‘The Boy and the Heron,’ ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Take Home Oscar Gold
The two films finish out the 2024 awards season with wins for Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects, respectively, on a night that also saw ‘WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko’ win for Best Animated Short Film and ‘Oppenheimer’ take home 7 statues, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography.
AFX Creative Adds VFX Artist Felix Urquiza
Newly named executive creative director brings almost 20 years visual effects experience to the role, having worked on projects for Method Studios, The Mill, and Team One.
Prime Video and Kilter Films Unveil Official ‘Fallout’ Series Trailer
Walton Goggins is positively ghoulish; set in the post-apocalyptic world of the best-selling global video game franchise, the series adaptation will exclusively premiere all episodes April 11 on Prime Video.
Watch: Immersive ‘The Imaginary Friend’ Animation and Development Sneak Peek
In their SXSW in-person XR Spotlight section experiences set for March 9, the Studio Biarritz team, led by VR director Steve Hallema, producer Corine Meijers, and lead designer Koen Koopman, will showcase their latest project about a grieving child struggling to separate reality from fantasy, who creates ‘You’ – his imaginary friend, to fight the monsters in his mind.
Ionart Studio Ltd. Rebrands as Ionart Studios as it Eyes Expansion
Budapest-based full-service animation and VFX company set sights on expanded global identity; LA-based VFX professional Mark Nazal will lead the studio’s North American efforts.
Pixar Drops ‘Inside Out 2’ Trailer – New Digs and Unexpected Guests!
It’s the feel good / sad / angry / anxious movie of the summer; Disney / Pixar’s highly anticipated sequel to Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2015 ‘Inside Out’ will hit theaters June 14.
‘Dragon Ball’ Creator Akira Toriyama Passes at 68
The internationally beloved artist, who left a permanent mark on the manga and anime industry after a legendary career spanning over 45 years, passed away on March 1 of an acute subdural hematoma.
Amazon MGM Studios to Develop ‘El Gato Negro’ Series Adaptation
Based on the comic book ‘El Gato Negro’ by Richard Dominguez, the series will star Diego Boneta with a script by Frank Guerrero; Eric Carrasco is attached to executive produce and co-showrun with Turi Meyer and Alfredo Septién.
‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ Leads All Winners at the 2024 British Animation Awards
Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry’s drama of a young boy swept overboard on a family sailing trip, who washes ashore on a remote island, takes home three awards, including Best Feature Film, at the ceremony held today at London’s BFI Southbank.
‘Twilight’ Animated Series in Development at Lionsgate
While the series remake may adapt each of author Stephanie Meyer’s four ‘The Twilight Saga’ novels, it could also take a different approach by adapting the ‘Twilight’ retellings ‘Midnight Sun’ or ‘Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined.’
Billy Crystal and John Goodman Return in ‘Monsters at Work’ Season 2 Teaser
Inspired by the popular movie franchise, the series features the ‘Monsters, Inc.’ stars reprising their fan-favorite roles; new season kicks off April 5 with a special 2-episode premiere, coming to Disney+ in May.
Hulu Drops ‘Poor Things’ Trailer Ahead of March 7 Streaming Debut
The BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated film from Yorgos Lanthimos, starring producer Emma Stone, follows a young Victorian woman brought back to life by the unorthodox Dr. Godwin Baxter; stream it before the 96th Academy Awards on March 10.
VFX Industry Talk Set for International Women's Day
World VFX Day and UpliftHER are teaming up on an online event that examines women’s issues and developments within and beyond the visual effects industry; a diverse lineup of industry speakers will join the March 8 presentation on the World VFX Day YouTube channel.
Rooster Teeth Shutting its Doors After 21 Years
Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery will sell off the Austin-based studio’s content and intellectual property and lay off 150 full-time employees as well as dozens of contractors and content creators.
‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Adds Four New Cast Members
HBO’s award-winning live-action adaptation of the hit Naughty Dog videogame brings on Danny Ramirez as loyal soldier Manny; Ariela Barer as young doctor Mel; Tati Gabrielle as military medic Nora; and Spencer Lord as gentle soul Owen.
Netflix Picks Up ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ for Seasons 2 and 3
Based on Nickelodeon’s animated series, the live-action adaptation has rapidly hit the top in global viewership, triggering a 2-season renewal less than a month after its February streaming debut.
MTVE Studios Drops ‘Daria’ Spin-off Feature ‘Jodie’
The animated film, which began as a series, had a complete voice cast attached, and had been in development since 2020; no word yet if the project will be shopped to other networks.
Jeff Rowe Signs Multi-Year First-Look Deal with Paramount Animation
The ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director and co-writer’s agreement includes the development, directing, producing, and executive producing work on both animated and live-action projects, including the upcoming ‘Mutant Mayhem’ sequel.
Podcast EP 244: Lachlan Pendragon and How His Stop-Motion Film Scored an Oscar Nom
The Australian animator discusses making his short ‘An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It’ and his journey to the Academy Awards.
‘House of the Dragon’ Kind of Sets Season 2 Premiere
The highly anticipated second season of HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series, based on George R.R. Martin’s ‘Fire & Blood,’ will debut on HBO and stream on Max this June.
Keep it Simple: ‘Superman: Legacy’ Now Titled ‘Superman’
Director James Gunn revealed the news on the film’s first day of shooting alongside a close-up image of the Man of Steel’s costume; the film flies into theaters July 11, 2025.
‘The Backyardigans’ Creator Janice Burgess Passes at 72
The long-time Nickelodeon creative executive began her career in craft services before joining the network, eventually overseeing Nick Jr. shows such as ‘Blue’s Clues’ and ‘Gullah Gullah Island;’ her development and writing work included ‘Winx Club and’ ‘Bubble Guppies.’
Nickelodeon Animation Workers Ratify TAG Union Contract
After nearly 1 year of negotiations, the studio’s animation production workers ratified a new contract prioritizing their well-being and professional development.
Cartoon Movie 2024 Opens Today
The annual co-production and pitching event plays host to 850+ industry professionals with 55 films from 16 countries participating; the event runs March 5-7 in Bordeaux, France.
Crunchyroll Expands Spring 2024 Lineup
More anime coming to the platform in April includes ‘KONOSUBA -God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3,’ ‘A Condition Called Love, Kurayukaba,’ and ‘Kuramerukagari;’ preview screenings at ‘La Mole’ fan event coming to Mexico City March 15-17.
