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The Freak Brothers are back in action on Tubi, with the first four episodes of Season 2 now available to stream, and the back four due on September 24.
Synopsis:The Freak Brothers chronicles the escapades of a trio of stoner anti-establishment characters and their smartass cat who wake up from a 50-year nap after smoking a magical strain of weed in 1969, and must adjust to life with a new family in present-day San Francisco.
In the second season, the Freaks and Kitty’s Mary Jane-fueled misadventures will take them from their high school reunion to matching wits with Mark Zuckerberg, settling old scores with Mitch McConnell, and battling Seth Rogen in a Pot Brownie Bake-Off contest.
Based on Gilbert Shelton’s cult classic underground comic series The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, which celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, the adult animated comedy returns with its all-star voice cast — Woody Harrelson (Freewheelin’ Franklin Freek), John Goodman (Fat Freddy Freekowtski), Pete Davidson (Phineas T. Phreakears), Tiffany Haddish (Kitty), Adam Devine (Chuck), Blake Anderson (Charlie), Andrea Savage (Harper Switzer), La La Anthony (Gretchen Switzer) and ScHoolboy Q as himself.
Season 2 features a special guest appearance by Joe Sikora (Power, True Detective), who will play Louis, a calm but passionate proprietor of a local fried chicken restaurant inspired by Gus Fring in Breaking Bad.
The series is executive produced by Courtney Solomon (AFTER, Mr. Church, Cake) and Mark Canton (PowerUniverse, 300, Den of Thieves), along with award-winning showrunners Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland (King of the Hill, American Dad!). Harrelson, Haddish, Davidson, Devine, Anderson, Gilbert Shelton and Manfred Mroczkowski also serve as executive producers.
The Freak Brothers is produced by WTG Enterprises and distributed by Lionsgate.
One of summer’s most eagerly awaited animated theatrical launches, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, is heating up fan excitement with a spate of brand-new character posters and “Meet the Cast” featurette from Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies. The new CG-animated action-adventure from Seth Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures unleashes its gene spliced action on the big screen August 2.
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
The set of 17 character spotlight posters features the other mutants lurking in N.Y.C.’S nooks and crannies: Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog, Rose Byrne as Leatherhead, John Cena as Rocksteady, Jackie Chan as Master Splinter, Ice Cube as Superfly, Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut, Post Malone as Ray Fillet, Seth Rogen as Bebop and Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko.
These fantastical denizens are accompanied by Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom.
And, of course, our plucky teen testudines: Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo and Brady Noon as Raphael.
The featurette video includes voice star/executive producer Rogen introducing the voices of Raph, Donnie, Leo and Mikey, as well as director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs. the Machines), Chan, Edebiri and the whole gang. (Watch it below!)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is co-directed by Kyler Spears from a screenplay by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Rowe and Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit, story by Brendan O’Brien and Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Row, based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. The film is produced by Seth Rogen, p.g.a., Evan Goldberg, p.g.a., James Weaver, p.g.a. Executive producers are Ramsay McBean and Josh Fagen.
Some of our favorite animation superstars and critics pick their favorite features of the past 23 years.
Selecting the best movies of a year, a decade or a century is not for the faint of heart. However, since everyone and their dogs were coming up with top ten lists this year, we thought our readers deserved a similar one devoted to animated movies. The past 23 years have been quite a rich and diverse period for animated features. A passing glance at the lists proves that the animation art form is alive and thriving. We love it when our favorite directors take bold chances and tell original, rewarding stories and push the art form, whether they work in 2D, CG or stop-motion.
Angry Grandpa Simpson (Image courtesy of FOX/”The Simpsons”
How did we compile this very unscientific and totally subjective list? We asked some of our favorite directors, producers and critics to give us their best animated titles of the 21st century. Then, we threw all of them in a blender and came up with an overall list. We also included everyone’s personal lists, so you can see who picked which movies (and who cheated by giving us more than ten or picking movies that didn’t belong to our specified time period (January 2000-May 2023)! (None of this summer’s big features are included, because nobody had seen them by our print deadline, which was mid-May.) Anyway, like all lists, you should definitely take ours with a grain of salt. Everyone has their own personal tastes and guidelines. But we thought this compilation will help you put together a decent must-see list in case you have missed any of these great movies. So, please don’t be upset if your favorites didn’t make it this time. It is highly likely that we’ll put together a “Best Animated Movies of All Time, EVER!” list in an upcoming issue!
THE MAIN LIST
Spirited Away (Directed by Hayao Miyazaki) 2001
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman) 2018
The Incredibles (Brad Bird) 2004
How to Train Your Dragon (Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders) 2010
Coraline (Henry Selick) 2009
I Lost My Body (Jérémy Clapin) 2019
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson) 2009
Your Name. (Makoto Shinkai) 2016
Chicken Run (Peter Lord, Nick Park) 2000
The Secret of Kells( Tomm Moore) 2009
Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” (Studio Ghibli)
INDIVIDUAL LISTS
Bonnie Arnold, Producer, How to Train Your Dragon trilogy
How To Train Your Dragon Trilogy
Over the Hedge
Isle of Dogs
Coraline
My Life As A Zucchini
The Incredibles
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Kung Fu Panda
Despicable Me
Finding Nemo
Jerry Beck, Animation Historian, Author, Teacher
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Incredibles
A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Toy Story 3
Kung Fu Panda
The LEGO Movie
Coraline
How To Train Your Dragon
Frozen
Eric Beckman, Co-Founder, President of GKIDS
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Spirited Away
Wall-E/The Incredibles/Finding Nemo
Paprika
Song of the Sea
Your Name.
Summer Wars/Wolf Children
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Mind Game
The Boy and the World
Ernest & Celestine
Peter DeBruge, Film Critic, Variety
WALL.E
Spirited Away
Inside Out
The Illusionist
Your Name.
