Ever since Diego Luna initially showcased his talent as Cassian Andor in the Star Wars lore in the mid-2010s, fans have been nothing short of perplexed by his star-studded performances. Then came his titular solo show for his character by showrunner Tony Gilroy, and fans just knew for sure that they had found the most immaculate actor to join and lead the live-action Sw saga.
Diego Luna. | Credit: Dick Thomas Johnson/Wikimedia Commons.
But while that was that, Luna is once again winning hearts through his personal take on his character that he connects with showrunner Gilroy about, and how he should be portrayed on the screens. And, unarguably enough, his remarks on the same make him everything one needs to become the ultimate perfect heir to George Lucas’ legacy.
Diego Luna Shares His Visionary Thoughts on Star Wars Characters
While Diego Luna as an actor gives off some true pieces of excellence,...
Diego Luna. | Credit: Dick Thomas Johnson/Wikimedia Commons.
But while that was that, Luna is once again winning hearts through his personal take on his character that he connects with showrunner Gilroy about, and how he should be portrayed on the screens. And, unarguably enough, his remarks on the same make him everything one needs to become the ultimate perfect heir to George Lucas’ legacy.
Diego Luna Shares His Visionary Thoughts on Star Wars Characters
While Diego Luna as an actor gives off some true pieces of excellence,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
Exclusive: Australia’s Odin’s Eye Animation (Oea) has boarded sales on caveman comedy Rock Bottom, starring the voices of top comedy actors Rob Schneider and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.
The movie is the latest production from Mexican animation powerhouse Huevocartoon Studios, for which Oea previously sold Little Eggs: An African Rescue and Little Eggs: A Frozen Rescue.
Schneider has voiced a raft of animated features and series across his career, including most recently Adam Sandler’s Leo. Gabriel Iglesias’s many animation voice credits include The Nut Job and The Book Of Life.
Rock Bottom is a co-production with Dario Sanchez’s 3DoublesProductions, the Spanish studio based in Tenerife known for its work on 100% Wolf, Inspector Sun and upcoming movie SuperKlaus.
Oea has acquired world-wide rights to the picture excluding Latin America which will be handled by Videocine; Televisa/Univision) and Spain (3 Doubles Productions).
As per the synopsis, Rock Bottom follows the story of Gungo,...
The movie is the latest production from Mexican animation powerhouse Huevocartoon Studios, for which Oea previously sold Little Eggs: An African Rescue and Little Eggs: A Frozen Rescue.
Schneider has voiced a raft of animated features and series across his career, including most recently Adam Sandler’s Leo. Gabriel Iglesias’s many animation voice credits include The Nut Job and The Book Of Life.
Rock Bottom is a co-production with Dario Sanchez’s 3DoublesProductions, the Spanish studio based in Tenerife known for its work on 100% Wolf, Inspector Sun and upcoming movie SuperKlaus.
Oea has acquired world-wide rights to the picture excluding Latin America which will be handled by Videocine; Televisa/Univision) and Spain (3 Doubles Productions).
As per the synopsis, Rock Bottom follows the story of Gungo,...
- 2/17/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Before Netflix started decimating its production teams, and canceling every show, it was once the land of second opportunities. The streaming platform not only produced great shows, but also offered a place where underappreciated and underseen titles could finally find an audience. In the case of TV shows, some even got a chance to finish their stories. "Breaking Bad" became a global hit thanks to people being able to binge on Netflix, and "Arrested Development" was brought back to life almost a decade after being canceled, as were "Lucifer" and "Manifest."
Sadly, the streamer doesn't seem to be in the business of reviving titles anymore, and Netflix originals often get scant promotion and slip under the radar. And yet, the platform does still provide a platform for underappreciated titles to find a larger audience even years after their initial release. Case in point: the sudden resurgence in popularity of "The Book of Life,...
Sadly, the streamer doesn't seem to be in the business of reviving titles anymore, and Netflix originals often get scant promotion and slip under the radar. And yet, the platform does still provide a platform for underappreciated titles to find a larger audience even years after their initial release. Case in point: the sudden resurgence in popularity of "The Book of Life,...
- 12/31/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
No one is safe from a zombie apocalypse, not even animals at a zoo in the upcoming animated family feature Night of the Zoopocalypse. Deadline reports an impressive voice cast attached to the ambitious production, which includes genre stalwart David Harbour.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (“The Mandalorian”), Scott Thompson (“The Kids In The Hall”), and Gabbi Kosmidis (“Unicorn Academy”) are also among the voice cast.
The film’s synopsis: “One night, a meteor crashes into Colepepper Zoo unleashing a virus that transforms the animals into strange and hilarious slobbering zombie mutants. Gracie, a young quirky wolf, teams up with a gruff and fearsome mountain lion to find a way back to her pack. As the zoo is overrun, they must come up with a plan to get all the animals back to normal. Together with the help of a motley crew of survivors – Xavier the movie-obsessed lemur, Frida the fiery capybara,...
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (“The Mandalorian”), Scott Thompson (“The Kids In The Hall”), and Gabbi Kosmidis (“Unicorn Academy”) are also among the voice cast.
The film’s synopsis: “One night, a meteor crashes into Colepepper Zoo unleashing a virus that transforms the animals into strange and hilarious slobbering zombie mutants. Gracie, a young quirky wolf, teams up with a gruff and fearsome mountain lion to find a way back to her pack. As the zoo is overrun, they must come up with a plan to get all the animals back to normal. Together with the help of a motley crew of survivors – Xavier the movie-obsessed lemur, Frida the fiery capybara,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Book of Life director Jorge R. Gutierrez gave a discouraging update about a potential sequel to the 2014 animated movie starring Diego Luna.
The Book of Life explores the story of two childhood friends named Manolo and Joaquin as they try to win the love of Maria. Unbeknownst to them, La Muerte and Xibalba, who are both rules of the underworld, made a wager on the outcome of the love triangle.
The movie garnered mostly positive reviews, with it receiving a critic score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. It also managed to earn a worldwide box office haul of $99.7 million on a $50 million budget, leading some to wonder if The Book of Life 2 could eventually happen.
Read full article on The Direct.
The Book of Life explores the story of two childhood friends named Manolo and Joaquin as they try to win the love of Maria. Unbeknownst to them, La Muerte and Xibalba, who are both rules of the underworld, made a wager on the outcome of the love triangle.
The movie garnered mostly positive reviews, with it receiving a critic score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. It also managed to earn a worldwide box office haul of $99.7 million on a $50 million budget, leading some to wonder if The Book of Life 2 could eventually happen.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 9/18/2023
- by Aeron Mer Eclarinal
- The Direct
Spanish mini-major Filmax has picked up international sales rights to “Teresa,” the new feature by Paula Ortiz, a fictional story turning on the prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer Saint Teresa of Jesus.
“Teresa” marks the big screen adaptation of Spaniard playwright Juan Mayorga’s stage play ”La lengua en pedazos,” which narrates a meeting between Saint Teresa of Jesus – also known as Teresa de Ávila – and a character called The Inquisitor.
The feature is not a classic biopic, but rather a free adaptation of the text written by Mayorga – a winner of Spain’s National Prize for Dramatic Literature – which in turn, is based on “The Book of Life,” by Saint Teresa herself.
In the movie, Teresa patiently awaits the Inquisitor’s arrival and judgement. His visit and his words will determine her future. They will hold a religious and dialectical duel, where the question will be if she is set free,...
“Teresa” marks the big screen adaptation of Spaniard playwright Juan Mayorga’s stage play ”La lengua en pedazos,” which narrates a meeting between Saint Teresa of Jesus – also known as Teresa de Ávila – and a character called The Inquisitor.
The feature is not a classic biopic, but rather a free adaptation of the text written by Mayorga – a winner of Spain’s National Prize for Dramatic Literature – which in turn, is based on “The Book of Life,” by Saint Teresa herself.
In the movie, Teresa patiently awaits the Inquisitor’s arrival and judgement. His visit and his words will determine her future. They will hold a religious and dialectical duel, where the question will be if she is set free,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Few American filmmakers of the last 40 years await a major rediscovery like Hal Hartley, whose traces in modern movies are either too-minor or entirely unknown. Thus it’s cause for celebration that the Criterion Channel are soon launching a major retrospective: 13 features (which constitutes all but My America) and 17 shorts, a sui generis style and persistent vision running across 30 years. Expect your Halloween party to be aswim in Henry Fool costumes.
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
For director Anthony Stacchi (“The Box Trolls”), re-energizing the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” for Netflix’s animated feature “The Monkey King” meant turning the titular character into something very modern: an antihero. This was supported by executive producer Stephen Chow (“Kung Fu Hustle”), who previously directed a live-action version of “Journey to the West.”
