InThis Week in Animation NewsI’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!
This week, Sony Pictures Animation hosted a presentation for their upcoming film slate which includes the untitled animatedSpider-Manmovie that will center on Miles Morales, the announcement of casting for bothThe Emoji Movieand the Christmas movieThe Star, as well as updates on bothSmurfs: The Lost VillageandHotel Transylvania 3. If you wanted a better look atJustice League Dark, you’re in luck because we have three new clips from around the web that show off the latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie!
Elsewhere, there’s a new official trailer forThe Nut Job 2,Mark Hamill’s latest voice acting role, a casting announcement for Aardman Animations’Early Man, the announcement of the English-language cast ofGuardian Brothers, a North American release date for the Annie Awards-nominated Japanese filmYour Name, and even news of a live-action/animation hybrid film centering on the pop culture phenomenon that isLisa Frank. It’s been a busy week, so let’s get to it!
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!
‘Star Wars Rebels’ Clips
And for a bonus clip, here’s another video featuring Zeb squaring off against an imperial infiltrator:
‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ Cast Revealed
Newly announced voice cast includes:Michelle Rodriguez(SmurfStorm),Ellie Kemper(SmurfBlossom),Ariel Winter(SmurfLily) andJulia Roberts(SmurfWillow), all residents of the title’s Lost Village. Special voice cameos to include:Gordon Ramsay(Baker),Gabriel Iglesias(Jokey),Tituss Burgess(Vanity),Jeff Dunham(Farmer),Jake Johnson(Grouchy), and directorKelly Asbury(Nosey).
Previously announced voice cast includesDemi Lovato(Smurfette),Rainn Wilson(Gargamel),Joe Manganiello(Hefty),Jack McBrayer(Clumsy),Danny Pudi(Brainy), andMandy Patinkin(Papa).
The feature is directed byKelly Asbury, produced byJordan KernerandMary Ellen Bauder Andrews, and written byStacey HarmanandPamela Ribon, based on the characters and works ofPeyo. Digital animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks.
In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!
‘Hotel Transylvania 3’ Plot Details Emerge
Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist going along and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain Ericka. Now it’s Mavis' turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his “too good to be true” love interest is actually a descendent of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!
The voice ensemble of favorites returns, includingAdam Sandler(Dracula),Selena Gomez(Mavis) andAndy Samberg(Johnny).
DirectorGenndy Tartakovskyis back in the director’s chair, along withMichelle Murdoccaback producing and Adam Sandler executive-producing, with a screenplay by Genndy Tartakovsky andMichael McCullers.
In addition to this feature film, a new animated short,PUPPY, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, will be debuting in theaters attached toThe Emoji Moviein August 2017. In the short, the residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet!
Christmas Movie ‘The Star’ Announced
The voice cast will be led bySteven Yeun(Bo the donkey),Kelly Clarkson(Leah the horse),Aidy Bryant(Ruth the sheep),Keegan-Michael Key(Dave the dove),Kristin Chenoweth(Mouse),Anthony Anderson(Zach the goat),Gabriel Iglesias(Rufus the dog),Ving Rhames(Thaddeus the dog),Delilah Rene(Elizabeth),Kris Kristofferson(Old Donkey),Gina Rodriguez(Mary),Zachary Levi(Joseph), withOprah Winfrey(Deborah),Tyler Perry(Cyrus) andTracy Morgan(Felix) as the three camels, andChristopher Plummer(King Herod).
The Staris directed by Academy Award-nominated writer/directorTimothy Reckart; executive-produced byDeVon Franklin,Lisa HensonandBrian Henson(The Jim Henson Company); produced byJenni Magee Cook; with a story byCarlos KotkinandSimon Moore; and screenplay byCarlos Kotkin. Digital animation by Cinesite Studios.
A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told - the first Christmas.
‘Justice League Dark’ Takes Action in New Clips
First Trailer for ‘The Nut Job 2’
The Nut Job 2: Nutty by NaturestarsWill Arnett,Katherine Heigl,Maya Rudolph,Bobby Moynihan,Gabriel Iglesias,Jeff Dunham,Bobby Cannavale,Isabela Moner,Sebastian Maniscalo,Peter StormareandJackie Chan, and opens August 18th. Check out the official synopsis and poster below:
Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett) and the gang are back. We are once again in Oakton where the evil mayor has decided to bulldoze Liberty Park and build a dangerous amusement park in its place. Surly and his ragtag group of animal friends band together to save their home, defeat the mayor, and take back the park.
