Category Archives: Animation

“Robot Dreams”, Whimsical Oscar®-Nominated Animated Feature Opens May 31 at Film Forum

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Robot-DreamsFilm Forum is set to present the US theatrical premiere of Pablo Berger’s “Robot Dreams”, a NEON release, on Friday, May 31.

A tender, affecting tale of friendship, the animated “Robot Dreams”, adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Sara Varon – is set in a 1980s NYC populated solely by pigs, birds, cats, and other animal clans. Yet Dog leads a lonely existence, eating TV dinners in his East Village walkup.

When he sees an infomercial for a robot-building kit, he seizes the chance for the perfect city buddy: Dog and Robot eat hot dogs together on 5th Avenue, roller skate in Central Park, venture to Coney Island — to the groove of their song, Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” But when Robot gets stranded at the beach, Dog is helpless to rescue him; and, as the seasons change, they both endure a separation that will change them forever.


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Explosive Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Thriller “Max Beyond” Set For Release

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max-beyondThe upcoming sci-fi thriller created using realtime animation technology Unreal Engine is set to be available on digital download in the UK from 22nd April & US from 23rd April.

Max Beyond tells the story of Max, a young boy held captive in a research facility. Using his ability to create rifts in the fabric of spacetime across parallel universes, he searches for the reality in which his brother Leon, a former-marine, manages to rescue him. With attempt after attempt ending in Leon’s death, the strain starts to take its toll on both brothers. When Max discovers his captors are using his power against him, he realizes he must stop focusing on how the story ends and rewrite the story from the beginning.

The cast includes BAFTA-award winning actor Jane Perry (Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Returnal), Dave Fennoy (The Walking Dead) and Cade Tropeano (Black Bird). Motion capture performances from Ace Ruele (Eternals) and Alex Kong (Marvel Studio’s What If?).
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LAIKA and Portland Community College Announce Landmark Partnership to Foster Diversity in Animation

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At LAIKA’s studios. From left, Multimedia Instructor Eric Fauske, PCC President Dr. Adrien Bennings, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer David Burke and Production Supervisor Jesselee Kahaloa

Portland Community College has announced a transformative partnership aimed at fostering diversity and inclusivity in the animation industry with LAIKA, the renowned film studio known for its groundbreaking and award-winning animated films “Coraline,” “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls,” “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Missing Link.” This collaboration reaffirms PCC and LAIKA’s commitment to supporting educational initiatives and promoting equity within the creative arts.
 
The cornerstone of this partnership is a $60,000 pledge from LAIKA to the PCC Foundation. Over two years, LAIKA will contribute annual gifts of $30,000 to support the newly established LAIKA Scholarship and program funds. This funding aims to create an associate degree in Animation & Motion Graphics, enhancing educational opportunities for aspiring animators in Oregon.
 
PCC President Dr. Adrien Bennings expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This collaboration aligns with PCC’s commitment to providing accessible, culturally responsive education. By working closely with LAIKA, we can ensure that our students receive the training and support they need to succeed in the animation industry.”
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The Official Teaser Trailer for Solo Leveling: Season 2 Revealed

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Solo-LevelingThey say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but that’s not the case for the world’s weakest hunter Sung Jinwoo. After being brutally slaughtered by monsters in a high-ranking dungeon, Jinwoo came back with the System, a program only he could see, that’s leveling him up in every way. Now, he’s inspired to discover the secrets behind his powers and the dungeon that spawned them.

Right after the first season’s finale, it has been confirmed Season 2 for Solo Leveling is in the works. The first season is directed by Shunsuke Nakashige at A-1 Pictures.

No release date is forthcoming, though Q4 2024 is very likely.

Solo Leveling has received acclaim from fans and from critics, currently with a perfect 100% rating on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

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Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-Winning “The Boy And The Heron” Set To Return To Theaters

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The-Boy-And-The-HeronHayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-Winning “The Boy And The Heron” is set to return to theaters beginning March 22nd.

The return is in celebration of the recent Academy Award win for Best Animated Feature for Hayao Miyazaki’s latest, GKIDS, the North American distributor for the Studio Ghibli library of films has said.

It is set to include exclusive bonus content featuring an introduction from the film’s composer Joe Hisaishi, who received a Golden Globe nod for his work on the film, and a recorded drawing session with supervising animator Takeshi Honda, who was honored at this year’s Annie Awards with a win for Best Character Animation. Bring back screenings will be in both the original Japanese language, as well as the English-language version, which features the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.