“Stephen Chow has made a career of making heroes out of really unlikeable jerks,” Stacchi told IndieWire. “And you stick with ’em on their journey ’cause you know why they are the way they are, and you’re hoping for them to redeem themselves. So we did that here. He is a selfish, arrogant jerk from the beginning, and that way through the end. But you understand why he’s fighting for acceptance, you know where his anti-authoritarian attitude comes from.”
They also emphasized a goofy tone throughout the journey, in which Monkey King...
“Stephen Chow has made a career of making heroes out of really unlikeable jerks,” Stacchi told IndieWire. “And you stick with ’em on their journey ’cause you know why they are the way they are, and you’re hoping for them to redeem themselves. So we did that here. He is a selfish, arrogant jerk from the beginning, and that way through the end. But you understand why he’s fighting for acceptance, you know where his anti-authoritarian attitude comes from.”
They also emphasized a goofy tone throughout the journey, in which Monkey King...
- 8/18/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Guillermo del Toro was given a rock star welcome at the Annecy International Animation Festival on Tuesday as he took to the stage to discuss his life long obsession with animation.
The Oscar-winning The Shape Of Water filmmaker and producer is at the French lakeside festival this year as one of the figureheads of special a focus on Mexican animation, alongside The Book Of Life director Jorge R. Gutierrez, producer Sofia Alexander (Onyx Equinox) and Guadalajara Festival head Estrella Araiza
Having recounted his early beginnings in the genre using his father’s Super 8, del Toro said he always thought he would work mainly in animation but instead got caught in live action for close to a decade, on TV show Hora Marcada and the film Cronos and breakthrough classics such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth.
“Life had other plans and I didn’t come back to animation...
The Oscar-winning The Shape Of Water filmmaker and producer is at the French lakeside festival this year as one of the figureheads of special a focus on Mexican animation, alongside The Book Of Life director Jorge R. Gutierrez, producer Sofia Alexander (Onyx Equinox) and Guadalajara Festival head Estrella Araiza
Having recounted his early beginnings in the genre using his father’s Super 8, del Toro said he always thought he would work mainly in animation but instead got caught in live action for close to a decade, on TV show Hora Marcada and the film Cronos and breakthrough classics such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth.
“Life had other plans and I didn’t come back to animation...
- 6/13/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
For his next project for Netflix, Jorge R. Gutiérrez is heading back to the world of Maya and the Three.
The Emmy and Annie-award-winning Mexican animation film director said he is in development on a new limited series that will be set in the same mythological Mesoamerican universe as his 2021 hit Netflix series Maya and the Three and that of his 2014 animated feature The Book of Life.
The project will be Gutiérrez’s third under the overall deal he and his production company Mexopolis signed with Netflix in 2020. Maya and the Three, a feminist spin on Mesoamerican mythology about a female warrior princess who embarks on a journey to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from vengeful gods, dropped in the summer of 2021 and was a global smash for the streamer. Gutiérrez is also in development for Netflix on his first-ever adult animation series: I, Chihuahua!, which the...
The Emmy and Annie-award-winning Mexican animation film director said he is in development on a new limited series that will be set in the same mythological Mesoamerican universe as his 2021 hit Netflix series Maya and the Three and that of his 2014 animated feature The Book of Life.
The project will be Gutiérrez’s third under the overall deal he and his production company Mexopolis signed with Netflix in 2020. Maya and the Three, a feminist spin on Mesoamerican mythology about a female warrior princess who embarks on a journey to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from vengeful gods, dropped in the summer of 2021 and was a global smash for the streamer. Gutiérrez is also in development for Netflix on his first-ever adult animation series: I, Chihuahua!, which the...
- 6/13/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival looks to break records with a wider international reach and greater studio participation than ever before. Already set to overtake last year’s attendance, the French lakeside fest, runs June 11-17 and had run up 13,300 guests by late May — among them a U.S. delegation more than 700 strong.
“[This year marks] the most important U.S. presence ever at Annecy,” says artistic director Marcel Jean. “We’re taking in historical players such as Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar who will still come, as well as global platforms such as Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery. And [we’re welcoming] a number of big titles.”
Disney, celebrating its 100th anniversary over the course of the year, plans a special screening of “Fantasia 2000” before offering Annecy’s famously boisterous and youthful crowd a first look at the upcoming animated musical “Wish.” Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery will present behind-the- scenes peeks...
“[This year marks] the most important U.S. presence ever at Annecy,” says artistic director Marcel Jean. “We’re taking in historical players such as Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar who will still come, as well as global platforms such as Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery. And [we’re welcoming] a number of big titles.”
Disney, celebrating its 100th anniversary over the course of the year, plans a special screening of “Fantasia 2000” before offering Annecy’s famously boisterous and youthful crowd a first look at the upcoming animated musical “Wish.” Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery will present behind-the- scenes peeks...
- 6/9/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in Disney’s animated feature of the same name, is set to narrate a new documentary titled “Pencils Vs Pixels.”
Co-directed by Bay Dariz (“Hypochondriac”) and Phil Earnest, “Pencils Vs Pixels” is a celebration of 2D hand-drawn animation.
The documentary, which will have its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week, will explore the Disney-led 2D animation boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s which was soon eclipsed by the dawn of computer animation. But, as the film shows, a resurgence of 2D animation suggests there is still hope for the medium.
The documentary features interviews with the great and good of the animation world including Pete Docter, John Musker (“The Little Mermaid”), Tony Bancroft (“Mulan”), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (“The Book of Life”), Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”), Glen Keane (“Beauty and the Beast”), Tina Price (“Hercules”), Lorna Cook (“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron...
Co-directed by Bay Dariz (“Hypochondriac”) and Phil Earnest, “Pencils Vs Pixels” is a celebration of 2D hand-drawn animation.
The documentary, which will have its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week, will explore the Disney-led 2D animation boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s which was soon eclipsed by the dawn of computer animation. But, as the film shows, a resurgence of 2D animation suggests there is still hope for the medium.
The documentary features interviews with the great and good of the animation world including Pete Docter, John Musker (“The Little Mermaid”), Tony Bancroft (“Mulan”), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (“The Book of Life”), Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”), Glen Keane (“Beauty and the Beast”), Tina Price (“Hercules”), Lorna Cook (“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron...
- 6/9/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
“Ahahayy!! Viva Mexico, cabrones!” With that battle cry, Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro announced Mexico as the Country of Honor at this year’s Annecy, France’s preeminent animation film festival.
According to organizer Pixelatl, an association dedicated to the creation and promotion of Mexico’s multimedia content, more than 250 Mexican animators and producers will descend on Annecy with nine programs scheduled.
“The Book of Life” director Jorge R. Gutiérrez, whose Netflix series “Maya and the Three” won four Emmys and an Annie, created the poster and title cards of the festival and will also be hosting a Master Class and screening of “The Book of Life.”
Del Toro’s best animated feature Oscar for his “Pinocchio” this year could not be more fortuitous and timelier for the festival, Gutiérrez observes. Aside from a special screening of “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” the maestro will also be presiding over a master class.
According to organizer Pixelatl, an association dedicated to the creation and promotion of Mexico’s multimedia content, more than 250 Mexican animators and producers will descend on Annecy with nine programs scheduled.
“The Book of Life” director Jorge R. Gutiérrez, whose Netflix series “Maya and the Three” won four Emmys and an Annie, created the poster and title cards of the festival and will also be hosting a Master Class and screening of “The Book of Life.”
Del Toro’s best animated feature Oscar for his “Pinocchio” this year could not be more fortuitous and timelier for the festival, Gutiérrez observes. Aside from a special screening of “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” the maestro will also be presiding over a master class.
- 6/9/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
The Annecy Festival’s tribute to Mexico as its 2023 guest county of honor brings over 250 artists and executives to the world’s biggest animation event. Here are 10 Talents to Track emerging directors and artists among an exploding animation scene. Variety could easily have chosen another 20 more.
Sofia Alexander
Celebrated as the executive producer and creator of Crunchyroll’s first original series “Onyx Equinox,” the tale of a young Meso-American slave who becomes the last hope of saving humanity from invading gods of the underworld. On TV “I never saw Meso-American Indigenous Mexico without Spanish influence, and I wanted to connect with my roots,” says Alexander. The series is anime influenced, not just in its aesthetics – the painterly fields of Meso-America and the frenzied gory combat – but also in its being serialization, pacing and broad audience target, including adults, she argues. A freelancer for Cartoon Network, Hasbro and Nickelodeon, but “Onyx Equinox” is her major achievement.
Sofia Alexander
Celebrated as the executive producer and creator of Crunchyroll’s first original series “Onyx Equinox,” the tale of a young Meso-American slave who becomes the last hope of saving humanity from invading gods of the underworld. On TV “I never saw Meso-American Indigenous Mexico without Spanish influence, and I wanted to connect with my roots,” says Alexander. The series is anime influenced, not just in its aesthetics – the painterly fields of Meso-America and the frenzied gory combat – but also in its being serialization, pacing and broad audience target, including adults, she argues. A freelancer for Cartoon Network, Hasbro and Nickelodeon, but “Onyx Equinox” is her major achievement.
