Netflix has debut the official trailer, and announcing the release date, for the new animated kids series Hot Wheels Let’s Race. They are also announcing that Patrick Stump, musician, singer-songwriter, and lead vocalist for Fall Out Boy, composed, recorded, and produced the theme song for the series in addition to leading the composition of the score, underscore, and music cues for all episodes. Here’s our first look:
Animated Feature MARS From The Whitest Kids U’ Know To Premier At Tribeca Film Festival 2024
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 […]
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 […]
INTERVIEW: The 411 On “Kung Fu Panda 4”
DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda 4 is directed by Mike Mitchell, co-directed by Stephanie Ma Stine and produced by Rebecca Huntley. I first spoke with them back in December at the launch of the film’s first trailer. Now that I’ve seen the entire movie (which opens in theaters this Friday March 8th), here’s my new Animation […]
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 – […]
Animation Educators Forum Selects 2024 Hall of Fame Recipients
January 30th, 2024 
Jerry Beck The Animation Educators’ Forum (AEF), a nonprofit association of teachers and scholars whose focus is the art of animated film, announce the selection of its 2023 Hall of Fame recipients. The AEF will announce a new group of recipients each January. It you wish to suggest a worthy candidate, please visit: https://animationeducatorsforum.org and send your suggestions to Tom Sito, administrator.
This virtual hall is dedicated to the artists and scholars whose teaching influenced the history of animation.
The Animation Educators Hall of Fame, Class of 2024:
Charles Csuri (1922-2022) Producer, director, educator. Dubbed “The father
of digital art and computer animation” by Smithsonian Magazine, he was
a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, and a painter who exhibited with Roy
Lichtenstein and George Segal. Csuri created The Advanced Computing
Center for Art and Design at The Ohio State University, where he mentored
Animators like Chris Wedge.
INTERVIEW: Fear Is Focus Of Fearless “Orion And The Dark”
January 30th, 2024 Jackson Murphy Director Sean Charmatz and Producer Peter McCown present the ambitious and memorable new DreamWorks animated feature Orion and the Dark. The family adventure from writer Charlie Kaufman, who adapts from Emma Yarlett’s book, debuts this Friday February 2nd on Netflix. This Animation Scoop Q&A shines a light on how one of the first major animated movies of 2024 was made. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: Sean, this is your feature directorial debut — about fifth grader Orion meeting Dark. It is an epic story. First, how did you want to present their evolving relationship in this movie?
Sean Charmatz: I wanted to present it in an authentic way that felt honest and true, and we tried really hard to do that. I think we did it.
AWARDS WATCH 2023
January 20th, 2024 Jerry Beck 
1. NEW GODS: YANG JIAN (1/20/23) D: Ji Zhao (GKids)
2. THE AMAZING MAURICE (2/3/23) D: Toby Genke. (Viva)
3. THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT (3/20/23) D: Wendy Rogers. (Netflix)
4. THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (4/5/23) D: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic (Universal/Illumination)
5. SUZUME (4/14/23) D: Makoto Shinkai. (Crunchyroll)
6. RALLY ROAD RACERS (5/12/23) D: Ross Venokur (Viva)
7. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (6/2/23) D: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson (Sony Animation)
8. ELEMENTAL (6/16/23) D: Peter Sohn. (Pixar)
9. RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN (6/30/23) D: Kirk DeMicco and Faryn Pearl. (Dreamworks)
10. NIMONA (6/30/23) D: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane. (Netflix)
11. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE: MUTANT MAYHEM (8/4/23) D: Jeff Rowe. (Nickelodeon/Paramount)
12. PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE (09/22/23) D: Cal Brunker. (Paramount/Nickelodeon)
13.THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (10/20/23) D: Kim Burdon, Robert Chandler. (Blue Fox Entertainment) Shout Factory.
14. THE BOY AND THE HERON (10/20/23) D: Hayao Miyazaki. (Studio Ghibli) Gkids.
15. BABY SHARK’S BIG MOVIE (2023) D: Alan Foreman. (Nickelodeon)
16. THE MONKEY KING (2023) D: Anthony Stacchi (Netflix)
17. TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (11/17/23) Dreamworks/Universal
18. LEO (11/21/23) D: Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim (Netflix)
19. WISH (11/23/23) D: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn (Disney)
20. CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET (12/15/23) D: Sam Fell. (Netflix/Aardman)
21.
