Laika Studio Visit; Netflix’s Buyback Billions; Daniel Zvereff On ‘Moonfish’

This week, we visited Laika’s Portland studio, where the artists behind Wildwood walked us through the puppets, costumes, and sets that bring the studio’s most ambitious film to life. Meanwhile, Matt Braly shared a look at the gothic world of his independent series Clara and the Below, with exclusive artwork from its recent Animation Is Film presentation.

At Netflix, record quarterly spending of $4.8 billion on stock buybacks preceded roughly 1,000 layoffs. In games, EA revealed it has shut down BioWare and is canceling its next Mass Effect title, less than three months after the publisher’s $55 billion Saudi-led takeover.

We also spoke with Daniel Zvereff about his debut animated feature, Moonfish, a fantastic film that deserves more attention than it’s received since its Venice world premiere. This one belongs in any serious awards-season conversation.

Elsewhere, Sony offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at its vast anime business, Amazon MGM has greenlit an adaptation of Game of Pets from The Bad Guys creator Aaron Blabey, and five Ice Age films filled half of Netflix’s global English-language film Top 10 ahead of Disney’s next theatrical installment. And in our latest Cartoon Study, Vincent Alexander looks back at the unusual history of PG-13 animated features, from Cool World to Wildwood.

Check out these stories and more at cartoonbrew.com.

1. 
   Take A Trip Inside Laika’s Studio, Where Hundreds Of Artists Brought ‘Wildwood’ To Life

   From bespoke puppet faces to hand-applied feathers, the craftspeople behind the stop-motion feature explain how they build its intricate world.
2. 
   Netflix Spent A Record $4.8 Billion On Buybacks Before Laying Off 1,000 Employees

   Netflix’s profits are growing, but its latest results show billions going toward share buybacks as thousands lose their jobs.
3. 
   Director Daniel Zvereff On ‘Moonfish,’ One Of Our Favorites From A Crowded Year For Feature Animation

   Daniel Zvereff discusses the creative ambition and personal sacrifices behind his Venice-premiering sci-fi feature, animated by three artists in nine months.
4. 
   Matt Braly Unveils The Gothic World Of ‘Clara And The Below’ At Animation Is Film (EXCLUSIVE)

   See all the artwork from the presentation, including eerie color scripts, otherworldly backgrounds, and detailed character designs.
5. 
   EA Shuts Down BioWare, Cancels ‘Mass Effect’ Game After $55 Billion Saudi-Led Takeover

   BioWare joins a long list of acclaimed studios EA has acquired and shut down, as media consolidation continues to eliminate jobs and consumer choice.

6. 
   Inside Sony’s Anime Empire: How Aniplex, Crunchyroll, And Its Studios Fit Together

   Sony has published a rare, behind-the-curtain look at its strategy to connect Japanese animation production with global distribution, gaming, and merchandising.
7. 
   Five ‘Ice Age’ Movies Fill Netflix’s Top 10 Ahead Of Disney’s ‘Boiling Point’ Release

   Netflix’s new Disney licensing deal is building buzz around the ‘Ice Age’ franchise before its next sequel hits theaters in February.
8. 
   ‘The Bad Guys,’ ‘Thelma The Unicorn’ Creator Aaron Blabey’s ‘Game Of Pets’ Is Getting An Animated Feature Adaptation

   Rideback and Foundation Media are producing the adaptation, about an allergic 11-year-old who discovers pets are hiding an intergalactic secret.
9. 
   Infinity Festival Announces 2026 Lineup With Brad Bird, Travis Knight, And New ASIFA-Showcase

   Studios including Cartoon Saloon, Pixar, Netflix, and DreamWorks will participate in a new awards-season event presented with ASIFA-Hollywood.
10. 
    From ‘Cool World’ To ‘Wildwood’: The Unusual History Of PG-13 Animation

    'Bebe’s Kids' broke 2D ground, 'Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within' took the leap into CG, and 'The Simpsons Movie' became a box-office smash.