- 6/9/2023
- by John Hopewell, Holly Jones and Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Bridesmaids co-writer Annie Mumolo has signed on to co-create animated kids series Lulu and the Help You Crew.
She is working up the 3D CGI-animated show with comedian Ariane Price, a senior member of The Groundlings improv comedy sketch theater. Both had small roles in Bridesmaids, the 2011 comedy feature Mumolo co-wrote with Kristen Wiig.
They’re working closely with UK-based kids company Cake, which is leading development and production, and North American full-service studio Reel FX Animation. Cake will sell the show internationally.
The series, running to 52 11-minute eps, will target 3-5 year-olds. According to producers, it follows Lulu, an “extraordinary eight-year-old girl who lives in the multicultural melting pot of Vista Feliz with her Argentinian grandmother Abuelita and an eccentric, hilarious and perfectly imperfect crew of rescued pets: a cat, chameleon, turtle and puppy, all of whom she gave a second chance, a home and a different kind of family.
She is working up the 3D CGI-animated show with comedian Ariane Price, a senior member of The Groundlings improv comedy sketch theater. Both had small roles in Bridesmaids, the 2011 comedy feature Mumolo co-wrote with Kristen Wiig.
They’re working closely with UK-based kids company Cake, which is leading development and production, and North American full-service studio Reel FX Animation. Cake will sell the show internationally.
The series, running to 52 11-minute eps, will target 3-5 year-olds. According to producers, it follows Lulu, an “extraordinary eight-year-old girl who lives in the multicultural melting pot of Vista Feliz with her Argentinian grandmother Abuelita and an eccentric, hilarious and perfectly imperfect crew of rescued pets: a cat, chameleon, turtle and puppy, all of whom she gave a second chance, a home and a different kind of family.
- 5/24/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
A new adult animated series starring Mexican actor and comedian Eugenio Derbez is in the works at Spanish-language streamer ViX.
The Book of Life and The Secret Life of Pets voice star will lead Circo Gómez, an irreverent comedy that follows a dysfunctional family running a shoddy traveling circus. The series is produced by Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, which he co-founded with Ben Odell, and is currently in development as part of a first-look deal between the studio and TelevisaUnivision.
Arturo Navarro and Teco Lebrija’s F3 Media will serve as the series’ animation studio, with Navarro and Lebrija also writing on the series. After launching their animation studio, the duo created the Familia del Barrio YouTube channel, which led to a 94-episode series produced for MTV and Comedy Central.
“I love exploring family dynamics, whether it’s Familia P. Luche or De Viaje con los Derbez because all families...
The Book of Life and The Secret Life of Pets voice star will lead Circo Gómez, an irreverent comedy that follows a dysfunctional family running a shoddy traveling circus. The series is produced by Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, which he co-founded with Ben Odell, and is currently in development as part of a first-look deal between the studio and TelevisaUnivision.
Arturo Navarro and Teco Lebrija’s F3 Media will serve as the series’ animation studio, with Navarro and Lebrija also writing on the series. After launching their animation studio, the duo created the Familia del Barrio YouTube channel, which led to a 94-episode series produced for MTV and Comedy Central.
“I love exploring family dynamics, whether it’s Familia P. Luche or De Viaje con los Derbez because all families...
- 5/16/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cinematographer Mandy Walker has made history as the first female recipient of the Australian Cinematographers Society (Acs) Milli Award.
Prior to receiving the ceremony’s highest award, Walker became the first woman in 102 years to win the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers’ Best Feature Film Award, and was nominated for both a BAFTA and Academy Award for her work on “Elvis.”
“I’m incredibly proud and honored to be the first woman to win this award,” said Walker. “Here’s to all the other glass ceiling breakers who will come after this.”
Randall Park’s Directorial Debut ‘Shortcomings’ Coming to Theaters This Summer
Sony Pictures Classics announced Randall Park’s directorial debut “Shortcomings” is set to premiere in theaters on August 4.
Ahead of its theatrical release, “Shortcomings” made its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance film festival in January and will make its New York premiere at the Tribeca film festival in June.
Prior to receiving the ceremony’s highest award, Walker became the first woman in 102 years to win the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers’ Best Feature Film Award, and was nominated for both a BAFTA and Academy Award for her work on “Elvis.”
“I’m incredibly proud and honored to be the first woman to win this award,” said Walker. “Here’s to all the other glass ceiling breakers who will come after this.”
Randall Park’s Directorial Debut ‘Shortcomings’ Coming to Theaters This Summer
Sony Pictures Classics announced Randall Park’s directorial debut “Shortcomings” is set to premiere in theaters on August 4.
Ahead of its theatrical release, “Shortcomings” made its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance film festival in January and will make its New York premiere at the Tribeca film festival in June.
- 5/6/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, McKinley Franklin, Charna Flam and Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Celebrating six decades as the animation industry’s premier international showcase and cementing a growing position as Hollywood’s preferred French getaway, the Annecy Intl. Animation Festival revealed its 2023 program in Paris on Thursday, unveiling a formidable selection of world premieres and industry debuts.
If only for the breadth of this year’s official selection, Annecy looks set to for its most fulsome and abundant edition.
Among the 11 titles competing for this year’s Cristal – Annecy’s top prize – Jérémie Périn’s sci-fi drama “Mars Express” and Jim Capobianco & Pierre-Luc Granjon stop-motion Leonardo da Vinci epic “The Inventor” will make their world premieres. Other eagerly anticipated titles include “Chicken for Linda!” from Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach, “Four Souls of Coyote” from by Áron Gauder, and “The Inseparables” by Jérémie Degruson.
Titles like Liu Jian’s “Art College 1994” and Sepideh Farsi’s “The Siren” will arrive in the idyllic French...
If only for the breadth of this year’s official selection, Annecy looks set to for its most fulsome and abundant edition.
Among the 11 titles competing for this year’s Cristal – Annecy’s top prize – Jérémie Périn’s sci-fi drama “Mars Express” and Jim Capobianco & Pierre-Luc Granjon stop-motion Leonardo da Vinci epic “The Inventor” will make their world premieres. Other eagerly anticipated titles include “Chicken for Linda!” from Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach, “Four Souls of Coyote” from by Áron Gauder, and “The Inseparables” by Jérémie Degruson.
Titles like Liu Jian’s “Art College 1994” and Sepideh Farsi’s “The Siren” will arrive in the idyllic French...
- 4/27/2023
- by Ben Croll and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Diego Luna Is Grateful ‘Andor’ Will End After Season 2: It’s ‘Really Important for My Mental Health’
When your day job is spent plotting a rebellion in a galaxy far, far away, it helps to have something that can bring you back down to Earth — or whatever planet you call home.
When he’s not the Empire’s most wanted on Disney+’s “Andor,” Diego Luna grounds himself by returning to the theater. He grew up going with his father, and it has been the constant of his career.
“In a way, it has kept me sane,” says the actor after a long day on the London set of “Andor” Season 2. “Theater is a great way to go back and put your feet on the ground and remind you what this is all about.”
In between production on seasons 1 and 2, he spent two months on a Madrid stage leading “Cada vez nos despedimos major,” a monologue that only featured himself, a musician and three lamps. It was...
When he’s not the Empire’s most wanted on Disney+’s “Andor,” Diego Luna grounds himself by returning to the theater. He grew up going with his father, and it has been the constant of his career.
“In a way, it has kept me sane,” says the actor after a long day on the London set of “Andor” Season 2. “Theater is a great way to go back and put your feet on the ground and remind you what this is all about.”
In between production on seasons 1 and 2, he spent two months on a Madrid stage leading “Cada vez nos despedimos major,” a monologue that only featured himself, a musician and three lamps. It was...
- 3/4/2023
- by Hunter Ingram
- Variety Film + TV
The Art Directors Guild will present Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with the William Cameron Menzies Award, to honor his visually striking and emotionally rich body of work. Del Toro will receive the award at the 27th Adg’s Excellence in Production Design Awards on Saturday, February 18 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.
Del Toro first gained recognition for writing and directing Cronos, which premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Mercedes Benz Award, and went on to earn more than 20 international awards. Del Toro’s most noted films include Pan’s Labyrinth, which garnered Academy Awards for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Makeup and The Shape of Water, which won the Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Lion as well as Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Production Design and Best Score. His latest project, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, continues his lifelong love of animation and stop-motion filmmaking.
Del Toro first gained recognition for writing and directing Cronos, which premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Mercedes Benz Award, and went on to earn more than 20 international awards. Del Toro’s most noted films include Pan’s Labyrinth, which garnered Academy Awards for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Makeup and The Shape of Water, which won the Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Lion as well as Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Production Design and Best Score. His latest project, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, continues his lifelong love of animation and stop-motion filmmaking.
