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Following this morning’s Golden Globe nominations announcement, the creatives behind this year’s animation contenders are sharing their reactions to the good news!
“On behalf of the entire cast and crew of The Wild Robot I wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the members of the Golden Globes, a group of people from all over the world, for their recognition of this story of a lost robot whose relentless kindness and compassion changes everything. Your four nominations for our film, incredible score, and song, mean so very much to everyone who lent their precious talents and time to a movie that struck out into uncharted territory. For all of us, it was the film of a lifetime.”
— Chris Sanders, writer-director, The Wild Robot
“We are honored and humbled to be considered among such diverse and powerful films in what has been an extraordinary year for animation. The Wild Robot has been a career defining moment for all involved and we are grateful to the members of the Golden Globes for this incredible recognition of our film — and music — in which nature and technology find an unlikely balance through kindness, empathy and community.”
— Jeff Hermann, producer, The Wild Robot
“Thank you to the Golden Globes for this incredible honor. To Chris Sanders, thank you for this beautiful world, your trusting collaborative spirit, and for making music a character in this story. And thank you to Jeff Hermann, DreamWorks, and Universal for believing in me and this music to help bring your beautiful story to life.”
— Kris Bowers, composer, The Wild Robot
“On behalf of my fellow writers, we are absolutely over the moon that our heartfelt song, ‘Kiss the Sky,’ has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award! In a year filled with such extraordinary music in film, being recognized among so many inspiring songwriters is truly an honor. We’re so grateful for this incredible acknowledgment and very proud to be part of this unforgettable musical journey with DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot.”
— Maren Morris, “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot, performer and co-songwriter
“On behalf of my producer Liz and I, Sarah, Kodi, Jacki and all the many artists here in Australia who worked on the film, we are all tickled Pink that our little blobby snail film has been nominated for a Golden Globe. Grace Pudel looks forward to meeting you all on the red carpet in January.”
— Adam Elliot, writer & director, Memoir of a Snail
“I couldn’t be more thrilled and excited and proud of this film and proud of the entire team that worked so hard to make it. We can’t help but have all of our collective Joys at our consoles. These movies take years … and you really form a bond with the people that you’re with … There’s so many talented, wonderful, humble, kind human beings behind this film, and this crew in particular was really special.”
“I know how hard [the team on fellow animated feature nominee Moana 2] worked. I feel very connected to that film because we’re both following up a beloved film, and doing the second film in such a short amount of time, I’m just so proud of them.”
“I’ve gotten to know [Cinematic and Box Office nominee Alien: Romulus director Fede Alvarez] at some of the conferences, and I’m so excited to see that he was nominated right along with us.”
“Chee Hoo! Moana 2 is about the power of connecting to community, and it took a community of talented artists at Disney Animation to create this film. Enormous gratitude to each of them and to the Golden Globes!”
— David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand & Dana Ledoux Miller, directors, Moana 2
Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham ph. c/o Netflix]“It’s an absolute honor to see our film nominated for a Golden Globe, and to be recognized alongside some of the most prestigious names in animation. We are really proud of the whole crew and team in Bristol.”
— Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham, directors, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Crunchyroll has revealed a new visual from famed animation studio ufotable for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, the first film in an epic trilogy coming exclusively to theaters globally in 2025.
From the Thunder Stage at CCXP in São Paulo on Sunday, Japanese voice actors Takahiro Sakurai (Giyu Tomioka) and Kengo Kawanishi (Muichiro Tokito) along with Brazilian voice actor Daniel Figueira (Tanjiro Kamado) gave a sneak peek look to clamoring fans at the intricate Infinity Castle that is the setting for the impending all-out war between the Demon Slayer Corps and demonic leader Muzan Kibutsuji
The film will be distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide, including Japan (excluding selected Asian markets). No theatrical release dates have been announced. The three-part cinematic movie represents the final arc and culmination of the hugely popular award-winning anime shonen series.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is based on the manga series by Koyoharu Gotoge published under Shueisha’s Jump Comics, which consists of 23 volumes and over 150 million copies in publication. The story begins when Tanjiro Kamado, a boy whose family is killed by a demon, joins the Demon Slayer Corps to turn his younger sister Nezuko back into a human after she is transformed into a demon.
The anime series premiered in April 2019 with the Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc, followed by the feature film Mugen Train in October 2020 and the TV series Mugen Train Arc and Entertainment District Arc from 2021 through 2022. In 2023, the Swordsmith Village Arc debuted on Crunchyroll, shortly after the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Swordsmith Village- theatrical release. In 2024, the Hashira Training Arc debuted on the heels of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To Hashira Training- theatrical release. The animation production is by ufotable.
The latest films — Mugen Train, -To the Swordsmith Village- and -To the Hashira Training- — have received both commercial and critical success. Mugen Train currently holds the record as the highest-grossing anime movie of all time and the highest-grossing Japanese film at the global box office, garnering over 500 million USD to date. It currently ranks as the second-highest grossing anime film in U.S. box office history. It also garnered a 98% critic score and 99% audience score (with 10,000+ verified ratings) on Rotten Tomatoes.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Audiences at CCXP 2024 (Comic Con Experience) in São Paulo got their first look at episodes inspired by Sifu, Unreal Tournament and Armored Core from Prime Video’s upcoming video game anthology series Secret Level, premiering December 10 on Prime Video.
Secret Level is a new adult-animated anthology series featuring original stories set within the worlds of some of the world’s most beloved video games. From the creative minds behind Love, Death + Robots, each of the episodes is a celebration of games and gamers.
The series is created by and executive produced by Tim Miller. Dave Wilson serves as executive producer and supervising director.
Ep. 102 — Sifu: It Takes a Life
Logline: Perseverance and determination are what’s needed to get out of this fight, but what will be the cost?
Ep. 104 — Unreal Tournament: Xan
Logline: Welcome to the arena. It’s an intense battle to dominate and come out the victor, and there’s too much on the line to fail.
Ep. 108 — Armored Core: Asset Management
Logline: The adrenaline, the rush, the money. This mech pilot is locked in on one goal and one goal only.
This morning, the nominees for the 2025 Golden Globes were announced. Six titles will be competing for the coveted Best Animated Feature award on Sunday, Jan. 5. The event will air live on CBS and stream via Paramount+ and will be hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser.
