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Dragons

Jackie Paper Was A Nincompoop

Just look at what he gave up… Word has come down thanks to Animation World Network (and other sources) that Fox Studio has given the green light to a new live action / CGI hybrid production of Puff The Magic Dragon. Based on the 1962 song made famous by Peter, Paul, and Mary, “It tells the story of the ageless dragon named Puff who lives by the sea in the fictional land of Honalee. His playmate, a little boy named Jackie Paper, grows up and loses interest in the adventures of childhood and eventually leaves his imaginary dragon behind.” The new film project is set to be directed by Mike Mitchell, who recently directed the hit musical fantasy film Trolls for Dreamworks.

image c. 2016 Cherry Lane Music

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Out of Boneville… and Onto the Movie Screen

Thanks to Animation News Network we found out about an article over at the Hollywood Reporter. It seems that Mark Osborne (director of Kung Fu Panda and the recent film The Little Prince) has been tapped to finally adapt Jeff Smith’s award-winning comic Bone for the cinema — not just as one animated movie, but an entire trilogy to be produced by Warner Brothers. “The comic told of three Bone cousins — Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, all small, bald and human-like creatures with big noses — who are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert after being run out of Boneville. One by one they find their way into a deep forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures. The comics were published from 1991 to 2004 and then rediscovered by a new and more mainstream generation when Scholastic began releasing them in graphic novel form.” Adam Kline is writing the script for the first film, along with Mr. Osborne, and Animal Logic (Happy Feet) are involved as well, so expect some top-notch CGI. We’ll let you know when we find out a release date.

image c. 2016 by Jeff Smith

image c. 2016 by Jeff Smith

Taking a TRIP Down Memory Lane

A lot of animation fans who weren’t around in the late 1960’s (or who weren’t watching cartoons regularly yet!) may not remember the very, very strange Depatie-Freleng series called Here Comes The Grump. Well now according to Cartoon Brew there’s going to be a new CGI version of the series and a CGI movie to kick things off — thanks to Mexico’s Anima Estudios, which previously brought us the CGI Top Cat movies a couple of years ago.  As for Here Comes The Grump, “The film tells the story of teenage boy Terry who has been transported to a magical land where he and some new friends must defeat a mean-spirited wizard called The Grump.” There’s some well-known talent behind the film: “Here Comes the Grump is based on a script from Jim Hecht (Ice Age: The Meltdown) and designs by Craig Kellman (Madagascar, Sausage Party, Samurai Jack, Hotel Transylvania). It is being directed by Andres Couturier, who also helmed Anima’s 2015 feature Top Cat Begins.” No word yet on any distribution planned for North America. Besides the grumpy wizard’s rather klutzy dragon, the Grump’s world features many fantastic creatures — and some that likely will only make sense if you’ve been chemically enhanced. Maybe.

image c. 2016 Anima Estudios

image c. 2016 Anima Estudios

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Let the Training Begin!

Skylanders Academy is a new CGI animated series set to premier this month on Netflix. According to the Skylanders Wiki (yes there is one), the series is being produced by Activision Blizzard Studios under the guidance of Eric Rogers (writer on Futurama). Spyro the dragon, Eruptor, and Stealth Elf study to use their diverse powers to protect their world from the evil forces of Kaos and the Doom Raiders. Look for it October 28th, and check out the trailer on YouTube.

image c. 2016 Activision Blizzard

image c. 2016 Activision Blizzard

Part Boy, Part Dragon, Part Chuck Jones, Part Pixar

Humanoids is a well-known publisher of hardcover graphic novels in Europe. Now they have brought Brussli: Way of the Dragon Boy to North America. “Beak-faced Brussli is bullied by the village children. Curious about his true origins, the dauntless ‘Dragon Boy’ sets off on a quest of adventure and discovery. What he finds, however, turns his world upside down and puts him face-to-face with a unique cast of fantastical fairies, talking rabbits, wily wolves, battle-hardened nuns, demonic beings, and much much more, in this hysterical and heartwarming comedy adventure. ” It’s written by Jean-Louis Fonteneau and illustrated in full color by J. Etienne. Over at Doom Rocket they have a much more detailed preview to look at.

image c. 2016 Humanoids

image c. 2016 Humanoids

Dragon Across Dimensions

Also new from Action Lab: The Adventures of Miru, a new full-color comic book series written by Rick Laprade and illustrated by J. McClary. “Miru the dragon crashes on Gaia—a realm where dragons no longer exist—and swiftly becomes the most wanted creature around. Without a memory, a past, or an inkling why he’s here, he and his new allies begin a journey that holds the key to the survival of all realities.” Check out the preview over at Flickering Myth.

image c. 2016 Action Lab

image c. 2016 Action Lab

Walt’s Dragon(s)

Disney animator Tom Bancroft (The Lion King, Brother Bear) has helped to bring out a new book that fans of fire-breathing winged reptiles should definitely notice: It’s called The Art of Disney’s Dragons. “Imagine if one sketchbook had been passed down through the decades from one Disney artist to the next, with each one making a contribution before leaving it in the talented hands of another. That idea was the inspiration for The Art of Disney’s Dragons. The drawings contained within this volume represent the entire range of dragon-themed development art from animators, live-action studio artists, and Imagineers. Inside find playful pencil studies of Mushu; color concepts on Figment (who was green before he became purple!); bold pencil layouts on Maleficent, and the latest character explorations of Elliot from the new Spring/Summer 2016 live-action film Pete’s Dragon. Tom Bancroft, often recognized in Disney circles as being lead animator on Mushu the dragon in Mulan, writes the book’s introductory essay.” It’s available now in hardcover from Disney Editions, and there’s a sneak peak over at Stitch Kingdom.

image c. 2016 D23.com

image c. 2016 D23.com

Update on: Nelbert

A little while ago we made mention of Nelbert the Introvert, the first children’s book written and illustrated by Disney Animation lead character designer Shiyoon Kim (Zootopia, Big Hero 6). A recent article on Cartoon Brew said that the book is now available at Mr. Kim’s web site. In fact Mr. Kim actually went so far as to direct an animated ” teaser trailer” for the book. Inspired by the likes of Disney animator/illustrator Bill Peet, Nelbert tells the story of a shy dragon who likes to play chess. Mr. Kim created a set of custom “brushes” in Photoshop to use in the creation of his book. They’re also available for sale on his web site.

image c. 2016 by Shiyoon Kim

image c. 2016 by Shiyoon Kim

Cats, Dragons… and now Mice!

Alan F. Beck is an artist who created a series called The Mousopolitan Museum of Art — “classical portraits by the mice masters”. In other words, world-famous works of art re-imagined as anthropomorphic mice. He has also written a children’s book (available through Create Space) called The Adventures of Nogard and Jackpot, which details what happens when a young kitten hears a noise within the closet and discovers a baby dragon. Both of these (and many other items) are on display at the artist’s web site.

image c. 2016 b y Alan F. Beck

image c. 2016 b y Alan F. Beck

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