Disney CEO Bob Chapek Gets Three Year Contract Extension
As Disney extends Chapek’s contract, we revisit the good, the bad, and the ugly of his time at the helm.
Studios
Oddbot To Develop And Animate Trio Of Graphic Novels
Oddbot has optioned the rights to The Cardboard Kingdom, Séance Tea Party, and The Okay Witch.
As CBBC Shifts To ‘Digital-First’ Strategy, BBC Studios’ Kids Boss Helen Bullough To Depart
The BBC sees another high-level departure as it shakes things up to become a digital-first broadcaster.
Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri On Ignoring Twitter, Chris Pratt’s Mario, And Surviving ‘Titan A.E.’
The executive warned against the slippery slope of letting outside voices, particularly those from social media, impact creative expression.
Animation/VFX Studio DNEG Calls Off $1.7B SPAC Deal
The company will no longer go public due to the “headwinds in the SPAC marketplace and general market volatility.”
Disney Shares ‘Strange World’ Details And Sneak Peeks ‘Baymax!,’ ‘Zootopia+’
Disney’s Friday afternoon presentation at Annecy was flashy, but left something to be desired when placed against other, more daring lineups.
New Series ‘The Doomies,’ ‘Dragon Striker’ Lead Packed Disney TV Slate
During its annual Annecy studio presentation, Disney announced three new series, several renewals, and expanded episode counts of upcoming series.
Genndy Tartakovsky Signs Exclusive Deal With Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios
The Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack creator will get “maximum creative flexibility to develop original material and access to the extensive character and franchise libraries at each studio.”
Warner Exec Claims Girls ‘Graduate Out Of Animation,’ And Pisses Off… Just About Everyone
In a lame attempt to justify Cartoon Network’s return to live-action, Amy Friedman alienated a huge number of animation fans and professionals.
Disney’s ‘Strange World’ Will Skip Theaters In France And Exhibitors Are Outraged
Disney decries France’s archaic windowing rules while French exhibitors fume after losing another high-profile animated feature.
Disney Expands Metaverse Plans, Hires Apple Vet Mark Bozon To Key Creative Role
The hire is the latest move by Disney into what CEO Bob Chapek describes as “the next great storytelling frontier.”
Production Workers At ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Family Guy,’ And ‘American Dad!’ File To Join The Animation Guild
20th Television Animation chose not to voluntarily recognize the unit, so the workers are filing petitions for union elections with the NLRB.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group Chairman Toby Emmerich Steps Down Amid Film Business Shakeup
The decision was made as Warner looks to break up its Pictures Group division, placing Feature Animation under new, dedicated leadership.
Pixar Co-Founder And Former Disney Animation Boss Ed Catmull Joins Baobab Board
Catmull will guide Baobab on their “creative and operations.”
Moonbug Acquires Singapore’s One Animation, The Studio Behind ‘Oddbods’
It’s the second Moonbug acquisition this year; in February the company purchased the Little Angel Youtube franchise.
A Major Animation Studio In Baltimore? Outlook Enterprises Wants 150 People By 2024
The company recently teamed with Cartoon Network to launch a talent incubator for artists from underrepresented communities.
‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ Studio Locksmith Animation Re-Teams With DNEG For ‘That Christmas’
The holiday feature will be adapted from a series of kids books by celebrated filmmaker Richard Curtis with Simon Otto directing.
Netflix Animation Eliminates 70 Jobs, Drops Three Projects
The three dropped animated projects are ‘Wings of Fire,’ ‘Antiracist Baby,’ and ‘With Kind Regards From Kindergarten.’
Animal Logic Is Doubling Down On Vancouver With A New Studio, 300 More Jobs
The new studio will be nearly two-and-a-half times the size of Animal Logic’s current facilities.
VFX Studio Framestore Promotes Mel Sullivan To CEO; William Sargent Stepping Down
Framestore has worked on blockbusters including the ‘Paddington’ films, several Marvel titles, and ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu,’ among others.
