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Bird on the Run

Oct 15th, 2025
by rodney.
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Thanks to Animation World Network we learned about The Last Dodo, a CGI adventure comedy film that’s just going into production. It comes to us from Studio 100, the same folks who brought us The Amazing Maurice animated film a couple years ago. “The feature, co-produced by Cheeky Little Media and Cantilever Media, is set in 1628 London and follows Dave the Dodo, the last of his kind. With the help of the streetwise rat Eggy, he must overcome his fear of flying to survive. The co-production is led by Patrick Egerton, Andrew Baker, and Carys Rowan. Jun Falkenstein directs from a script by Simon Dodd and Tristan Dodd.” No word yet on who’s in the cast, but it’s already set for release in 2027.  Here’s hoping that includes North America!

image c. 2025 Studio 100

What Are YOU Doing In Your Spare Time…?

Sep 25th, 2025
by rodney.
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Recently on Cartoon Brew we stumbled across an article about a new animated short film called Forevergreen — created by Disney Story vet Jeremy Spears and Disney animator Nathan Engelhardt, literally in their off hours… along with something like 200 friends volunteering their time. A CGI film, Forevergreen is specially crafted to look like one of Jeremy Spears’ passions, wood carving. “In the film, an orphaned bear cub is taken in by a fatherly tree. As the mischievous cub grows up, his attention wanders, and a hunger for trash leads to big trouble.” The article features an interview with Jeremy, lots of behind-the-scenes development art, and a special preview clip as well.

image c. 2025 CartoonBrew.com

The Secret is Out

Jun 10th, 2025
by rodney.
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The things we stumble across on the Internet — when we’re looking for something else. The Secret Kingdom is a 2023 family fantasy film from Australia, written and directed by Matt Drummond. “Hidden beneath their bedroom floor lies a land of enchantment, which must be protected from an ancient enemy — the evil Shroud. As they embark on their quest to unite five mystical treasures and save the Kingdom, Peter and Verity must face epic challenges that will test their bravery to the limit.” Doesn’t sound like much, but take a look at the trailer (and the poster!) and you’ll see what caught our interest. True, it’s clearly plotted and written for the younger set, but how often do you get anthropomorphic armadillos? It’s available on YouTube and other platforms too.

image c. 2025 Little Monster Productions

Her Avatar is a Beaver — Almost Literally

Apr 1st, 2025
by rodney.
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We’re learning more about Hoppers, the upcoming Pixar Studios feature for 2026. It’s written and directed by Daniel Chong, the creator of We Bare Bears. The official Pixar press release goes like this: “What if you could talk to animals and understand what they’re saying? In Disney and Pixar’s all-new feature film Hoppers, scientists have discovered how to ‘hop’ human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! The adventure introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.” Hoppers is set to hit theaters in March of 2026. Want to see some early footage? Check out the report from last year’s D23 Expo (and look for the Zootopia cosplay!)

image c. 2025 Pixar Studios

Another Brick at the Mall

Mar 26th, 2025
by rodney.
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If you’re not big on collecting exclusive toys, you might not be familiar with the Be@rbrick series of collectible anthro-bear figurines, created by the MediCom Toy Company of Japan. Well now, they’ve stepped things up even further by teaming with Dreamworks Animation to bring us the new Be@rbrick CGI series, which premiered on Apple TV+ this month. According to Animation World Network, “Be@rbrick follows Jasmine Finch and her bandmates as they pursue their dreams and inspire others to do the same. But it won’t be easy to do when living in a world where everyone’s role is chosen for them and where the painted-on look you receive when you graduate from high school determines who you’ll be for the rest of your life. Jasmine realizes that in order for her world to change, she and her friends will have to make it happen themselves.” More interesting stuff: “Meghan McCarthy (My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Centaurworld) serves as developer, showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Alex Almaguer (TrollsTopia) is the supervising producer, with Taylor Orci (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts) serving as story editor, and Athena Hofmann (Amateur) serving as line producer. Timbaland serves as executive music producer.” That’s a serious line-up of experienced talent for a new show. Check out the article over at Billboard, which includes an interview with Ms. McCarthy and an exclusive trailer.