- 1/23/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Max has cooked up a slate of several classic films as well as a few newer ones arriving this January. “The Menu” (2022) arrived early in the month after releasing theatrically in November before Thanksgiving. Danny DeVito’s “Matilda” (1996) can contend with Netflix’s new movie musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book. And while Tom Hanks’ latest role “A Man Called Otto” has hit the box office, several of his films have landed at various streamers if you’re hankering for more after the tear-jearking feature film.
Hitting the sweet spot for dog movie lovers is “Marley and Me,” starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, and the animated wonder “The Book of Life” is also newly added.
Here are some of the best new movies to stream on HBO Max in January 2023.
“Matilda” (1996) (Sony Pictures)
The 1996 version of Roald Dahl’s classic book arrived on HBO’s streaming service...
Hitting the sweet spot for dog movie lovers is “Marley and Me,” starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, and the animated wonder “The Book of Life” is also newly added.
Here are some of the best new movies to stream on HBO Max in January 2023.
“Matilda” (1996) (Sony Pictures)
The 1996 version of Roald Dahl’s classic book arrived on HBO’s streaming service...
- 1/22/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
It’s the end of the world as we know it and HBO Max feels fine. The Warner Bros. Discovery streamer’s list of new releases for January 2023 is highlighted by one long-awaited post-apocalyptic adventure.
HBO’s TV adaptation of beloved video game The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15. Created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, this story will follow the game storyline of Joel (Pedro Pascal) guiding 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a virus-ridden wasteland towards hope. It’s probably gonna be awesome.
The other big original series this month is animated mystery comedy Velma. Brought to life by Mindy Kaling, this show will be all about Scooby-Doo’s bespectacled buddy Velma Dinkley. Jinkies indeed!
There aren’t any major HBO Max original movie releases this January. The first of the month sees the arrival of Ghostbusters (1984), Hereditary, John Wick, and more. Recent theatrical release The Menu premieres on Jan.
HBO’s TV adaptation of beloved video game The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15. Created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, this story will follow the game storyline of Joel (Pedro Pascal) guiding 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a virus-ridden wasteland towards hope. It’s probably gonna be awesome.
The other big original series this month is animated mystery comedy Velma. Brought to life by Mindy Kaling, this show will be all about Scooby-Doo’s bespectacled buddy Velma Dinkley. Jinkies indeed!
There aren’t any major HBO Max original movie releases this January. The first of the month sees the arrival of Ghostbusters (1984), Hereditary, John Wick, and more. Recent theatrical release The Menu premieres on Jan.
- 1/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The new year brings new offerings on HBO and HBO Max. There are a number of fresh titles hitting the streaming service on Jan. 1, perfect for watching with friends or family on the first day of 2023.
HBO is adding an eclectic list of dramas, comedies, action and horror films in January. There’s “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Hereditary” for those who prefer Halloween to New Year’s. Award-winning dramas coming to the platform include “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Captain Phillips,” and “The Artist.” Comedy offerings include “White Chicks,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” and “Our Idiot Brother.” And you can also check out the first three films in the John Wick franchise before “John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters this spring.
On the original programming side, there’s the Season 29 premiere of “Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,” as well as the second season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?...
HBO is adding an eclectic list of dramas, comedies, action and horror films in January. There’s “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Hereditary” for those who prefer Halloween to New Year’s. Award-winning dramas coming to the platform include “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Captain Phillips,” and “The Artist.” Comedy offerings include “White Chicks,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” and “Our Idiot Brother.” And you can also check out the first three films in the John Wick franchise before “John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters this spring.
On the original programming side, there’s the Season 29 premiere of “Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,” as well as the second season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?...
- 1/1/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey star in ‘The Last of Us’ (Photograph by Courtesy of HBO)
The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey star in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us, premiering on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The streaming service’s January lineup also includes the new adult animated series Velma which delves into the backstory of Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley. And Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa hosts the competition series The Climb featuring amateur climbers battling for a 100,000 cash prize.
HBO Max will also be debuting live sports beginning with coverage of the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand soccer match on January 17th. In With the Old returns for its third season on January 11th and Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? is back for a second season starring January 6th.
Series & Films Arriving On HBO Max In January 2023:
January 1:
20 Feet From Stardom,...
The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey star in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us, premiering on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The streaming service’s January lineup also includes the new adult animated series Velma which delves into the backstory of Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley. And Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa hosts the competition series The Climb featuring amateur climbers battling for a 100,000 cash prize.
HBO Max will also be debuting live sports beginning with coverage of the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand soccer match on January 17th. In With the Old returns for its third season on January 11th and Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? is back for a second season starring January 6th.
Series & Films Arriving On HBO Max In January 2023:
January 1:
20 Feet From Stardom,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
During Guillermo del Toro’s time as an animation producer at DreamWorks, he earned a certain reputation around the studio. “Jeffrey Katzenberg called me ‘The Harbinger of Death’ because a lot of my solutions to a character conflict was to kill them.” del Toro recalled, with a laugh, during a recent interview with IndieWire. It was the early 2010s, when DreamWorks movies were starting to become darker and more daring, and del Toro wanted to push directors to try riskier, wilder things. “When I consulted on ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ they were debating what to do with the father character,” del Toro explained. “I said, ‘Kill him. That will give the entire movie a lot more gravitas.’” Likewise, “Puss in Boots” offed its villain, one of the heroes died halfway through “Rise of the Guardians”, and “Kung Fu Panda” included a panda massacre as a plot line.
“The first...
“The first...
- 12/10/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Indiewire
Jorge R. Gutiérrez's "The Book of Life" is an extremely vibrant and colorful film. After all, the 2014 computer animated film takes place largely in the Land of the Remembered, an afterlife that echoes the often bright and celebratory aesthetics of the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos. It comes as a bit of a surprise, then, that during the making of the movie, studio execs reportedly wanted to keep one color out of the hero's wardrobe. According to Gutiérrez, who recently spoke with /Film's Rafael Motamayor about the making of the film, the powers-that-be were initially not happy about bullfight Manolo (Diego Luna) wearing pink socks.
That's right: in a move that feels emblematic of the upside-down world of film marketing, a film that was lauded as a major step forward for on-screen representations of Latino culture almost didn't get to include a piece of matador tradition for a very silly reason.
That's right: in a move that feels emblematic of the upside-down world of film marketing, a film that was lauded as a major step forward for on-screen representations of Latino culture almost didn't get to include a piece of matador tradition for a very silly reason.
- 12/9/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
(Welcome to My Most Ridiculous Note, a series of interviews in which animators talk about the weirdest and funniest notes they received from studio executives.)
"El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera" was a superhero show unlike any other in the mid-2000s: an action-packed animated series with a distinct visual style and a nuanced character with a moral dilemma at its center. It was also the first Flash-animated cartoon on Nickelodeon, and found brilliant and dynamic ways to use that tool.
Jorge R. Gutiérrez has quickly become one of the most interesting voices in animation working today. He brings his experience and a sense of cultural specificity to his work and explores many different genres and tones, whether it's superheroes in "El Tigre," musical romance in "The Book of Life," or epic fantasy in "Maya and the Three."
/Film spoke with Gutiérrez about the misconceptions, fears, and concerns that...
"El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera" was a superhero show unlike any other in the mid-2000s: an action-packed animated series with a distinct visual style and a nuanced character with a moral dilemma at its center. It was also the first Flash-animated cartoon on Nickelodeon, and found brilliant and dynamic ways to use that tool.
Jorge R. Gutiérrez has quickly become one of the most interesting voices in animation working today. He brings his experience and a sense of cultural specificity to his work and explores many different genres and tones, whether it's superheroes in "El Tigre," musical romance in "The Book of Life," or epic fantasy in "Maya and the Three."
/Film spoke with Gutiérrez about the misconceptions, fears, and concerns that...
- 12/9/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The year was 2007. Lin-Manuel Miranda had yet to conquer Broadway with "Hamilton," much less position himself as the heir apparent to Alan Menken at Disney. Meanwhile, DreamWorks Animation was still making "Shrek" sequels and had somehow convinced itself "The Bee Movie" was a good idea (more on that later). Enter Jorge Gutiérrez, who had only just made his name with the flash-animated Nickelodeon series "El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera," which he co-created with his fellow animator and wife, Sandra Equihua.
As fate would have it, Miranda and Gutiérrez came very close to teaming up on the latter's 2014 animated feature directing debut, "The Book of Life." For those not familiar, the film is a Mexican folktale that takes place against the backdrop of the Day of the Dead and centers on a love triangle formed by three childhood friends: musician and would-be bullfighter Manolo (Diego Luna), local military hero...
As fate would have it, Miranda and Gutiérrez came very close to teaming up on the latter's 2014 animated feature directing debut, "The Book of Life." For those not familiar, the film is a Mexican folktale that takes place against the backdrop of the Day of the Dead and centers on a love triangle formed by three childhood friends: musician and would-be bullfighter Manolo (Diego Luna), local military hero...
