Animation Magazine

Michel Gondry to Receive Annecy Honorary Cristal as Special Guest of the Fest

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January 15, 2025

Michel Gondry to Receive Annecy Honorary Cristal as Special Guest of the Fest

Visionary filmmaker Michel Gondry will be attending the Annecy International Animation Film Festival for the first time, honored as a special guest of the 2025 edition (June 8-14). In addition to his high profile live-action feature films, Gondry has created visually explorative animated works and transformative work in music videos (a featured focus of this year’s Annecy Fest) for artists like Björk, The White Stripes, Steriogram and Daft Punk.

“Michel Gondry assumes the legacy of Georges Méliès as much as that of Norman McLaren,” said Marcel Jean, Annecy Festival’s Artistic Delegate. “His boundless creativity and innovative approach have brought hand-crafted animation back into the mainstream, as brilliantly illustrated by The Science of Sleep.”

Popularly known for his cult hit Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for which Gondry shared an Academy Award for Original Screenplay with Charlie Kaufman and Pierre Bismuth as well as many other accolades, Gondry made a splash in the animation world when Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?: An Animated Conversation with Noam Chomsky was awarded the Prix André-Martin for best French animated feature in 2014, though he did not attend Annecy that year.

The 2025 edition of the Festival will offer a journey to the heart of Gondry’s creative process for his new paper cut-out animated feature Maya, donne-moi un titre (Maya, Give Me a Title). Inspired by the creative ways that the director and his daughter maintained a long-distance bond through animation, the film made its debut in France in October and will have its international premiere at Berlinale next month before making its way to the French Alps.

The visit will be an opportunity for the Annecy Festival to present him with an Honorary Cristal, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the vitality of animation.

Learn more about the 2025 Annecy Festival (June 8-14) and MIFA market (June 10-13) at annecyfestival.com.

‘VeggieTales’ Co-Creator Mike Nawrocki Uncovers the Secrets of His New Show, ‘Dead Sea Squirrels,’ Premiering Feb. 14

Ramin Zahed

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January 15, 2025

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‘VeggieTales’ Co-Creator Mike Nawrocki Uncovers the Secrets of His New Show, ‘Dead Sea Squirrels,’ Premiering Feb. 14

An unlikely pair of disciples are ready to make their animated debut next month, when Christian family content platform Minno launches Dead Sea Squirrels. Premiering February 14, the series is based on the books published by Tyndale, which follow the daily adventures of Merle and Pearl — a pair of squirrels petrified in the salt of the Dead Sea for 2,000 who reawaken after an archaeological dig ready to share their first-hand accounts of Jesus’ teachings in the 21st century.

The series is created by Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of VeggieTales, and produced by music producer, recording artist and filmmaker Steve Taylor, and features contributions by former Disney animator Tom Bancroft. Nawrocki also voice stars, with joined by special guests like VeggieTales alum Phil Vischer and original songs from notable Christian artists.

Nawrocki dug into the making of his squirrelly new take on scripture for an interview with Animation Magazine:

Animation Magazine: Congrats on your new show. Can you tell us a bit about the history of the new project and how you thought of the premise?

Mike Nawrocki: Thank you so much! The first seeds of the idea came to me a number of years ago during my VeggieTales years. What if a character from the first century Holy Land could experience 21st^century America? Kind of like Encino Man meets the Dead Sea Scrolls. From there, my brain went immediately to a bad pun: The Dead Sea Squirrels. Merle and Pearl Squirrel, an old Jewish couple from Galilee, would take a trip down the Jordon River, swim in the very salty Dead Sea, then take shelter from the desert heat and get lost in a nearby cave. The combination of dark, dry and salty would preserve them for a couple of millennia until they were discovered by a 10-year-old boy tagging along with his dad on an archeological dig. Once rehydrated and desalinated, Merle and Pearl would be fish out of water in their new world but would have plenty to offer modern kids with their first-hand knowledge of the stories in the New Testament.

When did you start working on it and how long did it take to deliver?

I began working on developing the show once I left Big Idea/DreamWorks in 2016. I started pitching it around, and a friend (Dan Lynch) in the publishing industry asked me if I had ever considered it as a book series. I had not, but I thought that was an interesting idea, so I went away and read a lot of Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to familiarize myself with the format. I worked up a book pitch, and Dan (now friend and literary agent) set up a meeting with a publisher (Linda Howard) who loved the concept. I signed a six-book deal in 2017 that eventually became a 12-book deal with Tyndale. By 2020, I was eight or nine books in, and they were selling well and starting to gather an audience. At that point, another long-time friend and collaborator (Steve Taylor) loved the idea of it being animated and helped raise the money for a pilot. The pilot turned out great, and we used it to attract investors to fund the remainder of the 13-episode Season 1, which we wrapped in 2024.

Where is the animation being produced?

All pre- and post-production is happening in Nashville, Tennessee. We have partnered with Mukpuddy Animation in Auckland, New Zealand, for the lion’s share of animation production, but each episode has a two- to three-minute musical number, most of which have been animated here in Nashville. I’m a professor at Lipscomb University, and we have an incredible animation program led by veteran Disney animators Tom and Tony Bancroft. We’ve been able to recruit top students and set each musical number up as a mini-production. I love that the show can play a role in training the next generation of animators!

How many people are working on the show and which animation tools are used?

Roughly around 50 total cast and crew (pre-pro, production and post) in Nashville and 50 or so on the Mukpuddy crew. Mukpuddy’s pipeline is set up on Adobe Animate. Our student animation crew works in Toon Boom.

What do you love about Dead Sea Squirrels (aside from the amazing title)? What makes it stand out?

Thank you! I am thrilled with the way the show has turned out. I think it will stand out with its unique blend of humor, music, adventure and heart. Each episode plays out a faith-based theme that I think parents will appreciate and that kids will resonate with. The series also has an overarching storyline that I hope will keep viewers engaged and interested in what happens next. And Merle and Pearl are adorable!

What do you hope audiences will take away from your show?

I think our show is super funny, has great music and heartfelt, faith-filled lessons that go down easy. I hope audiences will fall in love with the characters and be interested in what they have to say. Stories have the power to make our lives better, and I’ve always wanted to be part of creating ones that can make a positive difference.

What do people tell you when they find out that you are the man behind VeggieTales?

It’s amazing to me the impact VeggieTales has had over the years and how many people know about the show. The biggest comment I get is, “You were my childhood!” I mean, what could be better than that? What an honor. They’ll also ask me to do “the voice” — meaning Larry the Cucumber, which I love to do. It’s so much fun to see the reaction on people’s faces when they hear a 6’5” old dude squeaking out “The Hairbrush Song.”

When did you know you wanted to work in animation?

I was a theater kid in high school, but as I grew taller and taller, I began to feel more and more self-conscious on stage. Initially, puppetry was a way I could entertain people and not be seen. I’ve also always been a bit of a perfectionist. When CGI animation began to emerge in the late ’80s / early ’90s, Phil Vischer (Bob the Tomato) and I were working in the video post industry in Chicago. He was also a puppet guy, and we were in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the new technology to create the very first CGI animated series; the internet might tell you it was ReBoot in 1994, but we launched VeggieTales in 1993! What I loved about animation was that I could entertain people without being seen and take the time to work on a story and make it the best it could be before anyone saw it.