The six titles vying for the Golden Globe are:
Flow (directed by Gints Zilbalodis) Sideshow/Janus Films
Inside Out 2 (directed by Kelsey Mann) Disney/Pixar
Memoir of a Snail (directed by Adam Elliot) IFC Films
Moana 2 (directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller) Disney
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl(directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham) Aardman Animations/Netflix
The Wild Robot (directed by Chris Sanders) DreamWorks/Universal
DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot was also nominated for its memorable score by Kris Boyers and best song — “Kiss the Sky” by Maren Morris.
Animated movies were also honored in the the Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category: Pixar’s Inside Out 2and DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot were nominated alongside Alien: Romulus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Gladiator 2, Twisters and Wicked.
The 2025 Golden Globes take place on Sunday, January 5, 2025, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The ceremony will air live on CBS linear television and also stream live via Paramount+ for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. This year’s show is hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser.
The Golden Globes have a strong correlation record for best animated feature with the Academy Awards, only misaligning their top choices four times since both races have been part of the awards season animation circuit.
Best Animated Feature: Oscars vs. Golden Globes Through the Years
Everyone seems to love Flow, Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis’ post-apocalyptic cat movie. The well-received feature picked up the Best Animated Feature prize at Saturday’s European Film Awards ceremony in Lucerne, Switzerland.
On Sunday, the winning streak continued as the film was selected as the Best Animated Movie of the year by the L.A. Film Critics Association. (Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta’s Chicken for Linda was picked as the runner-up in this category.) In addition, the Boston Society of Film Critics also selected Flow as their best pick for Best Animated Movie of the year.
Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films)
The beautifully crafted animated pic premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May, the film has won numerous awards at festivals all year round. It recently also took home the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and the National Board of Review Awards. It’s also Latvia’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Award, making it a very strong contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar as well. Flow is also nominated in the Best International Feature category at Film Independent’s Spirit Awards.
The film also performed well at the U.S. theaters this weekend as Sideshow/Janus Films expanded it to 375 screens. Per Deadline.com, the film grossing an estimated $528,000 for total of $633,000 during its third specialty release. To date, the film has grossed over $3,554,271 worldwide. Critics loved the movie as well: It has almost purrrect score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch Flow director Gints Zilbalodis and his team accept the European Film Award on Saturday night in Lucerne below:
Today, Prime Video debuted the official trailer for Season 3 of Invincible during the streamer’s multi-title panel at Brazil’s CCXP fan and comic-book convention in São Paulo.
Voice cast members Sandra Oh (Debbie Grayson), Gillian Jacobs (Samantha Eve Wilkins) and co-creator, executive producer & co-showrunner Robert Kirkman helped reveal the highly anticipated official trailer and gave a sneak peek into the upcoming season in a room packed with over 3,500 enthusiastic fans
In addition to the show panel, thousands of convention attendees were transported into the world of Invincible through an immersive show-floor activation from Prime Video, which put fans right into the action with exclusive photo-ops and an experiential sneak peek of Season 3.
The first three episodes of Invincible Season 3, co-produced by Skybound Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios, will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories beginning on Thursday, February 6, 2025, with additional episodic drops every Thursday through March 13.
Based on the award-winning comi- book series by Kirkman, co-creator Cory Walker and contributing creator Ryan Ottley, Invincible follows 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), as he inherits his father’s (J.K. Simmons) superpowers and sets out to become Earth’s greatest defender, only to discover the job is more challenging than he could have ever imagined. Everything changes as Mark is forced to face his past, and his future, while discovering how much further he’ll need to go to protect the people he loves.
Invincible’s voice cast also includes Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beetz, Grey DeLisle, Zachary Quinto, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Andrew Rannells, Kevin Michael Richardson, Ben Schwartz, Clancy Brown, Jay Pharoah, Mark Hamill, and Melise Jow.
Series executive producers are Kirkman, Rogen, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Simon Racioppa, Margaret M. Dean, and Evan Goldberg. Co-executive producers are Helen Leigh and Cory Walker.
The series is nominated for the 2025 Critics Choice Award for Best Animated Series. Previous honors include a Primetime Emmy nomination for voice star Sterling K. Brown (Angstrom Levy), a 2022 Annie Award nomination for storyboarder Jay Baker and a 2022 Saturn Award nomination for Best Animate Series.
It was one of the sweet surprises of 2024. Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, two beloved animated characters that were first introduced in 1935 and 1937 (in the shorts, I Haven’t Got a Hat and Porky’s Duck Hunt, respectively), returned to the big screen in one of the funniest animated features of the year. Directed, co-written and exec produced by Looney Tunes Cartoons maestro Pete Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie finds this duo created by Tex Avery and Bob Clampett (Daffy) and Friz Freleng (Porky) saving our planet from a sinister mind-control scheme hatched up by aliens.
The film itself was rescued from being buried in the Warner Bros. Discovery’s vaults by U.S. indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment. It’s now getting an Oscar-qualifying run beginning on Dec. 13, prior to its official U.S. theatrical opening on Feb. 28. The film stars none other than Emmy-winning voice actor Eric Bauza as the voice of both Daffy and Porky, as well as as Candi Milo as Petunia Pig, Peter MacNicol as The Invader, and other animation favorites such as Carlos Alazraqui, Wayne Knight, Laraine Newman and Fred Tatasciore.
We had the pleasure of catching up with animation veteran Pete Browngardt (Looney Tunes Cartoons, Uncle Grandpa, Secret Mountain Fort Awesome) to find out more about the making of this charming end-of-the-year present:
Animag: First of all, congratulations on the wonderful, hilarious and disarming movie. The audience that I saw it with seemed to be enjoying every second of it. Can you tell us a bit about the history of the movie and how the whole project started?