- 12/9/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
The Book of Life is an adorably sweet animated film released in 2014. The movie focuses on the Mexican holiday called the Day of the Dead, and it brings about an entirely new meaning to this tradition. Essentially, a bullfighter is living his own afterlife, but he is not thrilled with it. He embarks upon a journey to return to life so he can be with the woman of his dreams, who is not in the afterlife. It is both a story of love and a story of heartbreak, and it’s emotionally charged. Despite being an animated movie, The Book
Who is The Book of Life Movie Cast?...
Who is The Book of Life Movie Cast?...
- 12/8/2022
- by Tiffany Raiford
- TVovermind.com
Popeye is one of the most iconic comic strip characters ever created, and to celebrate the spinach-loving sailor, Clover Press and Yoe! Books have partnered for the publication of Popeye Variations: Not Yer Pappy's Comics an' Art Book. A hardcover art book featuring more than 100 illustrations from 75 artists, Popeye Variations is now on Kickstarter, and we have an exclusive look at some of the horror-themed artwork from the book!
Below, you can check out our exclusive look at some of the artwork featured in Popeye Variations, and here's what artist Dave Calver had to say about his zombie-themed Popeye piece:
"I’m not generally drawn to zombies, vampires, etc. Seems like they’ve been done to…well,…death. But good ole Popeye kicking some zombie Bluto butt??? Seemed like a no-brainer!"
We have the official press release with additional details, and to learn more and support Popeye Variations, visit its official Kickstarter page!
Below, you can check out our exclusive look at some of the artwork featured in Popeye Variations, and here's what artist Dave Calver had to say about his zombie-themed Popeye piece:
"I’m not generally drawn to zombies, vampires, etc. Seems like they’ve been done to…well,…death. But good ole Popeye kicking some zombie Bluto butt??? Seemed like a no-brainer!"
We have the official press release with additional details, and to learn more and support Popeye Variations, visit its official Kickstarter page!
- 10/5/2022
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
One of the most fascinating, enthralling, and altogether inspiring movies that I saw at this year's Popcorn Frights Film Festival was Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, so I'm especially thrilled that the documentary will be featured at multiple events this fall, with Los Angeles’ Secret Movie Club hosting the first public screening at LA's Million Dollar Theater on Saturday, October 15th!
In addition to seeing Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, attendees will have a chance to watch a 35mm screening of James Whale's Frankenstein, and the double feature will be followed by a live Q&a with the legendary Mignola himself, as well as Secret Movie Club founder Craig Hammill and documentary filmmakers Jim Demonakos and Kevin Konrad Hanna! A limited edition poster created by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart (see below) will be available to purchase at the event.
If you can't make it to the double feature, Mike Mignola: Drawing...
In addition to seeing Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, attendees will have a chance to watch a 35mm screening of James Whale's Frankenstein, and the double feature will be followed by a live Q&a with the legendary Mignola himself, as well as Secret Movie Club founder Craig Hammill and documentary filmmakers Jim Demonakos and Kevin Konrad Hanna! A limited edition poster created by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart (see below) will be available to purchase at the event.
If you can't make it to the double feature, Mike Mignola: Drawing...
- 9/26/2022
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Ralph Eggleston, an Academy Award-winning animator, art director and production designer at Pixar Animation Studios, died on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56 years old.
Eggleston won the animated short film Oscar for writing and directing the 2001 Pixar film “For the Birds.”
Pixar tweeted a tribute to him, saying, “Pixar and the world will be forever grateful.”
In memory of Ralph Eggleston—animator, director, art director, storyboard artist, writer, production designer, and our dear friend. Pixar and the world will be forever grateful. ❤ pic.twitter.com/YzZACENcZw
— Pixar (@Pixar) August 29, 2022
The animator also served as art director on the original “Toy Story,” and his work as an artist has been seen on numerous Pixar films including “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-e,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles” and “Inside Out.” His final credited work was in 2020’s “Soul,” where he served as a development artist within the art department.
Eggleston won the animated short film Oscar for writing and directing the 2001 Pixar film “For the Birds.”
Pixar tweeted a tribute to him, saying, “Pixar and the world will be forever grateful.”
In memory of Ralph Eggleston—animator, director, art director, storyboard artist, writer, production designer, and our dear friend. Pixar and the world will be forever grateful. ❤ pic.twitter.com/YzZACENcZw
— Pixar (@Pixar) August 29, 2022
The animator also served as art director on the original “Toy Story,” and his work as an artist has been seen on numerous Pixar films including “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-e,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles” and “Inside Out.” His final credited work was in 2020’s “Soul,” where he served as a development artist within the art department.
- 8/29/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Ace Entertainment has launched production in Yorkshire, England on A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow—a new film based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Laura Taylor Namey, which will star Maia Reficco (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin), Kit Connor (Heartstopper) and Kate del Castillo (La Reina del Sur).
The Latinx YA novel, originally published by Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2019, follows the heartfelt story of Lila Reyes. After the loss of her grandmother, Lila leaves her life at Abuela’s Cuban bakery in Miami to spend the summer cooking at her Aunt’s inn in Winchester, London. It’s there that she falls in love with the quaint British countryside, fusion cooking and a charming British tea shop clerk…ultimately using food as a way to bridge two cultures and heal her heart.
Details as to the roles the...
The Latinx YA novel, originally published by Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2019, follows the heartfelt story of Lila Reyes. After the loss of her grandmother, Lila leaves her life at Abuela’s Cuban bakery in Miami to spend the summer cooking at her Aunt’s inn in Winchester, London. It’s there that she falls in love with the quaint British countryside, fusion cooking and a charming British tea shop clerk…ultimately using food as a way to bridge two cultures and heal her heart.
Details as to the roles the...
- 8/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal are teaming to star in a Spanish-language limited series at Hulu produced by Searchlight Television.
The pair will star in the drama series “La Maquina,” which hails from writer Marco Ramirez. It follows an aging boxer (García Bernal), whose crafty manager (Luna) secures him one last shot at a title. But to make it to fight night, they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.
Both Luna and García Bernal will produce under their La Corriente del Golfo banner. Ramirez will serve as executive producer and showrunner in addition to writing. Gabriel Ripstein will direct the entire series. Gerardo Gatica, Leandro Halperin, and Adam Fishbach will serve as producers. Searchlight TV is the studio. Searchlight recently co-produced the critically-acclaimed Hulu limited series “The Dropout” as well as the upcoming Hulu comedy series “History of the World Part II.”
“We are proud to partner again with...
The pair will star in the drama series “La Maquina,” which hails from writer Marco Ramirez. It follows an aging boxer (García Bernal), whose crafty manager (Luna) secures him one last shot at a title. But to make it to fight night, they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.
Both Luna and García Bernal will produce under their La Corriente del Golfo banner. Ramirez will serve as executive producer and showrunner in addition to writing. Gabriel Ripstein will direct the entire series. Gerardo Gatica, Leandro Halperin, and Adam Fishbach will serve as producers. Searchlight TV is the studio. Searchlight recently co-produced the critically-acclaimed Hulu limited series “The Dropout” as well as the upcoming Hulu comedy series “History of the World Part II.”
“We are proud to partner again with...
- 7/27/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Gabriel Ripstein to direct eight-episode eries of boxing story.
Hulu has ordered Searchlight Television’s Spanish-language limited series La Máquina straight to series, reuniting Y Tu Mama Tambien stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna on screen.
Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) is the showrunner and Gabriel Ripstein (600 Miles) will direct all eight episodes of the story about an aging boxer (Bernal) whose crafty manager (Luna) secures him one last shot at a title. However in order to make it to fight night they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.
Gerardo Gatica, Leandro Halperin and Adam Fishbach are producing the series alongside...
Hulu has ordered Searchlight Television’s Spanish-language limited series La Máquina straight to series, reuniting Y Tu Mama Tambien stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna on screen.
Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) is the showrunner and Gabriel Ripstein (600 Miles) will direct all eight episodes of the story about an aging boxer (Bernal) whose crafty manager (Luna) secures him one last shot at a title. However in order to make it to fight night they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.
Gerardo Gatica, Leandro Halperin and Adam Fishbach are producing the series alongside...
- 7/27/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: The 2x WGA Award nominee and Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member has wrapped production on her feature film directorial debut, First Time Female Director, Deadline has learned.
Chelsea Peretti starred, wrote and produced the Fox Entertainment MarVista and Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions movie which is set at a local theater in Glendale, CA, where a newly minted female director (Peretti) struggles to fill the shoes of her male predecessor, putting her Southern rural drama in jeopardy.
Co-starring opposite Peretti include Blake Anderson, Kate Berlant (Would It Kill You to Laugh? A League of Their Own), Jak Knight, Emmy Award winner Megan Mullally, Benito Skinner (Queer as Folk) and Megan Stalter.
There’s also appearances by Max Greenfield, Brad Hall (Saturday Night Live), Tim Heidecker (Eastbound & Down), Natasha Leggero, Emmy winner Poehler, Andy Richter and Xosha Roquemore, the movies counts several surprise cameos.
