Creating the ‘Smokin’ FX Magic of ‘DreamWorks Wizards’
By using distinctive visual effects as a core series element, almost as a ‘character’ itself, Guillermo del Toro and Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning animated series has garnered an Annie Award nomination for Best FX for TV/Media.
Toei and Funimation’s ‘One Piece’ Wano Watch Party’ Set for April 24
Companies have teamed up for a worldwide watch party event that will coincide with the simulcast of episodes 969 and 970, as well as premiere of episode 971, including a pre-recorded Q&A featuring the voice actors and director.
‘Gloomy the Naughty Grizzly’ Anime Series Premieres April 12
The cute, lovable, but violent characters, Gloomy and Pity, jump from the toy shelf to the screen in new animated series; set to air on Tokyo MX station in Japan, global fans can check out the episodes on Gloomy’s YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
WarnerMedia Rebrands EMEA Studio as Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Company resurrects legendary studio name; Sam Register and Vanessa Brookman to co-lead flagship TV animation studio formerly known as Cartoon Network Studios Europe.
‘The Midnight Sky,’ ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘Soul’ Take Top VES Awards
Star-studded virtual ceremony, hosted by barb-slinging Patton Oswalt, included 25 category awards and special honors for VFX supervisor Rob Legato and director Sir Peter Jackson.
FOX Renews ‘Duncanville’ for Season 3
Hit animated comedy gets new season order ahead of its May 23 Season 2 debut; new episodes will air on Mondays in front of all-new animated comedy ‘Housebroken’ starting May 31.
Upcoming Stuttgart Animation Festival Moves Completely Online
The planned live/online hybrid event makes decision to go all virtual due to continuing coronavirus restrictions; the program runs May 4-9 and will offer a new ITFS VR Hub accessible by VR headset or browser, with media library viewing extended until May 16.
Key TV and Game Contenders for the 2021 VES Awards
This year’s set of animated and VFX-driven TV series and video games represents top visual design and production work that rivals feature film visual effects in both quality and quantity.
Paramount+ Reveals Janeway First Look on Upcoming ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’
Kate Mulgrew reprises her role as the captain, now an emergency training hologram, in the all-new CG kids’ series about a group of lawless teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship; show will air on Nickelodeon following run on streamer.
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Space Dogs: Tropical Adventure’ Clip and Images
Epic Pictures’ third and final installment of their ‘Space Dogs’ trilogy releases today on VOD; also playing in select theatres, the CG animated film brings astronauts Belka and Strelka back to earth in a new canine adventure.
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Drops Teaser and Season 2 Release Date
Mike McMahan’s hit half-hour comedy about the crew of one of Starfleet’s least important ships also gets third season renewal by Paramount+.
Jerome Chen Talks Real-Time Animation with Unreal Engine
The Sony Pictures Imageworks senior VFX supervisor discusses his studio’s integration of Epic’s game engine technology and real-time workflows into its animation production on a new episode of Netflix’s ‘Love, Death & Robots’ anthology series.
Epic Games Releases Volume 2 of its Virtual Production Field Guide
Free resource provides in-depth look into virtual production workflows, new methodologies, remote collaboration, in-camera VFX, animation, and what’s coming next in Unreal Engine 5.
‘Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles to Voice Bruce Wayne in ‘The Long Halloween’
Actor is joined by the late Naya Rivera as Catwoman, Josh Duhamel as Harvey Dent, Troy Baker as Joker, and others as the Caped Crusader hunts down the Holiday killer.
‘Jonny Quest’ and Classic ‘Tom and Jerry’ Toons Not Leaving HBO Max
Fans won’t have to say good-bye on April 30 to extensive set of classic Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes series; HBO has extended the stay of shows including ‘The Flintstones,’ ‘Josie and the Pussycats,’ ‘The Looney Tunes Show,’ ‘The Scooby-Doo Show,’ and a host of others.
Warner Bros. Drops Another New Teaser for ‘Justice Society: World War II’
Studio shares another clip from the highly anticipated next chapter in the popular DC animated movie series - coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on May 11 and digital on April 27.
Key Feature Film Contenders for the 2021 VES Awards
This year’s batch of animated and VFX-driven feature films shows that despite the pandemic, artists around the world continued pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.
Imira Entertainment Takes ‘Mondo Yan’ Global
New distribution deals take the popular CG animated comedy worldwide; series teaches kids important life lessons using humor to take on everyday challenges.
‘The Chicken Squad’ Premieres on Disney Junior May 14
Based on the children’s books series by Doreen Cronin, new CG animated series follows a trio of chicken siblings and their dog, Captain Tully, who use teamwork and critical thinking skills to solve problems; digital soundtrack, ‘Disney Junior Music: The Chicken Squad,’ featuring music from the series, also drops on May 14.
GLAS 2021 Online Festival Kicks off Today
Running online April 5-11 this year, the 6th annual event features new programs including panel discussions ‘How to Pitch Your Film’ and ‘How to Get the Gig’ as well as virtual watch parties and free webinars.
Sentai Lands Distribution Rights for ‘Dororo’
The popular anime series based on a manga by Osamu Tezuka will be released with all-new English dub; the series comes to home video, Blu-ray, and digital beginning Summer 2021.
Call for Entries for CINANIMA 2021
The 45th edition of the oldest Portuguese film festival (8th to 14th November) welcomes applications for films.
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Success Signals Good News for Movie Theaters
The titanic smash-em-up demolished previous COVID-19 era U.S. theatrical box office takes with $9.6 million debut and $48.5 million 5-day opening weekend, that coupled with $236.9 million international cume, indicates movie theaters may not be dead…yet.
FMX Conference Program Now Online
Running May 4-6, the conference’s first online edition will provide a platform for the global FMX community to reflect collectively on the disruption and reinvention of the industry; program will include panels, keynotes, and presentations.
WATCH: Going Strong to the Hoop in ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Trailer
Warner Bros. releases new trailer and images for their upcoming animated/live-action hybrid comedy adventure starring NBA legend LeBron James and a team of your favorite Looney Tunes characters in a high-stakes challenge against an A.I.-led squad of digital goons.