Biggest animation heroes?

John Lasseter tops the list for me here. I’ve never met him, but without his pioneering work in CGI at Pixar in the late ’80s / early ’90s, I would have never gotten into the business. Since your question was in the plural, I’ll also toss in Mel Blanc, Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. All these guys told stories that transcended age groups and generations.

Any advice for new animation show creators?

Surround yourself with great people on both the art and business side. Creating an animated show is such a challenging thing to do, and to make it work, you need people with integrity who are really good at what they do and who you like to spend a lot of time with. Also, it can be a roller coaster of emotions — and sometimes, all you can do is, in the words of Dory, just keep swimming.

What do you think of the animation landscape in 2024-25?

I love that traditional (2D) animation is making a comeback with audiences. And I’m not just saying that because Dead Sea Squirrels is 2D! For so long, audiences have demanded CGI, but the art form has so much more to offer than a single style. I’m also both fascinated and terrified by how AI will disrupt the industry, but mostly optimistic that great new tools will emerge for humans who want to tell emotionally compelling stories to other humans. With squirrels.

Dead Sea Squirrels premieres February 14 exclusively on Minno, available on Google Play, App Store and Amazon as well as through Roku, FireTV, Chromecast and AppleTV. See gominno.com/lp/deadseasquirrels for details.

BAFTA Nominations: ‘Wallace & Gromit,’ ‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘The Wild Robot’ and ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ Make the Cut

Ramin Zahed

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January 15, 2025

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BAFTA Nominations: ‘Wallace & Gromit,’ ‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘The Wild Robot’ and ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ Make the Cut

Final nominees for the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards were announced this morning. Aardman Animations’ Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham) managed a rare achievement by not only earning one of the coveted Animation Category nominations but also landing on the Outstanding British Film list with nine live-action titles. Three of the titles up for the Animated Film BAFTA (Flow, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and The Wild Robot) also received nominations in the new Children’s & Family Film category. In addition, acclaimed U.K. animation house Lupus Films was able to earn two nominations in two separate categories with its acclaimed feature Kensuke’s Kingdom (Children’s and Family Film) and Mog’s Christmas (Animated Short).

The BAFTAs will be held on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the ceremony hosted by David Tennant in London. Here are the highlights of the animation and visual effects-related categories:

ANIMATED FILM
Flow. Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža
Inside Out 2. Kesley Mann, Mark Nielsen
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek
The Wild Robot. Chris Sanders, Jeff Hermann

CHILDREN’S & FAMILY FILM
Flow. Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža
Kensuke’s Kingdom. Kirk Hendry, Neil Boyle, Camilla Deakin
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek
The Wild Robot. Chris Sanders, Jeff Hermann

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Better Man. Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, Peter Stubbs
Dune: Part Two. Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Gerd Nefzer, Rhys Salcombe
Gladiator II. Mark Bakowski, Neil Corbould, Nikki Penny, Pietro Ponti
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Erik Winquist, Rodney Burke, Paul Story, Stephen Unterfranz
Wicked. Pablo Helman, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith

From top left: “Wicked,” “Better Man,” “Gladiator II,” “Dune: Part Two” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” are the BAFTA Special VFX nominees.

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
Adios. José Prats, Natalia Kyriacou, Bernardo Angeletti
Mog’s Christmas. Robin Shaw, Joanna Harrison, Camilla Deakin, Ruth Fielding
Wander to Wonder. Nina Gantz, Stienette Bosklopper, Simon Cartwright, Maarten Swart

The Best British Animated Short nominees are (from left) “Adios,” “Mog’s Christmas” and “Wander to Wonder.”

In addition, Kris Bowers’ music for DreamWorks The Wild Robot was also nominated for a BAFTA in the Original Score category. Among the popular titles that were shut out this year were Memoir of a Snail, Ultraman: Rising, Moana II, Transformers One, That Christmas, Spellbound and Paddington in Peru. In the shorts category, Nina Gantz’s Wander to Wonder is also nominated for an Annie Award and is shortlisted for an Oscar. Mog’s Christmas also won a British Animation Award and is also nominated for an Annie Award (special presentation). Adios is also nominated for an Annie Award (Best Student Film).

‘Doraemon’ Voice Stars Nobuyo Oyama & Noriko Ohara Awarded Posthumous Japan Academy Special Prizes

Animation Magazine

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January 14, 2025

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‘Doraemon’ Voice Stars Nobuyo Oyama & Noriko Ohara Awarded Posthumous Japan Academy Special Prizes

The Japan Academy, presenters of the annual awards for cinema achievement, have announced the Special Awards recipients for the 48th Japan Academy Film Prizes.

Among this year’s honorees are two esteemed voice actors who passed away in 2024, Nobuyo Ōyama and Noriko Ohara, who both starred for many years in the globally beloved Doraemon franchise. Both are being honored with the Chairman’s Prize, which recognizes “deceased individuals who have made outstanding contributions and achieved outstanding results in the film industry over many years.”

Nobuyo Ōyama (Oct. 16, 1933 – Sept. 29, 2024; 90 years old) is known to generations of fans for portraying the raspy-voiced robot cat from the future, Doraemon, from 1979 to 2005. In addition to her long anime career, she also worked on radio dramas.

Born in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, Ōyama began her voice acting career in 1965 as Punch the bear in Toei’s Hustle Punch. She went on to star in the manga adaptations Norakuro (1970) and Hazedon (1972) before landing her iconic role as Doraemon, whom she voice in both the perennial series and dozens of theatrical feature films, as well as video games. Several years after stepping down due to health issues, Ōyama found anime fame again as the villain Monokuma in Danganronpa (2013).

Ōyama was predeceased by her husband, actor/entertainer Keisuke Sagawa, in 2017.

Noriko Ohara (Oct. 2 1935 – July 12, 2024; 88 years old) was a prolific voice over artist who brought to life Nobita in the Doraemon universe for 26 years. The lackadaisical young boy is the target of Doraemon’s mission, having been sent from the future by Nobita’s descendants in hopes of improving his lot (and theirs). Ohara had initially portrayed the character’s mother from the show’s launch in 1973 until ’79.

Born in Tokyo, Ohara had her first major anime role as the title hero in Marine Boy (1965), with other early roles including Chiro in Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968), Peter in Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974), Conchetta in 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1976) and Wansa in Little Wansa (1973). She went on to play many notable roles through her long career, including Conan in the Hayao Miyazaki-directed Future Boy Conan (1977), Oyuki in Urusei Yatsura (1981), Claudia in Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) and all the lead female villains in the Time Bokan series, including Doronjo in Yatterman. She also provided the Japanese voices of Valerie in Josie and the Pussycats, Penelope Pitstop in Wacky Races and Miss Bianca in The Rescuers.