image c. 2025 Dreamworks Animation

Little Girl, Big World, Lots of Animals

Mar 18th, 2025
by rodney.
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We’ve been missing out on the TV series Jane over on Apple TV+, but now thanks to Animation World Network we’ve found out Season 3 is coming soon — April 18th. “The mission-driven series for kids and families is inspired by the work of ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Ava Louise Murchison (Reacher) stars as Jane Garcia, a nine-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David, played by Mason Blomberg (Shameless), and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world.” Take a look at the trailer over on YouTube also.

image c. 2025 Apple TV+

Changing The Guard

Feb 23rd, 2025
by rodney.
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Quite a while ago we learned about the Wereworld series of young adult dark fantasy novels by Curtis Jobling. Well, now Netflix has just dropped a trailer for Wolf King, the brand new animated series based on those very same books. “In a land once subjugated by werelords, sixteen-year-old Drew Ferran realizes he is the last member in a long ancestral line of werewolves. Drew must confront and overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Lionlords and take back the throne as the statutory wolf king.” The series is set to premier on March 20th.

image c. 2025 Netflix

The Annie Awards for 2024 are Totally Wild

Feb 16th, 2025
by rodney.
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This year the Annie Awards (the annual “Oscars for animation”, presented by ASIFA-Hollywood) were utterly dominated by two works: Arcane from Netflix in TV/streaming, and Dreamworks’ The Wild Robot in Feature Films. Both of them won the award for 2024 in each and every category they were nominated for. Obviously the more “furry” of the two, Wild Robot won for Best Character Animation, Best Character Design, Best Production Design, Best Voice Acting (Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the robot), Best FX Animation, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Direction (for Chris Sanders), and Best Feature Film. Meanwhile, Gintz Zilbalodis’ blender-animated film Flow took home Annie Awards for Best Writing (Feature) and Best Independent Feature. (More than one person commented that it’s interesting the film that won Best Writing has not one word of spoken dialogue in the entire movie…) Now the big question is whether the Oscars will follow the Annies and award The Wild Robot, or follow the Golden Globes and award Flow. In other news of interest to furry fans, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur won Best TV for Children, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes won Best Character Animation in a Live Action Feature. Among the Special Awards categories, ASIFA gave the Windsor McCay Award (a lifetime achievement honor) to Aaron Blaise, one-half of the directing team of Disney’s Brother Bear (among many other films that he’s worked on). You can see the complete list of Annie Awards for 2024 over at Animation Magazine. (And don’t forget: Nominations are open now through the end of this month  for the 2024 Ursa Major Awards too!)

image c. 2025 Dreamworks Animation

The Annie Award Nominations for 2024

Jan 10th, 2025
by rodney.
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ASIFA-Hollywood (one of the biggest chapters of the International Animated Film Society) recently announced this years nominees for the best in animated movies, TV series, short films and more, all from the year 2024. Surprising no one probably, Dreamworks’ The Wild Robot lead the pack with 10 nominations — including of course Best Animated Feature, where it joins Inside/Out 2, Kung Fu Panda 4, That Christmas, Ultraman: Rising, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. (Conspicuous in its absence, perhaps: Disney’s Moana 2.) Inside/Out 2 and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl follow behind with seven nominations each. Wild Robot is also up for Best Effects Animation, Best Character Animation, Best Character Design, Best Direction (Chris Sanders), Best Music, Best Production Design, two for Best Voice Acting (Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the robot and Kit Connor as Brightbill the goose), and Best Editing. The feline film Flow (from Latvia) is up for Best Independent Feature Film, as well as for Best Writing and Best Direction. (Interesting side note: Flow just recently won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature!) All this, and we haven’t even talked about video games or TV shows! Animation World Network has a write-up of the nominees, or visit the official Annie Awards site to find out more. The Annie Awards will be handed out at a gala event at UCLA’s Royce Hall on Saturday, February 8th. (And don’t forget: Very soon it’s time to start sending in your nominations for the 2024 Ursa Major Awards!)

image c. 2025 Dreamworks Animation

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