Sometimes the hero you are meant to be lies just beneath the surface. This summer, DreamWorks Animation dives into the turbulent waters of high school with a hilarious, heartfelt action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Here’s the new trailer for Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken:
Oscar-Nominated Film Robot Dreams Coming To Theaters On May 31st- From Director Pablo Berger
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 […]
TRAILER: Pixar’s “Inside Out 2”
A new trailer and poster for Disney and Pixar’s upcoming theatrical release, Inside Out 2, dropped today. The new film welcomes new Emotions to now-teenager Riley’s mind. Joining Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), Anger (voice of Lewis Black), Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith), Fear (voice of Tony Hale) and Disgust (voice of Liza Lapira) is […]
Annie Awards Go To “Spider-Man” and “Robot Dreams”
Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse won Best Feature honors at the 51st Annie Awards celebration Saturday night on the campus of UCLA. Spider-Man also took home an Annie for Best FX- Feature (Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari, Naoki Kato, Nicola Finizio, Edmond Boulet-Gilly), Best Character Design – Feature (Jesus Alonso Iglesias) Best Direction – […]
INTERVIEW: Cartoon Curator Bill from MeTV’s “Toon In With ME”
Since January 4th, the cable network (and over-the-air broadcast sub-channel) MeTV has been running a weekday hour of classic cartoons from the MGM, Warner Bros. and Paramount Popeye and Betty Boop libraries. Telecast at 7am and formatted as a vintage kids show, hosted by “cartoon curator” Bill Leff and his puppet companion “Toony, the Tuna”, […]
TRAILER: Tubi’s “Pastacolypse”
May 22nd, 2023 
Jerry Beck Bento Box – the production company behind Bob’s Burgers and many more – have teamed up with co-writer of Aqua Teen Hunger Force for a new, hilariously unhinged animated Tubi original. It’s called Pastacolypse, and you can watch the whole thing online – for free – today. Take a peek:
TEASER: Netflix “Nimona”
May 18th, 2023 Jerry Beck Netflix debut the official teaser, new teaser art and announced the premiere date for Nimona today. The film premieres globally on Netflix June 30th. Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, Nimona is an epic tale about finding friendship in the most surprising situations and accepting yourself and others for who they are. Based on the National Book Award-nominated, New York Times best-selling graphic novel by ND Stevenson.
INTERVIEWS: The Animation Scientists Behind “Elemental”
May 16th, 2023 Jackson Murphy Today Disney/Pixar announces that tickets are now on sale for their next feature Elemental, which opens in exactly one month, on June 16th. It’s directed by Pete Sohn (The Good Dinosaur) and focuses on water boy Wade and fire girl Ember. Are they truly meant to be together? When I visited Pixar Animation Studios for the first time in March, I had the chance to screen select footage from the film, watch a special presentation and speak with several of the film’s talented makers. (These interviews were edited for length and clarity.)
Let’s begin with my chat with Production Designer Don Shank, a two-time Emmy winner (for The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack) who actually started his career at Pixar and met his wife in the same week.
Jackson Murphy: Tell me about the matching between the elements and certain items.
Don Shank: We really wanted, and [Pete] would always talk about, immaculate realities. For me, it was about making it feel like each element had their own culture and history that they were bringing to the world — and also making it sort of modern. That was the high level target we were after. And at some point you say you want to make sure you do something that feels fun and entertaining. It really boiled down to packing as many fun elemental transformations as we could. Air people weren’t as easy as others — fire and water have a certain movement. Air is clear. It was really tough to show movement, so we relied a lot on things that were themed with air, like propellers. As far as the matching goes, it was like diving into the deep end.
INTERVIEW: On The Course With “Mulligan” Trio
May 11th, 2023 Jackson Murphy Robert Carlock and Sam Means (of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) team-up once again, this time as co-creators of the new adult animated comedy series Mulligan. It premieres this Friday May 12th on Netflix. They, and supervising director Colin Heck (The Simpsons Movie), join me for this Animation Scoop Q&A to share what makes the show unique, relevant and quite funny. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: Washington DC survives a global disaster — an alien attack. What fascinated you the most about wanting to explore the idea of Earth starting over?
Robert Carlock: Well, some very small things, really. And as a storyteller, not having cell phones. Taking away technology, while it created some storytelling obstacles and hurdles, it was fun. Ultimately this show, as big as the premise is, is about human beings trying to figure out how to get along with each other. And can they do it better than they’ve done it in the past? We don’t have a great track record of not turning on each other. And getting people to look up from their screens and actually talk to each other and try to figure things out. The smallness of that is where the show really lives — in these human dynamics. That’s part of what was exciting. Of course, having the Domino’s pizza tracker fall out of orbit and crush a statue is also fun.
