This year, Netflix will return to the Annecy Festival with a full itinerary following their recent wins and nominations. Such accolades include Oscar nominations for Nimona, a BAFTA nomination for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and several wins for Blue Eye Samurai at the Annie’s this past February. In only five years after launching its first animated feature, the streaming platform achieved critical acclaim when it won an Academy Award for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Netflix is also responsible for Adam Sandler’s largest animated film debut, Leo. Annecy will feature an on-stage p ..read more

Academy Award nominee Jeff Fowler (of the animated short “Gopher Broke”) directed the blockbuster first two installments in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” film franchise. He returns for “Sonic 3” (in theaters this December) and also serves as executive producer and director of the first episode of new spinoff series Knuckles. The six-episode event, with the return of Idris Elba as the voice of the title character, premieres this Friday April 26th on Paramount+. Fowler joins me for this fun Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.) Jackson Murphy: When I saw t ..read more

This week, the Tribeca Film Festival revealed the titles selected for its 2024 festival lineup, which begins June 5th. MARS, an animated feature from The Whitest Kids U’ Know, has been officially designated as a part of the festival’s Midnight section. The animated film will have its world debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, June 6th, with more screenings to follow on June 8th and June 15th. The first glimpse of  MARS was released this week and is included below, showing a motley crew of dauntless voyagers as they journey to the planet that this feature is named after. Dir ..read more

NEW YORK, NY (April 17, 2024), Oscar-winning producer and distributor, GKIDS, announced its acquisition of the North American theatrical distribution rights for Mamoru Oshii’s acclaimed masterpiece, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE. To celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary, GKIDS will release a restoration of the film in theaters throughout the nation in 4k this summer. Before the film is released nationwide, the new 4K restoration will premiere at the renowned Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Originally premiering in 2004, the film is Oshii’s follow-up to his 1995 feature Ghost in the Shell, ba ..read more

From Spanish director Pablo Berger, Oscar-nominated animated feature Robot Dreams has secured a theatrical release in the U.S.  Coming to New York City on May 31st, the film can be seen at the Film Forum and AMC Lincoln Square. Called “exquisite… one of the best animations in recent years” by The Observer and regarded as “one of the best films of the year” by The Film Stage, Robot Dreams is being released by indie distributor NEON. Writer and director Pablo Berger is a recognized Spanish director, known for the celebrated Spanish and French production of Blancanieves (2012).   ..read more

The Queen of Cartoons is More Popular Than Ever with New Apparel, Accessories, Pet Products, and an Upcoming Broadway Musical Leading brand-licensing agency Global Icons and Fleischer Studios, owner of a number of classic animated characters including Betty Boop, have entered into a wide range of new licensing collaborations for the beloved Queen of Cartoons, including upcoming launches for stylish new apparel, accessories, and pet products. In addition, dynamic new character art will be unveiled for licensees in May at the upcoming International Licensing Show in Las Vegas. This fall, the n ..read more

Cartoon Saloon, the animation house behind The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers, is unveiling its latest feature. Puffin Rock and the New Friends — a continuation of the popular TV series — is available to rent or purchase on Google TV, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV beginning Tuesday April 16th. Director Jeremy Purcell and animation director Lorraine Lordan share how the movie took flight — and how it fits right in line with Cartoon Saloon’s mission — in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.) Jackson Murphy: Congratulations on the m ..read more

Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach are the directors of the new French animated dramedy Chicken for Linda! GKIDS opened the 2023 Annecy International Film Festival Cristal for Best Animated Feature winner in NYC last Friday. It hits Los Angeles this Friday April 12th and will be in other markets throughout North America later this month. The film is about a mother and daughter on a quest to make a meal that’s significant to them, chicken with peppers. Malta and Laudenbach share the ingredients for how they put Chicken for Linda! together in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was ..read more

Welcome to the stairwell that tells the story of a studio…one step and sketch at a time. Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) today announced the launch of a dedicated website that will serve as the virtual home for its iconic Artist Stairwell space. From 2000 to 2023, the CNS building in Downtown Burbank stood as a vibrant symbol of creativity and a nurturing ground for original animation and artists of diverse talents and backgrounds. It was not merely a workplace, but a canvas for imagination and innovation. The stairwell at the previous Cartoon Network Studios Among the many areas of the build ..read more

One of Nickelodeon’s most iconic characters is headlining a new series — this time in CG. “DORA” premieres this Friday April 12th on Paramount+. Executive Producer and showrunner Rich Magallanes explains what goes into making sure the returns of Dora, Boots and Swiper are satisfying for fans of the original Dora the Explorer show and a new generation of families. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.) Jackson Murphy: Congratulations on the series. I’ve watched a couple episodes and it brought me right back to when I was young. It’s going to be a big hit. Rich Magall ..read more