Ohara was presented with the Achievement Award at the first ever Seiyu Awards for voice acting in 2007, and was later honored with the Synergy Award for maximizing the appeal of voice acting in 2013. She is survived by her husband, Shinichi Tobe, and her son, animator Atsuo Tobe.

Nominations for the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize categories, including animated features, will be announced on January 21. The ceremony will be held March 14 in Tokyo.

Former Huminah Huminah Execs Launch “That Animation Company”

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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Former Huminah Huminah Execs Launch “That Animation Company”

Industry veterans Lynn Chadwick and Steve Cooke have announced the launch of That Animation Company, a new production studio based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The new venture combines decades of expertise in the animation industry with a focus on proactive solutions, client satisfaction, and high-quality animated content.

That Animation Company aims to address the evolving needs of clients across diverse sectors, including television, streaming, education, sports, marketing and more. The studio and its team offer comprehensive 2D and 3D animation pipelines, primed to deliver cost-effective solutions that deliver high quality content.

“We understand the challenges clients face, and our goal is to make the animation production process as smooth and efficient as possible,” said Cooke. “By bringing years of experience and a commitment to transparency and integrity, we are able to address client pain points while delivering exceptional results.”

Chadwick and Cooke are actively seeking production partners to forge relationships with the new studio. Interested parties can inquire with lchadwick@thatanimationcompany.com or visit thatanimationcompany.com for more information.

Lynn Chadwick brings over 20 years of experience in the media and animation sectors to That Animation Company. She was previously at Huminah Huminah Animation, where she grew the studio’s brand, expanding its reach both domestically and internationally. Chadwick also served as a key player in the international distribution arm of Daytime Emmy Award winner Sinking Ship Entertainment. Her past roles at Corus Entertainment and Nelvana Enterprises included overseeing global sales, distribution and program acquisitions.

Steve Cooke is a seasoned animation industry professional, most recently serving as VP of Production and Animation for Huminah Huminah Animation Studios. Cooke’s career in animation began in 1998 and over the following three decades he has continued to honed his production skills across modeling, rigging, animation and VFX. He has worked on numerous successful series, including Bo on the Go, Inspector Gadget, Animal Mechanicals, Super Why! and Doozers. Cooke has previously held key roles at Halifax Film, DHX Media and IoM Media.

ShortsTV Shifts Oscar-Nominated Short Films Theatrical Dates

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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ShortsTV Shifts Oscar-Nominated Short Films Theatrical Dates

ShortsTV, the presenter of the Oscar Nominated Short Films theatrical release for the past two decades, has announced today that due to the devastating fires currently impacting the Los Angeles area, they will move the theatrical debut, originally slated for February 7 to the new date of Friday, February 14.

“Our hearts go out to those affected by this tragedy and the communities navigating these unimaginable challenges,” Founder & CEO Carter Pilcher shared in a statement. “Out of respect for this horrible situation and in alignment with the Academy’s pushed timeline of announcing nominations and other-related events, it is only appropriate to shift our plans.

“The Oscar Nominated Short Films represent the best in storytelling and creativity, and we remain committed to celebrating these incredible works while being mindful of the broader context in which we do so.”

You can follow ShortsTV on Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.

Urban Sales Picks Up Kid Koala’s Animated Feature ‘Space Cadet’

Animation Magazine

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January 14, 2025

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Urban Sales Picks Up Kid Koala’s Animated Feature ‘Space Cadet’

Ahead of its premiere in the Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) youth-targeted Generation Kplus program next month, Paris-based agency Urban Sales has acquired worldwide rights to the animated feature Space Cadet. From Outsiders Films (Canada), the pic is directed by DJ/visual artist Kid Koala (Eric San), based on his 2011 graphic novel.

The heartfelt 3D CG adventure introduces a brilliant young cosmonaut named Celeste, setting out on her first solo space mission — while her robot guardian faces the question of what to do without his lifelong charge to care for. Berlinale describes the dialog-free story as “A tomorrow-days lullaby about finding your place in the universe.”

Space Cadet is adapted for the screen by writer Mylène Chollet (Le Jeu) and produced by Outsiders’ Ginette Petit. Executive producers are Michel Pradier and Nathalie Bissonnette. Les Films Opale is handling the film’s release in Canada.

In addition to Space Cadet, San created the graphic novel Nutonia Must Fall; both were accompanied by music CDs from the artist. As a DJ, San has toured with Radiohead and Beastie Boys, and collaborated with Gorillaz, and has released five solo albums. He is also a film composer and has cotributed to the soundtracks for The Great Gatsby, Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Urban Sales has previously picked up the animated features Fox & Hare Save the Forest, another Berlinale Generation premiere which since sold to 50-plus territories, as well as Cannes selections A Boat in the Garden and Into the Wonderwoods, which sold to 56 territories.

[Source: Deadline]

MIAM! Distribution Takes ‘Tweedy & Fluff’ Worldwide

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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MIAM! Distribution Takes ‘Tweedy & Fluff’ Worldwide

MIAM! Distribution announced from the Unifrance Rendez-vous in Paris that it has acquired international rights to the snuggly stop-motion animated series Tweedy & Fluff (40 x 5′). Aimed at preschoolers, the award-winning show is created by children’s author Corrinne Averiss, directed by Chris Randall and produced by Second Home Studios and Stitchy Feet for Channel 5’s Milkshake! in the U.K. (Paramount Group), with the support of the BFI’s Young Audiences Content Fund.

The series has already aired across various regions, airing on HRT in Croatia, YLE in Finland, SVT in Sweden, and in the U.K./I.E. on BBC Alba, S4C, TG4 (Ireland), and Milkshake!, where it premiered in October 2023. On Milkshake!, the series has consistently ranked as the #1 program in its time slot across all channels since its debut and remains among the Top 10 ‘Most Popular’ shows viewed on My5/Milkshake!

“We are so proud to offer the beautiful and unique Tweedy & Fluff to our Milkshake! viewers,” said Louise Bucknole, the channel’s GM of Kids & Family. “This series reflects the genuine charm and innocence of the audience it was intended for and celebrates love and kindness in its storylines, all wrapped in a package of rich characterization and handcrafted stop-frame animation. It’s an endearing and relatable comfort watch for little and big viewers alike, helping preschoolers to understand their emotions, caring for others and discovering the world around them.”

Tweedy & Fluff tells the story of Tweedy, a little toy made from tweed cloth, living in a weaver’s cottage, and Fluff, a four-legged ball of woolly fuzz who becomes his beloved pet. The show’s charm lies in its handcrafted stop-frame animation, observational storytelling, and gentle pace, offering a heartfelt exploration of themes such as mindfulness, empathy, and sustainability.

“Tweedy & Fluff is a love letter to the handcrafted, to the small joys of a slower pace, and to the extraordinary emotional lives of young children,” noted Averiss, who serves as creator, writer and showrunner on the series. “This series invites its audience to nurture, laugh, and connect, offering both comfort and curiosity in every frame.”