FIAPF and WIA Select Five Delegations For The Second “Stories x Women”
May 10th, 2023 Jerry Beck Today, FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations) and WIA (Woman In Animation) announced the five delegations selected for the second edition of Stories x Women, a program aimed at increasing diversity of voices in animation globally. Stories x Women’s goal is to support access to international opportunities for women animators who want to tell their authentic stories from emerging national film and audio-visual animation communities of Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
Max Releases Official Trailer and Key Art For “Gremlins: Secret Of The Mogwai”
May 10th, 2023 Jerry Beck Max has released the official trailer and key art for the Original animated series Gremlins: Secret Of The Mogwai. Dive into a world of magic and mythology with Gremlins: Secret Of The Mogwai, an animated prequel series to the iconic “Gremlins” films, debuting with the first two episodes TUESDAY, MAY 23 on Max. Two new episodes debut weekly on Thursdays.
INTERVIEW: Jay Baruchel On Lasting Impact Of Hiccup And “Dragon”
May 9th, 2023 Jackson Murphy Jay Baruchel won an Annie Award in 2011 for his voice performance as Hiccup in DreamWorks’ beloved How to Train Your Dragon. He also won a Daytime Emmy in 2019 for voicing the character on the Dragons: Race to the Edge TV series. It’s been three and a half years since Baruchel last played Hiccup, on NBC’s How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming holiday special.
I had the chance to interview Baruchel for his new live-action drama BlackBerry, which IFC Films is releasing in theaters this Friday May 12th. Baruchel plays Mike Lazaridis, the co-founder of BlackBerry, in a thrilling saga that chronicles the rise and fall of the cell phone giant. At the end of our conversation, I asked Baruchel what Hiccup and Dragon have meant to his life and career. Here’s what he told me, in this Animation Scoop Exclusive:
INTERVIEW: In The Winner’s Circle With “Rally Road Racers”
May 8th, 2023 Jackson Murphy The Summer Movie Season heats up with a terrific new animated feature the entire family will enjoy. It’s Rally Road Racers — in theaters nationwide this Friday May 12th. Director Ross Venokur presents an entertaining and moving underdog story with cool visuals and a talented voice cast. Buckle up as we explore this sweet ride. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: I love this movie. Where did your love of car racing begin?
Ross Venokur: My love of car racing, especially this type, began with “Cannonball Run” — a movie from my childhood. I love these old rally movies, like “Gumball Rally” (which a lot of people haven’t seen) and even “Smokey and the Bandit” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. All these cross country wacky movies where a bunch of people got in unlikely cars on unlikely teams and started racing. I’m a big fan of underdog sports comedies, like “Bad News Bears”. This is sort of a mash-up of all of that. I’m not actually a humongous fan of actual car races but I love car racing movies — the cinematography around the car races. I enjoy the “Fast and the Furious” movies. I like all the high action, high octane fun with cars. So I put it all together in an animated movie.
INTERVIEW: “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” Lights Up The Galaxy
May 3rd, 2023 Jackson Murphy Looking for the perfect introduction for your kids or grandkids into the Star Wars universe? LucasFilm has you covered with the brand new family friendly animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. It premieres tomorrow, May the 4th, at 9am on Disney Junior, with episodes also available to stream on Disney+. Joining me for this Animation Scoop Q&A are show masters James Waugh (executive producer) and Michael Olson (EP and showrunner). This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Jackson Murphy: James, in getting inside the heads of children who are going to get into Star Wars, did it bring you back to when you were a kid and when you got into the world of Star Wars?
James Waugh: I was pleasantly surprised with how much it did. Some of the magic of Star Wars, for me, are those early memories — of seeing it in theaters for the first time and being blown away by the sounds and flashes of lightsabers. And being able to go home and play with toys and bring that world to life myself and continue the adventures. It was special. And part of that wonder is… look, Star Wars is for everybody but there’s a certain wonder when you’re a kid and you’re diving into the imaginative space that is the galaxy.
