‘The Croods: A New Age’ Arrives on Digital February 9
DreamWorks Animation’s hit prehistoric family adventure is heading to living rooms everywhere; bonus features including featurettes, gag reel, deleted scenes and even ‘Stone Age Snack Attack’ recipes; available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD February 23.
Crunchyroll and Idris Elba to Develop ‘Dantai’ Sci-Fi Thriller
The 'Luther' and 'Thor: Ragnarok' star's Green Door Pictures signs deal with leading anime brand to produce animated Afro-futuristic series set in a city where the rise of biotech has widened the gap between haves and have-nots.
Fred Rogers Productions’ ‘Donkey Hodie’ Launches May 3 on PBS Kids
Studio receives $3 million grant from Corporation for Public Broadcasting to support production of the new preschool puppet series; previous CPB grants have funded animated kids’ series ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ ‘Odd Squad,’ and ‘Peg + Cat.’
FMX 2021 Announces Initial Line-Up of Confirmed Speakers
Program includes sessions with director Glen Keane on the making of ‘Over the Moon;’ RISE’s Florian Gellinger and their first in-house productions, ‘Dragon Rider’ and ‘Stowaway;’ and MR. X’s creative team discussing the film adaption of ‘Monster Hunter’ video game; project submissions being accepted until February 22 for Animation Product Days.
All-New Animated ‘Sonic Prime’ Series Races to Netflix in 2022
SEGA, WildBrain, and the streaming giant join forces to unleash the ‘Blue Blur,’ placing the fate of a new multiverse in his gloved hands; the ‘Sonic’ franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
Ishan Shukla’s ‘Schirkoa’ Set to Begin Production
Animated feature, based on the director’s award-winning short, will blend 2D and 3D cinema, animation, and video game development techniques; production begins Spring 2021 with the premiere planned for 2023.
Adobe Updates Substance Painter and Designer
Enhanced features support hiding of geometry mask while painting; copy and paste effects between layers and texture sets; streamlined UV tile workflow; and several new design updates such as Pantone integration.
‘Ultraman Leo’ Arrives on Blu-ray and Special Edition SteelBook April 13
The release of the seventh and final entry in the first ‘Ultraman’ series wave that premiered in 1974 includes all 51 half-hour episodes with high-definition video, the original Japanese soundtrack, as well as English subtitles; digital redemption will also be available from movieSpree.
‘F Is for Family’ Writer and Voice Actor Marc Edward Wilmore Dies at 57
Widely known for his work on Bill Burr’s animated series, he is also remembered for his contributions to ‘The Simpsons,’ for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award, and the stop-motion animated series ‘The PJs.’
Nice Shoes Names Colin Loughlin Senior Creative Editor
Having joined the creative production studio’s roster in 2018, artist now takes the lead on growing slate of projects while helping mentor emerging talent.
Animated Documentary ‘Flee’ Sells for $1 Million at Sundance
The moving film, revealing a painful 20-year-old secret from a gay academic’s journey to Denmark as an Afghan child refugee, sold to Oscar award-winning studio Neon for seven figures as the film festival got underway.
GKIDS Launches Official English-language Studio Ghibli Social Media Channels
Deal with the award-winning Studio Ghibli marks an extension of long-term partnership; US based distributer already handles famed animation studio’s North America theatrical and home video rights.
TWO BOOKS FOR WINTER READING
Now that the holidays are over it’s time to settle back and do some reading I enjoyed.
The DC Universe Expands with All New Animated Shorts Showcase
Short films will star popular DC characters including Kamandi, The Losers, Blue Beetle, and Constantine; ‘Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!’ to be first short released as bonus feature on ‘Justice Society: World War II’ in Spring 2021.
New ‘SpongeBob’ Movie and ‘Kamp Koral’ Spin-off to Debut on Paramount+
'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run’ and ‘Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years’ will premiere on March 4 with the launch of Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ rebrand of their CBS All Access streaming platform.
Watch: Opening Scene of Studio Ghibli’s ‘Earwig and the Witch’
The famed Japanese animation studio recently took to Twitter to debut the opening 2 ½ minutes of their upcoming 3D/CG animated movie, directed by Goro Miyazaki and featuring the voice of Kacey Musgraves.
The Charming, Tiny Hero’s Journey of ‘The Snail and the Whale’
Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon are back with an enchanting stop-motion / CG tale about a most unlikely pair taking a sea-going trip of a lifetime.
Netflix and Creative Duo Roger Black and Waco O’Guin Tie the Knot
New multi-year creative partnership kicks off with the commission of a new animated sci-fi series ‘Farzar;’ long-time team previously created Comedy Central’s ‘Brickleberry’ and Netflix’s ‘Paradise PD.’
Da Vinci Kids Picks Up Imira Entertainment’s ‘Darwin & Newt’
Global edutainment media company signs deal for STEM-based animated series; kids worldwide can tune in on popular digital and linear platforms.
Finding Light in the Darkness - Four Films by the NFB: Altötting, I, Barnabé, 4 North A, and The Great Malaise
The tumult of our current lives will pass - art remains a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, exemplified by four new animated short films from the National Film Board of Canada.
Now Available: ‘Gundam’ Limited-Edition Loot Crate Series
The first of the bi-monthly 4-crate collections pays tribute to ‘Mobile Suit Gundam Wing’ with a curated selection of exclusive lifestyle goods and gear.
‘Game of Thrones’ May Get the Animated Treatment
The rumored series is just one of many ‘GOT’ extended universe projects being considered for HBO Max, with no creative team currently on board.
Disney’s Immersive, Interactive ‘Baymax Dreams’ Short Premieres at Sundance
Studio’s first interactive episode, part of the festival’s New Frontier Gallery, uses interactive cloud streaming technology to enable seamless interaction and high-end graphics on mobile platforms.
1stAveMachine Creates Animated Stop-Smoking PSAs for CTCP
Studio’s anti-smoking campaign for the California Tobacco Control Program uses powerful 2D visuals to follow the transitional journey of ‘Jackson,’ a habitual smoker, as he literally emerges from a cloud of smoke.
WATCH: Baobab Studio’s ‘Namoo’ Teaser Trailer
Directed by Erick Oh and inspired by his grandfather, the studio’s new immersive animated film premieres today at the Sundance Film Festival; the narrative poem thoughtfully reflects on the meaningful moments in one man’s life.
