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Over five years in the making, Chinese animated feature The Legend of Hei is a heart-warming fantasy adventure, bolstered by beautiful animation and enchanting narrative. Having made a successful splash with audiences on the other side of the world, the Annecy and Japan Media Arts Festival selection will be coming to North American homes through Shout! Studios on Digital on April 20, and on DVD and Blu-ray combo pack on May 11.
Filmmaker Ping Zhang (a.k.a MTJJ) derived The Legend of Hei from the popular Flash web series he created in 2011. The series gained immense popularity when it debuted online in China, and Zhang then decided to develop it into a feature-length movie, which has enjoyed successful openings in China and Japan.
Synopsis: Cat spirit Luo-Xiao Hei embarks on a journey of self-discovery after his habitat gets deforested by humans. On his search for a new home, he runs into a group of other spirit creatures who take him under their wing with dreams of reconquering the land they say is rightfully theirs. However, the group runs into a human known as Wuxian, who separates Hei from the other spirits. The two go on a journey that teaches Hei to control his abilities as well as forming his own thoughts on whether or not he should ally with the spirits or humans.
The Legend of Hei North American release boasts an exceptional English voice cast featuring Chinese-American talent, including Emi Lo (Bofuri, Valentine), Aleks Le (Funan, Ne Zha), Howard Wang (Dragon Ball Z, Marvel Avengers Academy), Kaiji Tang (Justice League, Grantz-O), Caleb Yen (Black Clover, Scott & Crowley) and Suzie Yeung (Kemono Friends).
As Nickelodeon paves the way for the spring premiere of the brand-new animated series Baby Shark’s Big Show!, the net is debuting a block of original Baby Shark shorts and doubling down on its preschool slate with renewals of top hits from its powerhouse preschool portfolio. Nick has greenlit a second season of Santiago of the Seas, a fourth season of Blue’s Clues & You! and a ninth season of PAW Patrol, which was the number-one preschool series on all TV last year. For 2020, Nickelodeon was home to nine of the top 10 preschool shows on all TV, and the number-one cable network for Kids 2-5, Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11.
In advance of the premiere of Baby Shark’s Big Show!, the brand-new animated preschool series (26 half-hour episodes, co-produced by SmartStudy) based on Pinkfong’s Baby Shark Dance, the world-famous pop culture phenomenon, Nickelodeon will air Baby Shark Shorts, a collection of five mini-adventures, on Friday, Feb. 26, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The shorts follow Baby Shark and his best bud William as they dive into dancing, games and snack-sized mysteries, giving preschoolers a peek at the “jaw-some” underwater escapades that await in the upcoming series.
Baby Shark Shorts
Building upon the successful debut of Santiago of the Seas, which premiered in October 2020 and garnered the biggest L+3 lift Nickelodeon has ever had for a preschool launch, the net has picked up the series for a second season. Season two (26 half-hour episodes) will follow kind-hearted pirate Santiago “Santi” and his courageous crew — his cousin Tomás, first mate Lorelai the mermaid and best friend Kiko the frog — as they continue to sail the high seas aboard the legendary ship El Bravo to keep the islands safe. The new season of this fantastical Latino-Caribbean inspired action-adventure series will feature spectacular treasure, pesky villains and wondrous new lands.
Santiago of the Seas
In the fourth season of Blue’s Clues & You! (26 half-hour episodes), Josh (Josh Dela Cruz) and Blue will adventure to new locations in their bustling neighborhood, from an epic quest as brave knights, to saving the day as firefighter helpers and more. The season will also feature new music and fun-filled holiday traditions with family and friends.
Season nine of PAW Patrol (26 half-hour episodes, produced by Spin Master Entertainment) will follow the paw-some pack of pups — Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky, Zuma, Everest and Tracker — as they take on exciting new missions. Whether it’s on the outskirts of town or beneath the waters of Adventure Bay, new pup pals and action-packed rescues are on the way.
Netflix has announced a new animated musical feature, Sulwe, based off of Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling picture book of the same title, illustrated by Vashti Harrison and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Nyong’o is producing the adaptation.
Synopsis: Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone she knows. All she wants is to be beautiful and bright. One night, Sulwe is visited by a shooting star sent by the Night, and embarks on a magical journey where she learns the eye-opening story of the sisters Night and Day. Sulwe is a story about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within.
“The story of Sulwe is one that is very close to my heart. Growing up, I was uncomfortable in my dark skin. I rarely saw anyone who looked like me in the aspirational pages of books and magazines, or even on TV. It was a long journey for me to arrive at self-love,”Nyong’o shared in the announcement. “Sulwe is a mirror for dark-skinned children to see themselves, a window for those who may not be familiar with colorism, to have understanding and empathy, and an invitation for all who feel different and unseen to recognize their innate beauty and value. I am thrilled that the book is being adapted into an animated musical that we hope inspires children all around the world to celebrate their uniqueness.”
Lupita Nyong’o as a child (Photo courtesy of Lupita Nyong’o)
Earlier this year, Lupita Nyong’o read Sulwe as part of Bookmarks –– a live action series that features prominent Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books from Black authors that highlight the Black experience. The episode is available for streaming now via Netflix and the Netflix Jr. Youtube channel.
Sulwe joins Netflix’s fast growing original slate of animated features which includes Academy Award nominated Klaus, Kris Pearn’s The Willoughbys, Oscar winner Glen Keane’s Over the Moon; as well as the Fall 2021 comedy Back to the Outback directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Adventure, Chris Williams’ The Sea Beast, Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild, Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Wendy Rogers’ The Magician’s Elephant, Minkyu Lee’s The Witch Boy, an Aardman sequel to Chicken Run and a Redwall film and event series.
Beloved British bear Paddington is returning for all-new heartwarming adventures filled with family and fun in the second season of Nickelodeon’s hit CG-animated series The Adventures of Paddington. The season premiere was announced just as Studiocanal confirmed to Variety that it is working on a third live-action/CG hybrid feature film with David Heyman’s Heyday Films. (Director Paul King will not be returning; further details of Paddington 3 are yet to be revealed.)
Debuting in the U.S. on Friday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on the Nick Jr. channel, season two (26 half-hour episodes) of The Adventures of Paddington will continue to follow the always curious and kind Paddington, as he explores different parts of London, meets new friends, discovers exciting inventions and learns important lessons. S2 will roll out on Nickelodeon’s international channels and branded blocks beginning in April.
In the S2 premiere, “Paddington’s Plant Problem/Paddington the Artist,” Mr. Curry goes on holiday and gives Paddington the job of watering a plant for him, but Paddington accidentally waters the wrong one. Then, Mrs. Brown wants everyone in Windsor Gardens to artistically express themselves by exhibiting a piece of art at her CommunARTy show. Paddington doesn’t know what art is, so he sets out to find what he’s good at.
The Adventures of Paddington centers on a younger Paddington as he writes letters to Aunt Lucy celebrating the new things he has discovered through the day’s exciting activities. Actor Ben Whishaw (Paddington 1 & 2) voices the role of the title character, alongside cast members Morwenna Banks, Bobby Beynon, Sheena Bhattessa, Darren Boyd, Noel Clarke, Cam’ron Joseph, Guz Khan, Phyllis Logan, Monica Lopera, Divi Mittal, David Schofield, Reece Shearsmith, Maya Sondhi, Samara Sutariya, Liz Sutherland-Lim and Angeli Wall.
The Adventures of Paddington is a Heyday Films and Studiocanal production in association with Copyrights. The series is directed by BlueZoo’s (Go Jetters, Digby Dragon, Miffy, Q Pootle 5) Chris Drew and Jez Hall, with Adam Shaw serving as creative director. The show is developed for television and written by Jon Foster and James Lamont (The Amazing World of Gumball, Cuckoo, Paddington 1 & 2), who also serve as executive producers.