Hanna Mouchez, CEO at MIAM! Distribution, added, “The heart of Tweedy & Fluff lies in its comforting, tactile world, a safe space for preschoolers to experience their first series. It’s designed for co-viewing, nurturing shared moments and hands-on activities between children and parents. The series’ themes of care and creativity resonate deeply to us at MIAM! so we’re delighted to bring Tweedy & Fluff to new markets around the world!”

The show has won industry recognition and praise, including multiple awards from the Royal Television Society Midlands in 2024 and a nomination for Best Children’s in the esteemed British Animation Awards (2024) and the upcoming Broadcast Awards (2025).

Now, it is joining MIAM! distribution’s slate of preschool programs alongside best-selling titles like Edmond and Lucy (104 x 12’), Yeti Tales (280 x 8’) and Little Malabar (78 x 4’).

Trailer: ‘Eva the Owlet’ Season 2′ Returns January 24

Streaming

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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Trailer: ‘Eva the Owlet’ Season 2′ Returns January 24

Today, Apple TV+ revealed the trailer for the second season of its animated kids and family series Eva the Owlet premiering globally on Friday, January 24. Based on the New York Times-bestselling Scholastic book series Owl Diaries by award-winning author Rebecca Elliott, the show invites kids and families to return to the whimsical woodland world of Treetoppington alongside Eva and her friends.

The series stars Eva, a creative, cheeky owlet who lives next door to her best friend Lucy in the woodland world of Treetopington. With big ideas and an even bigger personality, Eva goes on high-flying adventures, expressing herself in her diary along the way!

Season 2 takes viewers through a night in the life of Eva, a spunky and enthusiastic owlet who dreams big. Whether she’s planning a backyard campout with her friends or saving the town’s Spring Acorn Roll from hungry squirrels, Eva tackles her goals with conviction and flair, expressing herself in her journal along the way.

The show’s voice cast includes Vivienne Rutherford (Eureka!, 911: Lone Star) as Eva, Jessica DiCicco (The Loud House, Puppy Dog Pals) as Eva’s mom, Dino Andrade (Loud House, We Baby Bears) as Eva’s dad, as well as Romy Fay (Best Foot Forward), Sascha Yurchak, Jon Olson (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu), Evie Hsu (Team Mekbots), Sarah Vattano (The Uglies; Rise Up, Sing Out), Pressly James Crosby (General Hospital) and Kenna Ramsey (Rent).

Produced by award-winning Scholastic Entertainment (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Goosebumps, The Magic School Bus) with production services and 4K animation by Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated studio Brown Bag Films (Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Octonauts), Eva the Owlet also features original songs by critically acclaimed musician and singer-songwriter Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums.

The series is executive produced by Scholastic Entertainment’s Peabody- and Daytime Emmy Award-winning team, including Iole Lucchese (Clifford the Big Red Dog), Caitlin Friedman (Stillwater) and Jef Kaminsky (Signs of Survival). Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O’Connell of Brown Bag Films also serve as executive producers. Daytime Emmy Award nominees Annabeth Bondor-Stone (Helpsters) and Connor White (Helpsters), who both developed the series for television, serve as co-executive producers, and Daytime Emmy Award nominee Damien O’Connor (Angela’s Christmas, Angela’s Christmas 2) serves as supervising director.

The late Dr. John F. Evans, a writing clinician, National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach at Duke Integrative Medicine, and the Founder and Executive Director of Wellness & Writing Connections, LLC served as the expressive writing expert on the series through Apple TV+’s changemakers initiative.

Since first being published, Owl Diaries has eight foreign language translations and 12 million copies in print.

‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’ Makes a Splash with New Trailer & Sea of Images

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’ Makes a Splash with New Trailer & Sea of Images

Netflix has dredged the waters of Andrzej Sapkowski’s epic fantasy world to unveil the trailer for The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, the new animated film entry into the blood and sorcery-filled saga of The Witcher. Produced by South Korean animation house Studio Mir, Poland’s Platige Image and L.A.-based Hivemind, the movie premieres February 11 on the streamer.

Synopsis: Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter, is hired to investigate a series of attacks in a seaside village and finds himself drawn into a centuries-old conflict between humans and merpeople. He must count on friends — old and new — to solve the mystery before the hostilities between the two kingdoms escalate into all-out war.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep [c/o Netflix]

Sirens of the Deep is directed by Kang Hei Chul (storyboard artist on The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf) and written by Mike Ostrowski and Rae Benjamin, co-exec producer and staff writer on Netflix’s live-action The Witcher, respectively, and produced by franchise stalwart Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.

Executive producers are Ostrowski, Tomek Bagiński & Jarosław Sawko (Platige), Jason F Brown & Sean Daniel (Hivemind). Benjamin is co-exec producer. Sapkowski served as creative consultant on the project.

netflix.com/TheWitcher

‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘Dune: Part Two’ Lead VES Award Nominations

Mercedes Milligan

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January 14, 2025

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‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘Dune: Part Two’ Lead VES Award Nominations

Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES | vesglobal.com), the visual effects industry’s professional global honorary society, announced the nominees for the 23rd Annual VES Awards, recognizing outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in features, animation, television, commercials, games and new media. Awards will be presented on February 11 at The Beverly Hilton hotel.

The Wild Robot is the top animated contender with five nominations, Dune: Part Two leads the photoreal feature film field with seven nominations. Shōgun and The Penguin each received four nominations in the episodic field.

“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” said Kim Davidson, VES Chair. “We are seeing best in class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation. The VES Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of our nominees.”

Nominees in 25 categories were selected by VES members at 49 in-person and virtual nomination panels conducted around the world over a 30-hour continuous process. The nominations protocol included a review of each awards submission including “Befores and Afters” by a minimum of three different judging panels. Participating VES members on the panels represented 307 cities in 24 countries.

“Whether it’s through a fully immersive environment, realistic characters, or jaw-dropping action sequences, visual effects artists continue to push the boundaries of creativity and transform the way stories are told,” said Diana Colella, Executive Vice President of Media & Entertainment at Autodesk, sponsor of the VES-Autodesk Student Award. “This year’s student film submissions celebrate the technical talent and creativity of up-and-coming visual effects artists. Congratulations to all the student nominees.”

As previously announced, special honorees this year include: Golden Globe nominee
and Emmy Award-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada, receiving the VES Award for Creative Excellence; Academy Award-winning director and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki, receiving the VES Visionary Award; and acclaimed virtual reality/immersive technology pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie, receiving the VES Georges Méliès Award.

