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. Then, check out a selection of new stories below. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!

• Donald Glover & FX Exit Planned Animated ‘Deadpool’ Series
• Steven Spielberg Says ‘Tintin 2’ Is Still Happening
• Matt Ryan on ‘Constantine: City of Demons’ and Joining The CW’s ‘Legends of Tomorrow’
• Seth Green on Making Tough Choices for ‘The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special’
• ‘Smallfoot’ TV Spot Has Yetis Touting the Legend of Humans
• 12 Things We Learned from the Must-Own ‘Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special’ Blu-ray
• Donald Glover Fires Back at Marvel over Cancelled ‘Deadpool’ Series with Incisive Script
• New ‘Incredibles 2’ Poster Has Fun in the Sun
• Exclusive Clip from ‘Big Fish & Begonia’ Reveals a Parallel Magical World
• ‘Naruto’ Director Michael Gracey Updates the Status of the Anime Adaptation

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  ‘Archer’ Season 9 Trailer Welcomes You to Danger Island
• New ‘Incredibles 2’ TV Spot Features Violet “Having Adolescence”
• Crunchyroll’s First Game ‘Memoria Freese (Dan-Memo)’ Revealed in the Official Trailer
• ‘Craig of the Creek’ Creators on the Inspiration for Cartoon Network’s Adventurous New Series
• Bill Murray and Bob Balaban on ‘Isle of Dogs’, Wes Anderson, and Trying to Be Dogs
• Animated ‘Deadpool’ Series Test Shared Online by Production Studio Titmouse, Inc.
• First Look at Pixar’s Upcoming Animated Short ‘Bao’ Features an Adorable Dumpling

Dragon Ball Super aired its (likely) series finale last weekend with Episode 131, "A Miraculous Conclusion! Farewell, Goku! Until We Meet Again!" and, for the millions of fans out there, it ended just the way we thought it would. Or at least, pretty close to what our best guesses had been all along. If you're just getting caught up on Dragon Ball Super now, or are following along with the English-language dub, skip on down since this next bit is going to get a little spoilery.

As a brief recap, the hit anime series wrapped with the Universe Survival arc, a.k.a. the Tournament of Power. After pitting teams of various universes' greatest heroes against each other, with the losers being erased from existence, it came down to the familiar Universe 7 against the newly introduced Universe 11. From that latter universe, only the unbelievably overpowered fighter named Jiren was left standing, but as Goku's trump card, Ultra Instinct, proved to be too much for his body to handle, it looked as if Universe 7 was about to be wiped out after all. Surprise! Not only were Frieza and Android 17 (somehow) still standing with enough energy to attack the depleted Jiren, Goku too had just enough in the tank to join the fight one last time.

The twist here was a one-two punch: Not only did Goku--his Super Saiyan hairdo blinking on and off as his power drained--team up with arch-enemy Frieza (a habit of Goku's when it comes to his mortal enemies-turned-allies) to take down Jiren, it was Android 17 of all people who was left standing when the tournament was all said and done. That was the only real surprise because what came next was expected all along: Android 17's wish was to restore all of the universes and their people, thus making the tournament one big game after all.

While this obviously opens up literal universes of storytelling to explore in future installments, it's unclear if Dragon Ball Super will continue as is or if a new series will take over. (Oh and there's Dragon Ball Super: The Movie arriving later this year to complicate things.) In a couple of funny fourth wall-breaking scenes from the finale, Goku was asked in no uncertain terms just when he'd be back for another adventure or what was "next" for the Saiyan champ. The answer, of course, was kept under wraps. So while we'll likely get an answer as to what's next when the movie rolls around, we'll have to speculate until then ... or just watch the series all over again from the beginning! Feel free to share your thoughts on Dragon Ball Super overall in the comments!

'The Incredibles' Get a LEGO Video Game

Get ready for an INCREDIBLE adventure with the Parr family! LEGO® The Incredibles will be available June 15, 2018 on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC.

 

Inspired by both films, LEGO® The Incredibles allows players to tackle crime as the super-powered Parr Family. You’ll get to explore action-packed story levels and an epic hub world as you use your unique super abilities to bring the city’s villains to justice. You can assemble incredible LEGO builds either on your own or team up with family and friends in two-player co-op mode for twice the fun.

'Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay' Clips and Images Arrive Ahead of the Blu-ray Release

Prepare to root for the bad guys when Amanda Waller sends her band of misfit DC Super-Villains on an all-new, action-packed secret mission in Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, the next film in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the feature-length animated film from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is available on Digital now, and arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD April 10, 2018.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, sexual content, brief graphic nudity, and some drug material.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay finds Amanda Waller’s top secret “Task Force X” – Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, Killer Frost, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn and Copperhead – on a mission to retrieve a mystical object so powerful that they’re willing to risk their own lives to steal it. But the Suicide Squad isn’t the only group of villains seeking to possess the object. The race is on for the golden prize … and, to stay alive, second place isn’t an option.

The all-star cast is led by Christian Slater in his DC Universe Movies debut as the voice of Deadshot, who heads “Task Force X” alongside Billy Brown as Bronze Tiger, Liam McIntyre as Captain Boomerang, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Killer Frost, Gideon Emery as Copperhead, Tara Strong as Harley Quinn and their “boss,” Vanessa Williams as Amanda Waller. Villainous forces in the film include C. Thomas Howell as Zoom, Dania Ramirez as Scandal Savage, James Urbaniak as Professor Pyg, Julie Nathanson as Silver Banshee and Jewelee, and Jim Pirri as Vandal Savage and Vertigo.

Other Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay voice cast members include Greg Grunberg as Steel Maxum, Dave Fennoy as Blockbuster & Tobias Whale, Cissy Jones as Knockout, Natalie Lander as Darma, Trevor Devall as Punch, Dave Boat as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and Matthew Mercer as Savage Gunman.

Producer Sam Liu (Gotham by Gaslight, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract) also directs Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay from a script by co-producer Alan Burnett (Justice League vs. Teen Titans). Executive Producers are Sam Register and James Tucker (Batman vs. Two-Face, Justice League Dark).

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay Enhanced Content

Ultra HD Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Digital

• A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, The Death of Superman: “The Death of Superman” – The Death of Superman is widely considered one of the most popular stories in the Superman canon and the DCU. This sneak peek at the exciting new film discusses the story and its place in pop culture.
• Outback Rogue: Captain Boomerang (Featurette) – Audiences get a deeper look at this unconventional, yet entertaining villain from Down Under and how he’s evolved from The Flash universe to the Suicide Squad.
• Nice Shot, Floyd! The Greatest Marksman in the DCU (Featurette) – Floyd Lawton, AKA Deadshot, is one of the most popular antiheroes in the DC pantheon. An excellent marksman and assassin, he often brags that he never misses his shot. Take a closer look at this fascinating character.
• The Power of Plot Devices, MacGuffins and Red Herrings (Featurette) – An insightful examination of the power of a good plot device and the important influence it has over story.
• Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay Commentary – The creative filmmaking team of screenwriter/co-producer Alan Burnett and executive producer James Tucker share their thoughts and stories on the characters, themes and development of Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay.

DVD

• A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, The Death of Superman: “The Death of Superman” – The Death of Superman is widely considered one of the most popular stories in the Superman canon and the DCU. This sneak peek at the exciting new film discusses the story and its place in pop culture.

'Lu Over the Wall' Trailer and Poster Herald the U.S. Release

GKIDS proudly presents Lu Over the Wall!

 

From visionary anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa, comes a joyously hallucinogenic but family-friendly take on the classic fairy tale about a little mermaid who comes ashore to join a middle-school rock band and propel them to fame. Kai is talented but adrift, spending his days sulking in a small fishing village after his family moves from Tokyo. His only joy is uploading songs he writes to the internet. When his classmates invite him to play keyboard in their band, their practice sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu, a young mermaid whose fins turn to feet when she hears the beats, and whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance – whether they want to or not.

 

As Kai spends more time with Lu, he finds he is able to tell her what he is really thinking, and a bond begins to form. But since ancient times, the people in the village have believed that mermaids bring disaster and soon there is trouble between Lu and the townspeople, putting the town in grave danger. Winner of the Grand Prize at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival, and premiering in English as an official selection of Sundance 2018, Lu Over the Wall is a toe-tapping, feel-good demonstration of Yuasa’s genre-mixing mastery that will leave you humming long after you leave the theater.