The series is executive produced by multi-award-winning David Heyman (producer of all eight Harry Potter films, Paddington 1 & 2) and Rosie Alison (Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Paddington 1 & 2), produced by Karen Davidsen (formerly with Disney and HIT Entertainment) and Simon Quinn (Isle of Dogs, Fantastic Mr. Fox), and co-executive produced by Rob Silva. Studiocanal is the worldwide rights holder for the series.
***This article originally appeared in the March ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 308)***
Vancouver-based Big Bad Boo Studios founder Shabnam Rezaei remembers the first time she decided to get into the animation business.“It was shortly after 9/11, and at the time, I worked on Wall Street as a computer software engineer developing software for banks,” she recalls. “I used to live across the street from the Twin Towers. Not only did the event leave me in complete shock, but the subsequent rhetoric that demonized all Iranians as terrorists made me reevaluate my mission in life. I decided to do something that has a positive effect on future generations, to educate them in a meaningful way, to create world citizens who are cosmopolitan and compassionate.”
Soon after, Rezaei and her husband Aly Jetha founded the studio and went on to produce their first children’s animated show, Mixed Nutz, which aired on PBS stations in the U.S. Over the past decade, Big Bad Boo also launched successful toons such as 1001 Nights, 16 Hudson and The Bravest Knight, all of which were lauded for their multicultural themes and inclusive cast of characters. This month, the second season of 16 Hudson continues Rezaei and her team’s bold mission of delivering socially relevant content that represents a diverse society for its family audiences.
Shabnam Rezaei
“The second season of the show brings lots of new adventures and comedy with our main cast Lili, Sam, Amala, Luc and Eddie, and three new holiday specials highlighting Christmas, the celebration of an Eagle feather and the Moon Festival,” says Rezaei. “In addition, we introduce a new family, the Garmianys, with a six-episode arc. The Garmianys are a refugee family who arrive to 16 Hudson from Kurdistan. The 16 Hudson gang welcome Ray and Rona, get to know them and see the world through their eyes and understand what it’s like to be in a new place. There are of course good and bad things about a move, including all the challenges they face and in turn all the value they add to the 16 Hudson building with their skills.”
A Tale of Three Cities
The 39 x 7′ show is a huge collaborative effort between the teams in Toronto, Vancouver and New York City. “Our writing rooms start in Toronto, led by John May and Suzanne Bolch, and we hire anywhere between eight to 10 writers, who will reflect the backgrounds of our series mains such as Iran, China, India and the Philippines,” notes Rezaei. “This writing approval process takes in notes from broadcasters TVO Kids and SRC Radio-Canada and approvals from cultural and educational advisors, led by Sarah Fewson.”
16 Hudson
Once the scripts are completed, the Vancouver-based production team, led by VP of Production Paddy Gillen, takes over. That’s where the designs, model builds, auditions, casting, voice records as well as storyboarding, animation and post production take place. “The entire process is overseen by senior creatives in New York,” says Rezaei. “As with any animated series, it is a very involved process: Over 100 people work behind the scenes to bring 16 Hudson to life.”
The animation team uses a variety of software products to make the series. According to the producers, this includes Microsoft Office, Final Draft, a suite of Adobe products for sketching, designs and boards; Toon Boom occasionally for boards or effects; and mainly Adobe Animate for animation.
Of course, like all global animation projects, the production was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Rezaei says she was most concerned with the team’s health from the earliest days of the pandemic so she sent employees home even earlier than the lockdown. “It took us some time to get used to the work-from-home model and there are certainly inefficiencies in the model, but luckily animation is one of the few industries in media where we were able to continue work,” she explains. “We are mindful of people who have to handle multiple situations at home or who have had to deal with sickness or death in their families and for those reasons, we have slowed down. We have a fantastic team and great partners and we are very grateful for that.”
16 Hudson
When it comes to providing inclusive content, Rezaei says from the beginning, her goal was to create shows that better represent real life. “We started with our story (being Iranian) and that was labeled as ‘diverse,’ but for us, we were being authentic and telling our story,” she explains. “In producing these types of stories, our hope was and remains that these shows would not be labeled as ‘niche’ just because they didn’t feature a majority white cast or a white lead. We set out to make content without labels that could just be the norm — content that is telling so many stories that have not yet been told and content that is aware that the world is made up of more than just straight white males.”
Over the past decade, the studio has made a lot of strides in redefining what diversity really means in children’s entertainment and has also made a remarkable effort in giving back to the community and the world at large. First, creating inclusive content is done by forming gender-balanced writing teams and production crews and making sure that the stories we tell are being crafted by those who have firsthand knowledge of the experiences we depict onscreen,” notes Rezaei. “You can’t have a truly inclusive show if you are not willing to put in the work behind the scenes. Second, we have started workshops for young BIPOC talent to change the color of the industry from the inside out so we can amplify more voices and achieve better balance.”
16 Hudson
Giving Back, Reaching Out
In addition, Big Bad Boo has an international development branch that works with UNICEF, Save the Children, USAID and other organizations to provide education through entertainment to children in conflict settings around the world. This effort is championed by Jetha, Rezaei’s husband and studio co-founder who received the U.N. WISE Award for his efforts in 2018. “We have developed educational curricula that accompany our existing shows and are implemented in both formal and informal educational settings,” adds Rezaei. “These programs provide psycho-social support and teach important values like inclusion, empathy, gender equity and more. We view this work as yet another way we can entertain children while also educating them and giving them the tools they need in their own social-emotional development.”
Rezaei says it has been gratifying to see a significant increase in interest in diverse storytelling on behalf of western countries’ broadcasters. “That is exciting because the West will eventually influence the creative of the East,” says the producer. “Overall though, the animated TV landscape is much more colorful and inclusive than when we first started out. Now you see a greater push to highlight underrepresented cultures as well as an embrace of the LGBTQ+ community, but there’s still a long way to go. We need to keep being deliberate about the types of stories we tell and who we spotlight. We also need to put a greater emphasis on creating parity in the highest levels of the industry to ensure that this is not just a fad but a sustained movement to create richer television.”
The Bravest Knight
Rezaei says some of the best reactions she has received have been from LGBTQ+ parents watching shows like 16 Hudson or The Bravest Knight. “They thank us for creating shows with families that look like theirs,” she says. “It’s something a lot of people take for granted, but means the world to those who have been ignored by the media for years.”
And what kind of advice does she offer content creators who want to take a step in the right direction? “Work with people who are dedicated to cultivating talent from diverse backgrounds,” Rezaei notes. “Participate in BIPOC industry workshops to form connections with people from different backgrounds and at different stages in their careers. You might find the right mentor or collaborator there. If you are in a position of power advocate for diverse and gender-balanced hires and keep this as a plus for the business. It takes time, effort and resources but it also leads to richer stories. More importantly, be authentic to who you are and what your mind and heart drives you to and don’t give up.”
The second season of 16 Hudson airs on TVO Kids and Knowledge Network. For more info, visit bigbadboo.com.
Montreal/Madrid-based international sales and distribution company Pink Parrot Media (PPM) has secured the acquisition of the new spin-off animated series based on Carpediem’s IP property and upcoming feature film Butterfly Tale. A prequel to the film, the CGI animated series Butterfly Academy (working title) is being co-produced by the film’s production team, Canada’s CarpeDiem (Snowtime!) and Germany’s Ulysses Filmproduktion (Ooops! Noah Is Gone).
Production of Butterfly Tale commenced in January, with first-time film director Sophie Roy, one of Canada’s up-and-coming female film talents.
