Animation Scoop

TRAILER: Netflix Announces Fall Lineup

Netflix has announced an exciting Fall Lineup, releasing exclusive stills from Spellbound, dates for Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Season 2, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 2, Mighty MonsterWheelies, and more. As students prepare to head back to school, the streaming platform is offering a variety of family-centered entertainment that ranges from series’ to feature-length films. […]

Ketchup Entertainment Acquires “THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE”

Ketchup Entertainment has officially acquired the North American rights to The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie from Warner Bros. Animation. GFM Animation is overseeing the process of worldwide distribution sales of this enthusiastically well-regarded film that premiered this year at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The CEO of […]

TRAILER: DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot”

DreamWorks Animation has released a new trailer for the studio’s upcoming feature, The Wild Robot. Based on Peter Brown’s #1 New York Times bestseller, The Wild Robot is an epic story of “a bond like no other”.

INTERVIEW: Cartoon Curator Bill from MeTV’s “Toon In With ME”

Since January 4th, the cable network (and over-the-air broadcast sub-channel) MeTV has been running a weekday hour of classic cartoons from the MGM, Warner Bros. and Paramount Popeye and Betty Boop libraries. Telecast at 7am and formatted as a vintage kids show, hosted by “cartoon curator” Bill Leff and his puppet companion “Toony, the Tuna”, […]

INTERVIEW: A New Side Of The King With “Agent Elvis”

March 15th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

After years in development, Sony Pictures Animation and Titmouse’s new adult action comedy series Agent Elvis finally debuts this Friday March 17th on Netflix. Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey voices secret agent Elvis Presley in a fun, high-energy, unpredictable show that celebrates The King… and has Presley family approval. Showrunner, head writer and EP Mike Arnold and co-showrunner, EP and writer John Eddie share how fans will fall in love with Agent Elvis in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This conversation was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: This show has had a lot of buzz for several years. I’m thrilled everyone gets to finally see it. Mike, when did it go from just being a dream to a dream come true?

Mike Arnold: All along we were incredibly excited with the core principle of: Super cool Elvis character with a coked-up monkey with a shotgun next to him. You’re kind of halfway there once you start there. John and I got particularly excited when Matthew came on board. He brought his particular sensibility and effortless swagger and his own form of awesome to the project. It rolled really fast from there.

And The Oscar Goes to… Del Toro’s “Pinocchio” and “The Boy, The Mole…”

March 12th, 2023

Jerry Beck

In case you missed it – and it seems many did… This year’s Academy Award for Best Animated Feature went to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. Best Animated Short was awarded to The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. Both films were indeed Oscar-worthy, but clearly the Academy adhered to its longtime traditions – favoring films that touch the heart. Guillermo Del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar, & Alex Bulkley accept the Oscar for Animated Feature Film accepted the Oscar for Animated Feature for Pinocchio at Oscars 2023. Video below:

INTERVIEW: Pulling Back The Curtain On “The Magician’s Elephant”

March 7th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

The Magician’s Elephant is the latest feature film adaptation of a book by beloved author Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie). It debuts Friday March 17th on Netflix. Director Wendy Rogers and producer Julia Pistor share how the saga of Peter’s quest to find his sister, and the magician and elephant whose actions guide him, changed their lives. And Rogers and Pistor also reveal how they believe this movie will alter the perception of what you can present in family films. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: It’s a really heartwarming story of the power of believing. Wendy, how were you attracted to this story and the really strong themes this movie brings out?

Wendy Rogers: When Netflix was looking for a director and they pitched me, just an elevator pitch, I got chills thinking about the idea of this boy wanting to find his sister and the absurdity of needing to follow an elephant to do it. When I read the book, it captured my heart, and I knew I had to help him find his sister — but also the amazing, surreal qualities of this fable. And I met Julia and the rest is history! (laughs)

INTERVIEW: The Gift Of “Kiff” With Creators Of New Disney Series

March 6th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal are the creators and executive producers of the fun new animated series Kiff, premiering this Friday March 10th at 8pm on Disney Channel. For adults, it’s a show that will bring you back to the joys of your school days. For kids, Kiff celebrates friendship and feeling free. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: What you have created with the world of Table Town, including squirrel Kiff and bunny Barry and their family members and friends, is so much freedom. Take me through the origins of the show and wanting to create this kind of freedom.