Keep an eye out for our interview with Masaaki Yuasa closer to Lu Over the Wall's May 11th release date!

'SuperMansion' Season 3 Trailer Gets Cozy with the Villains

With enemies like these… Who needs friends? SUPERMANSION Season 3 stream free May 7 only on Crackle.

 

Crackle, a Sony Network launched the official trailer for SUPERMANSION Season 3. Catch up and stream the first two seasons free before the new season premieres May 7, only on Crackle.

Crackle, a Sony Network, recently released the Season 3 trailer for the highly-anticipated Emmy-nominated stop-motion animated series SuperMansion. The network also announced that the six-episode season will return on Monday, May 7th, with a new 22-minute episode streaming each week.

In the upcoming season, the lunatics get the keys to the asylum when Dr. Devizo (Chris Pine) is declared a hero after “saving the world” at the end of last season. He and the Injustice Club are all made honorary members of the League of Freedom. The heroes and villains must learn to live and work together if they’re going to combat the never-ending amount of evil in the world.

Bryan Cranston, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Pine, Jillian Bell, Yvette Nicole Brown, Heidi Gardner, Tucker Gilmore and Zeb Wells (show-writer) will all return as voice-over stars. Additionally, Breckin Meyer will return as Courtney and newcomer Mikey Day will guest star on Monday, May 14th as Max Penalizer, an anti-hero meting out justice with his Ball Peen Gavel of justice.

SuperMansion is created by Zeb Wells and Matthew Senreich, who also act as executive producers under their production company Stoopid Buddy Stoodios alongside Seth Green, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner. Cranston and James Degus also serve as executive producers under their production banner Moon Shot Entertainment. The series is distributed by Sony Pictures Television Inc.

'Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies' Trailer

Melody, a gifted young dreamer and her feisty friend Leif, must set aside their differences and use the power of magical Blue Daisies and an ancient Song to save their world from an evil Ice Dragon. When the blue flowers that once bloomed all around her village begin to disappear, Melody and her eccentric grandfather recognize this as a sign of great danger…but no one believes them! Racing against time, Melody must convince Leif and the other villagers before it’s too late. Great songs and engaging characters highlight this inspiring, animated adventure for the whole family.

 

In theaters now.

Netflix Unveils Its Programming Slate at AnimeJapan 2018

In Tokyo, Netflix took part in, AnimeJapan 2018, one of the largest anime conventions in the country. The convention was attended by over 152,000 devoted Anime fans from all over the globe. Netflix brought an immersive mainstage panel and convention booth experience to life with over 100 anime titles represented.

The streaming service is now home to a diverse catalogue of premium anime content and is working with some of the leading Anime studios in the space (ie: Production I.G, BONES, Science SARU and Polygon Pictures.)  This year, the Netflix anime slate kicked off with the launch of DEVILMAN crybaby and GODZILLA in January, these titles join global original series B: The Beginning, A.I.C.O. Incarnation and SWORDGAI The Animation.

New Animation Studio 'Locksmith' Opens in London

As ScreenDaily reports, a new animation studio just opened its doors in London. Locksmith Animation, a new feature digital animation company co-founded by Julie Lockhart, Sarah Smith and Elisabeth Murdoch, unveiled their new 5,000 sq-foot animation studio that will house more than 70 artists, staff and crew.

The studio is already in production on Ron's Gone Wrong, the first project of their multi-picture deal with 20th Century Fox, on schedule for a November 2020 release. Jean-Philippe Vine (Shaun the Sheep) directs this tale about an 11-year-old boy and his friendship with a dysfunctional robot in our digitally connected world.

The next two films from Locksmith were described by Smith as follows:

“The second film that we’re going to make is a properly irreverent kick-ass girl movie set in London that will kind of reinvent one of the bits of the animated girl movie genre.

 

“The third movie is actually about the sense that we’re probably living at the end of times and that our kids are going to inherit the Earth, and that what they’re going to do with it is going to be awesome.”

The studio's partner / UK VFX facility Double Negative will assit with digital production and plans to deliver a project every 12-18 months, so keep your eyes open for their upcoming projects!