MIGRATION (12/22/23) D: Benjamin Renner. (Illumination)
22. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS 4 (date and director to be announced)
23. THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER (12/25/23) D: Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba. (Sony Pictures Classics)
2023 LIMITED RELEASE FEATURES (movies going Direct-to-Physical-Media or Streaming – some getting a limited theatrical billboard): Not sure if this even qualifies, but DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA -TO THE SWORDSMITH VILLAGE- was released on March 3 to theaters in North America, a theatrical event consisting of Episodes 10 and 11 of the series “Entertainment District Arc”. Gkids released UNICORN WARS, directed by Alberto Vázquez, digitally on March 10th. Zeitgeist Films theatrically released BLIND WILLOW SLEEPING WOMAN, directed by Pierre Foldes, on April 14th. Tubi premiered Bento Box’s PASTACOLYPSE, directed by Jason Shwartz, on June 21st; PSYCHO-PASS: PROVIDENCE, directed by Naoyoshi Shiotan, will be released on July 14th by Crunchyroll and Sony. GKids and Toei Animation will theatrically premiere THE FIRST SLAM DUNK, directed by Takehiko Inoue, in theaters July 28th; Venera Films will theatrically released AURORA’S SUNRISE, directed by Inna Sanakyan, on August 11th. Gkids releases ERNEST & CELESTINE: A TRIP TO GIBBERITIA (co-directed by Jean-Christophe Roger and Julien Chheng) to theaters in NY and LA on September 1st. Blue Fox Entertainment will release THE INVENTOR (directed by Jim Capobianco) theatrically on September 15th. Gkids is releasing anime feature BLUE GIANT (directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa) on October 8th. Viva Kids releases INSPECTOR SUN: CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW (directed by Julio Soto Gurpide) on October 27th. Samuel Goldwyn Films theatrically released the Build-A-Bear Production GLISTEN AND THE MERRY MISSION (directed by Cory Morrison) in Cinemark Theaters on November 3rd.
QUALIFIYING FOR ACADEMY AWARDS 2023: The following twelve additional titles qualified for an Oscar nomination with public showings in Los Angeles county.
The Amazing Maurice Directed by Toby Genkel and Florian Westermann (British)
Chang’an Directed by Junwei Xie and Jing Zou (China)
Deep Sea Directed by Xiaopeng Tian (China)
Lonely Castle in the Mirror Directed by Keiichi Hara and Takakazu Nagatomo (Japan)
Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie Directed by Jeremy Zag (French)
My Love Affair with Marriage Directed by Signe Baumane
The Peasants Directed by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman (Polish)
Perlimps Directed by Alê Abreu (Brazil)
Robot Dreams Directed by Pablo Berger (Spain/France)
Suzume Directed by Makoto Shinkai (Japan)
Titina Directed by Kajsa Næss (Norway)
Warrior King Directed by Lu Qi (China)
The following twelve additional animated features qualified for an Annie Awards nomination with public showings in Los Angeles county.
The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store Directed by Yoshimi Itazu
Merry Little Batman Directed by Mike Roth
Feast of Amrita Directed by Saku Sakamoto
Four Souls of Coyote Directed by Áron Gauder
Opal Directed by Alain Bidard
Saleem Directed by Cynthia Madanat Sharaiha
The Inseparables Directed by Jérémie Degruson
The Tunnel of Summer Directed by Tomohisa Taguchi
Tsurune The Movie: The First Shot Directed by Takuya Yamamura
Under The Boardwalk Directed by David Soren
When Adam Changes Directed by Joël Vaudreuil
White Plastic Sky Directed by Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó
For further information on all U.S. Animated Feature releases since 1937 Click Here.
Studio Ponoc and Netflix have Partnered
January 25th, 2024 Jerry Beck Studio Ponoc and Netflix have created a multi-film partnership to bring animated features from Studio Ponoc to Netflix members around the world, with Netflix becoming the exclusive streaming home of upcoming Studio Ponoc films. First up out of this partnership is Studio Ponoc’s new animated feature film, The Imaginary, to be released worldwide later this year following an exclusive theatrical run in Japan.
