In This Week in Animation News, I’ll take a look at the previous week in the world of animation in order 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, including our massive rundown of animation news out of Comic-Con 2018. Then, check out a selection of new stories below. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!
- ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ Blu-ray Release Date and Special Features Announced
- New ‘Disenchantment’ Trailer Offers the Best Look Yet at Matt Groening’s Fractured Fairytale
- ‘Freedom Fighters: The Ray’ Season 2 Returns to Face Infinite Threats from Earth-X
- NSFW Trailer for ‘Paradise PD’ Reveals the ‘Brickleberry’ Team’s Netflix’s Animated Series
- ‘BoJack Horseman’ Reruns Land at Comedy Central
- ‘Jump Force’ Supercut Trailer Is the Most Anime Thing You’ll See Today
- Broly Storms into Theaters in ‘Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan’ Remastered Release
Doomsday Goes on the Attack in 'The Death of Superman' Clip
The Man of Steel meets his ultimate match when Doomsday comes to Earth – hell bent on destroying everything and everyone in his path, including the Justice League – in the all-new, action-packed The Death of Superman, part of the popular series of DC Universe Movies.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the feature-length animated film arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting July 24, 2018, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD August 7, 2018.
Rooster Teeth's 'gen:LOCK' Adds David Tennant
At the Television Critics Association (TCA) tour, during the Rooster Teeth panel, Burnie Burns, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Rooster Teeth, announced the addition of David Tennant (Doctor Who, Jessica Jones, Broadchurch) to the gen:LOCK voice cast. In gen:LOCK, Earth’s last free society is on the losing side of a global war, and recruits a diverse team of young pilots to control the next generation of giant, weaponized robot bodies known as mecha. These daring recruits will find, however, that their newfound abilities come at no small cost. Tennant will voice Dr. Rufus Weller aka Doc, a lead scientist with the Experimental Science Unit (ESU) and the inventor of the gen:LOCK technology.
As previously announced, Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther, Creed) will voice the main character, Julian Chase, Dakota Fanning (The Alienist, Twilight Saga) will voice expert mech pilot and Chase’s love interest, Miranda Worth, and Kōichi Yamadera (Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell) will voice the character Kazu Iida, one of the new recruits transferring from Japan’s military forces, to fight alongside Chase in the gen:LOCK program.
Outlier Productions, Jordan’s production company, is co-producing gen:LOCK along with Rooster Teeth.
“What began with Red vs Blue 15 years ago and RWBY five years ago has now grown beyond anything we could have imagined, ” said Burns. “Tennant is sci-fi royalty and we are thrilled to have him join this amazing cast.”
"My jaw hit the floor when I directed David as Doctor Weller for the first time,” said gen:LOCK showrunner and head of Rooster Teeth Animation, Gray G. Haddock. “He instantly nailed the breadth of emotion, both the humor and seriousness that Weller brings to the show -- there are moments that will absolutely make the audience choke up. When you listen to him play scenes against other performances such as Michael B. Jordan's Chase, you can't believe this cast is real."
Stay tuned for more announcements about gen:LOCK, which will premiere in January 2019 exclusively on Rooster Teeth, available for iOS, Android, Xbox One, Apple TV, and at RoosterTeeth.com with memberships starting at $4.99 a month.
New Trailer for 'The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl' Goes on an Epic Bar Crawl
Click here for theater info and to buy tickets!
GKIDS recently shared the official trailer for Masaaki Yuasa's The Night is Short, Walk On Girl. The visionary anime director behind Netflix's Devilman Crybaby, Lu Over the Wall and Mind Game returns to U.S. theaters with his new comedy on August 21st and 22nd through a screening partnership with Fathom Events.
From the visionary mind of director Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Adventure Time‘s “Food Chain”) comes The Night is Short, Walk On Girl, a comedy about one epic night in Kyoto. As a group of teens go out for a night on the town, a sophomore known only as “The Girl with Black Hair” experiences a series of surreal encounters with the local nightlife… all the while unaware of the romantic longings of Senpai, a fellow student who has been creating increasingly fantastic and contrived reasons to run into her, in an effort to win her heart.