First Time Female Director marks MarVista and Fox Entertainment’s first title to include scenes shot on its studio lot in Los Angeles, where the film’s production offices are based. In addition to Peretti, producers include Poehler, Kate Arend and Jordan Grief for Paper Kite, and Deanna Barillari. The pic is executive-produced by Angie Day, Ani Kevork, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista. WME Independent will represent sales for the film.
“This is the project of a lifetime for me — a chance to have my voice embodied by a truly brilliant ensemble of comedic actors,” Peretti tells Deadline. “I am so moved to have a prolific, beloved and sharp comedy collaborator like Amy Poehler as a producer and actor. And grateful for my champions at MarVista, who took this from script to screen. Our dream was to watch a laugh-out-loud comedy film and I cannot wait to share what we have made with audiences as soon as possible! Also, I love my lawyer. She’s great.”
“Paper Kite is thrilled to help support the hilarious Chelsea Peretti and her deeply unique and funny film. We also have loved working with MarVista and are grateful they helped make this all happen,” adds Poehler.
“Hiring ‘first time female directors’ has been a core focus of mine throughout my career,” said Hannah Pillemer, EVP of Creative at MarVista Entertainment. “The chance to support a comedic visionary like Chelsea is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we are honored she chose MarVista to go on this journey with her. Our entire team is thrilled to partner with Paper Kite, and we cannot wait for the world to see this unique and distinctively hilarious film!”
Peretti is an actress, comedian, producer and television writer who starred as Gina Linetti on the hit Fox/NBC comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which notched won 2x Primetime Emmys. Most recently, she was featured in Amazon Prime Video’s second installment of its comedy special, Yearly Departed. The two-time WGA Award nominee received nods on Parks and Recreation and received a SAG ensemble nom for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Peretti’s writing credits also include Portlandia, Sarah Silverman Program and Kroll Show, as well as Saturday Night Live. She can be heard on hit animated projects, such as Big Mouth, The Simpsons and Sing 2. On the stage, Peretti’s hour-long stand-up special, One of the Greats, was released in 2014 on Netflix, and her half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents, aired in 2011. Most recently, Peretti hosted Variety’s Power of Women celebration in 2021 and the Writers Guild Awards in 2019.
Music for the film is from longtime Peretti collaborator KoOoLkOjAk, who has composed and produced hit songs for Doja Cat, Sean Paul, Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Keha and Dmx, as well as having written original songs for box office smashes Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Lorax, Boss Baby, The Book of Life and The Lego Movie franchise.
Chelsea is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners, and Melissa Fox at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Chelsea Peretti starred, wrote and produced the Fox Entertainment MarVista and Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions movie which is set at a local theater in Glendale, CA, where a newly minted female director (Peretti) struggles to fill the shoes of her male predecessor, putting her Southern rural drama in jeopardy.
Co-starring opposite Peretti include Blake Anderson, Kate Berlant (Would It Kill You to Laugh? A League of Their Own), Jak Knight, Emmy Award winner Megan Mullally, Benito Skinner (Queer as Folk) and Megan Stalter.
There’s also appearances by Max Greenfield, Brad Hall (Saturday Night Live), Tim Heidecker (Eastbound & Down), Natasha Leggero, Emmy winner Poehler, Andy Richter and Xosha Roquemore, the movies counts several surprise cameos.
First Time Female Director marks MarVista and Fox Entertainment’s first title to include scenes shot on its studio lot in Los Angeles, where the film’s production offices are based. In addition to Peretti, producers include Poehler, Kate Arend and Jordan Grief for Paper Kite, and Deanna Barillari. The pic is executive-produced by Angie Day, Ani Kevork, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista. WME Independent will represent sales for the film.
“This is the project of a lifetime for me — a chance to have my voice embodied by a truly brilliant ensemble of comedic actors,” Peretti tells Deadline. “I am so moved to have a prolific, beloved and sharp comedy collaborator like Amy Poehler as a producer and actor. And grateful for my champions at MarVista, who took this from script to screen. Our dream was to watch a laugh-out-loud comedy film and I cannot wait to share what we have made with audiences as soon as possible! Also, I love my lawyer. She’s great.”
“Paper Kite is thrilled to help support the hilarious Chelsea Peretti and her deeply unique and funny film. We also have loved working with MarVista and are grateful they helped make this all happen,” adds Poehler.
“Hiring ‘first time female directors’ has been a core focus of mine throughout my career,” said Hannah Pillemer, EVP of Creative at MarVista Entertainment. “The chance to support a comedic visionary like Chelsea is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we are honored she chose MarVista to go on this journey with her. Our entire team is thrilled to partner with Paper Kite, and we cannot wait for the world to see this unique and distinctively hilarious film!”
Peretti is an actress, comedian, producer and television writer who starred as Gina Linetti on the hit Fox/NBC comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which notched won 2x Primetime Emmys. Most recently, she was featured in Amazon Prime Video’s second installment of its comedy special, Yearly Departed. The two-time WGA Award nominee received nods on Parks and Recreation and received a SAG ensemble nom for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Peretti’s writing credits also include Portlandia, Sarah Silverman Program and Kroll Show, as well as Saturday Night Live. She can be heard on hit animated projects, such as Big Mouth, The Simpsons and Sing 2. On the stage, Peretti’s hour-long stand-up special, One of the Greats, was released in 2014 on Netflix, and her half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents, aired in 2011. Most recently, Peretti hosted Variety’s Power of Women celebration in 2021 and the Writers Guild Awards in 2019.
Music for the film is from longtime Peretti collaborator KoOoLkOjAk, who has composed and produced hit songs for Doja Cat, Sean Paul, Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Keha and Dmx, as well as having written original songs for box office smashes Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Lorax, Boss Baby, The Book of Life and The Lego Movie franchise.
Chelsea is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners, and Melissa Fox at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
- 7/14/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
In tandem with its world premiere in competition at the Young Audiences Short Film Strand at Annecy, the team behind the tender Argentine short title, ‘La Calesita,’ will be offering up a bit of magic to those attending the screenings: Customized tickets for a ride on the town’s ornate, family-owned carousel.
The short, written and directed by Annie Award-nominated filmmaker Augusto Schillaci and produced by Reel FX Animation associate producer Oliver Benavidez, tells the heartwarming tale of a proud and determined carousel-keep who finds immense joy in maintaining family tradition by operating the neighborhood merry-go-round.
In “La Calesita,” his dutiful and attentive nature is on display as he joyously rides through vivid and colorful Buenos Aires streetscapes en route to work, where he takes a keen interest in the families that visit each day. He plays matchmaker, confidant, and watchful eye, with dignity.
“Often, people overlook how important these contributions are in shaping communities,...
The short, written and directed by Annie Award-nominated filmmaker Augusto Schillaci and produced by Reel FX Animation associate producer Oliver Benavidez, tells the heartwarming tale of a proud and determined carousel-keep who finds immense joy in maintaining family tradition by operating the neighborhood merry-go-round.
In “La Calesita,” his dutiful and attentive nature is on display as he joyously rides through vivid and colorful Buenos Aires streetscapes en route to work, where he takes a keen interest in the families that visit each day. He plays matchmaker, confidant, and watchful eye, with dignity.
“Often, people overlook how important these contributions are in shaping communities,...
- 6/16/2022
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Nitya Mehra (Baar Baar Dekho) and Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) are teaming with Reel FX Originals on Diya—a new animated feature in the vein of its 2014 20th Century Fox title, The Book of Life. Mehra will direct the new film, with Nayyar serving as executive producer.
Directed by Jorge R. Gutiérrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro, The Book of Life was a tale based in Mexican mythology which followed Manolo (Diego Luna), a bullfighter embarking on a fantastical adventure on the Day of the Dead. Diya will also be a mythology-based fantasy adventure, honing in on the folklore of India.
Shiwani Srivastava (Netflix’s Wedding Season) and Dr. Amy Bhatt wrote the script. Producers are Steve O’Brien and Jared Mass of Reel FX Originals. Nayyar is exec producing through his company, Good Karma Productions, alongside his head of production, Jason Hiro Kim (Gook), with Lucas...
Directed by Jorge R. Gutiérrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro, The Book of Life was a tale based in Mexican mythology which followed Manolo (Diego Luna), a bullfighter embarking on a fantastical adventure on the Day of the Dead. Diya will also be a mythology-based fantasy adventure, honing in on the folklore of India.
Shiwani Srivastava (Netflix’s Wedding Season) and Dr. Amy Bhatt wrote the script. Producers are Steve O’Brien and Jared Mass of Reel FX Originals. Nayyar is exec producing through his company, Good Karma Productions, alongside his head of production, Jason Hiro Kim (Gook), with Lucas...
