April 22nd, 2024 
Lauren Ashton 
This year, Netflix will return to the Annecy Festival with a full itinerary following their recent wins and nominations. Such accolades include Oscar nominations for Nimona, a BAFTA nomination for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and several wins for Blue Eye Samurai at the Annie’s this past February. In only five years after launching its first animated feature, the streaming platform achieved critical acclaim when it won an Academy Award for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Netflix is also responsible for Adam Sandler’s largest animated film debut, Leo.
Annecy will feature an on-stage presentation this year called “Next on Netflix Animation: From Twilight of the Gods to Wallace & Gromit“. This presentation will include special previews of highly anticipated projects and highlights of renowned filmmakers.
In addition, Netflix’s family adventure based on the Japanese character, Ultraman: Rising, from director Shannon Tindle and co-director John Aoshima will make its world debut. See below for a full list of Netflix’s Annecy projects:
ULTRAMAN: RISING
Launch date: June 14, 2024
With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he reluctantly adopts a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.
Director: Shannon Tindle
Co-director: John Aoshima
Written by: Shannon Tindle, Marc Haimes
Produced by: Tom Knott, Lisa M. Poole
Cast: Christopher Sean (You, Hawaii Five-O), Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles), Tamlyn Tomita (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Keone Young (Men in Black 3, Star Wars Rebels), Julia Harriman (Camp Rock)
SPELLBOUND
Launch date: 2024
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters. Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled). A Netflix Film from Skydance Animation, Spellbound boasts an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess. Spellbound is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda and produced by John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation.
Directed by: Vicky Jenson
Written by: Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda
Produced by: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation
Composed by: Alan Menken
Cast: Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess
THAT CHRISTMAS
Launch date: 2024
Synopsis: Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi-award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! This heartwarming comedy from Locksmith Animation marks Curtis’ first foray into animation, serving as the film’s writer and executive producer, and also the feature directorial debut of renowned animation veteran Simon Otto (Love, Death & Robots, How to Train Your Dragon films). Nicole P. Hearon (Moana, Frozen) and Adam Tandy (The Thick of It, Detectorists) are producers
Directors: Simon Otto
Writers: Richard Curtis & Peter Souter
Produced by: Nicole P. Hearon p.g.a, Adam Tandy p.g.a
Executive Producers: Mary Coleman, Natalie Fischer, Julie Lockhart, Elisabeth Murdoch, Bonnie Arnold, Lara Breay, Sarah Smith, Rebecca Cobb, Richard Curtis, Colin Hopkins
Composer: John Powell
Cast: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot, with Bill Nighy and Rhys Darby.
UNTITLED WALLACE & GROMIT FILM
Launch date: Coming Soon. The film will premiere exclusively on Netflix around the world except in the UK, where it will debut on the BBC before also coming to Netflix.
Synopsis: Gromit’s concern that Wallace has become over-dependant on his inventions proves justified when Wallace invents a “smart gnome” that seems to develop a mind of its own…As events spiral out of control, it falls to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces – or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
Creator of Wallace & Gromit: Nick Park
Director: Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham
Story: Nick Park
Screenplay: Mark Burton
Producer: Richard Beek
THE TWITS
Launch date: Coming 2025
Synopsis: Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave orphans and a family of magical animals are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city. A hysterically funny, wild ride of a film (chock-full of the Twits’ beloved tricks–from the Wormy Spaghetti to the Dreaded Shrinks), The Twits is also a story for our times, about the never-ending battle between cruelty and empathy.
Director: Phil Johnston
Co-Directors: Katie Shanahan, Todd Demong
Writers: Phil Johnston (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph), Meg Favreau
Produced by: Phil Johnston, Maggie Malone, Daisy West
SERIES
ARCANE
Launch date: Coming this November
Studio: Riot Games
Animation: Fortiche Productions
Created by: Christian Linke, Alex Yee
Executive Producers: Christian Linke, Marc Merrill, Brandon Beck
Announced Voices: Hailee Steinfeld (Vi), Ella Purnell (Jinx) and Katie Leung (Caitlyn Kiramman), among others to be announced
BIG MOUTH (S8)
Launch date: Coming 2025
Synopsis: Big Mouth is a half-hour edgy adult animated comedy from real-life best friends Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg about the glorious nightmare that is teenage puberty.
Executive Producers: Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin.
Cast: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Ayo Edebiri, Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Andrew Rannells, and Jordan Peele
TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
Launch date: Coming This Fall
Synopsis: The animated series brings Zack Snyder’s daring and spectacular vision of ancient Norse mythology to life, and features the voices of Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbaek, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristopher Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan, and Corey Stoll, among others.
Created By: Zack Snyder, Jay Olivia, Eric Carrasco
Executive Producers: Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Wesley Coller, Jay Oliva
Directors: Zack Snyder (101 & 108); Jay Oliva (102 & 107); Tim Divar/Andrew Tamadl (103 & 105); Dave Hartman/Andrew Tamadl (104 & 106)
Animation Studio: Xilam Animation
Production Company: Stone Quarry Animation
“Next on Netflix Animation: From Twilight of the Gods to Wallace & Gromit”, will happen on Wednesday, June 12th, and feature the award-winning directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. This special presentation will give a glimpse of the highly anticipated untitled Wallace & Gromit film and feature celebrated director Zack Snyder, executive producer, Deborah Snyder, as well as Xilam Animation Director Slimane Aniss. Clips from the adult animated series, Twilight of the Gods will also bee shown. The audience will also have the chance to see a sneak peek of The Twits and Skydance Animation’s Spellbound.
Ultraman: Rising, will make its world premiere on June 12th.
Work-in-progress sessions will go over exploring the th-ins-and-outs of production, featuring award-winning talents such as writer Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), animation veteran and director Simon Otto (Love, Death & Robots, How to Train Your Dragon), Nicole Hearon (producer) and Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn (production designer) chatting about That Christmas on Tues 11 June.
Making Of Sessions will take a look behind the scenes of Ultraman: Rising on June 13th. This segment will feature Shannon Tindle (director), John Aoshima (co-director), Sunmin Inn (art director), Hayden Jones (VFX supervisor), and Scot Stafford (composer). It will also feature behind the scenes of Big Mouth as Nick Kroll (co-creator, EP, voice cast), Andrew Goldberg (co-creator, EP), Jennifer Flackett (co-creator, EP), and Mark Levin (co-creator, EP) celebrate the ending of this iconic series. Arcane’s segment will occur on June 12th, and Showrunner Christian Linke (Riot), Scriptwriter Amanda Overton (Riot), Senior Concept Artist Arnaud Baudry (Riot), Director Bart Maunoury (Fortiche), and Producer Christine Ponzevera (Fortiche) will be present.
A Wallace & Gromit Exhibit that will showcase some of the puppets from Aardman’s new film will be featured so that the beloved stop-motion characters from the franchise.
Also, Blue Eye Samurai and Pokemon Concierge will be contenders in the official contest.
- EVENT: The 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students Shatters New Records - October 15, 2024
- EVENT: “The Art of Anime and Everything Cool” Auction - October 7, 2024
- EVENT: 7th “Animation Is Film” Festival Announces 2024 Lineup - September 26, 2024
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