UNESCO to Support WIA’s Stories x Women Program
The first official collaboration between the two groups was announced in connection with International Women’s Day; the UN organization joins Disney as a supporter of the women’s creative initiative with an emphasis on projects from Africa.
Illumination and Nintendo to Produce New ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Movie
Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto take to YouTube to share the news - while plot details are still firmly under wraps, the new animated film project doesn’t appear to be a sequel but rather a fresh take on Mario’s world; the release is set for April 3, 2026.
‘The Boy and the Heron,’ ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Take Home Oscar Gold
The two films finish out the 2024 awards season with wins for Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects, respectively, on a night that also saw ‘WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko’ win for Best Animated Short Film and ‘Oppenheimer’ take home 7 statues, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography.
Watch: Immersive ‘The Imaginary Friend’ Animation and Development Sneak Peek
In their SXSW in-person XR Spotlight section experiences set for March 9, the Studio Biarritz team, led by VR director Steve Hallema, producer Corine Meijers, and lead designer Koen Koopman, will showcase their latest project about a grieving child struggling to separate reality from fantasy, who creates ‘You’ – his imaginary friend, to fight the monsters in his mind.
Ionart Studio Ltd. Rebrands as Ionart Studios as it Eyes Expansion
Budapest-based full-service animation and VFX company set sights on expanded global identity; LA-based VFX professional Mark Nazal will lead the studio’s North American efforts.
Jack Black and Awkwafina Talk ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’
The award-winning actors behind the film’s eventual dynamic duo of Po and Zhen discuss the appeal of voice acting, their creative process, and what was most challenging in the booth; DreamWorks Animation’s all-new ‘Kung Fu Panda’ adventure hit theaters today, March 8.
Pixar Drops ‘Inside Out 2’ Trailer – New Digs and Unexpected Guests!
It’s the feel good / sad / angry / anxious movie of the summer; Disney / Pixar’s highly anticipated sequel to Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2015 ‘Inside Out’ will hit theaters June 14.
‘Dragon Ball’ Creator Akira Toriyama Passes at 68
The internationally beloved artist, who left a permanent mark on the manga and anime industry after a legendary career spanning over 45 years, passed away on March 1 of an acute subdural hematoma.
‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ Leads All Winners at the 2024 British Animation Awards
Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry’s drama of a young boy swept overboard on a family sailing trip, who washes ashore on a remote island, takes home three awards, including Best Feature Film, at the ceremony held today at London’s BFI Southbank.
‘Twilight’ Animated Series in Development at Lionsgate
While the series remake may adapt each of author Stephanie Meyer’s four ‘The Twilight Saga’ novels, it could also take a different approach by adapting the ‘Twilight’ retellings ‘Midnight Sun’ or ‘Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined.’
Javadoodles Goes Full-Time with Plans to Take Over the Internet
From a fun Tumblr side-project posting simple drawings on coffee cups to collaborating on stop-motion shorts and creating a YouTube series with 2D blobs sharing awkward silences and thoughts on life, the artist and animator has taken the big career leap and launched full speed into an expansive slate of projects.
Billy Crystal and John Goodman Return in ‘Monsters at Work’ Season 2 Teaser
Inspired by the popular movie franchise, the series features the ‘Monsters, Inc.’ stars reprising their fan-favorite roles; new season kicks off April 5 with a special 2-episode premiere, coming to Disney+ in May.
Fredrikstad Animation Festival Submissions Are Now Open; Deadline for Short Films Is June 17th, for Features Is August 1st
FAF 2024 will have a NEW International Short Film Competition
CEE Animation Forum 2024: Call for entries is OPEN - Submission deadline: April 30, 2024
The CEE Animation Forum is the leading regional pitching, financing and co-production event. It aims to boost the projects´ international potential, visibility and access to a wider European market.
Rooster Teeth Shutting its Doors After 21 Years
Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery will sell off the Austin-based studio’s content and intellectual property and lay off 150 full-time employees as well as dozens of contractors and content creators.
MTVE Studios Drops ‘Daria’ Spin-off Feature ‘Jodie’
The animated film, which began as a series, had a complete voice cast attached, and had been in development since 2020; no word yet if the project will be shopped to other networks.
Jeff Rowe Signs Multi-Year First-Look Deal with Paramount Animation
The ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director and co-writer’s agreement includes the development, directing, producing, and executive producing work on both animated and live-action projects, including the upcoming ‘Mutant Mayhem’ sequel.
Podcast EP 244: Lachlan Pendragon and How His Stop-Motion Film Scored an Oscar Nom
The Australian animator discusses making his short ‘An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It’ and his journey to the Academy Awards.
‘The Backyardigans’ Creator Janice Burgess Passes at 72
The long-time Nickelodeon creative executive began her career in craft services before joining the network, eventually overseeing Nick Jr. shows such as ‘Blue’s Clues’ and ‘Gullah Gullah Island;’ her development and writing work included ‘Winx Club and’ ‘Bubble Guppies.’
Nickelodeon Animation Workers Ratify TAG Union Contract
After nearly 1 year of negotiations, the studio’s animation production workers ratified a new contract prioritizing their well-being and professional development.
Cartoon Movie 2024 Opens Today
The annual co-production and pitching event plays host to 850+ industry professionals with 55 films from 16 countries participating; the event runs March 5-7 in Bordeaux, France.
Crunchyroll Expands Spring 2024 Lineup
More anime coming to the platform in April includes ‘KONOSUBA -God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3,’ ‘A Condition Called Love, Kurayukaba,’ and ‘Kuramerukagari;’ preview screenings at ‘La Mole’ fan event coming to Mexico City March 15-17.
Foundry Launches Modo 17.0
The 3D animation software has added enhancements that speed up the asset creation process from modeling to rendering.
Sony Drops New ‘The Garfield Movie’ Trailer
He was incredibly cute long before he was insufferably indifferent… but then he got bigger; directed by Mark Dindal, the new 3DCG animated film finds the eponymous feline (voiced by Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, as he is about to have a wild outdoor adventure, clawing its way into theaters May 24.
DreamWorks Drops ‘The Wild Robot’ Official Trailer
From the brilliant mind of Chris Sanders, writer/director of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ comes a new adaptation of Peter Brown’s NYT bestseller, starring Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal… and robots… and otters! In theaters September 20.
