InThis Week in Animation News, I’ll take a look at the previous week in the world of animation to get you caught up on everything you might have missed. It’s your one-stop shop for news regarding cartoons, anime, and animated web series. We’re talking movies, TV shows, digital shorts, and everything in between!
For the latest animation stories we’ve already covered on the site this week, take a look at the following links. Then, check out a selection of new stories below. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!
The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants
Hotel Transylvania 3
‘Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild’ Set to Arrive in 2019
AsVarietyreports, Capcom and Pure Imagination Studios are collaborating on an upcomingMonster Hunteranimated special to be titledMonster Hunter: Legends of the Guild. Written byJoshua Fine(Ultimate Spider-Man), the project will focus on an aspiring young hunter aiming to make a name for himself in the world who soon discovers a devastatingly powerful Elder Dragon is carving a path of destruction that leads straight through his village.
Series producerRyozo Tsujimotosaid of the project:
We think die-hard fans will appreciate our dedication to the source material while those uninitiated to the series will still be treated to an epic adventure in a wholly unique world.
Elsewhere in the franchise,Monster Hunter Worldarrives on PC August 9th. The company’s fastest and best-selling game in its history also had afeature-length adaptation in developmentfrom directorPaul W.S. Andersonand his production partnerJeremy Bolt, but we haven’t heard anything on that front in a couple of years.
Production onMonster Hunter: Legends of the Guildis expected to be completed this winter for a 2019 global premiere on multiple platforms.
‘Archie’ Franchise Gets Animated with ‘Josie and the Pussycats’ Spin-off Series and More
In aNY Timespiece that got a sneak peek at what’s ahead forArchie–the comics and the whole franchise, not just the modern CW interpretation–some interesting news was squirreled away at the boom, almost as an afterthought. In addition to the famous storyline getting new spin-off comic stories and getting a creative team relaunch with Issue #700 this November, you can expect some new animatedArchieseries to pop up before long.
Here’s what’s under development for network broadcast or streaming services: “a horror-tinged animated series starring Josie (of the Pussycats); an animated series with a humorous vibe featuring Archie and his pals; and a live-action show centered around a private detective namedSam Hill.”
‘Princess Mononoke’ Returns to Theaters
From the legendary Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki, PRINCESS MONONOKE returns to select cinemas nationwide.
Witness an epic battle between the civilization of Man and the gods of the forest in this breathtaking classic.
Playing for three days only, Sunday July 22nd, Monday, July 23rd and Wednesday July 25th as part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2018.
Tickets and full schedule available at GhibliFest.com
Throughout 2018, GKIDS and Fathom Events continue their collaboration to bring a new line-up of treasured animated features to U.S. cinemas.STUDIO GHIBLI FEST2018 gives fans an opportunity to see nine of Studio Ghibli’s celebrated animated masterpieces on cinema screens nationwide, along with some very special surprises.
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators ofSpirited Away, and Academy Award-winning directorHayao Miyazaki, comes an epic masterpiece that has dazzled audiences worldwide with its breathtaking imagination, exhilarating battles and deep humanity.
Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrior Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There, he stumbles into bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there.
Featuring the voices ofGillian Anderson,Billy Crudup,Claire Danes,Minnie Driver,Jada Pinkett SmithandBilly Bob Thornton.
Fathom Events and GKIDS presentPrincess Mononoke:
Netflix’s ‘The Dragon Prince’ Series to Be Teased at Comic-Con
IGNreports that an all-new animated series is headed to Netflix:The Dragon Prince. This series hails from creatorsAaron Ehasz(head writer onAvatar: The Last Airbender) andJustin Richmond(director ofUncharted 3: Drake’s Deception) and tells of two human princes who bond with the elfin assassin sent to kill them. Together they embark on an epic quest to ultimately bring peace to their warring lands.
If you’re headed toSan Diego Comic-Con, Ehasz, Richmond, executive producerGiancarlo Volpe(Star Wars: The Clone Wars), will present a sneak peek and an inside look at the series on July 21st. As forThe Dragon Prince, no official release date has been announced, but you canadd it to your wishlist here. You can also scope out the series' first poster here.
SIGGRAPH 2018 Announces Oscar-Qualifying Awards-Winners ‘Hybrids’ and ‘Bilby’
THRhas the breakdown of winners fromSIGGRAPH 2018, the upcoming conference that celebrates innovations in CG, animation, VR, games, digital art, mixed reality and emerging technologies. The awards in question here come from the Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater event, which will be honored at the 45th SIGGRAPH conference, an Oscar-qualifying festival, running August 12-16 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Animated shortHybridsreceived the Best in Show award. FilmmakersFlorian Brauch,Kim Tailhades,Matthieu Pujol,Yohan ThireauandRomain Thirioncreated it as a graduate project created at CG school MoPA in France. The Oscar-qualifying short follows in the path of last year’s MoPA graduate project,Garden Party.Hybridsalso has some prestige coming into this event since it won the Visual Effects Society’s student award earlier this year.