- 6/6/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Indonesian firm Msv Studio is well underway on production of “Ajisaka: The King and the Flower of Life,” the first of three hugely ambitious animated films it will work on this year.
Msv Studio is the animation division of Msk Pictures, which itself is part of the larger, Indonesia-based Amikom Group. Since 2015, Amikom says it has invested 20 million into the research and development of computer animation technology. Having readied its proprietary — and rapid — methods, it now plans to invest 100 million developing, producing and distributing up to 10 animated feature films over the next seven years.
Msk Pictures is led by Ario Sagantoro, producer of “Merantau,” “The Raid: Redemption” and “The Raid: Berendal,” the hit Indonesian action films written and directed by Gareth Huw Evans.
Deploying a 15 million production budget, “Ajisaka” tells an original story, recalling ancient times when the world was inhabited by three races: humans, Raksha (giants), and Vidya. The...
Msv Studio is the animation division of Msk Pictures, which itself is part of the larger, Indonesia-based Amikom Group. Since 2015, Amikom says it has invested 20 million into the research and development of computer animation technology. Having readied its proprietary — and rapid — methods, it now plans to invest 100 million developing, producing and distributing up to 10 animated feature films over the next seven years.
Msk Pictures is led by Ario Sagantoro, producer of “Merantau,” “The Raid: Redemption” and “The Raid: Berendal,” the hit Indonesian action films written and directed by Gareth Huw Evans.
Deploying a 15 million production budget, “Ajisaka” tells an original story, recalling ancient times when the world was inhabited by three races: humans, Raksha (giants), and Vidya. The...
- 5/19/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
May 2022 represents the calm before the storm for Amazon Prime Video. Early June will see the arrival of the much-hyped third season of The Boys. Before all that, however, Prime has some other streaming goodies to tide you over.
This month is highlighted by a handful of intriguing original series. Season two of Amazon’s sleeper hit The Wilds premieres on May 6. This pulpy mystery series about a group of teenage girls marooned on an island is Prime Video’s version of Lost or Yellowjackets so give it a watch if that kind of thing sounds up your alley. Also arriving on May 6 is the true crime docuseries The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith.
Canada’s finest comedy goobers The Kids in the Hall return in a rebooted version of their sketch series on May 13. The week after that J.K. Simmons will try his hand at sci-fi once again...
This month is highlighted by a handful of intriguing original series. Season two of Amazon’s sleeper hit The Wilds premieres on May 6. This pulpy mystery series about a group of teenage girls marooned on an island is Prime Video’s version of Lost or Yellowjackets so give it a watch if that kind of thing sounds up your alley. Also arriving on May 6 is the true crime docuseries The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith.
Canada’s finest comedy goobers The Kids in the Hall return in a rebooted version of their sketch series on May 13. The week after that J.K. Simmons will try his hand at sci-fi once again...
- 5/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Maya and the Three creator Jorge Gutiérrez has set I, Chihuahua as his first animated feature for Netflix, with actor and comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias coming aboard to produce and star. (Check out never-before-seen concept art created for the feature below.)
Written by Gutiérrez, Doug Landale and Candie Kelty Langdale, I, Chihuahua is billed as the ultimate underdog tale of Chacho—a scrappy masked Luchador Chihuahua, who embarks on a hilarious and action-packed journey around the world to fight for his family. After learning his beloved home is in danger, Chacho dons a Lucha Libre mask to become Luchacho. Our masked underdog then enters an international fight tournament, competing against a hilarious and eclectic mix of animal fighters from all over the world, in the lead-up to a final, epic fight against the nefarious beast known as Chamuco, The Widow Maker. Iglesias will produce alongside Tim Yoon.
“I cannot...
Written by Gutiérrez, Doug Landale and Candie Kelty Langdale, I, Chihuahua is billed as the ultimate underdog tale of Chacho—a scrappy masked Luchador Chihuahua, who embarks on a hilarious and action-packed journey around the world to fight for his family. After learning his beloved home is in danger, Chacho dons a Lucha Libre mask to become Luchacho. Our masked underdog then enters an international fight tournament, competing against a hilarious and eclectic mix of animal fighters from all over the world, in the lead-up to a final, epic fight against the nefarious beast known as Chamuco, The Widow Maker. Iglesias will produce alongside Tim Yoon.
“I cannot...
- 3/23/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The Málaga Festival has never been bigger. To help navigate it, as well as Spain’s burgeoning production output, here’s a breakdown of its main section titles.
2022 Malaga Festival Lineup:
Main Competition
“Emperor Code,”
The Malaga Fest opener, a noirish crime thriller with special services operative Luis Tosar moonlighting for the elite, here trying to dig up the dirt on a young politico. Segueing rapidly to Netflix after an A Contracorriente release in Spain.
“A Mae,”
The latest from the prolific Brazilian narrative and doc director, maker of euthanasia-themed “Antes do fim,” and 2015’s “Hunger.” In it, a humble street vendor mother searches desperately for her missing son, claiming the right to at least bury his body.
“Almost in Love,”
A father-daughter relationship drama from notable Argentine auteur Brzezicki (“Noche”), backed by top-notch Latin American outfits – Argentina’s Ruda Films, Brazil’s Rt Features, Chile’s Quijote- plus Spain’s Vertigo Films,...
2022 Malaga Festival Lineup:
Main Competition
“Emperor Code,”
The Malaga Fest opener, a noirish crime thriller with special services operative Luis Tosar moonlighting for the elite, here trying to dig up the dirt on a young politico. Segueing rapidly to Netflix after an A Contracorriente release in Spain.
“A Mae,”
The latest from the prolific Brazilian narrative and doc director, maker of euthanasia-themed “Antes do fim,” and 2015’s “Hunger.” In it, a humble street vendor mother searches desperately for her missing son, claiming the right to at least bury his body.
“Almost in Love,”
A father-daughter relationship drama from notable Argentine auteur Brzezicki (“Noche”), backed by top-notch Latin American outfits – Argentina’s Ruda Films, Brazil’s Rt Features, Chile’s Quijote- plus Spain’s Vertigo Films,...
- 3/21/2022
- by John Hopewell and Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Composer Germaine Franco’s Oscar nomination for “Encanto” is a landmark moment in film music:
– She is the first Latina to be nominated in that category;
– She is only the sixth woman ever to be nominated for an original score;
– And she is the first woman to score a Disney film.
But ask any of her colleagues in the profession and they’ll tell you something else: that it’s a triumph for a musically talented, genuinely kind person who has worked hard her entire life, dating back decades to her childhood in El Paso, Texas, just across the border from where her grandparents were born in Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico.
Franco landed the “Encanto” assignment in part because she had firmly established the Mexican backdrop of Disney’s 2017 film “Coco” via her orchestrations and original songs. Says Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also nominated as songwriter for “Encanto”: “I...
– She is the first Latina to be nominated in that category;
– She is only the sixth woman ever to be nominated for an original score;
– And she is the first woman to score a Disney film.
But ask any of her colleagues in the profession and they’ll tell you something else: that it’s a triumph for a musically talented, genuinely kind person who has worked hard her entire life, dating back decades to her childhood in El Paso, Texas, just across the border from where her grandparents were born in Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico.
Franco landed the “Encanto” assignment in part because she had firmly established the Mexican backdrop of Disney’s 2017 film “Coco” via her orchestrations and original songs. Says Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also nominated as songwriter for “Encanto”: “I...
- 3/12/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
March will see the return of a fan-favorite series, the launch of a spinoff of a fan-favorite series and a handful of noteworthy films added to Amazon Prime Video.
Below, we’ve assembled a complete list of what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in March, and it includes the highly anticipated second season of the sci-fi comedy series “Upload,” which premieres March 11. Additionally, the new series “The Boys Presents: Diabolical” premieres on March 4 and promises eight all-new animated stories set within the R-rated superhero world of “The Boys.”
Also on March 4, the Amy Poehler-directed documentary “Lucy and Desi” premieres, chronicling the relationship between Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
In terms of library titles, March 1 brings the Ryan Reynolds-Sandra Bullock rom-com “The Proposal,” the classic “Dead Poets Society,” the sci-fi “Alien” prequel “Prometheus,” the comedy spoof “Spaceballs” and a number of other films to the streaming service.
Below, we’ve assembled a complete list of what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in March, and it includes the highly anticipated second season of the sci-fi comedy series “Upload,” which premieres March 11. Additionally, the new series “The Boys Presents: Diabolical” premieres on March 4 and promises eight all-new animated stories set within the R-rated superhero world of “The Boys.”
Also on March 4, the Amy Poehler-directed documentary “Lucy and Desi” premieres, chronicling the relationship between Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
In terms of library titles, March 1 brings the Ryan Reynolds-Sandra Bullock rom-com “The Proposal,” the classic “Dead Poets Society,” the sci-fi “Alien” prequel “Prometheus,” the comedy spoof “Spaceballs” and a number of other films to the streaming service.
- 3/1/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
We're at the part of the festivities where nothing that's happening is nearly enough.