The nominees are:

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Inside Out 2
Kelsey Mann
Mark Nielsen
Sudeep Rangaswamy
Bill Watral

Moana 2
Carlos Cabral
Tucker Gilmore
Ian Gooding
Gabriela Hernandez

The Wild Robot
Chris Sanders
Jeff Hermann
Jeff Budsberg
Jacob Hjort Jensen

Transformers One
Frazer Churchill
Fiona Chilton
Josh Cooley
Stephen King

Ultraman: Rising
Hayden Jones
Sean M. Murphy
Shannon Tindle
Mathieu Vig

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Inside Out 2; Anxiety
Alexander Alvarado
Brianne Francisco
Amanda Wagner
Brenda Lin Zhang

The Wild Robot; Roz
Fabio Lignini
Yukinori Inagaki
Owen Demers
Hyun Huh

Thelma The Unicorn; Vic Diamond
Guillaume Arantes
Adrien Montero
Anne-Claire Leroux
Gaspard Roche

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl; Gromit
Jo Fenton
Alison Evans
Andy Symanowski
Emanuel Nevado

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Kung Fu Panda 4; Juniper City
Benjamin Lippert
Ryan Prestridge
Sarah Vawter
Peter Maynez

The Wild Robot; The Forest
John Wake
He Jung Park
Woojin Choi
Shane Glading

Transformers One; Iacon City
Alex Popescu
Geoffrey Lebreton
Ryan Kirby
Hussein Nabeel

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl; Aqueduct
Matt Perry
Dave Alex Riddett
Matt Sanders
Howard Jones

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Kung Fu Panda 4
Jinguang Huang
Zhao Wang
Hamid Shahsavari
Joshua LaBrot

Moana 2
Zoran Stojanoski
Jesse Erickson
Shamintha Kalamba Arachchi
Erin V. Ramos

The Wild Robot
Derek Cheung
Michael Losure
David Chow
Nyoung Kim

Ultraman: Rising
Goncalo Cabaca
Zheng Yong Oh
Nicholas Yoon Joo Kuang
Praveen Boppana

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Better Man
Luke Millar
Andy Taylor
David Clayton
Keith Herft
Peter Stubbs

Dune: Part Two
Paul Lambert
Brice Parker
Stephen James
Rhys Salcombe
Gerd Nefzer

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Erik Winquist
Julia Neighly
Paul Story
Danielle Immerman
Rodney Burke

Mufasa: The Lion King
Adam Valdez
Barry St. John
Audrey Ferrara
Daniel Fotheringham

Twisters
Ben Snow
Mark Soper
Florian Witzel
Susan Greenhow
Scott Fisher

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Blitz
Andrew Whitehurst
Sona Pak
Theo Demiris
Vincent Poitras
Hayley Williams

Civil War
David Simpson
Michelle Rose
Freddy Salazar
Chris Zeh
J.D. Schwalm

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1
Jason Neese
Armen Fetulagian
Jamie Neese
J.P. Jaramillo

Nosferatu
Angela Barson
Lisa Renney
David Scott
Dave Cook
Pavel Ságner

Young Woman and the Sea
Richard Briscoe
Carrie Rishel
Jeremy Robert
Stéphane Dittoo
Ivo Jivkov

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

Fallout; The Head
Jay Worth
Andrea Knoll
Grant Everett
Joao Sita
Devin Maggio

House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold
Daði Einarsson
Tom Horton
Sven Martin
Wayne Stables
Mike Dawson

Shōgun; Anjin
Michael Cliett
Melody Mead
Philip Engström
Ed Bruce
Cameron Waldbauer

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 5
John Knoll
Pablo Molles
Jhon Alvarado
Jeff Capogreco

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Eldest
Jason Smith
Tim Keene
Ann Podlozny
Ara Khanikian
Ryan Conder

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

Expats: Home
Robert Bock
Glorivette Somoza
Charles Labbé
Tim Emeis

Lady in the Lake; It Has to Do with the Search for the Marvelous
Jay Worth
Eddie Bonin
Joe Wehmeyer
Eric Levin-Hatz
Mike Myers

Masters of the Air; Part Three; The Regensburg-Schweinfurt Mission
Stephen Rosenbaum
Bruce Franklin
Xavier Matia Bernasconi
David Andrews
Neil Corbould

The Penguin; Bliss
Johnny Han
Michelle Rose
Goran Pavles
Ed Bruce
Devin Maggio

The Tattooist of Auschwitz; Pilot
Simon Giles
Alan Church
David Schneider
James Hattsmith

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT

[REDACTED]
Fabio Silva
Matthew Sherman
Caleb Essex
Bob Kopinsky

Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Dave Samuel
Ben Fabric
Eric Greenlief
Glenn Gamble

Star Wars Outlaws
Stephen Hawes
Lionel Le Dain
Benedikt Podlesnigg
Bogdan Draghici

What If…? – An Immersive Story
Patrick N.P. Conran
Shereif Fattouh
Zain Homer
Jax Lee

Until Dawn
Nicholas Chambers
Jack Hidde Glavimans
Alex Gabor

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL

YouTube TV NFL Sunday Ticket: The Magic of Sunday
Chris Bayol
Jeremy Brooks
Lane Jolly
Jacob Bergman

Disney; Holidays 2024
Adam Droy
Helen Tang
Christian Baker-Steele
David Fleet

Virgin Media; Walrus Whizzer
Sebastian Caldwell
Ian Berry
Ben Cronin
Alex Grey

Coca-Cola; The Heroes
Greg McKneally
Antonia Vlasto
Ryan Knowles
Fabrice Fiteni

Six Kings Slam; Call of the Kings
Ryan Knowles
Joe Billington
Dean Robinson
George Savvas

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT

D23; Real-Time Rocket
Evan Goldberg
Alyssa Finley
Jason Breneman
Alice Taylor

The Goldau Landslide Experience
Roman Kaelin
Gianluca Ravioli
Florian Baumann

MTV Video Music Awards; Slim Shady Live
Jo Plaete
Sara Mustafa
Cameron Jackson
Andries Courteaux

Tokyo DisneySea; Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure
Michael Sean Foley
Kirk Bodyfelt
Darin Hollings
Bert Klein
Maya Vyas

Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony; Run
Benjamin Le Ster
Gilles De Lusigman
Gerome Viavant
Romain Tinturier

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Better Man; Robbie Williams
Milton Ramirez
Andrea Merlo
Seoungseok Charlie Kim
Eteuati Tema

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Noa
Rachael Dunk
Andrei Coval
John Sore
Niels Peter Kaagaard

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Raka
Seoungseok Charlie Kim
Giorgio Lafratta
Tim Teramoto
Aidan Martin

Mufasa: The Lion King; Taka
Klaus Skovbo
Valentina Rosselli
Eli De Koninck
Amelie Talarmain

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Secret Level; Armored Core: Asset Management; Mech Pilot
Zsolt Vida
Péter Krucsai
Ágnes Vona
Enric Nebleza Pañella

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred; Neyrelle
Chris Bostjanick
James Ma
Yeon-Ho Lee
Atsushi Ikarashi

Disney; Holidays 2024; Octopus
Alex Doyle
Philippe Moine
Lewis Pickston
Andrea Lacedelli

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter; Vildvittran the Queen Harpy
Nicklas Andersson
David Allan
Gustav Åhren
Niklas Wallén

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Civil War; Washington, D.C.
Matthew Chandler
James Harmer
Robert Moore
Adrien Zeppieri

Dune: Part Two; The Arrakeen Basin
Daniel Rhein
Daniel Anton Fernandez
Marc James Austin
Christopher Anciaume

