Nominations Announced for the 97th Academy Awards
‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Memoir of a Snail,’ ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ nab noms for Best Animated Feature, while ‘Alien: Romulus,’ ‘Better Man,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ and ‘Wicked’ take the top spots for Best Visual Effects.
National Portrait Gallery, Cinesite, and Frameless Team for UK Immersive Experience
‘National Portrait Gallery Unframed’ will launch with ‘Stories – Brought to Life,’ which explores the people who have shaped the UK’s history and culture; touring art experience premieres at MediaCity, Salford, Greater Manchester in May.
Wattpad Webtoon Studios, LuckyChap to Produce ‘Stagtown’ Film Adaptation
Benjamin Brewer will direct and pen the project, an adaptation of the Punko webcomic, which centers on a mysterious town hidden away from the world on the other side of an old stone bridge.
Capcom, WEBTOON Team for ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’ Webcomic Contest
Entries must be submitted by February 19, with finalists announced on February 24 and winners revealed on February 28; prizes include a merchandise kit, Yian Kut Ku Plush, and digital code for ‘Monster Hunter Wilds.’
FOX’s Animation Domination Returns this Winter
The season premieres of ‘Family Guy,’ ‘Grimsburg,’ and ‘The Great North,’ plus new episodes of ‘Krapopolis,’ air February 16, while ‘The Simpsons’ returns March 30.
‘Invincible’ Season 3 Voice Cast Announced
Actors joining the animated superhero series include Aaron Paul, Simu Liu, Jonathan Banks, and Kate Mara; new episodes debut February 6.
Apple TV+ Drops ‘Eva the Owlet’ Season 2 Clip
Catch a glimpse of Treetopington… new episodes of the animated kids’ series center on a night in the life of Eva, premiering globally January 24.
GKIDS Acquires ‘Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-’ Feature Rights
The first-ever collaboration between the ‘Evangelion’ series’ studio khara and Sunrise, home of the ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ animated series, hits North American theaters on February 28.
DC to Launch 'Superman Unlimited' Ongoing Comic Series
Penned by Dan Slott and Rafael Albuquerque, the series sees the arrival of an extinction-level Kryptonite asteroid, which creates an arms race for the resource Green K that changes the balance of power in Metropolis; launching May 21.
Anima 2025 Announces Feature Films in Competition
Films selected include ‘Ghost Cat Anzu,’ ‘Pelikan Blue,’ ‘Rule Of The Heart,’ ‘A Boat In The Garden,’ and ‘The Colors Within;’ festival runs February 28 - March 9.
Minno Sets ‘The Dead Sea Squirrels' Premiere Date
The faith-based animated series from ‘VeggieTales’ co-creator Mike Nawrocki will debut February 14 exclusively on the streaming platform.
‘The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei: He Just Solves All the Mysteries’ Anime Coming in April
The prequel series to Natsuhiko Kyogoku’s renowned ‘Hyakki Yako’ novels, based on an original spin-off manga illustrated by Aki Shimizu, follows a student, her new literature teacher, and much supernatural drama.
Casting Announced for ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ 2025 West End Run
Victoria Chen joins the cast of the Royal Shakespeare Company show as Mei, while Ami Okumura Jones returns as Satsuki alongside Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tateas as Granny, and Ai Ninomiyaas as the Singer; coming to the Gillian Lynne Theatre March 8 - November 2.
VES Announces 2025 Board of Directors Officers
Kim Davidson has been re-elected as Board Chair, with Susan O’Neal elected First Vice Chair, David Tanaka as Second Vice Chair, Rita Cahill as Secretary, and Jeffrey A. Okun as Treasurer.
PigBird Stop-Motion Studio Spreads its Wings One Frame at a Time
Trevor Hardy says six years spent struggling to build his animation business is akin to fiddling with a bad tooth, though his recent hugely popular music video, ‘The Happy Song,’ for Imogene Heap and newest short, ‘A Right Royal Sprout’ may signal a welcome bit of pain relief.
Veteran Animator, Director, and Producer Robert Verrall Passes at 97
The artist, celebrated for his distinguished career, from 1945-1987, as a filmmaker and later as the head of the animation department at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), is credited with works such as the Oscar-nominated 'The Romance of Transportation in Canada,' Ryan Larkin’s ‘Walking,’ and many others.
Crunchyroll Announces April 2025 Blu-Ray Release Calendar
Launches include ‘Shangri-La Frontier’ Season 1 Part 2, ‘Berserk of Gluttony,’ ‘One Piece’ Collection 37 and ‘Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers.’
Xilam, Sony Pictures Networks India Renew ‘Oggy and the Cockroaches’ Partnership
Covering 423 episodes from the legacy IP, the extension also includes a L&M deal with Navneet, an extensive marketing campaign, and a mobile app.
Miam! Distribution Acquires ‘Tweedy & Fluff’ International Rights
The stop-motion animated prequel series, created by children’s author Corrinne Averiss, follows the cloth toy Tweedy and his pet Fluff, a four-legged ball of woolly fuzz.
Annecy 2025 Welcomes Michel Gondry
The visionary artist, known in part for his animation work in various music videos, will serve as Festival guest, and be awarded with an Honorary Cristal; festival runs June 8-14.
Brazilian Animated Series ‘Lulumos’ Hits YouTube
The 3DCG show, which centers on a friendly trio with a penchant for singing educational songs that invite kids to join in, dance and have fun, is now streaming.
‘Zenshu’: The Superpower of Animation
AWN’s anime columnist Andrew Osmond looks at MAPPA’s comedy fantasy, one of the best shows currently streaming, now on Crunchyroll; but first he discusses the often mis-identified universe of TV anime.
2025 Producers Guild Awards Movie and TV Nominations Announced
‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Moana 2,’ ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ get the nod in the animated movie category, while ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Shōgun,’ ‘The Penguin’ and ‘Wicked’ are also among the Outstanding Producer nominees.
Disney+ Drops Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’
No pressure… just don’t blow it! Launching February 19, the studio’s first original series takes the perspective of eight different characters as they prepare for a championship softball game.
American Society of Cinematographers Reveals 2025 Nominees
‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Shōgun,’ and ‘Wicked’ are among the nominees for the 39th Annual ASC Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement in cinematography; ceremony set for February 23.