Peter Browngardt (Photo: Stay Tooned)
Peter Browngardt: I was in the heat of production of 209 new Looney Tunes shorts for Max when Warner Bros. came to me and asked me if I had any ideas for a new Looney Tunes feature. So, I went home, thought about it for a few weeks, and I came up with the idea for the movie. There were a couple of things I knew I wanted to do: I knew I wanted to focus on Porky and Daffy because they’re two of the only characters that don’t want to eat or kill each other. I could tell a better story with the two of them as buddies. I also knew the genre: I love 1950s’ sci-fi movies (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc.) as Daffy and Porky were also in Duck Dodgers and Rocket Squad. So, I basically put together a sort of pitch board. I have the poster from the Invasion of the Saucer Men in my office! I also loved Tim Burton movies growing up, and he influenced me. I am also a big fan of Bob Clampett cartoons, and had some old lobby cards and sci-fi movie posters. So, I presented them with all these influences and inspirations and said, “OK, here’s the movie. I don’t know fully what it is, but these are the things I want to do with it. I want to put the characters in a sci-fi B-movie from the ‘50s, where they have to save the world!
Now that’s a great start! Please tell us about how you put the whole team together.
Peter: So, we pitched the movie in 2019. I started working on it with the screenwriter (Kevin Costello) and we brought in all the storyboard artists that worked on it. That’s why there’s large writing credit on the film and we all sort of collectively wrote it. [Darrick Bachman, Kevin Costello, Andrew Dickman, David Gemmill, Alex Kirwan, Ryan Kramer, Jason Reicher, Michael Ruocco, Johnny Ryan, and Eddie Trigueros all worked on the screenplay with Browngardt.] We were working during the early Covid days, so I worked in my garage at home. We started recording right when the pandemic started. We actually did some rough animation in house at Warner Bros., but the animation was done by DNA in Montreal and Snipple in the Philippines. Titmouse in Vancouver also worked on a wonderful sequence. We tried to have the studios work on a bunch of things together. We actually finished the movie in February of 2024 and it premiered at Annecy in June.
The Day the Earth Blew Up begins with the two characters as babies!
How great is it that the movie is getting this nice release as well as an award-season push in December?
Peter: It has been such a journey. As you know, the business has its ups and downs and these things happen. I just had faith that we told a good story and we made a good film , and I knew that it was eventually going to get out. I’m just very, very grateful that Ketchup is releasing the movie theatrically, because I do believe that the greatest way to experience the film is in a movie theater.
When I was a kid I used to watch Looney Tunes cartoons on videotapes, but I went to a Chuck Jones retrospective at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, and Chuck Jones was there. It was so great to meet him in person. They screened a bunch of shorts and it was the first time I ever experienced seeing these shorts with an audience. Of course, it was fan audience, but I have never seen people laugh so hard in my life. It was such an amazing, joyful communal experience.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
What would you say was the toughest thing about making this movie?
Peter: Well, the biggest challenge is sort of obvious. It’s just living up to the quality of the classic Looney Tunes in some way. I always say that we’re standing on the shoulders of giants, and I mean the great directors and filmmakers who made these shorts, legends like Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett , Bob McKimson, Friz Freleng and Tex Avery. We’re just hoping that we don’t fall flat on our faces. Also, trying to reach the top 2D animation quality for this brand in that style is hard. The artistry of animation and filmmaking is changing so much and evolving. Technology was a huge advantage for us as well.
Can you discuss the animation process and the tools that were used in the movie?
Peter: Well, it’s a little bit of everything. We actually did some animation right here the old-fashioned way on paper with the animators here in Burbank and via the internet. We used the Toon Boom’s Harmony 2D pipeline for the most part, and backgrounds painted in Photoshop.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
We love the way the characters look in this movie and the overall aesthetic and design of the movie. Can you talk a bit about that?
Peter: Because we worked on the shorts for so many years, I got to know this great family and community of artists who can do this stuff really, really well. Our supervising producer Alex Kirwan sort of homed in on this. We were fortunate to work with fantastic designers like Bob McKnight, Dan Haskett and Jim Soper. I never told this to Dan in person, but I’d refer to him as the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time], just like LeBron James is known as the GOAT of the NBA.
Let’s talk about the amazing Eric Bauza who voices both of the main characters now.
Peter: I love Eric’s versions of Daffy and Porky. I think it’s the closest to the great Mel Blanc’s work. It was amazing to watch him do these voices. I would pitch out the board to him over Zoom, as he was working from his home studio. He would do these runs where he didn’t ping pong on the voices. He would start out as Porky because it was less taxing. He would then do all the Daffy lines. Daffy is a little harder on the vocal cords. I was so amazed when we got to the edit room and we started cutting the lines together, we realized that he knew exactly how to answer to the two performances. He had it all in his head and knew how to read the lines. We couldn’t check it during the recording session, and we found this one as we were cutting the lines together.
He doesn’t need to do a huge amount of takes either. He’s such a great student of Mel Blanc and the Looney Tunes cartoon voicing in general. It’s a really special gift because he does his homework. He’s also a very fine artist. He actually started out as an artist before he got into voice acting, so he knows the process very well.
The Day the Earth Blew Up
I know that you were at Annecy for the first public screening of the movie. How did it feel to see the movie with a crowd of animation fans at the festival in June?
Peter: That was the first time I ever saw the finished the finished film. We had did some animatics screenings in the studio with family and executives, and you have to keep reminding people that it’s not done yet. But for this screening, it was quite nerve-wracking. I told myself that if it doesn’t get laughs, I don’t know if I’m going to sit through the whole thing. I thought I was going to leave if it starts dying off. But it really played well. Annecy is such a great environment. This was my fifth or sixth time at the festival which will always have a special place in my heart as my first series Secret Mountain Fortress Awesome won a Cristal prize there. It was kind of a surprise and it kind of helped steer my career to get to this point. So I was thrilled that the movie got a great response. It was a magical experience to see everyone laughing and having that communal animation experience.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
What is your take on the crazy ups and downs of the animation world these days?
Peter: Well, it is definitely a very challenging time for the entertainment business in general, not just animation. I’ve talked to a lot of veterans in animation who have seen this rollercoaster ride before, but for some reason, this one feels different to me because of financial reasons, and because of the way technologies are influencing our art form. It’s easier to make our films over Zoom and to make TV shows and movies because of the internet, but it’s a less scary. I do believe that artists always find a way, and they are true innovators of film and TV. No matter how difficult it gets to make things, artists will find a way to create beautiful things in the world. So, I am hoping that we have a good flow in the up direction of jobs and productions, because this is the love of my life.