Gladiator II; Rome
Oliver Kane
Stefano Farci
John Seru
Frederick Vallee

Wicked; The Emerald City
Alan Lam
Steve Bevins
Deepali Negi
Miguel Sanchez López-Ruíz

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Dune: Prophecy; Pilot; The Imperial Palace
Scott Coates
Sam Besseau
Vincent l’Heureux
Lourenco Abreu

Dune: Prophecy; Two Wolves; Zimia Spaceport
Nils Weisbrod
David Anastacio
Rene Borst
Ruben Valente

Shōgun; Osaka
Manuel Martinez
Phil Hannigan
Keith Malone
Francesco Corvino

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Doomed to Die; Eregion
Yordan Petrov
Bertrand Cabrol
Lea Desrozier
Karan Dhandha

OUTSTANDING CG CINEMATOGRAPHY

Better Man
Blair Burke
Shweta Bhatnagar
Tim Walker
Craig Young

Dune: Part Two; Arrakis
Greig Fraser
Xin Steve Guo
Sandra Murta
Ben Wiggs

House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold; Battle at Rook’s Rest
Matt Perrin
James Thompson
Jacob Doehner
P.J. Dillon

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Egg Climb
Dennis Yoo
Angelo Perrotta
Samantha Erickstad
Miae Kang

OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT

Alien: Romulus; Renaissance Space Station
Waldemar Bartkowiak
Trevor Wide
Matt Middleton
Ben Shearman

Deadpool & Wolverine; Ant-Man Arena
Carlos Flores Gomez
Corinne Dy
Chris Byrnes
Gerald Blaise

Dune: Part Two; The Harkonnen Harvester
Andrew Hodgson
Timothy Russell
Erik Lehmann
Louie Cho

Gladiator II; The Colosseum
Oliver Kane
Marnie Pitts
Charlotte Fargier
Laurie Priest

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Dune: Part Two; Atomic Explosions and Wormriding
Nicholas Papworth
Sandy la Tourelle
Lisa Nolan
Christopher Phillips

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Burning Village, Rapids and Floods
Alex Nowotny
Claude Schitter
Frédéric Valleur
Kevin Kelm

Twisters
Matthew Hanger
Joakim Arnesson
Laurent Kermel
Zheng Yong Oh

Venom: The Last Dance; Water, Fire & Symbiote Effects
Xavi Martin Ramirez
Oscar Dahlen
Hedi Namar
Yuri Yang

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Avatar: The Last Airbender; Legends; Koizilla
Ioan Boieriu
David Stopford
Per Balay
Saysana Rintharamy

Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide
Dominic Tiedeken
Heinrich Löwe
Charles Guerton
Timmy Lundin

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Pilot; Spaceship Hillside Takeoff
Travis Harkleroad
Xiaolong Peng
Marcella Brown
Mickael Riciotti

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Shadow and Flame; Balrog Fire and Collapsing Cliff
Koenraad Hofmeester
Miguel Perez Senent
Miguel Santana Da Silva
Billy Copley

Three Body Problem; Judgement Day
Yves D’Incau
Gavin Templer
Martin Chabannes
Eloi Andaluz Fullà

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE

Better Man
Mark McNicholl
Gordon Spencer de Haseth
Eva Snyder
Markus Reithoffer

Dune: Part Two; Wormriding, Geidi Prime, and the Final Battle
Christopher Rickard
Francesco Dell’Anna
Paul Chapman
Ryan Wing

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Joerg Bruemmer
Zachary Brake
Tim Walker
Kaustubh A. Patil

The Wild Robot
Sondra L. Verlander
Baptiste Van Opstal
Eszter Offertaler
Austin Casale

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE

Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide
Benjamin Bernon
Douglas Roshamn
Victor Kirsch
Charlie Raud

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 6; Jaws
Rich Grande
Tomas Lefebvre
Ian Dodman
Rey Reynolds

The Boys; Season 4; Life Among the Septics
Tristan Zerafa
Mike Stadnyckyj
Toshi Kosaka
Rajeev BR

The Penguin; After Hours
Jonas Stuckenbrock
Karen Chang
Eugene Bondar
Miky Girón

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL

Virgin Media; Walrus Whizzer
Sebastian Caldwell
Alex Grey
Kanishk Chouhan
Shubham Mehta

Coca-Cola; The Heroes
Ryan Knowles
Alex Gabucci
Jack Powell
Dan Yarcigi

Corcept; Marionette
Yongchan Kim
Arman Matin
Yoon Bae
Rajesh Kaushik

Disney; Holidays 2024
Christian Baker-Steele
Luke Warpus
Pritesh Kotian
Jack Harris

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT

Blitz
Hayley Williams
David Eves
Alex Freeman
David Watson

Constellation
Martin Goeres
Johara Raukamp
Lion David Bogus
Leon Mark

The Penguin; Safe Guns
Devin Maggio
Johnny Han
Cory Candrilli
Alexandre Prod’homme

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Dune: Part Two; Nuke CopyCat
Ben Kent
Guillaume Gales
Mairead Grogan
Johanna Barbier

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Artist-driven Machine Learning Character
John Bastian
Ben Ward
Thomas Rowntree
Robert Beveridge

Here; Neural Performance Toolset
Jo Plaete
Oriel Frigo
Tomas Koutsky
Matteo Oliviero Dancy

Mufasa: The Lion King; Real-Time Interactive Filmmaking, from Stage to Post
Callum James
James Hood
Lloyd Bishop
Bruno Pedrinha

The Penguin; Phase Synced Flash-Gun System
Johnny Han
Jefferson Han
Joseph Menafra
Michael Pynn

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT

Dawn (ESMA – École Supérieure Des Métiers Artistiques)
Noah Mercier
Apolline Royer
Lorys Stora
Marie Pradeilles

Student Accomplice (Brigham Young University)
Spencer Blanchard
Lisa Bird
Anson Savage
Kiara Spencer

Pittura (ARTFX – Schools of Digital Arts)
Lauriol Adam
Lassère Titouan
Vivenza Rémi
Marre Helloïs

Courage (Supinfocom – Rubika)
Salomé Cognon
Margot Jacquet
Nathan Baudry
Lise Delcroix

Animator Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Over Disney’s ‘Moana’ Franchise

Animation Magazine

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January 13, 2025

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Animator Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Over Disney’s ‘Moana’ Franchise

A lawsuit has been filed against Disney over claims that Walt Disney Animation Studios lifted elements of another project pitch to create Moana and the recent sequel Moana 2. Claimant Buck Woodall is seeking at least $10 billion in damages, saying that materials created for his original project Bucky were coopted by the entertainment giant.

The suit states that Woodall produced a screenplay and trailer for Bucky and shared details of the project with Jenny Marchick, then the director of development for Mandeville Films, in 2003, when the studio had a first-look deal with Disney. Marchick, who is now head of feature film development at DreamWorks Animation, allegedly requested additional materials including character designs, storyboards and production plans in a bid to greenlight the film.

The complaint reads: “Disney’s Moana was produced in the wake of Woodall’s delivery to the Defendants of virtually all constituent parts necessary for its development and production after more than 17 years of inspiration and work on his animated film project.”