A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 6 wasn't bad by any means, but with only two hours remaining, it's just not where I want the focus to be as the series rides off into the sunset.
Truthfully, The Book of Life was my least favorite out of the three All Souls books, too, but even that had a lot more meat to enjoy.
So, what's my beef, exactly?
We're getting to the crescendo, but there won't be any time to come down once it peaks.
A Discovery of Witches Season 1 focused on Diana and Matthew finding each other, falling in love, Diana's acceptance of her powers, and Matthew's acceptance of falling in love with a witch.
A Discovery of Witches Season 2 solidified their love, added depth to their relationship, and Diana got the help she needed to...
A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 6 wasn't bad by any means, but with only two hours remaining, it's just not where I want the focus to be as the series rides off into the sunset.
Truthfully, The Book of Life was my least favorite out of the three All Souls books, too, but even that had a lot more meat to enjoy.
So, what's my beef, exactly?
We're getting to the crescendo, but there won't be any time to come down once it peaks.
A Discovery of Witches Season 1 focused on Diana and Matthew finding each other, falling in love, Diana's acceptance of her powers, and Matthew's acceptance of falling in love with a witch.
A Discovery of Witches Season 2 solidified their love, added depth to their relationship, and Diana got the help she needed to...
- 2/12/2022
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
As Matthew and Diana forge forward with Christening Rebecca and Philip and creating their scion, The Congregation takes their moves as signifying war.
But what's bad for The Congregation is excellent for the burgeoning scion, as family and friends gathered in Sept-Tours to celebrate and plan on A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 5.
They knew by congregating (pun intended) such a large group, they were inviting trouble, and it made its way to Sept-Tours to try dampening the celebration. It didn't work.
It wasn't all joy, unfortunately. Diana and Agatha accompanied Timothy Weston on his final journey. His death was an unforeseen byproduct of Diana's search for the last missing page of The Book of Life so that it won't be in vain.
Small comfort, but what his sacrifice will mean to his people will never be forgotten.
Life and death go hand in hand, and it was skillfully portrayed...
But what's bad for The Congregation is excellent for the burgeoning scion, as family and friends gathered in Sept-Tours to celebrate and plan on A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 5.
They knew by congregating (pun intended) such a large group, they were inviting trouble, and it made its way to Sept-Tours to try dampening the celebration. It didn't work.
It wasn't all joy, unfortunately. Diana and Agatha accompanied Timothy Weston on his final journey. His death was an unforeseen byproduct of Diana's search for the last missing page of The Book of Life so that it won't be in vain.
Small comfort, but what his sacrifice will mean to his people will never be forgotten.
Life and death go hand in hand, and it was skillfully portrayed...
- 2/5/2022
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Everything is falling into place.
The final page of The Book of Life was found on A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 4, and Diana and Matthew's family grew by two.
There is still work to do, and it will include squashing the bugs that continue to threaten everything Matthew and Diana hold dear.
After A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 3, the hunt was on for Tj Weston, whose given name is Timothy.
While Phoebe and Sarah combed all traditional sources of information in the search, Diana whipped up a location spell that would require more magic than she and Sarah had together.
Yes, this episode was filled with magical special effects, from weaving to rediscovering history in search of a coven and even conjuring three-dimensional maps.
Diana's perception of the past came to life, immersing her, Sarah, and Gallowglass in places now familiar to Diana after her timewalk.
The callback to Goody Alsop was welcome,...
The final page of The Book of Life was found on A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 4, and Diana and Matthew's family grew by two.
There is still work to do, and it will include squashing the bugs that continue to threaten everything Matthew and Diana hold dear.
After A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 3, the hunt was on for Tj Weston, whose given name is Timothy.
While Phoebe and Sarah combed all traditional sources of information in the search, Diana whipped up a location spell that would require more magic than she and Sarah had together.
Yes, this episode was filled with magical special effects, from weaving to rediscovering history in search of a coven and even conjuring three-dimensional maps.
Diana's perception of the past came to life, immersing her, Sarah, and Gallowglass in places now familiar to Diana after her timewalk.
The callback to Goody Alsop was welcome,...
- 1/29/2022
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
A band of misfits come together to find a home where they’ll be accepted in Netflix’s latest CG-animated adventure, “Back to the Outback.” Except the lovable outcasts here happen to be among the world’s deadliest creatures, all of whom — along with a cute but completely obnoxious koala bear (voiced by Broadway’s Tim Minchin) — escape from a Sydney zoo to find a home in the Australian Outback, where they’ll be loved for who they are and not feared for what they look like.
First-time feature directors Clare Knight and Harry Cripps previously worked together on “Larrikins,” the Outback-themed feature from DreamWorks Animation that was scuttled in the wake of the studio’s acquisition by NBCUniversal in 2016. Cripps was set to co-direct the film alongside “Puss in Boots” director Chris Miller, while Knight, a Dwa veteran who had worked on the “Kung Fu Panda” trilogy, was to serve as editor.
First-time feature directors Clare Knight and Harry Cripps previously worked together on “Larrikins,” the Outback-themed feature from DreamWorks Animation that was scuttled in the wake of the studio’s acquisition by NBCUniversal in 2016. Cripps was set to co-direct the film alongside “Puss in Boots” director Chris Miller, while Knight, a Dwa veteran who had worked on the “Kung Fu Panda” trilogy, was to serve as editor.
- 12/29/2021
- by Jennifer Wolfe
- Indiewire
In Variety‘s Up Next, we asked four Oscar winners to pick the one person who represents the future of Hollywood.
Our cover subject Guillermo del Toro is one of the most prolific directors working today, but he’s acutely aware that it carries an important responsibility to other upcoming filmmakers. He executes that duty by producing movies that have him working with other artists, including animator Jorge R. Gutiérrez (“Maya and the Three”) on his debut feature film, “The Book of Life.” He’s felt that obligation before and after winning his Oscar for best director for “The Shape of Water” (2017), which also won best picture.
Looking ahead, he’s excited by Tatiana Huezo, who will be representing Mexico for the international feature Oscar for her film “Prayers for the Stolen,” her debut narrative feature. “She has high-level cinematics and solutions for moments that blew me away,” he says about her movie.
Our cover subject Guillermo del Toro is one of the most prolific directors working today, but he’s acutely aware that it carries an important responsibility to other upcoming filmmakers. He executes that duty by producing movies that have him working with other artists, including animator Jorge R. Gutiérrez (“Maya and the Three”) on his debut feature film, “The Book of Life.” He’s felt that obligation before and after winning his Oscar for best director for “The Shape of Water” (2017), which also won best picture.
Looking ahead, he’s excited by Tatiana Huezo, who will be representing Mexico for the international feature Oscar for her film “Prayers for the Stolen,” her debut narrative feature. “She has high-level cinematics and solutions for moments that blew me away,” he says about her movie.
- 12/17/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Diana Bishop's journey will conclude in 2022.
Shudder, AMC+, and Sundance Now revealed Friday that A Discovery of Witches Season 3 will launch on all three platforms Saturday, January 8, 2022.
The final chapter finds "Matthew (Matthew Goode) and Diana (Teresa Palmer) returning from 1590 to present day and combating what they left behind," according to the official description from the streamers.
The cast also includes Owen Teale, Malin Buska, Alex Kingston, Aiysha Hart, Edward Bluemel, Lindsay Duncan, Peter McDonald, Trevor Eve, Gregg Chillin, Adelle Leonce, and Tanya Moodie.
They are joined by Daniel Ezra, Toby Regbo, Steven Cree, Jacob Ifan, Ivanno Jeremiah, Greg McHugh, Olivier Huband, Paul Rhys, and Parker Sawyers.
A Discovery of Witches Season 3 is based on the ‘The Book of Life’ novel from Deborah Harkness’s bestselling All Souls trilogy and is the third and final installment.
Saying goodbye to the show will be tough. It has been a favorite...
Shudder, AMC+, and Sundance Now revealed Friday that A Discovery of Witches Season 3 will launch on all three platforms Saturday, January 8, 2022.
The final chapter finds "Matthew (Matthew Goode) and Diana (Teresa Palmer) returning from 1590 to present day and combating what they left behind," according to the official description from the streamers.
The cast also includes Owen Teale, Malin Buska, Alex Kingston, Aiysha Hart, Edward Bluemel, Lindsay Duncan, Peter McDonald, Trevor Eve, Gregg Chillin, Adelle Leonce, and Tanya Moodie.
They are joined by Daniel Ezra, Toby Regbo, Steven Cree, Jacob Ifan, Ivanno Jeremiah, Greg McHugh, Olivier Huband, Paul Rhys, and Parker Sawyers.
A Discovery of Witches Season 3 is based on the ‘The Book of Life’ novel from Deborah Harkness’s bestselling All Souls trilogy and is the third and final installment.
Saying goodbye to the show will be tough. It has been a favorite...
- 12/3/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
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