“We are very excited to see our special butterflies take off on new journeys,” says Tania Pinto Da Cunha, Vice President/Partner and Head of International Sales & Acquisitions at Pink Parrot Media. “The beautiful animation and the wonderful storylines are going to translate into a wonderful animated series that is certain to capture young audiences everywhere.”
Produced by Marie-Claude Beauchamp at CarpeDiem and Ulysses’ Emely Christians, Société Radio-Canada is on board as a Canadian broadcaster.
Set against the backdrop of the Milkweed Academy, a high school for monarch butterflies, the series will include many of the feature film’s adorable characters, including the lovable one-winged disabled butterfly Patrick, who will be joined by friends Marty and Jennifer among many other as they navigate through the challenges of their high school life and learn about the big migration of the monarchs and all its challenges.
Author and writer Heidi Foss is on board as screenwriter. In addition to screenwriting, story editing and series development credits for shows on HBO, Fox, PBS, YTV, Nickelodeon and the BBC, Foss is a well-known Canadian stand-up comedian. She recently was story editor on the first season of Air Bud’s Pup Academy for Disney.
Lienne Sawatsky, nominee for the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards and WGC Awards for Best Writing on the animated TV series Wishfart, also joins the production team as screenwriter. Sawatsky is best known for her work on notable series for Disney Channel, Nick Jr. and Cartoon Network such as Sidekick and Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5.
PPM is currently shopping for co-production partners. The 52 x 11′ animated series is set to be completed by Q4 2023.
The Butterfly Tale feature film has already been pre-sold in France & Germany (Wild Bunch), Poland & Romania (Monolith), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz) and Middle East (Front Row) and will be released in theaters in Q4 2022.
Apple and Skydance Animation have marked the finalization of a multiyear deal with the unveiling of first-look art from the studio’s hotly anticipated debut feature films Luck and Spellbound — both set to premiere on Apple TV+ — and announced a new series project, The Search for WondLa. The partnership will roll out several additional features and series over the term of agreement.
The Search for WondLa, which is announced with a two-season order, is a new Apple Original animated series based on children’s sci-fi book trilogy by author/illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. The novels follow a 12-year-old girl named Eva Nine who is forced to flee her underground sanctuary home when it is destroyed by a marauder. Raised by a robot called Muthr, Eva Nine sets out to find other humans like her, guided by a scrap of cardboard depicting a young girl, an adult, a robot, and the strange word “WondLa.”
The series will be written and executive produced by showrunner Lauren Montgomery (Voltron: Legendary Defender, supervising producer The Legend of Korra, director Justice League: Doom, Wonder Woman 2009). Executive producers are DiTerlizzi, Chad Quant and Gotham Group.
Luck (Apple/Skydance)
Luck, directed by Peggy Holmes (Secret of the Wings, The Pirate Fairy), features the unluckiest girl alive who stumbles upon the never-before-seen world of good and bad luck and must join with magical creatures to uncover a force more powerful than even luck itself. The film is written by Kiel Murray (Cars, Cars 3).
Spellbound, set in a world of magic where a young girl must break the spell that has split her kingdom in two, reunites director Vicky Jenson (Shrek, Shark Tale) with her Shrek producer David Lipman. Writers are Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (Mulan) and Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King). Multi-Oscar winner Alan Menken is writing the original score and songs, with the help of lyricist Glenn Slater and executive music producer Chris Montan.
Luck and Spellbound were originally set up with Paramount Pictures; the studio had announced their release dates as February 18, 2022 and November 11, 2022 last summer.
David Steward II’s Lion Forge Animation studio (Academy Award-winning Hair Love) is expanding its global creative, executive and production teams, announcing the addition of seasoned executives in several key positions for the much-in-demand studio that champions diversity and authenticity.
Two-time Emmy-award winning animation director and creative visionary Saxton Moore has been tapped as Executive Creative Director for Lion Forge Animation. Moore has worked with notable animation and entertainment companies throughout his career, including Netflix, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, FUSEtv and A+E, and brings over 20 years of experience to the role.
Ariel Yamus will bring his passion and 10-plus years of experience working in design, illustration and animation to the company in the role of Senior Creative Director. He will focus on exploring new methods of creativity for all areas, from storytelling to character design to audio production.
On the international front, Lion Forge has tapped Patricio Yamus to head up Lion Forge Animation Argentina, where he will serve as Studio Head and Executive Producer. Patricio was the founder and CEO of BLU Animation Studio – where he led a diverse, global team to provide animation production services to international clients in advertising, private equity, brands, government, live-action production and animation production worldwide.
Additionally, the studio has brought in a quartet of experienced and talented Executive Producers to support production, creative and marketing efforts across the company: Jimmy Thomas, Lina Foti, Ray Brown and Deena Boykin will bring their wealth of diverse experience to the studio, providing creative direction and support to the team.
Jimmy Thomas is a senior level creative executive with more than 30 years of entertainment business experience. He has been providing consulting services to executives at major entertainment companies for the last 15 years. He has also written and produced for a number of independent artists, record companies, movies and commercials – earning him several multi-platinum and gold records over his career. He was part of the Oscar-winning team that produced Hair Love.
Lina Foti has extensive experience in global international marketing and business development. She has worked with artists, producers, publishers and broadcasters all around the world, developing original IP for international audiences as well as setting-up global co-productions and localizing animation and live-action shows across Latin America and English-speaking countries. Her production credits work for various entertainment companies including NBCU, NatGeo Kids, Northern Pictures and more.
Ray Brown has over 25 years of entertainment experience – producing content and working with entertainers and influencers including Nick Cannon, Alfonso Ribiero, Shemar Moore, Quincy Jones, Sommer Ray and others.
Deena Boykin is a 20-year expert in successfully launching products and executing promotions in all channels of distribution at retail, with experience working with several major studios and entertainment companies including Disney, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and more.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome our new and talented team members into the fold. Each person brings something new and exciting to the table, and I can’t wait to integrate them into our projects to see how we can continue to tell authentic and unique stories,” said Lion Forge Animation President.
Lion Forge founder Steward added, “Since the launch of Lion Forge Animation, it’s been our goal to put together the best talent working in the industry to tell these unrepresented stories in a meaningful way. This group enhances our ability to do just that – and we can’t wait to see the amazing work they do.”
Launched last year, Lion Forge Animation was behind the 2019 Academy Award winning, culturally resonating short Hair Love, directed by Matthew A Cherry. The animation studio contributes to the growth of Lion Forge IP with TV series and feature film adaptations and is one of the only African-American owned animation studios in the world, but unmatched in size and scale (and the only African-American owned studio with an Oscar).
The additions to the LFA team come on the heels of a busy summer and fall for the studio that saw a stream of major deals including a Hair Love spinoff series (Young Love with HBO Max), an exclusive first-look partnership with Imagine Kids+Family, and a multi-year / multi-project joint venture partnership with Chinese studio Starlight Media.
LFA’s deal with Imagine Kids + Family is centered around the animation company’s existing IP of both licensed and original ideas, starting with Chippy Hood, Puerto Rico Strong and Black Comic Anthology, among others. Content development includes short-form, TV series and digital, and is a part of a strategic global franchise and consumer products plan. With China’s Starlight Media, Lion Forge Animation is co-financing and co-producing a slate of original animated films as well as projects based on popular Lion Forge IP and broader cultural IP.
Lion Forge Animation sits within Steward’s holding company Polarity, which houses media businesses including the Lion Forge comics publishing unit. Steward II has been putting resources behind his vision of expanding the market for comics and comic-related pop culture to new age groups and demographics since the early 2010s, building a portfolio of titles and imprints that feature characters and creators from a wide variety of backgrounds. He’s extended that vision and ethic to the larger media landscape with an organization that can orchestrate content development, production and distribution across different channels.