I Lost My Body
How to Train Your Dragon
Waking Life
Zootopia
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Sam Fell, Director, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Paranorman
Chicken Run
The Incredibles
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Monsters Inc
Paprika
Coraline
Spirited Away
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
I Lost My Body
Kung Fu Panda
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Producer, Wendell & Wild
Coraline
Wendell & Wild
Triplets of Belleville
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Iron Giant
The Incredibles
Madagascar
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spirited Away
Finding Nemo
Henry Selick’s “Coraline”
Jorge R. Gutierrez, Director, The Book of Life, Maya and the Three
My 21st Century favorite films, going by how many times I have re-watched them, and in no particular order:
Spirited Away
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Mind Game
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Coraline
The LEGO Movie
Kung Fu Panda
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
The Book of Life (because one must love oneself before they can love others)
Jorge R. Gutierrez’s “The Book of Life” (20th Century Fox, Reel FX)
Ray Laguna, Journalist, Animacion por Adultos
Spirited Away
The Triplets of Belleville
Paprika
Persepolis
WALL·E
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The Boy and the World
The Red Turtle
Wolfwalkers
No Dogs or Italians Allowed
Sheri Linden, Film Critic, The Hollywood Reporter
Spirited Away
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Secret of Kells
Anomalisa
It’s Such a Beautiful Day
The Red Turtle
The Breadwinner
My Life as a Zucchini
Toy Story 4
Waltz With Bashir
Tomm Moore’s “The Secret of Kells” (Cartoon Saloon)
Chris Nee, Creator, Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Ridley Jones
Zootopia
The Triplets of Belleville
Up
Spirited Away
Surf’s Up
Toy Story 3
How to Train Your Dragon
I Lost My Body
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The Book of Life
Simon Otto, Director, That Christmas
Chicken Run
How to Train Your Dragon
Ratatouille
Spirited Away
Zootopia
The Incredibles
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I Lost My Body
Shrek 2
Jeremy Clapin’s “I Lost My Body” (Xilam Animation)
Peter Ramsey, Director, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Rise of the Guardians
The Incredibles
Ratatouille
The Red Turtle
Fantastic Mr. Fox
How to Train Your Dragon
Toy Story 3
Spirited Away
Your Name.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Wolfwalkers
Henry Selick, Director, Coraline, Wendell & Wild, The Nightmare Before Christmas
Spirited Away
Ratatouille
The Incredibles
The Secret of Kells
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The Illusionist
The Book of Life
Isle of Dogs
Coraline
Wendell & Wild
Brad Bird’s “Ratatouille” (Pixar)
Tom Sito, Director, Storyboard Artist, Author, Teacher
Lilo and Stitch
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Persepolis
The Secret of Kells
Ernest & Celestine
How to Train your Dragon
Frozen
Kubo and the Two String
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Charles Solomon, Film Critic, Author, Journalist
Coco. When audiences and artists are calling for greater inclusion, Coco offers not only a heart-warming story, but a model of how to research and respectfully present the traditions of another culture.
Corpse Bride. Mackinnon & Saunders breakthroughs in puppet construction, Carlos Grangel’s inspired designs and Tim Burton’s singular sensibility meld in a colorful tale of the afterlife.
Millennium Actress. A brilliant account of a determined woman who overcomes all obstacles to live the life she chooses. Satoshi Kon’s premature death was a terrible loss to the art of animation.
Ratatouille. Great storytelling, excellent direction and amazing animation: Who could ask for more?
The Secret of Kells. Medieval illuminations and mid-century graphics blend in a strikingly original story that marked the feature debut of Tomm Moore and Cartoon Saloon.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Crackling with energy, Spider-Verse proved animation can still outdo live action when telling stories about comic book superheroes.
Spirited Away. Miyazaki’s masterpiece to date: The only anime feature to win both the Oscar for Animated Feature and the Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival.
Summer Wars. Neither Ready Player One or Ralph Wrecks the Internet can compare with Mamoru Hosoda’s visually imaginative storytelling about the interlocking bonds between the real world and the Web.
Toy Story 3. In the touching conclusion to a ground-breaking animated trilogy, Woody, Buzz and the gang learn, like parents, to accept that a child no longer needs them.
Up. The “Married Life” montage, which could reduce a stone to tears, is a masterpiece of animated storytelling — and cinematic storytelling.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Innovative stop-motion animation and witty writing create the galloping absurdity only Nick Park can envision.
Your Name. One of most thought-provoking anime features in many years: A teen romcom that subtly morphs into a meditation on the continuing trauma of the Great East Japan Disaster (a.k.a. Fukushima).
Honorable mentions: How to Train Your Dragon 2, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Incredibles, Mirai, Soul, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Wolfwalkers
Lee Unkrich’s “Coco” (Disney/Pixar)
ND Stevenson, Creator, Nimona
Nimona
The Prince of Egypt (cheating since it came out in 1998, but I can’t not include it)
Lilo and Stitch
The Emperor’s New Groove
Tokyo Godfathers
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spirited Away
Treasure Planet
Moana
Paranorman
Pirates! Band of Misfits
Arianne Sutner, President of Production, Producer, LAIKA
LAIKA movies (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link)
Spirited Away
Ponyo
The Incredibles
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Song of the Sea
How to Train Your Dragon
Chicken Run
The LEGO Movie
I Lost My Body
Travis Knight’s “Kubo and the Two Strings” (LAIKA)
Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Director, Kung Fu Panda 2 & 3; Love, Death + Robots
Spirited Away
Incredibles
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Shrek
Isle of Dogs
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
I Lost My Body
Coraline
Your Name.
How To Train Your Dragon
Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders’ “How to Train Your Dragon” (DreamWorks Animation)
An arguing couple are adrift on a log in the ocean and fighting for survival in Levi Stoops’ new animated short, drijf(which translates as float/push). The Belgian artist’s highly stylized short took home the Short Jury Prize the Annecy Animation Festival last week. We had the chance to catch up with the talented Belgian artist right after he took home the big prize. Here is what he told us:
Animation Magazine: Congrats on your big win at Annecy. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of drijf?
Levi Stoops
Levi Stoops: In an early version of this project there were a lot of things going on with a lot of different characters. There was this Island on the verge of extinction with cannibals and then a couple that fled the Island with the last tree that was left. Eventually I started honing in on this couple because that was the storyline with the least external circumstances. It forced me to really flesh out the characters and tell something relevant about them. In the final version of Drijf there’s still some residual elements of the former idea, like the tree bark. I kept the tree bark because that way they are floating on an amputated object from the beginning of the movie.
drifj
What was your inspiration for your short?
I’ve obviously drawn inspiration from survival movies for the action sequences, but I don’t think that’s the most important part of the film. What the film is really about is this couple and the dynamics between them. When I started working with Anemone Valcke, a very good friend of mine and very talented writer and actor, we realized that we should make something about our own relationships. We were both going through similar things with our partners. What we ended up doing is writing from our own toxic behaviors. For me that meant being passive, entitled, emotionally lazy. For Anemone it meant taking the lead, and by doing that, doing the work instead of the other person. It became a story about people who expect different things from each other but never really talk about it. And about how modern, non-macho men exercise power over women. I think for both of us it was an introspective process, and it brought us really close together as friends. In the end we had to take some distance from the characters, to make them go a lot further than we ever would ourselves, and let the fiction take over again.
When did you start working on it and how long did it take to make?
I never wrote full time and I took many breaks, but I think I started writing seven years ago. When production started it took about nine months to complete it, post-production included.