Lucy Heavens: You totally hit the nail on the head! That’s exactly what we wanted! (laughs) We wanted to create something for ourselves to have a great time making. We wanted to have a show that we could tell every kind of story we wanted to tell in it. And here is Kiff ready to go!

Cast Announcement For Nickelodeon Movies CG Feature “TMNT: Mutant Mayhem”

March 4th, 2023

Jerry Beck

Today, producer and actor Seth Rogen announced the main voice cast of Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, and Point Grey Productions’ all-new CG-animated theatrical film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, an original story following the crime-fighting Ninja Turtles as they protect the sewers and streets of New York City. The film is set to hit theaters August 4th, 2023.

Rogen made the announcement at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, March 4, and was joined on stage by voice cast Micah Abbey (Donatello), Shamon Brown Jr. (Michelangelo), Nicolas Cantu (Leonardo), and Brady Noon (Raphael). Rogen also announced that the teaser trailer for the highly anticipated film will premiere on the TMNT Movie Socials and Paramount Pictures’ YouTube channel this Monday, March 6th.

“Pinocchio” and “Marcel” Take Top Annie Awards

February 26th, 2023

Jerry Beck

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix Presents A Double Dare You! Film/A Shadowmachine Production in association with The Jim Henson Company) won the Best Feature honor at the 50th Annie Awards celebration Saturday night on the campus of UCLA. Pinocchio also won for Best Character Animation, Feature (Tucker Barrie), Best Direction, Feature (Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson), Best Music, Feature (Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale) and Best Production Design, Feature (Curt Enderle, Guy Davis).

Best Independent Feature was presented to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (Marcel the Movie LLC) which also won for Best Voice Acting, Feature (Jenny Slate as the voice of Marcel) and Best Writing, Feature (Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley, Elisabeth Holm).

INTERVIEW: “Minions” And “The Office” Collide For Annie Nominated Ad

February 21st, 2023

Jackson Murphy

Remember when Gru and the Minions started working at Dunder Mifflin? Last summer, Universal and Peacock debuted a 30-second spot for Minions: The Rise of Gru featuring Illumination’s beloved characters in a version of the intro to The Office. It was a massive hit on TV and online. Now, this commercial is nominated for the 2023 Annie Award for Best Sponsored Production. You can watch the 50th Annual Annie Awards live this Saturday night Feb. 25 at 10pmET / 7pmPT at AnnieAwards.org. Here’s my Exclusive New Animation Scoop Q&A with the director of the commercial (and co-director of The Rise of Gru), Brad Ableson. (This interview was conducted as an Email Q&A and was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: How does it feel to be Annie nominated for this great, popular advertisement?

Brad Ableson: A lot of love went into making this promo. We’re all huge fans of “The Office” and we obviously love our Minions so it’s great to see that fans of both shows appreciate the mashup. Being nominated for an Annie feels amazing!

Disney to Release blu-ray Steel Books

February 16th, 2023

Jerry Beck

Disney announced today a special series of anniversary re-releases of some of the most beloved films from the Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm studios as part of Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration.

A selection of titles will be released nationwide in special platinum-style collectible O-sleeves. There will also be numerous retail exclusives, with Best Buy offering special SteelBooks of select titles and Walmart offering exclusive collectible pins on all Disney100 animated titles.

Comedy Central Announces The Lineup Andy Samberg’s Adult Animated Series, “Digman!”

February 15th, 2023

Lauren Ashton

Today, Comedy Central released a trailer for “Digman!”, a new Adult-Animated series. They also announced a list of guest stars who will be featured in this new adventure comedy, which premieres on Wednesday, March 22nd at 10:30 pm ET/PT. “Digman!” will be the first series to be produced and written by Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Andy Samberg (“Palm Springs”) with show-runner Neil Campbell (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), who is also credited as a co-creator.

INTERVIEW: “Amok” Director On Annie Nominated Short

February 14th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

Following its Annecy 2022 Cristal win, Amok is now one of the nominees for Best Short Subject at the 2023 Annie Awards. You can watch the ceremony live Saturday February 25th at 10pmET / 7pmPT at AnnieAwards.org. This a bold, wild saga of a man whose life dramatically changes… a few times. Director Balazs Turai describes the visionary layers of Amok in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was conducted as an Email Q&A and was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: How does it feel to be a 2023 Annie Award nominee?

Balazs Turai: I’m honored and very happy that viewers and juries enjoy the film. Also, it’s nice to imagine it will be projected somewhere under the Hollywood sign.