By the way, I am happy that Animation Magazine is still going strong, I had a subscription to your magazine when I was a kid and learned a lot about animation and where to go to find jobs from it.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie gets a limited release in L.A. and New York on Dec. 13. Ketchup Entertainment releases the movie in theaters nationwide on Feb. 29.
The new animated adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi’s popular manga Ranma 1/2 is quite a zany series.
Our visual effects correspondent looks back at the 2024 features that are likely to be recognized by the Academy for their visual effects achievements.
Bloomsbury Publishing is proud to announce that The Animator’s Survival Kit Animated is coming to the Bloomsbury Video Library as a streaming collection. From January 2025, this invaluable resource will be available for a new generation to stream for the first time, giving online, on-demand access to the practical and creative insights of Richard Williams, multi-Oscar-winning animator of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, A Christmas Carol (1971), The Little Island and Ziggy’s Gift.
For decades, The Animator’s Survival Kit Animated has been a cornerstone of animation education. The revered resource includes 16 masterclass videos and over 400 specially animated examples to demonstrate core principles, including how things move and specific methods used to make characters live, breathe, think and give a sustained commanding performance. The videos demonstrate time-honoured animation principles and techniques that are as relevant to CGI animation as they are to traditional hand-drawn and stop-motion methods.
“Richard Williams is a giant in the world of animation and his teachings have shaped the careers of countless professionals. We’re thrilled to bring these dynamic video masterclasses to a new generation of animators, students, teachers and enthusiasts, and help Richard’s legacy live on,” said Anna Wright, Digital Portfolio Director at Bloomsbury. “This collection will be a game-changer for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the art of animation.”
The collection will be available to academic institutions worldwide via subscription and perpetual access starting in January 2025, offering a comprehensive new teaching and research tool. A subscription option for individuals will follow later in the year, with more details to come.
The collection’s structure mirrors that of the original DVD set, allowing users to play the masterclasses in sequence or explore specific techniques at their own pace. Whether you are an aspiring animator or an experienced professional, these accessible videos will teach you how to make characters live and breathe convincingly.
The Animator’s Survival Kit Animated has inspired and influenced animation greats across generations. Oscar-winning director and animator Jan Pinkava (Ratatouille, Gerri’s Game) said of the collection: “When an animation great like Richard Williams offers you the fruits of his experience packed into a box and fully illustrated with moving pictures, just say ‘thank you’ and hand over the cash. Then use it.”
Fellow Oscar winner Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Bunny) described the kit as a “revelation”, saying, “What I
came out with was a complete re-structuring of animation, how I saw animation, how I analyzed
motion.”
For Rob Coleman, animation director for Star Wars Episodes I, II and III, the impact was profound: “I would absolutely recommend it for everybody. It had a fundamental and lasting effect on my work.”
The Animator’s Survival Kit Animated represents a unique opportunity to learn first-hand from one of the most respected and innovative figures in animation. By offering this invaluable resource through the Bloomsbury Visual Library, Bloomsbury is ensuring that Williams’ timeless lessons are accessible to those looking to master the art of animation for generations to come.
Just in time for catch-up viewing over the holiday break, The Pokémon Company International is offering even more accessible ways to enjoy Pokémon entertainment content.
Starting today, fans and those looking for a fun family-friendly activity this festive season can watch full episodes of the original Pokémon animated series — featuring the iconic Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu — on the brand-new Pokémon TV YouTube channel. The new channel will offer select Pokémon entertainment content at no cost, making it easy and accessible for fans around the world to watch Ash and his Pikachu’s adventures.
The channel has launched with the first batch of episodes from the brand’s debut animated series, Pokémon: Indigo League (1997). The series follows the adventures of 10-year-old Ash as he sets out from Pallet Town to pursue his dream of becoming a champion Pokémon trainer, exploring the world, making new friends and discovering new types of Pokémon with his strong-willed Pikachu by his side.
Fans can also catch up with the latest animated Pokémon adventures by streaming all of Season 1 of Pokémon Horizons: The Series — the first in over 25 years to introduce a new cast of characters in the franchise — on Netflix, ahead of the Season 2 premiere on February 7, 2025.
More information on where to watch Pokémon anime content can be found at pokemon.com.
Christian kids & Families content outfit Minno has acquired exclusive worldwide rights to exhibit and distribute The Dead Sea Squirrels, the new animated series created byMike Nawrocki and produced by Steve Taylor. Nawrocki is known for being the co-creator of VeggieTales (as well as the voice of Larry the Cucumber). Taylor is a recording artist, music producer and filmmaker.
This multi-year deal, in partnership with Wonder Project, encompasses global video streaming distribution and YouTube. The Dead Sea Squirrels series will make its exclusive debut on Minno in early 2025.
Synopsis: The Dead Sea Squirrels brings to life — literally — the tales of Merle and Pearl, a pair of squirrels who are old enough to have heard Jesus’ teachings in real time. Yet they are vibrant enough — thanks to their new human pal Michael — to go on hilarious adventures in America with a group of fifth-grade friends. Hijinks ensue as this salty couple reanimate and take their new friends on adventures full of action, humor, music and character building.
“As a parent, I know how important it is to find content that not only entertains our kids but also helps them grow in their faith,” said Erick Goss, CEO & Co-Founder of Minno. “That’s why we’re so excited to bring The Dead Sea Squirrels to Minno! Mike Nawrocki and Steve Taylor are incredible storytellers, and we can’t wait for families to laugh, learn and fall in love with Merle, Pearl, and the whole Dead Sea Squirrels crew. It’s a privilege to partner with such creative minds to offer kids content that parents can trust, and kids will love. We are also grateful to the Wonder Project team for providing the opportunity to partner with them on such a great show.”
Nawrocki commented, “We’ve been hard at work over the last several years bringing The Dead Sea Squirrels to life and are beyond excited to finally release Merle and Pearl into the wild! Since delivering my last VeggieTales episode 10 years ago, it’s been a dream to be able to launch a fun new series for families. We look forward to working with our great partners at Wonder Project and Minno to bring The Dead Sea Squirrels to kids everywhere!”
WildBrain has signed a partnership with Paramount to bring the hit series Sonic Prime to top kids’ entertainment channel Nickelodeon. The agreement will see 22 half-hour episodes and one hour-long special of Sonic Prime air Nickelodeon in the U.S. and Australia on December 7, followed by Italy (on FTA kids’ channel Super!) on December 23. The series will then launch in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the U.K. and Ireland in 2025.
“SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog is one of today’s most popular entertainment brands. Sonic Prime is a huge hit with fans and a terrific example of how, at WildBrain, we are able to partner with IP owners to drive engagement for brands,” said Katie Wilson, VP of Global Sales & Acquisitions at WildBrain. “With their strong track record of Sonic content across highly popular live-action feature films and their Knuckles series, Paramount is the ideal partner to extend Sonic Prime’s popularity with new audiences around the world on Nickelodeon.”
Layla Lewis, Senior Vice President, Global Acquisitions and Content Partnerships at Nickelodeon, said, “The Sonic the Hedgehog universe has captivated the hearts of millions around the globe. We are thrilled to partner with WildBrain to bring the series to life on Nickelodeon channels, delivering an action-packed experience that will enthrall audiences around the world.”
Added Ivo Gerscovich, Senior Vice President and Chief Business and Brand Officer of Sonic, Head of SEGA Brands, “Sonic Prime captivated the Sonic community and audiences worldwide when it was released. Making our content as accessible as possible to our dedicated fanbase is something we always strive for and being able to bring Sonic Prime to more viewers worldwide is the perfect way to make that come to fruition.”
In Sonic Prime,the action-packed adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog go into overdrive when a run-in with Dr. Eggman results in a literal universe-shattering event. Desperate to piece his prime reality back together and save his old friends, Sonic races through the Shatterverse, discovering strange worlds and enlisting new friends in an epic adventure of a lifetime.
Co-produced by SEGA and WildBrain, Sonic Prime was animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio, with SEGA and WildBrain jointly participating across production, distribution and licensing. SEGA represents licensing for Sonic Prime in North America, LatAm and Japan, while WildBrain CPLG represents the brand in the rest of the world.
This month, we have the pleasure of tagging along with the amazing director Naoko Yamada, whose new movie The Colors Within (GKIDS) is generating early award season buzz. She has been very busy traveling the world to promote her special film, but she was kind enough to send us some of the fun pictures taken on her whirlwind tour:
During my recent trip to L.A. for the Animation Is Film festival premiere of the movie, I got the chance to visit the Griffith Observatory.
We had a live drawing day at Japan House Los Angeles.
During our L.A. promo day, I visited Freakbeat Records, where I got to go crate digging while talking about my favorite music. Of course, I also had to buy couple of records.
We held a Reddit AMA this day. The team put together a lot of snacks to have while answering everyone’s questions. I had to try some Takis and Hot Cheetos!
In November, I also went on a press trip to London and Glasgow, and I took some photos with a classic disposable camera. (These cameras are very popular again in Japan because of their retro look.)
We had a full-house screening of The Colors Within at the Scotland Loves Anime festival. Composer Kensuke Ushio and I enjoyed a wonderful Q&A with the audience.
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I had a great day of sightseeing at the Glasgow Necropolis.
I met some new friends during a visit to the Pollock Country Park in Glasgow! So lucky to have made so many amazing memories.
Becky and Joe won the BAFTA for television production design in 2023. [ph. provided by Blink Industries]Blink Industries and BAFTA Award-winning directors Becky and Joe have unveiled today the Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared website. The launch marks a return to the internet for the show, which started as a YouTube series 13 years ago.
The viral mixed media show’s YouTube channel now boasts more than 3.5 million subscribers and an average 10 million views per episode (315 million views total).
In 2020, Channel 4 (U.K.) commissioned six episodes for TV, evolving the stories, characters and unique format established in the online series. Released in 2022, the television show was critically acclaimed, and received a BAFTA Award for production design in 2023. Now, the show is available worldwide through the new site.
In addition to presenting the uniquely humorous and bizarre world of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, the site will give fans an inside look with behind-the-scenes images from Becky and Joe and a page dedicated to fan’s creative responses to show. There will also be exclusive merchandise available for purchase, designed by Becky and Joe and a host of guest collaborators.
Bookmark www.dhims.tv to tune in to Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared (both the TV and web series) and stay informed about more surprises in store!
Independent animation purveyor Miyu Distribution has acquired global rights for The Great History of Western Philosophy, the feature film debut from Mexican animator Aria Covamonas. The director is known for her Dadaist collage-styled shorts like the Sundance selected Socrates’ Adventures in the Underground and Annecy Cristal nominee Hideouser and Hideouser as well as last year’s I Can’t Go on Like This, which playd at Vienna Shorts, Annecy, Anim’est, Fest Anca and GIFF.
Crafted with a mélange of public domain images and audio, The Great History of Western Philosophykicks off as a “cosmic animator” is tasked by the Central Committee of the People’s Republic to make a philosophical film under the supervision of Chairman Mao. But when the depressed filmmaker gives up before beginning, Mao imposes a sentence of death by firing squad. Through the intervention of Comrade Monkey (of Journey to the West fame), our hapless protagonist is spurred into a journey through the history of Western philosophy.
Luce Grosjean, Miyu Distribution Founder & President, told Variety: “Aria’s film is an incredible piece of art. I fell in love immediately with the visuals, the energy, the absurdity. The film has nothing to envy from ‘Ubu, roi,’ it is pure art and funny. We know that the public we know the best, festival audiences, will love it, and we cannot wait to this crazy journey with them.”
God’s Gang Ltd., the production company behind animation series God’s Gangled by former Disney Channels executive Nimrod Avraham May, today announces its new voice cast for upcoming episodes.
Actor and autism awareness advocate Atticus Baldwin (The Wright Turn, House of Masks) has been cast in the upcoming episode of God’s Gang, to be release online to their 2,000,000+ online community in early 2025. God’s Gang is working with Baldwin via Autism in Entertainment, an organization working to increase employment opportunities for autistic talent in the entertainment industry. Baldwin’s role in the series will be announced in the coming weeks, along with further news on additional neurodiverse cast and characters, as the God‘s Gang studio continues with its commitment to promoting inclusivity.
“I’m passionate about helping show people that any obstacle they face can be overcome,” Baldwin shared. “My character in God’s Gang fits perfectly with this and the series’ core message that the world needs more compassion, kindness and love is one that I hold closely. The desire to build greater inclusivity for neurodiverse people is a cause I care about deeply. Having the opportunity to spread that message to God’s Gang’s huge and growing audience is one I’m incredibly proud to have.”