Studio Ponoc is an animation studio based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2015 by renowned former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura (nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, for The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There).
THE IMAGINARY – Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary will premiere on Netflix later this year.
Cr: Netflix © 2023 Ponoc
INTERVIEW: The Power Of “Masters Of The Universe: Revolution”
January 25th, 2024 Jackson Murphy Rob David is the executive producer of Netflix’s Masters of the Universe: Revolution. All five episodes are now streaming. David, who’s also Mattel’s Vice President, Content Creative, joins me for this Non-Spoiler Animation Scoop Q&A to talk about what continues to make MOTU an animation event. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: I recently learned a little bit about the origins of the toys of Masters of the Universe. How did you get invested in the toys, and how do you see toys come into play and that play factor when it comes to this show?
Rob David: Oh, wow. Well, I’m a child of the ’80s. So I first fell in love with the toys for Masters of the Universe when I was going through the toy aisles being led by my mother. And I think I had tried to get all of the Star Wars figures I could at the time. And then there on the peg was this all new figure who was like three times bigger than Luke Skywalker. No disrespect to Luke because now Mark Hamill, of course, is in our show. So it was all great. But this new figure was three times the size of Luke. And the muscles and muscles and just all sorts of exotic visages and powers and abilities, and I was just completely transfixed. I got it home and inside each of the toy packages was an in-package mini comic which first told the story of He-Man. No Prince Adam back then. It had the staples that you know, with Castle Grayskull and Skeletor.
Academy Award Nominations 2024
January 23rd, 2024 Jerry Beck The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that nominations for its 96th Annual Academy Awards. The 5 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their directors:
Best Animated Feature nominees are:
● The Boy and The Heron – Hayao Miyazaki
• Elemental – Peter Sohn
• Nimona – Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
• Robot Dreams – Pablo Berger
• Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse – Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson
Best Animated Short nominees are:
• Letter To A Pig – Tal Kantor
• Ninety Five Senses – Jared and Jerusha Hess
• Our Uniform – Yegane Moghaddam
• Pachyderme – Stéphanie Clement
• War Is Over: Inspired By The Music of John and Yoko – Dave Mullins
The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10th, 2024, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Heritage Offering Mammoth “Collecting The Simpsons” Auction
January 23rd, 2024 Jerry Beck On February 17, Heritage will offer some of the rarest and most sought-after Simpsons art and collectibles ever assembled in its Collecting the Simpsons Animation Art Showcase Auction. The first of its kind, the online auction includes original animation art from some of The Simpsons’ funniest episodes, including early appearances on The Tracey Ullman Show, “Treehouse of Horror” production cels and couch gag drawings by seven-time guest director Bill Plympton. Along with the animation art is a treasure trove of toys, games, clothing, comics, magazines, promotional items and other long sold-out and/or discontinued licensed products, memorabilia and collectibles.
With more than 250 lots in the sale – the most Simpsons items ever offered in a single auction – picking favorites is an arduous task, but here are a few highlights.
INTERVIEW: “In The Know” Is Two Programs In One
January 22nd, 2024 Jackson Murphy Peacock’s new series In The Know has a lot of things I love: comedy, stop-motion animation, and interviewing. All six episodes debut Thursday January 25th. The show’s creator, EP, showrunner and star is The Office and Silicon Valley actor Zach Woods, who joins me for a fun and revealing Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: You’ve done a lot of voice work [including] The LEGO Ninjago Movie, The Angry Birds Movie 2 and The Simpsons. What do you love so much about animation?
Zach Woods: I think my relationship with animation changed a lot with this. My favorite thing about animation is when you’re in a room with other people who are acting with you. The mode of animation where you’re put in a little isolation chamber and you’re just hearing your own voice and thoughts and recording stuff… I’ve always thought that to be very, very difficult because you’re not reacting to another actor, so it feels like you have only your own self-conscious litany in your head to keep you company. Whenever I’ve done stuff where you can improvise live with people in the room, I’ve always liked that. For this, even though it’s animated, we made sure that for the first recordings that it was the whole cast together in-studio. We could get some sort of a feeling of each other’s company. It felt like people who care about each other, or at least have a working familiarity with each other. I like that a lot. I like doing voiceover in a booth where you can look at the other person.