INTERVIEW: Annie Awards Honoree Pete Docter On Incredible Career

February 13th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

Three-time Academy Award winner, four-time BAFTA winner and Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter is receiving the prestigious Winsor McCay Award at the 2023 Annie Awards on Saturday February 25th. You can watch the ceremony live that evening at 10pmET / 7pmPT at AnnieAwards.org. In this Exclusive Animation Scoop Q&A, Docter reflects on his career, sharing insights on his four directorial features (“Monsters, Inc.”, “Up”, “Inside Out” and “Soul”), as well as Pixar’s first film (“Toy Story”) and next film (“Elemental”). This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Jackson Murphy: Congratulations on receiving the Winsor McCay Award. How does it feel to get this incredible honor from the Annie Awards?

Pete Docter: Well, it’s pretty crazy. I was looking at the list before. First of all, the luminaries of the whole thing — starting with Winsor McCay himself, who’s kind of the first character animator, really. And then my second thought is, “Am I really that old? Is this a Lifetime Achievement thing?” I feel like I’m just starting and figuring this out!

WIA Announces and Honors Scholarship Recipients at the 2023 BRIC Talent and Innovation Summit

February 11th, 2023

Jerry Beck

Today, as part of the 2023 BRIC Talent and Innovation Summit, via a special video presentation, WIA’s Chair of Education Hsiang Chin Moe proudly announced the 40 recipients from all over the world of this year’s WIA Scholarships — the largest group to receive cash awards and honorable mentions to date. The WIA Scholarship Program is an annual award committed to furthering deserving animation students who demonstrate artistic talent, a passion for animation, a financial need, and a promising future in the field of animation. Student members of WIA were encouraged to apply, no matter in what region of the world they are academically pursuing their animation career interests. The scholarship pool totals $24,500 and also features workshops, tutoring opportunities, animation equipment, and software packages for recipients of the 2023 cycle from industry partners Animation Focus, Animation Mentor, ArtStation, Autodesk, Foundry, LAIKA, Toon Boom, Wacom, WIA Bay Area Chapter, WIA Montreal Chapter, and YellowBrick Learning.

GKIDS Has Acquired The North American Audiovisual Distribution Rights For “SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage”

February 9th, 2023

Lauren Ashton

NEW YORK CITY- the celebrated producer and distributor of family-friendly animation, GKIDS, has announced its acquisition of the North American audiovisual distribution rights for “SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage”.The production was recorded during its 2022 run in the famed Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, Japan. Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award®-winning animated feature, the show was adapted and directed for live theater by Tony Award®-winner John Caird: the Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Caird previously earned worldwide recognition for adapting and directing the world premiere of “Les Misérables”.

Disney+ and Lucasfilm Announce Second Volume Of Anthology Series “Star Wars: Visions”

February 7th, 2023

Lauren Ashton

On February 2nd, Disney+ and Lucasfilm announced that “Star Wars: Visions'” second volume will debut exclusively on Disney+ on May 4th of this year. A follow-up to the Emmy-nominated “Star Wars: Visions,” the latest volume will continue exploring the possibilities of “Star Wars” storytelling, with nine new shorts from different studios all over the world. Utilizing an incredible display of animation from a variety of countries and cultures, the latest installment offers a vibrant new look at the lore and mythos of Star Wars.

INTERVIEW: Delightful “Marvel’s Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur”

February 6th, 2023

Jackson Murphy

One of the most anticipated Disney animated projects of the past several years finally arrives this week. The one-hour series premiere of Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur airs this Friday Feb. 10 at 8pm on Disney Channel. (Episodes will be available on Disney+ beginning Wednesday Feb. 15.) Executive Producer Steve Loter and Supervising Producer Rodney Clouden bring this comic book to life with a series that feels just like… a comic book that’s come to life! (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

Steve Loter: We absolutely love this show. We’ve been working on it for a long time, fine-tuning it to make sure it was perfect. I’m so thrilled for our audience to finally be able to see it.

Jackson Murphy: It’s terrific. I think Lunella is one of the most energetic and curious lead characters in a current TV animated series. Rodney, what do you love so much about her?

Rodney Clouden: What drew me to this was that I’ve been working in animation for a while and I haven’t worked on a character like Lunella Lafayette. She’s a 13 year old, Black, super genius, who uses anything she can to build these creations. The story is about the community and that one girl can make a difference — it all resonated with me. I thought it was a great opportunity to jump on something and really introduce Lunella to the world.