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‘From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience’ Launches at Universal Studios Hollywood

‘From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience’ exhibit at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Globe Theatre runs August 5-14.

‘From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience’ exhibit runs August 5-14 at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Globe Theatre.

LAIKA, the acclaimed animation studio and creators of the upcoming epic adventure film, Kubo and the Two Strings, gave members of the press and a few lucky fans a sneak peek of their latest exhibit, “From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience,” prior to its launch on Friday.

Running August 5-14 at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Globe Theatre, the interactive exhibit features an up-close look at the artistic detail and imagination behind LAIKA’s groundbreaking ten-year filmmaking history, which includes the Academy Award-nominated films Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012) and The Boxtrolls (2014). The exhibit showcases the evolution of LAIKA’s unique blend of handcrafted stop-motion animation and visual effects magic in four imaginatively themed rooms. The extensive display of original sets, puppets and props immerses visitors in the studio’s singular, fantastical worlds.

Attendees at the event included LAIKA voice actor Steve Blum (The Boxtrolls), LAIKA President & CEO and director/producer of Kubo and the Two Strings Travis Knight, LAIKA Head of Production and Kubo and the Two Strings producer Arianne Sutner, LAIKA Costume Designer Deborah Cook, LAIKA Puppet Fabrication Supervisor Georgina Hayns, LAIKA Supervisor of Rapid Prototype Brian McLean, LAIKA Production Designer Nelson Lowry, LAIKA Animation Rigging Supervisor Ollie Jones, LAIKA Head of Animation Brad Schiff, LAIKA Visual Effects Supervisor Steve Emerson, and Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski. Also on hand were four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee Mayim Bialik, Empire’s Tasha Smith, The Night Shift’s Robert Bailey Jr., Sofia The First’s Merit Leighton, Fresh Off the Boat’s Marlowe Peyton, Murder in the First’s Kathleen Robertson, The Amazing World of Gumball’s Jacob Hopkins, and About A Boy’s Benjamin Stockham, all of whom voice roles in Kubo and the Two Strings.

In addition to lunch and refreshments, the event also included Kubo-themed desserts and coffee drinks, and -- our favorite part -- a live demonstration of a LAIKA animator hard at work re-creating an entire second of animation from the film.

You can watch how “From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience” was built in the time-lapse video below, and be sure to check out the fantastic images of the exhibit further down:

Focus Features -- which has released all of LAIKA’s previous features -- Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls -- will release LAIKA’s Kubo and the Two Strings nationwide on August 19, 2016. Universal Pictures International will distribute the film abroad.

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.