Along with Francisco Gonzalez’s excellent weekly news recaps–This Week in Superhero News and This Week in Movie Trailers–we’re happy to provide you with This Week in Animation News to get you caught up on all things animated you might have missed over the past seven days. We’re talking movies, TV shows, digital shorts, and everything in between!
It's awards season, and even though live-action movies and TV shows tend to get the bulk of the spotlight, there's plenty of attention paid to animated efforts if you know where to look. A great way to get caught up on the year in animation is to check out the 2016 Annie Awards nominations, which we've linked for you below. And although it's not exactly an official ranking, Matt Goldberg took it upon himself to rank Disney Animation's Oscar-winning songs, just for fun.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, the Transformers' "Prime Wars Trilogy" will get two concluding chapters on Machinima, Hulu will get The Powerpuff Girls in the series/reboot's entirety, and Mondo is teaming up with Nickelodeon for some epic, nostalgia-fueled posters. On the review front, however, the new Netflix animated series Pacific Heat got a cold shoulder from our reviewer, Chris Cabin; check out his thoughts at the link provided below.
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!
- ‘Zootopia’ and ‘Kubo’ Lead Annie Awards Nominations; ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Civil War’ Land Nods
- Disney Animation’s Oscar-Winning Songs, Ranked
- ‘Transformers’ Animated Web Series ‘The Prime Wars Trilogy’ to Continue on Machinima
- ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Flying to Hulu for Exclusive Streaming Deal
- Mondo and Nickelodeon Team Up for Nostalgic Gallery Show
- ‘Pacific Heat’ Review: Netflix’s ‘Archer’ Rip-Off Should Be Avoided at All Costs
Marvel Funko Pop! Toys Get Animated
Marvel Entertainment sneakily released "Spellbound", the above-seen super-cute short that animates familiar superheroes and supervillains in their Funko Pop! toy form. If you liked this first installment, you can look forward to two more in the near future:
- "Bait N Switch", featuring Rocket Raccoon breaking into the Collector’s museum to free his friend Groot,premieres Wednesday, December 7
- "Chimichangas" sees Deadpool facing off against Spider-Man villain Venom on Wednesday, December 14th
And keep an eye out for an upcoming interview with Marvel's animation and family entertainment chief thanks to our own Christina Radish!
'Teen Titans: The Judas Contract' Teaser Poster Appears
Earlier this summer, DC Comics announced plans for a feature-length, animated adaptation of writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez's "New Teen Titans" comic book arc, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. Aiming for a Spring 2017 release,Teen Titans: The Judas Contract will "serve as something of a follow-up to last year’s Justice League vs. Teen Titans." “The Judas Contract” debuted in 1984, introduced Terra to the team, and was the storyline in which Dick Grayson first adopted the identity of Nightwing. Now, it looks like an early teaser poster has found its way online (via CBR).
Fans can also look forward to seeing a third DC Universe Original Movie next year in Batman and Harley Quinn, "a brand new, wholly original story from DC animation legend Bruce Timm who's keeping the storyline tightly under wraps for the time being.
Check out the supposed teaser poster for Teen Titans: The Judas Contract below:
'Mickey and the Roadster Racers' Trailer Reveals the Disney Junior Series
Disney Junior's animated Mickey and the Roadster Racers, a madcap car-racing adventure series for preschoolers led by Disney's No. 1 star, Mickey Mouse, and his pals Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Daisy and Donald, will make its television debut in a simulcast Sunday, January 15th (9:00 and 9:25 a.m. EST), on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Two more episodes will premiere Monday, January 16th (9:00 and 9:25 a.m. EST), on Disney Channel. Episodes will also be available on the Disney Junior app and Disney Junior VOD beginning Sunday, January 15th, and on iTunes beginning Monday, January 16th.
The series, which will premiere internationally throughout 2017, takes Mickey and the gang, along with their unique transforming vehicles, on humorous high-spirited races around the globe, as well as hometown capers in Hot Dog Hills. Off the racetrack, Minnie and Daisy also run their own successful business as Happy Helpers, solving problems for anyone in need of a helping hand. Geared towards kids 2-7, the stories are designed to impart social and emotional lessons about friendship, teamwork, optimism and good sportsmanship.
NASCAR stars Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon recur as race car drivers Jiminy Johnson, Danni Sue and Gordon Gear, respectively. Additional guest stars include television personality Jay Leno as announcer Billy Beagle; Tim Gunn as Robbie Roberts; Gordon Ramsay as Chef Oxley; Hoda Kotb as Mrs. Sweetums; Peter Serafinowicz as Dr. Crutchley; Jane Leeves as the Queen of England; Fred Willard as Mr. Doozy; Hector Elizondo as Grandpa Beagle; Tony Shalhoub as Luigi; Kate Micucci as Emmy Lou; Tia Carrere as Antie Olina; and comedian Patton Oswalt as Mr. McSnorter.
The Emmy-nominated creative talent behind Disney Junior's hit series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates, comprise the production team: Rob LaDuca is executive producer, Mark Seidenberg is co-executive producer and supervising story editor, and Thomas Hart is story editor. The series is a production of Disney Television Animation.
Beginning Sunday, December 25th, on the Disney Junior App, kids can unlock daily content, such as short videos and mini-games, via a Hot Dog Hills interactive map counting down to the series premiere. A suite of games featuring a unique experience with each one of the Fabulous Five will be available on the app on Sunday, January 15th.
'One Piece Film: Gold' Trailer Showcases the Standalone Film
In addition to checking out the above trailer and marking your calendar for the film's theatrical release January 10-17, 2017, there's also this cool contest for fans:
Win a round trip and weekend passes to Otakon Vegas! To enter the One Piece Film: Gold Fly Away sweepstakes, complete the online entry form and hit submit to receive one (1) entry in the random drawing.
Here's the official synopsis:
The Straw Hat pirates are hitting the big screen once again in an all-new high-flying adventure! The popular series that has captivated fans all over the world unfolds a new saga in the highly anticipated movie, One Piece Film: Gold.
The glittering Gran Tesoro, a city of entertainment beyond the laws of the government, is a sanctuary for the world’s most infamous pirates, Marines, and filthy rich millionaires. Drawn by dreams of hitting the jackpot, Captain Luffy and his crew sail straight for the gold. But behind the gilded curtains lies a powerful king whose deep pockets and deeper ambitions spell disaster for the Straw Hats and the New World alike.