Mark Hamill and More Join ‘Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom’
Arcana Studios and Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company, today announced the casting ofMark Hamill,Jeffrey Combs, Oscar-winnerChristopher Plummer(Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom) andDoug Bradleyin the upcoming animated featureHoward Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom. Mark Hamill is set to voice the role of Dr. Henry Armitage, and Jeffrey Combs has been cast in the role of King Abdul. Christopher Plummer and Doug Bradley will be reprising their roles as Dr. Herbert West and Nyarlathotep.
Written, directed and produced bySean Patrick O’Reilly,Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdomis the highly-anticipated movie adaption of Arcana’s popular graphic novel of the same name, and the second installment of Howard Lovecraft animated film series. A veritable love letter to Lovecraft himself,Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdomis a fantastical animated feature that follows a young Howard and his friend ‘Spot’ on an awe-inspiring adventure from the frozen wasteland to the depths of a mysterious ocean. The movie entwines new storytelling, actual events of H.P. Lovecraft’s life, iconic elements of his writings and literary characters Cthulhu, Shoggoth and more.
A thrilling animated feature for any Lovecraft fan,Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdomis slated for a late 2017 release across major entertainment distribution platforms and in packaged media from Shout! Factory.
ARCANA STUDIOS presents a film by Sean Patrick O’Reilly.Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom, based on the bestselling graphic novel series created byBruce BrownandDwight L. MacPherson, is written, directed and produced by Sean Patrick O’Reilly; producer,Michelle O’Reilly; art director & senior modeler,Gary Yuen; senior editor,Chris Trinh; CG supervisor,Martin Bastian.
Aardman Animations' ‘Early Man’ Adds Maisie Williams
Thanks to announcements fromMaisie WilliamsandEmpire, we now have a pretty solid idea of what the cast ofEarly Man, the latest film from Aardman Animations, is going to look like.Eddie Redmaynewas previously reported as voicing the title role and now it seems that Williams will be playing the female lead opposite him as Goona, a “gallant and indomitable rebel who befriends the film’s hero Dug (Redmayne), and helps steer him through the clash of the Stone Age and Bronze Age civilizations.“Tom Hiddlestonis also set to star in theNick Park-directed film as Lord Nooth.
Early Manis “set at the dawn of time, pitching hairy cavemen against wooly mammoths and dinosaurs”, and arrives in cinemas on July 04, 2025; no U.S. release date has been announced just yet.
‘Guardian Brothers’ English Cast Revealed
THRreports that the animated Chinese filmThe Little Door Godsis getting an English dub and re-release asThe Guardian Brothers, courtesy of The Weinstein Company.Edward Norton,Bella Thorne,Jim Gaffigan,Mike BirbigliaandRandall Parkjoin the previously announced cast ofMeryl Streep,Mel Brooks, andNicole Kidman.
Writer-directorGary Wang’sThe Little Door Godstold the story of “the comedic adventures of two “door guardians” — figures from Chinese folklore who protect the entranceway of one’s home — who are out of work because contemporary Chinese people are so busy with modern consumer life that they have forgotten about the spirit world.” It grossed $12 million during its release in China last January. No U.S. release date is set just yet.
‘Your Name’ Lands a North American Release Date
From directorMakoto Shinkai, the innovative mind behindVoices of a Distant Starand5 Centimeters Per Second, comes a beautiful masterpiece about time, the thread of fate, and the hearts of two young souls.
The day the stars fell, two lives changed forever. High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places.
Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other. Yet, somehow, it works. They build a connection and communicate by leaving notes, messages, and more importantly, an imprint.
When a dazzling comet lights up the night’s sky, something shifts, and they seek each other out wanting something more—a chance to finally meet. But try as they might, something more daunting than distance prevents them. Is the string of fate between Mitsuha and Taki strong enough to bring them together, or will forces outside their control leave them forever separated?
Look forYour Namein both English dub and subtitled versions on April 7th!