With LFA, Steward is widening the diversity of creative voices available in the animated space. The company’s goal remains in line with what Steward and his team accomplished in publishing: to showcase a variety of authentic voices and experiences through their work, whether created internally or through partnership with top talent.
Netflix announced the upcoming release of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, an all-new anime series based on the popular DOTA 2 videogame franchise by Valve. The eight-episode series is set to join the streamer’s ever-growing anime lineup with a global launch on March 25.
The upcoming fantasy series tells the story of Davion, a renowned Dragon Knight devoted to wiping the scourge from the face of the world. Following encounters with a powerful, ancient eldwurm as well as the noble Princess Mirana on a secret mission of her own, Davion becomes embroiled in events much larger than he could have ever imagined.
“Fans will love how we’ve imagined the DOTA 2 universe and woven together an epic, emotional, and adult-oriented story about some of their favorite characters,” said showrunner and executive producer Ashley Edward Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor, Black Sails). “The cinematic animation, acting and music are simply next level and I’m grateful to Valve for supporting our creative ambitions.”
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is being brought to life by renowned animation house Studio MIR (The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender and upcoming The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf), with Ryu Ki Hyun as co-executive producer.
DOTA 2 is one of the leading online games in the world, hosting millions of players daily and holding multiple records for top esports tournament prize earnings. Launched in 2011 by Valve, the annual International DOTA 2 Championship has paid over $150 million to its winning teams.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family unveiled today an expansive content commitment that aims to appeal to the complete spectrum of kids and families including preschoolers, all kids ages 6-11, and family co-viewing, creating more than 300 hours of original series, specials and acquisitions that will debut on its global Cartoon Network channels and HBO Max beginning later this year. These new originals add to the over 3,000 hours of premium library content also coming to all of WarnerMedia’s platforms.
“After 100 years of creating some of the world’s most beloved IP, today we’re at the beginning of our new story, with the history, corporate unity and modern approach to be the industry leader our heritage deserves,” said Tom Ascheim, President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.
Leveraging the historic and rich legacy within the WarnerMedia portfolio and a newly united Kids & Family business group within the enterprise, Cartoon Network was unveiled today as the central Kids & Family brand for WarnerMedia. Additionally, Cartoon Network has reenergized its brand promise through its new tagline, ‘Redraw Your World,’ which aims to empower kids to feel comfortable with who they are, embrace their uniqueness and believe in their own ability to impact change. To help bring this new brand position to life, Cartoon Network inked its first-ever kid musician-in-residence deal with 10-year-old viral music sensation Nandi Bushell to create a spectrum of multiplatform content.
“The world can be a pretty challenging place at times but rather than wallowing in the world we’re given, let’s draw the world we want. At Cartoon Network, we create wildly original and diverse worlds every day and that just may be the inspiration kids need to redraw their own world,” said Tricia Melton, Chief Marketing Officer of Warner Bros. Kids, Young Adults and Classics.
Affirming its promise to appeal to kids of all ages, Cartoon Network announced today its preschool programming block Cartoonito launching this fall and is making a significant commitment to creating more animation and live-action content that appeals to girls and family co-viewing.
“The characters, artists and storytellers that make up Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation are some of the strongest in the industry,” said Sam Register, President of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. “While each studio continues in the footsteps of their own proud legacy, they unite with a shared passion to create programming that will draw in audiences of all ages and be the engine that drives WarnerMedia to the top of the kids and family space.”
Ben 10
New series & renewal greenlights include:
Ben 10 specials – Produced by Man of Action (Big Hero 6, Generator Rex), three 44-minute specials based on the hit Cartoon Network series Ben 10 are set to premiere in April 2021. The first, Ben 10010, takes place in the future when a disillusioned Ben 10000 is called out of retirement to recruit his 10-year-old version from the past to work together to save a future under siege. The second special, Ben Gen 10, follows Ben as he meets a young Generator Rex on the run from a hostile Providence working through a series of misunderstandings in order to save the world from being infected with alien DNA. In the final installment, Alien X-Tinction, the Tennysons are attacked by a villainous, dimension-hopping Omni-alien, and soon meet a parallel universe version of Max who opens the door to hosting multiple Bens and Gwens, forming an alien hero army to combat this threat.
Craig of the Creek– Created by Steven Universe writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, season four of the Emmy-, GLAAD- and NAACP Image Award-nominated series is back and filled with new adventures as Craig and his friends embark on an exciting quest to find one of the Creek’s greatest treasures — meeting new friends and exploring new places along the way.
Gremlins S2 – A season two greenlight of this animated prequel to the beloved film franchise doubles down on the yet-to-be-aired series from Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. The first season, Gremlins: The Secrets of the Mogwai, is currently in production and features a star-studded voice cast including Izaac Wang, Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, James Hong, A.J. LoCascio, Gabrielle Green, and Matthew Rhys.
Infinity Train: Book Four – Two old friends must explore the inner puzzles of the Infinity Train – and their relationship – in order to return home, together. Infinity Train: Book Four is created by Owen Dennis and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
Jade Armor
Jade Armor – In production with TeamTO and featuring a talented all-female creative team, Jade Amor centers on the martial arts-loving Lan Jun, an unlikely teenage heroine who must learn the ancient secrets of her family and uncover the unexpected, all while navigating life as a teen.
Total Drama Island – The world’s most hilarious reality show is back and better than ever with two new seasons. With no parents, no phones, and no mercy, the new animated series will introduce an updated cast of quirky, iconic teen contestants as they face hardcore competition, brutal eliminations, and more drama than ever before. Total Drama Island is produced by Fresh TV for Cartoon Network and HBO Max, and distributed internationally by CAKE.
Victor and Valentino – In the third season, there’s something sinister unfolding in Monte Macabre, and Victor and Valentino plan to sniff it out before it’s too late. Along the way, the boys will return to the Underworld for Dia de Muertos, hang out with the Reynas of Los Angeles for a Mariachi musical, and mark Halloween with a harrowing two-part spooktacular special. The series is created by Diego Molano and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
Gross Girls
New projects in development include:
The Amazing World of Gumball Movie(working title) – Produced out of EMEA, the upcoming TV movie is based on the hit Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball, which follows the hilarious misadventures of Gumball Watterson and his goldfish best friend, Darwin.
Family Mash-Up (working title) – A modern day The Brady Bunch meets Pitch Perfect when a single mom and three sons and a single dad with three daughters fall in love and get married despite their kids being in two fiercely competing acapella groups. The music-filled live-action comedy is created by Michael Poryes (Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven).
Gross Girls – From Cartoon Network Studios with producers Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and Naomi Scott (Other People) alongside creators Daniela Hamilton and Scott Yacyshyn, Gross Girls is a smart, sophisticated animated comedy about Chuck and Zoey, two best friends trying to survive middle school without losing any of their trademark stinky, hairy, mad science-y grossness. In spite of jerky brothers, judgey classmates and “common decency,” these two girls boost each other up and encourage each other to be 100% themselves. Because with the right best friend, everything is an adventure … even puberty.
Teen Titans Go! The Night Begins to Shine – In this spin-off series of the Cartoon Network smash hit Teen Titans Go!, Robin, Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire journey back to the world of Night Begins to Shine when the musical land falls victim to a sinister new threat. Together, the Titans must protect the only key to the world’s salvation: a magical mixtape. Teen Titans Go! Night Begins to Shine is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
Tweety Mysteries (working title) – A hybrid live-action/animated adventure from Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Television that follows a curious tween investigative journalist and podcaster named Sydney and her sidekick Tweety bird. Working together the pair must solve various local mysteries in their small, quirky Washington state town.