The Academy Awards win marked a second Oscar for legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, who earned four previous nominations and won his first Oscar for Spirited Away (released in 2002). He was also recognized at the 2014 Governors Awards with the Academy’s Honorary Award for his exceptional contributions to cinema. Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and THE BOY AND THE HERON are the only two hand-drawn films to win in the history of this category, which was established by the Academy in 2002.


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“Gundam Seed Freedom” Anime Film To Have East Coast Premiere

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gundam-seed-freedomJapan Society, a 116-year-old nonprofit organization with a goal of bringing the U.S. and Japan together, today announced it will host the East Coast Premiere of the record-breaking Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM. The Gundam saga, often called the “Star Wars of Japan”, is a beloved 40+ year franchise. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM is its latest entry and a sequel to 2002’s Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, one of the most popular series in the Gundam multiverse. This special event is presented together with Bandai Namco Filmworks and Anime NYC, and it will take place simultaneously with a West Coast Premiere hosted by Bandai Namco Filmworks in LA.
 
The subtitled premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM will take place on Sunday, March 31 at 4 PM and the English dubbed premiere will take place on Monday, April 1 at 7 PM. Both screenings will be held at Japan Society.
 
Japan Society is a storied institution that has presented Japanese art, culture, business and policy for over a century, including visits from U.S. Presidents, Japanese Prime Ministers, and Nobel Prize winners. It presents this new Gundam film in recognition of Gundam’s cultural significance in Japan and global place as a pillar in the U.S.-Japan relationship and our shared popular arts.
 
Mobile Suit Gundam began in 1979 in Japan with a 43-episode animated television series. Acclaimed for its revolutionary storytelling, it told a gritty, realistic story about the traumas of war in a future conflict dominated by massive human-shaped war machines called “Gundam”. This series would go on to captivate generations of audiences around the planet across over 50 sequel television series, films, comics, and video games.
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Lupita Nyong’o plays a lost android in stunning trailer for ‘The Wild Robot’

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The-Wild-RobotThe first trailer for Dreamworks Animation’s The Wild Robot has been released, featuring the epic journey of a robot—ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short. Roz is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

The Wild Robot is written and directed by Chris Sanders, who previously directed How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods and Lilo & Stitch.

It features the voice cast that includes Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Kit Connor (Heartstopper), Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), and Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible).

Based on the book by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot will premiere in theaters Sept. 20, 2024.

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Official Trailer for “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” Released

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Demon-SlayerDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- will feature “A Connected Bond: Daybreak and First Light” (Episode 11) from the Swordsmith Village Arc, featuring the conclusion of the fierce battle between Tanjiro and Upper Four demon Hantengu, as well as Nezuko’s triumph over the sun.

Seamlessly followed by Episode 1 of the highly anticipated Hashira Training Arc, featuring the start of training conducted by the Hashira in preparation for the forthcoming final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, an episode never before seen by audiences.

With a cast that includes Natsuki Hanae, Kengo Kawanishi, Akari Kitô, the animated film is directed by Haruo Sotozaki.

The film is set for release on February 23, 2024.

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“Orion And The Dark” Second Trailer Released

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Orion-And-The-DarkThe second trailer for the fantasy adventure film from DreamWorks Animation’s “Orion And The Dark” has been release.

On the film shows Follows Orion, a young boy who is afraid of heights, pets, and rendered nearly catatonic by the worst of all perils: the dark. The Dark takes Orion on a nighttime trip to prove to the youngster that the only thing to fear is fear itself.

Directed by Sean Charmatz, “Orion And The Dark” is set for release on Netflix on February 02, 2024.

The voice cast of “Orion And The Dark” includes Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, and Werner Herzog.

The film follows a boy with an active imagination, who faces his fears on an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend: a giant, smiling creature named Dark.

Here is the second trailer for “Orion And The Dark”.

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Exclusive Look Into The Future Of Marvel’s “What If…?”

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what-if-season-3The nearly 3-minute clip is from a future episode that shows a “look in to the future” of Marvel’s What If…?, and follows the series finale of Season 2.

The video clip features Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and the Red Guardian (David Harbour) on a road trip which very quickly turns into a police chase.

“What If…?” series is created by A. C. Bradley,

Here’s what the synopsis says:
Exploring pivotal moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and turning them on their head, leading the audience into uncharted territory.

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