Clio Award-winning actor, writer and director Cathy McAuley (Hard Time on Planet Earth, T.J. Hooker) also joins the voice cast. Having been made an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts by the University of Hawaii, she is most recognized for her recurring role on Night Court, where she played Wanda the Matchmaker, Bull’s Wife. She is also known for Days of Our Lives, Quantum Leap, Dave Thomas Show, Murder She Wrote and the animated series Marsupilami. Her film credits include Beanstalk, The Rosebud Beach Hotel and her notable role as Faye in the Academy Award-nominated short film Bronx Cheers. She has also appeared in 20 stage productions, including three record breaking tours of The Odd Couple as Cecily Pidgeon with Tim Conway & Tom Poston. McAuley is a mentor at Spectrum Laboratory, where she mentors young adults on the autism spectrum as the Head of their Voiceover Department.
Actor Lauren Choo completes the new cast of God’s Gang, playing an upcoming new Buddhist character. She is known for voicing characters in Totally Spies! and Bit Wars as well as global hit games Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Goddess of Victory: Nikke and Black Desert Online: Land of the Morning Light. Born in Taiwan and raised in Singapore, Choo’s experiences come from multiple cultures which help her easily relate to and embody different characters.
“This is a huge moment for God’s Gang,” said series creator May. “Atticus’s talent and advocacy for autism awareness align with our mission to truly make a difference in the world. Through Autism in Entertainment and working with talented neurodiverse professionals and creatives like Atticus, we are committing to fostering a new production industry standard that promotes inclusion, raises awareness, and creates pathways for people with different needs and backgrounds to showcase unique skills and talents. In the episodes, we are reflecting meaningful themes of identity and overcoming fear in a way that inspires and entertains. We are thrilled to welcome Atticus, Cathy and Lauren into the God’s Gang family.”
Multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman has announced the appointment of three new members to its board of Trustees: Caroline Norbury OBE, founding Chief Executive of Creative UK; Deep Sehgal, Head of Creative Diversity at GroupM Motion Entertainment; and Laurence Green, Director of Effectiveness at the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
Aardman has had Trustees since co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton transitioned the company into Employee Ownership in November 2018 and Aardman was effectively sold to Aardman itself. Lord and Sproxton sold 75% of their shares to a trust set up to hold those shares for the benefit of the Aardman employees.
The role of the Trustees is to ensure Aardman is run in the interests of its employees, in accordance with its guiding principles, and to the standards and values of its employees and Aardman’s founders.
Key duties and responsibilities of the Trustees include supporting the Executive Board in the long-term strategic planning for the studio, ensuring that Aardman will continue to remain a world-class and award-winning independent studio for many years to come. Trustees are not involved with the operational day-to-day running of Aardman.
Caroline Norbury OBEstarted her career working in community arts before becoming a film and TV producer then going on to found Creative UK. A not-for-profit organization that supports the creative industries, Creative UK has leveraged over £100 million into creative businesses and projects across the country and uses its extensive membership and networks to advocate for a world where creativity is valued and recognized as a driving force of our future.
“Aardman’s global reputation for creative excellence is renowned, and a real example of the power and quality of the U.K.’s creative industries. I am honored to be joining this iconic organization, which has imagination, innovation — and sheer joy — at its heart,” said Norbury. “Their commitment to supporting emerging diverse talent in the UK is particularly close to my heart, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to help empower the next generation of creatives in Bristol and beyond.”
Deep Sehgal has had a long and varied career in documentaries, drama and comedy as a producer, director and executive producer for major global television networks and his films have won awards from BAFTA, Broadcast and the Royal Television Society. He currently serves as the Head of Creative Diversity at GroupM Motion Entertainment, one of the world’s leading media investment companies, where he leads a dedicated fund for under-represented producers in partnership with Channel Four.
“Aardman is amongst the most iconic brands in the world, and alongside the company’s astonishing creative output is all the incredible work it does to improve the lives of children here in Bristol and beyond,” said Sehgal. “They are a shining example of how creativity and humor can be harnessed as a force for good and I am truly honored to be joining them.”
Laurence Green is an advertising strategist turned agency founderwho has started, grown and sold two highly regarded creative agencies, Fallon and 101, working along the way with some of the world’s best-loved brands: from start-ups and scale-ups such as innocent, Nando’s, Green & Blacks and Ben & Jerry’s through to the BBC, Cadbury’s, Skoda, and Sony. Laurence was strategy columnist for Campaign magazine for many years and advertising columnist at the Sunday Telegraph for three.
“I’m a great believer in the value of creativity in our cultural and commercial lives, and delighted to be part of the studio’s next chapter. Aardman’s characters and stories raise a smile and raise the bar wherever they go,” said Green.
Aardman’s existing Trustees are independent Chair David Pester, Aardman employees Dave Roberts and Carla Shelley,alongside co-founder David Sproxton. Caroline, Deep and Laurence join the board of Trustees, taking over from Jeremy Gadd and Mary Lowance, who will be finishing their terms.
“It is such a pleasure to welcome Caroline, Deep and Laurence to Aardman and to have their wealth of experience and knowledge at our disposal,” said Sean Clarke, Managing Director of the studio. “Aardman continues to go from strength to strength, with big ambitions for the future. We’re delighted to have such a capable and experienced trio join our Board of Trustees, who will help to support and guide us in delivering on these ambitions.”
Aardman’s latest feature film production, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the U.K. this Christmas and will be available globally on Netflix from January 3.
Crunchyroll announced today at CCXP in Sāo Paulo that it has acquired the North American and select international theatrical rights including Brazil for the dark epic fantasy omnibus movie Attack on Titan: THE LASTATTACK, as well announcing as a flurry of new anime series and seasons of returning shows for its streaming lineup. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will present the cinematic experience that combines the final chapters of the highly acclaimed anime series in one colossal film to theaters in early 2025 (no theatrical dates have been announced).
Acquired territories include:
North America: United States, Canada
Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, and other select Latin American countries
EMEA: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
APAC: Australia, New Zealand
Synopsis: Humanity lived quietly behind massive walls built to protect themselves from the threat of monstrous creatures called Titans. Their century of peace was shattered by an attack on their city that left a young child, Eren Yeager, motherless and vowing revenge on the titans.