Tweety Mysteries
Today’s programming announcements join the previously announced two-season greenlight of Tiny Toons Looniversity from Warner Bros. Animation, Amblin Television and returning executive producer Steven Spielberg, as well as the inclusive family co-viewing slate that includes Genndy Tartakovsky’s supernatural family series Unicorn: Warriors Eternal. Cartoon Network will also launch weekend family movie nights with blockbuster features including Gremlins, Happy Feet, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Shazam!, Back to the Future and more.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family released today plans to launch Cartoonito, a new preschool programming block built to support each child’s unique potential, set to debut on Cartoon Network and HBO Max this fall. In addition to today’s greenlight of Bugs Bunny Builders (WT), it was announced today that titles including Mush-Mush & the Mushables and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go are among 20 new series that will be available at launch. WarnerMedia has pledged to grow this offering to nearly 50 new shows within its first two years. In addition to originals, Cartoonito will deliver thousands of hours of content from WarnerMedia’s legacy library and global acquisitions.
“Cartoonito is our biggest commitment to preschool programming in 100 years. Our educational philosophy coupled with the incredible caliber of innovative, educational content that will comprise this offering is second to none,” said Tom Ascheim, President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “Reimagining some of our legendary franchises with preschool-appropriate spinoffs like Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders and Tom and Jerry Junior will keep new generations laughing and learning for years to come.”
All Cartoonito preschool content will align with Cartoon Network’s newly announced tagline, ‘Redraw Your World,’ which aims to empower kids to feel comfortable with who they are, embrace their uniqueness and believe anything is possible.
Based on the proprietary preschool educational framework of Humancentric Learning, Cartoonito aims to support every child’s humanness by celebrating their unique selves and encouraging them to interact with others with empathy, respect, and fairness. This modern educational framework is inspired by Positive Psychology and 21st Century Learning, championing curiosity and independence and intertwines learning with play. In partnership with Educational Psychologist Dr. Laura Brown, Humancentric Learning was developed around the principles of identifying and developing one’s strengths, as well as feeling empathy for others so that every child can be the best version of themselves. Building on the learning’s four pillar strengths: Curiosity, Courage, Humanity and Creativity, Cartoonito’s diverse storytelling aims to be authentic, relevant and relatable.
“Cartoonito is designed to be a thoroughly modern preschool brand, both by leaning into our iconic content and by inviting fresh new voices in. We’ll make high-quality, authentic stories that kids and parents can enjoy together,” said Amy Friedman, Head of Kids & Family Programming, Warner Bros. “Grounding everything we do in Humancentric Learning will ensure that kids embrace and celebrate their differences and everyone else’s.”
HBO Max continues its content partnership with Sesame Workshop – the nonprofit behind Sesame Street and more than five decades of award-winning children’s programming – today announcing a new animated preschool comedy series Bea’s Block. This joins an already abundant portfolio of Sesame Workshop series on the platform, including its flagship show Sesame Street and spinoffs The Not-Too- Late Show with Elmo and forthcoming CGI-animated Mecha Builders, as well as Esme & Roy.
Bea’s Block
New series greenlights:
Bea’s Block – Debuting on HBO Max, Sesame Workshop’s newest animated preschool comedy series draws on the ubiquity of block toys to bring the vibrant, diverse neighborhood of Blocktown to life. The show centers on bold and curious five-year-old Bea as she and her friends spread kindness and build empathy through playful adventures in their community.
Bugs Bunny Builders (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and built on the solid comedic foundation of the iconic Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny Builders brings the wackiness, humor and slapstick we’ve grown to love to a new preschool audience. At ACME Construction Company Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny manage a crew of builders that, quite frankly, should not be anywhere near a construction site. However, by working together as a team, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety and others use their tools and wild vehicles to pull off some of the looniest construction jobs ever.
Jessica’s Big Little World
New series in development:
Jessica’s Big Little World (working title) – From Cartoon Network Studios, this spin-off of the Emmy-, GLAAD- and NAACP Image Award-nominated Cartoon Network original Craig of the Creek follows Craig’s bright, independent, spirited little sister Jessica as the Creek’s favorite first-grader embarks on adventures of her own. The series is created by Craig of the Creek executive producers and creators Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, and Craig of the Creek supervising director Tiffany Ford.
Tom and Jerry Junior (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Tom and Jerry Junior is a series of animated musical shorts introducing the beloved cat and mouse duo to preschoolers with an educational twist. Classic Tom and Jerry hijinks – chasing, pranking, outsmarting each other – set an entertaining and hilarious backdrop while a core learning curriculum, based in education and essential readiness research, turns the world created by the biggest rivalry in all of animation into a fun and playful cartoon classroom.
Mush Mush and the Mushables
New acquisitions & co-productions:
Ladybird Lu – Produced by 9 Story’s award-winning studio Brown Bag Films, Ladybird Lu explores everyday dramas in the world of a three-year old with a brand-new social life. The new series is created and directed by Nicky Phelan (Vampirina, Octonauts) and inspired by his mother’s experience running a preschool.
Mush-Mush & the Mushables – Produced by France’s La Cabane and Belgium’s Thuristar in co-production with CAKE, the series follows the endearing Mushable community as they embark on a journey to put the fun back into fun-gi! Teeming with activity, it’s always an adventure in Mushworld as each Mushable gets to know their talents, and their limits. As pocket-size guardians of the forest, growing up isn’t always easy, but together each day shines just as bright as the one before. Mush-Mush & the Mushables is a fun journey full of discovery, exciting outdoor adventure, and mush mush more! Produced by Perrine Gauthier, Mush-Mush & the Mushables is created by Elfriede de Rooster and directed by Joeri Christiaen.
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – From Mattel Television, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go invites preschoolers all aboard and follows the world’s Number One Tank Engine and his friends on their silliest and most musical adventures yet. Produced in vibrant 2D animation in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, the show features a core cast of five young engines: Thomas, his best friend Percy, rival Diesel, the adventurous world traveler Nia and an all-new electric high-speed rail train, Kana.
Mecha Builders
Previously announced preschool greenlights that will join Cartoonito’s programming line-up include: Sesame Street’s first CGI-animated spinoff Mecha Builders on HBO Max; Batwheels, an action-adventure comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation that will feature the most heroic and iconic vehicles from the DC universe; Little Ellen, a 2D animated series from Ellen Digital Ventures and Warner Bros. Animation exploring the world through the eyes of a seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres; Lucas the Spider, a CGI-animated show from Fresh TV in association with WexWorks Media with CAKE handling international distribution and based on a viral YouTube hit that follows the adventures of an endearing young spider as he and his friends try to navigate the big world around them; and a collection of projects with bestselling children’s book author Mo Willems.
Disney Television Animation’s critically acclaimed DuckTaleswill solve some mysteries and rewrite history with an epic 90-minute series finale special Monday, March 15 (7 p.m. EDT/PDT), on Disney XD and ungated in DisneyNOW.
Executive produced by Matt Youngberg and co-executive produced by Francisco Angones, the Emmy Award-nominated DuckTales team wrapped production after 75 episodes and more than 15 shorts. The series continues to be available on Disney Channels and Disney+ around the world. In the U.S., the series is the #1 ratings driver on Disney XD and has reached over 234 million views on social media and YouTube since its launch in 2017.