INTERVIEW: How “Four Souls Of Coyote” Was Created
January 19th, 2024 Jackson Murphy One of the 2024 Annie Awards Best Animated Feature — Independent nominees is Four Souls of Coyote. This hand-drawn film, which earned praise at the Annecy Festival last June, briefly takes place in present day, as Native Americans protest the presence of an oil pipeline construction crew on their land. The story then shifts to the beginning — to the story of Creation and how the Old Man and Coyote clash in their values and beliefs for humanity. Director Aron Gauder joins me for this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: How does it feel to be an Annie Awards nominee for Best Animated Feature — Independent?
Aron Gauder: It feels good. My producer Reka [Temple] told me. I needed some time… one sleep to make it sink in. (laughs)
INTERVIEW: Rock Out With Tenacious D’s “Video Games”
January 18th, 2024 Jackson Murphy Adam Paloian and his team at Pinreel Inc. are nominated for the 2024 “Best Sponsored” Annie Award for iconic duo Tenacious D’s Video Games music video. Paloian, who recently won an Emmy for The Cuphead Show, joins me to talk about working with Jack Black and Kyle Gass and directing this fast-paced showcase of animation, music and… of course… video games! (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: Congratulations. You’ve had a big couple of months. Emmy win and now this. How have the last few months been for you, man?
Adam Paloian: Oh, it’s been pretty good. Yeah, it was a nice surprise. That Emmy was for… a Christmas episode of “Cuphead”, and I did that, I think, two years ago now. Animation takes a long time and then it takes another long time for it to premiere. So it was a nice surprise to win.
INTERVIEW: “BOOM” Team Erupting With Joy
January 16th, 2024 Jackson Murphy BOOM, about birds reacting to an erupting volcano (and hoping to stay alive and protect their eggs), has already won a Student Academy Award. Now it’s on the 96th Oscars shortlist for Best Animated Short Film. Find out how these five directors — Romain Augier, Charles Di Cicco, Gabriel Augerai, Yannick Jacquin and Laurie Pereira de Figueiredo — created BOOM in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This email interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Q: Congrats on the Student Academy Award win! How does it feel to have this honor?
A: Thank you very much! It is a huge accomplishment for us because it rewards our hard work on the short film, and getting a recognition from one of the most prestigious institutions in our field is a great addition to our curriculum.
INTERVIEW: The Challenges Of Challenging “Pachyderme”
January 15th, 2024 Jackson Murphy Director Stéphanie Clement’s Pachyderme is on the 96th Annual Academy Awards Best Animated Short Film shortlist. It’s about a woman named Louise who recalls visiting her grandparents as a child. What follows is a serious and shocking look at their time together. Clement provides some context for how Pachyderme came to be in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This Email Interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: This is an intense story. What inspired you to make this animated short?
Stéphanie Clement: It all grew out from a shared interest for me and Marc Rius – scriptwriter and producer – to work together. We were seeking to tackle the delicate topic of incest. Based on psychological defense mechanisms such as repression and dissociation, we tried to build a story around an emotionally anesthetized character who struggles with their own memories.
INTERVIEW: The Layers Of “Letter To A Pig”
January 14th, 2024 Jackson Murphy Letter to a Pig is about a guest speaker in a classroom recalling a traumatic event and a female student who becomes immersed in the story. In this Animation Scoop Q&A, director Tal Kantor takes me through how she made one of this year’s 15 finalists for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar. (This Email Interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Jackson Murphy: This is an intense, impactful story. What element did you want to focus on first?
Tal Kantor: In the “Letter to a Pig” development phase, I recognized the necessity for multiple layers and elements to express the story’s complexity. My foremost focus was the emotional plot axis. I wanted to craft this film so above all it will be an emotional journey that enables a universal connection with each character — the survivor, the girl, and the pig. This way, the viewer can feel how one memory unfolds, as each one of the characters holds a different angle on the same story.
ASIFA-Hollywood Nominations for 51st Annie Awards
January 11th, 2024 Jerry Beck ASIFA-Hollywood announced nominations today for its 51st Annie Awards recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. For a complete list of nominations, please visit www.annieawards.org/nominations.
The 51st Annie Awards will return to UCLA’s Royce Hall on Saturday, February 17, 2024. Pre-reception and Red Carpet will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m., and after party immediately following the ceremony.
The Boy and The Herron