SIGGRAPH Jury’s Choice award will go to DreamWorks Animation’sBilby.Previously slated as an animated feature titledLarrikins, the short is described as “a touching story about a bilby that tries to protect a little bird from the dangers of the Australian outback.“Liron Topaz,Pierre PerifelandJP Sansdirected the short, which, recently premiered at theAnnecy International Animation Festival.
The Best Student Project honor will go toOverrunfromPierre Ropars,Antonin Derory,Diane Thirault,Jérémie Cottard,Matthieu DruaudandAdrien Zumbihlfrom France-based animation school, Supinfocom Rubika.
‘Japan Cuts 2018’ Festival Includes the U.S. Premiere of ‘Bleach’
Japan Society announces the full lineup of the 12th annualJAPAN CUTS:Festival of New Japanese Film. Described by The New York Times as “meticulously curated” and “an annual highlight of New York’s film calendar,” the summer festival brings a wide range of the best and hardest-to-see films made in and around Japan today—from blockbusters, independent productions and anime, to documentaries, avant-garde works, short films, and new restorations.
This year’s edition spans ten days — from July 19 through July 29 — and features 28 feature-length films and 9 short films across the Feature Slate, Classics: Rediscoveries and Restorations, Documentary Focus, and Experimental Spotlight sections. Among them are 3 World Premieres, 3 International Premieres, 11 North American Premieres, 8 U.S. Premieres, 3 East Coast Premieres, and 7 New York Premieres. In addition, JAPAN CUTS 2018 boasts the most confirmed guest filmmakers, actors, and producers in the festival’s history, many visiting New York with films for the first time.
As previously announced, the festival is proud to honor the beloved actressKirin Kikiwith this year’s CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film. An industry veteran with over 50 years of screen credits behind her, Kiki is recognized today as one of her generation’s leading talents. She is best known internationally as a frequent collaborator of renowned auteurHirokazu Kore-eda(After the Storm), with whom she worked this year on the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or-winningShoplifters(alongside actorsSakura AndoandLily Franky, two previous recipients of the CUT ABOVE Award). In addition to the Centerpiece Presentation titleMori, The Artist’s Habitat, Kiki is featured in this year’s JAPAN CUTS with a 10th Anniversary 35mm screening of Kore-eda’s landmark family dramaStill Walking.
For its tentpole Opening Film selection, JAPAN CUTS hosts the North American Premiere ofRamen Shop, a moving Japan/Singapore/France co-produced drama directed byEric Khooin which secret family recipes help bridge generations and cultures. Khoo and the film’s starTakumi Saitohappear in-person for the July 19 screening, which is followed by an opening night party. The Centerpiece Presentation is the North American Premiere ofShuichi Okita’sMori, The Artist’s Habitat,a fictionalized biopic centered on a single day in the life of reclusive Tokyo artistMorikazu Kumagaiand his wifeHideko. The screening is preceded by the CUT ABOVE Award ceremony and is followed by a Q&A with star Kirin Kiki and post-screening party. Finally, the Closing Film is the epicHanagatami, a meditation on youth and love amidst the backdrop of war, directed by pioneering filmmakerNobuhiko Obayashi, best-known for his cult classicHouse(1977). A Q&A with starShunsuke Kubozukafollows the U.S. Premiere screening.
‘PIG: The Dam Keeper Poems’ on Display Outside of Japan for the First Time
Varietyhas the exclusive reveal of Tonko House’s Annecy Animation Festival award-winnerPIG: The Dam Keeper Poemsoutside of Japan. The studio’s first short-form series, written and directed byErick Oh, reveals how Pig remembers becoming the Dam Keeper. The short is seen through Pig’s youthful perspective featuring abstract and surreal visuals are abstract, but also clear sources of Pig’s pain and joy.
Produced in both Berkeley and Tokyo by a variety of international and domestic artists, the series showcases Tonko House’s global community through a story featuring universal themes, such as family, grief, responsibility, and growing up. The series is made up of over 31,000 frames, all individually hand drawn and painted. The episode above is but the first of a series from Tonko House’s partnership with Hulu in Japan, so enjoy it while you can! For more on this project head to Variety to take a look at the next in a line of award-winning comics from this series.
New Trailer for ‘Duck Duck Goose’
A high-flying bachelor goose is saddled with two baby ducklings after he’s grounded by an injury. They go on an adventure on their way south for the winter.
Christopher Jenkinsdirects from a script he wrote withRob Muir,Scott Atkinson, andTegan West.Duck Duck GoosestarsJim Gaffigan, Zendaya, Lance Lim, Greg Proops, Reggie Watts, Natasha Leggero, Diedrich Bader, Stephen Fry, Craig Ferguson, Jennifer Grey, Rick Overton, andCarl Reiner. Look for it on Netflix July 20th and click here to add it to yourwishlist!