An arguing couple find themselves stranded in the ocean in Levi Stoops’ prize-winning short, “drijf.”
Which animation tools did you use to produce it?
TVPaint only, frame to frame animation. And then some light compositing in After Effects.
What were the hardest part of the job?
Definitely the writing. I think it’s funny, of all the directors, producers and authors I met over time, absolutely no one could explain to me how to write a story. And I don’t think I could explain it to someone myself. It was a difficult process of working hard, getting stuck and then letting go for a while, getting to know myself and trying to be really honest about what I’m trying to convey. And then having some luck finding good and funny ideas, and using those to bring the story further. And then getting stuck again.
What do you love most about the final results?
The way I worked together with other people. I’m really proud of the team. And myself. I tried to be on the floor every day during the production, trying to create a culture with everyone in the team. We really valued the input of everyone who worked on the film, from animator to sound designer. I worked with some of my best friends, and made new friends along the way. We didn’t do unpaid overtime, and adapted the layout and storyboard to the possibilities of the animators with the budget we had. I didn’t want to push the team for excellence and attention to detail at the cost of people getting stressed out or over-worked. It made some parts of the animation really crude, but we found a way to make it work with the humor and the content. That’s what I love the most about the final results. The fact that it turned out great without squeezing the shit out of people.
Levi Stoops’ “drijf”
What would you like audiences to take home for your short?
I would like for them to think about what they expect from their loved ones, and why they do, and have uncomfortable conversations about it. And to not mistake codependency for love. Also, pack sunscreen when you go out to the open sea.
Who are you animation heroes?
David O’Reilly and Don Hertzfeldt. When I start to write a story, I always feel like I am trying to make a Don Hertzfeldt movie. And Nicole Van Goethem. She’s the only Belgian filmmaker to ever win an Oscar (for the short A Greek Tragedy, 1987) but no one in Belgium knows who she is. She made a great short about three women, tired of carrying the crumbling remains of the old world. When it finally falls apart they dance off into the sunset, freed of their burden.
What’s next for Levi?
I’m writing a new short about the difficult connection between men. And after that I would love to write and direct an animated series for adults.
Connoisseurs of quality, meticulously crafted animation are familiar with the wonderful, award-wining specials produced by U.K.-based Magic Light Pictures. Beginning with The Gruffalo in 2009, the boutique production company has been delivering top-quality animated productions for the small screen with astonishing frequency.
Chico and Rita (2010), The Gruffalo’s Child (2011), Room on the Broom (2012), Stick Man (2015), Revolting Rhymes (2016), The Highway Rat (2017), Zog (2018), The Snail and the Whale (2019), Superworm (2021), Pip and Posy (2021) and The Smeds and the Smoos (2022) are among Magic Light’s charming projects. We had the chance to chat with the company’s talented founders and managing directors Martin Pope and Michael Rose about the work of their Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning company:
Can you tell us about the history of Magic Light Pictures?
Michael Rose
Martin: Michael and I became friends in the early 1990s when I was producing my first feature film and Michael was a program buyer at Channel Four. While I continued running my own business making feature films and tv dramas, including the BIFA and Evening Standard award-winning Lawless Heart and the Sundance hit Touch of Pink, Michael joined Aardman in Bristol as Head of Development before becoming joint producer of the third Wallace & Gromit short film A Close Shave, and setting up Aardman’s feature film arm, executive producing Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit.
In 2002, Michael moved back to London and saw my film The Heart of Me at the Closing Gala film of the London Film Festival. We got back together over coffee, and realized the possibilities of working together.
Michael: We talked a lot about what we wanted to do. We realized that we had very different skill-sets and experiences, but by joining forces we could build something really special. We were sufficiently different that we’d complement each other. And we shared the belief that what matters is not the technique you use, whether animation, live action or any kind of hybrid, but the stories you tell and the passion they’re told with.
Martin: I think we were standing on Wardour Street when we came up with three ideas which formed the bedrock of our business plan: make live action films first, develop animation, and if we could find the right property, build that into a lasting brand. So even at the beginning and even though we didn’t know our exact next steps (or even sometimes where the rent was coming from) we already had the idea of a trajectory and where we wanted to go.”
Can you take us through the process of finding The Gruffalo and securing the rights for it please?
Michael: Night after night, at home I was reading The Gruffalo to my daughter, and it was brilliant. Martin was feeling it as well.
Martin: I remember when Michael first came in and said, have you been reading this? We’d both been reading it to our children, and we were able to think about how absolutely loved it was.
Michael: We were sure it was the ‘one’ and that we could create a classic special. We also felt that the story and character had sufficient richness and depth to launch a wider brand, but inevitably it took a long time to get the rights, four years in all from 2003 to 2007. The Gruffalo was already a huge publishing success and we had to convince Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and publisher Macmillan that we were the best partners to bring it to screen.”
Martin: Many companies wanted it, some as a series, others as a feature film, but we wanted to stay true to the book and determined that it was perfect as a half hour Christmas special. There are various moments where I can remember Michael saying confidently, “we’re going to produce it for BBC1 on Christmas Day” and my heart was pounding, thinking, how on earth are we going to pull that off?” Happily from my time working at the BBC we managed to find the right way to reach that vital Christmas Day slot.
Based on the book by Julia Donaldson, “The Gruffalo” was directed by Max Lang and Jakob Schuh and was nominated for an Oscar.he 2012 special “Room on the Broom” was also nominated for a Best Animated Short Oscar.
Looking back, what might you differently with the benefit of hindsight?
Michael: I often wonder if there were opportunities when we could have gone a bit faster, whether it’s in developing a project or a series. But we’ve always been focused on doing the right thing and staying true to our values. We want The Gruffalo to be seen in half a century’s time as a classic brand, like Beatrix Potter or Paddington. So, everything we’ve done has i always been with the long-term interests in mind. The Gruffalo occupies such a special pace in the hearts and minds of our young audience; if we are sometimes cautious, it’s because we needed to get it right.
Martin: Maybe sometimes we were a bit cautious. Maybe we could have managed the risks and the worry about those risks differently. But actually it all paid off — as we’re still here, celebrating our 20th anniversary and growing the company with a wonderful team and hopefully still delighting our audiences.
“Revolting
What is the best advice you can offer for people starting out in animation?
Michael: Think about the audience. If you want to make something, who are you making it for? Who’s going to watch it and where are they going to be watching? It can be something commercial, it can be something avant-garde, but you have to set off knowing your audience.
Martin: Yes, and it’s such a long process and so complicated, you have to think about why you’re doing it. What is the thing that gets you up every morning? Will making this animation reach the people you want and make them feel and understand what you’re expressing?