Years after joining the Survey Corps, Eren finds himself facing a deadly foe, and ultimately gains a special ability that unveils a new truth about the world he knows…
After venturing beyond the walls and separated from his comrades, Eren finds himself inspired by this new truth and plots the “Rumbling,” a terrifying plan to eradicate every living thing in the world. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, a motley crew of Eren’s former comrades and enemies scramble to halt his deadly mission. The only question is, can they stop him?
The Attack on Titan anime is based on the award-winning manga by Hajime Isayama. The award-winning series premiered in 2014 with four seasons, concluding in Fall 2023, and has won over fans and critics alike. Three of the seasons have garnered a 100% critic score and over 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and has ranked #23 out of the top 250 TV Shows on IMDb (as rated by IMDb users).
The omnibus film is directed by Yûichirô Hayashi with character design by Tomohiro Kishi, art direction by Kuniaki Nemoto, chief animation direction by Daisuke Niinuma, editing by Masato Yoshitake and music by KOHTA YAMAMOTO and Hiroyuki Sawano; animated and produced by MAPPA.
During the Crunchyroll Industry Panel at CCXP, the streamer also announced the return of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking place in Tokyo on May 25, 2025. Brazilian drag pop icon and musician Pabllo Vittar will appear as a celebrity presenter, alongside voice actress and idol Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira, who will return as co-hosts. Nominees will be revealed and fan voting will begin April 3, 2025. Category and eligibility information for the ninth edition of the show can be found on the Anime Awards Official website.
Crunchyroll also confirmed several titles coming soon to its streaming service
From renowned live-action film director Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition,13 Assassins) comes Nyaight of the Living Cat, arriving on Crunchyroll in 2025. With animation production by OLM (The Apothecary Diaries,Pokémon), Miike will be overseeing the project as executive director, with Kamiya Tomohiro (key animation on Sing a Bit of Harmony) making their debut as series director. The new series will be based on the manga Night of the Living Cat written by Hawkman and illustrated by Mecha-Roots. The screenplay is being adapted by Irie Shingo (Orb: On the Movements of the Earth,Golden Kamuy Season 1).
A world premiere trailer was shared with the audience at CCXP in celebration of the news. Sony Pictures Entertainment will handle distribution for the title in Asia and Japan.
Synopsis: Run! The Adorable Cats Are Here. In 20XX, the world is dominated by cats. A virus which turns anyone who touches a cat into a cat has spread into a worldwide nyandemic. Cats rub against people, turning them into cats. Can humanity fight their urge to pet cats to survive in this cat-ridden world? The momentously catful comic is getting a TV anime in 2025!
Additional titles include:
Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World – From director Kazuomi Koga (Rent-A-Girlfriend) and series composition writer Keiichiro Ochi (Go! Go! Loser Ranger!), based on the light novel Magic Maker ~Isekai Maho no Tsukurikata~ by Kazuki Kaburagi, the series is produced by Studio DEEN (KONOSUBA -God’s blessing on this wonderful world!) and will simulcast on Crunchyroll in January 2025.
Synopsis: On the night of his 30th birthday, one man’s dreams of wielding magic come true after he unexpectedly passes away. He wakes as Sion, a young child in another world. He and his elder sister, Marie, are the children of a lower-class noble family who govern their region. After receiving conflicting messages from their father, Sion and Marie set out on an adventure to uncover the magic.
Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest– Based on the original novel series of the same name written by Ibarakino, the anime series will be directed by Kenta Onishi (Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included) and series composition written by Touko Machida (Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan). The series is being animated by studio Okuruto Noboru (Tomodachi Game; Viral Hit) and will simulcast on Crunchyroll in January 2025.
Synopsis: Ein has been saddled with the job of “Appraiser,” the weakest and least fortunate of all the jobs one can be born with, as the only power it grants is the ability to appraise things. Treated cruelly by all and reduced to a litter collector by his peers, Ein has grown to hate himself and lives his days in spineless self-abasement. But when he meets Yuri, the spirit of the World Tree, and her protector, Ursula the sage, Ein’s fate takes a drastic turn. With the gift of a Spirit Eye from Yuri and the help of Ursula in learning how to use it, Ein grows stronger and stronger, until he’s ready to take Yuri on her long-desired journey to meet her World Tree’s sisters. He goes on to overcome all sorts of challenges, armed with his natural kindness and his new-found courage.
Unnamed Memory Season 2 – Making its way to Crunchyroll this January 2025, director Kazuya Miura (Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!) returns alongside series composition writer Deko Akao (You Are Ms. Servant). The adaptation is based on the original novel series by Kuji Furumiya and original illustrations by Chibi, with animation production by ENGI (Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs).
Season 1 Synopsis: Seeking to end a curse thwarting his lineage, Prince Oscar sets out on a quest that leads him to a powerful and beautiful witch, Tinasha, and he demands a unique bargain: marriage. Though unenthused by the proposal, she agrees to stay in his castle for a year while researching the spell cast upon him. But beneath her beauty lies a lifetime of dark secrets that soon come to light.
Grisaia Phantom Trigger – Produced by Bibury Animation Studio (The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You), the series is directed by Kosuke Murayama (Grisaia: Phantom Trigger the Animation Stargazer) and the screenplay is written by studio founder Tensho (Rewrite). Crunchyroll will simulcast the series starting in January 2025.
Synopsis: Several years after The Fruit of Grisaia… What was once “Mihama Academy,” a sanctuary for young girls, has now been transformed into a SORD (Special Organization for Research & Development) training school dedicated to fostering talent for national defense. Rena and Maki specialize in firearms, Tohka and Gumi excel at sniping, Chris handles explosives and data processing, and Murasaki is a skilled ninja for intelligence operations. Together, they take on cases too complex for the police or Self-Defense Forces, repeatedly facing dangerous missions. This is the story of these young girls, painted in blood and gunpowder.
Farmagia – Based on the video game of the same name with character and monster designs by FAIRY TAIL creator Hiro Mashima, the series will be led by first-time series director Akihiko Sano (chief animation director, FAIRY TAIL ZERO) with a series composition written by Toshizo Nemoto (Log Horizon). The anime is produced by the studio Bridge (FAIRY TAIL) and will simulcast on Crunchyroll starting in January 2025.
