Nelvana Greenlights ‘Piñata Smashlings’
The 2D animated kids’ series, based on the Roblox game, follows 4 friends who form a team to save the Piñataverse while involved in game-like shenanigans; available for international sale, the previously released ‘Smashling’ shorts are available on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel.
‘Top Gun 3’ in Development, Tom Cruise Set to Return
‘Maverick’ co-writer Ehren Kruger will also return to pen the script alongside director Joe Kosinski, with Miles Teller and Glen Powell rumored to reprise their roles as Lt Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw and Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin.
Nickelodeon Drops ‘Avatar: Braving the Elements’ Podcast Season 3 Trailer
The companion show, hosted by Janet Varney and Dante Basco, continues its exploration of the Avatarverse with a new 40-episode season kicking off January 16 wherever podcasts are heard; new ‘Avatar: BTE Premium’ subscription is available on Apple Podcasts.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Win at Critics Choice Awards
The two heavily favored features took home coveted Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects awards, respectively, with Christopher Nolan’s hit biopic taking home 8 awards in all, and Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ taking home 6, at last night’ 29th Annual awards ceremony.
Disney+ Drops 10 New ‘Bluey’ Episodes
Watch the Season 3 preview of the hugely popular, award-winning animated preschool series that follows the loveable blue heeler dog who lives with her mum, dad, and little sister, Bingo; new episodes now streaming.
4th Edition of Next Lab Generation Selections Announced
20 projects are chosen from 91 submissions from 26 countries; the annual initiative seeks to discover new talent and boost advanced animation production from a technical and narrative perspective.
DNEG Adds Emmy-Nominated Producers Ron Ames and Jesse Kobayashi
Company taps the pair to advance and improve its service offerings and provide creative technological solutions to filmmaking challenges.
Amuse Animation Inks Multiple Broadcast Deals
Digital studio expands into free and pay TV in LATAM, Canaries, and MENA; deals include 540 episodes of popular shows, including ‘Shark Academy,’ ‘Miliki Family,’ ‘RoboFuse,’ ‘AnimaCars,’ and ‘Increditales.’
Ellipse Animation Acquires Studio Campedelli
The move follows the studio’s expansion of Média-Participations in France and Belgium and places it in a more prominent position within the international animation industry.
Nostalgic Horror Flick ‘Oswald Down the Rabbit Hole’ to Begin Filming this Spring
It’s ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ meets ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ as Lilton Stewart III and Lucinda Bruce team up to capture the magic of iconic cartoon characters through the lens of horror.
Toby Haynes to Helm ‘Star Trek’ Prequel at Paramount
J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will produce the origin film set decades before his 2009 franchise offering, with a screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith.
16 Scientific & Technical Achievements to be Honored at Academy Sci-Tech Awards
Ceremony, to be held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on February 23, celebrates individuals and companies whose discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant and lasting ways to the motion picture industry.
Disney Branded TV Nabs ‘Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir’ Seasons 6 and 7
Zag and Mediawan Kids & Family ink deal to send hugely popular animated series and 3 specials to Disney Channels worldwide.
Apple TV+ Drops ‘Sago Mini Friends’ Season 2 Trailer
The streamer reveals upcoming winter ‘Kids & Family’ premieres, including the all-new ‘Peanuts’ Special ‘Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin,’ The Jim Henson Company’s ‘Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock’ Season 2, and a new season of ‘Sago Mini Friends,’ which kicks off January 26.
Netflix and Mattel Tease ‘Masters of the Universe: Revolution’
Kevin Smith’s Emmy-nominated animated series returns as He-Man battles a newly mechanized Skeletor and the Horde Empire; official trailer, key art and new images drop ahead of the January 25 global streaming debut.
Seth MacFarlane’s ‘Ted’ Comes to Life in Real Time with ViewScreen Studio
The new comedy, which premieres January 11 on Peacock, uses innovative production visualization technology from the famed creator’s company, Fuzzy Door Tech, to film an animated lead character alongside other actors.
51st Annual Annie Award Nominations Announced
Best Animated Feature nominees ‘Nimona,’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ ‘Suzume,’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ and ‘The Boy and the Heron’ top the expansive list of category nominations; animation’s biggest awards ceremony is scheduled to return live on Saturday, February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
Netflix Drops Trailer for DreamWorks’ ‘Orion and the Dark’
Streamer also shares images and a casting announcement for the Charlie Kaufman-penned animated film, which tells the story of an average kid and his not-so-average all-consuming fears; starring Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks and Natasia Demetriou, the film debuts February 2, 2024.
‘Several Hundred’ Employees to be Laid Off at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios
The sad news was announced Wednesday in a company memo from entertainment chief Mike Hopkins, who cited the need to reduce costs ‘to deliver even more breakthrough movies, TV shows, and live sports’ as the reason for the workforce cuts; 500 workers will also be cut at Amazon’s Twitch live streaming platform.
Podcast EP 237: How 3D Studio Yonk Uses VR Sculpting to Get Big Name Clients
The Netherlands-based animation studio’s Niels van der Donk and Victoria Young discuss VR creative tools, working hard to earn big-name clients, and what it took to make the studio a full-time gig.
RSP Reignites the Sun in Marvel Studios' ‘The Marvels’
The VFX studio tackled numerous large digital assets, creating the planet Hala and its vast city, taking it from brilliance to ruins, with the Sun’s initial luminous implosion and, ultimately, its miraculous rebirth.
‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 Officially in Development
The ‘Star Wars’ series that follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy will return under the guidance of creator Dave Filoni; Season 1 streams now on Disney+.
Netflix Drops First Official Trailer for ‘3 Body Problem’
The series adaptation of Liu Cixin's extraterrestrial mystery series of sci-fi novels that follow the consequences of a young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China hits the streamer March 21.
Joyce Cox to Receive VES Lifetime Achievement Award
The Visual Effects Society honors the producer/VFX producer for contributions in visual arts, filmed entertainment, and the advancement of storytelling through cutting-edge visual effects; the award will be presented at the 22nd Annual VES Awards next month.
FMX Drops 2024 Trailer
Originating from the ‘World of Gra’ universe created by graduates of the Animationsinstitut, the trailer illustrates this year’s event theme, ‘Connecting Ideas;’ the 28th edition of FMX – Film & Media Exchange returns to Stuttgart April 23 to 26.