The BAFTA and Annie Award-winning “The Snail and the Whale” (2019) was directed by Max Land and Daniel Snaddon.
When you look back on the past 20 years, what are you proudest of?
Michael: I’m proud that we’ve built a business that is known for wonderful films, which have an incredibly high-quality threshold. Some of them are enduring classics, viewed again and again, which deliver an incredible pleasure to our family audiences. But above all, I’m proud that we’ve built a company with wonderful values underpinned by integrity and quality and desire to delight audiences. I feel those values cascade through our work and through all the people who work with Magic Light.
Martin: I’m very proud of our team. I think there are people here who are doing great work. Also, of course it makes me proud when we get comments from parents who are happily amazed their kids have watched one of our films every day for two months, or where a film has really helped and connected with a child. It’s just amazing to be making things which families really embrace. Even just this weekend I was looking at my local cinema, thinking, what shall I go and see? And there is The Gruffalo and Zog playing as a double-bill in my local cinema, every day of the weekend. How great is that?
Directed by Sean P. Mullen, “Zog and the Flying Doctors” was released in 2020.
Two animated movies will be fighting for the top box office spot on this final weekend of June. Disney/Pixar’s Elemental and Sony Picture Animation’s blockbuster Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse both have a good chance of landing at the No. 1 spot, with Friday estimates of $5.4 million each leading up to weekend totals in the $18 million range.
Although Elemental had one of the the lowest openings for a Pixar movie in recent years with $29.6 million, it’s expected to take in about $65 million for its first 10 days at the box office in 4,035 theaters, which is still $5 million higher than the 2020 release Onward. Meanwhile, Sony’s Across the Spider-Verse is expected to finish with a dazzling $315 million at 3,785 theaters nationwide this weekend. The film already hit the big $500 million mark worldwide on Wednesday.
Animation fans are also likely to check out Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, which had a $1.1 million take from 1,400 theaters on Thursday night previews. Although the movie is live-action, Anderson is hugely admired by animation and art professionals because of his impeccable attention to beautiful camera shots and meticulously designed productions. The film expands to 1,675 locations in L.A. and New York City today. Last weekend, the movie had a healthy opening of $140,000 in select theaters.The movie has had a 74% rating on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” will play in more theaters this weekend.
According to Deadline.com, the summer box office total from May 1 to June 19 is about $1.52 billion from 11 wide releases, which is 2.3% ahead of last summer, which counted $1.49 billion from six wide releases. However, the 2023 summer box office is still 11% less than pre-COVID 2019, which brought in $1.7 billion for the period of May 1-June 19 with 17 wide releases.
Inspired by the colorful fiesta of food seen in Pixar’s Coco, Insight Editions is serving culinary creators of all abilities a delicious new cookbook loaded with more than 50 traditional recipes perfect for celebrating the Day of the Dead and honoring departed relatives.
Coco was directed by Lee Unkrich with Adrian Molina and released by Pixar Animation Studios back in late 2017 to great critical and financial success, raking in $814 million off a reported $200 million budget. With its all-Latino vocal cast and charming fable of a young boy named Miguel who dreams of becoming a famous guitarist and his exploits into the netherworld of the deceased during Día de Los Muertos, Coco was a certified crowd pleaser that begs for a sequel.
Now Coco: The Official Cookbook arrives on July 11, 2023 as a savory 128-page hardcover stuffed with sweet snacks, satisfying salads, quick appetizers, hearty main courses, sugary desserts, and thirst-quenching beverages with step-by-step instructions and full-color images to concoct authentic Mexican meals for any occasion.
Author Gino Garcia is a well-known chef, researcher, writer, recipe developer, and food blogger based in Seattle, Washington and his expertise in the kitchen has curated these Coco-themed recipes and time-honored dishes to offer living loved ones or close family on the other side.
Each hunger-inducing chapter reveals pages adorned with simple guides to whip up celebratory food and drink like Strawberry Tamales, Mexican Street Corn, Grilled Steak Tacos With Chorizo Pinto Beans, Chicken Barbacoa, Oaxaca Corn Flan With Berry Sauce, Deviled Shrimp, Black Bean-Filled Masa Cakes, Hibiscus Flower Water, and Corn-Thickened Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Coco: The Official Cookbook arrives from Insight Editions on July 11, 2023.
Before we say good-bye to June, here’s one last chance to review some of the great new animated DVD/Blu-Ray and animation-related books that caught our attention this month. We’ll have a brand new “Summer Reading” edition for you in a couple of weeks.
Unicorn Wars
From the brilliantly bizarre mind of celebrated Spanish comic artist and animator Alberto Vázquez comes a twisted, technicolor takedown of militarism and zealotry, told as a black comedy about a war between bellicose teddy bears and their unicorn foes. The Goya Award-winning feature comes home with a director interview, feature-length animatic and “Working in Blender” featurette. [Shout! Factory | $23 BD]
Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice Vol. 1
Celebrate hare-raising highlights of Warner Bros.’ 100-year history with this collection of animated gems. Restored, remastered and uncut, Vol. 1 features 20 golden toons from 1945-1959, featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Wile E. Coyote, Foghorn Leghorn and more — including some classics that have never before appeared on home video. [Warner | $22 BD]
The Venture Bros.: The Complete Series
For the first time ever, the bombastic heroes and outrageously outré super villains of Doc Hammer and Chris McCulloch’s Adult Swim fan-favorite come home in a comprehensive set, collecting all seven seasons (82 episodes) on 14 discs. From “Dia de los Dangerous” to “The Saphrax Protocol,” relive the show’s 20-year journey ahead of the new movie debut later this year, complete with all previously released special features. [Warner | $130 DVD | June 13]
The Art of Disney-Pixar Elemental
Take a virtual stroll down the fantastical streets of Element City and explore the behind-the-scenes artistry of Pixar’s newest super-ambitious animated world. Over 170-plus pages, soak up exclusive production artwork, making-of details and stories from the artists and creative leads bringing this ultimate opposites attract tale to screens. Featuring a foreword by Pixar CCO Pete Docter and introduction by director Peter Sohn. [Chronicle Books | $43]
Pore over the artistic details of the high-flying “variable fighters” from the hit franchise, offering a master class in vehicle and mech design from the longtime Macross illustrator. The hardcover features more than 140 pages of Tenjin’s hyper-realistic work for model kits, magazines, promotional materials and other content for the anime classic, which made its television debut in 1982. [Udon Ent. | $50]
Marvel HQ
An edutainment hub has launched for true believers in training! The new app from Team17 Group’s Story Toys and Marvel Ent. offers kids 4-7 a place to connect with their favorite superheroes through fun activities, image archives and fun facts, digital comics and stories, coloring tool and drawing tutorials, plus videos related to popular Marvel toons like Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur [Available from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.