Synopsis: In Felicidad, farmers known as the Farmagia raise monsters under the peaceful rule of the Magus Diluculum. After the Magus passes, a power struggle erupts among forces using monsters to seize control. In the town of Centvelt, Farmagia Ten and his friends band together against the despotic new ruler, Glaza. Ten, his friends, and their home-grown monsters must stay strong to defend their freedom.
Teogonia – Scheduled for a 2025 simulcast on Crunchyroll, the anime series is adapted from the novel series of the same name by Tsukasa Tanimai. Directed by Kunihiro Mori (Mars Daybreak) and series composition written by Tomoyasu Okubo, the animation is being produced by Asahi Production (Gushing Over Magical Girls).
Synopsis: Humans fight to protect their land from invading demi-human tribes in relentless battles. As his world is engulfed by intense warfare, Kai, a village boy from Lag, joins the fight to defend all he knows. After Kai’s comrades fall one by one and he’s injured, he suddenly recalls memories from another life. A fantasy tale unfolds as a village boy explores a world of magic, mystery, and heroism.
Along with all the new acquisitions announced coming to Crunchyroll, fans were treated to exciting world premiere trailers of some highly anticipated anime series, which included the following:
Fire Force Season 3 – The final season of one of the hottest anime series will be split into two parts, premiering in April 2025 and January 2026. David Production (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) returns to produce the animation, based on the original manga of the same name created by Atsushi Ohkubo.
Series Synopsis: Tokyo is burning, and citizens are mysteriously suffering from spontaneous human combustion all throughout the city! Responsible for snuffing out this inferno is the Fire Force, and Shinra is ready to join their fight. Now, as part of Company 8, he’ll use his devil’s footprints to help keep the city from turning to ash! But his past and a burning secret behind the scenes could set everything ablaze.
ZENSHU – Animated by MAPPA, who is best known for Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan Final Season and the remake of Ranma ½, the original anime series ZENSHU will be premiering in January 2025 on Crunchyroll. It is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki (Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle; How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?) with a script written by Kimiko Ueno (Delicious in Dungeon, 2024’s Ranma ½).
Synopsis: After high school, Natsuko Hirose starts her career as an animator and quickly rises to director. Her first anime is a huge hit, earning her recognition as an up-and-coming genius director. But her next project isn’t going as well. It’s a romantic comedy, but she’s never been in love before! Struggling to grasp the concept, Natsuko can’t create the storyboard, bringing production to a standstill.
Lastly, a new teaser for To Be Hero X was shared, showcasing the various teams working on the project around the world. From studio BeDream and director Li Haolin (LINK CLICK, To Be Hero, To Be Heroine), the exciting new series will simulcast on Crunchyroll in 2025.
Synopsis: A world where outstanding heroes are applauded. Here, “trust” creates superheroes. If people believe “he can fly,” he will gain the ability to fly. Conversely, even if a hero has special powers, if he loses trust, he will also lose his powers. Trust is collected as data, and the ranking of heroes changes depending on the value. Once every two years, the top heroes gather to compete in a hero tournament. Their performance there updates their “trust value,” and the ranking is reconstructed. The absolute hero who stands at the top of the rankings, people call him “X”…
India is emerging as a global hub for media and entertainment, driven by its rich storytelling tradition, technological advancements and enabling policies. Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, is visiting the United States from December 3–6 to engage with key stakeholders from the media, entertainment and technology sectors.
The visit seeks to foster collaborations and promote the World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled for February 5–9, 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. WAVES, a flagship initiative of the Government of India, aims to position India as a preferred global destination for content creation and innovation. The Summit will bring together international creators, industry leaders and policymakers to explore trends, foster partnerships, and drive investment opportunities in India’s vibrant entertainment and media sector.
With its entertainment and media industry valued at $35 billion and poised for exponential growth, India offers compelling opportunities for international collaboration. Speaking on the visit, Shri Jaju said, “India is redefining the global media landscape. WAVES will showcase our potential and invite the world to partner with us on a journey of creativity and innovation.”
As part of the visit, Shri Jaju will participate in in-person meetings and two industry roundtables, one each at Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hosted by the Indian Consulate, the roundtables focus on India’s growing potential as a production and innovation hub, with the discussions emphasizing the country’s favorable market conditions, vast talent pool and advancements in areas such as generative AI, immersive media, etc.
This visit lays the groundwork for long-term global collaborations, cementing India’s position as
a key player in the media and entertainment ecosystem. WAVES 2024 invites the global industry
to “Come, sail with us” into the future of storytelling and innovation.
Technicolor Group, a global leader in creative technology and visual experiences, announces the appointment of David Conley as the new President of MPC (Moving Picture Company), reporting directly to Andrea Miloro, Chief Business & Strategy Officer, and Caroline Parot, Chief Executive Officer.
“David’s appointment embodies our commitment to delivering world-class visual experiences,” commented Miloro and Parot. “Renowned as a visionary creative leader, his passion for pioneering emerging technologies perfectly aligns with our mission to redefine the boundaries of possibility in visual effects.”
Conley brings over two decades of experience in the VFX industry to this post, having contributed to acclaimed films and television projects. Most recently, he served as the Executive Producer at Wētā FX, where he played a pivotal role in delivering groundbreaking visuals for projects such as Avatar: The Way of Water, The Last of Us series and Academy Award-winning animated short War Is Over!. His expertise in managing complex, large-scale productions while fostering collaboration between creative and technical teams has earned him a reputation as one of the most respected figures in the industry.
Conley has also held leadership roles at other globally recognized studios, spearheading initiatives to integrate emerging technologies into creative workflows delivering results that set new benchmarks for quality and innovation. His work has garnered numerous accolades, including Academy Awards, BAFTAs and Emmys, further highlighting his impact within the industry.
Under Conley’s leadership, MPC will look to expand its creative partnerships with filmmakers by combining creative excellence with advanced trends in technology to deliver innovative content. This announcement underscores MPC’s dedication to remaining at the forefront of the industry and delivering artistry and innovation that captivate audiences worldwide.
“I am honored to join MPC at such an exciting moment in its journey,” said Conley. “The team’s talent, passion, and ambitions to push creative boundaries are inspirational, and I look forward to collaborating with Andrea, Caroline and the entire team to shape the future.”