Culminating in a memorable, dramatic reading of the show’s iconic main title song, the cast met one final time via Zoom during the recent holiday season — David Tennant (“Scrooge McDuck”), Danny Pudi (“Huey”), Ben Schwartz (“Dewey”), Bobby Moynihan (“Louie”), Kate Micucci (“Webby Vanderquack”), Beck Bennett (“Launchpad McQuack”), Toks Olagundoye (“Mrs. Beakley”) and Paget Brewster (“Della Duck”). Watch the video at the end of this post!
In a joint statement, Youngberg and Angones said, “It has been an absolute honor to adventure along with the Duck Family for three seasons of derring-do bad and good luck tales. Ever since Carl Barks took a silly squawking duck from a funny animal cartoon and sent him looking for pirate gold, these characters have been part of a constantly evolving legacy of invention and reinvention. We set out to honor all those things that we’ve loved about DuckTales since we were kids and introduce new parts of that legacy for families around the globe. Along the way, our stellar crew, unbelievable cast and endlessly supportive fans have become a bit of a family ourselves. And it has been a great joy to solve mysteries and rewrite history alongside them.”
The DuckTales series finale special will encore non-stop for 24 hours following its premiere. Leading up to the finale, Disney XD will debut new episodes every Monday beginning February 22 (7 p.m. EST/PST) and will present a week-long DuckTales marathon of every aired episode beginning Monday, March 8 (7:30 p.m. EST/PST).
In addition, three new “Chibi Tiny Tales” shorts, featuring Chibi-style versions of favorite DuckTales characters, will roll out beginning Friday, Feb. 26 on Disney XD, DisneyNOW and Disney Channel YouTube.
Based on the Emmy Award-winning series treasured by a generation of viewers, DuckTales chronicles the high-flying adventures of Duckburg’s most famous trillionaire Scrooge McDuck; his mischief-making triplet grandnephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie; temperamental nephew, Donald Duck (voiced by Disney Legend Tony Anselmo); and the trusted McDuck Manor team: big-hearted, fearless chauffeur/pilot Launchpad McQuack, no-nonsense housekeeper Mrs. Beakley and Mrs. Beakley’s granddaughter, Webby Vanderquack, resident adventurer and the triplet’s fierce friend.
In the finale titled “The Last Adventure!,” the future of adventuring hangs in the balance as the Duck family uncovers earth-shattering secrets in a final standoff with the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny (F.O.W.L.). Returning guest voices include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Giancarlo Esposito, Julie Bowen, Jaime Camil, Jameela Jamil, Catherine Tate, Stephanie Beatriz, Paul F. Tompkins, Jim Rash, Margo Martindale, Jason Mantzoukas, John Hodgman, Retta, Kimiko Glenn, Libe Barer, Jaleel White and Amy Sedaris. Noël Wells and Riki Lindhome guest star as sisters, June and May, respectively.
Movies about space travel have always provided visual effects artists with opportunities to push the medium in exciting new directions. The new Netflix feature The Midnight Sky, which is directed by and stars George Clooney, continues this time-honored tradition.
The sci-fi drama is based on the book Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton, which centers on a scientist and a young girl who embark on a journey across the Arctic to communicate to a returning space expedition that Earth has been destroyed by an ecological disaster. Emmy Award-nominated visual effects supervisor Matt Kasmir (Catch-22) and Oscar winner Chris Lawrence (Christopher Robin) helped bring Clooney’s project to realistic life.
Matt Kasmir and Chris Lawrence
The emotional void felt by the terminally ill protagonist Augustine (Clooney) echoes the fate of the planet. As Kasmir points out, “We only ended up doing approximately 700 shots for the movie. It’s quite an intelligent drama that is emotionally captivating: It’s the opposite of our usual visual effects spectrum, which is a lot of things crashing around the place and aliens trying to eat everyone!”
The team at VFX house Framestore looked after the film’s signature spacewalk, the bloodletting, face replacements, and collaborated with production designer Jim Bissell (The Rocketeer) on conceptualizing and executing the spacecraft Aether.
“I’d previously worked with Framestore and Chris Lawrence, who has done such great work on Gravity and The Martian,” Kasmir notes. “It was a natural fit. Framestore London did the spacewalk, which was the single biggest effects sequence, and Framestore Montreal did the Arctic environment and a few additional space shots including the ‘Sick Earth.’” ILM was responsible for Augustine and Iris (Caoilinn Springall) attempting to escape from a sinking pod, and One of Us handled the various holograms and the proposed new planetary home for humanity, K23.
The Midnight Sky spacewalk (before)The Midnight Sky spacewalk (after)
A Weightless World
One of key challenges for the team was how to realistically depict the weightless moments in outer space, especially since actress Felicity Jones’ pregnancy during the shoot limited her usage of wirework.
“Shooting in zero-G is always difficult because it’s impossible to achieve it here on Earth without going into orbit,” says Lawrence. “There are various well-known tricks that we use, like wirework and digital doubles. You have to plan for digital doubles early because they take a long time to do.”
Critical to the process was the Anyma facial capture system which allowed the actors to perform in and out of costume: These sessions were directed by Clooney with cast members reading their lines with one another. “Our initial data, which did arrive before we started shooting, was encouraging,” says Lawrence. “We went in with a previz and a plan to include long swinging wires and rails. As we got closer to it, we realized how many challenges that we were presenting to physical production. We were able to say, ‘We’re comfortable about the faces in this shot. We can probably get away with a digital double.’”
“Felicity is incredible on wires; to be fairly heavily pregnant and to be able to do that is one of nature’s miracles as far as I’m concerned,” remarks Lawrence. “But we did have this contingency that we could do a digital face replacement.”
To that end, complimentary data was provided by Clear Angle Studios utilizing the company’s latest scan technology while the team at Framestore hand tracked the eyes. Everything had to be precise down to the millimeter to ensure that proper emotion was translated and believably conveyed.
“Hopefully, Netflix will let us put out the CG render versus the captured plate,” says Lawrence. “You will have to stare at them to figure out which one is which. It’s like an inverted way of filmmaking to an editor where you’re looking at something out of the context of the lighting. You’re previously looking at your select in flat lighting as a square picture in picture, and you’re now seeing it from a different angle with the dramatic shot lighting. It takes on a different cinematic meaning. To his credit, Stephen Mirrione [The Revenant] tried to tune into what he originally liked about the shot. That was a great collaboration. It was him pushing us to not let any of the visual effects get in the way of the storytelling, which was a big part of the overall brief.”
Another important collaborator in the visual arena was cinematographer Martin Ruhe (Control), who allowed the visual effects team to adjust the StageCraft lighting to better integrate the live-action footage with the plate photography being projected on the LED walls. “I collaborated with Martin and Julian White, our chief lighting technician, on this Rosco system which is a gel that diffuses light,” explains Kasmir. “Behind it we had hundreds of SkyPanels that could be controlled as a low pixel ratio monitor. We could control intensity and it got us out of so many holes. One of them was creating the heat and light of re-entry.”
The team worked closely to emulate the visual language devised by Ruhe in the CG shots. “Normally, we are used to the hyper contrast blown-out super dark of space whereas this is quite muted,” he adds. “It was a beautiful and simple aesthetic. Martin used a lot of detuned lenses which meant that the edges were often soft. Even on fully digital shots in space we would just doff our hats toward these lenses and rendered in a lot of grammatic aberrations to try to keep the language of our film going.”
After the spacewalk, an injured Maya (Tiffany Boone) returns to the Aether only to find herself and crewmates surrounded by floating blood. “Even though one of our characters is dying she is actually hypnotized by the beauty of her blood in zero-G around her,” remarks Kasmir. “Everyone stops for a beat. It’s very graceful.”
Each blob of blood was art directed as if they were characters in their own right. “George talked about it being a ballet moment,” states Lawrence. “It’s quite apt. We’ve seen those references of water and other substances floating on the space station but we’ve never seen blood in that way.”
