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”, […]

Academy To Present “The Only Woman Animator” Dec. 19th

December 9th, 2022

Jerry Beck

In the earliest days of the animation industry, one woman animated and directed alongside the men who later became titans of the artform, yet her name and work have been lost – until now. The discovery of this pioneer changes everything. Hosted by Academy Film Scholar Mindy Johnson (“Ink and Paint”) this premiere event at the Academy Museum (Dec. 19th at 7:30pm) celebrates Johnson’s pivotal discovery of “the only woman animator” in the earliest days of animation, as well as other noted women artists at the dawn of an industry.

TRAILER: Apple TV+ “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse”

December 9th, 2022

Jerry Beck

Apple TV+ released today the trailer for the upcoming animated short film The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse, based on the internationally best-selling book of the same name by celebrated author Charlie Mackesy. The story of kindness, friendship, courage and hope for viewers of all ages premieres globally on December 25th, Christmas Day, on Apple TV+. Take a look:

“YOLO: Silver Destiny” Premiere’s On Adult Swim and HBO

December 8th, 2022

Lauren Ashton

The strange world of Wollongong returns to Adult Swim with YOLO: Silver Destiny. This animated series will first debut on Adult Swim on January 22nd at Midnight, then on HBO the next day.

From creator Michael Cusack, YOLO: Silver Destiny is the follow up to YOLO: Crystal Fantasy. The story once again follow Australia’s favorite party girls, Sarah (voiced by Sarah Bishop) and Rachel (voiced by Todor Manojlovic) as they continue to search for good vibes and hot guys in the weird town of Wollongong.

Twenty-seven Features Eligible for Academy Award 2022

December 6th, 2022

Jerry Beck

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced feature films eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film for the 95th Academy Awards. Twenty-seven features are eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 95th Academy Awards. Some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfill that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.

Submission Deadline Approaches for 50th Annie Awards

December 5th, 2022

Jerry Beck

If you are planning to submit your entries for the 50th Annie Awards, you have until Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5 p.m. PST. According to ASIFA-Hollywood Executive Director, Frank Gladstone, “The closer we get to the deadline and the faster the submissions deluge begins, the more likely that errors will occur. “We are asking that you try to get your entries in as early as possible before the deadline, and to be extra careful to make sure they are as accurate as possible.”

To review this year’s rules and submit your projects, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org. Entries submitted for consideration will be from animated productions that were released in the United States between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022. Exceptions, which can submit with or without United States releases, are short subjects, special projects, sponsored productions, student films and grand prize winners from Annie Award qualifying festivals. Submissions close on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 5:00 pm PST.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Stars in an All-New Walt Disney Animation Studios Short

December 1st, 2022

Jerry Beck

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit returns to the studio that bears his creator’s name – Walt Disney Animation Studios – with an all-new animated short, over 94 years since Disney’s last Oswald cartoon. Created by Disney Animation’s hand-drawn animation team to help celebrate the start of Disney 100 Years of Wonder that marks 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, the short, appropriately titled “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” is directed by famed animator Eric Goldberg and produced by Dorothy McKim (Get A Horse!, Meet The Robinsons) and available on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ YouTube channel.

Final Key Art And New Clip of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” Released By Disney+

November 29th, 2022

Lauren Ashton

Disney+ has released the final key art and a new clip for the original movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. This animated film is based on the highly popular book series by Jeff Kinney, and is scheduled to premiere on December 2nd, 2022 on Disney+.

DreamWorks Animation Debuts New Logo Sequence

November 25th, 2022

Jerry Beck

DreamWorks Animation has created an all new logo sequence that will first be seen on the upcoming feature film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, in theaters December 21st. The new curtain raiser features DreamWorks’ iconic moonchild in flight, soaring through the stars amongst the studio’s celebrated franchises including this year’s The Bad Guys, alongside iconic characters from Dragons, Kung Fu Panda, The Boss Baby, Trolls and, of course, Shrek. Take a look:

INTERVIEW: “Reindeer In Here” Seeks To Go Down In History

November 23rd, 2022

Jackson Murphy

Adam Reed has taken his popular holiday book Reindeer in Here to the screen, with a new one-hour animated special premiering Tuesday November 29th at 9pm (right after Rudolph) on CBS. Reed serves as executive producer, and Lino DiSalvo (head of animation on Frozen) is the director. They join me to discuss how they collaborated on one of the season’s must-watch family programs. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: Adam, this special is based on your holiday book that came out just about five years ago to the day. How does it feel to see your story come to life in this way?

