Dan Levy to Co-Write and Star in ‘Standing By’ Animated Series
Hulu orders a presentation from the ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and ‘Feel Good’ director Ally Pankiw; show takes a satirical look at a group of disgruntled guardian angels.
49th Annual Annie Awards Now Open for Submissions
ASIFA-Hollywood issues call for entries; honoring excellence in the field of animation, awards will be presented in 36 categories at ceremony set for February 26, 2022.
Luis Guzman to Play Gomez Addams in Tim Burton’s Live-Action ‘Wednesday’
Prolific actor boards Netflix’s new supernatural coming of age series starring Jenny Ortega as the eponymous daughter in the eccentric, kooky Addams family brood.
Aardman and Gurinder Chadha Teaming on Animated Bollywood Musical
The renowned animation studio and famed ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ writer/director are collaborating on a high-concept film about a young Indian elephant who dreams of becoming a Bollywood dancer.
‘Housebroken’ Snags Early Season 2 Renewal on Fox
With new episodes of the series returning tonight, the network pickups up another season of its animated comedy about neighborhood pets working out their issues in therapy from ‘Veep’ colleagues Gabrielle Allan, Jennifer Crittenden and Clea DuVall; series stars include Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Tony Hale, and Jason Mantzoukas.
Blame Canada... and COVID
Why is Disney opening their new production studio in Vancouver? Look around you.
‘DC: Batman Bat-Tech Edition’ AR App Now Available
Free augmented reality mobile app offers kids an immersive narrative driven adventure into Batman’s crime fighting team the Knightwatch; also features mini games, AR face filters, sticker packs and exclusive video content connecting to DCKids’ YouTube channel.
Netflix Drops ‘The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf’ Trailer and Images
Geralt’s mentor, Vesemir, unleashes his sword and neatly trimmed beard in the hunt for monsters, coin, and other pleasures in the highly anticipated 2D anime ‘The Witcher’ prequel, premiering globally on August 23.
Thomas Lennon Developing ‘The Post Guard’ Animated Series at Fox
Network orders a presentation by the ‘Reno 911’ star for his workplace adventure comedy set at a secretive mashup of the Coast Guard and Post Office.
STEAM Accreditation Program Launched for Toy Industry
The Toy Association and the Good Play Guide start program to evaluate and certify kids’ products based on ‘STEAM’ - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math criteria; ‘STEAM Stamp of Approval’ can be used for product packaging as well as digital and traditional marketing platforms.
It’s Back! ‘Madagascar: A Little Wild’ Season 4 Premieres Today
The wild bunch returns - Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria are back in NYC with big dreams and big adventures; catch new episodes now streaming on Peacock and Hulu.
Heroes Save the Day AND Have Fun in ‘Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends’
Premiering today on Disney Channel and Disney Junior, Marvel Studios’ first full-length preschool animated series features Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales as the web-slinging ‘Team Spidey,’ defeating foes while learning about teamwork and helping others.
‘Blade Runner: Black Lotus’ Clip and Key Art Revealed
Adult Swim and Crunchyroll treated Virtual Crunchyroll expo fans to a thrilling opening sequence from the anime series reminiscent of the live-action ‘Blade Runner’ franchise; check out the clip featuring a song by Grammy Award-winning singer- songwriter Alessia Cara.
Mila Kunis’ Animated ‘Stoner Cats’ Series Released as NFTs
The ‘Family Guy’ and ‘That 70’s Show’ actress’ unique new show about weed smokin’ felines features the voice talent of Seth MacFarlane, Ashton Kutcher, Jane Fonda and Chris Rock… and it's already made a ton of kaysh!
‘Vivo’ Brings the Sights and Sounds of Cuba to Life
With songs by Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also stars as the film’s titular kinkajou, Sony Pictures Animation’s latest gem blends 3D and 2D animation into a vibrant, colorful, and often wild celebration of music as a universal language of friendship, family, and love, premiering today on Netflix.
New ‘Bridges’ Initiative Introduces African Talent to Global Animation Markets
Creative initiative mentors immerging African talent in the production of original animated shorts; ‘Red Ants,’ the first of 10 shorts to be produced within the program, premiered at the 2021 Annecy International Animation Festival.
IMDb Acquires AVOD Rights for ‘100% Wolf – Legend of the Moonstone’
Set for an exclusive launch August 12, the CG animated series follows a young heir to a werewolf pack – but something goes terribly wrong during his ‘warfing;’ based on the books by Jayne Lyons, the series has been sold in 80 territories.
Academy Announces New Board of Governors
Casting director David Rubin re-elected AMPAS president; roster of officers increases by two with addition of the Equity and Inclusion Committee and the separation of Membership and Governance into two committees.
Register Now for ‘2021 Epic MegaJam’
Create an ‘epic’ Unreal Engine game - solo or with friends; check out ‘Inside Unreal’ August 26 for theme announcement.
Disney’s ‘Once Upon a Snowman’: How Olaf Became Olaf
For writers / directors Trent Correy and Dan Abraham, discovering the source of heart, humor, and empathy in the ‘Frozen’ franchise’s irascible, loveable optimist was a passion project that began almost a decade ago; nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program, the film is available on Disney+.
Boat Rocker Greenlights ‘Dino Ranch’ Season 2
Season 1 of the popular animated preschool series now playing on Disney Junior, DisneyNOW, and Disney+; the series follows the Cassidy family who are charged with wrangling a lively herd of dinosaurs who are also their best friends.
Autodesk Explores the Future of VFX at SIGGRAPH 2021
Taking place August 10, Autodesk’s SIGGRAPH 2021 Vision Series includes six sessions with industry leaders who are pushing the boundaries to create new possibilities for film and TV digital artistry; programs include ‘Reimagining VFX Production in the Cloud,’ and ‘Marvel Studios: Adapting to Our New (Virtual) Normal.’
Marvel’s Animated ‘What If…?’ Already Wowing Critics
The multiversal, hypothetical scenario exploration series rolls out August 11 on Disney+ with nine mind-bending episodes, including a super soldier Peggy Carter, T’Challa as Star-Lord, Marvel zombies, and more.
‘South Park’ Creators Sign Massive 14 Movie, 5 Season Renewal Deal
$900 million agreement with MTV Entertainment Studios calls for new movie on Paramount+ every two years starting this year, plus Comedy Central series commitment through Season 30.
Disney+ Reveals ‘LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales’ Cast and Key Art
Halloween is going to be scary this year when Vaderʼs loyal servant shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of ‘Star Wars;’ starring Tony Hale and Christian Slater, the new animated special premieres exclusively on the streamer October 1.