Timex X Peanuts
Celebrate a timeless comic strip classic with a classic timepiece! This fresh collection offers a wide range of colors, characters and themes, from sporting hobbies to holidays and beyond, with new designs on the way. Prices range from $65 (like the charming Charlie Brown 38mm Fabric Strap Watch) to $109. [timex.com]
Draw Chibi Style
A beginner’s guide to adorable mini characters and effects drawing in 62 lessons, created by popular Vietnamese artist Piuuvy. [Quarry Books | $20]
Shonen Baby
Given the prompt “platinum-selling rapper Lil Baby and AXE body spray have a new collab,” you might not immediately guess it’s an exclusive digital manga for Walmart — but it’s true. It happened. Featuring artwork from Passion Pictures and Future Power Station, can you afford to miss out on this piece of pop culture history? [Available with proof of AXE purchase from Walmart from March 1-June 15, 2023]
Crunchyroll is making the summer of Dragon Ball fans a lot more exciting. The anime streamer will be offering 15 beloved movies in the franchise in three batches, beginning June 22, and following up on June 29 and July 6. The marathon streaming will begin with the first Dragon Ball movie, Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone (1989) and wrap with the 2019 blockbuster, Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2019)
The thirteen Dragon Ball Z movies releasing on June 22 and June 29 will stream with English, Brazilian Portuguese, and Latin American Spanish subtitles in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F and Dragon Ball Super: Broly will stream with English, German, and French subtitles, and English, German and French dub audio in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, German-speaking European countries, French-speaking European countries, and Africa.
The anime series: Dragon Ball (153 episodes subbed and dubbed), Dragon Ball Z (291 episodes subbed and dubbed), Dragon Ball GT (64 episodes subbed and dubbed), and Dragon Ball Super (131 episodes subbed) are all also available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F (Directed by Tadayoshi Yamamuro). Even the complete obliteration of his physical form can’t stop the galaxy’s most evil overlord. After years in spiritual purgatory, Frieza has been resurrected and plans to take his revenge on the Z-Fighters of Earth. (Official Trailer)
Dragon Ball Super: Broly (Directed by Tatsuya Nagamine). Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force. (Official Trailer)
Dragon Ball was created by Akira Toriyama in 1984 as a manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995. The series follows the adventures of protagonist Son Goku from childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts. After meeting a teenage girl named Bulma, he is encouraged to join her quest in exploring the world in search of the seven orbs known as the Dragon Balls, which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered. The franchise inspired six different anime series. To date, there have been 21 Dragon Ball animated features and one live-action feature. The most recent Dragon Ball movie, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was released last year and became a global hit, with a worldwide box office of $86.6 million.
Travis Knight, president and CEO of Portland-based animation studio LAIKA, has been appointed to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Board of Trustees.
The museum has also appointed producer and former chair of the Academy Museum Inclusion Advisory Committee, Effie T. Brown, as an honorary trustee.
“As the governing body of the Academy Museum, the Board leads the museum toward a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, in addition to securing adequate resources to advance the museum’s mission. Knight and Brown will help continue the success of the museum and its social impact for audiences worldwide,” reads the release.
The Academy Museum’s Board of Trustees has also re-elected Patricia Bellinger Balzer, Arnaud Boetsch, Olivier de Givenchy, Ray Halbritter, Ryan Murphy, Regina Scully, whose current terms end June 30, 2023, for another three-year term.
Ted Sarandos, board chair and co-CEO of Netflix, noted, “We are thrilled to welcome Travis Knight to the Board of Trustees. He is an extraordinary leader who has already made such an impact on the industry at large through his groundbreaking advancements in the art of stop-motion animation and live-action moviemaking. We are also proud to recognize Effie T. Brown, a talented producer who has been a crucial voice for diversity and inclusion at the museum, with this lifetime honorary position.”
As president and CEO of LAIKA, Knight has led all key creative and business decisions at the studio since its founding in 2005. He was lead animator on Coraline (2009), producer on ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), and Missing Link (2019), and he won the BAFTA Award for directing Kubo and the Two Strings (2016). Every LAIKA film has been nominated for an Animated Feature Film Oscar. Knight made his live-action directorial debut with Paramount’s hit film Bumblebee (2018). He is directing LAIKA’s next animated feature film Wildwood, which is the most ambitious stop-motion animated film ever attempted. Knight also sits on the boards of LAIKA and Nike.
Crunchyroll, in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, has just served up a fresh English-dub trailer for Psycho-Pass: Providence, a new sci-fi crime thriller anime headed for North American theaters beginning on July 14, 2023.
Directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani based on original story concept by Gen Urobuchi and a screenplay from Makoto Fukami and Tow Ubukata, Psycho-Pass: Providence boasts original character designs by Akira Amano and Naoyuki Onda, with a kinetic Yugo Kanno techno score to accentuate the frenzied action.
Here’s the official synopsis:
January 2118. Chief Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department, Akane Tsunemori, receives a report of an incident on a foreign vessel – the body of Professor Milicia Stronskaya has been discovered. Behind the incident is a group known as the Peacebreakers, a foreign paramilitary organization and a new outside threat who are targeting the professor’s research papers known as the “Stronskaya Document”.
Reunited with Shinya Kogami, a former fugitive from the Criminal Investigation Department, Akane grapples with a case that quickly escalates beyond their expectations. The Stronskaya Papers could reveal a truth that would shake Japan’s government, and even the Sibyl System, to the core. It is in this untold story that the missing link is revealed.
“Psycho-Pass Providence” officially arrives in theaters in N. America on July 14, but advance sneak peeks are also offered on July 11 and 13. [Image: Crunchyroll]Per the official press release, the Psycho-Pass franchise relates to something called The Sibyl System, an authoritarian construct that measures human personality traits. Sibyl’s analytical results dictate all aspects of a citizen’s future. In exchange for Sibyl’s role, inhabitants experience a placid existence. With mental states being fully recorded and scrutinized, the potential of a person’s soul is a measurement known as the Psycho-Pass. Special detectives armed with weapons called Dominators collaborate with enforcers who track down would-be criminals prior to engaging in illegal activities. Think Blade Runner meets Minority Report!
Psycho-Pass began life as a cyberpunk anime series broadcast on Japan’s Fuji TV from 2012-2013. This upcoming feature film serves as a bridge between the Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System – Case 3: On the Other Side of Love and Hate mini-film and the Psycho-Pass Season 3 TV series to complete the entire saga.