Adam Reed: It’s very surreal. I’m a television producer by trade, but I had never done animation before. So Thank God I had Lino and our incredible team directing us the entire way. It is surreal because when I started writing children’s books, as a hobby… to see what it’s become… It started as a Christmas tradition for my own family. I couldn’t find a Christmas tradition out there that I felt was positive and didn’t stress me out as a parent during the holiday times. So I said, “I’m gonna create one!” And “Reindeer in Here” was born. Thrilled. We’re very, very lucky. The level of talent is, far and away, more than I could’ve ever wished for this project. It’s very exciting.

INTERVIEW: The Gift Of “Mickey Saves Christmas”

November 21st, 2022

Jackson Murphy

New half-hour stop-motion holiday special Mickey Saves Christmas premieres this Sunday Nov. 27 at 7pm on ABC, Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD. It will then be available the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Director David H. Brooks describes what he and the Stoopid Buddy Stoodios team did to capture the holiday magic with The Mouse House’s most cherished characters. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: You’re very familiar with holiday specials, with The Predator, Captain Underpants and Pentatonix. Is that one of the reasons why you were attracted to this?

David H. Brooks: Honestly, working with Mickey Mouse, how could you not get excited about that and really want to dive into this? But it’s funny, stop-motion seems to attract the holidays, or the holidays seem to attract stop-motion. It was a perfect fit for the project, but certainly… I was attracted to it because of the holidays and Mickey Mouse.

Nickelodeon And Mattel Television Announce “Monster High” Season 2, And Release All New YouTube Series

November 19th, 2022

Lauren Ashton

On November 17th in Burbank, CA, Nickelodeon and Mattel Television announced that the original animated series Monster High will return for a second season. In this new 20-episode season, the series will continue to follow the children of well-known monsters on even bigger comedic adventures. Last month, on October 28th, Nickelodeon released season one of Monster High in the United States. The series was also released in The United Kingdom and Canada, and is scheduled to debut in Australia later this month. Monster High will also become available on Paramont+ and Nickelodeon in more international territories next year.

See the YouTube channel’s first episode from the new Monster High Mysteries below:

TEASER: Pixar’s “Elemental”

November 17th, 2022

Jerry Beck

She’s Ember. He’s Wade. Welcome to Element City. Check out the teaser trailer and a poster for Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, and featuring the voices of Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively, Elemental releases on June 16, 2023.

INTERVIEW: Hot Dog! It’s New Doc “Mickey: The Story Of A Mouse”

November 17th, 2022

Jackson Murphy

Tomorrow, Friday November 18th, is Mickey Mouse’s 94th Birthday. To celebrate, Disney+ is premiering a new 90-minute documentary on the iconic character. Mickey: The Story of a Mouse is directed by Jeff Malmberg. He discusses the deep exploration into every aspect of Walt’s beloved creation in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)

Jackson Murphy: You won a Critics Choice Documentary Award… I was just at the most recent ceremony the other night… for your editing work on “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, the Mr. Rogers documentary. Now Mickey Mouse. You’re attracted to the icons!

Jeff Malmberg: (laughs) What I think about with the Critics Choice Documentary Award is how heavy that award is. I gave it to my daughter. She just started dropping it. I had to take it back. If somebody breaks into my house, I am grabbing that award and I’m using it like a hammer for self-defense. I’m telling you: that thing is weighty!

“Puss In Boots: The Last Wish” Coming To Theaters December 21st

November 15th, 2022

Lauren Ashton

This December, the swashbuckling and fearless feline, Puss In Boots, returns.

It’s been over a decade since Dreamworks last released a film from the Shrek universe. In this all-new story, Puss learns that his lifetime of daring adventures has taken a toll on him. Out of his nine lives, he has used all but one. The journey to retrieve the missing eight will prove to be his biggest quest to date.

Warner Bros. to Release the Filmation “Batman” on Blu-Ray

November 14th, 2022

Jerry Beck

One of Filmation’s most beloved animated series has been newly remastered in high definition for release on Blu-ray for the first time ever! Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will distribute The Adventures of Batman: The Complete Collection on February 28, 2023, as a two-disc set featuring all 34 episodes of the classic series for $29.98 SRP (USA) and $39.99 SRP (Canada).

The Adventures of Batman was one of the spotlight animated television series to be produced by Filmation, who generated more than 50 animated series, over a dozen television shorts, specials and movies, and eight feature films. The Adventures of Batman was also paired with another famous DC Super Hero to become The Batman/Superman Hour.