rising star in the anti-Kaiju Defense Force, he decides to pursue his abandoned dream of joining the Force… when he suddenly transforms into the powerful “Kaiju No. 8.” With help from his junior colleague Reno Ichikawa, Kafka hides his identity while striving towards his life-long dream of passing the Defense Force exam and standing at Mina’s side. But when a mysterious intelligent Kaiju attacks a Defense Force base, Kafka faces a crucial decision in a desperate situation…

Hoshina’s Day Off: A day off. .. a rare day of peace for the Defense Force. After spending so long training, Reno has forgotten what he’s supposed to do with free time. He sees that Hoshina is up to something with his own day off, and decides to go on a mission to tail him with Iharu! But then things go in an unexpected direction…

Kaiju No. 8 is animated by Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell), with kaiju artwork and design supervision by Studio Khara (Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition; Shin Godzilla pre-visualization development).

The series is directed by Shigeyuki Miya & Tomomi Kamiya, with series composition & screenplay (Season 1) by Ichiro Okouchi; “Hoshina’s Day Off” is based on a story by Yuto Tsukuda, with a screenplay by Yuichiro Kido. The anime’s character designer & chief animation director is Tetsuya Nishio.

kaiju-no8.net

JALI Brings Collaborative ‘Anim Revolution’ for Real-Time Animation to GDC

Animation Magazine

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March 14, 2025

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During the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC; March 17-21 in San Francisco), automated lip sync and facial animation software developer JALI Research and partners will present the Anim Revolution — a collaborative initiative that brings together creatives redefining traditional content production.

Current partner companies include best-in-class production service providers Immersive Enterprise Labs (IEL) and House of Moves, along with software technologies from JALI, Ozone Story Tech and mGear. The partnership also includes tablet displays from Xencelabs, with support from hardware and motion capture companies Vicon and Lenovo.

Through live, interactive demos, Anim Revolution partners will showcase cutting-edge tools and workflows that break free from linear production. By embracing an iterative approach, these innovations, from concept design and 3D modeling to rigging, facial animation and digital drawing, enable creators to scale content faster, more efficiently and at lower costs, developing rich IP ecosystems across multiple media platforms.

“The Anim Revolution model allows us to demonstrate how complementary technologies can work together seamlessly, and develop working prototypes and deployable proofs-of-concept, initiatives that are often shelved or de-prioritized due to lack of discretionary or R&D budget,” said Sarah Watling, Co-Founder & CEO, JALI Research. “The unified pooling of resources allows us to expand our collective market reach in a highly volatile and rapidly evolving media and entertainment landscape, particularly within the games industry. A win-win.”

GDC attendees are invited to visit the Anim Revolution booth (#S341), showcasing the latest in animation technology, creative workflows and production. At the conference, attendees can look forward to mainstage presentations featuring representatives from each partner company interacting with original character assets from two projects: Outpost and Fate or Fortune: Whims of Destiny, led by House of Moves and IEL, respectively. With contributions from the Anim Revolution collective, these character animation shorts spotlight each partner’s expertise and role in an evolving creative production workflow.

Visitors are encouraged to explore partner demo stations around the booth, where a variety of solutions will be showcased on Xencelabs display tablets. These demonstrations will feature original intellectual properties, artwork and software, illustrating how seamlessly integrated animation technologies enhance game production from concept design to final execution.

Live presentations will take place at the Anim Revolution booth at GDC 2025 as follows:

Wednesday, March 19, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Thursday, March 20, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m.

A complete lineup of partner presentations is available at animrevolution.com, where they will also be accessible on-demand after the conference.

‘The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ Soundtrack Hits Digital, Vinyl Pre-Orders Open

Mercedes Milligan

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March 14, 2025

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‘The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ Soundtrack Hits Digital, Vinyl Pre-Orders Open

Timed to the movie’s theatrical rollout today, WaterTower Music announces the digital release of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), featuring the music of Emmy-nominated composer Joshua Moshier (Baskets, The Shrink Next Door).

The soundtrack is available now digitally, with vinyl available for pre-order from Enjoy The Ride Records.

“The Day The Earth Blew Up has been one of my most rewarding projects,” said Moshier. “Pete Browngardt is a visionary director, and whenever he’s making something, I know it’s going to be brilliantly funny, fully heartfelt, and surprisingly weird — all in perfect proportions. The biggest gift of working with Pete is getting to stretch out and let creativity flow, because he is so trusting and supportive of my instincts.

“The task was to weave all these elements together, translate the sound of the classic Looney Tunes to a modern cinematic presentation, and to really explore the tension, and genuine love, between Porky and Daffy. It’s a big, 80-minute score recorded in Los Angeles with an orchestra of world-class musicians. I’m grateful to Pete and the team at Warner Bros. Animation for this collaboration and so happy the film can be seen and heard on the cinema screen.”

Read more about The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie in Animation Magazine‘s feature story here and a new interview with voice star Eric Bauza here.

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Track List:

Lab Discovery
Take Care of Your Home
Annual Home Standards Review
Giant Hole Problem
Job Hunt
Introducing Petunia
Slime
Push the Button, Pull the Crank
Employee Greeting
Blue Mugs
Gum Conspiracy
Hangout Proposal
Daffy Epiphany
The Naked Truth
Bailed Out
Gum Monster
Gum Zombies
No Time for Yolking
Pork Alliance
Ruined Efforts
Run!
Caught Gum Handed
Flood Gates
Not to Pop Your Bubble
Asteroid City
Pretty Important Job
Let’s Get Looney
If We Stick Together
Crash Landing
Family Picture and End Credits

SAG-AFTRA Video Game Performers to Picket Disney Character Voices

Animation Magazine

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March 14, 2025

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SAG-AFTRA Video Game Performers to Picket Disney Character Voices

Pursuant to the strike called by SAG-AFTRA members who perform in video games against all studios signed to the Interactive Media Agreement (effective July 26), a picket will be held at Disney Character Voices in Burbank on Tuesday, March 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT. The studio services games spun off from Disney entertainment IP, including hit animated franchises.

The labor union is striking this contract so that members working in interactive media (such as video games) can continue earning a living doing at the job. SAG-AFTRA asserts that members’ work and likenesses are being exploited by artificial intelligence, and that video game companies have refused to offer a fair deal that addresses this threat to performers.

SAG-AFTRA members, labor rights allies and video game fans are invited to join in the picket to show their support for negotiation efforts.

More information is available at sagaftra.org.

BabyTV Celebrates 20 Years of Entertaining Tots

Spring Blooms with Animated Premieres on PBS KIDS

‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ Head Writer David Steven Cohen Has Died, Age 66

Disney+ Adds ‘The Simpsons’ 24/7 Streaming Feed

The Must-Have List: Revisiting Classic ‘Tom & Jerry,’ ‘Macross,’ ‘Amphibia’ & More

—BOOKS—

—DISCS—

—MERCH—

‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘X-Men ’97’ Win at ACE Eddie Awards

Animation & VFX Co. Cinesite Secures $215M Funding Package

Hollywood Responds to OpenAI & Google Challenges to Copyright

Classic ‘Looney Tunes’ Completely Removed from Max

Exclusive: Annecy Intl. Animation Festival Reveals Eclectic Lineup for Its 2025 Official Shorts Competition