2018 Fantasia Film Festival Reveals Animation Award-Winners
AXIS: SATOSHI KON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ANIMATION
The jurors for the "Axis: Satoshi Kon Award" were Lorraine Carpentier, Torri Kove, Marc Tessier, and Sarah Mercey.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: PENGUIN HIGHWAY (d. Hiroyasu Ishida)
Says the Axis jury, “For creating a beautifully written and designed story of love and friendship: a magical sci-fi love story for all ages that touched our hearts and minds, we present The Satoshi Kon Award to Penguin Highway.”
SPECIAL MENTION: DA HU FA
The jury adds, “This brilliantly crafted film defies description by being both funny and frightening, cute and horrific. It thrilled and mystified the jury and we would like to acknowledge for daring to be a genre blending political allegory. The special mention goes to Da Hu Fa.”
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: SIMBIOSIS CARNAL
“This beautiful and playfully animated film is a nine minute master class in gender equality. It takes us on a sensual journey, brings us to a fantastic climax and shows us that images are more powerful than words. The Satoshi Kon Award for best animated short goes to Simbiosis Carnal.”
SPECIAL MENTION: MAKE IT SOUL
“With design inspired by African American folk art this is a beautiful story of soul searching where the protagonist learns to sacrifice his self interest for the greater good. The jury would like to give a special mention to Make it Soul.”
Nickelodeon Orders Season 2 of 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, announced yesterday that Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the reimagined 2D-animated series, has been greenlit for a second season with 26 episodes. The action-comedy follows the band of brothers, Raph, Leo, Donnie and Mikey, as they discover new powers and encounter a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City. Season two will begin production this fall at Nickelodeon’s headquarters in Burbank, California
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles season one will debut on Monday, September 17th, with the global rollout set to premiere this fall across Nickelodeon’s channels and branded blocks in 170+ countries and territories. The all-new original animated series follows the Turtles on different adventures as they master new powers, encounter absurd mutants and battle bizarre villains, each with their own motivations. Ranging from mystics, mutants and madmen, new creatures and villains emerge to take on the brothers in battles across New York City.
The series stars new voice talent Omar Miller as Raph, a jagged-shelled snapping turtle; Ben Schwartz as Leo, a red-eared slider turtle; Josh Brener as Donnie, a soft-shell turtle; Brandon Mychal Smith as Mikey, a box turtle; Kat Graham as April O’Neil, a street savvy native New Yorker; Eric Bauza as Splinter, father figure and sensei to the Turtles; and WWE Superstar John Cena as the villainous, Baron Draxum.
Watch the New Marvel Funko Short from San Diego Comic-Con!
Marvel Funko Presents: Magnet Mayhem --- Spider-Man and Iron Man take on the Vulture in a rather magnetizing display of teamwork. --- Starring: Spider-Man, Iron Man, Vulture
Marvel and Funko have collaborated to create a second season of the extremely popular Marvel Funko animated shorts, the eighth of which, Magnet Mayhem premiered at San Diego Comic-Con during the Marvel Animation panel!
There are 8 Marvel Funko animated shorts in total for this second season and each one is ninety seconds in length. Featuring some of Marvel’s most popular Super Heroes and Villains, including Thor, Loki, Hulk, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Red Skull, Ant-Man, Hulkbuster, Ultron, Spider-Gwen, and Venom, the new animated short Magnet Mayhem is AVAILABLE NOW on the Marvel HQ YouTube page.
Oscar-Winning 'Brave' Writer/Director Brenda Chapman Signs First-Look Deal at Fox
As THR reports, Oscar-winner Brenda Chapman (Brave) and her husband/production partner Kevin Lima have signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox to produce live-action, hybrid and animated films. The duo and their 'Twas Entertainment banner bring quite the animation experience with them. Their first project is the Fox Family film The Cartoon Touch, co-written by Chapman and Lima.
Here's what they had to say in a statement:
"For years, we have worked parallel paths creating films we’re each extremely proud of. Now, by combining our talents in ‘Twas Entertainment, we’re stepping into a new and thrilling phase of our careers and are looking forward to gathering old and new collaborators who share our goal: family films with big heart, infectious humor and genuine intelligence."
There's no word at the moment as to the plot of The Cartoon Touch nor how Disney's buyout/acquisition/merger with Fox is going to affect current deals and projects.
Chapman's Brave was the first feature-length animated film at a major studio to have a female director, and she's the first winner of the best animated feature Oscar. Other credits include The Prince of Egypt, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Lima meanwhile directed the live-action/animation hybrid Enchanted, as well as A Goofy Movie and Tarzan for Disney. Lima’s other credits include 102 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.