Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan and Mark Hamill Join Cast of Mofac’s ‘The King of Kings’
Veteran actors join a distinguished voice cast for the faith-based animated feature that includes Kenneth Branagh, Forest Whitaker, Oscar Isaac, Uma Thurman and Roman Griffin Davis.
11 NFB Films Heading to Annecy 2024
The National Film Board of Canada boasts 4 short films in competition, including Torill Kove’s ‘Maybe Elephants’ and Michèle Lemieux’s latest pinscreen effort, ‘Le tableau,’ alongside ‘Miserable Miracle’ and ‘Corpus and the Wandering,’ as well as a tribute to Portuguese animation with a program of films by Regina Pessoa; Annecy 2024 runs June 9-15.
Prime Video Shares ‘Sausage Party: Foodtopia’ First Look Images
Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, David Krumholtz and Edward Norton reprise their ‘Sausage Party’ roles in the highly anticipated animated comedy series from Annapurna Television, Sony Pictures Television, and Amazon MGM Studios; all 8 episodes debut July 11.
Pixar Drops Final ‘Inside Out 2’ Trailer
Hitting theaters in just 10 days, it’s the feel good / sad / angry / anxious movie of the summer; the highly anticipated sequel to Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2015 ‘Inside Out’ stars Maya Hawke as Anxiety and Ayo Edebiri as Envy, with Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black returning as Joy, Sadness and Anger.
8th Annual WIA World Summit Lineup Announced
Returning to Annecy 2024 June 10, the day-long symposium, this year themed ‘Stronger Together: The Equitable Future of Animation,’ features panels and conversations spotlighting key thought leaders, filmmakers, and executives.
Nick Announces ‘Kids’ Choice Awards 2024’ Nominations
Favorite Cartoon and Animated Movie are two of the animation-related categories, with voting starting today; the annual awards show will be hosted by SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star when the “slimy” trip to Bikini Bottom begins July 13, simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, the Nick Jr. channel, TV Land, CMT and MTV2.
Kasagi Labo Secures US$12 Million Investment to Grow Anime Platform
Funding will allow expanding the company’s ecosystem where content creators can connect, partner and shape anime IP development; company set as a Pitch Partner at upcoming Annecy MIFA event running June 9-16.
Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Winners Announced
Kyle Novak’s ‘Ángulos de la Hora’ scores first animation award in this year’s newly added category;’ winners were chosen in 6 categories from over 8,400 film submissions received from more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories.
Apple TV+ Drops ‘WondLa’ Season 1 Trailer
We get our first look at the inaugural season of Skydance Animation’s new animated trilogy, based on Tony DiTerlizzi’s best-selling books, that tells the story of Ava, a curious and enthusiastic teenager who has been raised in an underground bunker by her robot caretaker.
Crunchyroll Drops ‘HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle’ Teaser
The animated film, based on writer Haruichi Furudate’s popular manga and anime series, opens in the U.S. and Canada today, May 31.
‘Frog and Toad’: Revisiting Arnold Lobel’s Wondrous Stories of Friendship
For Adam and Adrianne Lobel, getting to adapt and expand their father’s award-winning book series, alongside showrunner Rob Hoegee and Titmouse, in a new season of their Apple TV+ series that helps kids enjoy what they have in common while learning to embrace what they don’t, is a gift that keeps on giving… Season 2 streams May 31.
Ask a Bot About the Biz
My ‘interview with the vampire’ on the uncertainty and upheaval in Hollywood.
BuzzFeed Studios Announces New Animated Series, Social Shorts for 2024
The company’s Animation Lab is expanding its slate with new properties including the ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ liveplay series ‘Magic & Stuff,’ launching May 31, as well as two new Latine Spanish language animated shows, ‘Puerco y Babosa’ and ‘El Mundo De Boggs.’
Annecy 2024 Reveals Additional Program Highlights
Open-air screenings, ARTE Summer Tour and Moving Image Discovery Workshops among the many festival offerings at this year festival running June 9-15.
Adult Swim Unveils Annecy Plans
Genndy Tartakovsky to lead network’s ‘Defying Expectations’ panel; world-premiere screening of Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ ‘Common Side Effects,’ new series announcements, and special guest appearances also on the schedule.
‘Paw Patrol,’ ‘Pinecone & Pony,’ ‘Wild Kratts’ and ‘Super Wish’ Vie for Canadian Screen Awards
The 11th annual ceremony, Canada’s version of the Oscars/BAFTAs/Emmys, is coming tomorrow, May 31, and many top animated and VFX-driven shows, along with their artists, are hoping for wins.
Prime Video Orders ‘Kevin’ Animated Comedy
Written by Aubrey Plaza and Joe Wengert, the series follows a housecat who contemplates going solo and giving up the whole people thing; inspired by a real break-up and the cat caught in the middle.
Netflix Developing ‘Minecraft’ Animated Series
The streamer teams with Mojang Studios on a new show based on one of the most significant and popular video games of all time.
WIA Vancouver and Netflix Canada Reveal ACE Candidate Shortlist
44 candidates have been selected out of 150 applicants to compete for 9 positions, including writer, director, producer, art director, storyboard supervisor, animation director, composer, editor and production manager for the 4th cohort.
Universal Shares ‘Wicked’ LEGO Brickified Trailer
LEGO does some ‘Wicked’ animation because every brick deserves a chance to fly… in the charmingly animated peek at the upcoming musical fantasy adventure that tells the untold story of the witches of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda; the film hits theaters November 2024.
Apple TV+ Drops ‘Camp Snoopy’ Trailer
Based on Charles M. Schulz’s 'Peanuts' comic strip, the all-new animated summer series starring Snoopy and Charlie Brown streams June 14.
‘My Adventures with Superman’ EPs and Stars Talk Season 2
Filled with adorably ambitious heroes and quips between young lovers, the hit animated series, a coming-of-age story that follows 20-somethings Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen as they discover ‘who they are,’ together, has returned on Adult Swim and Max.
Disney Drops ‘Moana 2’ Teaser Trailer
Auli‘i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson return as Moana and demigod Maui in the animated musical sequel to the 2016 Oscar-nominated film; a new voyage with a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers sails into theaters November 2024.
Sony to Establish Anime Talent Academy, Develop AI Animation Software
The academy initiative was revealed during the Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate’s recent annual corporate strategy presentation, alongside plans for AnimeCanvas, a new animation production package utilizing AI, and greater support for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Exclusive: Master Shifu ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Featurette
Out on DVD and Blu-ray today, May 28, as well as on Digital, Jack Black returns as Po and Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman as his Kung Fu master in chapter 4 of DreamWorks Animation’s action-packed animated comedy.