The International Space Station served as the design foundation for the Aether. “When Jim started coming forward for the design of this ship, it was reassuring because he was on the same page as the people at SpaceX, NASA and JPL [Jet Propulsion Lab] who are doing this for real. What Jim was talking about was using present-day technology for the core of the ship and a more futuristic 3D printed design language for the habitation quarters. It is the best kind of science fiction where the truth is extrapolated to tell us where we might be going.”
Noggin, Nickelodeon’s interactive learning service for preschoolers, has launched a new historical animated musical series, Rhymes Through Times, featuring original music and lyrics written and performed by award-winning actor/singer/songwriter/composer Christopher Jackson (Hamilton, Moana), and Nick’s fan-favorite preschool characters.
Available now on Noggin and the Nick Jr. YouTube channel, the three-episode short-form series celebrates the Black experience and showcases the contributions of Black people to American culture, focusing on civil rights and leadership, performing arts, and science.
The first episode of Rhymes Through Times, “Hero,” follows Ruby Bridges and Thurgood Marshall, portrayed by the Bubble Guppies’ Zooli and Goby, as they take a stand against segregation. Subsequent episodes — “My Best,” which celebrates Katherine Johnson (portrayed by Nella from Nella the Princess Knight) and Guion Stewart Bluford Jr.’s (portrayed by Goby) contributions to space exploration; and “Why We Dance,” which sees Nella as Katherine Dunham and AJ from Blaze and the Monster Machines as Alvin Ailey express themselves through dance — will roll out every week on Noggin and the Nick Jr. YouTube channel. The episodes will also air on the Nick Jr. channel.
Concurrent with the launch of their respective episodes, each of the songs from Rhymes Through Times will be available on over 200+ digital streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, Amazon Music, Pandora and more.
Rhymes Through Times
Character development, animation and design for Rhymes Through Times are by Lion Forge Animation, LLC (Oscar-winning short Hair Love), and Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum served as educational consultant.
Rhymes Through Times incorporates a social and emotional curriculum, highlighting the value of kindness, perseverance and fairness. Aligning with Noggin’s learning approach that aims to help preschoolers build big hearts, strong minds and healthy bodies, the series is the latest addition to Noggin’s content slate which includes the recently launched series Noggin Knows, Kinderwood, School of Yum, Word Play and Imagination Trips, among others.
In Noggin, learning is led by the Nickelodeon preschool characters kids know and love, and developed by education and child development experts. The interactive service offers an ever-expanding library of books, learning games, activities, exclusive shorts and 1,000+ ad-free episodes of preschool favorites like PAW Patrol, Peppa Pig and Blue’s Clues & You!
Cartoon Network has released the third anti-racism PSA in a series of four developed by Emmy-nominated Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar and OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes creator Ian Jones-Quartey, aimed at providing kids and families with productive ways to disrupt the common narratives about racism.
The latest PSA, titled “See Color,” features Steven Universe’s Amethyst (voiced by Michaela Dietz) launched Tuesday morning on Cartoon Network’s YouTube channel and across the network’s social media platforms.
“See Color” was developed in partnership with Dr. Deborah J. Johnson, with additional consulting from Dr. Kira H. Banks and Dr. Allen E. Lipscomb. Dr. Johnson is a developmental psychologist who received her doctoral degree in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University. Her research explores racially and culturally related development, parental racial socialization and coping, and cultural adjustment from early childhood through emerging adulthood, in both domestic and global children and youth.
“These PSAs offer a compact message of antiracism targeted toward messaging justice, fairness, inclusion and allyship based in research evidence,” explained Dr. Johnson. “The PSAs are bold, bringing the complex issues of society around race, gender, identity and inclusion, intensely into focus in a language and with images children can understand. If we can capture children’s attention and early learning around these issues, our society has a chance to make and maintain shifts in equity for the long term.”
Viewers can log on to www.crystalgemsspeakup.com for links to the PSAs, as well as social justice organizations and additional tools and information.
Calling all crew members, the ship is now preparing for take off. Keep an eye out for asteroids and black holes as Final Space season three lands Saturday, March 20 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim. The premiere announcement follows a first-look revealed in December, and comes with the news that seasons one and two will be available to stream on HBO Max starting March 1.
Picking up where things left off, season three brings unexpected twists and turns as Gary (voiced by series creator Olan Rogers) and the crew enter final space to rescue Quinn (Tika Sumpter). After discovering they are now trapped, the stakes get even higher as the crew must do whatever it takes to survive.
With Invictus (Vanessa Marshall) and Lord Commander (David Tennant) determined to capture Mooncake (Rogers) in an attempt to use him to grow even more powerful, Gary and the crew’s only hope is to team up with Earth’s sole survivor. Together they must find a way out before it’s too late.
The series also features the voices of Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, Steven Yeun, Keith David, Conan O’Brien, Ron Perlman, John DiMaggio, Gin Torres, Andy Richter, Jane Lynch, and others.
Final Space is created by Olan Rogers and executive produced by Emmy Award-winner David Sacks (The Simpsons). The series is produced by Conaco and New Form. Animation is produced by ShadowMachine and Jam Filled.
Rémi Chayé’s (Long Way North) latest movie, Annecy Cristal winner Calamity Jane, will be the first animated feature film available for worldwide access through The Animation Showcase Streaming platform.
The platform created by Benoit Berthe Siward in 2016 has established itself as a major supporter of animated-short films during the Award Season, spotting and screening most of the nominated films and all the Oscar winners in its annual selection. The films are accessible via free registration for those in the film industry, allowing Calamity Jane to be screened by a wide network of animation professionals.
“I am thrilled to open The Animation Showcase Streaming Platform to an animated feature for the first time with Calamity Jane, one of the most beautiful films of the year,” said Siward. “We always tried to champion the best creations, it seemed natural to support this amazing feature in these challenging times where it has become impossible to meet in person with the studios and the rest of the industry.”
Chayé’s first feature was the 2015 sensation Long Way North, distributed worldwide. ‘Calamity Jane’ premiered in Annecy last year (as Calamity: A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary) where it received the Cristal for Best Feature at last year’s reorganized hybrid festival edition. The film was released in France in October, grossing more than $1 million in box office before it was hit by cinema closures in its second week. (Cinemas have not reopened since.)
The film is now a contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscars as well as this year’s Annie Awards competition.
Henri Magalon and Claire La Combe, producers of the film at Maybe Movies, commented, “We are excited to team-up with The Animation Showcase and experience for the first time an innovative way of exhibiting films. We’ve put so much into the making of Calamity Jane these past five years that it is truly heartbreaking not to be able to share it more widely due to the COVID-19 situation. Benoit’s platform offers a unique opportunity to properly bring awareness on our work to the animation and motion picture community.”
Calamity Jane tells the story of 12-year-old Martha Jane, who must take charge of her siblings after her father is hurt in a serious accident while driving a large convoy to the West in search for a better life. Frustrated by the constraints of being a girl, Martha Jane decides to dress as a boy to better fulfill her duties and pursue her growing thirst for freedom and adventure outside of the constraints of the rigid convoy. One day, after being unfairly accused of theft, she runs away determined to prove her innocence. In the wild, she finds her true self as well as the world that will shape her and confirm her unique personality: that of the legendary and mysterious Calamity Jane.
Produced by Maybe Movies (Long Way North, Zombillenium) and Nørlum (Song of the Sea, Long Way North), Calamity Jane is sold by Indie Sales who is well-known in the animation world for selling films such as My Life as a Zucchini, the high-profile Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, and the 2018 Cannes selection Another Day of Life.
