Cartoon Brew

Artist Rights

Netflix, ‘Ted,’ And SpindleHorse Workers Join TAG In A Huge Week For Animation Labor Rights

Netflix, NBCUniversal’s ’ ‘Ted,’ and indie studio SpindleHorse workers unite with The Animation Guild in a landmark week for animation labor rights.

Awards

Denmark’s DR, France’s Mediatoon, And Belgium’s Creative Conspiracy Win Cartoon Forum Tribute Awards

Cartoon Forum 2025 recognized DR, Mediatoon, and Creative Conspiracy as leaders in European animation broadcasting, distribution, and production.

Feature Film

Tech Bros. Take Aim At Cannes With GenAI-Produced Animated Feature ‘Critterz’

OpenAI’s AI-backed ‘Critterz’ is sold as a test of ‘democratizing’ animation, a framing that feels disingenuous in today’s industry context.

Events

10 Eye-Catching Projects From Cartoon Forum’s Expansive 2025 Lineup Worth Tracking

From rainbow penguins to dystopian thrillers, explore the wild, heartfelt, and inventive new TV animation projects unveiled at Cartoon Forum 2025.

Feature Film

Scholastic Debuts First Branded AVOD App With 400+ Hours Of Iconic Kids’ Content

Coming to Roku and Amazon Fire TV this week, the app includes generational classics such as ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog,’ ‘The Magic School Bus,’ and ‘Garfield.’

Events

Tim Burton, Stan Winston Honored As LightBox Expo Returns October 24–26 – Full Lineup Unveiled

LightBox Expo returns Oct. 24–26 with panels on ‘Zootopia 2,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ and more, plus awards honoring Tim Burton and Stan Winston.

Feature Film

‘Scarlet,’ ‘Arco,’ ‘Little Amélie’ Headline 2025 Animation Is Film Lineup

Animation Is Film 2025 runs Oct 17–19 in Hollywood, featuring global and U.S. premieres, industry panels, and a diverse selection of shorts.

Events

Immersive Enterprise Laboratories Brings Real-Time Animation To Life At San Diego’s Fleet Science Center

Immersive Enterprise Labs brings real-time, hands-on animation to San Diego’s Fleet Science Center with speakers from Disney, Pixar, and more.

Comics

Disney Takes 2% Stake In Webtoon, Expanding Its Digital Comics Offerings

Disney teams with Webtoon to launch a digital comics platform featuring 35,000 titles, plus plans for Disney to acquire a 2% Webtoon stake.

Series

PGS Entertainment, TF1 Team With NBA Star Victor Wembanyama On ‘Alien Dunk’ Franchise

NBA star Victor Wembanyama leads ‘Alien Dunk,’ an animated sci-fi basketball series and transmedia project aimed at global audiences.

Business

TikTok Ban Averted As U.S. And China Strike Agreement

A U.S.–China deal keeps TikTok alive, securing a vital platform for animators and studios to reach audiences and drive viral campaigns.

Interviews

“I’m Tired Of Films That Try To Be Clear To Everyone”: Mykyta Lyskov Speaks To Ukrainians First In ‘Kyiv Cake’

Mykyta Lyskov’s ‘Kyiv Cake’ layers humor, tragedy, and surreal imagery to capture Ukraine’s resilience and defiance during war.

Feature Film

‘Smurfs’ Marks Cinesite’s First End-To-End Animation And VFX Production, And A Return To The Classic Peyo Aesthetic

Cinesite takes on its first full animation and VFX feature with ‘Smurfs,’ now streaming on Paramount+, blending Peyo’s style with hybrid magic.

Business

Joel Kuwahara, Last Remaining Bento Box Co-Founder, Departs As ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Studio Integrates Further With Fox

Joel Kuwahara, co-founder of Bento Box Entertainment, has exited the Fox-owned studio, marking the end of its founding leadership era.

Events

Powwow Dance And Animation Unite In Indigenous Enterprise’s ‘Still Here’

Indigenous Enterprise marks 10 years with Still Here at The Joyce Theater in New York, blending powwow dance and animation in a groundbreaking performance.

Business

Vimeo’s $1.38 Billion Sale Marks The End Of An Era

Once a hub for indie filmmakers and animators, Vimeo’s $1.38B sale to Bending Spoons marks bookends its long decline from online indie content dominance.

Box Office Report

‘Infinity Castle’ Slays North American Anime Box Office Record With $70M Opening

‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ scored a $132.1M global weekend, including $70M from its NA debut, making it the biggest anime opener ever in the States.