This new English dub cast includes Kate Oxley (Akane Tsunemori), Robert McCollum (Shinya Kogami), Jessie James (Nobuchika Ginoza), Cherami Leigh (Mika Shimotsuki), Mike McFarland (Teppei Sugo), Z. Charles Bolton (Sho Hinakawa), Lindsay Seidel (Yayoi Kunizuka), Lydia Mackay (Shion Karanomori), Erin Kelly Noble (Frederica Hanashiro), Bruce DuBose (Arata Shindo), Eduardo Vildasol (Kei Mikhail), and Stephanie Young (Dominator).
Psycho-Pass: Providence strikes North American theaters on July 14, 2023.
Beyond Capture Studios, a global pioneer in advanced motion and performance capture, has just announced the grand opening of its new 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art motion capture studio in Montréal. This gigantic facility is now ranked among the biggest of its kind in the world and delivers a next-generation venue for Montréal’s burgeoning creative industry.
This cutting-edge studio is situated in the city’s bustling Sud-Ouest neighborhood and the enormous space allows for a greater selection of premium services utilizing industry leading tools and equipment for existing and future clients in the video game and entertainment realms.
Beyond Capture’s new facility includes two performance capture stages, one Mocap stage, one virtual production stage, a dual audio booth and a photogrammetry rig. Right now the firm is gathering a team of nearly 25 skilled professionals for openings like production manager, capture tech, realtime operator, talent producer, production assistant and more.
Studio founder and president Graham Qually celebrates the opening of the Montreal facility. Photo: Christina Esteban
“Montréal has always been an international entertainment production hub,” said Graham Qually, President and CEO, Beyond Capture Studios. “We’re hoping with our significant investment, bringing multiple performance capture studios, film stage, audio booths and virtual production, that we can not only boost and support current teams but also surpass the current, already high, Gaming and VFX industry standard, and attract even bigger projects along with top level talent.”
Beyond Capture mo-cap team at work. Image
June’s official launch for this new Montréal’s studio serves as Beyond Capture’s second outlet in Canada. Their Vancouver Studio formed in 2017 and employs a crew of 50 industry pros whose vast talents have been on display in popular video games, TV shows, and movies including: Resident Evil 4: Remake, New Tales from the Borderlands, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat 1, Street Fighter 6, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Space Jam 2.
To bolster their ranks, Beyond Capture Studios has also been in partnership with the Vancouver Film School by holding developmental training programs and internship roles to students that often lead to job opportunities for graduates. The studio hopes to replicate this recruiting model in Montréal by cultivating team-ups with the city’s flourishing animation and VFX ecosystem.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has a new Board of Governors. announced its newly elected Board of Governors. The governors will take office at the first scheduled board meeting of the new term.
The Academy’s 18 branches are each represented by three governors, except for the recently established Production and Technology Branch, which is represented by a single governor. As a result of this election, the board now comprises 53 percent women and 25 percent belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
The incumbent governors reelected to the Board are:
Rob Bredow, Visual Effects Branch
Ava DuVernay, Directors Branch
Linda Flowers, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch
Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers Branch
Stephen Rivkin, Film Editors Branch
Debra Zane, Casting Directors Branch
First Time Elected to the Board are:
Wendy Aylsworth, Production and Technology Branch
David I. Dinerstein, Marketing and Public Relations Branch
Richard Gibbs, Music Branch Jinko Gotoh,Short Films and Feature Animation Branch
Kalina Ivanov, Production Design Branch
Simon Kilmurry, Documentary Branch Hannah Minghella, Executives Branch
Daniel Orlandi, Costume Designers Branch
Lou Diamond Phillips, Actors Branch
Dana Stevens, Writers Branch
Mark P. Stoeckinger, Sound Branch
Returning governors are:
Ellen Kuras, Pam Abdy, Bonnie Arnold, Lesley Barber, Dion Beebe, Howard Berger, Susanne Bier, Jason Blum, Gary C. Bourgeois, Brooke Breton, Paul Cameron, Ruth E. Carter, Eduardo Castro, Megan Colligan, Bill Corso, Paul Debevec, Peter Devlin, Tom Duffield, Charles Fox, DeVon Franklin, Rodrigo García, Donna Gigliotti, Chris Hegedus, Richard Hicks, Laura C. Kim, Marlee Matlin, Missy Parker, Jason Reitman, Nancy Richardson, Howard A. Rodman, Eric Roth, Terilyn A. Shropshire, Kim Taylor-Coleman, Jennifer Todd, Jean Tsien, Marlon West, Rita Wilson, and Janet Yang.
Those who were eligible to run again (and won):
Casting Directors – Debra Zane
Directors – Ava DuVernay
Film Editors – Stephen Rivkin
Makeup Artists & Hairstylists – Linda Flowers
Producers – Lynette Howell Taylor Visual Effects – Rob Bredow
Terming off:
Actors – Whoopi Goldberg
Cinematographers – Mandy Walker
Costume Designers – Isis Mussenden
Documentary – Kate Amend
Executives – David Linde
Marketing & Public Relations – Christina Kounelias
Music – Charles Bernstein
Production Design – Wynn Thomas SFFA – Jon Bloom
Sound – Teri Dorman
Writers – Larry Karaszewski
Hoping to serve as a catalyst for social change and cultural awareness, Hungary-based DIGIC (Love Death & Robots: The Secret War) and Axis Studios (Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, Love Death & Robots, Happy!) have merged their creative energies to co-develop and produce Worlds Apart, a four-quadrant animated fantasy aimed at the full spectrum of viewer demographics.
According to their press release, Worlds Apart is a rich fantasy adventure taking place in a land fractured by two feuding brothers with conflicting ideologies as war brews. One brother is driven by order and discipline, while the second is preoccupied with an abundance of magical frivolity.
Alex Rabb. Photo: DIGIC
“We are very excited to bring Axis Studios on board in this groundbreaking partnership,” says DIGIC CEO Alex S. Rabb. “Combining our creative forces and vast production experience to create Worlds Apart, an animated feature that illuminates the significance of unity in a divided world. Our collective aim is to inspire audiences to embrace acceptance and celebrate diversity, fostering a shared vision of a more harmonious future.”
DIGIC’s production facilities craft cinematic trailers and in-game cutscenes for video game universes like Assassin’s Creed,Call of Duty,League of Legends, Destiny,Witcher, and Final Fantasy. Their exceptional horror short, The Secret War, was one of the highlights of Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots Season 1 and was presented with an Annie Award for its superb visuals.
Richard Scott (Axis Studios)
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Alex and the DIGIC team as we work together to bring Worlds Apart to life,” adds Axis Studio CEO Richard Scott. “This collaboration unites two creative groups with shared ambitions in storytelling. I firmly believe that by combining our capabilities and skill sets, we will create a formidable creative force that will make Worlds Apart a fantastic combination of timeless storytelling, fantasy, magic, and action.”