To watch Calamity Jane on The Animation Showcase, click through to the Activation Portal here. You will be asked to provide your email address and proof of work in the film/animation industry (Vimeo account, IMDb page, etc.).
Superprod Group announced the recent addition of Jean Duval to its animation team as well as the formation of a unit fully dedicated to animation project development. Duval is joining as Studio Director and will supervise all animation endeavors, including pilots and series. Patrick Ermosilla, Chief Creative Officer of Superprod Animation, will head the new Art Development Department, which already counts 15 new creatives.
A graduate of École Supérieure Estienne, Duval boasts over three decades of experience in film and animation. His career began in the Army Film and Photography Department (ECPA) during his military service. He then joined Disney Animation as a layout artist, assistant animator, storyboard artist, and later became Creative Director at Disney Consumer Products. In 2003, he directed the CG animation film Pollus – The Magic Roundabout, based on the popular franchise, for Pathé Pictures and Action Films. Duval’s career has continued to flourish, allowing him to contribute his talent and vision to numerous animated series for television. He recently directed the two seasons of the hit series Mini Ninjas (based on the Square Enix videogame) for TF1, RAI, Disney and many others, and the recently released Splat and Harry (based on the best-selling books by Rob Scotton) at Blue Spirit for TF1.
At Superprod Animation, Duval will oversee the development and production of all animated series (in-house productions and executive production services) and will work closely with the showrunners, directors and art teams of all projects.
“I’ve had a strong desire to work with the Superprod teams for a long time. I am proud and honored to finally be able to join them today,” commented Duval.
Under the leadership of Chief Creative Officer Ermosilla, Superprod Animation’s creative team has expanded since 2020 to include over 15 dedicated artists and will further expand in the future. The division is currently working on seven series in production at various stages and has a large development slate — including series and feature films.
“Our teams are able to exercise their talent on a wide variety of projects. They always aim to ensure high-end production value and artistic coherence, both for our own productions and for those of major clients such as Netflix, for whom we currently produce several series in our studios in Paris and Angoulême,” said Ermosilla.
Superprod Group founders Jérémie Fajner and Clément Calvet see these bold initiatives as a natural extension of the Group’s eager expansion: “Our studio is betting more than ever on its artists. Talents are key and we are proud that Jean Duval has chosen Superprod and can bring us his experience, his talent and his unique creative power. For his part, Patrick Ermosilla has assembled a team of outstanding talents to deliver unique projects and to serve the vision of our directors and clients.”
Founded in 2010, Superprod Group creates, produces, and distributes premium content for all media. Under its Superprod Animation label, the Group develops and creates kids and family animation series (Pat the Dog, Anna & Friends) for the international market and in association with all major TV networks and platforms. It also operates Superprod Studio, its own animation studios in Paris and Angoulême, and has a U.S. subsidiary based in Los Angeles. Among the movies produced by Superprod Films are White Fang, which was selected for Sundance and the Toronto Film Fest and nominated for the European Film Awards (EFA), and Song of the Sea, which was nominated for the Cesar Award, Oscar and EFA.
Tanjiro Kamado’s quest will continue in a sequel to the blockbuster anime feature Demon Slayer: Infinity Train (a.k.a. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie- Mugen Train), set to premiere on Japanese TV at the end of this year, according to distributor Aniplex. Details of the new film — including which broadcaster will do the premiere honors — have yet to be revealed.
Based on the manga created by Koyoharu Gotoge (published by Shueisha), Demon Slayer: Infinity Train continues the events of the hit anime series as avenging hero Tanjiro, his demon-turned sister Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenitsu board a train that they quickly learn isn’t quite as it seems. With help from Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, they sense a demon presence on board, and it’s up to the group to protect the train’s passengers and survive their trip. The movie is produced by series studio ufotable and directed by Haruo Sotozaki.
The film was a smash box office success in Japan, setting multiple records in rapid succession despite COVID-19 restrictions. In 73 days, Demon Slayer; Infinity Train grossed 32.48 billion yen (~$308.2 million USD) to become the highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, surpassing Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away which held the record for 19 years. The film has exceeded 36.8 billion yen ($350.7 million USD) at the Japanese box office on the back of over 26.88 million tickets sold. Though it is now the second highest-grossing film in the country since the release of live-action romcom Loved Like a Flower Bouquet at the end of January, Demon Slayer: Infinity Train remains Japan’s top performing animated movie of all time.
Funimation Films and Aniplex of America are planning to release English subtitled and dubbed versions of Demon Slayer: Infinity Train in the U.S. this year. The pic is currently on the list of movies eligible for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category of the Academy Awards.
Us Again, a vibrant and original new theatrical animated short from director Zach Parrish that brings together dance, music, emotional storytelling and inspired animation, is set to debut exclusively in theaters worldwide beginning on March 5, playing on the same bill as Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon.
The film is Disney Animation’s first new theatrical short since the 2016 release of Inner Workings, which accompanied Moana on the big screen. Us Again is scheduled to make its streaming debut in June on Disney+.
Parrish is an 11-year veteran of Disney Animation who served as head of animation on Big Hero 6 and director of the Short Circuit film Puddles, in addition to his numerous animation credits on features for the studio. Award-winning choreographers/dancers Keone & Mari (featured performers on World of Dance, and renowned for their collaborations with such top talents as Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish) and acclaimed composer Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel) brought their unique talents to this experimental and musical fantasy. The film is produced by Brad Simonsen (associate producer on Big Hero 6, Zootopia and Ralph Breaks the Internet) and executive produced by Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer, WDAS.
“We’re thrilled to be premiering our first new theatrical short in five years, Us Again, exclusively on the big screen alongside our incredible new feature, Raya and the Last Dragon,” commented WDAS President Clark Spencer. “Zach has tapped into elements from his personal life, and collaborated with the very best in the world of dance and music to create this very special film. We are so proud of what they have accomplished and look forward to sharing it with movie theater goers in March, and then in June on Disney+.”
Lee added, “One of my priorities has been to bring back theatrical animated shorts and to give artists at our studio an opportunity to explore new ideas. Us Again has so much spirit and energy, and pushes the boundaries of our short form storytelling.”
Set in a vibrant city pulsating with rhythm and movement, an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife rekindle their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night. The years fade away as the joy of dancing propels them across the exciting cityscape of their youth and revives fond memories and ambitions. Us Again is told entirely without dialogue and set to an original funk and soul musical score reminiscent of the mid ’60s.
“Working with Keone & Mari was the key to making this film work,” said Parrish. “From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted this film to be music driven. And I felt that dance is a universal language that can translate into any culture. I loved that their dance style felt like it was made for animation, and that there was this genuine, honest and organic connection between them because they were actually a married couple in real life. The story itself was inspired by my own grandparents, who faced getting older in different ways, along with my own physical limitations in playing sports resulting from getting older and injuries. I started thinking about how someone might look at the world differently as things change and they grow older.”
Simonsen added, “It was fascinating to see the process and the close collaboration between the music, the choreography and Zach’s vision for layout and animation. The film has a timeless and life-affirming message and an emotional resonance that is uniquely entertaining. Zach’s love of dance and animation, and his willingness to take chances as a filmmaker, made this a true labor of love.”
Keone observed, “Mari and I have always dreamed of having our particular style of movement being incorporated within animation. Our style is very new and young and we were like kids in a candy store working with Zach and the team to capture it and see our movements realized through the characters in the film.”
“From the first time we saw the storyboards, I was already tearing up,” added Mari. “The characters were easy to relate to and to empathize with. As a married couple, we tried to imagine being their age, and we also thought about our own grandparents in bringing the characters to life through dance.”