The similarities which the suit puts “could not possibly have been accidental” between Bucky and 2016’s Moana include the key plot following a teenager who sets off on a dangerous voyage in Polynesian waters to save an endangered island, as well as recurring themes based on Polynesian beliefs (particularly the incarnation of spiritual ancestors as animals), a plot involving a necklace, a protagonist encountering a tattooed demigod toting a giant fish hook, and a giant creature inside a mountain.

The plaintiff also alleges similarities between his original project and Moana 2, pointing out the sequence where Moana’s crew are sucked into a watery portal, described as “another dramatic and unique device-imagery found in plaintiff’s materials that could not possibly have been developed by chance or without malicious intentions.”

Woodall had previously attempted to sue over the issue, but a U.S. district judge ruled in November last year that the suit had been filed too late. The release of the sequel sparked an opportunity to try again.

Ron Clements, a Disney veteran who directed (with John Musker and Don Hall) and wrote (with Jared Bush and Musker) Moana, said in a court statement pertaining to the first suit: “Moana was not inspired by or based in any way on [Woodall] or his Bucky project, which I learned of for the first time after this lawsuit was filed.”

So far, Moana 2 has earned over $990 million in box office worldwide. The first film grossed $643.3M and received Oscar nominations for Best Animate Feature and Best Original Song. The franchise has also spawned major consumer products programs.

[Sources: Sky News, The Hollywood Reporter]

Berlinale Announces Short Film Program

Mercedes Milligan

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January 13, 2025

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Organizers of the Berlin International Film Festival (or Berlinale) have announced the lineup for the 2025 Berlinale Shorts program. The selection features 20 shorts from 18 production countries, including 15 World Premieres. (See the full lineup at berlinale.de)

“This edition is rich in portraits of varying kinds, both in the documentary works and in the fiction and animated films. We encounter individuals who will stay with us for a long time,” says Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck, head of Berlinale Shorts.

To celebrate the festival’s 75th anniversary, Berlinale Shorts is also screening six gems from the festival archive. In the short film compilation “You and I Are Not Alone – Berlinale Shorts Revisited,” audiences can rediscover an array of films and filmmakers who have made an impact on past editions, including the enchanting mythical creatures of Japanese animator Akihito Izuhara’s hand-drawn Vita Lakamaya (2016).

In the land of Vita Lakamaya, resting is the most important pastime of all. A procession goes by. The year draws to a close. The creature sleeps.

Other animated highlights of the 2025 Berlinale Shorts program include:

Mother’s Child | Naomi Noir | Netherlands | International Premiere

Being a loving mother and full-time carer for her mentally and physically disabled son is Mary’s daily struggle. The authorities are anything but helpful and she is in danger of drowning in a sea of bureaucracy.

Stone of Destiny (Kámen Osudu) | Julie Černá | Czechia | World Premiere

The Stone of Destiny longs for freedom and wants to overcome its self-doubt. So it embarks on a journey and meets strange creatures in strange places. An animated musical.

Ordinary Life (Futsu no seikatsu) | Yoriko Mizushiri | Japan | France/Japan | World Premiere

A breath of air, a movement, a touch and, in between, a dissolution. Gestures of everyday life in variation, sensual, floating in pastel colors.

How Are You? (Comment ça va?) | Caroline Poggi & Jonathan Vinel | France | World Premiere

A group of animals live on a wild coastline and try to heal the ills caused by the contemporary world. A kind of rehab.

Animated Box Office God ‘Nezha’ Returns in New Sequel Trailer

Mercedes Milligan

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January 13, 2025

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Animated Box Office God ‘Nezha’ Returns in New Sequel Trailer

The sequel to breakout Chinese animated blockbuster Nezha (2019), which broke ticket sales records and was submitted as the first animated feature to represent China in the Academy Awards race, is hitting theaters in the Middle Kingdom on January 29. A trailer was recently debuted ahead of the Lunar New Year release. (Movies in China are often not previewed until shortly before they launch.)

The description of the official Nezha 2 trailer posted to Bilibili reads:

I am Nezha the Third Prince, and I am back with the first trailer! The four sea dragon kings are approaching Chentang Pass, and millions of monsters are approaching. I must protect my homeland! On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I will celebrate the New Year with you in the sea!

Inspired by the tales of the 16th century novel Investiture of the Gods, Nezha 2 is again directed by Jiaozi (Yu Yang).

The first film in the franchise was produced by Chengdu Coco Cartoon and released in China by Beijing Enlight Pictures. The CG-animated mythic adventure soared to $725 million worldwide, became the highest-grossing animated film in China and the highest-grossing animated film not produced in the U.S. that year, as well as the fourth highest-grossing animated film worldwide in 2019 and the fourth-highest grossing Chinese film of all time.

A second film in the Investiture of the Gods universe, Legend of Deification (known as Jiang Ziya in English-speaking markets), premiered in October 2020 after a delay from COVID-19.

Both Nezha and Jiang Ziya received limited theatrical and IMAX releases in the U.S. and Canada through Well Go USA Entertainment. The English dub cast featured Jordan Cole, Aleks Le, Vincent Rodriguez, Stephanie Sheh and Mike Pollock.

[H/T Catsuka]

Gallery: New ‘Flow’ Images Set Sail

Animation Magazine

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January 13, 2025

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New images have been released for Gints Zilbalodis’ Golden Globe-winning animated feature Flow. Released theatrically in the U.S. by Sideshow and Janus Films, the critically acclaimed, dialog-free CG adventure is now available to own or rent on VOD.

Synopsis: A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet.

Flow premiered in the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard sidebar last summer before screening at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it won four awards. In addition to the Golden Globe, Flow has won the European Film Award and National Board of Review Award for Best Animated Feature. The film is currently nominated for four Annie Awards and two Critics Choice Awards, and is under consideration for Academy Awards nominations for Animated Feature and International Feature (representing Latvia).

Zilbalodis (Away) directed the film, wrote the screenplay with Matiss Kaza, created the original score with Rihards Zalupe and served as producer alongside Kaza, Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman. Flow is produced by Zilbalodis’ Dream Well Studio (Latvia), Sacrebleu Productions (France) and Take Five (Belgium).

Classic ‘Macross’ Anime Titles Land at Hulu U.S.

Mercedes Milligan

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January 13, 2025

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Classic ‘Macross’ Anime Titles Land at Hulu U.S.

A major drop of Macross anime episodics and movies are available today (January 13) on Hulu in the U.S., offering American fans a binge destination for the sci-fi classic. Placeholders on the streamer were spotted by a fan last week.

Included titles are:

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II: Lovers, Again
Macross Plus
Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Macross Delta
Macross Delta: Passionate Walküre
Macross Delta: Zettai LIVE!!!!!!
Macross Zero
Macross 7
Macross Dynamite 7
Macross 7: The Galaxy Is Calling Me!
Macross Fb7: Listen to My Song!
Macross Frontier
Macross Frontier: The False Songstress
Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell
Macross Frontier: Labyrinth of Time

Macross (as well as Robotech) content is distributed through a partnership established in 2021 between the franchise’s representative owners Big West (Japan), co-creators Studio Nue and Harmony Gold USA.