Netflix To Showcase New Features and Series at Annecy
April 24th, 2023 Jerry Beck Following a monumental year for animation at Netflix – with first-ever wins at the Oscars for Best Animated Feature Film with Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and the Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program for Arcane respectively, and a sweep of the animated program categories in the inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys competition – Netflix returns to Annecy International Animation Film Festival with an exciting slate of bold, ambitious films and series. With a continued drive to bring the best of animation and storytelling to its members around the world, the studio will present its “From Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget to Blue Eye Samurai – See What’s Next @ Netflix” panel, a special screening of the highly anticipated animated film Nimona adapted from the New York Times bestselling graphic novel, as well as a “Making Of” Session with the filmmaking team.
INTERVIEW: Jump For Joy With “Frog And Toad”
April 24th, 2023 Jackson Murphy Arnold Lobel’s beloved Frog and Toad books leap off the page and onto the screen with the delightful new AppleTV+ animated series, premiering this Friday April 28th. Executive Producer and Showrunner Rob Hoegee guides me through what went into making the show — from adapting the look of the books to collaborating with two other dynamic duos, Lobel’s children and stars Nat Faxon and Kevin Michael Richardson. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: I love these books. I can still picture myself reading them in elementary school. Do you have an earliest memory of these “Frog and Toad” books?
Rob Hoegee: I do. They came out in 1970, so it’s been over 50 years. If you think about it, I can’t even begin to imagine how many millions of children learned to read with these books. I would not be surprised if it’s hundreds of millions of kids around the world. It’s incredible.
Dreamworks Animation To Present New Projects at Annecy
March 10th, 2023 Jerry Beck DreamWorks Animation, the Oscar-winning studio of the Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls, The Boss Baby, Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda franchises, will showcase its latest projects at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which will be held from June 11-17, 2023. The studio’s presentations are set to feature the latest offerings from DreamWorks Animation, which seamlessly blend renewed installments of the studio’s treasured franchises with audacious and innovative originals—all of which are emblematic of the visionary leadership spearheaded by DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn.
Julia Morizawa’s “Dragonfly” Debuts at 2023 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival
April 22nd, 2023 Jerry Beck Writer/producer/actor Julia Morizawa’s compelling animated short film Dragonfly will make its Los Angeles Premiere at the 39th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on Sunday, May 7th at 8PM, at the Japanese American National Museum. The film will be screened in the “Lost and Found” animation program, depicting discarded dreams, forgotten memories, missing pieces and where it can be put back together again.
Dragonfly tells the story of a young girl who learns of her mother’s survival of the Tokyo Firebombing on March 9-10, 1945 through the eyes of her brother’s spirit. The film opens in Komoro, Japan, 1956, where 10-year-old Sumiko chases a red dragonfly through her family’s farm while her mother, Yoshiko, watches from a distance. Flashback to Tokyo, 1945. Yoshiko, her husband, Susumu, and their baby boy, Kiyoshi, are forced to evacuate their home when hundreds of B-29 bombers drop incendiary bombs on the city, erupting into a massive fire. The script was awarded Best Short Screenplay by Scriptation Showcase and Screenwriting Master in 2019, and was a semifinalist or quarterfinalist in several other competitions including the Austin Film Festival, Slamdance, and WeScreenplay Diverse Voices.
INTERVIEW: Executive Producers Kate Boutilier And Casey Leonard On The Second Season Of “Rugrats” Reboot
April 12th, 2023 Lauren Ashton With the second season of the Rugrats reboot coming this Friday, April 14th, I was excited to speak with executive producers Kate Boutilier and Casey Leonard all about the beloved series. While there have been some notable changes to certain aspects of the show, much of what made the original Rugrats so special continues to shine in the reboot. This Animation Scoop Q&A is an exciting discussion that touches on character updates, references to today’s world vs. the world of the 1990s, and the return of the talent who made the original series so iconic. (This conversation was edited for length and clarity.)
Lauren Ashton: Kate and Casey, Rugrats was a huge part of my childhood, as it was for so many others. The original show debuted in 1991, which means the kids who grew up watching Rugrats are now grownups themselves, and may even have babies of their own! Kate, how does it feel to be a producer for this monumental return after having been an integral part of the original series?
Kate Boutilier: It’s great. I mean, I never thought about a simple “could you come back?” But I like that it’s a new version of the show. In the beginning we had so many people saying “are the babies still babies?” And we said “of course”! So the babies are still being the babies, and we’re just making some other small adjustments on parents and timeline and things like that. That was important for me. And the voice cast of the original babies brings those characters back. And then to have this new world of CGI, and how it was going to be done in Casey’s department was so exciting. If they had asked, “do you want to come back”, and if it were 2-D, I probably would’ve said yes, too, but I’m really pleased the way it went. Because it’s given us to me more opportunities. But yeah, it’s been really great.