DIGIC and Axis Studios plan to shop this ambitious project to interested parties by the end of 2023.
Disney’s holiday 2023 feature Wish is expected to have a longer theatrical release window, according to Disney CCO Jennifer Lee, who presented the movie at the trade show CineEurope in Barcelona today. Lee, who cowrote the feature with Allison Moore and Chris Buck, called the November release “a true celebration of everything that Disney stands for and an animated musical comedy adventure that captures the spirit of Disney classics.”
I love our sequels, it’s an honor when people like anything you created enough that it’s worth a sequel, so I’ll never feel anything but grateful for it,” Jennifer said during a press event, per Digital Spy. “But I also love our originals, because that’s an important part of who we are and how we discover where we can go in storytelling. So I think number one for the start for us is that this had to be an original.”
Jennifer Lee was one of the big animation star presences at this year’s edition of Annecy n France. Photo courtesy of Laughing Place
At CineEurope, Disney also offered a look at the 2024 live-action version of Snow White with Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler, as well as a first look preview of Mufasa: The Lion King. In addition, Pixar’s CCO Pete Docter introduced an extended look at the March 2024 release Elio, and Amy Poehler showed a peek at summer 2024 sequel Inside Out 2, via taped video. Danielle Fiamanya also presented the audience with a live performance of the song “The Wish” from the upcoming Disney feature.
Last week at Annecy, Jennifer Lee told The Wrap that she was not going to be directing the third installment of her blockbuster franchise Frozen. “I can’t say where we are [with Frozen 3. All our stories are driven by the artists in the studio. Where we’re going with Frozen did not come from me. It came from an incredible person. That’s a new piece, I’ve told no one. And I’ve been blown away by it and I’m just having a blast with that team… I’m doing what I do with all the other projects It’s really fun on Frozen,…cause we’ve lived the world for a while together and a lot of the artists in the studio grew up with that film too, both of them, and have been there the whole way…They kind of own them as much as anyone else.”
Lee added that she would love to direct again in the future. “I know someday I want to be a filmmaker again. I’m old but I’m not that old! I’ve only done two films and I do believe there’s a time — I’ll know it — but there’s a time when you give everything you can and then you make room for innovation of the next person. I can’t imagine anywhere but Disney.”
Disney’s “Wish” centers on the origins of the famous Wishing Star. (Disney)
In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, the film features the voices of Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino.
Watch the film’s teaser below:
Disney’s Wish will open in theaters on November 23.
Sources: Digital Spy, Deadline.com, Laughing Place
Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network and Max announced the top-notch voice cast for their upcoming fall series Tiny Toons Looniversity this morning. The new reboot reintroduces classic characters from the original Tiny Toon Adventures and features a terrific voice cast comprised of Looney Tunes and Tiny Toons alumni as well as some newcomers.
Babs Bunny (voiced by Ashleigh Hairston) –Fraternal twin Babs Bunny hops through life with an “in it to win it” attitude. One part class president, one part class clown, she’s at Acme to pursue her dreams of being the next big cartoon director.
Buster Bunny (voiced by Looney Tunes Cartoons Emmy Award-winner Eric Bauza) –Buster, the other half of the Bunny twins, is the kind of best friend anyone could ask for. This bunny’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of all things toon, and he’s going to use that with his natural comic talents to follow in the toon star footsteps of his hero, Bugs Bunny.
Hamton J. Pig (voiced by David Errigo Jr.) –A nervous, sweet as peach cobbler pie pig who is at Acme to become the first toon in his family to be a doctor, repairing other toons who have been bonked, spronked, and splatted.
Plucky Duck (voiced by David Errigo Jr.) –A joyfully snobbish mallard who is an expert at putting himself first. He’s at Acme to the next Daniel Duck Lewis, a goal his frenemy Buster constantly gets in the way of.
Sweetie Bird (voiced by Tessa Netting) – A punk rebel canary here to smash the patriarchy and rock campus karaoke night. She’s the first one to go to bat for her friends, whether they want it or not!
Acme Looniversity stars Tiny Toon Adventures alums Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, and Candi Milo, who reprise their roles as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Dean Granny, Bergman also voices Sylvester and Foghorn Leghorn, and Milo also voices Witch Hazel. Eric Bauza voices Daffy Duck and Gossamer, and Looney Tunes veteran actor Fred Tatasciore voices Taz and Yosemite Sam.
Cree Summer also reprises her fan-favorite role as Elmyra. (FYI, she’s neither a student nor a faculty member — just a special character in the series!)
Tiny Toons Looniversity premieres this fall on Cartoon Network and Max. The half-hour animated comedy series reboots Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Television’s Emmy-winning Tiny Toon Adventures for a new generation, following Babs, Buster, and the rest of the crew to Acme Looniversity. At the esteemed institution of higher hijinx learning, they form long-lasting friendships and perfect their cartoony craft while studying under the greatest cartoon characters in history, the Looney Tunes.
The show is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer, with Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Amblin Television Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank also serving as executive producers. Erin Gibson serves as showrunner and co-executive producer. Nate Cash (Adventure Time) serves as co-executive producer.
Justice League: Warworld is the latest entry in the DC Animated Universe from Warner Bros. Animation and finds Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman emerging into unknown territory suffering from amnesia pertaining to their whereabouts or identity. Warworld is the 12th animated Justice League movie and part of DC’s Tomorrowverse. This 90-minute R-rated film arrives digitally and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray starting July 25, 2023.
It’s directed by Jeff Wamester (Legion of Super-Heroes) using a screenplay written by Jeremy Adams (Supernatural), Ernie Altbacker (Justice League Dark: Apocalypse War) and Josie Campbell (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power). Warworld’s producing team consists of Jim Krieg (The Death and Return of Superman) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham) alongside Executive Producer Michael Uslan.Butch Lukic(Batman: The Long Halloween) and Sam Register served as Co-Executive Producers.
Back in business battling villains and nefarious forces are Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, The Boys) voicing Batman and Officer Wayne, Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace) as Superman and Agent Kent, and Stana Katic (Castle) as Wonder Woman and Diana Prince.
Here’s the detailed description:
Until now, DC’s Justice League has been a loose association of super-powered individuals. But when they are swept away to Warworld, a place of unending brutal gladiatorial combat, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the others must somehow unite to form an unbeatable resistance able to lead an entire planet to freedom.
The new Justice League feature pays homage to three different genres.