In other territories, Macross titles stream on Disney+ Canada and globally licensed by the platform’s Star brand.

You can keep up to date on the Macross universe through macross.jp.

[Source: Anime News Network / @jskenda]

Academy Updates 97th Oscar Season Dates

Animation Magazine

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January 13, 2025

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The Academy announces updates to its 97th Oscars key dates and schedule of events due to the impact of the Los Angeles-area fires.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement:

“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community. The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship.

Due to the still-active fires in the Los Angeles area, we feel it is necessary to extend our voting period and move the date of our nominations announcement to allow additional time for our members.

Additionally, as we want to be sensitive to the infrastructure and lodging needs of the region in these next few weeks, it is imperative that we make some changes to our schedule of events, which we believe will have the support of our industry.

Our members always share how important it is for us to come together as a community, and we are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient and compassionate industry. We also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognizing those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts.

We will get through this together and bring a sense of healing to our global film community.”

Updates (all dates are subject to change):

Oscars nominations voting period is extended through Friday, January 17, at 5 p.m. PT.
Oscars Nominations Announcement is rescheduled for Thursday, January 23, at 5:30 a.m. PT. The live announcement will be a virtual event without in-person media coverage.
Oscars Nominees Luncheon, scheduled for Monday, February 10, will not be held this year.
Scientific and Technical Awards, scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, will be rescheduled to a later date yet to be determined.

The 97th Oscars will still be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and air live in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Aussie Animated Indie ‘Lesbian Space Princess’ Blasts Off with Blue Finch

Animation Magazine

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January 13, 2025

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Aussie Animated Indie ‘Lesbian Space Princess’ Blasts Off with Blue Finch

The 2D animated adult comedy-adventure Lesbian Space Princess has been acquired by U.K.-based Blue Finch for global distribution (excluding Australia and New Zealand). The pic was greenlit by South Australia’s Film Lab: New Voices program in 2023 and will make its world premiere in the Panorama program at Berlin International Film Festival (Feb. 13-23). Blue Finch will launch sales at the concurrent European Film Market (Feb. 13-19).

An anxious space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens. Along the way, a problematic spaceship and a runaway gay-pop idol join her hazardous encounters with blade-wielding maniacs, dangerous dick turrets and the scariest thing of all: her own self-doubt.

Lesbian Space Princess s the debut feature film by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, and has been picked up by Umbrella Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand. Umbrella’s Ari Harrison has also boarded the project as an executive producer alongside Cam Rogers. Tom Phillips (We Made a Thing Studios) is producer and executive producer.

Written and directed by Hough Hobbs & Varghese, the film features the voices of Shabana Azeez (Birdeater), Gemma Chau-Tran (Mustangs FC), Kween Kong (Drag Race Down Under), Madeline Sami (Badjelly, Our Flag Means Death) and surrealist comedy trio Aunty Donna.

Film Lab: New Voices is an initiative co-funded by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) and Screen Australia, which sees three South Australian filmmaking teams mentored through a 12-month skills development program to develop their first low-budget feature film script. At the completion of the lab, each team can apply for $600,000 in screen production grant funding.

Lesbian Space Princess previously held a Work-in-Progress screening at Adelaide Film Festival.

[Sources: Variety, Blue Finch]

Watch: Bathory Bites Back in New ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Trailer

Mercedes Milligan

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January 13, 2025

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Watch: Bathory Bites Back in New ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Trailer

A new era of vamp-battling action is about to unfold on Netflix, when the streamer debuts Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 on January 16. In anticipation of the new 8 x 25′ season, fresh images and an otherworldly hype trailer have risen from the crypt!

Synopsis: Now joined by the legendary Alucard, Richter Belmont and his band of vampire hunters are in a desperate race against time. Erzsebet Báthory, the Vampire Messiah, who already seems invincible, seeks the full power of the goddess Sekhmet so she can plunge the world into endless darkness and terror.

S2 features the voices of Edward Bluemel as Richter Belmont, Pixie Davies as Maria Renard, Thuso Mbedu as Annette, Sydney James Harcourt as Edouard, Nastassja Kinski as Tera Renard, Zahn McClarnon as Olrox, Franka Potente as Erzsebet Bathory, James Callis as Alucard, Richard Dormer as The Abbot, Iain Glen as Juste Belmont, Elarica Johnson as Drolta Tzuentes and Aaron Neil as Mizrak.

Creator Clive Bradley and Kevin Kolde return as showrunners, and executive produce alongside Adam Deats, Sam Deats, Fred Seibert and Adi Shankark. Sam and Adam Deats serve as series directors. Bradley also wrote multiple episodes, with more screenplays by Testament, Temi Oh and Zodwa Nyoni.

Castlevania: Nocturne is produced by Project 51 Productions for Netflix, with animation produced by Powerhouse Animation.

‘Moana 2’ on Course to Hit $1 Billion; ‘Mufasa’ & ‘Sonic 3’ Reach Milestones

Animation Magazine

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January 12, 2025

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‘Moana 2’ on Course to Hit $1 Billion; ‘Mufasa’ & ‘Sonic 3’ Reach Milestones

Animation had a boffo international box office weekend, with the fully-animated Disney pic Moana 2 on track to pass $1 billion this week. The seafaring sequel helmed by Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr. and Dana Ledoux Miller added $11.1 million to its overseas cume of $554.9M, bringing its worldwide total to $989.8M. Moana 2 will mark Disney’s third 2024 release to hit the billion-dollar mark, as the only studio with any big B movies for the year.

Notably, Moana 2 is the second-highest grossing animated movie ever in Brazil and France, and the highest-grossing Disney Animation release of all time in France, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Latin America, Greece, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, U.A.E., New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Central America, Ecuador, Bolivia and Uruguay.

The sequel’s top markets to date are France ($60.6M), U.K. ($49.7M), Germany ($41.7M), Mexico ($30.2M) and Australia ($29.5M).

Mufasa: The Lion King ©The Walt Disney Studios

The CG stars of hybrid movies boosted the global box office as well. Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King picked up $27.9M this weekend for an international total of $350.9M and $539.7M worldwide (the No. 9 release of 2024. Top international markets so far are France ($33.7M), U.K. ($29.9M), Mexico ($24.6M), Germany ($24M) and Italy ($21.8M).

And Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is no slowpoke for the blockbuster SEGA-inspired film series. The Blue Blur collected another $20.3M from 62 overseas markets this weekend, racing to an international cume of $180.3M and $384.8M worldwide.

Top markets are the U.K. ($25.9M), Mexico ($18.8M), France ($15.8M), Australia ($13.2M) and Brazil ($9.2M).

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 [Paramount Pictures/SEGA]

[Source: Deadline]

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‘Moana 2’ on Course to Hit $1 Billion; ‘Mufasa’ & ‘Sonic 3’ Reach Milestones

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