Rounding out the rest of the vocal cast are Ike Amadi (Mortal Kombat: Onslaught) as Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz, Troy Baker (The Last of Us) as Jonah Hex, Matt Bomer (Doom Patrol) as Old Man, Roger R. Cross (Dark Matter) as Machiste, Brett Dalton (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Bat Lash, John DiMaggio (Futurama) as Lobo, Robin Atkin Downes (Batman: The Long Halloween) as Mongul, Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) as Agent Faraday, Rachel Kimsey (Justice League Action) as Mariah Romanova, Damian O’Hare (Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2) as Deimos and Teddy Sears (The Flash, Chicago Fire) as Warlord.
“Justice League: WarWorld “will be available on July 25.
Fortified with the revealing Illusions on Warworld and The Heroic, the Horrible and the Hideous bonus content featurettes, Justice League: Warworld kicks off July 25, 2023 on Digital at Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Physical 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Disc sets will be available to fans online and at all major retailers.
This Spider’s got legs! Easily swinging past the milestone $500 million worldwide mark after Tuesday’s global ticket sales were accounted for, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is showing resilience as it keeps crawling along in theaters both domestic and international.
Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has now accumulated $506.3M through yesterday. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, Across the Spider-Verse pulled in $290.4 million as of June 20 with a foreign box office total of $215.9 million.
But this cinematic arachnid is far from done as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse just bowed in Korea today to wrap up its last important marketplace. Korea’s new figures were not included in this most recent Hollywood tabulation, but so far they have amounted to $596K.
The global numbers are even more remarkable considering the fact that the highly-acclaimed global hit was pulled from the release schedule in UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East, because it failed to meet the regions’s censorship requirements. Some sources believe that a scene showing a transgender flag in Gwen Stacy’s bedroom with the slogan reading “Protect Trans Lives” might have been the reason for this censorship.
Produced by Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Christina Steinberg, the hit fantasy adventure film scurried to a $209M global for its debut weekend in early June to deliver Sony its most impressive start for an animated feature ever. Part of the success story lies in its unanimously good critical reviews, repeat viewings, and enthusiastic fan recommendations.
Sony’s successful blockbuster currently showing up with a 96% critics score and 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
With a reported budget of $100 million and marketing costs just north of another $100 million, Across The Spider-Verse needed to push past the $500 million mark to enter that promised land of profitability.
Breaking down the animated sequel’s international box office triumphs, we see China in the top slot with $42.5M, followed by the UK’s haul of $26.1M, Mexico representing with $24.2M, Australia lagging a bit behind at $15M and finally Brazil with $10.4M. Japan, traditionally a country of comic book-loving fare, racked up $2.8M for the film’s premiere weekend last week, leapfrogging the results of 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse by a whopping 82%.
The Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has approved a major change in eligibility rules for Best Picture beginning with the 97th Academy Awards for films released in 2024. There will be new added requirements for films to be considered for the Best Picture Oscar, after completion of the current initial qualifying run of a one-week theatrical release in one of six qualifying U.S. cities.
The added requirements are:
Expanded theatrical run of seven days, consecutive or non-consecutive, in 10 of the top 50 U.S. markets, no later than 45 days after the initial release in 2024.
For late-in-the-year films with expansions after January 10, 2025, distributors must submit release plans to the Academy for verification.
Release plans for late-in-the-year films must include a planned expanded theatrical run, as described above, to be completed no later than January 24, 2025.
Non-U.S. territory releases can count towards two of the 10 markets.
Qualifying non-U.S. markets include the top 15 international theatrical markets plus the home territory for the film.
AMPAS has clarified that these new additional requirements are strictly for Best Picture and not for the other 22 categories.
“As we do every year, we have been reviewing and assessing our theatrical eligibility requirements for Oscars, said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “In support of our mission to celebrate and honor the arts and sciences of moviemaking, it is our hope that this expanded theatrical footprint will increase the visibility of films worldwide and encourage audiences to experience our artform in a theatrical setting. Based on many conversations with industry partners, we feel that this evolution benefits film artists and movie lovers alike.”
The new rules are likely to impact theatrical releases of features from major streamers such as Netflix, Apple and Amazon, which have dominated the awards season with titles such as All Quiet on the Western Front, Coda and Glass Onion: Knives Out in previous years.
Of course, this rule only impacts the Best Picture Race and not the Best Animated Feature race, which has its own rules and regulation. The 2023 animated feature race is shaping up to be quite an interesting one with Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Illumination’s blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. and December release Migration, DreamWorks’ Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and Trolls Band Together, Disney’s holiday season feature Wish, Netflix’s Nimona and Leo, Aardman’s Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Pixar’s Elemental and Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem all hoping for a date with Oscar when the nominations are announced. Let’s not forget that the new movie by everyone’s favorite Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki — How Do You Live?— is likely to be released by GKIDS with an eye on awards season glory in the fourth quarter.
Hoping to shine the light of hope on the disastrous effects of the Ukraine War, Save the Children has teamed up with BAFTA award-winning director Jonathan Hodgson (Roughhouse, The Man with the Beautiful Eyes) and Ukrainian illustrator Anna Ivanenko to produce Margarita’s Story, a heart-wrenching animated film presenting the perilous journey of ten-year-old girl’s flight from Mariupol, Ukraine in March of 2022.
Per a Save the Children press release, the U.N. has now confirmed more than 24,000 civilian deaths since February 2022, including more than 1,500 children stuck in the constant crossfire and injured or killed. Margarita’s Story exposes the tremendous daily risks faced by children as a result of deadly contamination via explosives, unexploded ordnance (UXOs), and landmines.
The black-and-white short depicts the unsettling tale of a family seeking shelter beside the Drama Theatre, luckily avoiding the doomed building hours prior to it being bombed, an event which apparently killed hundreds of women and children staying out of the conflict by hiding inside.
“Most of my work is about the war, as I use it to spread the truth about what is happening to my country, to tell our story in Ukraine,” says the Kyiv-based artist Ivanenko in a statement. “I chose the project as Mariupol is one of the biggest tragedies, and children are the most vulnerable people in this war. You can’t imagine what impact this will have on them in the future, my heart is bleeding when I hear about their suffering.”
This poignant film premieres at the international policy institute, London’s Chatham House, just before the Ukraine Recovery Conference is scheduled there on June 21-22, 2023.
Jonathan Hodgson
“It has been a humbling experience and a great honor to collaborate with Anna on Margarita’s Story,” states Hodgson. “Unfazed by the turmoil of the war in her country, she has worked tirelessly and created some incredibly powerful and emotional images for the film. Undoubtedly, her direct experience of the war and her eye for detail has brought a level of authenticity and integrity to the animation, which would not have otherwise been possible.”
Learn more about the artist here: www.instagram.com/anaivan/
